39
The Hell after the Storm
The second we heard the demonic roar we all froze, and panic started to set in with me. Had I been too late to stop this from happening, had Draven’s demon already broken through?
“Right, listen to me now, if you are dead set on keeping this from Dom then I suggest you do the one thing you’re shit at,” Sophia said suddenly coming up to me and grabbing the tops of my arms.
“Why do they say dead set anyway?” Pip muttered to herself in the background, but I tried not to focus on that and more on the importance of what Sophia was saying right now.
“You mean lie, right?” I replied making Pip snort a laugh.
“Not helpful Pip…yes, I mean lie,” Sophia said after shooting Pip daggers.
“We need time to figure this out but until then, you are going have to come up with a pretty good excuse as to why you blacked out and then came to, acting terrified of my brother,” Sophia reminded me, looking dire. And what on earth could I say to that!
“Oh, I know!” Pip shouted racing to me and hip bumping Sophia out of the way. Then she slapped her hands together and rubbed them as if she was warming herself up for something. I saw her eyes flash a brighter green and take on a more cat like look before she placed her hands over my stomach. I didn’t really feel much and after a few more seconds of looking down at what she was doing I looked back up at her.
“Uh, Pip…not sure what you are trying to accomplish here, but I don’t think it’s working,” I said making her smirk at me and then wink, which for Pip usually didn’t mean good things. Naughty, despicable and rude things yes, but good…rarely.
“Well duh, honey Tootie bag, it won’t happen straight away as we need Mr Angry Pants for that first,” she told me instantly making me worried.
“Oh no, Pip what have you done?” But this time the worried tone came straight from Sophia but was a question right out of my brain as I was on the verge of asking the very same thing.
“Look, he will be here any second, so let’s rap and snappy this ‘oh dippy shit moment’ up, shall we…? Tell him the reason you blacked out was you felt lightheaded and woke freaked out because hey, you blacked out, so why the hell wouldn’t you be… right?” She paused nodding at us both and prompting us to do the same, which we did, like puppets.
“And Takeshi?” Sophia asked thankfully reminding me of this fact that I would have to explain.
“You have no cluedomundo what happened to Takeshi, that’s what! And you’re freaked out because of it… Then turn on the ‘Aww it’s a shame, comfort me big man…that type of gig… then if he starts to doubt you then you ramp it up, boom baby!” she said slapping a hand to her other one in front of my face making me jump.
“Ramp what up?” The question came from me this time.
“Being preggers that’s what! He starts to doubt you then you guilt his ass and say, ‘hey, guess what dipshit, I am pregnant, my body is changing and my hormones are doing a number on my fragile head, so give me a friggin’ break’ then in about fifteen minutes you are gonna throw up,” she said as my jaw fell open in an unattractive way.
“Uh, say what?” Sophia said for me and Pip pushed on my chin, closing my mouth before patting my cheek.
“You’re having a baby Honey, your hot rod bod is going to change and with it, lots of shit the King doesn’t yet understand because let’s face it, number one, he’s a Supernatural overlord who has never dealt with women having babies and well number two, he’s also a man,” she said and as much as this all made sense, the only part I was focusing on was the question I asked,
“I am going to be sick?”
“Girls gotta have morning sickness, right? Okay, so we have about ten seconds until he bursts through this door and if I were you, make it count by looking sick,” Pip said before pushing me backwards, so I landed on the bed and then she grabbed a glass of water from the side table, she dipped her fingers in it and flicked water on my face.
“Hey!”
“You know, I am in awe of you right now,” Sophia said to her, giving her an adoring look. Because no matter how much Pip seemed to play the fool and not make sense during about ninety percent of the time during a crisis, it was the genius ten percent that always got us through. Her ideas on how to solve a problem was quickly gaining legendary status and seeing as now Sophia was looking at her admiringly, I would say that she knew it too.
“You can kiss me later kitten, but right now…as in one, two, three…and here we go,” Pip replied and we all looked towards the door as she counted down. And she was spot on as the second she finished her last word, the door banged open and there stood an angry Draven.
“Both of you, leave… now!” he demanded with fists clenched to his sides.
“Draven!” I reprimanded considering I was playing a part here and knew this reaction was the best one to go with. I felt guilty going down this path and projecting that guilt back on to him as I knew the second he thought there was something wrong with me physically, that his focus would switch pretty quickly. But then, what else could I do, as it wasn’t as though I was brimming over with choices here?
