The Quarter Moon (Afterlife saga) (67 page)

This caused even more raw tears to flow, but this time these were created by anger. Lucius had known Draven was still alive which is why I got that warning…and Pip, all those funny looks of sadness when she would see how I asked for help in finding Draven. All those tears shed in her arms when the waiting got too much to bear.

She had known.

Then there was Vincent. The day I cut my hair off and left it for a man I had just found in bed with another woman, after trying to convince me he was dead! I just didn’t get it, why go to all that trouble if all he wanted to do was reconnect with his Ex. It didn’t make sense and even more so given his reaction to me running. Why even try and find me if he didn’t want me anymore?

There was a side of me that wanted to shout ‘turn the car around’ and demand answers but the torn and shredded pieces of me just couldn’t do it. The agony was all too fresh and I needed to sort my head out before ever fa
cing that man again. It was as if all the questions I had before had now been buried by a thousand others and through the pain one word kept on getting dragged to the top of the pile…

Why?

So many whys.

Why the Oracle lied to me and sent me on this
merry quest of death, beasts, Hell and prisons? Had Sigurd known, had Jared known, Christ even looking back at it even Gastian had tried to warn me! But I had been a blind fool that couldn’t let go of the man I thought loved me with every fibre in his body, mind and soul…just like I did…

Just like I had done.

I pulled my wet clothes away from my body and then gave up trying to peel them from my chilled skin. What did I care at this point if I got sick with flu? I was too far gone in my misery to give a shit anymore and didn’t think it was possible for anything else to make me feel worse than I already did. Ok, so I know this wasn’t completely true, but I just couldn’t help giving in to self-pity, not after this killer blow.

I was so far fallen into my Draven induced pit of torment
, that I only just realised we were back in the city and making our way to the hotel. The rain still pelted down the windows, blurring my world, but doing nothing for my excruciating memory of Draven there underneath his old lover. Or was she ever an old lover…was it possible I had been played from the very start?

NO! I just couldn’t think
of it that way…he couldn’t have done that to me, but then if he could do something as painful and destroying as playing dead, then who knew what else the man was capable of?!

I decided
to try and conquer these fears before I would soon be able to add crazy to the array of raging emotions playing my body to a painful tune. I just couldn’t wait to get back into my hotel room, take a hot bath and never leave in the hopes of thawing not only my cold body, but also the icy layer that was frosting over my heart.

My driver didn’t pull in front of the hotel
, but instead turned down a side alley. He stopped the car and just as I was about to ask what he was doing, he opened my door and a hand reached in to help me out. I grabbed my bag and scooted over to take the hand given. I unfolded my sorry state from the car and noticed a side door that was open, so that light was flooding the industrial sized rubbish bins.

I turned to look at my driver but he just nodded back to the door and when I saw a
member of the kitchen staff carrying out a large black sack, I knew what this was. He had driven me round the back entrance so that I wouldn’t have to be seen by the rest of the hotel’s guests. I looked down at my soaked clothes and feeling the raw skin around my nose and soreness blinking caused me, I could more than imagine what I looked like.

“Thanks
.” I sniffed out the small word of gratitude and then started my walk of shame through the kitchen, thankful it was only the very few that would witness it. I was surprised I even managed to hold my head up high, but then a voice stopped me.

“He will find you, you know
.” My driver’s voice was enough to push a single tear up and down my cheek, falling in the path of many others before it. I didn’t look back at him when I replied, but instead looked down at my hands.

“I know
.”

Once inside
the hotel room, as soon as I managed to slam shut the door, I lost the very last of my strength. I slid down the door and cried until I lost my voice. I cried until my tears ran dry and I cried until it hurt to breathe. My body shook with violent tremors until I curled myself up on the floor in a foetal position and held my knees tight to my burning chest.

