Page 11 of Taken to the Shadow Realm

I shut my mouth, unable to add anything else to the conversations. I just hoped those emotions wouldn’t follow me into my dreams.

Iris

An onslaught of violent emotions pushing up against my senses was the thing that awoke me.

The others seemed much more ready for what awaited us than I was.

Immediately, they started kicking and fighting back, but it took me until we were down the hall to realize that the demons holding me were taking me to the place where all those other women disappeared to.

But even then, I didn’t fight. I let them lead me right in front of the group as the other two fought tooth and nail. I couldn’t wrap my head around what was happening. The mix of emotions in the air was enough to warn me that they enjoyed the fight more than their expressions let on.

What should I do? I asked myself over and over again, but there was no answer.

I could fight, but they would enjoy that, and I was determined not to give them that. Plus, now that we were in their clutches, the chances of escape were looking less and less likely.

What was I thinking? Eve had been right—thinking of escaping was a stupid and futile idea.

The demon gripping me chuckled as they forced us into a dark room and pushed us onto the dirty ground.

Mia had tried to make a run for it, but one of the demons in the back of the room shot rope-like lights out that wrapped around her body and bound her.

Fear hit me like a punch to the gut. They took her down like it was nothing.

“Be gentle,” the demon who seemed to be in charge warned the others that stood still around us. “Humans are fragile, and the buyers will be really upset if their goods are damaged.”

Buyers?

His words made me freeze. This demon’s emotions were more contained than the others’, but even he had a mix of pink and a brilliant red that caused my stomach to twist.

The demon that had taken me mentioned something similar. But they had fed us, kept us in comfy rooms, so I hadn’t thought?—

Rough hands gripped my arms and forced me and the others upright.

“It’s not like they would care anyway,” one behind me muttered. I looked back to see him reaching out to grip Mia tightly, his claws almost puncturing her skin.

I was waiting for a sign. For her to tell me what to do as panic clouded my brain.

“Right?” The one who held Eve looked at us. “They’ll be too busy in a feeding frenzy to notice a bruise or two.”

It sent a burst of fear through the group, painting the room in color.

Feeding? That doesn’t mean what I think it means, right?

The demon in charge huffed as we passed them, irritation leaking into his aura.

“Remember that not every demon is here to get a human to feast on,” he reminded them, giving the one in front a meaningful stare. “Some come to find a companion or someone to bear their children. Either way, they pay good money to make sure humans are in good condition. If I find out even one of them got discounted because of your actions, I’ll cut off your access to human leftovers for two months.

Human leftovers.

Whatever fog had been covering my mind before disappeared, allowing a fresh wave of fear to sink in.

I’m going to die here. Right here, right now. I’m gonna be eaten alive by these sick freaks.

The sound of Eve flinging her whole body back hit my ears. I turned to look. The demons on either side of her scrambled to hold her, not expecting her to react so suddenly. I kicked at my guard’s shins, trying to push away from his grip.

The guards in front stumbled back, and Mia quickly shook off her own before diving under Eve’s legs.

“Go Mia!” Eve yelled.

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