Araton

by Brenda Trim

  “Do you have anything for the human infected by the darkness?” Araton asked, his tone much more subdued and almost pleading now. He even reached over his shoulder and pulled out some feathers. “I will give you some of my feathers. We need to help her. She’s being transported to ritual sites while she sleeps.”

  “Dere is nothing I have dat will help dis woman. You must bring her to me,” Marie told him. “Unless she dies first den you must burn da body.”

  “She won’t be dying,” he snarled while his chest moved like a bellows. It was impossible to calm his shit down enough to think straight. “Is there a safer way for us to reach you? Lia will not survive your Wendigo. I will not place her at risk,” Araton informed the Voodoo Queen with no room for debate.

  “You will bring her to my tomb in three days at noon,” Marie told him then poured the concoction into a large jar. That was the day of the full moon when they had to use the potion on the mansion. “Now leave before I regenerate my Wendigo.”

  “Thank you,” Abraxos said as he accepted the jar. Ayil grabbed hold of Araton and dragged him to the door before he could start yelling at her that they didn’t have days. That Lia didn’t have days. No matter how hard he tried to fight their current situation, he had a sinking feeling he was going to lose Natalia before he was able to help her.

  The female was strong and determined to do what was right for others without consideration for herself. Natalia’s inner light was a gift to the world. Darkness would descend if she was lost in the battle against evil. Marie Leveau had better have an answer for them or Araton would rain hell on demons.

  .

  Chapter 13

  Araton scanned the houses and yards below him as he flew throughout the city. Countless colorful houses passed by below with quaint, quiet gardens. Nothing pinged his senses despite his desperate need for any sign of demons.

  Natalia had disappeared from her bedroom an hour ago and he hadn’t been fast enough to follow her. He’d naively assumed she was confined by mortal means of transportation.

  Never in his wildest dreams did he believe she could teleport like upper level demons or angels. The fact that he was able to go anywhere with a thought mocked him at the moment. There was no way to go to individuals or he would have found his sister the moment she’d been taken a century before.

  No way could he tolerate the thought of her suffering like Illianna had during her captivity in the Underworld. Not that he was happy about what his sister went through. He was murderous most days and on the bad days when he couldn’t let go of his colossal failure where Illianna was concerned he went nuclear, killing hundreds of demons in his wake.

  His trip to Marie Leveau had paid off, but he had to wait to implement anything for a couple more days. Patience wasn’t his thing. Action was where he excelled. He was even better at killing shit.

  None of them knew what happened to Lia when she disappeared like this. The last time this happened to her she called him from out near the swamps covered in blood. There had been dead animals near where she woke up but what he hadn’t had the heart to tell her was not all the blood on her was from animals.

  He couldn’t stand to see her Light dim like it would if she suspected she had killed someone, or more than one person. Something pure shone from Natalia and made the world a better place. As an angel Araton was familiar with goodness on a level few really understood.

  Ringing interrupted his search and had him stilling and hovering in the air above some quiet houses on the west side. Pulling his cell phone from his back pocket he nearly fell from the sky when he saw Lia’s name flash on the screen.

  Thumbing the screen, Araton tried hard to reign in the emotions battling in his mind. “Lia? Are you okay? What happened?” He barked sounding far angrier than he actually was.

  “I…I don’t know,” she said on a sob. “The last thing I remember is going to the kitchen to make a drink after I showered. I had just slid my cell phone into the side pocket of my leggings and then I woke up here…” her words broke off as she choked and cried.

  “Listen to me, Dove,” he replied, gentling his voice and keeping the anger raging through his veins out as much as he could. He wasn’t mad at her, but at Lucifer and his minions. “Don’t look around. Getting upset could attract any demons near you to your location.”

  “Okay,” she said with a hiccup. “Can you come get me?”

  “Where are you?” he asked.

  “I’m at the University. Close to the water, I think. At least it looks like water out the window,” she told him.

