Auctioned Off

Prologue

I took a deep breath, knowing what was going to happen next. I could hear the numbers being called out in the other room, and I knew that it was only a short time before I was on that stage. I could feel the fear deep in my bones, this auction was different. This was an auction for the rich vampires, those who were born into wealth and never understood what it meant to struggle. Human life meant nothing to these rich vampires; we were meant to be used and abused.

This was my first higher end auction, so I only knew what I heard from rumors. If my original owner knew where I was, she would have done everything she could to save me. She was an older vampire, turned when she was in her late forties, who was much too sweet for a vampire. She had bought me as a baby from my parents’ owner, and she raised me to be her own daughter. If she hadn’t been brutally murdered two years ago, I would not be here in this hell. After she died, I was bought by another female vampire, who worked me hard and cared for me little. I was here because of her, because she grew tired of my attitude.

“Get up.” Dane, the auctioneer, growled at me. When I didn’t respond immediately he yanked me from my seat, enough to hurt but not enough to do any real damage. He dragged me to the back of the curtain before he let me go.

I took another deep breath, and prepared myself to be auctioned off. I was seventeen years old, and I was about to be bought for the third time.