The Final Countdown [Beyond the Angel Pack 5] (Siren Publishing Classic ManLove)

by Maggie Walsh

  Just as he was about to step off into the back of the stage, the most beautiful voice began to sing a cappella, and Thad stopped. Frozen in place, as the words of the song gripped him with realization of not only who was singing, but also what they were singing, and he wrapped his arms around his waist as he sobbed.

  * * * *

  As Nic stepped into the club, his gaze roamed over everyone, trying to find his mate. He needed to talk to Thad and tell him how sorry he was for the way he had been treating him. He needed his mate to know that he still loved him and that he had never stopped. He needed to beg Thad for forgiveness and ask if there was still a chance for them.

  As he took another step in from the front vestibule, Taylor announced that Thad was about to sing again. Nicco’s breath caught in his throat when Thad walked on stage. He could see all the pain and anguish on Thad’s handsome face, and he just wanted to run to the man and wrap him in his arms and kiss the pain away.

  But when Thad began to sing, Nicco couldn’t move. He was mesmerized by his mate, and his heart clenched from all the pain coming from his words. The song was telling him good-bye, and Nicco suddenly couldn’t breathe. Thad was telling him good-bye, and he knew this time it would be forever.

  As Thad’s eyes opened and their gazes met, he could see the truth to those thoughts as Thad sang directly to him. His mate’s eyes were begging him to not let him go, but also telling him this was it. This was the moment. It was now or never.

  The song ended, and Thad began to walk away. He knew he needed to act fast or lose everything. Nicco ran for the stage and jumped up, then grabbed the mic, and started to quietly sing a cappella “Wherever You Will Go” by The Calling. It was the song. The one that started it all. The one that had ripped them apart but would now hopefully bring them back together. Nicco had been singing that song that morning all those years ago, because every time he heard it he thought of Thad and how he would follow him to the ends of the earth to keep Thad in his life and in his arms. And now that those real feelings had returned, he needed to let his mate know.

  Thad froze, his back still to Nicco. Nicco slowly walked toward him as he continued to sing. As he got halfway through the song, he stopped right behind Thad and lifted his arm, placing his hand on Thad’s hip. He could see Thad pull up slightly, and then his shoulders began to shake. Nicco knew his man was trying to control himself but was failing.

  He pulled on Thad’s hip gently, turning him around. Once they stood face-to-face, Nicco raised his hand and gently put a finger under Thad’s chin and raised his face until their gazes met, and Nicco sang the remainder of the song right to his beautiful mate. From his heart to Thad’s. “In your heart, in your mind, I’ll stay with you for all time…” When the last word was sung, Nicco leaned down and kissed Thad’s lips tenderly. He pulled back slightly and met Thad’s beautiful eyes again. “I love you, Thaddeus. I always have, and I always will. Can you ever forgive me?”

  Thaddeus gifted him with the most beautiful smile as he placed a hand over Nicco’s, pressing the palm against his cheek. “There is nothing to forgive, Nikolai. I have loved you always, and I always will. You are all I ever truly wanted in this life.”

  Nicco gave him a watery smile and leaned down, capturing Thad’s lips again, but this time he swiped his tongue across the seam of Thad’s lips, and his mate opened for him. Their tongues joined, and Thad’s wonderful taste washed over him. Gods he had missed that taste so much. Nicco wrapped his arms around Thad and brought their bodies together in a tight hold.

  * * * *

  He couldn’t believe Nikolai was kissing him. Not just kissing him, but claiming him with his mouth. Thad melted against his mate’s strong chest and enjoyed the feeling of floating on a cloud. Memories of previous kisses with Nikolai came back to him, and Thad realized he had never been kissed like Nikolai kissed him. When his mate kissed, it was as if he put his whole body, heart, and soul into it. But maybe it was because he did. He and Nikolai were mates, which made everything they shared so much more.

  “Enough!” a loud voice demanded, causing him and Nikolai to pull apart and look to where the voice was coming from.

  Standing in the center of the stage facing them with his back to the crowd was a tall man maybe six feet two and about two hundred and ten pounds. He was slightly muscled, but not much, and he had a shaven head. Many hoop earrings ran down both ears, and a diamond stud sat in the side of his nose. He wore a loose, black silken shirt and black pants, which Thad wanted to say looked just like genie pants.

