Afterlife (Afterlife Saga) (97 page)

“Well at least you’re looking better, you looked like Hell....and trust me,
I
know Hell!”

This she found hilarious being her idea of a joke and I couldn’t help but relax at the sound.  Draven had been right to send Sophia. It was just something about her that had you forgetting your worries and making you see the bigger picture or no picture at all, either way it worked. I mean she didn't seem as worried as Vincent or Draven but who really knew her true feelings?

I sat in the big, red velvet chair and rested the tray of food on
my lap before diving in.

“I take it you were hungry?” She giggled as she watched me wolf my food down. I just nodded, not realising just how hungry I was.

“Sophia... I need to know, what's going on?” I asked not knowing whether or not she was ever going to tell the truth. Her eyes widened and her face tensed for a moment before returning back to her usual relaxed state. She flicked her curly hair back over her shoulder before eyeing my face carefully.

“Keira there is nothing that you should be worrying about, Dom will sort it out and make it right. This was something that he predicted would happen and he has taken precautions.” She said all this in such a way that made me believe it had been rehearsed. It was too “matter of fact”, that I couldn't do anything but not trust her words. I had seen the panic on Vincent’s face and then on Draven's too, so I knew this wasn't as clear cut as Sophia was making out. But I decided to play along and wait until I could get my answers from the one man I knew would give me what I wanted....after all, I knew his weaknesses!

“Ok then, answer me this...why is it nobody told me that Layla was being held prisoner right here under my nose?” I was determined that I would get at least that out of her.

“Oh no, I'm not falling for that trap again....these are things that only Dom can tell you, it is not my place.” She held up her hands as though I had a large pistol in my possession and was about to mug her. But the only thing I needed from her was the truth, which just so happened to be the one thing this family had difficulty in disclosing. I decided to admit defeat; I mean
,
Draven couldn't keep what was going on from me forever. I knew he didn't want me to worry but not knowing was far worse than the truth.....wasn't it?

“Keira can I ask you something?”
Sophia's voice was as soft as petals blowing in the breeze and she knew that with this seductive tone, I would never be able to refuse her anything. But instead of showing just how willing I was to give Sophia anything she asked of me, I restrained my answer to just a shrug of my shoulders.

“I guess I am just curious but how does it work? I mean when you see us in our true form.” She was edging forward in her chair and she eyed me as though ready to judge my response. This was something I didn't want to be talking about but she was
clearly waiting for my response and I was clearly stalling for time.

             
“I'm not sure I understand what it is you want to know exactly?” I said hoping that she would want to drop this conversation. Of course from the look on her face this wis
h wasn't likely to be granted.

“Well...Can you see me now, you know... in my Demon form?” It was still hard to believe that such a beautiful creature as Sophia could ever be such the powerful Demon she was. I still thought of her as this pretty little doll that captivated everyone around her. Of course seeing her lay a punch so hard on Draven's face, it sounded like bone cracking, well that did shed a little Demon light her way. I looked down at my now empty bowl and brushed off the crumbs of bread that lay on my top. It wasn't fair, they had all their secrets but the one thing they didn't understand about me they wanted a fully explanation on how it all worked.

“To be honest Sophia, even I don't fully understand how it works or why for that matter
but to answer your question, n
o I can
't see you in your Demon form,
not at the moment.” She sat there unmoved but I could see the faint flicker of red in her eyes and normally this would have given me a reaction of my own but after tonight, I was starting to think I would never be the same again. After all the horrors I had seen in my life and the even more horrific kidnapping years ago, I thought I had experienced enough for one lifetime but I knew now that it had only been the beginning. This thought did make me shudder. What else exactly did fate have in store for this little
Liverpudlian
girl? 

“I'm sorry Keira, please forgive me, I sometimes forget that you are human. I can't imagine what it has been like for you to find out your world was not as you thought.....You must love my brother very much.” By the time she was finished I couldn't help the tears that fell down my cheeks and before I could look away in shame, Sophia was knelt at my feet, leaning up to wipe the tears from my skin.

“You are truly an amazing being Keira and never let anyone tell you any differently.” She kissed both my cheeks before getting up off the floor and before I could thank her she was gone.

             
I curled up on the couch and waited till my tears ran dry. I couldn't help it and I knew I was being silly but I think that without Draven's secure arms to keep me safe, I felt vulnerable from my emotions. It was a mixture of relief and dread. I was happy that I had finally found closure to a nightmare that had been haunting me for years. Morgan was dead and you couldn't get more closure than that! But now I was in a world that I didn't fully understand a
nd I was way out of my league.

I got up and gave myself a shake determined to bring myself back to reality, I knew why I was doing this, so there was no reason to feel sorry for myself.  I was alive and I still had the most important things, my family and friends were all safe and I had Draven, that's all that mattered. I looked down at my
bare
arms and ran my fingers over the scars of my past, knowing that for the first time, seeing them like this didn't bother me anymore. I had waited for so long to move on and get over hating myself for what I am, but now I knew my purpose and if I had never had this sight, then things with Draven would have gone quite differently. He was my reason.

