Chapter Five

Two day cycles later, a few more reapers arrived, along with Davariel's weredragons, Drakken, and Eriel.

Eriel was not the same angel Ashriel remembered. He looked solemn, somber. He hung back and barely uttered a word. When Natanael approached him about their upcoming mission, he merely nodded.

"You okay, Erie?" Natanael asked putting his hand on his arm.

"I'm fine," Eriel replied.

"He's depressed," Remuel sighed walking up to them in the hangar. Unlike his son, Remien, Remuel's hair was a silken fall of crimson down his back. Remien had about ten times the amount of hair on his head making it poof out like a lion's mane. But Ashriel knew for a fact that he was just as annoying and insane as his son.

"Depressed?" Ashriel echoed.

Eriel rolled his eyes as Remuel continued. "He had his mind wiped of all memories pertaining to Dava's days, but—"

"That idiot, brought them all back," Eriel spat pointing to Zakreel. "Now that Drakken is better and we're here..." Eriel's eyes drifted to where Devon stood speaking to the newly arrived reapers.

He glanced back to see Devon look over his shoulder at Eriel. Once again, Ashriel marveled at the uncanny resemblance between father and son. If Devon's hair were thicker, with more curl, and blond, his skin sun-kissed bronze, he'd be Davariel.

Ashriel sighed and turned as tears begin to spill from Erie's eyes.

"Oh, here we go with the water-works again," Remuel cried dramatically. "Erie, for fuck's sake, find yerself a nice big cock to impale yerself on, or a nice juicy pussy to bury yerself into. Sex always makes ya forget."

Eriel gripped two handfuls of his hair. "We've been off Arboria for almost six months. Why do you and Zakreel still speak with that annoying accent? You sound like a freakin' leprechaun."

Remuel snorted with a frown as Zakreel stepped up next to them also. "We need to get our translation devices adjusted, idiot."

"Besides, we're not staying," Zakreel added.

Zakreel, although very tall, was not as muscular as his massively proportioned son, but the dark blond wavy hair and sapphire eyes were very similar.

Ashriel frowned. "Where are you going?"

"We're going back to the old mansion," Remuel replied.

Eriel shook his head. "No. I can't ever go back there. It'd be too much," he whispered.

Natanael wrapped his arms and wings around his friend.

"What mansion?" Ashriel asked.

The dragons looked at one another before Remuel answered, "Luci and Dava's house on Sjoria."

Ashriel's eyes narrowed. The last portal Davariel had traversed was in that house. Ashriel would be able to locate the chamber that still held the portal into the realm of shadows where Davariel and his lover were trapped. If he could destroy it, then that would eliminate the threat of Davariel.

He felt Devon's presence behind him. He knew what Ashriel was thinking, but it didn't matter. Ashriel didn't care. He wanted to see Devon attempt to stop him.

Ashriel turned and began walking toward where his Silver Comet was, leaving the others behind. He felt Devon's luminescent eyes on him the whole way.

The hangar was big. It spanned a few miles around the bottom of Alpha 7. Most of it remained unlit, but wherever the sensors picked up life, it would illuminate the immediate area.

Up ahead, he made out the solitary beacon where Zak and Remi worked on his transport. As he drew closer, he had to blink a few times to allow what he was seeing to register in his stupefied mind.

Ashriel came up to the exact point where the parts began. Pieces of metal, wires, cables, plastic, foam, and glass covered the ground surrounding what was left of the Silver Comet. It spread at least fifteen paces wide around the empty hull of the transport. The crazy son-of-a-whore hadn't even left the seats inside the pod.

Zak's eyes widened and he slapped Remi on his ass to warn him they had company.

"Stop flirting with me, fucker. For the last time, you're not my type," Remien called from inside the open hull of the transport.

Zak snarled and reached in. He pulled Remi out by a handful of his hair.

"Shit, Zak—" His eyes finally caught sight of Ashriel. Zachariel released him with a snort. Remien grinned. "What's up, dude?"

Ashriel looked once more at the remains of the Silver Comet. "What the hell have you done?" he bellowed.

To his utter annoyance, the red-haired weredragon shushed him. "Easy, man. Just walk carefully over here and see for yourself."

He gestured into the hull.

Wanting nothing more than to get his hands around Remi's neck, Ashriel stalked forward.

"Look in there," Remi said in a soft voice.

Ashriel ducked his head into the wide hole where the nose of the transport used to be and gaped.

Curled up at the back of the open hull was a strange, bright-purple, furry creature. It was round, quite big, with six black button eyes, three red horns poking from its head and a short snout. The creature lifted its head and suddenly opened its snout to expose jagged lines of lethal looking teeth. It hissed and began to growl ferociously.

Ashriel staggered back and reached for his divine sword.

Remi and Zak gripped his arms. "No. What the fuck?" Remi hissed.

Ashriel shook them off. "Fuck you both. Why the hell is there a Moordian Devil in my transport?"

"Geez—just calm down. She's gonna give birth—"

"What?" Ashriel shouted.

From within the hull the growling grew more vicious.

"Dude you're scaring her," Remi insisted with a scowl.

Zak just stood by, his arms crossed over his chest and his lower lip tucked between his teeth. Somehow, Ashriel got the irritating idea he was trying not to laugh.

"Why in hell's name is there a pregnant Moordian Devil in there?" He never did like the overgrown rodent like creature, though he knew very well it wasn't a Devil like the name implied.

"Well, how the fuck should I know. You told me to fix your transport, Remi replied indignantly.

Ashriel looked around, his mouth open in shock. "So you dismantled the entire thing?"

"I was looking for baby Moordian Devils. They're tiny when they're born."

"You just said she was still pregnant."

"I wasn't sure, man. She was just in there growling. She's got about five out so far. I just wanted to be sure there weren't any more crawling around inside."

