The Drazen World: Purgatory (Kindle Worlds Novella)

vibrations. So cool."
In that instant, Patrick felt as though Gabby were a happy, normal teenager enjoying all the beauty life had to offer.
It's all they had ever wanted. For their children to be happy, to be themselves. To be free of tormenting inner demons.
But sometimes, wishes just can't come true.
 
∞
"What are you thinking?" Hunter asked, still in the same position as when I had started reading. On his back, arms folded behind his head and his eyes closed in a semblance of sleep. He was beautiful. Strong features that begged to be drawn or painted, Hunter was an artist's wet dream. Everything about him was a contrast to light and dark. His skin was surprisingly pale but his short, dark hair and soulful brown eyes were that much more intense because of it. And his tattoos. Color upon color dancing across his skin like a story begging to be told.
"What happened to you? I mean, why are you here?" I blurted out, uncaring that maybe he wasn't one to share his inner battles.
"I died, Gabby. Just like you, just like everyone else, here." His voice didn't hold any annoyance, he spoke the truth without apparent regret. How was that possible?
"But, you're so young."
"We're the same age, human wise." He still hadn't opened his eyes, our conversation easier for me when I didn't have to confront the wise irises of his gaze.
"I didn't know that..." I mumbled, but wasn't quite ready to give up on my search for more information.
"How did you die?" I asked, fearing he wouldn't answer. It took a while but he finally gave me a little piece of his past.
"Fell asleep at the wheel. Crashed into a tree and found myself here." I wasn't sure but I thought I'd heard the sound of guilt enveloping his words.
"Were you alone?" I barely whispered the question, afraid of the answer. Yet, I knew in my heart that if he'd been alone, Purgatory would be a moot point. Either he had been a decent human and gone off to the Gates or he'd been a horrible person which meant Satan would have been welcoming him with champagne and fiery appetizers.
"No. I wasn't." Was all he gave me as a response, effectively putting an end to the conversation.
"Oh."
"Yeah."
It was time to change the subject. I knew this because his breathing had accelerated, the movements of his stomach beneath my head reminded me more of a brewing storm on the sea than a peaceful lulling on a lake. Something told me that Hunter's inner storms were not a force to be ignored.
"My parents deserved better."
I turned my head to look over at him again. His eyes were open, his gaze fixing me like a predator.
"I mean, all they ever wanted was a happy family. Talk about drawing the short straw. It's almost a good thing they weren't around for my demise." They said it wasn't natural to have to bury your own child. So, maybe losing them before I lost myself, was the better outcome to the story. Either way, tragedy was a given.
Hunter was up with lightning quick speed, suddenly pinning me to the bed with his entire length hovering on top of me. I had no idea how I had ended up on my back with his thighs trapping my own. Didn't have time to register his movements before his hands wrapped around my wrists, hiking them up above my head. For a few moments we just stared at each other. My doe-in-the-headlights gaze a stark contrast to his death glare. I was prey and he was clearly the predator.
The hunter.
How fitting.
"Every time you push yourself into the ground with your demeaning words, you are insulting every single person who ever loved you, Gabby. Every time you dismiss your worth, you're mocking every effort they ever made to help you. And every time you degrade your mind and body, you are killing yourself a little more. It makes me angry, Gabrielle. Because that means that all of my efforts were for naught." He had barely finished his sentence before the plump cushions of his lips descended upon mine and he literally took my breath away with his mouth. His lower body grinding at the V between my legs. Our chests dancing their own version of a sensual tango. But his tongue. Oh, his tongue owned me. It explored every inch of my mouth. Running over my teeth before he pulled back and nipped my lower lip.
As our mouths separated, Hunter pushed himself up on the palms of his hands and just stared at me.
"You'll be the death of me, Gabrielle Mona Reese."
And then he was gone.
I blinked away the shock of the last few minutes, lifting myself up on my elbows and shaking my head.
What the hell just happened? And why was he so damn angry?
Apparently, Purgatory was just as confusing as being on Earth.
Chapter 8
There's nothing more destabilizing than the absolute lack of passing time. Since my arrival in Purgatory, I was incapable of guessing the hour. Or if it was day or night, for that matter. Hunger had evaded me but as I lay there on my lifeless bed surrounded by the ever-present grayness of the room, I wondered if my body still needed sustenance or if the stress of the past however many hours or days had simply taken a temporary leave of absence.
With my parents' book resting against my chest as I stared at the ceiling, I couldn't help drifting off to earlier when Hunter had practically attacked and devoured my mouth. It was the most erotic of kisses, a simple testament to endless future possibilities. It didn't escape me that with every further thought of Hunter, my panties grew increasingly wet. The steady buzzing between my legs