7 comments/  75907 views/  24 favorites

Dark Angel Ch. 01

By: sr71plt



 Part 1: Sounding

My angel was taking me to the darker side, introducing me to new sensations and passions, higher levels of arousal than I had ever known before in my heretofore vanilla sex life. He was an addiction, a dangerous habit to feed, I fully realized, and I had come back to his den willingly, wanting to know what more there was, what new heights my passion could reach. My head kept saying no or at least go slow, but my body yearned for his touch, for his domination, for reaching new heights of body awareness and pleasure under his guidance.

I had returned voluntarily to his basement room, as he knew I would. My hands were handcuffed to the brass headboard welded to the wall, and I was kneeling, facing the wall, on a stained mattress. We were beyond the spankings and light lashings that had made my tender ass, inner thighs, and cock and balls red swollen and ultrasensitive to the touch. We were even beyond the soothing and arousing attention his lips and tongue had paid to my swollen thighs, tender kissings that had crescendoed to bitings that had me screaming for mercy and then to the rimming and invasion of my asshole with his searching tongue with its tantalizing knobbed stud.

We were now on to a new phase. He was knelt between my thighs, very close into me now, the studs of the leather harness criss-crossing his bulging chest rubbing against my shoulder blades, his rock-hard cock, with its Prince Albert pierced head ring rubbing between my swollen thighs. He had one hand firmly palmed on my lower belly, holding my ass into his pelvis, and he held a purple silicone ribbed and nubbed dildo in his other hand, pressing it between my lips. I took it in as I would have willingly taken in his cock—as I, indeed, already had taken in his cock before I'd been handcuffed to the wall—and I made love to it as I knew he wanted me to, taking in its measure, knowing that it soon would be working its thick eight inches or more into my puckered hole.

The dark angel was humming. He had done this before when he was engrossed in what he was doing and when, it seemed, that he was being especially aroused by the activity. I had learned in our earlier session that this marked his being in a zone of his own while he worked my body and that as long as he was humming, it made no difference what I might feel or want—he was going to pursue what he felt and he wanted.

He pulled the moistened dildo from between my lips and sat back on his haunches briefly, lathering the tool up with lube, all the time telling me how nice my body was and how he was going to play me like a violin. No, he said, not like a violin. That was too refined. He was going to work me like a factory machine, roughly and strongly, one that worked with a punching rod, pistoning the rod inside it endlessly and forcefully. I moaned at the image he was providing and longed for him to cover me once again, to hold me close and dominate me.

And then he was covering me again, and I felt the bulbous-capped end of the silicone dildo against my throbbing asshole. He told me not to hold back in voicing my responses, which he hardly needed to have done, because I lurched and arched my back and cried out my mixed pain and ecstasy from the moment the slick dildo entered me, until it had screwed in all the way to the hilt. I screamed out the stretching and rubbing and rough digging it was doing as I felt each ripple and nub working the walls of my canal.

All the time he was telling me how the dildo was nothing as a take-no-prisoners invader as his own cock would be, and he soon was proving that. He made me stand up on the mattress, my legs spread wide, and my torso slanted down to where my hands were cuffed to the wall, and exchanged the swirling rotation of the dildo for his own thicker and longer cock. I groaned and grunted and screamed out again in both fear and welcome as his heavily veined cock, with that ring in the tip—thinly sheathed with a condom that didn't interfer with the sensations provided by stroking of the ring and rippling of the veins as he plowed up into me.

When I felt the studs of the cock ring at his root attack the rim of my hole, he covered my nipples with both his hands and started to worry them with his pinching fingers and nails. Then he leaned his lips up to my ear and asked me if I was ready for the piston machine to be turned on.

I moaned back my desire for him to take me long and hard and furiously, and then I cried out once more as he bit my ear lobe and continued chewing lightly on that as he began to pump me hard, in long strokes, punishing my ass walls with that twirling cock ring of his.

My knees gave up to the onslaught of his vigorous fucking, and I collapsed down onto the mattress, the dark angel coming down with me, without losing purchase on my hole. He covered me close from on top and kept pistoning his rod into me. I was pushing my ass back at him with each stroke, which caused my engorged dick to slide across the mattress, and, at length I added my own cum stain to the mattress to join that of so many who had preceded me there.

With a lurch and a cry of victory, the dark angel also spent himself within me, and we lay there panting and sighing until we had regained a regular pattern of breathing.

While he was uncuffing me and leading me off to the shower, he said, "Dress after we've showered and then I want to take you somewhere."

I was mildly disappointed, because in our previous session, it had been after we had showered that he had really shown me what I had been missing for so long in arousal and a fantastic fuck. But he was the boss, and I was the slave in our relationship.

After we showered, he fed me, telling me that I'd want to build up all the strength I could for his surprise and then we were on his motorcycle and moving into an even more "iffy" part of the city than where his digs were located.

He pulled up in a warehouse district and we entered a nondescript door in a blank wall and followed the stairs to the basement. We were in a low-ceilinged, smoke-filled room that was teeming with men in various stages of undress, arousal, and release activity. There were bars set up on three sides and small tables, with chairs, most occupied, not all by a single person, all circling around a center platform, with a spotlight shining down.

Two men were performing on the platform. There was a wedge-like cushion in the center of the platform, with arm and leg restraints at each corner. A youngish, lithe red-headed guy, with a flowing mane of hair, was reclining on the wedge, ass tilted up on the higher end of the slant, and torso draped back toward the lower end, with head propped up on a slightly elevated end. His arms were bent up and his wrists were cuffed in the restraints on the sides of the wedge beside his head. His torso was stretched out fully to show off his fine musculature. His ankles were cuffed at the sides of the other end of the wedge, although there were lines attached to the wedge that permitted the wide spreading of the young man's legs. A burlier, muscle-bound, completely hairless man, wearing a headsman-style mask that covered his head and came down to below his eyes was hovering between the young man's legs. I could tell the young man was both beleaguered and enjoying himself by the screaming he was doing.

I no more than gathered the impression that the burly man was covered with jewelry piercings and that the trussed youth had one of the longest dongs I'd ever seen, however, before the dark angel pulled me over to one of the bars, perched on a barstool, and pulled my ass into his pelvis between his spread and possessing legs. He encased his arms around me and rested his chin on my shoulder.

He had ordered beers while we was folding my body into his, and while we waited for them to arrive, my eyes adjusted to the dimly lit room, undulating with men in heat and full rut, many of their eyes riveted on the stage. As the dark angel worked his hand under the waistband of my trousers and cupped my balls and played with my cock, my attention went back to the stage, where I saw the young man straining his muscles, his head thrown back, emitting loud moans from a slack, stretched mouth.

And then I saw why, and I involuntarily tensed inside the dark angel's embrace. The burly dominator was kneeling at the end of the high side of the wedge, between the receiver's wide-spread, cuffed legs. He was holding the end of a silver, curved, rather thin wand between two of his fingers. And he was slowly pushing it into the piss slit of the young man. As it slid in farther, the young man was panting hard and crying out a series of "yeses," which was the only indication I had that he was enjoying this invasion of the most intimate area of his body. The burly man twirled the wand slighting inside the slit, and the young man groaned and grunted his ecstasy.

And then the wand was being extracted—slowly and dramatically. A sigh went through the audience. When extracted, it looked like a good six inches had been inside the slit.

I felt like I couldn't breath and discovered that this was largely because the dark angel was holding me tight, almost smothering me in his embrace. And he was humming softly to himself.

I wiggled and his embrace slackened, but it tightened up again as we both watched the burly man take a thicker and slightly longer wand from a case and slowly insert that inside the slit in the younger man's cock, now harder and even longer than before. The younger man strained at his cuffs and screamed to the ceiling. Once more a slide in and a swirl and the wave of a heavy sigh across the audience. And then the long slide out. The third wand was even thicker. The youth's piss slit was being stretched open to where I could see, even from the distance that I was standing, that the hole was gaping.

I closed my eyes tight as this third wand disappeared inside the young man's penis. I couldn't watch this; I didn't even want to think of this. My own penis was feeling the pain in sympathy—or so I thought until I realized that the dark angel had a finger at my piss slit and was trying to force the finger into me.

I tensed once more and the dark angel whispered in my ear, "So what do you think?"

"What do I think?" and whispered back dumfoundedly. "What do I think of what's happening up there?"

"It's called sounding," the dark angel murmured. "I take it you aren't impressed."

"Impressed is not the word for it," I said with a moan, which told him all he needed to know about what I thought about it.

He changed tactics, "I meant, though, what do you think of the restraint wedge. Does that look like fun?"

"Yes, yes, it does," I admitted, opening my eyes again to take another look at the wedge, and seeing the fourth, thicker wand being inserted.

While this wand was going in, the young man, who had remained calm for the third wand, cried out again, declaring that he was about to cum—to get the wand out. And the burly man followed the direction and slid the wand out just ahead of a prodigious spurting of semen onto the burly man's belly. Amid scattered applause in the audience, the burly man laughed, licked off the young man's penis and started forcing a pinkie finger into the now greatly enlarged piss slit. The young man was moaning and writhing again.

"Well, that's why we're really here," the dark angel returned to our conversation. "I've rented a cell here for this afternoon. It features one of those wedges."

He stopped in mid thought, however, the attention of both of us going to the stage now. The young man was being uncuffed, the wedge was pushed off the stage, and it was replaced with a thicker rectangle. Some sort of pillowy-padded platform with cuffs at the four corners again. The young red head went down on this on his belly and his wrists were cuffed at the upper corners. His legs were bent up on the sides of the platform, with his upper thighs strapped at the sides and the ankles cuffed in close to the bottom corners. This arrangement presented his ass to the bottom edge of the platform, and his long dong hanging down the bottom edge. The burly man was kneeling at the young man's ass and was tonguing his hole and stroking down on his cock.

"As I was saying," the dark angel went on. "Are you interested in trying a wedge?"

"Yes."

"Now?"

"Yes."

As we worked our way through the crowd to a door at the other side of the room, the burly man was working his cock into the ass of the young red head. He had one palm pushing down on the small of the young man's back and had the other fist buried in the young man's flowing main, pulling his head back, so everyone could see the contortions on his face and clearly hear his cries as the burly man's cock plowed into him.

I was all atremble when we reached the small cell. Only a centered platform supporting another one of those wedges occupied the room. The dark angel slowly undressed me and cuffed me, facing up, on the wedge. The wedge was extremely comfortable and sensual. Then as I watched, he undressed himself. He looked good and evil, and I started to precum at the mere sight of that thick dong with the Prince Albert cock ring.

Then he did the unexpected. He blindfolded me.

I objected, but he said he wanted me to experience everything this time from just the sensation of touch. He crouched over me and kissed me on the lips. Then he kissed me on each nipple in turn—right before he attached clamps to my nipples. This was an entirely new, not fully pleasant experience, for me, and I whimpered a bit, but he was humming now. I could tell that I was going to be entirely at his mercy. And this is what I had wanted. I was addicted. I wanted to experience the edges of arousal and sexual stimulation. As I relaxed and he thumbed the nipple clamps, I began to enjoy what they were doing to my sense of touch.

He was tonguing and biting my inner thighs now and working his way to my asshole. When he thought me prepared, he started fucking me. He was riding me bareback now, and the sensation of his veined and ringed cock sliding across my ass canal walls had me moaning and groaning in appreciation. He was digging his fingernails into my thighs, and every once in a while lifting a hand to tweak the nipple clamps, hit my hard pecs with a closed fist and slap my flat belly with an open palm. Giving me a full range of sensations.

The wedge was wonderful. It opened and imprisoned me fully to the dark angel's onslaught. The domination was total. But not really total yet. He had more planned.

Before he jacked off, he pulled out of me and I felt his thick, hard cock being slapped against my thighs and then my belly and then on my chest. He took my lips in his and punished my tongue with his tongue stud. Then he was kneeling on my chest, between my upraised, imprisoned arms and was slapping that dong of his on my face. He forced his cock between my lips and I deep throated him to ejaculation, gagging a bit as I swallowed his repeated spurts of semen.

Then he was off of me, and there was a foreboding silence. Then the humming started again. I hadn't been aware of when he'd stopped the humming while he was fucking me, but he must have—because the humming unmistakably was back and in full force.

I felt a hand on my cock, cupping my cock at the root, on the underside—holding my cock up at a raised angle, my hips already being raised by the wedge. Then I turned stone cold and a chill went through my body as I felt the cold steel tip of the wand at my piss slit. I screamed out as the first of the wands slowly entered me there. Violation, stuffing, remarkably little pain, an electric zing through my body, my cock engorging, an indescribable feeling of sensual pleasure—enhanced by the mere thought of now having had every orifice of my body dominated and fucked by my dark angel.

"Relax, relax," I was hearing in a soft, soothing, hummed tone. "Relax and go with the feeling. It will be so much better,"

A sucking, emptying feeling as the wand slid out. A strange sense of loss and emptiness when it is gone.

Then a thicker wand, entering me, making me scream again despite myself. Tightening up, but then remembering, and relaxing. But as this wand glided up through my urethra, I knew I was about to cum. I yelled out to the dark angel. Asking for mercy. Letting him know I was going to blow. And the wand glided back out and I did blow my wad.

A husky laugh from the dark angel and a cleaning of my penis with his tongue.

That's it then, I think. Yet another, deeper, darker experience. That was OK then.

But then an even thicker wand at my piss slit. pushing in, stretching me. Loud humming. I cry out. "Oh, God, oh God. Noooo. Yessss. M-o-o-a-n-n . . ."

Dark Angel Ch. 02



Chapter 2: The Cube

The phone rang and I sat there and looked at it through five rings. I recognized the number on the caller ID. I wouldn't answer it. After seven rings it would kick over to the machine. Ring number six.

"Hello."

"You know who this is. Come to me."

"Look, I'm sorry, but . . ."

"Come to me now. Shower and clean yourself out. Don't bother to wear much."

Click.

I sat there, staring at the phone. I wouldn't go. And when I hadn't shown up, that would be the end of it. No more control. No more domination. Finished.

Forty-five minutes later I was ringing his doorbell at the run-down bungalow in a bad part of town.

My dark angel opened the door and pulled me across the threshold. He started stripping off my clothes as he herded me down the narrow stairs to the basement—to his special basement room.

"I just came to tell you . . ."

"Skip it. Come over here."

"I . . . I. What's that?"

"This here? This is a cock ring and ball stretcher. That over there? That's the cube."

He took my cock in his hand and snapped the metal ring around its root, and then he pushed my balls down from my body as I gave a little surprised lurch and snapped a wide leather band around where the ball sack came up at the root of my cock, pushing my balls painfully into two tight, egg-sized lumps well below my cock.

"Ow, that hurts," I objected nonsensically. "I'm not going to . . ."

"Listen, if you're going to talk through this, I'm going to gag you. Neither of us is going to want that. You're going to want to scream and I'm going to want to listen to you scream. I'm going to get a certain level of satisfaction out of this, and if it isn't in the screaming, it's going to have to be in something else. Understand?"

Yes, I did think I understood—all too well. I looked longingly at the now closed and locked door leading to the staircase. I wanted to leave, I desperately wanted to not be here. But I was kidding myself. I knew I had been waiting by the phone, waiting for this call.

"Now this cube over here," he now was saying. "This is your home away from home for today. I'm going to fuck you every way from Sunday on this cube. This cube is going to be your best friend."

My eyes focused on my dark angel. He was still both the best looking and most evil looking man I'd seen. He was a swarthy, hairy bear of a man, both a hulk and a hunk, a man of the motorcycle gangs and the walk on the wild side. His big, thick cock, with that Prince Albert ring through the head swung low between his heavily muscled legs. I hyperventilated at the thought of that buried in my ass again and, at the same time, I couldn't wait for it. I was precuming just at the thought of that PA ring dragging along my ass canal walls.

I just followed along dumbly, or rather hobbled, being bothered by the unfamiliar and painful sheathing of my cock and balls, over to the cube and stared blankly at it. My dark angel was patting the top of it to show me that it was cushy and had some bounce to it. It had a blue cover and was nearly two feet high and a foot and a half on each side. There were four cuffs, two each on opposite sides, attached by short chains to the sides of the cube, but there were several other places on the sides of the cube where the chains could be attached.

He told me to kneel on the cube, which I did, and he crouched close behind me, one hand holding my ringed cock, already engorging and standing at attention, while he clipped tit clamps on my nipples. I groaned while he did this, as they were still tender from our last session using them. He just laughed, enjoying my discomfort, making clear who was the boss here.

I could feel his monster cock, with its metal ring at the small of my back, and he was kissing my shoulder. I turned my head and he possessed my mouth with his, pushing in his nub-studded tongue and punishing my tongue and the inner linings of my cheeks with that. I lurched and tried to pull away when he put pressure on my distended balls with a fist and pinched at the tit clamps, but he took my tongue in his teeth, and held in firmly while his arms grasped me tight, enjoying my writhing. I stopped fighting him and willed my muscles to relax, to show him I had surrendered, trying to block out the pain at my balls, nipples, and tongue.

When he was satisfied that I was fully under control, he relaxed his grasp at the three points and ran his tongue down my back and buried it between my butt cheeks, his hands holding me in the kneeling position on the cube by grasping my hips. He moved on to fingering me with lube and sliding his fingers in and out of my hole until he was satisfied that I had opened to him sufficiently.

I thought he was going to move in and fuck me then, but he moved away from me and instructed me to lay, chest down, on top of the cube and to extend my legs straight out behind me and support weight on my toes. When I was in this position, he cuffed my hands to either side of the cube near the base. I had my legs close together, in a push-up position, but he told me to spread them wider. This was going to be OK, but not for long.

But he quickly let me know that endurance in this position was going to one of the main points to this session. I felt the slight sting of leather strips zing across my buttocks.

"Feel that?" my dark angel was asking. "If you don't keep your legs in this position until I'm finished with you here, you will feel the lash until you're back in position. Understand?"

"Yes," a said through gritted teeth.

"Yes, what?" he said, and I felt a slight sting from the whip again.

"Yes, sir," I said. I must have given him the answer he wanted, because he moved in between my legs then and started rubbing his cock around on my buttocks and along the insides of my thighs and up and down in my crack. My balls were aching from being distended even further now by gravity, and I whimpered a bit.

The dark angel liked to hear me whimper, and I could hear him beginning to hum.

And then I felt him entering my ass. But, no, even he wasn't this big. He felt me tremble, and then I was relieve of the pressure.

"Want to see?" he asked with a husky little laugh. "Take a look at these. These are what are going up your ass."

I turned my head to see a flexible length of fairly large-sized anal beads, and I shuddered and my knees began to buckle as he returned to pushing them into my ass. When they were all in, he slowly began to pull them out again, and I heard and felt the popping sound as each plopped back out of my ass. Then they were pushed in again and this time they were jerked out in one motion that had my knees buckling and heading toward the floor.

But the dark angel did allow them to reach the floor, he got an arm under my thighs and pulled them back up while he switched my butt and the back of my thighs and my back with the leather whip until I had regained my position.

He did move back in between my legs then and entered me with his throbbing cock and stroked me until I was weak in the legs again. When he felt he had me opened up real well, he swung his legs over mine, one at a time, while still plowing me with his cock, and held my legs close together, constricting my hole tightly around his rod.

When I thought I couldn't hold my legs in position any longer and he could feel me cramping up, he pulled out of me and told me I could kneel. He untied the hand cuffs at the front edge of the cube, but he left the cuffs on my wrists. He then sat down on cube and told me to skewer myself on his cock again, facing away from him. I went back into his lap and started slowly descending my ass on his cock, but he was impatient and took me by the hips and pushed me all the way down until he was fully encased inside me.

He reached down and cuffed my ankles and tied them and my wrist cuffs off on the same attachment at the top back edge of the cube on two sides. So, now I was sitting in his lap, my arms and legs pulled back at each side, hogtied and impaled on his rock-hard cock.

"Now we'll see what full domination is," he said. "You haven't been vocal enough. I want to hear some screaming and begging."

He first pinched the tit clamps on my nipples until I screamed for him to give me mercy on that. He then turned his attention to my tender, distended balls. He squeezed my tight nuts until I screamed in pain and my eyes watered. And then he let loose and told me to turn my head and kiss him. I did, and then he squeezed my balls tight once more, causing me to open my mouth wide in a scream that was stanched by his greedy, tongue-filled kiss. This time he didn't let loose until I was writhing against his chest, and my ass was rotating wildly around on his cock, trying to pull my balls away from his punishing fist.

He finally released me and whispered in my ear, "Remember that. I am now going to possess you as you never have been possessed before. And you are going to love it. And you are going to come back whenever I call you to me. Do you understand?"

"Yes," I whimpered, not understanding really, but ready to agree to anything now.

"I'm going to be possessing you in every orifice, and you are calmly going to respond to me. And if you don't, we can always return to tit and ball play. Understand?"

"Yes."

"Yes, what?"

"Yes, sir."

Out came the graduated sounding wands. I shudder in remembrance, as he selected a thinnish one and cupped my cock in with one hand and slowly inserted the wand six inches up my piss slit with the other. I was panting, avoiding looking at the metal rod being run into my piss slit, but trying to move as little as possible and doing everything I could not to scream in fear of what he might decide to do during this delicate maneuver. I felt filled and clogged far up my urethra. He slowly rotated the wand inside me, and I wanted to tear away from my bounds and escape, but that wasn't going to happen. He slowly pulled the wand out and went to a larger size. I took my breath in and stifled a scream of violation and invasion as it entered me and teased the piss canal to widen to his attention. But, instead, I leaned back into his chest and tried to relax as the thicker wand moved deeper toward the bladder than the first one had. This time after it had traveled some distance, my canal grabbed it and pulled it inside and the dark angel had to grip the end of the wand to keep from losing it.

The tension was heavy and I began to sweat.

"Worried, aren't you?" he whispered in my ear. "I could so easily ruin you for life right now, couldn't I?"

"Yes," I whimpered.

To add to the fear, he started his hips in an up and down movement on the cube, moving his cock inside me. What he was doing must have been a great turn on for him, because his cock kept growing and thickening inside me, and he was humming again, more loudly this time. I as terrified that the movement of his hips and cock would cause him to lose a solid grip on the wand, and I started to moan.

He laughed and, while continuing the rocking motion of his cock, slowly pulled the wand out. The next one was a couple of sizes larger, and I was moaning at just the sight of it. It was no more than half way in, when I felt my balls tighten and I screamed that I was about to cum. He pulled the wand out to permit me to shoot off onto the floor beyond the cube and then he slowly reinserted it. When it was in a good eight inches, he took the hand that had been cupping my cock away and inserted his thumb in my mouth. I automatically began sucking on his thumb, knowing this was what he wanted. Then he had his three middle fingers in my mouth, being sucked like they were a cock.

"There, full possession," he crooned to me. "Servicing every one of your orifices at once. Fucking all three orifices at once. Isn't that nice? I said, isn't that nice?"

He pulled his fingers out of mouth long enough for me to whisper a "Yes," and then another "yes" to his question that this is what I had come back to him for—and would continue coming back to him for.

He released me from all of my bondage then, but immediately hauled me over on the floor beside the cube; wrapped a plow belt around my belly; crouched behind me, pulling my pelvis up to his; and fucked me vigorously doggie style until he had shot off deep inside me.

When he unlocked the door to the basement room and let me escape, he said "You will come again when I call. You belong to me." And I did not contradict him.



Dark Angel Ch. 02



Darkness surrounded Ashriel. He'd stripped naked, bathed in the waters of the Pool of Sorrows and then knelt on the Rock of Offerings with his wings spread out as far as he could stretch them. The cold made him shiver, but he kept his eyes on the horizon. Seraphia's three moons cast a silvery path upon the calm ocean water below Mount Chielos, where the holy city of Angelos rested at its summit.

Legends said that many eons ago, the holy mother of the Seraphian race, a true divine angel, fell from heaven here. She was terribly wounded, but an ancient native warrior to the planet tended her injuries. They fell in love and mated. Every child was born with black wings. When these children grew into adults, they also found their true mates and had chicklings of their own. After a few generations, chicklings were born with white wings. Less and less with the stark black wings of the holy mother. When Lucifer was unleashed in their realm, the winged Seraphians went up against him. Those with white wings were slaughtered. The black-winged angels decimated the legion of devils and demons by just being near them and unleashing their special powers. Lucifer was chased away.

Many years of peace followed and both reaper and Seraph flourished together. But Lucifer returned. Again, both Seraph and reaper took arms, except this time the majority of the reapers, because they were weak of flesh, refused to leave their lovers to fight. The plague of demons and devils grew, until all reapers were forced to go into battle.

This time, Lucifer was captured and cast into the Realm of Darkness. What should have been a time of celebration turned into turmoil. There was outrage over the reapers reluctance to battle against the forces of darkness, and so it happened that reapers were deemed too holy to take mates. Their lives had to be dedicated solely to serving the Divine One and keeping the forces of darkness at bay.

Ashriel knew this, had lived by this code of honor for over four-hundred-years. He'd prided himself on his steel resolve to never feel desire...until he saw Annie. She was his weakness...and he'd succumbed to that weakness.

The sky began to lighten, the sun creeping up slowly from its slumber to paint the sky shades of pink and lavender.

Ashriel remained upon his knees until the sky turned a bright cerulean blue just a few shades lighter than the sparkling ocean below. The sun blazed upon his head, wings, and shoulders, making his skin tight and warm. His flight muscles ached from holding his wings open for so many hours, but he held his position stoically.

Today the elders would announce he was fallen. His parents would be notified. Maybe his brother. He would be taken before the elders, high priests, and priestesses. Tomorrow he would be publically deplumed and then cast out...off the planet and forbidden to return. To do so was an automatic death sentence.

He knew there was a group of fallen reapers that rescued exiled reapers to keep them from being taken into slavery. Of course, having no credits, they all usually fell into prostitution.

Ashriel closed his eyes in misery. He would rather starve to death before selling his body for food or shelter.

After meditating on his sin and his fate, he rose, dressed, and walked back to the castle where he'd lived since he was two sun orbits. No one seemed to pay attention as he walked, head bowed in shame. He entered the inner sanctuary, approached the altar, and prostrated himself face down with his wings completely extended to either side, covering his arms. Resting his forehead on the cool marble floor, he sighed, his heart filled with sorrow.

"Forgive me," he whispered. "I know I am unworthy for even that. My existence was to serve you, not myself." His nose and eyes burned with tears. He took in a shuddering breath and continued. "I vow to continue to seek out the dark prince until the day I die. I will not allow Lucifer's release so long as I breathe. And if he ever is released, I will fight him to the death if need be." He clenched his fists and bared his teeth with determination. "I swear this to you."

A sense of peace settled over him, causing more tears to flow and pool on the slick marble beneath his face. He held his breath when he heard the sound of little wings fluttering around him, the sound of small feet padding closer to his body. Dominatios. They circled around him and he shuddered when small hands caressed his wings and hair. The scent of sweet flowers permeated the sanctuary.

His vow had been accepted. Ashriel's throat felt tight with emotion.

Disappointment surged through him when their presence disappeared, leaving him lonely and bereft.

"Ashriel?"

Amaranth's footsteps came closer. He clenched his fists and spread his wings wider to cover himself completely.

"Ashriel, what are you doing there? Are you okay?"

She stepped carefully around him, mindful of his wings.

He would not hide like a coward. He'd been man enough to bare his body to a woman last eve...man enough to sink his cock into her body. He would be man enough to show the colors he'd streaked his once pure aura with.

Ashriel took a deep breath and folded his wings. Slowly he stood and looked up at Amaranth.

She was just a few years older than Ashriel. He still remembered when she'd had the worst crush on Davariel, how she'd wept when he fell from grace and turned demon.

Her eyes widened in horror as they stared at him. She clapped her hands over her mouth, choking back a sob.

"I'm sorry," was all Ashriel could say.

"Oh-my-God." She shook her head slowly, tears streaming from her eyes. "How?"

Ashriel looked away, his face flaming in shame when his mind conjured up the memory of the previous night.

"Why?" she whispered when he didn't say anything.

"I..." He was at a loss for words. Why indeed. Anniel had screamed his name. At least she knew who'd fucked her. Would she remember this morning?

"I'm a fool," he whispered at last.

Amaranth rushed and gripped his shoulders. "You must run. You must flee," she exclaimed trying to shake him.

Ashriel gripped her arms and stared angrily down at her. "I will not. I will take my punishment like a man."

She opened her mouth to say something else but the doors to the sanctuary opened, the siglons-old hinges groaning with age.

Amaranth darted around Ashriel opening her wings to block him—as if she could. Ashriel tried to move her aside, but she wrapped her wings around him.

Father Reushuel hesitated in the doorway. The light from the corridor kept his front in dark silhouette, but his silver eyes, which were riveted on Ashriel, blazed with cold rage. The elder approached slowly. "Step away from him, Amaranth."

She shook her head, crying hysterically.

Ashriel tucked her wings down gently with his hands, hugging her to him. "It's okay, little one. I'll be all right. Please don't cry," he said softly, pressing a kiss to her temple.

She tried to cling to him when he stepped around her to face the elder.

The older reaper stared at Ashriel. He shook his head slowly side to side. "Of all reapers. You? How could you? You are the highest acclaimed high priest on Seraphia. You are legendary, Ashriel. You alone are responsible for the decimation of more than half of the demons and devils from Davariel's era."

Ashriel bowed his head. "Killing devils and demons is my duty, Father. It's what I was born to do, sir."

"And you throw all that away for a cheap piece of pussy?" the reaper roared.

The insult to Anniel had Ashriel's angered gaze snapping to Father Reushuel, but the older reaper only sneered with disdain. "Or did you let some male fuck you?"

Ashriel took a deep calming breath. "I am fallen. The details do not matter."

Father Reushuel stomped up to him and slapped him hard. Ashriel tasted blood in his mouth and had to grip Amaranth to keep her behind him.

"You insolent, conceited, young prick," Father Reushuel spat. "We'll see how you feel about the details tomorrow when your fall from grace is announced and every feather on your lovely black wings is ripped off."

Ashriel closed his eyes in despair.

Amaranth clutched his arm, her sobs ripping him apart inside.

"Go to your quarters and do not come out until you are sent for. You are now officially under arrest," the elder ordered, his voice echoing in the dimly lit sanctuary.

Ashriel began to put his arm around Amaranth to comfort her, but the elder yanked her away from him. Amaranth cried out in pain as the reaper dug his fingers into her arm ruthlessly. Ashriel's first impulse was to hit the older reaper, but he somehow managed to contain his impetus.

Father Reushuel dragged her farther away from Ashriel, his eyes practically bulging from their sockets as he screamed, "Don't touch her. You'll get your filth all over her."

"Let me go, you fucking asshole," Amaranth shouted angrily, trying to pry the bruising fingers from her arm.

Father Reushuel spun and slapped her soundly, making Ashriel wince. His whole body tensed, ready to pounce on the elder if he tried to hit her again.

Amaranth reached back to retrieve her divine sword to Ashriel's shock, but the older reaper grabbed her arm. "Try it and I will beat you to the brink of death, stupid girl," he snarled.

Ashriel's vision altered and he knew his eyes had gone black. "Amaranth, no," Ashriel said in a low voice. "Don't get in trouble over me. It isn't worth it. Stand down." He looked at the sneering elder who'd been his mentor. "I'll go. Just don't hurt her. She's distraught."

"Go," the elder yelled.

Ashriel walked around them, relieved when Father Reushuel released Amaranth.

She rubbed her arm, tears streaming down her sweet face as she watched him walk away.

Ashriel felt like a selfish wretch. Amaranth looked heartbroken. His parents were going to be furious, filled with shame. His brother, Garethiel, would laugh his ass off.

Ashriel cursed under his breath.

***

Anniel huddled under her covers. It was long past time to get up but she didn't want to. She'd ordered the lighting to remain in night mode and chewed her lip. The area between her legs ached terribly as well as her nipples. He'd been so huge, so ruthless, so...male.

She shuddered. It had taken many years for the hurt Garethiel had caused to ease from her heart, and in one night she'd turned into a mega slut and let another Seraph screw her crossed eyed. At least this time there were no pledges of love. They had just flat out fucked each other's brains out. She'd probably never see him again. It was just as well. A fine reaper like Ashriel probably had his pick of women...and men. Reapers were notorious bisexuals.

Ashriel. That name sounded vaguely familiar. Maybe later she'd Google him.

Closing her eyes, she remembered his beauty. His feathers were stark black and his skin sun-kissed bronze. His hair was by far silkier than Garethiel's had ever been, and his eyes reminded her of flashing lightening. There was something about him...it was silly of her to feel this way, but there was a sweet innocence about the way he'd stared into her eyes...a raw hunger, open passion. His emotions showed so transparently, as if he'd never had sex before and was experiencing the wonder of it for the first time.

But that was ridiculous. Maybe he was newly fallen. That would explain his slightly over effusive rutting. He fucked like a machine, barely hesitated every time he came and just became more eager to keep plowing her.

Anniel groaned and rolled over in her bed. Thinking about the sexy reaper would do her no good. She needed to keep away from all Seraphian kind, white or black winged.

In a way she was glad she'd finally had sex again. At least the last man between her legs was no longer...

Anniel frowned. No. Wait. Garethiel hadn't been last. How could she forget? She'd gone into heat during her pregnancy and had let Lucien and Devon mount her. Zak had also wanted to help ease her pain, but he'd wanted to gag and tie her up first. Hell no.

Anniel snickered at the memory. Sweet Goliath and his big bad Dom tendencies.

With a sullen sigh, she rose from her rumpled bed and activated her holo screen to run through the mornings' news.

With a yawn, she padded into the hygiene room and stood in her hygiene unit.

"Activate," she murmured tiredly.

Gentle blue rays engulfed her body leaving her clean and invigorated. She listened absentmindedly to the news and was a little startled when the hygiene unit blipped. It found an anomaly?

She frowned at the screen. Most likely, it was just the soreness in her body from not having sex in—Anniel rolled her eyes—in over three centuries. Lord, she was getting old.

About to tap the screen to see what the unit found, she overheard the mention of Alpha Angels from the holo screen. A loud commotion sounded from the other room and piqued her curiosity.

Anniel sat at the edge of her bed wide-eyed to watch the holo screen monitor.

Five minutes later, she was focusing on the guys' life sources and teleporting into the med unit room thirteen floors down in a panic.

Zak sat on the examining table, wavy golden hair a wild disarray, barefoot, and wearing nothing but his white drawstring pants. Devon, Seth, Remi, and Dr. Quinn were also present standing around him. They looked as if they were arguing, but Anniel didn't care.

"Oh-m-god, have any of you seen the news?" she shouted rushing to them.

Devon put his hand on her shoulder. "Easy, sweetheart. What's going on?" His glowing blue eyes stared into hers with worry.

Anniel looked around the big lab room until she spotted a holo-monitor.

"Quick. Turn that thing on."

Zak hopped off the table and they all huddled around the sphere projected from the monitor. 

The boys looked at her expectantly.

Gripping Devon's muscular arm for reassurance she instructed the holo screen, "Please show report on enemy rogue Master Guardians."

Devon as well as Seth slipped their arms around her waist and Anniel took solace in their warmth.

A pale female, obviously from Crystalian descent, appeared within the sphere.

"Arboria is declaring war on the Edenian solar system, stating that its rogue Master Guardians abducted the long lost princess, and sole heir to the Arborian King Lumar's throne." Zak's mouth dropped open. "The Arborian Master Guardians tried to negotiate the return of the princess and stated that the so-called Alpha Angels hypnotized a mob of spectators in the infamous club Haddasha and unleashed them onto the defenseless Arborian Master Guardians."

"Nice," Remi snorted. "We we can hypnotize the masses now."

"We can, Rem," Seth murmured pointing to Devon and himself.

Zak leaned in closer, obviously eager to hear what else was being said about all of them and his new girlfriend.

"The princess was forcibly removed from the Arborian Master Guardians' custody by a fallen reaper, who not only threatened the Master Guardians, but also threatened the well-being of the Princess Alloon."

Anniel shook her head.

"What a crock of shit," Remi snapped.

"They didn't even get her name right," Seth seconded. "Alloon?"

Anniel shushed them. "That's not the worst part."

The Crystalian female continued in her droning voice. "The Edenian council has claimed they no longer have any jurisdiction over the rogue angels, that they have been accused and charged with high treason as well as apocalyptic crimes committed over three hundred years ago. Rumor has it that these rogue angels are most likely true fallen angels and a bounty has been placed on their heads of astronomical proportions."

"What the fuck?" Zak breathed out.

Again, Anniel shushed him. They needed to hear the whole report.

"Skirmishes are already breaking out universally as all beings take sides on this issue. Many are followers of Zachariel Wilder, guitarist of Draconius Imorteus, and Rowie Enoray, also known as Midnight Rose from Angel of Retribution. Search has started to find the stolen Edenian space station, Alpha 7. These rogue Master Guardians are wanted... dead or alive. We sent our number one reporter to Seraphia to find out where their reapers stand with regards to this situation, and whether or not they will be joining in this hunt." The female turned to the side to another monitor. "Jablah?"

"I didn't finish seeing this part," Anniel admitted. "I doubt the reapers will step in to hunt us."

Devon sighed, shaking his head. "I'll go talk to Ama and Ash."

Shock rolled through Anniel. "Ash? You mean Ashriel? Why would you talk to a fallen reaper?"

Devon frowned at Anniel. "Fallen? Ashriel isn't..." Devon's mouth dropped open, his eyes going back to the monitor. "Oh fuck."

The image had switched to a lizard man, wearing a long black coat with a hood. His muddy-green eyes looked wild and he stood in the midst of a crowd of shouting white-winged Seraphians. "Jablah reporting here. This is breaking news. My crew and I landed in the metropolis of Angeloria on Mount Chielos and have just learned that one of Seraphia's high priests is being outcast today. The high priest was the youngest ever to take his formal vows, replacing His Eminence, Gadriel, who, as you all know, was killed by the angel of destruction over three hundred years ago. That's right folks. I'm talking about Ashriel of Angelos."

Anniel's knees gave way beneath her as her world faded to black.

***

Vaguely, she felt strong arms holding her, keeping her from crashing to the floor.

Confusion assailed her. What happened? Where was she?

"Annie, baby, what's wrong? Wake up, sweet heart."

Arms lifted her and a soft surface cushioned her back.

A firm hand patting her cheek had her finally stirring from the murky grey haze that filled her head. With a pathetic whimper, she turned her face into hot silky flesh and took a deep breath of... citrusy sweetness. Zak. She knew his scent anywhere.

Anniel blinked open her eyes to find herself engulfed in his meaty arms, staring up into his glittering sapphire eyes as his blond hair created a golden curtain around them.

He grinned affectionately. "Hey, sexy. Feeling better?"

She felt disorientated. "What...?" She looked around, brows furrowed until she saw the holo-monitor.

Two reapers held out Ashriel's wings. Ashriel stood bound between two columns, his head bowed, fists clenched Two other reapers approached, said something to him and then walked around behind him. Ashriel tensed and then let out a piercing scream when they began to rip the feathers out of his wings. Blood spattered everywhere.

"Oh-my-god," Anniel screamed.

"Turn that damn thing off," Zak snapped.

She clutched his arms, sobbing, her eyes unable to tear away from the sight of the beautiful reaper's black wings being destroyed in cold blood. His cries of agony rang in her ears. 

The sphere disappeared, but the memory of the sight of Ashriel all bloody and shaking in agony remained burned in her mind... in all of their collective minds.

"I don't understand," Anniel wailed. "I thought he was fallen. Why would he give me Liquid X if he...?"

Her eyes darted to Remi. Liquid X. Of course. It was Remi who'd slipped it into their drinks. Oh-God. That meant she'd literally raped the virgin reaper.

Remi's eyes welled up. "Annie, baby. I thought he'd come back here with us. I didn't know he'd go back to..."

"How could you?" she screamed making him wince.

"Easy, honey," Zak tried to soothe, but she wouldn't have any of it.

She shook Zak off angrily and stalked to Remi who cringed back from her. "He tried to stop me. He kept flying and ramming himself into the stone walls. I didn't understand why he was hurting himself. I was so crazed with that damned drink you gave me, I took him by force. I took Ashriel's virginity, defiled him... and it's all your fault."




Dark Angel Ch. 02



Remi fell to his knees. "Annie, I'm sorry. I just wanted you to be happy. You needed someone and he seemed perfect for you. He was captivated by you, I swear. All we have to do is go get him. Bring him home to Alpha 7. I'll help heal his wings, Annie."

"Did you not hear what I said?" she said in a shrill hysterical voice. "I forced that reaper. He was trying to fight off the effects of the Liquid X, he said no as I crawled over him, begged me to stop as I sank onto him." A shudder ran through her, as she pulled in a gasping breath. "He hates me now."

"No, Annie. He's attracted to you—"

Annie slapped Remi hard.

Remi cupped his cheek, staring up at her with tear-filled eyes. She knew Remi felt no pain when slapped, only pleasure, but the red-haired weredragon showed nothing but pain in his eyes. Pain that grew with her next words.

"Don't ever link or speak to me again, Fyre. I wish I never had to see you again, but I've nowhere else to go."

Her heart broke a little bit more when Remi bit his lip and the first tears spilled down his face. "Annie, please," he whispered, his eyes begging.

She felt confused. Part of her wanted to just lay into him and beat him black and blue for being a meddlesome idiot, but his obvious emotional pain and repentance of what he'd done tore at her heartstrings.

She loved him to pieces, but he needed to learn a lesson. He needed to learn to stop trying to fix everybody else's problems, especially when that help did nothing but complicate things further—Remien Fyre style—total chaos.

Anniel teleported out of the med unit back into her quarters.

Devon followed her and gripped her arms.

"Calm down," he exclaimed giving her a little shake.

"I can't. Oh-God—did you see what they did to him?"

"Annie, listen to me," he insisted. "I promise you..." He pulled her up tight against himself until she had no choice but to flatten her palms on his chest. The golden insignia of the Alpha Angels felt cold under her right palm and she lifted her gaze from his black uniform to his glowing eyes. "I promise you," he said again, more softly this time, "I will do everything in my power to see that Ash is brought here." She bit her lip and blinked back her tears. "We'll care for him until he's strong enough to decide what he wants to do."

"He won't have anywhere to go," she whispered. Worry assailed her. He'd live aboard Alpha 7. He'd probably start going to brothels and bringing back whores...

"Annie," Devon said squeezing her arms a bit, "he's not like that."

Anniel frowned. "He's Seraphian born. He's beautiful..."

Devon scoffed. "Have you not looked in the mirror, woman?"

Anniel felt her face go hot and looked away, but he gripped her chin in one big hand and tipped her gaze back up to his. "You. Are. A. Goddess."

Anniel's face heated up some more. "Oh, stop that."

He shook his head, the satiny spill of his blue-black hair sliding over his broad shoulders as his eyes looked deep into hers. "I...I had the worst crush on you since I was a mere boy."

Her cheeks were on fire now. She knew he'd had a crush on her, but she'd always seen him as being way too beautiful for her, so she categorized him in the friend-almost-a-brother zone. When Garethiel had shown some interest in her, resisting Devon had become easier.

She'd had brief forays of sex with Devon, whenever he had violent break ups with his first nightmare of a girlfriend, but she kept him firmly in the don't-go-there zone. Allot of good it did, because it was precisely Garethiel who'd stomped all over her heart. So much for smart choices.

His thumb traced over her lips and she felt... she felt his emotions as if they were her own. He loved Angel, more than his own life. He also loved Anniel still, and would Angel be against letting him take her to their bed.

Anniel stepped away from him. "No. Don't jeopardize your relationship with your mate."

"Venushtians enjoy the touch of other women," he argued. "All three of us together would be beautiful."

He tried to kiss her, but Anniel shook her head. "Angel is Crystalian, and I distinctly remember her saying the reason she wanted to become a Venushtian priestess was to precisely avoid having to take a female lover." Anniel batted her lashes up at his pouting face. "She's like me, baby. We both enjoy males only. Females turn us off."

He sighed out in frustration. "It hurts me to feel you suffer, Anniel."

She moved away from him. "Yes, but taking me to bed with your mate isn't what I want. I want my own man. I know it sounds selfish, but that's how I feel. Angel probably feels the same way."

Her mind drifted back to the horror of Ashriel's situation and her eyes filled with tears at the torture he was going through...because of her.

"Don't blame yourself," Devon admonished softly.

Anniel wrapped her arms around her middle. Even though Remi had brought her the drink, she thought the reaper had sent it. "I should have known better than to accept a drink from a stranger."

Devon pursed his lips, cocking his head to the side. "You've known Remi a long time."

Anniel rolled her eyes. "You know what I mean, smarty-pants."

Devon moved to take her back into his arms. She laid her cheek against his chest and listened to his heartbeat.

"Ashriel could have resisted you. He's the strongest reaper alive right now. Reaper kind is suffering a great loss at this moment."

"I think their rules on chastity are a bit rough, old-fashioned, and stupid if you ask me. It seems so unfair that they punish him for something he could barely control."

"Maybe in time things might change, but for now, we need to find a way to get him here."

Anniel sniffled, wiping a tear from her cheek. She knew they weren't allowed on Seraphian soil without permission from one of the high priests.

Did they know? Did they know that it was once again one of the Alpha Angels who'd defiled their most precious and holy high priest?

***

Strange images and sensations filled his dreams—moments of when he lost his virginity, the intense pleasure of being imbedded within Anniel's glorious body, reliving the moment he was made to stand before the white-winged citizens of Seraphia and declared fallen, and the horror of being deplumed. He floated in a dark realm other times, hearing voices talking softly around him. Other times he could vaguely catch Anniel's scent near him, feel her fingers touch his face and hair.

It couldn't be real, any of it. He had no idea how much time had dragged by, but finally Ashriel opened his eyes...to see a face he hadn't seen in half a siglon.

"Welcome back, sleeping beauty."

It took everything he had not to snarl at Natanael's happy face. His Mohawk was an outrageous shade of crimson that only served to remind Ashriel of a certain weredragon with blood-red hair.

Slowly, Ashriel rose from the bed. His hair was too long. He usually kept it a few inches below his shoulders. It came down to his waist now. He clenched his teeth in anger.

There were more reapers in the room—all fallen.

Ignoring the questioning looks, he walked out of the room he was in.

Alpha 7's corridors were as he remembered--soft pearly grey walls, glossy black floors, simulated sunshine, and round doors leading to various rooms.

Ashriel ignored it all, his eyes riveted to the Alpha Angel approaching him.

Remien Fyre's grin was wide enough to be insulting. "Holy shit. You're finally up. I'm so glad, Ash. Let me be the first to welcome you aboard Alpha 7."

The insipid weredragon raised his hand in greeting.

Ashriel raised his hand to wrap his fingers around the idiot's throat.

Being an even seven feet tall gave Ashriel an advantage over the six-foot-three Alpha Angel. He effortlessly held him several inches off the floor against the wall. Ashriel spread his wings out and went nose to nose with Remien Fyre. He wanted to watch the bastard's pretty green eyes bulge as he choked the life out of him.

"Remi," a high-pitched feminine voice screeched. "Let him go, you big bastard."

A tiny, very pregnant girl pummeled Ashriel's back, and though he really wanted to strangle the living shit out of Remien Fyre, he couldn't stand to hear a female weeping hysterically while he killed the father of her unborn babes...even if they were vampiric weredragon spawn.

Ashriel let Remi drop like a sack of feces to the floor.

Rowie crawled over her mate, brushing his locks from his face as he coughed and tried to breathe.

Ashriel had to admit, the weredragon's face was a very nice shade of purple, although it did clash with his crazy red hair. No one should have hair that color. It was absolutely scandalous, sinful.

"God, what did you do?" another feminine voice demanded behind him.

Ashriel stiffened. Oh, no. He wasn't prepared to face her yet. Perhaps if he just kept his back to her, ignored her, she'd go away.

Anniel stepped around him. She was tall for an Edenian female, though she still came up to his nose. She stepped into him, her face angry. He felt her breasts press against his chest, tormenting him with the memories of what they had felt like in his hands, their taste in his mouth. God help him. He clenched his fists, fighting his weakness.

"How dare you hurt Remi. Why don't you pick—"

Ashriel had her in his arms, pinned against the wall before he knew what he was doing. He hungered for the taste and feel of her again. His mouth was on hers, his tongue exploring the sweet flavor of her lips and mouth. Her fingers sank into his hair, but instead of tugging him away, she pulled him closer.

He ground his erection against her and she arched rubbing against him.

He was weak of flesh, unworthy, lustful. At last, he'd succumbed to his baser nature. Shame chased away desire and he stepped away from her, still shaking from lust, burning like a fevered disease within his body.

"I'm... I'm fallen," he whispered in self-disgust, closing his eyes.

The stinging slap to his face had him opening them in shock.

Anniel looked up at him, her eyes full of hurt and anger.

"You bastard," she choked back a sob. "How dare you take me up against that wall and then..."

She turned away, putting her fist against her lips. Diamond tears wet her chocolate skin. He remembered what licking every inch of that glorious brown skin tasted like, his flesh so pale against hers. How she'd thrashed against him as he fucked her hard and without restraint while she tugged his dark hair for something to hold onto.

Unable to help himself, he reached for her again.

"No," she snapped, slapping at his hands. Her golden eyes flashed angrily. "Don't. Don't you ever try to touch me again."

Ashriel closed his fist, his heart breaking as he watched the female he'd always wanted since he was only ninety sun-orbits-old walk away.

If Anniel ever found out Ashriel was Garethiel's twin brother... she'd hate him even more.

He closed his eyes, his mind a reeling. "I must leave here."

"Hey, come on, man. Don't be an ass."

Ashriel snapped his eyes open and glared at Remien, who'd already recovered. The fool dared stand before him, blocking his path. Ashriel's hands itched to tear him limb from limb, but he restrained himself for Rowie's sake, and because he was sure Anniel would hate him even more if he killed the annoying red weredragon. "Get out of my way," Ashriel snarled.

Once the stupid weredragon moved to the side, Ashriel strode forward. He stomped back to the room he awakened in and stopped cold in his tracks when he encountered the scene before him.

Three reapers occupied the bed now, two males and a female, all three naked. One of the males lay on his back licking between the female reaper's legs. The other reaper supported his weight with his hands and feet, his knees bent, thighs spread wide while he raised and lowered his ass upon the prostrated reapers stiff cock. His own cock pointed straight up and the female sucked him down eagerly. Moans and sighs of pleasure filled Ashriel's ears and he felt himself getting harder than he already was after feeling Anniel in his arms again.

"Fucking hot, eh, Ash?" Natanael chuckled from the far corner. He sat slouched down in a chair, his pants open, and his hand stroking his erection as he watched the threesome.

"W-w—" Ashriel swallowed hard, and tried to speak again. "What the hell are you all doing?"

Natanael pursed his lips, his silver eyes molten. "Enjoying our freedom."

Ashriel's eyes snapped back to the threesome. The girl's moans were becoming louder, until the male she was sucking off gripped her head, slamming her all the way down as he obviously erupted down her throat with a shout of completion. The other reaper eating the female out groaned harshly too, obviously finding his own release.

Ashriel backed away, horrified. He'd never experienced sex until Anniel, much less seen others engaged in the act—at least not since the days when he'd spy on Davariel and his followers. The way his cock throbbed disgusted Ashriel, but he couldn't tear his eyes away. Still, he continued to backtrack out of the room.

"Where are you going, Ash?" Natanael chuckled, his bright grey eyes smoldering. "Don't be such a prude, man. We're not fucking holy warriors anymore."

"Hey, I fuck holy warriors every day," one of the reapers in the bed objected with a laugh, before being silence by the female when she sat back down on his face with a smirk.

Ashriel wanted to run, but his hasty backwards retreat was halted by a solid body behind him. He spun with a sneer, ready to strike if anyone tried to grope him.

Devon's glowing electric blue eyes stared into his.

His face. It was Davariel's face. Everything except for the size of his irises was identical. Oh, yes, and the color of his skin and hair, for Devon's flesh was inhumanly white and his hair demonically black.

Dava had been gloriously blond, his skin sun-kissed bronze...beautifully angelic...tragically evil.

A ghostly memory of the angel of destruction formed in his mind, down on hands and knees in a pool of his own blood, vomit on his chin, reaching out to Ashriel, begging for the life of the woman he loved and his unborn. Davariel's demon wings had been hacked off and were still twitching on the ash and ice covered ground of Megdoluc. He had abandoned Davariel there...to his death. Only he hadn't perished. He'd been saved by his lover, a couple of weredragons, weretigris, fallen reapers...

Ashriel's mouth dropped open. "You're recreating your father's commune...but on a much larger scale."

Devon's face remained emotionless. He blinked. "What the fuck are you talking about?"

His voice. It didn't have that seductive pull that Dava's had. Still, the deep masculine timbre was soft and dark...alluring.

More memories filled his mind. He used to look in on Davariel and his followers, spying on them through portals Ashriel opened in reflective surfaces. He remembered seeing an orgy between all of them while Davariel siphoned their energy. He was like an incubus, but luckily, for his followers, he was only half. A cambion. Otherwise, they never would have survived a fully-fledged tantric vampire for so long.

He remembered the faces of the dragons, the gold and red one. The image of the dark vampire, Drakken...

"They're the offspring. How the hell did you manage to find their offspring?"

Devon remained mute, just staring into Ashriel's eyes. More memories flooded his mind and he suddenly realized Devon was rifling through his thoughts.

Ashriel's palm caught Davariel's black-haired demon son by surprise. The slap sounded loud in the corridor and had reapers pouring out of every doorway to gape at them.

Boots sounded running behind Ashriel along with vicious growling.

Devon's hand covered his stinging cheek, his glossy black hair almost covering his face. The expression of hurt, tearful eyes and pouty mouth was identical to his father's.

Devon's luminous eyes looked past Ashriel, and he could feel the boil of energy rush over him.

"Remi, no," Devon sighed.

Ashriel looked over his shoulder to see the red-haired weredragon suspended in the air, his dragon's wings flapping through holes ripped in his black uniform shirt. Remi's hands were still trying to reach out to Ashriel as snarls tore from his fanged mouth.

The air around Ashriel distorted. He couldn't contain his fury any longer. The reality he'd awakened to was darker than he'd ever anticipated. The rumors of how the Alpha Angels lived were true and Ashriel did not want to live a life moral iniquity.

"Remi," Devon snapped. The red weredragon ceased his threatening snarling, but kept his teeth bared for a few seconds longer.

Remien finally snorted, his wings pulling into his back. "Fine. I give. Just put me down already, Dev."

Slowly, Remien's body floated back down until his booted feet touched the corridor floor. Rowie, his mate, touched his arm and whispered soothing words to him.

Ashriel turned back to Devon with a scowl. He could still see every molecule swirling in the space between them, letting him know his eyes were still solid black. Ashriel kept his killing power tightly wound within himself. He had no reason to kill Devon...yet.

"I'm sorry," Devon said surprising him. "I saw a vision of my father in your thoughts and... couldn't resist."

"I want to leave," Ashriel growled, storming past him.

Devon and Remien flanked either side of Ashriel. "But where will you go?" Devon asked.

Ashriel thought. There were a myriad of things he wanted to investigate. Now that he was free, he could do more."

"Edenian solar system," he finally answered tersely.

Devon swerved in front of him, blocking his way. "They'll kill you on sight," he exclaimed, eyes wide.

Ashriel frowned as Remien began to chuckle next to them. Ashriel sent him a killing glare that only made the insufferable weredragon snicker a little more. His very pregnant mate elbowed him with a frown. "Sorry," he coughed under his breath.

"Why would they kill me on sight?" Ashriel grated between clenched teeth settling his seething stare back on Devon.

"Because the entire galaxy knows you're one of us now."

Ashriel's eyebrows almost disappeared into his hairline. "I'm one of you? Explain that one."

Devon smiled, but then pouted at Ashriel's scowl. "You've been here four months...um—moon—"

"I know what it means," Ashriel snapped.

"Geez, he's more of an asshole than Seth," Remien scoffed shoving his hands in his pockets.

"Fuck you, Fyre," the weretigri hissed appearing out of thin air next to them.

The lighting made Seth's white hair appear ethereal. Pale blue eyes locked with Ashriel's—the eyes of a predator. The vision of an enormous black striped white tiger formed in Ashriel's mind.

"Why do you want to go to the Edenian solar system?" Devon asked drawing his attention again.

"I need to know what the hell happened three hundred siglons ago."

Devon's eyes narrowed. "The war?"

"So now you believe we had nothing to do with it?" Remien scoffed.

Ashriel pondered that a moment. "I think you're all guilty one way or another."

Remien scowled at him. "Hell. I'm starting to regret picking you for Annie."

Ashriel reacted without thought. He gripped Remien around his throat again and slammed him against the wall. The weredragon's fist connected with his face making him see spots, but Ashriel was so enraged it didn't stop him from returning the blow. Punches flew fast. Bodies launched themselves into the fray until Ashriel found himself restrained by Zachariel, Natanael, Abdiel, and some other reaper whose name eluded him.

Devon, Seth, and three other reapers held a grinning Remien. Blood dripped from his nose and mouth and still he grinned. Ashriel tensed with rage.

"Easy, big guy," Zak's deep voice warned.




Dark Angel Ch. 02



"Keep that infuriating red dragon away from me," Ashriel snarled.

Seth snorted. "Good luck with that one."

A sound drew everyone's attention. Rowie was huddled into a ball on the floor, holding her belly in obvious pain. Ashriel blanched. Had she been hit during tha altercation?

Oh-God.

Every able body rushed to the pregnant girl the fight forgotten. Remien gathered her up in his arms.

"Baby? What is it? Tell me?" he asked frantically.

He sat on the floor and positioned her between his legs. Ashriel's hand collided with Remien's when they both spread their fingers over the enormous belly.

The vision seized Ashriel so suddenly, he gasped. From within reddish-black mists emerged two males, identical twins with long blood-red hair, obsidian eyes, and vampiric fangs. Both carried bloodied divine swords, both had deep red, almost black dragons' wings. One held a severed head, the other carried Lucifer's sword also covered in blood. There was a black-winged blonde angel behind them. Davariel.

Ashriel reared back, his eyes wide as he gaped at Remien Fyre.

"What in hells name was that?" Ashriel whispered.

Remi's eyes narrowed, Devon, Seth and Zak frowned looking from one to the other questioningly, but Rowie's cry of pain drew their attention. Before Ashriel's eyes, her belly swelled larger until the girl screamed in agony.

Devon cursed roundly, his hands smoothing over Rowie's belly.

Remien looked up at his commander, eyes full of tears now. "Dev, make him stop. Please."

Zak disappeared murmuring something about Alluna, with Devon following suit.

"What's going on?" Ashriel asked looking from Remi to Seth to Natanael.

Remien held Rowie tighter, burying his face in her neck and murmuring soothing words.

"Devon's son," Seth sighed rubbing Rowie belly along with Natanael.

Ashriel looked up into the reaper's worried eyes. Abdiel reached over his shoulders and rubbed the girl's belly also.

"Jazriel wants his playmates to be born already," Natanael replied.

***

Anniel was pouring her heart out to Angel when Devon suddenly appeared and made a frantic dash toward the baby's crib.

Angel and Anniel both jumped up and ran after him.

He bent over the edge of the crib, desperately waving a brightly lit rattle, "Jazriel, please stop-stop. Leave the babies alone. You're hurting the mommies."

The baby began to cry and Devon reached in and picked him up.

Jazriel didn't look like a five month old. He looked like he was a year already. His hair was a mass of white-blond corkscrew curls and his eyes, enormous in his chubby face, glowed electric blue like Devon's.

Though he had no wings, his growth pattern was similar to a Seraphian.

Seraphs grew at an accelerated rate until they reached two years, but they resembled twice that age. Doctor Quinn had explained that at that point Jazriel would grow like a normal Edenian child until he reached twenty.

Afterwards, the aging process of a Seraph would practically grind down to a halt, making them appear eternally young for over a thousand years. Anniel knew from research on the topic that by the time they reached the last years of their life span they barely look older than forty plus earth years. Their movements became more graceful, their gaze sweeter, innocent. It was a beautiful race.

Devon rocked a disconsolate Jazriel in his arms. Angel approached worried.

"He was asleep," she said.

Devon shook his head, his brows furrowed in pain. "He must've awakened. He got Row again." Devon closed his eyes. "And Alluna. Zak wants to leave."

Anniel felt Devon's anguish. He didn't want any of them leaving Alpha 7. He felt possessive of all of them, but she knew he wouldn't forcefully stop any should they choose to do so. He'd plead, cry, throw himself at their feet, and beg shamelessly.

"Ash wants to leave too," he whispered.

Anniel's eyes snapped back up to Devon's. Hurt gripped her heart. Why did she think he'd want to stay? There was nothing of interest in Alpha 7 for the great and beautiful Ashriel of Angelos.

"Then we'll go with him," Angel suddenly said. "Zak and Remien can stay here with the girls. They're in no shape to be gallivanting around the galaxy after all, and we'll take a trip with Ashriel and our son." Angel smiled at Anniel. "Of course, I'll need help with the baby. You don't mind coming with us, right?"

Anniel blinked at Angel. "A trip? Oh, honey, I think Dev means Ash wants to jump ship, not take a little vaykay."

Angel frowned in confusion, but Devon smiled. "No, Anniel. Angel's idea is absolutely genius. If he wants to run away, we'll run away with him...at least for now. We can always come back home to the others once the girls give birth..." Devon frowned," which at this rate will most likely be any day now." He grinned again. "I can open a portal back to Alpha 7 and keep an eye on things here once in a while. I doubt Jaz knows how to traverse portals..." he gave his son a dubious look, "yet." Jazriel just stuck his thumb in his mouth, looking at his daddy innocently.

Anniel thought about their star cruiser. It wasn't too big and the thought of being in close confines with Ashriel had her heart slamming frantically against her ribs.

She shook her head, "I don't...I can't..."

Devon looked at her pleadingly, "Please Annie. You two need to be together."

Anniel gasped. "What?"

Devon's eyes lowered to her stomach. "Some things are just meant to be, Annie."

Anniel scoffed. "I'm not pregnant. A Seraph's gestation period is three months. What happened between Ash and me was over four months ago."

"Your pregnancy with Gareth was a normal nine months," Devon argued.

"His father was white winged, so his blood was weaker. Ashriel's blood is purer because of his black wings. Gestation period's for full Seraphs is three months."

"But you're a werewolf, Anniel. The differences in DNA could slow it down."

Anniel shook her head. "A reaper's DNA is stronger. It takes over making the fetus take on full Seraph characteristics." She was sure of that. She'd looked it up when she was seeing Garethiel.

Devon just looked at her. "Step into my hygiene unit and we'll find out."

Anniel felt the blood drain from her face. She remembered the blip from her hygiene unit a few months ago...before she'd gone with Zak, Rowie, Remi, and Seth to Arboria to rescue Alluna who'd been stolen away by rogue Master Guardians.

If she were pregnant at the moment, it would explain why she felt so aroused all the time. It would only get worse. As she'd neared Gareth's eminent date of birth, her vagina had become so swollen and sensitive she'd needed to be constantly mounted. Lucien had been only too happy to oblige at the time.

Anniel hugged herself with a shudder. She didn't want that to happen again—any of it—the mindless lust, the painful birth, having another baby...losing it.

Devon and Angel's arms encircled her. Anniel looked up into Jazriel's glowing eyes. His face was identical to Devon's...like a clone. The baby cupped her cheek also, as if to soothe her.

"It'll all be fine, Anniel. You won't be alone. We're here for you." Devon turned her face to his searching gaze. "Don't let Ashriel go."

She slipped free of their hold with a bitter smile. "Right. So I'm supposed to trap him with this supposed pregnancy?" she laughed without humor. "I never told Garethiel about his son, why should that change with this one."

"Because he's not Garethiel," Devon retorted with a scowl. "Garethiel was a self-centered bastard. Ash is different."

Anniel felt a small rush of power bloom from Devon. Her commander looked momentarily distracted and then he cursed softly under his breath. "We have visitors."

He handed Angel the baby, "Keep him busy so he doesn't mess with the unborn infants anymore. Anniel, come with me."

Not waiting for an answer, he slipped his hand into hers and teleported them both down to the hangar.

The silence was deafening until she looked at Devon and asked, "Who is it?"

Seth, Remien, Zachariel, and even Ashriel appeared next to them.

Ashriel scowled until he saw Anniel and winced. "What's...?"

The sound of an incoming transport interrupted him, stirring the metallic scented air of the hangar. One of the transport chutes brightened with glowing blue light. A jet-black star cruiser floated out and descended a few yards from them.

Anniel saw when Ashriel stiffened. His upper lip beaded with sweat and his Adam's apple bobbed when he swallowed hard.

She watched him pull his shoulders back, tuck his wings rigidly to his back and approach the shiny expensive-looking star cruiser.

A ramp lowered from the black saucer, perched atop four delicate-looking metal legs.

If outrageous wealth had a scent, it would be exactly like the fragrance that wafted out of the expensive looking craft.

One white-winged Seraph descended first. He was wiry thin, which was not usual for a Seraphian male, and looked nervous. When his eyes alighted on Ashriel, they became frosty. He turned and motioned for someone else to come out.

Two more Seraphs exited the black saucer. The female was tall, slender, and delicate. Her hair was a cascade of gold falling between a pair of snowy white wings, the same color of her silver embroidered robe. She barely wore make-up, but it was expertly applied to look natural and demure. Her dark blue eyes bore angrily into Ashriel's. Next to her was a taller male Seraph. His hair was also blond, his eyes a cool green. Bulky shoulders filled an elaborately embroidered light blue robe that draped his long frame. His expression was cold and distant. They both approached Ashriel until they stood before him.

The female suddenly slapped Ashriel hard, once, cruelly. Anniel winced, resisting the urge to go to him. Devon and Zak put their hands on either of her arms as if sensing her compulsion.

The movement caught the woman's attention and she began to stalk toward Anniel.

Anniel bit back the urge to snarl and kept her features composed. Who the hell was this bitch?

The beautiful Seraph stopped before her, her eyes going over Anniel from head to foot with disdain. "Is this the whore that defiled my son?"

Anniel gasped, her face going first cold and then hot.

"Ah, mother, is that any way to greet your son's little...playmate?"

The nightmare could not have gotten any worse as Anniel gazed away from Ashriel's mother's hateful glare to the sight of Garethiel strutting down the ramp of the black star cruiser.

His white wings were spread behind his broad back proudly, and his golden hair fell over bulky shoulders to his waist. As always, he wore no shirt, and now sported an array of tattoos over his arms, chest, and abdomen. A cigarette hung from the corner of his lush mouth, its glowing tip releasing wisps of curling smoke. He looked every bit the gorgeous bad-boy angle that had broken Anniel's heart three hundred years ago.

He sauntered over with a conceited grin on his heartbreaking face. "Hey, babe. You're looking good after all these years." His dark blue eyes swept over her curves in frank appreciation.

She had to remember how to breathe. "Oh-god. Y-you're brothers?" Anniel stared from light to dark angel in horror.

Garethiel only grinned, before flicking his cigarette onto the pristine hangar floor. "Surprise, sexy," he growled and then reached for her, pursing his lips for a kiss.

An unholy snarl sounded behind Garethiel. Anniel watched as Ashriel became airborne, flying straight toward his brother with murder in his black eyes.



Dark Angel Ch. 03



Chapter 3: Gang's All Here

The call had come in the late afternoon, and I stood shivering on the small porch of the run-down little bungalow, even though the sun was still burning hotly. The Dark Angel opened the door, and, when I started for the stairs to the basement on my own, he grabbed me by the arm and pushed me toward the back of the house instead.

We entered what must have been his bedroom. The first thing I saw was the large wire dog's cage in the corner and a chill went down my spine. I wasn't fond of dogs and someone like the Dark Angel was sure to have a large, mean brute of one. Then I saw the bed. Just a double bed, but then I saw rising up from the sides, near the foot of the bed, what looked like two metal shepherd's hooks. I saw that cuffs on short chains were attached to the top of the hooks and that what looked like a wide band of black leather sling was also attached there and hung down between the hooks.

