21. Sisi
21
SISI
S ometimes I look at Vlad, and I don't know who I am seeing. No matter how much I get to know him, there's just so much hidden, so much he's not saying. He's always giving me the facts. But never more than that. With him, it's always cold, logical facts.
Like now.
I watch stupefied as he bids ten million dollars on a man, and I can't figure out why he would do that.
Once the auction is over, Mauro comes to speak with Vlad, telling him he'll be able to pick up his purchase after the recess, since they have to get Seth ready for his new owner. Vlad grunts in approval, his hand never leaving my waist as he finalizes the details.
"What's the plan?" I ask when the host leaves, and Vlad gives me a weird look.
"No plan. It was merely a spur-of-the-moment decision." He quickly gives me one of his charming smiles, but I can see what he's trying to do.
"You're not fooling me." I narrow my eyes at him. I can see through the mask he's trying to put on, and I'm sure there must be an ulterior reason for it.
"Sisi, Sisi," he tsks at me, stooping down so that our faces are on the same level, "sometimes your intuition amazes me," he says, the intensity in his eyes making me shiver. "You might be right, but then you might be wrong too," he jokes, his lips pulling up in a lopsided smile.
So many masks, so many faces. When will I ever truly know him?
I shake my head at him, my expression telling him that I'm on to him. But just as I look into his eyes for any sign of vulnerability, his features become grave, his hand catching me by the throat, his fingers massaging my pulse.
"Sometimes," he leans forward, whispering in my ear, "ignorance is bliss, Sisi."
"And knowledge is power," I reply, watching a myriad of emotions filter over his face, eventually settling on fake joviality. His smile widens as his lips brush over mine.
"Knowledge is also damnation," he replies, his voice deep with an underlying hint of threat.
"Aren't we already damned?" I ask, bringing my hand up and caressing his cheek.
He doesn't reply, his eyes pinning me to the spot, his touch making me his prisoner. Even the boisterous sounds surrounding us fade away as we gaze at each other, so close yet so far away.
And just as it started, everything is over. His hands off me, he settles me next to him, turning his attention to the stage and the continued entertainment.
We'd been so in sync not too long ago, and that intimacy we'd just shared had made me think we'd become... more. A first for both of us, I'd really thought that in that moment he was irrevocably mine.
I slip my hand into his, threading our fingers together, and for the first time, the coldness of his skin seems to seep into mine. He's like a marble sculpture looming over mere mortals, his presence imposing and awe-inspiring.
Looking at his profile, I have to wonder if this man can truly belong to one person. He's so raw, so barely contained, that sometimes I feel he might overwhelm me. He's full of wicked charm and sinister intentions—a deadly combination both to my body and my heart.
But why is it that I'm so drawn to him? So taken by this inexplicable darkness that lies just beneath the surface, waiting to engulf me whole? Why do I crave him like an addict craves his next fix? Because I can barely go through the day when he's not with me.
In such a short time, I've become so dependent on his presence, so used to the warmth of his skin on mine, that I don't know what I'd do if he suddenly disappeared.
I want him.
For the first time in my life, I'll let myself be greedy. I want the bad and the good. I want everything.
The noise coming from the stage brings me back to reality, and I shake myself from my musings.
Five almost naked women take the stage just as the music changes from lively to seductive. For a second, I'm confused, since the atmosphere looks identical to the one at the bar. Mauro, though, is quick to explain what's going to happen.
All five girls are available for one round, and each will be bid on individually.
"One round?" I ask, confused at the terminology, and Vlad grimaces.
One after another, the girls are auctioned to someone in the crowd. When the fifth one's been called, all the men who won make their way to the stage, slapping the women around and tearing the clothes off their bodies.
"What." I frown, but it's soon clear what one round meant.
The men are quick to unzip their pants, and that's the last thing I see as Vlad suddenly twists me in front of him, blocking my view of the stage.
"Don't watch," he whispers, holding me tightly.
"Why? Isn't that the whole point of us being here?"
"I don't want you watching naked men." He tips my chin up, ensuring I look into his eyes. "I want you to only see me." He smiles. "You're not the only one with the jealous streak," he jokes.
Warmth unfurls inside my body at his pronouncement.
"Is that so?" I let my hands trail up his muscular arms, feeling the tension bubbling under his skin.
He catches my errant hands, bringing them to his mouth, his teeth nibbling at my fingers .
The volume of the music decreases, moans and shrieks resounding in the room.
"I'm the only man you can look at," his tongue does wicked things to my fingers, and my breath hitches every time he sucks the tips into his mouth, "the only one you can touch..." He trails his lips over my wrist, right above the pulse point, "The only one you can fuck."
Words fail me as I become lost in his seductive gaze. How is it that he can be so detached one moment, but so suave the next?
"Will you... keep me?" I ask, my voice small. For the first time, I'm asking what I've wanted to know from the very beginning.
One arm tightens around my waist as he lowers his mouth to my ear.
"Keep you? You're mine, Sisi. You go where I go, in Hell or beyond." I feel him smile against my skin. "Dead or alive," he says and chills spread across my skin. "Even if I have to kill you myself."
