"NO! Look Keira I need to protect you, I cannot have that happen again. So you will just have to trust me and do as I say." Ok, that was so not happening!

"Draven I will agree to stay here with you every night but I will not hide away from my life and I'm sorry but you can't stop me." He was shaking at this point with fists held tight to his sides as if trying to regain just a shred of control. He looked d.a.m.n close to shaking me!

"Why won't you listen to me, do you think I do this for my own gain? My only care is to keep you safe and if, as you say, keeping you locked in a tower achieves this then I will do it, you can be d.a.m.n sure of it!" Draven was trying to push me to the point of me agreeing but my will on this matter was beyond yielding.

"We both know that will not happen." I said calmly before continuing, "Think what you are saying. I am not your prisoner and you would never treat me so. I know you too well and I would bet my life on it."

"Not funny Keira." Ok, so saying about betting my life was probably not the best way to put it but it was not intended to be funny.

"Look, I am not saying that I am about to do anything stupid. I know I still need Ragnar guarding me and I know never to spend a night away from you, not that I would want to anyway, but you have to meet me halfway."

"And where would this halfway be exactly because no matter what I seem to do it is never enough!" At this point I really did feel sorry for him, he clearly was fighting a losing battle and with no glory in sight.

"Well, I guess halfway would be that we now know Lucius can't get in my defected mind! So gla.s.s half full on that one." I tried to joke but Draven was so not in the mood for Northern humour.

"Defected?" Trust him to pick up on my terminology.

"Well, there must be something wrong with my head...right?" At this he groaned and came to my side to grab both my hands in his.

"Keira, there is nothing wrong with your head!"

"Well there must be something because according to you and your brother I am the only Being on earth that Lucius can't control." This statement sure got his attention.

"You heard that?"

"Umm, well yeah, but at first I thought I was dreaming but now I know it must have been right after...umm...the healing." I said this last part cautiously, not wanting to bring up what was obviously painful memories for him and me both. As expected, he winced at the flashback.

"To be honest Keira if you're expecting answers as to why, then I am afraid I don't have any for you. We both know you are different but just how different is still left to be discovered." Oh great, so I was a freak without knowing why...b.l.o.o.d.y marvellous!

"Well as long as I don't start shooting webs from my hands and glowing in the dark, I think we can cla.s.s the inability of not being controlled as a plus." At this he finally laughed making my tensed shoulders relax at the sound.

"Maybe we should get you some stretchy spandex suit to wear if you are going to be a comic book superhero, that way I get to peel it off you." He winked at me and wore a crooked smile as his naughty thoughts came out to play. Now I was laughing and I playfully punched him.

"So do we have an understanding on the whole me leaving thing?" His playfulness quickly diminished and was replaced by yet another broody frown.

"How do you expect me to protect you if you..."

"Draven please stop. We can take precautions but I will not live a life of fear because of what might happen again. I am going home in a week and until then I have a mountain of course work to worry about...so near death experiences are not even in the equation at the moment." I laughed trying to lighten the mood but his was getting darker with every word out of my mouth. He didn't look at all happy but must have decided now was not the time to try and reason with me.

The rest of the day went by in blissful ignorance of last night's events and we were both happy to put it behind us and for the first time since knowing Draven this was one night that the VIP went without it's King. We spent the whole day and night hidden away in his room like we were a pair of love struck teenagers. No one came, not even Vincent or Sophia, so I guessed this was at his orders. Well if that was the case then this was one order I was more than happy to comply with! Of course the fact that I was a human with basic needs didn't go amiss as every time I returned from the bathroom there were drinks and a wide array of food waiting for me. It turned out to be one of the best days of my life and when the night crept in like an unwanted visitor I found myself not wanting it to ever end.

"You know if you came away with me it could be like this every day." He hummed in my ear as I leaned against him on the couch. I sighed as the thought took me to my very idea of Heaven but I knew it was a false promise. Not that Draven wasn't a man of his word, but for someone who controlled a world full of supernatural beings, I doubted this promise could be achieved for long. But I smiled at his tactics anyway without answering him the way I would have liked.

