Boy Rayne’s taste was still in hermouth, the thick, surprisingly sweet warmth sliding down her throat as she stared wide-eyed at Master Lucien. Boy Rayne had slipped from her grasp, dived to the floor, and had fled… again.

She had no time to feel disappointed at his continued fear of her. Master Lucien rolled over, his legs entangling within the satin sheets as he tried to leave the bed. He fell to the floor with a grunt.

Rayne watched, her mouth gaping, as he gripped a chest of drawers near the round bed and hauled himself up, a confused scowl firmly planted on his beautiful face.

Getting his feet beneath him, he rose like a lurid, sinful god. Temptation incarnate. Completely naked. His hair was a tangled mess over his face, multifaceted gold cascading over lean rippling muscles, the contrast beguiling. His chest heaved with every breath as he clumsily reached for a black bottle. Using a rough hand to push back his hair, he tipped his head back, wrapped his lush lips around the opening to the bottle, and began gulping deeply.

Rayne nibbled her lower lip, wondering what was in that ominous looking, black bottle. It had a grinning skull with cross bones emblazoned on it.

Master gave a little choked cough and grimaced, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. Licking his lips, he turned his head and pinned her in place with the weight of his ice-blue stare.

He looked different. His eyes had a slightly reddish tinge surrounding the pale-pale blue, and he wavered a bit on his feet.

“Fuck,” he hissed looking back into the other room before frowning back at her.

He looked down at his glistening cock, still wet from her saliva and some of Boy Rayne’s cum.

His lips parted, eyes widening as he swiped at the pale pink fluid with one finger. He stared at it confused.

Rayne felt her face heat. What if Master Lucien did not want her to pleasure others. But she was a slave—an un-owned one. She had no collar of ownership.

“Master,” she whispered, longing filling her. If only he would accept her as his personal slave. She wanted to belong to him ever since he’d awakened her with a kiss on Arboria.

He was still rubbing Boy Rayne’s cum between his fingers looking confused. Did he not know what it was?

He looked at her, his brows pinched over his nose just before his mouth and jaw popped open with a gasp.

Rayne gave a little yip of surprise when he practically flew across the wide round bed to grip her arms tight. He hauled her up against him with one arm as he swiped at the corner of her mouth with the fingers of his other hand. Apparently, she had a droplet of semen there too.

“What were you doing? Did you get sick, baby? Did... did Boy do something to you?” His eyes darkened momentarily and his lips pulled into a hardened line.

Rayne bit her lower lip. “Sir, no, sir. I…”

When she didn’t say anything else, his scowl intensified. “You what?”

She felt her cheeks burn. “I just wanted to please you, Master and Boy.” His face became blank, though his eyes, the color of a winter storm, bore into hers. Rayne took a deep breath. “He was tasting me…” Master Lucien flinched. A ghost of emotion flickered in those mesmerizing eyes. But what? Pain? Arousal? Anger?

“Go on,” he said, tone devoid of any feeling, as if he’d closed himself off.

Why?

“He… I think he liked how I tasted, and then he tasted you—“

Rayne’s heart slammed into her throat. Master Lucien’s face filled with rage. So much rage.

She curled into a ball, whimpering, when he let her go, fully expecting him to beat her into a bloody pulp.

She wasn’t sure what she’d done wrong, but she would learn her lesson and never do it again.

A loud crash in the next room followed by a feral snarl had her snapping her head up again.

Oh-no. Master was going to punish Boy Rayne.

The Merulian had put its mouth on his cock. Lucien stormed into the living room, tossing aside a table and lamp before leaping over the rounded seating area.

So great was his rage, the thought that he’d been touched while unconscious by some-thing with a cock blinding him.

How many times... how many fucking times had he awakened to find his swollen shaft being devoured by Malvano or one of his disgusting friends, hands and feet tied. They’d taunt him, pump his cock before shoving their fingers up his ass and force him to…

He was almost upon the battle pet, hands itching to wrap around its slender throat, when a flash of silken black knocked him to the ground.

Electric blue eyes registered before Lucien landed a punch to Devon’s face. His fury ratcheted higher.

Devon did not remain docile this time, and answered Lucien’s right hook with one of his own.

Luke felt the inside of his cheek split. He gripped his twin’s throat, needing to throttle him as the metallic taste of blood filled his mouth. Devon broke Lucien’s hold with his forearm, just before slamming his forehead into Lucien’s nose.

Stars burst before his eyes as he heard the bone crunch and heat bathe his mouth and throat.

Reeling from pain, he opened his mouth and sank his fangs into Devon’s meaty forearm.

His brother howled, giving Luke intense satisfaction. Short-lived satisfaction, however, because he began to gag on the bitter taste of Devon’s demon blood.

A swift knee to his balls had Lucien rolling over in agony, finally releasing Devon.

Damn. When had the stupid fuck learned to fight dirty?

“What the fuck is wrong with you?” his brother panted.

Lucien could only moan, curling into a tight ball waiting for the excruciating pain to subside. He was sure his balls were lodged up somewhere in his throat.

Someone was sobbing and clutching at him, covering his face with tears and kisses.

“Master,” Rayne wailed. “Oh, my poor beautiful Master.”

She was yanked away.

“Don’t touch that sorry piece of shit,” Devon snarled.

Lucien began to pant and looked to the side. The sight of Devon with his arms wrapped around his girl had him seeing red.

Fuck—my girl? He closed his eyes. He’d been hit in the head and his jewels had been kneed into his gut. He was temporarily insane. Yeah. That was it. Had to be.

He looked at Devon again, noting that one eye was swollen, the corner of his lip busted open, and a chunk of meat almost ripped off his forearm.

Lucien grinned up at him from the floor, almost laughed at the sight of the damage he’d done to that pretty face, but then sobered.

Boy.

Oh-god, Boy.

He’d wanted to hurt him. He’d really lost his mind. Not Boy’s fault. The memories. Those horrid memories Lucien tried to keep locked in the darkest recesses of his mind. All those inner demons had sprung loose, blinded him, made him see black, made him crave to kill.

