Afterlife (Afterlife Saga) (8 page)

I was so amazed that I didn’t let it register that this was in fact not the place that Libby had brought me the other day. It just appeared that way because it seemed to have the same view. This place looked like someone's property and I had just stumbled across someone's own private Garden of Eden. Upon closer inspection the trees were different and more exotic looking, with huge palms and vines growing on them with bright red flowers that looked very similar to hibiscus, if memory served me right from watching all those gardening programmes with my mum on lazy, boring Sunday afternoons.

But this couldn’t be right, it would be far too cold here for them, and there were even more plants that would definitely not survive in this climate. How was this possible? The only way would be in a greenhouse and I was pretty sure I wasn't crazy enough not to notice I was standing in one! Yet here in front of me was the colourful proof, the yellows, oranges and blues of the Birds of Paradise plant. The bright pink bell shapes of Angel Wing Begonia, sun bursting Dahlia’s and the beautiful purple and red Blue Dawns, all lay around basking in the winter sun as evidence to this incredible place.   

I walked into the middle trying not to make a sound, only I wasn't sure why, it was just so breathtakingly beautiful that it was like a dream I didn't want to be awakened from. There was no sound or movement for that matter, which I didn't understand.  How can there be no wind in this big open space when there were clouds above me that were moving. There wasn't even the slightest breeze. I could feel my nerves kicking in and I started to tremble. I wanted to turn back, feeling something not right under my skin but I couldn't see where I had come in. Where was the archway?

My instincts were quickly coming in to play and I pulled the metal chip from my hair releasing long blonde waves down my back. My eyes darted from one space to another as I held onto to cold metal, which was pointed at one end and barely bigger than my palm but from my grip it could have been a sword the length of my arm. 

Then suddenly I heard a noise from behind me and as I spun round, I tripped on some uneven ground and lost my footing, falling to the forest floor. Letting out a yelp, I automatically put my hands out to break my fall, losing my unconventional weapon in the process, feeling the wet moss across my skin causing my hands to slide.  With my grip lost I tried in vain to hold my body upwards. Instead my hands flew out in front of me again coming into contact with something hard and smooth like leather. I could swear I heard someone breathing, momentarily forgetting the noise I had heard before, then realising it wasn't something.

It
was someone.

As I lifted my head towards the object my hands were touching, my hair had fallen forwards like a yellow blanket. I shook my head trying to part the sea of hair that was obstructing the view of what my hands were gripping onto. I moved my
hands away quickly as a pair of thick, black men's leather boots came into sight and I gasped out loud.

I tried to get up quickly but the earth under me had other ideas and I slid around as if on an ice rink. Then, just as I was about to fall again a large strong hand circled the top of my arm, bringing back a wash of memories I couldn’t explain. Before I had time to think another hand grabbed my waist holding me upright, preventing me from hitting the ground.

My eyes followed the figure from the ground upwards, boots, jeans, belt and a long black jacket that started at his knees. I worked my way up his muscular frame, feeling the heat generated from his body as he still held me, so as not to let me fall. He wore a dark tight t-shirt that showed the indents of a muscle covered washboard stomach and an incredibly wide solid chest, with strong shoulders to match. Expecting to see a harsh hard face to match this warrior body, I reluctantly raised my head to see. I had to keep looking up at him, as he was exceptionally tall, being well over six feet, making my eyes level with his hard chest. The face however wasn't harsh but extremely handsome. No, that wasn't enough, he wasn't just handsome.... he was
breath-taking
!

He was Mediterranean looking with very dark features and olive, sun kissed skin. He had jet-black hair down to his shoulders but shaped as if it had been styled professionally. He was very well groomed but still had a roughness about him with deep-set eyes that burned right though me. They were incredible, as if they were trying to see into my very soul, burning deep and finding what secrets lay there. They were endless, dark pools of hard emotion framed by thick, long lashes. Not quite brown, more like onyx black, but they had a slight purplish edge to them, one I had never seen before.

He was truly amazing to look at, so much so, that I couldn’t stop staring at him. His hand finally released me and my body was left feeling cold, as if his touch was sending a warm pulse coursing through my veins and making its way straight to my heart. This in turn pumped what felt like pure electricity through every part of my body causing it to tingle. I took a step back and pulled my wild hair back from my face. He watched me in what seemed to be amazement, as if he was trying to distinguish if I were real or not. The heat rushed to my cheeks with being stared at and I tugged down at my sleeves nervously.

“Are you alright?” His voice sounded like velvet. Smooth and soft but most of all a strong comforting essence encased every word. I was speechless and was just staring at him, finding it hard to turn away from his intense gaze. His face was just so familiar to me but I couldn't understand how I knew him, knowing that was impossible, as I would have definitely remembered a man like this. I needed to make my lips work before he thought me a simple, staring mute. 

“I’m...fi... fine...thank you.” My voice didn't sound as cool and calm as I had
hoped. His lips curved slightly as though amused by my obvious shyness and this made my heart skip a beat and my cheeks blush even more, so much it made them feel like they were on fire, melting away from my bone structure.

“What is your name?” He seemed to be getting closer to me and for some reason I was backing away. I don't know why but he really intimidated me and after all, here we were, all alone in the forest and I knew nothing about him. For some reason I felt both at ease, as if I knew he wasn't going to do me any harm, and scared as though there was something not quite right about him. I didn't know whether or not to tell him my name and he looked shocked that I hadn't yet given him a response.

