Auctioned for Her Blood: The Vampires' Illuminant Book 1

by Mara Leigh

  The trees in the park are lit with tiny twinkling lights that sparkle on the wet paving stones, and the atmosphere is magical and romantic as we walk, hand in hand, toward one of the central fountains, not far from the group of police. It’s gorgeous. I missed so much never going out after dark.

  One of the cops turns toward me and nods in obvious appreciation. My red dress, slightly damp from the rain, clings to my body and I shrug off Ryker’s jacket, draping it over my arm. With this dangerous looking man in his leather pants and loose white shirt, damp and clinging to his chest, I’ve never felt so sexy.

  Under the shimmering lights of the warm evening, it’s no wonder I’ve drawn the cop’s admiration.

  Keeping his eyes on me, the cop listens to someone on his radio and nods. The whole group of them shifts, moving as if called to action. Perhaps there’s a robbery in progress nearby.

  But who cares? These cops have no relevance to me and my sexy vampire lover.

  Stopping near the fountain, I reach up to draw Ryker’s lips down to mine. He hesitates, looking past me toward the police, and so I slide my hand between us to stroke his hard bulge.

  Groaning deep in his throat, he kisses me, encasing my head with one strong hand, my butt cheek with the other, and I press my full body against him.

  “Fuck, Ember,” he says between kisses. “Never mind getting staked, you’re going to get us arrested for public indecency.”

  With a smile, I look into his eyes. “I thought you weren’t afraid of the police?”

  He chuckles. “I’m not.” He kisses me again, this time with more fervor, and he hardens against me, his sex pulsing through his leather pants and coming alive with the promise of pleasure.

  I almost forget that we’re outdoors—in a park, in public—and his hand parts my legs from behind. He drops my overnight bag and his leather coat slides off my arm onto the wet pavement. I tip my pelvis, my heat seeking his hardness.

  “Get away from her!” a familiar voice yells, and I turn to see Zuben stalking across the wet paving stones.

  He was following us.

  I wave at Zuben, trying to reassure him, to help him see I’m okay, that everything between me and Ryker is consensual.

  “Let’s go,” Ryker says against my ear.

  I smile up into his eyes, but then searing pain envelops my body. The scent of burning flesh fills my nostrils and something metallic clangs against the paving stones around us.

  Ryker cries out in pain as we both fall to the ground, and he wraps his body around mine as if he can shield me.

  What is happening?

  “Silver.” Ryker’s voice is strained against my ear. “Where’s…my…leather…coat?”

  I try to move my arm to where I think the coat fell, but the pain is too much. Every part of my body that’s exposed to silver is burning. Why?

  I’ve never had any reaction to silver before, but then I remember the sunlight this morning. Ryker claims that I’m not a vampire, but something has certainly changed.

  “Not her!” Zuben’s voice cries out. “Just him. You’re only supposed to take him!”

  “We’ve got our orders,” another voice says. “Boss was clear. Any vampire found with him comes too.”

  “But she’s not a vampire!” Zuben says.

  “Sure as fuck burns like one,” a voice says, and laughter rises.

  Ryker shifts to put more of his body over mine. “Get under me.” His voice is tight, full of pain.

  Shifting, I see that Zuben is arguing with one of the police officers.

  “You’re drawing attention,” the cop says to Zuben. “People are going to realize we aren’t cops.”

  Not cops? Who are they? Fear and pain are so entwined in my mind I can’t fully think.

  “I don’t care about anyone else in this park,” Zuben says. “You can’t take her. I forbid it. Leave her with me.”

  “Forbid it?” One of the cops grabs Zuben’s arm, and then snaps a handcuff onto his wrist. Zuben cries out in pain, and smoke rises. Do they make handcuffs in silver too?

  Shouting in pain, Zuben struggles to get away, and the cuff sears his flesh, so fully I wonder if it might burn through his wrist.

  “Our orders are to grab any vampire found with the pirate,” a cop says. “Seems to me, you fit that criteria.”

  A cop wraps a silver chain around Zuben’s neck. His skin burning, Zuben drops to his knees, not far from where I’m trapped on the pavement. He lifts his free hand, reaching for his throat, but another cop grabs his arm and then locks his wrist into the cuffs.

