The mood had definitely been broken. She felt sleepy when they re-entered the empty cabin. Ashriel held her close and kissed her languorously.

“You look tired,” he said, his deep voice giving her chills.

She smiled and murmured, “It’s been quite a day, sweetie.”

With one hand, he pulled the comforter from her body and then gestured for her to climb on the huge bed. She watched him climb in after her, his naked body moving with masculine grace, typical for Seraphs. He was poetry in motion with his wings folded a little off his back and his dark hair hanging in his face. When they laid down next to each other, he rolled to his side and pulled her against his chest. She sighed and smiled when he stretched one wing over them. Who needed a comforter when you slept with a Seraph.

His hand settled on her belly, caressing the baby bump, and his nose nuzzled into the curve of her neck.

After he settled a sweet kiss there, she closed her eyes, snuggling her ass tighter against the rigid feel of his cock. With a final sigh, she drifted off surrounded by the warmth of his wing and body.

She slept soundly for a long time. When she awakened, he’d gone. Sending out a tendril of power, she smiled when she felt his life force up in the helm along with Seth, her son and the reapers.

She could feel two more life forces within the starcruiser—Chameleon’s and Rayne’s.

Anniel rose after stretching her body and redressed.

The corridor inside the starcruiser was cool with the scent of new metal. The walls were the same pearly pale grey shade from Alpha 7, but the floors were a charcoal black and had a rubbery feel to them.

She headed toward the cabin where she’d felt Rayne’s life force.

After giving a light knock on the door, she entered.

Rayne lay on her back, her bright blue eyes staring blankly at the overhead bunk. She was a tiny thing, probably not more than five-foot-five. Her lashes were long and her nose pert over plump little rose-kissed lips. Jet-black hair spilled in a glossy river over the side of the bed.

The cyborgs had dressed her in thin white gown that tied at the shoulders and sides in little bows. It was more utilitarian rather than pretty, but didn’t make the girl look any less pretty.

Anniel sat slowly, with a hesitant smile.

“Hey,” she whispered taking her little hand.

It was so tiny and soft. Anniel felt a wave of pity fill her. Rayne didn’t even blink. Her face just blank.

Biting her lip, she remembered seeing her for the first time. They’d all been power bound in a dungeon by an evil sorceress, unwilling participants in a black ritual. The girl lay naked on a stone alter as Lucien stood over her with Lucifer’s blade pointed at the middle of her chest.

Anniel undid the top ties to Rayne’s gown and peeled the material down slowly, exposing little breasts. There was no scar, yet Lucien had run her through. The blade had slammed through her white flesh until the tip clanged loudly on the stone beneath her back. A river of blood had flowed from the ghastly wound, had sprayed the blade in crimson.

Pulling the material back up as she looked into the girl’s empty eyes, she also recalled the horror in Dred’s chamber’s. He’d ripped unmercifully into her, filled her with his acidic presence in every orifice she possessed.

Anniel’s son told her they’d had to enhance Rayne with cybernetics and grow new skin to cover the new metallic skeleton because her original body was completely destroyed.

What did she remember? What memories did this girl harbor?

After deliberating a moment, Anniel pressed her fingers to Rayne’s temples and closed her eyes.

Images ran through her mind, but she delved as deep as she could go, back…back. She saw a plump woman, she was smiling, but Anniel frowned at the collar around her neck. The woman bared her breast and Rayne nursed. She was a baby. More images…a cage, feeling lonely…being led out, naked to stand in a lavish throne room. Rayne wasn’t allowed to look up. Her eyes had to remain on her feet…bare feet, cold floor…she was being beaten…a paddle to her ass…crying. She was being yanked be her hair…fear…terror…they were putting her in a little glass box…darkness…unable to breathe…unable to move…dead…trying to dream, wanting to be freed by a prince, just like in the stories nanoi told her…and then she felt the warmth of the sun. It chased away the chill of death. Soft lips caressed hers and she opened her eyes.

The sun made his hair glow like molten gold, his blue eyes sparkle like diamonds.

He looked surprised, but then laughed, the most beautiful sound Rayne had ever heard. “Well, what do you know—my very own sleeping beauty.”

Anniel gasped when Rayne suddenly shot up, her eyes frantic.

“Master,” she cried out. “Where is Master?”

Anniel gripped her shivering form, holding her arms. “Honey, are you okay?”

The girl only began to sob, her eyes darting about in terror.

“My Master-my Master, where is he? Oh. please. Don’t shut me in that box again. Please,” she wailed hysterically.

“No one is going to shut you in any box, sweetie. Calm yourself.”

“B-boy Rayne. Where is Boy-Rayne?”

Anniel frowned.

“We must save him. Poor Boy-Rayne.”

Chameleon and Cyneolle rushed in.

“What happened?” her son asked sitting behind the girl.

Chameleon rummaged through the dresser opposite the bunk beds.

Anniel opened her mouth to reply but Rayne continued to wail, “We’ve got to find Boy-Rayne.”

Chameleon pulled out a vapor syringe. “Hold her,” he commanded.

Cyneolle slid behind the thrashing girl and held her tight against his chest. Anniel’s heart clenched when Chameleon pressed the thin metallic rod to her arm and it hissed.

Rayne’s eyes rolled and she became limp. She continued to hiccup, her tears rolling down her flushed cheeks.

Her son and her arranged Rayne back on the bed. Cyneolle made sure her head was straight on the pillow and that her hair fell over the edge of the bed again. Anniel straightened her legs and smoothed down her white gown to cover her nakedness..

“Poor thing,” she sighed. Looking up, she saw Ashriel, Natanael, and Eriel standing in the doorway.

“Maybe we should erase more of her memories,” Chameleon suggested.

Cyneolle shook his head. “We erased enough. No more.”

Anniel gulped, looking down at the girl whose eyes were drifting closed in slumber. She’d known so much suffering. The women of her planet were treated like slaves, collared, chained and kept in little cages.

“The entire family was put into suspended animation orbs and sent out into space while the king and his army tried to fend off the invading horde of aliens that were trying to take over his planet during the galactic war,” Cyneolle was saying.

Ashriel walked in and slid his arm around Anniel’s waist. “The king opted to blow up the planet himself. He sent word out to have the royal family destroyed.” Ashriel’s eyes lowered to the sleeping girl’s form. “I guess the guardians of the royals did not follow orders.”

Anniel frowned. “That’s horrific.”

Ashriel’s hold tightened on her. “What’s more horrific is that they obviously sold the royals as slaves.”

“Alluna’s abductor had Rayne.”

Ashriel nodded. “Yes. I’d heard about the ritual. Stupid witch was wasting her time. This girl’s powers aren’t strong enough to pull Davariel’s other from the realm of reflections.”

