Angel of Retribution Ch. 17-Epilogue

She smoothed her hand over his cheek, but he refused to look at her. Unease settled into the pit of her stomach. "What wasn't your fault?"

Remi sulked, muttering something under his breath. Behind them, she heard Devon sigh. "Remi decided to open up a portal into another dimension and Zak fell through."

Rowie gasped. "Remi!"

***

They walked through a dense forest with a plum colored sky overhead. The portal Remi had opened was on the opposite side of the planet where Devon had originally taken them. The sun hadn't risen over the horizon, but, through the trees, Rowie saw an open meadow and the ruins of a castle.

Seth walked to her left and Remi lagged a step behind her. Every once in a while she'd feel his hand caress her buttocks. Devon hadn't been able to locate more clothing for them, so they needed to keep a low profile.

Again, Remi's hand cupped her bare ass. She turned with a smirk. "Would you behave?"

His green eyes were dark and fixed on her rear. He licked his lips before raising his gaze to hers. Remi grinned, making her heart do a somersault.

"Perv," she snickered tossing her curls to look forward again.

She peered over at Seth. He walked with his eyes downcast, head bowed, silent. He looked too sullen and she began to worry about him.

Devon had insisted Seth accompany them. He said he couldn't go along because the Arborian Master Guardians didn't want the inhabitants of the planet catching a view of the more exotic species of aliens. Devon and his stark white skin, glowing blue eyes and jet-black hair might be a bit too intimidating to most humanoids not accustomed to off-worlders.

Seth's hand shooting out to stop her made her flinch. She watched as he sniffed the air around them.

"I think I scent him."

Rowie felt Remi brush past her and grabbed his arm before he went far. He stopped in his tracks but remained looking forward, pulling his arm to free himself.

Rowie frowned. "Remi, where are you going?"

He didn't answer.

Seth snorted. "Typical."

Rowie moved until she stood in front of Remi. She had to put her hands on his chest to keep him from moving forward. Remi stared, unblinking, over her head.

"Baby?"

His breathing was rapid and his blank stare frightened her. Going up on her tiptoes, she tried to bring his head down to her level. It was like trying to get a statue to bend.

"Seth, there's something wrong with him."

"Now you realize that?" came the sarcastic reply.

"Seth, I am not joking," she snapped, feeling her hysteria mount. She slid her fingers to one of his nipple rings and tweaked it. Remi didn't twitch an eyelash. "Baby, please. You're scaring me."

Seth moved in next to her and looked Remi over. He waved a hand in front of Remi's face. "He's been spelled."

"What?"

"He's under some sort of spell. Whatever it is, it's only affecting him." Seth looked around. "Probably got Zak too."

A mage? Rowie knew there were those who used dragons to harness more power. Rowie felt a mixture of fear and rage. "We've got to get him out of here."

Seth turned to look at her. "He might lead us to Zak. Are we just going to abandon Zak?"

Rowie bit her lip as Seth's pale brow arched. He knew very well she could never do that. She just didn't want to risk Remi getting hurt... again. Rowie didn't think she would survive seeing Remi die a third time.

"He'll be okay," Seth assured her. "We'll watch him."

With a reluctant sigh, she stepped away from Remi, but kept her fingers looped through his just in case.

He moved forward again until they were in the meadow. The first rays of the sun began warming their backs, casting a golden glow in the sky. Remi headed straight for a tall tower. Its blackened walls reached toward the sky, only one window in the entire structure at the very top. Weather beaten shutters covered the singular arched window beneath a cone-shaped roof.

Rowie shuddered as her eyes spanned the crumbling castle. A fire had definitely swept through the monstrosity of metal and rock, but something large and heavy had also partaken in the devastation before her.

The flagpoles were bare, but she imagined banners must have waved from each one a long time ago.

Seth's hand whipped out and grabbed a handful of Remi's hair, yanking him back.

Rowie opened her mouth, ready to scold him for his behavior, when she noticed a deep, dark hole before their feet. They'd almost fallen in.

"Zak's scent is down there," Seth said in a flat voice.

Rowie peered into the inky gloom, but couldn't see anything.

"How do we get him out? What if he's hurt?" Devon had warned them not to use their powers on this side of the planet, so close to a village, but she didn't see any other option. They needed to rescue Zak out of the obvious trap.

"I can shift," Seth said. "I'll jump down, get him, and then use my claws to climb back up."

Remi's hands went up to his head. "Why the fuck are you pulling my hair?"

