Afterlife (Afterlife Saga) (58 page)

“Jack, I hate to ask but I really want to know....what happened to make you hate them so much?” His arm fell from my body and he turned to look at my face. His features were first hard at the memory but then they softened when he looked into my
eyes.

“It was over two years ago now, the summer before I was to start my first year of college.” He paused playing with his hands and his elbows rested on his knees. He looked out to the surrounding forest as his story was locked away and he was searching for it.

“I met a girl. S
he was very beautiful and incredibly smart, which I like in a girl. I like a girl you can have a conversation with, a laugh with....Not one of these ‘I love myself’ types....A girl with depth.” He said looking round to find my face, as if trying to judge my reaction to his words. I smiled, so he continued.

“She came into Airtime, the sports store I work at in the mall.” I nodded as I had heard him talk about the shop before.

“Well we hit it off straight away and amazingly I found the guts to ask her out, even more amazingly though, she said yes!”

“I can understand why,” I said nudging him and he grinned back but his eyes remained sad.

“Cutting a long story short, we became an item and were inseparable all summer. She lived with her aunt and was starting college the same time as me so it all felt perfect. We had such a strong bond that my body would literally ache when I wasn't around her.” Of course this I understood perfectly as it was how I felt all the time I wasn't near Draven. Even though now it felt like I could knock his block off!

“So what happened to her?” I asked softly.

“We went to the club for the first time together as then I was the legal age to drink, it was the same night that the Dravens always make their first appearance. Of course back then I was just like the rest of them, getting mixed up with all the gossip, wanting to see them just like everyone else.” He rubbed the back of his head with his hands and I felt bad that I was making him talk about it as he was clearly finding it hard.

“We all waited like idiots for them to arrive but she was the only one who was looking awkward, kind of agitated and I couldn't understand why.... the way you acted that night brought back so many memories I was so sure the same thing would happen to you, that I couldn't witness it again....so I left, do you remember?”

“
Yes, I remember.” The truth was
how could I ever forget, my life hadn't been the same since that night...Not that it had been much before it!

“You remind me so much of her,
it’s
scary sometimes...I'm sorry I shouldn't say that,” he said back tracking but it didn't offend me, so I reassured him.

“It's fine, really I don't mind.” He looked at me, smiling at my reaction.

“Well, apart from the hair of course but your sister Libby has similar...she was a red head, but some days I would be amazed looking at it, as it looked as though it was on fire,” he said and I could almost see her in my head.

“Please go on,” I said and he nodded.

“Well Draven did the same thing, as though he was Master of all that is beneath him! He walked past that same table and he looked at her the same way he looked at you, but unlike you, she didn't look away.” I shuddered at my own memory of that night. I could just imagine how he made her feel, how I felt...of course it would have been the same.

“So the night went on and she was acting very strange after she saw him, so before I could ask her what was wrong, she turned to me and kissed me with more passion than we had kissed before and told me goodbye, she had to go. She pointed to where the ladies rest room was and I said ok, letting go of her hand thinking it would be only minutes until it was right there back where it always was.” He looked down at his hands as if he longed for them to be refilled with those same hands once more. He looked as though he would have killed for it.

“But of course she never came back, I looked everywhere I could go but there was one place I wasn't allowed and when I tried to get up there, I was escorted out of the same doors like tonight.”

“That's terrible... what happened to her?” I asked but no matter what idea I had in my head the next words out of Jack’s mouth were never what I could have imagined!

“Draven took her!”

“WHAT?” I said
realising it came out as a shout.

“What do you mean he took her?”

“That he took her from me, I waited all night for her to come back out but she never did, when I spoke to some friends I was with they said that they saw her being escorted upstairs by two of his men. After that night, I never
saw her face again...” He said with
sadness now replaced by pure hatred for the guy in question.

“What do you think happened to her?”

“I have my suspicions but at heart I know the truth. And you know what, I think...” He swallowed hard before saying the unthinkable.

“I think that's she's…dead?” I gasped, my jaw dropped in shock just thinking about it.

“Not just that she is dead though but that Draven...He killed her!”

“WHAT, no way!” I shouted and Jack's faced turned round to me in shock that I had reacted like that.

“I'm sorry to say these things but think about it Keira, she was never seen again! EVER! Her aunt moved house the next day, I rang the police but they said because she was of age that they couldn't do anything, but think about who owns the police!...The Dravens of course,” he said standing up now in front of me marking all the points on his fingers as he carried on.

“I broke into her aunt's house after she left but there was nothing there, there wasn't even any evidence that anyone had ever lived there!” I could just picture all these things in my head as I too had had days when I just couldn't understand why things didn't add up.

“That is weird I agree, but come on Jack think about what
you’re
saying...Murder?” I said trying to reason with him.

“Look, believe what you want but she loved me and she would never have just left without saying something, without trying to get to me...she just wouldn't have.” He said as the sadness fully devoured his heart.

“I'm so, so sorry Jack, that is just terrible, I don't know how you can...I mean doesn't it?” I struggled with my words but he knew what I meant.

