Cult of the Hexad (Afterlife saga Book 6) (14 page)

“I knew you hadn’t eaten enough today…she never eats enough you know.” This last part was directed at Dex who frowned.

“Lucy, it’s okay, it just happens sometimes.” If I thought this was supposed to help the situation I was wrong.

“What! This has happened before?!” Lucy shrieked in despair. Now what was I going to tell her, not to worry as it was because I had been worked to exhaustion without being given food as punishment for my supposed sins? Nope, I don’t think this would have helped matters at the moment.

“Dex, can you drive her to the hospital?” Lucy asked and this was when I knew I had to intervene further.

“Please Lucy, it’s okay and probably like you said, I just need something to eat and then some rest.” Thankfully Dex seeing how uncomfortable I was at the thought of going to a hospital came to my aid.

“Right, drive through and then home. You guys go on ahead and I will make sure she gets back after she has been fed.” He then nodded for me to get in the front of his car and I did but not until after I gave Lucy a big hug. Because no matter how much I didn’t want to go to hospital her concern had meant the world to me and I wanted her to know it.

“Thank you for caring Lucy.” At first she seemed shocked by my response to her fussing but after I said this she understood it. Other than Ari, there had been no motherly caring before and it was moments like this that hit you the hardest at what we were denied. Lucy was a good person and I would never forget that as long I remained on this earth and if the Hexad had their way, it wouldn’t be for much longer.

Dex gave me a look I couldn’t decipher, I only knew it was soft and with feeling. He held open the door for me and shut it after I was in the seat. Being in a car again was strange after so long without it and considering one of the last times was the most terrifying experience I had ever known, it had been hard the first time when Lucy was driving. Of course she understood after she knew what I had been through and I had felt better for it. But now I was in the car with Dex and he didn’t know my past or why I would seem so nervous in the car.

“Hey, my driving’s not that bad is it?” He asked laughing when I jumped again after we pulled away from a stop sign.

“I’m sorry Dex, I’m just not good in cars.” I said feeling embarrassed about having to tell him.

“Ah, I see.”

“So whereabouts in England are you from?” He asked changing the subject and for one a lot more confusing.

“England?” I asked, shaking my head but then the bright lights of a fast food restaurant came into view and his attention shifted elsewhere.

“I hope you like burgers.” He said as he pulled the car into a spot so we could read the glowing menu.

“I did, I mean, I do…well, let’s just say it’s been a long time.” When he frowned at me I guess he got the wrong impression as he must have thought I had been on an extensive diet most of my life…if only he knew I thought dryly.

“So what’s good?” I asked trying to change the subject…
again.
 

Eating a fast food burger again was like being transported into junk food heaven after being in boring food hell for over a decade! Dex laughed at me when I couldn’t stop moaning in taste bud bliss. So much so that he had to try and compose himself as he ordered me another one from the lady in the window. Even the fries and coke had me making shameful noises.

“If you think that’s good then I will have to take you to get some cherry pie and ice cream from the diner in town.” I blushed when he said this outside Lucy’s house as I didn’t know if he was asking me out on a date or something. I had never been asked out before and couldn’t tell if he was just being friendly or if he liked me. I actually felt like I was falling back into my missed teenage years by asking myself this question.

“Thanks for tonight, Dex.” I said pushing a strand of loose hair behind my ear nervously.

“You’re welcome Katie.” I gave him a smile and was just about to open the door when I stopped as a question from before was still playing on my mind.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Yeah, go for it.” He said seeming happy that I was still in the car.

“Why did you think I was from England?” His reaction looked shocked and he jerked his head back as if he couldn’t tell if I was joking or not.

“Are you serious?” He asked and this time it was my turn to frown.

“Yeah.”

“Because you have an English accent.” At hearing this I was shocked.

“No I don’t!” I said getting defensive.

“Look honey, I may not be some big city detective but I think I can at least detect an English accent like yours when I hear one.”

