"The...fuck?!" Cobra staggered to one side, unceremoniously shoved out of the way by Lucy who threw herself onto Vander, hugging the man and kissing both his cheeks and Cobra growled, prying Lucy off his stunned mate.
"Tink...we went over the whole "No Touchy the hot guy in black leather because he is an assholes mate and the asshole will get very angry" thing...I know we did so what the fuck is with you puting your lips on MY mate?!" Cobra demanded once Lucy was removed and he was planning how many different ways he could get her scent off Vanders person...and how much he would enjoy doing so…
"She went through a key trial...and saw things...one of them was Shadowquips being hunted down and murdered so the Church could use them as weapons." Kaleb said and Cobra blanched. A Church was hunting down Shadowquips?! He didn't even know there were any aside from Vander...that meant Vander was in danger...hell to the fuck no…
Lucy's eyes went wide and Vander frowned at his mate's instant panic "Kaleb...the hell…" Vander said grabbing Cobra and wrapping his arms around them man "Hey...babe...it's ok...I'm a mean little fucker and I don't think any Churchy thing would dare to touch me…I've done things in churches that would make the devil blush…"
"It was during the Holy Wars…" Kaleb stammered as Lucy swatted at him for revealing something about her key trial and Hestor rolled his eyes and leaned into Farrons arms shaking his head and chuckling as Vander tried to get Cobra to settle back down and Lucy half chased Kaleb in a circle ranting at him about privacy and some things weren't to be talked about and she could have explained it herself in HER way and it wouldn't have broken Cobra while Kaleb stammered out apologies.
They were fresh from the Baths, Lucy now cleaned up and in fresh clean clothes, on their way to get something to eat because she was ravenous. The group made their way inside to get the food Lucy wanted.
Family and friends were going to enjoy the 18 hour flight back to Bosco, there were plans. Lucy made her contract with Draco before they left Minstrel and sat and cried watching she and Kalebs boys race to the massive dragon and cuddle his snout, sobbing as the great creature nuzzled them and narrowed his eyes on Lucy and Cristoff.
"My Son, and my Keyholder, these hatchlings you claim as kin are now mine as well. Hasu needs training Lucy, he is a young Celestial Dragon Slayer, you need to help him find and contract his first key. Do not hesitate, train your son to become a great and powerful celestial mage and stop waiting because you think he's too young. Acnalogia will not care, he kills infants in their cribs." Draco said harshly.
His silver eyes shifted to Kaleb "You, Archangel, mate of my keyholder, brother to my Son and Kin of my mate, you and your brother, your auras as Archangels will dampen Acnalogias ability to sense these hatchlings, they need to stay NEAR, as in within the same city as you, with you daily to maintain the protection your magic automatically gives them. If one of you has to venture far, like Zen visits in Stella, then Kaleb is to stay close or vice versa, is that clear? PROTECT these children. The field created by Baristrasza worked well, and now? It is in the hands of you two Archangels. Kaleb can learn to produce similar fields, but until he does, , your presence matters." The dragon said firmly and Kaleb and Zen both nodded gravely, Kalebs eyes locked on his two sons.
Both were so young, so small, strong yes magically and physically, but Acnalogia was no small threat and he would do anything to protect his children, the need to was immense, he may not have genetically created Hasu and Raiu, but they were his sons now, and he would take no chances with his children and he knew Lucy shared that conviction.
"I will come to your home three times a week for training with your children Lucy, one of those days I want you both present so the four of you can learn to work together, Kaleb? Zen? As Archangel Mages, both of you can be summoned by Hasu, brought to him when he needs you, I want you both to learn how to sense that coming, sense when Hasu is in danger like spirits know when their key holder is, you will both be able to do that as his kin and Archangels." Draco said both men nodding again.
Kaleb smiled "He can...summon me? I...I love that." Kaleb admitted, stunned by all of the information Draco was imparting. The huge dragon eyed them a moment before returning his attention to the children, growling to them, nuzzling them a little more.
