Sealing the wound on Emma's neck, Antony lifted his head and looked at her face. He thought it so odd that she considered herself to be plain when her beauty started him each time he gazed upon her. Yeah, she had the imperfections that all humans possessed due to neglect, stress, and illness but she had the beautiful coloring and structure that he had never seen on another person.
Tangling his fingers through her hair, he smiled at the memory of her evaluation of the color. What had she said? Right, she had called it dirty blond or pale brown. Relishing the feeling of the silken strands through his fingers, Antony mused that there was nothing dirty about her hair. And watching her hair reflect the evening's light, he corrected that it could never be described as pale. Her hair was golden as a halo and surely envied by those of the First Creation.
The thought of creations, no matter the number, reminded Antony of the war between his people and the two previous fallen races. As king of Europe, he had seen it all. Humans had fought and killed over the land, people and wealth, and had succeeded in creating new countries, money and people. As long as their petty battles were controlled by their leaders, his only involvement would be the generous financing provided to those preferred by the New Kingdom. And while he had witnessed massive atrocities, he still gave silent thanks that Edward was allotted the babes of America. He admired the beautiful country and its people but he was grateful to be spared ruling the volatile combination of opportunity and pride.
Nonetheless, he had vowed to protect and lead his people to victory no matter how many wars they fought among themselves. The attacks against the New Kingdom were well planned and unexpected. He accepted the internal rebuke that he had neglected in protecting his people. Now, he could not escape the results of his failures: he had provided that whore Helen with his DNA, he had lost the woman he had called mate for the last three hundred years to the contaminated blood, he had allowed this little American girl to become involved in the war, and finally, he had to beg his brother, Gabriel, to help him.
Gabriel, the man who had been delegated as the general of their armies because he was considered the seventh son and there were only six kingdoms to rule. He had accepted his lot in life well and had become the envy of every man and desire of every woman. Of course, he now has amnesia to those memories because of his most recent appointment as ruler of everything and lover of one.
Antony had yet to meet Alena in person, only seeing her through video communications, but had talked with her enough to love his sister in law. She had been strong enough as a human to capture Gabriel's heart and never let it go. Although she had insisted on mothering the little products of his failure, she had accompanied her mate into her new life vowing to see the Third Creation be victorious. She was a leader in her own right but she boasted her position as Gabriel's mate.
Dragging his thoughts back to the woman in the bed, Antony was surprised to find how their bodies had shifted during his reverie. Emma's hands had released their death grip on his shoulders and now rested against his head, cradling his face to her breasts. Still uncovered, the skin covering her heart was warm and soft, inviting him to savor the delicacies spread before him. Instead, Antony tenderly pulled her gown back over her breasts and lifted the straps to her shoulders. Rising from the bed, he looked at the innocent woman sleeping soundly from the effects of his venom.
"In the morning, you'll think this was just another dream," he whispered. "If only I could give you something to remember but I'll settle for the question in your eyes and the blush on your skin every time we see each. Good night, my little one."
With one final kiss to her lips, he moved to the window. Swiftly and silently, he exited the loft and dropped to the ground. He smiled at the sound of the intrusion identified only by a masculine sigh of exasperation.
"I don't know if I should be more pleased or disappointed," the man said.
"Explain brother," Antony said with a smile.
"I am pleased that you've moved on with your life but rather disappointed that the entire occurrence lasted less than thirty minutes."
"It's difficult to seduce a woman with your impatient sighs interrupting my thoughts, Gabriel."
"I wasn't impatient," Gabriel said stepping from the shadows. "I was embarrassed."
Laughing at his brother's taunting, Antony relaxed. No matter how much it hurt his pride to beg for help, he was relieved that Gabriel had joined him. Knowing what the man could do and hearing what he had accomplished in America offered Antony that first glimmer of hope. Nodding to the sidewalk, he motioned Gabriel to join him in a walk down the street.
"It's bad, Gabe," he started bluntly.
"Alena told me that you feared waiting too long to call," Gabriel added. "You need to know that I could not be here before today and losing this war is not an option."
"Cheering the team on to victory. Is that part of your new role?"
"Not a cheer. Fact. If the Fallen win, life ends," Gabriel said stopping to look at his brother. "You've suffered loss since we last met."
"And I'd rather not discuss it."
"Losing your mate ...,"
"Is none of your fucking business," Antony snapped. "Besides, I'm viewing the whole experience as an opportunity to sample new items on the menu."
"Is that what you were doing?" Gabriel asked looking back to the apartment window his brother had just vacated.
"I'd rather not discuss her," Antony said quietly. "Other than the fact she is our source of information on the audit, she is my concern."
"You fed from her."
"So?"
"Is she a willing donor?"
"We do things differently here, Gabe," Antony explained. "Wait until you visit these clubs and then you'll know why we are called monsters or demons."
Antony turned to continue his walk when he felt an iron grip wrap around his arm. Before he could ask about the hold, he felt his body fly back and land into one of the trees lining the street. Landing on his feet, he bent to a crouch glaring at his attacker. Before he made a regretful move, he stood up and tidied his jacket from the collision with the tree.
"What the hell was that for?" he finally asked.
"We do not take from the innocent," Gabriel snarled in anger. "I have seen the supply at your home. You do not need this," he added waving an arm toward Emma's window.
"Maybe I'm not just taking blood."
"Then you are a molesting a young girl and I will not allow it."
"Trust me, she's getting more pleasure than I am in the experience," Antony said.
"What have you become?" Gabriel said turning looking at his brother. "When have you ever had to sneak into an innocent's window for blood and fondling?"
"Since that fucking cunt destroyed our lives!"
