Blood of the Infinity War (Afterlife saga Book 8)

by Stephanie Hudson

  I heard Pip clear her throat next to me and all but nudge me into action as I had just stopped dead making my inner turmoil as about as obvious as neon flashing lights above my head screaming ‘liar’. Draven had raised an eyebrow at me and Lucius…well Lucius just looked like he had found a tasty new treat to toy with. Damn him and his sexy ancient assassin ass!

  “Nāzanin? Are you unwell?” Draven asked and Pip hissed next to me and said,

  “Yes Nāzanin, are you well?” No doubt trying to prompt something from me, say a simple action of moving my lips, legs, arms…anything so long as it was something! Well, okay I think if I had broken out into the funky chicken dance then there might have been a few awkward questions thrown my way. But Jesus on a slice of toast! I think even then it would have been easier to answer than the time travelling shit storm headed my way.

  “Umm…yes, sorry, I was…just…yes.” I mumbled making Pip whisper,

  “Smooth” next to me before walking past. I almost growled at her aloud, wondering when that had become a common response of mine. Talk about Supernatural Kings rubbing off on you or what!

  “Come sit, little lamb,” Draven said softly and Lucius shot him a look as if to say, ‘Who the Hell are you and what have you done with my Warrior King?’ I swallowed hard before doing as he asked. I was about to sit next to him when this obviously was not enough. He gripped my hips and guided me down to the space in between his legs, making me shiver with the feel of his fingers touching my bare flesh.

  The wide waistband on my trousers was made thick and stiff by the spun gold flowers running down the centre of a pretty border. It lay flat and low against my hips, meaning that all of my belly was on show. The little peach jacket only fastened over my bust and stopped below it. So, it meant that when looking out over the feast in front of us that had been placed on the little table, I was going to have to be careful not to overdo it, as a little pot belly wasn’t going to look good in this outfit…damn I missed my jeans.

  In my stupidity, I suddenly felt like looking up at Lucius and saying, ‘Look familiar?’ as Draven pulled me back against him. Thankfully, I swallowed the suicidal urge and squashed down all memories of my time in Lucius’ hidden German Castle.

  Meanwhile, once Draven had me positioned how he wanted me, he reached forward to grab a gold cup that had two faces moulded either side. It was in this moment that I said the first thing that came to mind and blurted out,

  “Oh, is that the God Janus?” I then looked to Pip who was walking to the door and had actually stopped to smack her hand on her forehead. Draven tensed behind me as I did the same thing. Lucius on the other hand seemed to be taking note of everything with extreme interest.

  “You know of this Roman God?” he asked in such a way that I knew I shouldn’t and I wanted to sigh, roll my eyes and then confess everything. I looked for a fleeting moment towards Lucius in panic as if waiting for him to say something that would mean the point of no return for us all…literally! Because after Draven found out about how I came to be here, then there was no way we would ever make it back. And realistically, all I had to look forward to was a life of imprisonment and brushing my teeth with a damn twig!

  But this was when he shocked me and in true Lucius style, he casually leaned back and said coolly,

  “I believe that is my doing Arsaces, for she is a curious little thing indeed.” Hearing this I was suddenly glad that Draven couldn’t see my face as I was still facing Lucius, because my mouth dropped. Lucius looked to be fighting off a grin at my reaction and I only snapped out of it when Draven spoke.

  “Is that so? Umm, I am yet to encounter her questioning mind, for I must confess to being the one asking most of the questions so far.” Okay, so I knew this was a dig and I rolled my eyes knowing he couldn’t see me. However, I did forget the big ass cocky Vamp who could. His eyes flashed crimson for a mere second as Draven looked down at me to hand me his drink.

  “Try some, I can assure you that you won’t find a better wine,” he told me and I took it from him, soon finding myself almost downing the whole thing. I felt him chuckling behind me as Lucius commented,

  “Upon my blade Arsaces, you will have your hands full indeed if you don’t limit her cup.”

