The Pentagram Child: Part 1 (Afterlife Saga Book 5)

by Stephanie Hudson

  “That’s not true!” He replied haughtily and crossed his arms across his chest.

  “So you’re telling me if this was anyone else you would be fine with it…say for instance if it was Justin or even Jack?” In hindsight I shouldn’t have said any of this and not for the reasons of jealously that I hoped for, no…it was for the very opposite.

  “I was surprised it wasn’t the boy Jack, at least then I would have known you were cared for, treated right and definitely not in any danger he would possess or bring to your door.” On hearing this I took a step back and suddenly felt like bursting into tears. I had been a fool. Such a damn fool! I had been shown the signs and ignored them as much as I had seen signs that had never been there to see. It was now official. The only reason Draven was here at all was because he felt it his duty to see to my safety and he honestly thought Alex was a danger to that. He wasn’t back because of a jealous mind that was making him rethink his past decisions. It was simple and that simple fact just happened to crush what was left of a stupid hope that I had spent these last few days fighting against.

  Hope I had now lost…again.

  “Keira?” Draven said my name after obviously seeing the hurt I could no longer mask on my face.

  “Its fine…look I need to shower and finish packing and I would appreciate it if I can do these things alone.” I said all this trying not to take in Draven’s worried expression, so quickly turned away from him and faked looking busy.

  “Keira, look at me.” I didn’t want to do it, I really didn’t but when Draven’s voice got all soft like that then I knew I just didn’t have it in me to deny him, even now. So I did the stupid thing and raised my pained eyes to his.

  “By the Gods Keira, you’re killing me here.” His reaction to me also took me back but before I got to say anything he was suddenly standing inches away from me. I sucked in a quick and startled breath just before he raised his hand to my face and cupped my cheek.

  “My words hurt you little one?” I could feel my teeth instantly dig in my bottom lip and just as quick, Draven’s thumb was there to pry it back from being tortured.

  “I don’t need your words to know the answer, your eyes tell me everything.” He spoke so gently as if luring me deeper into a false sense of security. It was a dangerous place to be and I knew if I had any sense left I would take a step back and ask him to leave. But as soon as that thought entered my mind it was as if he knew and therefore made his move against my retreat. His free hand was suddenly at my hip, fingers biting in my flesh in a sign of possession. Need and want flooded my system and soon my mind was flipped once more into seeing things that weren’t there.

  “Have no doubt of my true feelings of jealously Keira, as I only hide them to spare you more confusion but I will not do that if it causes you more pain.” Again my breath caught in my lungs, trapped in the moment of what I was actually hearing. Was it really possible his feelings were what I had hoped for?

  “What are we doing, Draven?” I bravely asked looking up at him and also braving the intensity I found there.

  “For once I cannot answer you, for I am as lost as you are.” He replied bringing his forehead down to mine and the instant we connected we both closed our eyes and inhaled deeply. The moment felt beautifully raw in a way that the feeling ran deep enough to touch our souls and connect with what each of us found there. In the background fog of my brain I heard the faint ringing in the distance but then Draven started to speak and the ringing faded.

  “Keira, I…”

  “Kaz! It’s Alex on the phone!” Libby shouted up and thus broke our sacred connection. I pulled away and heard him growl out his annoyance at being interrupted.

  “Coming!” I shouted back and ran from the room, suddenly needing nothing more than to get away. I slammed the door and for a few seconds needed to calm my racing heart by leaning against the outside of it. The single panel of wood could have been a bank vault between us keeping us apart but more importantly keeping the words I was afraid to hear firmly on the other side.

  “Kaz?!” Libby’s voice brought me out of my mental torment and after I banged the back of my head against the door I left to go get the phone.

  A short time later I found myself on the way to the airport and the weight of Draven’s silence was far heavier than my packed suitcase. After I had answered the phone and confirmed meeting Alex at the departure lounge, Draven had backed off. I had turned round to find him leaning against the wall watching me on the phone and his scowl at hearing me telling Alex I was looking forward to it was now permanently fixed. After I hung up he simply gave me a head nod and walked past me to go sit in the living room. As soon as he sat down he was bombarded with,

  “Dolly!” As Ella thrust a poor abused doll upside down in his lap that she usually carried round half naked by its leg. I didn’t leave again until I caught Draven’s hidden smile when looking down at the doll and then back up at the beautiful little face that had bestowed such a gift.

  After that I had packed (A little less aggressively) and then showered ready for the day ahead. It was a lovely warm day so I decided on a summery dress in pale blue that once again Libby had lent me for the trip and added a pair of white ballet shoes and a little white hooded jacket. I wish I could have said Draven’s reaction to seeing me didn’t give me that little flutter in my belly but when I saw his eyes get hungry and the purple flash there, I had no hope. This was the same when he led me to his car and used a possessive hand on my hip to steer me when it clearly wasn’t needed.

  So that brought us to now and I was trying not to notice the way his hand kept gripping the steering wheel like it needed the warning of aggression. It seemed to get worse the closer to the airport we got and in turn the sickening feeling grew in me. It was like sitting next to a timer and dreading hearing it buzz for you knew that would then signal the end. Because realistically what was there left for us after this? These perfectly turbulent days that felt beautifully unfinished.

