Chapter One

The vampiric world- the society of vampires that has meshed with humans’ own way of life from the beginning of their making. Humans are unaware, as they have been for many years. Some might call it genius, to live among humans as one of them as vampires stalk them without their realizing it. Not all of these humans have been caught and drained for prey. No; many of them are sold to master vampires, who do with them as they see fit . . .

Two hundred dollars. In the simple, human world, two hundred dollars are a considerable sum of money, an amount that isn’t just given away. In the vampiric world however, it means absolutely nothing. To a vampire, two hundred dollars are insignificant, which is exactly what Savannah Brooks happened to be.

Savannah hated the Selection. Every year, her friends (or fellow potentials) were shipped away by their trainer, while she stayed in the barracks. They all left with a new master, a new life. Ever since she’d been available at the age of fifteen, she had been discarded as unworthy. While the girls around her were being led away by a handsome or beautiful vampire master, she was always pushed to the side to wait until the Selection ended. Now, six years later, she stood once more among the group of young women around her, knowing full well she’d never be sold.

Chained to a shuffling line of girls, she looked down as she walked. Her red hair fell over her face, shielding her green eyes. Savannah sighed wearily as a pile of skimpy clothes were shoved into her hands. No amount of revealing attire could ever make her attractive, let alone pretty. Her skin was too pale, her breasts too small. Her hair was, although thick, flaming red, which was never an appealing color. Worst of all, a repulsive birthmark stretched across the left side of her cheek and stopped right under her jaw. She was revolted by it, but what could she do?

“Five minutes, girls! Get changed!” The woman director unlocked their bondage one at a time. When she reached Savannah, she smiled. She knew exactly what Savannah was going through, having been discarded so many times herself.

Savannah smiled back, then turned to find a corner to strip. She tore her ragged clothes off and pulled the black halter top over her head. The cut was low, stopping at the dimple on her stomach. She stepped into the short, leather skirt given to her and tugged it down as far as the clinging material would allow. Her fishnet stockings went on easily, and finally she put on the knee-high, lace up boots she had to wear.

She stepped back in line, waiting for the warden to cuff her again. The other girls quickly followed suit, all of whom were also dressed in ridiculously advertising garments. After they were all ready, the warden led them directly to the back of the Selection Chamber. Savannah bowed her head. They were up next.

“Hey, Brooks! If you keep that head down, they might buy you this time. Sadly, that ugly splotch on your face might be a problem!”

Most of the young women laughed. They all knew of Savannah’s birthmark, finding it as disgusting as she herself thought it was.

Savannah half-turned. “That’s okay, Ashley. At least I won’t be herded to some place where I’ll be beaten or raped. That’s the only place a whore like you will be going.”

The other girls were taken aback. Savannah Brooks hardly ever spoke, let alone retaliated to what they had to say. Their shock quickly faded, and they turned their jeers toward Ashley.

“What did you say to me, Brooks?” Her voice was venom.

“Ladies, you’re on now.” The warden hurried them through the door.

Savannah allowed herself to be tugged away by the tide of girls in front of her. She gulped; even after so many years of going through this procedure, she never got over the shock of being in a room with so many vampires. She felt like she was being thrown to the lions, and they were starving.

The girls lined up in a row along the back of the stage, some of them hidden because of the platform and the podium where their trainer, Marcus, stood. Savannah was one of those obscured, who stood directly behind Marcus. He started out with an introduction, rambling on about the history of the Selection and how successful it was every year. Finally, he turned and gestured toward the girls, turning the crowd’s attention to their fidgeting bodies. Savannah heard some of the young women giggle as they met the eyes of vampires who grinned at them.

“Now, Master vampires, let the Selection begin.”

Suzie Campbell, the youngest of the group, was the first to step forward. She had just turned fifteen, but was blessed with beauty and grace most girls did not possess. She stood proudly at five foot three, but was forced into six inch heels to make her legs seem longer. Her long, brown hair stood in a high pony tail, and she smiled down at the crowd as though she was a contestant for a beauty pageant. She was sold quickly, at six thousand three hundred dollars.

