Anniel’s wolf sense warned her of danger. The light link she had to Seth tightened and bloomed more powerful.

What’s going on? I can feel your apprehension.

Anniel looked around the claustrophobic elevator at the big Hazdraec and two Gorgundts.

They’re taking us to their boss. I don’t like this, but they still have Eriel— she replied telepathically.

I’m coming over— Seth stated.

But what about Rayne? You’re going to leave her just with Abdy? Is he strong enough to guard the starcruiser and the girl by himself?— Anniel asked nibbling her lip.

She felt his hesitation. It’s s a nightmare out here, Annie. People are killing each other off left and right. I have the building the starcruiser is perched on sealed off, and, just in case, I also have it cloaked in invisibility. If I were more powerful, like Dev, I could pop in over there and keep the starcruiser safe too.

We’ll be fine, Seth. My son is a good fighter, and you know Ashriel is legendary.

I’ll stay in contact, Anniel. Keep yourself safe. Please.

Anniel sighed, looking up at Ashriel. He and Natanael were having a staring contest. Ashriel’s nostrils were flared and his brows drawn. His left wing slid out and brushed against her back. She felt the distinct nudge as he pushed her closer to Natanael.

Nat’s eyes lowered to her. Always animated and laughing, Anniel felt a bit of tension coil within her at his intense look.

Reaching out, he gripped her around her waist and pulled her against him, his eyes rising once more to Ashriel with a nod.

Placing her palms on Natanael’s chest, she looked up at Ashriel with a questioning frown, but he’d already turned, giving her his back.

The elevator door swished open and the scent of wolf assailed her nose.

Before she could stop herself, a snarl erupted from her lips.

***

There were about twenty males crowding the chamber where’d they’d left Eriel. Ashriel looked at every face before him, every snarling, fanged, flesh twitching, werewolf visage and drew himself up taller.

Anniel was growling behind him, trying to shove past his wings, but he had her trapped between them, trying to keep her safe.

Groggo cackled, standing off to one side of the wolf pack. “Cyneolle, you dirty boy. Where the hell did you get so many credits?”

“I am very good at manipulating technology. I tapped into our deceased monarch’s coffers.”

Everyone stared at Cyn in stunned silence.

The one Ashriel supposed was alpha to the pack, stepped forward with a snarl. “You tapped into the king’s treasure and didn’t tell me anything?”

Cyneolle tilted his head to the side. “You never asked.”

The alpha growled louder. “You insolent shit. I want that chip—now.”

Cyneolle grinned, dug into the pocket of his black cargo pants, and tossed the transparent credit chip to the alpha. “There. You have what you want, now give us the other reaper and let us be on our way.”

“Hey,” Groggo protested. “By all rights, that chip should be—“

The alpha turned luminous blue eyes to the grimy alien, his face already beginning to shift into wolf form.

Groggo held up his hands with a nervous laugh. “That chip is yours, Zobrawn.”

Ashriel sneered at Groggo’s cowardice.

“You have what you wanted, riches fit for a king, now give us the reaper and let us leave,” Cyneolle demanded again.

Zobrawn growled viciously. “You don’t tell me what to do, you pathetic excuse for a lycan.”

Ashriel stepped up next to his nephew. “He is more Seraph than Lycan, and he is more of a man than you.”

The men behind the alpha were shifting. Behind him, he heard Anniel panting and whimpering. The surge of power they exuded in their shift affected her. If she shifted also, the babe in her womb would perish.

Ashriel’s heart twisted in agony at the thought.

“I don’t give a shit about the reaper,” Zobrawn’s voice was thick and animalistic. He pointed a clawed finger at Ashriel and the Cyneolle. “You can all rot in hell as far as I’m concerned, but the bitch…the bitch is mine.”

Cold fury washed over Ashriel. Reaching back, behind his head, between his shoulders, he felt for the vibrating power of his divine sword. The hilt materialized in his palm. He gripped it, feeling the power of it surge through him, and slowly unsheathed the flaming sword from the pocket of magic where he kept it hidden. Everything before him shivered and roiled as if boiling. It was the ability to decimate evil. If only it worked on beings of this realm. Every vile creature before him would have been turned to ash right now.

Still, a few of the werewolves before him cringed and whimpered, fearful of the physical change he exuded. He knew his eyes were solid black, and his face was probably blank, eerily expressionless. Actually, the fury he felt before abated. Now he only wanted to kill, no pity, no mercy. He knew they sensed that.

