The Triple Goddess

by Stephanie Hudson

  “No, no…we’re going down…Oh NO!” I screamed trying to get off Lucius like this would help my situation.

  “Foolish girl! Look at me! Keira. Look. At. Me. Now!” His voice brought me to a level where I could think past the panic but when my face didn’t turn quick enough Lucius grabbed my chin and forced me to look at him. When I tried to get from his hold he grasped me roughly by the neck and his hand felt far too big for the column. His other hand seized my twisted hair and held it in a tight fist. He then pulled my head back to make my neck stretch out under his palm.

  “Enough! If you cannot be trusted to keep your eyes from that window and keep your fear in check then I will take the option from you! If you look at anything other than my face I will hurt you…do you understand?” I couldn’t focus on answering him as my fear of flying had quickly been replaced by the sight of one very pissed off Vampire who was currently controlling my head like a ventriloquist’s dummy.

  “Keira, do you understand? Answer me, pet.” He eased his hold on my hair and I nodded with his assistance.

  “Good girl, now tell me what you’re studying?”

  “What?” I said stunned at his question. He tugged on my hair and tightened his hold on my neck.

  “Let me explain, so that there is no confusion, the next time I require a sensible response. I am going to ask you questions and you, in turn are going too…?”

  “Ooooh, I know this one! Answer them...! Its answer them right?” Pip said, like she was so close to getting that A on the non-existent pop quiz. I actually wanted to laugh at the look on Lucius’ face. He didn’t answer but shot a look her way.

  “But I was right, wasn’t I?” I could hear her whisper to Adam, but when I tried to look round Lucius’ steely gaze blazed back at me, his hold preventing any other movement than the one he wanted.

  “You sure was love,” Adam responded quietly and then everything went back to just me and Lucius, including his stupid questions.

  “Right, now that we’re clear, let’s try that again should we?” He said before repeating his earlier question. I really wanted to tell him where he could stick his damn questions but I didn’t fancy bald patches in my hair so with gritted teeth I answered him.

  “History, Spanish and English Literature.”

  “See that wasn’t so difficult, was it?” His smug smile confirmed he was enjoying his control.

  “And you paint.” It was more of a statement than a question, although his look told me he still expected my answer.

  “I do…did, sometimes.” He raised one of his dark honey eyebrows that were a slash across the top of his eye making his eyes seem fiercer, more deadly looking. His face only seemed to ever soften when he laughed and I doubted I would witness that emotion very often.

  “I saw paintings in both the rooms you stayed in, so try not lie to me, it would not be wise.” Another warning. Should I be making notes?

  “Fine! Yes I paint but not very often anymore.”

  “Ah, of course, not since Morgan I gather.” His answer took me not only by surprise but took every other thought away. Like someone had thrown me into a hole in a frozen lake, no other sense came to me other than cold…so, so cold. He must have seen it in my eyes because he started to make a soothing motion with his thumb that went up and down the full length of my neck he still had trapped.

  “I don’t want to talk about that!” I said feeling a burning anger that did nothing to help defrost the bitter memory of what that name still did to me.

  “No, I can imagine that you don’t.” What, how and when did he find out about my past? I didn’t ask…I couldn’t ask.

  “Don’t worry pet, I won’t make you talk about it. I’m cruel, punishing and heartless but not sadistic.” He stated and I couldn’t imagine him getting very far with that description on a dating site! I wanted to laugh at the idea of what it would read…

  ‘Vampire King, kills for fun, collects knives as a hobby and commands his vampire army as his job but likes to spend nights having long walks along the beach with his latest victim before sinking his fangs into them for a midnight snack. If you’re a tasty AB negative then call on 0800- murder but don’t forget to leave a message on voice mail if ringing in the day!’

  The crazy thing was that in this day and age he would have probably received thousands of calls trying to set up a date. If only they knew the truth when reading and watching all these vamp romances, that the truth would terrify them into running for their lives not getting naked, flicking their hair back and practicing their gyrating!

