Cult of the Hexad (Afterlife saga Book 6) (20 page)

Now however, I was left wondering who would be meeting me on the other side and if I would finally meet this Draven character. I knew he owned Afterlife so the chances were good but then the chilling thought came and I wondered if I would also see anyone from my dreams there…
like my Demon.

But I tried not to focus on that right now. No I had to lay my trust on Pip and Adam that they weren’t leading me into danger. I had to believe this Dominic Draven could help me save my sister…that was all that mattered to me now.

“Is everything alright?” I asked when I noticed Adam had been eyeing the road behind in the mirror ever since we passed a sign for Evergreen Falls.

“I think we are being followed. Can you wake Pip up, please?” I nodded after looking back myself and seeing what Adam was seeing, which was a black van following us close behind.

“Oh no, it looks like…”

“I know Katie, but you need to do as I say and wake up Pip, I will need her.” He said losing his cool persona for a moment as if he was desperate for his wife. I shifted over closer to Pip and started to gently pat her, becoming more forceful when she wouldn’t wake up.

“Uhh Adam?” I called his name, afraid that by doing so I would be taking his mind away from the speedy driving he was now doing.

“Yeah, is she awake yet?” He asked and I looked down at her, gave her a nudge and said.

“I think we have a problem.” He whipped his head back frantically to find his still unconscious wife.

“What’s wrong with her?!” He shouted definitely now losing his cool completely.

“She’s out cold, ever since she…” I started to think back and before long I was acting frantic too by searching for what I thought was the cause.

“Ever since what?!” Adam demanded and just before I managed to say what, I was thrown forward crashing into the seats in front as the van behind rammed us. Thankfully with the position I found myself in it stopped Pip from rolling right off the seat.   

“Hang on!” Adam yelled and swerved around oncoming traffic and overtook the car in front to put space between us and the van.

“I think she’s been drugged! She was fine before she drank this.” I said holding up the empty bottle.

“It shouldn’t have affected her…
unless
…hold on, they’re having another go!” He never finished telling me why it shouldn’t have affected Pip as the Van behind had caught up by overtaking the same car.

“Damn it Pip, why didn’t you listen to me, I knew we should have taken the Lamborghini Estoque!” He said talking to himself as he swerved a little too hard and only just made it when trying to right the bus again before it tipped up.

“They’re trying to ram us off the road!” I looked back and shouted,

“Here they come!” Then they hit us a second later but this time I grabbed onto Pip’s body to hold her in place. I felt my neck jar painfully at the impact. I heard the crunch of metal behind and knew it wouldn’t be long before they won the fight.

“What are we going to do?!”

“We can’t take another hit like that so you have to listen to me. If we crash, then I want you to run…”

“I can’t leave you both!” I said interrupting him but he shook his head and said more forcefully,

“Yes you can! I can protect my wife but not if you’re there as well…do you understand what I am saying...? I need you to run, get to Afterlife!” I started to shake my head when Adam pulled on the steering wheel and fought against it skidding after barely making it away from another hit.

“Promise me you will run, no matter what you hear, no matter what you see! Promise…” He never got chance to finish as we were hit for the last time. The VW bus spun around on the road before tipping up on two wheels. The force took us over onto its side and the glass smashed all around us as the van still travelled off the side of the road into the trees. It was only Adam that barely moved thanks to his seatbelt but Pip and I weren’t so lucky. We were both bashed around inside the bus and I hit my head against the window, feeling pain explode from my temple.

It finally came to a stop when the front of the bus crumpled around a tree and the memory of having another car accident flashed before my eyes. I couldn’t hear anything but a high pitch that was constant for a moment and I opened my eyes when I felt a trickle of water dripping down. My vision was blurry at first and I tried to wipe the water off my face, only my hand came back crimson.

“Blood?” I muttered still trying to get my bearings when I remembered I hadn’t been alone in the back.

