Alluna looked up to see the underbelly of a gold dragon. Just ahead was another Gold, and two Reds flew to either side of her.

The one with the crown of horns turned his head. Alluna wasn’t sure, but she could have sworn the Red dragon grinned and winked at her.

“Oh, gods,” she gasped. The air around her was getting thinner and colder as they soared higher. She was having trouble breathing.

Her face was suddenly pressed against shimmering golden scales. The dragon clutched her to his chest.

“Zak?” she whimpered.

A low growl erupted from his chest and he drew her higher.

His head dipped and she came face to snout with Zak’s dragon. The sapphire blue of his eyes burned fiercely.

“Zak,” she called to him again.

His answer was a ferocious snarl, baring his teeth.

Did he know who she was? Did he retain his human thoughts and memories when he changed?

Alluna watched in horror and terror as he opened his maw and slipped her into his mouth.

His jagged dragon’s teeth were the last thing she saw before she passed out.

Chapter Twenty-One

Alluna snuggled closer to the warmth enveloping her.

“Remi, s-stop. Oh, God.”

The sounds of a female groaning roused Alluna from her deep slumber. Where was she? What happened?

A deep purring growl echoed around Alluna, followed by a deeper rumble against her body.

Alluna opened her eyes as a sharp cry pierced the air.

Her hair clung to her face and body, as well as the flimsy clothing she wore. She lay between the golden dragon’s forepaws and the rest of his enormous body was curled protectively around her. It was then she remembered… the jagged dragon’s teeth closing around her. Zak had tossed her into his maw midflight.

“Oh,” she gasped, struggling to sit up.

When she stirred, he lifted his head and stared at her with glowing sapphire-blue eyes. Another purring growl rumbled through him. He was enormous as a dragon, his scales bright like polished gold. His snout was smooth and rounded and the ridge of bone over his eyes pronounced, hooding the jewels of his eyes. Two long horns rose from his head and rows of spikes rode his neck down his back to the tip of the tail tucked around his body and hers. She was completely surrounded by him. Alluna never felt safer.

She opened her mouth to speak to Zak, but another whimper caught her attention.

Three things registered in Alluna’s mind immediately. She was in a cave with Zak and Remi still in dragon form. The sun was starting to set, casting a red glow upon the Red dragon, which lay at the mouth of the cave. Remien held Rowie in one claw, and with his other claw, he held her legs splayed out as he licked her most intimate of places.

Alluna gasped, her mouth falling open at the sight of Rowie writhing in pleasure at the dragon’s lewd attentions.

“Oh, baby,” Rowie panted, just before her back bowed and she cried out again.

Remi nuzzled her as she panted. Alluna saw how the other girl’s legs trembled in the aftermath of her release.

The sound of someone climbing up to the mouth of the cave drew deep snarls from both dragons.

“God damn it, Rem. Have you coaxed Zak back into human form?” It was Seth’s voice.

Alluna watched him peer tentatively into the cave. Zak’s long golden tail slithered against the front of Remi and with a sharp flick, sent Seth flying back out.

Alluna swallowed a scream before she looked up and glared at Zak. Remi only snickered.

“That wasn’t very nice,” she spat. Rising up a bit unsteadily to her feet, she began to make her way to the entrance of the cave. “I hope you didn’t hurt him.”

Exactly how high up were they? Intending to peer out, she lifted a foot to climb over Zak’s forepaw. He tried to curve his neck around her to block her from moving forward.

Alluna pushed his head away. “No. I want to see what happened to Seth. And you stop that snickering.”

The Red dragon winced, clutching Rowie against his throat.

“You have no sense of humor, little human,” the Red dragon growled out, shocking Alluna.

She didn’t know they could talk in their beastly form.

“Set me down, Remi,” Rowie protested, her bare legs wiggling within his claws. “I can’t believe you woke me up that way.”

Rowie sounded angry, but Alluna felt worried about Seth. She made her way over Zak’s tail and Remi’s claws until she came to the edge of the opening.

The wind howled, and the view of the treetops had Alluna gasping. They were in a cave in the side of a mountain. As she neared the edge, she came face to whiskered muzzle with an enormous black and white tiger. He clung to the rock face with giant feline claws.

With a squeak of surprise, she scrambled back. Snarls and growls broke out behind her.

“Oh, stop with all the male posturing,” Rowie ordered angrily. “Remi, turn back into human this instant, and you…” Alluna turned to see her pointing into Zak’s snarling countenance. Her voice came out very soft now, lulling, soothing, “listen very closely…”

Rowie began to sing, her angelic voice echoing around the cave bringing bumps to Alluna’s flesh.

Zak backed away a bit, a soft trilling sound rising from his throat. His scales glowed, as if lit by fire.

Alluna had to shield her eyes from the intense light. She felt the heat slide against her body, intense, almost unbearable and then it just faded.

She turned to see Zak, back in human form, huddled against the cave floor.

Without a second thought, she rushed to him.

His hair spilled all around him. She used her fingers to brush the shimmering gold strands back and watched the play of muscles ripple under his skin as he rose to hands and knees.

“Zak?” she whimpered trying to crawl into his skin when he sat back on his bent legs. He wrapped his arms around her, still looking dazed. “Za—“

His mouth sealed over hers, his arms pulling her tighter against him. Alluna ate at his mouth, he responded by practically trying to crawl inside her, tongue first. It was brutal and primal. Their teeth clashed and tongues twined. Her nails pressed against the thick meat of his biceps and shoulders before her fingers lost themselves in the wealth of hair that fell to his ass.

Zak brought them to the floor, barely keeping his weight from crushing her. His thighs shoved hers apart and his hard hot length pressed against her, seeking entrance. Alluna cried out in pleasure and spread her legs wider in wanton invitation.

“Zak,” she whimpered, nipping his throat. He answered her with a growl.

“Oh, seriously? Give me a fucking break.”

The sound of Seth’s angry, frustrated voice had Alluna’s eyes snapping back open.

