by L. Rose
“You’ve done the right thing, love,” Asher said. “I’ll keep an eye on everything with Alex.”
She smiled softly. “Thank you.” She blew Asher and Alex a kiss, to which Alex returned and Asher dipped his head, and they followed Eric in, shutting the door after them.
Leaning down, I kissed Paige’s neck. She trembled. “You haven’t practiced fighting against my hellhound side in a long time, mi corazón. How about we see how you fair?”
“Sounds like a good distraction. Also, what does mi corazón mean?”
I smiled softly. “It means ‘my heart,’ which is what you have always been, in Spanish. Would you prefer it in French? Mon cœur, or Russian—”
“No,” she whispered quickly, almost shyly. I could hear her heart picking up its pace. She liked my name for her, and I loved that she did. “I like it in Spanish, how you said it first.”
“That’s how it’ll be then,” I told her. “Now, should we go?” I asked, starting down the hall with her hand in mine and Thorn at her other side. “I’d also like to see how well the ghoul can do.”
Thorn laughed. “I’d beat your ass, furry head.”
Biting my bottom lip, I smiled and hummed under my breath.
“I could,” Thorn stated.
Glancing down at Paige, I rolled my eyes. She started giggling, then smiled her thanks for entertaining her.
“You’ll be on the floor in a second, hound.”
“Yes, you’re right. Only it’ll be with my cock buried in you while I dominate your ghoul.” Paige’s scent shifted; her arousal sang to me. I loved how turned on she got from watching her men in bed together. I had yet to see what they were like. If they were as good as our mate, then I knew I’d be more than satisfied in bed.
Thorn tripped. “Jesus, you sound like Nate. You’ve been hanging out with him too much, and you’re wrong. It’ll be you under me while I allow you to taste our mate’s pussy.”
Paige moaned. “Now all of that is a welcome distraction of what’s really going on. I’ll race you.” She grinned, and then her power filled the area before she sped off down the hall.
Of course we followed.
Ezra was brilliant at distracting Paige. He was a worthy mate for our queen. He’d managed to bring a smile to our lips and ease the ache in our chests over Yasmin. Though guilt stabbed at me for smiling when Paige’s sister’s life was on the line. Maybe it had something to do with how positive I was that she would pull through and be all right.
Paige had just entered the room, and I was closing in. I dove and curled my arms around her waist, taking her to the ground but twisting in the air so I would land on my back with Paige sprawled over me. I heard Paige’s cry of surprise, Ezra’s laugh, and then a snarl.
In a second, I was up with Paige pushed behind me as a flash of something barreled into Ezra, taking him to the floor.
Paige’s power burst out of her. She transformed before my eyes as she moved to the figure over Ezra, gripped it in a roar, picked the figure up, and threw it across the room. I stood there gaping like a newbie fool as she glanced down at Ezra, saw blood on his neck, and lost it. She screamed as she advanced on the blur of motion, as if she could track it easily. Paige raced back toward Ezra, reached out, and the blur stopped enough for her to take hold and throw the form across the room again.
“Stop this, Aggie, or I will kill you,” Paige demanded harshly around her mouth full of teeth. Her eyes glowed brighter than I’d seen them. Her body also seemed altered, taller, wider.
Wait, Aggie?
Paige growled as she tracked Aggie’s movements. I could only see a faint trace of her as she zigged and zagged all over the place.
Paige leaped, spun, and crashed Aggie’s back into the wall, pinning Aggie to the stone by a hand around her throat. Aggie’s green vampire eyes shot daggers at Paige before she looked back to Ezra. Still, Aggie snapped her teeth as she kicked and scratched at Paige, trying to tear free to get back to Ezra. Paige took hold of one of Aggie’s hands, but the other was still free and marking Paige.
Finally, my mind woke up, and I wanted to kill myself for being so slow, so slack, allowing the queen, but most of all, my mate, to deal with such a threat.
I moved, taking Aggie’s other arm and slamming it against the wall. I moved close and yelled, “Aggie, stop.”
