The Angel Pack 10 - Home

by Walsh Maggie

  * * * *

  Dante was going out of his mind wondering what was happening. He shouldn’t be here sitting on his ass while his best friends were out there gods only knew where, possibly fighting for their lives. He should be there at Micah and Jess’s side.

  “We need your doctor, now!” Lucifer exclaimed. Everyone turned to look at where the voice had come from. Dante was up on his feet immediately when he saw that Micah, Jesse, and Taylor all looked like they had been in a battle from hell. Their clothes were all torn, and they were covered in bruises and gashes.

  Lucifer stood before them with Milo in his arms. Milo was so still Dante was afraid he was dead. He used his powerful hearing to listen and heard a very faint thumping coming from within Milo’s chest.

  “This way. Aaron is awaiting your return in the clinic,” Lexi said and led Lucifer from the room.

  Josh had run to Maddy’s side at the first sight of them, and the two held hands as they followed Lucifer. Raphael ran to Evan and scooped him up into his arms, holding him tight.

  “What happened?” Dante asked as he gave Micah and then Jesse a hug.

  Taylor ran to Gabriel’s side, and Gabe lifted him. Taylor wrapped his arms and legs around Gabe and attacked his mouth with his.

  “It’s a very long, strange story,” Micah said as he walked to the nearest chair and dropped into it.

  “It was fabulous,” Taylor said, beaming.

  “Fabulous, Tay? You call getting pummeled by fifty amped-up, giant demonic Nephilim, fabulous?” Jesse huffed and sat on Micah’s lap, wrapping his arms around his neck.

  “Okay, so that part sucked, but you gotta give it to him, Jess. Lucifer has style, and he’s funny as hell. Pun not intended.” Taylor laughed.

  “Jesse, come quick!” Rory came rushing into the room in a panic.

  Jesse jumped up and took off after Rory, Micah and the others followed. Jesse ran into the room where Aaron was working on Milo. Maddy and Josh stood at the foot of the bed wrapped in each other’s arms, tears running down their cheeks. Jesse ran to the bed, stopping beside Aaron.

  “What is it, Aaron? What can I do?”

  “I don’t know, Jess. He’s lost so much blood, but I think he’s been poisoned, as well. Look at the skin surrounding the wound. It’s all burned as if his flesh is being dissolved or eaten.”

  Jesse climbed onto the bed beside Milo and placed his hands over the wound. He closed his eyes and started to chant. After a few minutes he opened his eyes and sighed. He turned to look at Micah. Dante could see the pain and defeat in Jesse’s eyes. He knew that they couldn’t do anything to save Milo. If Jesse couldn’t save him, no one could.

  “Ada, go get Noah,” Jesse said.

  “In his condition, he may not be able to help, son,” Ryland said sadly.

  “I know, but we need to try.”

  Ryland nodded at him and began a chant. A bright light shown, and the portal opened. Ryland stepped through, but the portal didn’t close. A few seconds later Ryland returned with an exhausted Noah by his side. Noah immediately went to the bed next to Jesse.

  “Ada, tell me quick. Let’s try this.”

  Noah and Jesse placed their hands on Milo’s chest and closed their eyes. Then they both began to chant. Again, after a few moments they pulled away, but Milo remained the same.

  Noah shook his head. “I sorry. I not strong enough to use powers yet.” Noah’s eyes filled with tears as he started to cry.

  “It’s not your fault, cutie. You’re too weak still. I’m sorry everyone, but I need to take my mate home to heal fully,” Bastian said as he moved to pick Noah up.

  “No, Bastian. We need save Milo. Taylor, Micah, Ada, Raffy, Shelby, Demetrius, come,” Noah ordered, and those called circled the bed. “All touch.”

  Everyone placed their hands on Milo, and Jesse and Noah started chanting again. After a few seconds, the others joined in. When the chant was over, they pulled their hands back and Josh gasped. The wound on Milo’s chest was gone, and only his clear olive skin remained. Noah slumped against Jesse, and Jesse grabbed him, holding him up.

  “Noah?”

  “He used up the little energy he had. He needs to rest,” Ryland explained.

  Bastian moved closer again, this time scooping Noah up into his arms. He straightened and turned toward the portal that still remained open. He carried Noah through and Ryland chanted, closing the portal.

  “Does this mean he’s going to be okay?” Josh asked anxiously.

