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

by Stephanie Hudson

  “For the moment let’s just assume that he still has her hidden and that she’s safe. More important is the problem of getting you and Jared speaking alone without anyone around and when I say anyone, I mainly mean my brother.”

  “I think I have an idea.” Pip said shocking us into silence.

  “What if instead of trying to get Toots to sneak off, it was Kingy boy who left. No one would think anything of seeing Toots having a little chinwag with Mr Howl at the Moon.”

  “Does he actually do that?” I found myself asking.

  “Not the time, Keira.” Sophia told me.

  “Sorry you’re right, I promise I am totally focused right now.” I told her, still secretly dying to know.

  “You’re still thinking about it aren’t you?”

  “Yeah pretty much,” I told Sophia honestly and Pip giggled.

  “So how do we lure Draven away?” I asked knowing that right now he didn’t even look as if he would last much longer with me being away from him, even being with his own sister and my best friend.

  “I’ve got it!” Sophia said getting excited.

  “Tell us.”

  “The only thing that would lure him away was if he thought he was doing something for you.” Okay so she completely lost me on this one, which is what I told her.

  “A wedding gift,” Sophia said and confused I repeated,

  “A wedding gift?”

  “Aah, a wedding gift,” Pip said obviously getting the idea when I didn’t.

  “Dom might not have thought of one or if he has he might need our help, either way it’s a good excuse to get him far enough away so you can have a conversation with wolf boy.”

  “Are we seriously calling him that?” I asked making Pip giggle out a response,

  “We totally are.”

  Surprisingly, a little more than ten minutes later, Draven was walking away from me with Pip and Sophia on each side of him no doubt trying everything in their power to keep him occupied. Well whatever they had said to him was most certainly working because they were soon out of sight. Of course Draven didn’t go anywhere without first issuing a warning to my giant protector to keep watch.

  He even looked as though he was getting up out of his chair as soon as I stood.

  “Chill big guy, I am just thanking the host.” I said, nodding to Jared and thankfully he quickly relaxed and grunted for me to go ahead. So I got up, trying to act casual and fighting the impulse to just run over to him, blurting out what I needed to ask. I couldn’t help but notice the way Lucius watched me do this and he raised an eyebrow at me as if to ask, ‘what are you up to this time?’

  “Mrs Draven, pleasure as always.” Jared said smirking at me, his molten silver eyes flashing as though they were looking at the moon…okay I really needed to get the image of Jared howling at the moon out of my head.

  “Mr Cerberus,” I said in a mocking tone.

  “Hey Candy girl, tasty little performance out there,” Marcus said winking at me with creepy eyes thanks to his clown makeup.

  “Yes well I…uh.” I stumbled for words blushing at just the mention of it.

  “It certainly filled up my wank bank that was for sure.” At this Jared snarled like a lion at him making Marcus jump.

  “Have some fucking respect you half-witted cretin, you know who she is!” At this Marcus looked sheepish and lowered his head in way of an apology.

  “Now move your ass, she needs a seat,” Jared ordered and Marcus didn’t complain. If anything he looked glad to be far away from his master right now.

  “I apologise, he’s loyal but has no filter…please sit,” he told me and I gave him a smile letting him know that it hadn’t bothered me. I was so used to being around these guys that there was little that shocked me these days.

  “This time you really do look like a little bisque doll,” he told me and I blushed again, remembering what our first encounter had been like.

  “I need your help, Jared.” I came right out and said it, not knowing how much time I had. I took in the knowing grin that sat nestled in that sexy trimmed black beard and I knew that he had been expecting this.

  “I know, doll.”

  “But you can’t tell Draven.” He smiled as though he was rather amused at me calling him by his surname or amused that I had said this at all.

  “Look sugar, it’s not Dominic Draven who I am loyal to.” I frowned and said,

  “But you have helped us…you work with us at council meetings and…” He ran the back of his finger down my cheek, leaving a cold path from his skull ring.

  “Little Doll, it is not ‘us’ it is only ‘you’.” He told me and I sucked in a sharp breath, barely believing that his words were true.

  “Look around and see what it is you have accomplished. We Kings are all natural born enemies in one way or another. We all rule over our own domain and our own kind. But with your King at its core, it is his own balance he keeps, not ours.” I thought about what he said but had no time to comment as he continued feeding me this shocking information.

  “I would never have thought to see the day Dominic Draven even set foot into my palace, yet here he is celebrating. And who with but the King of Vampires he named as his greatest enemy long ago. Then there you have the rogue King who kept to the shadows and never came out unless for his own bidding, one that even now doesn’t feel worthy to take the throne that is his by his own birthright.” I didn’t know what to say. Could it be true, could they all be loyal to me, rather than Draven?

  “So, do you still think we are all here for just another King or have you finally realised we are all actually here for our first and only Queen?”

  “Jared.” I whispered his name for no other reason than needing to. I was so overwhelmed and touched that it was hard not to look around at the others and asked myself if he was right. I knew that none of them would be here now if it wasn’t for me, but to believe that I was the cause of them still wanting to be here, well that was a harder truth to swallow.

