Blood of the Infinity War (Afterlife saga Book 8)

by Stephanie Hudson

  “All quiet, my Lord.” I heard his reply and knew this was my time to try and do something that was quickly becoming foreign to me around Draven…acting cool and not hot-headed. No, I needed to go back to the Keira before Draven and I ever became an item. The shy and quiet waitress I was before I became Draven’s equal. Because the reality of my situation was simple, here in this time, I didn’t think I would ever get to that status before I had to leave. It was too different and I had to remember what Pip had told me after reeling off my new story.

  She reminded me that I wasn’t only dealing with a volatile king of the supernatural, I was also dealing with a younger one. He hadn’t had the years to adapt to the human mortal world, one where he didn’t rule over them as well as his own kind. He had never felt love for those other girls in his Harem, so never got to experience the long list of sentiments that unfortunately walks hand in hand with finding a fresh new love. There were emotions like jealousy, irrational thoughts, doubts, fears, self-consciousness (okay, so granted, that one was mainly me) but also the main one…trust.

  Now out of them all this was the biggest and most important one and it almost broke my heart that it was the one thing I couldn’t give Draven, as, how could I? I had lied from the beginning and now I would simply have to continue, knowing that soon I would be leaving his world for another. So, in the end, any trust he gave me would be done before a lessoned learned and a love lost.

  “They look like heavy thoughts indeed,” he told me as if he had just witnessed a whole montage of thoughts playing across my face for himself. I took a deep breath as I usually did when faced with such raw, masculine beauty. He looked huge, with his muscular, bare arms on show that were still dirty from battle and strapped with leather bands across spiked metal gauntlets.

  He also wore loose pants, that too were strapped with leather and other sheaths for daggers and an array of weapons, ones he was yet to remove. It became obvious that he must have just come off the battlefield with me in his arms and then not moved from my sight until now.

  Thick leather belts of different designs hung off to one side from his waist, brandishing different metal seals where they joined. A thick crimson sash underneath could be seen in between all the hammered metal and stamped or carved leather.

  This was all finished off with metal plates that too were strapped to his boots and covered the knees, rising up into wicked points. He looked more like a deadly warrior general, than the mighty king he was. I mean, once I had learned about Draven and what he was, I knew that his battling days were long behind him, or so I had hoped. But seeing him like this was more like looking at him in a painting of the past, than in real life.

  He stood by the door and I noticed he was letting me take in my fill of him, an action that made me blush and bite my lip. Then, before my eyes could fully witness his movements, he was right in front of me in a flash, moving so quickly that I yelped in shock.

  “I think I warned you about that before, my blushing Little Lamb,” he told me before gently pulling my bottom lip from the confines of my teeth. I couldn’t look at him, so instead focused on the forged design on his breastplate. I reached out, slowly at first, half expecting him to grab my hand or step back but he didn’t. No, instead he remained still, with only the slight lifting of his armour with his heavy breathing. I started to run my finger around the design of a winged Demon on one side, over his left pec and on the right side, what looked like an avenging Angel.

  Both were on horseback and even the horses looked as musclebound as the men. Each was dressed like Draven was, a warrior from another world.

  “It’s…it’s beautiful and very fitting,” I said having first to clear my throat before I spoke. I realised now that at some point when speaking to Sophia he must have poured water over himself as some droplets still clung to his hair but mainly because his tarnished gold coloured breastplate was now minus the blood splatter from his enemies.

  “I am pleased you think so, for after watching my own warrior woman fighting, I am thinking of getting you one made,” he said and I looked up at him to see that he was teasing me. His soft dark eyes made me take a breath and roll my lips so that I wouldn’t bite them.

  “I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I said on a little laugh and he inquired,

  “No, and why is that?”

  “I think it would give people the wrong impression of me as I think you would find that I could barely lift your sword,” I said touching the golden handle of the massive weapon he kept hung at his side.

