RW1 Ravyn's blood

by Downs Jana

  A sudden burst of light lit up the sky like a Fourth of July firework.

  “Oh, sweet Jesus!” Dillian gasped.

  “Holy shit!” another guard stammered. A large hole of light seemed to project itself in the area just above the tree line.

  “What the hell is it?” Marco asked.

  “Aliens?” another guy, whom Dillian had never met, offered stupidly. Another brilliant slash of green light sent them all scattering. None waited around to see the six figures dropping out of the sky.

  * * * *

  Dageus lifted his nose to the air and sniffed. “We’re in the Jaguar territory outside of the city. Right on target. Twelve shifters in the woods plus the six scouts on the outside of the meadow.”

  Salvatore cast an impressed glance at the Ravyn. His nose was absolutely phenomenal, even better than his last reincarnation.

  “We can take them over then?” Tony asked. Dageus nodded his agreement.

  Salvatore drew a deep breath. “That really isn’t necessary. We have no need to take over a colony of shifters. I’d prefer to impact the community as little as possible. Be discreet.”

  They all bowed to their lord. “As you wish.”

  They slipped from the forest in absolute silence. “I need Druas, Allasandro, and Dageus to go scout the area and attempt to find us some place to stay. Our Prince will need somewhere to rest when the sun rises.” The three nodded.

  “Are you going to be all right with just you and Germany?” Dageus asked. They had never divided their forces so greatly. They worked best together.

  “No one knows we’re here, and we really need the best trackers on the job, and you guys are it. We’ll be fine. Get on it.”

  “Where do you suppose we should go first?” Druas asked as they took the five-mile jog into town.

  “Follow Dageus’s nose,” Allasandro offered with a grin.

  “That’s not a bad idea.”

  Dageus looked at the two of them. “What am I, a scent hound?”

  Druas and Allasandro grinned.

  “Just find us some food,” Dru said, pushing him a few steps and causing him to stumble.

  Dageus growled at him as he lifted his nose to the air and sniffed. Instantly, a million different smells assaulted his nose. Something smelled vaguely of food, and he took off in the general direction, cutting across a park and a four-lane highway. Cars honked their horns at his passing, but he paid no attention.

  He suddenly found himself standing outside a building with blazing-yellow arches. One sniff at the contents of the establishment had him cringing. Yuck! That wasn’t food. That was preservatives and oil. He grimaced as he saw the humans inside eating their meals in delight. Dear Gods, what was wrong with these people? Demons had weird tastes in food but nothing like that!

  “Good Lord! What is that smell?” Druas asked, his nose wrinkling as he approached. “I thought you were supposed to be finding food, not poisons!” he added the closer he got. Dageus shrugged.

  “It is edible.”

  Allasandro gagged. “Says who?” They all turned from the monstrosity and began to jog away from the horror.

  “Anything else, Dageus?” He nodded and took off.

  “What’s a ‘supermarket’?” Dru wondered as they walked through the automatic doors that slid open at their entrance.

  “What magick is this?” Allasandro asked as the door drew back on its own.

  “I don’t feel any sort of magick here.”

  Dageus ignored the two of them and followed his nose to the hot bar at the center of the place.

  “Look, Dageus, we found housing listings!” Dru said eagerly, holding up the Realty Now! paper.

  “Food,” he grunted in return. Their eyes widened in appreciation. Baked chicken by the dozen lay under heat lamps next to pasta and a variety of other unidentifiable foods.

  “Awesome. How do we carry it?” Ally asked.

  “Got it,” Dru said, grabbing a shopping cart. They began to pile the food inside the cart. They hit the fresh fruit and vegetable section next.

  “I think we’ve got enough,” Dageus said when the mountain of food began to overflow.

  “For now we do,” Dru agreed. They turned and made their way to front entrance.

  “Hey!” an irritated voice called from behind them. “Are you going to pay for that?” They glanced at the petite young woman who had her hands on her hips and her legs splayed as if she was a warrior looking for battle.