  “The University of New Orleans?” He clarified. He was on the opposite side of the city searching through Marigny. He’d been over the Seventh Ward and Bayou St. John but hadn’t gone to the University. He expected her to be closer to her house in Mid City.

  “Yes. I don’t know what building I’m in. There’s blood…” Her voice cut out when he teleported to the campus. It didn’t take long for him to home in on her location.

  “I’m here, Dove,” he told her, cutting off what she was saying. He didn’t want her to focus on what surrounded her. Accessing his texting app, he shot a message to his brothers asking for them and the Dark Warriors to deal with what he thought would be the scene of at least one murder inside the Fine Arts building.

  Not bothering with the door, he teleported inside and stopped short at the sight of Natalia standing there covered in blood. There was no sight of a body anywhere close, but he wasn’t going to stick around with her. The others could do a search and deal with whatever they found.

  Lia ran to him and he caught her up as she threw herself in his arms. “OhmyGodIthinkIkilledsomeone,” she rushed out when he wrapped her up.

  Araton tightened his hold and ran one hand down her back. “You’re okay now. I won’t let anything happen to you. Slow down and tell me again.”

  Lia took a deep breath and put some space between their bodies then wiped her eyes with the back of one hand smearing blood across her face. “I think I killed someone. We have to look around. Maybe they’re not dead and we can help them.”

  “My brothers are going to be here…right now,” Araton told her as he felt them arrive. A second later Ayil and Abraxos appeared next to them.

  “Brother,” Ayil greeted as he looked around.

  “What do you know,” Abraxos demanded.

  “I think I killed someone. We have to find them and get help if we can,” Natalia blurted desperately.

  “We’ve got this. Brother take her home and get her cleaned up. Let us know if she remembers anything else,” Abraxos told him.

  “Yeah. There’s no need for you guys to be here. Aison and Dante will be here soon to help,” Ayil added.

  Araton nodded and glanced around at the blood visible in the room. There was little doubt about what had happened, and it made him worry about Natalia. He couldn’t bear to see her destroyed by this.

  Wrapping her tight, he took them to his house in the Garden District before she could respond to anyone. She staggered out of his arms when they reappeared. “Warn a girl next time. I think I’m going to be sick,” she complained as she braced herself on her knees.

  Araton walked from his bedroom into the bathroom and turned on the light then the multiple shower heads in the large stall. When he returned to Lia, she was standing upright and glancing around the room.

  “We’re in my home,” he said, answering her silent question. “Let’s get you cleaned up.”

  Natalia looked down at herself and frantically clawed at her bloody clothes. Moving to her side, Araton tugged her shirt over her head and pulled her pants off fast so she couldn’t get even more upset by what she looked like.

  She barely noticed she was standing in front of him in a sports bra and underwear as she hung her head. Gently, Araton lead her to the stall that was filling with steam. Araton kicked off his shoes and toed off his socks. His shorts and pants followed suit. He had his boxer briefs on the pile before he opened the door and push
ed Lia under the stream.

  Her shoulders shook as he gathered her in his arms. She laid her head on his chest and cried while he washed her back and arms. He didn’t want to break their connection to wash her front and legs. He needed to be close to her as much as she did at the moment.

  After several minutes he had to do something to stop the flow of her tears. It wrecked him to hear her so distraught. Unsure how to make her feel better, he tilted her chin up and claimed her lips in a gentle kiss.

  At least that was his intention. Things got carried away the moment their mouths met. She clawed his shoulders and licked her way into his mouth. Their tongues tangled wetly, making him go from zero to sixty in the blink of an eye.

  He hadn’t been sexually aroused before that second, but now his desire for her burned him alive and stole all rational thought with it. He lifted the bottom of her sports bra and broke the kiss long enough to pull it over her head.

  His hard cock was trapped between their hard bodies. Her green eyes looked up at him for several long seconds. He had no idea what she was searching for, as his hands clenched on her hips.