"Little ones, listen to your mother and father, stay near them, never wander, you are too precious, too loved, your parents are your greatest protection and soon, will be your greatest fighting partners as well, so be good. I shall see you all in White Sea in a week. Lucy, you may summon me any time, I am a large field ranged combat spirit using celestial body magic and the forces of stars and the moon in offensive applications only, I have no healing abilities but, I can gate Zen, Kaleb and my son Cristoff so if the need comes, I can summon them to your side and all three have healing abilities, Cristoffs of course being the most powerful, Zen and Kaleb still need to learn to use theirs." He narrowed his eyes on both men and both had the grace to look sheepish.
Kaleb had then moved to Lucy, pulling his crying wife into his arms as she nodded at the great dragon then both of them turned when Draco vanished to gather up their watery eyed but happy boys.
Aboard the ship, Lucy lay by the pool remembering all Draco had said, watching the boys play in the water with Kaleb and Bickslow.
She was smiling, enjoying watching her family at play when suddenly someone dropped onto her lounge chair by her legs and she was greeted by a smiling Lisanna.
"Hi Lisanna, enjoying the flight?" She asked, uncomfortable suddenly under the other woman's gaze even though Lisanna was smiling.
"Yes! This is beautiful, so was the hotel, and that house the Pradesh family owns, Arman said he owns it and another one in Minstrel in Vinicia he said. They're a really nice family, besides his looks I can see why you'd go for Kaleb, he's got a lot to offer." She said lightly, something in her tone though, in her expression, made Lucy bristle internally.
She'd never been able to put her finger on it, since she'd met Lisanna she'd been...put off by her. She was sugary sweet, but said...mean spirited things in that sweet voice with a smile. She knew she aggravated the hell out of Mira and Elfman even though they tried not to show it.
She'd not met her before Edolas had taken her, so maybe that changed her, but Lucy had just never...liked her. It wouldn't be such a big deal but Lisanna was really the ONLY person in Fairy Tail Lucy could never bring herself to like.
Natsu liked her plenty, they had been very close as children, and that was great, but Lucy just...didn't like her, couldn't and that bothered her.
"I really never thought about it, I love the family, Arman is wonderful, but I didn't care about what Kaleb had to offer...I just fell in love with him." She said, smiling slightly watching Kaleb heave Raiu out of the water, the little boy screeching with laughter as he flew up and splashed back down into the water.
"And the fact he was a wealthy wizard saint, Guildmaster of the guild you were joining and part of the Pradesh family never mattered at all….yeah right." Lisanna laughed and there was an unkind edge to it Lucy didn't miss, whether it was instinct or the magic she'd taken in from Kaleb she didn't care, she knew Lisanna was being nasty, but at the same time caught that she was trying to relate to Lucy, trying to find common ground. It was confusing.
"I came from a rich family Lisanna, I left that life willingly, had to fight to leave it in fact, those things don't matter to me. If Kaleb were no better off than Natsu or any normal person I wouldn't love him any less." She said.
"Natsu is very powerful, a very successful mage Lucy, hardly someone you'd compare with a homeless loser or some nobody, which I think is the point you were trying to make. It's easy to say too, look at your man, he's not bad to look at, a woman like me wouldn't even turn him away and I have really high standards! You…" She trailed off, eyes suddenly going blank and Lucy blinked, snapping her fingers in front of her.
"Li….Lisanna?!" She said tentatively.
Come join us in the pool Sunrise, leave the bitch where she is, she doesn't need to say more, I'll let her go once you're in here with me and the kids. Kalebs voice called and she looked to find him looking at her, he'd moved from the boys that were trying to team up and dunk their uncle Bickslow and was smiling at her, holding a hand out.
She smiled faintly, tossing off her wrap and running to jump into the pool, or more accurately, into Kalebs arms in the pool.
She kissed him and he growled into her rough kiss. "That wasn't nice." She said in a whisper.
"No...SHE is not nice, was acting like a bitch and I heard what she was thinking all too loudly, I felt you were uncomfortable, link remember? So I tuned in to see why and yeah...you and the boys, I don't want around her. She's...dark Lucy, her mind, the way she thinks...all dark and it's a choice, not some sort of trauma or bad thing that happened to her, she has chosen to be like she is...the worst sort of darkness there can be is the one you pull in and embrace willingly, she does that, thinks it makes her stronger..." Kaleb said also in a whisper.
