"Voodoo?" He almost smiled but instead, the corners of his mouth, although looking amused, did not quite make it to humour.

"And how did you handle it may I ask, and be warned Keira, if this has anything to do with that mark on your cheek the boy will lose his head?" This was a serious threat that I didn't dare mock.

"I punched him!" I said holding my head high and realising that my chin was jutting out, I quickly lowered my head, which did make him smile. I soon understood this wasn't because he was amused with my behaviour, it was down to pride. I met his eyes and they were staring at the evidence of my bruised hand, with a strange quirky grin like he was picturing me pulverising Justin's body into a b.l.o.o.d.y pulp.

"Let me see your hand!" He ordered, but instead I just looked down and started to pull the cuff of my sleeve over my hand to hide it away. That's when I jumped and let out a surprised gasp at being touched. Draven had travelled across the room in a split second and was now pushing my sleeve back up my arm to inspect my hand further. He held my wrist firmly with one hand and the other soothed my purple knuckles with a warm touch that sent shivers up and down my spine.

For a moment everything stopped. Nothing mattered anymore while Draven was touching me, it was like my world had paused and all that remained the same, was me and the man that owned my heart despite all the faults with our never ending circ.u.mstances. I closed my eyes and sighed, letting the memories of tonight fade away into the abyss of my mind. His movements were as delicate as a b.u.t.terfly's wings and his strength in the grip he still held around my wrist was fading too.

I saw the night in stages. First the night at the club when my heart fluttered at the sight of Draven unusually coming down to claim me. Then the terrible ordeal with Justin's kiss and what happened as a result of it. Then came the nightmarish eyes watching from afar, stalking in the night's rain through a mist of dark fears that still remained. And finally being followed here, thus completing my crazy twisted evening. But then that wasn't it...There was still the worst to come. There had been Draven in the arms of another! That bitter cold slap was back and forced me to pull my hand free and open my eyes.

"So tell me, who is she?" I lifted my head and met his gaze head on in a fearless manner not even I was used to. His face went tense before relaxing into a smirk that I wanted to slap off him.

"You're jealous aren't you?" He looked triumphant and laughed making me walk away from him, which instantly caused my body to grow cold from the distance.

"What did you expect, of course I b.l.o.o.d.y am?" I shouted without looking back.

"Good! Then you have some small shred of comprehension as to how I feel. Welcome to my world Keira, I can already see that you can't deal with it any better than I!" He wasn't laughing anymore and now it was his turn to fold his arms but across his expansive chest it had more magnitude when he did it.

It was with these words that I realised I was the one to blame. I had unknowingly caused all of tonight's actions to go spiralling out of control. If I had just done what Draven had asked me to begin with, none of this would have happened. If, when I got that text message, I had just excused myself and walked up to the VIP area then Draven wouldn't have felt like he to go to such lengths to prevent something he knew would happen.

I knew as well as Draven, of Justin's affections for me, but I pushed it and pushed it, pretending it not to be true. I had been playing with fire from the moment I set foot into the club with another boy and I let Draven just stand there and watch...what had I been thinking?

"You planned it? You knew I would come back to the club and you sent Aurora to be there to lead me into Sophia's playroom. You knew I was there watching didn't you?"

"I felt you as soon as you entered the building. I had everyone a.s.sembled in Sophia's room and let the party commence. I knew the added touch of having Aurora be your guide would enhance my point." For the first time tonight he looked tired and relieved, like he had given up the good fight and walked away with no prize in sight. He had achieved his goal but without the slightest satisfaction.

"It was all an act?" I asked timidly.

"Of course it was! Keira I needed to prove my point, I needed you to see, to feel, to taste the bitter sting of jealously and fear that I was losing you to another. Do you understand?" I nodded and let a single tear roll down my cheek which was filled with remorse and guilt.

"Why are you crying?" He asked softly turning full circle to where we had started this conversation.

"Because, I am ashamed of myself." I said, letting my emotions bubble up my throat and soon tears followed the invisible road on my cheeks. One tear stung my little cut thanks to the salty droplet running over to the side. I quickly looked down letting them now find home on the floor, when I felt strong hands wipe them free and gently push my face upwards to look at him.

"That makes two of us." Then like a child I buried my head into his chest and flung my arms around him making him hold me while I let all my emotions out onto the material that covered his solid chest. The feel of his hand smoothing the back of my head and down my neck soon calmed me.

Once he was a.s.sured this was so, his hands began to move down and remove my jacket. I didn't speak but just bit my lip with antic.i.p.ation of being under his touch, skin to skin. He even smiled as to how many layers I had on as he started to dissect each item. Finally he got down to the last pieces of material in his way and I let out a moan when his hands came into contact with my waist.

