“I wouldn’t recommend that, vampire,” the demon said. He looked Gage directly in his eyes and Gage watched as the entire eye turned black as onyx. Even though Gage was a powerful vampire, he knew this demon was stronger. Abaddon was once an angel, cast out of Heaven by God himself for his wicked ways.
“I will look into Samuel’s arrests,” Gage told him, brushing off the unspoken threat. “If I see that his behavior is out of line, then I will deal with it. You will not come within a mile of my family. And don’t ever try to get into my house again.”
The demon stood. “Thank you for your understanding and quick resolution of this matter.” He walked lightly and without a care towards the door. Before he left, he turned back to Gage. “We will talk soon,” he said as he smiled a devious grin, and then he left in a cloud of smoke.
Once the demon was gone, Gage’s family surrounded him.
“What the fuck was that?” Leigh asked. “I have seen one or two demons in my time, but none of them were that powerful.”
“That wasn’t just any demon,” Angel said.
“I thought it was an angel,” Jade said. “I saw his wings.”
“What wings?” Gage asked.
“The black wings he has. They look like they are made of black diamonds. They even shine like it.” Jade walked away from her family then as if she had told them everything they needed to know about the man who just left.
“I don’t know if I am more concerned that she is right, or that she saw his wings,” Angel said.
“I am so confused,” Brea said. “But suddenly, I feel the need to clean the house. With bleach. Lots of it.”
“Gonna need something more powerful than bleach,” Frankie said. “I’ll go get my things.”
“I’ll help you,” Jacque told her as he followed her to her room.
“And I am gonna call Sam home,” Gage said. “We need to talk about his behavior anyway. It’s been a long time coming now.”
“I had hoped he would come out of it,” Angel said, shaking his head.
“You guys can’t expect him to change who he is overnight,” Brea pointed out. “I know he is a vampire now, but he has been a police officer for more years than I have been alive. Tread lightly, ok?”
“We were giving him space, Love,” Angel told her, “But now he has stepped on a powerful demon’s toes and we must deal with it.”
CHAPTER THREE
“I’m not actually busting them,” Samuel clarified for his new family. “I just get their asses to the station and give them a little nudge to confess.” Of course, when Angel had called him home, he came right away.
“I understand, Mon Ami,” Angel said, “But it seems that at least one of those men you gave a little push to is working for someone far more powerful than we are.”
“I didn’t even know demons existed,” Samuel said, shaking his bald head. “I mean, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised. Before I met you guys, the only supernatural creatures I was aware of were vamps and wolves. Now, there are dragons and ghosts and fey. I have met a Goddess, for crying out loud. She even kissed me. So, why not demons?”
“It’s not just any demon,” Gage told him. “I received a visit from Abaddon. The fucking Demon of Destruction. He is one sick mother fucker. From the research we have, he used to be one bad ass angel. Then he pissed off God and was sent to Hell. I guess he got bored there, because now he is working on Earth as a fucking drug lord.”
“Shit, I am sorry,” Samuel said. “It’s just that I don’t have a purpose here like the rest of you. I don’t know where I fit in. I don’t do music, I don’t play, and I don’t know shit about public relations. All I have ever known is being a cop. I don’t know how to let that go.”
“I told you,” Sebastian chimed in, “You are now part of Angel’s security force. That means that you not only protect the Clan Leader, you protect Gage as well. You are the fucking royal guard!”
Gage rolled his eyes. “Can we please refrain from calling anything about me royal?”
“Sure thing, your Majesty,” Sebastian grinned at him. “Does that include referring to you as a royal pain in the ass?”
“Fuck you,” Gage grumbled.
“No thanks,” Sebastian replied. “I’ve got my wife. Besides, you ain’t my type.”
“Can we get on with this?” Frankie asked, interrupting the banter. She loved how her brothers teased each other, but at the moment, there were much more important things to take care of.
