This was by far the most relaxed I had felt and after a while even the looks that Aurora was trying desperately to receive back from Draven didn"t bother me. Sophia was right, he never took his eyes off me and I swam in a sea of bliss, knowing this. I got to talk to his Council more and was included in all conversations as if I belonged, like I was a part of them now, like one of the family. As the night went on I could tell Draven was getting restless as his flirting only increased and he just didn"t care who saw us and nor was he as embarra.s.sed as I was. I just blushed at his attentions, which seemed to make him want me more. I tried not to tease but it seemed everything I did made him ask if time was up yet.
"Dom behave, the poor girl can"t have a conversation! You will have her all to yourself soon enough....try and show some self-control." Sophia said loud enough that I wanted to bury my head in a molehill! But he just laughed at his sister and leaned over around my back to get to her, pulling one of her curls down making it spring back up.
"Ouch! Dom, don"t be a bully!" She said playfully and it seemed as if I was sat at the naughty table at a wedding.
"Sophia, don"t be a baby and stop moaning...you don"t see Keira complaining." Vincent said back in a cool collected tone and I couldn"t help but smile at the banter. Meanwhile Aurora looked at me as though she wanted to rip off my head and use it as an ashtray as she was smoking one long black cigarette.
Then something happened shattering the nights ease. Takeshi broke his gla.s.s in his hands making everyone stunned into silence. I was the only one that didn"t know what this meant and when I looked his eyes were now glazed over in what looked like muddy water. They flickered, changing from black to clear like a stormy night. Then they cleared, resuming their normal state and he rose from his seat and walked behind Draven.
"Draven, there has been a development you need to see at once!" He said in the low calm voice he always used. Draven looked serious at him as if searching for what it was and when he found it he first looked at Vincent who got up and stood next to Takeshi. Then he looked at Sophia and it was as if she could hear his thoughts.
"Don"t worry she will be safe," she said smiling at me. Draven held my hand and pulled me up walking me away out of earshot.
"What is it?" I asked, concerned at his frowning face.
"You don"t need to worry about it for the moment but I will leave you here for a little while, stay by Sophia"s side...can you do that?" He said and I knew this was a semi command, one I didn"t mind, as I knew it was for my own good.
"Don"t worry I won"t go anywhere."
"Good girl...I won"t be long." And with that he kissed me gently and left me by the bar.
I decided to get something else to drink as the champagne was going to my head and I wanted to have a clear mind for the treat I had been promised later tonight.
"Karmun can I have a gla.s.s of water?" I asked before he left to get some more bottles.
"Yeah, sure honey." He said in his usual sweet tone, which made me miss working with him as we had formed a good friendship over the time I worked up here, but now I had the feeling he looked at me a little differently...being Draven"s girlfriend. That word sounded weird as I couldn"t quite get my head around what we were exactly. Like Draven said, I think we skipped the whole dating thing. Then my heart nearly stopped at the sound of the phone that was ringing, as my last memory came flooding back making me gulp for air.
"Keira it"s for you again...someone called Frank." As soon as I processed the words I could finally breathe normally enough to take the receiver from Karmun.
"Hey Frank, what"s up?" I said wondering what emergency could warrant Frank ringing me.
"Keira, its Olivia...." His voice sounded strange...panic and that"s something I never heard from Frank and also he never called us that, so my heart rate dropped in fear.
"What happened, what about Lib"s?"
"She"s in the hospital, some guy tried to grab her and pull her into a car, I got there just in time to stop him but he drove off...and well..."
"OH MY G.o.d! Is she...the baby?" I asked feeling the tears start to form.
"The doctors can"t tell, but she needs you." He said sounding upset which was weird, as he was normally so strong.
"I"m at the club and I don"t know if Draven will let me come now, see there"s..."
"Keira, there is no time! I have a friend coming there to pick you up, you remember my friend Andy, well he"s a cop and he will bring you straight here...you will be safe with him." He said pleading with me and I knew my sister would be asking, even begging for me to be with her. I had to get there, I just had to!
"Ok, I will try and get away, where does he want to meet me?"
"He will be waiting in the club near the back doors, he should see you." He said and then the phone started to make a crackling sound like bad reception.
"Hurry Ker..." Then the phone went dead and I knew what I had to do...I had to disobey Draven"s one rule....I had to leave Afterlife!
My mind started to create hundreds of scenarios of how this could ever play out. I was torn between telling Draven everything and praying that it would swing my way and he would let me do what I needed to do, which was to run to my sisters side. But deep down I knew the truth...he would never let me leave. So that"s when my time shifted into plan mode. I needed to get away from the one place I felt safe and do what was right. Libby needed me and there was nothing on the planet that would keep me from my sister. Not even a Demon/Angel half breed boyfriend that had an army of supernatural at his beck and call. But how do I give them the slip?
