The Two Kings (Afterlife Saga)

by Hudson, Stephanie

  “You painted this?”He asked without looking at me and I walked over to him to look down at my mixture of greens and blues. I shamefully said,

  “Yes, it isn't very good I know but it's something I have always enjoyed doing.” He turned to face me and looked at me with a serious eye. He placed his fingers over my lips.

  “Keira, how can you say these things, your work is beautiful and your emotions show on the canvas, you were happy when you painted this, I can tell.” He looked back at it as though he was proud and I could feel my eyes welling up. I don't really know why I had this reaction but if I were to guess I would put it down to my past.

  It had been because of art that I had met Morgan as he had been my tutor (under false pretences). He had loved my art also but I later found that even if I had swallowed a bucket of paint and then threw up on the paper he would have loved it. He was sick and twisted and the whole experience made me turn my back on my passion. Until of course I met Draven. Maybe this is why he liked this picture so much, maybe he knew it was down to him.

  “Then I would like you to have it..... But of course only if you want it that is.” He put his hand on the back of my neck and pulled my head into his chest, he kissed the top of it and said,

  “I would be honoured, Thank you Keira.” He was so sincere and before I was reduced to tears I said.

  “You’re welcome, but no selling it on eBay!” He laughed and picked me up like I had been a small child, swinging me around but as he did this my leg knocked a book to the floor. He put me down and picked it up and before I could grab it back, he had opened it.

  “No don't!” But it was too late. My book of Demons was being folded back, page after page in his hands. He was shaking his head at all I had seen in the time I had moved here but one picture he came to made him shake with an emotion I didn't know. I looked down and remembered the dream it came from.

  It was after Layla had stabbed me, my first night in Draven's bed but I had forgotten the dream until it came back to me nights later. I’d been in Afterlife dancing with some old school friend of mine, when I could see a pair of strange eyes watching me. At first in the dream I had thought they had belonged to Draven but when I saw the body emerge from the shadows it was a man I had never seen before.

  He was very tall like Draven, with wide shoulders that looked built for swinging a warriors Axe. But that's where the similarities ended. Where Draven was olive skinned and had dark features, hair, eyes, this guy was the opposite. He had blonde hair, tied back from his face but it was cut just above where his spine started. He had very pale skin which just enhanced his startling dark blue eyes.

  He had strong features, with a square jaw and hard mouth. He was stunning but frightening as hell! It was mainly down to his eyes and the way they followed me. Every movement my body made with the music he matched with his gaze. It was both freezing and fiery. It was the look of a natural born killer and he had just found his next victim, only this creature liked to play first.

  I remember trying to ignore him in my dream but it was as if he was forcing himself into my brain, using my mind against me. My eyes weren't my own, so when I couldn't look away from him, I saw he was no longer in the distance, no he was now right in front of me. I tried to run but my legs wouldn't work, I tried to lash out at him but my arms wouldn't move. He had me paralysed and he looked down at me with sardonic satisfaction.

  His hand came to my face and his skin felt like smooth marble and ice cold fingers, leaving their mark in lines down my cheeks. Then the lights went out in the club and the room was plunged into a dark silence. I looked about the room but couldn't see anyone else. That’s when the man in front of me spoke for the first time.

  “They’re all dead little Keira girl.” His voice was the deepest voice I had ever heard and I will never forget the way my name sounded at that depth of evil. I looked down at my hand expecting not to see anything but they were glowing deep red. At first I though my wrists had been slit again but then I realised it was from a reflection.

  I had never felt a fear as strong before as I lift my head to look back at him. My eyes found what I imagined one of the devil's minions to look like. There was a blood red mist around his figure but his body was blacked out. His face was in the deep shadows but his eyes glowed white making him look almost like the walking dead. Behind him were two massive bulls horns that came from his shoulder bones and attached to these were his wings hanging down like demonic curtains. It was like a thousand bats had been killed and all their wings used to be sewed together to make one huge set. They were worn and broken in places with holes nearer the edges. They then went down into points making the ends, where finger like claws looked deadly to the core. His hands were balled into fist by his sides and when he didn't touch me with them I was about to turn and run.

