The Pentagram Child: Part 1 (Afterlife Saga Book 5)

by Stephanie Hudson

  “And what of it, that’s what she does when she doesn’t want to face what she believes is the truth. But like a moth to the flame, she comes back to what she sees as her light in the dark.” I shook my head and said more calmly this time,

  “And what if she doesn’t, she could be out there right now getting attacked getting…” I stopped when Lucius actually did start laughing,

  “I think out of us all our little bird is one of the safest people alive right now, after all you maybe her light, but the rest of us are her moths.” I thought about that for a moment and realised he was right.

  To think some of the most powerful beings of my kind, each a King in their own right and each one putty in her mortal hands. All of them willing to risk their very vessels on this earth just to protect something they didn’t fully understand but knew nothing else mattered. Everyone was drawn to her and each had played a part in her journey in keeping her safe and each I knew would still act as such. Which begged the question, did this all have something to do with the prophecy?

  “Ah, now I can see you’re finally asking yourself the right question.” Lucius said looking as if this was something he had been waiting for all along.

  “You thought the same thing didn’t you?” I said losing the last of my anger as my focus was centred on something far greater.

  “Just think about it, think about what she has gained since knowing you? But then think more of what she has achieved since she lost you? She has done what none of us would have ever been able to do, something if I recall we ourselves tried to accomplish with little success.” The more Lucius spoke the clearer the picture became. He was right, there was a time when the plan was to reunite all the most powerful beings the Gods had given life to and join forces ready for the one day we knew would come…Judgement Day.

  “You really think it could be possible?”

  “If you would have asked me that question before meeting your Chosen, then I would still be trying to kill you but now…well, now I owe her not only my life but also for a life I never knew I could have.” I let Lucius’ words sink in deep and held them there until they became completely ingrained.

  “So you need to ask yourself, what is the one and only thing that the Fates would need in making you leave?”

  “Her death.” I released my biggest fears on a tortured breath.

  “And in doing so she sets out on this prompted journey by the Oracle herself. The sole vessel of the Fates themselves is sent to your girl and guides her. Not only that but also binds her to the broken shadowed King of the Ouroboros and draws her a map straight to the bitter Cerberus, that he even took her to a place he vowed never to return.”

  “By the Gods! I have been so blind!” I said knowing now in the depths of my soul it to be all true.

  “I think my friend you will find in today’s terminology they call that ‘being played’.”

  “The Fates set it all up!” I bellowed feeling the outrage build.

  “It would seem so but don’t beat yourself up to much, as like I said, love can blind us all, it just so happens that after she left me to find you I had the time to see things clearly and do a little digging.”

  “What do you mean?” I asked after running a frustrated hand through my hair and only just realising my mask was still firmly in place.

  “I spent some time retracing the footsteps before she reached me. I found out what each of her unlikely guardians had done for her and then I waited. Once she came home after not finding the outcome she hoped for I put my people on her from afar and do you know what I found?” I growled at knowing he had his men watching her but decided quickly learning the truth was the most important thing right now.

  “Tell me.”

  “I found that your own men weren’t the only ones keeping a watchful eye on her. That in fact, it would seem there are players in this game we didn’t even know about, that are making it their mission to protect who they clearly consider their Queen.” Hearing this filled me with equal amounts of dread and relief.

  “Cerberus and Ragnar’s son?”

  “Both of which had their own men watching her.”

  “And another you say?” Lucius nodded slowly and I knew him long enough to know the concealed rage at this knowledge that only showed in his eyes.

  “I have tried to track him down but the power of manipulation and manifestation is even greater than my own. His mind is near impossible to get a hold of and up until this point I did not think there was a being alive that had the power to defeat me.” I almost laughed and probably would have if the circumstances hadn’t been upon me for I knew how painful that must have been for one such as Lucius to admit.

  “I think I saw him in the library where Keira works and I agree, the power I felt was unlike anything I ever felt before.” I thought for a moment and then asked the hardest question,

  “Do you think he wishes to harm her?”

  “Well that is the odd thing.”

  “What?” I asked getting impatient as I watched Lucius casually take a seat.

  “He only appeared months later, after she had been home a while.”

  “Then something happened, something too…Cain.” I said as it all clicked into place.

  “To the very day.” Lucius confirmed.

  “So this Nephilim turns up and all of a sudden Keira has a new protector, is that what you’re saying?”

  “It would seem so, because make no mistake, even with the hidden army she has protecting her, the power this one possesses would have no issues in taking them down as easily as you or I and simply taking her.”

  “This thought doesn’t comfort me.” I confessed.

  “Well if I was you I would choose to overlook the dangers and look at it as our girl simply drawing in a new moth. You do remember the prophecy words, don’t you...?” At this my head shot up and I frowned down at him.

  “But that was never proven…”

  “It was also never disproved My Lord.” Lucius said knowing that by once again calling me his Lord that it was a clear sign we were back on the same side once and for all.

