The Quarter Moon (Afterlife saga)

  “What are you going to do?” I asked Lucius nervously pulling one sleeve down past my fingers and then twisting it over and over again. Lucius looked down at my actions and then chuckled before taking my hands in his.

  “Trust me, my Keira girl, to do what needs to be done.” I didn’t know if this was supposed to comfort me or just make me panic more but either way I found myself being pulled from my seat and walked out of the door. I looked behind me to see Percy following with his hand being held in Pip’s swinging one. She looked absolutely gleeful and winked at me when she caught me looking. How could she be so happy? Did she know what was coming?

  We all walked from Lucius’ apartment back into the VIP of Transfusion and somewhere I had not been for what seemed like a lifetime. It was like déjà vu all over again for me, only this time instead of being led by Pip, I was being led by Lucius himself. So this time when Lucius starting walking to the back of his sex themed VIP, I knew I would once again find myself in the private part of the club. This had been the same room that I had been reunited back with Draven after Lucius had taken me. Of course, it was also the same room I had gone a little nuttso, having destroyed most of it in my rage thinking Draven had cheated on me.

  We walked through the double doors and I felt my breath hitch as I struggled to hold in the frustrated tears. I soon found myself being hit with the ghosts of that memory so strong it was as though I could reach out and touch the Draven there from the past. What wouldn’t I give right now to have that single moment back? At least back then I knew Draven existed in the world and was trying to find me but now…well, the uncertainty in what I was doing was almost soul crushing.

  The room was as I remembered it before I had run from it in a broken mess caused by my anger. It was a single open plan room about half the size of the VIP. The décor was modern and cold, with its stark white leather seating and its blue back lighting. The only other features in the room were black flooring, stainless steel table tops and glass, glass and more glass. The one thing I did notice, was that all the flat screens that displayed different aspects of Transfusion had been replaced but were now switched off.

  “I thought it best considering what happened last time.” Lucius said when he must have noticed me staring at the screens. He didn’t sound the least bit angry at what my actions must have cost him, but considering the guy just spent a cool one billion dollars on me, I doubt a few TV’s and some new plastering was that much of big deal.

  I let him lead me over to the same seating area as before and that pinch in my chest got tighter. He sat down in the middle which had a higher back than the rest of the U shaped couch and he pulled me down with him. I was about to argue the fact that I had once again been placed in front of him, but then I thought better of it. I mean what was the point, when did I ever win against these men? If it wasn’t Lucius, then it was Sigurd bossing me around or Jared sitting me on his lap stroking me like his damn ‘Pet’. There only seemed to be two types of supernatural men in my world and that was those who wanted to dominate me and those who wanted to kill me…oh and then there was Percy who, thank the Lord, was neither of those things!

  The leather gave way to our combined weights and Lucius leant back getting relaxed and comfortable as if what was about to happen was nothing more than tonight’s entertainment. Me, well I was a nervous wreck not knowing what was coming.

  Lucius nodded to the wrestler sized doormen we had passed and on cue they opened the doors once more to let Dimme in, who was closely followed by Ruto at his back. I heard Lucius snort his amusement at the sight of Dimme who looked a bit like a thin limp willy with legs.

  His slimy gaze flew to me as I was dead centre, but when his scowl turned threatening Lucius wasn’t amused any longer.

  “If you don’t want to make this any worse than it already is, then I would strongly suggest eyes on my Master.” Ruto said from behind him, making him jump.

  “I have done nothing wrong!” He snapped haughtily, doing himself no favours.

  “No? Then let me enlighten you, you dumb fuck! See, what I have here in my lap, well this stunning creature is mine and well, you not only aided in keeping her from me but you also tried to FUCKING STARVE HER TO DEATH!” Lucius quickly lost all of his cool and roared this last part at him coming straight from the depths of his more dominant demon side. It was so loud I thought we would have a reconstruction, or more like deconstruction, of when I trashed the room. The fixtures rattled and I heard a few pieces of the glass around us crack. In my automatic reflexes, I had covered my ears with my hands and soon I had Lucius grip my wrists to pull them gradually from my head.

