Snow

The Auction

Sia

Nobody came for me that night.

Not immediately.

They took Daniel somewhere I couldn't see, and I was forced into a room with other girls.

The door slammed shut behind me.

I ran toward it.

"Daniel!"

I hit the door with both hands.

"Daniel!"

Nothing.

I pressed my ear against the wood.

At first, I heard footsteps.

Then voices.

Then nothing.

My chest tightened.

I turned around.

There were six other girls in the room.

None of them spoke.

One was crying silently.

Another sat in the corner with her knees pressed against her chest.

I didn't know any of them.

They didn't know me.

Yet somehow, we all understood exactly why we were there.

I slowly lowered myself to the floor.

Sarah.

The name kept repeating inside my head.

Sarah.

I hated it.

I hated how easily that man had taken my real name away.

I hated that nobody had even asked.

I whispered my name under my breath.

"Sia."

The girl beside me looked over.

"What?"

I swallowed.

"Nothing."

I couldn't tell her.

If I said it aloud too many times, maybe they would make me forget it.

So I kept repeating it silently.

Sia.

That was me.

Not Sarah.

Sia.

My brother knew me as Sia.

My mother had known me as Sia.

I knew myself as Sia.

Nobody could change that.

At least, that was what I told myself.

---

The next morning, they woke us before sunrise.

We were given water.

No food.

Then they dressed us in simple white clothes.

I didn't understand why.

Until they took us outside.

The building was enormous.

Stone walls surrounded it.

Tall iron gates stood at the entrance.

Beyond them was a courtyard filled with carriages and black vehicles.

And vampires.

So many vampires.

My stomach turned.

A man walked past us carrying a stack of papers.

"Keep your heads down."

I looked at him.

"Where is my brother?"

He ignored me.

I grabbed his sleeve.

"Where is my brother?"

He pulled his arm away.

"You'll see him when you're told."

"When?"

He walked away.

I wanted to run after him.

But two guards stood on either side of me.

So I didn't.

We were led through another set of doors.

And then I saw it.

The auction hall.

It was nothing like I imagined.

It was beautiful.

That was the worst part.

Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling.

Red velvet covered the walls.

Golden railings surrounded the balconies.

Hundreds of vampires sat in rows.

They looked elegant.

Rich.

Powerful.

And completely comfortable.

In the middle of the room was a raised platform.

A stage.

I knew immediately what it was for.

My hands began shaking.

A woman beside me whispered,

"Don't cry."

I looked at her.

"Why?"

"Because they like fear."

I stared at the vampires.

She lowered her eyes.

"They enjoy it."

My stomach twisted.

A bell rang.

The room became silent.

A man stepped onto the stage.

The same man who had written Sarah into his ledger.

He smiled.

"Welcome."

His voice echoed through the hall.

"Today's selection includes humans from several districts."

Selection.

That was what he called it.

Not k********g.

Not s*****y.

Selection.

The first human was brought onto the stage.

A boy.

Maybe seventeen.

The bidding started.

Numbers were shouted from different parts of the room.

The boy stood there trembling.

Then someone bought him.

The guards took him away.

Another person was brought forward.

Then another.

I watched each one disappear.

My breathing became faster.

I didn't want to go up there.

I didn't want anyone to choose me.

I didn't want anyone to own me.

Then I heard it.

"Sarah."

My blood went cold.

The trader was looking directly at me.

"Bring her."

My feet refused to move.

A guard grabbed my arm.

I pulled away.

"No."

He grabbed me harder.

"No!"

He dragged me forward.

I stumbled onto the stage.

Hundreds of eyes turned toward me.

I wanted to disappear.

The trader placed a hand against my shoulder and forced me to face the crowd.

"Sarah."

I stared at the floor.

"Age 23—"

He announced it.

"Healthy. No major injuries. Strong enough for household work."

I looked up.

My eyes burned.

He wasn't describing me.

He was describing an object.

"Starting price."

A number was called.

Then another.

Then another.

My heart hammered.

I didn't know what they wanted me for.

A servant.

A blood source.

Something worse.

I couldn't stop thinking about Daniel.

Where is he?

Is he safe?

Does he have his inhaler?

Someone raised their hand.

The price increased.

Then another vampire bid.

Then another.

Suddenly—

The doors opened.

