Lauren was locked up in a cellar beneath the club.

It was cold and dank, with that same stink of stale beer that she hated. The men had left her hands tied, but at least they hadn’t put the bag back over her head. It was a small thing to be thankful for, but right now it was all Lauren had.

From their conversation, she got the gist of things. She’d been taken because she was going to be sold. Her life was no longer her own. The men seemed to think there was something special about her, though she had no idea what.

No amount of screaming or yelling had made any difference. She looked around the cellar, trying to spot something she might be able to use as a weapon, but there was nothing. It was just a cold, dark hole, locked from the outside world by a metal barred gate.

She sat with her knees pulled up to her chest, trying not to get lost in the void of despair that faced her as she pictured what her future might hold. She didn’t want to think about it, but at the same time, she knew she had to. If she was going to get out of this alive, she needed to face up to what might be about to happen in order for her to see a way out of it.

Her thoughts went to the voice she’d heard in her head as she’d been brought here. Had she been imagining things? Had the amount of stress she was under pushed her towards some kind of psychotic break? And yet it had felt so real, as though someone had been calling to her, pulling her in. She’d taken comfort in it, even though deep down she knew it couldn’t have been real.

Lauren didn’t want to cry but could feel the need burning at the backs of her eyes.

How long had she been sitting down here? It felt like hours. Her backside ached from sitting on the cold, hard floor, and she hurt all over from where she’d thrown herself around in the boot of the car. She’d passed the time by pacing, and, when she grew too tired, she sat back down again. Her head dropped to her chin, and she jerked it back up, not wanting to fall asleep. Sleeping would make her vulnerable, and she didn’t like that, but she was also exhausted. Night must have passed by now, which meant she was into the next day, and still no one had come for her. Was that because they needed to move her, and knew they’d be better off doing so under the cover of night? Yes, that must be it. She didn’t want to think about where she’d be going next. Would they try to get her out of the country, or would she at least be sold to someone who lived in England?

She hoped so. It was a small thing to hope for, but at least then she might stand some chance of escape. She had her wits about her and knew how everything worked in the UK. All she’d need to do was make a run for it at the first opportunity, or just get to a phone or computer and call the police. If she ended up somewhere strange and unknown, and not being able to speak the language, she didn’t know what she’d do. That thought terrified her more than anything.

From somewhere down the long, low-ceilinged corridor, she heard footsteps and the clang of metal.

Lauren jumped to her feet.

The footsteps got louder as they came towards her, loud and hollow in the confined space. A bright light flicked on in the corridor outside, and two shapes came to a halt outside the bars of her prison. Her eyes took a moment to adjust, but then she saw it was the same two men who’d taken her. No, that wasn’t right. Lurking behind them was the bearded third man, staying in the shadows as though he didn’t want to be seen.

“We brought you something,” the first man said. He held up what looked to be a dry cleaning bag.

What the fuck?

“I don’t want anything you have to give me,” she snarled.

The man unzipped the front, revealing a ball gown style dress in the deepest red. It would look amazing against her dark hair and golden skin, though she wasn’t about to tell them that. Besides, she didn’t do dresses. She couldn’t even remember the last time she’d worn one—it must have been when she was a child. Certainly not since she’d run away from home. Living on the streets and pretty dresses didn’t exactly go hand in hand.

“I’m not wearing that.”

The bigger man with the beard and long hair who’d been lurking behind them stepped forward. When he spoke, she recognised his deep voice from when she’d first been brought here. “I’m afraid you don’t have much choice.”

She snorted. “I think I do. I just won’t put it on.”

“In which case, we’ll have to come in there with you, take off all your clothes, and do it for you.”

The idea of the men holding her down while they stripped her to her underwear made her shrink with horror.

“That’s not all.” He held out a second bag and pushed it between the bars towards her, holding it open so she could see inside.

Lauren darted forward. She dared to peer inside, hoping to find a bottle of water or maybe even something to eat, but she was to be disappointed.

The man pushed his hand through the bars and reached in and pulled out the items.

“You have got to be kidding me.”

Pinched between his fingertips was a lacy, black, strapless bra and matching thong. Together with the underwear, there was also a set of three inch, strappy heels she knew she’d never be able to walk in.