He released her and Lisanna sat blinking and looking confused for a few moments, Lucy busied herself joining in the play with the boys but kept stealing peeks and saw Lisanna whip her head toward them all in the pool and glare at them.
Finally Cristoff strolled past her, on his way to Cana, Rowan and Cidalise bearing drinks and Lucy's eyes narrowed watching the way Lisanna openly leered at the Lunar Slayer, and then at Rowan when he stretched up to get a drink from the tray Cris carried.
"Hey! Pink Birdy brat, quit eye fucking my friend woman!" Cana called and Lucy had to turn away, directed her attention back to her boys and husband who winked at her knowingly while lifting Hasu up out of the water. She didn't need to worry about Cristoff, for one he was utterly loyal to his new girlfriend, Cidalise and him spending a lot of time together of late. Lucy wasn't exactly sure where the two were at the moment, but they were getting closer, bit by bit. for another...Cana would serve Lisanna her own vagina on a plate if she tried anything. Cana had embraced being Rowan's fiance, but Cristoff would always be dear to her, despite it all, despite not being his mate, having herself a wickedly clever handsome man that adored her was doing wonders for the woman. The drinks Cristoff carried weren't alcoholic, Cana had stopped drinking. Cristoff, being a brilliant healer, was helping her with her cravings and withdrawals, so was Rowan, masterfully helping her when Cris wasn't around...and...Cana wanted a baby.
"Rowan...he's the first man I've ever been with I could see as a father and Lu….he'll be a really amazing Daddy you know? That man...he's...he's too good for me." She'd said one evening at the house. At Lucy's look she'd rolled her eyes. "I know, he loves me, wouldn't want me any way but how I am, but...I know I've got a great thing, that the fates, Gods...whoever, gave me something great and I'm not going to fuck it up. I'm not drinking anymore, I'm going to work on my magic and...I want to have a baby...because...as scared as I am of that? Of being a mom? I know I have Rowan, and the family and no matter what...it will work out...Gods, Dad's gonna fucking flip when he meets him ya know? Wish he could have made it up here for your wedding Lu, he's just stuck finishing some shit." Cana had sighed.
Now the Encan at the table half watched Lisanna as slid her hands up Cristoffs thighs while he stood beside her chair,pressing a kiss right into his hip over the wolf tattoo there before accepting the tall glass of lemonade he'd brought her and giving Lisanna a wicked grin before she grabbed her tall Boscan and pulled him down into her chair with her. There was a predatory look in the woman's eyes...that had little to do with the ears and tail that she sported...no, no this was something entirely different for Lisanna.
Cristoff, being the calm natured person he was, just shifted his cheeky girlfriend on top of him and laid back in the lounge, sipping his own drink and letting them all do what they did while he soaked up the sun and enjoyed Cidalise lightly running a hand over his bare chest nails lightly scratching and it was almost as if she was lightly pawing at the skin to add to the riling that Cana was doing.
"I wasn't "eye fucking" him Cana, Gods he walked past me, not like you don't eye fuck everything with a dick that walks by yourself!" Lisanna snapped.
"Lisanna!" Mira gasped from across the way, where she was sitting chatting with Xally and Wendy.
"Oh butt out Mira!" Lisanna sighed.
"Well, yanno wha' they say?" Cidalise's lips curled up into a grin as she snuggled into the massive slayer, "monkey see, monkey do?"
Cana smiled at Cidas comment and glared at Lissana
Cristoff trailed his fingers down Cidas arm and growled, sending shivers through her and capturing her full attention with the distinctly sensual tone of the sound. She smiled at him.
"You know, a lot of women look at me Cana…" He said and Cana narrowed her eyes.
"And I hate every fucking one of them." She growled, wanting to protect the choice that the man had, even though she had lost her own and as Cristoff chuckled, Lisanna stood.
"Fuck you Cana! You know, I'm sick of you and your stupid drunk whore routine, just because you managed to fuck a good looking guy until you caught him doesn't make you special!" She yelled.
