"I am not without feelings, young one, and I can only sympathise to your future but if you think now is bad then you have very little idea on what is in store for one that is 'Chosen'. He cannot save you from fate nor can he prevent it playing out, like the dawn brings the light and the dusk that brings the night, for a son of the G.o.ds knows this. But you are not only young and human, but also ignorant of the ways of our world and that does you no favours."

"Then if you're not without feelings and can sympathise then why not let me go?" Ok, it was a long shot but what did I have to lose?

"I am afraid your safety on getting you to Lucius is all I can provide. Once my blood is given in bond, then my life also is in the hands of my employer. If I was to fail then my life would be given in return for the life I am commissioned." This was said so matter of fact I snorted.

"But nice try!" He said laughing to himself.

"So what you're trying to say is that I should just give up, is that it! Just resign myself on the inevitable, is that what you would do Carrick, just lay down and give up?" I was getting angry now and worked up, to the point that my hands made their way into fists and my nails penetrated the skin on my palms.

"But not at all dear one, my you are feisty indeed, much suited to a king such as Draven. I merely state that, given the inner strength you surely possess, you should rise above your fear and never lose faith in the extraordinary gifts you have been blessed with. After all, they will save your soul more than once, I am sure of it. Keep your mind locked firmly shut out to those who wish to control it and you will find you hold more power than even that of the man you so deeply love." Again, another cartoon jaw dropping moment.

"Heed my advice young one and take it with you, if nothing else of our time together." At this I lost all my anger like a deflating balloon in the hands of a child. I had nothing else to lose but a lifetime of understanding to gain. It seemed to me that the advice of this man was the most important I was ever to receive in my life and I was not arrogant or stubborn enough not to see it for what it was....a warning.

So with this in mind, I did what I knew was all that was in my power to do, I blocked my mind off to the world. I built not only walls keeping out any intruders but a mental fortress. I spent what felt like a great deal of time picturing my mind as some priceless artefact that needed castle walls ten feet thick and when that didn't feel enough I would place the most important emotions inside a locked vault made of pure t.i.tanium, this is where Draven would be safe and nothing else mattered.

"Ah peace at last, you have done well dear one, your mind is nothing but a blank and for one of my kind that is quite rare indeed." At this I actually found myself smiling. It felt a bit like getting praise from a teacher or a pat on the head from your father for cleaning your room.

"A drink to celebrate?" He said, motioning with his hand a stewardess forward who I had quite forgotten was even on the same plane. She was like every other flight attendant I had seen. Dressed in a tight navy blue suit with a blood red neckerchief tied firmly in place around the slim column of her swan like neck. Hair pulled back into a twisted roll, held there by what could have been magic for all I knew as not a clip or grip could be seen. And to top off the generic similarities, a killer smile covered in thick glossy red to match her perfectly manicured nails.

I felt like anything but celebrating, but as the tray was placed before me after Carrick himself had helped himself I felt somewhat compelled to accept his hospitality. After all, better to be on the good side of the devil you know than the devil you don't. I took the champagne flute that's lower half was in the design of a metal spine and the gla.s.s held by the ribcage, I shuddered at the thought of how I had seen Carrick in his true form as a master of death.

It was hard to think of the man that sat so casually in front of me now had the ability to strike fear into the most courageous man at just one second of insight to how he truly looked. Death you imagine to be cloaked in black from head to foot, long staff held in the icy grip of a fleshless hand, with most of the horrors thankfully hidden, but some think what is concealed is more frightening than knowing, that one's imagination is scarier than the truth the eyes see...

They would be wrong.

Carrick, a walking torture that you prayed wouldn't be taking you to a place where he had once walked and been subjected to the horrors that had resulted in his ghoulish appearance. For what could have caused half his body to start decaying before the rest, I do not know, nor do I ever wish too, but I will never forget the taste of bile that rose upon seeing it. Half a black cloak, hooded to hide his face, only looked more like an oily second skin of burnt plastic. It had moulded to a powerful frame of solid shoulders, down to bulging biceps and hands that could crush skulls with very little effort. But that's where the flesh ended and bloodied skeleton continued. How only a twisted spine could hold so much without added muscle and tissue, I couldn't fathom, but the truth remained and his immense power was a testament to the fact. He had brought the mighty Ragnar, my Viking protector to his knees, something I didn't think possible. And in order to save his life, I had given myself to Carrick as a willing soul for him to take far, far away from the one man that owned that soul.

Dominic Draven.

As my mind had wandered to only hours ago, I saw that we seemed to be descending through the cloud bank. My heart instantly raised a couple of notches at the thought that my journey was coming to an end, one I didn't want to ever meet in person.

"Are we landing?"

"Shortly yes, but do not get yourself in a flurry, try and relax, I a.s.sure you the champagne is the best of the region, you should try it." He nodded to the gla.s.s that remained untouched and in a tight death grip from my thoughts.

I looked down at the golden liquid and saw a sad reflection staring back, so without further prompting I gulped it down to the last drop. Carrick at least looked satisfied and turned back to the window to watch our descent. Meanwhile, as if being on standby, the stewardess came hurrying past to collect our empty gla.s.ses and returned back to remain unseen somewhere on the plane.

