The Two Kings Part 28

I turned to see RJ showing her tonsils as her mouth hung to her chin. She wasn't the only one sporting this look and finally I looked in the direction everyone else was fixated on, only to find myself doing the same thing. The only face that didn't match the rest of the room was Justin's.

"Excuse me while I just steal my girlfriend away." Draven's powerful voice cut through the whispering room like a judge delivering his sentence. I found I had forgotten how to breathe, along with every other girl in the club. Justin looked like a little boy in the sand box after being pushed down by the bigger kid, meanwhile Draven barely even acknowledged his existence, which just made Justin's hate burn with an even brighter flame.

He didn't wait for his answer but instead took me gently by the arm and led me to the bar, along with every eye in the building. I don't know how but I knew Sophia was watching all this from above and giggling her little demon heart out! He only looked back once to stare at the band, which quickly started back up again as though being secretly commanded to. This seemed to break the spell and once again the room began to dance to the new club beat.

Once we got to the bar, Draven only had to nod at Mike to get him to move into action. Jerry quickly ran to his side and was about to take over, when Draven spoke.

"Mike, isn't it?" Mike, bless him, could only manage a head bob in return. Jerry backed away, taking Draven's look for code and therefore letting Mike serve us.

"The lady would like a c.o.ke and I will have a Corona." He ordered the drinks with ease and perfect manners, not like I was used to seeing in the VIP. Don't get me wrong, he was never rude but there was always a clear cut masterful tone with everything he ordered, although now he was acting like just another regular. Except he wasn't fooling anyone...everyone in here knew who he was. You could see the gossip travelling amongst the club like a freight train.

Mike brought our drinks over, only mine had lost a bit on the way due to trembling hands, which made a little tune on account of ice tapping against the gla.s.s.

"Thank you. Now be sure to get one for yourself."

"Yes...Sir, Thank you...Mr Draven...Sir." He stammered out before moving to the other end of the bar to breathe.

"Cheers!" He said tapping the side of my gla.s.s with the bottle neck. I had never seen him drink a bottle of beer before, so it looked a little foreign in his large hand. He wore an amused look, by which I could tell that he was enjoying my shock. He leaned into my ear and moved a stray piece of hair before whispering his thoughts, or more like mine.

"You didn't think I would do it, did you?" His cheeky smile made my heart flutter and I smiled with him.

"No I didn't but I'm glad you did."

"Why, did you miss me on your date with the human boy?" He teased and I bit my lip.

"Firstly, you know it wasn't a date and secondly...I always miss you." At this he did something unthinkable in front all these people and I didn't know whether I wanted to cry out with shame or bliss! He had grabbed the back of my head with one palm and turned it aside to kiss me. The whole room seem to gasp at the same time making it sound like a surge.

"Ah, that's better. Now you'd better introduce me to your friends because the pink one is trying to refrain from running to the bar just to shake my hand." He turned just in time to look down at RJ, who looked close to hyperventilating.

"And you must be RJ?" His smooth tone had her instantly hypnotised into falling in deep and it took me back to the days when I had felt the same. It was like being pulled under the waters of a dark lagoon and knowing that you should try and swim to the surface but just don't want to...you just wanted to drown in him.

"Y...You know my...name!" She snorted out like she was meeting a celebrity.

"Keira has told me all about you and, being one of her closest friends, I'm sorry I haven't met you sooner." Oh jeez that did it, now she wanted his babies! For once she was speechless. Which was a monumental day in itself. That, along with a Draven coming down to spend time with the common folk.

"Oh that's alright, Keira had said how busy you are and we all appreciate all that you do for our little town." I don't know why but her eyes kept fluttering like something was in them. Anyway, this had quickly become a change of tune, it wasn't long ago she was singing to Justin's little jealous beat. Now what? Had she had joined cheerleader for the Dravens of Afterlife.

"Can I get you a drink?"

"That's very kind...thank you." Ok, this was getting weird now, like pod people had come and switched RJ with a quiet, polite, carbon copy just to try and impress Draven their leader. Draven was clearly waiting to find out what liquid form she wanted but she just stood there looking up like he was her new Gothic G.o.d.

