by Lexi Ostrow
He chuckled again at the look of annoyance on her face as she hopped off the desk. “Really, Thomas, didn’t your father ever teach you how to speak to a lady?” She picked her own knickers up off the floor and stepped into them. “Honestly!”
He couldn’t stop the laughter that bubbled up inside of him. The past months had been overwrought with negative emotions, and now, when they might have needed it the most, the universe had given them a gift. Coughing from laughing so hard, he smirked at her once more.
“I’m going to leave now. Don’t think just because I’m in such a good mood I won’t have at you later about becoming a hunter, I will. I promise I will,” she threatened as she opened the door and slammed straight into Layel.
She went so severely white at the action that Thomas was concerned. Not as concerned as when he realized she had nothing to protect her from his visage and growled. “Get out of here, Audrey. Layel, get out of her way.”
Layel stepped sideways and very slowly, too slowly for his liking, Audrey stepped around Layel and out of the office. It was only then that he noticed the massive tomes in the Angel’s hands. He’d come with the last of the material he would give to the Alliance of Silver and Steam, the last of the help.
Layel felt a weight of guilt crash upon him as great as when Seraphina had sliced her wings from her back when Audrey’s terrified eyes locked on his. She’d been shaken, slammed with a need to obey him, he assumed. Then Thomas had interrupted, and she’d walked out.
A part of him was bitter, knowing disdained him. What they shared was certainly not love, but he’d never be able to shake his attraction towards her, not with his blood in her veins.
He looked at the shattered disarray that was Thomas’ desk. His mind conjured up images of Audrey writhing beneath him on it, and he bit his cheek. Hard. He’d made certain to bed, not one but two Succubuses before arriving, and he still felt the nasty rise of jealousy that he had no right to have.
Thomas was still glaring at him, though he’d slipped on his goggles. For the first time, Layel realized that Thomas would always look upon him that way. Theirs was a strenuous companionship that resulted out of a need for one another, not a mutual respect for one another. It was time he made his peace with that and moved on.
Stepping into the office, he put the seven huge manuscripts down on the desk. “This is all I have. Every demon that has ever existed, every evil that lurks just beneath the world you know to be real.”
Thomas nodded. “She’s pregnant.”
Layel felt his blood turn to ice. He knew exactly how many months it had been, down to the turn of the moon, since he’d almost fallen after finding solace with Audrey. There was a damned good chance that child was his.
“Just know the child will be mine. Regardless of whose blood runs through its veins, the child will be my son or daughter.”
The words were said calmly, too calmly for the maelstrom of anger they evoked in him. Every fiber of his being wanted to attack Thomas for claiming something he’d never thought he’d have. A family. He didn’t though. There would not be a way to know which man the child belonged to until well after birth. It would be a Halfling if it was Layel’s, and that could take decades to show.
With a clipped nod, he spoke, “If there is any hope in the world, the young will be yours. I will make no issues for you, Audrey or your child if it proves to indeed be mine.”
“You bloody will not!” Thomas interjected, his face turning red in his anger.
Layel regretted his actions before he did them, but did nothing to rectify his moves as he pulled the goggles off Thomas’ face for the second time since they’d met. The man’s demeanor changed almost instantly. A softness passed over his features, the anger receding. The strong pull of Angelic compulsion would have driven Thomas to do almost anything Layel desired.
When he was certain Thomas was calm, even if it was a false calm, he spoke. “Look at the floor, we must have a conversation, and if that evoked such a response in you, I do not dare to think what this will do. “
Immediately, Thomas looked at the carpet under his feet, eyes opening. “I do not believe you can say much worse than that.”
“Then brace yourself, because this will not be pleasant.”
Thomas did not react to his words, so he continued, “In my attempt to test Audrey, to see if she was strong enough to survive the blood craving, I learned that she was not. The night of the attack on your home, when I took her away with me, she drank my blood.”
“You bloody bastard,” Thomas cursed under his breath as if he was too angry to even raise his voice.
“I could not have known which way the path would end. However, now that I do, it is imperative that we take care of this properly. I will leave the choice up to you, as I do not think Audrey was thinking clearly when I offered it to her.”
Tension showed in every muscle Thomas had, from his forehead down to his feet. Layel truly couldn’t blame him.
“Why did she not say anything to me?”
Layel blew out a long breath; he had no answer to that question. “Has she brought up the blood cravings at all?”
Thomas was silent, and then let out a curse. Audrey had not.
“There are two ways we can ensure your wife does not go mad. I can bleed myself into a chalice every other week until she dies. I will bring it here, and you will give it to her. The connection betwixt Audrey and me will remain, and in time, grow stronger.”
Thomas growled but said nothing.
“Or, we can lock her up and allow the madness to take her until it is completely out of her body. It will not be a pretty sight, and it could kill her. I know there is yet another level below this one, one you could and should, outfit as a dungeon to study those you do not kill. She would need to be locked away there. There will be weeks of screams, blood-curdling screams that will have your insides twisting. After a time, they will pass, and she will be free. If she doesn’t find a way to end her own life in the process, driven mad by the cravings.”