  “And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, come and see. And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer” Lucius said reciting the Book of Revelation or better known as simply The Apocalypse.

  “The Seven seals.” I said out loud feeling as if the wind had been knocked right out of me.

  “There is of course no proof other than time will tell. But at the very least now you know the reason the Fates have been using you and your Chosen as pawns in a game you didn’t even know you were playing.” Put like that I had to agree with him, although he was forgetting one very important rule,

  “But you know the Fates can’t lie.” I reminded him.

  “No, this is indeed a fundamental truth we as our kind have been born into. However, they are not without their skills at both exploiting their importance and implicating a lie hidden within a truth.” This made sense, so much so I said,

  “You’re talking about slight of hand in the form of words.”

  “It is easily done preying on someone’s fears but when it is their greatest fear, well up until Keira you had none. But then whisper the chance of the loss of your greatest love and your mind will hold onto that fear and not let go.” Lucius said all this and then I lost the serious advisor I used to have as my right hand when he said,

  “I mean, look how they fucked me over giving me you as a friend!”

  And there he was… the cocky bastard was back.

  Before Lucius left he assured me Keira would be safe and soon found, to which I could only hope my confidence in him wasn’t misplaced. I decided to get out of these clothes and then go in search of her once again myself as the mounting time away from her felt like a razorblade to my nerves. For not only was she out there alone but she
was also out there thinking the worst of me.

  I slumped on the end of the bed and held my head in my hands. I felt the mask still there and feeling it only reminded me of her own mask and how dangerous it was for people to know what it meant.

  Claiming her as my Queen tonight had been a bold move but one I only made with the intention of never letting her out of my sight. But then seeing Lucius and knowing what had happened in Sophia’s dressing room, well that was enough to know what needed to be done. I could not have her hurt by my touch and there was only one person who would know what was to be done about it and that was the person who had put it there.

  “AHH!” I made a sound of frustrated rage and ripped off my mask throwing it across the floor towards the door. If only she had just heard the rest of what I was going to say then she would…

  “I tried to do that with mine but it wouldn’t work.”

  “Keira!” I shouted her name in shock and she shrugged her shoulders. Then told me the only words I needed to hear…

  “I promised you I wouldn’t run.”

  Keira

  Chapter 35

  Done Waiting.

  I watched as Draven lifted his head and he said my name as if he had just battled the greatest of wars and come out of it far from the victor. He looked like a man lost and unsure of what his next step should be. In fact the sight took the breath from me in a whoosh that forced my hand to my chest.

  “I promised you I wouldn’t run.” I said knowing these were the only words that needed to be said right now. Because the words I had come here with had left me in sight of the man I loved looking worried and broken. No, this wasn’t the picture of a man who had been in the throes of passion with his ex or even someone who had even ever considered it.

  No, this was nothing short of a man in despair.

  Suddenly he stood quickly and before I had chance to say a word he stormed over to me like a man on a mission. I swear my heartbeat fell into a rhythm that matched each of his determined steps. He came right up to me breathing heavy and I watched in silence as his chest rose and fell with his mounting tension.

  “Draven..?” I whispered but his next movement stole my question as he took my face in his hands and said,

  “I’m done waiting!” And then he pushed me back against the door and ripped my own mask from me. He threw it to the floor along with his and kissed me like he was trying to imprint his soul onto mine. I briefly heard the crunch of his own mask that he must have stepped on to get closer to me. Well he obviously didn’t care one bit considering he didn’t stop. No, instead he took me further. He took me deeper under his spell and one that was labelled the past.

  I felt the kiss fire my nerves and he must have felt the same as I could feel him shuddering against me. His hands found mine and he linked his fingers with my smaller ones before lifting them above my head and pinning me there. I could barely believe this was actually happening. It was like so many cruel dreams of mine all coming together and taking it to a whole new level. It made me want to cry out to the Gods and beg for this to be real, for them to just let us be together. It made me want to battle his world and mine just for the right to hold on to this moment and keep it where it belonged. I just wanted him with every staggered breath I took and every lit cell in my body.

  “Draven…” I said breathlessly as his lips tore from mine just long enough to allow me the needed air. He transferred both my hands into one of his to continue to hold me to the door. It was as if he feared I would get away from him if he gave me the chance. Of course this action also freed up one of his hands.

  “You won’t need this for the rest of the night.” He said as he first ran his fingertips across my collarbone and then along the stunning necklace he’d given me. I drew in a shocked breath as he snapped it from my neck but he didn’t give me time to worry about it being broken as he fixed the links before dropping it to the floor.

  He ran his fingertips slowly down my cheek as his kiss softened slightly, teasing my lips and biting gently. Then I moaned in his mouth and that gentle hand suddenly gripped my neck tightly forcing my head back to the door. It was such an aggressive move I was surprised that it didn’t hurt but the shock of it made my clit pulse in response.

