by Maya Nicole
"Are we sure this is safe to be doing out in the open like this?" Raphael put Nico on his shoulder and shoved his hands in his pockets. "What if someone or something is watching?"
"Getting cold feet?" Amari dropped the box he was carrying and opened it, taking out candles. "If you don't want to do this, just say the word."
Raphael made a noise of disgust and Nico flicked his ear. "Ow! I am not getting cold feet. It's just a big step in a relationship."
"She didn't tell you the second part of the ritual yet." Kage, who had been pretty quiet, met my eyes, winked, then looked at Raphael.
Raphael gulped and looked at Sammy, who was ignoring the conversation and helping Amari set up. Six candles for six souls to be bound.
"Don't keep the man waiting, Kage. Tell him." I was curious as to where he was going with it. There was no second part of the ritual. It was fairly simple.
"It hurts, doesn't it?" Raphael cringed. "Fuck man, I might be the archangel of healing, but even I have my limits. What is it?"
"I don't want to frighten you." Kage patted Raphael's arm.
"Just tell me." Raphael backed up a step and looked from Kage to Sammy.
"As soon as the bond is complete, Sammy's barbs must enter every orifice of each of our bodies." He said it with the most serious tone of voice and I had to bite hard on my inner cheek to stop myself from laughing.
"Wh-what? What are those?" Raphael's eyes went wide and he backed up another step.
"Similar to tentacles, except sharp." Kage twisted his lips to the side. "I hear that some men are into it."
Raphael looked like he was about to faint. "She said she didn't have tentacles."
"She lied. All female demons have tentacles with barbs that only appear during a bonding ritual or coitus that is bound to produce a child. Have you not heard of knotting? It's very similar in nature except it comes from the female." Kage was selling it, that was for sure. Had it come from anyone else, Raphael wouldn't have believed it.
"Every hole?" His voice squeaked.
"Yes. She marks her territory, letting all other female demons know that you are hers. I can't believe you didn't know that's how things work here." Kage took Nico since Raphael looked like he was getting ready to run.
Sammy stood in front of Raphael and put her hands on his shoulders, a solemn look on her face. "I know it's shocking, but I will try to make it feel good for both of us. I can't guarantee the one that goes up your urethra will feel that great but-" She lost it and started laughing.
Raphael shrugged her hands off his shoulders and turned to glare at Kage, who was covering his mouth while laughing. "You little fucker!"
He went to lunge for Kage, to do who knows what, and I stepped in his way. "Let him be. It was funny. Lightened the mood a bit."
Nico made a noise in agreement before jumping from Kage's shoulder and running to Sammy.
"Maybe for you." With a sneer aimed at Kage, he turned back toward the circle that was formed with red candles. "We don't have to sacrifice anyone, do we? If so, I vote Kage as tribute."
"Kage would be first to die in the arena." Raphael looked at me with raised brows. "I read the books."
"If he could utilize his invisibility, he would have a shot at winning. I don't think he'd do well with all the threats to his life though." He rubbed his chin and looked at Kage. "Nope, definitely would just climb into a tree and stay there. Until the deadly gasses flushed him out."
"That's true about him using his invisibility, but there's nothing people own in the arena that he can clean, so he'd have to conserve his energy." I looked at Kage, who shifted from one foot to the other, looking between us.
Raphael grinned. "Does cleaning someone's ass-"
"I'm standing right here." Kage rolled his eyes. "That would be weird and gross."
"What are you three going on about now?" Sammy was stroking Nico's head. He looked like he was in squirrel heaven.
"We should start." Amari lit the last candle with his fire starter and put it in his pocket. "Go stand by a candle and wait for Sammy's directions."
I inhaled sharply and shut my eyes. I could do this. I could handle a few minutes of smelling blood.
Sammy picked up her candle along with the small knife made of bone and walked to the center of the circle. As soon as she was in the middle, the candles flared brighter.
