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“You don’t order Lars around, ever, understand?I do.If I want him to look at you, dressed or otherwise, that’s my decision.If I want him to do more than look, that’s my decision as well.”He gripped my throat and shoved my head against the seat, leaning over me.“Say you understand?”

My hand was against his chest, and my power pooled in my palm, reaching out, finding the weak spots in his skeleton, the organs that were the most vulnerable.I wanted to push so badly.I wanted to release all the anger inside me on the fragile parts inside him and crush him from the inside out.“I understand,” I said through gritted teeth.My power continued to explore, and I saw every injury and how they happened, his vulnerabilities, mental and otherwise.I saw it all.No, combat magic didn’t come easy to me, but this did.I could hurt him this way.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”he said, the anger in his eyes flaring.

“Like what?”

“I don’t know…” He held my eyes, searching them.“But I don’t like it.I want you, Sutton, and I will make you mine, but I won’t put up with disobedience.You betray me, and I will make you suffer.”

Poe’s grip on me was bruising.I wanted to shove him off.I wanted to force every bit of power I possessed into him and break every one of his bones.

But right then, he was the only thing between me and all the other masked freaks in the sewer.

Jagger’s just outside.

I reminded myself of that fact for the hundredth time since we’d walked in here.I searched the room now, and found Lars.His gaze was wide behind his mask, darting around the room.The demon was nervous, and if he didn’t calm down, he’d give himself—and me—away.

Rune had kept him overnight.I had no idea what he’d said or done to Poe’s bestie, but now he was in the same situation as me—a spy.I’d voiced my concerns to Rune about him talking, but Rune had assured me Lars wouldn’t say a thing.He’d had a terrifying look in his eyes when he said it, so I chose to believe him.

I sat silently beside Poe as the auction began.The air buzzed with anticipation and lifted the hair on my arms.

“Excited?”Poe asked, squeezing my hip too hard.

“I’m not sure what’s about to happen.You said it’s an auction?”

He pressed his mouth to my ear.“Yes, and nights like tonight took us a long time to accomplish.”Hatred filled his eyes.“The knights and the hounds have had their boots on our fucking necks for far too long.”

“With their laws?”I tried to keep him talking while I scanned the room.

“Yeah, their fucking laws.We’re demons; we shouldn’t be forced to live like humans.Tarrant’s worked hard to make this a successful venture, to make it something the demons in this city could trust, not just by maintaining their anonymity but making sure we don’t draw attention from those who want to control and stifle what is only natural.”He leaned close again.“Tarrant won’t be able to doubt your loyalty after this.”

After what?My nerves shot higher, and I had to focus really hard on my breathing.

A voice filled the room through speakers, telling everyone things were about to begin.

The cage in the middle of the room, that I’d seen last time, was gone, but then the floor began to rise, the top of the cage coming into view.It rose slowly—and I choked down my horror when I saw what was in it.

It took everything in me not to jump to my feet, not to dosomething.

A naked female stood there.She was drugged, no doubt from the ones I’d made, and having trouble holding up her head when the demon standing just outside the cage barked at her to show her face.

The female couldn’t lift her head, though, and he shoved the long staff he held through the bars and jabbed it against her hip.It buzzed, shocking her, and she cried out in pain.Excitement filled the room as she slumped to the side.The demon shoved the staff back through the bars to do it again.

Without thought, I fired magic at him, coiling it around the demon’s calf and gripping the muscle tight.Cramp was a bitch.He howled, dropping the cattle prod so he could grip his leg.

“Lot number one: This human female is twenty-seven years old.Healthy with optimal fat-to-flesh ratios, and no damage from birthing or previous illness.”

The bidding started, and I called my magic back, releasing the demon’s leg.

As soon as the highest bidder was announced, the cage descended.

The room was electric, and when the cage rose again, there was a male inside.He wore a steel cuff around his throat, and his head was dipped, eyes shadowed as he scanned the crowd.His fingers were curled into fists, and I could feel power wash from him, over and over, as it battered against the obviously warded cuff he wore, stopping him from hurting anyone in the room.

He was a demi-demon.Was this James?The male the knights mentioned?

“Lot number two.This male demi is twenty-nine years old.Healthy, physically fit, virile, in case any of the females are wondering.”Laughter rumbled through the room.“He’s powerful, but those powers are unknown.You could say, this lot is a bit of a mystery.We were unable to coax information from him, without damaging him.”There was more mumbling, this time sounds of interest of another kind.The mystery seemed to make him more exciting.

The bidding was frenzied, then one after another, humans and demi were displayed for their powers or as a delicacy for the wealthy demons in the room.