Joan the Made (Throwbacks Series, Book 1)

Chapter 39

The headmaster and Lexi chatter with some of the well-dressed men as we cruise the room. Sticking close to the headmaster, I carefully turn my head so that the camera in my hair clip gets a good shot of each of their faces with my camera.

All of the words are buzzing in my ears, unintelligible. I turn on a dazzling smile and nod whenever anyone asks me anything. Everyone thinks I'm high, so my performance isn't watched with critical eyes.

Some common clone types, including Macs, Mollys, and a few Sofias, weave through the crowd with plates, delivering fancy food to rich Evolved mouths. An aging Mac with silver hair and rough hands stops beside me. His shrewd but gentle eyes are familiar, but with all of the adrenaline pumping through me, it's impossible to remember where we met.

"Give them a taste of hell," he whispers.

His words help me shake off my stupor. "I will."

"Seen, not heard," the headmaster says to me, and I nod and lower my eyes.

He leads me to a raised platform, and I step onto it. Wine has been flowing for an hour now, and the crowd is laughing louder, behaving more like they're at a strip club than a fancy party. There are some whistles when everyone notices me on display.

I swallow my curses and perform a slow spin. They think I'm showing off my body, but really I'm letting the camera get a good sweep of the entire room. The whistling gets louder.

"Friends, I'd like to introduce you to Dr. Julius Hunter," Lexi says, her voice amplified when she steps into a circle lit by a spotlight. I turn my head so my camera captures her words. "Half of the proceeds from tonight's auction go to funding research at Strand. Together, we will ensure that Evolved Americans lead the world in innovation. Please be generous with your bids, and know that you are not only securing a night of pleasure, but the future of our country."

Polite applause follows Lexi's words, and the headmaster takes her place in the spotlight.

"Tonight, I bring to you a delicacy rarer than a diamond and utterly untouched. Centuries ago, Joan of Arc burned at the stake. But tonight, she will burn for one of you. Joan of Arc will no longer be Joan the Maid. One man in this room will make her a woman. The bidding begins at one million dollars."

Auctions typically involve electronic displays where participants place their bids, but here, they shout numbers so fast that I can't keep track. The auction must be going well because Lexi's smile continues to widen and spots of color bloom on the headmaster's pale face.

The bidding goes on for longer than I expected, and my leg cramps. Who knew that I'd thank Gene for his lesson on forcing our muscles to remain relaxed, in spite of our bodies being in pain? Focusing on the pain is a welcome distraction from my growing fear as I watch the crowd of drunken men shouting their bids. They're ready to tear me off the platform and haul me away over their shoulders.

Eventually, the shouting gets less intense, and the headmaster shouts, "Sold! To Adam Omni!"

Sour acid rises in my gorge as the room erupts into applause. The headmaster helps me down from the platform, and I swallow my nausea. He leads me to a man in his fifties with a balding head, who towers over me. His eyes widen as he gets an up-close view of my cleavage.

"One word with her first," Lexi says. "Joan, if there is no blood on the sheets, there will be no deposit in your account."

"No need to worry about that, Lex," Adam says, his arm winding around my waist. I fight my instinct to wrench myself from his grasp as his fingers caress my side. "I'll make sure she performs as expected."

"One last touch. Time to let your hair down," Lexi says.

She pulls out my hair clip, and my curls tumble around my shoulders. I reach for the clip, but Adam winds his fingers in my loose hair, and I'm pinned to his side. Moving away from him now will be suspicious.