Rowie sucked in a harsh breath just before throwing her arms around Remi's neck. "You're back."

"Back? Back from where?" His arms circled around her as she drank in his warmth.

"Look," Seth whispered.

Rowie released Remi and turned to where Seth pointed. The only window in the tower opened revealing a dark-skinned female. She wore a gold gown and her raven hair spilled down her back. Rowie couldn't see her face, but saw when she placed her hand over her heart, her gaze riveted on something within the tower room.

"Zak," Seth murmured.

Rowie and Remi both gaped at him.

After taking a brief glance left and right, he jumped down into the hole in the ground, making Rowie gasp.

Before she could stop him, Remi jumped in after him. Wondering how deep the hole was, she followed her mate.

He waited for her at the bottom, catching her effortlessly in his outstretched arms.

Remi's mouth covered her in a rough kiss. "When we get back home, I'm paddling your ass," he growled against her lips.

Rowie's eyes widened, and he set her down before she could give him a stinging retort.

***

[Note to readers: This is where The Witch and the Dragon overlaps with this story]

Remi grinned feeling her irritation radiate behind him. He'd wanted to find Zak by himself. He didn't need Seth and Rowie tagging along. Especially Rowie. She needed to be in bed, taking care of his babies. Everyone knew baby dragons became extremely hyperactive when jostled around too much during the two-year pregnancy. By now, he was certain his boys were going to raise Hell when they were born.

The thought made Remi grin even more.

The hole turned out to be a tunnel. Remi led Rowie farther into the darkness, sensing Seth's presence farther ahead.

Seventy paces deeper into the tunnel, they found Seth waiting before an arched doorway. A rusted gate hung on its side, covered with silky cobwebs. Golden light illuminated a small chamber beyond the gate with a spiraling stairway curving up the wall. They ascended the narrow stairs, circling ever higher, until they arrived at a tiny room.

Remi looked around perplexed. They should have been in the uppermost level of the tower, but only a wall greeted them at the top of the narrow stairway. Remi felt a chill breeze waft against him and stepped around Seth. Giving the wall a little push, he discovered a secret entrance into the tower room. The stone wall slid to the side noiselessly, the opening now blocked with thick fabric.

Remi peered around the edge. Zak kneeled in a patch of sunlight, holding a pillow over his loins as a young female circled him. She went down on her knees before Zak and reached out to touch his flesh. Zak gave a little jump and swayed toward her.

Remi smiled. The girl had big, golden brown eyes fringed with silky black lashes. She sighed in wonder, lush, kissable lips parting, as her fingers skimmed over Zak's pectorals. Her breasts were pert and high over a waist as tiny as Rowie's. A ribbon of satiny, jet-black hair curved down her neck, over one breast, to lay pooled in her lap. The sharp contrast in their coloring made them look stunning together, in Remi's opinion. He imagined Zak's boner creating a bump beneath the pillow.

"Is your power running down?" Remi heard her say. "I only have enough power to charge one doll at a time and today I was charging Rayne."

Remi frowned. The girl thought Zak was a bot?

When she scrambled up a rickety wooden staircase, Remi hissed at Zak to draw his attention.

Zak turned, his gaze dreamy, mouth open. Yeah. Zak had a hard-on.

Remi waved his hand at him. "Get over here."

Zak's brows drew together, and his lower lip jutted out in a pout. Remi's eyes widened when he realized Zak looked like he didn't want to leave. Was he insane? The golden could get plenty of pussy whenever he wanted and he usually got loads to satisfy his voracious sexual appetite. This was just one girl; granted, she was a pretty little thing with her chocolate skin and raven hair, but they needed to leave before the villagers caught them harassing what looked to be the town's sacred virgin.

"Zak," Remi snarled between clenched teeth.

Zak turned away from him to look back up where the girl had gone.

Remi slapped his hand over his face.

"What's going on?" Rowie whispered behind him.

"Zak's dick has declared a mutiny. It ain't leaving until it gets a piece of that girl."

"What?" Seth hissed behind him.

"Relax. I got this."

Remi made his way over to Zak on his tiptoes. He gripped Zak's biceps when he reached him and got in his face. "What is wrong with you? Let's get the Hell out of here."

Zak snapped out of his trance. "She's a prisoner of sorts. Let's take her with us."

Remi smiled. Zak was in love. The mighty golden had finally fallen. His grin grew broader as he stared into Zak's pleading blue eyes.

"Are you out of your mind," Seth butted in, making Remi roll his eyes. "Devon will tear us a new one. We've got to get out of here, now."

