“Thank you for inviting a rainbow into my life.” And then I kissed him where I had spoken.
“You’re welcome, Love.”
“Alrighty, alrighty, enough of the mushy shit, I wanna drink!” Pip said light-heartedly making me laugh. Draven let me go and I walked back over to my personal rainbow, as I hadn’t been lying when I said that to Draven. Pip was literally wearing a rainbow!
She wore a chiffon halter neck dress in the brightest colours of the rainbow, with a massive double layered bell shaped skirt. To this she added a skull and cross bone hello kitty brooch at her cleavage and neon green tights with a monster pattern. She also had on round mirrored sunglasses that reminded me of John Lennon and I was only just now noticing the panda bears she had painted on her nails.
“My Lord.” Adam said bowing to Draven before coming over to me and giving me a warm embrace.
“Hello little trouble maker.” Adam said to me with a smile in his voice.
“You are so gonna be glad I’m here for tomorrow night, it’s gonna be a blast and we are gonna have so much…”
“Winifred.” Adam warned letting me go and crossing his arms across his chest.
“It’s fine Adam.” Draven said obviously knowing what she was being scolded for and for a minute I thought it was because she was about to blurt out something she shouldn’t have.
“What?! What did I do this time, cause you know you already punished me for what I did on the plane, and I told you my teeth wouldn’t get in the way but oh no, you just couldn’t keep still, you had to move and jerk around and I told you that would happen, but would you listen…would he listen…” She repeated again to me making Adam frown down at her.
“Winifred.” He warned again.
“What...? Oh…that.” She said turning back to face Draven and bowing like Adam, only holding out her skirt creating the perfect curtsy.
“My Lordie Boss Man.” She said then looked my way and winked at me making me giggle. Draven just nodded with his lips twitching and Adam rolled his eyes to the ceiling.
“Everyone happy now…um let’s see, punished on plane, check, super happy fun time reunion, check, Royal bullshit taken care of, check, watching Boss man and his little woman practically hump, check! Now let’s get shitfaced!” Pip shouted in a way I think she was expecting everyone else to cheer…of course they didn’t. But I did give her a little,
“Yay.”
So the rest of the evening was spent as a little reunion party and even though the room next to the kitchen was as posh as a palace, none of us really acted like we belonged there. We laughed, we joked and we drank like wine was going out of fashion and we had to get rid of a cellar full before the next season! But I soon learnt that even when you had hundred year old furniture that sloppy wine stains weren’t an issue when you had Draven Mumbo Jumbo.
And this was a good thing because at one point me, Pip and Sophia were all up dancing on the large coffee table in the centre. I even thought it was pretty cool how Draven had offered me his hand to help me step up, the same as Adam and Zagan had done for their girls.
Of course I knew I was drunk when I started shouting for Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5 to come on. Thankfully Draven had the foresight to save me from singing like a banshee by putting his shoulder to my waist and folding me over his shoulder.
“Time for water I think, my little diva queen.” He had said making me giggle.
“Aww, no fair…we lost our human.” Pip complained to Sophia who was swinging her hips without losing a single drop of her pink Cosmo. I smiled as I was manoeuvred into Draven’s lap and handed a bottle of ice cold water. But it wasn’t the water that made me smile, or unbelievably even being in Draven’s lap, although that was always something to smile at.
No, it was none of these things but what it was, was one of the most beautiful things in the world and that was watching my family. The family I thought I had heartbreakingly lost. It was watching the love surrounding me in so many different forms but each holding a powerful place in my heart.
It was also the way the husbands in the room looked at their wives like the sun rose and set with them. Like the only reason the stars came out at all was to see their girls. Zagan kept looking at Sophia like he was fighting a secret grin that spoke of private things she would soon discover later from his thoughts. Adam looked like he was just fighting the urge to grab his wife and run, looking for the nearest building to climb like King Kong taking his prize possession away from the world. Although both tried to act the perfect vision of calm, I knew better.
It almost felt like I was absorbing all the love in the room and it was making me feel lightheaded it was that powerful.
“Isn’t love grand.” I said relaxing back to Draven’s chest and sighing when his arms encircled me from behind.
“It should be the only true reason for living.” Draven’s response surprised me. I turned my head to look up at him from the side.
“You sound like you’ve only just discovered this philosophy?” I asked on a laugh. His eyes turned soft and his hand came to cup my cheek.
“I never knew what it was like. I watched my sister find it and those around me, but I never understood the level of power held there…” He paused and leant further into me before saying,
“…until there was you.”
I don’t know what happened after that but one thing was obvious…I was wasted! I was in that state where you are semi-conscious to all around you and it’s like living in one of your dreams. Well at least it was for me right now because I was pretty sure I was in Draven’s arms once again being carried towards a bed.
“The water didn’t work.” I heard Pip say.
“Well that is what happens when you add vodka to it.” Draven almost growled this and I shivered but that then ended on a hiccup.
“You okay, sweetheart?” Draven’s voice changed dramatically when he started talking to me and not Pip. I felt him push some of my hair back as he lay me down.
“Umm mmm…fink so.” I said wondering if it sounded as blurred to them as it did to me?
