Blood & Carrots - Celestial Ep. 18

Rachel gave a bark and blushed, only seeming to just now have put that into place herself. I just sighed and rubbed the back of my head. "Look uh... Sarnai, Ryder was part of our lives long before we realized you and Rachel were related."

"I suppose... it still feels a little odd though." The vixen frowned then lifted her ears as Alice giggled.

"Oh relax, my fox. Just make sure Lorelai takes a shower after she's been with him or something. Easy as pie." The rabbit gave her lover a wink then quirked a brow. "That's what I'd do if I ever landed him or your Mom."

"Alice!" All three of us snapped at her at once, the rabbit just grumbling and rolling her eyes.

"Let us focus on getting my brother back, then you all can work out your drama. The squabbling and theatrics will no doubt be a welcome respite compared to what he's endured over these last decades." Ezekiel snarled the words as the rest of us gave a nod.

Katrina tilted her head, looking over the lot of us. "So where do we go from here? I've no stake in any of this, but you can count on me as well. You've done much for me over the years Lorelai and if it helps my master and love's family, all the better."

"Count me in on that too, Lorelai. I'd never let any of you bust into the depths of hell without me and have all the fun." Alex shoved a fist into his open palm, his tail wagging.

"All of you are too kind." I smiled and saw Gloria simply wag her tail, giving me that lovestruck look I'd known for centuries, making my heart leap as I cleared my throat. "A-Anyway... We'll need to coordinate with the Magi and Celestial's to figure out how to search for this Paladin, if they're even alive. For now, let us relax for a time, we've all had a trying few weeks and some rest will do us all good."

Things settled and relaxed after that. Even Ezekiel was treated warmly by everyone now that the threat had passed. Eventually, as the night waned and the sun rose, people started drifting. Sarnai and Elias retired with Alice. Rachel and Ezekiel returned to the citadel.

Katrina told the other trio she would be staying the night with Alex and Gloria. She was with the wolf as he looked at the retriever. "You not joining us, Angel?"

Gloria wagged her tail as she moved to the wolf, giving him a kiss, then moving down to give another to Katrina, a palm on each of their cheeks. "You two go ahead, I've some important matters to discuss with, Lorelai."

"You... have important matters to discuss with her? I didn't even know you knew her, Gloria." Katrina cocked a brow, looking surprised at the words.

The retriever wagged her tail and gave a nod. "Why yes... we go, quite a ways back, my cat."

"Huh... even I didn't know that. Well, you two hash out whatever you need to talk about. We'll be in bed when you get around to sleep, Angel." Alex gave a shrug and turned to leave. Katrina looked skeptical about the whole thing but finally wheeled around and trotted after the wolf.

We sat there alone in the guest area, sitting across from one another. I looked down at my feet, mulling on everything for several moments, neither of us seeming to know what to say to the other in this moment now that it was here.

"So... would you prefer I call you Diana, or Gloria?" I finally broke the silence as I looked up at her.

She pursed her lips, mulling on it for a moment before shaking her head. "I think... Gloria is fine now. It's still me deep inside, Lorelai, but I am a new dog."

"You are... I-" My teeth clenched as I looked away. "When I found out... I was dead inside, I was numb... I just killed and killed. I let rage and sadness feed my hunger. I lost all hope, all I wanted was to avenge you."

"Do you think that's what I would have wanted, Lorelai?" She frowned and put a hand to her chest, clasping her rosary.

"No. I know it's not... Even then, you were a kind soul shining with light. That was why I was so furious. I'm a monster, I know that, but you... you were-"

"You are no monster, Lorelai. You're just a ewe that loves her family very much... you're a mother protecting those that she has sworn to. You and I have never been so far apart, you're just more... zealous, in your ways."

I smirked at her honeyed words, shaking my head. "You can dress it up however you want, Gloria."

The retriever snarled and slapped her hands to her knees, shooting a glare at me. "Why must you always be so stubborn? You are a kind soul, Lorelai!"

"And you're too soft! I use kindness as a tool to keep my family safe, nothing more!" I snarled back, my eyes shifting to red, hers now golden.

"Is wishing to protect one's family not one of the pinnacles of kindness and selflessness?!" She retorted while showing her teeth, even though the canines weren't as big these days.

I grunted at her words and jerked my glare down to the floor, snarling as I fussed with my hands. Gloria sighed and shook her head. "Lorelai, why did we part?"

