“Crab cakes?” I decided this question was safer than the five hundred that I wanted to ask.
“Oh shit yeah! Do you remember them? They came with that little dip that I swear I wanted to bathe in! Do you think it had lime in it...? I tried to get the staff to give me the recipe but the bitches were as tight lipped as Caspian’s asshole…poor Liessa.” She said shaking her head. I burst out laughing and Sophia just rolled her eyes before getting up and pulling on a big cord attached to the ceiling, which I gathered was her calling for someone. This was confirmed when she said,
“All this talk of food is making me peckish and Dom would as usual be angry if I forgot to feed you.”
“Well Adam already fed me!” Pip said with a wink and I covered my ears and said,
“LA, LA, LA, LA!” making her laugh.
I started shaking my head and instead focused on the most girly and elaborate chintzy room I think I had ever seen, knowing instantly it was Sophia’s sitting room as soon as she brought me in here. For starters the room was pink and the kind of pink that would make men like Draven bleed from their eyes if they were forced to spend any longer than a minute in its space. The ceiling was nothing short of incredible and the only way to describe it was like being under a giant white and gold umbrella.
From the centre hung a hot pink crystal chandelier and each section of the ceiling that fanned out was painted with gold filigree. But the ceiling continued half way down the walls and every other point was a tear drop shape with a mirror at its centre. It was beautiful in a fairy tale way but completely ostentatious and totally over the top in every way possible.
“Oh goodie!” Pip said jumping off her couch and bouncing on her feet as three servants walked in carrying trays and three tiered cake stands.
“I love afternoon tea!” She shouted clapping.
“I know you do.”
“I know you do.” Sophia and I both said at the same time making us all burst out laughing.
The rest of the afternoon consisted of us nibbling on delicious pastries, dainty sandwiches and scrumptious cakes that Pip declared she would try baking them all for us again. I didn’t miss the way Sophia winced and made a mental note never to try anything Pip cooked in the future if I could help it.
Now we had reached that part of the day where we had started on the champagne. Because let’s face it, this was Sophia we were talking about and I was now being used as a large doll. Although I had to say, I accepted it a lot better than I used to considering the time spent playing dress up with these two. To be honest I was just happy being around them once again.
“So will Lucius be there tonight?” I asked as I thought it was odd that Pip hadn’t yet mentioned him.
“Yeah I think so, I mean he has gone on some secret ass assignment looking into some scum bag half…”
“Pip! Come and look at this one, I think this would be the perfect head dress for tonight.” Sophia interrupted quickly and it was obvious the look she gave her was for my benefit. What didn’t she want her to tell me? And did it have something to do with Alex? I knew one thing and that was my new mission was getting Pip alone at some point before tonight! Sophia wasn’t an easy nut to crack when having information she knew her brother didn’t want me to know but Pip…well Pip was like a peanut shell, she was sometimes just begging to be cracked!
Just then a bell sounded and once again Pip was clapping and rolling back on her heels in excitement.
“It’s finally here! Mega cool beans!” She shouted then raced to hold the door open as a woman in her early fifties strolled in followed by two girls rolling in a clothes rail. You could tell the older lady was Italian but you could also tell she was a designer judging by the professional air in which she carried herself. She was perfectly styled and groomed, with not one single hair out of place. Oh and she was beautiful.
“Ah Concetta Collini my dear, how lovely to see you.” Sophia said warmly as she was followed further into the room by the two girls that looked so similar they could have been clones. In fact, I don’t think they were people at all but really fashion robots in sharp cut black wigs.
“Miss Draven, it is a pleasure as always. I spoke to the head of your house, Mr Draven and he approves of my designs for his lady friend.” She said and I wanted to giggle at being called his lady friend.
“Fidanzata.” (‘Fiancee’ in Italian.) Sophia said this one Italian word like she was informing her of something very important and if the designer’s look was to go by then it was also shocking.
“Capisco” (‘I see’ in Italian.) She said nodding her head and then walking over to me.
“I am very pleased to make your acquaintance, Signorina.” She said leaning into me and kissing me on both cheeks.
“Uh…It’s nice to meet you too.” I replied wondering what it was exactly that Sophia had said to her. She then gave me a single head nod and I knew this was her way of accepting me…I just wish I knew exactly to what she was accepting me.
“Ok enough of the smushy whushy let’s see the dresses!” Pip shouted making Concetta Collini turn a scowl Pip’s way I didn’t care for. She scanned her from head to foot and frowned.
“Why you insist on wearing such things Winifred I have no idea.” She said turning her nose up at her and I quickly began not to like Concetta Collini. So I took a side step next to Pip and said,
“Actually, I really like Pip’s sense of unique style. Come to think of it, I think Pip is so special a person that every day, conventional clothes just aren’t good enough for her because she is such a beautiful colourful painting, she needs an equally colourful frame to show off such beauty.” I said folding my arms and adding,
“Don’t you agree, Sophia?” without needing to look at her to know she had my back, which was proven when she said without hesitation,
“Yes, I completely agree.”
