by V L Moon
Sinking to his knees, Damian lowered his head to hide the need plainly written on his face. He didn't want Alexa's ‘I’m sorry’ speech. He'd heard it way to many times at Iniquity when some lone wolf chanced his luck. All too often they were given ‘sorry, sweet thing, this she wolf doesn't swing for the trouser snake brigade.’ Instead, Damian tried to push his wolf back, a first time for him. Truth be known, Alexa's idea actually might help him more than he'd thought.
Damian loved taking his wolf form; it was how he escaped from his feelings for Alexa. Yeah, his wolf wanted her too, but the human feelings shrank when he changed. When he was wolf, it was all about the pack, their thoughts, their needs and their wants. The pack always came first. Having that influx of information sweeping in from Khad, Shaver and Alexa, it pushed Damian's own wants and needs aside. It gifted him serenity from the rejection he knew he'd see in Alexa's beautiful eyes.
If he took Trenton down and became alpha to the whole pack, he'd take his wolf form more permanently. Thus, it would ensure his stupid infatuation with Alexa was crushed under the all-consuming need to rebuild the Gichigami pack.
When Damian finally spoke, he kept his head low. His voice was thick with his desire to possess Alexa. Her power wound around him like liquid silk and stung his tongue. It was hot to the taste, sweet and spicy with the subtle hints of pine and foxglove. It was so heady it made Damian sway enough he held out his hand to right himself. “Shit, Alexa. It’s like pure fucking octane is running through my veins. We need to talk this through. I'm in…all the freaking way; I'm in with you. Always.”
“But, I need to know one thing first, and I need you to be one hundred percent sure in your answer because once my wolf’s mind accepts this decision, there will be no going back. Not for me, you, our wolves or our boys.” Damian lifted his head. He tried to ignore Alexa's small gasp of surprise and quickly shielded himself. He erected his emotional mask and gave Alexa cold hard eyes.
“I'll do what you want because I know it's the right thing to do, for us and the pack. Taking Trenton out means we can come home. All of us. Once it's done, we put out the call to the males we lost and get them home, offer them what they've lost. And, welcome back our young if that’s what they want. But, just taking him out won't be enough, Lexi. Not for me and not for the pack.”
“Alexa, what you’re asking me to do is to kill your dad. I can do it; I can do it for you because you saved us. You saved us all. But, will you be able to live with the fact that you took down your own flesh and blood to make things right.”
“It is the way of the wolf, Damian. An alpha must be challenged and all too often death is the outcome.” To her credit, not a hint of sadness marred her words.
Bringing Alexa down to meet him, Damian fought back his own selfish feelings and curled himself around the curve of her spine. They lay there together, joined and inseparable as they'd always been, just breathing and staring into the flames as they danced around each other in the fireplace. Damian buried his face in the waist length tresses of Alexa's hair. He listened to her breathing and whispered into her neck.
“I'm here, baby. If we do this, we do it as a team. No half measures, not this time.” Damian kissed the curve of her neck and rubbed his nose over the back of her ear, scenting, marking Alexa as a wolf marks its mate. When she took his hand and wrapped it tight around her waist, Damian knew there was nothing else out there for him. He'd been in love with Alexa from the first day they'd changed. He marveled in the creation of her strength and will and adored her for her allegiance to Shaver and Khad.
“Damian,” Alexa's voice sounded strained from emotion. If Damian could have crawled under her skin to sooth her, he would have. At that moment, he loved Alexa more than anything because he knew what she was about to say.
“You have to do what's right for your pack. They will grow and be strong under your rule. I know that. Take him down, and when you do, make sure it’s for keeps.”
With the die cast, there was nothing left for either of them to say. As the moon slowly descended and the promise of a new day dawned in the sky, Damian lifted Alexa into his arms and placed her into their pack bed. Only this time, Damian lay on top of the blankets. His hard body painful with need struggled to relax. Every time he closed his eyes, his wolf crawled closer to the surface of his skin, their minds connected. Damian could hear its every want and whim.
