Branded (An Otherworlders Series Novel Book 1)

by Lena Moore

  Shit, he left her alone out there like a used piece of meat. Collecting his thoughts, Draven showered quickly, threw on some clean pants, and went out to the lounge area. Aliyah was curled around the throw rug snoring softly. She looked peaceful. Draven decided he would leave her to sleep and make some of his Nonna’s spaghetti. The recipe was a family secret. Shit, he almost had to yank his Nonna’s teeth out just to acquire it.

  He pulled out the minced meat and the rest of the ingredients he needed to make the meatballs. The sauce he’d made eons ago. He turned the Bluetooth speaker on low and rocked out to some Stone Sour, because who the fuck doesn’t heart some Corey Taylor?

  Two hours later, Draven poked his head around the corner; Aliyah was still passed out on the lounge. He placed the pasta in the boiling water and decided it was time to wake her. Maybe she would want a shower before dinner.

  “Aliyah, it’s time to wake up.” He shook her softly. She mewled and rolled over. “Come on, baby. I’ve made dinner for us. Time to get your sexy ass up.” He slapped her butt and her eyes flew open.

  “What was that for?” she said through her sleepy haze.

  “Dinner time. I thought you would like a shower before we ate.”

  Aliyah glanced down at her white dress and saw it was stained with blood. Draven looked down at her exposed body, revealing her puckered nipples. Either she was cold, or turned on again. She’d almost mastered the cloaking brand, the cheeky bitch. He smiled.

  She pulled her dress together and blushed. “I think a shower is in order. I’ll be quick. What did you make?”

  “You’re gonna love it, Aliyah. My Nonna’s spaghetti recipe and meatballs.”

  Her tummy grumbled and she giggled, “According to my belly, I am hungry. I’ll be right back, Shrek.” She pattered over to her room, closing the door behind her. Smart girl, he grinned.

  Draven plated up for the both of them. He sprinkled pecorino cheese over the top and placed a small salad in the middle of the granite bench. A glass of red wine sat next to their bowls. The whole place smelled like a little Italy, he was certain of it.

  While Draven was admiring his handy work, Aliyah took that moment to saunter into the kitchen. She closed her eyes and inhaled.

  “Damn that smells good! Who knew a big oaf like you could cook, huh?” she challenged him, taking a sip of her wine.

  Draven wasn’t taking the bait. “Sit and eat, Snowflake,” he replied, shaking his head.

  Aliyah twirled the long pasta around her fork. Bringing it to her mouth, she closed her lips over the cutlery and moaned. It was fucking sexy. Since when did eating food become sexy? Since Aliyah, he’d realised.

  “Keep moaning like that and you won’t be finishing that pasta,” he growled.

  “But it tastes fucking amazeballs! How did you learn to cook like this?”

  “I learned off my Nonna, my father’s mother. She taught me everything.”

  “Wow, that’s amazing! I wish I had have known my biological grandmother. Jill and John’s parents died when I was little, well that’s what they told me anyway,” she sighed.

  “What are you going to do about your parents? Have you confronted them since you found out?”

  “No. Not yet. I have no idea how to approach them. What do I say to someone who was supposed to protect and nurture me, only to find out all they did was lie and deceive me?”

  “I can’t answer that question for you, sweetheart. I’ll come with you if you like? You know, for support?”

  “Thanks.” She offered Draven a weak smile. “But I need to do this myself, Shrek.”

  He shrugged his shoulders. “The offer’s there.”

  Except for Aliyah raging on about his meatballs, they ate in silence. The air was thick around them. A heavy silence draped over them as they finished up dinner, both lost in their own inner battles. Draven wanted to comfort her, but sensed she needed some time to process what her life had become in such a short time.

  Seeing she was done eating, he said, “Here, give me your dishes and I’ll clean up.”

  “Nope, you cooked so I’ll clean up.”

  “Let’s agree to disagree and do it together.”

  She lifted her shoulders and replied, “Whatever floats your boat, D.”

  The dishes clanged and clattered as Draven rinsed them in soapy water before handing them to Aliyah to stick in the dishwasher. Not sure what had come over him, Draven suddenly felt compelled to splash water at her like a damn child. Scooping the water up in his cupped hand, he whirled it at Aliyah, pulling her from her ruminations.