“Well…I guess so…but…” Concetta Collini started to say but was completely ignored when Pip shouted,
“OMG! Oh my giddy! You…that…you! Aww you guys! You really think so, that’s like the nicest thing anyone but hubby pants has ever said to me! I love you guys! Come ‘ere!” She said flinging her arms around me for a huge and bone jarring hug that was surprising considering how tiny she was. I laughed until I had no air left and then Sophia had to come and place a warning hand on her shoulder before saying,
“Let go Squeak, she can’t breathe.”
“Oops, my bad Toots!” She said letting me go and I coughed once, dragging in much needed air.
“Ahem.” Concetta Collini made a noise of impatience in front of us and then said,
“Would you like to see your gowns now ladies?” To which all three of us burst out laughing but nodded our heads all the same…however it was only Pip that said,
“Do donkeys eat cherries?!”
“I can’t wear this.” I whispered to Sophia in panic making her smile in a way that wasn’t taking a blind bit of notice in how serious I sounded.
“Why ever not, it’s stunning on you and my brother will of course think so too.” She said circling me as I stood in front of the massive mirror and butchered my lip in worry.
“But it’s as big as a wedding dress!” Sophia laughed and responded,
“It’s a masked ball Keira, what did you think people wore?”
“Ok, ok so I get that it’s a big deal, but this dress…it’s not me.” I said looking down trying to hide the vulnerability in my voice.
“Yes it is and do you know why?” She said lifting my head up with her gloved hand. She didn’t wait for my response before she continued,
“Because it is only a dress but when someone as beautiful as you wears it, it then becomes what it was always made to be, spectacular! Now wear it how it was always meant to be worn.”
“And how’s that?” I asked and she turned me back round to face the mirror and whispered fiercely,
“With the same pride my brother will feel having you on his arm.”
“Oh
Sophia.” I said touching her arm and then pulling her in for a hug, or at least as much as I could do in this tight, corseted dress.
“I will give you a minute.” She said after pulling away and seeing the tears in my eyes. I nodded knowing that I needed it, so as not to disturb my carefully applied makeup that Sophia and Pip had spent an age fussing over. They had made my eyes sparkling white with the black mascara making my eyes look huge and what they thought was Angelic. But it wasn’t my makeup that was making me try and swallow down the nervous lump that seemed lodged in my throat.
No, it was the dress.
What Sophia said was heart felt and touching but she was also wrong. Because with this dress it was going to be beautiful no matter who wore it over their skin. In fact it was the idea of what Draven would think when he saw it that was making my palms sweat under the black velvet gloves that I was pulling up my arms nervously. I then ran my hands down the fitted bodice gently as it was completely covered with, what Concetta Collini informed me were black Swarovski crystals. It was at its thickest all around the top of my breasts in the sweetheart neckline and spanned out like the tail of a shooting star all the way down to the over skirt.
The dress was mainly a taffeta material in a light grey colour that ruched across the bodice and down to my hip on one side. It then gathered in sections held there by clusters of the black glittering crystals that too burst outwards like stars. This part swooped right round and reached the floor in a small train. But it was the rich material of the under skirt that really got my attention and I wouldn’t fully understand why until later.
It was a thick luxurious material in silver grey with a paisley patterned brocade in black velvet and it’s what gave the dress most of its weight. But it hung beautifully as the underskirt and made you wanted to lift it up and twirl like a little girl dreaming of her wedding day. I think that was what it was about the dress that made my heart flutter. It was more about the ideals it held. The possibilities that let your mind go flying off to dangerous lands of hopes and dreams. Dreams that you knew couldn’t come true but did nothing to crush the feeling of soaring high for what you desired most in the world. And for me, that dream would always be the same…
“To be Mrs Dominic Draven.” I whispered to myself and then froze as I felt the air around me start to electrify. And with this feeling I knew I wasn’t alone. Oh no, I was far from alone and I knew this when I heard a voice speak from behind me. But even if I hadn’t heard his voice, I had his handsome reflection now staring back at me from the mirror. Shock wasn’t the only emotion I could read on his face as there were too many to digest in those short moments. I was the deer caught in headlights. The girl in the mirror caught in an intense black gaze that kept me prisoner as he searched for the truth in the words he had just heard.
And then he spoke and as I knew Draven would, it was a demand he needed…
“Say that again.”
Chapter 30
Say Something.
“Draven I uh…”
“Say it again.” Draven demanded again and I felt my cheeks flame. Jesus but the raw intensity coming from him was like a weapon of power he possessed. It was like being caught in a net.
“Draven please…” I begged knowing I couldn’t repeat those words, but he cared little for my pleading and I knew this when he stormed across the room and stood at my back. He gripped hold of the top of my arms tight enough for me to know it would have been a foolish attempt to pull away, not that I wanted to. He stared at me in the mirror easily with being a full head above me in height, even with my heels.
I gasped suddenly when he pulled me back into him until our bodies were flush with one another. Then one arm left mine and snaked across my front up to grasp my bare neck, holding the last part of me to him.