"As long as you never abandon me." I lean back so he can see the seriousness in my gaze. "I'm yours. Dead or alive." I must be insane to agree to such a thing, but for him, I'd do just about anything.
"I'm glad we're on the same page." He smirks, toying with a long strand of hair. "Because I'd miss your lovely heartbeat."
"You'd kill me if I left you?"
He doesn't answer, his smile wide.
Only when we hear Mauro's voice announcing the next event does Vlad let me turn around, keeping a possessive arm around me.
As everyone stops at the bar at the other end of the room for refreshments, we're invited by one of the employees to follow him to get to Seth.
I hold on to Vlad as we go down some dimly lit corridor before we stop in front of a row of cages.
"Lord," I whisper when I see eyes glinting in the darkness of the room, all curious and full of pain. I'm momentarily struck by what I'm seeing, and Vlad tugs me forward, shaking his head at me.
The employee opens one of the cages to reveal Seth, already dressed in a clean shirt and pants, his gaze empty and numb as he glances at us.
"This is your controller." The man gives Vlad a tiny device, explaining that Seth has a chip implanted in his brain, and the controller zaps him into obedience.
"I'll leave you to get acquainted. Ten more minutes until the main event." The man winks. "You don't want to be late for the fun." He laughs as he steps away.
Vlad quietly assesses Seth, moving around in a circle as he studies his form.
"You'll do," he declares, pleased with himself.
So far Seth has not reacted to anything, not even to his own sale. He's just looking blankly in the distance.
Vlad's eyebrows knit together as he notices the same thing — Seth is motionless.
"Well, hello to you too." He waves a hand in front of him.
No reaction.
"Cat got your tongue?" Vlad chuckles, taking out the remote and studying it. "I wonder what would happen if I clicked this button," he intones, his fingers gliding around the smooth surface of the controller.
"You know, I've always had an obsession with buttons. And I've never resisted temptation before," he notes just as he's about to push the button.
Seth's good eye moves toward Vlad in his first reaction since we got here.
"Oh, great. For a moment I thought you were a robot. Good to know you're human." Vlad beams at him, taking two steps until he's in front of Seth.
Taking his hand, he places the controller in it. Seth frowns, daring to look down at the device in his palm.
"Here's how this is going to go. You're free to do as you please. You've more than earned that right. I don't know how you ended up here, or what happened in your past, and frankly I don't really care."
Seth tilts his head at Vlad, narrowing his eyes at him as if he doesn't understand what he's saying.
"Maybe he doesn't speak English," I nudge Vlad.
"He does, don't you boy?"
Seth moves his head to the right, as if he's finally paying attention to Vlad .
"I have an offer for you. I'd like to give you a job. Again, no strings attached. You're free if you want to leave, but I could use someone with your skill. I'll pay you and give you a place to live. You will act as my bodyguard, of sorts. Not too hard, if I do say so myself." Vlad preens, looking at me for confirmation.
I roll my eyes at what can only be the beginning of a dramatic performance.
"I don't require much of your time, and you will be fairly compensated." Vlad goes on about the benefits of working for him, making himself out to be some sort of spoiled prince who needs constant monitoring.
I guess in another life, maybe. A smile pulls at my lips as I watch Vlad try his best to convince Seth to come work for him.
I can't believe he's paid ten million dollars and he's setting him free. A new respect for him blossoms in my chest as I see him try to offer Seth a fair chance at living.
Vlad's speech ends, but there's still no reply from Seth.
"Well." Vlad's shoulders sag for dramatic effect. "I tried," he says with a shrug, grabbing my hand and turning toward the exit.
Out of nowhere, Seth's hand is on Vlad's shoulder as he stops him. Opening his mouth, he points to his tongue... or what's left of it.
"So cat did get your tongue," Vlad jokes, quickly sobering up and handing Seth his phone to type up a reply.
He's quick to write something, and Vlad's expression tells me it's a positive answer.
"What does it say?" I ask, and he just shows me the phone.
Help me get revenge and you have a deal.
"Welcome aboard, Seth." Vlad pats his back, and I'm once more intrigued about Vlad's intentions.
B ack in the arena, the main event is about to start as Vlad and I resume our places. Everyone is looking at us askance as Seth hulks in the background, situating himself behind us, his good eye scanning the crowd .
Mauro is back on stage, introducing the event as multiple people come to bring different props.
"The moment you've all been waiting for is here." He pauses, looking around to increase anticipation. "No doubt, most of you have submitted requests and are eagerly awaiting to get your hands on the prize. But just like every time, your request will be publicly shared, and everyone will have a chance to bid. The more unusual, the more money you'll have to spend." He chuckles, and the crowd seems incensed.
Still, a few smug people nod their heads, no doubt sure they will be able to secure their order.
"So what is it? Just people?" I lean in to ask Vlad.
He'd given me a rundown of the club, but he hadn't told me any details.
"You heard him. Unusual people," he replies, his gaze intent on the stage.
Mauro introduces the first person up for auction—a virgin Kumari. A young girl dressed in ostentatious clothes and with her face painted in a combination of red and black is ushered in. Four people are carrying her in on a throne, settling her in the middle of the stage.
