I took advantage of the freedom I did have and explored my surroundings, hoping something within the chain’s perimeter would help me figure out where I had been taken. I turned a small dial on the wall and bright light filled the bathroom. I was disappointed to see only the bare necessities were inside. A toilet with a single roll of tissue resting on the lid and a toothbrush still wrapped in plastic, placed beside a fresh tube of toothpaste.

  I reached for the back part of the toilet and found no give. He’d had the foresight to make sure it didn’t come off. Next, I examined the toothbrush. Rubber handle. And the mirror didn’t look like glass. I ran my fingers across the smooth surface just to be sure. I was right. This was nothing more than some type of reflective paper. With a frustrated sigh, I swept my hair away from my face and returned to the room, checking as far as my restraint allowed.

  I tried to lift one of the massive floor lamps and quickly realized that wasn’t going to happen. It was as heavy as the silence was thick. He'd covered his bases. I couldn’t make a weapon from anything in here.

  I sat on the edge of the bed and stared at the drapes. With nothing to focus on, my thoughts began to race, indulging my worst fears. Maybe it was shock, or some kind of delayed response that stopped me from screaming and wailing until my lungs collapsed in on themselves.

  I wanted this not to be real.

  How could this have happened to me?

  I’m sure everyone in the history of being abducted asked themselves that, but I really couldn’t make sense of this. There’s no way I would have willingly left with him, or allowed myself to be chained up, which begged the question just how he managed to get me away from the resort in the first place.

  Had Shana been in on this? She was the one who brought me to him, and she’d seemed so nervous. I wasn’t going to hold out hope for her to bring the cavalry. The only person I could count on to find me was Anya. There’s no way she hadn’t noticed my disappearance. We rode to and from work together. We lived in the same damn house. She’d likely already sought out help. but I didn’t know how long it would take for anything to be done about my disappearance.

  “God.” I dropped my head into my hands as a more terrifying thought suddenly occurred. Could anything be done?

  Maybe my panic was causing me to overthink and jump to conclusions, but this man—Mr. Hawthorne—had money. Wealth sometimes came with connections. How big of a stretch would it be to assume he had the kind that guaranteed I’d never be found or seen alive again?

  A sudden crash from somewhere beyond the drapes brought my tumultuous thoughts to a halt. With a sniffle, I swiped angrily at my cheeks and then slowly lowered my hands, not daring to breathe too hard as I prayed for some sign that I’d imagined what had my stomach sinking into the ground.

  With a heavy breeze it came again, sweeping away a little more of the hope I was clinging to.

  Whether it was a lake, an ocean, or a river mattered little to me. Being this close to a large body of water meant I wasn’t remotely close to home.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  I was completely alone. Even the waves weren’t frequent enough to fill the stagnant silence. My mind continued to conjure irrational possibilities for breaking out of this place and all types of worst-case scenarios.

  Hours had to have passed before the door opened again. I nearly fell off the bed as a woman bustled into the room carrying a food tray in her hands. Her long blonde hair was in a simple braid, and the dress she had on looked similar to mine, but with a higher neckline that had a white pleated collar.

  I immediately stopped my feeble attempt to free myself of the chain and drew myself to my full height.

  The way her large round eyes settled on my face reminded me of an owl. I knew right away that I would find no ally in this person. I could sense her displeasure, as if my presence alone caused her a deep personal grievance. She cleared her throat and looked me over with thinly veiled disdain.

  “There’s no reason to waste time on pointless endeavors. That chain won’t come off.”

  Her cold tone and prickly demeanor set my teeth on edge. I’d never been disliked by someone without having uttered a single word to them. I didn’t allow that to deter me from asking questions.

  “Can you tell me where I am?”

  She carried the tray to the other side of the bed and placed it on the nightstand.

  I frowned as I watched her lean down and pucker her lips. Was that necessary? I had no intention of eating whatever she’d just brought in here, but if I had, I definitely wouldn’t take a bite of something a total stranger blew their hot ass breath on.

  “Be sure to eat it all,” she ordered in the same clinical tone. “Is there anything else you need?”

  “Yes! For you to tell me something. Anything. Please,” I implored, not above begging at this point. “Why was I brought here? Are there other girls? Am I the only one he took?”

  She visibly stiffened, bringing her hands together at her waist. “A Diabolus does not carelessly choose.”

  “What? What does that mean?”

  “You’ll come to learn soon enough. All you need to keep in mind is that it’s an honor. He’s cast out—” She clenched her jaw so hard I heard something pop.

  I watched helplessly as she marched back around the bed, demanding that I eat one final time before leaving the room and slamming the door so hard it rattled.

  “Fuck.” I squeezed my eyes closed and pressed the heel of my palm to my forehead. She’d been right on the verge of telling me something that might’ve been useful.

  Taking a deep breath, I slowly exhaled, telling myself to stay calm. Hysteria would do me no good right now. I looked at where the tray rested. Food was the furthest thing from my mind, but curiosity sent me to see what she’d brought in. I circled around the bed, chain dragging along the hardwood beside me.