He held me under my top and lingered with his hands holding my hips, and then as if seeing a green light he ran his hands up to my b.r.e.a.s.t.s taking the top with them. He kept moving until it freed my torso and then despatched it to the floor. He then did the same with my bra making me half naked in his arms.

Now, though, I felt it was my turn to shed some of his layers and with trembling hands I found the rim of his shirt. When I touched his skin he also let out a moan which was more animal than human. I lifted it up but only could reach so far and then he had to take over by lifting it the rest of the way. I ran my hands across his chest and the lines of his defined stomach causing him to find the small of my back and run his fingertips up my spine.

After a few soft journeys up and down my back, he then found my neck and more importantly my lips that were hungry to be tasted. He started to lean down but then stopped abruptly before reaching them. He looked towards the gla.s.s doors that led onto the balcony and his eyes hardened. I was about to ask what it was but when he spoke foreign words that sounded like a demand, I thought otherwise.

Instead I turned my head to look behind me but before I could, he wrapped his arms around my waist and lifted me to his lips. The kiss made me melt under a master's experience. I was now lost to the outside world and no longer cared what he had seen and what sounded like he had ordered away. I no longer cared about Justin, Aurora or what had been stalking me that night. And most importantly I no longer held an image of Draven in some other girl's hands because I was here...I was the now, and Draven made me feel like I was the only, as he picked me off the ground and carried me to the bed to make love to me like he owned every inch of me, Which, of course, he did.

Chapter 34.

Tarnished Perfection.

The next morning was the calm after the storm in more ways than one and the gla.s.s doors held picture proof. The sky was clear of all the dark and gloomy clouds that had filled it the day before. The day and night of rainfall seemed to have transformed the land into being even more green and lush than usual. I couldn't help but smile at the sight but I also think my contented mood was down to my night of incredible make-up s.e.x that was eagerly provided by Draven. As the memories flooded back to me an instant jolt of s.e.xual hunger towards my lower regions made me giggle.

"And may I enquire what you find so amusing?" Even the sound of Draven's voice had my stomach flipping over. I tried to be cool but with the b.l.o.o.d.y great, big grin plastered across my face, that was a hard task to accomplish. He was sat at his desk with his chair turned to the side to look at me. There were papers spread out in front of him but from this distance, I couldn't see what they held upon them. I don't know how long he had been awake, but he was fully dressed and freshly showered.

In the end the only answer I gave was a slight shrug of my shoulders, which in turn he mocked by doing the same. I was about to say something smart and ask if he had recently checked the Karma Sutra out of the town's library after last night's wild s.e.x escapades but I was kyboshed by the ringing of my phone.

My clothes, as usual, were thrown around the room like shrapnel from a s.e.x bomb. I didn't want to just get out of bed naked and search for it as in the light of day I was still shy about showing him my body. Thankfully I didn't need to, as he had found it and made it to the bedside ready for me to take it...at a price. I tried to take the Abba singing phone from him but he wanted something in return.

"Payment first." He said in a deep, smouldering voice that made me wish the phone would go to voicemail already and we could continue the payment in great depth. I kissed him on the nose instead, quickly remembering morning breath and grabbed the phone.

"Consider it a down payment." I said making him grin and then I answered the phone to a very fl.u.s.tered sister.

"Kazzy?"

"Yeah, of course it's me, you rang my number remember, what's up Libs?" She sounded both upset and furious and I was just praying that it wasn't based at me.

"Where have you been? Justin said that you brought him home last night but then he didn't know where you went...so please tell me I'm just being paranoid and you're with Dominic." A guilty pang popped in my stomach at the sound of her worried tone and I knew I should have left at least a note or called first thing. Why didn't I think? Deep down I knew why...I had been so obsessed with having it out with Draven, that nothing else seemed to matter at the time.

"I'm sorry Libs I should have left a note or rang but yeah, I'm at the club and I'm really..." I was about to say really sorry but she cut me off.

"Yes, yes I know you're sorry but that's not important right now, I called because I need you to come home, like, right now!" Ok, this panicked state had me really worried and Draven knew it because he took my other hand in his.

"What is it, is the baby ok?" I could feel tears almost emerging but then they disappeared just as quickly when she said "No, no, nothing like that, I'm fine and so is the baby. It's something else that I can't handle... alone!"

"For G.o.d's sake Libs, you're freaking me out, just tell me!" Draven frowned when I mentioned G.o.d and I couldn't help but wonder what that look had meant?

"You're freaking out! I'm the one freaking out! Frank's had to go to the airport and I'm getting things ready here but I can't face her alone, I won't do it Kazzy, I won't or I will end up committing murder and I can't have a jailbird baby!" I laughed at how dramatic my sister was being, that was until the penny dropped just as I asked who he was going to pick up. I knew the answer and let out an angry growl of my own.

