4. Exposed

QUINN

I feel like hell.

From the moment I had cracked open an eye, I discovered the demons had stuffed me in a room whiter than one would find in a hospital. With how scarce the room was of furniture, it was giving me a strong impression of a mental asylum and that left my nerves even more frazzled. Still, it was nothing compared to when the bastards actually came to retrieve me. The drugs were still lingering in my system just enough to dull down any fight I felt like I was putting up.

The smirks on their faces only sealed just how pathetic my behavior was.

By the time I got a more solid grip on my movements, they'd dragged me down the hall and to a large room divided up by curtain barriers. Neither of them spoke a word as they tossed me into a chair and marched off, both of them chuckling without giving a damn that I could hear them.

It stunned me that they would just leave me there without someone else standing guard. Quiet conversation in another part of the room quickly dissolved the shock. Just because someone wasn't hovering over me didn't mean that I was alone. The hair rising on the back of my neck prompted my gaze up toward the ceiling.

A camera with a flashing red light was pointed right at me.

Curling my upper lip, I crossed my arms and reluctantly relaxed in the chair. Of course they were watching somewhere else. It wouldn't be a surprise that the whole ordeal when the APL first arrived at this facility had also been recorded, from Tate trying to spit at the demon lords behind the glass to the goon gunning everyone down. A part of me wondered if someone had put the whole thing on a disc simply to watch me be spared.

Who are you kidding, Quinn? No one in the paranormal world gives a damn about you.

Still, that didn't stop the question about why I was still alive from circling in my head. The mere thought brought back the faint sensation of the prince's fingers along my jaw. Even if it was just a phantom touch that couldn't come close to the real thing, I still found myself wet. A soft groan escaped my lips. Fuck. The last thing I needed right now was for my own body to betray me.

I had just been thrust deep into the paranormal world as the prince's personal prisoner and I didn't have the slightest clue what he had in store for me.

As footsteps headed in my direction, instinct drove me to immediately cross my legs. I could feel a faint heat erupt on my cheeks as a young woman drifted into sight with an armed goon in tow.

"Good afternoon, Miss Barone." The woman finished scribbling something on the clipboard before she tucked it into the plastic tray attached to the column nearby. Her golden eyes didn't stray toward me until she grabbed a new one completely void of any information. "My name is Doctor Gallows and I will be doing your checkup today."

The initial statement was enough to completely kill any ounce of lust lurking within me. I tightened my arms over my chest and glared at her. "Speak for yourself. I'm sure it's a good afternoon for you," I grumbled.

The bald goon hovering just outside the curtain barrier fiddled with the butt of his gun. "Don't waste your breath with her, Bianca. Marcus said she's a smartass, even when she doesn't open those lips. I don't think the prince realizes that she's more trouble than she's worth."

I knew better than to say something. After all, this facility was only the tip of the iceberg for my new life. Yet, the annoyance that flooded my veins was so strong that I found my own body betraying me in an entirely different way. I scoffed at him and lifted my jaw. "If you're so sure about that, why don't you do us both a favor? Kill me."

It was a lethal challenge, but I honestly didn't expect the bastard to immediately raise his gun and flip the safety off. It was enough to leave my body void of all warmth.

"Sure, why don't I?" he growled, training the weapon at me.

Bianca slapped it down with her clipboard. "If I want an opinion from you, Charles, I'll ask for it. This patient has been claimed by the demon prince himself. Are you really willing to stick your own head on a pike just to gun her down?" Scowling, she rolled her eyes and approached me. "He'll probably flay the skin from your bones for a few centuries before he finally puts you out of your misery."

Charles' topaz eyes flashed, mirroring the rage lurking beneath that pale skin. "It's not like he's going to keep her alive for that long."

"It's no concern of yours how long his toys last," Bianca snapped. "Now shut it and stand there until I need you. If you can't hold that tongue long enough for me to do my job, you can find yourself a replacement."

It was clear by the way his upper lip curled that Charles had no desire to find a replacement ─ or remain silent for very long. Still, he acknowledged her demand with a small nod and planted himself on the other side of the makeshift aisle.

