“Five hundred crowns!” a male voice called from one side.
“Six hundred!”
The monster rubbed his thigh as he glared at me, but he didn’t hit me back. I realized he didn’t want to damage his merchandise and grinned at him.
“Fuck you, asshole!” I yelled. “Want to tell them about the guy I killed in the back?” I wasn’t sure if the second one was dead, but a girl could dream.
The crowd couldn’t hear me over their own catcalls and shouts, but I knew he did because his eyes flashed red.
“I don’t care what it costs me, I will find you and kill you,” I said, my eyes never leaving his.
He took a threatening step toward me, but one male voice carried over all the others.
“One thousand five hundred crowns!”
The crowd fell silent and turned to the huge monster standing in the back. He was bigger than all of them. As I stared at him, I realized he looked like a demon from some of the horror movies I’d seen. He was even larger than the guy I’d taken out in the cell area.
“Any competing bids?” the gray-skinned ass next to me cried.
No one spoke.
“Sold to Commander Guldan! Those of you who won your bids, approach the stage with your payment! The next auction will be in three weeks.”
After his announcement, the gray-skinned creature faced me, a malicious grin on his face. “Oh, you’re going to be broken in well, human. I doubt you’ll even remember my name by the time he and his men are done with you.”
“I don’t know your name now.”
He chuckled. “Ilvan. But it doesn’t matter.”
I stared at his face, committing it to memory. He had a black tattoo running down one cheek from beneath the outer corner of his eye to his jawline. I vowed I would draw it as soon as I had a chance because I wasn’t going to forget.
“Ilvan the Idiot. I’m sure I’ll remember you,” I said. “And I’ll enjoy being the last thing you see.”
He leaned forward, putting his face near mine, and I lunged, snapping my teeth at his nose. He managed to avoid the bite but nearly fell when he tripped over his own feet.
The man who’d won the bid for me vaulted onto the stage, landing heavily between us when Ilvan lunged toward me again.
“Careful,” Ilvan told him. “This one bites.”
The commander studied me, and I did the same. We took each other’s measure in silence.
“She’ll do,” he finally said, pulling a leather pouch from his belt and tossing it to Ilvan. “Count it, grunt.”
“I trust you,” Ilvan said. “And don’t call me grunt.”
“That’s what you are,” the commander replied, crossing his massive arms over his chest.
A grunt? What did that mean?
“Enjoy your purchase,” Ilvan hissed, turning on his clawed toes and stomping toward the other human women cowering at the side of the stage, all chained together.
The commander ignored him, turning back toward me. “I’m going to take you down. If you give me any trouble, I’ll knock you out, and you’ll wake up strapped down to a bed.”
I swallowed the curses that wanted to pour out of my mouth and nodded.
He reached over and, with one hand, lifted me off the hook. With one hand. Jesus Christ, these demons were strong. He dropped me onto my feet, keeping his hold on the chain.
“Follow me, human.”
