Afterlife (Afterlife Saga) (89 page)

“I have missed you Catherine, oh how I have thought about you.” He said as his hand slid further down past my chest and down to my side. His other hand went to
the opposite side and he pulled my body into his as it swung easily on the chain making it impossible for me to move away. His face was inches from mine and I held my breath and closed my eyes wishing how much I hoped Draven would find me.

“I wouldn't do that if I were you!” I whispered before his lips infected me.

“And why is that my girl?” He said smiling as he lingered over my lips so that I could smell the sour liquor on his breath.

“Because I am NOT your girl and the one I do belong to, is not going to be happy with you touching me!” I said trying to sound as serious as that threat was.

“Oh and what will he do...take my soul!” He nearly spat out his words, and I could almost taste the cheap whiskey.

“No doubt he will simply kill you.” I said calmly as I knew this was true, knowing Draven if he saw this he wouldn't bat an eyelid at destroying him. But Morgan was back in control as he pulled a large blade from his back and held it up to my neck. I let out a moan at the sight.

“Ssshh, don't move or we might have another accident like last time and well... this one we won't be coming back from. How did that feel anyway? I was always curious...it must have been excruciating?” He said pulling away the sharp metal from my skin and pointing to my arms with it.

“It was worth it!” I said feeling my blood boil under my skin and wishing I were a demon for the first time in my life!

“Tut, tut, don't say that Catherine, that's not nice and you will pay for it.” He said as his free hand touched my leg and moved up my thigh making my skin crawl!

“GET OFF ME!” I screamed as I thrashed around but the blade came back up to my neck, stopping me instantly.

“Behave!” He shouted back at me as his hand was trying to find what it wanted and the tears started to fall down my cheeks, some landing on the cold blade beneath my chin.

“Don't... please!” I pleaded and his face softened slightly but not enough to crush his fantasy and I cried out as he found his mark.

“MORGAN! Leave her!” A stern voice growled at him and he reluctantly removed his hand but he winked at me before walking back to his corner. I could feel the acid in my mouth from the effect he had on me.

Sammael was back to looking like Andy but he was no longer wearing the uniform and neither was Morgan. I looked around as there were a few candles lit, casting shadows about the room, making my fear double, as I didn't know what was real or what was in my head anymore.

“She is strong, incredibly so for a Human.” Sammael said in a low terrifying voice that made me sob softly. He was making the shadows move around me like sea serpents and I could feel them biting my skin but it wasn't real! I was screaming with pain but I was trying to concentrate knowing this was my only chance against him. COME ON KEIRA THINK!!!! I shouted to myself in my head. I needed to be strong...hold it… hold it now! I found where he was and pushed as I had done when Draven tried to enter my mind. The shadows evaporated into dust and the pain slowly disappeared. I could finally breathe and my body flopped down feeling exhausted with the
effort it
took.

Sammael clapped his hands, as this was all very entertaining to him.

“Very good my dear...I am impressed, a rare thing indeed. No wonder Draven has claimed you for himself. You are a nice quirky addition to his following.” He said making it sound as if I was property. I still couldn't speak as I was panting after the breath had been wiped out of me.

“I told you she was different!” Morgan said as if being proud of me.

“Yes, you did
well,
now give her some water before she faints. I need her awake for this next part,” he said and my panicked breathing nearly started again at what the next part would be. Morgan came towards me and put a glass to my lips but he couldn't resist where his other hand went so when he pulled back the glass from my lips, I spat it all back out at him!

“BITCH!”
He screamed as his hand came crashing down on my face again and I felt my lip burst open and the blood drip down my chin. I hung my head down from the blow, but could hear the laughter from Sammael.

“She is fe
isty, well she would have to be
to
wet Draven's appetite,” Sammael said sounding more than amused at my outburst.

“NO! There is no way she has been with him like that!” Morgan shouted and now I started to laugh but I wasn't sure why, maybe I had finally lost it!

“SHUT UP!” He barked at me. “Make her see!” He demanded Sammael, but he was unmoved by Morgan's denial.

“She already has the sight, she has seen him Morgan and she doesn't care what he is! Don't be naive...of course she has mated with him, he would not be able to contain his urge around such temptations. He would have made her his at the first opportunity.”

“I don't believe it!” Morgan was outraged at this, which only made me laugh more. This was, after all, the only revenge that I had.

“Ask her.” Sammael said gesturing to me. Morgan came at me, breathing heavy under the strain of the truth. His face twisted with hate and I found great pleasure in telling him something that would cripple him! 

“What he says is true, I belong to him!” I said smiling as I enjoyed each word that came out of my bloody lips. But again he hit me making the burning pain heat my skin on one cheek, it was still worth it though, which made me wonder if I was getting used to the pain. He was about to do it again but stopped as he had a different idea. He walked over to Sammael and handed him the large knife.

“DO IT! We had a deal!” He said, but Sammael held up his hand, passing on the knife offered.

“We do and I will fulfil my end of the bargain but I will not be needing that.” He grinned and even though Andy usually had a kind face, this time it turned hard and terrifying. He had changed him into a killer and my body went into panic, as I knew Draven mustn't be able to find me and I had run out of time!

