The Two Kings (Afterlife Saga)

by Stephanie Hudson

  “There was something I wanted to ask you.”

  “You know that you can ask me anything.” I smiled at his answer and thought if I wanted Draven to dress up in a furry loin cloth and swing from trees like Tarzan, he would draw the line. I found myself biting my lip to stop from laughing.

  “Is this ‘something’ funny?” He asked smiling as well.

  “No, but I just had a funny thought. Ok, so I was going to ask you something about me leaving.”

  “Was?” He raised an eyebrow, an action that always made my heart flutter. It was so hard having a conversation with someone so unbelievably handsome it was hard enough to even concentrate on forming words in your brain let alone saying them.

  “Well I say was because that was before we...more like you, freaked out.”

  “Keira I did not ‘freak out’ as you put it.”

  “Oh you so did, but that’s beside the point,” I said poking at him only instead of getting a soft fleshy bit it was just solid muscle. Come to think of it, I don’t think Draven had any soft and fleshy bits!

  “The point then, my dear?” He prompted and turned round to face me. It was now that I realized we had stopped and were outside the secret wall that led to his garage/ car museum.

  “I want you to come with me.” There I had said it and now I could feel myself wincing ready for his answer.

  “But of course.” He answered as simply as that. I was shocked that I even shook my head slightly.

  “Of course?” I repeated.

  “Yes, Keira do you really think that I would let you go alone. I will buy the house next door if need be.” He wasn’t joking.

  “I don’t think that Mr. and Mrs. Sutton would be happy about selling, all their cats are buried in the garden and John worked forever on that vegetable patch.”

  “Keira, what are you talking about?”

  “Prize turnips,” I giggled making him see that I was teasing him again.

  “You crazy human!” He called me, trying to hide his smile. He turned back forward and lifted his hand to the stone wall. I had seen it a few times but I still jumped at the sight and sound of it moving back and sliding over. There it left a hole the size of a dumper truck and as we drove in slowly I always felt like I was entering the Bat Cave. Draven would have made an excellent Batman although in demon form he would be classed more as a birdman than bat and if you ask me birdman doesn’t quite have the same ring to it.

  “So you’re coming with me, even if you have to play ‘Crazy Human’ for a few weeks?” I asked getting excited about the idea. He whipped his head around so quickly on any normal person it would have snapped off.

  “You want me to spend it with you and your family?” O...k, what did he think I wanted him to do?

  “Umm...yes, that’s if you want to?” I was getting worried now, maybe he didn’t want to spend any more time around humans than he had to. After all, before he met me, he wasn’t exactly our biggest fan.

  “Of course but I didn’t think you would want me to...invade on that part of your life.” He was surprised that I wanted him to be a part of my family, how crazy was that!

  “Well, I can’t say it will be the life of luxury you’re used to and my mum won’t let us sleep together, not until we’re married that is...” Oops too far, much too far with the speaking. I bit down on my lip just below the point of it bursting open. I can’t believe I had said the M word around him! I felt like smacking my forehead but I think this would have given away my view of marriage a little too much. I mean I could only just get my head around being Draven’s girlfriend but...wife.

  And then it struck me at how that could never be. Never, never, all thanks to one little word....

  Immortal.

  Chapter 51

  Hobbies.

  “Married?” He inquired obviously amused thinking about it. His face had brightened and his eyes were wider than I had ever seen them before.

  “I didn’t mean that! I just was explaining the rules.” I hurried out.

  “You said and I quote, “Not until we’re married”. So I think that constitutes as evidence to something you having been thinking about.” He was so smug.

  “No I haven’t.” I said stubbornly. He laughed at me and said,

  “Yeah right,” as he got out of the car and came round to my side to open my door.

  “Stop smiling Draven it does nothing for your bad arse image!” I said congratulating myself on what a great comeback that was. I took the hand he held just because I knew there was no way of getting out of this car gracefully without it. He tugged a little too hard not knowing his own strength or maybe he did because he caught me in his arms as I was flung towards his chest.