"Now, we will start with some simple questions for me to document on your behalf. It is in your best interest to answer each and every one of them honestly. A deceptive answer will not make things any easier for you. The prince will find out what he wants to know regardless of your efforts." Bianca strolled to the counter lined up along the wall behind me. She set the clipboard down and shifted her gaze toward me. "What is your name?"

The new identity was so new that I almost slipped up just like Beau had. Yet I managed to catch myself before my own tongue could betray me. I gritted my teeth. "You already know who I am."

"So, tell me again. Your full name, please."

My jaw started to throb in agony, which only seemed to delight Charles. I reluctantly loosened it until I could figure out another way to keep my frantic nerves contained without entertaining the bastard. Fine. If you want to play this game, bitch, we'll play it. Turning my head slightly to keep her in eyesight, I growled, "Aspen Azalea Barone."

Charles snorted.

Well, that wasn't a comforting sign. Still, I gave my best effort to ignore him and pretend that everything was absolutely fantastic.

"Your age?" Bianca continued without acknowledging the demon's behavior.

I raised my gaze to the worn ceiling tiles above me. "Twenty-one."

The doctor clicked the pen shut and set it down on the clipboard. "Very well. I need you to stand on this scale so I can grab your weight. After that, we'll do your height."

"Why the fuck do you care about all this?" When Charles' hand started twitching toward the butt of his gun again, it drew my gaze toward it. I didn't linger on it long before we locked eyes and I glared at him with every ounce of rage that I had. Just because the prince had expressed interest in me didn't mean I wouldn't go without a fight.

A part of me was hoping the goon would slip up and get it over with. The less hell I went through, the better.

Bianca drifted into sight with an annoyed expression of her own. She shot a warning look at the goon before she returned her attention to me. "The prince asked for an evaluation to be done on you to ensure you are given to him in a healthy condition. It is not my place to reject his request. So you can either give me what I need voluntarily or I can have Charles here sedate you enough to get it anyway. It's up to you, Miss Barone."

The rage strengthened within me so quickly that I found myself curling my nails until they started to dig into my palm. As soon as it started to sting, the doctor's hand lashed out and seized my wrist.

"I would advise you against doing that," she warned softly. "Even if we've recently fed, not every vampire can resist the call of drawn blood. Those who were changed into one have far less control than those born into this life."

My fingers immediately relaxed. "Y-You're a vampire?"

"So is Charles. He wouldn't hesitate to feed from you, regardless of the death sentence it would bring. Do yourself a favor and quit trying to harm yourself while you're in my care." Bianca released my wrist. "Now come stand on this scale for me."

I was still reeling from the shock that I had come face-to-face with vampires instead of demons that I didn't put up any more of a fight with her recent request. I kept Charles in my sight as I reluctantly slid off of the chair and went to the scale. It only took a few minutes for the doctor to grab the information she needed before I was instructed back to the seat.

Bianca murmured softly to herself while she filled out the paper more without my help. It wasn't until she set the pen down and started going through the drawers that the knot returned stronger than before.

I was ready to vomit when she produced a partial needle and a vial. "You're not touching me with that." I rasped.

"Tough shit, mortal." Charles snorted.

"Fuck you," I shot back.

It was obvious that I had absolutely no self-control where my own safety was concerned. The second the insult left my lips, Charles immediately straightened and took a step toward me. "What did you just say?"

"Enough!" Bianca immediately planted herself between us with her glare fixed upon the other vampire. "Go get Jackson and relieve yourself. I do not need you instigating a fight with a prisoner."

Charles drew his head back slightly with a soft snarl, his topaz eyes flashing. "That bitch started it!"

"And I'm finishing it," she countered. "Now go before I file a complaint with Cade. He will not tolerate this behavior any more than the prince will."

The goon stared at her for several long minutes while he tried to comprehend that she was completely serious about the situation. A livid snarl escaped him when he finally turned on his heel and stormed out of the room.

Bianca's body didn't relax until he had been out of sight for a solid minute. When she glanced back at me, her expression was a mix of exhaustion and annoyance. "I'm starting to think that you're trying to get yourself killed."

"Gee, what was the first clue?" My tone was bone dry and her eyes narrowing didn't make me regret my boldness in the slightest.

