The Downfall Series Box Set
Page 11
Jane concentrated back on posing. At least she was already dressed to go out.
DIGGER TOOK A LONG swig out of his can and eyed Seth suspiciously. “You ok, mate?”
Seth snapped himself out of his thoughts. “Yeah, just thinking.”
“That’s a dangerous pastime!” Digger muttered, watching the expressions passing over Seth’s face. He could guess what the man was thinking.
Digger knew first-hand that Jane had the knack of turning a previously self-controlled man into a paranoid gibbering wreck, because he’d become one himself during his brief relationship with her a few years ago. He’d only managed to keep hold of her for a couple of months before his constant questioning had driven her mad and she’d binned him off. He’d never quite forgiven himself for fucking it up with her, but Seth really needed to chill the fuck out or he’d lose her too.
Digger smiled. He’d be more than happy to pick up where they’d left off if Seth did finally drive Jane away. Not that he’d tell him that of course. Besides, he’d been enjoying himself recently. There was a nice bit of shit going down and he was more than happy to help out with more gun-running or whatever came in. He didn’t care what it was.
He glanced at his watch, thinking he should perhaps make a move. He didn’t want to be hungover tomorrow. “Going to shoot now, mate,” Digger extended his hand to Seth. “See you at your wedding!”
Watching Digger stand up from the armchair brought Seth’s attention back to reality. Shaking his hand firmly, he grinned. “You will indeed!”
“Behave tonight, yeah?” Digger smiled.
As Digger disappeared through the door, Seth wondered why Jane wasn’t back. He’d explained the other night he’d be doing a lot more work for The Highwaymen, but he hadn’t liked the look on her face. At the end of the day he knew they needed more money than a straight job could pay and he was nothing if not resourceful.
PULLING ANOTHER POSE, Jane reckoned they’d settled into the flat pretty well, apart from that wanker who lived next door. That and the pile of TVs and stereos which had grown since last week and kept on appearing. Plus, she hadn’t quite yet forgiven Seth when she’d discovered he’d still got someone in the boot of his car the night they’d moved into the flat.
She’d had the choice of either helping him drag the body into the flat or driving to dump it. She’d been so pissed she hadn’t fancied driving to a dumping point, so had agreed to put the stiff in the flat.
It had taken them ages to drag the fat bastard out of the car and up four flights of steps. Seth had launched the body into the spare bedroom with strict instructions for the dead guy to be gone by the time she’d got back from work the next day.
Although it had to be said that since then he’d made a concerted effort not to fuck up again and there had been no more bodies in the flat, only boxes of guns. And more televisions.
The photographer’s voice broke into her thoughts. “Got all the shots I need, babe.”
Smiling, Jane dismounted. Grabbing the wad of cash the man was holding out, she ran down the steps towards her car.
MAGGIE WAS STILL FESTERING in the caravan, well aware she was supposed to be meeting Jane. Still half-stoned from earlier, she needed to sort her head out.
Tugging white lycra leggings on, she forced herself to get a grip, but her mind kept wandering back to Bryn who she’d hooked up with last week. She was already madly in love, but admitted she’d been going especially soppy since Jane and Seth had got engaged. Now they were getting married this weekend, it was even worse. Maybe she’d marry Bryn? Should she ask him?
Twisting her hair around in her fingers, Maggie realised it might scare him off if she started talking about getting married after a week. However, the Barrels doorman Davis had also been eyeing her up lately, so maybe she should go out with him instead? Or maybe she should have just married Ian?
Almost slapping herself Maggie hastily reminded herself what it had been like. But she’d loved Ian. Well, at least she thought she had. Oh, she just didn’t know anymore. She must stop doing drugs. They fucked her up.
Slicking more sparkly green glitter on her eyelids and pulling her heels on, Maggie quickly slipped out of the caravan, hoping that someone would give her a lift into town.
JANE BUSILY SNORTED a line of coke on the coffee table.
“You got everything sorted for tomorrow?” Eliza asked, eyeing Jane’s lounge carpet which consisted of ill-fitting pieces of underlay Seth had fished out of a skip.