  “Then a dagger is what you need,” he told me in such a provocative way that it made me shiver. I swallowed hard when I felt the back of his fingers caress down my open neckline. Then I decided to continue my exploration of his armour.

  He dropped his hand and remained still, silently watching me as I continued to trace the raised figures until I got to the one at his chest, over his heart. It was an upturned V shape entwined with a broken O shape that branched out and back on itself before it met at the bottom. I felt him suck in a sharp breath as my fingertip traced over the symbol as if he could feel my touch branding his skin.

  “What is this?” I asked him, knowing just how many times I had seen it in my life, even before Draven entered it. I still had no idea why I had never received answers to any of my questions before, but it was something Draven always seemed to put off telling me.

  Of course, the first time I had ever seen it was on one of my baby pictures of me watching TV. I had baby wispy hair at the time and must have only been six months old. A strange birthmark to have but one that would forever be hidden from the world as soon as my hair started to grow thicker.

  But then came a front door to a hidden world and when I stepped through it, the very first thing I had touched had been that same symbol I myself had been marked with since birth. At the time, I confess I hadn’t even thought about it and in fact, it was only when trying to enter into the deepest depths of Afterlife had I thought about it. The Dravens’ family crest. My birthmark. And branded key into the Temple. They were one and the same.

  After my question, he remained silent for a what seemed like long moments. To the point where I didn’t think he would answer me, but then his voice sliced through the moment like the blade at his side. He sounded as though the answer he was about to give was a test. A test of the Gods, of the Fates, even of the very prophecy itself. And for some reason, right now in this time asking him of it, well strangely it seemed like my own test.

  Which I guess it was after I finally received his answer.

  An answer that was the very last thing I ever expected to hear…

  “It means you, Electus.”

  Chapter 3

  Chasing Love

  “I…I…don’t understand, what do you mean?” I asked quietly still trying to process what he just told me.

  “I will explain but not now,” he told me making my heart drop. When I heard him laughing I frowned back at him, knowing it was a sound generated from the look of disappointment on my face.

  “Upon my word, sweet girl, but that look makes me feel as though an arrow just pierced my chest…tell me Goddess, is this all part of your magic?” he asked leaning down and trying to catch my eyes. I couldn’t help but smirk at his words and couldn’t refrain myself from teasing him back when saying,

  “No, I usually just turn unfortunate teasing Kings into frogs for their sins.” At this he threw his head back and burst out laughing, making me momentarily fixate on his corded neck that was the colour of honey. Jesus, but how was it possible to find someone’s neck sexy!?

  “Is that so? Well I am to remember that one, for I must warn you, around you, I plan to sin a lot.” He finished this sentence whispered in my ear making me shudder.

  “Now it’s time to come with me,” he said and it was my only warning before I was suddenly hoisted up into his arms, making me cry out.

  “What are you…?”

  “Hush now…it is simply time to do your woman
ly task for your King,” he told me and I gulped, thinking this wasn’t exactly how I pictured our first time together.

  “Umm…well, I think…uh couldn’t we just, you know…?” I stumbled to find my reasons to hold this off. I didn’t know why but it didn’t feel right this way. I felt the rumbling in his chest and when I looked up at his face he was smirking down at me, as if what I had said had amused him greatly. Then he obviously couldn’t help himself when he asked,

  “Couldn’t we…?”

  “You know…like, talk first?” I said feeling like smacking myself on the head considering that was also the last thing I wanted to do right now, if the type of ‘chatting’ he preferred was anything to go by. If anything, shouldn’t I be thanking my lucky stars that he didn’t want to talk, or should I say, interrogate? Yep once again this had him laughing as if he was having the time of his life.

  “I believe you were singing a sweeter tune when you were finding your release in my mouth,” he told me shamelessly and I gasped at his brazen comment. Again, something he just laughed at. This was when I realised that he wasn’t walking us both to his bed, but past the room and into a small tunnel.

