The Angelic Prison

4 | the keep

What the fuck is the keep? I can't stand Aedon. He caught me when I was trying to leave Club Starlight and now I'm stuck with him.

The cab ride is uncomfortable to say the least. I sit in the back of the cab stiff as a board. Aedon is on the driver side of the back seat twiddling his thumbs together.

When we got in Aedon gave the cab driver the address. I am still confused on how the cab driver could see him but no one else other than me could. I keep my mouth shut and don't ask any questions for the whole ride.

The cab pulls up in front of a skyscraper in the center of Manhattan. I look up and have to crane my neck all the way back to see the top. This is the keep!? It couldn't be. I still haven't even asked what the keep is though.

"Is this our stop?" I say as I notice Aedon climbing out of his seat. He give me a quick nod to hop out of the cab. I try to give the driver money but he won't accept it saying that my friend already paid.

"You paid for the cab."

"Yes Alexandra I did. Is there a problem with that?"

"Uh I guess not." I could've paid for my own cab. I'm not a broke teenager, poor yes, but not completely broke.

"So Aedon, this is the keep."

He smirk kinda creepily I might add. "Let's go in." He grabs my hand and goes running inside. He didn't look as old as he sounds. He pulled me passed people on the street who stopped and dodged just so that we wouldn't hit them.

We made it inside the skyscraper. There was a reception desk with people lined up waiting. Couches and lounge space filled the floor space. Aedon pulled me along to the elevators.

The doors open and people pour on out. Aedon makes sure we are the only ones on the elevator. He presses the B button for basement.

"Why are we going to the basement?"

"That is the keep. It has to stay hidden so we live where no one would dare look."

I nod my approval. The elevator shoots down. My stomach flies into my mouth giving me the feeling of being on a rollercoaster. I grab onto the railing in the elevator to keep my balance. With a jolt, the elevator stops.

It opens up to a large entrance hall. Chandeliers hang from the ceiling. There a grand staircase leading to both higher and lower levels. The walls are painted black giving the room a chic look. Everything is very luxurious. The marble floors are polished to the point where I can see my own reflection in them. Painting hung up on the walls depict great epics of angels and death. My mouth sits open letting in the flies at I stare at the keep in disbelief.

"Are you gonna keep standing there or are you going to come meet everyone?" Aedon says with a slight chuckle.

I look up to see a group of people staring at me. Some with straight faces, some looked angry, and there was a woman in the front who looked genuinely excited. She was the first to walk up to me.

Her face was covered in a smile and her arms opened wide. As she reached me she wrapped her arms around me in a hug. She squeezed tight lifting me off the ground slightly. The pressure that she placed on my ribs was starting to cut off my air supply.

"Can't breath..."

"Oh my gosh I am so sorry. I hug too tight sometimes." Her face softened a little as she put me down and brushed out my dress.

"I'm Maris but everyone calls me Mare, and you must be Alexandra. We're all really excited to meet you." She pointed to the group of people behind her. They were all men and non looked to pleased with me being here.