"Stop! Where are you taking me?" I protested as Master Sting dragged me up a dark staircase.
"I have to make you and the rest look presentable for tonight," he answers, voice overflowing with annoyance. I decided it would be best if I just hush up, I don't want him to punish me.
We reach the top of the stairs and Sting continues to drag me down a long hallway before unlocking a door and tossing me into the room. It's one of his nicest bathrooms, bigger than most normal sized bedrooms. Levy, Erza, and Juvia were all standing in the center of the room, and my hands fly to my mouth. We don't say anything, we just rush to embrace one another. We all live under the same roof but we hardly see each other.
"Enough of that shit. I want the four of you to get cleaned up. Bathe, do your hair, whatever the hell you have to do to look good. They're some dresses in that closet when you're ready o get dressed." Sting commands before slamming the door shut.
"What are we doing this for? He never has us get dressed up. Let alone bathe on our own," Juvia says quietly. Erza is already slipping off her thin gown and heading towards the large bathtub.
"If it's an excuse to take a warm bath without Rogue or Sting overlooking me, I'll take it." Levy chuckles lightly and nods.
"I agree! We may not know what we're walking into tonight, but why not walk in looking hot?" Juvia and I glance at one another and smile. We all undress and get into the warm bubbly bath with Erza.
Levy applies some soap to her loofah and begins washing her legs. "Has anyone noticed how stressed out Rogue and Sting seem?"
"Mhm. They've been ten times meaner too!" Juvia agrees.
"Honestly I didn't think they could get much meaner," I say, trying to smile.
"I heard Rogue on the phone earlier talking about an auction. Said he and Sting were low
on funds!" Erza whispers as she scrubs her face.
"What if we're being sold again?" I suggest.
"God I hope so!"
"Erza, what if we got split up? Or end up with cruller men that Sting and Rogue?" Juvia looks like she's close to crying, so I scoot closer to her and hold her hand.
"Do people get any meaner than them?" Levy rolls her eyes and continues to scrub her body. If I'm being honest, Levy's right. I don't really see how any human being can be worse than Master Sting or Master Rogue. The four of us have always tried to keep our spirits up though, no matter how hard it gets.
"How we doin' in here ladies?" Rogue's deep voice interrupts all our thoughts. We rush to cover our exposed chests, and he laughs. "Nothing I didn't see last night, right, Juvia?" Erza shoots him a deadly glare as Juvia shrinks into herself. "Hurry it up. We don't have all night to wait for you," he says and finally leaves.
"Juvia, are you okay?" I ask, wrapping my arm around her. She wipes her face and nods before getting out of the tub. Levy, Erza, and I look at her with sorrow in our eyes as she begins to dry her long blue hair. I pray that things will get better for at least one of us by the end of the night.
***
After all of us have washed up and done our hair and makeup, we finally take a look at the dresses Sting mentioned. Each dress has our names on it, and they show off the "qualities" of our bodies that Master Sting and Rogue tend to pay the most attention to. My breasts, Juvia's legs, Levy's backside, and Erza's curvaceous figure.
"Wow," I mutter as I take a look at all of us. "There's no way this will end too well,"
"We have to just go with it. I mean, we all look great!" Erza smiles and pushes her hair behind her shoulders. Her humor paints a small grin on our faces as we follow her out of the bathroom, where Master Sting and Master Rogue were waiting for us. Sting whistles loudly at us which destroys was dignity I felt that I had. A loud smack along with sharp pain runs through me as I realize that Sting slapped my butt.
"Alright ladies, let's head out," Rogue says as his filthy eyes scan across all of us. Sting pulls a long chain out of pocket. It has four pairs of cuffs on it which he forces us to put on. We do our best not to fall as the four of us attempt to not to fall down the stairs, walking while chained like this is not easy. Master Rogue and Master Sting helped us into the long black limo and we were on our way to who knows where.
"The four of you had best behave tonight. You'll regret it if you don't," Sting warned. We scooted closer to one another and held hands tightly until we reached our location. It was a trashy looking warehouse, but once we walked in it could've passed for a casino straight out of Vegas. Men in clean suits were drinking, playing pool, or just standing around. There was a large stage at the front of the room with a red velvet couch right in the middle of it. We were lead backstage where about ten other dresses up women were standing in a line. Sting and Rogue brought us to the back of it and uncuffed us. It was quite clear that this was an auction, there was really no questioning it now.
"Behave back here until it's your turn to go on stage. You'd best look your best up there." Rogue said before he and Sting left. It wasn't long before a loud voice was heard from the stage, calling out names.
"Welcome, brothers! Who's ready for some ladies tonight?" The man said into the microphone. Then men in the crowd clapped loudly in reply. "Let's welcome our first option, a great deal indeed, Wendy Marvel and Chelia Blendy, nicknamed "The Sky Sisters"! A two for one deal we got, right?" Two girls who looked to be around sixteen walked out on stage, looking terrified. A man by the name of Doranbolt bought them. Girls were continually called out on stage, until it was finally our turn.
"Lucy Heartfillia, Juvia Lockser, Erza Scarlet, and Levy McGarden!" The four of us slowly walk out on stage, earned tons of hoots and hollers from the pigs in the crowd. The announcer, who was apparently named Laxus, ordered us to prance around the stage, pose, and do other degrading things.
"I want the short one. 75,000$." A tall man with long black hair pointed at Levy with a smirk.
"Sting, Rogue, do you take that offer?" Laxus looks over to our masters, who nod quickly. Levy bites her lip and is walked off stage. I dig my nails into my arm, wishing that I could run and grab her.
"I want the blondie. I'll pay 250,000$." I jerk my head up and look around the crowd until I see the man who spoke. He has salmon pink hair and soothing brown eyes. You can tell he's buff even though he's wearing a suit, I have to admit he's very handsome.
"DEAL!" Sting and Rogue don't hesitate one bit before agreeing. The pink hair man came to the stage and exchanged a check with my former masters and made his way towards me.
"Hey, princess. Ready to go?" He reaches his hand out to me and I don't acknowledge him. No matter how attractive he may be, he's still a pig. Why would any decent person come to an auction where women are sold?
He gives me a light smile. "C'mon now. I'm not gonna hurt cha," I don't know why, but I decide to just give in. I take his hand and let him lead me out of the building and into his big, white, shiny Jeep.
He opens the side door for me and helps me in, something Sting and Rogue never did. I cross my legs and clasp my hands together, trying to keep calm. He hops in the driver seat and gives me that smile once more.
Starting the car up, he says, "Give me a name to hook to that pretty little face,"
I clear my throat and try not to calm my nerves. "Lucy. Lucy Heartfillia."
"Lucy, eh? Natsu Dragneel." It just hit me who this woman is. Natsu Dragneel, the man in charge of F.T, one of the biggest business chains around here.
"Of course I know who you are," I say quietly. Finally I turn and face him. "Mr. Dragneel, what the hell do you want with me?"
He looks at me with a look of amusement. "You'll have to wait and see, princess."