The Quarter Moon (Afterlife saga) Read online

  “Oh really?” I smiled back when he raised an eyebrow.

  “Yes, Mr oh really…” At this he gave me a beaming smile and I knew if I wasn’t already in love with the world’s most handsome man, then this smile would have made me melt. I went to my door, opened to the pull the latch. By the time I closed the door he was still waiting for me to elaborate.

  “There is a small leak in one of the pipes from the radiator. I know I should have been watching my temperature gauge so it didn’t overheat but I…well, I had more important things on my mind at the time… anyway, I think I might have warped the metal and blown an overhead gasket.” I finished and he now looked stunned. He actually had to clear his throat and I laughed a little when he turned from me.

  “Let’s take a look should we?” He said, his voice dropping an octave. I tried not to notice when he covertly adjusted his jeans slightly. He looked at my steaming engine and started nodding his head.

  “Well sugar, you know your stuff, I will give ya that.” I laughed making him look my way.

  “Not really…I kind of…well I broke down earlier this morning and some guy helped me then, I just remembered what he told me and reeled off the same stuff to you.” I confessed and this granted me another beaming grin.

  “I can see I am gonna have to watch myself around you.” He laughed out a husky sound and rubbed his head again.

  “Ok sugar, I am gonna have to get her hooked up and tow her back to my shop, can I drop you off somewhere on the way?” I gave him my address and he nodded. I stood back to let him work and he told me to wait in the cab as it was warmer in there. At first he had tried to give me his jacket but I convinced him I was fine. Just before he was about to strap my poor truck up, I remembered something vital.

  “Wait!” I shouted and ran to my truck door.

  “Sorry, I forgot my bag and stuff.” I said making him shrug his shoulders and motion for me to go ahead. I reached in, grabbed the most important thing which was the frustrating envelope and my bag.

  “Thanks.” I said letting him get back to it.

  We were soon on the move and after a few silent minutes he startled me by reaching across me while driving and offered me his hand.

  “I’m Edison Tucker but my friends call me Eddie or Tuck.” He said as I shook his hand.

  “ET!” I blurted out and he raised his eyebrows.

  “Sorry, I just mean…your initials, are ET right?” I said, now being the one to blush.

  “I guess, hey…you’re not comparing me to a short, wrinkly alien are you, ‘cause man, I will tell ya, that will hurt any guys ego?” He said joking, making me laugh and shake my head at the same time.

  “Sorry, I have this bad habit of speaking without thinking…I think I need a new brain filter or something.” I said hoping that letting him know I was a little mental would help. He let out a mighty laugh that shook his large frame.

  “I think your brain is just fine…damn fine.” Did I hear that last part right? I chose to ignore his whispered compliment but I couldn’t hide the damn blush that went with it.

  “So, was that guy your boyfriend?” The question caught me off guard.

  “Sorry?”

  “I mean…sorry it’s none of my business.” He looked uncomfortable now and I put my hand on his arm before I could stop myself.

  “Which guy?” I asked feeling my pulse quicken at just the thought…why wasn’t I even thinking straight. I mean someone had walked into this guy’s work place and told him where I would be. Did the Oracle have someone working for her on this little game or could it have been someone I knew?

  “He never told me his name, but he paid me for the tow and more than enough to fix what’s wrong with your truck, I just guessed he must have been your boyfriend is all.”

  “This guy paid for the work?!” I said a bit dumbfounded.

  “Yeah and I am guessing with that tone, you don’t know who he is?” I just shook my head at him and gave him a blank look of pure confusion.

  “Apart from paying for the job, what else did he say?”

  “Well it was weird ‘cause he told me not to hurry with fixin’ your truck, ‘cause you won’t be needing it straight away…and I am taking that cute wide eyed look of yours that this is not the case?”

  “Umm, that would be a big Hell no! Why would anyone say that?” This last part I asked myself out loud. He shrugged his shoulders and then jumped a little as if remembering something.