  Aaron moved back to the bed and put his stethoscope in his years, then pressed the other end to Milo’s chest.

  “It’s too weak. His heart is slowing,” Dante whispered absently as he stared at Milo. He lifted his gaze and looked at Maddy’s face and then at Josh’s. He could see the great agony they were in. Dante shook his head. “I can’t.”

  “Dante?” Micah said softly from beside Dante and placed a hand on Dante’s shoulder. “What is it?” Micah whispered.

  Dante looked up at Micah and then shifted his gaze to meet Dare’s. Dare stepped closer and wrapped an arm around Dante’s waist.

  “What is it, mate? What has you so torn?”

  “I think I can save him, but I can’t do it, Dare.” Dante’s voice came out full of anguish. “The last time I did it―the only time I did it―I created a monster.”

  “You did not create the monster that Christoph was, my love. He was already a monster.”

  “Are you talking about turning Milo?” Micah asked carefully in a whisper.

  Dante nodded, his eyes fixed on Milo again.

  “It’s too much for you, Dante. I don’t want you to put yourself through this. Jesse was able to bring Crew back. He can do it for Milo, too.”

  “No. He cannot,” Raphael said from behind them.

  The three turned to face him.

  “This time it is not for the Heart to save. This is for the vampire king to do. It has been written. Each must play his part.”

  Raphael spoke robotically, like he was in a trance. Micah remembered him using that voice before, when he was healing and he spoke of Gabriel claiming his powers and the realm and babies being in jeopardy.

  “A full human in our world is too dangerous. This is Milo’s destiny.”

  “What?” Maddy asked at hearing Milo’s name. “What is Milo’s destiny?”

  “You cannot ask me to do this. Not this, and not to Milo of all people, not after what he went through with his brother Frankie. I fear that if he wakes up to find himself changed into the very creature that took Frankie from him, he won’t be able to handle it, and then what? And what happens if I change him and he turns into Christoph?” Dante’s eyes showed his pure terror at the thought.

  “Wait a minute. King Dante, you can save Milo?” Josh asked.

  Dante shook his head, struggling with what he knew he should do, but couldn’t. “No, I can’t do it. I can’t do that Milo. He’s a good man. He’s part of our family. I can’t do that to him.”

  “Then he will die,” Raphael declared in that robotic voice.

  “What are you all talking about? Uncle Micah, please tell us. We’re his mates. We deserve to know,” Maddy pleaded.

  “Whatever force speaks through my father said that Jesse will not be able to resurrect Milo like he did with Crew. It is saying that only Dante can save him, but to do that, there is only one way.”

  “What is that?” Josh asked.

  “I would have to change him…into a vampire,” Dante said in defeat.

  “What?” Maddy and Josh both exclaimed. “But that may kill him―not physically, but mentally. Although he now knows what happened and who Christoph was, being a creature that took his brother away so viciously may destroy him.”

  “And what about the garage? It has always been his dream,” Maddy stated. “If he becomes a vampire, how will he run his shop?”

  “If we don’t change him, then he will die, and all those concerns will be moot. Then the two of you will die because of your
bond. That is after you suffer greatly from losing him,” Jesse stated.

  Maddy looked at Josh. “What should we do?”

  “I don’t know, Maddy. I know I don’t want him to die. He deserves to live. He’s such a wonderful man who has had such a shitty life for the past few years. He is finally happy and has started his dream. I don’t know what to do. Can we even ask that of Dante? Look at him. This is causing him too much pain. I don’t want to be the cause of him struggling with this and being hurt, and you know Milo wouldn’t want Dante to suffer either. He would rather we let him go than to be the cause of pain for any of our family.”

  Dante heard their words, and everything snapped into place. His fears abated, and he knew what he had to do. They were right. Milo deserved to live a happy life. Dante may not be able to bring his brother back, and he would always feel some of the blame for Frankie’s death, but he could pay Frankie back in a small way by saving Milo. He stepped forward and went to the bed. He looked down upon Milo’s pale face and he could hear his heart slowing even more.

  “I can save him. He is nothing like Christoph, and he never will be. I can save him, and whatever comes after that, we will all help him. He has a big family here that loves him, and we will all be here for him. If I change him, I will be his sire, his father, and I will always be there for him, my son, for the rest of my days,” Dante declared. He swallowed the lump in his throat as the tears fell from his eyes.

