The Two Kings (Afterlife Saga) (65 page)

“Ah
,
Justin. I must say, I haven’t heard that name spoken in a faltering tone yet
.
” Speaking like this you could tell he was Draven’s brother alright! I couldn’t help but say what I thought.

“Oh
,
not you too!
God what is it with the Draven
s and paranoia. You all sound the same! Anyone would think I was running off to marry the bloody guy!” He was trying to hide his grin from my little outburst but he was as lousy at it as his brother. At least with Sophia you knew where you stood.

“Is it not the right of a man to protect his woman, even from evils they cannot see?”

“Evil?” At this I laughed
.
“Oh come on, he’s a family friend, what could he possibly want but friendship with his
brother’s,
wife’s sister
…you don’t understand
!
”
Ok did that com
e out right? Why did I say that
?
 

“Umm yes… what indeed? I’m sorry I pried… after all, I know nothing about a
situation like that, being non
human and all.” It was the first time I had seen him look hurt and his eyes turned to ice that looked ready to crack. He gave me a nod goodbye and turned but as he made his way down the hall he spoke one last time.

“Ragnar is waiting for you
.
”

I wanted to smack myself on the side of the head for being so tactless. What was I thinking!

On the drive home I didn’t say one word to Ragnar until I pulled up the drive and cut
the engine. Over the last week
Ragnar
and I
had become unlikely friends but after Draven had not only apologized to him but also com
mended him on thinking solely of me that night in
the Temple, we had created an understanding.

I realized the real reasons behind
his reluctance to have me under his guard. I reminded him of the daughter he couldn’t save. Draven on the other hand had made a ruthless decision making Ragnar my guardian, he knew that if he had these feeling that he would lay his life down to protect me. I hadn’t been too pleased to hear this at the time but in Draven’s eyes, he knew the best way to protect those that are dear to him.

“
DAMN
IT!” I shouted and hit the steering wheel with both palms. I had been stewing over what I had said to Vincent and what a complete idiot I had been. Ragnar looked over to me like I had lost my mind but in my current state I didn’t care and luckily he didn’t care enough to ask
,
or maybe he was just scared to.
Ok, so not likely!
 
 

When I got in doors I was just glad to hear that Justin wasn’t there. He and Frank had gone on a boy
’
s day out that consisted of fishing and drinking
beer. I think it was more Frank
’
s idea because the way Libby described it, Justin had been reluctant to leave the house this morning. He had asked about my whereabouts and when my sister had told him, he had looked…well
...
disappointed. This is all according to Libby, who loves nothing more than a good drama, even when there’s none to tell.

I decided to work some more on my report after hanging up the outfit Sophia had picked. I don’t know wh
y I had changed my mind but
something in me had
just
snapped. They were all making a big fuss about me escor
ting Justin to the club…which was
all it was …ESCORTING! NOT DATING! I said to myself over and over.

I decided that I would make an effort tonight, if not for Draven then for myself. I knew deep down that I wasn’t really angry at them
,
it was myself that I was upset with. I should have just nodded and kept my big mouth shut.

I tried to concentrate on my work but that lashing rain against my window was sending me into a daze. I was thinking about all that had happened in the past few weeks and how since me and Draven had become an item, my life really wasn’t going to be the same again. I know that sounds like a daft statement
but forgetting all the Demon and Angel stuff, this relationship was it for me. Draven would be the last man I would ever love or more like
,
would I be the last woman Draven would ever love? After
all, he was going to outlive me.

“NO! Don’t do this” I said out loud. I sat at my window seat trying desperately not to think about the real nightmares haunting me…my real fears. They weren’t only the ones that wanted to hurt me, they were the ones that would indefinitely hurt me. Like Draven’s face when I started to get older. Could he still love me then? And if so
,
we would have to hide away our love.

After a certain while nobody would be able to see us together. For one
,
Draven wouldn’t age and two, I would just look like the sad granny that bagged herself a toy boy or worse
,
people would think I was his grandmother! Urgh gross! The thought had me near gagging. Thankfully Libby had knocked on my door to save me from myself.

It didn’t take too much to get my mind occupied on other things and after Libby had finished with telling me about every client at work and moved on to what morning sickness was like, I was very close to forgetting my others worries.
I was however grateful to her for leaving this last part until I had fully finished
the sandwich she had brought
up
for me
.

The day pass
ed too quickly and as the night approached I was starting to dread the evening even more. RJ had called to check it was still on and that brought comfort to know that I wasn’t going to be alone in this. The whole gang was meeting us and if I was lucky I could
just
palm Justin off with RJ, who let’s face it, didn’t exactly mind any male company. I started to get ready when I heard Frank and Justin come
in
and Frank’s usual first question was about food…after Libby’s health of course.