  “So in answer to your question…no, I won’t tell your Draven anything as I am loyal to you, not him. So ask away.” I gave him a look that I hoped said it all, which was of course my complete gratitude. Then I asked him what I needed to know.

  “Where he is…where’s Bill?”

  “I sent him away on a mission.” Hearing this, my heart dropped and my face said it all. It had all been for nothing because without a coin from Bill we were going nowhere. Oh Sophia could have got one, even Pip might have done it at a stretch but in the time we had, there was only one man I knew who had a bag full of coins that could open gates into the other realms. And after all this, he wasn’t even here. I suddenly felt lost and with everyone unknowingly looking to me to fulfil the prophecy then I was at a loss to what I could now give them…my life was not enough if I didn’t have Draven’s child inside me to give it up for.

  “Gates of Hell Doll, you look like you just watched me bite the head off a kitten.” I gave him a sideways glance and said,

  “Please tell me that you don’t do that?”

  “I may be a bastard and a beast sometimes but even I find kittens cute.” I snorted a laugh, no doubt giving him the response that he wanted in trying to cheer me up.

  “Look honey, I don’t know what fucked up mess you have got yourself into now or what you are planning on doing to get yourself out of it and unless you need my help, I don’t want to know. But that said, whatever it is Bill knew about it.” At this my hope soared and I grabbed onto his leather jacket praying like never before that he had something for me.

  “Tell me, did he give you anything for me?”

  “No.” Okay so there went my hope again, talk about crash and burn, this hope went more like explode and die.

  “All he gave me was advice to pass on if your fine ass came walking through my door.”

  “What did he say?”

  “He told me to tell you that whatever you’re looking for, you already have one and it packed a punch
the last time you touched it.” As soon as he said it I felt like slapping my forehead! How could I have forgotten about the coin that Draven got me to touch and the one that brought me back to being Keira.

  “Of course there was a lot more cowboy bullshit in there…you know, a few added ‘little lady’s’, ‘Corncrackers’ and my least favourite, fucking ‘Big Bug’s’ that to this day I won’t ever understand. But I thought it best to cut out the shit nobody can understand and get to the point.” I laughed knowing this was Bill for you. A lovely guy but bloody hard to understand sometimes.

  “Keeping my wife company I see.” Draven’s voice made me jump and he placed a possessive hand on my shoulder.

  “And prying eyes off her as you can see for yourself.” I looked around and it was true, no one from the crowd was looking at us but more than that, they were purposely not looking because no doubt they were afraid to. I took this as a rule in Jared’s club, or more like a rule with any of Jared’s girls. It seems as though all Kings held a possessive streak, because I knew the same could certainly be said for Lucius. And it was also looking as if I could add Vincent to that list if his reaction to seeing Ari perform was anything to go by.

  “Then I must thank you for protecting what is mine, along with allowing me the use of your club tonight, I found the entertainment better than expected.” He said teasing me as he held onto the back of my neck and started rubbing his thumb over my pulse spot.

  “It was certainly a memorable night.” Jared commented on a grin which told me he wasn’t only referring to Draven’s fight but also my homage to Dolly Parton.

  “Tomorrow then.” Draven said, telling me that Jared was at least coming to the wedding. I stood up and told Draven that I wanted to say goodbye to everyone and he nodded for me to go ahead. I made the rounds noticing that Sophia, Zagan, Pip and Adam were doing the same thing too. I knew that most of the people who were here I would see again tomorrow at the wedding or more like, if everything went well, in a few weeks when I finally had the chance to actually have my wedding day.

  To be honest I wasn’t actually sure what was happening in regards to my wedding day as that had been Sophia’s department and all I had to do was wear what she told me and be where she wanted me to be. Unbelievably, I hadn’t even seen my dress yet but it wasn’t for lack of trying. I had finally given up the venture when Sophia told me it was a surprise and her gift to me on my big day, one I was hoping to have sooner rather than later.

  I had just finished teasing Ragnar, much to Sigurd’s amusement, when I spotted the perfect opportunity to speak to the last person I hadn’t yet said goodbye too…

  “Lucius.”

  “Hello, little doll.”

  “Why does everyone keep calling me that tonight?” I commented shaking my head.

  “Well, if the boots fit, sweetheart,” he said motioning to my doll like outfit with a flick of his hand. I took this time to look at his outfit and it was shameful to say that it was drool worthy. The man definitely knew how to fill out a suit with all those pale muscles hidden behind his crisp white shirt, navy blue trousers and suit jacket to match. Even his bare neck looked strong for God’s sake, one that was on show thanks to being unconfined by any tie.

  I looked behind me to see that Draven was being handed the black shirt he had obviously taken off for the fight and being Draven, he hadn’t felt the need to put it back on until now. I decided now was the time to ask,

  “How is she?” I whispered.

  “She is safe, have no fear of that.”

  “But you’re here.” I added trying to get the point of my worry across.

  “Don’t think me lacking when it comes to having loyal subjects… or in other areas for that matter.” Lucius finished this with a wink, making me roll my eyes at him whilst trying to hide my blush.

  “Your husband is waiting for you,” Lucius said nodding behind me and he was right, Draven was waiting.

