“You have news?” Draven asked looking down at Rue, who was even smaller than me. She nodded and took a large gulp that looked as if she was trying to swallow a gobstopper.
“Then out with it!” Draven snapped making me frown. I knew he was angry and hurting but there was no need to make everyone miserable because of me.
“Mmy Lo..Lord,” She coughed before she continued as if trying to find some courage to carry on.
“Over the last few days I started to receive a string of emails that were all broken cryptic files. I thought it was someone trying to hack my computer and I couldn’t open the files or delete them. Then the last email I received was a code and a list of instructions to open the files. Once I did, I found…” Rue hesitated but it was long enough to make Draven’s bones click when he tensed.
“Speak! What was in the files?”
“Everything my Lord. I..I think they came from Karmun.”
“Dom, I have seen the files she speaks of and she is right, Karmun’s disappearance has everything to do with Keira’s kidnapping. It is as we thought and the files he sent prove he was the traitor all along. The blood oath somehow got broken, I don’t know how but…”
“Carrick!” Draven said the name dripping with venom and topped with dark revenge.
“Dom, do you really think a soul collector would…?”
“He is the only one powerful enough to collect Karmun’s soul which was tied to me by oath. It was foolish to believe that those ties could not be broken and that the traitor was not one of my own. Carrick had Karmun’s soul ever since Constantine left.”
“Taken, my Lord.” Rue spoke in whisper.
“Speak up!” Draven shouted and Vincent went to stand by Rue and place his hand gently on her shoulder. Thank god for Vincent and his kindness because no one was going to get anything remotely like that from Draven for a while.
“It’s alright Rue, tell us what you know,” Vincent encouraged kindly.
“Constantine was my friend and before he left he confessed to me that he thought he was being followed, but whenever he mentioned his fears to Karmun he just convinced him that it was nothing.” She looked down and started to fidget with the drawstring at her waist band.
“Continue child,” Vincent said holding up a hand to prevent Draven’s angry response.
“The night he left I got a text message saying that he was right. At the time I thought nothing of it because he had been telling me that he was thinking of getting away for a while. I thought he meant that he had done the right thing. Whenever Karmun was asked about where he was, he always said that they had parted ways and it seemed too painful for him to explain further.”
“But?!” Draven couldn’t help himself or his demanding tone.
“But when I received the emails I knew the truth, that Constantine had been right in his fears and Karmun did what he felt he must to save him.” At this Draven erupted into purple flames that were blazing white at his skin and black at the ends. His wings burst from him and spanned the large room with barely space to spare. Oh yeah, he was mad!
Poor Rue threw herself to the ground and knelt at his feet.
“Forgive me my Lord,” she whispered and I wanted to slap Draven for scaring the poor girl half to death.
“DOM STOP!” Vincent said in his own outrage.
“Your actions help no one, especially not Keira. Just try to control yourself and think, damn it!” Draven looked to Vincent and his words seemed to calm the beast that was consuming his mind. He took a few deep breaths and the flames died down along with the rest of his demon side. The only one that looked amused was Sophia, damn naughty little demon!
“Rue, you may leave us now, you have done well. Take some time off and tell no one of what you know.” Vincent said as he helped her to the door.
“Yes, but of course my Lord,” she replied, looking just relieved to have made it out of there alive.
Once she left, Vincent tried again to control the situation.
“Dom, you are going to have to get a hold of yourself if you are to have any sense left in finding her. You need to focus. You are connected in such a way that only you can help her.”
“Yeah, so get your angry head out of your ass and get that head back in the game, bitch!” Sophia said making me choke on a breath I think I was taking?
“Thank you Sophia, helpful as always,” Vincent said in a dry tone he only reserved for Sophia’s benefit.
“Vin, enough with the sugar frosting, what our dear brother needs is an ice cold splash of reality. Dom, you know Keira, the little minx is more than even you can handle and she is stronger than most Demons I know. She will not put up with shit and when that shit hits the fan she will come out swinging.” I found myself grinning and shaking my head in a little big headed nod of approval. Did she really think all that stuff?
“She is right, if not a little blunt, but right none the less. Keira is strong and besides gaining your powers a little more each day, Lucius will not hurt her, what he needs from her is far too important to him to let anyone else do the same.” Umm hold up, back up and slow down…what was that about me gaining more of Draven’s power?
I walked over to Draven and waved my hand in front of his face.
Nothing. Zip. Nada! I even started jumping up and down but my floating body just kind of moved at a slower speed and didn’t have the same effect, not that anyone could see me anyway! Man this was so utterly frustrating! I was finally getting some answers now I couldn’t get them to explain fully. I was now also torn between trying to throw myself into Draven’s arms and kissing him on every available space and slapping him for keeping these things from me!
“Explain what was in the files.” Draven said as his only response to his siblings trying to talk sense into him. Vincent let out an exasperated sigh and continued,
“The files all indicate the same thing but the last one sent was from a mobile device, most likely his phone.”
“Vincent, I fear my patience is snapping, please get on with it!”
