Part 26 (2/2)

Frank had become obsessed with what Libby was now allowed to do and not do. The other day, I heard him telling her off because she was standing on the bed trying to change the quilt cover. He told her, as sternly as I had ever heard him, that she was not to be allowed to do these types of thing again until the baby was born, as she now had two people he cared for to think about. Of course my sister thought this was not only wonderful, as she hated doing laundry but she quickly added anything else she hated doing to the 'no can do pile'... this quickly included ironing! Only what harm can come from standing over a board, moving one arm back and to do I wasn't quite sure.

I was now stood in front of the mirror arguing with myself, as to whether Sophia's choice of outfits had been a good one. I was happy with the colours at least...or more like the lack of colours. Shades had always looked better on me. It wasn't the top that was the problem. No this was both comfortable and warm. It was the tight trousers that concerned me.

They hugged my skin like liquid tar, showing every curve on my bottom half. I tugged down the sweater tunic but unfortunately it didn't come down to my knees like I would have preferred it to. It pa.s.sed my cheeks but only just. I made a loud tut and said ”Ah to h.e.l.l with it” before turning away from the mirror.

I had done my hair a little differently too, deciding I didn't want to look like I was just there to do another s.h.i.+ft. I twisted each side back into a low pony tail and let my waves hang loose. Only today they were more curls than waves due to it still being damp from this morning's shower. The shorter bits framed my oval face and I couldn't help keep tucking them behind my ears. I had also added the slightest touch of mascara and clear lip gloss to ”enhance what was already there” in Libby's words.

I was now ready but I hadn't yet seen Justin. It was strange to know there was another person staying in the house but it was only for one night and I would no doubt be staying at the club, so what did it matter. Justin was staying in one of the guest rooms on the floor below and I could hear footsteps directly below my room. I stayed up there for as long as I deemed acceptable beyond the point of being rude.

I grabbed my bag and phone before turning off my light to make my way downstairs but of course in true Keira fas.h.i.+on, I missed the last step onto the next landing and stumbled into the wall. I was just straightening up when I could feel myself being watched. I looked up to find Justin dripping wet, with only a towel covering his lower half. Oh my!

It seemed Justin had changed somewhat since Libby and Frank's wedding. Age had granted him with a well toned body and sun kissed skin. There were fine lines defining his washboard stomach and a trail of light blonde hair travelled down amongst where the towel was covering. I couldn't help scan over his features with my cheeks ablaze.

His dreadlocks were different lengths but all looked like golden snakes following his every movement, like a master. Some had metal bands round with different symbols etched in the centres. There were also a few wooden beads here and there that matched the numerous beads tied around his wrists. There were other bracelets as well that spelled out, well travelled surfer dude but right now it was hard to focus on anything with the grin he was now sending my way.

”Well h.e.l.lo gorgeous, looking for me?” His tone shouted confidence but the wink he added at the end screamed c.o.c.ky! I rolled my eyes making him laugh at me. He reached into the cupboard and grabbed another towel to hang around his neck, catching the drips that were clinging to his skin. That's when I noticed a huge deep scar that ran down one shoulder and disappeared into the underside of his arm. He noticed me staring but I looked away before I could judge his reaction.

”I'll meet you downstairs,” I said in a shy voice as I made my way past but just as I came closer, he shook his head so that droplets of water flew around him like little fruit flies around grapes. They sprayed me and I giggled.

”Oi... Behave!” I warned in a less than threatening tone and then added a little punch on the arm. It instantly took me back to Draven earlier and the smile I wore, Justin misinterpreted. I was surprised to find his slender arms as solid as rock under weathered skin.

”I'll be down in a minute, just once I get the trout out of my hair!” He joked as he watched me go down to the living room. There I found Frank still wearing his fis.h.i.+ng gear, including a hat with tackle clung to the rim. His face was wind swept red and Justin was right...he smelt like fis.h.!.+ He started to tell me all about his day, just as Libby came in with two mugs of tea and one coffee for Frank (the none tea drinker in the family).