  “Sorry my pet…” He apologised sweetly being now a complete contrast to how he was only seconds ago, and I had to say, given how scary Lucius can be, I was glad I was receiving the nice end.

  “So Dim what do you suggest I do with you?” Lucius asked regaining his calm eerie voice that really screamed, ‘Danger! Stand back or better yet, RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!’

  “I…he…it wasn’t my fault My Lord…I was only following my…my master.” Dimme had lost all his bravado now and was a hair’s breadth away from grovelling on his bony knees.

  “Yes, well your master died at my hands last night and is no doubt getting his skin peeled from his flesh as we speak…I have many friends in low places you see.” He said smirking as he looked down to Hell, in his reference to his ‘friends’ and I couldn’t hold back the sly little grin at seeing Dimme swallow down a hard lump of fear.

  “So, the question remains, do I send you down to wait in line for the same punishment or simply deliver it here myself?” I had to hand it to Lucius at this point, he was utterly terrifying without even trying at it. So much so in fact I was half expecting to see Dimme pee his pants any minute now.

  The hand that Lucius had been using to play with my hair suddenly gripped me tighter and pulled until my head went back to look up at him. It didn’t hurt, but it spoke volumes to the room as to who, at that moment in time, I belonged to. I remembered as much from my last time in Lucius’ domain. So I went along with it as I knew what he did was only for my own good.

  “What do you think, little doll?” Upon Lucius asking me this question as to Dimme’s fate, he must have panicked because one second he was saying,

  “But my Lor…” And then was cut off abruptly by Ruto who had produced a large blade from somewhere on his body and was quickly holding it to Dimme’s throat.

  “He didn’t order you to speak.” Ruto informed him in the lethal composed voice that sometimes gave me the creeps coming from such a young looking person.

  “But of course, my innocent little Keira couldn’t possible choose someone else’s fate, so perhaps one of your own will speak up for you…Percy, come here.” Lucius motioned for Percy to come forward after releasing my hair and I watched him step closer after Pip encouraged him to do so. The level of shock on Dimme’s face made his jaw drop and consequently Ruto’s blade nicked him on the neck.

  “Yessth my… Master.” He managed to correct some of his stutter on the word ‘master’ out of respect and I gave him a smile to cheer him on.

  “You came here against your possession officer’s knowledge because your actions against him would have seen you punished, correct?”

  “Yessth My Lord” He said now with a bit more bite to his words. I didn’t know where this was going but having my trust in Lucius, I knew it wasn’t looking good for Dimme.

  “And what punishment would he have given you, Percy?” I gave Lucius a quick glance to see him staring at Dimme with such severity there was no doubt what he had in mind.

  I looked back to Percy to see him square off his shoulders and raise his head up before he whipped his hood back and stood there proud in all his beautiful but painful glory. He answered with one word so profound that it not only chilled me to the core, but forced a single tear to run down my cheek as a silent show of support.

  “Fire!” He said in an entirely different voice that d
id not sound as though it came from my Percy. No, this voice came from a warrior… from a fighter and more importantly the strongest of them all…

  A survivor.

  “Then so be it…Adam.” I watched him first kiss his wife on her nose before he detangled himself from Pip, who was hanging around his neck like a baby koala. Adam then walked over next to Percy and put his hand on his shoulder to show him he agreed that Percy was one of them now.

  “Yes, My Lord?”

  “Why don’t you introduce him to Abaddon.” Lucius instructed and my head shot round to see he was serious. I was about to scream ‘are you out of your friggin mind!’ but he just mouthed the single word ‘trust’ to me and I decided I had no other option. Lucius nodded back to the scene now unfolding and thanks to my shudder, Lucius wrapped an arm around my middle and pulled me tighter into the comfort of his hold and then whispered,

  “Don’t look away Keira, your little friend needs to draw his strength from you…so be strong for him, as I know you can.” I did as I was told, nodding to Percy when I saw guilt flash there.