"b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l RJ, this is the part where you tell him what you want to drink!" I said with a little overload on the att.i.tude. I just couldn't help it, she was acting like someone I had never even met, a band groupie I could take but sister Rachael Jane, soon to join the church, becoming the first Goth fairy nun...Oh no!

Draven looked down at me like I was the one acting out of character but I ignored him as what I had said seemed to have taken effect.

"Alright snappy McGee!! What are you drinking then?" Hail Mary, she was back! I smiled and shook my c.o.ke in answer.

"Well, that's not much fun." She noted and had undeniably relaxed enough to drop the innocent act in front of Draven.

"No, but neither is getting wrapped around a tree...I'm driving."

"She wouldn't understand that, seeing as I'm the responsible one in the family." Jack said as he came up behind her, seeing us on his way to the bathroom. He laid two hands on either side of her shoulders as he spoke and I was expecting there to be animosity in his tone but he seemed his usual happy self even though he was now faced with Draven.

"Mr Draven!" He said adding a nod in his direction making me think tonight I had somehow entered the twilight zone. Ok, now it was official, Draven was extending his hand to him and saying, "Please call me Dom," meaning I was in the Twilight zone, only the kind where everyone is happy and getting along with one another. I was just about close to singing the Sound of Music, Julie Andrews's style when my bliss filled cup smashed to the floor with the sight of Justin stomping his way over. I think Draven and Jack both frowned at the same time. I mean could this night get any weirder?!

"So this is the famous Dominic Draven then?" Justin spat out, making the cool exterior he was trying for, look like a puddle of misery. It was funny then, that Jack was the one to react first and slapped him on the back while saying, "Sure is buddy and Dom, this here is Justin, he's just such a swell guy!" He said sarcastically before giving a respectful nod to Draven and walking off into the crowd. Meanwhile Justin looked like he was about to turn red from rage and start choking on his tongue.

"Well, we didn't think you were going to show up... did we Kazzy?" This wasn't helping my mental health I will tell you, it was like wis.h.i.+ng for an outer body experience just so that I could kick Justin in the s.h.i.+ns to shut him up. What was even more surprising is that Draven seemed to be amused by the whole thing, not the eternal wrath I was expecting.

"Ah, well that's surprising because Keira knows I always keep my word and I'm always watching over her." A little hint of the usual protective Draven burst through and Justin knew he had hit a nerve.

"A little paranoid aren't we...what's the matter? Worried someone will come and steal her away from you?"

"JUSTIN, that's enough!" I said giving him a severe scowl. But Draven merely laughed.

"I'd love to see them try for a start but I think you missed the point. Being protective and being jealous are two very different things."

"Oh yeah, how's that then?" Justin baited.

"One is essential, the other is pointless. My protective side I welcome."

"And jealously, do you welcome that too?" It was like watching a tennis ball being flung back and to. RJ and I were in the middle, still looking from one to the other like mutes.

"NO, I conquer it. Drink?" He turned abruptly to the bar and Justin foolishly looked smug, as if he had won this round but I knew differently. I was the only one who caught the purple glint of anger in his eyes, that's why he had turned...to control the beast within, the beast that wanted to tear into Justin's vital organs!

"I will have a shot of something." Piped up RJ and I was about to protest knowing how she gets when she has one too many but Justin interrupted.

"I think I will join you. Draven, you game?"

"Always!" The way he answered made me s.h.i.+ver with a hidden fear. It was the way he said it, like it was a game of life and death he was sporting. He was a chillingly lethal mix of perfect calm and Mt. Vesuvius and like Italy, n.o.body wants to be around when either erupts!

"So, what we having big guy?" Justin asked with a distinctive lack of respect in the way he called him 'Big guy', like it was meant as an insult.

"What about tequila?" I piped up trying to lighten the situation. It didn't work but it at least made Draven smile at me like I was sweet.

"I was thinking something a bit more...exotic." The smile he wore for me soon turned into one of cunning.

