What Lurks in Her Eyes

Chapter Nineteen: Anya

It wasn't fair.

It wasn't fair at all that my kind are being punished for the guilt of their ancestors.

It just isn't fair.

But nothing is fair in life nor in war.

"Good evening, gentlemen." The one man says as several other wolves enter the room. This seemed like it was going to be more of a silent auction, rather than the typical noisy one with the loud, booming voice of the auctioneer and the thrill it gives.

I shivered in my dirty, tattered night dress. It's been a month now since Donovan has been rogue, and my heart feels heavy for him. If it wasn't for me, he wouldn't be rogue. If it wasn't for me, then he wouldn't have lost everything.

I know he's alive, but it's almost like I can feel his humanity fading. Our bond, though weak, still has the power of sense.

But it's fading, and it's fading fast.

And that's what scares me.

Throughout the night, the other slaves and I remain on our sore, bruised knees on the floor while hundreds - of not thousands of werewolves poke, prod, and touch each and every one of the slaves. It's uncomfortable, it's unsanitary, it's boring, and it's degrading.

This has been my entire life, and yet, I've never been able to grow used to it.

Many prices are written down on the pricing sheets, and when finally, the long night draws to a close and the deadlines have been reached, the winning prices are announced.

I sold for 4500 dollars.

When it was time for the buyers to retrieve their prizes, rough, thickly weaved rope tightly bound my hands together in front of me and I was dragged out of the room by my new buyer.  As I was being pulled and dragged behind her, I could make out in the dimly lit room that she had brown colored hair.

And she was smaller than me.

Her scent was familiar and human and I couldn't help be tempted by the possibility of my escape.

Was a human that stupid? To buy a species stronger and larger than them? Has she simply underestimated my ability of hidden strength?

As she took me out of the room and we vanished together into the streets, I realized - now's my chance.

I attacked the slim woman. I landed onto her back like a swift puma and my fangs extended from my gums. Roughly flipping the woman over onto her back, my jaw dropped as this woman shrieked.

"Brinley?" I ask, dumbfounded.

She growls in frustration. "Put your fangs away, sheesh! And get off of me if you want to live, they're going to come and find us and I'll explain everything, I promise."

I eyed her suspiciously before rolling off of her. She got up, dusted herself off, and continued to run with the leash in her hand, pulling me along.

"I'm not a dog-" I begin to protest, but she cuts me off.

"I have to play the part! Keep running!" She said quickly. She almost looked panicked, and fear flooded me. I felt like a timid, dainty deer running through a concrete forest with predators lurking at every corner.

Vampires are supposed to be the predator, but now, we are the prey.

Beautiful, powerful creatures that have been reduced down into disgusting, emaciated creatures in a matter of decades. It makes me bitter and angry, but what can I do when I'm weak myself? My vampire instincts seemed to have long vanished, and I was nothing without them.