I woke the next morning to find Draven"s face staring back at me. I didn"t remember at first that I had sketched a picture of him so I was shocked to see the perfect features that I had burned to the memory slot of my brain. It was his deep set eyes, his strong jaw line, even down to his stubble and his shoulder length hair styled back off his face. I had captured every bit of him as though I had copied a photograph. Just looking at it gave me Gooseb.u.mps and I quickly put it away in my drawer, hiding his cold glare. I had drawn him the way he looked last night and the memory made me close my eyes and push it back into the far corners of my mind, next to the other bad stuff I stored there.
I got to college early, as RJ wasn"t in today due to a hangover she called "study time." I went to the Library to kill time and to get out a few books on American History, as it was the one subject I was going to be in the dark about. Of course when it was the time for British history then I would be back in the game but for now, seeing as pretty much everyone in the cla.s.s except me was taught it in school, I was going to need to learn it all from scratch. By the time I found the section I only had time to grab one book and run to my first cla.s.s.
While I was in History cla.s.s Sophia had apologised for her brother"s "Bad mood" and asked me if everything was all right at home? I explained that it was all fine, not wanting to disclose any details. I thanked her for her concern and lied about being fine with what happened last night.
"Sometimes I don"t understand Dom"s reasoning but let"s just say he likes things the way he likes them if that makes any sense?" She said and I nodded but I really wanted to say, "Well actually it makes no sense what so ever but hey... I guess cryptic clues must run in the family." Instead I just stuck to, "Don"t worry about it." And she dropped the subject, not mentioning her brother again.
Before she went she told me that I could start at eight instead of seven if I wanted but I didn"t want to add more fuel to the fire so told her seven was fine. I didn"t want to give him the satisfaction of another showdown.
When I got back, Libby reminded me that she and Frank were going to Frank"s parents for dinner and were staying the night so not to worry when I returned to an empty house. It was going to be the first time I would stay there alone and the idea didn"t have me jumping around in excitement shouting "party," if anything Freddy Kruger came to mind!
I had a feeling that this would be one of those nights and the dread washed over me like sticky black tar. With these thoughts I had a shower and it helped but even Libby"s honey milk shower gel didn"t make me feel clean. I dried the top part of my hair putting up the rest that remained damp. I put on a black vest over my black underwear that I only wore when I needed to do some more washing. I pulled out a pair of black long sleeved gloves and slipped them over my scars, placing my thumb through the hole. I put on my black shirt that did up with a few hooks at the front and tied at the back as it wrapped round my waist. It showed my curves as the material clung to my skin. I added a Gothic black and purple tie that RJ had lent me as I was sick of being the only one that didn"t make an effort on weekends. I even decided to add a tiny amount of mascara that I had borrowed from Libby. She looked as shocked as Frank when I asked her for it.
"What"s brought this on?" She said as she handed me three different types, getting over excited to see me making an effort again.
"Nothing, it"s just most of the waitresses dress smarter at the weekend so I didn"t want to stand out."
"Well you look great, really smart with the whole tie thing." She said waiting for me to pick a stick to use.
"I only needed one."
"Yeah but what do you want to go for length, fullness or curl?"
"What?"
"Here, go with this one, you already have the length and fullness, you lucky cow!" She said handing me the one with a blue lid that had the words curl and waterproof written down one side. Well I guess that was good considering the amount of strange things that had happened to me while working the VIP, tears seemed to be an everyday occurrence...well at least I wouldn"t look like a panda if anything else went wrong tonight!
"Thanks and you"re sure I don"t look...well I don"t want to stand out and look like a plonker," I said as she shook her head saying, "Kazzy if anything you will stand out for being beautiful, you look great...and look at that skin...flawless." She said laughing when I cringed at the compliment. I applied the mascara making my lashes even blacker and curl upwards slightly. I examined myself, pulled my shorter bits of hair down over my face putting them to one side and looked at myself feeling different.
