The Pentagram Child: Part 1 (Afterlife Saga Book 5) by Stephanie Hudson Page A

different levels of torture in their own right but that room…that room held all the good memories. There were no weighing scales of good and bad in that room. There was nothing to tip the balance enough for me to not be haunted for another ten months of beautiful and perfect moments of what I thought was pure love. And I had so long now been hanging on to a thin thread that was created of nothing but bitterness. It had to be if I was to survive each day.
    I couldn’t think back to those days. I couldn’t think back to before those words. The most painful words to ever be spoken from the man you love.
    “Keira, open your eyes and trust me.”
    “But I don’t… not anymore.” I whispered again, only thankful that I couldn’t see the hurt I could have inflicted with my truthful words. I heard him clear his throat first before speaking again and his next words were hoarse and tense,
    “That is something I have to accept due to my actions…I understand this but Keira, if you won’t trust me then trust in yourself.” He said and before I could ask what he meant he started to move me around the room and led me over to different pieces of furniture there.
    I knew he expected me to feel the curves, textures and objects he placed my hands on but all I could feel was his solid presence at my back, his arms around me from behind and hands on top of mine with our fingers entwined as we touched each piece together.
    “See…it’s all different,” he whispered soothingly at my ear making me quiver. My eyes flew open and I waited for them to focus.
    “Your office.” I muttered and I felt him smile before moving from my neck.
    “Yes.” I took in a deep relieved breath and felt my back brush against his chest from the movement. I had to get out of his hold and I had to do it right now before it got too much. If I thought that room would bombard me with painful memories then what was being in his arms again going to do to me in the long run? I tried to pull away and his hands quickly shackled my wrists.
    “Wait! Not yet…just…just a little longer.” His desperate sounding request shocked me enough to gasp. He wanted to hold me longer!?
    “Tell me.”
    “Tell…tell you what?” I stuttered feeling him lean down to my neck once more.
    “Tell me why you were so scared to go back there, Keira.”
    “I…I…can’t.” I felt him rub his nose along my neck and inhale my skin, taking in my scent in deep breaths, hypnotising me and luring me further under his spell. Why hadn’t I remembered what it was like? Did I really forget about all those times back then when his spell would weave its way around my senses, moving and twisting them into doing his will? Where was my resistance now eh? It was blown to smithereens that’s where!
    “Yes you can, just speak the words…just say the words I need to hear, Keira and I will release you from my arms.” It didn’t escape me that he never said the words ‘I will let you go’ and I couldn’t help but wonder why…why he worded it that way and why he ‘needed’ to hear the reasons why. Didn’t he already know?
    “I couldn’t do it…I couldn’t see it again and not be…” I hesitated making him grip me harder to his unyielding frame.
    “And not be…?” And with this he sealed my fate by whispering the last of the magic needed to get me to open up to him like a flower blooming at night. Magic spoken against my skin and once I felt his tongue momentarily make contact with my skin I knew I was lost.
     
    “And not be…
     
    ….loved by you.”  
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

Chapters 7
    Truthful Trip Down Memory Lane
     
     
    “Keira, I still…”
    “NO!” I shouted, wrenching myself out of his arms and almost falling forward with the force of my actions. Draven tried to make a grab for me but I staggered forward, thankfully finding my footing before he needed to