Zak winced when Quinn pulled the clear needle from his arm.

“That should do it. It’ll counteract the effects of the pheromones you…” doctor Quinn cleared his throat, a flush staining his pale cheeks as he ran his hand through his silver hair. “The pheromones you ingested from your female.”

Zak felt himself bristle, and scowled at the doctor. “Explain counteract.”

Doctor Quinn stood straighter, looking Zak right in his eyes. “You’ll act more like a new dad and husband rather than a raging rutting beast, son.”

Shame wasn’t an emotion Zak felt comfortable with, but he knew the doctor was right.

Looking down to adjust the ties of his white drawstring pants, he winced at the memory of having fucked Alluna almost continually from the moment he’d carried her into his quarters. “Damn. Three days, huh?”

Devon, Remi, and Seth stood silent, watching him.

“I’m dying to give Luna a kiss,” Remi suddenly said out of the blue.

Zak glared at him. “Kiss your own woman, jackass.”

Remi sighed in relief, looking at Devon and Seth. “He’s okay now, otherwise he would’ve ripped my head off.”

Zak opened his mouth to toss Remi another choice name, but Anniel popping in wild-eyed startled all of them.

“Oh-m-god, have any of you seen the news?”

Devon put his hand on her shoulder. “Easy, sweetheart. What’s going on?”

Anniel looked around the big lab room until she spotted a holo-monitor.

“Quick. Turn that thing on.”

They all huddled around the sphere projected from the monitor.

“Please show report on enemy rogue Master Guardians,” Anniel instructed the holo-monitor.

A pale female, obviously from Crystalian descent, appeared within the sphere.

“Arboria is declaring war on the Edenian solar system, stating that its rogue Master Guardians abducted the long lost princess, and sole heir to the Arborian King Lumar’s throne.” Zak’s mouth dropped open. “The Arborian Master Guardians tried to negotiate the return of the princess and stated that the so-called Alpha Angels hypnotized a mob of spectators in the infamous club Haddasha and unleashed them onto the defenseless Arborian Master Guardians.”

“Nice,” Remi snorted. “We we can hypnotize the masses now.”

“We can, Rem,” Seth murmured pointing to Devon and himself.

Zak leaned in closer, eager to hear what other lies the media had to say about them. “The princess was forcibly removed from the Arborian Master Guardians’ custody by a fallen reaper, who not only threatened the Master Guardians, but also threatened the well-being of the Princess Alloon.”

“What a crock of shit,” Remi snapped.

“They didn’t even get her name right,” Seth seconded. “Alloon?”

Anniel shushed them. “That’s not the worst part.”

The Crystalian female continued in her droning voice. “The Edenian council has claimed they no longer have any jurisdiction over the rogue angels, that they have been accused and charged with high treason as well as apocalyptic crimes committed over three hundred years ago. Rumor has it that these rogue angels are most likely true fallen angels and a bounty has been placed on their heads of astronomical proportions.”

“What the fuck?” Zak breathed out.

Again, Anniel shushed him.

“Skirmishes are already breaking out universally as all beings take sides on this issue. Many are followers of Zachariel Wilder, guitarist of Draconius Imorteus, and Rowie Enoray, also known as Midnight Rose from Angel of Retribution. Search has started to find the stolen Edenian space station, Alpha 7. These rogue Master Guardians are wanted… dead or alive. We sent our number one reporter to Seraphia to find out where their reapers stand with regards to this situation, and whether or not they will be joining in this hunt.” The female turned to the side to another monitor. “Jablah?”

“I didn’t finish seeing this part,” Anniel admitted. “I doubt the reapers will step in to hunt us.”

Devon sighed, shaking his head. “I’ll go talk to Ama and Ash.”

Anniel paled. “Ash? You mean Ashriel? Why would you talk to a fallen reaper?”

Devon frowned at Anniel. “Fallen? Ashriel isn’t…” Devon’s mouth dropped open, his eyes going back to the monitor. “Oh fuck.”

The image had switched to a lizard man, wearing a long black coat with a hood. His muddy-green eyes looked wild and he stood in the midst of a crowd of shouting white-winged Seraphians. “Jablah reporting here. This is breaking news. My crew and I landed in the metropolis of Angeloria on Mount Chielos and have just learned that one of Seraphia’s high priests is being outcast today. The high priest was the youngest ever to take his formal vows, replacing His Imminence, Gadriel, who, as you all know, was killed by the angel of destruction over three hundred years ago. That’s right folks. I’m talking about Ashriel of Angelos.”

Zak reacted automatically. His arms shot out to grip Anniel as she fainted away. Devon and Seth had also tried to grab her and they ended up all tangled together.

The others backed away, allowing Zak to lift and place her on one of the examining tables.

“What’s wrong?” Seth asked nervously. “What happened to her?”

Zak patted her cheek, calling her name gently as doctor Quinn rummaged around in cabinets. Devon held her hand, stroking her arm as Remi stood by her feet, wringing his fingers. He looked really uptight.

Zak had the feeling Remi was at the root of this whole ugly situation.

“Damn-it, Rem,” Zak swore softly with a shake of his head.

Devon’s eyes narrowed and he looked from Zak to Remi. Remien cringed at Devon’s look.

Quinn came back to them with another hypo, and put it to Anniel’s arm.

“What’s that for?” Devon asked.

“A mix of mine. It’ll bring her around, but at the same time relax her so she won’t murder anyone.”

All eyes fell on Remien.

When Anniel began to whimper and stir in Zak’s arms, he held her tighter, helping her to sit up. “Hey, sexy. Feeling better?”

She looked disorientated. “What…?” She looked around, brows furrowed until she saw the holo-monitor.

Zak looked too, and then gasped in horror when he saw two reapers holding out Ashriel’s wings. Ashriel stood bound between two columns, his head bowed, fists clenched Two other reapers approached, said something to him and then walked around behind him. Ashriel tensed and then let out a piercing scream when they began to rip the feathers out of his wings. Blood spattered everywhere.

“Oh-my-god,” Anniel screamed.

“Turn that damn thing off,” Zak snapped holding her shaking sobbing form in his arms.

The sphere disappeared, but the memory of the sight of Ashriel all bloody and shaking in agony remained burned in his mind… in all of their collective minds.

“I don’t understand,” Anniel wailed. “I thought he was fallen. Why would he give me Liquid X if he…?”

Her eyes rose to Remi. Zak stiffened already guessing what had happened.

Remi’s eyes welled up. “Annie, baby. I thought he’d come back here with us. I didn’t know he’d go back to…”

“How could you?” she screamed making him wince.