Frankie had set up an altar in the living room where her family gathered. Jade and Toni were the only ones not present, and that was because they were children. Of course, Jade was told that she was needed to babysit Toni, which was partially true. Toni was sleeping, but she could wake at any time and it was important that her parents focus their attention on the problem at hand.
Frankie lit the candles one by one, whispering a blessing over each one. “I need everyone to gather around and hold hands. You know how this works by now.” She watched as her family did as she asked. Angel and Brea stepped up first, Sebastian and Jessica followed. Frankie smiled. She loved that her best friend was so happy with her vampire. Rebel and Leigh were in the middle along with Samuel, and then Gage and Serena. Jacque stepped between Serena and Frankie and completed the circle.
Frankie pulled in a deep breath and began. “Dearest Goddess, we ask for your guidance. An evil has been present in this house and we need to cleanse it.”
The air shifted slightly and Azerial appeared inside the circle. She looked around each member of the family and then around the room. “This home has been touched by evil,” she said, walking out of the circle of candles. Everyone watched as she roamed around the room. “This is not good, not good at all,” she was saying to herself. She turned abruptly and stared at Frankie. “Who let the demon into this home?”
“He fooled the guards into believing he was here to seek peaceful council with Gage,” Frankie told her. “I don’t think they knew who he was.”
“I know who he is,” she muttered. “I recognize the stench of his will. Abaddon has been in your home and now we must ward it from his evil. Now that he has been here, it will be harder to keep him out. He has left his signature everywhere.” She crinkled her nose as if she smelled something foul.
“What can we do?” Frankie asked her.
“What was it he wanted to speak with Gage about?”
Gage gave her the story in detail. Azerial paled when he mentioned it was Samuel who got the demon’s attention. She moved with only a thought to stand in front of him. She leaned in close and seemed to be sniffing the air around him.
“I do not smell his evil on you,” she said. She placed her hand on his shoulder and closed her eyes. She was feeling for any trace of the demon’s signature on his soul. When she found nothing, she said, “This is good. He has not claimed you as one of his own yet.”
“What?” Samuel barked. “What the hell does that mean, claimed me? I am nobody’s.” The thought of being owned by anyone was enough to make Sam grit his teeth, but a demon was downright unthinkable.
Azerial smiled, sensing his discomfort. “But you are,” she said. “You are a soldier of good and therefore, you are mine.”
Samuel’s cock stirred slightly in his jeans when she accented the word mine. That damned thing was always waking up at all kinds of inappropriate times. It didn’t help that Azerial was gorgeous to a fault and smelled of flowers and sunshine and everything that was good and pure in the world. Just being in close proximity to her made his blood roar in his veins.
“Um, thank you, I think,” he managed to stammer out. Ok, he restructured his thinking, he didn’t belong to anyone who wasn’t a stunning goddess.
“We will start by warding the house,” Azerial began. She barked orders like a drill sergeant and the vampires were quick to do whatever she asked. They drew symbols on the walls, both inside and out, they walked with burning sage throughout the house, and they even said the prayers she told
them to say.
When it was finished, she turned to Angel. “He is up to no good,” she said. “Abaddon could have gone to the human authorities to ask them to talk to you about Samuel. He is hiding much more than you know. There is some reason he did not go through the proper channels. You must send out your men to seek what it is that Abaddon is hiding. He has effectively warded himself from entities like myself.”
“Ok, we can do that,” Angel said.
“Whoo hoo! Recon mission!” Rebel said, punching his fist into the air. Leigh rolled her eyes but didn’t say anything. The last thing she wanted was for her mate to go out sniffing out trouble from a demon, but at the same time, she knew it was necessary. He didn’t have to be so damned happy about it though.
“Hell yeah,” Gage said. “I have been itching to get out of the house for a while now.”
“You will not go,” Azerial said to Gage, effectively shutting down his enthusiasm.
“What? Why the fuck not? I mean, shit, shoot. Why is that, Goddess?”