  “Step away from what is mine, vampire, or I will send you to Venus for a few thousand years,” the man threatened.

  Nikolai took a step forward as he snaked his arm around Thad’s waist and pushed him behind him. “Let me guess, you’re the twisted Jinn who I now see is probably one of the dumbest creatures to have ever been born,” Nikolai said in a calm, deadly voice.

  “Don’t you realize that when a powerful creature such as myself stands before you it is unwise to insult them? For your disrespect alone, I should feed you to a demon. Now take your filthy hands off my property, vampire.”

  Nikolai looked back over his shoulder, and their gazes met. Nikolai smiled and gave him a wink, and Thad bit his lip, trying to hold in the chuckle that was threatening to escape. He knew what Nikolai was thinking, because he was thinking the same thing. Did this asshole not realize where he was or who was behind him? The idiot didn’t even look around to see if there were others there, and the crowd behind him remained very quiet as all eyes watched them.

  Nikolai turned back to face the guy, who was probably Oshi finally making an appearance, and Thad looked to him also, but dropped his head to hide the smile. Silently Taylor, Jesse, Micah, Dante, Dare, Phenex, Ryland, and Lucifer had all climbed on the stage and were standing behind the idiot.

  “You really picked a bad time to come, Jinn. I almost feel sorry for you. Well, no. I really don’t. After you terrorized my mate and killed his friends, you deserve exactly what you are about to get,” Nikolai said.

  “Eakul is mine. He was promised to me. Once we bond, it will bring our people back together, and the Jinn will rule the Twilight Moon once more. Now step aside so that I may take what’s mine, and you can go about living what’s left of your life on this dead rock.”

  Thad might be amused by what was happening here, but he was also becoming really pissed. This guy kept saying that he was his, like he was this turd’s property. Well, fuck him. “Fuck you, asshole. I am not yours. I belong to my mate,” Thad said angrily.

  Oshi’s gaze shifted to his, and those cold eyes filled with lust. “That is where you are wrong, Eakul. Upon our births you were promised to be mine, and I have waited many years for you. Now that I have taken out all obstacles in this human life of yours, you have no other choice but to be mine. This creature can never love you. Hell, he doesn’t even like you. And he never will again. I have seen his anger, his hatred toward you. Now let’s finally stop all these games. It’s time to return home where I can bond with you.”

  Thad saw something twinkle in Oshi’s eyes as he spoke about Nicco’s anger. Did this fucktard know about the spell? “Wait a minute. I know you have seen me since I turned thirty, and that’s when all this stalking shit started, but…you know, don’t you?”

  From the look of triumph on Oshi’s face, Thad knew he hit the mark. “Knows what?” Nikolai asked, looking back and forth between them.

  “He knows about the spell,” Jesse answered.

  His sudden voice caused Oshi to flinch in surprise, and he turned his head to look behind him. Thad could see his body stiffen from seeing the men there, but he quickly tried to cover it. “Well, of course I do. Nobin isn’t the only one who has watched my promised for most of his life. I knew your little puppy-love crush with this heathen would be short-lived and Nobin would have to stop it and send you away. It is what your kind do. But once we bond, my father will bring our clans together again and change all those archaic laws.
Our people will be reunited, and you and I will sit at my father’s side and rule them all,” Oshi said happily, with a wicked smile on his face.

  “Yeah, well, I know that is total bullshit. Your sick father just wants you to suck Eakul’s powers dry, then take them from you to use as his own. Eakul will be left a shell of a man. You will be the ignorant asshole you have always been, and your father will try to put all genie in chains,” Nobin argued as he stepped onto the stage.

  Oshi’s evil smile widened. “Potato, tomato, what’s the difference? Now, enough of this talking crap. This planet is about to implode on itself, and it’s time to take what’s mine away from here before we all die. I’m surprised you haven’t taken him home yet, Nobin. Failing at your job to protect your brother again? Just like you did when you let him live with those disgusting vamps to begin with. You were supposed to keep my man away from trouble, not drop him right in the fucking lion’s den. But then again, what do you expect from a lowly genie?”

