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The Order Ch. 00

By: purefire



It was imperative that she find much information as she could before the night was out. This wasn't simply research for a paper; no, it was research that would reveal the truth about a great many things in her life. Once she had everything she needed, she could unveil the truth, take the bastards down. Yes, once she was able to find the evidence that proved everything she knew, she would avenge the vast discretion done to her.

Everything started with a simple story her Uncle Bernard always told her. The Order of Zebulon, one of the most notorious leagues of demons, was responsible for the death of her parents. As a young girl, she listened closely to every detail her uncle remembered; Elizabeth and Michael Stevens weren't killed by a drunken truck driver as the police reports stated. No, they were murdered, the command given by the Order. "They knew too much", Uncle Bernie said, "They couldn't leave well alone. They just had to know what The Order was about, had to expose them." As a result, The Order took care of the complication threatening to reveal their underground community. Elizabeth and Michael Stevens were murdered before their car was pushed off the road, an innocent truck driver framed for their deaths.

"How do you know all of this, Uncle Bernie?" She would ask.

"Because I used to work for them." Was all he said.

It was incredibly easy for her to believe when she was seven years old, especially after seeing the coin he kept in his room. It was a special coin owned exclusively by those who worked for The Order, used as a form of identification. Uncle Bernie was the only family she'd ever known. After her parents were taken from her, she was given to him, a fate she would always be grateful for; she was never left wanting but at the same time, was brought up with the knowledge that earning everything she had was more rewarding than simply receiving it. Though his bedtime stories were often filled with demons and very scary beings, they always ended happily while at the same time informing her of what he deemed very important. At seven years old, Bernie's scary stories and odd behaviors were funny but as soon as she turned thirteen, she began to understand that his actions were more abnormal than she was comfortable with.

Soon after her fourteenth birthday, Bernie stopped leaving the house. If groceries were needed or errands had to be run, he would have one of the neighbors' older sons do the work for him. Because he worked from home to take care of her, there was always a steady flow of income to support them. She didn't care; if her Uncle Bernie did not want to leave the house, then he did not have to. It was his right. Though it often made her uncomfortable to watch him pace the length of the living room for hours, she said nothing, figuring that his work had him anxious.

When she was fifteen, she was no longer able to ignore the fact that he spoke to people who weren't there. In the shadows, she watched as Bernie had full blown arguments with no one and once went as far as to hold an obscure looking crossbow to the mantle. As much as it worried her, she remained silent, even after a very strange looking woman in blue robes came to the house. She was sent to her room for three full hours, the entire time wondering what could possibly occurred downstairs that she had to be sent to her room. She never asked however; her uncle was always on edge and it seemed as if at any moment he would take his frustrations out on her. She cried herself to sleep that night, and many nights afterward, praying that things would work out; Uncle Bernie simply had a rough time and would eventually be the carefree man she once knew him to be.

As time went on, Bernie became progressively worse. The day before she was to turn eighteen, he was diagnosed with schizophrenia. She wondered how he could have been diagnosed when he never left the house. She later learned that Bernie neglected to end a call to one of his superiors and was overheard having another argument with one of his imaginary adversaries. Concerned, a psychologist was sent to see him and within only a few minutes he was committed. He fought to stay in the house, screaming that he had to stay, to protect her from those who wished nothing more than to harm her the way they did her parents. The doctors didn't listen.

"Remember the stories, girl!" he shouted as they dragged him out of the house, "Never let your guard down!" That was the last time she ever saw him.

Within a week, Bernie had committed suicide.

She was now twenty-two, a senior in college, desperate to start her life outside of the college/town she'd called home for four years. Yes, she lived in an apartment complex a town away, but her life was in the university library. As a pre-medical major, there was little room for anything else.

There she sat in the library, furiously working on gaining any information she could on The Order of Zebulon. Not only was it the main topic of her final paper, but it was the only clue she had to learning whether or not any of the stories Bernie told her were true. Once he was committed, she turned her back on any belief of his stories. How could she believe a diagnosed schizophrenic? There was no reason for her to believe someone who spoke to people who were not in the room.

That was of course, until she encountered the Myths and Legends of the Supernatural course she was enrolled in. It was coincidence which brought her to the class; she needed one more elective to graduate. Looking through the list of electives being offered during the semester, she stumbled upon the extraordinary course and would have looked passed it - had she not glanced at the course description which named a few mythical demonic avenues, one of which was The Order of Zebulon. It was the first time she'd ever seen or heard of the name since her uncle died. On a whim, she enrolled and soon became obsessed with learning everything she could about The Order. In the few short weeks she'd been in class, she'd learned more than enough to believe her uncle's words once more. The Order of Zebulon was real and they had something to do with the death of her parents.

If she was right, they had something to do with the death of her uncle as well.

The Order was the basis of her final paper, a paper which would unveil everything about them. She would bring them out of hiding and would find a way to not only bring them to justice, but find the man hired to murder her parents. Their lives were not worth the protection of The Order's existence. Once she was done with the task, she could move past the obsession.

"Nadia, are you working on that paper again?"

She turned to her left and nodded at Spencer, her Comparative Anatomy laboratory partner. He was a pleasant boy with cropped copper hair, brown eyes, and a warm smile. But he was too nosy for her comfort. For three weeks he continually questioned her on what she knew about The Order, often asking if she could name anyone as a member. She lied, saying that she did not know much, when in fact she knew that there were members everywhere. She knew that The Order was capable of terrible things, all through the guise of humanity. They possessed humans, devoured their souls for energy and life, then used the bodies to carry out their demonic missions. In the beginning, their simple purpose was to devour souls, to increase their power enough to fight those who hunted them but in recent years, they'd began walking the earth in possessed bodies, learning the ways of the human world. Through their knowledge, they'd become thirsty for power, manipulating humanity by taking over the bodies of the most powerful people they knew. There were also regular humans under their employ, humans so desperate for power that they would do anything they were told. There were probably members at the university - a legitimate reason for her to remain as quiet as possible about the subject. It wasn't safe to share her secrets until she knew everything.

"Yes, Spence, I am." Nadia turned back to the mountain of books before her and began to flip through pages. She'd skimmed through those very books every day for nearly two months and could recite many passages by memory. Still, she continued to look through them, each time hoping that she'd overlooked something important. "If I want to get an A on this paper, I have to work on it everyday." She did not look toward Spencer and did not catch the skeptical look he gave her.

"You work too hard on that stuff, you know." Spencer shook his head and looked at Nadia closely. Her long hair was put up in one of the messiest buns he's ever seen. The long ebony locks laced with touches of burgundy still looked soft and silky, however, forcing him to gaze at them for the slightest of moments. Looking at her face once more, he frowned at the intense concentration in her gaze. Her dark brown eyes were fixed on the pages of the books in front of her. He was sure that she didn't notice that she scrunched her straight but small and slightly upturned nose when she read something she did not like. Through the rich milk chocolate color of her skin, he saw the flush on her cheeks. Was she hot or frustrated?

Without looking at Spencer, Nadia shrugged. "It's the only thing in my live I've been truly obsessed with."

Saying nothing for a moment, Spencer eyed Nadia closely. Her stubborn chin was set; she wasn't planning on going anywhere anytime soon. "Be careful. Sometimes obsessions can become deadly."

* * * * *

The room reeked of evil. Upon close inspection, it could not be called a room; the cave-like walls were rough and protruded in many places. The murky brown of the makeshift walls coupled with the dirt covered ground was enough to make the skin of the most unclean of people crawl.

Five figures sat within those walls, each seated at the large table positioned at the center of the room. They watched as a sixth walked into the room and braced themselves for what they were to hear.

"She knows more than we anticipated. It is suspected that it will be a matter of days before she realizes that she's being watched. The recommended course of action is elimination."

Nodding in unison, the five figures dismissed the sixth before turning to each other.

"Why were we not informed that there was another set to expose The Order?" It was Astaroth who spoke, the leader and creator of The Order of Zebulon. It was his duty to ensure the survival of his organization and to keep the identities of all of his informants veiled. Exposure would ruin everything he worked for. The fact that one lowly human woman, a college student stood in the way of the plans he was more than enough to anger him.

"We did not know of her plans or existence until a few weeks ago."

Astaroth looked to his confidant, Nebiros and resisted the urge to strike him. Nebiros was his trusted associate, one who worked with him for over a century. The tan colored skin riddled with boil-like protrusions reminded him of what he was to protect. The Order of Zebulon was an order of demons, created by demons. His four trusted confidants would no doubt come to an acceptable conclusion. "Why wasn't she eliminated in the beginning?"

"She was deemed unimportant, my liege." Botis, the first commander, placed a hand on his large stomach, prepared to feel the wrath of his leader. Astaroth was a powerful demon, something that was seen by his presence; he was tall with thin, green scaly skin coupled with powerful lizard-like hands. He commanded respect with his presence and received nothing less.

Astaroth looked at his second in command and wondered why he was in league with idiots. The situation should not have gotten to this extreme. Botis looked extremely calm. It wasn't easy to tell if he was distressed; Botis was red, riddled with yellow markings all over his short and stout body. Because he was so large, it was hard to read the emotions on his face. "The human should not be this much of a problem." He looked to Moloch, his second commander, in charge of the members of The Order who inhabited the surface. The main reason for his job title was that he was the only one of the five of them to most resemble a human; aside from being tall, Moloch had pale skin. Though he had red eyes, they were easily concealed. His hands, however, were not. Moloch's hands were webbed, a distinct feature of his breed of demon. "Moloch, How much do our informants have on her?"

Moloch took a breath before speaking. "She was raised by the one we called Bernard."

Astaroth took a breath before he spoke again. The situation was worse than he thought. "Why wasn't she removed when we took care of him?"

"He was committed before removal. She thought he was crazy, just as all other humans did. We did not think it was necessary to have her eliminated."

"Well, that's just nice." Botis shook his head slowly. "Had you had the informants take care of her then, we wouldn't be in this predicament."

"She was a child, Botis." Moloch shook his head. He did not mind having adults assassinated, but not children; it was very rare that they were aware of what went on around them.

"She is still a human!" Botis screamed as he slammed his hand on the table top. "That is more than enough reason for elimination." Botis never liked humans. After the fifth member of the original Order, Forcas, was killed because he felt it necessary to interact with the foul creatures, he made it his personal task of killing as many as he could.

"Enough!" Astaroth looked at his fellow members in disgust. "We are not here to argue, but to come together to find the best assassin for her removal." Taking a breath, he looked at his fellow members. "Any suggestions?"

"Rhotomago, leader of the Rhoto clan." Botis nodded as he stated his suggestion, convinced that his was the best choice. Rhotomago was a vicious killer, hunting until he was sure his task was completed.

Nebiros shook his head as he said, "No, he is not fierce enough. His kills are messy and careless." They needed a strong assassin, one who would not leave any loose ends. "What of Gresil of the Verrin?"

Astaroth nodded in thought. "A good choice. A worthy assassin for what we must have done but he is well known for being fickle and betraying anyone for the right price." The human was too much of a threat for them to hire a demon like Gresil. "We are on the right path."

"Andraemalek." Moloch said the name softly, knowing that the suggestion was risky. Andraemalek was of the Belial, a breed of demons well known for their hunting and killing. He was also a member of The Brethren, a fierce and close knit group of demon hunters. "He is a very independent assassin and may not take the mission."

"He has worked for The Order in the past." Botis knew of Andraemalek's reputation. He was the one to rid The Order of the last threat of discovery. "He will work for us again if we can guarantee a payment he cannot refuse."

There was a tense moment of silence before Astaroth spoke. "I know of a reward he will not be able to refuse. You must not fight me on this; it is imperative that the human is removed." When his fellow members nodded, Astaroth used ancient magic passed down to him from his creators to call forth the demon no one dared ask anything of. The chants took but a few minutes; within seconds of his last words, Andraemalek appeared before the men. He stood on the table, furious at being interrupted.

"Why did you summon me?!?" Andraemalek stared down at the four demons seated at the long rectangular table on which he stood. He knew where he was; The Order of Zebulon was notorious for summoning the demons they needed at their leisure. He'd been in the very same position before; years ago he was hired to kill two demons The Order feared would betray them. He didn't care; he wasn't a member and was simply paid handsomely for his talents. But that was in the past; he had no real interest in hunting anymore. He wanted power, assurance that he would never have to work for anyone else. The fact that The Order summoned him was enraging; he had better things to do with his time.

Astaroth stared at Andraemalek in appreciation. The hunter was a large and menacing demon; the dark blue and black stripes of his skin only seemed to enhance the danger in his presence. It was apparent to all in the room that he was as dark as his eyes, a stark contrast from the fact that he was only half demon. Yes, Andraemalek was a fine choice; being half Brethren, he could change his appearance to blend in with the humans. Coupled with the fact that his abilities as an assassin were only heightened by the humanity in him, Andraemalek was a dangerous weapon, one he intended to use. "I have a mission for you to complete."

"What is this mission and what makes you think that I would accept it?" Andraemalek was in no mood to deal with these demons. They didn't even have what it took to take care of their own problems. What could they possibly offer him for this job?

"We want you to kill a human." Moloch sat back and watched as Andraemalek seethed at being summoned. He figured it would be better if he was angry; he would be more inclined to finish the job that much quicker. "She knows too much about us. We need you to find out what she knows, who knows what she knows, and to kill them all."

It was a simple mission, one that would probably take him a month to complete. The thought was slightly intriguing; it wasn't often that Andraemalek traveled to the realm of humans. He wondered if things changed. He did not want the mission but had to admit it was better than pacing the length of his home. Taking a deep breath, he spoke. "I do not kill humans. You know this."

"Even if she threatens to reveal us all?" Astaroth watched as the demon thought of the consequences of exposure. "What would that mean for your precious Brethren?"

Andraemalek took a breath. As the only half demon that was also part of the Brethren, he was in twice the jeopardy than anyone. Ridding the world of one human was an evil he was ready to commit for the sake of all others. "What do I get for my troubles?"

"You would become the sixth member of our council." Astaroth expected argument from the other members and hid his surprise when there was none. Did they agree with his decision? Of course they did; they would not have to worry about hiring any assassins. With Andraemalek on the council he would be inclined to take care of any complications on his own.

Andraemalek thought for a moment. He'd wanted to become part of The Order, but strictly for his personal reasons. He knew that he was being offered a very high position. His main goal was to gain as much power as possible. If he had to start with the council, so be it. "We have an agreement."

Immensely pleased and surprised, Astaroth nodded. "You must live in her world, blend with her people and become someone she trusts. It is imperative we know everything she knows."

"This is not my first kill, Astaroth. I know what I have to do." Andraemalek balled his hands into fists. He felt the blood rushing through his veins, a sign that the kill would be worth while. "Soon she will face her fate."

The Order Ch. 01



It would take one last trip to the basement of the library for Nadia to get the information on Forcas, one of the original members of The Order of Zebulon. According to many of the books she read, he was in charge of keeping all other demon sects in line. He was also in charge of the various hit-men The Order had under employ. At first she overlooked all information on him but after reading a particular passage which described his dealings with humans she realized he was worth further investigation. Not only was he able to shape shift, but he used his abilities to walk around and travel the world. She needed to know as much about him as she could. This was a lead she could not give up.

Nadia took the elevator to the basement, uncomfortable with taking the stairs. Yes, the stairwell was lit, but it was in a secluded corner of the library. Anything could happen to her and no one would be able to help her. The elevator was in the center of the library; she would be seen getting on if anything happened. It wasn't much better than the stairwell, but there was some insurance, especially considering the fact that no one went to the basement unless they were looking for dark and dangerous things as she was.

Once the elevator doors opened, Nadia stepped out and began searching through the various shelves. There were many books on witchcraft, sorcery, and even cultural folklore. There was an entire section specifically for vampires and one on werewolves. The section she searched for, the section specifically on demons and demonic culture was in the very back of the basement, toward the left corner. Of course such a delicate subject would be kept in the most secret of places; what sane person would want to know about such things?

With a sigh, Nadia walked to the section she was to search in. She hoped she would find a book on Forcas. This was something that could help her find the demon that killed her parents and uncle.

Suddenly stopping, she looked around. Something wasn't right. It felt as if she wasn't alone, and not in a good way. Turning three-hundred-sixty degrees, she looked about the shelves carefully. She wanted to go back upstairs, but couldn't until she found the book she needed. When she was sure there was no one else in the basement with her, she turned back to her task. It took long minutes and several curses, but finally she was able to find a book which had the information she needed. Excited, she clutched it to her chest as she made her way back to the elevator. She stopped again, however, when she noticed a movement to the right. She wasn't sure, but she could have sworn it was a man. A very large man. Not taking any chances, she walked to the elevator. She needed to get to the main floor where there were people and more than two exits.

Nadia stopped again when she saw the figure again. It too was headed to the elevator. "I don't think so," she whispered. Turning left, she began to weave through the aisles, trying her best to throw whoever was downstairs off to what she was doing. As she weaved, she walked toward the staircase, convinced that she would be able to make it unnoticed. The last thing she needed was to get attacked in the semi-scary basement of the university library.

When Nadia heard a noise to the left, she started running. She was determined to make it to the staircase and to the main floor before anything happened. She knew that she was probably overreacting, that reading about demons everyday for over two months turned her into a paranoid psychopath, but she did not care. She would have preferred looking like an idiot rather than being caught unaware.

All she needed was a left turn and she would make it to the staircase. Then she would be safe. Nadia felt relief washing over her. Once she was upstairs she would laugh at herself. Until then, she would keep running.

Nadia screamed in shock when she felt as if she slammed into a brick wall. She went flying backward but was able to stay on her feet. The book in her hands unfortunately fell out of her arms and landed on her left foot. Cursing again, she reached out and held onto a bookshelf for support. "What the hell..." Looking up, Nadia nearly fell over. She was right; there was a large man in the basement with her. But she never expected a man like this; he had to be at least six foot three and from what she could see, he was nothing but solid muscle. His forearm had to be the size of her calf - and being a plus sized woman meant her calf wasn't small. His skin was the color of toffee; smooth, flawless, and absolutely decadent. Looking at his face, Nadia felt her breath catch in her throat; his square-shaped face was nothing but sharp angles and mystery. He was a bald man with thick, dark eyebrows over black searching eyes that burned into her. His nose was not overly large, but it was slightly crooked, an obvious sign of a break sometime in his past. His lips, while not thick, were not lacking.

He had to be the sexiest man she'd ever seen in her life.

She looked him over again. Being the size that she was, Nadia was used to being around men who were her height and were smaller than she was. Even the men she knew who exercised religiously had smaller frames than she did. This man did not. It was quite apparent that he could probably cover her face with his hand if he wanted. He made her feel small, as if he could lift her off the ground with his index finger. She did not like this new vulnerability and decided that she needed to get away from him. "Uh, sorry." She bent to retrieve her book and gasped when his hand covered hers. They'd reached for the book at the same time. Surprised, she lifted her head and found herself inches from him. She tried to back away but could not move far because he still had her hand in his.

"Don't worry about it."

Nadia nearly fainted. His voice was rich, deep, and extremely arousing. It was the kind of voice that would paralyze a woman when he whispered, the kind of voice that would make her do anything with the slightest command. Confused, she watched as he used his other hand to retrieve her book before he helped her to stand. Her heart felt as if it would explode at any given moment. The feelings coursing through her were new and she did not know how to process them. She'd been in front of the man for less than two minutes and was ready to melt.

Clutching the book to her chest, she looked away from him. If she didn't, she would stare at him forever. She wanted to. Hell, she wanted to do more than stare. "Uh, thanks." Before things became tenser than they already were, Nadia skirted her way around him and ran up the stairs as fast as her thick legs would allow. Once on the main floor, she allowed herself to take a proper breath. Never, in all of her years was she able to imagine a man who looked like him. "Good Lord, he hit not one branch when he fell off the ugly tree." Laughing at herself, she shook her head. She needed to go back home. She couldn't concentrate after an encounter like that. Walking to the counter, she checked the book from the basement out for the night. Afterwards, she packed her things and made her way toward the exit.

The weird feeling washed over her once more. Nadia felt the hairs on the back of her neck come to attention. Stopping for a moment, she looked around and felt her breath catch in her throat once more when she saw him. He stood near the card catalogue but it was quite obvious his sights were fixed solely on her. She could not match his stare. Feeling her cheeks heat to the point of combustion, Nadia walked out of the library. A cold shower was needed.

* * * * *

Andraemalek walked slowly as he followed Nadia home. He could not afford to have her see him so soon after their first meeting. His plan was to make sure he knew every aspect of her schedule so that he could pinpoint the perfect moment to complete his mission. He still had to know what she knew about The Order, but that was the easy part of the plan; a minimum of ten minutes alone with her and he would get all the information he needed. Until then, he would follow her, just as he did every night, making sure he knew how she made it home, no matter what route she took.

She was an interesting target, Andraemalek thought to himself, an interesting target indeed. Nadia C. Stevens seemed like an easy enough mission; after a month of watching her closely, he'd come to learn that Nadia was a twenty-two year old senior at Cline University, one of the most prestigious institutions in the country. A pre-medical major, Nadia worked hard, maintaining a 3.8 grade point average every semester she attended the university. She was very much into science fiction which was not surprising, considering the reason he was sent to kill her. Nadia also liked to keep to herself and somehow managed to always have her face stuffed in a book. Until the incident in the library, he'd never seen her entire face; quite miraculous considering the amount of time he took in his research on her.

And what a face it was. Though she wasn't what he would consider drop dead gorgeous, Nadia's face had an element of beauty he could not describe. Her face was heart shaped, which seemed to work with her milk chocolate skin and long black-burgundy locks of her shoulder length hair. Her dark brown eyes reminded him of a doe; the wide-eyed expression she gave him at her first sight at him only seemed to enhance the feature. Her nose, straight and slightly upturned at the tip led to lips that, while not overly full, looked soft to the touch and incredibly delectable. He was quite surprised; it wasn't the fact that she had a pretty face; it was his reaction to her that caught him off guard. Andraemalek wanted to touch her. He wanted to see if she was as soft as she looked. As she walked down the street, he looked at the way the moonlight reflected off her hair, the way wayward locks moved with the wind, and even the way she would occasionally lift an arm to tuck those same wayward strands behind her ears.

What was it that had him so entranced? It wasn't only her face. Her body wasn't much to swoon over either; she was a larger woman, one with lush curves and a surprisingly appetizing bottom. Most men would not bother to look twice at a figure like hers. He only seemed to want to hold her. There was an aura of strength around her but there was something in her eyes, a vulnerability that pulled at him. He had to ignore it if he wanted to complete his mission. Soon enough, she would be gone, like the rest of his targets. There was no reason at all to think the foolish thoughts he did. Who cared what she looked like?

There was a smell in the air, a familiar scent that he knew meant danger. His prowess as a hunter gave him the ability to not only smell the differences in the air, but the emotions running through humans. This particular scent was specific; I reeked of cruelty, anxiousness, and oddly enough, apprehension. It wasn't coming from the woman. Nadia's smell was something else entirely, something he refused to let himself analyze. No, it couldn't have been Nadia.

There was another player.

Lagging back, Andraemalek waited for the scene to unfold before him. It didn't take long. A man crept from the shadows, openly following Nadia. He wore nothing but black but nothing could hide the pale color of his skin, not even the oversized sunglasses. Andraemalek felt something wash over him, something he'd never experienced before. Worry. It was a sick, nauseating feeling. He knew what would happen. Part of him wanted to walk away and let the natural course of humans take its place. But there was another part of him, the part that was drawn to Nadia that had to stop such a monstrous thing from happening. He treaded slowly, keeping a close eye on the man.

When Nadia turned left after passing the town pizza parlor, Andraemalek rolled his eyes heavenward in exasperation. Behind the pizza parlor was nothing but a dark alley. Yes, it saved her fifteen minutes of walking back to her apartment, but it was nearly one in the morning. The girl was stupid.

He waited forty five seconds before he walked into the alley. The alley reeked of rotting food, animal waste, and urine. The large green dumpster seemed to overflow with the amount of waste stuffed in it. Of all the times she decided to veer off her normal course home...

He felt his blood go cold at the sight of Nadia pressed tightly against the damp-looking brick wall of the pizza shop. The man held a menacing looking knife to her throat with his right hand as he slowly cupped a supple breast in his left. Nadia's eyes were closed. Her face was blank but a single tear slid down her cheek. Her chin trembled. Her breath came out in short harsh bursts. The smell of her fear overrode the dank scents of the alley. The thick, cloying and bitter scent penetrated him to his core.

The killer in him took control.

In what looked to be a casual stance, Andraemalek reached into his pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. He quietly pulled one out of the pack and placed it between his lips as he watched them. After placing the pack in his pocket, he pulled out a lighter but stopped when Nadia whimpered. He kept his eyes on the man as he said, "I don't think you want to do that."

The man turned and looked at the owner of the deep, menacing voice and casually raised a brow. He was a large man, larger than he and far more muscular but he didn't have a weapon nor a reason to use it. "She's mine." He pressed the sharp blade of the knife against her throat when she tried to wiggle out of his grasp. "I'm not done with you yet, baby girl."

Andraemalek reminded himself to wait before he killed him. He was a thin man, thinner than he looked to be in the black hooded sweatshirt and pants. His face, partially hidden behind the hood of his sweatshirt and shades was long and bony. It was obvious he was under the influence of very serious drugs. The kill would be easier than he thought. Slowly, he lit the cigarette and took a long and thoughtful drag. "I don't see your name on her." He watched as the man eased his hold on Nadia. The look on his face was one of calculation. The man was working out his plan on how to kill him before he had his way with Nadia.

Sensing that it was the only chance she had at freedom, Nadia used all of her strength to push her attacker. He took a shaky step back. She didn't wait for another chance. Turning, she stepped forward to run and cried out in surprise when she was brutally shoved toward the wall. She felt the stab of white hot pain in the back of her head before she succumbed to darkness.

Rage swept through Andraemalek. In a quick move, he used the attacker's face to put out his cigarette before he quickly broke his neck. He wasn't satisfied. He wanted to tear his bones apart slowly, agonizingly, all while the son of a bitch was alive. He dared not only to touch her, but hurt her as well.

With a sigh, he realized it was too late. He'd killed the bastard and that was the end of it. He quickly went to work disposing of the body. Thanks to a few demonic connections, he was able to use a clear liquid which disintegrated a human body within moments. There would be no questions concerning a murder in an abandoned alley.

Andraemalek turned to Nadia's limp body. He took a breath. The image of her being shoved against the wall played in his head continuously. He wished he could have brought the pig back to life so that he could kill him again.

He knelt and checked Nadia for injury. She had a large bump on the back of her head. Luckily that was the extent of the damage. Gingerly, he lifted her into his arms. She was amazingly soft and emitted the sweetest whimpers he'd ever heard. Through the bitter scent of her fear, he detected a sweet and soft smell that was unlike anything he'd ever encountered before. He wanted to bury his face in her neck. Shaking his head, he adjusted her in his arms and carried her home.

He was at her door within five minutes. It took him no time at all to find her keys and open her door. From his surveillance of her, he knew the layout of her apartment and easily maneuvered his way to her bedroom in the dark. He set her down on the bed and turned on the bedside lamp. He'd seen the room before but never from the inside. The walls were a rich brown, enhanced by framed black and white photos of the university. To the left, there was a medium sized dresser placed in front of the center of the wall. It was riddled with small jars of crèmes and bottles of perfume and spray. Attached to it was a large mirror that reflected the large king sized bed across from it. On the floor between the bed and dresser was a tan rug etched with dark brown spirals. A small portion of the rug was covered by the trunk at the end of the bed.

Andraemalek looked at Nadia. She remained as he placed her; she lay on her back, her head turned slightly toward him but slightly facing the fan-decorated ceiling. Her hair had formed a black-burgundy cloud around her head. She looked angelic, especially with her right hand resting just above her supple breasts. It was then he noticed what she wore. A light khaki jacket covered her brown tank top. Underneath it, she wore a white one to highlight the color. The tanks were low, showcasing mouthwatering mounds covered by silky skin. Fitted dark blue jeans covered long legs. Tan shoes completed the look.

No wonder the bastard went after her.

Shaking his head, Andraemalek stepped back. This was no time to give into human emotion. He was in her apartment. This was the perfect opportunity for him to look for information. He searched through the trunk first. It held nothing but blankets and sheets for that inviting bed of hers. They were soft and smelled like fresh cake.

Did everything of hers have to smell so damned enticing?

He shifted his search to the dresser. He sifted through the drawers but gave the underwear drawers more detailed inspections. She had two drawers just for underwear; one with cotton briefs and boy shorts, the other nothing but lace and sheer material which made his palms sweat. That unique smell of hers drifted to him. Sniffing the air, he looked at the top of the dresser. A clear bottle of yellow oil was left separated from the rest of the items. He closed the underwear drawers and lifted the bottle to his nose. It was her smell, all right, but it missed one important factor, the soft smell of her skin. The scent of human. Of woman. Simply thinking of the intoxicating mixture set his blood to a boil.

At the surprised gasp, he looked at the mirror. Nadia's surprised reflection regarded him warily. Having a strange man in her home didn't make things much better. He turned slowly and looked at her. "Are you ok?" Those wide doe-like eyes pulled at him. Why did they have to be so innocent and in need of protection?

Nadia was sure she was dreaming. There was no way the man from the library, the same man who scared the breath out of her and ignited every spark of passion within her was in her apartment, in her bedroom, staring at her body oils and sprays. The throb emanating from the back of her head suggested otherwise. She brought a hand to the back of her head. "What happened?" She looked at the hand and was glad to see that there was no blood, only a lump the size of a tennis ball. Combing her hair would be fun in the morning.

Her subtle movements entranced him. She barely paid him any mind but it was quite obvious the action was intended. Why didn't she want to look at him? "You were two seconds from being raped but I helped you."

It took a moment for his words to penetrate but once they did, Nadia remembered. She remembered walking through the alley, the feel of his hands on her shoulder, pushing her against the brick wall, the cold steel blade against her neck. He smelled of rusted metal and week old milk. She remembered the fear, the panic...




The Order Ch. 01



I want to thank all those who sent me feedback on my first story. This story will include 2 of the characters from the first, but the premise is not the same. First, the story will be told in 3rd person, not in the 1st person as in my first story. The plot will be different as well. In fact, I have decided to go in a direction I have never gone in my writing. I do not know how good it will be, but I am going to try it. The first portion of this is not very erotic but is used to introduce the plot. 

Please feel free to give me feedback.

*

Chapter 1

Mr. Chapin

A few weeks later, Owen and Ronnie, needing more weed, returned to Rex's home. It was Ronnie's turn now. Owen sat on the large leather sofa and watched TV for a while. Owen, becoming bored, began walking around looking at the things Rex had on shelves. Owen started to feel a little uncomfortable as he realized he was snooping. As he snooped he discovered a piece of parchment between some books on the book shelf. The parchment was folded twice, and appeared to be very old. The brown paper was torn and dog eared from being handled. Owen thought, "What the fuck...." and opened the paper.

The words or the scribbling was unreadable to Owen. The writing appeared almost like ancient Egyptian writing. But, at the bottom of the paper was an etching that was identifiable to Owen. The etching depicted a bird of prey, perched on a limb, over a golden chalice. Owen was drawn to the eyes and the talons of the bird in the drawing.

Ronnie's loud moan of climax broke Owen out of his trance. He quickly folded the paper back up and put it between the two books where he had found it originally.

Rex came down, looked at Owen, who was standing in the middle of the room. Rex stared at Owen for a heartbeat or two, the traces of a smile appeared on his face. Rex went into another room, and directly came back.

"Owen, here is your package." Rex said, giving Owen the baggie. 

"Thanks, man."

Ronnie came down the stairs with a silly grin on his face. He got his package and they started out the door to go to Ronnie's car. As they reached the car, Rex called out, "Owen, come here for a second."

Owen looked at Ronnie and shrugged. He turned and headed back to Rex at the front door. He reached the door and Rex beckoned him inside.

Rex handed Owen a card saying, "Put that in your pocket. It's my cell number I want you to call me later. I have something for you. It's a chance to make some money and maybe something else. You cannot tell Ronnie. Just call me."

"Ok, Rex...I will hit you up later."

"Just tell Ronnie that I was giving you information about a police sweep or something, ok?"

"Sure thing...no sweat."

Owen got into the car and Ronnie asked, "What's up, dude?"

"Nothing, he was just letting me know not to come around for a while because the cops are really out in force."

Ronnie accepted that and drove away. Ronnie wanted to go to his house and watch porn and smoke up, but Owen said he could not because he was supposed to go with his mom to see his aunt. It was a lie. Ronnie even said that he would jack Owen off, but Owen said no. Ronnie took Owen home.

Once home, Owen was really curious about what Rex had for him. But Owen had come to respect Rex....to trust him to a certain extent.

After dinner with his mom and dad, Owen got his cell phone and pulled out the paper that Rex had given him. Owen hesitated briefly to think about this situation. What the fuck is going on, he thought. Owen held the phone in one hand and the number in the other and stared at them. Owen felt that now familiar feeling in his stomach. The flip flop of nervousness and the intrigue of some mystery along with the curiosity filled Owen.

Owen dialed the number. The phone rang twice.

"Yeah...." It was Rex.

"Hey, Rex, it's me, Owen."

"Owen, I am glad you called back. "

"Yeah, just thought I would hear what you have for me."

"Good, well, I have someone I want you to meet. He is a real good guy. He wants to know you. I told him you were a real good kid, and that you might be interested in his....offer."

Another offer, Owen thought. "I don't know Rex. I don't want to do gay porn or anything like that."

Rex laughed, "Don't sweat that. It's nothing like that. It's more like wanting to know if you are the type of person we may want in our.....organization."

Owen asked, "What kind of organization?"

"Let's let you meet Mr. Chapin and have him tell you about it. Then you can make the decision yourself."

"Ok, I will meet him."

"Good deal. I will set it up for this Friday, how does that sound?"

"Yeah, Friday will work. When and where?"

"Meet me at my house at 7:30 on Friday night."

"How do I get to your house?"

"Owen...figure it out. 7:30 Friday night." Rex hung up.

Shit, what the fuck am I doing, Owen thought.

=====================================================================================

On Friday, Owen talked his dad into dropping him off at a friend's house and he got the friend to drive him to Rex's house. Owen went up to the door and knocked twice. Rex opened the door, "Owen! I am glad you showed up." 

Rex was beaming at Owen. Rex was wearing a black long sleeve t-shirt that hugged his biceps, blue jeans, and some boots that looked like police boots. Owen felt a stab of fear. Rex saw the look and recognized what was happening. "Owen, relax. I wear these Oakley assault boots for my contracting job. If I was the police I would have busted you and Ronnie last week. Now come on, and let's get out of here."

Rex led Owen through the house to the garage. When Owen entered the garage, he saw the absolute baddest car he ever put eyes on.

"Rex....this car is shit hot, dude!" 

"It's an Audi R8."

"Dude, you have got to let me drive this bitch...."

"Owen....maybe one day I will. Maybe one day you will have one of your own."

They drove from the suburbs into the city center. Everyone stared at them as they cruised in the sports car. Owen was really digging the attention they were getting. Some of the most beautiful women he had ever seen not in a porn movie were openly gawking at them.

Rex pulled up to The Sheraton Metropolit, what had to be the most expensive hotel in the city. A valet came bounding from somewhere. Rex handed over the keys to that fine piece of machinery to be driven by someone not much older than Owen.

"Owen, let's go buddy." Owen followed Rex through the lobby and into the hotel restaurant and bar. It was dimly lit and there were about 30 people at various tables. Rex was making his way to a rear corner. They approached a circular table that was occupied by a single figure who rose from his seat as they came closer.

He was tall and well built. He was in his fifties. He was tanned, and it made his white hair stand out. He had piercing blue eyes. He was dressed in a Saville Row suit, with a red tie. He had a crooked smile that exposed very white teeth.

"Rex, it's so good to see you." They shook hands and hugged with their free left hands.

"Is this the young man who is a candidate?"

"Mr. Chapin, let me introduce you to Owen. Owen, this is Mr. Chapin."

Owen held out his hand and Mr. Chapin shook firmly. His hands were smooth and the nails well manicured.

"Owen, Rex tells me you are a fine young man and that you may be interested in our organization." He said as they sat at the table. He offered to buy a meal, and Owen took him up since he had not eaten. It was the finest steak Owen had ever tasted. During the meal, Rex and Mr. Chapin made small talk. Something about different "missions" that Rex had been on. But it was clear they were talking around Owen. Then Mr. Chapin turned to Owen and began questioning him.

How old was he? 18 but turning 19 at the end of the year.

Did he play sports? He played hockey and baseball.

What were his plans since he was out of high school? He was going to enroll at State University.

On and on it went for at least an hour. Owen felt like it was an intense job interview.

When the bill was paid Mr. Chapin said, "Owen, would you mind going to my office so that we can talk about my offer to you?"

"No, sir. That would be fine."

They went out the front doors and turned to walk toward a limousine parked on the curb a block away. As they got closer they passed an alley between the hotel and another building. Owen heard some loud talking. Owen turned and saw 3 gangbangers emerging from the darkness. The biggest one said, "Look at these fags!"

Owen was now squared up to the thug. The thug stepped closer as his friends began forming a semi circle. Owen was watching the leader as he said, "I am going to fuck you up, bitch.."

The thug turned to laugh with his friends, and then spun quickly throwing a punch at Owen. He wasn't quick enough. Owen had been in plenty of fights in hockey games so he was prepared for the punched. Owen blocked with his left arm and took a step in, at the same time driving a solid punch in to the solar plexus of the gangbanger. When he doubled over, Owen shoved him so that he fell back to the ground. Owen moved in to finish him off when the other gangbangers moved to defend their down friend.

"Let them fight!" it was Rex. He had stepped up to cover Owens back. The duo thought better of risking getting their asses kicked and stepped back. Owen reached down and grabbed the thug by the collar and snatched him to his feet and was about to pound him when the thug choked out, "Oh fuck this man, I got my money. I'm done." Owen stared for a moment and then turned to look at Rex and Mr. Chapin. Mr. Chapin was nodding very slowly, the crooked grin on his lips. Owen delivered a knee to the thugs groin and dropped him to the ground.

"What the fuck was that about?" Owen was pissed.

"Owen, let's get in the limo, go to my office and I will fully explain this situation." Mr. Chapin said, gesturing towards the limo. Rex came up and said, "Owen, let's just go and you listen. You will understand in a moment. Come on dude." Owen calmed down because it was Rex. They got into the limo and it pulled away. Where he was going, Owen did not know.

The limo pulled up to the sky scraper and all three of them got out and proceeded to the front doors. Once inside they were confronted by a security guard. The guard recognized Mr. Chapin, and said, "Good evening Mr. Chapin. You are working late tonight."

"Yes, John, my colleagues and I have business to discuss." Mr. Chapin said while shaking the guard's hand.

Mr. Chapin led them to an elevator and they got in. Mr. Chapin took out a key and inserted it into a lock, turned the key to the right, and the elevator rocketed up. No words were spoken. But Owen could see that Mr. Chapin was studying him. When the lift had reached the top floor the doors opened and Mr. Chapin removed the key. They went through the foyer to a massive wooden door. Mr. Chapin opened the door and stepped aside for Owen to enter

The room was amazing. To the left was a kitchen with stainless steel everything. A glass dining room table was on the other side of the bar that ran along the edge of the kitchen. Rounding a corner Owen saw the expanse of the living area. The entire far wall was glass and the city could be seen. The room was dominated by a large black leather sofa that was shaped like an "L" opposite the glass wall. Near the large plasma TV was a circular table with 4 leather office chairs.

Mr. Chapin picked up a remote control, turned the lighting down to a low blue shade that emanated from the corners of the room. He asked Owen to have a seat at the table. Owen sat facing the glass wall, studying the buildings that made up the city. Rex removed his leather jacket then sat to Owens left.

"Owen, here is $250. This is for listening to what I am going to say. Following that, should you choose to take part, then I will give you another $250." Mr. Chapin laid the money on the table then scooted it towards Owen with his fingers. Owen stared at the money then up at Mr. Chapin's face.

"It's yours Owen, pick it up and put it in your pocket." Owen looked at Rex. "Owen, he is serious. It's yours." Owen finally scooped the money up and folded it then placed it in his pocket.

"Owen, if I said the words Order of the Falcon Watch, would you know what I was talking about?"

Owen shook his head, "No, sir." 

"During the 2nd crusade, in 1148, the Christians in the Holy Land made a discovery. A discovery so profound and astounding that the leaders at that time recognized the importance of never revealing it or the secret it held. This secret, should it be revealed to man, would cause the end of humanity as we know it. The discovery was removed from the location of its discovery and moved to another distant location. To protect this secret, the church requested a knight, named Bayard, to recruit and train an order of knight whose sole purpose would be the protection of the secret. He created the Fraternal Order of the Falcon Watch. The order was limited to 22 knights, all of whom were the most physically fit, mentally prepared, hardest warriors that have ever been produced."

Owen sat in total amazement, so bewildered he could not speak. 

"Owen, we are the Order of the Falcon Watch. Rex and I are only 2 of the 22 knights of the order existing in this day. We are losing a knight. We are considering you as his replacement. Rex says that you are top candidate. If you choose to do this, you will have to pass a series of tests. A trial, if you will. It's called the Ordeal and it will test you significantly. But if you pass through the ordeal and are knighted, you will learn of the secret, join our elite group, and may assist in continuing the human race."

Owen realized his mouth was hanging open. His heart pounded in his chest so hard he thought it was going to burst from his chest. He recovered enough to ask, "This ordeal, what is it?"

"The ordeal must be faced as a pure unknown. You cannot know what you face as you do not know what tomorrow will bring....next year....even the next hour."

Owen swallowed, and then said, "I don't know...I mean....I don't have anything special about me."

"We disagree." It was Rex.

Mr. Chapin said, "Owen, you have already passed the first step tonight."

Owen thought for a minute, and then realized they were talking about the fight with the gangbanger. They had staged it. They had paid the gangbanger to start the fight.

"Owen, do you wish to go forward?" Mr. Chapin asked.

"I don't know. I need more information, I think."

"Well, you cannot have any more information at this time. As you proceed through the ordeal you will learn more, but for now, you have all the information you are going to get. Do you wish to proceed?"

Owen could not believe it or what he was about to do. The mystery was so compelling. What was the secret? Knights and the crusades seemed so Hollywood to him, but here he sat being recruited for an order of knights.

"What do I have to do next?"

"Your answer please. Do you wish to proceed?"

Owen looked at Rex. Rex sat emotionless staring at Owen. He would offer Owen no assistance.

"Ok, Mr. Chapin, I will try. But I do not know how well I will do."

"Excellent, Owen. I am so grateful to you for taking this on. "Owen sat watching out the window at the city.

"Owen, we can begin, I need you to remove your clothes now. Our knights must be the picture of male physical perfection. Your seed must flow from the most magnificent human male form. We will test your body and your seed now."

Owen did not understand what was going to happen. How would they test this about him?

Owen removed his shoes, then stood up and took his jacket off. He saw that both Rex and Mr. Chapin were staring at him. Owen removed his hoodie sweat shirt and t-shirt next. His hairless chest and pectoral muscles rippled in the blue of the light. His nipples hardened as he began unbuttoning his jeans. As he stepped out of the jeans, his cock began to thicken. Without looking up at Rex or Mr. Chapin, Owen slid his boxer briefs down over his ass, then off of his cock. They slid the rest of the way down to his ankles. He stepped away from them, and then looked up. Owen was totally naked.

"Your socks, Owen. You must be totally nude for me." Owen leaned over and peeled the white athletic socks from his feet. He began unconsciously curling his toes in the plush, white carpet on the floor.

