by Ivy Asher
All six of Delta’s and my demon mates stiffen, immediately shiftin’ into protective, pissed-off mode.
“Over my dead fucking body,” Jerif growls, his fire hair glowin’ as bright as his menace-filled eyes.
Flint takes a step in front of me, like he’s ready to just go full marble slab and crush anyone who tries to get at me. It’s real sweet.
“We are not risking our mate ever again,” Alder says, and I see Delta’s mates nod in agreement.
“Why not? It makes sense,” the same gray-winged demon says, steppin’ forward, only to stop short as Crux moves in front of him, blockin’ the demon from gettin’ any closer. I thought the surfer demon was the easygoin’ one of Delta’s mates, but the look on his face right now is pure murder.
“He’s right,” one of the Legion angels says, makin’ eyes swivel over to her where her speckled white wings flare out behind her. “For whatever reason, Morax wants the girls. We can easily set things up to draw him in by using them.”
Several voices murmur in agreement, and the blood drains from my face as I look over at Delta. I mean, I’ve always prided myself on bein’ kind and generous the way my mama raised me, but Mama didn’t name me Joan of Arc. I’ve got no desire to play martyr, and I’d rather leave bait for the fishes.
Unfortunately, more and more voices start to agree, while my mates and Delta’s start shoutin’ and growlin’ back, and the tension on the lawn spikes up so bad my head swims.
Lord Almighty, I’m gonna be bait. I barely escaped the last time I had a direct run in with the Ophidian, and from the sounds of what he tried to do with Delta, he’s not just interested in us because we’re hybrids. He wants us for his sinister plans of omnipotent power, and I want no part of it.
“ENOUGH!”
Tazreel’s voice rocks the ground so hard I lose my footin’. Luckily, Alder catches me with an arm slipped around my waist. He tugs me into his strong body while I shoot him a thankful smile.
Once the din of his voice settles, Taz stalks between the two opposin’ armies, his brow furrowed and his blond wings extended out on either side of him. He stops in front of the gray-winged demon who first made the suggestion, and grabs the front of the man’s black armor like it’s nothin’ but a cotton T-shirt. The material crumples beneath Taz’s powerful fist as my birth father yanks the soldier forward so their faces are just an inch away. The demon looks like he’s about to wet his unmentionables as Taz’s fury bears down on him.
“If you think for one fucking second that we’re going to put either Delta or Medley in harm’s way, then you’re not fit to call yourself my soldier,” Tazreel growls. “I am Abdicated. I am the Sin of Pride. And if my army can’t find one fucking demon without using bait, then you are not suited to serve me.”
No one speaks or moves. The fury ignited in Taz’s tone and demeanor is nearly oppressive. Everyone waits to see what he’ll do. My eyes are as wide as saucers, and my heart is poundin’ in my chest, and I feel Alder’s arm tighten around me.
After a moment of lettin’ him squirm, Taz tightens his fist, the groanin’ sound of metal accompanyin’ the move. “Do. You. Understand?” Taz seethes.
The demon nods slowly. “Yes, Pride.”
Taz abruptly unclenches his fist, lettin’ go of the metal armor and nearly makin’ the demon fall on his pretty face. The demon straightens up as fast as he can and falls back into line. He brings up a hand to try to smooth down the now bunched up armor, but the metal won’t budge.
Well, I’ll be. Taz just shot that down, and I have to admit, I’m more than a little surprised.
“Colonel…” the lady angel comes forward to talk to Nefta. “I understand that these are your daughters, but you know our code,” she argues. “We act for the greater good of all. Using them for bait to trap the Ophidian is the best course of action.”
Delta and I share a look. Sure, we got the sperm donor to shut the idea down, but let’s be honest here, that probably had more to do with his own pride.
Nefta? Who knows what she’ll do. I certainly don’t.
But to my immense relief, Nefta shakes her head. “No. You’d just be asking for trouble, putting them in the direct path of Morax,” Nefta tells her, an irritated look on her face. “You might think you could plan for every contingency, but Morax has a gift for coming up with the impossible. He’d get the girls, and then we’d be even worse off than we are now. He’d have everything he needs to further his goal, and we can’t risk that.”
