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CHAPTER 7
When Gabriel and Hunter left the man, chained spread on the bed again, the man was hurting so badly. Gabriel had been right; he now understood what a monster really was. And it wasn't either of the, vampire's, who had gone out of their way to punish him for what he had done. It was him, he had done the crime, hurt the boy. The creature's, who were now his owners, and masters, only, strived to make him see that. "Please," his voice cracked as he sobbed at the closing of the door. "Master, please, forgive me."
The door stopped, as Gabriel heard the plea. "What about it, Hunter, he isn't playing mind games with us, he is really, very, sorry."
"Well, yeah, after what we just did to him, I bet he is." Hunter was not going to feel sorry for the mortal.
"We could make him want us now. I personally think, for him, that would be much worse a fate than just killing him."
Hunter shrugged. "It's your call, you know I will back anything you decide, but Father, don't ask me to touch him unless you want him to be hurt. It's going to take more than just a change or heart for me to forgive him."
Gabriel smiled, reaching to stroke Hunter's cheek. "I know that. You wouldn't be you if all it took were a heartfelt apology, for you to forgive him his sins. But, beloved, if Azrael's little pet, the one that he hurt, if he forgives him, you think you then could?"
Hunter only smiled, "'beloved', you sound like Azrael when he talks to Loki."
Gabriel pulled him close. "Loki is Azrael's lifemate, you are mine. Azrael also happens to be my Grand-Sire. Is it any wonder that I sound a bit like him? Thorne was his Childe, and I, was, Thorne's First-Born."
"Gods, do you mean I am going to end up sounding like him?" He snickered, rolling his eyes. "The man can't even use conjunction's. Words like won't, can't, don't, and so on, are forever beyond him."
Gabriel just laughed at him. "He's almost four thousand years old, baby. If I were, that, old, I'd talk funny too. Now, you haven't answered my question. If Justin forgives him, will you?"
Hunter sighed. "Yeah, if the kid can forgive him, what he did to him, I guess I can too."
The man didn't try to struggle as Gabriel released him again. "Please, Master. Don't hurt me again, I'm sorry, I swear it, I'm sorry." He flinched as Gabriel lay a hand on his leg. "I swear it, I'm sorry." He was ashamed at himself as he began to cry as he felt a hand on his penis again. "Please, oh God please."
"What is your name?" The guilt that the man now felt over his actions was strong.
The man licked his lips. "I don't have one, he" he pointed at Hunter. "He took it away from me."
*It's Sam. * Hunter's thoughts were soft. *And until he can ask Justin for forgiveness, he can have it. But only until Justin says no. *
Gabriel nodded, smiling at the man as he continued to caress him. "I will make a deal with you, Sam. If you can get that pet of my Grand-Sire's to forgive you, then both Hunter and I will forgive you too. Convince that boy you hurt so badly last night of your sincerity, and the pain is over. But if you fail, then back to the hell you are living now, you will go." He lowered his mouth. Fangs sinking into the man's throat again as he fed, listening to Sam's moans.
'Sam' , the vampire had given him his name back. He shuddered as he felt the creature that held him, pull him up, against his chest, mouth welcoming the kiss that Gabriel granted him. "You have a choice, Sam." Gabriel, brushed his lips over the man's again. "You can come now, and hope that Justin forgives you, or you can wait until tomorrow night, and I will see to you tonight. I promise, if you wait, I won't hurt you. But if you go, and he won't forgive you, then I won't either, and I'll bring you back here and see to continuing your punishment." His hand tightened on Sam's erection, not hurting, but, not, as light as it had been. "No, it won't be making love, but, as I'm sure you know, a simple 'fuck' can still feel good."
Sam closed his eyes, defeated. He knew that the boy would never forgive him. Why should he, he now belonged to one of these creatures? If he hadn't raped him last night, the boy wouldn't be here. He would still be tortured. But his master, he had offered to give him, one time, and only, one time, when it wasn't going to be agony. "I, I'll wait."
Gabriel looked up at Hunter. "Will you share this with me?"
Hunter looked from him to the rapist. "I already told you, I'll back anything you decide to do, but unless Justin forgives him, I won't touch him unless I mean to hurt him." He had a small smile on his lips. "Sorry, Gabriel, beloved, but I just can't."
Gabriel looked down at Sam. "Come on, slave. You have an apology to make." He would see how willing this man was to obey.
Sam looked at his, fear returning to his face. "I don' understand. You said I had a choice."
Gabriel nodded to him. "Yes, but I can't give you what you are asking, if Hunter isn't comfortable with it. You probably won't understand this, but he is my whole world."
"Please, I don't care anymore, He won't forgive me, I know it. Why should he? I raped him; he's here because I took what I had no right to. But please, just once. I want to know, just once, what it feels like when it, don't, hurt."
