The Two Kings (Afterlife Saga)

by Stephanie Hudson

  “Later Vixen.” He said in way of goodbye and I was sure he said this to get to see even more colour invade my cheeks. His smile told me I was right. I felt hot and flustered until he left the room which instantly made me feel the opposite...

  Cold and lost without him.

  Chapter 52

  Fighting My Demons and Almost Kissing Angels

  Sophia waited with me like a good little girlfriend sitter until it was time for my shift. I had taken a shower and got ready under the watchful eye of my fashion muse and when I emerged from the bathroom wearing faded, light blue jeans and a long sleeved, black stretchy top she just shook her head.

  “What?”

  “Why you insist on wearing shades rather that actual colours is beyond me. Black makes you look very pale.” She said like she was the uber-years older than me she was.

  “I am pale,” was my only reply. I walked over to the couch that Draven had broken not long ago but the next morning I had made him fix it because that couch had good memories for me. Very nice memories!

  “You’re smiling to yourself again Keira.” Sophia would have an idea what I was smiling about I was sure of it. I didn’t say a word but I did stick out my tongue at her like I was five. She loved it!

  I then grabbed my long fingerless gloves off the back of the couch where I had put them before getting in the shower. I tried not to notice the way Sophia always eyed my scars as I pulled my sleeves up to put my gloves on. It was a mixture of pity, which I hated, and admiration to what I had been through. Draven had no doubt told his siblings about my tragic little story because he shared everything with them. Hell, Vincent had witnessed it himself when he tuned into my memories once. It was back when they needed to know what Morgan was up to and finding out that he had teamed up with some heavy weight Demon big wig named Sammael.

  Sophia was sat on the desk looking at her nails, acting bored by the time I was ready. She saw me reach for the door and jumped lightly as a cat to the floor to accompany me. We were walking silently down the hallway when I remembered a question I wanted to ask her.

  “What’s with that car in the glass box?”

  “Has Dom told you about it?” She asked with a bemused look on her delicate features.

  “Umm...not exactly” She raised her eyebrows at me.

  “Well alright, No he hasn’t but I was kinda hoping you would,” I gave her a pleading look I was used to working on Draven.

  “Sorry, no dice. Ha, don’t look at me like that. Anyway, why do you want to know so badly?”

  “Because he won’t tell me,” I answered honestly.

  “Well that makes sense.” She didn’t elaborate. I soon realized she wasn’t going to spill the dirty on the car’s history so I gave up. Maybe I would Google it later and see what I’d come up with.

  We parted at the door of the staircase I usually took to get up to the VIP. Of course my two favorite door men were there ready to great me.

  “Evening!” They both said at not only the same time but also the same tone. I had to suppress a giggle.

  The club wasn’t yet full but for a town that had very little on the entertainment side, it usually got quite busy for a Sunday night. The band had started to set up and I knew by the time they were ready to play their first song the dance floor would be packed. It was like the calm before the storm and I noticed Mike at the bar stocking up ready for that storm.

  We had offers on at the moment for cocktails and Mike had been showing me how to make the most popular ones. The Woo Woo was a big hit, along with Sex on the Beach. If I were to pick one, the Long Island Iced Tea was the winner but that was down to the alcohol content not that it had any form of tea in it! Two of those and I would be wearing my knickers on my head and dancing in just my socks!

  That’s what I had been doing, making cocktails not dancing naked, when the “Gang” walked in with that added addition of Hilary the ‘Evil Queen Bitch Bee.’ Well at least that little drilling from Draven had tainted that permanent smirk she always wore. I would have to remind myself to thank him later for that.

  “Kaz, hey can we talk?” Jack’s desperate voice broke my thoughts. He had wedged himself in between two people I was serving but given his size they didn’t want to argue. Jack wasn’t small, in fact he was at least six foot, and had wide shoulders and a physique that backed up his love of rock climbing and hiking. He was wearing a black T-shirt that said “Clowns are the lowest form of wit” in white writing across the chest. I had to smile. I knew for a fact RJ had bought this for him as she knew he hated clowns with a passion. The film ‘IT’ was not on his top ten greatest films list!

