"Don't touch her," he practically screamed, enraged, as he settled down between his brother and the woman he loved. Anniel's hands came up against his spread wings when he stepped back into her, clasping her hip to keep her behind him and out from Garethiel's sight.
After having callously deflowered her and then walking out as if she meant nothing, the thought of Garethiel putting his filthy hands on her again made Ashriel want to tear him limb from limb. He shook with barely contained violence.
His brother stared at him, eyes and mouth gaping. There was nothing but silence for the longest time, only Ashriel's ragged breathing from all the furious adrenaline coursing through his veins.
Garethiel slowly put his hands up with a sardonic grin.
"Easy there, little brother. I just wanted to say hi."
Anniel's fingers whispered over his feathers, as if admiring them, which caused him to close his eyes with a shiver at the intense pleasure it gave him. He felt her flinch when he moaned softly, and then step away from him.
He spun back to hold onto to her, but she'd teleported into Devon's arms. The sight of her wrapping her arms around him, burying her face against his chest as he held her tight in return, kissing her face, sent a jolt of jealous fury through Ashriel.
Forgetting the presence of all in the hangar, he took a step toward them, his teeth and fists clenched. How he wanted to kill Devon—more so now that he held Anniel.
Devon's luminescent eyes snapped back up to him. Even as Ashriel stared, black veins appeared at the demon's temples and a chill breeze blew from nowhere. Both his dragons began to snarl, and the weretigri hissed as they drew closer to their commander. None of that would have fazed Ashriel in the least. What had him backing up was the sight of Anniel's eyes changing into luminous wolf eyes and her teeth becoming elongated. She bared these at him, an animalistic growl coming from deep in her throat.
Ashriel could not have been hurt more if she'd run him through the heart with a flaming lance. Her reaction to him made him stagger back two more steps. Vaguely, he heard his brother snicker and make some derisive comment under his breath.
"I think I've seen enough," his mother snapped. She turned without another word and headed back to the star cruiser. His father gave him one last hateful glare and followed in his mother's wake.
Ashriel felt his chest tightening. This was his family.
Garethiel sauntered up next to him. Ashriel scowled into his face.
"Look, past squabbles aside, you're still my twin brother. You don't belong here with these..." he gave the Alpha Angels a condescending snort, "people. I've got a little place set up on Rhydiam Nine. You're more than welcome to stay there. I'll leave you my old Silver Comet."
Garethiel turned and pointed a silver pen-like object toward the star cruiser. Another hatch located on the lower part of the transport opened. A chrome plated transport pod floated out and settled itself on the hangar floor.
He turned back with a lopsided grin to Ashriel. "I was getting rid of it anyway. Got myself a new transport. A Supra Nova."
He tossed Ashriel the little silver rod and then walked away. "See-ya 'round, baby brother."
Ashriel gritted his teeth in annoyance. He'd been born ten minutes after Garethiel, and the asshole never let him forget it.
The ramps closed the minute Garethiel disappeared inside the star cruiser. The thin metallic legs retracted and the transport drifted back out the exit chute.
Ashriel remained staring at the chute long after it stopped glowing, holding the obvious key to the Silver Comet his brother left him. His eyes drifted back to the shiny transport pod. He wasn't sure exactly where Alpha 7 was at the moment, but getting to Rhydiam Nine shouldn't be difficult. Silver Comets had guidance systems. He could leave right now. He had no credits, but he could look for honest work. He could fight. Perhaps someone might want to hire him as a guard.
He'd have to say goodbye to Anniel.
His chest tightened.
With a hard swallow he turned, knowing that at the moment she probably hated him more than Garethiel.
Only Devon, Remien, Zachariel, and Sethaliel stood behind him. She'd gone. He wouldn't even have the privilege to have a few last words with her.
"Don't go," Devon said in a soft voice. "Please."
Ashriel just stared at him. He considered Devon something evil that needed to be destroyed, and here he stood, almost begging him not to leave. It was confusing. Ashriel had to close his eyes and shake his head to get his thoughts back in order. He needed to find out the cause to the war three hundred years ago, and hunt down the right portal into the realm of darkness to slay the dark prince, Lucien.
"You just can't walk out on Annie, man," Remien spat.
Ashriel glared at him. It was all his fault. If Ashriel had decided on his own to become fallen, he would have gone the honorable route. He would have chosen to renounce his rank. He would have had to assume a hundred siglon task and then...
Would Anniel have awaited him for one hundred siglons?
She hated him now, knew he was Garethiel's twin. Garethiel, who'd seduced her with pretty words and his pretty face and beautiful stark white wings and blond hair. After fucking her for a few weeks, when it was time for the Seraphian Master Guardians to leave, his coward of a brother was one of the first to transfer his services to another world without telling her anything. When Ashriel confronted him about this, his brother had only shrugged his shoulders carelessly saying it was better that way. He couldn't stand clinging females and their tears.
"And now you're doing the same thing."
Ashriel's anger bristled. "Stay the fuck out of my head, Devon of Angelos."
Seth snorted with a scowl. "You're broadcasting. Pull your emotions into yourself and we won't hear it."
Ashriel turned and strode with determination toward the Silver Comet. The side door opened and he slid in. Just before closing it, he took a deep breath and looked back up at the Alpha Angels. "Thank you for bringing me here and caring for me in my time of need. When I acquire employment I'll send whatever amount of credits you need to cover any expenditure you may have incurred..."
"We don't want your money," Devon said in irritation.
Ashriel nodded. He had a feeling they would refuse his paying them. "Then I am in debt to you. If I can ever assist you in any task—as long as it's for an honorable cause—"
"We get it, Ash," Zachariel interrupted with a frown.
Ashriel nodded, his eyes going over reach of them.
The lighting made Seth's white-blond hair almost glow as well as his pale blue eyes. Devon watched Ashriel, his electric blue eyes bright in his perfect face framed by a fall of jet hair. Next to him, Remien sulked, his blood-red hair falling in soft wisps over his face and the rest pouring over his shoulders. Zachariel folded his arms over his wide chest. His expression was hard, disapproving, stern. It made Ashriel feel like a worse bastard than Garethiel.
Was he running away from Anniel like a coward? "She hates me," he whispered to himself.
"She's just hurt, Ash," Devon said softly. "Just stay. Work things out."