The Dark Angel wasted no time in getting into the session. He stripped me down and cuffed my hands to the tops of the hooks and made me kneel on the bed, pointed toward the headboard. My chest rested on and was supported by the band of leather. He quickly prepared my ass for his cock, came down onto the bed with his knees, and was soon buried deep inside me and driving my ass walls wild with that Prince Albert cock ring of his. This was what I liked. This was what I came here for—his luscious cock pumping me hard.

Shortly into the fuck, he came off the bed onto his feet and lifted my legs and swung them out, holding them to his hips. I was suspended in air now, my chest straining against the leather sling, and he was pumping my ass hard and deep, swinging me forward and pulling his cock back and then ramming me deep as he pulled my body back toward his.

I was sure he was going to finish me like this; I wanted him to finish me like this, but he suddenly stopped fucking me. I could tell he was close to blowing, but he stopped. He uncuffed me and told me I'd better go take a piss, that maybe it would be a while before I'd be able to do that again. With a great sense of foreboding, I went into the small bathroom off of the bedroom and did my best to evacuate myself.

When I returned, I saw that he was sitting on the end of the bed an had the ball stretcher he had used on me in the last session down in his basement in one hand and the case containing the set of sounding wands in the other. I moaned as soon as I saw them and involuntarily turned toward the bedroom door, wanting to escape. But I knew there was no escape from him.

"Come here," he commanded.

I hesitated.

"I said come here, now," he repeated in a low growl.

I slowly walked over to him and he pulled me to him, spun me around, and sat me in his lap. I cried out in pain, as he forced my ass down hard on his engorged cock. I was once more skewered to his lap. I involuntarily lurched as he got the ball stretcher snapped between the root of my cock and the pulled-tight balls again. This time he cuffed my wrists, my arms spread out wide, on the hook apparatuses at either side. After he'd bounced me up and down on his cock for a few minutes and punished my ass walls with his ringed cock, he spread his legs wide and then lifted my legs out even wider on top of them and told me to lay back into his chest. When I was a little slow in doing that, he reached down with one hand and squeezed my balls and pinched my nipples with the other hand and told me he was going to continue doing so until I settled down. I fought through the pain and settled as well as I could under the circumstance.

I whimpered as I heard the sounding wand case being unzipped. Out came a wand a size larger than he had last used on me. I lay as still as I could as it slowly entered my piss slit and worked its way deep down my urethra. When it was in a good eight inches, the Dark Angel slowly rotated it about and moved it back and forth, nudging my piss canal to widen. He was humming again now, in his own zone of pleasure. He held the rod there deep inside me for a minute or more and then he turned his face down to me and, as I knew he expected, I met his mouth in a kiss. He was slowly pulling the wand out as he kissed me deeply, possessing my mouth, not permitting me to cry out.

He pulled his mouth away from me and selected the next thicker sounding wand.

"Auggh! Ahhhh," I did cry out now as this one traveled through my piss canal. The wands seemed impossibly thick now. He was humming loudly. I was afraid I was beginning to hyperventilate and was panting with shallow breaths, trying to hold my pelvis perfectly still.

I wanted to pass out and think I almost did as the fourth wand entered me. I was just collapsed against the Dark Angel's chest now, fully spent, every nerve of my body tuned to that thick, thick rod teasing my piss canal to spread wide as it invade deep inside me. I felt I as close to coming, but I was too weak to do anything about it.

And then the Dark Angel was pulling the wand out. And he must have felt me close to orgasm, as was he. When the tip of the wand exited, he squeezed my balls and I and he ejaculated at the same time, me in a profusion of cream just flowing out of my beleaguered piss slit and he deep inside my ass.

I thought the ordeal was over then. He was passionately kissing me, and I thought he had had enough. When he disengaged, I just lay my head back on his shoulder and stared at the ceiling, wondering what came next—fearing what may come next.

I felt cold steel at my piss slit again, and I jerked my head down in surprise. I was just in time to see the full length of the four-inch swordlike metal rod as the Dark Angel pushed it into the widened piss slit all the way to the hilt. There was a metal ring attached to the hilt by a short chain, and he proceeded to force the head of my cock through this and push it to the rim, where the head met the shaft.

"This is a penis plug," the Dark Angel explained. "You will wear this until I take it out of you. And I wouldn't even think of trying to piss with it in; you would not like the result."

I knew better than to ask him why he was doing this to me. I knew it was all about dominating me—the most intimate form of domination—and me accepting that without question. The longer I took to surrender to him fully to his satisfaction, the more of this I would have to endure.

"And these are weights," he went on to say, showing me tiny black cylinders. "These are going on the ball stretcher to ensure your balls distend nicely."

After attaching these to the stretcher and listening to me moan for a minute at being stretched like this, he told me to kneel down on the floor and grab my ankles with my hands. When I had done so, he cuffed the wrist and ankle together on either side and frog marched me over to the cage. I was whimpering again as he put me in the cage, hunched over on my haunches. I now knew what kind of dog he had; it was me.

He left me there for I don't know how long, as the shadows lengthened and the light in the room dimmed.

At length I heard voices in the front of the house—men's voices—and an increasing number of them. The Dark Angel was having a party.

After a while, he came back into the room, beer in hand, still naked and his cock at full attention, and released me from the cage, the cuffs, the penis plug, the ball stretcher. He told me I could—and should—take a leak in the bathroom, which I sorely needed to do and that I should take a quick shower as well. I was all cramped up and could hardly stand, but I shuffled straight for the bathroom and for relief.

When I emerged from the bathroom, the party had been moved to the bedroom. Seven hulking biker types in addition to the Dark Angel, were spread out around the room, waiting for me to appear. They all were naked. And they were all muscle men, except that a few had a bit of a beer belly. They whistled and gave cat calls when they saw me, all apparently half drunk, and I was passed around the men for the next three hours.

They all fucked me at least once, and some of them more than once. All of them were rough with me, but some were rougher than others. The Dark Angel just stood back and let me be banged time and time again. Some attached me to the hook apparatus and fucked me either from the rear or missionary style with my legs opened wide and cuffed to the stakes. Once in the latter case, I also had a guy sitting on my chest and feeding his cock into my mouth. A black dude wanted to wrestle, and, at first, wrestled me to a 69 position and then, when I had sucked him big on the Dark Angel's command, wrestled me to where he was covering my backclose and pistoning his heavy dick down into me. Another guy had the nifty idea of stuffing me back in the cage and fucking me through the wire sides. He had a thin cock that just managed that.

Although the Dark Angel himself had started barebacking me two sessions previously, he apparently had insisted that all his guests had to wear condoms, which they did, and then just rolled them off and threw them on the floor when they were done. One smart aleck took it upon himself to ring out the count as each one hit the floor. I stopped listening to the count and gave up hope after the eighth one myself.

All the time the Dark Angel was standing nearby, watching me closely, and I fully understood this was some sort of testing of my surrender to him. So, I endured it, and just let them manhandle and manipulate me like I was a rag doll, a docile rag doll with a well-fucked hole.

The apparent height of the evening for these dudes was when one produced the latest toy he had found. It looked like just a few interlaced small plastic tubes with a long plastic strip to me. But then, as a burly guy got behind me on the bed and got me in a full Nelson while my legs were cuffed up and out wide to the metal crooks, I realized it wasn't just a simple little collection of plastic tubes. At the base was a ring, similar in size—and function, I was soon to find out—to the base of the penis plug I had been forced to wear. He took my penis in his hand and pushed the head through the ring until it fit tightly at the rim of the head. There was an attachment in this that came over the glans and pushed down into the now-enlarged piss slit. I could see that this had an electrode on it, and for the first time, I began to squirm and raise objections—all of which the men in attendance thoroughly enjoyed.

There was another, bigger ring at the other end of the plastic line attached to this devise, and now the dude, who had the biggest and thickest cock of all of the Dark Angel's guests and who hadn't fucked me up to this point, brought his cock close to mine and pushed his cock through the ring. There now was little give, about nine inches, perhaps, in the line attaching his cock to mine.

I soon learned what this toy would do, as with the guy behind me still hold my arms and torso captive and all of the other guests huddled around and licking their chops, my assaulter rolled on a condom and then fed that big cock into me and began to stroke me. When his cock bottomed out in my asshole, the line pulled tight and set off the electrode in my piss slit, so that with each deep ramming, a small electric shock buzzed through my penis.

Not only was the hulking biker big and thick, he also was an endurance fucker, and I had almost passed out from the rhythmic electrical shocking before he had shot his load inside me.

When they at lest had done with me and tromped out of the bedroom in search of more beer, I lay totally exhausted and spread-eagled on the bed. I was shivering and trembling and probably would have been sobbing if I had had the energy to do so.

But the Dark Angel was still there. He came down on the bed and replaced the penis plug and then pulled me to the floor and hog-tie cuffed me again and dragged me back to the cage through a pile of used condoms.

When the Dark Angel returned to the bedroom hours later, after his last guest had departed, there was no energy left in me at all—indeed, I had been just a quaking blob huddled in a wire cage for some time.

He let me out of the cage and removed all of the cuffs and the penis plug from me and let me use the bathroom, and then, when I returned, he hooked my legs back up to the apparatus and fucked me to his release. All the time he was humming.

He turned tender then, my having, I would guess, passed his domination test. We showered together, me being so weak that he had to hold me up and run the washcloth over me. And then he took me to the other bedroom, one not littered with the evidence of my ravishment, and took me into his bed, hugging me tight to him and quickly going to sleep.

I, however, didn't sleep for hours, regardless of how exhausted I was. For the longest time, I lay there with a phrase going over and over in my mind, a phrase that I couldn't even begin to understand: When he calls, I will come. 



Dark Angel Ch. 03



"Don't touch her," he practically screamed, enraged, as he settled down between his brother and the woman he loved. Anniel's hands came up against his spread wings when he stepped back into her, clasping her hip to keep her behind him and out from Garethiel's sight.

After having callously deflowered her and then walking out as if she meant nothing, the thought of Garethiel putting his filthy hands on her again made Ashriel want to tear him limb from limb. He shook with barely contained violence.

His brother stared at him, eyes and mouth gaping. There was nothing but silence for the longest time, only Ashriel's ragged breathing from all the furious adrenaline coursing through his veins.

Garethiel slowly put his hands up with a sardonic grin.

"Easy there, little brother. I just wanted to say hi."

Anniel's fingers whispered over his feathers, as if admiring them, which caused him to close his eyes with a shiver at the intense pleasure it gave him. He felt her flinch when he moaned softly, and then step away from him.

He spun back to hold onto to her, but she'd teleported into Devon's arms. The sight of her wrapping her arms around him, burying her face against his chest as he held her tight in return, kissing her face, sent a jolt of jealous fury through Ashriel.

Forgetting the presence of all in the hangar, he took a step toward them, his teeth and fists clenched. How he wanted to kill Devon—more so now that he held Anniel.

Devon's luminescent eyes snapped back up to him. Even as Ashriel stared, black veins appeared at the demon's temples and a chill breeze blew from nowhere. Both his dragons began to snarl, and the weretigri hissed as they drew closer to their commander. None of that would have fazed Ashriel in the least. What had him backing up was the sight of Anniel's eyes changing into luminous wolf eyes and her teeth becoming elongated. She bared these at him, an animalistic growl coming from deep in her throat.

Ashriel could not have been hurt more if she'd run him through the heart with a flaming lance. Her reaction to him made him stagger back two more steps. Vaguely, he heard his brother snicker and make some derisive comment under his breath.

"I think I've seen enough," his mother snapped. She turned without another word and headed back to the star cruiser. His father gave him one last hateful glare and followed in his mother's wake.

Ashriel felt his chest tightening. This was his family.

Garethiel sauntered up next to him. Ashriel scowled into his face.

"Look, past squabbles aside, you're still my twin brother. You don't belong here with these..." he gave the Alpha Angels a condescending snort, "people. I've got a little place set up on Rhydiam Nine. You're more than welcome to stay there. I'll leave you my old Silver Comet."

Garethiel turned and pointed a silver pen-like object toward the star cruiser. Another hatch located on the lower part of the transport opened. A chrome plated transport pod floated out and settled itself on the hangar floor.

He turned back with a lopsided grin to Ashriel. "I was getting rid of it anyway. Got myself a new transport. A Supra Nova."

He tossed Ashriel the little silver rod and then walked away. "See-ya 'round, baby brother."

Ashriel gritted his teeth in annoyance. He'd been born ten minutes after Garethiel, and the asshole never let him forget it.

The ramps closed the minute Garethiel disappeared inside the star cruiser. The thin metallic legs retracted and the transport drifted back out the exit chute.

Ashriel remained staring at the chute long after it stopped glowing, holding the obvious key to the Silver Comet his brother left him. His eyes drifted back to the shiny transport pod. He wasn't sure exactly where Alpha 7 was at the moment, but getting to Rhydiam Nine shouldn't be difficult. Silver Comets had guidance systems. He could leave right now. He had no credits, but he could look for honest work. He could fight. Perhaps someone might want to hire him as a guard.

He'd have to say goodbye to Anniel.

His chest tightened.

With a hard swallow he turned, knowing that at the moment she probably hated him more than Garethiel.

Only Devon, Remien, Zachariel, and Sethaliel stood behind him. She'd gone. He wouldn't even have the privilege to have a few last words with her.

"Don't go," Devon said in a soft voice. "Please."

Ashriel just stared at him. He considered Devon something evil that needed to be destroyed, and here he stood, almost begging him not to leave. It was confusing. Ashriel had to close his eyes and shake his head to get his thoughts back in order. He needed to find out the cause to the war three hundred years ago, and hunt down the right portal into the realm of darkness to slay the dark prince, Lucien.

"You just can't walk out on Annie, man," Remien spat.

Ashriel glared at him. It was all his fault. If Ashriel had decided on his own to become fallen, he would have gone the honorable route. He would have chosen to renounce his rank. He would have had to assume a hundred siglon task and then...

Would Anniel have awaited him for one hundred siglons?

She hated him now, knew he was Garethiel's twin. Garethiel, who'd seduced her with pretty words and his pretty face and beautiful stark white wings and blond hair. After fucking her for a few weeks, when it was time for the Seraphian Master Guardians to leave, his coward of a brother was one of the first to transfer his services to another world without telling her anything. When Ashriel confronted him about this, his brother had only shrugged his shoulders carelessly saying it was better that way. He couldn't stand clinging females and their tears.

"And now you're doing the same thing."

Ashriel's anger bristled. "Stay the fuck out of my head, Devon of Angelos."

Seth snorted with a scowl. "You're broadcasting. Pull your emotions into yourself and we won't hear it."

Ashriel turned and strode with determination toward the Silver Comet. The side door opened and he slid in. Just before closing it, he took a deep breath and looked back up at the Alpha Angels. "Thank you for bringing me here and caring for me in my time of need. When I acquire employment I'll send whatever amount of credits you need to cover any expenditure you may have incurred..."

"We don't want your money," Devon said in irritation.

Ashriel nodded. He had a feeling they would refuse his paying them. "Then I am in debt to you. If I can ever assist you in any task—as long as it's for an honorable cause—"

"We get it, Ash," Zachariel interrupted with a frown.

Ashriel nodded, his eyes going over reach of them.

The lighting made Seth's white-blond hair almost glow as well as his pale blue eyes. Devon watched Ashriel, his electric blue eyes bright in his perfect face framed by a fall of jet hair. Next to him, Remien sulked, his blood-red hair falling in soft wisps over his face and the rest pouring over his shoulders. Zachariel folded his arms over his wide chest. His expression was hard, disapproving, stern. It made Ashriel feel like a worse bastard than Garethiel.

Was he running away from Anniel like a coward? "She hates me," he whispered to himself.

"She's just hurt, Ash," Devon said softly. "Just stay. Work things out."

Ashriel looked back up at him. "Why do you want me for her? Did you all conspire to my falling? Did you think taking me out would deter me from my mission to destroying all that is evil? To turn to the dark side?"

"We aren't evil." Zachariel scowled. "Where do you get off continuously accusing us of being evil?"

Devon put his hand on the golden weredragon's arm in a soothing gesture.

"I need to keep an open mind. I refuse to take sides until I have all the facts straight," Ashriel stated coldly.

Devon nodded. "You do that, Ash. We'll be here if you ever need a home and a family."

Ashriel winced, his mouth opening. What could he say to that? Clamping his lips shut, he nodded and closed the door to the Silver Comet. It could be a trick. Ashriel needed to remember that. If he ever found out they'd used Anniel to tempt him away from the light he'd come back and slay them all, even if she hated him even more for the rest of her existence. They had her fooled with their insincere affection, but they weren't going to fool him.

He inserted the silver key into the ignition.

Nothing happened.

Ashriel frowned, ejected the key, and re-inserted it.

Nothing.

Maybe it was voice controlled. What was he supposed to say if it was?

"On," he commanded.

The transport control panel remained unlit. With a terse curse, he opened the door again. The alpha Angels had come closer.

"Transport trouble?" Zak asked trying to keep a straight face.

Remien's hands caressed the Silver Comet's nose. "Pop the hood, Ash. I'll take a look-see."

Ashriel hesitated, wary of letting the red-haired weredragon fiddle with the transport's mechanisms.

Seth rolled his eyes and snapped his fingers. The Silver Comet's front slid open revealing an intricate array of metal parts and multi-colored cables and wires.

"Wow, this shit is old," Remien scoffed whipping his shirt off. He immediately stuck his head into the transport's front compartment and began fingering the dizzying amount of cables and wires.

Ashriel looked over the gleaming Silver comet. It didn't look old, but then he knew very little about transports, except that this was an expensive brand.

To Ashriel's dismay, Remien began pulling out various wires and tossing them out onto the hangar floor. Zak frowned and poked his head into the transport also. "Need help, Red?"

"Yeah, man. This shit is a death trap." He suddenly straightened, regarding Ashriel with a grimace. "Sheesh, he must really hate you."

Ashriel opened his mouth, but was at a loss as to what to say. Garethiel did hate him. Always had. He'd had his parents to himself after Ashriel was removed from their home, and resented the fuss made over his dark brother whenever he was allowed to visit.

Remien went back to poking around inside the Silver Comet.

Devon came up to Ashriel. "Rem and Zak are really good at repairing things. Don't worry. In the meanwhile, you haven't broken fast with us."

"Food? Did somebody mention food?" Remien blurted standing back up. "I need to eat. I gotta feed Rowie in a few hours."

With that, he disappeared from sight. Ashriel gasped in alarm. What about his transport?

Zak straightened also with a frown. "That idiot's not leaving all the work to me. I'll be back when he's done stuffing his face."

Zak disappeared too.

He stared dumbfound at Devon and Seth. "I need to leave," Ashriel snarled at last.

"Uh...I think I hear Angel calling me." With that, Devon vanished also.

Ashriel glared at the weretigri.

Seth scowled back at him, crossing his arms over his chest. "Don't look at me, reaper. I know shit about repairing Silver Comets."

*** 

Anniel jumped when a pair of tattooed arms circled her waist from behind. Heat engulfed her as Remien hugged her against himself and buried his nose in her neck, his unique scent of cinnamon and spice filling her nostrils.

"I've got to feed Row in a few. You know how she loves your food. I know you're still mad at me, but would you mind making us that great vegetable stew you make? You know, the one with the Vildminorian tomatoes."

Anniel remained ramrod stiff, unyielding. Mad? She was furious with Remien Fyre.

"It's for Row, Annie. Whatever I eat flavors my blood—"

"Alright," she snapped. She wasn't going to punish Rowie, who she loved like a sister, because her mate was a meddlesome idiot.

Remien shivered and suddenly teleported before her. To Anniel's shock, he fell to his knees and gripped her shirt with two hands. "Please, Anniel. Forgive me already. I'm sorry. I can't stand your silent treatment anymore. It's killing me. Have pity."

She stood there, her mouth gaping as he wrapped his arms tight around her, burying his face against her stomach. Remi held her tight and she feared he'd never let her go if she didn't tell him the words he longed to hear.

Her fingers sank into his mop of hair, the thick strands inhumanly soft and luxurious. How could she stay mad at him? Yes, he was a brat, but he was so sweet. Besides, they had to live in the same space station. Giving him the silent treatment and watching the hurt in his eyes every time she snubbed him was beginning to make her chest ache.

"It's okay, baby," she whispered. "I'll forgive you."

He suddenly towered over her, crushing her to him as his mouth took hers. It must've been from the emotion or relief, but Remi kissed her in a way he never had before.

His tongue stroked every corner inside her mouth, the silver stud on his tongue clicking against her teeth sporadically, before he obviously realized what he was doing. He startled and pulled back with a sheepish grin. "Sorry. Ash's feelings are all mixed up with mine."

Ashriel. A mixture of anger, hurt, and desolation filled her. "I hope he's gone," she snapped pushing out of Remi's hold.

"He really doesn't want to go. He just doesn't trust us."

Anniel winced, but Remi gripped her again, pulling her up against him. "Us, not you. You he has on a pedestal."

"Well, that's just too bad. I feel nothing for him. Either of them."

Remi's eyes narrowed and she felt her face heat. She was lying and they both knew it.

"So how about that stew," Remien grinned instead of pointing out her huge fib. "You know what it's been ages I haven't had either? Your chocolate and mint chip cookies."

*** 

Ashriel walked toward the enviro level entrance. The others were most likely breaking their fast. He didn't want to eat yet. God only knew what he'd been fed all the time he was unconscious. He needed to re-purify his body. A few days of fasting would accomplish that. He also needed to exercise. Working up a healthy sweat also went a long way to expelling toxins.

The doors to the enviro level were inconspicuous. They were at the end of a well-lit corridor. The two silver doors gleamed, the seam between them barely noticeable.

Ashriel approached and stopped looking up at the height. The enviro level had been added to Alpha 7 by a giant race of Master Guardians before the Seraphs had taken over.

"Open," Ashriel said.

The silver doors opened with a soft hiss. The paradise beyond never failed to take his breath away. The enviro level had fauna from all around the galaxy stretching out ten miles wide and five high. It was like being on the surface of a planet. The sky was a holographic projection simulating Earth's sky, but virtually any world's sky could be reproduced.

He stepped into the enviro level and looked around. Most of the foliage was varying shades of green, but there were just as many splashes of bright colored plants and flowers spread around. Farther ahead, he made out the glittering surface of a lake.

For some reason, he felt it sacrilegious to use his boots on the grass. He leaned against the wall beside the double doors and pulled his boots off. Ashriel stared at the beauty all around him and a sense of freedom he'd never felt before assailed him. With trembling fingers, he unfastened his belt and pants and shed these too.

He stood at the entrance to the enviro level as naked as the day he'd been born. As his head tipped back to look at the incredible blue sky, he opened his wings. The unfamiliar feel of his hair brushing his ass made him shudder, and then he was airborne.

It was so realistic. He soared up toward the holographic sun and he actually felt the blistering heat of the star on his wings and skin. It blinded him so he diverted his flight pattern and let himself fall into a spiraling plunge toward the blue lake below. Just as he reached about a foot above the water's surface, he pulled up and skimmed the surface. He stared in wonder at his reflection. He was smiling. He laughed then, feeling joy in being able to fly to his heart's content.

Dipping his hands briefly into the cool water, he ascended again toward the heavens. Ashriel began to circle the entire enviro level. There were hills and mountains. He saw various streams and rivers flowing into the lake and even spotted a waterfall with a cove surrounded by the most beautiful fauna he'd ever seen.

Unable to resist, He landed in the cove. The cliff face was almost vertical and had plenty of grips for climbing. There were a few large boulders scattered around. Perhaps if he devised a harness with a few belts, he could strap one to his back and climb the cliff face. That would be a good exercise, similar to what he did back on Seraphia.

Thinking of Seraphia made him pause and look around. He would never see his planet again...ever. The joy he felt dissipated like smoke on a windy day.

The memory of the faces of Seraphia's citizens came back to haunt him. People sobbed, others looked angry. His arms had been stretched out to a pair of columns and the tips of his wings bound to two columns farther out. Four reapers stood before him and the high priests and priestesses stood to either side. He kept hearing Amaranth's sobs over everything else.

One of the reapers approached him.

Kasdael looked at him sullenly. "I'm sorry, Ashriel. They threw a fucking lottery between all of us. I don't agree with this. I don't want—"

"Kasdael," Reushuel snarled at the young reaper.

"I don't want to do this, but they threatened to deplume me as well for treason."

The high priest began stomping over to them.

"Obey, Kasdael. You are a good reaper. Do not curse yourself for me."

The young, dark-haired reaper nodded and moved away before Reushuel got to them. The high priest turned away after giving Ashriel a hateful glare.

Ashriel bowed his head, filled with shame. How many times had he looked with the same disgust at other fallen reapers? Now it was his turn to bear the humiliation.

The sight of Natanael standing before him startled him out of his reverie. Natanael had gotten drunk with two off worlders. They'd taken him to their hotel and the reaper had returned to Angeloria the next morning with his aura streaked and dirty. Now, Natanael had so many colors streaking his aura, it looked like a kaleidoscope.

Natanael sat gingerly on a rock a few feet from Ashriel, absently dipping his bare foot into the pool of water below the waterfall.

"You're lucky, you know," he began. "The rest of us had to fend for ourselves when we were kicked off planet."

"I'm sorry, Natanael. I had no idea what this was like."

"What happened to me wasn't my fault. I was pretty much raped. And then the people I thought would protect me tortured and threw me out of my home. My mom was old when she had me. I don't know if she's even alive at this point. Seeing me deplumed probably killed her," he finished in a soft voice, his look faraway.

Ashriel knew for a fact that Natanael's mother had indeed died a few weeks after his depluming. He'd made sure she had a proper cremation ceremony.

"I...I took care of everything, Natanael."

The reaper's head snapped up to look at Ashriel. His eyes filled with tears. "When?"

"Not long after...what happened. I had the priestesses buy her a lovely gown and we all stood by her side as she was consumed. I personally took her ashes and set them free over Mount Chielos."

Natanael stood and rushed into Ashriel's embrace. His flesh pressed against Ashriel's, but since he was sobbing it didn't make Ashriel feel uncomfortable. Ashriel held him, caressed his trembling wings and just let him cry.

"Thank you. I don't know how I can ever repay your benevolence."

Ashriel shook his head and then leaned his cheek on Natanael's bright red head. "You have no need of such a thing. She was a good woman and didn't deserve anything less."




Dark Angel Ch. 03



Natanael began kissing his neck, shocking Ashriel.

"I'm yours. Take me anyway you want, Ash. I don't have any credits, but I can at least repay you with my body. I'll be your whore for as long as you like...forever even. What you did for my sweet mother—"

Ashriel pulled him away, horrified, but held onto his arms, afraid the reaper would fall to his knees and try to suck him off. "Natanael, no. I don't want you to repay me."

He pouted, wiping his tears from his cheeks in confusion. "Well, that's a first."

Ashriel frowned. "What is?"

Natanael's eyes filled with sadness as he looked down into the water at his reflection. "Am I losing it? God—I never thought about that. I guess I'd better start socking away for when I'm too old to fuck."

Ashriel shook him. " Don't be silly. You're only a little over three hundred siglons. Being a male whore is not what you were meant to be, Natanael. Why can't any of you get a decent job?"

Natanael stared at him. "But, Ash...we're not allowed. The LOS has prohibited any of us from working in anything other than the pleasure field. They say we're too dangerous."

Ashriel's jaw dropped. "W-what?" He immediately felt incensed. "That's preposterous. It's mad," he raged.

Natanael shrugged. "It's the law. If you break it...well, life is hard enough for us without having a fucking bounty on our heads."

Ashriel released him and turned, raking a hand through his hair. His dreams of being able to survive doing honest work vanished. He'd never lower himself to being a whore. He'd rather die. Ashriel fell to his knees in a stupor.

Natanael knelt beside him, his fingers stroking Ashriel's long hair. "You don't have to worry about anything, Ash. This is our home now. Devon's going to take care of us."

"It's a trap," Ashriel hissed in alarm. "He used me to lure the rest of you here. Don't you see he wants to create an army of reapers to...to..."

Natanael shook his head. "To what, Ash? Set Lucifer free? Destroy the universe?"

"You don't understand. Devon's essence is that of a divine angel. I'm sure that his son is also. They want to go back to heaven but are trapped here. The only way they can traverse back into the divine realm is to destroy this one. Our universe is blocking the entrance to heaven. It's the only barrier between the realm of darkness and the realm of divine light."

Natanael stood. "Ashriel, get a grip. If Devon wanted to destroy this entire universe, he probably could just thinking about it. He doesn't need us."

Ashriel covered his face with his hands, not knowing what to think anymore.

He felt when Natanael knelt by his side again and put his hand on his shoulder.

"Are you sure you don't want to fuck me?"

Ashriel glared at him and Natanael withdrew his hand as if burned. "Just making sure. Don't beat on me." He scratched the back of his neck absently. "Anniel is making us breakfast. Why don't you pop in? She makes some mean waffles and sausages."

Ashriel looked away. The mere mention of Anniel set his heart to pounding against his ribs and heat shooting into his cheeks. "I want to fast."

"What the hell for?"

Ashriel glared at the reaper. "I want to re-purify my body."

Natanael threw his head back and laughed throatily. "Dude, all the fasting in the universe won't make you a virgin again."

"That's not what I meant, imbecile," Ashriel snapped.

"Look, the girl can cook like a dream. Don't pass up this opportunity because most times she's locked in her quarters for days and Devon won't let us disturb her. If you ask me, some idiot broke her heart. Damn shame too because she's just too hot."

Ashriel shot to his feet, going nose to nose with Natanael. "Stay the hell away from her."

Natanael stared wide-eyed at him. "So it's true. She's the one who caused you to fall. Not bad Ash. Not bad. I'd gladly submit to being re-deplumed for a chance—"

Ashriel grabbed him by the crest of his outrageous Mohawk. "I suggest you stop your foolish ramblings if you'd like to keep your teeth and manhood."

Natanael cupped his cock as if trying to hide it, mouth and eyes gaping. "Man, you've got it bad for her. You poor bastard."

Ashriel released his hair abruptly. "Leave me alone."

Natanael raised his hands. "Fine. I'm outta here before the others scarf up all the good food."

With that he disappeared, making Ashriel frown. They were already using teleportation to move around the space station instead of walking. Ashriel shook his head in disapproval. They'd all become fat and lazy using telekinesis for everything. Maybe that was Devon's plan. To turn them into fat lazy pets incapable of lifting a sword to protect the galaxy.

*** 

Anniel felt their eyes boring into her from behind. Every time she looked over her shoulder there were more. The reapers sat at the closest table watching her whip another bowl of batter for waffles. Remien manned the waffle grill and Zak kept an eye on the sausages.

"Red, are you ready?" she called out.

"One sec." He opened the waffle iron and waved his hands. The perfectly golden waffles floated out onto plates leaving the griddle ready for the next batch.

Anniel poured the mixture onto the waffle iron and Remien closed it with a flourish.

Natanael appeared and grabbed a plate of waffles after Zak slid a couple of sausages next to them.

"Hey, no fair," Abdiel protested. "You just got here. We've been waiting."

"Seniority," Natanael murmured around a mouthful of waffles and sausage.

The other reapers frowned.

"Now-now, Kiddies. No fighting. There's plenty more to go around," Zak drawled with a grin.

"Hey, where's your girlfriend?" Abdiel piped.

"Asleep," Zak answered. "She's had a difficult morning." He frowned and turned to Anniel. "I'm really thinking of leaving for Arboria for a spell. At least until she gives birth. Jaz is really doing a number on her."

Anniel sighed, feeling pity for the poor girl. It was her first pregnancy and she had three little dragonesses in her belly. She was bigger than Rowie who was more advanced in months than her.

"When is Alluna due now?"

Zak sighed. "According to Quinn, any day...just like Rowie. Rem said that a gestation period for any dragon breed is supposed to be two years, and although I must confess that I'm relieved she doesn't have to carry that long, She's expanded to thrice her size in less than five months. Poor baby's skin is stretched so tight, Rem keeps on having to repair painful tears. I don't want her to suffer anymore and Dev won't let me take Jaz over my knee."

Anniel gasped. "Zak, he's just a baby."

Zak hung his head, placing his hands on his hips with a frustrated sigh. "I-know-I-know. But the brat's gonna owe me when he gets bigger."

Anniel gave him a chastising look.

The doors to the dining hall opened, making everyone look. Ashriel walked in, his cheeks pink and scowl firmly in place.

Anniel's heart slammed into her throat and she turned, busying herself with whisking the mixture for the waffles again. Remi gave her a questioning look, but she ignored him.

"Hey, Ash, You're just in time for the best breakfast you're ever going to taste," one of the reapers called out.

"You're going to have to wait your turn though," Abdiel muttered. "Fuck seniority."

Anniel turned to see Natanael lifting a middle finger to the other reapers with a satisfied grin on his stuffed face.

"No thank you," Ashriel said walking over to the food replicator. He studied it a moment and began typing on the screen.

Anniel's curiosity was piqued. What was he ordering for himself?

"Hey, Annie," Remi began with a snicker, "I think you've beaten that batter to death. I'm ready for the next batch, baby."

Ashriel glanced at her and she fumbled with the bowl.

"Here, sweetness. Let me help you," Remien said taking the bowl from her shaking hands. He brushed a kiss to her cheek and turned to the griddle.

Anniel shot a glance back at Ashriel and caught his scowl before he turned away abruptly. Every feather on his beautiful black wings was raised in agitation.

The food replicator dinged and Ashriel opened the glass door.

Sitting atop a simple white porcelain dish sat a cube of something brown. It almost looked translucent, but not quite.

Anniel frowned when some of the reapers held their noses and made gagging sounds.

"Seriously, Ash?" Natanael scoffed. "You're going to continue to eat that...crap?"

"Prinut is good for the body," Ashriel replied walking to another table next to theirs.

"Yeah and it tastes like shit," Abdiel snorted as the others laughed along.

"Oh, stop picking on him or I won't make anymore waffles," Anniel scolded.

Six pairs of grey eyes widened.

"We'll be good, Anniel. We promise," A golden haired reaper called Ruebel blurted.

Ashriel set to cutting his square of...Prinut?

He cut smaller cubes and then proceeded to poke each one with a fork and place it in his mouth. He chewed stoically, no expression on his face.

Anniel watched the other reapers stuff their faces with her waffles and sausages.

She suddenly felt very sad for Ashriel. He held on so tightly to his beliefs. It made what had happened between them feel all the more tragic.

She walked over to him with a friendly smile. He stiffened and looked up at her with wide eyes.

"Hey, can I have a taste of that?"

He opened his mouth and seemed to have the need to inhale sharply before he could speak. Did she really affect him so much?

"Of course," he answered, almost a whisper as he poked another piece and offered it to her lips.

Anniel took the offered food between her teeth and bit down. It was like chewing on Styrofoam, but it tasted...like shit, just as Abdiel had said. She couldn't swallow it, instead felt her bile rising.

Running over to the sink adjacent to the counter where Remi and Zak were still working, she spat out the horrid tasting substance. Behind her, the reapers snickered.

"God—Ashriel. How can you consume that?" she panted.

"It is all I was ever fed since I was two sun orbits," he replied in a small voice.

Anniel turned to him again after rinsing her mouth out.

His blazing grey eyes rose to hers. "It has all the nutrients the body needs and can be prepared in different consistencies."

Anniel bit her lip. "Sweetie, that's all good, but aside from nutrition, one should enjoy what's eaten too."

"Pleasure weakens the spirit," he whispered not looking at her anymore.

"This is where I leave," Natanael huffed grabbing another plate of food and disappearing.

The other reapers began to stand also. In a matter of seconds, they all vanished.

Remien snorted, "Well, next time we want to get rid of them all we gotta do is start preaching virtues." He winked at Ashriel. "Way to go, man. And not that any talk of virtues is enough to spook me away, but I've got a pregnant female waiting to open a vein in my neck to feed our little blood dragons. See ya later."

He was gone in a flash of red-gold fire.

Zak grabbed a platter full of sausages after flicking off the heat under the grill. "Can't let these go to waste. See you two lovebirds later."

He was also gone in a puff of golden light. Anniel scowled where he had been standing. Why did he have to go and mention lovebirds? It made the vibes between her and Ashriel grow more tense.

Anniel walked over to the reaper and sat down next to him. "Ash, sweetie, there's more to life than just imposing strict rules on yourself."

"Without rules there is chaos."

Anniel blinked at him. "Rules were made to keep in line those with darker souls. There is nothing wrong with enjoying pleasure as long as you're not hurting yourself or anyone else. Enjoying a meal just for its exquisite taste is not a sin."

"It's called gluttony," Ashriel answered.

Anniel frowned. "Only if you over indulge, which is harmful. That is the sin."

Ashriel just stared at her.

She bit her lip and pulled a plate of her waffles and sausages over. "Would it be so terrible if you tasted these? I made them from whole grains and the sausages are vegetable based. My own recipe."

Ashriel looked down at the plate and then back into her eyes. He nodded once.

She smiled and cut him a piece of waffle. Placing her hand under the forkful so that the syrup didn't fall on his magnificent chest, she offered the bite to his lips.

Anniel watched mesmerized as his white teeth closed around her offering. There was something so intimate about feeding a man. It made her shiver. Made her want to kiss the drop of syrup that lingered on his lush lower lip.

Ashriel closed his eyes and chewed slowly. Anniel could not resist. Her mouth watered when he swallowed, watching the lump at his throat bob. Before she could stop herself, she crawled onto his lap. Ashriel's eyes snapped open and stared at her in surprise.

Anniel looked down at his chest. He was so strong, so buff. She used the tip of her finger to tease one bronzed nipple. He jerked and bit his lip, gripping the edge of his plastiform chair until his knuckles turned white.

Anniel let her hungry hands skim up his silky flesh until she reached his shoulders. Leaning into him, she took his mouth. He tasted like maple syrup. Between her legs, she felt the hard evidence of his escalating arousal. She wanted him also. Now.

Her hands sank into his luxurious hair. She hoped he didn't cut it. He looked totally hot with it long like it was now.

Anniel rubbed against him, provoking a low moan in the back of his throat. He began to rock against her also.

"I thought you hated me," he panted when she licked and nipped down his throat.

The reminder of Garethiel made her pause. It wasn't Ashriel's fault he was related to that loser, but it made her think that maybe she needed to go a little slower here.

She caressed his face with a smile. "I don't like feeling hate toward anyone."

Ashriel looked at her warily. "Not even Garethiel?"

Anniel shook her head. "Hate is a terrible emotion. It darkens your spirit, makes you sick and sad. No one should hate. What I had with...him just wasn't meant to be. I'm over it now."

Ashriel stared at her in wonder. He traced a soft line down her cheek to her lips. "You're so incredible. Do you know that?"

Anniel felt her face heat up at the compliment.

"Any man would be lucky to have you. Garethiel is a fool."

Anniel looked away. "I don't really want to talk about him though."

Ashriel shook his head. "Of course not."

He turned her face back to him with the tips of his fingers and leaned into her.

With his hand cupping the back of her head, there was no escape, not that she wanted any.

He kissed her softly.

"I can barely remember...what happened that night," he whispered against her lips. "Just pain, clawing lust, and mind-blowing pleasure."

"Pain?"

Ashriel nodded. "I'd never had my foreskin pulled so far back and you're so tight. It tore me a bit, but...the feel of you around me..."

Bright grey eyes looked deeply into hers. Oh—she could fall so deeply in love with this beautiful reaper... and that scared the shit out of her. She didn't ever want to fall in love again.

"I don't want..." she bit her lip when his brows furrowed in confusion. Taking a deep breath, she began again. "I don't feel like I'm ready for any type of relationship right now."

His face went blank, and he leaned away. "Of course, Anniel. Forgive me for my presumptuousness."

*** 

He couldn't blame her for being wary. He was in love and every time she spurned him, it was like little razor blades against his heart. She had every right to reject him... after what Garethiel did...not that it was his fault, but he was still the twin brother.

"Um, Devon said you wanted to leave." She avoided his gaze as her finger wound one of his locks.

The fact that she hadn't risen from his lap gave him hope that perhaps all was not lost with her.

"Yes. I need to finish a task—a vow I made."

Anniel's green gold gaze rose to his. "Task?"

"Yes," Ashriel sighed. "Two actually. I aim to find out whom or what started the war."

Anniel gave him a dubious look. "That was a long time ago, sweetie. It isn't going to be easy."

Ashriel's heart constricted every time she used an endearment for him. "Difficult tasks never stopped me before."

She smiled and he felt her tremble a bit. Tilting her head to the side, she grinned when she asked him, "and your second task?"

Ashriel remained grim. "My second task is to kill the new dark prince."

Her jaw dropped as she stared at him in horror.

Anniel must have teleported to the other side of the table because he did not see her get up. One second she was on his lap, the next she was glaring at him from across the gleaming metal table.

"You can't kill Luke."

Ashriel tried to keep his tone even. "Why not?"

"We all love him. He's just a poor victim, don't you understand? Those things took advantage of him when he was young and angry."

"Oh, Please. Spare me the melodrama," Ashriel snorted in disgust.

"You can't kill him," Anniel shouted, very angry now. "I won't let you."

Ashriel regarded her solemnly. "And how do you plan on stopping me?" When all she could do was open and close her mouth in frustration he added, "Are you going to try to kill me, Anniel?"

Her eyes went round, tears gathered in them. "You're...you're a monster. How could you say that to me? Do I look like a murderer?" she bared fangs at him. "Do I look like you?"

Ashriel winced. There was nothing more to say because she vanished like the others. He was left standing alone in the dining hall.

He stared bleakly at the two plates of food left to him—prinut and Anniel's waffles and sausages.

Choices had never been so difficult for him.

*** 

Anniel teleported into Devon and Angel's quarters; a study in tones from black to charcoal, only the walls were a pearlescent grey with dashes of chrome to keep the color scheme from being too dark.

Anniel thought that once Devon found himself a girl to settle down with, his quarters would acquire feminine touches. The only touches Angel had added were her collection of Venushtian weapons taking up an entire wall in the bedroom.

At the moment, Angel reclined in a corner of the rounded seating area with Jazriel sitting on her lap. Devon was swinging his divine sword, demonstrating battle moves to his son and mate.

The minute he felt Anniel's presence, his sword vanished in a dazzling display of glittering light.

"Dev." She ran into his arms, barely able to contain her sobs.

He soothed her. "It's okay, Annie. Everything's going to be okay."

"No," she cried. "You don't understand. He wants to kill Lucien. We can't let him do that."

Devon cupped her face in his hands. "He needs to find Luke first, Anniel, and Luke is keeping himself well hidden...even from me."

Anniel looked at him in confusion.

"Angel, Take the baby into the hygiene room and go into the bath with him."

Angel rose from the couch and bounced the baby on her arm as she obeyed him. "Be careful, my love," Angel said as she passed them.

Devon turned and brought Anniel to the glass wall that separated the inside of their quarters from the vast vacuum of space.

He began to speak in a strange language she did not understand. The glass shimmered like liquid making her want to back away. Before her eyes, their reflection transformed and the familiar scene of Megdoluc appeared. The poisonous wind on the planet had intensified. The few trees that had once stood barren on the desolate landscape were gone. The surface now looked almost like Earth's moon, except that the sky was a dirty mixture of blood-red and black.

Devon continued to speak softly, his lilting words making the scene move as if they were flying over the surface of the planet.




Dark Angel Ch. 03



Anniel gave a squeak of surprise when they suddenly plunged into a funnel yawning deep into a black frozen ocean. The tunnels were dark with only a few holes revealing lakes of fire beyond. They emerged within a large chamber and the sight of a blonde man with tattered red wings made Anniel gasp.

He sat with his back to them, his once beautiful hair hung limp and dull to his waist. Cuts and Bruises marred his skin and in his hand, he held a gleaming sword.

"Lucien," Devon called almost in a whisper.

Lucien turned with a hiss. His eyes glowed brightly and his gaunt face was a mask of evil.

"Look, Luke. It's Anniel. Remember her?"

Lucien's animalistic growling stopped. He blinked those terrifying eyes at Anniel and his expression changed.

"Annie?"

Black blood began streaming from where his wings stuck out of his ravaged back. He turned unsteadily and Anniel's heart twisted when she saw how he almost fell.

"Baby, what...?"

Devon squeezed her arm, drawing her attention to him. "Call him to you, Annie. He won't come near me. I've tried to get him out of there, but he won't come through for me."

Lucien began growling again, but Devon moved aside and gestured for her to call his attention again.

"Luke? Baby, it's me."

Again, he stopped growling and focused on her. He seemed unsure.

"Come to me, sweet heart. Come here," she coaxed, her arms open.

He took a step forward, but then flinched away, shaking his head frantically. "No, They won't let me. They'll follow me through and kill everyone. Close this portal, Annie. Do it now."

"Baby, everything's going to be fine—"

His face changed, became more demonic, as he raised the sword. "No, it isn't. Fucking close the portal or die," he screamed in a horribly deep voice.

Anniel clapped her hands over her mouth to keep from screaming when he opened his wings and disappeared from sight followed by hundreds of screeching devils. A few dropped near the portal and began to approach, hissing and growling.

Devon stepped before the portal, divine sword drawn. The creatures began to wail, the sound hurting Anniel's ears. She slammed her hands over them, but the sound continued to feel like red-hot knives stabbing her eardrums.

Anniel fell to her knees screaming and continued to scream until Devon shook her.

"It's okay now. I closed the portal. They're gone. Are you alright?"

She stared into his bioluminescent blue eyes trembling. "Oh-my-god, Devon. What the hell was that?"

Devon stared deep into her eyes. "It's the anteroom to Hell. A realm that exists between ours and the realm of darkness."

"Were those things chasing him? Oh-god, They're going to hurt him more. Did you see how hurt he was? He's nothing but skin and bones, Devon. He's probably dying."

"I've been trying to lure him out, but he refuses to drop that fucking demon sword. As long as he holds onto the cursed blade it'll keep its dark hold over him." Devon caressed her cheek. "I thought that since he'd had feelings for you long ago, his love for you would dilute the effects of the toxins running through him."

"Toxins?"

"The wings he has attached to his back. They have glands that secrete toxins and change his natural body chemistry, pretty much turning him into a demon. He's fighting it though, as you saw."

The memory of how battered his body looked made her shiver. "They're hurting him regardless. Why? Why is he all full of cuts and bruises and bite marks?"

Devon shook his head. "It's in their nature to do that to each other."

Anniel felt desperate. "Well, can't we just go in and grab him?"

Devon shook his head sadly. "Not with Rowie and Alluna about to give birth. The demons like to play tricks on the mind. They'll fuck around with the guys where it hurts most." He took a deep breath, closing his eyes. "And if they get a hold of me again...I just can't risk it with Jazriel still so small."

"We can't just leave him there, Devon," she choked back a sob.

"Ashriel might eventually find him. If we could convince him to spare his life and bring him over, we can post reaper guards to watch over him while all the toxins are released from his body and he turns back into himself...whatever the hell that might be." 

Anniel frowned, remembering that it was Lucien who'd plotted against them. They'd ended up trapped within suspended animation orbs and three hundred years had gone by. She'd lost everything, including her five-year-old baby boy, Gareth.

"Ashriel vowed to kill him. No mercy, Devon. I believe he won't show any."

Devon looked deep into her eyes. "He's in love with you, Annie. He'd do anything for you." Devon knelt and stared at her flat belly. "It's almost time, Annie."

Anniel jerked away from him. "Don't start with that pregnancy thing again."

Devon reached out, placing his palm over her stomach. "You're going into heat."

Anniel stumbled away from him. "No." She shook her head frantically. "Put me to sleep until it's over. Talk to Quinn. Maybe there's something he can give me to keep it away."

"Anniel, there's a soul circling you and Ashriel, waiting to come into this realm. Don't deny it its right to live."

She continued to stagger away. Could it be the reincarnation of little Gareth?

"My baby?" she whispered.

"Yours and Ashriel's. A new beginning, Annie. A better one with a better father. Ashriel is honorable and good."

Anniel looked at Devon. Why did it feel as if he were pushing for her to...ensnare Ashriel.

He looked at her with hurt in his eyes. "Really, Anniel? You're going to distrust me after all these years?"

Anniel turned away. "I don't...This is too much for me right now."

Devon put his hand on her shoulder and kissed her cheek. "Just let nature take its course. That's all. You'll grow to love him as much as he loves you."

Anniel spun to face Devon. "He's just infatuated. I'm his first lay, that's all."

Devon shook his head. "He's had feelings for you for a very long time."

"Well, maybe I'd feel safer if he'd had more experience and knew what he wanted and not have to worry he'll grow bored and start looking..."

"Anniel, he's not Garethiel."

Annie scowled. "No. He's his twin." 



Dark Angel Ch. 04



Ashriel frowned. The plate of waffles and sausages looked so tempting and the taste Anniel had given him still lingered in his mouth. So delicious.

That was bad.

He looked at the plate of congealed prinut. That was by far healthier for his body...but after having had a taste of Anniel's food...

He clenched his fists, his eyes going from one plate to the other. He had to eat both. He couldn't let either go to waste. That would be sinful, but the prospect of eating two platefuls of food felt...wrong too.

Confusion and anxiety began to give him a headache.

"The food replicator recycles whatever you can't eat."

Sethaliel's voice startled him from his dilemma. Ashriel still frowned when the young weretigri sat across from him, his pale blue eyes studying Ashriel from a face that held little emotion.

Ashriel still did not know what to make of the youngest Alpha Angel.

His parents had been guardian soldiers three hundred years ago. Ashriel knew Algor Whyte wasn't really Seth's father. The mother had collected semen from past lover's; lovers she'd hand-picked for their physical attributes. Smitten with a lover named Seshmel's fragile platinum-blond looks, she conceived and gave birth to the weretigri before him now.

When she realized her son could shift into a white tiger and had telekinetic abilities, she abandoned him into Devon's care. The boy had only been eight or nine sun orbits old.

Seth's eyes dropped down to the plate Anniel had left. He licked his lips.

"I'll eat it if you don't want it."

Ashriel contemplated Seth's lean, hard-muscled body. "Do you use magic to keep yourself so fit?"

Seth stared, his face blank. "No. I like to work out with Zak. I also train rigorously five hours per day."

"I need to exercise also. I usually rise before the morning sun has begun to caress the skies. I sit upon the altar of offerings and meditate on my vocation, and pray for the strength to stay true to my responsibilities. When the morning sun begins to lighten the skies, I go to the edge of Mount Chielos and pick up a boulder. I hold it between my wings and climb the mountain side. When I reach the top, I hold the boulder in my arms and descend the mountain using my wings. Not an easy task with the strong winds coming off the seas. I do this one hundred times going up and another hundred going down."

The weretigri's mouth went slack. He blinked a few times before saying, "That's a pretty brutal workout." His eyes roved over Ashriel's bare chest and arms. "No wonder you're as big as a star freighter."

Seth's eyes went back to Anniel's plate of waffles and sausage. Ashriel looked too, and his stomach rumbled in the most embarrassing way. "Are you eating that or not?"

Ashriel really wanted to taste Anniel's food again, but letting the young weretigri have it was a good way for him to practice self-control and denial. Just because he was fallen didn't mean he needed to lose his soul completely to the pleasures of the flesh.

Ashriel opened his mouth to tell Seth he could have the food, and had to force the words out. They came out as a strangled whisper.

Seth's eyes narrowed and he eyed the prinut suspiciously. "You prefer that?"

Ashriel looked at the prinut sullenly. "It is very nutritional."

Seth cocked his head to the side. "So is this," he said gesturing to Anniel's waffles and sausages.

Ashriel raised a brow and gave him a dubious look.

Seth pulled the plate of Anniel's food closer. Ashriel almost had to sit on his hands to keep from snatching it back. The weretigri gestured to the food. "These waffles are made with many whole grains. Good for your digestive system, and the sausages are made from a blend of vegetables. She seasons the mix, and it really tastes just like meat. It's loaded with protein too."

Ashriel's mouth watered as Seth cut a piece of waffle and sausage, spearing it with a fork. He swirled it around in the syrup.

"And the sweet fluid it's drenched in."

Seth's lip kicked up in one corner. "A little indulgence. Pure maple syrup from the trees in our enviro level."

Seth pushed the forkful of food into his mouth and closed his eyes with a sigh.

The weretigri seemed to forget his presence until he finished off the entire plate of food.

Ashriel watched him pop the last forkful into his mouth in dismay. Seth rose and retrieved a glass of yellow-orange fluid from the food replicator. He downed it in three gulps, wiped his mouth, and winked at Ashriel. "I'm off to the training room now. You're welcome to come and spar with us if you'd like."

With that, he was gone in a flash of sparkling white.

The silence around Ashriel was like a vacuum.

With a soft sigh, he pulled the plate of prinut to himself and began to eat slowly...until there was nothing left.

There was nowhere to wash his dish, so he slipped it into the same slot Seth had deposited his with a shake of his head. They didn't even wash their own dishes. How lazy.

Exiting the dining hall, he walked down the corridor, the glossy black floor cool against his bare feet. Briefly, he wondered who's black pants he wore. He was naked when he was deplumed and all fallen reapers were cast out of Seraphia naked and within a silver trash cylinder.

He fingered his hair with a frown. He needed to cut it too. He felt disheveled and unkempt, barefoot and poorly dressed. The pants he wore were too loose and rode indecently low on his hips. No wonder Natanael tried to throw himself at him. Ashriel looked very much like a male whore.

"God-I've fallen so low."

He reached the elevators and paused. Turning on his heel, he walked further down the corridor. Round doors flanked either side of the pale grey corridor, but not too much farther away from the elevators, he found a pair of plain metal doors in a niche. Pushing against the doors, he was surprised to find a stairwell.

Ashriel's eyes widened when he looked first up, and then down. The stairs seemed to rise to infinity and descend into a bottomless abyss. Each landing had the number of the level and section stamped upon it.

Ashriel grinned at his discovery and began to ascend the stairs at a quick pace. Fifty floors later, he opened the doors to the level where the training room was.

He entered and was immediately drawn to the fight taking place in the center of the training hall.

Devon sparred with twenty high level demons. The sight of the creatures had Ashriel's body switching into kill mode even though he knew they were nothing more than projected holographic images.

They swarmed Devon like roaches, but he moved so fast he looked like a black and white blur.

In a few seconds, he killed all twenty demons and stood amidst a pile of about fifty more twitching, hacked up corpses.

He breathed a little heavy, holding his sword at the same angle he'd used to behead the last demon. Black hair streamed over his face, and sweat made his pale body shine. Devon lifted his gaze to look at Ashriel.

The insides of his eyes were completely black, like a reaper. It wasn't the first time Ashriel saw Devon manifest traits of a reaper, but it still stunned him. A demon reaper. Could he kill angels the same way Ashriel killed demons and devils?

Devon lowered his sword and motioned to Ashriel with his hand.

Ashriel's eyes narrowed. He advanced toward the center of the training hall, toward Devon. When he was twenty paces away, he reached back and drew his divine sword out. The sword remained at his back, invisible until summoned. His fingers wrapped around the hilt and the weight of the blade made him smile as he swung it once in an arch. Fire glowed off the blade, bright and white. Devon's blade also glowed, but the fire was blue and almost blinding.

Ashriel stopped a few paces from him and squared his shoulders, tucking his wings tightly to his back.

"I will not use my wings, to even the fight."

Devon's eyes narrowed and his lips twisted into a seductive grin—so much like Davariel's insolent grin. "Don't hold anything back, reaper."

From the sidelines, he heard shouts of anger. He looked over his shoulder and saw his precious Alpha Angels banging their fists against an invisible barrier, shouting at them. Their voices barely permeated the strange bubble that cocooned him and Devon.

Ashriel looked at Devon askance.

Devon's grin only grew. "We usually don't spar each other for real. We do it on separate training mats." He pointed behind Ashriel.

Ashriel turned to see a holographic projection of himself and Devon on the other side of the training room. With a frown he turned back to Devon.

Devon was no longer smiling. "You've always wanted to kill me. Now's your chance."

Ashriel scowled. "I don't trust you."

"I know."

"So you're going to let me kill you?" Ashriel raised a brow.

Devon grinned again. "I'm going to let you try."

Ashriel began to circle him. "Why?"

"To see if you can." Devon followed his movements with eyes that were glowing blue again.

"You think you can kill me?" Ashriel lifted his wings slightly off his back, feeling the adrenaline start to heat his flesh.

Devon frowned now. "I'm not going to kill you."

Ashriel had to laugh at that. "So I'm to try to kill you and you're going to do exactly what?"

"Convince you otherwise. Convince you you cannot beat me."

Ashriel became solemn. "The worst thing a warrior can do is be too sure of himself."

"The worst thing a person can do is doubt themselves," Devon countered.

Ashriel nodded, also seeing the wisdom behind those words, though not agreeing whole-heartedly. "If I kill you, I want your people to release the reapers."

Devon frowned. "They're here of their own accord, Ashriel."

"They're lost, hungry, and abused. They're like a lost animal that finds solace at the hands of a stranger."

"And you want the Alpha Angels to turn them back out?"

"I do not trust the intentions of the Alpha Angles with the legions of reapers taking refuge here."

"And if I win?"Devon began to circle with Ashriel, holding his sword at the ready.

Ashriel let languid power flood his body, his eyes watching any signs of so much as a twitch or blink from his opponent. "Not that you have a chance in hell of winning, but what would you have if you supposedly convince me not to send my blade through you?"

Devon grinned again. "Now who's being cocky?"

Ashriel scowled at him. Devon rolled his eyes and sighed. "Okay. When I win, you promise to kill Lucien only if you feel in the bottom of your heart that he truly deserves it."

Ashriel almost faltered in his steps. "I will not go back on my vow," he snarled.

"I'm not telling you to go back on your vow. You spared my father's life because he'd changed...he'd become pure."

"I hacked his demon's wings off his back and left him to rot on Megdoluc," Ashriel spat.

"You were going to kill him first," Devon insisted. "But you didn't. I just want you to have the same consideration for Luke."

"I doubt your twin brother has any purity to redeem."

"But if he does, you won't murder him. Swear it," Devon hissed.

Ashriel snarled in rage. "I am no murderer."

"Then we have a wager."

Ashriel was about to protest his words being twisted, but Devon flew at him...flew as if he had wings to Ashriel's astonishment.

Every strike of Devon's divine sword sent jolts up Ashriel's arms and through his body. He hacked away, using speed and strength, but soon realized it was like sparing with his own shadow. His hair was annoying him to no end. It fell across his face and eyes, but Devon's jet locks were also flying everywhere. Ashriel thought he could easily reach out and trap him by his glossy locks, but it would be a fool's tact, for it would also put him within reach of the demon's blade.

He snarled a frustrated curse when he suddenly realized Devon had his eyes closed.

"What the fuck are you doing?" Ashriel shouted in anger.

"Evening out the fight, Ash," Devon replied with an annoying grin.

God-in-heaven. How many times had he seen Davariel do the same thing to his opponents to goad them.

The truth was, seeing him fight with his eyes closed was very disconcerting.

No matter how hard Ashriel slashed and swiped at Devon, or how fast he tried to jab at him in hopes of drawing just a bit of blood, he couldn't get close enough to so much as nick the unholy wretch.

Devon's muscles rippled in a glorious display of masculine beauty. His frothy lashes rested against glowing pink cheeks as the blade literally sang through the air like a chorus of angels from heaven.

Ashriel didn't give up though, not until three hours had gone by and he glanced at his precious Angels sitting with bored looks on their countenances outside the bubble. Even they knew he couldn't best their commander.

Ashriel ceased all movement and Devon lowered his sword with a triumphant smile.

Ashriel stared at him through slits. "How the hell did you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Stop the second I stopped. You lowered your sword the second I did."

Devon shrugged. "I'm a good swordsman. I knew when you were going to yield." Ashriel stiffened when he raised his sword to point at Ashriel. "Now you must keep your word, reaper. You won't kill my twin unless he deserves it. If Lucien's soul is completely corrupted I will not stand in your way when you slay him."

"Swear it to me, Devon."

Devon's eyes became brighter with moisture. "I swear it, Ashriel of Angelos."

Ashriel walked past the Alpha Angels. Anniel ignored him, making like she was picking at some invisible lint on her training uniform.

He gripped Natanael's arm and forced him out into the corridor.

"What gives, man?" Natanael said breathlessly. "You finally decide to give me a good plowing?"

Ashriel shoved him against the wall by the door when they exited and scowled into his face.

"What the hell is wrong with you? Was your hair not red just a few hours ago? And yellow green this morning when I awakened?"

Natanael ran his fingers through his heavy head of hair, cropped short at the sides and cut into long layers across the middle down to the back where it ended in a thick tail that reached his ass. "I change it depending on what mood I'm in."

Ashriel eyed the frothy mop of blues, purples, and black he sported now. "And what in hell's name are you feeling now to inspire that ridiculous array of colors."

Natanael pouted, his eyes welling up. "I'm still sad about my mom. I wish I could've at least said good-bye before..." He stopped talking, his grey eyes wide, and just shrugged as one tear rolled down his cheek.

Ashriel sighed and shook his head. "Silly angel," he whispered, reaching out to stroke the tear away.

Natanael took a deep breath and wiped his eyes. "It's cool. I'm a big boy, you know. Nothing can be done to change the past. Soooo...why'd you hustle us out here?"

Ashriel frowned at the way he talked. He sounded just like the annoying red weredragon. "I want to gather a group of reapers to run a mission with me."

Natanael's interest sparked immediately. His wings began to twitch in excitement. "A mission? I can get a bunch of guys together for that. What's the mission? Uh, you do realize we're breaking the law if it has nothing to do with taking our clothes off and either fucking someone or getting fucked."

"No one is going to care about what we do. We're going demon hunting."

Natanael's eyes went completely black and his grin was diabolical. "Yes," he hissed. "God-yes. I haven't killed anything evil in too long. I crave it like you don't know."

"Who else can we recruit?"

"Ha! Abdiel will have my nuts in a sling if I don't include him. We can take Reiven, Amadashiel and I think Eriel will be here the night after tomorrow."

"Eriel?"

"Yeah. He accompanied Zakreel and Remuel to Vildminoria to restore their friend Drakken. He's—"

"I know who he is, and who they are." Ashriel sneered. "They're Davariel's disciples. Natanael, does it not frighten you that Davariel's son is bringing all of his father's followers together?"

Natanael regarded Ashriel with wide innocent eyes. "Er...no. Dev's cool."

Ashriel wrinkled his nose. "If you weren't a full blooded reaper, I'd say you were angel-struck by that demon."

Natanael rubbed the back of his neck looking up at Ashriel through his dark blue lashes.

Ashriel frowned. "And the next time I see you I want to see you with the color of hair God gave you."

The reapers eyes widened. "Ew. I look gross like that."

"Don't be stupid. Your hair is stark white. It looks beautiful."

"It's boring."

"It's unique."

"Like hell. Sethaliel has platinum blond hair and Devon's mate and his son—"

"Enough," Ashriel snapped. He looked at Natanael's hair again in disapproval. "Just make sure it's monochromatic...and within the realms of nature."

Natanael grinned. "Yes, sir."

Ashriel remembered his partially dismantled Silver Comet. Only three people fit inside, four if you squeezed together. "Natanael, do you still have that old starcruiser you lived in with Eriel?"

Natanael nodded. "It's down in the hangar. Devon fixed it up for me. It's better than new now."

Ashriel nodded. "Good. We're going to need it. How fast can it go?"

"As fast as you need."

Ashriel started at the Devon's deep voice behind him. He turned to narrow his eyes at the commander of the Alpha Angels. "As fast as I need?"

Devon smiled, making Ashriel clench his fists. His resemblance to his father was creepy.

"I can move that starcruiser as fast as you need to go."

"But in order to do that you need to be on it."

"Not necessarily, but in this case I will be."

"So you're inviting yourself on my mission."

Suddenly, Devon didn't look so sure of himself. His smile faded and he stared wide-eyed at Ashriel. "I've always wanted to go demon hunting."

Ashriel regarded him with narrowed eyes. Who was he kidding? "How interesting. Aren't you afraid they're going to capture you again and turn you into what you really are?"

Devon winced, but then frowned. "I've been told I'm a divine angel."

"Ah. But You've yet to recall or get in touch with your divine nature. You let yourself be ruled by your weak human nature and its desires."

"Perhaps it's necessary for me to experience what being human is. Otherwise the Divine One would not have let me remain lost here."

Ashriel frowned. Why would the Divine One leave one of his perfect children in this realm to suffer the condition of physical creation?

Anniel retired to her quarters after her training session. Devon communicated with her telepathically telling her to prepare for a trip. They were taking Natanael's starcruiser for a mission.

She rolled her eyes and tried to tamp down the shiver of apprehension that shimmied down her spine. She really didn't look forward to being enclosed in the tiny starcruiser with Ashriel. He was so frustratingly complicated. One minute she wanted to hug him, the next she wanted to whack him over the head. Oh, and every time he blushed—gawd—she could barely suppress the urge to grab his face and just kiss him hard on that sexy lush mouth of his.

Her com-unit screen was blipping, telling her that someone was trying to communicate with her.

Anniel frowned. No one knew her personal code. At least not for the past three hundred or so years.

She sat at the console, intrigued, and opened the link. Garethiel's white wings and blond-framed face filled the screen.

He was pinching the bridge of his nose, a lit cigarette between two fingers, until he realized she'd responded to his hail. He immediately smiled, his blue eyes sparkling.

"Baby, I finally get hold of you."

"What the hell do you want Garethiel?"

He pouted adorably. "Aw, come-on, beautiful. Don't be that way. It's been so long, baby," he crooned looking seductively at her.




Dark Angel Ch. 04



Anniel crossed her arms under her breasts. "Not long enough for me," she snapped.

"Baby, why are you so angry?"

Anniel wanted to cry—out of rage. How dare he pretend nothing happened. She'd been so taken with him—truly angel-struck, and he must've known.

To her horror, her tears began to flow, but she tossed her head up and faced him unflinchingly. "Why am I so angry? Why? Well, let's see...firstly, you took advantage of my naiveté, playing on my emotions and feelings I had for you. You spoke words of love—all lies—to convince me to give you my virginity and when you obviously got bored, you left without so much as a good bye."

"Baby, but I do love you."

Anniel wanted to scream in his face. "Fuck you, Garethiel," she choked out instead, wiping at her tears angrily.

"Oh, sweetheart. I was sent on a secret mission. I was forbidden to talk to you or anyone else."

Anniel stared at him in shock. Could it be true? Shook her head, not wanting to fall for his lies again.

"Baby, you've got to believe me. I was told about a plan to make clones of the angel of destruction from a couple of his feathers that were circulating on the black market. We managed to destroy three of the unholy things, but we never found the feathers."

Anniel gasped. "There were clones of Davariel?"

Garethiel flinched and rubbed his arms with a frown. "How can you just blurt his name like that? Doesn't it freak you out?"

Anniel scowled. "No. I live with his son."

Garethiel's frown deepened. "Yes. I know. I lived there too, remember?"

Anniel took a deep breath, swallowing years of hurt and rejection. "Sometimes I wish I could forget, damn-you."

"Baby, I swear—"

"Don't baby me. You have no idea everything I went through."

"Then tell me, sweetheart. You felt hurt? You loved me, baby?"

Anniel covered her mouth as another sob shook her. She'd adored him, adored the way he made her feel—so loved and special—until he disappeared without a trace.

"Do you still love me?" He placed his hands against the screen as if he could touch her. His blond hair reminded her of her baby. Little Gareth looked just like his daddy, except his skin was darker. The baby wasn't as black as she was but he was dark, his dark blond hair curly. The child's blended features made him exotically beautiful even though he was born with one wing.

Anniel shook her head. "No. I'm not the same stupid little girl you took advantage of so long ago."

"I could make you love me again, Anniel. Let me, baby. I want you. I don't care that you slept with Ash. I love you."

The mention of Ashriel's name was like a bucket of ice water poured over her.

The image of his bloodied lips and ruffled black feathers as he lay beneath her, begging her not to lower herself onto his straining cock.

