Sacrifice of the Septimus: Part 1 (Afterlife saga Book 7) (18 page)

“Okay, okay, I will make the dinner but no more as you are killing me here.” I said as I was nearly doubled over, laughing so hard.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you! Oh and can you make homemade garlic bread, oh and salad in case people want that…oh, oh and that chocolate cake I love so much, ta, see you soon! Oh and don’t forget that I invited your friends, so you’re cooking for eight people…okay bye!” She said, quickly hanging up and leaving me slightly bewildered as now I wasn’t just making dinner for four, I was now making a two course meal for eight…and who was the eight anyway?

“That sounded painful,” Draven commented smirking.

“Well just call me Cinderella, the shoe obviously fits,” I said sarcastically, making Draven laugh.

“Come on Cinders, let’s go shopping.” I rolled my eyes as Draven led me out the door, with me asking,

“So who are the other four…oh…?”

“Are we ready to go?” Sophia asked the second we walked out the bedroom door to find the ‘four’ waiting for us. 

“I’m so excited! We’ve never been to a mortal dinner party, have we hunka?” Pip was jumping about excitedly causing the colourful gift bags looped around her wrist to shake around.

“You bought gifts?” was strangely the first thing I asked.

“Just a few, you know for baby Ella.” I laughed shaking my head when I noticed Sophia was also holding a bag behind her.

“You too?” She grinned and lifted up her flower patterned bag saying,

“Guilty.”

“Kid’s gonna be spoiled rotten with you lot around.” It was at this point that Draven cleared his throat and I looked back at him to see that the girls weren’t the only soppy gift givers.

“And you?!” I said as Draven revealed his own wrapped present which had been tucked away in his jacket.

“Also guilty.” I faked a groan and said,

“You do realise her birthday is months away…right?”

“Yeah but which kid doesn’t like getting presents?” Sophia argued and Pip jumped in with,

“Yeah, I love getting presents!”

“See, I rest my case.” I laughed at Sophia’s comment and then looked at Adam and Zagan, who both lifted up bottles of wine and Zagan said,

“No presents, just wine.”

“Me too,” Adam said making Pip rat him out on a laugh,

“No, but you did help me pick the toys!” He gave me a grin and shrugged his shoulders before informing me,

“Don’t worry I kept her clear of getting anything that fired from cannons. It’s all age related and safe.” This made me chuckle seeing as the most dangerous demon on the earth just assured me he supervised his wife, making sure she had bought all safe toys for my little niece…it was beyond sweet. 

“Okay, let’s go but first I have to buy food.”

“I thought your sister was cooking?” Sophia asked and one look from me said it all.

“She burned it again, didn’t she?”

“Yes, that and accidently tipped half of it down the sink.” I told her as we made our way to the main entrance of the club.

“She should have made Chop Suey, a lot safer.” Pip commented shaking her head in total seriousness.

“Pip, if it’s near an open flame then it will never escape the calamity which is my sister in the kitchen…trust me on that, I have witnessed it all.” The rest of them chuckled behind me and Draven took my hand in his so he could kiss the back of it as we walked. 

We got down to the large car park situated at the front of Afterlife to find a Limo and a shiny new sports car waiting for us.

“Please tell me we are riding in that.” I said as my mouth dropped at the red beauty in front of us.

“But of course, Sweetheart” Draven purred in my ear and the doors automatically opened upwards as he approached, making it look more like a bird ready to take flight. 

“How cool”
I whispered once again, feeling a bit like I was married to a supernatural James Bond.

“We will meet you there,” I told the others before they seated themselves inside the limo.

“What car is this?” I asked as I folded myself inside. 

“It’s a Spyker C8 Aileron and they are custom built, usually to meet the customer’s needs.”

“And let me guess, your needs were for you to feel as though you were flying a fighter jet in space?” I asked, regarding the finest bespoke diamond cut leather and aluminium plating on the dash that gave it a steampunk, rocket ship vibe. It even had a red cover you had to flick up to flip the ignition switch, as if starting an aeroplane.

“No, they all come like this…but it might just add to one of the reasons I bought it.”

“And the other?” I asked and suddenly he flipped the switch, activating the dashboard to light up as if doing a ‘pre-flight check’ before he pressed the start button.

“It does nearly 200 miles per hour!” he said grinning as the V8 engine roared to life and before I knew it, I was screaming as he spun the car round in a doughnut and we were off like a bullet from a gun.

“Draven! Slow down!” I shouted making him laugh before bringing it back down, doing a reasonable speed (for him) as soon as we got onto the main road.

“Made you gulp.” he teased and I growled at him.

