Chapter
For the next few days, Nicole and I settled into a routine. We woke up, mulled things over during breakfast and then spent the rest of the day watching back to back episodes of 24. But finally, on the seventh day of seclusion, Nicole and I got out of the house, wrapped up in a sufficient amount of waterproof clothing. Rain had pelted the area with inches of rain over the past few days but I tried not to take that as an omen and instead stepped out into the dreary weather with a smile.
It took forty minutes to make a ten minute car journey and I couldn’t help but think it would have been quicker to walk. Still, Nicole and I sat in the overly cheery waiting room with nerves coursing through us. I was nervous because I had come to dislike the scent of hospitals due to my less than pleasant stay a year before. Nothing makes one love the smell of sick people and disinfectant than being burnt in a fire and waking up crispy. It wasn’t a good week for me.
“Nicole Armstrong to room two,” a tinny voice broke through the stagnant silence of the room, causing several people to groan and look up at the speaker with accusing glares. It was as if they thought the gesture would bring their turn just that bit quicker.
Turning towards my charge, I wrapped an arm around her shoulder and did my best to appear comforting. “Come on, Nic. We’ll see the doc, get you checked over and when we know everything is going excellently, we will spend the rest of the afternoon looking for adorably cute outfits.” I grinned. "Should probably get something for Lucius and Danny too."
“I still think it’s pretty cool that you know the devil. He looks more like a model than a red, fork-tailed beast of the underworld.” Nicole chirps as she waddles forwards with a little more bounce in her step than I thought she should be able to manage in her condition.
“Yeah, I suppose. Just don’t let him hear you say that or I’ll never hear the end of it.”
During our discussion we had stepped from the main waiting room and ambled down a narrow corridor until we came to our destination.
As we sat inside of the cosy examination room, I couldn’t help but remember when I had been sat in Nicole’s place, stomach swollen and a baby pressing a little too heavily on my bladder. I had felt so elated and yet panicked at the same time. All I wanted was to see my baby on that screen and to be told that everything was okay and yet at the same time you dread them telling you bad news. But I had had my best friend by my side.
This was why I stretched out an arm as Nicole laid out on the bed and squeezed her hand. It was to offer her a small amount of reassurance - to let her know that she was not along in all of the drama which encompassed her life.
Lights were turned down low and the two of us sat with anticipation burning within our hearts. Would the baby be normal? It was unique and there hadn’t been another like it in a very long time.
“The baby is perfectly normal. Do you already know the sex?” The woman enquired with her eyes completely focused upon moving the wand over my charges protruding stomach to gather all of the necessary data.
“No, I want it to be a surprise.” Nicole whispered in a faraway voice.
The tone caused my head to turn and I couldn’t help but let my lips turn into a smile to match Nicole’s when I noted her gaze was drawn raptly to the screen. In startling clarity we could see theblittle bundle of joy which would soon become her life.
“Ok, let me just print a few pictures and then you can be on your way.”
The elder woman smiled and patted Nicole’s other hand with a smile.
“Don’t worry dear, everything is fine. Your baby is perfect size and perfect development for the current gestation period. No pregnancy is alike but you are exactly where you should be. So don’t worry and remove those frown lines before you get as many wrinkles as I have.”
Nicole let out a choked sob and I could tell that it was nothing more than relief that was desperate to escape in any way that it could. Taking the proffered pictures while the nurse helped Nicole clean up the gel, I tried to shake loose the tension settling within me. I didn’t know why but the words ‘normal’ had removed some hope that I had felt. Looking down at the perfectly ordinary baby in the monochrome images, I acknowledged that it was beautiful in its own right yet I couldn’t stop feeling disappointment. I had been secretly praying that there would be something unusual about the baby – something special other than the fact that he is a miracle waiting to happen – something that could protect him from what will undoubtedly be haunting the poor child for its entire life.
After the tension that had built up over the week, Nicole and I decided to spend the rest of the day being normal people. It was nice to pretend that there wasn’t a war brewing within this very city, that there weren’t involved in a world that many still tried to deny existed. Thus after the check-up, the two of us descended upon the streets of London for some much needed retail therapy.
Mostly we window shopped until our feet ached but I relished the opportunity to use my well-earned bonus on a few necessities. I called them necessities but in reality it was an abundant amount of baby clothes that were just too cute not to buy. Because Nicole had chosen not to discover the sex of the baby I was forced to stick to neutral colours but I also decided to picks up a few gender specific outfits. Worst case scenario, I could keep them for any babies in the future or I could donate them to a local charity. Though what they would do with a fifty pound dress for a newborn baby is anyone’s guess.
