The Quarter Moon (Afterlife saga)

by Hudson, Stephanie

  I felt myself being picked up and cradled to a hard chest which, for a moment, I let myself pretend was Draven’s.

  “Ethpthaḥ!” (Means ‘To open’ In Aramaic) I didn’t take much in but briefly heard what sounded like a pair of massive doors opening. I didn’t look. I was scared what looking up at him would do to me, so I held on. I didn’t know what he was wearing, I didn’t know where he took me and I didn’t know if he was taking me up on my exchange for life. And I no longer cared! I couldn’t, I just didn’t have anything left in me. All I had been through, all those times that I put my life on the line, to come here and find what…?

  Nothing…just… nothing.

  Draven wasn’t here and I had failed! I had lost everything all over again. Coming all this way just to learn this reality was like someone had just dumped dry ice in my belly and it was seeping into my very soul!

  “How could this happen?” I mumbled into his chest, crying the last of it out. I felt myself being lowered before I received an answer, even if though I didn’t really expect one.

  “You thought any blood of mine would be brought back here against his will?” I raised my head and had to wipe my blurry eyes on my sleeve, along with… I hated to say it, a runny nose. I then looked up to find him kneeling by my side.

  “Wh…what do you… mmmean?” I asked sounding like I had a cold and trying not to cry at the end, as my breathing hitched.

  “My poor young one, I think you have been steered into greater depths before you learned how to swim.” I rubbed my nose again and said in a quiet voice,

  “I can swim.” He started laughing and it was a lovely warm sound that once again reminded me of my Draven. His finger traced one escaping tear and he un-expectantly brought it to my lips. When I didn’t do anything but freeze he smiled at me and nodded to his fingertip. So I did what I thought he wanted and kissed the end of it.

  “Nothing as beautiful as you should lose a part of herself…even something as fragile as a single tear, a tear that should never have been given permission to fall.” I nodded and rubbed the rest of them away receiving a wink for my efforts.

  “Right, now tell me of your tale and how it led you to my home, my sweet child.” He got up and sat down next to me. Surprising a squeak out of me, he picked up my legs and laid them across his own.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Making us comfortable.” He said with a mischievous glint in his dark eyes.

  “Umm…isn’t this a bit weird, I mean, I am kind of dating your son.” I reminded him just as he removed my boots and started rubbing my feet.

  “First of all, knowing my son and the blood that runs dominant in his veins, then you are not simply ‘dating’ him as you put it, you solely belong to him, owned by him…”

  “No I…”

  “Eh, eh…I haven’t finished.” He said holding up a finger, gently admonishing me. He also went back to rubbing my feet after first peeling back my socks and I just prayed that my feet didn’t smell! And how did he make that simple act seem like he was peeling something a lot more concealing away? Wait, what was I thinking…? This was just plain old weird but also, oh so heavenly. I mean, jeez the man had skills alright!

  “And secondly in reference to this…” He nodded down to my bare feet that were currently being dominated by his large hands.

  “Just find yourself lucky that’s all I am doing and you don’t find yourself flat on you back, screaming for days under my ministrations, sweet girl.” When he saw my mouth drop, he gave me a pure, down to the bone, bad ass grin and leaned closer to my mouth to snap at it with his teeth, making me snap my own mouth…shut tight, that was. He burst out laughing and said,

  “I am the Devil’s Prince of Lust, after all.”

  I gulped and licked my dry lips causing him to watch the action as though he would lean over at any minute and do the same thing. I decided there was only one way I could think of to take both our minds from the sexual fog that his presence emitted.

  “I don’t suppose there is any chance in Hell of a cuppa tea is there?” The grin he gave me painfully reminded me of Draven whenever he thought I was being cute and for the long minutes of being stared at, I didn’t think he would grant my odd request. But the next thing I knew I was soon staring down at my own Homer mug full of the perfectly brewed tea being held out to me like a gift from…uh…well not the Gods but…The Prince of Lust. Now that was a weird sentence even for me!

  I looked up from my own personal nectar to say thank you when he said,

  “Where there is tea, there is hope.”

  I had to smile.

  Whilst I was I telling him the story from the beginning, I also had time to take in my surroundings. The room we sat in was a very long gallery type room that was completely made from the thick black blocks. It had at least ten pillars running in the centre the full length until I couldn’t make out what was at the end. The pillars were made from a light grey stone that looked like solid ash. They arched up to the ceiling and the moulding interlaced with numerous other arches making up the intercut pattern above.

  As dark as the stone was, it wasn’t lacking character or light showing off that character to its fullest. The light came from the most unusual lamps. Thick bicep arms of red tinged brass came out of the heavy rocked wall, with their shackled hands holding flaming orbs.

  But it wasn’t just from the walls, as long slender female arms also provided light. They came out of the top of the pillars like tiered chandeliers but each was holding a light bulb upside down. The tops of each held a single flame and the oil could be seen in the glass at the bottom. Each one of these was shackled at the wrist and chains hung heavy in between, joining all the arms together.

