Sacrifice of the Septimus: Part 1 (Afterlife saga Book 7)

by Stephanie Hudson

  Her face was slightly rounder as well, featuring the cutest dimples which popped out to say hello whenever she smiled and a pair of stunning topaz eyes that always managed to show whatever emotion she was feeling. Added to this were the perfect shaped lips and a witty sense of humour, and she certainly had the whole package, even if I did feel slightly biased.

  Okay, so here goes…

  “Ari, I have something I need to tell you and it can’t…”

  “Right, now’s he’s out of the way, what’s the plan Keira?” She said clapping her hands once.

  “Keira?” I repeated the name she had just used, in utter shock. Had I heard her right?

  “Oh sorry, do you prefer Kaz or Kazzy?” She asked and yep I was officially sideswiped on the confused track.

  “I think I am missing something big here.” I told her honestly and she laughed that musical laugh of hers.

  “I thought you knew.”

  “I thought you didn’t.” I replied and this time she gave me a small smile of understanding.

  “The O…”

  “The Oracle,” I finished off for her knowing that this would be the only way.

  “So she got to you too?” I asked and Ari nodded.

  “Oh boy did she…talk about blowing my world apart, jeez, that woman’s a riot!” I had to agree with her there.

  “I’m so sorry, Ari.” I said, feeling both relieved and also guilty as Hell that she hadn’t heard it from me. She shrugged her shoulders and said,

  “It’s okay…I mean don’t get me wrong, at first I struggled with the whole thing and at one point even wanted to hate you.” Wow, okay now she was being brutally honest but I couldn’t say that I blamed her.

  “But I knew that if it had been the other way round and I had any chance of waking up and knowing who I really was, knowing that there were people out there who could love me, be missing me… then I knew I would have taken it.” Hearing this I suddenly wanted to cry. I had been so worried and in the end not only had she known but she was so accepting of it, it almost felt as if I didn’t deserve this easy time she was giving me.

  “I can’t tell you what that means to me to hear.” I told her and the smile she gave me made her eyes shine with delight.

  “I need you to know something.” I said, getting up and joining her on the sofa.

  “Okay.” She said raising an eyebrow as if I was about to drop something on her she didn’t know.

  “I want you to know that I still view you as a sister and I know that might sound weird, but I still hold all those memories with me of us growing up together, being there for each other. It won’t fade and even if there was a way to make it fade, I wouldn’t want it to. You played a huge part in some of my treasured memories, real or not, I don’t want to give that up…I still want to be your sister.” After this she grabbed me suddenly and hugged me as she had done downstairs.

  “Oh thank God! I would have hated it if you’d said ‘let’s be cousins’!” We both laughed and I felt the stress of what had been hanging over me simply fade away instead of my memories, ones I didn’t want to give up. And now I wouldn’t have to.

  “In all seriousness, I am so glad you feel that way. You’re all the family I have and I don’t want to lose you.” It was at this point that Ari had unshed tears forming in her loving eyes.

  “You won’t…I promise.” I whispered back to her and hugged her tighter to me.

  “Now I just get to have fun as I learn to get to know this side of you,” she said winking at me and I laughed.

  “Well for starters, I suck at lying!”

  “Ha! No change there then. I did think that the performance downstairs was too good to be true.”

  “What you thought I was acting?” She nodded and I shook my head saying,

  “Yeah you definitely gave me far too much credit for that one.”

  “Well I got the hint pretty quick when you kept looking at me as if you were going to burst into tears at any moment and not in the ‘overjoyed’ kinda way. That’s why I took pity on you and mentioned about how pale you looked.” What she said made sense and thankfully now we could laugh about it because if I had been the one to have to tell her all these things, then I think this reunion would have gone a completely different way. If anything I should be thanking Pythia for going the extra mile by trying to make this easier for me. So far the only person I’d had to try and convince was Lucius and that in itself had been heartbreaking enough to put me off doing so again. But the Oracle had spoken to us all, meaning that I hadn’t needed to.

  If I ever saw her again I would definitely be thanking her, that was for sure.

  “So I gather Vincent doesn’t know?” On hearing his name she blushed ten shades of red in seconds.

  “We don’t speak much.” Uh…what now, come again?

  “Uh…I thought you guys were together?” Hearing this she nearly choked on her own tongue. What was that reaction about?

  “No! No, I mean…”

  “No?” I said teasing her and her smile told me that she needed it.

  “I can’t talk about him right now.”

  “Hey, it’s okay, I am here if ever you need to…okay?” I told her placing a hand on her arm, making sure she understood that I meant it. She nodded, looking so forlorn it was a strange thing to see on her. She was normally so adventurous and full of life. In my memories of her as a kid I always thought that she would grow up to be some wild explorer, trapesing through the jungle discovering lost cites.

  “So he doesn’t know that Pythia came to you?” I had to ask this just to be sure, considering he could be telling Draven important information right now, stuff that was too dangerous for him to know.

  “No, he doesn’t know and I think we should keep it like that.”

  “Oh I hear you! No need to ask me twice because we are all keeping Pythia’s visits from our men.” I told her but she only focused on one part of what I said.

