Damien shifted closer to Sam. “Another reason it doesn’t make sense is that if the girls are totally knocked out, what good are they to clients who like them to be active participants?”

Harvey clicked his fingers. “Exactly. It just doesn’t add up.”

“We have to consider, though, that if the girls weren’t kept sedated, they’d get out.” Chico had a valid point. “They’re vampires, they will all have gifts.”

“Maybe they’re not drugged at all,” I mused. “Maybe whoever runs the place or one of the staff has a gift that allows them to put people under sedation. Or maybe it’s some kind of mind control.”

Salem frowned thoughtfully. “You could be right there.” I didn’t hold his gaze for long, not wanting him to see just how emotionally off-centre I was.

“Here’s Denny,” announced Reuben.

Returning to his usual form, Denny came to squat in front of Sam and Jared. “There are no guards outside.”

“None?” Jared exchanged a surprised look with Sam.

“There are security cameras everywhere, though. At the back of the manor is a parking lot. I tell ya, these clients aren’t average Joes. Some of the cars are Porches and Bentleys. There are even three limos. The chauffeurs were outside, talking; I got the impression from what they said that limo-service is something the brothel provides.”

“What about the entrances?”

“There are three. The front door. The patio doors – which seem to be the general entrance for the clients to use. And there’s also a set of steps that lead to a basement, but it’s boarded up.” He exhaled heavily. “There’s a large annex behind the house, surrounded by barbed wire, like a huge aviary or something. Not sure if that’s where the girls are taken to eat or sleep, but there’s a row of empty beds in there.”

A thought occurred to me. “It could be where the captives were taken when they first arrived.”

“I heard things. Cries. Whatever’s happening in that place, it isn’t good.”

Wisps of the surrounding energy seemed to suddenly attach themselves to Sam and slithered over her skin, as if responding to her livid state. “Bastards,” she bit out.

Butch spoke then. “Stuart’s on his way.”

Once he’d reformed into his human self, Stuart crouched beside Denny, his eyes troubled. “Brace yourselves. You’re going to see things in there you’ll never forget. Luther was right: the place is fucking evil.”

As if he’d picked up on my anxiety and wanted to ease it, Salem placed his hand on my thigh and squeezed lightly. “How many are we dealing with?” he then asked.

“There are ten staff in total; two receptionists, the guy monitoring the cameras, three chauffeurs, a bartender, two maids, and a woman who hovers around, overseeing things. She must be the brothel keeper. All of them are Pagoris.”

“Motherfuckers.” Reuben sighed and rubbed at his stubbly jaw, probably appalled that his own breed was so deeply involved.

“Any clients in there?” Sam asked Stuart.

“Nine. Four of them are Pagoris; two are upstairs, but another two are sitting in the waiting area, laughing and joking while reading the ‘menu’ of services. There are also three Kejas and two Sventés upstairs.”

“How many captives?”

“There’s one in every bedroom, and one in the attic. In total, that’s nine girls. And six guys.” Surprise lit many people’s faces.

“Guys?” Damien’s dark skin paled slightly.

“It probably should have occurred to me that both genders were targets.” Sam scrubbed a hand down her face. She went to say something else, but when her gaze landed on a squirming Stuart, she narrowed her eyes. “What is it?”

It was a short moment before he responded. “They’re not all vampires.”

“There are humans in there?” Jared’s shock was shared by all of us.

“Two, actually.” Stuart squirmed once more. “But there are other kinds of preternatural beings, too.”

Sam’s brows flew up. “Say again?”

“I don’t know exactly what they are, I just know they aren’t vampires. I think one of them might be an animal shifter – they all have a musky scent like her – but I’m not sure. I haven’t been around many other species.”

“Shit,” muttered Jared.

Sam clenched her firsts. “It would seem then that these vampires are running a brothel for those who might want to fuck and snack on other beings as well as their own kind.”

“That’s certainly a niche in the market.” Cold as those words were, Butch was right. Preternatural species didn’t mix often, preferring to stick to their own kind.

Jared nodded. “Vampires will pay good money for the opportunity to feed from other species – especially since some are rumoured to increase strength and power.” He looked at Sam. “You said it was possible the brothel was catering for certain tastes. You were right.”

She didn’t look pleased to be. “Talk us through the layout, Stuart.”

“The basement is empty of people.”

“What’s down there?”

“It’s some kind of dungeon. Like a sadistic playroom.”

“The ground floor?”

“If you go in through the front door, you’ll find yourself in an open-plan apartment. If you go in through the patio doors at the back, it’s like walking into an office reception area. There’s a desk with two smartly dressed females behind it. On the left is a lounge with leather sofas, mahogany tables, antique furniture, and even a bar. On the right of the reception area is a room which is filled with monitors. The security system is top of the line. There’s one male watching the cameras.”

“Is he vigilant?” asked Jared.

“Not really. He alternates from watching the monitors to reading a newspaper.”

“That’s good.” Jared looked at the manor. “What about upstairs?”

“There are seven bedrooms on the first floor. Another seven on the second floor. And one in the attic.”

“Only one?” Sam frowned. “It has to be pretty spacious. Weird they haven’t tried to make it into more than one room.”