"You might not realize it right now, Miss Barone, but you should consider yourself very lucky." The good doctor studied me for a moment in silence while a fresh set of footsteps came in our direction. She didn't sever eye contact until the new goon came into sight. "Have you fed recently?"

"Within the hour." Jackson arched an eyebrow at her, those stunning golden eyes surveying her closely. "Why?"

"Because it's time for the next part of the evaluation." She gestured at me. "I need her moved to the showers."

Every part of my body stiffened as the weight of her words sank in quickly — and painfully. Giving the information necessary for this identity was nothing. Now these bastards were literally demanding things that were starting to crumble my own will. I swung my eyes toward Jackson as he mused over her words with a slow nod before he eased his weapon toward his back. As soon as he took that first step in my direction, I snarled, "Don't fucking touch me."

Instead of hesitating, he simply picked up the pace. The distance between us shrank within seconds. "She's a fiery one," Jackson noted, reaching out to grab my arm and hoist me onto my feet. He didn't give me a chance to strike at him before he had both arms pinned behind my back.

"Now you see why I had to send Charles away."

"Charles is a loose cannon. He doesn't need to be working in the lab if the prince is interested in a possible asset." Jackson pushed against my arms, forcing me toward the slim opening out of the concealed area. All it took was a quick yank just to turn me in the right direction.

I threw all of the strength that I had just to make it as difficult as I could for him. Gritting my teeth, I jammed my feet into the tiled floor and used the rugged bottom of my boots to slow our progress down. The sense of victory was short-lived when the goon simply slipped an arm under my armpits and raised me off the ground. A sharp pain tore down my spine as he carried me like a ragdoll over into the next concealed area.

"There's no point in resisting," he hissed. "You're just drawing everything out. The prince has somewhere important to be tonight and he won't tolerate you making him late."

Mecausing royalty to be tardy? Those words couldn't be any sweeter to my ears.

My eyes swung ahead and I honed in on the door that was slightly ajar. Even from the thin gap, I could see the nauseating white tiled walls and stone flooring. Despite the awkward angle that he'd created once he started carrying me, I lifted my legs and caught myself on the doorframe. I didn't give the goon a chance to plant himself firmly on the ground before I shoved back against him.

I managed to cause Jackson to stumble back a mere few feet before he recovered.

An irritated snarl escaped him as he whipped my body around so that he could wrap his other arm around my knees. "If you weren't reserved for the prince, I wouldn't be taking such a precaution to ensure you are given to him in ideal condition."

"Don't leave a mark on her body, Jackson." Bianca's voice came from behind us. "I have to document everything that I find and if something doesn't line up with my report, he'll take it out on you. I want to avoid that outcome. I'd rather have you around for days like this instead of Charles."

Jackson snorted and carried me into the bathroom like a wooden board. "If you fancy me, Bianca, you should just come out and say it. There's no law against fraternizing with fellow coworkers, regardless of race." Once he had me in the middle of the room, he released me and allowed me to tumble down onto the rough floor. "Strip."

I immediately rolled away from him and tucked my legs against my chest. "Like hell," I spat.

The good doctor strolled into the bathroom and nudged the door shut behind her. "We've already beaten around this bush, Miss Barone. I'm going to get what I need for the report whether you do it of your own free will or I have to force your hand. Jackson will avert his eyes until you're clothed again, if that is your concern."

"You can't honestly expect me to believe none of you people are going to try anything." I shifted my gaze between the two of them, eager to deliver the glare at both of them just to get my point across. I hadn't even shed a single article of clothing yet and I was already feeling violated. It was a far worse feeling than when Beau had betrayed me at the house.

"You're promised to the future king." Jackson pulled away from me, reaching out to take an antique key from Bianca before he planted himself directly in front of the door. "You won't find a single paranormal in this building that is going to be willing to leave a mark on you ─ cuts, bruises or a goddamn bullet hole."

It was a clear and direct remark to my desperate attempt to force Charles' hand.

Bianca crossed her arms over her chest and peered down at me. "Now are you going to do this next part yourself or will I have to do it for you?"

Curling my upper lip, I glared at her and we entered a tense staredown for several long minutes. There wasn't a part of me that was willing to succumb to the horrible options laid out before me. Although I was eager to push my luck to the limits until someone snapped, that same part didn't want any of their hands on me if I could avoid it. By the time her eyes narrowed into thin slits, I finally made the decision to bide my time.