“Easy, honey,” Zak tried to soothe, but she wouldn’t hear any of it.

She shook Zak off angrily and stalked to Remi who cringed back from her. “He tried to stop me. He kept flying and ramming himself into the stone walls. I didn’t understand why he was hurting himself. I was so crazed with that damned drink you gave me, I took him by force. I took Ashriel’s virginity, defiled him… and it’s all your fault.”

Remi fell to his knees. “Annie, I’m sorry. I just wanted you to be happy. You needed someone and he seemed perfect for you. He was captivated by you, I swear. All we have to do is go get him. Bring him home to Alpha 7. I’ll help heal his wings, Annie.”

“Did you not hear what I said?” she said in a shrill hysterical voice. “I raped that reaper. He was trying to fight off the effects of the Liquid X, he said no as I crawled over him, begged me to stop as I sank onto him.” A shudder ran through her, as she pulled in a gasping breath. “He hates me now.”

“No, Annie. He’s attracted to you—“

Annie slapped Remi hard.

Remi cupped his cheek, staring up at her with tear-filled eyes. Zak knew that Remi felt no pain when slapped, only pleasure, but the red-haired weredragon showed nothing but pain in his eyes. Pain that grew with Anniel’s next words.

“Don’t ever link or speak to me again, Fyre. I wish I never had to see you again, but I’ve nowhere else to go.”

Remi bit his lip as the first tears spilled down his face. “Annie, please,” he whispered, his eyes begging.

Anniel disappeared, followed by Devon.

Seth looked at Zak, surprising him by not saying anything scathing to Remi. As a matter of fact, Seth looked… like he felt sorry for Remi.

Doc Quinn cleared his throat and excused himself, giving them some privacy.

“Hey, Rem,” Zak placed his hand on Remi’s mop of crimson hair. “Give her time. She’ll come around.”

Remi remained with his head downcast. One hand came up to flick a tear away in agitation.

Zak shook his head looking back up at Seth who was scratching his head.

“Yeah,” Seth nodded. “We need to keep our heads right now… you know… with the situation of being the galaxy’s most wanted. At least no one can blame you for that.”

Zak shot Seth an exasperated look. Of all the lame things to say.

Seth only shrugged innocently.

A day cycle later, Alluna found herself in her Master’s Viper, hurtling through space toward the League of Stars council station.

Devon headed the V formation, and pulling up the rear was their newest addition to the Alpha Angels. A reaper with a shock of blue hair called Natanael. The day before his hair had been hot pink. Unlike Ashriel, Natanael did not make Alluna nervous. He had an easy smile and a flirtatious demeanor.

She peered up at her Master. He did not seem too thrilled at Natanael’s flirtatiousness and had actually growled when the reaper ruffled his feathers to gain Alluna’s attention. The memory made her smile.

“Why are we going to see these people, M—I mean, Zak?”

He looked down at her. “You aren’t seeing anyone. I’ll be going before the L-O-S, to explain our…um… situation.” He quirked one golden brow with a lopsided grin.

Alluna stared at the beguiling dimples that always formed on his cheeks when he smiled. “You’ll tell them I’m yours?”

Zak’s grin grew. “Yes, you’re mine.” His hand caressed her hip. “I want you to stay with the girls. They’ll keep you safe until I come back to get you.”

Alluna nodded, and then, on a whim, she sat up, straddling him in the Viper. Her fingers slid around the back of his neck beneath the thick braid that hung to his waist. She wished he’d leave his beautiful hair loose, but that did not deter her from slanting her mouth across his.

Alluna may have initiated the kiss, but Zak fisted her hair at the nape of her neck and devoured her lips, taking control. She felt the short tips of his fangs as their tongues twisted and danced together. Arching helplessly against him, she moaned.

He pulled her head back and slipped his fingers in the bodice of her long dress. She hissed with pleasure when he pinched her nipple.

“Pull the hem of your gown up,” he rasped.

Alluna panted, obeying him. He’d forbidden her to wear undergarments, wanting easy access to her whenever he chose. She pulled the deep purple gown to her waist, feeling the cool air in the Viper whisper against her over sensitive flesh.

Zak reached down and teased her with his fingers.

“Who’s your Master?”

“You are. You’re my Master,” Alluna moaned. “Oh, take me please, Master. I ache for you.”

He only chuckled. “You ache?”

“Yes, Master. Please. I want you.”

Zak grinned. “I’ve created a little monster.” His head cocked to the side as his fingers slid in and out of her. “You’ll let me do as I please?”

“Yes, Master. Anything.”

Zak eyes narrowed. “Open my pants.”

Alluna’s heart pounded against her ribs as she fumbled with the opening to his black pants. He bent his knees, spreading his thighs wider to give her room and pulled his shirt off. For a moment, all she could do was gape at her beautiful Master. His chest was chiseled perfection, tapering down to a lean waist. He pulled his braid forward and pulled the tie off. She watched mesmerized when his fingers stroked through the woven strands to loosen it into a fall of pure gold that spilled to his lap.

Her mouth hung open. Stars above. The face of an angel and the body of a god.

“You’re going to have to braid that back up when I’m done with you,” he growled.

She couldn’t do anything more than nod.

“Luna, I’m still waiting for you to finish your task.”

She jumped and carefully peeled back the fly to his pants. His erection was wedged tight within the fabric, but she managed to release it. Her eyes widened when it sprang free to point up.

“Suck me,” he snarled, sending a jolt of lust down her spine straight to her quivering insides.

She knelt and then lay on her belly between his legs. A groan escaped her when she took his shaft into her mouth. The salt of his skin mixed with the tang of his precum notched her arousal higher. His scent, clean and crisp, had her taking a deep breath to pull it into her lungs. Again, she moaned. Alluna swirled her tongue over the meaty head before letting her lips slide lower. Master fisted her hair and began to pump his hips.

Her fertile imagination began to run wild with images. Her body strapped down on a spanking bench, Master sliding his erection into her mouth, Remien caressing her ass as his cock prods her entrance—

Alluna’s eyes flew open in shock. What? No.

Zak stiffened and suddenly pulled her up by her hair to look into her face.

“Say it,” he grated.

Alluna panicked, her teeth nibbling her lower lip.

He leaned lower, his hair covering half his face as his nose almost touched hers. “Say. It.”

“Please, Master…I-I don’t know why I—“

“Tell me what you were thinking,” he snarled.

