Afterlife (Afterlife Saga) (70 page)

I still had my face buried in the pillow trying to catch my breath, as I was exhausted both physically and mentally. That was without a shadow of doubt the greatest
sexual encounter
I had ever experienced.
Which also meant I did need extra time to come back to earth from it.

I vaguely remember feeling something soft gently wiping me down below and I shuddered with the contact to my sensitive core. I could hear whispered endearments all the while but could make no sense of them though the clouded haze of ecstasy. When finished
I felt his hand smooth back my hair exposing one side of my face. He was lying down next to me on his side and he pulled the covers over me cooling my hot skin. He put his arms around me, lifting my head on to his shoulder resting it against his chest. I could feel his heartbeat and the rhythm was making me drift away, until his voice was the last thing I heard,

“Sleep now
my little one
” And I didn't have a problem with this command as falling asleep in his arms just added to the immense bliss...

When I awoke the light streamed through my room brighter than ever before. I only had one window but the light filled the room making my eyes squint as they tried to adjust to the sun. My bed also felt strange and my body ached like I had spent the night running.  Suddenly the events of last night shot through my mind and I nearly jumped at the body that moved next to me.

Last night we had made the most perfect love together, that much I was certain and I knew that it most definitely hadn't been a dream as I don't usually wake up to find him lying next to me. I froze not wanting to wake him but I wondered what I should do now. I could see my top and a bra but nothing else so getting out of bed was out of the question. I leaned gently round the bed to try and locate anything else I had been wearing last night before Draven had expertly removed it. I noticed a t-shirt,
which he had been wearing, that was within reach as it was still on the bed by the bottom near one of the trunk like posts.

I managed to get to it without moving the bed enough to wake him up. I slid the top over my head remembering my hair that probably looked like it was a home for woodland animals! I couldn’t help but lift the material to my face and I inhaled his scent as the memories came flooding back of last night’s escapades. The smell had me wanting to groan out loud.

“It looks better on you,” Draven said and I shot round to find him fully awake and leaning on his side propped up by his elbow. He was smiling and I went bright red. I didn't know what to say so I started biting on my lip nervously.

“Quiet this morning Keira...any reason for that?”
He said being cocky and a cheeky grin that I had never seen before broke out on his lips. Then he grabbed the t-shirt I was wearing gripping the fabric into a bunch with his fist. He pulled me back to his arms and soon the scent of the t-shirt was nothing compared to the real thing.

“Morning,” was all I could say, as I was still embarrassed and well ….in shock! Normally I would wake to find I was alone and had been dreaming which made me wonder was I still asleep?

“Finally you find your voice, I was worried for a moment.” He teased and I turned my head to look at him seeing him smiling at me.

“You seem happy.” I said making it more of a statement that a question.

“And why wouldn't I be with you here where you finally belong?” He said smoothing my wild hair back from my face, making me remember how crazy it must look. I quickly put my hand to my hair pulling it back behind my neck trying to contain it like a beast. He laughed pulling my hands away saying,

“Don't, I like it
. Wild and free as it should be
” But my new worries went to my exposed scarred skin that he held in his hands. I looked down, as in the light of day they looked worse and I tried to pull them away yet again as I had done last night. But like last night he too held on to them pulling them closer to him.

“
Ssshh
,” he assured when I started to squirm in his hold. He lifted them to his lips and he kissed the red and white marks, making each one feel the cool breath from his delicious mouth. I closed my eyes as the same feelings from last night came creeping back, which was wonderful but not the best idea right now in the day light. When he finished with the inside of my arms I felt his hand along my cheek making me openly look at him. I was about to say something when Draven spoke first but it wasn't to me.

“You may enter!” And with this I heard the door open and my reflexes took over making me hide like a kid under the covers. Draven let out a roaring laugh at my reaction. He was still laughing when the person came up to the bed.

“Brother, you remember Keira?” He said trying to control his amusement. I on the other hand was filled with so much shame all I could do was put my hand over the covers and give a little wave.

“Keira, pleasure to umm... well, sort of see you again.”
Vincent said coughing back a laugh like his brother.

“Dominic, there has been a development, something you will want to see.”

“I will be there momentarily.” Draven said then seconds later I heard the door
close. The covers were whipped back from my face and Draven was already out of bed and dressed in new clothes. I was amazed at how quick he had been and where had he got his new clothes from?

“I would appreciate it if you didn't hide your face as it's something I take great pleasure in admiring and when there's a sheet in the way, well...you can see my problem with that.”  He leant down and kissed my forehead and said,

“I have to go but I won't be long.”

“It's ok, I can just get ready and leave,” I said sitting up but he looked furious at the idea.

“NO! No I don't want you to leave, of course not...why would you ever think that?” He asked, looking hurt.

“I guess I just expected that last night was just well... last night,” I said hoping I made sense and was oh so wrong!

“What, you thought that all I wanted was a one night stand?” He said, back to being amused.

“Well to be honest I didn't know what to expect, but around you that's something I'm used to,” I said feeling confused.