“You are king. You must remain protected.” She turned to Angel. “You will send Rebel because he is stealthy and strong.” She ignored Leigh’s sarcastic snort. “His mate’s magic loans him power that the rest of you do not possess.” Rebel’s chest puffed out a bit and Leigh smiled ever so slightly. “Sebastian will go as well. He is fierce and powerful and possesses the ability to talk his way out of any situation. Jacque will go as well. He is your healer and can be of assistance should danger befall them.”
“I’m going,” Samuel said.
“No,” Azerial started, but Samuel didn’t let her finish.
“I am a detective. I detect. I snoop. I find clues. It’s what I do and what I am good at. Since the guys turned me, I am in better shape than I have ever been. Hell, I even shaved a few years off my appearance. I am as fit as a twenty-five year old. I am strong and I have been wondering just what my purpose is lately. This is it. What good reason do you have for not letting me go?”
“I,” ……she said, searching for the words she wanted. She didn’t have a legitimate reason not to send him. “I, I don’t wish to put you in danger,” Azerial finally admitted. “I want you to remain here, where it is safe.”
Samuel raised one eyebrow at the Goddess. He lowered his head slightly and gave her his bullshit look from under his dark lashes. “Really?”
“You know I cannot lie,” Azerial whispered. “I can’t fathom the idea of you not returning.”
Serena saw it in the Goddess’s eyes. Pain. Love. Fear. She stepped up to take her hand. “Don’t worry,” she said in a whisper. “I will protect him.”
“You must protect the king,” Azerial told her.
“I am not powerless,” Serena reminded her. She stood in front of Samuel and began chanting a fey spell. She repeated the words over and over and when she was satisfied, she stepped away. “I have hidden him from anyone who wishes him harm.”
Azerial felt some measure of relief. Not much, but a little, and that was going to have to do because it was clear that Samuel wasn’t going to lie back and let the others do the work that he was obviously more qualified to do. “All right then, he goes.”
The men wasted no time gearing up for a long night. They loaded themselves down with all manner of weapons. When they were ready to leave and armed to the teeth, they all stood in the foyer.
Frankie was gently touching the spikes on Jacque’s collar and then kissed him hard. “You come home to me,” she demanded.
“Of course,” he said with a smile.
Jessica and Leigh were making similar statements when Frankie and Serena joined hands. “We are going to do a blessing for protection,” she announced.
“I will assist,” Azerial said, taking Frankie’s hand. Frankie noticed how strong her smaller hand was and it gave her courage.
“We ask that the Gods and Goddesses to watch over our family and keep them safe from danger,” Frankie began. “See them to their goal and bring them home safely.” She talked a moment more and then tossed a handful of herbs into the air. It flittered down all around the men and some even landed on them. A feeling of peace washed over them all as they waited for the exact right time to head out into the night.
CHAPTER FOUR
“This is bullshit,” Gage roared as he entered his room, slamming the door behind him.
“No, this is good politics,” Serena told him. She was lounging on their bed with her legs crossed at the ankles.
“I hate being a king. I never wanted it. I wish I could just give it to Angel. He is king material, not me.”
“You are a good and just king,” Serena reminded him. “And I am grateful that Azerial wouldn’t let you go. You know Angel would not have either. Now stop whining.”
“Are you fucking serious?” he asked. Did she seriously just tell him to stop whining?
“Yes, I am,” she said. “Besides, being king isn’t all bad.”
“Oh, and what’s so damned good about it?”
Serena got up off the bed and went over to the chest of drawers. She opened the box on top and retrieved his crown. As she walked back to her husband, he started to back away. She kept going. “It was being king that allowed you to be with me,” she told him.
“Yeah, and I am happy for that. Now I want to keep you and shove that crown right up your mother’s ass.”
Serena giggled at the thought. “Me too, but you opened a can of worms that you can’t just shut again. Besides,” she said as his back hit the wall, “I kind of like the way you look in your crown.” She placed it on top of his head.
“I hate that thing,” he grumbled. “Put it away.”
