The Two Kings (Afterlife Saga) (11 page)

Draven made me look up at him and he looked hurt. I
instantly
felt guilty. I lowered my head fee
ling a bit ashamed of my behaviour
. He put his hand under my chin and the slight pressure he applied made me look
up
at him again.

“Keira, please don't make this difficult. I don't like leaving you but
if
I have to do it then at least let me do so with
a
confidence that you will be safe. That's all I ask
.
”

“I'm sorry, I guess I'm just grumpy because
you’re
going that's all
.” I reached up on my tip
toes but I still couldn't reach his lips, so he took the hint and leaned down to me to me
e
t me half way.

“Now that reason I like
.
”
He said smiling.

Five minutes later Draven opened the door to find Ragnar filling the gap. The old wooden deck creaked angrily under his gigantic weight. His skin looked even more horrific in the daylight
, like worn leather. He was taller than Draven and
as wide as the door frame. I gulped and Draven turned to me and took my hand, giving it a squee
ze to tell me it was alright. Ragnar
was weari
ng black trousers and a black T-shirt that looked as if
it was crying out in pain from be
ing so tight. I hoped he wouldn’t
sneeze while he was here or that thing would rip into shreds and he would be left with nothing. His arms looked like tree trunks and the pure muscle was covered with bulging veins. His hands looked like spades that could have crushed my head with one small action.

“Keira
,
this is Ragnar
.
” I was trying to hide like a child behind Draven but he pulled me to h
is side. I looked up at him
and a nervous smile crept
its
way across my face
.

“Hello, would you like to come in
?
” I asked
not forgetting my manne
rs, even in the face of this beast! He looked at me curiously and then looked back at Draven for his answer.

“Ragnar will stay outside
.
” At this Ragnar just nodded at his master. Draven motioned for him to move and he left to walk the perimeter of the house. I noticed there was now a huge b
lack Land Rover sat in my drive
way. Well I doubted Ragnar
would have fitted in one of Draven’s
many
sports cars.

“I won't be long
.
”
He kissed me long and hard as though
it
was to be our last. Then he spoke to
Ragnar before he left.

“Geyma austrvegr jenta og gi lifdagar ditt, lytte til andra” (
Means “
Guard the girl wi
th your life, listen for others” in
Part old Norse and Norwegian) He was just about to get in the car when he stopped. I was still in the door way and couldn't understand what he was saying but he shouted back to Ragnar
,

“Oh and Ragnar
, “
Ikke skirra austrvegr jenta, være hyggelig!” (
“
Do not scare the girl, be nice!
”
)

“Ja min herre” (
“
Yes my Lord
”
) He spoke for the
first time and his voice matched
his size. It was rough like a person j
ust recovering from having their
tonsils out. I watched as Draven got in the driver
’
s side and drove off at a quicker speed than I would have liked
, kicking up the gravel as he went
. The sky wa
s clear over the house but there were
darker clouds moving across the mountains that threatened the ground with rain. Ragnar gave me a nod before I went
back inside to be properly alone
for the first time since
Monday and today was Thurs
day. I went to flick on the kettle and make a hot chocolate when I noticed the answering machine blinking. I pressed a button and a very polite voice told me I had forty three messages. Forty three! Wow Libby
had
been worried. I didn't have the time or the will to listen to
them all so I pressed the erase
button.

I made two mugs of chocolate as I thought it was only polite to make my
‘f
orced upon me
’ guest
a drink. I hadn't asked him but to tell the truth I was
too
scared to. I open
ed
the door to find him standing guard by the frame. I just hoped we didn't have any visitors,
it’s not as if
out here we got the Avon lady or anything but still
, I doubt Ragnar was
going to look kindly on a postman. Mayb
e I would need to make a sign
“Beware of the Ragnar” or “Warning Viking Demon on patrol”.

“Hi, I
...
um...
I
made you a drink
.
” I said and he cocked his large head to one side.

“Why?” He asked and I couldn't help but jump.

“Because I made myself one and it is cold out here. Plus it's kind of what humans do
.
” I said in a bit of a nervous whisper.

“They'd gi
ve men cups, like an offering
?
” He sounded confused. He also didn't sound like he was used to speaking in English but I understood it even with the strong European accent.

“Guests usually get offered a drink...yes. Do you like chocolate?” I asked looking like a hobbit next to a giant. He just shrugged his shoulders and I felt the wooden floor bounce from his slight movement. I hope
d he did
n't go through it. I passed him the mug and it looked like a thimble in his whopping great big hands. He looked at it as though it was going to do something more.

“It's nice....sweet
.
” I said smiling at him. Like this he didn't seem so scary. Once you got used to the pot holed face and colossal size. He placed it to his lips and I said quickly.