“But…but…” I didn’t know what to say other than,

“But I’m from Minnesota!” At this he laughed and then shrugged his shoulders.

“Well Honey, I don’t know what to tell ya. I only call ‘em as I see ‘em.”

After this I said goodnight and walked back into Lucy’s house even more confused than when I walked out of it this afternoon. I didn’t know what to think, especially after I asked Lucy where in the world she thought I was from and she gave me the same answer as Dex had.

What was I to think? I had never been told that before and was sure I sounded exactly like the rest of the Colony had. Was it all a trick? I just couldn’t understand any of it and thinking back to what had happened in the gypsy’s tent had my head reeling even more. I lay back on the bed fully clothed and I curled myself up into a ball trying not to cry. I needed to focus on everything I knew so far if I was ever going to find this place…

“Place
…place! That’s it!” I suddenly shot up as the answer came to me. I thought back to the dream and focused in on the last thing I saw before I woke. It wasn’t a person. It was a building! A very old building from the looks of it.

I grabbed the laptop and flipped it open before I had even sat back down. Then I impatiently drummed my fingers next to the mouse pad as I waited for it to boot up. As soon as it was up and running I did the single most important thing yet in trying to find any answers.

I typed in Google search…

‘Places called Afterlife.’   

Chapter 12

Remembering the Monsters

I didn’t even remember falling asleep but when a noise heard from the ensuite bathroom woke me up, I knew I must have hit my limit. I had been researching for hours but found nothing. It was disheartening to say the least but I knew I couldn’t give up, not when Ari was counting on me.

“What was that?” I asked myself when I heard the noise again. The bathroom door was slightly ajar and I couldn’t remember if I had left it like that earlier. The noise started again as a scratching sound and then a tapping as if there was a pair of long nails clicking against the old enamel sink. I sat up further and I couldn’t stop myself from asking,

“Who’s there?” There was no answer but the tapping sound stopped at the sound of my voice. The room was too dark to see much but at least the moonlight was filtering through the window where I had forgotten to close the curtains. This created shadows that played on my mind and all I could hope for was that it had been a branch hitting the bathroom window in the wind.

After a few more moments of silence I took a premature breath in relief that it had been nothing.

But nothing it was not.

I sucked in a sharp breath in fright this time as I first saw a long black hand fold its fingers around the door from behind…
Someone was in my room.
This time I found myself holding my breath and too scared to move. The fingers seemed elongated and stretched as well as its nails that were more like talons belonging to a bird of prey. I winced as its razor tipped fingers scraped back grooves in the wood that curled and landed on the floor in ribbons.

I was frozen and completely dominated by my fear. I wanted to move. To bolt up from the bed and dive for the door into the hallway. This feeling increased tenfold when the door started to open and more and more of a shadowed figure emerged from within.

“You fear me…I can feel it.” The croaky voice said once the open door revealed all of the shadow of a person. I didn’t answer as I didn’t need to. It knew the truth. It knew the power of fear it held over me but then what it said next shocked me.

“Which is surprising in my world...” I didn’t understand so this promoted me to speak as my curious nature got the better of me.

“Why?”

“Because most in my world fear
you.”
 

“What?!” I hissed finding this impossible.

“It is true young Electus, after all, our fate is in your mortal hands.” Hearing this had me ignoring the cryptic part and focusing on where I had heard that name before.

“Who are you and why are you here?” I asked trying to sound stern and playing on the fact they told me most of their kind feared
me.

“What child, have you forgotten our chance meeting so soon?” Just as the words were spoken the figure stepped out into what little light the moon did offer and I jolted back at the sight.

“The Gypsy!”

“But of course. You say that like I have a reputation.” She said sounding affronted by the thought and walked over to the window to take a seat as if getting settled.

“Like I said, what are you doing here?” I asked sternly then folding my arms for good measure. This was in vain because with a flick of her wrist the fireplace erupted into a roaring fire and candles appeared out of nowhere. 