  It was pretty cool in a strange way, but the rest of the room had me blushing. Along the walls were various sized alcoves, each housing a sculpture of a sexual nature. Now, if there had been just two people having sex with each other then I could just act like I was seeing something like this in a museum. But oh no, not for the President of lust!

  Of the ones closer to us, there was one of a large apple four times the size of a football. In its centre was a woman’s vagina with the snake’s body coming from its core. It was coiled around the apple and its head rested just by the stalk, looking down at its own body emerging. I think most would gather this represented Eve in the most unforgiving light.

  The one straight ahead looked like a large gold ball, but when you gave it more than a quick glance you could see it was something more. It was a contorted body with the face of a demon. A large penis stood tall and erect for him as he was having a jolly good time giving himself oral sex. As crude as this was it wasn’t the worst part, as its bull sized balls were also in some sort of vice! Now that made me blush.

  The ones further away in the next set of alcoves consisted of an overly muscled sea God holding across him a writhing mermaid. His trident, held tightly to her front, was trapping her breasts in between the three spears. The helpless mermaid had her head arched back in rapture as her tail had been pulled down enough to reveal a painfully large penis mid thrust, in between the glimpse of human legs. This one was made from old bronze, the type that turned green in places from the copper oxide.

  The very last one I could make out, was of two figures that were some sort of half animal doing it standing up, whilst other creatures licked at their moving sexes from either side. It was made from pot and one of the heads was half crumbled away from what I gathered was old age.

  I wish I could say that was it, but the largest sex symbol in the room was actually the one we were sat on. It was the longest sofa I had ever seen, being at least three times as big as a regular three seater. The cushions felt like cashmere and were the same ash grey colour as the pillars. They were thick and one of the softest seats I had ever graced my bum the task of sitting on.

  But this wasn’t its most defining feature. No, it was the frame upon which all that comfort was placed on top of. Two larger than life na
ked women, that looked dipped in slick black oil, lay on their backs. Their heads were what were used as the feet of the sofa and their arched backs meant the sides consisted of high thrust out breasts and the arms bent so that fingers could tug on their own nipples. The legs met in the middle and lay over each other with their sexes scissored together.

  It was a work of art really, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to be sat atop of two naked women, getting my feet rubbed by Draven’s dad, Mr Lusty! Of course, my wants weren’t up for discussion and so here I was. I had just finished telling him everything, as once again the floodgates opened and I found there was no holding back. He had a strange calming presence about him that I imagined granted him with the skills for a different type of torture. After all, why inflict pain when pleasure worked just as well…for all parties involved.

  Apart from taking in our naked surroundings, I also had chance to take in the man who controlled it all. He sat back with such ease but commanded his space in an effortless way. When I was finally allowed to move my legs, choosing to pull them underneath me and to the side he gave me a knowing smile that had me blushing. Of course, the blushing could also account for when he started brushing the backs of his fingers along one of the chair’s breasts.

  Now, I will say that seeing someone who looked like Draven, even an older version, wasn’t the easiest thing for my raging libido but when he did things like that…well, now that had me close to panting! Another thing that really wasn’t helping was what he was wearing. It looked to be a type of black toga made from some kind of hide, but I couldn’t tell you what. It fit tighter than a simple loose piece of material draped over one shoulder, so that you could see the sheer size of muscle he was packing. I wasn’t sure whether he was bigger than Draven or they were just the same size and I had forgotten how big Draven really was. I just knew that, thanks to the design of the toga, it showcased his enormous arms off to their fullest.

  He had one arm covered completely in a skin tight layer underneath his toga but I didn’t know what material it was. It was like a soft black suede moulding to every curve and at first I thought he was wearing a single glove on this hand but when I looked closely I saw it was part of the sleeve. The arm that was left bare had thick leather straps crisscrossed over part of his bicep coming from his shoulder. His forearm also had a plate of brushed metal which covered the length of one side, growing wider near his elbow to fit. This was edged with small spikes that looked deadly enough in a fight. It was held on with straining buckles pulled tight around the muscle and in the centre was the same symbol I had seen on the back of my coin. It looked as if it had been burnt onto the metal with a branding iron.

  “Well now, that was quite a story, my young one.” All I could do was nod my acknowledgment. After all, I had said all there was to say and now I was at a loss.

  “So, was Draven ever here?” I asked the question that had been eating away at me.

  “My dear, understand this, if my son were ever to grace us with his presence in this realm, then he would not do so wrapped in the chains of others. He would live like the King he is and being as he is so much more in your world.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “My lovely, he is a God amongst mere men.” He said with pride shining through each word.

  “And as I and his mother had intended it to be, including his brother and sister also. But it is the unique mix in my son that has never happened before, that rivals that of any God. He is just yet to discover it.” I shook my head not fully understanding.

  “What do you mean…has he…I mean how? Can he really have even more power?”

  “You know nothing of the prophecy I take it?” He asked raising an eyebrow.

  “I just know I am supposed to have something to do with it.” At my answer he laughed.

  “One does not know true power until it has been taken from them and one does not know true love until that also has been taken from them…mix the two concepts together and you will then find that there lies your true power.”

  “I don’t understand.” Now instead of laughing at me he simply gave me a small, knowing smile.