“They’re in Germany, Dom and I doubt we need any guesses to why or where.”
“So he took her to his home in Königssee and now we know what he wants in return,” Draven said shaking his head.
“Shit!” Sophia said getting up to stand. She walked over to her brother and looked so tiny next to both her brothers’ tall frames.
“But Dom, you know you can’t… don’t you?” Draven turned his back and walked over to the open balcony that spanned the length of two sides of the room. He looked out into the night and took a deep breath.
“Bring Ragnar to me when he wakes from the sleep I put him in. His rage should be under control by then enough to explain things.”
“Dom?” Vincent said in question and my heart felt like lead. I knew what this was about and I had an idea at what his answer would be. I just prayed that I was wrong. My survival depended on it.
“Brother, you do realise that you can’t give him what he asks for in return for Keira. Tell me you know this and are not even considering it!” Vincent was sounding a bit panicked now, coming to stand by his brother. I looked at Draven’s back and saw his shoulders tense before dropping in defeat.
“I know Vincent.” He said dropping his head and I couldn’t prevent my reaction.
I screamed.
I dropped to my knees and when my body made contact with the floor I changed into myself for a second before I switched back to the ghost. I kept wavering between the two like someone had pictures of me on a flicker book or a projector on an old screen.
“Keira?” I looked up at the sound of Draven saying my name in wonder. I saw all three faces staring at me in jaw dropping shock.
“You can see me?” I asked feeling stupid. Draven took a cautious step forward as if he was worried that I might disappear, which was more than likely what was going to happen.
“It can’t be, it’s not possible is it? Dom, is this what you were telling us about, is this how it happ
ened before?” Vincent whispered as if also afraid he would pop some kind of spell.
“Yes. Keira, is it really you? Speak to me.” He said so softy it broke my heart to hear that level of desperation in his voice, he sounded like he would soon break into pieces.
“I’m scared if I do I will fade away like last time.” Draven let out the breath he was holding at hearing my voice.
“Gods! Keira tell me, are you alright, what happened to you…why are…” He came towards me but I held up my hand to stop him and saw for myself how it continued to glimmer.
“Don’t touch me, I don’t know how long it will last and I don’t want to leave. Draven I can’t go, I don’t…” I started to cry and he flew to his knees just in front of me. He held fisted hands at his sides like it was taking every ounce of will he owned to keep them from touching me.
“Don’t cry, please sweetheart, don’t cry. You have to be brave alright…I will come for you, I promise but you need to be brave.”
“I don’t know if I can, I..I..” I was trying to control the overload of emotions but it was hard and the flickering of my body started to become more erratic.
“Keira listen to me, we know where you are but you have to trust me, I will come for you.”
“But how, you can’t, you said…”
“I. Will. Come. For. You. Do you trust me?” He said each word in a way that looked both painful and absolute.
“Yes,” I said and he closed his eyes briefly in relief.
“You are so brave, I am so, so proud of you but I need you to be brave for a while longer, can you do that?” I lowered my head, knowing what needed to be done, it just wasn’t easy telling someone what they wanted to hear, but I said,
“Yes, I can do that.” Draven’s eyes misted slightly before he shook his head.
“Good girl.”
“How is this happening, what does this mean?” I asked motioning down at myself.
“I don’t know exactly but I think it has something to do with our strong connection. Keira? Keira no, hold on to it,…Keira, NO!, KEIRA HOLD ON!”
“Draven?” I looked down and realised what he was seeing. I was fading and looked up to see him lunge for me screaming out,
“Keira! Be brave!...I..lov…”
“I love you!” Were the last words spoken and an almighty roar in the darkness echoed through the night as I bolted upright.
“Bad dream?” Pip asked. She was sat at the end of a bed which I just so happened to be lying in. The room was filled with a twilight glow from the sun already saying goodbye to the day. I was getting really confused with which day it was.
“Where am I?” I asked with a croaky voice that was the result of lots of sleep and no liquid.
“The lake house of course. Do you like your room? Mine’s down the hall but Adam is still asleep, well he’s still tied to the bed and he was asleep when I left him. He’ll be cranky but he will get over it. He hates waking up and not knowing where I am, you should see him when I play hide and little Bo Peep.”
“Little Bo Peep?” I had to ask.
“Yeah, I dress as little Bo Peep or little Bo Pip as Adam calls me. Anyway I then go hide and he has to find me, then we have sex wherever he finds me. Have you never played it?” I coughed my surprise and felt my throat get drier.
“N…umm….nope,” I said through the coughing.
“It’s fun, you should try it but not with Adam! I would have to hurt you and I don’t want to do that ‘cause I like you, you’re funny and I don’t have many girlfriends, they say I’m annoying and then Adam growls at them and then they shut up and I laugh. But you like me don’t you? Adam says you do. He can tell. So do you like your room?” I smiled as it was hard not to with Pip sat at the bottom of my bed dressed in Thundercats pyjamas with My Little Pony slippers and a badge that said ‘Flip the bird with Angrybirds’. I mean, her green hair was even in high pigtails. She was so bloody adorable that you couldn’t help but like her.