Raphael watched the rest of us as we picked up our candles before looking at the sky, muttering something, and then grabbed his.
Kage held Nico's since expecting a squirrel to carry a lit candle was ridiculous. I wasn't sure how that would affect the ceremony, but we didn't have much choice.
"Place your candles as close as possible around mine." We did as she instructed. "It's important you all repeat after me verbatim." She sliced the palm of her hand with the knife and let her blood drip on each of the candles. "With this blood, I promise to bleed, breathe, and die for you."
My eyes were locked on her hand and the knife. I held my breath as she took Nico's paw and sliced it. He made some noises and then nodded. She sliced each of our palms and then we repeated the words.
My hands shook as Kage let his blood drip. If there had been one more of us, I wasn't sure I would have been able to stop myself. My ears rang, but I didn't know if it was from the oath taking effect, or the fact that I was biting my tongue to try to quell the urge to drink from them.
A loud boom rang out overhead as the final drop fell, and we all looked up just as a flash of light shot down from the sky. We were sent flying backward, and I landed on my back, staring up at a sky that flashed purple before fading to a dark blue again.
I sat up, trying to figure out what had just happened. I patted my body, which was glowing purple, but I was in one piece.
A sudden fullness filled my chest, unlike anything I had felt before. My heart felt like it was going to burst. Looking around, I spotted the others sitting up, doing the same. Nico was back to himself but looked confused.
I jumped to my feet and my eyes landed on the crater where we had all stood. I rushed forward at the same time as Raphael. I felt his fear wafting off him as we came to a stop at the edge of the hole.
"Sammy!" Raphael sounded more worried than I'd ever heard him.
Without hesitating, we both jumped into the hole that was as deep as we were tall. Sammy was glowing just like we were, and when we both touched her, the light flared.
"What the fuck?" I checked her neck for a pulse and regretted it as my fangs came out. Her blood was definitely moving in her veins.
Sammy moaned and stirred, her hands going to her head. "What happened?"
"I don't know." Raphael pulled her into his lap and his hands glowed. "You seem to be fine. You have way more light than usual."
She met my eyes. "Are you okay, Val?"
I shut my eyes. She was worried, not about herself, but about me. I could feel it. I would be fine as long as no one bled anymore. Just as the thought crossed my mind, I caught wind of Amari's blood in the air.
Amari never bled enough to fill the air. "Amari!" I climbed out of the crater and found Kage kneeling by him. He had blood trickling down his face from a split brow.
As I got closer, Amari's fear and pain crashed into me. His wound didn't look that bad, so why was he scared?
"It's not healing." Amari grunted as Kage pressed his shirt against it. "Don't come any closer, Val."
I balled my fists at my sides, digging my nails into my palms. All I wanted was to make sure he was okay, and he didn't even trust me to be near him.
"What's wrong?" Nico scratched his head in confusion and stepped in my line of sight.
I gestured to Amari, who was watching me. I didn't know if I liked being able to pick up on their emotions because that meant they could pick up on mine now too. It had a limit though, because I couldn't feel Raphael and Sammy anymore.
"I'm not a gargoyle anymore. I can't turn to stone to heal it." Amari sounded distraught at the idea of not being a gargoyle.
His words cut into me and I stumbled back. If he wasn't a gargoyle, and the curse was broken, that meant he was no longer bound to protect my house. Or me.
"Move." I stepped forward, and when Nico didn't move, I shoved him to the side.
I dropped to my knees next to Amari and took his face in my hands, his blood smearing on my skin. His green eyes dropped to my protruding fangs and then back to my eyes.
"I'm fine, Val. You shouldn't be around me right now." His eyes flashed with uncertainty. "Is Sammy okay?"
I dropped my hands and stared down at them covered in blood. I wanted to lick them and collect every last drop but bit the inside of my cheek instead.
"They're coming." Nico met Sammy and Raphael halfway and pulled Sammy into a hug.
She smacked him on the chest when he pulled away. "Don't you ever do that to me again."