  “I almost forgot. He also gave me something to give you when he paid.”

  “What was it?” I shouted eagerly grabbing his arm again. Man wasn’t I the touchy feely one today, I thought letting go of the poor guy.

  “Sorry, I guess my social skills need working on today.” I mumbled.

  “Hey, don’t go saying sorry for touching me…I mean…oh shit, I didn’t mean that sexually or anything…shit!...Now look who is the one that needs to find their social skills.” He said rubbing his large palm over his shaved head. I laughed thinking this had been one Hell of a morning.

  “Let’s start over, my name is Keira, I have a broken truck, that hopefully you will be able to fix, because I have a real soft spot for that hunk of junk, and the guy you met wasn’t my boyfriend.” I said shaking his hand again, making him grin at me. That look had me regretting all this as I now thought he got the wrong impression that this was flirty…was this flirting?

  “Eddie, the idiot that keeps putting his foot in it and will, without a doubt, thanks to my mad skills as a mechanic be able to fix your hunk of junk.” I laughed and slapped him lightly on the arm.

  “Hey, less of the junk bit!”

  “Hey yourself sugar, you said it first and besides…she isn’t that bad.” He added with a sideways smirk.

  The rest of the journey to my house continued on in this playful conversation and I found I liked Eddie and his easy, blushing smile. That was until he pulled up to my house and asked me his next question,

  “So Keira, I…umm, well I wanted to ask you if you fancied going for a drink sometime…or maybe, I don’t know, like dinner?” Right at this point my mind got slammed with a vision so strong I couldn’t breathe. I don’t know how it happened or where it came from but it put me on a cross roads with two paths to choose. To the left was a sign that said ‘Blooming Orchard Drive’ and when I closed my eyes that path filled my mind with an onslaught of images.

  It started with chatty dates, evenings filled with laughter thanks to Eddie’s playful manner. Then nights sat kissing on his battered couch in the flat above his shop. Teasing nicknames like ‘ET’ for him and ‘Hot Red’ for me. Introductions to friends and family. Him holding little Ella and shaking hands with Frank after having a beer from out of our fridge. BBQ’s, birthdays, Christmas’s all merged into one. Then a simple wedding flashed up and a beautiful man in a Tux who had shaved for the occasion.

  Then there it was, a sign we drove past that said ‘Blooming Orchard Drive’ where a little quaint house that needed painting and a new fence sat. What came with it was a montage of snippets of our time there. Chasing each other with paint brushes, that ended in a tangle of limbs on the floor in one of the rooms. I swallowed hard when I saw us making love and me calling out a different name.

  The visions only stopped on the cruellest of all. I was being wheeled into the hospital by an anxious Eddie at my side and my breathing was laboured in pain. My hands were protectively on my pregnant belly, as I was ready to give birth to our first child.

  Then time dragged itself back at such a speed it was like the sight one would see in a blur going too fast for our eyes to keep up. It snapped me back to that same crossroads and had me facing my one other path. This one was named,

  ‘7 Breaths to make, to 7 Steps to take, to 7th Heaven you will wake’

  One step in this direction took me to one vision and one alone…the only one needed.

  I was back in Draven’s arms looking up at him. He raised his hands to frame my face and he placed his fore
head to mine. I saw his lips move but I didn’t need to hear the words to know what he said, it was a clear as the sky we stood under, as beautiful as the summer sun which shone down on us. We stood on his balcony and Ava landed next to us but we didn’t look her way, we couldn’t move and stand the thought of turning away from each other, I couldn’t, not as he told me,

  He loved me.

  I was suddenly slammed back to the now and turned to see Eddie waiting for my answer. I felt my heart pinch in my chest as I looked into the eyes of the man who could no doubt bring me a life filled with happiness. But it just wasn’t enough. It would never be enough. I knew that without the help of any vision. I knew that, thanks to this heart that beat inside of me for the only one person that would ever own it.