  “What did you think of the art work at the club?” His questions were throwing me off guard and I hated that he was trying to have a normal conversation with me…I mean, I was sat straddling his bloody lap for Christ’s sake and I’m not even going into the solid package I could feel down there. Nope, not doing it!

  The Helicopter had another vibration and we tilted to one side. I yelped pitifully and was too afraid to feel ashamed of myself.

  “Focus, Keira girl!” He let go of my hair finally but wrapped it firmly around my back coming to rest his hand at my side with a sure grip. I closed my eyes tightly and tried to hear his words and was strangely taking a comfort in his secure hold on me. I put it all down to being up in the air when I could die any minute…No, No, don’t think about it, or about how many things that could go wrong…like if these vibrations worked one of the thousands of pieces that held this machine together loose…NO, stop it Keira!

  “I can see you fighting yourself girl, let go and listen to my voice. I want you to open your eyes and look at me. Do it now!” I did as he asked after letting out a squeak of pain as his fingers pressed into my fleshy side.

  “Good. Now you are going to listen to me. We are just turning. You should know that I have put far too much time and effort into obtaining you and I am not going to give you up until I fulfil my goal. That includes helicopter crashes, which this one isn’t going to do. Now concentrate on answering my questions. It isn’t a request.”

  He continued to ask non important questions about me, which included art I liked, books I read and even places I would like to visit. I answered every question like an obedient little submissive and all the while I wanted to hit, punch and scratch every time he pried another slice of my personality out of me. Why did he want to know these things? Why would he care about simple things that a human girl enjoyed in life? I could have understood if he had asked about Draven or things that went on at the club, not that I should be complaining but it was still baffling.

  After just over an hour we were coming into land and that’s when all my previous panic seemed tame.

  “I can’t, I can’t…I ..please, I can’t do…” Lucius gave me a shake but I was far too gone no matter the amount of pain he inflicted this time it wouldn’t work, nothing would! Going up was bad enough but it was the coming down that really sent me over the edge. White hot unstoppable fright, panic and horror all rolled together causing an actual pain to flare in my chest. I felt like I was suffocating on my fear and nothing, nothing in this world could…

  “STOP!” Lucius shouted before taking my head with both hands and merging his lips with mine. He took hold of me and forced his way into a deep all-consuming kiss. I couldn’t think and the helicopter we were in vanished, it actually started to erode like it had been left for thousands of years and someone had played the footage back on fast forward. The wind blew away at the metal and machine leaving us sat together kissing as the earth elements took my fear away. When there was nothing left of the helicopter I saw the blinding sun high in the bluest of skies. The wind blew my hair around my face but Lucius’ kiss deepened before I could pull back. He ran his hands up gently pushing all the hair from my forehead. The kiss was burning and I tried too hard not to like it, not to find any pleasure there in his tender touch, I tried… but…

  I failed.

  He dominated my movements and I caught myself responding to his power. He explored every last bit of
me and did it over and over again. I noticed my hands had turned into fists in his shirt as though holding him to me instead of pushing him away. Then without understanding why, my hand crept up to his shoulders and kept travelling up his neck to his head. It was as if my hands weren’t my own when one grabbed a handful of his silken strands and the other scraped my nails down his back. He groaned in pleasure and his hands left my face to wrap around my torso in an unbreakable hold. He pulled me so close I couldn’t breathe and when he knew it, he left my lips to trail kisses down my neck. He found where my pulse beat the fastest and sucked my flesh into his mouth, making little nips at me without piercing the skin. It was driving me crazy and I found my hips were making circular motions of their own accord.

  I felt something bump under us and tried to pull back but his hands fisted on my jacket and he moaned into my neck.