  “No, but it does wonders for my Angel side!” He said in the ear he was now nuzzling. His hand pressed out on the small of my back and pulled my body closer into his own, while his other hand ran up and rested on holding the back of my neck. My spine felt like it had ran off and left me. I was putty in his oh so capable hands.

  “It is nice to know what you think about.” He whispered in the sexiest voice imaginable and once again I was trying to think about how to breathe without panting. He was kissing up my neck and I soon found myself wedged between his solid body and carbon fiber. Luckily Ferraris seemed to be smooth and rounded enough not to dig in anywhere uncomfortable and I believed the marketing department for Ferrari didn’t use this as enough of a selling point. I mean, surely if men bought one of these, they certainly knew they were going to get laid, so maybe they should roll with that. Sex on this car would not disappoint, but I could imagine Draven as a partner would even make a VW Beetle look sexy.

  “You’re thinking about my car,” Draven said shocking my mind into shut down.

  “You’re projecting your thoughts Keira, it’s not hard to hear when you’re shouting in your mind. Of course, I have no objection to listening to your sexual fantasies and with you being my first passion and collecting cars my second, I think combining the two would prove not only to be an incredible experience but also the limit on my control. YOU drive me insane.” He finished his evaluation by pushing me hard against the car and kissing me until my toes curled. His hands came up to remove my jacket and under my top, making me gasp as he took hold of my breasts in each strong hand, filling his palms with my bra covered mounds. He was breathing hard and he wasn’t the only one finding there wasn’t enough oxygen to fill our lungs.

  “I want you now Keira. I want to strip you naked and take you up against this machine but I WILL lose control and I cannot allow that to happen.” He was fighting with himself I could tell. His eyes were closed and he had spoken through gritted teeth. He then released my breasts and took a new position.

  He now had hold of the car either side of my head and when I shifted against him, accidently... on purpose, pressing against his need, I heard the sound of metal crunching making me flinch. I turned my head slowly and saw there was now two hand shaped dints in the car’s roof thanks to Draven’s pressure. The thought about how that could have been my head made me realize he hadn’t been exaggerating about losing control.

  “Draven, you hurt the car!” I shouted jokingly. This made him open his eyes and the purple flames started to fade. He raised an eyebrow and gave me a smug smile.

  “I thought you didn’t like this car.”

  “Not when it’s at ‘kill me’ speeds but I do otherwise. Plus it’s very comfortable for kissing against.” He laughed but when his eyes flashed a brilliant, deep purple flame I knew he was thinking about something a little more than just kissing.

  He placed his hands over the dents and soon the sound off metal popping told me he had fixed it.

  “See, all better and healed. Although I don’t think the car would have survived much more than me kissing you and I do like this car, It was given to me by Enzo’s son, Piero Lardi Ferrari.”

  “Really? Is he like the owner or something?” I asked feeling completely out of my depth.

  “N
o, he only owns ten percent of the company.” When I frowned he continued

  “He was his son from a mistress and was only made acceptable as his legal air after the death of his wife. See that Ferrari there?” He pointed to a sleek red car that was a masterpiece in its own right. It was higher up than the rest and after following him, weaving in and out of all the parked vehicles he owned, I could see it better as it was up on a dais. Even I knew what car this was as it was such an icon.

  “It’s a Ferrari F40.” I said making Draven’s head incline towards me. He held a strange look, I think it was somewhere between pride and impressed.

  “It is indeed and one of my prize possessions. I was the first to buy one and it was presented to me by Enzo himself. It was the last car to be commissioned by him before his death and he knew that, being 90 years old, it would be his last but he was proud to know at the time, it was the fastest street legal production car ever to be made.”

  “It figures.” I said sarcastically and Draven laughed.

