A Grey Tower

Ch 8

     Taryn and I step into the room and all my thoughts leave my head. We stand stupefied as the man on stage is grabbing luminous orbs using magic and throwing them into the air before they get caught on an invisible string and shoot in random directions. The balls make their way into the audience finding students.
     "Come on we need to find our seats. I think you're in the honorary seating behind the teachers," Taryn points up to the stage behind the teachers that line the perimeter and to the circle of fancy chairs with even fancier students. "I'll be up in the family balcony but I'll meet you at the entrance we came in after."
     I turn around hoping to beg to just go to the balcony with Taryn but his blonde head is already far up the stairs. I turn and make my way into one of the outer circles, my id cards hanging on a lanyard around my neck. I'm looking for an empty seat in the shadows but can't find any when I spot Senly. He's sitting prestigious in a row behind the teachers right next to an empty seat.
     I walk in front of students who are waiting for their own luminous orb to find them as Senly catches my eye. The look on his face stops me in my tracks, he looks me up and down in disappointment. He watches as I find my way beside him and still watches me when I'm seated.

     "We will talk about this later," Senly's dark brown curls hang over his eyes as he leans in and whispers this. He sits straighter and waits for his orb to find him. I sit with my back straight, being reunited with Senly reminds me of why I'm here. Like an ice cold bucket of water washing over me, my training comes back to me. Everything that happened in the last twenty four hours is nothing but information to be analyzed now.

     The rest of the assembly went by smoothly with Senly and I's orbs gently resting in our laps. The Dean of the school twirls in a slow circle while reciting school events for this semester. Once the lights turned on everyone got up and exited the auditorium. Senly stood smoothing out any wrinkles in his freshly ironed uniform. He turned to me and extended his hand. I took it and stood, feeling poorly dressed in my own leggings and cardigan. We walked down the aisles and towards the main exit with its ten foot tall double doors and carved trimming but I remember my luggage and tap Senlys arm.

     "I just remembered my luggage is in a hallway off to the side," I turn with Senly following behind. I notice Taryn waiting for me by the door and slow down when I get to him. "Hey Taryn, thanks for waiting for me."

     "Yeah no problem," Taryn glances at Senly and I can see his nostrils slightly twitch as he smells him. "I'm assuming you're Senly."

     "Yup," I turned to Senly. "Senly this is Taryn, my cousin. Taryn this is Senly my peer from the Garener Institution."

     "Nice to meet you," Senly, ever the gentleman dipped his chin and extended his warm hand to Taryn's cold one.

     "You as well," Taryn let go of Senly and he shifted closer to me, putting his hand at the back of my elbow. Presumably to lead us to our luggage. "We'll be off then."

     "Oh I'm heading out with Anise after this," Senly hated not being in control. That's how he won the opportunity to come here. Many people hate not being in control but few knew how to maintain it. Senly taught himself the art of power and people so he often got what he wanted and always got retribution when he didn't. So he put his hand on the small of my back and pushed us forward away from Taryn. All three of us entered the hallway with Senly leading the way. "Get you bags we can get the trolly down to our house. You'll love it the house is beautiful and stocked with anything we'll need."

     Knowing him he probably checked every inch of the place for wires or cameras. I picked up my backpack and suit case while Senly carried my duffel bag. "Okay."

     "Where are you going, Anise?" Senly and I turned toward Taryn who held all of his bags. I couldn't help but notice that our roles had been reversed, now I had help with my bags. "My mother said we should stay close together, you know how dangerous it is here for you."

     "I have to go to my dorm, Taryn," I couldn't help but sound a little annoyed when he brought up his mom. "Plus campus is the safest place for me to be right now. Anyway I'll see you later, you could join us for dinner."

     Senly observed us with his intelligent golden eyes. Taryn opened his mouth to say something but Senly quickly said goodbye and pushed me down the hall and out of the door.

     "Your right this place is beautiful," I set my suitcase by the front door and Senly immediately told me it didn't belong there. I internally rolled my eyes at him before lugging it up the thin stairwell and into what could only be my room. The house was a small two story house. The main floor consisting of the kitchen, a dining room that stuck out of the house with one wall made of pained glass, a seating area, and in the same room a large desk for studying with two chairs. On the second floor were two bedrooms and a well built bathroom. There was an attic but I didn't feel like going up there.

     "What happened with your family?" Senly already had the tape recorder in his hand, holding it out to me. I took it from him and plopped down on the bed. I pressed record and started speaking. I knew I couldn't skip any detail so I reported it all. When I would occasionally look at Senly or he asked a question his expression was one of slight contempt. When I finished I hit stop. "Here."

     "I don't understand why they chose you," Senly spoke as he took the recording. "Out of all the humans related to a monster they chose you."

     'Fuck you Senly' I thought as I layed back on my bed, used to his constant complaining. "Well what are you going to do about it now, Senly? We're already here."

     And just like that he was on top of me, trapping my hips between his knees and wrapping his hand around my throat. Immediately I try pushing him off but his vice like hold on my throat vanishes and he's holding my arms firmly against my sides. "What the fuck did you say! Looks like your time away brought back that nasty mouth of yours. Just because I'm not the deadliest thing around you anymore doesn't mean I won't fucking hurt you!"

     I twist my head away from him and hiss out. "Get off me!"

     "Don't tell me what to do," he leaned back and slapped me. I winced but I was used to his behavior. Senly had no ties to Monster Kin so he was chosen as my guide. He's supposed to keep me on track with our mission. He trained for almost a decade to be the one chosen and I was picked because of my familial ties to an important vampire. He views me as lesser than and less deserving. "What have I said about talking back, hmm? Do we need to repeat what happened at the Camp? Huh? Answer me!"

     "No," I stop struggling and just breathe deeply before continuing. "I'm sorry! I was stressed because of what happened."

     "By what?" He asked mockingly. "The demon trying to fuck you or the vampire licking your pussy?"

     Shame builds in my chest and I can feel the heat in my cheeks as I close my eyes trying to block him and the memories out.

     "Look at me Anise," his voice holds a warning so I open my eyes and look at him. "Which is it?"

     "Both!" Shit I'm close to crying. My bottoms lip trembles. "I'm sorry Senly! I'm sorry."

     He releases my arms but sits on me for a moment before getting off. I quickly stand up and walk to my bags trying to distract myself from what just happened. Senly leaves the door open as he walked across the hall to his room. Silent tears stream down my face but I harshly wipe them away.