We were just coming close to Satani Media, where I had decided to make a quick visit before we headed back to the house when I saw her. At first she was just one of those faces where you feel like you have seen the person before or that you knew them once upon a time. It wasn’t until she was basically toe to toe with us that it registered.
“Ms Holmes? I did not know you had returned to …” Claudia, Lucius’ demonic wannabe wife, sent a pointed glance at the girl beside me before giving a tinkling laugh that sent the hairs standing up on the back of my neck like the woman had just dragged her nails down a chalkboard. “London. I thought you would still be away on business, assisting Mr Satani. After all, that is your job.”
Ending on a sneer that was meant for me and only me, I tried to smile back at her, I truly did, but a lot of effort was required to shake off this woman’s grating attitude.
“I am shopping with my cousin,” I said with a warm smile which belied any tension that was now running through me. “Obviously that is all I can manage. Besides, Lucius is a big boy. He can look after himself, as I am sure you will know because you obviously know him so well.” I smiled sweetly to add further sting to my words.
The barb obviously worked as the demon flinched as if she had just been slapped before levelling her glare on me. There was definitely no love lost between us. On arriving in the underworld, I had discovered that this woman was an avid fan of the ruler of the underworld. Being his trusty side kick and friend, I had become the unwelcome object of her glares and I did wonder if she might have had a part in my kidnapping.
But she wouldn’t would she?
I just wondered whether it was him that she wanted or whether she was just interested into the man because of his position.
“Look Savannah, I have known Lucius longer than you can possibly image and if you think I will let some measly human get in my way.” Claudia snorted and flicked her hair over her shoulder. “Let’s just say that Lucius doesn’t base his self with humans. No matter how hard they try.”
I really wanted to point out the many times I had caught Lucius in the act during our short acquaintance but I didn’t think the unhinged woman would take it too well. Thus it was with relief that the demon before me shifted on the balls of her feet and stalked away with malicious purpose.
“I would hate to be the person she’s angry at.” Nicole whispered causing me to jump and remove my attention from the angered demon’s vanishing back.
I snorted a laugh. “I know, but I think she’s one of those people that are always angry at someone. It’s difficult not to be when she always wants something she can’t have and has to live with permanent disappointment.”
“She after Lucius then,” an elbow jabbed into my ribs playfully while the girl beside me giggled to herself.
“Yes, though to be truthful, I can’t think of anything worse.”
We ambled along for a little while more until we finally reached the glass doors of Satani media. We were just entering the lobby when a thought occurred to me.
“Hang on, what was Claudia doing up here anyway?”
Nicole couldn’t help me answer the question thus I was left to puzzle over it for myself.
“Maybe she’s mixed up in all of this,” the teen murmured absently as she eyed the vast opulence on every side.
I paused as the words struck some kind of resonance in my mind. There was no way that Claudia could be involved in all of this. Yes, she was enthralled by Lucius, but the person behind all of this was attempting to undermine his power – to replace him. She couldn’t be doing that could she?
Growling at myself under my breath, I followed after the lagging young woman before me into the lobby. Kirsten, one of my first acquaintances at Satani Media, grinned from her place at the desk. She had changed much over the past year, though that was much to do with the change in her employer’s attitude as it was her initiation into the things unknown. Instead of the bitchy attitude and superiority complex that had oozed from her being on our first meeting, Kirsten offered us a warm smile and waved enthusiastically.
“Oh it is so good to see you. This place has been a nightmare without you and Mr Satani.” Kirsten said by way of greeting before holding out a large pile of mail. “Here’s the confidential pile, everything else I gave to the respective department heads. Oh and you need to contact Lucius as soon as you can.” Kirsten broke of suddenly before nodding her head at Nicole. “Does she know? Oh okay, well the last of our seers, she passed away last night but not before telling us of her final vision.” Her face took on a rather sombre expression. “It doesn’t bode well I am afraid. It’s in the pile there.”
I nodded my thanks and looked at the pile of mail feeling a little down heartened at the amount of work that would surely ensue.
“Right that’s everything, now you head on home. You’re not supposed to be back for another week so I don’t want to see you until then.” Kirsten shooed the two of us away with a flick of her hands. I opened my mouth but she shot me a glare. “No protesting, Savannah. Now get going before I get security to escort you out.”
Trying not to be offended, I wrapped an arm around my charge’s shoulder and escorted her from the building.
“Come on,” I said taking in her lagging steps and the tiredness radiating from her being. “Let’s head home for some take out and movies.”
I got a murmured assent from her but my mind was busy playing over everything; Nicole and her baby, the dead seer, the book Hades had given me and of course Claudia. Something told me it would not be the last time I would see her in the coming days. I just hoped it wasn’t going to cause any kind of threat to myself of Nicole. We already had enough of that.