Crimson Reign

by V L Moon

  The lump in Laziel’s throat threatened to choke him. He loved so fully, only as an angel could love. Yet, his heart constantly yearned for more than Lachi could, or would, give. Laziel fought back the tide of remorse and swallowed loudly. He wasn’t surprised when he raised a glance in Lachi's direction and found the vampire’s sights firmly fixated on the pulsating vein running hot along the column of his throat. If all he was ever meant to be was a vessel for this vampire, he had no choice but to accept his role with gracious intent and savor for an eternity the love and affliction of his angel's grace.

  With their eyes locked, Laziel closed the gap between them until they stood face to face. Then slowly, his gaze raking over the well-defined contours of Lachi's masculine form, Laziel dropped to his knees and swept aside his long mane of his hair, offering Lachi the access he desired to strong column of his throat.

  To steady himself, Laziel splayed a warm palm across the rolling abs of Lachi’s stomach and instantly became attuned to the vampire's rising ardor. His cool skin warmed under Laziel's delicate touch. Unused to the display of such tentative measures, Lachi’s breathing became insistently urgent when Laziel teasingly nipped the hard budded flesh of one taut nipple then blew a frigid breath over the raised angry nub. Laziel’s persuasive allure rose in abundance when Lachi opened glowing eyes and looked up at the male with wicked intent.

  “Laziel...don't...you don't dare push me. I won't be responsible if you do.” Lachi's feral growl sent icy tendrils of pleasure shooting through his veins. The forewarning ignored, Laziel lazily rimmed his lips then lowered his head. The scent of Lachi’s flesh enticed him; a mixture of musk and something erotic that made Laziel’s mouth water with the need to taste. He flicked out the length of his tongue and danced it over the delectable breadth of Lachi's broad, plumb colored head.

  “ANGEL!” Any further words from the vampire evaporated when Laziel’s mouth opened and he slipped the male's thickly veined shaft into the wet darkened depths of his warm mouth and groaned.

  “Hmm-mm.” The sensual taste of Lachi's satin smooth flesh exploded across his tongue. Lachi visibly trembled beneath his touch when Laziel dipped the tip of his tongue into the well of Lachi’s weeping slit. The angel purred when the salty caress of pre cum coated his throat. Starved for more, Laziel suckled the helmeted head and scraped the tips of his much shorter fangs over the delicate flesh. Lachi roared in abandonment when Laziel urged the hard slickened mass deeper into his welcoming throat.

  Moving the hands that caressed Lachi's trembling flesh, to grip his ass, Laziel impaled sharp talon like nails into his muscular flesh and guided the width of Lachi's hips to thrust even deeper. With the thick pulsing mass of Lachi’s sex lodged tight inside, Laziel mercilessly constricted his throat to grip the swollen head of the vampire’s cock. And, when Lachi's fingers raked viscously into Laziel’s long black hair, fisting the hip length strands in both his hands and began a slow guided thrust of his hips, Laziel groaned, sending a jolt of spine bending vibration through the heated swelling flesh of the vampire's stiff sex.

  “Argh. Fuck, angel. Ohh, damn...yeah. Oh yeah…yes. God damn it, Laz!” Unmindful of Lachi's pleading, Laziel swallowed using the absence of a gag reflex to heighten the torment of Lachi's lust. With the vampire’s ass secured in his pinning grip, he drove Lachi's wet rampant swell in and out of his hungry, hot mouth. The slip and glide of each knee trembling jut of Lachi’s hips was met by Laziel’s yielding deep throat. The heady scent of their lust for each other mingled into the room adding to the ambiance of their surroundings.

  Laziel was lost, possessed by the need to satisfy both their lustful intentions. He hollowed his cheeks and sucked slowly up the whole thick length of Lachi's impressive cock while his tongue trailed over the pulsating vein that ran to the tip. His lips smacked on release with a loud pop.

  Lachi sank to the floor, his beautiful bare chest heaving from the exertion to keep his release battened down tight, delaying the climactic moment when Laziel took all he had to offer after milking him while satiating his own sinful salaciousness. A low greedy growl slipped from Laziel’s lips to vibrate the surroundings with its deep rolling base. His hands scored up the insides of Lachi's inner thighs, spreading him wide before glowing celestial eyes.