  “My little Keira girl,” he whispered when I tried to free myself. The fog in my mind was starting to clear and I shook my head to rid myself of the dream. Where was I? As soon as that question formed, the field vanished along with the summer’s day. I opened my eyes to find the helicopter wasn’t ancient dust a million miles away but was a very real, solid reality. But more importantly a very real, solid Vampire King was under me sporting one hell of an erection!

  Oh no, no, no, what had I just done…I had kissed Lucius and worse still,

  I had enjoyed it.

  Chapter 8

  Reaching Out to Lovers Lost

  OH MY GOD! I had just been kissed until my toes had curled and I had kissed him back! What was I doing? I felt like crying but my shock was still too fresh for the tears to follow. I fell backwards and Lucius let me. I landed on the floor below him and his face told me I wasn’t the only one in shock. Why was he shocked, he’s the one that kissed me?

  “Phew, now that was hot, hot and hot! Adam did you see how hot that was?” Pip said causing the real heat to find my cheeks. I looked her way and she winked at me, giving me the thumbs up. I looked away to hide my shame which is when I noticed we weren’t moving and were firmly on the ground. I looked back to Lucius and just caught sight of his hellfire eyes flash before resuming to darkened grey. I couldn’t tell what he was thinking but I knew one thing, whatever had just happened was not what he had expected. Without one word he flicked a latch on the door and opened it to get out without a backward glance. I had no clue what to think so I didn’t. I was just too glad to get out of this bloody thing and finally have my feet on the ground.

  “So it was good for you too, yeh?” Pip said as she helped steady my wobbly legs.

  “It’s from the flight,” I said keeping my voice tight. The only thing, was that I wasn’t sure I could trust in the answer I had given her.

  After the horrendous flight, I found myself yet again in another vehicle and driving away towards some Lake house that Lucius owned. Well one thing was for sure, I didn’t think I was going meet Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock there, that was unless they were really demons. That would have put a whole other perspective on the Matrix!

  This time round I found myself sat next to Pip and Lucius couldn’t have sat further away from me if he had tried. I wasn’t complaining and if kissing me had been that bad then maybe if I flashed him he’d let me go! Ha, I actually made a snorting sound at this thought.

  “Oh, how adorable was that? You snorted! Like a little cute pig, like Babe…only I preferred him in the city, its cleaner than the farm and I only like getting dirty when I mud wrestle and only with Adam, he can’t pin me down when I’m all slippery and I finally get to win, do you eat bacon?” I didn’t know what to respond to first, the fact that I was getting referred to as a pig, that she liked to mud wrestle with Adam or that she wanted to know my thoughts on bacon! This girl was just intense… WOW was she just!

  “Love, remember breathing,” Adam said dryly.

  “I do, I do,” she whined. He leant over to her and lifted her with ease onto his lap. I got the impression that he didn’t like her being anywhere else than stuck to him. She let out a little sigh of contentment.

  “I meant other people, sweetheart,” he said nuzzling into her neck making her squeak. I decided it was far too painful to watch anymore and turned away to look out of the window. As I turned round I saw Lucius staring at me with his hand half on his cheek and chin. He looked as though he was studying my facial expression. I turned from everyone towards the limo driver determined to remain this way for the rest of the drive.

  “We have news my Lord.” I woke up to a new timid voice I didn’t recognise. At first I didn’t know where I was but when I looked down at myself I knew it was happening again. I was a shimmering, translucent form of myself this time but my heart still leapt at the man in front of me. Draven was in a study I had only been in once and it seemed like a lifetime ago. He was sat at a desk the size of a bed and there wasn’t a space not covered in paper. Charts, maps and ancient text on ripped pages from books that looked older than the written word.

  Draven looked like a mere shell of the man I knew so well. He was so dark and frightening he was hardly recognisable as my lover. His deep set eyes looked formidable in his quest to find me.

