The Two Kings (Afterlife Saga)

by Hudson, Stephanie

  “Who was the boy?” This was Draven’s way of degrading my former love partner.

  “His name was Johnny Carlson and he was my first boyfriend.”

  “Did he... force himself upon you?” He had his hands balled into fists that he was trying to keep out of sight.

  “NO, of course not, if anything it was my idea.” Now this shocked him!

  “Why?”

  “And why not? Teenage girls get strong sexual urges just as boys do. Plus it was kind of fuelled by alcohol.” This made him relax slightly.

  “Can I ask, why are you asking these questions if you don’t want to hear the answers?” I asked getting up from the couch to stand over him.

  “Because I want to know everything, even if I can’t change the past.” He looked stern at the thought of not having that power.

  “And what would you have changed exactly?” I smiled at the thought of meeting Draven years ago, being so young and terrified, to the point it excited me.

  “I would have been your first.” Mmm... well I could have seen that going better than my first time.

  “And don’t you think that would have been a bit weird considering the age difference.” This made him roll his eyes at me.

  “Keira, of course I would have waited for you to have come to age. I don’t find anything attractive about an undeveloped body. I like developed women.” He quickly stood in front of me as he said this and began to run his fingers over my curvy chest and then up to my neck. I looked up at him feeling even smaller with bare feet.

  “And do you like your women little?” I said smiling, thinking about Aurora who had legs longer than my entire body! Ok a bit of exaggeration there but you get my drift…she was bloody tall.

  “Yes, most definitely.” He purred before carrying on.

  “Some of the most expense and exquisite gifts on the planet come in small packages.” This was sweet but come on, you never saw little models on the runway!

  “Like what?” I challenged.

  “Diamonds, for one.” Ok, so he had me there. I shook my head at him.

  “I can hardly be compared to Diamonds!”

  “I agree, there is nothing on this planet I can compare you to, there is nothing as beautiful or breathtaking, but I would have very much liked to have given you the Hope Diamond, but alas it is no longer in my possession.” I couldn’t speak, it was a combination of things. Being that he thought me as being that beautiful or that he once owned the Hope Diamond!

  “That is the one Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI owned… yes? Only then it was called the French blue.” A proud smiled crossed his lips before laying them on mine.

  “Clever girl, you are right and know your history well. Which makes me wonder if your interest in the past is not due to more…supernatural reasons.” He liked the idea, I could tell.

  “You mean for you?” I poked him in the ribs and he responded by tickling me back but when I tried to squirm away he grabbed my waist and flung me to the bed, pinning me down to make me giggle with what his other hand was doing. We were both laughing and didn’t hear when Sophia entered, or at least, I didn’t.

  “Well that’s a funny noise you’re creating from Keira.” Sophia of course was refereeing to my snorting like an excited pig.

  “Thank you for knocking, Sophia!” Draven said dryly.

  “I did but you just couldn’t hear it over the….noise.” Again she meant my snorting. Draven lifted me up and we both walked over to the couch opposite Sophia. As always she was perfection. Her silky mass of curls was twisted up loose allowing some to escape. She wore a beautiful halter neck fitted blue top with white trousers that had a high waist band but flared out onto open toe sandals. She looked fit for a high end ocean liner. I, on the other hand, looked like I had been clubbed over the head and dragged back to my cave. My hair was wild and wavy and I was still in a robe.

  “Did you both only just get up?” She asked with an evil grin, that she made to look cute.

  “No, Keira and I shared a bath and I am trying to get her to stay in that robe all day but considering you’re here, I know that won’t last much longer.” He said full of humour. But of course I went bright red.

  “You’re right about that, ‘cause I am not going shopping with her wearing that!” Oh no, she had been serious last night. I looked up at Draven with pleading eyes but he just laughed.

  “Oh no, you’re not getting out of it Keira dear!” Sophia looked dead serious.

  “Draven doesn’t want me to go.” I said bravely and Draven looked at me then back at Sophia with folded arms. It would have been more convincing if he wasn’t grinning like a fool in love.

  “I don’t give a Damn what Dominic wants! He has kept you to himself for too long, now it’s my turn to have some fun with you.” She made me sound like a doll being passed around. Who was next, Vincent….? Oops better not think that!

  “Plus you owe me... remember?” Oh no, she didn’t just pull that card! Draven shot me a look and Sophia’s mouthed the word “busted” at me.

  “Someone elaborate please.” Draven’s voice was cool and collected but I knew it wouldn’t last.

  “Sophia just helped get me some stuff last night, but that’s it…isn’t it Sophia” I said this last part as a warning….one she didn’t take.

  “Is that so and how exactly did you keep this from me?” Now he was intrigued.

  “Oh Keira here is very gifted, brother and so it seems has learnt some new tricks…I am surprised she hasn’t said anything.” I decided to use this new gift right now!

  “Great, thanks a lot Sophia!” But this made it worse because she answered me out loud even though I was ready to let her in.

  “You’re welcome!” What the…did she wake up this morning pure evil! Draven shot her a look and then me, he was clearly waiting. He held out his palm and motioned for his question to be answered.