“I want to feel that name under my hand when it is spoken from your lips…Now…say it again.” I let the rest of my head go slack and fall back into his chest on a sigh he felt on his palm. I had closed my eyes and was taking in the feel of his heavy breathing at my back and I knew he was hitting his limit of waiting for something that was obviously very important to him. It was elevating to my heart to know that he wanted to hear it again. And it was this thought that made me open my eyes as I started saying,
“To be Mrs Dom…Draven!?” I shouted cutting it short as I noticed Draven’s eyes staring back at me, or more like burning back at me through the mirror. It was pure fire and Hell staring back through his eyes and it looked almost like it was trying to consume his soul. As though I was looking through a portal to the other side and that’s when his hands started to get hot.
“Draven!” I shouted again making him tear away from me before his touch would have no doubt burnt me, if it had been given the time. Luckily it only left slight warmth from where his hands had been.
“Draven? You have to tell me what’s happening?!” I asked turning round to face him and only just now taking in his appearance.
“I am sorry…did I…by the Gods but did I hurt you?” He asked taking a step closer to me and reaching out his fingertips to touch my neck.
“It’s fine.”
“It’s not fine!” He shouted ripping his hand away and fisting it by his side as if disgusted with himself.
“I could have hurt you!”
“But you didn’t.” I said softly taking the tentative steps needed to bring me directly in front of him.
“Keira, if I hurt you, I…well, I just couldn’t…”
“I know but just stop.” I said interrupting his tortured thoughts as I couldn’t stand hearing them any longer.
“You have to give me some answers here Draven, what’s going on?” I asked softly. His hand came up to cup my cheek and it pained me to watch as he hesitated before touching me.
“I can’t give you answers yet, because I don’t know them myself but I promise…I promise you…”He said this leaning into me and touching his forehead to mine before continuing,
“…I will not rest until I find out, for nothing will ever stop me from touching you.” I sucked in a quick breath at hearing his confession and closed my eyes as the emotions swept over me.
“Isn’t she breathtaking?” Sophia said walking into the dressing room and we broke away from each other as the moment was stolen from us. It was one of those times when I wanted to scream for it back. I wanted to rewind time and make every second count in a way that was filled with the words I needed to hear. But no matter how supernatural my secret world was it still didn’t have the ability to change the past and turn back time.
However, it was now that I got my first real look at Draven and what he was wearing, causing me to blurt out,
“We match?!”
“Impeccable timing as always, Sophia.” Draven snapped as he walked past her out of the room and out of sight. To be honest I couldn’t say I fully blamed him for his sudden foul mood. It seemed every time we were having a moment it seemed to be robbed from us before it had chance to develop into something more. I knew there was something Draven was trying to tell me and the only thing that stopped me from pinning him down and demanding to know was my ultimate fear. One that would mean the end.
What if he was really trying to find a way to tell me once and for all this could never happen? But surely if that was truly the case then what about all the flirting? What about all the times he had referred to the past and how he felt? Did he still feel the same or were these the subtle hints something he wanted me to see a deeper meaning into?
Oh God it was just so frustrating not knowing but instead of voicing any of my fears the only thing I found myself saying was just a repeat,
“Why do we match?” to which Sophia burst out laughing and did nothing to provide me with an answer. No, instead I just followed her out of the dressing room and out through a series of rooms which were obviously in her side of the house. It was only when she opened the last set of double doors that I knew we were back into the main part of the house as the décor changed back
from girly style to classical 16th Century Renaissance.
And there stood Draven in all his masterful glory.
In fact the room was full of everyone ready for this ball but my eyes took in only one man. I hadn’t been lying minutes ago saying we matched but obviously not in the sense that Draven had lost the supernatural plot and was now wearing a dress. No but what he was wearing made me want to sink to the floor and drool whilst begging him to take me to some forbidden island where no one would ever find us.
He wore a black and silver double breasted waistcoat that was the exact same material of my under skirt. To this he’d added a deep purple cravat and a black shirt with billowing sleeves that reminded me of a time long past. The same silver buttons on his waistcoat matched his cufflinks that held his family crest. His black trousers were tighter than his usual tailored suits but this was so he could wear the thick leather boots that came up to just below his knees and they reminded me of Jane Austin’s time.
He reminded me of some sexy buccaneer with the cutlass sword he had hanging at his side. Hence this was why the first thing out of my mouth when seeing him was blurted out without a filter.
“I like your sword.” Hearing this made him smirk down at me.
“Oh do you now?” He said taking the last step to me and scanning my body like a hungry lion would a defenceless gazelle. I laughed at his rude thoughts and found myself just happy he no longer looked as angry as when we were interrupted moments ago.
“Behave.” I said first having to clear my throat so it didn’t sound quite as breathy.
“With how enchanting you look tonight, I know behaving just won’t be possible.” He replied before taking my hand and kissing the back of it as he bowed slightly at the waist. I blushed and gave him a little nod in thanks not knowing what else to say. But in the end no words were needed as we merely shared a heated look that said it all. There was more passion and fire in that simple touching of hands to leave no doubts that we hadn’t lost one shred of desire for each other. No, if anything that fire just burned brighter, only now it seemed that I was the one who could get burnt from it.
The Pentagram Child: Part 1 (Afterlife Saga Book 5) Page 34
