Page 33 of The Time Of Queens (An Afterlife Story #2)

33

VAULT OF SECRETS

L ater that day…

“Draven, where are we going? Only, no offence, but I thought this would be the last place you would want me to see again,” I said, after he had walked me through the library and into the door at the fireplace that led back into the Janus Temple.

Since our blow-out earlier, I had taken a shower, eaten a hot meal, and was now dressed in fresh clothes that didn’t feel like I had put them on weeks ago.

Which meant that I now had a full belly, clean hair that was twisted up into a clip, and I was wearing clothes that felt deliciously soft against my skin with underwear that didn’t include boning. I had moisturised every inch of my skin, meaning I was now smelling of winter candy apple from a bath set that Pip had gotten Draven for Christmas. I think she thought it would be flavoured and therefore, she ended up disappointed that it couldn’t be licked off my body. No more so than my husband, as she knew that Draven would have appreciated any gift like this. That being said, he didn’t really need the excuse, as he often indulged in trying to taste every inch of me, candy winter apple or not. As for me, I was happy to take the gift, as it smelled divine.

But as for my modern-day pampering, I had even shaved everything to the point that I emerged from the bathroom feeling like a new woman. Or should I say, my old self, as it felt good to be home. Draven, at the time, had been dealing with all that Jared had told him, making calls and arrangements to summon a Table of Kings meeting, like Jared had suggested.

Which meant this gave me plenty of time to feel human again, or should I say , to feel supernatural. As it soon became apparent that wearing my old clothes and smelling more like my twenty first century self wasn’t the only change. Because not only was I back, but so were my supernatural abilities.

It really was like I had never left.

Which certainly helped with getting ready quicker. As for what I now wore, I chose a soft, chunky cashmere sweater, that had a big boat neckline and fell off one shoulder. It was a light cream colour that paired well with the stone-wash jeans that were tighter on my bum and flared at the edge around the brown boots I wore. Even wearing my bra felt like heaven compared to the torture devices of the past. And don’t even get me started on what it was like being able to go on a proper toilet. Even the toilet paper made me moan happily. I swear, four ply was all we were buying from this point on!

As for our daughter, I still hadn’t been able to speak with her, but I was at least assured she was alright when Lucius appeared to tell us that all was well. She was currently sleeping, as clearly, we hadn’t been the only ones left feeling exhausted by the trip. I think even I had nearly fallen asleep twice in the shower, and I had been standing up.

Lucius also said that he would let us know when she was awake. After that, he didn’t say much more as it was clear he was eager to get back to her. I was just thankful that he was thoughtful enough to come and let us know. As he obviously knew that we would have been worried.

As for my own King, he found me in our room just as I was zipping up my boots, telling me that he needed me to see something.

That it was time.

Not exactly a word I would have used, seeing as I was still a bit sensitive to anything to do with time but hey ho. My face when Pip had suggested we all watch the Back to the Future trilogy, was something that ended, once again, with Sophia and I replying as one… and a single word at that… NO.

But back to what was happening now, as I was being led through one of the vast and gigantic hallways of the Temple. It had to be noted that he was not leading me towards the fountain, but further away from it.

“Like I said, there is something I want you to see.”

I frowned in question but let him lead me there without pressing for more. Of course, I was worried about him, as we hadn’t yet had the chance to be alone and talk about stuff. Of course, we had argued about my trip to the past, but that had been in front of others and had ended with my emotional rant.

As for now, well I couldn’t help but question where his mind was at. Especially when I found myself facing a huge stone door. One that I instantly knew belonged to my husband, thanks to the large picture of our family crest at the centre. Although it was the hole above it that held my attention, one that was edged with a ring of symbols. And without a handle or another other way to open it, I had a feeling I knew what that hole was for.

Something Draven confirmed when he shrugged out of his dark-grey suit jacket, leaving him in his charcoal-coloured long-sleeve T-shirt. One that moulded deliciously to every muscle, making me momentarily forget about the door or the way he tossed the jacket to the floor. Even the way his dark blue jeans hugged his muscular thighs had me wishing for us to be back in our room.

