Afterlife (Afterlife Saga)

by Stephanie Hudson

  “Hey what's wrong with you, you look tense?” Jack said as he joined me at the bar. I looked back at the VIP area and glared in the direction I knew he was because from there I now knew you could see everything down here.

  “Yeah, well I'm pissed off!” I said as I ordered a coke from Mike and then changed my mind saying “Ah hell, give me a shot of tequila.”

  “Whoa aren't you driving?”

  “Yeah, but one won’t hurt and trust me I need it!” I said downing it in one without the lemon or salt.

  “Wow you're hard core baby!” He said giving my chin an affectionate little squeeze. Then I don't know why but I did something so out of character that I shocked myself as I went on my tiptoes and kissed Jack on the cheek, not being able to help the look up towards Draven as I did this.

  “Well the band might be Crap but it was definitely worth coming tonight but I have to ask, what was that for?” He said with the biggest smile on his face.

  “For being sweet and cheering me up.” I said as I ordered a more sensible coke.

  “So come on, what happened… leader of the vamp pack been throwing his weight around?” He said as we walked back to the others.

  “Something like that yeah! But hey I'm really sorry I'm going to have to cancel our date.”

  “What, Grrr that sucks! But it's nice to see you all worked up about it. What can I say, I bring out the fighting spirit in every girl, ha.” He laughed leaving me feeling guilty. I excused myself and went to the ladies to compose my thoughts. Of course it didn't help that I felt like I was being watched everywhere I went.

  I looked in the mirror back at my reflection and didn't like what I saw there. I shouldn't have used Jack to get to Draven. I mean why would it even affect him anyway, he had made it perfectly clear on his feelings about me and if not by treating me like a leper for the past couple of weeks then most certainly tonight's humiliating torture. It had felt like 40 lashes to my heart and I hated that I still felt the same for him. I was like a magnet for the worst type of men, they would dig their claws in and I couldn't escape their clutches. Only with Draven, he would suck me in again and again and then spit me back out whenever it suited him.

  I splashed some cold water on my face and rubbed the back of my neck with my hands. What a fool I was. Here was Jack who thought that I was angry because I couldn't go on a date with him and secretly I had been relieved. There was nowhere I would rather be than at the club. The reason I was so angry was the way he had spoken to me. His coldness! His contempt! He was insufferable!

  I stayed later than I had expected to but I knew that if I had gone early I would have just spent the time in my room stewing over “Lord Draven”! When the band finished and RJ had flirted with every member including the sound technician, we said our goodbyes and I walked to my car.

  It was one of the only ones left in the car park and it made it look dark and eerie. I fumbled with the keys in my bag trying to get into the safety of my ‘tank’. I found them but only to drop them on the wet ground, which I could barely see. I bent down feeling around for them as they had gone a bit under the trim of my truck. I felt the cold metal and grasped my fingers round them. I bent back up and tried the lock but when I looked through my window I noticed I wasn't alone.

  Staring straight back at me was the bird perched on the top of the next car. Its eyes were glowing purple and it spread its wings as though ready for flight. It made a high-pitched screech and put its head down making its razor sharp beak shine in the moonlight. I screamed at the noise, dropping my keys again. Damn it! I bent down again quickly and whipped them from the gravel floor as they had fallen by my foot. I came up like shot and rammed the keys in the lock. I looked to check the bird hadn't moved closer but it had gone. I didn't wait for it to reappear, jumping in the car, locking the doors and starting the ignition I drove out of there like a bat out of hell!

  When I got home all the lights were off and I knew Frank and Libby would be in bed. I sat in my car for a while, feeling still too freaked to move. The bird was the one thing I knew wasn't in my head because Jack had seen it too. I sat there tapping my hand on the dash trying to pluck up the courage to walk the short distance to the front door. I mean it was only a bird, what was I so frightened about?

