Chapter 6: Value

Ezra quickly gulped down his breath, staring at the young girl standing in the glass display. She appeared so fragile, so delicate. She hadn't made eye contact with nether Demetri nor Ezra.

"What is the matter with her?" Demetri questioned. He tapped the glass to grasp her attention. With weary eyes, she began to look up towards Demetri which made Ezra's heart increase in pace. He was sickened by the feeling.

Quickly he averted his eyes with anger that this young girl believed she had a hold over the Prince. "How much for her?" Demetri glanced at Ezra, knowing what was going on.

"She isn't ready yet, and she has many other bids coming in. I'm afraid I will have to take them all into consideration." He spoke with a sinister voice that made Ezra very much annoyed.

"Stop blathering that nonsense. This is the royal family you are addressing." Demetri became angry, confused as to why this old half breed vampire wasn't giving him what he wanted.

As Demetri argued back and forth with the shop keeper like a child, Ezra curiously went over to the glass, eyeing the young girl. He could smell her through the glass. She had pure, strong blood coursing through her veins. Her heart pulsed in her throat that taunted him with such a loudness that he winced.

Katerina tried her best to avoid eye contact with the vampire staring right through her. She hadn't moved a muscle but her breath was beginning to shake. She knew about vampires, her mother would tell her stories about the night creatures but she hadn't met one in person ever. She never thought that she would have come into their kingdoms.

The man continued to stare at her, wanting her to look up so he could see her eyes. A human with a hair color like this was extremely hard to come by. There were talk about how the ginger imprinted red haired maidens tasted like euphoria. Ezra has never come across one in the several hundred years he's been alive.

He was intrigued by her, he was angered by her enticement. He tilted his head to notice a small scrape against her cheek from when the shop keeper grabbed her. He also noticed the bruising around her neck. Disgusting, he thought. A pet should be untouched and untainted for the new buyer. If she were to be his, he would snap the shop keepers neck for damaging such goods.

"What happened to her." Ezra stated. The shop keeper stiffened his posture. "She tried to escape." Returning back to Demetri to argue, Ezra raised his brows.

Interesting, he thought. Something sinister rose from him. He became excited at her personality and wanted to prey on her like a lion.

"And she's..pure?" Ezra questioned again. He wanted to make sure. The old man looked at the Prince, "This maiden has attached herself to chastity, but I will show you what she is like underneath that dress if you wish." He began to step over to the box which made her shudder in fear. She didn't want that and her breath hitched into her throat which caught Ezras attention that it was true. He could silently hear her heart beat picking up pace.

"Don't touch her." Ezra demanded. The old man glared at Ezra for a moment before trying to hush Demetri.

Once her eyes finally lifted to meet his, he knew. Her hazel eyes gleamed brightly, glossing over as they shared one long look at each other.

"I will give you thirty thousand gold nuggets." Ezra blurted out. Demetri dropped his mouth open and looked at Ezra. The old man seemed like that wasn't enough.

"I have a bid on her for fifty thousand gold nuggets." He lied. The Prince quickly stepped over to the vampire, not breaking his gaze with the girl. "What a shame. You beat her then try to sell her. Shall I tell the potential buyers that you have damaged such pure goods?" He knew the old man was lying.

"Um.." the old man trailed off. "Fine. Thirty thousand." He finally agreed.

Ezra finally looked at Demetri, who looked like someone just took his blood lollipop. "Pay the half breed, Demetri." Ezra states, placing his hands in his pocket. Demetri groaned and walked to the front of the shop with the old man.

Ezra then walked up to the glass once again, but she hadn't said a word nor did she smile. "Don't look so sour, my flower. Today is a good day for you." His lips curled into a devilish grin that made her body cringe.