“No, you can’t,” he said softly, which was a contrast to the muscles that bunched up as he tensed his entire body.
“Leave us brother!” He didn’t even look Vincent’s way when he said this and I suddenly felt wary. What if I disappeared when he left?
“No, Vincent wait…I…” I turned to face him and he smiled back at me but had backed further away from us.
“It’s alright Keira, you won’t go anywhere, not yet. Dom, do me a favour and get hold of your rage before you frighten her, she’s been through enough!” Draven growled low in his throat but nodded in Vincent’s direction.
“Vincent, I wanted to say…”
“You’re welcome, Keira.” He said before I could thank him and gave me a wink before he jumped off the balcony. I watched wide eyed as Vincent landed silently on one knee beside Takeshi and helped him to his feet. He placed his one good arm behind his neck and led him to where the others had left.
“Oh, and next time brother, do try and leave some of our men a little less broken, it was only supposed to be training exercise not an excuse to dish out your famous wrath!” Vincent said before disappearing and the only response from Draven was an impassive grunt.
“It’s nice to see you’re handling this well!” I said not knowing what else to say.
“Don’t joke Keira, not now.” He replied pushing all his hair back with two huge hands, which I knew to be a frustrated sign from Draven.
“If I don’t joke then I will cry. Why did you lie to me Draven?” I asked before I lost my nerve.
“I did not lie to you, Keira,” he stated calmly, which considering what I had just seen him do was surprising.
“Ah, so you’re going to go about this on a technicality, fine then, I will rephrase the question. Why didn’t you tell me Draven?” At this he frowned.
“I think I prefer you joking.” He said dryly before walking over to a large bench that was made from wicker and bamboo. He sat down on one side that left enough room for me without the possibility of touching by mistake, although that thought was enough to weaken my control and burst into tears. I wanted so badly to touch him, to run into his arms and place my lips to his.
“Sit down Keira… please.” He added the please as an afterthought, not a word I could imagine had been said by him since I was taken. I sat down next to him keeping that distance in mind and hating every millimetre of it!
“Was it from the first time we…we made love?” I asked almost losing my voice for a second.
“Yes, and if you’re expecting an apology then you will wait a long time.”
“Yes and well, thanks to you, I now have a long time.” I replied sharply before continuing on.
“It was still my choice Draven, whether you disagree or not.” At this he almost lost his temper. His head snapped up and his eyes looked black and dangerous.
“That’s where you’re wrong Keira. You belong to me and that makes it my choice. What did you want me to say, Keira? Did you want me to stop and tell you what being with me would make you become. The one thing you had feared since being a child. No, I couldn’t have done that, not at that time.” He looked away from me and I wondered what he saw in his distant mind.
“So when, Draven? When I all of a sudden started to wonder why I didn’t need wrinkle cream? When all my friends around me started suffering from arthritis and broken hips?” I asked sarcastically.
“This is not about age Keira, or what you look like. You are beautiful now, Gods Keira, you are so damn beautiful it hurts to look at you and know I can’t touch you because of who I am or who I am not.” He said bitterly looking off towards the direction Vincent had left and it broke my heart that he knew Vincent could touch me where he could not.
“But you would still be beautiful to me at any age. As for watching those you love die, then that is a part of life for everyone not just immortals.”
“But I wouldn’t be able to be around them Draven, that’s my point, I won’t be able to grow old with my sister and complain about ‘kids today’ and ‘the price of milk’. I would have to leave everyone I love a long time before any of that because they would wonder why I never got old. I love you Draven and I know I will come to terms with it all at some point but that doesn’t make it any easier.” At this he gave me such a heart-warming smile it made me want to kiss him so badly it was hurting inside my chest.
“Ah well, that’s where the good bit comes into it. Do you really think I would rip you away from all those you love? I could never do that to you Keira and I refuse to ever see that type of pain in your eyes.” I frowned at him and shook my head not understanding what he meant.
“I don’t under…”
“I would make it so that you appeared the right age to all who see you. You would never have to leave your past life, your human life behind. I would not be so cruel to the only one I love Keira.” At hearing this I almost did cry out but this time it was in happiness. He must have seen my eyes widen with this new information and he turned and had to stop mid-motion from grabbing me to him.
“You would do that, you can do that…really?” I was shocked and his eyes softened at my realization that I wouldn’t have to give up everyone I loved.
“Yes, I can do that and will do that for you. I would do anything for you Keira and as soon as I get you back to me I will prove it.” I shook my head at him.
“Draven, you never have to prove anything to me but do me a favour, next time try and give me a little more credit. You can’t keep things from me because you think it’s for my own good. It ends up back firing.” I could tell he really didn’t like me telling him how to do things and I remembered Vincent’s words, he really was new to this dating a human thing and for someone that spent so many lifetimes commanding everyone around them, then having someone on an equal level was going to take time to adjust.
“Does this mean I get to keep you?”
“Does this mean you’re giving me a choice?” I replied trying to keep the huge smirk from my face but doing a lousy job at it.