”You look nice, is that new?” Libby nodded my way and I couldn't help but fumble out a semi lie. The last thing I wanted was to admit Draven was now buying me clothes, let alone a whole new wardrobe.

”Bor...borrowed... from Sophia.” She frowned like she didn't believe me but I quickly switched the conversation round and asked her if she knew when B day was going to be. Of course B day was code for ”b.i.t.c.h day”. In other words, when our dreaded cousin Hilary was going to be arriving. She pulled a face like it was sour milk she was drinking and I was sure I saw a s.h.i.+ver crawl up her back.

”She enters our life and the misery begins next week.”

”Be nice honey bee,” Frank said without dragging his eyes from the ice hockey game that was on replay.

”That was being nice...trust me, I could say far worse.” She stated and I couldn't help but laugh at the sentiment that we shared. There was a whole book on what I could say but more than half of it would have to be bleeped out.

She was the essence of evil and would make a perfect match to Lucius! The trouble that girl had landed me in over the years was epic and above all....unforgivable! Stealing boyfriends was only the tip of the iceberg but at spreading rumours, she was the t.i.tanic disaster. She had once told an entire year of my school that the reason I had a large chest was due to an overdose of hormones I had to take, because I was really born a boy but my parents wanted another girl to save on buying me new clothes. Of course this didn't help when I would borrow some of my sister clothes...adding fuel to the fire per say.

By the time Justin came down, Libby and I were sat in the kitchen talking about the Terminator/Predator that would be staying next week and most of all, who we could palm her off with for the duration. Justin cleared his throat to get our attention causing us to both turn at the same time. There our eyes met Justin leaning casually in the door frame. For once he looked smart in a tight black s.h.i.+rt, even if the sleeves were rolled up to show strong looking forearms, due to years of throwing a board around the sands of the earth, no doubt.

His wrists, as usual were covered in beads and leather ties but now with an added thick leather strap that was edged with a metal zip. His hair was different too, instead of hanging down around his face, like vines from the jungle, it was tied back and knotted at the back with pieces of dreads. It was now that you could see his handsome face clearer and the sun induced freckles added to his charm. His long legs carried him well in stone washed jeans that had little tears at the knees and pockets.

”So, are you ready for our date?”

I grabbed the black, leather boots Libby had lent me and tugged them on. I walked over to the door, realising they made me a little taller when opposite Justin but when I tried to pa.s.s him his arm blocked my way, leaning across the frame. I turned to him and said in a low voice ”It's not a date!” But his c.o.c.ky smile told me he'd been expecting my response because before he let me pa.s.s he replied, ”Aww, don't kill the dream honey.” Then he lowered his arm and followed me to the door where I was putting on my jacket. Libby had now joined Frank and perched herself on the arm of the chair her husband occupied.

”Have fun!” Frank said cheerfully, like we were off to the prom or something.

”Right kids, no candy after ten o'clock, no scary movies, unless it's Jaws of course.” Libby laughed and Frank sighed at his brother's humour, making me do the same until he added the next bit, which made my pulse quicken and Draven's angry face flash from my memories...

”Oh and most importantly...don't wait up!”

He finished this with wink.

Chapter 29.

Pistols at Dawn.

All the way to the club I had been on edge and it wasn't only down to my pa.s.senger. I hadn't seen Ragnar outside and kept expecting him to pop up in my rear view mirror. I know I didn't have to worry about Justin seeing him because he was still invisible to everyone else but I knew I wouldn't be able to help my reaction and I was pretty sure Justin would cla.s.s me as a mental case if I just screamed for no reason. Although this idea did have its advantages, it might have stopped him flirting every time he opened his mouth.

Then I saw them...headlights, with a strange red glow that Justin didn't seem to notice. They flashed once and I knew I was being followed and Justin didn't have a clue. The black car behind looked as huge and intimidating as its driver did and it had me gulping at the sight. And it didn't help that the closer we got to Afterlife, the more I kept thinking I was playing with fire and tonight I would see a Demon throw sparks.