  The air around them turned toxic as Laziel crawled up the male's shuddering torso. With a lick of the lips, Laziel coursed a teasing path up over his hips before positioning the still slickened hot head against the tight clenching crevice hovering above it. In one smooth blissful maneuver, Laziel distracted the male by ravaging his mouth. The sharp sting of fangs penetrated the flesh of Laziel’s probing tongue as Lachi murmured amorously for the seductive treat spilling into his mouth.

  Laziel brought his knees up and ground down hard, filling his tightly clenched ass by impaling himself deeply on Lachi's rigid cock. Lachi growled his pleasure into Laziel’s mouth and released his hold on Laziel’s bloody tongue to thrust up fast against his yielding ass. Their bodies fused together, and Laziel leaned back, braced his hands on Lachi’s thighs and watched as inch by inch he took all of that smooth, hard flesh deep within his own warm stretched channel.

  “I’m going to ride you so damned hard,” he purred as the light in the room dimmed and their bodies became silhouetted against the open naked flames that danced across their skin. “And then, you can drink your fill, vampire.”

  ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

  A week after the Council meeting, Malachi exhaled a frustrated breath and shoved the keyboard away from him. He hated the time he spent cooped up indoors sloughing away at the computer and the monotonous paperwork associated with being the leader of a race. The one piece of mail he wanted was a fucking no show. He’d sent out a warning the day after the confrontation with Darklon and received abso-fucking-lutely nothing in response.

  Concerned yet cautious, he scanned the news in the area around the last know whereabouts of the individual Darklon sought. The search turned up nothing except a string of grisly murders. Suspicious of everyone, even the guards selected and trained by the angel, he dared not allow his concentration to focus in one area. With a grunt at the wasted time, he expanded his search to include various points around the world. One slip and the intricate web of protection surrounding the escapee would untangle strand by strand and give Darklon the one he hunted. Three hundred years after the escape, and the fucking Elder refused to give up.

  It was during the rescue that Malachi realized why Darklon wanted the vampire, who by vampiric law Darklon rightfully owned. Although largely frowned upon, vampires still could and did turn humans. The newly born vampire became both the property and the responsibility of the maker. Anyone who interfered in the relationship or caused the maker to lose his property was subject to trial and the possibility of death. An ancient law, Malachi abhorred the idea of ownerships and he fought tirelessly and unsuccessfully to have it rescinded. Sadly, the vampire in question fell under the law as Darklon’s creation. Despite the law, Malachi, with Laziel’s help, freed the vampire from Darklon’s clutches. Though he had no proof, Darklon suspected Malachi’s involvement and therein formed the basis of their mutual hatred.

  The male in question commanded strength of will unmatched by any Malachi had ever encountered. Inherently greedy, Darklon would have wanted that for himself and made every effort to have it. But, it was the human’s attachment to Malachi that sealed his fate. By the time Malachi found him trapped in a shoddy unheated shack, manacled by silver chains that burned his skin upon contact, he lay unbroken by the depravity and brutality of his Sire. Fire burned in his eyes though his skin oozed from unhealed wounds. Emaciated to a skeletal husk, the vampire hovered on the edge of life when Malachi and Laziel broke through the doors and liberated him.

  Feral from blood hunger and mindless with pain, Malachi had expected the male to attack them to assuage the god awful hunger he could feel beating at him. But, the vampire had risen from the filthy mattress and shaken off the chains that once bound h
im. He and Laziel had followed the male prepared to stop him if he headed for the humans living unsuspecting nearby. But, the male crossed straight to the field beyond taking down a large steer with savage grace. After taking his fill, he’d staggered to his feet and disappeared into the ether.

  “He’ll get in touch when he can.” On the other side of the desk, the angel sprawled in the antique chair, one leg tossed over the arm and midnight hair pooling on the floor on the opposite side. Bare-chested and barefoot, normal attire for Laziel, he absently locked and unlocked the steel handcuffs grasped negligently in his nimble fingers.

  Malachi flipped his gaze up to Laziel. “He isn’t the only problem, only the most worrisome at the moment.” He waved a hand at the computer screen. “The fucking Council is pitching a bitch again about a mate, a Queen, for the race. I’ve just received a petition demanding a betrothal by the end of the year. They’ve obtained signatures from all the regions, and stirred up the enclaves. All of this since the meeting only a few days ago. And,” a feral growl rolled into the room. “Guess which fucking region has the most signatures.”

