by S. I. Hayes
When we reached the auditorium it was quiet, aside from a few moans from the injured. I scanned the room, then I saw movement over one of the cots.
“Hey, what are you doing?” I shouted. The figure turned to me with a blood soaked smile. “Greisen?”
As he turned, what I thought was a blanket over his shoulders opened up to two large green and black wings.
“What the fuck are you?”
“Nothing, if not your superior in every way,” he growled, rubbing his palms together. The blood on his hands was dark and thick, like he’d been spelunking inside the one lying now dead before him.
“What have you done?”
“Oh, just a little Halfling magic.” He reached inside the corpse and pulled out a bone blade. The room filled with a terrible stench.
“Cover your mouth, it’s a poison gas.” Alewar ground out through clenched teeth. “We need to get down wind of it, it won’t last long, only on the unsheathing.”
I nodded as he grabbed me and ran, bouncing off the stage as Greisen flew at us, the blade raised. Alewar countered and they just barely missed my face. Coming down, we side stepped bodies all torn to shreds, his dirty work obviously. I was glad we had saved the Otherkind we could find in the courtyards. This bunch was in serious trouble. I hoped the gas wouldn’t do them in now.
As I was put down and the two engaged, I heard a slamming at the doors, followed by swearing. I knew that voice, I knew my man!
“KEEGAN! I screamed at the top of my lungs.
“Not again.” I heard Greisen growl as the blades clashed.
The banging got louder and I ran for the doors. Finding them covered in debris, I used my force push to slam them out of the way and slid the bolt free. The doors slammed open and I was in Keegan’s arms.
“Baby!” I kissed his lips urgently, then turned his attention to the fighting. “You gotta help him. Greisen, he’s some kind of monster!”
“You’re telling me.” Keegan kissed me again and ran full tilt into the fray, leaving me with what looked like an exhausted Aella. She slumped down against the opened doors, her scales raised as she panted hard and her wings folding protectively around her like a cocoon.
“Aella, are you alright?” I asked, feeling light headed myself suddenly, the opening of the door had brought the gas rushing toward us. I slumped down next to her, I needed rest, I need blood, I needed this cold patch of dirt...
Chapter 90 Keegan
THE TWO OF THEM FIGHTING with weapons pissed me off, I wanted to get my hands on Greisen, he needed to suffer for all of the shit he’d pulled. From his manipulation of me and mine to this disaster, it all stemmed from him. I shoved the Angelica root into my mouth and slammed into the fray, Hans’ sword shattered the two between it. They backed off, confused and breathing heavy. I pointed at Greisen.
“You owe me a life, Charles’ life is on your head, you murderous sadistic freak.”
“I’m not the sadist here. And as far as freaks go, you would know.” Greisen tipped his head at me like one would tip a hat, then flicked his fingers at me, splattering blood and muck on my still bare chest.
“Is that all you got.”
“Give it a moment.”
I felt warmth as I rushed at him, not caring to wait, the other who had been fighting him also ran for him. As he tried to take flight, I heard a screech and the ceiling collapsed around us as Hans came crashing through, grabbing him by the head as we grabbed his midsection, each going in a different direction. We tore with such force, that his body ripped into three chunks and hit the ground, I had his upper body, the other had his lower and Hans still had his head in his talons as he flew away.
I panted and started to convulse, my whole body twitching. Fuck, what was wrong with me?
The tall guy that was with Ryane came over to me, wide eyed.
“Drink the blood, it’ll save you,” he demanded, pointing at what was left of Greisen. I could barely move. My body was paralyzed. He picked up the torso and got the upper portion against my gaping mouth, the blood spilling into it. Fortunately, I could still swallow. I watched as a tiny little red haired woman slammed her whole body into the tall man, who oddly reminded me of Sig. Sig, as my body healed, I began to panic, hoping that Hans got him the skull in time.
“Is that the Vampire you were supposed to marry?” the tall guy asked the little woman.
She looked down at me and nodded. Who were these people?
I sat up, confused. “Who?”
“Marigold Slighfodt, I was the Fey you were supposed to marry.”
“I’m sorry about that.” I shook my head. “I didn’t even know about it, to be honest.” I tried to stand and lost my footing. The tall one lifted me easily, I was surprised. “You are?”
“Alewar. Guardian to the Lady Marigold.”
It looked like more to me, but I wasn’t going to say anything, I knew those rules too well. “I need to get out of here and back to Sig.”
“I must advise you to stay here, the only one going to him now is his mate.”
“Aella is already gone,” Mary shouted as she had walked toward the doors. “Your woman is unconscious, bring that body, she needs the blood, a lot of them do. I just hope a swallow is enough!”
chapter 91 Aella
WHEN I OPENED MY EYES, after only a few seconds rest I found Ryane knocked out beside me. I needed to get back to Sig. I saw the carnage that became of Greisen, now all that mattered was getting back to my lover, my man, whatever you wanted to call him, he was mine. She was down, Keegan was too far away. I hoped she would forgive me, but there was no time to ask for permission. I grabbed her by the head and pulled my Dragon forward enough to rip into her throat and draw blood. More Pureblood would invigorate me, heal me and help me fly again. I needed my strength, I needed the speed. I needed to be the truest me. I pulled a bit of my acid to my tongue and used it to cauterize the wound until it could heal and laid her down, then I took to the air while none paid me any mind.
