From the corner of her eye, Thais caught the lanky male staring down at her as she lay chained to the bed. With her gaze set beyond him, blurring out of focus, she didn’t bother catching any of the details in his face. Instead, she contemplated what the hell had just happened.

One minute, she’d been standing on the streets of downtown, and in the next blink, lying on a cold steel cot with her hands tethered to the wall.

Again.

She’d have shivered with fear, if not for the surge of laughter trying to escape. What the fuck were the odds that she’d be captured so quickly after her newfound freedom? And how the hell did they know it was her?

“Who are you?” she asked, tugging at the chains.

The male frowned down at her, taking a seat beside the bed. “If you think I’ve any intentions of falling prey to your trickery twice, you’re wrong. We’ve been hard at work since you escaped, sweetness. Remember the succubi? I can’t wait to show you what’s become of them.”

The succubi? Was he .... No. He couldn’t have been there. She’d been taken hostage in Obsidius, a place no human could set foot. The demons there would’ve sniffed him out and made a meal out of him.

With the Nephilim mask still in place, she puzzled over how the male knew her. “What happened to the succubi?” Those poor young girls who’d been kidnapped for the blood, so assholes like the Wrath demon junkie she’d met earlier could get their rocks off. She couldn’t even fathom what additional torture they’d have been subjected to.

“Let’s just say … they weren’t as fertile as I’d anticipated. They were completely devoured. Mating sack, and all. I left the remains for you.”

Fury lit her veins, and gods, what she wouldn’t have given for the hellsfire to burn the surrounding shithole right to the ground. “You sick and sorry son of a bitch! I hope you rot in Stygius. I hope the soul of every girl you’ve ever murdered torments you for eternity. When I get out of here, I’ll see to it that you never kill another innocent girl again!”

His mouth stretched to a smile. “See, that’s the thing. You’re not escaping me twice, Ava.”

How did he know Ava well enough to know her name? More importantly, why? “What am I to you?”

“We’ve discussed this. Over and over, and over. Ad nauseam.” He bent forward, resting his elbows on the tops of his thighs. “You know I care for you very much. But alas, you are simply a means to an end.”

He definitely didn’t know who she was beneath the charade. What the hell had Calix’s female gotten herself wrapped up in? Another succubi operation? More drugs?

“What kind of means?”

“I suppose that is going to depend on how much damage was inflicted. I understand you made your way back to the Wrath demons. And I’d be willing to bet that you allowed one of the horny bastards to fuck you.” His lip twitched, and he rolled his shoulders. “I’ll need to examine you. Make sure your womb is intact.”

“For what?”

Rolling his eyes, the male threw himself back in the chair and slouched. “For Christ’s sake, woman, have you had a lobotomy in the last few days? We’ve gone over this a million times. You’re to be impregnated by the Sang. And then consumed.”

Thais’s veins turned ice fucking cold. She’d have switched to her own identity, if not for the sudden paralysis that took over her body. A tremor of fear clinked the chains as she lay shivering. Sang? Why did the name sound so familiar to her? Yet, something told her not to ask.

“I … I’m not who you think I am.”

“Don’t be so modest, darling. The succubi may have been a disappointment, but I know how to fix things now. I know what I did wrong with you, and it’ll work this time. It has to.”

“No, you’re not understanding.” Clamping her eyes shut, Thais focused on the change, willing her mind to relax and accept the silent command inside her head. Her skin prickled with a slight burn as the façade faded away. “I’m really not who you think I am,” she said in her own voice.

Eyes widening, the male’s mouth gaped. “Well, shit.” His brow furrowed, and he tipped his head, staring hard at her face. He removed his glasses, rubbing the heel of his hand against his eyes and replaced them once more. “Who the fuck are you? And why were you wearing the face of Ava?”

“I was just … I, um. Was just … some asshole gave me a hard time at the bar. Was just trying to get away.”

“Right. And how did you come upon this face you used for escape?”

“I … think I saw her on TV? Something. I don’t remember exactly.”

“You’re lying.” With a wicked smile, he pushed to his feet and paced alongside the bed. “I don’t think you understand the very grave circumstances that you face. In the adjacent room is an ancient creature. One responsible for wiping out entire demon species.”

“The Sang?” Only a vague recollection of their history fluttered inside Thais’s head, but at that moment, what little she’d picked up about the Sang crashed over her with terrifying understanding. They were a plague from the underworld that’d somehow been resurrected and introduced to the human realm.