Ashriel ran a hand threw his hair. "Five? And how many do they usually spawn?"

Remi shrugged and looked at Zak, who scratched his chin and replied in his deep voice, "About two—maybe three—"

"Thank—god," Ashriel sighed.

Zak cleared his throat. "Two, maybe three dozen, Ash."

Ashriel snarled. "Fuck."

Remi grinned. "Easy, dude. I got this."

Ashriel huffed in frustration. "I need a smaller transport to take with me on the mission. I can't travel on the surface of a planet in a starcruiser."

Zak frowned. "What's wrong with your wings?"

Ashriel scowled at him. "People tend to take reapers flying on a foreign planet as a sign that they're being invaded by demons and devils. There'll be mass hysteria." He shook his head, running his fingers through his hair again. "I need a small transport."

Remi's grin grew wider. "Well today is your lucky day. I've got just the thing for you"

Everything around them rippled making Ashriel feel disorientated. The Silver Comet and its riot of spilled guts disappeared, replaced by an oblong piece of black metal. There was a softer material atop a sculpted out portion with a glass shield at one end.

"Have you ever seen a motorcycle?" Remi asked.

Ashriel recalled from his studies a little about the ancient Edenian transportation. "That looks nothing like a motorcycle."

"That's because this is the next generation," Remi grinned. "This, my dear Ash, is an aircycle."

Zak caressed the leather-like seat. "A 3842 Blade. Talk about power between your legs."

Remi barked out a laugh. "Ash, this beauty is guaranteed to blow your feathered ass away."

Ashriel frowned down at the shiny black aircycle. "How does it function?"

Remi tossed back his hair and clicked the stud on his tongue. "Link to me and watch."

Ashriel felt a pull on his mind and tried to resist. The vortex pulled him in and he felt himself surrounded by the scent of cinnamon and spice... and fire.

Remi threw one leg over the aircycle to straddle it. Ashriel tried to back away, feeling as if he were inside Remien's body. Zak gripped his arms. "Easy there. You'll get used to it. Just breathe and remember who you really are."

Ashriel shook his head, but he kept seeing double. He saw Remi turning the aircycle on, but at the same time felt as if it were his own hand palming the control panel. Energy pulsed beneath his ass, along his thighs, against his balls. He leaned forward, grasping the handgrips that slid from the sleek black aircycle. With a flick of his wrists and pushing down on the left foot pedal, the Blade took off, taking his breath away.

The craft sped at an incredible speed through the hangar. Lights came on far ahead, illuminating the way. He passed the reapers, Devon, and the weredragons, in the blink of an eye. Power rolled out in waves, and Ashriel almost screamed when he traversed a pair of metal doors that opened last second.

Remi's laughter rang out in his mind.

But the crazy weredragon wasn't finished.

He used his powers to open an elevator shaft and careened up the shaft at a ninety degree angle...straight up into the one hundred and eleventh level. Ashriel tightened his buttocks, fearing his heart and stomach would come out of his ass any second.

He zipped around a corner, looping up the walls, ceiling, and floors until he flew into his quarters. The aircycle went sideways when he tried to stop, slid across the floor in a crazy spin until it bumped the edge of the bed's pedestal.

His mate, Rowie stared at him, the whites of her eyes showing in terror. "You crazy son-of-a-bitch. You scared the living shit—"

Ashriel tried again to sever the link, but he couldn't. He was one with Remien when he jumped onto his mate's bed and covered her very pregnant body with his.

"Rowie," he snarled, aroused. His mouth smothered her moan and his tongue conquered every hot inch of her mouth. Blood spurted from his tongue when he purposefully nicked them on her vampire fangs. She groaned, gripped his hair, and hungrily sucked every drop.

Ashriel cried out in protest when his cock grew rigid.

Remi palmed himself, wanting to fuck Rowie, take her ass to avoid hurting the babies. Rowie loved when he pierced her sweet rosette with his cock.

"Baby," he growled, his back twitching to release his dragon's wings.

"No-no," Ashriel shouted angrily. He did not want to feel as if he were making love to another woman.

Rowie backed away with a frown, "Ashriel?"

Ashriel continued to struggle.

Her eyes widened and she looked at Remien crossly. "Remi."

Remi sulked, "But I'm horny."

Rowie, tried not to laugh. "Let Ash go."

Ashriel stumbled back into Zak's arms, dazed when he felt himself expulsed from the red weredragon's mind. His scent was still all over him as well as Rowie's.

"I swear, I'm going to ring his stupid neck."

"Get in line," Seth said appearing next to them.

Ashriel raked his fingers through his hair, scowling when that only made the scent of cinnamon stronger. "He's absolutely insane. Why the hell did Devon ever recruit him?"

"I ask myself that every day," Seth huffed.

Zak laughed. "He's not so bad. He's a damn good fighter, as an Alpha Angel he's really powerful, and you can count on him to back you up one hundred percent. I'd trust that bastard with my life or my family's any day."

Ashriel gave Zak a doubtful look.

"I just got clothes for you for our mission, Ash," Seth said drawing his bewildered attention.

Ashriel frowned. "What are you talking about?"

Seth let his eyes go down Ashriel's length. "You're wearing Zak's old stuff. We ordered you your own uniform."

"Uniform?"

Seth looked at Zak before looking back at him. "Yeah. Uniform. Is there a fucking echo in here?"

"Why have I been supplied with uniforms? What kind of uniforms? I do not want to be an Alpha Angel. My powers aren't like yours."

Seth shook his head. "You're an Alpha, Ash. Devon wants you in charge of the Dark Angels."

"Dark what?"

Seth rolled his eyes, obviously losing his patience. "Dark Angels. To disassociate you with Seraphia's reapers, he doesn't want people to continue to refer to all of you as fallen and he knows most of you don't like being called death angels, even though that's what you do, he got together with the others, and they picked Dark Angel as your new title."

