Afterlife (Afterlife Saga)

by Stephanie Hudson

  Then I jumped at the sound of the massive grandfather clock that was stood in the corner. Its wood held another carved warrior scene and it too, looked Japanese, matching the tapestries and other bits of furniture. It struck four times telling me that it was almost evening and I still hadn't spoken to Libby. She must be freaking out. I started to search through my bag but then remembered that Draven still had my phone.

  “Damn it!” I said out loud

  “That's a sin you know.” Draven's voice made me jump and my hand went to my chest feeling it thump under my palm.

  “This is never going to work if you keep creeping up on me and nearly scaring me to death!” I said realising how funny that sounded seeing as I was talking to a half Angel/Demon! He looked amused and came over to me, holding out my phone in his hand. I went to take it but he put it behind his back.

  “And what do I get in return?” He teased looking playfully down at me. It was so surreal seeing Draven this way when the only way I had been used to him was such the opposite.

  “And here was me thinking that you were the type to just take whatever you wanted…oh well.” I said turning away knowing that I might win this round. But he was fast and by the time I turned he was in front of me again, grinning like the cat that found the cream. He held out the phone again which I took from him but in turn he took me. He pulled me to him spinning me around so he was now behind me. His head arched downwards and he moved my hair back from my neck making my head spin.

  “I do take what I want Keira...will that be a problem?” He asked whispering in my ear and then he moved his lips down my neck tilting it to the side with his hands. My hands however were shaking at the feeling and I dropped the phone. Like a flash of light, his fingers moved from my neck and his hand flew out in the mid-air grabbing the phone before it could crash to the floor. I turned to face him and took the phone. He was trying to contain his cocky smile but he wasn't doing a very convincing job.

  “You know being too cocky isn't good for the soul.” I warned playing with him as I walked away putting a safe distance between us. I was never going to be able to ring Libby with Draven even standing this close to me, let alone kissing me.

  “Maybe not but I know a lot of other things that are definitely on the list.” He replied winking at me which made me melt.

  I flipped open my phone and pressed the quick dial to Libby's number.

  “Kazzy, where the hell have you been? I have nearly gone out of my mind....I left you about a hundred messages and.....”

  “Lib's calm down, I'm fine, I just haven't had chance to....”

  “Oh what, spend five minutes calling your panicked sister!” She was not happy and I felt guilty that I had left it this long. I tried to reason with her without having to answer the most obvious questions that were no doubt yet to come.

  “I sorry, but Lib's you’re on holiday I didn't want you to think I was scared on my own or anything!” I said hoping this would work. Draven was sat staring at me finding the whole thing very entertaining. I frowned at him and he bit back a smile.

  “So you have been at home?”

  “Umm well yes and no...” I said trying to worm my way out of it.

  “Well which is it Kaz?”

  “Jeez Lib's what's with the interrogation, I said I'm fine, why are you so upset?” I asked as I could hear her getting a bit emotional.

  “I was worried and I think that all things considered I have a very good reason to...” She was of course right and my guilt came through.

  “I know, you’re right I... I should have called sooner, I’m sorry.”

  “So where have you been?” And this was the question I was dreading so I tried to bypass it.

  “So how's the family, is Frank enjoying himself?”

  “Kazzy, why won't you tell me where you have been... where are you now?” She asked not believing a word I said.

  “I'm at home.” I said way too quickly. Man why did I have to be such a rubbish liar! I could see Draven finding my lying funny and I shot him a look.

  “Well that's funny ‘cause I just called there about five minutes ago and guess what Kaz ….no answer!” My God she was unstoppable!

  “Well I just walked in.” I threw back at her but Draven shook his head warning me against where this was going. Because he knew that I was walking into a trap with a pro and I was about to get caught out.

  “Really you’re there now?”

  “Umm...yeah!” I said knowing I was busted.

  “OK, so how many messages have I left on the answering machine?” DAMN IT! This question was too much for Draven to contain the roaring laughter that erupted from him. I only now guessed that one of his other gifts was great hearing!

  “Who was that?” Libby asked as she to, had acute hearing!

  “It was nobody, just the TV, one of those crummy sit coms...its nothing.” I said but she wasn't buying it!

  “Was it Jack?” She asked and Draven replaced the laughing with a low growl at the sound of his name. Before I knew it he had my phone in his hand and to his ear. My dread doubled.

  “Hello Libby, its Dominic Draven here.” He said with such ease and confidence that I was in shock. Why would he admit to where I was?

  “No, she's fine, she’s obviously not at home but I think she was a little embarrassed to tell you herself.” He said and I couldn't hide my horror, what was he doing? I could just hear Libby ask, “Tell me what?”

  “Keira and I are involved.” He said and I stood looking up at him like he had lost it. But just when I thought it couldn't get any worse it did! When Libby asked,

  “Involved how?”

  Draven replied that last thing I could have ever imagined out of his lips....

  “I'm in love with her.”

  Chapter 40 – Involved

  I couldn't speak. It was as if Draven had once again stolen my voice only this time it wasn't done intentionally. So when he had finished on the phone to my sister he passed me it back saying…

  “She wants to talk to you.” He looked down at me but I still couldn't comprehend what had just happened...Did he just say he loved me? Why? How? When?! My mind was overloaded as if my mental dam had just cracked, flooding my mind with too many questions to process.