  “I told you, Lachi Denali, I told you to let me kill the bastard. I had him in the palm of my hand. It would have been so easy.” The malice in the flame red eyes chilled Malachi’s blood. It wasn’t often his mentor’s temper was revealed, but as it did at the moment, the flash of angelic ire seared the air around Laziel hot enough to burn flesh.

  “Easy, angel. I’m safe and Darklon is safely tucked away in his enclave.”

  “More’s the pity,” Laz muttered tossing the handcuffs on the scarred wooden desktop.

  “I’ve sent for Arial.” Malachi surged up from his chair and started to pace.

  All pretense of relaxation faded as Laziel sat up, brow furrowed. “Are you sure that’s wise. Arial’s a loose cannon at best. Too much time spent hunting his demons.”

  “Agreed, he’s a hard-ass, but he’s loyal to me.” He arched a questioning brow at Laziel.

  The celestial nodded. “Without question.”

  “I want him to infiltrate the humans, see what the Vatican is thinking at the moment. Darklon has to be feeding them information. If anyone can ferret it out, Arial can. They’ll trust him, he’s an angel.”

  “Arial sees himself as a Fallen, Lachi. A real honest to goodness Fallen Angel. You keep forgetting that about him. It’s what makes him so arbitrarily dangerous.”

  Malachi spun around to face Laziel and paced back. “I know what he is, and I refuse to condemn him for it.” Spreading his arms wide, he glanced down at himself. “Here I stand dressed in Armani, designer shoes and more money than I can ever hope to spend. For appearances sake, I am the epitome of a successful trustworthy businessman. The King of a race.” In the blink of an eye, his face changed, fangs punched through his gums and his eyes glowed an unholy black. The savagery of his nature permeated the room. “Yet, we both know, I am as uncivilized as the demons Arial hunts with every waking breath. A monster feared by his own race much the same as Arial.” Another heartbeat and Malachi’s vampiric nature retreated. “I fool them every day. I have every faith Arial can do so as well.”

  “You do that shit on purpose, vampire.” Laz stalked toward him. A large palm cupped the back of his head and Malachi found himself caught up in the angel’s embrace. The kiss scorched his lips as their mouths fused together, tongues mating. Just as quickly as they came together they parted as Laziel broke the seal of their lips and solemnly backed away.

  “Someone approaches,” he grunted.

  A soft knock sounded on the door. “Your Eminence, the Pope has requested an audience. He has twenty minutes now, if you are available.” Kimberly Stroner, his voluptuous and discreet secretary, stepped into his office. Without batting an eye at the close proximity of the two of them, she waited for his reply.

  “Please let him know I’ll be there posthaste.”

  She bobbed her head once and exited without closing the door.

  “She’s the one they chose for you,” Laz snapped, jade colored eyes flicking from the door to Malachi’s face.

  “They can all fry in hell while Arial watches, Laziel.” He prowled past the angel trailing his fingers over the exposed abs as he went by. “I’ve chosen the only partner I will ever have. The Elders and the race can fuck off. I refuse to bring a child into a world still situated in the dark ages.” At the door, he turned back to Laziel, a sadistic smile in place. “Anyone who doesn’t like my decision, better have made peace with whatever God they worship if they try to separate us.” He stepped through the door and found Kimberly standing prim and proper just outside, her pretty face solemn.

  “Kimberly.”

  “Yes, Sire.”

  “No offense.”

  “None taken, Sire. The Pope is waiting.”

  ~ * ~ * ~ * ~

  With a raised brow, Laziel watched Lachi’s gorgeous ass make its way out of the door and smiled. The male was a damn fine specimen; one Laziel took great delight in enjoying to his fullest. Ever eager to be at hand, or in hand, the angel chuckled at the spine tingling thrill of excitement the vampire evoked. When a warm glow started to coil in his gut, the angel tempered down the enormous size of his appetite for the male and crossed the deeply carpeted floor to peer down at the glowing screen of Lachi's laptop. The angel smirked.

  “Naughty Lachi, leaving such sweet temptation in your angel’s way.” A quick glance and Laziel knew where the last destined email was headed. Pointing the curser, he brought up the history of emails and chuckled. Adding his own few lines to the end of the message, Laziel tapped out.