  “I guess this is goodbye then…again.” I told him and he laughed once, got to his feet and said,

  “Try not to look so forlorn, pet.” Then he took my hand in his, pulled me a little closer and said quietly,

  “I have a feeling another part of me will be seeing you sooner than I will.” I tried to understand what he meant by this but gave up and asked him,

  “You will be there tomorrow, won’t you?”

  “I wouldn’t miss it, kitten.” I gave him a grin and was about to walk away when he added something that this time, really made me blush,

  “Oh and little Keira girl…”

  “Yes Lucius?” He nodded to the ring and said,

  “You did good up there… A sight that will no doubt comfort me in my sleep tonight,” he teased and then laughed when his only reply from me was an even deeper flush of colour on my cheeks.

  After this our party of six left and when I started moaning about my poor abused feet Draven swept me up in his arms once more and carried me back up the stairs of the more formal exit of the club. I hadn’t been this way before but it was definitely a lot more of a dignified exit than finding oneself popping up from under some concrete slabs in a back alley…or out of a cleaning cupboard.

  Even the staircase looked to be one fit for royalty and was no doubt the one that Jared himself used. For starters it was well lit, wasn’t damp and had a lush silver carpet on the floor. It was one that also led up through what at one time was probably a house but now had been opened up and changed into a grand entrance hall. This also meant that it didn’t exactly look suspicious as we exited straight onto the main part of Fleet Street, where there was a car parked waiting for us.

  “You’re not coming to bed?” Draven asked me when we got back into the hotel and I told him,

  “I want to help the girls clear the stuff from the room, besides I left all my gifts there.”

  “Alright, but don’t be long, love,” he whispered in my ear hinting at the reason he didn’t want me to be long with that seductive voice of his. I let Sophia and Pip go on ahead to the room so that I could grab Adam for a moment alone.

  “Keira?” He said my name obviously wondering what was wrong with me lingering like this.

  “This is going to seem like I am really overstepping the mark, and I know that I am, but as her friend I have to say something.” I was running away with my words and if his small grin had anything to do with it, he knew this as well.

  “Please, go ahead.”

  “Pip’s upset that you two didn’t uh…well…you know and that we…me and Sophia did…not together of course, but you know, she kind of felt left out so I might have mentioned…” He laughed and stopped me, saving me from my own mouth.

  “Have no fear I have plans for my naughty little wife. She will soon be happy once more.”

  “Oh good,” I said feeling myself getting embarrassed.

  “Goodnight and I thank you for your concern with regards to my wife’s feelings. You’re a good friend, one she needs greatly in her life.” I gave him a huge smile in return and said,

  “Well I love her.” To which he raised my hand and kissed the back of it in way of his own thanks.

  After that I caught up with Sophia and Pip. And I smirked as she still hadn’t been allowed freedom from her silk restraints yet. We all walked back into the suite, holding our breaths to what we may find. It was certainly a big relief to find everyone was still fast asleep and we didn’t just have four angry females on our hands, especially not when one of those was my mum!

  “So did you get it?” Sophia asked as soon as we were back in the room and had made sure everyone was still asleep and comfortable.

  “No.”

  “What do you mean no? May I remind you that we do this tomorrow!” Sophia said getting high pitched.

  “I know but there is another coin that we didn’t even think about.” I told her, quickly going on to explain what Jared had told me and my message from Bill.

  “Great, so do you have it on you?” Sophia asked and at any other
time this would seem like a perfectly logical question but right now my mind went into panic.

  “You don’t know where it is?!” I asked her, for some reason thinking that being his sister and all, she would know.

  “No, why would I know? You’re the one who touched it.” And this was a good point, one I hadn’t even thought about.

  “Do you think Dom still has it?” Sophia asked, meanwhile Pip had just been sat silently watching us, her head turning back and to as if we had been playing tennis.

  “I’m not sure, but shit, what if it’s back in Afterlife?!” I shouted feeling as though this was getting even more hopeless than it seemed at the start.

  This was when Pip finally spoke her views on the matter…

  “Houston, I think we have a problem.”

  .

  Chapter 34

  Into the Hourglass We Fall

  After being dealt yet another blow, we decided to get ourselves back into our other outfits and clean up until the girls all started to wake. It was easy to convince them the night had continued but one by one the alcohol must have got the better of them. We made sure they all went to their rooms before returning back to ours. Draven wasn’t too disappointed to see only my dress remained as I didn’t end up staying in it for long. And he was right, he did get entertained, again and again until my body could take no more.

  He was like a man possessed and couldn’t get enough, telling me constantly how much it had meant to him and how sexy I looked. He also wished he had known it had been me hiding behind the feathers, saying that he would have paid more attention. I had to say I liked the idea that Draven hadn’t been interested in watching any other girl’s dance and I knew how lucky I was.

  Unsurprisingly it didn’t take me long to crash after the night I’d had, falling asleep quickly in Draven’s strong arms. However, my dreams that night were obviously rooted and deeply entwined to my worried mind. For I didn’t know what would happen if we couldn’t get into that Janus Temple,