Just A Taste | BOOK 1 The Night Lords Series

13. The Auction

Cassius

Throbbing, forceful, erotic--- the soundtrack flooding through the warehouse was temptation revamped. Aroused and riveted on the Blood Master striding across the stage, the audience hung on to his every word as, one after the other, girls came stumbling into the glaring spotlight. All around me, vampires were calling out their bids, eager to earn themselves a new slave for pleasure, blood, or both.

Where is she?

I glare at the stage as yet another girl shuffles beneath the spotlight wearing nothing but a lace nightgown. Her blonde hair was short and straight, framing a face streaked with tears. My eyes track the movement of the Blood Master as he circles her, smiling, ever the showman. He starts to list her traits and benefits but I tune him out as my gaze trails left towards the upraised booth where a certain, egotistical vampire sits watching.

Jacques, for some unknown reason, decided to attend this particular auction at this particular bank the same night I decided to come. He was doing this on purpose. Especially since I know he never buys from Elias.

"450!" Calls a woman from the back. A man sitting closer to the stage counters the offer at six hundred. Both in the thousands.

I sink lower in my seat, drumming my talons on the table as I struggle to compose myself. My claws have been retracting and protracting, in and out, since I've sat down. Earlier this evening, I nearly tore every door off its hinges searching for Emmy. I thought it impossible. It shouldn't even be a possibility but, that second dose of excruciating pain confirmed something for me and I just knew that I had to get her back. Before Jacques, before the Consultant, or any other immortal tries to bite her.

I quietly curse the Consultant under my breath. Of course he'd think to bring Emmy here. All Consultants ever cared for was the success and advancement of blood production. The Blood Master's sales gave every Consultant points from their master. And there was only one master for them.

Plus, Elias was best known for demanding the most ludicrous deals. Unfortunately, he always got what he wanted. Every slave he sold enticed one vampire or another enough to want to pay that price.

The lights are suddenly dimmed dramatically and I look up to see Elias's crimson gaze locked on me, a wolfish smirk on his pale face. I tense, sitting up in my seat. His smirk grows into a pompous grin.

"Now, for the final jewel of the night. A rose among lilies, a diamond within my opulent mine."

Get to the point.

"I present Isabelle Grace!" He steps back with a wave of his hand as my green-eyed girl is pushed onto the stage by a Consultant with flaming red hair. I inhale sharply, claws digging into the table.

That greedy pig.

She was adorned in red. The color, a natural hook for the eyes of all vampires, made her milky soft skin look appetizing. Her florid dress caused a ripple of whispers to erupt. Covered and wrapped with a little roseate ribbon, Elias made sure to make her look like the prettiest doll on the shelf. With her neck and shoulders exposed, hair twisted up to tease the eye with its complicated curls, every man, even a few women, wanted to rip her open like she was a present.

"150,000."

"220,000."

"240!"

"265."

"300!"

The numbers kept climbing. At some point, even Jacques threw in a bid and I let out a low snarl, my head whipping in his direction. He sat languidly in his chair, one of the female servants draped across his lap as he drank from her neck, hands roaming her body openly. Still feeding, he looks up to meet my glare, mauve eyes mocking.

"990,000."

My head snaps forward as the new bid rings out, a pause ensuing. I scrutinize the crowd for the bidder until I spot the vampire seated in a secluded booth, legs crossed as he sits forward, steel gaze locked on Emmy.

Salazar.

Unlike the rest of the vampires in the room, the lone vampire lord sat without a companion or a slave to serve him. The same as I. He doesn't look away from Emmy. Instead, he sits back, appearing as though he believed the auction to be over, the last girl his for the taking.

Like hell she is.

"One million." I announce my bid, using my power to carry my voice through the room. Heads turn, even Salazar's, but my eyes are fixated on the Blood Master. The vampire's practically beaming with delight at the sound of my price. It's hardly a problem for me.

"Going once," Elias warns.

I look over at Jacques but he merely shrugs and turns to murmur in the ear of a male servant.

"Going twice," the Blood Master's finger hovers over his tablet. The crowd remains silent. My eyes then turn to Salazar. His expression was thoughtful as he regarded me from across the room, one hand stroking the stubble on his chin. His stormy eyes shift away at last before he stands, disappearing from the room, a shadowy streak in the darkness.

"Sold! Isabelle Grace now belongs to the Night Lord, Cassius Sar."

Low applause stems from the crowd, a few of them taking the loss of the last deal a bit more seriously as they flash me looks of disdain. I could care less. My attention was riveted on the girl standing on stage, her knees trembling beneath her. Despite this, when I look into her eyes, I'm surprised to find two viridian orbs glowing with rage. We stare at each other for another beat or two before she breaks our staredown, jaw clenched. I smile, straightening the lapels of my coat as I stand. With Elias guiding Emmy back behind the curtain, I saunter after them to claim what's mine.