She hurried away, and I looked for somewhere to set down the glass she’d left with me. I meant what I’d said to the Incubus earlier. Not a morsel of food or drop of water would pass through my lips in this place. God only knew what they would do to me if I was drugged again.
I laid the glass on a table and turned back to the room to come face-to-face with Adam. I stumbled, causing him to grab my arms to steady me. Warmth infused me at his touch, and I had to resist the urge to lean into him.
A battle raged inside of me, between my aversion to another male’s touch and my unnatural attraction for him. I knew his power was forcing me to feel this way, but that didn’t stop me from feeling like I was betraying Chris.
Disgusted and frightened, I took a step back. He let go of my arms to take one of my hands in his.
He kissed my hand. “You are breathtaking in that dress. I could barely take my eyes off you when I came in.”
His eyes lifted to mine, and there was no mistaking the desire in his. Then his gaze fell on my bare throat. Disappointment crossed his face, and his voice was harder when he spoke again.
“You aren’t wearing the necklace I gave you. Did you not like it?”
“It was beautiful, but I don’t wear jewelry.”
I thought of the silver chain I’d started wearing two days ago, and the pleasure I’d felt to see the dove pendant resting against my chest. I hadn’t been wearing it when I woke up here, so it must have broken when they’d taken me. Would I ever see it or the man who had given it to me again?
“I’ll have to find out what other gifts will please you,” Adam said, undeterred. “I have more money than you could dream of, and I’ll give you anything your heart desires.”
“Even my freedom?”
His sigh was barely perceptible. “Anything but that.”
I yanked my hand from his and turned my head to look at the other girls, all of whom were watching Adam with open adoration. Oddly, none of them looked jealous that he’d singled me out. They seemed content to share as long as they had their time with him.
“I’ve been told you haven’t eaten or drunk today. Why?”
My disbelieving gaze swung back to Adam. “Do you really need to ask that after you tricked me and drugged me last night?”
He held up a hand to signal to someone, then looked at me. “I apologize for that. It won’t happen again.”
I let out a humorless laugh. “Pardon me if I don’t believe you.”
A mox demon approached us, carrying a tray of hors d’oeuvres, and Adam motioned for me to try one of the little pastries.
My stomach rumbled at the sight and smell of food, but I couldn’t bring myself to take it. “No, thank you.”
“You have to eat, Beth,” he pressed unhappily. “You have to keep up your strength.”
“I’m not one of your chosen to be fed and pampered like a prized brood mare,” I bit out in a low voice so only he could hear me.”
He stared at me, appalled. “Brood mare? I would never disrespect the mothers of my children like that.”
“You kidnapped them and forced this on them by taking away their free will. Half of them are not yet eighteen. They’re children, and you’re going to destroy their lives. How can you live with that?”
“Look at them,” he said. “They’re happy and living in luxury.”
My hands clenched into fists. “They’re going to die. Doesn’t that bother you at all?”
For the first time, his composure slipped, and he snapped at me. “Of course, it bothers me. I’m not a monster. I would save them all if I could, but even my power is not enough to do that.”
“Then why do you do it?”
“It’s survival of the species, and the way it’s always been done.” His voice softened. “I love and honor my females, and they want to bear my children. They will die happy in the knowledge that they have given me sons.”
I wanted to scream at him, but I kept my voice low. “They don’t want this. You made them think they want it. You stole their lives and their futures, and destroyed their families, and they don’t even know it.”
He spoke to me like he was talking to a child. “I know you don’t understand this yet, but you will soon.”
“What I don’t understand is why you need to take human girls if you can breed with other demons. These girls don’t have to die.”
“I can breed with demons, but I have to feed them more of my power to ensure the child is one of my kind. I could only have one or two children that way. With humans, I can have many sons.”
I exhaled in defeat. There was no getting through to him when he really believed there was nothing wrong with what he was doing.
I studied the large room. Except for the lack of windows, it resembled a typical drawing room with oriental rugs, fine artwork, and a crystal chandelier. In addition to the door I’d entered through, there was another door that led to a dining room with a long table set for a large party. Incubi stood guard at the door to the hallway, so there was no getting out that way. Maybe there was another door in the dining room that led to a kitchen. The food had to come from somewhere.
Adam leaned close, startling me.
“I can see what you’re doing, and it’s no use. This lair was built specifically for me. It’s underground and heavily fortified with warlock magic. You can’t escape, and no one will find it.”
“Chris will find me,” I declared. “He’ll never stop looking for me.”
He sighed heavily and placed a hand on the small of my back. “Come. I want to show you something.”
I eyed him warily. “What?”
“Our security room. It’s just down the hall.”
I went with him because the more I knew about this place, the more information I’d have to formulate an escape plan.
At the end of the hall, we stopped at a door with an electronic card reader. Adam swiped a key card, and the lock flashed green. He grabbed the door handle and held the door open for me.
Inside the dimly lit room, two Incubi sat at computer stations similar to the ones we had at the command center. On the wall in front of them were monitors showing the live video feeds from at least twenty security cameras. Some of the cameras were internal, and others showed a backyard, a driveway, and other outside locations.
“Bring up camera four from twenty minutes ago,” Adam said.
“Yes, Father,” one of the Incubi said.
He typed into his computer, and one of the monitors began playing a recording. The video showed an exterior view of the open front door of a house. At first, nothing happened. Then someone exited the house.
Nikolas.
A cry slipped from me when I saw the person behind him. Even from here, I could see the strain and exhaustion on Chris’s face. I put a hand over my mouth as I watched him walk down a wide set of steps. I drank in the sight of him like it had been weeks instead of a day since I last saw him.
The monitor changed to a new camera feed, and I could see Chris and Nikolas walking to their bikes. They weren’t alone. I saw Jordan, Mason, Sara, Raoul, Seamus, Niall, and…Rachel. Two more people came into view. Chris’s parents.
“No,” I whispered when Chris straddled his bike. He couldn’t leave.
“The entrance to this place is at the back of the property, and unless you know it’s there, it’s virtually undetectable,” Adam said as I watched Chris ride away.
Tears streamed down my face. He’d been so close, and I hadn’t even known it. It was too cruel to bear.
“I didn’t feel him,” I said, dazed from shock. “Why didn’t I feel him?”
“What do you mean?” Adam asked, puzzled.
I stared through blurry eyes at the screen where Chris had been a moment ago. “Our bond. I couldn’t feel our bond.” My voice broke on the last word, and it felt like my world started to crumble along with it. What did this mean? Had Adam’s power weakened my bond with Chris?
“You have a bond with the male even though you aren’t mated with him?” Adam asked curiously, oblivious to the pain ripping me apart inside.