A hint of relief leaked out onto her face when I rose off the ground and reluctantly started shedding the filthy clothes. "Thank you."

Look at that… A vampire can express gratitude.

Scowling, I tore my gaze away from hers and focused on removing them in an order that would minimize the embarrassment. My boots were tossed off to the side first, quickly followed by socks and the belt. It was one of the times I regretted not having something tucked away in a shoe. I gritted my teeth and reluctantly shifted gears to the rest of my clothing. The time it took to tug them all off and leave me butt ass naked in front of the good doctor didn't feel long enough.

Bianca immediately moved forward and gestured for me to lower my arms. "I need you to turn — slowly."

I closed my eyes, sucking in a deep breath to trap while I heeded her request. Goosebumps had already covered the vast majority of my skin. There was enough of a difference in temperature between the bathroom and the main area that it reminded me of how freezing my cell had been when I woke. My nipples were hardening quickly and the only heat that comforted me was restricted to my cheeks and chest.

"I'm not seeing any visible —" Bianca's words caught in her throat. Only a moment passed before her cool fingers brushed against scars littering my right shoulder blade. "Did someone burn you with cigars, Miss Barone?"

Nausea swirled in the pit of my stomach. "They're cigarette burns."

She was quiet as she mused over my words. "Who did this to you?"

"My mot—grandmother." I winced as the words almost slid out of my mouth. It was impossible not to notice the way I had slipped up and I knew it would come back to bite me in the ass. Yet the good doctor wasn't offering a verbal recognition of the mistake. My body remained tense until her hand fell away and she retreated back several steps.

"Other than the cigarette burns on her shoulder, I'm not seeing anything else that should be concerning." Bianca drifted around and paused in front of me. "You may hop into the shower, Miss Barone. I wouldn't recommend taking very long. They keep the water temperature rather low here."

How reassuring.I gritted my teeth until my jaw throbbed in agony. With my shame haunting me just as strongly as the embarrassment, I didn't offer a verbal response as I turned on my heel and stepped into the small opening. A quick twist of the knobs revealed just how accurate the statement was. The water was barely warm enough to pass as room temperature.

The door was nudged open. It wasn't until Jackson eased into the room with a stack of folded clothing that I realized he'd even left at all. He didn't even bother locking the door back up behind him. A soft grunt escaped him as he tossed the clothes down onto the floor outside of the water's radius. "Get dressed."

If it wasn't for the folded towel beneath the clothes, there would have been no way in hell that I would have obliged with his command. My rage could only counter the water for so long before the sight of it just made the shower feel even colder. I reluctantly shut the water off and tugged the towel free.

Jackson's golden eyes swept toward Bianca. "What else is there for you to do, doc? Time's ticking."

"Just the blood test."

I had started pulling the clothes on when those words were enough to make me freeze. My heart pounded in my chest. A blood test… I should've known that it would be coming. I'd already seen the needle. What kind of tyrants would these people be if they didn't demand confirmation that we all were who we said we were?

It didn't matter how good of a hacker I was. There was only so much of a paper trail I could lay down without the proper help of the veterans in the field. Considering there was only one located within range of the city, there was no way in hell I could risk going to him — or afford his fee. The demons had all the time in the world to tear apart the fake identity and learn that I was never on the map more than being reported as a live birth at the local human clinic.

They were used to those files missing information, but this blood test would blow everything apart.

It took far too long to realize that Bianca had been studying me while I got dressed. Those furrowed eyebrows revealed that she had noticed how much my hands had started shaking. Hell, she could probably tell that I was a shade paler coming out of the shower than I had been going in. Still, she didn't say a damn thing until I finished and Jackson had gotten a hold of me.

The walk back to the enclosed area was far too short. By the time the vampire planted me back in the chair, I was weak at the knees and ready to faint. I turned my head slightly and honed in on a needle that had been left on the clipboard.

Bianca retrieved it and an empty vial, sliding the pieces into place. "Are you going to give me a problem, Miss Barone?"

It didn't matter how much I struggled to avoid looking at the damn needle. My eyes still honed in on it. "You're not touching me with that thing," I rasped.