She pushed against Zak’s chest now and he huffed in agitation, but at least stopped trying to fuck her through her clothes. Not that she was wearing much, just a thin thong barely covered by a skirt of filmy veils. Her top she had no idea where it had gone, but her breasts were bare. Zak was completely naked.

The sight of him had her heart lurching and eyes filling with hot tears. With a choked sob, she clutched him to blink at Seth over his shoulder.

Seth ran a hand through his white-blond hair. He was naked too, but the sun shining behind him kept his front in dark shadow.

“I am not going to stay here if you guys are going to fuck all night.”

“Fine,” Remi answered, “take a hike.”

Alluna turned just in time to see Rowie punch Remi in the arm with a glare.

“Ow! What was that for?” Remi looked at her with a pout.

Rowie rolled her eyes. “For being an insensitive idiot.”

Zak sighed and straightened further. He looked down at Alluna’s body and frowned. “You’re all sticky.”

“That’s because you held her in your mouth and didn’t lick her clean after spitting her out,” Remi said matter-of-factly.

Next to him, Rowie blushed, her hands going over her rounded belly as her eyes darted around the darkened interior of the cave. “Where are my clothes?”

Remi gave her a blank stare and shrugged. “Beats me.”

Rowie made a frustrated sound and wacked him again. “You idiot. I don’t want to go back to the village naked.”

Remi chuckled and wrapped his arms around her. “I’ll cover you, baby.”

“Stop grabbing my ass. This isn’t funny, you hornball.”

Zak’s hand touching Alluna’s hair and face brought her attention back to him. “You need a bath. Seth, is there any water nearby?”

“There’s a small river about a quarter of a mile just east of here. If we’re going to go there, I suggest leaving right away before it gets too dark. I left Anniel there with Zakreel. She’s still a bit out of it from the trance the sorceress had her in.”

“Where’s my father and Drakken?”

“Drakken?” Rowie gasped. “My father? My father is here?”

Her fingers gripped Remi’s arms tightly.

“Yeah. He wanted to kill me when he saw what I did to you,” Remi answered, splaying his fingers proudly over Rowie’s belly. Rowie just gaped up at him, nibbling her lower lip so that her tiny fangs showed.

Alluna burrowed into Zak’s arms. “My Mama brought him in many moons ago. He’d been blood starved and petrified,’” she told them. Alluna looked sadly at Rowie. “She wanted to use him for a ritual to bring the angel of destruction’s other into this realm.”

Rowie closed her eyes as her knees gave beneath her.

“Rowie,” Remi gasped, sweeping her into his arms. “Baby, what is it?”

Rowie only whimpered in his arms.

“It’s probably just everything that’s happened and the impact of knowing her father’s still alive,” Zak said. “Let’s get them to that river, bathe and set up a bonfire for the night.”

“You think starting a fire is a good idea?”

Seth asked. “It’s going to draw attention.”

Zak scowled. “We’re Alpha Angels. We’ve don’t have much to fear.”

The silence was heavy between them. Alluna had the sensation they were speaking to each other telepathically.

Seth reached behind his back and pulled a flaming sword from thin air with a nod. “Fine.” He said. “No holds barred then. Let’s go.”

He turned and bound down the side of the mountain.

Remi stepped to the mouth of the cave and looked down. Alluna watched mesmerized as a pair of giant red dragon’s wings slipped from the flesh of his back to spread out wide to either side of him. The breeze teased his blood-red locks back. He hugged Rowie tighter against his body and then dropped out of sight.

Zak swept Alluna into his arms and walked to where Remi stood moments before. Alluna’s eyes widened at the drop, and she gripped Zak’s thick neck tighter as her heart hammered.

His chest expanded with his sigh, making her look at his face. His expression was pensive, almost sad.

“I hated what I was for so long… feared it, Alluna.”

Her hand slid around to caress his cheek. He closed his eyes and nuzzled against its warmth.

“Your dragon?” she whispered.

He pressed a kiss in her palm before opening his eyes again.

With the dying rays of the sun lighting his face, she had to remember to breathe. His eyes looked so blue—deep, fiery, hypnotic. His thick hair was like rippling gold around his face, the setting sun turning it molten. He looked like an angel, too beautiful to be real.

He closed his eyes with a hiss of pain, his back jerking. Wings emerged from his back to open a few feet to either side of him. The shimmering gold caught the rays of the sun and she had to close her eyes from the intense glare.

“Yes. My dragon.” He pressed a kiss to the tip of her nose. “Now there’s something I fear more, and that’s losing you.”

Zak allowed his mind to link to the others; Seth, Remi, Rowie, and Anniel. Clutching Luna tighter against his chest, he let himself fall forward. His wings caught the wind beneath them and the ground swooped away. At first, it felt as if his stomach had stayed behind at the cave, but with every beat of his half dragon’s wings, he gained more confidence. Luna was about to snap his neck in two from how hard she gripped him. He smiled and murmured reassurances into her ear. She only burrowed tighter against his neck. Flying was definitely not her thing.

The others were already wading waist deep in the river that curved beneath a thick covering of trees. Zak landed softly, doing his best not to jar Alluna too much. After allowing his wings to merge back into his flesh, he walked right into the water, clutching Alluna tight and then let her slip gently from his arms.

She gave a little squeak of dismay at how cold the water felt, but settled after a while. Alluna cast a shy glance around, noting the others still bathing. He remembered how innocent she was and wondered if she felt embarrassed being naked around all of them. To Zak it was the most natural thing in the world.

“Would you rather I took you somewhere more private?”

She looked up at him, hunching her shoulders. Zak’s eyes narrowed. He clenched his teeth and tried to control his voice. “Alluna, do not tell me you are still ashamed of your breasts.”

She cringed a little and bit her lower lip, looking up at him wide eyed. It was all he could do not to growl. Slowly he turned her in his arms. When she tried to protest and resist, he shushed her and turned her fully, until her back was against his chest.

A few paces away Seth passed a bottle to Anniel who smiled and accepted it. Remi was diligently lathering Rowie’s hair as she scrubbed at his chest and abdomen.

