Downs, Jana - Ravyn's Heart [Ravyn Warriors 2] (Siren Publishing Allure ManLove)

by Jana Downs

  Dageus took a deep breath. “I really want you to be the best man at my wedding.” The words came out in a rush, so fast that Ally almost didn’t catch them. He blinked. He hadn’t been expecting that. “I know it’s tradition for the generational leader of the Ravyns to act as the second in any important ceremony, but this is this first marriage among the Ravyns since we became Ravyns, and I love Tony, but I’d much rather have you by my side. The others are going to be my groomsmen or whatever they’re called, but I really need you to be my best man.”

  Ally was touched. “I would be honored to stand by you.” He murmured the formal words and touched the place above his heart, twisting his ring and middle fingers together as they did when saluting Salvatore or taking an oath. Dageus beamed.

  Of course Allasandro squirmed as they shared one of those Hallmark moments that made him so incredibly uncomfortable so he continued. “So you’re really going to do the whole wedding thing as Alex’s Bride, eh?” Dageus frowned and nodded slowly. “I have to tell you, as much as I love you, my brother, I am not wearing a dress, but I will fully support you in your decision to wear a big pretty princess gown for your day with prince charming.” The other warrior growled and punched him in the arm. Ally giggled. “Ouch. Now, now, Princess, you mustn’t show your temper too much. They’ll mistake you for a shrew.”

  Dageus made a noise of frustration and shoved Ally into the nearby wall. “Can’t you be serious about anything?” he asked in exasperation, though there was a smile behind the sigh.

  Ally grinned. “I could, but you wouldn’t love me nearly as much.”

  “W–Who’s there?” a voice stammered from the darkness, somewhere beyond the torch light. Both warriors’ heads snapped up, and they immediately fell into the tense positions they used to prepare for a possible assault. They glanced at one another, the look conveying more in one expression what most people needed an entire lengthy conversation for.

  Allasandro spoke. “My name is Allasandro. This is my brother, Dageus. We’re Ravyns sent from Prince Salvatore Demante, true heir to the Demon throne.”

  There was a brief pause. “How do I know you are who you say you are?” The voice held a large amount of fear and no small amount of bravado.

  Do you know where he’s at? Allasandro asked through their bond to Dageus. He felt a mental nod.

  Yeah. He’s by that broken arch in the left corner where the shadows are the thickest. He’s trying to weave enchantments to block his smell and his form from prying eyes. Do your thing quickly, or else we may lose him.

  “We couldn’t light the torches if we weren’t Ravyns,” Allasandro reasoned, keeping the other man talking. His mind raced through the narrow chambers, seeking the signature of the demon which hid therein. Got it. With a mental tug, he unwove the magic which had been brewing and dispersed it through the room. With another he pulled the other man into the light, causing him to stumble and fall to his knees.

  Prince Theron looked young. All demons retained the blush of youth for centuries, but Theron almost looked delicate in comparison. He was Salvatore’s height, but he was slender, light, with large wine-colored eyes that were the signature of the royal family. His hair was cropped short, something that was unusual for a demon of royal blood, and it was spiked in an artful array of deep crimson.

  The Prince swallowed hard and dropped his gaze to the floor. “Are you here to kill me?” The words were choked whispers. Ally knelt in front of him, and Dageus took a step back to give him space.

  “I was telling the truth when I said that we were sent by Salvatore. We were just making sure you weren’t going to accidently hurt us by trying to defend yourself.” Ally bowed his head in respect. “We’re here to defend you and escort you back to Salvatore.”

  The youthful man’s eyes raised and assessed the Ravyn kneeling before him. He pushed himself to his feet and held up his hand. “Let me see your hand.” The command of his royal blood finally entered his voice. The fear was all but gone. Ally offered it easily but stiffened when he felt the butterfly-like sensation of another mind touching his own. However, it was over quickly, and Allasandro relaxed. It was just a glance to see the truth of his words. Nothing more.