Anniel closed her eyes, feeling the weight of her guilt choke her. Poor Ashriel.

"Anniel—"

"No, Garethiel. It's too late."

"Why?"

"I can't—"The thought of being with him again would dredge up the memories of her lost child. She wouldn't be able to bear it.

"Yes you can, baby. It was always so good between us. Don't you remember?"

Anniel clenched her teeth and glared at him. "Remember? Do you know what I remember? I remember how hurt I felt when you just disappeared. I remembered feeling sick and then going into full heat, of feeling like the biggest slut—" she had to turn away, her sobs choking her as she recalled howling in pain, screaming for relief, crying in joy every time she had to allow either Devon or Lucien to soothe her sexually...because of what she was, because her human body also suffered the mating cycles of being part wolf. She shouldn't have even been able to have a child, but Devon's power kept her from shifting into her wolf form, which would have triggered a miscarriage.

"Anniel, I can take care of you. Let me take—"

"I don't need you. You've done enough. Please don't call me anymore." She reached over to disconnect the communication.

"Wait. Annie, look, let's meet. Let's talk, please."

"No."

He began to look irritated. "What? Don't tell me you're smitten with him? He's my brother, for fuck's sake. I had you first, Anniel. I was your first."

She had heard enough and without saying one more word, she ended the communication.

Rushing into her room, she threw herself onto her bed and buried her face into her pillow. As she sobbed, the bed dipped in all directions. Hands comforted her. Someone lay against her body and wrapped a big arm around her waist.

"I never really knew the stupid fuck, but can I please go roast his ass?" Remi growled.

"Calm down, numb-nuts," Seth snorted. "That won't help any."

"No. But it'll make me feel better."

The arm around her waist shifted and fingers stroked her hair. "Cry, baby. It's all right. Just let it all out," Zak crooned near her ear as he petted her hair. "We're all here with you."

She turned and snuggled up against his strength. He enfolded her in his arms. Devon crawled up behind her. Angel crawled over them and laid her head on Anniel's shoulder. Remi laid his head on Zak's shoulder and took her hand. Seth, who'd positioned himself close to her head, began to purr deeply. Rowie and Alluna settled behind Devon, letting their power wash over her in soothing waves.

They all surrounded her with their love. She wasn't alone. She had her family.

"I just wish..." she began. Fresh tears coursed down her face as the memory of her baby laughed and giggled in her mind. "If only I knew what happened to him. I could have closure."

"We can try to find out when we go to the Edenian solar system," Devon murmured behind her.

Anniel's eyes widened. "Aren't we like not supposed to go there?"

She turned her head to try to see Devon's face but all she could see was Angel's wide grin.

"We are forbidden from ever going near the Edenian solar system, that's what's going to make this so much fun," Angel laughed.

"B-but, the baby," Anniel said in a small voice. "Won't that be dangerous for Jazriel?"

"We'll be fine," Devon assured. "If things get bad, I'll open a portal back here and get Angel and Jaz out."

Angel pouted. "I hope that doesn't happen. I'm itching for a good battle. Now that I'm no longer pregnant, I've been training hard again."

Anniel smiled at her, and then looked at the others. "You all think we might find something out about Gareth?"

Zak sighed, and opened his mouth to speak, but Devon interrupted.

"Zak, Alluna, Remi, and Rowie are sitting this one out, Anniel."

Remi nodded, looking over at Rowie who was rubbing her enormous tummy. "We all need a break from Jaz's magic. He's going to make the girls pop before time."

"And not in a good way either," Alluna said in her sweet child-like voice.

Zak kissed Anniel's forehead and rose to relocate himself behind Alluna. He engulfed her in his arms and proceeded to kiss down her neck as his hands massaged her belly. Anniel saw how the girl's bulging abdomen undulated and shifted beneath his hands. Alluna winced and whimpered making Zak frown.

"Settle down. You're hurting mama," he ordered in his gravelly Dom's voice. All movement within Alluna ceased to Anniel's astonishment.

Rowie snorted. "I wish my boys were as obedient."

Remien scoffed. "Not my sons. They're going to raise hell like their daddy."

"Heaven help us," Seth sighed as Remien snickered.

Anniel stiffened when she felt another presence in the room. She lifted her head to look, but Remien bent over her to playfully nip her ear, blocking her view.

"It's Ashriel, babe," Remi whispered, running his tongue naughtily along the shell of her ear.

Ashriel couldn't believe his eyes. He'd wanted to talk with Anniel, thinking that if perhaps they could sit and converse, get to know one another better, maybe...maybe she might be interested in a friendship, maybe something more later on. He wouldn't pressure her for anything physical. As a matter of fact, he preferred if they wouldn't become intimate until they were sure they were compatible on a personal level.

But the scene before him was like a punch to the gut. They were all piled atop each other, stroking, kissing...Remien Fyre had his tongue in her ear. Zak was cupping his mate's full breasts as she sighed.

It was so much like Davariel's orgies, except this time, the female he loved was at the center of it.

"Ashriel," Devon called out to him. "Come here."

Ashriel did the exact opposite. He backed away, feeling angry and foolish. This life was not for him. He couldn't do what they did. He couldn't love so freely.

He spun on his heel to flee, and ran right into Devon.

Devon scowled into his face.

"Listen here, you judgmental son-of-a-bitch," Devon snarled in a low voice, "I don't know what the hell it is you think you're seeing, but you better get your shit together and open your damn eyes to reality."

"I want to leave before I see more," Ashriel growled. God-he didn't want to be there when they started taking their clothes off. His chest ached terribly and he cursed himself for being such an ignorant fool.

Devon studied him a bit. "We were only soothing her after your brother hailed her over the com-unit."

Garethiel was after her again? Ashriel closed his eyes. If he had any intelligence, he would leave with what little dignity was left to him and just start out somewhere new. He could... oh—that's right. The laws stated that he could only aspire to being a male whore.

Ashriel gazed out through the glass that held back the glory of space. He walked to the glass and touched the cold barrier. He still had the mission. He would focus on that. Yes.

Devon's hand on his shoulder made him jump. "Ash, things are not what you perceive them to be."

Without another word he turned. Anniel stood a few paces behind him, her eyes, and nose red. She'd been crying. He felt his heart lurch and fought the urge to go to her and hold her.

With a sniff, she turned and sat on her fuchsia couch. As she stared at her fire pit, golden flames bloomed to life. She tucked her knees up below her chin and...ignored him.

Devon had disappeared, and one look into her bedchambers, showed that room empty too.

Feeling he had nothing left to loose, because he had nothing at all, he walked over and sat at the other end of the couch.

They sat in silence for long seconds.

He didn't know what to say. What could he say? Here she sat, her face ravished from tears after a communication link from his brother. Did she still love him after all this time?

Ashriel sighed despondently. He looked at Anniel again to discover her intense stare. Now he understood the Edenian term deer in the headlights.

Ashriel froze, stopped breathing under her intense scrutiny.

All she did was let out another breath and turn away to wrap her arms around her bent legs and hug them.

Ashriel bit his lip. "Um. I'm sorry," he began and then with a shrug decided to be bold. "I know just how you feel."

Anniel snorted. "What the hell do you know of how I feel?"

Ashriel pondered those words. He'd lost his virginity and truth be told, if he could conceive a child from his union with her, he'd be ecstatic. But he was cursed to live a life of solitude.

"You have freedom. You can choose to go on with your life however you see fit. Garethiel is no good. I wish I could have known you before. I would have warned you away from him."

Anniel sneered at Ashriel. "I don't regret having been with Garethiel. It hurt, but I learned from my experience...and I had five wonderful years with our child," she whispered the last.

"Yes. You had that." Ashriel turned away, blinking back the moisture in his eyes. "I can only wish."

He watched the flames dance and thought of how to excuse himself. He suddenly wanted to be alone. It would never work between them anyway. He was too conservative. She was a free spirit. He just wished the reality of the situation didn't hurt so much.

"Did you love my brother?"

She was quiet awhile. "I thought I did, but..." She shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe it was a first time crush. It doesn't matter. I got over it."

Ashriel wondered if he'd ever get over Anniel. "Did it take a long time for the hurt to go away?" How long did he have to live in this agony?

"I don't know. I guess having my baby helped...and having the others for support."

"Do you hate Garethiel now?"

Anniel smiled at him, making his heart hurt. "Didn't you ask me that earlier?"

"Oh."

Anniel shook her head and leaned back against the cushions. "I don't hate him. I don't really want anything to do with him either. I don't know. Things just weren't meant to be, I guess and that's okay. I just wish he weren't trying to pressure me into seeing him again."

"What?" Ashriel inadvertently knocked a glass vase to the floor when he opened his wings in anger. Luckily, it didn't break. "Don't let him convince you, Anniel." Ashriel was convinced Garethiel only wanted to goad him. He knew Anniel meant something to him and was looking to hurt Ashriel. It was working.

Anniel frowned at him. "Look, I would never-ever let myself love a man again. I don't want to get involved with anyone for as long as I live, so don't worry about me, okay?"

He looked as if she'd just slapped him. Anniel narrowed her eyes on Garethiel's dark twin and he actually retreated a bit, his black wings coming over his shoulders as if to shield him.

If Ashriel thought he'd get some nasty playtime like his brother, he was going to have to look for another toy. Anniel was done playing. She wasn't anyone's toy.

These two probably had some sort of twin bet going on to see who could get into her pants the longest. They had another thing coming.

Ashriel shot to his feet and she almost felt sorry for him. The poor bastard really had no experience...yet.

A jolt of something unpleasant squeezed her chest uncomfortably at the thought of Ashriel gaining experience. What female could resist all that muscle, that beautiful face, and those glorious black wings?

"I've got to go," he croaked, and then turned in a swirl of jet feathers and sable locks. He was out her door in a flash.

Anniel took a deep breath. Why did she suddenly feel so lonely now?



Dark Angel Ch. 05



Chapter Five

Two day cycles later, a few more reapers arrived, along with Davariel's weredragons, Drakken, and Eriel.

Eriel was not the same angel Ashriel remembered. He looked solemn, somber. He hung back and barely uttered a word. When Natanael approached him about their upcoming mission, he merely nodded.

"You okay, Erie?" Natanael asked putting his hand on his arm.

"I'm fine," Eriel replied.

"He's depressed," Remuel sighed walking up to them in the hangar. Unlike his son, Remien, Remuel's hair was a silken fall of crimson down his back. Remien had about ten times the amount of hair on his head making it poof out like a lion's mane. But Ashriel knew for a fact that he was just as annoying and insane as his son.

"Depressed?" Ashriel echoed.

Eriel rolled his eyes as Remuel continued. "He had his mind wiped of all memories pertaining to Dava's days, but—"

"That idiot, brought them all back," Eriel spat pointing to Zakreel. "Now that Drakken is better and we're here..." Eriel's eyes drifted to where Devon stood speaking to the newly arrived reapers.

He glanced back to see Devon look over his shoulder at Eriel. Once again, Ashriel marveled at the uncanny resemblance between father and son. If Devon's hair were thicker, with more curl, and blond, his skin sun-kissed bronze, he'd be Davariel.

Ashriel sighed and turned as tears begin to spill from Erie's eyes.

"Oh, here we go with the water-works again," Remuel cried dramatically. "Erie, for fuck's sake, find yerself a nice big cock to impale yerself on, or a nice juicy pussy to bury yerself into. Sex always makes ya forget."

Eriel gripped two handfuls of his hair. "We've been off Arboria for almost six months. Why do you and Zakreel still speak with that annoying accent? You sound like a freakin' leprechaun."

Remuel snorted with a frown as Zakreel stepped up next to them also. "We need to get our translation devices adjusted, idiot."

"Besides, we're not staying," Zakreel added.

Zakreel, although very tall, was not as muscular as his massively proportioned son, but the dark blond wavy hair and sapphire eyes were very similar.

Ashriel frowned. "Where are you going?"

"We're going back to the old mansion," Remuel replied.

Eriel shook his head. "No. I can't ever go back there. It'd be too much," he whispered.

Natanael wrapped his arms and wings around his friend.

"What mansion?" Ashriel asked.

The dragons looked at one another before Remuel answered, "Luci and Dava's house on Sjoria."

Ashriel's eyes narrowed. The last portal Davariel had traversed was in that house. Ashriel would be able to locate the chamber that still held the portal into the realm of shadows where Davariel and his lover were trapped. If he could destroy it, then that would eliminate the threat of Davariel.

He felt Devon's presence behind him. He knew what Ashriel was thinking, but it didn't matter. Ashriel didn't care. He wanted to see Devon attempt to stop him.

Ashriel turned and began walking toward where his Silver Comet was, leaving the others behind. He felt Devon's luminescent eyes on him the whole way.

The hangar was big. It spanned a few miles around the bottom of Alpha 7. Most of it remained unlit, but wherever the sensors picked up life, it would illuminate the immediate area.

Up ahead, he made out the solitary beacon where Zak and Remi worked on his transport. As he drew closer, he had to blink a few times to allow what he was seeing to register in his stupefied mind.

Ashriel came up to the exact point where the parts began. Pieces of metal, wires, cables, plastic, foam, and glass covered the ground surrounding what was left of the Silver Comet. It spread at least fifteen paces wide around the empty hull of the transport. The crazy son-of-a-whore hadn't even left the seats inside the pod.

Zak's eyes widened and he slapped Remi on his ass to warn him they had company.

"Stop flirting with me, fucker. For the last time, you're not my type," Remien called from inside the open hull of the transport.

Zak snarled and reached in. He pulled Remi out by a handful of his hair.

"Shit, Zak—" His eyes finally caught sight of Ashriel. Zachariel released him with a snort. Remien grinned. "What's up, dude?"

Ashriel looked once more at the remains of the Silver Comet. "What the hell have you done?" he bellowed.

To his utter annoyance, the red-haired weredragon shushed him. "Easy, man. Just walk carefully over here and see for yourself."

He gestured into the hull.

Wanting nothing more than to get his hands around Remi's neck, Ashriel stalked forward.

"Look in there," Remi said in a soft voice.

Ashriel ducked his head into the wide hole where the nose of the transport used to be and gaped.

Curled up at the back of the open hull was a strange, bright-purple, furry creature. It was round, quite big, with six black button eyes, three red horns poking from its head and a short snout. The creature lifted its head and suddenly opened its snout to expose jagged lines of lethal looking teeth. It hissed and began to growl ferociously.

Ashriel staggered back and reached for his divine sword.

Remi and Zak gripped his arms. "No. What the fuck?" Remi hissed.

Ashriel shook them off. "Fuck you both. Why the hell is there a Moordian Devil in my transport?"

"Geez—just calm down. She's gonna give birth—"

"What?" Ashriel shouted.

From within the hull the growling grew more vicious.

"Dude you're scaring her," Remi insisted with a scowl.

Zak just stood by, his arms crossed over his chest and his lower lip tucked between his teeth. Somehow, Ashriel got the irritating idea he was trying not to laugh.

"Why in hell's name is there a pregnant Moordian Devil in there?" He never did like the overgrown rodent like creature, though he knew very well it wasn't a Devil like the name implied.

"Well, how the fuck should I know. You told me to fix your transport, Remi replied indignantly.

Ashriel looked around, his mouth open in shock. "So you dismantled the entire thing?"

"I was looking for baby Moordian Devils. They're tiny when they're born."

"You just said she was still pregnant."

"I wasn't sure, man. She was just in there growling. She's got about five out so far. I just wanted to be sure there weren't any more crawling around inside."

Ashriel ran a hand threw his hair. "Five? And how many do they usually spawn?"

Remi shrugged and looked at Zak, who scratched his chin and replied in his deep voice, "About two—maybe three—"

"Thank—god," Ashriel sighed.

Zak cleared his throat. "Two, maybe three dozen, Ash."

Ashriel snarled. "Fuck."

Remi grinned. "Easy, dude. I got this."

Ashriel huffed in frustration. "I need a smaller transport to take with me on the mission. I can't travel on the surface of a planet in a starcruiser."

Zak frowned. "What's wrong with your wings?"

Ashriel scowled at him. "People tend to take reapers flying on a foreign planet as a sign that they're being invaded by demons and devils. There'll be mass hysteria." He shook his head, running his fingers through his hair again. "I need a small transport."

Remi's grin grew wider. "Well today is your lucky day. I've got just the thing for you"

Everything around them rippled making Ashriel feel disorientated. The Silver Comet and its riot of spilled guts disappeared, replaced by an oblong piece of black metal. There was a softer material atop a sculpted out portion with a glass shield at one end.

"Have you ever seen a motorcycle?" Remi asked.

Ashriel recalled from his studies a little about the ancient Edenian transportation. "That looks nothing like a motorcycle."

"That's because this is the next generation," Remi grinned. "This, my dear Ash, is an aircycle."

Zak caressed the leather-like seat. "A 3842 Blade. Talk about power between your legs."

Remi barked out a laugh. "Ash, this beauty is guaranteed to blow your feathered ass away."

Ashriel frowned down at the shiny black aircycle. "How does it function?"

Remi tossed back his hair and clicked the stud on his tongue. "Link to me and watch."

Ashriel felt a pull on his mind and tried to resist. The vortex pulled him in and he felt himself surrounded by the scent of cinnamon and spice... and fire.

Remi threw one leg over the aircycle to straddle it. Ashriel tried to back away, feeling as if he were inside Remien's body. Zak gripped his arms. "Easy there. You'll get used to it. Just breathe and remember who you really are."

Ashriel shook his head, but he kept seeing double. He saw Remi turning the aircycle on, but at the same time felt as if it were his own hand palming the control panel. Energy pulsed beneath his ass, along his thighs, against his balls. He leaned forward, grasping the handgrips that slid from the sleek black aircycle. With a flick of his wrists and pushing down on the left foot pedal, the Blade took off, taking his breath away.

The craft sped at an incredible speed through the hangar. Lights came on far ahead, illuminating the way. He passed the reapers, Devon, and the weredragons, in the blink of an eye. Power rolled out in waves, and Ashriel almost screamed when he traversed a pair of metal doors that opened last second.

Remi's laughter rang out in his mind.

But the crazy weredragon wasn't finished.

He used his powers to open an elevator shaft and careened up the shaft at a ninety degree angle...straight up into the one hundred and eleventh level. Ashriel tightened his buttocks, fearing his heart and stomach would come out of his ass any second.

He zipped around a corner, looping up the walls, ceiling, and floors until he flew into his quarters. The aircycle went sideways when he tried to stop, slid across the floor in a crazy spin until it bumped the edge of the bed's pedestal.

His mate, Rowie stared at him, the whites of her eyes showing in terror. "You crazy son-of-a-bitch. You scared the living shit—"

Ashriel tried again to sever the link, but he couldn't. He was one with Remien when he jumped onto his mate's bed and covered her very pregnant body with his.

"Rowie," he snarled, aroused. His mouth smothered her moan and his tongue conquered every hot inch of her mouth. Blood spurted from his tongue when he purposefully nicked them on her vampire fangs. She groaned, gripped his hair, and hungrily sucked every drop.

Ashriel cried out in protest when his cock grew rigid.

Remi palmed himself, wanting to fuck Rowie, take her ass to avoid hurting the babies. Rowie loved when he pierced her sweet rosette with his cock.

"Baby," he growled, his back twitching to release his dragon's wings.

"No-no," Ashriel shouted angrily. He did not want to feel as if he were making love to another woman.

Rowie backed away with a frown, "Ashriel?"

Ashriel continued to struggle.

Her eyes widened and she looked at Remien crossly. "Remi."

Remi sulked, "But I'm horny."

Rowie, tried not to laugh. "Let Ash go."

Ashriel stumbled back into Zak's arms, dazed when he felt himself expulsed from the red weredragon's mind. His scent was still all over him as well as Rowie's.

"I swear, I'm going to ring his stupid neck."

"Get in line," Seth said appearing next to them.

Ashriel raked his fingers through his hair, scowling when that only made the scent of cinnamon stronger. "He's absolutely insane. Why the hell did Devon ever recruit him?"

"I ask myself that every day," Seth huffed.

Zak laughed. "He's not so bad. He's a damn good fighter, as an Alpha Angel he's really powerful, and you can count on him to back you up one hundred percent. I'd trust that bastard with my life or my family's any day."

Ashriel gave Zak a doubtful look.

"I just got clothes for you for our mission, Ash," Seth said drawing his bewildered attention.

Ashriel frowned. "What are you talking about?"

Seth let his eyes go down Ashriel's length. "You're wearing Zak's old stuff. We ordered you your own uniform."

"Uniform?"

Seth looked at Zak before looking back at him. "Yeah. Uniform. Is there a fucking echo in here?"

"Why have I been supplied with uniforms? What kind of uniforms? I do not want to be an Alpha Angel. My powers aren't like yours."

Seth shook his head. "You're an Alpha, Ash. Devon wants you in charge of the Dark Angels."

"Dark what?"

Seth rolled his eyes, obviously losing his patience. "Dark Angels. To disassociate you with Seraphia's reapers, he doesn't want people to continue to refer to all of you as fallen and he knows most of you don't like being called death angels, even though that's what you do, he got together with the others, and they picked Dark Angel as your new title."

"It was actually Annie's suggestion," Zak added.

The fight blew out of Ashriel's body as he gaped at both Alpha Angels. "Anniel came up with Dark Angel?"

They both nodded.

"Look, Ash. We're ready to go when you say so. If you don't mind, I suggest you go up to your quarters, freshen up in your hygiene unit, change your clothes into your own gear, and maybe have a little huddle with the crew before we shove off. We need a plan. We can't just fly into Edenian space and land on Earth or Mars and demand they answer our questions."

Ashriel looked at the young weretigri thoughtfully. "You're good at planning these things, aren't you?"

Zak grinned and patted Seth's back. The white-haired weretigri straightened a bit taller and nodded. "I find I rather enjoy it. We can hash around ideas with Dev up in the conference room before we leave. So what do you say to trying on a few of the things I picked out for you?"

Ashriel frowned. Now his curiosity was piqued. What could the weretigri have chosen for him?

"For the last time, Angel, I am not wearing leather. What I have on is comfortable and sensible."

Angel frowned at Anniel, as they both pulled their carry-ons into the starcruiser.

Anniel saw nothing wrong with her vest, black tank top, and black cargo pants. Her buckled black boots had foam rolls on the bottom for good traction. So-what if they looked a bit like Frankenstein shoes. She was dressed for a mission not to seduce anyone.

She'd plaited her hair into a long braid and pulled a cap over her head so that the front bill almost covered her eyes. She thought her outfit made her look tough, showed off the muscles of her arms.

"Once we pick out our sleeping cabins, we can load the weapons in the underbelly storage compartment."

Angel's eyes immediately lit up. "Weapons?"

"Yes," Anniel grinned. "Dev says we can't use our powers so we're going to have to try to intimidate with weapons, but only if we need to."

Angel frowned. "I thought we were going to kick some ass."

Anniel laughed out loud. Remi was rubbing off on the girl. "Only if we need to, Angel. We need to try peaceful first. We don't want more enemies than we already have."

"Hellooo," a sultry feminine voice called out from below.

Anniel and Angel stopped in their tracks and looked down the metal ramps they had been climbing.

A female reaper with light brown hair and up-tilted catlike eyes stood at the bottom of the ramp. Her black wings were pressed together at her back as if in prayer and two black straps crossed over the jutting swells of her breasts, leaving little to the imagination. A pair of black, skin tight leather pants barely covered her sex and hips and wicked looking thigh-high boots encased her long legs.

Anniel's eyes widened and Angel suddenly scowled up at Anniel.

"Angel, stop that growling," Anniel hissed before she smiled at the new-comer. "Hey."

The female reaper smiled and purred, "I'm Amadashiel." She boarded the starcruiser, pulling a small case with her.

"We're picking out our bunks," Anniel informed.

"There's too many of us. Tell her to go away," Angel muttered under her breath.

Anniel opened her eyes wide at Angel to signal her to be quiet.

Amadashiel wound her way up the ramp, past the storage level up to the living area where Anniel and Angel stood.

Angel walked away with a snort, leaving Anniel alone with the girl.

Up close, Anniel noticed how lush her mouth was and how tiny her waist, compared to her very big, very round boobs. A six pack rippled down her abdomen and she sported a glittering diamond over her belly button.

Amadashiel smiled and stuck her tongue out, showing the stud she had there too. "I love the red weredragon's piercings and I'm thinking of getting myself lasered with tattoos. He's so beautiful. Too bad he only has eyes for the pretty vampire girl...and she for him."

Amadashiel came closer, perhaps a bit too close for Anniel's comfort, after all, she'd never met the girl before. The girl reaper licked her lips, her eyes going over Anniel's face and breasts appreciatively. "You're very beautiful too. I like girls. How about you?"

Anniel took a step back with a nervous laugh. "I'm flattered, sweetie, but I'm a strictly dickly kind of girl, ya know."

Amadashiel pouted. "Oh, well. There's always Ashriel."

"Why Ashriel?" Angel blurted behind them, startling Anniel.

Amadashiel smiled now. "Because he is legendary among reapers. To watch Ashriel battle and kill demons and devils is to have a million orgasms at once."

Anniel looked at Angel. She too was gaping at the girl before she frowned and opened her mouth.

Fearing Angel would say something totally inappropriate, Anniel covered her mouth and blurted. "Excuse us please."

She hustled Angel, who was a little slip of a girl into the nearest cabin and closed the door behind them.

Anniel faced her, blocking the door, just in case. "Would you chill?"

"I don't like her," Angel said petulantly.

Anniel tried to be impartial. "Why not? She's just another reaper."

"She wants to fuck anything that walks. She'll go for Ashriel and I want him with you."

Anniel rolled her eyes. "Listen, cutie-pie. Ash is a big boy and can choose his own playmates."

"He wants you," Angel insisted, crossing her arms over chest with a frown.

Anniel closed her eyes and prayed for patience. It was going to be a long journey.

"Angel. The starcruiser isn't really very big and we need to get along. Promise me you'll be nice to the girl reaper."

Angel's lower lip stuck out more, belligerently.

"Angel?" Anniel warned. "Promise. Please?"

Angel rolled her eyes. "Fine. But if she starts making eyes at me or Devon, I'm busting her ass."

Angel," Anniel gasped and then frowned. "I'm going to have to have a talk with Rem about his vocabulary around you. Sheesh. That's not very lady-like, missy."

Angel snorted and began stowing away her carry on beneath the double bunkers.

Anniel looked around. There really wasn't much room. The upper and lower bunk beds were narrow, for just one person and were to the right of the door. The left side of the room had an open hygiene unit with a divider sectioning off a small desk area. There was about three feet of space between the side of the beds and the side of the hygiene and desk area.

Anniel smirked, "Guess you and Dev won't be able to sleep together during the trip."

Angel eyed the bunk beds and turned to Anniel with a frown. "Woman, what nonsense are you babbling about? Jaz will sleep in the portable crib we've brought along, and his father and I will occupy the top bunk so the little one won't see us in our intimacy." Angel grinned. "He's very smart. Last thing I want him to do is learn about adult matters before time."

Anniel frowned. "You and Dev are going to sleep in one bunk? But it's so narrow."

"Devon will fit just fine on his back, and I will lay on top of him." A shiver went through Angel and she licked her lips. "I have a fine husband. I will be keeping an eye on all the reapers here."

A soft knock at the door had Anniel pulling the little silver door open.

Natanael stood there, his hair a celestial blue. His nipples, which were pierced like Remi's, had little silver bars decorating them.




Dark Angel Ch. 05



He saw Anniel and took a quick step back away from her.

Anniel frowned. "What's wrong, Nat?"

He scrubbed the back of his neck, something he did often when he was nervous. "Just keeping my distance. I don't want Ash to beat my ass."

Anniel scowled now. "And why would he do that?"

Natanael shrugged. "He's got dibs on you."

Anniel's mouth dropped open. "He what?"

Natanael took another step back and Amadashiel walked out from the cabin next to Angel and Devon's.

"Come-on, Anniel. Anyone who has eyes in their face and brains in their head knows Ash has the hots for you."

Amadashiel crossed her arms under her ample breasts, irritating Anniel. Why did she have to be standing there butting her nose in this.

"Listen here, bubba," Anniel snarled poking a finger into Natanael's well-sculpted chest. "I'm not Ashriel's property. I belong to no one. Got it?"

Natanael nodded frantically and then rushed off to the other side of the ramp to disappear into one of the bunkers over there. The little metal door slammed behind him.

Amadashiel observed her. "There are four more reapers and two of your males boarding this cruiser. We're ten all together and there are only eight beds. Are you sharing a room with one of the other males?"

Anniel's jaw dropped. Share her room? She hadn't thought of that. She certainly didn't want to bunk in with Devon and Angel. That would be awkward. They fucked like bunnies.

"Seth," she blurted. "I'll be bunking in with Seth."

Seth was safe. He was practically her baby boy.

Eriel strolled up the ramp and nodded at them before going into the same room Natanael had disappeared into. Abdiel and another dark-haired reaper came in next conversing between themselves. They greeted Anniel and Amadashiel and took the last unoccupied cabin left.

Amadashiel smiled broadly. "That means Ashriel will have no choice but to sleep here with me." Her smile faded. "You don't mind, do you? I won't interfere if you wish to mate him first, though, truth be told, he has enough stamina as a newly fallen reaper to handle us both."

Anniel shook her head. "He's all yours. I have no designs on no one."

Anniel walked to the back of the sleeping level. There was a small lounge there. There was an L shaped couch, a rectangular metal table and a small screen probably for entertainment.

She shoved her carry on next to the couch with a frown. Ashriel was going to sleep with another woman.

Well, not actually sleep with her. They were going to share a room.

Anniel closed her eyes as she sank onto the dark grey couch. This was a mistake. She was going to be miserable the whole trip.

Angel peeked out from her cabin, looking all around until she spotted Anniel.

She emerged from her cabin and took the five steps necessary to reach the tiny lounge.

"Can I see the weapons now?"

Anniel grinned. The girl had a one track mind when her hunky man wasn't around.

"Weapons. I'm pretty sure the black containers outside have some of the stuff, Seth acquired for this trip. Let's go check it out."

They descended the ramps located in the very center of the starcruiser, back down to the outer hangar.

A few paces from the transport, were five large metal containers.

Anniel and Angel approached the black boxes to investigate.

Devon and Seth appeared near them. Devon had a sleeping Jazriel strapped to his chest.

"I'll teleport the rest of our stuff onboard, baby. You take this little man and tuck him in our sleeping cabin."

Angel helped un-strap the baby, and carefully took him into her arms.

Seth waved a hand over the boxes and began walking toward the starcruiser. The boxes followed him, rolling on small wheels.

Anniel crossed her arms over her chest. Now she had nothing more to do.

A strange sound had her turning back. Her eyes widened at the sight of Ashriel approaching, riding Remi's aircycle. Her jaw dropped when she got a really good look at him.

He was dark sensual temptation incarnate. All dressed in black, from the black trench coat covering his wings, to the washed out jeans hugging his mouth-watering thighs. Heavy boots that had buckles running up their entire length encased his calves and feet.

He stopped a few feet from her, his luminous grey eyes staring right at her until he turned the aircycle off and looked down to kick out the stand. His dark hair slid over one shoulder. He'd cut it. 

Anniel stood rooted to the spot, until he frowned.

"Is there something wrong?"

She swallowed and approached him. His eyes widened a bit when she reached up and grasped a handful of his tresses. It was still long, just about an inch past his bulky shoulders. The overhead lights brought out the subtle gold and auburn highlights in his hair.

The pupils of his eyes widened as he licked his lips and dropped his gaze to her mouth.

Anniel let her fingers slide to his neck. The temptation to press against him and kiss him was more than she could stand. He helped by putting his hand to her waist and drawing her forward.

"Annie," he whispered when her breasts touched his chest.

She rested her hand on his thigh and turned her head to lean closer. He reached up and pulled her cap off. It fell somewhere behind her. The warmth of his breath teased her lips.

Her heart beat so hard, she was sure he could hear it, but she didn't care. Her body was aflame for him, her breasts felt achy and she rubbed her thighs together to relieve the throbbing that suddenly arose there.

The silk of his hair engulfed her hand when she stroked the back of his skull. Ashriel turned his head also, aligning their hungry mouths for a kiss.

Her lips barely brushed the petal softness of his, as his hand pressed her tighter. Moisture flooded her mouth in anticipation of the sweet taste of Ashriel's mouth. The memory of it made her sigh, open her lips to his.

"Ashriel," Amadashiel called out, her boots clacking upon the hangar floor.

Both, Anniel and Ashriel startled apart, though Ashriel kept his hold on Anniel's waist.

Still, Anniel stepped away from him, pushing his hand away. Her whole body was shaking and she had to fight the urge to turn and snarl at the girl.

He stared deep into her eyes, his own smoldering with frustrated desire, before he glared at the approaching reaper.

Amadashiel stepped up to him, opposite Anniel. The girl reaper grinned and ran her fingers through his locks. "Now this is the Ashriel I remember." She frowned at his coat before smiling as her hand slipped inside to stroke his bare chest.

Anniel's feral snarl startled all of them, including herself. "Uh, sorry," she blurted clearing her throat and feeling grateful her skin was too dark for them to see the hot flush heating her cheeks. "I just remembered I forgot something important in my quarters."

Ashriel watched her vanish, and grit his teeth as the reaper returned to caressing him. He was hard with frustrated desire for Anniel and had to shake himself out of the stupor he'd been left in when she just disappeared. Amadashiel's hand slid down to press against his erection, making him stand abruptly and dismount the aircycle.

He frowned at her from the other side of the Blade.

"I can take care of that for you, Ashriel," she sighed, licking her pouty lips. "I'd love to just slide my mouth on it, and suck your seed right out of your balls."

Ashriel's mouth dropped open at her lewd suggestion.

She giggled, and then placed her hands on the seat of the aircycle, making her ample breasts swell to the point where they seemed ready to pop out of the X-straps barely covering her nipples. Amadashiel's light brown hair cascaded over her shoulders as she opened her black wings and tilted her ass up in invitation. "Fuck me, Ashriel. I've always dreamed of you fucking me. You're so beautiful. I want you. Here. Now."

He took a step back, and she pouted. "Amadashiel, how could you say such things? If you have no respect for me then at least have some for yourself, child."

The reaper frowned. "I'm not a child, Ashriel." Her wings fanned, lifting her over the aircycle to land right in front of him. To his shock, she gripped his hands and placed them over her breasts. "A little girl doesn't have these."

He tried to jerk his hands away, but she held his wrists hard, and to make matters worse, her eyes filled with tears. "Why don't you want me? I renounced my rank as a reaper because I was in love with you. I needed to get away. I couldn't stand seeing you day after day and know I could never have you, so I renounced."

Shock left him breathless as he gaped at her. "What are you saying?"

Amadashiel released his wrists and wrapped her arms around his neck to press against him. "I served one hundred siglons on Hygantha Four to get away from you. I sold myself into prostitution for another siglon, and just when I thought I had finally gotten over you, you fall from grace. If I'd have known you were weak of flesh, I would've sinned with you—"

Ashriel shoved her away, the horror of being deplumed still fresh in his memory." You don't know what you're saying. Please—"

She gripped him again, her fingers trapping him by his belt to pull his groin against hers. "I don't know any fallen reaper who hasn't dreamed of having you. I had the privilege of seeing you battle against the legion of evil unleashed by the angel of destruction. You were so glorious."

Ashriel frowned and tried to pry her fingers from his belt. "I only did what we are born to do. Kill Devils and Demons. Amadashiel, I am sorry you felt the need to renounce. I never knew you harbored such feelings toward me, but it's just lust."

She grinned again, "Yes. And now I can act upon it. Let's fuck, Ashriel. Right here."

He blinked at her in surprise, his eyes darting up to see a few of the others stowing their cargo into the lower hold. "In plain view of the others?"

"They've seen fucking before. Besides, it excites me more to know I'm being observed."

Ashriel swallowed hard and shook his head. He was at a loss as to what to say.

"Feeling shy?" She laughed, her naughty hand caressing him between his legs again. "God-that excites me even more. I keep forgetting you've only fucked once. You're still practically a virgin for all effects."

If he knew how to teleport, he would have done so by now, but his wings were effectively trapped beneath the heavy trench coat Seth had acquired for him and the girl had her hands all over him. At the moment, she was trying to release his now flaccid cock from his pants.

Ashriel couldn't help but feel accosted. He wanted no one but Anniel's hands on his body, but she'd abandoned him to the unwanted advances of this female.

The sight of a gleaming blade sliding up against Amadashiel's throat had him ceasing all movement.

Angel, Devon's mate wedged her way between him and the female reaper.

"I think the gentleman does not appreciate your attentions, female. Let him go."

Amadashiel's eyes went black. "How dare you. Get away from us and mind your own business."

Angel's tiny hand pressed against his belly, moving him back as she came completely between their bodies. Her white-blonde hair tickled his chest and abs when he circled his arm about her waist and pulled her tight against him. "Angel, put your sword away. You cannot fight a reaper."

He felt her stiffen before she glared up at him over her shoulder. "You've never seen me fight, foolish male. This is between me and this female, so do not interrupt."

Her haughty attitude toward him made his brows shoot up his forehead. He might have been amused except for the fact that Amadashiel was slowly reaching for her own sword.

"Enough," he snapped twirling Angel away before both women began trying to hack away at each other. "If both of you don't cease and desist this show of aggression, you will be banned from this mission."

"She started it by interrupting our foreplay." Amadashiel protested, stabbing a finger in Angel's direction.

"Foreplay to rape," Angel snorted in disgust. "The reaper doesn't want you, mongura-brain."

Amadashiel hissed in rage. Ashriel saw instantly when her muscles tensed to lunge. "Don't," he snapped. "Twitch one more muscle and you stay."

The girl froze, but her scowl deepened.

He released Angel, saw her take one step away before she spun.

Ashriel found himself on his ass, staring up in stunned disbelief into the tiny nymph-like girl's scowling face. Her enormous blue eyes narrowed. "Don't ever tell me I cannot fight a reaper. You're lucky I like you otherwise I'd have handed you your balls."

She kissed his forehead and turned, sashaying her glossy vinyl covered rump to the starcruiser. Devon stood at the edge of the ramp, his eyes full of lust and amusement.

Seth stood blocking his view suddenly. "I need you at the helm. We'll plot the coordinates on this bucket of bolts together." His eyes rose to Amadashiel and frosted over. "You help the others finish stowing away the cargo."

Amadashiel stomped away as Seth offered him a hand.

Ashriel stood and dusted himself off self-consciously. He couldn't believe that tiny girl had set him on his ass in the blink of an eye. She was amazing. "Never under estimate an opponent," he murmured under his breath.

Seth nodded. "She's like nothing you've ever seen, so don't piss her off."

Ashriel took a deep breath. "I'll remember that."

Anniel listened to Angel wide-eyed.

"She had him by his belt with one hand and with the other she was trying to open his pants. The poor Seraph struggled to get her to stop, but she persisted. I couldn't stand it anymore so I intervened."

"Wow, Angel."

"He didn't allow me to kick her ass though-foolish male. He told me I cannot fight reapers. Is that not ridiculous?"

Anniel bit her lips so Angel wouldn't get mad seeing her laugh. "Oh, honey. Yes. That is quite ridiculous. Just because they're twice your height and weight and have deadly wings and divine swords is no reason to think you can't beat them."

"Of course. The bigger they are the faster they go down. Simple physics."

Anniel smirked at her. "It also helps when the opponent is as cute as you are. You look as sweet and innocent as baby kitten."

Angel smirked right back at her. "Devon says I'm sexy."

Anniel rolled her eyes and laughed. "He would. He's your man."

Jazriel began to fuss in his portable crib. Angel rose from the lower bunk where she sat across from Anniel. Pulling down one of the straps to her top, she exposed a pert breast. Already a tiny drop of milk dangled from her nipple. Gathering the baby into her arms, she allowed him to suckle at her breast.

A lump formed in Anniel's throat at the memory of nursing her own child.

Devon strode into the tiny room. "Ah, just in time for dinner I see."

Angel snorted when he bent over to kiss her lips. "Go find your own food. Your son will not let us sleep if you take any of his."

Devon chuckled. "No sharing with papa?"

Jazriel responded by palming Angle's free breast and glaring at his father.

Devon snorted. "I hope your future son is as greedy as you, Jaz. Then you'll see."

Jazriel stopped sucking and offered his palm to his father. Devon leaned over and kissed the baby's hand tenderly, reassuring him that he was not angry. "I love you, son."

Jazriel resumed nursing with a contented sigh. Devon rose enough to look at Angel's mouth hungrily.

Anniel stood, feeling like an intruder in their midst. "I think I'll get myself something to munch on, and find Seth."

Devon turned to wink at her. "He's up at the helm."

Anniel left the small cabin and shut the door behind her. The lighting in the starcruiser was soft, making the exposed metal surfaces glow with a pearly sheen. Across the ramps before her were two more cabins. To her right was the dining galley and to her left was the tiny lounge where she would probably spend sleeping cycle in.

Ashriel would be with that slutty reaper. Would he finally succumb to her charms? The girl was really pretty, sleeker with a small waistline, unlike Anniel who tended to be a thicker girl.

Anniel took a deep breath and stopped growling. She really needed to get a grip on her animalistic side. Her wolf was acting possessive of Ashriel and that just could not be tolerated. She already was pissed off at herself for trying to kiss him earlier. Of all the stupid things she could do that was at the top of her list.

All was quiet. Below, she could see the storage level through the mesh-like ramps that descended into the gloomy darkness. The upper level looked dark too.

Again, she cast her gaze to the cabin next to Angel and Devon's. Could he be in there with her now?

Cursing tightly under her breath, she almost ran up the smaller ramp leading up to the helm above.

It was a tiny bubble-like room with a view screen encircling its entirety. Nothing but the billions of stars in the absolute black of space and the glowing control panel lit the breathtaking sight before her.

Ashriel sat sprawled in the pilot's chair. He'd taken his coat off and his wings draped across the cockpit floor in a languid display of jet feathers. One of his bulky arms rested on the chair's armrest, the other was bent, his fingers stroking his chin. His feet were resting on the edge of the control panel making his abdominal muscles bunch up and pectorals more prominent. Anniel's mouth watered, taking in the tousled dark hair spread over his shoulders, and brooding look on his heartbreaking face.

He turned with a start, noticing her at last. His eyes widened a bit, and then he stiffened and drew himself upright in the pilot's seat.

Anniel flinched when he began to scowl.

Her eyes went to the screen looking for something to say. "I thought we'd be going faster than this? When will we reach the Edenian solar system?"

He leaned back and turned his head to the screen also, giving her the perfect opportunity to admire his strong profile. "We decided to head to the Rhylos sector first. We need to approach the Edenian solar system carefully so as not to raise suspicion."

"Okay. I guess that's a smart thing to do." She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against the railing of the ramp.

Ashriel crossed his ankle over his knee and slouched down a bit as he tapped a few screens on the control panel.

She watched the play of muscles that little action caused and felt her insides quiver.

Fuck. Her heat cycle was really coming up. In a few more weeks, she'd be baying at the stars in agony. If things started to heat up a bit too much, she'd have to bail on this mission. No way was she going to go into full heat on a starcruiser full of horny reapers.

"There seems to be a rebellion taking place there. The government has asked Devon numerous times to help them capture and destroy a creature they claim is half Seraph, half cyborg, who's causing dissention amongst the civilians."

Anniel wrinkled her nose. "Devon doesn't like to stick his nose in those types of problems."

"Neither do I, but It'll be a good excuse to approach the Edenian government for help in the situation. We are to pretend to be emissaries of the Rhylos Kingdom. Everyone knows how the king loves to dally with...prostitutes. They practically run his kingdom. That is why the people are in revolt."

Anniel felt his shame wash over him. Why did he feel so mortified.

Before she could stop herself, she approached him. "Ashriel, you pretty much just awakened a few day cycles ago. Devon can help you so that you don't need to live the way other reapers have."

He turned with a scowl on his face. "I do not want hand outs."

She stopped breathing. He looked so enraged, it left her speechless.

He seemed to pull all that anger back into himself and closed his eyes. With a sigh, he lowered his head, the small movement causing his shorter hair to slip forward and hide half his face. His wings relaxed to spread slowly across the floor.




Dark Angel Ch. 05



Her hands itched to stroke the glossy black angel wings. Anniel stuck them under her armpits and clamped her biceps down hard to avoid falling into temptation. Clearing her throat so that her voice didn't come out husky from the aching desire she felt for him, she said. "Don't be stubborn, Ashriel. We've been doing little jobs here and there that don't involve getting involved in planetary revolutions and we've all banked enough money to last us five life times."

Ashriel suddenly shot to his feet. "And that justifies me accepting your charity?" He stalked closer until he had her cornered against the railing. He put his hands to either side of her, trapping her in place.

Anniel stared up at him. She was a tall girl, but Ashriel, being an even seven feet tall, effectively towered over her. The sight of his wings spreading out behind him had her growling, but not as a threat. His show of dominance brought forth her wolf's need to challenge that dominance.

"You're little show of temper does not frighten me, Beautiful," he rasped, making her want to pant and turn her ass to him in submission.

She bit her lip instead tamping down the urge to whine. He leaned in and gripped the back of her neck. Her knees gave way as he held her to his body. The feel of a stiff cock was not hard to miss. Again, she snarled at him, wanting deep inside for him to take her, bite the back of her neck, and mount her roughly.

The black wings arched over their heads, making him look dangerous, like a dark angel.

His mouth finally took hers.

Anniel clung to him, eating away at his lush mouth hungrily. Their tongues danced and stroked fervently, reacquainting themselves with their heat and taste. Ashriel's other hand circled her waist as he groaned. Anniel, unable to resist, wrapped one leg around his waist wanting to feel his need for her. His hard cock pushed against the seam of her sex, spreading her folds open within the confines of her cargo pants. The thick inner seam of her pants rubbed against her swollen nub making her whimper and arch more into him.

"God-help-me, Anniel. I want you again," he moaned.

"Oh, fuck. Am I interrupting something?" a masculine voice chuckled. "Can I join in?"

Anniel shoved Ashriel away to growl at Abdiel. The blond reaper's eyes widened as he backed away, and raised his hands. "Maybe not, I guess. Please don't kill me... either of you. I'm still a virgin. I really don't want to die a virgin."

"You are an ass," Ashriel snarled.

Anniel shook herself out of the frustrated haze of lust and stomped past Abdiel. He gave her a wide berth despite the ramp to the helm being barely two and a half feet wide.

Down in the second level, she stopped and took a cleansing breath. God- that had been close. What was she thinking, trying to kiss him again? Although, this time he had come at her. Just the memory of it made her want to howl in frustration.

Shaking her head in disapproval, she headed for the small eating galley. Three people would barely fit inside and Seth already sat at one of the stools staring unhappily at a cube of prinut.

Anniel shut the galley door behind her and looked around. The dining galley was very utilitarian. There was a wall of cabinets right across from the door, and metal counters flanked either side of the walls. There was a stool at either counter and nothing else. The floor was covered in some type of rubbery coating that was a dark coal grey.

"The damn food replicator was programmed to spew out this shit," Seth grumbled.

She took a cleansing breath, staring at him. Staring at Seth always helped her get her head back on right.

Her beautiful boy, though he really wasn't a boy anymore. Seth was in his early twenties if you didn't count the three hundred years they were in suspended animation. He'd cut his hair again, but it fell in wispy layers of silvery white around his face and shoulders. His pale blue eyes peered at her through platinum locks but his lashes were dark. She smiled, and cupped his cheek giving him a chaste kiss on the tip of his up tilted nose.

"Let's see if I can find something to make that's better than that, sweetie."

He rarely ever smiled, but she could see the happiness sparkle in his pretty blue eyes and the way his lush lips tilted up just ever so slightly.

On a whim she cupped his face again and kissed his cheek. "Sweet baby."

He did smile that time, but looked down, clearing his throat as his fingers thrummed on the counter. "I'm not a baby."

"You are to me," she said looking through the cabinets before turning to study the menu panel of the food replicator.

Ashriel forced himself to calm. His loins ached terribly, but he was grateful Abdiel had interrupted when he did. If the reaper hadn't, he'd be buried balls deep within Anniel at the moment. The thought made him shudder and stagger back into his chair at the helm. He winced and groaned when his pants squashed his erection.

"Fuck," he hissed spreading his thighs, looking for relief.

Abdiel cleared his throat and scratched his head. "I can get one of the others to help you with that."

"Get out," Ashriel snapped.

Abdiel jumped and took a step back. "Look, I said I was sorry. I'd volunteer, but I want my first time to be meaningful."

Ashriel buried his face in his hands. Meaningful. He barely remembered making love to Anniel. He snorted in disgust. Making love was not what they had done. They had fucked...savagely. He'd woken up with a bloodied, sore cock and muddled memories of her screams of rapture.

His cock twitched again making him wince. "Why the hell are you even here, Abdiel? Why did you leave Seraphia? You did not even formally renounce. They will hunt you down and punish you."

"I'd like to see them try. I'm sick of being a slave to their beliefs."

Ashriel jerked upright and stared at the young reaper. "We weren't slaves."

Abdiel snorted. "Really? Our entire existence was dictated to us. We weren't even allowed to have a normal life like other Seraph's. Our only goal imposed on us was to kill."

Ashriel sighed, palming his erections and wishing it would abate. "We are special, Abdiel. Only we are capable of ridding our realm of evil."

"That's not true." Abdiel approached Ashriel and sank down to his knees before him. "Devon can kill demons and devils, as well as the other Alpha Angels."

"Devon is the son of Davariel. Of course, he'd inherit his father's ability to destroy Demons and Devils, but he is weak to them as well, Abdiel. Never forget that." He looked at the young reaper at his feet. "He battles good and evil internally. If he were ever to lose any of his beloved angels, or his mate, he'd lose what little hold he has on his good nature. His demonic side would take over. Haven't you seen him when he begins to get agitated? The demonic blood within his veins becomes purer, diluting the human. His blood turns black. His veins show beneath his skin and his eyes glow brighter."

"You want to kill him regardless, don't you?"

Ashriel thought hard. No. He didn't think he'd have the courage to kill a man he doubts about, but the alternative was too risky. He firmly believed Devon turning demon would be the end of creation. And it would take too little to tip the scales within Devon.

That brought his thoughts to Lucien.

Lucien was without a doubt just a puppet. But he still had the power to find a powerful virgin to anoint Lucifer's sword and finish his father's task-breaking open the gates of Hell and releasing Satan.

Ashriel looked up at Abdiel. "How many other reapers at Alpha 7 are chaste like you?"

Abdiel bit his lip. "Just me."

Ashriel scowled. "I forbid you to accompany me on the hunt for the dark prince."

Abdiel shot to his feet. "Why the hell not?" He began to laugh. "You think the dark prince will capture me and sacrifice me with Lucifer's sword?"

"He could," Ashriel answered.

"If that were the case, no holy warrior would be able to go up against the dark princes."

"This time is different. Lucien is human and therefore we can't kill him like a Demon or Devil."

Abdiel glared down at Ashriel. "You're not keeping me out of this mission. Dava tried to do the same to me and it didn't work."

Ashriel regarded Abdiel closely. The reaper had been a mere boy when Davariel descended into the anteroom to Hell for the last time. Abdiel had claimed that the angel of destruction had knocked him out so he wouldn't follow him down into the abyss. Apparently, Davariel had cared deeply for the boy, enough to safeguard his innocence from the plentiful orgies that took place at the mansion on Sjoria. Abdiel had no recollection of them and claimed they were evil lies conjured up by those who feared and hated the fallen angel.

Ashriel had also been a boy at that time, even younger than Abdiel, but he'd been thrust prematurely into Gadriel's spot when Davariel killed the high priest on Megdoluc.

Ashriel had later learned that the slain high priest had been molesting Davariel from a very early age. It sickened him to think that something that nefarious could actually happen within the sanctified walls of Angelos.

When Ashriel didn't say another word, Abdiel turned and stomped angrily down the ramp.

Ashriel sighed and leaned down into the chair. Uttering a stiff curse, he unfastened his belt and pants to give himself a bit of relief. He wasn't as hard as before but he still felt uncomfortable.

Relief was instantaneous. For a moment, he was tempted to slip his hand inside and relieve the ache in his balls. He'd never succumbed to masturbating before. His body usually released by itself while he slept to his chagrin. His dreams were always filled with visions of Anniel.

His eyelids began to droop. A small nap wouldn't hurt. He felt exhausted. The craft was on auto-pilot to Rhylos and he knew Seth would come back after having something to eat. He'd been gone awhile.

Seth took another healthy bite out of the sandwich she'd made for him. "Mmm," he growled around a bite. " No one cooks like you."

Anniel laughed. "It's a sandwich, silly. I didn't cook it. I just put it together."

He grinned, making her breath catch. "It's still good."

She reached out and stroked her fingers through his baby fine hair. "You should smile more often, sweetie. You look so handsome when you do."

His smile vanished. "Let's not start that again. I am what I am."

Anniel huffed, not wanting to irritate him. Instead, she kissed his cheek and busied herself with the second sandwich she'd made.

"To bad Ash isn't enjoying one of these. His stomach was rumbling like a beast before. It made me hungry, that 's why I came here."

Anniel looked at Seth, feeling her appetite wither away with the mention of the dark reaper. "Ash was hungry?"

"Very, from what I heard coming from his empty guts. I don't think he ate today. He's into all this fasting stuff. Says it strengthens the spirit." Seth snorted. "Weakens the body if you ask me."

Anniel nibbled the corner of her lip, looking down at her untouched sandwich.

"Why don't you share that one with him since you both like to starve yourselves."

Anniel scowled at him. "I do not starve myself. I go on diets once in a while to keep my shape."

Seth frowned. "There's nothing wrong with your shape, woman. Go feed that reaper."

She snorted at his high-handedness, but grabbed the plate with the sandwich and left the galley.

He was half asleep when the distinct feel of a hot tongue swirled in his belly button. A delicate hand slipped inside his pants and he sighed in bliss. She'd come back to him.

"Anniel," he sighed when a hot mouth engulfed his shaft. He gasped in shock and gripped the armrests of the pilot's chair. She sucked him hungrily, devouring him in fervor. Shaking he lifted his head, feeling himself on the verge of ejaculating and cursing his inexperience. He should last longer. Females wanted men who could hold back their orgasms. Holy fuck...it was nearly impossible. Ashriel opened his eyes, about to beg her to stop when he saw Anniel standing by the ramp with a plate in her hand. Her lip was between her teeth and tears trailed down her cheeks.

"Nooo," Ashriel cried out when his cum jetted into Amadashiel's mouth. "Nooo."



Dark Angel Ch. 06



This ones for you Sweet Rapunzel: 

*

It was instinct, the urge to plant his boot in the reapers chest and shove her away, but he held himself back. She was female, and even though she'd taken advantage of him, he couldn't ever forget a male should never hurt a female.

Again, Anniel disappeared, to his chagrin. She probably hated him now more than ever.

His fingers gripped the armrests of his pilot's chair. "Get off me," he bellowed, startling Amadashiel.

She broke the suction on his dick with a pop. The sensation made him shiver. Still, he covered his spent cock with his palm and glared down at the frightened girl.

"That was just wrong, Amadashiel. How could you? I was asleep."

Her lip trembled and her eyes flooded with moisture. "You were in need and I wanted you," she replied in a voice choked with tears.

He heard boots scuttling up the ramp and turned his head just as a male voice snarled, "You son-of-a-bitch."

Ashriel watched Natanael, Eriel, and Abdiel hold Reiven back. The black-haired reaper fought against them, looking at Ashriel with enraged black eyes.

Ashriel frowned, moving back away from Amadashiel to stand and close his pants.

"Fuck," Seth called out from below. "What the hell is going on?"

Ashriel watched the reapers get Reiven under control. They pulled him down into the lounge area.

He let out a huff of frustration and dismay, looking at his hands and arms. What would his aura look like now? He glared at Amadashiel and caught her smug grin before she carefully schooled her features to look repentant.

Ashriel narrowed his eyes and bared his teeth in rage before gripping Amadashiel by her arm to lead her down the ramp. She dragged her feet and pulled against his hold. He let her go when they stood before the double doorway into the small lounge and scowled down at her. "Explain to me why Reiven wants to kill me now."

She rubbed her arm with a pout and sniffed. "How should I know?"

Ashriel glared at Reiven. By now, Devon had come up behind them, but Anniel was nowhere to be seen.

Reiven was still panting hard, his muscles straining against the hold the other reapers had on him.

"You made her cry, you insensitive prick," Reiven spat.

Ashriel closed his eyes, rubbing his temples at the throbbing pain that was slowly developing there. The foolish reaper obviously had feelings for Amadashiel, but she was oblivious to it. He could understand Reiven quite well. Had the situation been reverse, where he'd walked in on Anniel...he would have wanted blood. Just the thought of her in another's arms made him sick.

For some strange reason, Lucien came to mind.

I'll fucking kill him—Ashriel seethed silently.

"We'll never make it through this mission if we're going to be at each other's throats the whole way through," Seth snapped angrily. He turned to Devon. "We're going to have to switch these two," he pointed at Amadashiel and Reiven. "No way can we continue this way."

Amadashiel winced. "Me? But I didn't do anything," she exclaimed angrily.

"Oh, I think you did plenty," Seth continued, a few tiger's stripes appearing on his arms.

Devon nudged his way forward. Ashriel moved aside letting him through and a strange feeling of peace settled over him.

"Enough, Sethaliel," Devon said, his voice soft, soothing.

Ashriel shook his head with a frown. Devon was using some sort of calming power on all of them—even Reiven relaxed and bowed his head.

"Everyone go back to their cabins." He turned and looked at Seth and Ashriel. "You two go back up to the helm. I'll be up in a bit." He turned to Reiven and Amadashiel. "You two I want to talk to in private."

Devon had opened a portal back into Alpha 7 when she'd come into their cabin, practically breaking the door down.

"I need to get out of here, NOW," she'd shouted in his startled face.

Devon hadn't argued, just pulled out a full-length mirror he'd stowed beneath the lower bunk. He leaned it against the door and whispered an incantation. The surface of the mirror had rippled like water to reveal a gold-colored seating area.

Anniel hadn't asked anything. She just ran into Zak's quarters and fell on the couch, dropping the plate with the sandwich on the seat next to her.

The sight of Amadashiel's mouth swallowing Ashriel's cock was emblazoned in her mind. His head had been tipped back, his eyes closed, his stomach muscles clenching in pleasure. God, he'd looked so beautiful.

Anyone would do for Ashriel, she realized sadly. She couldn't risk her heart to him...she wouldn't fall again. Still, it had kind-of hurt to see him being pleasured by another woman. She'd been his first, though. No one could take that from her. At least she knew he didn't hate her for taking his virginity.

A big warm hand on her shoulder made her jump.

Anniel turned to see Zak sitting behind her. He wore a pair of black drawstring pants, but his feet and chest were bare. His waving golden hair spilled to his lap, and his sapphire eyes looked at her in concern.

"It's barely been three hours. What happened?" he asked.

Anniel crawled into his lap, feeling like an idiot, but the feel of his huge bulky arms around her always soothed her. She laid her cheek on his shoulder and rested her hands over his ropey arms. The scent of citrus and forest that was unique to the golden weredragon wrapped around her, making her sigh.

Zak rested his chin on her head and sighed out loud. She could feel him rifling through her recent memories, but it did not anger her in the least.

"You need to get over your fear of being hurt again," His deep voice rumbled, interrupting the hypnotic lull of his beating heart against her ear.

Anniel frowned. "If I don't let myself get involved I won't get hurt."

She felt his annoyance and impatience with her. Regardless, his hand stroked her back gently. "You're going to spend the rest of your life not allowing yourself to fall in love again?"

Anniel bit her lip. "It's easier that way. Besides, I have all of you." She brushed a kiss to his shoulder, letting the love she felt for him—for all of them—fill her. It was enough. It had to be.

Warmth engulfed her back, and Zak grunted.

"Fuck, Remi, get off," Zak complained.

Remi only chuckled, letting his arms go around Anniel's waist as he pressed up tighter against her back on Zak's lap to kiss her cheek.

Anniel grinned, feeling touched at their attempt to cheer her up.

She felt Remi's power wrap around them. In the blink of an eye, Remi had teleported them onto the furry rug surrounding the fire pit.

She giggled when they toppled in a pile of arms and legs upon the rug.

After a few moments of snuggling into comfortable positions, where she ended up lying half on Remi, half on Zak, she breathed in their combined scents and relaxed once more.

Her cheek was on Remi's chest this time and she absent-mindedly played with one of his nipple rings that peeped out between strands of deep blood-red locks.

She could feel and hear their minds whispering to one another. Remi palmed his face before running his fingers through the mop of his hair.

She tensed, thinking he'd start trying to convince her to accept Ashriel as a mate, but he remained quiet...pensive.

Anniel was not sure that was a good thing either. Remien Fyre was sneaky. Heaven only knew what he was plotting in his insane mind now.

"Shouldn't you be working on Ashriel's Silver Comet?" she asked, hoping to interrupt his dark musings.

Zak chuckled and turned his head to Remi. "I still can't believe you dismantled the whole damn thing."

Remi snickered, making Anniel frown and lift her head to look at both of them.

Remi's lip piercings glinting in the glow of the fire from the pit next to them. "I can't believe it was Seth who disabled the Comet in the first place."

Anniel frowned. "What are you two talking about?"

Zak lifted his blond head to look at her with a grin. "Devon was freaking out because Ash was going to leave."

"So Seth disabled the Silver Comet," Remi finished with a laugh. "I almost like him sometimes."

Zak snorted. "You love that kid, Rem. Admit it."

Remi grimaced. "Uh—no. That would be totally gay, Zak."

Anniel couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Seth disabled the Silver Comet?"

Zak let his head fall back with a nod. He took a deep breath, almost lifting Anniel with his huge muscular chest. "Yeah, but Remi was the one who started pulling it apart."

Anniel looked at Remi in shock.

He scowled at Zak. "Yeah but you were the one who found the Moordian Devil and suggested we teleport her into the Comet."

Anniel's mouth dropped open as she gapped at Zak.

Zak frowned at Remi. "Devon was the one who found her and called us over to take a look at her. He said she'd make a good mascot for us."

"Yeah, but you said—and I quote—oh shit, can you imagine if we were to stick her into Ash's Silver Comet?"

Zak began to laugh. "You gotta admit, his face was priceless."

Anniel frowned down at the pair of laughing weredragons. "Oh-my-god, I can't believe you guys did that...and Devon and Seth. You're like a bunch of brats. How could you?"

"He wanted to leave," Zak protested. "Dev was getting all torn up inside."

"Yeah. I fucking hate when he gets that way. Drives me crazy," Remi murmured rubbing at his chest as if his heart ached.

"What am I missing?" Rowie said, suddenly appearing with her head lying between Remi and Zak's. When both men turned to kiss either side of her cheeks, she fisted their hair and grinned up at Anniel, flashing her dainty fangs.

"Did you know these idiots conspired to keeping Ashriel here on Alpha 7?" When Rowie's grin faded and she stayed looking up at Anniel nibbling the corner of her lip guiltily, Anniel gasped. "You knew?"

Zak barked out a laugh. "Who do you think sang to soothe the Moordian Devil into letting us bring her here?"

"Rowie, you too?" Anniel whined.

Rowie rolled her glittering black eyes. "Okay—yes—I confess. There."

Anniel braced her arms on Zak and Remi's chest to look at all three of them. "I can't believe you guys would do that."

Rowie shrugged, caressing Remi and Zak's tresses. "I kind-of like Ash. He's a sweetheart if you can get past that dark brooding exterior."

Remi frowned at her. "Don't like him too much. You're mine."

Rowie scowled back at him. "Like I can forget with a belly full of baby dragons kicking my bladder around."

Remi grinned and lashed his tongue out to lick her cheek and eye.

Rowie rewarded him by tugging his hair hard, making him yelp. His hips arched and Anniel felt the hard evidence of his arousal against her hip.

"I don't know why you insist on keeping him here if he doesn't want to stay," Anniel huffed in frustration.

Zak frowned. "Maybe it's got something to do with Devon not wanting Ash to have to whore himself out to survive for the rest of his life."

Anniel closed her eyes remembering Ashriel's refusal to accept credits from them. Again, guilt weighed heavily on her shoulders...though, if Remi hadn't given them Liquid X, Ashriel would still be on Seraphia...still trying to hunt Lucien down.

She let her head droop down until it rested on Rowie's forehead. Hands caressed the back of her head.

"It'll all work out, Annie," Rowie sighed.

Ashriel took the co-pilot's chair this time. Seth checked the coordinates of their destination and then turned back to watch Ashriel.

His silent regard had Ashriel clenching his teeth until he had to glare up at him. "What?"

Seth frowned back. "You couldn't tell it wasn't Annie sucking your dick?"

Ashriel slammed his hands down on the armrests of his chair. "No. I was asleep. It was dark. I woke up confused."

Seth rubbed one finger over his lips. "You need to open up your mind, develop your powers more."

"I don't see how that would have made any difference."

Seth snorted, shaking his head. "If you were linked to her...to us, you wouldn't have had a doubt of who approached you, even if you were asleep. You'd know exactly what Annie feels like telepathically."

Ashriel opened his mouth, but closed it, unsure of what to say. He looked away. Power to him was something undesirable, to be used minimally. He only needed a few skills and his innate power to kill devils and demons. Anything else was unnecessary.

Ashriel tapped his fingers on the chair's armrests, thinking. "Can I...can I just link to her?"

He glanced up to see Seth's lips twitch. "If you link to her, you'll tap into us. We're all closely linked. We don't really hear each other's thoughts, but we feel each other's emotions."

Ashriel licked his lips. Dare he ask? Did he really want to know? "What does she...feel for me?"

Seth remained silent. "She could be yours, Ash. There's just so much baggage between the both of you."

Ashriel frowned. "Baggage?"

Seth nodded. "Garethiel really did a number on her. She lost her child and her whole family." Seth took a deep breath. "And you want to kill Lucien."

Ashriel felt anger stir. "Why is Lucien so important to her?"

Seth's impassive face showed no hint of emotion. "Luke is important to all of us."

"I don't understand," Ashriel asked, shaking his head.

Seth closed his eyes briefly before opening them and revealing...sorrow? "I was the one who ran Lucien through with my sword. I killed him...or thought I did." Seth eyes blazed brightly in the darkness of the helm. He turned away briefly and whipped at a cheek. Ashriel felt shocked, realizing that the weretigri wept quietly. "There wasn't a day I didn't regret what I did," he finally said in a low voice. "Luke was like a big brother to me. I had to...do what I did. He'd run Devon through with a sword and was going to rape Angel. I was blinded by rage, running on instinct. I thouht he'd killed Dev."

"Didn't he try to use you as the virginal sacrifice?"

"Yes, but the demons were forcing him to do it. Half the time, he wasn't even coherent. He was like possessed or something. If he didn't sacrifice me, they would have tortured and killed me anyway. He figured he was doing me a favor." Seth rubbed his face with both hands as if trying to erase some horrid memory. "You have no idea what they do to him—what was done to him since he was just a little boy."

Ashriel took a deep breath, remembering Davariel's memories, the horrors he suffered at the hands of the demons.

"I have an idea," Ashriel admitted.

Devon walked up the ramp and sat across from Ashriel and Seth.

His inky black hair virtually disappeared in the gloomy interior of the helm. Just his eyes glowed in his inhumanly white face. He was both beautiful and terrifying.

He crossed his ankle over his knee and slouched down in the chair.

Ashriel glared at him when he remained quite. Both men just stared at him.

"Are you just going to sit there and look at me?" Ashriel growled glaring at both of them.

"What are you going to do about Anniel?" Devon finally asked bluntly.

Ashriel blinked at him a few times before frowning. "What am I supposed to do about her? She probably hates me now after what she just saw. Where is she by the way?"

"On Alpha 7," Devon answered.

Ashriel felt gut punched. "W-what? B-but how?"

"I opened a portal and let her go back."