Zak's shoulders slumped as he stared at Seth. Remi snickered. "Zak likes her. I say we take her home for him." The family would grow bigger, lots of little Alpha Angels scampering about to play with his baby dragons.

Seth growled, ruining his mental image of children overtaking Alpha 7. "We can't just take beings as fuck toys, Fyre."

Remi didn't like the reference to the girl as a fuck toy, and, if his scowl was anything to go by, neither did Zak. He was just about to tell Seth to go and fuck himself when he felt a shift in the air.

Instinct had him ducking just in time as a small brown fist sailed over his head... straight into Zak's eye.

Zak was knocked on his ass by the pretty girl.

"Son-of-a-bitch," he wailed holding his eye.

Remi spun and blurted "sleep."

The girl fell in a heap of golden silk to the floor.

"Fine," Seth seethed. "Can we finally get the fuck out of here before the villagers show up with the torches and pitchforks?"

***

Seth and Remi gripped Zak's arms to yank him to his feet, a challenging feat since Zak stood six-foot-seven and had two hundred and fifty pounds of solid muscle and bone.

"I want to stay with her," he insisted, trying to pull back from them.

Rowie had never seen him this desperate. "Zak, we can't just leave you here."

He winced when she put her hand on his chest. Sapphire eyes lowered to look into her eyes. "I'm not fit to be an Alpha Angel. I can't heal, or levitate, or even fight for that matter."

"Come on, bro," Remi said, his brows furrowed. "You're not that bad."

"Yes I am," Zak tried to twist his arms free, but they held him tight. He sighed and dropped his head, his wavy gold tresses sliding over his bulky shoulders. "I'm so pathetic I'm even afraid of my ability to shift into a dragon."

Seth let him go and strode farther into the room. Rowie watched him bend over and pick up a golden stick. When he came back to them, Rowie realized that it wasn't a stick at all, but a golden flute.

He held it up in his fist for them to see. "She was playing this. You were here longer than Remi so the spell's influence worked on you longer."

"What spell?" Remi and Zak said in unison.

Rowie put her fingers to her lips, feeling a little curl of... trepidation shimmy down her back. "She's a witch?"

Seth nodded. "We need to leave here now. I'm not that good with spells and low magic, and the fact that she's locked in here means there's a more powerful witch or mage holding her prisoner."

Zak had speared his fingers through his thick hair and his breathing was more than a little agitated. "Let's take her with us, Seth. Please."

Rowie swallowed over the lump in her throat, her hand automatically reaching out to caress Zak's forearm. She'd never seen him beg, or act so distraught.

"We're taking her," Remi snarled releasing Zak to turn toward the girl who was beginning to moan and stir.

Rowie nibbled her lip, not sure that would be a good idea.

Seth, obviously in agreement with Rowie intercepted Remi. "Listen to me. He's still under the spell. When that girl wakes up and starts playing her flute again, it could be you that falls head over heels for her... forgetting Rowie for good."

Rowie's eyes bulged before they narrowed to glare at the female Zak cradled and nuzzled. Oh, Hell-no.

"Really?" Remi asked.

Rowie didn't wait for an answer. "Alright, Goliath, drop the witch and get your blond ass in gear."

Zak's eyes flashed with defiance as he shook his head. "I'm taking her home," he growled.

Rowie crossed her arms over her chest and looked at Seth and Remi for assistance. Seth raised the flute and pursed his lips over the mouthpiece.

Rowie couldn't hear a thing, but Remi's head whipped in Seth's direction and he got that weird blank stare again.

Rowie snickered. "When we get back home, you're giving me that flute."

Seth continued to blow into the flute, his fingers going over the tiny holes in a silent concerto for the weredragons. He gestured with his head for Rowie to follow and began making his way back to the secret passage.

Zak released the girl and walked docilely behind Seth, next to Remi.

Rowie turned back once more to look as she put her hands against Zak's broad back, almost pushing him out of the tower room. Even though everything was spotless, all the furniture and bedding looked old and worn. The girl, who couldn't be more than twenty-two, had dozens of life-like dolls sitting around the room, their friendly smiles frozen on their faces, eyes staring blankly. Was this all the company she had? A bunch of lifeless dolls?

The girl moaned again, her hand falling to her side. "Golden angel," she whispered.

Rowie ducked under the tapestry covering the secret passage, and then, on a whim, she tugged the thick cloth with a picture of a golden dragon. When the girl awakened from the sleeper spell Remi had cast on her, she'd see the way out and hopefully escape.

