Underneath

by Maggie Walsh

  “You are a beautiful man, and very easy to manipulate. I have done well in finding you. The Master will be so pleased. I have seen you. You are the one Aaron spoke of. Leader Storm’s second, Seth, is it?” Seth just nodded. “Perfect, Aaron said you were a dimwit. So you’re the one who has given that tight little fuck a hard time for his whole life? Very nice. I approve, mate. You will go back and tell them that you looked this way and found nothing. You will not let anyone else come this way. You will not tell anyone we met. You will remember how we fucked and claimed each other here tonight, rutting like the animal you are here in the dirt. You will remember how I was the best lover you ever had and you will be totally devoted to me, your mate. You will think of me with love and wanting, but you will not tell another living soul about us. I will come to you when the time is right, my mate. Miss me.” Christoph finished and kissed Seth hard and fast. He pulled away and disseminated.

  Next, a series of images of Christoph coming to Seth in the pack house and instructing him to listen to private conversations about everyone, especially the Alpha, his mate, Dante, and Taylor. Then images of Christoph telling Seth to get everyone against Aaron and to fuck with Aaron’s head in hopes that Aaron would feel so low and alone that he would flee the pack and the Master could pick him up. They saw images of Seth taunting and terrorizing Aaron. They saw him telling members of the pack how worthless Aaron was. Each time Christoph would tell him they were mates and to not tell anyone about him or their visit. He would always implant in Seth that they made passionate love and he always kissed him good-bye before he left.

  Finally the images faded and Phenex and Taylor both blinked as their eyes cleared and returned to their normal colors. Seth sat on the floor of the cell holding his head as he cried. Sky was reaching through the bars and running his hand down Seth’s back as he tried to soothe and comfort him.

  “Holy shit,” Storm whispered in awe.

  Taylor looked at Phenex. “So what exactly does the underworld look like, Pheny?”

  Phenex chuckled. “Now you are definitely the only one who can get away with that name. The underworld isn’t much different from here. We have towns and cities, but there is no sun. It is the underworld after all.”

  “So you have cities? Hmm. Got any strip bars down there? I could go for looking at some hot stud muffins taking off their clothes right about now,” Taylor said with a smirk, and winked at the demon.

  “We do. Come, guardian, I’ll show you one of the best strip clubs ever created. It is the underworld, so there are no limits to what these boys will do. It’s a little slice of heaven in hell.” Phenex held out his elbow, Taylor wrapped his arm through it, and Phenex led them to the nearest wall.

  “Sweet baby, what the hell are you doing?” Gabriel growled in shock.

  “Don’t wait up,” Taylor called over his shoulder without looking back, as he and Phenex walked through the wall and disappeared. Gabriel growled in pain and anger.

  Micah walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder. “He will be fine with the demon. Phenex won’t let anything happen to him and Taylor would never do anything to betray you. He just needs a little time to work through the hurt he’s feeling right now.”

  “You sound like you trust the demon,” Gabriel said in shock.

  Micah’s eyes became very serious. “I do. I trust him completely,” Micah said, and turned. “So now that we know exactly what happened, Raith, release them. But, Seth, I think you need help dealing with what you just learned. You and your mate. Dante, I would like to request that they come to stay at your coven.”

  “He is still one of my pride members, Micah.” Storm cut him off.

  “Yes he is. But I don’t want him here with Aaron right now. Aaron is my family and he comes first to me. Being mated to Sky means he is also a member of Dante’s coven. I will ask Aaron if he can contact that friend of his, the shrink, and see if he can come to the coven for a while to treat Seth.”

  “Of course they can stay with me. Sky, your room is still there. Why don’t you take your mate to his new home and get him some rest? We’ll bring all your things later,” Dante instructed.

  Raith opened both cells, and Sky walked into Seth’s and knelt down in front of him. He grabbed his hand and looked at Micah.

  “Once Raith opened the cell, the spell was removed. You can disseminate now,” Micah said. Sky and Seth disappeared.

  “Shit on toast that was fucked up,” Storm huffed out. “Thank you for wanting to still help him, Micah. I appreciate it.”

