The Pentagram Child: Part 1 (Afterlife Saga Book 5) (32 page)

“So where’s my favourite Imp these days?” I asked trying to change the subject to one definitely more colourful.

“Trying to take over the world in the form of planning her own birthday party.” Lucius remarked sardonically. I had to laugh at the picture he painted and soon was in fits when he said,

“It’s true, you should see what she has poor Percy doing, I think he is rethinking his life as a recluse.”

“Poor Percy…how is he these days?” I asked thinking fondly of my little friend.

“Faithful and loyal…oh and of course being Pip’s new life size doll he is often wearing street wear and resembling Ruto’s relation more each day.” This made me smile knowing that he had found the family which he had always wanted and I couldn’t have chosen a better one for him other than what was once my own at Afterlife.

“I’m happy to hear that.”

“Of course you are.” He said smirking and looking at me from the side. I rolled my eyes making him laugh and we quickly fell into a comfortable silence as we stood side by side taking in the world of art around us.

“That’s so beautiful.” I said as we came to stand in front of one piece that was the epitome of love. It was a painting that almost popped out of the canvas to the point that you felt you could reach out and touch it. It was almost like the artist had actually made what he or she wanted to paint just so they would have something more lifelike to work from.

“I must agree, very striking indeed, given its nature.” At Lucius’s scepticism I had to laugh again.

“You don’t believe in love? Or in the one being made and born to this world just for you alone?” I asked feeling sorry for anyone who didn’t believe in love.

“Well now, that’s quite a question, considering whose lips it came from.”

“That’s not an answer, Luc.” I replied giving him a look.

“You were such as one born to a single being and yet if you’re not the master of your own fates then what is the point but only to taste an addiction before it had chance to take hold?” His answer turned out to be one I didn’t care for after all but subtle wasn’t in Lucius’ nature.

“Well I won’t give up on love.” I said turning back to the very proof it existed in the world, for if not, where did such beauty really come from. Surely you had to first know love inside you to really recognise it when it hit you. Or was it something you learned with time and mistakes? And if so, what of these two phantom people who were displaying it so freely. What of their story?

The painting was two wired faces of both man and woman that looked as though a cast was made and then the wire was its thickest where they kissed. Only what made the picture so truly captivating was not that they were actually kissing but the way they were kissing. The woman was lay down and the man was kissing her from above only from the opposite angle, so his nose was at her chin and hers at his. Their lips were open but only just whispering their touch against each other. It was as sensual as it was raw but both made for a stunning combination. And I wanted it. In fact I wanted it like I hadn’t wanted any other painting before.

“I’m going to buy this.”

“Really? Now that will be interesting to watch, if I remember correctly the last auction you were at you didn’t get chance to bid on anything…a little tied up if I recall.”

“Ha, ha,” I said nudging my arm into his and once again feeling bad for the amount of money he’d had to cough up for me.

“Ha ha indeed, I couldn’t even claim on my tax for that one.” Now at that I burst out laughing causing a couple next to us to jump.

“Catherine?” I abruptly cut my laughter at the sound of Alex’s voice.

“I guess this is goodbye, Lucius.” I said leaning up on the tip of my shoes to kiss his cheek.

“Oh it’s never goodbye Pet, with you it’s only ever until next time.” And then he winked at me and after giving Alex a scowl he turned and left with his usual masterful air.

“The Auction has begun.” Alex said and held out his hand for me to take. There was no apology but there was no mention of me being found with Lucius either so I focused on that aspect as I walked to him. After a small smile my way he led me to the large open space that had been filled with rows of seats that were filling up. They were white just like the walls and I guessed this was so no other colour got in the way, with the art letting it speak for itself.

Alex grabbed a paddle as they were being given out and I smiled seeing it was the number 77. I could only hope it would be my lucky number considering it was my birthday, the 7
^th
of July.

“You seem very keen, have you seen something you wish to buy?” Alex asked me and I nodded excitedly. However, it was to be short lived as soon my lot was up and it turned out I only managed to afford one bid. I don’t know what I had been thinking but there was no way I could afford over four thousand for it and the price was now at forty thousand. I tapped the paddle on my knee in frustration knowing at heart I didn’t want anyone else to own the picture.

“I only wish I had the money, ma Cherie.” Alex whispered in my ear and I turned to kiss him on the cheek for being sweet. Then there was a load of commotion coming from the back of the room.

“Do we have a new bidder on this piece?” The auctioneer shouted. I shifted in my seat like most people did but I was the only one that gasped out loud. For there was my nightmare and wildest dream combined stood like the master of the universe in a black tux.

“Draven?” I said as a stupid question to my own mind and I think if it could have slapped me it would have also said, ‘Yeah no shit, keep up bitch’. I shook my head like this would help and when I refocused on the man in question that was when I also noticed Lucius standing next to him. He first nodded to the picture then said something to Draven leaning in with that damn smirk of his. Lucius then pulled back, found my eyes in the crowd and winked at me before slapping Draven on the back as he left.

This was when everything happened at once. Draven’s paddle went up, he then shouted a number I missed and the auctioneer shouted,

“Sold to the highest bidder of the night, paddle number seven.”

I numbly turned back to face Alex to see his furious face and made it even worse when I asked,

“How much?” The look he shot me was disbelief mixed with hatred but still he answered and therefore letting me know the reasons behind this look.

“Seventy seven thousand.”

Chapter 21

Painted Demons

I couldn’t believe it. No, actually there were levels to what I was seeing and couldn’t believe. Level one would have been sending Lucius here in the first place. What did he think exactly, that in the hour he wasn’t here something might have happened? Then there was level two which included that fact that the man who had only yesterday stormed out of my life was now in fact here and now evidently doing his own dirty work again. But then there was level three and this was the one I was stuck on the most…

Why buy that damn painting?!