Lucien grimaced as he rolled over onto hands and knees, his gaze searching for the battle pet. He stopped cold when the sight of the open doorway to his quarters arrested his attention.

With a pained whimper, he closed his eyes, letting his power out.

Devon was trying to soothe Rayne’s hysterical crying, but Lucien blocked them out of his thoughts.

Cold metal and humming wires filled with scorching power lashed through him. His power continued to flow out searching. There were many scents and tastes, male, female. Lucien fought the urge to throw up with every feel of male essence he had to traverse in order to find…

“Boy,” he whispered when he finally tasted the slightly salty-sweet flavor of the battle pet’s spirit.

Terror sent a spike of adrenaline through him, making Lucien’s back arch as he gasped, pressing his bloodied face into the white carpet surrounding his seating area. The terror wasn’t Lucien’s. It belonged to the battle pet.

Terror, heartbreak. Heartbreak?

Boy Rayne raced down flights of stairs, sometimes tripping, falling. Pain shot up Lucien’s legs, radiating from his knees as he felt everything Boy Rayne felt.

More than anything, he wanted to teleport to him and… what? What would he do? What could he do?

He’d terrified the poor battle pet enough. Appearing before him might do more damage than good.

He saw Boy slam against the door in the stairwell and burst down the corridor leading to the envirolevel. The end of the corridor was blocked by a trio of reapers. They’d been laughing and talking amongst themselves until Boy skittered around the bend and slid to a stop before them.

Boy curled his hands into claws, taking a deep breath and letting out a feral roar that would put Seth’s to shame. Spit dripped from his bared fangs as his chest rumbled in a continuous savage growl.

Lucien gasped at the fierce fury mingled with abject fear coiling through Boy Rayne. He would kill. Yes. He would attempt to kill the reapers blocking his path…and they knew it too.

Fierce and beautiful as he was, the battle pet was no match for a death angel, much less three.

Silver eyes went black in a blink as three pairs of jet-black wings began to spread behind the reapers backs.

Lucien did not think of the consequences when he teleported right over the reapers, taking them by surprise when his body dropped on them from above.

The envirolevel doors slid open as Boy Rayne scampered over them and disappeared through the foliage.

Blades pierced Lucien, three, sinking deep into his body before Devon ripped him from the midst of the enraged death angels.

Lucien’s blood gushed, covering the gleaming black floor in a river of crimson.

“No,” Devon roared, gathering him in a crushing embrace.

Lucien wanted to resist his brother, but shock rushed through him, the edges of his vision turning white. The pain. God-the pain, it was as though the fires of Hell consumed his flesh. He tried to gasp for breath and couldn’t., tried to exhale and blood gurgled in his throat instead.

The realization struck along with an irresistible urge to laugh hysterically. He was going to die. No one recovered after being run through by a death angel’s sword.

Well, fucking hallelujah to that.

Devon continued to howl in misery even as Lucien grinned and tried to focus on the bewildered faces of the three reapers.

“He surprised us,” one of them argued.

“We didn’t mean to kill him, honest,” another said, worry in his tone.

Summoning the last vestiges of his strength, he raised both fists…and saluted the reapers with double fuck-you fingers.

Now if only he could knee Devon in the nuts, he’d breathe his last with a gleeful laugh.

Unfortunately, he hadn’t any more strength. The awesome salute to the reapers dropped as he felt his eyes roll back in his skull. Even his head became too heavy to hold up. Lucien sagged in Devon’s arms willing to embrace the increasing darkness.

All reality was fading, a peaceful fog of numbness permeating his very essence.

Yes— he sighed in ecstasy.

This isn’t over yet, Luke. I’m never letting you go. Not again— Devon growled in his mind.

Heat engulfed him, anchoring him in his body. Not letting go. Another body pressed against his from behind.

The thought of the demons having found him again flitted through his mind, filling him with terror, but the scent of ocean storms and angels assured him his brother still held on tight.

I’ve got you, little one— Devon whispered.

The sound of a heart beat in his ears. Heat, almost burning him, suffused him. Darkness was banished by Devon’s glowing eyes.

Lucien blinked as his brother’s face came into focus, but then his vision swam when his head was jerked back courtesy of a fist holding his hair. He opened his mouth to protest but fire poured down his throat.

Lucien jerked. The black spots dancing before his eyes began to dissipate and he found himself staring into Remi’s dragon-green eyes.

What the fuck?

Panic had him flailing, managing to actually backhand Remien Fyre and whack Devon in his nose with his forehead.

Scrambling away, he slammed into one of the curved walls in the corridor. Desperately, wide-eyed and panting now, he grappled behind himself before realizing he could no longer summon Lucifer’s sword, so he fisted his hands instead, ready to tear apart whoever approached.

How the hell had they brought him back from the brink of death?

“Why the fuck were you kissing me?” Lucien spat at Remi.

Remi flashed his fangs with a snarl. “As if, jackass.”

“Luke, we were only trying to help you,” Devon said.

A river of dark, almost black blood flowed down Devon’s lips and chin. Good. His twin had a broken nose.

“They ran me through with their swords. How the hell am I still alive?” he asked next.

The last time he’d been resurrected from death after being run through by Seth’s divine sword, he’d awakened to find himself pinned face-down beneath a four-hundred pound, eight-foot, green demon, his poor ass cleaved in two by the grunting creature.

Lucien began to hyperventilate, blinking rapidly, almost expecting everything around him to burst into flame and everyone morph into laughing demons welcoming him back to Hell. They had a sick sense of humor like that.

Devon shook his head, eyes widening when he saw what Lucien was thinking. “No. I’ve forbidden the reapers to use their divine swords in Alpha 7. You’re fine now, Luke.”

“Why the hell did the dark prince attack us?” one of the reapers demanded. Their swords were still unsheathed but lowered.

Devon’s subsequent snarl had Lucien startling.

“Don’t ever call him that again,” he said in a savagely inhuman voice. His eyes were blazing, face covered with black veins as his fangs elongated through equally jet-black lips.