  “Thirsty perhaps?” Draven said laughing and taking the cup from me. I cleared my throat and said,

  “Umm…just a little.” Needless to say, this made him chuckle again.

  “Now you need to eat, for I find myself partial to these enticing curves of yours, ones I intend to keep on this body of mine,” Draven said, running the back of his fingers down the side of my breast. I felt my cheeks flame and looked to Lucius who was watching us with a steely gaze. But then Draven brushed some escaping wisps of my hair back to the side it was plaited and started to kiss my neck softly. I don’t know why but I couldn’t take my eyes off Lucius, who in turn couldn’t keep his intense gaze from us. I bit my lip and saw him grip his own cup so hard, it started to disfigure the design, leaving an immortal hand print.

  Then suddenly he downed that last of his drink and stood, as if he could stand it no longer. I had to ask myself what was going on with him?

  “You take your leave so soon, Septimus?” Draven asked finally lifting his head from my neck and I had to wonder if this little show he put on wasn’t made in the way of a King staking his claim. I mean, I knew that even the Draven of my own time cared little for what he did to me in public, or making it known to all how he cared for me, with his actions. But this just felt…different. Could it be since seeing me giving him my blood to save his life? Had he seen how I cared for him and for a life I had for all intents and purposes, not known for that long?

  “I fear I must.” Draven tensed a hand possessively at my hip and I knew he had taken this meaning as what it had sounded like. Lucius couldn’t stand it any longer. But then he finally relaxed when Lucius added,

  “There is still much to be done, even as the Roman army retreats…what is left of them.” Draven huffed and said,

  “That mortal empire will never learn, for by the time they make it to my lands, they are very near spent even before the battle begins. No, but you are right, you must go and find what their next move shall be.”

  “For whatever it shall be, I doubt it will be soon in coming, for they now have a new ruler to find,” Lucius stated and this was when Draven made a sound in the back of his throat, as if he had just thought of something.

  “And so they shall.”

  “My Lord?” Lucius asked as if bracing himself for it. Then Draven dropped a ‘Emperor’ sized bombshell.

  “You shall become Emperor of Rome,” he stated and I gasped, displaying the right reaction to such news, one I would have thought should have also come from Lucius. However, he simply folded his arms and looked to his King with slight amusement.

  “I would enquire as to why, but I think I know,” he said nodding down to me, but with a small shake of his head, Draven silently told him not to go there, which of course, had me questioning ‘why’ myself.

  “And you are sure of this outcome?” Lucius asked and Draven laughed once and said,

  “You advanced through the cursus honorum, the customary succession of offices and under the reigns of Marcus Aurelius and Commodus. If that is not enough to seize power then finding yourself with the biggest army most certainly will Septimus, they know this and will accept your rule without question,” Draven told him and I was surprised to see Lucius was being reluctant.

  “And this is your will, Arsaces?” he asked seemingly dejected and I had to wonder why…he was after all being given the chance of his own kingdom and be ruler.

  “That it is my friend, for you know of my plans and that the Gods’ decision, for our Supernatural rule over the Mortal world is quickly coming to an end…this way, when the time comes, it will come to pass with less bloodshed coating the life of innocents.” Hearing this had me stiffening in his hold and he started to whisper in my ear,

  “Ssshh, ca
lm for me.” I think he realised that he had shocked me with his plans and also speaking of the bloodshed of mortals.

  “You believe the time to be near?” Lucius asked finally seeming shocked by this but even then, it was said with a steely reserve.

  “We are all but puppets of the Gods Septimus, for this you know more than most.” Now this reply was one that had Lucius reacting and for some reason he looked at me as if trying to find evidence if I knew of his past. I held my lip firmly in my teeth at the thought of what torture he went through, when he himself was but a mortal man.

  I knew I had made my mistake, when his eyes turned hard and cold. He had seen for himself that I knew and boy, he did not like it! He looked so tense he was close to breaking something and I could only hope that deep down he wouldn’t let that something be me. Okay, so it was at this moment that I wanted to point out that I did save his life, so, surely, he could cut me some slack…right?

