The Pentagram Child: Part 1 (Afterlife Saga Book 5) (37 page)

He had on a pair of navy blue cut off combat style trousers with a metal belt buckle that had a car etched on the front. This was combined with a light grey, long sleeved T shirt that had some old faded white car logo on the front that looked cracked with age. I had to smile wondering if it was one of his favourites which had been worn that much or if it was all part of the design. Either way he looked hot and had hit a whole new level of summer cool…one I didn’t even know was on the scale!

He even had a pair of Aviator sunglasses hanging from the neck and a pair of brown leather flip-flops.

“Sooo…?” I said with a mouthful of buttery genius.

“I’m spending the day with you.” On hearing this I chewed a little faster so I could swallow quicker before saying,

“Excuse me?”

“We are spending the day together.” Again I shook my head.

“Er…doing what exactly?”

“The whole tourist thing,” he said taking another bite, which I knew was his way of steamrolling me into something but acting all casual at the same time, he was sneaky that way.

“Hence the outfit…” I said waving my hand up and down indicating his amazing body that was unfortunately covered…uh, I mean, his clothes!

“Hence me wearing clothes, yes.” I frowned when he laughed at me.

“So breakfast was a bribe?” I asked taking the last mouthful before my next course.             

“I have my tricks.”

“Oh don’t I know it after last night.” I commented drily.

“When needs must.”

“You know I have no idea once again what you’re talking about, so I have decided to just pretend you’re not speaking.” I said feeling cocky with the awesomeness of my come back.

“You can pretend all you want darling it just means I will have to up my game.”

“Ha! So this is a game?!” I demanded trying to hold in any reaction that gave away how much I hated the idea.

“Not in the sense you think, no.” This made me frown.

“You know if there was a prize for the most confusing man ever then you would be wearing the ribbon right now, you know that?!” I knew he could detect the frustration in my voice but he chose to ignore it and gave me a warm look that just made me throw my hands up at the same time making a ‘Grrr’ sound.

“Bloody supernatural men!” I said then snatched my chocolate goodness off the table and stormed back to the bathroom.

“Where are you going?” Draven asked laughing at my dramatic behaviour.

“To eat, get changed and sulk and not necessarily in that order, caveman!” I shouted before slamming the door to the magical sound of his laughter.

“So what do you want to see first?” Draven asked as we walked through the hotel lobby with his hand at the small of my back.

“How about the Cathedral?” I asked turning to look up at him. I caught his eyes alight with mirth and just before he slipped his sunglasses on he said,

“Good choice, sweetheart,” and then he took my hand in his and led me out of the door. I would have been lying if I said I wasn’t excited but I also couldn’t help the guilt I felt. I had spoken to Alex this morning on the phone in my room after getting ready. I was just thankful that I had reached the phone before Draven but that didn’t mean I didn’t have to hold my hand over his mouth at one point to stop him from asking who it was.

Alex had said he was sorry about the way he left abruptly but he said it was because dressed like that I had been too tempting for him to stay. I wasn’t sure I fully believed his reasons but there was nothing for me to do but accept what he was telling me. So after telling me he had to work all day and for me to have a good time sightseeing I hung up. It was only when Draven bit me playfully on the finger did I realise I still had my hand over his mouth. Then after a simple but tummy fluttering moment of him saying,

“Let’s go, Beautiful,” we were off out of the door to start our day.

Which brought us to now and walking through the expensive and exquisite shopping mall with its domes of glass and shops like Prada.

“This place is amazing.” Draven looked down at me and smiled before informing me,

“It is called Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and it is one of the world’s oldest shopping malls.” I couldn’t help the little hum of pleasure that seemed to ripple through me at hearing Draven speaking Italian.

“It looks old.” I said and I quickly looked to the side to roll my eyes at how dense I just sounded.

“It is. The Galleria is named after Vittorio Emanuele II, the first king of what was known as the Kingdom of Italy.” He said speaking quietly down at me.

“Really… So when was it built?” I asked feeding my history addiction.

