CHAPTER TWO – IN FOR A SURPRISE

ORA

Do you think she’s awake?” The first girlish voice asks.

“No, definitely not. She looks knocked out cold.” The second one replies.

I want to scream that I’m awake and I can most definitely hear them, but the aching in my skull and the heaviness of my limbs refuse to obey the commands of my tired brain.

“Gosh! Those marks around her neck. Someone roughed her up pretty badly” Comes the first voice.

What? What marks?

“Look, it’s almost time for the auction. We have to wake her up so she can get ready before the Chief Lycans gets here.” The second voice chips in.

“How are we going to do that?” The first voice asks.

Yes, second voice, how on earth do you intend to wake me up?

I hear nothing for a while, but my danger alert is still pretty high so I keep struggling to wake up.

A few minutes later, I hear heavy footsteps come in my direction. Before I can struggle to come awake one more time, cold water cascades on my already shivering body from above…in very large quantity.

The water shocks me out of my tiredness induced coma and I jerk awake, coughing and spluttering.

My eyes fly open and the bright overhead lights immediately pierce through. I shut them back on a low curse, wrapping my arms around my shivering frame.

“About time you woke up.” I would recognize that second voice anywhere now.

I sit silently for a few seconds, allowing my abused eyes to get used to the lights. Then I slowly open them one more time.

The first thing I see is a beautiful, blue eyed, smiling face looking down at me. I blink rapidly.

“What was that for?!” I yell.

“Hello, I’m Andrea. And that is my friend, Penelope.” She says, pointing at the girl standing behind her.

I look up and Penelope fixes me with a bored look, apparently not impressed.

“What? Do I have to be friends with you too?” She says acidly.

Ouch. I lower my eyes.

“Pen! Don’t be so rude.”

“Ugh, whatever. The auction starts in twenty minutes. We need to get ready.”

“Go on without me.” Andrea says. “I’m coming.”

Just before she leaves, Penelope throws another hate filled look my way.

“I told you she isn’t our business, Andrea.” Then she stomps off.

I lick my dry lips.

“ Your friend sounds really nice. I wonder why she hates me.”

Andrea smiles her angelic smile once more. Strangely, I instantly feel better.

“Ignore Pen. She’s a bit grumpy sometimes.”

I want to say that Penelope was more than a bit grumpy, but I just shrug and get to my feet.

Looking around, I realize that I’m in some sort of…luxury bedroom.

The room is decorated in beautiful sky blue and deep blue tones. The drapes are blue as well, so are the sheets on the bed.

My favorite color is blue. Odd.

I can see a peek of the floor to ceiling windows just behind the drapes, and the rug beneath my feet is so soft. I look down at my dirty toes and mismatched jeans and instantly feel out of place.

“Where am I? Who owns this place?”

Andrea jumps to her feet and skips to me, her eyes sparking with excitement.

“See, that is why you’re so special. This is the executive suite of the auction quarters. Only high profile lycans get to stay here, and guess what? You were brought here by the crown prince himself!”

She slaps her hands against her mouth and hops up and down like she has just delivered the news of the century.

I only stare at her, completely at a loss.

Then my memory starts returning and I freeze.

Mum. Dad. Sophia. The Luna hunters.

The wheels in my brain begin turning and I grab a wide eyed Andrea,

“What is the quickest means out of here? I need to find my mother and sister.”

Her eyes narrow in confusion.

“What are you talking about? You do not have a mother or sister. You were brought here alone.”

I push her away and sink my fingers into my messy hair.

“No! I need to find them. I need to be sure they’re not hurt. Show me the quickest way out of here!”

Andrea shrugs, her big blue eyes becoming sad.

“Even if I wanted to help you, there is no escaping this place. Once you’ve been brought here, the only way you’re leaving is with your new owner.”

I pause.

“What do you mean?”

“We’re preparing for an auction, Ora. We are about to be sold as slaves, mistresses and wives to the highest bidder. Once you’re bought, you leave with your new owner.”

My heart thuds and I back away from her slowly, shaking my head.

“No. It can’t be. I will not be sold to anyone. Never!”

When I get to the open door, I turn around and run out as fast as my legs can carry me. I do not pay any attention to my surroundings. I just run and run and run. I need to get out of here. I need to find mum and Sophia.

I slow down when I come to a surprising realization.

Isn’t this the third time I am running past that lycan statue?

My limbs become heavy with tiredness, forcing me to pause. I look around and my suspicions are confirmed. I have indeed been running round in circles.

I freeze. But it cannot be. I know I have not turned any corners since I left the room. How come I keep going past the same place?

My stomach tightens with unease. There’s something up with this house. Something very, very wrong. This place is bewitched.

I walk down the hall until I arrive at the room where I started my fruitless race. I walk in and find Andrea calmly seated on the bed.

“Why didn’t you try to stop me?”

She lifts one dainty shoulder.

“I wanted you to see for yourself what I meant by there’s no escaping this place.”

“How come I keep running in circles?”

“The auction house is controlled by very powerful magic. Magic conjured only by the oracles of the Blood Moon clan. Once you step in, there’s no going back unless you are led by the authorities here.

They created an illusionary power that makes you believe you are going round in circles while meanwhile, you never even ran past that door.”

My eyes widen.

“Excuse me?”

“If the powers detect that you’re trying to escape, they trap your physical body at the door. Only you and your spirit believe you are going anywhere. Meanwhile, you’ve been frozen and kept at that door right there.”

