The female, p.4
The Female, page 4
Aziel pretends not to notice, but I see the way his hands clench into tight fists by his sides. He ignores Gray as he rolls his shirt up his forearms and leans back in his chair.
I’m glad I chose to sit behind them instead of in the open chair on Gray’s right, and I watch them for a second longer before looking at the girl on the stage again.
Her hair’s so long it touches her hips, and she hides behind it as she covers her narrow chest and midsection with her arms. She’s too tall to be a full human, and I spot two sharp fangs when she opens her mouth.
Gray’s nostrils flare as he tries to smell for any excitement or arousal seeping off Aziel.
We both know he won’t find any, and I’m honestly not sure why he keeps searching. Aziel may be leading this current endeavor, but his decision to purchase a female is solely for Gray’s benefit and we all know it.
After Gray went into one of his rare incubus feeding frenzies, attacking us in our sleep, Aziel gave in and agreed to purchase him a female. He claims it’s to keep Gray out of our dreams, but I’m sure he was going to do it regardless.
Despite his callous attitude, he has a soft spot for Gray and is not very good about hiding it.
Aziel shifts and pivots away from Gray, avoiding acknowledging the man’s intense stare. I can tell he’s growing frustrated with the younger man’s actions, neither of us having anticipated Gray taking so long to pick a female.
I expected him to buy the first one that came on stage.
Gray’s always been vocal in his desire for a female companion, and I’m sure he would’ve gotten one long ago if Aziel hadn’t been so stubborn.
The girl on the stage is sold, and almost immediately she’s ushered out of the room and is replaced with another. This one’s shorter with thick hips and red hair, and she looks almost entirely human.
Her body convulses as she sobs, and I hold back a wince as her fate filters through my mind. She’s not going to live a happy life, and the group of ogres who buy her this evening will ensure that.
Aziel turns to me as I view her fate, his expression alone giving away that he’s in my head.
Raising a brow, I return his stare until he exits my mind. He knows better than to enter the mind of a fate. Being the king of Wrath isn’t enough to prevent him from getting lost in my head, and the last thing I want is to waste my time searching for him.
Gray continues to stare at Aziel, and I hold back a smile as the older man finally snaps. He moves quickly, grabbing Gray’s chin and directing it toward the stage. Gray’s smirk doesn’t go unnoticed, but I don’t want to get involved.
He loves riling Aziel up, especially when it results in Aziel touching him. The incubus loves attention, and he seems to think all touch is good touch.
Cheers so loud that we can hear them through the thick walls of our private viewing room capture my attention as a horde of ogres purchases the girl on stage. I feel pity as I watch tears bubble up and spill over her cheeks, her body visibly shaking as she’s ushered out of the room.
“Fuck this,” Aziel snaps, losing his patience with Gray.
He stands, his intentions to leave clear as Gray frantically grabs his arm and tries to pull him into his seat.
“Oh, come on! Is it so bad I want to pick a female all three of us enjoy?” Gray pleads, his eyes darting between Aziel and me.
I have no intention of using his female, but I don’t bother going through the effort of correcting him. Gray doesn’t listen even when I try, often pretending he can’t hear me or pointing out my arousal whenever the topic is brought up. He fails to understand that just because the thought of a woman underneath me is enticing doesn’t mean I ever plan to act on it.
I had my fill long before the female decline, and I’m not interested in forcing one to be with me now.
“I’m being kind by purchasing you a female, but I’m not going to waste my time if you’re going to sit around acting like a child,” Aziel sneers before jerking his head in my direction. “Good luck getting Silas to buy you one.”
Gray clenches his jaw and straightens his spine when he’s compared to a child. Calling him that was a low blow. Aziel knows the incubus is sensitive about our age difference.
Gray is rapidly approaching his second century, and while that may seem old for many of the weaker breeds with short lifespans, it’s nothing for a demon. Aziel is just about to hit his sixth, and even that is seen as young by some. Myself included.
Uninterested in Aziel and Gray’s arguing, I turn back to the stage just as another woman comes stumbling in. Her frightened expression matches the faces of all the others sold before her, but I know immediately she’s the one we’re taking.
My inability to see her fate and the pain I feel when I try is all the confirmation I need. Her future is intertwined with mine and, by extension, Aziel and Gray.
“All right, all right! I’m sorry,” Gray says, trying to diffuse the situation.
He’s pushed Aziel too far, though, and when it becomes clear Aziel isn’t going to relent, Gray gestures to the girl on the podium.
“I’ll take her,” he huffs.
He hasn’t even looked at her, but I doubt it matters. He’s an incubus, and he’ll find himself satisfied with anybody.
I scan the female, unhappy with her small and fearful posture. I miss the time when women stood with pride and confidence. That doesn’t exist anymore, and it’s hard to enjoy the company of a being that’s terrified of you.
I must admit I like her brown eyes and wild hair, though, both uncommon features among the demons but not too far off from our black hair and black eyes. I was worried Gray would pick a female with brighter looks, one with blonde hair and light eyes, but I feel it’s better to find one who will not stick out too much when beside us.
We draw enough attention, and the last thing I want is a fairy looking creature who attracts even more.