“I believe it was designed some time in 1861 but was only built between 1865 and 1877. I am also trying to recall the human’s name.” At this I giggled and I could tell even through his glasses that he just raised one eyebrow at me.

“Something funny?”

“Only that there is something in history that you have forgotten,” I said feeling smug at being able to tease him.

“Umm we will see…I think this old dog is just distracted.” At this I tried to think of a good comeback but when he lifted his shades to give me a heated look, all thoughts fled me. In fact it made me feel naked instead of the denim shorts, summery mellow yellow t-shirt and the thin material, white zip up hooded top, that I only wore to cover my scars. 

“In fact I don’t know what is more distracting, you teasing me or your blushing skin.” Well in response to that statement I know which distraction he received.

“Ah Giuseppe Mengoni! I knew I would remember.” Draven said startling me as we neared the massive archway onto the Paizza del Duomo.

“Congratulations, you have officially hit elephant status on the memory front.” I remarked but once again spoilt it by giggling at my own joke. I was still laughing when I noticed he had stopped walking alongside me and I turned to see that bad boy grin come out to play, telling me I was in trouble.

“Elephant status?” He asked.

“Uh…” Was the only intelligent thing my brain came up with as I watched him stalk towards me.

“Draven behave,”
I warned on a whisper and I looked round at all the people, hoping we weren’t causing a scene. But in the end I had no hope so decided ‘oh to Hell with it!’ I turned around and ran out of the massive archway laughing like a maniac until I felt arms grab me from behind.

“Gotya!” He said with his lips to the top of my head and I was left panting in his hold, which wasn’t only down to exertion. It was the feeling I got whenever I was in Draven’s arms that was hard to describe. Of course being hugged by Alex was also nice but there was just something else about being in these particular arms that felt…
more.
The word ‘more’ was the only word I could use. It was more strength, more warmth, more affection and most of all I was always left wanting more.

“Look up.” Draven murmured into the back of my hair as I was still looking down at my feet being shy. I did as I was told and for a second the sun blinded me but then Draven’s hand came up and shielded it for me to see.

“Oh my!” I said in total awe. The shopping mall opened up right onto the square and facing me now was the utter breathtaking view of the Duomo, Cathedral of Milan.

“You like it?” Draven asked me softly and the shiver that wriggled up my spine wasn’t only due to the imposing beauty before me but the way his hand brushed some of my hair back from my neck.

“It’s incredible,” I said and it truly was. In fact I doubted there were any words known to man that would have been able to do it justice. But what was the most profound truth about this imposing sight was that it just proved that some beauty in the world was man made and that in itself was a beautiful thing to know. To see something that human hands had crafted in sight and faith of their God was a feeling that warmed my heart in a way I couldn’t explain. But the one thought that kept repeating was what escaped my lips,

“I think that anytime the Gods looked down at this they would simply smile.” I felt myself being turned and I looked up to find Draven smiling himself down at me.

“I think you’re right…Shall we go inside?” Draven then asked and I nodded enthusiastically making him smile once again.

As we walked up to the pure white marble Cathedral I was trying to take in just how many spires and columns made up the Gothic building. But it wasn’t just the multitude of these mighty structures surrounding the building like protective soldiers standing guard. It was the large arched windows, the flying buttresses and the extravagant sculptural decoration that almost consumed every square foot of the place that had your mouth hanging open in awe. It was also the overabundance of statues and as Draven informed me as we got closer that it had not only 135 spires but each and every one all supported a figure of the saints.

I had to smile as he reeled off all the structural facts which made me turn to him and say,

“You seem to know a lot about this place.”

“I called Milan home for a time.” I stopped walking as I thought about this. It was such a strange thought for me to contemplate and I wasn’t really sure why. Thinking about it there must have been so many places that Draven had called home in his many lifetimes I don’t know why I was so surprised. If anything it just made the probability of us meeting in the first place seem like fate. Which I guess all things considered it was the Fates that had thrown us in each other’s paths. But this in itself just made what happened even more confusing. Why would they have bothered if we were only ever meant to be friends?