Cana's eyes flashed and then there was a low growl from the lazing woman in his lap and Cristoffs hands shot out just fast enough to catch the Encan as she bolted to her feet getting a firm grasp of one of her wrists and a hip and keeping her from flying at Lisanna, Rowan managing to do the same with Cana.
"Yeah? I think I'm about done with you milking the poor me, I got sucked into Edolas everyone should feel sorry for me and let me get away with being a nasty cunt who says mean shit with a smile to people! How long are you gonna keep tossing that bullshit around huh? Because it's been a while, one day Mira and Elfman are gonna wake up and smell all the manipulating you've been doing! Then what huh Lisanna? Think your sweet voice fake tears and fake smile will cover it all up? Whens the last time you pulled your fucking weight on a job huh? Solo missions? Yeah, everyone knew you never took em, you would only work if someone else went with you and did the work for you while you whined and whimpered the poor me I was in Edolas bullshit!" Cana snarled and Lisanna lunged, but she was slammed into, Cidalise like a shot, twisting and getting a foot so she could use Cris as leverage to get out of the hold, before Lisanna could even touch Cana, the Encan tumbling across the deck with the woman, light hair in one fist as she snarled and brought the take over mage's head up and then down, leaving people stunned at the brutality.
"Look ya dumb bitch," Cidalise hissed, pressing Lisanna's face down into the deck, lips near her ear, "mebbe ya don't git it? But lemme make it really, really fuckin' clear. Don't. Attack. M'. Friends."
Cristoff all but threw a cussing screaming Lisanna at Mira while he got an arm around Cida and lifted her off the ground, taking her furious kicking and cussing. He rumbled another low warning growl at her and she slowed her rage, Not taking her eyes off Lisanna until it was clear Mira had a good grip on her.
Then she turned in his arms, she'd ended up high in his grasp, his arms wrapped around the base of her ass and she looked down into his dark blue eyes and sighed.
Leaning down she slid her arms around his neck, nuzzling into him, burying her face in his black hair until she could kiss his neck.
"I'm no' sorry fer anythin' but kickin ya...tha' I'm sorry for…" She said softly to him and he hummed, sliding her down his body but not quite putting her feet on the deck yet, he held her face even with his and kissed her.
Rowan had a grip on Cana and drew her face around so he could get her eyes off Lissana for a moment.
"Cana...isn't she a friend? Or at least the sister of a friend? Look at Mira love." He whispered and she did, seeing Mira struggling with Lisanna and the look of frustration and pain on her face. Cana slumped a little.
"I'm sorry Mira is upset." She said sincerely…"Because her sister is a cunt." she added.
He pulled her in and hugged her and she softened completely in his arms, rewarded by him kissing her temple then her lips again before looking back toward the struggling take over mages.
Lisanna finally made the mistake of meeting Cristoffs gaze and Cida heard his whispered spell, smirking but hiding her smirk by turning her face into his chest as Lisanna crumpled and fell asleep in Miras hold.
"You shouldn't have baited her Cana...she...she misses Natsu and was upset he left Lucy a note and nothing for her….I...I am sorry she said what she did though…to you and to Cida and Lucy…" Mira sighed, picking up her sister and carrying her from the pool area toward the stairs.
"I'll make it up to Mira...but I won't apologize to Lisanna, that little bitch has been tormenting her siblings and milking her pity me bullshit for years now, she's a creepy mean spirited bitch and I'm through taking it and acting like it's ok….I have you now...White Sea...I won't let anyone walk over me anymore…not after all I've been through…" Cana said quietly and Rowan hugged her against him, kissing her again, whispering soft things in Boscan to her that turned the still edgy card mage into a purring touching kissing happy woman in his arms.
Lucy watched Cristoff lead Cida off and Kaleb pushed her ponytail over her right shoulder so he could press a kiss to her neck.
"They'll be fine, Cana is all about Rowan now, and Cris...he and Cida have something really unique and...his dragons been starting to stir around Cida.. Lisanna's about forgotten already." He said softly and she nodded, turning her attention back to her boys.
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Vander was sliding through shadows swiftly, Cobra he had left in their cabin picking apart what all they had found and trying to isolate a scent he was certain came from the damned cocktail box they had taken from the club with some of the components from the drug that had been used on Zen and the others.