“She was carrying on about a Boy-Rayne,” Anniel said looking at her son.

Cyneolle looked back down at Rayne. “I do not know of any Boy-Rayne.”

“Perhaps King Dred had her cloned and made a masculine version of her.”

Anniel frowned in confusion. “What?”

“Could be possible,” Ashriel sighed, “But it would be impossible to locate such a clone…if it’s even alive.”

Anniel pouted, looking down and trying to imagine what a little masculine version of Rayne would look like…and the fate it had down on that awful planet.

When she shivered in revulsion, horrific images playing in her mind, Ashriel pressed her closer.

She looked up into his storm-colored eyes. His hand cupped her cheek. “Don’t think of negative things, my love. This universe is filled with darkness, but you have a spark of life growing within you. She can feel what you feel.”

Anniel’s eyes widened as her hand automatically curved over her belly. “She can?”

“Yes,” Ashriel answered with a frown, his hand moving over hers.

***

As if he didn’t already have enough troubles, Seth came up with the brilliant idea to land them on Rhydiam Nine. Garethiel waited for them at the spaceport along with Amaranth.

Ashriel glared at Seth inside the helm as his twin waved enthusiastically from the landing pad.

Seth stared out the front window in the helm, tongue in cheek before frowning irritably. “It’s just temporary—okay. So just deal.”

Ashriel clenched his fists with a huff. “Aside from bringing me to my worst nightmare, what are your designs on Amaranth? If you defile her, she’ll be horribly punished. Must I run the vid of my punishment?”

Seth growled and swung around to face him. “No. I have no designs on Ama. She doesn’t want me. I know if she’d wanted to be with me she’d renounce her priestesshood.”

Ashriel regarded him coldly. “Even if she did renounce, she’d still have to forgo a hundred siglon task to be discharged honorably. It usually consists of guarding one of the portals of Hell on the most horrible of posts. The ones no one else wants to guard.

Seth closed his eyes. “I would have waited.” They snapped open again, lit by fierce determination. “Hell, I would have stood watch with her.”

Ashriel’s brows rose in surprise. “For a hundred siglons?”

“Wouldn’t you have down the same for Annie?” The weretigri frowned. “I forgot. Your devotion to your priesthood went above and beyond anything.”

Ashriel drew himself up. “You don’t understand the responsibility that was laid upon my shoulders. While most reapers trained to become holy warriors I became a high priest. Davariel killed the high priest I was to succeed. Gadriel had named me his successor when he’d seen me training. I was thrust into his place whether I’d wanted it or not.”

“You mean you couldn’t refuse?”

“No one has ever refused such an honor.”

“But you could have refused,” Seth insisted.

Ashriel shook his head. “To do so would have brought shame to my family. It would have been utterly selfish of me. It is my obligation to fight against evil. It’s what I was created to do. I am a reaper, a death angel.” Ashriel turned, remembering the horror of the demonic invasion Davariel had unleashed. “You don’t know how many devils and demons I have slaughtered. They flowed out of every dark corner, every shimmering surface, crack and crevice like floodwater. Seemingly unstoppable. The blood, the stench…it clung to me, weighed down my wings…” But he’d felt a fire within himself. He couldn’t have stopped the death and power flowing out of him even if he’d wanted.

He blinked, realizing Anniel stood at the top of the ramp. She just stared at him, her eyes full of pity. He frowned and strode toward her. He did not want or need her pity. He was a warrior.

“My love,” he sighed pulling her into his arms.

She snuggled against him and stroked his back as if trying to soothe him. It made his chest tighten and he held her tighter. He’d go mad if he ever lost her…hence the reason reapers were forbidden to take a mate.

“Oh, baby. That sounded so awful,” she whispered.

“I’m fine,” he answered gruffly.

She tipped her head back, leveling her golden green gaze at him. Her hand stroked his chest, her nails giving him flesh bumps. He kissed her lightly on her pouty lips. “Time to go, beautiful.” And then he couldn’t help but scowl. “If my brother so much as breathes heavily near you, promise you’ll tell me.”

She grinned making his breath catch. “I’ll do better, honey. I’ll kick him in his balls.”

Ashriel couldn’t help the bark of laughter at the image her words evoked.

***

Anniel walked down the ramp behind Natanael, Eriel, and Abdiel. Ashriel walked on her right and Cyneolle to her left.

Her son suddenly stopped halfway down the ramp making her stop to look up at him.

A curl of apprehension skittered through her when she saw him staring at his father through narrowed eyes.

“Baby,” she sighed grasping his forearm.

He tilted his head down to look at her. “I will stay.”

Anniel gulped. “Why?”

His eyes narrowed again as he leveled them on his father who was shaking the reapers hands in greeting.

“I think it’s better for Rayne if she isn’t moved around so much. It’ll be less stressful for her.”

Anniel nodded. She needed to confront Garethiel and tell him the truth…as well as her son Cyneolle. Though she realized that it wouldn’t be the best of ideas at the moment. They were, after all, on the run from the galactic law.

He turned on his heel and stomped back up the ramp. Seth stood behind her, his eyes riveted on Amaranth

Ashriel nudged her forward his lips whispering over her ear to say, “I don’t blame him.”

“You think he suspects?” she asked looking up at his handsome face.

Ashriel looked back up at his brother. “No, beautiful. He knows.”

Anniel bit back her moan of displeasure.

With Ashriel’s sinewy arm wrapped possessively around her, she didn’t dread approaching Garethiel. She no longer felt anything for him anyway.

Ashriel gripped his brother’s hand, his face hard.

Garethiel gave him a tight lipped grin before his gaze slid to Anniel…and heated up a few degrees.

“If you know what’s good for you, you’ll just say hi and lead the way to the transport,” Ashriel muttered through clenched teeth drawing Garethiel’s annoyed glare.

Letting out a huff he turned on his heel and strode toward one of the spaceport’s exits.

Rhydiam Nine was bustling with activity even though the golden star that warmed it was slowly disappearing behind snow-capped mountains.

They traveled in a roomy transporter that could probably fit ten people comfortably. Tall buildings flanked either side of the ten-lane road, their silver frames and shimmering turquoise-colored glass reflecting the rays of the setting sun. Anniel’s eyes widened when they floated over a long bridge that bowed over a purple river. Rings of lighted beams arched over the bridge giving everything a surreal feel.

Ashriel squeezed her hand. She turned and gasped when he covered her mouth in a sweet kiss. They were sitting all the way in the back of the transporter, so she let him indulge in sweeping his tongue into her mouth to taste her languorously.

“So,” Anniel heard Amaranth say haughtily, “how’s tricks, Kitty-cat?”

“Tricks?” Seth answered.

