The Pentagram Child: Part 1 (Afterlife Saga Book 5) (16 page)

It was rare to see Draven wearing anything that allowed you a glimpse into his personality other than his power suits that screamed an authoritative, ‘don’t mess with me, or I will crush you’. So it brought a small smile to my lips just seeing that rough pencil drawing of a car I couldn’t place, sitting there across his chest. Oh, and the muscles I saw outlined under the material certainly helped that smile form!

What had he been doing all this time, bench pressing trees and running up mountains with log cabins on his back?! I mean the guy had what looked like a friggin eight pack beneath that shirt and I am pretty sure I only counted six the last time I saw it. And I didn’t even want to get started on those arms, not if I wanted to be able to form words that weren’t just a series of grunts and bumbling murmurs.

“Keira, you’re bac…”

“I’m sorry!” I blurted out before he could finish. He closed both his eyes for a few seconds longer than a blink and shook his head slightly, as if clearing his mind of an action he wanted to follow through on. He then flashed his brother a look, communicating something between them that only family blood would pick up on.

“Well, as always it’s been eventful, Beautiful but best I leave you two to it…
remember what I said, Keira.”
He whispered this last part by my ear as he gave me a half hug goodbye. I nodded and whispered a,

“Thank you”
back before letting him go. He winked down at me in more affection than just being cheeky and I gave him a little shy smile before he turned back to his brother. As he walked past Draven he grabbed his arm and held him immobile for a second. And what he said next both shocked me and filled me with such peace it made my heart soar for a few blissful beats.

“Thank you for bringing her back to me, Brother.” Vincent lowered his head in a sign of deep respect and then clasped Draven on his shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

“As I always will do, Brother.” And then he left us alone, making me jump when the heavy door slammed behind him. I giggled nervously, trying to ease the tension at how frazzled my nerves were.

“Uhh…so what now?” I asked after a minute of awkward silence that was most likely only fifteen seconds.

“Now…? Well, I think now we could both do with a drink, don’t you?” He said and I smiled, feeling the last of my tension leave me, being replaced with relief. He held out his hand to me and said,

“Shall we?” And like my body was made of metal, I went to the magnet that was Draven, instantly feeling the tingles wrack my body at his touch. If he noticed me shudder then he didn’t say anything and I was more than thankful for it.

We walked back through his fortress and when we turned a way I hadn’t been before I frowned looking back behind us.

“I hope you don’t mind but Sophia kind of had something planned for you.” He asked me softly whilst pulling me along with him. Didn’t he realise that when he spoke to me like that it felt like his fingertips were running tantalisingly along my spine and I would have done anything he asked?

“Okay,” I said feeling the heat in my cheeks at how breathy it sounded. He simply grinned down at me and then looked ahead, allowing me a chance to mouth the words ‘Oh my God’ to the floor. I had to wonder if there would ever be a time when Draven and I weren’t playing cat and mouse on a rollercoaster that was our lives. One minute we were screaming at each other and the next…well, the next was far more dangerous. The next was us holding hands and speaking in beautifully soft words combined with gentle forbidden touches. Like what his thumb was doing right now, rubbing delicious little slow circles over my index finger that was the equivalent of putting me under a spell. It was beautifully torturous.

I had a single moment of guilt thinking about Alex and wondering if this could be considered as cheating. I really hoped not as I thought if me and Draven really could get beyond our turbulent past then I doubted we could ever have the kind of friendship that didn’t include touching. It just didn’t seem possible to me and with the way Draven was acting it didn’t seem like it was possible for him either.

We soon came to a winding staircase that was quite narrow and he held the door open for me.

“After you my…” He started to say his pet name for me and then had to clear his throat after stopping himself. I felt bad for him so said,

“I would say age before beauty but you’re like a beautiful old man, so where does that leave me?” The smile he gave me was just as I had described him…beautiful.

“That leaves the beautiful girl before me going first so this old man can catch her if she falls.” And there it was, a perfect answer formed by a pair of perfect lips smirking down at me.

