The Two Kings (Afterlife Saga) (127 page)

“Hey...do you feel better?” He looked awkward stood in the door way, like it was too narrow for his lar
ge frame but he looked unsure about
coming in further. Like I was catatonic or something.

“Yeah, I do...well warmer at least
.
” I tried to smile, not from wanting but more like needing, I didn’t want Frank to feel uncomfortable.

“Come in Frank
,
” I said quietly and for a second I thought he was going to say no and flee the room thanks to his sullen expression. Instead he ducked once and came over to sit opposite me on the bed. We sat facing each other without speaking for a few moments and Frank looked deep in thought as though trying to find the right words. I decided to kick start this or he would be waking me up by the time he found them.

“Look Frank
,
I want to apologise. I am sorry that you both got dragged out to get me in the middle of the night and I’m more sorry that you were both worried
.
” Frank frowned at this, which wasn’t the reaction I was hoping for.

“Aren’t you tired of saying sorry
,
Keira?” His question caught me off guard and I shook my head lightly in confusion.

“People don’t think I take much notice because I stand on the sidelines and keep quiet but I find that is the best place to see things clearly. Lib’s likes to get more involved, like your folks
,
but I realised from the start that all you needed was time to figure things out for yourself. I could see how exhausting it was for you, always having to put on that act, like you were
fine
all the time. Like you would be shitting fine after what you had just been
through!” He clenched his fists
at the memory and my tears misted at his confession of feelings that
had obviously been on his mind
for quite some time. 

“But you did it, not very convincingly
,
but you still did it! You put every single person before yourself and said sorry for something you didn’t need to ever be sorry about. I would see you trying desperately to make you
r
mum and Lib’s feel better, which I appreciated more than you could ever know,
‘
cause trust me, in my life, the only thing that brings me pain is seeing your sister cry. I love her that damn much! But I love you too, you will always be a sister to me and I wanted you to know that
I think you are one of the most
selfless people I have ever known
.
” After he finished I couldn’t help my reaction. I threw myself into his arms and hugged onto him like any crying sister would. He made a
n
“Uff” sound as I hit into his chest but after a moment he wrapped his arms round me and rubbed my back soothingly.

“It’s alright, come on now, Ssshhh
.
” I was crying into his shoulder and when I moved my head back there were two wet patches on his soft, check
ed
shirt.

“Man
,
if I knew I was going to bring on the water works I would have just said goodnight
.
” He jok
ed making me
laugh as I let him go.

“Sorry, I guess it’s just nice to know that I didn’t have to fool everyone. You really are a great guy Frank and I
’m
so happy to call you brother
.
” At this he beamed a smile at me and gave me a wink.

“I know
,
I’m great aren’t I
,
but hey do you think you could tell Lib’s that some time
‘
cause her hormones have been riding me hard!” He joked some more.

“Yeah you wish!”

“At the minute my only secret weapon is chocolate, seriously you would think she was on drugs and I was her dealer...seriously addicted!” I laughed some more and the feeling was
like being pumped with a cure for a
numb state.

“Anyway talking about great guys...” And here it was, the man talk.
I raised an eyebrow and he winc
ed.

“Ok I know
,
this is none of my business but I spoke to Dom. He’s really worried about you...I mean like crazy man worried! The man is obsessed if you ask me but hey as long as he’s good to you then I’m cool with the dude but tell me truthfully...did he hurt you?”

“NO! Sorry but no, nothing like that
.
” He looked relieved and continued.

“Then he’s a good guy?” He knew the answer but he just wanted to hear me say it. I didn’t but I couldn’t help but nodding.

“Then why did you run girl?” I took a deep breath and looked down. What could I say?

“What did he tell you?” I said
,
deciding that was the smarter way to go.

“That basically
,
some arsehole pushed you and Dom pretty much nearly killed him because of it and it terrified the shit out of you. So you ran and he couldn’t stop you
.
” O..K....So maybe I was wrong. He had pretty much told him the truth and it was obvious which side Frank was on.

“You think it was the wrong thing to do, me running away don’t you?”

“Yes
!
” Well at least he was honest if not a little blunt.

“Look honey, I get it, I understand how shit like that isn’t easy for girls to see, especially after all you have been through the last couple of years. But let me tell you now, if that had been me and some guy with a death wish pushed down my Lib’s, then that man would not be breathing right now! It maybe a guy thing, I don’t know, but if you’re a real man then you don’t just stand back and
let someone hurt your woma
n. Dom’s a big guy and I can’t imagine he let him get away with it lightly, so I understand you being frightened but just bec
ause he does that to a guy, who
clearly deserved it, that doesn’t mean you have anything to fear
.
” And that was it in a nut shell. Fear.

I must have looked as deep in thought as I was because I only looked up when I felt the bed move. Frank patted me on the head twice and moved towards the door.