“Pip!” I shouted lifting my head and feeling the world spin.

“Ahhh!” I shouted in pain as I moved my legs knowing I must have done some damage. I wiggled my toes and was relieved when I could feel them moving.

“Get the girls, I will deal with the guy!” I heard voices speaking around the bus and knew that I had to do as Adam had told me. I had to get up and I had to run! I looked around and found Pip’s leg hanging over part of the seat as she must have fallen closer to the back as we flipped.

“Adam?”
I hissed and I looked back to the front to find that Adam too was also unconscious. Like me, blood poured from his head as he must have hit it on the wheel when we crashed. That’s when I first caught sight of them coming round the bus, the men wearing black suits…the Righteous Bloods.

“What do you want me to do with this one?” A man’s voice said after they pried open the driver’s door and held up Adam’s unconscious head by his bloody hair.

“And what about this little freak, we could have fun with this one.” The other one said at the back when looking in at Pip. My blood ran cold at the thought of them violating Pip and I wanted to scream not to touch her. But I decided my best chance at helping them was like Adam had said, getting to Afterlife and telling whoever was in charge there. So I remained still so they would believe I was still knocked out like the rest but my hand searched beneath me for anything I could use as a weapon. 

“Let’s take them with us, the Fathers will know what to do and who knows, they might even come in useful for something.”

“I know this one will, nice and small just as I like ‘em!” The vulgar one said and I knew if given the chance the shard of glass I just found was going straight through this one’s skull!

I gripped it tightly to my chest as I heard them trying to find a way to get me out. I heard more glass smash and tried not to jump when I felt hands grab me under the arms.

“She’s out cold.” The man behind me said and I almost smiled at the grave mistake he was making. They had to haul me out backwards and it was difficult letting my body go as limp as possible so they would believe the act. I hung my head down, thankful that my long hair had come loose and was hiding my face tightening in pain. Thankfully it didn’t take long but it was hard not to call out when it felt like they would wrench my arm out of its socket as they dragged me from the bus.

Thankfully the guy tasked with the job had obviously had enough as well giving the fact that he dropped me to the ground the first moment he got.

“Fuck that was hard!” He grumbled.

“Here you pussy, let me get her! I wanna see what else we have to play with on the long journey home.” Said the disgusting raping parasite that needed this deadly shard more than most. He yanked me up painfully and I knew this was my opportunity, so I took it!

“Surprise asshole!” I shouted thrusting my hanging arm upwards with such force it stabbed him right in between his legs, causing him both to drop me and start howling in agony. The blood spurted out of the tear in his trousers and dripped down my hand, mixing with my own until I let go. Then I turned and ran into the tree line as fast as I could, knowing I had to be quick as they would follow.

“Go and get her!” One of them shouted over the bellowing of pain I had inflicted on the other one. I looked around frantically searching where I should run to when I froze on the spot.

“What the…?” I muttered to myself when I heard the sounds of men screaming as though they were being ripped apart. I looked back and at first I thought he was running to try and catch me but then I saw the terrified look in his eyes and knew differently.  He wasn’t running to me, he was running to get away from something and from the sounds of the crashing metal…

It was something big.

I saw the man running faster towards me looking behind him so much that he tripped up a few times. I knew I too should be running but something had me rooted to the spot. I squinted when I saw the trees start to sway behind him until they moved so violently I half expected a tank to come rolling through. But I saw no tank, however what I heard would have given Hell’s Demons nightmares!

The loudest roar shook the trees as if a
n
orchestra of bears and lions had all thundered at the same time. The man screamed again and I looked back just in time to see him disappearing backwards as if something had grabbed hold of him. Another scream followed by a gurgling sound was all I heard before a deathly silence.

I panted almost gasping for breath as I waited for it to come back but there was nothing but a distressed sound like a huge animal was whining in pain. I looked back at the vast woods in front of me and then back to the road. I knew the right thing to do could get me killed but I couldn’t just leave them there. I had to know, one of them might need my help, they might need me to help get them to a hospital.

