The Triple Goddess

by Stephanie Hudson

  He was wearing skinny grey jeans that tucked into his cherry red Doc Martins at the ankle. They had skulls painted on the boot tips over the metal spikes that would hurt like holy hell if ever used to kick someone. He had on three belts, each different and only one that looked as if it was doing its job. One plain red that was thinner than the rest, one black and white squares and the one actually hooked into belt loops was black with silver spikes. This matched not only his shoes but also the numerous leather straps coating his wrists. If I could take a guess I would say he had a thing for spikes, that and guitars if his t-shirt was anything to go by, which featured two crossed guitars, one made of metal and the other lit on fire. This look was finished with a tight leather jacket that hugged his slim build like an expensive black glove. He was so achingly beautiful it was painful to look at him, despite his evil glare and his ‘I don’t give a damn’ vibe!

  With him and Pip combined it looked more like school had broken out for a Demon holiday! What was next, I would turn a corner and there would be twenty demon Girl Guides all selling poisonous cookies. It wouldn’t have surprised me if Lucius had a classroom full of henchmen all with adorable plump cheeks and fangs sharp enough to slice through skin like a knife through soft cheese.

  Ruto gave me one last scowl before handing Lucius the knife. He then sank back into the shadows as though it was his special place. I looked down at the knife and saw the handle that looked like carved black bone. The blade itself was red but this wasn’t just down to the blood that covered most of it. No, now that I could see it outside of a body, it was clear that the blade was made of red glass with a steel edge that gave it the extra sharp tip. He looked down at it and frowned.

  “You should always keep you weapons clean,” he said and took the last step which eliminated any space between us. I backed up once again into the glass wall and he looked me up and down as if he was looking for something I had no clue as to what.

  “You’ll do!” He said before bending his frame to lean down and wipe the blade across my leg, transferring the blood from his blade onto my jeans.

  “Eeuww” I said once again wrinkling my nose in disgust. He actually chuckled at the noise I made before flipping the switch back into Demon Lord mode.

  “Take the girl upstairs to my private suite, she needs cleaning up!” He stated wrinkling his own nose at me as though I smelled like a footballer’s feet. I couldn’t help but glare at him for the insult. Ok, so it was true, I probably did stink after not being able to shower for days and being manhandled since New England.

  Pip bounced over to me with way too much enthusiasm for the show that just took place but then again that was probably the reason for it. She had been sat on Adam’s lap since I had been escorted to Lucius. Adam had gone over to where Pip sat and lifted her crossed legged and placed her in his lap, as though that was the only place he wanted her. What I wouldn’t do for the lover that owned me to do that right now. For Draven to march right in here, kick major demon butt and pick me up like the Goddamn hero he was and whisk me away into the German night. Only that thought was hit with a bat of reality and dripping in disappointment.

  Draven wasn’t coming.

  “Come on Toots, let’s get you clean, sparkly, glittering, shiny and smelling like candy floss.” My stomach filled with lead for the second time. Please Lord no.

  “Pip…No sparks, no glitter and nothing shiny.” Lucius said after stopping her gently. She looked like he had just stomped on her favourite Tonka toy and the wheels had come rolling off. Then her eyes lit up as she asked,

  “And candy floss?” He looked as though he was giving it some thought and I had to resist rolling my eyes.

  “She smells sweet enough,” he said shocking me at the sincerity of that statement. Did Lucius just give me a compliment? It didn’t look like anything but what it sounded. I was left dumbfounded as Pip took my hand to pull me away.

  We started to walk around the opposite side from where we came in and it was busier this side thanks to the better view of the band playing. There were people huddled tightly to the banister that curved round and went down the staircase which looked like it had been taken from a deserted warehouse. That’s when the idea hit me and only gave me seconds to think it through. If this went wrong, I could face plummeting into the dancing crowd below, giving a whole new meaning to crowd surfing. Pip only had a loose hold on my wrist and with one sharp yank I was fairly certain I could get free. I saw where she was taking me and the staircase that led to Lucius’ place of R and R. There was no way I wanted to be anywhere near that! His idea of rest and relaxation was most likely a BSDM club in a dungeon with blood on tap! I think I will pass thanks.

  I had to time this just right as the crowd near the stairs down was the busiest part and the two bouncers that stood there had their hands full preventing anyone from below getting in the VIP, as it was clear that’s what this level was. We were just weaving in and out and round a girl that had been let in when I decided it was now or never. I yanked hard taking Pip off guard and felt a slight guilt using our new friendship to my advantage but using that trust was a fleeting moment in the background of importance to what I was doing. I pushed past two girls dancing by the rail and gripped it with both hands. I took one breath and…

  Jumped.

  It felt like a life time until I landed even though it was no more than a terrifying second. I landed on the stairs that curved under where I had jumped which meant I got past the two guards that were surrounded by gothic girls all jumping to the beat. I didn’t even try to find Pip in the crowd as all I need to do now was make it past the stairs full of bodies. I had jumped into the only space and half landed on someone who started shouting at me, swearing, no doubt in German. I pushed past people leaving a trail of pissed off people in my wake. Then as it curved passed the stage area I decided why the hell not, it worked the first time.

