Back to the Beginning…
4
Our Wedding Night…
After the war in Hell had been won I would never forget waking up in Draven’s arms and taking my first breath as myself again. Lucifer had taken Pertinax’s blood from me and thankfully gifted me my humanity back. It wasn’t exactly the first person I would have ever thought would have done this, as wasn’t he supposed to be the bad guy? Well, he must have a soft spot somewhere under all that hard, scary muscle, that’s all I am saying and also…
Who knew the Devil was a sucker for a love story?
But at the time all other thoughts were insignificant compared to what faced me now…
“Draven?” I spoke his name seeing his face now above me, looking at me like a man who had almost lost his everything. Hearing me speak must have cracked something deep within him as I saw the unshed tears in his eyes finally give away to releasing one…two…three of them.
Then suddenly he pulled me closer to him, gripping the back of my head and holding it to his chest as he finally broke. I was in his lap and it was as if he had carried me back from Hell and then collapsed to his knees with relief the second we were back on Earth. He rested his head down on top of mine and let his tears of relief flow down his cheeks getting lost in the sea of my hair…his golden fleece.
“I thought… I had lost you…I thought…by the Gods Keira, I thought I’d killed you!” he whispered desperately into my hairline. I could feel him almost shaking and it was the most emotion I had ever witnessed from Draven. It nearly broke my heart to witness and I knew right now, I had to be the strong one for him this time as I knew this trauma wouldn’t leave him for a long while to come.
So, I reached up with a hand that was free and placed it on his wet cheek, feeling the evidence of his heartache for myself. He finally released some of the tension in his hold so that I could move back enough to look up at him. The sight nearly undid me as my own tears seeped to the surface.
“But you didn’t,” I told him and just as he was about to argue I placed my fingers across his lips and told him more forcefully this time,
“But you didn’t.”
“How can you say that? I wasn’t strong enough for you…I wasn’t…I couldn’t help…” he started to say but his pain wouldn’t allow him to finish. It broke my heart to see him this way.
“Ssshh and listen to me when I say this Draven, for I love you and therefore I need you to understand what I am telling you.” He finally stopped trying to fight my words with ones of his own when he lowered his head in defeat.
“You didn’t kill me, you saved me, don’t you see?” He finally looked back up at me in surprise and I swear in that moment I had never seen him looking more vulnerable.
“It wasn’t only me you saved, but Draven, you also saved the world,” I told him softly. He blinked a few times as if trying to process what I was telling him.
“No, you’re wrong, I didn’t save the world, Keira, you did …it was all you…it’s always only ever been about you,” he told me sincerely making me shake my head slightly.
“You don’t see it, but I do…I do!” I shouted this last part compelling him to listen to me even when he turned his face away. I placed a hand upon his cheek and forced him to look back at me.
“Our fate, everything we ever did all led to this moment. And if you hadn’t plunged that dagger into my heart then there would have never been a force strong enough to defeat him. He would have released the Titans and that would have been the end…the end of this world, our world we built, everything we hold dear…it would have been dust at our feet before we even had a chance to say goodbye to each other in it…there would have been nothing left in this world or the next…there would have been no Afterlife for us,” I said trying to get him to see but he shook his head stubbornly and said,
“You are never going to make what I did right Keira, it just isn’t…”
“Ssshh…I can always make it right, because I have you,” I said stopping him mid flow by then placing my lips on his for the last of my words, finished with my own branding kiss, one he couldn’t have stopped even if he had tried. I sat up and took his face in my hands holding him to me whilst his own hands anchored my body to his.
And it was in that moment that he finally let go of his guilt, one that could have been powerful enough to destroy a man. But love was what kept him with me and the sight of our future together was what anchored him home in the safety of my arms.
Once the emotional storm had subsided I pulled back and whispered over his lips,
“I was always fated to die and the gift you gave me meant I came back stronger…I fought for you Draven and I don’t just mean the war, I mean much more than that.”
“What do you mean?” I closed my eyes for a moment as my own emotions washed over me. Then I told him.
“You don’t understand what it is you give me…what you gave me.” He looked confused and before he could ask again I told him,
“I fought for you. Don’t you see, I fought being a God and having all that power so that I could keep not only my humanity but mainly so that I could keep you with it. I may have fought the war for the rest of the world, but I fought against a God for you… I fought against myself for you, Dominic.” The second I told him this he crushed my body to him and held me close so that he could breathe me in deep before letting out the last of his tears on a shudder.
“By the Gods I love you,” he told me fiercely and this time I let myself cry freely against his shoulder.