  Licking her lips, she lowered her head and kissed his chest while she ran her hands up his back. He picked her up and claimed her mouth once again. Their mouths moved together while she wrapped her legs around his waist.

  The change in position placed his erection against the heat of her core. She writhed and moved while he grabbed handfuls of her lush ass and squeezed. When she was breathless from his kisses, she broke away and gazed at him with lust filled eyes.

  “I’m going to fuck you, Dove. Say no now if you don’t want that,” he informed her. He needed to be absolutely certain before he moved forward.

  “Took you long enough, Wings,” she replied with a sexy smile.

  With a growl he lifted her higher and placed kisses on each of her breasts. She responded readily and with enthusiasm. Her moans increased as he pinched, licked and sucked on her nipples. Her legs fell away from his waist and he took advantage.

  Wrapping one arm around her back, he used the other and removed her panties one inch at a time while he continued laving attention on her breasts. By the time the panties were sitting in a wet pile on the floor she was wiggling and trying to rub against him.

  “Do you need something?”

  “You wicked angel. I need you to rub my clit and fuck me,” she informed him on a groan.

  “How’s this?” He asked and brought their bodies together. His move sent pleasure racing through his body. Her slick channel was fucking perfect. His shaft throbbed and his seed threatened to explode from his body in an instant.

  “Yes,” she hissed. “Make me forget.”

  Araton nearly stopped at those words, but he needed the same thing. It tore him up inside to keep seeing her devastated face and distraught sobs. He needed to replace that image with something better.

  “I will fuck you until you are screaming my name. But You will remember that you aren’t evil. We will beat this,” he vowed to her.

  Wrapping her arms around his neck, she bit down on his bottom lip and rocked her core over his cock. His mind went blank as all he could think about was not coming yet. Claiming her mouth, he took control and poured all of his desire for her into his kiss.

  With one arm holding her up, he used the other to tease her opening while his shaft rubbed over her clit. She was dripping wet and eager as she tried to push into his fingers.

  Araton wanted to go slow and savor the moment, but he was too far gone. He would make it up to her, he thought as he inserted one finger then added another to ensure she was ready for him.

  Removing his hand, he adjusted his cock and paused with the tip at her entrance. Capturing her gaze, Araton looked at her while he drove home. That was the first thought that ran through his head when he was balls deep inside his female. Home. He’d never felt more in his life.

  Grabbing her ass with both hands, he pulled out then plunged back inside. Her cry of pleasure as her head fell back on her shoulders was music to his ears. He lowered his head and kissed her nipple while he slowly fucked her.

  Leaning her against the wall, Araton used his hips to keep her in place and cupped her cheeks. When she lowered her head, he pressed his mouth to hers and licked inside her mouth.

  His thrusts increased in tempo with her noises and the way her body clenched and throbbed around him. His cock slid in and out of her faster and harder as he got closer to climax.

  Reaching down, he rubbed her clit, making her cry out against his mouth. “Come all over me,” he told her when he broke their kiss.

  “God yes. Harder,” she begged.

  Thrusting, Araton flared his wings to give him more leverage. The move made her eyes flare wide as if she’d forgotten an angel was fucking her. The sexy minx reached up and grabbed onto his wings. The contact sizzled and it was when her small grip shifted to his wing insertions in his back that a hoarse cry left his body.

  No one had ever touch him there like that and it fucking felt amazing. Growling, he pressed his mouth to hers again and plunged inside her fast and hard. He increased pressure on her clit, rubbing in fast circles.

  She broke away this time to cry out his name at the moment her core clenched around him so tight he could hardly move. The short thrusts set him off and his seed exploded out of his body.

  Lowering his head to her shoulder, he stood there panting with his cock still erect inside her. That took the edge off, but he wanted so much more from her. It frightened him enough to pull out and lower her to the floor.