Cobra was certain he'd caught whiff of it and Vander didn't doubt him, so he'd started an intense search of the area where Cobra had caught the scent steadily expanding outward trying to find a trace of something.
He was about to head to the next deck down in the ship when something in a cabin just below and to one side of Lucy and Kalebs caught his attention.
"Well hello there…" He whispered, shifting out of the shadows once he'd looked over the room to be sure there were no trap signatures or people. Vials, little ones, all empty, but they had contained something yellowish green. Were laid on a towel beside the sink in the bathroom. Not exactly sunscreen and lip balm a tourist would have.
He and Cobra had been trying to pinpoint the tail they KNEW was on Kaleb and Lucy since they had left Pelerno but had come up with nothing but dead ends. Cobra heard nothing, smelled little, and Vander, very frustrated, hadn't been able to dig anything up, it was very unlike him, he was the best fucking spy in Bosco. Maybe Presca would dispute that but nobody else would.
He should have found something by now. It pissed him off his initial sweeps of the house hadn't turned up those damn camera lacrima. They were really well made, and the illusion spells and magic dampening fields around them were fantastic, on par with the cameras, traps and tracers he himself could make with his shadows...he could admire the quality of the work, but it still pissed him right the hell off that whoever this was was getting the best of him.
Cobra liked seeing him so competitive, so he did have the perk of his determination turning his mate on, but he wanted whoever this was, wanted to outdo them, needed to, because they were fucking hunting his family.
Pocketing a couple vials he turned to start edging the room in shadow traps felt the needle pierce the skin of his side, he tried instantly to void hop, but his vision swam and something cold clamped around his neck and a woman dropped down from the ceiling, her illusion melting away to reveal what...before she became too blurry, looked to be a dark haired slender woman with blue eyes.
"Mmmm, bonus, oh Esther...he's fucking gorgeous...not on the save for the bosses menu either…" She said. Vander was rapidly losing his cognitive functions, felt the drug course through him, hitting him as if he'd drank down 2 dozen large bottles of scotch. His libido kicked into overdrive too and the woman before him seemed to melt away, blue eyes turning to the deepest indigo, dark brown hair subtly changing to rich maroon.
"Erik…" He breathed weakly, reaching toward his...mate?
"That's right babe, lay back for me...let me ride that sexy body…" Erik purred. The voice was...off but it was...him? He wasn't though….was he?
His head couldn't think, he could barely remember anything about what he'd been doing when suddenly Erik was there…
"Was...where am I?" He asked, feeling Erik hands tugging at his clothes.
"Our room...come on gorgeous, lose the clothes for me..." the Erik that didn't sound or feel...quite right...but….what was he doing? He tried, fought to think, to remember but his thoughts kept spiraling away as a firm hand slid between his legs, his mate...he wanted Erik…
"Erik…." He managed to rasp out.
"Loose the clothes babe." came the odd voice….his clothes...what was he supposed to be...Gods the hand was working him, lips were moving on his….Erik...he wanted...needed his mate…
"Erik…" He breathed.
"Yes...your clothes...take them off…" The voice demanded and he finally complied, Erik usually teased him, bit him, ran claws over him to get him to shed the leather but they'd been so busy...busy….doing what? There were several people in the room now, he could sense them, why weren't they alone? Were they at the guild? How had they gotten there? Where had he been? He couldn't remember, his mind and body were being consumed by need.
He groaned, throwing his head back as something warm and wet enveloped him.
"Gods….nnngh...its working….shit...hallucinogen...works…"
Someone was saying but he was lost in what Erik was doing to his body. "Erik.." He begged.
"Thinks you're the mate...this is perfect….he's mated to a slayer...this means the Lunar Slayer…"
Bits and pieces of words filtered to him, hands seemed like they were everywhere, but something was wrong, and he couldn't understand what, he loved Erik, adored him, loved being with him, day night, morning, any time, he always wanted him, wanted to touch him, feel him, be close, Eriks strength, the Dragon within him did something that kept the shades at bay...that was it, the shades, they weren't retreating like they usually did when he and Erik were together.
