Fate [The Angel Pack 14] (Siren Publishing Menage Amour ManLove)

by Maggie Walsh

  “I think we’ve heard enough for now,” Micah said. He tapped Jesse’s hip for him to stand.

  “No, please, there are things you need to know,” Samuel pleaded.

  “Sweetie, this is too hard on you right now. It’s okay, you can tell us whatever else you want to say when you’re ready,” Jesse said soothingly, as everyone began turning to leave.

  “He has me working on a new serum that I know directly affects all of you,” Samuel confessed, making them all stop and turn back to him.

  “We’re listening, but only if you’re sure, Samuel. We don’t want to cause you any more stress,” Micah replied.

  Samuel sniffled, then swallowed hard. “After I promised I would do what he wanted, he killed my parents anyway, then told me that was because I denied him and that if I thought I could now defy him again, that he would start killing my siblings one by one, slowly, and make me watch. He said he would give them over to the rogues to play with and do what they wanted. I knew what he meant, so I went back to my lab. After that, I created the serum that would take away a fae’s magic for short periods of time. But I also found a way to mask the scent of any paranormal, and another serum that would make anyone, humans included, see things. If given in small doses it would slowly give them hallucinations of the things that scared them the most or played on their insecurities.

  “Then one day a few years ago, Malachi came back to me and asked me to come up with a way to kill a vampire. I was really scared for our kind with all these things he was making me create. I knew that he was a witch, and he was using me to create weapons to destroy all paranormals so that he could take over. I was foolish and refused him again. He made me watch as the rogues took my brothers and sister and raped them over and over again. I can still hear them screaming at night when I try to sleep.” Samuel stopped to catch his breath as tears rolled down his cheeks.

  “Oh, my gods,” Jesse whispered in horror as he cried.

  “My sister, Erin, managed to get away from them and she ran, and they took off after her. While they were gone, my brother Dylan struggled to get to his knees. He was all bloody and bruised. They were monsters as they took my siblings. Ripping and biting their flesh like animals. Dylan stumbled across the room and Malachi stood there laughing as he watched him. But then Dylan did something Malachi never expected. He grabbed a large knife that sat on the table across the room and shoved it deep, impaling himself on the blade.

  “Malachi roared in anger and started beating on Dylan’s dead body before he turned his anger on Conner. He used his magic on Conner. My brother screamed as his body was pulled apart and burned, until finally he couldn’t take the pain anymore and the screaming stopped. I knew he was dead, but Malachi kept torturing him.

  “When the rogues returned, they were dragging pieces of Erin with them. One of them had her head and he dropped it down in front of me. Then Malachi turned his anger on me. He beat me so bad I couldn’t move for almost two weeks. When I healed enough for him, he made me get back to work and told me that if I defied him again, that I would be next. He would let anyone who wanted me, have me, but make sure they didn’t kill me because he still needed me. I was never allowed to be alone, but after that, it only got worse. He moved me from cave to cave and always with about thirty or so of the Nephilim.”

  “Did you help with their creation, as well?” Phenex asked.

  “Not the originals, but the new ones. With all my research in DNA, I was able to figure out a way for them to be born to a demon, but it would take a god to impregnate them to make it work. Then I warned Malachi if that were to ever happen, that this new breed of Nephilim would incubate faster and grow at an alarming rate because of the godly blood. Humans are in their mothers’ bodies for nine months, but these Nephilim could be in either man or woman because of the god, and it would only take about two months for them to be born. Then once they were, they would age at a drastic rate of ten years per one earth year. So, within two years they would be fully grown demon Nephilim.”

  “What were you working on now, Samuel? Why were you in that cave?” Micah asked.

  “Once Malachi disappeared and Minos took over, he was even more vicious than his brother. He’s had me working on a way to try to take a demigod’s powers away.”

  “Son of a bitch,” Lucifer seethed.

  “And have you been successful?” Dare asked.

  “Not yet, but I know I’m close. I told Minos I needed blood samples from a demigod to test my theory,” Samuel answered.