  “He is either the dumbest motherfucker we’ve ever met, or the unluckiest,” Taylor replied.

  “He’s arrogant,” Micah said in a tight voice.

  “No, I go with Taylor. He’s definitely the stupidest,” Lucifer added.

  Oshi spun around to face the others, his eyes filled with rage. “How dare you speak to me that way? Do you have any idea who I am?”

  Lucifer took a step forward. “Oh, Jinn, I know exactly who you are. A dead man.”

  Oshi started laughing. “Really? It looks like you and your kind are the ones who will be doing the dying. You cannot stop me from taking what is mine, and once I take Eakul from here, this planet will implode and all of you will just be dust.”

  “Brains aren’t everything, and in his case, they’re nothing,” Taylor said and rolled his eyes.

  The arrogant smile fell from Oshi’s face, and he clenched his jaw. “I will make you pay for that, trollop.”

  “Trollop? Did he just call me a trollop? Well damn, now I’m really shaking in my boots,” Taylor replied.

  “He is a person of rare intelligence, Taylor. It’s rare that he shows any,” Lucifer said with a smirk and crossed his arms over his chest.

  “That’s true. In a battle of wits, he comes unarmed.”

  “I will make you pay for insulting me,” Oshi hissed, his face turning red with anger.

  “Believe me, I don’t want to make an ass out of you. Why should I take all the credit?” Taylor said with a bright smile.

  Lucifer chuckled and took another step forward. “Ah, the wheel is spinning in there, but unfortunately the hamster is dead.”

  Oshi held up his hands and thrust them forward, a wave of energy ran toward Taylor and the group. Nikolai threw up one hand, and the wave turned and headed back toward Oshi. It hit him like a battering ram, and he flew backward, hitting the floor hard. He sat up shaking his head and then glared at Nikolai.

  “Good idea, sit down and give your mind a rest for a while,” Taylor snickered.

  “Ugh!” Oshi screeched and in a flash was back on his feet. His eyes filled with rage as he stared at Taylor. Taylor just stood there laughing, making Oshi even angrier. Thad could see how unhinged the guy really was.

  “I will have you, Eakul. I did not go through all the trouble of killing the witch so that he could never be returned to normal, and then killing all those assholes in your life, just to have these bugs stand in my way. It’s time to go!”

  Thad’s eyes went wide. “You killed Melinda?”

  A smirk came across Oshi’s lips. “Oh yes, and she begged for her life like a baby. Hell, even her children were stronger than she was when I took their lives.”

  Nikolai threw up a hand, and Oshi was lifted off his feet. Then Nikolai twisted his hand around, clenching his fist, and Oshi grabbed his throat, clawing at the invisible band around his neck. “Bastard was about to do this to you, baby,” Nikolai said.

  “What? How do you know that?” Thad asked in surprise.

  “It’s one of Nicco’s gifts. He can see what power someone will use before they use it, and then mimic it and use it against them,” Dante replied.

  “Holy shit. You’re a mimic?” Nobin asked.

  Nikolai gave him a smirk and nodded. “Yes, but I don’t need it for this coward. He’s weak, and it would be no contest between us. I just couldn’t let him use it on my mate.”

  “Let him down, Nicco, and let’s do away with him. It’s obvious he has no power here,” Ryland said.

  Suddenly Oshi dropped like a sack of potatoes, hitting the floor hard and panting for air.

  “So, what do we do with him? With what’s going on in the world, it seems kind of useless to lock him away in one of our cells,” Dare asked.

  “He is a murderer, so we can’t just let him go,” Phenex replied.

  “I could always take him with me. Fluffy likes when I give him new toys,” Lucifer offered.

  As they all discussed what to do with the idiot, Thad kept his eyes on Oshi. The man raised his angry eyes at the group talking, and then smirked. Shit, he’s about to do something. Thad thought.

  Suddenly, Lucifer’s head snapped in Oshi’s direction, and his eyes turned red. Oshi’s eyes opened wide from the sight, and for the first time, Thad could see actual fear in his gaze. Lucifer took another menacing step closer. “Did you just try to push your mind into mine to control me? You finally had an actual thought, which must have been a very long and lonely journey, and you chose the worst thought possible? Do you have any idea who I am?”