  “Fine,” Lucius snapped making Draven raise his head and I was sure he wouldn’t have let this snippy one worded answer go without reprimand. Which is when he surprised me and I realised something I never would have thought before…Draven loved Lucius like a brother and therefore treated him as such. I knew this when he started laughing heartily at my back before saying,

  “Come now, my friend, is what I ask of you really so distasteful?”

  “I am an assassin, Arsaces, not an autocratic Emperor of Mortals.” Ah, so this was his problem, because I knew in about 2000 years he was going to feel very different about being a ruler over his own domain. No, it wasn’t the ruling he had a problem with, it was who. I couldn’t say that I blamed him all things considered. I remember hating Vampires myself after a certain blonde hunk had invaded my life and kidnapped me. Okay, so we had become friends after this, but I was still seeing his point on this one.

  “That you are and the very best assassin at that, which is why I expect nothing less for the position you will now take. Besides, you rule well enough over your own kind,” Draven argued and Lucius released a sigh, knowing he had lost this one.

  “Very well Arsaces, you will have your way this time, my friend,” Lucius said and I can’t say that it didn’t touch my soul hearing how close these two used to be.

  “Good! In that case make use of the Black Gates to get back to Rome quicker and decree it possible with the help from the Gods. That way no one will deny your claim, for word surely got back to the capital of your involvement in Pertinax’s foolish campaign,” Draven told him and Lucius nodded.

  “A messenger was sent with news of our progress and lucky for me, none of the mortal men saw me fighting against him at the end,” Lucius added looking to me when he said this, no doubt wanting to say more on the matter. Well, if his eyes could speak then that was what they were silently telling me. Of course, I was now questioning what the ‘Black Gates’ were and how they would get Lucius back to Rome so quickly? I knew I would have to ask Sophia this when I saw her next, which I hoped was soon.

  “Then it is settled. Go and enjoy your brief relax from death, my friend.” Draven laughed when he heard Lucius groan as if a holiday from his day job of killing people was the very last thing he wanted to do right now.

  “Yes, my King,” Lucius said, bowing respectfully and then saying,

  “Little Keira girl, until next time.” I swallowed hard and froze as if he had just pulled me from that damn lake all over again. His eyes flashed blood red so briefly that Draven missed it when he was too busy looking at me, and trying to find a reason for my reaction. Draven didn’t seem to mind that he had called me this but then remembering back to earlier, he had admitted that he wouldn’t call me Keira because another man had already done so. He wanted to keep Nāzanin for himself and Lucius knew this.

  “Oh, and Septimus…”

  “Yes, my Lord?” Lucius stopped by the door to turn back and inquire over his shoulder.

  “Try and have some fun, after all, I believe the position also comes with certain perks, for there are many beauties to be found in the capital, is this not true?” Draven asked and I felt like growling at him taking about these ‘beauties’ when I was sat right there. But then it was Lucius’ reply that had me dropping the annoyance and I felt the pinch of heartache I had no right to feel when he replied,

  “I care little for Mortal women for my tastes, now and always lie elsewhere, you know this Arsaces.” And then after one more intense look my way he nodded and then was swiftly gone, leaving a painful hole I couldn’t understand. I hadn’t missed that he had also taken the evidence of his silent rage with him, as the destroyed cup was still in his hand as he walked out the door.

  Draven chuckled again as if he had enjoyed goading him before letting him leave.

  “Ah alone at last, my beauty,” he said running a hand across my neck and down, brushing against my ample cleavage.

  “Are you sure you’re alone with the right beauty, for I hear there are plenty to be found in Rome!” I snapped moving to stand up but I barely made it to standing before his arms were around me and he was laughing at my back. I huffed and folded my arms across my chest.

  If I was honest with myself I wasn’t just annoyed at Draven’s comment but also irrationally, Lucius’ as well. I knew I had no right to be angry and if this was the way he felt, then if anything, it made life in this time easier. But there was just something in the way he had said it that made me think there was a hidden meaning to be found.