Was it that one day there was something more in store for us or just that we had had our time, no matter how brief but no less precious. Was that all that was in our fates? Whatever the answer was it was a depressing thought.

“Keira?” Draven calling my name shook me out of my thoughts and I managed a fake smile.

“Sorry, it’s nothing.”

“I very much doubt that.” He said holding his hand out to me to take, which of course I didn’t think twice about doing.

“So how long ago did you live here?” I asked ignoring his questioning looks.

“Um, let me think…see those doors there, well they were still wood when I was here but they were damaged in the 1943 bombing of Milan, then they were replaced with ones made of bronze.”

“Oh God, but the thought of any of it being damaged is a horrible one.” I said looking at the dark greenish doors that were highly decorated and looked as if they had always been there.

“Well now, that’s the great thing about humans...”

“And that is?” I asked when he didn’t carry on and I knew when I looked at him that is what he had been waiting for, he wanted my eyes.

“Their strength in fighting for what they believe in…
for in what they love.”
Upon hearing these words I had to swallow the lump it caused but it just wasn’t the words that affected me, no, it was the complete sincerity in which they were spoken.

“And um… when exactly did you realise this?” I asked my voice thick and uneven.

“I believe since I first met a certain human girl that touched my heart deeply enough it changed the way it beat within my chest…”

“Oh God,”
I whispered feeling the tears clog my throat before they reached my eyes. Then he made it beautifully worse with his next statement.

“However, I didn’t really understand the full extent and power of those words until ten months ago.” I bit my lip and raised myself up on my tiptoes. I then pulled off his glasses and cupped his face with one hand before thanking him with a kiss on his cheek. I felt his arm come around me and for a moment it felt like he was locking me in place.

“Keira I need…” I never got to hear what he was going to say because a flash of light cut into our moment with cruel reality. It was one of those guys who obviously took pictures of tourists in the hope of selling his photos and lived his life through a camera lens. In that moment I envied him as I couldn’t help but wonder what he saw when taking that picture. A happy couple caught in a loving embrace on holiday together? Well that was certainly a prettier picture painted than the one that reflected the pains in our life together.

“Excuse me.” Draven said and walked over to the man. At first I thought Draven’s temper at being interrupted would come out but I was pleasantly surprised when I saw him paying the man. Then he waited for the picture to be printed from the portable printer the guy carried with him.

“Souvenir?” I asked as he walked back over to me, obviously being admired if the backward glances from the female population was anything to go by.

“One to add to my collection.” Was his cryptic answer.

“Collection?”

“Let go inside” He said ignoring my question and instead taking my hand again.

“I can’t believe this place.” I said after being far too absorbed in its glory and splendour for the first ten minutes. Walking inside was like being transported into a different time and one where we as a race still took the time and expense to create places like this for the world to witness a nation’s triumph. The years, the manpower and the endless hours of craftsmanship that went into building this place were incomprehensible.

“It is quite magnificent isn’t it?” Draven said by my side as we walked first along the left side.

“Just look at the stained glass windows and the way the sun is casting rainbows of colour on everything.” I said feeling giddy in a way only an artist gets when finding something they want to paint.

“Oh wow, Draven look at this one!” I said grabbing his hand and pulling him over to one of the side windows that was definitely different from all the rest. I heard him chuckle at my obvious enthusiasm.

“Well this is definitely more your scene.” I said laughing and looking up at the most vivid scene of Heaven battling Hell. It was cut into two sections and at the bottom Demonic figures were raising their tridents and spears to the onslaught above. At the centre was a creature with what looked like at least five serpent heads and a horned Demon that was being held back by emerald green chains wrapped around his limbs. Then my eyes took in what everyone would depict as the ‘good guys’, as Heavenly figures rain down their gold tipped arrows to the monsters below. There was even a white horse draped in an emerald robe with its rider the saintly warrior ready to strike.