An exasperated sigh escaped her. "Jackson?"

I jolted back against the chair as the vampire simply vanished from his spot in the aisle. It didn't take long for firm hands to seize my lower arms and trap them against the wooden armrests. "Let me the fuck go!"

The goon seemed to detect my next move just by the way my body shifted. As soon as I thrust my head back, he eased out of the path and kept his nose from injury. "I'd grab a sedative, doc."

My heart skipped a beat. No, no, no!

A sedative meant absolutely no strength to resist and prolong the inevitable truth being uncovered. Despite the iron grip the goon had on my arms, I threw everything I had in trying to break free from him before the good doctor drifted into sight with a filled needle. As soon as my eyes caught sight of it, the panic grew even more intense. Any strategy that I might have had initially went right out the window.

Jackson managed to keep me still just long enough for Bianca to administer the sedative. He grunted as he immediately pressed his body against me and kept me trapped against the thin wooden table attached to the chair. "Fucking hell. She's strong for a human."

That remark just made everything worse. I threw my head back in a feeble attempt to deliver a blow to his face. While my mind saw me moving quickly toward the target, a gentle tap revealed that my movements were already sluggish and the bastard hadn't tried to move at all. My breathing hitched in my throat.

The sedative was already working its way into my system.

Bianca approached with the empty needle, working quickly to find a vein and fill the vial. The sting of the needle barely registered in my mind. She remained silent until she pulled back and tossed the used needle into the trash. "Take her back to the cell. Someone will retrieve her once we get the results back."

"Gonna do a rush job?"

She stifled a frustrated noise. "I'll have to. He wants her delivered by sunset. We don't have more than a few hours before that deadline."

Jackson released my arms. All it took was a swift movement on his part before he hoisted me into his arms. "Send for me when you need me, doc. I'll take care of the transportation."

I was nestled against his chest, leaving me with lungfuls of a unique scent combination of freshly mowed grass and a small hint of lemon. Only a small part of me was disgusted that it was consuming my senses while the rest just simply didn't give a damn. The dark abyss of my unconsciousness was already reaching out to me and I was struggling to keep my eyes open. The rocking movement of the vampire walking made it impossible to achieve such a simple task.

By the time the door to my cell opened, I had sunk into the dark ocean. My last few hours of freedom would simply be eaten away by the forced slumber. The next time I opened my eyes, my entire world would change and the life I knew would be a thing of the past.

I was nothing more than the prince's property now.

ASHER

"I didn't peg you for being distracted right after a raid."

I didn't realize how much I had stumbled into my thoughts until Archer strolled up to plant himself right beside me. Humming softly, I only offered him a brief glance before I watched Cade line up the angels that had been caught working in the warehouse during our unannounced arrival while Mateo followed in his footsteps to plant his personal mark on each one.

All it took was one touch for a symbol to glow on their foreheads seconds before they tumbled over, their eyes rolling up into the back of their heads. They were absolutely useless as hosts where lower demons were concerned. Angel bodies and demonic souls simply didn't mix, but it would help make their transport far easier. Less complications to face.

"Not a good night for distractions, boss."

I flexed my jaw as a surge of annoyance tore through my veins. "Is there a reason why you're hounding me about my attention span?"

He arched an eyebrow and released a soft snort. "I just figured you would've wanted to partake in the fun a little, considering they did steal from us."

There was only a small part of me that was even willing to dignify that with a response. When I noticed two of Archer's goons dragging a young male in our general direction, I honed in on them and raised my chin slightly. "Now who did we find?"

As soon as I spoke, the angel's head whipped up and his piercing blue eyes locked on me. "Have you lost your mind?" he rasped. "You've raided an angel warehouse. By coming onto our land, you're threatening war upon yourself. Our prince will not look upon this kindly."

The goons thrust him down at my feet, each one quickly grabbing the rifle from their backs and training it on him. The sound of the safeties being flicked off left him tense, stuck between a risky boldness and cautionary paranoia.

Archer snickered softly as two more pairs of his goons redirected their path for our location. Each one of them held up a side of the wooden box. From the markings that graced the surface, it wasn't difficult to figure out what they had managed to stumble across down in the underground maze of pipes. "I don't think your prince realizes he's already thrown down a challenge of war."

