it around too much. My neck where I was bitten is sore, and I’m sure there’s some bruising there. Mostly, I just feel really gross. I haven’t bathed since I’ve been here, and my skin is crawling. It doesn’t help that I still have blood caked to my dress and skin, and my hair is completely matted. Giovanni has brownies clean our cages each night, but they’re not permitted to use their magic directly on us.
I crack my neck and look around the large warehouse-like room we’re being kept in. Most creatures appear to be sleeping, or they’re pacing their cages. The selkies next to us are asleep too. One of them is reaching her hand through the bars to touch the canister of water that’s connected to all of our cages. There’s a tiny faucet outside each cage you have to reach through the bars to access, and it only ever gives you a small amount of water to drink at a time—never enough to bathe with, and never enough to sate the water-based creatures here.
The lights begin to flicker on and off, and a loud clanking sound reverberates through the room. Guards begin walking around, tapping against the bars of the cages and yelling at creatures to wake up. I sit up straight, fully alert now. My heart races faster in panic while I helplessly wait to see what’s happening.
“What’s going on?” Sadie asks groggily.
I shush her and keep my eyes trained on the door the guards use to come in and out. The room is slowly filling with the low, hushed voices and cries of supernaturals. After several tense minutes, Giovanni appears in the doorway. He glances once around the large room, and holds the door open wide as a line of people file in.
“I think he’s bringing buyers in to look at us,” I say quietly, holding my arms around myself to try and keep myself from shaking in anger and fear.
Sadie begins sobbing loudly and obnoxiously. I grind my teeth and force myself not to look at her. I know this probably makes me a terrible person, but I seriously can’t deal with her right now. I need to look out for myself first, to do whatever it takes to survive. I just don’t know which outcome is worse—being bought by somebody who will potentially hurt and abuse me, or staying here to live in a cage like an animal? And if I’m not bought, how long will Giovanni realistically keep me around?
I’ve been in some pretty messed up situations before with Alistair. I’ve been in numerous foster homes with sick, twisted individuals. I’ve been homeless, and I’ve had to lie, cheat, and steal in order to survive. I’ve hurt people before. But this situation really fucking takes the cake.
Only the worst type of people would pay money for a person like this. I’ll do whatever I need to stay alive and get back home to Alistair, but just the thought of being bought—the thought of becoming someone’s fucking property—makes bile rise up in the back of my throat.
Most of the buyers are human, which doesn’t surprise me. Wealthy, middle-aged business men in expensive suits walk around and ogle at all the supernatural creatures. Just like the selkies told me, the more feminine appearing creatures draw the most spectators. Three men almost immediately crowd around the selkies’ cage. When the selkies hiss and show their sharp, needle-like teeth, that only seems to excite the potential buyers.
“Fucking pigs,” I spit angrily. Nobody’s looked at me or Sadie yet. I know it’s smarter to keep my mouth shut. But god, I’m furious.
One of the men glances over and blanches when he catches sight of me. “Jesus, they’re selling humans too?”
Giovanni walks up behind them, followed by a guy wearing a long, brown wool robe. He kind of looks like a monk, except he has long, braided hair and a bushy gray beard. One of the men beside the selkies’ cage crosses his arms and scoffs at Giovanni. “You never said you sold human girls. I’m not sure I’m okay with that.”
Right, he’s a real stand-up guy. Even though he clearly has a hard-on for an imprisoned, defenseless selkie who he’ll probably buy for hundreds of thousands of dollars. Sick fuck.
Giovanni gives the man a dismissive glance and shrugs. “Some of our clients are a bit skittish of supernaturals.”
He beckons the creepy-monk dude closer, gesturing at our cage. The monk guy looks first at the selkies and visibly