"Ooo, that sounds exciting." RJ clapped her hands together making the chunky metal rings clash.

"What do you have in mind?" She continued. Justin just rolled his eyes like he was bored of RJ drooling over Draven. Rather that or he was jealous that he was no longer RJ's flavour of the month.

"You'll see," was all Draven offered before nodding in Jerry's direction. Thankfully for him he was at hand within a second knowing Draven is not a boss you kept waiting... for anything.

"Yes, Mr Draven Sir."

"Jerry can you bring me a bottle from the VIP reserve?" Jerry looked startled like he would get caught out for saying yes. It made me wonder if he knew about the Dravens like I did. He looked terrified and let's face it, if you did know what they were, then you would be in your right mind to be scared s.h.i.+tless. It was a little different in my case, as I was already accustomed to their world even before I met the Dravens. h.e.l.l, maybe I was nuts but the rest of humanity would not be so easily comforted by the idea that there were Demons and Angels feeding from their emotions.

"It's alright Jerry, proceed." He prompted, making Jerry scuttle off into the back room where he kept some of the bottles behind lock and key. It took me back to the night when I first stepped foot into the VIP. I had been given a crate of bottles to take up there and had been just as terrified as Jerry.

It didn't take him long to find the bottle Draven had asked for and I knew instantly what liquid the bottle held.... Absinthe.

The bottle looked antique with a metal clasp at the top making it like a flask. The green liquid swirled around like a sea serpent trying to escape. RJ's eyes widened at the sight but Justin just sighed.

"Absinthe, right? I had that same s.h.i.+t in Spain, supposed to make you lose your head but it didn't even touch me." He boasted, but I was the only one that noticed the malicious grin flash across Draven's lips.

"Is that so? Then you should be just fine...right?" Draven taunted, looking over his shoulder at him. RJ couldn't help but giggle at the drama playing out. Meanwhile I was ready for dropping the two egos and going home. Draven could be the bigger person here and let this all go but no, here he was pus.h.i.+ng Justin into a game he would never win. For one Draven never got drunk and secondly, Justin was like a pit-bull with a bone...he would never back down and give it up!

Draven had acquired some gla.s.ses and flipped the clasp on the bottle top ready to pour. He gave it one last swirl before pouring out three, one a little less full for RJ. He slid it towards her saying, "Ladies first!"

"And who said chivalry was dead?" She said looking at me and I couldn't help but smile. It was surprising that a girl like RJ was a sucker for manners, giving she was rude to most people, most of the time. However Draven wasn't as pleasant with Justin and slid the gla.s.s down the bar which stopped right in front of him, making Draven seem like the luckiest son of a gun in the west!

I stood watching the three of them knock them back like it was water but as soon as the liquid touched the back of their throats the impulse to cough couldn't be helped. Of course Draven remained silent, while the other two sounded like they smoked forty a day.

"Another?" Draven asked and, not waiting for their voices to return, he poured three more. I placed my hand over RJ's gla.s.s and gave him a warning look.

"Hey, I'm game." She protested and Draven gave me a wink she didn't catch. I hoped this meant that he would make hers a dummy drink so it wouldn't affect her.

"Yeah, me too, that's good stuff." He was trying too hard to sound convincing and Draven knew it.

"Ok, what do you say we make this a little more interesting?" He suggested and I just wanted to scream "grow up" to the both of them.

"What did you have in mind?" Justin showed just a hint of apprehension in his eyes making Draven's glint in return.

"RJ, do you want to see a little magic?" It was as if he was talking to a child and the size difference made it seem more plausible. Of course she reacted like a child, clapping her hands again, something she always did when she was excited.

"Gonna pull a rabbit out of your sleeve, cause you know I've seen that one before?" Justin said adding an unimpressed expression to his slouched shoulders.

Draven ignored him and placed all three gla.s.sed in a row ready for his 'magic trick'.

"RJ, pick one." She looked at me and then back at him before pointing to the one in the middle. Draven smirked and said "Watch" slipping back to his masterful tone. He then leaned over and blew over the one at the end closest to himself making it begin the transformation. Three sets of wide eyed humans, me included watched like puppets in the hands of a master.

