Defender's Blood Lexi's Trials: Book 7 Final Instalment of the Defender's Series

by A. K. Michaels

  Defender's Blood

  Lexi's Trials

  Book 7

  by

  A K Michaels

  © 2014 by A K Michaels All Rights Reserved

  This book, or any portion thereof, may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission by the author except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 1

  Michael looked down at the sleeping beauty lying in bed next to him. Lexi, his soul mate, colour now back in her cheeks after her sickness the day before, her dark locks curling around her like a black halo. His heart swelled at the thought of what was to come...parenthood.

  His kick ass mate was carrying their children, two tiny babies in her belly. He was still trying to get his head around it all. To say it had been a shock was putting things mildly in the extreme. The moment the doctor had told them Lexi was pregnant still etched into his brain. That one second in time more than made up for the loss of his Angel’s wings.

  His eyes took all of her in, her strong muscles, her dark hair, her lithe, fit body. Michael’s hand moved to gently rest on her stomach, where their children now grew. His eyes watching carefully as if scared she would disappear and he would wake up alone.

  Michael jolted as one of Lexi’s hands covered his, “Morning,” she said sleepily, “You didn’t sleep, did you?”

  He turned his face to hers, a small smile on his lips as he answered. “Nope, I couldn’t quite stop thinking about all this. It’s a miracle, my little Angel, a miracle, and I know this will sound stupid, but I was afraid if I slept that I would wake up and find this had all been a dream.”

  Lexi moved her other hand towards him, pulling him closer before placing a gentle kiss on his lips. “It’s not silly, Michael. Jeez, only last week we were still battling with Fallen Angels and now here I am pregnant. I can only assume there’s no more for us to hunt, ’cause I can tell ya I’m not putting these babies in any kind of danger.”

  Michael nodded his head, “No, I agree, if there are any further missions then you, Lexi, will be staying home. However, I don’t think there will be, so I think we can relax for a bit. We need to rethink things though, we’re going to be parents and that means I need to work for Zach or Vlad on a regular basis so we have a steady income.”

  He watched as she stifled a laugh before answering, “Hmm well, that’s definitely at the top of the list. Though I think my mum put our stuff in storage, so we can save a bit by getting it. After all, it’s not as if anything was used for long, it’ll all be like new. Jeez, Michael, isn’t this strange? Us together was weird enough, you giving up your wings to be with me, that was huge, but this, shit...this is freaking out of the park. How the heck do we do this? We’re both more used to fighting and killing, than feeding a baby, far less two. I’m not sure I can do this...”

  Michael cut her off with a kiss, his senses on overload with her rising panic. His lips played with hers, his tongue caressing her mouth as his hand gently held her face. Michael continued until he felt her calm slightly, then pulled away, staring into those gorgeous grey eyes and tried to put her mind at ease.

  “Lexi, my love, you’ll be fine, you’ll take to this like everything else that’s been thrown at you. I’m sure as soon as we meet our children then everything else will just fall into place. Remember, we’re not alone, your parents, Conall, Tatiana, Irina and a host of others will be here to help us. Please don’t worry, it’s not good for you, or the babies.”

  Lexi stared up at him her face still showing some worry but she nodded her head. “Okay, I know you’re right, I’m still trying to get used to this and I know we’ll have a lot of support. I just don’t want to muck this up, Michael, this is the most important job of our lives. We need to do it right.”

  Michael got out of bed while answering, “I know and we will, I promise. Now, I’m going to get you the medication David gave you to stop the sickness. Stay there ’til I get back, try and rest and not worry.”

  Lexi said a quiet “Okay,” as he left their bedroom to get the pill bottle that they had brought home from the Clinic the previous day. He found it on the kitchen counter, checked the dosage and then got one of the small pills for Lexi, together with a small bottle of water from their fridge. As Michael entered the bedroom he sensed she was calmer, her heart not almost beating out of her chest as it had been earlier.

  Michael opened the water and handed it to her as she sat up, “Here,” he handed her the water first and then the medication, “How’re you feeling anyway? Okay?”

  Lexi’s face paled, “Uhm nope, feeling sick again. Shit, I hope I don’t puke like I did yesterday.”

  She took the pill quickly, swirling water in her mouth before swallowing it. Michael sat down next to her, trying to contain his own worry for his mate. She had seemed so ill the day before and his concern for her had been out of control. He had never felt so scared in his very long life. The thought of losing her almost bringing him to his knees.

  The truth was, he had never truly felt fear before. As a powerful Angel his strength had been vast, enough to deal with almost anything in this world, or any other for that matter. Michael had fought Fallen Angels, Demons and a horde of other wrongdoers and not once had he felt fear. As he watched his love become ill the day before he felt true fear for the first time. It was so all consuming that his body had been filled with raw terror at the thought of losing her. The feeling of relief when they had been told she wasn’t ill, she was pregnant, had been almost too much to take. He thought, for a moment his legs were going to give out. He fought against it and stayed strong, and upright, for his mate.