“No, it just means I will have to remember to placate you next time. You’re already mine, that is why your soul is here and when your body is here too then I will really show you what it means to belong to me.” He said this dripping with erotic promise.
“I wish I could touch you,” I said not even bothering to try and keep the sadness from my voice, there would be no point as I would fail anyway.
“I know my Angel, but you have to trust me, I will come for you.” He tried to keep the hard tone from his voice when he said this last part and I had to remember how hard this all must be on him.
“I know and I do but last night…”
“You thought I was really there.” I nodded and he looked up at the ceiling as though he was looking for the right words.
“I cannot enter that place without permission from Lucius. That’s why he took you there and it’s why only my projection could be seen, he granted my request to see him, that and he knew that I would want proof you were alright.” He gritted his teeth when describing last night and it was strange to hear for the first time that he couldn’t command everyone. There was a place that Draven couldn’t go and there was a person in this world he couldn’t control and it wasn’t just me.
“What are we going to do?” It seemed like a helpless case but Draven’s hands turned into fists making the red material that covered them strain against his strength.
“You are not going to do anything but wait. Don’t try and run Keira, I cannot do what I am about to do if I worry about you getting hurt.”
“Why, what are you planning?” I asked, not liking the sound of this.
“You don’t need to worry about that but you said that you trusted me and now is the time to prove it, can you do that?”
“Yes but…”
“Can you do that for me Keira?” He asked again in a more stern tone that broke no argument.
“Yes,” I said quietly and once again he went to touch
me but had to stop himself. He closed his eyes and said,
“Good girl.”
“Tell me at least that they are treating you well, I know Lucius well and I hope that his little display of dominance was just for my benefit, tell me he doesn’t treat you that way every time Keira, please tell me that much at least. I don’t think I could contain my rage if it was any other way.” He seemed to be close to begging for me to put his fears to rest and now I had to choose between a lie that would give comfort and a truth that would bring pain. I now understood why Draven had kept things from me and knew that from now on I couldn’t question his logic, no matter the price. If there were some things he didn’t tell me then it must mean that he was trying to protect me, just like the next words out of my mouth would protect him.
“I hardly see him and even when I do, he doesn’t treat me that way.” I hoped he would take the waver in my voice as being over emotional and not the lies that they were. He nodded and when I heard him exhale the breath he had been holding I knew he had trusted my words. I felt like shit! I hated lying to him but now knew what it felt like to be on the wrong side of information you couldn’t share.
“Gods Keira, I miss you!” His declaration had me blinking frantically to keep the tears at bay.
“I miss you too, I just wish…” I raised my hand to his face without touching him and he closed his eyes.
“I know sweetheart. Soon, I give you my word.” I could see the effort it took for him to keep calm but I couldn’t get a handle on my emotions like him at this moment. I stood up and walked away and then turned to face him.
“Why is he doing this? God I hate him! I have done nothing to anyone and yet here I am, not even whole and I feel so helpless, I want to do something, I want to help!” I shouted and all the time Draven sat leaning his elbows on his knees with his fingers interlocked like you would if you were praying. His eyes took all of me in over his hands as he waited for me to calm. I stood staring at him, panting from my outburst thinking how goddamn sexy he looked. His shoulders and biceps looked big enough to crush a bear and his formidable eyes calculating, holding me in his sight like he would never let me go. Draven was a dark Angel and a demonic King that wanted something he couldn’t touch, that was the look he gave me….it was hunger…building hunger and I stood as his feast.
He stood slowly and walked towards me like a predator would stalk something he wanted to sink his fangs into. I couldn’t help but back up until the wall met my back.
“Draven?” I said his name but he didn’t seem to be listening to me as he came closer.
“You know you can’t touch me…don’t you?” I got out but the obvious arousal was clear in my voice. He raised an eyebrow and soon a corner of his lips curled up in a devilish smirk.
“Is that so? Then I will just have to find other means.” I frowned but shook my head at him. Whatever he was thinking was too risky and I wasn’t ready to leave yet, I was never going to be ready.
“No?” He said before quickly making the distance between us disappear. I flinched back but he didn’t touch me. I looked up at him and we were so close I could almost taste him through his addictive scent. I just wanted to lick his neck and taste the salty skin there. I only came up to his chest and when his hands rested either side of my head it became my perfect cage, one I would be more than happy if someone threw away the key. He leaned down and I was too scared to move in case we accidently made contact.
“Did you say no to me Keira?” His hand moved from the wall and went to my waist without touching the material.
“This is a beautiful dress Keira, but I think I prefer the body underneath…In fact…” He let the sentence linger as his eyes flashed purple
“I know it is!” And then his body erupted into his demon form. Power pulsated through every pore and I could see it travelling around his body under every inch of skin showing. His face was now cast in shadow, thanks to his great wing span that had broken free from his back. His feathers ruffled slightly before he folded them back into each other.
“Draven what… are you doing?” I whispered and he smiled.
