Mia’s phone beeped and she raced over to check it.

Call you when I can.

Zenon’s reply did not ease her worry. Not one damn bit. She hadn’t seen him for three days, and if it hadn’t been for the delicious way her body ached the day he left without so much as a goodbye, she’d think that night had been nothing but a dream.

The way he’d taken her, the needy, desperate way he’d clung to her.

Something was wrong.

Closing her eyes, she tried to calm the unease churning in her stomach. It had almost been like he was trying to tell her something…

Like he was saying goodbye.

No. She couldn’t think that. They’d been in regular contact, texting several times day. He’d replied like he always did, if a bit distant, telling her he missed her but he was busy and wasn’t sure when he’d be back. She knew there were demons causing trouble all over the city, but something didn’t feel right.

Chaos had even tried to reassure her, but she hadn’t missed the covert glances they gave each other when she asked about him. They were hiding something from her, and it was driving her crazy.

She didn’t want to believe Zenon would keep secrets from her, but she didn’t buy it. She wasn’t going to let him run away and hide this time. Keeping something from her that was seriously bothering him wasn’t going to fly. Not now.

It’d been weeks since she’d left the compound. And she didn’t see that changing anytime soon, especially after one of the demons they had locked up below the compound escaped two days ago. The knights had gone into full-on overprotection mode, and she and the others staying there had been further restricted.

No, her only option was to sneak out. She hated to do it, but she had to see Zenon, make sure he was all right with her own two eyes. Thanks to some snooping on the control room computers—in the guise of online shopping—and the GPS installed in Zenon’s phone, she knew the area he was patrolling. She’d just text him when she got to that part of town, tell him where she was, and wait for him to come to her. No leaving the car, no taking any unnecessary risks. Simple.

Of course, Chaos wouldn’t see it that way, hence the sneaking.

The lift doors slid open and she pulled the keys for the black SUV closest to the basement door from her pocket. She knew from watching the live feeds in the control room that there was a blind spot and as long as she could get in without anyone seeing who was driving, she might have a chance.

She climbed in, started it up, and drove out of the parking garage. That was the easy part. Now her escape would be broadcast to whoever was on watch tonight. The knights were the only ones who could enter without waiting to be let in manually, if they were travelling by car. Everyone else needed to be cleared by camera. Hopefully, if someone was watching they’d assume it was one of the knights driving the SUV. She’d found Zenon’s bike keys in the bedside drawer, and she pulled them out of her bag, used the small remote attached to activate the gates, and held her breath.

The metal giants shuddered then kicked into action, sliding open to reveal the dark deserted road beyond the compound. Surrounded by abandoned warehouses and empty lots, the place the knights called home was private, out of the way, and about as far from homely as you could get.

Glancing in the rearview mirror, she watched the gates slide shut behind her and released an anxious breath.

It took forty minutes to drive into Roxburgh and head to the other side of the city. The well-lit streets appeared to be lined with high-end shops and upscale apartments.

It was raining hard, and she had the wipers on full to navigate the unfamiliar streets. The car’s GPS told her she was on Jacobson. This was where the compound’s computer tracking software said Zenon was located. Pulling over, she looked out the window but couldn’t see much through the sheets of rain pouring down.

Taking a deep breath, she keyed in a quick text telling him where she was and asking if he could come to her. He’d be pissed with her for leaving the compound, but what did he expect when he was doing his best to shut her out again?

“Not this time, buddy,” she muttered under her breath.

It seemed to take ages, but finally he answered. Don’t move. Sending someone to bring you up to me.

Okay. So he wasn’t working alone. That thought helped her relax. He had someone at his back. Thank God.

Mia jumped and let out a shriek when, minutes later, a dark figure banged on the driver’s door. She opened the window a crack.

“Mia?”

“Yes.”

“I’ve come to take you to Zenon.”

If this this guy was some random nutjob he’d have no way of knowing her name or Zenon’s.

She opened the door, and the guy took her arm immediately and rushed her across the street and through the doors to one of the apartment buildings. When they got in the elevator, he glanced down at her and grinned. “So you’re Zenon’s female.”

“Is he all right?”

“He’s fine.” His grin turned wicked. “Though I’m not sure how happy he’ll be when he sees you.”

Crap. Perhaps coming here hadn’t been such a great idea. She didn’t want to add to his worries. Well, it was too late to go back now. He’d just have to get over it. Maybe next time he wouldn’t run off without telling her first. “How long have you known Zenon?”

He chuckled, and the raspy sound sent a shiver down her spine. “Oh, I’ve known Zenon for a very long time. We go way back.”

