Page 27 of Resurrection (Daemons & Lumens #2)

My insides raged, and my blood practically boiled with hatred for these fuckers. But I said nothing, and Laszlo smiled, his eyes filled with delight. And lust. I fucking hated him.

“There’s my obedient girl.”

“Oh, fu—”

The collar zapped me again, and I wanted to scream. Michaela gripped my arm tightly, begging me with her eyes to calm down.

The music inside the ballroom dimmed, and suddenly the guards opened the doors. A butler stepped forward and announced through a microphone two names.

“Samuel Delano and Michaela Valdis.”

Samuel held out his arm for my sister, and I froze in place.

She gave my hand a squeeze and stood tall, walking to the stupid prick with her shoulders back and chin high.

She was stunningly confident, and I loved her for it.

She took his arm and descended the stairs into the ballroom. I knew what was coming next.

“Laszlo Blackbyrn and Seraphina Valdis.”

Laszlo held out his arm for me, and I smiled sweetly. Just as I approached him, I swerved out of his reach and took to the stairs on my own. Several gasps and hushed whispers filled the room as I made my way to the bottom of the stairs ahead of my escort.

I surveyed the sea of trashy cult members before me.

Several of them looked away quickly when I caught their stares.

I wanted them to see my rage. To know how fully I hated them for the part they played in my family’s destruction.

These fuckers were willing to sacrific innocents for their own personal gain.

They were the scum of the Earth. Speaking of, I noted Mr. Kingston in the crowd.

He was dressed impeccably and speaking with a curvy woman in a red gown.

He laughed at her words, the smile on his face falling when I locked my eyes with his.

His beady eyes flicked across the room. I followed his line of sight and fumed at what I saw.

Audrey Kingston was locked in a cage, her body on display with only the sheerest scraps of fabric covering her.

She was dancing, following the slow beat of the music.

My anger grew. She must be drugged or influenced by Samuel Delano, because there was no way in hell she’d do that willingly.

A small crowd of men watched her move, and I noticed a digital board beside the cage with numbers rising as different men raised their arms. They were auctioning her off. That would not be fucking happening. I would get her out of here before the end of this stupid fucking event.

The hungry gaze of a predator at the base of the steps drew my attention away from Audrey.

Typhon was waiting for me, looking tasty as fuck in his dark suit.

His wolf-like eyes gleamed as he took me in.

He held out his arm, and I accepted it immediately.

Ty whisked me away into the crowd and out of sight of Laszlo.

“You look fucking gorgeous, little vixen,” Ty purred in my ear.

I winked at him then tapped the collar.

His eyes snapped to the necklace, and he frowned. “What is it?”

I rolled my eyes and searched the room for Laszlo but found Andras stalking toward us, forcing the crowd of cult members to part. His eyes narrowed in on the collar, and as he approached, he reached out and caressed my throat.

“What the fuck is going on, Andras?” Ty growled, gripping my waist and hovering behind me.

“My father is an asshat,” Andras snapped. “It’s a shock collar. She can’t speak.”

Of course, Andras would use a word like asshat when I couldn’t comment on it. Would making fun of him be worth getting shocked? Maybe. Probably.

Devon and Levi appeared, and I smiled at them with the cheeriest grin I could muster. Dev’s eyes widened as he took me in. Levi whistled and barged between the others, grabbing my waist.

“Hello, mi diosa ,” he purred, that easy smile I loved so much lighting up his handsome face. “You’re stunning. Not that I’m surprised. Andras picked the dress. He chose Michaela’s too, in case you were worried.”

I smiled and pressed my hand to his cheek. His eyes shaded in confusion when I didn’t speak.

“She can’t fucking talk without getting zapped,” Ty snarled, and guests standing nearby backed away. “Can we kill that fucker now?”

Andras searched the crowd for his father, his mouth set in a hard line. “Soon enough, brother.”

I tapped Andras’s shoulder to get his attention. How did I tell him to find Michaela? I turned away and made to look through the throws of people. He understood, my dark knight always in-tune with what I needed.

Andras was over a foot taller than me and easily able to peer into the crowds of people to find her. He frowned. “I don’t see her. But I’ll go find her. Ty, with me. Levi and Dev, stay with her.”

He brought my hand to his lips and kissed my palm much too erotically for my liking. Actually, I did like it. His lips on my skin woke up the horny bitch between my legs, but there was nothing I could do right now to satiate Miss Mina. And I couldn’t sass him for getting me all worked up, damnit.

Andras quirked an eyebrow at me. “Behave.”