Read Online The Emerald Virgin (Gem Apocalypse Book 1) by Ravyn Rayne - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Ravyn Rayne
Ads: Link
this gem is a rare beauty. At twenty-three, she's still plenty young for teaching her the proper way to submit and old enough to not feel guilty about it."
A chorus of laughter echoed in the auditorium.
The auctioneer leaned closer and hissed into her ear. "Smile."
Aria smiled. It wasn't as though she had to pretend to want to get out of here. She desired to leave, to flee for her freedom but she wasn't sure which suitor would have the least level of security. There was an elderly gentleman in the front row. At the very least, he looked like he could keel over and die within the next few years. Aria doubted she could survive a few years with him though.
"Let's start the bidding at one thousand, shall we?"
A gentleman lifted his bid card in the back of the hall. There were at least a few hundred patrons, mostly gentlemen.
"Five thousand!" Another man shouted. He held up the number 482, it covered his face. Aria recognized his voice and her hands balled into fists at her side.
"Six thousand!" Aria's head darted toward the most recent bidder in the front row. The gentleman that could be her grandfather. Apparently he noticed when she had locked eyes on him. Gross.
"Ten thousand!" 482 said and Aria knew without a doubt the voice belonged to James. Had he lost his mind?
The auctioneer laughed. "Wow. Ten thousand. Do we have ten five?"
The split second of silence was interrupted. An explosion rocked the stage, forcing the metal rafters to drop down at Aria. She covered her head, but not before watching the auctioneer pummeled to death.
The audience leapt out of their seats and rushed for the exit.
A second bomb detonated at the back right, near one of the exit doors. Smoke filled the room.
"Aria!" James screamed, darting toward the stage and the commotion, heading for Aria.
There were voices and movement behind the stage. "Emerald!" They must have been the ones that set off the explosion. Who were they?
Aria turned her head to see what the commotion behind her was about. A group in black clothes and dark masks stared at her. "You want to get out of here?"
They were rebels.
Aria stood, coughing as the smoke permeated the room. She had never considered herself a rebel until today. Though wasn't that what she'd been all her life?
Footsteps behind her, James caught up. "Aria, what are you doing?"
"Living my life," Aria said. "I'm not going to be bought by a prince or a wealthy pervert that wants me as his sex slave."
"We have to go, now! " a voice said behind the black mask.
"I love you," James said.
"You don't even know me." The glimpses he got were pieces of Aria that were forced and untrue. The most real moment they shared while together had been at the market, before her escape.
"I want to," James said and he gripped her hand. "Please, stay with me."
"Your father sold me to these men to auction me off. I'm not going back to the palace. If you want to be with me, you're going to have to prove yourself worthy. Come with us or don't," Aria said, pretending not to care. He infuriated Aria to no end, but a part of her did like his attention and his company.
One of the masked men grabbed Aria by the arm. "Are you sure he's to be trusted? He's the King's son, a Prince of Brayleigh."
"You have my word and if he betrays any of us, kill him." Aria locked eyes on James. She was done taking orders and fearing for her life. It was time he feared for his own.
Chapter Five
Aria climbed into the backseat of the car and sat in the center. James sat beside her, as did another girl from the facility.
Aria glanced behind them through the window as a dozen or so vehicles trailed, headlights blazed into the night.
"We're being followed," Aria said.
"Of course we are," the driver said and pulled off his mask. "Got ourselves a new fleet of vehicles."
In the rearview mirror Aria caught sight of his amber eyes and relaxed into the seat. "Who are you
A chorus of laughter echoed in the auditorium.
The auctioneer leaned closer and hissed into her ear. "Smile."
Aria smiled. It wasn't as though she had to pretend to want to get out of here. She desired to leave, to flee for her freedom but she wasn't sure which suitor would have the least level of security. There was an elderly gentleman in the front row. At the very least, he looked like he could keel over and die within the next few years. Aria doubted she could survive a few years with him though.
"Let's start the bidding at one thousand, shall we?"
A gentleman lifted his bid card in the back of the hall. There were at least a few hundred patrons, mostly gentlemen.
"Five thousand!" Another man shouted. He held up the number 482, it covered his face. Aria recognized his voice and her hands balled into fists at her side.
"Six thousand!" Aria's head darted toward the most recent bidder in the front row. The gentleman that could be her grandfather. Apparently he noticed when she had locked eyes on him. Gross.
"Ten thousand!" 482 said and Aria knew without a doubt the voice belonged to James. Had he lost his mind?
The auctioneer laughed. "Wow. Ten thousand. Do we have ten five?"
The split second of silence was interrupted. An explosion rocked the stage, forcing the metal rafters to drop down at Aria. She covered her head, but not before watching the auctioneer pummeled to death.
The audience leapt out of their seats and rushed for the exit.
A second bomb detonated at the back right, near one of the exit doors. Smoke filled the room.
"Aria!" James screamed, darting toward the stage and the commotion, heading for Aria.
There were voices and movement behind the stage. "Emerald!" They must have been the ones that set off the explosion. Who were they?
Aria turned her head to see what the commotion behind her was about. A group in black clothes and dark masks stared at her. "You want to get out of here?"
They were rebels.
Aria stood, coughing as the smoke permeated the room. She had never considered herself a rebel until today. Though wasn't that what she'd been all her life?
Footsteps behind her, James caught up. "Aria, what are you doing?"
"Living my life," Aria said. "I'm not going to be bought by a prince or a wealthy pervert that wants me as his sex slave."
"We have to go, now! " a voice said behind the black mask.
"I love you," James said.
"You don't even know me." The glimpses he got were pieces of Aria that were forced and untrue. The most real moment they shared while together had been at the market, before her escape.
"I want to," James said and he gripped her hand. "Please, stay with me."
"Your father sold me to these men to auction me off. I'm not going back to the palace. If you want to be with me, you're going to have to prove yourself worthy. Come with us or don't," Aria said, pretending not to care. He infuriated Aria to no end, but a part of her did like his attention and his company.
One of the masked men grabbed Aria by the arm. "Are you sure he's to be trusted? He's the King's son, a Prince of Brayleigh."
"You have my word and if he betrays any of us, kill him." Aria locked eyes on James. She was done taking orders and fearing for her life. It was time he feared for his own.
Chapter Five
Aria climbed into the backseat of the car and sat in the center. James sat beside her, as did another girl from the facility.
Aria glanced behind them through the window as a dozen or so vehicles trailed, headlights blazed into the night.
"We're being followed," Aria said.
"Of course we are," the driver said and pulled off his mask. "Got ourselves a new fleet of vehicles."
In the rearview mirror Aria caught sight of his amber eyes and relaxed into the seat. "Who are you
Similar Books