I don’t remember how long I stayed like this
, but I must have fallen asleep from exhaustion at some point because it was long enough for me to dream. I would like to have said it was a re-load of tonight’s events, where I found Draven in bed alone. Where I ran to him and instead of Aurora’s body he waited for, it was mine instead. I dreamt of his shock that quickly turned to immense joy, instead of the undiluted rage I had received.

But my life was not a dream.

My life was back as it had always been.

Full of living nightmares.

I got up feeling like I was just dragging around an empty carcass with every step I made. I wondered if this was what a soulless vessel felt like, before being taken over by a new host? I thought on this for a while as I ran my bath, going through the motions just to survive. I knew I needed to get out of my damp clothes which must have dried marginally while I found misery a comfortable position on the floor.

So
I got out of my clothes and stepped into the hot bath that made my skin itch. Skin I felt like I wanted to crawl out of it instead of wash clean.

Once again, I did
n’t know how long I sat in the tub holding myself, hoping that by hugging my legs this might somehow help in keeping me together. I remembered back to the day that Draven lied the first time to me and how that had felt. Seeing another woman walk up to Draven and act like she was his fiancée was bad enough but this…

This might just end up in killing me.

I got out of the bath and wiped away the steam from the mirror to reveal the evidence of what was left, once Draven had torn me apart. It was when staring at myself that I made the decision. I could let this man destroy what was left, which granted right now didn’t feel that much, or I could fight. I could fight for what I did have in life and that was the only thing a person needed… A family who loved you. Friends that cared enough to go against what they believed in, in order to protect you. A child that would grow up calling you Aunty Kazzy and could learn from your trusting mistakes. This was the only thing that mattered to me now and this was what I needed to fight for!

I held my hand over my image,
looked down at the sink and vowed,

“I can do this…you can do this Keira…you have to…to…
survive again once more.”
I couldn’t help this last vow breaking on a sob. 

After this profound moment of clarity, that came surprisingly quick, I picked myself from the pity shelf and got ready for
my next plan. I first got changed into another pair of jeans and a long sleeved t-shirt that was worn navy, with faded white hand prints done in the shape of a butterfly. I also put back on my long gloves, getting back the lost security that I no longer felt from my so called supernatural family. That family had all lied to me, so now it was time to stop playing in this dangerous game and get back to the only family who mattered.

I rang the airport and found
that the next flight back to the states was in about four hours and after giving them some card details, booked myself on it. I then packed what little I had, dried my hair and left the hotel room, one that I hoped never to remember. I was just making my way to the lifts, when I heard Vincent’s voice from around the corner.

“I will go in first Sophia
, as I fear she will not yet be up to the happy reunion you are hoping for.”

“But…” Sophia started to argue
, but Vincent’s stern voice cut her down.

“No! I could barely convince Dom to wait by the entrance. I do not have the patience to do so with another stubborn sibling
.” I looked around desperately, hoping to see my next escape when I saw the clear exit sign above a door. I ran the few feet and opened the door hoping not to make too much noise. I dropped my suitcase knowing that I didn’t need any of it and it would only aid in slowing me down.

Then I flew down the stairs
, hoping Vincent would be busy thinking I’d silently refused to open the door. I felt a slight twinge of guilt which I quickly squashed down to being irrational. After all, the deceit from his side had been far greater and what else could I have done? I didn’t want to be in the same damn country as Draven, let alone the same room! No, I had no other option than to run…again.

I made it all the way down the stairs before hearing anyone else entering the stairwell, thankful I hadn’t been on the top floor. I remembered from earlier that ni
ght the way back into the alleyway and at this time in the morning, I could only hope there was very little staff around. As I made my way through to the restaurant, thanking the architect that he’d designed the place so that I wouldn’t have to go into the Hotel’s lobby, I found the swinging doors into the kitchen.

One guy mopping the floor started talking to me in Italian which I gathered meant I was in the wrong place.

“You have no idea, matey.” I said making him frown with lack of understanding. I tried to think of the best way to get him to show me the right door leading to the alleyway, when it came to me while looking down at his mop.

