A Legacy of the Damned: Daughter of Astaroth

Chapter 6 - The Bidding

"This close, you're even more mesmerizing, Bella," says the man who's replacing Mr. Bulldog's choker from around my neck with a bigger one. The choker that he places around my throat definitely feels heavier and the diamonds shine brighter. My inner vanity preens amidst the feeling of relief. Maybe I don't have to commit murder tonight after all.

He's a handsome man in his mid-forties and he introduced himself as Antonio De Luca earlier on. The only Tony De Luca that I've heard of is the head of a criminal family, a dangerous man. But I'd much rather go home with him than the old bulldog.

His touch feels warm on the back of my neck but still, he's not the man that I want. The man that occupies my mind is currently still on the dance floor, all wrapped up with my sister. Their faces are close together, a breath away from kissing.

Tony De Luca places his finger under my chin to angle my face up, directing my gaze that wanders to Sacha Gauthier and Dimitra on the dance floor back to him.

His dark brown eyes are hard and his jaw and upper lip are covered with a thin layer of dark hair. He has two permanent lines between his eyebrows and he looks old enough to be my father but he's a lot better looking than the bulldog. He's also elegant and I quite like his salt and pepper hair. "Something so innocent, pure, and beautiful should not be touched by Pappalardo," he says.

Innocent and pure? If he's a human, he wouldn't know what my father truly is. "Thank you," I tell him softly, smiling up to him.

He kisses the back of my hand. "You certainly are different from your brothers and sisters," he says before he retreats.

That's where he's wrong. I am not that much different from all my siblings. We do what we need to do to survive.

My relief is short-lived because Mr. Pappalardo the bulldog approaches me again with an even bigger choker just five minutes after Tony De Luca left.

Tony De Luca puts another bid in soon after, followed by another man but the bulldog keeps outbidding everyone. Again and again. By my calculation, I will now have to spend the next six months in his dreaded company. At this rate, I don't know if I want anyone to keep bidding or to stop before I have to spend eternity with him.

So far this evening, I haven't a moment of peace. Deedee stays by my side and I lost sight of Juniper on the dancefloor. Juniper has a couple of bids going for her and she has a choker glittering around her pretty throat. She couldn't be happier and I'm glad for her but those men could've had her for free.

"I've never seen such a bidding war over anyone before," says Dante who suddenly appears beside Deedee and me. "It must be your innocent, virginal look. You must be proud of yourself." No, I'm not. At least not tonight when the one that I really want is pouring all his attention to my sister and acting like I didn't exist.

The other Nephilims don't look too happy watching them on the dancefloor either, especially Marina and Olivier. They all look relieved when the song ends and their prince returns to their midst. Dimitra is dancing with another man now, but her eyes seem glued on Sacha.

Dante nudges my side to get my attention. "Dimitra is barking up a wrong tree. The Nephilim prince is here to spy on us, not to bid on a demon's spawn. I bet his father sent him over so that he can scope us out before he's crowned the leader."

I look at my brother before my eyes slide back toward the Nephilims. They land and locked with Sacha Gauthier's across the room.

It takes me a while to realize that he's striding toward us and that a man holding a velvet case is walking beside him. A hushed silence falls over the ballroom.

A few seconds later, the Nephilim prince is facing me, standing not two feet away from me. My heart is pounding so hard in my chest that I wonder if everybody could hear it.