“You’re staring, sweetheart,” he commented, making my head snap up and despite my blush giving me away, I lied anyway.

“No, I’m not.”

To which he replied first with a devastatingly smug grin, that I swear should have been illegal. Especially when he stepped closer, pulling up his sleeves as if he was getting ready to toss me over his shoulder. However, this unfortunately didn’t happen. No, instead he pulled me to his chest, and said,

“I wasn’t complaining, little queen.”

Then the barest hint of movement from him had me looking to see what he had done. My eyes widened upon seeing half his arm consumed by the door after he had plunged his hand inside the hole.

“No, but I am if that door is biting your skin… Draven, what are you…” My question died as he removed his now crimson-soaked hand.

“It only opens with my blood,” he told me.

“Jesus, baby, we really need to upgrade your locks… you know, I even hear there is this magic thing out now, called fingerprint detectors, and retinal scans… in fact, if the spy movies are to be believed, you can even speak to open some locks,” I teased, making him smirk down at me.

“Yes, but there is little chance of anyone else getting my blood and besides, what is behind this door is too precious to me to risk… come, let me show you,” he said, taking my hand in his clean one.

I watched when our family crest sank into the floor before the stone behind it split in two. Then it creaked open, allowing us entrance into a place I didn’t expect to see.

A long hallway carved from stone greeted us, with its row of roman style columns on the left-hand side. Columns that stood before a long pool of clear water that looked as though it had naturally formed this well. Draven walked towards it after letting me go, so he could dip his hand in the water, cleaning the blood from his skin.

As he did this, I decided to take in the rest of the unusual space. Opposite the pool of water and columns it looked more untouched. As if we had just entered a large cave of sorts, with its right side rough and rocky.

Down the centre were huge slabs of stone in what looked like no pattern or reason at all. But as I looked ahead, I could then see a large doorway. One that was framed with even more stone columns and held a big stone tablet above that looked to be carved with some type of picture.

“The story of how I came to be.” Draven’s voice was heard from directly behind me as he placed his hands at my shoulders, one being slightly damp.

“Is it really?” I asked.

“Nah, it’s just a recipe for a great meat pie,” he teased, making me turn and smack him playfully.

“It is not!”

“No, but it would be more interesting than that boring story,” he said, nodding to it.

“Your life isn’t boring,” I stated, making him grin.

“No, and let me show you why it isn’t anymore,” he said, taking my hand and pulling me towards the door. The light at the end was bright enough to have me wincing, only calming once we were through it. I gasped at the sight, for as soon as my vision cleared, I couldn’t help but gape in awe at the cavernous space around us.

“It’s an Aladdin’s cave,” I said, dumbfounded at all that Draven had obviously collected throughout his years on Earth. All of which looked like they had been housed inside of an actual hallowed out mountain!

There were thousands of artefacts and relics displayed in various ways, whether hung on walls or mounted in glass cases. There were pieces of art from what looked like every era, along with statues and solid gold figurines. But this wasn’t all, as there were rows and rows of shelves that looked to contain a large volume of books that would have been enough to fill a library. The place reminded me of a museum.

“This is your treasure?” I asked, making him smirk.

“Not my most precious possessions, no, as those are over there,” he said, nodding to a place that seemed separated from the rest. And at first glance, it was like something from a thrift store. I frowned in question before looking back to Draven who simply nodded for me to go take a closer look. His expression showed a sort of nervous tension.

So, I did as he asked and walked closer to it, gasping the second I recognised my own artwork. But then the moment my eyes started to take in everything else, I was soon left standing there with my mouth agape. Because there wasn’t just artwork I had done, it was everything! A maze of walls like some gallery held not just paintings but pictures of me. Black and white pictures printed on large canvases, ones I had never seen before. There was even a collage of small colour pictures, some of which I did recognise from our many years together. Places we had been, holidays and celebrations, even simple times just taking selfies together.