“What’s there to sort? It’s all pretty much done,” Jane smiled. She’d picked up her wedding dress from a cool shop in the city that sold second hand clothes and it was nice.
Seth scowled. “I’m going to look like a right cunt. The only jacket I could get is four sizes too small!”
Watching Jane’s eyes narrow, Eliza interrupted to try and divert an impending argument. She handed over a box wrapped in purple tissue paper. “Bought you guys a present.”
“What is it?” Jane asked.
“It’s for tomorrow. Thought you could use it. Open it.”
“It’s too small for a machine gun,” Seth laughed and lay back on the sofa to put a fat joint together.
Jane pulled at the tissue paper, revealing a black box. Intrigued, she opened it, and then gasped. “Oh, it’s beautiful Eliza! Thank you! Look Seth!”
Taking the opened box, Seth looked inside, seeing a beautiful pewter Athame with an intricate handle inset with an oval amethyst. Running his finger lightly over the razor sharp three inch blade, he reached over to Eliza and kissed her on the mouth. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome,” Eliza blushed furiously at Seth’s mouth on hers. How she wanted him. Not that she’d ever act on it. She was Jane’s best mate after all and they’d done everything together for nearly ten years. Nevertheless she still wanted Seth and sometimes couldn’t help feel a bit resentful because Jane had it all.
Settling on Seth’s lap, Jane ran her fingers through his hair and breathing in his scent, kissed his face. “We’re going out now, baby. See you up there later. Come on Eliza.”
Seth turned the blade over in his hand. It was indeed lovely. Leaning his head back against the sofa cushion, he sparked the large joint up and smiled.
“EVENING GIRLS!” DAVIS grinned, running his eyes appreciatively up and down the women as they rocked up at the Barrels.
Spooner kissed Jane on the cheek. “You’re all looking ravishing as usual.”
“Of course!” Jane laughed teasingly, placing her hands on his shoulders. “Wouldn’t want to let you boys down would we?”
Standing behind her, Davis pulled Jane backwards and pressed against her. “Can’t imagine you’d ever let us down.”
Jane freed herself from Davis’ grasp and Maggie stepped in, wrapping her arms around his neck and fiddled with his bow tie. “I like a man in a suit,” she purred, fluttering her long eyelashes whilst running her hand along the broad shoulders of his jacket.
“Do you now?” Davis smiled. “Go on. Go and get yourself a drink.”
Davis turned back towards the door and Maggie scowled. Was she losing her touch? She huffed petulantly, realising Jane had carried on down to the bar without her.
Jane was getting irritated. When Maggie was stoned, she was even more paranoid than usual and so far she’d had to spend half the evening convincing her that Ian wasn’t there.
“Are you sure that’s not him over there?” Maggie shouted over the music directly down Jane’s ear, gesticulating to a dark corner near the cigarette machine.
Peering over the sea of grinding bodies, Jane could only see the normal bunch of punks and travellers and certainly not Ian. “No babe, it’s not him.”
She rolled her eyes watching Eliza lying across a man on one of the bench seats and taking a sniff of amyl, let the rush hit. Breathing deeply, Jane rode the high and allowed the pulse of the music to throb through her body.
Maggie pointed to someone else with long hair and pulled at J
ane’s top. Guessing what had been asked, Jane shook her head and continued looking for more pills at the bottom of her handbag. She needed those for the party.
DOWN THE DRAGON SETH sat on a wooden bench. He’d had a fair few pints so far. Fifteen to be precise and after the joint he’d smoked, he was well on the way. He turned towards Phil who was staring at him intently. “What?”
“You’ve said nothing for twenty minutes. Are you ok?” Phil asked.
Seth sparked up a fag and glanced at his packet, seeing he’d only got a few left. “I think so.”
“Nervous about tomorrow?”
“No, of course not!” Seth laughed and looked away. If he was honest, he was nervous. Nervous that Jane wouldn’t go through with it. “Another one?”