All I knew was that I couldn’t chance his demon side beating him in this inner battle, one he didn’t even know he was fighting against. But just because he couldn’t fight it himself, it didn’t mean that I couldn’t do it for him and by the Gods I was going to do everything in my power to conquer it, even if that meant lying to him. And even if it meant taking me back to the gates of Hell again and demanding they let me in so that I could beat my husband’s demon into submission. Then I would do it!
Okay, so I knew even thinking this was a massive stretch of my abilities, as it seemed highly unlikely I would, one; have to go to such drastic measures and two; even if this was the case, the chances of succeeding such a thing was anything from highly unlikely, to not a chance in Hell. Mainly at the lower end of that scale.
So, if it meant lying to him yet again and carrying yet another bucket load of guilt around with me whilst I did it, then so be it. Because honestly, I was not willing to face the consequences of failure. No, all I could hope for was that we found a solution and could figure this out, and soon. Because looking at Draven now, and I would say he was getting closer to letting his demon win without even knowing it.
“I don’t know what is going on with you Dom, but whatever it is, getting a fucking lid on it before you end up hurting those you love!” Sophia snapped looking back at me and giving me a nod before walking past Pip and snagging her arm as she did. Draven watched them walk by him with a stern frown over the side of his shoulder, looking down at them.
“Come on Pip, let’s go and find all the good scotch my brother has been hiding. We will see you tomorrow Kaz and like we said, it should pass soon but if not, I hope you start to feel better,” she said adding to the ruse, making Draven’s gaze quickly snap back to me the second he heard something might be wrong.
“Yeah, same goes here, honey buzz. Oh, and I hear ginger biscuits help,” Pip added with a wink behind Draven’s back before they exited through the door. Sophia made sure she slammed it shut showing Draven how pissed off she was. However, Draven didn’t even flinch as the second the door was closed he came over to me and lifted my face up so that he could study it.
“What’s wrong? Do you feel unwell?” he asked in a clipped tone and I could tell he was trying for patience. Now I knew if I just gave into him and told him straight away that I felt a little unwell then that would only arouse suspicion. Because if the real reason for me nearly passing out earlier was to do with being pregnant, then wouldn’t I have been angry by his cruel dismissal of me? So, as horrible as it was, I knew I had to act as though I was pissed off with him and boy did I ever feel like a bitch doing it. Which was half of the reason I tore my face from his hold and stood up to put distance between us.
“Oh, so you care now do you?” I asked him after picking up my shoes from where I had dropped them and carrying them over to the dresser just for something to do.
“Of course, I care! Why do you even ask that of me!?” he snapped, and, in that moment, he sounded completely clueless as to how to deal with a hormonal wife.
“Oh, I don’t know Draven, maybe because I nearly blacked out because I was feeling lightheaded and sick, and then came to feeling disorientated only to find you looking at me as if I had done something wrong,” I said sounding strained and hoping, no, more like praying that he would take my tone for the right reasons, not the honest ones.
“You were feeling sick?” he asked focusing on that part.
“Yeah and I still do,” I told him, and this part wasn’t a lie as, thanks to whatever Pip had done, I now felt as if I would shortly be getting acquainted with the toilet in a more intimate way.
“Then why didn’t you tell me?!” he accused making me frown back at him.
“Well, it’s not exactly like you gave me much chance before you were barking orders at me to leave! I mean, you even looked at me as if it was my fault what happened to Takeshi, which I still don’t know because you didn’t take the time to tell me before you were lashing your orders at me and your sister!” I snapped, finding myself shamefully playing the part of scorned lover far easier than my good conscience should have been allowing me to.
“So, you’re telling me that you had nothing to do with that?” he asked me in a sceptical tone, and I gave him my best incredulous look in return.
“You’re seriously asking me that!?” He had the audacity to fold his arms across his chest and silently stand by his question with merely a nod.
“No, I had no clue what happened to Takeshi and to the best of my knowledge I certainly didn’t have anything to do with it! But how dare you even ask that of me!” I shouted and standing by at least knowing the first part was true, as I still didn’t know why Takeshi had reacted that way to my vision. My biggest guess was that he had been possessed for a short time. Like some kind of a sticky residue left over from Draven’s demon. But like I said, this was only a guess and not something I would know fully until speaking with Sophia and Pip tomorrow. I might have found out tonight if we’d had more time talking things through and spent less time on Pip’s vagina and its preferences.
