“Means must, old man.” I replied making him grin as though an idea just lit up his mischievous side.
“So that’s how we are playing this? Very well Dominic, just remember that you erased the first line of conduct.” I frowned at what he could mean.
“You know your sister came to visit me recently.” He said as matter of fact and throwing me off guard.
“This isn’t news to me.” I remarked trying not to lose myself to the urge of grabbing him by the throat and roaring at him to get on with it!
“No, I gathered not, only I would wager the topic of conversation would interest you greatly.” I growled low in my throat knowing there was no way I would be able to refrain from taking a bite out of the bait he dangled in front of me.
“Play your games with another fool, Asmodeus and say what you intend to say!” I snapped feeling my fist clench to near breaking point around my blade’s handle. He lifted his head to the side, gave me an evil grin and my breath caught, for I knew the information he had was of the sort that made him believe he would win. The only way that would happen is if I went into a blind rage and lost my head in allowing my Demon to make decisions based on its wrath.
My blood started to run cold.
“I do believe Sophia is meeting with her now as we speak and with her…” He paused for dramatic effect and I let my eyes flash red in warning. Again with that fucking smile!
“…her new supernatural lover!” At the sound of his words my blood didn’t just turn cold, no, it turned glacial!
My Demon erupted and this time, down here there was no Angel in sight to hold him back. I roared at my father, shaking the foundations of his castle and for a fleeting moment it looked as though he knew he had gone too far.
“YOU LIE!!!!” I screamed at him before letting go and charging at him like a crazed battle horse. My reasoning all fled and left a husk of a man fuelled only with the desire to kill everyone and everything in its path. It wanted its mate back! It wanted its calming solace and the other half of its soul back just as much as I did but unlike me, it had no logic in its quest to get it back!
To get her back.
I ran at him and at the last second instead of running him through with my blade I used what was left of my inner self and twisted my body, so my shoulder hit him square in the chest. He was once again flying backwards and travelling through the remains of the furnace. I watched as his body landed against the far wall of stone but before he could be allowed to slump down to the ground I was there at his side.
I raised my sword to slice into his side but then caught a flash of raised steel in my side vision. My father was bringing his weapon down at my head and I made a quick decision to bring up my sword and block the blow to my head, instead of causing his body damage.
In the seconds this all happened I also witnessed his eyes flash to their Demon side before he used his powers to cut through my blade. This gave me only a fraction of time to prevent my head from being slashed open as my free hand shot up and gripped his sword. I had to transform part of myself into my Demon as a means of protection from losing my fingers in the process.
“You cheated.” I said stating the obvious.
“What did you expect?” He asked laughing.
“What you never did…My turn!” This was the only warning I gave him as I reversed his sword so that I now held the handle and the tip was left pointing at his throat. My free hand came back to his side as I held my remaining blade at his gut, ready to see what a demon King was really made of if he didn’t answer my questions.
“NOW TELL ME!” My Demon roared at him, only my answer came from behind me.
“I tried to tell you, Dom.” Sophia’s soft voice was a cruel music that filled the carnage of the room, giving it a gentleness that didn’t belong.
“Let him go Dom, I asked him to do this.”
“WHY?!” I snarled turning my head towards her.
“Because you needed to know and you wouldn’t listen.” She reasoned.
“Listen to what, these lies!?” It couldn’t be true…she wouldn’t…she…wouldn’t do that…would she?
“That’s just it though brother, it’s not lies… and it’s about time you saw the truth for your own eyes.” I shook my head and only when I felt my father’s hand rest on my shoulder did I realise I must have lowered my weapons in the ultimate defeat.
“It’s alright son, there’s still time.”
“He’s right Dom, come with me.” Sophia said softly as though she knew how my heart was being shredded apart by a truth I had pushed Keira into.
“Go where Sophia, back to claim what is no longer mine to claim?” I asked bitterly. She shook her head making the halo of loose dark curls bounce.
“No brother, come back with me to Afterlife and claim what is rightfully yours to claim.” I closed my eyes at the sound of her hope and every fibre in my body hummed with tension knowing Keira was with someone else.
I needed to see. I needed to witness this with my own eyes.
I needed to go back to…
My Afterlife.
Keira
Chapter 4
Back to Afterlife
“It was over ten months ago, Keira…get a grip!” I said to myself in the mirror, after first looking round to check no-one else was in any of the cubicles. I washed my hands again in the lavish sink that one would never expect to see in a Gothic nightclub, but then again this wasn’t just any Gothic nightclub…
This was Afterlife.
It was the first time I had come here since it reopened back in October last year and now we were in June. It felt as if so much had happened since then and yet nothing at all. Well, nothing at all compared to how my life usually went. For starters, there were no kidnappings, no attacks, no battles of any kind, not unless you called trying to change Ella’s nappy a battle…that kid just hated being still for more than a second!