  “And all this time he has kept you creating more rogues, I assume?” Dante asked.

  “Yes,” Samuel answered softly, his voice and eyes filled with guilt.

  “Did they…did they ever touch you, Samuel?” Sasha asked in a choked whisper.

  Samuel’s eyes filled with a fresh wave of tears, then he looked down, and nodded. “After Malachi only had me left, to keep me under his control, he let them have me. He told me that if I stayed a good boy, that he would keep them away from me, but…”

  “But what?” Sasha asked gently, but Micah could see his jaw clenched and he was working hard to control his anger.

  “But he used me as a reward for them. Malachi, then Minos, said that they thought I was going too slow with my experiments as a way to defy them and if they thought at any time I wasn’t working the way they thought I should, then they would give me to one or more of the rogues or Nephilim. I hated every minute of it with any of them, but the Nephilim…they. They are evil and love to cause as much pain as they can,” Samuel said on a sob.

  “What’s going on down here, guys?” Raith asked, as he, Aaron, and Rory came down the stairs to the basement.

  Micah turned his head to find Raith, Rory, and Aaron approaching. “Shit.” He heard a few of the others say under their breath. Just as Micah was about to intercept them, Jesse stepped forward and went right to them, stopping the trio.

  “Everything’s okay.”

  “Xander said you had an injured man down here and I wanted to make sure everything was okay before we head over to see Storm,” Aaron informed them.

  “That’s a good idea. After last night, I’m sure Storm would love to see you so that the two of you can talk,” Jesse said as he grabbed Aaron’s elbow and tried to turn him.

  Aaron pulled his elbow free and spun back around. “Why the bum’s rush, Jess? I just want to give the guy a check up and see if everything is okay,” Aaron said, then looked in the cell and froze. His brows scrunched down as his eyes filled with confusion.

  “What is this?” he asked in a barely audible whisper.

  “Holy shit, Aaron! He’s your identical twin,” Rory shouted.

  Chapter Six

  Shay stretched his sore limbs and let the water from the rain showerhead cascade down over his aching body. Dropping his chin to his chest, he let the water pound on his shoulders, loving the heat and sensation it was causing. Strong arms came around him from behind, wrapping around his waist and pulling him back slightly to a wide, muscled chest. Shay smiled and leaned into the embrace. He loved being wrapped in Castiel’s arms.

  “Good morning, beautiful,” Castiel said against the side of his neck before he placed a kiss there.

  “Good morning. I didn’t mean to wake you,” Shay answered, then moaned as Castiel’s hands slid over his wet skin. Cass trailed kisses up his neck to his ear.

  “You didn’t. But I must say, I wasn’t happy about waking up this morning with one of my mates missing. For the past three days, I have woken up in the most delightful way with my two sexy mates at my side.”

  “That used to us already, mate?” Shay teased.

  “Yes,” Castiel answered simply and Shay’s heart filled with joy. He found that he really liked that answer.

  “I think we’re missing one. Don’t tell me you left Kia there all alone to wake up without either of us,” Shay said as he turned in Castiel’s arms to face him.

  “I wouldn’t do that. Kia will be along in a moment. An
d I don’t ever want one of my mates to wake up alone for the rest of our days. It makes me sad, thinking of either of you alone.” Castiel looked deeply into Shay’s eyes as he spoke and Shay could see and feel that his words were true.

  The glass door opened and Kia walked in, some of the steam escaping and swirling around him. He closed the door behind him. Castiel immediately held out one hand for him and Kia took it. Castiel pulled him into their embrace and the three of them joined in a tri-kiss as the water rained down over their heads.

  The past three days had been more than Shay had ever expected, and a thousand times better than he had ever dreamed possible. In between bouts of mind-blowing sex, they all talked, sharing life stories with each other. Shay and Kia shared with Castiel how they grew up and came to find each other, as well as some of the things they could do. Castiel was still a little confused about each of their powers, but he would learn soon enough. Castiel told them all about himself and how he now had demon blood running through him as well as demon powers.