By now, Ashriel was sliding his mouth down Anniel’s neck making her shiver, but she couldn’t help and look over at Seth and Amaranth who were like nitro and glycerin together.

“Yeah. Tricks. You’ve pretty much fucked the entire galaxy by now.”

Seth’s eyes narrowed. “Not the entire galaxy, Ama. Are you offering, baby?”

She snorted indignantly. “I wouldn’t touch a man-whore like you with a ten foot pole.”

Amaranth’s angry words had Ashriel moving away.

Anniel frowned when Seth leaned over and murmured something in her ear.

Whatever he’d said made the pretty reaper gasp in outrage. She turned and slapped him hard. “You’re not a tiger, you’re a pig.”

When the reapers snickered, Seth turned to glare at them, the red handprint glowing on his fair skin.

She felt Ashriel tense next to her. When he opened his mouth, Anniel touched his chest, drawing his attention.

“Leave them be. They’re grown ups.”

He just frowned and settled back in his seat adjusting his wings to either side of himself. He curled one around her.

Anniel breathed out a sigh of relief.

It was Amaranth who’d chosen to sit next to Seth. Amaranth who’d started antagonizing him. Not that she was defending his crude behavior, but she knew the girl-reaper’s rejection hurt him. He lost his virginity to a vampire, who’d been trying to save him from being sacrificed as a virginal offering and it seemed Amaranth would never forgive him for that. Seth handled his rejection by screwing any and every female that offered. Anniel knew that only made him more bitter, but he wouldn’t listen to reason. Zak and Remien’s ribald laughter and cheering at his whoring didn’t help either.

She closed her eyes and hoped they’d reach their destination soon. At least Garethiel sat all the way in the front with Abdiel and hadn’t tried to make any more contact with her.

They arrived at Garethiel’s condo just before it was completely dark. Stopping at the entrance to the tall one hundred-story skyscraper, they all exited the transport. A Gruesh male hopped in and took the transport away to park it for Garethiel.

They walked past a pair of glass doors into a lavish lobby made of grey-veined white stone. The center of the building had a huge fountain, spewing foamy water about ten stories high. Trees and lush gardens surrounded the fountain, making little alcoves where one could sit and relax. Layers of balconies circled high, as far as the eye could see. There were numerous glass tubes with lifts going up to the top of the building. They separated and took two lifts until they reached the level where Garethiel’s condo was located.

The entrance hinted at luxury with its gleaming golden double doors. Topiaries flanked either side of the grand doors, deep green trees trimmed to look like a pair of cherubs.

Ashriel huffed loudly, making her look at him. He was frowning.

She snuggled tighter against him and smiled when he looked down at her. “It’ll be okay, baby. As soon as he can, Devon will come for all of us.”

His gaze softened for a moment, but then he frowned. “You are sleeping with me. There is no argument about it.”

She bit her lip, unsuccessfully trying to keep from grinning. He was always so grumpy and demanding. It was so cute.

Closing her eyes, she wrapped both arms around his waist and followed him inside, breathing in his warm scent.

When he stopped abruptly, his whole body tensing, she opened her eyes again.

To her dismay, his parents stood in the wide foyer, their cold judgmental eyes on both of them.

“Mother. Father,” Ashriel said softly.

Neither parent spoke for the longest moment. Their gaze, if anything, just grew icier as the seconds ticked by.

Anniel heard Ashriel gulp. He took a deep breath and her heart clenched when his wings drooped and his eyes lowered in submission…or shame, which pissed her off. He had nothing to be ashamed of. They did nothing wrong.

His mother narrowed her eyes. “Have you any idea the shame we have had to endure because of you?”

Anger filled Anniel at their unfair treatment of him.

The beautiful blonde Seraph seemed to float slowly to her son, her filmy robes fluttering delicately around her slender ankles. She did not stop until she was mere inches from Ashriel. She looked at him slowly, from his boots to his downcast eyes.

“My beautiful son, the most powerful reaper the galaxy has ever seen is now the most talked about male whore.”

Ashriel flinched as if slapped, and Anniel felt rage fill her when he bowed his head in shame.

“That’s not true. Ashriel is no male whore,” Anniel snapped, unable to help herself.

The Seraph’s eye darted to her, wide and full of hate. They lowered down Anniel’s body with disgust until they fixed on her rounded belly.

“How dare you even speak in my presence. I’ll never understand how he could have soiled himself with the likes of you. You’re even pregnant. Disgusting,” she spat.

Ashriel suddenly stood straighter and gripped her hand tighter. “That is my offspring,” he snarled.

His parents horrified glares darted to Ashriel.

“Yours?” his mother screeched. “Don’t be stupid, Ashriel. You lost your virginity months ago and you’ve just awakened from a coma. That can’t be yours.”

“It’s mine,” Ashriel growled through clenched teeth.

“She looks to be half way along, Ashriel,” his father finally spoke. “Are you that stupid about sex that you don’t know how long a Seraphian gestation period is? It’s three months. Three.”

Ashriel’s face flushed red, and Anniel lost it.

“How dare you call him stupid. Yes, Ashriel and I had sex, but it really wasn’t our fault—“

The male Seraph’s booming laughter cut her off, and Garethiel’s snickering behind them had her wondering if her ears were billowing smoke by now.

“Wasn’t your fault?” Ashriel’s father scoffed, his blue eyes bulging almost out of their sockets. “Do tell me, did you trip and accidentally fall on my virgin son’s cock?”

“Gunthriel, must you be so crude?” his mother hissed.

Gunthriel cleared his throat and said meekly, “my apologies, Antaria.”

Anniel could feel the tension radiating off Ashriel. He splayed his hand over her belly, his eyes blazing at his parents. “This child is mine. Anniel was hurt on Rhylos and the cyborg community there injected her with nanobots to help restore her. The nanos accelerated the pregnancy. She carries my offspring. Mine.”

Antaria’s cold blue eyes regarded Ashriel and Anniel with disdain. “As promiscuous as Garethiel always is, he’d never be so irresponsible to spill into an undeserving womb. How could you, Ashriel?”

Ashriel laughed without humor. “Ah-yes, saint Garethiel. The conniving bastard that seduced Anniel when she was still young and pure, only to use her and leave her pregnant.”

Anniel felt faint. “Oh-god.”

“What?” Garethiel gasped, wide-eyed.

“You fucked her like it was all a game to you. Her reluctance at letting you bed her whetting your appetite for sport.”

“Ashriel, please,” Anniel pleaded in a low tone, feeling her face flame.

“Reluctance? Really?” Garethiel scoffed, brows raised.

Ashriel tensed as if to lunge and she had to grip his arm. “No. Don’t, please.”

“Anniel,” Garethiel began.

