The Dawning

Chapter Two

Back in my room, I found myself sitting on the bed with the folder sprawled open out in front of me. I had divided up the papers into sections, each one represented a different investor and their scheduled meeting. There were nine papers in total. Nine. It felt strange looking at the bed and knowing that each one of these people wanted to buy me. That if I wanted to, I now had nine different paths in my future. Secured futures. A future where I wouldn't have to worry about my life.

Did I want that though? No. Because I knew what these futures really were. They were a cage, each and every one of them. I would be passed around from one master to another. Like a pet. They might give me more leeway than the Mistress does, might even want to make me happy and let me do whatever I wanted, but in the end, we would both know that I couldn't leave them. That I was theirs to do what they wanted with. I would be bought. A possession.

I wasn't planning on belonging to anyone anymore.

Still, who were these people? I had decided to look into them-not because I wanted to choose the best one out of the bunch but because it was always wise to know more about your enemies. Were they my enemies? Not really but because they all wanted me for themselves-well I like to be prepared. After all I had no doubt in my mind that some of these investors would start making some introductions earlier than scheduled. Especially, say at a ball?

All this investor nonsense would last as long as it can, up until my birthday that's in two weeks. So, I studied the papers, trying to learn as much information that the Clan provided. It would be different once I left this place, I'll have to do anything and everything by myself. If I wanted to learn something, I wouldn't have the Clan's knowledge at my disposal. It was supposed to be a subtle scare tactic but I wasn't scared. I knew that the Clan didn't share everything-that it showed only what they wanted us to see. I wanted out.

But to do that, I had to be smart.

The first meeting was scheduled for Monday, around nine o'clock, at the private dining hall, with strict instructions to come dressed in the outfit that was picked out. I wasn't sure what outfit was picked out but knew it would arrive or be waiting for me by the time I was done with Monday classes. I scanned down the paper, looking for more information about the meeting or more intel on the person, but there was only one name: Klaus and no more information about the meeting.

I moved on to the next, it was scheduled at noon on Tuesday, in the eastern gardens in the glasshouse, with a mister Leon Bathory. There was a picture of the man whom I could only guess was the man in question. I studied him, noticing that his eye color was a couple's shades darker than my own, with black hair that went past his ears. One of those ears held a piercing that twinkled a little in the picture-most likely a reflection from the flash of the camera. There was something about the man that seemed almost familiar but I couldn't put my finger on it.

The next meeting was with a woman, Eleanor Carvin, scheduled on Thursday at nine, at a bedroom number. There were no instructions on attire just to come on schedule. I knew her, she was a succubus who taught at the school. I had her for a few classes, she mainly taught the Dark Chi Art's but I hadn't seen her in over a year. I had enjoyed her classes, finding it easy to tap into the darkness but I hadn't told anyone that I could. Did she know the whole year? It could be possible-it was hard to fool someone who was watching you day after day. Still, I couldn't understand why she would want me.

I realized then that they were working around my schedule. During the weekdays, I had morning and afternoon classes, not getting back to my dorm till at least eight o'clock-sometimes later. All my remaining free time at the Clan was now scheduled off into meetings and balls, as well as my usual duties.

I sighed, leaning back against the wall, looking at the remaining slips of papers. Of course, the Clan wouldn't have just let me go. There were a couple of people here who had strong ties to the Clan, the rest were Clan members themselves. If the Clan couldn't have me, then they would want the next best thing: for one of their allies to have me. To keep me under their radar and thus, under the Clan's.