The Triple Goddess

by Stephanie Hudson

  “Why the hell didn’t you eat? You look half starved for God’s sake!” He rolled off me and was quickly stood by the bed staring down at me like he was looking at me for the first time. I angrily grabbed the covers and felt my cheeks go red at the embarrassment. This was not how I thought our first time together in a bedroom was going to go.

  “Oh I am sorry, I kind of had other stuff on my mind, like watching Ragnar nearly getting killed, then watching Karmun getting killed, being kidnapped, getting pummelled in the face by some goon named Klaus, watching said goon getting kill himself by Lucius’ doing, going on a helicopter ride from hell!...” I hadn’t finished as I was now on my knees, naked on the bed poking him in the chest with every point and even though his face should have told me to stop, my filter wouldn’t engage and I kept going.

  “Nearly getting the life sucked out of me by some mountain mud monster, watching a bloody Video in HD for Christ sake, of my boyfriend giving it the big one to his ex…” I nodded to his manhood that, after this rant, was not stood to attention any longer but I still couldn’t stop.

  “Nearly getting kidnapped again by some ugly ass old bird and Miss redheaded preggers, and then being slashed at again by good old Layla that just can’t help the shits and giggles it give her by trying to kill me, nearly drowning in a God damn frozen lake, taken on a death ride in some ridiculously fast Lamborghini, what the Hell is it with you Royal asses and speed anyway?!” I didn’t stop for my answer.

  “Being then bitten by a sodding Imp before lighting up the VIP with my new aversion to flat screens and then after one of the best kisses of my life being…and I can’t believe it, I really can’t…kidnapped yet again and nearly sacrificed to resurrect a real life God, with not one ounce of dress sense and then, last but not least, after being stabbed dead, having my body taken over by none other than you Goddess mother! I mean Draven, can you imagine how embarrassing it is meeting someone who could one day become my mother-in-law that way! But oh no…wait, cause here comes the biggy…I didn’t eat enough bacon butties, cream cakes or fat filled pasties! So please YELL AT ME SOME MORE!” Ok so I am panting like a mad woman and it is officially the longest speech of my life but man did it feel good getting it all off my chest!

  For the longest time we both seem to be staring at each like wild animals waiting for the other one to make the first move. Draven was no doubt processing all I said and I was quickly regretting every last word. Then just as it looked like Draven was about to burst a blood vessel he thundered out a roar making the whole room shake and alarms went off and a red light started to flash. Oh shit, what the hell was happening and what was the hotel manager going to think when one temper tantrum could bring down the building!

  “I AM GOING TO KILL HIM!” Draven boomed and then ripped off the bedroom door and stormed out…oh no! On impulse I got up and ran after him in my birthday suit. I could see him just ahead and his body was glowing with unchecked fury.

  “My Lord?”

  “Dom?”

  “Brother?” Everyone said at once but Lucius was the only one he was fixated on and one look from Draven gave him his reason why. He stood quickly and got ready to defend himself when I did the only thing I could think of to stop him from ripping Lucius’ head off. I cut the rest of the distance between us and took a running leap right onto his back. I tightened my hold in a death grip and everyone’s eyes looked to me in utter shock. I must have looked like a naked, furless monkey hung on like this and it began to sink in that I was here, in this room, which was still shaking, in front of everyone….and I mean everyone!

  “Hey Toots, looking good.” Pip said giving me a wink and then was quickly shut up by Adam’s hand clasped firmly over her mouth.

  Draven had at least frozen his attempts at murder and I think Lucius looked relieved. I felt him trembling beneath me at his concentration on holding back and I squeezed his waist more to gain grip to pull myself up to his ear.

  “I am naked.” I whispered shyly.

  “I am aware.” He said shortly.

  “So if you kill him you will drop me, bruise my skinny bum and flash me to everyone…even the men.” I add knowing this was the clincher of the deal. When I heard him groan I knew I had him and I smiled into his neck.

