The Pentagram Child: Part 1 (Afterlife Saga Book 5) (7 page)

The main difference this time was that ‘he who shall not be named’ had kept to his word. I spoke to Sophia and Pip almost every day, but I always refused any information they had offered about their King. I’d even met up with them both a few times since, along with seeing Lucius when he was near Portland, which granted was only once and that was because I quote ‘Squeak nagged me’.

I had even seen Vincent on occasion and once we even went for a ride on his bike to nowhere in particular, just somewhere and anywhere we could be alone. There was never anything in it, but spending time with someone I loved like a brother and always would, meant the world to me. He had tried to tell me about his brother a few times but after I made it more than a little clear (I was loud), he gave up.

I had even received a postcard from Sigurd, which was funny as it had on it a man’s naked behind with a tattoo on one cheek that was stamped ‘Pain in the ass women belong here’. I had tears in my eyes that day and laughed until it hurt. But I had to say the biggest shocker of all was when one day Jared showed up at my door. Frank nearly had a heart attack at seeing a biker on his doorstep asking for me.

He told me he was just passing through and wanted to know if I fancied getting a drink with him. It took me three days to convince Frank and Libby that I wasn’t going off the deep end and becoming a biker chick or a Hell’s Angel’s old lady! (Which had me once again in stitches laughing when Libby had said that’s what they call them).

I think that was why they seemed so relieved when I finally introduced them to Alex. Libby had to fan herself in the kitchen when she heard his French accent. I just laughed and shook my head knowing my family was nuts, but I loved them.

Alex was originally born in America, but he was brought up mostly in Bordeaux, in the South of France, to then study in Paris. Both his parents were dead, but that was about as much as I had been able to get from him, as it was clearly a touchy subject, which was fair enough considering I had quite a few of those myself.

He travelled quite a bit, which was also alright with me as I wasn’t ready to jump into a demanding relationship just yet. But the strangest thing about our relationship, which had been just over six months, was that we had not once had sex. We had done some stuff together but the actual act was not on the cards yet and I found myself conflicted, wondering if I ever would be able to. I was happy this wasn’t just down to me as he was deeply religious and didn’t believe in sex before marriage.

I couldn’t believe my luck. I had found the one guy out there who was old-fashioned enough to think this way and I couldn’t have been happier for it. After that last night with Mr No Name, I couldn’t seem to be able to get past it enough to even try, but thankfully with Alex I didn’t even have to.

Which brought me back to now and why I had been in the loo for the last ten minutes having a series of mini panic attacks. Sophia had convinced me to come to Afterlife tonight as she and Vincent were coming back for a few weeks. My first question had been answered even before I asked it.

“Don’t worry Keira, Dominic won’t be there.” The relief was obvious in the whoosh of air that came from my side of the phone. Sophia just laughed at me and then talked my ear off for an hour and half until I caved in. So now, for the first time in over a year, I was back and weeing my not so big girl knickers!

“Yo Bitch, your yummy French pie told me to come in here and get you…oh and he told me to say ‘Surprise’!” RJ said coming to jump up on the sinks to face me.

“He’s here?! He said he couldn’t come.” I said letting a new panic set in. I had told him my plans and silently thanked my lucky stars when he said he would still be in Portland, where the main office for the company he worked for was located.

I had told Vincent and Sophia about Alex and even though they didn’t pass judgement, you could see they weren’t about to do cartwheels over the fact any time soon. But I guess who could really blame them? I had dated their brother and was supposedly destined for him by the very Gods, who had buggered things up for us in the first place!

“I think that’s where the whole ‘Surprise’ thing came in.” RJ said smirking.

“Oh God!” I said running the tap again to wash my hands which I had done about six times now. I mean, Afterlife offered nice soap in the ladies, but it wasn’t that nice!

“Oh come on, it isn’t that bad… and besides, you were the one who said Draverlicous wouldn’t be here…right?”