Alluna closed her eyes in shame, tears already tracking down her cheeks. She took a deep breath and swallowed before opening them again to stare beseechingly into his fiery blue eyes. “I was wondering what it would feel like to have someone take me as I suck your cock, Master.”

His eyes narrowed. “Who?”

Alluna panted. “R…” she bit her lip. “Remi, Master.”

Fury filled his expression momentarily, making her cringe. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “We… we’ve shared our lovers in the past, though I’ve never done this with Remi.”

Alluna gasped.

Zak’s eyes opened, regarding her warily. “I’ve shared lovers with Devon, Seth, and an ex-second in command we had once, called Lucien. And…” he swallowed. “And I’ve had sex with Rowie and everything but penetration with Anniel.”

Alluna blinked back tears, feeling a surge of jealous possessiveness.

“I can’t call you out on your little… mental slip up. Though, I don’t think I can quite bring myself to share you. I’m not pissed, Luna. I know you’ve grown fond of Rem.”

His eyes had grown soft, his fingers caressing her face lovingly. She sighed with relief, but gave a squeak of surprise when he gripped her face hard, his lip curling in anger.

“What does piss me off, my little sub, is that you thought to hide your thoughts from me. When it comes to your body and your lust, I want to know your every feeling and thought. Do you understand me, Luna?”

“Y-yes, Master.”

“Just for that, as punishment, your pussy will not get the satisfaction it craves now.” Alluna gasped, gaping up at him. He squeezed her cheeks harder, making her open lips pucker like a fish. “I am not going to fill that hole. Now turn around and present your ass to me.”

Her ass! Alluna whimpered. Was he going to spank her? At his deepening scowl, she scrambled around and got on her hands and knees between his spread legs. The sight of his booted feet caught her attention. She shuddered at the sheer size, gigantic like the rest of him. It made her feel so tiny and vulnerable.

He straightened his legs and moved back a bit. “Use your hands to spread your ass cheeks wide,” he snapped.

Alluna blinked in confusion. Fear skittered down her spine. Was he going to beat the most sensitive part of her body?

He growled, making her lean down to support her upper body on her chest. She gripped her tense globes and she spread them as he’d commanded. Alluna closed her eyes and grit her teeth, expecting the worst.

His hands caressed down her spine, softly. “Alluna, why do you distrust and fear me?” Her eyes snapped open at the sound of the gentleness in his voice. “I would never hurt you. I love you.”

A sob caught in her throat just before she sucked in a shocked breath when she felt his tongue lick up from her clit to her anal star.

Her belly clenched in need when he held her hips and pulled her tighter against his face. She groaned, feeling sanity slip as he kissed her intimately…down there. His tongue thrust repeatedly against the tight ring of muscles until longing had her loosening up enough to allow him to penetrate.

The dark pleasure she felt as he tongue fucked her ass had her panting and crying out.

His teeth nipped one cheek making her scream in surprise. He bit her again and then licked the hurt. His legs disappeared and then she felt the hard evidence of his erection pressing against her spit-slicked asshole.

Alluna couldn’t believe he was actually going to fuck her there. She couldn’t believe he put his tongue and mouth there either… but he did.

The crown of his cock popped in making her strain to keep still and not dart away. It burned, felt like he was splitting her in two.

“Master,” she cried out when he slid inexorably deeper.

“Shhh. I’m almost there, baby.”

Knocking had Alluna’s eyes widening in shock and apprehension. Behind her, Master cursed.

Someone was knocking on the Viper’s dark glass top.

With a jerk, he pushed his thick cock all the way into her ass, making her cry out in surprise. Her ass hurt, but at the same time her pussy was so wet and throbbing she wanted to cry in frustration.

Master pulled her up against his chest. “Look through the glass, my little sub,” he hissed in her ear.

His tongue traced erotic lines around her sensitive lobe and ear, making her shudder. Beyond the dark glass of the Viper, Alluna made out the interior of an immense transport hangar. Her mouth opened, taking in the hundreds of space ships surrounding them as well as many varied species of aliens.

Master’s hard body surrounded her as his hips slammed into her ass. The feel of his hard cock possessing her so deeply made her arch and writhe against him. The pleasure grew more intense and his hand cupped her mound, thick fingers sliding around in the wetness of her lust. Alluna gripped his thighs and mewled her delight.

“Mmm, you like this, don’t you?”

“Oh, yes, Master.”

“Maybe I should open the top of the Viper so everyone can see how much you enjoy having your pretty little ass filled.”

Alluna did not hear the rest. His fingers slid over the sensitive top of her clit and… she came hard. Zak followed with a harsh curse.

Heat filled her in hard spurts. She couldn’t breathe. Master had clamped his big hand around her throat as he roared out his release, almost choking her. Alluna rotated her hips, clamping down as hard as she could, gasping to draw breath into her burning lungs.

She opened her mouth on a silent scream when he drove his fangs into the side of her throat. The sound of her heart thundering in her ears as well as the hard swallows from her Master’s throat had her shuddering. He was drinking her blood and her body sang with rapture. She should have been terrified, but she wasn’t. Instead, she arched her body and neck offering all she was to him.

Zak gripped her breasts, licking up her neck as he growled, “Mine.”

Her mind spun, delirious from the aftermath of such intense pleasure.

Zak panted. She could still feel his cock twitching in her ass.

He cursed softly. “I lost my head with you, Alluna. We both look a mess and there’s about a million reporters and paparazzi out there waiting for us to come out.” He chuckled. “Dev’s gonna put my balls in a sling.”

Alluna opened her bleary eyes to see Devon standing a few feet away from the Viper with a scowl on his face. Natanael stood before the Viper, in front of Devon with his black wings spread out.

Alluna was sure the glorious sight of both Devon and the reaper was enough to distract everyone’s attention from the fact that her Master and she hadn’t left the cocoon of the Viper.

Devon was livid with Zak. Alluna’s throat bore his handprint as well as his bite mark. Her hair was disheveled, and her face was gloriously glowing.

Zak grinned. She looked well fucked.

“It didn’t help at all that you jumped out of your Viper half naked with your hair all… aw, hell, are you even listening to me?”

Zak sighed. “I’m trying not to run back to her, Dev. I can’t stand having to leave her in the security level.”

Devon gripped Zak’s arm, his eyes blazing. “And you think it’s easy for me to have left Angel there as well? Fuck, she’s already been getting contractions for the past couple of days.”

“Rowie wanted to kick my ass for making her stay too,” Remi admitted sullenly next to them.

“It’s better this way,” Seth stated. “They’re pregnant and might as well have a bulls-eye painted on them.”