It felt good, but Erik always felt...amazing and this was just...ok. He was so vigorous, riding him hard, which wasn't uncommon, Erik had ridden him nearly as much as he'd ridden his dragon, but it just wasn't...the same. He withdrew, losing his excitement and heard cussing, that sounded Erik-like but still not right.
"He...shit...we're going to need to up the aphrodisiac...get some of that...let's get it into him and try it, shit I was getting close too, fuck he's nice…"
"We're a go then, we can't wait for you to cum so get the fuck off of him, he's the youngest brother, That's Vander and he was searching, it means they're on to something, we need to move forward with the plan."
"The main target is with the two small boys, was there a decision made on them?"
"No go for them, the Queen only wants the adults. I say we take Vander as a bonus collection, she'll reward the initiative and it gives us a test subject for the Alchemists to make adjustments on so the Dragon Slayer won't be damaged, removes the threat he poses too."
"The second target is in his suite, the celestial mage can take her team and move on him now."
"We have the Lightning slayer too, in his suite currently almost done exhausting himself...heh...he's fucking the beastmaster, I say we take both of those."
"If your team can manage them then do it, more large males harvested will make for good bargaining tools for our Queen."
"Then we're a full go, get the targets teleported, kill any resistance, cripple the ship and set off the disrupters to scatter the enemy magic. 10 minutes as of….NOW"
0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0
Kaleb was turning from the bathroom, about to cross the suite to the bedroom he shared with Lucy that was adjoining the boys room. He'd gotten them both into the tub to wash off the pool water and get ready for lunch now while they finished their bath he'd go see if Lucy was done with her shower...possibly interrupt it for a quick romp and she'd make sure the boys got dressed while he got himself showered and dressed.
He froze, staggering and almost going to his knees, hit with the mental desperation of Cobra "Kaleb! Vander, he was searching the ship...I can feel him...he's in trouble! I can't fucking FIND HIM!" Came the desperate call.
Hang on...Erik...easy...let me reach ou… He started to respond, pain actually lancing through him to the point he didn't hear the worried call of Hasu form the bathroom behind him.
"Daddy? Are you ok?" then a door slamming, he was so overwhelmed by Cobras outcry he didn't perceive the sudden appearance of 5 figures until they were on him and he couldn't get his defenses up because they were muddied by Cobras powerful anxiety. When the needles pierced both his arms and into his back though he felt something burn into his blood, felt the light flare but then sputter and suddenly become distant, his vision returned but it swam and he could hear his children yelling but they sounded far away.
Something was put over his head and something cold clamped onto his left wrist and he felt his magic dip harshly allowing the drugs to work and he went to his knees, arms grasping his and holding them.
He knew a drug when it filled him, Gods knew the Princess had pumped them into him when she used him, it was the only way she'd had to keep him going, he certainly never was happy to see her. It attacked his thoughts, his mind, but his magic wasn't so easily swayed and Kaleb was far from weak.
His children, his boys, he latched onto them, the sound of them, the fear in their voices, he could hear them thinking, afraid for him, they knew there were people in the room with him, people that smelled strange, they couldn't sense the people fully, couldn't see them, but they felt the magic and could smell them. Hasu was battering the door with his small fists, Raiu beside him doing the same, screaming for him and Kaleb struggled to keep himself clear, fought the strong hands, fought the chains that made his magic fade out of his reach.
"Fuck! Get another magic canceller on him!" Someone said and he felt it clamp down on his wrist, felt his magic take another sharp dip.
"Kaleb! Who the fuck are you! Get off him! Open gate of the Lion!" He heard Lucy, but couldn't feel her, couldn't tap his magic and hear her, the drugs were working better now with his magic so low and his head was swimming from the sudden huge drop of it when the second manacle had gone on.
Still he managed to thrust his fist out, caught someone who made a grunting sound and he heard a crash.
"Get the lacrima on him! They can finish subduing him in the throne room!" Someone screamed and he thrashed, finally freeing an arm but then something was clamped around his neck over the hood covering his head and he felt the whole world seem to shift, the sounds of Lucy fighting, of his children screaming were gone along with some of the people.
"Main target, Allicia!" Someone called and Kaleb threw the attackers holding him off, reaching up trying to rip the hood from his head.