Mr. Chapin stood from his chair and removed his suit coat, draping it over the back of another chair. He loosened his tie, and began rolling his sleeves up. His eyes moved from Owens down to Owens body. Owen felt his cock harden some more. He didn't understand what was happening to his body. He was not gay. He always jacked off to pictures of women. Why was his dick getting hard just by standing naked in front of this 50 some year old man?

Mr. Chapin rolled one of the leather office chairs in front of the window, set a locking switch for the wheels so the chair would not roll and then moved very close to Owen. He reached out and grabbed Owens cock. His hands were warm. He then switched to Owens balls. He manipulated them gently and finally said, "Owen, Rex is going to masturbate you cock. We are going to measure you and the amount of sperm you produce. When was the last time you produced sperm?" It was almost a whisper.

"If you mean when was the last time I jacked off, it was 2 nights ago."

"What did you jack off to?"

"It was just some porn stuff." Owens cock was responding to the older man's manipulation and growing ever harder.

"Was it just a woman, just a man? Was it man and women?"

"It was a guy and a girl."

"Did you watch the man's cock as it moved in and out of the girl?"

Owen hesitated then answered, "Yes, sir."

"It's ok Owen. You are a young man and you want to see how you measure up to other men."

Owens cock was now near full erection. Mr. Chapin turned to look at Rex, he nodded and Rex left down the narrow hall to the left. When Rex came back, he was holding lubricant. Mr. Chapin let go of Owens cock and moved back towards the table. "Owen, turn around and face away from us."

Owen turned, facing the glass wall. He could see cars moving along the road, in the distance.

"Owen, you need to kneel on to the office chair. Spread your knees as far apart as is comfortable." Owen complied, using his hands to hold onto the back of the leather chair.

"Owen, it is important for us to have no secrets. We must be able to stand in front of our brothers fully exposed. It shows a trust that most will never understand. Do you understand that, Owen?"

"Yes, sir"

"Good, now Owen when you are ready, I want you to reach around with both of your hands, and spread your ass open as wide as possible, allowing us to see your asshole. Owen, do this only when you are ready to."

Owen did not like this idea. He had seen Rex with the lubricant. He hoped they didn't intend to fuck him in the ass. He was not ready for that. But he remembered what Mr. Chapin had just said, this was about trust.

With trembling hands, Owen reached around to his ass. He had to lean his chest on the back of the chair so he would not fall. Owen found a flashing red beacon light on a television antenna mast on a building in the distances. Owen focused on the pulsing light. Owen thought briefly about what he was about to undertake. Where would this lead him? What did the future hold now for an 18 year old, about to be 19, with nothing more than a high school education? In his wildest imagination, he never thought he would be recruited into a modern age order of knights. This was crazy. But he knew he was going to try.

Owen reached behind him, placed the tips of his middle fingers right on the outer edge of his asshole, then spread his butt cheeks open.




The Order Ch. 01



She remembered him. His voice. He spoke to the attacker before she pushed him and tried to run for freedom. And then she awoke in her bed, the sexy man with the deep voice staring at the items on her dresser. She owed him more than words could say. "Thank you."

Andraemalek nodded as she stared at him in wide eyed appreciation. She was unlike any human he'd ever watched. Her movements said one thing while her eyes and tone of voice said something different. If one could not read her, one would never know her.

He shook his head. She was a mark, nothing more. He walked to the door and switched on the main light to the room. She stared at him silently, causing an unfamiliar cramp to form in the pit of his stomach. He ignored it.

"How did you know where I live?" Nadia couldn't stop staring at him. He was unreal; his muscles rippled beneath his dark blue t-shirt and made her shiver at the thought of their power. He fiddled with the bottle of oil in his hands. Was he nervous? He couldn't be; men who looked like him were never nervous. They were cocky and confident.

"I live across the quad." That made him sound too much like a stalker. He shrugged, thinking of something else to say. "There is also the ID card in your wallet."

"Oh." That would do it. The apartment complex wasn't a large one, in fact, it was the first one built in town. Never expanded, it successfully became the smallest in the county. If he lived across the quad, he would have definitely seen her. Paired with her ID card, there was no doubting where she lived. She looked down at her hands. "Thanks for saving me."

"You're welcome."

Nadia frowned. Was that all he could say? Suddenly uncomfortable, she moved to stand. She must have stood too fast as the pain in her head became excruciating. She felt herself falling backward and tried to brace herself. She could only gasp in surprise when she felt his hands on her shoulders. She was surprised; how could so large a man have so gentle a touch?

Andraemalek pushed her head forward to rest on his shoulder as he inspected the back of her head. He probed it gently and murmured apologies when he felt her tense in pain. "You need to take it easy." He felt her nod against him and pulled back when he felt a hot wave of desire creep up his spine. He fought hard to ignore the scent of her skin; that sweet, warm, and painfully intriguing tint of something he'd never smelled before brought disturbing and highly stimulating thoughts to him, thoughts he'd never associated with acting out with a human. But he wanted to, especially after the way she curled into him unconsciously and shuddered when he touched her. The bed was more than large enough for the both of them...

He stepped back. She was the mark. He needed to focus on the task at hand.

Nadia cleared her throat uneasily and sat down on her bed. She frowned in thought. "Did you carry me all the way here?" She watched as he nodded and closed her eyes in guilt. "I'm sorry."

It was Andraemalek's turn to frown. "For what?"

Embarrassed, Nadia kept her eyes closed. "I'm not..." Lord, he must have thought her the fattest woman on the planet. "I'm not exactly a bag of feathers."

Andraemalek smiled. That was such an odd reason for an apology. "You aren't heavy."

Nadia opened her eyes and stared at him. He didn't look like he had a problem with his vision. "Yeah... Sure..."

He looked her over carefully. Yes, she was round and full of flesh but it only added to her appeal. "What are you? One thirty-five? One fifty?"

Nadia only stared. Not only was he blind, but he didn't know how to count. "Two hundred-five."

Frowning, Andraemalek looked at her again. She couldn't possibly weigh that much. Where was it all? "Are you sure about that?"

"My height hides it well." Nadia looked away in shame when he openly stared at her. She should have kept up the diet and exercise regiment she set up for herself. At least then she wouldn't look like an obese mule.

Andraemalek shrugged. "I've lifted heavier for work."

Nadia looked at him and asked, "What do you do?"

He should have anticipated that. He couldn't exactly tell her he was a half demonic contract killer and demon hunter whose kills once totaled a thousand pounds, all of which he had to lift and carry himself. "Personal trainer." That made enough sense.

"Oh, no wonder."

"No wonder what?"

"No wonder the chiseled chest and pecks for days." Nadia felt her eyes go wide. She hadn't meant to say that. He only raised a brow to her statement but it was enough to make her wish she could disappear. They stared at each other for endless awkward moments. She tried to think of something to say but only drew blanks. Those eyes of his seemed to scream at her to remain silent. She began to fidget. Why was he staring at her like... like a piece of meat and he was a hungry predator?

She stood slowly and took a breath. "Anyway, thanks again..." She would have finished with his name but since she did not know it, she looked at him in question.

"Andrae."

Nadia nodded slowly, repeating the name to herself. "I'm-"

"Nadia." Andraemalek smiled knowingly when she stared at him in surprise. "I make it a point to learn about the things that interest me."

Nadia took a moment to digest his words. He was joking, she told herself, trying to end things on a light note. "The day I'm interesting..." She looked away when he frowned at her words and cleared her throat again. "Would you like a drink or something?" She fiddled with the buttons on her jacket as she waited for an answer.

"No." Andraemalek looked down at the bottle of oil in his hands. Something inside of him was fluttering. It was an odd feeling, as if a bird fought desperately to fly out his stomach. He liked it. He needed to leave. "What is this?"

"Cocoa butter oil."

He looked at the bottle for a moment before bringing his eyes to hers once more. "It smells good on you." She gave him a surprised look and soon after a new and faint smell wafted to him. It was slightly salty and had a trace of bitterness. An odd mix but it oozed off of her. She was nervous. Her body hummed it, forcing the scent off her. He wanted to know if the smell would intensify if he touched her. "I should get going." He turned and walked out of the bedroom.

Nadia only nodded as she followed him to the front door of her apartment. She leaned against the door and forced herself to keep from smiling when he turned to face her. "So..."

Andraemalek waited for her to finish the statement. "So?"

Nadia motioned to the bottle of oil with her chin. "So you're still holding my oil."

"Oh." Silently, he handed the bottle to her. He felt like a fool. He placed his hands in his pockets. "Take it easy."

Nadia let herself smile. "I will. Thanks again."

Andraemalek nodded silently. Her smile made him feel as if the sun were shining. "Stay out of those alleys."

"I will. I promise."

Without a word, Andraemalek turned and walked away. He heard the sound of her door close and the click of her lock and sighed. What was it about the woman? She was human. She was plain, too focused on things that were none of her concern, and too trusting. Tonight was proof enough of that. It was amazing that she was still alive.

One thing was certain. With that trusting attitude, it would be incredibly easy for him to learn what she knew of the order. The kill would be easier than he first anticipated.



The Order Ch. 02



Something told her too look up. Nadia sat silently in the back corner of the library, furiously typing notes she found on Forcas. She spent the night researching everything she could on him on the internet. Being attacked was actually a blessing; she couldn't sleep as visions of her attacker's face haunted her. She saw the twitch of his lips as he pressed the blade against her throat, she smelled the awful stench of his skin, and heard the taunting tone of his voice. She would awake with a scream on her lips, her body dripping with sweat, and her heart on the verge of explosion. After the third dream, she refused to try sleep once more. 

So she booted up her computer and researched Forcas. She was glad she did; she learned that because of his shape shifting abilities, he'd spent a large amount of time recruiting humans as workers for The Order of Zebulon. It was rumored that many of the top business of the nation were actually in league with The Order, allowing them the opportunity to control many avenues of human culture.

Forcas also cavorted with many common people, mostly needy college students. They were highly paid to ensure dealings with small business owners were in line with their deal with The Order. Nadia wasn't clear on the technicalities or even if what she read was true, but she knew a lead when she saw one. She hoped that it panned out.

The library was the only place she thought of going after class. She was anxious to get her notes in order so that she could work on the leads. She knew that if one gave her a positive result, it was sure that everything else had to be true. She couldn't stop now.

She did stop, however, when she felt the eyes boring into her. Suddenly hot, she looked up and locked eyes with him. He stood on the other side of the computer desk staring at her in a way that made her clothes feel tighter. It almost hurt to breathe. "Andrae... What are you doing here?"

Andraemalek stared down at Nadia and fought the urge to become upset. She wore the tan jacket again and underneath she wore a thin burgundy t-shirt which split in a deep V. Had she not been wearing what looked to be a white tank top underneath, her breasts would have been on display. As if the tank top covered much of her. Her breasts were high, soft looking, and entirely too luscious for his comfort. Her cleavage made his hands itch. Why did she have to dress so alluringly?

He had to take his mind off her body. He looked down at the piles of books beside her and thought quickly. "Magic and demons are one of my interests."

Nadia hid her surprise. He didn't look like the type to be as entranced in the supernatural as she. "You know a lot about demons?"

For the first time in over one hundred years, Andraemalek found himself smiling. Not the sarcastic knowing smile he wore before a kill, but an actual smile, one that reached his eyes. "I know a few things." He watched as she nodded and noted the sparkle in her eyes. Did he put it there?

Shaking the ridiculous thought out of his head, he looked at the pile of books beside Nadia. "The Order of Zebulon?" This was the perfect opportunity to pick her brain.

Nadia looked at the pile of books and nodded slowly. "Yeah..." She fingered the brown leather cover gingerly and fought the sadness washing over her. If it wasn't for The Order, her parents would still be alive. "I need it for my final paper." She became confused; she didn't want to talk of her work with anyone, least of all Andrae. With those dark, brooding eyes, he made her want to tell him anything he wanted to know. She didn't know him therefore had to watch what she said. It didn't help that she trusted him with her life. How could she not after what he did for her?

Andraemalek watched as she stood and noted the way her hair shifted around her shoulders. Was it too uncomfortable for her to tie it up? "How's your head?"

Nadia looked up at him with wide eyes. She did not want to be reminded of the attack. It made her think of him in her bedroom staring at her hotly. He heart began to pound. Why was he making her so nervous all of a sudden? Slowly, she shifted and faked a smile. "I've had worse." She picked up her bag and three books from the pile. "Don't worry about it." She didn't mean to be rude but she had to leave. She was silent as she walked to the front desk.

Andraemalek felt a wave of satisfaction wash over him when he smelled her nervousness once more. It was different this time; still on the salty side but there was something else... Something fruity. He realized the smell from the night before was mixed in with fear and shock. This was something completely different but he didn't know what it was. He wanted to find out.

He followed her to the front desk. Their conversation wasn't over. "Final paper?" He liked the way her hair hung around her shoulders. Mixed with the light, her hair looked like plums dipped in espresso. He wanted to touch the soft looking locks.

Nadia didn't turn as she continued to walk. "Yeah. I've been working on it all semester." She placed the books on the counter and smiled at Janine, the night librarian and a close acquaintance of hers. "I'll take these three."

Janine shook her head slowly as she scanned the books into the computer database. "Nadia, why not check out something normal like a romance novel or a travel book?"

Nadia smiled at her friend. Janine reminded her of an imp with her short green tipped brown hair, heart shaped face, and big brown eyes. She had a dimple in her left cheek when she smiled, accentuating her look. "Because romance novels and travel books have nothing to do with my final paper." She giggled when Janine shook her head and picked up her books for the evening. It was nearly ten; a half hour later than she intended to stay out. After last night, she would never walk home that late again. "I'll see you tomorrow."

Janine raised a brow when she noticed that the very large man was waiting for her friend. This was interesting, definitely something she would enquire about tomorrow. "Have fun."

Nadia smiled as she strolled toward the door. It was when she saw Andrae's reflection in the mirror that she realized that she wouldn't be leaving alone. "Are you following me?"

Andraemalek waited until they were both outside until he spoke. "Possibly." He watched as she pulled a burgundy hood over her head. He didn't know the shirt was hooded. It both annoyed and pleased him that she covered her hair; on the one hand no other man would be able to see the rich locks. On the other, he wouldn't be able to see them either. He reminded himself that he didn't care about her hair. His goal was to learn what she knew before he killed her. Then he would become the sixth member of The Order. A flimsy human would not ruin his plans.

Nadia nodded slightly as she walked with Andrae. It felt weird to be with him in public. She'd only known him for two days but it was more than enough time for her to realize that he was a dangerous man. He would never hurt her; she could see that in his eyes. But there was a rugged carelessness about him that made her want to know how deep the attribute went. That would only get her into trouble. It was best that she kept things on a distant level. "So how's life at the gym?"

Andraemalek raised a brow as he looked down at her lowered head. She looked at her feet when she walked, he noticed. The trait only added to her innocence. Her nervousness, he was pleased to see, had faded to a dull aroma, overshadowed by the smell of that maddening oil. He concentrated on her question. "It's good." He placed his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket and walked silently for a moment. "What's the fascination with The Order of Zebulon? It has to be more than some class assignment."

Without thinking, Nadia answered. "The Order had my parents killed." She looked up at Andrae with wide eyes. She wasn't supposed to tell him that. She wasn't supposed to tell anyone about that. She had to change the subject before he started asking questions. "So you're pretty new around here, huh?"

Andraemalek knew when to stop pushing a subject. He would get what he needed in time. "Yea, I moved in last month." He pulled out his pack of cigarettes and pulled one out. After placing the pack in his pocket once more, he reached for his lighter.

"That's cool." Nadia didn't know what to say. She wasn't used to walking home with anyone. She was sure that he did it to make sure she made it home safely, but it took her out of her comfort zone. Being used to being alone a majority of the time, she'd learned how to remain quiet and say things only when necessary. Walking with Andrae meant she actually had to talk to him, something she both anticipated and dreaded doing. She feared she would say too much, risking her chance of completing her mission.

Andraemalek laughed. "You're such a small talker." Quick and efficiently, he lit his cigarette and took a long drag. It was a pleasant feeling, simply walking with her. She was becoming a mark he would regret killing.

"Hey, I'm trying." Nadia shook her head as she smiled. Talking to him would be easier if he wasn't so attractive. His eyes alone almost made her forget to breathe. "Where are you originally from?"

Why did she have to as such questions? Not one of his other marks asked him questions. None of his other marks lived this long either. He needed to be careful or they would become friends. He couldn't afford to become attached. "Uh... South..."

Nadia frowned. "You don't have an accent." She assumed he spoke of the southern states. If that was the case, he should have had a twang.

"Working with so many people at gyms has helped me lose it." It was a weak excuse but the only one he could think of on such short notice. 

"Ok..." Nadia remained quiet. It was an odd reason for a loss of accent but she left it alone. She didn't want things to get awkward. She noticed that they were at their apartment complex and felt a small tug of relief. She wouldn't have to come up with excuses to talk. There was a small part of her that became saddened. She liked being with him, around him. He made her feel safe and acknowledged. They were nice feelings. "Do you want to come in?" She didn't look at him as she fiddled with the books in her hands so that she could pull her keys from her pocket. She quickly unlocked the door then stood against the jamb while she waited for his response.

Andraemalek should have left. By seeming disinterested in her, even after implying that he was, she would push to spend time with him. She'd look for reasons to keep him around, even if it meant talking about things she normally didn't speak of. It was then he would know everything. "Sure." As he put his cigarette out, he cursed himself. He wasn't following his own protocol. What was wrong with him?

Smiling, Nadia stepped back for him to enter. "I left the light on this time." She heard him grunt as he brushed passed her and sighed at his scent. He smelled of smoke, and faintly of shrubbery after it rained. It wasn't feminine in the least, which surprised her; rain always reminded her of flowers. "Make yourself at home." Closing the door, she set her books down. "Do you want something to drink?"

"No, thanks." He watched as she pulled the hood off before she ran her fingers through her hair. It was surprising how such a simple action could make his chest constrict. She walked toward the kitchen, giving him a chance to look at her living room. The room was of medium size, approximately the same size of her bedroom. The pale yellow walls were adorned with pictures much like the ones in her bedroom. The photos were of the neighborhood during the varying seasons of the year. It made him smile inwardly to know that she preferred showcasing her everyday life rather than expensive paintings that held little meaning to her.

To the left were large bay windows that allowed a view of the garden in the quad of the complex. Beneath the window was a large and very plush tan couch littered with throw pillows of various colors. He wondered if there was any room to sit because of the pillows. To the right was the loveseat to match the couch. It too was covered with pillows. Thrown over the back was an orange blanket which clashed with the setting of the room but also served to add a flair of light. Between the two pieces of furniture was a large crème colored area rug. It was the only plain piece of furniture in the room.

Looking straight ahead, Andraemalek found himself looking into the small kitchen. It was separated from the living room by what looked to be a counter, much like the ones found in a diner or a bar. On it was a small bouquet of daisies, a telephone, and a stack of magazines. Nadia knew how to make the most out of the bare essentials.

In the kitchen, Nadia tried to calm her suddenly racing heart. He was in her apartment again. It was up to her to make sure she didn't bore him to death. The fact that they weren't in her bedroom helped matters tremendously. She wouldn't have to worry about the way he looked at her while she sat on her bed. 

Preparing herself for what was to come, she walked into the living room with a glass of iced water. "Wow, you're the first guest I've had in over a year." She sat down on the far end of the couch. Resting her arm on the back of the couch, she supported her head with her hand and looked at him. Lord, he was a handsome man.

That was an interesting way to start a conversation, Andraemalek thought. "Who was the last?" He saw something flicker in her eyes before she hardened herself. He knew then that he would not like the story.

Nadia shrugged causally. "Just someone I thought wanted a serious relationship." She took a sip from her glass. "You don't need to hear about that."

"No, tell me." He knew from experience that speaking of personal matters was the first step to telling him everything he wanted to know. He was on the right track.

Nadia took a breath before she spoke. "To understand this you need a little back story." She scratched her head, searching for an easy way to tell her story. "The guys at school call me 'Everest' because I'm the one girl the guys can't sweet talk into bed. A thousand have tried but to no avail. I even had a guy offer to marry me so that he could sleep with me." She shrugged in an effort to ward off the impending pain. "Of course I said no..."

"Of course." Andraemalek wanted to hear it all. He wanted to hear the whole story so that he could get the names of the bastards who hurt her. He would be quick with the kills, he promised himself. The sooner he rid the human world of such scum, the better. He listened closely.

"So I met Earl and he seemed like he was different. Sex was the last thing on his mind and we had fun." Nadia felt herself smile even though she didn't mean it. This was the part she wished she could forget. "Seven months later, he tried to get me into bed but I wasn't ready and he flipped out. It was then I knew that he was just the most patient out of the bunch. I broke it off with him." She remembered the hurt she felt when he walked out the door. She loved Earl, wanted to marry him one day. But he only wanted the impossible. "I guess I should thank him. He reminded me that people usually want one thing from me - the boys, sex, the girls, usually tutoring of some kind. No one ever just wants me." She shrugged again. "Something I have to deal with I suppose." The topic was too morbid. Shaking her head, she looked at Andrae. "I haven't had anyone over until you. And that, I think is a happy thing."

Andraemalek didn't agree. He felt like one of the bastards she spoke of, only he didn't want sex. Not completely. He wanted to know what she knew of demons. In a sense, he was like everyone else. He didn't like that at all. "Where does he live?"

"Who? Earl?" When Andrae nodded, she laughed. "What are you going to do? Knock on his door and beat him to a bloody pulp? It happened a year ago."

"Even still. I'd like to talk to him." And beat the life out of him. What kind of man did such a thing? He was only half demon, but he had more sense than to do such a monstrous thing.

Nadia shook her head. "It's cool. Don't worry about it." She took another sip of her water. "Besides, you aren't some kind of contract killer. Don't act like one."

Andraemalek didn't say anything. She had an odd way of mentioning things about him without knowing how true they were. If he wasn't careful, he would slip.

The sudden tapping on the window had him standing, ready to defend her. He noticed that she stood as well, but she smiled that sunny smile that distracted him. She walked to the window and opened it, pulling in a fluffy white cat in the process. He watched as she cooed and cuddled the feline as she walked to the kitchen and for a moment considered killing the animal. He couldn't stand to have her touch anything else, especially when the unmistakable scent of affection oozed off her. It was sweet, warm and even more intoxicating than her natural scent. He wanted it for himself.

"I've been looking for you." Nadia walked to the kitchen and set the cat on the counter as she prepared a bowl of milk for it. "Andrae, this is Ivory." She placed the bowl before the cat and gave her an affectionate pet before she walked to the living room once more.

Andraemalek watched the cat lap at the milk gingerly before he turned to look at Nadia. Her eyes were bright and happy, he noted. He wondered what he could do to bring that light to her eyes. "Is she yours?"

Nadia shook her head. "No. She belongs to the elderly woman in 3B. The one with the oddly blue hair." She smiled as Ivory jumped from the counter and rushed to her. Unable to resist, she lifted the cat into her arms and kissed its neck. "Who's a pretty girl? That's right, you are."

As Andraemalek watched her, he realized what a kind hearted woman she was. He wanted that kindness fixed on himself. No, that was impossible. He had a mission to complete. Getting attached would complicate things. The last thing he needed was complication. But as he watched her with the cat, he wondered how long he could stretch this one mission.

* * * * *

"You dare to summon me while I am on a mission?" Andraemalek gazed at the ruddy and wary faces of the council members as he stood on the summoning table. This was a close call; not two minutes before the summons had he walked out of Nadia's apartment. He'd decided to leave while she coddled the damned cat; his jealousy steadily mounted the longer he watched her fawn over the animal. He never even bothered to announce his departure; he simply walked to the door, turned to smile at her shocked expression and left. But in reality, he didn't. Andrae found himself standing outside her door, longing for another whiff of her intoxicating scent. How was Nadia so able to affect him?

Andraemalek never got a chance to analyze that question as he suddenly found himself in the presence of the The Order. Immediately, his mood became thunderous. "I was with the human. She could have seen."

"You would have found a way to remedy her problem," Botis replied.

Astaroth noticed the threatening step Andraemalek took toward Botis and immediately worked to remedy the situation. "Andraemalek, pay no mind to him. It has been a month since you have been assigned. What is your progress?"

Andraemalek narrowed his eyes at the leader and glanced at the dank walls of the cavern as he contemplated an answer. He could have easily lied to give himself more time with Nadia, but knowing The Order, they would have assigned someone else to finish the job. Telling the truth, however, would allow them to try to force him to quickly finish the job. "I saved her from an attacker."

"You saved her?" Nebiros asked incredulously. "That was the perfect opportunity to rid ourselves of her annoying existence."




The Order Ch. 02



I offer many thanks to all the readers of the first chapter who sent feedback. I hope that you enjoy this chapter.

A very special thanks goes to my volunteer editor, Karen B. Her assistance has made this a far better story then it would have been. She is also a main reason I have decided to continue this series.

KB, you rock!




Owen circled the ring. He was crouched slightly, his muscles tensed. His eyes were locked on to his opponent. 

Rex also circled. Owen and Rex had been practicing defensive tactics training like this for about a month now, and Owen enjoyed the physical training a great deal more than the academic training he was receiving.

The academics taught him The Order had global reach, and had members from every corner of the world; all sworn to protect the great secret during their tours as its guardians and to pass the torch gracefully when their time had passed.

Since he had decided to attempt to join The Order of the Falcon Watch, the academic lessons had been about the history of The Order, and while it was quite interesting to study the rather colorful pages about the secret society scattered throughout the books of history.

Owen much preferred the time spent with Rex in the ring- both of them tense, alert, and ready to strike without a moment's hesitation.



Rex wore red Lycra shorts and Owen wore blue ones. Their bodies were slick from sweat, which made grappling very difficult, but Owen always ended up getting bested by the older Rex.

Rex was in his early forties, but his body was very fit. Rex was maybe two inches taller than Owen and outweighed him by a good ten pounds. His muscles were well defined, his body tanned. Rex also had extensive knowledge in the art of self defense.

Owen feinted to his right, and then shot in, in an attempt to take the older man down. Owen dipped lower, to try to take out the legs. Rex very easily stepped back and pivoted around to the right. As Owen went by, Rex wrapped his left arm around Owens neck. The bicep of Rex's left arm was against the side of Owens's neck, the forearm against the right side of his neck. They went down on the mat, Owen on his stomach, Rex on Owens back. The hair of Rex's whiskers brushed against Owens face as he said, "Owen, you have got to stop telegraphing your moves..."

Owen began to squirm underneath Rex, making an attempt to escape, but Rex was locked on. Owen felt Rex's hot skin along his back and nipples on his back.

Owen also felt the heat and shape of Rex's cock, trapped in the Lycra shorts, grinding gently into the cleft between his buttocks as Rex maintained his grip and held his opponent to the mat. Owen's cock began to swell as unsolicited thoughts about the implications of the position Rex held him in ran through his mind.

Owen tapped on Rex's thigh and Rex eased the pressure on his neck, and then released altogether.

"Alright, alright, we'll call it a day. Let's go shower. We have to meet Mr. Chapin in his office in a few minutes."

The shower, just down the hall from the training area, was as flawless and impeccable as the rest of the complex, and was one of Owen's favorite places in the building. The water was always the temperature he set it to, and it was a center of refuge and relaxation after a long day's training. 

Once in the locker room, Owen took off the wrestling shoes and socks and peeled off the Lycra shorts. He suddenly had an urge to look at Rex naked, and it was quite a sight to behold.

He took good care of his body; Owen still had some of the bruises from training to prove it. He watched as Rex pulled his shorts off, throwing them onto the floor into the pile with the rest of his clothes. The globes of his ass round were well defined, and his calves and hamstrings were in no worse condition. His hair was close cut, military style, and gray on the temples. His goatee was cut close also and pencil thin.

When Rex turned around Owen took the opportunity to openly stare at his cock. It was semi-erect, cut and probably not much bigger than Owen's; Rex's balls, shaved, hung low.

Owen felt his dick start to swell again as he took in the picture in front of him, remembering how Rex had pinned him so forcefully to the mat.

Naked, they went into the shower area. Rex had his shower set for just below scalding; Owen still couldn't understand that preference. The steam wafted up and filled the shower while Owen soaped up; catching sight of Rex, he stood transfixed as Rex soaped up his body, reached for his cock and having caught Owen staring, slowly and teasingly stroked it. Owen felt his own cock swell even further, and when Rex turned to challenge his stare, Owen asked, "Could I...um... stroke it too? I could finish for you, if you would like..."

Rex smiled seductively. "Now, now, Owen, let's just control ourselves for a bit." 

Owen was immediately embarrassed and turned back toward the shower wall. It was humiliating enough to have made such a request, and to be turned down just made it all worse. He had come a long way as far as trusting the others went, but he still had a few hang ups about this kind of thing. Oh well, he thought, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around his waist. Guess I'll just have to get used to it.

After donning their street clothes, they proceeded by elevator to the top floor of the skyscraper, the same building where he had been introduced to Mr. Chapin.

There were many people of Owen's age, scampering around with files and papers, and just looking generally busy.

Seeing Owen's curious expression, Rex offered an explanation. "They're administrative assistants. You know, gophers." 

"Oh," Owen said simply.

Upon reaching the outer office, they were met by Fred Siegel-clad security personnel. After identification badges were checked, the secretary beckoned them and said, "Mr. Chapin will see you now."

Entering the inner sanctum of Chapin's office, Owen was awed by the brightness of everything in it. Everything appeared to shine. Rising, Mr. Chapin smiled. "Owen, my boy, how are you? Have a seat, please. How is your training coming along?"

Owen told him that the experience was incredible and that he was enjoying the training immensely. Rex pointed out that Owen had been excelling in every phase of the training, and Mr. Chapin was pleased.

"I take it that your stipend has been direct-deposited into your account, as I had arranged?"

Owen told him that everything was fine in terms of money, but that he'd had to lie to his parents, telling them that he had gotten a job as a security guard in this building.

Neither Rex nor Mr. Chapin had suggested how he was to handle that. It was a problem to which The Order would offer no solution.

Mr. Chapin then turned serious.

"Owen, the time has come for the next phase of your ordeal. It will be in four days...this Friday. You are to refrain from any sexual contact, and that includes masturbation, until after this next phase. You will arrive at this building promptly at 7:30 PM and await instructions. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir."

"Do you have any questions?"

"No, sir...I don't have any questions."

"Very well, then, if Rex has no further training for you, you are free until Friday at 7:30."

He rose and shook Owen's hand and Owen and Rex exited the office.

"Do you need a ride home?" Rex asked, scratching his elbow.

"Nah, I'm straight." Owen said staring down at the ground.

"What's on your mind, dude?" Rex sensed something was bothering his student.

"It's nothing, I guess...but...I didn't piss you off when I asked if you wanted me to jack you off in the shower, did I?"

Laughing, Rex said, "Hell no! Shit, if the situation was different, there would have been a major stroke fest. " Owen chuckled at that.

"Maybe more, who knows, but we just can't do those things now. What made you think I was angry with you?"

"I don't know, I guess I'm just not accustomed to being rejected like that."

"Well, it's nothing personal. You have some serious matters coming up and you need to save your energy."

Owen called a friend to pick him up. On the drive home, he thought about what was in store for him, and hoped he could do what was required without too much apprehension.

The four days passed at an unbearably slow pace for Owen. He just couldn't get his mind off the last Ordeal, and wondered constantly about this one, of what his test would be this time. He tried going to Ronnie's house to distract himself, but all Ronnie wanted to do was watch porn and jerk off, it was something Owen could not stand to watch right now. Owen was already dealing with not being able to jack off as it was, and going over there to catch Ronnie in the act would surely do him in.

He took a lot of cold showers and played play station until his thumb was sore, trying in vain to take his mind off of his aching dick.

When Friday finally came, he kicked around the house for most of the day. He got a ride from his mother to the office, telling her he had some overtime to work.

Owen entered the building at 7:25 and was met by a uniformed security guard.

"Please follow me." he said calmly.

They got on the express elevator; the security guard sent the lift to the thirty-fifth floor. Exiting the lift, Owen and the guard proceeded down the hall. Owen noticed, through an open door, a stage, with stadium seats in a semi circle around it....That must be for big meetings or something, Owen thought.

"Please, continue this way." The security guard had stopped and was waiting. Owen moved on.

At the end of the hall, the guard opened a door for Owen and waited for him to enter. Owen entered and heard the door close behind him, then the lock latched.

Owen didn't know what to do. He stared at the door. He heard another door open and turned to look.

"Owen, you are on time. Excellent!" Mr. Chapin had entered the room. He was in his standard suit, coat off and tie loosened.

"Owen, in a bit, another person will come in here, and his name is Kodi. He is a local college student, and he works for our firm. You are to follow his directions, without question. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir," Owen replied.

"Then I will see you shortly." 

Mr. Chapin turned and exited through a different door then the one Owen had entered.

Owen's palms began to sweat. The unknown was frightening and exciting at the same time.

"You must be Owen." Owen never heard the guy come in. The dude was about nineteen or twenty years old, the same as Owen. He was about six feet tall, and maybe 150 pounds. He wore blue jeans and a t-shirt. His brown hair was cut short and he sported an earring in his right ear.

"So you must be Kodi. Well, I've been given my instructions, so I'm just waiting on you."

"Alright, right this way." Kodi opened another door and they walked a narrow hall. He unlocked a door off the hall. He beckoned Owen to go in. 

The room was white like a hospital, it smelled of various scents like menthol and evergreen. In the middle of the room was a massage table.

"Owen, you need to go in the room over there and shower. Use the soaps provided, and come out here when you are done. There are no towels, so you'll have to come out here wet. Go ahead and strip down here."

While Owen was taking his clothes off, Kodi had opened a cabinet and was pulling out some containers. Owen couldn't see what was in them.

Once naked, Owen went into the shower room. Turning on the water, he wet himself down and began to lather himself up. I better not touch my cock, he thought. It might go off. He laughed out loud at this, only slightly exaggerating; it had been at least six days since he had jacked off, and his balls were aching.

Owen exited the shower, and reached instinctively for a towel, but there was none. He walked out into the room with the table.

Kodi was now wearing a white loin cloth. His legs were somewhat muscular, and covered with a thin layer of black hair. His ass was round and taut.

He took a soft white towel and began to towel Owens arms, massaging the bicep then down the arm to the wrist. He toweled Owens hand, wiping each finger one at a time. Kodi then dried Owen's back, and down to his ass, drying each cheek, and then spreading it open to pat it dry. He dried the legs one at a time, then his feet.

"Owen, you need to get on the massage table now. Face down, please."

Owen climbed on the table and laid down face first. Kodi then took the container and poured some heavily scented oil in to his hand. He began massaging the oil into Owen's shoulder and back. Once the oil was massaged in, Kodi started massaging Owen's feet, then calves, and thighs. Last, Kodi began massaging oil into Owens buttocks, and separated the cheeks and rubbed Owen's asshole. When the oil was rubbed in, Kodi stood back.

"You need to turn over now."

Owen was concerned. The young man massaging him had given Owen a minor erection. He turned over and laid back, face up, the back of his head now on the table.

Kodi started massaging the oil into Owen's hairless pectoral muscles. His palms brushed gently over Owen's nipples, sending tingles to his oversensitive groin. Owen barely stifled a moan.

Kodi moved down to Owen's abs. The he reached Owen's crotch. His dick swelled.

"Sorry for the boner, dude." Owen said.

"Don't sweat it. It happens." With that, Kodi gave the cock a couple of strokes, grinned when it hardened further, then resumed massaging Owen's crotch.

When he was done working the oil into Owen's skin, he directed Owen to a closet and told him to put on the underwear and the robe.

Kodi grabbed a cell phone and dialed.

"The preparation is complete. Yes sir... Yes sir. Very well, then." Kodi cut the connection.

The clothing was a black Speedo like brief, only it was a thong. Owen pulled them on. They were tight and snug on his cock, which was now pinned against his body by the briefs.

The other piece of clothing was a blue robe, with a hood on the neck and a white rope to tie the robe closed. As he was starting to tie the robe closed, Kodi stopped him. 

"No, no, don't tie it off just yet."

Kodi, who was now wearing a long white cheese cloth shirt that draped over his shoulders and hung to just above his knees, and moved toward Owen.

He dropped to his knees in front of Owen, and placed his right hand on Owen's covered cock. He shaped the cloth over the cock. He used both hands to both manipulate the ever swelling dick and cup the balls.

Owens cock was outlined by the cloth of the briefs now.

Kodi then announced, "It's time."

He led Owen through a door. They walked a short distance and turned left, in to an antechamber.

Rex and Mr. Chapin were there, waiting. Rex was in a robe like Owen's except his was red, and had gold embroidery along the edges. Mr. Chapin also wore a red robe with the embroidery, but he had the addition of a white sash around the waist.

"Owen, are you prepared for this test?"

"Yes, sir."

"Very well. Kodi, please begin."

Kodi opened the door and they filed in, Kodi, then Owen, followed by Rex, and finally Mr. Chapin.

The room was the auditorium Owen had seen earlier. In the center of the stage was a maroon colored pillow. There was a table next to that.

A bank of studio lights was beaming down on the area of the pillow. The rest of the auditorium was in the shadow, but Owen could see twenty men, seated in the stadium like seats, one row higher than the one in front of it. There were five rows of four seats each. The seated men all wore robes like Rex, their hoods over their heads. At each seat there was a small, high definition screen attached to the arm rest on the right.

The procession moved solemnly to the center of the stage. Kodi stepped off to the side, in a shadow, while Rex and Owen turned to face the audience, standing side by side. Mr. Chapin stepped to the front and addressed the audience.

"Welcome, Knights of The Order of the Falcon Watch. We are here to bear witness to the ordeal of aspirant Owen. He has shown that he trusts the knights of this Order. We will now show to him that his trust in us is reciprocated."

Mr. Chapin turned and made a motion for Kodi to come forward. Kodi moved efficiently to the center of the stage and motioned for Owen to take a step forward.

Owen moved to the center of the stage, and stood facing the audience. The bank of bright lights heightened the depth of the shadow that the audience sat in. All of their heads were up and facing Owen, but the bright lights prevented him from making out what they looked like as their hoods increased the shadow over their faces.

Kodi moved behind Owen and untied the rope, which allowed Owen's robe to fall open. Kodi took the white rope, and folded it in half, twice, and laid it on the table. Next, Kodi slid the robe off of Owen's shoulders. The robe was draped over the table delicately. Kodi next put his thumbs inside the waist band of the briefs Owen wore. Kodi worked the brief over Owens hard cock, and then used a thumb to pull the thong from the cleft Owens buttocks. When they fell to the stage, Owen stood fully naked, his cock full erect and engorged, his shaved balls suspended between his legs.

Kodi spoke, his voice just above a whisper. 

"Owen step this way and kneel down on the pillow."

Owen nodded and went to the pillow. It was a long rectangle, and very fluffy.

On his knees now, his back to the audience, Kodi walked behind Owen, and slid his hand in between Owens legs. 

"Owen, you need to spread your knees as far apart as is comfortable."

Owen complied and stretched his knees apart, his cock swinging with the motion. Kodi reached under Owen and gave a small tug on his balls and said, "You will do fine Owen." He stepped away.

From behind him, Owen heard Mr. Chapin bellow, "There is no greater way for one man to show his trust for another man, than to allow that other man to take his cock into his mouth and to suck deeply from it. It demonstrates that one has complete and total confidence in another man since it is at this time when a man is most vulnerable. It also shows that a man can maintain the discretion that is sometimes needed."

Kodi maneuvered a small camera, attached to a flexible stand and wired into a box underneath the table, and positioned it to the right of Owen's head. A red light indicated that the camera was recording.

Rex now stepped forward and stood in front of Owen. Having just heard Mr. Chapin speak, Owen realized he was now going to suck his first cock, and it was going to be Rex's.

Nervousness and apprehension consumed Owen. He had never done this. He had thought about sucking his friend Ronnie's cock before, but had never been in a position to do it. Now, the first cock to go into his mouth belonged to a person who Owen had grown to trust and consider a very good friend.

Thoughts swirled through his mind. What do I do? What will it feel like? How will it feel to him? Will he cum in my mouth? What will it taste like? Do I swallow it? Owen just didn't know and he was scared.

When Rex was positioned in front of Owen, facing the audience, Kodi stepped forward and assisted Rex with his robe. Kodi took Rex's Speedo briefs after Rex had removed them.

Rex's cock appeared massive to Owen now. It was fully erected and appeared swollen. The veins on his cock seemed to pulse with every beat of Rex's heart.

Kodi now positioned himself on Owen's left, also on his knees.

"To demonstrate the trust we have in this aspirant, Brother Rex will allow him to take his cock in his mouth and shoot his seed into his mouth." Mr. Chapin announced

Owen began to tremble slightly. He looked up at Rex. "Rex," he said in a strangled voice, "I've never done this..."

"Owen, you will do fine. Just do what you would like to have done to you. Have confidence and you will do fine."




The Order Ch. 02



Kodi took Rex's erect cock into his hand and manipulated it towards Owen's lips.

"Remember, this is not a race. If you need to take a break and rest, then do so." Kodi whispered.

Rex locked his knees.

"Owen, let's begin." 

Owen stared hypnotized and the turgid cock which was inches from his mouth. He glanced over to his right, at the camera, which had to be broadcasting to the screens in the stadium seats. He swallowed and started breathing hard. He was scared and did not know why.

"Owen, just relax, and take it into your mouth."

Owen looked up at Rex, who nodded very subtly at him.

"Go ahead; you don't have to take the whole thing in yet. Just take the head in."

Owen opened his mouth. Kodi eased the cock forward. Owen closed his mouth around the head of Rex's cock.

The head felt lush and velvety on the inside of Owen's mouth.

"Suck on it, softly." Kodi coached.

Owen sucked on the end of the cock. His saliva began to bathe the head.

"Owen, that feels so good. Your mouth is so hot..." Rex whispered.

Owen relaxed a little at that. He took another inch of the hardened cock into his mouth. Owen could feel the hard shaft on his tongue, the soft head touching the roof of his mouth.

Owen remembered what Rex had said about doing what he would have wanted done to him, and he ran his tongue along the underside of the hard shaft.

"Use your hands Owen, cup my balls and grip the base."

With his left hand, Owen cupped then began massaging Rex's tight nuts. Rex moved his hips back, and the cock slid along Owen's tongue and Owen tried to suck the cock back in.

Rex slowly moved his hips forward and Owen felt the hot, bulging shaft fill his mouth. Owen gripped the base of the cock with his right hand and began swirling his tongue around the cock as it slid into his mouth.

Owens jaws were tightening up and Kodi noticed. "Try to relax your jaw, " Kodi whispered.

The sensation of Rex moving his cock back and forth was the most powerful thing in the world to Owen just then. He had another man's dick in his mouth, and shortly, he was going to have his cum in his mouth, too.

"Owen, I am going to move my cock further into your mouth. Just relax, and let it go in." Rex announced.

The pulsing erection moved slowly into the back of Owens throat, and he gagged and came off of the dick. Still holding Rex's cock, Owen let an amount of drool gurgle from his mouth and drip onto the pillow. Some of the heated fluid landed on his aroused cock.

Kodi said into Owens ear, "It's ok, take a minute to rest, but keep stoking his dick."

Owen started stroking. His hand moving smoothly along the shaft as his spit and drool provided a lubricant.

Owen was breathing hard. He felt the air rush in and out, making him slightly lightheaded.

"Owen, I want you to calm down and relax." Rex said. Then he used his fingers to lift Owen's head so that they were looking into each other's eyes.

"Owen, when you take my cock into your mouth again, I want you to stay on until I cum. Do you understand? I am close now, and I want you to take the cum shot into your mouth." Rex's jaw was set, and his nostrils were flaring.

Owen nodded his head.

Owen set himself for the finish.