“You mean how do I stand being there?” I nodded and he came back to sit next
to me again placing his hand gently on my knee.

“Because I always wonder that if I keep going back there, that maybe one day I would be proven wrong and that I might see her again,” he said and my heart melted for him. I placed my hand on top of his and he took it wrapping his fingers in between mine.

“That's why when it happened again tonight, I panicked...I thought it was happening all over again...and I couldn't bear losing you too.” His other hand stroked the back of mine making little circles around it with his thumb.

“So was that him in the car or one of his lackeys?” He asked bitterly.

“Actually it was his brother.” I saw his face and said, “Yeah I know, I was just as surprised.”

“I'm sorry our date was ruined but hey up till then I was having a great time,” I said and his face lightened looking hopeful.

“Me too, maybe next time we could just go to the movies or something.”

“I think that would be safe,” I said laughing and he smiled making his face paint crack and peel. I playfully grabbed a piece, pulling it off and flicking it back at him.

He laughed back but came at my sides tickling me, which unfortunately made me snort! My hands flew to my mouth but it was too late and Jack pointed at me and laughed, mocking me.

“Now that seriously is the cutest thing I have ever heard!” He said pulling my hands away from my face keeping them locked in his.

“That's because you didn't do it!” I said as my cheeks were now bright red.

“Hey, I didn't notice before but you bite your lip.” He declared and my heart sank at the memory of Draven. He always commented on me biting my lip so it didn't feel right when Jack said it. It was like it belonged to him and him alone. This pulled me together a bit and made me remember my warnings from Vincent. Maybe this was the reason all along. Maybe this was what he didn't want me to find out. Jack's past...

I stood up and Jack looked hurt.

“Did I say something wrong, because you know I love the snort thing right?” I couldn't help but smile at him. He was just so damn charming and loveable that I wanted to give him the biggest hug. But this wasn't enough and I knew it...I couldn't kid myself. I just didn't feel the same way I
did as
when I was with Draven. No matter how much I tried.

“No
…
no you didn't, it's just well to be honest I'm so tired I could drop,” I said which was half true. He relaxed at the thought that it wasn't him and I felt my guilt double.

“Well you'd better get to bed beauty queen, but how about a kiss for Prince Charming?” He said bowing and once again taking off an imaginary hat.

“Well I don't know, you will have to point one out for me,” I said teasing him again. But he put his hands up to his heart and pretended that I had just shot him. Then he fell to the ground making me jump and run over to him. I shook him but he didn't move.

“Jack! Stop fooling around...Jack.” But then he just raised his hand and pointed to his mouth keeping his eyes closed. I couldn't help but laugh.

“Oh for God’s sake,” I said bending over him and kissing him lightly on the lips,
he responded by sitting up while he had his hands on my face pulling me to him. Once we had finished I turned and said,

“So does this make me the prince and you Sleeping Beauty?” We both laughed and he kissed me quickly on the cheek before pulling me to my feet.

“If you like but I'm warning you...I don't do dishes!” He said as he tickled my side again.

Once I had said goodnight and had received one more kiss I watched Jack get in his car and drive away and was about to turn to go inside when something caught my eye. In the trees ahead was the very black figure of a huge bird with eyes glowing purple. It was star
ing straight at me and looked as
though it was ready to move so before it could I ran inside slamming the door behind me, shutting it out.

The next day I was up early, as I couldn't sleep after everything that had happened the previous night. It had been such a roller-coaster of events that it took me a while to process it all. First there was the great date part of the night with Jack, when I have to say I was falling for him. But then I was dragged back into the weird life of the Dravens and was once again thrown into his world. Then the next thing I knew I was being escorted home by first a mad man (according to Vincent) then by Vincent himself. Then I was left but not before a warning about Jack, which I chose to ignore anyway. Oh and then my night ended on a date with Jack kissing me. No wonder I didn't sleep!

Of course when Libby asked me the next day how my night had gone I had saved her from the wild night's adventure and lied saying it went great and without incident. I got in the shower to try and relax my muscles as I was tense from the thought of what I had coming to me today. My meeting with Draven was not going to be pretty and I didn't trust myself not to speak my mind, which knowing Draven's temper wasn't the best of ideas.

I looked at myself in the mirror as I was now back to my usual plain self. Well apart from the panda eyes I had going on. I had scrubbed my face last night about three times but no matter how much soap I used I still had black eyes this morning. My skin felt as though it could finally breathe again once I removed the last traces of last night from my body. I stayed in the shower until the water ran cold and my fingers were wrinkled.

When I got out of the shower I was feeling refreshed and more importantly relaxed but it didn't last long as Libby came into my room telling me about the phone call I just had where they wanted me in early, so I only had an hour to get ready. JUST GREAT! Of course I couldn't look disappointed in front of Libby or she would know something was up.

“I didn't think you worked Sundays,” Libby said before returning downstairs.

“Yeah, but there's loads of clearing up to do after last night….it was packed.” She nodded taking this as my answer and as soon as she was out of sight I sat down on my bed letting out a huge sigh.