A young lady struggled in the arms of a man who was forcefully pulling her along with him. 

"No! Let me go! Take your hands off me, you bastard!" Her hazel eyes reflected deep fear. Behind her, she could hear the frightened scream—the implores of the women being dragged as well.

The tears that had brimmed up in her eyes started to drop bit by bit. She glanced behind her at these women, clad in white floor-length dresses just like her.

Deep terror deluged her, and with nothing else to do to save herself, she began to plead, "Please let me go! I don't want to be sold! Please, I beg you!"

But this man yanking her was not at all fazed by her plea. It looked as though he wasn't hearing a single word from her.

Abruptly, they came to a halt. The blonde-haired man reached for the handle of a door. He opened the wooden door and shoved the young woman inside along with the rest.

The room was dark, and none of them could glimpse even a single object. The only thing they could discern was the sound of their thumping heartbeat.

"Where are we?" one of the women inquired. Her voice was trembling. 

None, including the hazel-eyed young lady, could give an answer. She was focused on trying to make out her surroundings, even though there was no source of light in the room.

The snap of a finger suddenly reverberated, and the lights above the ceiling of the room came on at once. A young, lanky man, dressed in a very colorful suit, stood. He was grinning with his lavender orbs, scanning the women.

"Are they ready?" he questioned. 

Behind these six young women, the bulky blondie stood. His hands were behind his back, and his face held a very serious look.

"Yes," he responded.

The young man nodded, seeming quite satisfied.

"That's good. Have them behind the curtains. Once I announce for the curtains to be let down, bring them into view, understand?"

The blondie gave a nod. "Yes sir."

With nothing left to say, the young man turned around and made an exit through the curtains to step onto a stage.

The theater light above the stage came on!

BOOM!!

The sounds of drums, as the curtains yanked open reverberated through the entire hall, loaded with hundreds of audience.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the biggest vampire auction of the year. I know that you've all been waiting for this special moment," the host, who had dark glasses resting on the bridge of his nose, spoke.

"For the first time in hundreds of years, we will be holding our first human auction. An auction where you get to purchase your very first human slave!"

With that, he spread his arms wide and smiled at the whole audience.

The hundreds of vampires cheered in elation, their eyes burning with aspiration.

"Such delightful desires, flaming in all your eyes! Hahaha!" He laughed, excitement apparent on his face as well.

Within the crowd, a striking young figure in his early hundreds sat in the center of the auction hall. His long black hair cascaded down his broad shoulders like a veil of darkness.

He wore a pristine white tweed coat, a white inner turtleneck, and white trousers. It was clear that he had put more than enough effort into his attire as if he had been priming himself for a special tryst.

His chiseled features remained impassive and his piercing red eyes surveyed the room with keen intensity, taking in every detail of his surroundings.

He had a rather glacial aura surrounding him, and despite his apparent calm, there was a raw power that radiated from him—an energy that hinted at his deadliness.

He spared not a glance at the rest of the vampires seated a bit close to him, and knowing better, they dared not utter a word to him.

"Isn't that the third prince?" one of the audience who sat a bit close inquired his comrade in a barely audible voice. 

The friend took a quick peek at the young man. "It is," he confirmed. "Have you heard the rumors about him?" 

"Indeed I have," the latter replied with a nod. "How ruthless of him! Murdering his wife and son...unforgivable."

The other party scoffed. "I wonder why he is here." 

"Probably to buy one of the—"

The latter swallowed the rest of his words, the instant he felt the young man's sudden deadly gaze on him. 

Ahem! They coughed and faced the stage in immediate silence.

The young man's pale fingers, which clutched onto the arm of the chair, busily tapped on it. Once it seemed like he was fed up—his patience done for, he lifted his head, disclosing the transparent white glasses that rested on the bridge of his well-sculpted nose.

He stood up from his chair and relaxed his hands behind his back.

"Let's go," he said to the middle-aged butler who stood beside him.

"Young master Draven, shouldn't we wait a little bit more? I believe the auction will start at any moment from now," the butler inquired with his head lowered, hoping to convince him because they had come a long way.

Draven glanced at him with the edge of his eyes. "Santino, I don't want to be here any minute longer!"

Santino, who understood that convincing his young master was like hitting a rock, nodded his head, unwilling to persuade him any further.

Indeed, they have been there for hours and nothing has yet to transpire, except the host who kept going on and on with his speech. The host rather enjoyed the exciting anticipating expressions apparent on the faces of the crowd, thus, Santino could not help but inwardly praise his young master's patience. 

"Understood, young master." He followed after Draven, who began to make his way out.

They arrived at the exit, and the security guard respectfully opened the door for them.

Draven moved an inch forward to step out of the hall, but at the sound of the host's sudden voice, he ceased all movement.

"We shall now present the long-awaited surprise! What you've all been waiting for!" The host's enthusiastic tone echoed through the entire hall. "Drumrolls, please!"

Draven turned, his gaze stretching through the hall and stopping at the high platform, quite far from where he stood.

With a wide smile hanging on his lips, the host swiveled and made a quick clap, commanding for the curtains to be opened.

Desire surged through the hearts of the vampires, and tension built up within the hall. Each of their hunting eyes gazed at the stage, watching as the curtain slowly pulled open.

"We present to you…the one and only six human slaves we have in our possession!"

The host announced, revealing six human girls, fully clothed in bland white floor-length dresses that dropped to their bare, dirty feet. Their eyes were bound with a piece of black clothing, and their wrists were chained to their front.

"How do you like them?" the host questioned.

Cheers of excitement shimmered through the entire hall, and the longings in the eyes of the audience burned even stronger.

"I want that one!"

"No, I want her!"

"Shut up! She's mine!"

"The redhead is gorgeous! I want her!"

Murmurs such as these resounded from each individual, except for that one man who stood quietly at the exit with no tinge of emotion evident in his gaze.

"Young master Draven..." Santino called. "Do you desire any of them?" he asked with the intent of buying one of the human slaves for him.

Draven contemplated his decision, his eyes particularly fixed on one certain slave.

"Oui," he responded emotionlessly, camouflaging the fact that his interest was slightly piqued.

He moved up the steps of the stage with his hands resting behind his back.

At the immediate sight of him, the host went into a rictus, very knowledgeable of what a big figure Draven was. A jackpot!

He was the third son of the Delgaard royal family and the wealthiest of them all.

With these thoughts, the host grinned at Draven.

"Young master, it seems you already know what you want!"

Unbothered to spare him even a single glance, Draven approached the human slaves, causing a palpable tension to fill the room. Despite the eyes surrounding him, he exuded confidence, almost a regal aura.

His posture was straight and unwavering as he stood in front of the six slaves who were kneeling on the floor.

He moved a bit closer and bent down in front of the one who had caught his interest. Then he reached out his hand and took her blindfold off, exposing the girl's hazel orbs.

"You, what is your name?" he asked.