  “What’s that one over there?” I pointed to a little silver car that didn’t have a roof and was numbered 130 at the front, side and back. The car had tartan on the seating and two red stripes at the rear of its wheelwell. Of course to me it was just a nice, kind of cute looking old car but what did grasp my interest is that unlike any other car here, it was in a very large glass box with frosted symbols etched all around the base. I walked round and was about to touch the glass when a hand shot out and shackled my wrist.

  “Don’t!” Draven’s warning was enough to make me retract my hand.

  “Why, what’s wrong, it’s just a car....isn’t it?”

  Draven looked uncertain for a moment and then tried to replace it with a fake smile.

  “It is.” Was all he said on the matter.

  “Why did you name it Little Bastard?” I asked referring to the black writing at the back of the car which was situated under ‘Porsche’.

  “I didn’t, his first owner did.” Draven looked a bit disgusted which I didn’t understand but as he was pulling me away I quickly understood how this was one car he was not proud of owning. I had a million questions flooding my mind but the only question I asked was

  “His?...I thought people usually associate cars as female?”

  “I guess they do but with this car they would be wrong. It is most definitely male.” He was not comfortable talking about this so I decided to let it go. Maybe I would ask Sophia some time.

  “I suppose it’s nice you have a hobby.” I said lamely not knowing what else to say.

  “Well could you see me playing golf?” He joked and I burst out laughing. That was the last thing I could see him doing.

  “Definitely not. But what was your hobby before cars were invented?” I asked feeling cocky which didn’t last long when I got my answer.

  “I also collect weapons!” He said like it was collecting stamps.

  “Of course you did.” He playfully tugged on my jacket and when I looked up he was grinning.

  “And how about you?” He looked genuinely interested.

  “Me? Oh the same. You wanna see my ax collection, I bet it will beat yours any day.” At this he burst out laughing and the sound filled my heart. I loved to hear him laugh.

  “What a fierce little warrior you would have made.” He said as he led me up a back staircase I had been up a few times before.

  “Are you mocking me?” I ran up a few steps ahead of him so that we were at the same height. He stopped as I poked at his chest and he folded his arms which always made him look twice as large as usual.

  “I wouldn’t dare, you frighten me too much.” He said trying not to smirk but doing a lousy job of it.

  “I should think so and don’t you forget it...mister.” I poked him in the nose this time, making him squint which was so funny to watch.

  “Mister is it now?... Right, you asked for it.” I started backing up as he start to stalk me with my hands held up like I was surrendering.

  “Now Draven behave, no playing on the stairs.” I was starting to laugh and panic at the same time. He kept coming closer like I was his prey and the second I took my eyes off him I knew he would get me and win.

  “It’s too late for that Keira.” His eyes flashed one, twice and I decided to take my chance and turned just before he lunged for me. Of course I lost and when he grabbed me at the waist I half screamed and giggled like a little girl.

  “Got ya!” He said as he swooped me up into his arms and ran the rest of the way up the stairs to the landing. Once at the top he threw me up in the air like I was a feather pillow and caught me before I hit the floor.

  “Draven!” I squealed.

  “Yes my love?” He said calmly.

  “You can put me down now, you cheated.” He stopped walking.

  “Cheated! How did I cheat?” He asked pretending that I had insulted him.

  “You used powers I don’t have, that’s classed as cheating” I stated but he just grunted a laugh and continued down the hallway.

  “Oh trust me, you have powers greater than mine vixen!” He didn’t explain more nor did he put me down. I was starting to think that Draven liked any excuse so that he could carry me and I would never understand why.

  “So you were telling me about your hobbies, your real ones?”

  “Oh, well they’re a bit lame compared to yours,” I said shyly.

  “Nothing you do could be lame.” He said sweetly and when I didn’t answer he gave me a little jig to get me to tell him.

  “Ok, well... I used to collect postcards.”

  “You’re right, that is lame,” he teased.

  “Oi, don’t be mean.” I tugged on his ear and his head went down but when I let go he kissed me and finished with an “Oww” on my lips, it made me giggle, again.

  “I am sorry and I was teasing you, it is not lame, it is sweet and endearing.”