The call to be alpha had stirred something up, changed the black wolf’s outlook on the life it wanted to make. And, as sleep finally found him, flickering flashes of white blurred together with Alexa's bold red. Together, they merged where the huge black form of Damian's wolf bayed at the moon and snarled at the night, baring huge white teeth as it readied itself for the fight that lay ahead.
~*~*~*~
Chapter Twenty-Five
~*~*~*~
Rome, Italy
Leaning against the immense statue of John the Baptist, Malachi peered down into the square of St. Peter’s Basilica. At a few minutes past three in the morning, he was virtually alone in the epicenter of human religious faith. It amazed him that some of the faithful traveled for hundreds of miles to visit the most holy place on Earth, to catch a glimpse of Pope Gregori and pray for his blessing.
Malachi rubbed a hand against the ache in his chest before dropping it to slide into his pocket and play with the little sack of Laziel’s ruby tears. The anger swirling around inside of him was darkening, growing more dangerous. He needed a visit to his private room at the brothel, a night of blood, sweat and semen to clear the air between him and Laziel. Not that it was likely to happen.
Since Laziel’s return and Destahny’s birth, their relationship remained strained. Laziel was a pale shadow of his former self. Yeah, the glittery G-strings and smart mouth were still part and parcel of the angel, but he seemed to have lost his spirit. Malachi worked at being patient, but it was getting harder and harder to placate the monster inside his skin.
Maybe, he should seek out Gregori and his blessings. He considered the pontiff a friend and trusted the male’s wisdom despite his being human. On the other hand, Gregori served Laziel’s Creator, a being Malachi wasn’t sure he trusted. While he cherished the little girl sleeping in his chambers deep beneath the Vatican, he felt a bone deep betrayal every time he thought about her conception and birth. His vampire nature snarled its discontent. Heat raced through his veins fueled by his rampaging and deadly temper. The square far beneath him shimmered with the glossy red of blood as his vision shifted.
“Best thing about inanimate objects; they keep your secrets.”
Malachi twisted around to see Laziel standing just past the first statute of Jesus. Bare-chested with low slung jeans and bare feet, he was everything in Malachi’s world. The love he’d only recently allowed himself to acknowledge deep-cavatied his chest and stole his thoughts. Need rose in him, quick and urgent. His fangs throbbed and a different heat coursed through his already stimulated nervous system. His cock strained against his leather pants as his eyes drifted over the male; his male.
“Destahny?”
“Arial and Mirabella are in the room with her; Saul and Jaku stationed at the inner door.”
Malachi nodded. He didn’t doubt Laziel had taken every precaution with their daughter, but the already enraged beast required the confirmation. He turned to fully face the angel. Every inhalation brought Laziel’s scent to him. It invaded his lungs and then his body. Blood engorged his cock; it pressed painfully against the steel zipper desperate for a touch, any touch from Laziel.
Laziel’s eyes supernovaed as he caught the scent of Malachi’s arousal. The angel took a step back away from Malachi. The small movement tripped the hair trigger of Malachi’s volatile temper. He prowled closer, predator versus predator. Anger and lust raged like a wild fire in his bloodstream. Hunger burned in his throat. Each pace he took separated the threads of humanity and beast.
“Are you leaving? Again?” He snarled the words.
Laziel stopped
moving and went as still as the statues surrounding them. Familiar silver eyes regarded him coolly.
“No answer?” Malachi edged closer, all of his battle instincts on high alert. Laziel knew him better than anyone else on the planet. The angel knew the unpredictable temperament of the monster, would recognize the warning signs of the explosion just beneath the surface. Yet, fear would never enter the equation. He could strike Malachi down with a snap of his fingers; they both knew it. It didn’t temper the well of rage boiling inside of Malachi. He hated the distance between them, detested the loneliness that still plagued him even though the angel slept in their bed every night.
Where had his mate gone? What had built the chasm between them? Why had Laziel run from him and hidden the most precious secret of Malachi’s God forbidden life? Was he not enough? Had he played his part and was no longer needed? Did Laziel know something, he didn’t? Was their future together compromised by the birth of their daughter? Laziel had died in his arms. Was that meant to happen? Had Arial interfered with the Creator’s plan?