Levering himself off the wooden seat Seth moved towards the bar and shouted up the drinks. He’d just have this one and then get himself up the Barrels for the last hour before the party.
SIXTEEN
THE HIGH PRIEST LOOKED from Seth to Jane and then back to Seth. “Welcome friends, family and loved ones. We’re here today to witness Seth and Jane join hands and be bound together by their love, now and forever.” Casting the circle, he directed the group of people standing behind the couple to move to form a large semi-circle.
Maggie swallowed the lump forming in her throat and felt horribly envious watching Seth drink in Jane’s every move and expression into his soul. She sighed desperately wishing someone loved her like that.
Eliza tried to keep the smile fixed across her face. She was jealous, there was no doubt about that, but equally she could have done without getting so trolleyed last night. Her tongue was still partially stuck to the roof of her mouth.
She sighed. It hadn’t helped either that she was knackered beyond belief. At least when Seth and Jane had finally finished arguing and then screwing last night, everyone else had managed to get some bloody peace. Those two were obsessed with each other and she was sure it was all going to end in tears, but only time would tell.
The High Priest continued loudly, commanding everyone’s complete attention. “We acknowledge Thy Presence and Thy Power, Blessed Spirit. We give thanks these two souls have been drawn together by divine appointment and will be held together by the power of divine love.”
Jane’s mind faded out. She tried to concentrate, but couldn’t and tried to ignore the panic rising within her. The lager, pills and coke she’d had first thing had barely done anything to take the edge off her Grade Nine hangover. She wanted to do this, of course she did, but she didn’t know how the hell she was going to get through it feeling like death.
Taking a deep breath, Jane focused on the Priest’s ceremonial robes and hoped she wouldn’t pass out. She looked around the little clearing in the woods where huge old oaks and silver birches formed a bower overhead. Sunlight filtered down in dappled rays, casting beams of light across everyone’s faces. The mossy floor was spongy and the birds sang along with a gentle hum of insects. The spot Seth had picked for the ceremony was lovely.
A pause in the speaking caused Jane to glance up. Fuck! Was she supposed to have said something? The thick white candle on the small table in front of them was lit and she tried to breathe, but her lungs were locked. She glanced at Seth, the movement making her head spin.
“Now the betrothal,” the Priest looked towards Seth, who shifted his focus away from Jane and looked directly ahead. “What’s your name?”
“Seth Wright.”
“And what’s your desire?”
Looking down with warm eyes, Seth smiled. “To join with Jane, whom I love.”
Jane felt herself go red. She hoped she could remember what she was supposed to say. She couldn’t remember her name right now, let alone anything else. She couldn’t even remember how the hell she’d got here.
The Priest stared at Seth. “Will you seek to do her harm?”
“I will not.”
“But if harm is done, will you seek to repair it?”
A fleeting smile passed across Seth’s mouth as he looked at Jane. “I will.”
“Will you seek to be honest with her in all things?”
“I will.”
“Will you support her in times of distress and temper your words and actions with love?”
“I will,” Seth murmured.
There was a long pause as the High Priest slowly opened his eyes. “These things you have promised before this company and the Gods. May you ever be mindful and strive to keep the vows you’ve spoken.”
Seth nodded and looked at Jane intently. She’d best get through this.
WHEN JANE UTTERED HER final vow, Seth exhaled with relief. This morning when they’d been on their way back from that party in the van he’d stolen the night before, she’d started having a bit of a meltdown.
As they’d hurtled along the road he’d watched her forcing pills down with lager and listened to her muttering about not knowing how she was going to get through the ceremony. After she’d unsuccessfully attempted to reapply her eyeliner, he’d handed her another wrap of coke. She’d still had a couple of hours left to sort her head out before coming here, but he had been consistently worried she’d hit the deck during the service and it wouldn’t be able to go ahead.
He’d held his breath throughout the ceremony, scared that if he breathed, she’d run away. He couldn’t have dealt with that. Not now he’d come this far. Still, she was here and the ceremony was almost done.
Seth looked down at Jane, who smiled shyly before looking away and Seth thought his heart might burst with happiness.
