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“One million. What about two?” she looks around hopefully.
I stay quiet, waiting to see if anyone would dare try to outbid me. I’ve made it no secret that I have recognized Isabelle as mine.
Someone coughs, but no one offers a counter bid.
I let out a relieved breath. Isabelle has made herself enough enemies throughout the factions that I worried someone might take this opportunity to get their revenge. To take her from me. Not that I would let that happen.
On the stage, Isabelle slowly scans the audience in front of her. Despite the bright lights, I know she can see clearly through the shadows. She stops abruptly when she spots me and her eyes narrow. I can’t hold back my grin.That’s right, Sweetheart. You’re mine now.
“Alright. The winning bid is one million for Isabelle.” Bethany nudges her off the other side of the stage as the house lights come up and everyone begins to file out.
I adjust my suit jacket as I make my way to collect my mate.
2
ISABELLE
Luka fucking drugged me.
I get the sense that a significant amount of time has passed since I was sent to get rid of Jarik’s human, so I could take her place. Thanks to whatever drugs Luka has been feeding me to keep me compliant, everything is a murky mess inside my throbbing head. Now that I’m slowly coming out of the stupor little snippets of memories are starting to slip through.
Like the nasty wound that nearly took my head Jarik’s little human bitch inflicted when she caught me with her mate.
Chains and darkness and pain.
Blood so good I want to drown in it.
Lights. A stage.An auction.
And Luka. Luka has been there through everything. All of it.
This is all his doing. He has been pursuing me ever since he decided that I was his fated mate. Nothing I said or did put him off. He refused to take no for an answer, so when I was injured, he used my moment of weakness to capture me.
He saved you. Healed you.
My heart squeezes painfully. He may have saved me, but he kept me captive and for that I should hate him.
Despite being drenched in darkness, without so much as a glow coming from anywhere, I can see perfectly. I’m a young vampire compared to many others in my coven. I was born just after the turn of the century, as all of us are because it’s impossible to turn someone into a vampire despite what fiction and Hollywood claim.
The room I’m in is large. The walls are painted a light color and framed with dark furniture. My wrists and ankles are shackled to a four-poster bed. The chains must be either charmed or made of iron because when I test them there is no give whatsoever and when I try to trace away, nothing happens. At least the bed is comfortable. Although, the duvet is soft and fluffy against my skin. The red of my dress is garish against the bright white bedding.
My ears perk at the approaching purr of a high-end engine followed by the crunch of tires over gravel, telling me I’m no longer in the city. I listen as a car door opens and shuts. The clunk of steps treading across wood—a porch?—followed by off-key whistling and the jingle of keys in a lock.
All of this is happening above me, which means I’m being held in a basement or cellar.
“Izzy, I’m hooome!”Luka calls out in a bad Desi Arnaz accent as he walks through the house above me. His steps thump back and forth above me followed by the clack of porcelain and cutlery. When a door opens, soft light and the scent of Italian food drifts down, followed by his quick steps on the staircase.
“I brought dinner, my love.” He flips a switch, and the room explodes into bright light. I hiss and turn my head to the side while my eyes adjust.
“Sorry I’m late, I had to stop by Jarik and Mercy’s before ordering from Bellissimo’s on the way.”
I’m spread out like a sacrifice as he pulls a chair up to the side of the bed. I hope that he can see the hatred in the glare I’m giving him.
If he notices, he ignores it.
“I got your favorite,” he says as he sets the plates on the side table and then reaches behind me. Whatever he does puts enough slack in the chains that I can sit up. Which I do, with narrowed eyes, as he props pillows behind me to lean against.
The moment he’s within my reach I lunge forward with a hiss and my sharp fangs bared. He manages to evade my bite, just barely. Faster than I expect, Luka’s hand snaps out and he wraps his fingers around my throat.
