Afterlife (Afterlife Saga) Read online

  “NO, BUT YOUR SOUL WILL ROT IN HELL!” Draven shouted back as there wasn't much left of Sammael's infected soul left to be taken. Then Sammael let out a blood curdling laugh as if there was something Draven was missing.

  “My soul may be taken but as for your chosen one, well, we will soon see if the Gods favour her mangled body!” Sammael spat out and I could just make out this last threat as I was still in range to hear. Morgan had stopped pulling me as he had reached his destination...the cliff's edge!

  “Afterlife Draven! The boy has served me well...shame Is Reputo Is Has Pennae!” (Means “The boy thinks he has wings” In Latin) Sammael said still laced with laughter in his voice as the rest of his soul was sucked down into the underworld.

  “NO!” Draven screamed out as the earth closed over Sammael. Draven reacted by flipping his body into the air and flying over, opposite to where Morgan had me held. He landed making the ground shake but it wasn't enough to cause Morgan to lose his footing as he planned. The knife started to dig further in and I cried out in pain, preventing Draven from risking coming closer.

  “Stay there or I will KILL HER!” Morgan screamed after proving his point and Draven held up his hands as if to try and reason with him.

  “Ok...Ok just watch the edge!” Draven warned and it was the first time I had seen fear in his eyes.

  “You can't have her! She belongs to me and this way we will be together forever!” Morgan cried as his voice shook under the strain.

  “You don't want to hurt her, not if you love her!” Draven stated but it was no use against Morgan's infected mind, he was too far gone to ever find his way back to the land of reason.

  “YOU DON'T GET TO TELL ME WHAT TO DO, RICHARD!” Morgan screamed with his clouded mind consumed by hate. He wasn't looking at Draven...he was looking at Richard and it wasn't me he was holding in his arms........it was his sister Catherine.

  “I'm not going to kill her! I am going to take her away so you can't have her, Sammael gave me a gift and I am going to use it!” He said as he dragged me closer to the edge. I could feel the wind blowing up the side of the canyon. I turned to look down at my rocky grave and felt the fresh tears rise.

  “Morgan, listen to me, Sammael lied to you, his plan was for you to kill yourself and take the one thing I love with you! You don't have any powers!” He calmly said as he stepped closer but this made things worse putting Morgan into a boiling rage.

  “YOU LIE! He said I was doing God’s work. He said if I let you kill me, that God would bring me back and you would get punished for taking her away from me! Well here I am. And you don't have the powers to enter my mind and stop me!” He ranted on at him making my breathing harder and my heart nearly pounded its way through my chest.

  Morgan had one hand held securely around the handle of his blade that he held so close to my throat that my blood trickled down it. His other hand wanted to taunt Draven, who watched as Morgan’s fingers invaded the skin on my body as he fumbled to get down below.

  “PIG!” I spat out as I twisted away from him making the blade enter my neck more.

  “Was she this feisty for you when you plucked her?” He asked laughing making Draven growl and cursed at him.

  “Well it looks like I will find out for myself...say goodbye to your Demon lover, my little whore!”

  “Dominic no!... I'm sorry!... I will always love you!” I shouted out, as I knew my fate had finally come as he gripped me tightly around the waist and he leaned backwards plunging us both into the deep abyss of the night.

  “KEIRA, NO!” Draven's voice echoed, bouncing off the cliff face making it the last sound I would ever hear as I fell to my death.

  I knew this was my time. It would soon be all over and I wasn't yet ready to go and face my own...

  Afterlife.

  Chapter 50 - Time For The Angels

  I could feel Morgan's hands release his hold as now my body was falling independently towards death below. I wasn't as scared as I thought I would have been. No, instead I was covered in a warm blanket of security as my fate came closer to take me. I kept my eyes closed as I wanted the last thing my eyes to see was Draven and I held on to it tightly in my mind as I felt the pressure of the air push my tears back to my hair line.