Zak felt Anniel’s pain zing through her. She accompanied them and he couldn’t help noticing how she kept a discrete distance from Natanael.

Zak frowned

Anniel turned her golden eyes to him, sensing his stare. Her eyes looked haunted. She was probably thinking of what happened with Ashriel. They’d all need to see to him too. Fallen reapers were cast out of Seraphia. To return would be a death sentence. Ash would definitely need help.

They marched down a wide corridor, escorted by over two dozen armed guards. Zak smirked in disdain. As if stupid weapons could do anything to us.

“I thought we had a bounty on our heads,” Seth murmured to Devon.

His commander only shrugged. “Actually, there are over three thousand armed ships in the vicinity trying to lock on our exact location.”

“Armed? Fuck, they’re going to end up shooting each other,” Zak huffed. They would be blamed for that too.

Devon shook his head. “I’ve deactivated all their weapons. Most they can do is ram into each other.”

Zak gaped at his commander. The guards escorting them looked also. Some of them glanced down at the weapons they held to their chest.

Devon grinned at one of them and the guard frowned, snapping his eyes back to where they were headed.

“Fucking demons,” the green-skinned man uttered through his dark brown lips.

Zak’s eyebrows rose in amusement. The man had pronounced facial bone structure. His cheekbones flared out and his brow had upward curved ridges that ended in two sharp horns at the top of his bald, warty head. He looked more like a demon than they did.

Zak snorted in disgust.

Their boots echoed in the virtually empty corridor. That wing of the station had been cleared. The same shade of pale grey covered everything from ceiling to floor. Recessed lighting cast a stark white glow making everything look cold and sterile. It gave Zak the creeps, reminded him of where his father used to work. Zak grimaced and mentally corrected the word father, exchanging it for the guy that lived in the same house as my mother and me.

They approached metal double doors that rose up about twenty feet and were just as wide.

Locks clicked and clanged and the metal doors opened with a groan. Cold air brushed Zak’s face until Devon stepped in front of him.

His commander wanted to go first—always shielding his angels with his own body.

Alluna watched Angel and Rowie pace back and forth. She looked at the tables to the left laden with food. Some were familiar, others looked strange and disgusting.

“Do you think they’ll take a long time?” Angel asked finally stopping to press her hands to her back and wince.

Rowie snapped around and rushed to her. “Contractions?”

“Just little ones.”

“Gee-whiz, Angel. Maybe we should’ve stayed at home with you.”

Angel shook her head. “My place is at my mate’s side.”

Rowie snorted. “Hate to tell you this, sweetheart, but us pregnant girls are not exactly by our mates’ sides.”

Alluna stood. “Maybe she should lie down.”

“I’m too nervous to lie or sit,” Angel admitted biting her lower lip. Her eyes welled. “I want Devon.”

Rowie’s eyes widened and she looked at Alluna with a bit of alarm.

Rowie’s gaze drew back to Angel.“Angie, it’s so unlike you to say that.”

Angel swallowed, one tear rolling down her cheek. “I know, but… I feel the sudden urge to just cry.”

And then, the pretty blonde did just that.

Rowie convinced her to take a seat, sitting next to her. Reaching out, she took her hand, trying to soothe the distraught girl.

Alluna took the seat next to Angel, taking her other hand. She rubbed her fingers, giving Angel a sympathetic look.

There was a knock at the door and all three turned when it opened. The guard standing at the door peered in before stepping aside to allow Zak to enter.

Alluna felt a rush of joy flow through her. She jumped up and ran into his arms… and then frowned wrinkling her nose. “You smell different, Zak.”

He sighed and ran a hand through her hair. “We’ve been surrounded by more than two dozen different species of beings, my love. Some of it has definitely rubbed off.”

“What’s going on?” Angel sniffled. “Can we go home now?”

Zak considered Angel a moment. Some strange emotion flashed through his eyes, too quick for Alluna to recognize, but it left her with an uneasy feeling.

“No,” he finally answered. “They want to see Alluna to make sure she is uninjured.”

“And you’re going to let them see her?” Rowie’s tone was incredulous.

Zak cupped the back of Alluna’s skull, staring deeply into her eyes. “I’ve nothing to hide. She’ll be fine. She’s with me.”

Alluna studied him. The stark white lighting in the room made his eyes seem lighter, not the dark fiery blue, but more of an icy color.

“They want to talk with her. It’s a good idea that they hear her out. There’s no better proof than for the supposed victim to tell everyone how well she’s treated… and loved. Isn’t that right, Alluna?”

“Y-yes. Of course.”

Zak drew her out into the corridor, holding her hand. They walked in silence. Every once in a while he’d peer down at her and smile.

Alluna felt as though she had to lean her head back farther to look up at him, as though. Somehow, he were a bit taller. Looking down at his boots, she frowned.

Before her brain could assimilate what she saw, he gripped her under her arms and slammed her against the hard wall.

Zak pressed against her. Alluna stared into his eyes, seeing the flecks of grey, silver and even a hint of green in their glowing depths. Glowing?

“Kiss me,” he demanded before crushing his mouth over hers.

He looked like her Master, but he did not kiss, taste, feel, or even smell like her Master. Alluna began to struggle in his embrace, but he only arched against her, pressing his erection into the vee of her legs. He groaned and trailed kisses down her throat. Alluna winced when he nipped her none too gently.

“You’re not my Master. Please stop,” she begged.

He stiffened.

Alluna grabbed fistfuls of hair to pull him away and realized the locks she held had changed color and texture. It was a fall of pure silk, gleaming… a thousand shades of blond. Instead of golden waves, it was almost straight, with soft curls waving the ends prettily.

“Who are you? Please let me go.”

The strange male leaned back so she could see his face. He was breathtakingly beautiful, with a lush mouth and slanted, feline-like eyes.

“I’m the dark prince,” he whispered, and then grinned. “And I’m taking you someplace safe.”

Alluna shook her head fervently. “No. I’ll never go with you.”

“But you have no choice. You can’t stay.” He caressed her cheek as she struggled harder to get away from him. He pouted. “Don’t worry. I can erase your memory of Zak. You won’t suffer the loss.”

Alluna hit his chest and shoulders. “No. I belong to my Master. Only him. You can never make me forget him.”

The dark prince stared down at her broodingly, his eyes glowing brighter… as bright as Devon’s. Terror bloomed in her heart. “Oh, my love… but you will. You will forget all the Alpha Angels. It’s better that way.”