“Don’t talk to her,” Ashriel snarled his muscles bunching up and wings opening.

“Ashriel,” Anniel pleaded hanging onto his arm even as his fists clenched. His mother conveniently sidled back to her husband staring in horror at her sons who looked about ready to kill each other.

“I have a right to know what the hell is going on,” Garethiel bellowed.

“Right? You feel you have rights? You fucked her and then walked out on her. Never turned back. Never cared. Weren’t even man enough to say good bye. Just moved on to the next victim.”

“Well, what the hell,” Garethiel sputtered, his face red. “I was just a chickling back then. She should have said something if she thought she was pregnant.”

“You didn’t deserve to know,” Ashriel spat. “You don’t deserve something as beautiful as her.”

Garethiel’s eyes darted from his brother to Anniel and back again. “I always knew you had a fucking hard-on for her ever since I showed her to you on the vid crystal. You practically drooled, but you couldn’t have her. You were forbidden…but I wasn’t.”

“Are you saying…you…you bedded her because…” Ashriel looked astounded, but then his face darkened in fury. “You bedded her to hurt me.”

Garethiel sneered. “I was sick of hearing how great you were, how you’d been promoted to high priesthood, had decimated more than half of the devils and demons set free by the angel of destruction. Sick of hearing how chaste and holy my pure-blooded twin was. If only they knew how pathetic you really were. You wouldn’t even touch yourself for relief, instead you’d spill asleep, wet your sacred white sheets and punish yourself the day after in shame like a fool. You thought you were better than me, but look at you now. Nothing but a male prostitute…” his cold glare darted to Anniel as he finished his rant, “eating my leftovers.”

Ashriel disappeared from her side. One minute he was there, tense and furious, next minute he and his twin brother were a ball of black and white wings, punches and kicks. They fought as if intent on killing one another.

Both Anniel and Antaria screamed. The reapers, including Amaranth and even Seth dived in to separate them.

Anniel couldn’t see with so many wings in the way. It looked like a total cluster fuck, the sound of flesh being pounded plainly audible. Seth’s growling became accentuated and she hoped he could control his shifting or they’d all be in trouble when a twenty-foot long angry tiger appeared in their midst.

“Ama,” Seth snarled. “Ash, back off, damn-it”

“My nuts, fuck,” Natanael yelped.

Ashriel growled like a beast. “I’ll kill him. Get off me.”

“Not if I kill you first, you conceited prick,” Garethiel snarled before grunting in pain.

“Garethiel, stop,” Amaranth cried out.

“Fuck, Ama,” Garethiel bellowed, “get out of the way.”

“Anyone of you hits Ama and I’ll tear you to pieces,” Seth said his voice animalistic now.

The struggling pack separated in half. Abdiel, Eriel, and Seth struggled to contain Ashriel as Natanael pulled at Garethiel’s arms. Amaranth had herself plastered across Garethiel’s front, pushing him back.

They were all bruised and bleeding. When Seth saw Amaranth wiping a bit of blood from her lips he snarled.

She, in turn, scowled at him. “Oh, be quiet, cat-boy.”

Seth only snarled louder, tiger stripes appearing on his arms as his fangs lengthened.

Anniel fell to her knees, a wave of dizziness over taking her.

Gunthriel held his wife, fanning her face with his hand as she whimpered and looked ready to swoon. “Oh, Gunny. Our sons fight like savages over a harlot. I don’t think I can survive this nightmare. Where did we err as parents?”

Ashriel shook off those that held him and rushed to Anniel.

Kneeling by her, he lifted her against his chest. “Baby, are you alright?” She nodded weakly. His lips thinned and after scooping her up into his arms he stood. “We’re leaving.”

“Don’t be stupid,” Garethiel spat blood on his pristine floor. “The media is already abuzz with news of your arrival.”

“I don’t care,” Ashriel snorted reaching for the front doors again.

“They’ll hound you and Anniel everywhere you go. Imagine how many Master Guardians will be interested in knowing you sired a chickling with one of Edenia’s ex-Master Guardians. They refer to them as fallen angels and I hear the bounty on anyone of them is astronomical.”

***

His brother’s cryptic words halted him. Anniel stared at him wide-eyed, looking very distressed as she took in his bruised face. It was nothing, really. Garethiel looked worse than he did. Ashriel was sure he’d broken the arrogant fool’s nose.

The media.

Cradling Anniel closer, he kissed her forehead. She looked tired. He would not put her through more distress. He would swallow his pride and anger and remain beneath his brother’s roof. He had no choice. They had nowhere to go until Devon contacted them. Seth had warned numerous times during their escape he could feel they were being followed. They had to wait it out.

“Fine,” he sighed. Looking into Anniel’s eyes, he added, “I’m sorry, my love.”

“You’ve nothing to be sorry about, baby,” she replied stroking his cheek. “None of this is your fault.”

“I want to know about my offspring,” Garethiel demanded making Ashriel’s feathers ruffle.

Anniel gestured for him to put her down on her feet. He did so, but reluctantly. Keeping his arm around her waist, he turned to face his brother.

“I had a son,” she said to Garethiel.

Garethiel swallowed. “You named him Gareth. I heard you mention that on Rhylos.” A bit of disappointment shown in his eyes. “So he was born wingless?”

Ashriel’s parents snorted in disgust. Garethiel glared at them and stood a bit taller. His eyes began to shimmer, “It matters not. I have a son,” he said to them.

For a moment, Ashriel felt pity for him. For their parents, the purity of their Seraphian blood was everything.

“He had one wing,” Anniel said.

Garethiel paled, gaping at her. “One?”

Their mother began murmuring to their father that the bastard child couldn’t be Garethiel’s. Their blood was too strong to produce a defective Seraph. After all, they’d produced Ashriel, proving that their blood was still very pure.

Garethiel scowled at their parents at the mention of Ashriel being the only proof of their blue blood. He looked back at Anniel. “A one-winged Seraph? Cyneolle, the notorious cyborg from Rhylos?”

“Yes. Cyneolle is your son.”

He wiped the blood from under his nose, looking away pensive. When he looked back up, his eyes were hard. “Why didn’t you ever try to let me know?”

“How?” Anniel spat.

Garethiel laughed mirthlessly. “Oh, come-now. With all the power you Alpha Angels have I’m pretty damned sure anyone of you could’ve located me if you’d really wanted to.”

“Actually,” Seth interrupted, “we didn’t want to.”

Ashriel bit the inside of his bloody cheek to keep from smirking.

Garethiel’s scowl grew. “Why not? If I was really the father I had a right to know.”

“Not after the way you left her, you prick,” Seth growled.

“Son,” Antaria snapped. “Are you going to let these people continue to insult you in your own home? Throw them out.”

