“I have programmed all our numbers in here, along with the Sheriff’s just in case you find yourself unable to get through and it’s an emergency.” It was clear Lucy was a natural born mother and if she ever felt the need or want to adopt me at this point I think I would have cried with joy! It felt so good to have people care for you that I knew the next hardest part wouldn’t be the journey itself but leaving Lucy and Denis.
I had been here almost two weeks, which had been no time at all with regards to developing a bond between Lucy and myself. But I knew that with time passing I had even more pressure to find someone that could help me get Ari out and considering what I was dealing with, I knew that no human on the planet could help.
I don’t know exactly when it had become so acceptable to me when finding about this other world that seemed to co-exist with our own but it was almost as if I had always known. There had been no real freak out or denial when finding out that the Hexad Fathers had been Vampires all along. But then I had to ask myself, had this been thanks to what my visions had often shown me. Had some subconscious part of me always known that what I saw had some truth to it? I couldn’t give myself an answer to any of these questions but the one thing I did now know for certain and that was ‘Afterlife’ was real.
The rest of the day Lucy fussed around trying to think of anything else I could possibly need and I think if I could have carried a contortionist doctor folded up in my bag she would have stuffed one in there. She even decided on a massive hearty meal for tonight just in case the larder she packed me wouldn’t last me the eight-hour trip. I had to smile and Denis, it seemed, had to roll his eyes.
But even though he poked fun at his wife it was clear he was just as proud of her as she was of him. And if the trophy and Veggie crown she displayed on the mantelpiece wasn’t proof enough, then the huge Superman card that said ‘I knew you could do it, you’re my HERO!’ on there was.
When Denis had got back home he produced a folded wallet from his jacket pocket and handed it over to me. I asked what it was and received only a nod for me to open it and find out. Inside I found two tickets, one was for Lancaster, Pennsylvania to Portland, New England and the other was an open return ticket to Lancaster. I didn’t say a word but simply got out of my seat and hugged him, showing him my thanks.
He hugged me back in one of those awkward man hugs men often give when they don’t know what to do. Then he slapped me on the back and said,
“Let’s eat, I’m starving!”
My tickets were for the next morning and seeing as Denis would be in work, he had arranged for Dex to give me a ride to the bus station as it was his day off. I was left just hoping that one day I could repay all these people back tenfold for the kindness and generosity they had shown me. The tickets had cost over two hundred dollars and God only knew how much a mobile phone and all those clothes had cost but to Lucy and Denis that wasn’t the point. What was the point in their eyes was that by taking me in that night, they had chosen to take on the responsibility of me and they felt it was their duty to do so until the end.
So no matter what I said, they felt they were only doing what most good folk would do in their situation and all I could think was how much better the world would be if this were true. As far as I was concerned everyone needed a Lucy and Denis in their lives and that wasn’t just for personal gain. They were two good and pure souls that I was happy had found each other in life and knowing I had them as friends made walking out the next day easier.
Before this happened though there was another number I added to my new phone that night and that was the number of the bar at club Afterlife. After so much internet hunting I felt I had learnt two things from all of this, one was finally I had an address for Club Afterlife and two, once this was all over maybe I could ask Dex for a job as a detective because my research skills were second to none.
Although I would have thought for being a nightclub it would have been easier to find a lot more information on the place. However, most of my finds came from Gothic blogs based around the Portland area. The only reason I had found the number was thanks to someone chatting on one of the sites about the chance of a job and which number to call if anyone was interested. Of course from the masses of replies to that particular feed, then there was no doubt they had received hundreds of applicants as it seemed everyone and their mother wanted a job there.
I had even rung up the number just to check I had the right place and someone hadn’t been trying their hand at pranking on the internet. Someone called Jerry answered the phone and quickly informed me the position had been filled before I even had chance to speak.
I can’t say I was surprised with the amount of conversation the question brought up. It seemed only two things that were spoken about the club and that was the mysterious VIP and the sexy club’s owner, a man called,
Dominic Draven.
Reading this name certainly had an effect on me and that was nothing to do with that fact that along with half the population of Portland in agreeance, the sexy man also had a sexy name to match.
“Dominic Draven.” I tried the name out for myself and doing so only invoked even deeper feelings within me. I said it again but it was only when I got to his last name that a thrill shot through me like never before.
“Draven.”
“Did you say something, Honey?” Lucy asked walking into my room and surprising me into slamming the top down on the laptop. But more shocking than this was where I found my hand had crept to and thankfully the snap of the laptop hid the snap of my underwear as my hand shot back over the covers.
I couldn’t believe what simply saying that name did to me…or more like what it made me want to do to myself! It seemed almost as familiar as my own name, in some ways even more in fact. As though I had said that name in a hundred ways before, both in anger and in ecstasy. I couldn’t help it but I couldn’t seem to take my mind off it and this mystery man that I then spent nearly the whole night trying to find a picture of.
I found it incredible then that with so many people talking about him, there wasn’t a single photograph proving his existence. There wasn’t even one when he would donate large sums of money to the various charities in the world or when he became benefactor for the college near Evergreen Falls.