“I will never forget that day you shouted at me for speeding and stormed out of the car.” I did the same and also thought back to that day. It felt like an age ago and I remembered arguing my point that I wasn’t immortal. Draven had seemed so sure that nothing would have happened to me and that he wouldn’t let something as unimportant as my mortality get in the way of being with me forever.

I wished now more than ever to believe in his old words. But the difference now was staring me in the face with every decision I made without him.

I knew the truth and nothing could save me from it.  
 

“Remind me never take you on the back of a horse! I don’t think your delicate constitution would take it,” he said, bringing me out of my sombre thoughts.

“Oi, less of th
e
delicate constitution thank you very much. I will have you know I am a lot hardier since back then, as two trips to Hell will put hair on anyone’s chest.”

“I would get that looked at, because I might be wrong but I don’t think that’s where hair should be on a woman. Now in between her lush wet thighs then…” I smacked him on the arm, unable to keep the smile from my face as I faked being serious.

“Try to keep your mind on driving, Draven and not on how trim I am down there, besides are you saying you wouldn’t love me if I had a hairy chest?” I asked crossing my arms over my, thankfully non hairy chest.

“But of course I would…
I would just buy shares in wax strips.”
He muttered this last part and I burst out laughing.

“Well lucky for you they are not on my shopping list for this evening.” I added, this time making him chuckle.

We pulled into the supermarket parking lot and the looks we received were priceless. Of course, one look at the sports car and everyone knew who was in the driver’s seat and like that day when Draven picked me up at the cinema, people started taking pictures. It was like being with a famous actor and I turned to him and asked,

“Does it bother you?” He looked at what I was referring to and asked back,

“What this?” then he nodded to the window where people held up their phones to snap quick pictures.

“Yeah.”

“No.” It was a simple answer without any reason given.

“Want to elaborate on that.” I said on a laugh.

“I am a private person it’s true, but living amongst the mortal world for as long as I have and you get used to certain aspects that a person of position is bound to attract. It is simply the curious nature of your kind.”

“Says the man who stalked me.” I commented ironically. 

“I don’t remember you getting the police involved or filing a report.” He countered grinning.

“Hey I didn’t say I minded.” He winked at me and said,

“No, I thought not.”

“So has it always been like this?” I asked not letting it go.

“Yes, in some form or another. Don’t forget, I have lived many mortal lives, Keira.”

“You mean fake lives?” He gave me a raised eyebrow after pulling into a space big enough to fit us.

“What?! You have always been Dominic Draven to
your
world.” The look he gave me was one I couldn’t place but if I had to guess it looked as though he was trying to figure out where my line of questioning was heading.

“I have always been their king, but one with many names.”

“You don’t like to talk about it?” I questioned as he frowned when answering.

“The past has no hold on me.”

“What do you mean?”

“Why would I look to a past without you in it, when I have a whole future ahead of me with you by my side?”

I smiled at him but inside…

I was dying. 

Chapter 18

For Family

“Well, that was certainly eventful.” I commented on a laugh, knowing there were still tears in my eyes from laughing at Draven so hard. It turned out that even given the amount of fake mortal lives Draven had lived he had still never gone to a Supermarket shopping for food before. In fact, it was kind of like Draven was getting his own back on the amount of questions I had asked in the past, getting them all out in just the thirty minutes we were in there. Even walking down the sweet aisle felt like taking a child to his first toy shop. Surprisingly, it turned out that Draven had a sweet tooth and I had to stop him from picking up one of everything, his excuse being, of course, little Ella.

“I think if you turn up with nothing but candy for Ella my sister will have a fit!” I had told him and then had to explain what colours in sweets did to kids.

“But why blue?” I had stopped the trolley at this point and burst out laughing.

“Draven, can you tell me, in all your worldly wisdom, how much blue food you have ever come across?”  He opened his mouth to speak and I beat him to it,

“Other than blueberries!” This was when he snapped his mouth shut and had another think about it.

“There are purple blue potatoes,” he said smirking, thinking he had got one over me.

“No there aren’t!” I argued knowing he was trying to tease me.

“Are you calling me a liar?” he mocked placing his hand on his heart as if he had been shot.

“So you’re telling me honestly that there are purple blue potatoes in the world?” I asked putting a hand on my hip and cocking it out with attitude. He grinned and then got closer to me, placing a hand on each side of the shopping trolley’s handlebar, caging me in.

“That’s what I am telling you, sweetheart,”
he whispered seductively down at me and it became obvious that he cared little for all the onlookers who were staring at us.

“I don’t believe you.” I challenged and he snapped his jaws at my nose barely missing it and I gave a little shriek.

“Umm, we shall see,” he said, then he left me leaning back against the trolley to catch my breath.

“Get a grip Keira, he’s your husband, just remember that.”
I muttered to myself for acting as if he was some gorgeous hottie I didn’t know, chatting me up in the supermarket.