“You need to leave, I must get her comfortable.”
“You mean naked is what you mean!” Pip said and without fully seeing straight I knew she had her hands on her hips.
“Leave Imp!” Draven snarled making me moan,
“Fight…no.”
“Great, see what you did, now she’s turned into Yoda!” Pip argued making me giggle and hiccup again.
“What is a Yoda?” Draven asked as he pulled off my shoes.
“Not what, who and don’t you go worrying your little royal head over midget green, big eared Jedi masters…you worry about me mister if you ever hurt my girl again, well then I would scratch off your balls and stuff em up…”
“Mrs Ambrogetti…I think that’s quite enough for our King to visualise.” Adam’s gentle voice filled the room and I only managed to see a shadowy silhouette stood with arms crossed at the door.
“Ooops, boy am I sooo in trouble now, thanks boss man…laters! Oh and take loving care of our girl now!”
“I live and breathe to do nothing else.” Was Draven’s soft response when I heard the door close.
I woke the next morning with the intense feeling that some small rodent had taken up residency in my mouth during the night and then died some horrible death! Yes I truly felt that bad. Bad enough in fact my first noise of the day was a groan.
“Feeling rough perchance?”
“I’m not sure, is my head really cracked wide open and shameful moments of last night are pouring out, or does it just feel that way?” At this the bed started shaking with Draven’s raucous laughter.
“Here, let me check.” He said finally when he controlled his humour. I felt his hands at my head and it felt kind of magic what he was doing there, rubbing gentle circles at my temples.
“Oh that’s good.” I moaned still all the while keeping my eyes closed.
“You know I hear the light won’t actually burn y
our retinas from just a hangover.”
“Ha, ha, and since when did you turn into such a funny man?” I asked sarcastically.
“Since I met some beauty in the woods who taught me how to laugh.” Oh god, but that was such a beautiful thing to say, it took me a moment to be able to reply.
“You’re smooth I will give you that.” I said but Draven knew with the thick emotion in my voice that there was no malice in my response.
“I do try, Love.” He whispered making me finally open my eyes. The room wasn’t as bright as I first thought it would be thanks to the thick curtains that were pulled across the sight of Venice.
“Ah there she is…good morning my little drunkard.” I couldn’t help but fail at supressing my grin on hearing my new pet name.
“Morning my sober knight in khaki pants.” I replied making him laugh and say,
“Well not anymore.” I looked over to him to see only his bottom half covered with the sheet and found he was right, now he wasn’t wearing anything.
“Draven!” I shouted.
“What? Do I look like a pyjama man to you?” At this I laughed as well.
“No, I couldn’t see you in blue and white stripes.”
“Then naked it is, count yourself lucky your little Imp guardian was around to put me in my place last night or you would find yourself the same.” He said nodding to me. I looked down at myself to see I was wearing the same T-shirt that Draven had on last night.
“Umm…and was my little green haired guardian the one to put me in your T-shirt?” And there it was, my answer all wrapped up in a bad boy grin.
“I will take that as a no.”
“Would you believe I closed my eyes?” He asked resting his head up on his hand having his bent elbow to the bed.
“Not if the Pope himself told me so.” I replied to which the bed was once again bouncing with Draven’s laughter.
“See I told you they’re up…Pip bomb!” Pip suddenly shouted running into the room and leaping onto the bed to then start jumping like a five year old. She was of course wearing a Sonic the Hedgehog onesie.
“Get up, get up! It’s Christmas, mum and dad!” She yelled then burst into a fit of Pip giggles.
“Calm down Squeak, it’s too early and I have the mother of all hangovers!” I said holding my head like this would help. Sophia followed in through the door, now answering my silent question as to who Pip was talking to before she burst into the room. Sophia walked over to the curtains and pulled them both back letting the light come pouring in. My instinct kicked in and before I could stop myself I rolled into Draven and buried my head into the little nook by his shoulder.
“Ahhh!” I complained and Draven’s other hand came to the back of my head to hold me to him.
“Well it’s not early, and this you see here is afternoon light. So chop, chop, lots to do, lots to be done.” Sophia said coming to stand by one of the bed’s thick wooden posts.
“Yeah, this is totally dress dolly human day! It’s like one of my favourite days and actually, I think it should be a national holiday!” On hearing this I groaned into Draven’s skin making him chuckle. I then turned back to face my girls to find Sophia smiling softly at the sight of me and Draven in bed together.
“You know I have become quite good at dressing myself these days, in fact let me show you later…yeah?” I said and tried to ignore the slither of tingles up my spine with having Draven’s hand making its way down to rest at my bare hip where his T-shirt had ridden up around my waist.
“Oh no, not this time Kazzy, your ass is ours!” Sophia said and Pip who was still standing at the bottom of the bed added,
“That’s right Whoopie Toot, your ass has been sold to us chickiedees!” Then after giving Sophia a high five, she then smacked her own ass a few times as if this would help get her point across better. I then looked up to Draven and after a smile he looked like he was concentrating on something in the distance. I was about to ask him about it but before I could he spoke.
“Alright ladies, fun time is over, you can wait for my… your doll outside.” Draven said and his fingers dug into my flesh after his little slip up.