Savannah closed her eyes as the young women in front of her came to the center and were bought as soon as they stepped up. She clenched her hands into fists, her blood thick with sadness. All of these girls were being sold for an original bidding price five thousand dollars, when she was worth two hundred. Savannah was just as valuable as the others, just as useful. She could cook (even though vampires couldn’t stomach solid food), clean at a fast, accurate speed, even make clothes. Savannah, in a way, was more talented than the other girls. Living in a training home for the Selection for seven years would bring out hidden talents in a person. She remembered the first time she’d been put up for being bought, when she had been the same price as everyone else. Funny how even people were put on the bargain price.

“Savannah Brooks.” Marcus called her name, his voice saturated with false hope.

Taking a deep breath, she made her way to the middle of the stage. Savannah walked with a purpose-to prove to anyone and everyone that she was worth more than what she cost.

“She is a very talented woman, age twenty-one. Ask her to clean the whole house, and she’ll have it done in a maximum of three hours. She can cook her own meals, and she shops on her own. She’ll take care of all of your errands, with time to spare. She’s the ideal servant, one who will never let you down. Her cost is a bargain, so I suggest you take it. Savannah Brooks is worth two hundred dollars.”

Savannah shook her hair from her face, revealing the birthmark on her cheek. She watched with a blank expression when several of the male and female vampires put their hands down for bidding. The girls snickered behind her, Ashley being the loudest of the bunch.

“Two hundred and fifty dollars. We have our first bidder!” Marcus was incapable of hiding his relief.

A couple other people raised their hands. She met the eyes of a dark-haired man who stood in the front row. He smiled up at her wickedly and raised his hand. His eyes were crimson. Savannah scoffed, disgusted at what she saw in his facial expression. He licked his lips, and she had to look away.

“Four hundred dollars. Do I hear four hundred fifty dollars?”

There was a long silence. No one else raised their hand. Savannah stared straight ahead defiantly, not giving anyone the satisfaction of seeing her humiliation. A tear dripped down her cheek. She was going to be sold for four hundred dollars, to a vampire of whom she had spoke about to Ashley. The Chamber was buzzing with quiet chatter. The crowd was excited to see the next girl.

“I’ll take her for ten thousand.”

The whole room went quiet. Below the stage, the group of vampires parted to make a path for the man who spoke. He was tall and blonde, and he had the most ravishing blue eyes. He came down the aisle slowly, his gaze fixed upon her. The man came to a stop in front of her, his blue eyes piercing.

The girls behind her gasped. Savannah’s own mouth dropped. They had recognized him all at once.

His name was Erik Cross, a master vampire who had been around for centuries. Besides the famous Laurenz Le Noir, he was one of the most powerful vampires in the area. He was one who never mistreated anybody, not even his servants. He was a kind and fair master who, even dead, had a soul bigger than most of the girls who had lived in the training house.

Savannah blinked. Had one of heaven’s own blessings just graced her? Was Erik Cross really standing before her, offering to buy her with an amount that was more than twenty times what she was worth? She blinked again, but still he remained, staring up at her with crystalline blue eyes. Her heart seemed to stop. If Erik Cross wanted a person as his own, he always got them, and Erik Cross wanted her.

Marcus was just as taken aback. He fell into a fit of coughs.

“May I take her, Marcus?” He didn’t break eye contact.

Once Marcus regained his voice, he cleared his throat. “Mr. Cross, you may have her.”

Savannah watched as Erik Cross flourished his hand, and her cuffs fell from her wrists. He held out that graceful hand out to her. She grasped it shyly. Erik pulled at her so he could take hold of her waist and set her down. The whole time, he kept her enchanted in his gaze.

“What is your name?”

“Savannah Brooks.” She could hardly breathe.

He held her hand again. “Come with me, Savannah.”

Erik led her through the entrance of the Chamber. She gaped at it, never having seen it before. It was made from marble and was accented with columns bigger than her whole body. She was so impressed by it that she ran right into Erik when he stopped suddenly. He turned to face her.

“Wait here.”

Savannah remained quiet. She watched him go, still unable to believe Erik Cross was her master. She stared down at the floor.

