The Two Kings (Afterlife Saga) Read online

  I located them and replaced my usual ones, then found a small stick for my lips that Libby had lent me. It was the exact colour of the roses that were featured across my body like they were now a part of me. I smoothed it across my heart shaped lips and broke my one rule about being blonde and wearing red lipstick. The high gloss made them look wet and inviting, so when they curled up into a smile, I was surprised to find the whole look was starting to give me courage in my plans for seduction.

  So with my outfit in place I walked in my black stockinged feet back to lounge dramatically on the huge bed that was draped with luxurious black material with was a mix of velvet and satin. I almost laughed out loud when I saw how much I stood out against the gothic bedding. The blood red roses almost came to life they looked so real amongst this perfect mix of rich, high class theatrics. Then I remembered the matches I had brought with me.

  See, I was normally used to Draven’s click of the fingers and poof there would be the perfect setting for a perfect romantic evening but now I had to do things the mortal way. I decided to just light around the bed to create the focus to where I wanted most of the night’s activity’s to happen and also if I were to light every candle in the room I would be there forever and a day, not to mention running out of matches.

  Once that part was done I started to relax while I waited. I imagined Draven’s strong hands searching my corset for access to my skin, would he undo the cord gently or would his demon side show through and tear his way through with impatience. My head rolled back at the sexual tension I was creating in my mind. I wanted him so badly and it wouldn’t be long before he found the evidence of this for himself. I closed my eyes and retraced through the memories of his touch, the endless nights of passion fuelled by raw heat, passion and an unstoppable love that fused us together like one entity.

  After hardly anytime at all my heart nearly stopped as I heard footsteps at the door. I expected for it to just open and see that tall frame silhouetted in the darkness but when I heard the door knock lightly I was surprised. I smiled and mentally thanked Sophia as she must have delivered the message to her brother after we said our goodnights. I took a deep breath before trying to control my shaky voice, after all I needed to play the dominant one tonight and that would never work if I was stuttering.

  I moved onto my side and cast my own shadows as I posed seductively, lifting one knee up and giving a full view of my new sexy look. I arranged my hair around one side and made sure my bulging cleavage was on full show. I licked my lips and said “Come in” in the sexiest voice that had passed through my lips in twenty three years.

  The door opened and there Draven stood, strong and solid but frozen in shock. He stepped further into the room but it looked like he had other ideas. He slowly moved his feet as if fighting with his own actions. I bit my lip as the idea that he might not like this new Keira that he was discovering in his room. I tried to banish that idea and after another deep breath, I had the guts to say,

  “Won’t you come closer?”

  Again the figure was silent and I was starting to regret this pretty quickly as he had now stopped completely. I now wished I had taken the time to light all the candles so that I could see his features. His face was in complete darkness and I tried to squint my eyes to make out if he was wearing his usual frown. I was about to speak but Draven beat me to it.

  “Keira, I’m sorry, I didn’t know you would be…be like that!”

  “Like what?” I asked before my mind had time to realise my mistake.

  “So exquisite,” the voice rumbled out like a starved man and it sent a shudder of mixed emotions to the core.

  The voice of a man is a powerful thing, when words like that are heard. The voice of a man’s soul can seep through his lips, when words like that are spoken. And the voice of an Angel’s heart was heard that night, for those words spoken belonged….

  To the voice of Vincent.

  Chapter 27

  Mistakes and a Bed of Roses

  I had frozen as if an ice queen had just cast a deadly spell. In my head a voice screamed out to cover myself up but in this case I wasn’t the only one doing the wrong thing. Vincent still hadn’t moved, although I was pretty sure it was wrong of him to be staring at me the way he still was. It was the first time I saw a flicker of the same power Draven held, run through his brother’s body. I saw blue light emanate from his feet and as it travelled up to his upper body, it changed to a darker shade, reminding me of the day’s sky turning into night.

  He hadn’t moved any closer but I could almost hear the want in his bones begging him to work until they reach the bed’s edge. Then the candles started to flicker making it the second time I had ever felt fear around Vincent. The first time of course, being in the car park where he caught me before his brother could follow in his footsteps to take me against my will.

  After what seemed like a small forever, I forced some words from my trembling lips.

  “Vincent…I…I am so sorry…I didn’t…” The words seemed to tumble out like a lost cause but whatever it sounded like, it seemed to work because his response was a gentle,

  “Ssssh, please don’t do that.” His smooth voice made my skin prickle and a weird vibration flashed down my naked neck. His glowing body faded back into the darkness now that he appeared to be calming whatever emotions had been running wild with his mind. Now that he was once again just a silhouette in the room, he decided he was going to move from the spot he had been glued to and finally my mind did the same and kicked into gear, covering myself up with the bed covers. By the time we came face to face, we were looking less risky about our situation. My skin was covered and his eyes didn’t glow with the dangerous lust I had seen.