Fuck. The son-of-a-bitch had finally lost it…just like that.

The sight of Angel teleporting in front of him had Lucien taking a step back. The tiny blonde female wrapped her arms round him, her body pressing against Devon as she tipped her head back.

“My love,” she whispered, her hand cupping his jaw.

Devon’s demonic eyes looked down at her, and the change was instantaneous. He blinked and became human again, the fire in his eyes all but disappearing.

Lucien’s jaw dropped. His twin brother was definitely riding the edge of insanity…and his mate held the switch.

Interesting.

Lucien realized Zak, Seth, Rowie, Anniel, and Ashriel had also appeared in the corridor. Ashriel’s eyes were mere slits, moving from Lucien to Devon, his entire seven-foot bulk coiled tight, ready to spill blood.

Anniel gripped his arm, giving him a quelling look.

Ashriel only growled, his blazing silver eyes returning to regard him and his brother with suspicion.

Lucien scowled. He didn’t have time for this. Turning on his heel, he sprinted into the envirolevel. The rays of the setting sun blinded him, but it didn’t matter. He could still feel Boy Rayne.

The beautiful man had wanted to kill him and the pretty girl. What had she done to him?

Boy Rayne ran until he was waist-deep in the lake. Water sprayed all around and then he dove beneath the cool water. Using his new hands and feet, he swam, going farther and farther into the bejeweled depths of the lake. To his surprise, he discovered an underwater garden. Plants of every color and shape danced and waved lazily within the turquoise realm. It was all so pretty. Too bad it did nothing to assuage the horrible pain lancing his two hearts.

Boy stopped swimming and let himself sink to the bottom. The second his knees settled on the glittering pale pink sand, he let out a sob. It startled him, that not only could he breathe beneath water, but that he was crying. He hadn’t cried since he’d been smaller.

He settled down within the softly waving fronds of bright green, blue, purple and fuchsia, laying his cheek over his folded arms.

Why had Master Lucien wanted to kill him? Was it because of the girl?

He frowned and turned over, staring at his now deflated cock. Had she broken it? Why had he spewed that thick pink fluid? What was it? He had felt pleasure, like he’d never felt before—so intense. His entire body had seized, his balls had tightened and he’d felt like he was about to die as his cock spewed copious amounts of fluid that seemed to come from the very depths of his entire being.

The whole time, she’d swallowed around his cock, swallowing him hungrily until his eyes had crossed, unable to breathe because… Because Master Lucien had his mouth filled with his hot wet tongue.

Boy shuddered and watched warily as his cock began to fill and rise again.

Okay. So at least it wasn’t broken, though, why that comforted him he wasn’t sure. The girl. She’d tasted so good. And Master Lucien…

Boy stuck his newly grown index finger into his mouth, closing his eyes, reliving the moment he’d pressed his tongue against the thick shaft of flesh. He never realized human flesh could taste so… He had no words to describe the incredible flavor. His nipples had begun to tingle and his feminine opening ache as he took a second lick of Master’s cock, but then his tongue had tangled with the girl’s and his own cock had jerked hard. He’d wanted to snarl at her, flex his muscles to show her…what? What had he wanted to show her?

Why had he acted so strangely? Boy Rayne felt so confused.

Master Devon had teleported Rayne into the children’s playroom, shouting at Alluna to watch her.

Master Zak had zapped out of the playroom in a flash of golden fire, leaving the children and Alluna gaping.

Rayne just stood there, still sniffling, the sight of her bloodied Master Lucien still fresh in her mind. Both men had unleashed brute violence against each other. Why?

Alluna rushed over to her and hugged her tight. “What happened? Why are you crying?”

Rayne wiped at the corners of her eyes as Alluna leaned back to look into her face with concern.

“Master Devon and Master Lucien were fighting,” Rayne answered in a low voice so the children wouldn’t hear.

Jazriel, Devon and Angel’s toddler ambled away from a little black-winged baby pumping her legs excitedly on a blanket. The baby girl rolled over and regarded Rayne with wide silver-grey eyes from beneath a mop of chocolate brown curls.

Alluna turned away from Rayne and tried to get the babies to resume playing, but all eyes were on Rayne. Two identical boys with blood-red tresses sniffed at her, their obsidian eyes blinking rapidly—Remi and Rowie’s twins.

Jazriel continued his approach, electric-blue eyes glowing as his platinum curls bounced around his shoulders.

Alluna managed to convince her daughters to amble away toward a pool filled with multicolored orbs.

Rayne watched, feeling mesmerized as the inhumanly beautiful child, named Jazriel, came closer. He seemed to float, extending his hand out to her. He was going to touch her, reaching for her face.

Alluna startled Rayne when she suddenly grabbed baby Jazriel.

“No-no, sweetie. Remember what momma and dada said about doing that.”

Jazriel pouted and gripped his pudgy hands together. He sent Rayne one last longing stare before going back to the cocoa-skinned baby flapping her fluffy wings. She let out a squeal of pure delight when he finally settled beside her.

“You two go on and play too,” Alluna said a bit nervously, trying to shoo away the little red-haired boys.

One of them bared little fangs at Rayne.

“Ky,” Alluna gasped in outrage.

His identical twin brother frowned and smacked the back of his brother’s head.

“Kaden,” Alluna scolded before admonishing both of them.

Ky surreptitiously rubbed the back of his head, big black eyes full of tears as he stared at his brother with a quivering lip. Kaden’s scowl faded as he looked at his pouting twin. Both boys grabbed each other in a heartfelt hug.

Alluna stopped talking, seemingly captivated by the love the babies showed one another.

Both boys released each other at the same moment and turned to run into the pool of glowing multicolored balls along with the three little golden-haired triplets. Squeals and laughter ensued.

Alluna huffed a sigh of relief. “I hope no one else has babies for a while. These are a handful as it is.”

Rayne blinked and looked at the babies playing and laughing.

“Are you okay?”