"NO, no, no, no, it can't be? She's early!"

"Tell me about it."

"I'll be back as soon as I can. I promise but is Justin still there? Maybe he could keep her occupied for a while." At the very mention of his name Draven look like he wanted to smash something up.

"Yeah, he's helping me to get things ready but he wants to split as soon as she arrives. He has met her before remember...the wedding." I recalled the event very well and when she hadn't succeeded then in getting him to give up the goods she had hated me even more to find that his attentions lay towards another member of the family, one she hated more than anyone!

"Right... got it, I will be there soon, just hang on. Oh and Libs..." She paused and waited for me to carry on.

"When she arrives and if I'm not there..."

"Yeah?"

"Stay away from sharp implements." Draven laughed at my warning and I hung up the phone.

"The cousin, I presume, has arrived."

"Oh yeah... the b.i.t.c.h has landed!"

It took me longer to get ready than usual, thanks to while having a shower Draven kept insisting that he could be of some a.s.sistance and made it difficult to do anything while being watched like a gazelle. He leaned all his body weight on one of the pillars and seemed content on watching me wash my hair. I tried to ignore him but he was making it increasingly difficult when he kept making comments like, "You missed a bit".

I think I would have enjoyed it more if memories of my cousin, Hilary, hadn't been playing in and out of my mind like a flicker book of misery and embarra.s.sment. Draven knew I was preoccupied and he would soon understand to the full extent when meeting her. I didn't know what to expect but I was certain on one factor, I was absolutely dreading it!

And it also took longer to change than usual and after standing there growing cold with just a towel round me, Draven couldn't stand it any longer.

"Keira, this isn't like you, you never usually care what people think about your appearance so why are you fretting now?" I frowned and turned round to face him. He was standing close enough that I had to arch my neck up to see his expression clearly.

"I care what you think," I said catching the hidden smile emerge.

"Ah, well I don't count as you know full well that I would find you most beautiful in any garment." I wanted to mock him about sounding his age in saying the word garment instead of the modern use of the word clothes. But instead I called his bluff.

"And if I walked in the club one night wearing a bin bag... that would be acceptable?"

"That depends." He said teasing me.

"On what exactly?"

"Whether or not the bag was used would be a factor, you may be a beauty in anything you wear but the smell I cannot account for and I'm not partial to the smell of garbage!"

"Rubbish."

"Excuse me?" He asked, one eyebrow raised.

"I said rubbish, you know...you say tomatoe, I say tomato...let's call the... whole thing off?" I started singing the song confidently until I got to the end and saw his expression. It was one of high amus.e.m.e.nt and I went bright red.

"You are so..."

"Don't say it!" I interrupted but he said it anyway, "Adorable." I shuddered as I felt his lips on the sensitive skin near my collar bone. He licked where his kiss lay and made me giggle. We both laughed and I momentarily forgot about my cousin induced self-esteem issues. But it didn't take long and after Draven had finished kissing me, I was back to square one.

"Right, I know what to do but I warn you, you asked for this." I didn't even have chance to reply because he was gone and out of the room before I had turned back around. I was left miffed and confused. The endless amount of clothes loomed before me and if they could have spoken, I was sure they would be all laughing at me. Why was I finding this so hard? Why was this the one person besides Draven that could influence my mood in such a way? I wanted to scream at myself for being so ridiculous but every time I went to pick something out, my hand would recall and I would be right back where I started.

I wasn't sure how long I had been stood there and I knew every minute that ticked by, Libby would be going crazy. Finally I heard the door open and when I turned, I was not only faced with one Draven but now two.

"See what I mean! She has been stood like this for half an hour just staring at her clothes. This is beyond my capability as a man so I brought reinforcements." I wanted to laugh but the stern look on Sophia's face made me think it not wise. She took fashion very seriously and in her case she would cla.s.s this as a world code red emergency.

"I see. You did the right thing Dom but now it's time for you to leave us...we have work to do!" I couldn't help gulp and shot Draven a panicked look but with a smirk, he crossed the room and kissed me.

"You left me no other choice love." He whispered in my ear before leaving the room.

"It's not that bad...no really. I am just a bit indecisive this morning." She didn't buy it and with a lie told so badly I wasn't surprised.

"So this has nothing to do with the b.i.t.c.h that is showing up today then?" Ok, so she had me there, but what was it in this place, had some article gone out in the 'Demon/ Angel weekly'?

"It's ok, really. Jealously is a completely natural emotion, and one that my kind usually finds great pleasure in feeding from. It's a shame really that we can't feed from you, with your mood I would be full up till lunch!" I didn't laugh unlike she did and I can imagine it was due to my hacked off expression that she found amus.e.m.e.nt in.

