by Maggie Walsh
Beyond the Angel Pack 5
The Final Countdown
When Nicco found his mate at the age of sixteen, he knew he could not claim him. Thad was too young for him, but that didn’t stop Nicco from checking in on his mate. One day, Thad comes to Nicco to say goodbye and inform Nicco that he is leaving. The pain of losing his mate, even without claiming him, is too great and Nicco is forced to turn to a witch to place a spell on him to block the agony, so that he could go on.
Now, eleven years later, a stalker terrorises Thad, and he turns to ParaSafe for protection, but he is unprepared for the cold man his mate has become. Realizing that it has to be the spell that is causing Nicco’s strange behavior, they must find the witch in time to reverse the spell so that Thad can stand by his mate in the upcoming battle, or they will all be doomed.
Genre: Alternative (M/M, Gay), Contemporary, Paranormal, Romantic Suspense, Shape-shifter, Vampires/Werewolves
Length: 68,017 words
THE FINAL COUNTDOWN
Beyond the Angel Pack 5
Maggie Walsh

Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
THE FINAL COUNTDOWN
Copyright © 2018 by Maggie Walsh
ISBN: 978-1-64010-952-0
First Publication: January 2018
Cover design by Harris Channing
All art and logo copyright © 2018 by Siren Publishing, Inc.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission.
All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.
WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.
If you find a Siren-BookStrand e-book or print book being sold or shared illegally, please let us know at
[email protected]
PUBLISHER
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
DEDICATION
First, to two very special people in my life, Cece Parrell and Jean-pierre Dagenais. Your love, support, and friendship has meant more to me than you will ever know. This book probably wouldn’t have been written without your encouragement, or at least may have taken a hell of a lot longer. Thank you both so much. I love you.
To my readers, this one and the next in line took a lot out of me. Each day as I wrote, I went through so many emotions, and at the end of the day felt completely drain, but I believe it paid off in the end. I knew it would wreck me when the day came that I would finally have to write them. It has taken me longer than usual, but it is finally here. Your patience, support, and encouragement mean the world to me and helped me to keep going.
I know without reading them you don’t understand what I am talking about, but once you do, you will understand.
This one goes very deep, and very dark because it leads us into the next story. The battle with Hades and the outcome of the prophecy are finally here.
So in one part of this book I thought I would give us all a reprieve from the seriousness of the situation and have a little fun with our Angel Men.
So get your YouTube ready and key up the music, for a whole new reading experience.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Maggie has been married for twenty years and has four children. She is a Long Island girl who now lives in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. Maggie has always loved anything that has to do with the arts. Music is one of her biggest passions. She was a photographer and artist in her earlier days and spends hours sketching anything that catches her eye. Maggie loves to write about big, strong, tough men who have a softer side. Most of the time you can find Maggie running around with her kids, sketching, or sitting with her laptop creating new characters, as music always plays in the background.
For all titles by Maggie Walsh, please visit
www.bookstrand.com/maggie-walsh
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
About the Author
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Landmarks
Cover
THE FINAL COUNTDOWN
Beyond the Angel Pack 5
MAGGIE WALSH
Copyright © 2018
Prologue
Fourteen years ago
The car raced down the highway at top speed, weaving in and out of traffic. The wet pavement from the recent rain made the tires skid and the car slide sideways. Nicco gripped the wheel tighter as he maneuvered the car around an eighteen-wheeler. The rear fishtailed, causing his passenger to cry out. Nicco chanced a quick peek in the rear-view mirror, seeing the young woman turning pale as her eyes widened, and she held on to the seat with a death grip.
Looking back to the road just in time to see a line of red brake lights ahead, Nicco knew he needed to get off this road before he hit the traffic mess ahead, or he risked losing his charge. The young woman in the back seat was the daughter of a very rich real estate tycoon from Houston, and his client. The rich man had a few business deals go wrong and was being blackmailed by his business partner. Once things started to get dangerous, the man had called ParaSafe for a bodyguard.
They kept the man safe and in the meantime managed to discover that it was the business partner who was behind the blackmail and the dirty business deal. While they had escorted the man to Dallas to meet with the state attorney general, his wife and son had been murdered. Nicco received a call the previous night from Dante and Micah that he needed to get to Maine where the daughter was attending college and keep her safe as he got her to Dallas to meet up with her father and the special prosecutor.
Nicco immediately disseminated to Maine and rented a car, and then drove the few miles to the University where the young woman was waiting for him. He had driven all night, then stopped at a small out of the way motel near Hershey, Pennsylvania, just before sunrise, and switched with Raith.