Then it occurred to me...couldn"t I do both? Ok so this was it, finally a plan was formulating and one that just might work. Before I went back to my seat I had asked for what I needed from Karmun and stuffed it down my top out of sight. I had to play it cool or Sophia would see straight through me. I had to concentrate harder than I had ever before to keep her out of my head. This wasn"t going to be easy. h.e.l.l after all, I was trying to deceive a Demon!
"You ok, who was that on the phone?" She asked trying to play it cool herself.
"Oh it was just Frank, my brother-in-law...Libby couldn"t get me on my phone so she rang the club." I said rolling my eyes and shaking my head trying to make out it was nothing.
"Was anything wrong...?" She asked, eyes full of concern for me, which made it all the harder to lie but for Libby I would have to put on the best show on my life!
"Oh, it"s just my Gran back home, she slipped on the ice and broke her foot and I need to ring her to see how she is...my mum is worried." I said watching her face buy my story.
"Aww, that"s a shame, well I hope she is ok...do you want to call from the phone at the..." I cut her off a bit quicker than I should but still kept my voice steady.
"It"s ok I will wait until tomorrow, she"s in the hospital at the moment and my parents will be driving down there...but thank you." I smiled at her, adding rea.s.surance to my unsuspecting lie.
"It"s ok, not a problem." She smiled back but now I had to ask something I wasn"t sure she would fall for.
"Sophia would it be all right if I use the rest room?"
"Yes of course you don"t need to ask." And she motioned for me to go back to Draven"s room, which I had a feeling she would so I played my next card praying for an Ace.
"I know this is going to sound a bit wimpy but could I just pop downstairs to use that one...after the last night...you know my dream, well I have really felt uncomfortable in there."
"I understand that it would affect you. I think it should be fine but don"t be too long ok?" She said not seeing the problem and thankfully Draven had been called away or I would never have been allowed to get away with it!
"I won"t be long." I said as I excused myself from the table. Zagan didn"t like the thought of me leaving but surely he wouldn"t go against Sophia"s say on the matter? When he didn"t say anything I instantly felt better as I headed for the back staircase. I ran down as fast as my legs could take me and I was soon down them and through the doors at the bottom. There was a toilet close by so I quickly ran to them and locked the doors behind me. I pulled out the paper and pen that I had stuffed down my top and quickly wrote the note I"d planned.
Dominic I am sorry that I have left but Frank rang and told me that Libby has been attacked and needs me, as she"s in hospital. I think it must have been Morgan but he escaped before Frank could get to him. Don"t worry, as I will be safe. Frank has sent a friend of his to pick me up. He"s a cop. I have to do this. My sister needs me!
I love you and will be in your arms soon P.S -Please don"t be angry with me.
Keira x.x.x Once I had finished my letter I knew there was only one person that I could trust with it and who would buy me enough time to get out. I had spotted Jack with the others at their usual table as Draven had, through my request, allowed Jack access into the club and well.... now I needed him!
I ran over to him as quick as I could in heels and luckily he spotted me instantly. I had to chuckle a little as his eyes nearly popped out at the sight.
"KEIRA! Where have you been, I have been calling but..."
"Jack, there"s no time, I need your help and this is going to sound crazy but please I need you!" I pleaded speaking a million miles an hour but I needed to do this quick or there was no way I was going to get out of these doors!
"Why what"s wrong? Why are you dressed like...?" He was trying to get more information out of me but there wasn"t any time so I had to cut him off again, pulling him away from the others who were now trying to talk to me.
"Look it"s my sister, she"s had an accident and well, I need to get out of here but I need you to give this letter to Draven after I"ve left...Please don"t look at it" I said with such intensity that he seemed to understand.
"But they won"t let me up there."
"They will if you tell them what it is about...please Jack you"re the only one I can count on." I could just see the Police uniform by the back door and I recognised Andy, Frank"s friend. So I took my chance and stuffed the letter into his hands leaving him still asking me questions as I ran to the back of the club.
"Andy?" I asked knowing that it was, as I had seen him in the house a few times.
"Keira, come with me, Frank told me what happened." He said grabbing my arm and pulled me to the back door that he had entered through. Draven"s men weren"t guarding this door, they were the men Frank trained so when they saw Andy they opened the door without hesitation. As soon as we were outside I wanted to pull my arm out from under his tight grasp but he wouldn"t let up.
"You know I think I"m safe to walk on my own," I said trying to sound calmer than I felt.
"Let"s just get you in the car, my partner is waiting for us." He said in an eerily calm voice.
