Chapter 1 Tatina

Tatina POV

Yesterday I was taken from my home forcefully by the vampire authority to cover my father's debt. Today I am here being pampered and groomed to be the most beautiful creature I can be for the sick depraved bidders. I have never had my hair dyed and curled. I have never had my nails done. I have never been to a spa. Yet here I am today, getting pampered. Who knows what kind of hell awaits me. I have heard horror stories about the auction. I have heard about the things that happen to the people who end up here. I am afraid.

Here I am with others just waiting to be auctioned out to the highest bidder. It is not fair. I should not have to be here. My father was an idiot. He could not stop gambling. He lost everything playing poker with the vampire authority elite, he should be here not me. Now I have to pay for his crimes. I have to be here to cover his debts. I should be getting married or going to college, but no the vampire authorities plucked me out of my home on my 21st birthday and dragged me here. Here to this hell to be auctioned off to some sicko.

Maybe I will get lucky and end up with a lovely family that needs a nanny or a maid. At least I will have plenty of food and a roof over my head. The worst that could happen is I could be killed. Drew was so excited to get his hands on a hybrid—my mother a fairy and my father a vampire. I am an only child. I have the powers of a fairy and vampire qualities. Unfortunately, I cannot get myself out of this mess. Horace drugged me as soon as I got here to suppress my abilities. No hybrid will stand against the vampire authority. If I did, he would kill me and my family.

"Are you okay?" the young blonde girl painting my nails ask me.

"I guess. I have no choice but to be fine," I reply. I should not be mean to her. It is not her fault I am here. That fault lies with my terrible father.

"True, but you are stunning. I am sure you will be fine," she says. She tries to smile at me and give me hope, but we both know there is no hope for me only doom.

"I am scared," I say. I begin to cry. Why am I crying? I am crying because I am about to be auctioned to the highest bidder.

"Shhh. You do not want Horace coming over here. Please calm yourself. Besides, you do not want to be all puffy when they take your picture," she says. She begins wiping my tears and locks over my shoulder to make sure no one heard me crying. She is right, I do not want any trouble. I only want to get this over with quickly.

I am trying to listen to all of the advice the auction workers are giving us. I need to remain calm and smile. I need to prepare myself for what comes. The first chance I get, I can run. If the drugs would wear off, I could free myself from this place. I can fight my way out. I feel a pinch. I look to my left; he got me again. He will keep me drugged. It doesn't mean whoever gets me will keep me drugged. I can do this. I can survive.

"Now, look at your nails. They are perfect. I will get Lisa to come to do your makeup, and JoJo will do your hair. Okay?" she says. She is way too perky for someone that helps these terrible people.

I nod. I am not in the mood to talk to anyone. Here comes Horace again.

"Smile, girl. You are the big-ticket tonight. You will bring in a lot of money. There are vampires coming from everywhere to bid on your sweet ass," he says. He smells of whiskey and his teeth are gross. When he gets close to me his breath makes me gag.

I give him a fake smile. I wish I had my powers. I would enchant his ass into a fairy trap. I would love to see him suffer. I would love to see them all suffer, but I can do nothing. I am at their mercy.

"Are you scared? Nothing to be scared of unless one of the weirdoes gets you, like me," he says with an evil laugh. I believe him. I would not want to be his little pet.

JoJo comes up behind me and starts pulling at my hair.

"Don't you worry about him? He is not allowed to bid anymore. Not since he killed that girl a few years ago. She was so precious. She was 28 and indebted heavily to the vampire authority. It was sad. Really sad. Horace bought her, and well, nobody ever heard from her again. The vampire authority took him off the auction list, and now he is stuck working here for them forever," she says.

"How did you end up here?" I ask. Maybe I should not ask her why she is here, but I want to know why she is involved. I am curious how this works and why.

JoJo starts twisting my hair up in braids. "I owe but not a lot. So I can work here a few years and be done. The vampire authority gave me the option to go in the short term auction, but since I am a hairdresser, they needed me here instead," she says,

"Oh. My father sold me," I respond looking down into my lap. I cannot believe he sold me.

"I am sorry to hear that. Too bad the authority couldn't take your father instead," she says.

"Yeah. I know. I hate my father for doing this to me. My mother stood by and let it happen. I think she was jealous of me because I am a hybrid. I did not ask to be a hybrid or to be born or to be in this mess," I say.

"None of us asked for this, but here we are. The only thing I can do for you is make you beautiful," she says.

Jojo twists and braids my hair into a Viking hairstyle. I never knew my stringy long dark hair could look so beautiful. She is good at this. I hope she can get out of this life soon.

Lisa comes over to start my makeup. She does not say much. She looks at my skin dabs some stuff on my face. It is so icky. I have never been one to wear a lot of makeup. She has painted my eyes dark and put on red lipstick. I look in the mirror after Lisa finishes. "Done," She says.

"I look like a whore," I say to her.

"That is what you are, a whore, hybrid," Lisa says. She walks away leaving me looking at myself in the mirror. I am a virgin not a whore.