All throughout the day I hadn't been successful in getting him to take his kisses further thanks to his belief that my body need time to relax and s.e.x with Draven was definitely anything but relaxing.... mind blowing, o.r.g.a.s.mic and truly breathtaking yes, but relaxing...umm I think not! If you asked me I think he was enjoying all my efforts more than he was letting on. I felt like some b.l.o.o.d.y leech trying to suck the life out of him! But alas every time it started to get serious and I could feel him getting worked up...and I mean all the way up...He would groan and restrain me back so as he could regain his granite like will. I was starting to feel like a sledge hammer going at it without even causing a dint.

When he convinced me it was time we got some sleep I told him to go lay down and I would be with him once I used the bathroom. Once there I brushed my hair until soft and falling in smooth waves down my back. I brushed my teeth until squeaky clean and minty fresh. I had already had a shower earlier that day and shaved my legs, under Draven's watchful eye which was embarra.s.sing at first, especially when I nicked myself and Draven overreacted like I'd slashed open a vein! I checked myself in the mirror one last time and tied my kimono a little looser so as my pushed cleavage was showing thanks to a black lacy bra. I was also wearing a thong to match which made me walk a little funny back to the bed. Well my seduction idea wasn't going to happen until I was on the bed so it didn't matter if I was walking a little sideways.

As soon as he saw me coming I smiled to myself as he turned his head to the other side. Oh this was going to be so easy! I stepped up to the bed and walked on the bed so that I was stood above him. I got a great view from up here although I would have preferred a naked Draven to be below me. He was still wearing a tight black vest showing off his perfectly sculpted arms that could crush every bone in my body. His long solid legs encased in light colour denim topped with a thick leather belt, which had a thick metal belt buckle with an Arabic symbol for "Strength" crudely hammered in the centre. I had asked him about it earlier and he explained it had been a gift from his brother. It was a hard thing to imagine...Draven unwrapping gifts, such a human thing to do, I had told him, to which I had only received a shrug of the shoulders as my response.

He finally raised his eyes to me and I saw his face tense as he held on to his last shreds of will. I smiled making it even harder for him.

"Come down here!" He asked through gritted teeth. So instead of sidestepping and joining him on one side I fell down to my knees landing so that our s.e.xes were knitted together. He groaned as the impact caused a reaction he was hoping to avoid. The silk robe fell from one shoulder and exposed one lace covered breast that looked as though it would like nothing more than to pop out and be played with.

"What's wrong Draven?" I asked as innocent as a child with his hand caught in the cookie jar. I let my hair fall forward and at this his eyes flashed purple and I knew that I had him! He growled and grabbed the tie of my robe to use it to aid his control. He gripped it tight and pulled me until my lips met his. This action ignited the fire deep in my belly that was bubbling up and I tensed my body around him to get closer to the bulge that pressed painfully against his jeans. His hands pulled my hair up and twisted it to control my head. I almost came right then! I, in turn, bit his lips causing his own fire to erupt to a new level. He ripped the kimono from me and I saw the seams unravel at every point. Soon I became a milky white body covered only in thin lace, quivering beneath him.

"You are an unstoppable Vixen that teases a man's will till it is destruction at your feet. What have you to say in your defence?" He teased back making me blush and beam at his compliment. He buried his head in my hair and inhaled me in as if stealing my essence.

"What can I say...I'm a girl with needs that only you can satisfy." This made him smile before he crushed his lips to mine and kissed me solidly while he took me from below. I ended up having all my o.r.g.a.s.ms screaming in his mouth, every time feeling him smile over my quivering lips. At my last one he found his release as I bit into his shoulder not being able to control, understand or help myself. He arched back as one last thrust pounded into me as we came together. I could barely hear my own scream over his deep animal roar at the ceiling. It was like I had just been ravished by a wild beast and now he was calling his pleasure to the moon.

