Xan’s bare feet hit the gritty floor of Quution’s chamber. He was there, his massive back toward her, his hands clasped behind his back. Blood droplets trailed down his wrists. Had he scraped himself with his ridiculous claws? Probably.

He spun around. Fury, hurt, and relief passed through his features.

Seeing him now, she didn’t notice the costume, seeing beyond it to the real him instead. His shoulders were just as broad, though he’d adopted the hitch. That’s right, the shoes.

She stalked toward him. He didn’t move but his gaze was wary. When she reached him, she pulled her arm back like a lever and slapped him across the face.

He blinked and touched his cheek with his fingers. The air crackled, but it wasn’t his energy. Stryke had arrived.

Air buzzed around her and she couldn’t move. One of them had immobilized her.

“You’re going to imprison us down here.” She wanted to slap him again, for so many reasons. And she was furious at herself for it. A slap? That was so…emotional. She should’ve dug into his skin with her claws, attacked his jugular with her fangs, and tried to rip his lying head from his body. At least that would have accomplished something.

Except he’d never lied. His deep, dark secrets would curse her and Xera forever. And her poor niece, of course. It wouldn’t matter if Xan begged Quution and Stryke to help her save her sister, they would be stuck here, at the mercy of Spaeth and any other full-blood and half-breed who could overpower them.

Might made right in the underworld. And most demons didn’t know what mercy was.

Quution lifted his gaze over her shoulder.

She didn’t wait for Stryke to answer the unspoken question. “No, he didn’t tell me. I figured it out. I might not be able to read all of your precious books, but I still have a brain.” She wanted to point an accusing finger at Stryke, but only her mouth could move. At least she could glare at Quution while she spoke. “He’s scared for you. I had to wonder why. You’re not the type to take over. For all of us halfings, you’re like the symbol of hope that not every full-blood is a demented monster. And your powers are the gold standard of the realm.”

Blood drained from Quution’s face and his gaze darted to Stryke once again. His brother being in on the plan was a given, but how high up did it go? It certainly didn’t have roots in the underworld beyond Quution. So the vampires? Had Quution’s mission been sanctioned by the vampire government?

Betrayal burned through her. The brothers had trapped her like she was the villain.

“You’re not the type to take over. You work from the shadows,” she continued. “You’re devious, underhanded. You don’t get your fake claws dirty. So I had to ask myself, why would a powerful demon pretend to be something he’s not? What would he be up to? He’s protective of humans and has connections with the vampires.” She cocked her head. “And his fantasy takes place on Earth, in the great wide open, the very opposite of how he was raised. It was pretty clear after that.”

Tendrils of guilt floated through his features. “And if you’re right, who would you take this information to?”

“Everyone,” she lied. Could she do that to him? Taking her theory to Spaeth would free Xera, but at what cost? Spaeth would easily rally his fellow full-bloods and be able to recruit most every other half-breed.

The option to escape to the human realm had always been the halflings only respite. Hours of peace. Even if they were in a host to do another demon’s bidding, they were still allowed time to themselves, where they could watch TV, eat all varieties of food, and learn new skills like driving.

Quution was going to take that away from all of them.

Stryke’s boots crunched as he circled around her to stand by Quution. He crossed his arms. Nope, he wasn’t as good-looking as Quution. “Do you realize how it’d destabilize the realm if you spread those lies?”

The blame was not on her. She would be going from one service contract with Spaeth to an eternity with whomever could catch her or blackmail her. “We all know they’re not lies. I’m sure more of your vampire friends know it as well.”

She would tap her foot, but her limbs remained immobile.

Quution dared step closer. She couldn’t move, but she could spit. It wouldn’t burn like Spaeth’s but it might give her a smidgeon of satisfaction.

“Xan.” His voice was soft. “Tell us who’s making you do this.”

“I work alone. Always.”

He took another step toward her, reading her like one of his books. “Yes. I’ve realized that. But not this time. You won the prize for most unexpected demon to take a Circle position but since then, you’ve remained isolated. Except for me. Unlike the rest of us, you have no one working for you, no servants. I’d like to think you’re actually interested in forming a stable government, but you haven’t even attended any meetings.”

“I have too.”

“Late enough to have missed the whole thing. Why have you done all this?” He cocked his head. “And for whom?”

Damn him. He sounded like he actually cared. She lifted her chin. “You tell me everything first.”

“It was my idea,” Quution said. Stryke shot him a hard look, but Quution continued. “Like you said, I care for the beings in the other realm. I can’t say the same for the majority of species down here. We both know if I set wards against full-bloods only, there are plenty of other half-breeds who are just as cruel.”

His idea. He’d thought of it. He’d planned it. And he’d be the one carrying it out. All those hours studying their kind’s history, reading every tome and scroll he could find. And he said it was the others who were cruel.