Ashriel felt disappointment slice through him. "I see." It was worse than he thought. She'd gone back to the space station, obviously not wanting to see his face anymore.

"In a few minutes I'll bring her back," Devon added. Ashriel snapped his gaze back up to his face. "We need her for the mission, remember? Unless you really want to be sold as a whore?"

Ashriel remembered the pretext they were going to use to get into the palace. Anniel would pose as an ambassador looking to have a little fun and relaxation on Rhylos and she was to purchase a little entertainment in the planet's black market festival. Ashriel and the others were to pose as her merchandise.

"Talk to her," Seth said.

Ashriel took a deep breath. "What am I supposed to say?"

"Anything. Just don't leave things the way they are," Devon answered.

"She'll act like nothing's happened, but confront her. Make her talk."

"She'll be angry," Ashriel gulped.

"That's good," Devon said drawing his attention.

Ashriel snorted. "Good?"

Devon's eyes narrowed. "Better than her not feeling anything at all."

"True," Seth sighed.

Anniel used her hygiene unit and changed her clothes. Despite Devon's urgings to return to the starcruiser, she spent the rest of the day with Alluna and Zak. Poor Alluna's feet were swollen and her back constantly ached. Zak doted on her like a mother hen.

Finally, she sighed, seeing Devon's reflection in the dark glass wall that looked out to space.

"Annie," he said softly, his arms crossed over his sculpted chest.

"Oh, okay," she huffed.

Zak was massaging Alluna's feet when she bent to kiss the girl on her cheek. "Take care, honey," she sighed and then gave Zak a peck on his cheek too.

She shuffled reluctantly toward Devon and the rippling glass.

Stepping through the portal Devon opened was like walking through gel. It was hard to breathe and even see, but the sight of his glowing eyes and power wrapping around and drawing her closer helped soothe the hint of fear. He'd always warned them never to look to the sides when traversing a portal. She'd never asked why, just kept her eyes on him—always.

On the other side of the portal, she was hit with the familiar metallic scent within the starcruiser and the soft hum of the engines. She'd changed into her drawstring shorts and clingy white tank top. Generally, she slept in the nude, but that was so not happening in this starcruiser.

Anniel stared longingly at the lower bunk in Devon and Angel's cabin.

"Coward," Devon taunted, making her scowl at him.

Anniel sniffed indignantly and marched past him. She opened the door and closed it behind her, clenching her teeth when she heard him chuckle.

Swallowing hard, she stared out into the dimly lit second level. Everything was quiet, the overhead lighting low to signal night cycle. The lounge to her left was in complete darkness and she made a mad dash for it. Last thing she wanted or needed was to run into Ashriel. That would be awkward...and a little humiliating.

The minute she stepped into the dark lounge, she made out the dark shape on the couch before the familiar scent hit her.

Still, Anniel yelped in surprise when Ashriel rose from the sofa like the dark angel he was. His grey eyes locked on her and his black wings lifted, making her take a step back. Before she could take another step, he grabbed her. She lifted her hands to hold him at arms length, but forgot her intentions when her fingers made contact with the hot silky skin of his chest.

"Oh-god," she moaned, squeezing the delicious bulge of muscles under her hands.

His hands slipped around her waist, pulling her against him. With her heart pounding almost out of her ribs, Anniel tipped her head back and licked her lips. Her entire being lit with desire as she parted her lips in anticipation of his kiss, but Ashriel turned his head to rest his chin on her shoulder. He sighed in contentment as his arms squeezed her tight.

A hug?

The memory of Amadashiel devouring his cock taunted her, and frustrated confusion turned into indignation.

She pressed her lips into a grim line and patted his bulky shoulders. "Alright, Romeo. You can let me go now."

He lifted his head to look down at her.

"I was asleep," he growled.

She frowned and pushed against his chest. "Well I'm sorry I disturbed you," she spat in irritation. "Let me go and I'll leave you to your sleep."

"That's not what I meant," he replied tightly. "I was sleeping when she...I didn't know—I was confused, Anniel."

She struggled in his arms, but he held her tight. "You owe me no excuses, Ashriel. Whoever you let suck your dick is no concern of mine," she hissed.




Dark Angel Ch. 06



She let out a squeak of surprise when he lifted her and tossed her on the couch. Anniel found herself caged beneath him and let out a snarl of warning.

Ashriel growled back surprising her. "Don't tell me you don't care. It's not true. You lie, Anniel."

She opened her mouth to tell him off, but he shut her up by crushing his mouth to hers.

Her hands fisted his dark hair. The kiss was brutal, angry, hungry. Inside, her wolf howled in lust, making her growl into his mouth. She tasted blood, felt him wince and let him go. He didn't go far. His hot breath fanned her lips.

"Anniel," he whispered.

She swallowed, and caressed his cheek. His mouth claimed hers again, but this time his lips teased hers soft as butterfly's wings. A sweet ache twisted her heart and her belly quivered. She could feel herself go heavy and liquid between her legs. Anniel arched into him.

"Sleep with me, Anniel," he whispered.

Her eyes widened. Did he mean sleep as in curl up together and sleep, or as in...have sex?

He straightened and pulled her up. "Come with me."

Sliding his fingers through hers, he led her toward the ramp.

His wings were pulled back as if in prayer and his bare feet padded on the metallic mesh ramp down into the dark storage area.

Anniel did her best to keep her eyes anywhere other than on his low-slung, black, drawstring pants. His bronzed torso was sinfully exquisite, so it was damn near impossible. He was definitely brawnier than Zak. The position of his wings made the sweet double dimples over the swell of his ass all the more noticeable. She bit her lips, wishing she could bite one of his cheeks instead. Good thing he held her hand because she really just wanted to grab...

He swung around and crowded her. "You're so quiet. What are you thinking? Please tell me, Anniel," he begged.

Her jaw dropped. Oookaaay. With a shrug, she replied. "I want to grab your fabulous ass."

Ashriel gaped at her. Just as she felt heat begin to rise into her cheeks at her blunt—but truthful—answer, he threw his head back and began to laugh.

It was deep, rich and beautiful. Anniel hadn't heard such a lovely sound since her baby had first giggled. Her eyes watered and she felt something within her heart melt a bit.

Oh-no.

He took her hand again and finished leading her down into the storage area.

It was dark, but since she was part wolf, she was able to make out the rows of shelves and caged compartments. Behind the ramp was an illuminated area.

Ashriel smiled down at her. It was a sight to behold, seeing him smile. She looked away, unable to bear it. She had a lump in her throat and the urge to turn and just throw her arms around him was making her realize she was getting angel-struck—big time.

Not-again-not-again-not-again—she kept chanting in her head.

"I fixed myself a place to rest back here. I hope you like it," he was saying, his voice so velvety deep—it gave her chills.

He led her to a softly lit corner between two tall racks of equipment. The bedding was bowl-shaped, and had to measure over fifteen feet wide.

"That's huge," she said looking at him wide eyed.

"A Seraph needs huge, Anniel," he replied slowly spreading his wings open.

She gulped, staring at the midnight feathers. Each filament shimmered blue-black in the glow of the fire stones piled to one side of the bed. He extended one to her and she reached for it, unable to resist.

The texture was silky soft, but the center vein of each feather was hard as steel. They were more than warm. They were hot to the touch. Ashriel shivered and closed his eyes. His breathing increased, and his flesh pimpled with goose bumps.

Her eyes automatically dropped down to his crotch, but it was too dark to see if he was becoming aroused.

He moved, circling around her and dropped down into the bowl-shaped bedding on the floor. His wings spread beneath him and he lifted his arms.

"Join me."

Anniel stared. His wings took up every inch of the bed. He smiled and patted the underside of one of his wings.

"Lie here."

"Th-that won't hurt? I mean—"

"It won't hurt me, Anniel. Come."

Her eyes swept over the sight before her. His knee was up, probably covering an erection, but the flimsy pants were low enough to show the sexy V of his groin. Ashriel's muscled gut framed a delicate navel, and his bulging pectorals were the perfect pillows for his beaded light brown nipples. His arms bulged from him supporting his upper body on his elbows and his hair was a sable fall of silk over one shoulder. Ashriel was a reaper, a death angel. She knew this, but his eyes...his glowing grey eyes were very much like wolf eyes, pale with silver and black flecks, highlighted even more by the black ring circling the whole iris.

As if all that masculine beauty weren't enough, it was all framed by a pair of jet-black wings—fifteen feet from tip to tip. A dark angel of temptation.

"Anniel," he whispered, making her realize she was just standing there, staring like an angel-struck idiot.

Toeing off her slippers, she stepped over the lip of the round mattress. Her second step had him rising a bit to take her hand. He pulled her down.

"Are you sure?" she asked, panicked, even as her knees sank into luxurious black feathers.

His only answer was to pull her next to him until her body rested flush to his, with his arms tight around her. Anniel stared up wide-eyed into his face. Beneath her body, she felt the heat and pulse of his blood. His whole wing pulsed like a heart.

"Oh-god," she whispered. She was lying in the arms of an angel.

Ashriel's hair slid forward, almost covering half his face as he leaned closer to trace one finger gently over her cheek. She shivered when he ran the tip around her lips and then down her throat.

"I have loved you for over three siglons, Anniel," he whispered. "I never dreamed I could have you in my arms this way."

She gaped at him. He loved her? His face blurred and she realized it was because her eyes were tearing.

Anniel cupped his cheeks. His mouth was red and a little swollen from their harsh kiss earlier. Her tears fell faster. He loved her.

Did he?

She began to shake her head, not wanting to believe him, but he leaned down and captured her mouth.

His tongue stroked hers and she arched against him, wanting to get closer. His scent filled her nostrils. She couldn't decide what he smelled like exactly, but it reminded her of wind and rain—a tempest waiting to be unleashed.

Anniel threw one leg over his hip and immediately felt his jutting erection press into her belly. The snarl erupted from her throat before she could stifle it. She felt herself clench deep inside and heat engulf her entire being.

She needed to mate—now—and showed her frustration by biting his shoulder, hard.

Ashriel moved suddenly. The action caused her to be tossed over onto her stomach.

She would have growled at him, but he shocked her by caging her beneath him and then proceeding to take a firm hold of the back of her neck with his teeth.

Anniel didn't know death angels could growl, but Ashriel's vicious snarl had her mouth dropping open and her ass rising in submission.

Her whole body shook with the uncontrollable desire to be fucked by him. If he didn't, she'd howl in misery. As it was, she was already whimpering pathetically.

She felt his hand grip her shorts and material tore. Her tank top was the target of his destructive hands next. Her double D breasts burst free of the soft material to hang heavy and achy. 

Anniel panted and stared straight ahead, blinking at the wall a few inches away. He moved a bit behind her, but never released his hold on her neck. She was so turned on by his show of dominance, she was about to combust. God—Zak was going to laugh his ass off when he found out.

All thought ceased when she felt the unmistakable feel of the head of his cock push against her needy hole.

She spread her thighs and finally howled when he thrust into her. She was so wet, he sank in without much trouble, though the fit was exquisitely snug.

It got hot—literally. He began to fuck her in long hard strokes, his wings fanning waves of heat over them.

"Oh—god—yes," he panted finally releasing her neck. "Brace yourself."

It was all the warning she got. He leaned over her, gripped her double D's and really began to fuck.

"Shit," Anniel hissed, gripping the rounded lip of the mattress.

His teeth went into her shoulder this time with a snarl as his cock kissed her womb. It made her writhe in erotic agony. The feel of his hot body undulating sensuously over hers, the hard smack of his hips against her ass had her coming apart in seconds, to her shock.

Ashriel covered her mouth when she screamed and howled at the same time.

His body tensed. She felt his hard muscles as he continued to slam his hips against her ass even faster. His breath panted next to her ear.

She could feel his heavy balls pounding against her engorged clit and screamed into his hand again when another orgasm ripped through her body. Her whole body convulsed around him and he growled. His wings fanned faster, making a sound similar to thunder. It would have terrified her, but she was too busy coming again.

His wings suddenly went stiff, his teeth sank into her shoulder as his hands gripped her breasts again with bruising intensity. His roar mingled with her howl. As she quivered around his hard prick, she felt him pulsing deep inside her—hot jets bathing her insides, sending a shiver all throughout her being. The stones seemed to burn brighter for a moment as she panted, and suddenly she couldn't hold herself up anymore.

They collapsed to the mattress. Ashriel held the weight of his body with his forearms and thighs. Inside, she felt him still rock hard.

His body quivered and his cock jerked deep within her. If she didn't know any better, she'd think he wanted another go. She needed at least five minutes of recovery time, because she was about to have a heart attack.

He moved and she had to bite the mattress beneath her to keep from shouting out how good he felt.

"Did I hurt you?"

Anniel could only whimper.

"I'm sorry for my lack of experience."

She couldn't help but give a breathy laugh. "Trust me. I couldn't tell." He fucked like a machine. No experience needed.

Again, his cock quivered, making her gasp. She was suddenly hungry for him once more and raised herself a bit. Looking over her shoulder, she gasped when she saw his eyes had gone black, no whites showing.

"Why are you in kill mode?"

He blinked, and shook his head slowly. "I-I...don't know. I just feel so..."

His cock jumped hard inside her and he bit his lip hard with a sigh. Ashriel was extremely aroused. His body shivered with it.

And she wanted him again.

Anniel squeezed the muscles in her pussy, making him pull his lip back to show his teeth in a sexy snarl seconds before he was thrusting again.

His wings fanned furiously, and the sound of his hips slapping her ass was loud. He grabbed her boobs again and she arched her back to offer him her ample breasts and ass for his pleasure.

He flipped her over, making her squeak in surprise when he grabbed her ankles to hold her legs straight up and spread wide. Her ass left the mattress.

Anniel wiggled her toes, her mouth still open from the surprise move. Ashriel's torso gleamed with sweat, and his hair was a wild mess over his face. Despite his bronzed coloring, he still looked pale compared to the rich dark brown of her skin. His pounding hips made her big breasts bounce wildly. His eyes were on hers, though, black and glittering. He looked terrifying and beautiful with his wings beating behind his undulating body. Anniel fell apart again, her body arching up into a sensual bow. As she panted out the last of her orgasm, she looked down to see him as if frozen, wings held stiff, body taut, mouth open before he shivered and cried out in completion. He filled her again with his hot seed. Her womb drank him down greedily.

His head was still thrown back, his chest heaving with his labored breath...his dick still solid steel. He shivered and growled. He began to move, but slow this time. Anniel clawed at the bedding, feeling so sensitive. She whimpered, but still bucked slowly against his thrusts. Ashriel lowered his head, his eyes had gone back to grey, but the pupils were so wide they still looked black. Turning his head to the side, he ran his hand up her leg, to her foot, before letting his tongue lick up her instep. It made her scream in pleasure, and squeal some more when he began to suck her toes until she came gloriously around him. His eyes glittered with male satisfaction at her pleasure.

He released her legs and lowered his sweat slicked torso on her. Gripping her wrists, he pulled her hands over her head, pinning her completely. Again he began to rock hard and rough into her.

Anniel wrapped her legs around his waist, crossing her ankles so that her feet rested against his fabulous ass. They bared their teeth at one another and moved more frantically. 

"I love you, Anniel," he snarled.

And she came, hard, soul shattering, with him following in her wake. She was sobbing by now, feeling that...her heart belonged to him. He'd taken it...completely.

And he would probably destroy it now. She wanted to hate him. Why? Why did he have to ensnare her heart again? It had taken her so long to get over Garethiel. And here she was again—fucking his twin brother. Her stupidity knew no bounds.

Anniel sobbed so hard, he was terrified of having hurt her. His dick still ached to continue plowing into her, but maybe she'd had enough. Shame filled Ashriel. He had wanted to court her first, lay down a foundation of trust and mutual respect—something to build a lasting relationship on. He'd intended to just sleep with her.

He rocked her in his arms. His cock was still embedded within her tight heat. It made him quiver.

His good intentions had gone way off course.

"Annie, please," he begged. "Did I hurt you?"

She hiccupped against his chest and murmured something. Ashriel frowned. It sounded as if she'd said "no, but you're going to."

That couldn't be right. It didn't make sense. She continued to hiccup, but her sobs grew quiet. Ashriel remained mute, not knowing how to comfort her. He was loath to pull out of her. He didn't want to, but knew he must. He'd keep fucking her if he didn't. The weakness of a newly fallen reaper.

Her body grew more pliant against him and except for the occasional hiccup, her breathing evened out.

She'd fallen asleep.

Biting his lip, he withdrew from her. Sliding his still erect cock from her clinging warmth was the hardest thing he ever had to do. A flood of semen poured from her well loved sex. He stared down at her lush curves. Her reddish brown hair spilled over the pale grey bedding in shimmering waves. He wiped the wet tear stains from her cheeks and let his eyes take in the beauty of her full breasts. The nipples were still drawn tight and were much darker than her mocha skin. He hadn't even tasted them this time, just rutted her like a horny beast. Her tummy was tight, muscles delineating her abs between her cinched waist before swelling out to wide, curved hips. Her satiny legs were shapely and long, her feet delicate and her toes painted an outrageous shade of hot pink that made him smile. God—she was breath-taking...exotic.

His hands itched to touch and stroke.

Rising abruptly to his feet before he sank his face between her legs, he made his way to the ramp leading to the second level.

Eriel and Natanael looked up at him when he approached. They both stood and sheathed their swords.

"Why were your swords out?" Ashriel asked.

They both looked at each other before Natanael answered with a shrug, "You said kill whoever tries to come down here."

Ashriel rolled his eyes.

"That's it?" Eriel frowned. "You only fucked her for about an hour."

Ashriel frowned. "I still ache, but..." He remembered her tears.

"We can go for days, but some species of humanoids can't fuck for that long," Natanael said, running a silver wand over a strand of his hair, turning it purple.

"I'm afraid of hurting her," Ashriel admitted. "She cried at the end. That's why I stopped."

"Cried?" Eriel asked with a worried expression.

Ashriel nodded, feeling guilt tear him apart inside.

"Did you say anything to her before she started crying?" Natanael asked.

Ashriel swallowed. "I told her I loved her," he replied in a low voice.

Eriel and Natanael began to chuckle.

"She became emotional. Don't worry." Eriel assured.

"She really has feelings for you too, otherwise she wouldn't have gotten emotional," Natanael added.

Hope soared within Ashriel. "You think so?"

Both reapers nodded.

Ashriel smiled, but then frowned. He still had to kill Lucien. She would hate him then.

His shoulders slumped.



Dark Angel Ch. 07



Sorry it took me so long to post this chapter, but life as usual had me away. Hope you like it,and please don't forget to give me your opinion which I apreciate more than the actual votes. ;)

*****************

Chapter Seven

Anniel startled awake and tried to sit up, but she was wrapped in a heavy blanket—a blanket made of black feathers. She frowned and gasped when muscular arms pulled her back against a sculpted chest. Against her ass, she felt a hard cock.

She couldn't help the groan that erupted from her lips when teeth nipped the back of her neck. Without even thinking, her hips automatically tilted back in invitation.

Ashriel gripped her leg and draped it over his hip, opening her. Excitement zipped through her at the hard male feel of him.

"Ash, baby," she whispered with a shiver when his hand slid up her belly to cup one full breast. Immediately his fingers trapped her tight nipple and pulled making her gasp with pleasure.

Anniel turned to gaze into his smoldering grey eyes as he pressed the head of his cock against her wet slit. His sable hair was sleep tousled, but his expression was anything but, sleepy. He bit his lip and arched into her.

She felt swollen, throbbing, her pussy resisting his penetration for a moment. He slid his other hand up her ribcage to palm her breast and pinch her nipples, making her writhe against him. She whimpered when he gripped her harder, trying to force his way inside.

Anniel clenched her teeth, feeling almost as if she were giving birth backwards. Seraphs were built bigger, thicker—a foot long cock to go with their seven foot statures.

"Ah—god—it feels so good," she panted, wiggling her hips, desperate for his penetration.

It burned for a moment making her whimper, but then the head popped past her protesting opening. When he finally began to fill her, she cried out in bliss, "Oh, Ashriel, yes, fuck me."

He rolled them over until she lay on her tummy with him draped over her back. His thighs shoved hers apart and his hands gripped her wrists, effectively pinning her. His wings began to flutter in excitement.

Anniel panted and moaned, unable to do anything but lie there and let him fuck her, which he was doing quite exuberantly. He was so thick, she felt him dragging against every sensitive nerve within her quivering channel. Her body began to tense up. She wanted to move, but all she could do was tilt her ass up and feel his weight press down hard on her. His knees widened more, making her own legs ache from how wide he was spreading her. She felt him angle his hips back and her eyes gaped when his cockhead began rubbing something brutally exciting deep inside. Anniel opened her mouth, unable to breathe, unable to think, just feel. Her nails dug into the bedding and her lungs felt ready to explode as a pleasure so intense threatened to make her black out. When Ashriel bit the curve between her neck and shoulder, her body convulsed and she howled in rapture. A second howl erupted on the heels of the first one when he rammed harder, making her clit rub back and forth against the mattress, evoking a second orgasm much stronger than the first.

Heat shot up into her, filling her. Ashriel groaned, his hips jerking in short hard thrusts, so tight, so deep, his tip forcing his scalding seed into her womb to overflowing.

"I need you, Anniel," he growled, his cock still working in and out of her.

She could feel his cum bathing the bud of her clit in a warm trickle, overflowing from her womb. It felt so good she clenched around his plunging shaft. She heard his sharp intake of breath and felt the hot splashes of more seed deep within her. Anniel bit her lip and arched her back, letting him fill her again.

He was possessing her completely. The wet sound of her pussy being stuffed with his cock had her mouth watering. She turned her head, searching for his mouth and was rewarded with a deep tongue-filled kiss. Her body spasmed with another toe-curling orgasm, milking his cock as he filled her yet again.

Her head dropped on the bed as she panted, reveling in the glorious feel of Ashriel plowing into her with no restraint. She already knew when he was about to come because his beating wings would falter, and when he did spill, his abdominal muscles would clench, his body quiver and his wings stiffen straight back. His deep groans and snarls of pleasure in her ear had her biting her lips. Her throat was already sore from howling so much and her body completely spent, but, still, he managed to wring orgasm after orgasm from her, until she finally blacked out from so much pleasure.

*** 

The light, though dim, was enough to awaken her. Before opening her eyes, she sniffed and the scent of sex hung heavy in the air.

Anniel opened one bleary eye and saw a wall of shelves filled with mesh crates containing various pieces of equipment.

She closed it again with a whimper. Had she actually let Ashriel take her down into the storage level and let him fuck her within an inch of her life? She winced when she closed her still spread legs. Her whole body felt sore.

"Oh, yes you did, girl," she sighed. A warm flow of fluid let her know she was leaking enough Seraphian sperm to populate another planet.

Anniel cursed inwardly.

Now she had to crawl up the ramp and use Devon and Angel's hygiene unit. That meant facing the morning after.

Had he actually said he loved her?

She snorted, running a hand through her disheveled hair. He'd probably blurted it out in the heat of the moment.

A lump formed in her throat.

Oh-no-you-don't, girl—she thought angrily, blinking away her tears. She refused to shed one more tear for a man. She'd fucked him. She'd face the consequences with her big girl panties on.

Her gaze lit upon her shredded clothing, noting that her big girl panties had been decimated by the sexy reaper last night. She groaned, closing her eyes.

"Up, Anniel," she told herself.

Anniel winced when she sat up. The bedding next to her was still warm from his heat, but he was nowhere in sight.

She grimaced at the sticky feel between her thighs, but then hunger hit fast and hard, pushing away all other thought.

Luck was with her when she rushed up the ramp and into Angel and Devon's cabin—no Ashriel in sight. Ignoring Devon and Angel's grunting and panting on the upper bunk, she just headed into the hygiene unit and leaned her head against the wall as the cleansing beams engulfed her.

Behind her, Angel cried out and Devon growled, marking their conjoined climax. It wouldn't be the first time Anniel saw or heard them in the throes of passion, so it didn't faze her in the least. She had her own problems to worry about.

She needed clothes, but her carry on was still out in the lounge, stuffed beneath the couch. Maybe she could send Dev out to get it. They were quiet now, so they'd probably finished having their morning sex.

She felt his presence behind her and turned her head to stare into his face a foot away from hers.

His eyes took her in from head to toe before settling with disturbing intensity on her face again. Behind him, she could see Angel still sprawled out on her back, trying to catch her breath.

Anniel's stomach growled, and she looked away from them as her lip beaded in sweat. She began to shake and placed her hand over her stomach.

She saw what Devon was thinking clearly. Her belly swollen with child...Ashriel's child.

Anniel shook her head, trying to dispel the image. "It can't happen that fast, Dev. It took me almost six months to get pregnant from Garethiel."

He didn't say a word.

Not wanting to look him in the eye, she pushed past him.

She closed her eyes and tried to visualize her carry on. Concentrating, she willed it to her. It moved a little. Anniel huffed in frustration.

Devon's power flowed over her, reaching to her bag until it appeared right before her.

She frowned down at the carry on. Seth had always pestered her to work on her powers since awakening from suspended animation, but she'd done absolutely nothing to strengthen herself.

Jazriel began to fuss in his crib and she watched Devon, still stark naked, walk over to the crib.

She turned her eyes away from the sight of his jet-black hair spilling down the middle of his back and tight ass to dig through her belongings. There was nothing but silence as she pulled on a black tank top, panties, and cargo pants She could feel their eyes on her, even the baby

Her face heated up remembering how loud she'd howled...and how many times. Her and Ashriel's sexual marathon must've had the entire starcruiser up all night.

Slipping her feet into her boots, she pressed the closing button to allow the straps to tighten around her ankles and legs.

Taking a deep breath, she finally faced Devon and Angel.

"Good morning," she breathed out shakily.

One of Devon's brows shot up as he smirked. Angel just looked worried. Jazriel sucked his thumb looking at her blankly as he played with a lock of his daddy's silky hair.

Anniel pulled her shoulders back, stuck her chest out, and with her chin up, she stalked out of the cabin.

The dining area was to her right. She grinned when she found it empty and began looking to see what she could prepare for herself and Seth. She always made Seth breakfast.

As she punched in ingredients and directives, a bronzed, heavily muscled arm wrapped around her waist. She gasped when her hair was gripped gently and her head turned.

Ashriel covered her mouth with his, his tongue pushing into her mouth demanding a response. His hard erection rested against the seam of her ass and he did not hesitate to roll his hips against her.

Anniel arched back against him, the area between her legs growing moist and hot for him.

"I want to take you right here—right now," he growled against her lips, his hands already stealing under her top to stroke her breasts possessively.

Suddenly the image of Seth walking in on them made her panic. Seth was no virgin, but she'd raised him from a cub and it would just feel awkward to be caught being plowed by Ashriel in the dining room.

She wiggled and tried to pry his huge hands from her boobs. "Not here. We can't fuck here."

He would not release them though. "Why?" he asked.

Her stomach grumbled, embarrassing her. Ashriel stepped away, turning her to face him. He was a sight. His lips were reddened from their kisses and soft, his grey eyes dark with passion. He lifted one hand, his finger stroking back a lock of her hair tenderly. "You're hungry."

Her stomach growled again, and she pressed her hands over it, feeling her cheeks grow warm.

Ashriel smiled. "Prinut is very nutritious."

Anniel frowned. "It's gross."

The machine behind her dinged and the smell of food had her turning to retrieve the plates of food.

Food. God—she was starving.

Ashriel backed away, giving her space.

Pancakes, bacon, an omelet with onions, peppers, ham, tomato and cheese, buttered biscuits, hash browns, and a pitcher of ice-cold orange juice filled the counter before her.

"You're going to eat all that?"

Anniel looked over her shoulder at his shocked face. "Try to stop me."

Remembering to divide everything in half to share with Seth, She grabbed her platter and turned.

"Let me help you," Ashriel said taking the food from her. She almost snarled at him, but tamped it down.

He turned and headed toward the lounge. Setting the platter down on the table before the couch, he took a seat next to her.

Anniel barely noticed when Seth came down from the helm, the scent of food luring him. He peered in on her and Ash before walking toward the dining area.

After she'd wolfed down almost half the food, she remembered Ashriel.

She looked up into his face. He stared at her wide-eyed, making her feel embarrassed. She was stuffing her face like a pig.

"Want some?" she offered around a mouthful of pancakes.

His eyes lowered to the food. "I...shouldn't," he whispered.

Anniel remembered what Seth had said about Ashriel's tendency to fast. Her heart clenched wondering if he did it to punish himself. Shame filled her when she realized she hadn't even offered him anything. Had he even eaten this morning?

Without thinking twice, she offered him a bite of omelet.

Ashriel's grey eyes looked into hers a few seconds before he opened his lips.

She fed him the bite of omelet, and then offered him a bit of the sausage.

She forgot her hunger, or perhaps she felt sated, because she became fascinated with feeding him, watching his white teeth close on the fork as she pressed it passed his lush lips.

He seemed so sweet, his eyes on her face as she fed him, it made her want to cry.

When she offered him orange juice, the bob of his Adam's apple had her almost groaning. She wanted to sink her teeth into that sexy throat.

Ashriel licked his lips and stared at her. Anniel growled and leaned forward, needing to kiss him more than taking in her next breath.

The sight of Seth standing in the doorway made her jump.

"Everything okay, Sweetheart?" she asked him.

Ashriel scowled and turned to look at Seth.

"Don't mean to interrupt, but the princess from Utuduo already contacted us. She should be here in about half an hour for rendezvous."

"Right," Anniel sighed. She'd forgotten Angel and she were to board the Utuduodian royal vessel for the final approach to Rhylos. Ashriel and she would be separated for a day. "Half an hour, baby. Got it."

Seth nodded and left. He was always virtually expressionless, but there was some emotion in his eyes that made her want to go after him. Was he sad? Why? She usually had breakfast with him. Was that it? Did he feel abandoned?

Anniel pouted. Poor baby...but then she noticed Ashriel's thunderous expression.

"What?" she asked, concerned.

His lips tightened into a hard line. "Why do you address him with endearments?"

Anniel stared at him in confusion. "I raised him since her was a tiny thing." The memory of Seth's tiny size despite his age flashed in her mind. He'd been nine-years-old, but looked more like a five-year-old. He'd been neglected and deprived of affection.

"He's no longer a tiny thing. He's a man," Ashriel snorted.

Anniel put down her fork and frowned at him. His jealousy was absurd. "I love Seth like a son. He's my baby. He's like a son to all of us. We all raised him."

"He is neither your son, nor your baby."

"Ashriel, I don't like that you're jealous of my Seth. I won't allow you to separate me from any of my family. I love Devon, Angel, Remien, Rowie, Zachariel, Alluna, and Sethaliel. What happened between us won't change that ever."

Ashriel narrowed his eyes. "You're forgetting one more." When Anniel frowned in confusion, he spat, "Lucien."

Anniel's eyes widened. She stared at his angry countenance and nodded slowly, whispering, "Yes. I love Luke too."

The anger left his face and he looked at her, eyes full of hurt.

*** 

She'd named so many, and even admitted to loving Lucien, the dark prince...but she hadn't mentioned him.

Ashriel felt like the biggest fool. Maybe it was too soon for her. He'd been watching over her for so long, he knew her intimately. He knew she was strong, hard working, but she was also very feminine. Pink and black were her favorite colors and she was very maternal. He loved that about her. He loved her.

But she really didn't know anything about him, except that he was a Seraphian born reaper.

Ashriel turned away, realizing there really was nothing more to know anyhow. His life had been solely dedicated to honoring his holy vows as a reaper...and now he had no future.

"I'm sorry," he said in a low voice. "I have no right to demand anything from you." He wanted to add he knew he meant nothing to her, but it would make him sound like a lovelorn idiot.

Her fingers caressed his face, trying to get him to look at her, but it hurt too much to do so, knowing his love was not returned with the same fervor he felt. Served him right for steering away from his calling. He had no business trying to live the life of a normal person. He was not normal. He was an implement of the Divine One's wrath against the forces of darkness. His black wings were a reminder of that.

Anniel tipped his face to hers and kissed him, chasing away his gloomy thoughts. He drank from her lips like man dying of thirst, the bits and pieces of affection tossed his way greatly appreciated...as pathetic as it seemed. He'd fallen low indeed.

She pulled away, leaving him feeling bereft. He opened his eyes to see she was mere inches from his face, looking at him with a little frown marring her beautiful face. Her eyes this close revealed flecks of gold, brown, and green.

She bit her lip and shook her head a tiny bit, almost imperceptible.

Anniel stood and rushed out of the lounge, taking the platter with her, mumbling something about getting rid of it.

The silence was deafening.

Taking a deep cleansing breath, Ashriel rose and strode up to the helm. Sinking into the co-pilot's seat, he set about rechecking coordinates and fuel and air gages. He could feel Seth's eyes on him.

Frowning, Ashriel turned to glare at him. "Do you need to tell me something?"

"Actually..." Seth stopped short, pursing his lips. "Never mind."

Ashriel clenched his fists, and opened his mouth to demand the weretigri speak his mind, but a starship hailed them over the com unit.

The Utuduodian vessel had arrived before time.

*** 

Rhylos was nothing like Anniel had expected. From space, it looked like a moldy, rusted ball wrapped in a cloud of glowing green gas. When they entered the atmosphere, the cityscape below didn't change her first impression of Rhylos.

The city was divided into layers, and looked like a meshwork of pipes and glass tubes.

"See those floating islands?" Angel said. "The upper most citizens live there. The farther you descend the less wealth you will find."

Many air transports zipped about below between the meshwork.

Anniel strained to see down into the streets on the surface of the planet, but it was so dark, she couldn't make anything out. Spires of grimy metal and glass stretched down into an abyss of total darkness.

"Spooky," she murmured to herself.

"We're almost there," the Utuduodian princess said in her husky voice.

Anniel turned to princess Glory. Her name fit her well. The female was taller than Anniel's six-foot-six and her body was lean and muscular, crowned by a head of long red hair that reached mid-thigh.

The princess smiled at her, her green eyes sparkling. They'd all dressed in common Rhylos fashion that, to Anniel, looked very cyberpunk, complete with big goggles and bulky respirator. The planet boasted high technology and the ultimate living conditions—a virtual Utopia—but from what she could see, virtual was pretty much the operating word here. The supposed Utopia was not real.

The connecting shuttle from the Utuduodian starship to the spaceport leveled out to enter the busy spaceport. Anniel looked around, wondering which shuttle contained the reapers...and Ashriel.

"They won't be using this spaceport," Glory stated as if reading her mind.

"Why not?" Angel asked, fussing with her fake dreadlocks. The plastic tubes were a lime green and matched her outfit—a lime green mesh bodysuit with a vinyl corset and tulle miniskirt in black. Her lime green stockings had holes all over them and stretched over another pair of black fishnet stockings. Black vinyl boots rose to her knees and had lime green ties threaded through chrome grommets.

"The merchandise for the black market has their own spaceport. It's heavily guarded just in case someone wants to abduct merch for slavery."

Anniel shivered and immediately worried about the reapers, even though they were with Seth.




Dark Angel Ch. 07



Her thoughts turned to Ashriel. How was he feeling? He hadn't even come down from the helm to say good-bye to her. Silly, of course, because she'd be seeing him the next night. Still, after the previous night and the kisses they'd shared that morning, it hurt that he hadn't come to her. He'd certainly acted strange. First amorous, then possessive and jealous, and finally aloof.

He was so frustratingly complicated.

"It's said that Cyneolle detests the black market, especially the prostitutes that sell themselves to the higher society clientele."

"Cyn-who?" Anniel frowned.

Glory laughed. "Cyneolle. But He prefers to be known as Cyn. He's the rebel leader of the freedom fighters. Part Seraph, part cyborg."

Anniel shivered. "How awful. Why is he part cyborg?"

Glory shrugged. "I've heard he was rescued as a child by a band of cyborgs after he'd been badly injured. They saved his life by implanting cybernetics into his damaged body. Others say he was poisoned by this planet's atmosphere to near death. When he tried to climb to a higher level trying to breathe cleaner air, the patrollers found him and tossed him back down, almost killing him in the process."

Anniel frowned. "But if he was Seraph, why didn't he just fly up, or for that matter, use his wings to stop his fall?"

Again, Glory shrugged. "I don't know much about Cyn. What I told you is the extent of my knowledge on the man...oh-yes—and he's supposedly sinfully beautiful."

Angel snorted. "No man is more beautiful than mine."

Anniel smirked at her. She still remembered when Angel tried so hard to resist Devon's allure. No easy feat. The only reason Anniel hadn't been too affected by Devon's otherworldly looks had been because she'd known him since he was a newborn.

*** 

Seth guided the starcruiser down past glowing green clouds of toxic poison. The outer hull of the starcruiser hissed and sizzled, making Natanael curse roundly.

"Don't worry, Nat. I'm sure Devon can fix that," Eriel consoled.

Something hard smashed into the Starcruiser's tail and the distinct sound of tearing metal was heard.

"Son-of-a-bitch, Seth," Natanael snarled.

They were all strapped into the chairs in the helm. Ashriel had a death grip on the armrests of the co-pilot's chair and looked to his left at Seth, who manned the controls.

"Devon will fix that too, Nat. Shut the fuck up," Seth hissed.

"You're not using your powers," Ashriel said.

"No," Seth answered, wincing when something else slammed into them.

"What the hell is hitting us?" Natanael ground out.

"Pieces of the transports that never made it through the atmosphere."

"Shit," Ashriel hissed, his eyes growing ever wider as the burned out remains of a super-large craft rolled straight at them. "Seth."

"I see it."

Ashriel stiffened, and in the rear of the helm, the reapers began shouting in terror.

"Damn-it. Use your powers," Ashriel shouted, now able to see actual corpses dangling from the shattered vessel

His stomach bottomed out.

"Now," Seth cried out in glee.

It was a disturbing sound, hearing the usually somber weretigri express himself with so much joy. It only served to terrify Ashriel even more...an equally disturbing sensation for a being who'd fearlessly battled and killed legions of demons and devils.

Screams filled the helm. Ashriel clenched his teeth

The weretigri's arms slammed the levers forward and the starcruiser took a sickening nosedive. Fire covered the glass viewers, blocking out the rush of the surface.

Ashriel closed his eyes and pressed his wings tight to his back, the urge to unleash them to stop the free-fall strong.

Behind him, he heard someone throw up, another threaten to jettison out.

"Give me a break," Seth snapped. "I got this."

Ashriel felt bile rise and swallowed hard. His forehead beaded in sweat. He blinked his eyes open when the foul dizziness abated to see the starcruiser leveling out.

Below was a glittering black ocean and before them, the edges of a large continent stretched out to either side as far as the eye could see. There was only a small strip of grey sand before a few miles of deep dark green forest. The land looked mostly flat, but up ahead was a meshwork of metal pipes that turned out to be an enormous city sprawled out like a gigantic thorny nest. A thick metal wall surrounded the city and Ashriel recognized plasma canons stationed around the edge of the wall. Strangely, some of the canons pointed into the city, as well as out. Why would the canons point in...as if they were threatening anyone fool enough to climb over the five-hundred foot wall?

The city was a network of building structures resembling pipes, grimy, dirty, with little patches of shinier metal and glass. Gleaming disks floated in the sky over the spires of metal, reflecting the glowing green sky.

Seth dropped down into the normal flow of traffic and zipped over the tops of the highest spires beneath the floating disks. Farther ahead, the city seemed to sink into an enormous hole.

"What the hell is that?" Ashriel asked.

"They used to mine here. That mine hole is twenty miles across and probably twice as deep. The black market is a few miles down, in the very center." Seth answered. "That's where we're headed."

Ashriel looked down at himself. He was ready. They all were.

Natanael had weaved his hair into hundreds of braids. He was grateful because a tight hood wrapped around his forehead to the back of his neck and around his throat, leaving his braids free to spill down past his shoulders. A pair of goggles rested on his head and a gas mask hung to the right side of his face. His chest was bare, but just under his pectorals was a waist hugging leather corset that had metal rings running up the sides and big metal clasps holding it closed in the front. His pants were like a second skin and had horizontal slits running up the front and back, showing the flesh of his thighs. His boots ran up past his knees and were a monstrosity of cybernetic art. The sole was about four inches thick making him a towering seven-foot-four with metal rods and gears decorated the entire length. He frowned. His legs looked like they belonged better on a cyborg than a reaper. He lifted a hand to look at the black vinyl glove that covered him to his biceps. Chrome spikes ran up from his knuckles to the top of the glove. Lethal decoration. He kind-of like it.

"When we land, we cover up." Seth instructed. We need to grow accustomed to Rhylos air, even if we're indoors. Out of the buildings under no circumstances are any of you to breathe that green stuff."

"Instant death," Reiven snickered in the back.

"Not really," Seth said with a frown. "More like a fate worse than death. The contamination breaks you down on a cellular level, turning your biological matter into a gelatinous goop. You become a blob of green slime to slither around the ground for all eternity."

Ashriel grimaced at the graphic description. He would remember to never inhale out of doors.

A large black orb, the size of a starfreighter, came into view before them and the com unit blipped.

"Show time, boys," Seth mumbled.

He tapped the screen and a strange humanoid appeared. The creature looked like a lizard with muddy green eyes, yellow teeth, and a black tongue.

"Identify yourselves."

"Sethaliel Whyte, with Reiven, Amadashiel, Eriel, Natanael and Ashriel, all of Angelos."

"Did you say Ashriel of Angelos?'

"Yes."

"The Ashriel of Angelos? The notorious fallen high priest reaper no one's heard from for months?"

"The one and only," Seth replied with a scowl, already beginning to lose patience.

The lizard man blinked for a few seconds before he threw his head back to laugh in hissing guffaws.

Seth used the tip of his finger to turn the monitor to Ashriel. "Say hi, Ash."

Ashriel leaned in close, glaring at the insolent Lizdrac and lifted his middle finger. "Fuck you," he enunciated slowly.

Seth's brows rose in amusement and the reapers behind him snickered.

The Lizdrac choked, his eyes going round. "Oooohhh—it is you. Ooohhh." The lizard man made a strange peeping sound and disappeared off screen for a few seconds. The sound of chaos followed; bellows, shouts and growls of all kinds. Within moments, the screen filled with many faces, all clamoring to get a glimpse of Ashriel. He did not realize he was a celebrity. When in hell's name had that happened?

"W-we're sending an escort out to you. Don't move."

Ashriel gaped at Seth and suddenly realized dozens of streamlined fighter vessels surrounded them.

"You can let go of the controls now. We're tracking you in." The Lizdrac was grinning so wide, he looked like he was snarling.

Seth smirked, released the levers of the starcruiser, and leaned back in his seat, kicking his feet up on the control panel. He crossed his legs at the ankles and clasped his hands behind his neck. "Welcome to the Rhylos black market, boys."

Ashriel turned to see the starcruiser easing its nose into the gelatinous substance of the black orb. Nothing but black covered the glass surrounding the helm, and he frowned at Seth when he started to stand and head to the ramp leading down. The others followed suit.

Ashriel turned again to the glass and then blinked at the monitor. There were hundreds of faces there just staring at him. Some waved, all talked, most shouted, and pointed to his dismay.

Ashriel sneered and hit the monitor with the tip of his boot to turn it away.

"Hey," Natanael called up to him. "Are you coming down or not?"

The glass revealed nothing. Were they still within the black substance? What in hells name was it?

If he weren't so adamant to discover the root of the apocalyptic war started in the Edenian solar system over three hundred years ago, he'd demand Seth pull them out of this nest of iniquity right now. His gaze swept down his body again, sneering in disgust at his whorish attire. Natanael had wanted to pierce his nipples but he refused to defile his body anymore than he already had.

Rising up, he made his way down the ramp, winding his way down until he reached the lowered ramp in the bottom of the storage level.

"Stay back. Let him exit. Don't crowd him," he heard Seth warn.

"Yeah, he's moody as fuck," Eriel snickered. "He just might change his mind and hole himself up in his cabin."

"Get back-get back," another strange voice ordered. "Bume, get everyone out except security.

The sound of angry shouting made Ashriel hesitate halfway down the exit ramp. The air smelled foul, making him remember Seth's instructions.

Ashriel pulled the respirator over the lower half of his face and snapped it into place. Taking a deep breath, he moved forward, descending until he stood at the bottom of the ramp alongside the others.

There was a metal tunnel attached to the bottom of the starcruiser. It ballooned out to form a chamber before narrowing out again into several tunnels that had doors farther down. Huge Gargoyles pushed and shoved an array of creatures toward one of the tunnels.

The Lizdrac that had spoken with them aboard the starcruiser stood a few paces away gaping at Ashriel.

Ashriel opened his wings, staring down his nose at the audience before him. The other reapers also spread their black wings in a show of power. Seth just crossed his arms over his chest.

Seth was acting as their representative. Most people believed he managed Zak and Rowie, known as Midnight Rose, so it wouldn't be weird that he would want to pimp out a few of the reapers that had taken refuge aboard Alpha 7.

"If we'd only known that you would honor us with your presence, we would have prepared suitable accommodations for you," the Lizdrac said in a rush of words.

"Ashriel just wants to get a taste of what his new life is going to be," Seth drawled in a bored tone. "I wanted to show him what the worst of it could be."

The Lizdrac's eyes grew large and he gulped audibly. With a nervous chuckle he said, "Ah. Rhylos has but a bad reputation, but I assure you, a pleasure worker can find no better home to market him or herself. Our clientele is very discerning and we have rulers from all around the galaxy amongst them. Just today we have been bestowed the honor of receiving Princess Glory within our midst. She has come accompanied by an array of the most exquisite females in her entourage..." his grin grew wicked, "if it is female flesh that you seek to pleasure. Otherwise we have every other kind of flesh you can desire."

Ashriel fought the shudder of revulsion that shimmied up his spine and ruffled his feathers.

To his right, he heard Eriel groan and turned to see the reaper rubbing an impressive erection bulging the front of his floor-length black skirt. Eriel obviously had no qualms about what used his body.

*** 

Anniel sat between Glory and Angel at a large banquet table. There were other emissaries there as well. At the head of the opulent table sat the King Dred's avatar, a genetically enhanced fusion of cyborg and humanoid. The creature's body was slim, delicate, it's skin milk white like Devon's. It's facial features were androgynous as well as it's body. The head was shaved except for a black strip up the middle that stuck straight up in a Mohawk. Another tail hung down it's slender back to it's waist, and long braids fell from just in front of the small shells of it's ears.

Anniel wondered if the milky whiteness of its skin was make-up because even the lips were white. Two black stripes decorated the lush lower lip and the avatar had no eyebrows. Long, thick, black lashes decorated big eyes a startling shade of blue. She frowned at the sight of the two tubes connected to the creatures neck that snaked out to a tank attached to it's back. It wore a mesh gown with two black X's covering were nipples should be and a black triangle covered the triangle between it's legs. There was no sign of a male genitals nor any sign of breasts, leaving her to only try and guess what the humanoid was.

The creature did not eat along with it's guests, just stared with emotionless eyes at all gathered.

Those eerie eyes fell upon Anniel and a soft smile touched it's lips.

Anniel's heart pounded when the creature stood and seemed to float to her.

King Dred's avatar held out it's hand. "Such lovely skin. May I touch you?"

Anniel gulped, unsure of what to say. Princess Glory elbowed her.

"Err—yeah—sure," Anniel blurted holding her hand out, but cringing inside.

The small white hand engulfed hers, surprisingly soft and warm. The creature gasped and lifted her hand to it's mouth. A tiny black tongue slipped out and licked Anniel's knuckles. It shuddered with pleasure.

Anniel snatched her hand back before it decided to take a bite.

"I would like very much to share fluids with you."

Anniel cocked a brow at the strange being before sliding her gaze to princess Glory. "What the heck is it saying?" She whispered from the side of her mouth.

The princess merely wiped her mouth, and after clearing her throat said, "I am honored that you find my ambassador desirable, but I promised her her pick of reapers for her sexual initiation."

The creature grinned now. "Ah. A virgin. Understandable she would want to pick her tool of deflowerment. It is your lucky day as I have been informed a shipment of reapers from Alpha 7 has graced us with their presence. I was told the legendary high priest Ashriel is honoring us with his initiation into the pleasure field. Perhaps you can initiate each other...if you have the credits to acquire him."

"I'm sure I can manage," Anniel answered lifting a brow.

The creature laughed and turned, floating away.

Anniel had a hard time eating afterwards. The whole sharing of fluids thing creeped her out big time. The food smelled good, but looked even weirder than the rainbow of attendants sitting around the huge V shaped table.

There were representations from all over the galaxy, but what really blew her mind was the bright blue sky visible through the glass dome over their heads. It wasn't real. It couldn't be. Fluffy white clouds drifted by, and a sparkling yellow sun poured in rays of warmth into the cold white and metal chamber.

The entire palace was a series of glass bubbles sitting atop a floating metal plate the size of a small city. The bubbles were connected with a series of thick plastic tubes. The strange chair she sat upon was her means of transportation within the palace. The only place her feet were allowed to touch the floor was in her personal chambers, which she thankfully shared with Glory and Angel.

Her chair looked like a metal seashell. It had a glowing green border that deactivated only in her chambers letting her know it was safe to step out. She'd been told it was for her safety.

Anniel snorted, drawing Angel's attention. They did not speak for fear of being monitored, but were wary of communicating telepathically too. There were ways of detecting spikes of extrasensory abilities. It would draw unwanted attention to themselves.

Anniel sighed and resumed pushing her food around on her plate. What was Ashriel doing right this moment? It angered her to think perhaps Amadashiel was trying to seduce him again. Confused her ass. He—

"Why are you growling?" Angel whispered near her ear.

Anniel stiffened and looked around. She'd drawn the interested stares of a few guests.

One guest especially made the fine hairs at the back of her neck rise. She clamped her teeth tight and resisted the urge to snarl at him. The male had jet-black hair and pale blue eyes...

Anniel's eyes widened when his eyes changed a bit and he flashed sharp canines.

Another werewolf—an alpha. His eyes challenged her and she had to fight the urge to turn tail and run. His grin only broadened and a deep growl rumbled in his chest.

This time Anniel slammed her fork down and snarled back at him. The male and female sitting at either side of him growled at her menacingly.

Both Angel and Glory put their hands on her forearms.

"Easy," Angel warned.

Princess Glory glared at the black-haired alpha. "Anniel is an Utuduodian citizen and is not under wolf bane laws."

The male stared at Glory with pale wolf eyes, baring his teeth. "No werewolf is exempt from our laws," he snarled.

"I'm not part of your pack so stop trying to bully me," Anniel snapped.

The annoying male grinned broader. "I smell a bitch in heat, I take her if I want to."

Princess Glory gasped in outrage, Angel gripped her knife, making Anniel grab at her wrist before she threw it at the alpha wolf and started a war.

"I'm not in heat," she argued. She felt better than fine.

"You're carrying, but if I fuck you, my sperm will kill whatever is planted in your womb so that it will be filled with my own offspring."

Angel and Glory began shouting insults at the alpha, but Anniel was struck mute. She felt the blood drain from her face.

She was carrying?

The food she'd ingested came back up.

*** 

Ashriel had been allowed to refresh and change his attire. The rooms allotted to them were more than opulent. The other reapers claimed they'd never been treated so well.

He sat as the others stuffed their faces with Rhylos fare and listened to the Lizdrac exchange insults with a palace representative.

"That phony king has no jurisdiction here," Mambri snarled, his scaled tail swishing furiously.

"His highness requests the presence of the Alpha 7 reapers immediately. One word and he can have you shut down."

Mambri laughed evilly. "I'd like to see him try. The association will never allow that. On the contrary, they'll have his slimy ass eliminated."

The Merulian palace official sniffed in indignation. "That would never happen. The people need their king. You, on the other hand, are quite disposable."




Dark Angel Ch. 07



The Lizdrac hissed and growled at the screen.

The Merulian sneered. "You have five minutes to get them to the palace. A royal escort is already waiting at the border of the black market."

Mambri cursed soundly when the screen went black.

Seth looked at Ashriel. "This is our chance, Ash. An audience with the king."

Ashriel nodded.

The Lizdrac approached them, wringing his tail between his claws. "You've been summoned to the palace."

Seth let one side of his lip lift in a bored smile. "Cool."

"No," Mambri snapped. "Not cool. You have no idea the danger you're in. The king..."

The overhead lights flickered, drawing everyone's attention.

When Ashriel directed his gaze back to the Lizdrac, he could have sworn the lizard man looked a bit paler.

"Why are we in danger?" Seth pressed.

Ashriel felt his stomach tighten. His Anniel was at the palace.

"Err—did I say danger?"

Ashriel jumped to his feet and stalked forward. Seth and Natanael gripped his arms.

"Talk," Ashriel snapped.

The Lizdrac frowned. "It's nothing. The king is a big pervert. He'll probably proposition all of you."

Ashriel did not believe him. The creature was hiding something. He didn't know what the flashing lights had to do with his reluctance to finish telling them what he had been about to, but the sooner they went to the palace, the better Ashriel would feel. He needed to see and hold Anniel. To hell with this mission. He wouldn't put her life in danger.

"Follow me," Mambri said walking toward the doors at the far end of the room they were in.

The double metal doors slid open and Ashriel's steps faltered when he saw that it opened up to an arena.

The entire interior of the black orb was a hollow arena with hundreds if not thousands of metal tiers. There was an enormous stage floating in the center and 4D screens everywhere showing the different occupants strutting across the metal and glass disk-shaped stage. One humanoid, a silver-haired Merulian, threw off a glittering robe exposing a pale body. The creature had small pert breasts sitting high and tipped with pale pink nipples, and down between it's legs was a stiff thick cock.

"Merulians are hermaphroditic," Eriel whispered into Ashriel's ear. "The first time I was fucked it was with a fine shemale specimen."

Ashriel glared at Eriel. "I don't want to know the details, thank-you."

Eriel snorted. "You're in love. Otherwise you'd see how good being on the receiving end is too."

"Hurry," Mambri hissed looking about as if he were afraid. "If they see you we'll be mobbed. There's no time to detour through the secret passages. Fucking palace officials."

They scuttled faster, the fierce gargoyles crowding them from view.

A few paces forward, they turned and entered another set of metal doors, traversed a room that looked as made of pure gold and into a very wide metal tunnel.

Mambri signaled them to the ramp, his face dark with anger. "I hope you come back. I'm going to announce your arrival and state that you're a guest of the king. He wouldn't dare try anything stupid then."

Ashriel gripped the Lizdrac's throat and lifted him easily off his paws. "What danger is there at the palace?"

Everyone froze and Seth hissed "Ash, let him go."

"Talk," Ashriel shouted into the Lizdrac's rapidly darkening snout. He eased the hold he had on the lizard man's neck so he could speak.

"King Dred likes to fuck his guests... and then eat them."

Ashriel dropped Mambri and stared at Seth in horror.

Seth frowned. "She's with Angel. She'll be fine. They're Alpha Angels."

Ashriel shook his head. "We get them back and leave. I've had enough of this."

Seth looked at him silently before nodding slowly. "Okay."

*** 

Angel wiped Anniel's brow with a cool wet cloth. The bed felt soft and the whole room scented of vanilla and lavender.

She'd stripped off all her clothing and wore nothing but a filmy white sheath.

"I can't be pregnant, Angel. It's too soon."

"It only takes one drop of semen. I heard you howl all night long. It's reasonable to assume the possibility of conception after fucking all night long."

Anniel's eyes snapped open, looking at Angel's face in chagrin.

Angel smirked. "You and the reaper are louder than Devon and me."

Anniel covered her face and groaned. "Oh, Angel. What am I going to do?"

"It seems you will be bearing a new baby in three months."

Anniel gaped at Angel.

Angel's eyes widened warily. "Ashriel is a reaper. His Seraphian blood is purer than a white-winged Seraph. His offspring will be Seraph. They take only three months of gestation before they are ready to be born."

The memories of Gareth's birth surfaced—her poor baby with one wing. He'd been so sick and weak at first.

Tears flowed down her cheek as her heart broke all over again over her lost child.

Angel snuggled up next to her and wiped the tears away.

"Please don't cry, Anniel," she said even as her own eyes shimmered.

"I won't be able to bear losing another baby. I can't go through that again."

"We'll protect the babies, Anniel. Devon will make sure no harm comes to them."

"It's my fault I lost Gareth. I should have stayed with him."

"You didn't know, Anniel," Angel sniffled.

Princess Glory walked in from the bathing chamber. "What happened?"

Anniel rolled off the bed and walked to the edge of the glass dome of their chamber.

"She's having a moment," Angel sobbed.

"And why are you crying?"

Angel hiccupped. "I miss my Devon and Jazriel. And Annie lost her baby and she thinks she's going to lose this one too."

Anniel wiped her eyes and looked down. Over the edge of the metal plate they floated on, she could see the cityscape below. It looked silvery and shimmery and beautiful—everything she knew it was not.

A man clad in black from head to toe suddenly zipped in front of her on the other side of the glass. He had two wings made of metal and a large sledgehammer in his hand.

Anniel stared in shock at the face of the person covered with goggles and a full respirator gas mask. Her eyes widened in terror when he lifted his sledgehammer and swung. With a scream, she jumped back when the enormous sledgehammer struck the glass. The entire glass dome shook with the intensity of the blow.

It did not shatter, but she heard a sound similar to crackling electricity. The view of the sky distorted and became a glowing green again. Anniel saw the true view of Rhylos before her.

The metallic winged angel lifted his sledgehammer again.

Anniel ran back to Angel and Glory, huddling with them in terror.

Before the winged man could strike the glass again, a bright green beam engulfed him and he just vaporized before their horrified eyes.

More crackling filled the air and the glowing green sky turned a brilliant blue again.

"What the hell just happened?" Glory whispered.

"That must've been one of those freedom fighters you mentioned," Anniel answered, still bewildered.

"Was he trying to break the glass?" Angel wondered aloud. "The contamination out there would have killed us."

Anniel shook her head. "I think he just wanted to mess with the holographic imaging. If they really wanted to break the glass, they would have used something a bit more powerful than a sledgehammer...I think."

A soft knock at the door had them turning. Angel rushed and opened the door. They had searched them to make sure no one had weapons, but Angel had a divine sword she could summon at will.

A young, timid girl stood on the other side of the door with a tray of food and drinks.

"I was bid to provide you with nourishment, since you were unable to finish your meal when the pretty dark girl became ill."

Angel let her in. Anniel's eyes narrowed, looking at the raven-haired girl. She looked awfully familiar—big doll-like blue eyes and long silky jet-black hair to her gently rounded hips.

"Alluna's doll," she whispered.

The girl looked up at Anniel blankly. It was her. The one Alluna called Rayne.

Anniel rushed to her and gripped her arm. "Oh-my-god, how did you get here?"

The girl panicked and fell to the floor screaming and crying. Thankfully, the tray laden with food and pitchers of drink remained floating.

"Hey, it's okay," Anniel said brushing back the long black tresses that covered her doll-like face. She wasn't a doll. She was a real girl. A terrified one at the moment.

Glory and Angel helped Anniel lift the girl to her feet. Her entire body shivered.

"It's okay. We're not going to hurt you. Why are you so hysterical?"

"He'll kill boy-Rayne and then he'll eat me." The girl ranted hysterically.

"What? Who's boy Rayne?"

"He bid me to make sure you ate and took refreshment. He will know if I failed," she wailed disconsolately. "Oh, my poor boy-Rayne."

"Okay-okay," Angel huffed reaching to grab a couple of white puffs. She shoved one into her mouth and gave the other one to Glory who did the same. "There. You see? We are eating."

The girl sniffled, her lip still trembling. "And the drink—"

She stopped talking when Angel grabbed a pitcher and took a few gulps. She shoved the pitcher at Glory and glared down at the shivering girl. "Now speak. Who has threatened you and this boy of yours?"

"You're Rayne," Anniel said before she could say anything else. I remember you from Arboria. How did you get here? We looked all over for you, but you just disappeared."

Rayne shook her head. "The monsters. They took me. They wanted to hurt me, but...master...he set me free." Again, her tears flowed as she hung her head and wept silently now. "My beautiful master."

Anniel's eyes widened. "Master? Who's your master?"

Rayne looked up, her shimmering blue eyes sad. "My master Lucien."

Anniel's jaw dropped.

To her horror, Angel crumpled to the floor, followed by Glory.

Screaming out in fear, she bent and tried to rouse them, but they were out cold.

"What did you give them?" she snarled, turning back to glare at the girl.

Rayne floated about two feet off the ground, her fingers scrabbling at a black collar around her neck that was clearly choking the life out of her.

"Rayne," Anniel cried out, jumping up to grip the poor girl around the waist since she was so tiny.

Rayne's face turned blue and her eyes rolled up in agony.

"Help," Anniel screamed not knowing what else to do.

Her personal transport chair floated closer to her and a disembodied voice echoed throughout the room.

"My dear sweet Anniel. I would very much like to see you in my personal chambers. Please sit in your safety coach so that you may be transported to my rooms."

"What did you do to my friends?" Anniel shouted, her eyes darting around the room frantically to see who was speaking while she tried to loosen Rayne's collar.

"They only sleep, as would have you if you'd only listened to that foolish girl."

Rayne made a gurgling sound and Anniel knew she was dying. "Stop, you're killing her."

The voice chortled. "She's nothing but worthless trash. You should not worry yourself so about a whore."

"I said let her go," Anniel's voice had gone deep, gruff with the onset of a shift. Her canines elongated and her flesh twitched.

The voice snickered malevolently. "If you shift, you will destroy the life growing inside you. Such a shame since it was put there by a very beautiful reaper."

Anniel gasped and felt ready to be sick again. She panted through the nausea and the effort to keep her shift at bay.

She backed away horrified. Anniel's eyes remained on the girl floating before her, as she pressed her hands protectively over her stomach. Her poor baby would not survive a shift.

Rayne reached out a hand to Anniel in supplication, her face dark blue.

"Please don't kill her. I'll do what you want."

The voice laughed. "You'll do what I ask regardless. But since you asked so nicely, I'll spare the whore's miserable life."

Rayne was flung into Anniel's chair. She coughed and gagged, now able to breathe again.

Anniel climbed in next to her and pulled the girl into her arms.

A glowing green bubble formed over the shell, sealing them in.

Anniel stared in horror as the shell zipped out of the room. She rocked Rayne in her arms, not knowing what else to do.

They flew through metal-ringed clear tubes before the shell dipped down into a tunnel. It was dark, but Anniel made out the metallic walls of the corridor. Soon they were rising at a fast rate until they surfaced in an enormous chamber at the very top of the palace.

The glowing green barrier disappeared and Anniel tried not to scream.

Before her was a mountain of green slime. It moved and rolled in a disgusting display. Tentacles slithered out of it and neared her.

"Stop. Get away from me," she finally shrieked.

A head appeared in all that slime, with big black eye balls rolling around as if seeking purchase in all that snot.

"I just want to feel your soft flesh," it said with a sticky mouth that dripped slime.

"Keep away from me," Anniel cried out, curling her legs closer to her body when a few tentacles slithered up around the border of the shell. They were green but translucent and within their slimy depths, she saw a finger, part of a nose, a few loose teeth, and an eyeball.

Rayne tried to scream, but her voice was nothing but a hoarse croak. Still, Anniel did not miss "he's going to eat us."

They both shrieked when the slimy tentacles wrapped around Anniel's ankles and slithered up her legs.

"I will share fluids with you, Anniel. I will taste the fruit of your womb."

"No," she screamed kicking her legs. The tentacles yanked her down until her ass hit the bottom of the transport and then spread her legs. When Rayne tried to beat the things off Anniel's legs, one tentacle wrapped around the girl's throat and began choking her again.

The blob of slime began to laugh.

"Don't be afraid. Look how good it is."

The thing lifted poor Rayne right out of the transport and more tentacles wrapped around her slim ankles and wrists. The hideous creature pulled her limbs out until Rayne shrieked in agony and then a fifth tentacle slithered up one of her legs. The poor girl had no panties and, to Anniel's horror, the tentacle slithered up and into the girl's pussy and began to fuck her. Another tentacle shot up and impaled her ass and still another wrapped around her body to stuff the girl's screaming mouth, effectively gagging her.

Rayne wriggled and fought, her eyes tearing as her face turned blue again from lack of air.

"No," Anniel cried out. "Let her go, you bastard."

"Now it's your turn. I won't kill you...yet. I will wait until you're heavy with child. I've always wondered what the suffering of a fetus would taste like as I fuck it within a pregnant female's womb. I can stuff your pussy with my tentacle and slither it into the unborn babe too...fucking you both." The hideous creature laughed.

"You sick bastard. Devon will kill you."

"Who?"

An explosion of glass over Anniel's head had her looking up.

He descended from the sky like an avenging angel.

But it wasn't Ashriel.

One wing was as white as snow, the other made of glowing silver as if lit by white fire. His dark skin was wrapped with coils of metal and long dirty-blond dreads covered his head down to his waist. His eyes were covered by goggles and the bottom half of his face sported a respirator. He aimed his fists at the blob of slime and fired blasts of green fire.

The creature shrieked in pain, but Anniel's face was spattered with what she assumed was its blood.

Her eyes felt as if they were on fire and she screamed in agony as she struggled to sit in the transport now that her legs were free..

"He escapes." A feminine voice exclaimed. "Neo."

"She's been contaminated," a deep demonic-sounding voice snarled.

Anniel began to gag as soon as she inhaled. Oh-god, her baby!

A big hand gripped the back of her neck and a respirator sealed over her face. Anniel clutched at the wrist of the person holding the respirator over her nose and mouth. She tried to take gulp-fulls of filtered air, but her lungs continued to burn. Anniel opened her tearing eyes, and saw only grey and black shadows that grew ever dimmer. 

a heavy lethargy came over her, leaving her weak. She didn't need to hear the rebel leader's next words to know exactly what was wrong.

"She's blind... and she's been poisoned. She dies as I speak."

Anniel let the dark swallow her, hoping that if there was an afterlife, little Gareth would be waiting for her on the other side. She had no idea what would become of her unborn child. He or she had barely existed for a day.

The last thing she was conscious of was strong arms cradling her and a gruff voice saying, "I will not let you die."

*** 

They arrived at the palace, but right away, Ashriel could tell something was wrong. Alarms were blaring and red lights flashed everywhere. His anxiety over Anniel's safety went up ten more notches.

Eriel got up in his face, as if he could see Ashriel's eyes through the black goggles they wore.

"Are you in kill mode? You're in kill mode, aren't you?"

Ashriel clenched his fists and fought the urge to slap Eriel's face. "Get away from me," he snapped instead.

Eriel winced. Natanael pulled him away and said to Eriel in a rush, "Leave him alone. Do you have a death wish, idiot?"

Ashriel stalked ahead with Seth trying to keep up. The weretigri's black gloved fist were clenched, as if fighting to keep himself in control.

They exited the royal shuttle and made their way to the end of the corridor, but four guards stopped them.

The guards were covered head to toe in black, even their faces. One of them chuckled.

"Look what we have here, boys...some fresh ass for King Dred."

The other guards snickered along with the insolent fool who'd spoken.

The guard was tall and muscled beneath his clinging garb, and his metal-soled boots thumped the floor loudly when he circled Ashriel once before stopping in front of him again.

He slid his hand over the growing bulge between his legs and looked Ashriel up and down. "Alright, pretty boy—strip."

Ashriel had the man's throat in his fist in the blink of an eye. The sound of charging laser weapons sounded loud amidst the shouting.

"Don't shoot him, you imbeciles," one of the guards that had escorted them from the black market exclaimed, pushing his way through the reapers to stand between Ashriel and the armed guards blocking their way.

"Ash, let him go," Seth commanded in an even tone.

Ashriel needed to kill something...but that couldn't happen now. He needed to find Anniel.

"Drop him, Ash," Seth repeated in a soothing voice.

Ashriel tossed the tall guard into the wall next to them. The metal dented and the guard slid to the floor unconscious.

"If you're going to take us to the king, do so now. Otherwise, we leave," Seth stated.

Ashriel looked at Seth, about to tell him he was not leaving until he found the girls, but Seth lifted his hand to signal him not to speak.