  “Vincent’s not my man,” Ari said looking down at her entwined hands as they nervously played with her top. I didn’t say anything, not knowing what to say for starters. However, I couldn’t help but wonder what had happened between these two? I wasn’t going to push for that information, knowing that if she wanted me to know she would talk to me about it, so until then I would just have to wait until she was ready. One thing I did know was that whatever it was, it was obviously getting to her because I had seen that look of uncertainty before and I had been looking in the mirror at the time.

  “So did you find anything out while you were away?” I asked her, trying to get her mind back on other things but again when her sad eyes answered me first, I knew it hadn’t been the best choice when trying to change the subject.

  “Nothing. That was, not until the Oracle turned up.”

  “What did she say?”

  “She told me that I would find out who I really am but first I must go on a journey.” She gave me a sideways glance and smirked, for I obviously knew what journey she spoke of.

  “And you’re fine, about coming with us I mean?” I asked, knowing that I couldn’t just assume that everyone in this little time travelling group of ours would risk their lives just so I could get pregnant.

  “Of course, besides, what else have I got to do these days?” she joked and I nudged her saying,

  “Oh I don’t know, shopping for anything but a polyester smock, watching a 3D movie, the Grand Canyon…the world’s your oyster now.” She laughed and said,

  “You’re still the same you know…just a little less shy.” I smiled at her knowing she told me this as a compliment.

  “You’re the same too, just a little better dressed.” I replied making her giggle. She smoothed down her t shirt and pulled her knitted cardigan closer together saying,

  “You think?”

  “Definitely and I can imagine it’s a lot less itchy.” I commented remembering for myself how those bloody awful clothes felt, rubbing on our skin.

  “I still have
nightmares of wearing that crap in summer!”

  “And I have nightmares wearing it anytime of the year, those winters were brutal!” We both laughed and spoke about a history that most of it we knew didn’t exist, but to us it had happened so it felt comfortable remembering. It was a bit like therapy and talking and laughing about the hard times meant you were putting a lid on them, labelling them under the ‘no longer important’ file in your mind.

  After our laughter we turned to more serious issues, like our plan. But just as we were about to go into details we heard the door opening, meaning our time was up. I looked at the clock seeing that we had been chatting like this for hours. Draven walked back into the suite and looked at us both sat on the couch together with not a tear eye in sight and he instantly relaxed. He must have been expecting the worst and I can just image how hard it had been for him giving me all this time before checking on me. I would bet my now measly savings account on him standing up from the bar about six times before Vincent had finally let him leave.

  “Evening, ladies” he said taking off his jacket and folding it over the back of the chair to the desk that was situated closer to him.

  “He’s such a gentleman.” Ari commented to me and I laughed.

  “When he wants to be,” I said teasing him and he took the bait.

  “Is that so wife of mine?”

  “OoooKay, that look right there is my cue to leave.” Ari said laughing and jumping from the couch like her ass was on fire.

  “Good night…uh…what do I call you?” Ari asked him and he smirked because Ari had only ever heard me call him Draven.

  “Dom is fine, Ariana.” Draven said softly and I liked that he was being so sweet with her.

  “Cool, oh and call me Ari, everyone else does…later Sis,” she said patting Draven’s chest before winking at me making me giggle a snort.

  “Smooth.” I heard her say before she closed the door behind her, leaving me still laughing.

  “I take it by that beaming smile of yours that it went well.” Draven asked me as he came to flop down next to me, taking Ari’s place.

  “It did but I take it by the way you are loosening your tie that yours didn’t.” He looked at me sideways like Ari had done, only no offense to Ari, it wasn’t holy hot sexy when she did it.

  “You could say that.”

  “Yeah Ari wouldn’t tell me what was going on with those two.” Draven seemed surprised by this and also a little disappointed and I couldn’t say I blamed him as he no doubt wanted something from me.

  “How’s Vincent doing?”

  “Hanging on by a thread…he certainly has more patience than I have, that is for sure.”

  “Well if I remember back to us and how we acted, then I would say they are at least ahead of the game, especially the one we played.” I told him and he turned to face me, looking surprised by this,

  “How so?” I laughed and said,

  “Draven, you do remember how long it took us don’t you? They met, what, two weeks ago? And now think back to how long it took us to have our first conversation.”

  “The first day I met you we spoke,” he defended and I shook my head smirking at his answer.

  “Not including something you had me believing was a dream, Draven.” He rolled his eyes at me knowing that I had a point.

  “It was different for us.”

  “How so?” I asked baffled by this.

  “Because there were reasons for me to go slow and hold back. I needed to be assured you would be safe. I had to find out who you were and…” He trailed off and I knew now that he was getting my point.

  “You think he is going too fast?”

  “I don’t know because she hasn’t said anything but my guess, she is overwhelmed. Think about it and put yourself in her shoes…mentally that is.” I added this when he raised a questioning brow at me.