"Because you always said my methods were too harsh, and I always said you were too soft," I hissed back a response, refusing to look into her eyes.

"Do you still feel that? Do you feel my methods were wrong?"

"It got you killed, didn't it? Kindness didn't stop the flames or sunlight." I met her eyes with a hard glare. "It took you from me and tore my heart apart!"

Gloria frowned as she stood and moved before me, dropping to her knees. I hissed out and jerked my gaze from her, but she moved a hand to force me look upon her. I gave her another glare as the tears rolled down my cheeks, then I blinked as I saw she had her own tears showing.

"I don't regret how I lived that life, or this one. My only regret, Lorelai... the only thing I thought about when the sunlight bathed me and I felt myself starting to burn... was you. I desperately wanted to tell you I loved you, tell you-"

"Shut up!" I sobbed out and just threw my arms around her, feeling her hug me back as I shuddered. "Just shut... up... I should have stopped it... weak... too fucking weak!" I screamed the words into the crook of her neck, feeling her just hug me all the tighter.

"No, you shut up, dumb sheep!" She barked back playfully as I grunted at her tone, snorting at the playfulness of it, unable to do much more than laugh through my sobbing.

She leaned back enough to get her forehead to my own, her eyes closed as her head gently shook. "I'm here now... I'm a little different, but it's still me, so don't worry Lorelai, I'm okay and so are you."

My hand trembled as I pushed it to her cheek once more, parting my lips to speak, but then she pushed forward, pressing into them. My body jerked from the forced kiss, then I just melted into it, wrapping my arms tight as my head tilted, our lips parting so our tongues could gently explore one another.

The emotions washed over me, I couldn't even process what was right or wrong, only that she was here and with me. Our kiss deepened as if we each needed to validate the other was before us, little growls coming from the retriever's throat as my own fingers tangled into her soft curly hair.

"Lorelai, let us retire to one of the guest rooms." The tone told me It wasn't a request as the kiss broke. She climbed from the floor grasping my wrist and lifting me from the small loveseat I had been seated on. I gave a soft bleat as she pulled me right along, looking supremely confident as she moved, my heart now pounding as I looked up at her.

My ears flipped as I stumbled a little to keep up with her. "W-Wait a second, Gloria, is this-"

"No no, I know you, Lorelai, you'll sit here and try to analyze this into the ground! I know just the way to get you to clear your mind and think of this all rationally!" She barked the words, giving me a surprisingly playful grin, my heart throbbing at the view of her, the look taking me back to so long ago.

The retriever tugged me into a guest room and before I could even process things, I was thrown onto a bed with an eager dog climbing right atop me, her mouth pressed to my own as my eyes widened. Our tongues met once more and I couldn't help but moan at her confident touch, her body may have been different, but everything was so familiar.

Gloria tangled fingers into my curls, grabbing fistfuls of them along with my horns. I offered up a small bleat as she tugged hard, pulling my head away to kiss and drag her tongue down my throat. "Ooohh... old habits are strange, Lorelai... I just want to plunge my fangs in and taste you, but I don't have them anymore..." The retriever cooed out as she lapped at my throat, kissing down my collar.

I had not dressed elegantly for the day, what with wading into battle, a sturdy denim button-down top, and a ballistics jacket with cargo pants. All the same the angel sighed eagerly as she deftly plucked buttons free then unceremoniously pulled my shirt open and scooped her hands right under my bra, forcing my breasts to spill out as the retriever gave me an excited gasp, her tail wagging harder. "Ha! I forgot how lovely and sizeable they were!"

"D- Gloria...ngh!" I winced as she snapped right down on my left breast, a hungry growl filling her throat. My tongue lolled slightly as she blinked up at me, sucking and rolling her tongue against my sensitive peak. The dog always loved my breasts and when we were together she played with them constantly, even sleeping on them most nights.

I panted and tangled my own fingers into her slightly curly hair, grabbing fistfuls then bleating out as she worked my pants open frantically before she pushed a hand right down into the front and past my panties. My sharp teeth snapped together as her fingers went right to work, stoking my fires expertly while she teased my pearl.

"Gods, Diana!" I snarled out her former name, jerking her mouth from my breast as she forced me to crest, teeth clenched and my eyes red. The retriever just lolled her tongue lovingly, wagging her tail, looking blissful that she had brought me pleasure.

