''I am Frederick Richardson.'' A voice broke the silence, echoing around the room ominously as the hungry faces looked on at the stage.

The boy was young, a stab of tension branching through my head at the reality of the situation. The headache was long overdue, but the short, innocent boy on stage brought forth a protectiveness within me.

I noticed Aiden shake his head in my peripheral vision. He was watching my reaction, warning me not to create a scene and I knew holding myself back would be hard. Despite being a reasonably quiet and shy girl, I'd noticed that the more time I spent around the vampires, the quicker my anger seeped through.

The bidding started off small, vampires shouting out numbers that became increasingly higher overtime. It was worrying to think about what these vampires had in mind when they saw a boy this age, sick thoughts that my mind didn't even want to begin to explore.

The voices became fewer and far between as they reached the higher prices. Eventually though, a female vampire shouted the final bid, glee lighting up her features as the realisation that she had won dawned on her. The poor boy's face on stage dropped noticeably, and I didn't blame him considering what the vampire could now do to him.

After the first, others came pouring in one by one. Time dragged by, torturing me as I watched each and every human face fall at the dread that manifested due to their new future. It was worse to have to stand idle through it all, knowing I couldn't act.

But Aiden could.

Yet, he watched on without even a glance in my direction. I began to realise that the previous plan of doing something to stop this auction was failing miserably. It hadn't even been thought out in the first place, and once again Aiden's confidence had given way to foolishness.

My eyes fell back towards the stage, an ache beginning to form in my legs due to how long I must have been standing there. A girl was stood in the centre of the raised platform, her wavy blonde hair just reaching her shoulders, thin lips pursed tightly together.

She was short, an obvious sign of her age. But, her demeanour was strong, much like I imagined mine to have been hopefully. Seeing it on her made me proud, despite my not knowing her it was as if she represented the determination all humans must be able to muster in this situation.

''I'm Hazel Leonard.'' Her high-pitched voice carried towards the back of the room, earning a few pleased murmurs among the crowd.

I couldn't face the expressions of the vampires, probably mostly displaying a deep desire. My eyes instead found themselves focused on Aiden whose own eyes were narrowed. He must have felt my level gaze, his eyes slowly turning to catch mine as I pleaded silently for him to take some kind of action.

A look of resignation overcame his features as he slowly stood. A hush fell over the crowd as all of the bidding stopped, the movement from the Prince causing a fresh wave of tension, ''£5000.'' Aiden stated, the familiar authority and arrogance showing through as his lips tugged up at the corner.

It took all of my willpower not to allow my jaw to drop. It was an astounding amount of money to spend at an auction, the other vampires obviously having the same thoughts as they stared dumbfounded at the Prince.

I couldn't help but let my eyes drift to watch the Queen. She looked calculating, her eyes zeroed in on her son as he stood above the rest of the vampires.

''Sold.'' A voice stated with no room for argument. It wasn't much of a surprise considering the other vampires would probably never spend that amount of money on a young girl.

I felt so pleased with Aiden in that moment. As I knew that he wouldn't allow the girl to be mistreated if he were her Master, after all it hadn't turned out half bad between the two of us.

Hazel was silent, although her expression didn't betray any of her emotions. She stepped off of the stage, making her way down the centre aisle towards the back of the room and the thrones. I couldn't stop the warm smile that lit my face to greet her as she reached us and stood beside me.

Aiden took to his throne again, arms and palms rested on the armrests and his back straight, a true picture of royalty. I noticed Rose's curious gaze land on him before Josh twitched, obviously having nudged her due to the way her head snapped back round to face the front.

I daren't whisper to Hazel and reassure her, no matter how much I wanted to. Any sound from me or her would undoubtedly attract unwanted attention from the many vampires. The aim of the day was to keep any attention away from ourselves whilst Aiden did whatever he thought he was doing.

Turns out that the plan he had in mind solely consisted of buying Hazel, and pretty much nothing else. It was quite a big disappointment, one that really had my blood boiling considering how much hope he allowed me to muster.

The auction had continued; many humans being dragged off to different Masters with varying personalities. Some seemed genuinely pleased with their purchase, others portraying a much darker emotion. Whatever reason each vampire had for bidding on the slaves, they would be far from good.