  He explained that sometimes he could feel the evil of it inside him and when that happened he was afraid he would lash out and hurt someone. Ever since he woke up with a piece of that demon inside him, he had started spending more time alone when those moments of anger grabbed him. He promised that he wouldn’t put them in danger and when those times came, he would pull himself away from them until it passed. Sometimes it was hours and others it was days, but they would never have to worry about him harming them. Then he reassured them that even if he had to put himself in seclusion for a time, that he would be thinking of them and missing them.

  Silly man. Like Shay and Kia were going to let him be alone while he was suffering. Even though they explained some of their powers to him, Shay knew Castiel didn’t understand what they could really do. But they would show him and bring their mate back into the sunlight and calm his inner demon.

  Hands began to roam and explore, as lips and tongues trailed paths of heat and desire over slick skin. The sensations brought Shay from his thoughts and back into the now, enjoying his mate’s touch.

  * * * *

  The trio walked into the kitchen holding hands. Castiel walked Shay and Kia to the center island and pulled out two stools for them like a gentleman, then kissed them each on the cheek before moving away and walking around the counter.

  “What would you like? Coffee for you Kia, and tea for you, Shay?” Castiel asked as he opened a cupboard and pulled three mugs from inside.

  “Yes, please. I need my coffee,” Kia answered in desperation, making Cass smile. He was learning his little kitty was useless first thing in the morning until he had his first cup of coffee.

  “Tea would be great. Thank you, mate,” Shay added.

  “Let me see if I remember this right. Milk, no sugar for Kia, and only a teaspoon of honey for Shay?”

  They both smiled wide at Castiel’s thoughtfulness. “You remembered,” they answered together.

  A moan came from across the room, but it wasn’t a pleasant sound. They each turned in their seats to see where it was coming from and found a large figure sitting in a chair in the breakfast nook, slumped over with his head on his folded arms, and face buried.

  “I wonder what’s going on with Liam,” Castiel said.

  “That’s the man we met the other night, the one who is the changed Nephilim, right?” Shay asked.

  “Yeah, but what is he doing?” Castiel asked as he placed their mugs on the counter in front of them, then took a sip of his own coffee.

  “He’s dreaming,” Kia answered softly.

  “He sounds like he is in distress,” Shay stated and touched Kia’s shoulder. Kia turned to face him and they shared a look. Castiel didn’t know what it meant, but for some reason it pulled at his chest.

  Kia grabbed his mug and took a big drink of his coffee, then placed the mug back down and nodded at Shay. He stood and walked to Liam’s side. Castiel had no idea what was going on, but he found himself mesmerized by Kia’s movements and curious to see what he was going to do. Just as Kia reached Liam’s side, Xavier walked in and looked at them.

  “What’s going on?” he asked with a raised brow as his gaze landed on Kia. Just then, Liam grunted and began to thrash slightly.

  “It appears your mate is having a bad dream,” Shay answered.

  “So, what is the little guy doing?” Xavier asked and moved closer.

  “His name is Kia, and don’t touch him,” Shay snapped as he jumped to his feet.

  Xavier’s head snapped in his direction, his face twisted with shock and sadness. “I would never hurt a mate.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it that way. I meant, don’t break Kia’s concentration. I promise, he won’t harm your mate. Kia will help him. Watch,” Shay replied and shifted his gaze back to Kia and Liam.

  Just as Kia touched Liam’s arm, Kia’s head was thrown back on his neck and his whole body stiffened. Castiel and Xavier both took off quickly across the room, but Shay was faster and blocked their path, holding his hands out in front of him to stop them. “It’s okay. I promise. Just don’t touch either of them while Kia is in there or you could be pulled in, too,” Shay warned.

  “What the hell are you talking about, in there? In where? He’s standing right in front of us looking like he’s having some kind of epileptic fit,” Xavier replied.

