“That’s a long story,” he starts and scratches his head. “But seeing as you are popular and likely to be sticking around, I will tell you it. See, long ago, before humans even walked this earth, there were vampires, witches and sirens. Always at war, the witches made several islands like this one, and on them, they cloaked the island with powerful magic. The magic was held in objects, and one family was given the responsibility of protecting the magic for their lives. Each island has its own magical objects, and each race lives on them.”
“Are vampires immortal then?” I question. “And what are the magical objects?”
And importantly, can I steal them and use them to bribe my way off this island?
“To a human, it would seem so, but no. Vampires can live for two thousand years before needing to sleep for a thousand and be reborn for another two. And so on,” he replies. “Therefore, immortality can be achieved quite easily. As for your other part, they are orbs of magic.”
So, not immortal, and clearly the sun doesn’t bother them. What could the weakness be?
“And witches? They are real then?” I question. “And sirens?”
“Extremely so and very powerful. There are ten witch covens and most live on their own island. As for the sirens, there is one clan, and they are secretive,” he tells me before doing the zip up on Lucy’s bag, shutting her away. “But I think that’s enough of story time for today.”
“Wait.” I make him stop as he goes to push Lucy out. “What will you do with her body?”
His eyes are soft, making him almost seem human, and it’s strange. “We bury the dead in the sea as we have much dead around. I will be gentle with her and wish her our god’s protection.”
“How can you believe in any god when you are all blood-sucking monsters who kill so easily and without guilt?” I demand.
His eyes find mine. “Not all of us feel no guilt, nor do we take life. Can you say humans are without faults?”
“Kidnapping and murder is illegal for humans. Is it here?” I question as he wheels Lucy out of the cage door.
“No, because humans are not at the top of the food chain on this island,” he warns me and shuts the door, locking it as he meets my eyes once more. “The auction is tomorrow. Good luck, little one.”
“Wait!” I call out, rushing to my feet and running to the gate as he pulls the key out.
“Why does everyone scream if you can simply use compulsion to calm them? Make them think they are okay?” I ask. The question has been bothering me.
He meets my eyes. “The only ones powerful enough to use that amount of magic on so many are the royals, and they would not waste their time on calming food. After all, you hardly sing to a chicken before you chop its head off, do you?”
I fall to my knees when he leaves, sucking in the cold air around me, like it can make any difference to how I’m feeling.
I’m going to be sold tomorrow and likely to that mad as fuck prince. I highly doubt I will live long under his care; he doesn’t seem to think of us humans as more than a snack. The image of that beautiful and undead prince with blood trickling down his chin will haunt me for a long time, and I doubt that’s the last person I will see him kill.
The screaming starts again in the distance, and I clap my hands over my heads, begging for it to stop, begging to get the hell off this island before it becomes impossible to leave any other way than Lucy did.
Chapter Seven
“Another visitor for her? Well, just in time, as the bidding will start soon,” Eachann’s voice drifts to me, and I straighten up, realising I must have fallen asleep at some point. My body aches, and my ass is numb as I climb to my feet. I hear another man reply, but I can’t make out what he said, only that his voice is deep and his accent reminds me of the prince. “I see. Well, she is quite lovely.”
Both Eachann and the other man come into view at the same time, and I immediately hear my heart pick up speed. The man is the mirror image of Prince Maddox in his face, but everything else is so different. His eyes are redder, like rubies held under a light, and his black hair is much shorter, locks falling into his eyes a little bit until he wipes them away. I’m pretty sure he is the same height, if not a little taller than Prince Maddox, and he is far bulkier. His thick arms and chest fill out the grey sweater he has on, and his dusty jeans are tucked into heavy black boots. A blue cloak is tied around his shoulders, falling down onto the ground around him. The mixture of old and new fashion is a strange mix that somehow works for him.
I hold my head high as he walks into the cage, while the other girls run to the back, some of them screaming so loud that it hurts my ears once more. The endless screams and damp room are becoming normal in the hours that trickle by. Thankfully, I feel numb from the shock of everything that has happened. Numb to my very core. The man’s glowing red eyes leisurely trail over me, before he finally meets my own gaze. I keep very still as I hold eye contact, refusing to give him what he wants. Fear. The other prince killed someone to see it in my eyes, and I don’t know what this man will do, but I won’t give him what he wants.
I refuse to do so.
“You don’t run from me. I have to admit it is a surprise from a human,” the man purrs. His voice is almost as seductive as his appearance, but the word human sounds like an insult. Like my kind is nothing.
“That is what you are used to and what you want me to do. You want me to fear you as the monster you pretend you are, but I will not give you my fear,” I protest, clamping my shaky hands on my elbows as I cross my arms. The man—or quite possibly creature—chuckles, walking until he is right in front of me and I have to breathe in his musky sweet scent. His long tail flies up around his side from his back, and the sharp tip slides under my chin, lifting my head a little. Wait, tail? My body shakes a little as I take in the tail, which is black and spiked at the end, matching his black nails and hair.
Vampires don’t have tails in the movies, that’s for sure.
“Your heart pounds in your chest, and your body lightly shakes. I am not sure if it is fear or desire making you react so...but I do look forward to finding out,” his silky-sounding voice replies.
“I would rather die than let you find out anything about me,” I spit out. These creatures may have stolen me in the night, taken me to this goddamn island to sell like cattle, but I won’t die giving them anything they want.
“Careful what you wish for, Riona Dark,” he murmurs, and at the same time, his tail quickly moves, cutting me just under my chin, and I flinch from the pain. I hold my hand to my chin to stop the bleed, glaring at him as he walks to the door, stopping just before it. The man licks the end of his tail, his red eyes flashing brighter as he tastes my blood and looks at me once more. “Delicious. I can’t wait to buy you in the auctions. My name is Prince Reign Borealis of the Vampires, and you will be mine to buy.”
After yesterday…he might have to get in line.
“How many royals are there?” I question, making him pause at the door. Is he really going to walk away without trying to kill me? Or killing someone here?
“Just my brother and me,” he drawls, turning around and leaning against the door frame. “I believe he has met you, Riona.”