  Dageus stepped forward and knelt on Ally’s other side. “We don’t mean to rush you, Prince Theron, but it is of the utmost importance that we get back to Salvatore. We don’t have the rest of our brothers with us and, as such, are not at full strength. Please allow us to escort you back with all due haste.”

  The Prince hesitated a brief second before nodding in acquiescence. “That sounds fine. Let’s go.”

  * * * *

  Dageus lifted the smaller man out of the hole in the side entrance of the cave on his shoulders after Allasandro shimmied to the top. Ally grabbed the Prince’s arms and pulled him the rest of the way out. He made sure Theron stayed between him and the cave entrance until Dageus got to the top, dagger in hand.

  “Any sign of trouble?” Dageus whispered. They both glanced at the other man as he chewed nervously at his fingernails.

  Ally shrugged and did a mental scan of the area. “It seems quiet, but it’s almost too quiet. Let’s move quickly.”

  They circled the thickly forested landscape, running from cover to cover. The constant state of hyperawareness was wearing on their nerves. Separated from the other Ravyns, they were both on edge and nervous as hell. Ally gestured to the small pool in the center of a group of trees. Despite the lushness of the foliage, the southern desert lay just beyond the tree line a mere five leagues down the trail, so it was hotter than the four gates of the Netherworld. Their clothing was sticky, and, as much as they were perspiring, they were losing a lot of water very quickly.

  “Drink. We’ll rest for a second. We’re almost there. There is a small clearing ahead that will be safest to open a portal from. It’s the way we came in, so it should be a stable link to the other side,” Ally explained. The young Prince looked worn out. He obviously wasn’t used to do any sort of physical exercise. Salvatore had stepped his exercise routine up when they’d moved in with Alex. He’d been attacked by a group of hyena-shifters a few weeks ago and had decided that he needed to be as much of a warrior as his Ravyns were. Tony had flipped out at the mere suggestion that the Prince would be fighting beside them. So Salvatore had agreed to just participate in a little sword play and cardio training with them. Perhaps it would be best to suggest that Prince Theron participate as well.

  They cupped the water in their hands to get much needed hydration under the glare of the sun. Theron splashed some water on his face, enjoying the coolness.

  “I thought I’d never get out of the cave. When Kith told me that the lights wouldn’t work and shoved me down there, I thought I was done for.” Tears pooled in the young Prince’s eyes. “Kith was the leader of my Cranes. He…” He sighed and shook his head, steeling his expression.

  “Ready to go?” Ally asked before Dageus could initiate a hug fest. They didn’t have time for that. The Prince nodded, and they continued their sprint.

  On the edge of Ally’s mind, he felt the first trickle of unease that signaled something unpleasant. Shit.

  We have company, he thought to Dageus, not wanting to upset Theron.

  I smell them, Dageus replied, his eyes flicking toward a particularly thick set of brambles. They’re on the other side, probably going to ambush us at the clearing.

  What do you want to do? Ally trusted D’s judgment in this. He’d saved their asses plenty of times in the past, his ass in particular numerous times.

  Split from us. I’ll head to our other entry point and open the portal there. There are two of them, so you should be able to take them. Distract them long enough for me to get Theron through and then get the hell out of here. Ally nodded. That seemed like the best tactical solution.

  “Where’s he—” Theron began.

  “Shh,” Dageus hissed, grabbing the Prince’s arm and taking a sharp left down a different path.

  Allasan
dro increased his speed, whipping around the corner at a dead run just as two Doves, Desmond’s elite guard, came charging after him.

  “Looky looky what we have here. A pretty black bird,” the one with an ugly orange goatee and horns over his eyebrows said. Allasandro summoned his energy and tossed a bolt of fire in his direction. The yelp that came right after clued him in that he’d hit his mark. He was hightailing it as far away from Dageus as he could manage, buying time for his brother to summon the energy to get out of Demontia in one piece. It was always harder for them to travel through the bolt-holes by themselves. All five Ravyns together found the task easy. It was one of the benefits of their brotherhood.

  “Where you going in such a rush, Ravyn?” The other caught up to him easily, moving like liquid darkness. Dammit. He hated shadow demons. Without warning, he was knocked sideways, hitting the trunk of a nearby tree with a sickening crunch.

