Broken Angel

by Amanda Jones

  Under the velvet cover lay a packet of letters, yellowed and brittle from age, tied together with a length of black silk. He slipped the letters out and carefully opened up the one on top. They were love notes, filled with the poetic drivel that had been so popular back in that day. How any self-respecting human could put pen to paper and write this shit just to get laid was beyond him. He was about to toss the letters aside too when the signature on the bottom caught his eye. Everything was suddenly coming together. Pulling out his cell phone he flicked through his contacts, found the one he was looking for, hit send and waited as the phone rang.

  “Hello?” The low, seductive voice floated through the connection.

  The shape shifter smiled. “Philippe. It’s been a while….”

  Chapter Twenty Six

  Sergei

  Sergei was freaking out. He’d been through every grimoire in his possession with a fine-tooth comb and still nothing had worked. He found cures for demon blood poisoning, crafted the cures, and injected Yetarel. Yet nothing had worked. He followed the spells to the letter, so it wasn’t the magic. He ran his hand through his hair and blew out a sigh. It must be the blood. The shape shifter must have laced it with some kind of counter-spell that he couldn’t identify. Sergei had run up against all types of magic in his life; nothing had ever stumped him like this before. It was frustrating. But beyond that, he couldn’t bear the idea of letting the guys down. He had become a part of their crazy little family, and had no desire to watch his newfound brother suffer as he succumbed to the power and control of the blood. He’d managed to keep his panic in check so far, but the last spell he cast to figure out what was spiking the blood had come up with fuck all. He was missing something.

  Sergei leaned over to Sam and whispered in his ear. “Dude, I’m going out on the balcony for some air. I’ll be back in a few.”

  Sam nodded and turned his attention back to the spell book he was poring through. Every single fallen angel in the room had their nose in a book. If things hadn’t been so serious, it would’ve been a Kodak moment. He pulled back the drapes just enough to open the balcony door and slid it open, letting the dark drapes fall back into place behind him. Stepping out, he leaned on the balcony ledge and looked out at the city, hoping the cool breeze would blow the cobwebs out of his brain so he could latch on to some bright idea he hadn’t yet tried. The infection had started near his wrist, and had already travelled down Yetarel’s arm to his hands, and was making its way up to his elbows. The black sludge was twisting through his veins, and marring his mocha skin.

  “You won’t find it.” A smooth feminine voice floated across the balcony towards him.

  Sergei jumped, spinning around to face a dark shadow tucked up close against the wall.

  “Who are you?” he asked.

  “That’s not important. What is important is that you won’t find a cure in your books.” She stayed in the dark, but Sergei thought he could see a slight ruffle of feathers.

  “You know where I can find a cure?” Sergei asked with a raised brow.

  “I do, because I have it.” She moved slightly and the ruffle of feather seemed more pronounced.

  Sergei’s fear abated, now he was definitely interested. “I’m listening,” he said.

  There was a rustling noise as the shadow moved closer to him. There were feathers, dark as night, yet soft and downy. They moved suddenly, folding backwards to reveal their owner. She was stunningly beautiful. Her hair was snow white, tied in a long braid that hung like a rope over her shoulder. Her eyes glittered like cut diamonds; they were almost colourless with just a faint tinge of violet. Her skin was porcelain white and flawless. Those beautiful black feathers made up her wings, which she’d folded up behind her back, the tops arching just over her head. Her black cat suit hugged every curve of her body, and it was a body that would have made the centerfold of Playboy.

  Sergei cleared his throat. “I’m…”

  “Sergei. I know,” she said with a half-smile. “I’ve been watching over them for some time.” She nodded towards the apartment.

  “So, you know what’s going on here?” Sergei asked.

  “The demon blood that infected Yetarel isn’t normal blood,” she stated.

  “I noticed that. Nothing’s working.” Sergei balled up his fist on the balcony railing.

  “He was infected with the essence of pure evil,” she said, shaking her head sadly. “There is very little that can be done on this plane to cure him. However, there is something that can slow the infection down and buy him time.”