I shake my head, trying to understand what I’ve just heard.

What on earth have they done to mother and Sophia? Are they being auctioned off too?

I run my fingers over my amulet, worry eating away at me. I really hope they’re okay. Tears prick my eyes when I remember dad, followed by deadly anger. Blood Moon Creek will pay with blood for killing my father.

I swear on his rotting body.

I’m about to inquire further when the door swings open, bringing with it a gust of hot air. The fine hairs on the back of my neck prickle with awareness and danger…a strangely familiar feeling.

Before me, Andrea jumps to her feet, her eyes lowered to the gun. She looks almost shaky.

Weird.

“Your Lordship.” She curtsies deeply.

This is the twenty first century. Who the hell still curtsies?

I hear heavy footsteps advance in my direction and all my nerve-ends go on high alert. I mentally order my feet to turn around, at least to catch a sight of who the newcomer is. Once again, they remain frozen to the spot. Traitors!

“Andrea. Leave us.”

That dark, silky baritone wafts through my senses, leaving me in knots in stitches. I’ve heard that voice before.

Andrea doesn’t hesitate. She throws one last pitiful look my way and scurries out of the room like there’s fire on her tail. What the hell?

The sound of the door closing brings me to the heart stopping realization that I am in a room alone with a stranger.

My heart beats wildly against my chest when I hear him come closer. He comes to a stop directly behind me, his heat seeping into me, lulling my senses.

I clench my fingers when he leans over and his hot breath wafts over my neck.

“I can scent your fear, princess. I can hear the doubled beatings of your heart. I can sense your hammering pulse.” He whispers against my skin.

“Won’t you at least look at me?”

At his words, I shut my eyes, trying to drone out my traitorous body’s reaction to a complete stranger.

“Who are you?” I ask through gritted teeth.

His finger comes in contact with the sensitive skin of my neck and shivers wrack my frame. Who is this man? Why does my body…recognize him? Why do I respond to him?

“Turn around and find out.” He whispers.

I clench my fingers and shake my head. Something tells me I am better off not seeing his face.

“No.” I say feebly.

“Do not disobey my orders, Ora.” He growls. “Look at me. That’s an order.”

My blood heats with annoyance at his derisive tone.

“You do not have any right to be spitting orders, mister.” I counter.

For a while, he says nothing. I remain completely still, soaking up the dangerous heat that practically rolls off him in waves.

“That was your final warning.”

Before I can utter a word of protest, strong arms snake around my waist and spin me around with little effort, slamming me against the hardest chest I have ever felt.

A gasp of surprise escapes my lips, and I wrap my fingers around his biceps to steady myself. It is like holding on to a rock.

My head snaps up and once again, I am assailed by the most beautiful pair of golden eyes I have ever seen.

I stare up at the man before me in complete awe for all of two minutes.

His strong, chiseled jaw, sensuous lips and forest of thick lashes gives him the appearance of some Adonis in a war movie.

He’s…so hard and muscled everywhere. Did I forget to add that he’s tall? He’s really tall. Probably over six feet. I barely reach his chin as it is. Coupled with his hard stare and equally harder body, everything about this stranger spells MAN in block letters.

“Rule number one, Ora, do not disobey me. Rule number two, I saw you try to escape earlier. Do not do it again.”

I gasp.

“You’ve been watching me? Who the hell are you? What am I doing here?”

He lowers his head so we’re almost nose to nose. I almost swoon when I catch the scent of his deliciously smelling aftershave.

His next words however, leave me stone cold.

“You will find out why you’re here soon enough. For the mean time, I want you to know that you’re mine, Ora. Body, soul and spirit, you belong to me. I saw you and I chose you. From now onwards, you answer to me and only me. You were chosen to belong to me.”

But not for his fierce gaze, I would think he was joking. My pulse hammers widely against my throat as I consider his words.

I raise my chin.

“Is that why you kept chasing me? Even in my dreams? Let me explain something to you, Mr. Know it all, I have no idea how you manipulated yourself into my subconscious, but I have never answered to anyone, and I do not intend to start now. I do not belong to you or anyone else either.”

His arms around me tighten, squashing me completely against him. His expression does not change. I expected him to be affronted at my defiant response, but his eyes still burn with that golden flame.

His head lowers until only a hair’s breath separates our lips. My heart thuds wildly against my chest. He on the other hand looks completely indifferent. So unaffected.

“If you do not belong to me, why is your body so attuned to me?” He traces a finger over my lips and I freeze at the electrifying touch. “Why do you react so beautifully to my touch?”

His eyes darken, sparking with a potent danger.

“You will be punished for all of your misdemeanors when I properly lay my claim over you at the auction later today. For now, I will leave you to get ready.”

Then he tosses me aside like I’m some piece of worthless furniture.

I land on my arse, grunting in pain. When I look up, he’s already at the door.

“Do not try to act smart, Ora. Forget about your old life. Your new one starts and ends with me.”

I look at him incredulously, fire burning in my veins. Surely he doesn’t mean I should forget about my mother and sister. I would rather die!

“Where am I?” I ask quickly.

He stops, giving me a mouth watering view of his bulging biceps and handsome face. Ugh!

“New York city.” He growls, then he disappears.

I sit there for a while, completely stunned, my body still buzzing from the after effects of his touch.

New York City? Shit!