Read Online From Fear to Eternity: An Immortality Bites Mystery by Michelle Rowen - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Michelle Rowen
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voices as they called out their bids.
I looked at Thierry, expecting him to join in.
“Not yet,” he said under his breath.
This was stressful.
At the five-million-dollar mark, Atticus finally showed his hand. Literally. He raised his arm to signal his bid.
“Five million from Atticus Kincade,” Sebastien acknowledged. “Do I hear five and a quarter?”
I realized I was holding my breath. This was way more exciting than the auctions I was used to, which admittedly had only been on eBay.
I had to remind myself that Thierry was using Ring money to help acquire the amulet and keep it out of Atticus’s greedy mitts.
The men in the back row helped to raise the bidding to eight million, but Atticus still looked confident. Smug, really.
I glanced over my shoulder to see the other bidders. With an annoyed groan of disdain, one of the men slumped back in his chair.
He was out.
Several bids later, the other man joined him in his defeat.
Atticus practically glowed. He was going to get his prize for the bargain-basement price of ten million dollars.
Was it hot in here, or was it just me?
“Going once,” Sebastien said, “going twice . . .”
“Eleven million.” Thierry finally spoke up, jumping the bid by a full million.
Like it was no big deal.
Sure, eleven million. Just let me check my wallet.
The room went completely silent for a few heavy moments.
“We have a bid for eleven million dollars from Thierry de Bennicoeur.” Sebastien said his name like it tasted rotten.
Atticus turned in his seat and fixed Thierry with what I could only describe of as a look of death.
Hadn’t he expected that Thierry would be bidding on this? He knew Thierry’s previous interest in the amulet, so what was up with the nasty glare?
“He’s not happy with you right now,” I said very quietly.
“I’m sure he’s not. Likely, he believed I would step aside for him in order to maintain our working relationship.”
Before I could say another word, Atticus spoke up, his tone dark. “Eleven point five.”
“Do I hear twelve?” Sebastien asked.
“Twelve,” Thierry said.
Veronique turned fully around in her seat to look at Thierry with shock. “
Mon dieu
! What on earth are you doing?”
“Let him bid on the trinket, my sweet,” Jacob said. “He obviously has the money to spare.”
She ignored him. “After all this time, you’re still desperate to acquire that horrible object?”
Thierry’s expression tensed. “It’s none of your business, Veronique. It never was.”
Her gaze flicked to me. “This is not good, my dear. He was obsessed by this piece at one time.”
“A little obsession is good for the soul?” I offered.
She frowned. “You are much less help than I would have expected.”
Veronique turned back around, but there was a tension in her shoulders that indicated that she was angry with the both of us. For what it was worth, I thought her little outburst showed that she cared for Thierry’s well-being.
For now, and for her own good, she couldn’t know the truth.
Look at me—I was getting to be just as secretive as Thierry.
“Twelve and a half!” Atticus, who now favored fractions, practically shouted.
“Thirteen,” Thierry countered.
Another glare that could crush diamonds hurtled from the lead elder in our direction. His gaze fixed on me, and I tried to look shocked by anything Thierry said. Shocked and slightly embarrassed, as if I was sorry Thierry was making Atticus’s life difficult.
I wondered if Tasha might be impressed by my acting skills.
“Hello?” someone said, loud and clear in my ear.
I turned around to look, but saw only the bland expressions of the people sitting behind me.
Thierry and Atticus continued to battle back andforth. The bidding reached fifteen million, which only helped the big knot in my stomach get bigger and knottier.
“Helloooo?” the voice said again, a bit more urgently. “Can anyone hear me?”
“Who’s saying that?” I
I looked at Thierry, expecting him to join in.
“Not yet,” he said under his breath.
This was stressful.
At the five-million-dollar mark, Atticus finally showed his hand. Literally. He raised his arm to signal his bid.
“Five million from Atticus Kincade,” Sebastien acknowledged. “Do I hear five and a quarter?”
I realized I was holding my breath. This was way more exciting than the auctions I was used to, which admittedly had only been on eBay.
I had to remind myself that Thierry was using Ring money to help acquire the amulet and keep it out of Atticus’s greedy mitts.
The men in the back row helped to raise the bidding to eight million, but Atticus still looked confident. Smug, really.
I glanced over my shoulder to see the other bidders. With an annoyed groan of disdain, one of the men slumped back in his chair.
He was out.
Several bids later, the other man joined him in his defeat.
Atticus practically glowed. He was going to get his prize for the bargain-basement price of ten million dollars.
Was it hot in here, or was it just me?
“Going once,” Sebastien said, “going twice . . .”
“Eleven million.” Thierry finally spoke up, jumping the bid by a full million.
Like it was no big deal.
Sure, eleven million. Just let me check my wallet.
The room went completely silent for a few heavy moments.
“We have a bid for eleven million dollars from Thierry de Bennicoeur.” Sebastien said his name like it tasted rotten.
Atticus turned in his seat and fixed Thierry with what I could only describe of as a look of death.
Hadn’t he expected that Thierry would be bidding on this? He knew Thierry’s previous interest in the amulet, so what was up with the nasty glare?
“He’s not happy with you right now,” I said very quietly.
“I’m sure he’s not. Likely, he believed I would step aside for him in order to maintain our working relationship.”
Before I could say another word, Atticus spoke up, his tone dark. “Eleven point five.”
“Do I hear twelve?” Sebastien asked.
“Twelve,” Thierry said.
Veronique turned fully around in her seat to look at Thierry with shock. “
Mon dieu
! What on earth are you doing?”
“Let him bid on the trinket, my sweet,” Jacob said. “He obviously has the money to spare.”
She ignored him. “After all this time, you’re still desperate to acquire that horrible object?”
Thierry’s expression tensed. “It’s none of your business, Veronique. It never was.”
Her gaze flicked to me. “This is not good, my dear. He was obsessed by this piece at one time.”
“A little obsession is good for the soul?” I offered.
She frowned. “You are much less help than I would have expected.”
Veronique turned back around, but there was a tension in her shoulders that indicated that she was angry with the both of us. For what it was worth, I thought her little outburst showed that she cared for Thierry’s well-being.
For now, and for her own good, she couldn’t know the truth.
Look at me—I was getting to be just as secretive as Thierry.
“Twelve and a half!” Atticus, who now favored fractions, practically shouted.
“Thirteen,” Thierry countered.
Another glare that could crush diamonds hurtled from the lead elder in our direction. His gaze fixed on me, and I tried to look shocked by anything Thierry said. Shocked and slightly embarrassed, as if I was sorry Thierry was making Atticus’s life difficult.
I wondered if Tasha might be impressed by my acting skills.
“Hello?” someone said, loud and clear in my ear.
I turned around to look, but saw only the bland expressions of the people sitting behind me.
Thierry and Atticus continued to battle back andforth. The bidding reached fifteen million, which only helped the big knot in my stomach get bigger and knottier.
“Helloooo?” the voice said again, a bit more urgently. “Can anyone hear me?”
“Who’s saying that?” I
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