THIRST

Chapter Thirty-Six: The Bet (Bane)

Another school day was upon us the following morning as I sat in the passenger of Setekh's Jeep, quietly watching our fellow seniors enter through the building, who were feeling overly excited about graduation that was now only two months away. I couldn't believe it. Finally, after thirteen years, my schooling career was almost done. And that I could live a nice, comfortable life with Setekh as we reign over the werewolf clan together. But a quick glance in the rearview mirror told me that I didn't sleep a wink last night.

I sighed, running my fingers through my hair as I made the motion to reach for my backpack when Setekh stopped me. In one single move, he moved me from the passenger seat to his lap as I was forced to straddle him and place my hands on his shoulders. He took my face in his hands and just stared at me for a bit, without saying a word. Then he leaned in for a kiss as I closed my eyes and kissed him back with every fiber of my being.

A few seconds in and we heard the five-minute warning bell for first period as I pulled back and reached across the center console for my backpack and opened the driver side door and stepped out into the parking lot. Setekh followed close behind me as he took me by the hand and together we walked through the double doors of our high school for the first time as a married couple.

And that's when it hit me. After nearly being gone for two weeks, my mind was spinning with the mental images of all the homework and papers that I was going to have to make up if I was ever going to see myself graduate and walk across the stage with my diploma in my hand. No worries though. Setekh was an excellent tutor. As we stepped into English 101 with Mr. Truman already at the whiteboard writing today's assignment with one of those disgusting markers that caused my nose to wrinkle.

I found my old seat in the back of the classroom as Setekh snapped his fingers at a young freshman to move out of his chair and take the one up front. The freshman risked a glance at me as his face turned white at the sight of Setekh's muscular body and towering height as I bit my lip and shook my head, trying not to laugh. The final bell sounded throughout the school as Mr. Truman called the class to order and turned to us, his eyes roaming about until they landed on mine with a surprised look.

"Ah! Mr. Croft, welcome back. I was afraid you'd gone and disappeared off the face of the earth," he chuckled.

I smiled. "Hardly. But thank you, Mr. Truman. No the real reason for my sudden departure was because I got married."

A hush fell over the room as nearly half the class turned in their seats. Setekh grinned like a wildcat as he reached over and grabbed my hand that showed the ring and then kissed it. Mr. Truman stuttered over his words, his hands fumbling over his desk as he cleared his throat. I had a feeling that today was going to be a good day. As the rest of the class worked on the assignment, I worked on playing catch up with all the homework I missed by the time passing bell rang. Even Mr. Truman said congratulations as I walked past his desk with Setekh by my side.

The gossip of our marriage quickly hit the airwaves as the student population parted ways like rodents for Setekh and I as we made our way to the gym and disappeared down the back steps to the secret underground tunnel. Mr. Pierce greeted us as we stepped off the elevator and entered the locker room. I looked to my right and saw that the vampires were already dressed, no doubt pumping iron before class started. They all made eye contact with me as I sensed them noticing the change that had been done to me.

By the time I ditched my jeans and T-shirt for my gym clothes; I exited the locker room before anyone else and did some stretches over on the rubber blue mats that sat in the center of the gym. I could hear the vampires making comments about me as I shrugged it off went over to one of the few racks that contained an assortment of weapons and picked up a pair of dual swords. The blades whistled through the air as I spun them around almost like a dance until I felt a pair of arms forcibly wrap themselves around me.