It had been almost a full moon cycle since Lucien had freaked out and forced them to leave mama Goose's home. Apparently, they
had been found and needed to flee.
Exactly
who
had found them was still a mystery to Alluna, but she did notice that Lucien stuck closely to Eriel's side and was constantly looking over his shoulder, shying away from reflective surfaces and dark shadows.
The second day into their Northbound journey, they stopped at a roadside tavern. Alluna was hungry and refused to eat one more roasted rodent.
Zakreel shifted to accompany her inside, leaving Lucien, Eriel and the caged vampire out in the shadows.
"How long do you plan on keeping that vampire under lock and key?"
Zakreel shook his head, giving her a sad look over his shoulder. "We can't set him loose. He's out of his mind. I've been feeding him from my dragon's blood, but he needs to go to his home planet to heal. Once there, it'll only be a matter of months."
As Alluna digested that bit of information, she followed him past the swinging doors to the tavern. The scent of stale alcohol, smoke, sweat, and cheap perfume filled her nostrils. There was also the aroma of food that made her hungry. The interior of the dilapidated building was made of grayed wood. Alluna felt her boots stick to the mucky floor. She cringed when she heard one of her heels accidentally squish a bug that had inadvertently scurried into her path.
The interior was dim, but she was aware of the interested stares of the patrons.
Alluna's eyes grew wide as she took in the array of ginormous, barbaric warriors watching her. She scooted closer to Zakreel, clutching his arm. He patted her hand reassuringly, but she wasn't convinced. Some of the men had arms as big as tree trunks and they all carried swords, axes, and pronged clubs.
Zakreel approached the rickety bar, nonplussed and ordered a tankard of ale for himself and a bowl of stew for Alluna.
A few long moments later, it seemed to Alluna, her food was placed before her along with Zakreel's ale.
"Eat quickly, lass," he murmured just before taking a deep slug of his ale.
She spooned the stew, which was surprisingly good, into her mouth. It was hot and smarted her tongue, but she sensed Zak's growing tension at the silence around them.
"Hey, you're a dragon shifter, ain't ya?" a deep gruff voice said behind them.
When Alluna looked up, Zakreel shook his head at her. "Finish up, lass."
She'd lost her appetite by now but obeyed the golden weredragon.
"My battle-dragon was slain this morning. I could use a new one... as well as a pretty piece of ass to warm me at night."
The other warriors snickered.
Alluna choked on the last spoonful of stew and stared in horror at Zakreel.
"Well, hell, Brock. If ya don't want the
female
then, the rest of us will be more than happy to share her."
The laughter turned raucous.
Zakreel clenched his fist on the counter as his arm drew around Alluna's waist. "I'm going to hold you close as I shift, lassie," he told her in a low voice. "Don't be afraid. I've done this before."
"There you are, you son-of-an-Orgward," someone shouted from the left.
Everyone turned to regard the newcomer. The tall man wore a hooded cape leaving only his face and hands bare.
He stabbed a finger in Zakreel's direction. "I'm going to kill you. You've ruined me. Five thousand credits for a quick fuck and you left me and my crew crawling with Space Liechies. Look..." He opened his cape a bit and a long bloodied appendage fell to the floor. Little bugs crawled away from the rotted meat, and a few flew away. "Oh, my dick. It's finally fallen off," the male wailed.
Chairs and tables were overturned as the barbarians in the tavern stampeded out. Even the barmaids and owner scrambled away screeching in terror.
Alluna felt sick and buried her face against Zakreel's back, but he suddenly moved.
"Remuel, ya bastard. Where have ya been?" Zakreel exclaimed joyfully.
To Alluna's surprise, they hugged, laughing loudly. The other male's hood fell back, revealing a head of glossy blood-red hair. "I've been stuck in Dragotulia."
Zakreel's eyes widened. "What?"
The red-haired male nodded, eyes wide. "It really exists. The queen of the vampires has the key to the portal. But that doesn't matter, Zak. I need to find one of my sons. There's this prophecy, two royal princes, twins, are going to be involved in saving our universe from destruction. They come from my bloodline."
Alluna stepped out from behind Zak to study the man closer. He stopped talking to stare at her.
She swallowed convulsively. He seemed familiar.
"Ah, Rem. This is Alluna. I think one of my randy boys bedded her. She smells like kin."
Remuel extended his hand to her, eyes wide, drinking her in.
Alluna placed her hand in his and then gasped when he bent and licked her knuckles. "Alluna. Enchanted to meet you, my dear."
She drew her hand back and tucked it behind her hip to wipe the wetness from it on her dress. "Hello," she whispered shyly.
"We're taking her to Lumar."
"What for?" the weredragon asked keeping his green-gold eyes on her.
