The Two Kings (Afterlife Saga) (41 page)

His frown was
soon
replaced with a chilling smile and it only enhanced his terrifying face. I ran past him
,
back into the safety of the room only to be met by a blazing fire. I stopped dead at the
sight of the
flames
that
licked at the bed frame
. The
curtains had changed from their
usual purple and gold material
to a waving wall of red and orange. They moved like they were under water
and I stepped back until I once again
felt cold marble under my feet. I heard the crackling of wood splitting
under the immense heat and then as I took even more steps backwards the two trees eit
her side of the door
erupted into blue flames
, along with the door frame. The glass started to pop and melt, making little deadly shards cover the floor when the doors gave up and shattered.

“You maybe different to other humans but you will never escape the hold I have on you
!
” I turned to face him and screamed at the sight of him in his dem
on form. His body was black as if
it had been burnt and flakes of ash fell to the ground beneath him. His hu
ge horns that came from his shoulders
held the start of his wings that wer
e like half bat and half bird. They reached the floor and curle
d upwards with weapons
situated on the
multiple
tips. Black claws grew longer and thicker from them at the sight of my fear. A smile crept its way acros
s the unfamiliar demonic face of Draven
’
s enemy, that was no
w
also my own.

“What do you want!?” I shouted at his laughter.

“So small
,
for someone so fiery
!
” When he said this the flames flew out to the sides and started to melt the metal railing and what were once black roses were now glowing red with heat.

“I will not have long to wait and you will soon come to me
.
” He sounded so sure of this that I almost believed that I
would do anything that
he commanded
me to
. He had a hold over me and we both knew it
t
o be as strong as
having the need to
breathe. I was bound to him and I wanted desperately to cut the cord that connected us.

“NEVER!” I screamed
before falling to my knees and cov
er
ing my head. I wanted to be saved by Draven. I wanted his hands to pull me from this nightmare and keep me safe. But he didn’t come. There was no gentle caress, no soft words of love…only the sound of Lucius coming closer to take me.

“Draven….Draven
!
” I said his name over and over as my tears flowed freely down my cheeks.

“Years of waiting
have
taugh
t the fool nothing of protecting what he loves the most and you… my pure one
,
will soon see what it means to be under my rule. Rest assure
d
,
no one will take you fro
m me, as
I
will soon be taking you from his
lordship
!
” His words were like venom that coursed its way around my body and infected it
,
making me shiver. I wanted to cry at th
e thought of being taken by the
D
evil
’
s right hand from the man I loved. His threat scared me into never doubting that one day he would complete his goal and I would be at his mercy.

My head lifted to see that the
re was now only a small space
which was not alight. He lifted his hand up and motioned for me to rise. I did as I was instructed but as my eyes met the surrounding view I noticed the flames weren’t only confined to the balcony. Everything I had once thought to be the most beautiful
scenery was now consumed by a red river of death. The burning trees were falling as the sea of flames destroyed everything in it path. I knew none of this was real but when even my throat burned when inhaling the hot air and my nose filled with the smell of wood turning to ash
,
I still cried like it was really happening. The balcony was crumbling away into the fiery abyss
below
and I felt as though I
had been cast down to hell it
self.

It felt like the end of the world.

“Why are you doing this?” I asked hopelessly and as my hair fell down in front of my face
,
his hands were there to hold
it back. He stood so close
,
my breath caught in my lung
s making it hard to breathe. He
gripped the bottom of my face and forced me to look up at him.

“Because I
want you for myself!” I closed my eyes tight and pushed him out of my head as I could feel his infl
uence trying to tunnel it
s way back in.

“No
,
” I whispered
as he relea
sed my face but his hand found my shaky one and he lifted it to his lips to kiss
it
like a gentleman.

“
You will not have long to wait
until we m
e
et again
but for now
,
I will leave you with a gift
.
” He nodded behind me and I turned while my hand was still locked in his. There
,
a flaming body emerged from the smoke filled room and the s
creams could be heard across
hell
’s
valley below. I could just make out the body of a young girl with long blonde hair and a small thin curved frame. Her arms were bleeding from the deep cuts there and her naked legs were covered in melting flesh. The screams of agony pie
r
ced my ears and then I realised my own screams mirrored hers as we were one and the same. My other self stood dying in front of me and I cried out to help her. She fell to her knees and I did the same. We looked like a mirror image of
good
versus evil, living and dying.