  “As pleasing and gratifying as it is to see the lashing of jealousy tail coming from you, my love, alas, it is this time unfounded.” I frowned, then shifted around to look at him and the smile I saw there stemmed purely from how much pleasure he found in seeing me jealous.

  “How so?” I asked and by his smirk, I knew he had both wanted and expected, me to ask this.

  “Because, little protective viper of mine, I said this in jest as Septimus is well known for his distaste of mortal women. Unlike my very current change of heart on the notion,” he said whispering this to me seductively, as his hand first caressed my cheek only to snake into my hair, before grasping me hard and pulling me into him for a kiss. I moaned into his mouth and was soon lost to his demanding touch.

  “Now it is time you eat little one, before you faint… as for what I have planned for you, will require your strength,” he told me after ending the kiss and before nipping playfully at my nose.

  “You’re very bossy, you know that?” I told him as I shifted off him and he tilted his head slightly to the side and inquired,

  “Bossy…I know not this term.” I laughed and wanted to say, ‘oh you will totally get it in the future’ and wasn’t this true considering that was exactly what he would be first introduced to me as…My Boss. But instead I decided to go with the safer,

  “Domineering.” A word he very much understood.

  “But of course, as is my right…now eat woman of mine!” he ordered making me laugh at him ‘jesting’ once again. But to be honest he didn’t need to ask me twice as I was starving and the ancient feast in front of me was making me almost salivating. I had briefly taken it all in before but now, oh my, just the sight of cooked chicken, lamb, flat breads, cheese, pots of honey, a small dish of some mixed spices and a kind of stew, all lay out before me. I felt as if I had stepped into Heaven’s buffet and all that was missing was chocolate cake, a cup of tea and some French pastries.

  Okay, so there were also some other things I wasn’t sure of, like the mixed beans and lentils thingy, with green bits. Oh, and there were more vegetable dishes, along with fruit, small bowls of different ‘sweetmeats’ as they were called. These were sugar coated nuts, honey coated almonds, caramelised dried fruits, what they mainly ate as a dessert. I did want to point out that this was more of a snack in my world and introduce these people to the marvel that was cake!

  So, with this in mind, I shifted to the floor, placing myself in front of the table after grabbing one of the cushions from the seat. I bit my lip wondering
what to try first when Draven started laughing. I decided to ignore him, knowing he was doing so at what he most likely considered ‘strange behaviour’.

  Instead I went to it, starting with making a little room on the table for me to put the gold plate on. I had grabbed it after first trying to figure out where to put all the flatbreads, so decided on top of the pomegranates was as good a place as any.

  “In all my years…” he then muttered to himself.

  “What?” I asked as I started grabbing the things I needed, including one of those large flatbreads to start.

  “I have never seen someone look so happy or ready for their meal and so very prepared, it seems. It feels as if I am laying witness to a ritual,” he told me making me blush and then I told him in a shy voice,

  “I like my food.” This made him laugh once, shake his head and then give me a loving look as if to tell me that he wouldn’t have had it any other way.

  “I can see that, sweetness. Your eagerness is a delight to witness but I fear that I feel somewhat of an intruder on your private Heaven,” he added, once again teasing me and making me laugh.

  “Then why don’t you join me, for there is room for two, Arsaces.” I told him in a teasing tone myself. At first, he looked surprised by my challenge and I would have loved to pop inside his head and take a peek at what it was he was thinking this time. Then I decided to prove I wasn’t bluffing and I did indeed want my King to sit beside me on the floor, a place I don’t think he was used to. Of course, I knew that most meals were taken as such in this time and place but I also knew that Draven was another type of King, one who didn’t conform to that culture. He liked his thrones, and he was usually positioned higher than most so that he could keep an eye on that which he ruled.

  I remember him telling me this once after joking with him one night in the VIP. It was one of the many times he had simply walked towards me, plucked me out of my chair next to him and positioned me on his lap, so that he could ‘play with me better’, his words not mine. He had told me that he had never conformed to the ways of the mortal world in a lot of things and being King came with the perks of never being questioned for such.