Raith had rented him a room for the day, as he took over guarding the woman and driving south. To try to throw off any tail that might be following them, Raith had weaved his way south for a few hours, then turned west, before turning north again and heading toward Kansas. Once the sun went down in Parsons, Kansas, Raith called him to give Nicco their location, and he disseminated to Raith and took over again.
So far, their trip had been uneventful, but as he crossed over into Plano, Texas, Nicco spotted the tail. He called his best friend Viktor and notified him what was happening. Vik had given him the location of a nearby underground garage where he would meet them. Nicco could quickly drive in and make the exchange with Vik, who would be waiting with a female bodyguard, and then Nicco could drive back out and fool whoever was following.
The plan wasn’t going too well though. Whoever was behind them was good, and Nicco couldn’t shake him. The glaring
red lights of the line of cars in front of him were getting closer, and Nicco needed to make a move soon. He scanned the area, and off to the left he noticed an emergency vehicle turnaround in the center divider. It was only supposed to be used by emergency personnel, but this was an emergency. He would have to deal with any cops if they spotted him.
The car following him was gaining ground, and at the last minute, Nicco slammed on his brakes, causing the tires to smoke, and lurched the car left, hitting the dirt in the median hard and kicking up a cloud. The front tires hit the pavement on the other side of the highway, and the car slid, losing control for a moment before Nicco righted them and slammed his foot down on the accelerator. He looked in the side mirror and noticed the car that was following him having a hard time getting around a truck so that he could use the turnaround as well.
Nicco smiled to himself when he spotted the exit ramp only a few yards away. He turned the wheel right, tires squealing as he cut off a car, and barreled toward the ramp. Once at the top, he turned left, heading back over the highway, then left again, taking a service road. He peeked over to the highway and spotted the tail car just getting through the turnaround. Nicco called Vik again to update him and get new directions to their meeting place.
After another ten minutes, Nicco pulled into the garage and made the exchange. The young woman was now safe with Vik and a couple of state police, and Nicco had one of their female guards in the backseat. He took off out of the garage and headed back toward the interstate. He was only on the highway for about ten minutes heading to Dallas when he noticed his tail was back. Smiling to himself, Nicco stayed at his current speed, acting as if he didn’t see them.
After another five minutes, the smile fell from his face as the car sped up and its occupants opened fire, spraying his vehicle with a barrage of bullets. Cars around him slammed on their brakes, as others sped up, trying to get away. Nicco pushed down on the gas pedal and drove up the right shoulder. The tail car followed, slamming into the rear of his car, making him buck forward. After the fourth hit, Nicco knew they had him. The car was shaking so violently that he could hardly hold onto the wheel. The tail car hit him for the fifth time just as he was crossing an overpass. Nicco held on as the car crashed through the guardrail and became airborne, dropping down to the road below.
He had no idea how much time had passed. Nicco’s head was foggy and his body hurt. He felt the trickle of blood running down his face and opened his eyes. The car lay upside down, and he was lying on its roof. The female guard was hanging beside him, still seat belted in. Nicco reached out, placing his fingers on her neck and not finding a pulse. Shit!
Looking out the crushed windows, he could see that no one was around yet, but he could hear sirens in the distance. He knew he couldn’t stay here and risk the humans taking them to the hospital. Nicco extended his claws and sliced through the seatbelt as he helped guide the unconscious woman down as gently as he could. He kicked out the back window and dragged her from the car. Once clear, he tried to disseminate, but nothing happened. He must have been hurt worse than he thought.
Struggling to his feet, Nicco realized his legs hurt like he had been hit by a bus. Looking down, he saw his pants were torn, and blood ran freely down both legs, and one particular dark spot worried him. Nicco could see the gash was close to an artery, and he was afraid it had been nicked. He couldn’t stop now though—he needed to get them away and hidden.
He grabbed the woman under the arms and pulled, fighting against the pain racking his body. He ducked them behind some bushes just as the flashing red lights approached. Without stopping, Nicco continued on until he found an alley. He moved to the far end, away from the street, and carefully laid the woman down. He hated lying her on the cold, dirty asphalt, but he had no other choice. Nicco sat on the ground next to her, panting as he tried to catch his breath and calm his heart. He was losing too much blood, and a racing heart wouldn’t help.
He knew what he needed to do, but the pain in his body and head was too great. Fighting against the nausea that began churning in his gut, Nicco stood. He grabbed a few pieces of cardboard that lay around and covered the woman. He didn’t want anyone coming across her body until he could get Vik to come back for her.