"Can't narrow a name down, Lorelai?" She growled at me and leaned in kissing me once more as I felt her peeling my pants and panties right off, my hips rising to let her do as she pleased. I was through resiting, I needed her.

"S-Sorry... it's just, so intense..." I whispered the words against her lips, my own hands now at her heavy jeans, jerking the zipper open and frantically peeling them and her panties clear, the retriever humming as she shifted her hips to help aid me.

"Don't be sorry my love, my sheep..." Gloria growled the words as she climbed right into an all too familiar position with me, her legs tangling with my own. My hips thrust right up as soon as she was set, not wanting to wait for her touch.

The angel showed her tongue, looking blissful as our bodies met and started to grind, her black wings spreading out wide, her tongue soon lolling out of her own mouth. I gave her an excited grin, my eyes red as I kept working, snarling through my clenched teeth. "C'mon Gloria... ngh... give it to me... hurry up!"

"Y-yes my love!" Her slightly bigger body shuddered and she gave the same cute little barking moan she did when we were together all those years ago. My own tongue lolled as my heart soared to hear her pleasure, my own body responding in kind, our mixture of love dripping from us to the sheets.

"Lorelai! I love you! Gods I love you... I'll always love you!" She panted the words in a frantic almost desperate tone, her hips seeming just as eager as her words, grinding fast and hard against me.

"Y-You too! Gods... I love you... I'm so sorry... I'll never ever let you go again! You're mine and don't forget it!" I snarled the last words out my eyes burning red as I shoved my hips back, grinding just as intently.

"Ha! Yeeessss my sheep... and you're mine as well!" She fired back, both of us giving excited grins, her eyes gold, mine red, then we both lolled our tongues once more as our bodies gave in together.

We spent a good long while on one another before we finally collapsed into bed together, exhausted, sore, and thoroughly satisfied. Diana, or, Gloria as it were, snuggled right up to me like she always did, arms wrapped around me, head resting on my breasts while I gently rubbed a hand against one of her drooped ears.

"Lorelai... mmm... I love you so much..." She sighed the words while hugging me tightly.

"You too, I love you Gloria... I'll work on not calling you Diana so much, but it's so intense..." I sighed and hugged her tightly while she clung to me.

"I don't mind." She hummed out and leaned up to kiss me before settling against my chest once more.

We laid there for several minutes before I heard her drift off to sleep. I glanced down at the retriever, remembering when she was a collie that was clinging to me, but it was that same loving face even if a little different now. This wasn't my intention, I was going to tell her we should keep it in the past, she should focus on her present lovers, not get wrapped up in me again. Yet Diana was always so forceful, so passionate, she loved me as I told my lover Alice once to do, like a hurricane.

My teeth clenched as I thought about it all, him still imprisoned, me here with my long-lost love in my arms. I had gained so much these centuries, power, friends, and lovers, yet he was stagnant. More tears came to my eyes, I really did cry more than I'd like these days.

Weilder of Hellfire; Sarnai was the head of house Silverpaw before she took her current position as the joint-head of Blackpaw with her husband Elias. She struggled with uncontrollable nightmares for most of her existence, which slowly drove her deeper and deeper into madness she constantly fought against.

Alice Blackpaw was able to delve into her heart and working together with the Chimera, Sarnai confronted the madness. The shard of her soul became as a sister to her and has its own sentience and thoughts, though they are highly in line with Sarnai's. Likewise, her 'sister' is aware at all times, able to feel what she feels or commune with her. This twin-soul condition allows Sarnai to draw power from her other self, further enhancing her Hellfire and martial prowess.

One week later.

My feet stepped down on the soft field of grass from the gate I exited, the wind tossing the heavy braid behind me as I started walking through the flowers. My hand rested on my wakizashi, my other at my side.

"It's only been a week, Lorelai Tahmineh, yet you seem eager to already enjoy the fruits of this new peace we have made." The Ninetails seemed to simply fade into existence, walking past me, her myriad of tails rolling and swaying.

I gave her a neutral gaze as she turned to face me. "I'm going to get right to the point if that's alright with you, Triallia." A small grin showed on her muzzle as she simply waved her handpaw, as if to go ahead.

"I need to get to the lowest level of hell."

The Ninetails gave me a curious cock of her brow, then barked out a laugh. "I'm sure you'll get there on your own once you finally drop, vampire. I've heard tales of the rampages you've went on, even a killer of an Archangel. Is there really anywhere else you would end up?" She gave me a crooked grin.