Well one thing I was wrong about, s.e.x sure could be relaxing...well that was the aftermath of six o.r.g.a.s.ms. I collapsed in a sticky mess of sweat dripping down every curve of my body and buried my head in his side under his arm. He held me closer to him and we both found sleep this way without uttering another word that wasn't needed to end this perfect day.

The next week was a complete rat race. I spent every free minute doing an endless amount of studying for finals and handing in papers just barely before deadlines. Draven had kindly given me the week off work to make the time, the perks of dating your boss! Of course n.o.body working there complained as Draven gave everyone a Christmas bonus for the first time. I wouldn't accept mine which was no surprise to Draven, although when checking my account there was a considerable amount greater than there should have been. However, when I queried it, Draven simply shrugged his shoulders and played dumb, which we both knew he most certainly wasn't! Mike seemed happy with the extra money over the holiday season and could now afford to go skiing with his family for Christmas instead of letting his parents fork out for it. He was such a good guy, anyone else would have let his family pay and bought themselves a new s...o...b..ard. Ok, so I knew quite a lot of people here that wouldn't have done that but you know what I mean.

No-one working at Afterlife really had anything to complain about as the wages Draven paid were the best around and people usually tipped the bar well which got shared fairly, taking into account the amount of hours we all did. Of course everyone put the bonus down to me and no one believed me when I said that I had nothing to do with it.

"I think keeping the boss this happy helps Kaz." Mike had replied with a sly grin that forced me to flick water in his face after washing my hands. It was my last shift before I travelled back to England tomorrow and one night that Draven let me work. It was the Christmas party and Afterlife knew how to hold one heck of a party! The entire place had been decorated in thick rich colours of green, red and gold. Wreaths and holly swags hung from the tall arched windows and doors. A huge black Christmas tree dominated one corner of the room, which was covered with blood red ribbon the width of a body cascading down to the floor. Ma.s.sive gold baubles, the size of melons were decorated with the same blood red drips in glossy paint. There were thousands of red twinkling fairy lights not only covering the tree but the whole club. It was like a gothic Christmas fairyland had replaced the usual Afterlife and I knew straight away one girl who was responsible for the transformation.... the sensational Sophia!

The first drinks of the night were on the house and at one point of the night the lights dimmed and the music stopped for everyone to raise their cla.s.ses to the VIP and to a man they couldn't see to thank. I wore a hidden smile the rest of the night. The night carried on in full swing and when my shift was over I joined my friends in the party. We all danced in a group and I even let down my hair to whip round as the mixture of rock cla.s.sics and dance music gripped me enough to dance until sweating. All my friends knew I was leaving for the holidays as a few of them were doing the same. Chaz was leaving his aunt's house to go back to his mum's or mom's as he kept saying.

"So is Dreamy Draven going back with you for the holidays?" RJ asked me when we were both in the ladies trying to cool ourselves after out workout on the dance floor. I had been told not to tell anyone the plan me, Draven and his siblings had constructed so I didn't know how to answer this one without lying. In the end I didn't need to as Lanie came in with streaming mascara down her face. She was in floods of tears and between sobs told us how Drew had just broke up with her. I spent the next half hour rubbing her back and scowling at RJ every time she tactlessly mentioned how she was going to rip his head off! This just made Lanie give way to fresh new tears. In the end Draven must have been worried at not seeing me in the club because he walked through the door in the body of a nineteen year old cyber Goth with electric blue and fuchsia pink hair. I only knew it was Draven when her eyes flashed purple and she winked at me. I tried so hard not to laugh as the situation but failed miserably. Both my friends shot me a shocked look at my tactless behaviour.

"Umm...sorry...I guess I don't handle crying in the right way." I said lamely whilst giving Draven evils as his female host left the bathroom.

"You've been doing fine up until now." RJ commented under her breath.

It only took us another ten minutes to clean Lanie up and convince her that Drew was a moron and therefore not worth her tears. It hadn't really worked as she was still sniffling but it did get us out of the loo. After that things started to wind down and I soon found myself being crushed by Jack's embrace. I could almost hear Draven's growl in my head as no doubt he was watching. After saying goodbye to all my friends in turn I decided to go and help Mike with the bar close down.