A black cloud had emerged from deep within the emerald liquid making it turn into a black so dark it had a bluish tint. Like the night of a storm raging up from the elements, the green land provides. The amazing thing about the change was that it pa.s.sed over the gla.s.s RJ had picked, keeping it lush bottle green colour that seem fresh in comparison to the destruction of the other two drinks. It was like it floated through RJ's choice and hit its mark with the next, making it to, a dark mist. Now we were all looking at two black drinks either side of one untouched.

"WOW, that was one h.e.l.l of a trick! How in G.o.d's name did you do that?" RJ shouted and because I was, at that moment, taking a swig of my drink, I nearly choked on it. What she didn't realise in that question is how right on the money she had been! Draven knew of course, the reason for my reaction but he calmly just patted my back and carried on.

"Just a sleight of hand really, but please drink."

"Is it safe?" RJ asked a little timidly for the RJ character I knew, and I realised it was the first time I had seen her freaked.

"Yes, but I must warn you, it can have some foul side effects if you plan on engaging in any dishonourable acts." He winked at RJ but scowled at Justin.

"Yeah right, just give it here Mr Hey Presto!" Justin reached across and downed it, trying his best not to make a gagging face with a coughing fit. RJ looked up at Draven and took note of his wicked smile at the sight of Justin that had just downed every last drop. My stomach felt like a vat of acid had just been poured into it because I knew Draven and knew him well.

I recalled his words earlier and they swam around my head in their own little bubble making my brain ache.

"Keira knows I always keep my word," he had said to Justin and now I wanted to repeat them but I knew it was too late...he had already drank his fate, That's why Draven was smiling...

He had won.

Chapter 31.

Dishonourable Acts Now, this was my dilemma. See, I was the one that had convinced Draven that Justin was not only to be trusted but he too didn't hold any feelings for me but ones of friends.h.i.+p. This would all be fine and dandy if I still believed it to be the case but now I was as sure of trouble brewing, as I was that the sun would rise tomorrow.

Draven had created this little game that would only benefit his needs. If Justin could only behave until I got him home it would work out being just a bad hangover for him in the morning, providing Draven his a.s.surance of Justin's intentions but this was Justin we were talking about. Oh, this was going to go terribly wrong and I would no doubt have to pick up the pieces! I just hoped they weren't body parts.

We all remained at the bar, each of us acting out the perfect example of ease and comfort, when not one of us was being himself or herself. RJ was trying her best to keep the conversation light and avoiding drama. (This was solely unlike her, I hasten to add) But at least she was doing better than me. I was nodding like a toy dog on a dashboard every time someone spoke. Of course, inside I was mentally punching myself for ever thinking this night was going to go well enough for me not to remember it for all the wrong reasons.

Justin kept up the bad boy "I don't give a s.h.i.+t who you are" persona but every now and again I could see a flash of the unknown when he looked deep into his enemy's eyes. Draven remained civil despite Justin's att.i.tude but there was a definite undertone of the need to rip his head off as Draven flexed his muscles every time he spoke.

It was as if the very sound of Justin's voice was causing Draven's demon blood to flow faster. I knew this because without being able to control it I kept seeing his Demon form come to light. In the end, I had to try very hard not to keep making little gasps whenever it happened as the looks I received from both RJ and Justin were ones of worry mixed with a weary "Is she nuts?" Then when I thought it couldn't get any worse, Justin said the unthinkable.

"Well you know, me and Keira go way back, isn't that right Kazzy?" At this point I thought Draven would blow up because not only was Justin playing fire with someone twice his size, he was playing with a man that controlled that fire! Justin had come closer towards me and put his arm casually around my shoulders as he spoke. I just shrugged away and laughed nervously.

"Yeah, on account of Libby and Frank... you know, my sister?" I don't know who this last statement was aimed at because everyone I was looking at had sure as s.h.i.+t met my sister. I didn't know where to stand or to put my mouth for that matter. I ended up next to RJ trying not to look at Draven who was glowing like Christmas.

