by Mikayla Lane
“Some of them deserved much worse than the quick and painless death they were given. I have no regrets for that,” Angel said, hoping that Drago could understand.
Drago nodded his head. He knew exactly what she meant. “I understand. We have encountered many of those same kind of humans since we’ve been here. It no longer surprises me what they are capable of doing to one another,” Drago said before looking at their hands.
“But why me Angel? Why did you lie to me?” Drago asked hoarsely, trying to keep his emotions in check.
Angel sighed and ducked her head to look him in the eyes. “Hey, I didn’t have a clue what to do about you. You have to understand, I’m human, I never expected to feel what I do for you. And my brothers, they are Dranovian, do you really think that any hybrid will ever want to be mated to them? Have you ever heard of a Dranovian being mated?” Angel asked, already knowing the answer before he shook his head.
“Exactly. So conversations about what a mating was supposed to be like, wasn’t exactly the stories I grew up with. I didn’t expect you and damn sure didn’t know what the hell I was feeling or what it meant. And the fact that you were wrecking my plans left and right like a bull in a china shop… Ugh,” Angel said, her frustration with what he’d done evident.
“And I had to protect my brothers. No one knew of them. No one was supposed to know of them and it would have been hard to explain what I was doing and how I was doing it without you finding out about them. Then there was daddy… we knew you communicating with him and I knew you would tell him what was going on…,” Angel said sheepishly, feeling really bad about all the ways that she had deceived him, even though she felt that it had been necessary.
Hell, she wasn’t about to tell Drago that she’d do it all over again if she could. She was damn proud of what they had accomplished, the things that they had stopped from happening and the innocent lives that they had saved. To her it had been worth it.
Drago snorted. He could feel her emotions so clearly through her energy now that she had beast bonded and he wasn’t the least bit surprised that she really didn’t feel much remorse for what she had done. In a way, he could understand it though. From what he had discovered from Grai, she and her brothers had much to be proud of. Unsure what to say, Drago just nodded his head while he wrapped his mind around his mate’s schemes.
Angel looked at Drago with a nervous smile. “Can you forgive me?” She asked, daring to hope that they really did have a shot at happiness.
Drago looked up at her sharply. “How can you even ask that? I loved you when I thought you were a soulless killer, I think I can love you as a lying, scheming…,” Drago began before Angel stiffened her spine and yanked her hands from his.
“Hey!” Angel said before Drago put a finger across her lips and said, “Shhh…, I was teasing. It is true though…,” he added before taking the strong punch in his arm that she gave him.
Angel grinned shyly at Drago. “I’m certainly not as good at it as my father. Everything came crashing down around us. With your help of course,” Angel said teasingly.
Drago pulled her hand to his mouth and gave her a gentle kiss. “I think we’re going to get another shot at him though,” he said, wondering what her thoughts were on that.
Angel laughed. “Hell yeah! Dad was telling me about that while you were sleeping. I can’t wait to figure out this beast and laustio shit so we can get started,” Angel said, unable to contain her excitement to learn about her new abilities and track down the Dark Prime.
It wasn’t the response Drago had been looking for though. “So, you’re ok with us working together?” Drago asked, trying to be a little more specific this time, hoping that she would talk about the two of them and where their relationship was going.
Angel beamed. “I’m thrilled that you guys got along so well with my brothers! Well, except Mikey. He wasn’t supposed to beat you up, he was supposed to protect you and keep you safe for me. I’m sorry about that… he is too though and he promised not to do it again!” Angel said excitedly, dashing Drago’s hopes of a more personal response this time.
Drago sighed and prayed for patience, knowing that if he was going to keep his mate, he would need an ocean full of it to keep sane around her.
He was determined to get a straight answer from her though. “Angel, you do realize that I have no intentions of letting you go… you’re my mate, my hope…,” Drago began before Angel grabbed his hands and cut him off… again.
“Of course! Yeah, I get the seriousness of it now! There won’t be a problem with it though. Like I told you, my brothers are ok with it now. Even Mikal and Daddy. They just want me to be happy,” Angel said with a smile, unaware that she was making Drago want to strangle her.
He’d finally had enough. “I don’t give a damn who is ok with it! I want to know my mate is ok with it!” Drago said, trying to curb his frustration.
Realization dawned on Angel and she giggled. “I’m sorry! I thought you knew…,” she said before her own words struck her and she started over again.
“I guess you wouldn’t know, huh? Too many mixed signals, schemes and lies. You probably have no idea who I really am. Even the background story I gave you was Devon’s and not my own,” Angel said with a snort before she continued.
“My father and brothers would have never allowed me to go to some lonely and distant boarding school. I was raised, surrounded by people who loved me. People I love very much in return,” Angel said as she squeezed his hands and continued.
“Including you. I may have lied about everything, but the one thing I couldn’t lie about was my feelings for you. I love you Drago and I can’t imagine the rest of my now long life without you in it,” Angel said with a blush, hoping that she hadn’t been too sappy about it. If her brothers found out she’d never live it down.
Drago felt his chest expand with his happiness and he struggled to contain the happy roar that he wanted to let loose. Instead, he pulled her into his arms and kissed the top of her head as she hugged him closely.