Ashriel knew the young weretigri would not leave either of his Alpha Angel sisters stranded, nor the Utuduodian princess.

"We're on high alert," one of the guards blocking the doors snapped. "You know the protocols."

The guard that had escorted them from the black market went toe to toe with the other guard. "King Dred wants these reapers. You explain to him why his new toys were detained."

Ashriel did not like being referred to as a toy, but held his tongue. The important thing was to locate the girls.

The guard relented and let them through.

As Ashriel passed the furious guard, the foolish man uttered. "You'll get what's coming soon enough, and if not, I'll be waiting here for you."

As soon as he passed the guard, Ashriel flicked out his left wing and struck the man, sending him flying twenty feet away to slam into the wall at the end of the corridor. His body hit with a sickening crunch.




Dark Angel Ch. 08



I've tried to upload files from my laptop, but for some reason they are not accepted so I've been copy pasting everything into the little box provided. There are some parts of text that should be italicized but can't with the copy/paste. Whenever my characters communicate telepathically I always italicize instead of putting into quotation, because they really aren't speaking with their mouths, but mind to mind. So if you run into a piece of dialog that isn't in quotations, its not a booboo on my part. it supposed to be italicized. Sorry for not posting sooner, but I really wasn't able to. I'm going to try to post on a bi weekly basis, but can't really promise much because I'm writing sporadically on Saturdays, my only free time because during the week I work and am really too tired to write when I get home. Thanks to everyone whose voted and especially commented. I really appreciate the support and it makes me not want to disappoint. 

*****************

Anniel awaken to utter silence within herself. It took her a moment to realize she no longer felt Devon's presence inside her before panic struck making her sit up panting in terror.

Her mind reached out to feel for any of the other Alpha Angels and there was nothing. She couldn't see anything either, but then a light went on and a big looming shadow came toward her. She blinked, trying hard to clear her eyesight. All she saw were clumps of grey shadows with no clear definition. She was blind.

A snarl of warning erupted from her lips as her fear ratcheted higher. Heavy boots thumped the floor—concrete by the sound of it—as the very big shadow loomed closer. Anniel continued to snarl, baring fangs and drawing deep breaths between trying to pick up anything familiar.

The scent of something metallic mixed with the sweet scent Seraph's usually exuded and... a hint of wolf drifted through the air.

Backing up away from the approaching person, her snarls grew louder and her skin prickled with the desire to shift.

A touch on her cheek had her snapping her elongated canines, but her sharp teeth came into contact with metal beneath velvet cloth and flesh. Whoever tried to touch didn't even flinch when she bit him.

"You cannot hurt me," a rasping voice said. "Not much of me is human anymore."

"Who are you? Why am I here?" She winced when the feather-light touch stroked her cheek again, and turned away trying to avoid his touch

"I am no one," the voice rasped, deep and demonic, giving her the chills, but not in a good way.

Anniel curled her feet beneath her butt when the bed she sat on dipped with his weight. She would have scooted farther away, but her back was wedged into a corner. "Where am I?"she demanded reaching back to feel that it was a metal grate and not a wall she leaned against.

"King Dred wanted to defile you. You are safe."

She slapped away what she assumed were his hands and yelped at the pain that caused. His skeleton was made of some sort of metal. "I don't feel so safe with you touching me," she snapped.

When he tried to take her hands, she pulled them away and crossed her arms over her chest and scowled to show her displeasure.

His arms rose, bringing his hands to his face. She narrowed her useless eyes and blinked to see if she could figure out what he was doing. When he removed his goggles and respirator, she wished she could see better.

"Kiss me," A deep voice rumbled.

"Go to hell," Anniel spat, smacking her head against the grate behind her as she tried in vain to put as much space between her and the cyborg as possible.

"Neo," a feminine voice shouted from behind her. Boots stomped closer. "You said you felt no desire of the flesh."

The female sounded enraged.

"I do not," he answered getting up again.

"I heard you asking this bitch for a kiss," the female shouted venomously.

Anniel opened her mouth to protest, but a vicious snarl had her gasping with a start. It came from the cyborg in front of her.

"Get out," the male grated.

The sound of objects crashing to the ground had Anniel's heart in her throat. A door slammed, the sound reverberating in the room.

From the sound, she surmised she was in a large, sparsely furnished room. Blinking up at her captor, she saw the shadow of his one wing and the glare of his metallic one, but she still couldn't make out the features of his face.

He bent toward her and she shrieked when he seized her beneath her arms to pick her up. Anniel kicked at him, immediately regretting her action when her bare feet connected with more metal. She cursed roundly when her big toe began to throb.

Cyneolle, she supposed it was, sat her unceremoniously on a flat surface, and she soon found her mouth stuffed with a small, square, foul-tasting object.

Anniel yanked the horrible thing from her mouth and poised to throw it in his face. "Son-of-a—" She stopped, sputtering. "Did you just stuff soap in my mouth?"

"Soap helps wash out dirty little mouths. Now say something nice."

Anniel stared dumbfound. The soap fell from her numb fingers as she looked up into the grey shadow before her. She'd overheard Gareth say a swear word once and had put a little bar of soap in his mouth. She'd told him the exact words Cyneolle had said when he'd protested.

Her hands lifted slowly, until her fingers touched skin. When her hands skimmed up a strong jaw, her left hand touched an edge of metal while her right continued over soft skin.

"I lost part of my face in the first Rhylosian civil war," he explained.

A lump formed in Anniel's throat, but she continued to feel his facial features. His jaw was squared with an indentation on the chin, like a dimple. His lips were full, warm and soft, like Ashriel's.

"Like Garethiel's," she whispered, her hands now beginning to tremble as she touched his nose and traced the shape of his left brow.

He drew her close, and she blinked, feeling tears bathe her cheeks. Her nose bumped his shoulder and then his throat. She felt the heat of his skin, heard the beat of his heart and the rush of blood through his jugular. Had she wanted to, she could have easily unleashed her fangs and torn his throat out. Instead, she ran her nose up the thick column of his throat and breathed in deeply. The scent was definitely a combination of machinery, wires, metal, and electricity, but beneath it all was the faint scent of Seraph and Wolf...mixed as one.

"No," she gasped pushing him away. Her son couldn't be alive after all these years even though he did have Seraphian blood in his veins.

Gareth's blood had been so diluted. She assumed he would have a normal human life span.

But if he'd inherited his father's life expectancy...? At a little over three-hundred years, he'd be considered a very young Seraph still.

"Who are you?" she asked again, this time her voice tremulous with tears.

"I am Cyn."

"That woman called you Neo."

"Those of the rebel group call me Neo. The Cyborgs named me Cyneolle. In their language it means newborn cyborg angel...but I am no angel."

Anniel didn't know what to make of this. She was curious about his background, but only Devon or Seth would be able to really help with that. They were the most powerful of the Alpha Angels. "I need to find my friends. They will be looking for me. Can you take me to the black market?"

She saw him tip his head to the side. Again, his fingers skimmed over her face.

Anniel winced, but this time allowed it. He touched her hair and then took one of her hands. She felt him place his over hers, as if comparing the size.

"You are very small."

Anniel blinked, trying hard to see his face. "It's been a long time since someone said that to me." She took a deep breath before saying, "What happened to your voice?"

"A band of Greis tried to use me as a whore. They crushed my voice box by strangling me so I'd get—"

"Stop," Anniel exclaimed, clapping her hands over her ears. She did not want to hear the horror she knew he was about to say. A shudder of revulsion shot through her as Angel's horror stories replayed in her mind.

"I killed them all before they could touch me. I am a virgin," he said in a softer voice. "I feel no desire...at all. Yet, I find you beautiful. I have never thought of any humanoid as beautiful...except..."

When he remained silent, she prodded, "Except?"

He remained quiet. Anniel felt him draw closer, as if looking closely at her face. "Except for my m—"

"Neo, you need to come take a look at this," someone exclaimed, rushing into the room.

The cyborg Seraph straightened and moved away. Anniel heard the thump of his boots going across the room behind her. He must've been massively proportioned by the heavy sound of his footfalls.

"Keep an eye on her." Silence and then, "I will kill you if anything happens to her."

"Y-yes, Neo."

The door slammed yet again, leaving her sequestered with another stranger.

Anniel thought hard, trying to remember what he looked like when he'd exploded through the glass dome back at the palace. It had only been a glimpse before her eyes had started burning. His skin was dark, though not like hers. He was more like Alluna, with a caramel—almost golden—hue. His hair was definitely dark blond, but she hadn't seen his face because of the goggles and bulky gas mask over it. Metal-like coils covered him, most likely some sort of protective flight suit. If only she could telepathically connect with Remi so he could fix her eyes. She was dying to look at Cyneolle's face...and at the same time terrified. What if Cyn was her sweet Gareth?

Anniel wrapped her arms around her middle and sobbed quietly. Her poor baby.

*** 

Ashriel stared at the strange androgynous creature before him in shock.

Seth chuckled humorlessly. "Let me get this straight...you want us to give you Devon in exchange for the Utuduodian princess and her two ambassadors?"

"Only for a night. I would like to share fluids with him. His beauty is legendary."

Ashriel scoffed in outrage, but Seth gestured for him to remain calm.

"I can ask Devon to show himself, but you must also show me the girls."

The white-skinned creature nodded its ascent.

"I'll need a mirror," Seth continued.

No sooner had he uttered the request, two doors opened behind the King's avatar. A pair of Chid's rolled out a mirror with an ornate gilded frame.

Ashriel clenched his teeth in agitation. He wanted Anniel, needed to feel her in his arms again. Once he had her back, they were leaving—to hell with his vow and investigations. He cared for nothing but her. He would never forgive himself if anything were to happen to her.

Seth stood before the mirror and pointed. The avatar drifted closer and gasped.

When Ashriel looked, Devon stood on the other side of the glass. He wore nothing but his black drawstring pants. His chest and feet were bare and his hair streamed in a spill of jet over his shoulders to just under his pectorals. His eyes glowed their usual eerie blue, like two burning suns in a sea of stark white skin—the most beautiful humanoid face one could ever lay their eyes upon.

But Ashriel knew beauty was subjective. All who cast their eyes upon Devon found him devastating because he was part incubus, like his father.

"You see Devon, now let us see the girls," Seth was saying.

The avatar moved forward as if entranced and touched the glass. It began to pant. "I want him. Come through. Let me touch you."

"Where are the girls?" Seth demanded.

"I've had enough," Ashriel snarled. "Can you not telepathically feel for them?"

Seth looked at Ashriel. "I feel them close, but it's not enough. It could take hours to find them by me just feeling them out."

Ashriel took a menacing step toward the avatar, but Natanael and Reiven gripped his arms to hold him.

"Easy, Ash," Natanael said in a low tone. "Your beating that creature won't do a thing to the king. He's possessing this creature's mind and body, but it's not really him."

Ashriel shook both reapers off. "You're right, but it would make me feel better."

Seth turned back to the avatar. "The girls."

The back doors opened again and two orbs floated in containing Angel and princess Glory. Both girls were pounding the bubbles, trying to get out.

"I'll release them when Devon crosses over," the avatar sighed.

"You'll release them now," Devon said, his eyes riveted on the white-skinned androgynous humanoid.

"Where's Anniel?" Ashriel roared.

The avatar turned its head and regarded him with bright blue eyes. "She was taken by the rebel leader, Cyneolle. He has taken her to their underground headquarters."

Ashriel's patience snapped. He rushed to the creature and gripped it by its neck. Instead of showing fear, the creature only grinned. To Ashriel's shock, it reached up to its chest and ripped off two strips of black adhesive covering its nipples. The snowy skin beneath turned an angry red. For a moment, the creature's face registered pain, but the eyes became glassy and vacant again as it shoved its hands into the tiny loin cloth covering its sex. The avatar began to shamelessly masturbate as Ashriel choked it.

"Where is the rebel headquarters?" he demanded squeezing harder.

The creature gasped for breath and shuddered, as if coming to a little climax. It tore away its loincloth exposing a small penis, but then it gripped the small phallus in one hand to stroke it and fingered another opening beneath it. It had a pussy too.

"Answer me," Ashriel shouted shaking the disgusting creature.

It grinned wider, its face already turning blue.

"Uh, Ash," Eriel began," if you want it to talk, you're gonna have to let it breathe."

Ashriel tossed the creature away from him and summoned his divine sword. The avatar had stumbled back to fall on its ass. When Ashriel stood over it with his blade, the creature lifted its head to suck on the sword lewdly. Blood poured from its mouth, making Ashriel back away. Natanael was right. The poor creature before him was nothing but an unfeeling vessel. If any pain was suffered, he was sure only the creature felt it and not the damned King Dred.

The avatar gave him a bloody smile. "If I knew where the rebel headquarters was situated, there would be no rebels."

"Release the girls," Seth demanded.

The creature leaned back, its eyes on Ashriel's blade as it spread its legs wide to show the tiny slit beneath its penis. "Fuck me here. Make me bleed. This little whore loves feeling its little cunt ripped, don't you."

The creature suddenly let out a shrill shriek that had Ashriel's skin crawling.

"Oh-Divinity-help meee," it screamed at the top of its lungs. One hand began fisting into its tiny pussy, making it writhe, while the other savaged the rapidly reddening prick. The creature looked down with wild eyes. "Stop-oh-please-stop."

Ashriel could only look on with horror and pity.

It screamed again when the entire fist pushed inside its little pussy and pumped, and then it began to laugh again. "Ah, the terror, the pain. How good it tastes."

The fist came out bloody and it proceeded to lick and suck at the fingers looking up at Ashriel coquettishly.

Ashriel moved back in disgust.

"The girls," Seth repeated.

The bubble containing the princess dissolved.

"Devon," the creature hissed, licking its bloody teeth and lips as it resumed masturbating on the floor, its legs spread wide.

Ashriel watched Devon step through the glass, the clear pane rippling like water. He walked slowly over to the groaning creature and stopped a few inches away.

Slowly, deliberately, he undid the ties to his drawstring pants and then let them drop around his ankles. He was erect, his cock resting against his belly. The creature just stared, awestruck.

"Release the woman, and let them go free and you can have me. Otherwise I will destroy all you see around you."

"You would not dare kill your loved ones," the creature scoffed.

"I can protect them. I do not care about the rest."

The creature smiled, "Then why do you not just go ahead and do it?"

Devon smiled. "Because they are attached to these females. And I like keeping my loved ones happy." His smile faded and black veins began covering his face and arms. "Of course, I would not put them in jeopardy. It's up to you. Either we all make each other happy or I just take my unhappy angels back home where it's safe. They'll forgive me eventually. They always do."

The avatar did not realize he had Devon's own female trapped. Ashriel didn't understand why he didn't just release her himself and then home in on Anniel so they could all go home.

The bubble containing Angel dissolved.

"You're all free to go...except Devon, of course. He'll be mine for tonight."

Devon turned to all of them. "Go. Find Anniel."

Ashriel frowned, but since he needed to locate Anniel and bring her back to safety, he did not ask any more questions.

They got back into their transports, Angel climbed in with Seth, and the princess chose to ride with Natanael.

Ashriel looked back to see Angel gazing at her mate. They seemed to be communicating telepathically, but he wasn't sure. Angel looked determined, but not worried about her mate's situation. He wouldn't be too worried about Devon either. The King was stupid to think he could toy around with someone as powerful as Devon of Angelos

The transport took them back to the docking hangar. The new guards stationed by the exit did not try to interfere when they stepped out of their transports and hurried to the royal shuttle waiting to take them back to the black market.

Angel gripped Seth's arm. "We're going back to Glory's space vessel orbiting the planet. Devon must've left Jazriel with Abdiel. He will be livid being left behind as a nanny. He was upset enough that Ashriel did not allow him to participate in this mission."

Ashriel scowled. "I will not allow a virgin reaper to pose as a whore. That is blasphemy. Abdiel should just go back to Seraphia. He is still pure."

Princess Glory stepped up beside Angel. "He does not want to be celibate anymore and is just waiting for the right person to come along. You have no right to dictate to him what he should do."

Ashriel just frowned at her. The silly female just did not understand how special their vow of chastity was. It set a Seraph apart. Made them holier.

Angel stood on her tip-toes, pulled Seth's mask down and kissed him chastely on the lips. His eyes looked down tenderly at her as he readjusted his gas mask. Princess Glory smirked and strode confidently up to him. Seth gave her a puzzled look and then gasped when she tore his mask off. She fisted his platinum blond locks, pulled him in for a deep, rough kiss that left Seth panting and looking at her wide-eyed. His cheeks flushed red when she winked and turned away to disappear into the small Utuduodian transport shuttle.

Seth scrabbled to readjust his mask, his eyes still wide in shock. He glared as the girls shuttled lifted off and headed down an airlock tube.

With a shake of his head and an annoyed huff, he turned and signaled to board the royal Rhylosian shuttle.

They boarded and strapped into their seats. Seth sat at the pilot's chair, but the coordinates were already set for the black market so he didn't need to pilot the craft, just let it direct itself to their destination.

"Now what do we do?" Ashriel asked Seth.

"We need to go down into the bowels of the city. I'm going to have to just use my powers to locate her, but I think that it won't take me more than a day cycle."

Ashriel slammed his fist against the armrests. "A day cycle? I don't understand. You are supposed to have this immense power."

Seth growled, and ripped his gas mask off again now that the outer hatch was locked and the inner cabin filled with clean air.

"Shit. I am not God, you fucking asshole. You are not the only one torn up by this. Annie was like my big sister."




Dark Angel Ch. 08



"You desired her," Ashriel accused.

"I wasn't the one who fucked her," Seth spat back.

Ashriel gasped. "What?" Seth flattened his lips into a grim line and looked away. "Who?" Ashriel demanded. "Who fucked her? Remi? Zack, Devon?" He snarled when the weretigri remained silent. "Lucien. It was Lucien, wasn't it?"

Seth's pale blue eyes snapped back to glare at Ashriel.

The shuttle shot forward, zipped through three airlocks before slamming to a halt, almost throwing Ashriel out of his seat. Alarms went off.

"Son-of-a-bitch," Seth snarled. "Fuck."

Ashriel looked out through the windshield and gasped. The sky was practically blotted out with transports, the majority of which had enormous crystal vid relayers aimed at them.

"The media," Seth growled. "We've been found."

"How're we gonna ditch them?" Natanael asked.

Ashriel raked his hands over his head, wincing when his fingers tangled in his braids.

Seth eyes glowed with power as he stared hard at the control panel. His gloved hands gripped the control levers and the shuttle jets whined with augmented power. "All right. Everybody just hold on."

It was all the warning they got before the shuttle dropped.

"Fffuck," Ashriel roared.

*** 

Anniel awakened to soft sobbing. She stirred and sat up rubbing her eyes, all the time wondering who'd been crying. Her eyes itched, but when she rubbed them, they burned, making her hiss.

The bed she lay on dipped heavily, startling her. Large hands engulfed hers, pulling them away from her face.

"It is worse if you rub," a deep raspy voice said. "Lay back. I will put the drops doc gave me."

Anniel struggled half-heartedly to pull her hands away. She needed to get away, though she had no doubt Devon or Seth would come to her sooner or later. A hand caressed her cheek, making her go still.

"Trust me," Cyn rasped.

She closed her stinging eyes and leaned a bit into his warm palm. He wore velvet gloves and they were soft against her skin.

Huffing out a sigh, she lay back. Anniel felt him lean over her. Two fingers propped open her left eye and she felt when a cool drop of liquid bathed her eye, giving her instant relief. He repeated the same with her right eye.

She inhaled sharply when his hands cupped her face and drew her up. His lips pressed feather light kisses over each eye.

"All better now?" he asked in his raspy voice.

Anniel's hands had wrapped around his wrists. She squeezed slightly, feeling the steel skeleton beneath what might be skin, she really wasn't sure.

A sob caught in her throat as she thought of her baby, Gareth, and before she knew what she was doing, she jumped up and hugged Cyn tight.

Anniel breathed his scent in deep. Seraph and Wolf. It was slightly familiar, but it was not the scent she associated with her child.

Cyn held her gently, and then one hand reached up to take a handful of her hair and press it to his face. His chest expanded, breathing her in as well.

"You remind me of her."

Anniel fisted his dreads, before running her left hand over the arch of his right wing. She laid her cheek on his shoulder and winced when she felt the distinct feel of metal beneath.

"Who do I remind you of?" She asked when she trusted her voice not to break.

His arms tightened around her, his nose pressed to her head. "My m—"

A loud crash behind her startled them both. A female screamed and Cyn shot to his feet. Snarling ensued, making the fine hairs on the back of Anniel's neck stand on end. Werewolves.

"Get out," Cyn grated.

"I want the female," A deep masculine voice snarled.

Anniel frowned. She remembered that voice. The palace. The alpha werewolf at the dinner table.

"You cannot have her," Cyn replied his voice deadly.

"You desire her," A feminine voice shrieked, enraged. "You bastard."

Amidst all the screaming and growls, Anniel took a deep breath and tried to concentrate hard on using her limited powers to feel around the room. She cursed inwardly at not having listened to Seth and allowed him to help her expand her abilities.

"You cannot have her," Cyn roared. "She is mine. I will kill who ever touches her."

Vicious snarls reverberated throughout the room and then it sounded as if someone had turned on a jet. Two green orbs began glowing.

"Get out, or I will fire upon the both of you."

"Stupid bitch," the female spat, clearly out of control. "You'll pay. You'll see. Cyn is mine. Mine—you hear me?"

Feet shuffled, as if someone were being forced from the room and then the door slammed.

After a while, the noise and glaring green light faded.

Anniel heard heavy breathing and realized it must come from Cyn. Whenever Gareth became upset, she would take him on her lap and rock him. He always enjoyed when she sang the dragon's lullaby to him. Cyn was too big to fit on her lap, but maybe he'd enjoy her soothing him with the lullaby.

Anniel began to sing in a low voice, soft and soothing. She was not an international rock star like Rowie, but her voice was pleasant enough.

She heard his thumping steps as he approached her slowly. Anniel sat up straight on the edge of the bed she lay upon and tried to make out his form in all the black and grey splotches before her. It looked as if he'd gone down on his knees in front of her. She blinked in surprise when arms encircled her waist, and jumped a bit when he lay his head in her lap. Carefully, she stroked his hair and forehead and continued to sing. A quiver went through his large frame, making her pause.

"Are you okay?" she asked when he remained silent.

His voice was but a whisper, but she heard him clearly when he said, "My mother would sing that to me when I was a child."

Anniel's heart began to race. "Where is your mother?"

"I don't know."

"Were you always called Cyneolle?"

He remained silent a while. "No."

"W-what was your name before you were called Cyneolle?"

Again he remained silent a while before answering. "I don't remember."

Anniel bit her lip. "Was it...Gareth?"

He stiffened this time and then shifted, lifting his head. Anniel held her breath, waiting for him to answer.

"No."

The sob could not be contained anymore. Her heart crumpled, her breath choked in her lungs and she found she could no longer hold herself upright.

Cyneolle climbed up beside her and pulled her onto his lap. He held her much like she'd cradled Gareth. Fisting the front of his shirt, she cried out her sorrow over the loss of her child once more. Anniel lamented ever having left him alone and prayed he hadn't suffered much.

*** 

Returning to the black market was impossible. Seth maneuvered through traffic while Ashriel tried hard to hold onto his seat. They dipped and turned, swerved and weaved until Seth ducked into an old docking station that led to the city's hydro-lifters.

"Cover up. We need to get out of here, like now," Seth said stuffing weapons into his long coat.

Ashriel pulled his gas mask over his mouth and nose after securing the goggles over his eyes again. He really didn't need the goggles because reapers had a natural nictating membrane that covered their eyes during flight. He only used them to hide his face. It seemed he was somewhat of a celebrity...all because he'd lost his virginity. He shook his head, thinking how absurd the universe was.

Natanael changed his hair from deep blue to jet-black. "You should change your look too, Ash."

Ashriel scowled at him.

"Nat might have a point there," Seth sighed.

Ashriel shook his head. "I refuse to resemble a circus sideshow freak."

Now it was Natanael's turn to scowl. "Hey, I resent that remark. Besides, you're the freak everyone's hunting for."

"Stop. Fighting will get us nowhere," Seth huffed impatiently.

"I want to have blond hair," Amadashiel piped up from the rear of the shuttle.

"Better hurry up," Seth warned. "They're going to come looking in here."

Natanael used his silver wand on Amadashiel's hair, turning it a rich golden blond. Eriel and Reiven asked for crimson hair like, Remien Fyre's and Seth had his hair turned orange, like a Chid.

"Quick, Ash," Nat said rushing toward him. "Pick a color."

Ashriel blinked, his mind a complete blank.

"Hurry. Just give him anything," Seth exclaimed. "More than half of them are turning back. They'll come in here."

"Ash," Nat prodded.

Ashriel snarled, "I don't know. Do whatever."

Natanael reached toward him. Panic seized Ashriel, imagining himself with some wild crazy color. "A natural color, Natanael."

"Natanael paused frowning. "You said whatever."

"Whatever within the natural range of colors for our kind," Ashriel snapped.

Natanael rolled his eyes and grabbed a handful of Ashriel's braids. He swept the wand over the front, sides and back.

"Done," he said stepping back.

"Wait," Seth said raising his hands.

Ashriel yelped in surprise when it felt as if someone had tugged his braids hard. He put his hands up to his head to discover his hair was unbound. Tugging a strand forward he gasped when he saw the color. "You ass," he shouted in outrage, tossing the honey-blond lock over his shoulder in disgust. "You've turned me into Garethiel."

Natanael scowled. "You said any natural Seraphian color."

"We gotta go—now," Seth exclaimed running to the back hatch. "No more time."

Ashriel felt adrenaline rush through his body, knowing the danger they faced being mauled by the media and not being able to reach or find Anniel. They followed Seth, rushing out of the docking section and melting into the multitude of beings awaiting clearance to board the hydro-lifters. 

The metal and glass tubes ran up and down into almost every level within the city.

"Where are we going now?" Ashriel whispered close to Seth.

"They'll be waiting for us at the black market. We can't go back."

Natanael leaned closer, "What about my Starcruiser?"

Ashriel saw when Seth took a deep breath. "I'll figure out a way to get it back. For now, we need to get Annie. We're going to head down...as far down as they'll let us go. I can feel her...below...on the surface...I think."

"You think?" Ashriel growled near his ear, showing his displeasure.

Seth turned, his black goggles mirroring Ashriel's covered face. Ashriel winced, not because of the anger the weretigri emanated, but because he looked so much like his twin, and it irritated the hell out of him.

"Wow, Ash. You're really starting to piss me off. How about you shut up for a bit and let me concentrate on feeling for Annie without you running your annoying mouth. Jeez, you're worse than Remi."

Ashriel clenched his fists at the mention of the irritating red weredragon. How dare he say he was more annoying.

They moved with the flow of the crowd. Behind them was the buzz of excited chatter and shouts of protests. Ashriel was about to turn his head, but Seth shook his head.

"They're back there trying to find us," Seth whispered. "Keep your head down and just keep going. We're going down...all the way down. If we're separated, just open your mind to me. I'll try to link us all, but not here." He looked around and Ashriel watched the reflection Seth's goggles revealed. There were vid-relayers floating over them like birds of prey looking for its kill.

Ashriel followed the crowd and boarded one of the hydro-lifters. It was going down and was not monitored by any guards. It was going up that they seemed to want to control.

So far, they managed to escape the watchful eyes of the interstellar media. As the doors slid shut, a bunch of silver balls whizzed in and began buzzing like flies over the crowded beings within the hydro-lifter.

Ashriel was wedged with Seth in front of him and Natanael behind him, but to his left was a Chid girl smacking on gum loudly. Her respirator hung loose by her cheek and her goggles were on her forehead.. She gazed idly at a holographic image projected from the com-unit device she had hanging from a barbed chain around her neck.

Ashriel looked at the image being displayed by her device and almost choked. It was an image of him from about three hundred years back, fighting amidst a horde of devils and demons.

He turned his head, afraid the young female would somehow recognize him, but saw that more than half the occupants in the lift were watching the same vid feed. He began to sweat.

A few of the silver balls whizzing about hovered over him. A handful dropped down right in front of his face and he tried swatting them away.

More approached and buzzed around him.

Seth spun around and Ashriel felt the distinct bite of power whip out from the weretigri. It tingled against his flesh like thousands of tiny bugs or needles prickling his skin.

The holographic images around them fizzled off making a few of the hydrolifters' occupants murmur in anger.

The girl next to Ashriel stared up at him with a frown. The intensity of her stare made him uneasy.

The doors to the lift opened a few times on different levels. Ashriel was dying to step out of the lift and away from her intense stare.

Suddenly Eriel was there. He insinuated himself between Ashriel and the girl and slid his goggles and mask off.

"Hi," he said in a deep seductive voice.

The girl's eyes snapped to his face, her frowning mouth dropping open a bit.

Eriel tilted his head a bit, letting his fake deep red hair slither over one of his shoulders. "Where are you headed?"

The girl began to chew her gum again nervously. "My mama told me never to talk to pleasure workers."

Eriel chuckled, squaring his shoulders. "Your mama must know something very naughty about us."

"Your friend," she began glancing quickly at Ashriel before her gaze became ensnared by Eriel again.

"Forget my friend. He's been hired. I'm just tagging along to see if I get lucky too." Eriel reached out and traced the girls quivering lips before he stooped down and covered her mouth with his.

Normally, Ashriel would have balked at seeing him try to corrupt such a young female, but he knew the girl was suspicious of him and Erie kissing her a bit would distract her until they could escape. It wasn't as if he would try to fuck her right there in front of everybody.

Of course, when Eriel did raise his hand with every intention of grabbing one pert little breast, Ashriel gripped his wrist and shook his head when Eriel turned to look at him questioningly.

"It's him," the girl declared pointing at Ashriel. "All our devices malfunctioned because one of them is an ex-Edenian Master Guardian. One of those Alpha Angels. This one here is Ashriel of Angelos."

Ashriel paled, but all the occupants of the lift did was stare and murmur amongst themselves.

Someone shuffled toward them and Ashriel cringed at his stench. The very dirty and ill kempt man grinned, showing green and black-stained teeth. His one eyes was milky white with a hint of a pupil beneath the meaty film covering it and the other was a metal ball with an actual brown iris sitting in the middle of it.

"Trying to run away from the media, are you?"

"Get lost," Reiven growled.

Eriel began shoving him away, but Seth put his hand out to stop them.

"Can you help us?" Seth inquired making Ashriel's brows shoot up his forehead.

"Of course," the man cackled. "I didn't come over here for your fucking autographs." He spat on the floor, making the reapers jump away.

Ashriel wrinkled his nose at the green and red gob splattered on the floor. The man laughed and nodded toward the doors. "We get off on the next stop, my pretties."

"We're not even half way down the city," Ashriel pointed out.

"I had some business to attend to, but your situation takes precedence, don't you think?"The filthy man raised a hand to touch Ashriel's face, but he slapped it away with a snarl, making the man laugh. "You're very skittish for a whore."

Ashriel's face flamed. Being called that to his face left him...feeling miserable.

No one tried to stop them when they squeezed their way out of the lift. The man directed them to the edges of the docking station. Open slits in the building let in foul air. Even through the mask he wore, Ashriel could feel the thick pungent fumes of the toxic Rhylosian atmosphere. Guards stood by the open airways. One of them stepped forward, his plasma rifle clutched tight to his chest.

"Where the hell do you all think you're going?" he rasped through his mask.

Their filthy guide spat another nasty gob of slime on the floor at the guard's feet, just barely missing his shiny boots. 

"Those fucking lifts are vermin infested and smell bad."

The guard snorted. "Maybe you should stop riding them."

The dirty man laughed derisively and turned briefly back to Seth and the reapers, who stood behind him. "We got ourselves a comedian here."

Ashriel caught a glimpse of vid relayers zipping by outside. He began to sweat again.

"Listen, asshole. My new buddies here offered to fly me down instead."

Ashriel stiffened when the guard regarded them suspiciously. "Fly down, eh?"

"That's right. Down," their smelly guide nodded.

The guard's black goggles revealed nothing as he remained silent, looking at all of them, his fingers flexing on his plasma rifle. "I'll let you jump, but if you so much as rise one bit, even if it's the wind current that lifts any of you...you'll be vaporized instantly. We've got every level covered by guards and plasma canons."

"Yeah, whatever, asshole," the dirty man spat, waving his hand as he approached the opening in the building. "Just follow me down boys."

He gave one last laugh before he leapt through the narrow opening in the building.

Ashriel gasped and ran, as did the others. The man was a rapidly shrinking dot far below. Natanael jumped first, after wrapping one arm around Seth. Ashriel followed, opening his wings straight back. His stomach rolled as he beat his wings and made himself fall faster. Ripping his goggles back, he narrowed his eyes and focused on Natanael a little farther down from him.

They spiraled down, closer to the darkened surface. Thank the Divinity they were far from the busiest veins of traffic. Close to the building, no transports flew by.

When Ashriel could barely see anymore, he halted his fall by beating his wings in reverse.

"Put your goggles back on," he heard Eriel shout not that far from where he was.

Ashriel reached up and pulled them back down. He gasped in shock. The dirty man he thought had probably splatted to his death by now floated a few feet in front of him. On his back were a pair of metallic wings, glowing blue. There were more metal-winged humanoids around them. Natanael still held Seth, and Reiven and Amadashiel hovered to his right. Below his feet he saw the neon glow of the city. He looked around, noticing the darkened windows spanning at least fifty levels.

"You wouldn't want to venture into these levels," the dirty man chuckled. "Let's go down into the heart of Rhylos."

"We want to speak with Cyneolle. He has a friend of ours," Seth said.

The dirty man laughed, as did the others around them.

"Well, I'd have to let his guards know you seek him out."

"Take us to him," Ashriel demanded.

The dirty man snorted. "And how the hell should I know where that devil is?"

He was lying. Ashriel felt it in his bones. He had to know where this Cyneolle was. They all had to know.

"All right, then get in touch with his guards. We want our friend back."

"And what's in it for me?" the dirty man grinned.

Ashriel remained silent, not knowing what to say.

"Pimp me out," Eriel flew forward. "You could make a fortune pimping me out."

The dirty man's eyes roved Eriel's body and he nodded slowly.

Ashriel shuddered. "Eriel..."

Eriel turned. Even though his face was covered from his nose down, his eyes were smiling. "It's okay, Ash. It's not like I'm not used to it. It'll be fun...getting fucked for love...even if it's not love for me."




Dark Angel Ch. 08



Ashriel shook his head. "Eriel..."

Eriel raised his hands. "Not another word."

"I'll go with him," Natanael said drifting closer to transfer Seth into Ashriel's arms. He winked at Ashriel. "We always watch each other's backs."

"Well," the dirty man chortled, "I guess it's settled then. Let's go. I'll show the rest of you a place where you can chill out while I take these two beauties to the black market."

"Wait. What about letting Cyneolle know we want to speak to him?" Ashriel protested.

The dirty man laughed. "Trust me. Cyn already knows you're here. He'll come around. Just you wait and see. Nothing goes on around here that he does not know."

*** 

Anniel stirred and lifted her face from the pillow she laid on. Her hair was in her face and it was dark. How long had she slept? Her body felt achy. Rolling over, she touched her belly and gasped. It felt rounded. Confusion assailed her. Had she been unconscious a long time? She ran her fingers over her belly feeling the familiar sensation of panic rise. Her mind drifted back to when she'd awakened from suspended animation. One moment she was hearing her Alpha Angel brothers and sister fighting telepathically and in the next blink, she was in Devon's arms, awakening from a three hundred year slumber.

"Oh-god—not again," she whimpered.

"Easy," Cyneolle soothed.

"What happened to me?"

"I saved you."

"Yes, but how much time has elapsed since you saved me?"

"Only one day cycle."

Anniel frowned, sliding her palms over her rounded belly. Cyneolle's hand smoothed between hers gently.

"The nanobots repaired you from the inside."

Shock and fear slammed into her. Nanobots?

"My baby?"

"Your baby is fine and healthy. The nanobots accelerated her growth to strengthen her."

Anniel's jaw dropped. "H-her?"

"You carry a full Seraphian female within your womb."

Anniel felt dumbfound. A daughter...but..."She can't be full Seraph. I'm an Edenian werewolf. My father was full human, but my mother carried the gene and it was transferred to me. It's always passed on to the females."

"Your daughter has full Seraphian blood."

Anniel blinked in the general direction of his voice. This time it was too dark to make out his shape. "Her father is a reaper."

"Describe him to me."

She was about to blurt Ashriel's name, but thought better of it. He didn't know he was going to be a father. He should be the first to officially know. "He has dark hair...very silky dark brown hair with auburn highlights in it." And when the light hit him just right, a few hints of red-gold showed too. "He's very tall."

"Most reapers are."

"And he's very muscular."

Anniel bit her lip, thinking she'd gone too far in her description. Most reapers were well honed, but Ashriel had the body of a god, and he was well known in the galaxy.

"You do not want to reveal his name." It was a statement, not a question. Anniel felt guilty, but she still did not wish to reveal the name of her baby's father just yet.

"Is he the father of your first born...of Gareth?"

Anniel winced. How did he know?

"It was an easy guess you wept so despondently over a lost child," he answered as if reading her mind.

Anniel felt her nose and eyes burn just before his hand caressed her cheek. She took a deep breath to control herself. "No. My firstborn's father was a blond Seraph."

"Why do you frown?"

Anniel bit her lips guiltily. She hadn't meant to make a face, but just thinking about Garethiel made her want to scowl.

"It's nothing," she replied.

"He hurt you?"

Anniel pushed back her unruly hair. It felt like it was a terrible mess. "It was something that happened long ago. It doesn't matter."

"I am curious to know."

Anniel rolled her useless eyes. "We were both young...or at least I was...and stupid. He just wanted to have a fling and I took things a little too seriously." She shrugged her shoulders. "No big deal. I'm over it now."

Cyneolle remained silent for a while.

"Are you still there?" She reached out to touch him and felt the leather vest covering his chest. His breath made his chest heave.

"That man is a bastard. You are not a woman to be taken and used like a common whore," his voice spat venomously, making her wince. "If I ever have him before me, I will beat him to a pulp."

Anniel's mouth fell open for the hundredth time. She reached up looking to cup his face in her hands to soothe him. "No, honey. Don't feel that way. It was a long time ago. Garethiel was almost a child himself. He didn't know any better. It was all just raging hormones."

"Unacceptable," he growled.

Anniel took a deep breath, but the sound of sniffling caught her attention. She cocked her head to the side and listened closely.

"Your female companion. She cries allot."

Anniel's heart slammed harder against her ribs. "Rayne?"

"We do not know her name. She is a tiny female with black hair and big blue eyes."

"Yes. That's Rayne. What's wrong with her? Why is she crying? Rayne? Where is she?"

"She is still hooked up to the life supports. We did the best we could for her. She was dead when we brought her in."

"Oh-god. Poor girl," Anniel gasped clutching Cyn's arms. "Take me to her."

"Not yet. We are keeping her isolated until her immune system strengthens. She is very vulnerable right now. In just a few more hours we will allow her to try to walk after doc finishes with her."

"Finishes? What was done to her? I mean, I saw what that horrible king did. He raped the poor girl and was going to eat her." Anniel shuddered at the memory. "And she was dead? How did you ever revive her."

Cyneolle was quiet a moment, making Anniel almost dread his answer. "We couldn't revive her body. It was damaged beyond repair and contaminated. Doc built her a new one. He managed to salvage a few of her internal organs and used a sample of her DNA to grow new skin. She'll be able to feel her body as if it were natural."

Anniel quaked at what he was saying. "Sh-she was turned into a cyborg?"

"Her brain is fully organic. Doc removed it from her destroyed body, spinal cord and nerves intact, and transplanted it into the new body. He added most of her internal organs including her heart and stomach."

Anniel felt sick. Cyneolle pulled her into his arms. "You are becoming upset. I will speak no more of this Rayne to you. Just know that she is well and recovering. She will be fully functional in a few hours."

Anniel took deep breaths, breathing in his scent again. "Is that what happened to you?"

"No. I am what I am today after many battles. Each time I lose a piece of myself, it is replaced with cyborg hardware."

Anniel's heart clenched. "Why do you fight?"

"Because the citizens of Rhylos suffer." His voice had gone deep and scary even though his hands continued to caress her back. "The so-called government pumps poison into the atmosphere and charges the citizens for fresh air."

Anniel swallowed. "How long have you been fighting?"

"A hundred years. Before that, I was lulled into a false state of helplessness. My eyes were opened by the wolf bane society living here on Rhylos. They accepted me as one of their own when the Seraph's would not."

Anniel bit her lip, blinking up to where she assumed his face was. She reached up and touched her cheek. "You said the nanobots repaired me from the inside out. Why am I blind?"

His hand caressed her face again. "I could not bear letting them replace your beautiful eyes with cyborg technology. The acid from King Dred's blood burned your corneal lenses."

She swallowed hard. Lucky for her he thought her eyes were beautiful. There was very little damage Remi could not repair. He'd practically brought Alluna back from near death once. Repairing her eyes would be easy for him...if she could manage to get back home.

Anniel--a voice whispered in her mind.

She jumped when she heard Seth's voice telepathically. His presence as well as the presence of the others filled her soul, making her heart swell with joy.

Cyneolle's hands gripped her arms. "What is wrong?"

Anniel blinked and rubbed her forehead. "I just feel so overwhelmed with everything that's happened."

"You should rest. Your accelerated pregnancy will tire you easily until your body becomes stronger. I have sent for food for you."

"Food?"

"Prinut. It is very nutritious."

Anniel covered her mouth, almost gagging. "Oh-no. Don't you dare bring me that awful stuff—eewww."

Cyneolle rose from the bed. "I must leave. Do not attempt to leave this room. You are safe here."

His boots thumped the floor heavily as he walked away.

When the door closed behind him, she was able to concentrate fully on the whispering voices in her head.

She reached out telepathically to them--Seth? Devon? Guys?

Emotions wafted through her as the links became stronger. Rowie had given birth to twin boys, but something was wrong. The Vildminorian council was searching for Alpha 7...For Rowie, Remi and their babies. Zak was upset. Alluna was extremely uncomfortable with her pregnancy, her daughters too active within her belly and causing her pain. Angel was nervous and Devon...

Anniel still couldn't feel Devon fully but he was there, blocking himself off.

Anniel—Seth called again. We're here. We're coming for you. Look around so I can see where you are.

Anniel whimpered in frustration. I can't--she projected to him.

She felt Seth's concern. His voice echoed in her thoughts again--Why not? Are you blind-folded? Annie, just your use your powers to lower the blind-fold. Or are you somewhere that's completely dark?

She bit her lip, reluctant to tell him she couldn't see because her eyes were ruined, but she didn't even have to think the words to him. He gasped and suddenly knew.

His voice echoed in her mind once more--Shit. Don't worry, Annie. I'll find you. Hold tight.

*** 

Ashriel wanted to talk to her too, but he didn't know how. Seth had allowed him to listen in on their conversation and the sound of her voice had nearly driven him to his knees, relieved she was well. Her life-force felt strong and she didn't feel like she was in pain. He did feel her distress.

"What is it?" Ashriel demanded when he felt the connection to him break.

Seth opened his eyes. "She can't make out where she is."

"Why not? What's wrong?"

Reiven and Amadashiel crowded around Seth as well.

"It must be dark."

Ashriel frowned. "She's a werewolf. She can see good in the dark."

Seth glared. "Not in total darkness. She feels fine. I didn't feel any pain or discomfort in her body. She's lying on a bed." Seth's eyes closed again. "I smell humidity. It's cool...like she's underground. And there's the hum of machinery in the background."

Ashriel shivered as he began picking up everything Seth spoke of. He closed his eyes also and sniffed. It was definitely underground. The sound of water dripping slowly, echoing in the background also made him frown.

"A basement?" Amadashiel suggested.

Ashriel shook his head. "No. The echo... It's like a big space. Cavernous."

"Like an underground tunnel system?" Reiven added.

"The sewer system," Seth said.

Ashriel's eyes snapped open. "Do you realize the extent and size of a sewer system in a city this size?"

Seth shook his head. "She's close. I can feel her. I need to get out of here and walk the streets."

Ashriel looked around at the tiny room they'd been shown to. It was located just inside a narrow alleyway between two porn shops. They'd had to climb a rusty ladder and enter through a grimy window that sported a busted pane. Filmy, ratted curtains fluttered in the foul breeze wafting in off the steamy city street. The lone bulb that hung precariously off the chipped and peeling ceiling, cast a greenish dim glow in the small room. The walls were in the same dismal condition as the seiling, paint peeling and chipped, dirty with strange hyrogliphic graffiti covering most of it. To the left of the eindow was a dirty old matress with a few coils poking out of its frayed covering. The only door in the room was boarded shut. Ashriel shuddered wondering why, his fertile mind conjuring up images of flesh-eating zombies ambling through the darkened hallway beyond. He hated zombies. They smelled awful.

"We'll go with you," Amadashiel said adjusting her mask more firmly to her face.

Seth shook his head. "All four of us will draw attention."

Ashriel looked at Reiven and Amadashiel. "You two stay for now. I'll go with Seth. If Nat and Eriel come back here just sit tight until we come back for you. Understand?"

The reapers frowned, but nodded.

"Ash, lose the corset. Dressing down will help lessen the attention drawn."

"I'll help you," Amadashiel said batting her lashes at him. Next to her, Reiven scowled.

Ashriel would have protested, but the truth was he really couldn't get out of the restrictive brace without help. Eriel and Natanael had been the ones to lace him up into the hideous male corset.

As soon as she removed the offending piece, Ashriel stepped away from her caressing fingers.

By now Reiven's expression was thunderous. Ashriel felt embarrassed for him, but the foolish reaper should know better. Amadashiel was a little tease. She'd never be faithful to Reiven no matter how much he felt he loved her.

"Stay here, and don't draw attention to yourselves. No telling what sickos roam the streets below," Seth ordered grimly.

Ashriel followed him out the window.They descended the rusted ladder once more and took to the streets.

"This almost reminds me of an Edenian city back on Earth," Seth murmured as they walked briskly down the street.

AShriel was about to ask him which when an alarm blared. A booming voice echoed over loud speakers. "Incoming."

The alarms continued to blare. Ashriel noticed the citizens ducked underneath metal awnings or ran indoors.

Seth gripped his arm and pulled him beneath the awning of a butcher shop. Ashriel stared in horror at the meat hanging in the window. There were human heads hanging amongst strange alien meats. The crash of metal falling very close to him and Seth had him snapping his head around. Objects of all shapes and sizes rained down into the street. Pieces of metal, furnishings, and garbage.

"What the hell," Ashriel gasped, blinking in shock. Garbage was being dumped from the upper levels

When stuff ceased to rain down, a swarm of creatures descended upon the scattered garbage. Most of them had humanoid shapes, but others looked extremely deformed. Rags covered their bodies. Some wore the typical goggles, but others had a solid metal mask covering their entire face. One person had cybernetic arms and legs, the metal skeleton and wires exposed without fleshy covering.

They gathered the dumped articles like vultures on carrion, not leaving a single thing behind when they finally scattered like roaches. Ashriel saw how most of them disappeared in the grates at the edges of the wide street. People emerged from their hiding places and hovercrafts began zipping along the street again.

Seth and Ashriel gaped at each other, until Ashriel noticed that the butcher had stopped chopping meat at the counter and now stood at the glass window behind them... watching them with a nefarious grin on his scaly face. It was a Nepturian... or at least it looked like a Nepturiean with his fish-like face. This male did not have an aquatic breathing ring around his gills.

"A hybrid, Ash. Let's get out of here, before he decides we might look good hanging in that window too."

Seth walked briskly to the end of the street. There was what looked like a small park, only the trees were bare of leaves and the ground was compacted dirt...slime-green dirt. People slept on the broken down concrete benches and the only lamp lit flickered incessantly, casting an intermittent sickly green glow about the darkened area. Ashriel looked up. The buildings stretched so high he couldn't see where they ended, and the sky was a bleak point of light miles above. It was like being in a chasm of darkness. He couldn't even distinguish clouds.

"Ash, look at this."

Seth stood at the edge of a trench. Ashriel walked over, his boots crunching the abrasive dirt underfoot until he stood at the edge of a concrete trench that snaked right through the center of the tiny park.

"This is part of the sewer system. Look," he pointed to where the six-foot deep gutter met the sidewalk and street. There was another grate-covered entrance and a tunnel beyond that dipped beneath the street. "That might be a way into the tunnel systems beneath the city. If I were heading a rebel group, that would be the best place to make my headquarters. Besides...I feel Annie's life-force is underground."

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go."

Seth nodded and they both dropped down into the trench. The closer they got to the tunnel the deeper the trench became. The concrete was stained light green. When they reached the grate, Ashriel wrinkled his nose at the stench.

"What is that foul smell? It permeates my gas mask."

"It's a lot of things, Ash," Seth replied pushing against an opening in one corner. The metal grates groaned as its rusted hinges protested being used. Seth dropped down into the dark tunnel with Ashriel following. "You have humanoids living down here, so there's all types of waste, plus rodents and insects."

Ashriel grimaced and tucked his wings tighter against his back. The last thing he wanted was to acquire an infestation of vermin in his feathers. Just thinking about it made him shudder.

"That coupled with acid rains from above and other waste byproducts being constantly flushed through here—"

"I get it," Ashriel mumbled looking around.

Farther ahead the tunnel turned pitch black.

"There's a button in the center of your goggles," Seth was telling him as he continued forward.

Ashriel felt around between the rounded lenses and felt something similar to a small bolt. He pressed it and the darkness turned into a glowing green sharp image before him. The walls of the tunnel looked like large welded metal sheets. Ashriel cringed when he saw glowing insects crawling around. They numbered in the thousands and every once in a while his boot would crunch a few making his stomach roil with disgust.

The rats, or at least they sort-of resembled rats, scattered out of the way as they approached, to which Ashriel was highly grateful. The hideous hairy things had limbs like spiders and made awful clicking and hissing sounds. Ashriel could see two pointy fangs in their snarling faces.

His heart clenched. His beautiful Anniel was down here. Rage gripped him then. He would kill whoever dragged her down here.

"Is she frightened?" Ashriel asked Seth, his heart pounding with anxiety for his woman.

"Not really. She just wants to go home."

Ashriel's eyes flooded with tears and guilt filled his soul. This was his mission. He shouldn't have dragged anyone else in with him...especially not his sweet Anniel.

"Stop beating yourself up over this. We've run more dangerous missions than this. This is nothing."

"What do you mean by more dangerous?" Ashriel scowled at Seth's back.

"Last mission we set out to rescue Zak's woman. We were captured by an Arborian witch and set up for a ritual to release Davariel's other from the realm of reflections."

Ashriel stopped cold, his jaw open wide. "What?"

He winced when he realized his voice echoed down the tunnel from how loud he'd bellowed.

Seth swung around, his body stiff and fists clenched. "Fuck, Ash. Think you can keep it down to a dull roar?"

"Sorry," Ashriel murmured. "Did I hear you right? Did you say someone was trying to release Dava's other from the realm of reflections?"

"You heard me right," Seth replied turning to walk again.




Dark Angel Ch. 09



Anniel concentrated hard and allowed her power to flow out. Carefully, she felt her surroundings telepathically. Her skin prickled with cold, but she tried her best to ignore it knowing it stemmed from flowing over and sometimes through inanimate objects. 

There were a few things here and there, but mostly wide-open space. She could feel something broad, hard, and flat. It had legs...a table. There was glass or metal containers on it with liquid. Anniel wrinkled her nose when the feel of something acidic permeated it, leaving a bitter taste in her mouth. She wondered how the others managed to do this without gagging. It was awful. Moving on, she encountered a few rectangular-shaped objects scattered about. It felt like more beds, but they were empty. She could smell traces of musk and light sweat. Someone had had sex in the one farther away from her. The residue of energy remained.

Anniel closed her eyes to concentrated harder. Pushing her power out even more, she felt the glass cylinder that contained a life. Could it be Rayne? She hadn't known the girl long enough to recognize her life essence. There was so much torment and sorrow emanating from the source of life. Anniel shied away from it.

A powerful rush of energy washed over her, the kind of energy put out by weres shifting. Anniel's power snapped back into her as if she'd been slapped. Her flesh twitched and she half snarled-half whined, fighting off the involuntary urge to shift too.

Anniel panted, clutching at her belly. The feel of a tiny body squirming within her made her gasp.

"Oh-god. My baby," she said, her voice breaking with the onset of tears.

The scent of Seraph grew stronger, as well as wolf, and...

"Tiger? Seth," she screamed jumping to her feet. She wished she could roll her power out again to find her way to the door, but she really wasn't very good at it. Having heard the door opened and slammed so many times, she knew it was somewhere behind her bed.

With determination, Anniel crouched and made her way toward it on hands and knees, afraid of falling and hurting the baby. She screamed in pain when glass cut her palm. Rising to unsteady feet, she reached out and felt around until she came to a wall.

The sound of clashing metal reverberated just on the other side and the familiar scent of Ashriel filled her nose.

"Oh, no," she shrieked again. "Cyn, don't hurt him-please."

Her hands continued to feel her way across the rough, gritty concrete wall until she felt the cool hardness of metal.

Her fingers scrabbled about for a handle and she cried out when the door grew very hot. Fire. Cyneolle must be using his fire.

Uncaring if she burned her hands, Anniel yanked the door open.

"Stop. Don't hurt him. I love him."

Ashriel allowed the quiet of death to permeate his very soul. His wings spread wide and, sword at the ready, he allowed the cyborg angel to fire up his plasma lasers. Ashriel saw everything in slow motion as the powerful rebel leader aimed. Ashriel just stood still, watching him...and every molecule that swirled around them. The wristbands glowed green and the fire flowed. It was green, and looked as though it had a life of its own. For a moment, Ashriel admired the beauty of the green fire as it danced in a slow sensual arch toward him. The reality was that it raced at the speed of light, but time slowed for a reaper in kill mode. He leapt out of the way, as the flames tried to embrace him and flew right into the cyborg angel.

Cyneolle's body hit the concrete wall with a sold slam, cracking the wall. Bits of rock and cement rained down and his metallic wing sparked.

Ashriel felt pain stab into him and vaulted back. Looking down, he saw his chest and abs punctured with many holes. Blood began to flow.

The cyborg snarled like a vicious animal, jumping back up onto his feet. He reached back and pulled out two rod-shaped objects. Long blades protruded from each metal rod.

Ashriel grinned. "You need two blades to fight me?"

Cyneolle yanked his respirator off. Ashriel frowned when he saw his mouth and nose. There was something oddly familiar about his mouth and nose.

The cyborg angel snarled again. He had fangs and his back teeth, clearly visible in his sneering mouth, were shaped like canine teeth.

"I will kill you," he almost shouted, every muscle on his torso bulging with fury.

Cyneolle came at him—running. Ashriel let him get close and ducked to the side last second, his black wing striking out and sending the cyborg flying into the wall again. To Ashriel, it was like thwarting off the attack of a fly. It was slightly disappointing.

Cyneolle would not stay down and rushed Ash again. This time Ashriel engaged him. Swords sparked fire and Ashriel acknowledged his rival's strength. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to defeat Ashriel. He was accustomed to fighting against many. One cyborg was barely a warm up for Ashriel. They spun and slashed at each other. At one point Ashriel reached out and slapped the rebel leader. His goggles flew, and Ashriel stood staring dumbfound at his own face, but with darker skin and one cybernetic eye.

It was enough to shock him out of kill mode. His mind tried to make sense out of what he was looking at, but the cyborg was still intent on hacking Ashriel to death.

Ashriel threw his body against Cyneolle, knocking him back and pinned his wings with his own. Again, the sense of being stabbed had Ashriel gasping.

Cyneolle effortlessly tossed Ashriel back. His head hit the ground hard, and he felt the metallic angel hovering over him as he tried to gather his wits.

"Stop. Don't hurt him. I love him.," he heard Anniel shriek as the edge of Cyneolle's blade bit into the side of his neck. Ashriel's body arched in pain, but the cyborg withdrew his blade. Ashriel would have been beheaded otherwise. His hesitation had almost cost him his life.

He clutched the side of his throat and looked up at the rebel leader. His body was immense, knotted with thick muscles. His flesh was a deep dark golden brown and his hair dark blond. His good eye was golden with a pale blue starburst shape around the pupil. The other was a metal ball but the iris in the center of the ball matched its unharmed twin. Cyneolle's thick lips were peeled back, exposing his teeth in a snarl. He looked like he still wanted to kill Ashriel, his body shook with barely repressed violence, and his breath rasped in and out of his gritted teeth.

"You're the one that hurt her, aren't you?" he growled with an inhuman voice.

"Cyn, please. Don't hurt him," Anniel begged.

Ashriel looked up and gasped when he saw her. She felt around the wall and reached both hands out, stumbling a bit as she cleared the edge of the metal doorframe. Her eyes looked strange. The skin around her lashes was puffy and shiny, and her beautiful golden eyes looked milky. Horror filled Ashriel as he suddenly realized she was blind.

Cyneolle straddled him, his fist going around Ashriel's neck.

"You worthless piece of shit," he rasped, choking Ashriel. "You fucked her, left her pregnant, and then abandoned her."

Anniel came into Ashriel's line of vision and his shock doubled when he saw her bulging belly. Spots danced before his eyes, but his gaze was riveted on her rounded stomach. He'd had sex with her the night before and she hadn't been pregnant. What the hell was going on?

Cyneolle sent his fist into Ashriel's face and he knew no more.

"Cyn? Ashriel?" All she heard was heavy breathing. She stumbled toward the panting. "Ashriel, baby? Ash?" A sob choked her. "Cyn, what did you do? Why isn't he answering me?"

She reached out to feel but strong hands gripped her wrists. "Do not touch that wretched Seraph.," Cyneolle rasped holding her back.

"Cyn, no," she cried out feeling on the verge of hysterics. "What did you do to him?"

"You said the father of your first born was a blond Seraph."

Anniel stopped struggling and frowned.

"The Seraph that lies there on the floor has golden hair."

Garethiel? Why was Garethiel there?

"What did you do to him?"

"Not enough to suit me," Cyn answered tersely.

Low growling filled the chamber they were in and the scent of Seth filled Anniel's nose. She felt Cyn tense and turn. Anniel gripped his arms.

"Don't hurt him. I know that were." She blinked in the direction of the deep growling. "Seth?"

The growling stopped and she shivered at the feel of power swirling around her.

"Annie. Step away from the cyborg."

Cyneolle snarled viciously and Anniel tightened her grip on his beefy arms. "Easy. Both of you. Seth, don't try to fight him, and Cyn don't you dare hurt that weretigri."

She stepped away from Cyn and tried to dash toward the rush of power emanating from Seth, but the rebel leader gripped her arm, his snarls more pronounced.

"I don't want you to go," he growled tersely.

Anniel turned her head and stroked his arm. The sound of Seth growling now filled the chamber along with Cyneolle's. "I just want to hug Seth." When Cyn's hold tightened, she frowned. "I raised Seth from a cub. He's like a son to me. Let me go to him, please."

Cyneolle's hold loosened until he finally released her.

She raced toward Seth. He met her half way. Her arms wrapped around him and she buried her face in his neck.

He held her tightly. "Annie. I'm so glad we found you. Everything that could go wrong on this trip has gone wrong."

"Where's Devon? I barely feel him?"

"He's blocking himself. I don't know why."

That frightened Anniel, but before she could say anything else, Seth moved forward. Cyneolle's growls intensified. Seth bent and Anniel followed him down, reaching out and feeling another body on the ground. Cyneolle had said it was a blond Seraph, but her nose told her it was Ashriel.

"Seth, tell me this isn't Garethiel."

"Of course it isn't. Why would you think that?"

Groaning came from below and she felt Seth moving beside her.

"Stay down, Ash," Seth said.

Anniel touched his body in desperation and finally collapsed over him, mindful of her belly. She pressed kisses all over his face. "Baby," she whispered. "Ashriel, baby. Are you all right?" Her fingers fisted his hair, her lips reacquainted themselves with his face and neck. Unable to help herself, she nipped him and he jerked beneath her.

"Anniel?"

"Yes, baby. It's me. Oh-baby, are you hurt? What happened?"

"You're bleeding allot, Ash. Damn. You look like Swiss cheese, man. What the hell did you run into?"

"The fucking borg has an armor of spikes. They stab out when the sensors pick up body heat in close proximity. Pretty awesome protection," he coughed.

Anniel felt his chest and abs. The scent of blood grew strong as her hand encountered sticky fluid.

"Ashriel," she cried out in alarm.

"I'll be fine," his hand caressed her cheek. "What happened to your eyes?"

She touched his hand and snuggled into his palm. "I got splashed with King Dred's blood when Cyneolle saved me."

Cyneolle.

Ashriel still felt darkness tugging at his mind but he shook it off. Slowly rising up, he turned to look at the cyborg standing with clenched fists behind him.

His face was now devoid of emotion. It reminded him of Seth's expression when he was trying to hide how he really felt.

Ashriel turned back to Anniel and smoothed his hand over her belly. Confusion and jealousy assailed him.

Had she already been pregnant when he'd lain with her? He'd looked at every inch of her body the night before and her belly had been flat, only the soft ridges of her muscles rippling beneath her satiny brown skin.

She wore a silver, cropped top, with low riding black pants that left her belly exposed and there was no mistaking the round bulge.

"Anniel, what is this?"

Her hands smoothed over his and she smiled a bit before she bit the corner of her lip in worry. "Ash...I'm pregnant."

"I see that, Anniel," he whispered wanting to scream in rage. "When? How? Who?" he finally snarled through clenched teeth.

She winced and drew away from him, her expression hurt. "Who? What the hell do you mean who?"

"I fucked you months ago, and I fucked you last night. You did not have this last night. What happened?"

She brushed his hands away with a scowl and rose.

Ashriel scowled when she reached for Seth. "I want to go home, Seth."

"No problem," the weretigri looked behind Ashriel, "I think."

Ashriel turned once more to regard the cyborg Seraph.

His eyes were on the ground, shoulders slumped.

It was Gareth. It had to be. Or Garethiel had gotten someone else with child. That was possible.

Ashriel took in the color of the cyborg's skin and his eyes. It was a lighter shade than Anniel's and the eyes were a definite mix between Annie's golden eyes and Garethiel's blue ones.

Ashriel stood and approached him. Cyneolle raised his face and scowled.

"Come with us," Ashriel said.

The cyborg's face registered surprise before closing up again. "My people need me."

Ashriel stepped closer, his eyes narrowed. "Your mother needs you," he whispered.

Cyneolle flinched and scowled. His eyes went to Anniel and his scowl faded. "Mother?"

"I think you're Gareth."

Cyneolle stared at Ashriel again. "That name does not sound familiar to me."

"Aren't you curious? Wouldn't you want to be sure?"

Cyneolle watched Anniel talking with Seth. "And if it isn't true, she will suffer the loss of her child again. I do not want to put her through that anymore." He glared at Ashriel. "You have touched her again, by your own admission. She said the father of the child she carries has dark hair." Ashriel blanched. "So you are not the father."

He fingered his locks, remembering that Natanael had made it blond. Ashriel shook his head. "This isn't the natural color of my hair. My friend lightened it so..." It didn't matter why. Anniel was pregnant with... "Why is her belly so big when it wasn't that way last night?"

"She inhaled the toxins in the air. Her entire system became contaminated. In order to keep her from turning into a rager, Doc pumped her full of nanobots. She was repaired and restored from the inside. The nanos accelerated the growth of the embryo to help stabilize and strengthen it. They purified its blood choosing the strongest genes. She carries a full Seraphian female within her."

Ashriel's knees almost gave out. "Full Seraphian?"

"Yes." Cyneolle's eyes looked at Ashriel's black wings. "Full Seraphian blood."

Ashriel swallowed. Seraphians were a mixed race. They carried the ancient genes of the wingless natives and the genetic traces of a divine entity, Ishtabiel, the legendary mother of the winged Seraphs. Only she had full Seraph's blood. Reapers were the only ones closest to having the purest of blood.

Ashriel turned tear-filled eyes to Anniel. Within her womb she carried another reaper. Once the high priests and priestesses in Angelos found out, they would come and take the chickling away. Anniel would lose her second child to the holy sect.

Anniel was livid with Ashriel. How dare he ask her who the father of the baby was. Typical male. She wanted to scream, rant and cry. She was glad she couldn't see, because she really didn't want to look at him. Did he think she was some floozy to question her about the baby? He was the father. She hadn't wrapped her thighs around anyone else since they'd awakened from suspended animation.

"Seth," she said in exasperation.

"Easy, Annie. Let Ash talk with Cyneolle."

"Seth, He doesn't remember who his mother is. He's half wolf and half Seraph...like Gareth."

Seth remained quiet.

"Seth? Did you hear me?"

"Ash is trying to convince him to come home with us."

Annie's heart began to pound. Why would Ashriel do that...unless it was what she suspected all along. Cyneolle was Gareth. He just didn't remember.

Anniel put her hands on Seth, her palms coming into contact with hot flesh. If he'd shifted into his tiger, then the poor thing was probably standing naked in front of her. "Seth, tell me. Is that my son?"

Seth hands stroked Anniel's arms. He sighed and then said. "Yes, Anniel. It's Gareth."

Her legs almost gave out beneath her. "T-take me to him...please Seth."

Seth wrapped an arm around her waist and led her forward.

She felt him close and reached out. Her fingers felt the thick dreadlocks and the massive chest underneath. Uncaring that he remained ramrod stiff, Anniel melted against him and cried. Between sobs, she breathed in his new scent. Her baby. At last she'd found him.

"Why do you cry and clutch at me?"

Her hands smoothed over him. The fabric covering his torso was stretchy, pulled taut over his bulkiness. She felt the bulging knots of his biceps and grinned, thinking that her baby was buff as well as Seraphian tall. She turned her head and kissed the middle of his chest. He flinched.

"Please," he gasped, "No more."

She never wanted to let him go. Sorrow over not having been able to see him grow and knowing all he had suffered because of her absence assailed her. "I'm so sorry, Pooky-boo."

Cyn stiffened in her embrace. "I..." He gulped and squeezed her tighter. "That is what she called me."

"Who?"

"My mother," he whispered after a long pause.

Anniel smiled and then tipped her head back, even though she couldn't see him. "I am your mother."

"Dev wants us to go back up into the palace," Seth informed them. "We'd better get the others and hurry."

"I can't leave," Cyneolle rasped. "I cannot abandon my people."

Anniel tensed. She'd finally found her son and now she had to choose between going back home to Alpha 7 or remaining behind with him on this horrible planet.

"Baby, Devon can help. We can fix the problems on this planet."

"Annie," Seth growled in warning.

"He can, Seth. You know that," she snapped. She wanted her son back home with her. She refused to leave him behind to continue to lose what little humanity he had left. Remi could fix him too, repair his body and tissues, and rid himself of all the mechanical implements.

"Anniel," Ashriel began, "the LOS forbids—"

Cyneolle's snarl cut him off. "The LOS is the primary culprit of our situation. They are the ones who undermine the healthy and free development of all beings. Their hands are stained with the blood of the innocent. They are evil incarnate."

Anniel heard the hard conviction in his voice. "But they are just there as a representation of all living sentient beings."

"It is a lie. The strongest of all civilizations come together to determine how to control and subjugate the weaker. Our people were told that because of the war that broke out in the Edenian solar system, enemy sources had bombarded our planet, trying to take over. The only ones bombarding the planet was our very own government with the help of the king. Our air is toxic because up in the poles is a machine they built that spews toxins into the atmosphere. When one of the council members questioned the existence of this machine, we were told that it was a shield to protect our civilization. The council member was conveniently killed not long afterwards."

"But how would they benefit from poisoning their own citizens," Anniel asked.

Cyneolle laughed. "They sell the ragers to other governments as soldiers."

"Ragers?" Anniel asked again.

Seth stroked her arm, making her turn in his direction even though she couldn't see him. "Flesh eaters, Anniel. The person dies but the body remains animated, just functioning on a basic level—eating living flesh."