  “You will…one day you will understand that your role in the prophecy wasn’t a role at all but simply a choice made from love, like this journey you bravely chose to walk down…one day I promise you, you will know your own worth, as my son does.” I looked down at my lap and tried to hold in the emotions his kind words brought to the surface.

  “Can I ask you another question?” He lowered his head into a deep nod at my request.

  “How is it you look like him?”

  “Is it playing on your mind, child?” He asked finding the humour in my question. He didn’t wait for the answer he knew.

  “I have many forms, but this I thought necessary for your comfort, besides, my son is easy on the eyes is he not?” Again he was finding this all quite amusing and I must say his easy tone was helping my strangled nerves.

  “Oh yeah!” I said on a sigh making him laugh.

  “So what am I to do now?” I said after the humorous moment had passed.

  “Well, I cannot tell you where my son is, only where he is not. But my advice…” I turned to face him and nodded when he didn’t continue.

  “Find someone who does.” Well that was easier said than done when even the bloody Oracle thought that he was down here!

  “Could he be…you know, in the other place?” I looked up out of habit.

  “Ah, now that I definitely can’t say. I know this might shock you given where my particular talents lie, but me and my dear Sarah are not really on speaking terms.”

  “Sarah?” I asked, not hearing the name being mentioned before.

  “My wife, although she is somewhat difficult in her acknowledgement on that fact. The Hebrew name Sarah indicates a woman of high rank and is translated as ‘princess’ which is why I named her as such. She will always be my Sarah.” He said looking thoughtful down the long room until I followed his gaze. There, in the middle of the room on a higher platform, was a sculpture of a single female and although I was too far away to make out any of her features, it was more the lack of what I could see was more profound. She was the only statue in the room that wasn’t of a sexual nature.

  I knew from his look alone that this was his Sarah and Draven’s mother.

  “Women are like flowers you know.” I tore my eyes from the pale marble woman back to Asmodeus. He was once again touching the breast like he was using that as an example, taking in her smooth curves like a connoisseur.

  “Us bees search out the one we want, whether it be the biggest, the boldest in colour, the dangerous ones full of thorns, petals so soft it could bring the strength behind our wings to fail…All of you, standing there waiting for the day we come to find you, our perfect flower waiting in the storms of life, holding on for us, being strong for us…” He snapped his piercing gaze back to me and suddenly the intensity of it had me squirming. His grip tightened on the breast before he finished,

  “But some fail. Some lose themselves in the waiting. They wither up in the strongest winds and give up holding on. So they let that wind take them, leaving nothing left for us bees to find…” He reached out and had my hands locked in his before I could blink.

  “Don’t let the wind take you, my son’s Chosen… hold on until he finds his way and if you do, then I can promise you it will be worth facing the storm my world throws in your path.” I nodded my understanding and gave him all I had left to give…

  “I will always hold on.”

  It was a promise.

  Chapter 45

  Behind Enemy Lines

  After leaving the second Circle of Hell and saying goodbye to its President, the journey back was a lot easier than it had been coming here. First of all Charon, although still scary for the most part, must have had his warnings because he remained silent until we broke free of the tunnels. When this happened not only did he turn to smile at me once more, but he had also transformed ba
ck into his former happy self…clean clothes and all.

  He even apologised for his behaviour and told me that it sometimes happens to Charons when they are not naturally comfortable in the place where the souls take them. This was one of those times. I told him there were no hard feelings and shrugged it off. I mean, what was I supposed to do, hold a grudge, throw a hissy fit and tell him I wouldn’t ever be back? I didn’t believe in any of those things. Anyway the trip back gave me the time needed to sort through my head.

  On first hearing Draven wasn’t there, I had wanted to give up the fight. Hell, I think for a moment I did. But then after hearing what Draven’s dad had to say about not giving up and holding on, I knew I could never just give up on Draven like that. And I wouldn’t.

  So, what was next? Draven’s dad had walked me through a small section of his castle (which was seriously cool) and as I turned to say my farewells I was roughly pulled into his embrace and licked…I kid you not…actually licked up my neck to my ear, where he whispered,

  “Good journey, my sweet, sweet young one and…” He released me and placed something cold in my hand before saying,

  “…until the next time we should ever need to meet.” I looked down to see he had placed another coin in my hand ready to use should I ever need him again. I gave him big eyes of surprise and then said something that made him burst out laughing,

  “Thanks, Draven’s dad.”

  Well, after saying goodbye to Asmodeus the way no ‘could one day be’ daughter-in-law should ever do, I felt better than when I had first arrived. I mean, it was always nice to know that someone, who one day could become your in-law, actually liked you. Besides, it couldn’t be a bad thing to have someone that powerful in Hell at your back, could it? I thought this as I palmed the coin in my hand before placing it back safely in my pocket. I had carried it with me for so long now it felt right being back there.

  So, bringing me back to the now and a place where Jared waited, pacing along the same decking I had not long ago left. I used these last few moment to consider what to do next? I had already used what I had learned to gather there was something bigger at play here for everyone else to believe Draven was in Hell. So where was he really? The only answer I could come up with was so simple it was practically staring me in the face.