She didn’t. Her gaze didn’t move from Ezra. He slowly got to his feet with his hand on his neck. He would heal, but the wound seemed to be taking its damn time.
“Aggie, enough,” boomed from across the room, at the other entrance into the fighting area. “Do not move,” the familiar voice added. Aggie froze, her arms and legs dropping. She hung against our hold while she kept staring at Ezra like he was her favorite dessert.
“Paige, I’m fine,” Ezra tried, but we both knew Paige wouldn’t calm, not with Aggie being a threat to her bonded male. She wouldn’t stop until it was safe for Ezra, even if Ezra could take care of himself.
Clyde was at our side instantly. He bowed. “I apologize, my queen. She was unguarded for a moment. We thought she was getting stronger at denying her hunger.”
“Why isn’t she looking away from Ezra?” Paige demanded darkly, pulling Aggie away from the wall by her neck and thrusting her back against it. “I don’t want to hurt you, Aggie. Just look away and get out of here.”
She didn’t remove her stare or move.
Paige’s anger intensified. It burned through me and fed my own.
“She bit him, Clyde,” Paige snapped.
“What and who is he, my queen? If I know, then I’ll understand why his scent called to her. Why she won’t look away after one taste. He came with the devil, said to be Lucifer’s own son, and goes by Azrael, and yet you call him Ezra. Like you did your hellhound, but he perished.”
Tension filled Paige, and I didn’t like it. Clyde was a trusted adviser. He’d sworn his allegiance to her. We could trust him, not only because of that, but because I’d seen him with Aggie, who he’d sired, and also Felnick—a fellow guard who was devoted to Aggie before she was sired by Clyde. He’d treated both of them like they were his treasures. He’d proven himself in many ways in my eyes.
“That’s because he is all you’ve just said,” I told him. I felt Paige’s eyes on me. We’d slipped up; we knew we would, but at least it was only around Clyde. In public, we were supposed to call Ezra by Azrael. “How did you find out he was Lucifer’s son? That wasn’t knowledge the queen or Lucifer wanted people to know since the devil knows he’s not well-liked, and it could bring more danger to not only Ezra but also to our community. As far as we knew, the people only think of him as Azrael, a replaceable lackey to Lucifer.” The devil himself helped spread the knowledge that he wouldn’t care if anything happened to Azrael. He was only leaving him behind as punishment and to keep an eye on Paige.
“A concubine of Lucifer’s slept with a vampire of mine while they were here. When he told me, I made him swear to tell no other, and as far as I know, he hasn’t.”
“Then why did you question the queen about it when you already knew?”
“I didn’t know Azrael and Ezra were one and the same. I also wanted to see if I had the trust back that I give freely.”
“You do, to some extent. My men will always come first,” Paige said.
“I can understand that. You hold in your hand someone I will put before anyone else. Even others I have sired.”
It was lucky Aggie thought highly of and looked up to Paige. It was unfortunate considering the situation we were in, though.
“Does what he is explain why she won’t be distracted from Ezra?” I asked.
“Unfortunately, no.” He turned to Ezra and bowed in respect. I had to guess it was because he knew Ezra was related to Lucifer. “If you will, could you please remove yourself so my fledgling may calm down, and then we should be able to find out.”
“I won’t leave—”
“Ezra… fuck, I mean, Azrael, please. I can’t hurt her,
and I don’t want you harmed either. Please.”
His jaw clenched, but I knew he would do anything Paige asked. Just like any of us would.
“I’ll send some guards and wait back in your room,” he answered grudgingly, then stormed from the room.
I waited for Aggie to start up again, but she just watched him go, staying motionless like her master had ordered. Yet I could see the pain in her eyes, in the way she swallowed again and again.
“Aggie,” Clyde called. “Look at me.”
Slowly, she pulled her gaze away from the door Ezra had exited from and met Clyde’s gaze. “Please release her.”
“Clyde,” I called, unsure.
“She won’t move. Release her.”
“I won’t risk her going for Azrael,” Paige said.
“She won’t. I swear it, my queen.”
