Sacrifice of the Septimus: Part 1 (Afterlife saga Book 7) (30 page)

“I still have nightmares of wearing that crap in summer!”

“And I have nightmares wearing it anytime of the year, those winters were brutal!” We both laughed and spoke about a history that most of it we knew didn’t exist, but to us it had happened so it felt comfortable remembering. It was a bit like therapy and talking and laughing about the hard times meant you were putting a lid on them, labelling them under the ‘no longer important’ file in your mind.

After our laughter we turned to more serious issues, like our plan. But just as we were about to go into details we heard the door opening, meaning our time was up. I looked at the clock seeing that we had been chatting like this for hours. Draven walked back into the suite and looked at us both sat on the couch together with not a tear eye in sight and he instantly relaxed. He must have been expecting the worst and I can just image how hard it had been for him giving me all this time before checking on me. I would bet my now measly savings account on him standing up from the bar about six times before Vincent had finally let him leave.

“Evening, ladies” he said taking off his jacket and folding it over the back of the chair to the desk that was situated closer to him.

“He’s such a gentleman.” Ari commented to me and I laughed.

“When he wants to be,” I said teasing him and he took the bait.

“Is that so wife of mine?”

“OoooKay, that look right there is my cue to leave.” Ari said laughing and jumping from the couch like her ass was on fire.

“Good night…uh…what do I call you?” Ari asked him and he smirked because Ari had only ever heard me call him Draven.

“Dom is fine, Ariana.” Draven said softly and I liked that he was being so sweet with her.

“Cool, oh and call me Ari, everyone else does…later Sis,” she said patting Draven’s chest before winking at me making me giggle a snort.

“Smooth.” I heard her say before she closed the door behind her, leaving me still laughing.

“I take it by that beaming smile of yours that it went well.” Draven asked me as he came to flop down next to me, taking Ari’s place.

“It did but I take it by the way you are loosening your tie that yours didn’t.” He looked at me sideways like Ari had done, only no offense to Ari, it wasn’t holy hot sexy when she did it.

“You could say that.”

“Yeah Ari wouldn’t tell me what was going on with those two.” Draven seemed surprised by this and also a little disappointed and I couldn’t say I blamed him as he no doubt wanted something from me.

“How’s Vincent doing?”

“Hanging on by a thread…he certainly has more patience than I have, that is for sure.”

“Well if I remember back to us and how we acted, then I would say they are at least ahead of the game, especially the one we played.” I told him and he turned to face me, looking surprised by this,

“How so?” I laughed and said,

“Draven, you do remember how long it took us don’t you? They met, what, two weeks ago? And now think back to how long it took us to have our first conversation.”

“The first day I met you we spoke,” he defended and I shook my head smirking at his answer.

“Not including something you had me believing was a dream, Draven.” He rolled his eyes at me knowing that I had a point.

“It was different for us.”

“How so?” I asked baffled by this.

“Because there were reasons for me to go slow and hold back. I needed to be assured you would be safe. I had to find out who you were and…” He trailed off and I knew now that he was getting my point.

“You think he is going too fast?”

“I don’t know because she hasn’t said anything but my guess, she is overwhelmed. Think about it and put yourself in her shoes…mentally that is.” I added this when he raised a questioning brow at me.

“She has no idea who she is and as far as she knows has lived her life like a nun. But then she finds out that her entire life is a lie and she has no real family like she thought, but to top that all off she finally meets a guy she has been dreaming about for nearly a year, only to find out that he is one of the most powerful Angels on Earth! Oh and all that after she was nearly sacrificed by someone she thought was family…so yeah, I am thinking slow is a good idea.” He listened to what I had to say and nodded.

“I think you are right.”

“Yeah, it happens sometimes.” I teased poking him in the ribs. The next thing I knew was he was lifting me up over his shoulder once again and I was screaming to be put down.

“Draven! Where are you taking me?!” I shouted laughing at his caveman behaviour. Then with his answer he confirmed it,

Total caveman,

“To bed, woman!” 

Chapter 29

Boogie Freak Outs

“Oh yeah, now this is a freakin’ song! ‘Listen to Your Heart’ by Roxette, yeah baby!” Pip shouted jumping on the expensive sofa with a hair brush once more firmly in her hand. I shook my head at her, laughing to myself, and Sophia made a strangling motion around her own neck.

“Don’t think I can’t see you bitches in the window!” Pip said jumping around like a rock star on stage with an air guitar.

“Oh no, this one is perfect!” She shouted and my mouth dropped when ‘Total Eclipse of the Heart’ by Bonnie Tyler came blaring on.

“Really?” I asked and she slid up to me just as the singing started,

“Turn around, every now and then I get a little bit lonely that you’re never coming round, turn around, every now and then I get a little bit tired of listening to the sound of my tears, turn around…” She carried on singing and then hugged herself and started swaying with the music and when it really kicked in she held onto me singing,

“Holding on together…” well that was it, she had me in fits of giggles just watching her acting it all out.

“I’m thinking this might be a bit depressing for a party, Pip.” Sophia said as she hung more streamers around the curtain poles. I had to wonder what the hotel staff would think, walking in this place and seeing that we were currently using the Royal suite as a venue for a Hen do. I shook my head at the thought and then smirked at Pip’s pouty face.