He opened his mouth, and took the hot, swollen flesh into his mouth again.

Owen sucked hard, and ran his tongue along the shaft then used it to caress the head. The head then touched the back of his throat again and the gag reflex engaged. Owen made a gagging sound and Rex said, "Easy Owen. Relax your throat. Flex your tongue and let my dick slide over it."

Rex had a very calm, soothing voice, and Owen responded.

He let the dick rest on his tongue, and he formed his lips into a tight "O".

Rex put both of his hands on Owen's head and began to slowly slide his cock in and out of his mouth.

"That's it buddy, relax and let me fuck your mouth."

The hot distended flesh began moving in and out at a quicker pace now. Every time the head reached the back of his throat, Owen gagged.

"Owen, just take it...let this happen."

Owen felt the cock harden even more in his mouth. He gripped Rex's balls and felt them tighten up. Rex was going to cum in his mouth.

Rex started breathing heavily and his cock seemed to surge and ebb in the hot, wet mouth.

Then his breathing changed, to short raspy gasps.

"Owen.....I am going to cum...I want you to take it in."

His movement became more forcible...his cock now swelling in preparation of the coming climax.

"Owen......Owen...." That was all the warning Owen got.

Rex gripped Owens head in hard as his straining shaft moved with a consuming need into the heated mouth.

Rex's molten semen shot out, and into the back of Owens throat.

Owen gagged, and struggled to come off, but Kodi was there to hold Owen in place. "That's it....that's it...it's ok...take it in. You're ok." Kodi whispered.

Owen struggled more; it felt like he couldn't breathe.

The cock was filling his mouth with flesh and hot spurts of cum. Owen tried not to swallow, and this forced cum out from his lips and onto Rex's slobber covered dick.

"Owen, you must swallow it. Just swallow it...you're ok, relax your throat and let it go down." Kodi held Owen in place. The cum filled the vacuum in Owens mouth.

Rex moaned in ecstasy as his orgasm moved through his body.

Owen felt another gag reflex coming, and opened his mouth, backing away for the hard cock, his mouth brimming with Rex's cum.

The cum was white hot in his mouth. The sperm had a salty, earthy tang to it.

"Owen, open your mouth." Rex ordered

Owen leaned back and opened his mouth, exposing the pearly white ejaculate.

"Owen, you must swallow it."

Owen then became aware of how painfully hard his own dick was.

Owen closed his mouth, relaxed his throat, and swallowed the rich sperm down his throat, never taking his eyes from Rex's.

Rex looked at his trainee and felt pride.

Kodi was staring at Owen, who still had strands of Rex's cum along his lips and chin.

"My liege, may I?" Kodi asked of Rex.

Rex's eyes cut to Kodi and he nodded slowly.

Kodi took a finger and scooped some of the sperm from Owen's face, then sucked it from his finger.

"Thank you, sire." He said.

Mr. Chapin then spoke in a rather loud voice. 

"This completes this portion of the process. Brothers, come forward so that you can share the seed of this aspirant."

The knights in the audience came forward and formed a single file line.

Kodi moved a stool and helped Owen sit on it.

Next he grabbed a pewter chalice held it with his head bowed in front of Owens now iron hard member.

Rex moved to Owens left, bent down and took the cock into his mouth. Rex worked the cock in and out of his mouth using a copious amount of spit. He then replaced his mouth with his right hand and began jacking Owens steel cock.

In no time, Owens legs opened wide, and Rex worked his middle finger into Owen's tight hole.

Owen threw his head back, and was breathing fast and hard. Rex felt Owen's cock head swell, and precum flow down on to his hand. He directed Owen's cock toward the chalice that Kodi held, and felt Owen's cock surge and flex, and his cum shot from it in powerful jets.

Owen moaned and sagged as his orgasm racked his body with sharp spasms.

Rex worked Owen's cock to retrieve all possible fluid from him. Kodi caught every drop.

Kodi held the chalice as Rex dipped Owens cock into his sperm, then withdrew Owens cock and sucked the sperm from the head.

Next Mr. Chapin repeated that process, dipping Owens cock into his own sperm then sucking it from the head. Then each knight, in turn, repeated it.

Some of them swirled their tongues over the hyper sensitive head, causing Owen to jump and groan. When they had all tasted the young seed, Kodi again asked if he could do it, but this time the question was directed at Owen.

Owen looked shocked. "Owen, may Kodi taste you?" Rex asked him.

"Uhh...yea...yes, sir" Owen rasped.

Kodi took Owens cock and poured a glop of sperm on Owen's dick, then took Owen's cock into his warm mouth and sucked hard.

"Thank you for allowing me to do that." Kodi said to Owen. He then hurried away.

Rex held open Owens blue robe, and Owen climbed in and stood alongside Rex and Mr. Chapin, who said, "We are concluded."

The audience of knights filed out of the auditorium.

"Well done, Owen." Mr. Chapin smiled.

"Go home and rest. Your training will begin again first thing Monday morning."

The three men walked from the auditorium.



The Order Ch. 02



"But you wanted information," Andraemalek chimed in, "I can't exactly do that if she's dead, now can I?"

"Insolent clod of a demon!" Botis shouted. He was tired of the arrogance of the hunter. "Get the information. Torture her if you must, but get us what we need!"

Andraemalek crouched low and stared all members in the eyes before he said, "You don't get to tell me how to do my job. You asked for my services-"

"With the reward of joining us," Rhotomago interrupted.

"But it is up to me to determine how those services are carried out. I can learn more about what she knows if I get her to trust me. If she learns to consider me a friend, there is no limit to what she will tell me."

Astaroth nodded in understanding. "It is imperative we learn of her contacts. Someone close to her has to know the truth."

Andraemalek neglected to mention the fact that Nadia kept to herself. She spoke to other humans, but never the way she would learn to speak to him. The members did not need to know that. "It will not be long until the job is done."

"Make sure of it," Astaroth replied, "But keep in mind that our impatience grows with every passing day that she lives."



The Order Ch. 03



She was up to something. As Andraemalek walked to the window in his unfurnished living room, he wondered what the random human was doing. He'd found himself growing much too curious about her in the few weeks he'd known her. He shouldn't have; he had a job to complete if he expected to make it into The Order. His growing attraction to Nadia would help no one, least of all him.

But he did not stop himself as he walked to the window to look into her apartment. When he told her that he lived across the quad, he neglected to tell her that he could see right into her living room. Andraemalek had spent many nights watching as she studied, read, and dotted over the neighbor's damned cat. She was a simplistic woman, he learned, one that he found to be increasingly complicated because of her simplicity.

She was practically naked. Andraemalek watched as Nadia paraded around her apartment in nothing more than a burgundy tank top and black cotton panties. What was she thinking? The curtains weren't drawn. She lived on the first floor; anyone could have seen her. No one was supposed to see her in such a state of undress. 

No one save him.

Andraemalek shook his head. What was he thinking? Nadia was allowed to do whatever she wanted. She was a grown woman. If she wanted to walk around in such a state of undress in the middle of a Wednesday afternoon knowing that there was a possibility of unscrupulous men staring at her mouthwateringly luscious body, then so be it.

He still didn't like it.

Andraemalek watched as she walked to a small radio. She fiddled with the knobs for a minute before she began to move her head along to the music she listened to. The music must have been something she enjoyed immensely because she began to dance. They were small movements at first, little kicks of the feet or waves of the arm, but soon, she lost herself in the music and began to sway her wide hips enticingly. He stood fascinated as she seemingly drew circles with her hips. As she skipped and danced in the room, her breasts jiggled and swayed. 

His mouth went dry.

Looking away, Andraemalek saw a pack of cigarettes on the countertop and mentally called one to himself. He also called a lighter. After lighting the cigarette and taking a long drag, he looked at her again. His body was hot, he noticed, and only increased in heat when she pulled her hair free of the confines of its bun. Electricity swept through him as her hair caressed her shoulders as she moved her head from side to side. His body tightened at the thought of being in the room with her, watching and feeling as she danced on him. Her lips were moving, a clear indication that she was singing as she danced. "What the hell is she listening to?" Andraemalek called forth a cordless radio and quickly turned it on. He flipped through stations slowly, watching to see if her lips moved in time with any of the songs he heard. It took several seconds but finally, he found the station she listened to and shook his head in amusement when he heard the words she sang to:

"In touch with the ground/ I'm on the hunt I'm after you/ Scent and a sound, I'm lost and I'm found/ And I'm hungry like the wolf/ Strut on a line, it's discord and rhyme/ I howl and I whine, I'm after you/ Mouth is alive, all running inside/ And I'm hungry like the wolf"

He shook his head slowly as he watched her dance. He should have stopped, should not have been so invested in a simple human dancing to music but could not stop himself. She was mesmerizing. Andraemalek felt something on his face and realized that he was sweating, something he'd never done before. He shook his head. "She's only a human." Why did he react to her? He'd been near humans before, even beautiful human women with bodies that should have made him speechless but not one of them made him sweat.

Andraemalek sighed in relief when Nadia stopped dancing. Then he realized that there was a fine sheen of sweat covering her body. "Shit." He had to step away from the window. Walking to the kitchen sink, he got himself a glass of water and quickly gulped it down. There was an odd feeling in the pit of his stomach and a very distinct one in his groin. "Think of the job, Drae." He took a breath and braced his hands on the edge of the sink. He needed to find a reason to get back into the apartment. Once in, he would learn what she knew about the supernatural and if anyone else knew as well. Then he would kill her and move on to his next mission. He needed to leave Earth; living here was humanizing him.

* * * * *

It was a very foolish idea to go to the twenty-four hour food mart at midnight but Nadia needed comfort. She had no friends, no real ones anyway, and being alone meant that she always got her work done when she planned to. Unfortunately it also meant that there would be nights like this where she would have nothing to keep her mind off the fact that she was alone and would thus make runs to the food mart. After the incident that introduced her to Andrae a month before, she should have learned to stay indoors. But she was a foolish woman, one who always found a way to get herself into some kind of sticky situation.

"You are an obsession/ You're my obsession/ Who do you want me to be/ To make you sleep with me?"

Nadia sang to herself as she walked home. That was the problem with being in the Mp3 generation; having one's favorite music at hand at any given moment meant that one could become lost in the music. For Nadia, becoming lost in the music meant that she had to sing the music. Midnight probably wasn't the best time to start singing to herself, especially considering it meant that any predator would catch her unawares but she could not stop herself; she was too far gone.

The hand on her shoulder caused Nadia to act on instinct. She dropped the bags in her hands and turned sharply to hit. She would not be a victim. Not again.

She stopped when her wrist was held in a tight but gentle grip. Looking up, she sighed in relief when she saw Andrae staring at her quizzically. "Jesus Christ, you scared the crap out of me."

Andraemalek raised a brow at her loud statement. Ignoring the sugary scent of her happiness to see him he said, "Didn't you hear-"

"What?"

He frowned when she shouted at him again. "I said didn't-"

"What?" Nadia shook her head slowly as she held her hand up in a signal for him to remain quiet. She reached up and pulled the tiny earpieces to her Mp3 player out of her ears and smiled to hide her embarrassment. 

"That answers my question."

"Sorry. What were you saying?"

Andraemalek shook his head. "Nothing." He watched as Nadia bent to retrieve her things and bent to help her. He looked at the boxes of pound cake, containers of ice cream, chocolate bars, sucking candies, chips, dip and rolls of cookie dough and felt his brows crease in question. "Think you have enough sugar?"

Nadia laughed as she collected her bags. "Shut up." She smiled at Andraemalek in thanks as he took her bags from her. She figured that his statement stemmed from the fact that he was probably a health nut, one of the many advantages to being a fitness trainer. "I'm a little depressed right now."

Andraemalek walked with Nadia in silence for a moment before he spoke. "Why?" What did she have to be depressed about? She was a smart, beautiful, gentle, and interesting woman who was on the verge of a major discovery. There was no reason to be depressed.

Nadia shrugged indifferently. "Just feeling a little lonely. It'll be gone by the morning." As would a good percentage of the items he carried for her. He didn't need to know that. He already knew how much she weighed and that was more than enough for her to feel like a whale when near him. "Until then, it's chocolate, chips, and literally feeling my arteries clog."

Andraemalek laughed at her phrasing and realized that they were in front of her apartment. He waited as she fished for her keys out of her purse and walked in when she stepped back. He placed the bags on the counter before he turned to face her. "What made you feel lonely?"

Nadia shrugged once more as she said, "I don't know. Woke up feeling this way." She walked to the counter to begin separating her purchases and tilted her head when she noticed the concerned looked Andraemalek gave her. "Don't worry. It comes and goes."

Andraemalek nodded slowly as he watched her separate the items and frowned at a very odd item she purchased. He picked up the container. "What is this?"

Nadia looked at the container and smiled. "It's Dirt." At his disgusted look, she took the container from him and opened it. "It's chocolate cake crumbles, gummy worms and some candy flowers." She held the open container to him. "Try it."

Andraemalek had never heard of Dirt and looked at it warily. It did smell like sugar which gave him a small amount of confidence. To appease her, he tried it and became relieved when he did not become disgusted. She smiled at him, a slow, genuine smile that took his breath away. How did she do that? "Is it all right if I stay a while?"

"You don't have to do that because of what I told you."

"I'm not. I'm kind of lonely myself."

Nadia looked at Andraemalek for a moment. He didn't seem lonely. If anything, he looked bored out of his mind. Why did he want to stay? Why was she asking? She was lonely and liked having him around. "Sure." She watched as he stood and walked to the radio. Effortlessly, he turned to her favorite radio station, impressing her. "You like 80's music too? I'm obsessed with it." She poured herself a glass of water.

Andraemalek smiled at her enthusiasm. "No, I'm not much of a fan but this is what you were listening to the day you were dancing."

Nadia spit the water she'd sipped out of her mouth in her embarrassment. She couldn't have heard what she thought she just heard. "Excuse me?"

Her appalled expression forced him to grin in amusement. "I can see your apartment from my window." He kept himself from laughing at her wide-eyed expression. "I saw you dancing in your underwear."

"Oh, my God." If there was a God, a hole in the floor would open up and suck her in. 

Andraemalek laughed. Her anxiety had a very unique scent; it wasn't cloying like her nervousness. This scent was light and reminded him of mint. "If it makes you feel any better, I liked it."

In her growing nervousness, Nadia opened one of the boxes of pound cake and cut a couple of slices for them. Her slice was twice as large as his. Walking to the couch, she placed them on the coffee table and sat down on the floor. She watched as he joined her and felt her jaw drop when he reached for the larger piece of cake. She ate her cake quietly, unsure of what to say. It wasn't everyday a sexy man told a woman who looked like her that he saw her dancing in her underwear and liked it. She felt... appealing, like it wasn't insanity for a man with the body of a god to like the way she looked, excess fat and all. "I like you." She was aware that he could have taken her statement any way but decided not to clarify.

"Oh yeah?" There was a light in her eyes that caused that odd feeling in his stomach to return. The sensation intensified when a new scent wafted toward him. It was a tangy, sweet and extremely earthy scent he'd never smelled before. This was one emotion he could not pinpoint. He was determined to find out. Leaning close to her, he did not resist the urge to inhale her smell. The cocoa butter oil was intoxicating, especially mixed with the unfamiliar scent.

Nadia nodded slowly. "Yeah." She should have been uncomfortable but she wasn't. Desire pooled in the pit of her stomach and slowly spread to every inch of her body. Her fingertips tingled. "You make me smile."

Andraemalek leaned closer, sensing her passion. It hummed off her like the gentle patter of rain on a roof. "What else do I make you?" Instantly, he smelled something else, that wonderfully cloying scent that he'd quickly familiarized himself with.

Nadia licked her lips in her nervousness. There was something in the way he looked at her that made her want to push him away and pull him closer at the same time. "You make me nervous." Her words came out in a whisper which surprised her; she didn't think she'd be able to speak at all.

Andraemalek smiled; she was wonderfully innocent. "There is nothing to be nervous about."

Nadia let out a small laugh. "The way you're looking at me makes me nervous." She gasped in surprise when he pulled her impossibly close and nuzzled her neck. Heat spread through her body. The tingling she felt became a raging thrum.

The scent became stronger and it was then that he realized the that particular fragrance was desire. He felt the rapid beat of her heart on his tongue as he laved her soft skin and knew that a taste would never be enough. "What about this?" He nibbled on her earlobe and felt a shock of electricity cut through his body at the sound of her sweet whimper. "Does this make you nervous?"

Nadia gasped as she felt Andraemalek's hands on her back, pulling her on top of him. She didn't know how her heart didn't explode because of its fierce pounding. "Y-yes..."

Andraemalek felt himself smile a predatory, satisfied smile of victory. "Then this is going to give you the shakes." He captured her lips with his and groaned at the sweet taste of her lips. She wrapped her arms around him tightly, pressing them closer than he though possible and he thought that she would suffocate him with her passion. Her scent was strong, heavy and incredibly addicting. He grazed his tongue along her bottom lip and groaned harshly when she pulled it between her lips to suck. He was impossibly aroused and knew that she felt it. She wasn't nervous now. She was actively becoming the aggressor of their kiss.

It was when he realized that the demon in him would take over, that he would not stop until he'd made her his that Andraemalek stood and placed Nadia on the couch. He looked at her and realized he'd made a mistake in doing so; her lips were glistening with moisture and her breasts were hypnotizing as they rose and fell with her heavy, uneven breathing. 

He had to leave.

"I have to go." He watched as Nadia only nodded as she stared at him. Taking a deep breath, he left her apartment and quickly shimmered into his own. Something was wrong with him; he'd never been attracted to a human before. He didn't understand his reaction to her, the fact that she'd ignited a blazing fire within him, one that would have unleashed his inner beast had he not been able to control it. Yes, Nadia did something feral to him, something both dangerous and drugging, something he knew no other living being would ever be capable of.

It was a shame she would be dead soon.



The Order Ch. 04



It was amazing the amount of work it was possible to complete when avoiding someone. Nadia sat at her table on the top floor of the library and shook her head slowly. This was Andrae's fault; had he not kissed her, she would have no reason to avoid him. Her attraction to him was strong and addicting, something that scared the breath from her. He was able to make her hot with one simple look, something no other man had ever been able to do. It was dangerous, her attraction to him, the very reason she had to stay away.

Moving to the top floor of the library seemed safe enough; there were people present and because she knew he would never think to look for her there, she didn't have to worry about being found. She'd worked for hours, learning a great deal. Interestingly enough, nothing she read had anything to do with The Order. At least not yet. Nadia's mission was to learn of The Hunter, one of the rouge demons that sometimes worked for The Order. She thought that finding information on him would better help her find other members of The Order. What she found, however, was a very complicated history.

It was said that there were five beings who called themselves the High Council. There were all gods, none like any other god on record. Where they originated from, no one knew, as they were said to be older than earth itself. They inhabited a very exclusive plane called Netiri and lived simple lives.

After man was created, one of The High Council, Roycelyn, developed an insatiable thirst for women. Human, demon, angel, or god; as long as it was female and beautiful, she was pursued. He was eventually given the name "Royce the Rake", a name that he was proud to have. Soon, the name was not enough.

With the rise of the demon clans, Royce became hungry for power. He wanted his position in the High Council uncompromised and thus devised a plan to create a supreme army, lead by ten very powerful and trustworthy commanders. Because there was no other being he found trustworthy enough to command his army, he set out to create his own commanders. He thought it best to create the men himself, with the aid of human females as creating half human commanders ensured his superior power.

Royce traveled to Earth, found the ten most beautiful women, and impregnated them. Nine of them gave birth to strong boys while one gave him twins, increasing the number of sons to eleven. Royce did not mind; more sons meant more commanders for his army.

Due to the insatiable need for women, Royce mated with more than the mothers of his sons. Interestingly enough, he had the power to prevent human women from becoming impregnated, a satisfactory ability considering his rakish ways. It was the very reason he chose Earth. However, everything would change with Cassandra.

Cassandra was a young, innocent princess Royce could not resist. Her beauty caused wars and her sweet nature ended them. The instant he saw her, Royce knew that he had to have her. And he did. Many times. He stayed with her for days, longer than he'd spent with any other woman, drinking his fill of her. When he'd been sated, he disappeared.

Royce waited until his sons were of age before he returned to Earth to train them. They were all strong, natural born leaders, exactly what he needed for his army. His plan was near completion.

It was when Royce was prepared to take his sons to Netiri that Cassandra found him. He wasn't surprised to see her. 

He was surprised to see her son.

Cassandra did not know that Royce was of the High Council. Royce did not know that Cassandra was half demon, part of the clan Belial. Known for their ferocity, her breed was the most hated of all demons. It was against High Council law for any member to cavort with any demon. Not only had Royce broken the rule, but he'd created an abomination.

The abomination had no clan to call his own; the Belial knew that he was half High Council, their mortal enemy. Royce knew that the High Council would have him, as well as all of his children executed if they learned of his plan and of his abomination. He cast the half breed off, never to return to any clan. 

Royce did not know that the High Council knew of his plans. Soon after the half breed was cast off, Royce was set to stand trial. The Council did him a favor by keeping his sons alive but refused to allow The Abomination to live. Royce knew a valuable asset when he saw one and volunteered himself to exile for the sake of his son's life. The Council agreed, under the conditions that The Abomination live amongst the demons, and that the other sons unite to form a new clan, The Brethren. Together, they would hunt and kill any demon that threatened the balance of good and evil. Forced to agree, the men set out to do as commanded.

It was after The Abomination learned to hone his skills years later, to separate demon from High Council, that he became a hired assassin. His services went to the highest bidder, and his services did not come cheap. He was ruthless, cunning, and efficient, exactly what paying clients needed. He became known as The Hunter, feared by all but the eleven men who shared his blood. Not completely part of The Brethren, he continued to kill for pay, occasionally working with his brothers to keep overzealous demons in line. The active members of The High Council did not retaliate when he surfaced on Earth, something The Brethren knew would be rectified with time.

"You've been avoiding me."

Nadia looked up from her reading and sighed in defeat. She knew that voice from anywhere. Slowly, she turned in her seat and looked up at Andrae's expectant and unwavering stare. "How did you find me?"

He did not move as he said, "I could smell you." It was always easy to find her. Her scent was distinct, and though sometimes faint, it was unmistakable.

Nadia frowned in confusion. "Do I smell?" She lifted her arm as she moved her head down to sniff her armpit. The weather was on the warmer side which caused a little perspiration, but she did not think that her smell offended anyone. She stood, ready to pack her things of his answer was yes.

Andraemalek moved closer as he watched her gather her books. He smelled her worry; it was a sour scent that clung to the back of his throat. He realized he phrased his statement incorrectly, something he had not intended to do. "No." He sensed her relief but at the same time, her nervousness grew. Only wanting to ease the emotion, he took a step forward and frowned when she stepped behind the table. Did she not want him near her?

"What are you doing upstairs?" Nadia fought to keep her control at the sight of him. Her heart beat furiously in her chest, forcing her to fight for breath. Why did he have to look at her so intimately? They'd only kissed, but Andraemalek had acted as if they were more. She hoped not; he was too hypnotizing a man for her to lose her head over.

"I was looking for you."

Somehow, Nadia knew that was the answer she would be given. It still didn't stop the butterflies in her stomach. "Why?"

"I don't know." Andraemalek stood in silence as he watched the emotions play over Nadia's face. She was pleased to know that he searched for her but at the same time, she was scared. He wasn't sure if she was afraid of him or not. He hoped he didn't scare her; he wanted her feeling something other than fear. "Why are you avoiding me?"

"Because you confuse me." Nadia took a breath to calm her racing heart. No one had ever had her shaken up the way he did. "You make me tingle."

"You make me hurt."

"What?"

"Whenever I think of you there is this weird feeling in my stomach." The look of shock on Nadia's faced prompted Andraemalek to walk around the table. He approached slowly so that she would not back away from him. She did back away however but stopped when she became pinned by a wall. She was trapped. He stood dangerously close to her, enveloping himself in her scent. Her nerves were on high alert, producing a scent that exhilarated him. It was strong and vibrant, sending bolts of desire through his body. He moved closer to her, making it impossible for anything to break them apart. "When I'm near you..."

Nadia gulped as she looked away. Andrae's gaze was hot and penetrating, heating her body dangerously. "It goes away?"

Andraemalek shook his head slowly as he said, "It gets worse." The scent of her desire intoxicated him. His senses went into overdrive, screaming at him to fulfill the dire needs of his body. The demon within him burned, desperate to claim her. He leaned down and pressed his lips against her pounding pulse. She smelled so warm, so sweet, so utterly delectable. "But I like it." He licked her neck slowly and closed his eyes in surrender when she whimpered.

Nadia's head was swimming. She couldn't move, couldn't think. His lips roamed over her neck while his hands slowly moved up her hips to lift the hem of her shirt. "Library..." She meant to tell him that they were in a public place, that anyone would see them if they happened to walk by but stopped when his fingers caressed the skin hidden beneath the material of her shirt. "What?"

"I dream about doing things to you that should be against the law." Andraemalek groaned low in his throat when he heard Nadia sharply suck in air. Her skin was incredibly soft; he wanted that softness wrapped around him. He licked her lips slowly and said, "I wonder if the rest of your body tastes as sweet as your mouth. No, definitely sweeter." His hands moved up to hold her and he silenced her moan of surprise as his thrust his tongue into her mouth. He showed no mercy as he kissed her; he meant to show her his dominance, his power, and his possession. She melted in his arms, and would have fallen had she not had the sense to wrap her arms around him. Her sweet moans and whimpers made him crave more, forced him to take more. It was not long until her desire drugged him, made him shake with need.

Andraemalek pulled away and looked at Nadia. Her eyes were wide and misty with passion, her lips swollen. They begged to be nibbled on. "I need to leave." He stepped away and forced himself to look away from her. If he didn't, he would give into his body's urges. She was too tempting a creature to allow himself to become careless.

Turning, he walked toward the nearest exit. He had to stay away from her if he expected to complete his mission. Too much rode on his success. To become a member of The Order, he had to murder Nadia. It was a mission he had to complete.

It was a mission he wished he didn't have to.

* * * * *

"I do not trust that self serving demon."

Astaroth stood behind his seat in the summoning chamber and watched Botis closely as he pounded his fist on the tabletop. He knew that his first commander had a temper to be rivaled, but there was something about his eagerness to rid The Order of their little complication that made him wonder. "He is the best assassin there is."

"If that were true, why is the human still alive?"

"If we are to control this problem, we need to know of who else knows and if she has hidden any information anywhere."

"Nothing a simple telepath can't tell us." Botis remained silent and watched as Astaroth began to pace the length of the chamber. "It has never taken him this long to complete a mission."

"This is no ordinary search and destroy."

"She nothing but a filthy human!"

Astaroth stopped and stared at Botis. His first commander did not look desperate, simply impatient. It was common knowledge that he despised anything human. "Knowing that your fate rests in the hands of a human must kill you."

Botis said nothing, refusing to acknowledge the new vulnerability he felt. He prided himself on the power he held simply because he was part of The Order. Knowing that a filthy human woman had the power to take everything from him... "We must send another."

"You want two assassins?"

"I do not trust Andraemalek. He is half human."

"He is half High Council... Hardly a human," Astaroth smiled.

"There is still good in him. Enough good to sympathize with the woman."

Astaroth hadn't thought of that possibility. "Are you suggesting that he has involved himself with the human?" Though rare, the complication was not unheard of. Many demons in the past had thought themselves changed when in the presence of specific humans. It happened to the one they called Bernard; it was more than possible to happen again.

"The only way to know is to send another."

"And who would we send?"

Botis thought for a moment. It was difficult to decide on an assassin, especially considering they'd already sent in the best. Andraemalek needed a challenge, an adversary, a reason to complete his mission as quickly as possible. "Nyx."

Astaroth nodded in thought. Nyx was not as cold-blooded or ruthless as Andraemalek, but the demon was calculated and calm, knowing when to put the mission first. "And the reward?"

"The same we offered Andraemalek."

"Do you think Nyx can be trusted with such power?"

Botis smiled dangerously as he said, "Nyx does not posses the power Andraemalek does, my liege. We would only offer the position."

Astaroth nodded again as he considered the plan. He was no longer sure of Andraemalek's skill. Demons, he knew, could not be trusted as they were. They had the capability of switching sides with the highest bid. To add further worry, Andraemalek was half High Council, the antithesis of The Order of Zebulon or any other demon sect known. There was already a chance that he could turn. Now that a human was added... "Summon Nyx." 

* * * * *

Nadia was sure she would die of a heart attack. Every time she thought about Andrae and the seductive way he looked at her, her heart rate accelerated. The memory of his hands on her skin coupled with the heat radiating off his made her body tingle. And when she remembered the power of his kiss...

It was too much. Shaking herself out of her thoughts, she forced herself to think of anything else as she walked home from the library. There was a bite in the air but she liked it; it diverted her attention from the heat coursing through her veins. It was a bit of a cloudy day and the sun played peek-a-boo as it danced through the big puffy clouds. This would have been a perfect day to sneak onto the roof of her building to gaze at the clouds but she couldn't. Being on the roof would give her the perfect height to look at any and every apartment she wanted Nadia knew that she would do nothing but try to figure out which apartment was his. It wouldn't take long to come up with a rough estimate, but the chance of being wrong would kill her. She'd reached the point where she had to know everything about him. 

After the earth shattering moment they shared in her not-so-covert hiding place, Andrae dominated her thoughts. Why did he continually initiate such soul-wrenching kisses only to pull away and leave? It was obvious that he wanted her; he wouldn't have kissed her otherwise. But what was the reason for his sudden urges to leave? "No, stop thinking about him."

Easier said than done. 

Nadia's skin still tingled. Her hands continued to shake. It had been hours since that kiss, but it still felt as if she were in that moment. "So not fair," she muttered as she turned the corner. She was sure that he was just fine, sitting in his apartment, chugging a beer and laughing at his victory. What an easy victory it was; she was pretty much a snowball in his special version of hell, melting the second he even looked at her differently. "The attention... It has to be all the attention." Yes, that was it; that was the only logical explanation as to why she would act like a teenager around him.

As she neared the apartment complex, she slowed down when she felt that familiar feeling wash over her again. Looking around, she stopped when she saw him standing outside of his building, smoking a cigarette. As usual, his gaze was focused on her. Her first instinct was to go to him, to ask him why he continually walked away from her after he kissed her, but she changed her mind when he narrowed his eyes a scant second before he sharply turned and walked into the building. A slap in the face would have been better than that. The look on his face... It wasn't so much of disgust as anger. Anger didn't seem an appropriate description either. There was also frustration in that look, as if there was something about her he was slowly beginning to hate.

Nadia fought the dread that threatened to take over her and walked to her building with a determined stride. If that was the game he wanted to play, fine. She liked being alone anyway.

She heard the phone ringing and quickly rushed into the apartment to answer it. "Hello?" she panted as she fought to keep the stack of magazines from toppling over.

"Nadia? It's Janine."

That was certainly a pleasant surprise. Dropping her bag on the ground, Nadia reached for the box of pound cake she hadn't yet finished. "Hey. What's up?"

"You want to take a break from studying tonight?"

"I wasn't planning on studying at all, to be honest." How could she with thoughts of him slowly turning her brain to mush?

"Perfect! A few of my friends wanted to hang out tonight and I was hoping you would tag along."

This was the first time she'd been invited out in over three months. Nadia was surprised; she and Janine were friends, but they only socialized in the library. Other than that, there was the rare phone call when Janine needed help with a question concerning science. "I don't know... I mean, you're the only person I'm going to know there..."

"That's not entirely true."

"What does that mean?"

"Well, Spencer is coming too and he asked if you'd be there."

"Spencer? You mean my lab partner, Spencer?"

"The one and only."

Interesting. "He's never mentioned wanting to hang out before." In all the time she'd known him and worked with him in class, the only thing they'd ever spoken about was her paper. How was he able to develop an interest in her based on that?

"Yeah, so the thing is he doesn't know that I know he likes you."

"And you're trying to be super friend?"

"I guess you can say that. You can totally say no. I know you've been hanging out with that other guy, who by the way, good job."

At the mention of him, Nadia shoved a handful of cake into her mouth. The sweet, moist morsel did nothing but make her stomach turn. She wanted something smoky, slightly salty in flavor. "God damn."

"Ok, if you don't think he's hot, that's fine too."

Though she didn't want to, Nadia found herself laughing at the comment. "No, it's not like that. He's just..." He was just what? They weren't friends; friends didn't engage in the scorching kisses they shared. They weren't exactly anything more, either. When she thought about it, they were nothing. "You know what, I think I'll make a cameo tonight." If he didn't want anything to do with her, she might as well go out and find someone who did. Spencer may have been a random choice, but it was a start.

"Awesome! We're meeting at the library at eight."

Glancing at the time on the microwave, Nadia realized that she only had an hour and a half to find an outfit, shower, and grab a small bite to eat before she left. "All right, I'll see you then."

"See ya!"

Nadia waited for Janine to end the call before she hung up her phone. This was certainly an unexpected twist of fate, especially considering she never thought Spencer had feelings for her. He never hinted at anything during lab or when they studied in the library. If anything, he seemed more interested in her paper than anything else. It was possible that that was the only way he could start a conversation with her. Knowing from personal experience how difficult it could be to start a conversation with someone she was attracted to, Nadia sympathized. "It's at least worth the shot," she mumbled as she scrambled toward her bedroom. The worst that would happen was a realization that she thought it best that she and Spencer remain friends.




The Order Ch. 04



As she walked into her bedroom, she quickly stripped out of her clothes before she walked to the closet. She had to find an outfit that while casual, was flirty and ambiguous. If she was to get over the ridiculous crush she had on Andrae, she had to make sure she did everything possible to keep her mind off him. Making sure she had all of Spencer's attention seemed like a good start. He did not seem like the type of man who would make her fall in love with him then shatter her heart into a million pieces. Andrae on the other hand... "No, stop thinking about him." He was exactly the kind of man who would break her, and enjoy doing it too. She couldn't afford that kind of risk, not when she had so much else to worry about.

Settling on a snug pair of pale blue jeans and an even paler tank top, Nadia smiled. The top was extremely revealing, requiring her to wear another underneath. It was exactly the kind of top that would drive a man insane. Of course she would wear a jacket to ward off the chill in the air, but the hint of what was underneath was exactly what she needed to keep from looking overtly enticing. "This is going to be one hell of a night."



The Order Ch. 05



She didn't expect the outing to be as much fun as it was. As Nadia quietly walked beside Spencer, she found herself smiling. After meeting at the library, the group, which included Anthony, Spencer's best friend and his date, Valentina, and Felix, Janine's pseudo-boyfriend, quickly decided to walk to the local ice cream parlor. There, they sat and enjoyed the largest sundae the parlor had to offer. Spencer found it cute when she took her time eating and went so far as to feed her when he felt she did not have enough. Nadia found the action adorable, especially when she watched the way he wolfed down as much ice cream as he could. 

"It's a weakness of mine," he announced when Janine pointed out his enthusiasm, "I love ice cream." 

They decided to go bowling, mostly because the alley was across the street from the parlor. There, Nadia became impressed by Spencer's skill. If he didn't bowl a strike, he only had two or three pins in the way. "You bowl a lot?" she asked him. 

"No, I just have good aim." 

He made sure to stay next to her while they waited for their respective turns. Nadia didn't get the shakes when with him, but she told herself that this was the first time they were together in a capacity that had nothing to do with school. Not all cases of romantic relationships began with instant attraction. "Why did you never tell me how you felt?" she asked him after he bowled another strike. 

"I don't know. I guess I figured that if I never said anything, I'd never get shot down." 

"Big risk grants big rewards." 

"I know," he said with a blush, "I'm glad you came out tonight." 

Nadia looked into Spencer's bright blue eyes and felt her stomach flutter at the sincerity in his gaze. "Me too." 

Now, as they walked down the street, she felt her smile widen when Spencer's hand brushed against hers. She knew what the action meant, but decided against taking hold of his hand. It was not a good idea to move too fast. Glancing at the digital clock posted outside of the town bank, she blinked in surprise. It was nearly one in the morning. She had class at nine and though logic told her to call it a night, she didn't want to leave. 

"You guys want to go to the fountain?" 

Nadia looked at Valentina's round and excited face and found that she could not say no. There was something about the blonde's green eyes she found infectious, especially when she became enthusiastic. "The one on Spring?" 

"Is there another one?" Spencer asked. 

"Yeah, there's one on Merlin," Janine answered, "But that's a farther walk and it's smaller." 

Looking at Nadia, Spencer said, "I'm in if you're in." 

Nadia smiled as she nodded her consent. She remained silent as she walked next to Spencer, baffled by the way things in her life were quickly shifting. It seemed as if her luck improved the closer she go to uncovering the truth. She had to get back to that paper before the end of the week; there was still information of Forcas she needed to find and there was also information on The Brethren she still had yet to learn. Something told her that learning about The Brethren would no doubt bring her closer to the concrete evidence she needed. 

She wondered what Andrae was doing. With the exception of when they were together, she never knew what he did. For all she knew, he could have been watching television in his apartment while enjoying a cigarette. He certainly wasn't thinking about her; his earlier actions made that perfectly clear. He was the kind of man who took what he wanted from a woman and then walked away without even a farewell when he was done. That's what heartbreakers did; she was lucky he showed his true colors before it was too late. 

"Nadia?" 

Nadia pulled herself out of her thoughts and looked at Spencer's concerned face. Smiling for his benefit, she said, "Sorry, I got lost in my head." 

"What were you thinking about?" 

Someone she shouldn't. "I was thinking that I've always wanted to play in a fountain. Ever since I was a little kid." She didn't tell him the truth of her thoughts, but she playing in a fountain had been a dream of hers ever since she watched a movie where a group of kids did just that. "It looks like it could be fun." 

"Care to test that theory out?" 

Nadia stared at Spencer's sparkling eyes and knew that he was serious. "It's the middle of autumn." 

"And it's uncommonly warm for the time of year. We can keep each other warm in this pathetic chill." He looked at the rest of the group and caught their approving looks. They had no problems going through with the ridiculous idea. The only person to convince was Nadia. 

"It's illegal." 

"Only if we get caught." To prove his point, Spencer slowly began to strip out of his clothing. He smiled when the rest of the group quickly joined in and nearly laughed at the disbelieving look on Nadia's face. "Come on, let's go play." 

Nadia stood and watched as everyone stripped down to their underwear and felt her face heat. Valentina and Janine were tiny stick figures. Compared to them, she was a whale... What a great way to ruin the mood for everyone; her fat rolls jiggling about was exactly what they wanted to see. "I..." She looked at Janine and Felix and watched as they entered the fountain and immediately began a small water fight. They looked so carefree, so fun, so... 

"You know you want to." 

She looked over at Spencer as he stood in his boxers. The mischievous gleam in his eyes made her pull her lower lip between her teeth. Common sense told her that they could get caught by the police, but common sense didn't make a bit of difference to her hands as they pulled her jacket off. Nadia felt her face heat at the cheers she received from the rest of the group, but their encouragement gave her the bravery to strip down to the white tank top she wore underneath the pale blue one and deep red boy shorts. "I can't believe I'm doing this." 

"Come on, you're the only dry one here," Spencer laughed as he held his hand out. 

Walking forward, Nadia took hold of his hand and said, "If I get arrested for this, you're paying my bail." 

"Noted." 

Nadia gasped as she entered the cold water, but was glad that she was easily able to acclimate. She gaped again when Janine splashed her with water and immediately retaliated, starting a water fight that could have been considered an epic battle. The carefree feeling washing over her helped her to abandon all thoughts of Andrae. Spencer was sweet and very concerned for her safety, a trait proven when he hurt himself while catching her when she slipped. "Thanks." 

"Anytime." 

This was exactly what she needed; one night of fun without any worry of confusion or anger. Sure, her attention span would pay for it in the morning, but that was a small price to pay for the pleasure of forgetting about him. 

* * * * * 

Where the hell was she? 

Andraemalek took a frustrated drag from his cigarette while he looked at her apartment from his window. He'd seen when she left her apartment at the tail end of seven; she wore another one of those outfits that made him want to lock her up in a room and buy her better clothes. The light blue jeans hugged her curves deliciously and paired with the tank tops she wore... It wasn't right that she wore the things she did. Didn't she remember what happened the night they met? 

Who was she with? Based on the direction she took when she left, she was headed for the library. But she held no books in her hands and her hair was left unbound to be mussed by the faint breeze. No, she wasn't going to study. 

Glancing at the clock on his microwave, Andraemalek noticed that it was nearly three in the morning. She had class at nine. Nadia was always home and in bed before midnight when she had an early class. What could she have been doing to keep her out so late? 

Or should he have asked who? 

With a growl, he took a final drag from his cigarette and walked away from the window. He wasn't supposed to care about what she was doing or who she was with. She was a grown woman and could do what she wanted. There was also the fact that she was a mark. The only concern he should have had was whether or not she was out giving information. The fates of both demons and The Brethren lay in her hands... her beautiful, soft, small hands that made his blood boil when they touched him timidly. "No," he chastised himself. He was not allowed to think of her as anything other than a mark. 

He'd seen the look on her face when he narrowed his eyes and walked into his building. She was hurt and offended. It bothered Andraemalek to know that he was the reason for her distress but he did what he had to do. His job was to make her attached to him, not to find reasons to attach himself to her. The sooner he focused on the mission, the sooner he could go back to the life he was accustomed to. 

Andraemalek paced the length of his unfurnished living room for long minutes, forcing himself to get a grip on reality. She was nothing but a woman; a measly human woman who would be dead before his next birthday. The ridiculous hold she had on him was nothing but a phase, an affliction he could conquer. 

She was nothing to him. 

With a growl, he glanced at the window once more before he grabbed his jacket and walked out of the apartment. 

* * * * * 

Nadia was surprised they still hadn't been arrested for their play. Lord knew that they were loud enough to wake the dead. And they had reason to be; aside from the water fights, there were breath holding contests and dancing to music they sang themselves. She hadn't had this much fun since her uncle was alive. 

Bernie wouldn't have approved of her staying out so late on a school night. He would have stayed up until she returned home before he gave her the lecture of a lifetime. As much as she would have hated to be lectured, she would have given anything for a few more minutes with him. He could have answered so many questions for her, could have pointed her in the right direction to the evidence she needed. 

"You ok?" 

Nadia shook herself out of her thoughts when she heard the concern in Spencer's voice. "Yeah, just got lost in my head again." 

"I figured, but you looked really sad all of a sudden." 

"I was... I was thinking about my uncle." 

Spencer placed his hand on her lower back as he led her to the far end of the fountain. He didn't think that Nadia wanted the rest of the playful group to hear what she had to say. "What were you thinking?" 

"That he would have my ass for being out so late." She ran her hands over the cool surface of the fountain to keep from having to look at Spencer. "Of all the things to think about..." 

"Don't worry about it. He died when you were little, right?" 

"No, when I was seventeen. The day before my birthday." 

"Yikes." 

Nadia smiled ruefully as she shook her head. "I'm ok. He just pops into my mind from time to time." 

"You sure?" Spencer sputtered at the sudden splash of water in his face. "I guess so." He smiled at her musical laughter as he filled his hands with water. "By the way, you're so paying for that." He sputtered again at a second splash of water and laughed when he saw Nadia wade toward the rest of the group. Spencer gave chase, loving the way her hips swayed from side to side as she tried to evade him. Soon the rest of the group joined in, causing yet another large water fight. His revenge on Nadia had to be put on hold as Anthony and Felix began a mock wrestling match. As referee, he had to make sure no rules or bones were broken. 

Nadia took the opportunity to begin twirling. She did not know why she did it, but it seemed like the best idea. The feeling of the cool water around her hips, the crisp air brushing over her skin and the sounds of laughter in the background made her happy. And when she looked up to see the stars shining above her, she felt weightless, as if nothing could touch her. 

