imo. I brushed a hand down, wiping off the dust that'd caught on my tuxedo jacket. The air was stale

m wheezing my guts out, my skin crawling in disgust as I surveyed the rundown building of the Vampire Academy's showroom. "Why was this place

auctions. Believe me, it hasn't always been like this. But rest assured I'll tell Sir Jax about your comm

to whisper, eyebrows etched in confusion. "She's lying. The Vampire Academy only began auctioning off shifters last year, and t

lightly to him as well. "Wel

y's gaze dropping to the ground suspiciously. Before Samuel could intimidate her further, I

of well-dressed vampires I wasn't familiar with bowing slightly to me as we passed, then turning to whisper surprisingly amongst themselves. It was rare to see me in these functions. The weight of my crown and the burden of responsibilities keeps me from the public most time and makes it hard for me to get u

verpowered by the strong cologne worn by the vampire audience. Jax had told me that the shifters were willing to get sold as slave pets. Caught up in a society inhabited predominantly by vampires, th

s passive as he surveyed the crowd. Blondie led us to our designated seats

sle that had been chosen for us. I'd purchased the twelve most reputable bodyguards money could buy, and tonight they looked as harmless as a fly to the common eyes. Their weapons a

overs close, nervously. "I could get

It's fine. I like

t I was glad she backed off. I

I squinted as the red curtains rippled and the audience got ag

lips and looking around cautiously as though she'd done something wrong. Her fear is a startling contrast to how

n extra pushy and leering that it'd be fitting if I got a pet to keep me busy because I hard

." She sauntered off. Immediatel

ess ones like her. It's clear that she's been given orders to lie to us. T

king my outstretched hand. "Glad to see you here, Your Majesty," he glanced at Blondie, a storm of clouds gathering in his irises for a brief momen

m right. "I'm going to ask you this again, are you absolutely sure that the shif

ly. "Most are rare species. They've lost their families and clan and

to vampires instead of their own kind? That m

y life. And I wouldn't know that, con

s own twisted way. Most shifters I knew would rather prefer being burned than belonging to a vampire master. It wasn't every one of them that

n ask Mary here," he pointed at Blondie. "She's my person

smile. "Not at this

owed, taking the side of the stage in

who had her ears up, listening to him. He leaned in to whisper this time. "Now th

Who knows if that's just

. "Bullshit. None of them are bef

hifters are the best you'd ever find. Most of them are naturally submissive and owning such a

er over. "You work here, sis. Of course

efinitely more to their not getting along than meets the eyes, but I had to let them figure out their sizzling attraction for each other beneath the glares and

. And with disinterest came boredom. With boredom came a craving for things out of th

'll have no hand in this. You can do

rating distraction after they were bought. It'd feel good to have them subdued for months. That was where the fun was in. but tonight, I had another thing in mind. I'd received news of a conspiracy and the best way to catch the culp

only have to lift a fi

ne, his announcement sending a frenzy through the crowd. "The auction is about to start and I implore you all to sit tight and have a good time. We'v

n heightened as the red

ery first to be hauled o