  Ok, so it was the scariest, biggest most demonic looking bird on the planet and it looked like it could rip out my jugular with one swipe but hey apart from that! I counted to three and bolted out of the door not even bothering to lock it. I ran to the door with my key already in hand and shoved it in the keyhole. I pushed open the door and slammed it shut forgetting about Frank and Libby in bed. I listened but there wasn't a sound so I gathered they hadn't heard.

  I just wanted this night to end, as it had been one thing after another. I walked over to the liquor cabinet and poured myself a drink of whisky, then I went into the kitchen to get some ice from the dispenser. I just needed a drink to calm my nerves and seeing as I hadn't yet made an appointment to see a therapist it was the next best thing to sleeping pills.

  I took my drink upstairs and the first thing I did was close the blind above my window seat. Knowing that the bird was out there somewhere and seemed to have a tendency to keep finding me, I thought it best to hide. I knew I would never sleep right away so I took myself and my glass over to my desk and pulled out the drawing pad that I kept my secret demons in. I tore out a page and began to sketch.

  I woke the next morning to find Draven's face staring back at me. I didn't remember at first that I had sketched a picture of him so I was shocked to see the perfect features that I had burned to the memory slot of my brain. It was his deep set eyes, his strong jaw line, even down to his stubble and his shoulder length hair styled back off his face. I had captured every bit of him as though I had copied a photograph. Just looking at it gave me Goosebumps and I quickly put it away in my drawer, hiding his cold glare. I had drawn him the way he looked last night and the memory made me close my eyes and push it back into the far corners of my mind, next to the other bad stuff I stored there.

  I got to college early, as RJ wasn't in today due to a hangover she called “study time.” I went to the Library to kill time and to get out a few books on American History, as it was the one subject I was going to be in the dark about. Of course when it was the time for British history then I would be back in the game but for now, seeing as pretty much everyone in the class except me was taught it in school, I was going to need to learn it all from scratch. By the time I found the section I only had time to grab one book and run to my first class.

  While I was in History class Sophia had apologised for her brother's “Bad mood” and asked me if everything was all right at home? I explained that it was all fine, not wanting to disclose any details. I thanked her for her concern and lied about being fine with what happened last night.

  “Sometimes I don't understand Dom's reasoning but let’s just say he likes things the way he likes them if that makes any sense?” She said and I nodded but I really wanted to say, “Well actually it makes no sense what so ever but hey... I guess cryptic clues must run in the family.” Instead I just stuck to,

  “Don't worry about it.” And she dropped the subject, not mentioning her brother again.

  Before she went she told me that I could start at eight instead of seven if I wanted but I didn't want to add more fuel to the fire so told her seven was fine. I didn't want to give him the satisfaction of another showdown.

  When I got back, Libby reminded me that she and Frank were going to Frank’s parents for dinner and were staying the night so not to worry when I returned to an empty house. It was going to be the first time I would stay there alone and the idea didn't have me jumping around in excitement shouting “party,” if anything Freddy Kruger came to mind!

  I had a feeling that this would be one of those nights and the dread washed over me like sticky black tar. With these thoughts I had a shower and it helped but even Libby's honey milk shower gel didn't make me feel clean. I dried
the top part of my hair putting up the rest that remained damp. I put on a black vest over my black underwear that I only wore when I needed to do some more washing. I pulled out a pair of black long sleeved gloves and slipped them over my scars, placing my thumb through the hole. I put on my black shirt that did up with a few hooks at the front and tied at the back as it wrapped round my waist. It showed my curves as the material clung to my skin. I added a Gothic black and purple tie that RJ had lent me as I was sick of being the only one that didn't make an effort on weekends. I even decided to add a tiny amount of mascara that I had borrowed from Libby. She looked as shocked as Frank when I asked her for it.

  “What's brought this on?” She said as she handed me three different types, getting over excited to see me making an effort again.

  “Nothing, it's just most of the waitresses dress smarter at the weekend so I didn't want to stand out.”

