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and security systems. The house was wired up like a bank vault and built with protective elemental symbols etched into the foundations. Discreet CCTV cameras fed images back to a basement control room. Six bedrooms, five bathrooms, three reception rooms, vast kitchen, deck and basement game room. Blackstone was more than enough house for Dawn and me. Too much, I realized, when I tried to find her again.
    I eventually located her standing in the lounge, her tiny body dwarfed by the huge black granite fireplace. “Hey.”
    “This is his home?”
    “Akil’s? Yes. When he saved me from Damien—my owner, this was where he brought me. It’s real nice in daylight. Probably seems a bit daunting right now.” I crouched down beside her. Her gaze absorbed the room, eyes curious. “Nobody will find us here. Tomorrow, I’ll go into town and grab us some clothes and groceries.”
    She turned in a slow circle. Her eyes darted as she assessed every inch of the lounge. “Why don’t you call him Mammon?”
    Because I tried not to associated the two. And Mammon scared the hell out of me. “It’s the name he’s chosen for when he’s in human form. A long time ago, he went by Ah-keel . Now he’s shortened it. Modernized it, I guess.”
    “But he’s not human.”
    It wasn’t a question, but I confirmed it anyway. “No. Not at all human.”
    “What are we?”
    I smiled warmly. “I like to think of myself as human. But we’re half way between demon and human. We’re both and neither. We’re different and lucky. We get to choose what we want to be.”
    “I don’t feel lucky.”
    I hesitated, struggling to find the right words. Our gazes met. She patiently waited for me to elaborate. “Dawn, you don’t have to tell me anything if you don’t want to, but I think I know what you’ve been through. It’s okay. Things will be better now. Akil saved me, and I think he’s done the same for you.”
    “But he’s...” Her eyes focused over my shoulder, her gaze distant. “He hurt my owner,” she said quietly.
    She’d seen him as Mammon. It explained the questions. “He is very dangerous. Don’t ever forget that.” I might like to heed my own warnings. “Dawn, what was your owner’s name?”
    “Carol-Anne.”
    I’d been right. Akil and Carol-Anne had fought. He’d taken Dawn for himself. Prince of Greed, remember. Not so long ago, he’d wanted my demon and the power repressed behind my weak human shell. Of course, he’d told me it was all for my benefit. He’d lied. Fifteen years ago, he’d stolen me from my owner just as he’d stolen Dawn from Carol-Anne. It seemed Akil was collecting half bloods.
    I watched for any sign the girl was distraught at the memory of Akil killing Carol-Anne, but she blinked innocent eyes up at me with no trace of sorrow, just wide-eyed anticipation. “He set you free.”
    “Does that mean Akil’s my owner now?”
    “No.” I smiled, forcing back a sudden urge to growl. “Nobody owns you. We don’t have to be owned. You’ve been lied to, Dawn. We’re strong—stronger than them.” I lowered my voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “We’re even more powerful than the princes.”
    Her eyes widened, and her little mouth parted in a silent ‘O’. I smiled and gently squeezed her shoulder.
    “But... But... I’m not… I don’t…”
    “It’s okay. I was surprised too. I can help you, Dawn. I think that’s why Akil brought you to me. We’ll talk some more tomorrow. For now, let’s get some rest.”
    She nodded and hugged her rabbit in the crook of her arm.

Chapter Eight
    I shouldn’t have taken Dawn to the mall. I doubted my decision the entire way there, while checking the skies for hunters and the rear view mirrors for Institute cars. Yes, it was idiotic, but I understood what it was like to be caged. Returning to Blackstone roused memories of my rebirth as a gangly teenage girl. Akil had opened my eyes to the world. I wanted to do the same for Dawn, even if that