  “You can't run from me little Keira girl. There is nowhere for you to hide.” His voice wasn't coming from his lips but from every corner of the room as though there was an army of him. I followed the whispers but couldn't make out anything. I turned back towards him and he leaned his face forwards making me step back with fright. Blood stained lips curved into a sadistic smile showing me all his bloody teeth like he had not long finished a human meal. His fangs started to grow past his lips and down his chin at the sight of my fear. A single droplet of bloody dripped down his right fang.

  “See you soon” He said and licked the blood off it before clicking his fingers. This made all the lights in the club return and my fears sunk to new depths. He had illuminated the room for me to discover the blood bath. All my friends, everyone I ever knew was now lying in broken heaps around us. Bloody, dismembered and tortured bodies I could hardly make out individually. The walls and furniture ran red with blood as though a raging river of the life source had passed through.

  I screamed uncontrollably which is what finally woke me up from my nightmare. I had got up that night to draw him from my memory not really knowing who or what he was but I had to cast him out. Even now I still got goosebumps from the picture. Sammael had nothing on this dude!

  Draven was still gripping the book like it was a small creature that needed to be contained.

  “Draven what's wrong?” My voice seemed to bring him back to the room but his face was one of pure fury and hatred.

  “Have you seen this man?” His voice was steel, cold and one I had rarely heard before.

  “Only once, in a nightmare... why?” I was pretty sure I didn't want to know the answer to this but it wouldn't be the first time I had received an answer I didn't like. He dropped the book to the floor and turned to me to grab my shoulders. I looked up at him and hated the harsh bitter face I found there.

  “Because Keira, the man in this picture is....” I swallowed hard, now knowing the truth and the foundations of our combined fears.

  I finished his sentence.

  “Lucius”

  Chapter 5

  Bodyguard Time

  It took a while for Draven to calm down from this new development and I tried to hide my worry for his sake. The only up side to all this, is at least now I knew his face and to keep well clear of it if I ever saw it in anything but my dreams. Draven had made some phone calls but he spoke in a really ancient sounding language so once again, I was kept in the dark. I was trying to look busy until he had finished on the phone.

  “Keira, I will have to leave you but it won't be for long.” I have to say the idea didn't have me doing back flips off the bed but I guess this was proof there wasn't really much to fear.

  “I am sending Ragnar over here to keep an eye on the house in my absence.” Ok, so it looks like I spoke to soon!

  “Great, Ragnar” I said before I could stop myself. He raised an eyebrow at me....darn!

  “What's wrong, he is extremely strong and very loyal?”

  “Yes and he also hates me!” I said like a spoilt child but Draven laughed. At least he was in a better mood.

  “Keira he does not hate you. He is just not
used to seeing humans around me, especially those who speak their mind so openly. Think back to the times he has seen you, once you came to my table to shout at me....yes?!” Ok, so he had a tiny point there. His warm arms encased me in a secure hold before leaning down to my ear.

  “I find this adorable little Keira but I can trust you to give him a chance can't I? He is after all your new bodyguard.” Oh no way! Never going to happen! The new horror of having that fairytale giant counteracted the sound of Draven calling me “little Keira” which tried to drag me back to the dream of Lucius. I think I was going to have to start wearing heels!

  “Draven, that is not going to happen, I don't need a bodyguard. Not when I have you.” I said stubbornly and I stomped away leaving him trying to control his smile.

  “Does that mean you are willing to move into my home and stay within those walls forever?”

  “No of course not, I want to still to do my normal stuff, like work and college but come on, a bodyguard? Don't you think that's a wee bit over the top?” I could tell it was like flogging a dead horse. He wasn't going to budge on this.