  Then it really began.

  “With pleasure.” Adam rumbled, letting the first touches of his deeply contained other self merely skim the surface. I actually didn’t know what was more frightening to witness, the monster that was known as Abaddon, who was every last thing Hell signified? Or was it the geeky accountant who first pushed up his glasses before placing a single tip of his index finger on Dimme’s arm. Of course the second sounded a lot less threatening, that was until it released pure Hell inside his body and literally started to cook Dimme from the inside out.

  It looked as though it started with his very soul and licked outwards to make blistering skin. Ruto released his hold over him when he knew it was no longer necessary. Dimme wasn’t going anywhere with his host that was soon becoming a charred version of his former self. His skin popped and crackled like a cooking pig, making me gag. The extreme heat was coming from the fire that you could see raging under the flesh and his face had become a grotesque jack ‘o lantern as you could see the brief glow behind his eyes and in his open mouth before the flames erupted from both.

  Any minute I was expecting him to just burst open like a skin balloon trying to contain the fire but this didn’t happen. Adam gently ran the same fingertip down his blackened arm and then, as if he had been made of paper, pieces of his remains started to turn to white ash and float to the floor like dainty snowflakes.

  And that was the end of my short term jailor and Percy’s long term tormentor. I really tried to be the better person and find some tiny part of me that felt sorry that it had happened this way, but one look at the horrific abuse he put my friend through, I just couldn’t do it. I did however get up from Lucius’ lap, walk over to my unmoving friend and put my arms around him to pour every ounce of comfort I had in me to give.

  “I promised I would make it right, but in the end Percy, you did it! You were the one brave enough to save me and in doing so, you saved yourself…I am…so, so…proud of …you.” I said this last part through the tears that fell from raw emotions that had ripped me wide open for all to see. It felt like I couldn’t remember a time where I didn’t cry anymore, whether it was through sadness, fear, pain, humiliation, anger, extreme happiness or utter relief. My tears stood as evidence to the gaping hole Draven had put there and it only seemed to fill in times like this. Times where the friends I had gained before or the new friends that had been placed on my journey’s path came to find me. Whatever the time, whatever the place and whatever the trials put in place, no matter the heartache I faced, there they all were …ready to save me.

  But I not only felt saved, more importantly I felt blessed and I didn’t need the Gods for that, because all I needed was what I always had…

  My friends.

  After all that had happened there was only one thing left and that was for Percy to declare his loyalty to Lucius. He did so with such fierce determination it was humbling to witness. He knelt at Lucius’ feet and sliced into his palm to offer his new master his own blood to bind his faithful service. However, it wasn’t just the honour I saw in Percy’s eyes that was so surprising to me, but it was that same honour I saw in Lucius’ that shocked me the most. He truly looked pleased to be gaining such a person into his fold and there I was, nearly crying all over again because of it!

  “Do you Percy, declare your soul into my ownership, sealed with your very blood, branding you as one of my own?” Lucius had asked him and Percy, even with his own tears pouring down his puckered skin, decided to use them to prove the sincerity of his commitment to his new Lord. After cutting into his skin, he captured the salty drops from his chin that mixed with his blood. Lucius seeing this nodded sincerely, accepting Percy’s deep sign of respect for what it was, nothing short of a life sacrifice. Percy was telling Lucius this way that if ever the chance arose, he would lay down his life to save him.

  “I do, with all that I am.” He said this with not once shred of a stutter it made me realise why. Percy was a Hercules Hero trapped inside a body that had never been given the chance to bloom. He had never in his life until now been shown his true worth, not until Lucius had asked him to make this vow. After all, this wasn’t something he had to do. He could have just made Percy leave and go on his merry way into a world he didn’t even know. But he didn’t do that. No, what he did do was go above and beyond what anyone of us ever expected him to do.