Alluna’s question startled her. She dropped the hands she’d been smoothing over her flat belly unconsciously. Alluna looked at her questioningly. “Has Lucien…” she licked her lips, her caramel skin taking on a pinkish hue. “Has he bedded you?”

Rayne looked down, blinking rapidly. “He—“ Images of Lucien pinning her with his body, his fingers shoved deep inside her. “I don’t…I’m not certain.”

Alluna looked confused. “Did he...” The girl’s face flushed deeper. “Did he put his man-part inside you?”

Rayne chewed the inside of her cheek and then shook her head. “No.”

Alluna blinked her big golden eyes. “Oh.”

Rayne looked back at the babies. Jazriel seemed to be the oldest. At least he was the tallest, followed by the red-haired twins, and then the golden-haired triplets. The little winged baby was the youngest, but grew in leaps and bounds every day. At the moment, Rayne observed how she was struggling to sit up. Jazriel helped her and she grinned wobbling a bit before toppling over with enormous surprised silver eyes. The baby pounded her fists on the red blanket, showing displeasure instead of crying.

The little one had her mother, Anniel’s coloring, but was clearly a reaper like her father, Ashriel.

Rayne placed her hands over her belly. She’d seen how the father’s of these children interacted with them, saw the way they kissed and looked upon the mothers with something akin to adoration.

Jazriel was like an angel, the twins were little dragon shifters as were the three baby girls Zak and Alluna had spawned.

“If I were to conceive from Master Lucien, what manner of child would I give birth to?”

When Alluna failed to answer, Rayne gave her a questioning look. The girl had gone pale, her slim hand at her throat.

“You want him to get you pregnant?”

Rayne couldn’t help but pout. She wanted more than that. She wanted Master Lucien to claim her…want her. If she became pregnant, bore him children, he might.

“Yes,” Rayne sighed full of longing.

Alluna gulped. “Well…have you told him that?”

Rayne’s hopes diminished a bit. “Should I? Wouldn’t it be better to surprise him?”

One of Alluna’s dark brows rose. “Oh, I’m sure he’ll be plenty surprised. But you should ask him first.”

“Did you ask your Master?”

Alluna opened her mouth and looked away blinking. She frowned and began to nibble a nail on her index finger. “Uh, actually I don’t think I ever did. It just kind of happened.”

Rayne grinned. “Then, there you go. I’ll just let it happen.”

Alluna put her dainty fingers over her lips to hide a smile. “You need him to put his man-part inside you for that.”

Rayne frowned. No one had ever explained to her exactly which of her holes would produce the much desired miracle. And then she gasped, remembering how she’d swallowed Boy Rayne’s cum. What if she became pregnant by him?

He was sweet and very beautiful too, but she was more attracted to Master Lucien. Besides, Boy Rayne was terrified of her. She thought she’d managed to break through his terror, but he’d bolted from the bed seconds after unloading in her mouth.

“Are you okay?” Alluna asked touching her arm.

“I… I swallowed Boy Rayne’s cum.”

Alluna’s eyes widened. “So the battle pet is male?” She snorted with a frown. “I just lost my bet with Master Zak.”

“What?” Rayne asked in confusion.

Alluna shook her head. “Never mind that. Did you just say you swallowed his…” Alluna looked behind them and drew Rayne farther away from the babies. “Did you say you swallowed?”

Rayne nodded and replied, also whispering “His cum. It was pink and tasted sweet.”

Alluna’s jaw dropped. “Dragon cum is sweet too. Did his man-part get even bigger and, and pointy?”

Rayne frowned in confusion and was about to say no, but Master Zak’s sudden appearance behind Alluna made both women jump. He wrapped his arms around his female and growled in her ear. “Man-part? Really, Alluna? I’m disappointed baby.”

Alluna bit her lower lip, staring at Rayne wide-eyed.

“What is it called, baby?” Zak whispered huskily in her ear.

Alluna gulped, her face going scarlet, “B-but the children M—“

“Are not paying attention.” He seemed to roll his hips against Alluna’s ass. The girl let out a breathy moan. “What is it called?” he asked again.

Alluna sighed once more, “My big molecular vaporizing canon.”

Zak began to chuckle, shoulders shaking with mirth. “You’re such a dirty, naughty-naughty girl,” he growled, wrapping an enormous arm around Alluna’s waist. “As soon as the babies go to sleep you’re getting a paddling on that gorgeous, round ass of yours for teasing me knowing I’d have to wait to take you.”

Alluna’s eyes widened and she cleared her throat before saying sheepishly, “But, Master, it’s our turn to mind the babies while the other couples have some us-time.”

For a moment, Zak frowned. “Remi won’t be able to have us-time with Rowie tonight. They can babysit.”

“What’s wrong with Remi?” Alluna asked turning in his arms with a worried frown.

Zak grinned and began cracking his knuckles. “Nothing. Yet.” He grinned evilly.

Rayne felt perplexed with the whole conversation, especially when Alluna gasped and with a little stamp of her foot demanded, “Don’t you dare. Zak. Don’t hurt Remi. His mate will be furious with you and turn your entire wardrobe hot-pink again.”

Her outburst shocked Rayne, and she cringed inwardly as her gaze swung to the giant golden weredragon.

Instead of unleashing his wrath upon his demanding sub, Zak blushed deeply and rubbed the back of his neck. “Maybe I can ask Seth.”

“Not if you want me to castrate you, Goliath.”

Rayne turned to see the silver-haired weretigri walk into the playroom.

“We need to talk,” he said to Zak. “Alone.”

Two days. Two days had gone by and Boy Rayne avoided him like the plague.

Lucien let out a frustrated breath. He needed to leave already. Devon and Seth kept calling him to their strategy meetings. They needed to get the plan to sneak him to Earth ironed out. If only Lucien didn’t feel this overwhelming sense of…guilt.

And Rayne. He’d almost passed out when Zak announced that she wanted Lucien to impregnate her.

He raked both hands through his hair, inadvertently pulling at it because he hadn’t used his hygiene unit or bathed in the two days he’d been waiting for Boy to come out of the water.