Chapter Sixteen

 





Devon, followed by Seth and Remi, stepped across the threshold into a vaulted chamber. More guards waited inside, lined against the walls. Anniel’s shoulder brushed Zak’s and he looked down to smile reassuringly at her. Behind them, he heard Natanael’s feathers ruffling in agitation. Looking back, he saw the reaper looking around with a frown.

Natanael’s bright grey eyes turned back to regard Zak. “There’s an evil presence here,” he muttered. “Very bad.”

They all slowed to stare at Natanael. His eyes grew darker, almost turning black in a reapers kill mode.

“What do you feel, Natanael?” Devon asked.

The reaper’s muscles looked tense and his wings slowly unfurled. The guards muttered in alarm, clutching their weapons tighter.

Their useless weapons— Zak thought with a wry smile.

Natanael’s eyes finally blacked out completely, no whites showing, and, with his mighty, black wings spread out seven feet to either side of his muscular body, he looked terrifying.

He stood unnaturally still, his black eyes unblinking soulless voids that sent a shiver down Zak’s spine.

Freaky shit— Zak thought to himself. Anniel threaded her fingers through his and pressed against him, equally intimidated by the sight of a death angel in full glory.

“There are demons present. Fallen angels. Many of them.” His nostrils flared as he inhaled and then let out his breath through his mouth. His lip curled with distaste. “I smell and taste their foulness in the air.”

“The reaper must stay here,” one of the guards’ snapped.

One side of Natanael’s lips tipped up in amusement, but his eyes remained black.

Zak took a step back. Without irises, he had no idea what Natanael looked at. He’d need to grow accustomed to the reaper. At the moment, the blue-haired dark angel scared the crap out of him.

“Why does he need to remain here?” Devon asked in a very low menacing voice, his eyes narrowed.

“Orders. Only the original seven Edenian Master Guardians are to enter the grand council chamber,” a Chidadent guard answered behind them.

They all turned toward the orange-skinned female. Her darker orange hair was buzzed short and she regarded them with cool amber eyes.

“It’s okay,” Natanael said tightly. “I’ll stay here. It doesn’t matter where I am. I can still kill…” he paused, letting a cold grin stretch across his face, “…dark entities.”

Zak noticed how a few of the guards began moving away, inching toward the exit.

Another shiver ran through him, making him scowl.

“Let’s get this shit over with,” he growled through clenched teeth. “I want to get my woman home where she belongs.”

Alluna found herself in mama’s dungeon. The beautiful blond male deposited her unceremoniously at mama’s feet.

She could only gape at the person that had once been her sole world for as long as she could remember.

Mama was garbed in her usual purple robes, her black and white hair swept up in an elaborate coif of braids, leaves, and twigs. She stared coldly down her nose at Alluna, making Alluna cringe.

“M-mama?” Alluna croaked with a suddenly dry mouth. What was she going to do? Would Mama beat her? Alluna’s face flushed when mama’s eyes focused on her breasts, which were pushed up, nearly spilling from the neckline of her dress. Alluna pressed her palm over her heaving breasts and bit her lower lip.

Mama snorted. “Look at you. Look what you’ve become.” Her lips curled in disgust. “You reek of sex, lust, and male dragon.”

Alluna shrank against the floor, her fist covering her mouth to stifle her pathetic moan. Reflexively, she tightened her thighs and drew her knees up.

“I’ve done what you bid me,” the blond dark prince interrupted, drawing Alluna’s attention. She hadn’t noticed before, but his ankles were cuffed, and chains ran from them to similar cuffs on his wrists. Her eyes traveled up his long bare legs to the ragged grey loincloth bound around his slender hips. From there his torso veed up to broad shoulders cloaked in a fall of shimmering gold hair. He lifted his wrists. “Release me.”

Alluna snapped her gaze back to mama.

Mama smiled, her eyes dancing. “So soon?” She laughed, her voice deep…masculine? “I think not, dark prince.”

The golden-haired demon smiled back, but it didn’t reach his ice-blue eyes. “I was hoping you’d say that,” he said with deceptive softness.

The cuffs clinked open and fell with a loud clang to the dirty stone floor.

Mama gave a squeak of dismay and hopped two steps back, black polished nails against her lips.

When he opened enormous dark red devil’s wings, his eyes glowing brighter, Alluna felt the blood drain from her face.

Mama ran screaming from the dungeon.

He stared after her for a few seconds with a frown before his burning gaze lowered slowly to Alluna.

Her entire body shook. “I…I want to go back to my… my Zak now. Please?”

He cocked his head to the side. “Zak?” One finger rose to stroke his chin. “You can’t ever go back to him. There was a plot to kill you tonight.” His wings folded neatly behind his back. “They were going to blame Angel and Rowie.” He shook his head, closing his eyes for a moment. “I was not going to allow that to happen. Not to my… to the girls.”

He crouched down to her and she backed away.

Again, he grinned. “I was waiting for someone to open a portal. I’ve been watching what goes on. The old sorceress did me a big favor by trying to enslave me. Pulled me right out from hell. Finally.”

Fear gripped her heart. “What do you mean by you’ve been watching?”

The dark prince pointed to an old mirror mama had near the central column of the dungeon. It was covered with a white tarp. “I was able to peek into this realm through reflective surfaces.” He remained staring at the covered mirror, his expression sullen. “You don’t know what torture it is to gaze upon the ones…” He went silent, frowning, his eyes turning to narrow on her.

She swallowed. “What do you want with me? I want to go back home.”

“Home?” His fingers stroked down her cheek gently. “My home?”

“Home to Zak,” she whispered twisting her fingers. Alluna hoped he didn’t try to kiss her.

He regarded her a moment and opened his mouth to answer, but a faint moaning drew their attention.

The dark prince rose and strode to the corridor with barred cells.

It had been a long time since Alluna had ventured into mama’s dungeon. The bones of a few unfortunate souls that never again saw the light of day lounged, still chained to the walls, with their grotesque skeletal smiles. Alluna shivered when she saw an enormous spider snacking on a bug in the eye socket of one of them.

Timidly, she followed the red-winged prince, past the various cells. Most were empty. He paused before the one with the desiccated vampire, and frowned at the stone-like wings embedded into the creatures back to make him look like the statue of a weeping angel.

The creature still looked the same, leaning over a headstone, forehead against one of his bent forearms, hiding his face, his other arm extended out, long fingers lax. He looked so…hopeless—a perfect statue of utter desolation.

“Help me,” someone called out weakly.

At the end of the corridor, they found a reaper locked in a narrow cage with his wrists cuffed over his head.

