Afterlife (Afterlife Saga)

by Stephanie Hudson

  “So that's why you seemed so annoyed?”

  “At the time I was furious! She went against me by involving you in our world but pretty soon I was thankful for it. I would spend my day watching in through the eyes of others and waiting for you until I could finally do it through my own.”

  “Wait a minute, eyes of others, what do you mean?” I was now panicking, wondering what else he had seen. I mean it was like having some supernatural stalker confess his sins. I was still processing all of the dreams I had of him being my room as being real but now I had so much more to contend with.

  “Another one of my gifts is that I can view things in the eyes of others, like a semi possession. They still have their functions but I own their mind for a short time. And then they awaken as if it has all been a daydream. Of course I have had my fun with it also” He laughed at a memory I couldn't see, so I couldn't help asking.

  “Fun?” I said folding my arms, as if what I was about to hear were the tales of a naughty boy.

  “Well you might be angry but you have to know it was my only way to keep a watchful eye on you.” Now he looked guilty, like he had just been busted!

  “Draven?”

  “Ok, well, at first I just used to see through the eyes of your fellow students but Sophia would often frown upon it, as of course, she would know when I did this.” I couldn't help but laugh at all those times when I had seen someone looking at me funny, it had been Draven all along. Then I froze in horror as I realised the others he had used. My hands flew to my mouth but he couldn't keep the naughty grin from his lips as he knew I must have realised who else he had seen me through.

  “The doctor?” I said under my hands.

  “Which one?” He said waiting for me to freak out.

  “WHAT, both of them, no wonder he looked at me like I was crazy!” I said shaking my head at him.

  “I'm going to take a wild stab in the dark and say you met one of them, when it wasn't me.” I just nodded and he let out a roar of laughter at which I jabbed him in the ribs but it didn't do me much good as it probably felt like I was tickling him with a fine paint brush!

  “I'm sorry, I shouldn't laugh but come on, it is kind of funny...” He said pinching my cheek playfully making me cave into a smile.

  “Ok but that's it...yes?” I said but I knew from his face that it wasn’t!

  “Come on, who else?” I demanded, trying to be firm.

  “Ok, but you will find this one funny and like I said it was worth every penny!” He couldn't keep the smirk off his face, when the penny dropped.

  “No way! Bobby the car guy. I knew there was something weird about that guy. First to drop the price and then knock off $500 for a kiss on the cheek!” I said not being able to contain the laugh after it.

  “I would have gone for a kiss on the lips but I think Frank would have knocked poor Bobby out and I didn't want him to wake up with a black eye, but I was slightly shocked when I gave you $4000 and Frank only said you had $3000...he plays hard ball!” He said seeing the funny side but I felt guilty for poor Bobby, as he must have woken up wondering why he practically gave a car away.

  “Poor Bobby!” I said and Draven's hand stroked my face finding my concern for Bobby sweet and endearing.

  “Oh he didn't do too badly, waking to find himself $10,000 richer!”

  “What?” Was he joking?

  “Well I couldn't let him wake and find he had very nearly given the car away and I was determined that you were going to have the Ford Bronco even if it was for only $3000!”

  “Oh great, even more money I owe you!” I said but again he just let out a mighty laugh, which made me jump.

  “I don't think so, but we can do a deal and you can pay it off in other ways.” He winked giving me another cheeky grin as he leaned down and kissed me before I could object. Not to him kissing me of course not, but objecting about not paying him back. I realised why this was so funny to him as compared to his wealth, whatever it may be, but $10,000 was most likely pocket change to him.

  “So that's why Bobby seemed to be so horny, it was you all along!” I laughed back at him as he kissed me again, proving my point.

  “Well could you blame me for trying to sneak a kiss from the prettiest girl around plus I don't think he will mind the memory.”

  “What, he will remember?” I asked feeling embarrassed again.

  “It's like I said, they just fall into a trace and then wake being semi aware of what has happened.” I looked at him frowning so he added “It doesn’t hurt.” But I looked at him sceptically.

  “Did it hurt you?” He asked.

  “WHAT! You have done it to me? When? Why? I thought you couldn't do things like that to me.” Ok now I was really panicking.

  “I can only access your mind when you are emotional, it is only when you let your guard down, when you are upset or frightened. I first did it when you locked yourself outside the club when that dumpster nearly broke your fingers. I have never had to watch someone so closely before. You are so accident prone.” He said this like it was an endearing quality and I got the distinct impression that he liked taking care of me.

  “You made the lid go back, and my fingers...you made them open the door!”

  “And did it hurt?”

  “No, it just felt tingly like when you usually touch me.” I said and his eyebrows rose.

  “Tingles?” I went red when he repeated the word I had used as obviously I had said too much.

  “Umm never mind...carry on,” I said as he chuckled from seeing my embarrassment.

  “And the other time...well it was completely painful to witness. The time I achieved my goal. When I lied to you about Celina and I... when I saw how much it affected you, I was destroyed. I was also in shock that you felt so hurt, that you could actually feel that way about me. I never knew until that day. So when I saw you by your car too upset to move, I took over your body and got you home. I knew otherwise you would never have made it.”

