This is the moment many dreaded. If any of you are homophobic then this is not a story or chapter for you. From the beginning, I always said Lucien and his Raynes were going to form a triad, and there can be no going around it. I also knew from the get go that this story might not be particularly popular, but that's okay. I still have a few diehard fans that support my creative endeavors, which I greatly appreciate. Lucien has been through hell and back, literally. He is flawed and tarnished, but he will grow, eventually. Boy Rayne is finally opening up (no pun intended) and I wanted to show a little more about him in this chapter. Next chapter we'll be seeing a whole new side to girl Rayne, but for now, enjoy this chapter. Please leave comments. they're greatly appreciated, just don't flood me with negative comments concerning the man/man sex scene. I am a proud supporter of LGBT rights. I believe everyone has the right to love whomever they please!! Oh, yeah, and please remember Lucien is into BDSM. Cuffing and chaining his sexual playmates turns him on, but he doesn't ever force it on anyone as you'll soon see.
*****
He trained again. Trained until his body ached and muscles screamed from agony. Lucien worked through levels of demons and devils the holo-traing unit provided for him. He even trained with Devon and Ashriel, long bloody drawn out sessions that seemed to never end.
Seth watched over what he ate, and Zak gave him a grueling workout routine. So far Lucien had gained fifty much needed pounds of pure brawn.
Today he faced Natanael, Abdiel, and Eriel, who, he soon learned were probably the best swordsmen he'd ever fought, aside from his brother and Ashriel.
Abdiel wore the usual loose black pants most reapers wore for training.
Eriel, on the other hand, had a pair of pants that looked as though he'd been dipped from the hips down in a vat of latex. The effect left little to the imagination as it clung to every dip and curve of his body. He also had on a pair of thigh-high patent leather boots that drew more attention to his long-long legs and bulging manly package. He looked every bit the male whore fallen reapers were claimed to be.
Abdiel had plaited his hair into a thick braid that hung halfway down his back, but Eriel had left his glossy sable tresses free.
The dark-haired reaper held his blade at the ready, his eyes black with the promise of death.
Despite Eriel's indecent training attire, Natanael won the prize for most distracting and obscene. His long Mohawk was shocking pink and he'd added more tattoos to his body; a body that was all but bare.
Instead of pants, the reaper had wrapped a four-inch wide ribbon of black leather around his hips, between his legs and down each long muscular leg. His feet were bare and his fingernails and toes were painted a deep metallic blue. He kept his midnight colored wings spread and ruffled and he too circled Lucien with a grin of pure evil.
"Loser bottoms?" the pink-haired reaper teased, before growling through clenched teeth, "I hate bottoming."
Lucien felt revulsion lance through him as well as rage. "I'll kill you first if you think you'll ever get me to bottom to you."
"That's the idea, kiddo," Eriel chuckled. "You try to kill us, we try to kill you."
Right.
Lucien knew he needed to get his anger under control. It was why he lost every battle against Devon. He hadn't been able to defeat Ashriel, but then Ashriel hadn't been able to kill him either, much to the reaper's dismay.
Devon had thought it a good idea to train with the reapers in case the Master Guardians hunting them found him. There was still a hefty bounty for the head of the former dark prince.
They came at him relentlessly, using their swords and wings in an attempt to bring him down. Natanael continued to taunt him, and Lucien did his best not to succumb to his revulsion and anger. As soon as they finished training though, he was kicking Natanael's ass out in the corridor.
Meanwhile, none of the reapers were giving him a chance to get near them. They knew better and kept him at swords length hoping to tire him into losing.
Lucien had blades strapped everywhere and was a master at using them. He was also good with the sword and knew how to push himself beyond exhaustion, so, it was going to be a long session for everyone involved.
Abdiel slashed at Lucien's belly and spun. His wing clipped Lucien behind his head, sending him to the mat. Feeling Eriel near, he rolled to avoid being gutted, and kicked out getting Natanael between his legs.
The pink-haired reaper went down with a howl of agony.
Served him right, as well as the sword he got sinking into the bare spot between his black wings.
"Game over for you, cocksucker," Lucien spat as he flipped over and onto his feet again.
His vision was spotty from the blow to his head. Had Abdiel gotten him a little lower it would've been game over for Lucien instead.
The holographic reproduction of Natanael fell face-first onto the mat, dead. Across the training hall, the real Nat glared at Luke, still rubbing his injured balls.
Lucien kept his eyes on Abdiel and Eriel. Eriel's wings were spread and lifted. Abdiel's wings were lifted away from his back and pressed tight together as if in prayer behind him. He was not smiling, just silent, face expressionless, eyes glossy black voids. If anything, Abdiel scared the shit out of Lucien more than Eriel's cocky attitude did.
Of course, Lucien knew that was another way they fought. They either tried to rile you or creep you out.
These two were special. They were the ones who'd fought by his father's side the night his parents were swept into the realm of shadows by a horde of devils.
The memory of his father, Davariel floated in the back of his mind, but he pushed it away. He needed to focus on the battle at hand, even if it was just mostly a holographic training session.
Concentrate, son—he could almost hear his father instruct him—you are reaper born, my child.