  Maddy and Josh stepped up next to Dante. Maddy placed a hand on his shoulder, drawing Dante’s attention. When their eyes met, Maddy gave Dante a sad smile.

  “We don’t want you to save him if it causes you pain. We can’t ask that of you.”

  “Thank you, Maddy, but I feel that this is the right thing to do. I need to do this, if it is okay with the both of you.”

  “We don’t want to lose him. If when he awakens changed and is angry with us, then we’ll find a way to deal with it, but at least he’ll be alive,” Josh answered.

  “Will you two men be okay with having the king vampire as your father-in-law? Because if I change him, I will look upon him as my own son.”

  “We would be honored to have you as our father-in-law, as well as Dare and Dale as our step-in-laws,” Maddy stated.

  “And think of it this way―Milo will have two new little brothers to spoil,” Josh said through his tears.

  “Always a bonus,” Maddy teased and kissed Josh’s temple.

  Dante gave them a smile and turned to look at Dare. “Mate?”

  Dare gave him a bright smile and walked up to him. He cupped Dante’s cheek and looked at him lovingly. Dare leaned in, brushed his lips softly against Dante’s, and then nodded. Dante closed his eyes as he released a sigh. He opened them and nodded to Dare, then turned back toward Milo.

  Dante climbed on the bed and unbuttoned his shirt, taking it off. He sat with his back to the headboard and leaned back against it. “Can someone place him over my lap?”

  Dare stepped forward and lifted Milo up gently, then deposited him in Dante’s lap. Dante put one arm behind Milo’s back, supporting him. Dante lifted Milo toward him and leaned in as his long, sharp fangs pushed out from his upper gums. As gently as he could, Dante sank his fangs deep into Milo’s flesh and began to suck. Dante listened to Milo’s heartbeat slow to almost nonexistent. Once he heard Milo’s heart slow to a few beats a minute, Dante released Milo’s throat and raised his wrist to his mouth. He bit into his wrist quickly, and it began to ooze with blood. He pressed his wrist to Milo’s mouth. “Open it quickly,” he stated. Dare reached out and pulled down on Milo’s chin, opening his mouth. Dante’s blood flowed in and pooled within Milo’s open mouth.

  Suddenly a small movement could be seen in Milo’s throat. He swallowed. Dante closed his eyes and sighed in relief. They sat like that for another five minutes as Dante fed Milo his blood and Milo began to swallow it faster. Dante pulled his wrist from Milo’s lips and licked the wound, healing himself. He then stared at the two holes in Milo’s neck.

  “What are you looking at, my love?” Dare whispered.

  “To see if it worked. I think it did, but I need to be sure. Wait for it,” Dante answered.

  Everyone’s eyes focused where Dante was looking. After a few minutes, the two holes in Milo’s neck turned red, and a drop of deep red blood trickled out. Dante smiled, leaned down, and licked the holes closed. He pulled Milo tight against him as if cradling a child. Dante closed his eyes as a tear rolled down his cheek and he sent up a silent prayer to the Gods. “Please watch over him and accept him in our world as one of us. Please give him the strength he needs to accept what I have done and maybe not hate me.”

  “So now what do we do?” Josh asked.

  Dante opened his eyes and looked at Josh and Maddy. “Even now, his heart is beginning to beat faster. His body is changing. It could be hours or days before the final change takes over. Once he awakens, he will be famished for blood. He may even experience bloodlust, so I will have Viktor send over a large supply of all different types of blood.”

  “Shouldn’t we feed him?” Josh asked nervously.

  “Eventually, yes, if that is what you all choose. That’s something that the three of you will have to discuss. Until then, he will need to feed, and if he does have bloodlust, then it wouldn’t be a good idea for him to feed from either of you until the lust subsides. He may end up hurting you unconsciously.”

  “You said we would have to discuss it, but we’re his mates. Wouldn’t he want to get his nourishment from us?” Maddy asked in concern.

  “As a born vampire, yes, but Milo is a made vampire, and we’re not sure how he will take this. The thought of having to survive on blood may revolt him, and even drinking from the bags may be a horrible concept to him. We’ll have to see what happens when he awakens.”

