The Quarter Moon (Afterlife saga) (61 page)

Chapter 54

Bargain With Blood, Not Your Body

“Keira!” Percy shouted back as I ran at him. We joined together and tears ran down both our cheeks as the emotions soared. I pushed back his hood and put my hands either side
of his scarred face to pull him to me to kiss his forehead. He looked up at me, bit down on his own lip as it quivered right before he wrapped his arms around me.

I heard Pip’s
squeals of delight in the background at seeing our reunion. I just couldn’t help the tears. I felt, in this moment, so relieved seeing him here and safe, having worried that once I left, Dimme would end up torturing him beyond anything he could come back from. The bond we had forged together during that time was one that would never leave me, no matter what.

And just to put it
in perspective, anyone that ended up taking punishments after sneaking out to get me tampons and then being the poor soul who had to dispose of them is someone who not only goes beyond the duties of friendship, but is someone worth risking my life for.   

“How?” I asked after we had both had our moment to calm down.

“Ith wasth all your mas…ss…masthers idea.” He said stuttering even more and I knew this was down to being emotional.

“Uh Master… you know
, I think I like that.” Lucius said making a joke of what Percy said. I turned to him and found him leaning against the bar area casually, as if this was all an everyday occurrence. Pip and Adam were also there and sat watching all this play out. She gave me a little wave and then said,

“I dressed him
.” I turned back to Percy who was no longer wearing a scruffy brown monk’s habit. Pip had quickly brought him to the now and with a vengeance.

“You made him a punk!?” I said stating the obvious.

“Hell yea I did, doesn’t he look cute?” She said jumping off the sofa and coming to pat him on the head. He beamed up at her with one of the biggest grins I had ever seen on him and I had to laugh as it was clear he had found his new mentor. He looked so different than the worried and downtrodden friend I had met back in that horrible place and I couldn’t stop smiling as I took in the new Percy.

In just a few days Pip had transformed him in a smaller version of Ruto! He was now wearing a pair of ripped, black skinny jeans, a faded KISS t-shirt and a thin knitted top that hung open at the sides,
showing multiple belts with spikes. The only thing that remained the same was that he wore the floppy hood up, but this time not completely covering his face. He even had on a beanie hat underneath which had grey skulls along the rim as if it had been stamped.

“Ok
, someone’s gotta fill me in here.” I said looking back to Lucius. He pushed away from the bar and came to take my hand. He then led to me to one of the other couches and sat me down ready to explain.

“Your little friend over there risked the wrath of his master as he stole his money and travelled all the way here from Switzerland to come to tell me about his kidnapped friend being sold at auction
.” My gaze shot to Percy and I asked in shock,

“You did that?”

“I wasth going to pay ith back.” He said looking sheepish, but I couldn’t give a flying monkey’s turd about the money as it was him I was worried about.

“Percy, why did you do that? You could have been caught or killed or that stringy piece of piss could have fou
nd out and…and…” I felt Lucius’ hand grip my thigh and I realised I was panicking.

“I…I am
fffine thhhough…th’see. Bethsides I have thsomething of yourths” He said softly pulling my coin out of his pocket and handing it me.

“Keira
, it will be fine, he is safe now.” Lucius told me quietly but at that precise moment Ruto walked into the apartment and announced,

“Luc, there is someone here calling himself Dimme, although dumb shit is my preferred choice
.” I tensed at hearing the name and Lucius loosened his grip so that he could soothingly stroke my leg.

“Ssshh, breathe little bird
.” He whispered in my ear. I flashed Percy a panicked look that matched the one I found staring back.

“Tell him to wait
.” Ruto nodded respectfully at Lucius’ order and turned to leave.

“Oh and Ruto…”

“Yes, My Lord?”

“Stay at his back
.” Upon hearing this, Ruto’s lips split into a murderous grin that promised the sight of blood before the night was over. Again he just nodded and then this time swiftly left the room.

“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 uncertai
nty in what I was doing was almost soul crushing.

The room was as I remembered it before I had r
un 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 t
o 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 le
ant 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 no
dded 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 e
yes 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…” H
e 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 pull
ed 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 possessio
n 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 did 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.