Aziel’s tense stance relaxes at Gray’s apology, his frown softening as he turns to evaluate the girl. His face gives away nothing, but Gray’s sly smile is enough for me to know he’s smelling something positive.
It seems I’m not the only one pleased by her appearance.
The female shuffles uncomfortably, shifting her weight from foot to foot as she stares into the crowd. Her pupils expand as her eyes attempt to adjust to the dark room, but I can tell she still can’t see by how she looks at nothing with purpose.
Clasping my hands, I tilt my head to the side as I try to determine her breed. Most females here are human hybrids, but I cannot figure out what she’s mixed with. I hope it’s something strong, but the fact that I’m unable to tell has me fearing it’s probably not.
Leave it to Gray to choose the weakest female here.
The seller moves behind her after giving us a moment to look. In respect, I try to keep my eyes above her collarbone, but in a brief moment of weakness, my gaze drops to her breasts before darting back up.
Gray fucking giggles as he spins toward me. I hate how excited he is over the fact Aziel and I enjoy the sight of the woman he’s chosen. We’ve made it clear we have no interest in intimacy with a purchased female, and his refusal to accept it is frustrating.
The seller calls out her name and age, his grin growing as he states her to be a full human.
That particular piece of information has me wincing, and any arousal I may have felt shrivels. Being surrounded by three powerful demons is a lot for the even the strongest of breeds, and even though Aziel and I have no intentions of using Gray’s human, she’ll still live in our home.
The power that seeps from us will tire and drain her, forcing her body to submit as a defense mechanism. It’s only a matter of time before she’s a shell of a person.
With Gray using her daily, I give it mere weeks.
I debate speaking up to request we choose another, specifically one who is mixed with a more robust breed, but with a dejected sigh, I shut my mouth and remain silent.
I cannot change fate, and this is hers.
Being one of the last fates is hard, and I must take my duty seriously to avoid the same ending as the others of my kind. Aziel has managed to protect me from those who seek to end the fated lineage, but should I step out of line, I doubt even he would have the power to save me.
Most demons hate me, fearful of what I know and the power I’ve gained with age. I’ve been around for a long time, and in the thousand years I’ve existed, they’ve been unable to kill me. It infuriates them.
Now I’m tied to Wrath’s king, which only furthers their anger.
The men in the crowd grow rowdy as the seller states the human’s virginal status and high likelihood for twins. She looks shocked as he says this, making me wonder how much of her health profile has been disclosed to her.
Only humans can produce two children in the womb, and the fact that she has good odds will make her expensive.
Immediately, bids are put into the small tablets the auction house gave us to use. Gray hardly even looks at the amount of money he’s offering up as he snatches the remote from Aziel’s hand and jabs his finger against the screen.
Aziel doesn’t seem to care as he grabs his phone and pulls up some work. He could probably buy the entire lot without making a dent in his pocket.
As annoyed as I am, I’m happy this female won’t be bought by a horde. The odds aren’t good for most women, and she’s lucky to be purchased by us. She’ll only be expected to serve one man, and Gray’s possessive nature will keep her from being shared.
His inability to fit in with his own kind is what led him to us in the first place, his desperation for close relationships odd for an incubus. His den practically tore him apart when he was a teenager and came home with a female, his family laughing and mocking as he claimed her as his own.
It was considered a slap in the face to deny his brothers and sisters the opportunity to have her. Incubi share, jealousy not an emotion they typically feel. Gray doesn’t speak much about what happened that day, but he left the horde without her and has never returned.
“You’re aware the female you purchase will be your responsibility? It’ll be on you to ensure she’s fed and kept happy,” Aziel says as Gray continues to bid for her. “I don’t want some fearful, meek being scurrying around our home for the next sixty years.”
Gray scoffs.
“Of course. I know how to care for a woman.”
“You know how to fuck a woman. That doesn’t mean you know how to care for one.”
Gray pulls his gaze from the tablet and meets Aziel’s cold stare. Both refuse to back down, which isn’t a surprise.
“Gray isn’t a child,” I say, drawing their attention. “The human will be properly cared for.”
The tension continues to build, and I direct my following words toward Gray with a low sigh.
“And you will hold up your end of the bargain and stop feeding on Aziel,” I continue. “No more sneaking into his dreams.”
Gray nods, annoyed, before returning to his device.
It takes a minute for the bidding to slow and another until Aziel realizes everyone else has dropped out and Gray is bidding against himself. He takes the tablet back with an annoyed exhale. Gray only smiles, happy his waste of money earned a reaction.
I shake my head, finding them entertaining as the seller calls Aziel the winner. A few men turn to look through the transparent wall of our viewing room, their anger visible as they realize to whom they just lost.
Gray’s new female continues to peer around, her legs shaky as the seller steps forward and helps her off the podium. She flinches when he grabs her elbow, but she otherwise doesn’t react.
Aziel and I stand to leave as the female is escorted out. Gray will be handling her delivery, and I need to get back to work.
“Have you seen her fate?” Aziel asks.
I shake my head, silently admitting to the ties she’ll have with me. “She’s a full human,” I say after a moment of silence.