  Dante gently laid Milo on the bed beside him and climbed off. He stood up, grabbed the blankets, and covered Milo. Everyone left to give Milo time to heal, but Maddy and Josh sat on the bed beside him and held Milo’s hands. Dante picked up a chair from the corner, placed it next to the bed, and sat down. Dare handed him his shirt and Dante smiled.

  “I’ll go check on Dale and our sons. I’ll tell him what happened and return later to check on all of you.” Dare gave Dante a kiss and pulled back.

  Dante looked up at Dare with eyes full of love. He took Dare’s hand in his and gave it a squeeze. “Thank you, mate. I love you. Tell Dale and our boys I love them, too, and I will be home when I can.”

  “We all love you, too, Dante. Stay as long as you need.”

  * * * *

  Raphael and Evan left the room with everyone else so that Milo could get some rest as his mates kept vigil by his side. Raphael took Evan’s hand in his and pulled him along, getting Evan to follow him. He walked Evan up the stairs, then down the hall. Once he made it to his bedroom, he opened the door and stepped in, pulling Evan with him.

  Raphael closed the door behind them and locked it. He turned toward his mate and found Evan facing away from him as he looked around the large room. Raphael needed to hold his mate. He needed to reclaim him and mark Evan as his. Raphael lifted off his shirt, tossed it to the side, and then stepped forward and pressed his chest to Evan’s back as he wrapped his arms around his waist. Evan stiffened slightly but then relaxed against Raphael.

  Raphael nibbled the side of Evan’s neck, and Evan moaned, dropping his head back against Raphael’s shoulder, giving him more room to explore. Raphael’s hands lid down Evan’s flat stomach to the hem of his shirt. He pushed his hands under the material and ran his fingers across Evan’s smooth skin.

  “I need to feel you, mate. I need to be inside you,” Raphael growled against Evan’s skin.

  “Yes,” Evan answered breathlessly. “Take me. I need you.”

  Raphael didn’t need to hear any more. He quickly divested them both of their clothes and had Evan lying on his back in the center of his bed. Raphael settled between Evan’s legs, and their co
cks pressed together, causing them both to moan. Raphael claimed Evan’s lips in a heated kiss, plunging his tongue deep inside. He devoured Evan’s kiss as if he needed it to live.

  Not wanting to but needing to, Raphael drew back from the kiss, freeing Evan’s lips. They both panted heavily as they drew air into their lungs, but Raphael didn’t pause for long. Leaning down he ran his tongue along his mate’s jaw and to his chest. He circled Evan’s right nipple with his tongue and then licked across the peak. Evan arched slightly, pressing his chest up to meet Raphael’s tongue. Raphael chuckled softly and moved farther down, running his tongue through every ridge and valley of Evan’s tight body until he got to Evan’s groin.

  Without hesitation, Raphael grabbed the hard shaft at the base and swallowed Evan’s cock, taking it to the back of his throat in one motion. Evan’s hips shot off the bed as he cried out his pleasure. Raphael sucked on the hard cock for a minute and then pulled off, releasing Evan. He licked his way down, twirled his tongue over Evan’s sac, and took the balls into his mouth, teasing them. Raphael slid his hands under Evan’s ass and flipped him onto his stomach as his balls fell from Raphael’s warm mouth.

  Without missing a beat, Raphael dove in and speared his tongue into Evan’s crease. “Raphael!” Evan screamed out and pushed his ass back against Raphael’s mouth. Using his hands he spread Evan’s cheeks, and his gaze zeroed in on the tight, puckered hole. Raphael growled at the sight and speared his tongue deep within his mate. He thrust his tongue in and out, wetting the opening with his saliva, and then pressed a finger in alongside his tongue, preparing Evan’s body for his cock.

  By the time he’d licked and worshipped Evan’s hole enough to take three fingers, Raphael couldn’t hold back his need anymore. His wolf needed their mate. He demanded they reclaim him. Having their mate taken from them drove his wolf crazy with the need to hunt and hurt those that had taken what belonged to them.

  When the need to rescue Evan was taken from them, Raphael’s wolf howled his displeasure, but Raphael had pushed him away. He knew that he needed to let the others take the lead. He may be an older wolf, and he had great strength, but his powers of foresight would not help them in a battle against more powerful creatures. As much as he hated not going for his mate himself, he knew he had to stay behind. He had done his part by watching over Evan’s boys and making sure they were cared for and stayed calm.