  Ally rolled, coming to his feet but swaying once he got there. Damn. He probably had a concussion. His vision blurred in and out. He forced his power through his limbs to hold him steady. His arms and legs erupted in flames for the effort.

  “What’s a pretty black bird doing in Demontia? I thought the bastard heir had run away to the Earth realm.” The shadow materialized in front of him. He was a dark-haired, dark-eyed man with a tattoo of some kind of lizard marring his right cheek. It was shadow tradition to splash the symbol of the father’s line on the face like a flag. Other than the elaborate facial décor, he was a pretty plain-looking guy. Average height, average build, deceptively nonthreatening. Ally knew better. Between the shadow and Mr. Goatee, the shadow was the dangerous one.

  “Just came to fetch some of Salvatore’s old clothes,” Allasandro offered. “You know how royals are, need their pretty things.”

  The pair frowned. “Was that a joke?” Mr. Goatee asked. Allasandro barked out a laugh.

  “Don’t mock us,” the shadow reprimanded. Ally’s vision disappeared for an instant as he was ensconced in a bubble of darkness. A cold infused his body like a creeping sickness. Death was found there. He threw his power against the shadow’s enchantment, dispelling the black.

  “Pretty strong for a loner,” the shadow complimented, unruffled by Ally’s display. “Usually lone Ravyns are of little consequence and even less fun. You are offering quite a lovely distraction.”

  “What are you guys doing here anyway?” Allasandro hedged. He sent his mind curling outward, looking for Dageus among the trees. There. He almost had enough power built up. He could feel the portal sucking on his energy as it grew large enough to fit two people through.

  “Just a little exploring,” Mr. Goatee lied, licking his lips to reveal a forked tongue. Ew.

  “A little walk around the edge of our Master’s kingdom,” the other added. Their matching grins said different. They were probably looking for Theron. He sent up a prayer to his gods that the cave had hidden him so well.

  The release of energy as the portal collapsed behind Dageus and Theron was a welcome feeling. He glanced at the two Doves, and they hissed, obviously feeling it as well.

  “Sneaky sneaky, little black bird,” Mr. Goatee teased, baring his teeth.

  “Pretty little poker face, little black bird,” the shadow added, stepping closer.

  Allasandro didn’t reply. Instead, he withdrew the scythe that was strapped to his back with a tug on the Velcro straps. Velcro was the best damn invention ever. He grabbed the handle about halfway down the curved handle. The metal felt cool in his hands, and the grips were strategically located thirty-three and a half inches down the surface. He’d made the handle himself, and it was perfectly balanced. It whipped around his head in a wide arching circle, slicing the air in front of him. The curved blade glinted in the sunlight. It was polished to a near-perfect shine. It was his baby and his weapon of choice.

  “Come on,” Ally taunted, grinning at the stunned look on their collective faces. His adrenaline-laced blood pounded through his veins, and he swung the scythe in another beautiful arch. Working with a scythe was a lot like dancing. It was elegant, ethereal, and smooth. The movements contained an almost liquid grace.

  Mr. Goatee came at him first, a sword of flame erupting in his fist. Ally didn’t bother blocking it as it hit his chest. Fire was his element, and it crackled as it embraced him. The Dove’s eyes widened comically.

  “Idiot,” the shadow murmured, watching his companion. Ally cracked the bottom handle of the scythe into the side of Mr. Goatee’s head. He fell to his knees with his hands clutching his right temple. The back swing engaged the business end of the weapon, and it sliced both his hand and his head clean off. The body fell, and Ally turned his attention to the shadow.

  “Not today, Ravyn.” The shadow inclined his head and faded into nothingness. Ally let out a string of curses. He hated shadow demons. Just when things were getting good, they disappeared. When they blended into the physical shadows, they couldn’t harm or be harmed, but they were still present.

