Total pages in book: 55
Estimated words: 52247 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 261(@200wpm)___ 209(@250wpm)___ 174(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 52247 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 261(@200wpm)___ 209(@250wpm)___ 174(@300wpm)
I sit back as the bids rage around me. A mystery. I’m becoming more intrigued by the second.
“One million,” someone calls a bid. I turn and look across the aisle. A large vampire wearing an eyepatch looks back at me. Only a lifetime of controlling my emotions keeps me from showing my surprise.
Xavier. What’s he doing here? Our paths haven’t crossed for decades. Maybe a century. He inclines his head in mocking acknowledgement. The last time we met, we were enemies.
There’s quiet as the auctioneer and audience absorb his bid. Onstage, the she-wolf trembles as if she remembers why she’s here.
And I remember who the wolf reminds me of. Her face becomes another, a waifish imp with a cloud of white gold hair. My first vampire lover. The only woman, perhaps, I ever loved. Georgianna.
Xavier’s fangs glint at me from across the aisle. He never forgave me for taking Georgianna from him, and now he would snatch this wolf right from under my nose.
This one’s mine, his gloating face seems to say. Poor she-wolf. Xavier always broke his toys. If not for fun, then to prevent anyone else from enjoying them.
My fingers clench on the bidding paddle. This whole auction, Xavier’s appearance, the she-wolf who looks like Georgianna’s ghost come to life—it’s a ploy. A set up. It has to be. It’s too convenient.
Somebody’s up to something. If my sired have thrown their lots in with Xavier, then they have rebelled past the point of forgiveness. Their lives are over.
But if all of this is Xavier acting alone, then it might be interesting to play the game. Save the she-wolf. Parade her before my court, and draw Xavier into my net.
What is the saying? Keep your friends close… and your enemies closer.
Oh yes. These next few weeks will be very entertaining. I lean back in my seat and raise my paddle.
Selene
“One million.”
Blood rushes to my head. That was Xavier’s voice. He’s bidding on me? Why?
I clench my hands in front of me, controlling my shudder. Have I failed? I can’t fail. There’s nothing left for me but the road ahead. The mission to entice Frangelico.
The silence stretches on and my nerves are screaming. Xavier doesn’t like failure. That’s a lesson I’ve learned over and over again. Pain is a great teacher. I’m strong enough to withstand it, but if I fail at this, I don’t know—
A deep voice breaks the stillness. “Ten million.”
A hush falls over the entire theater, every creature, me included, holding our breath.
The auctioneer looks like he can’t believe his luck. “T-ten million.” He mops his forehead and glances around the theater, biting his lip. I wait for him to raise the bid, but the staggering jump from one to ten million left him tongue-tied.
He raps his gavel and shouts. “Sold! To the gentleman with the deepest pockets. Vampire King Lucius Frangelico.”
My ears ring. I stoop and gather up the pieces of the ripped dress. It worked. It worked! He bought me.
In a few minutes I’ll be in the clutches of my new vampire master. Everything is going as planned.
The curtain sweeps across the stage, and I’m left blinking in the dark.
The auctioneer announces something about a break and walks off stage. Once he’s in the wings, he beckons me to follow.
“Good girl.” He rubs his hands together, probably imagining holding ten million dollars in his fat grubby fingers. I close my eyes, dizzy. What sort of vampire pays ten million for a wolf pet? What will he do with me?
It doesn’t matter. It will all be over soon. Any bit of unpleasantness in the meantime, well, I’ve been trained to take a lot of pain.
Four guards march up and surround me. They don’t touch me, so I don’t make a fuss. Beyond them, the thugs who manhandled me lurk in the murky shadows. One has an ice pack to his face. The one who’s crotch I hit is gone. The one left glowers at me, but doesn’t get close. They won’t dare touch me now. I belong to the Vampire King. The thought hits me like a blow and makes me sway on my feet.
A young, slender man appears at my elbow. I turn and avert my eyes when I catch his scent. Not human. Vampire.
“His Majesty would like you to put this on.” The young man holds up a suit jacket for me to slip into. I hand off my ripped dress to a guard and let the oversized jacket envelop me. The sleeves hang over my wrists and cover my legs to mid thigh. I’ve worn dresses that are less modest. I wore one tonight.
“His Majesty will collect you soon. Do you need anything? Food, some water?”
Shoes would be nice, but I shake my head. I tuck my face into the collar of the jacket and inhale the subtle, expensive cologne clinging to the fabric. The cologne doesn’t hide the familiar cold stone scent. This jacket was recently worn by a vampire.