His body was dirty and his lips dry and cracked. A river of dark hair fell to his hips, tangled and dull. Black wings hung limply behind him, primary feathers sweeping out through the bars to the dusty floor. He raised his head to peer at them through his unkempt hair.

The reaper narrowed grey eyes at the dark prince. “Lucien?”

Alluna’s eyes widened. The reaper knew the dark prince’s name?

Lucien walked to the cage, studying the bars. “How’d you get yourself in this mess, Eriel?”

“Aw, hell—I met this really hot tranny and…” The reaper’s eyes widened when he finally saw Lucien’s wings. It took one blink for the bright grey eyes to turn black. Eriel jerked against his restraints with a hiss. His lips curled back into a feral snarl. “What the fuck, Luke. Shit. I’d heard you… fuck.”

Again, he jerked against the restraints with a snarl.

Lucien only smiled. “My-my. It seems you’ve miraculously regained some of your strength.”

The reaper’s wings tried to open, but the cage was too narrow. He suddenly went very still, his face completely expressionless, black eyes trained on Luke—she thought. Alluna wasn’t sure since the death angel had no whites showing, only glittering black orbs within a fringe of long dark lashes. It gave her the shivers, so she backed away to the entrance of the cell and clutched the bars behind her.

Lucien chuckled. “A death angel in all his terrifying glory… ready to kill. Just promise me one thing, reaper.”

“I don’t make pacts with demons,” was the death angel’s soft reply.

Lucien cocked his head to one side. “I’m going to release you, and it would be more than a blessing if you kill me—”

“Count on it,” the reaper interrupted in a flat voice.

Lucien only grinned broader. “Fine. But take the girl with you when you leave.”

Alluna gasped and shook her head.

“Who is she?” Eriel asked, a slight frown marring his fine brow.

“No one important, really. The demons just want to use her for the virgin sacrifice and I’d rather they not.”

Eriel’s lips twitched. “Virgin?”

Alluna’s face flushed.

“She carries the offspring of a Master Guardian. Pure power, completely untouched virgin—”

Eriel scowled. “I get the picture. They’ll kill the child. Sick.”

“They’ll slaughter the mother to get to it when it’s big enough to breathe on its own. In the meanwhile, they’ll torture her, rape—“

“Fucking shut up already, Lucien,” Eriel snapped. “I’ll keep her with me. I promise.”

“No,” Alluna protested. “I don’t want—“

Lucien flew at her his hands slamming against the bars to either side of her. She was trapped.

The dark prince loomed over her, eyes glowing with hellfire.

“What you want is irrelevant, Alluna. Look deep into my eyes… and listen to my voice…you feel sleepy, Alluna… very sleepy…”

Zak stood flanked by Devon and Remi. To Devon’s right was Anniel and Seth. Natanael remained in the outer chamber.

For the past half hour, accusation after accusation was thrown at them.

Zak’s eyes scanned the vast arena. There were thousands of representatives from just about every sentient race. In one of the metal disc-like balconies, he noticed a bunch of tree-like aliens. Angel sometimes had nightmares with these creatures. He knew, because they were all linked, and her terror would rouse everyone in the station mid sleep-cycle.

“You have abducted and enslaved one of the princesses of Arboria.”

“We have done no such thing,” Devon countered.

The creature with the lion-like face growled from his podium, his golden eyes narrowing. “The princess Alluna is in your custody.”

“She’s with me,” Zak replied. “I met her a few moon cycles ago and wanted to court her. When we arrived on Arboria—“

“You never had permission to land on Arboria,” someone shouted.

Zak scowled when he recognized the Arborian Master Guardians. What the hell were they doing there? They weren’t Arborian ambassadors… were they?

“Is that true?” the lion-man snapped.

Zak swallowed, but Devon answered before he opened his mouth. “Yes, but—“

“So you invaded a Class two, restricted level I planet and made off with one of its native inhabitants.”

“She was almost dead,” Zak roared.

Devon gripped his forearm while Remi squeezed his shoulder and murmured words to calm him.

Next to the Lion-man, a species of Minino, a pure white Mazune regarded Zak with her up-slanted, big, black eyes. “You must realize out-worlders cannot just swoop down into any planet and remove its inhabitants. No matter how noble you think you acted. It cannot be allowed, young Guardian.”

Frustration was the common emotion cycling through all the Alpha Angels at that moment.

“The Arborian witch had Zak under a spell. He couldn’t help going back to her. It wasn’t his fault,” Seth stated.

Zak scowled at him, but refrained from making any comments when Seth telepathically told him to hold his tongue.

A murmur of disapproval went throughout the arena.

“Lies,” Dresh shouted from his perch.

The Mazune leaned forward. “You are rumored to be the most powerful of Master Guardians. So much so, that the Supreme Council of Master Guardians did not contest your having changed your titles to Alpha Angels. You mean to tell me that a simple little witch from Arboria spelled one of you and you were unable to break said spell?”

“It’s an evil plot, your eminence,” Dresh roared again.

The Lion-man held his hand up to silence him.

“Breaking the spell could harm the girl. We wanted to go to her so that she could remove the spell herself. That’s when we found her body at the bottom of a volcano vent. She’d been tossed there by some nearby villagers who blamed her for the torrential rains on their lands.”

The elected high officials leaned in, conferring with one another. Murmuring went around the arena.

“What do you think, Dev? What’s going on?” Zak hissed in a low voice to his commander.

Devon took a deep breath, keeping his eyes on the high officials.

“There’s allot of fear here,” he answered in a low voice. “Fear of us… of me. Fear breeds hatred.”

“The Arborian Master Guardians demand the return of the princess,” the Minino spoke again.

Zak shook his head emphatically, but Devon’s hand at his forearm again stopped his angry outburst. Like hell he was handing Luna over. Over his dead body.

“Zak and the girl have bonded and mated. She carries his offspring. She cannot be relinquished.”

More murmuring. Dresh was seething, speaking into his com-link to the officials now.

Again, the Minino cleared his throat and spoke up. “The girl’s mind is to be erased of all memory pertaining to this bond.”

Zak’s vision grew red as a snarl tore from his throat. This time the Alpha Angels looped their arms around him.

“Zak, calm,” Devon pleaded.

Remi got in his face. “Don’t shift. Fuck, Zak, don’t make me sing that stupid song here.”

“We’ll get her back, Zak,” Seth hissed. “If you get yourself killed… it’s just not worth it, man. Keep your head on.”

Anniel ran her hands over his back, kissing his shoulder. “Don’t get riled, baby. She’ll always love you no matter what. We’ll get her back, you’ll see.”