The High Priest glanced around the circle. “May we please have the rings?”
Digger stepped forward. Rummaging in his pocket he fished out two gold bands. Grinning, he put them on the table next to the candle and then returned to his place.
Pointing his dagger, the Priest touched the rings in turn. “May these rings be blessed with Air for hopes and dreams, Fire for the spark of love, Water for harmony and healing and Earth for strength.”
He moved the dagger in the direction of the four elements. “The circle is the symbol of peace and of the Sun, Earth and the Universe. Let these rings be the symbols in which your two lives are joined in one unbroken circle. Wherever you go, return unto one another and to your togetherness.”
Seth picked up Jane’s ring and locked eyes with her as he pushed it neatly onto her finger. He then placed his hand over hers so she could put his wedding band on.
Throwing his head back, the High Priest raised both arms to the sky. “By the exchange of these tokens, your lives are interlaced. It is now time to seal the Union.”
Jane’s heart thudded like a drum, each beat reverberating in her temples as Seth picked up the new Athame from the table. Pulling his cuff up, he made a small incision causing the blood to drip freely into a pewter goblet.
Taking the Athame from Seth, Jane deftly cut her wrist and let her blood collect into the same goblet.
“I ask you to cross your hands over each other’s.” The High Priest wrapped a red cord around their wrists and tied a knot. “This ritual is not to be taken lightly. Do you understand and accept that by ingesting the combined elixir of life, you’ll be bound to each other for eternity. Through life, death and beyond.”
“I do,” Seth answered.
The Priest turned to Jane, awaiting her response. This was it. No going back.... She looked at Seth. “I do,” she whispered.
Nodding, the Priest passed the goblet to Seth who took a sip. Licking the residue of their mixed blood from his lips, he passed it to Jane who, resisting the urge to neck the whole lot, sipped it and handed it back to the Priest.
“You’re now bound together for all eternity. Your lives and spirits joined in a union of love. You hold in your hands the making or breaking of this union, but nothing can ever sever it. Space, nor time.”
The Priest let go of their joined wrists. He closed his eyes and raised his dagger towards the sky. “May the God and Goddess ble
ss this union. May your lives be full and your hurts be few. By the winds that bring change, by the fire of love, by the seas of fortune and the strength of the Earth, I bless this union.”
Slowly bringing his arms down to his sides, he opened his eyes and looked first to Seth and then to Jane before untying the cord binding their wrists. “The knots of this binding are not formed by cords, but by your vows. I now pronounce you husband and wife.”
As a loud cheer erupted from behind them, Seth grabbed Jane’s face with both hands and kissed her hungrily. Maggie was crying and Eliza had managed to retain her huge smile. Soon they were swamped in a deluge of hugs, kisses and backslaps.
Seth’s hands were shaking as he grabbed the cigarette from Digger’s mouth and took a drag. “Fuck! My nerves are shot to hell!”
“Not like you to be nervous!” Digger teased. “Too late to go back now. It’s forever and eternal!”
Looking at the blood stain on his starched white cuff, Seth grinned like a Cheshire cat. “I don’t want to go back! Fuck me, I certainly don’t want to go back!”
“That was a bit hard-core wasn’t it?” Eliza yelped.
“I thought it was romantic,” Maggie added.
“You would!” Eliza quipped. “They’re fucking nutters!”
Jane laughed. Thanks to the three fags she’d just smoked and the vodka Maggie had had the sense to bring, her heart rate was returning to normal.
Picking Jane up around the waist, Seth span her around. “Come on, we’ve got to go. There are cars waiting to take everyone into town.” He looked towards the others. “Jump in whatever you can. We’ll meet you there.”
Placing Jane to the ground, Seth pulled her in the direction of the lane in which their car was parked.
DIGGER COULD HARDLY see where he was going for the foam on the Senator’s windscreen as he led the convoy into town. The cans tied to the car dragged on the road behind them and made a loud grating noise.
In the back, Seth wrapped Jane in a bear hug so tight she could hardly breathe, but she didn’t mind. She was quite happy being in his arms.