“I never left you,” Laziel said, voice low. “I was taken.”
“Semantics,” Malachi scoffed and stalked closer. “Suddenly, you think me the fool? We both know that no one except your Creator could have held you against your will. Even in female form, Darklon was but a flea on the hem of your jeans.”
Malachi invaded the angel’s space. Chests brushed together. Breath mingled. Crimson eyes bore into silver. “Why did you let him separate us? I could have protected you and the babe. I would have died to keep you safe. But, you didn’t give me the chance. You made the decision for us.”
“I had my reasons.”
“Fuck your reasons.” Malachi spun away from the angel and paced across the roof. The question that haunted him the most slipped free against his will.
“If I hadn’t found you at that church…would you have come back?”
“Lachi…”
“You know what, never mind.”
“Damn you, vampire. You will listen to me.” Malachi’s back slammed against the dome. Dust rained down around them. Malachi growled, his fingers fisted in Laziel’s hair. The angel gave no quarter. He crowded in so close Malachi could feel his arousal pressed against his legs and each of his ribs against his own with every breath the angel took.
The placid angel vanished. The Creator’s warrior grasped Malachi by the throat and roared. Car alarms exploded in a cacophony of outrage. Lights blinked on in hotel rooms. Shouts rang from inside the Vatican.
Wild with hunger and lust, Malachi struck. His fangs sank deep into the thick vein in Laziel’s throat. Power whiplashed over his tongue and down his throat. But, only for seconds. Laziel ripped him away and tossed him sideways. Malachi twisted to land crouched, knees bent and the knuckles of one hand pressed against the cement roof. Blood dripped down his chin and it ran in a taunting rivulet down the angel’s neck.
Deep inside, beneath the wailing vampire nature, Malachi knew Laziel wasn’t actually refusing him. The angel had indeed recognized his ferocious need. He was giving Malachi the fight he so desperately needed. The exertion and test of strength usually reserved for the violent lovemaking. Malachi ported straight into Laziel. They crashed together like ancient mountains, immovable and impenetrable. Hands grappled for leverage. Teeth smashed together as mouths collided. Malachi tasted his own blood, felt the furrows in his skin where the angel’s nails raked the flesh raw. His muscles screamed with the strain of combating Laziel’s immense strength. They fought wildly, tumbling across the roof. Concrete shaved skin from the bone. And then, his lips were pressed to the ragged wound at Laziel’s throat. Even as the world around him faded, Malachi felt the softness of Laziel’s wings enfold him.
“What am I going to do with you, Batman?”
The soft question went unanswered as the blood haze pulled Malachi under.
~*~*~*~
Given the chance, Laziel would have stayed on the roof of the Vatican for the next millennia if it meant holding Lachi as he did in that moment. The brief sense of calm along with his sated thirst seemed to emanate around them, stilling the very breath of night as though freezing time itself. Nothing moved, the only audible sound being the rapid beat of Laziel’s heart pounding against his chest. It matched the raging tattoo of Lachi’s pulse, creating an orchestral song of love’s ferocious hold over everything they’d shared and were yet to share.
Lachi’s pain was a direct result of Laziel’s inability to see his own path and make decisions regarding his future. Destahny’s conception had terrified him. That it had even been possible was a miracle in itself. The love for their offspring had been imprinted on both their hearts within seconds of her arrival. It united their souls, binding them in more ways than just the mated bond that linked them. Laziel felt the presence of Lachi’s soul; saw the manifestation of its light taking form as it encompassed those around him, drawing them in toward him. Like the branches of a tree, Lachi’s protective nature grounded those he loved, even if he refused to admit to it. And yet, his anger and resentment blinded him, threatening the very foundations of what that love represented. A strong and united front.
“Maybe, I was wrong to have stayed away. Maybe, I don’t deserve the torrent of your love or the heat of your touch. My choice was made, I became a martyr for our cause. At the time, I honestly believed I’d done what was best. Sorry is too meek a word to ease the pain I caused, but this chasm that lingers between us cannot be allowed to grow.”