“Ah, that’s better, less dreary…don’t you think?” I didn’t answer her but merely found myself staring. She was no longer the old crone I had seen before full of wrinkles and weathered skin. She was now a striking beauty no older than twenty, with thick ebony hair that looked like liquid gloss. Her clothes were no longer big and baggy garments worn by a larger lady trying to cover the body beneath. She now wore a tight corset over a white frilly shirt and the top part of her reminded me of a pirate costume. But then she wore layers upon layers of red material all wrapped up around her and pinned up in various places giving it body around her slim waist.

I looked down at her hands and saw even they were normal feminine hands…but if this was the case, where did those scary black clawed hands go?

“But you…you…?”

“Yes, less dreary also I think. Besides I feel it is time we both show each other our real sides. So let me introduce myself, my name is Nesteemia, but as I told you once before, call me Ness.” I shook my head knowing that this ‘being’ was one I would have remembered and I was quickly back to wondering what she wanted with me. Again she answered me without hearing my question.   

“I felt that our earlier meeting was far too brief and if I am to report back to my master, then I would rather not anger him with wasteful snippets of pointless information.” Hearing this scared me, exactly which side was she on?

“Ah, fear not Electus, if I were ever to meet the ones that stole my gift to you then all they would receive is my wrath, not my compliance. I am loyal to but one Being this Earth plays host to.” She said reading my mind again, which seemed to be the theme of the night. But the important question to ask was if she wasn’t working for the Hexad, then who was she working for?

Who was this
master
she spoke of?

“What gift? Are you sure you have the right girl? After all I think I would remember meeting you before…
both of you”
This made her laugh.

“Child you don’t even remember your own name or birthright! I doubt very much you would remember the day I changed your life and gave you the ‘sight’.”

“The sight?” At this she rolled her eyes as if dealing with a dumb wit.

“Well I will say this much they certainly knew what they were doing. Not even I have that level of power and as a Shtriga, that is unusual, trust me.”

“What is a Shr…

“Sht…ri…ga.” She said it again, only slower this time. I nodded to which I received an unnerving grin in return.

“Why don’t you google it when I am gone, I see that’s where you have been getting most of your information these days.” She commented dryly, nodding at the open laptop I had obviously fallen asleep next to which now only held a black screen.

“So what is your plan, to stay with these humans until the end of days?” She said gesturing towards the door where Lucy and Denis no doubt still slept. I frowned at the way she said this, not appreciating the way she obviously looked down at me. I mean what did she expect of me anyway?

“I am going to save my sister.” I stated sternly.

“Right, your sister…I am going to take a wild stab in the dark here and guess you’re not talking about a redhead are you?” I gave her an odd look to match her odd question.

“No, why would you ask that?”

“No reason.” She said sounding bored and looked up to the ceiling as if looking for divine intervention.

“So this sister of yours, what is her name?”

“And if I tell you, does that mean you will help me?” I asked already knowing the answer, so it wasn’t a big shocker when she said,

“Oh Hell no, what in Lucifer’s name would make you ask that?” She said laughing which very nearly managed to grate on my last nerve and make me snap.  It was funny now that her image had changed so had her attitude, as if the two sides of her went hand in hand against the other.

“Then why should I tell you?” I snapped. She merely shrugged her shoulder as though she didn’t give a damn but to me she played it too cool in this game she was trying to draw me into. Oh she wanted to know all right, that I would bet money on…that was if I had any.

“No reason really, just that I know my master would have been interested.”

“And who is this master you keep referring to?” I asked, knowing any name she gave me would do little good, seeing as everyone I knew outside of the Colony I could count on one hand and still have fingers left over.

“Oh that’s right, you won’t remember him either. Such a shame, considering the history I hear you two share together.” This time I was the one to roll my eyes.

“I told you, I am not the girl you think I am!” I said only getting further irritated with this pointless conversation. 

“No,
you’re
not the girl
you
think you are.” She corrected making me sigh in frustration.