He sniffed his underarms and grimaced. Human sweat. Years of using a hygiene unit were beginning to fade making him smell like a real man again.

“Hey, sexy.”

He turned with a frown, not liking how Amadashiel had the uncanny ability to sneak up on him repeatedly.

He narrowed his eyes as she sauntered over to him.

Most times he just teleported away. He knew she wanted him, could smell her aroused scent no matter where he vanished to. She certainly was persistent, he’d give her that, but Rayne’s decision that he be the father of her future babies had weirded him out. Big time.

“Ooh, so serious,” Amadashiel purred, settling her gloriously nude body next to him. She made sure to position her legs so that her plump, pink pussy was on display. She was wet and swollen for him. “You’re so fucking hot, Luke, but then I’m sure you’ve heard that a million times, right?”

Lucien tore his eyes from the enticing sight of her cunt to look at her silver-grey eyes. Dark blond hair lifted with the breeze as she licked her lips, her eyes focused on his half-erect cock.

What the hell. He was a man after all, but even though his unruly dick had a mind of its own, it didn’t dictate his life.

She grinned even though he kept his expression stony. Reaching up, she tucked one side of her hair behind her ear, retrieving a slender red object she had perched there.

Lucien tried to remain expressionless until with a flick of her finger she lit the cigarette and took a long drag.

Her eyes rolled back and she held her breath before letting it out in a rapturous sigh. “Damn, that’s good shit,” she whispered.

Lucien gaped. “Is that dragon weed?”

She smirked, her eyes already glassy, “Wanna hit, pretty-boy?”

Lucien blinked. It had been forever. “Fuck-yeah.”

She put the glowing red dragon weed stick between her lips and pulled another long drag. This time, Lucien watched as she almost consumed half the stick.

He was about to protest her not leaving him barely anything when she sprang forward and sealed her mouth over his. Her breath shot into him and Lucien inhaled deeply, closing his eyes.

The fiery smoke lit him up from the inside. A wave of pleasure hit him hard, making him instantly erect. He inhaled deeper, harder and it hit his brain, lit his eyes, opened his senses.

Singing. He heard singing and opened his eyes to behold thousands of Dominatio flying, playing along the grass, swooping into the water. They seemed not to notice him or Amadashiel sitting there…well except three of them. Lucien immediately recognized the two cherubs that constantly harassed him about accepting a divine sword. They stared at him, looking sad. The one hovering near Amadashiel looked angry.

Lucien grinned at his two. “Why the fuck do you look so sad?” he laughed. “Does it bother you to see me happy?”

He tried to swat them away as though they were annoying flies, but Amadashiel caught his flailing fists.

“Hey,” she laughed.

Lucien laughed too, his eyes going over her again. “Hey,” he growled with a smile he hoped looked as perverted as he tried to sound. He licked his lips and lay back invitingly, spreading his thighs for her.

She dove for his dick in the blink of an eye. Lucien hissed a deep breath before snatching the dragon weed stick she’d dropped.

The girl reaper rubbed her face all over his cock, breathing him in deep. “Oh-god—you smell so fucking good,” she exclaimed with a moan of delight.

Should he tell her he hadn’t seen to his personal hygiene in the last two days?

Amadashiel groaned and sniffed his balls before licking them reverently.

Nah —he thought taking another drag from the dragon stick.

The sun turned liquid, showering everything around them in golden molten light. Lucien laughed and stuck his tongue out to taste it. Light filled him making him gasp. Light. It poured from his eyes and pores. Lucien groaned when Amadashiel took him to the root. He was glowing, splendorous light radiating from his body. Looking down at the girl reaper, he could see his cock in her throat. It was glowing too, but she, the corona of fire around her was splotchy with dark shadows. He narrowed his eyes and looked at the shadows closer.

Horror gripped him, making him grab her by her hair and jerk her away.

“Ow. What gives?” she said rubbing where he’d pulled her hair. “I know you like it rough, but don’t damage my pretty hair.”

Lucien blinked. Had he actually seen—

He blinked repeatedly as she reached over and took the dragon weed stick from him.

Lucien— Seth snapped in his head.

"Gotta go, baby,” he said standing slowly. The dark shadows buzzed around her like flies. One landed on her lip and she licked it into her mouth. “But I didn’t finish my treat,” she pouted.

The shadow buzzed out of her nose again making his stomach churn with nausea. Some of the flies were settling on her cunt that no longer looked pink, but grayish green and rotted.

Lucien stumbled back with a frown. That’s when he noticed Boy Rayne standing at the bank of the lake. Golden fire glowed around him too, but behind his back, to Lucien astonishment, were wings of fire. Some of the cherubs were gathering round him, smiling gently down upon him. One of them reached out to touch him, making Lucien take a step closer.

Boy Rayne turned away and dove back into the water.

He still looked angry and hurt.

“I’m so sorry, baby,” Lucien whispered.

“No problem, sexy. We can fuck later,” Amadashiel said blowing out a plume of smoke.

He hadn’t noticed before, but the smoke smelled like…cinnamon and fire.

Luke— Seth shouted into his mind.

Lucien teleported into the one-hundred-eleventh floor conference room. It was their favorite place to convene.

Everyone stared at him wide-eyed.

Ashriel snarled, banging a meaty fist against the matte black table. “Is it not enough I must endure your hedonistic tendencies in the envirolevel, must I also have to witness your depravity during our forced meetings.

Lucien had no fucking idea what he was talking about, but was too busy staring at the amazing display of bright white fire glowing all around the enormous reaper.

“Wow,” was all he could say stupidly.

Yeah. He should look away now, but it was hard. The fire was mesmerizing, and this time there were no dark shadows buzzing around.

Pretty.

Ashriel almost made it across the table before Devon stopped him.

Oh. Look. His brother was glowing even brighter than Ashriel. Just like Boy Rayne, he had wings of fire. Only Devon’s took up almost all of the space in the room.

“Damn,” Lucien huffed looking at the immense wings fanning behind his twin.

He strode up confidently to Devon until his face was mere inches away from his.