"It was actually Annie's suggestion," Zak added.

The fight blew out of Ashriel's body as he gaped at both Alpha Angels. "Anniel came up with Dark Angel?"

They both nodded.

"Look, Ash. We're ready to go when you say so. If you don't mind, I suggest you go up to your quarters, freshen up in your hygiene unit, change your clothes into your own gear, and maybe have a little huddle with the crew before we shove off. We need a plan. We can't just fly into Edenian space and land on Earth or Mars and demand they answer our questions."

Ashriel looked at the young weretigri thoughtfully. "You're good at planning these things, aren't you?"

Zak grinned and patted Seth's back. The white-haired weretigri straightened a bit taller and nodded. "I find I rather enjoy it. We can hash around ideas with Dev up in the conference room before we leave. So what do you say to trying on a few of the things I picked out for you?"

Ashriel frowned. Now his curiosity was piqued. What could the weretigri have chosen for him?

"For the last time, Angel, I am not wearing leather. What I have on is comfortable and sensible."

Angel frowned at Anniel, as they both pulled their carry-ons into the starcruiser.

Anniel saw nothing wrong with her vest, black tank top, and black cargo pants. Her buckled black boots had foam rolls on the bottom for good traction. So-what if they looked a bit like Frankenstein shoes. She was dressed for a mission not to seduce anyone.

She'd plaited her hair into a long braid and pulled a cap over her head so that the front bill almost covered her eyes. She thought her outfit made her look tough, showed off the muscles of her arms.

"Once we pick out our sleeping cabins, we can load the weapons in the underbelly storage compartment."

Angel's eyes immediately lit up. "Weapons?"

"Yes," Anniel grinned. "Dev says we can't use our powers so we're going to have to try to intimidate with weapons, but only if we need to."

Angel frowned. "I thought we were going to kick some ass."

Anniel laughed out loud. Remi was rubbing off on the girl. "Only if we need to, Angel. We need to try peaceful first. We don't want more enemies than we already have."

"Hellooo," a sultry feminine voice called out from below.

Anniel and Angel stopped in their tracks and looked down the metal ramps they had been climbing.

A female reaper with light brown hair and up-tilted catlike eyes stood at the bottom of the ramp. Her black wings were pressed together at her back as if in prayer and two black straps crossed over the jutting swells of her breasts, leaving little to the imagination. A pair of black, skin tight leather pants barely covered her sex and hips and wicked looking thigh-high boots encased her long legs.

Anniel's eyes widened and Angel suddenly scowled up at Anniel.

"Angel, stop that growling," Anniel hissed before she smiled at the new-comer. "Hey."

The female reaper smiled and purred, "I'm Amadashiel." She boarded the starcruiser, pulling a small case with her.

"We're picking out our bunks," Anniel informed.

"There's too many of us. Tell her to go away," Angel muttered under her breath.

Anniel opened her eyes wide at Angel to signal her to be quiet.

Amadashiel wound her way up the ramp, past the storage level up to the living area where Anniel and Angel stood.

Angel walked away with a snort, leaving Anniel alone with the girl.

Up close, Anniel noticed how lush her mouth was and how tiny her waist, compared to her very big, very round boobs. A six pack rippled down her abdomen and she sported a glittering diamond over her belly button.

Amadashiel smiled and stuck her tongue out, showing the stud she had there too. "I love the red weredragon's piercings and I'm thinking of getting myself lasered with tattoos. He's so beautiful. Too bad he only has eyes for the pretty vampire girl...and she for him."

Amadashiel came closer, perhaps a bit too close for Anniel's comfort, after all, she'd never met the girl before. The girl reaper licked her lips, her eyes going over Anniel's face and breasts appreciatively. "You're very beautiful too. I like girls. How about you?"

Anniel took a step back with a nervous laugh. "I'm flattered, sweetie, but I'm a strictly dickly kind of girl, ya know."

Amadashiel pouted. "Oh, well. There's always Ashriel."

"Why Ashriel?" Angel blurted behind them, startling Anniel.

Amadashiel smiled now. "Because he is legendary among reapers. To watch Ashriel battle and kill demons and devils is to have a million orgasms at once."

Anniel looked at Angel. She too was gaping at the girl before she frowned and opened her mouth.

Fearing Angel would say something totally inappropriate, Anniel covered her mouth and blurted. "Excuse us please."

She hustled Angel, who was a little slip of a girl into the nearest cabin and closed the door behind them.

Anniel faced her, blocking the door, just in case. "Would you chill?"

"I don't like her," Angel said petulantly.

Anniel tried to be impartial. "Why not? She's just another reaper."

"She wants to fuck anything that walks. She'll go for Ashriel and I want him with you."

Anniel rolled her eyes. "Listen, cutie-pie. Ash is a big boy and can choose his own playmates."

"He wants you," Angel insisted, crossing her arms over chest with a frown.

Anniel closed her eyes and prayed for patience. It was going to be a long journey.

"Angel. The starcruiser isn't really very big and we need to get along. Promise me you'll be nice to the girl reaper."

Angel's lower lip stuck out more, belligerently.

"Angel?" Anniel warned. "Promise. Please?"

Angel rolled her eyes. "Fine. But if she starts making eyes at me or Devon, I'm busting her ass."

Angel," Anniel gasped and then frowned. "I'm going to have to have a talk with Rem about his vocabulary around you. Sheesh. That's not very lady-like, missy."

Angel snorted and began stowing away her carry on beneath the double bunkers.

Anniel looked around. There really wasn't much room. The upper and lower bunk beds were narrow, for just one person and were to the right of the door. The left side of the room had an open hygiene unit with a divider sectioning off a small desk area. There was about three feet of space between the side of the beds and the side of the hygiene and desk area.

