The Witch and the Dragon Ch. 16

"Someday you'll thank me for this, pretty boy," the reaper sighed lifting him.

Another roar shook the ground as Eriel carried the devil toward Alluna.

"I hope you don't mind, but could you keep an eye on him a bit?" He laid him by pool. "I don't think he'll be rousing for a while anyway. I need to check on that bellowing beast below."

As if on cue, a loud bang that knocked a few stones from the ceiling shook the entire castle.

Eriel turned and sauntered gracefully down the dark corridor shaking his pert ass seductively. Just before ducking around a bend, he shot Alluna a wink over his shoulder.

The beast roared two more times. More bangs and crashes sounded, sending sheer terror down Alluna's spine. She slithered off the unicorn's back and stepped carefully toward the devil.

His hair was absolutely beautiful. Streaks of pale silver, golds, light browns, caramels, and chocolate. His lashes were dark gold and she remembered that his eyes had an upward slant, making him look almost feline. His nose was pert and lips delicate, but lush.

Bending close to him, she noticed many scars and bruises, old ones, marring his skin. His red wings were dull and torn. Blood trickled from the corner of his lips and nose. She touched his cheek and his fingers twitched. A soft sigh escaped his mouth and his brows drew together in a frown.

"Please," he whispered, so low, she barely caught the plea. "d-don't... hurt me anymore..."

Alluna bit her lip wondering what he was talking about. Who had hurt him? Her fingers traced the marks on his thighs until the sight of a lone tear sliding down his face made her snatch her hand away. He shuddered, his face showing terror.

"Gods," she gasped. Never had she seen such torment.

Standing back up, she looked around. All was quiet. Where had Eriel gone?

***

Chaos reigned in the LOS space station. Security had been breached. Devon, now distracted with the imminent birth of his son, had released his protective bubble over the surrounding ships and now the LOS was being fired upon. An all out war had broken out in space trying to fend off those who wished to destroy the Edenian Master Guardians, otherwise known as the Alpha Angels.

Much to everyone's shock, Rowie's belly had bloomed to astonishing proportions too. They'd all rushed toward the security room. Rowie was in the corridor, howling in pain, clutching her distended belly.

Remi's eyes were wild with fright as he cradled her in his arms.

"Stay with them," Zak told Natanael as he rushed after Seth to where Devon and Angel were.

Alluna was nowhere to be seen. Panic gripped him and he fell to his knees before Angel.

"Where—" was all he got out before she gripped his arms and screamed, long and hard.

Devon held her around her waist and she parted her thighs.

"Fuck, Zak. She won't let me go. Take her panties off. It's the baby."

In a bewildered panic, he shoved her gown up and tore her little undergarment off. "Push," he snapped at her. "Come-on, warrior. Show me what your made of."

Her fingernails tore into his biceps and she curled her lip, biting back the urge to scream out her agony. Angel's face turned red from her efforts. Looking down, Zak gasped when a little head emerged. Wincing from Angels nails ripping his upper arms, he reached down and gripped the baby.

Electric-blue eyes stared at him, sending a shiver through him. "Oh-god," he gasped as something powerful moved through him. The child smiled as his shoulders emerged. Angel sighed and released Zak. The rest of the baby slid effortlessly from her.

Zak lifted Jazriel to study him. The infant studied him back, and then without preamble laughed.

Zak didn't know why, but he broke down. He cradled the most beautiful living thing he'd ever seen and sobbed like a baby himself.

Light blinded them. Devon reached out and took his son from Zak, light emanating from him also.

Zak wiped the tears and snot from his face and blinked into the blinding light. The room was filled with Dominatios, Cherubs.

One of them held a flaming sword.

"Only one more," the baby angel said. "One more angel left to enter this realm and the prophecy will begin."

"Jazriel was lost, but now he is found. Six angels. One more to regain consciousness in this realm," another chimed in.

The flaming sword burst in a shower of sparkles and disappeared into Jazriel. Devon's son was anointed an archangel from birth... just like his father.

The light faded until it was only them in the room again.

"Let's get out of here," Devon rasped giving Angel the baby to hold.

Zak shook his head. "Alluna. Where is she?"

Angel, looking completely wiped out, frowned at him. "But, Zak. You came to get her about a half hour ago."

Zak's hands met the floor as he bowed over in pain.

"Oh, God. She's gone," he gasped.

"No, Zak," Devon snapped. "I can find her, but we need to get out of here. All hell has broken loose around us. We need to move Alpha 7 just in case."