"I'm only kidding. Jeez you are uptight this morning. No wonder my brother called me." She turned her attention to the clothes in front of her and with one hand running along the fabrics and the other rested on her shoulder like she was posing for a photo shoot.

"So what are we going for here...All out "I'm better than you" s.e.xy or seductively casual?" Umm none of the above! I didn't say that because she was already pulling clothes off the rack like a woman possessed.

"I dunno...I kind of just want to look...umm" I didn't know how to carry on without sounding pathetic but it was clear she was waiting, so I continued and said the words with my head hung down and my eyes finding the fleurs-de-lis that patterned the thick lush carpet.

"Like I deserve your brother."

"Oh Keira, anyone to doubt that is a fool and un-deserving of your attention. This girl sounds she needs some Demon a.r.s.e kicking therapy, would her head look good mounted on a wall?" This made me laugh in a nervous, G.o.d I hope she isn't serious kind of way but I was soon feeling better. I could just picture Hilary's face when meeting Sophia for the first time...actually it was the only thing I was looking forward to about her staying here.

By the time Sophia had finished, I felt like a giant Barbie doll. I was now stood looking at myself in the full length mirror feeling a little red faced. I had on a light grey sweater dress with a cowl neck and wide ribbing. It was so soft to the skin I couldn't stop feeling the sleeves. It was teamed up with a pair of tight, black leggings and black boots that added to my height. Sophia handed me a hooded coat with an absolutely feminine charm. It was black also and tied at the waist with a belt in the same material. It fell to my knees with a slight flare and when I put it on it fit like it was made to measure.

"You look lovely, so much so my brother might buy me a TVR Cerbera." I gave her one of my "you're so spoilt" looks but she just laughed.

"That's a car...right?"

"Keira it's not just a car, it's so much more. The feeling you get when you reach speeds up to 240 miles per hour...it's like you're flying!"

"But you can fly! And what is it with you and your brother with speed anyway?" I rolled my eyes having only ever done the speed limit my entire life, well I wasn't so sure about what speed I was doing last night but that had been different. Which brought me back to last night's horrors and why I hadn't yet told Draven about them? I couldn't understand it, every time something weird happened it was like my mind would come up with its own ideas on how to deal with it and telling Draven wasn't even an option. I had asked Draven last night, after the wild, untamed makeup s.e.x where Ragnar was last night. But was utterly taken back to find that he had been watching me all night. This had left me beyond confused and was just about to explain how I never saw him when my mind crashed into a red light. I was at a blank and couldn't bring myself to speak about last night. Why did this keep happening? What was wrong with me and more importantly if Ragnar had been there last night, then why did last night go so horribly wrong? The blood red window message, the glowing eyes in the darkness stalking me like some forest monster ready for its next feed and last of all, the car following me back to Afterlife?

Sophia's voice brought me back round to the now and the next set of horrors that awaited me.

"My brother has a TVR Sagaris in purple, you know. Has he taken you in it yet?" My mind was everywhere and nowhere all at once. I could feel Sophia's mind trying to invade my thoughts. The feeling brought me round and I quickly shut myself off, leaving her staring at me with a curious eye.

"Sorry, what was the question?" I blinked a few times and came back to the conversation.

"Keira, are you alright?" She knew something was wrong but thankfully I had something else to blame it on.

"Yeah sure, I mean I'm stressing 'cause of my cousin coming but apart from that, I'm just dandy." I could tell she wasn't buying it and I wondered how much of my thoughts she had seen before I closed shop. I decided to distract her with another question.

"So I know you and Draven have loads of cars but what about Vincent?"

"Ah, now Vincent prefers bikes but me... well...a helmet does nothing for a girl's hair!" I laughed at her comment and hoped it was enough of a deterrent for her to drop her suspicious gaze. The last thing I wanted was her taking her anxious concerns to Draven.

Draven was waiting by his desk and I knew from the look, that he had heard every word I had said. He stood up and was in front of me before I had time to blink. He took my hands in his and looked down at me with hurt in his dark eyes.

"How could anyone think that such a G.o.ddess could not be good enough, I am the one not worthy. You look enchanting." I blushed and in sight of this he leaned down to my ear.

"The smell of your blood rushing to your cheeks drives me wild, take care or I will not let you go." I smiled before I realised what he was saying.

"You're not coming with me?" I said this with puppy eyes and looked up at him.

"Now Keira don't look at me like that, you know I can deny you nothing but I have some things of importance to do before I can leave and I fear your sister cannot wait for you." I wanted to sulk but I knew I would only be making him feel guilty for something he obviously couldn't help. Then I had an idea.

"Ok, but couldn't Sophia come with me instead?"

"I..." She was about to agree but her brother spoke over her.