by Marie Harte
“They look angry.”
“They are. Hell, I’m angry. The king of all dragons took an unexpected furlough topside when all the realms are in crisis. Worse, he didn’t take any protection with him.”
“Enough, Zelec.” Jentaron shot a bolt of blue flame at the demon’s feet. It died before it reached him, but Zelec flinched back anyway.
“Don’t demons handle fire?” Ella asked, not sure of the rules.
“Not that kind of fire. Only Jentaron and the Sinclair monsters can handle the blue stuff.”
“I heard that,” the beautiful woman with the dragon-man said.
“Truth hurts,” Zelec countered, and the male by her side laughed.
When the woman shot him a dark look, he tapered off into pretend coughing.
Ella found them amusing when by all rights she should have been wigged out. Yet oddly enough, she had the feeling she was right where she needed to be, ready to do what she’d been born to do.
“Zelec.” The woman sounded less than pleased to see him. “Did my father send you here?”
“No. I had business in the Ordinary and found your idiot king unprotected. You’re welcome.”
“Business?” The dragon-male with the woman glanced at Ella.
Everyone else followed his gaze, and she wanted to hunch in on herself. “What did I do?”
“Come.” Jentaron morphed his shape, no longer a two story tall dragon, now a large man with wings. Thankfully, he also wore trousers that covered him from waist to ankle. She only had so much control over her libido.
But man, those wings made him look hot. A glance at Zelec showed him to be equally sexy, and she wanted to get lost between the pair of them.
Zelec glanced at Jentaron, then the pair turned to stare at her.
I sure hope no one is reading my thoughts.
Zelec grinned. “Reading and sharing.”
Jentaron winked.
This is so embarrassing.
“Not to put a damper on the dating scene,” the dark male said. “But what the fuck, Jentaron? Who’s the female?”
“Nephilim, actually,” Zelec corrected.
The dragon-man narrowed his gaze.
The woman with him smiled. “Hi. I’m Eve. This blowhard with wings is Ranton, my mate. We’re King Jentaron’s Guardians, the pair he’s supposed to check in with before leaving the dragonlands. We know Zelec, but we don’t know you.”
“I’m—”
Zelec cut her off. “She’s with me.”
“They’re both with me,” Jentaron corrected.
“Yes, well, either way, she has a name. It’s Ella Nelson,” Ella introduced herself, since the others seemed too intent on having a pissing contest. “And as to why I’m here… That’s more confusing. Has to do with the creepazoids, I think.”
Ranton’s wings twitched. “Now I’m really confused.”
“I’ll explain later,” Jentaron said, sounding more authoritative than she’d ever heard him. “But first I need to speak with Asael.”
“Ah, crap.” Zelec shifted on his feet, then sighed. “I’d better check in before he flays me alive.” In the blink of an eye, he disappeared.
Ella still wasn’t used to that little trick.
Jentaron frowned. “I hadn’t thought he’d bolt so soon.”
“Isn’t he going to see this Asael?” she asked. “The same one we’re going to see?”
He perked up. “That we are. Eve, Ranton, we have important matters to discuss when I return. Eve, let your father know I’m coming, would you? And while we’re gone, prepare the legion for war—a true war.”
“True war? As opposed to what, a fake one?” Ranton sounded cranky, and considering he’d sounded intimidating without a frown, that was saying something.
“As opposed to playtime with the havoc. And don’t even try pretending you don’t call your mock skirmishes that when Kihra’s not around.”
Ranton gave a sheepish grin. “Well, sure, but that’s because she gets offended so easily and has a mean right hook.” He paused. “So who are we preparing to war with?”
“Not a who, a what. Get the legion ready and I’ll explain when we get back. First, we must talk to Asael.”
Eve frowned, then a moment later gave him a thumbs-up. “Dad’s ready for you. Should we—”
“We do not require an escort, but thank you.”
“He’ll be fine, baby,” Ranton said to Eve. To Ella’s surprise, the female seemed to be treating Jentaron more like a son than a peer, yet they looked the same age. Then she recalled what Zelec had said about being six hundred years old, and how Jentaron had been an egg only two years ago.
