Grey II - Ghosts

Chapter 40 - Levi & Gabriel

Eyes shot from constant visions.
Angels are rendered useless.
Good has lost its heart.
Do you see the life I lead?

Senses Fail - Bite to Break the Skin

My practice with the brothers was hardly better than Zodi's. I could focus on my hits and blocks, but I couldn't seem to control my strength, to hold myself back and we ended up cutting the session short after it became apparent I couldn't help myself.

"I'm sorry, a lot's on my mind today."

"Well, if you ever need to blow off some steam, I promise I can help."

Parish smiled at me as if I hadn't just broken all the ribs on the left side of his chest minutes earlier. Ailech was sweating from all the use he had gotten that evening, his hand shaking slightly as he pushed his wet hair back. Even Ember looked exhausted, and she had hardly done anything.

"And when he isn't satisfactory, remember, I'm the fun one. Or maybe you require two-on-one there too."

Prey smirked over at me next, raising his eyebrows suggestively. I just shook my head at him. Something close to a smile ghosted my face, though even their antics couldn't get me to feel any lasting happiness. Ailech spoke a moment later and I wished I could steal the air from his lungs, but there were too many witnesses and Abby would have surely heard of it. He was good at taunting me when he knew I couldn't make him pay, like a sibling who only poked his sister when their parents were around.

"Sorry to burst your odd sexually deviant bubbles, but I think she's got her eyes on a different target. A skinny little twink of a guy with a bad attitude and a multitude of severe personality disorders? Definitely an eating disorder or two too. Kinda has the whole nicotine-addict look going on? Or is it heroin chic? Hm, I'm not sure actually."

I glared while both the brothers roared and Ailech gave a feigned look of sheepishness.

"Oh, I'm sorry, was that supposed to be a secret? Just let me know when he's staying the night. I'd hate to walk in on something mentally damaging. Some things just can't be unseen."

He gave a theatrical shiver as my glare darkened, Ember blushed like a rose next to him. Parish and Prey continued to laugh.

"Yeah, we have some bets riding on how long 'till the Angels hook up, so let us know when the dirty deed's done. I've got grand plans for Prey here when he loses."

Parish sounded nonchalant, but I suddenly wished our training wasn't done. I wanted nothing more than to bash his teeth in. They couldn't make bets on me. I wasn't some racehorse. Besides, I hated James, something everyone seemed to forget quite consistently.

"Are you done? I need a cold shower."

My words came out short and sharp. Ailech merely nodded to the door, clearly not planning on walking me to my room, probably because he knew I'd make him pay for his words as soon as we were out of sight of my tutors. I gave him one last dark look, letting him know to not bother trying to train with me later if he knew what was good for him, before stalking out of the room, ignoring the brothers' snickers behind me. Sometimes I wished they feared me more, but Abby had seemed to only pick insufferably undaunted tutors. I absently wondered how long that had taken him as I walked toward my wing.

I was almost to my door when I heard my neighbor open his. I looked without meaning to, without wanting to. I didn't want to see him, it ached, but there he stood with a duffel bag hanging from one hand, looking like a statue as he trapped my eyes in his. I hated how familiar his stance looked, how familiar the entire scene looked. I had seen him like this before, many times, when he would go out to the city after a vision, planning to stop some event from taking place. When he had stood in the woods, leaning against a tree, watching me as I tried to figure out what was going on in his mind, why he seemed different. The memory sent a sharp stab through me, but I ignored it.