“Enough of that you two! You can do that later, when I don’t have to see it,” Grai said, surprising them both.
Drago and Angel jumped apart and blushed as they turned to see Grai, Tricia, Lara, Chris and Amun in the doorway of the Med Lab.
“I’m just here to make sure you’re healing properly,” Amun said as he pulled out his comm and began running scans.
Drago wanted to change the subject and immediately asked, “How did it go at the other illusion houses?”
Lara shook her head while Grai answered, “We lost every one of the women. They had killed themselves before we had arrived. Amun confirmed that they were anomalous hybrids. Detonating the illusions went cleanly though and we were able to clear the homes.”
Lara added, “He can’t trap any more of the hybrids here now. And whatever alterations he’s making to the human brains has been stopped. Here at least.”
Angel barked out a disgusted laugh. “Trust me, most of the people in this city didn’t need any help to make them traitorous assholes.”
Lara agreed. “You’re right on that. But what you did stopped a lot of what was happening there. Dozens of those scum lost their reelections because of the things you exposed on alternate media outlets. And you almost took down one of the most powerful, dark beings, this world has ever seen. I think you did a hell of a job, along with your brothers. Even if they, and your father would still like to strangle you. Which is why we’re here,” Lara said with a smile.
Drago and Angel both looked at them strangely, wondering what they had decided on behind their backs. Personally, Drago was getting tired of it.
“Let’s not play games here. Spit it out,” Drago said, his eyes flashing angrily.
“Easy big guy!” Lara said with a smile. “This is good news.”
Chris got a look of disbelief on his face and uttered, “For who?”
Undaunted, Lara grinned. “For all of us,” she said before she turned ba
ck to Drago and Angel.
“Since I need to help train you in your new Prime powers and since the fle’ te’ Trugh have decided to help the Dranovian’s, we’re all going to work together from now on,” Lara said excitedly while Chris muttered something about being on permanent babysitting duty.
Drago shrugged his shoulders, he’d already counted on going where his mate went, so it wasn’t much of a shocker to him. And Angel wasn’t too surprised either, having assumed that they would eventually work together anyway. It made sense.
Grai grunted and Tricia elbowed him in the stomach. He stared at her for a moment before clearing his throat and speaking. “Because of the Dark Prime and the danger he represents to this world, the resources of the Dranovian’s will be shared with the Prime in order to eradicate the threat… fuck this. If anything happens to my little girl again because you let her do something so damn…,” Grai ranted before Tricia shut him up.
“What your father means is that he is proud of you, all of you and he will do anything he can to ensure your safety and success,” Tricia said as she gave Angel and Drago a hug, while Grai fumed silently behind her, unable to speak.
Drago laughed at Grai, but only for a moment. “I have no intention of allowing her to get harmed again and will protect her with my life,” Drago said, dead serious.
“Let’s not start this shit, we all know that everyone will watch out for everyone else. Now, let’s move on and get planning!” Lara said, excited to get started.
Chris snorted. “Yeah it’s a real party,” he said with sarcasm at Lara before he turned to his sister and her mate.
“We’re getting out of here as soon as you are movable, for obvious reasons, and heading to our European offices to regroup and restructure. We need to start integrating the Tezarian’s as soon as possible if we’re going to actively pursue the Dark Prime. So you need to get mobile real quick so we can head out. Love you sis and I’m glad you’re all right,” Chris said as he went over and hugged his sister before stepping back and then leaving the room without another word.
Tricia reached out and patted his cheek before he left and she turned watery eyes to Angel. “You, young lady, if you ever scare your father and I like that again, I will beat you like a step-child myself,” she said, her voice quavering for a moment before she squeezed Angel’s hand and looked down to try and compose herself.
Grai, finally allowed his voice again, agreed. “No more lying, scheming and manipulating. I mean,” Grai said, trying to sound and look stern as he tenderly cuddled his pregnant mate and barely kept his own tears from misting his eyes.
Drago nodded his head at Grai and Tricia’s words. “I agree. We can’t have any more of that.”
Angel sighed heavily. “But I was so good at it!” She said defensively. “You even said I did a great job…,” she began before Tricia cut her off.
“No. Never again. Not with this enemy. The more deeply you bond to your beast, the more you will begin to understand how serious this is. No more games, Angel, or I will help your father keep you trapped on a deserted island until you’re too old to leave. Do you understand?” Tricia said, her eyes glowing a silver color as her Prime reacted to her anger and fear.
Angel realized she’d gone too far and nodded her head. “Ok, I’ll back off now. I promise,” she said, not wanting to upset her pregnant mother any more than she already was.
Amun cleared his throat. “She can be released. She has to take it easy for at least a few days, but the beast bonding accelerated her healing as it should and she’s safely out of any danger,” Amun said before he nodded at Grai and left the room.
Lara grinned. “I’ll see you guys in Europe!” With a quick wave she left the room to go find Viper and the Brazar siblings.
Grai sighed and leaned forward to hug Angel close. He kissed the top of her head and pulled back, allowing Tricia to hug her next. “I know you are probably anxious to head out. I’ve notified your brothers that you’ll be following them through the portals to Europe. If you don’t say goodbye before you leave, I will hunt you myself,” Grai said as he led Tricia to the door. She’d been up and down while Angel had been in danger and she needed to fully rest.