  “He was used as a pawn. None of it was his fault. He is still family to all of us. But he does need help dealing with all of this. I’ll go speak with Aaron.”

  “I’ll go talk to my mate, Micah. I think he needs me more than ever right now. Rory and I will take care of him,” Raith said, and headed for the stairs.

  “I think I need to talk to my little brother,” Storm whispered.

  “Yes you do. And it’s long overdue. But not now. Right now he needs his mates, and you need yours,” Bastian said, grabbing Storm’s hand and leading him to the stairs.

  Dante turned to Dare. “Would you mind going up and finding Dale and staying with him? Viktor can take you both home.” He looked at Viktor and he nodded. “I need to talk with Micah for a while,” Dante asked.

  Dare walked up to Dante and cupped his cheek. “Of course, my love. Take all the time you need. We’ll go with Viktor and wait for you there.” He kissed Dante on the lips and then turned and went to the stairs with Viktor.

  Only Micah, Jesse, and Dante remained. Jesse and Dante both stared at Micah. “What is it, my friend?” Dante asked in concern.

  Micah waved off his concern. “It’s nothing. I’m fine.”

  “No you’re not, love. We can see it written all over your face. Please let us help you, Micah,” Jesse pleaded. He wrapped his arms around Micah’s waist and hugged him.

  Micah closed his eyes tight and held onto Jesse. “Not here,” he whispered in a strained voice. Dante placed a hand on each of them and disseminated them out of the dungeon.

  * * * *

  Dante disseminated them into Micah’s office. He walked over to the door and closed and locked it. He turned back to find Micah on the couch with Jesse on his lap. He walked over and sat across from them.

  “What is it? In all the years I have known you, I have never seen you like this, Micah. You look like your world has come to an end and there’s nothing you can do to stop it. And it’s breaking my heart to see you like this,” Dante said.

  Micah took a deep breath and looked at Jesse. He just stared at him without saying a word. “Micah, you’re starting to scare me, love. Please tell us what’s wrong. You’ve been closed off and quiet all week. I just want to help you. Please,” Jesse said, and ran a hand through Micah’s hair.

  “I know who Lomiel is,” he said in a strained voice.

  “What?” Jesse and Dante said together in shock.

  “Lomiel is the heart. The one Ryland told us about from the prophecy.” His voice was tight as he tried to control his emotions.

  “You know who it is? How do you know?” Dante asked.

  “Little things that were being said. Little looks and gestures kept niggling at my brain. I wanted to be wrong, but I’m not,” he said with a sigh, and rubbed his hand down his face.

  “Obviously it’s big because of all the turmoil you have been in. Is it someone we know? Someone in the pack?” Jesse asked as he continued to run his hand up and down Micah’s back. Micah wouldn’t look at Jesse. He kept his head down and his eyes closed.

  “So it’s someone we know from the pack. Does he know who he is?” Dante asked softly. Micah shook his head. “Who is it, Micah?” Micah met his eyes and Dante knew in that instant, just from the look in Micah’s eyes, who Lomiel, the heart, was. “Shit,” he whispered in shock. Dante stood up and turned while rubbing his hands over his eyes and dragging them down his face.

  Jesse just looked between the two in
confusion. “Who is it?” he asked with a hint of fear in his voice. Micah met his eyes. Tears started to form in his eyes. Jesse started getting scared. His breath started to catch and tears formed in his eyes. “It’s Taylor, isn’t it?” he whispered as his bottom lip trembled. “That’s why he went through the changes he did and has the powers he has. Ryland said the heart would be extremely powerful and Taylor is amazingly powerful. Hasn’t he been through enough already? Now he has to worry about every living thing in the universe being after him.”

  Micah cupped Jesse’s cheek as he looked directly in his eyes. “No, baby. It’s not Taylor,” Micah whispered as a tear escaped his eye and ran down his cheek. Jesse stared at him as Micah’s words registered to him. Suddenly his eyes went wide as he realized what Micah was trying to tell him.

