Serena stared at the screen displaying the grand spectacle below. A cold, cynical smile curved her red lips, but when she spoke, her voice dripped with seductive sweetness. "They say this auction was organized at the last minute just to apologize to The Sterling Sovereign. You really do have a lot of pull, my generous Patron." Nicholas stroked her waist, his voice dropping to a low, husky register. "If I didn't have pull, how could I have won over such a beautiful prize?"
Serena let her gaze drift toward a specific corner of the VIP suite, a knowing smile playing on her lips. "Aren't you afraid your prize might run away?"
The suite was, of course, bugged with listening devices.
Nicholas chuckled softly. "Would The Panacea ever run from me?"
Serena tilted her head, her clear eyes gleaming with teasing amusement. "That entirely depends on whether The Sterling Sovereign pays me enough."
Director Silas Kaelen stood just outside the door, his face split into a wide grin as he listened to their flirtatious banter. He knocked carefully and spoke up. "Mr. Blackwood, Ms. Panacea, the auction is about to begin. Tonight's items certainly won't disappoint either of you."
Nicholas didn't even bother to glance toward the door. "As long as it doesn't disappoint the lady, we won't have any problems."
Kaelen eagerly maintained his fawning tone. "Of course, of course. I guarantee she will love it."
Nicholas scoffed lightly. "It better."
The director's smile stiffened. Remembering the disastrous events from earlier that day, he didn't dare say another word and simply backed away with an apologetic grin.
The heavy door to the suite clicked shut once more.
Capitalizing on the moment they were finally free from prying eyes, Serena threw herself into Nicholas's arms, keeping up the act of a woman deeply enamored with her wealthy sponsor.
She leaned close to his ear, making it look like an intimate caress, but her voice dropped into a deadly serious whisper. "Almost everyone from The Merchant's Quarter, The Predator's Den, and the security zones is here."
"The organizers are trying to use this auction to distract everyone, which gives us the perfect opening."
For Serena, a larger crowd meant more chaos, making it incredibly easy for those hiding in the shadows to slip up.
It was exactly the opportunity she needed.
After Nicholas took full advantage of their proximity to steal a few lingering, possessive touches.
Serena gently pushed him away, feigning annoyance. "Look at what you did, you completely ruined my lipstick. I'm going to touch up my makeup."
Nicholas chuckled, his dark gaze raking over her frame. "There's a restroom right here in the suite. Tell
restrally going to touch
me, are you
up your makeup, or are you planning to use the auction's distraction to mix up something far more lucrative?"
Serena smoothed down the skirt of her dress. "Some things are better left unsaid, darling. Right now is an excellent time to make some money I highly doubt the ship's management would object to adding one of my custom formulas to their auction roster."
With that, she grabbed her medical case and strutted out of the suite, her heels clicking confidently against the floor.
She stepped out of the top-floor auction hall.
The heavy double doors muffled the raucous noise of the crowd behind her.
The side corridor was dimly lit, cast in deep shadows.
Gripping her case, Serena took her time, strolling leisurely toward The Med-Tech Quarantine.
She didn't rush. Her expression was utterly unbothered, almost bored.
That was, until she turned a sharp corner.
Suddenly, several imposing figures blocked both ends of the hallway.
There were four men in total.
Each wore a mask obscuring the lower half of his face, and they radiated a heavy, violent hostility.
Their leader, a broad-shouldered man, casually flipped a wicked-looking combat knife in his hand.
His predatory gaze dragged from Serena's Stunning face all the way down to her medical case Ms. Panacea out here all alone this late at night? Aren't you afraid of Punning into bad men?"
Serena stopped in her tracks. She tilted her chin up, sweeping an icy look over the
group. "Bad men? Are you referring to yourselves?"