“Stop.” The woman held up a hand. “It doesn’t matter. I’ve heard every variation of whatever you’re about to say. You’re someone important. Someone out there cares, they’ll pay me money.” She sucked on the cigarette again. “None of it matters to me. Believe me, at the end of the day, out here, no one cares who you are. And no one will come for you.” The Countess’ face tightened for a second. A flash so brief, Eos thought she’d imagined it. “Even if they do come, they’ll decide you’re damaged goods. Who knows what we’ve done to you already?”
Eos wrapped her arms around her middle. “No one will come for me.”She didn’t matter to anybody.She was nothing and had nothing. She’d dedicated her life to Star’s End, to her mother’s dreams, but she was only just starting to realize that maybe those things wouldn’t fill the hole inside her. “Is that what happened to you?”
The older woman strode to a small dish on a side table and stabbed out her cigarette. “All that matters is what’s going to happen to you. Some of my best buyers are in the house this evening. Your auction is going to happen right now.” She waveda hand in a move so naturally regal it took a moment for her words to sink in.
“No!” Eos backed up until her back hit the wall.
Then the guards were there, each taking one of her arms.
They half dragged, half carried her into the hall. Her struggles were futile, but she didn’t stop fighting. She’d had her world ripped apart before.
Now it was happening again. Now the point was driven home that no one truly cared about her, no one loved her. The Institute wouldn’t come for her. She’d disappear like she’d never existed.
They carried her into a room and the fight drained from her in a flash. It was packed with people. Mostly men. Some with half-naked women sitting in their laps or at their feet. Some of the women were naked except for metal collars and chains.
These collars were nothing like the exquisite torqs of the Eiran metalworker. They were heavy, bold, and spoke starkly of domination and control.
Everyone in the room was focused on the small stage in the center. Eos was pushed in that direction and then lifted onto the dais.
Lights shone down, highlighting her nakedness. She wanted to run, she wanted to scream, most of all, she wanted to cover herself up. And she knew it was wrong, but a part of her wanted Dathan—his hand holding hers, his big body shielding her from the crowd.
She lifted her chin, staring out into the shadowed gathering. She wouldn’t let anyone steal her dignity. And she sure as hell wasn’t going to be afraid.
“Good girl,” the Countess drawled. “They like spirit.”
For a second, Eos’ confidence faltered, but she stiffened her knees. She’d find a way out. Somehow.
Were Dathan and his brothers already headed for Star’s End? Had she already become a distant memory?
“Let’s start the bidding, gentlemen and ladies.” The Countess moved in a swirl of patterned silk. “A fine and unique beauty up for grabs. I don’t need to list her many features, they are clear for all of you to see. Especially her stunning mehndi.” The slave madam’s voice lowered. “Turn around and show them your back.”
Eos stared stubbornly ahead.
A sigh. “Barrick?”
A guard stepped forward and forced her to turn. The crowd tittered.
“Five hundred thousand e-creds,” a rough male voice called out. “She’ll look fine in a collar.”
“A thousand diathyst gems.” A smooth masculine voice with a cultured accent.
The audience gasped. Eos knew the rare gemstone was highly prized on the outer rim as a powerful energy source.
“A million e-creds.”
More gasps.
Then a deep voice cut across the room. “Two million e-creds.”
Then a frenzy of voices filled the room, but all Eos could hear was the Countess’ delighted laughter.
Dathan forcedhis face to remain calm and disinterested. The crowd around him threw bids out left and right, but he kept his cool.
Inside, he was seething.
Thank God he’d found the House of Taarn so quickly. What if she’d already been sold and taken off world before he’d found her? His hands curled around the arms of his chair. LuckilyLucifa was easy enough to find, but it had been pure chance that Nik had stumbled across a transmission advertising the auction.
Dathan focused back on Eos. They’d stripped her. He knew he shouldn’t look at her like this, but he couldn’t tear his gaze off her. The bright lights cast her golden-brown skin glowing, and her hair had been brushed to a smooth fall of dark curls tossed over her shoulders.
