Afterlife (Afterlife Saga)

by Stephanie Hudson

  “Keira” He said my name like a warm caress over my body. I tried to find my feet but his hand shot out, preventing me to lower my head any more. He took a firm hold of my chin and raised my face to look up to his towering frame.

  “You don't have to do this Keira.” He said so softly it was barely more than a whisper and I closed my eyes letting the captured tears fall. His grip left my chin and took the tears away with his touch.

  “You wanted this Draven...so you're going to get it all,” I said fiercely. I made the decision to spill my gruelling past no matter how hard it was to tell and by God I was not backing out now. Something in me had snapped and I found that if I didn't finish now then Draven would never fully understand why. He would never truly see the blind justice to my actions and I didn't want them to remain in the shadows any longer.

  I felt his touch leave me and I waited until I could hear him resume his place in the room until I opened my eyes and carried on.

  “This particular night I woke to find myself strapped to a chair at the wrists, feet, neck and under my arms and around the shoulders. I was still feeling woozy as he must have drugged my food, because I don't remember anything after eating. I was scared and upset. I don't think I stopped screaming throughout the whole thing. I just remember the searing pain of heat on my skin and the smell of my own flesh burning. I think I eventually passed out through pain.” I automatically felt for the burn mark on my back and scratched at it through my layers.

  “When I woke my wound was wrapped up and I could smell disinfectant. He was stroking back my hair telling me how sorry he was! I mean I just wanted to kill him and here he was acting as though he was trying to help!!! Of course his delusions convinced him he did help, telling me how he thought it must have worked, as he couldn't see them anymore. I tried to pull away from him but I was too weak and he must have given me some more drugs as I kept needing to throw up. He told me how he had read that witches possess something called the “Devils mark” from where they had been touched by one of his minions and when applying a red hot poker to it they will leave a screaming body.”

  “Vade retro satana!” Draven said shaking his head and looking away from me as though disgusted at the thought!

  “What does that mean?” I asked wanting to go over to him and touch his face as he had done so often to mine.

  “It means, ‘Go back Satan.’ It is a medieval Catholic formula for an exorcism but in my case I meant it as something else, as it also means ....Don't tempt me!” I didn't quite understand what he meant by that last bit but I didn't push it as he looked agitated. So I continued with the last part of my miserable story.

  “He then started talking about us being together forever and that he was soon going to take me away from that place, somewhere we could be married and start a fresh new life. I wanted to scream at him and lash out but I knew I had to use this as an opportunity and play it smart. So I went along with it as if it was something I wanted too, thinking I would soon get a chance to make a break for it. But again I was wrong.... I found out that not only was he going to drug me again but he also started talking about taking care of my family as they were becoming a problem. This made me panic more than I had in the entire time I had been locked down there. I knew what he was capable of and knew that my family could be in danger. So this gave me the strength for I what I would have to do next.” I said looking down at my covered scars wishing they could stay that way forever.

  “What I didn't realise was, this was when I would find my opportunity as he started bringing down boxes to store, while he was getting ready to sell the house. Of course any time anyone would come to look around I would be tied up and gagged, so I couldn't cause a problem.” I took another large gulp of wine and put down the glass before it went completely to my head.

  “It was in these boxes that I finally found what I had been looking for, my chance to end it all. So I waited for him to leave for work and started to open each one. Most of the boxes were filled with old newspaper clippings and childhood toys. But in one of the boxes was what looked like personal items of a young girl. I saw a picture of her and found she looked very similar to me with long blonde hair and the same eyes. She was also sat next to a young Morgan and they had their arms around each other in an embrace. At the very bottom I found a large wooden box with a key still inside the lock. I opened it to find it was a music box with one of those little ballerinas twirling round to the Nutcracker’s Sugarplum Fairy music. But my eyes weren't fixated on the doll, they were fixated on the large square mirror behind it.”

  “So you used it to try and kill yourself.” He said in a sad voice finishing the end of my story for me but my anger shot up along with my body as I was now standing in resentment. He looked shocked at my reaction but he was soon to know why.

  “Why am I not surprised that you wouldn't think differently? NO! I didn't bloody try to kill myself!” I held out my arms and said “I did THIS to save myself and my family!”

  “Calm yourself...I didn't mean to upset you, please explain.” He said standing from his chair also. I inhaled deeply and every time my lungs refilled I calmed down more. Enough to continue...

  “Look you have to understand that I was the cause of this problem and I knew I would never be able to live with myself if I let Morgan do anything to hurt those that I loved!”

  “I understand that more than you know.” He said motioning me to sit back down as though I had clearly made my point, so I carried on after throwing myself back into the seat behind me.

  “I knew how long it took him to get from his car and down to me. I counted it every time he left the house. I would hear the engine of his car pull up. I would hear it go silent as he turned the keys. I knew it would only be a moment before I would hear his footsteps above and the first thing he always did was to come down to the basement to see me. I knew exactly how many minutes I had so I sat and waited until I heard the car.” I shuddered at the hardest memory of all. The pain I created. The pain I caused not only to myself but the biggest change I made to everyone's lives.