I was acting on autopilot as my thoughts wandered to tomorrow. I had already packed that day and my black case with a smiley sticker on the side lay on my bed ready for the last few items before zipping it up and heading home for the first time this winter. We had planned for Draven to follow shortly afterwards in his private jet but Ragnar was to guard me on the actual flight. At first Draven had wanted me to fly with him but I knew my mum would have been upset to know that the expensive ticket home wasn't going to get used. Draven had wanted to keep my departure date a secret, with only my family and his knowing the ins and outs. Ragnar was going to be instructed on the day. He told me this was so no one's mind could betray them. I guess they knew mine wasn't an issue with that problem anymore. It had been a week since the last time I had heard Lucius' voice and my dreams were no longer being controlled or intruded on. It was becoming a distant memory, one Draven was happy for me to forget.

Draven had gone as far as not making any plans for England and I had told my family that as far as I knew his work was keeping him in the US for the holidays. My mum thought it a shame but was just happy to have us all home for Christmas so didn't make a big deal out of it. I was just glad to be turning my back on the past few weeks and hoping to come back to start a fresh new year...nightmare free.

My sister sent Frank up to get my suitcase and after saying a mental goodbye to the view I was going to miss, I met them all downstairs. It was hard to pretend to say goodbye to the waiting Draven at my doorstep. For him it was hard, as he looked far too vulnerable to be the one in control.

Frank, Libby and Hilary had all wished him a Happy Christmas and said their goodbyes before quickly giving us some s.p.a.ce. I walked around the side of the house to gaze at the sweeping valley and snow covered national park. Draven wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into him for a tight embrace.

"We don't have to do this, you could change your mind and your family will understand after time. I could take you away where you wish to go, somewhere only you and I know the whereabouts." I had heard these words all week. It was the same pleading voice and another twist on him hiding me away from the world.

"Draven it will be fine, we have planned it so that nothing could go wrong. Even my family are convinced you won't be meeting me. No-one knows I'm not spending Christmas in Liverpool, that I'm actually going to my Grandparents in Cornwall to be with the rest of my family." At this point he was looking deep into my eyes and caressing the side of my face in his palm. He looked so sad, like it was the last time he might see me.

"I can't let anyone harm you...I can't let them take you Keira...it would finish me." He said before burying his head into the top of mine.

"Nothing is going to take me, don't talk like that! Look at me!" He didn't so I turned my head up so he had no choice. His face was riddled with pain and angst, it was the closest I came to giving into him and letting him take me wherever in the world he considered safe.

"We have a plan, you are going to ring Ragnar if there are any problems and he will do the same. If anyone is watching they will just think I am in the car with you and getting on your jet, not getting on a conventional flight with over a hundred other humans where they can do nothing. If anything I am worried about Ragnar!" He grunted at this.

"No human eyes apart from yours can see him." He said, although I already knew this.

"I know, but that's not what worries me. I am just wondering how he is going to get his huge body into one of those tiny seats." At this he finally eased up and laughed.

We remained entwined until Draven loosened his hold and reluctantly said, "It's time, they are waiting." At which point I found I really wasn't ready to let go. I turned into him and held him around the waist, making him wrap his arms around my body like he could protect me from anything the earth held against us. I knew this was silly of us both acting like this, as I knew he would be with me only hours after I landed but I couldn't help feeling the little nagging at the back of my mind...what if something did go wrong?

"Honey, sorry, but we're gonna have to leave now before we hit traffic." Libby's head popped around the corner and looked guilty as h.e.l.l for dragging me away. I just nodded in a sullen way before looking up to find Draven looking far off towards the mountains, like this is where he would have liked to have hidden me. Well, it was too late now, I thought with a touch of regret. I looked back and saw Libby had gone to wait in the car, and Frank had the engine started already to warm up. Another hint for me to hurry up, I thought bitterly.