Raphael knelt where I previously had been and put his hand on Amari's brow. I'd never asked him, but I wondered if he had healed during wars on Earth and during other tragedies. It seemed like a tough job to handle.
"How are you holding up?" Sammy stood next to me but had her eyes on Amari.
I didn't respond because what was I going to say? That I wanted to lick my hands and then lick Amari's face? That I was nervous he'd be scared of me now that he couldn't turn to stone?
He had never done it before, but had mentioned it was a way of fending me off during bloodlust. Now he didn't have the added layer of protection of being a gargoyle.
"All healed." Raphael stood and wiped his hands on his pants. "Where's Picard?"
Kage stood, looking panicked. He cupped his hands around his mouth. "Picard!" It was the loudest I'd ever heard him.
"Holy shit." Raphael was looking at the tree line behind the stables.
Walking toward us was a man with glowing purple eyes. Picard was perched on his shoulder.
Chapter 9
Samara
I squinted as the man, who I now knew was my father, got closer to us. His eyes were the exact same shade of purple as my hair, which was freaky as hell. I gripped onto Nico's arm and tried to calm down.
My entire body was buzzing. I felt like I could reach inside myself and pull the tendrils of swirling energy to use. To use for what, I wasn't certain, but anything felt possible.
"My daughter." The man was close enough now that I could make out the rest of his features. He looked nothing like me, but if what Picard and Kage said was true, he could change his appearance.
"Stop right there." Raphael stepped forward, placing himself slightly in front of me. He crossed his arms over his chest. "Why are you here?"
My father smiled warmly at him. "You're an impressive creation. It's amazing what my brother can create without my faulty magic interfering."
"Faulty magic?" Raphael scoffed. "I think what you have been up to is beyond just faulty magic."
My father held up his hands in surrender. "I know what it must seem like."
I wanted to step forward and ask him the hundreds of questions that were on the tip of my tongue, but I was frozen. I had been pissed he had dropped Picard off and ran, but now that he was standing before me, I was scared.
Scared of knowing what I was and what I could do.
Kage stepped forward and held his hand out to Picard, who leapt onto it. Weeks or even days before, Kage would have never had the courage to step forward. Pride swelled in my chest.
"You tried to open the barrier between here and Earth. Tell me why I shouldn't kill you right now." Raphael's fists were at his sides, but he was standing in a way that I knew he was ready to pounce.
"I can't take back what I did. It was the price I paid for wanting a child to pass my magic to." He nodded solemnly. "You could kill me, but then I wouldn't be able to give the rest of my magic to Samara."
I pulled my hand from Nico's and stepped forward. "Pass your magic on to me? You said it was faulty." My voice was unsteady, and I hated that. I wanted him to see me as strong and feel regretful he never got to know me.
"The vessel is faulty. You are pure and of good intentions." If my sex life was anything to go by, I was definitely not pure. "I'm dying. I was never meant to exist this long." He stepped forward, and I put my arm out to stop Raphael from moving forward and beating him to a pulp. "Lilith was driven by revenge, and at the time I met her, I wasn't aware just how badly she wanted to obliterate my brother's world."
He took my hands and I let him. His hands were warm and soft, the exact opposite of how I expected them to be. For being older than the beginning of time, he didn't show it. Or maybe he did and we just couldn't see it.
"Why my mother? Why haven't you been around?" I stared into his eyes, searching them for answers.
He sighed. "Your mother was the last of a line of demons that was one of the first families. She knew my purpose in conceiving a child with her was so I could pass on my power when the time came. Her only stipulation was that after she fell pregnant that I never return until it was time."
"Wait a fucking second. If you're dying, does that mean..." Raphael trailed off. "What happens when you die?"
"If I were to die and not have offspring to pass my power onto, it would go to whoever takes it." He frowned. "Does my brother have offspring? His time has most likely come as well."
Raphael paled. "I need to go."