“Oh no fair King dude! We wanna play now!”
“Turtle Dove!” Adam shouted as he made it to the door frame from what looked like a dead run. His plaid shirt had several tears slashed across the chest and around the muscles of his arms, like he had been straining and ripped his shirt.
“Oh dear not again.” I muttered when I followed his arms down to see thick chains hanging with broken links from his wrists.
“Pipper, you didn’t.” I said making her shrug her shoulders before winking at me and turning to her frantic looking husband.
“My bad hubby pot pie.”
“Excuse me my Lord, my wife forgot her kiss this morning.” Adam said straightening up and stormed into the room like he only had one purpose in life. He then reached that purpose and bent her bodily over his shoulder, taking her right off the bed with one turn.
“One of these days, Winnie you will be the death of me.” Adam said with a naughty Imp hanging over his shoulder.
“Well technically dear I already killed you once.” She replied sweetly receiving a swift smack to her ass that made a cracking sound. After wincing she then lifted half her body up and gave us all the gnarly sign with both her hands as she was carried from the room.
“Well Brother it looks like you have your wish after all because our little Imp will be getting punished for a few hours at least.” Draven grinned at his sister and then nodded his head. She laughed and blew him a kiss before leaving us alone once more.
“Poor Adam, Well at least that was lucky he broke free.” I said making Draven laugh.
“Who do you think helped free him?” I pulled back and raised an eyebrow at him.
“You did?”
“I did.”
“Well other than the obvious reasons at him being held captive by walking, talking, breathing trouble, why?”
“The most obvious is for what I have held in my arms right now and it is not something I am ready to give up.” I blushed at Draven’s answer and even more so with the look he gave me.
“Keira there is something we need to talk about…something I have been trying to say and something you need to know about my hea…” At this moment he got cut off by Vincent bursting into the room and Draven closed his eyes in frustration.
“Dom, you need to come now!” On hearing the panic in his brother’s voice Draven sat up still holding me to his chest, as though I was his main point of concern.
“What is it?” He asked and suddenly I was transported back in time to a night of both horror and salvation.
“It's Takeshi, he…well he has had another vision and Dom…” Vincent said only this time the difference was that Draven was the one to finish it…
“He is again near death from it.”
Chapter 29
Say That Again.
“I must say I am loving the hair.” I said at the sight of Pip sat cross legged in a Buddha pose on the couch. Her hair was braided tight on either side of her skull in multiple rows, creating a green and blue tipped Mohawk. It was mesmerizing the way it swayed with every move she made and even more so because she had corkscrew curls stuck up in every direction. This was so Pip, to choose to have a mad riot of curls instead of straight hair you would normally find on a Mohawk.
Of course just looking at her dungaree shorts in the material of a patchwork quilt, with a Miss Piggy faded T-shirt underneath was enough to put a smile on anyone’s face. This included Sophia also, as when she had walked in the room with that ‘I just got me some’ swagger, Sophia with her perfect timing had Maroon 5’s ‘Moves like Jagger’ bursting from the hidden speakers in the room. And Pip being Pip started doing a moon walk backwards whilst punching at the air in front of her in some cute ‘Hell yeah’ dance.
“Why thank you Tootie whoopie pie.” She replied to my compliment making me laugh.
&
nbsp; “Whoopie pie?”
“She’s going through her baking phase again.” Sophia answered shaking her head as if she remembered the first time she went through this phase.
“Hey, let’s just say it wasn’t Sweeney Todd’s lovely Mrs. Lovett who first came up with the recipe for ‘meat pies’.” Pip said with a huff at the end. I swallowed hard and gave her a disbelieving look…one I was really hoping wasn’t going to be followed by shocking disgust.
“What! Don’t look at me like that Toots, they were already dead and people needed to eat back then, shit girl do know how expensive a cow was back then...? We didn’t all have some magic beans like the stupid Jack to trade with…poor Betsy.” I shot Sophia the crazy look instead of aiming at the ranting Pip and mouthed the word,
“Betsy?”
“Her favourite cow.” Sophia whispered back to me and then shook her head telling me to drop the ‘Betsy topic’.
“So, tonight, what am I to expect?” I asked trying to change the subject to one I thought was safer than random farm animals. However, I didn’t miss the look exchanged between Sophia and Pip making me frown.
“Ok, come on guys, fess up!” I said folding my arms so they knew I meant business. I think after the cryptic way Draven had left me that morning I had hit my limit on secrets or being the human left in the dark. I mean it was clear that something big was going down if Takeshi was having visions so damaging to him but one look from Draven and I knew there was no point even asking. So after Sophia had come to get me I knew it was her job to entertain ‘The human’ whilst the big boys dealt with the Supernatural shit. It was frustrating but I was no longer in a position to demand anything from Draven, let alone badger him with loads of questions.
“Don’t worry Kaz, it’s just some stuffy Ball we all attend every ten years.”
“Yeah, it’s no biggy, Toot Pop, just one big party with masks and mini crab cakes.” Pip added shrugging her shoulders making her curls bounce.
The Pentagram Child: Part 1 (Afterlife Saga Book 5) Page 33