  The meal was simple. Soup and oyster crackers with a bottle of water. Tomato if I had to guess, but there was something floating in the broth.

  I used the plastic spoon and dragged it through a small patch of bubbles, scooping up something thick and phlegmy.

  Was this…spit? Ugh. Face scrunching in disgust, I let the spoon fall onto the tray and slowly walked back to the other side of the bed.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  A torrent of emotions whirred within me as the door closed and I left her. My mind was a storm of emotions. Every thump of my heart was a reminder of the time I'd spent waiting. The countless nights watching her, yearning for her presence and every calculated move I made leading up to this pivotal moment.

  The intoxication of my own triumph and anticipation coursed through me. I’d had plenty of time to plan her acquisition and only decided on a method exactly twenty-six days ago.

  It was unusual for me to make a decision so last minute, but I needed to be absolute in this.

  There’d been the classic approach to consider, where I snatched her off the streets. I could’ve let myself into her apartment and taken her while she was fast asleep. If I was one for theatrics and confident that my self-control wouldn’t weaken, I could have pretended to be a gentleman by luring her into my arms with no intention of ever letting go.

  There’d been so many different angles to contemplate. Did I give her trauma or seduce her with lies?

  Neither option appealed to me.

  I wanted Lolita to know exactly who I was. Presenting her with a façade of someone that didn’t exist would be detrimental to our future. In that same regard, there was no reason for unnecessary distress. If I were to be the reason her assimilation was delayed, I’d never forgive myself.

  Rohypnol had been the best solution. She wasn’t hurt or terrified during the trip here because she wasn’t aware it was happening. Taking her was easy. What came next is where I foresaw things getting complicated, but I had planned for this.

  I’d been anticipating when I would finally bring Lolita home with an eagerness I hadn’t felt since I was a boy. A small weight had been lifted from my shoulders now that she was in my possession. But I couldn’t fully relax yet. I had to make sure she was mine in every way possible and by any means necessary.

  Imprisoning her in the boundaries I conditioned her to and ensuring that she could never leave me were paramount above all else. Unfortunately, I couldn’t brush aside my day-to-day responsibilities and dedicate round-the-clock focus to the process.

  Lolita would have the best of everything, and to ensure she lived above the station of a queen, I had business to handle.

  I used the thermostat app to turn down the air inside her room, simultaneously running down a mental checklist of the tasks I needed to complete for the day.

  “Kennedy,” I called for the servitor and grabbed my briefcase off the breakfast bar.

  She appeared within seconds with a bottle of window cleaner in her hands. “Yes?”

  “Fix something light for Lolita to eat and make sure she gets plenty of water. If there’s an issue, get Isaac straight away.”

  “Of course, Diabolus.”

  I did one last check to make sure I had everything I needed and then headed for the door. The drive from my home to Stygian Chapel was almost fifteen minutes to the second.

  That left me enough time to get there and swing by the office before my meeting. Ambrose had already pulled the X5 around and was waiting for me. He was a dignified man who had served our family since I was a child. Despite his age, he still carried himself with an imposing presence.

  “Good morning, Diabolus.”

  I acknowledged him with a nod and slipped into the backseat. He returned to the front and wordlessly pulled away from the manor. We’d established a routine over the years where no words were exchanged unless I engaged him in conversation first. I dealt with so much bullshit on top of my daily tasks that these short rides were often the only silence I got until I returned home in the evenings.

  The Isle bustled with activity from sun up to well beyond sundown. There was always something that needed to be done or decided upon in a timely manner.

  It was an endless endeavor, but I didn’t mind. My disciples would be the first to preach that I loved our island and deeply appreciated their diligence in its upkeep, but I’d be damned if I didn’t take every moment of peace I could get.

  As Ambrose drove through the streets, those who recognized the vehicle waved before going back to prepping their establishments for the day. A few of the shops and eateries that opened earlier in the morning had already accumulated a decent number of tourists. It was nice to see my people profiting.

  I’d never cared for the visitors that ventured here from the mainland, but I wouldn’t deprive the Isle of the benefits they brought. Their curiosity ensured a steady influx of revenue, funds that helped maintain the Isle’s daily operations and provided ample profit.

  Outsiders paid a premium for the experience of visiting what to them was a mysterious place. Each person unaffiliated with our society was extensively screened and vetted before being granted a durational pass.

  On the rare occasion someone decided to disregard our policies and the clauses they agreed to before their arrival, they and whoever was unfortunate enough to be with them simply disappeared through our disposal system.

  We didn’t give warnings or second chances, nor did we discriminate based on age or gender. That would require a semblance of mercy I and many others found hard to possess when our society was potentially put at risk.

  I checked my phone, shooting off a few emails and replying to my brother’s last text asking for an ETA.

  Ambrose passed the street where the original chapel had been located and drove away from town, taking a final left turn a few miles out onto the access road. This part of the Isle wasn’t open to tourists, and if anyone foolishly tried their luck they’d be met with armed guards, watchdogs, and a twelve-foot fence topped with electrified razor wire that were an additional measure to what would await them on the other side. It was all to guarantee the sanctity of the grounds was never compromised.

