Bidding War

"Three million credits." The lead flower shop girl giggled, covering her mouth with a dainty hand. "Go somewhere else for your revenge, Sarah. We've waited long enough for a man of our own." Her posse nodded behind her.

"Shut the fuck up Stephanie. Go find a monastery or something. You look pathetic." Sarah snarled.

"What did you say? You should think about yourself first. Always second best even when the first is dead." Stephanie giggled. "Go back home. No one cares about your stupid revenge. Even your coven members don't care."

"Shut up. Shut up! SHUT UP!" Sarah yelled. "If you open that wretched hole you call a mouth again, I'll come over there and tear it off."

"Ladies! Ladies! Let's-."

"Shut the fuck up." Sarah snarled at Target who managed to wear a look of a kicked puppy. Ezra chuckled as he watched. He might be on auction but damn if this isn't amusing.

"Five million credits." Stephanie said with a satisfied smile. "Go home Sarah. Ask your coven members for some money. Maybe then, you'll finally have your revenge."

Sarah's face twisted with pure rage as she opened her mouth to retort but froze as psychotic laughter filled the air.

"Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!" Genesis began to laugh. "Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!" Everybody turned to stare at her in disbelief. She laughed so hard, tears appeared at the corner of her eyes. Everyone watched in silence as her laughter finally tapered off into chuckles. "Oh, this is funny. What is this? A soap opera? We should turn this into a show. It'll make a lot of money don't you think?"

"Really?" Target asked eagerly.

"Of course not, you idiot. You'll be violating the law of secrecy." Genesis smiled. "Enough of this. Six million credits."

Everyone stared at her in confusion.

"What are you doing?" Olivia asked.

"What does it look like? I'm bidding on us. No one said we can't be bidders."

Silence filled the tunnel.

"Excellent! Another bidder appears!" Target clapped his hands like a child being handed an ice cream cone. "Going for six million."

"Seven million." Stephanie raised a hand.

"Eight million." Sarah said.

"Eight million! We have eight million credits here!"

"Ten million." Genesis grinned.

"Do you have ten million?" Olivia hissed.

"Trust me." Genesis gave a confident smile. "I fucking got this."

"Malachi." Sarah looked towards the silent figure wreathed in shadows. "Let's join forces. Whatever the final price is, I'll pay half. You can have Olivia while I have Genesis."

"What are you trying?" Stephanie asked in surprise. "Target! Isn't this against the rules?"

"Unfortunately, no." Target bowed apologetically. "If you can cut deals with your fellow bidder, it's not against the rules."

All eyes turned to Malachi who tilted his head, his spinning gaze sweeping his audience. "No."

Stunned silence.

"What do you mean no?" Sarah asked as everybody swallowed their surprise. "We both get what we want. Isn't this win-win?"

"No." Malachi repeated, his deep voice and general ambience making him sound like the final villain in a superhero movie. "Winner takes all."

Ezra frowned in understanding. Everyone thinks Count Solomon is only after his stolen item but the count wants all who knows the secret dead. He's not willing to let anyone walk away with his secret. Damn it! This dude isn't playing around.

"Fifteen million credits." Malachi spoke.

F-fifteen million? That's enough for a comfortable life as a human. No need to work a day anymore. That money would even pay off my debt. Ezra choked. Vampires keep quoting ridiculous prices, making me feel like a country bumpkin. Is this how it feels to grow up outside the slums? The worst part is that for Malachi, I'm not even worth a single credit. He's mostly bidding for the page. Not that anyone knows it.

Sarah stared at Stephanie.

"Say it." Stephanie giggled. "Say it, Sarah. You need me for your revenge."

Sarah gritted her teeth as her clenched fists trembled at her side. "Let's join forces. I get Genesis, you get.... the man."

She doesn't even know my name? Fair.

Stephanie adopted a pose like she was thinking deeply. "Fine. Just cause you asked nicely."

"Twenty million." Sarah nodded.

"Twenty five." Malachi countered.

"Thirty million."

"Forty million."

"Hey Stephanie," Sarah called out, "how much can you spare?"

"Twenty five million credits." Stephanie replied. "From the flower shop girls."

"Forty five million credits." Sarah grimaced like she was popping a particularly painful pimple.

"Fifty million credits." Malachi said calmly.

"Fifty million credits!" Target called out like he couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Today must be my lucky day. Fifty million going once! Fifty million going twice! Any last minute bids?" He looked around.

Even Genesis balked at quoting a price. Most vampires didn't even have fifty million credits to throw around. This must be the power of a Count.

"Sixty million." A voice resounded.

"Ho ho ho. A mystery bidder appears and the plot thickens." Target laughed, delighted. A space opened in the black zone and a figure walked in. "Let us welcome the mysterious Mr. X."

Mr. X was a tall man dressed in a red hoodie with the hood up concealing his hair, dark blue jeans, a black pair of boots and an iron mask that covered his face completely. Even the eye holes of the mask had been covered with a material so dark, the usual glow of a vampire's eyes couldn't shine through.

"Sup." Mr. X raised a glove covered hand. "Anyone with an extra bottle of blood? I forgot mine at home in a hurry. Fortunately, I got here in time."

Everyone stared at the new arrival. Is this guy okay in the head? The collective thought passed through the head of everyone present. Even Target, money hungry that he was.

Sixty million credits was a lot of money.

"Do you know him?" Genesis whispered, subdued.

"No." Olivia replied. They were all left wondering if Mr. X will become their saviour or their destroyer.

"Seventy million." Malachi stood straight and alert. The presence of Mr. X sending an alarm ringing in his brain.

"Let's not waste anyone's time. I'm sure you all have places to be." Mr. X laughed like he was the host of a casual dinner party. "Two hundred million."

Ezra's brain froze.

"Two hundred million?!" Target asked incredulously. Even he was scared of the amount. Everyone was looking around wildly, waiting for Malachi's response. Who was Mr. X and why was he throwing around that kind of money?

Malachi stood stock still.

"Two hundred million credits going once!"

"Going twice."

"Sold to Mr. X!" Target yelled in triumph. After all, he was the biggest winner in the auction.

"This is unacceptable." Malachi rumbled.

"Unacceptable?" Mr. X asked, his body language displaying an innocence hard to find even in kids nowadays. "Didn't I win fair and square?"

"Mr. X or whoever you are, you die today." Tension descended upon the tunnel as dark tentacles bursts out of Malachi's back. "By the will of Count Solomon, today, one of us departs the world of the living."