The Two Kings (Afterlife Saga)

by Stephanie Hudson

  “Right go and get your jacket on before you freeze this perfect behind.” He said jokingly.

  “Wait I just need to grab some stuff and…” He stopped me and whispered into my hair.

  “Keira don’t make a fuss but no you don’t. Just go and tell your sister you’re going and I will wait for you in the car.” I frowned but even though he couldn’t see it as my back was to him, he still knew it was there as he laughed lightly before kissing the top of my head and letting me go.

  I ran back inside wondering why he had said that I didn’t need anything but I pushed it to the back of my mind before it started to overload with worry. I quickly explained to Libby that I was going with him but that I would see her tomorrow. I also promised to make a Sunday dinner just to get out of there quicker.

  I grabbed my jacket and ran out of the door to find a huge black Rolls Royce in the drive waiting for me. A man in a grey coat and black hat was holding the door open for me, only it opened the other way compared to other conventional cars.

  It looked like a deadly creature under the moonlight, with its angry square grill that looked as if it would take a bite out of the Aston Martin that was behind it waiting to be driven by another of Draven’s men. Its emblem gleamed sliver and I was sure I remembered the winged figure was called the ‘Spirit of Ecstasy’. Well that sure was fitting. I don’t think I could think of a better description and I wasn’t just talking about the car! I stepped forward cautiously as though it wanted to eat me and only when I saw the figure of Ecstasy himself sat there waiting, did I hurry my feet. As soon as I ducked to get in I had Draven’s hand held out to help me.

  This car reminded me of two different forces fused together. The inside was the complete opposite to the outside. The inside being made with pure luxury in mind and the outside had you gulping at the sight. It was a bit like Draven, half of him you wanted his soft touch and caress all over you and the other half you just wouldn’t want to mess with.

  I ran my hand over the soft cream leather seat and thought it to be far too comfortable to be in a car. The back seats were more spacious than I expected and there was a clear screen between the driver and us, its passengers. As always Draven watched me like prey as I looked around at the walnut finished and cream carpets that also held foot rests.

  “You seem to like this car.” Draven’s voice was deep and smouldering making me jump at the sound and when the doors locked before we pulled away I added a gulp. Like this it was easy to see him as a King. He sat back casually like he’d known this level of luxury all his life and I felt like Oliver or Annie being taken under his wing. I bit my lip at just how different our lives were and prayed to God for not only opposites to attract but for them to be able to withstand anything. I needed Draven and it pained me to know my need was far greater than his….it had to be. Anything else just wasn’t plausible. I mean he could have anything he wanted and I didn’t know if I would ever understand why he would ever have wanted me!

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

  “Because I like to have my hands free for other things,” he 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 phone vibrating brought our lips apart. 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 asking 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 so 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 ‘our 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. He 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 craving 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 hands and twisted it. Then 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 “Sleep my pure one” in French). His voice acted like a warm blanket over my mind and I tried desperately to stay awake and focus on what was happening but it was proving impossible.

  “Tell my council I will join them soon!” His authoritative voice filled the night 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 movements 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 whipped back and I jumped at the noise they made.

  I scanned the room but there was nothing but the sound of mocking laughter that seemed 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 laughter 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 bravely. 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 whispering “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 pulled 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 continued 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 metal 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 moved 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 only 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 searched 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 lightened 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 rippled without an inch of fat but, unlike Draven, he was of a slimmer build, swapping Draven’s brute strength for stealth and speed.

  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 either 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 demon form. His body was black as if it had been burnt and flakes of ash fell to the ground beneath him. His huge horns that came from his shoulders held the start of his wings that were like half bat and half bird. They reached the floor and curled 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 across the unfamiliar demonic face of Draven’s enemy, that was now 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 to 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 covering 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 taught 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 assured, no one will take you from 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 the thought of being taken by the Devil�
�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 there 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 itself.

  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 lungs 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 influence trying to tunnel its way back in.

  “No,” I whispered as he released 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 meet 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 screams 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 pierced 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.