  “Keira!” Draven said louder, bring me around but I was still in a semi daze when I put the phone that was now in my hand to my ear.

  “Keira...Keira are you still there?” I nodded but knowing she couldn't see me, I found the words I needed.

  “Umm yeah, what's up?” I said trying to sound casual

  “What's up? ... Are you frigging kidding me? Keira, your Boss Mr Zillionaire and the most powerful man in the town, hell not just the town.... but well... you get the picture...Kaz he just said he was in love with you!” I swallowed hard as she confirmed that I wasn't hearing things. This was impossible wasn't it? How could he be in love me? When I didn't answer she carried on and I could feel Draven's eyes on my face but I couldn't look at him, I just couldn't!

  “Keira, what the hell is going on? He said you're there, with him and have been since Monday...well seeing as it is Tuesday, that could only mean one thing!” Oh GOD! She couldn't be allowed to know, to think...oh God!

  “What so I stayed the night.” I said clearing my throat feeling the heat invade my face making it redden.

  “OH come on! Just answer me two things and I will leave you alone as you are obviously in the safest place imaginable.” I shook my head but I kept forgetting she couldn't see me.

  “Look Lib's I don't have time for this!” I said trying to put her off with irritation.

  “Ok well you want to play that game, if you don't ...I will call mum!” Oh shit! She had me there!

  “You wouldn't!” I said testing her, knowing that she would, if she didn't get her way... she always did this! I heard Draven laugh and I finally found the strength to turn to him and I held up my hand and shot him a look as if to say’ this is all your fault!’ He didn't look as though h
e took my threat seriously.

  “Lib's we’re not kids any more, you can't just pull that crap on me!” I said trying to make her see sense but it was like reasoning with Joseph Stalin!

  “Well you have your choices...pick one” She said as this was set in stone.

  “Or I could just hang up.” I said playing that card but seeing as I was playing against a master I wasn't surprised when she said.

  “Yeah but you can't hang up on mum! So try me!”

  “FINE!” I shouted turning away from Draven as he was making this harder, acting like a child himself, acting as if this was the funniest thing he had seen in years.

  “Ok and remember that I will know if you’re lying...First question...did you do it?” She asked getting excited and this just made me want to chuck my phone outside and over the edge!

  “Do what?” I said feeling my face tense.

  “Play scrabble! What do you think I mean...SEX?” As soon as she said this I wanted the earth to swallow me whole. The last thing I wanted was to be having this conversation with my sister when I had just heard Draven say that he loved me!

  “Fine! Yes...next!”

  “OH my god...no way! Way to go Kazzy!! How was it?” She sounded like she would soon hyperventilate and I cruelly wished she would so I could get off the phone!

  “Is that your next question?” I said sarcastically knowing that it wasn't.

  “No, I will drill you on the details later, when I'm home but what I really want to know is, just answer yes or no, as I know he's there, but tell me…. do you love him?” Of course as soon as she said it Draven was up out of his seat coming over to me, waiting for my answer as well. Libby was not to know that he could not only hear my side of the conversation but hers as well!

  I looked up into deep pools of emotion, seeing the eyes of a desperate man. I knew my heart but he didn't, for all he knew I might not but come on...that wasn't going to be likely now was it?

  “YES, I do love him!” I said feeling every word as though my heart had finally spoken the truth to the one it mattered the most. Draven took the phone off me as I could just hear excited screams from Libby on the other end. He raised it to his ear and said,

  “Bye Libby, she will call you later,” And then he snapped my phone shut. He turned to me with his eyes ablaze, took me into his arms and kissed me so passionately that I could feel the tears welling up. I was still in shock when he finally put me down. I didn't know what to say, from the first time I saw him the obsession began. I couldn't think of anything but the man that stood opposite me now but I would never have believed in my wildest fantasies that he could be thinking about me too…but in love with me as well!

  That was a bloody miracle!

  “What are you thinking about?” His soft voice brought me back.

  “I umm...I'm in shock” I admitted.

  “Why?” His voice sounded confused.

  “Because I don't understand, why...why would you ever love me?” I blurted out before I could stop myself.

  “And why not? Why is that so hard to believe?” He looked hurt and a little bit angry.

  “Because it's just me. I'm just some plain looking, messed up girl with no right to have you!” I said looking at the floor ashamed that I had to admit how I felt. It was the truth, how would I ever feel good enough for a man like Draven, who was swimming in a sea of beauties and I was just the outcast looking in. His hand raised to my face and with a fingertip under my chin he raised my face to his.

  “Keira, why do you simply refuse to understand what you mean to me? I have waited for you for far too many lifetimes to mention. You were made for me and for years I have searched in vain only to find disappointment! Until the day I finally found you.... and trust me when I say I would fight Heaven and Hell to keep you!!!” His hand now gripped my neck to lift all of my face to see his and at the sight I could do nothing but believe him...as hard as it was, I knew he was telling me the truth.

