“Kain!” Selma fought against the man who had a firm grip on her, but his strength far surpassed hers. “Help me!”
“Shh, it'll be okay,” the Agent murmured, obviously trying—and failing—to soothe her. “No one is going to hurt you, precious one.”
“Is it true?” the leader rasped, still not looking away from the Lord. “Is the Breeder Pure?”
“Certainly not,” Marathin hissed, taking a step toward her—but the Agent who held her took a step back, lifting his hand in warning. Her Procurer stopped, anger blazing in his eyes. “This is nonsense! You saw the contract—she belongs to me!”
“Gerriol,” the leader said, “confirm.”
The demon holding her gripped her body tighter, dark magic rising around them both like a nightmarish fog.
Selma gritted her teeth at the slimy touch of it against her skin, but it only lasted a few seconds before the man gasped and the energy disappeared once more.
“It… It’s true,” he whispered. “She has no reaction to my magic.”
“Please, just let me stay with Kain,” Selma begged, writhing against the Agent to free herself. It was no use—he gripped her too tight, even if he was very careful not to hurt her. “I won’t run away again, but please—let me stay with him! H-He’s a Lord. You don’t need to take me to an auction. I’ll stay!”
“Have you forced a mating bond with her?” This time the leader snapped his question at Kain, completely ignoring her pleas.
Kain responded with a low, threatening growl. “I have not. She lied to me—I had no idea she was more than a normal Breeder. And neither did you, it would seem. Perhaps you might care to wonder why her Procurer didn't mention this when he sent you after her like a pack of obedient dogs.”
“Careful.”
“Sir, he's right,” one of the other Agents whispered from behind her. “Contract or not, we can’t give him a Pure Breeder.”
“I'm aware.” The leader gave Marathin a long look before he returned his attention to Kain. “We will bring her to the Governor instead, on the condition that you do not try to stop us from leaving with her. If you wish to see her again, you will be invited to her auction as tradition dictates.”
Kain’s black eyes burned into hers, the anger in them knocking the breath from her lungs. “I have no such desires. Take her.”
“No! Kain, I’m sorry! Don’t leave me! Kain!”
Selma struggled against the demon holding her, desperation flaring in her gut as the only protector she’d had turned his back on her and strode toward his car, leaving her to the very fate she’d signed her life away to escape.
21
Selma
The Governor’s mansion was a lavish, old plantation-style building somewhere on the southeastern coast. The Agents wouldn’t tell her which state they’d brought her to, but the Spanish moss drooping from the sycamore trees lining the long, winding drive to the mansion tattled on the general geography of their location.
“It would be wise not to mention anything about contracts to the Governor,” the leader said as they parked in front of the whitewashed mansion. He’d spent the drive by her side in the backseat of the Jeep, never so much as closing an eye despite them not even stopping for the night and a golden chain keeping her tied to him by the wrist at all times. “Nor whichever Lord claims you as his mate.”
“You mean so your friend doesn’t get into trouble for trying to poach one of your so-called Pure Breeders?” she bit.
He smiled a half-smile, tugging gently on her chain to make her follow him out of the car. “It would certainly look problematic for him, but Marathin is very old. Demons his age always find loopholes—that’s why they get to live as long as they do. There is every chance you’d find yourself as his breeding slave in the end. And trust me when I tell you I’ve known him long enough to say that you would not enjoy returning to him after he’d taken whatever punishment would befall him for his misdeeds.”
“And if I stay silent, he will just give up and let me go?” She snorted as they climbed the stairs, a silent guard opening the door for them. “Somehow I doubt that.”
“He will.” He gave her a hard look. “As I said, he’s very old. He’s not dumb enough to throw his life away pursuing a piece of pussy so long as giving you up saves his own skin. Even one as sweetly scented as yours.”
“How comforting,” she muttered, coming to a sharp stop when he jerked the chain again.
The Agent otherwise ignored her, focusing instead on the demon crossing the grand entry hall, an expectant smile on his ageless face as he looked her over.
“Agent Azir, welcome. And is this the Pure Breeder we were notified of? The Governor’s house has been all aflutter with the news of your arrival, precious one.”
“Indeed it is, Nemar. I have orders to bring her straight to the Governor. Please let him know we’ve arrived.” The Agent gave the other demon a stern look, breaking the other’s trance-like stare at her.
“Oh. Of course. Please, bring her to the second reception room—it’s been secured in anticipation of your arrival.” The demon gave Selma another look before he turned on his heel and disappeared farther into the mansion.