  “No, I do not and if I had my way, you wouldn't be going back to college and as for the work thing, we will discuss it when I return. But Keira, understand, if you want this ‘normal life’ you speak of, then there will be consequences and your protection comes first in my list of priorities.” At this he sounded absolutely unmoveable.

  “Fine, but that's not going to look weird at all, having some scary guy the size of a house following me everywhere I go. Like I can't get any weirder!” Ok, so I was sulking now but for someone that just wanted to fade into the background, having bloody Goliath around wasn't part of the picture!

  Draven made me look up at him and he looked hurt. I instantly felt guilty. I lowered my head feeling a bit ashamed of my behaviour. He put his hand under my chin and the slight pressure he applied made me look up at him again.

  “Keira, please don't make this difficult. I don't like leaving you but if I have to do it then at least let me do so with a confidence that you will be safe. That's all I ask.”

  “I'm sorry, I guess I'm just grumpy because you’re going that's all.” I reached up on my tiptoes but I still couldn't reach his lips, so he took the hint and leaned down to me to meet me half way.

  “Now that reason I like.” He said smiling.

  Five minutes later Draven opened the door to find Ragnar filling the gap. The old wooden deck creaked angrily under his gigantic weight. His skin looked even more horrific in the daylight, like worn leather. He was taller than Draven and as wide as the door frame. I gulped and Draven turned to me and took my hand, giving it a squeeze to tell me it was alright. Ragnar was wearing black trousers and a black T-shirt that looked as if it was crying out in pain from being so tight. I hoped he wouldn’t sneeze while he was here or that thing would rip into shreds and he would be left with nothing. His arms looked like tree trunks and the pure muscle was covered with bulging veins. His hands looked like spades that could have crushed my head with one small action.

  “Keira, this is Ragnar.” I was trying to hide like a child behind Draven but he pulled me to his side. I looked up at him and a nervous smile crept its way across my face.

  “Hello, would you like to come in?” I asked not forgetting my manners, even in the face of this beast! He looked at me curiously and then looked back at Draven for his answer.

  “Ragnar will stay outside.” At this Ragnar just nodded at his master. Draven motioned for him to move and he left to walk the perimeter of the house. I noticed there was now a huge black Land Rover sat in my driveway. Well I doubted Ragnar would have fitted in one of Draven’s many sports cars.

  “I won't be long.” He kissed me long and hard as though it was to be our last. Then he spoke to Ragnar before he left.

  “Geyma austrvegr jenta og gi lifdagar ditt, lytte til andra” (Means “Guard the girl with your life, listen for others” in Part old Norse and Norwegian) He was just about to get in the car when he stopped. I was still in the door way and couldn't understand what he was saying but he shouted back to Ragnar,

  “Oh and Ragnar, “ Ikke skirra austrvegr jenta, være hyggelig!” (“Do not scare the girl, be nice!”)

  “Ja min herre” (“Yes my Lord”) He spoke for the first time and his voice matched his size. It was rough like a person just recovering from having their tonsils out. I watched as Draven got in the driver’s side and drove off at a quicker speed than I would have liked, kicking up the gravel as he went. The sky was clear over the house but there were darker clouds moving across the mountains that threatened the ground with rain. Ragnar gave me a nod before I went back inside to be properly alone for the first time since Monday and today was Thursday. I went to flick on the kettle and make a hot chocolate when I noticed the answering machine blinking. I pressed a button and a very polite voice told me I had forty three messages. Forty three! Wow Libby had been worried. I didn't have the time or the will to listen to them all so I pressed the erase button.

  I made two mugs of chocolate as I thought it was only polite to make my ‘forced upon me’ guest a drink. I hadn't asked him but to tell the truth I was too scared to. I opened the door to find him standing guard by the frame. I just hoped we didn't have any visitors, it’s not as if out here we got the Avon lady or anything but still, I doubt Ragnar was going to look kindly on a postman. Maybe I would need to make a sign “Beware of the Ragnar” or “Warning Viking Demon on patrol”.