“But I just typed in a lover’s playlist.”

“Try typing in cheesy, that should work better for a Hen do.” I told her. She nodded now looking really excited about the new music selection.

“So are you going to tell me what’s in those bags now?” I asked referring to what Pip had called ‘party fun bags’.

“No way dudette, it’s a surprise for us all.” She told me and my head shot round to my last and only saviour in all this,

“Tell me that
you
at least know what’s in them?”

“Nope, she wouldn’t tell me either.” She said nonchalantly. Just then ‘Mama Do the Hump’ came on by Rizzle Kicks and I almost ran over to Sophia, half dragging her off the chair.

“Tell me you’re joking!”
I hissed.

“What?”

“You do realise my mum is coming to this party of ours.” I told her giving her the wide eyed stare thing, when you try and get someone to understand what you are telling them without words.

“So?”

“So what if what’s in that bag is a massive black dildo, a pair of nipple clamps and a unicorn tail butt plug for everyone!”
I hissed and Sophia burst out laughing until tears formed.

“What’d I miss?” Pip asked and I groaned, setting Sophia off all over again.

“So explain to me how we are going to sneak out exactly?” I asked leaving the butt plugs where they should be left and that was far from any conversation that included Pip. I already knew what she’d had for her birthday last year and I didn’t want a ‘play by play’ account of when she and Adam tried it out!

“Leave it to me, I got this one covered,” she told me with a wink, one I might have taken more seriously if she didn’t have cute little polka dot bows painted over her eyes. When I first saw her I actually asked how she managed to paint something so tiny over her eyes and she just told me, ‘Tiny brushes my friend, tiny brushes’.

She also wore cute black cut off trousers that went just below the knee and with it a T shirt that had a warning sign on the front that said ‘Bad Ass Bridesmaid’ across it. I was actually surprised how tame this all was for Pip and apart from the purple and black striped tights under her cut offs and a pair of converse that had the comic book villain the Joker on them, she didn’t stand out half as much as she normally did. Her hair though was done in a riot of green curls that exploded around the thin purple and green striped head band she wore.

Sophia on the other hand wore a beautiful wrap-over dress with a tight black long sleeved bodice and the skirt had thick black and white stripes that flared out in ripples. They both looked beautiful in their own unique way but I had yet to get dressed.

“So what time are people turning up again?” I asked looking at my phone noting it was almost eight o’clock. The day had flown by, first by waking up in the best way a girl could wake up and that was with Draven’s hands all over me. Then we had to get ready to meet my family for lunch, which put me in another emotional spin that Draven had to comfort me through. Thankfully though, as with Ari, I had worked myself up to it being far worse than it was and once I got the initial hugs over with, holding back the tears, I soon found I was once again back to being myself, for real this time.

It had been a lovely afternoon spent together and as usual my parents raved on and on about what a wonderful man Draven was and how lucky I was to be marrying him. I knew all this of course but it was still one of those ‘Mom’ moments, as Draven could hear every whispered word spoken. And well, when she started talking about the wedding night and what I might have in store for me then I nearly choked. Draven on the other hand was far cooler hearing this and simply coughed into his hand when walking behind us speaking with Frank and my dad.

Another great triumph of the day was Libby finding the perfect bridesmaid’s dress for our wedding and I thought my mother was going to faint when seeing the price. Libby obviously had done her classic trick of not looking at the label before trying it on which, I knew from experience, was something she did often. I looked behind me to see Draven speaking closely with Frank and I knew what he was doing.

And I was right. After getting Frank’s permission, Draven bought Libby the dress, telling her it was also a thank you for welcoming him into their home and lives. I thought my sister and mother were going to cry and it was only little Ella that saved Draven having to deal with two weeping Williams girls, when she shouted, ‘And me, and me, I want!’ Which meant Draven was next on a mission to find the perfect small dress for our little flower girl…
one that also cost a small fortune.
 

All in all, it had been a wonderful day and one that had completely managed to take my mind off everything. Holding hands with Draven as we walked down the busy London streets and stopping to check out the sights with my family will always be a moment I will never forget. Which brought us back to tonight and my Hen do. As far as Draven was concerned we were having a fairly quiet night in the hotel suite, ordering room service, playing fun games, listening to what Draven called ‘Girl Music’ and drinking pink champagne. Even to me this sounded like a great night and I would have been more than happy if this had been it, however, the large snag in that plan was time or the lack of it. We needed to somehow sneak out of our own party and get into another one so that I could speak to a certain person.

I had no idea how I was going to do this and Pip’s ‘leave it to me’ comment was making me more nervous about it than relaxed.

“Time to get your little booty dressed!” Pip said pushing me towards one of the bedrooms.

“Your dress is hanging up in the closet.” Sophia added as she started popping champagne bottles open. Thankfully, I had already showered, applied a bit of makeup and tied up my hair in a twisted style, allowing a few curling bits to escape. Granted my handy work had been nothing compared to Sophia’s genius when doing my hair and makeup but I didn’t think I looked too shabby.