  His hand leaned in and took mine which caused a few people to stare at me like my head had just done a three sixty and I had puked green stuff.

  “Umm yeah... sure, but it will have to be later though.” I said not being able to help the blush that tinted my cheeks. He winked at me and let go of my hand to move with the others. Hilary had watched the whole thing with an even greater hate burning in her eyes. I couldn’t help but notice how Jack avoided her gaze and took a wide birth of where she was stood. Was I missing something? Trouble in the pits of Hell? I couldn’t really say “paradise” as that word didn’t mix with Hilary.

  The rest of the night I spent wondering what Jack wanted to tell me so badly and also having this nagging feeling that something horrible was going to happen when I found out. The night was in full swing when Mike came up to me after doing a round of collecting glasses.

  “Hey Kaz, I think you should know there’s some commotion coming from your friends’ usual booth. Your cousin looks a little wasted and there’s a lot of shouting.” Oh great! Hello something horrible.

  “Ok I will deal with it, will you be alright if I leave you for a little bit?”

  “Yeah no worries, the bar’s calmed down now, you go and good luck.” Wishing me good luck told me that he wasn’t exaggerating the situation. Here we go again, I thought, as I made my way through the thick crowd of head banging Goths. It was only when I got closer to our usual booth that I could hear what was being said. Of course when I heard my name I stopped. I decided to hear this out and I ducked out of sight and stood by the staircase hidden, so as I could hear the rest of it.

  “My God, you have all been suckered in by her little innocent act, did you all really think she just had some sort of pathetic cold blooded disease?”

  “What are you talking about?” Lanie asked and I was surprised it wasn’t from RJ.

  “Hilary don’t!” This was now Jack warning her but why would she listen to him at the crucial point of trying to ruin me. I was in two minds to stop this but I found I didn’t care anymore, I had to know just how far she would go to kill me off.

  “I’m talking about the long sleeves, those horrible gloves she never takes off and about her trying to hide what she did!” She was almost laughing like it felt so good to be the one to spill all my life’s dark little secrets. At that moment I felt sorry for her. How sad it all was.

  “Hilary, she told us it was bad circulation and we don’t need to know anymore than that!” RJ said and I wanted to hug her for it. Hilary was losing her audience but I don’t think she even cared anymore, she wanted the glory of it, even if the reaction would not be to the full extent.

  “Don’t be naive. Isn’t it obvious to you all, she... tried... to... kill... herself!” She said each word slowly for that extra bit of drama.

  Most of them gasped...all except Jack.

  “Stop this right now!” Jack shouted out and it was always an odd thing to hear Jack getting angry, like it was going against nature.

  “Oh, shut up Jack! Of course you’re going to believe all her lies, you’re still in love with the silly cow. What did she tell you, some sappy little story about her being kidnapped...oh please, I thought you were smarter than that! She is a manipulating little bitch that tried to kill herself after a man that didn’t love her had sex with her and left! A poor teacher that got his life ruine
d because she couldn’t take rejection, so she came up with this idea that he kidnapped her and raped her. Of course, he gets to spend the rest of his days rotting in jail thanks to a girl you all call friend!” And there it was, my life in her eyes...suddenly I didn’t feel so sorry for her, oh no, now I just wanted to rip her head off!

  I stepped into view just as Jack was fighting my corner, the rest saw me but Jack still had his back to me.

  “That’s not true, you spiteful bitch! I was told what really happened and it was proven to be true!” Bless him, but he’d obviously done his research, it was of course all over the internet...if you knew where to look that was. Any other time this news would have mortified me but right now it seemed it was in my favor. Hilary hadn’t been expecting that I had told anyone, let alone they would have found out the truth themselves. Considering all options she was looking pretty stumped for someone that had been so confidant just seconds ago.