  Another cop injects something into Zuben’s burned neck, and he collapses against the stone ground.

  That cop carries the syringe toward us, and I tuck my head under the protection of Ryker’s arm, but soon the weight of his body flattens me against the cold stones. Ryker’s passed out too.

  The silver netting lifts, and I scream in pain, feeling like it’s taking my skin along with it. Someone shifts Ryker’s body off me, and I struggle to get free. It might be futile, but I fight with all I’ve got.

  But someone grabs my shoulder and head, stretching my neck to the side, and I feel a sharp prick, followed by searing heat that radiates through my body, burning like fire inside me.

  The world goes black.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Ember

  I wake in darkness, lying face down on something hard—stone, based on the damp, metallic scent. Am I still in Rittenhouse Square? Does the lighting go out late at night?

  I want to lift my head to look around but the effort’s too great, and my head spins, like I might pass out, so I remain still, waiting for the pain to abate and hoping to convince my brain to make sense of where I am and how I got here.

  Through nearly closed eyes, I realize my surroundings aren’t pitch black like I first thought. A faint glow of light flickers across the stone floor ahead of me.

  “Look!” a male voice says with a scratchy voice, “one of the new ones is female.”

  Someone kicks my leg. “You awake?” asks a woman, presumably the leg kicker based on where the sound comes from.

  But I have no intention of moving or talking. Not yet. I’m in too much pain to move much, and my mouth is so dry it’s glued shut. But more importantly, I need to know where I am before these people realize I’m awake.

  Sensing movement near my face, the air shifting, I open my eyes a crack to see feet and legs crouching beside me. They look female.

  “Holy shit,” she says. “She’s human. She’s got burns on her shoulder that haven’t healed.”

  “Nah,” the male voice says. “No humans in the dungeon. Only when they bring them down for food.”

  “Well, she sure as shit isn’t a vampire, or anything else I’ve seen down here.” The woman straightens, but doesn’t move away.

  Fear grips me, making me stiffen and causing more pain. I’m locked up in a dungeon—with vampires? Where is Ryker?

  “Maybe she’s a gift,” says the scratchy voice.

  “Don’t be daft,” says the female. “Why the fuck would they give us a human?”

  “For blood,” the male says. “And for sex.” He kicks one of my legs to the side, then the other, spreading them apart. “Look. She’s all dolled up for us too.” He chuckles.

  “Are you so hard up that you’d fuck a human, Corney?” the female says. “An unconscious one at that?” She whistles through her teeth. “Surely someone in this godforsaken place is willing to offer up a pussy or asshole for a pity fuck.”

  “Very funny,” the male says. “And my name is Cornelius, Gracen! How many times do I have to ask you not to call me Corney?”

  The female, presumably named Gracen, laughs. “You can ask all you want, Corney.”

  “What’s this?” a deeper male voice says, as footsteps draw near. More than one set of footsteps, if I can trust my ears.

  “Who is it?” the deep voice asks.

  “New prisoner,” Gracen says. “Looks human,�
��

  “Human?” says another new voice. “No shit. The male they brought in last night is a vamp.”

  I gasp, learning that Ryker is in here with me—somewhere. As horrible as this is, that’s a relief, and I send hope out into the universe that he’ll find me, soon.

  “She’s gotta be here for fucking and feeding, why else?” says a new voice, one so gruff it sends tremors through my body.

  “Nah,” Corney says. “Don’t make sense. She’s gotta be a prisoner. Locked up too.”

  “Holy shit,” Gracen says. “What the fuck does a human have to do to that bitch to end up down here?” She whistles again through her teeth.

  “Maybe it’s a mistake,” Corney says.

  “She doesn’t make mistakes,” Gracen says.

  “Get her up,” the gruff voice says. “I get first crack at her pussy.”

  “No way!” another voice yells. “You’ll destroy her, Psycho. Let me go first.”

  “You guys are assholes,” Gracen says, and I pray as another female she’ll protect me. But instead, she nudges my shoulder with her boot, kicking me over onto my back.