Paige grumbled under her breath as she dropped her hands and took a step back. I removed my own hold and moved to Paige’s side.
Aggie stumbled forward. Clyde flashed in and caught her. She let out a sob. “I couldn’t stop myself. I couldn’t.”
“It’s all right, darling. It’s all right,” Clyde reassured, running his hand over her hair.
She lifted her head and looked to Paige. Red-tinged tears stained her cheeks. “I’m so sorry, my queen. So sorry. I didn’t want to. I didn’t mean to, but the hunger took over. It felt like I had just woken new when I caught his scent. It was the most delicious scent I have ever experienced.”
“It’s okay…. I mean, it’s not. I nearly killed you, Aggie. I never want to do that. You’re my friend, and I’m sure if I did, Felnick and Clyde would come after me.”
Clyde’s jaw clenched. I didn’t like seeing it because it meant Paige was right. He would come after her no matter her being queen. I could understand the bond between master and fledgling, but this was something more.
“Are you both bonded?”
Aggie’s blush said enough.
“What about Felnick?” Paige asked.
“He is with us as well,” Clyde replied.
Paige laughed. “It seems we’re setting a trend with more than a couple in a bonded match.”
Curling an arm around her waist, I tugged her close and kissed her temple. “I wish we could take credit for it; however, there are many bonded groups with more than two people. Yet we are the first here with a mixed-species group.”
“Well, at least we have that.” She smiled up at me before looking back at Aggie. “I think it’s best if you stay in your quarters until we leave and take Azrael since it seems it’s only the newly born who are affected by his scent.” She glanced at Clyde, who nodded. “It means we’ll have to watch Yasmin closely as well or move her to someplace else with guards.”
“What’s this about Yasmin?” Aggie asked.
Paige blinked quickly, her body tensing. I moved her in front of me to wrap both arms around her and told them what happened.
Aggie reached out a hand, and Paige took it. Then Aggie said, “I’m sorry this is happening and then I added to your stress.”
Paige shook her head. “You couldn’t help it.”
I nodded. “Exactly. We’ll need to find out why he’s so enticing to the newly turned, especially since we’re going into vampire territory soon.”
Paige looked up to me and said, “We’ll need to speak with Azrael and his father.” She glanced back to Aggie and Clyde.
“We won’t say anything of who he is. We promise,” Clyde announced.
Paige nodded. “Thank you.”
“However,” Clyde said, “if you’re not careful with his name around everyone, rumors will be spread, and it’s bound to come out.”
He was right.
So far, we’d been lucky and only kept him around us. We hadn’t even announced he was one of Paige’s bonded mates. The whole situation was damn awkward.
Paige must have come to the same conclusion because next she said, “You’re right. I’ll speak with Lucifer and Ezra about it.”
“He’s your bonded as well, right?” Aggie asked nervously. “Or else you wouldn’t have acted like that if he wasn’t.”
I caught Paige’s smile. “Yes.”
“People are already speaking of you two. Putting together their own thoughts. You had to know it would be this way with you in the spotlight.”
Paige sighed, something she still did often, even when she didn’t have to breathe. “Yes. We were stupid to think questions wouldn’t be asked or we wouldn’t be watched too closely since all we do is research and train. I’d hoped, since we were leaving soon, that we could blame the trip on how close we got.”
“Don’t worry. We’ll think of something,” I told her.
“The truth is always best,” Aggie said.
Paige studied her, then nodded. “It’s because of Lucifer’s concern for his son that we’ve said nothing.”
“Come on,” I said, tightening my hold on her for a moment. “We’ll go and get this sorted.”
“I’m sorry again, my queen,” Aggie said softly.
“Paige, Aggie,” she emphasized. “We’re friends, even after this.”
Aggie’s bottom lip trembled. “Thank you.”
I opened Paige’s bedroom door and shifted back so Paige could enter. I nodded to the men outside before stepping through and closing the door behind me. Paige already had Ezra in her arms fussing over him.
“Are you okay? Does it hurt? Do you need anything?”