Anniel smirked, "Guess you and Dev won't be able to sleep together during the trip."

Angel eyed the bunk beds and turned to Anniel with a frown. "Woman, what nonsense are you babbling about? Jaz will sleep in the portable crib we've brought along, and his father and I will occupy the top bunk so the little one won't see us in our intimacy." Angel grinned. "He's very smart. Last thing I want him to do is learn about adult matters before time."

Anniel frowned. "You and Dev are going to sleep in one bunk? But it's so narrow."

"Devon will fit just fine on his back, and I will lay on top of him." A shiver went through Angel and she licked her lips. "I have a fine husband. I will be keeping an eye on all the reapers here."

A soft knock at the door had Anniel pulling the little silver door open.

Natanael stood there, his hair a celestial blue. His nipples, which were pierced like Remi's, had little silver bars decorating them.
He saw Anniel and took a quick step back away from her.

Anniel frowned. "What's wrong, Nat?"

He scrubbed the back of his neck, something he did often when he was nervous. "Just keeping my distance. I don't want Ash to beat my ass."

Anniel scowled now. "And why would he do that?"

Natanael shrugged. "He's got dibs on you."

Anniel's mouth dropped open. "He what?"

Natanael took another step back and Amadashiel walked out from the cabin next to Angel and Devon's.

"Come-on, Anniel. Anyone who has eyes in their face and brains in their head knows Ash has the hots for you."

Amadashiel crossed her arms under her ample breasts, irritating Anniel. Why did she have to be standing there butting her nose in this.

"Listen here, bubba," Anniel snarled poking a finger into Natanael's well-sculpted chest. "I'm not Ashriel's property. I belong to no one. Got it?"

Natanael nodded frantically and then rushed off to the other side of the ramp to disappear into one of the bunkers over there. The little metal door slammed behind him.

Amadashiel observed her. "There are four more reapers and two of your males boarding this cruiser. We're ten all together and there are only eight beds. Are you sharing a room with one of the other males?"

Anniel's jaw dropped. Share her room? She hadn't thought of that. She certainly didn't want to bunk in with Devon and Angel. That would be awkward. They fucked like bunnies.

"Seth," she blurted. "I'll be bunking in with Seth."

Seth was safe. He was practically her baby boy.

Eriel strolled up the ramp and nodded at them before going into the same room Natanael had disappeared into. Abdiel and another dark-haired reaper came in next conversing between themselves. They greeted Anniel and Amadashiel and took the last unoccupied cabin left.

Amadashiel smiled broadly. "That means Ashriel will have no choice but to sleep here with me." Her smile faded. "You don't mind, do you? I won't interfere if you wish to mate him first, though, truth be told, he has enough stamina as a newly fallen reaper to handle us both."

Anniel shook her head. "He's all yours. I have no designs on no one."

Anniel walked to the back of the sleeping level. There was a small lounge there. There was an L shaped couch, a rectangular metal table and a small screen probably for entertainment.

She shoved her carry on next to the couch with a frown. Ashriel was going to sleep with another woman.

Well, not actually sleep with her. They were going to share a room.

Anniel closed her eyes as she sank onto the dark grey couch. This was a mistake. She was going to be miserable the whole trip.

Angel peeked out from her cabin, looking all around until she spotted Anniel.

She emerged from her cabin and took the five steps necessary to reach the tiny lounge.

"Can I see the weapons now?"

Anniel grinned. The girl had a one track mind when her hunky man wasn't around.

"Weapons. I'm pretty sure the black containers outside have some of the stuff, Seth acquired for this trip. Let's go check it out."

They descended the ramps located in the very center of the starcruiser, back down to the outer hangar.

A few paces from the transport, were five large metal containers.

Anniel and Angel approached the black boxes to investigate.

Devon and Seth appeared near them. Devon had a sleeping Jazriel strapped to his chest.

"I'll teleport the rest of our stuff onboard, baby. You take this little man and tuck him in our sleeping cabin."

Angel helped un-strap the baby, and carefully took him into her arms.

Seth waved a hand over the boxes and began walking toward the starcruiser. The boxes followed him, rolling on small wheels.

Anniel crossed her arms over her chest. Now she had nothing more to do.

A strange sound had her turning back. Her eyes widened at the sight of Ashriel approaching, riding Remi's aircycle. Her jaw dropped when she got a really good look at him.

He was dark sensual temptation incarnate. All dressed in black, from the black trench coat covering his wings, to the washed out jeans hugging his mouth-watering thighs. Heavy boots that had buckles running up their entire length encased his calves and feet.

He stopped a few feet from her, his luminous grey eyes staring right at her until he turned the aircycle off and looked down to kick out the stand. His dark hair slid over one shoulder. He'd cut it.

Anniel stood rooted to the spot, until he frowned.

"Is there something wrong?"

She swallowed and approached him. His eyes widened a bit when she reached up and grasped a handful of his tresses. It was still long, just about an inch past his bulky shoulders. The overhead lights brought out the subtle gold and auburn highlights in his hair.

The pupils of his eyes widened as he licked his lips and dropped his gaze to her mouth.

Anniel let her fingers slide to his neck. The temptation to press against him and kiss him was more than she could stand. He helped by putting his hand to her waist and drawing her forward.

"Annie," he whispered when her breasts touched his chest.

She rested her hand on his thigh and turned her head to lean closer. He reached up and pulled her cap off. It fell somewhere behind her. The warmth of his breath teased her lips.

Her heart beat so hard, she was sure he could hear it, but she didn't care. Her body was aflame for him, her breasts felt achy and she rubbed her thighs together to relieve the throbbing that suddenly arose there.

The silk of his hair engulfed her hand when she stroked the back of his skull. Ashriel turned his head also, aligning their hungry mouths for a kiss.