“I’m sorry Adam.” I said as I started running back to the road knowing I would be breaking a promise I had intended to keep. I just couldn’t do it. The thought of Pip lay on the road bleeding or Adam still unconscious from his head wound, just left there to die wasn’t an option.

So I ran as fast as I could until there were some trees I could hide behind to see what I was up against. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath as I took my first step. The crunch of branches beneath my feet was all I heard and I decided it was a good enough sign that it was time to step up to being brave and open my eyes to what lay ahead.

That eerie silence was soon shattered with the sound of my screams as I looked upon the massacre at my feet…

Everyone was dead.        

Chapter 18

Finding My Way

For what felt like a long time I walked, trying to stay parallel with the road but keeping well out of sight. Ever since seeing the unthinkable carnage I had found spread across the road like human roadkill, I had continued to throw up and heave every time the horror re-entered my troubled mind.

I had held it together enough to look for both Adam and Pip only I hadn’t found a single trace of them. I had even braved looking in the black van the goons had been traveling it but it was hard to get to seeing as it had been flipped on its side like the VW. I looked through the windows to see it was empty and I was left hoping that Adam had woken up and managed to get both himself and Pip out of there.

I had no idea what that thing had been but I made sure to hurry up before it decided to come back. One thing was clear enough for sure and that was all the Righteous Bloods had found their end in the most horrific of ways…if all the severed limbs and scattered flesh and organs were anything to go by. I saw a car coming in the distance knowing that I needed to get out of there before I became classed as a witness. For a start what on Earth would I ever tell the cops about this one?

So I ran back to the trees, after grabbing my bag from behind the broken glass at the back of the VW. I ducked out of sight just as a car came to a screeching halt only to find what I had. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for whoever it had been in the car and only hoped there were no kids in the back seat and that they had a strong stomach, as they were going to need it!

Time was getting on and I knew it would be dark soon. I had stopped to dig out a few breakfast bars from my bag and the bottle of water I had there thanks to Lucy. I also found the money I had stashed and knew I would have to do something if I was ever going to make it to Afterlife before the night was over.

So I decided to walk alongside the road, knowing by now I was far enough from the crash/murder site to make anyone seeing me suspicious. I had used the top I was wearing to clean myself up as it was now torn beyond repair. I changed into one of the others I had in the bag that was black with a huge pale grey flower on the side that looked as though it had been x-rayed. It had quite a low neck line but right now I didn’t care if my cleavage was on show. Instead I concentrated on getting myself looking as though I hadn’t been in an accident.

I used the old t-shirt to clean up the cut on the side of my head with some of my water, along with the cut on my palm from the glass I had used as a weapon. I had done the same with the cuts on my leg, tearing it into strips to use as a makeshift bandage on the deeper wound there and I used the last strip for my hand. I then changed into a pair of black trousers hoping if any blood seeped through it wouldn’t be seen.

Walking along the side of the road turned out to be a good thing or I might have missed the motel and roadside café that advertised the best pies in town along with rooms available. I almost jumped for joy at the sight, or would have if I hadn’t been limping slightly.

I decided now was a good time to pull on the lightweight jacket I had rolled up in my bag that was thin but at least it was rain proof if the heavens opened.

I crossed over the road after a truck went whizzing past and lifted up the hood on the jacket I now wore to hide my face. I felt exposed out in the open but I knew I had no choice. I needed to find a number for a taxi and get myself to that club before anything else happened!

I opened the door to the diner and the smell of fried food, cherry pies and coffee hit me making my stomach groan. I had eaten some bars but they had made another appearance when I shamefully went through a mentally weak patch and threw them up when thinking about that road.

“Don’t think about it, Katie.”
I muttered to myself as I took an empty seat at the counter.