  I held the rail and heaved off it again to land on the stage. I fell forward and landed on one knee that felt like it burst. I look down to see the ripped denim and blood coming from the skin beneath. I waited for the pain but it never came and I put this down to the incredible burst of adrenaline that coursed around my body like Draven’s demonic blood. It pushed me forward like someone had shot a gun and I was running for my life, which was probably true ‘cause if Lucius got hold of me now I didn’t think I would just get sent to my room without supper.

  The band carried on despite the fact that a girl had just dropped down from nowhere and was making her way through the members like some crazed fan. The song they played sounded more like it belonged in a Bond movie but it went well with the chase. I managed to jump over some cables as I passed the drummer and a guy on base. The jump down to the next level looked too high but then I noticed some stairs further back which I made a beeline for. I gathered this was where the band went when they finished their set. I jumped down them taking three steps at a time as I went. I almost lost my balance once more but righted myself as I rounded a corner onto the bottom floor. Thankfully most people were around the stage and on the dance floor so I manoeuvred around the club with little more than a few shoves here and there.

  I saw the bar and ran towards it with the notion that if it was anything like every other bar I knew then it had access to a door that led out to the back alley. I ran over and dipped down before the bartender knew what hit him. I ducked under the side opening and ran to a door I could see behind him. I left him shouting at me in German and when he made a grab for me he dropped the bottle he was holding. Something that smelled like vodka splashed up my jeans but I didn’t stop, not for a heartbeat. I found myself in a dingy looking corridor and walked past an open door that led to an office. I saw the door at the end that had the word ‘Ausgang’ painted on it. Man, oh man I hoped that meant exit in German. I pushed myself even further and it was only now that the throbbing in my knee started but I couldn’t stop for anything. I threw myself at the door and thanked my lucky stars when it opened. Even better
it opened into fresh air. There were stairs that went up to street level and I scrabbled up them in my haste, scratching my hand on a piece of jagged metal. I bit my lip and winced at the sting. When I looked up I was in a dark alley with nothing but two huge bins that reminded me of the dumpsters outside Afterlife. On the three sides I had a fence to my left with no door, a brick wall facing me and my only way out to my right. I could see the cars whizzing past on the road and knew it was time to run again.

  I started to run toward the road watching the space around me getting brighter thanks to the street lamps when suddenly a black limo appeared blocking off my exit.

  “SHIT!” I shouted before turning back and giving the fence a shot. My foot lost traction and I skidded as I turned quickly trying to make the distance between me and the car grow. I made it to the other side and bounced back slightly from the force of my body hitting the fence. I looked up and thankfully the top wasn’t covered in barbed wire, so I gripped it in two places and was just about to haul myself up when I felt thundering from behind me. I didn’t want to look, knew that I shouldn’t. But still I looked. I saw the bins shaking violently like they had some monster trapped inside. Ok time to go!

  I whipped back round and took a firmer hold pulling up my weight. I felt my muscles strain and thought with dry amusement that this wouldn’t feel like this if I had gone to the gym sometime! I dug my foot into the holes but when the metal by my hands started to get hot and then burn to the point of pain I had no other option than to let go. I dropped to the ground, but thankfully landed on my feet this time. I just had time to look up when I heard metal being scraped across concrete. I saw the sparks before I realised what they were coming off. One of the huge bins was coming right at me with the speed of a moving car in fifth gear. It was going to crush me and I was trapped in a corner. There was nothing I could do but wait for impact.

  It was wrong what they said about your life flashing before your eyes, actually it was utter bullshit, not unless you had a zombie walking slowly towards you that gave you ten minutes to think about it. There was only enough time to do what every other human would do in my situation and that was to cower into a small ball and wait for death by rubbish. Not the most poetic death but very few ever get to choose.

  The noise hit me before the pain ever did. The bin had come flying at me with enough force to cause sparks but it had crashed into the wall leaving me enough space in the corner without being touched. I let out the breath I had been holding in long enough to almost kill me instead and stood up on shaky legs. I was about to climb out of this little smelly hole when I saw something travelling at a great speed from the sky. My heart leapt at the thought that it could be Draven!

  It looked as if someone had jumped from the roof and I felt the landing without seeing it. I was just about to heave up when the lid to the bin flew backwards caging me in. I landed back against the wall and slid down till my butt touched the ground. I now had a little roof to my hole and all my dreams of it being Draven here to rescue me were squashed into a black pulp of rot!

  I had my head rested on my knees and my hands covering my head in a pathetic attempt at a protective cocoon. I only raised my head when I heard the bin had stopped moving backwards, scraping its wheels across the ground like nails on a chalk board. I first saw the black scorch marks either side of me, that the sparks had created and saw my captor stood there with his arms folded across his chest. He looked so powerful I found tears well in my eyes at the fear that the figure in the dark created. I remembered that same imposing figure being in my room one night, which had turned out to be the most painful experience of my life. I still had nightmares about it and now my nightmare stood there in the muscle and flesh ready to hurt me once again.