His mother’s words cut him to the quick, but then her lack of maternal warmth shouldn’t have surprised him.

Garethiel held up his hand. “No.” He licked his lips gazing at his boots before looking back up at Anniel.

Ashriel stiffened looking at his repentant expression. He’d never ever seen that expression on his brother’s face…well except for the time he’d caught a bad case of space herpes and made Ashriel swear never to tell their parents.

“I was really young and arrogant…and cocky.” He swallowed. “I’m sorry I hurt you, Anniel. I know there’s nothing I can say to erase all the shit you must’ve gone through, but…I’m really sorry I acted like such an ass.”

Ashriel’s heart sank. His gaze darted to Anniel. Once again he felt…afraid. Afraid she might still, after all this time, feel something for the first love of her life…Garethiel.

He gripped her hard when she wrapped an arm around his waist to regard his twin. “I forgave you a long time ago, Garethiel. We were both too young.”

“She loves me now,” Ashriel had to say as he caressed her baby bump. “She belongs to me and carries my offspring. I will never abandon her or my chickling—ever.”

Garethiel narrowed his eyes, but remained silent.

“Ashriel,” Anniel chastised gently.

He glowered down at her. “You are mine.”

From across the room, Natanael cursed roundly drawing everyone’s stare.

The purple-haired reaper patted his pockets, his eyes scanning the floor in desperation. “Fffuck.”

“What the hell is your problem?” Eriel muttered.

Ashriel’s eyes narrowed as the reaper fell to his knees and looked around the floor carefully. The others began craning their necks around too. Natanael’s bright grey gaze lifted slowly to Ashriel with piercing intensity.

Ashriel did his best to remain expressionless, knowing what Natanael searched for was carefully stowed away in Ashriel’s left boot. The little red crystal orb had fallen out of Nat’s pocket as they were all tussling before. Ashriel had every intention of viewing the holo-vid as soon as he had some privacy.

“Tell me what you’re looking for and I’ll help you find it,” Ashriel said calmly.

“Um,” Natanael replied raking fingers through his messy Mohawk. “Maybe I left it on the starcruiser.”

Ashriel just raised one brow at him. “Maybe you should go check, Naty.”

***

Outside, the media had become a circus. Ashriel knew they couldn’t remain for too much longer. It was getting too dangerous and he feared for Anniel’s safety and that of their unborn daughter. Garethiel had warned them he felt the presence of other Master Guardians lurking close, but so far, they hadn’t tried anything. Seth assured they were waiting to see if a portal was opened so they could pin point the position of Alpha 7 and attack.

Natanael was also getting on his nerves. He hadn’t been able to view the vid-crystal because he never had a moment of privacy. The young reaper kept giving him suspicious glares. Good thing he’d decided to bind the crystal to his divine sword and send it away. There was no way Natanael could ever find or retrieve it.

The silly reaper even barged into the hygiene room when Ashriel went in to use the facilities. Ashriel simply looked over his shoulder and continued to undo his pants.

“What do you want?” he said kicking his boots off and letting his pants drop.

Natanael’s eyes fixed on the pants Ashriel kicked back toward him.

He shrugged and looked around, pretending to admire the décor. “Oh, nothing.”

Ashriel had to bite his cheeks to keep from grinning.

He turned and bent to pick up his discarded clothing. “Could you run that through the cleaning unit?” he asked pressing his pants into the reapers chest.

Natanael frowned, his eyes sweeping down Ashriel’s naked body. He huffed and gripped the pants. “Sure.”

When Anniel came into the room and began unabashedly disrobing, Ashriel shoved Natanael through the door with a snarled “out.”

By the third night, Ashriel was going stir-crazy. He hadn’t been able to make love to Anniel for lack of privacy.

“For the last time, Ash,” Seth sighed, ”If Dev opens a portal to summon us we need to go through quickly or risk being tracked by powerful Master Guardians.”

“Ash?” Anniel called.

He looked over his shoulder to where he’d left her sleeping only moments before.

Anniel lay on a furry, white, round rug. The flames in the fireplace behind her made her tousled blonde curls look like a halo around her head. She smiled and pulled back the cream-colored comforter, inviting him back to her side.

Ashriel stood, a slave to her will, and went to her. He slid beneath the warm comforter to her side. She moaned, wrapping an arm and a leg around him. His cock immediately stiffened against her belly.

“Mmm,” she sighed before pressing an open-mouthed kiss to his lips.

Their tongues dueled lazily for a while, long enough for him to ache and wish they were alone. It didn’t stop him from palming her round ass beneath the covers though. Her sleep shirt had ridden up her curves so his hand filled with her silky flesh. She wore a hot pink thong that barely contained the slit of her sex. He knew because she’d shimmied into it only moments before. He’d been about to fuck her in the hygiene room, but Seth had pounded on the door and told them to hurry it up.

Anniel giggled and humped against him.

“You’re going to be the death of me,” he growled feeling his balls draw tight against his shaft.

She ran her nose down his throat. “You smell good, baby.”

Anniel’s tongue sliding up the side of his neck had him drawing in a hiss between his clenched teeth.

“My love, please stop teasing me.”

“But I want you,” she whined. ‘We haven’t made love in three days, baby.”

A shudder went through him. “Then let’s go into the hygiene room again.”

“No,” Seth said behind them.

Ashriel scowled, turning to glare at the weretigri. Seth was sprawled out in a lounger, hands linked behind his neck as he stared at the ceiling with bored indifference.

The sound of Anniel yawning had him turning back to her. She rubbed one eye before grinning up at him. “You can love me here, baby.”

The offer was more than tempting, but he still couldn’t bring himself to make love to her in front of the others.

“My shy dark angel,” she cooed kissing his lips.

“I’m not shy,” he claimed indignantly.

“Yes, you are,” Eriel snickered.

Ashriel ignored the idiot. “Anniel, I will not besmirch our love with public displays of intimacy.”

Anniel frowned in confusion. “But, baby, how can something so pure and beautiful as showing our love for one another be… besmirching?”

Making an effort to ignore the reapers sniggering, he insisted, “Sharing our bodies is something that should be done in private.”

He turned to glare at the reapers when their laughter grew. The sight of even Seth rolling his eyes and shaking his head took him by surprise.

Anniel gently urged him to turn back to her with her fingertips under his chin. Her eyes were soft, her touch indulgent against his cheek. “Ashriel, there is nothing shameful about our love. We’re amongst family, people we trust and care about.”

Putting her palms on his chest, she made him lie back as she straddled him.

Ashriel watched mesmerized as she pulled her sleep shirt over her head. Her nipples were tight dark buds decorating the centers of her big round breasts. The firelight made her skin look rich golden brown. Dark blond curls spilled wild over her shoulders partially covering her. She took his breath away.