Zak grinned as Alluna winced when Remi tweaked both of Rowie’s nipples, making her squeal in surprise. Rowie retaliated by submerging her hands beneath the water. Whatever she did made Remi yelp and jump back. Rowie threw her head back and laughed until Remi swatted a handful of water at her. They began to wrestle playfully for a few seconds before ending up tangled around each other in a passionate kiss.

When Remi raised his mate to obviously shove himself into her, Seth huffed out an exasperated “Really?”

Anniel laughed and came bounding over to Zak and Alluna, holding out the bottle of soap they were all sharing.

Zak gripped her wrist and pulled her closer instead. White lather slid down Anniel’s chocolate colored skin. Her amber wolf-eyes stared at Zak questioningly as he brought her close enough for Alluna to feel the heat of her skin.

“Alluna’s still embarrassed of her breasts.”

Understanding lit Anniel’s gaze and she turned her head to smile at Alluna.

Anniel’s smile widened as she put her hands on her rounded hips, making her more than ample chest thrust out. “A girl’s boobies are one of our most alluring assets, Luna.”

“B-boobies?”

Zak chuckled and raised his hands to cup Luna’s round globes. They were only half Anniel’s size, but more than filled his big hands. Zak growled in appreciation. “Mmm, boobies.”

“I’m leaving.”

Seth’s voice had them all turning to watch him stomp out of the water.

Zak frowned. “What’s his problem?”

Anniel sighed as she dunked herself to rinse off all the soap.

“Seth, wait,” she called to him, wiping the water from her face.

Zak watched her bound out, almost running to catch up to the angry weretigri.

He turned back to look down at Alluna, his fingers pinching her nipples lightly. “Alluna, say my breasts are pretty.”

She stiffened in his embrace. He wondered if she remembered how he’d punished her the same way in Alpha 7.

“M-my breasts are pretty,” she whispered.

Zak smiled and continued to caress and pull on her nipples. Luna panted and arched her back, pressing herself tighter into his hands.

“My breasts are pretty,” she sighed with a little moan. Zak growled and bent to nip her throat.

He could hear Rowie crying out in pleasure and raised his eyes to see Remi hammering himself into her, his face slack with rising passion. Rowie leaned over her rounded belly and sank her fangs into his shoulder. Remi gave a strangled cry, his back bowing with the onset of his release, and they both collapsed beneath the water.

Alluna jerked in his arms. “Remi,” she cried out in alarm.

Zak’s eyes narrowed as he spun her to face him. She looked terrified. “Rowie is part vampire. She sometimes feeds off him. More so now that she’s pregnant with his baby dragons.”

Alluna turned her head to stare at the couple as they sputtered back to the surface. He felt her relax in his hands.

“Alluna, you shouted his name not Rowie’s. Are you attracted to Remi?”

It was getting dark and she wished she could see Zak’s face clearly. Briefly, she wondered if he was angry, jealous. Seeing Rowie sinking fangs into Remi’s pale flesh had frightened Alluna, and watching them tumble beneath the dark water notched that fear up enough to make her scream.

Was she attracted to Remi? They were all beautiful—inhumanly so. But, no matter how flashy Remi looked, or how ethereal Seth was, and Devon just downright otherworldly, her heart belonged to Zak… her golden angel.

“I think Remi is very beautiful,” she answered truthfully. He remained silent. “But I love you.”

He cocked his head to the side. “You don’t feel love for Remi?”

Alluna frowned. “I care about him. I care about all of them.”

Zak caressed her cheek. “I love Remi.” His voice was soft, but the weight of his meaning made Alluna’s eyes widen. “I also love Rowie… and Seth, Anniel, Devon, and Angel. We’ve linked so tightly to one another it gets confusing, Alluna. It gets confusing to distinguish my feelings from Devon’s or Rem’s… or Seth’s. Any of them really.”

Alluna gripped his hands to either side of her face, wanting desperately to understand.

Remi and Rowie approached them. “Row’s hungry. Luna must be, too. Let’s catch them some dinner.” Remi grinned until he caught the heavy mood between Zak and Alluna. “Are we interrupting something?”

Alluna gulped, looking from Remi to Rowie to Zak.

“I’m trying to explain us to Luna.”

“Us?” Remi echoed, one tawny brow lifting. Rowie smiled and burrowed against him.

There was a languid softness in her eyes. Alluna stiffened, realizing it was not much different from how Zak sometimes gazed at her. Love.

Remi looked down at Alluna, and his lips pulled back into a grin. “Ahhh—us.”

“Now might not be a good time, Goliath,” Rowie said. “Wait till we get home instead.”

Zak sighed with a nod. “You’re right. Tomorrow we hightail it to the space port and get our asses back in the starcruiser…”

“Wait,” Remi interrupted with a frown. “What about her dad? We just can’t take off and leave King Lumar wondering what happened to his daughter.”

“Take off?” Alluna turned to look up into Zak’s face. “Take off where?”

“Home,” he answered tightly, his eyes on Remi.

Even in the fading light of day, Alluna saw the press of his lips showing his displeasure.

“Remi’s right, sweetie. Just think how distraught you’d be if your daughters just disappeared without a trace.”

Zak wrapped his arms around Alluna with a sigh. After a moment of charged silence he spoke. “Alright. We go back to the royal tree tomorrow and face Lumar. But if he doesn’t agree to let me take her, I’m taking her regardless if I start a war between ourselves and Arboria, or the whole fucking galaxy for that matter.”

Alluna rubbed his arms to soothe him as he nuzzled the top of her head.

Zak watched his Luna closely. He led her from the water after they had bathed and had her stand near the river’s edge as he squeezed the water from her long black hair. Her skimpy clothing was soaked to her skin and he noticed her flesh already covered in goose-bumps. That would not do.

He slipped his fingers in the golden band around her hips and peeled her skirt-like garment off. He glanced up at her face when he stripped her of her thong too. Aside from chewing her bottom lip and staring at him wide-eyed, she did not protest.

“Good girl,” he whispered, brushing his lips over hers. He tossed her veiled skirt over one shoulder and slipped her thong over his wrist just before swinging her up into his arms. “We’ll hang these close to the fire to dry.”