  “Sweet pea, what’s he doing? Are they okay?” Cass asked and took a step closer.

  “They are both fine. I promise, just please, don’t touch them.”

  Castiel continued to watch his mate stand stone-still, body straight and flexed, like a rubber band about to be released. His eyes had gone from their beautiful blue to all white, and his neck muscles were straining as his jaw clenched.

  “It must be one hell of a nightmare for Kia to tense up so. He’s going to be exhausted when he returns,” Shay said.

  “Returns from where? I’m confused,” Xavier said, then sighed as he ran a hand through his hair.

  “What’s going on, guys?” Jesse asked.

  Cass turned to see Jesse, Micah, Taylor, Raith, Raffy, and Christian walk in. “Liam is having a nightmare and my mate is…well, I’m not quite sure what Kia is doing,” Cass answered.

  “He’s dreamwalking,” Shay answered.

  “Excuse me? He’s what?” Taylor asked.

  “It’s one of his gifts. Kia is a traveler. A journeyman and a dreamwalker. Some refer to him as a sleepwalker. Not because he walks in his sleep, but because he can walk in others’ dreams,” Shay explained.

  “Oh, yeah, that cleared that right up,” Taylor said sarcastically as he sat at the table opposite Liam and watched what was going on.

  “Just don’t touch either of them or you may get pulled in. If that happens now, Kia won’t know that you are there and you may get trapped.”

  “So, if anyone touches either of them, then they will get sucked into Liam’s dream?” Xavier asked, confused.

  “Well, I believe he’s having a nightmare, but yes. And being sucked into one of those without Kia there to guide you out would be disastrous,” Shay answered.

  “So, Liam is having a nightmare and Kia is able to go into it and what? What is he doing?” Micah asked in fascination as he moved closer, crossed his arms over his chest, and stared at the pair.

  “Kia could explain it better to you, but essentially, he guides the person through the dream, or nightmare. Either helping them see the truth of it, and helping them escape, or if a dream, which is most likely a memory of some sort, he can help the dreamer see the truth of that, as well.”

  “What does that mean, sweet pea?” Cass asked as he wrapped an arm around Shay’s waist from behind and rested his chin on Shay’s shoulder.

  “Everyone thinks that there is only dreams or nightmares, but that’s false. There are a hundred different levels of each. Most so-called dreams we don’t even remember, because they are not dreams at all, but memories. When those memories are dark or full of pain and an
guish, they will morph into nightmares. It could be something as simple as when you were five and you watched a scary movie and the creature in it became a thing of your nightmares, because you dreamed of it. The fear you felt while watching the movie changes the memory into something terrifying, creating the nightmare.

  “Now, as you grow up, the nightmare doesn’t come as often, until finally it just stops happening. But, in actuality, it didn’t. It is always there, you just don’t remember because your brain moved further away from the actual memory. At some time in your adult life, you will have the dream again, but now it can be even more frightening. Real things that happen to us in life can be a thousand times scarier than that movie or movie monster, but our brain brings the two together. So, the movie monster that scared you when you were little morphs into one of the real-life things that terrifies you now. Making the nightmare a lot worse and making you feel like it was real. How many times have you awakened from a dream and said that it felt real?”

  “Wow, so what, exactly, does Kia do?” Raffy asked.

  “He goes in and can guide you. He helps you find the source of the nightmare, while giving you a little extra strength because you are now not alone. Then he helps you to see the original dream through the eyes of the adult, not the child. Which in most situations works and makes the nightmare go away forever, because seeing it through an adult’s eye, it’s not very frightening, so it just fades,” Shay explained.

  “All dreams could stem from a memory? So, what would happen then?” Christian asked.

  “All nightmares stem from a memory, and about half of our dreams. The other half are wishes. Things that we have wanted, wished, and hoped for at one point in our life, and they come to us in a dream.”

  “So, if my mate is having a nightmare right now, Kia is in there with him, guiding him through it? Can Kia see what Liam is seeing?” Xavier asked in concern.