“Give her your blood. I will not let my wife and child endure anything akin to torture. I don’t care if I have to slip it into her bloody wine so that she remains unaware. You did this to her, and if the ichor that runs through you is the least painful way to keep her alive, then we will do it, and we will do it in secret.”
Layel was shocked by Thomas’ choice. While it was his preference, he had expected the other man to want nothing to attach him to his wife. Layel swallowed and sighed. Thomas had just shown him two sides of a common truth: in love, one would be willing to do whatever it took to save someone, even if it meant deception.
Daring to walk next to Thomas, he patted the man on the back. “I will be certain she never lays eyes on me again. None will know of this exchange, save for us. How you choose to handle it with her is not my business, so long as it is handled and she is safe. If she is the mother of my child, there is still the chance that I could fall because of such a grievous misdeed. If that happens, it will be very hard for me to stay away from her and the child.”
He had a feeling if Thomas had been able to look at him, his blue eyes would have been dark with fury.
“That will not occur. That must not occur. You will do everything in your fucking power to stop yourself from falling. Because if you fall, you will have an enemy in me.”
The words hung in a tense silence around them, the threat wrapping around Layel stronger than any he’d ever heard. Seconds ticked into minutes, and finally, Layel found the words to agree with the man that was now humanity’s greatest hope.
“You have my word. I do not wish to ruin what we have created together, Thomas. I will say my farewells to the others. Know that, if you need me, I will come. I will not abandon the Alliance because of the complication betwixt you and me. Nor will I come around when I am not called upon. We have a mutual project, and neither of us must fail.”
Anger and pain weaved over his body like a tightening rope with every word, and he flashe
d himself out, back to his own chambers. Izazal was not waiting, as he’d asked his friend to be, and for the first time in his existence, Layel allowed sorrow to swallow him whole.
Nineteen
“Audrey?” Thomas said as he stepped into the room they were occupying at the Guild.
It appeared to be empty, save for their belongings strewn about. The slight sound of water sloshing made him exhale the breath he’d been holding, and he scrubbed a hand over his face. Layel’s words had not ceased to cycle in his mind as he’d climbed the numerous steps to the level they occupied. Over and over, he’d heard Layel promise that, if he fell, he would come for the family that might be his.
His body hit the bed with a flop, and he sighed. Hardly an hour prior, he’d been filled with joy at the knowledge that he was going to be a father. All of that swirled away like rain in the gutters after a light storm. He wanted to be happy, but he and Audrey had been stepping around an issue for too long. They shared a lot, but if they could not share everything, their union was destined to fail.
She knew about her blood craving, even if she’d only recently found out. Yet, she’d still kept it from him. Which is no different from what you are about to do to her. He growled at the disparaging thought. Mine is to keep her safe, to let us live our lives together. Even as he thought it, he wondered if that made it a proper excuse to feed his wife Angel blood against her wishes.
“It will have to be, I will not allow a madness to descend.”
“What will have to be?” Audrey’s voice floated through the room as the door to the bathing section opened.
Heat and steam billowed out behind her. He smiled, glad that she’d been able to relax her body and mind in a warm bath. An expectant mother needed small comforts, and thanks to their stationing, she could have them all.
She looked as beautiful as any Angel he had ever seen, and he was beginning to be an expert in that area. Her dark hair was curling, even as it dripped water onto the carpeted floor of the main room. Her green eyes shined brightly, but at the center was a serene calmness, swirling like the thoughts in his mind. The towel she had wrapped around her body was hardly appropriate, but not much about them was.
The bed gave slightly as she sat down beside him and placed her hand on top of his. She titled her head down and gave him a small smile. The storm inside of him quieted slightly, seeing the happiness on her face. He smiled up at her before sitting up.
Every part of him was screaming at him to continue to let her think her secret was safe, still hers. He knew that it could not happen. It would fester inside of him like a sore, if she did not speak of it, and if she thought it over, she likely never would.
He moved his other hand on top of hers, and the warmth that grew betwixt their hands was much like the love that had grown, fast and breathtaking. Sucking a deep breath, he closed his eyes, and when he opened them, the slightest bit of concern was etched into her features.
“I know about the cravings, Audrey.” His voice was quiet, nothing accusatory in his tone.
She tried to jerk her hand away, a look of terror building. He held fast, not intending to let her leave or belittle herself. He, however, felt as if an enormous weight was slowly lifting. He wanted to make a speech about truth and honesty from that moment forwards, but it would be hypocritical, and the bitter taste of his upcoming lie was already more than he cared for.
“Stop. Today is a day of revelations. As you have told me about the life growing in you, Layel told me about the curse he put upon you.” While it was not the truth, he suspected she would take better to the conversation if she thought he had just found out. “I do not blame you. I am upset that you weathered it alone, instead of coming to me.” He stared deeply into her eyes, searching them. “I should have been able to help you. Even if comfort was all I could give. It destroys me that you did not think I would still love you if I knew.”