I could even say that not one single person had tried to drug me yet and I was starting to feel…well, I guess a little bored with normality. Even my boyfriend, who I should probably mention was at least slightly supernatural, was as normal as they came. Sure, he was gorgeous and amazingly talented when it came to design, but he was an architect for God’s sake…I mean how normal could I get after dating Mr D. (I had forbidden myself from saying the D word not long after I arrived home). I mean, he might as well have been a dentist or an accountant!
But he was a good guy and after the emotional rollercoaster I had been on, then I needed a good ‘normal’ guy. And Alex Cain was more than a good guy, he was a friggin’ saint!
But don’t get me wrong, it’s not like I met him on that flight and ‘bam’ we started dating…not even close. It was actually at college that I bumped into him again when he was giving a lecture for the architectural department and when I say bumped, I mean in true Keira fashion, I fell into him.
You know how it is. It was after a depressing Christmas and New Year where I was about as happy as a two week old turkey sandwich! I tried not to let it be known, putting on a smile for my family’s sake, but there were certain things I couldn’t do, no matter how traditional they were in the William’s household. For one thing, everyone got their gifts from me in gift bags instead of wrapping paper because it was too painful a memory of when Draven and I were in my old room wrapping gifts together.
Oh and I stupidly crammed in Christmas pud, just because last year we declined it after dinner to go back upstairs. Poor Frank had to go out in the snow and get me a packet of Rennies from the only place he could find open.
So, by the time I went back to college I was in desperate need to focus on anything that had nothing to do with a certain someone. I can’t say it didn’t still hurt, oh hell no, it hurt every damn day! But as the days went on and as the time passed, it just hurt a little less. That was ok of course, until my friends had finally ground me down into going back to Afterlife to see them and I’m not talking about just Jack and RJ.
The main dif
ference this time was that ‘he who shall not be named’ had kept to his word. I spoke to Sophia and Pip almost every day, but I always refused any information they had offered about their King. I’d even met up with them both a few times since, along with seeing Lucius when he was near Portland, which granted was only once and that was because I quote ‘Squeak nagged me’.
I had even seen Vincent on occasion and once we even went for a ride on his bike to nowhere in particular, just somewhere and anywhere we could be alone. There was never anything in it, but spending time with someone I loved like a brother and always would, meant the world to me. He had tried to tell me about his brother a few times but after I made it more than a little clear (I was loud), he gave up.
I had even received a postcard from Sigurd, which was funny as it had on it a man’s naked behind with a tattoo on one cheek that was stamped ‘Pain in the ass women belong here’. I had tears in my eyes that day and laughed until it hurt. But I had to say the biggest shocker of all was when one day Jared showed up at my door. Frank nearly had a heart attack at seeing a biker on his doorstep asking for me.
He told me he was just passing through and wanted to know if I fancied getting a drink with him. It took me three days to convince Frank and Libby that I wasn’t going off the deep end and becoming a biker chick or a Hell’s Angel’s old lady! (Which had me once again in stitches laughing when Libby had said that’s what they call them).
I think that was why they seemed so relieved when I finally introduced them to Alex. Libby had to fan herself in the kitchen when she heard his French accent. I just laughed and shook my head knowing my family was nuts, but I loved them.
Alex was originally born in America, but he was brought up mostly in Bordeaux, in the South of France, to then study in Paris. Both his parents were dead, but that was about as much as I had been able to get from him, as it was clearly a touchy subject, which was fair enough considering I had quite a few of those myself.
He travelled quite a bit, which was also alright with me as I wasn’t ready to jump into a demanding relationship just yet. But the strangest thing about our relationship, which had been just over six months, was that we had not once had sex. We had done some stuff together but the actual act was not on the cards yet and I found myself conflicted, wondering if I ever would be able to. I was happy this wasn’t just down to me as he was deeply religious and didn’t believe in sex before marriage.
I couldn’t believe my luck. I had found the one guy out there who was old-fashioned enough to think this way and I couldn’t have been happier for it. After that last night with Mr No Name, I couldn’t seem to be able to get past it enough to even try, but thankfully with Alex I didn’t even have to.
Which brought me back to now and why I had been in the loo for the last ten minutes having a series of mini panic attacks. Sophia had convinced me to come to Afterlife tonight as she and Vincent were coming back for a few weeks. My first question had been answered even before I asked it.
“Don’t worry Keira, Dominic won’t be there.” The relief was obvious in the whoosh of air that came from my side of the phone. Sophia just laughed at me and then talked my ear off for an hour and half until I caved in. So now, for the first time in over a year, I was back and weeing my not so big girl knickers!
“Yo Bitch, your yummy French pie told me to come in here and get you…oh and he told me to say ‘Surprise’!” RJ said coming to jump up on the sinks to face me.
“He’s here?! He said he couldn’t come.” I said letting a new panic set in. I had told him my plans and silently thanked my lucky stars when he said he would still be in Portland, where the main office for the company he worked for was located.
I had told Vincent and Sophia about Alex and even though they didn’t pass judgement, you could see they weren’t about to do cartwheels over the fact any time soon. But I guess who could really blame them? I had dated their brother and was supposedly destined for him by the very Gods, who had buggered things up for us in the first place!