"Uh, Nadia?" 

"Yeah?" she replied as she continued to twirl. She would be dizzy in a minute but she did not care. 

"Isn't that your friend?" 

Nadia stopped twirling and looked at Janine's apprehensive and confused face before she turned to look at what held her friend's attention. "Damn it." Wading to the dark end of the fountain, she prayed that he would go away. "Go away, go away, go away," she silently chanted to herself. What was he doing here? How did he find her? 

"Get out of the fountain, Nadia." There was something about seeing her parading around in her underwear in public that set his blood to a boil. It wasn't too difficult to find her; the sweet scent of her skin paired with the unique berry-esque tint of her exhilaration filled the air around her. Andraemalek looked from the two petite females staring up at him in shock and the three confused males and clenched his jaw. They were all in their underwear. Didn't she know what could have happened with everyone in such a state of undress? "Nadia, now." 

Nadia flinched at the hard tone in his voice. He wasn't happy to see her, that was obvious, but she knew he wouldn't leave until she got out of the fountain. How humiliating; he was acting like a jealous boyfriend. 

"Nadia!" 

The booming baritone voice made her jump in surprise. "Hold your friggin' horses!" Taking a breath, she prepared herself for what was to come. As she slowly waded out of the fountain she gulped. Andrae's eyes were hard, daring someone to say something to him. His arms were crossed in front of his chest, his legs braced apart. Classic battle stance. Standing next to the fountain, she stared at him for long moments, waiting for him to say something. 

"Nadia, who is this?" 

Nadia glanced at Spencer's confused face and felt herself sigh when she heard Andrae clear his throat. It was an obvious warning. A warning for what, she did not know. "He's a friend." She refocused her attention on Andrae and felt her eyes narrow when he only looked at her clothes before piercing her with his hard gaze once more. 

She was suddenly freezing. 

"God damn," she mumbled as she walked to her belongings. She heard everyone else exit the fountain but found that she did not have the courage to look at them. They probably figured that she was in some sort of controlling and dominant relationship with the large, overly attractive, scary person burning holes into her back with his eyes. Of course they did; how could they believe otherwise? 

After ensuring that she had all of her items, she turned to the group who looked from her to Andrae warily and said, "I'll see you later." 

Spencer stepped forward and frowned at the abrupt farewell. "Just like that you're going to go?" 

Nadia glanced at Andrae and watched the way his eyebrow rose in question before she said, "Yeah, it's really late anyway. I need some sleep if I'm going to function in class tomo- later this morning." 

"No," Spencer said, "You were with us first." 

Nadia saw Andrae take a threatening step forward and quickly put herself in the middle to keep him from attacking Spencer. She didn't know if the larger man was capable of such unprovoked violence, but there was something in the look in his eyes that told her not to test it. "Spence, I'll call you tomorrow, ok?" 

"No she wont," Andrae interjected. She would have nothing to do with any of them after this moment. 

"Andrae!" Nadia mouthed an apology to everyone to the group before she angrily walked to him. She gasped in surprise when he took hold of her arm and pulled her away. He did not hurt her, but his grip was warning enough to obey. It wasn't as if she could do anything else; with her clothes and shoes in her hands and potent rage coursing through her veins, she could not think straight. "You humiliated me." 

Andraemalek looked down at her just as she sent him a scathing glare and almost laughed. Had she been a demon, she would have been able to seriously harm him with whatever abilities she had. Luckily for both of them, she was only an angry human woman. 

An angry human woman walking down the street in her underwear while drenched in water. 

Growling in frustration, he pulled off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders. When he realized that the covering went down to her knees, he grunted in satisfaction. 

"You had no right to do that." She ignored the sizzle that when down her spine at his scent. It was all over the jacket and was quickly wrapping itself around her. 

"You were playing in the middle of a public fountain in your underwear. I'm supposed to be OK with that?" Granted, she lived in a town so quiet, there were no cars in the street, but anything could have happened. 

"Considering we're nothing but neighbors, yes." Nadia stopped walking and tilted her head up to look at his surprised face. "Yeah, that's right. How did you find me anyway?" They were at least twenty minutes from the apartment complex and no one save Janine knew where she was going. 

"I could smell you." He could also smell the navel lint she called a man as well. The peon had his hands all over her. Just how close did they get? 

Again with the comment about her smell. "What are you? A bloodhound?" 

Andraemalek felt himself smile at the half accusation. "Close." Letting his eyes roam over her body, he frowned when he realized that she hadn't put her shoes on. "You're walking barefoot." 

Nadia hadn't realized that she had no shoes on until he pointed it out to her. Her rage had made her an imbecile. "I don't care," she declared, "I'm too pissed off right now to think about some damned shoes." 

It was then that he allowed himself to experience the scent of her anger. It was comparable to the smell of burning toast; harsh, thick, and extremely unpleasant. And it was all directed at him. Glancing away from her, he watched the nearby stoplight go from red to green and considered making peace with her. She was right; he shouldn't have cared about what she did. She was only a mark and deserved to have as much fun as possible before her death. But did she have to let that flap of peeling skin put his hands all over her? 

With a grunt, Andraemalek took a step forward and lifted her into his arms before she could protest. Ignoring the drops of water that lightly rained down from her curling hair, he held her close and silently continued the journey to her apartment. He felt relief when she relaxed in his arms. It was incredibly difficult to ignore the way she felt in his arms; Nadia was soft and every plush curve fit into his frame perfectly. He wondered how she would feel pinned beneath the weight of his body, her succulent legs wrapped around his waist in - 

"Did you have to carry me the entire way home?" 

He hadn't realized that they'd reached the complex until she'd spoken. Saying nothing, he walked to her door and set her down so that she could find her keys. While she looked, Andraemalek looked down at her hair. The once straight locks morphed into shining, unruly curls that looked soft to the touch. With the added decoration of the water droplets reflecting the moonlight, her hair was a dark pillow. "Your hair looks nice like that." 

"Whatever." Nadia quickly unlocked her door and walked into her apartment. After throwing her belongings on the couch, she turned to face him, her hands on her hips. "What the hell was that back there?" 

So much for her being relaxed. Andraemalek crossed his arms over his chest when he caught another whiff of her anger. Though he would have loved nothing more than to argue with her, he wasn't in the mood. Not when she stood before him only wearing his jacket over her underwear. "You were prancing around in your underwear for everyone to see." 

"Five other people saw me. Five." Nadia held up a hand to emphasize her point. "Besides, I wasn't going to jump into the fountain fully dressed." 




The Order Ch. 05



He did not like hearing that. "You shouldn't have jumped into it at all." 

"What I do is none of your business," she countered as she took a threatening step forward. Ignoring the genuine look of surprise on his face, she narrowed her eyes. "You are not my father, my boyfriend, or my sitter. So stay out of it." 

"Who was that guy you were with?" 

There was a dangerous lilt to his voice that made Nadia take a step back. "Why do you need to know?" 

"Who was he?" 

"A good friend." 

Andraemalek narrowed his eyes in disbelief. If that piece of navel lint was only a friend, his scent wouldn't have been all over her when he found them. "He looked like he wanted to be more than a good friend." 

He was jealous? If it wasn't so unbelievable, Nadia would have laughed. "What's it to you?" Unwilling to hear his answer, she turned on her heels and walked to her bedroom. She had to change her clothes before she caught a pneumonia. She also needed to get his jacket off her before she melted into the unique scent that made her mush. Keeping her head straight was the only way she would have been able to verbally rip him a new one. 

She never expected him to follow her. Sighing in frustration, Nadia threw his jacket at him before she walked to her closet. She figured that his effort to catch the garment would have distracted him long enough for her to find a change of clothes and find refuge in the bathroom. Again, she realized she was wrong when she heard the swish of fabric as it hit the floor. "You're the one who kissed me twice and then chose to ignore me." Turning to face him, she continued, "I'm not stupid, Andrae. I refuse to waste my time on something that isn't there." 

"You're wrong." There was something about the way she casually brushed off her attraction that angered the beast inside of him. Slowly, methodically, he walked toward her and felt himself smile when she warily backed away. Undeterred, he continued to advance and did not stop until he had her pinned against her dresser. Andraemalek growled low in his throat when the scent of her nervousness cut through the anger between them. But there was something else, a hint of the scent that drove him mad. Desire. Her body lightly hummed with it. "There is something there." 

"No, there isn't." Nadia countered with a shaky voice. Damn it, she was supposed to strong and forceful. His mere closeness was enough to shock her senses into overdrive. Once again, it felt as if her heart would explode in her chest. His hands slowly set her body on fire as they lightly caressed the skin of her arms. "We're just, oh, God..." She felt her breath catch in her throat when he pulled her close. The heat of his body sent shivers down her spine. "We're just attracted to each other." A sigh escaped her lips when he gently tilted her head to the side before licking the tender flesh of her neck. "Jesus," she moaned. Nadia's hands gripped his shirt as she struggled for balance. They were supposed to be arguing, not - 

She hissed in pleasure when he used his teeth to graze her neck. "Attraction is-is-it's an easy enough affliction to-to g-g-get over," she stuttered. "We have to stop." 

Andraemalek's answer was to capture her lips in a fierce drugging kiss that made his body tighten in need. She was so sweet, so wonderfully addictive. He growled again when he felt the goosebumps rise on her skin. Nadia grew hotter with each dominating slant of his lips. But she held back, refusing to open her sweet mouth for him. Taking initiative he allowed his hands to find a home beneath her wet tank top and brushed his thumbs over the straining buds threatening to burn through the lace of her bra. Her reaction was just as he expected; Nadia gasped as she pushed her chest closer to the heat of his hands, allowing him to invade the sugary cavern of her mouth. Fire unlike any he'd ever known filled his veins and took control. Pressing her harder against the dresser, Andraemalek growled again when she lifted her legs to wrap around his waist. 

Nadia moaned when she was lifted. She tightened her hold on his shoulders and held on as he carried her. When she felt the softness of the mattress against her back, she sighed. The sigh became another moan when the weight of his large body possessed her. She tried to push him away to look at him but only gasped in surprise when he tore her tank top open. Vulnerability made her tense. "Wait, I-" The protest was stolen from her when his tongue burned a hot trail down her neck to the valley of her breasts. Screwing her eyes shut, Nadia held onto his shoulders wishing that he would end the sweet torture but never stop touching her. 

She had to bathe in some sort of drug. It was the only explanation for his intense need to taste every inch of her pliant body. The intoxicating scent of her arousal paired with the addicting taste of her soft skin set him on a wave of hunger he couldn't control. Leaning up, he looked at her bewildered face and the way she touched the top of her strawberry tongue to her upper lip and immediately swooped down to pull her luscious lower lip between his teeth. Unable to control himself, he tore the delicate lace covering her breasts as well and moaned when his hands were given full access to her soft mounds. "You're hot for me, aren't you?" he asked as he moved his lips to her neck. Andraemalek heard her moan in answer, but it wasn't enough. He wanted the words. "You love my hands all over you, touching you." 

Nadia nodded and moaned when he took the hard peaks of her nipples between his fingertips. The slow, torturous way he rolled and pulled at them while he devoured her neck sent shocks of pleasure to the apex of her legs. She had no idea how he was able to reduce her to a puddle of skin but she did know that she would die if he stopped. "Oh, God," she moaned as he began to grind his hips into hers. 

"Not God, Andrae," he growled against her ear. The heat permeating from her heated core made his already hard and aching erection pulse in the confines of his pants. He knew that she was slick and ready for his possession if he wished it. She would not deny him. "Say it," he commanded. 

"Andrae," she whispered. 

"Again." 

"Andrae." This time, his name came out on a moan as he ground his hips harder against hers. Without thinking, she reached for the hem of his shirt and pulled it up, desperate to feel his skin against hers. She moaned again at the delicious contact; his toned and hard chest branded her body with its drugging heat. Squirming beneath him, Nadia freely roved her hands over the hard muscles of his back, pulling him closer than before. 

Andraemalek hurriedly pulled his shirt off his arms and pressed more of his weight onto her soft body. Her trembling moans and whimpers awakened the beast inside him, forcing him to take more from her. "Tell me how hot you are." 

"I'm so hot," Nadia whimpered. Her body felt like it was on fire! Every move he made pushed her closer to a break of sanity. He was all over her, consuming her with his sensual touches and possessive orders. His rich baritone voice left no room for argument, not that she would have been able to with his hands all over her. 

"How hot are you?" 

"God, I'm so hot," she gasped as he flicked a tender nipple with his thumb. "Jesus..." 

"Andrae," he commanded. The only name he wanted to hear coming from her lips was his. 

"Andrae." 

Growling, Andraemalek moved his lips to hard tips his fingers toyed with. The dark chocolate peaks made his mouth water and his groin jump in anticipation. Slowly, he swirled his tongue over the straining bud. A shock went through him at the delectable taste of her. It was if every part of her body had a slightly different flavor, each of them driving him closer to madness. He laved at the puckered piece of flesh before sucking it into his waiting mouth. Her moans of surprise and pleasure spurred him on and all too soon, it wasn't enough. Sliding a hand down her smooth belly, he checked the heat between her legs. The damp material of the boy shorts separating his inquisitive fingers from her core was hot, a telltale sign that she was more than aroused. Slowly, he trailed his thumb over the patch of wetness, stealing a cry from her delectable lips. "You like that?" 

"Yes," she hissed as she moved her hips in time with his thumb. 

"Have you touched yourself like this before?" 

Nadia remained quiet, both embarrassed and extremely aroused by the question. "I don't - oh!" she cried when he applied pressure to the secret button hidden between her folds. 

Andraemalek kissed her long and hard, stealing any other urges to protest. "Tell me Nadia, do you touch yourself?" He growled low when she slowly nodded. His growl turned into a smile at her moan of frustration when he pulled his hand away. Taking her smaller hand in his, he placed it inside the cotton barrier and said, "Do it for me." 

Nadia opened her eyes in surprise at the command. The seriousness in his gaze told her that he was completely serious. "Andrae, I..." 

Using his hips to push her hand against her slick center, he kissed her again. "Touch it for me." He did not stop his movement until he felt her fingers timidly move. "Yes," he encouraged, "Just like that." Andraemalek stopped his movements and watched her face as she pleasured herself. Her hips rocked gently against her hand as her tongue slowly snaked out to moisten her bottom lip. Before that sweet strawberry tongue could retreat, he sucked it into his mouth. He could have sworn he tasted the arousal coursing through her body when she moaned. Wanting to join in her play, he quickly used one hand to unfasten his pants and reached in to caress the member aching to find a home within her. Electricity flew through his body at the sensation. Andraemalek kissed her hard, thrusting his tongue into her mouth as he used his hand to mimic the act he wanted to partake in. The feeling of her hips rocking against him while her legs tightened around his waist forced him to push his hips closer to hers. "I love it when you touch yourself for me." 

Nadia sighed and nodded as her fingers began to move faster. The need for release was too intense for her to remember that she wasn't alone. The feeling of his body on top of hers and his lips brushing her lips and neck made her want more, much more than her hand. "I want... oh, God I want..." 

Andraemalek growled at the desperation in her voice. Her scent was strong, consuming. It wouldn't be long until he gave in to the needs of his body. "Faster." 

Nadia readily complied, feeling her body tense in preparation of its release. She gasped when he buried his face in the crook of her neck and lightly bit on her skin. His chest rubbed against hers deliciously while his hips created a symphony of chaos in the pit of her stomach. 

"That's it, Nadia. Make yourself come for me." 

The simple command was all it took for her to give into the needs of her body. With a harsh cry, Nadia lifted her hips and ground herself against her fingers as wave after wave of pleasure washed over her body. Every muscle tensed to the point of uncontrollable trembling. She couldn't breathe, couldn't move; each magnificent pulse paralyzed her. She felt him push his hips into hers a scant second before he emitted a feral growl. The sound alone was enough to make her pulse with need once more. Nadia quietly listened to his harsh breaths and groans as he lost himself in the climax of their intimacy. When he collapsed atop her, she sighed whimsically. 

Andraemalek had to force himself to stay still before he lost complete control. Heady waves of pleasure zipped through his body as he fought for a proper breath. Never had he experienced anything as intense as that. "Good girl," he whispered. Her shifting body caused him to lift his head in question and he watched as she pulled her hand out of her underwear. Her fingers glistened with her honey. Without thinking, he took hold of her hand and sucked her wet fingers into his mouth. The taste of her made him close his eyes in surrender. Just like the rest of her, her center had a flavor he would kill to sample once more. "Very good girl." Andraemalek leaned down to kiss her soft lips but stopped when he realized that she fell asleep. Smiling, he slowly pulled away from her and took the opportunity to stare at her succulent body. Nadia looked so innocent, so pure... 

He had to leave. 

Andraemalek gathered his belongings and watched as she instinctively pulled the covers around herself. A rush of possessiveness washed over him and it was when he realized that he would kill anyone who dared to touch her that he shimmered back to his empty apartment. Staring at the blank walls, he set his shirt down but kept his jacket in his hands. Lifting the garment to his nose, he inhaled the unique mix of their scents. Her sweetness mixed with his natural aroma was a combination he would never get enough of. 

Andraemalek was in a lot of trouble.



The Order Ch. 06



Andraemalek was halfway to the library when he sensed the presence. There was no mistaking the cold burn that slowly inched its way down his spine to spread over the contours of his skin. He'd sensed demons on the human plane before, but not one of them ever gave him the particular shudder that caught him by surprise. Pausing in his stride, he sniffed the air around him. The smell was faint and easily could have been passed for discarded trash or rotting fruit, but he knew the real source of the distinct aroma. The demon chose to remain invisible and had he been human, Andraemalek would have walked passed him without a thought. But he wasn't human, and he knew that this particular demon was not in town to see the sites. "Show yourself."

"So this is the great Andraemalek."

Andraemalek turned left after deciphering the direction of the voice. He remained silent, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

"You're bigger than I thought you'd be."

"And you're boring me. Show yourself or fuck off." Andraemalek felt his eyebrow raise in speculation when he was given visual access to the demon. He looked like a human; the alabaster skin topped with a curly mop of cobalt hair gave the reed thin figure the look of a college student of the "punk" variety. Aside from its smell, the only discerning mark of the figure's inhumanity were grey eyes so light, they nearly looked white. "Who are you?"

"The name's Nyx."

Andraemalek had heard of Nyx; after him, he was one of the most sought after assassins of the underworld. Immediately, his senses sizzled in alert. Nyx was good at what he did because of his ability to polymorph. With such an ability, he could shift into anyone or anything he chose. "What are you doing in the human world?"

"I heard a rumor."

"And that rumor is?"

"A certain hot shot demon was contracted to kill this little blip of a human but he took too long." Nyx crossed his arms over his chest casually as he smirked at the annoyed killer. "So a better killer was contracted to finish the job."

Andraemalek felt his skin grow hot with rage. The Order had some kind of nerve to go behind his back to kill Nadia. She was his contract; he would be the one to kill her. When the time was right. "You can go back and tell them that I am the only one to finish this job."

Nyx smiled devilishly as he narrowed his pale eyes at Andraemalek. "You're supposed to be the great Andraemalek. Demons want to be you, humans would fear you if they knew about you. Must be the age... There is no other reason for this disgusting lack of discipline." Nyx laughed boisterously when Andraemalek grabbed then shoved him into a nearby brick wall. The feeling of the harsh material grating his back as it crumbled under the force of the impact only made him laugh harder. 

"That is my contract, you second rate piece of shit. Stay away from the human."

"I wish I could, really, I do... But unlike you, I don't skimp out on a contract." Nyx watched as Andraemalek's eyes glittered an angry shade of red. "Oh, I see. Thing's have gotten... personal with the human."

Andraemalek's rage made him forget the fact that they were out in public. Uncaring of possible spectators, he slammed his fist into Nyx's face. The force of the hit created a satisfying crunch. "That contract is mine. Stay away from the human or I'll kill you myself. Just for fun." He growled menacingly when Nyx shimmered out of his grasp. How he would have loved to give him another dose of knowledge.

"Fine, I'll leave the human alone. When she's dead."

Andraemalek would have laughed at the cowardly way Nyx remained invisible as he declared his intent if it wasn't for the fact that he was now crunched for time to kill Nadia. As it was, he hadn't seen her since their escapade after he found her at the fountain over a week ago. It was the very reason he'd decided to venture out to the library; he'd grown tired of their distance and decided that it was time to gain more information from her. Andraemalek refused to acknowledge the fact that he also wanted to be near her; to smell the changes in her emotions and watch the silly way she fidgeted when he was around. He had a job to complete, and now that Nyx was in the picture, he had competition.

He would be damned if he allowed some second rate polymorph to steal his contract and kill any chance of his induction into The Order. Not only would his elevated position benefit him, but it would aid in any future contracts he decided to take. None of that could happen if he allowed Nyx to kill Nadia before he was ready to. The woman was becoming more trouble than he wanted to deal with.

Collecting himself, Andraemalek look around and was glad to see that there was no one present on the normally busy street. Good, there was a large chance that there were no witnesses to his conversation with Nyx. Continuing his walk to the library, he figured that he could do one of two things; he could either capture and torture Nadia until she gave him the information he needed before he killed her, or he could obtain the information anyway and let Nyx kill her with the knowledge that he could use his knowledge as a bargaining chip with The Order. Neither option appealed to him, especially since Nadia ended up dead in both, but he had to come up with a workable solution before the situation got messy.

Andraemalek did not have long to think of a solution; just as he was crossing the street to get to the library, he saw Nadia exiting the large building. A surge of electricity pulsed through his body at the sight of her. Memories of their play flooded his mind and all too soon, he felt the familiar heat of desire spread through his loins. 

No, he could not do this, he could not allow himself to think of anything personal. Not when it came to her. She looked like she was in a hurry. With her head tilted down to stare at the ground as she walked and her hands in her pockets, Nadia's body language screamed unavailable. Unfortunately for her, the obvious signal would be ignored by him. Andraemalek frowned in annoyance when she didn't look before she crossed the street. What kind of idiot didn't look both ways before crossing the street? Shaking his head, he waited until she was near enough to hear him before he spoke. "It's been a while." It's been a while? He hadn't seen her in over seven days and was on a deadline to kill her and the only thing he could think to say was 'It's been a while?'

Nadia lifted her head in surprise and felt her cheeks heat in embarrassment. She wasn't ready to see him, not when the simple thought of his penetrating gaze made her knees weak with desire. She'd been such a slut that night, letting him touch her, then allowing him to fondle himself while she finished the job he'd started. There was no way he thought her a lady after that, which was exactly why she did any and everything possible to keep from seeing him. It did help that he didn't try to talk to her, an action that further validated her assumption that he thought her the worst kind of whore. Looking away from his odd gaze, she said, "Yeah."

Andraemalek didn't like the apprehensiveness in her stance. Nadia shifted on her feet and looked at everything but him. "On your way back home?" When she only nodded he asked, "Mind if I walk you back?"

"Uh..." She couldn't just say no. Knowing him, he would have walked with her anyway. "I, uh... Yeah, sure." Brushing passed him, she walked as fast as her legs would allow her without falling on her face. She must have looked ridiculous; the efforts of her fast-paced stride forced her to hunch over slightly, especially to keep from tipping backward due to the weight of her backpack. Unfortunately, that was the only way to ensure a short walk.

Andraemalek didn't know if he wanted to smile or laugh at the situation; it was obvious that she was still embarrassed about what happened, but he did not like the fact that she was in a rush to get away from him. "What have you been up to since we last talked?"

"Not much. School, mostly. I want to get that paper done before I concentrate on other things."

"Other things like what?"

Like getting over this ridiculous crush on you. "Anything, really." Nadia refused to let herself get any more attached to him than she already was. As it was, she couldn't keep her hands to herself or find the discipline to tell him to keep his hands to himself when they were together. Physical attraction was one thing; emotional, something completely different and painful to get over. She wasn't in the mood to feel that kind of pain. "I haven't had enough time to get excited about graduation yet." Though the event wasn't for another seven months, Nadia hadn't had a moment to plan her life accordingly. There was medical school, of course, but there was still a matter on choosing which one to attend and whether or not she had to make arrangements to move.

"That's all you want to think about once you're done with the paper?"

"No."

The simple word sent handfuls of thoughts surging through his mind. Andraemalek wasn't appreciative of her elusive attitude. He was used to her sharing information with him, letting him know what was going on in her life. This sudden act of shutting him out annoyed him to no end. "What else then?"

Nadia glanced up at him and immediately regretted it. Did he have to look so mouthwatering? Of course he did; the man could be covered in lice and dressed in a wheat sack and he'd still make her skin warm. This was exactly why she had to get away from him as soon as possible. "I - whoa, what happened here?" Nadia walked to the dented wall of the building they approached and lightly touched the crumbling brick. "It kind of looks like..." It looked like it was hit with a demolition ball. "But that's impossible."

"We should get going." Andraemalek placed a hand on her shoulder to continue their walk. He hadn't realized how much damage he'd done to the building. The reminder only served to remind him of what he was up against. "It's getting late."

"It's not yet nine." Nadia frowned when she realized the implication of her statement. The last thing she wanted was to be in close proximity to him longer than she had to. As it was, her legs were tingling. "Actually, you're right." Saying nothing more, she turned and continued the walk to the apartment complex. Determined to remain silent, she pulled the hood of her sweater over her head. The action made her feel safe, as if she was protected by any negative thoughts he may have had about her. 

Andraemalek ignored the tinge of anger that gripped his chest when she covered her hair. Though he never liked the fact that she showcased it for other men to see, he hated it when she hid the shiny locks from him. Tempted to pull the hood off, he lifted his hand but stopped when she sharply turned the corner to take the shortcut to the apartment complex. "You're really in a hurry to get home."

"More than you know," she muttered. Nadia was tense and would not be able to shake the feeling until she was in the privacy of her home. It was when she was alone that she would be able to shake the memory of her indecent behavior.

All too soon, her mind became flooded with images of their play. The sensual way he touched and nibbled on her skin made her gasp softly. And then there were the words he murmured in her ear... "Whoa," she said as her step faltered. Nadia gasped again, louder this time when she felt his hands on her steady her. A rush of adrenaline went through her body. Heat slowly unfurled in the pit of her stomach and made a beeline to her most private of parts. She groaned inwardly; this could not be happening. 

Andraemalek had been prepared to comment on her muttered reply but stopped when the faint scent of her arousal wafted toward him. There was no mistaking the sweet and earthy flavor. "You ok?"

Nadia nodded and shuddered when he slowly ran his hands down her arms. Pulling away abruptly, she nearly ran to her building and did not slow down until she was near her door. As she fished her keys out of her backpack, she looked over and groaned inwardly when she realized that he intended to stay for a while. "Thanks for the walk."

"No problem." Andraemalek knew that she wanted him to leave; her body language screamed the request. But he couldn't; not when there was another assassin after her and especially not when he'd been given the pleasure of her desire. He watched as she opened the door and waited for her to step inside before he followed. As Nadia bent to the task of settling her things and turning on the lights, he sniffed the air. There was nothing out of the ordinary, which meant that Nyx hadn't been here. Relief washed over him; there was one less complication to deal with for the time being.

He frowned when she stood near the far end of the couch, placing as much distance between them as possible. "What is wrong with you?"

The annoyed tone of his voice surprised her. "Nothing is wrong with me."

"So why are you acting so weird?"

He really had to ask? Nadia shook her head slowly as she said, "I'm not acting weird."

"Yes you are. You've been tense and jittery since I said hello."

She refused to show him how much she both liked and loathed his close inspection of her. "I just have a lot on my mind is all."

Andraemalek crossed his arms over his chest as he countered, "A lot on your mind like what happened the last time we were together?"

He certainly wasted no time in getting to the heart of the matter. "Contrary to popular belief, you're not the end all be all." Nadia became confused by the questioning look in his eyes at her statement. "Just because it happened doesn't mean that it was the only thing I think about."

"But you do think about it." He did not mean it as a question, but as a statement of fact. As it was, he was barely able to think of anything else. "Which is why this is the first time we're talking to each other about it since it happened."

"I've been busy," she defended.

"Yeah, busy avoiding me and trying to avoid the fact that I make you wet." Her indignant gasp almost made him laugh, but he sobered when he realized that she wasn't embarrassed by his actions; she was embarrassed by hers. "There is nothing wrong with that."

Nadia shook her head as she said, "Look, what happened, happened. We can't change it so we might as well try to forget it."

The statement ignited his anger. "You don't want to forget what happened and that scares the hell out of you."

She walked to the kitchen to fetch a glass of water. Not even bothering to offer him anything, she turned on the tap and waited for the water to cool. He was right; she didn't want to forget that electrifying night, which only made her feel like even more of a whore. "It doesn't matter, Andrae. It won't happen again."

Andraemalek walked to stand in front of the counter that separated the kitchen from the living room and resisted the urge to shake the woman. What she wanted to do with her body was her choice, but he would be damned if he allowed her to act as if what they did was a mistake. "You liked it."

"I never said I didn't."

"You'd do it again. I'd only need two minutes with my hand up your-"

"Stop it!" In her fury, Nadia slammed her hand down on the rim of the sink. Ignoring both the pain and his shocked expression, she turned off the tap and took a breath. "I am not a whore."

Andraemalek took a step back in surprise. She assumed that he thought she was a whore? "I never thought-"

"All I know about you is that you lift weights for a living, you're from the south, you live in the building across the quad, you saved my life once, and have one hell of an unnecessary jealous streak." She shook her head in disgust; she didn't even know his full name and she'd let him... "I don't know your full name, but yet I know for a fact that you'd hurt me if we slept together." Nadia knew he understood her meaning when she caught the arrogant gleam in his eyes, a look that cemented her thoughts. "I don't know how it is in the south, but for me, that makes me nothing other than-"

"What bothers you, innocent Nadia, is the fact that I'm the only man to make you not care that you know nothing about me. It doesn't change the fact that you'd let me take you right here on the floor if I touched you." Andraemalek felt his eyes narrow in annoyance when she turned her back to him. He wanted her to accept her feelings, not disown them. He waited for her to face him once more before he finished, "That doesn't make you a whore. It makes you a human." He growled low in his throat when she looked away in disgust. From some inexplicable reason, that action alone hurt more than any injury he'd ever acquired.

"Doesn't it bother you that you know nothing about me?"

Andraemalek wasn't stupid enough to tell her that he knew more about her than anyone else in the world did. If anything, the only secrets she had dealt with her knowledge about demons and it would be a matter of days before he learned that. "No."

Nadia blinked in surprise. She knew that men had the capacity to remain emotionless when it came to physical gratification, but she thought her relationship with him was above that. "Why not?"

"Because I don't want to know you." It was the truth; the more he allowed himself to grow accustomed to her, the more difficult his job was. Had he had the mind to remain focused on his task, she would have already been dead. Because of the magnetic pull she had on him, he'd allowed too much to go wrong.

Nadia had to blink back tears at the harsh statement. "So you do think I'm a whore." There as little room for any other implication. Devastated by the callous response, she turned her back to him once more. "I think you should leave."

Andraemalek knew that he said the wrong thing when he caught an unpleasant and unfamiliar sent. It reminded him of the smell of a decaying body; old, rancid and thick. "Nadia-"

"Please leave."

When he heard the hitch in her voice, he understood the emotion: hurt. He'd hurt her. The fact that the knowledge cut him deep angered him. Saying nothing, he walked out of the apartment and quickly shimmered into his own. Andraemalek didn't know what he said to upset her, but he knew that trying to fix the problem would only make things worse. Walking to his window, he looked into her apartment and felt his chest constrict uncomfortably was he watched her wipe the tears from her eyes. He wanted to go back and apologize. "What is wrong with you?" He wasn't supposed to care that she was crying. She was nothing but a human, a mark. She would be dead soon.

That didn't stop him from wanting to fix it.

In her apartment, Nadia forced herself to stop crying, telling herself that she did not have to deal with him or his barbaric ways ever again. Their pseudo argument did nothing but validate her suspicion that he thought her a whore. Part of her felt relieved that she didn't seem the least bit affected by the assumption, but another part, the insecure part felt mortified. She prided herself on being a lady and not succumbing to any kind of sexual advance she did not deem worthy. But with him... With him, all bets were off. It was as if the animal instinct took hold and turned her into someone else. Someone she couldn't control. And because of that, he saw nothing but a whore. "Not anymore," Nadia muttered as she stormed to her bedroom, "I'm never speaking to him again."

* * * * *

He couldn't get the memory of her wiping her tears away out of his mind. Andraemalek shook his head as he walked through the dark and empty streets of the small college town. At four in the morning, it would have been a miracle if he happened upon a stray animal, but as every living thing was burrowed in the safety of its unique shelter, he was the only idiot bumbling through town. It was the only thing keeping him from going to her. Three days after their conversation and he could not forget the look or smell of her devastation. And he was the cause of it. Picking salted glass out of a gaping wound would have given him a better feeling.




The Order Ch. 06



He knew that he wasn't supposed to care about her insignificant human feelings, but that didn't stop him from wanting to comfort her. Seeing her in pain did something to the pit of his stomach he didn't understand; unused to feeling anything other than anger or amusement at the stupidity of others, Andraemalek was in uncharted territory. With every other mark, he was able to concentrate on the mission, no matter how attached he became. But with Nadia...

Andraemalek growled in frustration as he increased the pace of his walk. He told himself that the only thing to do was to focus on the mission, to acquire the information he needed before he killed her. Finding out what he wanted to know wouldn't be a problem; it was the thought of killing her that left a hollow feeling in his chest. Nadia was... Different. So unlike anything he'd come across in his many years of life. 

He stopped when the cold burn slowly traveled down the length of his spine. Added to the faint scent of rotting fruit, he knew that he wasn't alone. "Back again, Nyx?"

"I told you I could not leave until the human was dead, half breed."

"Then I guess I'll have to kill you instead." Andraemalek remained still, using his extraordinary senses to locate Nyx's exact location. The task proved difficult as the demon shimmered to a different location every few seconds while under its invisibility cloak. Balling his fists, he waited for the inevitable.

Nyx laughed at the bold statement one full second before he launched his attack. Still invisible, he landed a powerful blow that would have killed a human as well as most demons to Andraemalek's midsection. He almost laughed when the half breed only coughed in response. Unrelenting, Nyx followed the move with a left uppercut that forced Andraemalek off the ground. While the larger demon hovered in the air, Nyx quickly maneuvered to give a roundhouse kick that sent Andraemalek flying into the side of a building. Nyx smiled in satisfaction when the brick crumbled under the half breed's weight. Quickly shimmering to stand two feet in front of the larger demon, he administered a series of kicks that could have dented the toughest metal. Satisfaction wafted through him as he listened to the grunts and painful breaths taken by Andraemalek. The half breed was nothing compared to him.

Andraemalek patiently waited for his moment to strike. Nyx was faster than he'd originally anticipated, making the wait a trying experience. But he knew that there would be a moment when he thought that he won, and it was in that moment that he would show the coward demon that he would do what it took to protect Nadia. Her life was in the balance and he would do anything to ensure her survival.

Andraemalek's moment came when Nyx stopped his assault for the briefest of seconds. Ignoring the searing pain that hummed throughout his body, he swept his leg out, tripping Nyx. The smaller demon jumped back to avoid the move, giving Andraemalek the time and space he needed to gain his feet once more. "A real demon would show his face when trying to prove a point."

"But a smart one uses all available aides to ensure the win."

Andraemalek stood still and smiled inside when he heard the deep even breathing. Swiftly turning, he threw a right hook that both launched Nyx five feet back, but also dispelled his invisibility cloak. "Now the real game starts." 

"No, the game starts when I kill your precious human," Nyx coughed out.

Rushing forward, Andraemalek lifted the smaller demon who chose to remain in his human disguise by the collar of his jacket and delivered a series of punches that would have crushed an actual human's head. That did not stop him; his rage and Nyx's audacity enabled him to throw the demon clear down the street. He rushed forward once more to relieve himself of the threat but only growled in anger when the invisibility cloak was used once more. Andraemalek continued forward, hell bent on killing the demon before he got his hands on Nadia. Rage replaced calculation and reason; her protection came first. That way he could kill her himself.

Andraemalek stopped when the sharp burn penetrated his side. This, he hadn't expected. Staggering back, he took a breath and stared down at the hilt of the knife protruding from his side. This was no ordinary blade; the familiar figure of a raven atop a grinning skull was unmistakable. "Son of a bitch..."

"That should slow you down long enough for me to complete my mission." Nyx returned the half breed's earlier roundhouse kick and laughed in amusement when Andraemalek lay unmoving on the ground. Walking to the still form, he dropped down onto his haunches and dug the blade in deeper as he slowly twisted it. "Picked this up when I killed a Zepar demon. Imagine my surprise when found the Blade of Abraxis in his very extensive collection of weapons." Nyx smiled at Andraemalek's tortured groan as he continued to twist the blade within him. "You know how the story goes."

Andraemalek did. The Blade of Abraxis was one the few weapons ever created with the power to kill any demon. All it took was a strategically placed wound and the demon would die a slow, torturous death. He knew how the blade worked well; he'd been trying to get his hands on one for centuries.

"Unfortunately this won't kill you because you're a half breed. But," Nyx paused in his speech to listen to Andraemalek's pained gasp as he ripped the blade from his body, "it does buy me enough time to complete my mission." Glancing up at the still empty street, he shook his head ruefully. "She just had to live in a small town, didn't she? Not much of a challenge."

Andraemalek knew the second Nyx shimmered away; the cold burn traveling throughout his spine disappeared and the air around him became more fragrant. He fought for breath as the searing pain inched throughout his body. Because he was only a half demon, he would not die. The pain inflicted however, was enough to paralyze him. Lying on the empty street, he told himself that he needed to move, to ignore the pain. It would only be a matter of time before Nyx made his move on Nadia and his giving into the pain did nothing to save her. Forcing himself to stand, Andraemalek shimmered into Nadia's apartment. The apartment was dark, but his eyes were quickly able to adjust. He walked to the door and checked the locks; she'd forgotten about the deadbolt. Turning the lock into place, he turned when caught wind of the bitterly cloying scent that was Nadia's fear. Turning only his head, he watched as she methodically maneuvered her way through the apartment into the kitchen to grab a knife that rested on the counter. If he wasn't in so much pain, he would have applauded. "Nadia." Andraemalek blinked when the kitchen lights were turned on. Nadia stood near the kitchen entrance, no doubt waiting for the intruder to pass her by before she attacked. 

Taking a few steps closer, Nadia stared at him in disbelief. She hadn't been able to sleep and had decided to fetch a glass of water when she noticed the dark shadow in front of her door. Immediately frightened and enraged that someone would try to rob her, she ran to the first weapon she could; the steak knife she'd forgotten to put away after dinner. To find him standing in front of her door after their argument was the last thing she expected. "Andrae? What are you doing here?" She frowned when he staggered forward but did not move closer. "How did you get in here?" When he only took another labored step forward, she frowned. "What's wrong?"

"I... I need your help." Andraemalek walked to the couch and dropped down on it, unable to support his weight. The pain had become unbearable and he was sure that he was soaked with blood.

Nadia walked to stand in front of him and turned on one of the lamps. The sight of his ashen skin increased her worry. "What's wrong?" She noticed the way he clutched his side and gently pulled his hands away from his body. When she noticed the blood, she gasped. "Oh, my God, Andrae! What happened?" Pulling his jacket out of the way, she lifted the hem of his blood-soaked shirt and nearly fainted at the wound that continued to bleed. "Jesus Christ, we have to get you to the hospital."

Andraemalek grabbed her wrist when she moved to grab the phone. "No. No hospitals."

"Andrae, this isn't a scratch. You can bleed to death." That wasn't if he wasn't bleeding internally, anyway. "What is this? A stab wound?" She frowned when the blood flow began to ease. How was that possible if she hadn't put any pressure on the wound? "Hold on I'm going to get a towel."

Andraemalek sighed in relief when she didn't turn him away. He didn't think that she would; her kind nature made her incapable of turning cold. But there was always the possibility of their argument hardening her heart to him. As he pulled his jacket off, he groaned and ignored his baser instinct to shift into his demonic form. When seriously injured, it was easier to deal with pain when in his base form because his pain receptors became slightly numbed. In the human world, shifting wasn't an option, especially since he was in Nadia's presence. Placing his jacket on the floor, he looked to make sure he didn't stain her couch. Why the secondary thought crossed his mind, he did not know.

"What are you doing? Sit back." Nadia rushed to his side and pushed him back to rest. Pulling up the hem of his shirt once more, she frowned again when she noticed that the blood flow had lessened even more. "We really need to get you to the hospital."

"I'll be fine. I heal quickly." With a wound from a normal blade, the blood flow would have stopped by now. Because of Abraxis' supernatural ability, it would take nearly three times as long for him to heal from the wound. He'd be fine by the end of the week, but Andraemalek knew that Nyx counted on his hiding while he healed, making it incredibly easy to kill Nadia.

"You heal quickly? This is what you have to say to me when you might be dead in a few minutes? There is a chance of internal bleeding or even worse, an organ could have been touched too."

He liked her doting concern, especially since she used her medical knowledge. "No hospitals, Nadia. It's you or nothing."

"Is this a stab wound?" She gasped when he nodded tightly and asked, "Who stabbed you?" Placing a towel against the wound, she winced when he groaned in pain. "I'm sorry." What had he gotten himself into get receive such an injury? Nadia knew for a fact that she did not live in a dangerous neighborhood so she could not attribute the wound to gangs or thugs.

"It doesn't matter. I need to get this cleaned."

She pushed him down once more when he moved to stand. "Don't move. I'll go get..." Get what? A first aid kit? For a paltry scratch, that would have been sufficient. But a stab wound? "Just don't move." Running to the bathroom, she grabbed any and all disinfectants and the first aid kit for good measure and rushed back to his side. As she dropped everything on the couch beside him, she said, "I'm going to heat up some water."

Andraemalek nodded again as he inspected the wound. There was minimal blood flow, he was happy to see, but the skin gaped from Nyx's action of twisting the blade. As enraged as he was at the gall of the demon, he was more concerned about Nadia's safety. As he listened to her scramble to get what she needed to heat the water, he sniffed the air. There was the unmistakable scent of her fear; it was thicker than he'd been accustomed to but that was because there was an undertone of anger as well. "Why are you mad at me?"

Nadia paused in her task of filling a pot with water as she asked, "What are you talking about?"

"You're upset. Is it because of what we talked about earlier?"

She stopped and stared at the back of his head for a moment. Of all the times to bring up that conversation... "I'm not thinking about that right now."

"So why are you mad at?"

"What makes you think that I'm mad?" Deciding that there was enough water in the pot, she set it on the stove and lit a fire. With her arms crossed over her chest, she walked back into the living room to check on him. He seemed fine; other than the ashen skin and the occasional grunt of pain, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Nothing save the hole in the side of his body.

Andraemalek wasn't stupid enough to make a comment on the way she smelled; she was already suspicious of that. "You're tense."

"What the hell do you expect when I wake up in the middle of the night to find a stabbed person who doesn't want to go to the hospital standing inside my apartment?" Glancing at the door, she frowned and asked, "How did you get in anyway?"

"Picked the lock," he lied easily. It was smarter than mentioning a spare key she might not have had.

"So you break an entering instead of going to a hospital?"

"They would have asked questions at the hospital."

"And you think I won't be asking you any?"

"You haven't stopped asking questions since I've met you."

"And I won't either. The water should be hot enough now." Mumbling to herself, she turned the fire off then placed the pot on the counter. It took her a moment to find a bowl she never used and another clean towel. When the items were fetched, she placed the hot water in the bowl and brought her supplies to him. He seemed a bit more relaxed and nearly ready to fall asleep. "Oh, no you don't." Placing the bowl on the floor, she nudged his foot with her toe. "You are not going to die on me, mister."