I felt a surge of panic from Raphael. Before we could stop him, he disappeared back to Earth.
I moved my knife across the smooth surface of the soap, a long curl of white falling from the barn loft to the floor. I was on my second bar after my father, who I hadn't even known existed, told me he was dying and would be giving me his magic.
The timeline for that was up in the air, but he said soon; when the time was right. Until then, he would be staying in the castle. Although the guys hadn't been too happy about that. They hadn't said it, but I'd felt it.
So, I did what any woman would do. I went to my room, ripped off my dress to trade for actual clothes, and grabbed my carving materials.
"Sammy?" Nico called out across the stables and I froze, considering hiding in the loft. "I know you're in here."
Of course he did. They had tried to come after me and I'd screamed at them to leave me the fuck alone. They weren't stupid. Plus, if they got within about a ten-foot range, I could sense them, and I'm sure the feeling was mutual.
It was something to add to the ever-growing list of shit to come to terms with. It's not that I minded them being able to feel my emotions, but with everyone on edge, it was a lot to handle. We should have been celebrating that we were bonded, not off in separate areas of the castle grounds.
My legs swung back and forth over the side of the loft and I continued carving. A slice of soap landed in Nico's hair as he walked under me.
"There you are." He climbed the ladder and then sat down next to me, picking up the bar of soap I had already carved. "This is beautiful, Peanut."
I had carved a rose from Raphael's rose bush into a pink soap bar he brought me. It was the best work I had done to date. I had left no line or shadow untouched.
I didn't speak and continued to carve out the outline of Picard on a new bar of soap. I didn't know if the monkey would think it was food or not, but it was the thought that counted.
Nico plucked the knife from my hand and tossed it down to the stable floor. "Look at me."
I rolled my eyes and turned my head. "What?" I was within my rights to act like a petulant teenager. I had just had my bonding to the five of them, and it was marred by my estranged father's revelations.
"Things sure did escalate." He touched my cheek and I pulled away, moving to stand. He took my hand and pulled me back down. "Hear me out."
I frowned down at the stables below. The horses were chuffing and eating hay, none the wiser of what had just transpired. I sat down with a huff.
"I'm listening." My heart beat so hard I could hear it in my ears. I didn't need a pep talk. What I needed was for everything to go bac
k to the way it was. No Infernal Council, no Taylor, no lightning chasing me down.
The lightning striking me during the bonding ceremony was a stark reminder that it was still there.
"First off, drop the attitude. We are here to support you, but if you run away and then are moody as fuck, what does that accomplish? Secondly, your father is right. You are powerful and there's no one else that is better suited to have his power." Nico put his hand on my thigh and squeezed. "Thirdly, I'm sorry for scaring you."
I twisted my mouth and swallowed the lump in my throat. "Promise me you won't do that ever again."
He looked out across the stable. "I can't promise you that. If your life is in danger, I would do anything, even risk being stuck as a squirrel."
"Would you be okay if I morphed into a lightning bolt and were stuck like that?" It was a bad analogy but things didn't just work one way.
"Not the point." He stood and put out his hand. "Let's go. We have a long day tomorrow."
"Don't remind me." I put my hand in his and he pulled me up and into his chest, a smirk spreading across his face. "Nico. What do you think you're doing?"
He put his hand on my waist and took the other. He moved back between the hay bales like we were moving between couples dancing on a dance floor. "Since we aren't having a party just yet, I wanted to dance with my mate."
My feet faltered, and I stumbled, taking him down onto a hay bale with me, my legs wrapping around him as he settled between my legs.
I gently touched his face, my fingers moving across his beard line to his lips. "Your mate? Nicolas, you don't have to call me that."
He studied me and kissed my fingertips. "I want to, Peanut." He trailed his fingers down to the button of my jeans. "We're all alone. Just how I like it."
"Is that so?" I shut my eyes as he popped the button up and slid down the zipper. "You don't like watching how much I get off on having more than one man fawn over me?"