  “Don’t smile Keira, you will just piss me off more.” He warned but I pushed it and bit his shoulder before saying,

  “Yes Sir…No sir.” And giggled a little making him groan again. He released a big sigh and then snapped out an order.

  “Close your eyes!” He told everyone and then as quick as a switch he had me latched onto his front, holding me by my bum and facing the open door I flew through.

  “Sort out my plane before I have to fly it…NOW!” He shouted when no-one moved and now I was the one shaking…I was on a plane and it was bouncing all over the place! I felt him rub my back reassuringly and telling me to ‘Ssshh’ all the way back to the cabin I burst from.

  “It will stop soon.”

  “What…what… if it goes down…oh shit, ARHHH.” I screamed as it seemed to drop a few times all at once. I clung onto him and even when he tried to put me down on the bed I still wouldn’t let go. He groaned and then decided trying to force me off him right then was not the best option. So he stood back up and grabbed the covers off the bed with one effortless yank. Then he sat back into one of the matching suede sofas in the room and covered us both in the quilt. He shifted my legs from around his waist and draped them over his legs so that I was now cocooned on his lap and as close to his body as I could get….well without him being naked that was.

  “Do me a favour, the next time we’re on a plane, please don’t fly into a rage…ok?” I asked him with my head still on his chest.

  “Then maybe next time, don’t send me into one and we should be fine.” He replied sternly and made a huff sound.

  “I thought we were in a bloody hotel, Draven! And besides…no girl takes rejection well.” I added on an embarrassed whisper.

  “You thought that was rejection? Oh you silly girl!” He scorned and I lifted my head to frown at him.

  “Don’t call my feelings silly!” I said and then made a move to get off him but there was no way that was happening and secretly I was glad.

  “You’re not going anywhere, so stop struggling. I stupidly let you go once before and look what happened…never, ever again! And as far as your feelings were being referred to as silly, well they are when you think I would EVER reject you!” He said angrily before continuing,

  “And while we are at this, if you ever walk out naked in front another male I will not be held accountable for my actions or their new blind statues…do I make myself clear?”

  “ARRRH!” I growled out and then twisted my body so that I was straddling his hips and sitting on his lap facing him. I wacked him on the shoulder and glared at him, which I received right back.

  “You…You…”

  “What?!” He snapped back and it just made my blood boil even more.

  “YOU BARBARIAN! I didn’t know you had every Tom, Dick and their mother out there or did you think in the time away I have filled my time with becoming an exhibitionist!”

  “Keira, unless you like turbulence, I suggest you refrain from speaking that way.” He warned and I couldn’t help but slap him in the chest again.

  “You stubborn old fart!”

  “Did you seriously just call me an ‘old fart’?” He asked in shock and I did a mental Ooopsie, my bad.

  “Umm nooo… I called you an old cat.” Ok, so I knew it was a long shot and when one of Draven’s eyebrows raised I knew he did too. He was about to say something when I butted in but in the best way ever.

  “Oh shut up, you old fart!” I shouted before flinging myself at him and taking possession of his lips. He stilled and then started to kiss me with a renewed desperation that soon had me on my back and him pinning my body underneath him.

  “Stubborn beautiful Vixen.” He said into my neck and then took my lips again.
Kissing Draven was like coming home for every molecule in my body and the way my body arched up to his every touch, I would say he knew it too.

  “I love you.” I said when he was kissing his way down my body and he stopped with his lips still at my side. I bit my lip and waited…why had he stilled? Oh no…maybe he felt differently…I mean we hadn’t really talked about Aurora, only to tell me the Video was a fake but how about all the other times…Oh God!

  “I didn’t mean to say that.” I quickly got out feeling suddenly ashamed. His head shot up and the black eyes I received told me the last thing I said was not a good idea.

  “You just ruined one of the best things I ever heard after all this time apart” He said in a tone like steel.

  “I didn’t mean it.” I whispered feeling so utterly guilty now.

  “Which part? And be very careful with your words this time.” He warned tensing his body over me.