  “Thank you and what I said to you....”

  “Your words cut through me like Excalibur. The last thing you said, calling me..... My Lord! I will never forget that feeling if I live for another thousand years. But it was all my own doing. See after that night on the roof, after you saw the real me, I knew you wouldn't let it go, that you couldn't be convinced or controlled. So I decided the only way was to hurt you, to make you hate me...so you would want to stay away from me!”

  “But I didn't, I still couldn't you let you go!” I cried out.

  “Well when I saw you at the cliff face, I thought otherwise.” It looked like he winced at the memory.

  “You were there?”

  “Yes. I didn’t leave your side after I got you home. You were so upset that I could access that part of your mind so you wouldn’t see me.” I frowned at him but his face looked too hurt for me to continue to be mad for long.

  “I know what you must think. It was a great intrusion to your privacy but trust me when I say I was punished for it and I could not be torn away from your side...not with so much pain.” My face shot up to look at him and shuddered at the thought of him being punished or seeing me like that.

  “What do you mean…punished?”

  “My punishment was great indeed as I witnessed the hurt I put you through. I wanted to make it right and take it all back but I was torn between your safety and your happiness. In the end I made my choice, which was the less of two evils. But I wanted to be there for you even if you couldn’t see me, even if I couldn’t touch you and comfort you. However, I thought it had all been in vain when you went to the cliff face.” I raised my eyes at him and the back of his hand came down my face and rested on my neck before he carried on.

  “When I couldn't control your body I thought I was going to have to reveal myself and stop you as I thought you were going to jump.”

  “You thought I was going to kill myself?” I shouted at him.

  “Consider why I would think that Keira...As far as I knew you
had tried to once before. It was obvious you were hiding something and it wasn't that hard to guess.” He said looking at my concealed arms and I pulled down my long sleeved t-shirt past my hands.

  “Like I said, I thought I was going to have to stop you but as always I can never predict anything when it comes to you. You don't act like normal humans do, but I guess that is down to your own gifts. It makes you unique, your mind does not work the same.” I frowned but he smiled saying,

  “Don't look at me like that...this is not a bad thing.” I couldn't help but look at him as if he was trying to say in a delicate way that I was a freak!

  “You have to be different Keira, or think how difficult this would have been. If you weren't used to seeing the things you do, then you would have run away from me and never come back!” I knew what he meant, I reacted to it at first but I did in fact come back to him...even after what I saw.

  “Ok, so you have me there...but how did you get the picture I tore up?”

  “Ah my portrait, well I was intrigued to know what it was you were ripping up. So when you left I summoned back the pieces and made them whole again. That's when I first realised how you controlled your gift...you were trying to get rid of me.” He was now looking out of the glass doors when he said this as if seeing the memory there being played out for him to view.

  “I was trying to make it easier. To let you go as you wanted me to...at your hand remember?”

  “I know, but trust me, it didn't make it any easier, not when I still had to see you every day down in the club and it would get harder...thanks to that boy JACK!” He nearly spat out his name.

  “So I guess Halloween wasn't such a good move then?” At this he reacted. He turned to face me and the demon part of him came through at the thought. His eyes flashed deep purple fire which had me wincing back.

  “NO...it wasn't!” He didn't sound happy anymore and I wanted to get closer to him and smooth out his frown with my fingers. He was clearly angry about the memory of me with Jack, but come on, hadn't he done the very same thing with Celina!

  “Now who's being unreasonable? Jack is a very good friend but nothing more...you have to know that!”

  “Do you let all your friends kiss you like that?” He shouted back making me jump but also making me slightly happy about the idea of him being jealous. I mean, it was ridiculous really, the idea of Draven who I have been literally obsessed with since I came to this town and he was jealous over me and Jack!

  “Oh and you can rightly talk. I seem to remember you starting the whole thing by telling me you were engaged to one of the most beautiful woman that I have seen, of course not until after you kissed her in front of me!! Let’s not forget that!” I said now getting up, feeling like this conversation was a little one sided! Draven turned to me once again raising his eyebrows until finally admitting I was right. He had acted first and knew that he pushed me into Jack's arms as a result.

  “You are right but also very wrong at one thing in particular.”

  “And what's that?” I said folding my arms over my heaving chest.

  “There is no one that compares to your beauty and no man alive that could resist such a pure heart.” He was over to me in half a second, his hands finding my face before his lips followed, all this before I could even speak a word. Maybe this was because he knew I would have disagreed. I was never very good at receiving compliments, as a rule you have to believe in them, to accept them. And I had just about enough self-confidence to get by in the world but to be with a man like Draven...well I was still amazed.

  Once he had finished kissing me, I was my usual incoherent self and I opened my eyes to see him smiling again.

  “I am so sorry I hurt you Keira!” He said making my heart melt. He was so sincere I couldn't think of anything but forgiveness.