  The mysterious woman reached into her pocket and drew out a tiny glass vial. The contents sparkled with all the colours of the rainbow. Each tiny pinprick of colour seemed to be its own light source, the space around the vial glowing from within.

  “What is that?” Sergei stared in wonder, the tiny lights mesmerizing him with their beauty.

  She looked longingly down at the vial. “This is the essence of Heofon. It is pure goodness and light, basically what makes up the power of the light side. This is the only way to combat the pure darkness of Satan’s blood.”

  Sergei stood there in shock. “Satan’s blood?”

  “That’s why you weren’t able to find a cure in your grimoires. Nobody has ever recovered to be written about. This vial is not enough to cure him, but it is all that exists of the heavenly essence in the human realm. It is desperately difficult to get hold of.” She held the vial out to Sergei. “Inject him as soon as possible. He will sleep for several hours, but when he wakes he should feel better.”

  “How much time will he have?” Sergei reached out and took the vial.

  “It’s hard to say, but without it he will lose control of his own body within a day. This may buy him several weeks. You have connections in the heavens; they may be able to get you more. I only ask one thing in return,” she said.

  “Anything.” Sergei said with conviction, looking into those impenetrable diamond eyes.

  “Don’t reveal my assistance in this matter,” she requested, looking out over the balcony.

  “If that’s what you want, sure.” Sergei looked away for a moment, his panic at Yetarel’s condition receding in the wake of this strange encounter. “Can you at least tell me your name?” he asked.

  He heard a whoosh and turned around just in time to see a brief flash of her dark wings as she leapt off the balcony and took off into the night sky. He stood there alone, the sparkling vial in his hand, wondering how he was going to explain this one.

  Chapter Twenty Seven

  Bataryal

  B stretched out his hands and feet. It felt absolutely fabulous. For the first time in the last few days he wasn’t in pain, bleeding, or drugged. Turning his head to the left, he took in the face of the beautiful woman lying next to him. Life was good at the moment. In her death sleep, Mara was so still. She had fallen asleep facing him. They’d talked and kissed until she could no longer stave off the exhaustion of the past few days, her body needing the deathlike sleep to regenerate. His brow wrinkled in a slight frown as he took in Mara’s extreme pallor. It must’ve been ages since she’d fed. He’d have to help her take care of that as soon as she woke — that was definitely a cause he was willing to bleed again for.

  The bedroom door opened softly, drawing B’s attention away from Mara. Sam’s head poked in. He was about to say something when B raised his finger to his mouth to silence him. Sam raised his eyebrow and gave B a wry smile as he gave him a quick thumbs-up and closed the door silently. B smiled to himself as he looked back down at his lovely resting lady. He could still hear muted conversations from the other room. It seemed that their investigation of Sergei’s grimoires continued. B knew if anyone could find a cure for his friend it would be Sergei. He had compendiums of all of his family’s magic going back centuries. If a cure existed, Sergei would discover it.

  Mara’s eyes suddenly opened, connecting with B’s like twin emerald laser beams. Those eyes in that face calmed him more t
han any hit of salvia could. A sense of ease washed over him, taking away the anxiety that had built as Mara had slept. He knew he needed this woman more than anything else on earth, heaven, or Sheol. Words were unnecessary, B leaned in and kissed Mara gently on the lips. As he drew back, he took in her sleepy smile. For the first time in his life, B wanted to see that look on this one woman’s face every day for the rest of time.

  “You need to feed,” he whispered to her, gently cupping her cheek.

  Mara leaned her cheek into his hand and smiled. “Yes, I do.”

  “I can help you with that you know.” B stretched his neck out and gave her a cocky smile.

  Mara jacked herself up on her elbow. “B, you don’t have to do that. I know that it might be…difficult.”

  He leaned forward and planted a kiss on her forehead. “Not with you. And remember, you fed from me once before and things were fine. Well, they were fine until Sergei gave it a go.” He gave her a wry look.

  “Are you sure?” she whispered.