“I…sick…you know
, bluah.” I made a sick noise and then decided to step it up a notch with the acting. I held my hands to my mouth and pretended I was out of time. His eyes widened and he quickly ushered me to the back, where he flung open the back exit…after all, no one liked mopping up vomit.

I ran outside, turned and shut the door rudely
, hoping the guy would just think me as a shy puker. Looking down the alley was a gamble that paid off, as there was no one in sight. Now, all I needed to do was make it to the airport and I was scot free. So, holding my mental barriers in place like a spiritual Fort Knox, I made my way to the street, at the same time I saw all the Dravens emerge from the hotel. Luckily though, I’d had the foresight to just peek my head round the side and then back out of sight when I saw them.

Draven was once again looking for his lost human pet, but all I could think was how…

The tables had quickly turned.

Chapter 59

Worst Kind o
f Walking Alone

“I spoke to the front desk and they said they have not seen her come back to the hotel since leaving in the afternoon
.” I heard Vincent relay the information back to who I knew was Draven, given the snarl of anger.

“Find me the driver and bring him to me now!” Draven snapped out his orders and I suddenly both thanked my driver for the idea to bring me round the back
, but also felt sorry for him once Draven had caught up with him.

“Sophia
, phone!” Draven demanded and I could just imagine how he looked, standing there holding out his hand waiting impatiently for Sophia to do as he wished. 

“Lucius
… you told me she would be here and
she isn’t fucking here!”
On hearing Lucius’ name becoming even tighter entwined in the web of deception, I took another stab to the heart.

“I want to speak to your driver and be warned Lucius, I will tear the bastard apart if he has harmed her!” I shuddered at the violent promise in Draven’s voice.

“He never brought her back to the hotel you said she would be at, so think clearly old friend, as your punishments are mounting every minute she is kept from me!” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing! All this coming from the man who had done everything in his power to break away from me… And now what? Was this a slice of immense guilt that was driving him to find me? A sudden thunder clap above his head of conscious clarity at the things he had done to me?

“I don’t have time to indulge you in your excuses or your feeble reasons, you were given an order and you disobeyed it along with your council! Now force my hand at leniency for you and your kind by fucking finding her!”  Draven roared
this last part and must have thrown the phone to the ground as I could see the small parts dance across the alleyway’s entrance from where I hid.

“Maybe you should have listened to what he had to say
.” Vincent tried for reason.

“He had his orders and disobeyed them
, as did you! I want her found Vincent and only then will I find the truth, when I force her answers… now go and tell the men to tear the city apart if need be, but just find her!”

“Very well
, My Lord.” Vincent said calmly, knowing there was no use trying to talk sense into a man whose rage fuelled him right now. There was a time, not that long ago, when I used to be the only one to tame the beast in him, but those days were long gone…so far that they were already becoming dust in the desert of a lost mind.

“Sophia, have someone moni
toring all transport, make taxis a high priority.” Vincent said as his way of parting, because after this I never heard his voice again, nor did I hear any other sound but that of a car speeding away. After they were no longer a threat, I lifted the hood of a sweater that Pip had packed for me which thankfully, was black. She had wanted to pack one that was bright green and had fleece yellow spikes that made you look like a dinosaur. Not a great choice for acting stealthily around a busy city, even if most of that city was still in bed, given the early hour.

At least it was still raining,
which would be reason enough to not look suspicious, but I had to be careful. It was still dark which was on my side, but I didn’t know how long I would have before the sun started to come up. Of course, the major problem I had now was how on earth was I going to get to Milano Malpensa Airport without the help of a taxi?!

Well
, I knew one thing and that was I couldn’t just wait around here for him to figure out I had in fact come back to the hotel. Sooner or later they would talk to one of the staff members who remembered seeing me or worse…find my poor fated driver. So, the only thing left to do was to walk and try to find some sort of transport that would get me there without being detected.

