Afterlife (Afterlife Saga)

by Stephanie Hudson

  “Keira, you do not need to be frightened, we will keep you safe but is there anything else you remember?” He asked in a calmer voice than his brother and like this it was easy to see the Angel in him.

  “Like what?”

  “Did he do anything to you?” As soon as he said this Draven let out a heart stopping growl that ran more fear into me than the dream had.

  “Dom please...you will scare her!” He said looking over his shoulder at him with a scowl.

  “Keira, you need to tell us, did he hurt you in the dream or touch you in anyway?” His eyes were soft and trusting, but I didn't know where these questions were leading to.

  “Umm...well,” I said looking over at Draven whose eyes were burning full with hate and hell fire!

  “Go on...Don't worry about him...he will behave,” he said smiling at me filling me with ease. Draven looked ready to explode with a venomous rage but Vincent purposely moved to block the sight.

  “He spat blood from his mouth at me and when I tried to rub it off, it released loads of little spiders that started biting me,” I said in a low voice as this part I had left out to save Draven any more pain than was necessary. I heard a sharp intake of breath behind Vincent.

  “Where did they bite you?” I was already holding my exposed scars behind my back as I was used to Draven seeing them but not his brother.

  “On my arm” I said shamefully.

  “LET ME DO IT!” Draven shouted at Vincent but he turned to face him, placing his hands on his chest stopping him from coming any closer to me. I couldn't help but flinch back at the sound. Draven's voice had taken on a rougher, deeper edge as though it was coming from another part of him. It made me wonder...was this his demon voice? It could definitely be classed as demonic.

  “Dom....Dominic! Listen to me...you will not see straight and will only frighten the poor girl! She has been through enough to experience your temper as well! GO, go and calm down brother, I won't be long with her.” At this Draven’s eyes softened slightly when they met mine. The purple haze lifted slightly as he leaned down to kiss my forehead before walking over to the glass doors and exiting on to the balcony.

  “Forgive him but he is finding this difficult. He doesn't like things to be out of his control. He is not used to the feeling.” Vincent actually shrugged at this, which made him look so human it was hard to see him in any other light.

  “What happened, I mean why is he coming for me?” I asked trying to find any answer that I could comprehend.

  “We played a part in his undoing long ago and well...it looks like the years have not been of the forgiving kind. You must understand when something of this world tips the balance one way more than the other… we intervene. And let’s just say that Sammael tipped the scales in a big way!”

  “So now he's using me to get to Draven?” He looked amused at me calling his brother still by his last name but he remained quiet on the subject and just nodded his head.

  “What do you need me to do?”

  “I would like you to trust me if you think you can do that?” He held out an outstretched palm and I knew exactly what he wanted me to put there. I closed my eyes and tried to remember how to breathe. How could I do this?

  “I won't hurt you and I understand your reluctance, but it is the only way for me to see the dream for myself.” So I bit down on my lip and found the deep breath I needed, knowing there was no other way round it. I placed the arm that had been bitten in my dream in his hand, scars facing upwards. His eyes looked down at the lines of my past and with his other hand he held it over them but stopped, meeting my eyes with his.

  “I must warn you, I might see more than is needed. Your scars are deep as are your memories from how they came to be, it might take me back further than I need to see and for this I am truly sorry.” And before I could back away from the thought of him seeing more than he should, his hand went down on my skin making the connection.

  It felt like my arm was being held under an icy river making it go numb. His grip refused to let go as I tried to pull away, but he wasn't going to do that until he had seen all he needed to see. I watched his eyes flicker as though he was in a trance and his mouth moved speaking unspoken words so fast I couldn't make out what they meant. It was only a faint whisper but I was sure I saw my first name escape his lips. Then the visions started to hit me like a flicker book of uncensored pain. I saw years of fear from my childhood in nanoseconds. Me hiding under the bed armed with nothing more than a Care Bear flash light saying “It's not real” over and over. I saw myself hiding in the supply cupboard in high school shaking back and forth. I saw myself hiding under the staircase in a dark basement biting trembling lips, praying not to be heard crying to the calling of my name. Always hiding...years and years. Hell a lifetime of hiding!

  Then the last vision. The tragedy in this Gothic play. Only there was a difference...this time I had nowhere to hide.

  The Angel in front of me saw all that was needed and his eyes closed. The feeling started to flow back through my veins, with the rushing of blood warming my skin back to its usual temperature. He still held my arm but not in the same way. He was now stroking my scars, full of emotion in his crystal eyes.

  “You are very brave Keira and have an incredible will to do good by others, you truly have been made with the purest of hearts and you were born to walk amongst us...some day you will agree and believe this also...” He said before he lent down and raised my arms to his lips, kissing my wrists like his brother had done. His eyes looked up into mine making my own water with the emotion that mirrored his.

  His brother was witness to this but he remained silent until Vincent let go of my arms. Taking a step back he nodded to me in what looked like great respect and I was stunned into numb silence. Only the escape of a single tear displayed my true emotions on what had just passed. It didn't go unnoticed....... just unspoken.