  “Well you look great, really smart with the whole tie thing.” She said waiting for me to pick a stick to use.

  “I only needed one.”

  “Yeah but what do you want to go for length, fullness or curl?”

  “What?”

  “Here, go with this one, you already have the length and fullness, you lucky cow!” She said handing me the one with a blue lid that had the words curl and waterproof written down one side. Well I guess that was good considering the amount of strange things that had happened to me while working the VIP, tears seemed to be an everyday occurrence...well at least I wouldn't look like a panda if anything else went wrong tonight!

  “Thanks and you’re sure I don't look...well I don't want to stand out and look like a plonker,” I said as she shook her head saying,

  “Kazzy if anything you will stand out for being beautiful, you look great...and look at that skin...flawless.” She said laughing when I cringed at the compliment. I applied the mascara making my lashes even blacker and curl upwards slightly. I examined myself, pulled my shorter bits of hair down over my face putting them to one side and looked at myself feeling different.

  I felt exposed.

  Chapter 26 – Dangerously Exposed.

  I got to the club with plenty of time to spare, knowing I would never make the mistake of being late again. I walked through the main doors after saying my regular ‘Hellos’ to Cameron and Jo but I couldn't shake the feeling that something was going to be very wrong about this evening. I crossed the massive hall snaking in and out of the early arrivals for the band that was going to be playing. It was one of the better known ones but no matter how many times RJ had told me I just couldn't remember the name of them. I noticed my friends sat ready at their usual booth and they waved when they saw me. Jack looked shocked at the sight of me and I suddenly felt self-conscious. I should have just stuck with my regular look.

  I ran up the stairs before I chickened out and pushed open the door. For some reason it seemed busier tonight than any other night I had worked. I was about to walk round the back out of view when Akako the Japanese waitress stopped me and said,

  “Sorry no go, have to walk round.” She said and then dipped her head leaving me feeling less than happy about it. I had already taken my jacket off and had it over the strap of my bag so I would look strange now putting it back on when I was already here. Some of the scarier clientele were starting to stare at me so that made me move my feet in the direction of Draven's table.

  I purposely remembered how mad he had made me last night, which made me hold my head high instead of letting it hang down pathetically. So when I walked past, I finally looked as though I had some balls! I couldn't however help looking at him for a split second but it was enough to catch the different look he was giving me. I had never seen this look and I had to say I liked it. It was a mixture of surprise and shock with the smile adding a different want in his eyes. The look he gave me made me feel...well, kind of sexy. But as soon as I passed so did the feeling.

  “Umm hi Keira, you’re looking...good,” Karmun said clearing his throat. I felt my face get hot and I wished I had changed before leaving the house like this.

  “Thanks.” I said as I walked past, going to put my bag in the little room. I dropped it on one of the chairs and threw my jacket not caring about where they landed. I just wanted to check the mirror, worried that there was something else on my face apart from mascara. But there was nothing but my pale face with the hint of red cheeks and very dark blue eyes that were now framed with thick lashes. I could see that there was something different about me and it wasn't just down to the lashes, but I couldn't figure out what. Giving up I went out there and started my shift.

  Sophia was waiting for me when I walked out and she too did a double take at me, which made me blush even more.

  “Keira, you’re…” I interrupted her saying,

  “Yeah I know I'm early.” I said in a loud voice and unbelievably Draven shot me a look as though he'd heard.

  “That's not what I was going to say but yes you are and it hasn't gone unnoticed, along with other things.” She said looking me up and down. By this time I was the colour of a cherry.

  “I would like to invite you to join us for a drink at our table after work,” She said as Layla walked past looking as though she was swallowing her own tongue.

  “Umm thanks but I don't know if that's a good idea,” I said as now I probably looked as shocked as Layla and it was making it hard for me to swallow!

  “It was at my brother’s request, he feels as though he was a little hard on you last night and would like to make up for it, if you’ll let him,” She said smiling as though she had something to do with this.