“I’m not wearing that,” she muttered again.

But he heard her. “Would you prefer to wear no underwear? That can be arranged, you know.”

The idea of being naked beneath the dress made her stomach curdle.

What the hell was this? Were they getting her dressed up so they could sell her for a higher price? Yes, that must be what they were doing. Her bladder was uncomfortably full, and she was tempted to relieve herself all over the damned dress, but only her own pride held her back. Knowing her luck, they’d probably force her to wear it anyway.

“I need the bathroom,” she muttered, her cheeks flaring with heat. “Take me to the bathroom, and I’ll get changed in there.”

He pursed his lips. “You’ll need to let go of whatever modesty you think you have,” he said. “Your body is no longer your own. You don’t yet know it, but you already belong to someone else, someone who has paid a great deal of money for you. You’re an unusual specimen. Blood like yours goes for a high price.”

Goosebumps rose on her arms. “Blood like mine?”

“Yes, with your ancestry.” He looked at her, his eyes narrowed as he assessed her. “You don’t know, do you?”

She shook her head. “Clearly not.”

“You have fae blood running through your veins. One of the oldest bloodlines of fae.”

Her mouth dropped open. “Fae? You mean fairy? You’re saying I have fairy blood?” The whole idea was ridiculous. Her mother was as far from being anything special or paranormal as it was possible to get. Of course, she knew such things existed, but she certainly didn’t have anything like that in her family line. But then, she didn’t know much about her father’s side, did she? But surely if she was something like that, her parents would have known. Wouldn’t they have cherished her more? Wouldn’t her father have bothered to stick around if he was more than just human?

“You’re wrong,” she said, finally. “I’m nothing special. My father was a waste of space who left the moment my mother got pregnant, and my mother is a drunk. You’ve got the wrong person.”

“We definitely haven’t. I can smell it on you now. That makes it very unusual, and gives a certain sweet taste to vampires.”

Her eyes widened. “You’re selling me to a vampire?”

“No, you’re already sold.”

“Are you a vampire?” He didn’t look like a vampire—his skin too dark from being out in the daylight, and he was just too ... hairy.

He snorted. “Me? God, no. I’m a wolf-shifter, but I have my connections.”

So, she’d been sold to a vampire as some kind of blood-letting sex slave because she had fae blood in her ancestry. Could the world get any crazier?

“Will you let me change in the bathroom?” she tried again. “If these are to be my last moments of privacy, can’t you at least give me that much and allow me to take them?”

He sighed, long and drawn out, as though she was being the biggest inconvenience in the world to him. “Very well.” He nodded to the two other men. “Take her through to the staff changing room. Make sure no one else goes in there while she’s changing.”

The two men nodded in unison. “Yes, sir.”

The gate was unlocked, and Lauren’s heart picked up pace. She still had her hands bound, but if they wanted her to be able to dress herself, they’d have to cut the tape. If she was going to a changing room, maybe there would be the belongings of other people in there. She might find a mobile phone, if she was lucky, and call the police. Or there might even be a window she’d be able to climb out of.

They walked her along the corridor until they came to a second door. Any hopes of there being a window to climb out of faded. They were still below ground. She might struggle to get a signal from a mobile phone as well, but at least if she did find one, she might be able to hide it on her somewhere until they took her up into the main part of the club. If she was to be passed on to some sick fuck of a vampire, it wasn’t as though they could keep her down here the whole time.

The reason they’d been waiting for night to fall again struck her. It wasn’t because it was easier to move her at night. It was because the vampire most likely wouldn’t be able to walk in the day.

The men entered the changing rooms with her. Toilet cubicles were at the back of the room. Coats hung from pegs, but there were lockers, which was most likely where the staff members’ bags were kept. Damn it. If they had phones, they’d either still have them on their person, or they’d have them locked up. Still, it was worth checking the coat pockets, though, just in case.

The man holding the dress hung it up on one of the hooks.

“You’re going to have to cut the tape around my wrists if I’m going to be able to dress myself,” she said.

The men exchanged a glance.