  “I just thought when you froze that it wasn’t something you wanted to hear anymore.” I flinched when I saw the pain in his eyes and again felt like shit about it.

  “And what completely ridiculous reason would that be exactly?”

  “Umm…it will make you angry.” I said wishing I would have just let his lips continue their incredible journey, I definitely would have been in a better place right now if I had kept my big, stupid, self-conscious mouth shut!

  “I am already angry, fuming really, so spit it out, Keira.” I felt trapped under him and with his head now looming over me it looked as if he was trying to burrow the answers out of me.

  “Aurora.” I whispered, making him snarl and his eyes flash their trademark angry purple.

  “I thought we had cleared this up but it seems you have more to say on the matter.” He responded looking mighty hacked off.

  “Let me up.” I demanded, but he just shook his head.

  “No, I think not. You will stay there and answer my questions.”

  “What?!” I said in disbelief. This was supposed to be my interrogation not his!

  “You heard. Now answer me this…you trusted me when I said the footage you saw was a fake…yes?” He lowered his head as if to draw a yes out of me, which he did.

  “Yes.”

  “Right answer my girl. Alright, what else could it be…?” He tapped his chin and gave me a thoughtful look but as I was sick of playing this game, it was just making me angry, I tried to shift from him. His hand flashed from my side and shackled my wrists into the sofa’s armrest and then he just tutted down at me.

  “Ah, I know…you were watching when I arrived at Transfusion. That is it, well let me enlighten you my dear. Aurora has certain gifts…”

  “I just bet she does!” I snapped sarcastically, making him bite my neck in retaliation.

  “Behave.” He cautioned holding my skin in his teeth like some controlling Lion with his unruly mate.

  “Where was I before I was rudely interrupted…ah, yes my irrational need to explain something where trust should be playing the lead part. Well considering all my very obvious infidelities in the past I must put your mind at rest.”

  “Sarcasm doesn’t suit you Draven.”

  “Right back at you my love. Aurora is a sensor for our kind and can detect Angels and Demons by the different signals of power they emit. I had her with me before I entered as I wanted to know what I was up against. Lucius told me what happened with Layla.” He snarled her name, tensed his hold on me before continuing.

  “And how Malphas had plans for you and he feared for your life. A deal was made but that is getting off the subject that seems to matter the most to you. Aurora was scouting the place for the presence of Layla or Malphas, that is what you saw.” He finished angrily making me huff.

  “Well she did a lousy job considering Malphas made me do a Houdini on the roof top.” I blurted out and I recoiled because hearing it back I did sound bitter and petty,

  “Ah, well that, my jealous girl, was actually your doing.”

  “WHAT!” I shouted in disbelief.

  “I don’t know what Malphas was planning but when you’re defensive walls came crashing down around your mind, you made it easy enough for him to get to you and that, Aurora couldn’t predict.” I hated the way he was defending her and the fact that what he was saying was right, it still hurt and felt like being stabbed in the back.

  “Alright then, but while you’re in an answering mood…”

  “Hardly.” He commented dryly which I ignored and carried on.

  “Why, when Pip sent me back to see you, did I open the door to our bedroom and find you in each other’s arms just after telling her about your feelings!?” I shouted at him and for a moment he looked dumbstruck. I gathered his siblings had kept that little bit of info from him as he continued to stare at me in disbelief. Then he shouted out in another language, which I gathered was the F word and flew away from me. I grabbed for the covers and wished I was dressed so that I wasn’t having this argument, a mile in the air naked.

  “Unbelievable! I have waited my entire life for the Gods to grant me the love of my long life, the Chosen One by their very hands and they pick the most stubborn, self-conscious, untrusting mortal they could find! Bloody marvellous!” He ranted, throwing his hands up in the air making me fist my hands in the quilt in anger. I got up, wrapped the cover round me and stormed to the only door I could see, which was the way out. I didn’t care if anyone saw me this time, I just needed to get away from him! Which was completely ironic considering the amount of time I had spent just wishing I could see him again.