  “Well, Keira here can talk to me without you hearing, she is using her mind and she can focus hard enough on letting me into her mind when she so chooses.” I rolled my eyes like this wasn’t that big a deal but she carried on.

  “She didn’t want you knowing about her umm…unfortunate timing. But she was in pain and needed some supplies. I believe this was her only reasoning for trying to go home last night. But she didn’t want to disappoint you, so instead, she stayed and sought my help. It was very clever of her, was it not brother?”

  “It was indeed.” Was all he said but his look said so many other things.

  “I didn’t tell you any of those things, how did you know I felt that way?” Draven was the one to answer, although the question was directed at his sister.

  “When you open up your mind it gives way to your thoughts, not just the ones you choose for her to hear.” He smiled at his sister like he was proud of her deception. Great, well I will never be doing that again!

  “Keira, show me!” Oh shit! Now Draven wanted to see it first hand and I had a feeling I was heading for a trap.

  “NO!” I said before folding my arms across my chest like a stubborn child.

  “Oh come on Keira, you even agreed that it was fun last night. Let’s show him, you could even call him a rich arrogant fool and he would never know!” She giggled as Draven growled at her.

  “I said No!”

  “Why not…Oh, she is stubborn isn’t she?” Sophia stamped her foot and now I was the one laughing.

  “She is indeed,” Draven answered. Ok this wasn’t fair, they were ganging up on me.

  “Please Keira, do it for me, what is there to be afraid of?” His velvet voice was slowly winning me over but I didn’t let on.

  “Because if I do, then you will be in my head and know everything and what if I can’t get you back out! I want to keep my thoughts private thank you very much!” Ok so I did sound a bit whiny at this point but peer pressure was never a welcomed thing.

  “But what have you to hide from me?” Now he raised his eyes like I was keeping secrets from him. Of course there
was a few, including the name Lucius!

  “Nothing!” I said a little too defensive.

  “But you could block Sophia again.”

  “Yes, but you are stronger than her, you can almost access my mind already and I have to try very hard to resist, so if I do this, I might never find a way back again.” Sophia huffed at this, not liking to hear how her brother’s power was far greater.

  “If that is the case, then show me via Sophia, talk to her and I will listen through her mind. When I hear your voice, I will be satisfied.” I was failing fast and he knew it, so to seal the deal he ran his fingers down my cheek before whispering in my ear.

  “Please my love,” and that was all it took to crack me.

  “Fine! But know that I am not happy about being made to do this!” I said before lifting my knees up and getting comfortable. Draven didn’t look as though he felt guilty for making me do this. He looked happier that he had won.

  I relaxed my mind as I had done last night. I listened to the sounds around me trying to pinpoint one. I heard a door close in the distance and even some birds from an open window. I heard the clock pendulum rock its mundane motion, counting the seconds one, two, three and then my head filled with Sophia’s smug voice.

  “Good girl Keira, my brother will be pleased.”

  “Great, I am glad I could put on such a good freak show!” I said unhappily but Draven’s eyes lit up at his discovery.

  “But look how happy you have made him, besides he would have asked me anyway and this way saves me a lecture.” She even sounded sincere in my mind.

  “Glad I could help!” I said sarcastically and Draven laughed but stopped abruptly as though he had seen something he didn’t like. His hand that held my arm tightened and his face became stern, giving me the feeling he was about to confirm the reason I didn’t want to be doing this.

  “Who is this boy Justin?” The voice I had heard in my head filled me with dread, as it was no longer the sweet voice of Sophia’s…oh NO

  This voice belonged to Draven and now...

  He had been granted full access!

  Chapter 13

  Oh Lord… Draven?

  After that Sophia excused herself at Draven’s request. This meant Draven wanted to talk to me about Justin without Sophia to witness our little discussion. Of course I was still furious about him deceiving me. Once we were alone, I got up and folded my arms.

  “We are not talking about this!” I said as I grabbed my clothes from last night and went into the bathroom but he was stood by the door before I could blink.

  “Oh yes we are my dear!” He claimed but he didn’t yet look as angry as I did, although, I couldn’t imagine it would take long in coming.

  “Alright if we are going to talk about it, then first we are going to talk about you tricking me!” Ha! Now this made him look sheepish.

  “Keira, please!” He tipped his head but I wouldn’t give up that easy.

  “Oh no, not this time! You forced me into something I didn’t want to do and as a result you saw something that is going to make you paranoid! Explain how this is fair?” He was trying to think of something diplomatic to say but for once I had him stumped.

  “I did not force you into anything.” What a load of horse shit!

  “No, you just used…what is you call it…tactical decisions! It was a bloody guilt trip and you know it.” I decided to get changed there in front of him and I did it while I was still having a go at him. He looked slightly amused by my angry dressing.

  “Answer me truthfully, if you can, did you know that would happen?” I had pulled my top on the wrong way round and he look down at it and nodded. Oh great, and when I was trying to make my point as well! So I almost tore it off and put it back on the right way round.

  “Ok, I will admit that I had an idea.” I raised my eyebrows and sucked my lips in and he thought twice about his last statement.

  “Ok, ok…more than an idea.” Now he looked guilty…finally!