Zak panted hard and slowly moved Remi out his line of sight to glare at the high officials.

“The Alpha Angel, Zachariel Wylder, is to request a temporary visa to remain on the planet’s surface and see if the Arborian princess will accept him as her mate,” the Minino continued. “You must court her again. You are forbidden to use any type of power to influence her decision. Any display of power by any of you will void and forfeit any bond, and you will be forcibly removed from the planet’s surface or vaporized on sight by whoever pleases to do so.” The Minino leaned forward. “There are many who already wish to see all of you dead.”

Dresh was snickering, setting Zak’s teeth on edge.

Devon’s glowing eyes slanted sideways, fixing Dresh with his stare. The Arborian Master Guardian yelped and tore his earpiece out.

Zak stifled the urge to laugh when he heard the man cursing up a storm on his balcony. Whatever Dev did, it pissed the dark-skinned Arborian off.

“Feedback is a bitch,” Devon murmured.

We’ve got problems— Natanael’s voice threaded into their thoughts.

Zak began to feel a dull ache in his groin and when he thought of the girls back in the security area, the ache bloomed into pain. Angel.

Devon vanished in an instant.

There was something she needed to remember. Alluna stroked her fingers through the unicorn’s white mane. Had she ever ridden a unicorn before?

Confusion muddled her thoughts. Looking up she frowned at the reaper bathing in the stone pool in the dungeon. Why were they in mama’s dungeon? Why was there a heart-wrenchingly beautiful death angel splashing water over his naked body? He kept giving her teasing looks over his shoulder, a sly smile on his pale lips. Alluna watched him wring out the excess water from his dark tresses. Where did he come from? How did she even know what he was? Since when did she know about reapers, and males, and penises, and sex?

He chuckled as if guessing her thoughts.

Alluna closed her eyes.

Sex.

I want to fuck you, Alluna— a dark voice crooned in her mind. A memory.

She remembered a hard body, rippling, bulging muscles… obscenely long, dark gold hair, waving, thick, oh-so-soft. She’d spread her legs inviting him deeper… her wrists were bound. Fuck me, Master. Oh, yesss.

“Hey.”

Alluna’s eyes snapped open again. The reaper was standing right next to her, water sluicing down his perfect body.

Her face flushed hot. “I… what’s going on?” She nibbled her lip, hoping he’d shed some light on the perplexing situation. At least she knew she hadn’t had sex with him. He was slighter, more delicate in build with waist-length dark hair. Her lover had been a very big male with wavy blond hair. Lover? Oh. gods. What was his name? Why couldn’t she remember his name… his face? There was a big hole of memories missing from her mind. Why?

The reaper grinned. “Luke is pissed because I won’t strike him dead.” His expression grew grave. “Not that I didn’t try.” He shrugged. “I guess he just isn’t as evil as he thought. My name is Eriel, by the way. My friends call me Erie. My lovers call me Oh-god.” He snickered, batting his long black lashes.

Alluna shook her head. “W-what?” Instead of clearing up her tangled thoughts, he was tying more knots in her neural synapses. Alluna gasped, burying her fingers in her hair.

Eriel’s bright grey eyes widened. “What?”

“Neural synap—“ Alluna stared at him with big eyes of her own. Where did that big word come from? “Never mind,” she sighed with a gulp—Flipping out here, buddy. Oh, yeah, and I’m thinking in words I’ve never used before. Bitchin’.

One of Eriel’s inky brows rose dubiously. “Okay.”

A loud roar shook the ground. Alluna gripped the unicorn’s mane when the pretty creature nickered nervously and skittered back a few steps.

“Now what?” Eriel huffed looking toward the tunnel that led to the lower level of the dungeon.

Alluna wanted to scream when a blond devil rushed out of the tunnel, icy-blue eyes wide.

“Fuck, Erie,” he shouted. “There’s a god-damned dragon down there.” He rushed up to the reaper and gripped his arms. “Do something for fuck’s sake before it breaks through this whole place and kills everything in here. We haven’t gotten that dried up vampire out and god knows what else there might be.”

Eriel scowled at him. “What the hell do I look like? A Dragon slayer? I can only kill devils and demons.”

The devil snorted. “What good are you then? Damn,” he hissed again before his gaze fell on Alluna. “Get her out of here. I’ll distract it.”

Eriel made a derisive sound. “You’re hoping it eats you, eh? Suicidal fucker.”

She squeaked in surprise when the reaper’s black wing struck out and sent the blond devil thirty paces into a stone wall. The solid crack he made was sickening.

Alluna watched the poor devil fall like a squashed bug to the floor.

Eriel sashayed over to the fallen blond devil. “Someday you’ll thank me for this, pretty boy,” he sighed lifting him.

Another roar shook the ground as Eriel carried the devil toward Alluna.

“I hope you don’t mind, but could you keep an eye on him a bit?” He laid him by the pool. “I don’t think he’ll be rousing for a while anyway. I need to check on that bellowing beast below.”

As if on cue, a loud bang that knocked a few stones from the ceiling shook the entire castle.

Eriel turned and sauntered gracefully down the dark corridor shaking his pert ass seductively. Just before ducking around a bend, he shot Alluna a wink over his shoulder.

The beast roared two more times. More bangs and crashes sounded, sending sheer terror down Alluna’s spine. She slithered off the unicorn’s back and stepped carefully toward the devil.

His hair was absolutely beautiful. Streaks of pale silver, golds, light browns, caramels, and chocolate. His lashes were dark gold and she remembered that his eyes had an upward slant, making him look almost feline. His nose was pert and lips delicate, but lush.

Bending close to him, she noticed many scars and bruises, old ones, marring his skin. His red wings were dull and torn. Blood trickled from the corner of his lips and nose. She touched his cheek and his fingers twitched. A soft sigh escaped his mouth and his brows drew together in a frown.

“Please,” he whispered, so low, she barely caught the plea. “d-don’t… hurt me anymore…”

Alluna bit her lip. Her fingers traced the marks on his thighs until she realized he was making terrified protesting sounds. One lone tears rolling down his bruised cheek had her reaching for it, mesmerized. The second her fingertip touched the glittering teardrop, a vision seized her.

A pit of fire, hundreds upon thousands of devils writhing in a melee of sex and violence. Lucien struggled to get away, but they ripped at his flesh with their claws, their teeth. A large demonic creature fell upon him. Lucien shrieked.

Her scream echoed in the dungeon when she broke away from the vision, unwilling to see anymore.

“Gods,” she gasped, staring down in horror at… what was his name again?

The red-winged devil still twitched as if caught in the nightmare of the vision she’d had.