The car wasn"t far and now Andy was making me run towards it as if we were being chased by something I couldn"t see. He opened the door for me and I slid in the back falling slightly as he pushed a little too hard for my liking.
"Wow, you guys are efficient, Frank and you guys must go way back!" I said trying to make small talk but neither replied. I tried to look through the grating between me and the driver, to see if I recognised him but in the dark it made it difficult. He sped off onto the main road making the loose gravel spray out behind us and I wondered why they were high tailing it out of here as if they were in hot pursuit of a stolen vehicle?
Five minutes had gone by and still not a word from the two in front and my palms were starting to sweat. I was starting to regret not demanding that Draven take me to the hospital himself, at least I would have felt safer. I quietly reached for the door handle just to check that I hadn"t been locked in but considering this was a police car my chances weren"t good.
"Umm, how long is it till we get to the hospital?" I asked, as I didn"t recognise the road we were on and it looked as if we were heading away from town instead of towards it. But still I received no answer and my sweaty palms were now itching into full panic. So after another five minutes I asked again.
"Look guys. I know you live around here but I"m pretty sure we"re heading out of town," I said but when they still didn"t answer I banged my fist hard on the metal, making the caged s.p.a.ce rattle.
"That won"t help Catherine." A calm voice spoke and my panic tripled making my head ache with pain.
"How do you know my name?" I asked as the tears welled up instantly. This time however the driver spoke and I leaned in placing my fingers in the square holes of the car"s cage, trying to see the face better.
"Be good Catherine and don"t make this difficult...not like last time!" As soon as his lips formed the words, a car came the other way and his high beamed headlights confirming my worst nightmare, lighting up the face of my own personal monster...
Illuminating the face of Hugo Morgan.
Chapter 47- Fooled Again.
"LET ME OUT!" I screamed as I banged my fist on the windows and the cage, until they were red raw.
"Calm down," Morgan said in an unemotional voice. But I couldn"t stop. My body wouldn"t let me. My heart was pumping pure adrenaline around my veins making me morph into the most violent person I had ever been.
"YOU CAN"T DO THIS!" I banged on the gla.s.s of the side window and I thought it might give at one point so I tried a new technique and used my foot. I could see it would nearly go if I just kept at it, but this made them pull over so I knew I didn"t have long. I was shaking with a lethal combination of both fear and anger. It made me want to scratch their eyes out at the thought of being in the hands of that mad man again. I had been so G.o.dd.a.m.n foolish! Draven knew the dangers. He had warned me about this and I was just too pig headed, thinking I was in the right...and now I was going to pay dearly for it.
They stopped the car and I screamed and screamed as they both opened their doors. They were coming round to my side and I didn"t know which way to attack, because they were both going to take care of me. I turned to Morgan"s side as he open the door first and lunged inside for me but I kicked out hitting him with the point of my heel.
"Aarrr...Catherine. Don"t struggle or this won"t be pleasant!" He warned and even the sound of his voice made me want to do more damage. So with that in mind I kicked out again. Only this time he counter-acted my move by grabbing my leg and pulling me towards him. My skirt slid up and he looked down at me with hungry eyes, which made him loosen his grip. So I used this as my opportunity to lift up my knee hitting him hard right on the mark, making him howl in pain. I tried to struggle up past him but in his rage he punched me across the face knocking me down with a hefty blow. I was too stunned and dazed, which gave him back the advantage. I could taste the blood in my mouth but the pain didn"t register from all of the adrenaline in my system.
"We don"t have time for this!" Andy said now speaking in a different voice than before. It didn"t sound like Andy but more like the one I had heard in my dreams. At this my heart nearly stopped, giving way to a whole new fear.
"Some help here!" Morgan snapped back at him as I squirmed around like a fish on a hook. He then opened the other door and reached in grabbing my wrists pulling my arms above my head and holding them there in an unbreakable grasp. Then Morgan put a knee either side of me, straddling me sitting on my crotch. I wanted to be sick at the feeling, as his eyes explored my body with obvious l.u.s.t. He held up a syringe that flashed silver in the small car light. He was extracting liquid from a small medical bottle and I knew what was coming, so I tried one last effort as my body was failing from fear. I pulled my arms and wiggled my body trying to worm my way out of his hold but Morgan had finished now not needing his hands. He pushed me down and my arms got pulled out farther making me scream in pain as it felt like they would soon be ripped from their sockets!
"Be good!" He warned flashing me an evil grin. One hand was on my stomach and it worked its way up my body, pressing down making the bones in my corset dig in. He was enjoying every minute of this, not being able to keep the sick smile off his face. He held his hand on my neck and turned my head to one side ready to stick the needle in.