“I think that’s where the whole ‘Surprise’ thing came in.” RJ said smirking.
“Oh God!” I said running the tap again to wash my hands which I had done about six times now. I mean, Afterlife offered nice soap in the ladies, but it wasn’t that nice!
“Oh come on, it isn’t that bad… and besides, you were the one who said Draverlicous wouldn’t be here…right?”
“I wish you would stop calling him that.” I grumbled, bracing my ‘very’ clean hands on the sink and focusing on the ring of bubbles I had created by the plug hole.
“Hey Kaz, you know he is fair game now, not that that would ever help any of us commoners or the fact that the guy has done a Houdini, as he never comes here anymore, is despite the fact.”
“Yeah well, you’re all welcome to him!” I commented bitterly, something I obviously didn’t mean but it was just easier acting this way. No one seemed to ask questions when I played the bitchy sour Ex…and I was getting oh so good at it!
“So, you coming or what, ‘cause I got to say, you hide out any longer in here and Cassie bitch features is gonna get her claws in your man, and this year’s fashion choice is seedy strip joint.” I laughed at the thought of Alex dealing with that. Hell, one conversation with my boyfriend and this summer’s fashion would soon be Sunday school or slutty nun but if I was to bet on just one I would go with the first for sure!
“Fine, let’s get this over with.” RJ slapped me on the shoulder and said,
“Now that’s the spirit…wow when did my optimistic friend get to be so much fun?” RJ asked sarcastically, causing me to check my fingernails only by keeping the middle finger extended her way. She just laughed and grabbed my hand to pull me from my hiding place.
“Come on blondie, time for the VIP treatment once again.” At this I groaned making her laugh, when really all I wanted to do was run screaming from the doors, in a comical, girly dramatic fashion like you see in the movies. After all, I remembered all too well what happened the first time I got suckered up into Afterlife’s VIP. I had not come out of it the same person that was for sure, which just begged the question… what would happen to me this time?
“There you are, Catherine.” Oh yeah, and ever since Alex got introduced to me via a snooty hostess as Catherine, that’s what he continued to call me. Or sometimes even Cathy for short. It didn’t bother me. No, if anything it felt nice being called something different that didn’t just end up reminding me of a certain someone whenever we were kissing or just spending time together.
I think the biggest appeal to Alex was that nothing he ever did reminded me of him. There was not one ounce that could even tie the two men together and other than first meeting him on my way back home last year, there was nothing that tied him to my painful memories. Of course, it helped he was hot, handsome and as smart as they came.
He wasn’t especially tall but with me being only 5’ 3”, he was still going to be taller than me at 5’ 10”. He had a slim build, which was refreshing, given the bulk I was used to being around and when he hugged me it didn’t feel like he could ever forget himself and crush me to death! See, I had developed the happy knack of turning things that once would have turned me on or made me happy into a negative and an added pile of shit that I continually collected in my memories. This was something I didn’t need any expert to tell me was a coping mechanism.
But don’t get me wrong, he was still fit, only he had more of a swimmer’s body. All lean muscles that tapered down into a slim waist, hidden behind his usual perfect clothes. Alex was a man who prided himself on looking smart and professional at all times, whether it was his styled back dark hair that sometimes looked slick with the aid of products or his smooth moisturized face that smelled of one clean male.
He had a set of piercing grey blue eyes, but a lighter shade to mine. His features were pointed, with a sharp nose and chin to match which gave him an air of authority, but one very different to the owners of Afterlife. And when he smi
led it creased his cheeks which gave him a dangerous edge that I was yet to find.
Which is what he did now as I went into his open arms for a hug.
“Hey, I thought you said you couldn’t make it.” I tried to sound light-hearted but it was hard when my heart was pounding at the thought of introducing my new boyfriend to my ‘other’ family.
“The meeting finished earlier than I thought it would…it’s not a problem is it? I thought you would want me here for support.”
“Of course it is…I mean isn’t…umm…let me start again…” I mumbled making RJ roll her eyes at me behind him, when he laughed. I don’t know why but I always got the impression from RJ and Jack that they didn’t like him as much as they had…erm… you know who.
Although of course they never said so in as many words, but I guessed it was because there were just so many differences between them. I mean, take now for example. We were in a Goth club and Alex was wearing a suit without the tie. Okay, he had probably just come straight from the office but still, he stuck out like a sore thumb…which made me wonder what he saw in me sometimes?
Like now, I was wearing a pair of grey skinny jeans that I could only wear under something that covered my bum or they would be classed as indecent, given the extra pounds my chocolate habit had managed to put on. I matched this with a tight long sleeved dress in cherry red that was just like an overly long t-shirt with a bit of flare round the bottom, which kicked out like a skirt. My sister had bought it for me because it had a black lace back in the shape of a massive skull that showed off most of my skin underneath. We both agreed it would be perfect for Afterlife should I ever have the guts to go back there again, which brought me to my outfit choice.
The Pentagram Child: Part 1 (Afterlife Saga Book 5) Page 5