He strode back to where the others were gathered. Seth was scooping out soil for the fire pit and the girls gathered kindling.

Zak set Alluna upon a smooth stone near where the fire was to be built.

“Shouldn’t I help?” she asked, gazing up at him from beneath her long dark lashes.

Zak preferred to have her sit still where he could keep an eye on her and know she was safe…but…

“Do you want to help?”

“Of course,” she clutched her fingers together. “I’d like to be useful, too.”

Zak smiled, letting his eyes trail down her ripe little curves, all bare and golden brown. He knelt in front of her, grasping her hands to bring them to his lips. “Promise me you’ll stay near the girls.”

Her lips quirked in a small smile, her amber eyes going over his face, his hair. “I promise,” she whispered.

He didn’t want to walk away from her but she was hungry, and he needed to help Remi catch something for them for dinner.

He gave her one last kiss over her knuckles, loving the way she drew in her breath before letting it out in a dreamy sigh.

Zak stood, his grin growing broader at her obvious attraction to him. Her eyes lowered, taking in every inch of his body. Squaring his shoulders, he walked back to the edge of the river, shaking his long, wet hair so that it brushed his ass. When he peeked back at her over his shoulder, she was licking her lips, wide-eyed. Zak bit the insides of his cheeks to keep from laughing. She was so precious.

Several hours later, they sat around the fire. Zak had pulled Alluna to sit between his legs, with her back resting against his chest. She’d fed from his fingers and he could see her trying not to nod off into sleep. He leaned back and coaxed her to curl up against his chest. After a few minutes, he felt her body go lax and her breathing deep and even.

He looked up in time to see Lucien and Eriel come through the trees. A small waif-like girl clung to Lucien and the bastard looked extremely pleased with himself.

“What gives?” Remi asked before Zak could utter a word.

Eriel plopped down between Seth and Zak. “We found her in a tower room.”

Zak’s eyes narrowed when Lucien sat close to Eriel. He pulled the girl into his lap and she snuggled like a shivering, frightened pup. Lucien’s red devil’s wings opened slightly to cocoon around them a bit. His fingers caressed the girl’s raven hair. Her eyes were huge and bluish green. She looked like a little doll.

“Lucien,” Zak began.

Lucien’s arms circled the small female and he lifted his pale eyes to glare at Zak.

“She’s mine,” he whispered.

“You’re out of your fucking mind,” Zak hissed.

Lucien’s arms tightened around the girl. She burrowed closer regardless, hiding her face against Lucien’s chest.

“So you’re planning on taking her back to hell?” Remi spat.

Lucien shook his head. “I escaped.”

“They’ll find you, Luke,” Seth said now. “They’ll drag you back.”

Lucien swallowed, his shoulders hunched over the girl he held. Zak’s heart squeezed a bit at the terror he saw in the man’s eyes.

“If I stay close to Erie, they wouldn’t dare bother me.”

Eriel grinned.

Remi scoffed. “So you plan on forming a threesome with the reaper?”

Lucien looked at Eriel, who’d turned to bat his lashes at him. Lucien frowned. “She’s for me only.”

“What about you?” Eriel chuckled, waggling his brows.

Lucien went pale and leaned back from the reaper. “If you touch me, I’ll…”

Eriel’s brow rose. “You’ll what? Kill me? Then who’ll keep the demons at bay?”

“He can come back home,” Anniel blurted. “We have an entire level of reapers onboard.”

“That’s right,” Rowie added with an excited grin. “He can stay with them. They’ll protect Luke.”

Zak watched the girls move over to their ex-second in command. He still couldn’t bring himself to trust him so easily.

“You have to renounce the demon sword,” Remi said.

Lucien frowned at him. “Renounce.”

Remi’s brows drew closer together in a scowl. “You’re fallen. You belong to them. You have to renounce Lucifer’s sword and take your divine sword.”

Lucien barked out a scornful laugh. “Divine sword? Right.” His voice dripped with sarcasm.

“Why not?” Zak questioned.

Lucien’s eyes narrowed. “Because my fucking Dominatio never lifted a finger to help me all the years of…” Lucien closed his eyes with a shudder. When he opened his eyes again, they looked icier than ever. “Never.”

“But, Luke,” Anniel argued, “Remi’s right. You have to walk in the path of light. You should be an archangel—“

Lucien turned his head into the girl’s hair. “It’s too late for all that. I just want to be left the fuck alone, by God and Lucifer.”

Zak shook his head regretfully. “You have to pick—“

“I pick me,” Lucien snapped, his devil’s fangs glinting in the firelight. The glow in his eyes intensified. “I serve myself.”

Zak pressed his lips together. Things would not end well with Lucien. And now, he was selfishly dragging an innocent with him.

***

“Alluna. Alluna, wake up.”

Alluna stirred from sleep, roused by Mama’s stern voice. Blinking her eyes open, she found herself lying upon a mound of dirty rags in the dungeon.

“Oh,” she gasped, rising to her knees and sweeping her dark hair from her face. “Oh, no. Not again.”

Mama was dressed in her ceremonial robes with her hair swept up in her usual elaborate coif that included twigs and colorful leaves. Mama’s lips were twisted in contempt.

“Your friends are proving to be more problematic than I’d bargained for. This time I used a stronger spell.” Mama suddenly grinned. “At least they helped lead me to the completion of my ritual items. I have my dragons, vampires, werecreatures and the dark prince himself. Now follow me so that we can finish this. I’m most anxious to take my place as ruler of this planet.”

“Ruler? But my father is—“

“Is going to be my consort,” Mama said over her shoulder.

Alluna rose and quickly followed Mama out into the long corridor that lead down into the sacrificial chamber.

“But the king is hand-fasted to…”

“Queen Lucresh? She has gone away with my brother, Dresh.”

Shock rolled through Alluna.