“Coffee?” A lady asked me after popping her gum and I looked up to see her holding out a coffee pot ready to pour into the cup that had appeared from nowhere. Wow, she was good!

“Uh…just tap water please.” I said thinking I really needed to conserve my money, just in case.

“Ah, you’re one of them are ya, well I guess I will just skip the specials then.” I felt embarrassed so before she left to serve someone else and thinking that I was just a low life bum, I said,

“Cherry pie please.” My hood slipped a bit and she got more of a look at my face and her features changed. Pity wasn’t something anyone enjoyed seeing when being looked at but considering how sore I was on the side of my face, I knew what it must have looked like.  Then a little smile appeared as she must have read my face and she gave me an understanding nod before she whispered,

“You’re lucky, today’s special is a drink on the house with every slice.” Then she winked at me and I think if she had been on my side I would have hugged her for her kindness. Thankfully though there was a counter between us and therefore I was saved from looking like Queen of the nut jobs!

“Thank you.” I decided this was the safer option and then ordered the iced tea. When she came over with the pie I stopped her to ask about taxis.

“I could call you a cab, sure thing…where are you headed?”

“Uh, a club called Afterlife…do you know it?” At this she laughed.

“Honey, in a town this small, everyone knows about that place.
And you seemed like such a sweet girl.”
  I wanted to ask her what she meant by that muttered comment but she was already walking away. I saw her fish out her mobile and scroll through some numbers before she hit ring on one. She flashed me a curious look whilst speaking on the phone and I looked down to concentrate my attentions back on my pie.

“That cab should be with you soon, meantime you enjoy that pie.” I did just that, enjoying every mouthful. Then when my plate was empty I got up to use the bathroom to assess the damage. This time I was thankful to see it was a single room that I could lock, so I wouldn’t be caught out again like last time. I used the toilet and was washing the dried blood from my hands when I braved a look in the mirror.

“Oh Katie.”
I whispered chastising myself at the mess staring back at me. I dumped my bag on the toilet lid and rooted out the hair brush I knew was packed in there. I gingerly brushed through the knots being careful where the cut on my head had started to crust over. My blonde hair was stained crimson on one side, so I tried to wash it off as much as I could in the sink.

Then when I was satisfied I plaited it to one side and tucked it into my jacket. I washed my face but there was nothing to be done about the bruising that had had plenty of time to turn purple and snake around the side of my face and one eye. I must have taken the brunt of the damage to my head and one side of my body when the VW smashed on to its side. I closed my eyes against the throbbing pain in my head and the sting where my flesh was cut. What I wouldn’t have done right now for some painkillers as it was obvious the adrenaline was long gone and I was now running on empty.

But there was nothing to be done…I couldn’t stop now, not when I was so close. After deciding I had spent way too much time in the bathroom I walked back into the diner and heaved my stiff body back up on to my seat. Not long later I heard the beep outside that was my cue to leave and I got up from the stool, pushing the empty plate the waitress’s way. 

“The sign was right, best pies around.” I told her after putting a few bills down for the pie, including a good tip for her kindness.  She laughed as I walked through the door and when seeing the taxi, I knew that by getting in it I was one step closer to my goal.

“Not long now.” I said to myself pulling my jacket around me to shelter me from the cold seeping in. In the time that I had been in the diner the last of the daylight had gone being replaced by night. Getting in the taxi the first thing I noticed was the time and was surprised to see it was gone nine in the evening. Well at least the club would be in full swing and easier to go unseen amongst the crowds.

“You wanna go to Afterlife, am I right?” She sounded a bit abrupt, so I gathered it wasn’t one of her favourite places to visit.

“Yes please.” I said ignoring her look of distaste and wondering what it was about the club she disliked so much. We started driving in the same direction that I had walked to get here and I realised I had been holding my breath in case we needed to go back the other way. Right now I don’t think my fragile nerves could have coped with even getting close to it. By now at least the cops should be all over it and I would have been surprised if the road wasn’t closed because of it.