“Well what I want...sorry, I mean...what I would like, is for you to stay here in my bed and wait for me till I get back to you. Besides you need more rest and time for your body to adapt.” He said before going to leave me, out of the same door his brother had used. I wanted to ask him what he meant by my body needing time to “adapt”? But the only question I asked was,

“Umm before you go...do you have a bathroom?” I said once again turning the colour of a beetroot!

“But of course, there is a door behind the tapestry in the corner, please make yourself at home Keira.” And then with that he left. I loved how he said my name and how it created little bumps on my skin every time.

As soon as I heard the door shut and decided I most definitely was alone I got up out of the enormous bed. My legs were like jelly and my muscles ached, so it took some time to steady myself. I walked around the bed and gathered my clothes so that I could change out of his t-shirt that I still wore. I wobbled over to the other side of the room where he said I would find another concealed door. It was behind a tapestry as he said, but this one wasn't of a battle scene like most of them were. This had a beautiful Angel that looked as if it was turning into a statue as the bottom half was a light grey as though it were stone. However her face looked calm as she waited for her fate. I moved it to one side and opened the door.

The bathroom was huge and like Draven's bedroom was also extremely grand. There were different sections to the room. At the very end was a giant stone arch that led up some steps to the biggest bath I had ever seen. It looked as though it could have been a room on its own housing at least ten people! It was flooded with light as there was a floor to ceiling window behind, which also shaped into an arch.

Nearer to where I stood was a white marble block that looked as if it could have weighted a tonne. It was carved into a bowl with black and gold taps. Behind the sink was a lush black and gold gilded mirror to match. It was the same design that was on the balcony railing. It was the vine with black roses and it was beautiful. Until I
looked there and saw my hair! I looked as if I had been dragged through a hedge backwards. It was then when I spotted that opposite the sink was a walk-in shower, which was also the size of another room.

It comprised of a five foot stone wall and the largest shower head which again was gold. There was a wooden cabinet to one side that I opened to find it full with crisp white towels. Why not? After last night I most definitely needed a shower. Although the thought of washing away Draven's scent from my skin wasn't that appealing but the thought of him coming back and seeing my sex hair again was definitely worse. So I slipped off his t shirt and walked behind the wall. As soon as I did the water automatically came on and I jumped. It must have been on a sensor as there were no controls on the wall. The water felt amazing and was the perfect temperature. It rained down as if I had my very own personal rain cloud above me. I couldn't keep the satisfied grin from my face.

I looked around for anything I could use and found a hidden shelf in the stone wall containing glass bottles filled with different products. I didn't know what each one was so I opened them taking a whiff of each. I think I got it right. First washing my body with one that smelt of jasmine and lotus flower, then I washed my wild hair letting it lather up before I rinsed it until it squeaked clean. Once I had finished with scrubbing and conditioning, I grabbed the two towels that I had put over the wall, using one for my hair and the other for my body. I dried myself but realised I must have left my clothes on the couch before I came in here. I wrapped myself in the towel again and poked my head around the door. Behind I found a familiar suitcase. It was the one that I used when I first moved here.

I opened it up to find most of my clothes and most importantly my hairbrush, along with a new toothbrush and tube of paste. These I was very thankful for, as the last thing I wanted was to see Draven again with morning breath. Although I did briefly wonder why I had a bag packed at all...what was Draven planning? 

I grabbed the items I needed along with a new outfit and clean underwear. When I was finished getting changed Draven still hadn't returned but there was a tray of food and a steaming pot (to my surprise and delight) of English tea! I was starving and sat down to eat to quieten my grumbling stomach. Once I had my fill of toast and tea, I decided to do something with my hair before Draven came back. I had dried it as much I could with a towel but now I needed to put it up. After searching through my bag for anything to put it up with, I remembered that Draven had removed my hair clip last night and put it down on the desk. I found it and twisted it round and round securing it with the metal clasp.

I decided to pick up all the papers from the floor and put them back in the folder that had my full name printed on it. My fingers ran over the printed name for it was the first time I had seen it in years. I closed my eyes to shut out the memories before I started to cram the papers back inside. There were pictures of evidence from his house, photocopies of letters that he had written pretending to be me, and worst of all a picture of what had been my cell. I shuddered at the memory and stuffed it angrily back into the folder along with the rest of the crap! I looked down to check I had got everything but there was one piece that was out of place on the floor by my feet. It didn't look as if it should be there as it was a piece that had been torn from a note pad.
I bent down to pick it up and turned it over slowly to reveal the picture. It was a sketched drawing of Draven...

The very one that I had not only done myself but the one I had ripped into hundreds of pieces and let the wind take away...

How?

Chapter 38 – Time for answers

I was stood out on the balcony when Draven came back. It had felt like he had been gone hours but the clock told me otherwise. My heart flipped at the sound of his footsteps coming up behind me, but I remained calm as I knew if I let what happened last night enter my mind I wouldn't go through with what I was about to do. Last night I hadn't cared as I allowed myself to believe it was only going to happen once. But if what Draven had said and it was true about it not being just a one night stand, then I needed some answers to these questions I had held firmly in my mind since we had first met.