  “Then Percy, I hereby decree that not only are you now one among us, but I have decided to position you inside my very council and swear to you my protection until the day comes that you no longer want to exist in this world.” At these words I wasn’t the only one expressing my shock.

  “I…I…My Lord, I…” Percy was having a hard time understanding what this meant but Lucius looking slightly amused, just leant closer to him and said,

  “Just accept it, lad.” Percy beamed up at him as though he was looking into the very eyes of his own personal God and then nodded quickly saying,

  “I won’t let you down, Sir.” Again I was amazed that when talking to Lucius his voice was completely different. Like the man inside him desperate to get out was allowed that freedom when in the presence of his master.

  “You already haven’t.” Lucius replied and then looked at me making it very clear what he meant by that statement. A deep blush rose in response to such a heated look, that I had to look away first. Only when I could no longer feel Lucius’ hungry gaze on me I looked back to see him dip a finger in the small pool of blood that had gathered in Percy’s palm before lifting it to his lips to suck it clean. I watched as he shuddered after closing his eyes and only seconds went by before they flicked open again. First they were the blood red I was used to seeing on Lucius whenever his emotions ran high, but now since his change there were also added swirls of yellow ochre swimming in the centres.

  “Right, now that business is out of the way, now for something personal.” Lucius stated getting up and motioning for Percy to do the same. I looked back and made eye contact with him, giving my friend the thumbs up, receiving a shy smile back.

  I was still looking at him silently laughing when I felt Lucius touch my arm, startling me.

  “Come Keira, dine with me.” With the intense way he was still looking at me, it felt more like he was asking me out on a date and not willing to take no for an answer. I couldn’t find anything witty or smart mouthed to say, as my defence mechanism refused to kick in, so instead I just found myself nodding. He led me away, back to his apartment and just when Pip was about to follow, Adam grabbed hold of her and shook his head telling her no. I wondered what it was about as the look from Adam’s face said that he knew what Lucius was planning. Now that made me nervous!

  Lucius didn’t speak all the way, nor did he look back at me. I mean why would he, it’s not as if he had to keep checking to see if I followed considering it felt like he wasn’t letting go of my hand any time soon. He opened the door and let me in firs
t with his outstretched arm until he had to eventually let go.

  “Leave!” At first I thought he was talking to me and was about to snap ‘make up your damn mind’, when I saw a half-naked waitress with a shaved head and several facial piercings who I recognised from last time. She had been replacing the food that must have gone cold from earlier, with another covered tray. One look from Lucius in his masterful mode told her to leave the trolley and cut and run.

  Once the door closed the air suddenly felt thick with what needed to be said. I just opened my mouth to say what was on my mind when Lucius spoke.

  “Sit down and eat before you fade into nothing.” I looked down at myself suddenly feeling self-conscious and hugged my once fleshy belly. He gave me a raised eyebrow that said don’t challenge me and snapped,

  “Eat!” I let my stomach answer him as it chose once again the perfect timing to groan. I did as I was told, which was quite possibly the easiest command I had yielded to, considering I was starving. I walked to the dining table the food was all set out on, which was set separated back from the room in its own raised alcove. I stepped up to the first covered plate and when I revealed its hidden treasure I groaned out loud at the sight.

  “My new council member told me how you had a cheeseburger craving for three weeks.” I turned to find him stood closer than before and the smile I gave him softened his gaze. We both took our seats and before I had even scooted my chair all the way in, I had the greasy goodness in my hands and taking my first mouthful from the Heavens.

  “Oh God!” I moaned round my mouthful. I even think my eyes must have rolled back up in my head because Lucius started chuckling at me.

  “That good?” He asked and I nodded like a mad woman around my next mouthful, not giving any care that I was acting like a pig.

  “You have no idea and if you told me it was made from the ass end of a rat right now I would still eat like it’s going out of fashion.” At this he burst out laughing again and I couldn’t help but smile around my next bite. He was so handsome when he smiled like that and it was hard to take my eyes from the sight.