  “Well, it’s not that sweet and endearing as you didn’t let me finish, I also collected rude and funny postcards.” I stuck my chin out like this was something to be proud of.

  “Oh, you dark horse you!”

  “I bet you collect them too.” I said as it was easy to image Draven upon horseback, in tight pants and riding boots...yum, yum, yum.

  “I have many horses, yes, and most do tend to be dark.” He was such a tease but I loved it when we were like this, all playful and relaxed.

  “Show off!”

  “Yes I am,” he said as though this was common knowledge, of course after today’s Ferrari incident there was no getting around that image statement.

  We were soon at his door but I seemed to be the only one surprised when it opened with Sophia standing there waiting for us.

  “Has Keira lost the use of her legs now?” Sophia asked frowning like I was some accident prone fool...oh wait, almost forgot, yes I was.

  “No my little sister, she hasn’t, I just enjoy carrying her.” He said more seriously than I expected.

  “Like a doll?” Sophia said with hands on hips like this wasn’t acceptable behavior. He didn’t answer right away, instead he let my legs slide down and then he smoothed my hair back from my face and kissed my forehead before saying,

  “She is my doll, my beautiful porcelain doll that I want to play with, so please leave us.” I bit my lip making Draven growl under his breath. My cheeks screamed out fuchsia pink at how embarrassed I was but Sophia just huffed and folded her arms.

  “And when do I get time to play with her, I hardly ever get to spend time with her now?” She was sulking and here we were so overwhelmed with the need to make love, if she didn’t leave now I was afraid we would do it in front of her!

  “Sophia!” Draven said her name as a warning but she wasn’t afraid like anyone else would be.

  “Dominic!” She reflected back in the same tone. Draven growled again. At this rate I was willing to bet he was part animal as well as all the other stuff.

  “Look dear brother, there is a reason I am here a
nd it is to tell you that your other guests have started to arrive. So put down your dolly and leave her to me.” She was playing of course...at least I hoped so because in my experience with Sophia, if there was one thing she loved to do more than argue, that was to give this life size doll a makeover.

  “Dracu’!” (Means F**k in Romanian) Draven shouted and I froze.

  “Now was there any need for that, really Dom?” His sister was acting shocked but I could see the excitement in her features. She was a Demon after all, I bet she was just loving the drama.

  “If I asked you not to work tonight would you obey?”

  “Obey?” I repeated the word he knew I hated hearing. I mean if he wanted me to do something, then he was going the wrong way about it!

  “Of course I don’t mean obey, more like... listen.” He said in a softer tone and I knew he was trying new tactics.

  “I will meet you half way and work downstairs instead, alright?” He nodded and looked relieved. Which made me wonder what type of guests he had turning up that had him glad I wasn’t around. I doubted they were supper friendly out of town family members!

  “Thank you. I will come to get you when all is well. Sophia will see you downstairs when you are ready.” Of course I would need a babysitter to make sure I obeyed, I thought bitterly. He read my expression.

  “It is for both my piece of mind and your security.” He said, while running the back of his hand down my cheek. I only raised my face once to show that I understood but he knew I didn’t like it. I thought I could at least be trusted to make my way downstairs without hitting trouble.

  “Good girl, have I told you today that I love you?” He looked down at me waiting for my smile and he didn’t have to wait long. When I looked round, I noted Sophia in the background sticking her fingers down her throat pretending to barf. Draven’s head whipped round to glare at his sister.

  “Excuse me Romeo but I believe they’re waiting.” She said after clearing her throat.

  “Let them wait!” He snapped showing his full authority on the matter. It made my skin heat up and tingle at the sight. Then he turned round and took me in his arms to kiss me like he never wanted to stop. I don’t even know how long Sophia had to stand there and wait but by the time he released me I was panting and bright red from shame that someone had been witnessing it. He didn’t care, it was like it was natural for him to express how he felt about me in front of his siblings and for everyone else for that matter. I loved that he never acted ashamed of me or tried to hide the fact that we were together.