Adley managed to reason with Lyla that destroying innocent werewolves was not necessary. Lennon disliked being the go-between, grumping that they were wasting time. Then he remembered the danger that lurked inside and suddenly was no longer in a hurry.

Formulating a plan quickly, Adley remained behind while Lennon searched for an ideal place to approach the entrance. Lyla was a step back, watching the land and the werewolf guards.

When he got the signal, Adley stepped out of the bushes at the rear of the area then approached on the footpath. His goal was to talk to the werewolves about his fake interest in joining the legion. All he had to do was keep their attention on him and not to the human and the vampire sneaking inside behind them.

Adley knew the consequences of his failure. Lyla made it quite clear that if she felt threatened, she'd take them out. To keep the werewolves alive, he had to succeed.

Slowly Lennon slipped down the embankment, trying to avoid making any sounds. One wrong move and the guards would turn, and their adventure into madness would be over. Lyla was right behind him, struggling in the tight skirt. It caused her to lose her footing in the loose dirt. Lennon caught her quickly, helping her down to the ground. With bated breath, they turned to the guards. They were still distracted so, the pair quickly tiptoed through the entrance.

"Well, that went better than I thought it would. Here, put these on."

Lyla looked at the little box that had a fake pair of fangs in it.

"Seriously?"

"Could be the only thing that saves you. Don't put pressure on them. It's only a tape that will keep them stuck to your own teeth."

She opened the box, taking one to inspect. Sensing that they would have company soon, Lennon took over. He peeled the backing strip away and pushed up Lyla's top lip. With the fake fang stuck onto her tooth, he stepped back and looked at her.

"Looks totally legit."

"Liar."

"Yeah, but it's better than nothing."

After putting the other fang on, he pocketed the box and took Lyla's hand.

"We're going to be discreet and try to figure out where Joe is. Remember that you're following my lead. Don't go off doing your own thing. This is going to be difficult, and we have to maintain caution with every step. We need to find your daughter, which means that we might have to search for Joe first. There will be a private room of some sort. Your daughter will likely be in there."

They walked into the grand lobby. Lyla found it oddly surprising to see such opulence for a temporary area that was supposed to be a drain. It was a long room, decked out in a rich red wallpaper that was an ornate pattern. Long velvet drapes swept from the ceiling down to the walls, held back by gold rope tiebacks. At the end of the braided ropes were tassels, larger than any that Lyla had ever seen. The entire room was a false view of grandeur.

The room was full of vampires standing in front of machines as they perused the offerings at the market tonight. Lyla didn't want to look, but she found a strange compulsion to peer over the shoulder of a vampire. For a moment, she saw the images of humans as they flicked past.

Attendants watched on, helping if the vampire required it. Lyla didn't want them to look her way. For some reason, Lennon walked over to a machine.

"What are you doing?" Lyla hissed under her breath.

"Doing what is expected of us."

An attendant approached.

"Good evening, sir, madam. Have you attended a market before tonight?"

"No."

"Well then, you're in for a treat, I'm sure. Please enter your details, and you will be provided with a number. You can use the number in the free-range bidding room or select from the silent auction book. Before you begin, please read the terms and conditions of the marketplace."

Lennon went through the process, praying that Lyla said nothing when he entered the details. It was lucky that he was prepared for such situations, already owning a fake id with a false name. He didn't know if anyone knew him, but it was better to assume yes than risk getting caught.

When the details were entered, Lennon began looking through the silent auction book. Eloise was not listed, and for that, they were both grateful.

"You know, I think we might take a look at the free-range room."

"Of course," the attendant said with a smile. "Take a paddle, write your number on it and remember, all sales are final, and payment must be made in cash tonight."

Lennon nodded, urging Lyla away from the vampire that smiled too much. He was just too happy for his liking.

Pushing through the crowd, Lennon kept hold of Lyla's hand, fearing that he'd lose her. He didn't want to think about what would happen if she was left to her own devices. Lennon no longer thought that she was an innocent human that would wilt like a flower. He believed that she was a fierce woman that was just tired and downtrodden because of this brat. It was hard to think that she'd be so accepting of these antics, but Lennon mused that he didn't understand what it was like to be a parent.

Lyla looked around the crowd, seeing the eyes turn to her as she got closer. She believed that they could smell that she was human. The fangs were pointless. Still, she kept her mouth open a fraction to expose the tips of the sharp bits of plastic.

When they reached the doorway, the pair were finally free of the crowd. In front of them was a staircase. Either side was a balcony that swept around the room. Below was a crowded room filled with hungry bidders who were waiting for the auction to begin.

At the opposite end of the room was a stage with two chairs. Lyla stared in disbelief when she saw Eloise in one of those chairs. In the other was Joe. They held hands and looked at each other adoringly. The house lights lowered slightly, and a spotlight shone down on a microphone.

Her heart began to race as she watched Eloise stand from her seat. Dressed in a slinky silver dress that glittered in the light, she gripped the microphone stand and smiled.

"Good evening, patrons and welcome to the new and improved marketplace. Let's get the auction started, shall we?"