  We started to see signs for the airport I started to fidget in my seat and pull at my sleeve cuffs nervously. One thing was for sure and that was I really wasn’t looking forward to our version of goodbye.

  Draven remained silent as he navigated his way through to the drop off point and immediately was out of the door as soon as he killed the engine.

  “Okay then.” I muttered and then jumped when my door was opened. He gave me a hand to help me out and once I was firmly on my feet it took him delayed seconds till he released me.

  “Sooo…I guess this is it.” I said after he lifted out my suitcase and set it down. Still he didn’t say anything but just frowned down at my case like it was the cause of all this hurt between us. After silent moments that were getting harder to live through I was just about to grab my case and leave when I got my biggest surprise of all. Suddenly Draven’s head snapped up and he said in a desperate voice,

  “Don’t go.” I swallowed hard, bit my lip and felt the unshed tears pulling at me.

  “Draven I…”

  “And not because I’m only worried for your safety.” He interrupted stepping closer making my head go back to keep eye contact.

  “Then what would I be staying for, Draven?” I asked forcing the words out. He looked like he was trying to think of the right words to explain and after looking to the side away from me he seemed to come to some kind of decision. He then looked back down at me and placed his hand at my cheek.

  This was it, I was sure this time he was going to kiss me and not one single cell in my body would have wanted to stop him. Wrong or right, it no longer mattered. All questioning was rendered obsolete.

  Gone in the dust of doubt and drowning in a sea of lost cares. There was only one now. Only this moment…and just before his lips reached mine he killed it with only six words when there was only three I needed…

  “Because it’s all I ask of you.”

  Draven

  Chapter 18

  The Gift that Keeps Growing

&
nbsp; Watching Keira shut down before my very eyes was a brutality I was getting used to enduring and was far worse than any tortures the Underworld’s Gods could dream up. It was only in these last ten months that I started to understand the full concept of nightmares. But thinking back this would be a great lie indeed. These nightmares started the first second I laid eyes on my beautiful Chosen One. They were all the same…

  Seeing, Keira and all her purity being touched by my world.

  That vile creature Morgan getting his hands on her once again or the torment at knowing what he’d already done and knowing I was unable to prevent it. The nightmares she had no idea that plagued my sleep for the first time since my time began, the very ones that would replay over and over that night she told me her story.

  It had haunted me then and it still did to this day, the only difference now was that I had many more nightmares added to drown my dreams in. They became black and consumed with visions of Keira being taken from me. Not only by the hands of the sick and infested mind of the human Morgan but also by Lucius, who was once my own brethren. But it didn’t end there, there was also Malphas in the Temple before watching as the blade struck the killing blow to her body. Seeing all this in my short time with her and hearing the words from the Oracle were the final nails in my own coffin.

  If she only knew that I had in fact chosen her over the fate of my kind, over my own blood that flowed through the vessels of my family. I had given up every chance at the great prophecy just to see her live one single full life that was always destined for more happiness than could ever be bestowed on to single living being.

  But instead what did I continue to do…? Crush that soul every chance I got just because I couldn’t tell her the truth. I had tried letting her go, by the Gods I had tried! I had lived and breathed my own Hell and would continue to do so if it only meant her life instead of my own.

  But what now? What of the danger she was in without my protection? What could I do…ask her not to be with this damnation of the Gods and to be with one destined to end her life instead? Just what were the Fates playing at exactly? There were too many questions to ask and with the Oracle still missing absolutely no answers being given.

  So what was left for me to do but watch heartbroken as those beautiful eyes shut out any light of hope that had so clearly been showing these last few days. She took a step back from me and it took everything in my power and every fibre in my vessel from reaching out and grabbing her to me. Would I have ever let go…? I wasn’t so sure this time. The urge to steal her away and hide her from the world was growing inside of me like Japanese knotweed. I just needed to get away from her before it consumed me and overtook my senses. These last few days had been raw bliss stripped down and lashed across my heart every time she fucking smiled! I had almost wanted to hate her just so I didn’t have to feel the pain of loving her.

  So what did I do? I turned away from her. This perfect creature whose only misfortune in life was being created for me and whose only mistake in life was being fool enough to love me with an intensity that matched my own. You couldn’t wish in your wildest dreams to have that type of loyalty in a heart but to witness it for yourself was something I would never forget. When I learnt of all she had gone through in the name of that love…well no other force on Earth could match it. She was more powerful than she would ever realise and made this King want to kneel and worship at her feet for the rest of eternity.

  But I didn’t do that. No, instead I watched her soul’s light dim to a point of a soft glow as I had finally once and for all crushed her. I watched her body tense as if trying to take the blow of my rejection in an attempt at protecting her heart. I watched all this and let it be my last sight as I walked away from her. And she had no clue as to the blow on my own soul or of that on my own heart.

  She had no clue at all.