There was nothing. And that in itself was both worrying and intriguing at the same time. I wanted to know more and was scared that since hearing that name I had become obsessed overnight. I had to wonder if he knew of the man I dreamed of or even the one Ari dreamed of for that matter, as either was needed at this point. Or could they both work for this man Draven? That was another question I asked myself. Either way it was off to Portland in the hope I would have all my questions answered and be that step closer to saving Ari.
The next day started with an emotional morning when it came to my goodbyes with Lucy. Denis merely wished me luck and acted as if he would be seeing me again soon. Lucy on the other hand acted as though she would never be seeing me again and that I might die in some terrible bus accident whilst being mugged by thugs and being forced to enter into prostitution by being doped up on drugs. Even for me that was a lot to go through in eight hours!
“I packed all those cereal bars you like, the ones with the chocolate chips and toffee drizzled on top.” She reminded me making Dex cough to hide his laugh. I gave her a genuine smile and hugged her one last time in an attempt to hide the tears in my eyes.
“Thank you Lucy, for everything…but most of all for being my friend when I had none and being a mother when I never had one.” After I said this there was no holding back, we were both crying into each other’s arms. The last thing I said to her was,
“Ari is going to love you guys!” And then I waved goodbye from inside Dex’s truck. They had both made me promise that when I managed to get my sister out of the Colony that I was to come back and introduce them to Ari. And this was one promise I made gladly as I wasn’t lying, Ari was going to adore them.
Dex was qu
iet for the first five minutes of the drive as I think he knew I needed it. Of course he thought that I was simply saying goodbye to a dear family member as that was what I had been introduced as but something told me he wasn’t completely buying it.
“There’s something I don’t know in all this…isn’t there?” With this question it pretty much confirmed what I had only moments ago been thinking. I didn’t know what to say and he knew this when it started with,
“I…um..” He held up his hand to stop me and said,
“Unless you’re in trouble or about to break the law, then I don’t need to know, but just promise me two things…”
“Okay.”
“Promise me that you will be safe and if you get yourself into a situation and need help, then you will call me…I told Lucy to give you my number, have you got it?” Hearing this made me smile back at him as I first thought it had been Lucy forcing the Sheriff’s services on me just as a precaution. So it was nice to know it had been done due to his concern as well.
“I will and I have. The second?” I asked causing his behaviour to change. The first promise had been full of authority and said with the confidence that I would listen to a man in uniform. But this next bit was obviously something more personal if his uncomfortable shifting was anything to go by. He ran a hand on the top of his head and sighed,
“Ah hell, it feels like high school all over again.”
“Well if it makes you feel any better I never went, so I won’t judge.” He looked shocked but then his eyes grew soft as if things were fitting into place with his suspicions.
“I’m not sure if I should be sorry to hear that, school can be a nightmare.” He laughed once but in my head I was thinking I would take nightmare school days over living in Hell any day of the week…thankfully I didn’t say this.
“Anyway, what I was trying to say, in what could be the worst way possible…”
“Dex?”
“The second promise is to come back here so I can ask you out on a date…there whoa, that wasn’t so hard, now are you hungry, ‘cause I know how much you enjoyed those burgers and I could…” I placed my hand on his to calm his nervous rambling that I found endearing and said,
“Dex, I would love to.”
“You would?!” He said sounding shocked and I laughed,
“Yes of course I would but there’s stuff I need to do first and I promise it’s nothing law breaking but it’s some personal stuff I need to put behind me before I can move on with my life.”
“I understand and it’s good to know you’re law abiding, as that’s kinda important considering what I do.” He joked and we both laughed although my thoughts instantly went back to what happened in the barn and how I didn’t think it a good time to mention that in the eyes of the law, I might be classed as a murderer…no, dating a cop might not be a good idea after all I thought looking out the window. Although technically speaking he could have been a Vampire too and in that case would killing a Demon from Hell be classed as murder or doing the world a favour?
Although based on that same logic I had to ask myself, were all demons bad? I thought back to the one I was obsessed with in my dreams and the idea of hurting him had me soon realising that I never could…so what did that make me. Obviously not a very good Demon hunter, that’s what.
“I would love to know what’s going on in that head of yours.” Dex said snapping me out of my disturbing thoughts. This time I was the one laughing nervously and quickly changed the subject asking how long had he known Lucy and Denis.
We made small talk all the way to town until he pulled up outside the bus station. I felt like I had learned a lot about Dex in that short time and my overall conclusion was that he was a good man. And most important to this was that he obviously cared, not only about his town but about Lucy and Denis. He respected them and the way they handled their daughter Kelly, as she had gotten in with the wrong crowd a few times but due to a lot of help and support they had got her through it and now couldn’t be prouder that she had made it into a good college.
“So I guess this is it.” He said switching off the engine.
“Yep, but hopefully not for long.” I added unbuckling my seatbelt and also praying this was the case.
“So what are you a fish or meat kinda girl?” He asked making me laugh and frown at the same time.
