Nevermore (Crossbreed Series Book 6)

With only a few days left until Saint Patrick’s Day, Lenore secured my spot in the auction. They weren’t holding the event at someone’s house or even a place of business, but a luxurious country club. Someone must have spray-painted the grass green, because there were rolling hills of it near a large pond.

Upon arrival, everyone gathered in the banquet room. The auction was by invite only, so I went alone, sat alone, and ate alone. I wasn’t in a mingling mood, so I grabbed a crystal glass of white wine and a steak and sat down at a table covered with white linen. It was a full house, and I closely watched all the guests. The women impressed one another with their big rings and garish necklaces, and the men showed off their flashy suits, diamond cuff links, and gratuity for the staff. I’d borrowed one of Gem’s long dusters to keep my arms warm since I was wearing my lucky black dress. The duster was glamorous, a shimmery black with a deep-red design that matched the soles of my boots. I wasn’t here to impress anyone. My name wasn’t even listed as the seller.

Lenore sure as hell made the rounds. She must have visited with every single person in that room as I watched her table-hop. Men were smitten and women were just as receptive as I had been when we’d first met. She was definitely a charmer.

“I’m delighted to see you, Raven Black.”

I almost choked on my steak as I looked up at the Overlord. Last time we met, I was standing on Claude’s Porsche, trying to save the world. I swallowed and set down my fork. “Hey there, tall, dark, and handsome.”

His golden eyes blinked at me in surprise. Quaid was definitely tall for a Chitah, and his hair was black as soot.

“May I sit?”

I wiped my mouth with the linen napkin while he pulled out a chair and sat down.

He glanced at the empty seats around me. “It seems every time we run into each other, you’re alone.”

“Well, at least I’m getting out.”

He smiled warmly and glanced at the booklet they’d left on the tables that listed all the items in the auction. “What are you here to bid on?”

“I’m here as a guest with no plans to buy. I just thought it might be interesting to see what these auctions are like.”

He laced his fingers together. “These events can be so dull. It’s nice to see a new face.”

I wondered if he’d met Lenore but didn’t ask. The last thing I wanted her Vampy ears to hear was my interest in her social connections. I hadn’t made eye contact with her since my arrival, mostly because all I could think about was how she’d buried Christian in a coffin.

“Is something wrong, female?”

I snapped out of my daydream. “Sorry. Wine goes straight to my head. I should probably eat more steak before the auction starts.”

Quaid raised his arm and snapped his fingers. Like magic, a waiter hustled to the table and placed another steak in front of me.

I cut into it, the medium rare just a little pink for my taste.

Quaid turned the pages of the booklet and reviewed the information about each item going up for bid. “This is new.”

“What’s that?”

“A Burmese ruby necklace. They send out a preliminary list weeks in advance to all the usual buyers, and rarely do we see anything slip in afterward. People attend these auctions to acquire a specific item.”

“What did you come to buy?”

“A Renaissance painting by a talented Chitah. Tragically, he died, but some of his art still exists. We try to keep Breed art out of human hands, but unfortunately some of it has made its way into their museums.”

I swallowed another bite and washed it down with a gulp of wine. “Are you interested in the ruby?”

He glanced at the information in the booklet. “No. The last-minute items are inexperienced sellers. What a shame. They likely won’t get what it’s worth.”

“Why not? Everyone here looks loaded.”

He gave me a tight smile. “Not everyone wants a necklace.”

Someone tapped a microphone. “Ladies and gentlemen, if you would gather in the adjacent room, the auction will begin shortly.”

Quaid stood. “It was a pleasure seeing you again, Miss Black. I hope you enjoy your first auction.”

“So do I.”

Two of his personal guards flanked him, and he strode away.

I scanned the room. Surely someone in here would be willing to spend 2.5 million on a necklace.

After I gulped down the rest of my wine, I got up to follow the crowd. The next room had the same tacky carpet that was in the banquet room, but the lights were a little brighter. Instead of tables, there were chairs spaced apart with an aisle up the center. It almost looked like we were about to attend a wedding.

Except instead of a groom, there was an easel up front with a cloth draped over it.

Lenore waved her hand at me, and I actually looked over my shoulder to see if she was calling someone else over.

No such luck.

Lenore had a front-row seat. She gestured to the empty chair on her right, and I sat down as the remaining people shuffled in and found a place to sit.

The man at the podium tapped the mic. It wasn’t turned on at a high volume, just loud enough for everyone to hear. “Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to tonight’s auction. We’ll begin with a piece that dates back to 1503, painted by the great Giovanni de Varmo.” He slowly unveiled the easel beside him, revealing a painting of a battle, mothers clutching infants in one arm and wielding swords in the other. “This one is titled Wrath, as described in your catalogs. The bid opens at ten million.” He looked in the back. “The gentleman has bid eleven million. In the room, twelve million. Thirteen. That’s thirteen million dollars. Now we have fourteen on my left.”

I turned, astounded at how fast the bids were rising. Along the aisle, the Overlord raised his slender finger, increasing the bid by another million. Once it reached thirty, the bids began to wane.