“You know…me and you look nothing alike. I’m blond,” He plucked a ribbon of satiny hair from his brother’s shoulder. “You’re hair is blacker than Lucifer’s asshole.” He chuckled at his own joke. “Are you sure we’re twins?”

Devon just stared at him, pole axed.

After a heavy pause, Ashriel muttered, “He’s lost his ever-loving mind.”

Remi leaned in close, staring into Lucien’s eyes.

The bright fire surrounding Remi fascinated Lucien too.

The red weredragon snorted, obviously fighting not to grin. “Did you smoke dragon weed?”

Lucien laughed, taking a step back. “Whoa.”

Devon gripped Remi’s upper arm, swinging him around to face him. “Damn-it, Rem. I told you not to do it.”

Remi raised his hands and laughed. “They were harassing me. I had to do something to get them off my ass.”

Behind them all, Zak began to guffaw.

Lucien, feeling better than he ever had, threw his arm around Remi’s shoulders. The red weredragon stiffened and stared at him wide-eyed. “Leave him be, Dev. The man scored some really good shit. You should try it.”

Devon looked horrified, maybe even a little disgusted. Meanwhile, Zak’s howls of laughter reverberated throughout the room. Even Remi had doubled over, laughter overtaking him.

Lucien wasn’t sure what was so funny, but the laughter was infectious. Soon tears were tracking down Lucien’s face from how hard he laughed. It was only when Remi smacked Luke’s ass did he realize he’d forgotten to put on clothes.

Well, damn. That made him laugh harder. He fell to his knees, bring Remi down with him. The asshole thumped his head on the floor and rolled around. Lucien had to look away or split his ribs wide open from laughter. Through the tears that leaked from his eyes, he noted the girls looking at him with worried frowns—Angel, Anniel and Rowie. Seth. Well, when did Seth ever not frown.

Okay— he thought to himself—time to get serious here, Lukey-boy.

Even Remi was beginning to catch his breath and pull himself up from the floor.

Wiping his eyes, Lucien straightened and tried to get himself under control. He concentrated on his wardrobe and teleported one of his uniforms on. Shaking back his loose hair, he spun one of the chairs around and straddled it.

He took deep breaths with his eyes closed until the overwhelming urge to burst into giddy laughter subsided. He was lord and master of his body and emotions. He could do this.

Finally, he opened his eyes and looked around the table. “Okay. I’m here. Fill me in on what’s going down.”

The weredragons sat down, still chuckling. Ashriel stalked back to his seat next to Anniel and crossed his bulging arms over his chest with a glower. Anniel rubbed his thick biceps trying to soothe him.

Lucien’s gaze locked on her hand and suddenly wished he had…Rayne? Yeah. Rayne. Rayne stroking her little hands over him. She was so damn sweet.

“Luke.” It was Devon that snapped at him this time.

“He’s so fucking high, his head isn’t going to be in this,” Seth snarled in disgust.

Lucien scowled at him. “I’m fine. I only had three pulls. Where’s my girl?”

Zak coughed. “Excuse me?”

Remi jumped out of his seat as if he had a spring under his ass “I’ll go get her,” he blurted grinning in ecstatic delight.

Devon started to protest, but Remi had already zapped away is a spurt of red-gold fire.

Devon slammed his fist against the table hissing an expletive before sliding down in his seat, frowning darkly at Lucien.

“She not a fucking toy, Luke,” Zak was growling even as Rowie was gripping Lucien’s arm from across the table.

“Think about what you’re doing…” she implored.

Seth was also talking, almost shouting, “You’re in no condition…”

Angel’s shout of anger overlapped Seth’s outburst. “Why must you always use women. Do you even feel anything for…”

“Honey, please…” This from Anniel, with Ashriel snarling next to her, obviously ticked off because she’d called him honey.

Only Devon remained silent, his eyes slightly narrowed as he regarded Lucien.

The voices clanged loudly in Lucien’s head until he wanted to scream at them all to shut up.

Remi appeared holding Rayne by one arm.

Lucien sat straighter in his chair. The girl looked so lost and miserable until she saw him. Her eyes lit up and a sob escaped her lips as she ran and wedged herself between the back of the chair and Lucien’s chest. Her tiny fists clutched his black shirt as she buried her face against his chest.

“Master.”

Her voice. It washed over him, drowning out the noise of the others. Her scent invaded his nose inviting him to bury his face against her neck, nuzzle aside the curtain of ebony hair to reach the sweet source.

“Master, I missed you. I felt so lonely, Master,” she told him with that gut-wrenching little girl’s voice that sliced at his heart like razor blades. She left him open and bleeding.

He cupped her face, that adorable innocent doll-like face, and brushed the two tears that rolled down pink cheeks. Her lip quivered, devastating him anew.

“I know, sweetness. I was looking for our Boy.”

“I’m sorry I made you angry, Master. Please punish me, not Boy Rayne, Master”

“No, baby. I wasn’t angry at you…or Boy.” Guilt over his horrible reaction to their sensual exploring haunted him. In his mind’s eye, he still saw Boy’s terrified and heartbroken expression, slicing open another wound in his heart.

Seeking surcease from the pain, he took her mouth, drank from her, filled, and gorged himself on her intoxicating flavor.

The silence around him was sublime, the feel of her in his arms like truly coming home. Until he closed his eyes and once again saw Boy Rayne’s pleasure flushed face inches from his own.

No. Not right.

He raised his head to frown down at her. Her lips were wet and swollen from his rough kiss, her eyes closed. Twin fans of the blackest, thickest lashes rested against very flushed cheeks. The thin white dress she wore failed to hide the stiff peaks of her nipples pushing against the delicate material. He remembered how tiny they were, how pink and cute. His mouth watered, but he pressed her face against his chest and cradled her in his arms, kissing the top of her head reverently.

After filling his nose once more with the scent of her, he looked up and froze.

Everyone stared at him now, silent. Remi was grinning like a maniac, Devon had a slight smile playing about his lips, and Anniel was dabbing a tear from the corner of her eye. The rest just gawked.

