“Stella was weak,” he said with disgust. “Abaddon made us immortal. Gods. But she couldn’t handle it. She wanted to play house and raise babies when there is so much more out there for us now.”

“Like killing and torturing mortals,” she suggested grimly.

“Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it,” Stephen said with a grin.

“Thanks. I think I’ll give it a miss,” Allie said dryly.

“That’s because you don’t know what it is you’re missing,” he assured her. “It’s one hell of a rush to hold a puny mortal’s life in your hands. To listen to them plead for mercy, and let them hope you might let them live or even escape, only to rip out their throat and watch all that hope fade from their eyes along with their life.” He shivered delicately and then admitted, “I like it. I like their screams and weeping, and I like their warm blood rushing over my lips and tongue.” His smile widened. “Almost as much as I liked letting Stella think I still cared and that we’d have a life together someday. But I most liked watching her scamper away every time we spooked her, thinking she could get away when there was no way she could.” He laughed. “God, what a rush.”

“Thank God Stella never saw this side of you,” Allie said solemnly, and meant it. She was quite sure that Stella would have been crushed to see how far into madness Stephen had sunk. How cruel he had become. It made her wonder if the cruelty hadn’t always been there, merely hidden behind a thin veneer of humanity.

A shuffling sound caught her ear then and Allie turned toward the door as Abaddon entered the room.

“Sorry, Abby,” Stephen said with a shrug. “I almost had her giving up the name. Not sure what gave me away, but . . .” He shrugged again.

“Never mind, my love. She will tell us when she is hungry enough. That, or we shall just call the house and ask for Allie’s life mate,” Abaddon said, and then paused, realization dawning on his face.

Stephen burst out laughing. “I didn’t think of it either until you said it.”

Abaddon clucked with exasperation and shook his head as he headed out of the room. “Well, better late than never. Come, we shall make the call at once.”

Stephen followed with the lantern. This time he pulled the doors closed behind him, leaving her in darkness, and she heard the rattle and clatter of chains being pulled across metal. They were locking her in. Metal doors and a chain would probably work, she thought grimly.