I opened the wardrobe to find the beautiful red lace dress hanging there that Sophia had picked for me the day we all went shopping. I lifted it out, unzipped the back and laid it down on the bed before getting undressed. I was just down to my underwear when the door burst open.

“Your Mum and Sister just arrived…ooo cool outfit.”

“Pip, I’m just in my underwear.” I told her and she winked at me and said,

“I know, a little daring for you but I like it, shows your cracking Tootie knockers!” Well I don’t think I had ever had my boobs referred to in quite that way before.

“I’m wearing the dress, Squeak.” I told her nodding behind me and she popped her head around me and said,

“Ha I get ya! Don’t want to outdo us all eh? Nah its cool, the dress is nice and stuff but you just wait until…”

“Pip!” Sophia called her interrupting what she was about to say.

“Ooops, gotta go…oh and there’s this other skinny chick turned up.” She said stopping just before she rushed out the door.

“Really? Who?” I asked as I was slipping the dress over my head. It was halfway on making me look like a red sausage with my hand up in the air when I stopped dead as Pip gave me the name.

“Oh what did she say, she’s got the same name as that Clinton chick…” Pip said and I could just see through the lace at her rolling her hand around like this would somehow help her remember, meanwhile my blood had run cold.

“You mean…Hilary?” I said having to pause before I said her name.

“Bingo, beep, beep, ding, ding, three points! That’s the one!” She said yanking my dress down all the way over my head and zipping it up with one swift movement. Then she kissed my cheek and was gone.

“Oh no, this could be bad.” I said to myself only hoping that the Hilary I had loathed was gone for good and never to return.              
   

“So what are the boys doing tonight?” My mum asked sweetly as she sipped at her champagne flute. My mum wasn’t a big drinker but that might have had something to do with a Christmas work’s party about ten years ago when my mum got escorted back home by the police. It was for being drunk and disorderly when she tried to steal one of their hats and was chased down the street for it, needless to say she swiftly moved jobs after that.

“Didn’t they mention just a few drinks at the hotel bar?” I asked Sophia who nodded as she continued to hand out glasses. I was sat in between my mum and Libby sipping our drinks and my mind shifted to wondering how the Stag was doing? The party had just started and I was thankful, in an ‘over the moon’ kinda way that Hilary’s personality transplant was still in good working order. She had congratulated me and even bought me a gift, which Pip being Pip had quickly swept straight in there to take it off me. She then added this to the ‘Gift table’ where I was surprised to see quite a few different presents waiting for me.

“It’s just lovely finally getting to spend some time with you and your friends,” my mum said and I put my arm around her and hugged her close.

“Even if they are all a little colourful,”
my mum whispered smiling as Pip opened the door to RJ.

“They also have colourful hearts.” I told her softly and my mum being the type who would never judge, simply smiled at me and said,

“Of that my love, I have no doubt.”

“Now it’s really time to get this party started, bitches!” Pip screamed and I quickly added,

“And colourful language.”

“Yes, I did notice.” This time Libby laughed along with us, hearing everything we said. As soon as Ari walked further in I got up and hugged her close, as I was worried that seeing me with my family would be too hard on her, but she was grinning like a Cheshire cat.

“So introduce me to everyone then!” I gave her a tighter hug before letting her go, telling her in that moment how much I appreciated her doing this. After introducing everyone to everyone else Pip started the music, which started with the ultimate party classic, ‘Footloose’. Pip started throwing her head around creating a halo of green to follow. Then she started handing out hair brushes to everyone in a serious attempt to get us all singing. Bless my mum as she looked down at the roller brush in her hand and then shrugged her shoulders and just as the beat kicked in started singing her little heart out. Libby and I both looked at each other and burst out laughing before joining in and pulling mum to her feet.

“Right time to dress up the Tootie Hen!” Pip said pulling a bag from under the table and handing everyone around the room something from it. At the end of being swamped by hands I was now wearing a white veil with condoms attached, which Pip nearly wet herself over, no doubt because of what we were in fact trying to achieve by getting me knocked up. I also had on an L-plate pinned to the back of my dress, a flashing ‘I’m the Bride’ tiara and a sash that said, ‘Toot’s Rockin’ Bride’. This was all done with Pip’s song choice of ‘White Wedding’ by Billy Idol.

After this came the games and I thought Pip was going to burst with excitement. The first on our list was called the ‘Junk on the Hunk’ game and I ending up spitting out some of my champagne when Pip and Sophia revealed a giant cut-out of my husband to be. Thankfully though, Draven was fully dressed in a suit or I think my mum might have started with palpitations before her third glass of bubbly.

The aim of this game was for them to blindfold me and hand me cartoon cut outs after spinning me around. Then they told me what ‘man parts’ they were and I had to feel on the cardboard Draven cut-out before sticking them to where I thought was the right place. This had everyone in utter hysterics and once pulling off the blindfold I could understand why. Of course before they did this Sophia thought it was a great idea to get me to stand next to it, still blindfolded so that she could take a picture to send to Draven. I didn’t know this was happening at the time but needless to say everyone else did. Even my mum got involved telling me to move a hand this way and that and then do a thumbs up with the other.