"She's the princess."
Now Remuel looked at Zakreel. "A human princess. Do you not think the old king will be a bit miffed at his young princess being returned heavy with child?"
Zakreel puffed his chest out, clearly affronted. "She's pregnant with Golds. That's a high honor."
Remuel grinned. "After all the whoring I've seen you do, I think not, Zakreel."
The golden weredragon snorted.
"Remuel?"
Alluna turned to see Eriel poking his head through the swinging doors of the tavern.
"I don't believe it. If it isn't the randiest reaper ever created. Eriel, how the hell have ya been?"
Eriel darted inside to kiss and hug the red weredragon.
Lucien, who had followed him in, snorted in disgust and stalked a few feet away.
Remuel caught sight of him and began to growl, fire appearing on his skin.
"Rem, it's okay," Zakreel said gripping his arm. "It's little Luke."
The red weredragon's mouth fell open. "What?"
He took a step toward Lucien, but stopped abruptly when Lucien opened his wings and hissed at the red-haired weredragon.
Alluna took a step back as well.
Zakreel stepped up beside Remuel. "He's been enslaved by the demons."
"How the fuck?" Remuel gasped.
Zakreel opened his mouth, but Lucien interrupted him. "After I was abandoned on Earth, A sadistic, devil-worshiping bastard stole me away." His face twisted with hatred. "I knew nothing but abuse and torture until my eighteenth birthday. I was approached by a Dominatio and a devil. One offered me a divine sword and asked me to find it in my heart to forgive everything that was done to me." Lucien snorted in derision. "The other offered me Lucifer's sword and a chance at taking revenge on the man that raped me for years. Guess what I fucking opted for, asshole."
Remuel shook his head and turned to Zakreel. "No. Please tell me this is a lie, Zakreel. Little Luke is a demon? I held his squirming, bloody little body when he was born." The red weredragon looked at his palms as though remembering it all.
Alluna bit her lip, feeling pity well up inside her at the thought of Lucien as a sweet innocent newborn.
Zakreel put his hand on Remuel's shoulder. "He's bitter and has plenty of reason to be filled with hatred, but the demons abused him as well. He isn't evil, brother. There's hope for him yet."
Lucien laughed bitterly. "Hope? Hope for me? Let me tell you something, fuckers. Just because I want to screw the demons over by not letting them free Lucifer doesn't mean I still don't want to kill Devon."
"Blasphemy," Remuel sputtered. "Why the devil would you kill your twin?"
Lucien sneered, one tear rolling down his cheek. "Because we're cursed. Our father was cursed, and we don't belong here. I know that the angel that frees Lucifer will come from Davariel's bloodline. If we die, then the prophecy will be broken." He wiped the tear from his face in anger. "Now let's get moving. I want the girl back with her father before the demons find us again."
They traveled north during the cover of night and took refuge in caves during the day, because Lucien refused to close his eyes in the dark and the vampire, Drakken couldn't be transported in sunlight. The weredragons shifted into their beastly forms, the gold always carrying the cage with the vampire. Remuel had taken to carrying Alluna in his claws, pressed close to his chest to keep her warm. Eriel and Lucien flew side by side between the two dragons.
On the fourth day, the sun was just beginning to dip below the horizon when Alluna rose from her sleeping palate. She tiptoed to a hot water spring that bubbled up at the back of the cave they slept in to bathe before the others awakened.
Quickly divesting herself of her clothing, she stepped into the steaming water. It reached her waist so she sat on a boulder toward the middle of the pool. Her hands smoothed over her rounded belly. Milk dripped from her breasts and she proceeded to caress and squeeze them. It relieved the pressure and swelling. Again, she remembered lips suckling her... remembered kneeling to take him in her mouth and suck as well, her mouth filling with hot milky sweetness...
A soft sound had her turning in fright. Lucien stood behind her. She jumped to her feet to face him. His eyes swept down her body.
"You still love him, don't you?"
She backed away a step, glaring at him as the familiar ache twisted her insides. "I don't know who you're talking about."
Lucien gripped her wrist and proceeded to sit on the boulder she'd just vacated. "I've had many lovers in the past... women who I used and who used me. No one ever loved me." His hand palmed her belly and she jerked back, but he held her wrist firmly. His ice-blue eyes rose to hers. "Sometimes I wonder what it would feel like."
Alluna stared at him. "Feel like? What are you talking about?"
Lucien's eyes lowered to her belly and continued to caress it. "Devon remembered what it was like for us—with Luciel and Davariel. But, it's like living someone else's dreams. I don't remember a thing. I don't know what it's like. They said they loved me, but... I've never been someone's special someone. I've always wondered what it would feel like," he mused in a small voice as if he were merely talking to himself.