NO! NO! NO! I LANDED at the base of the cars to find Hans with his head in his hands and Sig’s sword at his feet. A Dragon’s sword at their feet means only one thing.
Death.
“No, Baby.” I pushed Hans out of the way, but he grabbed me, pulling me away.
“You can’t save him. He’s already gone,” Hans shouted at me. “Just back away, he’s a fire Dragon, it’s dangerous to get too close.”
“I don’t care!” I fought him, my wings coming out, thrashing and cutting into him, but he held me through it as Sig’s body went up in flames right before my eyes. He pulled me back as I watched in horror, the body consumed in flames.
They burned white hot, then blue, and then the car itself ignited, exploding, and I collapsed.
That was it, my chest, my heart was torn out, I couldn’t breathe, I sobbed with my face in the filthy concrete, feeling like I was the one consumed in flames.
I felt hands on me and looked up to see Keegan and Ryane both choking back their own tears.
“There was nothing more we could do,” Keegan whispered. “Come on, come home with us.” He gingerly put his arm around me and I fell into him. I didn’t know what else to do.
“Um, if I might?” Hans stopped us. We turned, looking at him. We were all exhausted, you could see and feel it between us.
“You may not want to leave just yet. Not unless you want to leave him here, confused and lost. Without a trigger, there is no memory on resurrection.” He looked at Alewar sadly. “I’m sorry we were not there for yours, my son.”
“Son, wait, I thought you were Sig’s father?” Keegan asked, perturbed.
“I am, and that is his twin brother.”
I shook my head. “Are you telling me he’s not dead?”
“I’m telling you he’s quite dead, but that he will resurrect and if you leave, he will be naked, cold, hungry and very alone. So you may want to camp out.” Hans smiled. “We Rembrandt males all become Phoenix.”
I ran from
Keegan to Hans, jumping on him and kissing his mouth. “Thank you, thank you for being you, for being alive, for whatever you are and have done.” I looked at Keegan and Ryane. “You go, I’m waiting. I want to see him when he comes back!”
“I’m not going anywhere.” Ryane crossed her arms. “Especially considering this whole area is going to be crawling with cops in about ten minutes. We’re gonna have to hide and then hope he doesn’t just pop up as they are searching the place!”
“How will he resurrect?”
“Damned if I know how, we just do, there’s fire and smoke and the smell of sulfur, then there we are in a circle of flames.”
I nodded. Well, then it’s to the rooftops to watch for it.”
Chapter 92 Ryane
AELLA AND I RETREATED to a high-rise so that we could see the street and the surrounding areas. Hans said that Sig may not resurrect in the exact spot he died, so we had to be able to see everything around us. While Keegan wanted to stay, there was much to be done in the dark hours. He alone could stop the police from doing any more harm. Using my phone, he found that his father had arrived at the gates and was already laying the groundwork that would get the rest of the Deviant Class out without incident. Alewar took him back to Grigori, leaving us to watch for Sig. I had sent Hans to Sam’s to get Sig clothes. It didn’t take him long to return.
“I’m sorry that this all happened. Sig was my fault, I let Greisen poison me.”
“Nonsense, child. Did you know what was happening? That you two were connected?” Hans asked straightly.
She shook her head no.
“Then you cannot be blamed. It’s your bond, your love that will make his resurrection possible.” Hans put his arm around her. “You are a brave young woman to love with your whole heart. To dedicate yourself to so many.”
“You know about that?”
“I heard you telling Keegan. It is an honorable sacrifice to make. You will live long and you will love for eternity.”
I smiled, sitting on the blacktop roof watching the EMS trucks pack up as they had nothing to do. There were no people affected by the explosion. Not that they could find, there was nothing left of my Siggy. The police taped off the entire area and then they too eventually left. Aella sat down next to me, leaning against me to keep upright. Hours went by and soon the darkness began to give way to dawn.
Just as the first rays of light hit the street Hans began to sit forward. “There, just off the corner of the Coffee house, Twitchez.”
I looked down at the ground as Aella stood up, unfurling her wings, grabbing the clothes and making ready to dive. “Give it a moment, he did say large ball of flames.”
“Dragon, immune.” She dove off the high-rise, headed for the flash of light that began to flicker and grow. It started off small then suddenly, as she hit, it rushed up like a great wall, encircling her and swallowing her whole.
“Aella!” I shouted, but Hans held me back from being stupid and almost falling off the roof.
“Watch.”
The circle of fire seemed to breathe as it lowered and raised, then finally fell, revealing Aella and in her arms, a body that couldn’t be anyone except Siegfried Rembrandt.
Chapter 94 Sig
DEATH. I don’t recommend it. There isn’t much to do when you’re a Dragon waiting to come back through the veil. Moments feel like years, and hours, don’t even get me started. There’s no one to talk to and when you’re a talker, well that is Dragon Hell. So I went to Hell. It wasn’t fun. What kept me going was the feeling in my incorporeal stomach, the love in my spiritual heart, the connection to Aella, to Ryane. I even felt Keegan and the Pup.