“And by the Fates, I love you too,” I told him with just as much strength in my words as my crying would allow. He pulled back and just as he lifted me so that we were no longer sat amongst the crumbling mess that was left of the temple, I tugged on his hand to get him to step back into me.
“However, I do hope you have enough of that love to go around?” I asked him with a smile and then looked down at my stomach before touching it with my hand. I had just remembered what the last thing he had been told before I passed out in Hell and now I wanted to see his reaction to the news myself.
He looked down at my hand and his eyes widened as if he too had just remembered what he had been told.
“Then it’s true…it’s…” He was suddenly lost for words and fell to his knees at my feet. Then he framed my belly with his hands as if he could see for himself the life we made. He kissed my belly and said,
“It’s my child… you carry my child,” looking back up at me as if still stunned any of this was happening. Of course, seeing him this way soon made his astonished face blurry from my tears. But thankfully I didn’t miss the beaming smile that quickly followed when I shouted,
“Yes! It’s true, we are going to have a baby!” Then I threw my arms around him after jumping up into his arms just as he stood ready to catch me. And catch me he did…
Just like he always did.
After this blissful moment then came the difficult stuff. Everyone had witnessed our not so private moment, but in the end, it didn’t matter to me or to Draven. As far as we were concerned, they were family and deserved to witness a small slice of the happiness they too had fought for. But there were those who didn’t make it to the end and gave their life for the fight…
Sacrificed their life for the fate of the world.
The second I saw Draven look over my head his eyes said it all. I didn’t need to ask or to see, I just felt it...
I just felt his pain.
“Ranka.” I spoke his name and ran from Draven’s arms over to where I could see Sophia and Vincent knelt by a lifeless looking body. By the time I got there I skidded to the floor and grabbed his face, now looking down at the woman his other side preferred to portray to the world. But it didn’t matter now which side he wanted to show as this was where his journey was to end.
I had no idea where his final destination would be, but I just hoped for two things. One that as he left for it he was doing so being true to himself, for this was his last opportunity to do so. And the second, was that wherever he found himself he would finally find the happiness he had been fully denied by committing himself to a one-sided love.
But in the end the most shocking thing of all was that Draven had always known who he really was behind his mask. And I could say with absolute certainty that when Ranka did pass, he did so after finally finding peace.
But my heartache didn’t have long to recover before another lost friend was seen. Because after Ranka came Jack and I found not only one body to cry over but two. I remember my shocked gasp when seeing Seth moving aside and looking down at Jack’s lifeless looking shell that had been used and abused for all this time. Seth looked as though he had failed in his own private mission and I knew the truth of this was down to his love for RJ.
But as for my own heartbreak, well that was down to seeing my friend trapped between two worlds… a personal Hell he was imprisoned in and where his body remained. And worst of all there was nothing I could do to help him…not one single thing. I knew this when I felt the weight of Draven’s hand on my shoulder as he didn’t need to say a word. I just lowered my head and cried for my friend. It was only the sound of Seth’s voice that cut through the moment.
“I…I failed her,” he said, and my head shot up to face him before I raised myself to my feet.
“No, we all failed her. For there was nothing any of us could have done,” I told him, but he turned his head away and replied,
“She is my responsibility.”
“Yes, and he was mine. So don’t take this away from me, for if you wish to point blame then that only ever belongs to me to carry because without me, he wouldn’t have been here in the first place…and neither would RJ,” I reminded him placing my hand on his arm and getting him to turn back to me. It was strange, but I could feel the pulsating of immense power that lay buried beneath the surface of his vessel as if kept firmly on lock down. He looked down at my hand on his arm before looking back up at me, showing me his death mask that flickered over his handsome face. I didn’t even flinch at the sight of that living skull and I knew I probably wouldn’t react to such things ever again…not after all I had seen.
He nodded his acceptance before shocking me with his next action. After a quick look to Draven, who must have given him the go ahead, he placed a hand at the back of my head and pulled me slightly forward so that he could kiss my forehead. Then he whispered,
“She is lucky to have you in her life little Queen, as are we all.” Then he was gone by the time I looked back up and I didn’t know how as I hadn’t even seen him take a single step.
After this Draven found my hand and pulled me back to his side, then he turned me so we both faced the room together.
So we both now faced our people.
Because it was then that I realised something. I was no longer the outsider in all this. I was no longer just the human girl that was chosen to be loved by Draven, by their King of Kings. No, now I was something more. I was one of them, a Vampire, a Demon, an Angel all wrapped up into a Human host that was always mine to own from the very beginning. One born as me, not for me like the others. But that was all right, because I would take that and hopefully do wonderful things with it for all the years I know I now had ahead of me. I would take my given power and I would only use it to do good in this world…and the start of that would be keeping our family safe at all costs.