  The thought of seeming anything less than strong, especially in front of Zach, Lexi’s father, was abhorrent to him. So he did what he had heard more than a few folks on the compound say - he just had to ’suck it up’ and get on with things, so that’s what he had done. Michael thought he had done a good job of hiding his fear and relief from everyone, even Lexi.

  Michael shook his head, ridding him of those feelings and held one of her hands as he watched her fight for control, finally some colour seeping back into her face. “Stay here,” he said as he got up and left the room. Toast - dry toast was one of the things he had been told the day before was good for morning sickness. However, he had no idea who it was that had told him, so many voices giving so many different opinions. He only knew that he had definitely heard dry toast at some point.

  He got to work in their small kitchen and fiddled with the toaster until he got it to work. Mostly they ate out and didn’t do much cooking, though they usually had the basics to hand, like bread and milk. Lexi loved making them sandwich concoctions, with weird and wonderful fillings, some good and, well, some not so good. After the toaster popped the bread up he placed it on a small plate and carried it towards their bedroom.

  As Michael neared the door his acute senses went on alert. He could feel something in their room, what the hell? he thought. He used his speed to get to the room in less than a second, his head swirling around to find the threat. Nothing, there was nothing in the bedroom except for a confused looking Lexi and the feeling he had was gone. He frowned as he carried the plate to the bed, handing it down to Lexi as his eyes still strayed all around the room.

  Lexi took the plate from him, her eyes questioning, “What’s
up?” she asked as he finally looked down at her.

  He checked the room one more time before answering. “Nothing, I just thought I sensed something but I must’ve been wrong. All the excitement probably getting to me, that’s all.”

  Michael watched as Lexi nodded while nibbling on a corner of the toast, his heart slowly getting back to normal after the sharp rise as he thought there had been a threat in their home. Strange, he thought, as he forcibly sent his senses out now, making sure all was as it should be.

  *****

  Caim arrived in the room the second the betrayer, Michael, left. Staying invisible as he stood in the corner of the room, watching his little Angel struggle with the morning sickness that had hit her, full force, the day before. His anger and loathing at his brother, Michael, so immense that he fought to control it.

  He wanted nothing more than to obliterate Michael, and rid him of his rival for Lexi’s love. Caim knew that if Michael were gone that his beautiful Lexi would turn to him for comfort, falling in love with him...as she had done with Michael. The thought that Michael had deliberately kept the two of them apart still burned brightly within him.

  Caim knew that if Michael had not thwarted his attempts to spend more time with Lexi, that it would have been him, and not Michael, who Lexi had fallen in love with. To see his little Angel lying in bed, with Michael’s seed having taken root within her, brought a wrath to the fore in his entire being. He had no idea he was capable of the feelings that now engulfed him.

  As Lexi sat up further in the bed the cover fell down slightly, giving him a glimpse of the tops of her perfect breasts. Caim inhaled sharply as his arousal hit him fully, his cock straining against his white trousers. He wanted nothing more than to sink it deep within Lexi’s sheath and have her call his name whilst in the throng of ecstasy.

  Caim’s thoughts wandered, envisioning Lexi lying beneath him as he made hard, passionate, love to her, the sight inflaming his arousal further. His attention snapped back to the present as he heard Michaels footsteps. His brother’s speed picking up as Caim moved to another realm quickly as he realized Michael had sensed him. He cursed as he appeared in the realm he recently found and called his own, the place where he would bring his love...at the right moment in time.

  His mind whirled through all the different scenarios that could bring that miracle about. Caim’s first and most enjoyable outcome would be for Michael to be destroyed, gone completely from this world and therefore out of Lexi’s life forever. He knew that if that happened Lexi would be grief-stricken and he could easily be on hand to console her. In his minds eye he clearly saw her wrapping her arms around his neck, clinging to him as he gave her solace. Caim was certain Lexi would grow to love him in those circumstances, absolutely certain.

  Caim would take over fatherhood of the children now growing inside her. That thought almost bringing a lump to his throat as he saw himself holding one of the babes, whilst Lexi held the other. He already knew both would be girls, the twins manufactured to continue on the bloodline of The Defender of Man, with all the responsibility that entailed. Caim would make sure that both of the girls would grow up safe and strong, and able to take on their duty when the time was right. After all, he would be their father, wouldn’t he? Yes, of course he would.

  Caim stood on the very edge of the outcrop he materialized on staring out onto the blue sky beyond. The rock he stood on was one that jutted out over a drop so far down that any human would be long dead by the time they hit solid ground. The mountain the outcrop protruded from so high that, at this moment, he was surrounded by soft, white, clouds, swirling around him. His mind saw Lexi standing right here with him, in this hidden realm, her face wide in a smile as she marvelled at the beauty of the place he found for them.

  There was only one fly in the ointment that he could see...Michael...and his inability to destroy him. Caim had the strength and power to kill Michael, however, the very moment he did he knew ’the Boss’ would be aware of it and act accordingly. No, he couldn’t do what his heart desired, he had to come up with another solution.