“Letting my Angel flow!” And with that he let the purple be taken over by a bluish glow and his dark grey wings turned a few shades lighter. He closed his eyes and tensed as though he was concentrating hard on controlling this inner part of him. His eyes flashed open and became a beautiful shade of deep indigo that I had never seen on him before. His hand still hovered over my side and when I let out a gasp at the feeling that shot through me he smiled.
“Was that you?” I asked shocked that I could feel a part of him.
“Maybe, let’s try it again and find out should we?” I looked down and saw his hand coming up my side but without making full contact. I could still feel as if his fingertips were brushing across my skin. I couldn’t help the moan that passed my lips. They got higher and when he reached the top of my ribs he changed direction. He started to skim across under my heaving chest and my breath caught when he went higher. The delicate feeling of being touched so softy, by someone so strong, was intoxicating, so much so that my lids felt heavy and my breathing became laboured. It wasn’t exactly like Draven’s touch but something woven together by magic and man. His hand molded over my curves and my reaction made him growl. I looked down to see my nipples had pebbled and the pleasure of it happening shot straight down to my core.
It felt as if his power was dancing on my skin and bouncing back to his in some electric imbalance. Then his hand moved lower and I had to bite my lip to stop from crying out. Draven was touching me in the only way he could and the anticipation of this moment felt like I could release myself in pleasure if he only asked it of me. But lower his hand went and when he reached that point in between my legs my head went back against the wall, my eyes closed and my mouth fell open in a silent scream. His touch hit my core like a dam breaking, my walls cracked and all the emotions that had been locked up came flooding out with extreme pleasure. I screamed out, not being able to contain it. I think I heard Draven do the same but with my own screams still ringing in my ears it was hard to tell. I continued to ride the waves of my release against his supernatural touch and it was heavenly.
I must have been panting because Draven put his forehead close to mine and said,
“Ssshh, just breathe sweetness.” I could only nod my response.
“But what about you…you didn’t…” I finally managed to ask but when I looked up at him I saw him raise his eyebrows and smile.
“Didn’t I?” He looked down and yep there was a definite wet patch on his trousers.
“How, I didn’t even touch you?” I asked a bit bewildered.
“I find pleasure in most things when it comes to you Keira and you finding yours is definitely one of them. Did I tell you that I missed you?” I laughed and I nodded my head.
“Yes I think you did.” This was what I needed and yet I knew it would only make things harder when I woke up in my body and found myself cold and alone but I couldn’t help but need this. After all…I was an addict.
“Keira?” I looked up at him saying my name and when I saw the utter misery there, I knew what was about to happen.
“Time to wake up, Toots!” I heard a little voice whisper in my ear.
“NO! Not yet, I want to stay!” I shouted and Draven frowned.
“Keira, what can you hear?”
“It’s Pip, she’s trying to wake me up.” Draven howled in rage. His wings flew out and he hammered his fist into the wall making me jump sideways.
“NO, YOU CAN’T HAVE HER BACK!” He roared in his demonic voice and lost all the Angel in him. The flames erupted around his body and he went beyond the point of no return. He made a desperate grab for me as I started to flicker between the two places, between body and soul. His hand went straight through me and the walls started to shake with the second roar that tore from lips twisted in fury.
“Draven!” I screamed.
“Keira NO! Come back, come back to
me!” I could still hear him shouting for me as it echoed around the room I’d come back to. I cried out at the loss and felt nothing for the body I had gained. I would rather have lived in a world as a bodiless soul just so long as I could remain by Draven’s side!
It felt like my heart was made of glass and seeing the pain on Draven’s face had just shattered it causing the splinters to puncture every vital organ I had. He had looked so lost, so broken and so forsaken in his blinding rage that I started sobbing and didn’t even flinch when I felt Pip’s arms go around me and pull my body into hers. She started rocking me back and forth, rubbing my back in soothing strokes.
“Ssshh, I know, I am sorry but I couldn’t hold it much longer, I’m sorry my friend…I’m so sorry!” Her words rolled right over me without sticking as I cried out my loss.
“Draven, Draven….Draven! I want you back…I want…I...” I stuttered on my words and tried to drag in a much needed breath as the sobs were rattled out of me.
“He can hear you Keira but be quick, I can’t hold on!” I looked back at Pip and saw she too had tears in her eyes. I sucked in a quick breath and said the only words that ever mattered.
“I Love You Dominic…..”
Chapter 16
A Step Too Far
After I was brought back it took me awhile to get over leaving Draven for the fourth time since New England. I felt mentally drained and poor Pip had to be the one to help me through it. I had cried like a child and Pip had been an unlikely mother figure dressed in bright blue and pink shell suit trousers, straight out of the late 80’s and a tank top with actual shells attached to it. Bright pink sequins kept sparkling from her straps and whenever she hugged me I could feel the hard breasts that were covered by two clam shells, spray painted silver. I wondered if she and Lady Gaga shopped at the same places.
I don’t know how much time passed while on my sobathon but after Pip had made sure I wasn’t about to throw myself over the balcony she left when Adam’s usual growling could be heard from down the corridor, although she had assured me this time she hadn’t tied, chained or locked him to anything.