  “Abso-fucking-lutely.” B’s eyes smouldered as he leaned down to give her a scorching kiss.

  * * * *

  Mara

  Mara felt her stomach flip-flop as B took her mouth with a force of desire that matched her own. She wrapped her arm around him, pulling him as close as she was able. Lying there beside him, her hips arched towards his. She slid her leg up to wrap around his hips, locking his body to hers with her inhuman strength. Mara felt B’s hand slide into her hair, his fingers setting off decadent shivers where they slid up her scalp. Her moan seemed to spur him on, his hips jacking forward as he pressed himself against her. His grip in her hair tightened as he pulled her closer, his tongue duelling with hers as they writhed together on the bed. Breaking their kiss, B moved his head down to Mara’s collarbone, nipping gently as he moved up her neck to her jugular. He licked her lightly over the vein, and then bit down. Mara moaned. B reached up and covered her mouth with his hand. He lifted his face over hers, chuckling silently as he motioned for her to be very quiet. Mara raised her head and her eyes followed his finger that pointed to the closed door and the murmuring voices beyond. He leaned back down and nipped her full lower lip playfully. Mara swatted at him gently and smiled, her two sharp white incisors had descended. He reached out and touched the point of one fang with the tip of his finger. Mara’s eyes began to swirl with a mixture of red and gold, both turned on and hungry, as she sucked the tip of his finger into her mouth. She twirled her tongue around it, looking deep in his eyes with a hunger that made him hard as a titanium rod. Leaning her head back, his finger slid out of her mouth with a pop.

  B groaned quietly and whispered. “Woman, you’re going to kill me before we even get started.”

  Mara gave him a delightfully evil smile as she reached down and grabbed his ass, pulling him even tighter against her aching body. B reached down and began popping the buttons of her shirt open one by one, licking the ivory skin he revealed button by button. He locked eyes with her as he passed the valley between her breasts and made his way down her taut belly to dip his tongue into her navel. Mara bit down on her lower lip, her fangs flashing ivory as he licked his way further down to the waistline of her jeans. B flashed her a wicked look as he flipped the top button of her jeans open and drew down the zipper ever so slowly. He crawled onto his knees with catlike grace, straddling Mara’s legs as he slid his hands up her body to her hips. He grasped the waist of her open jeans and slid them down her legs, never losing eye contact. When the material hit her knees, she shimmied them down her legs, wiggling under him until she was able to toe them off her feet. B reached down and flipped open her shirt to reveal the black lacy bra that matched her black thong. He covered her body with his, taking one of her nipples into his mouth through the black lace. Mara’s breath hitched as her upper back arched up towards his mouth.

  As he teased her breasts with his mouth, B slid one hand up her leg towards the lace covering the juncture of her thighs. He slipped his fingers between her legs and felt the moist heat that had pooled there. Mara made a tiny whimper as he began to rub her gently, allowing the material to provide extra friction. Her hips jerked up, seeking a firmer contact that he denied, lifting his head from her breast to give her a tiny evil smile.

  “Please,” Mara whispered.

  B shook his head. “Not yet.”

  “You suck,” she whispered back.

  He chuckled. “Not yet.”

  * * * *

  Bataryal

  B slipped his fingers under the elastic of her panties. He could feel the heat radiating from her body. He bent his head back down to swirl his tongue around her nipple again as he slowly slid his fingers along her core. Her body wept for his touch as he stroked her slowly, her hips rising and falling in time with the movement of his hand. He glanced up to see her head thrown back on the pillow as she whimpered quietly, her excitement growing. B had never taken the time to please any of the women he’d been with before. It had always been all about him, his issues, and his experience. With Mara he wanted everything to be all about her. Seeing her body shiver with pleasure was better than anything he’d experienced before. He slid a finger into her tight, wet channel. Mara cried out before silencing herself. He locked eyes with her as he began to slide his finger in and out, pressing down on her tight bud with his thumb. Her hips jerked up and down as she made love to his hand, grabbing at his shoulders, her nails digging into his skin.