My grip, now without my gla.s.s, had turned to the thick leather armrests that held my body snug to the lazy boy style chair. If not for the circ.u.mstances that brought me to my first encounter of the luxury of a private jet then I would be enjoying this flight. However, no matter how comfy my b.u.t.t was, I couldn't help trying to will the ground to get smaller instead of bigger. The patches of urban jungle were getting closer until soon the tiny insects running along strips of grey were seen to be cars on freeways making their way in life. That's when my vision started to blur slightly, like a heavy night of drinking was finally catching up with me.

I could see in the distance the sun getting lower and dusk fast approaching. My body was torn between wanting to run for the door and throw myself out and being rooted to the seat. I didn't want the next part of this nightmare to play out and there was nothing more terrifying than knowing what waited for me at the end of my destination. Carrick was scary enough, but I would rather provoke his wrath than meet Lucius in living flesh any day of the week. So I mentally prepared myself for the landing of a lifetime. As soon as the plane stopped I would bolt for the door and hoped...no, no, more like prayed that I would make it to freedom.

I think Carrick took my tightly closed eyes for one of fear as the plane's wheels. .h.i.t the tarmac. Of course, thanks to the solid walls I had built, my mind was no longer accessible and my thoughts were far from the plane hitting land. I was gearing myself up until my blood pumped at a greater speed, thanks to the adrenaline now coursing its way around my body like an unstoppable river. Just a little bit longer and then there was a chance, just a small chance that I could make it...I had to.

The plane made its stop outside a hanger, pretty much like the one it left from, and I gathered they didn't want to draw too much attention to the fact that they were kidnapping, to customs, the question "Do you have anything to declare?" sprang to mind.

I was close to bouncing in my seat trying to choose the right moment and hoping that Carrick didn't get up before me, these things were racing around my mind when the sound of the door opening made my final decision for me. Without a second thought, I jumped out of my seat and raced down in between seats like the one I had just vacated. I saw my chance and didn't hold back as my legs pushed me to the only freedom I could see. I was surprised at the speed I seemed to travel, as with one turn of my head, I saw that Carrick hadn't even made it out of his seat by the time I reached the door. I turned back and soon realised why.

The door was fully open and a figure stood in its opening preventing all chances of escape. My eyes tried to fully understand the trick they were playing. Surely this couldn't be real...it just couldn't be.

I was losing my mind, or was this some mind control, a cruel game, anything but the truth that now faced me. This person was my friend, not an enemy...how did this happen? When had my friends turned against me?

"h.e.l.lo Keira." The voice that had greeted me so many times before didn't sound right with the picture in front of me.

"It...it... can't be!" I finally managed to get out as tears streamed down my flushed cheeks. I turned round now, understanding why Carrick hadn't even bothered to try and stop me, he never needed to. He actually looked sorry for me, until I saw the nod he gave the betrayer behind me. That's when things started to get numb. Like my brain was shutting itself down from shock but when my legs started to cave I knew the horrible truth...

I had been drugged.

Hands grabbed me and pulled me securely so that I wouldn't fall and I couldn't help but shout out at the contact, "HOW COULD YOU?"

"I'm sorry, but there was no other way." That voice, the voice of a friend, was the last I heard before a sickening blackness took over me, leaving me feeling cold, frozen to the bone with a bitterness so deep I could lose myself in it.

Trust was a clever thing, one that occurred so blindly that it didn't take thinking about. That was, until you discovered the reason for every bad thing that had happened the last few months now had a name...

Traitor.

Acknowledgements.

Firstly I would like to say huge thanks to all the readers out there that bought Afterlife and especially the ones who took the time to let me know they loved it. You're all brilliant and make my day!

A ma.s.sive thanks goes to my family and friends for your endless amount of support and for always having faith in me, you really are a force to be reckoned with! I would like to thank my mum for her commitment to seeing that The Two Kings was read the way it always was meant to with her meticulous editing. Also to my sister who not only read the book about many times but also made sure The Afterlife Saga looked the way it was always meant to with her fantastic and s.e.xy front covers. They really are my biggest fans and as my sister often says, "It's easy to Crave the Drave!"

Once again I would also like to thank bands like 30 Seconds To Mars, Shinedown, Foo fighters, Kings of Leon, Coldplay and so many others that helped me write the book of my dreams and inspired every word. If there was a song to listen to in this book it would be 30 Seconds To Mars, called L490 from the alb.u.m This is War and I would recommend listening to it while reading the Chapter the Temple.

I would also like to mention my best mate in the world who made my school days bearable. To Rhian, what a truly wonderful friend you are and although we are miles apart, we're always right next to each other in our hearts.

And last but not least my undying love to my husband who has had to put up with three years of Demons, Angels, Gothic nightclubs, vampires and endless household ch.o.r.es left to his manly hands, all the while listening to me tap, tap away on my very used laptop. Oh and did I mention an endless supply of tea!

Thanks for being my strength and such a magnificent dad who will no doubt mirror my own wonderful father, causing Ava to become a true daddy's girl.

I love you always, my hairy bear!

644.

end.