Cult of the Hexad (Afterlife saga Book 6)

by Stephanie Hudson

  “I could do with a coffee.” Then he shifted to stand up after letting the people behind us off first. I was shifting myself across to his seat when he held out his gloved hand. I nodded to it, first making sure that I wouldn’t hurt it.

  “Accident at work.” He informed me abruptly.

  “It’s fine, it won’t bite.” He added when I hesitated too long. I reached out and took his hand. He curled his fingers tighter before he gave me a little tug and I was quickly falling into his arms. I had to say there were worst places in the world to be. So with my forehead landing in his hard chest and my hair scattered around me I looked up at him as if I was about to be ravished…well a girl could hope, I thought wickedly.

  “You keep giving me that cheeky smile Kitten and I won’t be held accountable for what I do next.” He promised in a throaty voice. At this I bit my lip and lowered my gaze in what I can only assume appeared as submissive as I felt. I heard him groan, one that sounded a lot like a growl… What was he, part beast?

  “Oh fuck it! I’m not that good a friend anyway.” He said sternly before leaning down and before I could begin to understand what he meant, his hands were at my face. With little force my head fell back and he crushed his lips to mine. I gasped, opening up to him and he took this as his opportunity to taste me. His intoxicating flavour burst across my tongue as we fell into a blissful rhythm. It felt like a dance I was born knowing the steps to.

  This time I knew it was a growl coming from him and he felt my fright nearly pull us apart. He refused me this by entwining his fist in my hair and banding an arm around my waist, simultaneously pulling me tighter to his tall frame. His possessive actions told me he wouldn’t have allowed it any other way. I wasn’t sure how long we kissed for, as it was without a doubt the most incredible moment of my life so far and because of this, it wasn’t one I wanted to end.

  I thought he would pull away but he surprised me when he held me to him and then rested his forehead to mine. It seemed I wasn’t the only one affected by our kiss.

  “That was…was…”

  “My Salvation.” This confession took my breath away and I was just about to speak when he shook his head softly and placed a finger across my lips.

  “You were perfect.” He whispered and it was the most beautiful, shocking thing anyone had ever said to me.

  “I was?” I asked against his fingers. He smiled before nodding once and added to the beauty with even more confusing words,

  “Because finally, you were mine.”

  “What about the ‘Wife’?” I had to ask and ruin the moment. He released a heavy sigh, closing his eyes in what looked like a moment of pain.

  “Keir…Katie, we have to talk…there are things you need to know about me and…”

  “And?” I asked when he stopped thanks to something that caught his attention outside.

  “Stay here, do you understand?” He said sternly and clearly giving me an order.

  “Luc?”

  “Do as I say Katie, stay on this bus.” And then before I could get any more from him he left.

  “What the Hell was that all about?” I asked myself. I reached up and grabbed my bag. I knew he told me to stay on the bus but I don’t think he realised how much I needed the toilet. And what had he seen anyway? Well I had spent eighteen years being told what to do and look where that had gotten me!

  “You might be sexy but no man rules over me.” I said aloud lifting the strap of my duffle bag over my shoulder and then walked down the aisle. I nodded to the driver who was reading a folded book that looked like it had taken a beating over the years.

  “Be back in twenty, just to be sure okay?” I nodded after she checked her watch and then stepped down onto the wet tarmac. I looked around as if expecting someone to jump out at me any second and then shook my head at how silly I was being. Luc had freaked me out but he knew nothing of my past so it meant that whatever he had seen was to do with him not me.

  After all it wasn’t like anyone had come looking for me from the Colony. I had spent the first week with Lucy and Denis looking over my shoulder, expecting to see faces I recognised. But deep down I knew it was Ari they wanted, which meant it was left up to me to save her and to do that, there was nowhere and nothing I wasn’t willing to go or do.