  B felt Mara getting close to orgasm. Her channel pulsed and clenched around his finger. He slid his hand back out of her body. Without breaking eye contact, he raised his glossy finger to his lips and licked it clean. He shivered as he tasted her, and he knew he wanted more. He reached down and grabbed the flimsy lace. With a sharp jerk, he tore it free of her body, exposing her to his view. There was something supremely erotic about Mara, lying there in a black bra, the rest of her pale skin exposed to him. B slid down her body and hooked one of her legs over his shoulder. Mara writhed in anticipation.

  “I’ve never done this before,” B whispered. “You’ll have to tell me if I’m doing it wrong.” His face flushed with embarrassment.

  Mara shook her head. “You won’t do it wrong.”

  B looked at her weeping core and licked his lips. This was definitely something he was going to enjoy. He wedged his shoulders in, hiking her leg up farther on his shoulders to make room. Leaning in, he nuzzled her core gently before tasting her. He was immediately intoxicated. He licked up her slit, swallowing down her essence. B closed his eyes in rapture. When he opened them, they connected immediately with Mara’s. Her eyes were now pure molten gold, a sure sign that her sexual hunger had overtaken her blood lust.

  Spurred on by her reaction…and the intoxicating smell and taste of her…B dove in, burying his tongue in her folds. He slid his fingers back inside her as he sucked on her tight bud. He kept his eyes on Mara’s the entire time, having her watch him as he pleasured her had him lit up like a fuse. He ground his hips into the mattress, unable to keep himself from moving with the rhythm of his fingers and tongue. The zipper on his pants bit into his erection, the tiny sharp pain the only thing keeping him from coming. Mara’s channel pulsed around his fingers as she got closer to coming. She reached between her legs and grasped the back of his head, pulling him closer as he tongued her. Her body shook as her release began to take over, but B was relentless. He sucked on her bud as she rippled around his fingers, stifling her cry with her free hand over her mouth.

  “Stop. I can’t take any more.” She whimpered.

  He didn’t listen, easing up slightly as she writhed and twisted under him. He clamped his free arm down over her belly and kept going, licking her as she wriggled under him. Her juices flowed as he continued, pushing her higher. He swallowed her down as he moved his fingers faster inside of her. He felt her tightening around him again, and began flicking her nub with his tongue, faster and faster until she cried out softly, clamping her hands to his head to keep him in pl
ace as her pleasure overtook her.

  Mara flopped back on the pillows. B crawled back up her body, tucking a stray red curl behind her ear as he smiled down at her.

  “So? Was that okay?” he asked.

  Mara chuckled. “If that was any more okay I think my heart would have started beating again. You’re definitely a fast learner and you do good work, sir.”

  B gave her a cocky smile. “We’re just getting started, darling.”

  “I was hoping you’d say that,” Mara said with a wink. “I’d like to return the favour.”

  “Oh, no. Not this time.” B slipped off the bed and stood.

  Mara pouted at him as he stood. “Where are you going?”

  B didn’t answer; he just slowly dragged down the zipper of his jeans, his erection sprang out quite impressively as soon as it was freed from its confines. He slid his jeans down his legs, stepping out of them, and kicking them across the room. He stood before her for a moment, sliding his hand down his belly to grasp his erection. The hunger in her eyes was primal; he couldn’t wait any longer. Without a word he crawled across the bed, using his knees to part Mara’s legs as he settled his body in between them. She raised her hips and slid her slick channel along his rock hard erection. B’s hips jerked forward and he groaned low in his throat. Mara went to reach down and B grabbed onto her wrists, pinning her arms above her head gently on the pillow. He positioned his hips so the head of his erection was snug against her opening. He pushed his hips forward slightly, breaching her body. B groaned, dropping his head into the crook of Mara’s shoulder. Her tight heat enveloped him, squeezing along his length with an erotic pressure that drove him wild. Mara sighed as his full length entered her. B’s hips began to piston back and forth, his control snapping as he made love to his woman.