The Quarter Moon (Afterlife saga) (58 page)

“So what would you like me to tell the Captain the reason behind the delay is exactly…dress attack?”

“You’re loving this, aren’t you?” I said frowning up at him casually stood leaning on the door frame.

“Yes. Now tell me what are you trying to do?” He said trying not to laugh again.

“What does it look like I am trying to do, make a damn nest and lay an egg? I am trying to get this damn monstrosity off me, of course!” I snapped making him hold his lips in his mouth to stop from laughing further.

“Oh just forget it Mr Not At All Bloody Helpful!” I started to try and twist again
when I heard him sigh and walk away from the door frame.  

“Come on little chick, let’s get you out of this dangerous dress
.” He bent, grabbed both my hands and hauled me up to my feet. Once there he let me go and with me still facing him, he grabbed the back of my dress.

“Can’t call this a chore
.” He said giving me a hot look before the sound of my dress being ripped in two was thankfully louder than that of my pounding heart. I felt the air hit my body as he pulled it away from me and I quickly gripped onto the front to keep myself hidden.

“I…I uh…think I got it from here
.” I said biting my lip at the sudden intimate setting and not missing out on the lustful looks that were making Lucius’ eyes burn hot.

“Are you sure, I would hate to leave only to have you need me to rescue you again
?” I smirked at his playfulness and said,

“I think I will brave it
.” He shrugged his shoulders and then replied,

“Pity
,” before he turned round to leave. Once again he informed me,

‘No more than two minutes Keira girl
, or I will come back to aid you… wanted or not.” This threat got me moving my ass! As soon as the door closed I tore through the new things Pip had given me, flinging knickers and a bra out of the new bag, mentally thanking Pip for remembering the essentials.

I was soon dressed in a
long light grey skirt that was made from T-shirt material which hung low on the hips thanks to losing far too much weight. I found a long sleeved maroon coloured top but decided to make Pip smile, so I added layers with the short sleeved pirate top over it. I also found a pair of orange Dr Seuss All Stars that laced up the high tops with thick black ribbon. Well, at least they matched the bright orange and black stripped knee high socks she had added to the pile. The last thing I put on was a black zip up hoodie that had a sweet Goth scroll pattern around the wide bell sleeves in raised light grey and the same design continued around the long hood that hung the whole way down my back.  

I knew I was running past my two minute mark when I heard the engines power up and heard Lucius threatening to come and get me.

“I’m coming! Just a second.” I was in the middle of pulling pins out of my hair like a mad woman, when I squealed out as I was spun quickly and found my stomach connecting with a hard shoulder. I was hoisted up in a fireman’s lift and put my arm around Lucius’ front, trying to hold on to the chiselled chest I could feel underneath his shirt and fitted waistcoat. He carried me back to the main seating area, holding onto my legs with one arm. Then he bent, dumping me in the seat opposite Pip and Adam. He knelt down and buckled me in with the seatbelt before taking the seat next to me, all without one single word.

“I said I was coming
.” I grumbled, making Pip giggle into Adam’s neck, which she was currently snacking on….well, ok not really but close enough!

“And I said two minutes… you were five, so in future consider what you have learnt in that it takes all of three minutes for my patience to run out
.” He said not looking at me but out of the window as we started up the runway. I didn’t have any comeback to this other than to pull a mocking ‘telling off’ face behind his back.

“Keira
, it’s a dark night and I am looking out of a window that reflects, you do the math.” Inside I let loose a ‘GRRR’ in frustration but all that came out was a whispered,

“No one likes a smarty pants
.”

Once we were up in the air Lucius turned to me and unbuckled
my seatbelt and it was only then I noticed that I was the only one on this flight that obviously needed to wear one. Well, considering the rest of them would be just fine and dandy if the plane did decided to pull a Buddy Holly on us…poor guy and great music. 

“So
, my dear wife, did you buy me anything nice at the auction?” Adam asked Pip before plucking her from her seat and onto his lap, not being content with her just sat next to him. She started sucking in her lip ring and looked from side to side as if stalling.

“Well
, my little Winnie?” He said playing with one hand and running his fingers along his name tattooed on her knuckles. It was only now I noticed that she wore a massive ring underneath his name that said ‘Loves me’ in a pop art font.

“Uh…well I…se
e this is what happened…I uh…no.”

“No?” He mocked playfully leaning back to look at her.

“Uh huh.”

“Well
, it’s lucky one of us didn’t forget.” He said trying to hold back the grin until he produced what Lucius must have given him before take-off. He pulled it from the side of his chair and handed her one 1954 Superman Lunch Box sold in Auction for 14,500 dollars! Her reaction was priceless as her eyes turned into wide green pools of surprise.

She turned to look over her shoulder at Lucius and said,

“You sneaky peek-a-boo bastard!” He shrugged like it was nothing and Pip went back to attacking Adam with raspberry blows in between sloppy kisses. You could tell his reserved control on his wife’s crazy thank you actions was nothing but a mask for someone who was clearly loving every minute of his wife’s attentions.

“Permission
, My Lordy, to take this man in the back and ride him like I’m at a rodeo?” Pip asked staring in Adam’s eyes as though she had just fallen in love with him all over again. Lucius raised an eyebrow as Adam moved his head to the side to look at his Lord. Lucius just rolled his eyes and said,

“Is it wise to rile the beast this high up?”

“Oh don’t sweat it boss man, I got it covered and do this thing with my inner muscles that just gets him to calm right down…see Toots, if you twist this…”

“LALALALA” I said hold my hands over my ears.