  “Excuse me?” Allasandro asked, looking her up and down in appreciation. The makeup was a little over done, and the clothes were a bit slutty, but then that was just Allasandro’s style. Druas and Dageus both felt the air shimmer with Allasandro’s magick.

  “Of course, little one. In fact we have already paid for it with your currency.”

  The girl’s eyes dilated as Allasandro wove his way into her mind.

  “I was just making sure,” she said, smiling up at Allasandro.

  “What’s your name, princess?”

  Dageus and Druas rolled their eyes. The pet names had started. She shifted nervously and tucked a stray strand of platinum-blonde hair behind her ear, which had half a dozen piercings.

  “Dana.”

  He gave her that come-hither smile he was famous for.

  “Ally-cat,” Dageus warned. The girl was completely under his influence now. Just because she was interested didn’t mean that Ally wasn’t tweaking her inhibitions.

  “I’ll share,” Ally offered, a purely predatory look in his eyes.

  “Vow of chastity, remember?” Dageus snorted. Allasandro extended one hand toward her and smoothed a stray hair off her forehead. Druas grabbed his hand and wrenched it away from her. “Enough, brother.”

  Allasandro hissed at his interference.

  “You’re such a man-whore, Allasandro,” Dageus growled.

  “We need transportation you knuckleheads,” Allasandro gritted out. “And you’ve got a vehicle transporter of some kind, don’t you, precious?”

  She smiled at him, enchanted, and nodded.

  “Yeah. I’ll drive you wherever you need to go.” The double entendre in her words caused the brothers to snort.

  “Fine. Let’s go. Get your little girlfriend to bring the vehicle around.”

  * * * *

  “Oh god! Oh god! Oh god! Oh god!” Dana screamed as she rode Allasandro’s slim hips in the back seat of her SUV. He bucked beneath her, sending her into an orgasm. He rolled her to her back as she jerked, pounding her, looking for his own release.

  “Jesus Christ. Can you guys keep it down?” Dru asked from the passenger seat, refraining from looking over his shoulder at the noises in the back seat. Dageus sighed and kept his eyes doggedly on the road in front of him. The vehicle had taken some getting used to. On Demontia they had similar transporters, but they were all operated by hand controls. The foot pedals on these human contraptions were a bitch to operate.

  “We’re almost there. Hopefully Tony won’t kill us for taking so long,” Dageus said, looking at the map they’d picked up and referring to the listing for the home just east of Haven where the realty magazine had led them. It was a lavish estate, easy to defend, the sort of place fit for a Prince.

  “Oh, God, Allasandro, more!” Dana’s voice was seriously irritating the demons now. The Ravyns were known for their skills in battle, in loyalty, and in the bedroom but Allasandro took it a bit far.

  “Tell her to shut up before I shut her up!” Druas growled. Allasandro clamped a hand on her mouth to dampen her cries. “Thank you!” Dageus’s head was starting to pound. The driveway they were looking for loomed on their left. They had arrived.

  “About time you picked us up,” Tony said, standing behind Salvatore as he let himself into the car.

  “You’ve secured us residence and food then?” Salvatore asked securing his belt.

  His eyes drifted to the lovely naked woman reclining against Allasandro’s chest, who was snoring lightly in the seatless
area of the car in the very back to make room for the two extra Ravyns and the Prince.

  “Well hello,” the Prince commented, a smile breaking across his face.

  Allasandro’s eyes opened briefly, and a grin was given in return.

  “After we unload the food, can you kindly escort this beautiful young woman back to her home, wherever that may be?”

  Allasandro nodded before drifting back to sleep.

  Chapter Ten

  It took exactly two weeks since their arrival before Salvatore started to salivate over the tickets to the Petite Morte’s newest production, The Seduction of Man. Watching Tony and Salvatore have it out over whether or not it was safe to go was the best entertainment Dageus had seen since they’d arrived.