Her lips barely brushed the petal softness of his, as his hand pressed her tighter. Moisture flooded her mouth in anticipation of the sweet taste of Ashriel's mouth. The memory of it made her sigh, open her lips to his.

"Ashriel," Amadashiel called out, her boots clacking upon the hangar floor.

Both, Anniel and Ashriel startled apart, though Ashriel kept his hold on Anniel's waist.

Still, Anniel stepped away from him, pushing his hand away. Her whole body was shaking and she had to fight the urge to turn and snarl at the girl.

He stared deep into her eyes, his own smoldering with frustrated desire, before he glared at the approaching reaper.

Amadashiel stepped up to him, opposite Anniel. The girl reaper grinned and ran her fingers through his locks. "Now this is the Ashriel I remember." She frowned at his coat before smiling as her hand slipped inside to stroke his bare chest.

Anniel's feral snarl startled all of them, including herself. "Uh, sorry," she blurted clearing her throat and feeling grateful her skin was too dark for them to see the hot flush heating her cheeks. "I just remembered I forgot something important in my quarters."

Ashriel watched her vanish, and grit his teeth as the reaper returned to caressing him. He was hard with frustrated desire for Anniel and had to shake himself out of the stupor he'd been left in when she just disappeared. Amadashiel's hand slid down to press against his erection, making him stand abruptly and dismount the aircycle.

He frowned at her from the other side of the Blade.

"I can take care of that for you, Ashriel," she sighed, licking her pouty lips. "I'd love to just slide my mouth on it, and suck your seed right out of your balls."

Ashriel's mouth dropped open at her lewd suggestion.

She giggled, and then placed her hands on the seat of the aircycle, making her ample breasts swell to the point where they seemed ready to pop out of the X-straps barely covering her nipples. Amadashiel's light brown hair cascaded over her shoulders as she opened her black wings and tilted her ass up in invitation. "Fuck me, Ashriel. I've always dreamed of you fucking me. You're so beautiful. I want you. Here. Now."

He took a step back, and she pouted. "Amadashiel, how could you say such things? If you have no respect for me then at least have some for yourself, child."

The reaper frowned. "I'm not a child, Ashriel." Her wings fanned, lifting her over the aircycle to land right in front of him. To his shock, she gripped his hands and placed them over her breasts. "A little girl doesn't have these."

He tried to jerk his hands away, but she held his wrists hard, and to make matters worse, her eyes filled with tears. "Why don't you want me? I renounced my rank as a reaper because I was in love with you. I needed to get away. I couldn't stand seeing you day after day and know I could never have you, so I renounced."

Shock left him breathless as he gaped at her. "What are you saying?"

Amadashiel released his wrists and wrapped her arms around his neck to press against him. "I served one hundred siglons on Hygantha Four to get away from you. I sold myself into prostitution for another siglon, and just when I thought I had finally gotten over you, you fall from grace. If I'd have known you were weak of flesh, I would've sinned with you—"

Ashriel shoved her away, the horror of being deplumed still fresh in his memory." You don't know what you're saying. Please—"

She gripped him again, her fingers trapping him by his belt to pull his groin against hers. "I don't know any fallen reaper who hasn't dreamed of having you. I had the privilege of seeing you battle against the legion of evil unleashed by the angel of destruction. You were so glorious."

Ashriel frowned and tried to pry her fingers from his belt. "I only did what we are born to do. Kill Devils and Demons. Amadashiel, I am sorry you felt the need to renounce. I never knew you harbored such feelings toward me, but it's just lust."

She grinned again, "Yes. And now I can act upon it. Let's fuck, Ashriel. Right here."

He blinked at her in surprise, his eyes darting up to see a few of the others stowing their cargo into the lower hold. "In plain view of the others?"

"They've seen fucking before. Besides, it excites me more to know I'm being observed."

Ashriel swallowed hard and shook his head. He was at a loss as to what to say.

"Feeling shy?" She laughed, her naughty hand caressing him between his legs again. "God-that excites me even more. I keep forgetting you've only fucked once. You're still practically a virgin for all effects."

If he knew how to teleport, he would have done so by now, but his wings were effectively trapped beneath the heavy trench coat Seth had acquired for him and the girl had her hands all over him. At the moment, she was trying to release his now flaccid cock from his pants.

Ashriel couldn't help but feel accosted. He wanted no one but Anniel's hands on his body, but she'd abandoned him to the unwanted advances of this female.

The sight of a gleaming blade sliding up against Amadashiel's throat had him ceasing all movement.

Angel, Devon's mate wedged her way between him and the female reaper.

"I think the gentleman does not appreciate your attentions, female. Let him go."

Amadashiel's eyes went black. "How dare you. Get away from us and mind your own business."

Angel's tiny hand pressed against his belly, moving him back as she came completely between their bodies. Her white-blonde hair tickled his chest and abs when he circled his arm about her waist and pulled her tight against him. "Angel, put your sword away. You cannot fight a reaper."

He felt her stiffen before she glared up at him over her shoulder. "You've never seen me fight, foolish male. This is between me and this female, so do not interrupt."

Her haughty attitude toward him made his brows shoot up his forehead. He might have been amused except for the fact that Amadashiel was slowly reaching for her own sword.

"Enough," he snapped twirling Angel away before both women began trying to hack away at each other. "If both of you don't cease and desist this show of aggression, you will be banned from this mission."

"She started it by interrupting our foreplay." Amadashiel protested, stabbing a finger in Angel's direction.

"Foreplay to rape," Angel snorted in disgust. "The reaper doesn't want you, mongura-brain."

Amadashiel hissed in rage. Ashriel saw instantly when her muscles tensed to lunge. "Don't," he snapped. "Twitch one more muscle and you stay."

The girl froze, but her scowl deepened.

He released Angel, saw her take one step away before she spun.