“Humor me,” she said with a sly smile. She ran her hands over his shoulders and down his chest. “I think it makes you look sophisticated,” she whispered as she planted a small kiss on his cheek. “Handsome.” Another kiss on his neck. “Regal.” She kissed the corner of his mouth. “Sexy.” And then she took his mouth.
Gage leaned back against the wall as his wife kissed him with fervor. She bit his lip and he opened, allowing her into his mouth. He tried to stay calm and let her have the reins. Really, he did. But it wasn’t long before he was plundering her mouth. He grabbed a fist full of her red hair at the nape of her neck and bent her head to allow him better access.
When she pulled away from his kiss, Gage resisted the urge to whimper. He was supposed to be a king damn it, and kings did not whimper; even if the most delicious candy was taken from him. He wanted her. Now. He reached up to remove that damned heavy crown from his head, but Serena stopped him. “Leave it,” she commanded. She unbuttoned his shirt, kissing each new inch of flesh as she revealed it. “I like it,” she told him. When she got to the waist of his jeans and flicked the button open, he groaned and dropped his head against the wall. His cock sprang free of his pants and Serena held it in her hand.
“Being king does have its advantages,” she told him just before taking him in her mouth. It was at that point that he forgot all about the fucking crown.
Brea, Jessica, Frankie, Leigh, and Azerial were all sitting around the kitchen table. Azerial was absent-mindedly stirring the coffee Brea had placed in front of her, listening to the other women talk. Her mind was elsewhere. It was where it always was; on Samuel. She was watching him in her mind’s eye. She wanted to go with the men so badly, but knew it was a bad idea.
“Why is it a bad idea?” Leigh asked.
“Huh?” Azerial said, snapping back to the women.
“You said it was a bad idea for you to go with them, why is that?” Brea asked.
“Oh, I must have been thinking out loud,” Azerial said. She wasn’t used to other people being around. She wondered how often she actually said what she was thinking. She was going to have work on that. “I didn’t go because Abaddon would feel me near. If they get anywhere near him, I would be more of a danger to them than protection. I am keeping watch over them, though.”
“You have a thing for Sam, don�
��t you?” Leigh asked her.
“A thing?” Azerial asked.
“Yeah. I have noticed. I bet others have too, but are too chicken to call you out on it. You watch him. Every move he makes you are watching him. I see the way you look at him and I saw how you were very upset by letting him out of your sight.”
“I find that he is very intriguing,” Azerial admitted. “I really can’t seem to stay away from him.”
“Oh my God, you are in love with him,” Frankie blurted out. “Can that even happen?”
Azerial laughed. “I assure you that I am capable of love. I love all of my charges. I love all of you.”
“But he is different, isn’t he?” Leigh probed. “Don’t try to lie, either. You already said you can’t lie.”
“That is true, I cannot lie.” She drew in a deep breath and let it out on a sigh. “I suppose Samuel is different. I have never felt for anyone the way I do for him.”
“Well, try telling him. I bet he has a thing for you too. I can hear his thoughts, you know. He still hasn’t learned to shield them,” Frankie told her.
“I can never be with Samuel as you are with Jacque,” Azerial told her in a sad voice. “It is forbidden.”
Each of the women looked down into their coffee. Each of them knew what it was like to love someone they shouldn’t. Leigh, always being the one to speak her mind regardless of the consequence, said, “So what? Look at us. All of us thought our love wasn’t meant to be at some point. How can you deny yourself happiness? I mean, seriously, grow a pair.”
Azerial looked at her. “No one has ever dared talk to me that way,” she said.
“I am so sorry, Goddess,” Frankie interrupted. Crap. Leigh and her mouth were going to get them in serious trouble one day. “Leigh is new to the whole goddess thing. Please forgive her.”
Azerial smiled. “I am not offended. In fact, it is nice to have someone speak the truth. The truth is, I fear what exploring those feelings I have could mean. Why should I tell Samuel how I feel when it is a moot point? If I give up my virtue, I die. Either way, he could never really have me.”
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