The Two Kings (Afterlife Saga)
The Two Kings
Afterlife Saga
Book 2
By
Stephanie Hudson
Kindle Edition
Copyright
This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the author, as allowed under terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorised distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the author's rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.
Copyright © Stephanie Hudson 2012
This book is a work or fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either a product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual people living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
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Other books by Stephanie Hudson
Afterlife Saga
Book 1 Afterlife
Dedication
I dedicate The Two Kings to the 96 LFC fans who lost their lives on that terrible day on the 15th of April 1989 in the Hillsborough disaster.
“You’ll never walk alone”
Justice at last
All at once the crowd go silent,
Holding a breath in waiting,
So many Lives, so many Names,
All in the hands of debating.
There is no price for Justice,
There is only truth to remain,
To find it for the hearts that have suffered,
And every fan who feels the same.
A dream with heads held high,
A journey of heartache and pain,
A justice so utterly deserved,
A never fading memory we gain.
It’s all about the hope we build,
And the mountain we all climb together,
In hopes to one day find,
A truth so deep it affects us forever.
Justice for the 96’
YNWA
About the Author
Stephanie Hudson has dreamed of being a writer ever since her obsession with reading books at an early age. What first became a quest to overcome the boundaries set against her, in the form of dyslexia, has turned into a life's dream. She first started writing in the form of poetry and soon found a taste for horror and romance. The Two Kings is her second book in the series of seven, with the story of Keira and Draven becoming ever more complicated in a world that sets them miles apart.
When not writing, Stephanie enjoys spending time with her very supportive family and friends, playing with her dopey deer hound Milo, who has a fondness for eating tennis balls, chatting for hours with her biggest fan, her sister Cathy who is utterly obsessed with one gorgeous Dominic Draven. And of course spending as much time with her wonderful husband Rob, who is her real life hero, one that swaps his shining armour for jeans and comic book t-shirts.
This year she also fulfilled a life’s long dream and finally became a mum. Ava Jessica Hudson was born on the 1st of August 2012
Here is my dedication to my lovely first born.
Flying on a Dream
I hold my breath,
I take the pain,
I see what’s coming,
It’s the life we gain.
You look oh so beautiful,
I can’t help but cry,
You’re my baby girl,
Happiness fills me so great, I could fly.
I hold you so close,
I never want to let go,
I touch your head,
And let the love flow.
You are so tiny,
A little bundle in my arms,
A hand so small grabs for me,
And a floodgate breaks the dam.
Now you drift off to sleep,
And I can’t help but stare,
I gaze at beautiful blue eyes,
And skin so light and fair.
Dark hair frames an angelic face,
As dark and soft as the raven’s wing,
I hold on to you so tightly,
As my heart soars and sings
You’re my baby girl,
You’re my Ava J,
You’re my one and only,
On this forever Day.
I love you.
Chapter 1
Hunted
Draven’s eyes scanned over me checking that I wasn't going to go into shock from Vincent's outburst.
“I'm fine, you go,” I managed to say but before I knew it Draven's hands were touching my face making me look into his incredible deep eyes. His gaze was edged with a concern he was most likely trying very hard to hide, no doubt to stop me from panicking...
It wasn't working!
“Keira it will be alright, you don't have to worry.” Was he joking! Of course I had reason to worry. I mean, I was being bloody hunted and images of me on a “Wanted” poster in some supernatural tavern were filling my mind. But of course instead of saying this, I just nodded and pushed his hands from me.
“Go, I will be fine on my own and Takeshi needs you.” I couldn't help but lower my face as I said this, not needing him to see the pain in my eyes nor hear the worry in my voice. After all, my acting skills weren't ever going to win any awards. So despite my best efforts, he didn't look convinced but he knew as well as I did that he needed to go. With that in mind he kissed my forehead and begrudgingly left with his brother, to leave me with my own thoughts of dread.
I couldn't understand how just hours after my own personal nightmare we were having to deal with Draven's. It was like a cruel game of chance that we couldn't win. We just wanted to be together but it was like every force of Heaven and Hell was telling us NO! I decided to get up as I knew I would never sleep without Draven's warm touch on my skin. I went over to my bag which was still on the couch from the last few days I had spent here and grabbed the last pair of jeans and T shirt that I had left. At least now it would be safe for me to go home and get some new clean clothes and some other things that I might need soon. Then I stopped, thinking, was I right....would it be safe or was I forever to be in danger?
I had to stop myself before I lost my mind to all the dark places it wanted to go, I mean I couldn't live in fear forever and with Draven as my protector, what really was there to be frightened of?
Just as I had slipped into my clothes and tied my hair back there was a light tap on the door. Without waiting for a reply Sophia came strolling in the room looking radiant as always followed by Candra who had a plate full of food.
“Dominic thought you might need some company and also feeding,” she said smirking as my face said it all. He was worried I would be sat here freaking out on my own, so he had sent Sophia to check on me... Or more like Human sit me!
“He worries too much.” I said frowning but still the smell of hot chicken soup and crusty bread had me close to salivating! She just shrugged her shoulders and made herself comfortable on the couch opposite, folding her legs as though she was ready to start meditating.
“Well at least you’re looking better, you looked like Hell....and trust me, I’m acquainted with the big man downstairs!”
This she found hilarious, it 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 take it you were hungry?” She giggled as she watched me wolf my food down. I just nodded, not realising 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 so “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 wish 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 full 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, no 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 plain, 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 own 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 and 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 searched 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 led 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 reacted 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 reason, 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 hoped 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 as Demons the next. I had never met someone that emanated so much pure hatred. His twisted love for his sister had overtaken his senses and when he found she loved 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 them 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 talked 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 first saw me. My mother had been 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 had bee
n reborn into a hard shell of my former self and only my nightmares knew the truth…
I was afraid of the world, so I hid from it.
I was bitter at the world, so I was disgusted with it. I hated the pity in judging eyes that watched with their silent 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 from the living nightmare.” 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 viewed 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 on 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 physically hurt when we were apart.