Some of the wolves began howling. Zobrawn’s skin furred over, his face elongating as he bared fangs at Ashriel.

“You think you can defeat all of us with that archaic sword?”

Ashriel spread his wings as far as they would go. “I have defeated legions of devils and demons with this sacred sword. You are naught but a handful of weak mongrels,” he replied evenly.

The Alpha laughed. He felt Anniel trying to push his wings aside and wished Natanael would restrain her. He didn’t want her involved in the altercation he knew was about to happen.

“These are my best warriors,” the alpha snarled, spit dripping from his ever-growing fangs.

“Then be prepared to lose them if you don’t let us through,” Ashriel warned.

Groggo began to back away.

“I already told you. You can all piss off, but that bitch is mine to keep and fuck.”

Ashriel had put his hand back to push Anniel into Natanael’s arms for safe keeping, his intention to fly at the alpha and rip his heart out, but Cyneolle launched himself at Zobrawn. Behind him Anniel screamed.

Cyneolle and Zobrawn engaged in a brutal and bloody battle. He could tell his nephew was clearly enraged, which unfortunately made him make mistakes. He seemed more intent on making the alpha bleed rather than just outright kill him, something Ashriel would have done without stopping to consider any other alternative.

Zobrawn sank his fangs and tore Cyneolle’s flesh. Cyneolle also alternated between punching and biting. He tore one of Zobrawn’s ears off, knocked a canine tooth out, but it didn’t matter because another one would grow to replace it. Zobrawn in turn managed to grip Cyneolle’s left arm in his jaws and bit down with enough force to almost rip the appendage off. Sparks and black fluid gushed out. Cyneolle lost use of his left arm. With a roar, Cyn turned and flicked his white wing. Just like any other Seraph's, the might in that wing was enough to send the wolf leader flying twenty feet away.

Cyneolle snarled, lifting his right arm. The remaining metallic arm guard lit with green fire as he took aim.

“Go on, you coward,” the alpha snarled, spitting blood. “Use your cyborg weapons. You can never defeat me as a wolf because you’re a filthy, worthless, half-breed shit. You never were or ever will be pack worthy.”

Ashriel watched as Cyneolle’s arm began going down. He was too angry. Ashriel was not. Ashriel only craved dispensing death, like any death angel would.

Stepping up next to his nephew again, he let his wing brush against Cyneolle’s quivering white one. “Cyneolle is so much more than you. He doesn’t need a pack that turns its back on one of their own. He has his real family now, the Alpha Angels…and Dark Angels. He’s one of us.”

***

Anniel struggled against Natanael when both her son and Ashriel flew headlong into the multitude of snarling werewolves. “Nooo,” she cried out in terror.

Chameleon turned liquid silver and joined the fray as well.

Blood and gore spattered everywhere. Ashriel looked like a berserker, striking so fast he created a trail of red as he pushed farther into the group of wolves. Cyn also fought valiantly despite his limp arm. Chameleon, having killed a great portion of wolves began stalking Groggo.

Wide eyed, the filthy little alien reached back and hit a button on the console before the cage containing Eriel. Chameleon tried to stop him, flying right at Groggo and spearing him with two blades that slid from his arms. Groggo dropped into a lifeless heap on the floor.

Anniel shrieked when she saw the trap door beneath Eriel snap open. The reaper fell into a tank swarming with flesh eaters.

Chameleon literally flowed through the mesh cage into the pit.

“Oh-god,” Anniel screamed again. “They’ll be eaten alive.”

Cyneolle jumped to the top of the cage and used his fire to burn a wide hole.

Anniel watched mesmerized as a silver glob inched its way toward the hole. It looked like a giant silver egg. The liquid blob flowed out of the hole until it rested on top of the cage. Slowly the gelatinous substance drained away from Eriel until it reformed into Chameleon again. Eriel looked like he hadn’t been bitten or scratched. Still she held her breath as both Chameleon and Cyneolle examined him.

Erie began to rouse. “W-what happened?”

“I just saved you from being eaten alive,” Chameleon answered turning into his flesh-like form.

Even from where she stood, Anniel could see the dark-haired reaper appraising the cybernetic angel.

“Fuck, baby. You can eat me any time you want,” was Eriel’s awed reply.

Behind her Natanael snickered. “Yeah. He’s okay. Let’s go.”