  “It was hard to do at first as I was shaking with fear but then the adrenaline kicked it and my hands plunged the mirror shard into my skin. You see my plan was to try and make it look worse than it was. Lots of shallow cuts to create the illusion that it was more serious, but it wasn't working, there wasn't enough blood so I got clumsy and cut myself too deep a few times at the wrist. Then I couldn't stop the bleeding but at least my plan worked because as soon as he saw me he panicked. I then played him at his own game. I told him how I didn't want to lose him, how it was the demon that made me do it, how it was jealous of my love for him and it wanted me to suffer and die.

  Of course he believed my every word and for the first time in over a month I saw daylight as he put me in the car. But I must have passed out because the next thing I knew I was being placed outside the emergency room doors and the last thing he said to me was, “Don't say a word and I will be back to get you.” Of course it didn't take long before I was found by the hospital staff. Once inside I screamed as loud as I could for the police to be called as I had been kidnapped! Well it didn't take long before they finally took me seriously and my parents confirmed it, as they had been looking for me after only two weeks of me being taken. They arrested Morgan when he came back trying to get me as the reception told him I was in a different room, which was full of cops waiting to take him down.”

  “That was an incredibly brave thing you did but there is one thing I still don't understand…Why didn't you give a statement?”

  “I have my reasons which are personal, but it helped that I didn't need to as they went to Morgan's house and found more than enough evidence, which unfortunately included more dead bodies. I found out later that he had killed my room mate Charlotte, making it look like suicide. They found Tom's body dumped in the woods near the University, he'd had his throat cut so deep it nearly severed the head, so naturally the police were already investigating his murder. For
a time I was even a suspect as I had disappeared. They also found the body of the real Hugo Morgan as he had taken on his life and fooled everyone. They had told me his real name was Douglas Brone and his background was a sketchy one. They knew he had a sister who was also called Catherine and that he thought of her as more than a sister, if you know what I mean. They don't know how but she died and she was the one in the picture that I found.”

  “They also found a room in his attic that was dedicated to his obsession with me. They found hundreds of pictures of me, ones he'd taken, and ones he'd drawn and painted. There was also my hair, some of my clothes and some other sicker things that he had removed from my trash. But the worst thing they found was my body double.”

  “What do you mean by body double?” Draven asked as he leaned forward.

  “The frozen body of a murdered girl who looked like me, she had also gone missing close to the same time as I had and they believed they could have a serial killer on their hands. But then they realised why her. See the police believed he was planning to fake my death and for this he needed someone that fit my body type. He thought that he could just take me and that we could disappear, but my family were making that difficult, as they got the police searching for me and people at the University were being questioned. Morgan was also questioned and soon became a suspect. It wasn't going to be long before they found me but of course I didn't know any of this. Naturally as soon as he was caught it was clear to everyone he was insane and instead of going to a usual prison he pleaded insanity and was sent to a highly secure mental institute.”

  “Fools...he deserved the chair!” Draven shouted in anger as I had now clearly come to the end of my near destruction two years ago.

  “So now you understand why I have to go?” I said standing and walking towards the door, knowing this would be that last time I would see him. I swallowed the lump in my throat at the thought, as I tried the door which was still locked.

  “NO I don't, if anything that story just confirmed my justification for keeping you here.” He said standing himself, folding his arms across his chest making his stance more powerful but I wouldn't back down to his intimidation.

  “WHAT! That's not fair... you gave me your word!” I threw at him but he didn't bat an eyelid.

  “I gave you my word that if I was satisfied I would let you leave. That story just proved how afraid you are of being caught again and this I won't allow to happen again...EVER!” He replied retaining his cool countenance after shouting the last word.

  “You have no right, I want to leave! I have to!”

  “And why exactly is it that you want to keep running forever? If you think this will keep you safe then you’re more wrong than you realise!” His black eyes stared at my face, searching for some reasoning there.

  “I'm not trying to save myself damn it! I am running away to save my family! If he finds me here then people I care about could get hurt... People died because of me once before, I am not going to let that happen again! NO WAY...I ...I just want to save Libby and Frank and most importantly their unborn child!” I was crying fully now at the thought of losing them, this was all my fault. I was a freak of nature and should never have been born!! I just cause pain to everyone around me, like a disease with no cure.

  I could see his expression soften through my watery vision. And then there was another look. One I couldn't quite place but I got the distinct impression that he didn't like seeing me cry.

  “And this is the only reason you want to go...So you can prevent the people you care about from getting hurt?” He asked coming closer to me but I stepped back with every step he took forward. I didn't want him to cloud my mind's decisions and I knew that as soon as he got close to me and touched me that I would be lost under the power he had over me.

  “Don't come any closer!” I warned with a jittery voice.

  “Answer me!” He said ignoring my request as he still kept taking steps towards me.