The elevator opened to a large entryway. Her escort led her to a set of double doors and knocked once.

It swung open and a tall woman in a beautifully tailored deep scarlet dress stood looking down at her. Her hair was dark, long, and glossy. Her almost black eyes traveled over Mia from head to toe, and the tight-lipped curiosity turned dark with disdain.

“I, ah…I think I’m at the wrong place.” Mia took a step back, but the silent male at her side halted her retreating steps.

“No, you’re right where I want you. Please, come in.”

Why would Zenon be here with this woman? Everything in her told her to go in the other direction, to get out of there. But Zenon had told her he was sending someone down for her, and these people had been expecting her, so pushing aside her misgivings, she stepped over the threshold. The woman started across the room and without looking back crooked a slender red-tipped finger over her shoulder. “This way.”

When they entered what she guessed was the living room, the woman stopped and turned to face her. “You really shouldn’t have come, demi. Now you’ve left me no choice.”

“What are you talking about? Where’s Zenon?”

The woman’s beautiful features twisted into what could only be described as utter loathing as she gave Mia a slow perusal from head to toe. She glanced at the male standing behind Mia. “What can he possibly see in such a frumpy little mouse?”

“Excuse me?” What a bitch.

“What you don’t understand, little mouse, is that Zenon is mine…and that will never change.”

That’s when she felt the dark power radiating from other woman. This was her, the woman who kept Zenon as her slave. Fear for him gripped her, making her knees weak and a cold sweat coat her skin. “Where is he? What have you done to him?”

“Nothing he doesn’t beg for. I promise you that.” The sadistic heat in her eyes made Mia’s stomach churn and acid flood the back of her throat.

Oh God. Oh God, no.

Reaching behind her, the woman grabbed the door handle at her back and pushed the door wide. “See for yourself.”

Her feet took her forward, while fear at what she was about to see seized the breath in her lungs.

The room was dim, but she had no trouble seeing him. A sob burst from her throat. His lifeless form was strung up on some steel contraption, his arms and feet spread wide and shackled to the framework. He was completely naked, his beautiful skin scratched and bruised.

“No.” She ran to him. His head was slumped forward, his long black hair covering his face. He didn’t move, didn’t answer. His breathing was shallow, labored.

She spun around. “What have you done to him?”

“He defied me. This is the price he paid.” She sneered. “You can blame yourself for his condition. He took this punishment to keep you safe. You failed him, made all he’s suffered for nothing, because now he will watch you die.”

Mia barely managed two steps before she was grabbed and thrown roughly onto the bed in the center of the room. The male she now realized was a demon pulled her arms and legs wide and tied her down. When he stepped back, sick anticipation covered his face.

The sadistic monster who’d spent several lifetimes making Zenon’s life a living hell stepped forward, and this time when she smiled, she let her pointed teeth peek past her full lips. “Time for the real fun to begin.”

Helena fucking him up more than he already was wasn’t Zenon’s only problem, because right then his mind was playing tricks on him. He could smell Mia. Smell the woman he craved with every fiber of his being. He sucked in another breath and his gut tightened.

Tilting his head, he listened for movement but couldn’t hear a thing. Not when his pulse pounded so hard it felt like someone was playing a fucking drum solo against his eardrums.

Helena wasn’t in the room, he knew that much. A low buzz vibrated over his skull, the same feeling he got whenever she used her powers. She was in one of her trances somewhere else in the penthouse. He could feel the difference in her power, like she was on a different frequency. In that state, she could communicate with the demons she hoped would help her overthrow Diemos, could get in their heads. She wasn’t aware of much when she was like that, so she’d have herself locked away in one of the rooms, have it well warded.

He tried to lift his head but it was a complete fail. His skull felt like a dead weight hanging from his neck. His limbs screamed in protest at being stretched out too long, and his muscles spasmed and knotted, sending sharp stabbing pain to his joints.

He licked his dry, split lips, and a groan slid up his throat.

Yeah, Helena was pissed. And she’d made sure he was fully clued in. He’d never seen her so full of rage. Not only had he refused to service her, but her power over him had failed. When she’d shoved him down on the bed and pumped him full of her toxic lust, his dick had remained lifeless, hanging between his legs. He’d stayed silent, letting his body show her how much she repulsed him, which had sent her into a tantrum of mass proportions.

Refusing her probably wasn’t the best idea considering what he had planned, but there was no way in hell he could touch that bitch, not after Mia.

This had better fucking work.