  I bit my lip like it would help prevent the situation from getting any worse… that being my big mouth! But this reaction made him smile and he knelt down to my level so he didn’t look so threatening from the height of him towering above me. He wasn’t much shorter than his brother, there being mere inches between them. His skin was paler than Draven’s and the faint light from the now steady candles were casting a warm orange glow onto his soft features. He was still smiling and it looked like he was trying very hard not to let his eyes linger anywhere else but from my face.

  “You know we really need to stop meeting like this!” He joked and finally I could let air out of my mouth.

  “I’m so sorry, I thought….”

  “I know, you thought I was Dom.” He said in a whisper before I could explain. At this I covered my shame filled head in my hands.

  “Oh God! Why does this keep happening? What is Draven going to say?” I know it was a little tactless but it was all I could think about. I jumped slightly when I felt Vincent’s cool skin come into contact with mine, but when his fingers started to pry my hands away, I relaxed when met with his sympathetic face.

  “He’s not going to find out Keira, I think for everyone’s sake this one should be kept between me and you. But I will tell you something…This is the last time I will be coming here to give you messages that Dom should be doing himself!” It was the first sign of disapproval I had seen him direct at his brother before and it shocked me. It was as though he didn’t think kindly on him for making me wait like this.

  “He’s not coming yet is he?” I asked looking down to hide both my disappointment and relief.

  “Not yet… no, he sent me here to tell you he had some business to deal with before joining you, only if he knew what you had planned, I think business would most certainly be delayed.” He tried to hid a cheeky grin I didn’t ever expect to see on Vincent’s face. But the wink he followed it up with surprised me more. I laughed and its purpose became clear.

  “I had a feeling he would never have knocked.” I said more to myself than Vincent.

  “And why would you have ever though a man like my brother would have?” He laughed but when he saw my face he could read his sister’s name all over my thoughts.

  “Ah…Sophia!” He sighed an
d rolled his eyes.

  “It wasn’t all her fault, she just suggested that she could get a message to him to knock…you know…so I would know he was coming.” I added quietly, which furthermore added to my shame.

  “I see.”

  “You really won’t tell him?” I asked hopefully.

  “Oh no…trust me, the way Dom’s temper is at the moment, it wouldn’t be the smartest of things to do.” He wasn’t laughing anymore and I shuddered at the words Dom and temper in the same sentence.

  “Why… is he angry?”

  “Yes but trust me,” he motioned to my body with his hand and added,

  “This will help” Which made my cheeks torch the blood beneath my skin. He shifted his weight and was standing again before I had time to blink. He was about to leave but I grabbed his hand to hold him back. He looked down at the small, black satin fingers that had curled around his large palm.

  “Thank you Vincent.”

  “For what, exactly?” His eyes didn’t dare look at mine but his voice shook with leaked emotions.

  “For being my…my friend,” I replied but as soon as the answer reached his ears his skin started to turn icy cold. I dropped my hand from his and tucked it under the covers to warm it back up. He turned from me but before he left, he corrected me.

  “I’m much more than that Keira!” And with that bomb shell, he left as quickly as an Angel with wings.

  I was left not only utterly embarrassed but also feeling a little guilty and I wasn’t sure why? Was it my imagination or did Vincent seem to have a few deeper feelings swimming about in his mind. And even more confusing…were they about me? I shook that idea out of my head quickly and put it all down to some hidden feelings about someone else. Maybe seeing me and Draven so happy together, made those emotions to finding his own happiness all that stronger.

  I battled like this for about an hour and by the end didn’t come up with any answers to Vincent’s strange behaviour around me. In front of Draven he was as he had always been but when we were alone it was definitely different. More intense and I’m not just talking about all the accidents we kept having. Ever since that kiss we shared, I felt like his eyes were following me everywhere. He would notice every move I made and his senses would interpret every detail. If I frowned he would frown, if I smiled he would follow suit. I had put it all down to protecting what his brother loves but what if I was wrong? What if there was more to it?

  In the end I must have fallen asleep because when I heard the sound of breathing above me I found myself in the dark. I only had opened my eyes a tiny degree, enough to add a figure to the breathing. I was acting asleep because I didn’t know who it was that was stood above me like a statue of Rome. I was lying on my back with one arm above my head and the other resting lightly on my stomach.

  I tried to keep my breathing light, like deep slumber would have induced but it was hard giving the position I was in. I wasn’t about to make the same mistake a third time and assume it was Draven that loomed deadly tranquil over me. If it had been Vincent I wanted to pretend I was asleep but if it was Lucius then I knew I was still dreaming. Why were all the men in my life exceptionally tall and well built, why can’t we have all the badies like little goblins, bumpy and disgusting and all the goodies tall and handsome…that would be helpful!

  I felt my hair move away from my face but there was no hand that governed it. Then the bed covers followed and moved down my body exposing my rose covered corset and matching thong. Then what looked like a black hand rose above me and illuminated my body from the bluish sparks that ignited from under the shadowed skin. It moved over my figure, following every curve without contact. At this I heard a low growl that came from the gut of a supernatural. The covers kept disappearing to the bottom of the bed and soon I could feel the cold edge of the night on the thin material of my stockinged legs. They had stayed in place thanks to the suspender belt that attached on to the lace around my thighs.