“What are you doing back there?” a gravelly voice came from behind him.
Nicco turned his head, looking to where the voice had come from, and found a vagrant. The man who stood there was smaller than him and weighed a good hundred pounds lighter. Need flowed through him, and Nicco clenched his jaw, trying to fight against it.
“Did you find something good? Would you be willing to share? I don’t have much, but I’ll trade you something if it’s food you found,” the man said, stepping closer.
Nicco took a step back. Not that he was afraid of the human harming him, but of what he would do to the little man. The stench of rot and filth hit his nose, but underneath Nicco could make out the sweet scent of O positive. His stomach churned again, but this time in hunger, and his gums began to itch. Nicco ran his tongue over his fangs as he felt them begin to drop. He needed the life-giving liquid that ran through the man’s veins, but he was afraid he would take too much in his current state. His body needed to heal, and that required a good amount of blood. More than he could safely take from this homeless person.
Taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly, Nicco tried to keep his voice even. “I don’t have anything to trade you. I’m sorry.”
“Oh, I was hoping you found some food back there,” the man replied solemnly.
Pain raced through his leg, and Nicco felt the world begin to spin. He knew he didn’t have much time. He would need to do something now or he would die. He leaned his back against the brick wall, and then raised his gaze to the homeless man. “I actually do have something to trade, but it’s not food.”
“Okay. Well, what do you have? Maybe we could work something out.”
Nicco reached into his pocket and pulled out his money clip. He had no idea how much he actually had, but knew it was a few hundred dollars. He held up his hand, watching as the man’s eyes widened. “I’ll give you all of this for something you have,” Nicco offered.
“I don’t have much. Oh, wait, I do have a nice pair of gloves I found a few blocks over. They have a few holes, but the fingers are still good,” the man said as he pulled a pair of filthy gloves from an inside pocket of his tattered coat.
“I’m afraid they’re not worth all of that, but maybe you would take them for five dollars?” he asked hopefully.
Nicco shook his head. “No, you keep them. As I said, I will give you all of this.”
The man looked at him cautiously. “I know I’m out here on the streets, but I don’t sell my ass for cash, buddy.”
“No, not your ass. Your blood,” Nicco stated.
The man’s brows drew down in a V as he looked at Nicco in confusion. “My blood? I don’t understand.”
“Not all of it, just a bit. As you can see, I’m in pretty bad shape here, and I could use a pint…or two. Let me feed from you, and you can have all of this,” Nicco replied.
“Feed from me?” he asked.
Nicco didn’t have time for this. He wanted the man to give his blood willingly, but Nicco was running out of time. “I’m sorry,” Nicco whispered, and then moved quickly with his vampire speed. One second he was against the wall, the next he was standing behind the vagrant, his arms wrapped around his waist, as he sank his fangs into the man’s neck.
The warmth and sweetness of O positive washed over his tongue, and Nicco’s eyes closed. He could feel his body starting to heal. But as with all feedings, soon his cock took notice and sprang to life. He thrust his hips, rubbing his shaft against the man’s ass. He didn’t want to fuck this guy, but right now he did want to fuck. That was one of the upsides and downsides of feeding from the source. If the blood donor was someone you wanted, it ramped up the desire, but if it wasn’t someone you wanted to fuck, the blue balls were painful.
Nicco knew he wasn’t completely healed and would need more blood, but he could feel his wounds mending enough to keep him going. Reluctantly, Nicco pulled back, releasing the man. He licked across his bite, his face twisting from the gross taste of filth. Nicco carefully sat the dazed man against a dumpster and then knelt before him, staring into his eyes. Using his mind control, he pressed new memories into the man’s subconscious. When he awoke, he would only remember walking into the alley and finding a few hundred dollars lying on the ground. Nicco pulled five hundred from his money clip, keeping a hundred for himself to grab a cab, and then placed the five on the ground beside the vagrant. Nicco stood and stretched his arms over his head. A wonderful, delicious scent hit him, and Nicco’s cock filled again. Lowering his arms, he spun quickly from a noise behind him and came face-to-face with a beautiful young man.
No, not a man, a kid. Well, not exactly a kid, but not an adult. He had to be somewhere in his mid-teens. The beautiful creature before him had the most amazing cobalt-blue eyes surrounded by long, thick black lashes. A sleek nose and pouty lips made his face almost angelic. Soft, shaggy, short, chestnut-brown hair framed his face, making his skin appear very pale.