  It was strange to know death was but seconds away. Not anything like the first time. And if I was being brutally honest with myself I had known all along that when I slit my wrists that it wasn't the end but now, well that was oh so different. And the only way to describe it was with one word... peace. Draven was my reason. He was the only thought I held onto, my last link to the world. He was my anchor to the other side. My beacon to follow and I don't know how but I just knew that he would make sure I would arrive to wherever it was the Gods deemed as my fate.

  But although I was at peace, there was no mistaking the piece of my heart I left behind on top of the cliff face. Dominic Draven. The man I was obsessed with. The man that had changed me. Not fixed me but made me so much more.

  The man, the Angel, the Demon and the Lord.

  Dominic Draven. The man I loved.

  Always.

  Then I could feel it happen, I must have died.

  It now felt as if I was floating up to what must be Heaven. I never felt any pain and wondered if this was because of who Draven thought I was...the chosen one. I couldn't help but sob as I thought of his name knowing I would never see him again, it didn't feel heavenly, it felt more like hell! I was gasping for the air I no longer needed and the warmth I could feel got closer around my skin. I still didn't want to open my eyes but I was sure I could feel something touching me, gripping on to my body taking it upwards.

  Is that what happened? Had the Angels come to take my soul away from Draven's heart? I knew I shouldn't but I couldn't help myself cry out goodbye to my only love.

  “I don't want to leave Draven, I want to say goodbye...please let me say goodbye.” I couldn't help the plea that escaped. I wanted to remain strong. Strong enough to let go.

  “Keira he's gone, he's dead!” A heavenly voice spoke and I burst into tears pushing my face into the body that held me.

  “Draven...” I said his name and muscle bound arms pulled my body closer into his own making my skin tingle and flood with warmth.

  I was in Draven's arms once more and knew this must be my gift, they were letting me say goodbye.

  “I know I mustn't have long but you have to know... I love you and I will always love you...God knows I don't want to say goodbye Draven, I'm scared. I don't want to leave you!” I was spluttering the words out amongst sobs that I couldn't control. I didn't want this to be the last voice of mine he heard but I couldn't help it…I needed him so badly!

  “KEIRA! Keira, listen to me you’re not going anywhere! I have you safe and I would never let you fall!” He voice was stern but held a soft edge as he was trying to make me understand.

  “I'm not...not dead?” I asked letting myself hope as I have never hoped before!

  “NO! Keira I caught you...wings remember!” He said and this made me cry out with relief that I couldn't believe I was allowed to feel. I stupidly opened my eyes but screamed out at the sight of being hundreds of feet up in the air with the black forest below. Draven cradled me in his arms but he shook me a little trying to get me to look back at him.

  “KEIRA don't look, close your eyes until I tell you or you really will be sick and that won't be pleasant for either one of us!” He said with a bit of humour in his voice. I did as I was told not having any want to see how high up I was as my fear of heights made me feel nauseous. I could now feel the motion of his wings moving up and down and then catching the current of the wind. Because of the height the wind hit our bodies with a greater force but the heat that coursed through him kept us both warm. I had my arms around his neck and interlocked my fingers to hold on tighter. I nestled my head into his shoulder and the side of his neck, breathing in his intoxicating scent, which was having more than just a calming effect on me.

&
nbsp; “I thought I was going to lose you,” he said in the saddest voice I had ever heard from his sweet lips.

  “I thought I had lost you too and wasn't going to get a chance to say goodbye,” I said and my reply was muffled as my head was buried safely into his neck.

  “Is that what you meant, when you said you didn't want to leave?” He asked and I was shocked, what else could he have thought I meant.

  “Yes of course, what else…?”

  “I thought you meant Morgan,” Draven said, pleased he had it wrong.

  “So Morgan’s definitely dead then?” I asked holding my breath at the name that just left my lips for the last time!

  “OH yes and trust me when I say he is most definitely gone.” He said gritting his teeth at the mention of him. I shuddered at the thought of his mangled broken bloody corpse on the rocks below.