“We can fight until the Earth bleeds out in ruin, cry tears of forgiveness that will leave you pained, but until you learn to control your desire, tame your anger and quench your need; your reign will be seen as a tyranny. Time and tide wait for no one, my love. A war is approaching; one that will take what is ours and scatter the ashes of its trophies across the deepest depths of Hell. We need to be strong; we need to be together.” Leaning in to Lachi and running his lips along the harsh contours of a chiseled jaw, he whispered breathlessly into Lachi’s ear.
“You will learn what it is to be humble and take to your knees and address both our needs. You will suffer my rule until I have broken through that thick bloody skull of yours and the chasm between us ceases to exist. Forgive me, my Azarian. I know no other way to admit my wrong doings or show you my love. So, I do this in the only way that I know you’ll understand.”
~*~*~*~
Dust motes lingered in the air, dancing through the shadowed room in a bid to escape their resting place. How long had it been since the walls of their sacred hideaway had paid homage to their love?
“Too long, my Azarian,” Laziel whispered. Laz eased Lachi gently onto the floor. The undiluted essence of his celestial blood had flooded Lachi with enough endorphins to keep him sedated enough to be moved without too much of a fight. He was more than aware that Laziel had moved him, taken flight and landed. He knew of his surroundings, yet, not the purpose behind their visit.
Laziel watched the brooding storm of his temper take control of Lachi’s form. The visual evidence was there in the contraction of muscles and the darkening of his eyes. His vampire was pissed. Good. Laziel smirked as he positioned himself at Lachi’s feet.
The smirk didn’t falter as he eased a black, silk blindfold over Lachi’s eyes. He lowered the reinforced rack down from its storage point against the ceiling. Lachi would easily destroy the apparatus if flimsy human attire bound his wrists. The potent strength of his anger would be heightened by his arousal. His fury would be the trigger that would destroy the room and the highly prized collection of toys kept there. For that reason, Laziel needed to use the one weapon within his personal arsenal that would ensure Lachi stayed restrained and relatively safe.
Restraints in hand, Laziel took his time letting the soft strands stroke over Lachi’s skin before looping a length of thinly braided hair around each of Lachi’s wrists to make a cuff. Within the human realm, practitioners would ensure enough room so as not to chaff or harm. However, it was in
Laziel’s best interests to ensure his vampire had no means of escape. With Lachi’s wrists suitably bound, Laziel threaded each braid through a loop, spreading his vampire’s arms wide above his head. He secured each braid tightly in place. Using the hydraulic winch, Laziel raised Lachi’s body off of the ground, only stopping when Lachi’s feet barely touched the floor beneath.
A low growl and the groan of the frame brought a wry smile to Laziel’s face. His vampire was starting to come around. He hurried to remove the leather pants, trying not to let his hands linger too long over the stretch of material covering Lachi’s thighs. Creator save him, but he loved those thighs; shivered at the thought of being trapped beneath all that solid muscled flesh. Grunting, Laziel looped and fastened another set of braids to each ankle and tied them off to the side. He eased Lachi’s legs apart before stepping back to appreciate the form before him.
“Your beauty never fails to amaze me, Azarian. The way your body moves, the power contained inside of you.” A whisper of breath danced along Lachi’s spine. Laziel wanted to lick, taste the flesh of his male, and he would. Before the night ended, he would consummate the gap between them. But first, in order to play his part, it was only fair to let Lachi see his prize.
Ten minutes passed. Laziel sauntered back into the room. He’d prepared himself accordingly, making sure his attire would meet Lachi’s approval. Dressed head to foot in skin tight latex, Laziel paired the look with twelve inch heels and nipple bars that glittered through the gaps in the suit. To finish off the ensemble, he’d braided his hair to match the restraints and opened the crotch of his suit to don a glittering cock ring. A tailed butt plug hung between his muscled thighs. His breathing came in rapid heavy pants as he approached the snarling beast spread out like a feast. Taking a horse hair flogger, Laziel teased the trench of Lachi’s spine, earning him a bitter snarl and snap of teeth.