  “Where are we going?” I asked, forgetting all about his embarrassing teasing and swapping it for outright curiosity. Besides, could this lead to a way out when the time came?

  “You shall soon see,” he answered me grinning, which told me I was at least doing something right as he certainly seemed to be in a good mood. This then had me wondering what Sophia had told him.

  We continued down the tunnel that descended ever so slightly and when I peered back over his shoulder, where we entered not only seemed now quite small but also level with his shoulders. He looked down at me to see what I was doing but didn’t comment on my actions, just simply watched me. It felt like it had all that time ago when working at Afterlife and finding Draven watching me and my every move.

  Of course, it became even more obvious after we first slept together. I remember telling Libby once that the only flaw I found in Draven was the fact that he stared at me too much. Okay, so when she told me about Frank’s cheesy feet, then I really didn’t think I had much to complain about. But then again, with that intense gaze of his, looking at me in such a way that he had every right to, it felt more like I was a species being studied. As though he was silently mapping my every move. Every sound. Every gesture I made just so that he could file it away and make sense of it later.

  So, when this Draven told me that he ‘Wanted to know me’ what he actually meant was, know me in a way that no other would. Body, mind and soul. Of course, that meant one thing to Draven…watch everything I did with a penetrating gaze that felt like it was powerful enough to undress me. Take now for example, at this very moment, I knew he was trying desperately to know what I was thinking. What my expression could mean. Was it thoughts about him? For someone like Draven, all of these things must have been utterly frustrating to have to ask himself with no answers found. Someone who could simply access the mind of others with little thought put into the act. But with me, someone he no doubt wanted very much to control, then that must have been infuriating indeed. No wonder when he had first seen me he had been intrigued.

  “We are here,” he told me, swiftly bringing me out of my thoughts.

  “Oh…it’s a bathroom,” I said seeing that the Draven in this time also had a thing for sunken baths…or had Draven had his bath designed that way because it reminded of a home from his past. Well, that was interesting I thought with a hidden smile.

  “I find you quite endearing, Electus of mine,” he told me as he let go of my legs, so that they swung down before he lowered my feet to the floor.

  “You do?” He nodded, looking down at me as he ran his thumb down my cheek before gripping my chin and issuing his next command.

  “Now strip bare for me.” I could tell the way he still held my face up that he had been counting on enjoying my response to this, as my mouth dropped open on a ‘O’ and I felt the heat rushing to my cheeks. The look he gave me back told me I hadn’t disappointed him with my shocked and shy reaction. His bad boy grin was firmly set, framed by his dark beard. He finally let go of my chin and gave me the space I needed to freak out without his eagle eyes watching me.

  The room he had walked us into was huge and much bigger than it needed to be for just one person’s use. I half expected to see other people walking in and out but all I could see was one other door and it was firmly locked from this side. Which hopefully meant a possible exit for me in the future.

  “Come here,” he ordered looking back at me, as it was clear he was currently ridding himself of his battle gear, placing it down on a table at one side of the room. He was frowning at me and I wondered if he had been guessing my thoughts when looking at that door. I sure hoped not but it was a cold reminder to try and act a little more inconspicuous from now on when planning my escape.

  I slowly started to walk around the massive pool of water which took up most of the large round room. The bath was framed by eight massive arches and the space was big enough for Draven’s commanding voice to echo. It was mostly bare, with sandstone block walls and highly polished pale marble floors that were dotted with gold six pointed stars. The pillars were also cut from the same pale marble but each of the arches was painted gold, matching the floor with their six-pointed stars cut from the centres.

  The room was stunning and reflected on the dark water that was only lit by the numerous flaming torches that hung around the room on heavy iron hooks.

  Draven cleared his throat and I realised I had stopped to take in the rest of the room. I looked back at him and he was giving me an inquisitive look that silently told me he wanted to know what I was thinking. I took a breath and continued towards him.