“It’s a long story,” Mama sighed. “I’ve always wanted King Lumar, so I devised a love potion to give him, but that stupid Fae princess from the northern continent came for a visit after my potion was delivered to the king. Thinking it was wine he shared it with her, and well…” Mama rolled her eyes and motioned to Alluna. “You were conceived. Everything turned into a mess after that. I had to erase the princess’s memory of the king, and of having given birth to you, and then the stupid king made an alliance with the eastern regions and hand-fasted to the object of my brother’s desire. It’s all so unfair, you know.”

“But I don’t understand why you would subject all of creation to devastation by bringing out the angel of destruction’s other. What does one thing have to do with the other?”

Mama grinned over her shoulder again as Alluna continued to follow her. “I made a pact with a devil to aid in the release of the dark god, Lucifer. In return, I get the man I desire, as well as the crown to rule absolute over this planet. I have so many people to punish for having ridiculed and hated me.”

Mama’s voice had gone deep at the end of that sentence. Alluna’s eyes narrowed on Mama. Tall, broad-shouldered and narrow-hipped, Mama had no breasts. Alluna reached out and swung her back to face her.

She was not female like Alluna was female.

Mama’s eyes narrowed coldly.

“You always ridiculed my body… my curves…”

“What of it?”

“You’re not really a woman, are you?”

Her ears rang and spots danced before her eyes from the stinging slap Mama gave her. Her arms were gripped tightly, bringing tears to her eyes. “I’m a special woman, you little shit,” Mama hissed a hairsbreadth from her face. “I was forsaken at birth, cursed, with a man’s body. But I am a woman at heart. Now, If you don’t want me to carve up your very pretty friends, I suggest you come and help me with the summoning ritual.”

Alluna choked back a sob. She didn’t want Mama to hurt Zak or the others. She had no choice but to help the evil sorceress do her dirty deed.

***

It was that fucking nightmare again. Zak shook his head with an angry snarl. It felt as if he’d had too much to drink and his senses were boggled. Blinking, he tried to focus on what was around him even as he tugged sluggishly at the heavy chains binding his wrists and ankles to a cold stone column.

Images swam before his eyes, a watery version of the god-forsaken dungeon they’d all escaped from the night before. Alluna stood in the center of the circle with Lucien by her side.

To Zak growing horror, Luke did not look at all normal. His eyes were completely white, no icy-blue irises visible, and those sightless orbs stared straight ahead at nothing in particular… like there was no one at home in that blond head.

Dark fluid rained down in delicate little patters from the ceiling. Raising his eyes, Zak stared horrified at the sight of Eriel nailed to an upside down cross, his blood pattering down upon the altar in front of Alluna and Lucien. The pitiful girl that had been clinging to Lucien the night before, lay upon the altar, naked, her wrists and ankles bound. Eriel’s blood ran in rivulets across her little breasts and belly.

Zak tried to scream when Lucien lifted his demon sword. Alluna closed her eyes and chanted in a low voice, holding her hands out, pointing to both mirrors to either side of the altar.

Lucien’s body seemed to convulse a moment, his hands shaking with the sword pointed down over the girl’s heart. He blinked and his eyes began to appear in all that white blankness.

“No… please don’t make me… do this,” he begged with a whisper.

Alluna’s evil Mama stepped close to the edge of the protective circle, hands raised. “I command you to fulfill your take, slave. The blood of Satan compels you.”

Power flowed from clawed fingers into Lucien, and Zak saw what little humanity remained vanish.

Lucien’s wings spread wide, their color the deepest crimson like Remi’s hair. The demon sword descended, the gleaming tip sinking into the girl’s chest to slam into the stone beneath her. Blood spurted, bathing the blade in crimson. Virgin’s blood.

Alluna cupped her hands around the blade, where it entered the girl’s body. Light emanated from the wound and Lucien slowly drew the blade out. He stepped back, and Alluna seemed to gather power from the bleeding wound.

“Alluna, no,” Zak muttered.

To either side of him, Remi and Seth were rousing also, but shadows were creeping closer, distorting reality around them. Zak saw the presence of thousands of devils in those shadows.

Alluna lifted her hands, a ball of light in her palms. Her eyes glowed like golden hellfire, and some unseen wind had her hair blowing back from her face. Had he not loved her so much, he’d be scared shitless right about now. But this was his sweet Luna, not some evil, crazed witch about to unleash Satan upon the universe. At least, that’s what he hoped. Besides this was just a bad dream, right?

Zak. Devon’s voice whispered through his mind. What’s going on? I feel so much evil around all of you.

Remi cursed and yanked at his chains. “R-Rowie?”

She was almost directly across from them, her head still bowed down, unconscious. Remi gave an inhuman roar and began struggling harder in his restraints. Blue-white fire began licking up his body the way it usually did was he was going ballistic.

“Remi. Remi, no,” Seth exclaimed with a slurred voice from Zak’s left side. “You’ll kill us all. Don’t shift.”

Zak blinked harder and panted, adrenaline kicking in. God, this was no dream. This was real. Devon, help us.

But even as those words echoed out to his commander, Alluna’s hands pointed back to the mirrors.

He saw them clearly now. Two Davariels. His jet wings beat against a blast of wind in each mirror. His hair billowed out behind him and he seemed to have a female clinging to his waist, fighting to hold on. Davariel opened his mouth and cried out from the effort, his fingers reaching out trying to touch the glass. Both mirrors revealed the same thing. One was the real Davariel, the other was his evil other.

The glass began to crack.

“Alluna, hold the portals while the dark prince opens the portal of the realm of reflections with the anointed demon sword,” the sorceress ordered.

“Alluna, no,” Zak shouted with more force.

Power bloomed brighter from Alluna’s hands and entered both mirrors. The force of power caused the female clinging to Davariel’s waist to slip. Davariel’s legs curled up to hold her, but the movement caused him to lose momentum and he spiraled away, vanishing into the mists as his heart-rending cry of anguish echoed through the dungeon.

The horde of devils pouring into the dungeon screeched in outrage. The sorceress was swallowed up by the wave of devils. Zak saw pieces of body parts flying around outside the circle of protection. They scratched and hissed around Alluna’s bubble of protection, but she had already grown weak from overusing her powers to breach the mirrored portals and it finally collapsed. The circle was broken.