And speaking of family,
“My brothers, my sisters, my Kings at arms, I simply say this to you, for all you have done in keeping my Queen safe I can never repay you for such actions taken. I know this, for there are no limitations, no boundaries my gratitude would not reach and therefore nothing I do in this long lifetime would ever be enough.”
“Well, there was that little added plus about her saving the world we live in and everything, so I think we can call it even,” Marcus said making Smidge groan before elbowing him.
“Yes, but I care little for saving a world Keira isn’t a part of for she… she is my world.” Draven had paused before saying this so that he could do so looking down at me. Hearing this perfect declaration of love once again had my tears finding a new home down my cheeks as I gripped his hand tighter. I then had to bite my lip to try and stop the girly sob that wanted to escape at one of the most beautiful things he had ever said. Then the unbelievable started to happen and it all started with Jared.
“I think I speak for us all when I say that we would follow you both into battle blindly for only to keep her soul alight would be worth dying for and My King of Kings, well, it has been a privilege protecting it for you.” Then just as I had sucked in a sharp breath, he continued to shock me as he lowered down to one knee being the first to start the wave that followed him. First his own people all lowered to one knee, bowing their heads to us making me gasp behind my hand that flew up to cover my mouth in shock.
But the surprise continued as then even Sigurd bent his knee and keeping his eyes on me, lowered as did his father. I smiled through my tears as he winked at me, mouthing ‘Little Apple’ my way. Even Sophia and Vincent bowed down to us and I squeezed Draven’s hand needing him right then to keep steadying me. I nearly buckled at the sight of so many important people in the Supernatural world all bowing for the first time to another. But this wasn’t what pushed me over the edge as every single person lowered showing us their alliance.
No, it was the sight of Lucius that finally did it. He had been a face in the crowd I had tried not to search for but when he stepped to the front, then there was no way of getting away from it. I still remember seeing the utter heartbreak on his face when he too had thought me dead. The pain in his eyes had matched that of Draven’s and thinking someone loved you with that level of intensity was one thing, but now knowing they did left you feeling breathless. Because my proof may have only happened in the seconds it took for me to draw in my last breath, but that’s all love ever needed…
A single breath taken.
My lips started to tremble, and tears now followed the path of others soon finding the cracked floor beneath me.
Lucius only came to a stop when he was in front of me and Draven did the unthinkable. He took my hand and passed it to Lucius to hold. I looked back up at him questioning his actions, but his slight nod told me that Lucius needed this. So, I looked back up at my maker and held my breath at what was to come.
“Lucius, I…” I started to say when suddenly after taking a deep breath and closing his eyes as his beautiful phoenix erupted from behind him. A forbidden breath left me staring at him in awe but if I thought this sight a shocking one, then what was to come next nearly made my heart stop beating for the second time that night.
He started to lower himself so that he was kneeling at my feet. With my hand still in his, he brought it to his lips and before he granted it with a kiss he spoke gently over my skin,
“I would give my life for you, now and till the end of time…my Queen.” After this I threw my arms around him and lowered to my knees, crying into his shoulder. I knew this must have been hard on Draven, but he also knew how much I needed this too. We both owed so much to him that like Draven had said, the amount was immeasurable. Then I lifted my head and whispered back in his ear,
“As would I my friend.”
After this emotional moment was witnessed by everyone, I knew it was all at an end when I once more felt my husband’s hand weigh upon my shoulder. This was where he must have found his limit of seeing me in the arms of another man. I stood after Draven upturned his hand so he could help me up and the second I was on my feet, he pulled me possessively to his side.
Lucius also raised back to his feet in one effortless move and smirked at the sight of us, obviously knowing he could still get to Draven, as forever would be their love/hate relationship. Okay so it was mainly based on hate with let’s say a sprinkling of mutual respect. But if Draven could stop himself from trying to rip Lucius’ head off, then that was good enough for me. However, secretly I was still holding out for the day that I found these two sharing a drink together in friendship. But let’s just say, I wasn’t going to hold my breath or anything, new Vampire lungs or no Vampire lungs.
This was quickly the signal for the rest of them to all rise and for Draven, well he saw it as the time to take me away from all this chaotic aftermath.
“But what about all the people…” I started to protest making him quickly yank me to his side so that I fell into him before he tipped my chin to make me look up at him and without saying a word he simply growled down at me. I turned to the rest of them and said,
“Okay, so we are just going to go now.” This made most of them laugh and I looked to Vincent, but before I could ask he read my mind with just a look.