“I wish you would stop calling him that.” I grumbled, bracing my ‘very’ clean hands on the sink and focusing on the ring of bubbles I had created by the plug hole.

“Hey Kaz, you know he is fair game now, not that that would ever help any of us commoners or the fact that the guy has done a Houdini, as he never comes here anymore, is despite the fact.”

“Yeah well, you’re all welcome to him!” I commented bitterly, something I obviously didn’t mean but it was just easier acting this way. No one seemed to ask questions when I played the bitchy sour Ex…and I was getting oh so good at it!

“So, you coming or what, ‘cause I got to say, you hide out any longer in here and Cassie bitch features is gonna get her claws in your man, and this year’s fashion choice is seedy strip joint.” I laughed at the thought of Alex dealing with that. Hell, one conversation with my boyfriend and this summer’s fashion would soon be Sunday school or slutty nun but if I was to bet on just one I would go with the first for sure!

“Fine, let’s get this over with.” RJ slapped me on the shoulder and said,

“Now that’s the spirit…wow when did my optimistic friend get to be so much fun?” RJ asked sarcastically, causing me to check my fingernails only by keeping the middle finger extended her way. She just laughed and grabbed my hand to pull me from my hiding place.

“Come on blondie, time for the VIP treatment once again.” At this I groaned making her laugh, when really all I wanted to do was run screaming from the doors, in a comical, girly dramatic fashion like you see in the movies. After all, I remembered all too well what happened the first time I got suckered up into Afterlife’s VIP. I had not come out of it the same person that was for sure, which just begged the question… what would happen to me this time?

“There you are, Catherine.” Oh yeah, and ever since Alex got introduced to me via a snooty hostess as Catherine, that’s what he continued to call me. Or sometimes even Cathy for short. It didn’t bother me. No, if anything it felt nice being called something different that didn’t just end up reminding me of a certain someone whenever we were kissing or just spending time together.

I think the biggest appeal to Alex was that nothing he ever did reminded me of him. There was not one ounce that could even tie the two men together and other than first meeting him on my way back home last year, there was nothing that tied him to my painful memories. Of course, it helped he was hot, handsome and as smart as they came.

He wasn’t especially tall but with me being only 5’ 3”, he was still going to be taller than me at 5’ 10”. He had a slim build, which was refreshing, given the bulk I was used to being around and when he hugged me it didn’t feel like he could ever forget himself and crush me to death! See, I had developed the happy knack of turning things that once would have turned me on or made me happy into a negative and an added pile of shit that I continually collected in my memories. This was something I didn’t need any expert to tell me was a coping mechanism. 

But don’t get me wrong, he was still fit, only he had more of a swimmer’s body. All lean muscles that tapered down into a slim waist, hidden behind his usual perfect clothes. Alex was a man who prided himself on looking smart and professional at all times, whether it was his styled back dark hair that sometimes looked slick with the aid of products or his smooth moisturized face that smelled of one clean male.

He had a set of piercing grey blue eyes, but a lighter shade to mine. His features were pointed, with a sharp nose and chin to match which gave him an air of authority, but one very different to the owners of Afterlife. And when he smiled it creased his cheeks which gave him a dangerous edge that I was yet to find.

Which is what he did now as I went into his open arms for a hug.

“Hey, I thought you said you couldn’t make it.” I tried to sound light-hearted but it was hard when my heart was pounding at the thought of introducing my new boyfriend to my ‘other’ family.

“The meeting finished earlier than I thought it would…it’s not a problem is it? I thought you would want me here for support.”

“Of course it is…I mean isn’t…umm…let me start again…” I mumbled making RJ roll her eyes at me behind him, when he laughed. I don’t know why but I always got the impression from RJ and Jack that they didn’t like him as much as they had…erm… you know who.

Although of course they never said so in as many words, but I guessed it was because there were just so many differences between them. I mean, take now for example. We were in a Goth club and Alex was wearing a suit without the tie. Okay, he had probably just come straight from the office but still, he stuck out like a sore thumb…which made me wonder what he saw in me sometimes?

