Game On

Seline

“Eight hundred, folks. Anyone? Can I get eight hundred from the crowd?" the auctioneer crooned fifteen minutes later. My legs were hurting and the excitement had faded in the crowd. Everyone was murmuring, engrossed with their phones. The auctioneer turned to me, his hard eyes boring into my soul. "Hmm. No wonder they look so bored."

Before I could process what he was trying to say, he waved to someone offstage and the two bulky bodyguards who were also stagehands marched straight toward me. My heart pounded in panic. What were they trying to do?

"No..." I blurted, eyes widening at the auctioneer. He simply scratched his chin and barked at the bodyguards to rip my dress.

"Time to get naked, sweetheart." The first one muttered. The name on his tag is Alex. He reached out and tugged at my dress, his emerald-green eyes raving over my skin. I pressed a hand down on my breasts in an attempt to stop him and moved away.

"Get her, fools!"

The second guard rushed forward, holding my bruised arms down with his iron grip. As I wiggled about, trying to break the brute's powerful hold, Alex caught the thin material of my dress and ripped it apart in one fluid motion. I gasped in horror, tears stinging the corners of my eyes as he threw it on the floor like it was some sort of rag. What was left of it was the remaining bit which covered my breasts and the second guard tugged at it with his other hand. My training instincts kicked in and I brought my teeth down on his wrist, biting hard. He cried out, slapping me hard as I jerked away from them and fell to the floor. My eyes were unfocused and the stage lights were equally blinding but I managed to get up. While the guard I'd bitten nursed his wounds, Alex came for me again. This time, I flipped myself toward him, driving my foot up to smash his jaw, and delivering an accompanying blow on his lower back. Blood gushed out of his mouth and I could make out a few bloodied teeth as they fell to the floor. Three more guards came up the stage to help them but I sent all three tumbling down against each other with a cartwheel.

"Did you see that?" the auctioneer bellowed to the audience, his voice laced with exaggerated awe. "Phenomenal! Astounding! Graceful!" a smattering of claps rent the air and my cheeks heat up in anger. Did they all think I was putting up a mere show defending myself? I'd never met a group of people this sickening.

The fallen guards got to their feet in an instant and cornered me at all sides. I gritted my teeth and bunched my fists up firmly, eyes noting their every movement as they closed in. My fighter stance was strong enough to brush them off the ground with one long swipe at their ankles.

But before I could do that, the auctioneer waved them off dismissively. "Let her be, boys. She's already given the viewers what they wanted."

The guards grumbled, hanging their heads in shame as they got off the stage. The crowd booed at them. I knew that this was just a temporary win.

"She's a wonder, folks. You old geezers shouldn't sleep on this talented beauty. Who's going to be the lucky vampire? Eight hundred thousand, anyone?"

I tore the leftover piece of material around my bosom away, glaring at the stout auctioneer in hate. I remained where I stood even when he beckoned at me to come closer.

"She's such a rare challenge. Wake up," he began jumping about in a bid to get the crowd excited. "Do anyone of you have what it takes to tame her? Eight hundred thousand and she's all your's to try. You don't see feisty shifters like her every day. Don't sleep on her!"

Ferrara

I watched the naked she-wolf now as she glared at the auctioneer who was betting his pants off to get her sold. Her tits were bigger than average, and they bulged each time she drew in a breath. Gone was any sour act of meekness. She looked ready to tear anyone who stepped closer apart, her fiery red hair falling over her left eye, concealing it.

That red hair and lips...God, she was the most beautiful creature I had ever been privileged to set my eyes on. And she was skilled in combat fighting from what I'd seen her do with the guards who ripped her dress. If I owned her, the fun I would have while we fought each other for dominance every night. She wouldn't be an easy competitor, and boy, how hot was that?

"Damn, she's the hottest," Samuel breathed, flexing his legs. His trousers were tight, and he avoided my gaze, swallowing a little more than necessary. I knew he was hard already, and so was i. when the auctioneer sets up an even higher bid, I half-expected him to raise his paddle. When he did, I growled at him.

"Samuel," he whipped his head around and I held out my palm, lacing my voice with enough compulsion to make him submit. "Hand it over. She's mine."

He obeyed, handing the paddle over. All around us, vampires were bidding for the Red Beauty and I snarled at how insensitive they all were to her body language and feelings. Her facial expression was twisted further to one of disgust. Had she not been to an auction before? What made her agree to this? She didn't look so eager as most normal slave shifters would.

"Who gets the most money when these shifters are bidden and paid for?" I asked Mary.

"Every penny goes to their bank accounts which are affiliated and run by the Vampire Academy. They'll become your property while still having access to these accounts. It's like a future saving plan if they don't feel satisfied with their masters and want to buy themselves back. But that rarely happens. They often find homes in the care of their vampire masters."

This didn't match the information I was given about the shifter slavers. The Vampire Academy ran a lot of businesses but they never indulged in banking. As far as I knew, every money gotten from the auction went to the accounts of the organizers – Jax and his slut of a mother, and not a single penny was reserved for the slavers. This she-wolf was among the many others who'd been lied to by the Academy that they had personal accounts set up and managed with their money intact. I felt for her. It was much better to be a slave to a stronger werewolf than go through the stress and humiliation of securing a vampire master. It was even more distressing if the master turned out to be cruel.

I sat back hesitantly as the bids raged on, peaking at one million. The auctioneer dabbed his sweaty forehead, signaling for a bottle of water. "One million, now. Anyone?"

"One million," someone called a bid. There was a hushed silence as the audience looked up to the wide balcony overlooking the stage. Jax stood, his white dentition mirroring the stage lights as he waved his hands. "I want her."

Everyone was thrown into confusion. Why was Jax biding back his property? If he wanted her all for himself, he wouldn't have brought her out to be shown off this way. Something didn't seem right, and I knew how scheming that vampire could be. He was much smarter than anyone acknowledged.

Our eyes locked and his smirk grew, probably at my confused expression. The she-wolf glanced up at him, her hazel eyes imploring but he barely looked at her. His eyes were focused on me as I recalled where I'd seen the she-wolf before. Her red hair faded into gold and her nose became a little crooked at the tip. Angel. My first human and vampire love. The only woman, perhaps, I ever loved.

Jax's face morphed to one of rage, and his fangs glinted at me from where he stood. It all made sense now. He was showing and asserting his dominance over the she-wolf. The main reason why he invited me here was to show her off, get me interested because of her striking resemblance to Angel and bid her right back. My fingers clenched on the bidding paddle when he looked at her with so much lust and terror, I wondered if he had a soul. Anyone he ended up with often ended up dead or broken. What would you expect from a sadist who murdered his own mate?

The puzzles were fitting into place. Why didn't I realize that this was a clean setup all along?

I had no doubt that Jax was among those conspiring against me. He was too mean to not be among and this could be my chance to pin him down, once and for all. I'd play along by saving the she-wolf, parade her about as my pet, and draw Jax into my net.

What was that popular saying again? Oh, yes. Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.

Things were about to get a lot more interesting and I could not wait to get started. Leaning back on my seat, I barked out a small laugh then raised my paddle.

Game on.