Lucius walked over to the burning me and picked her up into his bulging arms. His
wings wrapped forward in a protective way and he started to walk back into the bed chamber. He looked back over his shoulder and said
,

“Remember Keira…soon, very
, very
soon
.
” The flaming me in his arms started to scream once more and when I woke from this hellish nightmare
,
I thought it was still my screaming that could be heard. It took me a moment to come to my own
senses and not those of Lucius’
control. But when I did finally calm
,
I came to realise that I could still hear the screams
,

Only
this time,
they weren’t mine….

Chapter 19

The T
emple

The screams belonged to a girl, that much I could be certain. The room was just as I had last seen it before the dream. It was only
me that
remained altered from the horrors I had witnessed. I inhaled, filling my lungs finally with the usual scent of the room I loved like home. There was no burning oak smell, no flaking of the material under the flames that licked
at
them and most importantly the balcony was empty and intact.

However my mental state was left fragile and frightened. I tried to shake off the feelings of dread and thankfully the full moon provided enough light for me to locate my clothes. I moved so slowly, like I was half expecting something to jump out at me and the constant sound of pain wasn’t helping my nerves.

Once I was dressed, I wiggled my sockless feet into my
trainers and moved towards the door I knew lead further into the fortress that was Draven
’
s home. I opened it and the crack flooded the room with light, however this wasn’t the only thing it let in. The sound was almost unbearable to hear and it wasn’t only the dream that had caused my distress. My memories of my own living nightmare came back at me like a wave of unsuspecting cruelty. This is what made my feet move from behind the safety of the door.

I knew that if I had been heard when Morgan had me locked away
,
then my horrific past may not have left me with such a deep scar. How I had wished for just one person to find me, to save me from his madness and my hopelessness. I had screamed and screamed until my throat
was
red raw and my lungs left empty. But no
one
came….No on
e ever
heard my cries
but the man responsible.

I knew that if ever I had heard the same
,
I would rather risk my life to help
,
than to live the rest of my years knowing that I
had
just walked on by
….not when I could have done something….anything! I just prayed that I saw Draven along the way, or at least someone that I knew could help.

I started down a long narrow corridor that I knew
,
as I had used it a few time
s,
n
ormally
when being dragged away by Sophia. It consisted of stone arches that came down to blend with the soft stone walls. Luckily there were light fittings attached and the flames
,
although needed
,
they
were also an unwanted reminder of the nightmare that Lucius had left me with…his gift.

I pulled my zip up sweater closer to my neck and even pulled the large floppy hood over my head, this way I felt more secure. It still didn’t stop the shivers that co
nvulsed my body
,
when the screaming
stopped. I had to move faster, I had to get there and couldn’t let my own fears prevent
me
from saving a life.

When I got to the end of the corridor
my knowledge of where I
was ended
. I knew if I turned right it would lead me to Sophia’s room and I half considered it but when the screams got louder I knew
they were coming from the left
so with my mind set, I started
walking down
to
opposite of
where I knew. I
t
seemed to be leading away from where people were or at least where they must have slept because it started to grow colder and not as well lit. I wished that I had a candle in my hand because I now feared that when I walked though th
e next door, darkness would greet
me.

My hand made contact with the metal handle and I looked
only
to realise I didn’t have my gloves on. I found myself feeling even more vulnerable as I stepped through
on to what felt like a balcony. The night air hit me for the first time tonight even though my mind wouldn’t easily accept this truth, the dream had felt
th
at
real. I closed the door
behind me as I knew I would soon be screaming myself if I allowed it to slam shut.

It didn’t take me long to realise why the sight in front of me seemed so familiar. I had been here before, or so I thought. I was stood in a long corridor that was open to the night on one side. The balustrade was connected to large pillars that formed arches to the roof above. The walls held the same wrought iron
lamps that lit when walked past, making me jump every time the sound of flames igniting in their cages happened. 

I had been here before
, only then
I was lead to believe it a dream. I looked over to see the massive courtyard far below and it looked as though a huge section of the house had been re
moved to fit in a Temple. The d
omed roof shone i
n the moon
light making it look like copper
and I remember last time thinking the sculpture on top was a bird but now I knew better
,
as
the figure of an Angel could
easily
be
seen.