Then there was the shelving, that housed an array of random things from our past. The mask from the Venice ball, our silly souvenirs we had picked up from our day in Milan. Even the wigs we had been trying on, something he must have gone back and bought later on. The collection of my diaries I had gifted him once, joke presents I had bought him over the years. What looked like every card I had ever given him, whether it be birthdays, Christmases or Valentines. It was all here. Even the silly stuffed bear holding a heart in its hands was sitting on that shelf.

And then there were what he obviously classed as more valuable items to him. The ones that had their own glass display cases. Like the letter I had written to him, displayed with the long length of my plaited hair that lay on a purple cushion beneath it. Or all the special outfits I had worn over the years. My dresses displayed on expressionless mannequins. Even my wedding dress had its own special case.

I remember once asking him if we had a storage room once so as I could clear out some things in my closet, that dress included. He had simply told me, ‘I will take care of it’. And now I knew what that had really meant.

But there was one piece that fascinated me the most. The symbol of when it really all began. I walked closer, unable to help reaching out and trailing my fingertip along the case that held a black velvet jewellery stand. Yet this wasn’t to display the family jewels or any diamond necklace.

No, this one held a simple…

Punk style tie .

The first thing Draven ever took off me. One I believed I had lost all those years ago. It had been after Layla had stabbed me and Draven had healed the wound. It had been the start of so much between Draven and I, and clearly this piece meant something dear to him.

“Draven… what is all of this?” I asked, astonished by what I was now seeing. It was like some shrine… no, much more than that, a collection of everything that was… well…

Was me.

“This… this is…” I stammered to speak but it didn’t matter, as Draven had found his voice, now stepping up behind me, his reflection seen in the glass.

“The depth of my obsession with you,” he said simply, yet it was far from simple. It was his heart. It was the depth of his love for me,

I turned around, unable to contain it anymore. I threw my arms around him and cried into his chest, whispering,

“Oh Dominic.”

He wrapped his arms around me and cradled my head to hold me to him. Then I pulled back to look up at him, my eyes held suspended, my gaze coated in a watery hue.

“I had no idea,” I told him, and he started shaking his head, his eyes full of tenderness when he spoke.

“How could you not know how much I love you? For you are my everything. The reason I welcome my lungs to breathe in the morning. The reason I know now what it is to truly smile. To laugh… to hunger for your touch , ” he added, giving me a squeeze before continuing.

“But more than anything, you are the reason I know what it is to be afraid.”

I frowned at that, before realising what this was. Why he had told me it was time. Why he had brought me here after all these years.

“I have never known fear until the day I met you. The fear of losing someone I loved so fervently, I would rather die than know that you are not of this Earth… that you are not of this time.”

My tears became too heavy and fell, others quickly following when he asked,

“Do you understand now?”

I nodded, unable to say anything more than a whispered,

“I’m sorry, Draven.”

After this he pulled me back into him and said,

“I know… I know, my love…as am I.”

“What do you have to be sorry for?” I asked, sniffing and wiping my nose on my sleeve like a child.

“That I wasn’t there to protect you.”

“But you were!” I exclaimed, giving him cause to shake his head down at me.

“No, Keira… I wasn’t.” he said, emphasizing what he meant and making me feel bad, until I decided to prove a very good point. So, I reached up on tiptoes and told him,

“No, but you’re here now and you know what I think…”

“What?” he asked, a small knowing grin playing at his lips.

“I think you need to add to your collection… starting with my underwear,” I whispered with a wink, making him smirk down at me. Something that ended with me shrieking out in excitement as he suddenly grabbed my arse and lifted me up his body.

“Now that , little queen, is a damn good idea,” he agreed, grinning at me and making me say,

“But seriously, couldn’t you have stolen a bed from one of the hotels rooms we stayed in?”

His grin grew at this, before he told me,

“I have a better idea.”

Then he walked me around the tall shelves that housed my life with him, making me gasp the second I saw it.

“My truck!” I shouted, making him grin down at me.

“I thought you said it had been shipped off to one of your garages somewhere and how the hell did you managed to get that thing in here?”

“You don’t want to know,” he said wryly.