I felt exposed.
Chapter 26 Dangerously Exposed.
I got to the club with plenty of time to spare, knowing I would never make the mistake of being late again. I walked through the main doors after saying my regular "h.e.l.los" to Cameron and Jo but I couldn"t shake the feeling that something was going to be very wrong about this evening. I crossed the ma.s.sive hall snaking in and out of the early arrivals for the band that was going to be playing. It was one of the better known ones but no matter how many times RJ had told me I just couldn"t remember the name of them. I noticed my friends sat ready at their usual booth and they waved when they saw me. Jack looked shocked at the sight of me and I suddenly felt self-conscious. I should have just stuck with my regular look.
I ran up the stairs before I chickened out and pushed open the door. For some reason it seemed busier tonight than any other night I had worked. I was about to walk round the back out of view when Akako the j.a.panese waitress stopped me and said, "Sorry no go, have to walk round." She said and then dipped her head leaving me feeling less than happy about it. I had already taken my jacket off and had it over the strap of my bag so I would look strange now putting it back on when I was already here. Some of the scarier clientele were starting to stare at me so that made me move my feet in the direction of Draven"s table.
I purposely remembered how mad he had made me last night, which made me hold my head high instead of letting it hang down pathetically. So when I walked past, I finally looked as though I had some b.a.l.l.s! I couldn"t however help looking at him for a split second but it was enough to catch the different look he was giving me. I had never seen this look and I had to say I liked it. It was a mixture of surprise and shock with the smile adding a different want in his eyes. The look he gave me made me feel...well, kind of s.e.xy. But as soon as I pa.s.sed so did the feeling.
"Umm hi Keira, you"re looking...good," Karmun said clearing his throat. I felt my face get hot and I wished I had changed before leaving the house like this.
"Thanks." I said as I walked past, going to put my bag in the little room. I dropped it on one of the chairs and threw my jacket not caring about where they landed. I just wanted to check the mirror, worried that there was something else on my face apart from mascara. But there was nothing but my pale face with the hint of red cheeks and very dark blue eyes that were now framed with thick lashes. I could see that there was something different about me and it wasn"t just down to the lashes, but I couldn"t figure out what. Giving up I went out there and started my shift.
Sophia was waiting for me when I walked out and she too did a double take at me, which made me blush even more.
"Keira, you"re..." I interrupted her saying, "Yeah I know I"m early." I said in a loud voice and unbelievably Draven shot me a look as though he"d heard.
"That"s not what I was going to say but yes you are and it hasn"t gone unnoticed, along with other things." She said looking me up and down. By this time I was the colour of a cherry.
"I would like to invite you to join us for a drink at our table after work," She said as Layla walked past looking as though she was swallowing her own tongue.
"Umm thanks but I don"t know if that"s a good idea," I said as now I probably looked as shocked as Layla and it was making it hard for me to swallow!
"It was at my brother"s request, he feels as though he was a little hard on you last night and would like to make up for it, if you"ll let him," She said smiling as though she had something to do with this.
"Well that"s very kind but I don"t know..."
"Come now, surely you wouldn"t deny him this?" She said in a very persistent tone.
"I guess not," I replied only realising that I had agreed to it when she clapped her hands together saying, "Excellent. Till later then." She smiled leaving before I had time to recall the yes I had sort of said. Great, now I was going to spend the rest of the night worrying about spending social time at the Dravens" table! There I was again more confused than ever. One minute he hates me the next he wants me to join them? What the h.e.l.l was going on?!! This wasn"t right. If I went over there at the end of my shift then I most definitely would be playing with fire!
I spent the rest of my time serving drinks and picking up empties feeling as though I wasn"t the only one who knew about this strange twist of events. It seemed they were all waiting for this to play out. Of course the end of my shift was coming along quicker than I had hoped for and with only ten minutes to go, I was starting to panic big time! So much so in fact that when a fight broke out it took me more time to register what was going on.