“Exactly,” Tazreel says, and then both he and Nefta stare at each other in horror, as it dawns on them that they actually agree about somethin’.
My eyes widen at this momentous occasion, and I can feel Delta next to me practically holdin’ her breath, like even the smallest exhale may snap them out of their current state of not bickerin’.
“We need to follow the breadcrumbs,” a different Legion member announces, clearly not gettin’ the memo about not disruptin’ what might be a once in a lifetime moment between my biological parents.
“Elaborate,” Nefta barks out, tearin’ her gaze from Tazreel and focusin’ on the male angel who spoke up.
“Instead of trying to trap Morax or guess his next move, let’s follow the crumbs he leaves. He can affect free will, so if we concentrate our search around Delta’s property and where Medley was staying, we’re bound to find someone watching them, keeping tabs, who’s ordered to alert Morax in some way when one or the other is vulnerable. We can start looking for leads there and then work to trace those leads back to the Ophidian himself,” the Legion soldier explains.
Nefta is quiet, but it’s clear she’s thinkin’ through the suggestion.
“It’s an acceptable plan,” Tazreel cuts in imperiously. “And while the Legion does that, I’ll take my army and search for Sable. Demons have a way of coaxing information out of mortals. We’ll question the humans you left her with and see if we can find her trail.”
Nefta’s eyes hook onto him. “I told you, I looked for her. I tried to find exactly where and when they gave her away, but I discovered nothing,” Nefta defends.
“But we no longer need to be discreet to protect Sable’s identity. So we’ll make sure we’re persuasive. Maybe we’ll end up with nothing, or maybe we won’t, but I won’t just sit here with our thumbs up our asses,” Taz snaps.
Nefta looks like she wants to argue, but the reality is, she can’t be in two places at once, and we have two equally important things that need to happen ASAP.
“Fine,” she relents after a beat. “But I’m going to send a Legion member with you so I can be reached immediately if I’m needed,” she announces.
“Excellent, because I’ll be sending one of my soldiers with you for the exact same reason,” Tazreel declares pompously.
They both sort of huff and glare a little, but then the next thing I know, they’re all business as they organize their troops and assign tasks.
Huh. I guess we just witnessed somethin’ that Tazreel and Nefta have in common. A taste for the hunt.
“So...exactly what are we supposed to be doin’?” I ask quietly.
Alder looks down at me while Flint steps over to be on my other side. “If you’re ready to take the next step, we should get back home and get you inducted as a Guardian,” Alder tells me. “We should do what we can to stabilize it so we don’t have to worry about attacks on multiple fronts, like they had at the gate here.”
“About that…” Delta starts to say, but she gets cut off.
“Alright, it’s decided,” Nefta says with a terse nod as she turns back to us. “You all will stay here,” she declares, her gaze sweepin’ over our mates. “You six will protect both Medley and Delta. They have much to discuss,” she adds, exchangin’ a look with Delta that feels loaded with meanin’. “You’re safer together, and in dire need of training. Be sure that you’re preparing yourselves.”
Delta groans, but eager anticipation flashes through me. My lilac wings twitch at my back,
and two words flap through my mind: flight school. I can’t wait!
Delta huffs out a resigned breath, but she nods, agreein’ to Nefta’s plan. Alder and Flint both look confused and irritated at bein’ told not to return home, but I can see they want to discuss it with Delta’s demons after Nefta and Tazreel have left.
I understand my mates’ sense of urgency. Yes, I want to train and learn all about bein’ half demon and half angel, but after talkin’ to my guys at length last night, I know that my priority needs to be becomin’ a Gate Guardian too. I want to help them, and if my bein’ inducted needs to happen soon, then I’m sure we can figure it out.
The last thing we want is for anythin’ to happen at the Hell portal in Sweetgreen while we’re here. And from what Alder and Flint have told me, they have to give up a lot of power to stabilize the Hellgate. I want to be able to share the load and make things a bit easier on them. But...Delta’s eyes are tellin’ me that Nefta’s right—we have a lot to discuss.
I sure hope it’s nothin’ bad.