  “Hey!” she bellowed. “What was that for, asshole?” She gave him the stink eye.

  Draven lost it laughing. She looked so cute pissed off, so he flicked her again. Her face morphed from pissed off to downright mischievous. She reached into the water and splashed it into his face. Draven chuckled and turned the tap on and tilted it toward her, soaking her completely. Aliyah giggled then turned on her heel and sprinted to the fridge. Draven raised his eyebrows, thinking: she wouldn’t.

  He began stalking after her when she turn around and squirted ketchup all over him. He froze, looked down at his shirt then back up at Aliyah. She had her hand covering her mouth, attempting to stifle the laughter.

  “Wanna play that way, do you Snowflake?” he drawled, then snatched the ketchup from her and drew her in for a bear hug, sandwiching the sauce between them.

  “Gross, Draven,” she laughed. “Get off me you asshole.”

  They were both chuckling and saturated with water and ketchup. Then Draven lost his footing and slipped on the concrete floors, landing on his back.

  Aliyah gasped and straddled him. “Are you ok?”

  Draven screwed up his face at the pain radiating through his tailbone before opening his eyes and looking into Aliyah’s piercing violet hues. Her face was close so he reached up and pushed a lock of her raven hair behind her ear then cupped her cheek, bringing her mouth toward his. As soon as their lips collided, fireworks went off inside Draven. His dick grew as hard as a diamond while Aliyah sat and rocked her hips into his, causing friction. He kneaded her ass roughly with his left hand, slapped her cheek then caressed it after. Aliyah moaned into Draven’s mouth, fucking with what composure he had left. She was addictive, and Draven couldn’t get enough of her.

  He felt the energy shift and reared back from the kiss. Aliyah looked at him, puzzled, then shivered. She felt it as well.

  “So this is why you keep blowing me off, vampire? Is this your new plaything?” the voice sneered.

  Draven’s eyes darted around the kitchen as he sat Aliyah up with him.

  “Who’s that?” Aliyah wondered.

  “I’m wounded, Draven. Did you not tell your pet about me?” she cackled.

  Draven blew out a deep breath. “Show yourself, Melantha.”

  Red mist filed into the kitchen as Melantha appeared. She wore the same disguise as the last time, except she was dressed in red latex, matching the foils in her ebony hair. Her amber-red, speckled eyes flew to Aliyah, and she snarled.

  “This,” she pointed at Aliyah, “is why you haven’t been meeting our agreement?”

  Aliyah’s eyes shimmered, and Draven thought she was about to cry.

  “What agreement?”

  “We can talk about it later,” he answered.

  “No, Draven,” she fumed, her jaw clenching. “Now.”

  “Later. This isn’t the fucking time, Aliyah!”

  “Are you serious? She just poofed into your kitchen and now’s not the time. Fuck you, Draven, and rotate on this.” She flipped him off and stormed out of the kitchen.

  Draven couldn’t run after her with Melantha standing in his kitchen. “You need to fuck off right fucking now, demon.”

  Melantha clucked, “Oh no, honey, you owe me. The contract is bound by your blood. Unless you’d like a rendezvous with Neferity for breaching the contract. I have her on speed dial.” The malice dripped from her words.

&nb
sp; Neferity wasn’t welcomed in his home, but she could always try and find a way in, or wait for him to leave his lair. And then there was Aliyah. She already had her sights set on her for whatever fucked up reason.

  “I can hear your mind churning, my vampire.”

  “I am not your fucking vampire,” he deadpanned, trying to keep his anger in check.

  “For tonight you are. I know you don’t want Neferity visiting, especially with your precious Aliyah around.”

  Melantha knew about his feelings for Aliyah. Why else would she bring Neferity up? She’d never threatened him with the dark Goddess when he’s refused in the past.

  “No sex. Nothing intimate. I don’t give a fuck about the contract. Take my blood and get the fuck out of here.”

  She formed in front of him. Wasting no time, her pointed nail slit the side of Draven’s neck before she latched on. Melantha moaned around her greedy slurps. That was the time Aliyah picked to walk by.