Standing abruptly, she looked around. All was quiet. Where had Eriel gone?

Chaos reigned in the LOS space station. Security had been breached. Devon, now distracted with the imminent birth of his son, had released his protective bubble over the surrounding ships and now the LOS was being fired upon. An all out war had broken out in space trying to fend off those who wished to destroy the Alpha Angels.

Much to everyone’s shock, Rowie’s belly had bloomed to astonishing proportions too. They’d all rushed toward the security room. Rowie was in the corridor, howling in pain, clutching her distended belly.

Remi’s eyes were wild with fright as he cradled her in his arms.

“Stay with Remi and Rowie,” Zak told Natanael as he rushed after Seth to where Devon and Angel were.

Alluna was nowhere to be seen. Panic gripped him and he fell to his knees before Angel.

“Where—“ was all he got out before she gripped his arms and screamed, long and hard.

Devon held her around her waist as she parted her thighs.

His commander’s eyes were wild. “Fuck, Zak. It’s the baby.”

In a bewildered panic, he shoved her gown up and tore her little undergarment off. “Push,” he snapped at her. “Come-on, warrior. Show me what you’re made of.”

Her fingernails tore into his biceps and she curled her lip. Angel’s face turned red from her efforts. Looking down, Zak gasped when a little head emerged. Wincing from Angels nails ripping his upper arms, he reached down and gripped the baby.

Electric-blue eyes stared at him, sending a shiver through him. “Oh-god,” he gasped as something powerful moved through him. The child smiled as his shoulders emerged. Angel sighed and released Zak. The rest of the baby slid effortlessly from her.

Zak lifted Jazriel to study him. The infant studied him back, and then without preamble laughed.

Zak didn’t know why, but he broke down. He cradled the most beautiful living thing he’d ever seen and sobbed like a baby himself.

Light blinded them. Devon reached out and took his son from Zak, light emanating from him also.

Zak wiped the tears and snot from his face and blinked into the blinding light. The room was filled with Dominatios, Cherubs.

One of them held a flaming sword.

“Only one more,” the baby angel said. “One more angel left to enter this realm and the prophecy will begin.”

”Jazriel was lost, but now he is found. Six angels. One more to regain consciousness in this realm,” another chimed in.

The flaming sword burst in a shower of sparkles and disappeared into Jazriel. Devon’s son was anointed an archangel from birth… just like his father.

The light faded until it was only them in the room again.

“Let’s get out of here,” Devon rasped giving Angel the baby to hold.

Zak shook his head. “Alluna. Where is she?”

Angel, looking completely wiped out, frowned at him. “But, Zak. You came to get her about a half hour ago.”

Zak’s hands met the floor as he bowed over in pain.

“Oh, God. She’s gone,” he gasped.

“No, Zak,” Devon snapped. “I can find her, but we need to get out of here. All hell has broken loose around us. We need to move Alpha 7 just in case.”

Anniel rushed in. “Rowie’s babies. They’ve grown to twice their size.”

Devon looked at his son. “It’s Jazriel. I did the same thing to my brother, made him grow in my mother’s womb to save his life. Jazriel must sense the other babies and is making them grow.”

“Why?” Angel asked.

Devon shrugged, shaking his head, eyes on Jazriel.

Zak buried his head in his hands. His pain was so paralyzing that Natanael had to practically lift him and carry him to his Viper.

The trip home went by in a blur. Devon and Natanael pulled him from his Viper. Devon teleported him to his quarters and put him to bed.

“Listen to me,” he said. “There were open portals all over that space station. Alluna is back on Arboria. I don’t sense her in any kind of danger.”

Zak gripped his arms. “Who the fuck took her,” he roared, his skin igniting.

“I don’t know yet, but we’re going to play by their rules and get her back.”

“Our?”

Devon’s eyes narrowed. “Alluna is one of us, Zak. One of my angels… and we’re going to get her back. I swear this to you.”

Alluna grew tired of waiting and moved down the sloping corridor to the dungeon’s lower level. As she drew closer to the entrance to the wide dungeon room where mama had kept the sleeping golden dragon, she heard Eriel wailing disconsolately.

“Why? Why did you make me remember? I didn’t want to remember,” he shrieked, his sobs choking him. “They took him. Those fucking devils took him and Luci into the realm of shadows. There was nothing Abdy or me could do. They’re gone. Gone.” He howled with heartbreaking grief. “Oh, Dava… Luci. I loved them so much.”

“Put yourself back together, man,” another masculine voice snapped. “Where is Remuel?”

“How the fuck should I know. I’ve been blissfully ignorant for who knows how long. Damn you, Zakreel.”

Alluna crept into the vaulted room, but was frightened out of her wits when a high-pitch screech had her jumping back from the entrance. She stared in shock at the vampire, now locked in the cage where Eriel had been. He was no longer a stiff statue. His eyes were black and wild with pain. Blood dripped from his chin and down his chest. His skin still looked paper thin and dry and his black curls an ashy grey, but his eyes… his eyes were two burning orbs of glistening black… beckoning… luring her.

“Stop,” Eriel snapped, gripping her arms and spinning her to look at him instead. “Don’t stare into his eyes. The poor fuck is still out of his mind with hunger.”

The vampire wailed in misery. “Kill me. Oh for fucks sake. Put me out of my misery.”

Eriel snarled. “Oh, hush. Zak, feed him some more.”

“No. He’ll bloat. I hate when vamps bloat. They ooze and smell afterwards. Get her out of here while I move him somewhere safe.”

Zak. That name.

Alluna stared at the tall, imposing blond male standing where the dragon had once been. His hair fell in golden waves to his waist and his eyes were a deep sapphire.

“M-master?” she sniffed, her body trembling.

Eriel shuffled her out of the dungeon, back to the upper level. She followed docilely, letting him lift her onto the unicorn again.

The reaper circled around to the front of the creature and spoke in a low voice to it.

“Take us somewhere safe, little one. I implore you.”

Eriel turned and lifted Lucien into his arms and followed the unicorn out of the castle. The sun was just beginning to set, turning the sky to a familiar plumb color. She the reaper take to the sky with a swift jerk of his wings, her mind a confusing, frustrated blank.

Zak. Tears began coursing down her cheeks and a sob burst from her chest. Why was her heart breaking now? Why did it feel as if part of it was already missing? Was the other blond man in the dungeon her lover? There was something so familiar about him, yet she had seen no recognition in his beautiful eyes. Leaning over, she hugged the galloping unicorn and cried her sorrow into its silky white mane.