Ashriel’s gaze flicked to the reapers. They watched, but with mild interest, and Seth had slumped down in the lounge, his eyes now closed.

Anniel sliding down his legs brought his attention back to her. He sucked in a shocked breath when she began undoing his pants.

“W-what are you going to do?” he asked.

Again, the reapers snickered.

“Inexperienced,” Natanael sighed.

“Yep, totally inexperienced,” Eriel seconded.

Anniel turned before he could protest their teasing and growled low in her throat.

“Sorry,” both reapers murmured.

She turned back, fully intent on putting her mouth to him, but he covered his engorged flesh with shaking hands. “I’m not ready to do this,” he confessed feeling his face heat.

She looked disappointed, but caressed his hands. “That’s okay, baby.” He stiffened further when she slid back up his body, her lush breasts dragging sensuously against his torso. She kissed him deeply. “When we get back home then, okay?”

He nodded, wondering if he was being too much of a prude.

Anniel yawned again and he turned to the side, pulling her tight against him as one of his wings slid beneath the blanket to cover her.

She sighed, her fingers weaving into the black feathers and after a while her breathing evened out in slumber.

The sound of the crackling fire lulled him and before long, his own eyes were drifting shut as sleep claimed him.

He dreamt of a darkened tunnel. It was hot and smelled of excrement. Ashriel moved forward, focusing on wavering light ahead.

At the end of the tunnel was a large cathedral-like chamber. Devils in an array of jewel tones hung upside down from the high ceiling. They watched him with wide golden eyes, but his gaze was arrested by the presence of a lone devil sitting atop a large rock thirty paces from him. The creature’s skin was a satiny jet-black and he had a mop of thick corkscrew curls framing his cherubic face. His tail and wings twitched nervously as he watched Ashriel stalk slowly forward. When Ashriel reached for his divine sword, the devil pointed off to the side

Moving his gaze to where the creature gestured, his heart stopped.

There stood what looked like an ornately framed mirror. Only it wasn’t really a mirror. It was the portal into the realm of shadows…and Davariel stood just on the other side of the glass, his hands smoothing over it as if looking for a way out.

Looking back to the boulder, Ashriel discovered the devil had vanished, so he approached the portal carefully sword at the ready.

Davariel noticed him and smiled in relief. It sent chills through Ashriel.

“Ashriel, help me.”

Ashriel scoffed, “Help you?”

Davariel nodded, his brows creased in a frown. There was darkness behind him, but his hair glowed like golden sunlight and his eyes still had the blue fires of hell shining within. “I can’t find my way out of here and I need to help my sons.”

Ashriel approached the portal, sword held tight, with every intention of bashing it to bits. Just as he tensed to deliver the first blow, Luciel stepped out from behind Dava. Davariel clutched her to his side, looking down at her with…such love. His entire demeanor changed. Luciel, on the other hand stared at Ashriel with cold hardness. She knew his intentions. Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears as she tightened her lips.

Something within Ashriel shuddered. Black feathers cocooned Luciel and a rush of surprise shot through Ashriel when he realized Davariel had his reapers wings again.

He stared at his face-exactly like Devon’s.

“We need to go-now.”

“W-what?”

Bright light blinded him and he felt when Davariel’s hand gripped his forearm. “Ashriel, wake-up. We need to leave.”

Ashriel wrenched his arm away and raised his sword-bearing arm, but Dava gripped that one also.

“What the hell is wrong with you?”

Dava’s face transformed into Remien Fyre’s

“Come-on, dude. Let’s get moving,” the red weredragon snapped, finally erasing all traces of the dream from Ashriel’s mind.

Blue white light infused the game room, making it hard to see anything else around them.

“Anniel,” Ashriel said jumping to his feet when he realized she was no longer next to him.

“Already on the other side, man. Let’s go.”

They both rushed through the portal, Alpha 7 appearing on the other side.

***

Anniel frowned. Ashriel just stared at Devon with narrowed eyes.

“Baby, are you okay?” she asked placing her hand on his forearm.

Lowering his bright grey gaze to her, he placed his hand reassuringly over hers. “Why didn’t you wake me?”

She smiled sheepishly. “I had just gotten up to use the hygiene room when Zak intercepted me.”

Remembering her original destination reminded her that she still hadn’t relieved the annoying urge to pee. Her belly was bigger and she felt the answering consequences in her bladder.

“Swept her right off her feet,” Zak chuckled wrapping a muscular arm around her.

When his giant palm spread over her rounded belly lovingly, Ashriel’s eyes narrowed. Anniel noticed right away when his jaw tightened too. She frowned, thinking he was just too jealous. It was definitely going to be a problem between them. She didn’t want to be separated from the others because of his insecurities, because that’s what they were to Anniel. Why couldn’t he understand?

“Well, I see things have progressed nicely between you two,” Remien said, crossing his arms over his chest as he stood between her and Ashriel. His grin was smug and his expression expectant.

Anniel sighed, knowing he was referring to her pregnancy. She’d been so angry with him for tricking them into ingesting Liquid X, but if he hadn’t, would she have a squirming little baby in her belly right now?

And Cyneolle…

“Where’s my son?” she gasped in alarm.

Devon grinned. “He’s up in the reapers’ level. Abdiel is taking him to his new quarters along with Chameleon.” Devon looked somber then. “That’s one hell of a cyborg. Nat said his name used to be Iophiel.”

Ashriel sighed next to her. “Yes. I thought he was dead. Everyone did. I must speak with him. I haven’t had the chance to ask him what happened…if he even remembers.” He turned to her then. “Go to him, my love. I know you’d like to spend some time with him. You haven’t seen him since we left for my brother’s home.”

“What about you?” It wasn’t lost on her how Natanael hovered close by. He’d been stalking Ashriel since they were in Garethiel’s condo. She shot him a puzzled frown over her shoulder.

“I need to talk with Natanael, but I’ll go to your quarters afterwards to freshen up.”

“Will you let me know?” she grinned up at him, wanting more than anything to be able to share a long bath with him in her rooms. She could already picture him all soapy and aroused, black wings sparkling with bubbles.

Devon and Zak began to chuckle and Remi’s grin grew.

“I will summon you before I retire to your hygiene room,” he promised, his face solemn.

***

Devon left to be with his mate and Zak as well. Remien Fyre followed Ashriel and Natanael toward what the males Alpha Angels called The Boys Playroom.

“Hey,” Remi suddenly said stopping by the door to his chambers. “Let me check up on the babies first. Row is taking a nap.”

They followed him into the darkened rooms. The first thing Ashriel noticed was a metal shield covering the glass that looked out to space.

The chamber was quiet and there was a soft scent in the air, like roses and spice.