She knew exactly how Dorothy must have felt when landing in Oz. So not in Kansas, anymore.
“Well, okay.” Eve seemed reluctant, and Ella liked her a little more for wanting to protect Jentaron. Despite being a demon, Eve seemed to truly care for the dragon. Hell, she’d mated one. Demons weren’t just about being evil.
Ella had thought Zelec an exception to the rule, but Eve’s actions had Ella reconsidering her notions about the supernatural. Though much of what she’d once thought myth had turned out to be real, the stories behind those myths were so much fiction as well.
Jentaron grabbed Ella’s hand. “Okay, Ella, let’s go. I’ll give you the grand tour later.” He whisked her into the air, this time carrying her against his human frame while his powerful wings took them into the sky.
“This is just as I dreamed it.” She watched in wonder as they passed dragons in midflight in the dusky red sky. A black orb overhead gave off no heat, but it took the place of a sun all the same. The temperature felt comfortable, homey. And the scent of something she couldn’t identify put her right at ease. “What do I smell?”
“Magic.” He winked then kissed her. “You look right here. In my arms, with me.”
“A little possessive, are we?” she teased, wondering where she found the courage to act so confident around the friggin’ king of the dragons.
“Very possessive. But dragons are known to be that way about our treasures.”
She blushed, remembering Zelec’s comment about a claiming. No way Jentaron was claiming her, was he? Because psycho that she’d turned out to be, she kind of liked the idea. “A treasure, hmm? Not a bad line.”
“Thanks.” He flew her over what seemed like barren lands that were actually full of life. He pointed out a few gem mounds, rivers of fire and a few streams of warm water that cut through patches of dark gray and brown earth. A lot of sandy soil and rock. No grass or trees in the lower realm, but beautiful mounds of boulders and stone mountains gave the landscape character and provided riveting contrasts.
“That way are the havoc, a bloodthirsty race little better than the blood elves to the south.”
“Did you say blood elves?”
“Yes. They look much like Zelec but with elfin features.” At her confusion, he added, “Pointed ears, almond-shaped eyes overcome with red. And that white hair, of course.”
“Of course.” She felt faint with excitement, a die-hard Lord of the Rings fan. “Can we see some?”
“There’s one right now.” He pointed at a male moving at speeds no human could manage. When the creature stopped and glanced up, she saw Jentaron had been correct. The black-skinned elf was as Jentaron had described, with long white hair, pointed ears, and large red eyes tilted at the ends. So very like the fantasy elves she used to read about in the role playing games she and Milo had shared.
The blood elf glared at Jentaron, made a hand gesture and sparks of magic whizzed by them in the air. Then it scaled a ridge of mountainous rock, clung like a cat under an overhang, and vanished.
“Oh wow. They really are graceful, aren’t they?”
“And troublesome. They have souls, and it’s a huge hassle keeping the an
gels out of our domain.”
“Angels?”
“Yes. Many of the stories you humans tell are based in truth, but any comparison to godly creatures are horribly inaccurate. Angels think they’re perfect because they are holy, but in reality they only represent a side of balance aligned with the light. Some of it’s good and some is bad, but in the end, without light there is no dark. Without dark, no light.”
“I see.” She did. “Kind of like my mother always telling me to balance myself. All work and no play is just as bad as partying myself into an early grave, to hear her tell it. But if I’m a nephilim, I think I might be a defective one. I’ve always felt darker, to tell you the truth. But if I’m part angel—” wow, I really went there “—shouldn’t I be more goodness and light?”
“Not at all. You’re nephilim, attuned to sin because of your human blood. You would naturally want to surround yourself with darkness so your angelic side can subconsciously ease such a burden. It’s a dichotomy natural to your being. Your mother is a wise woman.”
“You could call her that.” Pushy and a little wonky too, but good-hearted. “So is that why I have visions? Because I’m nephilim?”
“It could be.”