  The other half of a beating muscle that kept my blood still pumping around an empty vessel. Empty, until I could step back into those arms and feel him as he gave me back my soul.

  Dominic Draven, my soul’s keeper.

  “I’m sorry Eddie, I would love to say yes and would… if …well…if I wasn’t already in love with someone else.” I said biting my lip and feeling like I had just sealed a fate with a locked door, one as thick as a bank vault. He gave me a little head nod but the disappointment was clear.

  “I figured a beauty and funny sweetheart like you wouldn’t be single. He’s a lucky guy, whoever he is.” He said lifting my hand and giving the back a little kiss. I was so touched, I couldn’t stop myself from giving him a hug and I felt him breathe me in, making a shudder vibrate through his chest.

  “Thank you for asking Eddie, and someday I have no doubt you will make someone a great catch. You take care of yourself…oh and my truck of course.” I finished with a wink and he laughed. I opened the door and was just getting out when he stopped me.

  “I almost forgot to give you this.” He said pulling out an envelope from his jacket and handing it to me.

  “Thanks ET,” I said making him chuckle. We may not ever have a life together, but no one was ever gonna get to call him that nickname but me.

  “You’re welcome, Hot Red.” He said smirking and I burst out laughing. I left his truck on a massive high and in the complete opposite mood to when I had left this morning.

  I waved to him and watched him until he went out of sight. I then rushed into the house to find a letter left back on top of mine in the kitchen. It was from Libby saying they had gone shopping and were going to grab pizzas for tonight.

  Normally finding no one here would have me feeling low within seconds but with this new letter in my hands and everything that had happened this morning, I was in need of the solitude.

  I rushed up the stairs, whipped the dress over my head, dumping it in my wash basket and tied up my hair. I changed into some comfy clothes and sat on my bed, ready to read the next part. I opened it up and when I pulled out the thick wad I noticed the first part was in the form of plane tickets. I looked at the destination and like last time, one comment came to mind,

  “Son of a Bitch!”

  Chapter 10

  Royal Pain in the Cryptic Ass

  I looked down in my hands that not only held my ticket out of here but more importantly, my first real footstep in the direction to bringing Draven back.

  “London.” I said the destination out loud and flopped back on my pillows as I blew all the air out through my cheeks. It took me a moment to absorb it all and I had to shake my head to carry on with the letter. I picked it up and confusion hit me big time. It was an A4 sized piece of paper with only one sentence in the centre,

  Didn’t fancy pulling ET?

  “WHAT!?” I shouted out loud reading it again and again. Was this it?! Was this all I was going to get? This was unbelievable and just confirmed two things, the first being that this Pythia was truly and completely nuts! The second was that, when I finally met this nutter, I was going to strangle her!

  “No I didn’t bloody pull ET! What is wrong with you people, just talk normal!” I shouted at the ceiling whilst slamming the pathetic excuse for a letter down.

  “Arrrggghhhh!” It was only when I was panting through my little rage episode that I looked down to see that the piece of paper had started to mist over. I could see little ink veins travel from the underneath around the top and they came together growing into thicker branches.

  “What the Hell!” I whispered as all the branches joined together and swirled around until they suddenly splattered outwards making me jump back. It was as if someone had a water balloon full of ink and had just thrown it at the page. Then I watched on as the ink seeped into the page leaving only words behind. The first line made my mouth drop open.

  There is no need to shout, I was only asking!

  But as I now have your answer, it is time to proceed.

  Good choice by the way!

  I then couldn’t believe it as I read on and it began like any other letter....

  Dear Tricks,

  Well that was exciting now wasn’t it? Ok, so now it is time to crack on and flip the coin. The next steps will take you further into a place you have never known but have faith young traveller, as it won’t be your only friend on this journey.

  First you must go back to where it all began and take steps into the past that put you at the Kings level. Only in his footsteps will the answers come into the light.