  “Well that's very kind but I don't know...”

  “Come now, surely you wouldn't deny him this?” She said in a very persistent tone.

  “I guess not,” I replied only realising that I had agreed to it when she clapped her hands together saying,

  “Excellent. Till later then.” She smiled leaving before I had time to recall the yes I had sort of said. Great, now I was going to spend the rest of the night worrying about spending social time at the Dravens' table! There I was again more confused than ever. One minute he hates me the next he wants me to join them? What the hell was going on?!! This wasn't right. If I went over there at the end of my shift then I most definitely would be playing with fire!

  I spent the rest of my time serving drinks and picking up empties feeling as though I wasn't the only one who knew about this strange twist of events. It seemed they were all waiting for this to play out. Of course the end of my shift was coming along quicker than I had hoped for and with only ten minutes to go, I was starting to panic big time! So much so in fact that when a fight broke out it took me more time to register what was going on.

  One guy in a black military jacket was flinging another guy across the table smashing glass all over the floor, which spread as far as my feet. It wasn't in my section but the one next to, which put me in the firing line so I stepped back to move out of the way. I was moving in the way of someone else though... Someone who didn't like me!

  Layla had been stood against the bar with a tray of slim vile looking glasses that reminded me of test tubes. She was looking straight at me with even more hate in her cruel eyes and I instinctively took a step back from her. But in turn she took a step closer to me with a murderous look that twisted her features and made her eyes blood red. This terrified me as I knew the awful truth... I was seeing her in demon form!

  I didn't have time to react and all the other eyes were on the fight that was still going on. I was trapped in front of this crazy, evil bitch and one thing was clear without having to hear her speak...she wanted me gone and dead.

  Before I had time to turn, still facing me she closed the gap pushing her hand into my side sending a searing pain inside my body that spread like a plague eating my flesh. She leaned her face down next to my ear and whispered,

  “Good luck with that one, Elegido!” She spat out and this was one language I knew well. She had called me �
��Chosen one” in Spanish.

  She walked away smiling, leaving me standing there in the worst agony I had ever felt. I staggered about and looked down to find that she had stabbed me with one of the thin glasses she had held on her tray. Only this one was metal and looked more like a round hollow knife. I couldn't scream, even though I tried but my voice was lost in the crowd that was still trying to stop the fight. I put my hand to my side but the knife was in the way. I looked back at my hand and my skin had been replaced by the colour of the blood that poured freely out of my body. It was warm and thick reminding me of the last time I had seen this much blood on my hands. I could feel acid in my mouth and my knees gave way as I tried to move away from the bar.

  I fell putting my hands out to save myself but one slipped with the blood on it and flew into the glass that covered the floor digging into my palm as though my skin had been made from butter. I tried to pull out the razor shards with my other hand but I couldn't focus on where my other hand was. Things were going blurry as I heard someone shouting my name.

  “Keira!... Keira look at me.” A strong voice was shouting in a controlled yet panicked voice.

  “I… my side I can't...” I said trying to make sense but the words wouldn't come out right.

  A hand went to my side and I heard what sounded like a growl when his hands found the problem.

  “Keira, can you hear me, you’re going to be fine, just don't close your eyes ok...Keira look at me!” I opened my eyes at the voice and saw Draven's face leaning over me. He had a mixture of fury and pain in his eyes as he barked out commands in a different language I couldn’t understand.

  “Find her, I want her alive!” He said to the figure standing behind him who looked like one of the men from his table. I kept feeling this stabbing pain as I moved, so my hands went to the cause as I tried to pull it out but hands found mine before I could get there.

  “Oh no, don't touch that. You have to leave it or you will bleed out. I promise I will get it out soon.” His voice was smooth and it had a calming effect on my mind. But the pain was overtaking it, fighting the gentle hum and I wanted him to talk to me more. I could feel myself being lifted as an arm slid under my legs and another arm went under the upper part of my body.