If it wasn't for the genuine fear in her voice, Andraemalek would have laughed. "I'm not dying, Nadia. I was just resting my eyes. It's been a long day."

"It's about to get a little longer." Sitting on the couch beside him, she moved his hands and the towel they held in place. The wound had stopped bleeding. Touching the surrounding skin, she checked for any signs of internal bleeding and frowned when she felt none. It should have been good news, but she wasn't altogether sure she checked him properly, which meant that he could still be in danger. There was also the risk of infection. "You don't have to go to the hospital, but we can call the para-"

"You, or nothing, Nadia."

"Seriously, Andrae, you need a professional."

"All I need is you." Nyx could easily disguise himself as a paramedic or a doctor. With his abilities, the danger had only escalated.

As much as she tried, Nadia couldn't ignore the flutter in her stomach at his words. Taking a breath, she bent to the task of cleaning the wound, apologizing profusely whenever he grunted in pain. The water from the bowl burned her fingers, but she shrugged off the pain, telling herself that he experienced worse. "How did you get this?"

"Got into a fight."

When he gave no further details, she sighed in frustration. "That's all you have to tell me?"

"That's all you need to know." The last thing she needed was to learn that he got into a supernatural battle in the middle of the empty street. With what she knew about demons, she'd most likely finish the job Nyx started. He groaned when she prodded a bit too hard and said, "Easy."

"Sorry."

"Sure you are." Andraemalek held in a smile at her aggravated glare and watched as she continued to doctor his wound. Though she was obviously upset with him, the care in her touch told him how she really felt. The concentration on her face as she took care of him made him ache to hold her, to care for her. "Thank you. For everything."

"Yeah, sure." Nadia frowned at the wound. The bleeding had officially stopped, but she was now concerned about the size of the wound and the risk of infection. "You should really get stitches for this."

"You got a needle and thread?"

She looked at him with surprised eyes as she asked, "Are you shitting me?"

It was very rare that she swore, but when she did, lust flared throughout his body. Ignoring his growing desire, he nodded slowly. "I have no problem leaving it alone until it closes itself but if you want it stitched up..."

"The more you talk, the more I want to beat you with a frying pan."

"Kinky."

Nadia couldn't keep herself from smiling at the blatant flirtation. "Shut up." Concentrating on the task at hand, she dried then patched the wound as best as she could. She said nothing when he pulled his shirt off but did raise a brow; of course he would remove the item after she tended to his wound. At the sight of his muscled chest and arms, she paused. Nadia had seen plenty of men with drool-worthy bodies, but none could ever compare to his magnificence. Ripples of muscles enhanced every nuance of his physique; with arms as large as her claves, it was no wonder he was easily able to carry her around. His pectoral muscles made her hands itch to feel them again and when she glanced at his stomach... Good lord, he made the term "washboard" sound inadequate. This was the first time she'd seen him topless; the night of their play, he'd covered her with his body, only allowing her the sensation of that corded body against hers.

"Nadia."

Snapping herself out of her thoughts, she blinked then looked into his glittering eyes. "What was that?"

"I said I should get going." Andraemalek resisted the urge to reach for her. The hot stare she gave him made his blood boil and the light scent of her desire made him shudder. Unsure of the extent of his control, he didn't know if he had what it took to keep from taking her. 

"No, you can't go." Nadia stood to hover above him and placed her hands on her hips. "You don't get to come here and have me fix you up then leave so that you can die of infection in your sleep."

"It won't get infected."

"I plan on making sure of that. You're staying."

As much as he would have loved to argue with her, Andraemalek decided to give her what she wanted. It was, after all, an optimal chance to protect her. "I guess I'll take a blanket then."

Smiling in victory, she said, "Because I'm in a good mood, you get a pillow too." Nadia quickly bent to the task of cleaning up before she fetched a pillow and a blanket for him. As a second thought, she rummaged through her drawers for an extra pair of sweatpants in the event he wanted to change. When she returned to the living room, she stopped short at the sight of him standing in nothing but his underwear. His thighs and calves were works of art; each muscle was only emphasized by the next. Boxer-briefs never looked so sexy. "I, here, um..."

Andraemalek smiled at the look on her face and quietly accepted the items in her outstretched hands. He noticed the sweatpants and put them on, not for warmth, but because traces of her scent still clung to the garment. "Thanks." 

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Nadia stepped forward and quickly made a makeshift bed. She didn't want him doing anything to aggravate his injury. "I hope it's comfortable enough."

Her scent clung to the blanket, the pillow, and the couch; he couldn't have asked for more. "Thanks." Making himself comfortable, Andraemalek said nothing when she adjusted the blankets around him and again resisted the urge to pull her to him. Even in his wounded state, he was ready to drown himself in her sweetness. "Will you stay with me a while?"

The random question surprised her. It was very rare that he was anything but dominant with her; to hear him genuinely ask for her company was new. "Uh, sure." Moving to curl up on the loveseat, Nadia scratched the back of her head. Were they going to have an actual conversation or would she lose her temper again?

"I don't know if this is enough evidence, but you're going to make a great doctor."

Actual conversation it was. "Thank you, but I'm not all that interested in trauma."

"What do you want to practice?"

Tilting her head thoughtfully, Nadia focused her attention on the far end of the room. "I haven't fully decided yet, but I'm interested in pediatrics and reconstructive surgery. I might combine the two."




The Order Ch. 06



"You like children?"

"I love children."

The tone of their conversation had a calming effect on him. He was learning about her on a deeper level; an emotional level as opposed to a physical one. Andraemalek liked it. "Do you want any?" When she looked at him incredulously he defended himself, "There are people out there who love kids but don't want any."

"I suppose your right." Nadia smiled to herself as she envisioned her future. "Yes, I want children. At least five."

"That's a big number."

"When you spend the bulk of your life alone, you tend to realize that pretty much forcing a kid to live the same way isn't fair." Shrugging, she focused her attention to picking the lint off of her pajama pants. "I want to move to an island. Someplace like Martinique and have a huge house built to fit all of my kids."

"Why an island?"

"Who doesn't want to live in paradise?" Nadia smiled when he grunted thoughtfully. "It'll probably never happen, but it's nice to dream."

"You can make it happen if you really want it." And if he let her live long enough to do it. Andraemalek felt his stomach constrict in guilt at the realization that he was potentially ridding the world of someone like her. Nadia was a rare type of human; kind, selfless, and incredibly trusting. Those were all valuable traits to pass onto children. 

Children he couldn't father. 

"What's your dream?"

Without thinking, he said, "To find someone who wants me because of who I am, not despite." Living a life where he was turned away because of his half breed status only forced him to make others need him. His brothers needed him because he was of their blood. Demons needed him because he was a guaranteed result when tracking marks. Never, in the centuries that he lived, was he ever wanted by any living being simply because he was who he was. 

Saying nothing, Nadia only nodded. For the first time, he'd shared something with her that made her feel more connected to him. She almost wished he would get into fights more often. "What's your last name?"

"Royce." Technically, he had no last name, but he and his brothers thought it best to create a family name. Naming themselves after their father seemed the best idea since they came from different mothers.

"Andrae Royce. Has a nice ring to it."

"Sure." Andraemalek watched the emotions play over Nadia's face as they sat together. All traces of her nervousness and anger were gone, leaving a calm he'd rarely seen in her. "What other dreams do you have?"

"That's pretty much it," she shrugged. "Most of my life, I've just wanted to be part of a family."

"I can understand that."

"Can you?"

Andraemalek nodded and focused his attention on the ceiling as he said, "I mean, I have brothers, but I've never really felt like I was part of the family."

"Are you the black sheep?

"You could say that."

"Have you ever tried to connect with them?"

"No."

"There goes your answer." When he looked at her curiously, she said, "You can't expect to have that feeling of a family bond if you don't try to create one. When's the last time you spoke to any of them?"

Andraemalek thought the question over. It had been nearly a century since he'd last spoken to any of his brothers, primarily because of his efforts to gain the trust of The Order. They didn't know that and up until that very moment, he'd never cared. "So long, I don't even remember."

"Dude, give them a call."

"Yeah."

"I'm serious, Andrae." Nadia leaned forward to emphasize the importance of her next statement. "As someone who has no one, if I were you, I'd stalk the hell out of every single one of them." Feeling as if she'd overstepped her bounds, she stood and hastily retreated to her room. "I'll check on you before I leave for class," she said as she walked passed him. "Lights on or off?"

Andraemalek chose to keep from arguing with her. She seemed uneasy and the scent of her nervousness slowly made another appearance. "Off." He murmured a thank you when she turned the lights off and sighed in confusion when he heard her bedroom door close. He didn't know what just happened, but it was quite obvious that their relationship had shifted to an even more complicated status. "Just what I need," he mumbled. Lying on the couch, he listened to the muted sounds of her settling into bed once more. Andraemalek ignored the urge to join her, to hold her close while he allowed his body the time and rest it needed to heal. Did she have to be so damned sweet? The more he thought about it, the more he realized that they both would have been better off had she just turned him away.

But that wasn't Nadia. She had to be the kindest human he'd ever known. Not that he knew many humans, anyway. She was simply a refreshing change to what he thought he was used to.

He'd only been on assignment for only a couple of months, but in that time, she'd grown on him.

Andraemalek remained still when he heard the gentle creak of her bedroom door opening. He listened quietly as she lightly padded into the living room and felt his senses flare when she stood over him. He wanted to open his eyes and ask her what she wanted but sensing her comfort in her belief that he was asleep, he remained as he was. He listened quietly as she slowly shifted from foot to foot. Her breathing was deep and even, almost as if she purposely changed her natural breathing pattern to keep from accidentally waking him. Andraemalek felt his body suddenly relax when her fingertips tentatively grazed his forehead. Was she checking for signs of a fever or did she want to touch him?

"What the hell am I going to do about you?" she whispered.

He almost answered. The tenderness in her voice and touch warmed him. For the first time, he wished he was human. To be able to give her the life she dreamed of would have been his mission. Andraemalek wanted to take care of her, have her care for him.

He wanted her to love him.

With a soft sigh, she walked away and quietly crept back to her room. When he heard her door close, Andraemalek opened his eyes and stared at the shadows that danced on the ceiling. What was he doing? He was commissioned to kill Nadia, not want her to love him. She was a job, his ticket into The Order. Allowing himself to feel for her would not only get him killed, but it ruined all of his future plans for his brothers. He couldn't allow this to happen.

But he couldn't kill her.



The Order Ch. 07



Nadia glanced at her watch for what had to be the tenth time in four minutes as she rushed out of the academic building. She wasn't sure if it was seniroitis or the intense need to make sure that there wasn't a dead man on her couch that made her as anxious as she was, but she was sure that she would be on edge for many more days to come. Throughout the three hour lecture she'd had to sit through, she was a ball of nerves, unsure of what to expect. How was it possible, she wondered, that one man was able to enrage her one minute, turn her to mush the next, then manage to bring out such compassion in her that she could have almost sworn that he was a charity case? It was amazing; she had virtually no effect on him, but the simplest of his stares ripped her concentration from her. 

Men. 

On a muttered oath, Nadia shielded her eyes from the brightness of the sun and stopped when she spotted the unmistakable copper glow of Spencer's hair in the sunlight. Rushing forward, she pushed through the students trying to enter the building. She muttered again when she tripped and nearly fell on her face. Ignoring the urge to yell at the student who tripped her, she continued forward and did not stop until she'd placed a hand on his shoulder. "Spence... Wait," she panted as she tried to keep her bag from falling off her shoulder. "I need... Need to..." 

Spencer raised an amused brow as she watched Nadia struggle to collect herself. He should have been angry with her and in the most innocent of ways he still was. But it was difficult to think of anything other than the reflection of the sunlight in her hair and the seductive shape of her lips as she slowed her breathing. "Talk to me?" He led her toward a vacant bench that was strategically placed near the path to the parking lot. "Catch your breath." 

"I'm good." Nadia took one last deep breath and nearly shook her head at the poor state of her stamina. She'd barely run one hundred feet and she looked as if she'd trudged through a triathlon. "I just wanted to - I feel really bad about..." She stopped herself and took another calming breath. In the midst of everything she'd gone through with Andrae, she'd forgotten about Spencer and the rejection he probably felt. It was her fault; she'd decided to leave with Andrae to avoid a scene. In the process, she'd acted no better than - "I'm really sorry about what happened that night." 

Spencer did not need to be reminded of what night she spoke of; the memory of it replayed in his mind constantly. "What happened? Why didn't you just say that you wanted to leave?" 

"I didn't, I swear." She looked down at the ground and stared at an ant as it wandered over the concrete. "It's just that my friend-" 

"That big guy ready to kick my ass?" 

Nadia sighed at the memory. "Yes, him." Bringing her eyes back to Spencer's inquisitive ones, she thought of an easy, uncomplicated way to explain Andrae. "It's just that he's really protective of his friends." Did he even have other friends? In the time she'd known him, Nadia had never seen Andrae with anyone else. He certainly had enemies though. "And so he pretty much flipped out when he saw us all playing around in our underwear." 

"And you left because?" 

"I wanted to avoid a fight." Nadia stood so that she didn't have to crane her head back so far when she looked at him. "I didn't want anyone to get hurt. Especially you." 

That one statement alone was enough for Spencer to change his mind about being upset with her. Focusing his attention on the students walking along campus, he asked, "So he's not your boyfriend or anything, is he?" 

Ignoring the incredibly uneasy feeling washing over her, Nadia hesitated. She looked at her surroundings, wondering if the unease was a result of Spencer's question or her own questions regarding her relationship with Andrae. "I really don't know how to answer that other than to say that a relationship with him would never work." He wanted nothing to do with her on a personal level, outside of sex and the occasional medical aid, anyway. "Well, now that I think about it, that would be a no, wouldn't it?" 

Spencer smiled at the confused look on her face. She was too adorable. "I should be really pissed at you right now." 

"You mean you're not?" 

"No, but I really should be." He put his hands in his pockets as he thought her words over. "So I've still got a shot?" 

"You still want one?" Nadia felt her stomach tighten when he nodded. Squinting against the glare of the sun, she smiled. Spencer may not have been the type to be able to throw her around like a rag doll, but he did have a sweet nature she found endearing. "So, um, I have to go, but do you want to hang out?" 

Spencer had to keep from shouting with joy at the invitation. Smiling at the now inquisitive look in her eyes, he said, "I'd love to, but I have to check my schedule." 

"Is that some weird way of trying to get me to beg for it or something?" 

He allowed himself to laugh at the quickness in which her attitude changed. Nadia was suddenly ready to do battle. "No. Midterms... I have one for all but one class." 

"Yikes." Knowing the stress involved with midterms, Nadia felt for him. "So get back to me." 

"I will." 

With a smile, she turned to walk away but stopped when she heard Spencer call her name. As she turned, she held back a gasp when he pulled her into a fierce hug. Unused to the spontaneous show of affection, she remained still but slowly adjusted to the feeling. Spencer's hug was nothing like the fire of being in Andrae's arms, but it did have the power to make her melt. "Thanks." 

Spencer waited until she'd stepped back before saying, "Anytime." Sensing the imminent flush of excitement about to take over his face, he took another step back and cleared his throat. "So I'll see you around." 

"Yeah." Nadia smiled one last time as she turned and walked away. It was funny; though she did enjoy Spencer's embrace, she wasn't left shaking. Her skin didn't feel tight and her body didn't throb with need. Not to say that that was what she needed to fully enjoy a hug, but it did surprise her that her knees didn't wobble in nervousness. Different people evoked different feelings, she supposed. Spencer was nothing like any other man she was used to, but that worked in his favor. 

As Nadia walked home, she thought of her patient. Answers. She needed answers about what happened and would be damned if she didn't get them. It was stupidity for Andrae to actually think that he could break into her apartment, seek medical attention, and then think that he could simply leave as if they'd only had a cup of coffee. There was something about him that told her that she had to watch herself. It wasn't only the crazy emotions he brought out of her whenever he was near, but there was something else... A secrecy that left her uneasy. She had to figure out what it was before... Before what? Other than her wanton antics, there was nothing that happened to her that could be considered dangerous. There was the night she was almost raped, but if it hadn't been for Andrae, she might be dead. 

At the cross walk near her apartment complex, Nadia stopped when a chill raced down her spine. Never before had she gotten a shill so intense. Granted, the weather had cooled several degrees, but that wasn't it. There was nothing out of the ordinary; students, citizens, and the occasional car went along, shops and gas stations functioned as they always did, and she followed her usual routine. Was something wrong with Andrae? Was this a rare instance in which female intuition urged her to get home? "I knew I should have called for a paramedic," she mumbled as she hurried along. Ignoring the glare of the sunlight as she passed the local mirror shop, Nadia nearly ran the last few blocks to her apartment. As she neared the complex, the chill became less intense. A good sign, she figured. But she had to be sure. 

The key to the door was in her hand before she'd made it to the stoop. Hastily, Nadia opened the door and let out an audible sigh of relief to find Andrae on the couch reading one of the books on demons she'd checked out of the library. Her blanket and pillow were put away, but he remained in the sweatpants she'd lent him. There was a strange buzz in the back of her neck at seeing him on her couch wearing her clothes. "H-how are you feeling?" 

He looked up and felt his breath catch at the sight of her; with her back blocking the sunlight, there was an ethereal glow surrounding her entire body. Bolts of dark, raging fire burst through the midnight cloud of her hair, illuminating the creamy texture of her soft skin. Even after she'd entered the apartment and closed the door behind her, Nadia continued to glimmer in the dimmer light of the apartment. "Better. See? No infection." 

"That's good to hear." She walked to the kitchen and on the way, dropped her bag onto the counter. A glass of water would surely calm her suddenly raging hormones. The cool liquid did nothing but remind her of the heat his touch evoked. 

What was wrong with her?!? She'd only been home for two minutes and already she was acting like a sexually repressed teenager. With a sigh, she placed the cup in the sink then walked to the living room where she stood at the end of the couch. Before she could speak, she was left having to take a surprised step back when Andrae suddenly stood. "What is-" 

"You walked back by yourself, right?" Andraemalek barely paid any mind to her as he walked to the window. Anger rolled over him at the faint but familiar scent of rotting fruit that lingered around Nadia. The bastard thought that he was smart; based on the fact that the scent was barely strong enough for him to detect, Nyx stayed six, no, seven feet behind as he followed Nadia home. But the winds went upwind of him, spreading his filth on her. Staring at the seemingly deserted quad, he waited for something, anything that would help him pinpoint Nyx's location. Andraemalek knew that he was still outside, toying with both his victim and her protector. "Did anyone follow you?" 

"Follow me?" Nadia frowned in confusion as he made quick work of shutting the blinds. "What are you talking about?" Walking to stand behind him, she placed her hand on his bare back and gasped at the heat permeating off his body. She knew that he had a lot of body heat, but never did she expect... "Why would anyone follow me home?" 

Andraemalek turned, ready to make up a far-fetched explanation of the dangers of living alone but stopped at the scent that wafted off her. New potent rage coursed through him, and had he not had the fierce control that he did, he would have surely punched a hole in her wall. "What were you doing with him, Nadia?" 

If it wasn't for the eerily calm tone of his voice, she wouldn't have thought of taking a step back. But she did, and felt her heart rate accelerate when he took a step forward. "What are you-" 

"You were with him. The one with the red hair." Spencer was his name. The navel lint who had dared to put his hands where they did not belong. 

"How did you-" Shaking herself out of that line of thought, Nadia asked, "Why do you need to know?" 

That was the exact opposite of what he wanted to hear. "Tell me." 

"How did you get stabbed?" Crossing her arms over her chest, she tilted her head in curiosity. She waited only a minute before saying, "Tell you what, when you're ready to tell me about how you got that wound I had to patch up, I'll be more than happy to tell you what you'd like to know about me and Spence." 

He felt his blood boil at the almost tender way she referred to the pond scum. "Don't play games with me." 

"Practice what you preach." With a shake of her head, Nadia turned to walk away but instead gasped when he hauled her up against the hard planes of his chest. The rush of blood charging through her veins filled her ears as she struggled to keep herself from melting into his arms. She knew his game but this time, she refused to play. Administering a fierce slap that immediately made her feel wretched, Nadia stepped back and stared into his surprised eyes. "You don't get to put your hands on me without my permission." 

"You didn't seem to have a problem with that when I-" 

"Trust me when I say that hell will freeze over before anything like that happens again." Nadia walked to the far end of the living room, knowing that she would contradict herself if she remained near him. 

"Stay away from him, Nadia." 

"Or what, Andrae? You'll make him disappear?" 

She did not know how close he was to making that happen. Nadia had no business associating herself with the peon. He was beneath her. He was navel lint. 

"Spare me the unnecessary jealousy." Nadia walked into the kitchen and began to pull out ingredients for dinner. "You staying for dinner or are you well enough to go home?" 

Andraemalek glanced at the windows before he said, "I'll stay, if that's all right with you." 

"Fine." 

He sensed the faint scent of her anger and sighed. He was good at upsetting her, he noticed as he walked to the kitchen. The adorable way in which she huffed about was indication enough of her annoyance. "Can I help with anything?" 

"Can you cook?" 

"I make pretty good take out." In actuality he did not require the daily nourishment humans needed to survive. He hadn't eaten since he'd had cake wither. But she didn't need to know that. Andraemalek smiled at the annoyed glance she shot him as he leaned against the counter. "I can cut some stuff up if you'd like." 

Nadia didn't look at him while she separated the vegetables. It was difficult enough knowing that he was topless; she didn't want to look at the blatant temptation. "How good are you with a knife?" 

"Pretty good." 

In response, she simply slid the cutting board over to him. "Just dice them up, please." 

Her polite nature always managed to cause such intense guilt that he was barely able to deal with it. Saying nothing, Andraemalek simply searched for an appropriate knife and worked on his task. When Nadia wasn't aware, he would stop for a moment and watch her. She seemed so at eased with cooking... With him. There was nothing like the feeling of doing something so utterly human with her. Such a simple thing, making dinner. This being the first time he'd ever done anything like it, Andraemalek had to admit... It was fun. From showcasing his talent with a blade to watching the quick and efficient way Nadia sautéed the chicken they would have, he thoroughly enjoyed himself. 

He sighed. Did she really have to continue to give him reasons to keep her alive? Wasn't it enough that he'd already admitted to himself that he didn't want to kill her, that he wanted her? Apparently not, especially when she cast him sweet, shy smiles that did nothing but focus his attention on the sweet smell of berries permeating off her skin. She was happy. 

She was happy to be with him. 

"Done with those vegetables yet?" 

He'd been done with them for a while but decided to look busy to have a reason to stay in the kitchen. "Just." 

Taking a step back, Nadia motioned to the sauté pan. "Dump them in." She watched as he complied before she took a step forward to mix everything together. The air was suddenly filled with the intoxicating scent of chicken and vegetables, accented by the spices she'd used for extra flavor. Taking a deep breath, she said, "Smells so good." 

Andraemalek took the opportunity to step forward and bury his nose in the crook of her neck. Inhaling deeply, he murmured, "Good enough to eat." He chuckled when he tensed in his arms and pulled her closer. Her soft rear touched his thighs because of their height difference, but he liked the feeling. 

"You're going to get me burned if you keep this up." What happened to her order for him to keep his hands off? And why couldn't she control her suddenly pounding heart? Taking a breath, she pushed him away and turned off the stove. She grabbed two plates from the dish rack and evenly distributed their meal. She'd learned her lesson with the cake. 

"Is that all we're having?" 

"Yeah... I need to lose some weight." 

Andraemalek waited until she'd carried their plates to the living room before he asked, "Why?" 

"Why what?" 

"Why do you need to lose weight?" 

Because I'm a beached whale, she wanted to say. "I have no stamina and even less endurance." 

Casting her a smoldering look, he said, "I can definitely help you with that." He grinned when the scent of her nervousness wafted to him. "I am, after all, a personal trainer." 

"Speaking of," Nadia said as she rushed to the kitchen to pour a couple of glasses of cranberry juice, "What are you doing about work for the next few days?" 

"What do you mean?" 

"Well, you can't exactly work with a messed up side, now can you?" 

Andraemalek waited for her to take a seat on the floor before he spoke. "You'd be surprised by what I'd be able to do with a messed up side." 

"Be serious." 

"I always am." To prove his point, he leaned down and pulled her in for a rough and consuming kiss. His lips showed no mercy as they slanted over hers. Damn, but she was sweet. Nadia's soft lips molded to his and coyly mimicked his moved perfectly. And when her tongue tentatively brushed his bottom lip... With a growl, he pulled away. 

Nadia let out a frustrated whimper as she watched him settle beside her. "What did I tell you about that?" 

"Nothing you actually meant." 

"Did you brush your teeth this morning?" It was the absolute worst question to ask after a kiss, but she was in desperate need of a subject change. 

"Yes. By the way, if you have a problem with people using your toothbrush, I'll replace it later." 

"You used my toothbrush?" When he only nodded, she said, "There's a spare in the medicine cabinet." 

"I know. I saw it." 

Nadia couldn't suppress her surprised laugh. He used her toothbrush. "Well, as long as you saw it..." 

"Eat your food before it gets cold," he said on a laugh. As he ate, he thought of a strategy to defeat Nyx. It was obvious that he was waiting for the perfect moment to strike. The problem was figuring out when the perfect moment was. Andraemalek was sure that he would try to strike when there were no witnesses, which meant after dark. That meant he had to spend every moment with her after sunset. Andraemalek didn't have a problem with that, but he was sure that she would. That was something she would have to deal with on her own time. The only person allowed to kill her was him. 

"You must have been hungry." 

Andraemalek looked at Nadia as she quietly finished the rest of her food. It was then that he realized that he'd long ago cleared his plate. Shrugging, he said, "That was good. And I need to regain my strength." She didn't need to know that he was merely a day away from having a scar that looked decades old. 

Putting her fork down, Nadia turned to look at him and cautiously asked, "Can you please tell me how you got that wound?" 

He wanted to tell her to drop it, that though he was appreciative of all she'd done, it was none of her business. But the look in her big brown eyes made him cave. "I came home and there was a thief in my apartment." 

"Oh, my God." 

"Yeah. I tried to fight the fucker off, but he stabbed me." 

Placing a hand on his shoulder, she said, "Andrae, you really should have called the police." 

"The only thing I could think of was making sure no one broke into your place." At last, one statement that wasn't a blatant lie. The touched look on her face warmed him and made him want to kiss her again. 

Clearing her throat, Nadia stood up and moved to put their plates in the sink. "I think I'm going to go take a shower." 

"I'll do the same." At the panicked look in her eyes, Andraemalek smiled and said, "I need to get a change of clothes anyway." 




The Order Ch. 07



"Oh, ok." She tried to keep from looking too relieved. "All right, so we'll meet back up in forty-five?" 

"Sounds good to me." Grabbing their used glasses, he placed them in the sink and stopped in front of her as he walked toward his shoes. "Thanks for everything." 

His nearness wreaked havoc on her senses. "You're welcome." Forcing a smile on her face, she took a step back and watched as he sat on the couch so that he could put his shoes on. When the task was done, he walked to the door. A part of her wanted to call out to him to stay. They could take turns in the shower. It wasn't that big of a deal. 

Turning to look at Nadia, Andraemalek almost changed his mind about leaving. The look of panic in her eyes was indication enough that she wanted him to stay. "Forty-five minutes." When she smiled and visibly relaxed, he nodded then turned his attention to the door. Turning the lock on the doorknob to engage the automatic locking mechanism, he walked out and made sure the lock worked. Satisfied that it did, he quickly walked to his apartment. Once inside, he went to the large window to look into her apartment. She wasn't in the living room, a sure sign that she was in the bedroom preparing herself for a shower. He called a cigarette and a lighter to himself and was quick to light up. 

He seriously needed to get his priorities together, he mused as he took a long drag. Becoming part of The Order of Zebulon had been his goal for over one hundred years. Now that he was close enough to taste victory, he did not want it. Failure meant Nadia had a chance to live her life. But it would be a life she'd live without him. There was no way The Order would allow him to live after such a bold move. And Andraemalek was quite sure that they would take it upon themselves to kill her when he didn't. He had no other choice but to kill her. 

Shaking his head in frustration, he quickly snuffed out his cigarette and stripped out of his clothes. He walked to the bathroom and turned on the water before going to the bedroom to pull enough clothing for three days out of the closet. The plan was to spend those three days making Nadia so desperate for his presence that she would ask him to stay a little longer. Then he wouldn't have to worry about leaving her alone. Satisfied with the plan, he went to take his shower and found himself groaning at the thought of Nadia's supple body coated in a fine sheen of water. As he washed, he was able to envision her silken locks plastered to her neck and shoulders due to their water-soaked state and felt his hands itch with the need to touch her. 

"Shit," he muttered. He couldn't afford to think of such things. Not when he had to keep his mind sharp. As long as Nyx still lived, Nadia was in danger. 

Andraemalek kept his shower quick and was dressed and ready to head back to her apartment with twenty minutes to spare. He debated waiting for the full forty-five minute time span to lapse, but decided against it. Grabbing his clothes, he shimmered into her living room and frowned when he did not hear the shower running. He walked slowly to her bedroom door and felt his body tense. Nadia stood in front of her dresser mirror, naked save for the slippers on her delicate feet. She stared intently at her reflection, periodically pulling her stomach in to make herself look thinner. Didn't she understand how incredibly tantalizing she was? Had he not been paralyzed by her beauty, he would have shown her just how beautiful she was. 

His groin felt as if it would burst. It was heavy with desire and longed to be freed from the confines of his clothing. Watching her standing there completely nude... Her hair wasn't wet, but he didn't mind; the rest of her still was. 

Andraemalek told himself that he would respect her privacy and wait for her in the living room. He changed his mind when she reached for the bottle of oil. He felt his mouth water when she gingerly applied the scent on her arms and legs. When she began to concentrate on her stomach and hips, he took a step forward. And then her hands smoothed the oil on the generous mounds of her breasts. 

He couldn't stop himself. Walking into the room, he ignored her mortified scream as he grabbed the bottle of oil from her and placed it on the dresser. When he turned to face her, he saw that she'd covered herself with a towel. "Don't hide yourself from me." 

Nadia took a step back when she saw the hot, feral look in his eyes. "Andrae, what are you doing?" 

"Take the towel off, Nadia." He took a step forward when she took another one back. A myriad of emotions coursed through her; he knew because he could smell every one of them. But the thickest, the most prominent, was that addictively sweet and tangy aroma that came with her arousal. Andraemalek growled low in his throat when she licked her lips nervously. "I said, take it off." 

She couldn't explain why, but the forceful tone of his voice made her knees weak with need. The already unique pitch of his voice became even lower when he spoke to her like that, she noticed. "I thought that you were at your place." 

"My place right now is here. With you." If she took another step back, he would pin her against the wall. She was actually doing a fantastic job of that herself, he observed. Five more steps back, and she would have to get through him to have any room to breathe. 

He took another step forward. 

Nadia wanted to scream at him to leave, wanted to tell him that he had no right to barge into her room while she was naked, but any and all protests were lodged in the back of her throat at the sight of him. He wore only a thin white tank top with the jogging pants he'd changed into. How a simple ensemble could make her mouth water simply because he wore it, she'd never know. What she did know was that she had to speak up before what she knew would happen, did. "An-Andrae, please go wait for me in the living room." He only shook his head in response as he took another step forward. Her breathing became shallow and the effort to remain steady physically hurt. Nadia tried to speak but found that she couldn't. How could she when there was a distant throb in her most secret of places, a throb that grew in intensity with every hot glance he brushed over her body? 

She took another step back. 

Andraemalek grinned slowly as he basked in the scents of her emotions. She'd abandoned anger long ago and now focused on repressing the desire taking over her. She wouldn't win, not while he stood before her. "Do you want me to do it for you?" 

"Wh-what?" Nadia frowned as she tried to will common sense back into her body. This was Andrae, a man who'd clearly stated that he didn't want to know her, only wanted a sexual history with her. He was not the kind of man she should involve herself with. Not only would he break her heart, but he'd have it forever when she gave it to him. 

When? 

If. She meant if. If she gave it to him. That was exactly why she needed a minute to calm down. Taking yet another step back, she shook her head to clear her thoughts and said, "No, I want-" 

"I know." Taking a step forward, he felt his stomach clench in anticipation when she let out a shaky breath. "Don't worry, I'll make sure you get it." 

Nadia tried to look at anything but him, but the man was so large that the task was virtually impossible. The throb she'd felt before became an insistent pound when he took another step forward. She couldn't let him touch her; the second he did, she was lost. 

Andraemalek watched as she took another step backward. One more step. Just one more step and she was his. "I'm going to get that towel off, Nadia." He took a step forward, but purposely moved slowly, fluidly. "And once I do, I'm going to make what happened the last time feel like child's play." 

"Jesus Christ," she whispered. She wanted it, him. So very badly. Her skin tingled and tightened at the thought. "I, that's not..." She shook her head at him and whimpered when he only nodded in response. 

"You're going to like it." 

She knew that she would. That was the problem. Shaking her head again at his slow, victorious grin, she took another step back and gasped when she felt the cool surface of the wall pressed against her back. "Oh, God." 

"Andrae," he corrected as he pressed himself against her. Her skin was hot; the heat permeated through the towel she clenched to her succulent body. She still struggled for a proper breath. He leaned down and rubbed his cheek against hers. "Put your arms around me," he whispered. 

"I-" Nadia stopped to moan when he pressed his lips against her cheek. He followed the move with a series of kisses and licks focused on her sensitive neck. Her senses heightened; she could almost feel every taste bud on his tongue as it danced over her neck while she breathed in his smoky, earthy scent. Nadia held onto her towel a little tighter as she pressed herself closer to him. She moaned his name when he lightly nipped at her tender flesh. 

Andraemalek growled at the sweet taste of her skin. He felt the beat of her furious pulse against his lips and used the opportunity to guide her arms around his neck. It took two tries; the first ended with her clutching the towel even tighter. To show her how pleased he was with her compliance, he kissed her tender lips. Her sharp intake of breath at the contact stole another growl from him. Andraemalek assaulted her lips slowly, sweetly, dragging his tongue along the outer edges of her mouth. When she dug her nails into his shoulders, he increased the pressure of his kiss and used his body to pin her against the wall. 

Nadia gasped in surprise when she felt the cool surface of the wall against her bare back and bottom. The protection of the towel was gone. She tried to push him away, tried to fight the assault on her senses but found that she was powerless, especially when his hot hands cupped and caressed her heavy breasts. She moaned against his mouth when his thumbs brushed over the hard peaks, sending shocks of pleasure through her body. Pushing her chest toward him, Nadia silently begged for more, moaning his name against his lips. 

"What?" he asked before he dipped the tip of his tongue between her sweet lips. He pulled away when her tongue snaked out to do the same. Her frustrated whimper turned into another moan when he gently rolled her hard nipples between his fingers. 

"I want..." 

"Tell me, Nadia. What do you want?" 

She gasped in pleasure when his fingers softly pulled at her sensitive flesh. Heat. There was so much heat between her legs. So much pleasure. "More." 

"You want more?" he murmured against her ear. Her frantic nod had him smiling. She gave so much of herself to him. Groaning, he lifted her in his arms and quickly walked to the bed. Before he set her down, he stepped out of his shoes. As he laid her out on the bed, he felt her arms tightened around his neck. He knew that she tried to hide her body from him. He wouldn't allow it; as long as she was under his protection, he would be the only one to look at her. 

Nadia sat up and tried to cover herself but found herself stopping at the silent command in his eyes. Taking a deep breath, she watched him look at her and was relieved to see the hunger in his eyes intensify. As he undressed, she felt her mouth go dry. This was the first time she'd ever been in the presence of a naked man. And what a fine specimen of a man he was. With the exception of the bandage covering his wound, there was nothing about him she found bothersome. Nadia already knew about the corded muscles of his chest and legs but it was one specific muscle, one that she knew would soon become part of her that paralyzed her. She was right; he was going to hurt her. "I don't-" The quick and efficient way he swooped down to capture her protest surprised and pleased her, especially when she felt the hard planes of his body pressed against hers. He was her opposite; strong and solid everywhere she was soft and pliant. Nadia whimpered in pleasure when his tongue took possession of her mouth. Her hands caressed the broad expanse of his back as her legs moved restlessly against his. 

Andraemalek couldn't get enough of her creamy skin. Unable to remain still, he kissed a hot burning trail to her distended nipples. Slowly, he licked a dark chocolate bud in tight circles. As she arched up against him, he flicked his tongue across the hard bud, forcing her to hiss in pleasure. He moved to the other nipple, fearing that he'd left it neglected. He sucked hungrily, groaning at the instinctive lift of her hips against his. In response, he brought his hand down to the juncture of her thighs and nearly lost control at the fierce heat oozing from her. Andraemalek pulled back to look at her; her eyes were slanted and narrowed, her lips swollen and parted. Nadia's nipples were tight and ready for another assault. Taking her hands in his, he brought them her breasts and said, "Touch them." 

Nadia felt her eyes widen at the command and hesitated for only a moment before she complied. She watched as his eyes narrowed. Intrigued by his reaction, she flicked the hard tips with her thumbs and gasped at the pleasure. Greed and lust urged her on, making her aggressive as she touched herself under his watchful eyes. Nadia mimicked his earlier motions of pinching and pulling her nipples and felt the secret button between her silken folds hum in response. 

"Yeah, that's it," he encouraged. He watched as her hips began a slow, sensual dance in response to her manipulations. Widening her legs, he groaned at the sight of her hot, wet core as it glistened with her honey. Andraemalek brought a finger to her center and traced a slow path up from the bottom of her moist tunnel to the button that begged for attention. He heard her hiss in pleasure once more and repeated the move. She was so hot, so wet. Hunger for her sweet taste pushed him to rest his head between her thighs. 

"Wait," Nadia said as she brought a hand down to cover herself. She knew what he wanted to do. "You don't-" 

"I didn't tell you to stop," was all he said as he pushed her hand away. 

"But - oh Christ," she moaned as his tongue took over the task of caressing her. Nadia nearly came off the bed a she felt him slowly lick from the bottom of her weeping core to the taut bud of pleasure begging for attention. Her hips began an instinctual movement against him as he slowly devoured her. She continued her earlier manipulations of her nipples and felt her body tighten in anticipation. 

Andraemalek felt his head swim at the intoxicating taste of her. Added to the scents of her arousal and soft flesh, he was ready to give into his feral urges. But her pleasure came first. As he became more aggressive in his movements, he sucked her delicate folds into his mouth. Delicious drops of her honey coated his lips and tongue, intensifying his hunger. He parted the soft folds with his tongue and invaded her center. The involuntary convulsions of her inner walls were not her release, but a clear sign that she would reach that addictive peak within minutes. For a moment, the demon in him took control, forcing him to increase the pressure of his movements. Nadia's guttural moans, sharp gasps and whimpers told him that she did not want him to stop. He didn't, and focused his attention on her tight little button. 

Andraemalek teased the tiny bud with his tongue soothing her impending orgasm before he forced it out of her. Her legs shook as her hips squirmed against him. The sound of his name on her lips pushed him to take more. He sucked, flicked, and nibbled on her tender flesh and all too soon, he felt the tremble from deep within her. 

Nadia did not know what he did to her, but she knew that she was going to die. A person didn't survive pleasure this intense. Tight balls of heat formed in the pit of her stomach and spread throughout her body. The familiar sensation of her climax washed over her and before she could take a moment to prepare, her body tensed and she found herself caught in a fierce hold. Wave after wave of ecstasy crashed over her, through her. She emitted a lusty cry, one that would have mortified her had she the sense to care. Nadia's body shook with the force of her release and it took long minutes for her body to calm. As she fought to remember to breathe, she whimpered at the feeling of his burning a trail of kisses up her body. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around him. 

Andraemalek smiled at the sleepy and satisfied look on her face before leaning down to kiss her cheek. The tender way she caressed his back caused him to melt into her. He felt her slowly begin to slip into a peaceful slumber but stopped her by announcing, "We're not done yet." 

Nadia opened her eyes in surprise and looked into his serious ones. "What?" 

His answer was to bring his hand down to her still quivering center to slowly rub her sweetest of places. He smiled at the surprised look on her eyes and groaned when that surprise morphed into pleasure. Leaning down, he kissed her sweet lips, absorbing and tasting her moans. Andraemalek slid his tongue into her mouth, demonstrating the next part of their play. When Nadia shyly brought her hands between them to touch his chest, he moaned into her mouth. He loved the way she timidly touched his nipples the way he had hers. In response, he increased the pace of his ministrations. 

"God, yes," Nadia hissed as he touched her. Already he'd pushed her so close to the edge that she could taste it. Aware of the pleasure she had yet to give him, she trailed her hand down and grasped the hard rod that pressed intimately against her thigh. She felt his animalistic growl in the pit of her stomach. Slowly, she moved her hand over him and moaned as he moved his hips against her. Nadia heard his sensual words of encouragement and the sounds of his pleasure made her bold. Gripping him tighter, she moved her hand faster. 

"Fuck yes, that's it," he groaned against her ear. Andraemalek had to grit his teeth to keep from losing his composure. Though it was obvious that she'd never touched anyone the way she did him, he was impressed by her talent. "So good, baby. You want my come?" A she nodded against him, he slipped a thick finger into her tight sheath. 

Nadia winced at the pain that came with his invasion but became pleased when it quickly faded. He worked magic on her with his finger, forcing her to stroke and caress him even faster. His harsh groans and growls spurred her on. "I want..." She gasped when he added another finger. "Oh, God..." 

"Andrae," he corrected. She was stroking him perfectly, applying just the right amount of pressure on the right places. "Tell me what you want," he commanded. 

"You," she moaned, "I want you." 

"Say it." 

"I want you, Andrae." She was close. So close. "I need... Oh God... Fuck." 

The curse was enough to make him lose control. Moving her hand out of the way, he took hold of his turgid member and placed the velvet head at her slick opening. Aware that he would hurt her, he made his invasion quick. With one powerful thrust, he was in to the hilt. He heard her shout in pain and quickly focused his attention on her. Nadia's eyes were screwed shut, no doubt to keep her tears from falling, and she tried desperately to push him off her. "Shh, it's ok." 

"I don't want to do this anymore." She was being split apart, she just knew it. This amount of pain wasn't natural. Vaguely, Nadia felt his lips on the side of her neck as he spoke encouraging words. Though his praise was nice, it did not remove the battering ram that was deep inside her. "Andrae-" 

"It's all right." Andraemalek quickly brought his hand to her core and strummed the button that would make her forget the pain. He heard her confused moan of pleasure and continued. It was torture to remain still while she pulsed around him hotly, but he was determined to rekindle the passion she'd had before. "That's a good girl," he praised as she began to respond. 




The Order Ch. 07



Nadia was confused; she still hurt, but the way he touched her made her breathless. Deciding to trust him, she wrapped her arms around him and kissed the side of his neck. She did not fight him when he lifted her legs to wrap around his waist and moaned when a new, foreign type of pleasure took over her. Nadia remained still, unsure of whether or not her mind played tricks on her. 

Andraemalek slowly withdrew from her depths and thrust back in experimentally. Her involuntary cry of pleasure was all he needed. He assaulted her senses with long deep stroks that made her shudder and squirm beneath him. He kept his hand between them but did not move it, the way she lifted her hips against him to achieve the friction she needed gave him room to concentrate on his movements. Andraemalek kept up the slow torture, waiting for the moment he would not be able to remain in control any longer. 

"Yes, Andrae, yes," she moaned as she felt herself being lifted to that wonderful end. His movements drove her mad, forcing her to take more from him. "Faster." 