  “You mean…” his voice hitched. Jesse swallowed hard. Tears started to slide down his cheek and he started to shake his head from side to side. “No…you’re wrong, Micah…no…it can’t be…I…No!” His voice raised on the last word and he jumped from Micah’s lap. Micah tried to reach out for him and pull him back but Jesse moved away quickly. He moved across the room to the window and pressed his palms against the cold glass. His breath was coming quickly and the tears fell uncontrollably.

  “Baby, everything is going to be okay. I promise you,” Micah said as he walked up behind Jesse. He placed a hand on Jesse’s hip, and Jesse flinched and spun around to face him.

  “How do you know? You could be wrong. You said it yourself, you only had a hunch,” he said on a sob.

  “I know it to be true, baby,” Micah said tenderly, and cupped Jesse’s cheek.

  Jesse leaned his face into the touch and closed his eyes. “How do you know, Micah? Tell me, please,” he begged as the tears continued down his face.

  “Phenex,” he whispered.

  Jesse’s eyes flew open and he held his breath. “The demon told you and you believe him?” Jesse asked in shock.

  “He is the leader of the Legion Warriors, baby. He’s an angel, not a demon. And yes, I believe him.”

  “Tell me how, tell me, Micah. Tell me how this is possible? I’m a human. I’m nothing. I have parents. I have never had powers. I don’t have powers. How? Say it, Micah. Say the words. Tell me!” Jesse said in a panic.

  Micah slid his thumb across Jesse’s tear-soaked cheek. “You are Lomiel, Jesse. You are Ryland and Phenex’s son. You are the heart.” Jesse sobbed and his knees gave out. Micah caught him around the waist and held Jesse against his chest. Jesse clung to Micah as his tears flowed freely and his body shook from pain. Micah picked Jesse up and carried him to the couch. Micah sat and settled Jesse in his lap and held him tight.

  Dante swiped at the tears that escaped his eyes as he watched his friend’s pain. He needed to know everything Micah knew if they were all going to keep Jesse safe. And they would keep Jesse safe. It had now become one of the most important things in his life. These two men in front of him were just as important to him as his mates, and he would give his very life to protect them, to protect Jesse. “How did you find out, Micah? How do you know for sure? We need to know everything if we are to keep Jesse safe.”

  Micah opened his eyes and looked at Dante. “As I said, I had these bad feelings in my gut. I tried to talk to Ryland but he would just keep running from me. He told me it was none of my business and then would disappear.”

  “None of your business? You’re my mate. How could he say it was none of your business?” Jesse looked a Micah in shock.

  “I don’t know why he is behaving the way he is. I will give him the benefit of the doubt, for now. I needed to know so I called Phenex. He came and I asked him if what I thought was true. He confirmed my suspicions about you being Lomiel. Then as we talked he said something that made me realize that you are the heart. Again, he confirmed my suspicions.”

  “And you believe him? You’re sure he’s telling the truth?” Dante asked.

  Micah nodded. “Yes, I believe him. He has been nothing but honest with us since we met him. He has done everything he could to help us. My gut tells me I can trust him.”

  Dante nodded. “That’s good enough for me. If you trust in him then so do I. But now we need his help in telling us how to keep Jesse safe. If his identity gets out into our world, every crazy out there will try to get their hands on Jesse.”

  “I know. I told him that we would all get together as soon as I told Jesse and then you, so that we could come up with a plan,” Micah explained.

  “How long have you known, Micah?” Jesse asked in a whisper. Fear and pain laced his voice.

  “I didn’t know for sure until about two hours ago. I called Phenex and he came. We discussed it and then I had to go deal with Seth. I wanted to tell you right away, baby, but I needed to let it all sink in. I needed to try to find a way to tell you.”

  Jesse wrapped his arms around Micah’s shoulders and hugged him tight. “Thank you, Micah. Thank you for not hiding this from me, or lying to me.”

  “I couldn’t do that, baby. It was killing me to have to tell you this, but it was never even an option for me to hide it from you or to lie to you,” Micah said with tears in his eyes.