A faint sound made it past the blood rushing through his head. He concentrated on breathing through the pain, and his head began to clear. He heard it again—a whimper. Locking his knees, he tightened his protesting muscles and forced his head up.

The blurry outline of someone came into view. Someone was on the bed. Blinking rapidly, he worked at clearing the dried blood from around his eyes. They stung and watered, but cleared enough to see who lay there.

No. His legs collapsed from under him and agony shot through his shoulders. He shook his head. Please let this be a nightmare, a goddamned hallucination.

Mia.

The sound that tore from his throat was pure animal, raw and untamed, his demon taking control of his vocal cords in a roar that rattled the windows.

She was tied to the bed, at Helena’s mercy. One of her filmy robes covered most of Mia’s body, but it had ridden up to about mid-thigh with the way she writhed on the mattress, barely aware of her surroundings.

Zenon could smell her fear as well as the heavy scent of her arousal, could feel the deep pulsing beat of her need hitting him in the groin in heady waves. His dick answered instantly, growing heavy and hard, his balls tightening. She thrashed, trying to press her thighs together, but the restraints stopped her.

“Mia? Princess, talk to me.”

She spun to face him. Relief made her sag against the mattress before another sob broke free. Now that he could see her better, he saw the tears running down her face, soaking the hair at her temples. “Zenon. I’m…” She stopped suddenly, a moan gasping past her lips. The helpless look on her face fucking killed him.

“Mia,” he roared as he bucked against his restraints.

Panic flared behind her wild eyes, and she shook her head. “No, please, not again. I…I don’t want…” Her pale skin flushed pink and she squeezed her eyes shut, her swollen lips parting like she did right before she… “No, please no,” she sobbed.

Oh fuck no.

Her body bowed, convulsing almost violently. She cried out as if in pain. The orgasm tore through her strung body, racked her small frame with tremor after tremor. When the last moved through her, she lay there shaking with her silent tears.

He called her name, but she wouldn’t open her eyes. “Mia, please, look at me.”

“I’m sorry. I don’t want to…I…he’s making me. Oh God, I think I’m going to be sick.” She lifted off the bed as much as she could with her arms and legs tied down, and turned away, heaving repeatedly.

He? Zenon looked around the dim room, and a growl ripped from his chest when he spotted Amen, the sex demon from the club, sitting by the door, his uninjured hand down his pants, stroking his dick while he watched Mia. Zenon had been so focused on her he hadn’t even noticed him in the room. He was using his power on Mia. Zenon could feel it this time.

Somehow he’d escaped the compound.

“Stop,” he roared.

A grin spread across the demon’s face.

“Don’t you even fucking look at her.”

“Nice to see you’re awake, drudge.” He didn’t stop stroking himself. Having another audience member only seemed to increase his excitement. “See how your female comes for me? See how badly she wants it? I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything more beautiful. But she’s suffered long enough.” He looked back to Mia. “Shh now. I know how it aches. I’ll make it all better.”

Zenon fought so hard he felt his shoulder pop out of the socket. “Touch her and I’ll cut off your balls and make you fucking eat them before I slit your skinny throat.”

Amen stood, jeans undone around his hips, still working the turgid flesh jutting from his body as he moved toward the bed. “Well, you’re not really in a position to make threats, now are you? I was waiting for you to wake so you could watch me put her out of her misery.”

Zenon tugged harder at his restraints, ignoring the pain screaming through his body, the way his raw flesh tore from his wrists and ankles. Mia was struggling, blood leaking from beneath the ropes tying her to the bed.

This couldn’t be happening. Being here was supposed to ensure Mia’s safety. He’d come here this one last time, taking the only chance he’d get to gain his freedom—to be with the female he loved.

He watched Amen stand beside the bed and run his fingers down her bare arm. “I feel as though I already know you so well.” He pulled Zenon’s cell phone out of his pocket and dropped it on the bedside table. “I’ve enjoyed our little chats back and forth.”

Zenon growled and continued to fight, tried to break free, but it was hopeless—he was hopeless. He had failed her in the worst possible way.

The bones in his hand shattered when he pulled against the steel restraining him with every bit of remaining strength. He barely felt it, his entire focus locked on Mia.

She turned her head away from the demon at her side and held his gaze. “I love you,” she whispered.

Zenon cried out, his heart shredding into a million pieces. She didn’t look away from him as Amen climbed onto the bed beside her, her hollow stare desolate, broken. Zenon’s frantic struggles were useless. He couldn’t get free. He couldn’t save her. And as the demon moved to cover her, his soul screamed, rendering him wide open.

Mia flinched.

She’d heard it, too.