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~~~~REDAKAI~~~~

Book1

~Kaisha~

"Quite the beauty aren’t you?" The auctioneer's gruff voice pierced through the chilly air as he examined me with a scrutinizing eye. I forced myself to stand tall, despite the shackles weighing me down and the fear that trembled in my chest.

My stepmother was the picture of poise beside me. Her eyes, a piercing shade of green, searched the sea of faces for any sign of pity or mercy. I knew better than to hold my breath. The only thing we'd find here was cold, hard greed.

"This one," a deep voice boomed from the shadows, "I want to see what she can do."

The crowd of cloaked figures murmured among themselves, the sound of gold coins clinking together a music of malicious intent. A burly guard stepped forward, unlocking my manacles. "Perform," he growled, pushing me towards a makeshift stage.

With trembling legs, I climbed the wooden steps. The spotlight, a solitary candle perched precariously above, cast a flickering glow that danced eerily on the faces of our potential buyers. My heart hammered in my chest, each beat echoing through the silent room.

The auctioneer cleared his throat, a wet, phlegmy sound that made me want to recoil. "This one," he announced, "Is rumored to be... special."

Javaleen’s eyes bore into me, her message clear. I took a deep breath, focusing on the energy within me. A small flame danced at the tip of my finger, growing brighter with each passing second. The crowd gasped.

A figure in the back stood, tall and imposing, his crimson cloak billowing around him like a pool of fresh blood. His eyes, a piercing blue, met mine. I felt a shiver run down my spine that had nothing to do with the cold.

"How much for the pair?" His question was simple, but it held a weight that seemed to crush the very air from the room.

The auctioneer's grin grew wider. "Ah, a collector," he said, stroking his greasy chin. "Very well. Let's start the bidding."

The figures around us began to shout out prices, their voices a cacophony of greed and desire. But the man in red never took his eyes off me. His gaze was like a vice, cold and unyielding.

The bidding grew frenzied, numbers flying higher and higher. I could feel the sweat trickling down my back, my palms sticky with fear. This wasn't just about our freedom anymore. It was about survival.

And then, with a final, thunderous slam of his gavel, the auctioneer declared, "Sold to the gentleman in red, Redakai Laraque!"

The crowd parted as he approached, his boots clicking against the stone floor like the ticking of a time bomb. Up close, his face was chiseled from marble, his jaw sharp and unforgiving. He extended a gloved hand, and with a heavy heart, I took it.

As he led us away, his grip tightened, sending a jolt of something through me that I couldn't quite place. I looked over my shoulder, catching one last glimpse of the auction house, the flame on my finger now extinguished.

ONE MONTH LATER

Frustrated, I began pushing my way through the swaying arms of the trees, at the same time, trying to brush off the clinging vines. But the foliage grabbed at me with needy fingers as I tried to work my way through the thick of them. When a particularly persistent vine wrapped its way around my arm, I jerked at it, but holding tight, it refused to let go. With an irritated  snort, I tugged harder, and when the vine recoiled with offense, I grumbled, “Damn, but you’re sensitive today!”

I could feel the emotions of all the plant life within the forest, and though I knew I had hurt the vine’s feelings, I didn’t have time to deal with its sulking. Javaleen, my stepmother, had sent me to the forest  to gather a special flower. Why she couldn’t have done it herself, was beyond me, but that was Javaleen, always wanting  me to do her job; she felt it was beneath her now she had been elevated to a Potion Maker. She was one of six Potion Makers’ residing within the Laraque House that brewed the mixtures. And, as I was merely a low level witch, I’d been designated by her to gather ingredients.

As the call of a bird brought me out of my thoughts, I shot an eye toward the sky, taking in the quickly changing light through the leaves of the canopies. The pinks and oranges of the rising sun painted the sky, and I shook my head at my tallying within the forest. The action had caused me to be late, and with the breaking of dawn, I was sure to have to answer for the lateness of the hour. Javaleen was supposed to have had a brew made before sunup for Redakai, and because of me, she would not have the potion prepared. Redakai would punish me for my tardiness.

As I gazed through the canopy, I debated not even returning, instead just remaining here within the forest. I knew what awaited me. Redakai, and he didn’t like me. In fact, I wasn’t even sure why he had bought me in the first place; the fact baffled me.

He had made it clear from the moment he had brought me to his fortress, that he’d just as soon rip my throat open as have me anywhere near him. The feeling was mutual. He was just too…too…everything! Too big, too handsome, too maddening, too… dangerous.

All Vampires were killers, but Redakai, by the Goddess, Redakai was unlike any of the others. When he killed, he was… merciless. I had seen him take on three, four, even five lycans’ at a time, ripping their bodies in half with a single twist, a feat that I had never witnessed any other vampire accomplish. As well, I’d seen him take on rival vampires, his speed and ability unparalleled. But, I feared his silence the most. It never boded well for anyone, and I could only pray that it wasn’t that silence that greeted me when I arrived home.