"Zombies," Ashriel sighed. "I thought I'd sensed them. Thought it was just my imagination."

Anniel shivered, her heart racing now. "Are you kidding me? But that's just fiction. Zombies aren't real. Please tell me you're joking. We're really not talking about the walking dead—are we?"

"We are," Cyneolle replied in his deep voice. His arms tightened around her. "These creatures have been sealed two hundred levels up, though once in a while they seep down into our levels. It's a big city and most of the levels are not properly blocked off. They were mostly the lower class workers. They could not afford good respirators and slowly became poisoned. Pride kept them from replacing their damaged organs with cybernetics and before there was anything anyone could do, the contamination became an epidemic. They began attacking each other. Their biology changed and their bite became poisonous, more than the air. By the time the upper levels sealed them off it had spread fifty levels thick, taking up almost the entire level block across the city. We were cut off from the upper levels, but we have managed to survive. The ragers provide a certain amount of protection from the upper class levels. No one dares cross the fifty levels just above our section."




Dark Angel Ch. 09



"That's insane," Anniel whispered clutching him tighter. Her lips began to form the name Gareth, but her child had been called something else for the past three hundred years. It seemed like only a little over a year for her, but not for him. Besides, he was no longer a child. "Cyn, What needs to be done to fix all of this so that you can come back home with me where you belong?"

He stiffened and stepped back away from her, even though she tried to clutch onto him. Ashriel pulled her against him, one of his wings crossing over his front to hold her tight. "My place is here, with my people," her son said.

Anniel felt anger. "Your place is back home with your family. It's not fair what happened to us. We were captured in suspended animation orbs by Utuduodian hunters. I'd left you with your grandmother in her home while we patrolled. She'd wanted to go back for a few weeks because she missed her friends. I'd wanted to keep you with me, but she insisted on taking you so they'd see how big you were getting."

"No," Cyneolle rasped. "I still remember that. I was taken to the alpha leader of the wolf bane pack on that planet. Your mother was still a part of that pack. The leader wanted to make sure I wasn't going to be a problem for him when I grew up. He beat me to within an inch of my life. Grandmother did not know what to do, so she allowed some visiting cyborgs to take me and repair the damage done by the alpha leader of her pack. When he heard what she had done, he killed her. I was far from that planet before the war even broke out. When everything started, they just took me away and brought me here. This planet was dismal enough that no one wanted to challenge the ruling government for it. It became a refuge for homeless aliens whose planets had either been taken over or decimated."

Anniel's mouth just gaped at what he said. Her mother had allowed him to get near the alpha of her pack. It was insane. He'd always hated them because Anniel had refused to be his mate and had remained aboard Alpha 7 to become a Master Guardian.

"Oh—god, Gareth. I didn't know," she whispered.

"It doesn't matter. The past cannot be undone. We must take diligent steps today to make a better future. I cannot not walk away from my responsibilities."

"Does anyone from the rebel group have any concrete ideas about what needs to be done to reach your ideal."

"We must overthrow the king and the government and somehow repair the damage done to our planet and its people."

"Once the existing government is overthrown, do have any idea how to run a planet?" Ashriel asked.

Cyneolle remained quiet. "I do not, but I know many who would excel at establishing a new and better system where equanimity reigns."

Behind her, she felt Ashriel nod. "I want Anniel out of here. No arguments."

She opened her mouth to protest and pushed at Ashriel's restricting wing, but Seth cut her off, "Agreed."

"What? Wait," she snapped.

"It is better. You are with child," Cyneolle added to her surprise.

She scowled. "I'm sure there are other pregnant women on this planet. I just need to get to Remi so he can fix my eyes and I want in on this mission."

Three masculine voices echoed the same thing, "No."

She opened her mouth to argue, but Ashriel scooped her up into his arms. The feel of his hard, half-naked body against hers had her toes curling, especially when she unthinkingly wrapped her arm around his thick neck and felt the softness of his hair and wings against her forearm. She felt tempted to run her free hand all over his hard masculine chest, but Cyneolle's voice directing them to a short cut to the surface had her remembering they were treating her like an invalid...and that pissed her off.

Anniel writhed in Ashriel's arms. "Put me down. I can walk," she protested, also remembering how he'd questioned the baby's paternity. She was still really offended about that. How the fuck dare he! "Let me go," she snarled tersely.

His arms pressed her tighter against his chest until she had no choice but to spread her fingers over his pectorals. "There are hand sized bugs crawling everywhere, and rats that measure five hand spans long. You are barefoot."

Anniel gasped and then shuddered with revulsion at the mention of bugs and rats. She clutched his shoulders harder and concentrated on listening for any scrabbling sounds. Just the thought of stepping on something squishy or feeling hairy rodents scrabbling over her feet made her choke back a whimper.

Ashriel's lips whispered over her cheek. "Do not fear, my dark angel," he crooned. "I've got you."

"Wait. What about Rayne?" she asked.

She felt Ashriel hesitate. "Who is that?"

"I will stay behind." Cyneolle said. "When she is completely healed, I will contact the were and the reaper."

Stay behind? Anniel reached for him. "No," she cried out. "You can't stay behind." After losing him once, she couldn't bear being parted from him again.

His hand engulfed hers, and she felt the heat of his body opposite Ashriel's. She pulled him closer and leaned into his caress when he stroked her face. "I must remain. I am the pack's beta."

Tears stung her eyes. "No. It's not fair. To me it was barely yesterday I was tucking you into bed and reading you bedtime stories. I lost three hundred years asleep in a suspended animation orb to wake up to the nightmare of having lost you." Her voice choked on sobs.

Ashriel cuddled her tighter. "Anniel. you must calm yourself. Going into hysterics might be bad for the child you carry."

She winced. The child she carried? "You mean our child?" she snapped, her voice going shrill with anger. "You still doubt this is your baby?"

Incensed beyond anything she'd ever felt before, she slapped at his chest and wiggled more. "Get your hands off me. Seth? Seth, please."

Ashriel clutched her tighter. "Anniel, that's not what I meant."

Another pair of arms slid beneath her and Seth's familiar scent filled her nostrils. She released Ashriel and gripped her sweet Seth. He took her into his arms easily and she pressed against him because it seemed Ashriel didn't want to relinquish her. "Get him away from me."

"You're being unreasonable, Anniel." Ashriel snarled.

She buried her face against Seth's neck, clinging. Seth took a deep breath and she felt when he tried to put distance between them and Ashriel. "It's okay, Ash. Just let her settle down. Later you guys can talk things over."

"There's nothing to talk over," Anniel snapped.

Ashriel's chest tightened in distress at the sight of her clinging to Seth—who was naked as the day he was born after shifting back from his tiger form.

"At least put something on.," He snapped, unable to keep his jealousy in check.

Both Seth and Anniel frowned. The young weretigri took a deep breath and Ashriel gasped when he felt the bite of power lash out. He watched in amazement as Seth's body stretched, growing taller and more muscular, his legs bending and contorting. His skin furred over in white with black stripes and his face took on the appearance of half human-half tiger form.

Seth's genitals were still displayed, but covered in white fur. A deep growl rumbled in his chest.

"Is this better?" He growled, his voice inhuman.

Ashriel blinked at the tail flicking back and forth behind Seth.

"As long as you don't bite her," Ashriel snarled back, still not liking Anniel in anyone's arms but his.

Seth let out a sound that was half growl-half purr.

Cyneolle led them farther down the tunnel they were in until they reached a storm drain with a ladder.

"This will lead to an alleyway. I will send one of the pack to you when the other girl is ready to be moved."

Again Seth growled, his narrowed gaze settling on Cyneolle. "The members of your pack may be angry with us."

Cyneolle frowned. "Why would that be?"

Seth grinned, showing a furred face full of lethal fangs. "Because I kicked their ass."

Ashriel stiffened when Cyneolle's wristbands began glowing. He looked extremely angry.

"They wouldn't let us pass," Ashriel snapped, not caring if he took offense or not.

Cyneolle looked at him, his gaze hard. "They were ordered not to let anyone pass. Go. I'll find you myself."

With that, he turned and began to stomp off, but Anniel protested.

"Gareth," she called out, her hand reaching out to him.

He stiffened and turned back slowly. Ashriel watched as he came back to her. Anniel clutched her son and he took her into his arms. She held him for the longest moment.

"I love you, baby. If you don't come back to me, I'll come to you."

Cyneolle opened his mouth, but she did not allow him to express whatever he was about to say. Gripping his face, she pulled him closer. "That is not up for debate."

He remained quiet when she kissed his cheek and reached back for Seth.

Cyneolle looked back at Ashriel, his expression grim. Ashriel knew the cyborg would not go back to Alpha 7. His home was here amongst these sickly people.

Ashriel took a deep breath, his eyes going over Anniel and the small bulge of her tummy. His eyes went back to the cyborg. He could not allow Anniel to stay. He refused to allow his child to be born on Ryhlos...and he would not lose Anniel either. Ashriel just did not have any idea how to fix this mess.

Climbing the ladder first to make sure there was no danger above, Ashriel shoved the metal grate over the storm drain. The smell of trash and the foul stench of Rhylosian air assailed his senses. Grasping his gas mask, he jumped back down with a frown.

Seth and Anniel did not have gas masks. They were trapped.

As if reading his mind, Cyneolle took his off and put it over Anniel's mouth and nose.

"Seth," Ashriel began.

The weretigri shook his head, looking at Ashriel with his cat eyes. "If I concentrate, I can project a safe bubble of air around myself and Anniel too. Don't worry about me. Let's just get out of here."

"If you can do that, then why didn't you do so before when we were trying to escape?"

Seth frowned, his expression strange since he looked more like a cat than a humanoid right then. "The same way you feel my power when I unleash it, others would have felt it too. I was trying to keep a low profile."

Ashriel nodded, understanding. "Anniel, climb my back. I'll protect you between my wings so Seth can climb the ladder."

"Seth can jump up," she replied belligerently.

Ashriel clenched his teeth and stomped up the ladder again. He didn't understand why she was so angry with him. He'd been shocked at the sight of her belly. He hadn't meant to insult her, but Seth was right. They needed to get her to a safe place. Later he would smooth out things between them.

After reaching the alleyway, he looked down and watched Seth crouch. The weretigri jumped twenty feet to land beside the storm drain. Anniel was tucked safely in his arms.

"Now what?" Ashriel asked looking longingly at Anniel. His arms itched to hold her. After everything he'd been through, worried half out of his mind for her, he needed to feel her warmth, but he didn't want to continue to agitate her.

"Follow," Seth replied leading the way.

Ashriel trudged behind Seth, staying clear of the tail swishing over a pair of tight black and white striped buttocks. The sight was highly disturbing.

"I wasn't aware you could half shift," Ashriel said behind him.

Seth only grunted.

They left the darkened alleyway and emerged onto the city street. A few curious stares were cast their way, but for the most part, everyone steered clear.

Seth suddenly stopped and growled deep in his throat, his head tipping up. Ashriel frowned and looked up also. The sky above was dark and the lights dotting the miles of buildings rising above them resembled stars. The breeze tugged at his loose hair and he jumped back as a pair of fire chariots swooped down from above.

Ashriel blinked in surprise when the tops of the chariots slid open revealing Amaranth and his twin brother.

"Ash," Amaranth cried jumping out of her transport and running into his arms.

She hugged him tightly and kissed his cheek. "Oh-my-god, are you all right?"

"Of course," he frowned down at her. "What's wrong? Why are you here?"

Garethiel jumped out of his transport as well and approached.

Ashriel stiffened and sidled next to Seth in case he tried to put his filthy hands on his Anniel.

"We heard you were trying to whore yourself out on this godforsaken planet. Are you out of your mind? Mother is beside herself with shame. Father won't come out of his study and has taken to the drink again."

Ashriel glared at his twin when he finally stood before him. Garethiel's eyes rose to his hair and he smirked. "Blond becomes you, brother."

"Fuck you," Ashriel snarled.

"Enough," Amaranth snapped stepping between them. Her eyes went to Seth and her gasp was audible even through her respirator.

Seth bared his teeth at her and snarled.

"Seth," Anniel admonished.

Amaranth snorted, her eyes looking him up and down. "You are not riding with me naked."

Seth grinned. "How about if I just ride you naked?"

Amaranth's eyes narrowed further and a soft blush covered the little of her cheeks exposed over the respirator. "I'd rather let him ride me," she snapped jerking her thumb to Garethiel.

His brother's eyes widened as he turned to her with a big grin behind his transparent respirator. "Really?"

"No," Amaranth answered tersely, making Garethiel frown dejectedly.

"You're such a tease," he muttered with a snort. "Let's go, Sethaliel."

Ashriel bristled. "Anniel is not riding with Garethiel."

"What happened to her?" Garethiel asked moving closer.

Ashriel stepped in his path and fisted his light grey Master Guardian's uniform. "Stay away from her."

Garethiel scowled, but once again, Amaranth came between them. "Now is not the time for all this male posturing." She gently eased Ashriel's fists off his brother's uniform and pushed them both back. Lifting her nose, she stepped up to Seth and held out her arms. "I'll take her. You brutes can travel together."

Seth leaned closer than necessary, his gaze riveted to Amaranth's. Anniel wrapped her arm around Amaranth's neck with a worried frown on her face. "Are you sure you can carry me? I weigh allot. I don't mind walking now."

"Don't be silly," Amaranth reassured her, her eyes narrowed at Seth though. "This ground isn't even fit for an animal to step on." Seth growled at her again. "I'm sure I can manage to walk the few steps necessary to get you safely to my fire chariot."

Amaranth took Anniel and spun away, slapping Seth lightly with her wings. Ashriel stared in shock and then grew angry at her flirtatiousness with the weretigri. Seth looked angry too, because he had no idea that when a Seraphian female brushed her wings against a male, it meant she liked him enough to want to get intimate with him.

Ashriel rushed after her. "Take her to the Utuduodian vessel orbiting Rhylos. Princess Glory and Devon's mate, Angel, are waiting for her."

When she'd placed Anniel in her fire chariot, Ashriel leaned in and caressed her cheek. "I'll be back soon, Anniel. We'll talk then."

She turned her face away from his touch, hugging herself.

"There's nothing to talk about, Ashriel."

"Stop being so stubborn."

She slapped his hand away when he tried to touch her again. "Look, Ash, you don't need to worry about me. I took care of myself just fine when I had Gareth. I can take care of myself this time too."

"Gareth?" Garethiel echoed behind them. "What is she talking about?"

Ashriel stiffened. He'd never mentioned Anniel's pregnancy to his brother. He'd abandoned her without ever looking back. He hadn't deserved to know.

"I'm not leaving you, Anniel."

"No, Ash. I'm the one leaving. I want to be near my son."

"Son?" Again, Garethiel parroted. "She had a son?"

"Amaranth, I want to go."

Amaranth gave him an apologetic look and hopped into her transport. The top rolled shut and the small saucer-shaped ship rose so fast it was almost as if it disappeared.

Ashriel stared up at the black sky for a few seconds before a heavy hand landed on his shoulder. He turned to look into his brother's angry face.

"She had a son she named Gareth? When? Why did she give him my name? I haven't touched her in over three siglons."

Ashriel ignored him and walked back to Seth, who'd transformed back into his human self again. "We can't leave without the others."

Seth looked at Garethiel's fire chariot and frowned. "We won't all fit in that. He can take Reiven and Amadashiel. We'll go find Natanael and Eriel at the black market. We promised that Lizdrac we'd return."

Ashriel scowled. I am not selling myself off as a whore. It was fine when Anniel was going to be the buyer."

Seth grinned. "I didn't say you'd be selling yourself off. We're just going to get Nat and Erie, as well as the starcruiser. I'm still waiting to hear from Devon."

"Where is your almighty leader?" Garethiel asked, already forgetting about Gareth.

"He's resolving a few pertinent issues," Seth replied heading toward Garethiel's transport.

Both Seraphs eyed him distastefully. There was barely any room in the transport for two people. Three would be quite crowded and being cramped in a one man transport with a naked male set Ashriel's teeth on edge. His kind tended to be bisexual, but Ashriel was most definitely not.

"Don't you have any extra clothing for him?" Ashriel asked Garethiel.

"Actually, I do," the white winged Seraph replied.

Seth snorted, crossing his arms over his chest. "Does my nudity bother you?"

"Yes," both twins replied.

Anniel blinked at the darkness around her. Most reapers could open portals, like Devon. She wondered if Amaranth could open one to Alpha 7. She really needed Remi's healing fire. She was tired of not being able to see.

"I know it is none of my business, but why are you so mad at Ash? What did he do?"

Anniel smoothed her hands over her belly. Her bump was still small, but it filled her with bittersweet longing. Pregnant again with another jerk for the father. Three hundred plus years later, and she was still making the same stupid mistakes.

Amaranth's hand smoothed over her belly as well.

Anniel heard her soft gasp. "Ashriel's?"

Anniel nodded. "Yes."

"Your aura has four different colors swirling within it. I recognize Garethiel's, and Ashriel's, as well as...Devon." Her voice lowered to a quiet level. "Who's the forth?"

Anniel gulped. "L-Lucien."

Amaranth remained quiet for a long time. Anniel frowned. "Garethiel was my first. When I went into heat on Alpha 7, Devon and Lucien helped ease my discomfort. That was a very long time ago. Ashriel...is recent."

"Ash only has one color staining his aura. Yours."

Anniel frowned. "Look. I'm not looking to trap him. I didn't mean for this to happen, and as far as I'm concerned, he owes me nothing. This is my baby and I plan on keeping it...not him. He can go screw the rest of the universe like his horn-ball brother for all I care."

"But you do care," Amaranth said softly.

Anniel gulped. Her eyes stung with tears. "It doesn't change anything. I'll get over him the same way I got over his brother."

"Oh, Anniel. Garethiel was just your first time crush. You're a woman now, and I can see how much you and Ash love each other."

Anniel laughed bitterly. "Maybe I'm Ashriel's first time crush too. He'll get over me just like his brother. I'm not going to let myself be hurt anymore. I've heard reapers are especially horny the first time they fall from grace. It's impossible for them to remain true to one person."

Anniel realized too late what she'd said when Amaranth remained quiet.

"That's not true," the other girl finally sputtered, her voice full of indignation. "Death angels have that bad reputation because we usually get screwed over our first time. We do our best to remain pure. When a reaper decides they want out of their calling, we take on a hundred siglon task. When we complete that task, we are honorably released and are free to join with whomever we wish afterwards. Most of my kind have been tricked or taken by force."




Dark Angel Ch. 09



Anniel thought of how she'd practically forced herself on Ashriel that night in Haddasha. He'd been slamming himself into the walls, fighting the raging Liquid X induced lust. He would have flown away, but had come docilely when she'd begged him not to leave. After that, she'd pretty much tackled him and pushed herself onto his scrumptious quivering cock.

Anniel shivered remembering how good it felt splitting her throbbing little pussy in two. God-help-her. She craved Ashriel.

The hiss of the top rolling open brought Anniel's attention back to the present, and the feel of a body practically wrapping around her had her gasping.

"Anniel, we were so worried about you," Angel cried.

Anniel hugged her back, feeling the link between all of them grow stronger again. Once more, she felt Rowie and Remien's anguish.

"Angel, what's going on?"

Angel sighed, cupping Anniel's cheeks—most likely examining her eyes. "The Vildminorian council is hunting them. They want to see their babies, but Remi doesn't trust them."

Fear made Anniel shiver. "No one really knows where Alpha 7 is. "

"Actually, very powerful Master Guardians can easily find us with the kinetic energy Devon, Seth, Rowie, and Remi put out."

"Devon won't let them hurt the babies," Anniel assured caressing her own belly. Angel's hand smoothed over her bulge too.

"No. My love will not allow anything to happen to any of us."

Anniel focused more on the feel of Devon in her mind. She felt his love for her like the burning rays of the sun warming her from the inside out, but she could not see him in her mind. He was blocking himself off. Why? Even the link with the others was muted. It felt strange and a bit scary. She craved feeling them fully.

Remi and Rowie's presence grew stronger in her mind, until the mingled scent of cinnamon, fire, and roses engulfed her.

Hey bubble-butt—Rowie's voice giggled in her mind.

Angel clasped her hands as Anniel grinned at Rowie's annoying nickname for her.

Ragweed—Anniel countered back with a laugh.

Everything's gonna be okay, gorgeous. Don't be so hard on Ash—Remi added. Soon we'll all be together.

I miss us being together—Zak's voice suddenly joined the conversation.

Anniel missed the physical closeness, how good she felt and comfortable with them, and then the sadness over the loss of Lucien became a dull ache. Poor Luke.

They retreated again, making Anniel sigh before she remembered.

Remi—she called out. My eyes. Can you heal them?

Don't worry, babycakes. I'll get to you as soon as I can.

Thank you, sweetie.

Anniel sent them all a telepathic kiss, felt their power wrap around and caress her very soul, before they withdrew again and became a distant vibration.

"We should head back home too," Angel said helping Anniel out of the fire chariot.

Anniel let her power flow out to get a feel for her surroundings. She hated still being blind, but until Remi fixed her eyes, she had to use her telepathic skills to feel her way around.

There were four more points of life within the Utuduodian vessel. A disgruntled Abdiel, Jazriel, who was taking a nap, and Princess Glory and her sex slave, who were holed up in her personal quarters...fucking.

Anniel shied away from the energy they put out, fearing she'd go into full heat herself. When she'd been pregnant with Gareth, she'd gone into full heat, craving sex to the point of pain. Her pussy had throbbed and twitched incessantly. They'd tried everything to soothe her. Lucien had hooked her up to one of his fucking machines, and though it felt nice, she'd refused to spend her entire pregnancy strapped to a fucking machine. Putting a dildo up her vagina didn't do anything for her either, except increase her desire. It was only when Lucien had finally had enough of her howling in misery and had pounded her from behind until he filled her with his hot cum, did they realize having full sex with a male made the pain go away for a few days. Having sex with two males made it go away for a little more than a month.

She'd refused to try three. Besides, Zak had wanted to tie her up and spank her.

Her face flamed at the memory and once again, she caressed her belly, wondering if she'd be afflicted with going into full heat for this pregnancy as well. As of yet, she felt fine.

Angel patted her arm, sensing her distress. "Everything will be fine, Annie. Once the boys are done here, they'll come back home."

Anniel frowned. "But what about Edenia? Ashriel wanted to investigate the cause of the war. Now that he's free to roam wherever he pleases, he wanted to find out what happened. The entire galaxy stills blames us and we had nothing to do with that."

Angel's fingers on her forearm tightened briefly before relaxing. "Ashriel was very distraught after you were taken. I think he's changed his mind about pursuing the cause of the war. At least for now."

Distraught?

Anniel fought the warm feeling in her chest at the thought of Ashriel being distraught over her disappearance. Did he truly care or was it just his sense of responsibility?

She shook her head as Angel steered her toward a chair in the control room. Abdiel called out a greeting to her and she responded.

Anniel made up her mind to play it safe and just keep Ashriel at arm's length. He'd grow tired of trying to seduce his way between her legs, more so now that her figure was growing rounder with pregnancy. If he wanted to remain in their daughter's life, she wouldn't deny him that, with the condition he didn't parade a line of lovers for their little girl to see. She didn't want to see that either.

Biting her lower lip, she smoothed her hand over her tummy and let her mind touch the tiny life there. Peace. Her daughter slumbered in utter peace.

"Everything's going to be fine, sweetie," she whispered. Her mind thought of Gareth. She'd go back to him, somehow, and she'd never let either of her children out of her sight again. There had to be a way perhaps Devon could convince Gareth to come back home.

Garethiel whisked Reiven and Amadashiel back up to the Utuduodian vessel and then returned for Seth and Ashriel. His twin was a Master Guardian, and allowed certain privileges wherever they went. Being able to venture wherever he pleased made it easy for them to traverse the restricted higher levels of the city.

Garethiel's com-unit blipped alarms and incoming hails incessantly. He opened his communication link and practically snarled at the security officer on the other side.

"I'm heading toward the black market. Make the way clear for me. No media. Got it?" Garethiel snapped.

Ashriel and Seth remained hidden out of the camera's line of view.

A few minutes later, Garethiel spoke with another security guard at the black market.

They were allowed access.

Garethiel sighed, turning in his seat to grin down at Seth and Ashriel huddling on the floor.

"We're in, boys. While you guys do your thing, I plan on getting myself a nice piece of ass to warm my bed tonight. I'm staying at the Hyatt. You can come over and chill there too. I love orgies."

Ashriel grimaced. "No, thank you. We're getting Nat and Erie and then getting the hell out of here."

Garethiel shrugged. "Whatever."

Ashriel and Seth exited the fire chariot and headed down a corridor similar to the one where they'd docked the starcruiser. The quarters assigned to Garethiel were similar to the ones appointed to them, but they did not stop to admire their opulent surroundings.

"Do you think they're in our quarters?" Ashriel questioned as they pushed their way out into a lobby.

Seth halted in his tracks. There were many strange beings milling about, but the majority of them were grouped around an enormous fountain. The lobby looked as if it were made almost completely in gold with jewels. The floor gleamed black onyx with precious gems embedded within. The walls were pearl with gold lacing from floor to ceiling. Chandeliers hung from the arched ceilings, dripping with diamonds, but everyone ignored that for whatever was happening in the fountain.

Seth edged his way through the throngs of aliens with Ashriel following in his wake.

Ashriel gaped at the scene in the fountain. Eriel and Natanael were wrapped around each other, kissing and writhing their naked bodies. They both wore cock rings, which kept their erections swollen and ruddy. Water sluiced over their bodies, plastering their still blood-red hair against their pale flesh.

"W-what the hell are you two doing?" Ashriel snarled pushing Seth out of his way to glare down at the two misbehaving reapers.

Natanael's eyes snapped open and he grinned up at Ashriel. "Oh, hey. You've missing all the fun."

Ashriel winced when all Eriel did was run his mouth down Natanael's body until he latched onto his dick and began deep throating his friend. Natanael groaned and closed his eyes as his fingers gripped Erie's long dark red tresses.

"Hey," someone growled behind Ashriel, "Stop trying to get them to stop and move out of the way."

Ashriel bristled, and directed himself to Eriel and Natanael again. "We're heading back to the starcruiser. I want to leave as soon as Devon gives us the signal."

Natanael nodded, both hands gripping Eriel's head as he snapped his hips and fucked Erie's mouth deeply. Ashriel grimaced at the sound of Erie choking.

"Shit," Ashriel hissed. "I think you're killing him"

Natanael opened his mouth, but all that came out was a scream of pleasure as he obviously found his peak. The reaper quivered, his hips jerking in short hard thrusts. Eriel's face was completely smashed against Natanael's groin and he thrashed in the water, unable to breathe.

Natanael finally fell to his knees, leaving Eriel gasping and coughing. Ashriel backed away as Eriel man-handled Natanael to his hands and knees, trying to spear him onto his cock.

"Fuck, Erie, no. You know I don't like being topped. Erie, no. Don't fuck me. Stop."

"Shut up and take it. It's my turn to cum."

Ashriel shook his head in shame, closing his eyes to the spectacle Eriel and Natanael presented to the circle of voyeurs. He didn't want to see anymore. It sickened him. They were holy warriors. What they'd been reduced to was sad and pitiful. He would never reduce himself to such a low stature.

Seth and he made their way out of the lobby into the main corridor in the arena.

"Do you remember the way back to our starcruiser?" Ashriel asked Seth, head bowed.

"Yes, but we might not make it there yet. Look up, Ash."

Ashriel did look up, out of curiosity, and then regretted doing so. The arena was packed with paparazzi. Hundreds of thousands of droid vid-crystals zipped around them vying for the perfect angle. Holographic images of reporters tossed hundreds of questions at both of them. Ashriel felt overwhelmed and wanted to flee.

"Is it true King Dred has bought out your time on this planet? Are you going to be his sex slave?"

"Are the rumors about how the fallen ex-Master Guardians of Edenia engage in orgies true? Do they really tie you down and take turns fucking you?"

"Are you really searching for the dark prince to become his love slave? It was said he was the one to make you fallen."

Their ridiculous questions had his mind reeling.

"We don't tie him," Seth said with a perverted snicker. "He willingly bends over for us."

Ashriel grabbed Seth's arm. "What the hell are you saying?"

Seth turned with a sneer. "No matter how much you try to tell them the truth, they always report what they want, Ash."

Ashriel released Seth's arm angrily. He would not have his honor besmirched anymore than it already was. Looking up at the vid-crystals and holographic images, he took a deep breath. "I have only lain with one. I have not willingly allowed another's touch."

"Do you like being forced, Ashriel?"

Ashriel stared aghast as they began reporting that he enjoyed rape play. It wasn't what he'd said.

Seth turned to him with a frown. "I tried to warn you. Trying to tell them the truth only gets your words twisted into something worse."

"Get me out of here, Seth."

They began swatting at the crystal orbs and made their way slowly down the corridor. The music was loud and to Ashriel's left was railing. The corridor was nothing more than one of the many tiers overlooking the arena where merchants paraded their wares. Amongst the products were slaves of every race and origin—some happy to be there, others not.

Seth found their old quarters and they did not hesitate to talk to the creatures awaiting their return. Mambri sprang up and accosted them with questions.

"What happened? How'd you escape the king? For sure, I'd thought he'd eat you. He can never resist extremely attractive humanoids," the Lizdrac said, dogging their steps. "I heard there was an attack on the palace."

"Mambri, leave us. Ashriel needs some rest. See if you can clear out this room for us."

The Lizdrac faltered in his steps. "Uh...okay, but when is he going to go out on stage? The patrons are about to riot out there."

"Soon," Seth said.

Ashriel snorted. He had no intention to take the stage...ever.

They boarded the starcruiser and Ashriel stomped up to the helm again. Letting himself fall into the nearest chair, he tried to collect his thoughts. The whole purpose of diverting to Rhylos was to be able to infiltrate the Edenian solar system. Ashriel was to be nothing more than the sexual plaything for an Utuduodian ambassador, played by Anniel because she was one of the least known Alpha Angels

"Everything went to shit very fast," he hissed.

"Most missions do, Ash," Seth sighed dropping in next to him. He propped his bare feet up on the ship's console.

"You're more self disciplined than the rest of them."

Seth regarded Ashriel solemnly. "I'm not really."

Ashriel frowned. "But I've never seen you interact with them with the same intimacy I've seen them engage in."

"Intimacy?"

Ashriel's eyes narrowed. "They kiss each other like lovers do, with open mouths and tongues. They bathe all together naked and don't hesitate to touch and fondle. I've never seen you participate in any of that."

Seth's eyes lowered and a blush stained his cheeks. "They raised me since I was a cub. They kind of feel like they're my parents." He said the last with an eye roll. "That's why they won't touch me the way they touch each other. They're different with me. It's a different type of love."

Love. That's what Anniel had told him. They loved one another and did not restrain themselves from demonstrating it.

Briefly, he wondered how that would feel.

The sight of Devon striding up the ramp stopped his thoughts cold.

Ashriel shot to his feet. "Where have you been?"

The commander of the Alpha Angels was impeccably dressed in his black uniform, his hair a sleek fall of jet over his broad shoulders.

"I've been busy." His glowing blue gaze moved to Seth. "After we get Natanael and Eriel back aboard, I just have one more thing to do before we leave."

"That girl, Rayne, from Arboria is here. Anniel wants to take her home with us."

Devon nodded. "Luke was taken with her. Maybe we can coax him back home with the girl. Yes. She's definitely coming back home with us."

"Lucien?" Ashriel spat. "You're still bent on rescuing him? He's a demon."

Devon's burning gaze remained on Ashriel's face. "I am a demon...but what is a demon?" Devon's head tipped to the side in a considering manner. "Nothing but a fallen angel, Ashriel. In the end, aren't we all just fallen angels, trying to find our way back into the light?"

The sound of Eriel and Natanael's laughter down in the level below drifted up.

"Let's go, Seth," Devon ordered striding to one of the seats in the helm.

Natanael and Eriel rushed up the ramp, naked and wet and still laughing about their escapade.

Ashriel buckled in, remembering the awful way Seth piloted and tensed when he felt the starcruiser moving.

The com-unit began blipping, but Seth chose to ignore it. Outside the gelatinous covering of the black market, the sky was blotted out by the media.

Ashriel tensed. "We're trapped."

Devon smiled. "Trapped. Something that's invisible can't be trapped."

"You're cloaking us?" Seth asked looking around for a spot to squeeze through.

"I am," Devon answered. 

Ashriel saw his eyes glow brighter and some of the sky crafts moved aside, letting a shaft of sunlight permeate the cloud of transports around them.

Seth carefully maneuvered through until they were rising out of the deep hole in the planet's crust. They rose until the city's skyline surrounded them and kept rising until they were the same level as the floating islands over the city.

The sky was choked with vaporous green clouds and the sun was just beginning to dip behind the mountains visible just beyond the city limits. Ashriel had thought it was midnight while he was in the city's deepest bowels.

"Where to now, Dev," Seth asked.

"Land on the highest peak of the palace."

Ashriel frowned. What was he up to?

Seth turned the craft around and headed toward the royal palace.

"There are vaporizing canons mounted all over that palace," he informed what they should already know.

"Trust me, Ash," was all Devon said.

Ashriel tensed when they began climbing higher among the floating islands with their reflective glass domes. His eyes widened when he realized they weren't reflected on the mirrored glass. They were truly invisible. He looked down at himself and then back out the glass shield of the helm that gave them a three hundred and sixty degree view of the landscape around them.

Even if they were visible, the canons were programmed to register heat and movement on a molecular level. How Devon managed to fool such sensitive technology was mind-boggling.

But Ashriel soon realized he hadn't begun to see the extent of Devon's power in display.

They landed with a gentle thud on the highest peak of the palace. Ashriel knew it was King Dred's throne room. "What happened to the king? Did you kill him? That'll throw the civilians into mass hysteria, no matter how deranged and psychotic their ruler was."

"Dred was nothing more than a figure head. The government runs this planet...and the LOS runs this government, like they do every government," Devon answered, getting up. He turned and strode down the ramp, leaving Ashriel baffled.

"Where is he going?"

Seth kept his eyes on the glass shield before him. "Just watch," he replied.

Ashriel blinked in confusion and turned to look at Natanael and Eriel. They also looked outside, almost leaning out of their chairs.

The tension was charge in the helm as everyone seemed to hold a collective breath.

Ashriel was sure his eyes were playing tricks on him when he saw Devon striding out upon the curved dome.

"Is he mad? Did he open the hatch? He'll kill us all letting in that poisoned air."

Devon stood in the middle of the glass dome and looked around slowly. He lifted his hands and turned in a slow circle. His eyes were closed. The wind made his dark hair wave like a flag.

"He's really hot. Can't believe he was that squirming little baby who'd scream his head off whenever we took Lucien too far from him."

"Quiet, Erie," Natanael shushed.

The air around Devon distorted. It wasn't the same as when a reaper released his powers. This was different...more powerful. It looked like a ripple of water that grew ever larger, more ripples flowing from Devon, faster. Ashriel didn't feel a thing, yet everything around him rippled and trembled like a watery image. As the waves of power flowed over everything, the sky became clearer. The greenish hue gave way to the tones of blue, pink and lavender typical of a sunset.

Devon began to emanate light until Ashriel had to turn away from its blinding intensity.




Dark Angel Ch. 10



Before anyone reads on, I just need to let you know that this chapter isn't finished. I had promised to post it today and didn't want to go back on my word. I didn't finish it because I have lost my cat, and though it might seem like something trivial, it has me completely heartbroken. I'll try to finish it next weekend and once again I am truly sorry, but I just can't function right now. 

*

After a while, Eriel and Natanael went down into their cabin to put some pants and boots on. Remien Fyre tapped his foot impatiently on the floor of the helm, a frown growing on his countenance as each second ticked by.

He puffed out an aggravated breath. "Exactly how long is it to Megdoluc?"

Seth cleared his throat. "At the speed we're moving? About two day cycles."

Remi shot up from his seat with a roar, the green of his eyes filling up the white as his irises expanded. "No," he snarled, his voice savage.

"Calm," was all Devon said.

The red weredragon spun to glare at his commander, his chest heaving part in rage-part in panic. "I need to feed Row. The babies drain her blood."

Ashriel winced. "Blood?"

Remi ran a hand through his unruly of hair. "They're blood dragons." He swung around frowning at Ashriel. "Like me. They nurse from her breasts, but they're ravenous little devils." He turned to Devon, this time with a pleading look in his eyes. "Rowie needs to feed from me. They'll drain her and make her...her blood lust will re-awaken."

Devon frowned, his finger tapping his lips. "Seth, can you keep this flying bucket of bolts together?"

Seth arched a brow. "Planning on speeding things up a bit?"

Devon nodded, his glowing gaze bright.

Ashriel snorted. "But won't that help the Master Guardians after your dragon home in on your power signature?"

"They're already following us," Devon replied, his voice sounding as if he were daydreaming, eyes unfocused. Remi got the same strange look before snapping out of it to growl viciously.

Ashriel looked out through the glass shield of the starcruiser, even though he knew he'd never see the ships that followed them. A shiver went up his spine as the presence of power skittered around him.

"They won't attack. They want the others. They want all of us," Seth said.

"Devon took a deep breath, his eyes closing momentarily. "They know we know."

Ashriel raised one brow, his eyes going over each of their faces. He heard the whispers in his mind. They were communicating to each other telepathically.

Devon suddenly stood and stood next to Seth. Remi came up on the other side of Devon.

Curiosity assailed Ashriel as he watched Devon take both Seth and Remi hands in his.

A wash of power rolled over Ashriel, making him suck in his breath. He felt sick at once and blinked in confusion when the view outside the glass distorted. The vacuum of space and all its uncountable stars turned into a soup of distortion. It was a horrifying sight and Ashriel had to close his eyes to block it out. His body felt strange, as if his very physical being was disintegrating, turning into...unstable matter.

"Stop," he finally shouted, his voice echoing in the terrible silence surrounding them. 

Hands cupped his face and he opened his eyes to behold the fiery visage of Devon. Once again, the Alpha Angels' commander glowed like an ethereal being, the light blinding and to Ashriel's shock, so did Seth and Remi.

The light was too bright and he had to close his eyes, fearing he'd go blind otherwise.

Devon's hands caressed his face. "It'll be alright, Ash."

"Shit," Remi shouted, "We're headed for the funnel."

Ashriel's eyes snapped wide open. He only knew of one funnel on Megdoluc, and it led to the gates of Hell.

They hit hard. The ice cracked and the black waters of the abyss swallowed the starcruiser whole. Still, Ashriel felt the craft hurtling forward at incredible speed.

The three Alpha Angels were no longer glowing. Everything was now dark around him. He tried in vain to see where they were headed, but it was hard.

"They're trying to follow," Devon said and then cursed. "Tenacious bastards. They'll kill themselves."

"Are we still descending?" Ashriel gasped, his heart hammering loudly. "You're taking us straight down to the gates."

"Fear not, Ashriel," Devon murmured.

Light began to glow ahead, and Ashriel began to feel disorientated again. Gripping the armrests of his chair, he clenched his teeth and groaned, feeling as if they were shooting straight up, but that was impossible. They had been descending—hadn't they?

The starcruiser's nose broke the thick layer of ice, shattering it like glass. Through the glass shields of the helm, the skies of Megdoluc boiled with reddish-black clouds. Not far from where they'd broken through the surface, a mega volcano blew a column of fire into the stratosphere. Devils flew by the thousands in the sky, making Ashriel's feathers ruffle in agitation. His hand itched to feel his sword and he stared at the unclean creatures the way a predator watches prey.

The starcruiser wobbled unsteadily in the air as the winds buffeted and batted it, tossing it around like a little leaf caught in a storm.

Seth dipped the craft and headed straight toward a cliff face. Ashriel squeezed the arm rests of his chair in a death grip as they struck the ground and bounced a few times before coming to a halt in a pool of water at the base of a water fall.

"Hell, Seth," Ashriel cursed. "You are the worst pilot I have ever had the displeasure of flying with."

"Thank you," Seth replied rising from his seat. "Hurry. Let's go."

Again, Ashriel felt confused. They'd crash landed on the surface of Megdoluc. The winds outside, aside from being one hundred percent poison, were raging so hard, he was surprised it wasn't lifting the craft again.

Regardless, he followed the others down the ramps to slosh into the icy water of a pool. He watched Seth and Remi run into the waterfall, followed by Natanael and Eriel. Devon turned and held his hand out.

"Come-on, Ash. I need to close this portal quickly."

Devon gripped his arm, and Ashriel gasped when he was propelled through the water. The sensation of falling had him beating his wings. Still his hands and knees hit a pale grey floor hard enough for him to wince.

He stared in bewilderment at his wet reflection in the shine of the floor. His hair dripped making an ever-growing puddle around him. Looking up, he blinked in astonishment at the tall glass walls with a view of a setting sun over an ocean. Beams of metal ran up at least three stories. Behind him was a fireplace with a high mantle. A mirror reflected the opposite side of the large room, showing three floors of balconies. Everything was white, metal and glass. They were in Davariel and Luciel's old mansion. 

Devon's booted legs blocked his view as he bent to offer Ashriel a hand up.

"What the hell just happened?" Ashriel asked, feeling like his head was still spinning.

"We ditched our tails."

Ashriel only blinked at him. They'd managed to evade the Master Guardians intent on capturing them, but what about all the reapers on Alpha 7... and Anniel?

He turned when he heard a woman exclaiming in joy and turned to watch Rowie Enoray run into Remi's arms.

A few reapers appeared on the higher balconies, along with others he did not recognize.

"What's going on here?" Ashriel asked.

"Some of them were here when we arrived. Families from when my father and mother resided here. I didn't have the heart to turn them out. This is the only home they've known."

Ashriel turned back to Devon. These people were the descendants of Davariel's followers. They were still waiting for him to return.

He swallowed and turned to see the red-haired weredragon falling to his knees as his mate wrapped her arms and legs around him. Her face was buried in his neck, her fangs deep in his throat. Even from twenty paces away, Ashriel heard her deep gulps as she drank her lover's blood. Remi's half-dragon's wings popped through the flesh of his back and he growled in pleasure as his mate fed from him.

"Come with me," Devon said walking toward a stairwell at the other side of the cavernous chamber.

The sun cast a reddish golden glow through the glass walls. The large mansion had barely any furniture. As Devon and he passed various rooms, some held bare mattresses on the floors and a few trunks.

"Where are we going?" Ashriel asked.

"You'll see," Devon answered.

They entered a room at the end of a long glass corridor. A large bed was set up in the very center of the room where Devon's golden weredragon and his very pregnant mate lay.

The girl was propped on big pillows and Zachariel massaged one of her legs.

He looked over his shoulder as Ashriel and Devon made their way across the room.

"This was their room."

Ashriel did not need to ask whom Devon meant. The sweet scent of Davariel's essence still lingered in the air...even after over three hundred years.

On the other side of the room was a glass partition that led to a grand bathroom. More ceiling to glass walls showed the beauty of the beach below. The sinks were along one solid wall, but there were no mirrors. The counters were made of white stone and the floors were still the same pale shade of grey as the rest of the house. In the very center of the bathroom was a black-bottomed pool, filled with steaming water.

Ashriel watched Devon circle the pool once, whispering low.

Ashriel narrowed his eyes and looked down. Through the wavering water an image began to form. He could see what looked like a ceiling with softly glowing recessed lighting.

"Go in, but head first. Hold your breath for a few seconds until the air feels dry." Devon touched his arm as Ashriel frowned at him. "Don't look to the sides."

Ashriel pulled his shoulders back. Devon treated him as if he'd never traversed portals before.

Ashriel crouched and drew closer to the pool. Placing his hands on the edge, he closed his eyes and let himself tip forward. The water was warm and wrapped around his body like a lover's embrace. The sense of disorientation was momentary, and all too soon he found himself floundering out of a pool of water in his old quarters in Alpha 7.

Dragging himself out of the smaller bathroom, he walked soaking wet through the hygiene room and stepped into his hygiene unit. Blue rays engulfed him immediately, leaving his skin and wings dry and fresh.

He turned to look at the pool he'd just crawled out of. The water still rippled, but no one had followed him. Peering into it, he saw Devon had closed the portal once more.

Anniel took deep breaths and listened as she lay on her bed in her quarters in Alpha 7. Zachariel was whispering endearments to Alluna. He'd lifted her foot to his mouth, kissing and sucking each toe, making her wriggle and clutch at the sheets beneath her. Even though she was heavy with her pregnancy, her core still clenched at the sight of him.

"Master, that tickles," she cried out.

Anniel smiled. Yes. Zachariel was very sexy with his super buff body and ultra long blond hair.

Zak chuckled and kissed his way down Alluna's leg, the scent of her arousal making his mouth water.

Anniel blocked them out as much as she could, not wanting to invade their intimate moment, but ran headlong telepathically into Remi and Rowie.

Her fangs were buried deep in his neck and the sweet taste of blood filled her ravenous mouth. His scent filled her nostrils and the feel of his hard body beneath her had her dry humping the hard ridge of male flesh bulging through his leather pants.

Remi arched his neck until his back ached, enjoying the pleasure of her bite and the feel of her ripe breasts pressing against him. He wanted to fuck so badly, but knew she needed to feed his sons first.

And you promised you'd fix my eyes—Anniel thought, doing her best not to let her body react to the surge of lust riding the couple hard. Her mouth watered, regardless, and her skin twitched, her inner beast wanting to lap up some of the weredragon's blood too.

Anniel snarled, and steeled her hips from thrusting like Rowie's, as her mind filled with the images of her friend fisting Remi's fiery mane. The scent of cinnamon, spice and blood filled her nostrils.

It was moments like this that made it difficult for them to keep their hands to each other. The feelings would become confused and there had been many times when the temptation to fall all together in a heap of...

Love. Baby, I love you—Remi cried out feeling on the verge of coming in his pants. His hips thrust in tandem to Rowie's rocking hips. He grabbed her ass and Anniel gasped, feeling as if he were groping her.

She distanced herself from them and sighed sullenly.

Loneliness assailed her.

Her thoughts went to Ashriel.

Hearing and feeling the others sharing their bodies made her own body respond.

Her hands reached up to cup her breasts. Ashriel. He was already aboard Alpha 7. She sensed him.

She closed her eyes and imagined his shiny, dark brown hair, how it spilled through her fingers like water, his scent when she pressed her face to his thick neck, the living warmth of his beautiful jet-black wings. Her dark angel's blazing storm-colored eyes and powerful build terrified all who looked upon him, but Ashriel's heavenly beauty took her breath away.

Her teeth dented her lower lip, wishing it was his mouth she bit instead, so lush and full. It was a shame he was always frowning. He'd looked so devastating when he laughed the night they'd made love in the storage level of Natanael's starcruiser.

He'd been so intense, so passionate.

Sometime during that long sleep cycle, they'd conceived the tiny little girl inside her belly.

Anniel's feelings of lust turned into a maternal warmth that had tears springing to her eyes.

Before she felt the tender hands that touched her cheeks, the scent of wind and rain let her know Devon had come into her rooms.

The bed dipped with his weight and the heat of his body pressed over half of hers. He kissed each of her eyes and finally her nose.

She smiled, keeping her eyes closed. "Alluna is almost ready."

"Yes. Pretty soon we'll have three little dragonesses running amok with the rest of the hoard of children aboard Alpha 7."

Anniel lifted one of her hands and stroked her fingers through the satin of his hair. He was still her pretty baby.

Devon chuckled at her musings, his hands sliding to her belly as his lips playing over her closed lids.

She giggled when his tongue darted out to lick her lashes, thinking at him—ew, really?

He only chuckled in reply.

"What of the Vildminorian Master Guardians after Rem and Row's babies?" she asked.

"They'll never find us'" Devon assured her. "All our children will be safe, Anniel. I promise."

She sighed when he slid down and placed his head over her belly, as if listening to her child.

They stayed that way for a while, with her absently stroking his hair.

She was lulled, almost asleep, when Ashriel's scent teased her nose.

She sat up with a gasp, almost knocking Devon to the floor.

Two things shocked her immediately. The first was that she could see. The second was the look of rage on Ashriel's face as he stared daggers at her and Devon.

Too late, she realized what it must look like to him with her lying there naked and Devon sprawled out over her, one long-fingered pale hand curved over her rounded belly, the other against the side of her thigh.

"What are you doing?" Ashriel hissed.

She opened her mouth, but it was Devon who spoke first.

"Remi was busy, so I came to fix her eyes."

Devon straightened, his hand leaving her belly, the jet silk of his hair sliding over her bare skin in a loving caress. She actually heard Ashriel clenching his teeth tight enough to shatter as his eyes blazed with fury from across the room.

Devon turned to look back down at Anniel and actually smirked, making her wince. The brat. He was enjoying Ashriel's jealousy.

Devon brushed his lips on her cheek before he stood. "Guess I'd better leave."

Ashriel narrowed his eyes more. His furious gaze followed Devon as he walked toward the doorway. Fear had Anniel holding her breath when every feather on Ashriel's black wings lifted and his brows drew together so close they were practically touching. His nostrils flared and his eyes seemed to glow, glued, as they were to Devon's approach. Every muscle on his god-like body was taut, prepared.

For a moment, she thought he would unsheathe his sword and try to hurt Dev. Her body tensed and she sat up straighter on the bed.

The movement drew Ashriel's scorching stare. It made her wince, the intensity of those inhuman eyes. At least they were still silver, not pitch black in kill mode.

Devon slipped by him, unharmed, as Ashriel and Anniel continued their stare-down.

The front door to her quarters swished closed softly, letting her know Devon made it out safely. Ashriel hadn't torn him to pieces or turned him into a pile of ash from Ashriel's reaper's powers.

Poor Devon. They hadn't been doing anything wrong. Just cuddling like they always did since they were children. Suddenly, Anniel got really mad. He couldn't just walk into her quarters and act all possessive. She was a free woman after all. He'd never asked her to be his mate. And she wasn't going to force the issue just because he got her pregnant. Besides, he'd questioned the baby's paternity and was probably still bent on leaving Alpha 7...just like Garethiel.

Hurt zinged through her.

Frowning, she pulled one corner of the fuchsia sheets strewn over her bed to cover her breasts.

"How dare you," was all she could think of saying.

Without warning, Ashriel stomped over to her and yanked the sheet away making her gasp in shock.

"Do not cover yourself from me after letting another touch you," he snarled, crawling over her. "I have seen and tasted ever inch of your body and a part of me grows inside you." His hand cupped her belly and her traitorous daughter flipped around in obvious glee at her daddy's touch.

They both froze.

"Oh, God," he choked out, obviously overwhelmed from emotion.

Her anger melted away at the sight of tears shimmering in his eyes. A lump wedged in her throat and her hand covered his as her baby rolled in her belly again.

It was like a surreal dream, feeling life within her again when a few days ago she'd been empty, her heart bereft with the pain of her missing son.

Gareth.

He was alive.

Her tears flowed freely now, and she fisted Ashriel's silken hair to pull him down for a passionate kiss.

Her tongue shot past his lips, making him moan, all jealousy and anger forgotten in that moment of magic. She savored his heavenly taste, breathed in his angelic scent, smiling when his wings began to fan harder. Anniel was sure she'd feel his cock straining against the front of his pants if she were to slide her hand against his fly.

Reluctantly releasing him, she whispered a mere inch from his lips, "I've got to go back to Rhylos and convince Gareth to come home."

All the elation he'd been feeling took a nosedive into the seventh circle of Hell. Go back?

His eyes raked down her naked form, snagging along the way on her big, round, chocolate tipped breasts before settling on the amazing evidence of his virility rounding her stomach.

It was only when his wings struck the low ceiling, that he realized he'd spread them out fully. Wincing, he retracted them until they lay against his back. He didn't even bother trying to unruffled them. He was too agitated to concentrate on making his feathers lay flat.

"Anniel, that's too dangerous," he snapped.

Wrong tone.

Her half lidded eyes and soft smile transformed into a frown, her green-gold eyes flashing in irritation. "I'm pregnant not handicapped, Ashriel. I'm only going to see my child."




Dark Angel Ch. 10



"He's not a—" He took a deep breath and tried again at her low snarl. "Please, Anniel. Devon just liberated that planet. It isn't unusual for wars to break out. The ruling party isn't going to turn over their power easily and those living comfortably under that ruling will join the fight."

"I want my son home," she began, her voice angry even though her eyes filled with tears again.

His hands smoothed over her belly and he tried for a soothing tone. "Yes, I know. I understand your desire. I also want him home."

Her eyes widened. "You do?"

"Of course, Anniel."

"B-but he's Gar—"

"He's your son, and he also carries my blood. It doesn't matter that I didn't sire him, Anniel. I love him like a son too."

Now she looked confused. It was time to confess everything to her.

"I knew you were with child and that my brother had abandoned you. As a high priest there wasn't much I could do, except watch over you...both of you."

"Watch?"

Ashriel felt his cheeks warm with guilt. "Annie, understand I have made a vow to keep this universe, our realm, safe from evil. I had to keep an eye on Davariel's spawn—" At her scowl, he sighed, "Devon. I still don't trust him fully, and trust his twin even less."

Anniel's eyes widened and she nibbled her lip. "Lucien? Oh, but he's just a poor wretch now. We've been trying to coax him back into Alpha 7, but he refuses to come back."

Ashriel frowned. "He still sports demon wings. His blood is tainted."

Anniel shook her head. "Those horrid appendages are practically rotting off his back. The toxins in them aren't strong enough to turn him fully demon." She bit her lip again, caressing his cheek as she stared imploringly at him. "We want to try to save him."

Ashriel didn't want to cause her anymore anxiety, but he knew Lucien's reluctance to return didn't bode well. The toxins in the demon wings implanted into his back would make him unstable. If he didn't go insane, he'd surely die anyway.

"One thing at a time, my love," he breathed, brushing his lips over hers in a sweet caress. "I will go back to Rhylos and speak with Gareth."

The tip of her tongue traced his lower lip, making him tremble. "Oh, Ash, baby, I couldn't ask you to do that."

"You are not asking me. I am telling you what I am going to do."

Anniel leaned away and frowned a bit. He sensed they were about to start arguing again.

"We can go together," she insisted, still keeping her tone sweet even though she was no longer smiling.

Ashriel took a deep breath. "I'll take Devon or Seth with me. We can go in and come back before you realize."

"Devon has his hands full trying to keep Rem, Row and the twins hidden. And Seth takes over for him here when he's too busy."

"Then I will take Natanael and Erie with me."

Her brows rose. "Three fallen reapers? Unaccompanied? You must want to get your ass kidnapped."

Ashriel sat back, straddling her and feeling insulted. He felt his wings rising in irritation again.

"I have fought legions of demons and devils. You think me weak?"

She rolled her eyes. "Baby, I didn't mean it like that. Fighting supernatural beings comes easy to you, but your powers don't affect beings from our universe."

"You think me weak," he hissed incensed, getting up off the bed.

Feeling shamed and angry, he stalked out of her room.

"Ashriel? Wait. Don't be such a big baby."

Ignoring her calls, he stomped out and headed toward the end of the corridor to the elevators.

The trip to the reapers level was short. He strode down the corridor straight to Natanael's rooms.

The minute he stepped into Nat's quarters he spotted the group of reapers standing close together obviously watching porn from the sounds of slapping flesh and moans emanating from the holoviewer.

Abdiel turned, his face flushed, and gaped at Ashriel.

"Ash," the blond reaper shouted.

Ashriel narrowed his eyes when every reaper turned to stare at him wide-eyed. The sound of the holoviewer died, making him wonder what the hell they'd been watching.

He approached as they parted until Natanael was revealed in the middle of the group of about twenty reapers.

Natanael pocketed the small crystal orb quickly and grinned at Ashriel.

"Looking for me?" he asked nonchalantly.

Ashriel looked at Natanael's inky blue Mohawk with a frown before staring pointedly at the little bulge in his pocket where he'd slipped the vid-crystal.

What in hell's name had they been viewing, and why was everybody so tense?

"What's the matter?" Ashriel asked.

Natanael looked at Eriel, who had his hands shoved into his pockets with a blank look on his usually animated face.

"The matter?" Natanael echoed before shrugging with wide innocent eyes at Ashriel. "Why should anything be the matter?"

Ashriel's eyes narrowed even more. The insolent fucker was hiding something, but it had to wait. He needed to get Gareth back for Annie and fix the piss-poor image she had of him.

"I need you and Erie to accompany me back to Rhylos."

Natanael's eyes widened. "Er...why?"

"Annie wants her son back."

Natanael grinned and clapped Erie on the back. "A mission, Erie."

Eriel only nodded and sighed. "My ass is ready, I guess."

"It's not that kind of a mission this time," Ashriel said with a scowl.

Eriel looked at him sullenly, taking a deep breath before letting it out with an emotionless "right."

Ashriel turned to Abdiel. "Under no circumstances are you to let Anniel out of your sight, and do not let her leave Alpha 7."

Abdiel's brows rose. "And how am I supposed to do that?"

"Think of something," Ashriel grated, turning on his heel to leave with Natanael and Eriel following in his wake.

Devon had moved Alpha 7 and, as a result, they were not very far from Rhylos now. Hide in plain sight—he'd said—though not really. They were in a dead solar system, orbiting a large gaseous planet that glowed deep red. It had hundreds of moons and a thick ring circling its middle for miles.

Ashriel stared longingly at Alpha 7 as the replacement starcruiser Devon had acquired for Natanael shot forward. Only a half hour had gone by and already he missed Anniel.

It would take just a few hours to reach Rhylos this time around.

How would he convince his nephew to return? Gareth, or Cyneolle as he was now called, had been adamant in remaining to protect those he now felt were his people.

He looked up to find Natanael and Eriel's wary eyes on him.

"When we return to Alpha 7, you will tell me what the big secret is," he snapped, growing tired of their suspicious behavior.

Both reapers winced.

Natanael opened his mouth, but Ashriel didn't allow him to say a thing. "You will tell me or I will beat it out of you," he grated.

Eriel snickered. "Kinky."

"You," Ashriel growled, stabbing a finger in Eriel's direction, "I will place a chastity belt on."

Eriel's eyes widened with a little gasp. He looked askance at Natanael.

The other reaper snorted. "Oh, he so fuckin' will, Erie."

Anniel plopped herself down on Seth's couch with a sullen sigh. She looked around and frowned. Seth's quarters were bare, only a few holovid orbs sitting upon the end tables at the ends of the L-shaped couch. Everything was a neutral gray, the walls stark white and blank. He sat working at his com-unit, barely noticing her entrance.

Pursing her lips, she rose from her perch and walked into his bedroom. It was as bland as the living section, walls white, bed coverings grey, but reclining against the cushions was a gigantic brown bear she'd gotten him when he was just a little boy.

"I...uh-thought maybe one of the babies might like it," he said behind her.

She turned to look at him. A slight blush stained his cheeks and his baby-fine platinum hair hung in his eyes.

"You're going to give away my homecoming present?"

He swallowed. His eyes went back to the bear and he shrugged. "Teddy needs someone to play with him. I was never much company." He walked toward the bed and picked the stuffed toy up.

She came up behind him and leaned her cheek on his shoulder. His loneliness surprised her. "Hon, haven't you met anyone you might be interested in getting to know a little more beyond just a little physical release?"

She felt when he closed down his telepathic connection. Lately he'd been doing that more and more. It worried her.

"I have too many responsibilities right now."

Anniel frowned. "Baby, you're just twenty one."

He put the bear down and turned to her. "You didn't come here to talk to me about my love life."

Anniel took a deep breath considering whether she should pursue trying to get him to open up about his feelings or talk about going back to Rhylos to see her son.

Sighing at his growing frown, she conceded that at least for now she'd back off, but eventually, she needed to sit and have a talk with Seth, one that should have taken place years ago. Remi was right. They all tried to keep seeing Seth like a child. Seth was a fully grown man...a beautiful lonely one.

She wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close for a hug. They were the same height, so she rested her chin on his shoulder and rubbed her cheek against his soft hair.

His hands came up to her waist and she felt his usual hesitance. "Why are you hugging me?"

The sadness in his voice tugged at her heart. They'd had him since he was eight years old, and he still kept himself aloof from their affections. Devon had said it was a fear of being abandoned again. He never recuperated from his parents' rejection of him. That fear kept him from demonstrating the love she knew he felt for all of them.

"I just want to hug my favorite weretigri aboard Alpha 7," she teased.

"I'm the only weretigri aboard Alpha 7."

She ran her squared off nails up and down his back, hoping to coax out his deep purrs.

"I remember the first time you saw me you hissed at me," she chuckled.

He sighed. "Must you always remind me?"

She giggled again. "Little kitty afraid of the big bad wolf.

He relaxed a bit more against her, but no purrs. She loved when he purred. It was almost as rare as his smiles.

"I'm not in the mood to purr," he grumbled. "Sorry."

She pulled back, running one hand through his hair. Pale blue eyes stared blankly at her. He was shielding his emotions hard.

"Sweetie, I want to get Gareth to come back home. Wouldn't that be nice?"

His brows drew together. "But Ashriel, Natanael, and Eriel left a few hours ago to do just that."

She gasped. "What?"

Seth nodded. "That wasn't exactly a very smart thing to do right now, but who the hell can contradict Ashriel?"

"Oh-god, we need to go after them."

Seth grimaced. "Bad time for us to be going anywhere. Dev doesn't want any of us revealing where Alpha 7 is."

Anniel crossed her arms beneath her chest and paced back and forth, anguish over the reapers' safety making her panic. "We definitely need to go back then. We find the reapers and Gareth and come back home."

*************** 



Dark Angel Ch. 11



Seth frowned, has hand raking through his hair. "Anniel, he left me in charge of the space station, the reapers, and you. I told Ash that if he left, he was on his own. He said he'd get word to Amaranth to help him get back. They can't come directly back here or they'll lead the Master Guardians hunting us down right to us."

Anniel's level of panic rose. "Where are Drakken, and the weredragons? Maybe they can come with me if it'll make you feel better."

Seth shook his head. "Devon left them guarding the mansion on Sjoria. Alluna's due any day now."

"Where did Devon go?"

"He's hiding Remi, Rowie and the babies. Angel and Jazriel are with them. I don't know where they are. We're not supposed to communicate at all. If the Master Guardians feel our power, they might be able to find any of us. We can't risk it, Anniel."

Her eyes welled with tears, but she felt determined to go and get her son and find Ashriel.

"Okay," she said turning on her heel and marching out of his quarters. She almost ran into Abdiel who was standing just outside of Seth's doorway.

Sidestepping the reaper, Anniel stalked to her rooms.

"Wait," Seth called rushing after her. "What are you going to do?"

"I'm getting my son and Ashriel back."

"But, Annie, you can't—"

"I can and I will," she snapped.

"It's too dangerous."

"We've been in dangerous situations before, and if you say it's because I'm pregnant, I will kick your butt."

She stepped into her hygiene unit and tapped a few directives into the image screen. Seth stood by looking uncertain as the blue rays of her hygiene unit engulfed her. Her scalp tingled a bit, her hair lifting up with the help of the beams. When the unit finally shut off she was clean and her hair done up in many little twists atop her head. It was her shit-serious-ass-kicking hairdo.

Seth's jaw dropped. He scrubbed his face with his hands and then held them up in defeat. "Alright. I can't let you go alone. I'll let the reapers know so they keep a low profile."

"I want to go too," Abdiel piped up.

Both Anniel and Seth turned to look at him. If Annie didn't know any better, she'd swear that the blond reaper was stalking her. He'd been following her around for most of the...

Anniel narrowed her eyes on him. "Ashriel told you to keep an eye on me, right?"

Abdiel blushed. "He said not to let you leave Alpha 7."

Anniel snorted, crossing her arms beneath her chest. "Did he now?"

Abdiel looked wary. "Yes, but if I just stay by your side and keep you safe, he might not hurt me too much because you left the safety of the space station."

She'd been about to forbid him from following her, but his obvious distress over Ashriel's reaction bothered her more. Would he actually punish the young reaper? She snorted, shaking her head. "Look here, Abdy, Ashriel will not harm a hair on your head. I will not allow it."

She was about to say more, but the tall, blond death angel yanked her into his arms and hugged her tight. Anniel found her cheek resting over a bulging pectoral as he sighed, "Oh, thank-you." The relief in his voice was hard to miss.

Anniel pressed her palms against his bare, firm, chiseled torso and drew back. "I need to have a serious conversation with Ashriel about the way he treats you guys. You're not in the holy city any longer. He can ease up on the stifling rules already."

Abdiel nodded, even as Seth crossed his arms over his chest and shook his head, looking a bit annoyed at Anniel. "Oh, please do talk to him, Anniel," Abdiel ran a frustrated hand through his shoulder length hair. "He's so overbearing, especially with me because I'm still a virgin. He wants me to go back to Seraphia, but I don't want to. I no longer want to be a slave to reaper priesthood. I want to be free, like Dava. I want to eventually have sex, but I want my first time to be special."

Anniel didn't miss the way Seth's eyes gaped at the mention of the angel of destruction, but Anniel understood what Abdiel meant. Even she had vague memories of Davariel...more than three hundred years ago. He'd sometimes pick her up and toss her playfully in the air, or blow ticklish raspberries on her tummy. She remembered his face, and even though she'd been a two-year-old, the beauty of his eyes had always captivated her.

Seth snapping his fingers before her face had her jumping. "Hellooo-I thought we were going back to Rhylos?" he asked cocking his head to the side with an arched brow.

Anniel blinked at him, feeling flustered, and nodded. "Of course. Let's go." 

****

Chapter Eleven

Green gas no longer swathed Rhylos. Angry, dark grey clouds swirled over glittering turquoise oceans and deep green forests, promising an unfriendly welcome.

Ashriel gripped the piloting levers situated to either side of the captain's chair and directed the starcruiser toward the raw grayed out area marking where the city was situated.

"Are you sure you can do this, Ash?" Natanael asked nervously by his side.

Ashriel snorted. "We're Seraphian born. Flying is what we do, Natanael."

"He's not doubting your ability to fly," Eriel said behind him. "It's your ability to pilot his new rig?"

He watched the monitors, keeping a critical eye on the degree of his angle of descent. Go in too direct and they would burn up, too shallow and they'd ricochet off the atmosphere.

He clenched his teeth when gravity began kicking in, making an effort to keep his wings pressed tight to his back as his stomach bottomed out.

He descended, making the starcruiser spiral out in ever tightening circles toward the city.

The closer they got, the worse things looked.

"What the hell," Natanael muttered.

Ashriel pulled back on the throttles, slowing their speed. "Shields," he commanded wide-eyed.

Laser fire streamed out everywhere, transports exploded, sending streams of fire and plumes of smoke.

"Laser canons engage," Ashriel barked out. With an angry snarl, he settled himself more firmly into his seat, his muscles tense and ready for evasive maneuvering. "Look at this. Look at the destruction these beings have wreaked upon this poor planet," he spat, shaking his head, "again."

"Some creatures just destroy, Ash. Like us," Eriel sighed.

"We destroy evil, Erie," Natanael corrected.

"It's still destroying," Eriel answered.

"Do we have any weapons onboard?" Ashriel asked.

"Down in the hold. Some pulse pistols, laser rifles and a portable plasma canon, among other interesting little boy-toys," Natanael replied with a cocky grin.

Eriel snorted. "If we step out there, we're toast."

Ashriel studied the mayhem before him carefully. There was no orderly semblance to traffic below, but they needed to descend.

Taking a deep breath, Ashriel said, "Hold on...and pray."

Firing the jets full force, he zipped into the worst of the fray. The starcruiser dipped and spun as Ashriel's arms moved the throttles around. Laser fire snaked around the starcruiser, just barely missing them. Next to him, Natanael gripped the arms of his chair and cursed repeatedly. Ashriel tipped the nose of the transport down and spun and dodged around exploding crafts.

Behind him, Eriel laughed out loud in glee, "Fuck yeah, Ash. You fly as kick ass as you fight."

"Shut up," Ashriel snapped rolling the starcruiser belly up before letting it take a dive straight down, heading once again to the bowels of Rhylos. Luckily, no one seemed interested in following them.