  “Yes of course it’s the only reason. You think I want to go on the run? Knowing that I will eventually get hunted down and my nightmare will start all over again!” I looked behind me but I wasn't heading to the door as I thought, he was backing me up against a wall and I couldn't even see one door in the room where previously there had been two. What was happening to me...what was he doing to me? He was getting closer and my heart responded with panic. How was he doing any of this?

  “Please don't!” I said again, which seemed to work as he stopped before getting too close.

  “If that is the truth then you have nothing to fear and therefore no need to leave.” He looked hurt from my fear of him touching me.

  “But didn't you hear me, I have no choice!!!” I shouted out in my last attempt at getting him to see reason.

  “I have taken care of it. As soon as I was informed of his escape I took measures to see that not only you but also your family were safe.” He said taking off the suit jacket that he wore over a faded dark grey T-shirt, making my legs weak at the sight of his solid torso.

  “Taken care of it how?” I asked now in fear for other reasons.

  “I have my people watching Libby and Frank making sure they stay safe. I also have people watching your parents in England just in case and I have even taken measures to keep your friends here safe...So you see you have no reason to leave.” When he had finished I couldn't believe it, was he right ...were they all safe? Was I even safe from that monster who wanted to destroy my life! He must have seen the shock on my face as he said,

  “I can guarantee your safety here but not if you run from me Keira.” His voice was soft and beseeching. The way he said my name was like the nights I had dreamed of him, placing a warm blanket around my shoulders and pulling me close, keeping me safe.

  “But I don't understand...why...why would you do all this ….for me?” I asked hoping he would give me an answer that would finally make sense.

  “Is it not obvious?” He said looking at me like I had never seen him before. He looked at me as though he needed me...as if he wanted me and would soon take me!

  I looked down at my hands, as his stare was putting a different kind of fear through me. One of passion and I wanted him. Wanted him so badly that even now at the mouth of my hell, I would never stop wanting him!

  “Enough!” He stated abruptly and before I could speak he made his move. He had clearly waited long enough and cut the distance between us in seconds. His body came up to mine, taking my face with both of his hands, lifting it up so that my lips could meet his before he devoured me whole, kissing me with more passion than my body could take. It quivered under his hands and my legs were about to buckle as every muscle went soft. He reacted to this by grabbing my waist wrapping one solid arm around it, picking all of me up to the level of his face.

  His lips moulded to mine taking everything he wanted from just one kiss. He parted my lips, invading my mouth with every sensory fibre he possessed. At this moment in time he owned me, dominated me and I gave myself to him like the most willing of sacrifices. His free hand moved to the back of my neck while his other hand gripped my side tighter in his hold. It was a purely possessive gesture. And just when I thought it couldn't get any more intense he deepened the kiss until my insides were on fire. He lit my veins with utter passion and I never wanted to cool down from it. Tilting my head even further to the side he explored at greater depth. I couldn't help the moan that escaped from my mouth into his. I felt him smile over me before he pulled his lips from mine. I didn't like it. I wanted him back to me. I had to control the urge not to find them again myself. But he had other plans seeing that my legs weren't up to holding my bodyweight, when he was so close.

  He carried me over to his desk, still holding all my weight in just one arm. He used his other arm to clear the top of all that lay upon it. He swiped it all onto the floor and my past was now scattered around my feet where I wanted it to remain forever. He placed me down so that I remained the same height as his perfect face. His eyes were still
alight with the ache of desire.

  His hand snaked up to the back of my head and his palm stretched out around the back of my neck with his fingers entwined in my hair. There he could control the position of my head, tilting it to the side so that he could bring his mouth to my neck. He kissed me there and the feel of my cold skin where his lips left imprints sent tingles down my spine. I closed my eyes as the room started to spin.

  My skin was hot and sticky which he must also have felt as his hands found the collar of my jacket pulling it back over my shoulder letting the cool air work on my overheated body. That's when I noticed the doors that led to the balcony were now open letting in the night air.

  He pulled off my jacket and threw it to one side as though it should never have been allowed to conceal me away from him to begin with. Then he looked back at me and my heart skipped a few beats at the sight of the lust in his dark eyes. One corner of his mouth quirked up exposing a confident smile as his hands gripped the back of my knees. He held them moving them to the side, separating them. He gave them a quick tug making me slide closer towards his body eliminating the space between us. Not allowing it to invade our locked bodies.

  I gasped out but he crushed his lips to mine once more and I could taste the scent that I had craved. I had never experienced any feeling like it. I had never been kissed like this before as it felt like we were designed for each other. My hands finally found the courage to touch his hard chest and they were received with a stronger need for my body. His hands curved around my back trying to get to my skin through the layers that obstructed them.

  His kiss became soft until his lips left me again. He pulled back to look at me and I felt self-conscious as his serious face studied me. He was looking at my hair and then he frowned. I was just about to ask him what was wrong when he moved his hand holding it from the back of my head without touching me then my clip opened and jumped into his hand releasing my hair down like a golden waterfall. He put down the metal clip and then let his hands feel the mass of hair through his long fingers.