The auctioneer looked to his left. “We’re at thirty-one. Now’s your chance, sir. That’s thirty-two. Anyone? We’re at thirty-two million. Last chance. We’re looking for thirty-three. Do I have thirty-three?”

The Overlord raised his finger.

“Gentlemen on the left, lady on the right, fair warning. We’re at thirty-three million.” There was a stretch of silence. “Thirty-three going once, going twice, sold to the dark-haired gentleman on the aisle.” He tapped a gavel, finalizing the sale.

A light flutter of applause filled the room.

Lenore retrieved a silk folding fan from her clutch, snapped it open, and fanned her face. I began to ponder over what it might mean for me if people were spending that much money out of the gate. Would they have anything left to spare for an impulse buy? One gentleman who lost the bid had already left the room.

And we still had thirty items before the necklace.

We had two ten-minute breaks. The auction was longer than I’d expected. Some items had a lot of history, and because the catalog only provided basic information, the auctioneer sold the hell out of the coveted pieces. The most expensive items went first, and as the night wore on, the starting bids got lower and lower. The item that had just sold was a jeweled crown worn by a Shifter prince whose people were wiped off the face of the earth. And by people, not just his family but the entire race of Tasmanian tigers.

“Ladies and gentlemen, our final item.”

A female assistant held up a black necklace easel. The ruby pendant hung from its silver chain, the multifaceted stone capturing the light. Despite the history with Lenore and the fact that I needed the money, my heart still ached at seeing it up there.

The auctioneer gestured to the necklace. “This is a genuine Burmese ruby pendant, cut into a heart shape and secured in a sterling-silver prong setting. Our jeweler has authenticated the quality of the stone. The crown affixed to the top is also sterling silver, as is the chain. This stunning gemstone is thirty-two carats. Refer to your catalog for the details and estimated value per carat. Because we are lacking papers and a history, we’ll begin the bid at five hundred thousand. Looking for five. Do I have five?”

My stomach knotted as I peered at the room behind me.

An older lady raised her hand.

“Five. We have five hundred thousand on this exquisite piece. Do I hear six?”

A younger woman joined in the bidding war, then a man behind me. Within minutes, the amount reached 1.3 million.

“It doesn’t even list the provenance,” the man behind me grumbled to his friend. “Where did it come from? Thin air?”

It became apparent to me during this auction that the value of an item largely depended on the history. Buyers wanted a personal connection behind the piece and bragging rights. To them, this was just a necklace with no backstory about being smuggled out of the country by a band of pirates or owned by a great Chitah queen.

I gripped my seat as the bidding continued.

“One point five,” the man said. “Do I hear six? One million six hundred? The lady has bid one million five. Last chance.”

My palms started sweating when I realized I wouldn’t have enough to pay off General.

“One million five going once. One million five going twice. Gentleman in the back bids one million six.”

My head whipped around, and I craned my neck to see.

Standing in the doorway was a tall, dashing man with black eyes and a scruffy beard. Christian Poe made no eye contact with me but raised his finger after the older lady upped the bid. He had on that old suit with the tight pants and vest jacket, like someone who had stepped out of the last century.

“One million nine,” the auctioneer said. “Looking for two million.”

Christian raised his hand, displaying two fingers and then five.

“Two point five million from the gentleman in the back. Two and a half for the ruby necklace. Going once. Going twice.”

“Five,” a man said.

My eyes widened, and I searched the room where the voice had come from. A man on the far side removed his fedora, revealing bleached white hair.

Houdini.

Unlike Christian, he looked directly at me and held my gaze. My hair stood on end. What the hell was he doing here? Why was he bidding on a necklace that he’d returned to me? Then again, maybe it was better if he won instead of Christian.

But then Christian said, “Six.”

Lenore audibly gasped and twisted around in her seat. The fan she’d been holding snapped within her grasp.

“We have six million. Do I hear seven? Seven from the gentleman on the right. Seven million, ladies and gentlemen. Do we have eight?”

I shook my head at Christian.

“Eight,” he said coolly.

I wanted to strangle Houdini. This could very well be Christian’s life savings. We never talked about money, and I didn’t know how much Christian had or didn’t have.

“Nine,” Houdini countered.

“Nine,” the auctioneer parroted, his grin widening. “Nine million. Do we have ten? Nine million from the gentleman on my right. Nine going once. Nine going twice.”

“Ten.” Christian took an assertive step forward and dipped his chin.

“Ten million dollars,” the auctioneer confirmed. “Do we have eleven?”

Houdini bowed his head in defeat.

“Ten million to the man in the back. Ten going once. Going twice. Sold.” The gavel struck the sound block on the podium, and a riotous applause broke out.

My heart was in my throat as I stood up and made my way through the crowd. People weren’t in any hurry. They mingled, still swept up in the drama that had just unfolded.

“That was simply marvelous,” one woman said. “I love a good bidding war.”

By the time I reached Houdini’s chair, he was gone.