“Oh boy, you are goooood.” I said stretching out the end when taking the first steep steps up. Draven waited for it to bring us to the same height and then leaned in so his lips were at my ear.

“I certainly never remember any complaints.” He purred and I stupidly inhaled a good amount of his intoxicating scent, amplifying his sexual words tenfold. It nearly rendered me incapable of using my legs but when his hands gripped my sides in a possessive hold, they nearly gave out altogether.

“Let’s get that drink should we?” He whispered and gave me a little push to get me moving again, not taking his hands from my waist. I quickly found myself torn between running up the steps to get away from his deviously tempting touch and falling backwards just so he could catch me. In the end I just walked to the top feeling the sexual tension tick up a notch with every step we took. I turned round at one point, not being able to resist any longer and found him staring at my behind as though my cheeks were jiggling in time to some cheesy disco beat that had him hypnotised.

I cleared my throat and he knew he had been caught, making him for once be the one to bite his lip. And if that sinful bad boy grin was anything to go by then it was in no doubt to help hold in his laughter.

When we finally got to the top, he artfully slid passed me, making sure that there wasn’t an inch between our bodies. I had to look away as the feeling was nearly overwhelming. His hand on my side became an arm around my back, whilst his other hand reached for the door. The move caused my breasts to press up against his hard stomach muscles, having nowhere else to go and if I turned my head to face him, I would have ended up brushing my nose against his defined pecs.

There was no way in Hell he wasn’t doing this on purpose and I let out a frustrated growl letting him know I was on to him and whatever precarious game he was playing.

“Just being a gentleman,” he said full of humour and letting the door swing open. I huffed and walked out of his hold, which was something I wanted to do about as much as piercing my tongue with a rusty nail!

“Smooth,” I hummed with a smile and patted his chest trying to give the appearance of confidence to mask my pounding heart as I went past.

“I do try,” he replied close to my back and I was glad he didn’t see me biting my lip for…oh I don’t know, the gazillionth time tonight! I felt his hand at the small of my back putting a nice amount of pressure there as he led me forward which was clearly not needed, as what Sophia had planned was there right in front of us.

“It’s stunning,” I said taking in the gorgeous rooftop garden that was illuminated by what looked like thousands of tiny fairy lights. They were wrapped around everything, from tall sculpted ferns and wrought iron furniture legs to arched wooden pillars that also made the frame for the deep crimson canopy that was stretched above its massive hexagon shape.

“I am glad you like it and it’s about time you two stopped arguing and joined us.” Sophia said from inside the Arabian night scene, looking like a royal Goddess being worshiped by a silent Zagan. They both lay lounged out on a sofa that put them floor level and their backs were leaning against massive stuffed tube shape cushions that were covered in shiny satin material, with different shades of rich red stripes. Small carved tables were also dotted about and large square scatter pillows were strategically placed around the fire pit in the centre. There was also an elaborate carved stone chimney above it that gave the canopy a classic Moroccan tent shape at its centre.

The summer air was alive with the scent of exotic flowers that I had no doubt were only able to grow in this part of the world thanks to a little supernatural mojo sent their way. I could only sympathise as I knew exactly what the Dravens favour of mojo could do to a soul.

“Helpful as always, Sophia.” Draven said leading me through the twinkling arch and into the sensual space that screamed ‘not a good idea!’

“I do try,” she said mimicking what Draven had said to me and smiling that cat like grin over her glass. This made Zagan smirk at her like she was both his entire world and a woman he wanted to bend over his knee and spank. Ok, no more thoughts like that in this place or more importantly being in the same building as Draven…or maybe even the same state… Yep, that might be safer!

“Ah now, I definitely want to know what that blush is all about?!” Sophia said excitedly clapping her hands. I rolled my eyes trying to play it cool but of course it didn’t help when I heard Draven murmur,

“You and I both.”