  Caim stayed immobile, going over and over how he was going to get his little Angel here and in his arms. He was good at lying, very good, after all, ’the Boss’ still had no idea of his darker side, of his longing to have Lexi for himself. Caim was still amazed at the stupidity of humans believing that God was all-seeing...he wasn’t. He only kept track of certain times, places, if or when there was a need. So watching everything that occurred on earth was not something that ’the Boss’ did on a regular basis. God was far more complacent than humans would ever believe, allowing his Angels to take care of most things on earth. That meant that Caim could get away with what he was planning, if he took care and timed it meticulously.

  The lies he already had prepared for Lexi would drip off his tongue with ease. His mouth widened into a smile as he thought on how he was truly an expert in that department. Caim would make her believe Michael was dead, even if he wasn’t. Yes, that’s what he would do.

  All he needed to do was ensure it looked as if Michael had been killed, just at the moment he saved Lexi. He could implant those memories into her mind as easily as taking a breath. Caim turned and walked towards the building he created on top of the mountain, a house with several bedrooms and all mod-cons. The only thing the house required now was Lexi and the babies.

  His heart swelled as he envisioned her here with him, smiling as she looked at him, her babies calling him father. Caim couldn’t stop his own smile widening as he saw her calling his name as she writhed beneath him, lost in ecstasy and pleasure. He would lavish her body with so many feelings that she would forget Michael ever existed. He was sure of it.

  Chapter 2

  Zach smiled at Alexina’s excitement, her face aglow and her eyes bright and sparkling. She was almost bouncing on her feet as he tried to restrain her, laughing down at her upturned face. “Meine Kleine, you need to slow down. It’s very early, Lexi might still be asleep...”

  Alex cut him off quickly with a wave of her hand and a chuckle, “She’s up, I can feel it, and I have to go see her. Yesterday was all drama and getting her to feel better. Today, well, today we can start discussing baby things. Zach, our little girl is going to have twins! Isn’t it exciting?”

  Zach let himself be dragged along the hallway and out the door, at least he had made sure they were travelling in the normal fashion to Lexi’s. Alexina wanting to move but he had said no, it was abusing their power to just zap in and out on a whim. Her pouty face having him stifling a chuckle as she frowned up at him.

  He laughed as she dragged him to the jeep, “Yes, Alexina, it’s very exciting, however, after we’ve been over to check on Lexi then we need to get to work. There’s quite a few things that need our attention and it’s not fair to keep passing our responsibilities off onto Dmitri and Donna. So, please, my little one, let’s keep this visit short and we can catch up this evening or tomorrow evening. Okay?”

  Zach bent down and kissed her frown, then her nose, then her lips, his tongue probing until it gained entrance. She sighed into his mouth and he considered, just for a moment, picking her up and taking her back to bed. Her arms wrapped around his neck and their kiss deepening when they were interrupted.

  Vlad’s voice was very loud as he shouted over at them. “Hey, you guys! Want to take that inside?”

  Alexina jumped back, her face red, as they watched Vlad running down the middle of the road, sweat dripping from him. His laughter echoing in their ears as he passed quickly, the sound of his feet hitting the tarmac diminishing the farther away he ran.

  Alexina punched his arm, “That was your fault! Kissing me like that in public, what are you thinking?”

  Zach restrained his own laughter, opening the door for her and helping her up into her seat. He reached across and fastened her seatbelt before kissing her again. This time he kept it short and pulled away to go around the jeep before getting in to drive. As he turned the key and drove off
he answered her.

  Zach spoke quietly, keeping his eyes on the road ahead, “I was thinking about taking you back to bed and making you scream my name, over and over. That’s what I was thinking!”

  He heard her gasp, her heart flutter and he knew a blush would be creeping up her neck, slowly making it’s way onto her cheeks. His smile was wide as he imagined her eyes wide and her breaths quickening. What he didn’t expect was her cursing loudly in the confines of the jeep.

  Alexina’s tone was outraged as she shouted, “Feck! What the hell are you trying to do to me! We’re on our way to see our daughter, our pregnant daughter, and you’ve got me all hot ’n bothered and having lustful thoughts of your naked body, Vampire! Why the hell would you do that to me?”

  Zach laughed out loud, his body shaking as he drove, his little mate punching him hard in the arm. “Ouch! That hurt!” he exclaimed as his laughter continued.

  Alexina’s laughter joined his and his heart soared hearing the sound. Her joy always brought him immense delight, especially after the last few troublesome years they had endured. Zach sneaked a look at his mate, seeing the beautiful woman sitting next to him always making him feel immense happiness. They had fought, and won, so many battles to get to this point and he would do it all again, just to have her by his side.

  Zach turned to face the road again, pulling up in front of the apartment building their twins lived in. Conall, their son, now having his own and Lexi and Michael taking over the original one that Conall had shared with his sister. Zach guessed it was hard for him, being apart from his twin, they had been together for their entire lives. Living apart was not something either of them had envisioned this early into them rejoining the human race. However, Conall couldn’t live in the same apartment as his sister with her mate and Zach could well understand that. Lexi and Michael needed their privacy just as Conall did.