“But my whole family is like that. My cousin and aunt have nothing to do with my father.” A man I really need to talk to Mom about when I get back. Had her mother known the truth about her father? Perhaps he’d just vanished or pretended to be dead, and her mother had no idea about his angelic nature.
“Hmm. If you were special before your mother bred with the angel, then I would put to you that you’re psychic because you also have a demonic ancestor.” Jentaron looked thoughtful. “Demons have been lying with humans since humanity came to exist. That’s why there are so many cases of extrasensory perception in the middle realm. A throwback to an ancient dynasty of demonic interference.” He paused. “But as we are going to greet the Lord of the Abyss, and he’s eager to get his hands on every nephilim he can find, forget I said that. Don’t even think it.”
“Who is he, anyway?” Just the mention of his name gave her a bad feeling deep down.
“Asael is a fallen angel and self-proclaimed master of the lower realm,” Jentaron said dryly. “He’s in charge of demonic forces in the Abyss and suffers from delusions of grandeur. He thinks he rules everyone and everything down here. He is mistaken.”
She felt Jentaron’s power flare, and it made her feel very small. Not afraid, just insignificant. Then that power wrapped around her, and she gasped, overflowing with emotion and desire—vitality in its rawest form.
“That is what I feel for you. A burst of need that must be shared.” He kissed her with enough heat to scorch the sun. “You are a force, and you are mine. I will not let anyone have you.”
“O-okay.” They’d talk about this claiming thing later. For now, she hugged his neck and tucked her head against his chest, undone at the rush of affection pouring through her. His feelings or hers, she couldn’t tell. “What about Zelec? He kind of had me first.” And she felt like an utter ho wanting Jentaron as much as she wanted Zelec. Crass to bring him up, but as Zelec had said earlier, the truth hurts.
“Zelec is also mine.”
She couldn’t wait to see what Zelec had to say about that.
Jentaron continued, “The demon has to accept that to have you, he must have me as well. I hadn’t thought to take two mates, especially not a male, but if my brother can do it, I can.” He shrugged, seeming not all bothered about gender in regards to sex.
“Ranton has a husband too?” Somehow she didn’t see Eve as the sharing type.
“No, only Eve is his mate. Teban, the dragon prince, is my oldest brother. He has two mates. Eve’s brother—James—and Kihra.” His voice softened on Kihra’s name. “Kihra is havoc, and she’s wonderful.” Such gushing admiration annoyed her. As did the jealousy she suddenly experienced for this woman. “But James is nothing but an interfering demon. Don’t trust him.”
“Zelec’s a demon.”
“Don’t trust him either. Love him, but watch yourself with him.”
“Love him?” The notion alarmed her. “I just met you guys.”
“We’ve known each other for much longer than that, my sweet. And with that the case, Zelec too has been known to us, though we are just now aware.”
She frowned up at him. “You’re talking fate, right?”
“I was born knowing my mate. I just had to meet her first.” He smiled, and as she tried to get over the fact he really meant to somehow keep her, they crossed into demon territory. God. The irony of her epithet wasn’t lost on her, but she worried that if she started laughing at herself, she might never stop.
“Remember, you are mine. No matter what Asael might threaten or do, I have more power than any Fallen. Do not be afraid.”
She hadn’t been scared until he’d said that. Freaked out maybe, but not terrified. “Thanks. I’ll do my best.”
“Now let us go acquire our mate and deal with Asael about the end of the world.”
She sighed, not willing to debate the insanity of instant mates when they had a demon lord to deal with. “Sure, why not?” A pause. “Um, end of the world?”
“Yes.” Jentaron seemed unfazed.
Under her breath she whispered, “This has got to be a dream. A good dream or a nightmare is the question.”
Chapter Seven
Jentaron should have known what to expect, but seeing Zelec bound, gagged and being flogged floored him. Added to that he could see Ella’s horror. The sight of her tears distressed him to no end.
“Ah, Jentaron. I was waiting for you.” Asael motioned for his demons to halt Zelec’s whipping.