With each step he made my heart rate increased making the pounding in my chest hurt and my rib cage rattle with fear. The tears came without control and I shook making the chains clang against the wooden beam. Morgan came up behind him, getting a better view, as his sick mind enjoyed watching me squirm.

Sammael's eyes devoured my body admiring it for himself... no doubt taking his
fair share of human girls over the years. His hand touched my waist and clamped it into a deadly hold. He forcefully pulled me close and I could feel the wood give a little under the added pressure. This shot a pain through my side making me whimper which he enjoyed even more.

“Just to warn you...this will hurt.” He said licking his lips and I could smell the black tar that I had seen in my dream on his breath. He found my arm and ripped my glove off exposing my now red scars from the heat that coursed through my blood. Beads of sweat ran down my forehead and they trickled to my lips to join my tears.

“Why don't we use your arm as that seems to be your preference?” He said flashing me his evil grin. He held up one hand and showed me the deadly claws growing out of his nails and they reminded me of Ava's, black and razor sharp. I screamed knowing this was my time and the last word on my lips would be his name. He didn't do it quickly, but oh so slowly he tore four long slashes into my skin and I howled in pain as this was like nothing I had ever felt before. 

“DRAVEN!”
I screamed out and it echoed into the night leaving me breathless from emptying my lungs. The pain made my body convulse and I nearly passed out. I swung round making the wood splinter little bits to the floor as the chain rubbed away at it. I could feel the blood gushing out of my arm making
it's
way down through my dress and down my side. My mind couldn't concentrate on what I wanted it to do. My head fell backwards and my eyes rolled upwards as all I wanted to do was black out. I could hear words being said but couldn't process anything but the immense pain and blood that was leaving my body. 

He then pulled me back and placed his hand over the gushing wound making heat fill my veins. The feeling was similar to when Draven had done the same thing to the wound Layla had caused, only when he had done it, I had felt no pain. Now when Sammael touched me my blood felt as though it was mixing with lava burning evil and I couldn't hear anything above the screams. Over and over they erupted filling the forest with the noise of agony. It took me a moment to realise they were coming from me as finally the pain started to subside.

“He won't be long now, no doubt he heard that and knows she is here,” Sammael said sounding pleased as if they wanted Draven to come. I hung down exhausted, but couldn't feel my blood dripping to the floor any more so when I looked up I noticed my arm was glowing red from the effect his touch had left. When I turned to face the others I found myself screaming again at the sight of Sammael.

His face was even more hideous than my dream had shown me. The black tar was alive around his face moving in and out
of his
dead looking skin as though keeping him together. The blood oozed from his disgusting lips and dripped like mine had on the floor around him. His crude metal stitches that had once held his lips caged were now cut and bent outwards sticking through the holes in his cracked skin.

I wanted to vomit at the sight and knew I would, if he came near me again. His wings wrapped around his body like cloth that had claws attached to the ends. They weren't made up from feathers like
Draven's,
they were like webbed fingers, black and also dripping with tar. This is what Morgan wanted me to see, he wanted me to see Demon forms thinking that when I saw Draven I would run from him. He was foolish again, continuing his deluded state even after Sammael had told him.

“I will leave as he will be here shortly, I need to summon the others...but you remember your part of the bargain don't you...Morgan?” He said placing one long flaky hand on his shoulder, as Morgan couldn't take his eyes off me.

“Morgan!”

“Yes I remember… Afterlife
” He said answering Sammael and I couldn't swallow at the sound of the club being mentioned.....what was he going to do? Then it hit me, maybe the reason they wanted Draven here was to get back to the club without his guard. Were they really going to try and bring down the Afterlife
....
OH NO.... IT WAS A TRAP!!!!

“NO you can't!” I shouted and Sammael started to laugh spitting more blood to the floor and it sizzled acting like acid as it hit the black tar.

“You don't need to worry about it my dear, you have played your part well...and maybe we will meet again in some other life but for now....well I will leave you in Morgan's capable hands.” He said snapping his teeth shut which overhung his nailed lips. The wires were in the way and the sound of bone against metal was a gruesome noise.

“Why are you doing this?” I asked trying to pull my body up but my wrists were bleeding from the skin that had been rubbed away by the rope.

“Revenge of course.
See your precious Draven did this to me,” he said, pointing to his wired mouth. “He and his brother think they have the right to meddle in my affairs like they are the LAW! After my partner, Belphegor, didn't need me any longer he sought the help of your dark prince to silence me forever.” He said with a bitter spark. “But as you can see I found a way and now, well thanks to you, I will finally get my revenge...he is not the only one with powers and well, now I have an advantage. See I have nothing to lose but Draven...now he finally does!” He nodded to me with another evil snap of his fangs.

He then left out of the door and it was then I realised where I was. I was in the log cabin in the woods where I had fallen. It looked different, as the furniture that had been piled up against the doors and windows was all stacked in one corner. The moon was still bright in the sky from the clear day we had, and having no clouds to hide behind, it flooded the cabin with light.

Now we were alone again Morgan wasted no time coming back over to taunt me like the leech he was! His hand went to my scared arm and he ran a dirty hand over each one taking pleasure in it.

“Now we will be alone forever Catherine, I will take care of that.” He said as if this was something I would want to hear, so I decided to try reasoning, if you could with a nut job like Morgan. I said his real name for the second time in my life and it felt like acid was burning my mouth at the infection it caused.