Baron Vos Neganda was walking home late that evening when he decided to stop by the local slave auction and see what was available. He'd never made it a habit to own slaves or sell them, but it never hurt to see what sort hung out at the place. The Baron stepped into the auction house and let the door close behind him. A gust of wind kicked up his black cape, swirling it around him in a mysterious manner. Dressed all in black with a white wool scarf and top hat, walking cane in hand, the Baron was quite handsome indeed. Black hair cut short to the collar and piercing green eyes that could look into anyone's soul...or so it would seem. Ah, but the Baron was no ordinary man. He was a vampire, and the oldest of his kind...the most respected in the community of his kind. His word was law and there was hell to pay for going against the Baron.
He leaned against a side wall and looked around. He almost overlooked her, sitting in the bottom of a cage...the look of pure innocence in her eyes. Pushing from the wall, Neganda walked towards the cage and was quite surprised to find that the inhabitant was a female angel. Her clothing was ripped and torn in several places. There were bruised on her face and arms, and white wings wrapped around her think body. Neganda felt a sense of rage inside of himself. No one should ever be treated the way this woman had been treated. He turned and looked at the slave trader that was trying to sell her.
"How much do you want for the child?" The slave trader turned and looked at the well dressed man and smiled almost maliciously.
"How much you willin' to pay for the chit? I'm askin' a maximum bid of 5000 gold pieces." The Baron thought for a moment then nodded.
"Very well. My men are just outside. They will carry a large trunk to your waiting carriage in return for this child." The slave trader narrowed his eyes slightly, but the prospect of actually getting 5000 gold pieces was too much for him to turn down. He handed the Baron the key to the cage and walked outside. Neganda squatted down and looked at the young woman.
"Do not be afraid, ma chere. I will not harm you. I'm going to let you out and then you must come with me so we can see to your wounds." The angel looked up at him and the sadness and pain in her eyes touched something so deep within Neganda that he didn't even know existed. He unlocked the cage and reached inside, gathering her into his arms and standing once more. She locked her arms around his neck and buried her face into his chest. Stroking her hair as he held her, he turned and walked back to the entrance of the establishment then outside where his men waited by his carriage.
"Did you take care of the slave trader?" he asked quietly. The men nodded wordlessly as Neganda stepped into the carriage still holding the angel. The carriage drove off into the night and Neganda never released his hold. The angel seemed to relax and by the time they arrived at the Baron's castle, she had fallen asleep in his arms.
################
(The next evening)
Caterina woke after the sun had set for the evening to find herself lying in a bed of satin sheets under a canopy of silk. She sat up, letting the covers fall from her body to find she was wearing a midnight blue silk sheath. She slid from the bed, her feet touching the dark red carpeting softly. As she walked around the room she tried to remember the events of the previous evening. There'd been a man who had come for her and had taken her out of that awful place. She walked into what appeared to be the bathroom and looked into the full length mirror that was there. Her bruises were completely healed on her face and arms and her wings seemed whiter than they ever had before. As she walked back out into the bedroom she saw the man standing there waiting for her. He was dressed as he had been the night before except he did not wear a cape or hat. His black pants and shirt fit him well and his pale skin seemed almost translucent against the black fabric. He bowed towards her slowly.