He was quick to comply. Bracing his weight on his hands, Andraemalek drove into her faster and harder, letting the demon in him take control. "That's what you want, baby?" As she gasped in agreement, he growled low in his throat. He was closer than he'd thought he would be. But she had to get there first. "Come for me, Nadia. Come all over me." 

There was something about the guttural way he dominated their play that sent her over the edge. With a sharp cry, Nadia tensed. Every delicious spasm rippled through her body and had she not been gripping his hips tightly, she would have been lost. His deep, harsh cry forced another spasm out of her and paired with the hot bursts of his seed pumping into her, she became delirious. Long minutes passed before she was able to think straight. Panting for breath, she slowly unwrapped her arms and legs from around him. "Wow..." 

Wow indeed. Andraemalek knew that if he did not move, he would collapse on top of her. At the same time, the last thing he wanted to do was pull away from her. Sex with a human was unlike anything he'd ever expected. Nadia was soft and pliant beneath him, her hands slowly running over the surface of his skin. The scent of her happiness was thick and pleasant when mixed with the lingering scent of their lovemaking. He'd crossed a line, but lying in her arms made it impossible for him to care. Andraemalek leaned down and kissed her softly, moaning at the slightly salty taste of her lips. "You ok?" 

Nadia only moaned quietly in response. She didn't move when he finally rolled off her and because she expected him to not care, she became surprised when he pulled her into his arms. "That was certainly unexpected." 

"But you liked it." 

His arrogant tone of voice made her laugh. "Yes, I liked it." 

"Good. I don't want to hear anything about you regretting it in the morning." 

"Or what?" 

Andraemalek laughed at her show of defiance. "Then I'll show you why you actually don't." 

"Sounds like fun." Nadia smiled at the lighthearted tone of their conversation. She almost felt like a child again. "Oh, my God." She tried to sit up but was stopped by his strength. "Andrae, you didn't use a condom, did you?" 

"No." 

He sounded so relaxed about that. "Oh, my God." 

"Don't worry about it." 

"Don't worry about it?" Again, she tried to sit up but was once again stopped by his hold on her. "We just have unprotected sex and you tell me not to worry? Andrae, I could have gotten-" 

"You're not pregnant." 

"You sound so sure." 

"I am." Andraemalek did not feel the need to tell her that he had to be fully willing to father her children for conception to occur, a wonderful ability inherited from his father. "I can't have children." 

"Seriously?" 

"Yeah." 

Nadia waited for some form of an explanation and signed when she received none. It was possible that the subject was difficult to discuss, which she could respect. That didn't stop her from wanting to ask dozens of questions. "What about ST-" 

"Nadia, you're safe." To emphasize his point, Andraemalek gave her a gentle squeeze. He knew she was a talkative thing when she wanted to be, but this was hardly the time to worry about such things. Mentioning her safety did, however, remind him of a very important subject they needed to discuss. "Do me a favor." 

"What?" 

He almost forgot his words when she snuggled herself closer to him. By no means did he interpret the move to mean that she wanted to have sex again; the simple move flattered him, made him feel very much the protector. "Don't talk to strangers." 

"I learned that very important lesson when I was five," she said on a smile. 

"No, I mean that if anyone you don't know tries to invite you anywhere or tries to be alone with you, run. As fast as you can." 

"Andrae-" 

"I don't want you to get hurt." 

She wasn't exactly sure why he mentioned these things to her. It was possible that he felt protective of her because of everything they'd been through. "I won't." 

"Good. Don't let that cat in unless I'm here, either." 

"What do you have against Ivory?" Though she didn't really care about his answer, she was curious about his reasons. Not that it would have mattered; she hadn't seen the cat in weeks. 

Andraemalek thought it best to keep from mentioning the fact that she had a shape-shifting assassin after her. "Nothing. Just do this for me." 

"I seem to be doing a lot for you this week." 

He laughed at the statement. "And I'm grateful. Now go to sleep. You've got another full day of classes tomorrow." 

If she wasn't so tired, she would have protested. "What about the lights?" One of them would have to rise to shut the lights off and she had the distinct feeling she would be the one who had to do it. 

"Screw the lights." 

Nadia laughed and allowed herself the luxury of falling asleep in his arms. Though amazed that she did not feel ashamed of their lovemaking, she did make a mental note to discuss this new unearthed territory with him. By all rights, she should have hated him for what happened, especially after she pretty much gave Spencer the green light to date her. Spencer. He was such a sweetheart and did not deserve what she did and would do to him. She would talk to him in the morning, Nadia decided, right after their lab. It was only right. As long as she involved herself with Andrae, she had to make herself unavailable to other men. 

What the hell was he going to do? Andraemalek desperately tried to think of another plan of action. He'd just slept with his mark; a mark he protected from another assassin. A mark he knew he'd never be able to kill. As long as Nadia lived, she'd never be safe, not with The Order of Zebulon after her. And as long as he remained uninitiated, he'd have to use whatever means he had to protect her. A difficult task considering she didn't know what he really was. Knowing Nadia, she'd try to kill him once she found out. That thought shouldn't have made him smile, but it did. 

As he listened to her soft breathing, he decided that the best course of action was to kill Nyx then fake her death. That way, he'd become part of The Order and she'd have his full protection. The only problem with that plan was the fact that he'd have to let her live her own life. Without him. As it was, they had absolutely no future together. Once he became part of The Order... Andraemalek forced himself to stop his line of thought. His main focus was killing Nyx. Once he did that, he would concentrate on the next step, whatever that was. 

* * * * * 

Nadia stretched lazily and winced at the tenderness between her legs. The price she had to pay for good sex... She reached over but stopped when she found the other side of the bed empty. It was still warm, a clear indication that it hadn't been deserted for too long. As she sat up, Nadia noticed the hastily written note that was perched on the pillow he'd slept on. "Had to run a few errands, be back for dinner. Don't forget what I said, Drae." With a sigh, Nadia stared at her reflection in the mirror and realized that the woman she looked at wasn't the same woman she saw last night. This new woman didn't care about the way she looked; she was appealing and though reserved, she was headstrong. This new woman had what it took to live life on her own terms, not the terms of those who felt the need to coddle her. 

They were right when they said that sex changed everything. 

Slowly getting out of bed, Nadia moved to prepare herself for the day. She had to run to the library to return the books she had checked out before she went to class and then had to work on a lab report after she'd finished her classes for the day. "Only a few more weeks," she consoled herself. Only a few more weeks and she was officially a college graduate. 

It took all of thirty minutes to shower, get dressed, and have a quick breakfast. She didn't bother to make her bed; she wanted a reminder of last night for a while longer. With a smile, she gathered her things for her class and headed out. There was a slight chill to the air, but the bright sunlight that accompanied it balanced the temperature. There weren't many people walking along the streets, but then again, it was very rare that people chose to spend their time outside at that particular time of the morning. No matter; it only made the task of going to the library that much faster. 

Nadia smiled she remembered the tender way Andrae held her while she slept. Every time she rolled away or created space between them, he pulled her back to him, almost as if he was afraid that she would disappear. Though his actions made for a semi-difficult night of rest, she couldn't think of another time when she'd slept better. She wasn't sure of where this left her relationship with Andrae, but she hoped it was someplace good. 

As she walked into the library, Nadia was pleasantly surprised to see Janine working. "Hey." Today, the tiny clerk's hair was bright orange to reflect the late changing colors of the season. 

"Hey. Returning books?" 

"Yes," Nadia said as she handed the books over. "Then I have to go run a quick errand before class." Deviating from her original schedule, Nadia decided to stop by her academic advisor's office to discuss her options after graduation. She wanted to work while she waited for the first semester of medical school to start and figured that a job at either a medical school or a hospital was an optimal approach. 

"You've been busy these past few weeks." 

"You have no idea." 

"Wouldn't have anything to do with a really big guy who has a problem with you playing in fountains?" 

Nadia smiled at the curious look in her friend's eyes as she said, "Not completely." 

"But he's part of it." 

Widening her smile, Nadia replied, "I'll catch you tomorrow." She turned on her heel - and walked right into Spencer. "Spence, hey." Why hadn't she noticed that he stood behind her? Because she was too busy thinking about Andrae while she talked to Janine. Realization dawned as she looked back at the clerk; she'd seen Spencer standing there and decided to play detective for his benefit. 

"Nadia." 

She frowned at the almost cold look in his eyes as he looked at her. He was no doubt upset about what he heard and refused to hide his feelings. "Can we talk?" 

"I was about to ask you the same thing." 

Yes, he was definitely upset. With a sigh, Nadia placed her hand on his shoulder and led him toward the exit. "I'm on my way to the advisory building, but I think that's enough time to settle everything." She sighed again when he said nothing and waited until they'd turned toward the jogger's trail behind the library before she began. "So about what we talked about yesterday..." 

* * * * * 

Where the hell was she? Andraemalek paced the length of Nadia's apartment as he waited for her. Her final class of the day ended at six, which would have had her home at six thirty; seven if she stopped by the library. It was now nine-thirty and there was no sign of her. There was an odd feeling in the pit of his stomach, one that told him that she wasn't coming home tonight. The thought terrified him, especially since her scent was the only one in the apartment. Where was she? He wanted to be the first thing she saw when she returned, particularly since he'd left early to track Nyx. The job was harder than he'd anticipated; the demon figured out how to change his scent. How? It was clear that it was the work of magic. But which kind? Without a specific scent to track, finding Nyx was virtually impossible, especially with the dozens of scents already in the air. 

On a frustrated Growl, Andraemalek shimmered into the basement of the library. Already, he caught a whiff of her lingering scent. Following the trail, he found himself in front of the check-out counter. Nadia's friend, the petite rocker, stood frozen as she stared up at him. He remembered her being at the fountain and realized that he might have scared her. "Hi," he said casually, "I'm looking for Nadia." 

Janine stared up at the large man and forced herself to remain silent. She wasn't afraid of him, but it was obvious that he was a savage when it came to Nadia. "She was here this morning to drop off a couple of books." 

"Do you know where she went after that?" 

"She mentioned something about the academic building before she left with Spencer." She smiled at a fellow student as she accepted books. 

"Spencer?" At the petite's nod, Andraemalek frowned. The peon's scent wasn't detectable and if there was a scent he knew well, it was his. "Are you sure?" 

He seemed more confused and concerned than angry or mean, Janine was happy to observe. She shouldn't have said anything, but one look at the big man made her want to hand over her wallet and bank records. "Yes, she dropped off her books then left with him because she wanted to talk to him." Suddenly a thought occurred to her. "That's weird." 

"What's weird?" 

Janine frowned as she said, "Well, it's just that they left to talk, but when I ran over to the campus coffee shop ten minutes later, he was sitting in the corner doing work." She picked up the hand held scanner to scan the codes in the returned books. "I guess it wasn't that serious of-" She stopped when he abruptly walked away and out of the library. "You're welcome," she muttered. 

Potent rage rolled through Andraemalek's veins. He was wrong about the son of a bitch; he'd gone after her during the day. It took every cell of control in his body to keep from changing into his natural form. The animal dared to touch her. 

The light remains of Nadia's sweet scent lingered in the air. He followed the smell as it led him behind the library. There was a small path he'd noticed when he'd first began his mission. Her scent led him onto it and soon the telltale scents of her nervousness and anger wafted to him. The fear became stronger the further along he walked on the path. She'd been too late to realize that she wasn't with Spencer. Andraemalek's head pounded with the fierce need to kill. This was his fault; he should have stayed with her, should have thought of her needs before his selfish quest to kill Nyx. He'd failed her. 

Nadia's scent abruptly vanished in the middle of the trail. That only meant one thing; she was taken to the underworld. Sweet, innocent Nadia was taken to the one place he wouldn't have wished on any human, no matter how vile. He had to find her. There was no telling what Nyx had done to her; time in the underworld went slow, much slower than the time on the human realm. Five minutes might as well have been five hours... And she'd been there for hours. 

She had to be alive. Nyx wouldn't kill her until he had all of the information he needed and if Andraemalek was right, he'd want him to be a witness to her death. The arrogant bastard had a death wish. Andraemalek was more than happy to deliver. 

First thing was first; he had to gather intel and weapons to prepare himself for battle. This was Nadia he had to rescue, his beautiful Nadia. She had to be alive.



The Order Ch. 08



Pain. Weightlessness. More Pain. Screams, threats, questions... So many questions. They never stopped. She'd answered none; first from fear, then from the incredible soreness in her throat from the bloodcurdling screams he'd forced out of her. There was so much pain. Her shoulders had long ago slipped from their sockets. There was no ground, no support; only the dank humidity that enveloped her naked body. She knew she was naked because she felt the sharp edge of the knife as it tore off her clothes. She knew she was naked because she felt every shallow cut administered to the tender flesh of her skin. So many cuts. She'd tried to remain brave, to emulate the strength she'd seen in movies, but then he started using his hands. His first targets were her eyes. He'd battered her face relentlessly; she'd heard the sickening noises of her facial bones breaking. Still, she refused to speak. 

He'd strangled her. Over and over again, he'd wrapped his large, cold and slimy hands around her neck and squeezed until she'd nearly fainted. When she began to go limp, he beat her awake. Still, he asked questions, countless questions about her knowledge on the demon realm. Had The Order sent him after her? Were they tying up loose ends? 

He hadn't raped her; he told her humans were disgusting and that though she was pleasant to look at, she had the smell of a Belial all over her. What was a Belial? 

Her eyes were swollen shut; she couldn't see anything. Not that she'd want to look at the man who'd hurt her. Too late, she'd realized that he wasn't Spencer and that she wasn't safe. She never even had a chance to run; he'd grabbed her and dared her to scream while he held a knife to her throat. There was no one on the trail, no opportunity for escape. He laughed when she struggled, encouraged her to continue. He got off on her effort. 

So she stopped, determined to give him nothing. But he didn't like that. And he made it known. After the beatings came the real game. The rules were simple enough; answer his questions and he wouldn't hurt her. She didn't believe that for a second. She knew she was going to die; she'd do it with dignity. 

She never knew how terrifying the sound of a blowtorch was until then. He started small, going after her fingers and toes. The more he asked, the more he burned. He became bored after he'd burned her side enough to expose the muscle; she knew because he told her what he saw. Her screams of pain did nothing to deter her. He kept on, switching his tactics. He held the knife to the fire so that it would cauterize all the cuts he made. However bad, the slow burn of the hot blade was nothing compared to the scalding water he drenched her with. How was it possible to be completely numb while at the same time, incredibly sensitive to pain? 

How long had she been there? Days? How many? Torture this severe should have killed her by now; she had no sight, could not speak because he broke her jaw, and could hear nothing but her own tortured cries. How could she speak if he broke her jaw? 

No food, no water. Just pain. Endless Pain. 

She wasn't aware she'd passed out until she was awakened by the agonizing pain of the whipping. Dozens of lashes cutting hot lines into her. Her back, her legs... All of it on fire. He'd finally realized that she couldn't speak and had taken to toying with her, trying to find her breaking point. He wanted to see how far he could go before she abandoned all will to live. She must have been crazy to hold on, but she couldn't let go. 

She didn't want to die. 

"You're stronger than most," he said, "I've killed stronger demons in less time." Nyx was impressed; the lowly human was worth everything he'd put her through. It was becoming difficult to keep her alive though; her strangled sounds were boring him and even a demon as cruel as he had a sliver of mercy. The only reason he waited as because he knew the half breed would come after her. And once he did, he'd show him who the better assassin was - by murdering the human in front of him. Then he'd gain his seat at The Order. The half breed would live, if only to spend the rest of his days locked in a cage to think over his many mistakes. "But you... You've got grit. Grit... That is the term you humans like to use, am I correct?" He laughed as he looked about the makeshift torture chamber, amazed by the amount of blood he'd managed to splatter over the obscure, cave-like walls. More blood covered the dirt on the ground and had he more than candlelight to rely on, Nyx was sure that he would have seen the extent of the damage he caused. He leaned against the wooden table that held his instruments and gazed at the human. She hardly looked like anything with the severe swelling taking over her body. Her skin was blistered in dozens of areas; bruised and bloodied in others. But she'd kept on, enduring the fun he'd had with her. "I'm impressed." 

Nadia groaned in response. She wanted to tell him to go to hell, but it seemed as if she was already there. She was so tired, so hungry. When would he end it? 

"But let it be known, human. This is the price you pay for sticking your once pretty little nose where it doesn't belong." 

"A price you'll be paying very soon." 

Nyx grinned happily as he pushed himself away from the table. "Half breed. I was wondering when you would show up." 

Andraemalek did not look at Nadia as he stepped into the room. He knew that the second he did, all bets were off. He had to keep a level head in the underworld; there were too many enemies to keep track of. Slowly, he took a step forward, a silent telling that Nyx would have no choice but to go through him to escape. Not that he would; Andraemalek had every intention of killing the bastard before he left the underworld. 

Nyx stared at the half breed in its demonic form. Though impressed, he was not intimidated. "We've been waiting for you for a long time." He turned to look at Nadia and raised a brow as he said, "Might feel like a longer wait for her, though." 

"You've got a lot of mouth for a demon that's about to die." Andraemalek noticed that Nyx chose to stay in human form, the same figure he'd taken the night of their fight. "I'll be more than happy to shut you up." 

"I'm so scared." Nyx laughed at the larger demon as he prepared himself for the impending battle. He wasn't scared at all; in fact, he was rather excited to go another round. This time, he wouldn't let the half breed live. "How's your side?" 

Andraemalek clenched his fists into a tight ball as he said, "It itches, but it's just a scratch now. A puny reminder of how inadequate you are. Can't even kill a demon when he's down." 

Nyx fought hard to control his anger as he walked to Nadia. The pure rage on the half breed's face at his first look at her made him laugh again. "Take one step forward and I'll kill her before you two get the tearful farewell," he said as he pressed his finger against the open wound in her side. The pain woke her from her unconscious state and stole an anguished cry from her that he was familiar with. "Nadia, dear, someone's come to see you." 

Nadia would have brought her head up had she the energy. But she was so tired; all she wanted to do was sleep. He was hurting her again. How she wished she could move away from him. When would it stop? 

"Come on, demon. Don't be shy." 

Andraemalek felt the ground beneath him shake from the force of his tremors. He'd never known rage until he looked at Nadia's battered body. She'd been stripped naked before Nyx tortured her. Dark, fresh bruises covered her and on top of them were blisters and cuts. Dry blood crusted over the wounds that hadn't closed properly. He didn't have to touch her to know that the majority of her bones had been broken. Her hair hung in damp tendrils around her face. Not that he needed to see it to know that it was in as bad of a shape as the rest of her body. "Nadia," he forced out, "Everything is going to be all right." 

Was that Andrae? It sounded so much like him. She wanted to call out to him, to find comfort in his arms but that could have been anyone. How would he have known where she was? 

"I'm sorry I left you this morning." 

It was him! How did he find her? Had he come to save her? God, she hoped so. Nadia tried to scream, but the soreness and dryness of her throat only allowed guttural groans. She was barely able to feel anything but the pain, making it impossible to do anything else. 

Andraemalek felt his heart break at her tortured sounds. He wanted to go to her and even took a step forward, but Nyx stopped his advance by placing the Blade of Abraxis at her neck. "If you kill her..." 

"What are you going to do, half breed?" Nyx did not turn to Nadia as he said, "I swear, just because he's part demon and part High Council, he thinks he's the shit." 

He was what? Nadia listened as Nyx spoke, unsure of what to believe. This was the man who'd tortured her non stop. There was no reason to heed his words. But at the same time, all he'd been concerned with was demons and her knowledge of them. No, Andrae couldn't be anything other than a human. She'd slept with him and everything was... Normal. 

"Did you even tell her what you are?" Nyx tsked when he received no reply. "We can't let her die believing a lie, now can we, half breed?" 

Andraemalek ignored the tick in his jaw as he stood wand watched. He knew Nyx's game and knew that if he didn't play, Nadia would die. "No, she doesn't know." 

"So tell her." Nyx waited for the larger demon to speak. He grew bored after exactly ten seconds. "What is your real name?" 

"Andraemalek." 

"From what clan do you hail?" 

"The Belial." 

Nyx smiled cruelly as he asked, "And why is sweet Nadia here?" 

Andraemalek stopped. He couldn't tell her, not like this. She'd already been through too much. He stared at her battered body for long moments, frozen by the prospect of her reaction to the truth. 

"Speak, half breed." Nyx gave Nadia a shallow cut to emphasize the consequences of disobedience. This was fun; never before had he seen a hunter afraid of anything. This one was terrified. "Why is she here?" 

"Because she knows too much about demons." 

"And?" 

"And there is a bounty on her head." 

Nyx smiled at the lopsided answers. "And who was sent to kill her? Before I was," he added before the blame was placed solely on him. 

"I was," Andraemalek whispered. 

"What was that? I couldn't hear you." 

"I was." Andraemalek said again, "I was sent by The Order of Zebulon to kill her." The small sound in the back of her throat cut through him like a knife. The sharp scent of her devastation hung heavily in the air, tearing him apart inside. 

"That's right, sweet Nadia," Nyx added, "The most feared half breed in the demon realm was paid to kill you... And you let him fuck you." As he turned to Andraemalek, he asked, "Tell me, was sleeping with her part of your master plan to gain information? No, don't answer that. Nadia knows way too much now." 

Nadia felt sick. Andrae was a demon. And he'd been sent to kill her. Disgust washed over her. She'd cared for him, befriended him, fell in - no, she wouldn't think of that. Suddenly, realization dawned; Andrae was a half breed hunter... Whose last name was Royce... Which was short for Roycelyn, one of the members of the High Council. She'd read about him, his past. There was no mention of his name, but everything fit. Oh, God, he was sent to kill her. And she'd allowed herself to fall for him. 

No matter what, she was going to die. 

Nyx stepped away from Nadia as he tucked his blade within its hidden sheath in his pants. "Now that the truth's out, we can get to business." 

"Finally, the part where I get to kill you." 

"You dream big, half breed." 

"Dreams are for the weak, precisely why you're continuously lost in yours." Andraemalek threw down his weapons as he said, "You're worse than a human child; you talk big, but when it comes time to prove yourself, you cower. No wonder you're always second best." 

Anger rolled through Nyx as he attacked. He shoved the table out of his way a scant second before he delivered a punch that would have broken the necks of weaker demons. He did not stop there, throwing a sharp uppercut that had the half breed flying backward. "No weapons this time. I'm going to kill you with my bare hands." Nyx moved to administer a sharp kick to Andraemalek's side but ended up roaring in pain when the move was countered with a fierce blow that shattered his kneecap. He fell backward but quickly gained his feet when the larger demon did the same. He wasn't prepared for the series of blows that were centered on his midsection. He heard the crack of every rib with each punch. Nyx lashed out, determined to deliver another blow to Andraemalek's head but found his arm enclosed in a fierce hold that had him leaning backward to alleviate the pressure. 

Andraemalek growled as he gave Nyx a hard head-butt that would have brought the smaller demon down had he not been held in place. Showing no mercy, he bent the arm back until he heard the familiar crunch associated with a break. Nyx's cry of pain only egged him on; Andraemalek raised his arm high and brought his fist down hard on Nyx's chest. As much as he wanted to prolong the beating, to do to him what was done to Nadia, there wasn't time to spare. She'd emitted not one sound, nor had she moved. Enraged by the prospect of her death, he punched hard into Nyx's chest, forcing his fist through one side and out the other. The smaller demon's strangled cry did nothing to sate him; he wanted the bastard to suffer for what he did. "Like I said; you'll always be second," he said as he pulled his blood soaked arm out of Nyx's chest. The thick, dark green liquid dripped onto the ground from his fingertips. Nyx wasn't quite dead and Andraemalek was more than happy to pull the Blade of Abraxis out of its hiding place and impale the smaller demon the way he'd been. Immediately, the skin covering Nyx's body began to bubble and erode, a sure sign that the death wouldn't be easy. Andraemalek let the body drop to the ground and watched as Nyx virtually melted before his eyes. He used a tattered rag that he realized was once Nadia's tank top to wipe his hand clean. 

Nyx was dead. He'd done what he'd set out to do. As Andraemalek looked at Nadia's limp body, a tremor of fear rolled through him. She knew what he was and no doubt despised him. She'd want nothing to do with him anymore. Somehow, that thought terrified him more than the prospect of her death. No, she would not die, not as long as he drew breath. Andraemalek walked to her and used the blade he still held to cut her down. He was grateful that she was unconscious; she wouldn't feel anything as he moved her. But there was nothing he could do about her nudity; he only wore a fitted vest with his pants and her clothes had been shredded. He had to act quickly; he felt the life slowly draining out of her and knew it was a matter of time before he'd lost her forever. 

Andraemalek quickly shimmered into her apartment and wrapped her in the blanket they'd covered with just hours before. So many hours. In human time, she'd been at Nyx's mercy for nearly twelve hours. The torture she must have endured... 

There was only one place he could take her. Hospitals would take too long. She'd suffered enough. Yes, he'd go there, get her the help she needed, and formulate a plan that did not result in her death. She would not leave him. 

He was too stubborn to let her die. 



The Order Ch. 09



There were hushed whispers. The sounds of a cracking fire in the distance. The soft whine of a dog. Where was the pain? She'd expected the pain. But there was only weightlessness. Sweet weightlessness. Was this death? There were no bright lights, no golden gates protecting castles made of thick, fluffy clouds. There was only the endless dark void she floated through. Both comforted and frightened, Nadia tried to think, to remember. There as pain, and fear... And then he came. Andrae. The demon. The animal sent to kill her. How could he? 

How dare he? 

A strange voice in the distance. An unfamiliar accent that was musical, soothing, telling her to relax, that she was safe. Warmth. Beautiful warmth soothing the pain away. She felt every muscle relax, pulling her closer to the heat. The voice continued to guide her, calm her. She was safe. If this was death, she gladly accepted. 

Andraemalek watched as the bruises and marks slowly faded from her skin. She wasn't going to die, he'd been told, but she'd been close enough to death to prolong the process of saving her. It took two to help her while a large dog sat vigil; one to heal her body, and one to soothe the dark thoughts of her mind when they threatened to take control. She wasn't going to die, not today. 

"It's going to take a few more minutes." 

Andraemalek stared at the red haired man who healed Nadia. His blue eyes brightened as he worked. He wanted to ask questions but decided to wait until the job was done. The marks on her skin continued to fade until the natural color of her beautiful skin reappeared. She looked so peaceful. 

"You need to stop thinking so hard," the other one said, "You're making it difficult for me to concentrate on her." 

"Sorry," Andraemalek murmured. The abrupt apology had both men and the dog staring at him. "Help her," he admonished. He cleared his thoughts and waited. 

"What happened to her?" the redhead asked. 

"She was tortured by Nyx." 

"Shit." The healer stood back and stared at the woman as he said, "She's lucky to be alive." 

"Yeah," was all Andraemalek said. He watched as the man working to soothe Nadia's thoughts pulled away from her. His short blonde hair and misty green eyes should have been familiar to him, but they were strange and much too penetrating. "How is she?" 

"It took a lot of work. She's pissed, D." The blonde haired man stood and rubbed the back of his head. "I couldn't get rid of the trauma from the torture, but I did manage to help her adjust to what happened." He looked at Nadia as he said, "She refused to let go of her anger. At you." 

"I never thought that she would let go of that." 

"Good." He took a step toward the large demon, unsure of how to act. Though Andraemalek had shifted back to his human form while he waited for the woman to be healed, he'd arrived as his demon self, shouting orders and looking ready to do battle. "Your thoughts were too loud for me to block out, so there were parts of your subconscious that she received." 

"I don't care," Andraemalek replied. All that mattered was that she lived. 

"Yeah, she'll live." 

"Get out of my head, Caleb." 

"Stop thinking so loudly." Caleb placed his hand on Andraemalek's shoulder and smiled as he said, "Even if it had to be like this, welcome home, brother." 

"What took you so fucking long to come back anyway, asshole?" 

"Liam, for five minutes, could you please put the temper away?" Caleb asked. 

"No." Liam took a step toward Andraemalek as he said, "Darling brother here hasn't been home in over one hundred years and it's pretty obvious that he wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the human." He glanced at Nadia's sleeping form as he added, "By the way, why the hell would you come to us? Word is that she's out to expose demons." 

"She is," Andraemalek answered. He controlled his temper because of Liam's. After one hundred years, some things never changed. 

"Yet you're protecting her." Caleb said nothing to his brother's quick nod. This was interesting; his no nonsense, virtually unemotional brother went out of his way to protect a human he was sent to kill. A human he feared would die. "The Order won't like it." 

"I'll take care of The Order," Andraemalek said as he looked at Nadia. She lay wrapped in her blanket looking small and vulnerable on the large bed. He decided against looking about the room; it had been his when he'd lived with his brothers. From what he knew of his family, they hadn't changed a thing. "I'll protect her, and the Brethren." 

"So keeping her alive and hiding her is the best way to do that?" Liam asked. Under normal circumstances, he had no problems with his brothers using the manor as a safe house. But this wasn't normal. 

"When did you go against the number one rule of not killing humans?" Andraemalek looked at his brother, expecting an explosion of temper. Liam was infamous for going off at the slightest provocation. Being contradicted was one of his largest pet peeves, meaning a shouting match was possible. Andraemalek would have none of that around Nadia. 

"It's either you complete the mission or keep her for yourself, something Caleb sensed you wanted to do." 

"You really expected me to keep my mouth shut about that?" Caleb asked when Andraemalek looked at him accusingly. He did not care that his brother had feelings for a human, or that he planned to protect her. His brother's life was just that; his. All Caleb was concerned with was the probable discovery of the Brethren. "Besides, I knew the humanity in you had to show itself sometime." 

Andraemalek didn't say anything, only looked at Nadia's sleeping form. She'd want clothes when she woke up, things that she used everyday as well. "When do you think she'll wake up?" 

"Sometime around morning," Liam replied. He felt his temper fade slightly as he watched his brother. Andraemalek was only concerned with the human. "What's her name?" 

"Nadia," both Caleb and Andraemalek replied. They stared at each other for a moment before Caleb said, "D., you're pretty much stuck between protecting everything we're about and protecting her. You have to choose." 

Andraemalek looked at his brothers for a moment before he said, "I have no idea why you just said that. Everyone in here knows that I already have." There was a long moment of silence before Caleb and Liam walked out of the room. Andraemalek immediately felt exhausted, as if he hadn't slept in years. He glanced at the large golden dog sitting vigil beside Nadia's bed and asked, "Anything you wanted to add?" He watched as the dog brought its expressive amber eyes to his a scant second before it looked toward the door. "I figured you'd agree with them," Andraemalek muttered. With a slight shake of his head, he remembered her needs. "I have to get some things together before she wakes up. Will you watch her for me?" He nodded in thanks when the dog gently placed a large paw on the bed. As he turned he heard a low whine, one that would not wake Nadia. Andraemalek almost smiled ash he said, "It does me good to see you too, brother." 

* * * * * 

Nadia stretched lazily as she burrowed herself deeper within the covers. She hadn't had such a peaceful sleep in... Ever. What time was it? She had class to get to and errands to run. Reaching for the bedside clock, she frowned when she only managed to bang her hand against the side of the bed. Opening one eye, Nadia looked around and immediately sat up at what she saw. Rich walls that reminded her of butter were accented by deep burgundy curtains and enhanced the dropped, picture frame ceiling. A large armoire rested against the far wall to the right and on top of it was a small round clock and two books. A dresser sat nestled between two windows and on it was what looked a lot like the hilt of the knife. A very old knife; knives didn't come encrusted with rubies and emeralds anymore, did they? 

The edge of a very expensive looking oriental rug caught her eye and the deep greens and bright reds of the fibers accented the highly polished wood floors. A few wall sconces had burning candles in them to add to light bursting forth from the fireplace. There were no light fixtures. Where the hell was she? Nadia rested her head in her hand for a moment before she remembered. She gasped as everything rushed back to her. The man who tortured her... Andrae's admission... The voices... "Oh, God." She moved to get out of the bed but stopped when she realized that she was wrapped in her comforter. She wore nothing underneath. There was no possible way she could leave the room if she had no clothes. 

Where was this place? 

The soft mewl of a cat brought Nadia's attention to the far side of the room. The cat looked more like a miniature lion as it perched itself on the backrest of the high backed chair resting near the fireplace. Its amber eyes seemed to bore into her and she would have looked away had it not been for the fact that the cat motioned to the pile of clothes resting on the seat of the chair with its head. As she stood, Nadia grasped the comforter to her body and stepped forward. There was something strange about the cat, but it had a certain charm, especially when it turned its back to her. She said nothing, only looked at the clothes; there were two pairs of sweatpants for her to choose from, as well as a small selection of t-shirts and sweaters. Paranoid, she held the clothes to her nose and felt relief at the fresh scent of recently washed fabric. Nadia quickly pulled on a pair of black sweatpants, a dark blue t-shirt, and a hunter green sweater. The clothes hung off her, but they were clothes so she could not complain. For some inexplicable reason, she found herself saying, "I'm done," and frowned when the cat turned to face her. She wanted to thank the cat for the clothing and privacy, but told herself that the notion was idiocy; she would have been thanking a cat. 

She needed to go home. As soon as she was in the safety of a familiar place, she could figure out her next plan of action. Nadia knew that Andrae had placed her here, which meant he was bound to return. To kill her? Probably not, but she wasn't in the mood to find out. "Shoes," she muttered. Shoes would be nice, especially if the ground outside was littered with stones or other sharp objects. At the sound of the cat mewling once more, she stared at it blankly as it used its paw to point to the armoire. She cast a cautious glance backward before she walked to the armoire and opened it. Then she frowned at the shelves of boots. They all seemed to be four sizes too big, but she didn't care. Nadia reached for the first pair she saw and stuffed her feet into them. She'd look weird walking in big clothes and even bigger shoes, but she'd make it home. 

Nadia turned, ready to walk to the door, but found herself jumping backward and falling into the armoire at the sight of the tall man adjusting the t-shirt he'd pulled on. If she wasn't so damned scared, she would have appreciated the harsh beauty to his pale face. His long blonde hair fell in a straight blanket around his shoulders, framing and emphasizing the oval shape of his face. The crooked smile on his face displayed straight white teeth beneath his slightly crooked nose. Even from across the room, Nadia noticed his brilliant amber eyes. She looked to the chair, then looked back at him when she realized that the cat was gone. He said something to her, but she was barely able to hear over the rush of her blood racing through her veins. "I... What?" 

"I asked you how you were feeling." The look of sheer terror in her eyes kept him from moving, though he couldn't help but smile at the rat's nest of hair perched on her head. She was a pretty thing, this Nadia, but he wasn't concerned with the way she looked. "I thought you'd be asleep for a few more hours." 

"How did you get in here?" she asked as she righted herself into a standing position. 

"I've been in here for hours." 

Nadia seriously hoped he wouldn't have said that. "No, you weren't." 

"Yes, I was." 

His smile did nothing to placate her. "No, you weren't. I would have noticed you in here when I woke up." 

"I'm telling you, I've been here since D. brought you." She was fighting the truth as hard as she could. He'd call Caleb in to help, but he'd gone with Liam to find information that would be useful to their brother. It was up to him to keep her calm. "You even looked at me when you woke up." 

No. That wasn't what she wanted to hear. "There was only a cat..." Nadia's voice wavered when he nodded slowly. She began to laugh; lightly at first because she almost could have sworn that she was dreaming, then louder when she realized that she wasn't.  

He was prepared to laugh along with her if it meant calming her down, but the notion stopped when she began to hyperventilate. He knew that knowledge of the supernatural was difficult for some people, but it should have been nothing for her. "Maybe you should sit down." 

"No, maybe I should look up the asylum my Uncle Bernie was committed to." She moved to sit on the edge of the bed and rested her head in her hands. Too much was going on too soon. 

"I wouldn't say all that." He sat on the edge of the bed as well, but made it so that they were on opposite sides. "My name's Euan." When she said nothing, he added, "I'm one of D's brothers." 

"One?" A scant second after Nadia asked the question, she remembered the story she'd read about Royce the Rake. "Oh yes, that's right; the infamous Brethren." She looked over at him and caught his nod before she asked, "Aren't there twelve of you?" 

"There are." 

"So where are the rest?" 

"All over." 

"I'd like to go home now." 

"Until everything is settled, you are home." 

Naida sighed and tapped her foot in effort to calm her rising temper. "Listen, I don't know what he said to you, but I don't want to be here." 

"We're trying to protect you." 

"Then protect me someplace else." 

Euan was quick to realize her distress at being in Andraemalek's room. "I can put you in another-" 

"Listen, I get that you're trying to do your long lost brother a favor, but I'm not some chess piece to be shuffled along a board." Nadia stood and looked at Euan's surprised face. She figured he was like his brother; always used to having his way. "I don't know why, but I don't mind you looking out for me. But I don't want to be here. So it's either you take me back to my apartment so that I can get some things together before you take me to another safe house, or I'll be a pain in your butt." 

As much as he wanted to intimidate her into submission, Euan remembered that she'd been through much in a short amount of time. She didn't need any more stress. "Anywhere?" 

"As long as it's not here." Where his smoky scent covered everything. Where she was constantly reminded of how stupid she was. "What'll it be?" 

Euan stood and took a breath as he said, "I'd rather have him mad at me than you... You can guilt trip me a lot easier than he can." 

Surprised by the easiness of his agreement, Nadia said, "You're not like your brother." 

"Thanks, I think." 

"Trust me, it was a compliment." 

That statement alone told Euan everything he needed to know. "I just need to get my shoes. 

Nadia nodded and watched as he walked to the door. "Thank you for helping me." 

"It's the least I could do." If it wasn't for her, his brother wouldn't be home. Euan moved to step out into the hall and as an afterthought said, "You have every reason to be mad at him." 

"I'm glad you realize that." 

"Don't hate him. He doesn't quiet understand how to handle human emotion." 

"What's that supposed to mean?" 

"I don't have all the answers." 

"It would be nice to meet the person who does." 

"You already have. He's just not your favorite person right now." Euan said nothing more as he walked out of the room. He may not have known much more about humans than his demon brother, but he understood the look in Andraemalek's eyes when he looked at her sleeping form. His brother may have been able to lie to her about who he was but the look in his eyes... 

Shoes. As soon as he got his shoes, he'd do what he could to help the human who brought his brother home after one hundred years. 

* * * * * 

It took Andraemalek much longer than he'd anticipated to get everything he needed for Nadia. Unused to packing for anyone other than himself, he'd spent the better part of four hours gathering what he thought was important. He'd made sure to take her oils and a few of her tank tops. He considered packing her textbooks for class, but realized that she would be too preoccupied with staying alive to think of it. In the end, he'd settled on three suitcases and a bag of her leftover comfort food. She wouldn't want to see him or have anything to do with him, he knew, but her life was more important than her feelings. Her feelings he could mend once everything was behind them. 

Andraemalek shimmered into his room at the manor and was immediately aware of the fact that Nadia wasn't in bed. Before he gave himself a chance to panic, he set her belongings down and sniffed the air. There was a trace amount of her fear, but that could have been from waking in a strange place. The smell of her anger was present as well, causing him to frown. Did one of his brothers upset her? If Liam said anything to her... 

It was possible that she was just in another room of the manor. He walked to the door and sniffed the air in the hall. Her scent was more prominent as he walked toward the staircase. Andraemalek followed the scent through the back of the house and felt his panic rise when it led him to the garage that housed his brothers' many cars. Euan's black Lexus LX09 was missing. 

Where the hell did he take her? 

He had to think. He was the most capable demon hunter to ever live. Surely it would be an easy task to track his brother and Nadia. He shouldn't have taken so long packing, should have been there when she woke up. She shouldn't have woken up to the sight of Euan's face, whichever one he decided to wear. 

Andraemalek growled as he made a mental list of places his brother could have taken Naida. The Brethren used a number of safe houses, some not on the human plane. Someone in Nadia's position would have been the safest at any of those locations. He would start there. 

She'd better not have run from him. The thought of Nadia willingly leaving him set Andraemalek's blood to a boil, especially since she employed the help of his brother. His blood. Her anger and hatred of him was understandable, but he would not tolerate her desertion, not after all he'd done and would do to keep her alive. She owed him her life. 

Euan was going to die a very slow and painful death when he found them.



The Order Ch. 10



"Is it possible for you to guard me here until the semester ends?" Nadia remained behind Euan as they walked into her apartment. Their drive from the manor was a short one, especially considering she'd fallen asleep before they left the grounds. She was afraid to ask him if that was magic or her own fatigue; Euan seemed to be a nice person and she had to trust someone. Upsetting him was not a smart idea. Having him stay to guard her for a few weeks seemed like a good plan. By the end of the semester, she would have a new location to hide and restart her life. A life where demons and demigods did not exist. 

Euan turned to stare at her curious face ah she turned on the lights. There went the element of surprise if they weren't alone. "Nadia, did I ask you where you lived?" 

"No." 

"If I didn't need to ask, what makes you think that they need to?" 

He had a point. Andrae was able to find her, so it would only be a matter of time before other demons did. "This is all my fault," she said on a sigh, "If I just left well enough alone, none of this would be happening." 

"Don't think about that right now. Just go get your things." Euan watched as she nodded before he followed her to her bedroom. "Be quick." 

"I will, I just need-" Nadia gasped when there was a loud crash behind her. She couldn't see due to the darkness in the room and desperately tried to think of a way to get to the front door. The thought was stolen from her, however, at the sound of his voice. 

"I ask you to watch her and this is what you do?" 

Andrae. There was no mistaking the deep even tone of his voice or the harsh breathing associated with his anger. Gingerly, Nadia moved to the bedside lamp and turned it on. Sure enough, Andrae stood with his back to her as he held his brother against the wall. Euan, thank God, looked no worse for wear. "Let him go, Andrae." 

"I'll deal with you in a minute," he said as he stared into Euan's blank eyes. "Answer the question." It didn't take him long to check all of the safe houses. It also didn't take him long to realize that her scent was only present at the manor, which meant that his brother had taken her somewhere else. Sheer luck brought him back to her apartment, only to find her leading him into her bedroom, the same bedroom that still had the faintest smell of their lovemaking. 

A hundred years ago, Andraemalek wouldn't have hesitated to kill first then ask questions later. It was interesting that he only held him pinned to the wall, Euan thought. Because he knew that his brother would not kill him, he did not get angry. "She wanted to gather some of her things. I couldn't let her go alone." 

"You could have told her to wait." Andraemalek turned slowly when he felt the slight pound of a fist on his back. He wasn't surprised to find Nadia standing in front of him, her hand poised to strike again. What he hadn't expected was the soul shattering look of betrayal and hatred in her eyes. The emotions contorted her face, making her look almost as evil as Nyx. "I said I would-" He stopped when she hit him again, this time harder. The blow didn't hurt, but the emotion behind it did. She wanted to fight, to unleash her anger. Because of his lingering distress at trying to find her, he was more than happy to oblige. Andraemalek stepped away from his brother as he said, "This isn't over yet. Get out." 

"Don't you dare leave," Nadia said to Euan. She stared at Andraemalek as she spoke, wanting to focus her anger where it belonged. If Euan left, there'd be no one around to ensure his brother didn't complete his mission. If it wasn't for the fact her life hung in the balance, Nadia would have laughed. But her life was at stake and she wanted to see her graduation. "Don't you leave me with him." 

"Euan I swear on the old man's head that if you're still here in thirty seconds, feeling guilty about leaving her with me will be the least of your problems." 

Euan had to hide his shock at how well his brother still knew him. He took a step to the side, closer to the door. He knew that Andraemalek wouldn't harm Nadia, but her feelings were hurt. There was nothing more unpredictable than a hurt and angry woman. "I can wait in the-" 

"Get out, Euan. Back to the manor." 

Nadia glanced up in time to watch him nod farewell to her and felt her temper ignite full tilt when he walked out of the room. She stared at the wall for a full minute and it wasn't until she heard Andraemalek take a deep breath that she looked at him. 