  Jesse looked at him and cupped Micah’s cheek. He gave Micah a watery smile. “I know. That’s why I love you so much.” Jesse kissed him tenderly and then laid his forehead against Micah’s. He sighed heavily and pulled back. “I have two fathers. An angel-demon and a fae king. This explains a lot of why Ryland behaves the way he does around me, around you. There’s so many questions. I need to know why. I need…” He trailed off.

  “I know, baby and we will. We’ll find out everything. You’re not alone, sweetheart. I’ll always be here for you,” Micah said gently.

  “We all will, Jesse. You will never have to deal with any of this alone,” Dante said.

  Jesse looked at him with a sad smile. “Thank you, Dante. That means more to me than you know.” Jesse laid his head on Micah’s shoulder and closed his eyes.

  Dante stood. “I’m going to get my mates and head off. I’ll talk to Dare and see what I can get out of him. If there’s anything that either of you need just let me know.”

  “Thanks, brother. For everything,” Micah said, and Dante nodded. He disseminated out, leaving them alone.

  “I feel so sad, Micah. I feel lost, like I don’t know who I am,” Jesse said as he started to cry again. Micah hugged him tighter. “My whole life has been one big lie. I don’t know what to do. I feel so…alone.” He cried against Micah’s neck.

  “Shh, baby,” Micah said, and rubbed his back. “You are not alone. You will never be alone again. I’m here. I will always be here with you.”

  “I know, Micah. Thank you, my love. But right now there are so many emotions running around inside me. I don’t know what to do, Micah. It feels like I’m suffocating and I don’t know what to do.” Jesse sobbed and his body shook.

  “We’ll get all the answers you need, Jesse. Anything you need to help you get through this and understand what happens next. I promise you, baby. I promise,” Micah said, and held him tighter as he kissed his head.

  Chapter 6

  Taylor knocked on Raffy’s door then opened it slowly when he didn’t get an answer. He stuck his head in and called out, “Raf, it’s me, Taylor. Are you dressed or nakey? And can I come in anyway?” Taylor laughed. Again, he didn’t receive an answer, and opened the door further, stepping in and looking around at the empty room. “Hmm.”

  Taylor walked across the room to the nightstand and placed the vase of a dozen red, long-stemmed roses that he was carrying onto the nightstand. The bathroom door opened and Taylor turned. His eyes went wide and his jaw dropped at the site in front of him.

  * * * *

  Raffy admired his image in the mirror. He loved the way the gold color made his skin appear to have a healthy glow. He ran his hands down his stomach over the leather. The coolness of the leather against his heated skin felt amazing. He reached around the bac
k to make sure the ties in the back of his corset were snug. The top of the corset ran just under his nipples, and they were hard just from the excitement of having the corset on. He slowly ran his hands over his hips and adjusted the thin strings of the gold G-string. He’d heard that most people didn’t like the thin strip of material that ran up between their cheeks, but he loved it. The small triangle of fabric in the front just covered his shaft and balls and accentuated his package nicely. He giggled as he grabbed his groin to adjust himself inside the thin material.

  The music playing in his ears from the iPod had a very soft sensual rhythm. Raffy slowly swung his hips in time with the music and twisted to the side so that he could get a look at his ass. The corset ended at the bottom of his back and made his ass appear to stick out further, causing his cheeks to look even more bubbled than they already were. He bit his bottom lip as he giggled to himself at the site in front of him. He turned back to face the mirror and lifted his left leg, placing his heeled foot on the edge of the sink. He ran his hands lightly up his leg from ankle to thigh and adjusted the sheer stocking. He pointed his toes and admired the gold, five-inch heels. He loved how they made his legs look long and sexy.

  Raffy looked at his face and realized there was something missing. He needed liner around his eyes. He placed his foot back on the floor and spun to go into his room to retrieve his makeup case. He opened the bathroom door and froze as he came face-to-face with Taylor.

  Neither of them said a word as they just stared at each other. Raffy felt like a deer in headlights. He wanted to bolt and hide, but his feet wouldn’t move. He pulled the ear buds from his ears and held his breath, waiting for the disgust to show on Taylor’s face. But it didn’t come.