  My eyes open on instinct and I stare up into hers, which flash in the glow of golden light that must be coming from a flame of some sort.

  Gracen smirks, slowly shaking her head as she looks down at me. “What the fuck did you do, human?”

  “Get her ready,” says the gruff voice.

  “Psycho, put that thing away,” Gracen says. “No one wants to see your fucking dick.”

  “Then leave,” Psycho says. “Cause fucking is what this thing’s gonna do.”

  Enough! I will not just lie here and let myself be raped!

  Ignoring my pain, I turn over, scramble to my feet and run.

  Still in heels, I move as fast as I can. But I know it’s futile.

  Assuming that gruff voiced male is a vampire, he can move faster than an Olympic sprinter, never mind faster than me—even without the heels and the pain. But I’ve got to try.

  Carved out of stone, a long narrow passageway stretches forward, torches burning at intervals to provide faint sections of light.

  Footsteps thud behind me, echoing along with laughter. I can’t get away.

  I know I’m in some kind of un-winnable game—a helpless rabbit surrounded by wolves, teasing me before they move in for the kill—but at least no one has grabbed me. Not yet.

  Across from a wall-mounted torch, a large arch opens into a passageway on my right. Slowing, I glance that direction, and there’s nothing but darkness. Maybe I can hide?

  I take a few steps into the darkness, and something ahead of me moves and then snorts. A large shadow moves against the back of the cave-like space. Or is it just my imagination? I can’t be certain.

  But whoever is down there is massive.

  Someone grabs me from behind, pulls me back and throws me against the wall opposite the cave’s entrance.

  It’s Gracen.

  “You don’t want to go in there, honey.” She shakes her head. “That bear is fucking mean. He’d more likely eat you than fuck you. Or…” she shrugs “…most likely he’d eat you after he fucks you.”

  There’s a bear in there?

  I stare into Gracen’s eyes, unable to speak. She knocked the air out of my chest and my body shaking so hard it’s hard to stand.

  Deep cruel laughter comes from nearby. “Yeah, stay away from the bear,” Psycho says. “They might call me a Psycho, but I’ve got no taste for human flesh—just blood and pussy.” He laughs, like it’s some hilarious joke, and then leers at me, his massive erection jutting out of his pants. The thing is far longer and at least twice as thick as Ryker’s.

  “Unlike the bear, I won’t kill you.” Psycho grabs his cock roughly. “Not on purpose.”

  “She’s human.” Gracen shakes her head. “If you fuck her with that thing you’ll kill her.”

  Psycho lunges forward. “You gonna stop me?”

  “Shit.” Gracen shrugs, stepping away from me. “What the fuck do I care? Have at it.” Clearly saving me is not worth angering this monster vampire.

  The monster strokes his cock, grunting, making his threat even more solid—and larger. Closing my eyes, I crouch into a ball.

  Think.

  I undo the straps of my heels. If I get the chance to run again, at least I’ll be able to move more quickly. But I know enough about vampires to realize I can’t outrun him. Or overpower him. There must be another way.

  I’m in a dungeon that seems to be a prison for vampires—and bears? To survive, I need to stand up to the prisoners. Act tough, like Gracen does. But that idea seems a million miles out of reach.

  “Hey, Psycho.” The one called Corney draws my attention back to the group. There are at least a dozen of them now.

  “Let me go first,” Corney says.

  “Why the fuck would I do that?” Psycho asks, and then he grunts, tugging on his cock with so much force I wonder if he’ll pull the thing off. A girl can hope.

  “If you tear her up,” Corney answers, “no one else gets a turn.”

  “Again, who the fuck cares?” Turning toward Corney, Psycho points his stiff member toward him. “Maybe I’ll take your ass first. Get me warmed up.”

  Raising his hands, Corney backs away. “Okay. Okay. Never mind. It was just an idea.”

  Psycho turns to face me, giving me a look that chills my already broken body and freezes my ability to move. Not that moving would do me any good. His eyes are full of a hunger that’s so different from what I saw in Ryker’s before we had sex.