Tears glistened, darkening the emerald green of her eyes. “I had sinned once. I did not think you could forgive me if I had also become a monster.” Her voice shook with each word.
“You could never be a monster to me, Audrey. You had no clue about what was happening to you. Layel told me as much. I cannot imagine the grief and terror you must have felt. How alone you must have thought you were.”
She closed her eyes for a short moment, and the tears spilled down her cheeks. He reached out, wiping them away with his thumbs, and then holding her hand in both of his. Her breathing was labored as if she was on the precipice of crumbling. His thumbs moved circles on the sides of her palm, doing whatever little gesture he could to calm her.
“Is it over then? Did Layel speak to you on that?”
The hope in her voice almost destroyed him. His body shook as he fought with himself over speaking true, or telling her what she wanted to hear, what they both needed to hear.
“It is done,” the words were garbled as he forced them out. “You will always feel a connection to Layel. He explained that is a side effect. He will always be with you, in a sense, in a way I never can be. However, I think I have come to terms with it and am even grateful for it.”
“How could that be?”
“There will always be someone to watch over you. No matter the trials I face, you will have your very own Guardian Angel. Layel will be your savior if ever I cannot, and I could never hate that bond betwixt you because of that.”
Their breathing was all that could be heard in the silence of the room. Even the ticking of his pocket watch seemed silent. Their eyes were fixed upon one another, and when he blinked, so did she. Words did not seem to have a place in the moment they were living in, and he was all right with that. If they only had that moment together, that chance to live in peace before the demons began to rule their lives, then he would take it. He would hold onto it as tightly as he could because he knew that once they left that room, nothing would be simple anymore, even if she were unaware of it.
“I fear our marriage has been one that many would like to divorce themselves from,” Audrey said, barely above a whisper.
“Whatever do you mean?”
She gave a sharp bark of a laugh. “From the start, I placed a wall betwixt us. Then I allowed myself to be bedded by another and fell into something so large, it could have destroyed us. There will forever be a third person in our marriage, and you will go from a simple life, to a deadly one. You already have.”
Her words settled over them like a blanket, though he did not feel they were cause for alarm. “I should say that those things have made us unbreakable.” He leaned forwards, pressing his lips to hers.
They were wet and tasted like a hint of soap as his tongue brushed over them, seeking entrance, permission to deepen their intimacy. Audrey did not hesitate, and as his tongue sought solace against hers, and her hands reached up and sunk into his hair, sliding gently over his face as she did.
It didn’t seem to matter that he’d had his fill of her so recently—his body demanded more. He let his hands roam over the damp skin on her shoulders and pushed the cream towel down, exposing her pert, rosey-nipples and breasts. His hands roamed over the tantalizing mounds, massaging them until she groaned into their kiss. She broke the kiss and pushed him backwards onto the bed, straddling her body over his, pressing her bare core against his breeches.
She began to move, a slow and sensual grind of her hips when a blaring alarm tore through the room, jarring his senses awake from the desire induced haze. Audrey’s face morphed into utter panic as the sound continued to chime throughout the room.
“The tracker,” he said as he carefully rolled out from under her, missing the feel of her body against his the moment he did. His prick was half-up in his breeches, and he growled at the inconvenience of the timing.
“This is real then?” the terror rang in her words, far louder than the device Layel and his men had created about the city.
“Very much so. It has been set up for some days now, just quiet.” He shoved his hand into his trousers t
o adjust his aching shaft and turned, wrapping his hands around her shoulders and kissing her, hard and hungry.
It was a goodbye, just in case.
Without a word, he grabbed his goggles and weapon off the dresser and bolted out of the door. They were four levels above the lab, above where the device that tracked the demons was currently housed. When he slammed through the door to the stairs, he took them three at time, the occasional jolt tearing through him as his feet connected with the concrete.
We must get that bloody lift operational. Pulling on his goggles, Thomas tucked the gun into his trousers as he continued to rush through the various levels of the guild.
As he threw open the door to the level with his office, the hunters’ quarters and the lab, the sound of the alarm grew far stronger. While it had been set to only go off in his chambers and this level, he had a feeling others above might hear, but he couldn’t worry upon it then.
Louis and Antonio were coming out of the lab as he entered. He shoved past them and raced towards the machine, the one that was able to tap out the location of the demons in a code. Layel had imbued the crystals that lay around the city with his blood, and among all its other powers, Angel blood could sense other demons. All demons could, actually, but they’d only had his to work with. Communicating, in a sense, with the magnetic fields around them, the crystals were able to send a chime to them. By the time it reached the tracker component, the longitude and latitude were scrawled out, based on which direction the signal originated.
“Bloody hell,” he whispered. The demons were right outside, and there were too many kinds. He read name after name—Thrasher, Ravener, Fallen—and dread filled him. They were not prepared for an attack of that number. They would not make it through the battle alive.
Shoving Louis, who had stepped in front of him, out of the way he raced into his office and pulled the gemstone from the drawer.