Was he making a statement and if so, what was it exactly? All of these thoughts bombarded my mind in the seconds it took for the auctioneer to write down his number and move on to the next lot. However in these turbulent seconds my mind had to process, it took Draven the same time to find me in the crowd. This was when I stood up making a bit of a ruckus ready to storm over to him and demand what he was playing at exactly.

“Ah the lady in the black dress, your number Miss?” My eyes locked with Draven and the bastard had the audacity to raise an eyebrow and grin at me. I think he must have seen the panic drain my face of all colour and in this he found something to amuse him! I made sure to give him my best ‘I am going to kill you Mister’ look before turning sheepish eyes back to the auctioneer.

“Uh…sorry, I was…uh…” Think Keira damn it! The loo…yes, say the loo!

“She was coming to me.” Draven spoke up and it was one of those voices that just dared anyone to not only deny his claim but brave speaking against it. I was not surprised when no one said a word.

“I will be right back.” I said between clenched teeth and started to side walk past all the people sat down to get out and thus proving just how ungraceful this Scouser can really be.

“Sorry…oh…sorry again.” I said all the way along until finally I was free. All the while Draven stood there casually waiting and with a hand failing to hide half a smirk behind his fingers. I was surprised I didn’t snap my heels with the force of angry stomping I was doing.

“Come with me!” I hissed as I grabbed his forearm roughly and I was thankful when he let me drag him away. I kept looking round for a place that was void of any people as I didn’t need an audience for verbally kicking demon butt!

“You know if you want to get me truly alone it can quickly be arranged.” Draven said in a tone that left me dumbstruck. So much so that I let him go and leaned forward to whisper in disbelief,

“Are you flirting with me?”
To which he laughed.

“I must certainly be losing my touch if you need to ask that.” He replied and once again he was actually flirting!

“I’m sorry but I must know…
have you lost your ever loving mind?!”
I asked once again leaning forward like this would somehow help in getting my point across. He too leaned forward but when he did it he had to dip his head to get to my level. Once there he too whispered,

“I believe a better term is, losing my ever loving
heart.”
At this I reacted the only way my body and heart knew how to…
I gasped.

“Is this some cruel joke?” I asked after a minute of being locked by his eyes and trying in vain to find my answers there. As soon as I said it his eyes got soft and then he looked truly regretful.

“No, it is most certainly is
not.”
He replied after a pause I knew helped to get his emotions in check.

“You bought my painting.” I said pointing out the obvious.

“It’s a beautiful painting.” Hearing the way he said this made me bite my lip to keep it from quivering.

“It’s love.” I added for no particular reason.

“It is and I remember what it tasted like.” Draven said which ignited the thundering in my heart to start its heavy base. Also his comment reminded me of what Lucius had said about love. Something about what was the point of tasting an addiction before it’s given the chance to really begin.

“I…” I didn’t know what I was going to say exactly but Draven beat me to it.

“About yesterday…”

“It’s fine, let’s just forget about it.” I said interrupting him and not at all comfortable with where this was going.

“Hurting you is never fine with me.”

“Then you came all this way to say sorry?” I asked and this time I was trying my best to keep my voice from cracking and giving away exactly what his words meant to me.

“You know I didn’t,” he said and I sighed letting him know I was getting tired of his rollercoaster ride.

“I know you didn’t, Draven but unfortunately I also know why you did.” That got me a raised eyebrow but before he could comment Alex was by my side making Draven snarl.

“I would say what a coincidence at seeing you here but I think we all know that would be a lie.” Alex said wrapping his arm around my waist and suddenly Draven looked as though he was three breaths away from committing murder.

“Yeah okay, I am so not doing this again!” I snapped pulling from Alex and stepping away from the both of them. One of the main reasons for doing this was because I could no longer stand to see Draven’s eyes locked to where Alex was touching me and I wasn’t cruel enough a person to let him see me like that. So I turned my back to them both and started walking away.

“Catherine?!”

“Keira?!” They both shouted at the same time but I just flipped them both the bird without looking back. I was so sick of this! I just wanted both of them to decide what it was they wanted and let me get the Hell on with my life! First Alex with his mood swings and blaming me for shit Lucius said to him. But mainly it was Draven. Bloody Draven and his cryptic bullshit! Well I had already decided when I saw him walk away for the last time yesterday that it would be it for me and now this was me walking away proving it.

I kept walking round and down the corridors until the main part of the pictures on display for the auction started to thin out. Also the lighting in this part wasn’t as bright which made me stop and turn, knowing I had gone too far from the main event. I was just about to start on back, hoping that I wouldn’t be returning to body parts and Draven stood amongst the remains of my boyfriend when a noise stopped me.

“A piano?” I muttered to myself as I turned back to face the music. It was another one of those situations that I really knew I should be bitch slapping my curiosity into submission and marching my behind back to safety. But did I do that, of course not. What I did do was follow the haunting sound further down the corridor and right to the closed door at the end. It was much darker here now so you would have thought with the eerie music combined it would have been enough to make me realise this wasn’t a good idea.

So why was I reaching out for the door handle? Because it was like something was pulling me and it wasn’t just my curiosity this time. No it was something much more than that and the word ‘need’ was tightly knitted to that reason. I knew it was an irrational feeling, even as my hand started to pull the handle down and I felt the door give.

I quickly had one last look behind me to make sure no one was there and I half expected someone to coming shouting at me in Italian at any minute. However, when I saw it was all clear I knew there was no other reason to back out now, so I went on inside.

It turned out that this room was some type of storage room or small warehouse for where they obviously stored the art. I still heard the piano playing somewhere so I knew I wasn’t alone. The thought should have scared me but strangely enough it didn’t.