"Three million credits." The lead flower shop girl giggled, covering her mouth with a dainty hand. "Go somewhere else for your revenge, Sarah. We''ve waited long enough for a man of our own." Her posse nodded behind her.


    "Shut the fuck up Stephanie. Go find a monastery or something. You look pathetic." Sarah snarled.


    "What did you say? You should think about yourself first. Always second best even when the first is dead." Stephanie giggled. "Go back home. No one cares about your stupid revenge. Even your coven members don''t care."


    "Shut up. Shut up! SHUT UP!" Sarah yelled. "If you open that wretched hole you call a mouth again, I''lle over there and tear it off."


    "Ladies! Ladies! Let''s-."


    "Shut the fuck up." Sarah snarled at Target who managed to wear a look of a kicked puppy. Ezra chuckled as he watched. He might be on auction but damn if this isn''t amusing.


    "Five million credits." Stephanie said with a satisfied smile. "Go home Sarah. Ask your coven members for some money. Maybe then, you''ll finally have your revenge."


    Sarah''s face twisted with pure rage as she opened her mouth to retort but froze as psychoticughter filled the air.


    "Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!" Genesis began tough. "Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!" Everybody turned to stare at her in disbelief. Sheughed so hard, tears appeared at the corner of her eyes. Everyone watched in silence as herughter finally tapered off into chuckles. "Oh, this is funny. What is this?


    A soap opera? We should turn this into a show. It''ll make a lot of money don''t you think?"


    "Really?" Target asked eagerly.


    "Of course not, you idiot. You''ll be viting thew of secrecy." Genesis smiled. "Enough of this. Six million credits."


    Everyone stared at her in confusion.


    "What are you doing?" Olivia asked.


    "What does it look like? I''m bidding on us. No one said we can''t be bidders."


    Silence filled the tunnel.


    "Excellent! Another bidder appears!" Target pped his hands like a child being handed an ice cream cone. "Going for six million."


    "Seven million." Stephanie raised a hand.


    "Eight million." Sarah said.


    "Eight million! We have eight million credits here!"


    "Ten million." Genesis grinned.


    "Do you have ten million?" Olivia hissed.


    "Trust me." Genesis gave a confident smile. "I fucking got this."


    "Mchi." Sarah looked towards the silent figure wreathed in shadows. "Let''s join forces. Whatever the final price is, I''ll pay half. You can have Olivia while I have Genesis."


    "What are you trying?" Stephanie asked in surprise. "Target! Isn''t this against the rules?"


    "Unfortunately, no." Target bowed apologetically. "If you can cut deals with your fellow bidder, it''s not against the rules."


    All eyes turned to Mchi who tilted his head, his spinning gaze sweeping his audience. "No."


    Stunned silence.


    "What do you mean no?" Sarah asked as everybody swallowed their surprise. "We both get what we want. Isn''t this win-win?"


    "No." Mchi repeated, his deep voice and general ambience making him sound like the final viin in a superhero movie. "Winner takes all."


    Ezra frowned in understanding. Everyone thinks Count Solomon is only after his stolen item but the count wants all who knows the secret dead. He''s not willing to let anyone walk away with his secret. Damn it! This dude isn''t ying around.


    "Fifteen million credits." Mchi spoke.


    F-fifteen million? That''s enough for afortable life as a human. No need to work a day anymore. That money would even pay off my debt. Ezra choked. Vampires keep quoting ridiculous prices, making me feel like a country bumpkin.


    Is this how it feels to grow up outside the slums? The worst part is that for Mchi, I''m not even worth a single credit. He''s mostly bidding for the page. Not that anyone knows it.


    Sarah stared at Stephanie.


    "Say it." Stephanie giggled. "Say it, Sarah. You need me for your revenge."


    Sarah gritted her teeth as her clenched fists trembled at her side. "Let''s join forces. I get Genesis, you get.... the man."


    She doesn''t even know my name? Fair.


    Stephanie adopted a pose like she was thinking deeply. "Fine. Just cause you asked nicely."


    "Twenty million." Sarah nodded.


    "Twenty five." Mchi countered.


    "Thirty million."


    "Forty million."


    "Hey Stephanie," Sarah called out, "how much can you spare?"


    "Twenty five million credits." Stephanie replied. "From the flower shop girls."


    "Forty five million credits." Sarah grimaced like she was popping a particrly painful pimple.


    "Fifty million credits." Mchi said calmly.


    "Fifty million credits!" Target called out like he couldn''t believe what he was hearing. "Today must be my lucky day. Fifty million going once! Fifty million going twice! Anyst minute bids?" He looked around.


    Even Genesis balked at quoting a price. Most vampires didn''t even have fifty million credits to throw around. This must be the power of a Count.


    "Sixty million." A voice resounded.


    "Ho ho ho. A mystery bidder appears and the plot thickens." Targetughed, delighted. A space opened in the ck zone and a figure walked in. "Let us wee the mysterious Mr. X."


    Mr. X was a tall man dressed in a red hoodie with the hood up concealing his hair, dark blue jeans, a ck pair of boots and an iron mask that covered his facepletely. Even the eye holes of the mask had been covered with a material so dark, the usual glow of a vampire''s eyes couldn''t shine through.


    "Sup." Mr. X raised a glove covered hand. "Anyone with an extra bottle of blood? I forgot mine at home in a hurry. Fortunately, I got here in time."


    Everyone stared at the new arrival. Is this guy okay in the head? The collective thought passed through the head of everyone present. Even Target, money hungry that he was.


    Sixty million credits was a lot of money.


    "Do you know him?" Genesis whispered, subdued.


    "No." Olivia replied. They were all left wondering if Mr. X will be their saviour or their destroyer.


    "Seventy million." Mchi stood straight and alert. The presence of Mr. X sending an rm ringing in his brain.


    "Let''s not waste anyone''s time. I''m sure you all have ces to be." Mr. Xughed like he was the host of a casual dinner party. "Two hundred million."


    Ezra''s brain froze.


    "Two hundred million?!" Target asked incredulously. Even he was scared of the amount. Everyone was looking around wildly, waiting for Mchi''s response. Who was Mr. X and why was he throwing around that kind of money?


    Mchi stood stock still.


    "Two hundred million credits going once!"


    "Going twice."


    "Sold to Mr. X!" Target yelled in triumph. After all, he was the biggest winner in the auction.


    "This is uneptable." Mchi rumbled.


    "Uneptable?" Mr. X asked, his bodynguage disying an innocence hard to find even in kids nowadays. "Didn''t I win fair and square?"


    "Mr. X or whoever you are, you die today." Tension descended upon the tunnel as dark tentacles bursts out of Mchi''s back. "By the will of Count Solomon, today, one of us departs the world of the living."