  It was at this moment that Hilary looked past Jack and spotted me. The rage must have shown on my face because for a moment she looked frightened. Jack noticed her reaction and turned to face me. He was red faced and pissed off as hell but when he saw my face it turned quickly to one emotion.

  God I hated pity.

  That’s when I didn’t say anything, I just let action take over. I walked past Jack calmly and stood motionless in front of my cousin looking at her with God only knows what expression. I was feeling so many emotions it was hard to pin point just one.

  “What, what are you going to do bitch?” She spat out down at me with her arms held out. I wiped the spray very calmly from my face before reacting. I turned my body back which must have looked to everyone that I was turning to leave...which I wasn’t.

  I pulled my fisted hand back making sure my thumb was tucked over my fingers, my arm held back like a sling shot ready to fire. I remember seeing her sniggering face as I turned back, quickly turn to shock before my fist came in to contact with her face. I could feel her nose crumble beneath my knuckles and then her body fell backwards and crashed to the floor.

  “That, you bitter bitch!” I shouted down at her. She covered her nose with her hands and it wasn’t long before I noticed the blood pumping from between her fingers. I looked at my hand that was still fisted and yep, it too had blood on it.

  “You broke my nose you whore!” She shouted back with a gargle as some of the blood must have been dripping in her mouth. I wrinkled my nose at her in disgust and shook my head.

  “You’re pathetic! You really are. I have had to put up with your shit for far too long, so count yourself lucky I didn’t break more than your God damn nose!” I fumed at her as she tried to get back up.

  “You see, this is what she does! This is the real her! She’s a destructive little parasite that craves attention!” Man what did she want me to do...kill her! She had regained her legs and was waving her hands to make her point. This just made more blood flow freely from a nasty gash I had given her on the bridge of her nose.

  “You won’t ever stop will you? You won’t until you take everything from me, fine if that’s what it takes!” I had lost all control now and I yanked up my sleeves and was ripping my gloves down my arms. I heard every single person staring at me gasp at the sight of my butchered arms. I threw my gloves at her and she flinched at them like they would sting her. It was the first time she had seen the result of my past and I think it caused her pain to see, to really see.

  “Right, well this is what you wanted, isn’t it! You wanted to see me humiliated, then we might as well go all the way! Come on Hilary, join in, add your part of the story, tell them how I did this to myself to DIE! Oh no, we can’t let them know the truth, that I did this to save myself from a mad man who was not only going to kill me but also my family! THIS IS WHAT YOU WANTED, ISN’T IT?” I was screaming now and thankfully my friends had circled us to hide us both from view of the club.

  “SAY IT!” I screamed in her face when she didn’t respond.

  “Y...yes.” She whispered like a frightened child. She was also now crying and couldn’t stop looking at my arms. Well if it was hitting home it didn’t register, I was too far gone for that.

  “WHAT?” I held my hand up to my ear and turned my head.

  “Come on Hilary, WE CAN’T HEAR YOU!”I shouted.

  “YES!” She shouted back and that is when I lost all control. I launched myself at her like a bear. I think Leivic would have been proud. My mind was a red mist of twisted pain that made no sense of anything, no action my body made was coming from reason. We were on the ground and I had hold of fists full of her hair that I was pulling back. She wasn’t exactly defenseless and she fought back with everything she had. I felt the contact her knee made in my face and felt my lip burst against my teeth. But the strange thing was is that it wasn’t pain I was feeling, it was pure, raw adrenaline. Her hand was on my face and as someone was trying to part us her nail scratched down my cheek and neck.

  I was like a possessed wild cat and I bent over double trying to get free from somebody’s strong arms wrapped around me to get back at her.