Drago smiled. “We’ll make sure that we do,” he said as he waved before the door shut behind them.
When the door finally shut, Angel sighed. “Are we finally alone?” She asked.
When Drago sighed, she yanked back the covers and jumped into his surprised arms. Angel looked at him closely. “Can we get past our initial… problems, and make a future together,” she asked, hoping he could forgive her and they could start over again.
It was Drago’s turn to sigh. “Only if you promise not to lie to me again,” Drago said as he sifted her energy for any untruths.
Angel grinned. “Since you’re going to be working with my brothers, I seriously doubt there will be much of an opportunity for privacy, much less scheming!” Angel said with a laugh.
Drago wasn’t laughing though. “I will find us privacy, have no doubt of that.”
Angel laughed again. “Yeah, things are going to be really interesting now,” she said, looking forward to it.
*****
Satalis stomped like a spoiled child around his secluded estate in Africa. That human bitch destroyed much more than he had ever expected and he knew that it would take decades to try and recover from the damage she had done to his plans.
And now that he knew there were Beast Killers here, he was actually afraid. For the first time since he arrived on this planet, he was afraid for his safety. For his immortality. His eyes blazed darkly as he smashed another vase into a wall in a fit of temper.
He never saw the red headed woman’s secretive, toothless smile, or felt her delight at his anger and fear. Since her torturous ordeal began, she finally felt hope. And she had found it in the blue eyes of one of the beast killers she had seen when she’d been forced to help rescue Satalis from the rooftop.
That hope had given her strength and she was determined that the next time she saw her blue eyed beast killer, she would help him to destroy the abusive bastard who held her captive. Or she would die trying.
Epilogue
2 Weeks Later
Drago and Angel stood and looked at the sun setting over the Eiffel Tower. With a heavy sigh Angel said, “I never thought I’d see it again. Much less with a mate by my side and a beast in my head.”
Drago put his arm around her and pulled her close to his side. “Do you have any regrets?”
Angel thought about it for a moment, but only to irritate Drago. “Of course not! I can’t imagine being any happier than I am right now. Well, except for the rogue hybrids, dark prime and a Relian infestation…,” Angel said before Drago tickled her until she couldn’t say anymore.
Drago pulled her back into their temporary bedroom. Temporary because in the two weeks since they had arrived in Europe, they had only gotten sleep and stolen moments alone. He had always thought having two brothers was hard to manage, but having twenty three more had become an epic nightmare for him.
Add in the fle’ te’ Brazar and Drago was ready to wipe out the whole damn family if he didn’t get some serious time alone with his mate. Even the very large and very old military base that Grai had given to them was not nearly big enough to avoid one or more of their teammates. Constantly.
Angel laughed and pulled him down onto the bed and kissed his lips playfully. “Come on big boy, you’re not in a pissy mood right now are you? We’ve got at least a half hour alone and we can…,” Angel began until a throat cleared near the door and Drago jumped up from the bed, ready to defend his mate.
Instead he looked into the amused white eyes of her Windwalker brother Mikal who said, “Yeah, briefing in the lower conference room in two minutes.”
Drago roared in anger and lunged toward Mikal just as he poofed out of the room. Angel tried to smother her laughter, but when Drago stomped in a circle while growling, she couldn’t help it. When he t
urned glaring eyes to hers, she only laughed harder.
Just then, the door opened and Cole came in and asked, “Is everything all right? I heard growling.”
Jason, who was passing by the room also peeked his head in. “Growling? Is there trouble in paradise already?”
Drago was no turning as red as a tomato when Angel decided enough was enough. Using her new and still unskilled power, she managed to slam the door shut on her brothers and seal it so they couldn’t get back in.
Walking over to Drago, she swayed her hips just right and licked her lips, making damn sure she had his full attention. When the pounding started on the door, she muted it so that the sound wouldn’t penetrate, giving them complete silence. Without interruption.
Drago looked at her with hope filled eyes, while his mind refused to believe that they finally wouldn’t be disturbed. “They can’t get in?” He asked, afraid she’d tell him that they could.
Angel shook her head as she began unbuttoning her shirt. But that was all Drago needed to hear. With one lunge he picked her up and threw them both on the bed.
When Angel finally got her breath back, she laughed up at him. “You crazy man, what was that for?”
Drago shook his head. “Shhh, don’t ruin it. Just shut up and kiss me, mate.” And she did just that.
Coming June 1, 2015
First Wave Returns!
Grounding Gracus
Gracus Adrastor, First Commander of the ship Adaria, had been circling the planet Earth for more than two years now. At first, he had been more than content to stay where he was and help direct and assist the alliance forces on the planet. But the more he had to watch his best friend Scaden with his mate Cari, the more he wanted to get off the ship and just get away. From everyone.
Taking Ivint up on his offer of a three month vacation on the planet, Gracus decided that a road trip across the country would be a great idea. Not only would he be alone for once, he’d get to see the planet close up instead of from thousands of miles above it.
