Afterlife - Stephanie Hudson Page 0,160

warmth from the energy that coursed through him. My body couldn't help but still yearn for him the way it had always done. I wanted him and no matter how scared I was, I needed him and it hurt badly. His lips came to the level of mine as his body was leant in, consuming the space between us. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply as though trying to take in my scent. He let out a groan and his eyes looked into mine with such intensity I couldn't breathe.

“Keira, you just don't understand what it is you do to me! Pr Rios y le diabolic comp mi testing, Ella sere ma!”(Means “By God and the Devil as my witness, she will be mine!” In Spanish) He said with passion and my mind tried to translate the words but it wouldn't work, it would only allow my senses to react to how he made me feel.

He looked me up and down as though he wanted to devour me with his touch and my body trembled at the thought of his hands finding my wet skin. So instead of trying to run I did something very stupid. My hands moved up slowly, first to his wide strong shoulders then they moved down his large biceps feeling the raw power move under my hand. I bit my lip ready for him to pull away from my touch but instead his eyes closed and he looked as though he had to concentrate very hard not to react.

Then my hand dropped at the noise behind us, waking me from this trance I was locked in. It sounded like the bird had found us and his face turned towards the sound, as if seeing it through his own wings.

“Then it is time.” He said as if answering an unsaid question. I didn't like the sound of that so I moved as if to get free but his arms grabbed me quick and circled them around my torso pulling me into him. He took my breath away again and his wings wrapped around us both fully so all I could see was Draven's face. He looked down into my eyes and said,

“Goodbye my little Keira.” And then before I could protest his lips found mine, kissing me so softly as his mouth opened letting the air that had passed through him now enter me. It whirled around my mind, making me feel dizzy. I tried so hard to focus on bringing myself back but I was falling into an abyss of darkness and it sucked me in until I couldn't feel my body any more.

It felt as though I had died...

Again.

Chapter 28 – Goodbye Draven

The next time I woke I was in fact back in my own bed feeling more than just confused. I jumped out of bed and ran to the mirror on wobbly legs to examine myself. My clothes were all still intact, there was no ripped vest, no bloody trousers and even weirder I had no bandages. I looked for a scar or mark, anything to indicate what had happened last night but there was nothing. I lifted my hand turning it over and over but it too, was just as clear as it had been the day before.

I shook my head in disbelief. This was not happening! There was no way that what had happened last night was a dream. Not this time! However there were still things that backed my theory, ok they were small but still they mattered. My black shirt and tie were still missing. My hair was still damp and loose from running around in the rain. And most importantly I could still smell Draven imprinted on my skin. No, this was not dream!

I begrudgingly had a shower washing away the last traces of last night from my body and after drying myself I got dressed. I noticed it was 10:30am and I was due to start my next shift at twelve. It was when I had finished in the shower that I realised I was ravenous. I could have eaten a horse and its rider, I was that hungry. I went downstairs into the kitchen and was about to shout out to Libby or Frank when I remembered that they weren't back yet. It made me wonder how or who had brought me home.

Once I had raided the kitchen cupboards for anything I could get my hands on, I only had just enough time to get