“It’s alright little one, you can tell me,” he said looking down at me, speaking in that soft voice, making me trust him even more but instead of giving him my name I confessed my fears.

“I shouldn’t be here,” I said while looking down at my feet and trying to escape his dark gaze.
There was just something so predatory about the way he kept looking at me. He made me feel like a gazelle that had been caught grazing in the wrong territory.  

“Oh really… Then please tell me, why are you?” I looked up meeting a confident smile, which was the complete opposite to my own.

“I guess I got lost.” He was shaking his head to tell me I was wrong.

“Oh, you’re not lost, you're found at last and righ
t where you need to be I think…
Now for your name?” This sounded like an order, all velvet now removed and I gulped down the hard frightened lump in my throat before answering him.

“Keira…umm… Johnson.” His hand extended to mine offering it to me and reluctantly I did the same. But as he took my hand in his large grasp his grip tightened suddenly and pulled my body closer to his. Warmth coursed through my blood once again making me light headed. He was looking down at me but I refused to meet his lust filled eyes. Instead I focused on my surroundings trying in vain not to be affected by the intoxicating scent of raw Alpha male, leather and a spicy musk combined into one indestructible man.

“What’s…what’s happening?” I stuttered in a whisper when I realised the lush Garden of Eden that surrounded us fade away into a forest of demise. The exotic flowers began to wither and turn to ashes of grey. The trees blew in tornado winds that didn’t reach us, uprooting them into splinters. The world began to spin with darkness and die as though in the presence of the man Death himself. I choked back a scream and tried to pull away from this dark stranger's vice like grip. The movement caught his attention enough to pull me back and one a
rm snaked its way around my waist
putting an end to my plans of escape.     

He leaned his face down towards mine and for a moment I thought he was going to kiss me as our faces were mere inches apart. But he moved his free hand to my face and pushed my hair back from my neck to whisper something in my ear. I could feel his breath
swim across
on my skin and at first it just lingered there before the words were released from his perfect lips.

His voice was light and delicate as if trying to control me into a trance as he spoke the words…

“Somnus my Keira.”

(Meaning “sleep” in Latin)

Chapter 4 - Feeling Crazy

I woke up on the couch with the Afghan around me and I was alone. I felt strange, as if I had had a dream I couldn't quite remember and when did I fall asleep anyway?  I'm pretty sure I went out for a walk or did I dream that too?  My head felt all fuzzy as though I had a hangover or something.

The house was empty and it was dark but most of all it was unnerving. I had never been the type to scare easily but there was something about this house that just didn't feel right, as if it held secrets I didn’t yet know. I got up and went into the kitchen as my throat felt like sandpaper. On the way I grabbed the phone to see if Libby had left a message.  Just as I turned on the lights, I felt a cold chill run up my body, I turned to where it was coming from and noticed the front door was wide open.

My heart froze as a million thoughts went crashing through my head at once. The first being.... was I actually alone? I ran into the kitchen and grabbed a knife from the counter and started to ring 911 but decided to hang up before it started to ring. What was I going to say “I thought I went for a walk, found a
Garden
of Eden
and met
the most amazing looking man I'd ever seen then woke up with the front door open.” The police would think I was a nut job! I would just have to deal with this, preferably like a sane person!

Unless…no it couldn't be, I would have been warned.

I got that idea out of my head like shaking off cobwebs from my body and walked to the front door. There was no porch light on and it was quite wild outside with the trees blowing angrily and the swing chair's chains creaking... no wonder I was spooked. I closed the door and locked it. It could’ve just blown open. I tried to convince myself but knowing I would have to search the house didn't make me feel any better.

With all the lights on, I checked the down stairs, which, no surprises was all clear.  I then checked the first floor, again turning on all the lights as I went, having swapped my knife for a baseball bat I grabbed from the cupboard under the stairs.  I used that to open the doors as I braced myself for anything that might be there. Plus I figured the bat had better swinging range and if I fell with it in my hand I couldn't do myself as much damage, as I could with a pointed blade. I had always been quite clumsy so I wasn't taking any chances.

The first floor was like the last, all clear, so by the time I got to the attic I was feeling pretty foolish. I opened my bedroom door and turned on the last light in the house. It all looked just like I had left it this morning, clothes everywhere from getting ready to see RJ and not knowing what to wear. I started to pick stuff up piling it up on my bed when I noticed something was wrong with the way I had left it. My copy of Jane Eyre, which I had left on my bedside table, was now gone. I was sure I had left it there; I was reading it last night and always put it there.  How strange, maybe Libby had taken it to read but on reflection, I couldn't see it being a likely reason. Libby was more of a gossip girl and loved all the celebrities and fashion
magazines. I don't think I had even seen her read a real book.

I tried to look for it but gave up when I heard a car door shutting and knew that Libby or Frank must be back, I got up from looking under my bed and was just going to make my way downstairs when I noticed the window was open. How had I missed that? It wasn't even cold in here, why hadn’t I noticed? I walked up to it and the wind blew my hair around my face and that’s when I first noticed my hair was down. It brought me back to my dream and I wondered where my metal hair clip was? I twisted it back up and knotted it, before trying to reach out to close the window.