The Pentagram Child(65)

“Don’t!” His warning rang clear and I knew this wasn’t the time to push him. Something was going on with Draven and it seemed by his facial expression that he was just as much in the dark about it as I was. So I let myself be led from the restaurant with his arm draped possessively around me and I had the feeling if he could have got away with carrying me in his arms he would have.

We walked past the hostess and I had to supress a wicked grin at seeing that perfect façade drop at the sight of a man like Draven walking away from her without so much as a glance. She looked him up and down like a shopaholic at a summer sale. It made me want to cosy up to him and take a possessive claim but that was until I reminded myself. Draven wasn’t mine and I had in fact walked through these doors with another man at my arm. The thought made me want to pull myself from Draven but he must have felt me tense at his side.

“I wouldn’t, Keira…remember the knife you hold.” I looked up at him, frowned at his warning and was just about to ask when it dawned on me what he meant. I held the knife to the edge of his thread. I was almost tempted to slice forward and watch as it broke. What would happen exactly? Was that the line we just couldn’t cross? But more importantly…what would happen if we ever did?

I didn’t answer him but instead let him lead me outside to a parked black Rolls Royce with the back door already being held open. I had the sudden urge not to get into the car, fearing this new mood of Draven’s. I felt once again out of my depth and it was a feeling I was no longer used to.

“Just get in the car, Keira...you have nothing to fear.” He said obviously being able to read some of my emotions. I mentally pulled up my big girl pants and with Draven holding my hand was helped into the car. I was quickly followed by Draven folding his large frame in next to me and without a word the car pulled away.

Most of the journey was spent in silence as I watched the world go past without really seeing it at all. My mind was awash with all that had happened over the last few days and it almost seemed like some cosmic joke as to where I now sat. I looked over to Draven and saw he too looked out of his window. I wondered what he thought about right now…was he thinking the same as I? I couldn’t help but notice how he had one hand over his forearm…the one I had touched and one he still kept hidden from me. It took me back to that day once more at the villa when I saw those ugly burns that looked so raw and fresh. I was just about to ask him about them when he suddenly turned to look at me.

“We’re here.”

“Oh…that was quick.” I said lying but not knowing what else to say. I looked away from Draven and saw the mighty and imposing Afterlife come into view. I couldn’t help but smile at the sight.

“Why do you always do that?” Draven’s question startled me.

“Do what?”

“Smile in sight of my home…you always did that and I always wanted to know.” I gave him a small grin and hoped my response would mean he would drop the subject without me having to answer him.

“It’s not like you to wait so long till finding out something you wish to know.”

“Consider it me choosing the priorities of importance to me.” I gave him a little shake of my head and a raised eyebrow, silently asking him to explain the cryptic statement.

“My enjoyment at seeing your happiness outweighed my curiosity.” He said making me turn my head away so he couldn’t see how much his words affected me.

“So are you going to tell me?”

“Not today.” I replied softly to the night at my window.

“Why not?” He asked pushing the subject like I knew he would. So I turned my body to face him and nodded to his arms before arguing my point.

“Are you gonna tell me about them and why you’re obviously hiding them from me?” For the first moment he looked taken aback and even shifted his body further back in his seat as if he was afraid I was going to reach out and touch them.

“That’s what I thought.” I said when I got no reply but a frown.

“Some things are meant to be left in the past.”

“Including us?” I asked quickly making him wince at the power of my question.

“I…Keira, you must understand...this…”

“Oh I understand, Draven, you want all the answers but with no questions asked. Well I am afraid it doesn’t work like that, it might have done at one time but let’s just say I learnt my lesson. You can’t go through life without ever explaining yourself, not to the people you’re supposed to care about…well, maybe that’s your lesson to learn for next time.” I added this part looking back out to the night in a whisper I knew he would still hear.