Beast of the Night

Ten Million - FIVE

Vee's knuckles turned white with his tight grip on the bars of the cage, feeling the cage being set down in the middle of the stage. He was terrified. All the hungry stares from the dim chairs all around the stage made him sick. "I will not be sold," he shouted out with a small sob, shaking the bars of the cage like a pathetically weak wild animal, "to any of you monsters!"

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Continued

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Sir Ennard Ambrogio leaned back in his seat with a stolid scowl, tilting his head to the side as he watched the hunter yell and fight. The announcer glanced at the opera box, seeing his leaders disappointed glare, "hush human! Hush or you'll get us all killed!"

The unattractive man stomped his way to Vee, pulling out a long rod made of silver, the end where he held was wooden. He poked Vee in the back, the silver tip piercing the tanned skin as the prey groaned loudly in surprise. The announcer stabbed Vee in the same clothed spot until there was a small hole in the middle of his back, bleeding profusely. Vee arched his back forwards and whimpered with visibly trembling hands and tearing eyes. The announcer smiled and covered his nose with his chubby hand as the boy screamed out and fell to the side of the cage in pain. The silver rod was usually meant for uncooperative vampires, as they knew of the leaders hate for silver rods. Even being seen with a sharp silver stick would surely be the end for your life.

Vee's spreading smell of blood filling the room, audible growls escaping from the audience as the vampires in suits started to squirm in their seats, taken over by hunger. Sir Ennard sighed and watched the crowd go insane from below with disgust. He was not moving nor growling, but his vibrant crimson irises slowly faded into a tinted grey. The shined raven hair on the man who seemed to be in his twenties, but in all reality, was almost born a millennium away; his pale narrowed complexion showed his care for looks, even if he hadn't taken care of himself, he would still look like a handsome man who had never seen the sun.

"Now, we will begin the bidding," the announcer said with a large grin, uncovering his hand from his nose.

The vampires regained their senses when they heard the announcer, gazing to the human with widened eyes. Vee was limp, leaning against the cage with squinted eyes and trembling hands with the pain in his back.

"We will start with seven hundred thousand pounds sterling," the announcer smiled next to the podium, his gaze drifting to the cross legged and scowling Sir Ennard Ambrogio from above in the shielded box seat.

The crowd went to irritated chatter again, as the people of the auction barely had enough money to cover a quarter of the price. One stick was raised, followed by another, and soon two more. With the four sticks raised, Ennard tilted his head to the side, tapping the chairs arm rest with one finger. He slowly raised his bidding stick, leaving the announcer speechless for only a moment.

"Ah, ah," the announcer cleared his throat and looked back to the audience with his hammocked eyes, "do I have eight hundred thousand pounds sterling?"

Two of the sticks dropped, growling with frustration as they threw it down onto the shining black floor. The crowd acted like animals, staring at the hurt human caged in, their growls and chattering filled with threat. Vee hated the feeling of being a prize, a valuable, but his real worry was the beast who would buy him. He glanced at the raven hair, closing his eyes in pain, wincing, and suddenly banging loudly in the cage twice, not saying anything with his trembling pain. Sobs escaped his mouth, the boy falling onto the side of the cage with shivers.

"Nine hundred thousand?"

One couple looked at each other; the maiden clinging to the man's side yelled at the male to keep his bidding stick up. The man shook his head and gulped, slowly putting his representation of money down, and standing from his seat to leave with the woman and her fury. The announcer grinned with greed and watched the rods slowly lower. There were two left for the prize of Vee, the looming leader who resided above everyone, and a man with his woman, side by side with rings on the base of their fingers.

"One mil-" just as the announcer was about to speak, the deep voice of Sir Ennard Ambrogio echoed throughout the room, sending everyone to look around for the voice, as it was impossible to locate. "Ten million pounds sterling."

As the voice echoed through their ears, the two who had their bidding stick up hesitantly looked at those around them as the stick rose down. Vee opened his sobbing eyes slightly in fear and in pain as he trembled, looking around at the speechless and horrified room. He didn't think he would be worth so much; though the thought of what man would have the money for such a ridiculous price worried him more.

Ennard's speech was pertinent and mysterious but made the announcer smile ear to ear.

"Sold! The human is sold at ten million pounds, to- oh my," the announcer stopped as he realized the voice was from the raven-haired man. The fat man stuttered his flabbergasted words, until he could finally get something audiable out. "Sir Ennard Ambrogio, our honored guest of the night!" the man said with a cheer but had visible worry through his smile.

The words the announcer used sent a chill down Vee Elrod's spine. What did he mean by that? This name was familiar to him, as it was to everyone, but he could not think of the face to go with it. Vee's mind was too hazed to think. The pain made his cheeks flush red and his breath uneven.

Every single being in the room bowed their heads, not daring to look up to where the announcer gazed.

"I will not be... sold..." Vee muttered quietly before his eyes closed again to the pain in his back wound; his cage was then carried backstage by the same two security guards, their noses flaring at the smell of Vee's pouring blood. 

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