30
“Alright, Daddy. Yeah, tell Mama I will. Okay, love you too. Bye.” I click the button to end my call and pass the phone over to Alder. “Thanks,” I tell him as I curl my legs beneath me and lean back against the wall.
“How are they?”
“Right as rain,” I tell him with a smile. “Mama’s cookin’ up a storm, and Daddy’s convinced the imps to pick him up some chew every time they go over to feed Todd. I think they like bein’ in a safe house. Makes them feel all mysterious and excitin’.”
Flint and Alder both chuckle while I let a smile slip onto my lips. I miss my parents, but I’m glad they’re safe.
“It was just nice to hear their voices,” I say as I lean over to rest my head on Alder’s shoulder.
The three of us are sittin’ together in the mansion’s basement-level gym. It’s got everythin’ from weights and a padded sparrin’ area to a lap pool, and they even converted the ridiculously tall ceilin’ to have ropes and rings suspended from it to help with flyin’ lessons. I’m both excited and nervous to get started.
The three of us are waitin’ for Delta and the others so we can train, but we’re a bit early, so I figured I’d take the opportunity to check in back home.
“I’m sorry you didn’t get a chance to call them yesterday,” Alder tells me as he sets the phone down between us.
“Yesterday was crazy,” I say, blowin a strand of lilac hair that managed to fall out of my top knot. After Nefta and Taz left on their missions to go look for Morax and Sable, Delta and her guys filled the three of us in on some more secrets of my heritage.
“How are you doing with all this, Peaches?” Flint asks as his hand settles over my thigh, and his fingers gently skate over my black yoga pants.
“I’m okay,” I answer honestly. “I probably should be freakin’ out. I’m half angel, half demon, have crazy bickerin’ birth parents, two demon mates, I’m one third of a set of triplets, my hair went purple, and I sprouted wings,” I say with a laugh and a shake of my head. “Oddly enough though, it’s all just...settlin’, like these things were always supposed to be this way. And I dunno, I could just picture myself bein’ with you two and becomin’ a Gate Guardian. But I gotta be honest...I’m not sure how I feel about this new information Delta told us yesterday. I knew there was somethin’ they hadn’t told me yet. I mean, Morax wouldn’t want us so bad otherwise, but I didn’t expect that.”
Alder and Flint both nod. “I have to admit, I thought they were going to tell us that you were a Gatekeeper. It fit with the scythe and why Nefta would’ve hidden you. But...you’re something even more special,” Alder tells me, his voice still radiatin’ his own surprise and awe.
Annulus.
That’s the bomb that Delta dropped on us last night after our parents and their armies left. Nefta’s bloodline is the last of our kind. I can’t be a Gate Guardian to help the guys sustain their portal. Instead, my kind has the power to reset or annihilate everythin’, from souls to the Hellgate itself. To say that was a soberin’ revelation is puttin’ it lightly, and I still can’t even really fathom what the hell it all means.
“Are y’all upset?” I ask, chewin’ on my bottom lip as I voice the question that’s been blowin’ around like a tumbleweed in my head ever since yesterday.
Flint and Alder both look down at me. “Upset? About what?” Flint asks, dark brows pullin together in a frown over his rock-like face.
“Y’all assumed that I’d be able to become a Gate Guardian with you. But now you know I’m somethin’ else. I might not be able to help you the way you thought, and not just that, but it’s dangerous to be my mate, maybe even more so than it is to be a Hellgate Guardian. Look at all the stuff that’s happened to Delta. Seems to me that Nefta kept this all a secret for good reason, but despite her best efforts to protect us, Morax knows and he’s comin’ for us. I hate that I put you in a position where you’ll be at risk because of what I am.”
I feel fingers curl on my chin as Alder pulls my face toward him. “We wouldn’t change any part of you,” he tells me sternly. I try to drop my gaze, but he taps my jaw with a finger to make sure my eyes stay on him. “You being an Annulus is not a curse. It’s a blessing. I think you’re exactly what our realms need to fix this shit once and for all.” He lets his hand drop to take my hand, threadin’ our fingers together.