Within the myriad of glass tunnels snaking around the smoke scorched pillars of the city, Ashriel realized most of the citizens of Rhylos were either dead or in hiding. The once bustling metal and glass city was nearly deserted, except for the all out war in the upper levels.

"There's hardly anyone flying down here," Eriel observed.

"That's because they're above," Ashriel answered, "trying to wipe out the upper class.

Natanael snickered, "Ah, revenge."

"It's disgusting and horrific," Ashriel grated, leveling the starcruiser out to descend belly first now.

Coming closer to the ground, a few people could be seen walking around, fully armed.

"Is it safe?" Eriel asked, leaning closer to the view screen.

"Probably not," Ashriel answered gruffly.

Scouting out a place to land, Ashriel spotted a wide ledge jutting out from one of the buildings. He hovered over the ledge, and since no one came out to investigate, he settled the big craft down with the nose pointing to the edge of the ledge. If anyone wanted access to the starcruiser, they'd have to fly up to get it.

Cutting the power to the transport, Ashriel huffed out a frustrated breath, not having any idea how he would find Cyn now that he was here.

His answer came in the form of the dirty rebel that helped them get away from the media last time they were there. The filthy humanoid rose with his glowing green metallic wings, like an evil spirit from Hell. He grinned molar to molar, showcasing his blackened rotted teeth.

"Hey, it's our buddy," Eriel laughed.

Ashriel could feel the fine hairs at the back of his neck prickle. "I don't trust him," he rasped under his breath.

Natanael sighed. "We don't really have any choice but to act like we do. Looks like it's the only way to find Cyneolle."

Ashriel knew Natanael was right. The more people saw them, the quicker word would get back to Anniel's son. Ashriel was sure Cyn would come to them.

All three reapers donned their gear of special armored clothing, goggles, and respirators. Devon might have regenerated the planet's vitality, but there was no telling what chemical weapons might have been used since they left. By the time they opened the exit ramp, Groggo and his cohorts hovered closer to the street below, awaiting Ashriel, Natanael, and Eriel.

"Well if it isn't the pretty fly boys again," the smelly man cackled when they finally dropped down to street level.

"Groggo. How the hell are you?" Natanael called out, folding his jet wings neatly against his back.

Ashriel watched Groggo drift down, followed by more than a dozen armed half humanoid, half cyborg beings. They landed in a tight circle around the reapers.

"Welcome back to hell," Groggo smirked. "Devon of Angelos really created utter havoc here on Rhylos. The upper levels are killing each other off. We're waiting for them to finish so we can ride up and take over."

Ashriel resisted the urge to shake his head in disapproval.

"And once you take over, what will you do?" Ashriel spat, unable to keep the disdain from his voice.

The others behind Groggo echoed his chuckles. "Once we take over, we'll live like gods," Groggo answered. The mob behind him shouted in agreement, some howling, others whistling.

"So... what brings you pretties back to our lovely planet?" the disgusting man grinned wider.

"Cyneolle," Ashriel replied. "We need to see him."

Groggo snorted derisively before spitting another blood-speckled gob on the filthy floor. "You sure have a hard-on for that borg. Why don't you hook up with one of us instead? Cyn can't even get a hard on." A few of the men behind Groggo laughed. "The poor fuck's frozen in a perpetual state of childhood."

Ashriel's eyes narrowed. He didn't want to reveal any personal information to these derelicts, knowing they would use anything they knew against them.

"Well, do you know where we can find Cyneolle or not?" Ashriel asked with a scowl.

Again, they snickered setting his blood to boil. "Cyn is like the air. He's everywhere, but unseen." Groggo grinned wickedly. "If you hang out with us, he just might show up. Besides, the city isn't safe."

Ashriel tried not to scoff, as his gaze spanned the decrepit group before him. Like they'd be safer with this bunch of thieves and murders.

Obviously deciphering Ashriel's suspicious expression, Groggo threw his head back and laughed. "Only a fool would bring harm to such..." his one good eye looked at all three reapers while he licked his lips and rubbed his filthy hands together. "...such special Seraphians like yourselves."

"That's code for your ass is worth more alive than dead," Eriel whispered in Ashriel's ear.

Ashriel's frown deepened. He hadn't returned to Rhylos to whore himself out.

*** 

"How long ago did they leave?" Anniel demanded, feeling her gut twist with dread.

Seth huffed out an impatient breath. "A few hours ago. Calm down. They might still be orbiting Rhylos waiting for permission to land."

Abdiel snorted. "I doubt it."

Seth glared at him over his shoulder, ratcheting her nerves even higher.

She scowled at him. "Sethaliel, don't you treat me like some ignorant, frightened little child."

He rolled his eyes. "They'll be fine, Annie. They can't get into much trouble in a few minutes. We'll be there in five more minutes."

She bit her lip and gasped when her baby kicked against her ribs. "Can't you go any faster? We could combine our powers."

Seth shook his head, leveling his sky-blue gaze on her with a frown. "You know what Dev said about going too fast. Last time Remi did that, he almost ripped a hole in our realm and all but destroyed a planet. It's just less than five minutes, Annie. What can go wrong in less than five minutes?"

*** 

In less than five minutes, they'd walked into a trap. Groggo assured them they needed to hide. The entire city was at war after the rebels killed king Dred.

They were lead down a darkened alley, guarded heavily by more of Groggo's gang. Behind the burned out remains of a dumpster, they crawled through a broken window and down a flight of rusted metal stairs. 

Overhead, music could be heard, a hard thumping beat. Two of Groggo's men pushed open a pair of metal doors leading to a long dim corridor. Deep red velvet covered the walls with faded golden designs stamped within. Ashriel frowned when he realized the designs were little cherubs

The rug beneath Ashriel's boots might have been golden at some point in time, but now it was a filthy, dingy, mustard brown. And it smelled...like sweat, and sex, and urine.

Ashriel wrinkled his nose, looking briefly at Natanael beside him. Both reapers were tense, their silvery grey eyes darting side to side. Ashriel wrapped his fingers around the hilt of the laser sword strapped to his hip even as his feathers puffed out in anticipation of a fight.

They entered an elevator, with golden mirrors lining its interior. The floor and ceiling were lit, and some strange alien tune was playing. They rode down in silence.

When the doors finally opened, they emerged in a wide, brick and concrete corridor. The walls were large bricks with peeling white paint and the floor was rough concrete, covered in layers of dirt and pebbles.

Ashriel's boots crunched loudly, the sound echoing far ahead. The corridor seemed to stretch into infinity and had a doorway every hundred yards or so. The glaring overhead lighting flickered unsteadily making him feel disorientated. All he heard beside their marching feet was the ticking flicker of the lights and the soft hiss of air coming out of the numerous vents perched low to either side of the corridor.

Ashriel should have anticipated problems when some of the men began fitting their respirators over their faces. The air smelled foul but only a few covered their noses and mouth.

Ashriel thought they used their respirators because of the stench of dank wet mold, which covered the crumbling bricks. There was also the slight scent of decay...like rotting death. It made his skin crawl as he remembered that some of the citizens in Rhylos had become so contaminated from the toxic air, they'd become little more than walking corpses. He'd yet to see one, but would rather forgo such a revolting experience.

His vision wavered a bit and then Eriel stopped to pout at Ashriel.

"I don't feel so good," was all the brunette reaper said before he collapsed. Ashriel gasped wide-eyed, and tried to pull Erie to him, but realized he barely had any strength. He felt as if he moved in slow motion. All he did manage was to hold Erie's body against his and let him slide gently to the floor in a heap of silky black feathers. Ashriel rocked back on his boots feeling numbness tingling up from his fingers and toes. His head felt like it was stuffed with cotton. He frowned, blinking, as he ran his fingers through his dark locks. Everything wavered and swam before his eyes.

Natanael knelt unsteadily to touch Eriel, but collapsed too, his deep blue hair spilling over one black wing as it struck the wall. The other wing slid up Ashriel's body until it touched his chin and then it just dropped back down to his boots.

Ashriel shook his head, trying to make sense of what was going on, but his mind felt like a swirling vortex, spinning away to dark oblivion. He fell to his knees, his hand skimming over Natanael's shoulder, and just as his belly made contact with the two fallen reapers, he lost all consciousness.

*** 

"Dev's not happy with what we're doing," Seth huffed.

Anniel wanted to scream in frustration. "I thought we weren't supposed to communicate telepathically with each other? Why are you tattling?"

"I'm not tattling," Seth snapped in exasperation.

Anniel glared at him. "Well how does he know what we're up to if you're not telling him?"

"Angel can see it, and they're linked. I can feel him getting agitated."

Anniel gasped. If Angel could see them, maybe she could see if Ashriel and the other two reapers were all right.

Seth heard her thoughts and shook his head. "She doesn't know them well enough to latch onto their life forces."

Anniel's gut twisted in anxiety, resulting in another swift kick from her daughter. Placing her palm over her softly rounded belly, she looked pleadingly at Seth. "Once we land, you'll be able to feel them out, won't you?"

Seth's brows drew closer together as he dipped the throttles of silver comet forward. "I'll try, Anniel. We don't want to let on that there are two Alpha Angels on Rhylos again."

"Three," Abdiel corrected. He leaned forward in the tiny transport to look at either of them with a worried little frown marring his perfect face. "I'm one of you now too, right?"

Anniel patted his cheek. "Yes, baby. You're one of us too."

When she looked forward again, her eyes grew round. They were coming upon Rhylos fast, but aside from that, there were thousands of space vehicles buzzing around the planet.

"There weren't that many before, were there?"

Seth remained quiet, but Abdiel had no such restraint. "That doesn't bode well. Looks like there's civil unrest. Word must've gotten out. Look at them. They're circling like vultures, just waiting"

"Vultures?" Anniel frowned, looking from Seth to Abdiel.

Seth's lips tightened into a firm line before he said,. "Mostly space pirates looking for a place to call home. They sweep in and take over after the natives virtually wipe themselves out."

"They actually go in and sell the natives weaponry of mass destruction to help them along," Abdiel added.

Anniel gasped. "That's horrible."

"That's the way of the universe." Seth said with a sigh. "The LOS won't interfere. Rhylos is worthless for the league council. Everybody hold on. We're going in."

They'd taken the Silver Comet Garethiel had left Ashriel. It jerked as Seth put the engines in full burn and they slipped under Rhylos thick atmosphere lighting up like the crafts brand name.

Gravity began kicking in and Anniel felt like she was about to get sick.

Another yank and her eyes widened when she realized the ground was flying up to meet them incredibly fast.

"Seth," she cried out.

"Easy. I'm trying to keep us from getting shot at."

Almost as if on cue, a volley of laser fire streaked past them. Seth dipped and spun the Silver Comet, weaving past exploding ships and laser fire. After passing the worst of the fighting, he tipped the nose of the transport straight down and hurtled into the darkness below. Behind them, Anniel heard a loud thump followed by Abdiel's groan of pain. Black feathers floated about, but she was too terrified to look back.




Dark Angel Ch. 11



Finally, Seth slowed down and leveled out the Silver Comet to come to a coasting stop in the middle of a deserted street.

Anniel breathed a sigh of relief.

"Next time let me fly," Abdiel snapped angrily. "Now let me out. Look at my wings. My feathers are all screwy."

Seth opened the side doors and let the disgruntled reaper out. His hand squeezed Anniel's thigh as he looked at her in concern.

"You okay?"

She nodded, taking deep breaths as she observed Abdiel stalking to the front of the transport to shake out his ruffled feathers.

"Come on. We're about to have company."

They both stepped out of the transport and walked to Abdiel as he folded his wings neatly behind his back.

The stifling breeze smothered Anniel almost instantly, bringing with it the stench of death. Anniel wrinkled her nose and her stomach roiled in protest.

Seth turned, his eyes glowing briefly. He held up his hands as three respirators flew into them from the Silver Comet.

Anniel looked at him askance when he handed one to her. "I thought we weren't supposed to use our powers."

"The rules have changed," he said, his gaze on something behind her.

Light flashed, catching her eye. She turned to see Abdiel unsheathing his divine sword, the inside of his eyes completely black in kill mode.

The smell grew worse and even as she drew the strap to the respirator over her head, she already knew what was drawing closer.

Anniel turned her head just as the first one shambled out from a darkened alleyway.

It was just a little boy, his reddish-gold hair smeared with grime. His skin was grey, but not like the Grei aliens. No. This was not some hybrid Grei-humanoid mix. His ears were pointed, and he only had two big toes on either foot, but that wasn't what horrified Anniel. His eyes might have been big orbs at one time. Right now, they were nothing but milky mush, dripping with a greenish maggot filled goo. A walking corpse.

More of them appeared, scuffling forward, raising their arms toward her, Seth and Abdiel.

"Annie, get back into the Silver Comet," Seth ordered unsheathing his own sword.

Anniel felt down the leg of her flight suit and wrapped her fingers around her favorite laser sword. Slipping the long metal hilt from its sheath, she activated the blade, which sprung forth in a blaze of blue-white light. "Not on your life, kiddo."

Abdiel gave her sideways glance and smirked. "That is so hot."

And then his wings spread out and he was airborne.

Abdiel cut a gruesome path into the mob of shambling zombies headed straight for them, his sword and wings destroying everything in his path. It was mesmerizing to watch, but Seth was yelling at her to move. There were more coming toward them.

Anniel ran, lifting her blade over her head. Back and forth she swung, doing her best not to look into their faces, trying not to think that at some point these were living, breathing people who had families.

"Annie, stop it," Seth called out, obviously reading her thoughts.

"I'm trying," she answered cutting down an elderly woman. "Oh-god."

Corpse. She's just a corpse.

Behind the elderly woman was a tiny girl. Her golden ringlets reminded Annie of when Gareth was a baby and she froze, arm held back for the killing blow. The baby girl held up her arms, as if wanting to be held. A sob escaped Annie's throat at the sight, even as she bared little milk teeth and snarled.

That was all it took for one of the zombies to grip her sword arm, startling her.

The hilt slipped from her fingers as another corpse grabbed her other arm.

The cold feel of their rotted flesh made her cringe, but she shook them off and gave a roundhouse kick, smashing the skull of one of them. She turned to kick out at the one that had initially grabbed her sword arm but a blinding flash of light had her shielding her eyes.

Blinking through her fingers, she saw an angel descend from up above and blast the corpses around her with green fire.

One white wing, one silver and glowing, her son turned to regard her solemnly.

"Oh, Gareth," she gasped jumping into his arms. Judging from the way he stiffened, she knew she'd startled him.

Slowly his arms came around her. "Why have you returned?" his deep raspy voice questioned.

Anniel held him tight, her hands fisting his blond dreads. "I won't leave you behind, baby."

He turned his nose into her neck, his arms tightening a bit more. Behind him, she saw Abdiel approach and felt Seth's presence a little behind them.

"Why?" he whispered.

"Because you're my baby, and I won't leave you ever again," she choked out on a sob.

He pulled away from her a bit, and for the first time, she took a good look at his face. The skin on the right side was torn, exposing a gleaming silver skull with a mechanical eye. His forearms were covered in metal also, and around his neck was a metal ring with blinking lights. Her knees almost gave way, but she gripped his broad muscular shoulders hard.

"Oh, you poor thing," she gasped touching his one good cheek.

He covered her hand with his, making her realize how big his hands were. "These are my battle scars. I wear them with pride," his gravelly voice declared.

She didn't want him to feel bad. Letting her eyes sweep him again, she realized how much he looked like his father and obviously Ashriel. His hair was a darker blond, and his skin much lighter than hers, but the shape of his good eye, his nose and even his towering height were reminiscent of his dad and uncle. Anniel let her finger slide down his jaw to his mouth and smiled. His lips were full like hers. He was actually very beautiful despite the metal hardware.

"So you call yourself Cyneolle?"

"Yes. I prefer that name."

"I-I guess I need to get used to calling you that."

He remained observing her for a few seconds. "I thought you were just here for the reapers."

Anniel gasped and gripped his shoulders again. "The reapers? It's my fault they're here. I wanted to come get you, but Ashriel didn't want me to come back. He came here to find you himself. Do you know where they are?"

"Yes," Cyn replied. "We must hurry though. I was on my way to retrieve them when I heard that you'd come down here."

*** 

"It's as simple as this. You do as I say and we don't kill your buddy."

Ashriel looked warily at where Eriel laid. He was strapped down, still unconscious, in the middle of a glass cylinder. Just beneath him was a mesh floor with a trap door. Below was a churning horde of decaying zombies, reaching up frantically toward Erie's listless wings, draped to either side of the table.

"There's a timer on that trap door. If I don't put my palm against the scanner so that it registers my heartbeat, the trap door opens and your pretty friend is dinner for my buddies," Groggo laughed.

Ashriel sneered at him, wishing he could just unsheathe his divine sword and cut the bastard into pieces.

They'd made Natanael and him wear a black soctanal. It was what young reapers wore while training to become holy warriors. The gold belt cinched low on his hips and the silky black material that hung half way past his knees, covered the bare essentials; his genitals and the crack of his ass, leaving his flanks bare.

"Now," Groggo said clapping his hands once, "I think it's show time. You two just follow Hatzi out into the showroom, strut your stuff, and be friendly... and pray that at least one of you gets hired for the night, otherwise your buddy will be tied by his toes and I'll just dip him into that tank full of walkers." Groggo snapped his teeth twice. "They'll nibble on him little by little, but don't worry, I won't let them kill him yet."

"You're going to regret this," Ashriel hissed.

Groggo snorted. "I doubt it. Now get the fuck out of here and make me some credits."

Ashriel and Natanael followed the troupe of thugs lead by a man that looked like an Edenian ape. They strode down a dim corridor to an elevator.

Ashriel looked over at Natanael. He couldn't believe that this was to be his fate. To be sold as a whore. What terrified him most was the possibility that Annie might try to come to search for him the way she'd wanted to return for her son.

Shame filled him. He'd wanted to bring her son back for her, but instead had fallen into a trap... just like she'd said. The memories of her warnings about what could befall him shamed him further. Never had he felt so defeated and powerless. There was nothing he could do. He would not put Erie's life in danger.

Sooner or later, perhaps Devon would come for him. Of that he was sure. He just wished the demon archangel of the Alpha Angels would do so before Anniel attempted it.

He would never forgive himself if she fell into harm for his own stupidity.

The doors to the elevator opened and the blast of music made Ashriel cringe.

Natanael gripped Ashriel's arm. "They can use your body, but they can never touch your soul. Remember that, Ash. This body is nothing more than a receptacle. What's inside is untouchable."

Ashriel stared in awe at Natanael's strength. Never again would he sneer down at any of the reapers who'd fallen into prostitution.

The room they were led into was cavernous. Creatures of all kinds and colors danced on small platforms scattered about countless tables. It was dark, but Ashriel could make out Merulians, Lizdracs, Elutherogs, Hazdraecs and even a few Greis amongst the patrons. One thing was clear as he watched a Grei yank a pale Crystalian female from one of the platforms. These beings were here for more than just the pleasure of watching half-naked people dance seductively. The Grei turned the frightened girl and bent her before him on the table. He fumbled with the closure of his flight suit until he obviously exposed himself. The girl gasped and cringed when he shoved his cock into her and began ramming ruthlessly into her.

Ashriel turned away, the sight perturbing him immensely.

Hatzi shoved him further into the room. "Keep moving, pretty boy. The clients with the most credits are over on the other side."

Natanael gripped Ashriel's hand, smiling at him over his shoulder and sauntered his way through the throngs of alien beings.

Ashriel followed reluctantly, the thought of someone else defiling him making him ill. He only wanted Anniel's hands, mouth, and body touching him.

Natanael stopped short, causing Ashriel to run into him and end up with a mouth full of his blue hair.

Ashriel brushed the hair out of his mouth with a scowl and peered around Nat.

There she stood, flanked by two enormous cyborgs, one of whom was her son, Cyneolle.

"How much?" Anniel snapped with her husky sexy voice, sending a shudder of lust right through him.

Her hair was done up in a series of coils that stood out from her head. Big black goggles covered her eyes and glittering gems spilled from her dainty ears to her shoulders. The big glossy black coat she wore fit her torso snuggly almost to her waist, sporting a deep V that showed the ample fullness of her double D cleavage. Ashriel's mouth watered at the mounds of flesh ready to burst free at the first jiggle. High slits up the sides of her coat displayed her miles of legs, a cock twitching sight with her thigh high black boots.

"Four quadrillion boolz for you pretty lady," Hatzi snickered.

The music stopped and the silence was eerie. Ashriel turned to look at the foolish ape man. No one had that kind of money, unless they were royalty.

The sound of Anniel snapping her fingers had Ashriel turning back to her. He gaped when Cyneolle lifted his arm and presented his wrist.

Hatzi coughed and gestured to a small dwarf-like Krinkoi. The little alien shuffled forward, with his bright orange hair sticking straight up and big purple eyes and proceeded to scan Cyneolle's wrist with a collections wand. The wand glowed green, signaling the credits had been transferred.

Much murmuring went around the room.

"Now, do you have any decent accommodations in this death-trap or can I take my new toys out to play elsewhere?"

Hatzi coughed again, clearly taken aback. "Er-of course. After what you just paid, You get to use the royal chambers. I doubt Dred will be making anymore use of them."

The music started again and he signaled for them all to follow him.

Ashriel began to shake his head, but Cyneolle gripped his arm and made him follow his kidnappers.

"Everything will be fine, reaper," Cyneolle said staring straight ahead.

*** 

Anniel had to remember to breathe. Ashriel was almost naked, every glorious inch of his bronzed, hard, muscular flesh on scandalous display. His eyes darkened first with lust when he saw her and then flashed with fury when they began making their way toward a series of elevators at the far side of the crowded hall.

Her son had to grip his arm and force him to continue to walk. He kept turning, looking over his broad shoulder and the inky curve of his wing at her, his eyes flashing in anger. Luckily, he didn't say anything, just flattened his lips in frustration.

She wanted to reach out and stroke his silky sable hair, run the tips of her nails down the bare expanse of flesh between his dark angel's wings. The enticing flash of his ass exposed to either side of his sexy little black getup kept drawing her eyes, as well as the thick muscular length of his long legs So strong, so formidable, it enraged her that they'd thought to turn such a magnificent reaper into a lowly male whore.

They entered an elevator and Anniel stood before Ashriel, facing him. Slowly she removed her goggles and let him see her eyes. He narrowed his, his nostrils flaring. Those beautiful glittering grey eyes lowered to stare at her belly, concealed beneath her long vinyl over coat. They remained there a few seconds before raising again to scorch her with their intensity. Oh, yes. Ashriel was very pissed.

She wanted to roll her eyes at his overbearing concern, but the truth was she thought his over protectiveness was kind of hot. She batted her eyes seductively at him, but he only narrowed his more. His soctanal began to tent almost making her snicker. Ashriel was mad but he was also horny.

She suddenly remembered her son's presence and felt her face grow hot. Her eyes darted to Cyneolle's face, but his expression remained blank behind his dark goggles.

"So," the ape-like creature escorting them grinned, his eyes looking at both cyborgs and her, "Is this going to be like some sort of orgy?" His eyes darted to Cyneolle, his grin growing malicious. "I guess you'll just watch, eh Cyn? Your dick still doesn't work at all does it?"

"I have no need to alter my biological chemistry. There is no room in my life for a mate."

The ape man grimaced. "You don't have to bond with a person to fuck." He shrugged his big hairy shoulders, his beady red eyes crinkling at the corners as he showed his pointy yellow teeth with a wide grin. "More for the rest of us, I guess."

Anniel bit her lip and looked at her son. He was over three hundred years old. By Seraphs standards, fully adult. Her eyes grew moist as she remembered as if it were yesterday him running, arms outstretched, to jump into her arms. Her eyes took in the expanse of his wide shoulders, thick muscular chest and long powerful legs. If he tried that now, he'd probably break her.

Cyneolle's head tipped down slightly, letting her know he was noticing her staring.

Anniel looked away. There was no more time to worry about her son when the elevator stopped its descent and the doors opened.

On the other side was a glaringly white vestibule with a pair of imposing golden doors.

"This is the service entry. I hope you don't mind. The late king Dred's entrance is a bit too creepy for me to take you in that way."

The other cyborg that had accompanied them stepped forward.

Chameleon smiled, his pale face almost glowing, just a shade less white than his hair. "Thank you for escorting us here." His metallic silver eyes flashed, reflecting the glaring light of the vestibule. He lifted his hand and offered it to the ape man.

Hatzi stared, almost mesmerized at Chameleon's flawless face. The minute the ape man placed his big hand in Chameleon's long fingered one, the cyborg's features changed. His skin moved, flowing like water until there were two ape men, one looking shocked, the other looking smug.

Cyneolle moved fast, his thick arm wrapping around Hatzi's neck.

Anniel cringed when she heard the quick snap. Hatzi fell to the ground in a lifeless heap.

Chameleon, disguised as Hatzi, looked up at Cyneolle. "I'm sure my boss would love to meet the person who made him the richest Rhylosian in this sector."

"Let's go then," Cyneolle nodded.

"Wait," Ashriel exclaimed. "What are you going to do? They have Erie."

"We know," Cyneolle said. "Wait for us here. Be ready to flee when we return."

Anniel watched Ashriel as her son and Chameleon entered the elevator again. The minute the doors closed, he turned back to her.

"How could you risk yourself?" he demanded stepping right up to her, his eyes flashing in anger.

He was such a grouchy, sexy reaper.

She slid one hand behind his neck and the other up the middle of his exquisite chest, bringing his head down to capture his lips. He gasped in shock at her brazen actions, allowing her to slip her tongue into his sweet mouth. His taste intoxicated her, the sensuous glide of his tongue against hers making her ache. She slid her hand down his chiseled torso, cupping his straining length through the soctanal. He gasped again, flexing his hips to push more firmly into her exploring caress, and groaned with pleasure. Anniel let her lips trace the long, strong column of his throat, before pressing her teeth against his bobbing Adams apple.

"Anniel, what are you doing?" he whispered, closing his eyes.

She stroked her beautiful angel, letting her mouth and hands show him what she felt in her heart..

"This is so unfair," Natanael huffed making her wince and release Ashriel. She'd completely forgotten he was still there.

The reaper with the indigo blue Mohawk leaned against the far wall, his lush lower lip jutting out sulkily.

"I've been free for over fifty years and I've never found anyone who..." He stopped talking and looked down at his sandaled feet.

"Anyone who what?" Ashriel growled with a frown.

Natanael peered up from under long, dark-blue lashes. "Anyone who loves me like Annie loves you. People only want me for sex. Annie came all this way to save you."

His words made her sad for him. "Oh, honey, I came for you too."

Natanael's pretty, grey eyes sparkled as he straightened. "Really?" He came closer and she noticed how Ashriel stiffened and held her tighter as he glowered at the other reaper. "Can I join you guys? A triad relationship?"

Anniel's jaw dropped. Before she could form a coherent thought, Ashriel snarled, "Absolutely not."

Natanael winced and pouted. "Geez. You're so selfish."

Ashriel shocked her by gripping her around the waist and hauling her to the double golden doors.

Yanking one open, her dark angel pulled her without preamble into the dimly lit interior of the room.

Anniel barely had time to register that this was more like a torture chamber than a bedroom when Ashriel pressed her against the wall and covered her mouth with his.

He kissed her rough, growling as his hands squeezed and caressed her thighs, her ass, her breasts. Anniel groaned in pleasure at the raw hunger he displayed, also reveling in the feel of so much of his skin exposed to her exploring hands. His ass was the first thing she attacked before sliding her fingers up his back. The feel of his wings had her stroking them, making Ashriel groan in pleasure. He lifted her off her feet and pinned her to the wall, mindful of her pregnant belly. Wrapping her legs around his waist, she arched her back and slid her finger into his silky, long hair.




Dark Angel Ch. 11



Ashriel devoured her, his hands sliding up her thighs to cup her ass. He rolled his hips against her crotch, his hardened length spreading open the lips of her sex. She cried out into his mouth and rode him harder. Not bearing the feel of any barrier between them, she concentrated hard and used her powers to teleport their clothing off their bodies.

Ashriel cursed loudly and shuddered when the hot wet slit of her cunt soaked his engorged flesh. The muscles of his upper body clenched as he lifted her high and then let her slide right onto his dick.

Anniel gasped when she felt him stab into her without mercy.

For a fleeting second she wondered about the baby nestled within her, but then Ashriel began to fuck her in long hard strokes, scattering all coherent thought.

Black wings opened wide, fluttering almost convulsively. As she mewled her delight at the feel of him, his hot breath fanned her neck.

"Oh-god, yes, baby," she cried out, her clit tingling from his sexual assault. She pressed her calves tighter against his flexing buttocks and undulated against his groin. Anniel felt she couldn't get enough, even though she could feel how deep he was embedded within her with each powerful surge.

"Yes, baby," she panted. "Fuck me."

He growled and leaned back. She felt when he spread his legs wider, bracing himself. His hips slammed with even more force against her, his eyes looking down at the point where they were joined.

"Beautiful," he ground out. "My flesh against your flesh, Anniel. My flesh in your flesh, making us one, making you mine-only mine."

Her vision blurred as she began to hit peak, and her gums tingled, letting her know her wolf's fangs were elongating. Her mouth watered for a taste of him, hungered for a taste of his blood. The blood of her true mate. But he was too far now, watching her...watching her explode as he fucked her mercilessly. Throwing her head back, she let out a long howl of satisfaction, her channel clamping around his thrusting cock. She could feel him fighting to fuck her now, but her pussy was too tight. With a shout of agony, she felt him shudder, his come jetting into her. Ashriel let his head drop back and his wings stood straight out to either side of him, each filament spread wide, fifteen feet from tip to tip.

She closed her eyes, unable to look any further for fear of becoming angel-struck. Ashriel's heavenly beauty was too much to bear.

She whimpered when he nuzzled against her neck, their sweat mingling. She hadn't realized they begun to sweat, and a warm flow of semen was making its way along the crack of her ass.

They were still panting when loud pounded startled them.

"We need to leave," came Cyneolle's voice from the other side.

Anniel tensed, her eyes flying open as heat made her face flame. Her son...and here she was naked with Ashriel's cock still shoved far up into her still spasming cunt.

Ashriel looked at her, his face contorted in pain. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "This was so selfish of me to do. I shouldn't have. I—"

Anniel put her fingers against his lush lips and shushed him, moved by his utter nobility. The tips of her fingers touched the velvety softness of his mouth as she contemplated his startling grey eyes. Had she ever noticed the dark ring that made them stand out even more, or that his lashes were outrageously long?

"It's okay, baby. I wanted you too."

His breath puffed out as if in relief and he moved closer.

Their tongues barely touched when pounding came again.

"Hey, you two love birds," Natanael called through the door. "Play time's over. Let's haul."

Ashriel let her down gently. Already his come rolled down the inside of her thighs. Their clothing lay in a heap on the floor near them.

Ashriel bent and reached for his soctanal. When he turned and knelt to wipe the evidence of their lovemaking from her legs, she stopped him.

"No. What'll you wear then?"

He stared up at her, looking devastating all naked and kneeling at her feet. "It matters not. I am your slave. You paid for me."

Her pussy clenched at his words and the sight of him there at her feet looking all aroused with his just fucked hair.

"I think I'm beginning to understand Rowie."

Ashriel's brows drew together. "What?"

Anniel grinned and shook her head. "Never mind, baby. Use the stockings I was wearing to wipe me if you want to clean me up."

More pounding sounded at the door. Ashriel cleaned her legs with her black stockings and they hurriedly dressed. She wasn't too bad teleporting their clothes off, but she didn't dare try to 'port them back on.

Once dressed, he gripped her hand and strode to the doors again.

The minute they stepped out into the glaring light of the vestibule, Anniel screamed in shock and fright when Cyneolle grabbed and slammed Ashriel against the wall by the doors.

"Tell me you do not fuck my mother for sport," Cyneolle grated, putting his forearm against Ashriel's neck.

"Gareth," Anniel exclaimed both in consternation and embarrassment.

Ashriel just looked solemnly into his nephew's enraged face. "I love her more than my own life," he replied quietly.

"Were you my sperm donor?"

Anniel's jaw dropped. Gripping her son's solid forearm, she tried in vain to pry him away. "Gareth you stop this right now. Do you hear me?"

"I am not the one responsible for your procreation, though I wish I were."

He released Ashriel and Anniel drew herself against him to keep him from coming to any harm.

"Gareth, really. That was totally uncalled for," she scolded, feeling Ashriel's neck, her eyes looking for any signs of bruising.

He brushed her hands away and held her tight to his body. "Calm. I 'm alright, my dark angel."

"My name is Cyneolle. We must leave now."

Anniel turned, but he was already striding into the elevator, followed by Chameleon who'd transformed back into an almost stark white cyborg.

She opened her mouth, still feeling incensed at her son's aggressive behavior, but Ashriel turned her face back to his. "It's alright, my love. He was in his right to question me. Leave it be."

Anniel huffed out a frustrated sigh. Maybe Ash was right, but she still didn't like that her son had almost hurt him a second time. She hoped for everyone's sake they'd get along, otherwise she didn't know what she'd do. She loved Ashriel, but she didn't want to lose her son after finally finding him again.

Fisting Ashriel's long dark hair, she pulled his mouth down for another kiss. "I love you, baby."

"Oh, Annie," he whispered before claiming her lips in a hot kiss. "I love you too."



Dark Angel Ch. 12



The others headed into the elevator ahead of them, with Eriel hanging groggily onto the white cyborg. The reaper moaned and whimpered, practically dragging his feet. Chameleon tipped Eriel's face to his to exam him with a frown, obviously concerned. Eriel sighed with a pout, batting his dark lashes as he leaned more against the tall cyborg. Anniel rolled her eyes when Eriel's naughty hand slid from Chameleon's waist to cup his ass while the other inched slowly up the cyborg's chiseled torso.

Natanael snickered. "Don't let him fool you. He's just trying to feel you up."

Chameleon's frown deepened in confusion.

Ashriel slipped his arm around her waist again, one wing sliding forward to cocoon her against his side as they walked into the elevator. Every time she looked up, his eyes were riveted on her.

She couldn't believe this beautiful seraph wanted her. The legendary Ashriel of Angelos.

Hugging him around his waist as well, her fingers stole up the center of his back to stroke the soft flesh between his wings. He shuddered, looking down at her with smoldering eyes. Anniel grinned up at him, rubbing her cheek against his pectoral. The feel of his beaded nipple so close to her mouth tempted her to turn her head a little and nip it...lick it...suck it. The thought of sucking had her eyes drifting down his glorious body, past his hard muscled abs, indented belly button, enticing jut of his hip bones to the tenting fabric of his soctanal. His dick was pointing almost straight up making her eyes gape and her feet trip.

His deep chuckle had her looking back up into his beautiful face. Anniel bit her lip to stifle a moan. Oh, hell, she was so angel-struck it was stupid.

Finally inside the elevator, he bent and scooped her up into his arms.

"Um," she said nervously, looking around at the others. No one said anything, so she just wrapped her arms around Ash's thick neck and began playing with his hair.

He still looked hot as fuck with it falling just past his shoulders, but she still had to ask. "Why did you cut it?"

His smile vanished and he became thoughtful. "I've never let it grow out."

"Oh." It really didn't matter. The dark, rich, chestnut brown strands gleamed in the harsh lighting of the elevator. They felt soft and luxurious as she sifted her fingers through the heavy fall.

"I will let it grow if it pleases you."

That perked her up a bit more, the memory of how utterly hot he'd looked with it tumbling to his waist. She always was a sucker for a guy with long hair and couldn't help the grin that curved her lips. "Really?" Feeling naughty, she leaned closer and whispered in his ear. "The longer it is, the hotter it makes me."

Ashriel's eyes widened. "Then I shall let it grow to my ass." Anniel threw her head back and laughed. "Perhaps I'll let it grow down to my ankles," he continued.

"Stop," she laughed, peppering his mouth with sweet kisses. "Down to your sexy ass is fine."

Too late she remembered her son shared the elevator ride with them and her face grew hot.

"My hair is down to my ass," Natanael said peering over Ashriel's shoulder, blocking her view of Cyneolle when she would have peered at him. Natanael's grin was wide and some of his blue hair fell into his eyes as he winked at her.

Ashriel frowned and flicked his wing out, sending Natanael into the wall with a loud bang and grunt.

"Ow. That hurt," the reaper protested.

"Good," Ashriel growled.

The elevator rose to the highest level of the section they were in. Anniel supposed they were going to fly back to the silver comet and the starcruiser where Seth, Abdiel, and Rayne awaited their return.

The prospect of being carried in Ashriel's arms as he flew excited her. He must've felt her emotions because he looked at her again and smiled. God-he was so beautiful. She couldn't stop gawking.

But she did when they ran right into Her son's back.

The scent of wolf hit her nose full force then, making a snarl erupt from her lips before she could stop herself.

Standing before them, blocking their path, was a large group of men, their skin twitching with the onset of a shift. Their alpha stood, arms crossed over his chest, pale blue eyes narrowed on Anniel. He grinned, his tongue sliding out to wet his lips before sliding back in past feral canines.

A low growl rumbled in his throat before he said, "So we meet again, gorgeous."

Anniel felt Ashriel's body stiffen. He let her down slowly and then gently moved her behind him. Despite her protest, his black wing helped move her solidly behind him.

Light startled her when she would have shoved his impertinent lovely black wings aside to stomp back in front of him. Looking up, she realized Ashriel was unsheathing his divine sword. Her jaw dropped at the sight and her eyes went round. It materialized from a pocket of bright, blue-white light a few inches away from the back of his neck.

Snarling and howling ensued.

"You can't defeat all of us with that archaic sword," an animalistic voice snarled.

"I have defeated legions of demons and devils with this sacred sword. You are naught but a handful of weak mongrels," Ashriel spat with disdain.

The Alpha laughed as Anniel tried in vain to peer over Ashriel's shoulder, but he kept her block by raising his wings and trapping her in between.

"These are my best warriors," the alpha said.

"Then be prepared to lose them all if you don't let us through."

"I'll let you all through...but I want the bitch."

Anniel felt the change in Ashriel. He became so still, it was as if he'd turned to stone. Only his wings moved. Every feather ruffled, lifting, as both wings slowly spread open wide...and she was standing between them, at his back. The growling in the room grew, but mixed within the growls were whimpers of fear. A reaper in kill mode was a terrifying sight, even to a werewolf.

"Natanael, guard her with your life," Ashriel said.

Anniel blinked in confusion. "What?"

Before she could say anything else, Natanael wrapped his sinewy arm around her middle and hauled her against his chest.

Anniel scowled up at him, but her words died in her throat when she saw that his eyes were completely black, his wings spread wide behind his back too, and in his free hand he held his own divine sword. His usually animated face was completely blank, and with the entire inside of his eyes a glittering solid black, he looked downright evil.

"Shit," she huffed looking back at Ashriel. The plasma lasers on her son's forearm guards began to glow and he too approached the group of werewolves slowly. His wings were spread out, one white the other shimmering silver metal.

"Get out of the way, Cyneolle," the alpha growled, showing fangs.

"I stand with these reapers," Cyn replied.

The alpha snapped his teeth ferociously, his skin beginning to fur over. "Then you can die with them."

Before anyone could move, Cyneolle and the alpha slammed into each other. Anniel screamed as she watched her son and the alpha fight savagely in the center of the room. Cyn's skin ripped and bled beneath elongated claws and fangs, but he still delivered punishing blows into the alpha's body. One punch knocked a canine, making the werewolf leader howl in pain. To Anniel's dismay, another tooth stretched out to replace the lost one.

Fangs sank deep into Cyn's bloodied forearm, sending a shower of sparks shooting out.

"Oh-god," Anniel gasped when her son's arm seemed to go dead.

He struck out with his white wing, sending the alpha flying twenty feet. The plasma firing forearm guards Cyn wore glowed brighter as he aimed his left arm at the fallen alpha...and hesitated.

"Go on, you coward," the alpha snarled, spitting blood. "Use your cyborg weapons. You can never defeat me as a wolf, because you're a filthy, worthless, half-breed shit. You never were—or ever will be—pack worthy."

Cyneolle panted, his good arm slowly going down.

Ashriel stepped closer now. "Cyneolle is so much more than you. He doesn't need a pack that turns their back on one of their own. He has his real family now. The Alpha Angels...and the Dark Angels. He's one of us."

***

Anniel struggled against Natanael when both her son and Ashriel ran into the multitude of snarling werewolves. "Nooo," she cried out in terror.

Ashriel's sword slashed with blinding agility. Some wolves were maimed, others killed. He looked like a berserker, sending blood and gore flying all around him. Cyn used his wings to make up for his limp arm, fighting valiantly. Eriel and Chameleon also joined in and in a matter of seconds, the few wolves left ran away in terror. The alpha, along with about one hundred werewolves were dead...torn to shreds.

Cyneolle stumbled and Anniel wrestled against Natanael, wanting to go to her injured son. Both Ashriel and Chameleon gripped him between them.

"My neurosensors and transmitters are damaged. The hydraulic fluid short-circuited them when he bit into my arm. Would have torn it off if my radius and ulna weren't made of Ainrodondron Scraale."

Ashriel's spooky black eyes widened. "The Divine One's sacred metal? Only divine swords are made from it. Where did you get it?"

"The last time I was refurbished, my makers discovered the original skeleton they were going to use for my body had been substituted by another. They were unable to open my stasis chamber during the whole process of my third birthing."

Anniel blinked in confusion, looking as baffled as the reapers.

"It is a long anecdote, but we have no time for my telling it. We must leave, now," Cyneolle insisted. He drew away from both Chameleon and Ashriel. "I can manage on my own. The nanos in my system are repairing and stabilizing my homeostasis. I'll be fine."

Anniel watched her son trod off toward the end of the long cavernous room. Ashriel strode purposefully back to her and swept her up in his arms again, thanking Natanael.

Green flames exploded from Cyneolles forearm guard, blasting a gaping hole in the glass wall that looked out to the myriad of crisscrossing glass tunnels and metal towers.

"Wrap your legs around me, baby," Ashriel instructed her.

With a gasp, she did as instructed, wrapping her arms around his neck as well.

His arms held her tight and he began to run, his wings lifting.

Anniel closed her eyes and buried her face in his neck. She felt his body tilt slightly and the loud thundering hum of his wings. The wind blew against her back, making her shiver a bit. Not from cold, because Ashriel was like a furnace, but from a bit of apprehension. They were literally hundreds of feet from the ground.

"I've got you, my love," Ashriel crooned into her ear.

His arms were like steel bands wrapped around her back and waist. Feeling a bit brave, she opened one eye. Natanael and Eriel flew just above them. Ashriel's wings were a blur of black behind his back and she snuggled tighter against his hot, hard body. He felt so good.

They began to descend.

"I thought you'd never get back," Seth's voice said relieved. "We need to get out of here, now."

A loud explosion rocked the ground."

Anniel looked up. The sky, visible about a mile above the very top of the highest pillars of the city was reddish grey, reminding her of Megdoluc's turbulent skies.

Ashriel rushed into the starcruiser, carrying her all the way. He didn't stop until he'd reached the helm and placed her into one of the seats. Crouching, he strapped her in and tested the belts before kissing her deeply.

The helm was a flurry of movement as the others strapped themselves in. Ashriel gripped one side of the pilot's chair as Seth gripped the other.

They stared at each other for a few seconds.

"Let Ash fly," the reapers chorused, "please."

Seth snorted and took the co-pilots chair grudgingly.

Anniel watched Ashriel strap himself into the pilot's chair and began barking out commands. His big strong hands gripped the throttles and the craft started to lift.

"Hold on," he breathed.

Anniel closed her eyes, her teeth clenching together as a whimper escaped her. The starcruiser shot up at an incredible speed. Gravity tried to suck them back down, but they continued to rise.

She felt Seth's power roll out. Linking to him, she felt when he cleared a path above them. The starcruiser did not slow down until they hit space.

Anniel's head spun a bit and she closed her eyes as a wave of nausea struck.

She moaned, hearing the sound of straps being undone.

"You have the helm now, Sethaliel," Ashriel said just before she felt his hands on her.

Gently, he lifted her from her seat and kissed her cheek. "Come. Let's get you settled down below. It's going to be a long flight."

"Where are we going?" she asked letting him lead her toward the ramps.

"Where ever Seth deems safe," Ashriel answered.

*** 

He led her down to the cabins below the helm. Her dark brown skin looked ashen and he could feel a slight tremor in her body when he pulled her against him.

"Are you in any pain?"

She gave him a baffled look. "No. I'm fine, just a little shaky."

"Have you eaten?" He scowled then. "Of course you haven't. You were too busy risking your neck and that of our unborn's traipsing through hostile space and a war-ridden planet looking for me." When hurt and anger tightened her features, he realized belatedly he shouldn't be upsetting her further. Stopping before she could blurt out the protest already forming on her lips, he pulled her against him and ravished her sweet mouth. "I was so afraid of losing you, my love," he said between luscious strokes of his tongue against hers. "Of not having you in my arms again." She melted against him, her fingers going into his hair, his wings. He ruffled his feathers for her, knowing she loved their soft feel. She sighed, and he stooped to pick her up.

Walking quickly, he kicked open Natanael's room. It was the only cabin with a big angel-sized bed sitting in the middle of the room. He laid Anniel carefully on the white sheets and untangled her arms from his neck. He grinned when she pouted adorably up at him.

"I want to get you something to eat first. You need to nourish yourself or our child will drain you."

His hand cupped her rounded belly. After she ate, he intended to remove all her clothing and embed himself with her tight silky depths until they reached their destination. She licked her lips, making him shudder as her eyes drank him in. Her evident attraction to him made him feel elated, but he wanted so much more than just to appeal to her physically. She'd said she loved him, but then she'd also told him once she loved the other Alpha Angels as well. He wanted to matter more than the others, not just another Alpha Angel she cared about. He wanted her in love with him, just as he was in love with her.

"What's wrong, baby?" she asked breaking him out of reverie.

He shook his head. "Just wondering what I should bring you."

Her eyes grew molten. "I could eat you," she purred as her hand cupped his straining length. "God, you look so hot in that get-up, baby."

He leaned away from her until he stood straight and looked down at himself. She had purchased him. He was hers...her slave. Ashriel looked back at her feeling his lips stretch in a grin. Her eyes widened, pupils dilated with lust. He was her sex slave...but he needed to feed his mistress first.

*** 

Anniel watched him leave and felt bereft. Letting out a loud sigh, she looked around. The sight of a hygiene unit had her smiling again. She could use a little cleaning up. Besides, her scalp was beginning to hurt with the tight hairdo she had.

Stripping quickly out of her clothes, she stepped into the cylindrical hygiene unit.

The soothing rays engulfed her, unraveled her tightly wound hair until it laid in a gleaming auburn mass against her back. Pursing her lips, she added a few more instructions to the unit and raised her face to the beams. Light engulfed her from above and below. She spread her feet wider and let the unit's soothing rays penetrate her core.

When the machine was done, the sweet scent of chocolate and champagne wafted around her. She opened her eyes and slipped her fingers into her thick hair. Her once auburn locks gleamed dark gold, like her son's hair. The loose curls wrapped playfully around her digits and she gave them a light tug, just to feel them bounce back into place. Sticking her ass out and tilting her head back, she gave her curls a shake, feeling the heavy silk caress her backside.

A low groan had her turning with a surprised squeak.

Ashriel stood at the door with a large tray in his hands. His eyes glittered with raging lust and his soctanal was lifted high with his erection. He took a few steps toward her, but stopped when he realized he could not touch her with both hands currently holding the food-laden tray.

His hair and wings contrasted sharply against the stark-white, bare sleeping cabin. Circling around the ridiculously large bed in the center of the room Ashriel placed his tray on the long dresser next to the hygiene unit. She trembled as he stalked toward her.

Taking a handful of her hair, he let the thick curls slide through his fingers.

"You're blonde now."

He was so serious, it worried her that he didn't like the change.

"I was tired of the red." His eyes met hers. She nibbled her lip. "Don't you like it?"

He pulled her against him and took her mouth. She smiled when she felt his jutting arousal poking her belly.

He released her, their breathing much quicker. "You could shave your head and you'd still be beautiful to me." When she arched her brow and smirked, he added with a frown, "but don't."

Darn, he was so adorable...and sexy.

"Not particular to bald women, eh?"

"I'm only particular to you. No other woman," he growled kissing her deeply again.

Anniel moaned against his lips, pushing up on her toes to get closer.

Slipping an arm around the bottom of her ass, he lifted her.

"You know, you're going to get me really spoiled with all this carrying me around everywhere."

"I need to feel you," he said kissing her neck now.

The feel of the cool laminated dresser top met her ass when he gently lowered her upon it. His hands gripped her knees and spread her legs wide, allowing him to step between them.

She saw how his eyes darkened when he traced her kiss-softened lips with his fingertip. Playfully, she nipped at his finger, making him gasp and bite his own lips.

Reaching over he grabbed a three-pronged fork and speared a food morsel with it.

"Open wide and eat," he said.

She took a bite and hummed her approval at the tastes of real meat, tender and juicy.

He continued to feed her, alternating between bites of meat and some vegetables. After she'd had plenty to eat, he offered her drink. It was a clear pinkish fluid that had a sweet tart taste to it. The drink was fizzy and refreshing and she gulped it down.

Ashriel smiled again, making her breath catch. "You have a good appetite," he said wiping a small drop of juice from her lower lip with his thumb.

She gripped his hand and nipped his thumb before latching onto his index finger with her lips. She sucked his finger deep into her mouth, wishing it were his cock instead.

His eyes smoldered, and his jaw grew slack as he focused on her lips. Ashriel swallowed, his Adams apple bobbing in his throat.

He pulled his finger out and inserted his two middle fingers. She moaned and sucked enthusiastically as he pumped his digits between her lips. His own lips parted and she could see his moist tongue past his white teeth.

His fingers left her lips with a soft pop. "Lean back. Put your feet up on the edge of the counter," he instructed with a deep-deep voice.

It made her shiver. Shifting her weight onto her hands, she rocked back, lifting her thighs so that her knees pressed up to either side of her breasts until her heels rested on the edge of the counter.




Dark Angel Ch. 12



Anniel felt wonton with her pussy spread wide for his inspection. She could feel how wet she was and the insistent throbbing let her know her deep rose folds were also swollen and hungry for him.

Ashriel bit his lip, his eyes drinking her in. His spit slickened fingers probed her, making her moan and arch her back. Her knees spread wider and her hips thrust up, seeking deeper penetration.

"God, Anniel," he breathed out when his fingers sank into her. "You're so wet."

"Because I want you so much, Ashriel," she whimpered.

He fucked her with his fingers, the sound of her juicy flesh devouring every jab and thrust. Bending over her, he took one nipple into his mouth and sucked hard, making her hiss.

"Fuck, yes," she rasped between clenched teeth when he curled his fingers inside her and rubbed her g-spot. A third finger joined the first two and she bucked frantically, feeling the wave of ecstasy build within her. Her legs began to shake when he attacked her other breast, feasting on her.

Her breathing was ragged, and she wiggled frantically, her cries becoming more insistent, until with a surprising gush of fluid, she came spectacularly all over Ashriel's hand and belly.

Anniel's head thumped against the wall as a feeling of lethargy assailed her. Ashriel's fingers soothed her spasming slit now, swirling in her drenched pussy lips.

She looked up at him, still panting and watched mesmerized as he lifted his hand and proceeded to slip his glistening fingers into his mouth. His eyes closed and he moaned with pleasure as he withdrew his fingers slowly from his lips, sucking them clean.

Eyes closed, he whispered, "God-you taste so good." His eyes opened again, smoldering. "I want more. Need more of your taste."

Anniel bit her lower lip with a whimper as he went down on his knees before her. Holding her knees apart, he looked with wonder at her exposed pussy. His hand drew near and traced her lips with reverence.

"You're so beautiful here." She jumped when he flicked her erect clit with his thumb. His eyes rose to hers and he touched it again, but this time softly. Anniel sighed and tilted her hips for more. His eyes lowered to where he explored. "This gives you pleasure. It's as sensitive as my cock, isn't it?"

Anniel gasped and squirmed as he stroked her little nub lovingly.

His eyes grew darker, a soft smile touching his lips, and he played with her clit a bit more. Those glorious smoldering eyes watched mesmerized as his fingers sank deep into her. Anniel groaned, and lowered her gaze also.

His fingers glistened and the contrast of their lighter color against her richer, darker flesh was an erotic sight. Ashriel pumped into her faster, making her toes curl.

She panted. "Oh yes, baby. Just like that."

His gaze darted to hers and he added another finger, gaze never wavering.

Fuck, that made her so hot. He suddenly stopped and blew her mind by slowly sliding his drenched fingers into his mouth. His eyes closed, as if in bliss, while he sucked them with a groan.

"Oh, Ash," she sighed.

Smacking his lips hungrily, he lifted her thighs over his broad shoulders before sliding his hands under her ass and jerking her to the edge of the counter. Ashriel then proceeded to bury his face between her legs. He drew a deep breath first, making her face flush at the primal act and then kissed her lips reverently. That was the tame part.

Anniel gasped and let out a long moan when she felt his tongue stab deep within her. Fisting his dark locks, she tilted her hips and bucked against his face as he thrust his tongue repeatedly into her core, drinking her down like a man dying of thirst. His wings opened automatically and began to fan. The more excited he got the faster they'd go.

Fuck, he was so beautiful.

"Ashriel-Ashriel-oh-oh-ooohhh."

Bringing his fingers into play again, he attacked her clit ravenously with his tongue, lashing at it quickly. Anniel screamed at the sensation, her eyes taking in the sight of her dark angel. Her legs began to shake—hard.

"Oh-god-oh-god-oh-gaaawwd."

Their combined panting and the loud squishy sound her cunt made as he finger fucked and ate her out reverberated throughout the big room. Her nipples stood out in jutting points atop her quivering breasts. For once, she wished they weren't so huge, because she wanted to see Ashriel devouring her pussy. She spread her legs wider for him regardless and slid her feet farther down his back, feeling the powerful muscles twitch as he fanned his wings furiously.

Her body tensed as tight as it would go, and she suddenly couldn't get enough breath into her lungs. Every muscle seized, her head hit the wall hard making light explode before her eyes, and that's when she saw...it was like an out of body experience. Her dark angel kneeling between her legs, glorious jet-black wings beating in frenzy, his rosy lips glued to her glistening brown ones.

Anniel's scream turned into a long howl as she came spectacularly.

He had her gushing again, swallowing down every drop as she continued to howl in rapture. She panted, shuddering while he licked every millimeter of her twitching pussy, making sure he got every last drop of her honey.

Anniel sagged against the wall, feeling like a boneless sack. She closed her eyes and whimpered.

He kissed and licked his way up her body, taking an extra amount of time worshiping her rounded belly. After leaving each nipple tight and well lubed, he left a wet trail up her neck to her mouth where he proceeded to kiss her until her head spun and her pussy throbbed again. Holding her hip with one hand, she felt him nudge her with the crown of his cock. Excruciatingly slow, he penetrated her, stroking her hardened love-nub with his thumb as he delved deeper. Her channel was so soaked, he slid in with little resistance. When she felt his balls slide against her ass, he pulled back, equally slow, savoring every inch glide out...and then back in.

He loved her slow, his burning eyes on her face, taking her all in. His thumb stroked her lips, caressed the curve of her cheek, rubbed the lobe of her ear. Finally, he gripped a handful of her blonde curls and swooped down to kiss her deeply.

His mouth tasted of her. She gripped his head also and stroked his tongue with her own as her calves urged him to quicken his pace. But Ashriel would not be hurried. He fucked her slow, and used his hand to pull her head back, so their lips were just a hairsbreadth away.

"I. Love. You. Anniel."

His face wavered as hot tears filled her eyes and rolled down her cheeks.

"I love you too, Ashriel," she panted, her nails clamping onto his thick shoulders.

His eyes began to shimmer too, and his lip trembled a bit before he sank his teeth into it. "Then come with me, baby."

No sooner had he uttered the words, the floodgates of passion overcame her. She fought to keep her eyes open, to watch his face contort in blissful agony, hear him cry out, feel him burst within her as he came. The tips of his wings struck the wall behind her, blocking out reality behind them. They were in their own little safe haven beneath Ashriel's wings. Their eyes never broke contact and the raw emotion she saw in his beautiful eyes was soul-shattering. He gasped and groaned repeatedly as pulse after pulse of semen jetted into her. All the while she spasmed and twitched, milking every last drop of his essence. They both trembled from how moving the lovemaking had been, his eyes still riveted to hers. Had she ever felt this way with anyone before? Had anyone ever stared deep into her soul as they both came apart like supernovas?

No.

A sense of utter peace settled over Anniel. Her son was onboard the starcruiser, they were on their way home, and she'd finally found someone she could truly love.

Her hand reached out to cup his cheek. He kissed it, eyes still glued to hers. She trusted him, though they had yet to get to know each other well. There were plenty of years stretching ahead of them for that.

Seraphs lived for...two thousand plus years.

*** 

She had the look of a well-sated woman. Her flesh was flushed, and shimmered with a fine sheen of sweat. Her eyes glowed with languor and he could feel how lax her leg muscles were. Once in a while a little tremor would go through her, making her silken depths quiver around his so sensitive cock. It made him shudder and want to keep fucking her, though he'd just come so hard he'd thought he'd die.

Her gaze was so intense, he didn't want to ever break the connection. She slid her hand from around his neck to touch his cheek. He kissed her palm and let her caress him. So much trust shone in her eyes. He never wanted to betray that trust. He trusted her too. Could feel the love she felt for him. She's never looked this way upon any of the others. No this look was solely for him.

Her sudden frown, however light, startled him.

"How old are you, Ashriel?"

He blinked at her in confusion. "I'm four hundred and five." He knew he hadn't reached his quarter life span, but doubted she'd hold his youth against him, as she was even younger than he was.

Her frown deepened making him worry. "Seraphs don't really grow old, do they? I mean I saw your parents and they looked like they were practically the same age as you."

Ashriel grinned and then chuckled. "Anniel, you will have me young and virile for many siglons."

Alarm struck when she pouted even more and looked away.

He cupped her cheek and turned her back to look at him, his heart hammering painfully in his chest. "Please tell me. What is it?" he begged.

Her eyes filled with tears as she stroked his face with her fingertips. "I've been so selfish. I can only live maybe a few years more, baby. Do you realize that? I'll grow old and you'll still be young and beautiful."

Relief swamped him. She obviously didn't know what mating with a Seraph did to most humanoids. "I wouldn't care if you grew old by my side, I'll always love you."

Her tears spilled over. "But—"

He shushed her with a kiss. "Anniel, the moment you became pregnant by one of my kind, it altered you. Your blood mixed with Seraphian blood." He looked down at her tummy and caressed the rounded bump where his child nestled safe. "Carrying a second time, there's no doubt in my mind your body chemistry has regenerated with Seraphian characteristics. You will age slower if at all, and live for as long as me. Maybe longer."

"W-what do you mean longer?" she gasped.

"I was seventy two sun orbits when you were born." He frowned. "Makes me feel a little lecherous actually."

"I don't want to live without you," she exclaimed vehemently.

He cupped her face, staring deep into her eyes. "You won't."

"But—"

He kissed her deep, silencing her. When he finally lifted his head, her eyes were hooded and her breathing accelerated.

"Ash—"she whispered.

He shook his head. "Anniel, we have more than two eons to worry about when the Divine One calls us back home. Are we going to worry about that now?"

She bit her lip and stroked his face.

"Plus, by then we'll have so much family. You'll always be surrounded by me."

He was about to kiss her again when someone pounded on the door.

"Hey, you didn't say you were going to use my cabin," Natanael called through the closed hatch door.

"Go away," Ashriel growled as Anniel giggled behind her hand.

"But my stuff is in there," he continued to protest.

"Natanael, you can get it later," Ashriel called out in exasperation.

"I-I need to get something," he insisted desperately, making Ashriel frown.

"Tell me what it is and—"

"No," Natanael roared so ferociously it made him and Anniel start.

To his dismay, Anniel pushed him back and hopped off the counter. She ran into the hygiene unit while Ashriel yanked the sheet off the bed for her to wrap herself into.

The pounding continued until Ashriel slapped his hand on the pad to open the hatch uncaring he was still naked.

Natanael's eyes looked wild as he stared at them for a few seconds.

"What the hell is the matter with you?" Ashriel asked in shock.

Natanael's eyes grew steely. I need a few seconds... alone, and then you two could go back to screwing your brains out.

He looked away and stood to the side, obviously wanting them out of his room while he retrieved whatever was so important to him.

Ashriel gripped Anniel around her waist and led her out into the corridor. They looked at each other in confusion as Natanael brushed past them and closed the door behind him.

"I've never seen him so uptight," she whispered with a worried little frown marring her forehead.

Ashriel opened his mouth to try and soothe her when he remembered walking into Natanael's quarters on Alpha 7. They'd been watching something on a vid-crystal. Everyone had stared at him apprehensively and Naty had pocketed the crystal before he saw what they were all watching.

His eyes narrowed when Natanael emerged from his room, both hands in pockets. His face was blank, aloof.

"Room's all yours now. Seth says we should be arriving at our destination in two days.

Ashriel nodded. He wouldn't press the issue, but the moment he got hold of Natanael alone, he'd demand that fucking vid-crystal—even if he had to kick the young reapers ass to get it.

*** 

Anniel found some clothes to wear and tiptoed to where Cyneolle had left Rayne.

She was in a cabin across the corridor where she and Ashriel were staying.

Not sure how the girl was faring, she opened the door cautiously and stepped inside.

Rayne lay on her back, her bright blue eyes staring blankly at the bottom of the overhead bunk. She was clothed in a plain white gown that tied at the side with numerous little bows. It was utilitarian rather than pretty. Rayne's body was slight, slender and she barely had breasts. Her hips were rounded giving her a nymphet look with her very long glossy black hair.

Cyneolle had said she had to be enhanced with cybernetics because her original body was completely destroyed.

Anniel sat by her side, smiling so she wouldn't scare the poor girl. Rayne never even noticed her presence. Her eyes remained unblinking making Anniel frown and wonder if she was even really conscious.

Reaching out tentatively, she stroked the girl's arm. "Honey? Do you remember me, sweetie?"

Rayne continued unresponsive, unblinking. Her skin was milky pale, but her cheeks and lips were rosy. She was also warm to the touch, her flesh soft and vibrant. Anniel looked down at her delicate legs and dainty feet. She was so pretty, she looked like a doll.

Thoughts of Lucien flitted through her head, how taken he'd been with this girl on Arboria, how he'd cried and resisted stabbing her with the demon sword when Alluna's mother had forced him with her evil powers.

Frowning, Anniel undid the top ties to her gown and gently pulled the material down, watching the girl's face for any sign of distress. She remained eerily unresponsive.

Anniel looked down at the girl's chest. Her breast were little, her nipples tiny and pale pink. Anniel ran her fingers down the center of her smooth chest. There was no scar. Cyneolle had said they'd regenerated her skin. Her skeleton was made of metal and her brain, along with a few of her vital organs, had been reused for this new body.

"You poor sweet girl," Anniel crooned covering her up again. She stroked her cheek, hoping to elicit some type of reaction, but got none.

Anniel thought of Lucien, brought up memories of him before he'd changed and used her powers to project them into Rayne's mind.

It was easy, the girl was blank, her mind in a deep dark place of despair.

Lucien's image filled her mind like the rays of a golden sun. He rose out of the lake on Alpha 7 smiling as he sauntered up the banks, shimmering ice-blue eyes full of lust. Light flashed from him, making him glow like an angel as he used his power to dry his long blond hair. He grinned arrogantly, knowing how mind-blowing beautiful he looked with the soft tropical breeze of the envirolevel blowing through his locks, a thousand shades of gold. Water still sluiced from his chiseled body, making him glitter like a heavenly fantasy.

A sob caught Anniel's attention and she shook the memories away to see Rayne sitting up to grip her arms.

"Master. Where's my master?"

Anniel blinked in surprise. "Honey, are you okay?"

"I want my master," she sobbed more hysterically. "We need to save Boy-Rayne."

Boy Rayne?

"Honey, calm down."

The girl only grew more hysterical. Cyneolle opened the door and walked in.

"We need to save Boy-Rayne, please," she cried out. "Master. Master. Where is Master Lucien?"

Chameleon rushed in as Cyneolle knelt by the bed and gripped the girl to keep her from hurting herself when she began thrashing about in the bed. Anniel jumped up and allowed Chameleon to take her place on the bed.

"Easy," he said.

Cyn reached over to a nightstand by the bed and retrieved what looked like a syringe. Placing it to Rayne's thigh, it made a hissing sound and she immediately slumped against the cyborgs with a moan.

They laid her back gently, smoothing her untied gown back into place and rearranging her tangled hair over the pillow.

Chameleon wiped at her tears as Cyn circled around to close her legs and cover her with a blanket.

"Maybe we should erase more of her memories," Chameleon suggested.

Cyn shook his head. "That would kill her humanity. She'd be more machine than humanoid."

"What's wrong with her?"Anniel dared to ask.

Chameleon stood, his face tight with anger. "This poor girl has known nothing but horror. She was trained to be a whore even though she's a princess from the decimated planet Agamatrione."

Anniel's eyes widened as she looked back down on the sleeping girl."

"The entire royal family was put into suspended animation by the King and sent to another planet while they tried to fight off the invading horde of aliens that tried to take over the planet during the galactic war," Chameleon began.

Ashriel walked in and circled Anniel's waist with his arm. "The planet was ultimately destroyed. The King preferred to blow it up than let it fall into the hands of evil invaders. He sent orders to have his family terminated too."

Anniel gasped at the horror of it.

Ashriel looked sad as he gazed at the sleeping girl. "The guardians of the royal family, faced with not having a home they could return to decided to sell them instead. No one ever knew what happened to any of them. This is the first time one has shown up as far as I know. It means she was kept in suspended animation all these years."

"I first saw her on Arboria. This evil witch that had Alluna captive had her. The witch wanted to use Rayne to bring Davariel's evil other out form the realm of reflections."

Ashriel's face paled, his eyes darting to Anniel before going back to Rayne.

"She has royal blood, but her power is that of a normal humanoid, not a Master Guardian. The ritual never would have worked." Ashriel narrowed his eyes and turned fully to Anniel. "The only way to pull Dava's evil other from the realm of reflections is to be in possession of the mirrored portal he opened into the realm of shadows. The portal through which he was cast."

Anniel grew apprehensive when he gripped her arms tight and almost shook her, his eyes wide with determination.

"Did you say this mirror was on Arboria?"

Anniel nodded. "But...Th-the devils took it with them when they..." Her eyes watered when she remembered how they'd dragged Lucien, kicking and screaming back down to Hell.

"They what?" Ashriel insisted.

Cyneolle gripped his forearm with a frown, "Ease up."

Ashriel's grip loosened, but he did not let her go.

"They opened a portal and took Lucien with them."

"So this mirror should be somewhere on Megdoluc?"




Dark Angel Ch. 12



Anniel opened her mouth to answer she didn't know, but Seth's voice had them all turning to the doorway.

"Not necessarily," he answered leaning against the doorframe. "I think Devon knows where that portal is, but I doubt he'll ever reveal its whereabouts."

"He's waiting," Ashriel nodded.

"Waiting for what?" Anniel asked stroking his tense arms.

He turned to look at her again. "Waiting for his father's return."

Anniel looked down at her feet, her mind going back to the memories of Davariel. Strange. She'd been only a baby, just barely two, yet she still remembered them vividly. Was it because Devon was his living image? She didn't know, but she even remembered what he smelled like, so sweet, the essence of pure love.

Ashriel tipped her chin to look into her eyes and cursed. "You were angel-struck by him."

Anniel brushed his hand away from her face and snorted. "Don't be silly, Ashriel. I was just a baby."

He shook his head. "It doesn't matter. He affected young and old alike."