“Well as long as it wasn’t in pieces… wait, never mind, you’re right, I don’t want to know,” I added when I saw his face. Which left me no choice but to forget about how and instead focused on my old Ford Bronco. The passenger side door opened with nothing but a supernatural thought from Draven, who clearly had plans. I knew that when he placed me down on the front bench seat. His height making it perfect for kissing him.

He then gripped my sweater and pulled it up over my head, leaving me in just my purple lace and satin bra. One I hadn’t worn yet… His eyes matched the colour as they heated at the sight.

“How am I ever to repay the Gods for granting me such a gift?” he said, running his fingers along my cleavage, making me blush.

“Well technically, I did grow them myself… and no doubt my love of chocolate and pastries helped,” I said, making him toss his head back and laugh, before he grabbed me closer to him, his embrace one that spoke volumes.

It spoke of how he never wanted to let me go.

“And I cannot thank you enough for it,” he teased in return before I felt the clasp of my bra open. Which meant that when he pulled back, he had my bra dangling from his fingers.

“Ooops, now would you look at that,” he said, making me giggle. “Now it’s time to really thank you for such bountiful gifts,” he said, and obviously, I was eager to agree.

“Mmm, hell yeah, it is.” My quick approval made him chuckle before tossing my bra behind us.

“Hey, be careful, that’s a rare artifact, don’t you know,” I teased. A comment that prompted him to snarl playfully at me, before promising,

“Oh, you will pay for that one.”

Then I framed his face with my hands, pulled him closer, and whispered over his lips,

“I sure hope so, my king.”

He responded with a heated growl. A rumbling sound I felt for myself as I kissed him. And this was all it took before his hands went to my jeans, quickly undoing them and tearing the denim down my legs with my knickers in tow. The underwear now matched the destination of its counterpart on the floor.

“Gods, but you know not how many times I fantasied about taking you in this truck,” he told me between kisses and stripping himself bare, making my eyes drink in the sight of his naked torso.

“Taking me where?” I joked as he yanked at his belt, before pulling it through the hoops with a snap of leather. The length of which he ran between his hands, making my eyes widen when he warned,

“Behave, Vixen.”

I reached out and gripped the waistband of his jeans to yank him forward.

“Now where is the fun in that, baby?” I asked before biting his bottom lip enough for it to bleed, pulling back to make a show of licking his blood off my lips. Something I knew would make him crazy.

And oh boy, he didn’t disappoint.

He grabbed the back of my knees and yanked hard enough that I fell to my back, before he pulled me closer to the edge of the seat, tore open his own jeans, and thrust forward, impaling me on his steely length. The first feel of his cock made my back arch as I cried out from the pleasure of it.

“Fuck!” he roared at the first feel of me, holding himself seated deep inside me for long moments.

“Mmm, now my girl is truly home,” he told me before he started to move, and my hand slapped to the back of the seat and onto the steering wheel, needing something to hold on to.

“Yes… yes I am!” I told him as the orgasm quickly built inside me.

The fullness, the raw beauty of every thrust, it felt like he was claiming me all over again. As if he were trying to brand me on the inside until this body knew no one else but him. Knew only the Draven from this year, trying to eradicate all traces of any time before him. To reclaim what was always his to own.

I felt like his most cherished possession amongst a mountain of treasure. His fated queen, his love… his Electus.

“My Keira,” he whispered my name as if mirroring my thoughts, his hand slapping to the roof as the other bit into my flesh in a delicious, possessive way. His bruising hold on my hip added to my pleasure as he pounded into me. Then he commanded,

“We find it together, as one… always, just you and I. Now come, my queen… come for me! My vixen, my mortal, my Electus… my only love… come now!” At this he roared, and I did the same as I cried out my Earth-shattering release. Always marvelling at the feel of him pumping his seed inside of me, worshiping the way he filled me up.

The feeling of heat pooled inside me as he coated my quivering channel with his essence.

It was perfection.

Even more so when he covered my body and told me,

“I would let it all burn for you.”

I sucked in a quick breath, as he framed my face and continued,

“Every treasure I own… I would watch the whole thing burn if you asked me to. I would do anything to prove my love for you, Keira. I would even…”

“…Watch my world burn.”