Lucien cleared his throat, his fingers stroking slow circles on Rayne’s back. “Right. So where did we leave off on the plan to infiltrate Earth?”

Seth was the first one to clear his throat. “Devon and I decided that we all need to get down there. You need backup as well as protection.”

Lucien frowned and looked at his brother.

A pair of twins couldn’t be any more dissimilar than Devon and he. Where Lucien was blond, Devon’s hair was blacker than pitch. Devon was white as snow and Lucien sun-bronzed. Devon looked like Davariel and Lucien. Lucien was the male version of his mother, down to the almond-shaped ice blue eyes.

Lucien stared at his brother’s eyes, eyes that glowed unnaturally, byproduct of the demon toxins coursing in his blood.

“We’re all going down?” Lucien kept hold of Rayne with one arm while he rested the other across the back of the chair and looked at Seth, who obviously had clearly lost his mind. “We as in who exactly?”

“All of us,” Rowie said drawing his gaze.

Lucien grinned at her. “What about the babies?” He looked around the table now, at Zak, Ashriel, Anniel, Devon, and Angel. “You hauling the kiddies along on this mission too?” If they said yes, he was going to bed to sleep off the effects of the dragon weed. It was making him hallucinate. He sure as hell knew they wouldn’t be crazy enough to bring the babies into this.

“Alluna and Rayne are staying behind with the babies,” Zak answered.

Lucien sighed in relief.

“We discarded the concert idea,” Seth added. “Drako informed us that the Edenian government flat out refused to allow the show within the solar system.”

“Okay? So what’s the plan now?” Lucien prompted.

Devon brought up a holographic recreation of Earth over the table.

Lucien watched as his brother manipulated the image to zoom in on a city in the upper northeast hemisphere of what was once the United States.

“New York is still considered the melting pot. Only now, it’s home to mixed Edenian and off world blood. It was, at one time, the site for government council headquarters.”

“Zion,” Lucien said, remembering the few times he’d gone there before being sent to Alpha 7 for the first time. It was where Samael had ordered him to go to obtain permission to become part of the Edenian Master Guardians.

Zion, the tallest edifice ever built, housed the highest ranking officials in the solar system.

“You mean those sons-of-bitches no longer sit within that massive dildo?” Lucien snorted.

Seth spoke up next. “We found out that during the war they transferred to an undetermined place. Zion is still used to conduct official business, but the ruling party is in a highly classified area unknown to just about everyone.”

“Rumor has it that they’re hiding in plain sight,” Zak interjected. He pointed to his wrist. “They have a mark and they communicate telepathically.

Lucien’s eyes narrowed. “Telepathy? I thought that was taboo on Earth?”

“For regular citizens, yeah,” Devon said, “but not for them.”

“We’re requesting temporary permission to live on Earth,” Seth told Lucien. “We’ll be staying here.” He pointed at the city. “It’s where all newcomers and demon hunters start off.”

Lucien blinked at him. “Demon hunters?”

Devon rested his elbows on the table and leaned forward. “We’ve set up a fake identities for all of us. You’re Luke Blaze, Demon hunter.”

The overwhelming urge of giddy laughter hit him hard; too hard to suppress this time.

Rayne’s sharp claws dug into his ribs as his belly laughs bounced off the walls of the conference room.

He was going to be a demon hunter. That was priceless.

Master was acting strange. After his meeting with the others, he led her into the dining hall and fed her. His eyes were glassy and he chuckled quietly as spooned a warm tasty broth into her mouth. Every time some of the succulent fluid escaped her lips, he’d lean down and lick her mouth from corner to corner.

She ached for him. She’d never been truly penetrated, but her core throbbed, feeling hot, wet, empty. Rayne wanted to feel him filling her.

No matter how longingly she tried to look at him, she could tell his thoughts were far away.

Rayne was feeling too full, but he kept feeding her. He’d given her tasty cubes of varying colors, some sweet, others smooth and tangy. He gave her the broth and bread, sips of a fruity juice and then gooey filled pockets of some flakey pastry.

As he fed her, a tall female reaper entered the dining hall and sat to observe them. The girl’s face was expressionless, but Rayne felt like prey every time those cold grey eyes flicked to her.

A whimper escaped Rayne when Master offered her a tiny round fruit he called grape to her mouth.

He blinked and lowered the grape with a frown, as if suddenly waking up and realizing Rayne’s presence.

His hand slid to her tummy, caressing. “Are you full, baby?”

“Only if it pleases you, Master,” Rayne whispered in utter adoration.

The girl reaper began to laugh. Lucien turned to regard her.

“Trying to get her fat?” She sauntered closer before dropping to her knees in front of Master. Her hands cupped his cock beneath the clingy fabric of his pants. “I’m hungry too, but for this.”

Rayne felt a strange pang well inside her at the sight of the girl feeling the outline of her Master’s erection.

Master covered her hand with his, stilling her caressing. “Not now Amadashiel.”

Amadashiel rose and Rayne suddenly found her nose buried in silky black feathers. The reaper had stepped between her and Master.

The girl whined, “But I’m hungry too.” Her arms went around his neck. “Hungry for the feel of your—“

“You’re not being nice to Rayne,” Master chided, gently moving the girl aside to look at Rayne once again.

It was like seeing the sun come out from behind black storm clouds.

Rayne arched toward him, a flower seeking the warmth that only he could provide.

Amadashiel pouted and looked at her also, but then a wicked gleam made her eyes sparkle.

“You want me to be nice to the little cyborg girl? Is she even programmed with feelings?”

Rayne stilled as the reaper sat on the table next to her. Amadashiel leaned down and tried to kiss Rayne, but she turned her face away. Rayne was not trained to please women. Her sole focus would always be upon a male Dom. She raised her eyes to her Master who watched the reaper with a frown.

“You wanna see a little girl on girl action, Lukey?” the reaper giggled.

Rayne chewed her lower lip as the reaper’s hand smoothed up the inside of Rayne’s thigh. Rayne gasped when the girl’s fingers speared into her. It hurt.