Anniel looked back to Ashriel. Gore covered him from head to toe. All around, hundreds of wolves had been turned to hamburger meat. It was gross, especially with some of them twitching, spewing blood, and guts spilling bodily waste. The smell was horrible and she felt herself begin to gag.

Natanael cocooned her within his wings. “Easy there, sweetheart.”

A sharp metallic clang followed by the sound of gushing water had her looking back at Ashriel. He’d broken one of the pipes that snaked around the ceiling and was standing beneath the deluge. The water washed off the blood and chunks of meat from him. When he was reasonably clean, he stalked back toward her, looking like something out of her lewdest wet dreams.

Cyneolle jumped down from the top of the cage as Chameleon hauled Eriel into his arms.

Ashriel’s hands gripping her around her waist made her look up at him.

“Baby, are you hurt?” she asked running her hands up the wet, sinewy strength of his arms. He didn’t have a scratch on him.

“I’m fine. Wrap your arms and legs around me.”

Behind them, Cyneolle blew an enormous hole in one of the walls, exposing a view of the city in flames.

Anniel’s eyes widened when she saw a large transport tumble past, and jumped when she heard the explosion moments afterward as it finally reached the street below.

Ashriel lifted her into his arms as the mixture of hot and cold air blasted through the hole. Cyneolle took flight followed by Chameleon carrying Eriel.

Ashriel held her tight and began to run. Anniel closed her eyes and gripped him harder.

“I’ve got you, my love,” he crooned into her ear. His body tilted forward and his wings thrummed to life behind his back. The sound was deafening, like rolling thunder.

She was soaring over the burning city in the arms of her dark angel. It was daunting—pretty scary since she was a bit squeamish about heights.

Ashriel’s arms were like steel bands around her back and waist and he didn’t fly completely horizontal. It was more of an angle, which didn’t make her feel like she was literally hanging on for dear life. He kissed her cheek and squeezed her harder. She felt ridiculously safe in her death angel’s arms—safe enough to brave opening one eye.

Ashriel’s wings were a blur of black. A little above them was Natanael, his hair a blue flag in the wind. He noticed her looking at him and did an impressive flip in the air. At her astonished look, he laughed and did it again, this time staying upside down as his legs split open in a ridiculous pose. He laughed out loud, throwing his arms out too. Now he looked like a flying X.

Anniel smirked at the silly angel. Ashriel looked over his shoulder and snorted. “Show-off.”

They began to descend.

She buried her face in Ashriel’s neck, holding him tight as she felt her belly do a flip.

“I’m glad you’re back,” Seth said when Ashriel finally landed. “We need to get out of here now.”

Another explosion rocked the ground. Above their heads, the Rhylosian sky looked smoky and red like Megdoluc’s.

Ashriel didn’t let her down, just maneuvered her in his hold to carry her up the starcruiser’s ramp. He didn’t stop until he’d reached the helm and placed her into one of the seats. Crouching, he strapped her in and tested the belts before leaning over to kiss her deeply.

The helm was a flurry of activity as the others strapped themselves in. Ashriel gripped one side of the pilot’s chair at the same time Seth gripped the other.

They stared at each other for a few seconds.

“Let Ash fly,” the others chorused frantically, “please.”

Seth snorted and took the co-pilot’s chair grudgingly.

Anniel watched Ashriel strap himself in and begin to bark out orders. The console came to life with thousands of blinking lights and glowing screens. His big hands gripped the throttles, revving the turbines to high-pitched peak.

Anniel felt the craft begin to lift.

“Hold on,” his deep voice said in the dimly lit interior.

Anniel closed her eyes, her teeth clenching together as she felt her stomach bottom out. The starcruiser shot up at incredible speed. Gravity tried to suck them back down, but they continued to climb, defying G-force.

She felt Seth’s power roll out, clearing the path above them. They did not slow down until they hit space.

Anniel’s head spun and she felt a wave of nausea hit. Her brow beaded in sweat and she moaned. They’d ascended too fast.

The sound of safety belts being undone reached her ears.

“You have the helm now, Sethaliel,” Ashriel said just before she felt his hands on her.

He undid her harness and gently helped her up. “Come. Let’s get you settled down below. It’s going to be a long flight.”

“Where are we headed?” she asked letting him lead her toward the ramps.

“Wherever Seth deems safe,” he answered.

***

He led her down to the cabins below, holding her close. Her skin looked ashen and he felt a slight tremor go through her body when he held her tighter.

“Are you in pain?”

“No. I’m fine. Just a little shaky.”