“Is it far?” I asked after a few minutes of the tension building.

“Not far enough in my opinion.” She replied curtly.

“I take it you’re not a fan?” I said pointing out the obvious. She tutted and said,

“Most definitely not.”

“Can I ask why?”

“Only if I can ask why you would want to go there?” She replied throwing my question back at me.

“I am meeting someone there, so didn’t have much choice in the matter.” Upon hearing this she seemed to lose the attitude towards me, at least for now.

“So you’ve never been there?” I nodded confirming what she said.

“Oh, well I guess you will find out what it’s like soon enough. The turning will be coming up in five minutes.” Those five minutes turned into twenty, as I thought it must have been that long since she had agreed to take anyone this way, she had forgotten how far it was. In fact, the further we travelled, the more my confusion increased. It seemed we were heading way out of town and started to think maybe we were lost because it made little sense why a club would be in the middle of nowhere like this. I was just about to ask the awkward ‘Did you get us lost’ question that no taxi driver likes to hear when she spoke, surprising me,

“Here we are.” Then she turned down a dark track that was tunnelled by the trees overhead. The whole thing had my nerves pulled tight like strings on a violin. I was desperate to get there as much as I was silently dreading it. What if it looked exactly like it had in my dream…
what if it didn’t?
 

What if
he
was there? No! I couldn’t think about that now. I had to focus on the job at hand and that was finding this Draven character and then trying to convince him to help me. So far everyone that seemed to know him told me he would and why would my dreams bring me this far if only to fail. Well I was left with no other options at this point, I needed to go through with this whether I wanted to or not.

“Holy shit…” I said on a gasp as Afterlife finally came into view.

“That’s one way to describe it.” The taxi driver said bitterly but I was no longer listening. I just found myself getting out of the car in a daze, not being able to tear myself away from the sight.

“It’s beautiful.”
I whispered in awe. The sound of the window going down and someone clearing their throat barely meant a thing and wasn’t enough to drag me away.

“I think you’re forgetting something.” She snapped and without looking at her I fished out some dollars from my bag and handed them through the window, again without being able to look away. It was as if I was afraid if I did it would disappear into the abyss that was my dream world.

“Thanks.”
I muttered.

“Crazy Goths!” She said to herself before she drove off leaving me standing in the middle of the car park staring at perfect dark beauty, lit by a soft warm glow of a few old fashioned street lamps. I thought I would have been surprised seeing that it wasn’t a castle but looking at the large stone blocks that made up the structure, I understood how my mind had easily made the mistake in my dreams.

So it wasn’t a castle but instead it was an enormous manor house that looked as though it was hundreds of years old. I wondered how far it went back considering most of it was hidden by the surrounding forest. Even the thick ivy that grew all over one side was trying to take over the building and I had to wonder how much longer it would take to be completely taken over by nature.

Looking at the imposing grand entrance I didn’t know how I was going to make my legs work. But it wasn’t just the stone archway or the thick black gates either side that caused me to worry but the two over built security guards who stood either side of the gates. What if they wouldn’t let me in?

Well there was only one way to find out. So I pulled my hood further down, hiding my face and shifted the strap of my bag over my shoulder.

“Here goes nothing.” I said looking down so no one would see me talking to myself. I walked to the entrance just as another group of people had been dropped off closer to the doors and they must have been regulars as the security guards nodded in acknowledgement. I used this as my opportunity to worm my way in so it seemed like I was part of the group.

Luckily I had thought to change into black trousers back in the woods because combined with the black jacket I at least looked the part. The group of regulars laughed around me and I excused myself as I was pushed to one side in their hurry to get inside. I landed against one side of the enormous wooden doors that seemed impenetrable. With my hands flat against the iron studded oak I was surprised to find it felt warm. It was so strange but the feelings of security that seeped in felt connected to my soul. It felt like…