At least after this he had the good sense to look slightly guilty, which only ended up making mine ten times worse and boy didn’t he just pick up on it.
“Then tell me Keira, why look so guilty, for I didn’t need to read your mind to know that’s how you felt?”
“Oh right, and I guess you couldn’t possibly have been wrong!” I threw back at him, thinking this the simplest explanation…a man got something about a woman wrong. It wouldn’t exactly be the first time in history, that was for damn sure.
“I know what I saw, and I acted upon seeing it,” he stated firmly, but even to me this sounded like a cop out. However, I knew that in this moment I was going to have to pull out the big guns as much as I hated to. Because I felt myself quickly losing this battle. So, I took a deep breath and said what I knew needed to be said.
“And in doing so you ended up ruining a perfectly good night and making me feel uncared for and untrusted. So, well done with that one, Draven.”
“Now just wait a minute, that is not…” he started but I quickly interrupted him.
“Yeah, you did and now look where we are, all because it obviously didn’t occur to you that a look of guilt could be mistaken for shock, fear or worry that I had just nearly passed out over the table. And then seconds later Takeshi is having a freak out and issuing what sounded like threats at me!” This time he started to really look annoyed, but I could tell it was shifting and more aimed at himself.
“And that is something I am trying to get to the bottom of, don’t you understand that?” he said trying for more calm now when speaking to me.
“Oh, and you think you will find it by interrogating your pregnant wife who feels like shit and is going to hurl any second, because if you do, then you can just leave right now!” I said trying to resist the urge to stamp my foot like an unruly teenager. I was even panting and about two seconds away from growling.
“Are you quite finished?” Draven asked me, and I opened my mouth ready to tell him what for when the second I did, I felt it coming. I threw a hand over my mouth and ran as best I could in this dress into the bathroom, only just making it in time. I threw up everything I’d eaten, silently cursing Pip. But then seconds later I knew I couldn’t be too annoyed, as one thing became clear… it obviously had worked.
I felt Draven kneel down beside me, take my hair in one hand to hold back from my face whilst he rubbed soothing circles on my back with the other.
“Better?” he asked in a tender tone, all traces of frustration and annoyance now long gone. I nodded my head after no longer feeling the need to heave. He handed me a tissue and I shamefully used it to blow my nose and then the next piece to wipe my mouth.
“Come here, sweetheart,” he said gathering me up in his arms and standing. He swept my dress out to the side and carried me back into the room so that he could lie me on the bed.
“I am sorry for not believing you, can you forgive me?” he whispered before bending down so he could bestow a gentle kiss on my forehead. I was thankful for this as it gave me a few seconds so that he wouldn’t see the wince of pain in my eyes as that ball of guilt twisted tighter in my belly.
“It’s already been forgiven, now we just need to forget it and not speak of it again,” I said hoping he would get the hint and change the conversation.
“What did I do to deserve such a beautiful and forgiving wife?” he said making me groan and in turn him chuckle.
“I wouldn’t go that far, you might have some more grovelling to do yet,” I said making him laugh this time and I was just glad that the storm had passed and for once, quickly. Yep, I may feel like shit, but it had to be said that Pip was a little genius.
“Anything my Queen desires,” he hummed into my neck as he peppered kisses there.
“Well, you changed your tune pretty quickly.”
“I was a fool who believed something more was going on and that you may have been keeping something from me.” Hearing this nearly made me groan out loud. No, thankfully I just kept quiet and silently was smacking myself on the forehead, telling my inner conscience what a bitch it was.
“How do you feel now?” he asked, and I sighed in relief that we were thankfully off the subject.
“A little queasy, but better after throwing up.” Which wasn’t a lie.
“But what about Takeshi, what happened to him?” I asked both because I genuinely wanted to know and also because I knew it would look odd if I didn’t. Draven ran a frustrated hand through his hair and then rested it at his forehead when he flicked all his fingers out saying silently, that he still had no clue.
“He is still asleep after his ordeal, but I hope once he wakes, then he will be able to shed light on what happened.” This, as you can imagine, didn’t bode well for me and my future. It sounded awful of me but all I could hope for was that Takeshi fancied taking some extended time off work and stay in dreamland for as long as possible. Well anyway, at least until me and the girls could figure this out.