  “You’re my girl,” he growled low into my cheek after using his thumb on my chin to turn my head to the side. Then he opened his mouth as if he just wanted to bite me but thought better of his instincts and kissed me instead. His lips kissed their way up my jaw line and up to my ear.

  “Say it.” He ordered making me moan again and close my eyes.

  “Say it, Keira…say it now!” I didn’t need to ask what it was that he needed to hear as I felt it coming from him in waves of possessiveness. I let my head fall back further onto the door glad that I was being held up by one strong arm above me. Then I let my mouth fall open on first a blissful sigh before speaking the truthful words he needed to hear,

  “I’m yours.” As soon as I uttered what felt like a confession his hands left me. I opened my eyes in shock and for an awful moment I thought this was my rejection. I was just about to protest when one look at the animalistic lust in his purple eyes and I knew it was far from over…no, now it was only the beginning. This was proven when he grabbed handfuls of material at the top of my dress and in one swift action completely tore it in two until it barely hung limp from my hips.

  I must have looked like some nobleman’s daughter being ravished by some powerful land owner, considering he too was still in costume. I watched as his hungry gaze mentally caressed every naked inch of my torso as there had been little room for underwear in this dress. And boy did he look happy about it, if the bulge in his pants was anything to go by.

  He suddenly picked me up and the rest of the dress fell to the floor leaving me in just a pair of black lace briefs. I got the hint of a grin when he looked down at them like he was thinking about what they would feel like when shredded in his hand. I was then carried to the bed and with each step he took his own clothes started to deteriorate as if we were stepping rapidly through time.

  By the time he lay me down at the bed’s centre he too was naked. He followed me down and lay out on top of the length of me but holding most of his weight from crushing me. It was just enough to feel trapped and this, along with everything else that was Draven, made my thighs wet with the evidence of my need.

  Before his hands went to either side of my head he reached down and proved that I had been right moments before. He ripped the lace from me that covered my sex and it tugged me to the side forcefully making me moan with greater need.

  Then with his hands back to my face, his fingers inched their way into my hair as he stared down at me. This was when time seemed to slow down and that raw intensity that was our attraction seemed to soar to a new level of intimacy. It was in that next second that something passed through his features and if I had to guess what it was, I would have to say it was as though he was looking back on all the painful times he had missed this sight. It was no doubt the sight of me under him and looking up with eyes heavy with my own lust.

  The thought made me blush as there was nothing else in that moment that his eyes were telling me. It was as if we didn’t need words to explain what we had both been through. We just needed our silent bodies to communicate for us. And as my legs fell open it was all the communicating Draven needed. So with his eyes still locked to mine and keeping me captured by the power of emotion, he surged into me, filling me on a cry deep to the core.

  My body arched with the feeling of being stretched in the most beautiful way and he held me immobile and encased in his arms as I adjusted to his size. I vaguely heard him whispering words of encouragement in my ear, calling me his good girl for taking all of him and giving him what he needed.

  After a few seconds more he started to move so slowly it felt like he was lighting up all the nerves inside me. It was like my body needed to move, it needed to groan and show its pleasure but I was still being held down in Drave
n’s hold.

  “I need…I need…”

  “Only I know what you need.” He growled in my ear before tipping his head down and biting into my neck, making me cry out when at the same time he thrust back in. He sucked at the broken skin at my neck, drinking me down. With each pull at my blood he thrust mimicking the action like playing a fine tuned instrument. Well as far as I was concerned he could play me till his fingers bled and until there was nothing left of me to sound out.

  “Look at me.” He ordered softly and it was only the sound of his voice that made me realise I had indeed closed my eyes. I felt like my lids were begging me to stay closed as if the emotion I was feeling was too much for them to bear.

  “There she is.” He said when I finally managed to look up at him. He still had my head held in his hands as he started to once again move so excruciatingly slow.

  “Faster.” I managed to mutter but knowing he would hear me all the same.

  “Not yet, I want to savour you.” He said coming down and whispering above my lips with his nose to mine. He then pulled back again and used the pad of his thumb to gently run under my eye then circle along my cheek.

  “Please.” I shamefully asked and I felt his other hand fist in my hair drawing a sharp breath from me. He quickened his pace but still he held himself back.

  “Please Draven.” I said again adding his name and this time I cried out as his teeth found my nipple. He feasted on my breast and once again at the same time increased his movements.

  “Yes.” I said on a moan and when I arched my body in the little space he had created I managed to force my nipple deeper into his mouth, making it vibrate as he groaned around it.

  “Ahhh.” I said as his teeth dug in further and he started to roll my nipple between his painful hold. It felt incredible and was like a direct line to my pulsating clit.

  “More?” He asked releasing my breast and I nodded my head not being able to find the words as I felt myself building.