"Ragnar will follow you in the black Range Rover behind and once you're at the airport he will board the plane. My jet won't be far behind and I should be knocking on your door tomorrow around noon, but Ragnar won't let you out of his sight until then." He had gone through this over and over but I just nodded as though it was the first time. I knew poor Ragnar wouldn't dare let me even go to the bathroom without guarding the door, not if his life depended on it!

"Ok, don't look so worried or is the idea of meeting my parents for the first time is what worries you?" I joked and it looked like it took all the effort in the world for him to smile.

"You forget, if they don't like me I can just alter their minds so they think I'm the only man around they want dating their beautiful daughter." He winked and now I was laughing, just glad we were saying goodbye on a high note.

"I will miss you." I said reaching up to kiss him. He bent his head down and kissed me with all the pa.s.sion of a love starved man. I locked my arms around his neck and kissed him back with equal starvation. A shiver shot down my back when it ended as the nagging feeling sunk deeper to my core and I knew why.

It felt like...

A last kiss.

Chapter 61.

The Wrong Flight.

Before I knew it I had waved goodbye to the owner of my heart and left feeling slightly empty inside. The nagging feeling was beginning to grow, the further the car took me from Draven. I kept giving myself a mental shake, saying it was only for a day, two at the most. Everyone else around me was buzzing with excitement and even had Christmas songs playing through the car's stereo. I found myself just moving my lips, trying to act as if I felt the same excitement but one look from Libby in the mirror and I knew I wasn't fooling anyone. Libby had felt for me when I told her that Draven couldn't join us for the holiday season and I had felt even guiltier lying about it and receiving undeserved sympathy. But like Draven had said it was for everyone's own good.

They had discovered that someone must be leaking information from somewhere inside the VIP and Draven suspected it was one of the new guests as Lucius came to me not long after they had arrived. As far as Draven knew, this was his first encounter. I had tried in vain to tell him it wasn't but I was met with the same problem as usual. Every time I opened my mouth to speak I found blank words behind my lips. It was as though I was cast with some spell that wouldn't let me form the words, so as a result Draven went on thinking this was the first incident. One thing became clear though, whoever had made that phone call to Libby pretending to be Draven was surely the traitor. It didn't take me long to find out that Draven had never needed time alone and he was only waiting for me to forgive him.

I soon spotted the black four wheel drive two cars back and I felt my shoulders relax to know my Viking beast of a Demon was back there keeping his guardian eyes on me. It was strange to think that it wasn't long ago that I had hated the idea of being guarded, but now I seemed to be relying on it for comfort. Maybe it was down to all the bad things that had happened since.

Once at the airport I had to play blind and dumb, not reacting to Ragnar right next to me clung like a bodyguard to a celebrity. It was only when we reached the checkout desk when things started to get complicated.

"What do you mean it's the wrong date?" I said staring at the lady in a smart red and navy airline suit.

"I am afraid this ticket is for the day after tomorrow." She said trying to be pleasant in telling someone their horrible news for the day.

"That can't be right." Libby said coming to my side. She grabbed the ticket from the lady whose name tag read 'Jean is happy to help'. Well I didn't really care for the happy part but the help was surely needed!

"I am afraid you booked the tickets for a separate day." Well that sure wasn't helpful and I had to stop myself from saying, "Well no s.h.i.t Sherlock!"

"Our mother booked the tickets...Oh No, look Kaz she did." Horror filled my sister's eyes as she scanned the ticket over and over before letting me see the evidence for myself. She was d.a.m.n right, my mother had only gone and booked my ticket for a different day!

"Well can't we buy another ticket?" Me and Libby both asked at the same time.

"Umm...I'm sorry but that flight is fully booked and the flight will be boarding soon, so those of you with tickets will have to hurry to the right departure gate." I felt sorry for 'Jean' at this point because Libby turned to scowl at her. I had to drag Libby over to where Frank and Hilary waited for us with anxious faces.

"Mum went and booked Kazzy on the wrong b.l.o.o.d.y date!" Libby screeched to Frank.