“Get some rest and think about what I said. Think about if you had seen some girl hitting Dom over the head with a pipe...what would you have done to that girl? Not the same thing
,
but still
,
the principle remains the same.” The answer to that hit me without thinking...I would have probably killed her!

“How did you get so smart Frank?” I said smiling at him in the door way.

“I watched sports, brushed my teeth and got into my fair share of mischief but one thing I will always recommend...always listen to your mother
.
” He laughed at himself heartily and opened my door but then something made him stop. He turned his head and met me with serious eyes.

“What is it?” I asked.

“Dom made me promise to tell you something before you go to sleep
.
” He looked uncertain about telling me.

“He told me to tell you...” He looked down as if still deciding with himself before continuing.

“He hopes you finally found your proof
!
”  

Chapter 56

Truth be Told for a F
orgiving Day

That night I went to bed feeling completely lost in myself. I had thought about what Frank had said and it made so much sense in the world of men. But then again
,
I guess if the roles
were
reversed would I have acted the same? The part that had hurt me the most was the begging for a life, begging was a sore spot for me, which made me think...was this just all about me? Was it just another defect on my part caused by my unmoveable past. Morgan may be dead but what he did to me, what he put me through and how he had changed me was still much alive in its own way. I was damaged from it, I knew that
,
but would I really let it win. Was I going to allow it to make me weak when I needed to be all that much stronger. Would I let it pull me under into the darkness it lived when I needed to stay on the surface to be with Draven.
One thing that
night had proved
, wa
s that my choices were my own...Draven had been right...I
had
found my proof.

My body was crying out for
the rest my mind would
n’t
allow me. I had put the light out and tossed and turned in my bed like a fish on the bottom of a boat for over an hour. In the end I sat up and looked about the dark room full of shadows I wasn’t yet used too. I had only slept in this room twice because I was always with Draven. I tried to blame the irritation I felt on the bed being too hard, or the pillows being too lumpy but I knew the truth. Every time I had stretched out my arm it had found air instead of skin and flesh. Every time I had rolled over I found an edge instead of a warm bo
dy to lean against. I had got
so used to spe
nding my nights next to Draven i
t felt wrong to be so alone. I hated it!

I got up and wrapped a blanket that lay at the bottom of the bed around my shoulders. I walked over to the window where a high backed chair sat waiting for me to fill it. I slumped down and pulled my knees up to wrap the knitted wool around them. I looked out
of
the window to a
n
un
familiar view of the back of the house. This side backed onto the forest that surrounded both sides of the house and instead of my usual panoramic view of the national park and rolling green mountains, now I was faced with a wall of dark trees stretching out ready to claim me. I shuddered at the irrational fear creeping up inside my fragile mind. It was because I was used to sleeping in the complete ease of Draven’s protecting arms but now I was alone and left wide open to the dark elements I knew existed.

Then something caught my eye. Something in the shadows of the trees, half hidden by thick branches and snow covered leaves. The moon glistened on every natural surface and provided enough light to see the black shadow. I could see the light in its eyes staring in my window like a lighthouse in the storm. Would I find false comfort in its meaning? I raised my hand to the glass and placed my palm out against the window. My actions caused reactions. The shadow moved suddenly and I let out my held breath
,
at the sight of Ava stretch out her impressive wingspan before taking off to the skies. I watched her until out of sig
ht, which wasn’t for long given
her speed. My heart seemed to ache more when she was gone and I curled up tighter into a ball and held myself, with my head leaning against the side of the chair. It wasn’t comfy but with the back having little sides it was easy enough for me to use as a pillow and I soon found myself asleep.

The next thing I knew I seemed to be floating. I was in that state somewhere between sleep and awareness. I had been dreaming about being outside Afterlife and I was running away from something. I kept looking behind me as I ran and every time I did my eyes met nothing but more black forest I was leaving behind. I was in the thick of the forest and the only light was what the moon
’
s rays could penetrate. I had been running towards something of a clearing and I knew this only as the light seemed to be brighter up ahead.

It was when I had reached that clearing that it happened. I was stood on the edge of the cliff face looking out towards the deep valley floor when something hit me. I had been staring off into the distant sky and focusing on something moving towards me at some speed. At first I thought it was Ava and even said her name aloud but as it came closer I could see it was far too big to be her, although it too had wings. Then before my eyes could take it all in at the speed it f
lew
, it hit into me and grabbed a hold of my body.

I opened my eyes to find I was being carried somewhere and the strong hands that had hold of me pulled in closer
to a hard chest. Then I was lain
down on something soft and comforting. The darkness around me was too empty to make out any visual attempt at what was going on or who had gently placed me down as though I was a treasured gift. A hand smoothed back my hair from my face and it felt cool on my sticky hot skin. I must have murmured something because I felt my lips moving and the air flowing over my tongue that made a word. I know which word it would have been... no wait...not a word, more like a name.