             
I went over to Draven's huge oak desk and looked for something I would look at for the last time. I found my case file and took out two pictures before walking over to the double glass doors that lead onto the balcony. I placed my warm hand in the middle and the glass responded as though it was alive, disappearing back into the wall. The cool air hit me and my body responded by covering my skin in
Goosebumps
. I only had a t-shirt on and for once no gloves, so the feel of the night air on my scars was a feeling I was not used to but for some re
ason, it made me smile.

I walked over to the edge and noticed my blood was still on the floor in little droplets from where Draven had set me down before realising my feet were in such bad shape. I hope the rain would come soon and wash it away, as I didn't want Draven to have any reminder of what had happened tonight.

The wind had picked up now and I looked at the first picture. It was Morgan's mug shot. I had never seen a face so evil in all my life, not even after years of seeing humans one minute and then them as Demons the next. I had never met someone that emanated so much pure hatred. His twisted love for his sister over took his senses and when he found her loving someone else, his love just fuelled his rage, killing them both in the most brutal of ways. I don't know what it was that he saw when he looked at me... Was it his sister incarnate or his guilt? Whatever it was, it was over now and I doubt that his fate would have led him to the same place his sister was. She was now at peace. I ripped up the face into as many pieces I could and threw into the night, letting the wind take his face away from my nightmares.

I looked down at the last picture I held in my cold hand. This one was me, broken and afraid. It was when I was in the hospital, so soon after they found me outside, where Morgan had dumped me, slowly bleeding to death. This was the one thing Morgan had done with the last shred of humanity left in him. I had cut my own wrists hoping he would believe the Demon that was torturing him had made me do it. It was my last hope of escape and my last chance to save my family, who he had been talking about getting rid of. I still thank God daily that it had worked and perfect smooth skin on my arms had been the only thing I had lost. 

The picture was still painful to look at. Bringing so many terrible memories back but none as bad as when I saw my family’s faces, when they f
irst saw me. My mother had crying
so hard she couldn't breathe, my dad screamed out in an anger he couldn't control and my sister couldn't even look at me, which had been the hardest response to take. Of course I didn't blame her, I would have probably been the same but from there on, I became I different person.

I was bitter at the world and hid away from everyone's stares. I was convinced that everyone around me was thinking, “Oh dear, there goes the girl who tried to kill herself just to get away.” But they were all wrong! I didn't want to die, I wanted to live but I knew one way or another, this was my only chance at saving my family. After all, if Morgan hadn't done the right thing by taking me to hospital then he wouldn't have needed to go after my family, if I wasn't around any longer. But when everyone around you, even those closest to you, all believe you’re a suicide case, then no matter what you do, you will always be classed and v
iewed in that same, sad light.

I looked at my old self one last time before bringing the picture to my lips as I kissed that bitter, bruised me goodbye before ripping it the same way I had done with
Morgan’s and I let the wind take away my past forever. I fell to my knees and cried with happiness until my legs went numb in my last cold night of being afraid.

             
I went back inside once the tears of my past had all dried up.  I was close to freezing at this point and the only thing keeping me from realising sooner was my goal. I was hoping to find Draven back because not only was I bubbling over with a million questions but I needed his touch again so badly. I felt like a junky needing another fix. It made me wonder if Draven had this effect on everyone or was it just me because I was so madly in love with him, that it physi
cally hurt when we were apart.

I decided the only way I was going to warm up without Draven was to take a warm shower. I was so tired but I was fighting against it, as I wanted to wait for him to come back. I hadn't been in the bathroom since my nightmare when I first saw Sammael but I knew I didn't have anything left to fear when it came to that Demon, as I had witnessed Draven send him back to the underworld.

I got undressed and let the warm shower caress my skin, making my muscles ease and relax. I loved water and loved it even more when it washed away my troubles along with cleansing my skin. By the time I was finished my hair was squeaky clean and my fingertips looked like raisins but I smelled great thanks to some luxurious bathroom products. Once I had dried myself off, I got dressed back into my clothes and went to sit on the couch hoping Draven wouldn't be long.

             
When I next awoke it was dark and I was still half asleep but I was aware that I was being carried towards the bed. Strong arms gripped me tightly to a hard chest and I sighed taking in the tremendous scent. This was one of the things that always took my breath away with Draven. He always made my bones turn to jelly at just the smell of his skin. I still had my eyes closed as he laid me on the bed gently but I felt the covers move back with one swift movement. His arms left my body leaving my skin feeling cold in their absence. He then pull
ed the covers back up over me.

I was waiting for him to get in next to me but he didn't. I could still feel him lingering over me before a hand came to my face.  I felt fingers softly trace my cheek, running up to move the hair that had fallen over one side of my face. Then before his hands could leave me, I grabbed his wrist and pulled him to me. I lifted up my face to his before he could pull away. I didn't understand why he would want to pull away from me but before I could think about it in depth, my lips found his and everything stopped. 

At first his lips wouldn't respond and I was doing all the work but as soon as this thought hit me his lips parted, letting me in. His mouth was warm and so soft but his kiss tasted different. However my mind was still filled with an intoxication that I couldn't break from and this is where I found my drug of choice.