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“Hmmm… another wonderful purchase, Livy.” The man stood up and walked toward us, running his hand across the surface of the desk. “A werewolf and a…” He looked me over, pausing at the tattooed wings on my back. “One of yours, I believe, Livy. A harpy?”
He didn’t look up to see her nod stiffly.
“Beautiful. Beautiful creatures. Yes, my clients will pay highly. Your training will begin immediately. In a week’s time, you’ll be integral parts of the team, girls.”
My talons emerged from my fingers, but Wesley Blake didn’t seem to notice. They pressed against the flesh of my palms, nearly tearing into my skin.
“Welcome to the Ranch. You’re going to love it here.” He laughed and perched his rear on the edge of the desk. “Well, at least that’s what I tell myself. Really, it doesn’t matter. Because you’re mine. You’re my property and you will do as I see fit. Do I make myself clear?”
Tala and I didn’t respond. There was no need. We had entered Hell on Earth and in front of us stood the devil.
Chapter Fourteen
I woke up in a large room, my face only a couple of feet from the ceiling. Under me and around the room were a dozen bunkbeds. The distinct smell of sweet perfume was a nice change from the pervasive urine scent that had permeated the last room I slept in. Soft sheets and fluffy pillows lined every bed, adding to the comfort.
In my palm was something hard and smooth. Opening my hand, I found Athena’s Jewel nestled against my skin, the brilliant green gemstone catching the light from a nearby dark shaded lamp. My heart nearly did a flip. My mother must’ve slipped it into my hand last night.
Before anyone could pass by my bed, I clasped the necklace back around my neck and tucked it under the silk pajama top that had been given to me last night. With it back around my neck, I felt whole again, like a piece of my soul had been returned.
Maybe my mother wasn’t so lost after all. She was a madman’s right hand, but just maybe, the woman I remembered was still somewhere deep inside.
My roommates were beginning to mill around the room. Most of them hung about their bunks, yawning and changing out of their pajamas. I recognized a nymph right away. She carried herself like Angel did, with a graceful movement that seemed like a dance. With long flowing blonde hair down to her waist, and porcelain skin, she looked like a life-sized Barbie doll. She caught me staring and winked her long lashes before turning away.
In the bed above her sat a plump woman with a full bosom. She adjusted her low-cut shirt, making sure the goods were on full display. Vivid red hair was pulled back behind her neck into a low bun. As soon as she looked up, I caught the warm light burning in her eyes. She had to be a fire elemental. They were rarer than air or earth elementals and far more temperamental.
A tall dark woman strolled past my bed, humming a tune. The notes dripped off her dark red lips like precious water in a desert. I nearly fell out of my mattress, leaning over the side to catch the rest of the tune. She swept her long braids off her shoulder and spun, ex
amining her backside in a long mirror attached to the wall.
“Careful, Bee, you’re gonna ensnare the newbie with your song,” the redhead on the opposite bunk called.
The dark woman turned and caught my eye. Her tune cut abruptly off, leaving me with an innate sadness that brought tears to my eyes.
“Sorry, babe,” she told me. “Patty’s right, I should know better by now. It’ll wear off in an hour or two.”
I shook my head, dispelling the stinging tears. My sudden reaction made sense now. Bee was a siren. Even her humming was enough to attract me. I couldn’t imagine what power she wielded when she actually sang to her prey.
“Welcome to the pit,” I heard another woman say. “My name’s Veronica.”
The sight of her made me catch my breath. Brilliant green scales covered her from head to toe. Her brown hair curled around her shoulders and matched her dark inquisitive eyes. I’d never seen a creature like her, not in all my time in Arcana.
“I tend to get that reaction,” she said, apologetically. “Inside the city limits, I don’t usually have to worry about it due to the cloaking spell. I’m a Lamian – part snake, part human. We tend to keep to ourselves, but here I am…”
“She serves a special type of client,” Patty crowed with a snort.
Pushing myself up, I bumped my head on the ceiling and swore. “City limits? Aren’t we in Arcana?”
Patty laughed, her voice harsh and cackling. “Can’t you see the shimmer is gone? We’re all our true selves. The Ranch is just outside city limits. Close enough to beckon to our select clientele, but far enough away to avoid the SI’s notice. It’s the perfect location.”
I closed my eyes, letting the darkness sooth my nerves. It was ridiculous, but being in Arcana had given me some sort of comfort. Gideon was in Arcana. My friends were there. Being outside of its protective boundary left me feeling naked and unsure.
Arcana was safe. The Ranch was hell.
“I have to get out of here.” I hopped off the bed, landing on my bare feet. “I have to get out of here, now.”
“They won’t let you leave.” Tala turned over in the bunkbed below mine. Her eyes shined yellow. “Wesley Blake isn’t playing around. He’ll stop you before you take one foot outside this place.”
“Wolf girl is right,” Patty snapped. She pinched her cheeks and wiped a bit of smeared mascara from under her eyes. “Wesley’s got this place on lockdown. No one leaves without his permission. You ain’t going nowhere, honey.”