“Have you eaten?” He scowled then. “Of course you haven’t. You were too busy risking your neck and that of our unborn’s traipsing through hostile space and a war-ridden planet looking for me.”

When hurt and anger tightened her features, guilt assailed him. He shouldn’t be upsetting her further, never mind that he really wanted to take her across his knee and show her the business end of his palm for scaring the life out of him with her well intended but foolhardy actions. Stopping before she could blurt out the protest already forming on her lips, he pulled her against him and ravished her sweet mouth.

“I was so afraid of losing you, my love,” he moaned between luscious strokes of his tongue against hers. “Of not having you in my arms again.” She melted against him now, a soft sigh whispering from her lips against his.

Her fingers speared into his hair and then his wings. He ruffled his feathers for her, knowing she loved their soft feel. She moaned again and he stooped to pick her up. Walking quickly, he kicked open the door to Natanael’s cabin. It was the only one with an angel-sized bed sitting in the middle of the room. He laid Anniel on the crisp white sheets and untangled her arms from around his neck. He grinned when she pouted adorably, obviously wanting to keep hold of him.

“I want you to eat first. You need to nourish yourself or our child will drain you.”

He caressed her rounded belly, still in awe of the evidence of his virility. Just a few months ago he’d been a virgin, now he was going to be a father.

Her hand covered his, her skin deep brown satin. He looked into her luminous eyes and felt his heart lurch at the intensity of love he saw there.

After she ate, he intended to remove all her clothing and embed himself in her tight heat until they reached their destination.

She licked her lips as her eyes drank him in. Her evident attraction to him made him feel elated, but he wanted so much more than that—more than just being beautiful to her. She’d said she loved him, but then she’d confessed to loving the other Alpha Angels as well. He wanted to matter more than the others, not just another angel she cared about. He wanted her in love with him, just as he was in love with her.

“What’s wrong, baby?” she asked caressing his cheek.

He blinked. “Just wondering what I should bring you.”

She frowned. “Anything, as long as it’s not prinut.”

He wanted to laugh when she wrinkled her pert little nose. Keeping a solemn expression, he said, “but it’s so good for you, Anniel.”

She growled at him, one lip going up in the cutest manner. He couldn’t help but chuckle. “Fine. No prinut.”

Again, her eyes slid down his body. “I could eat you.” He gasped when she suddenly cupped and caressed his straining length. “God-help-me, you look so hot in this get-up, baby.”

He grinned and moved away from her, letting his wings spread a bit as he flexed his muscles. She bit her lips and her breathing grew heavier.

“I can be your dessert, but first you eat,” he crooned.

***

Anniel practically drooled when he turned on his heel and strode out. The black wings bracketing that tight ass was positively sinful. She fully intended he keep that sexy little get up. He was definitely going to be using it allot back on Alpha 7 in the privacy of her quarters—or his.

When the door shut on the enticing view of his ass, she felt bereft. Letting out a loud sigh she looked around. The sight of a hygiene unit had her smiling again. She could use a little cleaning up. Aside from the stench of smoke still clinging to her, her scalp was starting to smart from her tight hairdo.

Stripping quickly, she stepped into the cylindrical hygiene unit.

Soothing rays engulfed her, unraveled her hair, and cleaned her body thoroughly. Pursing her lips, she tapped in a few more instructions on the unit’s control screen and then raised her face to the second sweep of the rays.

When the machine finished, the sweet scent of chocolate wafted around her. She opened her eyes and slipped her fingers into her thick hair. The once auburn locks gleamed dark gold, like her son’s. The loose curls wrapped playfully around her digits, and she gave them a slight tug only to feel them bounce back into place. Sticking her ass out and tipping her head back, she gave her curls a shake, feeling the heavy silk caress her backside.

A low groan had her turning around with a surprised squeak.

Ashriel stood at the door with a large tray in his hands. His eyes glittered with lust and his soctanal was tented high with his erection. He took a few steps toward her, but stopped to frown at the covered tray in his hands.

Circling around the ridiculously large bed in the middle of the room, Ashriel placed the tray on a long dresser next to the hygiene unit. She trembled as he stalked toward her.

Taking a handful of her hair, he let the thick strands slide through his fingers.

“You’re blonde now.”

He was so serious it worried her perhaps he didn’t like the change.

“I was tired of the red.” His eyes met hers. She nibbled her lip and added, “don’t you like it?”