The entire hall fell silent.

I looked toward the entrance.

A group of guards entered first.

Then a man walked between them.

He didn't need an announcement.

Everyone already knew who he was.

Prince Felix.

He moved slowly through the hall.

Nobody spoke.

Nobody dared.

His eyes swept across the room.

Then they stopped on me.

I felt something cold settle in my stomach.

He stared at me for several seconds.

Then looked at the trader.

"How much?"

The trader immediately stepped forward.

"Your Highness, the current bid is—"

"I didn't ask for the current bid."

The trader swallowed.

Felix looked at me again.

"How much?"

The trader named a price.

Felix didn't even blink.

"I'll pay twice."

The room went silent.

The trader's face lit up.

"Of course, Your Highness."

I shook my head.

"No."

Felix looked at me.

It was the first time he'd heard my voice.

"I don't want to go with you."

A few vampires laughed.

Felix didn't.

He simply stared.

Then he said,

"Bring her."

The guards approached.

I backed away.

"No!"

I ran toward the opposite side of the stage.

I didn't get far.

A hand caught the back of my clothes and yanked me backward.

I fell hard onto the floor.

Pain shot through my palms.

I heard laughter.

My face burned.

I pushed myself up.

"Please."

Felix was still watching.

I hated him already.

"Please," I repeated. "My brother is here."

Nothing.

"His name is Daniel."

Felix's expression remained blank.

"They brought him here with me."

The trader interrupted.

"Your Highness, the boy is in another group."

I turned toward him.

"Please!"

Then I looked at Felix.

"Take him too."

Felix tilted his head slightly.

"Why?"

"He's sick."

"So?"

My mouth fell open.

"He needs medicine."

Felix's eyes remained cold.

"That's unfortunate."

Tears filled my eyes.

"Please."

I lowered myself to my knees.

"I'll work. I'll do anything. Just don't leave him here."

The room was silent.

Felix looked down at me.

Then he said,

"Bring the boy."

I stopped breathing.

The trader bowed.

"Yes, Your Highness."

Relief hit me so hard that I almost collapsed.

"Thank you."

Felix turned away.

I didn't know then that I would regret thanking him.

---

They took us to the palace.

Daniel and I were allowed to walk together for only a few minutes before guards separated us again.

I fought them.

"He's my brother!"

Felix was walking ahead.

He didn't turn around.

"Please!"

Nothing.

Daniel shouted my name.

"Sia!"

I froze.

Sarah.

I looked back at him.

He was terrified.

But he was alive.

That was enough.

"I'll see you soon!"

The guards pulled me in another direction.

I watched him disappear.

Then I was alone.

Again.

They took me into a large room.

There was a bed.

A wardrobe.

A mirror.

A bath.

More luxury than I had seen in my entire life.

But I didn't feel lucky.

I felt trapped.

I stood in the middle of the room until the door opened.

Felix entered.

I immediately stepped backward.

He closed the door behind him.

For a moment, neither of us spoke.

Then he looked at me.

"Come here."

I didn't move.

His expression hardened.

"I said come here."

I shook my head.

"No."

He walked toward me.

I backed away.

"Don't."

He kept coming.

My back hit the wall.

He stopped directly in front of me.

His eyes were cold.

"You'll learn quickly."

I swallowed.

"Learn what?"

"That I don't repeat myself."

He turned away.

I thought he was leaving.

Then he stopped.

"Your name."

I stared at him.

"Sarah."

He looked back.

"No."

My heart tightened.

"That is my name."

"Not anymore."

He stepped closer.

"Snow."

I shook my head.

"My name is Sia."

His eyes narrowed.

"Sarah."

"No."

He grabbed my chin and forced me to look at him.

"You are in my palace."

His voice was quiet.

"You belong to me."

I tried to pull away.

He released me abruptly.

Then he walked toward the door.

"Your name is Snow."

The door opened.

He left.

I stood there alone.

I touched my face where his fingers had been.

Then I whispered the name I had known my whole life.

"Sia."

My voice trembled.

"Sia."

I looked toward the closed door.

Then I whispered the name he had given me.

"Snow."

It felt foreign.

Cold.

Wrong.

Like something that belonged to someone else.

I didn't know it yet.

But that was the night Sarah disappeared.

And Snow began.