Page 25 of Skin Trade

“There were fifteen snatches last week,” Sky said, nodding at the door. “That’s just the ones we know about. Sir says it gets worse every week. That the thirsty take many of them too. It isn’t even safe from them at night anymore.”

“I saw some, when Seth drove me in. They were hiding in the shadows. At least. I think it was one of them. Someone drove up and took its head.”

“They’re not afraid anymore,” Sky said. “They used to be. If you saw one at night it was because it was lost, but now, they’re so thirsty, they get desperate. Do things they aren’t meant to.”

“Come out anytime?”

“Exactly. It will get to the point where no one is safe. Blood levels drop, more vampires turn to that.”

It was so hard to imagine being that hungry or thirsty, being driven to the point of not caring if you’re caught. It reminded her that her kind weren’t yet at the bottom of the food chain.

The couple Payton had seen a moment ago, came back around to the front of the building. This time they walked towards the door and the man greeted them and nodded as they came in.

Payton didn’t make eye contact with the woman. She’d been around vampires enough to know that meeting the eyes of one could lead to them feeling challenged and she wasn’t up to more fights this evening.

They came in and the woman nodded to the man on the door. Her blood slave said and did nothing as he followed her. He just needed a collar around his neck and a lead for her to drag him with.

“I think I may go back to my room” Payton said after a while. The more time she spent out here, the more she felt she could probably get herself into a lot of trouble. Vampires were too tricky to be around.

“Do you want me to walk you back?” Sky asked.

“No. I can find it.”

The man with them scowled at Payton, but he spoke to Sky. “Do not let her wander too far,” he said, and then he walked away from them. Heading towards the doors Payton had just come from.

“That’s Mathias,” Sky said. “He works for Sir.”

“Everyone here works for Seth.” She’d not call him Sir. Definitely not now.

“Not everyone here works for Sir. The other vampires share. Only a handful of us stay with Sir, the rest get rotated. It keeps the tastes fresh and makes sure everyone is on their toes.”

“Tasha works for Seth?”

“Yes. But Sir is all she knows, and she’d never go anywhere without him. If they tried to make her work for someone else, I think she would do something drastic.”

“She is his lover?”

Sky giggled a little. “No. Sir does not let girls get so attached to him. It is not allowed.” A pause. “Maybe you want to go and watch the entertainment? I can show you if you want. Tonight, we have dancers. You may like it. And you can’t go too far. Sir needs you later.”

“Needs me? For what?” Staring back at the doors she’d come through and where Mathias had gone, she had no intention of seeing Seth again. Maybe she could hide from him. Hole up somewhere he’d not find her. She didn’t have the strength in her to face him again after what had happened at dinner.

“Sir has important business.”

Despite Payton’s resolve, knowing that Seth would want her later made something in her belly tense. She wasn’t a slave to her sexuality. Being drunk on lust was something she’d never needed to worry about. Maybe Creven had taken that from her with the other things he’d stolen, but the idea Seth wanted her created a tingling feeling through her body and she hated him for it.

Chapter Seventeen

She didn’t go to watch the entertainment like Sky had suggested. It would have been nice perhaps, but she just wasn’t in the mood. The idea of sitting still and paying attention to something when her head and heart were in tatters was crazy. Seth, handsome, sexy Seth, had created a minefield inside her brain, and every nerve tingled with sensation, no matter what she did. Every neurone in her brain fired of its own accord. She needed to walk. Just walk. It didn’t matter where she went. Somewhere, anywhere. And despite the fact she couldn’t go outside, this still felt like freedom.

She took a couple of uneasy steps, having not yet chosen where to go. She wasn’t going to her room. That would be impossible, knowing his room was right next door, even if he wasn’t there. She knew herself enough to know it would drive her crazy. She’d be listening for sounds, for laughter, for Tasha.

Only twenty-four hours and already Seth was like a drug she couldn’t shake, the thing in her head she couldn’t get rid of. She tried not to think about him, but that just seemed to make it worse. Even her body wanted to remember. It craved him from the first moment she had met his eyes in the auction room. There had been something in them, something her body knew. Even now, away from him, he invaded her thoughts and she stopped moving without realising it.

Maybe she’d made a mistake leaving that room. Leaving him with Tasha. Tasha was no doubt enjoying her victory with Payton gone. It was Tasha’s place too. For whatever Seth wanted, maybe he would have to face the fact that Payton wasn’t a good fit in this place. Although that thought terrified her also. What if he realised and sent her back?

She paused, covered her face with her hands and breathed. She wasn’t thinking these things. Not today.

Instead of using the lift that would take her to the floor where her room was, Payton took the stairs and ran up to the first floor. The building was huge; an easy place to get lost in, and an even easier place to walk around and explore. Maybe if she ventured around and got herself lost, it would be hard for Seth to find her and whatever he wanted her for wouldn’t matter. He could do it himself.

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