Luciel followed the sweet voice beckoning her, her boots clicking on the dull green floor of the corridor. She'd awakened to the soft whisper calling her name. It sounded like her Dominatio, but she wasn't sure. The cherub had only appeared to her three times in her life; the first time, when her parents had died, then again, to give her the divine sword she possessed. The third time was to console her when she discovered that the beautiful angel she'd fallen in love with as a teenage girl was the dark prince she was being trained to destroy.
She turned a corner in the corridor and stopped in her tracks. The baby angel hovered before the door to the main com-unit room. Luciel approached with a smile. Her Dominatio was such a pretty little creature, its golden hair streaked with a thousand shades of gold, it luminous eyes a crystalline shade of vibrant blue. Electric blue.
"I never noticed before," she whispered, her eyes narrowing. "Your coloring is just like Dava's."
The cherub never spoke a word to her, unlike the one her son had, but she could feel it communicating with her through vibrations of emotion that threaded through her body like the notes of song, resonating deep within her heart.
The Dominatio hugged her, then opened the door to the com-unit room.
Crisp, cool air rushed out, ruffling her hair about her shoulders. As soon as she stepped into the room, the overhead lighting activated itself.
The were-tigris had also refitted this area to accommodate a state-of-the-art communications unit. The floor was shiny black marble, and the walls padded with deep grey acoustic material. The center of the room had a pedestal used for virtual interface. One could converse with another as if they were standing before you. At the far end of the room was a more traditional console, with a fifteen-foot holographic screen. The overhead lighting dimmed and the holographic imaging projectors over the pedestal blinked to life.
Luciel gasped, drawing the attention of the humanoid that appeared on the pedestal. Jet-black curls bounced over wide shoulders as the inhumanly beautiful face turned to peer at her over its shoulder. Obsidian eyes glittered in a milky white face, looking at her from head to toe. Slowly, the creature turned, the black cape draped over its shoulders whispered across the white of the pedestal. A man. He let the cape slither from his shoulders, baring his naked torso that was a white as her son Devon. He slipped his hands into the pockets of his snug leather pants and strolled over to where she was. His boots stopped at the edge of the pedestal, and he smiled, revealing his pointed fangs. A vampire.
"Hi." His demeanor was sultry, flirtatious...dangerously so.
Luciel had to remind herself that he was just a holographic projection. Nonetheless, she approached him with caution.
She turned to look for her Dominatio, but found that the little angel had disappeared again.
"Mine does the same thing to me. Just pops in and out of my life, like that." The vampire snapped his fingers, then used the same hand to coil one of his curls around his finger as he leered at her. "My, but don't you look appetizing."
"You're an archangel?" Surely he had to be lying. A vampire?
He tilted his head to the side, staring at her with his bottomless black eyes. His hand seemed to reach for something in front of him. Fire blazed and magnificent sword appeared in his hand. The hilt was black and glittered with hundreds of jewels. The black scroll marks on the blade were similar to the ones on her own blade.
A divine sword. So, the vampire wasn't lying after all.
"You look surprised."
Luciel analyzed why she couldn't seem to take her eyes away from his. He barely blinked, and his eyes stared with piercing intensity, like a predator. His brows drew up in amusement. Oh, yes, and he was pretty...like a girl.
"I don't meet many vampires. Don't think I've ever come across one who was an archangel."
He lowered his sword, resting the tip on the floor while he leaned on the hilt and studied her intently. "How can I help you?"
"Help me?"
"My Dominatio ordered me to help you."
Her own Dominatio had led her here. Still, she was reluctant to speak of Davariel. He was on every Master Guardian's most wanted list.
"And what makes you think, I need your help?"
The vampire turned and strode a few steps away. His black spiral curls danced against his waist beguilingly, and his muscles rippled when he spun the sword like a baton in his hand. She imagined he had centuries of practice wielding that blade...among other things.
"Perhaps we should start with introductions." He spun around, a smile gracing his blushing lips. "I'm Drakken Nehzilini, Master Guardian and archangel protector of the newly colonized Sjoria."