"Draven will kill you for this!" I said making his grin turn sour before he jabbed the needle in deep making me scream.
"Draven will come for me...he will...he..." I said through the cloud that consumed me.
"Oh we"re counting on it my dear!" Andy said, only when I looked it wasn"t Andy anymore.
It was Sammael...
I woke in a mist that clouded my vision. I felt wrong, as though my body wasn"t positioned right and it took me a while to come to and fully realise why. My hands were tied and pulled above my head but I was upright, unlike I had been in the car. The memories came back to me making my senses clearer. I was stuck to something and I wiggled about trying to move but it was no use, my hands were tied round something making my body hang down like a piece of butcher"s meat. I looked up and there was a huge hook that hung down from a chain that was wrapped around a wooden beam. My feet just barely touched the floor making me unable to get free.
"You"re not going anywhere...not this time!" Morgan"s voice came from the corner of the room and I jumped at the sound but it was drowned out by the sound of my chains rattling as I was going crazy trying to get free. I twisted and turned, trying to pull myself up but just not having the strength so I had to give up. Morgan came at me out of the shadows and his hand was held over my mouth, as I must have been screaming with all my struggling.
"SSSHHH...Calm down or I will have to sedate you again....Now are you going to be good?" He asked, as I could taste the skin from his hand on my lips, which made me want to gag. I nodded, to indicate a yes, as I just wanted him to stop touching me!
"Ok, no more screaming and I won"t hurt you again." He said in that creepy voice I had had so many nightmares about. But when he moved his hand from my mouth it didn"t leave me entirely as it moved down my neck, resting there as he looked into my eyes smiling.
"I have missed you Catherine, oh how I have thought about you." He said as his hand slid further down past my chest and down to my side. His other hand went to the opposite side and he pulled my body into his as it swung easily on the chain making it impossible for me to move away. His face was inches from mine and I held my breath and closed my eyes wishing how much I hoped Draven would find me.
"I wouldn"t do that if I were you!" I whispered before his lips infected me.
"And why is that my girl?" He said smiling as he lingered over my lips so that I could smell the sour liquor on his breath.
"Because I am NOT your girl and the one I do belong to, is not going to be happy with you touching me!" I said trying to sound as serious as that threat was.
"Oh and what will he do...take my soul!" He nearly spat out his words, and I could almost taste the cheap whiskey.
"No doubt he will simply kill you." I said calmly as I knew this was true, knowing Draven if he saw this he wouldn"t bat an eyelid at destroying him. But Morgan was back in control as he pulled a large blade from his back and held it up to my neck. I let out a moan at the sight.
"Ssshh, don"t move or we might have another accident like last time and well... this one we won"t be coming back from. How did that feel anyway? I was always curious...it must have been excruciating?" He said pulling away the sharp metal from my skin and pointing to my arms with it.
"It was worth it!" I said feeling my blood boil under my skin and wishing I were a demon for the first time in my life!
"Tut, tut, don"t say that Catherine, that"s not nice and you will pay for it." He said as his free hand touched my leg and moved up my thigh making my skin crawl!
"GET OFF ME!" I screamed as I thrashed around but the blade came back up to my neck, stopping me instantly.
"Behave!" He shouted back at me as his hand was trying to find what it wanted and the tears started to fall down my cheeks, some landing on the cold blade beneath my chin.
"Don"t... please!" I pleaded and his face softened slightly but not enough to crush his fantasy and I cried out as he found his mark.
"MORGAN! Leave her!" A stern voice growled at him and he reluctantly removed his hand but he winked at me before walking back to his corner. I could feel the acid in my mouth from the effect he had on me.
Sammael was back to looking like Andy but he was no longer wearing the uniform and neither was Morgan. I looked around as there were a few candles lit, casting shadows about the room, making my fear double, as I didn"t know what was real or what was in my head anymore.
"She is strong, incredibly so for a Human." Sammael said in a low terrifying voice that made me sob softly. He was making the shadows move around me like sea serpents and I could feel them biting my skin but it wasn"t real! I was screaming with pain but I was trying to concentrate knowing this was my only chance against him. COME ON KEIRA THINK!!!! I shouted to myself in my head. I needed to be strong...hold it... hold it now! I found where he was and pushed as I had done when Draven tried to enter my mind. The shadows evaporated into dust and the pain slowly disappeared. I could finally breathe and my body flopped down feeling exhausted with the effort it took.
Sammael clapped his hands, as this was all very entertaining to him.
"Very good my dear...I am impressed, a rare thing indeed. No wonder Draven has claimed you for himself. You are a nice quirky addition to his following." He said making it sound as if I was property. I still couldn"t speak as I was panting after the breath had been wiped out of me.