Zak fell face first onto the dungeon floor as the sound of swords clashed all around. By the time he made it to his feet, the air around him was waving as if caught in a ball of fire, and most of the devils were crumbling into dust. Devon had opened a portal and had come through with fifty reapers.

Rushing toward Alluna, who was trying to beat back a handful of devils attempting to drag the wounded girl off, he saw Devon, Seth and Remi hacking at the ones trying to drag Lucien into a glowing crevice in the floor.

Alluna’s hand shot up, a spark flashing from her fingertips. Zak jumped back in time before his head was bashed in when the wooden cross holding Eriel crashed upon the altar. Again, the air distorted and the devils trying to yank the girl away dissolved into ash. Eriel’s eyes were black. Weak from blood loss and nailed to a cross, he was still powerful enough to kill the devils once close to them.

“Lucien.”

Devon’s anguished cry rang out in the now silent dungeon.

Zak pulled Alluna’s shivering body against him and looked back.

Devon kneeled on the ground, his nails scraping against the crack where the glowing crevice had been. It was closed now… and Lucien was gone… again.

***

The past could not be undone, but the spell used to erase the fae princess’ memory of King Lumar and Alluna was removed by Devon. Alluna met the woman who’d given her life, a pretty, blonde haired faerie, with big violet eyes. Princess Aona was shy and soft spoken. It was her sweet request that kept King Lumar from making good on his word to sentence the father of Alluna’s babes to death.

Zak faced her father and confessed his love for Alluna, and his intention to keep her as his permanent mate.

With his blessing, and after having extracted a promise from Zak to bring Alluna back for frequent visits, the king allowed them to go on their way.

Now, Alluna cuddled upon Zak’s lap in the warmth of their star cruiser

“Where’d Dev go?” Anniel asked.

“LOS. He’s petitioning for new Master Guardians for Arboria,” Zak answered.

“The old ones are in deep shit,” Remi added.

Seth nodded. “They all knew what was going on and did nothing to stop it or their crazy Master Guardian brother.”

Alluna suddenly sat up straighter in Zak’s lap. “Rayne. What happened to my Rayne doll?”

Zak frowned at her. “Doll?”

“Well, I guess she wasn’t really a doll, but the girl Mama used for the sacrifice? We should bring her with us.”

Zak shook his head, his hand coming up to cup her cheek. “I’m sorry, Luna, but she disappeared. We brought her into your father’s kingdom, but she took off on her own.”

Alluna bit her lip. “I hope she’s okay. I don’t know where Mama stole her from.”

Zak took a deep breath. “You really shouldn’t call that evil thing 'Mama' anymore. Aona is your real mother.”

Alluna bowed her head. “I know. It’s just habit, I guess.”

“Remuel and Zakreel are on their way to Vildminoria with Drakken. They’ll be there a few months, and then Devon’s taking them in.” Seth commented.

Alluna looked back at the Alpha Angels in the cruiser’s cockpit. “What happened to the mirrors in the dungeon room?”

“We destroyed them,” Zak answered.

Alluna chewed her lower lip. “What will happen to Devon’s father?”

Zak shrugged. “No one knows, but life would not be easy for him if he were to come back.”

“He can’t come back. The prophecy clearly states—“

“But what if the prophecy is wrong?” Rowie interrupted her mate.

“Or what if the blond, black-winged angel isn’t Davariel this time around?” Anniel added.

No one spoke.

Alluna snuggled against Zak again, remembering the tears and cries of pain and anguish from the angel she’d seen in the mirror. His face was identical to Devon’s, but his eyes… Davariel’s irises were bigger, his hair a wealth of gold flowing down his back between jet wings. His beauty had almost overwhelmed Alluna. It was perhaps what had saved them all. It made Alluna react and instead of killing him, she sent a pulse strong enough to push him away from the portal entrance. Time ran differently in the Realm of Shadows. It might take him a few more siglons to be able to make it that close to the mouth of the portal again.

But he would eventually find his way again. She’d seen the blind determination in his electric blue eyes.

He really had wanted to let her have her own room. He really did. But when he told her he’d let her have his room and he’d be bunking in with Seth, she’d broken down in tears, literally sobbed, falling to her knees clinging to his legs and begging him not to leave her again.

Alluna hiccupped in her sleep, as if still remembering him almost walking away to sleep elsewhere.

Remi had scowled at him, while Rowie tried her best to soothe the hysterical girl.

When smoke began billowing from Rem’s nostrils, Zak had rolled his eyes, scooped Luna up into his arms, and strode into the room. He placed her down on the bed and then curled his body around her, promising her he’d stay.

“I won’t leave you, Luna. You’re mine.”

He tried, but his heart wasn’t made of stone. She wanted him and he wanted her. She carried his babes in her belly, they belonged together now, no matter how unorthodox their coming together. There was no more spell, no charms, no potions between them, but real emotion and bonding. Alluna needed him and he needed to be needed.

Alluna woke with a start. She began to sit up, but a heavily muscled arm had her pinned against an equally muscled torso. Zak snored softly behind her.

Why had he tried to leave her the sleep cycle before? Did he no longer want her? Was his love for her the product of the spell she’d unwittingly cast upon him the very first time they’d met?

Alluna slipped out from under the warmth of his hold, and paced back and forth at the foot of the round bed.

How could she win Zak’s heart? What should she do to capture and hold his love? She glanced down at his sleeping form.

He wore a pair of white drawstring pants that were loose and low enough to show the dimples over each cheek of his rear. His thighs were thick as well as his calves and his ginormous feet were beautifully arched. He’d unbound his hair and it spilled gloriously over the edge of the bed in molten waves.

Stifling a whimper, she ran from the room and out into the corridor.

Two doors down was Remi and Rowie’s quarters. Alluna knocked tentatively, and walked in when the round door rolled open.

Rowie stepped out of the bedroom area, followed by Remi.

“Are you alright?” Rowie asked her, tying the satin belt to her black robe under her breasts.

“No,” Alluna wept.

Remi gathered her in his arms and brought her to sit between him and Rowie on their couch.