This didn’t sound quite as simple when hearing the way Draven had wanted ‘his people’ to tear apart the city to find me
, but I had reason to feel confidant if you considered that I had twice now been right under his nose and still I went by undetected. This made me realise just how powerful my blocks had become and all thanks to a short time in a hellish prison trying to evade an evil captor…

It was a
Hell of a year even for my standards, that was for sure!

I soon realised the area of Milan that I had been staying in was in the heart of the beautiful city
, but the further I walked, the more I became lost in the guts of the city. I started wandering down streets and then into run-down industrial districts, where the tightly knit neighbourhoods became less attractive than those in the city’s centre. Whereas before I was coming across stunning architecture and pale marble sculptures, matching the settings in which they sat, now those were long gone, replaced by what looked like the makings of a dangerous place.   

So here I was, walking alone with not a clue where I was going and not having even one person I could call that I trusted to help me. And the further I walked, the more it seemed I was leaving the regal part of the city behind me. I had been asking myself if I was doing the right thing by running from Draven
, or was it just considered cowardly? Well, whatever the answer, the truth of the matter remained…

For the first time since meeting Draven, I could honestly say
, in my heart of hearts, I no longer wanted to see him, so damn the Oracle and damn the prophecy she spoke of! I had been played, simple as that and there was not one possibility that I would stand around and let it happen again, so if that meant running, then that was what I was prepared to do.

By the time I had sorted out about ten per cent of the shit rattling around in my head
, I realised I had walked into the rougher side of a bad neighbourhood, if the graffiti and burnt out cars were anything to go by. I looked around for the direction I’d come from, but thanks to being so deep in my personal downfall, I couldn’t even tell where that was. I had just walked for what could have been hours with no direction in mind, just one that took me further from Draven.

Well
, now that had cost me, as I saw a few homeless people asleep in doorways trying no doubt to keep out of the rain that had now begun to trickle instead of pour. In fact, I looked to be the only shmuck walking around in it. But I couldn’t give one damn shit about what people thought of me. I did however hope that the dodgy looking group all stood round a running car didn’t take much notice.

I saw about three guys stood th
ere smoking what I quickly smelled was weed and one guy inside the car who was lighting something that looked like a crack pipe. Music I didn’t recognise blared from the speakers and I looked around to notice there was no one else in sight. The car was parked next to what looked like an abandoned warehouse and I could only hope they were more interested in the bottles of spirits they were swigging back than what I was doing.

I knew I had two options, one was to turn around and run, which would no doubt end up drawing their attention. Then th
ere was my other option, which was to just walk past as quickly as possible, in hopes they wouldn’t take any notice of me. The deciding factor turned out to be two taxis that I saw not that far away. Just down the road they had both parked up and were chatting, smoking and obviously having a break.

I knew Sophia was going to be monitoring the taxis
, but at this point I really didn’t care, just so long as it got me out of this part of the city! So this was where I made my millionth mistake in life.

As soon as I started walking past, one of them must have spotted me because they began shouting things in Italian. I just ignored them and tried to walk even faster, ready to wave to the taxi drivers if they would just look up.

“Dove vai, vieni a giocare con noi” (Means ‘Where are you going, come play with us’ In Italian)

I heard their shouts getting closer
, so I decided to make a run for it. The taxi drivers weren’t that far away now and if I made enough of a racket then surely they would look up…That was until I felt a hand clamp over my mouth.

I began struggling as soon as I felt it
, but could do nothing to stop them as my body was being dragged backwards. This could not be happening! I tried to contain my panic and think about how I was going to get out of this, but right now the only thought swamping my rational mind was utter disbelief that this was actually happening to me…again! I watched with horror in my eyes as the taxi drivers went from my sight and not once did they even look up.

