Page 15 of Auctioned for Her Blood
“Oh!” I stare at the woman in the mirror, amazed at how the tiny bit of make up has transformed me even more than the dress did. Now, I really don’t recognize myself.
“Perfect. Told you.” Shana has a smug, but proud look on her face when I turn, and I reach out to give her the lipstick.
“You keep it, lamby. For touch ups.”
I nod and slip it into the tiny silver purse that matches the strappy high heels that I’ve practiced walking in every night since I bought them.
“Ready?” she asks.
“Ready as I’ll ever be.”
“Great. Let’s stash our day clothes in the closet and get ready to raise some serious dough.”
I call on my alter ego to take over for the night. My alter ego is brave. She can do this.
Chapter Five
Ember
“Did you eat?”Shana asks after dinner, and I shake my head.
She frowns. “They’re holding plates for staff in the kitchen. Grab a break before the auction starts.”
I nod, but I couldn’t possibly eat. The set up was hard work, but it was nothing compared to the actual event so far. I’ve been running non-stop for three hours and adrenaline’s pumping through my bloodstream at a hurricane’s wind speed.
“Have you seen him yet?” Shana asks.
“Who?” But I know exactly who she means.
She cocks her head to the side. “Zuben, our mysterious potential benefactor.”
I shake my head. “Not yet.” The cloud of bats goes berserk in my belly.
Shana frowns. “If he’s a no show…” The worry on her face is clear, but she draws a deep breath and smiles. “If his answer is no, then our short term survival hinges on the live auction’s success. It’s due to start soon. Let’s focus on that. After you eat.”
“I’ll check the silent auction tables,” I tell Shana. “I’ll grab a bite after that.”
She shakes her head, feigning disapproval, but I see the opposite in her eyes. I head to the silent auction area, where dozens of patrons are chatting as they peruse the various items up for grabs.
I move the velvet rope set up to block off the backs of the tables, and then walk down the line, making sure that none of the sheets are completely filled, and checking to see whether there are any items without bids.
Mia, the fundraising manager spots me, heads over and puts her hands on her hips. “What are you doing back here?”
“Just making sure that everything’s running smoothly.”
Mia frowns. “My team and I have this.”
“Yes. Of course you do.” I let myself out from behind the tables, leaving Mia to her area of expertise.
She’s right. Technically I don’t need to be involved in the silent auction while it’s running—not even once it’s closed. My being here wasn’t in the original plans, and the staff are well set up to collect the winning bids smoothly without me, but the busier I am, the less time there is left to think about everything else.
Keeping to the shadows at the side of the room, I look for anything out of place.
“I’m sorry, sir, but this is a ticketed event.” A voice rises at the front of the room and I quickly make my way to the entrance area. Most of the patrons arrived hours ago, but a few are still trickling in, even though dinner is over.
Henry, one of our former clients who now volunteers as a mentor, is blocking the entrance. Seeing why, I’m grateful that we picked a large person like Henry to guard the door. The man he’s blocking looks dangerous.
Fear gathers inside me as I step toward the pair of men.