  “And where do you think you are going?!” He barked and I ignored looking at him as I grabbed the broken door and pushed it out of my way.

  “Oh I don’t think so!” And then I was grabbed from behind and hauled to his chest.

  “Let go!” I shouted to no avail.

  “Oh no Keira, I warned you that you would NEVER be leaving me again and I was damn serious! So sit your behind in that chair and listen to the truth of my words!” He lifted me up high in the air like I was nothing but a basketball and plonked me none too gently into the chair he was sat in when I first woke. He then trapped me in by bending his knees and leaning right into me.

  “Now, listen up you insufferable love of my life! I don’t know what you heard but it obviously wasn’t the whole of it, so let me enlighten you with the rest. That night I was in such a rage that I destroyed three rooms in my home and was about to do even more damage to the rightfully called ‘our room’. That was until Aurora came to me to try and calm me down. It didn’t work so well until I heard her ask me if I really did love you? That made every memory of you I had burned to my thoughts come hitting me in my mind like the hammer of God! I lost all my will to destroy and instead found myself crumbling to the floor in hopeless defeat. My worst fears had happened and you were taken from me due my arrogance at believing myself powerful enough to keep you safe.” He started to shake his head as he carried on,

  “I had never felt self-loathing like that in my life and you can imagine the amount of time we are talking about here.” He got up and raked his hands through his raven hair in frustration and the memory of what I was making him relive.

  “I told her of my deep love for you and that no matter of our past it didn’t change one single shred of the unbreakable feelings I had for you. No woman could seize hold of my heart and keep it for hers to own like you do. When she started to cry I told her that ‘I am not afraid of speaking my feelings Aurora, not when those feelings are of love’ which was making myself clear. I then continued to explain that I didn’t regret my time with her as every day of my history only brought me closer to you. I explained how she could not find this shocking, given the evidence before her very eyes, my obvious displays of deep affection for you and the rage in which I so freely displayed upon having you taken from me.” I was crying now and he leaned back down to wipe my tears from my cheeks with two gentle swipes of his thumbs.

  “When she spoke of what I needed
from her and hugged me, she whispered the answer we both knew in my ear to be the only way, which was exactly the only thing I needed from her…she was letting me go, Keira.” I cried out and flung myself in his arms and he landed backwards on his back with me sprawled on top of him naked. I was hugging him and kissing him all over in between saying,

  “I’m sorry, I’m so, so sorry…I should have trusted you…I’m sorry…I love you, I love you.” I repeated over and over again into his skin.

  “Good to hear as I also love you, more than you could ever truly know my Vixen.” He sat up and lifted us both so that now we were facing each other lying down on the bed with both of us under the covers.

  “You will never think those things of me again…do you hear me?” He said harshly but I ignored his tone, just being too overjoyed that all this time I had it wrong, he didn’t love her…he loved me!

  “I won’t, but in my defence what would you have thought if you saw me naked and doing the oldest dance in the world with another man?” I saw his dark eyes swirl purple and wanted to mentally slap myself…again! And then I thought about how many kisses Lucius had given me and felt like tearing my heart out to him as an offering. I knew I had no choice but to tell him but what would happen? Would he kill Lucius...? Probably and was that wise when we were in a plane?

  “I can hear your heart pounding and see your mind working ten to the dozen sweetheart… something on your mind?” OH SHIT! What was I going to say now, I was a lousy liar and Draven knew it, hell, he was probably bloody counting on it!

  “I…I can’t tell you!” I blurted out. How that would help, I didn’t know! He smiled at me which I knew wouldn’t be lasting for long.

  “I am going to take a wild stab in the dark here and say it has something to do with a certain Vamp who had my girlfriend captive and knows how to piss me off like no other.” I was amazed at how calm he sounded.

  “And that combined with the utterly but adorable cute, guilty look on your face I would put the two and two together.” Oh shit, oh shit, oh God, oh God!

  “Please don’t kill us all in a rage, I am terrified of heights, hate flying but hate dying more and don’t fancy making the news tonight.” He actually laughed.