“Come on handsome, let’s go play beauty and the geek.” She said pulling off his glasses and putting them on herself, intending on playing the geek. He snapped his teeth at her nose making her giggle before picking her up like she weighed nothing at all and she swung her new lunch box around her index finger.

“Now
don’tcha kids come running if you hear him scream now, yah hear?” She said pushing Adam’s glasses up her nose and then making a V with her fingers to point first to her own eyes then to us two like she would be watching.

“Are we ready
, my lady?”

“Up and onward
, my dear husband.” She said, pointing to the back of the plane over his shoulder, in a posh English accent which was actually pretty good. They started walking off and I stood up calling her name. Adam turned so she could see me as he was still carrying her. I unzipped my hoodie so she could see my pirate T-shirt and I said,

“Have fun with your captain!” And I winked at her
, making her salute me and blow me a kiss for wearing her chosen outfit.

“Oh and my second
.”

“Yes
, My Lord?” Adam asked just as Pip was squirming trying to take off her belt in his hold.

“Mrs Ambrogetti was very disobedient tonight, punishment will be needed
.” Adam’s eyes flashed his demon side before he lowered into a bow, making Pip forget the belt and grip on.

“It will be done
, My Lord.” Pip let out an excited squeal and then over Adam’s shoulder she shouted,

“You the man
, Luc!” Then her husband carried her out of sight.

“You know you just made her night
, right?” I said the obvious but he chose not to answer. No, instead he nodded to his lap and ordered,

“Come here
!”

“You know
, I think I’m good here.” I replied but why I bothered I didn’t know. I mean this was Lucius we were talking about! I didn’t know whether he knew the rules on personal space or whether he just chose not to care for them, either way I was plucked out of my seat and placed in between his legs. Lucky for me the seats were big enough to accommodate the both of us without me having to actually sit on him.

“Let’s get this off you
, shall we?” He said raising my shackled hands in his. I was then left with my mouth gaping open at the sight of his thumb nails growing into deadly shards and then start glowing poker hot. They reminded me of tiny swords still being made in the fire. With the way he held my hands, with his arms surrounding me, all he needed to do was swipe each point down the centre of the metal cuffs until they broke away under the intense heat. I was surprised it didn’t burn me, but before I could ask I felt the same points gently start making little circles on my open palms.

“I was worried about you
, my little doll.” He said letting his words skim along the skin on my neck and he chuckled when he felt me shudder. I didn’t know what to say, so for once stayed silent. I also stayed deadly still in sight of those dangerous thumbs still playing with my hands. It was only when I saw the wicked nails start to descend back into his normal looking thumb nails that I finally relaxed back into him.    

I then watched his hands leave mine and start travelling up the length of my arms. They followed the slow path right up to my shoulders then up my neck until his hands cupped my head, where he then started the delicate task of removing the rest of the pins from my hair. I was amazed at such a gentle touch coming from such a big man
, as he made quick work of freeing my hair from the up do some unknown person had put it in.

“I thought it was a wig in order to disguise you
.” He said softly, making me realise how different I must look from the last time he saw me.

“It is a disguise, just a real one done by me
.” I informed him trying in vain to keep my voice steady. He decided not to make a comment and I didn’t know whether it was due to the waver in my voice that told him I didn’t want to talk about it, or just that he had nothing to say…either way I was thankful.    

Once all the metal grips had bee
n discarded to the floor he ran his fingers up and under and I couldn’t help but groan as he massaged my scalp with his large hands.

“I am glad you are safe in my care again
, my little Keira girl.” He said in husky tones that sent shivers down my body straight to my damn toes. I couldn’t say I didn’t agree with him on that, but then with that single thought, I bolted upright and shot out of his hold and stood panting. What the Hell was I doing enjoying his touch and basking in the safety I now felt, when others who had kept me safe were still out there! Did they know what had happened? Did Sigurd know where I was? Did Jared get to Marcus in time? Hell, did Jared even get out of there safely? And what about Percy...? I had to find him and save him from a life of misery with Dimme!

Jesus what was wrong with me?

“Keira, sit down and take a breath.”

“I can’t! Shit, shit, shit!” I said freaking out as everything hit me all at
once. It was as though once I saw my rescue as a reality, I had been somewhere in between ‘I still can’t believe this is real and I am not in that crap hole prison’ and ‘I am so deliriously happy I have not been sold to an abusive Demon overlord that wants to use me as a human footstool’! When really I should have been freaking out about this before I even got on this plane!

“Calm yourself and talk to
me…now!” He added the ordered ‘now’ when I didn’t listen to him, but with that quick change from gentle coaxing to commanding Lord, it had me sitting before I even thought about it. Now that I was sat facing him, he released a sigh before leaning forward resting his arms on the table in front of us.

“Now ask your questions
, Keira.” I bit my lip and said quietly,

“No games?”

“No games, but I will advise you to take breaths in between.” He commented giving me a knowing smile.

“Do you know where Sigurd is or Jared Cerberus…
? Did he get to Marcus in time? Did he beat back Gastian’s army at the Hellfire Caves?” I knew I was supposed to take it easy on the questions but I found that once one came, others rushed out to follow.

“My, my we have been making new friends haven’t we
, my little dove?” He said leaning back in surprise.

“Wait a minute…you didn’t know any of this?” I asked letting my shock be known.

“What, that you now obviously know the Shadow King on first name bases? Gone on a date to the Hellfire Caves with The King of the Hellbeasts? Or the fact that you have been caught in the middle of a war with Gastian’s demons of the damned…? Oh, before getting kidnapped of course…Fuck me Keira, did you put out a damned ad asking for trouble?” He snapped this last part at me as his anger got the better of his usual cool facade.