  “You knew?” I said and he just nodded. I threw my hands up and made a GRRR sound as I walked away. He was about to say something else but I turned knowing what it was.

  “Oh no, don’t you dare say it!”

  “And what was I going to say exactly?” He leaned casually on his desk as he too had crossed the room. He looked smug.

  “You were going to blame it on being half Demon.” I said and his smug face was no longer…I had guessed right. Now I looked smug and we both couldn’t help but laugh.

  “Ha, you’re laughing and therefore can’t be angry at me anymore.” In less than a blink he was before me capturing my face in his large hands and was now kissing me before I could protest…ok not that I would have. When he finished he looked too pleased with himself.

  “And what are you looking so happy about?”

  “I just survived my first real telling off. I feel almost human.” He then winked at me and I knew it was just going to blow over and go down as one of our quickest disagreements yet.

  “At the risk of angering you again, I would very much like, if you could oblige me and explain who this boy is. As from the embrace he gave you, I’m sure you could shed some light on the matter.” He was trying to keep it light and cautious, as not to bring up the fact that he had obtained this information under dishonourable terms.

  “He is no one, just another friend or more like family as he is Frank’s younger brother. He came to the house to see him as he’s just come back from travelling.” I tried to make it as matter of fact as I could but my voice wasn’t as steady as it could have been. Thankfully as soon as I had heard his voice in my head, I had blocked him out with all my might and that had been the end of his brief encounter with my thoughts. It could have been much worse, as he could have picked up on the fact that I have been hiding my dreams about Lucius.

  “I think the boy has other ideas of friendship with you.” He said in a stubborn tone.

  “You got that from a hug? He’s just a little…touchy feely that’s all. No hidden agenda.” Ok, I knew this wasn’t completely the truth as he had made it a little too obvious that he liked me but we did kind of have a thing once.

  “Well at least he is gone now.” He said and I knew I should have used this opportunity to tell him about his stay next weekend but I didn’t. I just didn’t want to worry him even more and if I was lucky I could get away with him not finding out. I could just stay here for that weekend. But then I remembered how Frank had asked me to take him to the club one night…umm.... maybe I will have to rethink this one.

  Sophia didn’t knock but just glided through the door without a care in the world.

  “Are you ready?” She asked looking me up and down.

  “I need to stop off and change first but then I’m good to go. I need to stop at the supermarket on the way back for tonight.” Draven shot me a look.

  “Oh no, I forgot I’m working,” I said thinking I would have to call my sister and tell her it was off, but Draven smiled.

  “Oh no you’re not, we have made plans and I am not cancelling on your sister.” He looked far too pleased about this.

  “But…”

  “No buts!” He said firmly, so I knew on this he was concrete. So I came up with a solution.

  “Ok, but I work tomorrow night to make up for it.” He was about to tell me No but he thought twice about it when he saw my face, so he just sighed instead and then held up his hands in defeat.

  “I think we should go in my car,” I said to Sophia who was waiting with an amused expression. Draven let out a roar of laughter when he saw Sophia’s face drop at my words.

  “No way! I am not being seen dead in that thing!” I was hurt but she didn’t care on this matter because plain and simple… she was being spoilt.

  “And what’s wrong with my Bronco?” I asked crossing my arms.

  “Keira my dear, I might not be practical but I am rich and I do have standards to uphold. No offense.” Ok, I had to admit I didn’t think I would have s
een her in my car but still, she shouldn’t be so stuck up!

  “Well Draven goes in it,” I said pleading my case one last time. But she just let out a snorted laugh.

  “Yes well, he is a fool in love and clearly would do anything to keep you happy because have no allusions Keira, he would have never been seen dead in that thing you call a car before he met you.”

  “Alright Sophia that is enough, if she wants to drive she will drive or she won’t go at all.” He said firmly but from the look on Sophia’s face I was going to have to cave quicker than these two.

  “Its fine, we will go in something ridiculously fast, with a shiny paint job.” I said in defeat but Sophia smiled which told me that she had something else in mind.

  “What?”

  “Well I was thinking... Limo!” Oh no, this was getting worse by the second but now they laughed when my face dropped. I had only been in a Limo once and that was a Prom and it was filled with a load of drunken teenagers!

  “That’s a little over the top for shopping.” She shook her head and again I caved.

  “Ok, but I need to get some food on the way back.” They both looked shocked but what did they think, that I was getting the maid in to cook!

  “What? I’m cooking tonight…Libby can’t cook for toffee.” They hadn’t heard this expression before and Sophia giggled.

  “Are you sure?” Draven came up to me and I looked up to his bemused face.

  “Yeah I’m sure, I mean that girl burns everything. Once she...”

  “No, I mean, do you not mind cooking tonight’s meal?” Aww bless, he must be looking at this as a chore.

  “No of course not, I cook most nights. Besides, I enjoy it and I’m quite good at it.” I said being modest about something for the first time and Draven noticed it.

  “Oh really?” He said as he kissed me and Sophia just cleared her throat to indicate that she was still waiting.

  “Ok, I’m ready,” I said but it was a lie as all I wanted to do was stay there having him kissing me all day.