“Now, it’s your turn,” Quution said, his calm so aggravating. “Who do you report to? A full-breed, one on the Circle?”

“I didn’t say I’d talk if you did.”

Stryke snorted. “Then I guess you’re going to stay here until you do.”

Quution jerked his gaze to his brother. “Not here. Her master will know she’s here.”

She almost spit at the word master, but it was heartbreakingly accurate. Her heart hit her ribs. She willed it to slow down. The next time Spaeth summoned her and she didn’t show, Xera would pay.

She had the rest of the week. Wherever they kept her, she had six more days to try to escape.

“No,” Quution said. “Absolutely not.” Stryke’s idea was ludicrous, and it made him nauseous. “I wouldn’t put my worst enemy in there.”

“She is your worst enemy.” Stryke’s tone was as flat as his stare.

No, she wasn’t. Unfortunately, Quution had no proof. Xan had been the only demon to get close enough to hurt him and she’d done it without drawing blood. Her kind were rumored to be empaths, but he’d never pondered the meaning of the designation. Xan dealt only in fear, but from what he’d witnessed, she was adept at all the nuances that went along with the emotion. She preyed on weakness, and there were so many things that could make a being weak, if only for a moment.

She didn’t just make a guy think spiders were all over the floor, she did what she said. She warped their perception of that fear, either making her target go out of their mind with panic or deliriously happy when she made them believe their fear was resolved.

The way she could pinpoint what he wanted most—he hadn’t even known himself how much he feared he would never reach a state of peace, of utter bliss. Like he’d felt with her. Not once during their day together had he looked over his shoulder. His thoughts hadn’t been consumed with strategy, or spells bouncing around in his brain, or debilitating what-ifs. He’d just enjoyed his time with her. And it’d all been fake.

The devastation when it had all vanished after a knock at the door… His chest still hurt.

And if the very real hurt her con had inflicted wasn’t bad enough, her taste was still on his lips. Her cries still rang in his ears and he recalled exactly what she felt like in his arms.

How had that been fake?

A very tangible Xan was in his chamber while he and Stryke conversed outside his door. Between the two of them, she wasn’t going anywhere.

What she had done was despicable. To do it, she must lack empathy, sympathy, and compassion—she was a true demon.

Yet he could not make himself imprison her in the cell he’d been raised in.

“There are plenty of areas we can keep her.” The underworld was a labyrinth, a realm that had never been fully mapped.

“But are they set up to keep a person inside?”

“One of us is going to have to be with her constantly anyway.” He would be with her constantly.

“Between us and Melody, we can keep her contained.”

Quution shook his head. “No, not Melody. The less she knows, the better.” Xan wasn’t the only spy in the underworld, and because of her association with him, Melody was already under scrutiny.

Stryke studied him for a heartbeat. Quution bristled and met his gaze. Energy crackled between them.

“I don’t trust you around her,” Stryke said. “She’s gotten to you. I mean, you two were…”

“I know full well what we were doing,” Quution said tightly. No reminders necessary. It was heartless how she’d toyed with him, but he couldn’t bring himself to regret one second.

Until he recalled how she hadn’t wanted to have sex with him.

Quution tired of the argument. Xan would pester Stryke until there was an altercation and one of them got hurt. Either outcome was unacceptable. “I’m close to figuring out how to bind our kind down here while allowing those who have mates on Earth free access.” Otherwise, Stryke and Melody would be trapped in the underworld for eternity while their mates were in the other realm. “I’d be studying anyway.”

“Fine, but I’m stopping by to check on you. Frequently. We just need to figure out where.”

“My library. She’s the only one who’s been able to find it.”

Stryke dragged in a breath and held it like he was trying not to sigh. “And just who has she told?”

“I’ve sensed no others trying to enter.”

The almost imperceptible shake of Stryke’s head aggravated Quution. Since Stryke had arrived, he’d been relegated to the role of little brother, and it chafed.

Stryke opened his mouth, but Quution interrupted. “I’m not asking permission.”

“I’m passing along what’s going on down here.”

Quution tipped his head. Notifying Demetrius, who could bring the situation to his government, was smart. If the problem of a certain sexy purple demon snowballed out of his control, it was best others knew the situation.

“I’m close to sealing the underworld.” Quution just had to figure out how to make his wards all-encompassing so he could seal them up as he left the realm forever. Demons were worse than lawyers about exploiting loopholes. The spells couldn’t be layered arbitrarily.

“I guess all that’s left here is to see if she’s going to walk or if we have to carry her.”

Quution looked at his door, wishing he could see through to the immobilized demon behind it.

He wasn’t sure he liked either of Stryke’s options.