  “Later, shadow-boy.” Ally reached into himself and drew out the energy he’d been building. The air shimmered, and then he felt the world shift. The air swirled around him, and he felt like a magnet being pulled toward its polar opposite. Just like that, he was gone.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Damian’s eyes popped open as he felt his bond with Allasandro flare to delicious life. He sat up in Allasandro’s bed. He was still naked and smeared with yet another night’s evidence of his obsession with the Ravyn. The routine he’d developed since night one had grown ever more hedonistic as the days turned into a week. He’d rarely left Ally’s room anymore.

  He listened as the shouts and chorus of greetings were called out. Dageus and Prince Theron had arrived late last night right before the vampires were set to retire for the day. He’d been put in the room adjacent to Salvatore’s or so he’d heard. Dageus had given him a call, unaware that he’d been staying at the mansion the entire time, and had quickly disappeared with Alex to their room. Damian waited patiently as the Ravyns stomped into Salvatore’s study for the debriefing. It took less time than he’d expected, and within half an hour he heard the telltale murmurs of “good night” being exchanged between the warriors.

  The door swung open, and a very tired-looking Allasandro shuffled in the door. “Well, hello, my naughty boy. Miss me?” Damian all but purred out in greeting. The Ravyn’s head snapped up.

  “Christ. Damian? What are you…Why are you in my room?” Ally’s tone was incredulous. That voice had haunted him for days.

  “Well, it was my room first, so I’ve reclaimed it for the duration,” Damian reasoned. He threw back the covers and put his legs over the side of the bed. His nakedness must’ve surprised Ally because he hissed at the sight.

  “Reclaimed my room? For the duration?” Ally repeated stupidly. Damian sauntered up to him. Their differences in height had never been more apparent. Even naked, the vampire was intimidating as hell.

  “The duration of your little mission. Which you didn’t inform me about before you left.” Damian was too close for comfort, and he was enjoying the hell out of that unease.

  “I shouldn’t have to.” Ally took a step back, his hand coming up to massage his temple. “I haven’t talked to you in a long time, Damian. We’re…I…we don’t have anything to talk about.”

  “I missed you,” Damian admitted, his voice softening exponentially.

  “I can’t do this.” Allasandro turned around and stalked toward the bathroom. “I can’t believe you’re here. Dammit. You can’t be here. Did Dageus see you? If he sees you, he’s going to yell at me again.”

  Damian reached out and grabbed his hand. “What right does he have to dictate who you talk with? He’s my son, and he will not dictate to me who I can be with.”

  Allasandro winced. “Which is exactly why this is so weird. He’s your son. He’s my best friend. I’m your…fuck buddy?” He tugged his arm out of Damian’s grip and turned back toward the bathroom. It w
as then the light of the lamp caught the deep bruises that were forming on Ally’s face.

  “You have a dangerous job, love.” Damian had to repress the urge to squeeze Allasandro to him and demand he never leave again. He was a warrior. Damian had seen his passion written in the care of his weaponry.

  “Don’t ignore the problem, Damian,” Allasandro chastised. Damian used his body to crowd the Ravyn against the door frame.

  “The only problem I see is that you are ignoring the obvious chemistry between us.” The scythe’s cool surface pressed against Damian’s naked flesh, making him shiver. “I missed you so damn much, Allasandro. I can’t sleep. I can’t sing. I can’t think being away from you.” He kissed the curve of Allasandro’s neck. “And could this damn scythe be any sexier? Jesus. I could get used to seeing a warrior.”

  Ally started to tremble. “Stop touching me,” he demanded, pushing back in an effort to dislodge Damian’s hold. “You’re in my room. Gods. Why are you in my room?” He sounded choked. “And what is with this, ‘seeing a warrior’ shit? If by ‘seeing’ you mean ‘fucking,’ sure. We’ve already established that guys like us are not really dating material.” He let out an exasperated sigh but arched his neck to give Damian better access to the portion he was nipping. “I’m covered in sweat and blood and dirt. Please just let me get a shower.”

  “I am in need of a shower myself,” Damian murmured. His hand came up to trace the blade of the scythe. “This is beautiful.”

  “You’ve been in my things. Touching my things. Invading my space.” Allasandro turned in his arms so that they faced one another. “You keep…showing up. Expecting me to go along with it.”