“What gives, Luna? Why are you crying?” Remi demanded. “Did that asshole do or say something mean to you? Do you want me to kick his ass?”

Alluna gasped, “No. Of course not.”

“Good,” Remi chuckled, “Because he’d probably pound me into a little red pulp.”

Rowie giggled, “Bonehead. Seriously, Luna, what’s wrong?”

“Why did he try to leave me alone last night? He probably doesn’t feel anything for me and… I don’t want him to stay with me if he doesn’t.” Her voice became choked with tears again. “But, please, tell me how to win his heart. How can I win his heart?”

Rowie looked at Remi, and then back at Alluna. “Zak has always been a dominant male, but he has a soft heart. He can’t help but want to take care of everyone around him."

“He needs to be needed. He likes to feel like he’s the ultimate protector and caregiver.” Remi added. “In the past, he had quite a few submissives, but after all the fun and games were over, they always left. It got to a point where he would never bring just one back home with him. He always had a horde of females, five or ten. It was easier for him. He didn’t have to harbor any hopes that someone would need or want him enough to actually stay.”

“Zak wants to be loved and needed. It’s what he needs.” Rowie said, patting her hand.

“But I do want and need him,” Alluna argued.

Remi sighed. “He’s got it in his head that you need to spread your wings and be your own person for a while.”

Rowie gripped and held her hand. “Luna, you were locked away in that tower for so long.”

Alluna snatched her hand away angrily. “Yes. Alone. I was alone. I don’t want to be alone anymore. I want Zak. I want to sleep and wake up in his arms. I want to feel like someone cares for me, and that’s what Zak does for me. I don’t want him to stop.”

Rowie frowned. “Oh, honey, but he’s so pig-headed.”

“Yeah,” Remi sighed. “He might have relented last night, but I’m pretty sure he’s going to try to convince you to do your own thing for a while.”

Alluna stomped her foot. “But I don’t want that. I want him.”

Remi grinned. “Maybe you need to show him that you need guidance… a firm hand to keep you in line.”

Alluna blinked at him. “What do you mean?”

Remi glanced over at Rowie. “Babe, you don’t mind if Luna and I have a private chat?”

Rowie pursed her lips. After much deliberation, she said “No way, Fyre. God knows what you’re going to suggest to her, and I don’t want Zak to kill you afterwards.”

Remi rolled his eyes. “Fine. But don’t interrupt me.”

Rowie snorted.

Remi turned Alluna’s face back to him. “It’s very simple, little Luna. Just be a big brat.”

“Brat?”

Remi grinned again. “A big, crazy, spoiled brat. He won’t have any choice but to keep you under his thumb for your own good.”

“And this will help me win his heart.”

Rowie sighed. “Luna, honey, Zak loves you. If he didn’t, he wouldn’t have gone out of his way to confront your father for you.”

***

Zak awoke to a cold bed. Sitting up, he scrubbed his fists over his eyes and looked around. Luna was nowhere in sight, but he felt her presence within Alpha 7. She was calm. Zak savored her essence a bit longer. No. She was excited, giddy, nervous.

Zak frowned. Why did she leave his side and what the hell was she doing? He was the only one who should make her feel excited, giddy, and nervous. He felt around her a bit more and snarled when he felt Remi’s essence close to her.

His power bloomed wider until he found an empty expanse near them and teleported into the training room.

He barely ducked in time before Alluna almost beheaded him with the Katana baton, a double bladed baton Remi favored in fighting level five Krogs.

Remi’s holographic image circled both Alluna and Zak, laughing.

“What the hell are you doing Fyre?” Zak snarled casting glimpses to the real Remi across the training hall, circling the holographic replications of himself and Alluna.

“She wanted to learn a few combat moves.”

Zak circled around to glare at Alluna and open his mouth. His reprimand died on his tongue as she stared up at him in fear. He wanted her to explore her new surroundings and develop as a person. She wouldn’t be able to do that if he became an overbearing bastard. “Baby. Maybe you should start out with something lighter.”

He smiled and held his hand out for the sharp baton before she sliced her head off with it.

The fear in her eyes faded and was replaced with stubbornness, much to Zak’s amusement. At least that’s what he was trying to convince himself he felt. Yep. It was amusement, not teeth gritting annoyance. She needed to… spread her wings and become a little more inde—

“But I like this weapon. Look what I can do with it.”

She giggled with glee and tossed the fifty pound double-bladed baton in the air.

Zak gasped and rushed at her. By the time the Katana spun a few feet in the air and whistled back down to where Alluna had stood only seconds before, Zak had scooped her up and whisked her twenty paces away.

“God, woman, are you trying to give me a heart attack?”

Alluna pouted at him. “But nothing would have happened. I used my power to make the Katana lighter, look…”

Zak looked, but the enormous weapon no pregnant female should wield still lay upon the training room floor. It was then that a high-pitched wail reached their ears.

“What did you do to me?”

Zak’s jaw dropped as he stared at Remi. He looked no older than maybe three or four sun orbits. His training uniform, now too big for his toddler’s body, pooled around his boots.

Rowie popped in next to him. “Oh, God. Not Remi.”

She picked him up and held him tight. “Luna, do something.”

Alluna raised her hands but Zak spun her away. “Wait., Row. She needs practice with her powers. What if she turns Rem into an old man by mistake.”

Remi wailed louder, burying his face in Rowie’s neck. Rowie bounced him on her arm, trying to soothe her mate.

“Let me try,” Alluna exclaimed raising her hands again.

In a panic, Zak teleported into the enviro-level just as she unleashed her power. A Vildminorian blood tree received the brunt of her magic and rose over two hundred feet into the air.

Zak stared at the tree, mouth agape. That could have been Remi. Zak tried not to think what a two hundred foot Remi as a toddler would have been like aboard Alpha 7. Rowie would definitely have been very unhappy.

Zak set Alluna down and crossed his arms over his chest as he glared down at her.

She pouted, her lashes batting adorably at him. “What?” she said sounding almost irritated.

Zak lifted a brow.