  I looked up as the tears slipped down my dirty cheeks and saw two red eyes glowing in the mist that had come from nowhere. It was as though his essence was so evil it changed nature itself forming a cold visible air around his form like it was drawing off his power. Was he feeding the evil aura or was he feeding from it?

  I didn’t really care, just so long as he wasn’t feeding from…

  Well, from me.

  Chapter 7

  No Escaping Your Fear.

  “That wasn’t playing nice, little Keira girl!” Lucius’ voice penetrated the darkness and his eyes lost their red glow. I was hoping that would mean that he was getting control over his rage. My escape had failed and now it was time to pay the price…problem was, I didn’t yet know what I was buying into so I was in the dark on the payment type.

  “Stand!” He said that one word so covered in authority it became something new the way he said it. It became a threat. I did as I was ordered and got up to stand on shaky legs making me look like a baby fawn.

  “Where are you bleeding?” He asked as his face appeared out of the shadows. I jumped back but he just grabbed my arm to steady me.

  “I asked you a question!” He stated and I found myself becoming mute. What would he do if I told him, chow down? He squeezed my flesh that he had his large hand attached to and I yelped before I found my voice.

  “M..my knee.” On seeing my compliance one side of his mouth crept up in a smirk.

  “Does it hurt?” He asked and I nodded my head to indicate yes, not being able to give him the satisfaction of words.

  “Good. Come with me and if you try anything else, you do remember what I can do with my knife, don’t you Keira girl?” I gulped and he took that as my answer. He tightened his hold until the point of pain and dragged me from my corner. He walked me down the alley towards the car, cutting the distance at a greater speed than I could keep up with so I ended up being dragged behind him. Also my knee was throbbing and I stumbled a few times which he stopped by hauling me back to my feet before I would fall down fully.

  “Please…slowdown…I can’t walk that fast.” I said, trying in vain to pull my arm free.

  “So, first you try to run from me and now you want my pity.” At these words he unknowingly flipped the switch to release the fighter in me.

  “I don’t want your stinking pity!” I yanked my arm free even though it hurt and would no doubt be leaving one hell of a bruise. I stood facing him with my arms crossed over my chest and when he turned his body round in slow motion it felt a little like I would imagine a bull fighter felt.

  But I didn’t run. I was done running. There was nowhere left for me to run to.

  He cocked his head to one side as if he was trying to figure me out, as though no other human in this world had stood up to him before and he looked, well, he looked amused.

  “And if pity is all you’re gonna get, what then?” He asked showing me a cockiness that I was surprised I’d had to wait until now to come out to play. I couldn’t help my reaction to his question and although it was one that was likely to get me killed, it happened before that thought had time to fully process. I slapped him so hard across the face that my palm stung so badly it felt like I had burnt it. I held in my shock of both the action and the pain but really I wanted to cower back to my corner like a kicked puppy.

  He face had whipped to the side from the impact and I could see the mark I had left on his pale face like a child’s red hand painting. He turned his head back slowly and I wanted to cringe at the deadly look his eyes inflicted. His hand flashed out and had grabbed my wrist and yanked me to his chest in one swift moment that left me breathless. He snarled at me but wouldn’t let me move from him like I tried to do.

  He lifted my hand to his lips and opened his mouth to let his fangs lengthen down past his bottom lip, I watched as they kept growing until nearly past his chin. What was he, a sabre toothed tiger in a past life? I watched in horror as he looked as though he was about to take a chunk out of me.

  “Don’t,” I whimpered but it just made him smile. He lifted his free hand to his face, joined his three fingers bent to his thumb, leaving one up that he held to his lips and said,

  “Ssshh” He then used that hand to hold my forearm to
keep me from pulling away. With my hand captured in a way that made all of my fingers splay out with the pressure he applied to both the front and back of my hand, he raised my middle finger to his lips and took the whole length of it into his mouth. He sucked it in and pulled it back out. I thought that was it but I screamed when he placed it at the end of one fang and applied enough pressure to pierce the skin. Blood pooled and dripped down my finger which he then put back in his mouth.

  His eyes rolled back in his head in what looked like extreme pleasure before turning into a different shade altogether. They changed into the colour of the sun! I had never seen anything like it before in my life. His eyes became alight with fire, like he was staring into flames where there were none. They were utterly beautiful and unlike any eyes I had seen. They were hellfire eyes. And then they were gone. His body had gone ridged and for the life of me he had acted like he had just found sexual release.

  “Fuck!” He said through gritted teeth and one look told me to get far away from him now before he wanted more than just a sample. I tried to tug back but he refused to give me even an inch. However, the fear he found in my eyes made something in his soften. He let my finger slide from his lips and lowered my hand without letting go.

  “What are you?” He asked in a voice so soft that it was almost like liquid sliding across my skin leaving goosebumps in its path.