  “So that means I'm free..... I am finally free!” I said lifting my head up seeing his huge wings gracefully moving in the night air catching the moon on his silky black feathers. I also caught a glimpse or what must have been Ava flying close behind us and I smiled at the sight.

  “Yes you are, he is never coming to get you again Keira, I promise you that.” He said kissing my head as my hair flew around his neck, touching his bareback.

  “Now let’s get you home.” His voice sounded tired from worry and now finally saying this brought closure making the nightmare end. But I just snuggled closer and said in a satisfied voice.

  “I am already home...I'm with you.” This made him make his own satisfied noise as we descended down through the sky. He held me tighter and my stomach felt as if it was moving up into my throat. The same feeling you get in an aeroplane coming in to land. But unlike a conventional flight, I didn't realise when we were safely back on the ground as his feet came in contact with the balcony outside his bed chamber.

  “Keira, you can open your eyes now,” he said chuckling softly as he tried to pry my fingers from his neck. He placed my feet on the ground and I couldn't help but cry in pain as the pressure to the cut skin beneath hurt at the slightest touch.

  “Sorry!” He said lifting me again, holding me by the waist.

  “It's ok, I will be fine to walk,” I said through my teeth, as my feet were still stinging.

  “Oh no you won't, no need to be brave now my little fighter.” He said carrying me through the glass doors inside to a well lit room. I couldn't help but cringe, as I must have looked as awful as I felt. He walked up to the bed and placed me gently down as if I was going to break into a million pieces. I had my feet hung over the sides like a child on a seat that was too big for me. Then the door burst open with Vincent striding in followed by Sophia.

  Oh great, just what I wanted, an audience to add to my shame. Here I was looking like a broken doll in a dress ripped to shreds, when Draven looked his usual God like self completely unscathed and not a mark on him.

  It shocked me seeing Vincent in his angelic form, glowing white with his massive pure white wings which came forwards at the bottom, curling upwards around the front of him. This was truly breath-taking as it was the first time I had seen him like this. However when Sophia followed him in, it was also breath-taking but for another reason. She too was in her other form, which shamefully unnerved me the most, as I had only seen her once as a Demon and that was from a distance. Now however, she was coming closer to me and I had to use every ounce of self-control I had not to pull away. Her desert hard skin looked painful and her lips were split higher up her cheeks as if they had been cut either side. I swallowed hard as the soulless eyes took me in, they were onyx black, void of any white. It was almost as if they had been injected with ink that had started to spread out like poison under the skin.

  I didn't want to feel like this so I concentrated so hard on the Sophia I knew and loved like a sister, so as I could prepare myself but that's when it happened! The strength inside me reached its full limit and I pushed harder than ever before at the love I had for Sophia, making her turn back to her human self. I didn't know how I did it but when I looked at each one it had affected my sight on all of them. So when Sophia came at me now I could finally breathe freely at the now gorgeous Sophia I knew.

  “Oh my, Keira are you alright?” Sophia ran up to me and hugged me tightly making my now bruised body ache and I couldn't help the air that I sucked through my teeth.

  “Oh sorry… sorry” She said letting me go and Draven shot her a look of disapproval. But she walked straight up to him and hit him with an almighty punch in the face making it crack back to the side, while Vincent stood with his arms folded. I was in complete shock at the sight of a little doll attacking a bear and getting away with it. And man did she have one hell of a right hook!

  “That's for your arrogant pig-headed mind, thinking you didn't need any help! Just look at her!” She pointed at me and shouted at him while his brother went over to her to calm her temper.

  “Sophia, it wasn't his fault...I was the one who was fooled, please don't blame him.” I pleaded and I tried to get up but as soon as my feet touched the steps around the bed Vincent's arms were around me grabbing me upright so I wouldn't fall. His face was frowning but it wasn't at me, this was directed over his shoulder at his brother as he must have thought the same way his sister did.

  “Are you in a lot of pain Keira?” He asked placing me back down on the bed as softly as his brother had.