  I walked into the building at the rest stop and was hit by the smell of cooked food and coffee. I was sure this was where I would find Luc but first I wanted to see to business. I found the sign that guided me to the lady’s restroom and nodded to another girl I knew was on the bus with us as she held open the door for me. The toilets were empty so I picked a middle cubicle, locked the door and dumped my bag on the floor.

  I decided to check the phone to see if there was any free Wi-Fi here when I noticed there was a message from Lucy. I smiled and not wanting to waste time I read it whilst I used the toilet. I heard the door swing open and watched under my cubicle as footsteps walked the length but strangely stopped at my door. Were they blind, there were four other doors open?

  “There’s someone in here.” I shouted when they tried my locked door. I frowned when there was no apology and the shadows of feet moved away and picked the free cubicle next to me. I shrugged my shoulders and went back to reading my message.

  “Oh Lucy.” I whispered when I read how she and Denis had put some money tucked in the zipped pocket of my bag. ‘Just in case’ she had said and I let my head fall back to the wall behind in wonder. It felt as though they had been sent to me straight from Heaven as Guardian Angels, because I certainly felt blessed having them both in my life and looking out for me.

  I finished using the toilet and after putting my phone back in my bag, I replaced the strap around me before opening the door. I walked to the sink to wash my hands and noticed in the mirror the two doors either side were now occupied. I looked back to my reflection and nearly screamed when I saw myself with my wrist slit and I had written on the other side of the mirror in blood. It said one word…

  Run.

  I didn’t need to be told twice! I ran to the door, flung it open and only just managed to get out a small scream before a hand slapped over my mouth and pushed hard enough that I fell back into the bathroom. I landed hard on my backside and scrabbled backwards as the suited man walked through the door and closed it, cutting off my exit.

  I quickly got to my feet and my head snapped to the cubicles as two more men in suits stepped from behind the doors. Okay so now I was totally screwed! I recognised two of the faces as Righteous Bloods and knew they had found me but how…?

  “What, you think we would just let you go? Your Uncle had us watching all the public transport just waiting for you to make your move.” I thought on this for a second and that would have been impossible as he didn’t have that many men…unless of course they could narrow it down by knowing where I was headed...holy shit, they knew about Afterlife!

  “You knew where I was going?” I asked with my mind turning a million miles an hour. The two that came from the cubicles started laughing at my question and I continued to back up until my lower back hit the sinks.

  “Of course we knew, you stupid whore! We know everything!” The one by the door said sneering and then my panic turned into overload when he smiled and showed me his fangs.

  “You’re…you’re…”

  “That’s right Bitch, Vampires.” One of the others hissed showing me his own set of fangs. The two closest to me started to walk towards me and I knew the time had come to make a choice. I could just let them take me back there and face my fate, or I could fight and make my own…okay so I could die quicker with the second one, but I decided to take a gamble on the stupid shit road.

  “Your Uncle has missed you Katie, although I hear he has had fun playing with your sister.” Oh yeah, it was stupid shit time alright!

  “Yeah?” I said making him frown with the reaction he wasn’t expecting. Then I lunged! I ran at him and kicked out aiming straight for his man jollies! I hit my mark and relished heari
ng him wailing like a baby. The other two ran at me and I flung my bag into one and kneed the other, unfortunately missing his package. He grabbed me by the back of the neck and hit the side of my face into the mirror making me cry out in pain.

  “Try that the fuck again and I will kill you!” He said into my cheek and then punched me in the kidneys causing me to fall to my knees. I felt the blood from my nose trickling down into my mouth so I spat it out making sure it hit one of their shoes. I looked up laughing like some crazy person and rolled just at the right second before his kick connected with my face.

  “We need to leave, just grab the Bitch and get your revenge in the van!” The one by the door ordered. I felt the hand at my shoulder ready to pick me up and I took the opportunity once more to fight. I whipped my head to the side and sank my teeth into the hand until I taste metallic in my mouth.

  “Fucker!” He shouted pulling his hand away and cradling it to his chest. I got to my feet and placed myself in the corner like some wild cat ready to strike from all angles.