  “That was amazing. Give me a few minutes to rest and we can do that again,” she told him.

  He gave her a half smile then kissed her gently before turning away to wash his hair and body. “You should get some rest, Dove. You’ve had a long night.”

  That sobered her. “What’s going on with me?”

  “I’m taking you to meet Marie Leveau in a couple days and she will give us answers. I think you need another distraction, so you don’t let this eat you up inside,” he said in a husky voice as he turned back to face her.

  Her gaze went to his erection. His cock jerked under the attention and he cursed himself. So much for keeping the distance between them. But he’d fuck her constantly if it meant keeping her mind off the ugly things she might have done. This urge to protect her from the evil in the world left him off kilter and adrift. One thing he knew was he hadn’t yet had enough of her, so he was going to indulge while keeping her mind occupied.

  Chapter 14

  Lia was beside herself. Araton had arrived at her door a few days ago with news that she was going to meet Marie Leveau herself. Of all the impossible things she’d discovered this was the most exciting.

  As a NOLA native she was very familiar with the Queen of Voodoo and her legend. Life had been so chaotic, and she’d spent so much time trying to keep her shit together that she hadn’t stopped to wonder if Marie actually existed.

  The past few days seemed to have drug out for eons. She knew it was because she’d been using every ounce of energy to remain rooted in the here and now. Araton had hovered close like a man-sized bird of prey. There was no mistaking his hunger for her, but after that one night of passion he hadn’t tried to be with her again.

  And she hadn’t pushed it. The unknown was too much for her to risk bringing harm to her angel. She’d seen what came out of Hell. There was nothing that would make her leave the world without one of its best protectors.

  Araton was ready to throw caution to the wind, but she refused to give into his impulses. It took almost as much effort to make sure they were always around someone else when she wasn’t patrolling.

  She’d gotten to know the Dark Warriors extremely well since she spent all of her time at their manor. The Vampire King was terrifying, but she understood what made him that way.

  It was more than obvious his daughter was traumatized. But then who wouldn’t be given that she’d been hunted relentlessly from the mo
ment she was conceived. Izzy was one tough girl. Lia liked her courage and determination. When she initially discovered why the Princess was in NOLA, she was surprised they wanted to put her in danger.

  After getting to know her and her father better, Lia understood that neither of them could stand to place Elsie or Cian at risk with her presence. Her mom and brother meant more to Izzy than her own life. That was something she had in common with the Princess.

  She hadn’t been home to see her family because she wasn’t entirely sure she wasn’t being turned evil. Ever since they’d shot through her body, she felt an underlying presence of darkness. That was the only way she could describe the black hole of malicious energy that sat like a placid pool in her chest.

  Every once in a while, that dark fluid started to froth, and waves slapped against the walls of her chest. It was those times she sought Araton out and used her connection to him to ground her in the present.

  A couple times she blacked out and came to with Araton holding her near the sight of another ritual sacrifice. And because he’d been close to her, he watched her disappear. At some point they had bonded so closely with each other he was able to track her in time to stop the ritual from happening and save her.

  “You ready to go meet up with the Voodoo Queen?” Araton asked as he entered her kitchen.

  “More than ready. I want this thing out of me,” she told him honestly as she set her plate in the sink and walked out her back door.

  “Wrap your arms around me and hold on,” he instructed her.

  Swallowing against the desire making her lightheaded, Lia stepped close to his body and wrapped her arms around his neck. Electricity zapped her, making her shudder. It was familiar to her by now. Her angel had just turned them invisible.

  His red wings extended out to his sides and he bent his knees before they took off into the air. The wind whipped her ponytail around their faces, making her bury her head in the crook of his neck. She watched the city pass beneath them for several seconds unable to say anything because she was overwhelmed by the experience, but also because she couldn’t hear anything past the wind whistling loudly in her ears. All too soon they descended into a cemetery. One she hadn’t been inside in nearly a decade.