  “But if that was the case why have you been determined to keep pushing me away?” I asked in my shy voice.

  “Because you have become the only weakness in all of my years. I have many enemies, Keira and up until now they had nothing to use against me...I had nothing to lose...until you.” He motioned for me to sit as I knew now I was about to hear the rest of the story. The reasons behind every lie he told, as now there was nothing left to stand in my way, all cards were now on the table.

  “Are you ready to continue our earlier conversation?” He asked sitting next to me, with my hands in his.

  “Yes, as long as I can still ask questions?” I said and he let out an easy laugh making me smile at the sound.

  “I wouldn't expect anything else from you.” He touched my nose playfully with one finger, at my rules.

  “So where did I get to before.... we...umm?”

  “Before I wigged out...” I said knowing now he was trying to be diplomatic.

  “Let’s just call it a misunderstanding that ended with an interesting twist.” Now it was my turn to laugh. Well that was one way to put it! I on the other hand would have said ‘the most amazing sex of my life!’

  “So you were telling me why you weren't happy about me working the VIP” I said grabbing a handful of grapes and getting more comfortable by bringing my feet up and putting my arms around my knees. He watched me curiously making me once again feel self-conscious.

  “As I explained before, for some reason my kind cannot, well...”

  “Feed...it’s fine I won’t go all weird again but can you explain it more?”

  “Feeding is not harmful to humans, except when some do it to excess and this is forbidden, one of the rules. But with every rule, there are those who break them. Positive and negative energy can cause different effects on us so we usually stick to what we prefer. For example, if a Demon is more inclined to the darker life he or she will feed from depressed people or humans that might feel lost in life. With Angels it is the opposite if they too prefer the more positive emotions. But like I said, the pendulum swings both ways. It is not as clear cut that Angels are always good and Demons are always bad.”

  “What do you prefer?” I asked and he frowned at my question.

  “I am different. I do not need to feed like the rest but.... I still do. It would feel unnatural if I didn't. Like say if you didn't need water to live.” He said filling my glass and passing it to me. “I hold this out to you and the very idea of it makes you thirsty, so you will still drink it even though you don't need to.” And he was right as soon as he passed me the glass I was thirsty and couldn't help but take a sip.

  “I am both Demon and Angel so I am inclined both ways, therefore I feed from both energies. Like I said there are some that do this to excess, which is forbidden because they can manipulate human emotions purely for their own gain, keeping them down and depressed just to feed on. Thus taking away their free will. So when you came to work in the club I forbade anyone to feed from you. I would not allow anyone to even try, as I shamefully looked at you as if you were mine and mine only. But my curiosity got too much for me one night and I soon realised that not even I could feed from you. But not only could I not feed, most of my powers wouldn't work, as if you were locking everyone out...including me!” I couldn't help but smile at the thought. For a man like Draven I can imagine this must have been a hard thing to accept.

  “That must have been frustrating for you,” I said without being able to keep the smug look from my face.

  “It was! I had never been unable to see into someone's past or thoughts before. I wanted to know everything about you but you kept it all locked away keeping it just for yourself. It was very selfish of you Keira.” He teased bring my hand to his lips so that he could kiss each of my knuckles.

  “I would say sorry but I would be lying.” I teased back making him playfully start biting my hand. I couldn't help but be turned on by the sight. I mentally whipped down my libido and asked,

  “So what did you do?”


  “I had to do things the conventional way, which was ...well difficult for me. You have to understand, I am very used to getting what I want and when you walked into my life, it consumed me that I couldn't get you the way I wanted. I started by seeing you at night but you would then wake and it would get harder each time to try and make you believe what I wanted you to. As they say I was trying to have my cake and eat it but as I said before you were…very stubborn!” He said as he pushed a stray bit of hair back behind my ear.

  “Why am I different? You mentioned something about the ‘Chosen one,’ what does that mean?” But as soon as I mentioned this he stood up abruptly and turned very serious.

  “I should not have said that to you, it is not the time...there is more you need to know and that is something I am forbidden to discuss!”

  “Forbidden?” I shook my head not understanding how a conversation could be forbidden.

  “Please Keira, forget I said that, let just this one thing slide please...it is not something you need to trouble yourself with, not yet anyway.” This made me want to ask more but I knew it would not be wise, so I stayed silent.

  “I do not know why you are different, but I would never have you any other way, no matter how frustrating it has been. Of course Sophia made it her duty to try and get us together.” At this he rolled his eyes making me smile.

  “Sophia...why would she...?”

  “Because I'm not the only one that has been waiting for you to come to us. She loves you and she knew that this year would be the time...that's why she started college, to get close to you.”

  “Really, why would she go to all that effort?” All these confessions were making my mind whirl. Was this all true and if not then what would he ever gain from lying? No, I had to believe him.

  “Because she loves me dearly and wants me to be happy. So evidently she decided to hurry things up. She was the one who had Jerry make you bring up those bottles. I knew nothing about her plans and then when I saw you walk past me...well let’s just say, I very nearly stole you away then and there. It was like waving the drugs in front of an addict.” I shuddered. As soon as he said it, it was as though my own feelings were being described back to me.