"Kumari?"
Vlad's jaw is ticking as he looks upon the ongoing auction.
"Kumari is a Nepalese tradition that uses young girls to embody a living goddess. They can only fulfill the role, though, until they reach puberty," he explains and my eyes widen with horror.
"You mean..."
"Yes. Some people probably think they will get some divine powers if they fuck a child." He shakes his head in disgust.
"Can't we do something?" I whisper, looking between him and the stage.
The girl looks dazed as she keeps herself unmoving on the throne, showing absolutely no fear for what will no doubt happen to her.
"We can," Vlad replies, and I breathe in, relieved. "But we won't."
I frown at him. "What do you mean we won't?"
"Sisi," he starts, his eyes still glued on the stage. "There will be more girls like her. More people that need help. We can't possibly save everyone."
"But we can try," I say weakly.
"Hell Girl." He turns to me, the back of his hand tracing my cheek. "I didn't realize you had a heart," he comments ironically, no doubt trying to take my mind off what's happening.
"And I didn't realize you had none," I retort, my gaze accusatory.
"A little too late for that realization." He tsks at me, coming closer to whisper in my ear. "I told you once, Sisi. Don't make me into something I'm not. I'm not kind, nor gentle, and I'm definitely not a good guy."
"But Seth..."
"Nothing I do is without a purpose," he interrupts me. "Don't ever misconstrue my actions for kindness. It will only get you hurt," he says, and it's like I don't recognize him anymore.
"Then what about me? What's my purpose?" I ask, suddenly afraid of the change in him. It's funny how he never scares me when he's at his most violent, but when I sense this apathy coming from him, I get the urge to run as far away as I can.
His eyes are emotionless as he studies me, almost put off by my question.
"You're mine," he replies. "That's it."
He promptly ends the conversation as he turns his attention toward the stage where a winning bid had been chosen.
A few more rounds of people with disabilities, or people with a certain rare blood type, and I'm already dreading everything about this.
I know what it's like to be stripped of your freedom. But I can't imagine what these people must be going through, knowing there's simply no way out. Just pain... and abuse.
Vlad explained that a lot of the time, these people are used for organ transplants if they are a match, and most often medical files are hacked and people hunted for this particular reason. It's simply a black market for humans.
The next person is brought in. Dressed entirely in black, it only serves to emphasize the paleness of his skin, the whiteness of his hair .
"What's wrong with him?" I blurt out when I see him stumbling around.
"He has a genetic condition called albinism. His body doesn't produce melanin, so he lacks color," Vlad starts telling me about the biology behind the disorder. "You should look away, Sisi," he tells me, tugging me to his side, ready to shield me.
"Why?"
"It's likely going to get brutal." He purses his lips. "Albino people are usually sought after for one thing," he says, and right at that moment, the man's arm is strapped to a table, another man joining them on the stage and wielding a huge blade.
"Last chance," Vlad whispers, but I shake my head.
I need to see this. I want to see just how fucked up this world is. In my naivete, I'd thought I'd endured the worst at Sacre Coeur, but I'm slowly finding out that life outside of the convent's walls isn't any less brutal.
In fact, this is downright atrocious.
His arm around me, I can tell he's trying to comfort me, especially as the blade falls upon the albino's arm, slicing it at the elbow.
A bloodcurdling scream erupts in the air and people are cheering on, everyone already shouting exorbitant amounts.
The hand is taken from the albino and placed in a pot.
"You don't mean they..." I'm shocked as I see them cook the arm on a stove.
"Albino limbs are used in witchcraft. A lot of superstitious people believe that a potion made from albino flesh will give them prosperity," Vlad speaks, and I watch stupefied as they do just that, preparing a live potion for whoever will spend millions on it.
"God," I whisper.
"You should have looked away, Sisi."
"No. This is the reality we live in. I need to see."
The first pot is auctioned for two million, with three more pots prepared from the other arm and his two legs. The screams continue as two men cut his legs using a saw. The poor man hasn't even been given anything for the pain, and the crowd seems to cheer at his continued screams. As the bone gives way, blood slowly starts to flow onto the floor, before suddenly gushing in rivulets as they take away the limbs.
His expression is half-closed, the pain too much. I have to wonder how much longer he's going to live.
Looking around, everyone is excited to watch this inhumane handling of a person. Someone even shouts to cut the head too. I suddenly realize just how deep the depravity lies, and that in a way, the outside world functions just like Sacre Coeur.
Eat or be eaten.
There are only two choices. Be the victim, or the assailant.
One glance at Vlad and I see him avert his gaze from the bloody show in front of us. The stage is already red as most of the blood has drained from the man's body. Vlad's shoulders are shaking slightly as he struggles for a modicum of control.
"Are you okay?" I turn to him, noticing the paleness of his features and the strain in his jaw. He's close to snapping. I can feel it.
He gives me a brisk nod, but he looks anything but okay. Grabbing his face in my hands, I raise myself on my tip-toes, turning him away from the bloody spectacle. I lean in until my lips meet his.