He pulled her against him and took her mouth. She smiled when she felt his jutting erection poking her belly.

He stopped kissing her, but rubbed his nose against hers, their breathing equally erratic. “You could shave your head and you’d still be beautiful to me.” When she raised a brow and smirked, he added with a frown, “but don’t.”

Darn, he was so adorable—and sexy.

“Not particular to bald women, eh?”

“I’m only particular to you,” he growled gripping her bare ass to grind his hips against her. “No other woman.”

Anniel moaned, pushing up on her toes to get closer.

Slipping an arm under her butt, he lifted her.

“You know, you’re going to get me really spoiled with all this carrying me around everywhere,” she giggled.

“I need to feel you,” he said kissing her neck now.

The cool feel of the laminated dresser top met her bottom when he lowered her gently upon it. His hands gripped her thighs, spreading them to give him room to stand between her legs.

She saw how his eyes darkened when he traced her kiss-softened lips with the tip of his finger. Playfully, she nipped him, making him gasp and bite his own lower lip.

Reaching over, he grabbed a three-pronged fork and speared a food morsel with it.

“Enough fooling around. Open wide and eat.”

Always so bossy. She’d rather wait a bit and nurse from his cock, but she knew he wouldn’t give her any of his candy until she put down at least half of what he’d brought.

The taste of real meat made her hum her approval. It was tender and juicy. She hadn’t had real meat since she’d moved into Alpha 7 with her mom. Devon wouldn’t allow real meat in the ships food storage. It grossed him out.

Ashriel continued to feed her, alternating between meat and some veggies.

“I tried to find a good blend of nutrients to simulate the nutritive value of prinut. It’s a pity you refuse to consume…”

She rolled her eyes. “I am never eating that crap, Ash. Seriously.”

He frowned. “It’s not crap, Anniel. It’s good for you.”

She huffed. He was such a stick in the mud. “I am not eating it, bubba.”

His brows drew together. “I like when you call me baby better.”

She grinned and batted her lashes at him. “Sexy-boy.”

His lush lips quirked. “Okay. I find that an acceptable alternative.”

His mannerism of speech made her hot. He sounded like a prude quickly on his way to perdition.

Sitting up taller, she leaned against him, letting her arms circle his hips to grip his fabulous ass with both hands.

His grin died and his look grew seductive. He fed her a few more bites as she squeezed his tight buns and rocked him slowing against her.

The soctanal slid to the side and his dick sprung out, the flimsy material unable to contain so much angel cock. She moaned and gripped him hard. The fork slipped from his fingers, falling to the floor with a loud clatter. He took a deep breath and lifted a shaky hand to wipe some sauce from her lip. She turned and sucked his thumb into her mouth. Imagining it was another part of him she devoured, she watched him through heavy-lidded eyes and suckled him ravenously.

Black wings lifted, beginning to fan with his growing excitement.

His hips began to rock, fucking her stroking hand slowly. He retrieved his thumb and offered her his middle and ring fingers. Anniel sucked them with a hungry moan. His jaw grew slack as he pumped them between her lips.

With a hiss and a low expletive, he pulled his fingers from her mouth with a soft pop and leaned down to kiss her deeply.

“Lean back,” he said in a deep-deep voice that made her insides clench deliciously. “Put your feet up on the edge of the counter and spread for me.”

Anniel gaped at him, but did as she was told. Placing her hands back to hold her weight, she opened herself completely to him. She felt wonton and quivered with arousal as he stared down at her.

“So beautiful,” he rasped.

She gasped when he sank his spit-slicked digits deep into her. Her channel throbbed all around his slow invasion. She arched her back and bucked against his hand, whimpering hungrily.

“God—Anniel. You’re so wet,” he breathed.

“Because I want you so much, Ashriel,” she ended on a moan.

The feel of his fingers slowly fucking her was driving her wild. She wanted more. He bent and took her breast into the hot cavern of his mouth, sucking on her hard.

“Fuck—yes,” she hissed arching more.

She cried out when he nipped her nipple and curled his fingers inside her.

Annie grew frantic, her hips rocking faster as he rubbed her G-spot. Another finger joined the other two as he fingered her harder and faster. The wave of ecstasy that was building within had her bucking her hips uncontrollably, and her mewls of pleasure escalating, until she came spectacularly all over Ashriel’s hand and belly.

Her head thumped against the wall with her wail of completion, her body seizing. She remained panting, her mind completely blown by the most soul-shattering orgasm she’d ever had. She’d actually gushed. She’d never-ever come so hard that she’d squirted before.