  A coin is just a payment for the ferryman but when kissed by Angelic Royalty it becomes a key into the palace. Take this key to the Hellfire gates and the mouth will drop at the sight of the depths Charon will go. Cross over to the other side with aid from which payment is granted and walk the path your lover’s fate will take you.

  There you will find your King and with it your answers,

  Now is the time to put pen to page for the riddle it dances,

  To find the Ahoy and your deck,

  Place your true name in order of its peck.

  The last letter in your name is where you will begin,

  Then jump to the start, find 3 A’s, put two in the bin.

  To see the next 3 we’ll leave your name behind,

  And look back to my words where the same 3 you will find.

  The same letter you will see in my madness of double 3,

  Never have over a traveller’s level lover for tea.

  But then look back to what you find in half a ships greeting,

  Before continuing on to find where we will be meeting.

  So back we jump to your name once again,

  Time to jot down the doubles and leave out the N,

  But the L we won’t need until the last in the word,

  Have faith in your King for this next letter to be heard.

  For there is one who you love, this much is true,

  But take him away and the answer left is in the do.

  For with 4 in this Journey is Key to Royalty,

  Here you will use 1 and then the A you find in loyalty.

  The last word comes out on the page as a whole,

  With the last step in my game for reaching your goal,

  For a whistle and flute is the name of the place,

  He pays at the end and leaves with his case.

  Oh and Keira…have fun!

  P x

  “Oh you gotta be kiddin’ me!” I shouted shaking the letter. This was unbelievable! Not only was I crap with riddles but this one looked like the Holy Grail, Mother of all that is Crazy and New York Times crossword level of difficult! Well, there went my good mood I thought as I dropped the letter. I don’t know how long I sat there giving the paper my death ray look with my arms folded but some time later my stomach rumbled at me. I got up, determined to leave the paper where it was, but it was suddenly as though it had become a bloody puppy, whiney about being left.

  “Fine!” I snapped as I picked it back up and went downstairs with it in my hand. I slapped it down onto the kitchen table making it shake under the force.

  “I haven’t finished with you buster!” I said to it thinking that by the
time I finally did meet this Pythia I was going to be as crazy as she was! I mean here I was talking to a piece of paper and all I wanted to do with was ram it down the loo!

  “Tea…I need tea!” I said turning away from the table and clicking on the kettle. I made myself a sandwich and was chewing angrily, thinking this was doing nothing for my poor molars. All the time I couldn’t take my eyes from that damn letter. It was like it had some sort of spell. Like a magical pull that wouldn’t let me go until I knew its meaning. I rolled my eyes and wiped the crumbs from my mouth with the back of my hand.

  “Fine, let’s do this.” I said and plonked myself down to start the unlikely task of decrypting this mad code. Five seconds later I was swearing at it. None of it made any sense and forget about needing a degree, this thing needed a technologically advanced little green man with a PHD!

  “Holy shit Pythia, why didn’t you just send me a bloody rubic cube! It would have been faster…or here’s an idea, why not just do it the normal way and write down a bloody address! Oh no, couldn’t do that for me now, and while we’re at it try stepping into the modern day and emailing me! Hell, I wouldn’t say no to a homing pigeon as long as it didn’t come with quiz attached to its leg!” I said all this as I stormed back up the stairs…letter in hand of course.

  I deflated into my desk chair and stared at the letter until the words started to blur and then slam, the first answer came to me.

  “No way!” I shouted as I wrenched open the drawer so hard I nearly pulled it from its runners. I grabbed a piece of paper and a pencil. I ignored the first three lines until it got to the part about my ‘true name’. At first I wrote down Catherine but then it didn’t make any sense so I added the rest,

  Catherine Keiran Williams

  Then I followed the rules. The last letter in my name was S so I wrote that down. Then I found the next one was A so added that. The next part about ‘madness of double 3’ which I gathered meant 6 but that was all I could get from the next part, so I moved on. I had no clue to the ‘Traveller’s level lover’ so passed on that as well.