  “My lord, I don’t think it would be a wise decision to get you among the crowds. We’ve just now got the rest of your servants from Demontia. They’re not even settled in the servants’ quarters. We haven’t got a guard schedule working yet, and I haven’t briefed them with the use of the Internet and neuro-net impulses,” Tony hedged, trying to get the idea out of his head as quickly as possible. He hadn’t had the opportunity to get his troops savvy with the ins and outs of the world. Typically they were debriefed by a demon technology that would transplant whatever knowledge that Tony wanted them to know directly into their cerebral cortex. Neuro-net impulses were the fastest means of learning in the universes. The Internet of this world was the slower option but still useable. It was pretty amazing how similar the worlds of Demontia and Earth were, even though in some things one world far outclass the other and vice versa. The excuse was actually a good one if he could get his lord to prescribe to the notion.

  Salvatore’s eyes narrowed, and they all groaned. “Are you telling me that even here, a billion miles from Desmond’s kingdom in a place which you all assured me would grant me more freedom, this is to become another gilded cage? Are you telling me to simply ignore my hobbies and desires?”

  They all sighed as one. They were lost.

  Tight-lipped, Tony bowed. “Of course not, my lord. We’ll arrange it.”

  Salvatore grinned. “Excellent. Send in my concubines.”

  The Ravyns looked at him in shock.

  Salvatore grinned. “You’ve all worked so hard to bring me happiness. I feel like I should repay you all for your kindness.”

  Allasandro let out a whoop of joy as six delicious demon females with nothing on but their eager smiles stepped through the door. Dageus’s eyes hit the floor, and a blush spread over his cheeks. A beautiful blonde approached him and ran a hand over his chest. He grabbed her hand and put her away from him.

  “No thank you,” he said, feeling his desire shrivel as he caught sight of her bare breasts pressed against his chest. “Stop,” he said, stepping away from her again. He glanced to either side of him, trying to elicit the aid of his brothers, only to find them already locked in passionate embraces. Touching this female did nothing for him. Just go with it, he told himself. Don’t insult Salvatore by being horrified by his gift.

  “My lord, let me…” she said, running her hands over him, trying to stroke his limp member into life. He pushed her away again. He couldn’t let the others realize he didn’t like this female, any female for that matter, no matter how pretty she was. He didn’t want to have to fantasize about his imaginary male lover just to get aroused with a woman anymore. He was done with that. He was done with wanting and opening his eyes to find himself face-to-face with his own inadequacies. Angelina had been about proving that he was a man who definitely wouldn’t be mistaken for some prostitute in Freka. Even that victory had been hollow when he’d been unable to truly enjoy himself without the fantasy man in his head. Salvatore’s concubine dropped to her knees before him and gave him a curious look. Realization dawned on her face.

  “You don’t like females, do you?” she asked.

  He blushed again and tried to back away. She shook her head and held a finger to her lips.

  “Don’t worry, my lord. Your secret is safe with me.” With a shake of her head, her magick singed the air.

  He cocked his head in question. What was she doing? Her hair shortened and became rugged on edges. Her eyes changed to a piercing blue. She was a Shape Changeling, he realized with a start. They were extremely rare in Demontia. No wonder Salvatore valued these six among all of his other girls.

  “I see your desire, my lord,” she said. Her voice alone remained unchanged. “He is beautiful,” she commented, unlacing his pants and pulling his now semi-erect penis free.

  “He doesn’t exist,” he murmured, gripping her now short blond hair and pumping his cock in between her lips. From this angle he could almost imagine…

  He was on his knees before a fireplace he’d never seen before, sucking and licking at his fantasy lover’s straining cock.

  “Oh, goddess, yes, darling. I love that mouth of yours, my love. Oh god, Kal! I love you!” He tasted the salty sweet taste of his pre-cum. Yes. This is exactly where I want to be. I love you. He chanted again and again internally. I love you… what was his name?

  “Oh, Goddess…” His lover sighed, filling his mouth with the sweet taste of cum. Eagerly he sucked, swallowing it all in two great gulps.

  He opened his eyes with a start and looked down at the woman at his feet. No. His mind protested. This wasn’t right. He didn’t want this.

  “Get off me now,” he growled, his voice so vicious that he was startled by its intensity.