“My love,” Ashriel’s voice beckoned softly, “are you alright?”

“Huh?” she answered, unable to form words just yet.

She finally looked at him when he raised his hand. She felt her cheeks heat. He gazed at her steadily, and then shocked her when he lifted his hand and popped his dripping fingers into his mouth. He closed his eyes and groaned, sucking all her juice from his fingers. Another orgasm made her quiver at the sight.

“God—you taste so good,” he growled. “I need more of your taste.”

It was all the warning she got before he fell to his knees before her and proceeded to bury his face between her legs.

“Oh, Ash,” she mewled when he tossed her legs over his shoulders and proceeded to devour her.

His tongue stabbed deep within her, lapping her up and then lashed against her sensitive clit. She jumped and cried out at the intense pleasure. Fisting his dark locks, she tilted her hips and bucked against his face, riding his tongue frantically as another wave loomed over her body. He drank her down like a man dying of thirst, his wings fanning energetically.

Fuck, he was so beautiful. She cried out his name, over and over, like a mantra.

Bringing his fingers into play, he sank them deep inside her as his tongue attacked her clit, lashing it unmercifully. Anniel opened her mouth on a silent scream, opening her eyes to take in the incredible beauty of the dark angel giving her so much pleasure. Her legs began to shake—hard.

She spread her legs wider, bucked faster, and when she reached up to pinch the jutting tips of her breasts, her climax broke upon her, tipping her into oblivion.

Her sharp scream turned into a full howl as she came again.

Her hands tried to push him away when she felt too sensitive. He was licking her folds ravenously, trying to get every last drop of her honey.

He rose, panting, his eyes completely black. It was a bit freaky, but she knew he couldn’t control it anymore than she could control her embarrassing howls every time she came.

He caressed the back of her head. “You hit yourself.”

“Did I? Didn’t feel a thing,” she panted.

He grinned, making her heart clench. “Your eyes rolled back a few times there.”

She managed to find the strength to smirk. “Funny you noticed. You were buried so far up in there I was wondering if you were trying to get a glimpse of our daughter.”

His gaze lowered to her heaving belly and he caressed it reverently. Her heart skipped a beat when he stayed pensive.

“Ash?”

He remained silent a while longer, his fingers skating over the swell of her baby bump. “Do you have any idea how much I love you?”

She swallowed around the lump that formed in her throat. “Because I’m pregnant?”

He looked up at her now, his eyes back to normal and shook his head. “No, Annie. I’ve loved you for more than three hundred siglons.”

She blinked back the tears that formed in her eyes. “Why, Ash?”

His eyes worshipped every detail of her face, one finger tracing the curve of her cheek. “At first I was captivated by your beauty, your luminous golden eyes, your gorgeous skin…everything. I watched you, saw how good you were, so pure, and so full of light. So strong despite everything life threw at you. I admired and respected you. You held me in awe, enthralled. How could I not fall desperately in love? You owned my soul before you ever realized I existed. I’m forever yours, Anniel.”

She stared at him, mouth ajar. His eyes bore into hers, and she could see nothing but honesty in them.

“I’m…I’m scared,” she whispered honestly. What she felt for him was overwhelming—scary.

“I will never hurt you,” he vowed. “I swear this to you.”

Unable to help herself, she fisted his locks and drew him close. With a shuddering moan, she slanted her mouth across his. Ashriel’s lips were the first thing she feasted on, nipping, licking, drawing the plump lower lip into her mouth to suck. He groaned, his wings dropping to the floor in apparent surrender. Anniel’s heart pounded in her chest, between her legs as she continued to devour her reaper. Having sampled her dark angel’s sinfully sexy lips, she plumbed the depths of his mouth, tongue spearing deep. The tasting was mutual, tongues dancing sensually against each other, mimicking what they wanted to do with their bodies She arched against him and rubbed her achy breasts against his chest. The hard, muscled maleness of him was intoxicating. She realized that had Remien not given them Liquid X, she most likely would not have been able to resist Ashriel anyway.

She fisted his dark hair tighter, but his hands lifted, his fingers entangling with hers to draw her hands to his shoulders.

He pulled away enough so that just their lips barely touched. Silky chestnut hair slid against her cheek as they stared into each other’s eyes panting.