  “No, I'm fine but please don't blame him,” I said with pleading eyes as they found his Angelic face.

  “Keira, they are both right to be angry. I shouldn't have underestimated Sammael. You got hurt because of my arrogance and for this I cannot be forgiven.” Draven said as he turned away from us all at his own shame. My guilt was too much to bear and it made me shout at everyone!

  “LOOK this is stupid! It's over now and what's done is done! But listen to me when I say this was my own fault and if I had told you all the truth about who had called then this could have been avoided! NOW if you don't forget all this and drop it right now I will leave and I won't come back until you all start blaming the right person...ME!” I shouted as my own temper was getting out of control. They were staring at me now in disbelief and so this forced me to make my point as I rose off the bed and winced at the pain that shot through my feet. But Draven was now the one who flashed to my side picking me back up and putting me down on the bed.

  “Keira stop! You will hurt yourself even more!” He said holding me still.

  “And I will, but only if you all stop pointing the blame at the one person who saved my life,” I said looking from Vincent to Sophia and finally at Draven.

  “You’re right. It is not necessary to keep torturing the girl with events that have already taken place, but Dominic you must stop acting as though she only means something to you and you alone! You brought her into all our lives, so then you must learn to accept joint responsibility for her safety. No doubt this won't be the end of the difficulties having her involved in our world means. Let us help you both.” Vincent came over to place his loyal hand on his brother’s shoulder and it was emotional to see the love they not only had for him but for me also.

  “Yeah Dom, why do you get to have all the fun? The one time I could have kicked ass in years and you deny us both the opportunity, pulling that leader and head of the family crap!” Sophia ranted and I couldn't help but giggle at the thought of her fighting, but then, after the punch I witnessed her crack at her huge brother then I could very well see her coming in handy.

  “Right, now that's all cleared up, could someone please get me some bloody tequila 'cause I was lying about the whole not being in pain thing!” I said and Draven wasn't the only one who frowned.

  “Right, I think we need to be alone for this next part.” He especially looked at Sophia as he said this and I knew he was going to heal me the way he did last time. Only he didn't know that I had the sight since Sammael had touched me. All this time he must have thought I had just watched Draven and Andy fighting,
without me seeing all the Leeches that were attacking. I couldn't help but laugh out loud as he was trying to save me from seeing what Sophia looked like as a Demon! After everything I had just seen I found this close to hilarious.

  “Keira what's wrong?” Draven asked as though he was not only concerned for my physical heath but now my mental health as well.

  “Draven, I have had the sight ever since Sammael touched me and made me see! I saw everything that happened back there.” As soon as I said this Draven's face dropped like it was the worst thing that could have ever happened. He actually looked pale for the first time. He looked mortified as I held out my arm to show him the red marks that remained from where Sammael had cut me open to force the power of sight into me. I looked towards Sophia who gasped and turned to hide away. This instantly made me feel ashamed that I had thought badly of her Demon form. After all it was who she was and I should have just accepted it to begin with.

  “Sophia, please don't turn away,” I pleaded, wanting to go over to her but Draven still had his arms around me keeping me on the bed. She still held her head down and my guilt was overwhelming.

  “Keira, can you still see us?” Draven asked with his face full of concern.

  “No I have learnt to control it, I just pushed it out like I usually do and you all changed back..... So you see, Sophia you don't need to hide from me and anyway I saw you long ago as a demon.” I said shocking them all. She turned back to look at me and I could almost see the tears in her dark eyes.

  “When?” She asked shaking her head as if she didn't believe me.

  “I saw you that night after Layla stabbed me, I was outside on the balcony when you turned up looking for me” This new information made her laugh with disbelief.

  “But Keira all this time you have still acted the same towards me, what you saw in me must have frightened you?”

  “I won't lie it did at first but I knew you were still you, no matter what you looked like on the outside, my feelings would still remain the same...you’re my friend. A sister” I said with tears welling up.