“Yes, the Sang. I’ve not kept them as well-fed as I should. They’re starving. Entering their mating cycle and looking to offload a shit-ton of sperm. So, unless you want to be the vessel that both sates their sexual desires and their hunger, I suggest you cut the shit and come clean.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “How do you know Ava?”

Fucking hell, was that what he’d done to Ava? Was that why she couldn’t comfort her man?

One thing that’d kept Thais alive, when she should’ve been dead a number of times over, was her unwavering commitment to saving her own ass. Besides that, while she lay strapped in chains, facing a grisly and gruesome demise, the other female happened to be living it up in a guarded fortress where the asshole couldn’t get to her if he wanted, anyway. Probably why he’d snatched Thais up from the streets as quick as he had.

“I don’t know her, per se. I’m an acquaintance of her mate.” Better to associate herself with the Wrath demon than Ava. The human seemed to have enough knowledge about supernaturals, and most knew not to fuck with a Wrath. And if he didn’t? To hell with him. His funeral.

The raising of his brow left Thais second-guessing herself. “Friend of the Wraths?”

His smile spurred a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach and left her wondering if she’d just fucked herself. “Acquaintance. There’s a difference.”

“And what, might I ask, is the nature of your acquaintance?”

Shit. “I delivered some goods once.” With every lie, she attempted to lessen her connection to them. “His girlfriend happened to greet me at the door. I thought she was pretty, and I used her face.”

“The door? Of the mansion?”

“Yeah, well, the troll who guards it must’ve had to take a piss and left her in charge of the door. Look, I don’t know why she was there. I made my delivery and left. You don’t fuck with the Wrath demons, right?”

“Right. What goods did you deliver?”

“Drugs. For his brother. This is all very secret stuff you’re asking me.”

“Yes. I know.” He lifted a phone from a holster at his side and turned his head to the side to speak. “Bring the injections,” was all he said before clipping the device back at his side.

Thais tugged the chains to seat herself higher on the bed, as if she could get away. “What injections?” The rapid pattering of her heart left Thais one whimper away from falling into panic. “What are you going to do?”

“It’s not so much what I’m going to do. It’s what you’re going to do, my dear. You see, the only time you’re able to flash from one location to another, is if you’ve been there before. It plays off of your memories.” He bent forward, holding himself up over her. “And since you’ve been to the mansion, and have seen Ava there, you’re going to retrieve her for me.”

“What makes you think I’d come back to this shithole?”

“Ah, I’m glad you asked.” He strode across the room and threw back the iron door, revealing the monstrous, gorilla-faced beast who’d brought her there. Standing behind a silver cart, he carried three syringes. “My friend will accompany you. He’ll see to it that you not only retrieve the girl, but that you return her to me. And if you fail to do so, if you attempt to escape, he’ll bring you back here. And what happened to the succubi will be merciful compared to what happens to you.”

Thais swallowed a harsh gulp. “How?”

“I’m going to inject you with the Sang virus. It’ll take a few hours to settle throughout your body. A couple days until you level out. Once I remove the chains, you’ll have the power to flash just by thinking of the place. If you try it with the chains, you’ll decapitate yourself.” He shivered, and his face screwed up into a grimace. “Trust me, I’ve seen it too many times.”

She jerked her head toward the gorilla-faced mutt standing in the doorway. “And him? What am I supposed to do? Walk around with a big, ugly ass demon following behind like a puppy?”

The beast growled at the same time the human male lifted the second syringe.

“I believe that mistakes are made to make us more aware of our shortcomings. So we can fix them. This second injection contains his pheromones.” He glanced back at the demon and smiled. “It works the same way as bonding. He’ll sense you at all times. Wherever you flash to, he’ll follow.” Syringe held before his face, he examined the clear fluid that appeared to have small black specs floating around within. “Shame I couldn’t have used this on Ava, but that would’ve surely fucked with my experiment, and I believe in the fewer variables, the better.”

Disgust churned in her gut as he approached the bed, and Thais tugged on the chains in a futile attempt to break them. “Keep that the fuck away from me. I don’t need some snaggle-toothed bastard thinking I’m his mate!”

“It’s temporary. It’s effects only last a few days.”

“And if he tries raping me in that time?”

“He’ll wait outside the compound for you. I suggest you get in and get out. We wouldn’t want him getting jealous and barging in.” The human ran a finger along her throat, smiling when he found her pulsing artery. “You’re nervous. Don’t be. Do as I say, and you’ll be fine.”

“And what happens to me after? You’ll let me go?”

“One step at a time, dear.” A sharp sting hit her neck, as he jabbed the needle into her flesh there, and waves of euphoria struck her brain. “Let’s first see how you respond to the virus.”