Anniel rushed in. "Rowie's babies. They've grown to twice their size."

Devon looked at his son. "It's Jazriel. I did the same thing to my brother, made him grow in my mother's womb to save his life. Jazriel must sense the other babies and is making them grow."

"Why?" Angel asked.

Devon shrugged, shaking his head, eyes on Jazriel.

Zak buried his head in his hands. His pain was so paralyzing that Natanael had to practically lift him and carry him to his Viper.

The trip home went by in a blur. Devon and Natanael pulled him from his Viper. Vaguely, Zak sensed other crafts in the hangar, but Devon teleported him to his quarters and put him to bed.

"Listen to me," he said. "There were open portals all over that space station. Alluna is back on Arboria. I don't sense her in any kind of danger."

Zak gripped his arms. "Who the fuck took her," he roared, his skin igniting.

"I don't know yet, but we're going to play by their rules and get our girl back."

"Our?"

Devon's eyes narrowed. "Alluna is one of us, Zak. One of my angels... and we're going to get her back. I swear this to you."

***

Alluna grew tired of waiting and moved down the sloping corridor to the lower level of the dungeon. As she drew closer to the entrance to the wide dungeon room where mama had kept the sleeping golden dragon, she heard Eriel wailing disconsolately.

"Why? Why did you make me remember? I didn't want to remember," he shrieked, his sobs choking him. "They took him. Those fucking devils took him and Luci into the realm of shadows. There was nothing Abdy or me could do. They're gone. Gone." He howled with heartbreaking grief. "Oh, Dava... Luci. I loved them so much."

"Put yourself back together, man," another masculine voice snapped. "Where is Remuel?"

"How the fuck should I know. I've been blissfully ignorant for who knows how long. Damn you, Zakreel."

Alluna crept into the vaulted room ,but was frightened out of her wits when a high-pitch screech had her jumping back from the entrance. She stared in shock at the vampire, now locked in the cage where Eriel had been. He was no longer a stiff statue. His eyes were black and wild with pain. Blood dripped from his chin and down his chest. His skin still looked paper thin and dry and his black curls an ashy grey, but his eyes... his eyes were two burning orbs of glistening black... beckoning... luring her.

"Stop," Eriel snapped, gripping her arms and spinning her to look at him instead. "Don't stare into his eyes. The poor fuck is still out of his mind with hunger."

The vampire wailed in misery. "Kill me. Oh for fucks sake. Put me out of my misery."

Eriel snarled. "Oh, hush. Zak, feed him some more."

"No. He'll bloat. I hate when vamps bloat. They ooze and smell afterwards. Get her out of here while I move him somewhere safe."

Zak. That name.

Alluna stared at the tall, imposing blond male standing where the dragon had once been. His hair fell in golden waves to his waist and his eyes were a deep sapphire.

"M-master?" she sniffed, her body trembling.

Eriel shuffled her out of the dungeon, back to the upper level. She followed docilely, letting him lift her onto the unicorn again.

The reaper circled around to the front of the creature and spoke in a low voice to it.

"Take us somewhere safe, little one. I implore you."

Eriel turned and lifted Lucien into his arms and followed the unicorn out of the castle. The sun was just beginning to set, turning the sky to a familiar plumb color. She the reaper take to the sky with a swift jerk of his wings, her mind a confusing, frustrated blank.

Zak. Tears began coursing down her cheeks and a sob burst from her chest. Why was her heart breaking now? Why did it feel as if part of it was already missing? Was the other blond man in the dungeon her lover? There was something so familiar about him, yet she had seen no recognition in his beautiful eyes. Leaning over, she hugged the galloping unicorn and cried her sorrow into its silky white mane.

By the time the night time Chirs buzzed happily in the shadows, Alluna had cried herself weak. The unicorn slowed to a brisk canter and then a lazy lope, until he stopped completely. She kept hearing steady thunder and realized it was the reaper's wings overhead. He landed gently on the swaying grass, his toes touching first and strode somewhere off the Alluna's right.

She closed her eyes, unable to move, her sorrow was so overwhelming. The unicorn let out a soft bleat, turning its head to look at her.

A moment later, Eriel was lifting her off the unicorn's back. She snuggled against him, eyes closed. He walked and the soft glow of light permeated her eyelids.

She didn't care where he carried her. She had no wish to see anything, but the person responsible for the aching hurt inside her empty heart.

Eriel ascended steps. Up and up he climbed, each footfall making the obvious wood beneath his feet squeak and groan. Laughing and giggling reached her ears.

"Oh, look at the pretty angel."