Rowie lay on her back, her hands folded over her middle and a riot of glossy black curls spilling over scarlet satin sheets. Long, thick lashes rested on glowing cheeks.

Remi looked longingly at her, but turned with a finger over his lips, gesturing for them to be quiet.

“The little rascals wipe her out,” he whispered.

The twins slept fitfully in their bassinets near the large round bed. Ashriel stared in wonder at the tiny red-haired boys. They looked almost normal except they had their father’s outrageous hair-color.

“Aren’t they cute?” Remi grinned proudly.

“Very,” Natanael chuckled slapping the red weredragon on the back. “Way to go stud. Two males.”

Remi’s grin broadened. “Alluna gave birth this morning, but Zak doesn’t want anyone in there yet until they’re sure the girls are okay.”

Ashriel frowned at Remi. “Were there complications?”

“No. The babies just have a lot of power. Amadashiel stepped in there to see the babies and the little girls set her wings on fire.”

Ashriel gaped and Natanael choked.

Remien shrugged. “Guess they didn’t like her or something.”

Natanael scratched his head. “Is Amadashiel okay?”

Remi chuckled. “Sure. She was just scared shitless, if you know what I mean.”

Ashriel looked back down at the sleeping twins. “Are they dragon or vampire?”

“Dragon,” Remi answered proudly. “Any offspring I produce will be full dragon.”

“So why does the Vildminorian council hunt you and your offspring?” Natanael asked.

Remi scowled. “Because they’re assholes.”

“What are their names?” Ashriel asked, watching as one of the babies made a soft sucking motion with his lips.

“Kaden and Kylen,” Remi’s grin grew. “Kade and Ky for short.”

Ashriel nodded. “Perhaps someday he’d see his daughter playing with these boys and the other dragon’s daughters. His daughter would have friends. It made him smile until he remembered he still had business to attend to with Natanael. He needed to confront the reaper on what was on the vid-crystal, but didn’t want to do it near the babies in case he needed to beat the shit out of Naty.

They strode out of Remien’s rooms to the end of the hall. A few reapers were playing a holographic video game off to one side of the large room. The other side had a vast array of power guitars hanging on the wall. He assumed they belonged to Zak.

Remien dropped onto one of the many plush couches and raised his black boots onto a plastiform table in front of him.

Ashriel turned to Natanael and smiled.

He crossed his arms over his chest and frowned, his eyes becoming a tad chilly. “What’d you want to talk to me about?”

Remien Fyre tensed and lowered his feet when Ashriel reached back and unsheathed his divine sword. Natanael simply stared at him with the same aloof expression until he noticed Ashriel prying the vid-crystal from the hilt of the sword.

His face paled.

“Ashriel, please…don’t.”

Ashriel raised one brow. “Why not?”

Natanael gulped. It’s just an old vid. Toss it, man. You’re happy now.”

“What’s on this, Natanael?”

The reaper’s lips pressed together, his eyes flashing in anger, but he did not answer.

Ashriel stepped closer, holding the crystal in his face. “Tell me,” he hissed.

Natanael sneered. “I want nothing to do with this, Ashriel. You want to look at it, go ahead, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

Eriel, Abdiel and Reiven walked in just as Ashriel whirled around to stalk to the holo-viewer. He slammed the crystal into the small indentation for vid-crystals and commanded it to project its images.

The envirolevel appeared, its lush foliage bathed in silver moonlight. Sobbing drew his attention and the sight of Anniel running through the dense forest had his heart skipping a beat. Lucien gave her chase.

“Oh. Fuck,” Remien murmured behind him.

Ashriel’s palms began to sweat.

Lucien caught up to Anniel. She’d crumpled to the soft looking grass, writing in pain.

He approached her carefully, his foot snapping a twig. She turned to him and snarled, baring her fangs.

Ashriel felt Remien’s power swelling within the room and pointed his sword at the weredragon’s throat. “Don’t interfere,” Ashriel snarled.

Remi frowned, his eyes narrowing, but the bite of power swirling in the room abated.

Ashriel turned back to continue to watch the holographic crystal vid.

She looked wild, panting, pain evident in her eyes.

“Anniel,” he said raising his hands in a placating manner.

She growled viciously at him.

“Easy, baby. It’s just me. Your sexy blond second in command.”

Ashriel wanted to roar in fury. He wanted to yank Lucien away from her, but there was nothing he could do. This was a projection of the past.

“Ash, she was in heat,” Remi pleaded.

“Shut up,” Ashriel hissed, unable to take his eyes from what was happening.

He watched Lucien approach her, and at first she struggled, but eventually the bastard sank his tongue and cock into her.

“No,” Ashriel yelled, slapping the vid-crystal off the projector.

He felt insane with rage and sent his sword through the vid-projector. Fire and sparks flew everywhere. Turning to wrap his hands around Natanael’s neck for, not only hiding this from him, but letting others see it as well, he encountered Remi instead.

His eyes were wide and he raised his hands in a placating manner. “I know this looks bad, Ash, but just clam down and let me explain,” the idiot had the nerve to say in the face of Ashriel’s wrath.

As if there were any words that could assuage the roiling fury eating his mind and heart alive. Lucien had touched her…fucked her…gotten his taint on the woman he loved.

Everything happened in slow motion. Ashriel launched himself at the offensive Alpha Angel, taking him down into the couch. He gripped Remien’s head and stared into his eyes.

Where?— he snarled into his mind. Where is he? I demand you show me where the dark prince is.

Remi wrapped his hands around Ashriel’s wrists and tried to resist, but Ashriel pressed hard into his mind, making Remi groan in pain as he tried to keep Ashriel out.

Forcing oneself into the mind of another was forbidden even by the Angels, but Ashriel was beyond any rational thought.

His fingers fisted Remi’s deep red hair, pulling him closer, eyes boring into the crystalline green-gold.

“Fffuck off, Ash,” Remi grunted.

He fought Ashriel’s power valiantly, but already a bit of blood was trickling from his nose from the effort.

Images blocked what Ashriel really wanted to see, of Remi making love with his woman, fighting on various planets, fighting devils and demons…

Ashriel pushed his essence harder into Remi's locked mind. Fire shimmered over the weredragon’s body, his eyes rolled to the back of his skull as he tried to bite back a cry of agony. Ashriel pushed harder still, even as Remi's body bowed beneath his. More rich red blood flowed, leaking from the were's eyes now.

“Ashriel, you’re hurting him,” he heard Abdiel yell behind them.

Show me— Ashriel commanded again, summoning every ounce of power within him.

Slowly, the weredragon’s pupils dilated and Ashriel drove deep into his mind.