“So I guess Zagan is the only one that’s going to behave, is that it?” I asked raising my eyebrow at first Draven and then down at his sister.

“Not if I can help it.” Sophia said turning to Zagan and he winked at her after she flicked his hood up revealing a little more of his pale but handsome face. I couldn’t help smile at the sight of them both but this was short lived as I let out a yelp in shock as Draven fell backwards, taking me with him.

He landed on what looked like a matching couch on the floor, opposite to where Sophia and Zagan sat. He landed first and then I followed, only unlike him I didn’t land on the soft bed sized cushion. Oh no, I landed right on top of Draven with my butt to his groin, making him groan in what I hoped wasn’t in pleasure…well, only half hoped anyway.

I scrambled off him all red faced and embarrassed when trying to find a place to put my hands. He finally took pity on me by lifting me off him and shifted me to his side. I didn’t fail to notice how his hands lingered longer than needed either.

“I guess there’s my answer,” I commented, referring back to him misbehaving and this made Draven’s head fall back as he burst into roaring laughter. I’m not gonna lie but I was momentarily transfixed by the glorious sight.

The way the soft light reflected off his midnight dark hair making me long to run my fingers through it just once more to see if it was as silky to touch as I remembered. The way I could have reached out if I was just brave enough and run my fingertips over the cords in his neck and then down to his bunched strong shoulders. Was his skin still as smooth and were his muscles still as hard as they looked?

Sophia cleared her throat and I snapped my gaze from Draven and saw her give me a hidden smile, as if she knew exactly what I had just been thinking about. Draven had finally composed himself with a grin and sat up a little straighter before he clapped his hands. A servant came from behind a wall of green foliage with pretty orange flowers blooming like stars in clusters.

“A bottle of the White Gold Jeroboam, oh and lo si può entrare ora” ( ‘You may let him in now’ in Italian) Draven said leaving me wondering yet again what he said. Sometimes I don’t think he even realised he started speaking in a different language.

When we were together I would often wake up to him whispering words I didn’t understand over my skin or speaking to me while making love and having to ask him afterwards what he meant. Of course it used to frustrate the bejesus out of me when he would just smile and make a motion of sealing his lips at me like it was his little secret.

“He’s here?” Sophia asked which certainly got my attention. Draven nodded not giving anything away so I grabbed his arm and asked without restraint,

“Who’s here?” To which I received my answer from the deep gruff voice behind me that I would have known anywhere.

“Oh my God!” I shouted excitedly and bounced in my seat turning round to see if my mind was playing tricks on me. But no, thankfully it wasn’t.

As there behind me was my past and he was certainly a beautiful sight to behold…

“My friend.”

Chapter 10

Little Apple or Little Bear?

“Lille øjesten.” That deep rumbling voice said and my heart leapt at the sound.

“Ragnar!” I shouted as my only warning to the man who I was now throwing my body at. He let out an umph sound at the impact but his colossal arms encircled me all the same.

“Hello, little one.” He said looking down at me trying to fit my arms all the way around his waist with no such luck. I felt my throat start to thicken with the emotion that built from seeing my old protector once again. It had been so long and I understood why. As Draven’s head of the guards Ragnar rarely went anywhere without his King. So because of this I knew why I hadn’t seen him since that painfully fated day when I left Italy and its agony behind me.

“You’re a sight for sore eyes, big guy.” I said laughing and trying to wipe my damp eyes without being caught. Of course as I turned my head to the side to use my sleeve I couldn’t help but notice Draven’s eyes on me, watching my every move with great interest. He gave me a small smile at my reaction to seeing my old bodyguard once again. I gave him a shy smile before mouthing the words ‘Thank you’ at him, to which he nodded his head and mouthed back ‘You’re most welcome’. Of course I blushed but thankfully had the perfect reason to turn my attention away from him.

“I must say little human that I am surprised you have managed to keep yourself out of trouble all these months.” Ragnar said, teasing me which was like old times once again.