Ashriel’s eyes were dark with passion, his lips reddened and plump from her assault. His wings drew up again, opening in an exotic display of blue-black feathers taking her breath away. She throbbed with longing, desire to feel him deep inside her.

“Baby, I need you in me,” she whispered.

Ashriel slid his hands to her hips and drew her against him. Wrapping her legs around his waist and clutching his shoulders, she bit and kissed his neck as he lifted her.

He took the few steps necessary to reach the bed and then they were airborne. His wings thundered to life, lifting them over the bed. He brought them down gently, until her back sank into the white comforter and he lay over her.

Again, they kissed, kissed until she could barely breathe. Her skin felt tight, sensitive. Anniel rubbed against him, feeling his cock trapped between their bellies. She wanted him so badly and knew he ached to sink into her too, but continued to tease each other instead, making the hunger escalate. She raised her legs so that they wrapped around his waist and bucked her open sex against his erection. He arched making her hiss when his cock pressed tighter within her slit. He began to rock faster, sending jolts of sheer pleasure through her clit.

“Oh-god, I’m going to come,” she cried out.

He stopped with a chuckle, making her want to growl at him. “Not yet.”

His mouth slammed back on hers. Grabbing his hair again, she ate at his mouth and rubbed against him, seeking release. He moved, angled, and suddenly slammed into her.

The feel of his cock cleaving her throbbing, swollen cunt brought her to screaming howling ecstasy. His hips continued to pound, his wings fluttering so fast she was afraid he’d lift them off the bed again. Suddenly, they shot straight out and he gave an animalistic shout. Heat flooded her in pulsing spurts as he came. Every muscle strained tight, his white teeth clenched in an aroused snarl.

He shuddered, flexed his hips with a growl, and shuddered again, filling her with his seed. Anniel twisted beneath him, milking him for all she was worth until she could move no more, her body spent.

Panting, he looked down at her. He was still rock hard. Ashriel began to move again…slowly.

Anniel’s toes curled from sensitivity.

When she whimpered, his eyes softened as he whispered, “Shhh.”

Soft, slow, he rocked back and forth into her, lighting up a hungry fire in her veins. She could feel the ripple of his abdominal muscles, the press of his sculpted pecs against her full breasts. She ran her fingers up beneath his wings, feeling the strength of his flight muscles. He gripped her hands, bringing them slowly to either side of her face. Ashriel dipped to kiss her, his tongue flicking past her teeth to taste.

Anniel wanted to fist his hair, deepen the kiss, but his hands held her firmly. When she tried to lift her head, he’d compensate and lean back, keeping the kiss soft and sweet.

With a sigh, she relaxed her body and just opened to him, allowed him to love her slowly.

“Look at me,” he whispered.

Anniel opened her eyes to shimmering silver, eyes the color of a storm. Only this storm was a beautiful deluge of love. She drowned in those lightning colored orbs, feeling him fill her slowly, withdraw, and then sink back in.

Her breathing became ragged, her moans higher in pitch. She could feel her clit throbbing, engorged to utmost sensitivity. Every time he sank back in, he’d grind his hips against hers in a slow roll that had her curling her toes against his ass.

She was ready again. The quivering in his wings let her know he was also there.

Fire streaked through her entire being, her eyes never breaking contact with his. Her entire soul was laid bare before this angel of black wings. In a moment of spiritual clarity, she realized there was no longer anything to fear. Loving Ashriel felt right. Her link to him blossomed, allowing him to feel what her lips were already confessing, “I love you. I really-really love you.” Because he was goodness and purity, he was honor, valor, and glory. He was Ashriel of Angelos.

She sighed, filled with utter contentment as her legs slid down his…and then she noticed his still intense look.

Her eyes widened when he moved his hips, adjusting himself. He was still hard.

“Really?” she squeaked.

He gave her a sheepish grin. “I am Seraphian born, my love.”

She blinked, about to ask him exactly what that meant when another thought occurred to her.

Seraphs lived for over two thousand years.

***

She had the look of a well-sated woman, a fine sheen of sweat covering her flesh. He could feel how lax her body was, though every once on a while a quiver would go through her pussy which still gloved his cock. It shot pleasure through him, made his balls ache and muscles twitch with desire to keep making love to her, even though he’d just come so hard he thought he was going to keel over.

She’d looked startled when his cock twitched within her, and he’d felt his face flush. He couldn’t believe how randy he was either, but he was a Seraphian-born male. It came with the territory.

She grinned and looked as if she were about to ask him something.