  Her eyes grew wide then flickered with what Draven viewed as pain. Aliyah stood there rooted to the ground. She was hurt, and he’d caused it.

  “Aliyah, it’s not what you think. Wait!”

  He attempted to push Melantha off but her grip intensified. Draven saw Aliyah run out of sight before he heard his door slam. He screamed and threw Melantha across the room.

  “Get the fuck out of my lair! And do not come back!”

  “As long as this contract is in place, I will always find you, my vampire,” she cackled before disappearing in her signature red misty shit.

  Fuck.

  Draven ran out the door and looked left then right. Aliyah was nowhere to be seen. Anxiety dominated his body and it vibrated. He closed his eyes and focused all his energy on sensing her. His teeth grinded against each other. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t sense her. Draven clawed at his dreadlocks and yelled.

  Jadis, came out of her little hidey hole. “What the fuck, D. What’s going on?”

  “I can’t–I can’t sense her, Jadis,” he whispered.

  “Who? Aliyah?”

  “She saw me with Melantha. That fucking contract! I can’t lose her!.”

  “Come here, we will work this out, baby. Tell me what happened.”

  “No, I need to find her!” He left Jadis standing there as he searched the Quarter frantically.

  The dark energy pulsed around him, slowly draining him of everything pure in his life. His vision blurred and he prayed he’d find her. Without Aliyah, there was nothing left worth fighting for. There was no need wrestling with his darkness. Without her, he may as well submit.

  Chapter Fifteen

  ~ Aliyah ~

  Aliyah harnessed every ounce of her energy to focus on shielding her scent and connection from Draven. Fuck it hurt seeing that woman feed on him. She was gorgeous. What the fuck did he want with her if he could have something like that?

  She dialled the first person who had always been there for her: her best friend Dany. Dany had been Aliyah’s best friend since elementary school, and there wasn’t much he didn’t already know about her. Their relationship was purely platonic. Sure, they’d tested the waters briefly during their teenage years but they both quickly realised they were only meant to be friends. Even if he was sexy as hell. Fuck, he was going to flip out when all of this unravelled before him. What would he say? Would he be scared of her? Damn it, she hadn’t really thought this through. It was too late to turn back now, he had answered the phone.

  “Bitchface, I’ve been worried about you. Your ma rang me a couple days ago asking if I’d seen you. You good, Liah?”

  The familiarity of his voice and his brazen attitude was welcoming. “Hi D-bag, I’ll be at your place soon. Do not tell my parents shit, ok?” Aliyah hadn’t returned any of her mother’s call since she found out, and she wasn’t planning on it until she knew what to say.

  “Yeah, ok. You sure you’re alright?”

  Aliyah sighed heavily through the phone. “So much has happened this last week. I’m certain you won’t believe half of it.”

  “Can’t be any worse than you fucking that drop kick, Andy,” he chuckled down the line.

  “Don’t remind me,” Aliyah groaned. “See you soon, spank bank.”

  She disconnected the call and sunk into the cab’s back seat. Her mind wouldn’t switch off. It was like a damn circus act going off in there and she was the main attraction. The taxi pulled up at the front of Dany’s and Aliyah paid then thanked the driver. Groaning to herself as she made the walk of shame up Dany’s drive, she thought, Well here goes.

  The dark wood door opened before she had the chance to knock.

  “You look like shit, Liah. Come on, quick, get inside.” He moved to the side, out of the doorway.

  Aliyah offered him a weak smile and stepped inside. His house looked a little run down and the floor boards creaked at every opportunity but he always kept it tidy. She followed him into the lounge area before watching him plop down on the lounge, causing it to wheeze from the impact of his heavy weight.

  Dany wore his usual board shorts and tank top, not concealing any of the ink that flowed over his sun kissed skin. His dark messy hair was up in a bun on top of his head and his deep umber orbs eyed her wearily. He had the surfer look down pat.

  “What’s going on?” Talk to me.”

