"This close, you're even more mesmerizing Bella," says the man who's replacing Mr. Bulldog's choker from aroud my neck with a bigger one. The choker that he places around my throat definitely feels heavier and the diamonds shine brighter. My inner vanity preens amidst the feeling of relief. Maybe I don't have to commit murder tonight after all.
He's a handsome man in his mid forties and he introduced himself as Antonio De Luca earlier on. The only Tony De Luca I've heard of is the head of a criminal family, he's a dangerous man. But I'd much rather go home with him than the old bulldog.
His touch feels warm on the back of my neck but still., he's not the man that I want. The man that occupies my mind is currently still on the dance floor, all wrapped up with my sister. Their faces are close together, a breath away from kissing.
Tony De Luca places his finger under my chin to angle my face up, directing my gaze that wanders to Sacha Gunther and Adrianna on the dance floor back to him.
His dark brown eyes are hard and his jaw and upper lip are covered with a thin layer of hair. He as two permanent lines between his eyebrows and he looks old enough to be my father, but he's a lot better looking than the bulldog. He's also elegant and I quite like his salt and pepper hair. "Something so innocent, pure and beautiful should not be touched by Pappalardo," he says.
Innocent and pure? If he's a human, he wouldn't know what my father truly is. "Thank you," I tell him softly, smiling up to him.
He kisses the back of my hand. "You certainly are different from your brothers and sisters," he says before he retreats.
That's where he's wrong. I'm not that much different from all my siblings, we do what we need to do to survive.
My relief is short lived because Mr. Pappalardo the bulldog approaches me again with an even bigger choker just five minutes after Tony De Luca left.
Tony De Luca puts another bid in soon after, followed by another man but the bulldog keeps outbidding everyone, again and again. By my calculations, I will now have to spend the next six months in his dreaded company. At this rate, I don't know if I want anyone to keep bidding or to stop before I have to spend eternity with him.
So far this evening, I haven't a moment of peace. Audrey stays by my side and I lost sight of Ariella on the dance floor. Ariella has a couple of bids going for her and she has a choker glittering around her pretty throat. She couldn't be happier and I'm glad for her.
"Ive never seen a bidding war over anyone before," Archie says as he suddenly appears beside Audrey and me. "It musts be your innocent, virginal look. You must be proud of yourself." No, I'm not. At least not tonight when the one I really want is pouring all his attention to my sister and acting like I didn't exist.
The other Nephilims don't look too happy watching them on the dance floor either, especially Marina and Oliver. They all look relieved when the song ends and their prince returns to their midst. Adrianna is dancing with another man now, but her eyes seemed glued on Sacha.
Archie nudges my side to get my attention. "Adrianna is barking up the wrong tree. The Nephilim prince is here to spy on us, not to bid on a demon's spawn. I bet his father sent him over so that he can scope us out before he's crowned the leader."
I look at my brother before my eyes slide back towards the Nephilims. They land and lock with Sacha Gunther's across the room.
It takes me a while to realize that he's striding towards us and that a man holding a velvet case is walking besides him. A hushed silence falls over the ballroom.
A few seconds later, the nephilim prince is facing me, standing not two feet away from me. My heart is pounding so hard in my chest that I wonder if everybody could hear it.
Up close, he looks so much better. So much more intimidating. His eyes are hazel-moss green with a burst of golden brown center. They are surrounded by long, thick, dark lashes that should be illegal on a man. His lips are firm with a surprisingly generous and sexy lower lip.
"Danica John?" His deep velvety voice jolts me out of my stupor. "My name is Alexander Gunther pleased to meet you," he says. By the tone of his voice, he sounds anything but pleased. The way his eyes roam my face and eventually fall on the string of diamonds circling my neck seems cold rather than ornery.
The man with the velvet case steps forward and that's when I notice that the case is red rather than black or dark blue like all the other cases I've seen so far.
My knees feel weak and my stomach clenches when he goes to stand behind me. The air between us feels thick and charged. Electrified. My senses heightened and I can feel the warmth of his breath on the back of my head and on my naked back.
He works on unlatching pappalardo's choker off me. The touch of his fingers on the back of my neck burns and sends a jolt of electricity down my spine. It's like I've been seared and marked right to my soul…like I had a soul. His movement pauses for friction as though he felt it too before he continues. I certainly can feel the weight of the new choker that he places over my throat.
Never have i experienced having so many hostile looks thrown my way until i have a Nephilim prince's heavy choker around my neck. The choker with no end date.
But that doesn't stop Mr. Pappalardo from approaching me once more. His eyes are glittering hard and his mouth curve even lower around the corners. He leans in close and growls, "when he's done with you, I'll be waiting girl."
Adrianna keeps giving me hateful glares. The other Nephilim seem pretty upset as well. All of them kept their mouth shut, however, except for Oliver.
"We're not here to bid on a half-demon child Sacha, what are you doing with Astaroth's bastard?"
"I know what I'm doing, Oliver." snaps Sacha.
"Do you? You just spent millions of dollars on a demon's spawn. This is not what we're here for. If you wanted the company of a beautiful woman, you could just…"
"Quiet!" he growls. "You're my best friend, that is why you're still standing. But know your place, Oliver; stop questioning me." And that seems to be the end of the discussion.
Sacha must have felt it too, our connection. He wouldn't have spent all that money on me if he didn't right?
Two men approach me at the end of the event. One of them is carrying a square red velvety box similar to the one which held the choker earlier. "Here is the case for the jewelry and the rest of the set," says one of the men. The other man opens the box to reveal a pair of matching diamond earrings. He lets me admire the glittering diamonds before he carefully closes the case and presents it to me.
"What about the bracelets? Aren't you going to take it off me?" I really don't want to be wearing it anymore knowing that it has a tracker.
"I'm afraid the tracker for it now belongs to your bidder and it will stay on until your contract is over."
"Wait!" i call out when they're about to take off. "What do i do now? Am i supposed to go home with the guy who won the bid or what?"
"Your bidder will not be claiming you tonight," he says.
"When will he…" I start to ask, but they're already walking away.
When I look around me, the ballroom is deserted. The guests are mostly gone. Did everyone just leave? The staff is working on cleaning and clearing everything up. Even Ariella is gone. So I wander out, feeling oddly lost, empty and a little confused.
He's not claiming me tonight? When will her be claiming me? Did he leave without saying goodbye?
One of my father's bodyguard meet me in the lobby, he leads me to the limo where Audrey and Adrianna are already waiting in the back.
Even as I stand there, my eyes wander around to seek him out.
"Just get in! What took you so long?" Snaps Adrianna.