"Shit! Get containment on him! Pure serum now! How much has he had?!" Someone shouted in Joyan.
"All we were given for him and the extra!"
"Shit! His resistance is stronger than we thought! Damn it! I TOLD them Wizard Saint meant more powerful magic…" Whoever it was said as he ran into some sort of barrier and was knocked back.
He reached for his magic, for Lucy, for his sons but found nothing, his magic was all but out of reach, he only caught random surface thoughts from 2….5...9 guards and several frantic….alchemists?
Then he caught the thoughts of one who wasn't frantic, one he'd heard before, strong, calm, unworried she was approaching him and he saw himself through her eyes.
In the opened robe and swim shorts, bright glowing silver manacles on his wrists and one around his neck holding a black hood over his head that his hands were clawing at unsuccessfully.
Her eyes moved over his chest, the cross tattoo over his heart, the bob tailed panthers and runes and magic symbols of his clan lineage, even the marks on his arm, Lucy's name, he was a goal, a tool to her and she was deeply pleased he was there, in her throne room...in the heart of Joya….
Alarm raced through him as her glance moved over Vander, already chained to a table, no wonder Cobra had gone into a panic….
To the other side he saw Cristoff, unconscious and bleeding, Cida also out cold being strapped to a wheeled table with a heavy collar around her neck, much like the one they'd found her wearing in Pergrande, while three big women were trying to heft Cristoffs substantial frame onto another one.
There was a powerful flare of magic, a roar and the gaze snapped to where containment fields were flaring so bright they couldn't be seen through for several moments then there was blood everywhere, long black wings arcing and Kaleb latched onto that idea, wings….he pushed for them and felt them, felt the marks across his back burn and suddenly High Warqueen Sydelle was jumping back as long white wings cut through containment barriers and sliced toward her.
All hell broke loose again, he could see through Sydelle Zen had killed his attackers, only pieces of them had come through with him when they had teleported him and he sported only one manacle, Kaleb smirked, one on a man who could still kill with 5 on.
Well, he wouldn't be outdone, he focused as well as he could,shaky, mind swirling, he was dizzy in the extreme but he used Sydelle's firm vision and anchored himself using her, directing his wings and winced when they left a shallow cut on his neck, but the hood came off, he almost regretted it, his eyes were hazed, it was like looking through a thick globe of water so he closed them and used Sydelle.
Zen was charging alchemists, but guards were pouring into the room, runes kept flaring up and darts were hitting his brother, embedding in his arms, back and legs and it was clear each one carried more of the drugs.
Kaleb tried to help him, staggering but his long white wings cut down three guards that were rushing his brother, blood splashing red over the white feathers.
"Zen!" He called to warn him of another and his brother's black wing slashed back and the guard went down but it was clear as Zen staggered several steps to one side he, like Kaleb, was feeling the effects badly of the drugs.
"No more! Get another dampener on him!" He heard Sorano, saw her dart in, felt that familiar push not to harm her, even in this, with both he and Zen fighting for their lives, for their family, knowing what was happening, neither one could muster the will to strike her as she rushed up and dove down beneath Zens wings to clamp a heavy manacle on one of his scared ankles, then the other.
That was it, just enough, Zen staggered again and fell over onto his side and Kaleb felt darts hitting him, felt more of the swirling hypnotic, reality altering drug pumping through him and his eyes lasted long enough to see Sydelle walking toward him, saw through her eyes his wings lower and hit the floor as if trying to stabilize him then he toppled, falling backwards, the hard floor almost a relief as he hit it.
"Get him on a table...I want him cleaned up immediately, well restrained, the other one too." Sydelle said nodding toward where Sorrano was on her knees beside Zen, stroking his hair from his face. Her soft expression hardened as her eyes snapped up to glare at Sydelle.
"I need him in the ceremony room where my sister is, not strapped to some table, I don't care about the blood, this has to be done immediately before his body and magic start to work around these drugs and bonds, once Yukino is mated to him and I bind him I can control him, and we need to try to bind Kaleb, you saw he couldn't strike at me, both of them couldn't because I'm carrying Yuki's magic and my own." She said.