  Aliyah took a breath and told him everything. She told him about her birthday and about Draven. The vampire shit and Jadis the witch, finishing off with what she’d seen before she left Draven’s. Would that image always haunt her? Another woman’s lips on what was hers? Hers? Since when was Draven hers? She shimmied off the mental images and focused on Dany instead.

  His ran his pierced tongue along his pearly whites, lost in thought before clucking his tongue against the roof of his mouth.

  “First off, vampires are real? And you’re one? You actually drink blood, Liah?” He paused then looked her in the eye. “You’re serious about this vampire stuff, aren’t you? You’re not screwing with me? Is there a camera around or something?” His eyebrows basically hit the ceiling. “You’re punking me! Where’s Ashton?” His head whipped back and forth as he jumped up from his seat.

  Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. Aliyah sank back into the tattered lounge wishing it would swallow her whole. Dany must have noticed the tension on her face because he collected himself and sat down.

  “Why didn’t you wait and listen to what this Dravis dude had to say?”

  “Draven,” she corrected him. “And yep, I drink blood. Well, only his blood so far.” Her core clenched at mentioning his name along with blood. “Would you have stuck around if it was you?”

  “Probably not. I may have kicked the pussy’s ass, but fuck that shit.” He leaned back on the lounge and blew out a breath. “Ok. There is only one way I can get past this: show me your fangs.”

  “Really?” she groaned. “I’ve only been able to do it around Draven. “She blushed before continuing. “It’s still a foreign concept, knob jockey. Let me try and focus.” Aliyah closed her eyes and attempted to draw her canines down. She opened her left eye a smidgen to find Dany sitting on the edge of his seat like it was his fucking birthday.

  “Fuck! I can’t do it with you looking at me like that.” Aliyah threw her hands in the air.

  Dany put his hands up in mock surrender. “Shit, sorry. It’s surreal to me, Liah. Come on do you blame me? My best friend just told me she’s a fucking vampire.”

  “I can’t control my urges or fuck all yet. I feel like I’m pissing in the wind, and I don’t even have a dick!”

  “Alright, fuck don’t get your knickers in a knot. Let’s think about this, what has triggered your fangs before?”

  Aliyah rolled her eyes. “Blood. Obviously.”

  “Well that’s easy.” Dany reached down and grabbed the scissors he usually used to chop up his mull, and cut his palm. He hissed, clenching his hand as he brought it close to her nose. “Here.”

  She backed away
, trying to become one with the lounge. “What if I can’t control myself?” She pinched her nose attempting to block out the scent of his blood.

  The coppery scent smashed into her nostrils and she felt her gums tingle before a sharp pain pierced her mouth. “Fuck,” she whined. Dany’s blood was laced with a faint chocolaty musky scent, not nearly as enticing as Draven’s.

  “The fuck, Liah. They’re fucking sick! Can I touch them?”

  Aliyah laughed, “You were always so morbid. Just quickly and then bandage your hand up, just in case. Please?”

  “Yeah, Yeah. Let me at em, girrrl.”

  For the next minute Dany couldn’t stop touching her canines. He’d feel them then rip his hand back and giggle like a school girl. Such a child, however, Aliyah indulged him before he left to bandage his hand. Her mind was never far from Draven, though. She missed the asshole, and right now he didn’t deserve her emotions. How the fuck did he expect her to react when she saw someone else feeding on him? That thing wanted more from Draven than just his blood.

  Aliyah had sensed the shift in energy when she’d caught them in the act. What she couldn’t shake was the scent: it was putrid. And it sure as hell wasn’t coming from Draven. Aliyah wanted to rip those red foils out of her hair and tear her to pieces. She cringed at the image and wondered when the hell she’d become so jealous? Since Draven, that’s when. Her confession hit her like a ton of bricks. There was no way she was in love with him, was there?

  Dany pulled her from her rumination by clicking his fingers in front of his face.

  “Oi, earth to bitchface. You in there? What are we going to do about your parents? They’re going to freak the fuck out!”

  “They’re not my biological parents.” Aliyah had skimmed over that and the part about her being part faery and angel. She was so caught up in the vampire shit she’d totally misplaced that information. “Not only am I a fucking vampire, but apparently I have angel and faery blood, as well. Fucking faery blood, Dany!”