Redemption Ch. 03

Boy Rayne's taste was still in her mouth, 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... 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 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, fuckin 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, Lucien 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 him 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 pulling 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?" Lucien 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 stay with her.

Master Zak had zapped out of the playroom with Master Devon 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 dadda 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 little golden-haired triplets. Squeals and laughter ensued.