“Stop it,” Master finally snarled pushing Amadashiel’s hand away. “She’s a virgin.”

Amadashiel’s eyes went round and her head snapped to the side to look at Rayne.

Rayne paid her no mind, her eyes solely on her beautiful Master.

“You mean…surely you’re joking,” Amadashiel scoffed. “Surely one of the boys has plundered her already.”

Master’s gaze grew icy as he glared at the girl. “No one has defiled her. She’s too small for any of the males aboard the space station.”

Amadashiel gaped at Master and then began to laugh loudly. “But, Luke, she a whore.”

“Shut up,” he snapped angrily now. “Don’t call her that. No one but me has ever touched her—“

“Delusional prick,” Amadashiel spat back.

Master grew quiet.

Amadashiel laughed again, but this time scornfully. “She was King Dred’s cum dump. He took her holographically until he finally took her for real. She was dead when Cyneolle pulled her rotting corpse from the palace…”

Rayne frowned, thought hard. Images came to her, distant, unfocused. Boy Rayne. They had him in a cage in the king’s dungeon. He was feral, hissing at all who approached. They’d abandoned him there, deeming him too savage to deal with. He’d begun to starve and Rayne visited everyday to throw him food through the bars of the cage. She’d tried to befriend him, but he’d bare his fangs at her whenever she approached.

More images haunted her, of being taken by many different aliens, feeling frightened, and then that last day she was at the palace. Tentacles had slithered all around her, burning her with acidic slime. She couldn’t breathe.

The agony hadn’t lasted long, though. Bright light had engulfed her, giving her peace, but even that faded away. She was somewhere dark, surrounded by water, but was being lifted out, placed in a metal cage.

No. Not a cage.

Rayne began to scream. Scream until her throat felt raw.

They’d put what was left of her inside a metal skeleton.

Master shook her. His eyes were wide.

“Look at me, baby,” he commanded.

She couldn’t stop screaming, the memory of feeling trapped inside that skeleton driving her mad with terror. They grew new organs inside, covered her with new skin.

Rayne shoved Lucien away. He wasn’t her Master. He’d never claimed her. She was alone. No one wanted her anymore. Why should they? She was not human.

“Baby, calm down. It’s alright,” he pleaded.

She was a machine. Her brain trapped within a metal prison. She’d been free in death and they’d brought her back. Trapped her within this lab-grown vessel.

Rayne began to rip at her skin, The pain was horrendous, the sight of the metal beneath soft flesh and muscle nightmarish. Still, she wanted to free herself, needed release from this prison that was not really her body.

Lucien dove upon her, laying her flat on the metal table. Plates, bowls, and utensils flew in every direction. The reaper that had awakened her memories stumbled back, eyes and mouth gaping.

Rayne continue to scream, the sound raw, scraping. Her new vocal cords bled and burned. When Lucien refused to let her go, holding her hands above her head. When he didn’t release her, she began to bang her skull against the unforgiving table, her legs thrashing to either side of his hips.

“Stop it. God-damn-it, stop,” he yelled, “Remi.”

Hands grabbed her head. Looking up, she saw the red-haired weredragon. Behind him, she caught a glimpse of Cyneolle preparing a shot.

“No-no-no,” she tried to say, but her throat was ravaged, her voice all but unrecognizable.

The sharp sting of the shot pierced her neck and the nightmare of her life winked out.

Lucien stared down at his sleeping beauty.

“She hated this thing,” he growled in anger.

Chameleon stood on the other side of the glass stasis unit. “I won’t allow her to awaken inside it, but even if she did, she wouldn’t remember ever having an aversion to it.”

Lucien’s gaze snapped to the flaxen haired reaper. At least it looked like a reaper. Chameleon’s real name used to be Iophiel. That was before he was almost killed when the Edenian’s destroyed Pluto. Cyborg’s had found his damaged ship floating in space and had saved his life. Sort of. The reaper once known as Iophiel was turned into an amorphous mass of liquid metal and nanotechnology. It was a wonder he was able to retain the essence of his life force, but Lucien could see it flaming around him like the corona of a sun.

“Tell me again what you’re doing to her,” Lucien needed to be sure.

Chameleon didn’t even blink. “We’re repairing her memories and feeding her mind with information. She will have understanding of how she functions as well as other knowledge she was deprived of as a sex slave.”

“And that’s going to keep her from hurting herself again?”

“If that’s what she chooses, yes.”

Lucien frowned. “That’s not good enough.”

“She didn’t fully understand what she was. She thought she was less than human rather than just enhanced.”

Lucien looked at Chameleon again. For a moment he thought he’d detected a note of pride in the borg’s voice.

“I want her to have a normal life.”

Chameleon grinned now. “Normal?” he leaned closer. “What is normal, Lucien, descendant of Angelos?”

Lucien winced. Only reapers were called Angelos. Another reminder that he was a wingless Seraph. Not normal at all.

“What about the battle pet hiding in the envirolevel?”

“Leave him alone,” Lucien snapped.

“I was only inquiring,” Chameleon deadpanned. “I assure you that I am not plotting on divesting him of his organs to turn him borg too.”

Lucien narrowed his eyes at the cyborg. That was definitely sarcasm he heard there. Maybe Chameleon was more humanoid than machine.

In the blink of an eye, the reaper turned pure liquid silver, losing all humanity.

Lucien stepped away from the liquid silver shape as it slid over to the computer console and reformed into Chameleon.

The cyborg busied himself at the console, giving Lucien his back.

Lucien looked back down into the glass at Rayne.

He longed to give her one last kiss, but maybe it was better this way. He’d requested all memory of him erased from her mind. He wanted her free of the chains that had been imposed on her since infancy. She was to acknowledge she was part biological and mechanical, but like Chameleon, her birth would be from the moment she opened her eyes again. Her previous life nothing more than a bad dream to be forgotten.

“Just remember what I told you—“

“Yes, Lucien. She’ll be reborn after you leave for your mission with the others.”