Ashriel found himself on his ass, staring up in stunned disbelief into the tiny nymph-like girl's scowling face. Her enormous blue eyes narrowed. "Don't ever tell me I cannot fight a reaper. You're lucky I like you otherwise I'd have handed you your balls."

She kissed his forehead and turned, sashaying her glossy vinyl covered rump to the starcruiser. Devon stood at the edge of the ramp, his eyes full of lust and amusement.

Seth stood blocking his view suddenly. "I need you at the helm. We'll plot the coordinates on this bucket of bolts together." His eyes rose to Amadashiel and frosted over. "You help the others finish stowing away the cargo."

Amadashiel stomped away as Seth offered him a hand.

Ashriel stood and dusted himself off self-consciously. He couldn't believe that tiny girl had set him on his ass in the blink of an eye. She was amazing. "Never under estimate an opponent," he murmured under his breath.

Seth nodded. "She's like nothing you've ever seen, so don't piss her off."

Ashriel took a deep breath. "I'll remember that."

Anniel listened to Angel wide-eyed.

"She had him by his belt with one hand and with the other she was trying to open his pants. The poor Seraph struggled to get her to stop, but she persisted. I couldn't stand it anymore so I intervened."

"Wow, Angel."

"He didn't allow me to kick her ass though-foolish male. He told me I cannot fight reapers. Is that not ridiculous?"

Anniel bit her lips so Angel wouldn't get mad seeing her laugh. "Oh, honey. Yes. That is quite ridiculous. Just because they're twice your height and weight and have deadly wings and divine swords is no reason to think you can't beat them."

"Of course. The bigger they are the faster they go down. Simple physics."

Anniel smirked at her. "It also helps when the opponent is as cute as you are. You look as sweet and innocent as baby kitten."

Angel smirked right back at her. "Devon says I'm sexy."

Anniel rolled her eyes and laughed. "He would. He's your man."

Jazriel began to fuss in his portable crib. Angel rose from the lower bunk where she sat across from Anniel. Pulling down one of the straps to her top, she exposed a pert breast. Already a tiny drop of milk dangled from her nipple. Gathering the baby into her arms, she allowed him to suckle at her breast.

A lump formed in Anniel's throat at the memory of nursing her own child.

Devon strode into the tiny room. "Ah, just in time for dinner I see."

Angel snorted when he bent over to kiss her lips. "Go find your own food. Your son will not let us sleep if you take any of his."

Devon chuckled. "No sharing with papa?"

Jazriel responded by palming Angle's free breast and glaring at his father.

Devon snorted. "I hope your future son is as greedy as you, Jaz. Then you'll see."

Jazriel stopped sucking and offered his palm to his father. Devon leaned over and kissed the baby's hand tenderly, reassuring him that he was not angry. "I love you, son."

Jazriel resumed nursing with a contented sigh. Devon rose enough to look at Angel's mouth hungrily.

Anniel stood, feeling like an intruder in their midst. "I think I'll get myself something to munch on, and find Seth."

Devon turned to wink at her. "He's up at the helm."

Anniel left the small cabin and shut the door behind her. The lighting in the starcruiser was soft, making the exposed metal surfaces glow with a pearly sheen. Across the ramps before her were two more cabins. To her right was the dining galley and to her left was the tiny lounge where she would probably spend sleeping cycle in.

Ashriel would be with that slutty reaper. Would he finally succumb to her charms? The girl was really pretty, sleeker with a small waistline, unlike Anniel who tended to be a thicker girl.

Anniel took a deep breath and stopped growling. She really needed to get a grip on her animalistic side. Her wolf was acting possessive of Ashriel and that just could not be tolerated. She already was pissed off at herself for trying to kiss him earlier. Of all the stupid things she could do that was at the top of her list.

All was quiet. Below, she could see the storage level through the mesh-like ramps that descended into the gloomy darkness. The upper level looked dark too.

Again, she cast her gaze to the cabin next to Angel and Devon's. Could he be in there with her now?

Cursing tightly under her breath, she almost ran up the smaller ramp leading up to the helm above.

It was a tiny bubble-like room with a view screen encircling its entirety. Nothing but the billions of stars in the absolute black of space and the glowing control panel lit the breathtaking sight before her.

Ashriel sat sprawled in the pilot's chair. He'd taken his coat off and his wings draped across the cockpit floor in a languid display of jet feathers. One of his bulky arms rested on the chair's armrest, the other was bent, his fingers stroking his chin. His feet were resting on the edge of the control panel making his abdominal muscles bunch up and pectorals more prominent. Anniel's mouth watered, taking in the tousled dark hair spread over his shoulders, and brooding look on his heartbreaking face.

He turned with a start, noticing her at last. His eyes widened a bit, and then he stiffened and drew himself upright in the pilot's seat.

Anniel flinched when he began to scowl.

Her eyes went to the screen looking for something to say. "I thought we'd be going faster than this? When will we reach the Edenian solar system?"

He leaned back and turned his head to the screen also, giving her the perfect opportunity to admire his strong profile. "We decided to head to the Rhylos sector first. We need to approach the Edenian solar system carefully so as not to raise suspicion."

"Okay. I guess that's a smart thing to do." She crossed her arms over her chest and leaned against the railing of the ramp.

Ashriel crossed his ankle over his knee and slouched down a bit as he tapped a few screens on the control panel.

She watched the play of muscles that little action caused and felt her insides quiver.

Fuck. Her heat cycle was really coming up. In a few more weeks, she'd be baying at the stars in agony. If things started to heat up a bit too much, she'd have to bail on this mission. No way was she going to go into full heat on a starcruiser full of horny reapers.

"There seems to be a rebellion taking place there. The government has asked Devon numerous times to help them capture and destroy a creature they claim is half Seraph, half cyborg, who's causing dissention amongst the civilians."