  “Do you like this room?” he asked me the second I reached him.

  “Well I…um, I…its nice,” I said sounding stupid as I couldn’t think of what to say. It wasn’t like I could say, well I have never seen anything like it before because that wasn’t strictly true but a worse answer would have been; ‘Oh yeah, I remember something like this when I was kidnapped by Lucius in the 21st century, when I got attacked by some life sucking mud and he had to wash it off me in his own ancient bath…I remember it because the mud made me think I was having sex with him at the time.’…Um, no I didn’t think this would have gone down well.

  “You seem fixated,” he told me, picking up on my exact reaction to it. In the end, I just went with a silent shrug of my shoulders, thinking it was safer than talking. Of course, seeing what he did next, I couldn’t have spoken even if I had wanted to. Not at the sight of him pulling off the pieces of his armour and revealing one hot, hard male beneath. Jesus, it was suddenly hot in here!

  I jumped after he had released the ties at the side of his breastplate and dropped it onto the marble bench. He gave me a look over his shoulder and raised an eyebrow in question but didn’t say anything. Instead he continued to shed his clothes and suddenly I could barely breathe.

  I tried to take in all his muscles, starting with the ones on his back as he pulled off a tunic style top. Then he arched over, placing a boot against the rim of the bench and started pulling at the ties that held the metal leg guards in place. I had to fist my hands to stop myself from running my fingertips along something that looked just as hard as his breastplate had done, but a sight definitely more inviting.

  Once finished with getting his legs bare, he then turned back to me and presented me with the inside of his leather-bound arms. I didn’t know what he wanted from me so I gave him unsure, wide eyes and lent forward and after placing my hands in his open palms I said,

  “Is this what you…?” I never finished as he stared down at our entwined hands as if testing the feel of having someone hold them. My fingertips slowly curled slightly by his thick wrists and I hooked them into the thin leather straps, holding on. Then something snapped in him and he suddenly gripped tight and yanked me forward into him. I stu
mbled a step but thankfully managed to stay upright, thanks to the combined hold we had on each other.

  “No, but this is better,” he told me cryptically, then he raised both my hands up and he kissed each one on the back, never taking his eyes from mine. A shuddered breath left me before I could stop it. Not surprising, he took note of it and smiled before slowly lowering my hands back down.

  “Now you can grant me your fingers,” he said making me frown and I could actually feel my nose wrinkling in confusion, this time making him chuckle. Then he tapped me on my nose and said,

  “As adorable as I find that look on you, I will finally take pity on you and answer your silent question. Can you aid me in removing my bracers,” he asked nodding down at the leather and I blushed scarlet. That was what he had wanted all along.

  “Oh…yeah, okay, so I knew that,” I said lamely making him throw his head back and laugh again, something that made me want to groan for two reasons and one of them was down to my libido, the other my shame. I quickly removed my other locked hand from his and started to untie the leather straps as quickly as I could without looking up at him. I don’t know why but I couldn’t stop my hands from shaking and I didn’t understand it. I had already been naked with this warrior. I had spent the night in his arms and I had let him taste me in the most intimate way anyone could. So why was I now acting like a virgin on prom night?

  “Easy,” he cooed, placing a hand over mine to stop me from yanking when I started pulling at one bit that I couldn’t get through the metal clasp. Then he lifted my hand up and pulled it himself, and it snapped as easily as if it had been made from paper, not the tough animal hide it was.

  I dropped my hands to my side as he no longer needed my help and took a step back making him growl with displeasure. I looked up to him in surprise at hearing this and whilst frowning down at me, he nodded back in front of him to tell me silently to resume my previous position. I gulped back the sudden urge to run and braved taking a step closer to him. The sight of his huge chest breathing heavy and his tense muscles, as if holding himself back from doing something to me, was enough to make anyone want to run away from this beast of a man. Of course, it was also enough to make someone like myself want to throw myself on top of him and ride him like some X rated fairground ride.