Like now, I was wearing a pair of grey skinny jeans that I could only wear under something that covered my bum or they would be classed as indecent, given the extra pounds my chocolate habit had managed to put on. I matched this with a tight long sleeved dress in cherry red that was just like an overly long t-shirt with a bit of flare round the bottom, which kicked out like a skirt. My sister had bought it for me because it had a black lace back in the shape of a massive skull that showed off most of my skin underneath. We both agreed it would be perfect for Afterlife should I ever have the guts to go back there again, which brought me to my outfit choice.

“You look different honey, what is it?” He asked, holding me back at arm’s length to take me in.

“I dunno, maybe ‘cause I left my hair down.” I prompted as this was something I still rarely did, but even more so after that night.

“That’s it, so this is a special occasion then?” He asked giving me that look. Alex didn’t think it healthy that I was still in such tight contact with my Ex’s family, but other than a few snide comments, ones I ignored, it hadn’t caused too many problems…until now.

“They’re my friends Alex and I want to look nice for them.” I said keeping my voice low. I saw that little tensing of his jaw that told me he wanted to say more, but then just like that he was back to smiling and kissing me on the forehead,

“Of course you do and you look lovely.” I smiled back up at him before taking his hand.

“Well, we might as well get going.” I said knowing that I couldn’t prolong it any longer. So, with my hand in his, we snaked our way through the crowd until coming to the left side of the double staircase. The guard at the end nodded to me, no doubt remembering me and moved aside to let us go on up. If I thought my heart was pounding in the bathroom, then now it was jack-hammering itself against my chest cavity, trying to break free. Maybe it was scared about what going up these steps again would do to the remainder of it, as the last time didn’t go so well.

As we got up to the VIP floor, the sight took my breath away and Alex had heard it.

“You’re sure on this, we could go back?” I felt his hand at the small of my back and the feeling gave me comfort enough to do this. I shook my head as my answer and continued to walk through until I saw the top table coming into view, as for some reason, everyone seemed to be up out of their seats standing.

When I saw Vincent and Sophia I couldn’t help the massive beaming grin from forming. I pulled Alex a little quicker, trying to get through the unusual crowd who looked as though they were all waiting for something.

“Sophia!” I shouted making her turn her head and find me. I saw her lean over to Vincent and whisper something, making him turn my way, but what surprised me the most was the expressions on their faces…
worry.

“Hey, sorry we’re…late…” I stopped dead in my sentence as I came to the front of the top table just as another was coming to the head of it. Everyone around us sat down at once with just a nod from the man now stood in front of me. I wanted to cry, I wanted to shout and I wanted to throw something or self-combust taking half of the room with me!

But I didn’t do any of these things…no, for all I could do was let my mouth drop for a few seconds before letting out a breathy name, one not said in far too long…

“Draven”

Chapter 5

Back to the Beginning.

“Draven.” I swallowed hard and managed to say the name I had avoided for all this time. I even had to lock my knees together to prevent myself from breaking down and falling to the floor. I felt completely disarmed and stripped naked of the armour I had erected around the broken remains of my heart, trying in vain to preserve all I had left.

“Keira.” He spoke my name as though it was being ripped from his soul where his voice was thick and hoarse. My breath actually hitched as I took in too much air whilst trying not to cry. It was as if for these first few seconds we were the only two people in the room and meeting once more after all these painful months apart was obviously taking its toll on both of us. I barely took in the rest of the room watching us as I was caught in the most deadly trap alive…two burning purple eyes that held me captive.

Then the spell was broken as Alex cleared his throat next to me and I felt his hand slide round my back and flex against my waist. Draven’s eyes became that of a hawk and snapped to my side to take in the sight of another man touching me, clearly claiming me as his own. I wanted to cry as I felt a surge of guilt I knew I shouldn’t feel infect my soul. He threw me away and damned my love for him…what more could I do? So I cleared my throat also and shut down my emotions from seeping onto my face, like they had no doubt already done.