My skin prickled under the intense gaze and I had to remind myself to breathe.

“What is your name?” The dark haired vampire demanded.

“Avery,” I whispered, sounding breathless and frightened.

“Avery,” he said my name. It made me shiver.

“Kneel before your masters.”

I hesitated for a moment, unsure if I had heard him right.

“Kneel.” His voice boomed and I dropped to my knees.

My heart was racing and it took all my strength not try run. I had never been so afraid in my life. More afraid than when I had faced the Scav for the first time or for the second. More afraid than any of the training I had endured.

It was so quiet, I could hear a pin drop and I dared not move.

“Who is this Sire promised to?” The vampire asked.

I closed my eyes briefly, feeling the fear of what was to come like a physical pain.

“To me.”

It was the unmistakable voice of Thane. My heart dropped and I swallowed. Opening my eyes again to see him step out of the crowd.

He was so confident and walked closer to stand a few feet to the left of me.

In that moment, I wished there was a way out. Another option. This couldn’t be it. My mind fought against the emotions tearing through me.

“You will be responsible for the Sire while she is in your care.”

I hated how I had no say in anything and I bit my tongue to stop myself from saying something that would anger them.

“I understand. She will be well taken care of,” Thane said. His voice smug. I hated him.

“Are there any objections?”

His question hung in the tension filled air.

I wanted someone to object, anyone. It didn’t matter who.

The crowd began to murmur and I frowned.

“I object.”

The crowd gasped.

I thought I was hearing things. I looked to where I heard the voice and Silas stepped out of the crowd. My eyes met his. He was here. His voice hadn’t been a part of my imagination.

“You can’t do that,” Thane said, angrily. His face contorted in a deep frown.

“He can,” the dark haired vampire in the gold argued.

What was going on? None of what was going on made sense. I had so many questions but I stayed quiet, fearful that Thane would not give me up.

He had been watching me for a while and I knew he wouldn’t let me go without a fight. Silas wasn’t as powerful as he was.

I swallowed as Silas’ gaze locked with mine. My heart stuttered. Why was he doing this? He was dressed differently. I had always seen him in his uniform but this time he was dressed in bold colors mixed with red, unlike the other vampires. He had never looked more handsome.

But he was only a handler, who trained Sires. How on earth did he expect to stop Thane?

I held all my thoughts to myself as I listened on. There was nothing I could do but see what unfolded. I would take Silas over Thane any day but I did not allow myself to hope for something that I did not believe was possible.

“You did not indicate you wanted a Sire,” the golden dressed vampire questioned Silas.

“I changed my mind.”

I listened intently, still kneeling.

“He can’t do that,” Thane argued.

“Quiet,” the vampire commanded Thane, who reluctantly fell silent.

“You understand the responsibility you are taking on.” He directed at Silas.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Silas nod.

This was crazy.

But I would take any escape from Thane with both hands. Silas was the lesser evil, an evil I knew.

“Then she is yours,” the vampire announced.

Silas moved to stand beside me. He took my hand in his and I stood feeling the stares of everyone in the room. Including the glare from Thane.

“May your union bear many children.” The vampire added.

My mind was still trying to catch up with the sudden change of events as Silas led me from the room. My hand tightly held in his.

“I…” I uttered when I finally found my voice. Silas shook his head at me and I clamped my mouth closed.

He led me down a passage that led to a door with a keypad. I was still feeling bewildered and stumbled as out onto the grass. The night dark.

Silas walked and I hurried to keep up with him.

He led me down a path. I was totally disorientated, I had no idea where I was.

There was a parking lot with rows and rows of cars. When he halted when an usher handed him keys. The car was expensive and black.

He opened the passenger side and I got him. My hands fumbled with the seatbelt but managed to lock it in place while walked around the car and got in before starting the car up.

Silence hung between us as he drove out of the parking.

I was scattered with nerves. I held onto the seatbelt, feeling panicked.

Since I had woken up chained in a cell I had not been out of the building used for training. I felt fearful of the wide open space of the night sky. He drove a short while into a city. There were large buildings and street lights. It was overwhelming, my senses had been stretched to the limit.

I began to shake.

He turned sharply into a basement parking and parked the car. When he switched it off he turned to me.

I stared at him, feeling at a loss but unable to find the words to question what had just happened.

He got out the car and slammed the door closed. Then he opened the passenger side and undid my seatbelt before helping me out.

My legs felt shaky. He put his hand to my lower back and steered me to a nearby lift. We got inside and I leaned against the side as he pushed button to the top floor. I felt overwhelmed by the new environment which I could only compare to a prisoner being set free.

Silas stood on the opposite side of the lift watching me, in silence.

Only when the lifted stopped and the doors opened did he move to put an arm around my waist. I leaned against him as I took a shaky step out of the lift.

He steered me to the only door on the floor. He opened it and it led into a beautiful apartment with expansive windows.

As I took in the new environment, I heard the door close and I turned to face Silas.

“I don’t…”

I couldn’t even think straight. My hand shook and I tightened it into a fist. I hated how weak I felt.

Silas took in the action. “It will take time to adjust.”

He watched as I let out a shaky breath, trying to calm myself down.

“What…happened?” My voice was husky.

But I needed answers more than I needed my composure.

“Thane?” I added.

He shook his head as if confirming that he was no longer a threat to me.

“How?” I finally asked.

“I’m entitled to take a Sire, like any other vampire.” His voice was calm and controlled, totally opposite to me.

I felt like a tornado had passed through me and I was still trying to put things back in their place while I tried to sort through what had happened and figure out why I was standing with Silas and not the vampire I had expected to be given to.

“But you’re a handler. How…?” My brain was too fuzzy at this stage to be able to put coherent sentences together.

“I train Sires because I want to, not because I have to.” There was a clear distinction.

I processed the information and frowned.

“Who are you?” I felt like I was staring at a stranger, not the handler who had broken me down and shown me some degree of compassion.

I didn’t know this man who stood before me.

He seemed reluctant to answer my question. I studied him.

“All that you need to know is that I come from a more prestigious family than Thane.”

And that was the most important bit of information.

He had held the power to help me all along but the more pressing question was why? Why had he helped me?

“I don’t understand. Why Silas? Why would you do this?”

Our gazes held but he remained silent.