One guy in a black military jacket was flinging another guy across the table smashing gla.s.s all over the floor, which spread as far as my feet. It wasn"t in my section but the one next to, which put me in the firing line so I stepped back to move out of the way. I was moving in the way of someone else though... Someone who didn"t like me!
Layla had been stood against the bar with a tray of slim vile looking gla.s.ses that reminded me of test tubes. She was looking straight at me with even more hate in her cruel eyes and I instinctively took a step back from her. But in turn she took a step closer to me with a murderous look that twisted her features and made her eyes blood red. This terrified me as I knew the awful truth... I was seeing her in demon form!
I didn"t have time to react and all the other eyes were on the fight that was still going on. I was trapped in front of this crazy, evil b.i.t.c.h and one thing was clear without having to hear her speak...she wanted me gone and dead.
Before I had time to turn, still facing me she closed the gap pushing her hand into my side sending a searing pain inside my body that spread like a plague eating my flesh. She leaned her face down next to my ear and whispered, "Good luck with that one, Elegido!" She spat out and this was one language I knew well. She had called me "Chosen one" in Spanish.
She walked away smiling, leaving me standing there in the worst agony I had ever felt. I staggered about and looked down to find that she had stabbed me with one of the thin gla.s.ses she had held on her tray. Only this one was metal and looked more like a round hollow knife. I couldn"t scream, even though I tried but my voice was lost in the crowd that was still trying to stop the fight. I put my hand to my side but the knife was in the way. I looked back at my hand and my skin had been replaced by the colour of the blood that poured freely out of my body. It was warm and thick reminding me of the last time I had seen this much blood on my hands. I could feel acid in my mouth and my knees gave way as I tried to move away from the bar.
I fell putting my hands out to save myself but one slipped with the blood on it and flew into the gla.s.s that covered the floor digging into my palm as though my skin had been made from b.u.t.ter. I tried to pull out the razor shards with my other hand but I couldn"t focus on where my other hand was. Things were going blurry as I heard someone shouting my name.
"Keira!... Keira look at me." A strong voice was shouting in a controlled yet panicked voice.
"I... my side I can"t..." I said trying to make sense but the words wouldn"t come out right.
A hand went to my side and I heard what sounded like a growl when his hands found the problem.
"Keira, can you hear me, you"re going to be fine, just don"t close your eyes ok...Keira look at me!" I opened my eyes at the voice and saw Draven"s face leaning over me. He had a mixture of fury and pain in his eyes as he barked out commands in a different language I couldn"t understand.
"Find her, I want her alive!" He said to the figure standing behind him who looked like one of the men from his table. I kept feeling this stabbing pain as I moved, so my hands went to the cause as I tried to pull it out but hands found mine before I could get there.
"Oh no, don"t touch that. You have to leave it or you will bleed out. I promise I will get it out soon." His voice was smooth and it had a calming effect on my mind. But the pain was overtaking it, fighting the gentle hum and I wanted him to talk to me more. I could feel myself being lifted as an arm slid under my legs and another arm went under the upper part of my body.
"Keira stay awake ok, talk to me!" He said blowing more pain numbing scent my way and I breathed deeply letting it take the pain away for a brief time.
"I don"t want to go..." I said hoping it made sense. His hands gripped me closer to his hard chest.
"You don"t want to go where?" He said trying to get me to keep talking.
"Hospital" I mouthed the word and the gla.s.s in my hand pinched as I moved it forgetting there were shards still embedded in my skin.
"Don"t worry I"m not taking you to hospital."
"Why?" I said wondering if that wouldn"t be the smart thing to do, not that I wanted to go.
"Because there isn"t any time and because I can help you now," he said and I was sure I could feel him running.
"Doctor?" I said meaning to add the "Are you" at the front of that question but he understood without.
"Something like that...oh no, come on Keira open your eyes for me." He gave me a quick shake to get me to respond. I opened my eyes but it was getting harder as I felt as though I was falling.