  I got back into my car and like the last ten months found no pleasure in its power at my hands. I revved the engine of my Maserati Granturismo and cared not for the humans who got scared at the sight. I didn’t even look to see if she was watching me as I already knew the answer. That girl would make me leaving her the last sight in her life, torturing both herself and me with the knowledge. And didn’t I just feel like a fucking coward for doing it!

  It was at this point when I pulled over, got out of my car and destroyed every piece of metal the car possessed. I was surprised I even had enough foresight to control the minds of every human within my sight. It was only when I was left panting like a wild beast and my Demon buzzing with its small lapse in freedom did I kick some of the pieces out of my way. Then I did something I had never done before and that was to sit by the side of the road and call my brother.

  “Well I must say this is a very human moment for you, Dom.” Vincent said once I had explained my unusual circumstances.

  “Yeah well when you see what I did to my Maserati then you won’t be thinking that,” I said dryly, brushing some of the dirt from my bent knee.

  “I can imagine not…So you couldn’t convince her to stay?” We both knew it was a stupid question and if he had been here my only response would have been to raise an eyebrow. So I was thankful when my brother got the hint and I didn’t need to answer.

  “Stupid question I guess.” I made an aggravated sound and I could almost hear Vincent shaking his head.

  “I’d better come and get you then.” He said finally as a truck went past kicking up the dirt and blowing it in my face. I almost wished the pieces had been tiny shards of glass just so I could feel the pain cutting into my skin. Instead it was just an annoyance that made my Demon growl.

  “That would help, yes.” I said and I hung up as Vincent was still chuckling. Before I knew what I had done or got a handle on my anger I felt the pieces of my phone rain down from my palm to the roadside. I rolled my eyes and batted away the bits looking for the sim card knowing what an annoyance it was last time I had to get a new phone.

  I had left it to Sophia and in an attempt to get my attention she had annoyingly renamed all the contacts to nicknames, set flowered pictures for each and set 80’s pop as the individual ringtones. My reaction to this ended in needing a new phone. So in short she succeeded in getting my attention and I learned when destroying my next phone in anger to at least save the sim card.

  I was just pocketing the tiny square when another truck came past but this time I threw up a hand in time to create a barrier between the debris it kicked up and myself. Unfortunately I ended up sitting here long enough to see quite a few planes leave the ground and every single one in my mind had my Keira on it. In fact I eventually lost count of the amount of times I had to heal myself after I would rip my flesh to ribbons while crushing stones in my bare hands.

  I was finally glad when Vincent arrived just after I broke three fingers. This happened when punching the ground in an attempt to stop myself from releasing my wings and launching myself into the sky after the last plane.

  “Thank fuck.” I muttered as the heavy duty and fully kitted 4x4 pulled up with Vincent in the driving seat. I frowned at his choice of vehicles before yanking the door open with too much force, ripping the top from its heavy duty hinges.

  “Don’t say a word,” I warned on a growl and then barely concentrated as I quickly reattached the metal work before slamming the door.

  “I don’t think there is much left to be said, Brother.” Vincent spoke anyway and I clenched my fists in an attempt on getting a handle on my building rage. I had no reason to get angry at my brother, if anything he understood me more than anyone else on earth. He too loved Keira and even though this knowledge should have angered me, it didn’t. The reason for this was I knew it was in his destiny to love her and as cruel as that sounds he would one day understand it too, for it was not my place to intervene.

  “Unless you too have lost your senses Vince, I don’t recall this being the way to Afterlife.” I commented after quite some time of silence. He turned his head and gave me a smug look before say
ing,

  “Well you would certainly know.” I rolled my eyes at my brother’s attempt at improving my foul mood and his dark humour in reference to what others would class as my job…that being sending the unruly souls back to their Afterlife.

  “So are you going to tell me the reason we are soon going to be leaving this road?” I asked knowing now my brother’s reasoning behind his choice of vehicle.

  “I think it’s time,” he said cryptically. I frowned and tried to reach out and find the answers myself but he just laughed when I felt him blocking me.

  “Can’t you wait for ten minutes?” I replied to his comment with an umf sound which only managed to further add to his amusement.

  “I didn’t ever take you for one who played in to the dramatics.” I commented before I recognised where we were heading.

  “Oh I’m not, however I know a certain blonde beauty that found a taste for it around this time last year.” As soon as he said this my back straightened and I gripped the dash so hard that I felt the material give in my hand. I then quickly scanned the area and when he pulled suddenly off the road I knew where we were headed.

  “Stop the car.” I warned on a growl.

  “Just wait, you will understand when…” I didn’t give him chance to finish as I cut the engine with enough force I blew a head gasket causing steam to bellow from the bonnet.

  “Fuck, Dom!” Vincent swore as he slammed on the brakes and skidded in the narrow dirt road. But I was already ripping off the door I had not long ago fixed.

  “Dom, wait!” Vincent shouted after me. I turned quickly and slammed my fist through a tree trunk splintering it like a battering ram before roaring at my brother.

  “NO! You know my feelings on this, why must you persist! Do you not think I am in enough pain, enough fucking agony!” I watched as Vincent rubbed the back of his neck with his hand in frustration before taking a calming breath no doubt at the sight of my Demon panting.