Total pages in book: 207
Estimated words: 196971 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 985(@200wpm)___ 788(@250wpm)___ 657(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 196971 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 985(@200wpm)___ 788(@250wpm)___ 657(@300wpm)
After several turns that took them deeper into the torch-lit tunnels, the imp he had bribed finally stopped at the end of a heavily guarded entranceway. The gate was made of reinforced steel, and a huge, scowling troll stood on each side.
Even as the bloodthirsty creatures gazed at him suspiciously, Alexandru had no trouble keeping his face impassive. He knew they were trying to determine his identity and figure out how strong or weak he was. But he also knew, no matter how hard they tried, they would not be able to read him.
Centuries spent hunting down the kingdom’s outlaws had made him well-versed in deception. His skills ensured that people would only see what he wanted them to see, and right now, with his dirty but expensive cloak, hunched shoulders, and blood-stained teeth, all the others saw was a lustful vampire with an uncontrolled appetite for human virgins.
Fishing out the bags of gold coins in his pockets, he handed one to each troll. “There is more of that for you if you allow me an hour’s pleasure with this candidate.” Licking his lips in seeming eagerness, Alexandru rasped in a lewd voice, “The imp promised me she’s a virgin. Is it true?”
The trolls were having a hard time taking their gazes off the bags of gold coins. They were like leprechauns in that sense, but they weren’t as fussy. All that mattered to trolls was wealth, and they didn’t mind what form it came to them.
At the word ‘virgin’, though, one of the troll’s head jerked up, a wary expression flickering in his soulless eyes. “The bosses told us that she must remain a virgin. A high roller’s going to arrive tonight. He’s done and paid a fortune to have her untouched.”
“But I want to taste her, just a small taste. I promise I won’t take her pussy,” Alexandru whined. “Her ass would do. It won’t make a difference if I take her ass, right?”
The wariness disappeared from the troll’s eyes. “Yeah, yeah, that’s gonna do.” He unlocked the door. “Just don’t ya take your money back if she ain’t made you happy.”
THE MAKESHIFT ROOM housing the star of tonight’s auction was curled in a ball on a dusty pallet. Her left wrist was manacled, its thick chain bolted to the wall. Her body was almost boyishly slender, and if not for her long, ash-blonde hair, Alexandru might not have recognized her as a girl.
The scent of her blood didn’t hit him until he had been inside her room for half a minute. It was so faint, so delicate, that a younger vampire would surely have missed it completely. And maybe, if he had not been forewarned about her existence, he himself might have failed in singling it out as well.
Inhaling deeply, Alexandru took in her scent, committing it to memory. A vampire’s sense of smell was not as good as a shapeshifter’s, but he preferred being thorough. He wanted to be sure that after this mission, he would be able to spot a soul seer even miles away, whether by sight, smell, or feel.
The girl twitched ever so slightly, and Alexandru’s lips curved. He had known from the start she was pretending to be asleep, and he had allowed her to pretend, curious as to what she planned to do. The spark of interest inside him was a surprise, but one he also welcomed. It made him realize how completely detached from life he had become in the years he had spent roaming the world, killing without ever living.
The girl on the bed was taking deep breaths now, as if bolstering her courage.
Ah, little soul seer. What are you planning?
ZARI BALTIMORE’S GREATEST sin was her curiosity. She knew it, and she had always done her best to curb it. Her curiosity tended to get her in all sorts of scrapes, and she would have been the first one to laugh if someone had told her that curiosity would end up saving her life.
But it had, several times in fact.
Curiosity had kept her sane in the past few days even though the things she had learned were beyond frightening. When she had woken up alone in the dark, her fingers encountering the steel around her wrist that kept her chained to the wall, curiosity had kept her from losing her mind. Curiosity had given her the courage not to cry and focus on one word.
Why?
Why was she here? Why was she chained? And most importantly, why were her parents not here with her?
The last thing she remembered was being on the rubber boat with her parents, the three of them trying furiously to paddle their way back to safety and away from the roaring falls.
And then nothing. No matter what she did, she just couldn’t remember.
Another thing Zari learned by listening to the creatures talking outside the door was that captives like her were called “candidates”, and that they were being auctioned off, one by one, to become pets.