The Two Kings (Afterlife Saga) (40 page)

“It’s a beautiful car but
why didn’t you just drive the Asto
n back
?
” At this he cocked his head and smiled to himself.

“Because I like to have my hands free for other things
,” h
e whispered into my hairline before tilting my chin upwards for a gentle kiss. We both sighed at the same time when the sound of his phon
e vibrating brought our lips a
part. I started to pull away but with supernatural speed his hands grabbed my body and pulled me in
to his
for a demanding kiss.

“Only when I am ready to let you go little one
!
” He said in a
hoarse
voice clearly
thick
with lust.
Meanwhile the phone became a background buzz
soon forgotten as Draven
’
s lips seared mine with burning need. I could tell he was fighting himself to keep control
and if the deep frustrated growl was anything to go by then I would say that his rational mind had returned. 

He let me go and reached into his pocket to answer his phone.

“Speak!” He demanded in one of those I am your master and Lord tones. He listened for a moment before switching to another language to reply. I got the distinct impression he didn’t want me to know what he was talking about.  

I
decided to ignore the call and I
watched the
night fly by in a black
haze. Only when
Draven’s hand reached for mine as he moved closer to me
did I realise the phone had gone
. I didn’t turn my head to look at him but instead I
rested it on his shoulder and snuggled closer before my insecurities got the better of me. He responded to this by stroking my cheek with his other hand.

“You must be tired
.
” I didn’t know whether he was a
sking me or talking to himself but at the very sound of the word I could feel my eyes closing and getting heavy. The hum of the engine was creating a rhythm that my brain responded to by drifting off and shutting down. When Draven’s hand started to make circles on my palm I couldn’t fight it any longer s
o when his words whispered their
usual command in a velvet tone
, I was compliant
.

“Sleep now
.
”
His words were
the last thing I remembered.

I woke as I felt movement under my body and I soon realised I was being carried up some stairs.
As soon as Draven felt me stir
,
he pulled my body closer to his and leaned his head down.

“Ssshh, go back to sleep
my
young
beauty
. You will be in our bed soon
.
” The way he said
‘o
ur bed
’
made me smile under his jacket, which was pulled tightly around me.
I could just hear a door open
and the usual smell of old furniture filled my lungs. This room felt more home to me than any other place on earth.

I felt him stop and the sound of the covers being pulled back made a whoosh
sound
in the air
and I knew he was using his gifts considering that his hands weren’t free
. H
e
lowered me down and I could feel the heat escaping from my body as the distance between us grew.

I seemed to be in a semi daze and didn’t know whether this was me dreaming as I started
to feel the air on my skin where
my clothes were being removed. His soft hands made sure to come into contact with
skin with
every inch of material that he pulled away from me.
I bit my lip at the feeling
his
undressing did to me and the cra
ving to have him take me was nearly uncontrollable.
He lifted me slightly to pull the top over my head and then expertly removed my underwear. Then he ran his fingers gently over every curve and I inhaled deeply taking in his scent. He then
gently
rolled me over so that I was lying on my front and he did the same motions down my back. His palm flattened on the base of my spine and he ran it up slowly till it reached the back of my neck.

He must have thought that I was in a deep sleep as he started to whisper things to me in a different language before letting my hair loose. He gripped it with both his h
ands and twisted it. T
hen he placed it to one side
so that he could kiss my neck and continue downwards
,
making my spine feel like
sticky
dough. Every touch felt like little electric pulses that lit up my nerves and senses
like Christmas!

“
My Lord, everything
is ready…they are here
and are awaiting your command
.
” A voice I didn’t recognise spoke and when I shifted slightly from surprise his soft hands held me still.

“Ssshh
….
le sommeil mon pure
” (Means “S
leep my pure one” in French)
.
His voice acted like a warm blanket over my mind
and I tried despe
rately to stay awake and focus
on what was happening but it was proving impossible.

“
Tell my council I will join them soon
!
” His author
it
ative voice filled the nigh
t air making it such a contrast
to how moments before he was talking
so
sweetly to me. He wasn’t yet finished with me as his hands explored my skin and I knew that if I rolled over to fully announce
I was awake
,
his movemen
ts would stop and he would leave. I wanted to ask him what it was that would soon take him away but I was captivated by the immense bliss that having his hands on my body created.

He smoothed back my hair so that he could see my face and the back of one finger traced my jaw line. I couldn’t help but bite my lip as he got closer to them and I heard him let out more air through his nose at his amusement.
I felt his hands flatten on the bed either side of me and his body weight rested on them while he lowered his body closer to mine. His lips rested lightly on mine
but
for no more than seconds
,
then he moved them to my ear and whispered
,

“I love you Keira
.
”

And then
with that,
he was gone.