  “Hi, I... um... I made you a drink.” I said and he cocked his large head to one side.

  “Why?” He asked and I couldn't help but jump.

  “Because I made myself one and it is cold out here. Plus it's kind of what humans do.” I said in a bit of a nervous whisper.

  “They'd give men cups, like an offering?” He sounded confused. He also didn't sound like he was used to speaking in English but I understood it even with the strong European accent.

  “Guests usually get offered a drink...yes. Do you like chocolate?” I asked looking like a hobbit next to a giant. He just shrugged his shoulders and I felt the wooden floor bounce from his slight movement. I hoped he didn't go through it. I passed him the mug and it looked like a thimble in his whopping great big hands. He looked at it as though it was going to do something more.

  “It's nice....sweet.” I said smiling at him. Like this he didn't seem so scary. Once you got used to the pot holed face and colossal size. He placed it to his lips and I said quickly.

  “It's hot!” But he smirked which added a nice glaze to his chestnut coloured eyes. He drank it all in one and my mouth must have dropped because he started laughing. At least I think it was laughter, rather that or he was doing an impression of a bull grunting and getting ready to charge. He handed me back the mug which was still hot.

  “Good?” I asked determined to get more than a few words out of him but he just nodded so I gave up. I moved to the open front door and he watched me carefully.

  “I thanking you” He said and it looked as though he found it difficult thanking a human girl for anything.

  “You’re welcome, if you want anything else, just let me know.”

  I had to admit that with my very own private Hercules standing guard I didn't worry about my new stalker. I could imagine getting hit by Ragnar would be like being hit by a runaway train. I decided while I was alone to do a load of washing, take a shower and ring RJ to let her know I was still alive. I felt a bit bad that I had waited so long and after what had happened to Jack and Celina, I really wanted to make sure he was alright. Plus this would be a conversation I didn't really want Draven to hear. When it came to me and Jack being friends, Draven didn't approve....that much was clear. I got the cordless and snuggled on the couch.

  “Hey RJ, its Kaz.”

  “Oh my god! What happened to you, have you heard the rumours? People think the Dravens abducted you or something!” She sounded a little too happy about this idea. I wondered if she wasn't the one to s
pread these rumours but then I dismissed the idea feeling guilty for even thinking it.

  “No, no, nothing like that, I just had some real personal stuff to deal with and the Dravens have been helping me with it.” At least I could get away with saying that without lying.

  “Like what? You know Jack has been really worried about you, he wanted to call the police!” She did sound concerned but also relieved, which was sweet.

  “Some stuff from England but it's all over now.” For some reason saying it out loud made it seem more real.

  “Is he there?”

  “No but you have his cell number right?”

  “Yeah, I will give him a call. RJ, I have something to tell you but I don't want you to freak out ….ok?”

  “O..k..” She said slowly.

  “You also have to promise me not to tell anyone and remember you’re the only person that will know, so if I hear that the whole town knows tomorrow then guess who I am pointing the finger at?”

  “OK, ok I got it, Jeez… deadly secret, pinkie seal and blood exchange! I promise.” I didn't quite understand the other bits but I decided to trust her anyway.

  “Well…um… me and Dominic Draven are sort of....well, dating.” As soon as I said it I thought she had been hit with a brick, she was screaming.

  “RJ.....RJ? You still there?”

  “OH MY GOD, NO FREAKIN’ WAY!!!! That is some crazy shit! Tell me everything before I go insane with jealously and come round in a murderous rage.” I laughed at the thought of RJ's face when she got here to kill me and met Ragnar by the door! I explained how Draven had helped me out with some issues with a stalker I had back in England and that's why I didn't like talking about my past. I didn't think telling her this would do any harm....well I hoped not. I carried on saying how Sophia wanted me to stay with them for a few days just to be sure he didn't come around looking for me.