Then after this came the wine section which I admitted trying to avoid because I could only imagine what was coming next. Draven cursed down the whole aisle in different languages and by the time we got to the end he was on the phone to someone, making sure a few bottles from his private reserve were going to be at Libby’s house before we got there. The whole time I refrained from calling him a snob and telling him how I actually enjoyed the cheap stuff, being quite partial to a bottle of Mateus Rose wine, so I sneaked in a bottle. The look of disgust I received at the checkout from Draven was priceless and worth sneaking it in just for that!

Which brought us to now and me nearly in tears from watching a mighty supernatural king like Draven fighting with a shopping trolley when trying to get it back into its bay with all the others.

“Stupid contraption.” Draven muttered in reply to my obvious amusement. Shortly after this we were soon pulling up to the house and it sounded like there was a party going on inside. Draven and I looked at each other and said what we thought was the cause at the same time,

“Pip”

“Pip.”
It was quickly confirmed when I pushed the door open, knowing no one would hear if I knocked, and saw Pip had Ella in the air pretending she was a fighter pilot and she was firing on all her new toys which still had half the wrappers on. Adam was in front on all fours pretending to be a monster, of all things, one that Pip and Ella were pretending to fire at.

“Kazzy!” My sister shouted hugging me to her and then she quickly whispered in my ear,

“Please tell me you brought the food.”
I chuckled and said,

“Cinderella is here and yes, she brought the food.”

“Oh thank God!” Libby shouted and suddenly everyone (supernatural that was) stopped dead and looked at her. My sister blushed and gave me a look as if to say that she didn’t know we had churchy people in our house.

“Dom! How are you?” Libby said as she passed on her hugs to Draven.

“I am very well indeed Libby and thank you for not only inviting us to dinner, but also my extended family.” Draven said politely nodding to the living room where everyone was fascinated with Ella.

“You’re more than welcome and hey, pretty soon we will all be family, eh.” Libby said nudging Draven and I knew my time had come,

“Uh yeah about that, Libs I…” Or maybe not.

“Kazzy!” Frank’s booming voice came from down the stairs and suddenly I was up in his arms getting a big brother bear hug. Once again everyone froze as they took in the scene and Zagan even looked as if he was about to get up until Draven shook his head slightly. They obviously weren’t used to this mortal family custom.

“Dom, my man, how the Hell are ya?” I couldn’t help it but I burst out laughing and started snorting in a way that no matter how hard you tried to control it, it just ended up getting worse.

“Jeez Kaz, what’s up with you?” Libby asked and I looked to Draven who was trying to act serious but his smirk said he was failing.

“Did I miss the joke?” Frank asked, having no clue he just asked a half Demon how the hell he was and Draven replied,

“Inside joke.” Frank just nodded and then changed the subject by saying,

“Here, let me help you get the shopping…holy shit! Libs, check out this car!” Then he began whistling as he ran down the steps and Draven kindly followed, answering all his car related questions. 

“Well there goes my coherent husband for the next week, doesn’t he own like a minivan or something?” I laughed at my sister and before I could mention about the wedding the next thing we knew…

“Ooops, Houston I think we have a problem.” This came from Pip, who still had hold of Ella above her head, only now she was covered in something a lot more than glitter. No, now it was Ella’s puke.

“Oh my…oh gosh I am so sorry.” Libby said rushing to Pip and taking Ella, who was shouting

“Again, again, again, Aunty Pip!”

“Aww she called me aunty, did you hear that?” Pip was beaming with happiness even though she was covered in sick.

“I heard sugar sweet, let’s get you cleaned up.” Adam said winking at Libby who pointed to the downstairs bathroom.

“Sorry again!” Libby shouted and Pip giggled. She wiped up Ella’s face with a wet wipe and whipped off her t shirt like she was a pro and used to doing this five times a day. Ella squirmed to get free and it almost looked as though she was trying to wrestle a wild lion cub with a red mane of curly hair.

“Okay, okay child, go be free!” my sister said joking once she got a new top on her.

“Aunty azzy!” She screamed and ran towards me. I picked her up in my arms and hugged her to me. However in Ella’s mind I must have been holding her for a small eternity because after three seconds she was squirming to get free again and made a run for the door.

“Frank!”

“Yeah?”

“Code 123 again!” Libby shouted and he turned and looked confused,

“What’s that one again? I only ever seem to remember code brown…for obvious reasons,” he told Draven, making him laugh. 

“Child on the run!” she shouted back, just as Ella started running towards the tree line.

“Let me. Oh Ella!” Draven shouted and suddenly she stopped in her tracks and her head looked behind her to see Draven. Then she went berserk!