Golden angel. Rowie stared at Zak's back as they descended the staircase. With his wavy gold hair just brushing his beefy ass, it was a good description of him. As big as he was, he did have a sweet face to go with his disposition.

They made haste, descending the spiral staircase. Seth played the magical flute, leading the weredragons to the end of the tunnel. Now they needed to go up twenty feet to the surface.

Seth lowered the flute and looked around.

Rowie wrapped her arms around Remi and Zak when they swayed unsteadily on their feet.

"What the fuck happened," Remi murmured. "How'd we get here?"

Seth turned and gripped Remi's arm. "Rem, can you manage a half shift and fly Rowie out of here?"

Remi frowned. "Of course."

Seth nodded and then looked at Zak. "You will obey me. Do you understand?"

"Yes, master," Zak uttered in a flat voice.

Remi's jaw dropped. "Holy shit." His eyes narrowed on Seth. "How?"

Seth grinned and lifted the flute. Remi scowled. "I've finally found a way to tame your ass. If I play it long enough, I can brainwash you as well."

Rowie had to clutch both Remi's arms to keep him from lunging at Seth.

"Put that flute up to your mouth and you're going to find yourself blowing it out of your ass," Remi grated between clenched teeth.

"Look," Rowie began when they stared each other down with murderous glares, "there's really no time for all this male posturing. We need to move our asses."

"Both of you go first. I need the extra room when I shift."

Remi turned and wrapped his arms around her, and then she gasped when he lifted her against him. "Wrap your legs around me, baby."

She did as he told her and felt his body jerk when his dragon's wings popped out. The green in his eyes widened to block out some of the white in his half shift and his scent became stronger. Rowie pressed her nose against the hot column of his neck as they flew to the surface. Her mouth watered and her fangs throbbed with the need to taste him. The hunger for his blood made her ache and she licked his throat in anticipation.

Remi's hands shifted lower to cup her ass. He rolled his hips to grind his erection against her clit and she moaned with pleasure.

"Baby, I need you," she sighed and opened her mouth to bite him.

Her ass and head hitting the ground knocked the wind from her. It wouldn't have been so bad if he'd thrown himself over her body as well and shoved his prick into her balls deep, but she found herself staring at the bright blue Arborian sky instead of Remi's lust darkened green eyes.

"Rowie, run," Remi's terrified yell ripped through the air.

She snapped up, just in time to see Remi fending off a green fireball with his divine sword. Seth leaped out of the tunnel, transformed into a fifteen-foot tiger. His roar shook the ground, making Zak fall off his back, hands clapped to his ears.

Another fireball shot toward Seth and Zak, but it crashed and sizzled against the protective shield Seth emanated.

"Give me back the flute. None of you will ever leave this meadow alive," a woman dressed in deep blue and gold robes declared.

Her skin was deep, dark brown, and her eyes glowed bright red. Her hair was pulled up into an elaborate coif of coils and twigs and leaves woven through black and white hair. She held up one hand, her nails as long as her boney fingers. Another fireball blazed in her claw-like grip.

"I will keep the flute," she smiled, her grin stretching out to her pointed ears, "And the dragons."

"Like Hell you will," Rowie shrieked in a rage. Remi belonged to her.

"Rowie, no," she heard Remi shout, but her fury blinded her as she scrambled to her feet and rushed at the bitch trying her to take her men from her.

The witch sent the fireball at her, and, too late, Rowie realized she didn't have a sword to deflect the attack. She pushed out her power, hoping it would be enough to keep her safe, but a flash of red jumped between her and the fireball.

Remi's divine sword deflected the green fire. Seth lunged at the witch, tiger's fangs bared.

"Rowie, get out," Remi screamed pointing toward the forest. "Summon—"

She saw the next ball of fire flash toward them and opened her mouth to scream her warning at her love. It hit him square in the back, and in a puff of smoke, Remi disappeared.

"No!"

Rowie sprinted forward, uncaring if the witch killed her next, but she'd drag the bitch to Hell with her.

Pale arms circled her waist, keeping her from gong very far. Rowie turned to snarl in fury and despair at Devon.

"You're going to step on him," he said. "And if you kill her, we'll never be able to change him back again."

Rowie's heart froze in her chest. Oh, God. My baby.

Devon released her and waved his hand over the tall grass. The witch had already disappeared, and Seth was shifting back into human form. Zak rose, shaking his head, the effects of the spell waning, but Rowie's eyes were transfixed on a red lump on the ground twenty paces away.