His vision grew strange. He could see little round things floating in the air around him. The reapers moved as if in slow motion and the sound became muted. Lucien became hyperaware of his opponents, could hear their heartbeat, every breath they took, every miniscule movement on their faces and bodies.
Abdiel's brows twitched a little closer together and the light fuzz on his left arm lifted. Eriel took in a slow, deep breath, his wings tensing. They were going to come at him simultaneously.
Lucien moved, swiping up Natanael's discarded sword. He flowed like water, hacking away at both death angels, double swords singing in the air.
Eriel got half a wing hacked off, Abdiel received a gash from throat to gut. Lucien spun, ducked, kicked out, and flipped back.
Eriel flew over him, jabbing down with his sword. It sank into his right lung. He had a few minutes to live now...but he wasn't dead yet. Lucien drop-rolled onto his own back, scissored his legs up, trapping Erie's sword and with a hard twist of his body brought the reaper crashing down to the mat. Lucien didn't hesitate maneuvering his sword back against his forearm before pushing it deep into Eriel's chest.
Two down.
With the second sword, Lucien jabbed forward, almost impaling Abdiel's oncoming rush, but the blond reaper halted just in time. Barely.
Abdiel frowned, the first show of emotion on his face as he continued to hover over Lucien.
Lucien grinned until he heard a low growl echoing in the large training chamber.
Abdiel turned his head and flinched.
On Lucien's training mat there was nothing, but when he looked over to where Abdiel really hovered in the air, his blood froze in his veins.
Boy Rayne approached, naked body still dripping with water, advancing like a predator upon Abdiel.
His fangs were bared and his claws extended, every muscle tense for attack.
Lucien, as well as Abdiel, knew from the dilated pupils that Boy was going to attack.
Lucien ripped the holographic neuro-halo from his head and rushed toward Abdiel's mat.
Boy obviously thought Abdiel was trying to kill him for real.
"No. Stop. Boy."
Abdiel's black wings thundered louder as he began to rise higher, but Boy sprung into action. Abdiel was about ten feet off the training mat and he zipped up maybe four feet more before Boy leapt and wrapped himself around the surprised reaper.
He was like a wild animal. Fangs sank into the reaper's shoulder, claws ripped his back and shredded feathers. Abdiel let out a howl of pain and crossed his arm over his throat to keep Boy from ripping it out as well. Blood sprayed everywhere as they crashed down.
Lucien reached the edge of the mat just as Boy rolled away from the bleeding death angel, but he looked ready to attack again, crouched down on all fours, body tense. He continued to snarl viciously at Abdiel.
Lucien intervened, putting himself directly between Abdiel and Boy Rayne. He knelt by Abdiel and put pressure on the reaper's shoulder wound.
"Fuck, Luke," Abdiel panted, his face twisted in pain.
Lucien looked over his shoulder. Boy Rayne had quieted. He stared, pupils still dilated in wide lavender-colored irises, as blood dripped from his lips and chin.
*******
"It's not real," Lucien told him.
Boy Rayne switched his gaze briefly to the other reaper a few paces away before settling once more on the two men before him.
He'd been watching the battle from afar, his hearts nearly seizing in his chest. Three reapers fought against Lucien.
What had horrified Boy most was that the battle scene was quadrupled. It was confusing as well as terrifying.
Lucien had managed to disable two of the reapers, but not without getting seriously hurt himself. The last reaper left clearly had the advantage. Boy wanted to help the man he'd looked to as a potential master, so he'd attacked the black-winged reaper, hoping to even the battle once more.
Boy was familiar with unfair arena fights. He'd lost his last battle in such a fight. His master hadn't even waited for him to breathe his last and had his trainer toss him in the garbage bins behind the coliseum.
Instead of finishing the reaper off, Lucien had rushed to his aid.
"The fight wasn't real, Boy," Lucien was saying again. "It's a holographic projection."
Lucien stood carefully and lifted his right hand over his shoulder.
A clear ring flew into his grasp. Lucien placed it over his head and it disappeared. He lifted it off and it appeared in his hand again.
"It's a neuro-halo. It enhances the holo-training program. If Abdy were to holographically wound me, I'd feel the pain, but I wouldn't die."
Lucien offered the neuro-halo to Boy. "It's how we train to kill without actually killing each other."
Boy took a step back. Train to kill? As a battle pet, he was tossed into the arena and it was either kill or be killed, and it was for real. That was the extent of their training.
Lucien tossed the clear ring at him and Boy caught it. The warm ring vibrated in his hands.
Again, he looked at Lucien who was helping Abdiel up. He helped the reaper off to the side, talking in a low voice.
Boy slid the ring around his head and immediately found himself facing the other two reapers who'd been, until now, in the far corners of the vast room.
Boy stepped back when a sword materialized almost in front of his nose.
He was sure he'd seen Lucien disable the reapers, but there they stood, grinning at him.
Boy wrapped his fingers around the hilt of the sword and felt its slight weight.
The weapon felt good in his hand. The metal glinted in the light and it made Boy grin, feel powerful. He bared his fangs even more.
The death angels moved closer.