"Nearly there, come on, keep with me!" He said and it felt as though we were flying, he must have been running that fast. My eyes couldn"t focus. It was like driving fast in the car and watching it all go past in a blurry vision. Amazingly I managed to find some humour and said, "You said that last time." He let out a tense laugh and said, "So I did."
We were slowing down now and I heard a pair of big doors opening.
"Have you got everything ready?" he snapped out and I didn"t like the sound of the word "Everything."
"What everything?" I said wondering if he was asking me but another voice spoke and I knew the answer.
"Yes Master." A woman"s voice said in a quiet timid way.
I opened my eyes and saw that we were in a large long room but my mind switched back to the pain consuming my every function and I screamed as I was put down on what seemed to be a couch.
"Ssshh you"re ok, I know it hurts but it won"t for much longer," he said standing up and taking off his suit jacket.
"You promise?" I said and the back of his hand caressed down my cheek as he replied "Yes I promise." He then demanded "Leave us!" to the girl who was still in the room. He pulled up a chair right next to me and pulled close to him a small table that held lots of things I couldn"t yet make out.
"Now I"m going to pull you up slightly but it will hurt... you ready?" He got closer to me and held both hands under my back ready to pull me up.
"No but do it anyway," I said waiting for the pain to come. And boy did it come.
"ARRGGGHHH, ouch, ok....ok, now that hurt!" I said trying to not cry but my cheeks were wet so I think it was a little late for that wish.
"I know. I know it did but you won"t have to do that again." He moved to the table and now I could see a green bottle that I knew well. He then picked what looked like a sugar cube out of a gla.s.s jar with some silver tongs. He then placed the sugar onto a strange slotted spoon, which had a design of wings cut out of it. This was then placed over a gla.s.s with a fancy silver bottom that curled up like a thorn vine overtaking the clear gla.s.s.
He took out a tiny gla.s.s bottle and popped off the lid, then dripped some strange red liquid onto the sugar. Then picking up the green bottle he poured it over the sugar until the liquid ran over it into the gla.s.s below. He filled the gla.s.s then dripped some more red liquid onto the sugar before making me jump slightly as he set it alight. I didn"t even see how he did this, as there was no lighter in his hand or a match.
After the sugar bubbled and caramelized he dropped it in the gla.s.s making the mixture turn from green to red. He stirred it before pa.s.sing it to me but he looked as though he had added something else into it as the mixture turned its final colour of purple. Or did he just blow into it and it changed colour? My mind couldn"t control what was real and what wasn"t.
"I need you to drink this but careful, it"s hot," he said as he pressed it to my lips.
"What is it?" I asked pausing before the gla.s.s.
"It absinthe and it will help with the pain... Drink." His voice took on a more authoritative tone making me do as he asked. The liquid burned my throat but not because of the temperature. It felt like acid tickling its way down inside me. But within seconds of it hitting my stomach the pain started to change into a numb ache more than the stabbing, ripping feeling I was used to.
"Better?" He said as if feeling it too.
I nodded and automatically my hand went down to grab the implement that was still embedded in my side. He stopped me again just like the last time.
"Oh no you don"t... let"s not get too hasty. I need to stop the bleeding. You"re still losing a lot of blood." His hand let go of my wrist and moved to where the metal was sticking out of my skin.
"How come I can"t feel the pain anymore?" I said and his eyes flickered to me, looking up from my side.
"Because I didn"t like seeing you in pain. But you will feel the side effects soon enough."
"Side effects?" I looked at him with wide eyes and a worried frown.
"Hold very still...ok?" He placed his hand down on my stomach stopping me from moving. The other hand was positioned around the metal ready to extract it.
"Will this hurt?"
"Do you really want to know that?" He said as he yanked it hard away from my body not giving me chance to answer. My question however was answered as my body arched upwards from the agony and I screamed once more. His hand pushed down on my stomach and won the fight with my body"s reaction. I was flat to the couch and panting from pain.