Anniel wrinkled her nose. "Devon doesn't like to stick his nose in those types of problems."

"Neither do I, but It'll be a good excuse to approach the Edenian government for help in the situation. We are to pretend to be emissaries of the Rhylos Kingdom. Everyone knows how the king loves to dally with...prostitutes. They practically run his kingdom. That is why the people are in revolt."

Anniel felt his shame wash over him. Why did he feel so mortified.

Before she could stop herself, she approached him. "Ashriel, you pretty much just awakened a few day cycles ago. Devon can help you so that you don't need to live the way other reapers have."

He turned with a scowl on his face. "I do not want hand outs."

She stopped breathing. He looked so enraged, it left her speechless.

He seemed to pull all that anger back into himself and closed his eyes. With a sigh, he lowered his head, the small movement causing his shorter hair to slip forward and hide half his face. His wings relaxed to spread slowly across the floor.
Her hands itched to stroke the glossy black angel wings. Anniel stuck them under her armpits and clamped her biceps down hard to avoid falling into temptation. Clearing her throat so that her voice didn't come out husky from the aching desire she felt for him, she said. "Don't be stubborn, Ashriel. We've been doing little jobs here and there that don't involve getting involved in planetary revolutions and we've all banked enough money to last us five life times."

Ashriel suddenly shot to his feet. "And that justifies me accepting your charity?" He stalked closer until he had her cornered against the railing. He put his hands to either side of her, trapping her in place.

Anniel stared up at him. She was a tall girl, but Ashriel, being an even seven feet tall, effectively towered over her. The sight of his wings spreading out behind him had her growling, but not as a threat. His show of dominance brought forth her wolf's need to challenge that dominance.

"You're little show of temper does not frighten me, Beautiful," he rasped, making her want to pant and turn her ass to him in submission.

She bit her lip instead tamping down the urge to whine. He leaned in and gripped the back of her neck. Her knees gave way as he held her to his body. The feel of a stiff cock was not hard to miss. Again, she snarled at him, wanting deep inside for him to take her, bite the back of her neck, and mount her roughly.

The black wings arched over their heads, making him look dangerous, like a dark angel.

His mouth finally took hers.

Anniel clung to him, eating away at his lush mouth hungrily. Their tongues danced and stroked fervently, reacquainting themselves with their heat and taste. Ashriel's other hand circled her waist as he groaned. Anniel, unable to resist, wrapped one leg around his waist wanting to feel his need for her. His hard cock pushed against the seam of her sex, spreading her folds open within the confines of her cargo pants. The thick inner seam of her pants rubbed against her swollen nub making her whimper and arch more into him.

"God-help-me, Anniel. I want you again," he moaned.

"Oh, fuck. Am I interrupting something?" a masculine voice chuckled. "Can I join in?"

Anniel shoved Ashriel away to growl at Abdiel. The blond reaper's eyes widened as he backed away, and raised his hands. "Maybe not, I guess. Please don't kill me... either of you. I'm still a virgin. I really don't want to die a virgin."

"You are an ass," Ashriel snarled.

Anniel shook herself out of the frustrated haze of lust and stomped past Abdiel. He gave her a wide berth despite the ramp to the helm being barely two and a half feet wide.

Down in the second level, she stopped and took a cleansing breath. God- that had been close. What was she thinking, trying to kiss him again? Although, this time he had come at her. Just the memory of it made her want to howl in frustration.

Shaking her head in disapproval, she headed for the small eating galley. Three people would barely fit inside and Seth already sat at one of the stools staring unhappily at a cube of prinut.

Anniel shut the galley door behind her and looked around. The dining galley was very utilitarian. There was a wall of cabinets right across from the door, and metal counters flanked either side of the walls. There was a stool at either counter and nothing else. The floor was covered in some type of rubbery coating that was a dark coal grey.

"The damn food replicator was programmed to spew out this shit," Seth grumbled.

She took a cleansing breath, staring at him. Staring at Seth always helped her get her head back on right.

Her beautiful boy, though he really wasn't a boy anymore. Seth was in his early twenties if you didn't count the three hundred years they were in suspended animation. He'd cut his hair again, but it fell in wispy layers of silvery white around his face and shoulders. His pale blue eyes peered at her through platinum locks but his lashes were dark. She smiled, and cupped his cheek giving him a chaste kiss on the tip of his up tilted nose.

"Let's see if I can find something to make that's better than that, sweetie."

He rarely ever smiled, but she could see the happiness sparkle in his pretty blue eyes and the way his lush lips tilted up just ever so slightly.

On a whim she cupped his face again and kissed his cheek. "Sweet baby."

He did smile that time, but looked down, clearing his throat as his fingers thrummed on the counter. "I'm not a baby."

"You are to me," she said looking through the cabinets before turning to study the menu panel of the food replicator.

Ashriel forced himself to calm. His loins ached terribly, but he was grateful Abdiel had interrupted when he did. If the reaper hadn't, he'd be buried balls deep within Anniel at the moment. The thought made him shudder and stagger back into his chair at the helm. He winced and groaned when his pants squashed his erection.

"Fuck," he hissed spreading his thighs, looking for relief.

Abdiel cleared his throat and scratched his head. "I can get one of the others to help you with that."

"Get out," Ashriel snapped.

Abdiel jumped and took a step back. "Look, I said I was sorry. I'd volunteer, but I want my first time to be meaningful."

Ashriel buried his face in his hands. Meaningful. He barely remembered making love to Anniel. He snorted in disgust. Making love was not what they had done. They had fucked...savagely. He'd woken up with a bloodied, sore cock and muddled memories of her screams of rapture.

His cock twitched again making him wince. "Why the hell are you even here, Abdiel? Why did you leave Seraphia? You did not even formally renounce. They will hunt you down and punish you."

"I'd like to see them try. I'm sick of being a slave to their beliefs."