Her sudden frown, however light, startled him.

“Ashriel, how old are you?”

He blinked at her in confusion. “I am four-hundred-and-five.”

He hadn’t reached his quarter lifespan, but doubted she’d hold his youth against him since she was even younger than he was.

Her frown deepened, making him worry.

Her silence tormented him, but more was the slow withdrawal he felt of her essence from within him. She was closing herself off to him again.

“No,” he pleaded cupping her face. “No, please. Tell me what I’ve done wrong.”

Her eyes shimmered with moisture. “Oh, baby, I’ve been so selfish.”

“Never,” he shook his head, but she silenced him by putting her fingers against his lips.

Her eyes took in every feature of his face as he waited with bated breath for her to confess what was troubling her.

“Baby, my life expectancy is maybe ninety or one hundred years. I’ll grow old in a few more decades and you’ll still be young.”

He closed his eyes in relief. She didn’t know.

“I don’t care if you grow old,” he assured her, resting his forehead on hers. “I’ll love you no matter what.”

“No,” she exclaimed vehemently. “It’s not anything as vain as that. I’m going to die way before you do. What will that do to you, Ash? I don’t want you to feel hurt—“

He gripped her face again and smiled. “Anniel, don’t you know what mating with a Seraph does to you?” She frowned in confusion. “The minute you shared fluids with a Seraph your physiology began to change. The moment you conceived you were irrevocable changed. The fact that you’ve conceived twice from Seraphs makes you practically one of us now.”

She gaped at him. “Really?”

He smiled, wanted to laugh. “Really.” He shifted his hips, grinding his pelvis against her, making her gasp as the head of his cock kissed her womb. “We will have many years for this between us.”

When her eyes grew molten again, he dipped his head and took her mouth. His tongue had just barely stroked past her lips when pounding on the door startled both of them.

“Hey, you didn’t say you were going to use my cabin,” Natanael exclaimed through the sealed door.

Ashriel scowled and couldn’t help the growl that erupted from his chest. “Go away.”

He dipped his head to kiss those pretty giggles from his woman’s lips, but Natanael pounded on the door again, his voice charged with nervous anxiety, “but my stuff is in there.”

Anniel stopped giggling and began pressing Ashriel back.

Angry now, and refusing to let Anniel push him away, he snapped over his shoulder, “Natanael, you can get it later.”

“No. I need to get something—now,” he insisted.

Anniel’s hands pressed harder, her gaze darting to the door.

Ashriel sat back, wincing when his cock finally withdrew from its snug haven. He raked an agitated hand through his hair with a huff. “Just tell me what it is and—“

“No,” Natanael roared so ferociously it made him and Anniel jump. “Fucking let me in or I swear to God I’ll fucking break this fucking door down—do you hear me?”

Ashriel scrambled off the bed with a vehement curse as Anniel wrapped the comforter around herself and slid off the other side. He stalked to the door and slapped his hand on the pad to open it.

Natanael’s wings were wide open, his breathing agitated, and eyes sparking with fury. It made Ashriel take a step back and keep his own escalating temper in check, otherwise they’d come to blows, He didn’t want to upset Anniel any further.

“What the hell is the matter with you?” Ashriel hissed pressing his wings tight to his back to show he would not challenge the reaper’s aggression. He really wanted to grab the idiot by the throat and slam him against the wall.

Natanael’s eyes were steely. “I need a few seconds—alone. Afterwards, you two can go back to screwing your brains out.”

He looked away and stood off to the side, obviously wanting them out of his room so he could retrieve whatever was so damned important to him.

Ashriel slid his arm around Anniel’s waist and led her out to the corridor. They looked at each other in confusion as Natanael brushed past them and closed the door.

“I’ve never seen him so uptight,” she whispered, a little frown marring her forehead.

Ashriel clutched her close, kissing the top of her head. She sighed, stroking his chest, but he frowned, remembering when he’d walked into Natanael’s room’s on Alpha 7. They’d been watching a vid-crystal and had turned it off quick when he strode in. Everyone had stared…apprehensively, and Naty had pocketed the crystal orb.

His eyes narrowed to slits when Natanael finally emerged from the cabin, hands in pockets, face blank and aloof.

“Room’s all your now. Seth says we should be arriving at our destination in two days.”

Ashriel nodded. He wouldn’t press the issue, but the moment he got Natanael alone, he’d demand the vid-crystal—even if he had to kick the young reaper’s ass to get it.