Luciel's mind began to race. "Isn't that planet on the very outskirts of the galaxy?"
"That would be the one. Not too many aliens have populated it because of its strict measures to keep everything as simple as possible. No big cities on Sjoria. Lots of oceans and rainforest, though."
"How does one go about to colonize?"
"One doesn't." He raised his brow and tilted his head to the side. "Oh, damn. That's it, isn't it? I've got to get you permission to live on Sjoria." He rolled his eyes and huffed. "Why me?"
Her Dominatio and his had arranged this, so it had to be done. But how would she manage to transport Davariel, the babies and herself, and keep their presence secret? She was almost at the limit of her power cocooning the compound with a power shield so no one would detect their presence. Little by little it was draining her. She knew eventually she would need to relocate to the unlinked outskirts of the galaxy.
"Aren't you going to tell me your name?"
The vampire's sweet voice intruded on her thoughts.
She took a deep breath. "Luciel Ngyuen...."
Drakken's sword fell to the floor with a loud clang. His lips went pale. "The dark prince's mistress?"
"Mistress?" She almost went into an insulted tirade, until she realized he was right. Hell, she was still sore from the last pounding Davariel had given her only moments before. Luciel felt herself blush.
Drakken put his fingertips to his colorless lips, staring at her wide-eyed. "Is he with you? Is it true you birthed his child?"
"Twins. Two boys. Dava is sleeping right now."
Drakken shuddered. "I saw him once, before he turned. I'd been allowed to enter the holy city, but was forbidden to approach him. We followed him at a safe distance, always watched by a dozen armed reapers. He barely acknowledged our presence. The king of the Fae planet, Marahk, was with us that day. Davariel spotted a group of Greis in the multitude that had gathered to...worship him. They had brought a child with them. The small Grei female was dying. Davariel had her taken out from the crowd and brought to him. He carried her the whole time, singing to her, kissing her forehead with a tenderness that...." Drakken took a deep breath, his eyes staring deep into Luciel's. "When visiting time was over, he begged to keep her, arguing that she didn't have long to live anyway, but the high council refused, plus, the Greis were incensed that he didn't include them in his private serenade. Before they took the weeping child away, Davariel tore one of his primary feathers out and gave it to her. Have you any idea how painful it is for a Seraph to have one of his feathers pulled? It's like yanking off one of your fingers."
Luciel's jaw went slack. She never knew this, but could imagine Davariel doing everything the vampire had just told her.
"Luciel," the vampire bowed low, "I am at your service... and lord Davariel's."
*******
Luciel felt excited when she walked into the bedroom she shared with Davariel and her babies at the were-tigri compound. It wasn't much, with its plain white walls. A long white dresser with frosted glass doors took up an entire wall, the door to the adjoining bathroom was on the opposite wall, and a large platform-type bed took up the rest of the quarters. The babies' bassinet was directly in front of the bed and was made of white wicker. There had been a mirror behind the bed, but Davariel had it taken down. He hated mirrors.
Davariel lay sprawled out and face down on the bed, fast asleep, without a stitch of clothing, making her smile.
"Why are you always naked," she laughed caressing one taut buttock, startling him awake?
"What?" He turned over rubbing his sleepy eyes, his body immediately reacting to her touch.
"You're always out of your clothes, Davariel. Not that I'm complaining, but, I swear, if it were up to you, you'd probably prance around the entire compound with nothing on."
"Well, what's wrong with that? Everyone stares at me regardless."
"It would make me jealous," she admitted.
He blinked in surprise. "Why?"
"Because you're mine and I don't want anyone so much as fantasizing about having you the way I do."
His eyes seemed to moisten and the emotions he emanated confused her. She could feel sadness, anxiety...self-doubt! Self doubt? What could he be insecure about?
"Yes. Your desire for me has always been very strong." He took a deep breath, sniffing at her. It reminded her of the first time they had encountered each other. Those big glowing orbs regarded her with unasked questions.
"What's troubling you now, Dava," she asked, concerned.