  “Hi, D.D. It’s me, ya sweet blessed little angel…ya know…the one that cleaned up the bullshit after you left. Well guess what, DD, if you don't answer MY male within the next...oh say, forty-eight-hours, ya might find ya’self in need of some prayers when my hot and horny ass descends on ya doorstep. Don’t roll ya eyes at me, D.D. A flick of my fingers and I'll know in a heartbeat exactly where you are. Let him know, just two small words, I'm OK. I'm sure even your vocabulary can stretch to that. See ya, wouldn't want to be ya. Love hugs and ohhh so many kisses. NOT!

  Ya sweetie pie, Laz.”

  Snorting in disgust, Laziel hit send, went back into the history and deleted all knowledge that the e-mail, or its address ever existed. When all that was left was a blank screen, Laziel closed the device and took off for the door. On passing Ms. Stroner, Lachi's loyal assistant, Laziel’s eyes flared a bright flash of red. Never going to happen female, that there male belongs to me! The usually undetectable feathers layered across his back ruffled as angelic ire flashed in his face.

  As much as Laziel disagreed with the Elders over Lachi being mated and needing to breed, the angel saw why they'd chosen the bountiful Miss Stroner. If she were a mere mortal, it would not have been surprising to see her on the cover of Vogue or some other high fashion magazine. She was beautiful, more so than most of the females living within the cavernous maze seated deep below ground. With hair the color of spun gold that hung just below her jaw line, and large liquid brown eyes set into a soft featured heart shaped face, Ms. Stroner would have been a very pleasant accompaniment on Lachi's arm. Eyeing her as he passed, Laziel slowed when Ms. Stroner began to speak. The words were whispered as she nervously craned her neck to look up at Laziel.

  “Umm, it is the Pope Sire Denali is meeting, perhaps...” When her eyes widened and drifted over Laziel’s broad bare chest, and then lowered to take in the tattered remnants of the low waisted jeans that lay open at the waist and lower again to his bare feet, the angel laughed nonchalantly and made his way further down the ornate walkway.

  “Lachi prefers me in a state of undress, little lady.” The heat of her stare followed him. Joining Lachi at the base of the stairwell leading up into the human sector, he turned and gave Ms. Stroner a full on glare. The vampire King was spoken for, and as far as Laziel was concerned, already had a mate. The Elders could suck a dead dog’s dick for all he cared. With lustful
intent, Laziel leaned in and seduced Lachi's mouth. A low rumbling growl from deep within the vampire’s chest erupted. As fast as he’d invaded the succulence of Lachi's lush mouth, the angel pulled away. Point made.

  With a gratifying smirk written plainly across his face, the angel glided up the stairs. Purposely, he trailed his fingers down the rigid swell that had formed in Lachi's designer pants, and then rolled his hips on ascending the stairs giving a bewildered looking Lachi a really great view of his hot tight ass.

  “Motherfucker, you did that deliberately. How the fuck am I supposed to address the Pope like this?” Lachi growled as he came up behind Laziel and slapped his hand across the angel's ass. Laziel trembled from the thrill as the sting traversed its way down toward parts of his anatomy that involuntary clenched from the joyous infliction of pain. Turning molten eyes to meet the vampire’s dark and deadly glare, Laziel ground his jaw and leaned into his male. He grasped Lachi’s hand as he did and brought it down to the girth of hot throbbing sex lying heavy and needful against his jeans.

  “Let’s get this done, and you can punish me all you damn well like. How's that for a deal maker, sexy?” Laziel smirked at Lachi's grimace. Alike in so many ways, Laziel couldn't think of anything better than whiling away any second of spare time fused to the male waiting impatiently at his side. Even after all these years, Laziel still hungered for the simplest touch from the hands or mouth of the male he loved.

  “Hmmm, you might be sorry you said that, Laziel, but here's a reminder of what you just agreed to, just in case you weren’t clear. Let’s call it pay back for the little show downstairs, shall we?” Lachi growled against the flesh of Laziel’s neck. The angel's breath hitched as the solid weight of Lachi's hand bore down hard across the rounded mounds of the angel's ass. The resounding whack echoed through the walkway as Lachi disappeared through the secret archway leading them into the Pope's most private anti-chambers.