As the last vampire exited, bowing low towards the royals and passing by myself and Hazel without even a glance, I felt the last threads of hope dissipate. There would be no saving them now as each new slave wondered off, following their new Masters to a dreary few years of servitude.

A welcome silence fell, but my nerves did not settle due to still remaining in the presence of both the King and Queen. Josh and Rose walked slowly towards us, Josh eyeing up Hazel who stared forwards rigidly, stood still at the side lines.

The Queen's cold voice shattered the silence, ''Another slave, Aiden? Even when you were so opposed to the idea of another auction?'' With raised eyebrows and a quirked upper lip, the Queen observed the newcomer and her son. The King's hard glare making his influence apparent also.

''I didn't bid on her to serve me. Millie and myself have made it clear that they are all too young.'' Aiden's voice was hard and emotionless as he stood casually from his throne.

''Oh? So what do you plan on using her for then?'' It was clear from her tone that the Queen was inquisitive as she watched her son, awaiting his answer.

However, Aiden didn't make a move to answer her. Instead he faced Hazel who stared back at her Master with an expression akin to wonder, ''Where is your home?''

I was taken aback by the question and could tell that the others were too. My first thought was that Hazel couldn't announce where her family lived, it was a sure fire way to inform the Queen and if she had any doubts about the girl then it was a way to punish her.

What was Aiden getting at?

Fear sparked in Hazel's eyes as she undoubtedly imagined any and all scenarios that could stem from telling him. As a fellow slave now, I could only assume that her thoughts were travelling down the same track as mine.

''What on earth do you mean, Aiden? She lives with us in the mansion now.'' Anger seeped into the Queen's gaze, made even more apparent as they turned a terrifying, swirling crimson. She must have had her suspicions in that moment.

''No. She's my slave, I bought her, and I can choose where she lives.'' Aiden's own eyes blazed with unleashed fury, his voice raised in challenge against his mother.

Although I was extremely proud of him in that moment, my doubts for his strength against hers kept any hope from surfacing. Without hesitation, I allowed my hand to reach out and hold Hazel's in a show of strength purely for her benefit, because honestly my own nerves were completely frazzled.

Nobody missed my movement, my eyes widening as I realised how much attention I had just brought upon us. Which made me ever more grateful when Millie spoke up, ''It's true, as her Master Aiden can order for her to reside wherever he wants her to. That doesn't necessarily mean the mansion.''

It was risky for Millie to join in the dispute, her eyes darting to me for a second which was a clear indicator that she had done it to distract her parents.

To my surprise, the Queen didn't shout back with another retort. Instead, her shoulders relaxed as she stood from her previously crouched position. She had obviously instinctively readied herself for a battle, and it was a relief to see her disregard that thought.

''Fine. Your slave, your choice.'' Her eyes narrowed, passing from Aiden, to Hazel and finally settling on me, ''As far as I'm concerned, they're both too pathetic to serve in the mansion.'' With those parting words, she strolled passed us and exited the building, disappearing from sight.

''You watch your tongue around here, son. Don't forget who has power over you.'' The King's threat was dark as he followed after his wife. It was strange that he spoke so little, but that also sometimes made him seem much more menacing.

Millie sighed, flipping her hair over her shoulder as if nothing had just transpired, ''Whatever you have planned, I'm not sure I want to know about it.'' She crossed her arms, her lips pursed.

''Then don't get involved, Mills.'' Aiden's voice was soft, almost defeated. It must have gone against his very nature to have been protecting humans as a lesser species, ''You three go back to the mansion, or wherever. I'm going to take Hazel home.''

Excitement bubbled in my stomach at his words, seeing a human not being subjected to the suffering of a slave was unheard of and it would be amazing to see Hazel return to her family. Even if it wasn't Aiden's plan all along, at the very least we were bringing happiness to one family.

I only hoped that in the future it would be on a much larger scale.

-*-*-*-

A/N I am so sorry that this is late! For some reason I don't seem to have as much time any more to write the chapters a little bit each day. But I am happy to announce that I have made myself a schedule which will hopefully allow me to get ahead a few chapters so that there aren't any more late ones!

Thank you so much for reading! :)