"And who's the pretty lady he carries?"

"She looks like a princess."

"Is she an enchanted princess, mama?"

"Hush, now. Be off with ya'. Off to bed, children an' don't be nosin' round," the whispered voice of an elderly woman scolded.

A door squeaked open and Alluna released Eriel as her body sank into soft bedding. He tucked a blanket around her and kissed her forehead.

"Should I prepare a meal for the lady?"

"Um. No. I think not. Poor dear has cried herself into a frazzle. Let's let her sleep." A light clicked off and Eriel's seductive voice reached her ears again. "You can feed me if you like, lovely woman."

"Oh," the female gasped, and then a decidedly girlish giggle resounded just before the door squeaked closed again.

Alluna burrowed deeper into the pillow and bedding, letting sleep claim her bereft soul. She dreamed of golden winged angels... and cuffs, and nipple clamps... oh my.

***

His bed dipped to one side. Alluna. With a start he sat up. She wasn't in his bed. It wasn't a nightmare. It was real.

He snarled at Natanael, who sported a lime-green Mohawk today with black streaks falling in his face.

"Well, good morning to you too," he pouted.

"Fuck, you're going to be worse them Rem, aren't you?"

Natanael pursed his lips. "Maybe."

Zak scrubbed his face and got out of his bed. The sheets still had her scent... all over them and the memory of having fucked for three days straight had him falling to his knees in agony.

"Is he going to be alright?"

Zak looked up, eyes wide. Abdiel stood in the entrance to his bedroom. Dark shadows looming through the frosted glass partition of the sitting room assured him that there were at least a dozen or so reapers milling about there too.

"What the fucks going on? What are you doing here?"

Abdiel gave him a half smile. "I renounce my calling." He looked behind him. "We all want to join the Alpha Angels."

"Ask him about the orgies," someone called out excitedly from his sitting room.

Abdiel flushed, scowled, and then made a zipping gesture with his hand to whomever had asked the inappropriate question. He turned wide innocent eyes back to Zak.

"Oh-god. You're all worse than Remi," Zak grumbled rising to his feet.

Staggering into his hygiene room, he zapped his clothes off and stepped under the comforting rays of the hygiene unit.

He heard them whispering amongst themselves, but he didn't care. He wondered about Alluna. Where was she exactly? Was she scared? Was she thinking of him?

Dev. Please. Link me to her. I need to feel her. He felt his commander's presence wrap around him stronger.

Zak, if I do that they'll deny you permission to land on the planet.

Fuck them. Let's just get her and be done with it. She's pregnant with my...

Daughters—Devon finished for him. Three of them, Zak. Triplets.

I want her back. He clenched his fists and breathed through his lips, trying to keep his rage on a low boil.

She will be back. Trust me. Seth is dealing with all the red tape right now. He's going with you, as well as Remi and Rowie.

Rem and Row?

Jaz is wreaking havoc with Rowie. He doesn't understand what he's doing. I need to get her away from him to see if I can somehow communicate with him and get him to stop accelerating the twins growth.

Zak frowned and wondered about his own babies. Would Devon's son also make Alluna swell prematurely. Her beautiful skin would rip carrying three. He didn't want to see her suffer.

She won't. I'll get Jaz to understand.

Jaz?

It's what Remi is already calling him.

What about you? I mean, with the baby, you won't be able to accompany us on this mission.

Devon laughed without humor. The Arborians were explicit in their orders that I not step upon their planet.

What the fuck? Why?

They see me as a demon, Zak.

Shit—Zak's anger notched up again.

It doesn't matter. Like you said, I've got my newborn and wife to tend to, and Ashriel.

Ashriel? Shock rolled through him. When had Ashriel come aboard Alpha 7?

The new reapers brought him. He's unconscious and in really bad shape. I'm sending Annie ahead of you to get her away from all this for a while. She's beside herself with guilt.

Zak ran a hand through his hair. He knew what happened wasn't her fault. He sighed. Remi was a thoughtless screwball. His eyes slid to the partition of his bedroom and meet the curious stares of a bunch of reapers.

He scowled and snapped, "OUT," stabbing his finger in the general direction of the door.

They pouted sullenly and shrank away from the doorway.

Zak stared, bewildered. They acted like... children... these reapers—death angels—he'd always been so nervous around.

People always fear what they don't know or understand, Zachariel—Devon whispered in his mind.

Zak could apply that to so many things. The reapers, his reluctance to shift...

He needed to train—harder. Needed to get over his fears and become a stronger angel... for his Luna, and his daughters.