“
Portala qui e cerchiamo di avere qualche divertimento” (Means ‘Bring her here and lets have some fun’ in Italian) I could hear the others getting excited behind me and the sound of the last one getting out of the car as the door slammed shut. Then I was pushed away by the one who had his hand held over my mouth, using the back of my head to do so. I fell forward on a failed step but managed to right myself before I went down. I quickly spun round to face my attackers to find them advancing.

“
Vieni qui e succhiare il cazzo!” (Means ‘Come here and suck my cock!’ in Italian) I didn’t know what the one on the left was saying but considering he had grabbed the front of his pants I could only guess.

“Fuck you!” I shouted knowing the F word was universal when said in anger.

“Look we found English Bitch, Mi capita di andare per primo.” (mean’s ‘I get to go first’) Another one said first in broken English then something I couldn’t understand in Italian. I started backing up as they all started to come closer and the scrawny one on the left finished the dregs of his liquor bottle before throwing it to smash on the ground. This was when I ran, which was looking to be the theme of the night.

I felt one of them grab me from behind, this time by the hair and I screamed out at the pain inflicted to my scalp. I let my natural reactions take over and turned in his hold biting through the hurt. I then grabbed his shoulders to me and kneed him as hard as I could in the groin. He screamed out and dropped to the floor cupping his injured package. Well
, that was one down but as the other three ran for me, I doubted I was strong enough to put the rest down, no matter what Draven had taught me in his training room.

I was left backing up
again as they approached, knowing out running them was no longer a good plan. Now it was the scrawny one’s turn to try it on, only he wasn’t going to make the same mistake as his friend on the floor groaning. He motioned for the other two to get me from the sides and for once I just wished it was like it was in the movies. You know, when the main dude is surrounded and staring at ridiculous odds of surviving. But of course, the dude is also a master at every martial art known to man! Of course it always helps when each of the bad guys just comes at him one at a time, like they had collected a bloody ticket at the meat counter…I mean why don’t they just all jump the guy all at once?

Well
, I wasn’t the main combat ninja dude and this wasn’t a movie, which translated into, I was in big shit as all three of them went for me all at once. The flight mode kicked in and I tried to get away only to be roughly pulled and pushed, grabbed and slapped to where they wanted me. Hands holding me everywhere bit into my flesh and dragged me back over to the car where the rock music created the perfect base for the horror that I knew was about to happen.

I heard the bark of an order in Italian
, just before I was spun and slammed into the side of the car. Pain rippled up my back as the unforgiving metal hit me and I looked up in time to see the one I had kneed was now back on his feet. He stormed over to where the others had me pinned to the car by my arms. I kicked out and watched as he avoid the kick only to see his fist coming at me full force before it connected with the side of my face.

“English Bitch!” He roared at me, hitting me again, only this time I felt my lip burst and my mouth quickly filled with the metallic taste of blood. The throbbing exploded across my cheek, making me feel sick as my brain felt rattled inside my skull. I tried not to give in
to the feeling and soon panic over-rode any other sensory action, as I saw the guy motion to his friends again.

I watched horrified as he started to unzip his jeans, free
ing his excited erection. This was when I went crazy, bucking and kicking so much it was a mission for his friends to hold me still. He tried to step up to me but I screamed and spat the blood from my mouth in his face, doing anything in my power to keep him from me. He hit me again but this did nothing in stopping the rage that was building up in me. If only I could free the power I had somewhere hidden deep down in me as I had done before. But there was no tingling of fingertips or supernatural aid that came to help me.

I was all alone in this.

In the end my soon to be rapist must have thought it too risky to get his kicks this way. I was grabbed roughly by the hair once more and with the help from the others together, they managed to get me to the front of the car. I was pushed over it and this time only held there by one guy as he stepped up behind me. My hips dug into the car and I decided my only chance was to become still, as though I had accepted my fate.

“Now you want my cock
, yes?” He said grinding his erection into my behind. I felt him reach round to undo my jeans and as he did this he leant his chest over my back to whisper in my ear.