The angel didn't have a chance to counter his remark with a smartass comment of his own before the goons came around the front of him and let the two crates crash down onto the cement floor. He immediately paled at the sight of them.

I gestured at the crates, one of them still cracked open from when one of the angels had gotten nosey about their contents. "Recognize these?"

"N-No," the angel stammered.

From the way he immediately averted his gaze, there wasn't a doubt in my mind that he had been brought into the inner circle enough to know what was stocked within. Even if he had no role with the theft, it didn't take a genius for an angel to recognize the lion symbol completely surrounded by demonic markings.

It was the emblem of my family.

While Archer scoffed with annoyance, I simply smirked and ripped off the lid. I tossed it aside before I reached in and grabbed one of the rifles lined up inside. The way the young male angel honed in on the weapon as soon as I pulled it out flooded me with amusement. Fear was leaking his aura in waves and the air was already saturated in it. It was the only emotion that came close to satisfying a unique demon like myself.

Although it wasn't the main emotion that I craved right now, it would certainly do for the time being.

I casually inspected the weapon like a man who was generally concerned about recovering a critical shipment. "Do you know the best way to start a war in your favor, angel?"

He shrank down when my movements with it started turning the barrel in his direction. "We have no desire to start a war with you. It is you who risks asking it to be done." His voice was soft, borderline raspy. He was desperately trying to have a backbone, but the attempts to defy me like Gabriel had already wavered.

All it took was a quick snap of the weapon to expose the live GPS inside. I tossed the ruined rifle aside and held it up for the young man to see. "This isn't the first of my shipments to go missing. Other royal families might be willing to let it slide as a miscommunication along the line, but I don't. So you see…I ensured every single rifle that arrived at the Florida dock was faulty and armed with one of these."

His jaw quivered with every admission I made.

The fear had shifted into dread. I paused long enough to suck in a deep breath. It brought with it the nauseating smell of several earthly elements. While my stomach didn't find it appealing, my cock certainly did. I was hitting the nail on the head and this poor little coward couldn't mask his emotions enough to rob me of this simple little pleasure.

The angel flinched when I curled my fingers around the GPS to crush it. A layer of sweat had already covered his forehead and now they were streaming down the side of his face. Although his lips parted, he couldn't gather enough courage to reject having any part in the theft.

I shook my hand, allowing the broken pieces to clatter onto the ground in between us. "I've been tracking this shipment since it left Italy, my little feathered friend. My boat was raided at the Florida port and before it came here…it was hidden away in Gabriel's basement." I cocked my head to the side. "Then it was moved to Auriel's…before they finally felt confident enough to bring it here."

Archer's lips curled into a pleased smirk when I started inching forward.

Every step I took forward seemed to weigh the angel down to where he was hyperventilating. Yet that didn't stop him from rasping, "What the fuck did you do to them?"

Clicking my tongue, I jammed my hands into my pants pockets and came to a halt right in front of the crates. "I'm afraid Gabriel fed my hounds that evening while Auriel is currently playing the critical role of a caged little bird. We won't clip her wings quite yet, not until every stunning white feather has turned black."

The angel paled even more, his blue eyes widening. "You've condemned her."

My lips curled into a pleased smirk. "I could only wish I had played a part in that. No demon can instill a rage that strong in such an innocent creature like yourselves. Her stained soul was brought on by your own prince."

Soft footsteps approaching behind me caused the rest of the words to scatter before I had a chance to intensify the dread within the angel. Yet the sight of Nico arriving on the other side of me was enough to send it spiraling out of control. The demon lord peered at the shaking angel while he spoke softly in our native tongue, "The angel prince has been spotted within the city. He is enroute to the club."

I turned my head slightly. "How long until he arrives?"

"Twenty minutes."

Tsking softly, I lifted my jaw. "Pity," I murmured in English. "I had hoped to squeeze a little more out of our little feathered friend before Mateo condemned his soul."

The angel's blue eyes widened. He immediately started shaking his head frantically. "No, please don't! Spare me, demon prince. I will spy amongst the angel ranks for you to track down the original shipment!"