  It isn’t desire, or even lust in Psycho’s eyes. He’s regarding me coldly, like meat.

  And I suppose, to him, that’s what I am.

  Is this how I die?

  My determination builds, heat and light rising inside me, like I’m lightning getting ready to strike.

  Straightening my legs, I raise my hands toward Psycho, prepared to fight for my life.

  He shifts back, as if pushed, and his eyes fill with shock.

  It’s almost like something pulled him away from me. Something unseen. I have no clue what it was but I’m grateful.

  But even more than grateful, I’m drained, exhausted from fear, adrenaline, and dehydration. My tongue feels like sandpaper in my mouth, and I struggle to stay on my feet.

  “Get away from her!” A voice yells. “Leave her alone.”

  Through my fog of confusion and fear, my defender’s voice sounds familiar. But it isn’t Ryker.

  Zuben pushes through the crowd, moves behind me and places his hand on my stomach—possessively.

  I retract from the too intimate touch, but that just pushes my spine against Zuben’s body and his hand’s pressure is constant and firm.

  “Hey, handsome.” Gracen smiles as she eyes Zuben, her gaze sliding up and down him as she walks around us. “You’re fucking cute, newbie. What are you packing down there?” She traces her hand down to her crotch. “Wanna go somewhere and get better acquainted?”

  Zuben ignores her, keeping his focus on Psycho. “This human is my mate,” Zuben says firmly. “We were arrested together. She is mine.” He says this last word with force and gives it even more weight by pressing his hand even more firmly against my belly. Heat radiates from his large palm and long fingers, easing just a tiny bit of my fear. But should I fear Zuben?

  Psycho’s eyes narrow as he considers Zuben’s false claim. “You took a human as a mate?” His tone makes it clear that the idea is revolting.

  “Yes.”

  “Is that why you’re in here?” someone asks.

  Stepping forward, Gracen touches Zuben’s shoulder, tracing her hand over the shape of it under his wool suit jacket.

  “What did you do, handsome,” she coos, “to end up down here?” She touches herself through her tight jeans. “Come on, pretty boy. Have you been bad? Really bad? Tell Gracen what you’ve done.”

  “If you’ve been bad,” she continues, “I can’t promise I won’t p
unish you, but I can promise it’s gonna be fun. Your human can join in if you like.” She licks the side of his face, but Zuben doesn’t react, instead he keeps his hand firm on my belly and his eyes trained on Psycho.

  “My mate is human,” Zuben says calmly. “As such, she will not be a satisfying fornication partner for you.” He nods toward Psycho’s massive member, visibly pulsing now, unless my fear-induced imagination is creating an illusion.

  But I don’t think it is…

  “I do not yet know the rules of this place,” Zuben continues. “I do not know your customs, but surely, even down here the word mate means something?”

  Psycho’s eyes narrow, but he backs up a step. “Shit. What the fuck am I supposed to do with this then?” Grasping his member, he turns, pointing it toward the crowd like he’s playing a demented game of spin the bottle.

  Some in the crowd laugh, but others disappear in a flash.

  “You looking to take another mate?” Gracen asks Zuben, running her hand over his chest and shoulder. “Or a little side action? Maybe a threesome?”

  “No, thank you,” he answers, without even looking at her. “Thank you for the offer, but not at the moment.”

  “Your loss.” She pats his shoulder, then tips her head to the side, her eyes widening as she looks down to Psycho’s threatening crotch.

  “Can’t lie, Psycho,” she says. “I’ve always been curious… Ah, what the fuck.” She whips off her jeans so quickly I barely detect the movement. “Do your worst. I’ll heal.”

  Clearly sensing the opportunity, Zuben lifts me into his arms and carries me along the passageway.

  Why is Zuben here? Where is Ryker?

  I can’t think… Confusion and fatigue have captured my ability to concentrate on anything beyond gratitude for how Zuben saved me.

  A shout echoes through the hall, followed by, “Holy fuck, that thing is huge.”

  I look past Zuben’s shoulder to see Psycho slamming into Gracen’s body from behind, moving in and out of her quickly, but slowly enough I can see his massive cock glistening with what must be blood along with her juices.