Laughing, Ezra grabbed her hands, stopping her from inspecting his neck. “I’m fine. As you can see and feel, it’s healed.”
She pushed her forehead into his chest and mumbled, “I was so scared.” She gripped his tee and lifted her gaze to his. “She had you on the ground, tearing into your neck. I was so damn terrified. I could have lost you again.”
His expression softened. “You won’t lose me, mi corazón. Spells no longer work on me with the protection from Alex. I would have removed Aggie, but I didn’t want to hurt her.”
Paige groaned in frustration. “Next time remove her, even if it harms her. She’ll heal just like you had to. You come first, Ezra. You.”
He tucked her long blonde hair behind her ear. “Okay, Paige.”
I molded myself to her back and saw her glare up at him. “You’re just saying that to make me happy and stop harping.”
He smirked. “Who, me? I would never.”
“I could kick you right now,” she told him.
I grinned at him while he chuckled. “You would never,” he said before dipping his head and kissing her lips. Like always, as soon as one of us touched her lips, she was lost in the moment. My body tingled as I watched them hold each other close and deepen the kiss. Christ, it was so damn pleasurable to witness them together. Paige’s arousal swamped the room and swirled with Ezra’s and mine.
I wanted to get lost in the sensation, to take it further. Unfortunately, we had things to do.
“Sweetheart, Ezra,” I said gently, kissing the side of Paige’s neck and reaching out to touch Ezra’s. They pulled apart, both panting. I gave them a thin-lipped smile. “Sorry. You can finish this soon, but for now, we have to figure out why Aggie was drawn to you.”
“You’re right,” Paige said with a touch of annoyance, though understanding lit her words.
A hand landed on my waist. I glanced down to see Ezra’s smooth skin touching me. Looking back up, I took in his smile. “We’ll get to the bottom of this, and then you’ll bottom for me.”
A sharp bark of laughter dropped from my mouth. Christ, he was cocky.
“You wish, little doggy.” I shoved his shoulder. “Now call your father and see if he knows why a fledgling would be enticed by your scent from miles away.”
Ezra winked, then glanced down at Paige. “He’s hot when he’s bossy.”
Paige laughed. “That he is.”
If my heart worked, it would be pumping blood to my cheeks. I knew Ezra was a smart-ass, even when he was in his hellho
und form when I’d first met him, but to have the man in front of me, this was different. I liked it. Not that I’d let the man know.
It was amazing how the Fates found the perfect mates for Paige. Not only for her but for all of us. We got along, we each brought something different to the group, and we were all on the same page when it came to sexual needs. Male and female.
Perfect.
I rolled my eyes and pulled my phone from my back pocket. “Enough you two.” I handed the cell phone to Ezra. “I presume you know how to get in touch with him.”
“I do.” He nodded with a smile and pressed some numbers before putting it on speaker for all of us to hear.
“Ghoul, how did you get this number?” Lucifer answered.
“How did you know it was my phone?”
The devil laughed. “I know all.”
“Meaning Mom would have found everyone’s phone number and given it to him,” Ezra explained.
Lucifer huffed. “You spoil my fun, son. How are things? Do you need me to come kill, maim, slice, or burn anyone?”
“No, we—”
“Is Paige treating you well? She’s cute, but that temper of hers—”
“Hello, Lucifer,” Paige called.
“Ah, sweet Paige. It’s good to hear your voice, my dear.” His voice was light. In the few days he’d stuck around, we’d discovered Lucifer had a big sense of humor. He taunted and teased Paige a lot because he knew he could get a rise out of her.
“I’m sure it is,” Paige replied deadpan, then coughed out, “Asshole.”
Lucifer chuckled. He also enjoyed how Paige didn’t care Lucifer was, well, the devil. She said anything she wanted, and he’d respected that.
“We have a situation, wiseass,” she added.
“Tell me,” he said coolly. Paige explained what happened and about how we felt regarding our people knowing exactly that Azrael was Ezra and also Lucifer’s son.
“Fuck,” he barked. After a long, drawn-out groan, he said, “We didn’t think you had any of their blood in you.”