They stood in Asael’s grand hall, inside the throne room of a ruined castle without a ceiling. A sallow nimbus of light encircled the fallen angel, and his minions, demons of serving rank, gave him a wide berth while they did his bidding. At least half a dozen of them held Zelec down while more held weapons of torture.
Zelec hadn’t yet made a sound, though Jentaron could see the flesh had been torn from his back. At least Asael had let Zelec retract his wings before starting punishment.
It was all Jentaron could do not to rip open the demons wielding the whips. But to do that he’d have to let go of Ella. Of the two of his future mates, Zelec could take care of himself. Their tiny untrained nephilim would be demolished by Asael if set free.
Ella tried to squirm out of Jentaron’s arms, but he held her tight while lowering her to the ground. He kept a grip on her hand, not wanting her outside his direct protection.
“A gift? For me?” Asael held a hand over his heart as he exclaimed over Ella. “A nephilim. How thrilling. Oh, and a powerful one. Who was your father, child?”
Ella turned to answer him and froze. Typical, yet her reaction aggravated the possessive beast in Jentaron’s breast.
Asael’s features took a while to get used to, though Jentaron himself had never been swayed by the fallen angel’s seeming perfection. His dragon magic made him immune. Ella, the poor woman, was all too susceptible.
“Close your mouth,” he whispered, pleased to see her jaw snap shut. Not too far gone, then.
“I, ah, I’m with Jentaron,” she said in a shaky voice. “My dad died when I was a baby. So I was told.”
“You can talk to my female later,” Jentaron emphasized, gratified when Asael’s eyes narrowed. Yes, she’s mine, damned one. Not yours. Never yours. And yet… His gaze sought Zelec, and he felt a surge of pride that Zelec remained standing, bleeding, yet brought no attention to his pain or condition. A stalwart demon who had to be feeling the sting of those barbed whips but refused to bend.
At that moment, Zelec’s gaze clashed with his. Anger and confusion made Zelec’s eyes glow, that red all-powerful, a flame enraged. “Why did you bring her here?” he sent via his thoughts.
&nb
sp; Jentaron cocked his head. “Do you not fear Asael will hear you?”
“Not with this focused connection. It was foolish to bring Ella before him without protecting her.”
“She’s fine. I’m guarding her.”
A mental snort. “Who’s guarding you, young king?”
“You know, I’m far older than you think.” He knew Zelec considered himself superior for his advanced years. What others failed to remember was that Jentaron had been born with knowledge that superseded any creature in existence, with the exception of one or two creator deities. Even Asael had little more than a basic understanding of the world beyond his ambitions.
“Jentaron, it’s considered poor form to talk behind your host’s back,” Asael said, his tone dripping with amusement. “Perhaps I should entertain your companion while you and Zelec discuss whatever it is that leads to such rudeness?”
Not in the mood to deal with the sly Fallen, Jentaron pulled Ella closer, his grip firm. “Zelec and Ella are mine.”
“Ah, that’s where you’re wrong.”
“Don’t, Jentaron. He’s baiting you with—”
Jentaron refused to heed Zelec’s warning. “Should you wish to survive what’s coming, you won’t play games with me, Asael.”
The demon lord stilled. “Do you threaten me?”
“Yes.”
Everyone in the large chamber froze. No one made such threats to the Lord of the Abyss and lived.
“I have knowledge you do not,” Jentaron continued. “Even Kingu is unaware of what truly lies beyond.” A dramatic pause. And Ranton likes to say I don’t know how to toy with my prey. Ha. “Your tie with the creator is not unknown to me, Fallen.”
Asael rose to his full height. He flared his wings, as well as his corona of tarnished holiness.
Zelec cringed. Wings appeared at his back and folded around him even as Jentaron sent out an instinctive bubble of magic to shield him. The other demons in the chamber yelled a collective “No!” before exploding into ash, a forgotten afterthought. Jentaron felt no pain, and Ella didn’t move. Nephilim, of course, had no problem with the light from the upper realm.