The portals within the funnel, where Devon had crash-landed Natanael’s old starcruiser appeared. There were tunnels beneath the surface, created by the roiling magma under the planet’s thin crust. The maze of tunnels descended deep and ended in the chamber he’d seen in his dream. Lucien sat on the same boulder where he’d seen the black devil…and before him was the portal to the realm of shadows.

“He’s on Megdoluc,” Ashriel hissed.

***

Anniel had just teleported up to her rooms after visiting with her son for a bit. She smiled and hugged herself, wondering why Ashriel still hadn’t summoned her.

She let out a tendril of power trying to locate him and froze. Her power bloomed farther out, pretty much encompassing the entire space station…and he was nowhere.

Panting in panic, she rushed out into the corridor telepathically calling Devon.

Remi staggered out of the boys playroom, blood seeping from his nostrils. At that very moment, Devon, Zak, Seth, and Rowie rushed toward him.

“Fuck. He’s gone mad,” Remi blurted, his eyes crossing a bit as Devon and Zak gripped him before he fell on his ass.

Anniel ran to join them.

“Baby, what happened?” Rowie exclaimed cupping his face.

Devon frowned, turned, and sprinted into the playroom with Seth following close behind.

“What’s going on?” Anniel prompted, her heart racing. “I can’t feel Ashriel anywhere.”

Remi looked at her wide-eyed. “Your reaper has some serious anger issues.”

“Rem, just tell us what the hell is going on.” Zak said now. “I felt a burst of energy. We’re supposed to be keeping a lower profile. What the hell is wrong with you?”

Remi scowled, shook Zak off and stood straighter. “It wasn’t me, stupid. Ash got his hands on an old vid-crystal…” his eyes darted to Anniel. “One from when you were preg’s and in heat…with Luke.”

Anniel felt her face grow cold. “W-what?”

Remien looked at her apologetically. “Sweetheart, there was nothing I could do. It all happened so fast. I don’t know where he got it, but he saw you and Luke…and he didn’t take it very well, you know.”

Anniel felt dizzy and Zak wrapped his arms around her.

“Easy, baby. Just breathe,” he said in his deep voice trying to soothe her.

Devon and Seth came out of the playroom.

“W-where is he?” she asked, wondering if he hated her now. She should have told him what happened during her first pregnancy, but so much had gotten in the way.

“He opened a portal,” Devon said stepping next to her. “Ashriel invaded Remi’s mind and located Lucien. He opened a portal to Megdoluc and is on his way to slay him.”

“He also took a bunch of reapers with him,” Seth added solemnly.

Anniel gasped. “No. We need to stop him.”

Devon snorted. “I don’t think even the Divine One can stop that raging reaper now.” Devon shook his head, taking Anniel’s hand. “He’ll lose his soul if he kills Lucien in the rage he’s in.”

Anniel stared at Devon, her eyes and mouth wide open. “What do you mean?”

“Reapers can only kill out of duty. If Ashriel raises his sword against Lucien in a jealous rage, he’ll fall from grace, like my father did when he killed Garethiel. He’ll be easy prey for the demons. They’ll take him and transform him into one of their own…if they don’t kill him straight out.”

Anniel shook free from Zak’s hold and grabbed Devon’s arms. “We have to stop him, Devon—please.”

He nodded. “We need to get to Lucien first and pull him out of there before Ashriel arrives. It’ll give him time to simmer down. There’s just one problem.”

Anniel gripped him tighter. “What?”

“Lucien doesn’t want to come back. He wants to die. He already senses Ashriel coming for him and is practically waiting with open arms.”

“Then what are we waiting for?” Remi exclaimed literally bouncing on his toes. “We gotta do something.”

Devon gestured for them to follow him. They raced down the corridor into an empty unit no one used. Standing before the glass wall that showed the vast expanse of space, he began to whisper.

Power crackled out of him, making the hairs at the back of Anniel’s neck prickle. The glass rippled like water, making the view of space waver, until it became the view of an underground tunnel.

“Hurry,” Devon said, “before someone picks up the surge of energy and finds Alpha 7.”

They ran through the open portal. For a fleeting moment, Anniel felt as if she were swimming through gelatin. It was hard for her to breathe and she saw wavering images to either side of her. Just when she would have looked, Devon’s arms encircled her, pushing her forward until she stumbled into a cold, dark, foul smelling corridor.

“Annie, don’t ever look to the sides when traversing a portal,” he said sternly.

“I’m sorry,” she said around a huge lump in her throat. Just thinking that Ashriel could get hurt or be killed was tearing her up inside.

Devon’s gaze softened and he pulled her into his arms to kiss the top of her head.

“I can feel them,” Seth said next to them.

Devon looked down the corridor, his luminous eyes shining even more. “We’re running out of time.” He turned to Anniel and tightened his hold on her arms. “It’s up to you, baby.”

“Me?” she asked confused.

“Lucien won’t let any of us near him,” Devon said gesturing to himself and the other males, “but he loves you, Annie.”

Anniel looked at Rowie. “I’m taken, Bubble-butt,” Rowie said apologetically.

“But I’m Ashriel’s,” Anniel answered still not understanding.

“Luke doesn’t know that yet,” Zak interjected.

Anniel looked at all their concerned faces. “You want me to…seduce Luke into coming back home?”

Devon shook his head. “No, Annie. Not seduce. Tell him we love him…you love him, and want him to come back home. Try…” Devon looked back down the corridor, “but hurry. If you don’t want to lose Ashriel forever, hurry. I’ll be linked to you telepathically. When you have him, I’ll open a portal back to Alpha 7. Just rush through it because I won’t hold it open for long.”

Anniel nodded, still not knowing how she would have Lucien, much less convince him to go back with her.

Rowie accompanied her to a large chamber a few paces away. Looking back, she saw Devon, Seth, and Remi draw out their divine swords. Along with Zak, they formed a barrier in the corridor, facing away from her…obviously awaiting Ashriel’s arrival.

“Good luck, Annie,” Rowie said giving her a hug and kiss on the cheek.

The smell hit her like a punch to the gut. She covered her nose and mouth, wishing she had the respirator she’d had on Rhylos. Fighting the wave of nausea, she walked farther into the chamber, her eyes automatically looking around. The first thing that had her eyes bulging were the devils. They hung from the vaulted ceiling like bats. Their golden catlike eyes followed her movements, their tails and wings twitching. She gulped and looked ahead, seeing large boulders strewn everywhere. One in particular caught her attention.

There he sat, his back to her. Tattered red wings hung limply over the edges of the big rock. His blond hair hung in a matted, dull mess to the middle of his back. She could see the bones of his spine through his skin. Bruises and cuts littered his filthy flesh, and his overly long fingernails were black with grime.

Oh-good-god!

“L-Lucien?” she called out tentatively over the enormous lump in her throat.