  “She has no idea who she is and as far as she knows has lived her life like a nun. But then she finds out that her entire life is a lie and she has no real family like she thought, but to top that all off she finally meets a guy she has been dreaming about for nearly a year, only to find out that he is one of the most powerful Angels on Earth! Oh and all that after she was nearly sacrificed by someone she thought was family…so yeah, I am thinking slow is a good idea.” He listened to what I had to say and nodded.

  “I think you are right.”

  “Yeah, it happens sometimes.” I teased poking him in the ribs. The next thing I knew was he was lifting me up over his shoulder once again and I was screaming to be put down.

  “Draven! Where are you taking me?!” I shouted laughing at his caveman behaviour. Then with his answer he confirmed it,

  Total caveman,

  “To bed, woman!”

  Chapter 29

  Boogie Freak Outs

  “Oh yeah, now this is a freakin’ song! ‘Listen to Your Heart’ by Roxette, yeah baby!” Pip shouted jumping on the expensive sofa with a hair brush once more firmly in her hand. I shook my head at her, laughing to myself, and Sophia made a strangling motion around her own neck.

  “Don’t think I can’t see you bitches in the window!” Pip said jumping around like a rock star on stage with an air guitar.

  “Oh no, this one is perfect!” She shouted and my mouth dropped when ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ by Bonnie Tyler came blaring on.

  “Really?” I asked and she slid up to me just as the singing started,

  “Turn around, every now and then I get a little bit lonely that you’re never coming round, turn around, every now and then I get a little bit tired of listening to the sound of my tears, turn around…” She carried on singing and then hugged herself and started swaying with the music and when it really kicked in she held onto me singing,

  “Holding on together…” well that was it, she had me in fits of giggles just watching her acting it all out.

  “I’m thinking this might be a bit depressing for a party, Pip.” Sophia said as she hung more streamers around the curtain poles. I had to wonder what the hotel staff would think, walking in this place and seeing that we were currently using the Royal suite as a venue for a Hen do. I shook my head at the thought and then smirked at Pip’s pouty face.

  “But I just typed in a lover’s playlist.”

  “Try typing in cheesy, that should work better for a Hen do.” I told her. She nodded now looking really excited about the new music selection.

  “So are you going to tell me what’s in those bags now?” I asked referring to what Pip had called ‘party fun bags’.

  “No way dudette, it’s a surprise for us all.” She told me and my head shot round to my last and only saviour in all this,

  “Tell me that you at least know what’s in them?”

  “Nope, she wouldn’t tell me either.” She said nonchalantly. Just then ‘Mama Do the Hump’ came on by Rizzle Kicks and I almost ran over to Sophia, half dragging her off the chair.

  “Tell me you’re joking!” I hissed.

  “What?”

  “You do realise my mum is coming to this party of ours.” I told her giving her the wide eyed stare thing, when you try and get someone to understand what you are telling them without words.

  “So?”

  “So what if what’s in that bag is a massive black dildo, a pair of nipple clamps and a unicorn tail butt plug for everyone!” I hissed and Sophia burst out laughing until tears formed.

  “What’d I miss?” Pip asked and I groaned, setting Sophia off all over again.

  “So explain to me how we are going to sneak out exactly?” I asked leaving the butt plugs where they should be left and that was far from any conversation that included Pip. I already knew what she’d had for her birthday last year and I didn’t want a ‘play by play’ account of when she and Adam tried it out!

  “Leave it to me, I got this one covered,” she told me with a wink, one I might have taken more seriously if she didn’t have cute little polka dot bows painted over her eyes. When I first
saw her I actually asked how she managed to paint something so tiny over her eyes and she just told me, ‘Tiny brushes my friend, tiny brushes’.

  She also wore cute black cut off trousers that went just below the knee and with it a T shirt that had a warning sign on the front that said ‘Bad Ass Bridesmaid’ across it. I was actually surprised how tame this all was for Pip and apart from the purple and black striped tights under her cut offs and a pair of converse that had the comic book villain the Joker on them, she didn’t stand out half as much as she normally did. Her hair though was done in a riot of green curls that exploded around the thin purple and green striped head band she wore.

  Sophia on the other hand wore a beautiful wrap-over dress with a tight black long sleeved bodice and the skirt had thick black and white stripes that flared out in ripples. They both looked beautiful in their own unique way but I had yet to get dressed.

  “So what time are people turning up again?” I asked looking at my phone noting it was almost eight o’clock. The day had flown by, first by waking up in the best way a girl could wake up and that was with Draven’s hands all over me. Then we had to get ready to meet my family for lunch, which put me in another emotional spin that Draven had to comfort me through. Thankfully though, as with Ari, I had worked myself up to it being far worse than it was and once I got the initial hugs over with, holding back the tears, I soon found I was once again back to being myself, for real this time.

  It had been a lovely afternoon spent together and as usual my parents raved on and on about what a wonderful man Draven was and how lucky I was to be marrying him. I knew all this of course but it was still one of those ‘Mom’ moments, as Draven could hear every whispered word spoken. And well, when she started talking about the wedding night and what I might have in store for me then I nearly choked. Draven on the other hand was far cooler hearing this and simply coughed into his hand when walking behind us speaking with Frank and my dad.