“I’m sorry, if you can believe, that sounded so much smoother in my head.” This had me biting my lip before reaching across and saying,
“Thanks for everything Dex…” I then kissed him on the cheek and got out of the car. Then before I shut the door I turned and said,
“Oh, and meat every time.” Then I winked and slammed the door. But then I quickly replayed how that sounded and then opened the door quickly to say,
“That’s not what I meant…I mean, I like meat but fish is good…oh never mind…bye.” Then I shut the door hoping he would take the whole thing in good flirty fun. As I reached in the pickup to grab my bag I could still hear him laughing at my saucy parting line, one that was a first for me.
I never knew I could flirt or be funny before so achieving both was a new high for me. I walked away almost wishing I was wearing a sexy dress and heels just so I could achieve the sexy walk to go with the teasing. Thankfully though I was just wearing old sneakers so there was no possibility of humiliating myself by trying it. Because me in heels for the first time and sexy would be the last word that would be used when seeing it.
Instead I waved over my shoulder when I heard him beep and that was it, I was back to where I started…alone. And to be honest, I thought this was a good thing as the last thing I wanted was to drag more good people into this trouble. No, this next bit I had no choice but to do on my own.
So I hitched up the strap on the holdall Lucy had packed for me and walked over to the gate number it said on my ticket. There wasn’t many people waiting but I was a bit early so I dumped my bag on the floor and waited. I decided to get out the phone Lucy had given me to use and sign into the free Wi-Fi they had here to do some more research to pass the time. I had been amazed to find out you could do this on your phone but it had also been another one of those cases where I probably wasn’t as shocked as I should have been.
I didn’t understand it but then again that was the same feeling I had with most things these days. I think in the short time since I had escaped the Colony it was obvious that the chains they wrapped around my mind were slowly breaking away one by one. I felt stronger, braver and even smarter every day I was away but more than anything I felt like…well, more like me.
I decided there was one search I had been putting off and that was finding out about my crazy Gypsy stalker, Nesteemia. She told me she was what they called a Shtriga, although who she meant by ‘they’ I had no clue…was she in a club? Somehow I couldn’t see her having many friends but then after what the search came back with, I couldn’t see her having any!
“She’s a Vampire Witch that sucks the blood of children!”
Chapter 14
Buses and Bad Asses
Needless to say that after blurting this out in public, it granted me with a few odd looks.
“Sorry, book I’m reading.” I said hoping this explained my crazy behaviour. This got me mixed reactions, with one smirk from a younger, hippy looking girl and a grunt from an older man who only had three teeth max. I couldn’t stop staring because the lone top one looked big enough to pierce tin cans, which was the only use I could see for it. I quickly looked away when he sneered my way.
“Well this is a good start.” I muttered to myself and then heard a woman who was breast feeding next to me huff.
“Oh no, I didn’t mean…anything by it.” I finished the sentence to myself as she promptly took her baby, changing bag and exposed boob with her to the empty seat next to smiley Mc’Grunts a lot over there. Geez it must have been bad if I was getting traded in for a man who had obviously never got his head around the technical marvel that was the toothbrush.
Thankfully I didn’t have to wait around too much longer before my Greyhound coach was pulling into its designated spot. I can’t say I was disappointed when Mr Hygiene and Mrs Hormonal didn’t stand up for this one. I decided to keep my bag with me as Lucy had set me up with enough food to feed everyone on the bus, should terrorists attack and we were stuck for a while whilst the terms were being negotiated with the President.
Bless Lucy but why she thought something bad was going to happen was beyond me. I think in my situation the worse type of thing to go wrong would be if Dracula himself were to step on the…uh…what was I saying?
All my thoughts left me because just before the doors could close the sexiest sight I had ever seen in the flesh just stepped on to the bus.
“Do you have a ticket, Sir?” The lady driver asked and I couldn’t help but lean around my seat just to catch better sight of him. I saw him bend slightly and whisper something in her ear. I didn’t know if he had a ticket and from the looks of it neither did she. He straightened up and left a dreamy eyed driver behind him as he scanned all the empty seats.
At first I had been happy that the bus had been over half empty but now, I was thinking differently, wishing next to me was the only space left. He was tall, that much was clear and his stonewash jeans fit him like he was born to wear them. A worn brown leather belt matched his worn leather boots, giving him a cool edge that said, ‘I don’t care, I don’t dress for you’, kind of vibe. With this he wore an open black shirt on top of a tight black t-shirt that I wished was just that little bit tighter so I could see more.
God what was wrong with me? I was never like this before, it was as if I was finally catching up on the horny teenage years I had missed. On top of all this though it was the black leather jacket he wore that had me near salivating. It was like some vintage speed racer jacket that was tight around the elbows and had zips up the forearms. The high collar sat over the messy honey coloured hair that had been styled back in a way that looked like it only stayed there because he ran his hand through it a few times. I don’t know how I knew but its name was the controlled bedhead look.
Cult of the Hexad (Afterlife saga Book 6) Page 15