I don’t how long I was asleep
but
when I awoke
there was still
the
darkness that crept its way through the cracks of the curtains. I sat up and pulled the covers up to my neck as the night air was thick with an icy chill, one so cold that I could see my breath.
In fact the only thing that kept me warm
was my blood that raced its way through my veins from fear. Fear caused by the realisation that I wasn’t alone.

I sat deadly still as though my terror had me locked and frozen in time. I wanted to find the courage to move or speak but I could smell and feel that the air held another of my nightmares….this is how I knew I wasn’t alone.

I shifted when I heard a noise that sounded like nails scraping along a wooden floor and it was getting closer to the bed. I held my hands over my mouth to prevent a scream from escaping but my breathing under them was nearly as loud. Finally I couldn’t stand it any longer and I grabbed the curtain and yanked it back as fast as I could so I
couldn’t chicken out. They
w
h
ip
p
ed back and I
jumped at the noise they
made.

I scanned the room but there was nothing but the sound of mocking laughter
that seem
ed
to come from every corner
. The furniture hadn’t moved but cast eerie shadows on the floor
that looked like twisted corpses dragging themselves closer, as if drawn to my fear.
I
shivered as the laug
hter faded into the night, creating an unnatural stillness to the silent space between me and the figure that was in hiding. 

“Who’s there?”
I asked
and my voice shook, sounding
like my rib cage was being rattled.

“Are you afraid?” The voice asked and the answer was confirmed when I recognised who it belonged to.

“No
!
” I lied b
ravely. Lucius’
laughter
echoed
around the room
as I didn’t yet know where he was.

“If that is true, then come to me
.
” His deep voice was commanding and had me near trembling. He was whisperin
g “Come to me” over and over until
my ears followed it to the open glass doors onto the balcony. I started to move and I didn’t know why.
Shouldn’t I be running?

I grabbed the silk sheet that lay on the top of the thick covers and pul
led it around my naked body as though
it would provide me with some protection. It cocooned my cold skin
with an icy layer and my feet found the steps around the bed.

My mind was screaming at me for what my body was doing. Why couldn’t I control my actions? His whispering continu
ed and when I was out of bed I moved
towards the balcony where
his voice changed
,

“Yes...
yes…further
!
” His words consumed my
thoughts
and I was only there to do his will. My outer shell felt as though it was freezing all over but inside was pure hell
fire. My veins were molten lava
and my heart
was
the cause of the eruption. I wanted to scream out to Draven but even though I still had my speech I wouldn’t use it.

I got to the open doors and saw the full moon light up the marble floor giving it a bluish tinge. The balcony was empty but I still
continued
further until the voice commanded differently
. My hands went out to the me
tal
railing for support and they
turned wet after the frost that covered it
,
melting
under my warm palms. Then my fingers curled round
it
tightly as I
felt his
body so close to my own behind me. Hands found my shoulders and pushed away the silk that they found there. He moved my loose hair away to get to my bare neck and I counted my last minutes before he took me.

“Do you think I want to end your life?” His lips bent close to my ear as he said this and I started to tremble under his huge hands that still had hold of my neck
on either side, encasing the entire length with icy solid fingers
.
I nodded and he move
d
my head to one side to the angle he wanted it. His traced his finger tips down from my ear to my bare shoulder blade.

“Something so pure should be enjoyed before death and you are too young before that event happens. However I can still
... devour you
.
” He gripped me roughly as he turned me into him so he could crush
his mouth to mine
. He
tasted the blood there as he bit down
hard on my lips and
sucked them before kissing me passionately and taking my body into his arms. I was
locked in his
half
naked frame and
couldn’t get free.
The o
nly veil between our bare bodies
,
was the thin sheet of silk that felt as though it was slipping away into nothing.  

My body wasn’t the only thing locked
,
as my mind seemed to belong to him also. It was like being licked by flames and touched by ice. I had to concentrate or I would never break free. I search
ed
my own mind for his presence and when my head became hot and sticky I found him
hanging onto me like a
black
plague. I closed my eyes tight and pushed and pushed until I felt my limbs
become
my own again. First I moved my fingers and they formed fists by my sides. My arms tensed and I pushed them out with all my strength hitting his solid chest.

I was surprised when he moved backwards and I didn’t know if it was down to me or the shock that I had overcome his power. I could now see his face for the first time and it was hard, handsome
and cold. His lighten
ed
skin
only made his eyes all the more striking
, like bloody coloured crystals
.
He had an ethereal
beauty, like a marble statue carved into perfect features for all time. Harsh lines of a chiselled face mirrored the clear cut lines of a muscular body, with forearms tensing like
tension wire on a bridge,
as he flexed his fists
in clear rage. His naked torso was clearly ripp
led without a
n inch of fat but
,
unlike Draven
,
he was of a slimmer build, swapping Draven’s brute strength for stealth and speed.