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“But what a wonderful deterrent,” Dominique commented.
“They’re doing something with the bodies. Keeping them cool for a reason. I mean, this is a root cellar. What do humans usually store in them? ” Julian raised an eyebrow at them.
“Food,” Dominique answered without emotion.
“No. Nope. I can’t. Not today.” Cassia blew out a breath, steeling her nerves.
“Someone should’ve told them they’d be better off with a morgue refrigerator. This isn’t the eighteen hundreds. It’s not quite cold enough in the spring. Days are getting warm.” Greyson craned his head and stole a peek inside the stone structure.
“It’s cold in the winter here. Real cold. But now? You’re right.” Julian shook his head. “Y’all ready to get this done because this is some sick shit, and I’m so ready to get out of here.”
“Let’s go,” Greyson agreed.
“Stay between me and Grey,” Julian told Cassia.
The stench intensified as they stepped deeper inside the cellar. Its stone walls curved around them in an arch. In an area of nearly ten foot by ten, the men stood hunched over inside it.
“Nothing’s in here. This is a façade.” Julian reached to press his fingers to the stone, immediately retracting them. “Get back from the walls!”
“What was that?” Cassia wrapped an arm around his waist and rested her palm to his chest. “Are you okay?”
“I just got a jolt.”
“Electricity?” Greyson asked.
“No way. How’s that possible. They’re just rocks.” Rafe touched his finger to a wall and jumped back. “Fuck. Bruh.”
“What the hell is wrong with you?” Julian scolded.
“Nothing. It’s just a little sting.”
“The red bricks. They conduct electricity,” the Alpha said. “The iron-oxide. It’s no accident. There’s got to be another room.”
“Over there.” Rafe pointed to the back of the chamber, at a brick wall. “Along here…this crack. It looks like it’s some kind of a door.”
“If it’s electrified, how are we going to get it open without touching it?’ Cassia looked to Julian.
“I’ve had a problem with my magick lately but…” He sighed and released his hand. “Hell short-circuited it but our mating? I’ve been feeling pretty damn good lately. Let’s give this a go.”
Julian closed his eyes and stretched his hands toward the wall. Cassia’s pulse raced as his powerful energy filled the room. Her eyes widened in amazement as his hands began to glow bright.
“Look out!” Julian called out as a burst of energy emanated from his fingers. The wall blew open, sending the bricks flying.
“Holy shit! You did it.” Cassia inhaled the red dust and coughed. The nauseating air reeked of death. “Ah, no. It’s worse. That smell.”
“There’s definitely more than one body,” Dominque said with confidence.
As Julian stepped through the hole into the next chamber, motion-activated lights brightened the room. “Brace yourselves, folks.”
“Jesus.” As Cassia stepped inside, she fought the bile that rose from her stomach.
Bodies of women and men hung by hooks in the ceiling, like cows at a butcher. Cleavers and carving knives rested on a steel gurney in the corner.
“They’re eating them.” Cassia covered her mouth with her hand.
“What the fuck?” Rafe shook his head. A dead bald man dangled from the hook, his abdomen splayed open. “This is some sick shit.”
“I bet you they’re eating the organs.” Dominque looked to Julian. “As much of a lovely time as I’m having tonight, can we speed this up?”