  “Dom, it seems that our past is also going to pay us a visit along with Keira's. You are right, he is using the human's connection to her to find her whereabouts, but she is strong and has blocked him out. He has already tried to conquer her mind again but has been denied access.” At this Vincent affectionately smoothed the back of one finger down my cheek, as if I had done well. Draven walked closer looking as if he might explode with even more rage than what already consumed him. So I decided to be braver than ever before...

  I moved away from the desk, accepting that all my body wanted was to feel safe in the arms of my dark prince. So with a beating heart and a silent prayer that I wouldn't get rejected, I marched right up to him and put my arms around his neck pulling his face closer to mine until I could feel his breath on my face. I could feel his muscles soften their indestructible stance and he weakened to my control.

  “Please don't be mad,” I said trying to use my own take on his very effective smouldering voice. His arms wrapped around my waist picking me up, so he could kiss me more freely.

  “I am sorry if I frightened you,” He said with eyes burning with passion once more.

  “She certainly has an effect on you brother. I haven't seen you come down from one of your trademark rages since the same blood ran through both our veins!” Vincent said full of humour and it took me a while to decipher what he meant. He had never seen anyone affect his brother like this in all the time they had been brothers.

  “I will make the arrangements and she needs you..... She has been through enough, to cope alone any longer.” He said before leaving us to continue where we left off. Draven lifted me up into his arms and carried me back to the bed, making the room dark once more with only the light of the night sky.

  “My brother was gentle with you?” He asked keeping his voice to a low whisper.

  “Yes, but I think he was taken back with what else he saw,” I said shamefully.

  “My brother and I have seen much brutality over the years but self-sacrifice is a rarity that our kind doesn't come in contact with often. It is one of the most powerful and inte
nse acts a soul can possess. Your soul is pure and therefore when my brother became a part of that for a short while, it no doubt affected him greatly.” He seemed to say this with such pride, but I couldn't help feeling embarrassed with the way they had both looked at me. They made it sound as if I was some kind of saint, when I knew full well I wasn't. Especially not after all the unclean fantasies I had had about Draven since I first laid eyes on him. And well since then, acting them out was more explicit than I could ever have imagined.

  “Keira, will you do something for me?” He asked pulling me closer towards his soft skin and I knew I could never refuse him.

  “Anything,” I whispered, resting my head on his chest and nestled under his shoulder.

  “Will you allow me access inside your mind?” This made me look up at him in surprise.

  “Why?”

  “Please trust me and let your mind give in to what I ask it to do.” I nodded knowing that he was learning quickly how my mind worked and this was the proof. I nodded and he kissed me, filling my mind with his control and there was only one thing he was telling me to do...

  “Sleep peacefully...”

  Chapter 44 – Ava

  I woke to Draven's touch as his fingers ran up and down my arm making them tingle. I opened my eyes to find him propped up on his elbow staring down at me. I was wondering how long he had been looking at me and I just prayed to God that I hadn't been drooling!

  “Good morning Angel...how do you feel?” He asked kissing my shoulder softly.

  “Surprisingly good but I can imagine that's because I am waking up next to you, no doubt.” I said smiling back at him. Meanwhile he seemed to be studying every inch of my body making me nervous again. It was such a roller-coaster of emotions being around him. One minute I would feel completely at ease and then the next I would change back into the shy waitress I was.

  “Have you been awake long?” I asked hoping he hadn't.

  “A while,” he said coolly as he continued to make my skin hot under his constant touch. He was exploring down my back and lifting my vest to get a better view but this made me giggle as his fingertips tickled my side.

  “Ticklish are we?” He asked with a mischievous grin.

  “NO, no I’m really not...” I said trying to control my laughter as he continued to move along that same spot to provoke the same response out of me.

  “Keira, we are getting a little defensive aren't we?” He said teasing me again and his hand slid down and gripped my vest pulling me closer to him. I loved it when he was so demanding as it felt as if I had some shred of control over him and I was understanding ways to use it to my advantage.

  “You know you have some adorable little freckles on your back, one in fact that resembled the star constellation of Cassiopeia.”

  “No there's not!” I said feeling that he was making fun of me but when I looked at his face he was being serious.

  “Well, I have been staring at you for hours now so I think I would know.” He said as a matter of fact. I couldn't help but cringe at the thought.

  “No you haven't!” Surely not...well I hoped not.

  “Haven't I? I find you fascinating and it has been so long that I have had to admire your body from a distance, now that you are here I am taking full advantage of the time to study you.” At this I hid my head under the covers.

  “Oh, please don't say that!” I said full of pure embarrassment! But he just laughed at my response.

  “And what is wrong with what I just said, exactly?” He said pulling the covers from me, but I still couldn't look at him. Why was he doing this to me?

  “It's embarrassing!” I mumbled hiding in my face in my hands, as now I didn't have the covers any more.

  “So you don't take compliments well...I find this astonishing, all things considered.” He said making me look at him. What did he mean by that?

  “All things considered?” I asked and he smiled as though he had accomplished something.