  “And I too am sorry if I brought you any pain by kissing Jack,” I said but even at the very name of him he flinched.

  “That night of course changed everything.”

  “How do you mean?”

  “Well no doubt it is the reason you are here now. I instructed Jerry to give you the night off because it was the one night I wanted you as far away from here as possible.”

  “But why?” I asked remembering my thoughts on why I had been allowed to have the night off in the first place.

  “Because you have never been in more danger in your entire life before that night...” He looked then as he had done that night. Face set in stone. Stern and powerful.

  “I would never have imagined that by removing that boy you would turn into a fiery temptress. When I saw him kiss you, my reaction well....you no doubt noticed?” I nodded remembering the lights that blew and the loud crashing sound from above.

  “Well, I couldn't help having him thrown out, I mean how dare he....YOU WERE MINE!” He shouted as his temper flared and for a second I thought I saw his skin change colour or was it the Demon part of him trying to get out? I frowned and made a disapproving noise at his outburst. But deep down it also sent sparks of pleasure to my heart, secretly liking the idea of belonging to him.

  “Sorry, it's just...” He made a low growling noise which took me back.

  “You must understand...It is hard to control emotions I have not felt before.” He looked up to the ceiling for what I can only assume control over his fiery temper.

  “So when I had him thrown out, you did the complete opposite than what I thought you would do, I mean I knew you would be upset but the last thing I imagined was you coming up to face me! I knew how much you’d had to drink but it was not enough to think you capable of such bravery!” He shook his head at the memory.

  “Well that will teach you to underestimate people.”

  “Not people...just you. I have never known a human to be so reckless before. As a general rule, humans are attracted to us yes, because of the hold we have on them, but they are also afraid of us and for good reasons. Up until then I believed you to be too...I was clearly mistaken.” He grinned at the thought. I must have looked like an angry kitten confronting a lion, the head of the pride.

  “You made me angry” I said in my defence.

  “Oh there was no doubt in that my dear! Any other time and I would have found it endearing but that night was very bad timing.”

  “Because of Malphas?” I said saying his name cautiously but I knew it was the reason before I saw Draven's reaction. Again it was like watching a granite statue wanting to crush the very name from existence.

  “YES...I knew it was too late as soon as he saw you, as humans are never allowed upstairs, it was my rule and for me to break it, it would have to be for my gain only. He knew this and if I would have you ordered back down he would have just found you and forced you to speak.” I shuddered at the thought. What had I been thinking?

  “So the only thing I could think of was to pretend that you were nothing to me, which turned out to be impossible as he knew how to push me. And with that, so did you.”

  “Well could you blame me? I mean how confused do you think I was, first you treat me like I was just some stupid little girl getting in your way, then you want to take care of me from a little bump to the head? That was going from one extreme to the next. So after all of that you pushed me over the edge and well...let’s just say I was pissed off!” I said not taking a breath.

  “So that's why you didn't obey me?” His eyes opened wider as he looked down at me, finding out my reasons for such a stupid mistake.

  “Well it doesn't help when you use words like obey I can tell ya!” I said making my full northern accent come out as it usually did when I got animated. He didn't miss it either.

  “That's adorable you know.”

  “DRAVEN!” I shouted at him, as I wasn't trying to be adorable! I was trying to get my point across.

  “Ok, ok, I'm not saying I don't understand your reasons but what I am saying is that you don't realise what a catastrophic mistake you made.”

  “Why, because he's the bad guy?” I said tal
king like I was watching cartoons!

  “No, because he works for the most dangerous demon in my world, Lucius...my only equal in power and my mortal enemy! As a result, I will have to spend all of my time trying to keep you safe.”

  “Safe? What has it got to do with me...I'm just a human?”

  “Yes but you’re my human and as a result of that you have now become the most wanted human on the planet!” I must have looked stunned because Draven had his arms around me as though I might fall.

  What had I done...?

  Chapter 41- bad decisions

  “Ok, so can't we go back...I mean...make it out like I died or something?” I said in a panic. I mean I was already being hunted by one crazy human but I could imagine a powerful demon was going to be another thing entirely! Draven still had his hands around me while I went into full meltdown.

  “Keira, it will be alright. I will deal with it, you don't need to worry yourself about anything anymore. You have far too much on your mind as it is...here sit.” He led me to the seat but my mind was now racing with the thought of being in the middle of a war I couldn't see. Was this the price I had to pay to be with him?...Ok, so this calmed me slightly as I knew I would have gone to Hell and back to be with Draven...and it was starting to look like that might just be the case! I must have been nearly hyperventilating because he had put my head in between my legs and I was soon breathing more calmly.

  “Feeling better?” He said rubbing my back making me feel better in minutes.

  “Yeah sorry, I am still trying to adjust...you know?”

  “Of course, Keira I can’t imagine what hearing all that I have told you has been like, but you are taking it all in amazingly well. However, I think that is enough for one day.”

  “No, no really I will be fine...oh but wait what time is it?” I still asked even though I was looking around at the clock.