“It's hot
!
” But he smirked which added a nice glaze to his chestnut coloured eyes. He drank it all in one and my mouth must have dropped because he started laughing.
At least I think it was laughter,
rather that or he was doing an impression of a bull grunting and getting ready to charge. He handed me back the mug which was still hot.

“Good?” I asked determined to get more than a few words out of him but he just nodded so I gave up. I moved to the open front door and he watched me carefully.

“I thank
ing
you”
He said and it looked as though
he found it difficult thanking a human girl for anything.

“You
’
r
e
welcome, if you want anything else, just let me know
.
”

I had to a
dmit that with my very own priva
t
e
Hercules standing guard I didn't worry about my new stalker. I could imagine getting hit by Ragnar would be
like being hit by a run
away train. I decided while I was alone to do a load of washing, take
a shower and ring RJ to let her
know I was still alive. I felt a bit bad
that
I had waited so long and after what had happened to Jack and Celina
,
I really wanted to make sure he was alright. Plus this would be a conversation I didn't really want Draven to hear. When it came to me and Jack being friends, Draven didn't approve....that much was clear. I got the cordless and snuggled on the couch.

“Hey RJ
,
its
Kaz
.
”

“Oh my god! What happened to you, have you heard the
rumours?
People think the Draven
s abducted you or something!” She sounded a little to
o
happy about this idea. I wondered if she wasn't the one to spread these rumours but then I dismissed the idea feeling guilty for even thinking it.

“No
, no,
nothing like that, I just had some real personal stuff to deal with and the Dravens have been helping me with it.” At least
I could get away with saying that
without lying.

“Like what? You know Jack has been
really
worried about you
, he wanted to call the police!
” She did sound concerned but also relieved, which was sweet.

“Some stuff from England but it's all over now
.
” For some reason saying it out loud made it seem more real.

“Is he there?”

“No but you have his cell number right?”

“Yeah, I will give him a call. RJ
,
I have something to tell you but I don't want you to freak out ….ok?”

“O..k..” She said slowly.

“You also have to promise me not to tell anyone and remember
you’re
the only person that will know
,
so if I hear that the whole town knows tomorrow then guess who I am pointing the finger at
?
”

“OK
,
ok I got it,
Jeez…
deadly
secret,
pinkie
seal and blood exchange! I promise
.
” I didn't quite understand the other bits but I decided to trust her anyway.

“Well…um…
me and Dominic Draven are sort of....
well,
dating
.
” As soon as I said it I thought she had been hit with a brick, she was screaming.

“RJ.....RJ? You still there?”

“OH MY GOD, NO
FREAKIN’
WAY!!!! That is
some
crazy shit! Tell me everything before I go insane with jealously and come round in a murderous rage
.
” I laughed at the thought of RJ's face when she got here to kill me and met Ragnar by the door! I explained how Draven had helped me out with some issues with a stalker I had back in England and that's why I didn't like talking about my past. I didn't think telling her this would do any harm....well
I
hoped
not
. I carried on
saying
how Sophia wanted me to stay with them for a few days just to be sure he didn't come around looking for me.

“So how did it happ
en, you lucky bit
ch
?
”

“I don't really know but I guess after spending sometime together something just clicked
.
” Ok
,
this bit was a lie but it sounded more believable than the
outrageous truth. That I was bor
n for him
, even
I
couldn’t
get my head around that stumper.

“So have you jumped his bones yet? Because I'm telling you now it would not take me seconds to rip those...”

“Ok
,
ok
,
I got it
.
” We both laughed
.

“We
’
re taking things slow
.
” Anothe
r lie. I was just glad I wasn't
having to lie in person....not yet anyway.

“To hell with slow! You will tell me though...right, I mean when you do the dirty deed?”
She sounded almost poss
essed.

“No
,
probably not, but I will tell you
this,
kissing him is
like nothing I have
ever
felt before.
” I had to give her something.

“Then sex will be even better! I read an article about guys that are good kissers are almost always good in the sack!
” Amen to that! I could definitely
agree with that assessment.

“Poor Jack, he was really smitten
.
” This had me cringing with guilt.

“I really wanna talk to him, he has a right to hear it from me first, so hint hint...don't go telling him!”

“Not a soul, not until you give the word
.
” This was the most serious I had
ever
heard her so I believed
that
she would keep
her word. I smiled at the idea. T
his will be the hardest thing for
RJ,
so it made me respect her even more for it. RJ lives for gossip and when faced with the town
’
s biggest scoop
, she usually would have thought that it was her responsibility to tell the world. So I understood how hard this was for her.
If there was ever a need for a gothic news anchor then t
hey would have found gold in RJ.