“DOM, DOM, DOMMY, DOM, DOM!” She shouted running back to him as she had to me and he picked her up and swung her around in his arms making her giggle until she coughed.

“Again, again, again.”

“Uh I wouldn’t if I were you, we’ve already have one man down due to a puke attack.” I told him.

“Sorry kid, your Aunty will tell me off.” She huffed in his arms, which didn’t last long when he started making funny faces at her.

“He’s great with her.” Libby said after letting Frank pass to bring the bags of shopping in through to the kitchen. The sight of his chasing her pretending to be a wild beast nearly brought tears to my eyes. It was obvious that he had seen my family a few times in the nine months I was away and I had to wonder if Sophia had played ‘me’ as she too looked very comfortable around my family.

“Jesus Kazzy, what’s with all the sweets?” Frank said coming out of the kitchen to find everyone again had frozen to look at him, even Pip and Adam who had just emerged from the bathroom…

“What did I say?” I giggled to myself when I heard Libby pulling Frank back in the kitchen, whispering,

“Less of the Gods, Christs and Jesus’s…I think they’re church people.”
Once out of ear shot I heard Sophia mutter,

“If only she knew.”

Soon after this I found myself in the kitchen cooking and it felt like old times. Both Pip and Sophia had come in to watch and the guys all sat in the den, drinking beers and talking about men’s stuff. I found it fascinating just thinking about what they could be talking about and it was only when I heard Pip saying,

“Well you will need a dress soon as it’s in five days,” that two things happened, one felt like slow motion as I turned around and shouted,

“No!” and at the same time I knocked the water I was boiling ready for the pasta over my hand.

“Oww!” I shouted holding my hand but before I could cradle it to my chest out of instinct, it was being held in Draven’s hand.

“It’s fine really…
oww.”
Draven looked down at me and growled.

“Kaz are you alright?” Libby said getting worried trying to see for herself but thankfully Sophia took over and steered her out of the kitchen.

“Let’s just give them some space. Don’t worry, Dom will sort it…he’s good at this type of thing…
or so I hear, unfortunately.”
My cheeks quickly went the colour of my burnt hand as I heard her muttered comment, knowing exactly what she meant.

“Yeah, he’s got nice hands.” Pip added thinking this would help.

“What am I to do with you?” He told me as he walked me over to the sink and held it under very cold water. I sucked in air between my teeth at the sting and Draven tutted.

“That’s going to be a nasty burn. I’m going to have to heal you.” I blushed a deeper shade, knowing what this meant.

“What, down here… in the kitchen?”
I hissed in disbelief.

“If I don’t now then you will be stuck in pain all night and I refuse to allow that, so yes…
here and now.”
This was Draven’s ‘this is final’ voice and I knew never to argue with that. He pulled it from under the cold tap and I looked down to see he was right, it was already starting to blister.

“But what if someone comes in?” I asked and he said confidently,

“That’s not my main concern right now,” frowning down at my hand.

“Draven.”
He sighed when I whispered his name telling him my worries were real and he said,

“Sophia and Pip won’t let her in here until I am finished…okay?” I nodded feeling better as he took my hand in one of his and covered it with the other. It didn’t take long before the usual feeling started to take hold whenever Draven healed me. The sensations that felt like ice along my skin were sensually being moved along my hand, held firmly in between his lips. It lit up my nerve endings and my skin tingled before that tingle started to travel elsewhere.

“Draven?”
I uttered his name like a prayer, gripping onto him with my free hand.

“Ssshh, it’s alright love, just let it happen.”

“But I’m in my sister’s kitchen.”
I told him letting him know my concerns. I heard him chuckle and he put his forehead to mine and said,

“I know, but you’re safe with me…
just let yourself go.”
I wanted to tell him that I didn’t think I had any other choice as the feelings increased and the intensity grew. I started panting as warmth overtook me and suddenly if felt as though a hot shower head was right above that perfect bundle of nerves between my legs. I started moaning,

“Yes, yes, yes…”
gripping on tighter to him so that I wouldn’t fall. I felt my knees started to buckle as my hips rotated faster and faster against something that wasn’t there. He must have known when it was coming because he let go of my hand, using them instead to hold me upright.

“Yes!” I shouted but thankfully he clamped his other hand over my mouth so that I came screaming into his palm. I bucked and jolted against him and suddenly I heard Libby’s voice,

“Oh dear, she’s not crying is she?!” Thankfully Draven’s body hid me from view. From around Draven’s shoulder I saw Libby walk through into the kitchen and she was quickly followed by a panicked looking Pip and Sophia, who had obviously tried to stop her. I growled up at Draven and wanted to say ‘so much for keeping her out’ but instead was only left frowning up at his grinning face.