Excruciating pain roused me from unconsciousness. I could hear someone screaming, only to realize what I was hearing was myself. Opening my eyes, I looked towards my leg that was in severe pain. Alyanna had my leg on her lap and was digging into it with a black-bladed knife. I could feel what I hoped was Draven behind me, holding my arms to my sides as I attempted to struggle to get away from her and the pain that she was inflicting on my leg.

“It's almost out, quit squirming or I am gonna keep having to dig around for the tooth.” Alyanna sounded completely unfazed as she shoved the knife in deeper, making me scream once again. I could hear Draven start to sing something in my ear, and the pain started to lessen. Slowly, the more he sang, the more I relaxed. I knew he was using his vampire mojo on me, but at this moment I did not care at all. I was just relieved that the pain had mostly went away.

I watched as Alyanna pulled what looked like a tiger fang from my leg. I thought I was gonna be sick. That was just disgusting.

“Done. She should heal up completely in the next hour or so.” Alyanna dropped the tooth on the ground and wiped away my blood that had splattered on her face as a result of her digging in my leg.

“What the hell were those things?” Draven bellowed at her. She took it in stride, seeming to know that he wasn't upset with her but at the situation that we had all been in.

“From the tooth I just pulled from Gwen's leg, I would say that you had just come up against the serfs. The underworld is still stuck in the middle ages, but they are imp like creatures who serve their master. They are normally not harmful, but if you get a tooth embedded in you it will poison the host. Which is why Gwen’s leg looked the way that it did. Wanna tell me exactly what y’all were doing to come up against the serfs?” Alyanna demanded as she pinned us with a serious look that said we weren’t getting out of here until we told her what was going on.

“Draven can catch you up on what happened. Is there somewhere I can go to get cleaned up and use the restroom?” I wasn't trying to avoid what happened, but my bladder was screaming at me for a bathroom. She pointed towards a door that I hadn't noticed when I was there the other day. I headed towards it as quickly as I could hobble away.

Making it to the bathroom, I went directly to the toilet. Damn, that was a relief. I felt like I hadn’t peed in forever. Why is it that the bad guys always get you when you have to pee the most? Finishing up with that, I looked into the mirror. I looked deathly pale. My hair was a mess and I was covered in blood and goo - ewww. I turned on the water to wash my face when I heard a soft, barely there noise behind me. Thinking it was Alyanna, I ignored it. Big mistake.

“Little mouse, we finally meet.” Sneered a voice that made my entire body cold. I turned slowly and came face to face with the one demon that I wanted to never be near. I saw his hands move and the only thing I was able to get out before everything went black was a scream.

I was in the middle of explaining what had happened to Gwen, when I heard a scream from the bathroom. Moving as quickly as I could, I opened the door and saw nothing but a spot of blood on the floor.

Turning and grabbing Alyanna by the throat, I growled, “Where is she?” I growled with such menace that I saw her tremble. I knew my markings were flaring because I could feel them burning my face. I had to ease up my grip a bit because her face was starting to turn colors and I can't get answers from a dead woman.

“I smell Bael. He had to have taken her. I will do whatever I can to get her back. You are not the only one who is worried. He will force her to turn completely demon, and when he does, who knows what she will become. So put me down and call your brothers. Canio needs to come too because he knows Bael’s home. I do not.” Alyanna choked out as I let go of her throat and she landed on her feet.

I let out a yell hoping that that would help the frustration that was building inside of me right now. I hadn’t known Gwen long, but I knew enough that I was hooked and I couldn't lose her. I knew that the others felt the same. Reaching into my pocket, I pulled out my phone and called Barrett.

“What’s up brother? We just got all the kids relocated into a safe spot where no demon can get to.” Barrett informed me, sounding relieved, not knowing that I was about to ruin that victory with the next words out of my mouth.

“You need to get the guys and come to the tattoo shop. Bael has Gwen. Bring Canio with you. Alyanna thinks he can help and we need to get Gwen back before she is forced to do something she will never get over.” I said with as much control as I possibly could because inside I was a mess.

“Be there in ten.” Barrett growled through the phone, making me feel like an even bigger failure than I already felt. Even if Gwen forgave me for failing her, I am not sure the guys would.

“What is Bael going to do with her?” I asked quietly, afraid of the answer that Alyanna was going to give me.

“She will probably be forced to kill a innocent. Bael can control people, and once he gets into her head, it will not matter what she does. He will get his way, and even though she is being controlled, she will become a true demon once it is completed. Then he will force himself on her and make her his wife.” She looked away at the door as if she might cry, reliving a memory she would rather forget.

“Well that’s not going to fucking happen.” Barrett asserted, barging into the door with Donovan and Ethane behind him. I will give Canio credit, he walked like he had purpose. I had to fight myself from going after him. If he hadn't turned Gwen, we wouldn't be in this position.

I awoke tied to a bed. My brain was so foggy I wasn’t sure what had happened. I knew it had to be bad because the bedroom I was in did not belong to any of my men. It looked as if the walls were made out of rock and it had a faint musty smell. I may not know much, but I knew with all my being that I had to get out of here. I started to pull against the bindings holding me to the bed when I heard a voice that froze me to the core.

“It is good to see you awake little mouse. You are so much prettier than the last demon I had down here.” He said to me as if oblivious to the fact that I was tied down to the bed and not there of my own free will.

“What do you want?” I spit at him. He may be in denial that I wanted to be here, but I wasn't. There was no way in hell I was gonna sit here and have a conversation with this monster.

“I want you little mouse. I am going to make you my queen.” He said so nonchalantly as he rubbed his hand up my arm. I had to fight to keep myself from throwing up on him.

“I will never be yours.” I said with as much venom as I could muster. He moved down closer to me, close enough I could smell his sulfur-filled breath.

“You have no choice.” He said as he put both of his hands on the side of my head and started to chant. The pain hit a few seconds later. I only hoped that my men would find me before I broke. I screamed in agony as he smiled, and I knew that by the end of this I was gonna wish I was dead.