“Alright, so what’s his name then, if you think I knew him as well as you say I did then surely I would recognise the name.” At this she smirked like this was what she wanted all along. She tapped her long red nail to her lips for a few annoying seconds before she clicked her fingers like an idea she’d had all along only just came to her. She must have thought me to be an idiot if she believed I would fall for this flavour of BS.

“I will make you a deal…”

“Of course you will.” I interrupted sarcastically making her smile.

“Is that a taste of the old you making a sneak appearance… I hear she was known for her wit and sarcasm, or so my master tells me.” For some reason this made me angry as she hit a sore nerve. The truth was that some repressed part of me did keep making an appearance and the creepiest thing about it was that I was confusing the two sides of me until they merged into one. Was there any truth in what she was trying to tell me? After all, everyone else seemed to believe I wasn’t being true to myself and thought of me as someone else.

“Let me guess, you want to know my sister’s name, in exchange for your master’s?” I said knowing I was giving her my best unimpressed face, that I could only hope looked as good as it felt.

“Bingo!”

“Fine, her name is Ariana…now it’s your turn.” Now if I thought this was going to be a complete waste of her time in knowing this I was very wrong. I knew that when her eyes got wide and her mouth opened slightly before she said two words I never expected.

“Holy shit.” Then she got up and started to pace the room making her full skirt swish around her legs and the longest bits sweep along the floor.

“Why? What is it?” I asked after she started muttering to herself.

“I could never…By the Gods, its genius really. And in your memories, this sister of yours, she has always been with you at this place you escaped from?” With this question my unease doubled. For a start she knew far more than she should but I answered her all the same, if only so I could gauge her reaction.

“Yes, we are twins and went into the Colony when we were seven.”  Hearing this she clapped her hands, making her many rings clash together.

“It’s brilliant! Flawless really but the question still remains and that is why?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about, so I’m afraid I won’t be much help with that question.” I said not caring how sarcastic it sounded this time.

“I gather since you’re twins and all, that you remained inseparable during your incarceration.”

“That’s an odd question, why would you even ask that?”

“Well you did consider it a prison, am I correct?” I had no idea where she was going with this line of questioning so I refused to answer her.

“I will take your silence as a yes and considering her now obvious part in your little ‘disappearing act’…” She made little quotation marks with her fingers and this was when I hit my limit.

“Now listen here you! I have no idea why you are here because it certainly isn’t to make any sense or offer any help. If anything it seems like your sole reason is just to taunt me with more cryptic shit I really don’t have the time for, so if you’re not going to offer me anything useful then can you please just leave me the
Hell alone!”
  Now at this she really did smile, which I found even more infuriating.

“Alright young Electus, I see you have found your edge and rightly so but I never said I couldn’t help you.”

“But you said…” She held up her hand to stop me and clarified,

“I said I
wouldn’t
help you, not that I couldn’t but that is beside the point because what I am blood bound to do next
will
help you, whether I like it or not.”

“Okay, so now I am really confused.” I said rubbing my forehead in frustration and for a moment the act seemed a very familiar one to me but for what reason I couldn’t say.

“All in good time Electus, all in good time. But speaking of time, mine here is at an end and yours is just beginning, so stay here and start…”

“What! That’s your plan, for me to just stay here and start living my life and all the time my sister is…” This time she interrupted me to continue,

“…start living the quiet life and in time help will come to you.”

“Oh no. Not going to happen. I mean, why should I trust you, so far all you have done is try to scare the shit out of me and given me more questions to ask than answers.”

“I am afraid that in this case knowledge is not power, it will only be a hindrance if what you truly want to do is save this sister of yours, trust me on that alone. My master will come.” For some reason this last bit sent shivers down my spine and I didn’t even know his name yet.

“And he will help me?”

“He has done so in the past, so I can’t see why not.” She said pulling her lips together and shrugging her shoulders and I can’t say the look instilled me with confidence. Besides, the idea that her ‘Master’ would come here to maybe help me wasn’t making me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.