  “But—” she protested. He gave her no room for argument.

  “I took a vow of chastity for his majesty. Get away from me,” he snarled. He knew he was hiding behind his vow, but he couldn’t express his frustration and embarrassment.

  Weeping, she left the room. His back hit the wall, and he slid to the floor, sighing in relief. Thank God she was gone. He would have to content himself with watching his brothers take their pleasure.

  Chapter Eleven

  When the five Ravyns met at the bottom of the staircase that led into La Petite Morte’s theater, everyone stared. Dressed to kill, they looked every inch like well-polished aristocrats with enough arrogance and danger to get every being in the building sexed up. Germany was the one who had figured out how to get the human tailor to come to the house to take their measurements and dress them. Their formal wear that they’d brought from Demontia looked centuries behind the current human fashion trends, looking like something out of a Renaissance painting rather than a current fashion magazine. Dageus wore a black tuxedo, identical to those of his brothers, with a golden cummerbund and matching silk tie.

  “You all look ravishing,” their Prince commented with a grin.

  His own tux was a deep black with burgundy accents that emphasized his eyes.

  “Thank you, my lord,” they said in unison. Tony broke from the pack and approached Salvatore.

  “My lord, we’ve got a couple ideas on how to keep you safe and dispose of Desmond,” he said quietly.

  Salvatore rolled his eyes. “Not tonight, Tony. For the sake of my sanity, let me enjoy my ballet.” Tony’s lips pursed, but he nodded.

  “My lord, Prince Salvatore?” a voice asked meekly to their right. The Ravyns tensed, and their eyes narrowed at the short, middle-aged vampire speaking to them.

  “Yes,” Salvatore replied. “Who’s asking?”

  The little vampire with his balding head bowed low and handed their lord an envelope with the seal of La Petite Morte’s symbol of a dozen interlocking and embracing lovers on it.

  “This is from the Master of Haven, his lordship, Alex, as well as from his family and troupe here at La Petite Morte. We would be most honored if the demon Prince would be our guest in the VIP booth this night.”

  Salvatore’s eyes lit up like a kid in a candy store. “I would be pleased to accept the invitation from his Master. But tell me, why doesn’t he come himself?”

  The little vampire smiled gently. “The Master heard that your Ravyns had bought your ticket
s for this evening’s performance and decided that he would take over the main role himself to give you the proper viewing of it. He is even now readying for the stage.”

  Salvatore clapped his hands in delight. “He hasn’t been on stage since his lover disappeared six years ago! Oh what a treat we are in for!”

  The vampire smiled, revealing crooked pointed canines. “Allow me to show you the way.” The Ravyns shrugged and followed uneasily behind the two chatting men.

  The VIP booth was red velvet, and each chair was a soft down-like material that caused them all to sigh in appreciation as they sunk into the cushioned embraces. Maybe this experience wouldn’t be so bad after all.

  Tony’s eyes narrowed. “What the hell are you all doing sitting down? We’re bodyguards. This isn’t a pleasure trip. Get your asses up and in position in case of a surprise attack.” They all groaned. Nothing had changed.

  Salvatore’s eyes were rapt with attention as the lights dimmed and the curtains opened to reveal four men, four “humans” dressed in delicate sheer clothing that sparkled with the lights. They danced around one another in joy, happily enjoying the garden, the Eden, that they shared. Dageus couldn’t drag his gaze from the twisting forms of the dancers. This all looked so familiar. The play progressed, and at the edge of the stage a single being danced among the shadows. She slid from them at last, and all the human males danced around her, begging for her attentions.

  “That is Maddeline. She’s the second oldest of the line,” Salvatore explained, noting his interest. The music turned into a beautiful waltz, and other dancers poured from behind the stage and took up partners, but not all of them had someone to dance with. A cool fog swirled around their feet, and the crowd gasped, turning their attention to the ceiling. Delicate thin lights lit up the upper limits, revealing vampires poised like beautiful statues before they swept down among the crowd, picking partners from the audience as well as the stage.