Coming back, that I’d do again. What a rush, like flying, being on a roller coaster, while at the same time fucking and eating copious amounts of chocolate! My whole body felt like it was coming, like being reborn to the first orgasm I ever had.
I opened my eyes looking into hers and smiled. I was freezing and hot at the same time and had the biggest hardon imaginable. I immediately grabbed her by those black, purple and blonde curls and devoured her mouth, licked down her neck and nuzzled into her chest. Through a rugby jersey?
“I-Is.” I coughed, it was as though I hadn’t spoken in years. “Is this Keegan’s?”
She smiled. “Long story, baby.”
I inhaled. “Are we near a coffee shop? I really need a double espresso with milk.”
She bent down and kissed me. “Anything you want baby. Let’s just get you in these clothes and then anything you want.”
“Prepared aren’t we? How did you know? I mean that I’d...”
“That you’d come back to us?”
“Hope, and your father insisted that you loved me enough.” She smiled meekly at me. I pulled on the jeans, wrangling my cock down the leg. He wasn’t happy, what he wanted was warm Aella pussy. Later, I promised him, my balls kicked, making me sure I would deliver. That’s when I realized my piercings were gone.
“Gonna have to go through all that again.” I groaned, thinking of the healing time. “Babe, would you like my cock even without the ladder?”
She blushed to her ears. “I um, I’m sure I would. Can we discuss this when Ryane isn’t standing three feet away, trying not to bust from not hugging you?”
I looked up to see my best friend rocking on the balls of her feet, near to jumping as she stared at me. “Are you waiting for an invitation, cuz that’s only in mo-”
She ran to me, wrapping her little self around me, laying kisses all over my cheeks. “I thought we lost you! What would I have done without my running buddy! My sanity would have come into serious question! I need my level in this crazy group!”
“Well, I’m as level as they come.” I laughed, hugging her and swinging her around before peeling her off of me and putting her on the ground.
“Father, thank you for not giving up on me.” I hugged him tightly.
“I wouldn’t do that son.” He looked around. “My time here must come to an end. I need you to take something and give it to Keegan.” He pulled out his sword. “It will call me if he has need of me. As a Phoenix, you no longer need to serve him if you choose not to for your immortality. It is yours and yours alone. You show your fealty by giving your sword up.”
I nodded, taking the weapon.
“Baby?” Aella questioned, touching my back. I jumped from the sudden sensation, it had been a long time since I’d had any feeling along my spine.
“Ah, that tickles.”
“Your brands, they’re gone.”
I reached, feeling my back, “Wow, it’s as smooth as my cock. I really am complete and renewed. I’m a new man, a new species. Hell, does this mean technically I’m a virgin again, Father?”
He turned to stuttering, “I w-well, son I- I don’t-”
“Ha, I’m fucking with you.” I winked at Aella who turned crimson, pulling down on the jersey, I could smell what she was thinking, I needed to get her home and fast.
“Father, it’s been an experience, I thank you for saving my ass.”
“Son, you know where to find me.”
“I do.”
I watched as he flew away, then turned to Ryane. “So how are we getting out of here?”
She shrugged, “Walking I guess, unless one of you wants to fly me over to Grigori and Keegan.”
“Yeah, let’s do that.” Aella nodded, just as a big pickup truck blew through the police tape, Gage’s head popping out of the driver’s side.
“Somebody need a ride?” He howled, a full bodied wolves howl, Kendall, beside him laughing.
“Guessin’ I don’t need that ride after all.” Ryane hugged me again. “You go and get some... Rest. We’ll grab you later and we’ll figure everything else out from there.”
“That sounds like a plan.” I wrapped my arms around Aella and squeezed. She held on to me and leaned against me, and I was quickly packing a semi. Her hand reached between us and she gave me a gentle caress. I groaned as Ryane climbed up into
the truck, my head dropping onto her shoulder.
“Hmm, I need to be inside you as soon as possible.”
“I know a nice standing of trees about a mile from here, if you promise not to set them on fire.”
I turned her to me, kissing her, unfurling my wings, they lifted up and felt different, lighter, more agile.
“Oh, Sig,” Aella cooed, “they’re beautiful.”
I looked to see that my wings were a brilliant white, trimmed in red and gold. The black that once covered me was gone, replaced by bright ruddy reds. I was damn near glowing.
“They are almost angelic.” She smiled. “Let’s see if I can sully them.” She kissed me hard, biting my lip and I jumped back as I realized she had her wings too.
“You broke your curse?” I lifted her with a laugh, pulling her into the sky.
“I did.” I pulled her into me, letting our wings glide us on the updrafts as I slipped my hand up her thighs. She bit her lip as I found her sweet spot, wet and ready for me. I cupped an arm around her as I kept us in the air, my other hand working her delicate flesh, I loved to hear her moan.
“Yes, come on Aella... Come for me baby... It’s music to my ears.”