He returned with an armful of clothes. He handed them to her, then pointed to a bathroom. “Go get changed.”

“M-master. Thank you.”

He smiled at her. “I have few rules. One of them is to never call me your master. I do not want to be your superior more than I have to be. Please call me Erik.”

She opened her mouth to reply, but he turned her around.

“Go change. You need decent clothes.”

Savannah locked the door to the bathroom and sifted through the assortment of clothes he’d given her. She chose a green t-shirt to compliment her eyes, then picked up a pair of tan shorts. Savannah found a pair of sandals, so she put them on. She didn’t bother checking a mirror-it wouldn’t show anything pretty. Running her fingers through her hair, she hurried back outside to meet him.

Erik stood from his chair as she approached. He looked her up and down throughly. Finally, he met her gaze. “You look so much prettier that way. Your eyes are absolutely stunning.”

Savannah turned beet red. She’d never been called pretty before, and the fact that a man had told her made her all the more embarrassed. “Thank you.”

He flashed her a smile that made her knees go weak. “Let’s go, Savannah.”

She shivered as her name passed his lips. He turned on his heel, leading her outside to his car, a black Ferrari. A driver stepped out, but Erik motioned him to stop.

“I’ll get it, Carl. You may go back in the car.”

“Yes sir.” Carl tipped his hat and sat back down.

Erik spun around to look at her with captivating blue eyes. Savannah seemed to be drawn into them. Even in the dark, she could make out his handsome face. She’d never seen many men besides the ones at the Selection, but none of them compared to his beauty. His pleasant demeanor made her even more attracted to him.

Which was why she gasped when he wrapped an arm around her waist and brushed his fingers along her birthmark. He moved her hair from her throat, stroking her pulse. His breath was cool on her face. She trembled.

“Savannah, what’s wrong?” Erik was about to ask her if she was ready to go, but she seemed so nervous. He knew it wasn’t because they were leaving. His blue eyes were concerned.

She bit her lip.

“Speak your mind. I will not punish you.”

“It’s just . . . I’ve never been touched by a man before.”

Erik blinked down at her. Savannah was so pretty, so modest. Why would a man not want to touch her? “How long have you lived here?”

“My whole life. Well, since I was seven years old. I don’t really remember anything before that.”

“My dear Savannah. You have been denied the simple things in life. Why have you never left this place?”

“No one wanted me. All because of this disgusting patch on my face!” Savannah burst into tears.

Erik’s brow furrowed, and his teeth clenched. He pulled her into a hug, rubbing her back comfortingly. No one took her because of a birthmark? Vampires were given such bad reputations all because of class-conscious fornicators who wanted perfect girls with perfect bodies.

Savannah wiped her eyes. “I’m sorry. I don’t know where that came from.”

“Do not apologize, Savannah. They should be the ones asking for forgiveness, not you. Come on, Savannah. Let me take you home.” He opened the car door to let her inside, then he went to the other to settle himself beside her. “Carl, I know I don’t do this often, but will you please close the shutter?”

“Yes sir.”

She saw the space between them and the driver become blocked with black. Erik observed her quietly, watching her slim body shiver. She fidgeted and looked down. Her hair fell over her face, hiding her birthmark from his gaze.

He tucked her hair behind her ear. “I do not want you to hide behind your hair anymore, Savannah. No one should tell you that there’s something wrong with you. It couldn’t be farther from the truth. Promise me. Promise me you’ll be proud of whom you are.”

“Okay, Erik.” Savannah was stunned at his kind remarks. She’d never been treated like she was worth something before.

“How old are you?”

“I’m twenty-one.”

Erik continued to ask her questions about herself, and each time she tried to make her answer as short as possible. He made her so comfortable and nervous at the same time. Savannah met his eyes, and he smiled at her.

Savannah yawned suddenly, only then realizing she was exhausted. She apologized, but he simply shook his head.

“I understand you’re tired, Savannah. You can sleep for the rest of the way.”

“Thank you.” Savannah leaned against her seatbelt, and she fell into a doze immediately. She did not feel Erik’s fingers caress her cheek.