Sydelle smiled at the foolish girl. "Yes, you are carrying all of that magic." The Warqueen knelt next to Sorrano and pinched her chin. "Yet you have no power. Such a naïve little girl you are."
The child's eyes went wide as the reality of all things settled into her obsessive small mind. Sydelle leaned forward, "you have served your purpose. As a reward I will only alter the deal and let you live for a while longer."
Sorrano didn't have a chance to move, a chance to take in her next breath before darts impaled her body. "Yuki…."
Sydelle lifted the necklace from her before letting her fall to the ground. She waved her hand to have the guards take the girl, somewhere. An honorless child, like Sorrano was no longer worth her time.
The Warqueen had her ambitions, plots, desires well above the baser needs of mortals. Yet, she had her own personal honor code, the thought of selling her own sibling's soul was abhorrent. Well if she had family, but no, life and Gods had been cruel that way to her.
As she held up the necklace to the light and watched the jewels sparkle it reminded her of the last day she was innocent. Broken glass and gleaming metal dancing in the light as living terror played out before her.
On the eve of her 8th year mercenaries came into their lands, led by a group of Pergrandians, her mother led the fighting against them but was injured and brought back to their camp, as the Battlemaids who had brought her hurried to fetch the healer her father knelt by her mother's side. Even to a young girl, her father looked strange as he all but glared at her mother.
As soon as the battlemaids left he punched Sydelle in the head, knocking her nearly unconscious and the girl lay on her side dazed. She watched as her father took the sword at her mother's side. "Nooo…" she whispered as the blade came down in an arc, killing her mother. Blood rose from her mouth, bubbling over as her body shook and her father laughed.
He laughed.
He praised the Gods above.
Praised Heaven for its strength.
Turning to look at her he sneered. "Filthy child, not fit for my grace or the grace of Heaven. I will send you to the same Hell as your mother." He lifted the sword, the lights glinting from it as the crystal beads in his hair shimmered. Sydelle's eyes went wide and before the blade could down on her, a man grabbed her father.
"We must go, now!"
"God is patient and I will finish this, daughter," he said spitting at the word daughter before turning to leave.
As Sydelle held her dead mother, she cursed the Gods. Their God. Their Heaven. Pergrand was a nation of monsters and if she was to be sired by one, then she will become the monster that devours a nation.
No, not a monster.
Let the men who praise a God meet the Goddess she will become. She will burn down their heaven and personally usher all of them to hell.
Contained, trapped and at her mercy were the two beings she needed for this. Tap into their power, use them in ways that Heaven had never intended for Archangels to be used. Break them down through death and terror, rip apart their hearts and bleed out their magic.
Through them she will have the power she needs to achieve everything that will put her soul back together. Everything that will fulfill the promises she made as a young girl. She will rule Joya and burn down all Pergrand. From its ashes she will ascend to Heaven and destroy the Gods for it was the Gods that made men like her father and he must pay as well.
Her gaze traced up and down the helpless Archangels. She understood that weak women such as the child would only see their physical beauty. Not the great Sydelle, no she saw the power skittering all over their skin. She saw her future in beautiful amethyst eyes. Oh, they had many uses and not just for her.
A metal tipped finger ran down the blonde's chest as she drew lazy circles. A chance to carry this one's child would grant her at least two lesser Warqueens under her thumb. The other one with darker hair, now he would do well to stand beside her. There was darkness under his skin, darkness she could control and unleash as she wished.
He had another use, she saw the ring, saw the band, knew the material and had heard of him being close to a Priestess of Heset...if she could get the woman on her side, the food, supposedly, made well enough to give sustenance to the gods. She had no clue what the little Chef was doing, short of staying in the same quarters as the Evening Star, but there was a good possibility there was a bond, which could be overruled easily.
Sydelle swiped her tipped finger and cut into Kaleb's skin. A drop of blood on her nail, she licked it. "Ah…" She shivered and looked up at heaven with a smile. His power danced down her throat and warmed her body. "So powerful. To think you will serve greatness and watch my ascension."
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A/N Another huge thank you to Nightmare Senshi. Help editing the chapter and updating the flow of things. You're the best.
DESNA