I had started to pull away when those words brought me to a sudden halt. All it took was a quick peek over my shoulder to notice how sincere he was about his promise. It was curious how willing this angel was to turn on his own kind just to save his own ass. There wasn't a doubt in my mind that his wings were probably going to start to darken just from the admission alone.

It was a sin to cave into their own rage, but even more of one to be that willing to be another's puppet.

As much as I pondered about the possibility of using him just to get at the original thief, the other angels weren't going to overlook those pretty wings changing color. It was a common practice for them to immediately exile that angel — if they didn't go as far as executing the poor bastard first to keep their race pure. Yet, the hopeful look in those eyes was enough for me to consider another possibility. I shifted my gaze over to Nico. "You know what to do."

Nico's grin erupted across his face. "Sure thing, boss."

Archer turned on his heel and followed me out of the warehouse while the young angel's screams escaped into the air behind us. "You're not considering letting the angel walk free, are you? He's not going to return to the others and start feeding us information, boss. The fucker will skip town."

The demon standing still beside my SUV immediately straightened when he noticed us coming in his direction. He yanked the door open for me.

I didn't pause until I reached it. Keeping one hand on the inner handle, I peered at the demon lord. "We'll let Nico have a little fun and see what our feathered friend might actually know. If he's of no use to us, he'll simply feed the hounds. I doubt Gabriel fed their ravenous appetites very much. It's no concern to me how long he lives."

Archer was quiet for a moment before he reached into his suit pocket and produced a small manilla folder. Holding it out to me, he murmured, "I'm sure you'll find these useful. I was looking through the security feeds for the warehouse and found a few familiar faces."

"Is that so?" I arched an eyebrow. At his small nod, I reluctantly tore the end open and tugged the small photographs out. There weren't many in the stack, but there were enough for me to recognize the faces that the demon lord had spoken about. Well, I'll be damned…

It hadn't been enough for the APL to be siphoning from my funds, but the two brothers had gone as far as meeting up with Gabriel himself the night my shipment had been stolen. I flipped to the final photograph and realized the date was an entire two months before the last one had been taken. The mere fact that they had shaken hands while exchanging a thick envelope certainly sealed the part they played.

"Has Nico eliminated the brothers yet?" I tucked the photographs back inside and slipped the envelope into my own suit jacket.

That mischievous grin erupted across his face, gaining strength with each passing second. "They're still alive…in a manner of speaking."

Although a part of me yearned to snicker with how much self-control Nico could display when he really wanted something from his victim, I didn't succumb to the desire. I simply eased into the SUV and threw Archer a firm expression. "Tell him to do whatever is necessary to see just how big of a part they played in the theft."

"As you wish, boss." Archer pulled away.

"And Archer?"

The demon lord paused, glancing over his shoulder.

"I want that location before our feathered prince leaves town."

He bowed his head slightly. "Understood, boss."

The guard slammed the door shut and scrambled around the back of the SUV while I settled in my seat. I paid absolutely no attention to him hopping into the vehicle and throwing it into gear. My mind was already wandering by the time we returned to the main road to head back to the club.

I had known for centuries that the angels were looking for any excuse to have an open war with us. Some of them had gone to extreme lengths just to take out my father, which had essentially caused the old bastard to isolate himself in the family home. It left me to venture across the sea to cripple the feathered bastards. With every state they lost due to their rising debt, they were becoming desperate and I yearned to cut off the head of this rebellion before it could even begin.

It would all start with recovering the missing shipment and using one of those stolen guns to put a bullet in between Marcillo's eyes.

The only thing that jolted me out of my thoughts was a strong vibration in my pants pocket. I jammed my hand inside to retrieve the cell phone. A single message waited for me.

DANTE : Asset has been delivered to the club conference room. Still unconscious, but ready for your inspection.

I chuckled softly and returned the cell phone to my pocket. It still evaded me on why the female had called to me like she did. In all the centuries that I had walked this earth, no one had ever snapped me out of the everyday mundane actions. It didn't even matter that she was chained along with the rest of the entire APL organization.

Which only made me even more curious why Anita had handed over photographs with three separate identities for her.

Sweet little Aspen was hiding a secret and I was determined to get to the bottom of what it was. Only then would I have my fun with her before I turned her over to Nico and be done.

If only it were that easy.