”What you thinking about?” Justin was staring at me with confusion plastered across fine cheek bones. What should I say...Umm well actually I'm kind of hoping my boyfriend doesn't rip your head off and give it to his pet bird to play with! In the end I said, ”Just college stuff,” which I could tell he didn't buy.

”So will I get to meet my rival tonight or will he let me have you all to myself?” He laughed lightly at the end but I just growled and looked in my mirror tensely, praying that they could only see us and not hear us.

”You shouldn't joke...I'm taken and that means there's a no flirting rule.” I said sternly but when I looked from the road to his face, I gathered I was just playing right into his hands by responding.

”Who said I was joking? Besides, I don't know how not to flirt...not with you anyway.” I was expecting him be wearing a c.o.c.ky smile when he said this but the serious tone and glance out of the window, I wasn't expecting. Thankfully the conversation turned to light hearted tales of his expeditions around the world and I found myself hanging on his every word. I couldn't help myself. It was a mixture of the subject of travelling that was close to my heart and the fact that he was so d.a.m.n charismatic.

He had just finished his story on helping baby turtles get to sea after just being hatched, when we pulled up outside the vast ivy covered building that was both work and home to me. It made me wonder what my life would have been like without this place. If I had never come to Afterlife that night, never found a job here, what would have become of me? I would have probably been dating Jack and playing it safe by now and instead of worrying about a supernatural King's reaction, I would just have the usual, mundane human reactions...shouting, pus.h.i.+ng and maybe a fist fight to be broken up by security.

No instead I had the image of Draven in his Demon form demanding power from Heaven and h.e.l.l, two large blades protruding from his hands all aglow and ready for action, a mighty roar into the night before striking his victim to the sound of my screaming! Yeah, something like that.

I took a deep breath and got out of my truck, slamming the door a little too hard for big blue. I couldn't help but say ”Sorry” out loud which made Justin chuckle.

”That's adorable.”

”Shut up!” I said playfully before hitting him on the arm, which he then placed around my shoulders and gave me a squeeze.

”Don't look so worried doll, just a bit of harmless fun...drinking, dancing...”

”Demons” I whispered under my breath.

”Sorry?”

”Oh nothing,” I said looking nervously around in case Ragnar was seeing him with his arm around me. The car behind had turned down the side of the building and out of sight but it didn't mean that no one was out there in the dark watching. My heart started to sound like Dave Grohl playing the drums as the thought entered my head. I shrugged out of his hold and nodded to Jo and Cameron, the doormen.

Of course knowing Frank they knew Justin, so instead of being stood out in the cold for another ten minutes chatting, I left him there and said I'd meet him at the bar. Once inside I felt that usual euphoria wash over me whenever I stepped through the doors. Like a magnetic pull or a drug that I didn't know I had swallowed as I entered. I had felt the same feeling the first night and it had remained that way ever since...the feeling, like I belonged and the building knew it. I don't know why but every day it seemed to get stronger, especially since the Temple incident. Maybe it had acted like an amplifier.

The club was in full force, with bodies everywhere there wasn't an inch of s.p.a.ce. Some looked clung together by the tight black clothes and matching pale faces, supporting heavy made up eyes. When I first started I thought it was all very intimidating but now I knew what was upstairs, these lot looked like pet kittens playing under a tiger cage.

I pushed my way pa.s.sed a couple that looked recently risen from the grave and with the evil stares I received, they could have been zombies after my flesh. Who knows, in this place it could be possible for looks to kill, after all, there was only one rule in Afterlife, no humans in the VIP...So what did that make me?

The bar wasn't as packed as everywhere else due to the band that was playing. It was a heavy gothic band with a girl as its lead singer. The soft sound from her lips then shocked me as she started to scream out the last few lines of what I a.s.sumed to be a chorus. Actually the beat wasn't that bad and the crowd was enjoying themselves, which freed up the bar. Mike was working and unfortunately Ca.s.sie the 'Goth Barbie' was collecting gla.s.ses. Jerry was also serving but Mike saw me first.

”Hey cutie, who gave you the night off...? Ah, don't tell me, I think I can guess.” He was smirking the whole time which told me he was pulling my leg.

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