“That’s right,” Flint tells me, his hand squeezin’ my thigh. “The Hellgate has been fucked up for centuries, ever since the Gatekeepers died out. Fuck the Ophidian. We’ll end him, and then you and your sisters can help us reset the damn Hellgate and reinstate the balance. We can actually make it so no one passes through who shouldn’t, just like it’s supposed to be. You’re better than just a measly Gate Guardian.”
I give him a grateful smile.
“The Gods knew what they were doing when they led you to us,” Alder says. “You’re exactly where you’re supposed to be, and you’re exactly who you’re supposed to be. We’re blessed, not burdened, in claiming you as ours.”
Emotion wells in my chest, and I turn my head to place a kiss on both of their cheeks—one stubbly, one smooth as granite, both of them one hundred percent mine.
“I love y’all,” I blurt out, and as soon as I say the words, both of their eyes widen. “I don’t care if that’s too soon to say, I’m sayin’ it anyway, and I won’t take it back, so y’all can just deal with it,” I say sternly.
A grin curls over Flint’s mouth, and that’s the only warnin’ I get before I’m tackled to the ground where he pins me beneath him, my wings plastered against the padded floor as he fuses his lips to mine. “Say it again,” he orders, nippin’ at my bottom lip.
I shift my hips up to press against him, earnin’ a groan. “What, you got cotton in your ears? I said it once, and I don’t have a mind to go repeatin’ myself,” I say with a mischievous curl of my lip. I hear Alder chuckle.
Flint rakes his teeth over my neck, and I can’t suppress the chills that sweep over me. “Just for that, I’m going to make you say it again and again and again before I let you come.”
Lord have mercy, that sounds like the best item on a to-do list that I’ve ever had.
“Oh good, you’re already sparring.”
My head snaps over to the sound of Delta’s voice, and I see her and her four mates walkin’ over to us from the far end of the gym.
“Uhh, yep,” I say, a guilty and slightly embarrassed blush risin’ to my cheeks.
Echo and Crux chuckle, while Delta grins.
I shove my hands against Flint to make him get off me so we can extricate ourselves from this very compromisin’ situation. He leans in and bites my ear before gettin’ up, a very satisfied male smirk on his face. “Later,” he promises before he moves so he can help me to my feet.
Alder pulls me back against him. “Never take it back, Medley,” he whispers in my ear, his voice a deep purr.
A promisin’ shiver works its way thr
ough me, and then Alder tilts my head back and kisses me deeply. He clearly doesn’t care that we have an audience or that this kind of kiss isn’t exactly appropriate in a public settin’, but after a few teasin’ strokes of his tongue, I find myself not carin’ much either.
“You want us to come back later? You can use those ropes for all kinds of fun training,” Crux offers, and Alder pulls away from my lips with a smile and rich chuckle.
“Good to know,” Flint answers, while Libido Medley just keeps wantin’ to call the shots, my head tilted back like I’m waitin’ for Alder to get back here and finish what he started.
“I think your mate’s on pause again,” Jerif points out, and Echo and Crux both laugh.
Alder leans down and nips my still open and eager lips one at a time. Then he tilts my head forward, and sure enough, as soon as my heated gaze lands on Delta’s smirk, I unpause.
Damn, who knew that was a thing?
“Okay, well now that things are nice and awkward...” Echo starts, clappin’ his hands together and makin’ me jump from the unexpected loud noise. “Let’s get to it, shall we?”
I nod, tryin’ to clear the daze of desire that swarmed over me. “Yep.”
“Medley, we were thinking we could start with flying and evasive maneuvers, and then dive right into weapons and sparring. How’s your stamina in general?”
“Oh, she’s got plenty of stamina,” Flint offers up, and another blush creeps up my neck into my cheeks. I shoot him a glare, but he just sends a wink back in return.
“Okay then,” Crux cuts in, and I try to rein in my mortification.
These are my sister’s mates, so why are mine makin’ this so damn awkward? And then it hits me. This is some weird form of retaliation. My guys are still pissed about bein’ left out of the loop and about me nearly gettin’ hurt or taken. I look to Flint and Alder and the hard glint in their eyes. Yep. This is definitely pay back. I’m not sure what they have in mind exactly, but I suspect today’s activities will be dotted with more than just innuendo and inappropriate, over-the-top shows of affection.
