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I nodded, my gaze on her mouth.I wanted to nibble that perfect lower lip, and I would once we left the danger of this place.“Worse.”

Her hand trembled in mine.“This is my fault,” she choked out.“The drugs I made for them, they’re using them to hurt people.”

I slid my finger under her chin, tipping her head back.“I don’t want to hear that bullshit.You had no way of knowing Tarrant’s fucked-up schemes went this deep, and judging by the scent in this place, it’s vast.The shit they’ve been doing goes back a lot farther than when they blackmailed you into working for them.”

She nodded, those fucking soul-shattering eyes still wide on me.“Okay,” she whispered.

She didn’t believe me, but she would.I’d make sure she did.“Let’s take a quick look around, then get the fuck gone, yeah?”

“The cages are just through there.”She pointed to a wide tunnel that was partially curtained off.I quickly led her through the open space, past a small stage in the middle that was surrounded by chairs, and shoved back the curtain.

The cages were large enough to hold two or three people.The scent of fear was stronger here, and my hackles rose as I scented the air again.“Definitely human and something else…” I froze, breathing deeply.“Fuck.”

“What is it?”

“Demi-demon.”My lips curled.“Tarrant’s been snatching demi as well.We’re gonna have to bring the knights in on this.”

“Why would he be taking them?”

“The demi?My guess, their powers.”No, they weren’t full-blooded demon, but something happened when mixed with human blood, and their abilities were far more impressive.“For as long as demi have existed, there have been demons trying to capture them to use for their powers.”

“So they’re auctioning them off here to the highest bidder?”she asked, looking seriously freaked out.

“That’d be my guess.”

“Why humans?”

There was a tremble to her voice, but there was no sugarcoating it.“Only one thing that certain demon breeds want humans for…well, two, but I’d be willing to bet money it’s the former.”

“What?What do they want them for?”she asked hesitantly.

“Food.”

She blanched.“They’re auctioning off live humans for demons to eat.”

“That would be my guess, yeah.”Another scent reached out to me and a growl vibrated from my chest.I gripped her hand tighter.“This way.”

“What can you smell?”she asked, jogging down the tunnel beside me.

“Hound.”

We ran until we reached the end of the tunnel and turned onto another.“We’re close,” I said as we reached a T at the end.Brick’s scent grew deeper.

A growl echoed through the tunnels.I spun left and saw him.He had an iron cuff around his throat, like Kurgan wore, and the chain attached to it was bolted to the wall.He saw me and snarled viciously, baring his teeth and pawing at the ground.

“He doesn’t recognize me.”He wasn’t shifting, and I’d guess he couldn’t.He was young, though, and I was still stronger than him, even in human form.If I had to carry him out of here snarling and snapping, I took a step toward him?—

“Stop,” Sutton cried.

I froze.

“Step back.”She pointed to the wall by the tunnel’s opening.“Sigils.There and there.I can see more around his collar.”

I immediately stepped back.“What kind of magic are we looking at?Can you break through?”

“They’re demon, and they’re old, powerful.I can feel it.I don’t have enough knowledge, but I do know if we go any closer, it would mean certain death for me.You?Well, I’m not sure, but it wouldn’t be good.”Brick tilted his head back and howled.

“I think the ones on the collar are stopping him from shifting.”