  “LET ME GO!” I screamed at my back but I still couldn’t see who it was, although I assumed it was Jack, man he was strong. I looked up to see the damage I had done to Hilary’s face and I was glad to report it looked worse than mine felt. She had blood covering the lower half of her face and a nasty red lump under one eye. Her hair was stuck up on one side and her top was torn at the shoulder, there was also a scratch there that I didn’t even remember doing. It was only then that I noticed Jack had her in a locked hold at the wrists that were crossed over her torso. Ok, so if Jack was holding her then who was holding me?

  “Stop struggling Keira and I will let you go.” Vincent’s cool calm voice floated down my neck making me shiver. There was something about Vincent that made you realize very quickly he had an “I might be calm but don’t fuck with me” type voice. I relaxed in his arms and in turn, he relaxed his.

  “This is over between us Hilary, do you understand? No more!” I said turning to walk off but she wasn’t satisfied with the beating we both just had.

  “The Hell it is bitch! I won’t be happy until I have taken everything from you, like you have done to me, including me fucking your rich arse boyfriend!” I actually laughed before I ran back to her and hit her one last time, which knocked her for ten, she was out cold in Jack’s arms and I felt absolutely no remorse. Vincent grabbed my arms back just in case I decided to take it a step too far, although I think I already did that.

  “Enough!” He shouted at me and I nodded in agreement. Jack bent slightly to hold all her weight as she had slumped backwards.

  “Can you take care of her?” Vincent asked Jack in a way of taking full control of the matter and for once I was just glad it was an Angel watching my back, seeing as he was blessed with more patience than either of his siblings.

  “Yes, but who are you?” Jack was watching the position of Vincent’s hands with wary interest. I think his look prompted his grip to tighten in a protective reflex.

  “She is safe with me. I am Vincent Draven.” He announced this in a way that matched his brother’s authority head on. It sounded strange and out of character for Vincent to act so coldly but I guessed he didn’t like being questioned by a mere mortal boy. I also wondered if he knew me and Jack kind of had history of sorts and if this was the reason for his distaste. I also found it strange to think of him as a Draven. To me he had always been Vincent or the more playful Vinnie when I was drunk! Either way it was weird to hear it said aloud.

  I pulled myself out of my absurd thinking and noticed how all of my friends were sort of frozen in shock at seeing him for the first time. RJ looked as though she was about to throw herself down in front of him as a self sacrificing ‘wanna be’ virgin and everyone else just looked scared of both of us. I suppose for such a shy girl they hadn’t expected me to turn into a demented lunatic, “one flew over the cuckoo’s nest” style.

  Any other
time and I would had turned scarlet and fled from the room. I wasn’t one for centre of attention at the best of times but right now, right at this second, I just didn’t give a damn. Everyone was waiting for me to speak, I knew that, but I didn’t want to explain and from what everyone had just witnessed, I knew I certainly didn’t have to justify my actions. So I said the only thing that came to mind.

  “Jack can you take her home?” I asked quietly and he agreed by way of a sympathetic look.

  “Thanks,” I muttered as I then let Vincent walk me away. It was like he knew I had enough but he still had hold of the top of my arm like he was scared if he let me go I would go back there and kill her. My voice was devoid of emotion which wasn’t like me but I was tired. I was tired of feeling a shame I didn’t deserve. A fault that wasn’t my own and a guilt that just wasn’t warranted. I was just very, very tired.

  “You can let go now.” I said in an exasperated voice.

  “I don’t think so, I tried that before and now someone’s unconscious.” His voice could only be described as controlled calm.

  “Yes, but the right person!” I pointed out, cocking my head to the side out of habit. He didn’t reply to that one, instead he just directed me to the door that led to the VIP. I really didn’t want Draven to see me like this and it made me wonder if he knew anything about what had happened...more importantly why was Vincent down here?

  I didn’t ask but that was mostly because we were right next to the stage so hearing any answer he gave me was just not going to happen. The doormen eyed me like it was the first time they had ever seen me. I suppose I wasn’t looking too hot right now. Once through the solid wooden door the music changed to a background hum and Vincent’s hand dropped from holding my arm to smooth its way down the length to take my hand in his. I held my breath all the way down.