The head guy nodded. “Yes, cut the tape. There’s nowhere she can go down here, anyway, and it’s not as though she’s going to get past us.” He gave a wicked smile, revealing canines she was sure hadn’t been there a moment ago. “You wouldn’t want to try to outrun three wolves, would you? We’re known to get feisty in wolf form, easy with our teeth and other parts of our bodies. Did you know wolves get locked together after they mate? Sometimes for up to an hour? I can’t imagine you’d want to spend an hour with one of us in wolf form, now, would you?”

The thought made her shudder, fear causing her spit to grow thick on the back of her tongue, making it hard for her to swallow.

“It’s fine,” she managed. “I won’t run. I just want to get changed in privacy. Especially if it’s to be my last time.”

What would the vampire she was being sold to be like? From the little she knew of them, she knew they could be old—sometimes hundreds of years old. Lauren wrinkled her nose at the thought. It was weird to think of being around someone who had been walking the earth that long. No wonder they thought of mortals as being of little consequence. Humans must appear to be little more than children to them—unknowledgeable, with no experience to speak of.

“Glad to hear it.” He nodded to one of the men. “Cut her free.”

The man stepped forward and lifted his hand. Lauren let out a scream as the fingers suddenly morphed into a paw, and the blunt nails of what had previously been his human hand became long and sharp. Claws. With his other hand, which was still human, he spun her around so her back was to him. Lauren tensed every muscle in her body, her eyes squeezed shut. She felt the movement of air across the back of her neck as he swiped the clawed paw downward. A moment later, the tension across her wrists gave way, and she realised he’d used his claws to cut apart the tape.

She exhaled a long, shaky breath and pulled her hands around to the front of her body, peeling off the remaining tape and rubbing her sore wrists.

He picked up the dress and the bag containing the underwear and shoes and shoved them into her arms. “There.” He nodded towards one of the toilet stalls. “Go and get changed. We’ll be waiting right here.”

Her heart sank. She wasn’t even going to get the freedom to check the coat pockets.

“It’s a big dress,” she tried. “It’s going to get dirty all squashed up in a bathroom stall.”

He glowered at her, and she caught a hint of yellow in his eyes. She remembered his threat, and light-headedness made the room tilt.

“You’ll manage,” he growled.

She didn’t have much choice.

Lauren went into the toilet stall and shut and locked the door behind her. She wished she could sit down and just put her head in her hands and figure out what the fuck she was going to do, but she was painfully aware of the three men standing right on the other side of the door. Instead, she hooked the dress over the back of the door and set about peeling off her jeans and t-shirt.

Though she didn’t think they could see her, she still used her arm to cover her breasts as she took off her old but comfortable bra. She checked the new set of underwear she’d been given. La Perla. It looked like whoever had bought her had expensive taste. This set alone probably cost five hundred pounds, if not more. She didn’t dare think how much the dress had cost. Probably more than she’d see in a year.

Lauren quickly swapped her old stuff for the new, and then unhooked the dress. She pulled it on, glad the zip was at the side and not the back, so she didn’t have to ask for help.

The dress was stunning. The bodice nipped her in beautifully at the waist, the long skirt flaring out in layers, the neckline scalloped to highlight the shape of the tops of her breasts. Finally, she slipped her feet into the heels, and immediately her posture changed—her shoulders went back, her chin lifted, and she found herself holding in her already slender stomach.

Ah, so this was why they’d made her change. This was the woman they wanted to sell on, not some grubby little street urchin.

The thought made her want to tear the clothes from her body again, but what would be the point? The head werewolf’s threat hung over her, and she didn’t want to risk his wrath. She needed to play ball until an opportunity arose to make a run for it, or at least call for help.

Taking another deep breath, and trying not to notice how her hand trembled when she reached for the lock, she slid it back across and opened the door.

The three men’s eyes widened when they saw her, and a slow smile spread across the bearded man’s face. “Well, I think our vampire will be more than happy with his purchase, but, just as an insurance...”

He stepped forward and grabbed her forearm, yanking it out towards him. Moving quickly, before she even got the chance to react, he’d slipped a syringe into a vein in her wrist, and she watched in horror as her blood filled the vial.

Lauren gasped, clutching her arm. “What did you do that for?”

“To give the vampire who has bought you a taste of what’s to come. Once he’s got a taste of you, he’ll be addicted. There’s no way he’ll go back on our deal.”