“It is usual for him to still be asleep?” I asked repeating in my head, ‘please say yes, please say yes’.
“Well, considering this whole thing is unheard of, then I have no clue on the matter,” Draven told me, sounding once again extremely frustrated.
“What do you mean, I thought he got visions all the time?”
“He does, but this wasn’t a vision,” he replied, and this was when my inner panic started to lean in to brace for impact position.
“Then what was it?” I asked because I knew I had to. As really what I wanted to do was cover my ears with my hands, shake my head till dizzy and sing, ‘Lalalala not listening, lalala’. But then I would be zero percent closer to finding out how to stop this, so I held my breath and waited for him to answer.
“It was a demonic possession and one done by an extremely powerful being at that.” Draven’s reply had me almost cringing in on myself. Oh yeah, he had been a Hell of a powerful being alright, I thought ironically.
“But how would that even be possible?” I had the foresight to ask and anything I could work with at this stage I was only too happy to go digging for, as I doubted Draven would have just accepted my answer of ‘Oh just curious’ when waking up in the middle of the night asking random questions when they suddenly came to me.
No, I needed to find out everything I could and now, whilst Draven and I were still talking about it. Because now the time made sense…middle of a deep sleep, not so much.
“I have my theories, but for now I won’t know for sure until he wakes up.” Oh shit, Draven having theories was bad. As in way, way bad. Because usually his theories led him to places like, following us to the fountain and finding us just after stepping back through the Janus gate…that type of bad.
“And these theories are?” I asked in a delicate tone, one that was trying not to sound too pleading. He raised an eyebrow at me in question and I was suddenly worried that I had gone too far, too quickly.
“Well seeing as you ask, at first I believed you yourself knew the reason…” I opened my mouth ready to deny everything or confess, whichever one my panicked mind blurted out first, when thankfully he stopped me.
“But after what you told me and seeing for myself how you are obviously experiencing the natural occurrences of pregnancy, then my only theory left is that an unknown enemy is out there conspiring against us and using demonic means to do so.” Wow, okay so my face said it all as I was utterly shocked.
“Why would you think that?”
“Because, ever since the day of our wedding and the war that unfortunately followed it, I have felt odd,” he admitted, making me close to gasping. So, all this time and he did feel as though something was wrong.
“Odd?” I questioned.
“It’s strange, as if someone is trying to control me. My anger for example is far too quick to fire and I find myself battling with my demon, as if someone is trying to bring him to the surface.” Okay, so this was definitely one of those ‘oh shit moments’ because now knowing that he felt this too was a game changer. It meant one simple fact…time was running out and faster than I thought.
“That’s…oh God, I don’t know what to say…why haven’t you…?”
“Told you? Because I didn’t want to worry you. I know I should have been honest but until tonight, then I believed mostly it was just the dreams I have been having.” I could only nod at this as what could I say, ‘yeah you’re right, you should have been honest with me’…I mean I was currently being forced into acting like a bitch, but that didn’t mean I was going to be an even bigger bitch for the sheer hell of it. No pun intended.
“What type of dreams?” I asked cautiously.
“That’s not important,” he said suddenly pulling back and obviously not liking where this conversation was quickly heading.
“Draven, come on, you know you can tell me and I promise not to freak out.” Which was another lie. I was already freaking out and had been for a while now.
“I…I can’t explain it,” he said, turning his back to me and raking a hand through his hair once more.
“Just try, I mean, why not just tell me what you see in these dreams?” I asked because I had to. I just couldn’t let it go now. He took a deep breath and then let it out in a heavy weighted sigh.
“Because I see you,” he said after a long painful pause and my mouth dropped open. Not because of what he had said but more in the way he had said it. As though it had been a bad thing. As though it was something that haunted him.
“And that’s a bad thing because…?” I let my question linger and after spending a good minute or two staring out the window he finally answered my question without looking at me. I don’t know why but I got the distinct impression it was because he was fearful of what he may find in my eyes when I finally knew the truth.
“Because in them you are not my wife…” he said like a broken man and I had to confess that on hearing this I gasped in horror. But then if I thought that was all the surprise I was in for well, then I was definitely mistaken.
“So…so if I am not your wife then…then what am I?” I asked, having to pause as the emotions became too much. This was when Draven finally turned back around to face me and in doing so continued to drop the biggest bombshell of all…
“You are my slave.”