Frank had become obsess
ed with what Libby was now allowed
to do and not do. The other day, I heard him telling her off because she was standing on the bed trying to change the qui
l
t cover. He told her, as sternly as I had ever heard him, that she was not to be allowed to do these types of thing again until the bab
y was born, as she now had
two people he cared for to think about. Of course my sister thought this was not only wonderful
,
as she hated doing laundry
but she quickly added anythin
g else she hated doing to the ‘no can do pile’
...
this quickly included ironing! Only what harm can come from standing over a bo
ard, moving one arm back and to
do
I wasn’t quite sure.

I was now stood in front of the mirror arguing with myself, as to whether Sophia’s choice of outfits had been a good one. I was happy with the colours at least…or more like the lack of colours. Shades had always looked better on me. It wasn’t the top that was the problem. No this was both comfortable and warm. It was the tight trousers that concerned me.

They hugged my skin like liquid tar, showing every curve on my bottom half. I tugged down the sweater tunic but unfortunately it didn’t come down to my knees like I would have preferred it to.
It passed my cheeks but only just. I made a loud tut and said “Ah to hell with it”
before turning away from the mirror.

I had done my hair a little differently too, deciding I didn’t want to look like I was just there to do another shift. I twisted each side back into a low pony tail and let my waves hang loose. Only today they were m
ore curls than waves due to it
still being damp from this morning’s shower.
The shorter bits framed my oval face and I couldn’t help keep tucking them behind my ears. I had also added the slightest touch of
mascara and clear lip gloss to “e
nhance what was already there” in Libby’s words.

I was now ready but I hadn’t yet seen Justin. It was strange to know there was another
person staying in the house but it was only for one night and I would no doubt be staying at the club, so what did it matter. Justin was staying in one of the guest rooms on the floor below and I could hear footsteps directly below my room. I stayed up there for as long as I deemed acceptable beyond the point of
being rude
.

I grabbed my bag and phone before turning off my light
to make my way downstairs but of course in true Keira fashion
,
I missed the last step onto the next landing and stumbled into the wall. I was just straightening up when I could feel myself being watched. I looked up to find Justin dripping wet, with only a towel covering his lower half. Oh my!

It seemed Justin had changed somewhat since Libby and Frank
’
s wedding. Age had granted him with a well tone
d
bod
y and sun kissed skin. There were
fine lines defining his washboard stomach and a trail of light blonde
hair travelled down amongst where
the towel was covering. I couldn’t help scan over his features with my cheeks ablaze.

His dreadlocks were different lengths but all looked like golden snakes
following his every movement, like a master. Some had metal bands round with different symbols e
tched in
the centre
s
. Th
ere were also a few wooden bead
s here and there tha
t matched the numerous beads ti
ed around his wrists. There were other bracelets as well that spelled out
,
well travelled surfer dude but right now it was hard to focus on anything with the grin he was now sending my way.

“Well hello gorgeous, looking for me?” His tone shouted con
fidence but the wink he added at
the end screamed cocky!
I rolled m
y eyes making him laugh at me. He reached into the cupboard and grabbed another towel to hang around his neck, catching the drips that were clinging to his skin. That
’s
when I notice
d
a huge deep scar that ran down one sh
oulder and disappeared
into
the underside of
his arm. He noticed me staring but I looked away before I could judge his reaction.

“I’ll meet you downstairs
,
” I said in a shy voice as I made my way past but just as I came close
r,
he shook his head so that droplets of water flew around him like little fruit flies around grapes. They sprayed me and I giggled.

“Oi… Behave
!
” I warned in a less than threatening tone and then added a little punch on the arm. It instantly took me back to Draven earlier and the smile I wore, Justin misinterpreted.
I was surprised to find his slender arms as solid as rock under weathered skin.

“I’ll be
down in a minute, just once I ge
t the
trout
out of my hair!” He joked as he watched me go down to the living room
. There I found Frank still wearing his fishing gear, including a hat with tackle clung to the rim. His face was wind swept red and Justin was right…he smelt like fish! He started to tell me all about his day, just as Libby came in with two mugs of tea and one coffee for Frank (the none tea drinker
in the family
).

“You look nice, is that new?” Libby nodded my way
and I couldn’t help but fumble
out a semi lie. The last thing I wanted was to admit Draven was now buying me clothes, let alone a whole
new
wardrobe.  

“Bor…borrowed… from Sophia
.
” She frowned like she didn’t believe me but I quickly switched the conversation round and asked her if she knew when B day was going to be. Of course B day was code for “Bitch day”
.
In other wo
rds
,
when our dreaded cousin Hil
ary was going to be arriving.
She pulled a face like it was sour milk she was drinking and I was sure I saw a shiver crawl up her back.

“She enters our life and the misery begins next week
.
”

“Be nice honey bee
,
” Frank said without dragging his eyes from the ice hockey game that was on replay.

“That was being nice…trust me
,
I could say far worse
.
” She stated and I couldn’t help b
ut laugh at the sentiment that we
shared. There was a whole book on what I could say but more than half of it would have to be bleeped out.