Aziel nods, lifting his hand to pinch the bridge of his nose. We didn’t come here today for such a weak female, and I know he shares the same reservations as me. Our presence will exhaust her, and Gray’s use will kill her.
We’ve seen it happen before, and it seldom takes long for humans to succumb to the darkness of our breed.
“It’s only a matter of time before Gray grows bored and sells her,” Aziel says.
I shrug, unsure about that.
“You once said that about us, that he would grow tired and return to his den,” I remind him gently. “That was, what, a hundred and seventy years ago?”
Aziel sucks on his teeth, his anger permeating the air before he tenses and teleports back to Wrath. I run a hand through my hair, annoyed by his rude departure, before following.
What have we gotten ourselves into?
5
_____
CHARLOTTE
I DON’T THINK my lungs are working.
My chest heaves as I’m led out of the auditorium, an overwhelming feeling of suffocation spreading through my body. Objectively, I know I’m getting the oxygen I need to survive, but my brain isn’t getting the memo and is forcing me to hyperventilate as I make my way down the hallway.
That wasn’t as awful as some warned it would be, but I know this experience will stay with me forever. Every second I was forced to stand under that light felt like hours, and the sounds of excitement that emerged from the darkness were horrifying.
How many men were there, their eyes raking over my bare flesh as they decided whether or not I was worth their money? I could see dim screens light up as Anthony read out my information, but I refused to let myself count them.
The number seemed to grow once he said I have good odds for twins, and I hope my shock wasn’t too evident. Did my parents know? It almost guarantees that whoever bought me has breeding in mind.
I’m uninterested in knowing how many men tried to purchase me today, and I’d rather die than hear how much I was sold for. I wasn’t in there for as long as the women who went in before me, and I hope that means something good.
Either that or I’m desperately reading into things that have no meaning. It’s probably the latter.
It usually is.
I continue struggling to breathe as I follow Anthony down the hallway and into a room I’ve never been in before. He beams as he gestures for me to enter, and it takes everything in me not to lash out and attack him.
Dirty fucking man.
He made us believe he was, at least to some extent, on our side. His pitiful glances and occasional encouragement were all a facade. I curse myself for not recognizing it earlier, but seeing the joy currently spread across his face shows the truth.
He only ever saw us as paychecks.
My vision grows blurry as my eyes fill with tears, and I turn and enter the room with a defeated sigh. Fighting him will only make things harder for me.
“Somebody will be by shortly to groom you to your male’s preferences,” he says, closing the door.
The unmistakable sound of a lock clicking into place follows, but I hardly find myself surprised. It’s not the first time I’ve been locked in a room, and I’m sure it won’t be the last. Being in this facility has taken a lot from me, my hopes for freedom first and foremost.
All the women who were called into the auction before me are here, most currently being groomed. Some lie on beds receiving full-body waxes, and a few are getting their hair cut.
I recoil as I spot a woman in the corner getting her head shaved, and with a heavy heart, I realize it’s Erica. She was gleefully sharing her experience with Ben just an hour ago, and now she’s sobbing quietly as that same man shaves her head.
I’m surprised whoever purchased her requested this, and I hope it was the only demand they made.
A loud cry distracts me, and I turn to see some blonde I’ve only spoken to a few times receive a wax. The male grooming her presses his hand to her tender skin after removing a large chunk of her pubic hair, and he waits for her cry to die down before adding more hot wax to her body.
Other than the occasional pained shout, the room is silent.
Well, mostly.
The groomers don’t seem to have the same reservations and chat loudly amongst themselves as if this were a regular, everyday occurrence.
I move to stand along the back wall. A few other females are also waiting their turns, and I nod in silent greeting as I join them.
My hands clench into tight fists as I watch a woman spread her legs for a waxer, her face contorted in pain as he applies hot wax to her inner thigh. I can’t even begin to imagine how painful that must be, and I hope the men who purchased me don’t desire the same level of softness from my skin.
My dad never required such things from my mom, and in turn, I’ve never been expected or encouraged to shave. I prefer it that way, finding it unnecessary to rid myself of the hair my body naturally produces.
When the locked door opens, I turn, expecting to see another female or groomer step inside. Instead, one of the guards comes wandering in, his lips pursed as he scans the room. He lingers on Erica, not even bothering to hide his staring, before shifting to one of the women lying on their backs getting waxed.
I hate how he leers at her, but nobody says anything about it.
We never do.
Eventually, his eyes land on me, and I feel my pulse begin to race as I drop my head and pretend not to notice. I’m not sure what he’s doing here, but I have no interest in getting involved. I hold my breath as I watch his booted feet approach my bare toes, and I continue staring at the ground as he lifts one of his tattooed arms and grabs my bicep.
Once more, my lungs feel inefficient as I’m ripped from my spot and pulled roughly toward the door. I lick my lips nervously as I follow him into the hallway, pausing as he stops to lock the door behind me.
“Your males have decided to forego the grooming,” he huffs.
He doesn’t wait for my response before leading me down the hallway, his pace fast and hurried. My arms cross protectively over my chest as I rush behind him, my skin sweaty despite the cool chill in the building.