  “Speak!” He snapped with a deadly intent so fierce that two glass vases shattered on the mantle of an enormous fireplace. No one batted an eyelid and when I looked about the room I saw why. It wasn’t just a mess but it was close to being destroyed! Chairs lay in splinters with the cushions that were once attached to them now charred black remains. Around the room there were multiple holes in the stone walls that looked the same size as Draven’s fist. Stone dust lay underneath from the crumbling aftermath. There was smashed glass and pottery in most corners and it was anyone’s guess what form they used to be. In fact, the only thing in the room to survive seemed to be the desk and chair as they were the only things in use.

  “My Lord, the waitress Rue received a message a while ago but it was in code, she has only now discovered what it means and who it is from.” At this Draven brought his fist down on the desk causing the papers to rise and fall but thankfully he refrained from destroying it.

  “Bring her to me NOW!” He ordered and both I and the poor messenger jumped. I had seen Draven angry before but this…this was something else!

  “Yes my Lord, she is with Lady Sophia and Lord Vincent as we speak.” He flinched as if waiting for his master’s wrath and habit of breaking things soon to include bones…mainly his.

  “Good, get them in here!” He said standing and folding his arms in waiting.

  “Yes My L...”

  “GO!” Draven’s interruption caused flakes of stone to float down from the ceiling. I looked up to see it had started to crack in places. If Draven kept up this fury then pretty soon he would end up standing in a pile of expensive rubble.

  I wanted to run to him but couldn’t move from the long couch I sat in. It too hadn’t managed to escape Draven’s thunderous temper but at least it was in one piece if not a little sharp and splintery around the edges. The thick teal velvet was split around the rounded arms and the stuffing was coming out like fluffy white clouds of flesh bursting from material skin.

  Draven was wearing ripped jeans that weren’t done for fashion purposes and a black t-shirt that strained every time he tensed his fists, which was often. The action caused a rippling effect to travel up his forearms and then hit his biceps so that little rips left his sleeves with slits showing skin underneath. He reminded me of the purple Hulk trying to contain that other side of him. His hair was a disarray of black strands that didn’t know where they should be and his jaw was shadowed in days old stubble. He looked like a fierce warrior ready to do battle and in a way I guess he was.

  Vincent walked through the door, which was held there by only one hinge. He looked around the room and silently shook his head. He also looked like he hadn’t slept in a month, only his stubble was blonde and his eyes, instead of their usual crystal blue, were now a deep navy. There were also lines of worry on his f
ace where usually there were none.

  Sophia followed him and also took note of the room but instead of following her brother’s silence she did comment.

  “Bad time for redecorating don’t you think brother?” At this Draven growled so low and deep, I half expected him to break out in fur and start howling at the moon. However Sophia didn’t look scared but she did hold up her hands in peace.

  “Down boy, just saying.”

  “Stop Sophia, don’t fuel his rage, not this time!” Vincent snapped and for him it was unusual to lose his cool. Normally Vincent was the meaning of an icy reserve. Not that he was unfeeling in anyway, just an Angel who never let his feathers get ruffled.

  “But where’s the fun in that?” She asked sweetly as they walked over to where I was sat. I quickly moved out of their way before they sat on me. Whether I was a ghost like figure or not, nobody liked to be sat on!

  “Enough! Where is Rue?” Draven responded with his raging authority.

  “I’m here, my Lord,” Rue said from the doorway. For the first time since I had met her she looked terrified. I didn’t blame her, facing Draven like this. Intimidating didn’t even cover his left pinkie finger let alone the full man that was close to shaking, he was that angry.

  “Come!” He ordered and she nearly tripped over herself as she hurried closer to him. A few words could describe Rue and that was little, skater style and blind. She never let her burnt eyes become a problem though as she had aided sight in the tattoos of eyes she had etched into the palms on her hands. She had ink black spiky hair that was shaved on one side. She wore knee length camouflage combats and army boots to match, to this she added a black t-shirt that was tight to her large breasts with a red heart shaped grenade and the band name ‘Greenday’ written underneath.