Andraemalek felt a shiver run down his spine at the look she gave him but refused to back down. "I left you at the manor for a reason." 

"And what reason is that? To protect me?" Nadia crossed her arms over her chest as she waited for him to answer. When he remained silent, she said, "If anything, I need protecting from you." 

"Don't you dare start, little girl," he warned. He knew what he did and what he had to make up for it. He wasn't in the mood to feel guilty. 

Nadia refused to listen. "You started this, Andrae. Or should I call you Andraemalek?" The warning look he gave her fueled her anger. Taking a step forward, Nadia continued, "You were sent to kill me. You were sent here by the very people who killed my parents. The people who killed my uncle. Tell me, where you the one who killed them?" 

"No." The potent anger radiating off her was unlike anything he'd ever encountered. It both subdued and fueled his inner rage, creating a jumble of emotions he did not know how to process. 

"Did you come back to tie up loose ends?" 

"I told you, I wasn't sent here to kill your family." 

"No, you were just sent to kill me." Unable to control herself any longer, Nadia took another step forward and used all of the force in her body to slap him. She was glad to see his head turn from the power of the blow, but he looked only mildly surprised. "Bastard! I trusted you. I trusted you!" she shouted as she shoved him. "All this time, I let you into my life. My heart! Why couldn't you just kill me and get it over with?" She stopped and shook her head in disgust. After noticing the hilt of a knife at his waist, she quickly reached for it and held it up. "I have every right to kill you." 

The potency of her emotions hit him like a brick wall. The desperation behind her words, the look of betrayal in her eyes... Even the smell of her emotions was nearly to much too take. Andraemalek chose to not reach for the Blade of Abraxis, knowing the situation would get out of control if he did. "Give me back the knife, Nadia." 

"Fuck you," she said, "Asshole. Get out." 

"I'm not going anywhere." 

"I said get out. I want you out of my sight." 

"You need protection." 

"I can take care of myself." 

"Because you've done so well so far." Another fierce slap forced Andraemalek's head to turn. On a harsh growl, he used his speed to knock the knife out of her hand and pushed her against the wall. Her struggles did nothing to dissuade him from wrapping his large hand around her neck. "You'd better fucking listen to me when I tell you that I'm not leaving." 

"Go to hell," she muttered through clenched teeth. The experimental pressure on her neck reminded her of her humanity and her vulnerability. 

"After I make sure you're safe." He hid his surprise when he realized that the scent of her anger faded to a dull aroma. Through the dim light of the bedroom, he looked at the blank expression on her face. What was she waiting for? 

"Safe from what? No matter what happens, I'm going to die. By their hands or yours is the question." The fight hadn't gone out of her, but based on her compromised position, Nadia knew that she wouldn't live much longer. 

"I'm not going to kill you, Nadia." 

"And why the hell should I believe you?" 

"Because you'd be dead now if I wanted you dead." 

"Should I drop down on my knees and praise Jesus that the devil sent an incapable bastard after me?" The tight ball in her throat signaling her impending tears had her fighting to keep them inside. He was a murderer, not a human. "Tell me something; did you change your mind before or after I became your whore?" 

Andraemalek felt a small part of himself tear inside at her cold and callous reference to their mating. "Don't test my patience." 

"Are demons even capable of patience? Or emotion, for that matter?" Nadia used both hands to hold onto the arm that had her pinned to the wall by the neck. She'd long ago stopped struggling and simply decided to endure the inevitable. Unable to look at him, she closed her eyes and asked, "What are you waiting for, Andraemalek?" 

The sound of his demonic name on her lips snapped his control. Growling, he pulled back just enough to shove her into the wall once more. "Is this what you want?" Her silence only fueled the fire within him. There was no point in keeping her alive anymore. Nadia wanted nothing to do with him and he had the Brethren to protect. As he added pressure to the hand wrapped around her neck, he said, "You're nothing but a weak human. I should have killed you weeks ago." 

"Then why don't you end it now?" This was it, the moment The Order was no doubt waiting for. She was about to die at the hands of the demon she loved. There was no use denying how she felt anymore; she wouldn't live to think of the consequences of them. "Put us both out of our misery." After long moments of waiting for him to choke the life out of her, Nadia slowly opened her eyes. He'd only slightly increased the pressure, making her breathing shallower. He looked nothing like the man she'd thought him to be, but at the same time, he looked nothing like a demon either. She didn't fight the tears that ran down her cheeks as she said, "Come on. Do it." The tears fell harder and she choked on a sob as he stared at the liquid drops of despair that rained down her face. "Complete your mission." 

Her tears brought him back to reality. The only other time he'd seen her cry was after the argument they'd had. The impact of them now was unlike anything he could have ever prepared himself for. He looked at her glistening eyes as they closed in defeat and the trails of tears that slowly rained onto the back of his hand and stopped fighting. Andraemalek leaned down and kissed her hard. Her surprised gasp gave him the opportunity to take total possession of her mouth by invading the sweet cavern with his tongue. He ignored her initial struggles and waited for her to give into the needs of her body before he released her neck. Hot desire burned through his body as he pressed himself against her. The scent of her arousal was quick to envelop them, further igniting his passion. He ran his hands over her body, reveling in its softness and sweet warmth. 

Nadia tried to fight her way out of the storm that was the passion he ignited within her but it was impossible. She wasn't supposed to want him, shouldn't have craved his touch as much as she did. But she couldn't stop herself from nibbling on his lower lip as he palmed her breasts. His movements were quick and erratic, moving from her hips to her breasts and back. There was a moment when his hands weren't on her at all, but that did not stop Nadia from feeling like they were all over her. There was the sound of a tear in the distance, but she ignored it the second his lips moved to the tender spot on her neck. Electricity shot through her body at the sensation. She moaned his name and gasped when he felt his hands on her bare bottom as he lifted her. How had- 

Her thoughts were stolen from her when he roughly invaded her throbbing core. Unable to think, Nadia wrapped her arms and legs around him and held on for dear life as he pounded into her mercilessly. 

"You belong with me," Andraemalek growled into her ear. He couldn't control his forceful thrusts as he moved within her. His body shook as he took her; from the intensity of their lovemaking or from the ferocious grip of emotions taking hold of him, he did not know. "Do you understand me, Nadia? You belong to me." 

Somewhere in the back of her mind, she rebelled against the thought of belonging to the demon who'd betrayed her, but Nadia couldn't concentrate on anything other than the pleasure washing over her body. What was he doing to her? It felt as if her soul was slowly being ripped from its hiding place deep within her body and was slowly wrapped around her heart. The feeling was both exhilarating and terrifying. "I..." 

"Say it." 

"I can't," she gasped. She couldn't let him know, had to hide everything inside. He already knew too much. Nadia groaned harshly when he placed a hand between them to strum at the sensitive button built to drive her wild. 

"Say it," Andraemalek commanded again as he moved even faster within her. She was close, just as he was. "Tell me." 

Nadia was barely able to breathe as her body prepared itself for the inevitable end of their joining. "I can't," she gasped again. He filled her so thoroughly. He touched every part of her, left nothing in her wanting. When he began to lick and nibble on her neck, caution was thrown to the wind. "I love you." She cried out when he drove even deeper within her and let her body take control. She moved with him, against him, desperate for that much sought after release. Nadia's body tightened in preparation and in her need, she burrowed her face in his neck. 

Andraemalek murmured sweet words of encouragement in her ear as he moved within her and all too soon, he felt the delicious convulsions associated with her release. He barely heard her scream of fulfillment over his shout. His body trembled as he filled her with his seed. Andraemalek's body pinned Nadia's against the wall as he fought to control his breathing. Sweat covered his body, he noticed, and he smiled when he realized that she was in the same condition. After a few minutes of waiting for his tremors to subside, he allowed Nadia to slide down to stand on her own. He took a step back as he pulled up his pants and watched as she pulled down the hem of her t-shirt. She refused to look at him, he was unhappy to see, and she looked at the tattered remains of the sweatpants in confusion. "Nadia-" 

"You need to leave." 

There was a moment of tense silence as he stared at her. It was a difficult task indeed, keeping his temper in check. Nadia was still upset, probably moreso after their play and her admission, but that didn't change the fact that she needed protection. His protection. Whether she liked it or not, she was stuck wit him. "I'm right where I need to be." 

The flutter in the pit of her stomach was exactly why she needed to get as far away from him as possible. Oxytocin; it was still flowing through her veins, trying to convince her to let go of the anger until the danger had passed. Tricky little hormone. No, it wouldn't be that easy for him. "Look, more assassins will come after me. I'm not going to put your brothers out like that." She had nothing against The Brethren- except maybe Euan for leaving her. This wasn't their fight. "I have to die sometime anyway." 

This was not what he wanted to hear after everything they'd been through. Andraemalek took a step forward as he said, "You're not going to die." 

"All humans die." Nadia looked up at his tense face and held in a frown. He looked... Almost panicked at the prospect of her death. She shook her head to ward off the thought as she said, "I just happen to be one of those rare instances where it's demon related and not freak accident or something to do with my health. Have to pass on the family tradition somehow." 

He took hold of her shoulders to keep her from walking passed him as he asked, "You're so ready to give up after everything?" 

"If you don't kill me, some other demon will." Nadia chose to keep from reminding him about the demon that almost killed her. She didn't know how she knew, but she knew that he was also sent by The Order and instead of killing her, he decided to toy with her until Andraemalek came after her. Nyx was his name. He was all the evidence she needed to know that she wouldn't live to see twenty-five. 

"I'll kill anyone who tries to hurt you." And that was the truth. Andraemalek had finally found a reason to smile, a reason to tap into everything inside him that was good. He wasn't going to give that up simply because of the reason he was sent to her in the first place. "No one touches what's mine." He held her fast when she tried to pull away from him. Andraemalek didn't care that she thought differently. 

"I'm not a watch, Andrae," she said as she tried to pull out of his grasp. "I don't belong to anyone." As long as she lived, she wouldn't become someone's property. Nadia once thought that belonging to him would have been a wonderful thing, but that was before she saw him for who, no, what he really was. "The fact that we just had sex doesn't change anything." 

"You told me that you love me." Andraemalek ignored the incredulous look in her eyes. Nadia wanted no reminder of their relationship. That much was obvious. But what she refused to understand was that he refused to give her up. "That changes everything."  

"That's what you think." 

"That's what I know." 

"You son of a-" Nadia stopped when he placed a large hand on her mouth. For a moment, a tremor of fear rolled through her, but the serious look in his eyes told her nothing of imminent death. He simply wanted to quiet her. Bastard. 

"You belong to me, Nadia." Andraemalek ignored the murderous look in her eyes as he removed his hand from her soft lips. It took massive amounts of control to keep from kissing her again because he knew that once he started, he would not be able to stop. He'd wasted enough time. "Change your clothes. We need to leave." 

"So I'm supposed to accept the fact that you consider me your property and move along like that's normal? That's not normal. That's slavery." 

"Not if I belong to you too." 

Nadia hadn't expected that response. Breaking free from his hold, she took a step back and looked into his dark, unwavering eyes. "And what happens if I don't want you?" 

"Then you're going to have to deal with it because I'm not going anywhere." Andraemalek didn't like hearing that she didn't want him. She had to want him; she loved him. 

"I hate you." Pushing passed him, she walked to her dresser but stopped when she noticed the condition of her room. There were clothes strewn about everywhere. There were piles of shirts and sweaters on her bed and her closet looked like it exploded. "What the hell happened here?" 

"I came back to pack some things for you." 

"So you pretend to be a tornado and destroy my bedroom?" Nadia turned to face Andraemalek and ignored the uneasy look in his eyes. She sighed when he said nothing and quickly picked up a pair of sweatpants from the bed. As she slipped them on, she found another traveling bag and packed a few more clothes. She refused to thank him for what he'd done thus far. "Which safe house are you taking me to?" She didn't want o leave, but it was obvious that she couldn't stay if she expected to make it to next week. 

"I'm taking you back to the manor." 

Nadia didn't look up from her task as she said, "Yes, to get the rest of my stuff. I already told your brother I refuse to stay there." 

Andraemalek didn't care what she told Euan. She wasn't leaving his sight. "Just pack your stuff. We'll figure it out when we get to the manor." 

"Damned right we will." Nadia zipped up her bag and took one last look at the disaster area she once called her bedroom. It was funny; she'd only been gone a few days, but it felt as if she'd been gone for years. Everything looked so foreign, so unreal, much like her life currently was. "I don't want to be near you any more than I have to." 

"Come on," was all he said. Yes, she hated him and made no bones about it, but that didn't stop him from thinking of the future. A future with her. If she didn't like it, that was too bad. 




The Order Ch. 10



She loved him. 

* * * * * 

If Astaroth hadn't seen it himself, he would have never believed it. The small, dank chamber reeked of blood and death. An overturned table rested against the fall wall and littered about it were several instruments designed for torture. "What happened here?" 

Botis used his special ability of post-cognition to retell the events that occurred in the chamber. "Nyx had the woman." He smiled at the various methods of torture used but then frowned as he said, "He hesitated to kill her." 

Astaroth clenched his fists as he asked, "Why?" Two demons had been sent after her and neither one of them bothered to complete the tasks they were sent to do. "What happened?" 

"Andraemalek was here. They battled." 

"That explains the remains of Nyx's body." 

"The Belial demon took the human away. She still lives." 

Astaroth walked further into the room, enraged by the turn of events. He'd sent the best two assassins known after one mere human. One had turned and the other wasn't a capable killer. 

"We must take matters into our own hands." Botis knew that the Belial was not to be trusted. The human should have been killed by one of them. "No other assassin can be sent." 

Astaroth knew that his commander was right; there were no other demons strong enough to defeat the half breed, especially if he enlisted the help of The Brethren. If the demon realm was to be protected, the human had to die. "We must separate him from the woman." 

"He will not leave her side until he is sure she is safe, my liege." 

Astaroth nodded in agreement as he said, "But Andraemalek needs answers and he is stupid enough to leave her alone while he searches for them." 

Botis felt the thrill of anticipation run through his veins at the prospect of fighting. For centuries, The Order of Zebulon enlisted the aid of demons to carry out their will. It kept the organization clean, especially if the demon failed. Now, they'd be able to get their hands dirty. "What do you suggest?" 

"Send the Vartek." 

"But my liege, we've just deci-" 

Astaroth held his hand up for silence as he said, "Not for the human." The Vartek were an exclusive group of hunters, known for their extremely inventive methods of persuasion. "We do not want them to kill Andraemalek, simply weaken him enough to have him sent to us." 

"And then we have him tell us where she is." 

"A good plan, but not what I had in mind." Astaroth folded his arms behind his back as he walked out of the chamber. He wasn't sure why he hadn't thought of the Vartek before. The band of demons was always more than ready to work for him. "We send them all." 

"I thought you wanted the demon alive." Botis followed after his leader as he spoke. The Vartek's numbers were close to three hundred. There was no way any demon could survive them all. 

"You underestimate Andraemalek's power if you think that three hundred Vartek have what it takes to defeat him. They will weaken him enough to have him brought here." 

"We could simply summon him again," Botis suggested. 

"I want him weak, not angry and defensive. Send them all and call me when he arrives." 



The Order Ch. 11



The first thing Nadia did when she stood in Andrae's chamber was look for Euan. She barely pain any mind to the fact that her bags were placed in the armoire as she looked under the bed. 

"Euan's probably out getting answers." 

Nadia huffed as she stood up and looked about the room. It was strange standing in the room with him, especially after what happened at her apartment. But she wasn't going to stay; she would be in another safe house before the end of the night. "Who else is here?" 

"Liam and Caleb might be back." Andraemalek walked forward and took hold of her hand. She tried to pull away, but he held her fast. "Let's check downstairs." He led her out of the room and through the long hall that led to the main staircase. As he glanced at her, he felt the corners of his mouth pull up in a smile at the look of awe on her face. Euan had taken her out the back, meaning she'd only seen the old servants' quarters. "We have this house built about two hundred years ago." 

House? The place was a friggin' castle! The long hall was lit to resemble candlelight and beautifully illuminated the rich crème walls that were adorned with tapestries and gorgeous oil paintings. On the marble floor was a rich Asian rug that was quite obviously custom made to fit the parameters of the hall. Beautiful bronze chandeliers hung from the arched ceiling, both adding height and a sense of history to the walkway. There were no plants or suits of armor to add flair to the hallway, but there were many small tables covered with various pieces of art from all over the world. "How do you afford all of this?" It was plain to see that The Brethren did not work regular nine-to-five jobs, so there had to be another explanation for their vast wealth. 

"Ever heard of Wood Creek?" 

"The huge conglomerate that specializes in manufacturing wood furniture?" 

Andraemalek nodded his head as he continued to walk her down the hall. He was quite sure she thought that his was the only room along the walkway but in actuality, she shared the floor with two of his brothers, only they chose to have their doors look like the walls of the hall. "Yes, we also restore antique furniture and help customers purchase international pieces." 

"We?" Nadia looked up at him as they walked, amazed by what she was hearing. Wood Creek had been in business for over a century. 

"Yes. It's owned by The Brethren. Keeps up legitimate." 

"Legitimate?" 

"We have to put the money somewhere." 

Nadia said nothing to that statement. It led to questions she wasn't sure she wanted the answers to. She continued to gape at the beautiful art in the house as the walked down a flight of stairs that led to a modern kitchen that had to be bigger than her apartment. Again, there were marble floors that shone from the bright fluorescent ceiling lights. The large appliances were all stainless steel and did nothing but accent the rich chestnut cabinets that were covered with black marble. A large island covered with baskets of fruits, bread and peanuts stood in the center of the kitchen. Two men she'd never seen before sat on opposite ends of the island, both staring at the plasma television mounted high on the wall behind her. She stared at the men in shock as both were extremely gorgeous. The blonde with short, almost spiked hair was looking at her. His gaze was intense, almost as if he was studying her. Uncomfortable with his unwavering stare, she looked at the other man and immediately regretted the choice. The redhead's blue eyes were angry looking but curious and his face seemed to be in a permanent scowl. She wondered what had him angry and decided that Andraemalek was the one to upset him. It seemed to be what the demon did best, after upsetting her, anyway, she thought as she glared up at him. Stupid Andrae with his stupid mission and stupid face- 

The sudden laugh from the blonde man pulled Nadia from her thoughts. She looked back at the television and frowned at the commercial for a children's hospital. Did this man find the thoughts of sick and dying children funny? 

"So you're D.'s human." 

Nadia looked at the redhead and blinked back her surprise at the velvet tone of his voice. He didn't sound angry when he addressed her, but that didn't stop him from glaring at his brother. "No, I'm no one's anything." 

"You should tell him that." 

She looked at the blonde haired man and tilted her head at the strange lilt of his voice. While the tone of his voice wasn't as deep as Andrae's or smooth like the redhead's, there was a calming quality about it, one that made her feel warm and safe. "I have, several times. But he won't listen." 

Andraemalek pulled Nadia further into the room as he said, "And she won't accept that. Nadia, these are my brothers, Liam and Caleb." 

Nadia nodded to them as she tried to pull her hand away from Andrae's. He still refused to let go, and she glared at him for the domineering behavior. His grin did nothing to better her mood, so she stepped on his foot to prove her point. 

Andraemalek held in a laugh at her action and focused his attention on Caleb. It was obvious that his brother was busy reading Nadia's thoughts and he quickly bent to the task of seeing to her privacy. 

Caleb winced at the harsh thought that penetrated through his focus on reading Nadia. He looked at his brother with a raised brow and grinned at the warning look he was given. The Brethren would laugh about this for years. 

"Any news?" Andraemalek asked. 

"The Order has it out for all of us," Liam said. 

"Tell me something I don't know." 

Liam angrily stood from his seat and leaned across the island. "Had you done what you were sent to-" 

"You want me dead?" Nadia asked incredulously. He didn't even know her and he wanted her dead? What was that about? 

"Of course I don't want you dead," Liam muttered. "But since D. won't kill you, we have a shit load of trouble coming." 

"Don't mind Liam," said Caleb as he stood up from his seat. After motioning her to sit down, he continued, "What he means to say is that there is a lot of chaos going on in the underworld after hearing about the possibility of being discovered." 

"Was there anything useful to us?" Andraemalek asked as he watched Nadia settle herself. She seemed more at ease in the kitchen, no doubt because they weren't alone. He almost laughed at the thought. 

"The good news; we only have to deal with The Order," Liam said. He glanced at Nadia and noticed the curious stare she gave him. The look reminded him of Caleb when he decided to invade his thoughts. "What are you staring at?" 

Naida didn't hide her surprise at his bold question. He seriously didn't like her. 

"Don't worry about Liam," Caleb said again, "He's always in a bad mood." 

"No, I'm not." 

"See what I mean?" Caleb smiled at Nadia's frown before he turned to his brother. "You remind her of a friend. He has red hair too." 

"How did you know that?" Nadia looked at all three brothers in disbelief. There as absolutely no way Caleb would know what she thought unless- 

"Yes, I can read your thoughts." 

She gaped at him incredulously as she said, "Stop it this instant." 

"Then don't think so loud." 

"I don't..." Nadia looked at Andraemalek and found herself frowning again at his wink. "I don't think loudly," she told him. 

Andraemalek wanted to laugh because his brothers were clearly pushing Nadia to find her breaking point. "Caleb can read minds and Liam is the resident healer." 

"Like a medicine man?" She frowned at Andrae when he tightened his hold on the hand he still hadn't released. 

"No, not like a worthless medicine man," Liam scoffed. "All I need to do is touch someone willing to be healed and my life force will do just that." 

"He's the one who brought you back," Caleb said. 

"They both did," Andraemalek added. 

"Thank you both," said Nadia, "I owe you my life." 

"Yeah, so stay out of trouble." 

Andraemalek glared at Liam as he asked, "What was the bad news?" When everyone looked at him in confusion, he added, "You said that the good news was that we only had to deal with The Order. What's the bad news?" 

"We have to deal with The Order," both Liam and Caleb said at the same time. Without the added strain of middlemen, the members of The Order were free to unleash massive amounts of hell. This meant that they had to prepare themselves for any and every outcome. 

Andraemalek sighed and said, "I'll go out tonight." 

"After you take me to another safe house." There was a tense moment of silence as the brothers looked at each other. Instantly, Nadia knew that she was going to hear something she wouldn't agree with. "You told me that you'd take me to another safe house." 

"I told you that we'd figure something out when we got here." 

"Which means that we'd discuss which safe house you'd put me in." Nadia stood, ready to hit him again. "I can't stay here." It was bad enough that she couldn't graduate because of her extended absences- 

"Your G.P.A. is high and it's only a few weeks. I'll talk to your professors in the morning." 

"Get out of my head, Caleb." 

"I'm just trying to tell you that you graduated." Caleb shrugged helplessly when she glared at him. So much for putting her mind at ease. 

"I can't stay here," she said again. She couldn't stay at the manor. Andrae would be here and she'd have to see him everyday. "Take me somewhere else." 

"You're staying here, Nadia." To show that he was done with the conversation, he released his hold on her hand and walked toward the door. "In my room," he added as an afterthought. 

Nadia didn't think. In her rage, she grabbed a handful of peanuts and hurled them at his back. "You ass-" 

"And if you even think of enlisting Euan to help you out of here again, I'll kill you both." Andraemalek would be damned if he allowed anyone, even his own blood to take her from him. He'd been through enough already. 

"Hold on a second," Liam said, "You got Euan to get you out of the manor?" Euan was the type to follow others around and watch their actions, not take them where they wanted. "He took human form?" 

Caleb laughed at the situation and pulled Nadia into a hug as he said, "Welcome to the family." 

Nadia kept her gaze centered on Andraemalek's back as she repeated, "No, I can't stay here." 

The panicked sound to her voice did nothing to dissuade him. "Whether you can or can't leave doesn't mean that you want to leave." 

"Bastard!" 

"I'll be back as soon as I get some answers. Liam, Caleb, help her get settled in my room." 

"D., don't you think-" 

"My room, Caleb." 

Nadia gritted her teeth in anger as she watched Andraemalek walk out of the kitchen. The nerve of him to boss her around like he did. Thoughts of murder filled her head for the briefest of moments and she felt her fists clench in anticipation. 

"Why don't we get you settled in," Caleb offered. He tried to lead her out of the room and stopped to laugh at her thoughts of beating him. "Her temper might be worse than yours, Liam." 

"Impossible," the redhead mumbled. But he grinned at her back after she shot him a murderous glare. 

* * * * * 

Andraemalek laughed to himself as he walked through the dark streets, searching for informants. It wasn't unusual for them to force him to find them, but the quiet streets were more deserted than usual, as if his informants had left their shelters. This was new; they loved to hide in the human realm. What had them so scared that they fled? 

The Order had something big planned. There was no other explanation for the sudden lack of demons in the large city known for them. Maybe Euan was able to get information from his sources. It was hard to say; too much had changed too soon. 

Andraemalek grunted humorlessly as he crossed the street to enter the empty parking lot that led to the old, deserted glass factory. There was one very important informant, a gatlik demon that would be able to use its powers as a mind walker to read the thoughts of demons in the underworld. He ignored the familiar sounds of rats scurrying to get out of the way as he walked through the building. There was a strange scent, very reminiscent of hot metal and burning oil. Demon blood. Immediately alert, Andraemalek balled his fists. 

The gatlik demon had been brutally ripped apart, as evidence by the burnt yellow colored blood covering the floor. There went any leads. There was nothing he could do for the demon, but at the some time, there nothing more he could do for Nadia tonight. The simple thought of the woman made his blood boil. What the hell was he going to do about her? She obviously hated him, an emotion he provoked to keep her from focusing on fear. It meant that he had to suffer her wrath, but he preferred that to her tears. Who would have known that liquid would force his stomach to cramp uncomfortably? 

As Andraemalek walked toward the exit of the factory, he told himself that he would deal with Nadia as he needed to. Right now, the main focus was her survival. After that, he would concentrate on reminding her that she belonged to him. Yes, that was the simplest course of action. 

The stinging pain taking control of his shoulder forced him backward. Before he was able to regain his feet, he was knocked down by the swift kick administered to his midsection. "What the-" 

The attack took place before he had a chance to blink. Andraemalek didn't know how many there were, but he knew that every single one of the bastards landed a hit. Their goal wasn't to kill him; they'd had him down repeatedly but continued to give him the opportunity to gain his feet. He'd managed to kill three before realized that it was the Vartek that had been sent after him. There unmistakable deep purple and black faces were clear in the bright moonlight that filtered into the factory. Andraemalek knew that one of their few weaknesses was a pressure point just below the ribcage, but the area wasn't easy to access due to their speed and strength. 

The thought of Nadia at the mercy of The Order pushed him forward to fight. He grabbed two of them by the neck and flung them across the room just as he was grabbed from behind. Two other Vartek bend to the task of pummeling him. They hit harder than he remembered. Much harder. 

"Need a hand?" 

Andraemalek looked up and scowled at the two figures standing at the far end of the factory. Had he not been busy, he would have beaten them both for the stupid question. "More like a light." He grunted as another blow connected with his midsection and had to shield his eyes at the bright lights of the fire the covered the Vartek in the factory. Within seconds, the dull glow from the still burning demons faded to dark ashes that littered the floor. Grasping his shoulder, Andraemalek walked to the two new figures and nodded in thanks before he said, "How did you know I was here?" 

"D., Lexi can see the future." 

"It doesn't always work with those of his blood," Andraemalek said as he stared at the man who spoke. His long black hair was tied in a queue that accentuated his strong angular face. His grey eyes looked amused but annoyed. 

"Yeah, well, you tell that to his visions, brother." 

Andraemalek looked at his other brother and almost smiled at the serious expression plastered across his face. His dark brown hair was in disarray, evidence of his participation in a battle. The sickle-shaped scar on his face was white from his tense demeanor. "Nice to see you're still the same, Alexis." 

Alexis looked at his brother and would have smiled at seeing him if it wasn't for the small army he'd had to fight. "They sent the entire Vartek after you." 

"All this trouble for a human." 

"Jameson, cut the shit," Alexis admonished, "Our job is to kill demons as well as protect humans, even ones our brother was sent to kill." 

"Is she at least hot?" Jameson grinned at the threatening step Andraemalek took toward him before he said, "So she's more than just a human to you." 

"We need to get back to the manor," was all Andraemalek said. 

"Yes, we need to formulate a plan. News of the Vartek's failure is sure to reach The Order soon." Alexis took a step toward his brother as he said, "Shimmer us back and we'll pick the car up later." 

"No need," Jameson said, "You threw three of those annoying bastards at it. Pretty much totaled." 

"Is this your need to get to work or curiosity about her?" Andraemalek asked Alexis. 

"A little bit of both, but we just killed a shit load of Vartek. I don't want to be here for whatever's next." 

"Whatever's next is going to be hard to fight," Jameson said, "It's about time we got a good fight." 

"No, it's about time our brother came home, even if it had to be for this." 

Andraemalek said nothing to Alexis' statement. As he placed his hands on his brothers' shoulders, he felt a sense of calm. Not only had he barely escaped whatever the Vartek had in store for him, but he was going back to Nadia. His human. 

The only reason he had to fight. 



The Order Ch. 12



This had to be the longest week of her life. Nadia shook her head in amazement as she considered the weight of the past five days. She'd lost her virginity to a half demon, half god assassin, been kidnapped and tortured, graduated college weeks early by default, theoretically moved, and begrudgingly admitted that she was in love with the same half breed that took her innocence. And to top it all off, there was still a bounty on her head, making it impossible for her to go back to the life she was accustomed to. A life on her own. 

A life without Andrae. 

She should have been grateful that it was only a matter of time before she was able to walk away from him. He'd betrayed her trust and continually went against her wishes. Nadia didn't need a man like that in her life, not when she'd fought hard to live as she wanted. That didn't stop her from wanting him, however, and the realization sent her into fits of rage and disappointment. How desperate for companionship was she to actually think that being with the demon sent to kill her was a good idea? 

But he didn't kill her. 

Yet. 

The lurking fear in the back of her head kept Nadia from getting any rest. Tired of pacing the length of Andraemalek's room, she walked to the kitchen to get a glass of water. Luckily, the route to get there was quite simple considering she had no twists or turns to take in the large mansion, but Nadia was still nervous. Large houses had more history than the standard apartment. Based on what she knew about The Brethren, the house had more than a lot of history. 

Of course there were no lights on downstairs. Nadia grumbled as she struggled to see through the dark haze of the mansion's lower level. If she remembered correctly, there was a large ceramic pot- "Dang it!" she gasped as her toe made contact with the very object she sought to avoid. To keep from shouting in pain, she continued to grumble as she searched for a light switch. She smoothed her hand over one side of the wall then the other before she stopped to take a deep breath. It was a simple light switch. She could find a simple light switch. Again, she smoothed her hands over the walls and extended her search to include the outer wall that led to parts of the house she'd never seen. Nothing. Where in the hell- 

"What are you doing?" 

Nadia jumped as she whirled around then shielded her eyes against the bright glare of the kitchen lights. She noticed Andraemalek approaching through her heavily hooded eyes and took an instinctive step back. She couldn't get too close to him; she always lost control when he was too close. "I was looking for the light switch." 

Andraemalek watched as she tried to get her eyes to adjust to the new light and held in a smile at her appearance. Nadia wore a simple blue tank top but matched them with striped pajama pants that were too long and at least two sizes too big for her. Her hair wasn't messy, which only meant that she hadn't yet gone to bed. "Why aren't you sleeping? It's almost four in the morning." He knew because he had to listen to Liam grumble while he healed his shoulder wound. 

Nadia walked into the kitchen as she said, "Not tired." She began to search through the cupboards for a glass and frowned when she found every single one of them empty. "Where are the cups?" 

Andraemalek only shrugged as he asked, "Where is Caleb?" He figured his brother would have kept himself glued to her for the simple purposes of reading her mind. When he'd returned to his room to find her missing, he was sure that they were together, which added to his surprise when he found her slowly walking toward the solarium. 

"Said something about having calls to make after Liam threw a fit at having to watch me before he stormed upstairs." Nadia almost cheered when she spied the lone bowl hidden away in the dishwasher. Knowing that it was the only usable item in the kitchen, she rinsed it and filled it with water. "He's a very angry man." 

"He has a lot of unresolved issues." 

"Who doesn't?" she countered before she drank. The cool water satisfied her thirst, but it did nothing to shake her unease at being watched. 

She had a point, Andraemalek realized. As it was, he had one very pressing issue to resolve with her. "Nadia, when this is over-" 

"Why don't you just kill me now and get it over with?" She'd expected the anger because she deliberately pricked his temper, but nothing could have prepared her for the panicked desperation in his eyes. She forced herself to keep from caring; after she was long gone, he would continue to go on with his life, killing others for money. "It's not like I have much to live for anymore." Nadia rinsed the bowl once more before setting it back in the dishwasher. "No matter what happens, I'll always feel like I have a bounty on my head." 

"Not if you stay with me." Andraemalek searched for a reaction; a glimmer of happiness or even surprise, but there was nothing for a long minute. 

"Oh yea," Nadia found herself laughing cynically as she turned her back to him. Looking at the cupboards she said, "I'll just stay here with you and your eleven brothers-" 

"We're never all here at the same time. Unless something really big happens." 

"That does nothing for me. What am I supposed to do? Play housemaid?" 

Andraemalek shook his head as he said, "Nadia, I don't live with my brothers. You could stay with me." 

"Where? In the underworld?" Nadia turned to face him and jumped back in surprise when she found that he stood behind her. She really didn't like it when he snuck up on her like that. 

"Wherever you wanted to live." If she wanted to go back to her apartment, he would go with her. Andraemalek didn't care where they went; he only wanted her with him. 

Nadia refused to give into the tenderness in his eyes. "That's rich." 

"Nadia-" 

"And what do you expect me to do? Wait around while you go off hunting?" He was out of his demon mind if he really thought she would live her life that way. 

Andraemalek couldn't look into her wide brown eyes as he said, "Maybe I'm starting to see that contract killing isn't my only talent. I could go back to working with my brothers." 

"That surely makes life a lot safer for you." Nadia put emphasis on the last word to remind him of her human status. There was no possible way for them to make a relationship work - that was if she even wanted a relationship, anyway. "Even if you chose to work with them, I'd never be safe." 

The validity of her statement angered him. "What do you want me to do, Nadia?" He was doing as much as he could already. What more did she want? 

"I want you to find a way to get me off the hook." Crossing her arms over her chest, she began to pace impatiently. "I have a life to lead." 

Andraemalek watched her pace for a minute, unsure of what to do. Never having been in a situation that turned him into a bundle of emotions, he didn't know how to express how he felt. She had no problem telling him how she felt, even if it was a half truth, but that didn't help. The frustrated way she ran a hand through her hair prompted him to say the first thing that crossed his mind. "What if I said I wanted you to live that life with me?" 

Nadia abruptly stopped pacing and stared at his tense face. He couldn't be serious. "What exactly are you saying?" 

He took a breath and stared into her curious eyes, suddenly uneasy at the new emotion taking hold of him: terror. Andraemalek was terrified of her reaction to his thoughts and because of that, he remained silent. 

The flicker in his eyes did nothing to deter her. "Well?" 

"We have a long day tomorrow. You should get some rest." 

Nadia let out a long slow breath as he walked passed her and out of the kitchen. Even now, after everything, he kept things from her. How was she supposed to consider his words if he didn't give her the whole truth? 

Why did she care so much? 

* * * * * 

Nadia tripped over her own feet at the sight of the two strange but gorgeous men standing at the bottom of the staircase. Had she not been holding onto the railing, she would have pitched forward. Gaining her feet, she looked from one to the other, appreciating their looks. The men stood at the same height, but that was as far as their similarities went. The one with the very serious look about him had unruly brown hair and deep brown eyes that bore into her. His straight patrician nose looked almost too perfect and led to a beautifully trimmed mustache and goatee. As she got closer, she noticed the sickle-shaped scar on his cheek. It gave him a menacing quality while at the same time balancing the perfection of his nose. 

The other man had a sheet of midnight hair that covered his shoulders and illuminated his stormy grey eyes. A strong angular face framed a tempting mouth and thick, expressive eyebrows. It was obvious that they too were members of The Brethren, as evidence by their presence in the manor. This left her Brethren count to six. 

"Nadia, it's nice to meet you," the raven-haired one said. He watched as her step wavered again and took a step forward in the event that he would need to catch her. The last thing he needed was to listen to Andraemalek rail at them for her clumsiness. 

"Hi," she said as she stood on the step that put her at eye level with them. She remained silent, unsure of whether or not they were angry like Liam or domineering like the demon she had no choice but to sleep next to last night. No, she would not think of him. Grey eyes seemed friendly enough, but the brown-haired man still had yet to say anything. 

Grey eyes glanced at the other one has he said, "I'm Jameson and he's," he placed his hand on the other man's shoulder, "Alexis." 

Nadia didn't know if she should hold her hand out or simply nod in acknowledgment. Alexis' very serious stare unnerved her and made her want to march back up to Andraemalek's room. Would he start yelling like Liam? 

"No," Caleb said as he descended the steps. He smiled mischievously at Nadia's glare and looked at his brothers. "Nice to see you two." 

Nadia watched as the three men took a moment to say hello and almost smiled at the almost barbaric way they pounded each other on the back. Were all siblings like this, she wondered. Was this the kind of camaraderie Andrae meant when he talked about his brothers? 

"He told you about us?" 

She focused her attention on Caleb and scowled at his surprised expression. "Didn't I tell you to get out of my head?" 

"I would if you'd learn to think quietly." He turned to Alexis and said, "She thinks you're mean." 

"I do not," Nadia defended. 

"You wondered if he yelled like Liam does." 

"No one yells like Liam does," Jameson laughed. He stepped back when Nadia brushed passed him and followed her into the kitchen. She was a tense human, he noticed, but he told himself that it was probably because of what she had to endure. He stood behind her as she stared into the kitchen and asked, "Never been in here before?" 

"Yeah, I have, but..." Nadia looked at the kitchen and frowned at the various appliances that littered the countertops. Coffeemaker, toasted, microwave, and even a juicer sat waiting to be used. One the center island was a box of her favorite cake next to a large ceramic mug with the letter "N" boldly stamped on it. "But it wasn't like this." 

"Guess D wanted to make you comfortable." 

"Not possible," she said to Caleb, "He's still in bed." She looked at the brothers and narrowed her eyes in exasperation at the looks they gave her. "It's not even like that." 

"He still could have gotten it," Jameson said as he inspected the box of cake, "It's not like he needs a car to get around." 

"I got the stuff," Liam said as he walked into the room. He slapped his brothers on the back as a greeting as he continued, "Euan is too nice to mention his confusion at her drinking out of his bowl." 

"There were no cups," Nadia said, "All I found was..." She did not want to think about how he drank from the bowl, especially if he engaged in animalistic bathing- 

"He showers just like the rest of us," Caleb said. 

Nadia glared at him before she looked at Liam to ask, "Do you know where he is? I'd like to apologize for-" 

"Do I look like his keeper?" Liam growled. 

"Well, no, but-" 

"He's not here. That's all you need to know." 

"Cheer up," Jameson said as he put an arm around her shoulders, "Liam likes knowing he intimidates people. So stop acting intimidated." 

"I'm not, I just-" 

"Get that arm off her if you ever expect to use it again." 

Everyone turned to watch as Andraemalek walked into the kitchen. He too looked surprised by the change in the room but said nothing. He was too busy thinking of ways to dismember his brother. 

"Do you guys not eat or something?" Nadia asked. 

"We eat, just not here," Jameson answered. He slowly pulled his arm off her when Andraemalek took a threatening step forward. "We usually come here to sleep or relax and even then it's only for a few hours at a time." 

"What about guests?" 

"You're the first one we've had," Caleb answered. 

"Are you going to eat or not? I didn't spend my valuable time getting all this stuff to have you sit here and stare at it." 

Nadia only looked at Liam for a second before she shook her head and walked to the fridge. Did he buy the entire supermarket? There was enough food inside to feed a football team after a long game. She spied the large tub of vanilla yogurt and grabbed it, knowing that Liam and Alexis' close scrutiny would put a damper on her appetite. She looked at Liam and walked to the draw he motioned to. Spoons. Wonderful. She decided to stay near the fridge as it left a good five feet of space between her and the brothers. She listened and nearly choked on her yogurt as Andraemalek relayed a terrifying story of having to face a group of demons. Had Alexis and Jameson not showed up, he would have probably been taken to the underworld as The Order's prisoner. Christ, if they managed to get him, there was no telling how long she had before she was caught. Nadia's heart began to pound at a furious rate; The Order was an extremely powerful group of demons. Who was she to first allow eleven innocent men to risk their lives for her and second think that she could actually walk away from everything? She was dead. She was- 

Nadia looked at Caleb when her distress was quickly replaced with annoyance at Liam for his abrasive personality. She frowned at the blonde and blinked in surprise when he winked at her. Was that his sick way of comforting her? She mentally told him to get out of her head before focusing her attention on the conversation. 

"It's only a matter of time before they find a way around the spell." 

"What spell?" Nadia asked Andrae. 

"The manor is cloaked. No one can find it and those who aren't Brethren or given passage don't remember how to get here." 

That certainly explained why she abruptly fell asleep in Euan's car. What a nifty insurance policy to have. 

"They should know but now that the Vartek are dead," Jameson said. "The best assassin in the game switched sides, the second best was killed by the first, and three hundred demons weren't enough to bring him in." 

"So he goes in himself." 

Nadia almost dropped her spoon when she heard Alexis speak. His voice was like a cool breeze on a hot summer day; surprising and completely pleasant. 

"What the hell does that mean?" Liam asked. 

"He goes in and strikes another bargain." 

"What kind of bargain?" Andraemalek asked. He had an idea of where his brother was headed but did not want to think of the possibility of carrying out the plan. The Order wanted him to pay and they would force him to endure the most brutal of their torture. 

"The kind that gets you killed, of course." Alexis ignored Nadia's outraged gasp as he said, "Offer yourself in her stead." 

"They'll kill him," Nadia said. She looked at the men in the room and became enraged by the ridiculous plan. "You can't do that." 

"It seems like a very logical and workable plan," Jameson said. "You won't have to worry about dying while shopping for groceries." 

"But that means he'll die." 

"Isn't that what you want?" 

Nadia stared at Caleb in horror when she realized that he was completely serious. "No, I don't. I..." She looked at the five men huddled around the island and felt rage take over her. It was bad enough that she had to deal with the repercussions of her quest for revenge. She refused to have the added guilt of Andraemalek's death on her shoulders as well. "That's a stupid idea." 

"But it gets you off the hook," Andraemalek said. He watched the emotions play over her face and for a moment felt guilty. He knew what Alexis tried to do and because he had to protect her, he played along. 

"I'm not listening to this nonsense," she said with a shake of her head. Throwing her spoon in the dishwasher and putting the yogurt back in the fridge, she glared at the men. Then she walked out of the kitchen without a backward glance. 

"You were always good at kicking people out without telling them to leave," Caleb said to Alexis. He figured his brother's plan was too difficult or could easily be foiled, hence the reason he only wanted Brethren to hear it. While he appreciated the move, Caleb felt that Nadia should be present. "So what's your plan?" 

"Exactly what I said," Alexis replied. He leaned in to emphasize the importance of his words and ignored his brothers' unanimous look of shock as he explained the details of his plan. His methods were quite radical, but it would work. They only had to trust him. 

"No, I won't do it," Andraemalek said. His brother was insane if he thought- "No, think of something else." 

"This is the only way," Alexis defended. "I know it's risky, but unless you can think of another way to save your human, this is all we've got." 