I rolled my eyes at the statement. The annoying truth was the celestials would probably get involved rather quickly at this point if something happened to me. "Not quite what I mean, Triallia."

The fox unceremoniously flopped right down on her backside in the field, bracing on her paws and leaning back into the mass of her tails, as if getting comfortable for a story. "You mean you want me to punch a hole from the Faemarch straight into the lowest levels of the underworld. I understood your request just fine, Lorelai Tahmineh."

"Can you do it? Yes or no." I snarled and showed my teeth as I spoke.

Triallia perked her ears and tilted her muzzle up. "Yes."

My eyes widened and she saw my composure shift slightly, her smirk growing wider as she leaned forward, resting an elbow on her bent knee. "Why would you go there?"

"You want the long or the short version of that answer?" I folded my arms.

Triallia giggled and shook her head. "Do I look busy?"

I sighed and composed myself, then proceeded to explain in detail about Ryder to her. I told her about the demon, my training, his brother, and everything in between. The Ninetails's grin never seemed to leave her muzzle, her tails wagging as if she were quite enjoying the tale.

"My my my... Your life is quite a complicated mess, Lorelai Tahmineh." Triallia gave a little growl as she picked herself up, brushing the flowing robes off. "You need to find a key to that lock though, yes? I can't punch a hole into a location unless I know where I'm... punching, as it were."

"Hence why I explained about the other Paladin." I waved a hand with a shrug.

Triallia gave me a curious look. "Ah, so the other Paladin... oh yes, I must be getting old for not putting that together myself." She rubbed at the underside of her muzzle in thought.

"So finding the Paladin is one issue, but for now, can or... should I say, will you do it?" I tilted my head, feeling my heart pounding, I had found a way it seemed, but I was dealing with a Great Fae Spirit here.

"Mmm... I don't think so." Triallia waved her handpaw and turned from me.

My teeth snapped together and I sprang forward, cutting her off as I met her eye to eye, my own already red. "Why!? I've waited nearly two centuries to find a way! At least give me a reason!"

Her green eyes seemed to burn with fire as she growled out the words, "I'll not waste my energy to watch you sacrifice yourself, Lorelai Tahmineh. Go prance around in the sun if you wish to die so readily."

She pushed past me, shoulder checking me slightly to step aside as she strutted on by, even smacking my chest with a tail on the way. My teeth ground as my eyes burned and I even saw red start to creep into my vision, my ancient blood feeling like it was boiling at the commentary.

Triallia looked over her shoulder with a toothy grin across her muzzle, seeing what she had done. "Did I... hit a nerve, sheep?"

I clenched my fist before slamming my foot to the ground, a small wave of force and Hellfire spreading forth, burning away the grass near us. "I've been enduring basically being murdered and revived for the better part of two centuries, do not turn your back on me and say I'm too weak!"

The Ninetails fully spun to face me, her tails fanning out as her bared footpaws seemed to leave the ground just a few inches. "Kalinae, the first daughter of the lord of the nine hells and greatest demon lord of the nine Gatekeepers. You, a mundane born vampire, think you are a match for her?"

"My sister was able to keep up with you, was she not?!" I flung a hand out, flames rolling off my fingertips as I snarled, feeling the rage fully grip me already. "I am a match for the bitch! I have to be, for him! He's suffered enough and I will save him, even at the cost of my very soul!"

"Your resolve is commendable, Lorelai Tahmineh. Let me tell you something interesting... are you curious about the fates of my siblings and the seasons to come?" She lifted a flaming handpaw to her muzzle, extending a padded-finger to rest on her jaw, tilting her head inquisitively at me.

"Sure... let's hear it." I scowled the words and shifted both my hands to my hips, flames still rolling off my body.

She gave me a wicked grin across her muzzle, looking predatory, her eyes shining. "Your sister told me to be gracious if possible, keep in consideration it could have been me... I took her advice."

"So you aren't going to brutally torture them and take all their power?" I folded my arms, quirking a brow.

"Oh, I put them through sheer mind-bending agony for over three days in retribution. Doubly so for my brother of Summer, at your sister's request of course, told him it was for her... ship." Triallia snapped her teeth at the last word then cocked a brow. "I also only took enough power from each of them to ensure I was the dominant spirit."