Page 20 of Sold to the Dark Vampire Prince

“When you go in, they’ll give you an injection,” Giselle said in a low voice. “It prevents pregnancy for three months.”

Dani felt her stomach go watery. “Do we have to let them—”

“No, and you shouldn’t. Not on the first night. Later, if you decide you want to do that, too, ask for more compensation.”

A woman with sharp features and brown hair that was pulled into a chignon entered the dressing room. “My name is Yvonne. I need the three new sanguines.”

“Wear your hair down,” Giselle instructed, sweeping Dani’s hair behind one shoulder. “They like long, flowing hair. But off to one side so half your neck is always exposed.”

Yvonne cleared her throat, and Dani hurried to follow the other two girls down a long, carpeted hallway. Potted palm trees were tucked into the alcoves. The air felt heavy and humid, despite the snow outside. One of the girls was small and had very straight black hair. Her dress was made of brightly patterned blue silk. The other girl was slightly taller than her, and had a scattering of freckles across her nose. Her dress was plain black, likely a server’s uniform, and she kept biting her thumbnail nervously.

At the end of the corridor, an access door led them into a small room. There were a few chairs, along with some sound equipment. Stretching nearly the entire length of one wall was a darkened pane of glass that faced out into a separate room, where she could see a sort of platform was set up. She couldn’t make out much of the rest of the room due to the lighting, but it looked like there might be a bar and tables in back where it was darker.

The lighting was low, clearly adjusted for vampires, who were sickened by higher lumen levels, but there was no missing the focal point at the center of the platform.

This was where she was to be auctioned off.

Dani swallowed, hand automatically going to her throat.

“Hold out your arms,” Yvonne instructed briskly.

A female vampire in scrubs and a white coat approached the dark-haired girl and uncapped a needle. “This injection will prevent pregnancy for three months. After that, you’ll need another one for continued protection.”

Dani felt her breath catch as soon as she saw the woman’s auburn ponytail. Recognition shot through her.

Sera.

The vampire doctor gave the injections to the other two girls, then turned to her. When their eyes met, hers widened in surprise over her mask.

Dani started to speak, but Sera quickly shook her head.

Not here.

She reached for an alcohol swab to clean her arm, and Dani’s mind swirled with questions.

What was Sera doing here? And why didn’t she want anyone to know that they’d met before?

“Wait.” She pulled her arm away before Sera could give her the injection. “I need to lie down. Sometimes I faint when I get shots.”

“And you came to a blood auction?” The freckle-faced girl tittered. “Guess you didn’t think that one through.”

“Oh, hush, Loralee,” the other girl said. “Don’t be such a bitch.”

But by then, Yvonne had already taken three small clean blades from her pocket. Without offering warning or pausing to ask permission, she nicked each of their fingers in turn. Dani felt the room begin to contract, her vision blurring at the edges.

“That’s one down.” Loralee’s voice dripped with contempt. “Maybe you should let me have that pretty dress since you clearly aren’t going to need it.”

“Why don’t you give her some space.” Distantly, she felt Sera’s gloved fingers beneath her arm, guiding her to sit, then to lie down on the floor.

“Does she need to leave?” Yvonne asked. “We can’t have a scene once she gets in there.”

“I’m fine,” Dani slurred.

She was anything but fine. Her stomach churned. Black spots swam in her vision. But she had to get up, had to go out onto that stage. She had overcome the attacks before, when Ava had been much younger and couldn’t yet give herself injections independently. If she fainted, they would throw her out. And she couldn’t go home empty-handed.

“She’s fine.” Sera knelt before her, voice low and urgent. “Are you sure you want to go through with this? In a minute, it’s going to be you out there. How are you planning to get through a feeding if you faint at the sight of blood?”

“I’ll close my eyes,” Dani said through gritted teeth. The urge to faint was receding. “I don’t know why I’m like this. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always passed out at the sight of blood.”