  “Did you see that? She fucking bit me!” He whined and I thought that for a bunch of Vampires they were pretty shit if they couldn’t handle one small human woman. My thoughts were interrupted when suddenly the door burst open hurling the Righteous Blood standing guard there into the other two.

  “Luc?” I said praying I wasn’t imagining the sight in front of me. He had kicked the door so hard that it too was flung forward after it came crashing off its hinges! What was he, a kick boxing champion or something? Christ I bloody hoped so!

  Luc found me and after first scanning my body for injury I saw a muscle in his jaw twitch when he saw the blood dripping from my nose.

  “Of course you didn’t wait on the fucking bus.” Luc said looking away from me, shaking his head and rolling his eyes.

  “What do we have here then, ladies?” Luc asked and I couldn’t help but feel from his confidence that he thought he could take these guys.

  “Look Dickhead, you don’t want to mess with us!” Luc looked around at the mess he made of the door and with one raised eyebrow said sarcastically,

  “Clearly.”

  “Fucker, you just walked into the wrong bathroom!” The guy in the middle said nodding to the lackey to his left and Luc laughed which sounded pure evil,

  “Is that right?” He said as the man approached him pulling a large knife from behind his back.

  “Yeah!” And then he lunged for Luc. What happened next I could barely keep up with. Luc simply sidestepped dodging the blow with ease but catching his attacker’s arm in the process. He bent it up further than it should go making him scream in agony and drop the knife. Luc caught the blade and at the same time pushed him backwards up against a middle section between the cubicles. Then in a speed I have never seen before buried the knife in his hand, fusing him to the wooden panel.

  “And clearly you just fucked with the wrong fucker!” He said before silencing the screaming man by knocking him out when connecting his forearm to his face, cracking it back against the wood. His body slumped to the ground leaving only his hand suspended in the air where the knife refused to let it fall. This all happened in three seconds flat.

  “Close your mouth Love, you’re getting blood in it.” Luc said turning to me and my mouth snapped shut.

  “Good girl…right who’s next?” He said pulling one of his leather sleeves down like nearly killing a guy had caused him only mild irritation in wrinkling his jacket.

  “Leave now before we release the wrath of God upon you.” Luc chuckled and said,

  “The wrath of God, umm interesting, so beating on a defenceless woman is God’s work is it?”

  “Why we need the girl is none of your concern, mortal. We are the Righteous Bloods and have been chosen to do God’s work.” He said and I could tell he was trying to mask the fear in sight of what Luc could do.

  “Funny, I never knew God was employing assholes this year, I do hope I don’t lose half of my staff.” He replied looking at his nails like this was all very boring to him. Jesus…but who was this guy!?

  “Luc, they’re Vampires.” I decided now would be a good time to warn him in case one of them tried to bite him or something.

  “Oh really?” He said dragging out the word as if this new information amused him greatly. He turned back to look at them and they hissed showing him their fangs. I couldn’t believe it when he started laughing again.

  “Let me guess, Twilight fans? Tell me…do you sparkle?” He said whispering this last part behind his hand in a comical way. The guy on the right bellowed in anger and ran at him. Luc looked like he wasn’t even going to react at first but just waited for him to get within arm’s length and then his hand whipped out like a snake striking. His hand circled the man’s throat as he held him in choke hold.

  “Now do you want to see what a real Vampire looks like?” He said and my heart stopped. Oh God no! But there it was, the proof literally growing in front of me. He opened his mouth slightly to allow for his fangs to lengthen past his lips and I gasped at seeing him look so deadly.

  “Oh fuck!” The other guy said, for the one being choked that was close to turning blue.

  “Oh fuck is right. I only came in here for a coffee but…it looks like you’ll do.” Luc said in what can only be described as a demonic voice. Then wasting no time in taking his meal he yanked the swaying body to his lips and bit down into the guy’s throat like…well like a wild beast.