  The room went silent and I could hear the wild weather blowing nature to within an inch of its life outside. I didn’t know what was worse, being out there and letting Mother Nature give me a sound lashing or in here without a clue as to who or what was taking in my sight like sleeping prey.

  Then every nerve in my body lit up making me let out a moan in unspeakable pleasure. Fingertips had started to touch my ankle just after the blue light disappeared and then worked their way up with a fine art. It was like this hand was communicating with my blood making it tingle uncontrollably, fusing a connection with my vulnerable body and my even more vulnerable sex. I bit down on my lip to hold in the screams that wanted to erupt. I shifted under the fingers but the lightest touch turned quickly into a secure hold on my inner leg. Whoever it was didn’t want to let me go! And deep down I didn’t want them to, until Draven’s face popped into my head and made my eyes flash open to face my stalker.

  It was only when I was faced with the mix of Angelic and Demonic glow of Draven’s power that my heart flipped in both realisation and excitement. His eyes looked strained in a control he was trying not to lose and his other hand was balled into a fist by his side. The contrast to the gentle hand he touched me with and the other that was taking his frustration was blatantly obvious.

  He was acting slowly, like he was trying hard not to get too carried away too quickly. One thing was clear, tonight was going to give me what I had been craving for but I wasn’t going to be in control as I had planned. His tensed muscles told me as much. He was now looking directly into my eyes but he still hadn’t spoken. It was like he was drowning in my image before consuming my mind with his commanding voice. Soon he would do to me what he wanted to do and all the while giving me more pleasure than any normal human girl could take, I was sure.

  He let his fist uncurl and his other hand left my leg so that he could pull my hands round to the front of me. I couldn’t help it … I spoke first.

  “What…” I cleared my croaky whisper before continuing. “What are you doing?” I asked but all I got was,

  “Ssssh, be silent,” with a shaking of his head. Then, with a tight grip on my glove covered wrists and a sharp tug upwards, my body flung towards him like I was the one with powers. I let out a gasp but his lips caught it as my upper body was now securely in his concrete arms. He wrapped them around my waist and his fingers entwined in the tightly, tied cord at the back of my corset that concealed my breasts from him. I felt them about to pull it free but he stopped himself, all the while devouring me in deep, sensual kisses.

  He was trying to taste every inch of me as his mouth moved from mine to my neck and shoulders. He was still holding all my weight and one arm moved further around my back and up my spine to my neck, where his hand supported the top of my backbone as he bent it backwards. He grabbed a handful of my loose hair and pulled it downwards to encourage my movements, all the while never letting it hurt me.

  His mouth played at the base of my ear before moving closer down to where my pulse was the fastest. There he didn’t even bother to tease me with his teeth. No, he didn’t have the will for that, proving as much when he bit down into my flesh making me cry out in a blissful pain that made me succumb to the pleasure growing in between my thighs. I came with orgasmic results for the entire time that he remained sucking the essence out of me. I could feel the warmth of my blood seep out of the puncture wounds he had made but the two little streams didn’t get far as he licked it back upwards, not wasting a single drop.

  I was panting when he had finished tasting my blood and mixing it with his own as I was now very much a part him, with our blood creating a new energy inside his veins. This idea made me smile in the dark, showing off the whites of my teeth, like a beacon to where my thoughts lay. After he noted the bliss in my eyes, he licked my small wounds again and I felt them start to fuse together, the skin replacing the stinging pain with an annoying itch. He touched it lightly with his thumb and after a few circular movements it was all as though it had never happened.

 
; My body was still in its aftermath stages of a huge release but Draven wasn’t about to give me any time to recover. He raised me up further and took hold of me from under the legs with one arm and the other held my upper body. He stood up straight and any other man’s back would have strained with the awkward weight of carrying a body from leaning down. But Draven made me feel as though I weighed nothing more than a bag of leaves caught up in the wind. He walked towards the glass doors and I stiffened in his hold.

  “Where are you taking me?” I whispered but he didn’t answer. It was almost like he was lost in his own world and I just hoped it was one where he didn’t forget that I was a very breakable human that would no doubt catch my death if I went out into that stormy night. I gripped on to his suit jacket as he was still wearing what I had seen on him earlier, making me the only different one…that being the near to naked one. This time he didn’t need to touch the glass for it to respond and as it opened, the cold hit me like a tidal wave of ice.

  “Draven!” I said in more of an urgent tone. But as soon as he took his first step outside, my mind was more concerned with the rippling vibrations erupting from under his skin. This close up, I could actually see the purple energy flowing through his veins like it had replaced his blood with light. Then I cried out with shock, when I saw two huge dark wings emerge from his back making a ripping sound, like they had cut their way from his flesh.

  The wind was fierce and whipped around our bodies like a lasso. My hair flew about like an abandoned flag and the rain started to pelt down as a warning to the ever growing storm. I was about to beg him for shelter when I was silenced by a blank wall of feathers. His wings had shot forward creating a storm proof cocoon around me. He was covered up to the neck with the softest long feathers that any exotic bird would have been jealous of.