"Can't she swap the dates?" Frank added unhelpfully, bless him.

"I don't think it works like that Frank, the flight is fully booked." I said as Libby was muttering about our mother's incapability to use computers and all modern technology in general, while also blaming herself for not checking each ticket.

"Look it will be fine, I will just call Dominic and get him to pick me up and then fly out to you guys in two days...problem solved." Well at least it seemed so for them, now I was wondering how this affected Draven's plans? Once I got these guys on their way I could find a quiet place and ask Ragnar, who was still at my side frowning at our current situation.

"I can't let you fly out on your own!" Libby said but Frank was nervously looking at his watch and the flight numbers on the checking board.

"Lib's, I flew out here on my own remember? Look if you guys don't go, you will miss the flight...is the spare key still hidden in that old jar in the shed?" Frank nodded before pulling me in for a hug.

"We will see you in a few days," he said making Libby curse under her breath.

"Lib's it will be fine, don't be too hard on mum and give everyone my love until I get there." I hugged her even though I could tell her mind was still running through every possibility. I hugged Hilary and waved them off until out of sight, watching my sister being pulled through security with Frank's strong arm around her shoulders. She looked like a lost sheep amongst the cattle of travellers.

"Well, what are we going to do now?" I said in a low whisper trying not to gain too much attention, but when a pa.s.serby stopped and stared, I decided to get out my phone and pretend to be talking to someone on it.

"I will call my Lord, come with me." Ragnar held onto my arm and we walked through the crowded airport until we were outside one of the main terminals. It was still far too crowded to go unnoticed, but no-one could hear Ragnar let alone see him so it was only me being paranoid for no good reason. He dug in his dark tan jacket and pulled out a phone that looked tiny in his hands. He pressed one b.u.t.ton and began talking immediately.

"The mother made the mistake." He added after explaining our new situation. I wished I could hear the other side of this conversation because Ragnar's head bobbing wasn't easing my irritation.

"Yes I will, no, the car left after we did. I cannot detect any of our kind nearby. We will wait for the car and I will bring her back to Afterlife directly...Yes my Lord, with my life." He said and pa.s.sed the phone down to me, which must have looked mighty strange for anyone walking past, me taking a phone from thin air!

"Hi," I said very forlorn.

"Keira are you alright?" Draven sounded concerned and hyped up as if he had been waiting phone in hand ready for something to go wrong.

"Yeah I'm fine, so what will happen now?" I asked, trying to sound a little less 'end of the world'.

"I am sending a car to pick you up and then we will decide when you get here. It will be alright Keira, soon you will be safely in my arms once again." The thought made me smile and the nagging feeling I had all day seemed to evaporate.

"Good, I will see you soon then." I was about to hand it back when I heard Draven's words enter me to the core.

"Keira, I love you." I smiled and although he couldn't see me I think he heard it in my reply.

"And I love you."

Ragnar had arranged for us to be picked up in a quieter part of the Airport, when his phone rang.

"My Lord?" He seemed surprised but nodded again and again as new orders were being given. I, meanwhile, was sat on my suitcase like a bored child.

"You want us to get to the jet?" Ragnar looked surprised, which brought my nagging fear rushing back to me in a heartbeat. He nodded a few more times and muttered acknowledgements down the phone but his frown never left his harsh red face. The little potted scars seemed to stand out further when he looked this agitated and it automatically made me wonder what had gone wrong.

"But my Lord, that is not what we had planned...the girl she..." Ragnar shut up immediately once I heard shouting from the other end and we both flinched simultaneously.

"No, My Lord I am sorry to question you... No it will not happen again." He said after obviously being reprimanded but still his frown remained. It was quite clear whatever Draven's changes, Ragnar did not approve.

"Yes, I will take her there now, you will meet us?" He waited for his answer and then nodded. Once he had received his new orders he snapped the phone shut and looked down at me with his dark red eyebrows closely knitted together and emitted a low growl.

"What is it...what's wrong?" I asked placing my hand on his arm, which felt a bit like comforting a tree trunk against the rain.