  “Jesus Christ! St…stop…stop that! Put him down or I will shoot you, Demon!” I watched as Luc smiled around the bloody meat in his mouth before he threw his meal away and I jumped when he smashed into the mirrors shattering the glass on impact. He too slumped to the floor in obvious defeat. Hell, he could have been dead for all I knew, but who was I to judge as I guess our death count on Righteous Bloods was now even.

  Meanwhile the only guy left held out a gun in an unsteady hand pointing directly at Luc. Watching Luc’s bloody smile form was one of the most unnerving sights I had ever witnessed and one I can’t say I ever wanted to see again.

  “DIE FUCKER!” The guy shouted and I screamed when the gun went off. I couldn’t keep my eyes off Luc waiting to see the impact and waiting for him to fall. I was surprised considering what I now knew about him how much the thought of him getting hit disturbed me. I didn’t want him to get hurt, let alone die so what happened next I was both in awe and thankful for.

  Luc was looking at me when the gun fired and when he caught the bullet in his hand he was still looking at me.

  “Time to go Kitten, you don’t want to see this bit.” He said softly nodding to the open door behind him. Then he dropped the bullet and his voice swapped back to something truly terrifying.

  “Wrath of God did you say… well here’s some Venom of God for you to try!” Then just as he lunged for his next victim, I ran out the door leaving behind the sounds of gunfire and the terrified screams of death. I tripped over a folded sign on the floor that said,

  ‘Toilets closed for Maintenance’

  This at least explained why no one had come back here but now that gunfire could be heard there was panic! People were running for the exits all around me, having no clue the reason why. I looked back as I saw two men wearing leather jackets this time trying to push their way through. They may have looked different from the other three in the bathroom but when they spotted me I knew they were Righteous Bloods. They were trying everything to get to me and on this occasion being big and muscular didn’t help them. I pulled the bag I still had around me closer to my body and slipped in and out of the crowd.

  I couldn’t let them get to me but I also knew that I would have to lose them before I got back on the bus or they could end up trapping me on there. So I ducked and spun through a tiny space, pushing one lady out the way by accident.

  “Sorry!” I shouted before running for the open door and passed some tourists that were gathered around taking pictures with their phones. I hid around the side of the bu
ilding and waited for them to emerge hoping they would go running off in the wrong direction. But this never happened, they reached the door yes but only walked as far as the covered entrance before they stopped. They looked up as if trying to judge something, which was when it clicked…

  The sun.

  The sun had come out momentarily from behind all the clouds and this they didn’t like. They looked around and I ducked back out of sight before they spotted me. So who were these guys if the ones in the bathroom had been fake Vampires?

  “Holy shit…Luc?” I muttered knowing the truth. Luc had been the only real Vampire in the room.

  I shook that from my mind putting it back in the ‘crazy shit to deal with later’ pile. I looked towards where the bus was parked and this time saw two guys in black suits walking around it when one walked off the bus itself shaking his head at the others. I frowned wondering what the hell was going on.

  If I had to guess, it looked like there were two different gangs after me, ones were fake Vampires and the others…well looking at them now and they certainly looked like the real deal to me. These guys looked like they ate gym weights for breakfast!

  Well either way, I wasn’t waiting around to find out. I needed to get the Hell out of here that was for sure, now of course I just needed a do-able plan to achieve that.

  “Think Katie, think!”

  “You there!”

  “Shut up dickhead, they will hear!” Oh shit, another man ran out of the door joining the other two who were trapped near the entrance.

  “Where is she?!” The new guy demanded and he looked like a freakin’ biker giant! He had a long wiry grey beard and piercings all over his face. He was terrifyingly huge and if I thought the other two ate weights for breakfast then this guy could eat the weight machines!

  They pointed to me and he looked up at the sun that still caused them problems.

  “Fuck!” He snapped. One of the men next to him hit him on the shoulder to get his attention to the fact that the suited men by the bus had now also spotted me, quickly doubling the amount of shit I was now in!