"Of course, when I say way back, I mean we have history." Oh my G.o.d, was he trying to get himself killed! Draven looked like he had somehow got even taller because he towered above Justin like he was getting smaller. I had to hand it to the surfer, he had the b.a.l.l.s of a bull combined with the tact of a tidal wave and boy, he really knew how to make a bad situation worse.

"Is that so, then I think you had better elaborate, given the confused look on my girlfriend's face." Draven's voice came out in an eerie calm that went as deep as the earth's mantle.

"Oh, I'm sure she remembers, it got pretty heated one night, but we never really gave it a go, on account of the distance thing but when Frank told me Kaz had moved here...well!"

"Well, then you just had to race back here as quickly as you could to see her again. That's very n.o.ble of you, but tell me, it must have been crus.h.i.+ng for you to find her with another and no longer available for your taking." He raised his eyebrows making his eyes somehow appear deeper but before Justin could come back at him with another foolish comment Draven continued, "Let me offer you some advice for the next conquest you have in mind. Never let oceans get in the way...A real man never would." Draven had finished his little speech with another shot finding home in the pit of an angry stomach.

"Excuse me but I think I must have a say in these 'so called' events," I said finding my angry voice and putting my timid one back behind lock and key.

"So called? Oh Kazzy tell me you haven't forgotten your sister's wedding, I think she'd be disappointed to hear that?" He said in an over exaggerated tone that made me want to smack that smirk of his handsome baby face!

"Yes, well, one night consisting of one kiss is hardly something I would call history! Besides after that day we became family so it's not even worth bring up..."

"Family? I don't think..."

"No you don't, that's your problem! Now I think it's time we went home before you make even more of a mountain out of a snowman!" I was really angry now and it didn't help when I saw Draven beaming at me like I was the teacher that had told off a naughty bully. I was so tempted to just go and let these two to battle it out and leave them but I would never forgive myself knowing what the outcome would be.... Draven 1- Justin 0, but with a s.h.i.+ny new coffin to sleep in. Plus there was Frank to think about, I had made a promise and I was going to keep it, even if it killed me.

I turned to RJ and Draven, with close to steam coming out of my ears and they both knew it. But it was only RJ that had any sense to take my mood seriously, Draven on the other hand held a c.o.c.ky smile curling up on one side and an arrogant glint to his black eyes.

"RJ, I will see you Monday, I'll pick you up at the usual time. Tell the rest I say bye." She nodded but I could tell the alcohol was starting to take effect because her eyes were glazed over like she couldn't focus. She took this as her cue to leave first and with one last eye flutter at Draven and a scowl at bad boy Justin, she left to regroup.

"I will see you tomorrow D!" I said harshly but he looked unruffled by my lack of affection. I don't think he'd even registered that I called him 'D'. Something I had never done before, but I didn't want to call him Dominic and I wouldn't call him by his second name in front of Justin. No, that would be like filling up the tank and letting him go on all night and let's face it, the last thing Justin needed was anymore fuel!

Draven didn't reply, he just kept staring at Justin with this half smile, like he knew something the rest of the world didn't. Justin s.h.i.+fted his weight and found the ground with his eyes. I just rolled mine and said "Oh for Pete's sake!" walking past him but I didn't get far. His arm came out quicker than the breath from my lungs and in a moment the lights went out plunging the club into darkness. I looked around after sounding my surprise and just as the rest of the club began to ask the obvious questions, Draven had circled his arms around my waist before his hands pulled up my top to get to the skin on my back. I gasped again, only this time it finished inside his mouth that felt on fire. His kiss was pa.s.sionate and full to the brim of want. I could hardly breathe in his crus.h.i.+ng hold but it didn't stop me from entwining my hands behind his neck.

After moments of bliss his lips left mine, giving me one last lick to my top lip before I opened my eyes. I expected to find the same darkness I had closed them to but instead the room was lit even brighter and every eye seemed to be fixated on the two lovers at the bar. Justin could barely keep his mouth closed, let alone keep the utter disappointment from his face.