  Ambrose slowed behind two vehicles in front of us that were currently passing through inspection. One belonged to an older Tenebrarius that once served my father, and the other was my cousin Bishop. The latter I knew without needing to look. His shitty choice of music was a dead giveaway. He was waved through the gates ahead and then the next car moved forward.

  I pocketed my phone and watched as the guards verified the necessary credentials before giving the green light for the gates to open again. With permission to skip the checkpoint, Ambrose followed right after.

  The private tarmac wound through a portion of the Isle’s densely populated woodland. A healthy amount of greenery served as an extra barrier against prying eyes. Our current place of worship had been constructed back here a few years ago exactly for that reason

  She loomed just up ahead. Black as a starless midnight sky and ornately crafted with blood and sin.

  Stygian Chapel.

  My home away from home.

  As our vehicles went their respective ways at the fork in the road, Bishop wound up directly in front of us. Ambrose pulled around the gargoyle fountain to drop me at the walkway leading to the chapel’s entrance.

  I gathered my things and let myself out once he came to a stop, checking how I was for time while I waited for Bishop on the sidewalk.

  “Not a scratch, Jimmy,” he playfully warned the disciple on duty as a parking attendant, tossing him his Corvette’s key fob.

  “That man’s name is Peter.”

  “Is it? Looks like he’s Jimmy today.” He transferred his briefcase from one hand to the other and adjusted his tie. “Good morning, by the way. I’m surprised to see you here.”

  “Why? I see you almost every morning.”

  “True, but I was expecting you to take some time off. How did our little princess settle in?”

  “I plan to, just not today. She was just waking before I left, but thus far she’s handling it better than expected.”

  “That’s great news. You owe me four hundred dollars, by the way.”

  “I owe you nothing,” I replied, acknowledging a few people that bowed their heads to us as we walked.

  “Emilio bet me you’d still show up. I swore you would be too busy.”

  “Your piss-poor decisions very much sound like a personal problem.”

  “You make it seem as if I have a list of them.”

  “I listen to your shitty mumble rappers every morning, so I’d say you do.”

  His grin flashed in my peripheral “That’s awful pretentious coming from a man too good to drive himself around.”

  “I drive myself plenty.”

  “That’s a lie. Actually, I’ve been curious for some time now. Does Rosie wipe your ass for you too?”

  I laughed and started up the second set of wide set stairs. “If he did, I can guarantee wiping my shit would be preferable to hearing your playlist.”

  “Damn, you got me,” he conceded, entering the Chapel’s lobby alongside me.

  Straight ahead, on either side of the arched double doors that led into the heart of the chapel stood two masked disciples. Both bowed their heads respectfully and gave their greetings.

  “Diabolus. Magistri, Bishop.”

  “Gentleman,” I returned, moving towards the door on the right where the staircase that led to the office floor was located.

  “What’s on our agenda today?” Bishop asked as he followed behind me.

  “We need to finalize numbers for the shipments being placed next week and confirm the details of tomorrow’s ceremony.”

  “Seems simple enough. While we’re on that subject, what are you going to do with the other girl?”

  I glanced at him over my shoulder and pressed down on the push-handle. “Are you interested?”

  “You know how I feel about her. Besides, I have another interest. I’m sure one of the acolytes wouldn’t mind. As long as she doesn’t speak.”

  I chuckled, sobering as I seriously considered his question. Anya Kalani had come into Lolita’s life when they were just shy of fourteen, three years before we found her. At first, I’d been relieved to know Lolita had a friend by her side to endure all the unnecessary hardships she had to deal with—that was until I learned all about this disaster of a human being.

  Anya was an unsightly fucking stain I wanted to eliminate. I’d considered killing her long before this day arrived, but then Lolita would have been sad, and I wasn’t there to be her comfort. Her happiness was the only thing that saved Anya’s life.

  I had hoped the two would drift apart somehow but they remained inseparable. I always knew that realistically; she’d end up here too. This was the downside to always being right.

  “Truthfully, I don’t know what to do with that viper. I’ll take advantage of her being here for now. Maybe she can be used as a Progenitor. If we can’t find some way to make good of her alive, she’ll benefit us when she dies.”

  We turned down the hall that led to my office, and I spotted my brother waiting up ahead.

  “I knew you’d be here,” he stated as I approached.

  I hitched a thumb in Bishop’s direction. “Our cousin owes you four-hundred dollars.”

  Emilio grinned and looked at him. “I’ll accept my winnings in cash.”

  “In that case, I’ll make sure it’s a delayed bank transfer,” Bishop joked.

  “I’m assuming you both have everything for our meeting. I don’t, so if you’ll excuse me.”

  I left them to their banter and went to my office to retrieve the files I needed. Once I reviewed them, I checked the time and saw I still had some to spare. I fished Lolita’s cellphone from my briefcase and sat down at my desk, pulling the manor’s camera system up on my personal device. I hadn’t had a chance to look through her phone yet.

  The operating system was bugged months ago, but there was always the slim chance something had been missed. I scrolled through her browser history, finding nothing I hadn’t already seen.