Ashriel jerked upright and stared at the young reaper. "We weren't slaves."

Abdiel snorted. "Really? Our entire existence was dictated to us. We weren't even allowed to have a normal life like other Seraph's. Our only goal imposed on us was to kill."

Ashriel sighed, palming his erections and wishing it would abate. "We are special, Abdiel. Only we are capable of ridding our realm of evil."

"That's not true." Abdiel approached Ashriel and sank down to his knees before him. "Devon can kill demons and devils, as well as the other Alpha Angels."

"Devon is the son of Davariel. Of course, he'd inherit his father's ability to destroy Demons and Devils, but he is weak to them as well, Abdiel. Never forget that." He looked at the young reaper at his feet. "He battles good and evil internally. If he were ever to lose any of his beloved angels, or his mate, he'd lose what little hold he has on his good nature. His demonic side would take over. Haven't you seen him when he begins to get agitated? The demonic blood within his veins becomes purer, diluting the human. His blood turns black. His veins show beneath his skin and his eyes glow brighter."

"You want to kill him regardless, don't you?"

Ashriel thought hard. No. He didn't think he'd have the courage to kill a man he doubts about, but the alternative was too risky. He firmly believed Devon turning demon would be the end of creation. And it would take too little to tip the scales within Devon.

That brought his thoughts to Lucien.

Lucien was without a doubt just a puppet. But he still had the power to find a powerful virgin to anoint Lucifer's sword and finish his father's task-breaking open the gates of Hell and releasing Satan.

Ashriel looked up at Abdiel. "How many other reapers at Alpha 7 are chaste like you?"

Abdiel bit his lip. "Just me."

Ashriel scowled. "I forbid you to accompany me on the hunt for the dark prince."

Abdiel shot to his feet. "Why the hell not?" He began to laugh. "You think the dark prince will capture me and sacrifice me with Lucifer's sword?"

"He could," Ashriel answered.

"If that were the case, no holy warrior would be able to go up against the dark princes."

"This time is different. Lucien is human and therefore we can't kill him like a Demon or Devil."

Abdiel glared down at Ashriel. "You're not keeping me out of this mission. Dava tried to do the same to me and it didn't work."

Ashriel regarded Abdiel closely. The reaper had been a mere boy when Davariel descended into the anteroom to Hell for the last time. Abdiel had claimed that the angel of destruction had knocked him out so he wouldn't follow him down into the abyss. Apparently, Davariel had cared deeply for the boy, enough to safeguard his innocence from the plentiful orgies that took place at the mansion on Sjoria. Abdiel had no recollection of them and claimed they were evil lies conjured up by those who feared and hated the fallen angel.

Ashriel had also been a boy at that time, even younger than Abdiel, but he'd been thrust prematurely into Gadriel's spot when Davariel killed the high priest on Megdoluc.

Ashriel had later learned that the slain high priest had been molesting Davariel from a very early age. It sickened him to think that something that nefarious could actually happen within the sanctified walls of Angelos.

When Ashriel didn't say another word, Abdiel turned and stomped angrily down the ramp.

Ashriel sighed and leaned down into the chair. Uttering a stiff curse, he unfastened his belt and pants to give himself a bit of relief. He wasn't as hard as before but he still felt uncomfortable.

Relief was instantaneous. For a moment, he was tempted to slip his hand inside and relieve the ache in his balls. He'd never succumbed to masturbating before. His body usually released by itself while he slept to his chagrin. His dreams were always filled with visions of Anniel.

His eyelids began to droop. A small nap wouldn't hurt. He felt exhausted. The craft was on auto-pilot to Rhylos and he knew Seth would come back after having something to eat. He'd been gone awhile.

Seth took another healthy bite out of the sandwich she'd made for him. "Mmm," he growled around a bite. " No one cooks like you."

Anniel laughed. "It's a sandwich, silly. I didn't cook it. I just put it together."

He grinned, making her breath catch. "It's still good."

She reached out and stroked her fingers through his baby fine hair. "You should smile more often, sweetie. You look so handsome when you do."

His smile vanished. "Let's not start that again. I am what I am."

Anniel huffed, not wanting to irritate him. Instead, she kissed his cheek and busied herself with the second sandwich she'd made.

"To bad Ash isn't enjoying one of these. His stomach was rumbling like a beast before. It made me hungry, that 's why I came here."

Anniel looked at Seth, feeling her appetite wither away with the mention of the dark reaper. "Ash was hungry?"

"Very, from what I heard coming from his empty guts. I don't think he ate today. He's into all this fasting stuff. Says it strengthens the spirit." Seth snorted. "Weakens the body if you ask me."

Anniel nibbled the corner of her lip, looking down at her untouched sandwich.

"Why don't you share that one with him since you both like to starve yourselves."

Anniel scowled at him. "I do not starve myself. I go on diets once in a while to keep my shape."

Seth frowned. "There's nothing wrong with your shape, woman. Go feed that reaper."

She snorted at his high-handedness, but grabbed the plate with the sandwich and left the galley.

He was half asleep when the distinct feel of a hot tongue swirled in his belly button. A delicate hand slipped inside his pants and he sighed in bliss. She'd come back to him.

"Anniel," he sighed when a hot mouth engulfed his shaft. He gasped in shock and gripped the armrests of the pilot's chair. She sucked him hungrily, devouring him in fervor. Shaking he lifted his head, feeling himself on the verge of ejaculating and cursing his inexperience. He should last longer. Females wanted men who could hold back their orgasms. Holy fuck...it was nearly impossible. Ashriel opened his eyes, about to beg her to stop when he saw Anniel standing by the ramp with a plate in her hand. Her lip was between her teeth and tears trailed down her cheeks.

"Nooo," Ashriel cried out when his cum jetted into Amadashiel's mouth. "Nooo."