Anniel wanted to laugh at his worried expression, but refrained, not wanting to hurt his feels. It was cute he was actually jealous of Davariel. It was the silliest thing she'd ever heard, but there he was pouting at her.

Gripping his hand and leading him out of Rayne's cabin she took him back to Natanael's cabin. She needed to show him he had nothing to be jealous of. She was not interested in any other male but him.

*** 

As if he didn't have enough troubles, Seth came up with the brilliant idea to land them on Rhydiam Nine. Garethiel waited for them at the space port, along with Amaranth.

Ashriel glared at Seth in the helm as his twin brother waved enthusiastically from the landing pad.

Seth poked his tongue into his cheek before frowning irritably. "It's just temporary, okay, so just deal."

"Aside from bringing me to my worst nightmare, what are your designs on Amaranth? If you defile her, she'll be horribly punished."

Seth actually growled at him. "I have no designs on her. She doesn't want me. I know if she'd wanted to be with me she'd have renounced her priestesshood."

Ashriel regarded him coldly. "Even if she did renounce, she'd still have to forgo a hundred siglon task to be discharged honorably. It usually consists of guarding one of the portals of Hell on the most horrible of posts. The ones no one else wants to guard."

Seth pouted. "I would have waited. Hell, I would have stood watch with her."

Ashriel's brows rose in surprise. "For a hundred siglons?"

"Wouldn't you have done the same for Annie?" The weretigri frowned. "Oh, yeah. I forget. Your devotion to your priesthood was above and beyond anything."

Ashriel drew himself up. "You don't understand the responsibility that was laid on my shoulders from a very young age. While most reapers my age trained to become holy warriors and still hadn't the strength to pleasure themselves in secret, I became High priest when Davariel killed the high priest I was to succeed. He'd named me as his successor and I was thrust into his place whether I wanted it or not."

"You mean you couldn't have refused?"

"No one has ever refused such an honor. To be a high priest is an honor. We are finally allowed to take our sacred swords and fight against devils and demons."

"But you could have refused," Seth insisted.

Ashriel shook his head. "No. To do so would have brought shame to my family and to myself. It was my obligation as a holy warrior to take my place and fight evil." Ashriel turned, remembering the horror of the demonic invasion Davariel unleashed by cracking open one of the portals of Hell. "And none too soon. You don't know how many devils and demons I slaughtered. Only to be attacked by more. They flowed out of every dark crevice like floodwater. Unstoppable. As if that wasn't horrendous enough—"

Ashriel stopped talking when he noticed Anniel standing at the top of the ramp in the helm. She looked at him wide-eyed, nibbling her lower lip. He wondered how much of his nightmarish memories she'd heard.

Rising, he strode to her and embraced her. She snuggled against him and stroked his arms as if trying to soothe him. It made his chest tighten and he held her tighter. He'd go mad if he ever lost her...hence the reason why his kind were forbidden to mate.

"I'm fine," he reassured her.

She looked up at him, her hand caressing his bare chest. He bent and kissed her lightly on her lips. "Time to go, baby. If my brother so much as breathes too heavily on you promise you'll tell me."

She grinned up at him. "I'll do better, honey. I'll kick him in his balls"

Ashriel couldn't help the bark of laughter that erupted at the picture her words evoked.

*** 

If having to face Garethiel was the worst of her problems, Anniel could deal with whatever else fate threw her way. The love she felt for Ashriel bolstered her confidence, and besides, she no longer felt a thing for his blond twin anyway. A little twinge of guilt niggled at the back of her mind over the fact that she'd fucked a pair of twins—again—and somehow it was kind of slutty of her, but Devon and Lucien didn't count because they'd only been helping her with her mating heat cycle. As for Ashriel and Garethiel? Garethiel's physical beauty had mesmerized her and not having any experience, his words had easily seduced her. She'd fancied herself in love with him all those years ago. Ashriel she was sure she loved. He was perfection, not just physically, but in every other aspect as well.

Cyneolle decided to remain aboard the starcruiser along with Chameleon and Rayne. He took one look at his father from inside the helm and refused to leave the ship, claiming it would be better for Rayne if they remained onboard so she wouldn't become too distressed at so many changes in her surroundings.

Anniel knew he'd recognized Garethiel as his father and didn't want to face him.

Eventually she would have to tell them both the truth. Her son needed to confront his father if need be, and Garethiel needed to finally know he had a son.

She held Ashriel's hand all the way back to Garethiel's high rise condo on the outskirts of the city of Veegalle on Rhydiam Nine. The traveled in a roomy SUV that could accommodate ten people comfortably.

The sun set to the East, the red-gold rays glinting off the tall buildings. They crossed a river, its deep bluish purple waters flowing lazily toward a darker purple sea. A wall of mountains flanked the southwest edges of the city and to the north was a vast forest of deep blue trees with vibrant red trunks.

It was all very pretty, but the sight of Ashriel's hand engulfing hers kept drawing her eyes. He had strong hands, long fingered, sun-kissed bronze with masculine veins running up his arms.

He held her hand the entire trip, his eyes gazing out the window, face devoid of expression. At the front of the transport, Seth and Amaranth antagonized one another, making Anniel frown. What was with those two anyway?

Garethiel, thankfully sat all the way in the front of the ten-seater. Not that she cared, but she was grateful the twins were not near each other. Amaranth and Seth's bickering was enough for all of them.

Anniel just longed for Devon to either communicate with them or open a portal and take them back home. She hadn't had the opportunity to ask Seth if their commander had linked to him yet.

Anniel raised a brow when Amaranth said with an indignant sniff to Seth, "I wouldn't let a man-whore like you touch me with a ten-foot pole."

She stuck her nose up in the air and turned her head with a swish of her fiery red tresses.

Anniel cringed when she saw lean over and whisper something in the girl's ear. Something obviously lewd and inappropriate, because Amaranth's face flushed deep red as she gave a squeak of outrage and slapped Seth soundly.

"You're not a tiger, you're a pig," she spat.

When Eriel began to snicker, Seth turned, his palm still rubbing his stinging cheek, to fix the reaper with a glare.

Ashriel looked at them and flattened his lips in anger.

He made to lean forward, but Anniel gripped his forearm.

"Leave them be," Anniel scolded in a low tone.

He just clenched his jaw and flashed another look to the front of the transport, his nostrils flaring as he shook his head. "Sethaliel needs to leave her be."

Anniel frowned at Ashriel, knowing fully well it was Amaranth that had chosen to sit next to him; Amaranth who began the snide remarks about his carousing.

Seth was no saint, had been to too many brothels by now, had become as tainted a male whore as Zak had been in his single days, but she knew Amaranth's rejection of him stung. It was probably the worst of ways, but she knew he tried to get the pretty, red-haired reaper out of his system by bedding anything that moved. In reality, it only made him more bitter.

Anniel shook her head, closing her eyes a moment and praying they reached Garethiel's home soon.

As fate would have it, Anniel would find no peace at her ex-boyfriend's house either.

Ashriel had kept hold of her hand as his brother granted them all access. The reapers entered first, followed by Seth and finally Ashriel and Anniel.

Ashriel's grey eyes held Anniel's gaze and he kissed her knuckles as they walked over the threshold. She smiled up at him.

"Tonight you will sleep with me," he told her. "I will have it no other way."

She smiled and closed her eyes, leaning her head against his bulging biceps.

When he stopped abruptly, his entire body tensing, she opened her eyes again with a start.

To her dismay, his parents stood in the wide foyer, their cold judgmental eyes on both of them.

"Mother. Father," Ashriel said softly.

For a long moment, neither parent spoke. Their gaze, if anything, just grew icier as the seconds ticked by.

Anniel heard Ashriel gulp. He took a deep breath and her heart clenched when his wings drooped a bit and his eyes lowered to the floor in submission.

His mother narrowed her eyes. "Have you any idea the shame we have had to endure because of you."

Anger filled Anniel. His parents didn't understand. He'd done nothing wrong.

The beautiful blond Seraph seemed to float slowly to her son, her white filmy robes fluttering delicately around her slender ankles. She did not stop until she was mere inches from him. Her eyes looked him slowly from his black boots to his downcast eyes.

"My beautiful son, the most powerful reaper the galaxy had ever seen is now the most talked about male whore."

Ashriel flinched as if slapped, and Anniel felt rage fill her when he bowed his head in shame. There was no reason for him to feel that way.

"You shouldn't believe everything you hear," Anniel told the cold woman.

The Seraph's eyes darted to her, wide with hate. They lowered down Anniel's body with disgust until they fixed on her belly.

"How dare you even speak in my presence. I'll never understand how he could have fallen for the likes of you. Who's bastard child is that?"

Ashriel suddenly stood straighter and gripped Anniel's hand tighter.

Before Anniel could say anything he snarled, "That is my offspring.'

His parents horrified glare darted to Ashriel.

"Yours?' his mother screeched. "This harlot steals your virginity months ago, you awaken from a comatose state barely a week ago, and you want us to believe that that..." The woman pointed to Anniel's rounded stomach.

"She looks to be about half way along, Ashriel," his father finally spoke. "Are you that stupid about sex, you do not know how long a gestation period is for a chickling?"

Ashriel's face flushed red, and Anniel lost it.

"How dare you call him stupid. Yes. Ashriel and I had sex. It wasn't really our fault, but—"

His father's booming laugh cut her off, and to her utter annoyance, Garethiel's snickering behind them, had her wondering if her ears were billowing smoke by now.

"Wasn't your fault? Do tell me. Did you trip and fall and accidentally impale yourself on my virgin son's dick?"

"Gunthriel, must you be so crude?" Ashriel's mother hissed.

Gunthriel cleared his throat, and said meekly, "My apologies, Antaria."

Her cold blue eyes turned to regard Ashriel and Anniel again. "As sexually unrestrained as Garethiel always was, he'd never been so irresponsible as to spill his seed into an undeserving womb."

Ashriel eyes snapped up at that moment. "Ah, yes. Saint Garethiel, the conniving bastard that seduced Anniel when she was still pure and then left her pregnant."

Anniel felt faint.

"What?" Garethiel asked wide-eyed, clearly shocked.

"You fucked her like it was all a game to you. Her reticence at letting you bed her at first whetting your appetite for sport."

"Ashriel, please," Anniel pleaded in a low tone, feeling her face aflame.

"Reticence? Really?" Garethiel snorted, eyebrows raised.

Ashriel tensed as if to lunge and she had to grip his arm. "No. Don't."

"Anniel—" Garethiel began.

"Don't talk to her," Ashriel snarled.

"Ashriel," Anniel pleaded.

"I have a right to know what the hell is going on," Garethiel bellowed.

Again, Ashriel's body tensed, coiled up tight, ready to explode. "Right? You feel you have some rights? You fucked her and then walked out on her. Never turned back. Never cared. Just moved on to the next victim."

"Well, what the hell. I was just a chickling back then. She should have said something if she thought she was pregnant."

"You didn't deserve to know," Ashriel spat. "You don't deserve something as beautiful as her."

Garethiel began to laugh. "I always knew you had a fucking hard on for her ever since I showed you her image on the vid-crystal. You practically drooled, but you couldn't have her. You were forbidden."

"You...you bedded her because..." Ashriel looked taken aback. Anniel also blinked, looking from brother to brother. "It was all just to hurt me?"

Garethiel sneered. "You'd just been promoted to high priesthood. I was sick of hearing how glorious my little brother was, how mighty. If they only knew how pathetic you were. How you'd suffer lust and wouldn't even touch yourself. You thought you were better than me, but look at you now. Nothing but a male prostitute..." Garethiel's cold glare darted to Anniel as he finished his rant, "Eating my leftovers."

It seemed as if Ashriel disappeared from her side. One moment he was there, the next he and his brother were a ball of black and white wings, punches and kicks. They fought as if intent on killing one another.

Both Anniel and Antaria screamed. Eriel, Natanael, Amaranth, Abdiel, and even Seth dived in to separate the twins. It took quite some time, but finally they were pulled apart.

Bloodied and bruised, they glared at each other, panting.

Gunthriel held his wife, fanning her face with his hand as she whimpered and looked ready to swoon. "Oh, Gunny. Our sons fight like savages over a harlot. I don't think I can survive this nightmare. Where did we err as parents?"

Ashriel shook off Seth, Abdiel and Natanael and stalked to Anniel, ignoring his mother's words.

"We are leaving," he snapped gripping her hand again.

"Don't be stupid," Garethiel snickered, spitting blood on the pristine grey floor of his condo. "The media is already abuzz with news of your arrival."

"I don't care," Ashriel snarled, reaching for the front door.

"They'll hound you and Anniel everywhere you go. Imagine how many Master Guardians will be interested in knowing you've sired a chickling with one of Edenia's ex-Master Guardians. They refer to them as fallen angels and I hear the bounty on anyone of them is astronomical."

*** 

His brother's cryptic words halted him. Anniel stood by his side, her eyes wide and distressed as she took in his injuries. It was nothing, really. Garethiel looked worse than he did. Ashriel was sure he'd broken the arrogant fool's nose.

The media.

Reaching out he caressed Anniel's sweet face. She looked tired. He would not put her through more distress. He would swallow his pride and anger and remain beneath his brother's roof. He had no choice. They had nowhere to go until Devon contacted them. Seth had warned numerous times during their escape he could feel they were being followed. They had to wait it out.

"Fine," Ashriel grated. "I'm sorry." This he said softly to Anniel.

"You've nothing to be sorry about," she replied, her eyes glowing with love.

"I want to know about my offspring," Garethiel demanded making Ashriel's feathers ruffle.

Anniel turned to regard him coolly. "I have a son."

Garethiel's eyes narrowed. "You...you mentioned him back on that god-forsaken planet."

She nodded. "I named him Gareth."

His parents snorted with disgust and Garethiel stood a bit taller, disappointment clearly in his demeanor.

"So...he was born wingless I suppose since you gave him a non-sacred name."

Anniel held her head up, her eyes hard. "He had one wing."

His mother immediately began murmuring that it couldn't be Garethiel's. Their blood was too strong to produce a defective Seraph. After all, they'd produced Ashriel, proving their blood was still very pure.

Garethiel glared at his parents at the mention of Ashriel being the only proof of their blue blood. He looked back at Anniel, eyes narrowed. "A one-winged Seraph? You mean the notorious cyborg on Rhylos? Cyneolle?"

"Yes. Cyneolle is your son."

Garethiel's face paled a bit. He looked away, pensive. After a moment, he turned back to Anniel, eyes hard. "Why didn't you ever try to let me know?"

"How?" Anniel spat.

Garethiel laughed mirthlessly. "Oh, come now. With all the power your Alpha Angels have, I'm pretty damned sure anyone of you could've located me if you'd really wanted to."

"Actually," Seth interrupted, "we didn't want to."

Ashriel bit the inside of his bloodied mouth to keep from smirking.

Garethiel scowled. "Why not? If I was really the father, I had the right to know."

"Not after the way you left her, you prick," Seth growled.

"Son," Antaria snapped. "Are you going to continue to allow these people to insult you in your own home? Throw them out."

His mother's words cut him to the quick, but then his mother's lack of maternal warmth shouldn't have surprised him.

Garethiel held his hand up, as he stared at Seth. His eyes then slid to Anniel. He looked down, licking his lips before looking back up at her. Ashriel stiffened.

"I was really young, and arrogant...and cocky." He swallowed. "I'm sorry I hurt you Anniel. I know there's nothing I can say to erase all the shit you must've gone through, but...I'm really sorry I acted like such an ass."

Ashriel's heart sank. His gaze darted to Anniel and once more, he felt...afraid. Afraid she might still, after all this time, feel something for the first love of her life...Garethiel.

He gripped her hard when she wrapped an arm around his waist to hold him as she regarded his brother. "I forgave you a long time ago, Garethiel. We were both too young."

"She loves me now," Ashriel had to say, his hand sliding down to caress her baby bump. "She belongs to me and carries my offspring. I will not abandon her or my chickling—ever."

Garethiel narrowed his eyes, but remained silent.

"Ashriel," Anniel chastised gently.

He glowered down at her. "You are mine."

From across the room, Natanael cursed drawing everyone's stare.

The purple-haired reaper patted his pockets, his eyes searching the floor in desperation. "Fffuck!"

"What the hell is your problem?" Eriel muttered.

Ashriel's eyes narrowed as the reaper fell to his knees and looked around the floor carefully, the others doing the same in puzzlement.

Natanael's bright grey gaze lifted to Ashriel with piercing intensity.

Ashriel did his best to remain expressionless, knowing fully well that what Natanael looked for was carefully stowed away in Ashriel's boot. It had fallen out of Nat's pocket during the tussle and he'd snatched it up despite his raging urge to continue to pummel his twin. A little red vid-crystal he had every intention of viewing as soon as he had a moment of privacy.




Dark Angel Ch. 13



So this is it, the final instalment of Dark Angel. Different from The Witch and the Dragon, this story's scores were MUCH higher, but the comments were less too. I guess that's because there was less controversy with this story. Zak was into BDSM, and Ashriel couldn't have been more straight laced. Anyhoo, the next story will more than make up for DA's lack of controversy. It'll showcase Lucien and his 'Raynes'. And God knows Lucien is anything but straight laced. Bad boy to the core, but hurt and in some serious need of redeeming.

But enough of Redemption.

I leave you with the last of Dark Angel. Thanks to everyone who voted and especially commented. I really enjoyed the emails sent. They spurred me to keep posting because I hate to disappoint. Love you all and toodles for now.LH 

*************

Chapter Thirteen

Seth was adamant about all of them staying together, so they remained in Garethiel's big media room.

Of course, that meant Ashriel wasn't able to view the damned vid-crystal burning a hole in his boot. Natanael and Eriel had gone back to the starcruiser, despite Seth's protest, but had come back hours later empty-handed.

Natanael kept giving Ashriel suspicious glares, but while he was gone, Ashriel had bound the small crystal to his divine sword and sent it away. There was no way Natanael could ever retrieve or find it. The silly reaper had even barged into the hygiene room when Ashriel had gone in to use the facilities.

Ashriel looked over his shoulder and continued to shed his clothing as Nat pretended to admire the hygiene room's décor.

Pressing his clothing into Natanael's arms, Ashriel asked him with a smile if he could please toss them in the clothes cleaning unit.

Natanael narrowed his eyes, but then Anniel came in and began unabashedly disrobing too.

Ashriel scowled and with a snarled "out" shoved the disgruntled reaper out the door.

The third night, Ashriel felt a little stir-crazy. The only privacy he had with Anniel was when they used the hygiene room together, and even then, Seth was telling them to hurry because Devon might summon them.

"For the last time, Ash," Seth sighed, "If he opens a portal to call us through, we need to hustle before other Master Guardians pick up the energy pulse and lock onto our positions."

"But it takes a powerful Master Guardian to be able to accomplish that," Ashriel argued.

"There are powerful ones out there, Ash. Make no mistake about that."

"Ash?" Anniel called.

He looked over his shoulder to where he'd left her sleeping moments before.

Anniel laid on a thick, white, round rug. The flames of the fireplace behind her made her tousled dark blonde curls look like a halo around her head. She smiled and pulled back the cream colored blanket over her curves, inviting him back to her side.

Ashriel stood, a slave to her will, and went to her. Kneeling first, he lowered himself until he too was beneath the blanket with her. One leg and her arm went around him and his cock immediately stiffened against her belly.

"Mmm," she sighed before pressing an open-mouthed kiss to his lips. Their tongues dueled lazily for a while. Long enough for him to ache and wish they were alone. It didn't stop him from palming her round ass beneath the blanket. Her sleep shirt had ridden up and the poor excuse for underwear she wore barely covered the full mounds of her backside. He recalled with agonizing clarity that it actually barely contained the slit of her plump sex. He'd know because she'd shimmied into it only moments before when they'd finished their cleansing and quick bout of fucking in the hygiene room.

"You're going to be the death of me," he groaned feeling his balls tighten up against his shaft.

She snuggled tighter. "You smell good, baby."

Ashriel frowned, remembering his annoying brother had insisted on splashing him with some new cologne he'd purchased. Why he persisted in acting as if they'd never exchanged blows would always mystify and annoy Ashriel. It had been that way since they were chicklings.

Anniel's tongue running up the side of his neck had him sucking in a harsh breath between his teeth.

"My love," he whispered, "please stop teasing me. Unless you mean for us to go back into the hygiene room." He rolled his hips against her, hoping she'd say yes.

"No," Seth said behind them.

Ashriel scowled, turning his head to glare at the weretigri. Seth leaned back in a lounger, hands folded behind his neck looking up at the ceiling with bored indifference. The sound of Anniel yawning loudly had Ashriel turning back to her.

She rubbed one eye before grinning at him again. "You can love me here, baby."

Her hand caressed his cheek as she lifted her leg tighter against his waist and wiggled her hips.

The offer was more than tempting, but Ashriel still couldn't bring himself to make love to her in front of the others.

"My shy dark angel," she cooed kissing his lips.

"I am not shy," he claimed indignantly.

"Yes you are," Eriel snickered.

Ashriel ignored him. "Anniel, I will not besmirch our love with public displays of intimacy."

Anniel frowned. "But, baby, how can something so pure and beautiful, as showing our love for one another be...besmirchie?"

She looked clearly puzzled.

Making and effort to ignore the reapers sniggering, he insisted, "Sharing our bodies is something that should be done in private".

He turned to glare at the reapers when their laughter grew, and was surprised and chagrined to see even Seth rolling his eyes with a shake of his head.

Anniel tipped his face back to hers. She smiled, her eyes soft while her fingers stroked his cheek. "Ashriel, there is nothing shameful about our love. We're among family, people we trust and care about."

She put her palms on his shoulders and made him lay on his back as she straddled him.

Ashriel watched mesmerized her hands gripping the edges of her sleep shirt. Slowly she pulled it up her glorious body before tossing it just above his head. Her nipples were dark, tight buds decorating her big round globes. The fire light made her flesh look rich golden brown. Dark blonde curls fell in disarray over her shoulders, partially covering them. She looked absolutely breathtaking.

Realizing how bare she now was, Ashriel's eyes flicked to the reapers. They watched with mild interest, and Seth had slumped down in his big chair, looking up at the ceiling as if in deep thought.

Anniel sliding down his legs brought his attention back to her. He sucked in a shocked breath when she began undoing his pants.

"W-what are you going to do?" he gasped.

Again, the reapers snickered.

"Inexperienced." Natanael sighed.

"Yep, totally inexperienced," Eriel agreed.

Anniel turned before he could protest their teasing and growled low in her throat.

"Sorry," both reapers murmured.

She turned back, fully intent on putting her mouth to him but he covered his engorged flesh with his hand. "I'm not ready to do this," he confessed feeling his face heat.

She looked disappointed, but caressed his hand before sliding back up next to him, dragging the blanket with her to cover them. "That's okay, baby. When we get home, okay?"

He nodded, wondering if he was being too much of a prude. Anniel yawned again and he tucked her against him so she could snuggle down and let sleep take her.

The soft crackling of the fire as well as Anniel's deepened breathing when she finally dozed off again lulled him. Before long, his eyes drifted closed and sleep finally claimed him too.

He knew it was a dream, still he moved forward in the darkened cave. Wavering light ahead beckoned him.

At the end of the rocky tunnel was a large, cathedral-like chamber. His attention was immediately engaged with the presence of a devil with satiny jet-black skin. The creature sat tall upon a large boulder, his tail and wings twitching nervously as his big, golden, catlike eyes regarded Ashriel. When Ashriel reached for his divine sword, the devil lifted his hand and pointed off to the side. Moving his gaze to where the creature gestured, he saw a large ornately framed mirror. Only it really wasn't a mirror. It was the portal to the realm of shadows...and Davariel stood just on the other side of the glass, his hands smoothing over it as if looking for a way out.

Looking back at the boulder, Ashriel discovered the devil had vanished, so he approached the portal with Dava carefully.

Davariel noticed him and smiled.

"Ashriel, help me."

Ashriel scoffed. "Help you?"

Davariel placed both palms on the glass and nodded. "I can't find a way out of here. I need to help my sons."

Ashriel approached the mirror, clutching his sword tight. He would bash the portal to bits. The angel of destruction could never be unleashed upon their realm again.

When he stood before the portal, Luciel stepped up next to Davariel. Her ice-blue eyes stared intently at him, making something within him quiver. Lucien looked just like his mother. He had her eyes, her sweet mouth, but his hair...his hair was like his father's.

Ashriel's eyes went back to Davariel who looked at him expectantly. Wings opened behind his back. To Ashriel's utter shock, they were black. He had his reapers wings again.

Davariel suddenly reached through the glass, grabbing Ashriel's forearm.

"Wake up, Ash. We need to go."

Ashriel wrenched his arm away, bringing up his sword, but Dava's other hand gripped that arm also.

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

Ashriel blinked as Davariel's face transformed into Remien Fyre's.

"Come-on, dude. Let's get moving," the red weredragon snapped finally erasing all traces of the dream from Ashriel's now alert mind.

Blue-white light suffused the media room, making it hard to see anything else around him.

"Anniel," Ashriel said rushing to his feet when he realized she was no longer next to him.

"Already on the other side waiting for you," Zachariel informed from the end of the long tunnel of light. His voice echoed eerily.

Ashriel stumbled a bit, making Remien grip his forearm. They both rushed through the tunnel followed by Eriel and Natanael.

Alpha 7 appeared at the end of the tunnel, as well as Devon.

Ashriel stopped short and stared at him. It was the same face. Davariel's face, but with inky straight black hair, like Luciel's.

***

Anniel frowned.

Ashriel stared at Devon as if seeing him for the first time.

"Ash, baby?" She touched his arm and he flinched.

Lowering his bright grey eyes to her, he placed his hand over hers reassuringly. "Why didn't you wake me?"

She felt her face grow hot as she smiled sheepishly. "I had just gotten up to use the hygiene room when Zak intercepted me."

Remembering her original destination reminded her she still hadn't relieved the annoying urge to pee. As her belly grew bigger, she felt the answering consequences in her bladder.

"Swept her right off her feet," Zak chuckled wrapping a big muscular arm around her.

When his palm spread lovingly over her rounded belly, Ashriel's eyes narrowed. Anniel noticed right away when his jaw tightened, making her frown. He was, by far, too jealous, and she knew this would be a big problem between them. She didn't want to be separated from the others because of his insecurities, because that's what they were to Anniel. Why couldn't he understand?

"Well, I see things have progressed quite nicely between you two," Remien said with a smug grin on his face. He crossed his arms over his chest expectantly standing between her and Ash.

Anniel sighed, knowing what he was getting at. She'd been so angry with him when he'd tricked her and Ash into drinking Liquid X that she'd stopped talking to him for a few moon cycles. Looking down at her belly, she wondered what would have happened if he'd never played matchmaker between them. Her baby wouldn't be wiggling in her tummy right now, and Cyneolle...

"Where's my son?" she gasped in alarm.

Devon grinned. "He's up in his quarters on our level. We had to assign him another room because we weren't sure you'd approve of undoing his nursery."

Anniel hadn't touched a thing in his room since he'd disappeared...or since she'd reawakened from her three hundred year suspended animation.

"Go to him, my love," Ashriel said taking her in his arms for a light kiss on her lips. "Spend a little time with him. I know you want to."

"What about you?" It wasn't lost on her how Natanael hovered close by. He'd been stalking Ashriel since they were in Garethiel's condo. She shot him a puzzled frown over her shoulder.

"I need to talk to Natanael, but I'll go to your quarters in a few hours to freshen up afterwards."

"Will you let me know?" She grinned up at him, wanting more than anything to be able to strip down and share a cylinder with him. Getting clean had never been so much fun before. Maybe they could fill the sunken tub in her hygiene room. A nice hot bubble bath with him would be fantastic. She could already imagine how hot he'd look all naked and soapy and horny, black wings sparkling with bubbles.

A shiver went through Anniel.

"I will summon you before I use the hygiene unit," Ashriel promised with a knowing smile

Anniel's grin grew wider. She was already growing used to his beautiful smiles and was glad he showed them more often now.

*** 

Remien Fyre decided to accompany them. Ashriel didn't care. The red weredragon insisted they check in on the babies first, so Ashriel followed him into his rooms.

The twins slept fitfully in their bassinets. Ashriel stared in awe at the tiny red-haired boys. They looked almost normal, except they had their father's outrageous hair color.

"Aren't they cute?" Remi grinned proudly.

"Very," Natanael agreed grinning also.

"Alluna gave birth just this morning, but Zak doesn't want anyone in there yet until they're sure the girls are okay."

Ashriel frowned at Remi. "Were they born sick?"

Remi shook his head. "No. They're perfectly healthy, but they've got powers. Amadashiel stepped in there to see them and they lit her wings on fire."

Ashriel gaped and Natanael choked.

Remien shrugged. "Guess they didn't like her or something."

"Is Amadashiel okay?"

"Sure. She was just scared shitless, if you know what I mean."

Ashriel looked back down at the baby boys. "Are they dragon or vampire?"

"Dragon," Remien answered proudly. "Any babies I sire will be most definitely dragon."

"So why does the Vildminorian council hunt you and your offspring?" Natanael asked.

Remien scowled, his lip piercings glinting in the soft glow of the nursery lights. "Because they're assholes."

"What are their names?" Natanael questioned looking at the babies once again.

"Kaden and Kylen." Remi's grin grew. "Kade and Ky.for short."

Ashriel nodded. "Sacred names. Good choice. Hopefully they will honor them."

Remi looked down with pride at his offspring. "Oh, they'll honor them alright. My boys are special. Just wait and see."

Having seen the red weredragon's offspring, Ashriel now wanted to get moving. He needed to confront Natanael about what was on the damned vid-crystal, but he didn't want to do it near the innocent sleeping infants, just in case he needed to beat the shit out of Natanael.

They exited Remien's quarters and strode past Anniel's rooms to the end of the hall. A few of the reapers were there playing a holographic video game off to one side of the large room. The other side of the room had an array of power guitars hanging on the wall over comfortable looking couches. Ashriel recognized most of them from the concerts he'd seen Zachariel perform in with Draconius Imorteus. There was even a holopic on one wall of one such performance on a silent loop. Zak, playing one of his power guitars with amazing speed, his long blond hair blowing in the wind on stage with millions of lights going off behind him in a display of color. There was also a holopic of Rowie, dressed in an elaborate black gown, singing. It too was silent, but Ashriel knew all he had to do was step in front of either holopic and he'd be privy to a private performance.

Unfortunately, it wasn't the reason he'd wanted to come here.

Remien plopped himself on one of the couches and propped his boots on an ottoman.

Ashriel turned to Natanael and unsheathed his sword.

Ashriel saw Remien Fyre go tense and lower his feet. Natanael just stared at him, face impassive. The other reapers stopped their play to watch them.

Ashriel gripped his sword by the blade, carefully, and pried the vid-crystal from the hilt.

Natanael's face paled.

"Ash, please...don't..."

Ashriel raised one brow. "Why not?"

Natanael gulped. "It's just an old vid. Toss it, man. You're happy now."

Natanael's words only intrigued him more.

"What's on this, Natanael?"

The reaper's lip pressed together, his eyes flashing in anger, but he did not answer.

"Tell me, Natanael," Ashriel insisted shaking the crystal in his face.

"I want nothing to do with this, Ashriel. If you want to look at it, go ahead. But don't say I didn't warn you."

Just then, Eriel, Abdiel, and Reiven came in. They halted, looking from Ashriel to Natanael as if sensing the tension.

Ashriel whirled and stalked to the holographic vid projector. Slamming the crystal into the unit, he commanded it to play.

The enviro-level appeared, its lush foliage a splash of vibrant color. Sobbing drew his attention and the sight of Anniel running through the thick forest had his heart almost stopping. Lucien ran after her.

Ashriel's palms began to sweat. Anniel was very pregnant with Gareth.

Behind him, Ashriel heard Remien Fyre slowly murmur, "Oopsie."

Ashriel's eyes remained fixed on the images projected by the crystal vid.

Lucien caught up to Anniel and grabbed her arm, turning her to face him.

"I can't take it anymore," she cried.

"Shhh, it's okay, baby."

Ashriel winced. He called her baby too?

"No," Anniel exclaimed hysterically. She gripped Lucien, her fingers digging into his shoulders, her body almost wrapping around his. "It's too much. I can't take it."

"Maybe you need the machine a little longer." He held her tight, his hands roving her lush curves. He closed his eyes. Lucien looked shaken.

Anniel let out a long anguished howl. It made Ashriel feel desperate, his heart pound at her obvious suffering. He began to pant and moved to turn the damn vid off, but Lucien's body began to glow with power.

Ashriel's feathers ruffled in agitation when their clothes disappeared. He snarled in rage when Lucien took his Anniel down to the ground. Anniel turned over with a snarl and Lucien gripped the back of her neck with one hand and snarled back. Anniel went still, panting.

"I'll relieve you myself, baby. Let me," he said in a low growling voice.

Anniel tilted her bare ass up with a whimper, and Ashriel stared horrified as Lucien proceeded to mount her.

"Fuck, Annie. I love you so. Tell me you love me too."

Ashriel roared, insane with rage. He sent his sword through the vid-crystal replicator making fire and sparks shoot everywhere. Turning to wrap his hands around Natanael's neck, he encountered Remien instead.

"I know that looks bad, Ash, but just calm down and let me explain," the idiot had the nerve to say in the face of Ashriel's wrath.

Everything happened in slow motion. Ashriel launched himself at the offensive Alpha Angel, taking him to the couch. He gripped Remien's head and stared into his eyes.

Where?—he thought into his mind—Where is he? I demand you show me where the dark prince is.

Remien Fyre resisted, but ultimately, Ashriel felt his mind open up and he rushed in. He saw Megdoluc clearly. The portal was near the center of the frozen whirlpool. Through it was a maze of tunnels, tunnels that led deep into the heart of the planet and ended up in the large chamber he'd dreamt about. Lucien sat on a boulder. The same boulder the black skinned devil had occupied. Before him was the portal to the realm of shadows, and guarding the portal were...Dominatios.




Dark Angel Ch. 13



*** 

Anniel had just left Cyneolle's quarters, a smile on her lips when she saw Remi stagger out of the boys playroom. Devon, Seth, Zak, and Rowie appeared rushing toward him.

"Fuck, he's gone mad," Remi blurted.

Anniel ran to join them at the end of the corridor.

"Baby, what happened?" Rowie said cupping his face. 

Anniel saw when Devon entered the playroom.

"What's going on?" Anniel asked.

Remi looked at her wide-eyed. "Your reaper has some serious anger issues."

"Remi, just tell us what the hell is going on?" Seth demanded now. "I felt a burst of energy. We're supposed to be keeping a low profile. What is wrong with you?"

Remien scowled, standing straighter. "It wasn't me, stupid. Ashriel got his hands on an old vid-crystal. One of Alpha 7's old logs. It was from when Annie was preg's and in heat."

Anniel felt her face grow cold. "W-what?"

Remien looked at her apologetically. "Sweetheart, there was nothing I could do. It all happened so quick. I don't know how he got it, but he saw you and Luke...he didn't take it too well, you know."

Anniel felt dizzy for a moment. Zak wrapped his arms around her and Seth gripped her hand.

Remi tipped her face to his and stared deep into her eyes.

"W-where is he?" She asked wondering if he hated her now. She should have told him about what happened to her during that first pregnancy. So many things had happened. She'd barely had any time alone with Ashriel, really, and when they had been alone, the newness of their physical relationship kept them from doing anything else other than exploring its rapturous heights of ecstasy.

"He opened a portal." It was Devon. He stepped out of the playroom, his eyes glowing brighter. "He invaded Remi's mind and located Lucien. He opened a portal into Megdoluc and is on his way to slay Lucien. He took a bunch of reapers with him."

Anniel gasped and straightened. "No. We need to stop him."

Devon snorted. "I don't think even the Divine One himself can stop that raging reaper now." Devon grew solemn. "He'll lose his soul if he kills Lucien in the rage he's in now."

Anniel gaped. "What do you mean?"

Devon regarded her closely. "Ashriel and reapers can only kill out of duty. If Ashriel raises his sword to Lucien in a jealous rage, he'll fall from grace. I mean, really fall from grace, like my father did when he killed Gadriel."

Anniel broke free from the others and gripped Devon. "We have to stop him, Devon, please."

Devon nodded. "We need to get to Lucien first, and get him out of there before Ashriel arrives. It'll give him time to simmer down a bit. There's just one problem."

Anniel gripped him tighter. "What?"

"Lucien doesn't want to come back here. He wants to die. He already knows Ashriel is on his way and is waiting practically with open arms."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Remi exclaimed. "We gotta do something."

Devon gestured them to follow him. They raced back down the corridor into an empty unit no one used. Standing before the glass wall that showed the expanse of space, he whispered. The view of space wavered until it became a view of an underground corridor.

"Hurry," Devon said, "Before someone picks up the surge of power and finds the space station."

They raced through the open portal. For a moment, Anniel felt as though she were swimming through gelatin. It was hard for her to breathe and she saw wavering images to either side of her. Just when she would have looked, Devon's arms circled around her, pushing her forward until she stumbled into a cold, foul-smelling corridor.

"Annie, don't ever look to the sides when traversing a portal," Devon told her sternly.

"I can feel them," Seth said next to them.

Devon looked down the corridor, his luminous eyes shining even more. "We're running out of time." He turned to Anniel and held her arms, looking deeply into her eyes. "It's up to you, baby."

"Me?" she asked in confusion.

"Lucien hates men. He won't let any of us near him, but he loves you, Annie."

Anniel looked at Rowie. "I'm taken, bubble-butt," she said apologetically.

"But I'm Ashriel's," Anniel answered in confusion.

"Luke doesn't know that yet," Zak interjected.

Anniel looked at all of their concerned faces. "You want me to...seduce Luke into coming back home?"

Devon shook his head. "No, Annie. Not seduce. Tell him we love him...you love him, and want him back home. Try..." Devon looked the other way, "but hurry. If you don't want to lose Ashriel forever, hurry."

Remi and Rowie walked with her until they reached the entrance of a large chamber. They were only about twenty paces from where Zak, Devon, and Seth stood. They remained behind as she entered the large cathedral-like chamber.

The smell hit her like a punch to the gut. She covered her mouth and nose, wishing she had the respirator she had on Rhylos with her. Fighting the wave of nausea, she walked further, her eyes automatically looking around. The first thing she noticed were the devils. They hung from the vaulted ceiling of the chamber like bats. Their golden eyes followed her movements, their tails and wings twitching nervously. She looked ahead, seeing the large boulders strewn everywhere, but one in particular caught her attention.

There he sat, his back to her. Tattered red wings rested limply over the edges of the big rock. His blond hair hung in a matted, dull mess to the middle of his back. She could clearly see the bones of his spine through his thin skin. Bruises and cuts littered his flesh and his overly long fingernails were black with grime.

"Lucien?" she called out tentatively.

Slowly he turned his head, letting her see his profile. His eyes glowed like Devon's, but they were set deep in an emaciated face, full of cuts and bruises. He began to growl and stir, rising from his perch to stalk slowly toward her.

"Get out," he snarled.

"No," Anniel replied lifting her chin stubbornly. "It's time you stop this nonsense and come back home where you belong."

"I have no home," he spat.

"Baby, yes you do. Your room is right next to mine."

Lucien reached her, his growls growing more fierce. She stared up at him, appalled at how sick he looked. Devon had said he was slowly dying. He looked like he was. It broke her heart and she couldn't help the sob that burst from her lips.

Ignoring when he bared his fangs at her, she cupped his cheeks. "Oh, sweetheart. Just look at you. I want you home where I can get some meat back on those bones. You always did like my cooking."

Lucien stopped growling to look at her in dismay. "Why aren't you afraid of me?"

She stroked his forehead, passed her thumb over his cracked lips. "How can I be afraid of you when I love you so much."

The choked sob that escaped him didn't shock her so much as his falling to his knees to hug her. He cried like a babe against her stomach for about two seconds before he stiffened and backed up to look at her rounded belly.

He recoiled then, turning away from her. "Go away."

"Luke, please—"

The sound of clashing swords had her whirling about. The reapers had arrived. Oh-god, why were they fighting? Would Ashriel really hurt the others?

She turned to beg Lucien to hide. He stood before her, his eyes looking over her head at the entrance of the chamber.

"Ashriel?" He looked at her then, and she could see it in his eyes. They swept down to her stomach before snapping back up to her eyes. "You laid with Ashriel?"

She closed the distance between them and gripped his arms. Trying not to wince at how bony they were she shouted. "He wants to kill you. He saw the vid of when you helped my during my pregnancy with Gareth and lost it. He's raging mad with jealousy, Lucien. Please. You must hide. Open a portal and come back home with me."

Lucien just stared at her before looking back up. "He's jealous of me? Because you love me?"

"Yes, you fool. I love you, and—"

His lips covered hers, tongue sweeping in to taste her. He held her tight against him as he kissed her, and Annie felt herself recoil at the passion he unleashed toward her. It didn't feel right. She loved him, always had. Unfortunately, the love she felt for poor Lucien was not at all similar to what she felt for Ashriel. It never had been...never would be.

She was ripped from Lucien's arms and pressed into Natanael's.

"Hold her," Ashriel said, his voice cold with the promise of death.

His eyes were solid black orbs, his face expressionless. Ashriel was the very essence of a reaper.

Anniel screamed, trying to free herself from Natanael's firm hold. "No, Ashriel, don't. You'll fall from grace. I love you. I don't want to lose you. Don't kill him, please."

*** 

Through the silence of death, he heard her scream...but it was far off. Ashriel turned, feeling the icy cold grip of his power caress his very essence. His own aura burned, bright like a sun all around him. It stretched out, rays of light, decimating every foul thing in sight. Devils screeched, tried to fly away, but they moved too slow. The power of the divine one lending him the speed necessary to decimate them with only the touch of his aura.

Through the rain of white ash, the dark prince stood, his eyes steady on Ashriel. Those ice-blue eyes spoke of suffering and pain. They held no fear, only acceptance...relief. Lucien opened his arms, his eyes closing as a single tear rolled down his filthy bruised face.

Ashriel lifted his sword for the killing blow. He'd sliced the demon spawn's head first before sending his divine blade through his blackened heart.

Dominatio's appeared, their light almost blinding.

Would you sacrifice an innocent?

The softly whispered words gave him pause. He stood before Lucien, time virtually standing still. The Dominatios crowded closer.

Your sword. It does not glow.

The rage in Ashriel's heart cleared slightly as his eyes shifted to the blade he clutched in his fist. The steel remained bright silver like a mirror.

"He is the dark prince. He fornicated with the woman you love," another voice raged.

Ashriel looked to the boulder behind Lucien. There sat a jet-black devil, spiral curls adorning his head to his shoulders. The creature flashed fangs, his bright yellow eyes narrowing. He opened his bat-like wings, his tail whipping behind him like an angry feline. He pointed to Lucien. "He will take her from you. You heard them declare their love for one another."

Yes. He would. Lucien would return to Alpha 7 and claim Anniel.

His eyes drifted to Lucien again. There was unnatural stillness around him. It was his reaper's power that had slowed everything down, but he could feel time coiling tight. Soon he would lose his hold on it and it would snap back into place.

He loved Anniel, could never hurt her...and if it meant losing her to another...then so be it.

The black devil screeched in rage and then disappeared.

Time fell over him like a sonic wave. His arm continued to rise, Anniel's cries more frantic.

She loved him.

Lucien tipped his neck back, his chest expanding with a deep breath.

Ashriel backhanded him, sending him to the ground face first. His devil's wings spread in surprise. They were a putrid red, practically rotting off his back. Ashriel gripped them with a disgusted sneer.

"You won't be needing these anymore, dark prince."

His blade sliced cleanly through rotted flesh and brittle bone. Lucien screamed in agony, his blond hair reminding Ashriel of the time he done precisely the same to his father, Davariel. Only, Davariel had been so much more than his son. Lucien writhed in agony, blackened blood seeping out of the wings sluggishly. Bright red spewed from Lucien's back. He'd survive, but he'd need to have the remains of the wings removed from his back and spine.

He reached down to yank Lucien back up, but Anniel intercepted him.

"Stop," she screamed. "Don't kill him, Ashriel."

He looked down at her, her skin looked ashen, her eyes wild with terror. He cupped her cheek, wiping away the fine residue of ash that had fallen on her face. She was covered with it. "I wasn't going to, my love."

A flash of white and black caught his eye. Without thinking, he turned and slammed Anniel back into Natanael's arms. That had been Devon teleporting past him...and there was only one reason he'd do that.

Ignoring her cries of alarm, he spun and unleashed his power again.

It was too late though. The twins had already used their powers, Lucien to fling himself into the portal of the realm of shadows, and Devon to block him him.

He caught sight of Devon wrapping his arms around his brother just as they went through.

Ashriel opened his wings and flew. His arms managed to grip both men around their waists before the blast of cold wind hit him full force. He grunted when someone else grabbed him, looking down his body, he saw Remi and Zak holding on, Rowie and Anniel not far behind.

"Nooo," he cried.

Even if Anniel let go now, she'd be sucked into the vortex swirling around them.

Ashriel couldn't believe this was to be their end.

The dragons released their wings and began to flap them, trying to reverse their trajectory. He could see the strain on their faces. The shadows of more wings appeared around the girls. The other reapers were trying to help.

Ashriel opened his wings, the winds of the realm of shadows threatening to rip them off. His eyes leaked tears as his arms tightened harder on the struggling twins. Devon and Lucien were fighting. Lucien reined blows on his brother. Devon returned them.

"Fuck. You ass-hole. Let me go. Think of Angel, you idiot," Lucien screamed.

Ashriel felt Devon wrap his legs tighter around Lucien, One arm was around his back, his fist wound tightly in his brother's golden tresses.

Lucien pulled Devon's hair when punching him in the jaw didn't work.

Ashriel's eyes widened when the shadow of dark wings loomed in front of them. The wind threatened to peel the skin from his dried orbs, making him blink, and then the shadowed wings were gone.

He was seeing things.

Looking down, trying to gage whether the reapers were having any luck pulling them back into the cave, it was hard to tell because the purple mists of the realm of shadows was so thick, like smoke.

The two men in his hold jerked, making Ashriel look back up.

Davariel. His unnaturally big electric-blue eyes staring in wonder at his sons. His hair wiped about his face and body like liquid gold fire and his jet wings roared like thunder behind his back

Ashriel felt his heart almost stop. He was alive. Davariel was still alive.

The angel of destruction smiled at Devon and Lucien, and then turned. "Hold onto me, my love," he said.

Luciel. She'd grabbed his hair and was using it like a rope to pull herself up higher on his body. When she reached his waist, she wrapped her arms tightly around him. His billowing hair practically hid her from view then.

Once again, Davariel turned to Lucien and Devon and began pushing. He bared his teeth from the strain, his muscled arms bulging. Light began emanating from him—blinding light—until the angel looked like a god.

Ashriel had never felt more terror at Davariel's show of power. It was mind-blowing.

The light engulfed them all. Hundreds of Dominatio appeared, their tiny hands grasping them, until Ashriel felt smothered. He stared into the bright gold eyes of a cherub who smiled at him. Peace, it filled him, elated him. His heart was filled with joy like he'd never known, it made him almost break down and cry.

And ten he was falling to the cave floor.

They were all tangled in a mass of arms and legs.

It took him less than a second to call for Anniel, his hand already reaching out for her.

He'd barely wrapped his arms around his woman when Lucien's hair-raising wail filled the cave.

"Nooo. What did you do? I wanted to go with them."

Ashriel turned to see Devon, Zak, Remi and Seth struggling to subdue the hysterical ex-dark prince. He began to glow, Devon's countenance also limned with power in response. Not knowing what to do, Ashriel reached out to grip Lucien's flailing fist. Before he'd even touched him, Lucien cried out in surprise and then Remien covered his face with his hand.

"Sleep," the red weredragon commanded.

Just like that, the fight went out of Lucien. His eyes rolled back before his lids fluttered shut and his body went limp.

Remien Fyre grinned down at his mate. "Smart move, biting him."

Ashriel turned his head to gape at Rowie, blood dripping down her chin as she licked her lips. Lucien had two tiny holes on the inside of his thigh.

Ashriel frowned in dismay when he realized the man also had more marks of abuse all over his flesh.

"Let's get him back home," Devon declared.

Ashriel turned to look at the portal. Hundreds of Dominatio blocked it, but he could still hear the force of the winds within the portal.

At once he knew they would not allow him or anyone else to destroy the portal Dava himself had opened.

Davariel would return. The Dominatio would see to that...but when? And why?

*** 

Four days later, Anniel stood before the glass cylinder that held Lucien in stasis. Dr. Quinn had done a remarkable job removing all traces of the poisonous roots of the devil's wings that had been imbedded into his back. Remi had healed the bruises and open sores. A tube containing nutrients had been inserted into side of his neck and another to remove waste was at his groin.

Devon had held him the first night, like a babe in his lap, while silent tears rolled down his cheeks. The second night he called a meeting with the male Alpha Angels, including Ashriel and a few hours later they'd departed to the LOS.

Anniel hadn't had the opportunity to speak with Ashriel at all, but she knew there were very pressing matters at hand he needed to tend to if they were all going to remain safe.

She leaned against the glass with a sigh.

"So glad you're back home, sweetie. Everything's gonna be okay," she whispered, pushing her feelings of love and comfort into Lucien's slumbering mind. He stirred, a whimper sighing from his lips.

His lips moved, a slight twitch, as if he tried to speak, but his golden lashes remained over newly pinkened cheeks.

He was still so skinny, mere flesh pulled over bone. He'd had such a glorious body. To see him so emaciated brought tears to her eyes

"He'll recuperate, Annie."

Anniel turned to regard Rowie as she stepped up next to her. Rowie grinned before looking down at Lucien's unconscious form. "Once his system is strong enough, Remi's going to work at building his muscle tone back up."

Anniel looked back down at him, her eyes going over his naked body. The sight of so many scars, and bite marks made her shudder. Rowie put her arm around her, her head resting on her shoulder. Anniel slipped her arm around her sister's waist also. They both remained silent, concentrating on surrounding Lucien with their vibes of love.

*** 

Five day cycles, by Seraphian standards, similar to Edenia. Ashriel was anxious to return to Alpha 7, and Anniel.

Speaking at the LOS, didn't lessen the number of Master Guardians out to kill all of them, but at least the bounty had been removed. The LOS washed its hands of their fate, declaring they could not become involved in their problems.

The Vildminorian council demanded Devon turn over the babes born to Rowie, proclaiming them an evil abomination that could not be allowed to live.

Remi had almost shifted in his rage, but Devon managed to control him—just barely.

Even stating the babies were weredragons, not vampires, the Vildminorian council still demanded to have the twins handed over.

Again, the LOS declined becoming involved in this matter. It was of no importance to the safety of the galaxy.





Dark Angel Ch. 13



Ashriel stood by their side listening attentively, knowing that soon he would need to return to plead another case...the one of his reaper daughter growing in Anniel's womb. When the hierarchy of priests on Seraphia felt the power of a newborn reaper entering this realm, they would demand he turn her over to them. Since he'd been cast out for being a fallen reaper, he would not see her for many siglons. The pain of it tightened his chest. Anniel would be heartbroken at having another child removed from her.

Taking a deep breath as the familiar hull of Alpha 7 came into view, he knew he needed to act to prevent his daughter from being taken from his and her mother's side. He'd train her to be a holy warrior himself. If she chose to follow her vocation then so be it, but she wouldn't be forced, as he had been. It would ultimately be her choice.

The presence of legions of Vipers swarmed around Alpha 7. Ashriel frowned, leaning closer to the view screen.

"There are more Dark Angles guarding our home."

Ashriel turned to Devon. "More?"

The bioluminescence of his eyes seemed dimmer to Ashriel, making him wonder at its cause. Devon smiled. "We're pretty well protected. They're being trained by holographic replicas of Seth, Lucien, and me."

Ashriel gaped at Devon. "Lucien?"

Devon nodded. "Lucien was one of our best trainers. As soon as he's better, I have hopes he can integrate back into the group. He'll always be an Alpha Angel no matter what."

Ashriel nodded, turning back to the view screen.

Devon asked, "Are you still going to investigate what started the galactic war?"

Ashriel thought for a moment and finally answered. "I think it's important."

Devon touched Ashriel's shoulder. "I want to help."

"I appreciate your help." He looked at his boots before turning to face Devon fully. "I apologize for the way I've acted toward you and the others."

"It was your duty, Ashriel. I understand and hold no grudge."

Ashriel felt humbled by Devon's benevolence. Remembering the strange transformation he beheld on Rhylos, Ashriel reached out and cupped Devon's face, staring deep into those eyes of blue fire.

The vision shook him to the core.

Falling. They were falling. Beings made of pure energy. They traversed from Ainrodonel, the edges of this realm covering them in a smothering layer. Crashing together when they hit the physical realm, they merged and then there was nothing...

Ashriel stumbled back, shaken. Devon reached out, gripping his arms. "Are you okay, Ash?"

For a moment he could not speak. He knew they were divine angels, trapped in mortal flesh, but seeing them in their natural form had shaken him to the core. There were four with the essence of maleness about them. Davariel, Devon, Jazriel—Devon's son...but one was still missing. Was the last one still buried within Devon's baby? Would this angel be the one to open the gates of Hell and set Lucifer free as the prophesy warned?

Jazriel must never mate with a reaper. But how to avoid that when Alpha 7 swarmed with fallen reapers? The angel that sets Lucifer free was foretold to have hair of gold and wings of jet.

"Ash?"

Devon's worried stare had Ashriel breaking out of his reverie.

They were entering the airlocks that led them into Alpha 7's hangar in the underbelly of the space station.

Vipers, Fire Chariots, and a few Silver Comets filled the once empty hangar. Alpha 7 was bustling with life once again.

Remi, who'd left the second day they were at the LOS, stood, looking angry, in the hangar.

Devon, Seth, Zak and the reapers that had accompanied them exited the starcruiser.

"Dev, you've got to do something."

"What's the problem?" Devon asked the red weredragon as Ashriel stepped next to them.

"It's the reapers. They're blocking the entrance to the envirolevel. As soon as I finished healing Lucien, they took him out of the stasis cylinder and moved him to the envirolevel. They've got him on a fucking blanket by the lake."

"Easy, Rem," Devon said putting his hand on the riled weredragon's shoulder.

"Easy my ass," Remi snarled, shaking Devon's hand off, green-gold eyes flashing dangerously. "Why wasn't he taken to his quarters? They've got him sleeping out in the woods like some fucking animal."

Devon opened his mouth, but it was Ashriel who responded. "We thought it best that Lucien remain in the enviro-level until we're sure he awakens in the right state of mind."

Remien looked at Ashriel clearly baffled. "What the fuck?"

"He'll be safer there," Ashriel added as Devon nodded.

"Safer? Safer from what?"

"Rem, the demons will try to take him back if he still harbors darkness in his soul," Devon tried to explain.

Remi's jaw dropped even as his brows drew tighter together. He suddenly summoned his divine sword, brandishing it angrily. "Well, then put him in my room with Row and me. I'd like to see some fucking demon try to make off with him."

Devon smiled, but Ashriel rolled his eyes.

"Remi," Devon began again, "I know you want to protect him, but you're forgetting your babies ravenous appetite for blood. Having Lucien's scent around will having them crying around the clock. Which in turn will upset the other babies, not to mention the mothers, aboard Alpha 7."

Remi's shoulders slumped.

"He'll be fine, dragon," Ashriel said. "Where is Anniel?"

Remi's eyes sparkled again, a grin growing on his face. "Last I saw her, she was trying to convince the reapers guarding the entrance to the enviro-level to let her in to see Luke."

Ashriel's chest tightened, but he pushed the uneasy feeling away.

Remi's eyes narrowed. "You know, you never really did thank me for getting you guys together."

Ashriel scowled at him. "Don't push your luck, Remien Fyre. Your method was poorly formulated, stupidly executed, and I wouldn't be surprised if it was under the influence of alcohol."

Remi blinked at him for two seconds before shrugging. "Hey, it got you two together, and you're going to be a daddy, so I say I'm a fucking genius." He folded his arms over his chest, his golden Alpha Angels insignia glinting on his solid black uniform as one tawny brow rose beneath strands of wild red hair. "An unappreciated one as always."

Ashriel turned on his heel, striding toward the nearest exit.

*** 

Anniel glared at Amadashiel and the two dark angels whose names she as of yet did not know. There were so many of them now, it was virtually impossible to know them all.

"He shouldn't be alone all the time," she argued. "He needs to feel the love of his brothers and sisters."

Amadashiel grinned, batting her lashes. "Well if it's love he needs, I can give him plenty. He's absolutely gorgeous."

Anniel scowled at her. "That's not the type of love I mean. And he's still unconscious so don't you dare molest him. He doesn't know you and has been through allot."

The reaper only snickered making Anniel's temper rise.

A thickly muscled arm circled her waist, making her jump.

Ashriel leaned down over her shoulder and kissed her cheek.

Anniel gasped and turned, almost knocking him over when she jumped into his arms. "Baby. When did you get back?"

He held her a moment, his nose in her hair. She'd had her hygiene unit smooth out the curls until it fell in a satiny mass of gold to her backside.

"Scarcely a few minutes ago. We no longer have a bounty on our heads, but the LOS refuses to extend their protection to Alpha 7. We are on our own."

Anniel closed her eyes, her finger sieving through his silky hair before stroking the tops of his wings behind his shoulders. "That's okay. Dev will keep us safe."

He flinched and slowly moved back enough to look at her face without letting her go. "I can keep you safe too, Anniel."

She pouted up at him. "Of course you can, sweetheart. I... I'm sorry if I—"

He put his finger over her lips, staring deep into her eyes. When he leaned forward to claim her mouth, Anniel stiffened, feeling the stares of the three reapers at her back. These were people she did not know or trust or like, in Amadashiel's case.

Ashriel stopped and looked behind her. His expression hardened as he straightened. Taking her hand, he approached the reapers blocking the doors to the envirolevel.

"Step aside," he commanded, sharp steel in his tone.

The three reapers seemed to jump away, their eyes huge.

The enormous metal doors hissed open letting out the last rays of simulated sunlight.

Hand in hand, Anniel and Ashriel stepped into the envirolevel. The sun was a fiery display of gold dipping behind the far mountains on the other side of the ten-mile wide tropical forest. The lake in the middle gleamed like a jewel, beckoning them closer.

Anniel let her power out, stripping them of their clothing, because to cover oneself in such a sanctuary of natural beauty, simulated or not, was an insult to its purity. Ashriel stumbled when he looked at her, but Anniel only giggled and tugged him after her as she headed toward the lake.

The warm air played with her hair and the soft grass tickled her feet. Laughing as they stepped through palms fronds and flowery boughs, Anniel playfully skittered away from Ashriel's attempts to pinch her butt cheeks. His eyes were dark, stormy grey, promising to unleash a torrent of passion upon her willing body. She bit her lip and gave him her most coquettish smile. He growled at her making her inner wolf want to pant and turn her tail up in submission.

But later. First she needed to see to Lucien, or Luke as they usually almost always called him.

Lucien lay peacefully on a thick blanket layered over a mattress. His hair shimmered bright gold over the fleecy white blanket, and his body bulged with muscle.

The breeze coming off the lake was warm. Still, she felt the need to swaddle him in something, wondering if the night might become cool. Every maternal instinct in her wanted to cuddle up next to him, to give him warmth and reassurance.

Ashriel surprised her by leading her onto the makeshift bed.

They both knelt and then sat by Lucien's unconscious body.

"He looks much better," Ashriel commented reaching out to touch him.

When Ashriel's fingertips brushed Lucien's sculpted abs, Lucien stiffened and cried out. His head thrashed against the pillows while his fingers gripped the blanket in terror.

Ashriel recoiled as if burned, his eyes wide in confusion.

Anniel understood—the feel of another male's touch was never welcomed by Lucien. Somehow, even unconscious, he could feel or sense the difference.

Acting on instinct, she covered him with her own body, fighting to calm his shuddering and terror.

"Luke. Luke, honey, calm-calm," she pleaded smoothing her hands over his face and chest as he twitched and panted. "Baby, it's me. Annie."

She continued to stroke him and murmur reassurances until he stopped thrashing, his lashes twitching as if trying to open. He moaned, trying to say her name. One tear rolled out from the corner of his closed lid.

"Yes, sweetie. Annie. You're going to be all right. We brought you back home." She kissed his cheeks, his forehead, let him take in her scent.

"Uuunnn..." He arched weakly against her and Anniel gasped when she felt his erection pressing against her hip.

Heart breaking, she backed away and looked at Ashriel.

He eyes were still on Lucien, taking in his state of arousal before slowly moving to Anniel's face.

She saw his vulnerability, this regal death angel, and her chest tightened further. She loved Lucien, but Ashriel was...Ashriel was her true-mate. The love she had for him on a whole other level and scale.

"I would not make you chose, my love, but seeing your flesh pressed so intimately against another male..." He raised his hand to his chest. "It hurts me here," he whispered at last.

Blinking back the wetness that stung her eyes, she moved into his arms. "Oh, Ashriel. I don't want to hurt you."

She kissed him then, her tongue stroking his with possessiveness.

Softly, she reached to his mind and felt the fragile wall he'd erected to keep the others at a distance. Feeling her presence, he opened to her, his soul unfurling like a sun-kissed rose.

Anniel held tight to her Alpha Angel brothers and sisters, letting the love she felt for them flood Ashriel. His wings jerked open and he broke the kiss to stare at her in wonder.

"God almighty," he whispered, understanding lighting his bright grey eyes.

She smiled enjoying his awestruck expression. He now understood. Still, she felt when he withdrew mentally.

"That's fine, but I do not feel comfortable with the spiritual intimacy with Remien Fyre."

Remi's telepathic chuckling made Anniel need to bite the insides of her cheeks to keep from giggling with him. That Red was such a rascal.

And sexy too—he growled in her head. The statement was quickly followed by Zak's sniggering and Seth's snort.

She could feel Devon's amusement as well as Rowie, Alluna, and Angel's, though they remained quiet, continuing their individual tasks like normal.

Reaching for Ashriel again, she cupped his face. You don't have to link to all of us if it makes you feel uncomfortable."

He circled her waist with his arms, his wings coming forward to embrace her as well. "I would not have you unlink to them either. I know you are a family. I promise I will try to become a little closer to all of them...eventually." He frowned. "Even the crazy one."

Remi's insulted feelings skittered through her before she shut him down and out of her mind. She wanted to concentrate on her man...this beautiful Seraph before her.

Taking one last look at Lucien who'd finally settled down, she led Ashriel off his bed.

They tumbled to the soft grassy ground, fusing their mouths again.

Anniel loved kissing him, the softness of his firm, lush lips. He sucked her tongue into his mouth before spearing hers with his, mimicking what he wanted to do to her with another part of his anatomy. Anniel groaned and arched against him when he nudged her legs apart with his own. She sighed and rubbed herself against his firm, hot flesh as her hands ran over his strong arms. The feel of him was glorious and when his wings began to spread, her eyes grew unfocused at the magnificence of the sight. God help her—she was so Ashriel-struck.

He leaned away, letting his hand slide down to her rounded belly, caressing it reverently.

"So beautiful," he crooned.

The breeze played with the dark strands of his hair, as if unable to resist its luxuriant texture. The dying rays of sunlight created a halo behind his head and wings, taking her breath away. His dark beauty mesmerized her...her dark angel.

She sucked in a harsh breath when his hand slipped between her legs.

Immediately, she spread them wider in invitation. He grinned seductively as he pet her wet folds. Anniel groaned and bucked her hips slowly, in tandem to his lazy thrusts.

He bent his head to one of her dark nipples, licking the taut nub first before sucking it and a generous portion of her breast into his hot mouth.

His fingers thrust deeper, bringing his thumb into play against her clit. Anniel clutched his bulky shoulders, spreading her legs like a wanton as she mewled her delight.

Ashriel nipped his way to the other nipple that also begged for attention. Her back left the ground as he tugged fiercely on her nipple.

His thick fingers plumbed her engorged depths, still, she fucked her cunt hard against the invading digits.

"Oh, Ashriel, yes," she panted. "Yes, baby. Fuck me...just like that." With a shout of completion, she surprised them both by splashing her bliss almost up his arm.

Panting, she watched him sit up looking a little baffled by what he'd made her body do. She knew she used to come this way when she was in heat, but she felt none of the clawing pain that accompanied her heat cycle. Ashriel brought his fingers to his face, closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. Anniel felt her pussy convulse at the sight, and almost came again when he popped his glistening fingers into his mouth, groaning with obvious pleasure at her taste.

"Well, that's no fair," she panted. "I want a taste of you too."

With little resistance, she put him on his back and decided to attack his nipples first. He had a gorgeous chest, bulging with meaty, squared out pectorals. His dusky nipples were mere points, which she took pleasure in tormenting, making him twitch and squirm beneath her. She tested the firmness of his pecs with her teeth, but the sight of his rippling abs tempted her to lick lower. Kissing her way past his delineated ribs and tightly packed abdominal muscles, she toyed a bit with his navel. He had a sweet 'innie'—a ticklish one from the way he gasped and tried to steer her head away. It made her laugh and want to tease him a bit more. He made a tight tormented sound when she nibbled his hipbone, his mouth-watering thighs pulling up a bit. The movement made his long, thick cock hit her cheek wetly.

Rearing up a bit, feeling quite naughty, she snaked her hand between his thighs to cup his heavy balls. Ashriel's ass left the ground as he sucked in a harsh breath. The moan that rushed immediately afterward made Anniel feel powerful.

She fondled his sack, marveling at the smooth tightness of the skin. They were pulled up against his quivering shaft. Her eyes traveled the length of the curved flesh of Ashriel's cock so long, so thick, so yummy-looking. His belly was already wet with the fluid that dripped from the swollen head.

"Annie," he breathed, his hips moving restlessly.

Sliding her hand up his straining length, she gripped him gently. He clenched his fists when she pressed her nose against his balls. His scent was crisp, clean, pure, and sweet.

"Oh-god," he cried when she licked one testicle and then the other before taking the first into her mouth to savor it.

Anniel dug the nails of her right hand into the meat of his thigh while her left hand gently pulled his shaft higher, making the balls she sucked tenderly tighten further. She could feel his precum anointing her fingers. A long low moan was her reward when she licked a slow path up the length of him. His taste was sublime and she lapped at his cumhole hungrily making him hiss and whimper.

He rose on his elbows, his thighs beginning to tremble, "Annie-Annie-please."

When she slid her mouth down his length, he dropped back, his head thumping the ground forcefully. "Fuck," he cried out, slapping his hands over his face.

Fighting the urge to grin, she hollowed out her cheeks, sealing her lips around his girth and sucked.

Again, his ass left the ground as he arched in sexual agony.

The feel of his pulsing dick in her mouth was the best aphrodisiac. She suckled it ravenously, closing her teeth around the bottom of the ruddy head to roll her tongue around his cumhole, swallowing the copious amounts of fluid he oozed. She was, after all, very thirsty. But the taste of his cock made her hungry for more. She wanted to feel him come in her mouth, swallow him down until her very pores exuded his essence. Fucking his cumhole with her tongue made him jerk his hips and grow frantic, so she stopped tormenting him to enjoy the taste and feel of his flesh as it slid along her tongue and palate.

Anniel bobbed her head quickly, taking his length as far back as she could and still be able to breathe. What she couldn't fit she stroked with her hand, because Ashriel was a mighty big boy.

"Anniel," he gasped in desperation, his hand going into her hair.

Let me, baby—she moaned into his mind. Let me taste all of you.

His fingers tangled in her long locks and she almost recoiled when he pushed her harder, making her take more of him as he fucked her mouth without restraint.

Her pussy clenched, juices flooding her folds to wet her thighs, surprised to find she enjoyed his rough dominance. His moans grew sharper, his thrusts more insistent until with a strangled cry, he flooded her mouth and throat with hot semen. She almost choked on it, but swallowed as fast as it jetted out. He let her go, shuddering, but still she sucked and licked, getting every last drop as he continued to moan loudly in satisfaction. After a while, he whimpered and curled away obviously growing too sensitive.