  “Well, you don't have confidence to believe it when I tell you how amazing I find your body, yet you have enough confidence to give me a private striptease, twice may I add.”

  “Once! The second time didn't count...your rules remember.” I said not being able to keep the grin from my face.

  “What are you saying…. that you were forced?” He said teasing me and doing a very good job of it.

  “More like intimidated!” I whispered as there was a knock at the door and I didn't want this conversation to be overheard. Once again he let out a roaring laugh before saying,

  “Come in.” Candra walked in holding a tray full of muffins, sweet pastries, bagels, and baguettes. In fact she looked as if she had just robbed a bakery! But most importantly she had a pot of tea on her tray and my heart melted at the sight. Once she nodded at us both a good morning, she left us alone with the mountain of food.

  “How many are joining us for breakfast?” I asked getting up and picking the biggest chocolate muffin which I started to pick to bits. I also poured myself a steaming hot mug of tea and couldn't help but smile at the idea.

  “Well I realised that I haven't been feeding you properly and today you are going to eat more than just a few pieces of fruit!”

  “You know you worry about me too much,” I said munching away in chocolate heaven, which he couldn't help smiling at.

  “Actually, when it comes to you, I don't think I worry enough,” He said getting up and positioning himself opposite to get a better view of me eating.

  I started playing with my hands after I had finished with my sweet delight and was thinking about how to ask all the questions that I still had floating around my mind.

  “You want to ask me something?” Draven said, amused. I just looked up at him in surprise.

  “What made you say that?” He nodded down to my hands and I dropped them.

  “You always seem to play nervously with your hands or bite your lip when you are nervous or want to ask something.” He said like this was common knowledge and I couldn't believe how much he must have watched me in this short time to know all these little traits I had.

  “Well...I was kind of wondering about some other things I still don't know,” I asked sheepishly knowing there was one question that, since last night, had been burned to my brain and it was one thing that I was scared to ask.

  “Like?”

  “You’re not going to like it,” I warned and he now looked intrigued.

  “Well I was curious about Celina, what happened with her and Jack?” I asked thinking I would start off lightly with the interrogation.

  “Why would I not tell you that?”

  “Because that's just the start,” I warned and he frowned at me but it didn't last long, replacing it with a half-smile.

  “Celina is a Demon, one that fell in love with that boy.” Now I frowned at him.

  “Sorry...I mean Jack and well it's forbidden as you know.”

  “She's a Demon...really? Poor Jack!” I said but considering my past with Jack, Draven didn't look happy with my sympathy.

  “Well it seems he got over it!” He said cruelly.

  “Don't say that! Jack told me how devastated he was. I mean one day he had the girl of his dreams and the next thing is, she sees you and then poof...gone. He thinks you killed her you know!” I said, but Draven couldn't control the raucous laughter that erupted from him. I had never heard him laugh so much and although I was trying to be angry at his reaction, I couldn't help but love the sound.

  “DRAVEN!” I shouted.

  “I'm sorry, but you have to see the humour in it, see I was the one that saved her.” He said calming down from his outburst.

  “Saved her?”

  “She broke the one of our laws. She was going to be punished, when she appealed to my better nature and well since then she has been an asset, proving her worth on my council.”

  “OH I bet!” I said being jealous again.

  “She makes a good assistant Keira, that's all I meant. It is
better for her to be here than cast down to deal with his wrath!” He said pointing to the floor and I shuddered at the thought.

  “So you and her...” I said still with my arms folded.

  “You know I do find this jealous thing strange...on one hand it is utterly ridiculous and on the other it is also adorable...still completely irrational but adorable all the same.”

  “I'm glad you’re so entertained by the whole thing but I am not the only one who gets jealous remember...anyway you didn't answer my question!” I was now going red from that last comment.

  “No, I thought I already made that clear.”

  “Well she could have been lying, she is after all a Demon.”

  “Yes and so am I,” he said getting defensive.

  “Yes and look how much lying you did!” I said feeling that maybe I had finally won a round as he gave up with that one.

  “Well the answer is still no....next.” Thankfully he was still in good humour but I knew my next question would change that.

  “And Aurora?” As soon as I said the name I knew the answer and my heart sank.

  “Keira, this is getting out of hand!” He said getting up and throwing his hands up in a dramatic fashion.

  “That's not an answer,” I whispered.

  “Well that's the only one you’re going to get on the matter!” He said in such a way I knew he would never back down. I had my answer already, I was just minus the details. However I couldn't help the sinking of my heart. I mean how could I ever compete with such beauty?

  “Fine! But why didn't Jack get chance to say goodbye to Celina?”

  “Why, do you think it would have made it easier?” He said without leaving the sarcasm out of his tone.

  “Yes of course. At least then he could have moved on,” I said feeling bad for Jack, first Celina then me, all at the hands of the same man...well sort of man.

  “Does that mean you will break the boy’s heart by telling him the truth?” He said, thinking he had got me with this, but I already knew that when I got the first opportunity I would explain it to him.