“We will take care of everything here.” I watched as sadly this didn’t just mean with dealing with the living above but also the two bodies below. However, only one of them had any real chance at living again and I just hoped and prayed that the key to that was discovered soon.
I mouthed the word thank you to them all and let Draven lead me out of the broken remains of a place that would now and forevermore remind us of victory. A new start this time not gifted by any Gods, but one conquered by humanity. So, with my hand in his, I let him lead me away, putting more and more distance between the evidence of the horror of what could have been. But when I looked back at everyone, the sight nearly took my breath away.
One look was all it took to almost have the tears back again. For looking back over to the small army we had lead into battle, one thing became clear. It wasn’t one they had all fought just to save the world they lived in but also the people that meant the most to them in that world and it was the proof of this that I found so beautiful.
There was Jared who was stood ahead of his own people looking proud of all they had achieved and happy in the knowledge that he hadn’t lost any of them in the fight. Marcus even had his arm around Smidge, who he had tucked to his side and given his jacket to so that she was warm. He was also currently looking down at her adoringly and her blush was the only indication she gave that she knew it too but chose to hide from it.
Orthrus came up to his brother and slapped his back before gifting him a look that said it all…another victory won together. I looked to each of them all, smiling at the couples like Otto and his husband Chase, Sophia and Zagan and even the usually pissed of Caspian was looking happy as now he had his oiled-up wife Liessa in his arms.
Sigurd was stood by his father and it was the first time I saw that there was an amused glint in their eyes that looked very similar, as if they had just shared in a joke together. Takeshi nodded to Hakan in respect after he had been slapped on the back by Ruto in excitement and the adrenaline that no doubt still coursed through his supernatural veins. The only people missing were Pip and Adam and I kind of felt sorry for her that she had missed all the action.
Of course, she would never know it, but her part played in protecting those dearest to me was what gave me the strength to do what was needed. To know at the time that they were being kept safe and protected by the strongest of us all was a hope that drove me forward. It gave me courage.
But knowing Pip as I did, this wouldn’t matter as she would only see it as a missed opportunity for a kick ass fight. Maybe one day I would make her see what it had meant to me. However, I think I would wait until she was holding our baby in her arms, as it would only drive my point home more.
Now this was a thought that had me looking back up at Draven to see him bow his head at the others in his own respect shown.
“Go be together, we will deal with things here…go and take care of each other.” I heard Sophia say in my mind and I granted her a smile in thanks. And, of course take care of each other we did. I was surprised to see that our private doorway back into Afterlife was still intact making me wonder if it didn’t have some kind of protection spell on it or something.
Of course, this was when I noticed something in the rubble making me grin uncontrollably. I remembered that night when I tried to convince a badass Hellbeast biker to lend me his jacket. The look on his face made me laugh out loud and before Draven could ask, I said,
“Just give me a second.”
“Oh sure, it isn’t like we just survived the end of the world or anything,” he replied sarcastically making me laugh and I blew him a quick kiss before I started digging through the mess at what I had found. Then I dragged it up in triumph and shouted back at Jared,
“Well, would you look at what I just found!” Then I waved his precious leather jacket at him making the whole room erupt into laughter despite what they’d just faced.
His look said it all as first he looked down and shook his head as if he couldn’t believe what I was doing. Orthrus slapped him on the back and muttered something I couldn’t hear making him nod in agreement before he started walking towards me. Once he got close enough he took it off me, examined it for a second before speaking,
“I don’t think you can class that as survived…” he said poking three fingers through the slash in one side before looking to Draven for a second. I don’t know what he found there but after it he stepped closer to me and took my arm so that he could pull me to him. Once there he finished off his sentence on a whisper over my skin,
“…but I sure am glad you did, Doll.” Then he gave me a kiss on the cheek before saying,
“You’ve got one Hell of a girl here Dom, but do me a favour, try and keep her out of it in the future,” he said referring to having to help me get into Hell himself. Draven laughed and said,
“Oh, don’t worry Hellbeast, I fully intend to.” Jared laughed and muttered, ‘yeah right’ before walking back to the others, taking the ruined jacket with him and throwing it back over his shoulder casually as he went.
“Mrs Draven, if you please,” Draven said holding out his hand for me to take so that I might get myself out of the rubble. The second I took it he pulled me free and spun me in his arms until my feet were slowly lowered to the floor. Then without another word he tucked me close to his side and walked us both back to our home…
Our Afterlife.