“Ok, firstly no, I haven’t played that game and definitely would not with Adam! Secondly, I think you’re funny as well and think anyone that doesn’t like you is just plain stupid. Thirdly, yes Adam is right, I do like you, even though you helped kidnap me. And last of all I don’t know about my room ‘cause I have just woken up and haven’t really had chance to take it all in yet.” She had the biggest smile I think I ever saw on a person so small and didn’t have time to brace myself when she threw herself at me.
“Yey! A friend and you’re a girl! I’m so excited, this is going to be so much fun, you’ll see. I won’t let anyone pick on you and Adam likes you, he thinks that you’re nice to me and he likes anyone who’s nice to me. He gets a bit over protective you know and he…” A massive roar echoed down the hall and shook the door to my room.
“Ooops, gotta go, sounds like my hubby is awake and a little riled up, better go and calm the beast.” She winked at me as she jumped from my bed onto all fours before straightening, shouting as she went,
“Coming, Tiger!” I think my mouth was still hanging down when she popped her head back round and skidded by my door.
“Oh, I was supposed to tell you some things.” She winced when another roar sounded and I must have looked terrified ‘cause she said,
“Don’t worry about him, he gets fussy if I’m not with him for a while.” I was in utter shock that those sounds were coming from the same man that I had seen wearing glasses and reading about the stock exchange! She scratched her head in a comical way that pulled one pigtail down further than the other.
“Ah, that was it. The bathroom is through that door over there. That door there is a closet or is it a wardrobe? Umm? Oh well, the balcony is open and you’re not locked in or anything, but I wouldn’t go walking around at night on your own. You’re allowed to go anywhere that’s not locked, which is obvious, ‘cause how would you get there if it was locked.” She smacked herself and another roar sounded all the time getting louder and it started to frighten the Bejesus out of me.
“I’M COMING! Jeez, needy...much! Ok what else did Lucius say…oh that’s it, he will expect you there tonight, in the great hall and he expects you to be dressed for the occasion, his exact words were…show some skin. Ok, gotta go ‘cause I think I just heard him break one side of his chains and damn him those were made from expensive Tungsten!” At that she shouted,
“See you tonight,” from down the hall where snarls, growls and howls had been added to the immense roars that were actually shaking the walls. Then it all went silent and just when I thought that was it, moans of a different type started up, that and…meows, then was that… Oh no…spanking! I quickly ran to the door and slammed it shut.
I swear every time I woke up around Pip it was like tripping on acid or something! It was hard to think of anything but Pip’s erratic behaviour and I was desperate to try and understand what was happening every time I went to sleep. It was as though I was being transported back to what Draven was doing at the same time I was asleep. But what did it all mean and why was it happening. He asked me to stay brave and that was the only thing that I could do for him and myself. He told me he was coming for me and I had to believe in his words. He would find a way and I trusted that man with my life so this was the time to put that trust to the test. They said that Lucius wouldn’t hurt me and so far all I had had from Lucius was threats of pain that hadn’t been delivered and something else, something so out of character that it confused the hell out of me and that was kindness.
I wasn’t a fool and after little thought I knew what he was trying to do in the helicopter, which he had in fact succeeded with unconventional tactics but never the less he had done a wonderful job in distracting me from my fear. At the time I was pissed, angry and ready to use his body as a scratching post but now I had time to think about it, why did he even care enough to take it to the next level and kiss me? And more importantly what had happened when he had? Where had we gone?
I found myself leant up against the door twen
ty minutes later still going over questions that I had no answers to. I let out a frustrated,
“Arrg!” And pushed from the door and turned, barging into a solid frame.
“Is there a problem, my little Keira girl?” A formidable voice asked, causing me to think one thing,
Umm yeah, you could say that again!
Chapter 9
The Lake House
Lucius stood there and folded his arms across his chest after I had bounced back from him. His gaze travelled down the length of my body and I almost felt like every layer of clothing I had on was melting away with such a heated intensity I couldn’t help but look down. Someone had taken my jacket off and my top clung to me like a second skin. The cool air in the room had made my chest look like I was hiding a couple of pencil erasers down my top. I flashed my head up and crossed my arms over my chest which made Lucius’ mouth quirk up on one side.
“Is there a reason you’re here trying to penetrate me with a death-ray look?” ‘Death-ray look’? How stupid of a line was that! Think Keira before speaking, I cursed myself. Of course he found it amusing...smug bastard!
“Umm, ‘death-ray look’, now that is a new one. But have no fear pet, if I was trying to penetrate you, it wouldn’t be with my looks.” I actually gulped as I turned away to hide a heated blush. Why did he have to look at me that way?
He laughed out loud as I walked away from him towards the bed. I grabbed the grey throw off the end of my new bed and wrapped it around me.
“You think covering yourself will change that statement?” I jumped at the sound of his voice at my ear but before I could move away from him his hands circled around my neck from behind.