Alluna stopped cringing before him and had the audacity to poke a finger in his chest. “If you hadn’t intervened everything would have been fine.”

“Really?” Zak scoffed. He had to laugh, otherwise he’d start yelling. He didn’t want to yell. He had to be nice. Nice Zak. Understanding, non-dominant Zachariel Wilder. If only he could ignore the tic he felt jumping in his cheek. That usually happened when he was getting close to losing his temper.

Alluna put her hands on her hips. “That’s right. I had everything under control.”

This time Zak tipped his head back and laughed.

“I understand that you want me to enjoy a bit of freedom, so that’s what I was doing. Remi also told me that maybe I should enjoy the attentions of other lovers since I’ve only been with you.”

Zak’s laughter died right away. He glared down at Alluna, fists clenched. He didn’t care how little Remi was now. He was going to put him across his lap and take a switch to his ass.

“And are you?” Zak asked through gritted teeth.

Alluna twirled a lock of her dark hair around her finger. “Well… I guess, since you seem to have gotten bored…”

He gripped her arms and had her nose to nose with him in the blink of an eye. “What. The. Fuck. Are. You. Saying?”

Her little hands gripped his forearms. “Zak, is that smoke coming from your nostrils?”

“What did you say before, Luna?”

“That you’re getting bored with me.” She pouted.

Zak closed his eyes, feeling gut-punched. He sat slowly on the large boulder behind them, making her straddle him. “I would never grow bored with you, Alluna.”

Her finger traced the lines of his pectorals, a little pout on her lips. “You didn’t want to sleep with me last night cycle.”

“I did. I just…”

He closed his eyes again. Soft butterfly kisses across his eyes, nose, cheeks and lips had him sighing again.

“I’ve been alone all of my life, Master—“

“Alluna—“

“No,” she interrupted. “I want to belong to you. I need you.” Her voice broke with the treat of tears. “I love you. No one has ever cared for me before. Mama would set buckets of dry food and water for me at the foot of the tower. I’d have to pull it up with a rope. Sometimes I didn’t see her for several moon cycles. I thought I was the only person upon the face of the planet besides Mama. I was so lonely. No one loved me, and then you came into my life. I thought you were a beautiful angel… a golden angel. I wanted you from the very first time I saw you. Please don’t punish me for being so ignorant.”

“What? Ignorant?” Zak stared at her in shock.

Alluna cupped his face. “I know about what you like, and I find that it also turns me on.”

“Turns you…” Zak closed his mouth. “Where’d you learn to talk like…” he scowled. “Remi.”

“It doesn’t matter.” Alluna scooted closer to him, rubbing her nose against his. “Don’t I please you? Couldn’t you teach me how to please you if I don’t?”

Zak swallowed. “Luna, you please me immensely."

“But sometimes I want to be a bad girl. Mama never let me be a bad girl. She’d beat me and starve me.”

Zak leaned away, staring down at her, face blank. What was she getting at?

“I’d never do that to you.”

“But I like when you spank me.”

Zak shook his head. “I don’t want you to purposely act out so that I can punish you, Alluna. You must never knowingly put yourself in danger. If you like being spanked, then we can make a game of it. Talk about it beforehand, have safe words until I learn how far I can take you. There are many things we can explore, baby.”

“I’d like that.”

Before he could say another word, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. Her hands fisted in his hair and she rocked against his stiffening shaft trough his drawstring pants. He’d been growing hard from the moment she said she wanted to be a bad girl. All sorts of wicked things had run through his head.

She wanted him, accepted his dragon side and his Dominant side. Besides, the sweet girl was a walking menace with her powers. She needed someone to watch over her while she refined her magic—who better than the father of her babies.

Zak took her to the ground. Pain sliced down his back, but he was growing accustomed to it. Alluna stared up in wonder at him, her fingers running through a swath of hair that tumbled over his shoulder to pool on the grass by her face.

“You’re so beautiful,” she sighed. “You look like a golden angel. My golden angel.”

Zak peeked at his wings. They were made of skin that looked like polished gold metal stretched over thick bone with two sharp claws at the middle peak. To him they looked like devils wings, but his woman thought they made him look like an angel. He grinned. Hell—only a woman in love would be so blind, but he was okay with that. After all, he loved her too.

Not wasting any more time, he removed her boots and black training pants and dove between her legs to feast on her honey.

Alluna cried out, clutching his hair. Zak held her thighs wide and licked every inch of her sex. She whimpered and panted when he flicked his tongue against the swollen nub of her clit just before he closed his lips around it and sucked hard. She screamed, her back bowing. Zak drank her down, feeling the fire of frustrated desire boil in his balls.

He was so hard and sensitive, he feared he cum the second the tip of his dick sank into her tight heat.

Turning her over, he clenched his teeth and began to push slowly into her. Alluna wiggled and bucked against him, making him give her ass a little slap. ”Be still, wench.”

“Ooh,” she cried out and wiggled some more.

His eyes crossed when she bucked back and her velvet heat engulfed him fully. “Holy fff—“

Zak gripped her hips to keep her still. After a few cleansing breaths, he finally got himself under control.

“Zak, please,” she whimpered.

“Please? Please what?” He slid slowly out and suddenly surged forward, slamming his cock into her. “This? You want this?”

He pulled out again and surged powerfully in. Her pussy gripped him like the tightest fist. He fucked her vigorously, reveling in her cries of passion. Her dark caramel skin gleamed with a fine sheen of sweat after a while, and her long dark hair swept back and forth over the grass underneath them as he rocked her with every thrust.

When she began to sag in his hold he allowed himself to cum. His toes curled and his balls contracted as he found release. It was so powerful it actually hurt, made him cry out, head tipped back in rapture.

His thighs shook as he settled back and pulled her against him. They curled up together in the grass.

“Luna, how could you say I was growing bored with you?” Her fingers stroked up and down his forearms, giving him goose bumps. “I’d never grow bored. What you did to Remi alone will be amusement enough to last me hundreds of years.”

She began to giggle. “I really should try to change him back already.”

“Later. Serves him right for sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong.”

The End