On a growl, Andraemalek looked to his brothers and realized hat they'd sided with their older brother. Even Liam, the outspoken on of the group, remained eerily quiet, a sign that if he deviated, Andraemalek would be on his own. He glanced at the entrance to the kitchen and sighed in frustration. Nothing ever was easy for him. "All right, fine. But his had better work."

-----------

Yes, I know... No sex and barely any action. Things will pick up soon, especially since it's the beginning of the end of this tale. Thank you guys for the comments thus far and the support. I'll update soon.



The Order Ch. 13



The air was charged with something fierce and dangerous as the members of The Order coped with the knowledge that there was yet another failure for them to accept. The five demons sat back in their seats quietly, each considering the next strike. They were wrong to send the Belial demon first; it left too much room and too much time for him to switch sides. Now that he had, he had to pay for his betrayal and the considerable amount of trouble he'd put them through. 

Astaroth looked about the cave-like walls of the summoning chamber as he thought of the next step. "So it seems that three hundred Vartek aren't enough to even slow the demon down." His pride and reputation as the most feared demon in the underworld had taken a fierce beating. It was only a matter of time before over-ambitious underlings began to believe that they had what it took to overthrow him. The thought alone put him in a rage. "Tell me, how do you kill a demon who proves to be invincible?" 

"We separate him from his armor." Moloch, usually the quiet, calculated member of The Order waited for Astaroth's signal to continue before he spoke. "It is quite obvious that he has sought refuge with The Brethren. Together, they are virtually unstoppable." 

"But we tried to take him from them already," Nebiros reminded the second commander. 

"Exactly," Moloch said as he rubbed his webbed hands together, "We tried to take Andraemalek. We did nothing to take his protection from him." 

Astaroth sat back as he considered the weight of Moloch's words. "You suggest we attack the other members of The Brethren?" 

"If we attack or preferably kill enough of them, he'll do what it takes to protect the rest." 

"Including killing the human," Botis added, "Ingenious." He looked to Astaroth as he asked, "Which do we attack first?" 

"We target the ones who choose to isolate themselves." Moloch stared at the tabletop as he continued to formulate a plan. "They will regroup, allowing us the chance to strike hard with a massive attack." 

"And by the time they realize that we're behind it, they will have already been weakened." Botis ran a hand over his large stomach as he smiled in anticipation. "He would gladly hand over the human." 

"After you went after my brothers, no." Andraemalek sauntered into the summoning chamber slowly as he wiped off the Blade of Abraxis. He looked at Astaroth as he said, "You might want to start interviewing for new sentries... They put up a pretty good fight, but they were hardly skilled enough to protect someone of your importance." 

Astaroth stood up, fully prepared to launch an attack on the treacherous demon but stopped when the Belial casually leaned against the wall. He wasn't here to fight. "What do you want, Andraemalek?" 

"World peace would be nice, but I'm a demon. What would I care about that?" 

"It would no doubt make your human happy," Botis muttered. It annoyed him that the demon had the gall to breach their security after everything he'd done. And the fact that he did it in human form... "Unless you are here to tell us that you have killed her to that you would like us to kill you both, you are wasting your time." 

Andraemalek looked at Astaroth as he said, "I'm here to make a deal." 

"A deal like the one you made with us before?" Nebiros asked. 

"Even better," Andraemalek replied, "I give you the woman alive and you can do to her what you wish." 

Astaroth didn't believe that for a minute. "After all you've done to protect her, you would simply hand her over?" 

Andraemalek thought his words over carefully before he spoke. "I thought she was different from the other humans. Strong. Resourceful. She only disappoints me with her fear and detachment." And her refusal to stay with him, he neglected to add. 

"You mean she doesn't want you," Botis sneered, "Like I always said, humans are good for nothing but hunting." 

"I want The Brethren left out of this." 

"And what about you?" Astaroth asked. He glanced at Andraemalek before looking at the other demons in the room. "Are we to simply forget your double-crossing and allow you to walk away alive?" 

"It's either I walk away and you get the human, or you can continue to hunt me and fail." As he crossed his arms over his chest he added, "And if you even think of touching my brothers, my double-crossing will be the least of your problems." He gave them a minute to consider his words before pulling his pack of cigarettes out of his pocket and quickly lighting one up. "I'll be waiting at the old glass factory. Tomorrow night. Be there before midnight." 

"You expect us to walk into an obvious trap?" Moloch asked. 

"I expect you to do what you have to do to keep your rank uncompromised." Andraemalek took a long drag from his cigarette as he looked at the confused members of The Order. "Those are my terms. Take them or leave them." 

Astaroth smiled cynically as he said, "You would have made a fine member of The Order. I accept your terms." He held his hand up for silence when the other members began to protest. "We'll take the woman, but you must never show yourself. You must live in exile." 

"That was the plan," was all Andraemalek said before he walked out of the chamber. He'd just taken the biggest risk of his life. It would not do to fail. 

In the summoning chamber, Astaroth sat back in his seat with an evil smile that screamed revenge. "He is a very calculated half breed." 

"Yes, one of the reasons we wanted him to join The Order," Botis replied. He was still in shock that his leader would willingly walk into a trap. "My liege, why did you accept his terms?" 

"Because he gave us the opening we needed to ensure our victory." 

"My liege-" 

Astaroth silenced Nebiros as she said, "Leave me. I have arrangements to make." 

* * * * * 

Nadia stretched lazily as she rolled over in bed and came awake when she did not distantly feel Andrae's strong arms pulling her back into his embrace. In the few nights she'd spent at the manor, that was the one constant she'd come to expect, especially considering the fact that he refused to sleep without her. The night she'd discovered the private library, she fell asleep on the large leather couch and jumped up in fear when she woke up in a bed. It took a full minute and Andraemalek getting out of bed to defend her for Nadia to realize that he'd carried her to his room. She should have been upset by that; she was quickly growing tired of reminding him that she didn't belong to him. But at the same time, his attentive care of her warmed her heart and somewhere in the back of her mind, they told her that maybe, just maybe, trusting him again wasn't a bad idea. 

Now as she slowly sat up, she frowned at the sight of him sitting in the chair he'd moved close to the fireplace. He looked stressed and the pensive furrow to his brow made her uneasy. "Why are you still awake?" 

"I went to see them." Based on her barely controlled intake of breath, he knew that she understood. "Everything goes down tomorrow." And it had to work. He'd done something unforgivable, but he told himself that it was for a good reason. Once it was over... "I have to make sure you don't get hurt." Andraemalek brought his eyes to her and felt himself relax at the calm expression on her face. Finally, she was becoming accustomed to his life. Or was she resigning herself to the fact that no matter the outcome, it would be over? "This doesn't make sense if you don't get hurt." 

"I'll be fine." Nadia wasn't sure who she was lying to, but she knew that the statement needed to be heard. "As long as this is over, I'll be fine." She watched as he turned his dark gaze to the fireplace and became mesmerized by the way the firelight danced over his face. He looked so... scared. "I believe you want me to walk away from all of this with my life." 

Andraemalek said nothing to her carefully phrased statement. He knew that her goal was to help him accept her decision, but she still refused to acknowledge the fact that he would not simply allow her to walk away from him. "Nadia..." He focused his attention on her beautiful face and sighed at the sight of the firelight reflecting off her curled hair. She'd forgotten to pack her hair straightener. "Once it's over, we have to decide where we'll live." 

"Andrae-" 

"I'm not letting you leave me." 

Nadia moved to rest her head on the pillows and stared up at the ceiling as she said, "We'll cross that bridge when we get there." She listened as he stood from his seat to move to the bed. As he settled himself beside her, Nadia found herself wanting to press herself against him, to let the heat of his body warm her. No, that was a horrible idea. He only wanted her around because of what she knew. It was either that or sex. When she thought about it, it couldn't have been sex; they hadn't done anything close to the act since the night at her apartment. 

"You love me." 

"Yes, but considering the circumstances-" 

"I'll keep you safe, Nadia." 

Of that she had no doubt, but what was the point of loving someone who only wanted her because she made him less lonely? That was, of course, if it wasn't because he wanted to make sure the secret of The Brethren never surfaced. 

"What would make you stay?" Andraemalek watched Nadia as she turned to look at him in surprise. He didn't know how to handle the situation with the new and raw emotions taking over him. It was obvious that she no longer hated him, but she didn't trust him either. "Tell me what to do and I'll do it." 

The vulnerability in his eyes nearly broke her heart. As much as she wanted to tell him something, anything, it was impossible. She didn't know what to say. Nadia took a deep breath a moment before she rolled into his arms. The gentle way he wrapped his arms around her brought tears to her eyes. Why did it all have to be so complicated? 

How was it possible to love someone more than the air she breathed while at the same time knowing that he would never see her as more than a secret to be kept? 

* * * * * 

Andraemalek was anxious. As he paced the length of the glass factory, he asked himself what took Astaroth and the rest of The Order so long. They hadn't arranged an exact time, he belatedly realized, but he'd been waiting for over an hour. If everything was to go according to plan, they had to show up before midnight. He'd gone over every nuance of their meeting hundreds of times in his head and not in any possible outcome he considered did he think of them not showing. 

"I don't think they're coming," Caleb said as he stepped away from his post in the factory. He too was anxious and ready to do what he had to do to protect Nadia and his brothers. He found it odd that they were left to wait as long as they had. "Euan hasn't seen anything," he added when their brother, who conveniently took the form of a large owl, landed on his shoulder. 

"Something isn't right," Andraemalek said as he continued to pace. The Order was up to something. Whatever it was, it was big, and something he knew he would pay dearly for. 

"Does anyone else have a weird feeling?" Jameson asked as he walked into the factory. After watching Euan fly in from his post on the roof, he'd found Alexis and brought him inside. Based on the fact that nothing had happened in the hour that they'd waited, he knew that something was off. The only explanation could be found with their half-demon brother. "Can you sense anything?" He asked both Andraemalek and Caleb. 

"I don't smell anything but us." Andraemalek said. 

"Euan says the same," Caleb added. Using his ability to read minds, he searched for anything that would be of use. "I've got nothing but homeless people in the abandoned church three blocks down." 

"Which means they either know what we planned or they double-crossed you," Alexis interjected. He looked at Andraemalek and narrowed his eyes at the uneasy look on his brother's face. He focused his attention on Caleb and thought of what he wanted him to do. Then he focused his attention on the demon of the family. "You're sure they accepted your terms to fight all five of them for her life?" 

Andraemalek said nothing as he continued to pace. He forced himself not to think of the actual deal that he made with The Order, knowing that if he said it out loud, his fears would become reality. 

"What the fuck is going on here?" Liam watched his brothers turn to look at him as he stormed toward them. "I've been freezing my fucking ass off out there." 

"It's not that cold outside," Jameson said. 

"You're wearing a goddamned parka," Liam countered, "I've only got this bullshit turtleneck on." 

"No one told you to walk out of the house without enough clothing on." Alexis said. 

"But I can't fight with all the extra bulk. And all of you assholes know that." Liam narrowed his eyes when Jameson smiled before he said, "I should be home right now basking in my victory over those bastards." 

"All in good-" 

"You did what?!?" Caleb hadn't meant to shout or interrupt Alexis, but he'd finally managed to get around the mental wall that Andraemalek had put up against him and was both appalled and furious at what he'd learned. "D, why?" 

"I thought they'd think she was with us." 

"What is going on?" Alexis asked. It was a very rare event when Caleb lost his temper. That he did now was a very bad omen of what was to come. 

"D deviated from the plan." 

"What do you mean he deviated?" Jameson asked as he looked from Caleb's astonished face to Andraemalek's guilt-stricken one. "What the hell is going on?" 

"I offered her instead," Andraemalek said as he placed his hands on the back of his head, "I told them that I would give her to them alive, but that they had to meet me here to get her." 

"Why in the flying fuck would you do that?" Liam shouted. He knew that people in relationships did stupid things, but this had to top the cake. "We're going through all of this shit to protect her." 

"I know!" Andraemalek turned his back to his brothers to keep from attacking. His body was shaking and it was taking more control than he had in his body to keep from killing something. "I thought that if they believed that she was here, she'd be safe at the manor on her own." 

"But there's a cloak on the manor," Caleb said. 

"I know," Andraemalek replied, "But I killed a few of their sentries when I breached their walls for the meeting." 

"As long as you performed all of the cleansing rituals, you were fine," Alexis said. The cloak made it possible for any and all of their blood to be untraceable but the blood of any other beings could lead their enemies to them. It was imperative that they cleansed themselves to keep any and all traces of foreign blood from being traced. "I saw you cleanse yourself before you walked into the manor." 

"You cleansed yourself and your clothes?" Jameson asked. He waited until Andraemalek nodded before he said, "Did you use their weapons against them or your own?" 

Andraemalek froze when he remembered that he'd used the Blade of Abraxis to kill the sentries. It was the same blade he'd neglected to cleanse before he left the house. The blade he'd left with Nadia in the event that he didn't survive the battle. 

"Fuck," Caleb groaned, "That's why they're not here." 

"Don't say it," Liam warned. He knew what was coming, but he also knew that he wouldn't be able to take the weight of the truth. "Don't you fucking say it." 

"You didn't cleanse your weapons... And we left her there by herself." Alexis took a deep breath as he processed the information he was given. After everything they'd done to ensure her safety, Nadia was left to fend for herself against five powerful demons. They might as well have handed her over on a silver platter. 

"It's been a century since I had to cleanse anything. I didn't even think of my blade." Andraemalek didn't try to fight the ball of pain that slowly rolled through his stomach. He'd done this to her; he'd done exactly what he was sent to do. And to think, he'd tried so hard to get her to stay with him when he only made it possible for her to be ripped from his arms. 

"She might still be at the manor," Jameson said with a glimmer of hope. They had to think positively; it was the only way they would be able to get through. "Teleport us back and we'll check." He hadn't known Nadia for a week, but yet he'd grown to care for her as if she was family. Based on the way his brother doted on her, she would be soon. 

If she was still alive and at the manor. 

Andraemalek was quick to shimmer everyone back to the manor. He'd purposely chosen his room knowing that it was the one place after the library that she'd sought refuge. There was no sign of her. "Sweep the house," he said as he grabbed the tainted blade and pushed passed them to get to the library. She had to be there. She couldn't be gone. 

He knew what happened the second he stood outside the door. The scent of the underworld, the harsh, thick, and nauseating scent of death filled his nostrils before he'd even touched the doorknob. They were here. And they'd touched her. Pure rage shot through Andraemalek as he pushed the door open and saw the carnage that used to be the library. Books were strewn about one side of the room. Based on their placement and the fact that the antique desk lamp lay broken in the corner, it was plain to see that Nadia fought like a wildcat. The scent of her fear was strong, but not as potent as the anger she'd felt. There were no traces of her blood, which only meant that they'd either taken her to the underworld or they broke her neck before they discarded the body. No, he couldn't think like that. She was alive. She had to be. 

"She's nowhere in the manor." 

Andraemalek didn't look at Alexis as he said, "That's because they took her. Not that long ago based on the scents in here." He heard the familiar canine whine and immediately said, "Too many emotions in here Euan. Stay back." 

"I don't know who's ass I want to kick more; theirs for taking her, or yours for making it possible." 

"Right now is not the time, Liam," Andraemalek warned. He didn't need to hear everything he was thinking. "The priority is getting her back." 

"If the sons of bitches didn't kill her." 

"She is not dead!" Andraemalek roared. He turned to attack the loudmouthed redhead but immediately stopped when his anger became fear for Nadia's safety. Caleb walked into the room and pulled him aside. "She can't be dead." 

"She isn't," Caleb reassured, "I'd bet my life that they want you there so that you can watch her die." 

"Of course they want me to watch her die," Andraemalek muttered, "They have to make an example out of me." 

"So let's make sure you go down fighting." Jameson causally set down the large black duffel bag he'd retrieved before he opened it and began to distribute weapons. He'd taken the time to change out of his parka and into a dark green turtleneck that resembled Liam's. 

"You're not coming with me." 

"You actually think that I am going to sit here and wait around while you go fight after the stunt you pulled?" Jameson stood as he pulled his hair into a queue and continued, "We're all a part of this now." 

"He's right," Alexis said as he shouldered a crossbow, "She's one of us, and we protect our own." 

Andraemalek shook his head as he said, "I can't worry about her and you at the same time. You don't know the underworld like I do." 

"And you're wasting time talking." Liam stepped forward and strapped on two protractible wrist blades before accepting the gloves Jameson handed him. "Bitch later, D. Save her now." 

Andraemalek looked at his brothers and forced himself to concentrate on the task at hand. This wasn't the first battle they'd fought together, and it wouldn't be the last. Every single one of them would do what was necessary to ensure Nadia's safety. "All right. But watch your backs." 




The Order Ch. 13



"We always do," Caleb said as he placed a hand on his brother's shoulder. He waited for everyone else to follow his lead before he said, "We'll even watch yours this time." 

"Don't worry about me. Do whatever you have to do to get her the hell out of there." 

"We will." Alexis nodded to emphasize his point as he added, "But when this is over, you'd better find the balls to tell her why you don't want her to leave. I may not be Caleb, but you don't have to be a mind reader to figure that one out." 

* * * * * 

The one thing Nadia could think of was the fact that they allowed her to keep her clothes on this time; probably because she only wore a tank top and an old pair of men's boxers she owned. As she stared at the ceiling of the dark chamber that looked more like a cave, she found herself counting her blessings instead of crying. She wasn't naked, she was chained to a table and not hanging from a ceiling, and they hadn't beaten her. They didn't need to when they spent their time using their powers to torture her. The tall thin one with green scaly skin merely sat and watched while the others took turns hurting her. He scared her more than the others did, primarily because he was the one who took her from the manor. He didn't have to work very hard to abduct her; the moment she began to fight for her life, terrifying images flooded her mind. It didn't take him long at all to have her crouched in a corner trying to hide from the thoughts in her mind. 

The fat one with red and yellow skin preferred using telepathy to cut off the flow of oxygen to her body. That was when he wasn't busy stopping her heart long enough for her to barely touch death before he restarted it. 

The next demon, the one that looked like it had a bad case of leprosy liked to urge the fat one on, giving him ideas on how to maximize her pain. After Nyx, there was no kind of physical pain she couldn't endure. Bastards. They were lucky she had no abilities of her own. 

A cry of pain escaped Nadia as every single muscle in her body began to spasm and cramp unbearably. There was nothing she could to do alleviate the pain; every movement seemed to intensify a cramp in another part of her body. She heard them laugh while she hissed and grunted through the pain, determined to not give them any more pleasure. After what seemed like forever, the pain began to subside. Involuntary tremors took control of her body and for a moment, she closed her eyes. She was suddenly exhausted. 

"She's resilient," Nebiros commented. He'd never seen a human capable of enduring what they did to her. Granted, they did nothing close to what Nyx did, but that she'd only screamed once was commendable. For a human, anyway. "But I grow bored, my liege." 

"As do I," Astaroth replied. He stood from his seat and slowly walked to Nadia's body. "Such a troublesome human. You cost me a valuable member of The Order." 

"Go to hell," she muttered. 

Astaroth laughed as he said, "Where do you think this is, human? Disney World?" Placing his hands on either side of her head, he laughed again when her body tensed at the image of her being cut open he'd implanted into her mind. He continued with the line of thought, forcing her to envision her chest being pulled open and her organs slowly eaten by maggots. "Hell is a vacation compared to my realm." 

Nadia couldn't move as dozens of disturbing images flashed through her mind. Being buried alive. Drowning. He made her relieve the torture she'd had to take from Nyx. She felt every lash of his whip, every cut from his blade. She heard the crunch as the memories of her bones breaking saturated her mind. Nadia wasn't chained to a table anymore; no, she hung from a ceiling as scalding water was thrown on her naked body. Tears stung her eyes as she heard Andrae's familiar laugh. He was here! He was going to save her! 

"You're not doing it right," he told Nyx, "If you're going to stab her, you have to choose the arms or legs. You miss vital organs that way." 

What? Why was he... How could he... She tried to speak, but she couldn't move. She was paralyzed 

"I thought you only wanted to watch." 

"I do. But if you're going to torture a human, do it the right way." 

"At least I didn't mate the animal," Nyx laughed. 

"Don't remind me. I did what I had to do to make sure she'd tell me what she knew." 

"Even if it meant-" 

"Even that," Andraemalek interrupted. 

She meant nothing to him. He only wanted the information, not her. She'd been so stupid. 

Astaroth laughed again as Nadia began to convulse uncontrollably. "Humans amuse me," he said to no one in particular. "I think we should start playing with them regularly." 

"Indeed, my-" Botis jumped from his seat when the door to the chamber burst open and three sentries were thrown through. "We are under attack!" He ran forward to defend his lord but was immediately stopped when two other bodies were thrown at him. 

Andraemalek calmly walked into the room as he announced, "This ends now." He looked at Nadia and was relieved to see that she was alive but the sight of Astaroth working his magic on her enraged him. He rushed forward to attack and easily dodged the knife that Nebiros threw at him. In retaliation, he threw one of his own a scant second before he was pushed aside by a sentry Liam kicked into the room. The battle had spilled into the chamber which only meant that his brothers made quick work of the guards Astaroth had placed to protect him. 

Andraemalek continued on, determined to get to Astaroth and had to sidestep a blast of fire Jameson shot in his direction. Two sentries screamed in agony as they were burned alive but Andraemalek didn't care; he was steps closer to Nadia. He easily threw the three sentries that attempted to tackle him and found himself flipping Alexis over his back when his brother used him as leverage to kick Botis back. He ducked at the loud feral growl and almost laughed at the sight of Euan's cougar form lunging for the fat demon. 

The sound of Nadia's scream brought his attention to the table she was chained to Moloch had taken the opportunity to sink his poisonous teeth into her tender skin. The toxins would slowly turn put her muscles into atrophy out if they left her unattended. Pure animalistic rage wafted through Andraemalek's body as he changed into his demonic form. He made quick work of ripping Moloch's head from his body and was barely able to jump out of the way before both Liam and Alexis were thrown into the wall in front of him. 

"Fucking son of a bitch!" Liam roared. 

Andraemalek suddenly found himself slowly falling to the floor as images of Nadia slowly deteriorating before his eyes consumed him. Her brown eyes glistened with tears as she whimpered and begged him to save her. He couldn't move, couldn't help her. "Nadia," he gasped. Her screams of agony were too much; she trusted him, depended on him, and he'd fed her to the wolves. 

There was a voice in the distance, one urging him to get up, to keep fighting. Caleb. Andraemalek looked up and found his brother protected by Euan and Jameson as he mentally battled Astaroth. The leader of The Order had taken his hands off Nadia, but she no longer moved. Was she breathing? He couldn't tell, couldn't concentrate... 

Andraemalek found himself being hauled to his feet by Liam. "Go get her!" the redhead screamed before he ran forward to attack the newest swarm of demons determined to protect Astaroth. Andraemalek forced himself to move, to pull the Blade of Abraxis out of its protective sheath as he stalked toward Astaroth. The more he moved, the clearer he thought. Without hesitation, he plunged the blade into Astaroth's back and found himself growling in fury when the demon shimmered out of the chamber. As much as he wanted to tail the son of a bitch, he had to get Naida back to the human realm. He waked to the table and stared at her unmoving body for a moment; she was sweating profusely and her breathing was shallow. The poison was working much faster than he'd expected. Andraemalek made quick work of breaking the chains that kept her locked to the table and lifted her limp and overheated body into his arms. "I've got her," he shouted as he watched Jameson ignite the remaining demons in the room, "Let's hit it!" 

Liam ran to his brother and placed his gloved hand on Nadia's forehead. Even through the thick fabric he felt the life draining out of her. "She's fading fast." 

"Get us out of here," Alexis said as he ensured the livelihood of his brothers. There were cuts and quick forming bruises, but they were fine. Nadia on the other hand... "We've got to get her to the manor." 

"Don't let her die," Andraemalek threatened as he prepared to shimmer them back to the manor, "Don't you dare let her die."



The Order Ch. 14



"Set her down over there." Liam quickly pulled his gloves off as moved toward the plush chaise in the solarium. He watched as Nadia began to convulse while Caleb quickly removed the writs blades he'd donned for battle. They were cutting it close; the poison Moloch carried was normally a paralytic to demons. He knew that humans did not survive the toxin with modern medicine, but it usually took time for death to come. It had only been a half hour and Nadia looked as if she wouldn't make it another fifteen minutes. 

Andraemalek carefully laid Nadia down and refused to step away from her. He ignored the fact that Caleb had to wedge himself between them in order to remedy any emotional damage she'd suffered. Her hand was so small in his, so limp. Her skin felt as if it was on fire. "Liam, hurry up." 

"You need to get out of the way," was all the redhead said as he pushed his way to Nadia. He took her soft hands in his immediately bent to the task of healing her. 

Alexis placed his hand on his brother's shoulder to get him to step back. "Let them work. She'll be fine." 

"She'd better be," Andraemalek replied. She looked so ashen. Her lips were moving slowly, almost as if she were speaking to someone. She was lost in the illusion Astaroth trapped her in. He wanted to call out to Caleb to free her, but he couldn't; his brother needed to concentrate if expected to help her. Andraemalek looked at Liam's glowing blue eyes and found himself frowning when he noticed the sweat covering his brow. Liam never had to put much effort into his healing. 

Something was wrong. 

Nadia's body began to tremble uncontrollably, forcing her to cry out. Caleb had to fight to keep their connection; her head thrashed from side to side and the audible grunts of effort he emitted were indicative of his troubles. After long minutes, he managed to calm her down enough to work. Andraemalek found himself pacing the length of the solarium, unable to remain still. His heart felt constricted while at the same time incredibly heavy. Blood rushed through his veins as a new, foreign emotion took hold of him. His hands shook and he had to hold onto the mantle to find a solid anchor for himself. 

"Shit." 

Andraemalek turned and walked to Liam. His brother looked exhausted; his breathing was ragged and his skin flushed from exertion. "What's wrong?" 

"It's not working," Liam whispered, "It's not fucking working." 

"What do you mean it's not working?" 

"D, calm down," Alexis said. He looked to Liam and asked, "What's going on?" 

"Astaroth put up some kind of block. Nothing I try works." 

"So we're supposed to let her suffer while she pretty much turns into a statue?" 

Liam didn't have the heart to look at Andraemalek as he said, "Moloch's venom is fatal to humans. If I can't heal her, she'll die." 

"No." Andraemalek walked to Liam and grabbed him by the shirt as he said, "Don't let her die." 

"Maybe that's the key," Jameson interjected. As he gently separated the two hot-headed men, he continued, "What if we let her heart stop long enough to drop the block and then heal her? 

"No," Andraemalek said again with a shake of his head, "It's too risky." 

"Riskier than Liam risking danger to himself to fight whatever is blocking his powers?" Alexis asked. As the practical one of the group, he had to know when to surrender a battle. He understood his brother's need to keep her alive, but not at the risk of Liam's well being. 

"You expect me to just let her go?" 

"It's what you were sent to do." Nadia slowly opened her eyes and took a ragged breath as she watched the men in the room stare at her. It was difficult to speak; her lungs felt as if they were on fire and her throat was dry. Her limbs were numb but there was a dull ache that pulsed through her. She was dying. "There's no use... no use in fighting it any... any more." 

Andraemalek was fully prepared to contradict her but was stopped when Alexis pulled him out of the room and into the kitchen. "What the hell are you-" 

"Astaroth wasn't the one who blocked Liam. She's doing it." 

"What are you talking about, Lex?" Andraemalek wasn't in the mood for bullshit. He had to convince her to keep fighting, to keep living. Nadia was young and beautiful and perfect; she couldn't die. 

"You know that it's a very rare instance in which I get premonitions of those of my blood?" Alexis waited for Andraemalek to nod before he said, "There are limitations to Liam's powers too. He wears the gloves when he fights-" 

"Because it's not easy to control healing an injury, especially if it's an enemy." 

"Right." Alexis looked toward the short hall that led to the solarium as he said, "He can heal an enemy unwillingly because there is a will to live." 

"What are you saying, Lexi?" 

"She doesn't have a will to live. Not anymore." 

"Of course she has a will to live," Andraemalek scoffed, "She wants a future." 

"Are you sure about that?" Caleb asked as he walked into the room. His head still swam from the journey he took through Nadia's mind. "She loves you." 

"She has me and she knows it." 

"Not the way she needs." Caleb moved to the island in the center of the kitchen and continued, "She thinks you only want her around because of what she knows." 

Andraemalek didn't try to hide his shock to the accusation. In all the time he'd wanted her with him, it was never because of what she knew. He wanted her because she was the first person to genuinely make him want more than the life he'd led for centuries. 

"You need to tell her that before we all lose her." 

Andraemalek raised a brow and looked at Caleb as he asked, "We all?" 

"She has a good heart and she brought you back where you belong," Alexis said, "We'll always be thankful." 

"So tell her you love her," Caleb interjected. "Give her a reason to live." 

Andraemalek said nothing for long moments. He wasn't foolish enough to deny that he did in fact love Nadia, but there was a part of him that was terrified of what the declaration meant to his future. It was one thing to know that she loved him, but to let her know the extent of her hold on him... 

Euan's tortured wine prompted him to return to the solarium. The sight of Liam lightly stroking her hair as she wheezed for breath tore his resolve. Andraemalek walked to the chaise and knelt at her side. As he took hold of her hand he said, "It's not your time yet, Nadia." 

She found herself smiling despite the fact she was dying. "There's nothing... here for me anymore." 

"I'm here." 

If it was possible for her to move, she would have reached up to touch his face one last time. "You have your own life to lead." 

Andraemalek ignored the fact that his brothers silently watched as he shook his head to deny her claim. "I've lived for over five hundred years and the only time I've felt alive was when I was with you." 

There was no use in sugar coating the truth. Nadia closed her eyes to keep from having to look at his face as she said, "I'm only here because of what I know." His gentle caress brought tears to her eyes. Why was he doing this now, when she was trying to tell him that she understood his intentions, that she no longer held his mission against him? 

"You're here because I'm not a demon or a god when I'm with you." Andraemalek used his thumb to wipe away the tears that slowly rolled down the side of her face. He hated that he'd done this to her, that he was the one who didn't know how to control himself. "When I'm with you, I'm a man." Panic gripped him when she lay unmoving. That couldn't be it. Shaking her lightly he said, "I won't let you leave me." He didn't care that he sounded like a deranged stalker; this was the woman who'd come to mean more to him than anything in his entire existence. He couldn't let her go so easily. "Nadia." 

"I'm human," she whispered, "I'll always... be in danger when... when you aren't around." 

"No." 

"Just let it happen, Andrae. Let me go in peace." 

Andraemalek remained silent for a moment. What was he to say to something like that? "Nadia-" He stopped when her body suddenly vanished. He looked up at Liam's confused face before he looked back at the empty chaise. 

"What the hell just happened?" Jameson asked. 

Andraemalek said nothing as he slowly stood. There was only one explanation for Nadia's sudden disappearance; Astaroth still had enough strength to summon her to whatever hole he decided to hide in. He checked to make sure he had enough weapons on him. One of his knives was missing, but it was easily replaceable. 

"Do you think she was taken or sent to the afterlife?" 

Andraemalek hadn't considered the possibility that the members of the High Council might have sent Nadia to the afterlife to end her suffering. They'd gone through lesser lengths to protect The Brethren. "It doesn't matter where she is. I'm going after her." 

"D., I know this is hard to accept, but if she's in the afterlife, maybe you should-" 

"No," Andraemalek said to Caleb, "We all know I'm too selfish for that." 

The blinding light that suddenly filled the room had all men shielding their eyes and ducking for cover. The brightness burned, forcing them to turn away. There was a distant sound very reminiscent of wind chimes and as the sound slowly faded, as did the light. 

"What the fuck was that?" Liam asked as he looked at his brothers. They all looked fine, but that did not mean that they were safe. 

"No idea," Alexis said. He too looked at the men in the room to ensure their safety and said, "Do you think it was Astaroth or the High Council?" 

"It was your father." 

The men turned to the far corner of the room and stood shocked at the sight of Nadia looking as if she'd never died. She was different; where her black hair was once shoulder length and streaked with burgundy, it was now completely red and rained down her back like liquid fire. As she stepped forward, they noticed the black slacks and button down shirt that covered her body. The ensemble only served to highlight her hair. Her eyes had changed as well; no longer a deep brown, they were now a dark and stormy gray. 

"Nadia?" Andraemalek asked in disbelief. At her nod, he stepped forward and pulled her into his arms. There was no mistaking her sweet scent or the softness of her body pressed against his. "I thought you were dead." 

"I was." She pressed herself deeper into his arms as she explained. "I remember being here with you and then I was floating. I thought I was going to heaven because it was too nice to be going to hell. But then I was in front of him and he told me that he wanted to make up for the life he'd forced on you and your brothers. He said that he's been watching you all since he'd been sent away and was the one who made sure none of you died before your time. He'd been waiting for me, he said." Nadia pulled out of his hold and looked at the rest of the men in the room as she continued, "He touched me and it hurt like hell at first; it burned like when I was dying before but then everything got kind of hazy and I was back here." 

"He gave you life," Alexis said. 

Nadia frowned when the brothers looked at each other quietly. "What aren't you saying?" 

"You have an ability," they all said at once. 

Nadia shook her head in disbelief. She couldn't have an ability. "No, all he did was heal me." 

"In order for a member of the High Council to heal or give life, they have to give away a small part of themselves." Jameson stepped forward to look at Nadia as she tried to process the information he fed her. "It's the reason they choose to simply send people to the afterlife." 

"And why Liam is such a valuable asset." Alexis added, "His abilities are watered down enough to not be much of a problem." 

"No, you're not understanding what I'm saying." Nadia shook her head in disbelief. She couldn't have an ability; she was human. "He must have figured out a way to just heal." 

"To get around that block, he had to give you a part of himself." 

"Caleb's right," Jameson said as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "You-" He stopped talking when Nadia suddenly gasped. Within seconds, her eyes had gone completely white and began to glow. "Nadia-" 

"She doesn't understand why they want her. You don't understand why you need her. But it is together you must work to find the truth." Nadia stumbled backward, weakened by force that had just taken over her. Had Jameson and Andraemalek not been close, she would have surely fallen to the floor. "What just happened?" she asked raggedly. 

"That's what I'd like to know," Alexis replied. "But at least it's confirmed that she does have an ability." 

"I'm not human anymore?" 

"Oh, you're human all right," Caleb said as he scratched his head in confusion at the sight of her eyes returning to their new grey color, "You're just version two-point-oh now." 

"Everybody get out. I need to talk to Nadia alone." Andraemalek never took his eyes off her as he spoke. "J., get your hands off her." 

"I was just trying to-" 

"Now." 

Jameson shook his head as he backed away. "There goes my vacation," he muttered as he followed Euan out of the room. 

Nadia watched the men walk out of the room before she focused her attention on Andraemalek. His eyes were glistening, she noticed. "Hi." She yelped in surprise as she was pulled into his embrace once more. As pleasant as his embrace was, she couldn't breathe. "Andrae-" 

"I swear on the old man's head, Nadia, if you die on me again, I'll kill you." 

"That doesn't make any sense." 

"Don't you ever leave me again." 

She smiled at the desperation in his voice. It wasn't about what she knew about demons after all. "Well, it looks like I have to stay a little while longer. Can't exactly walk down the street with the risk of what happened with Jameson happening with someone else." 

"I love you." Andraemalek let out a ragged breath of relief as the heavy weight was lifted off his shoulders. It was easier than he'd expected, telling her how he felt. Nadia didn't seem appalled by the revelation, nor did she look prepared to laugh at him. She simply held him. "I love you more than anything in this world. Or any world, now that I think about it." He pulled back to look at her blank expression and narrowed his eyes in suspicion. "I refuse to let you leave me. Ever. Damn it Nadia I can't-" 

"I love you too, Andrae." Nadia laughed at the audible sight of relief he emitted before she stood up. "You're not forgiven just yet and it's too late to talk that stuff over right now." 

"Just tell me what to do and I'll do it." 

"Take me to bed before I fall asleep standing up." 

Andraemalek lifted her into his arms gently as he said, "That's one mission I won't sabotage." 

"Shut up." 

* * * * * 

It had taken Nadia three weeks to settle into the manor. After packing the rest of her belongings and having her furniture put into storage, she went to the college to finalize her graduation and wasn't surprised to run into Caleb as she walked toward the dean's office. "What did you do?" 

"I thought you'd be with Jameson trying to figure out that cryptic message you gave him." 

While Nadia did want to talk about the fact that she hadn't had an episode since the night she died, she wasn't about to let Caleb distract her. "I thought you talked to my teachers weeks ago." 

"I did, but the dean didn't appreciate your absences." Caleb put his hands in his pockets and smiled wickedly at a group of female students who took the time to look him over before they passed by. He didn't have to read their minds to know what they thought, a small blessing that made reading their minds that much more fun. 

"Stop it." 

Caleb looked at Nadia as he said, "I didn't do anything." 

"Not yet." She smiled at his nonchalant shrug before asking, "So I'm an official graduate? For real now?" At his nod, she sighed in relief. Finally, one less thing to worry about. "When do I get my diploma?" 

"Hell if I know." Caleb had long ago brought his attention to an adorable blonde dressed in a typical college outfit consisting of pajama bottoms and a large sweatshirt. Though she carried several Organic Chemistry textbooks, she was more focused on his superior male anatomy. 

"No." 

He looked at Nadia's serious face and almost laughed at her mental image of kicking him in the crotch. "How did you-" 

"Didn't have to a mind reader for that one." Nadia took hold of his arm and quickly guided him toward the exit. "Why don't you take me home?" 

Caleb didn't have the heart to say no. As he walked her to his car, he'd considered the changes that had taken place. In the few weeks he'd known Nadia, he was quick to take on the role of older brother, a role the other men currently in the house adopted as well. Except for Andraemalek; he grew extremely frustrated when she was constantly pulled from his side because someone wanted her attention. Even Liam, the resident grouch, found pleasure in something as simple as watching televised game shows with her. He grumbled at her show selections and poked fun at her when she guessed wrong, but Caleb had read his mind enough to know that Liam was quite impressed with her intelligence and enthusiasm when she got something right. 

The only member of the family to have issues adjusting to the new addition was Euan. Unused to the vast emotions Nadia was quick to embrace, he often found himself in odd situations. He confessed that he often felt like a child when she became curious about something that interested her, which vastly explained his new habit of sniffing everything he'd never been around before. And when she became excited... 

Caleb smiled to himself as they settled themselves in his car. Nadia thought of her friend with the red hair and hoped that he didn't hate her. Andrae would have a fit if he knew that she thought of another man. Caleb decided to save the information for dinner. As he drove, he continued to probe her thoughts, as it was the only way he knew of to familiarize himself with her. She thought of very mundane things; her future as a doctor, not overstaying her welcome at the manor, figuring out how to get Alexis to talk to her for more than two minutes at a time - "He rarely ever speaks for more than two minutes." 

"How many times do I have to tell you to stop that?" 

"When you learn to pipe down over there, I'll stop." He laughed when she grunted indignantly and remained silent until they'd returned to the manor. He sighed when she'd fallen asleep and made a mental note to have her restrictions removed. Laying his hand on the horn, he laughed when she jumped up. "We're home." 

"You're so rude." Nadia quickly got out of the car and left Caleb behind as she walked into the manor. Jameson sat in the kitchen with Liam watching one of her favorite game shows. Unfortunately, she'd already seen that particular episode, so it made no sense for her to stay and watch. That didn't stop her from placing a kiss on Jameson's cheek. When he suddenly pulled her into a tight hug that had her standing between his legs intimately, she began to giggle. "It's nice to see you too." Nadia tried to pull away but quickly remembered that as half gods, every single one of the brothers had exceptional strength. "Jameson-" 

"You must really have a death wish." 

Nadia would have turned to smile at Andrae but found that she couldn't move. "Hi, babe." 

Andraemalek walked into the room slowly, not once taking his eyes off his brother. "Get your hands off her." 

"Give me a minute. She smells good." Jameson laughed when his brother growled low in his throat. Having Nadia at the manor was sure to be an entertaining experience. Knowing that his brother stood watching, he slowly slid his hands down to cup her bottom and laughed at her squeal of surprise. 




The Order Ch. 14



"Jame-" Nadia was cut short as she was suddenly ripped out of his arms. She went flying into Liam who yelled at her to watch herself, and could only watch in horror as her boyfriend moved to kill his brother. "Andrae!" 

Andraemalek didn't listen as he advanced. Jameson didn't try to fight back but his boisterous laughter enraged him. "I told you I would kill you if you touched her again." The second his mood shifted to happiness to see Nadia, he knew Caleb entered the kitchen. "You'd better talk to your brother about putting his hands on my woman." 

"He's your brother too," Alexis said as he walked into the room. Used to the commotion of having more than one brother home at the same time, he nodded a greeting at Nadia before walking to the fridge. She'd hooked him on refrigerated peanut butter cups and it was a rare occasion indeed that he walked into the kitchen without having one. "You know he only does it because he thinks it's funny when you get jealous." 

"Yeah, well, he won't be laughing that much longer." Andraemalek walked to Nadia and grabbed her hand before pulling her to their bedroom. They'd decided to stay at the manor until they agreed on a new location, the only agreement they'd been able to come to when it came to living arrangements. He shut the door behind him and leaned against it while he watched her put her purse down. It was still an adjustment getting used to the red hair and grey eyes. Though they did nothing to lessen her beauty, he had to admit that he missed the eyes that reminded him of a doe. "Sit down, I need to talk to you." 

"What did I tell you about that?" Since she'd decided to remain with him, he'd taken to ordering her around quite often. The behavior always led to an argument which inevitably led to sex. They really needed to learn to keep their hands off each other. 

Andraemalek only shrugged as he walked to his armoire to pull out large document tube. When he turned to face her, he growled low in his throat at the sight of her standing near the fireplace. He motioned for her to sit down and when she only raised a brow expectantly, he muttered a reluctant "please." When she finally sat down, he crouched in front of her and placed the tube in her hand. "This is for you." 

Nadia frowned as she opened the tube she knew hadn't been in the room earlier that morning. Inside was a large sheet of paper that was rolled up. She allowed him to help her hold it open and frowned again when she realized what it was. "Why are you giving me blueprints?" 

"They're for a house." 

"Yes, I can see-" 

"Our house. In Martinique." 

Nadia looked at Andrae in disbelief. "You remembered?" 

He nodded as he said, "It'll be about the size of the manor. Big enough for all the babies I have to give you. And there'll be a guesthouse in case the assholes downstairs want to visit." Her sudden tears threw him off. In his confusion, he pulled the prints out of her hands before wiping her tears away. "What's wrong?" 

"Nothing, it's nothing." Nadia laughed as she launched herself into his arms. She didn't care that he grunted from the shock of her action, or that she crumpled the blueprints. "When did you do this? How did you do this?" 

"I had someone else do all the work. I just paid the money." He smiled when she began to cry again and felt himself sighing in relief when he realized that she cried tears of joy. "What do you think?" 

"It's just... I can't..." Nadia sat back, amazed by what she'd been given. "I'm moving to paradise!" 

"No, we are." Andraemalek stood and smiled down at her while squealed in delight. This was what he liked to see; that particular sparkle in her eyes and the beautiful, yet infectious smile of hers always served to make his stomach flutter. "It'll take about a year to build, so it's up to you if we stay at the manor or go somewhere else." 

"Let's stay here." Nadia stood and pulled his arms around her. In just a few months she went from college student to a woman who'd fallen in love with a demon, developed a very large extended family, and avenged her parents, even if it wasn't the way she'd planned. One thing was certain; she'd gotten worlds more than she expected when she began her quest for revenge. All that was left was to make the most out of the life she'd been given. "Let's go tell the others."

________

And that concludes the story of Nadia and Andrae. Thank you so much for your support and comments. And yes, there will be a sequel in the next few weeks so keep an eye out. P.