"Good girl...Ssshh... It"s ok now, that"s the worst bit over with," he said as he smoothed my hair back from my wet forehead and then slid his hand down to wipe the tears from my cheeks. It took me a moment to come back from that one so I remained silent trying to catch the breath that his touch had stolen from me. He turned back to the table and grabbed a piece of white material holding it down on the now open wound.
He had examined the weapon for a moment before crushing it into thin shards and it shattered in his hands. I looked on in amazement but still I didn"t speak. The white material had turned red but thankfully the pain hadn"t returned.
"I need you to stand, ok?" His face was soft and full of tenderness. His hand went under my body again and he lifted me with ease until I was upright and in his arms, that felt as strong as iron girders. I stood facing him and my pulse was on fire from being in his arms. His hands were coming up around my neck and it took me a minute to understand why.
"What are you doing?" I said flinching backwards. However he just moved closer and I could hear my heartbeat as though someone had been beating on a drum in the corner of the room. His hands were removing my tie from around my neck.
"I have to get to the wound. Do you have anything on under your shirt?" He asked and I thought I would pa.s.s out and not from the blood loss. He wanted to undress me?
"Umm...yes... why?" I said like a timid little girl.
"Because I need to take this off," he said as he put his hands around my back closing the s.p.a.ce between us completely. My head only came up to the top of his chest and he bent his head down slightly. His hands found the knot of material where my wrap shirt was tied behind my back. I couldn"t look into his eyes even though they were looking at mine. His arms encircled my body and I had never felt so safe. His body being this close did strange things to my senses, making me want to touch him back. The warmth emanating from him was making my skin tingle.
When he had untied my shirt he lingered there for a moment before removing the rest of it, pealing it away from my skin exposing my bare shoulders. His touch was soft and gentle as though any sudden movement would scare me. He threw it to one side as though it should never have been there in the first place. He then moved back picking up a long red velvet scarf and came towards me with it held out as if he was about to put it round my head.
"What are you going to do with that?" I said stepping back.
"Don"t you trust me?" He said c.o.c.king his head to one side as though trying to read my thoughts. When I didn"t reply he stepped towards me placing the velvet around my eyes and knotted it at the back of my head.
"The drink I gave you will start the after effects soon and I don"t want it to frighten you," he said smoothing out the material over my eyes, making sure that I couldn"t see.
"Frighten me?"
"It will make you see things that aren"t there...it acts as an hallucinogenic."
My eyes were no longer a sense I could use and my heart started to beat even faster at the power he had over me stood here feeling even more helpless than before. I heard him moving and then I jumped when his hands touched my waist.
"We both agree that your top is ruined right?" He said as his hands stopped moving.
"I guess," I said not getting the question. Then his hands grabbed a handful of the black cotton and ripped it open just under my bra so my stomach was exposed. Again I jumped at the noise and the air that hit my skin. His hands were back over my stomach and it felt like his head was level with my navel. Maybe he had sat down but because I couldn"t see, I didn"t know anything other than his touch.
Then something strange took place. He placed his palm to my wound and held it very still. I was about move as I didn"t know what was happening but his other hand caught me by the other side. He then gently applied pressure to grip me into place making me stop my fidgeting. I was quickly being pulled closer to his body before he spoke, "Be still little one" His hand released its tension on my side but I was still unable to move. Then it happened. ....
A wave of heat coursed through my blood stream making my body convulse. I shook and then the burning calmed turning to a feeling of euphoria. Every fibre and molecule felt strong, as if another energy had entered my body making me feel reborn. A metallic taste filled my mouth as if I had been struck by lightning and my eyes filled with tears, not from pain, more like an over emotional experience. It was as if my body could contain the feeling without producing evidence on how magical it had been. My muscles tensed as I felt them grow powerful. I felt strong, as though I had been genetically altered.