Chapter Fifteen
Rome
The sisters are still vibrating with energy as I park the car down the block from the old Victorian house.
The neighborhood is sparse, and many of the houses are abandoned.
The owner of the house of hell, Davis, is in his forties and has built a reputation as a harsh businessman.
The men who are invited to partake in his horrible games are thoroughly investigated to make sure their morals are the same as his.
Their rules are strict, and secrecy is their number one priority.
Looking at the home, no one would suspect what goes on behind the scenes.
Gavin’s search into Davis’s background was fairly extensive, and he supplied me with the information.
While Mara was getting ready, I did more digging.
Archer studied everything I found and is ready to tear apart the men who agree to play Davis’s games.
He has been married four times, and they all left him.
He is a shit husband as well as an abusive man.
Oddly, he didn’t hit his wives but relied on intimidation and emotional games.
They got tired of his lack of good attention and his ridicule in all the moments he was home.
He likes to spend his money on other women and the horrible businesses he runs.
“It looks haunted,” Lace whispers, leaning forward.
“That’s one way to put it,” Archer mumbles. It does look like it should be featured on a ghost-hunting show.
“Rome, are you sure?” Mara grabs my hand, but her focus is on the house.
“Yes.” I kiss her fingers and pull away.
“Don’t worry.” She turns to me and tilts her head.
“Try not to.” I cup her chin. “Gather your magic. I won’t be caught.
” Hide what I don’t want seen. Shield me from bad eyes.
Invisible. Invisible to all who should not see.
She nods, and I open the door. “The car is spelled. Stay in it until I come back.” I look over my shoulder, and Archer nods lightly.
I step out and shut the door softly. Focusing on the house, I walk down the middle of the road.
The lighting is low on the street, but it wouldn’t matter if it weren’t.
The only people who can see me are in the car.
Mara’s concerns are pushed to the back of my mind as I close in on the house.
I can’t let her fears influence my concentration.
The women inside are my concern now. I hate men who force their dominance on women.
The helpless shouldn’t be taken advantage of in any way.
No matter how powerful I have gotten, I’ve never used it on those who didn’t deserve a lesson.
There are several expensive cars in the driveway and down the block.
They park them strategically, ensuring they appear to be at other residences.
My feet touch the edge of the property, and I spot several cameras facing me.
Others scan the whole property. Lights illuminate the closed windows, their shine peeking through the heavy curtains shielding the inside.
I step forward, walking between the cars, scanning the interior.
I don’t want to be surprised by someone inside of them.
Instead of going to the front door, I walk beside the house, watching the property around it.
I don’t see any guards marching in the yard.
Davis must be confident in his guests, knowing they would never reveal their activities.
I spot two more cameras along the side of the building.
As I round the back, there is another on top of the back door.
I’m thankful we can shield ourselves. We would have alerted the residents in an instant.
Once we take care of the men inside, I can disable the cameras.
The backyard is barren. No chairs. No tables.
Not even a BBQ grill to keep up the pretenses of a normal home.
A man's chuckle reaches me as I step closer to the door.
He would certainly see the door opening by an invisible hand.
The door must lead to the kitchen. I smell an assortment of food beyond it.
I have to wait until he leaves or find an opening empty of bodies.
I don’t like bringing my soul bond to a place like this.
She doesn’t belong here, but she has proven her strength over and over again.
I don’t doubt her, yet it makes me sick to think of her in the mix of these men.
I move on, walking around the other side of the house.
More windows, but no cameras. The path is narrow, and a long line of bushes separates the side from an empty house.
Perhaps they think the smaller space and shrubbery are enough to deter an attack.
Their mistake. Five windows. One is slightly open.
It’s the perfect place to enter and to leave in a hurry if needed.
I’m guessing it has three floors and a basement.
Unless they remodeled the inside, the rooms will be many and small.
Stopping under the open window, I see no light shining through.
I place my hand just under the frame. My spells can tell me if there are any people on the other side.
It’s easier because of the lack of a barrier between me and the room.
Guide me. No one is on the other side. I inch the window up and curl my fingers over the edge.
Calling on my magic, I glide fluidly inside.
I land in a crouch, looking at every corner.
It’s dark, and the furnishings aren’t clear.
The door is shut, so I hold out my palm, asking for light.
An orb forms in my hand, dim, but enough to show the way.
Standing straight, I see a small bed, a side table, and a dresser.
I run my finger over the top of the wood and come away with dust. The room is rarely occupied. Good to know.
The noise gets louder as I enter the inner sanctum.
Walking toward the door, my foot hits something, and I frown.
Crouching, I hold out my light and grit my teeth.
A pair of metal cuffs. There is blood around the edges, and I take another look at the room.
I thought it wasn’t used, but now I notice the depressions on the bed.
The pillow is dented, and the sheets are rumpled.
They don’t care about the dirt, just the evil they can do in it.
Fuck. I move quickly to the door and concentrate on whatever is on the other side.
The noise is not directly outside it. I decide to make the room a safe space.
If shit goes down, at least we can escape here, knowing my magic holds it under its control.
I cut off my light with a flick of my hand and press my palm to the wood.
Safe. Holds the innocent and no other. My space.
I take a breath and turn the doorknob. Slipping out quickly, I enter a short hallway.
No one is in it, so I shut the door softly.
I twist my neck and center myself. My spells are firmly in place.
Moving to the right, I follow the sounds.
There are two other doors, but I don’t sense any activity beyond them.
As the end comes into sight, I jerk to a stop as a woman runs by, a man lumbering behind her.
His laughter is loud, as is the disgust on her face.
I have to stop myself from draining him on sight.
“I’ll get you,” he sings. I can’t help tossing a spell at him. He won’t know why he can’t get it up when he touches her. They disappear down another hallway, and I force myself to keep walking.
The room opens up, and I want to leave, take Mara away from here. Twelve men are lounging around the room in various states of undress. Five women are their entertainment. I look away, my jaw clenching. Their faces are a mix of fear and acceptance.
“Are we having a good time?” I look back, and a man enters the room, his arm around a petite blonde. Her eyes are aware, but her body moves without her consent.
“Davis,” a man says. “You throw the best parties.”
“I know,” Davis hums, grinning. “Please, take advantage of every service we have to offer.” He smacks the ass of one of the women dancing close to him.
I see her cringe, but it makes the men laugh.
“The rooms are free on this floor and downstairs. All the others are off limits. There are two closets full of all kinds of toys to bring the woman of your choice to heel.” He rubs the blonde's waist, licking his lips as he looks at her.
I’ve seen enough. I want to kill them. But I also want them to feel the emotions they inflict on others. I begin to move away but freeze when I sense something different. Two men join the others. They aren’t human. Fuck.
“Room three is open,” one of them says. I barely hold my invisible spell. His friend slaps him on the back, chuckling.
I hate shifters.
There are good ones, but these two aren’t. They complicate things. My magic will work on them, yet they are stronger, and it takes more to spell them. I can sense more women and a handful of male humans throughout the house. Our job just became harder, but I’m more motivated than ever.
Turning, I jog through the house, retracing my steps, my spell cushioning any sound I would make.
I reinforce the room I entered from and slip outside.
I shake my arms, hoping to release the stench of the scene.
One of the shifters is a bear, the other a coyote.
Their species are an unusual pairing for friendship.
I know there are evil people of every kind.
Warlocks have a bad reputation, and I have met some nasty ones.
I can see Mara’s worried face as I get closer to the car, and I know it’s going to get worse.
“What is it?” she asks the second I sit in the car. She is able to read my body language.