  Oshi got to his feet, held his chin up in defiance, and faced Lucifer. “It doesn’t matter because the lot of you can’t stop me from taking what is mine. One word and my father will be here in the blink of an eye, and you will all lay dead,” Oshi threatened.

  Taylor looked to the side of the stage and nodded as he said, “Hey, Sage. Hit the lights, would you? Not that it makes any difference seeing as Lucifer can take care of this without blinking, but I would really like to see his face when he sees this.”

  All the lights in the club clicked on, and all the men who still sat in the audience, quietly watching their exchange, were seething. Oshi’s eyes went wide and filled with terror, and he took a few steps back. “Lucifer?” he said in a shaky voice.

  Lucifer sneered at him as he took a step toward Oshi. “Yes, and I have ripped souls apart for doing less than what you just tried to do. Say good-bye to your life, because it has now come to an end.”

  Oshi ran toward him, throwing his hands out against Nikolai’s back, pushing him away, and then grabbed Thad around the throat and used him as a shield. “Too late, Lucifer!” Oshi hissed the Lord of Hell’s name like it was a dirty curse.

  Thad clamped his hands down on the arm wrapped around his throat and at the same time thrust the top of his body forward and the lower half back, bending and pulling Oshi off his feet. Then Thad twisted his body, and they both dropped to the floor with Oshi landing on his back with Thad on top. He heard the whoosh of air leave Oshi’s lungs, and Thad scrambled quickly, getting to his feet.

  “I am not yours, asshole! No one was allowed to promise me to you except for me. I have never been yours and I never will be. Nikolai is my mate and the only man I will ever give myself to. The only man I love. And Lucifer is right―it’s time for you to say good-bye to your pathetic life,” Thad yelled and then threw his arms out wide, and a bolt of lightning crashed through the roof and slammed into Oshi. His body thrashed and jolted, and once the lightning vanished, Oshi lay unmoving on the floor, his clothes charred and his body smoking.

  “I think you got him, Thad. Nice lightning,” Taylor said.

  Thad turned to face the group, his eyes wide from what he did, but he gave Taylor a smile. “Thanks to my big brother, Nobin.”

  * * * *

  Lucifer had placed a hand on Oshi’s body, then the two of them disappeared. After that, Nikolai pulled him back into his arms. Their gazes met, and Thad was filled with happiness and gratitude to see
that his Nikolai was looking back at him with so much love in his eyes. Nikolai leaned in and captured his lips again, and Thad wrapped his arms around his mate’s neck, holding on tight.

  Thad felt a familiar pull to his body, but just ignored it. Now that he was back in Nikolai’s arms, where he belonged, the rest of the world just disappeared as it always did when they were together.

  Nikolai’s hands lowered, sliding against his body, and Thad suddenly felt hot. His need to be closer to this man grew, and Thad fell deeper in the spell that was his mate.

  Nikolai broke the kiss, and Thad whimpered. He didn’t want to stop. They had so many years to make up for, so much time that they had lost. Nikolai chuckled softly, and Thad’s cock twitched. Everything about his mate from his gorgeous pale blue eyes, to his silky shoulder-length brown hair and rocking hot body, to a simple laugh, just did it for him. Nikolai just turned him on in every way.

  When Nikolai broke the kiss, Thad realized his mate must have disseminated them out of the club and back to the coven house, because they now stood in Nikolai’s room. “I need to feel you, baby. I need to feel your flesh against mine and your body wrap around me once again. It’s been too long since I have felt your amazing body under me and surrounding me. Gods I have missed you, mate. I am so sorry for all the cold, hurtful things I said―”

  Thad covered Nikolai’s mouth with his hand. “I understand why, and I don’t have any hard feelings toward you over it, Nikolai. We both did things we never meant to do or had no control over. We’ve lost so much time, mate. Please, I don’t want to spend the next few days talking about it. I just want my mate to make love to me again, and hopefully soon claim me. It’s all I want, Nikolai. It’s truly all I ever really wanted. To be yours. To be claimed by you. That is, if you still want me.” Thad said the last part nervously.