Hunter lay a hand on Gabriel's shoulder. "Honey, if Justin isn't ready to forgive him, fine, I'll just go take Jewel and curl up somewhere. I know you aren't as vicious as I am. If you're willing to ease up on him for a night, I can live with that. I'll even give the kid a chance to get past what happened to him, and maybe forgive him. I won't ask to kill him for a while." Hunter couldn't do anymore for Gabriel, and Gabriel knew it. As it was, he was showing remarkable charity.
* * *
"But, pretty girl," Zephyr was confused, and frightened, by Topaz's insistence that she suffer the mark. "I can't do that to you. First, I can't hurt you, and second, which as far as he is concerned should be my first reason, your Sire will chew me up and spit me out, and then mine will put me back together long enough to do the same."
Topaz turned, looking pleadingly at Azrael. "Please; Az, Father, you wouldn't let me suffer with my mark, like you did. Please, just this once."
"What makes you think, if I did not let the brand hurt you the first time, when it was my mark, that I would allow it now?" Azrael fussed at her.
"Because, no matter what, you will always be my Sire, I will always be your Childe. But Zeph, he is with me forever. After my time with you, I will have to leave you. But I will never leave him. I have the bond with him, let me pay for it. Please, Father." Even, softer, "please, Daddy."
Azrael sighed. "Okay, you are right. I will suffer with you." He looked up at Loki and Crystal. "I am sorry, but I find myself quite unable to refuse my Childe her wish. Forgive me." Then he locked gazes with some of the most beautiful gray eyes, not black, but so dark a gray that it was a very close thing. *Block the pain, if you can beloved. I am unable to dominate her anymore, but you; you can block the pain. I willingly suffer with my Childe, but I will not ask either you or my soulbonded to suffer with me. *
*I will block her, but Topaz is your Childe, our Childe. I was unable to help you when she needed you so much in the beginning, but I will share this with you. * Loki reached for Crystal, wrapping her in his arms, and in his power. She would not, suffer, no matter how great the pain was, she would not suffer.
Zephyr held the knife in his hand, looking down at the only woman he had ever truly loved. "Please, baby, don't ask me to do this. Me, I can deal with pain, but I don't know if I can, knowing it's your pain."
Topaz touched the brand on Zephyr's chest. "Why did you refuse a pain block when you got your mark?"
He smiled at her. "Because I believed what I was getting was worth any amount of pain."
"And you would take that away from me?"
Zephyr shook his head, "No, baby girl, I won't do that to you." He bit his lip as he made the first cut. Biting back a moan as Topaz cried out softly in pain.
Azrael held Topaz, sharing the agony with her, and through him, Loki as well. "Cry out, precious, cry out. Your love cannot, so cry out for both of you."
Topaz moaned, softly, trying her best to control what she was feeling. It didn't matter what her Sire advised, she knew if she made the noise he advised her to make, then Zephyr would never be able to finish her mark without a pain block.
The cold of the Dark Paths filled the room, even as Zephyr finished the mark. "What the hell is going on?" Cerberus stood there, Eris at his side. "You didn't make that little girl suffer, did you Zeph?"
Zephyr held her, waiting for the brand to heal. So that he could put his mark, power, on it, forever bonding her to him. "I didn't want to, Father, but she wouldn't carry it unless I let her." He lifted his face, to look at his master and Sire. Bloody tears flowed from both eyes. "I hurt her. I swore I'd never hurt her, and I did."
"Don't feel too upset with your boy, nephew." Azrael leaned back against Loki. "I could not block all the pain, but I didn't let her suffer the full agony that the branding can bring."
Cerberus looked at Azrael with horror. "You let him do this to her?"
"What could I do? If I refused her, her wish, then I would be saying that I do not support her life choice. She will leave me one day, but never her love. That is why they wanted the mark to begin with, to make a statement that they were committed for life, I could not deny them that."
"So, I am to suffer with him? I wish like hell, someone would warn me of these little developments. It's distracting as hell when I am hit with a unexpected burning in my chest."
"No, Father, I will take the block. I won't do that to her again. If what Azrael says is true, and he blocked some of her pain, then it must have hurt as much as it did when you gave me your brand. And now, she is going to have to rely on her Sire to help her mark me, he's a Mage, it's going to hurt more. Me, I'm not afraid of the pain, I'd suffer anything for her, but I won't let her. Not with the kind of pain she will feel. I won't ever let her hurt like that."
Cerberus reached out and touched his Childe's hair. "Well seeing as we are here. I can block the pain. And you don't have to worry about your little girl there."
But Topaz only pushed the knife away. "What is wrong?"
"Nothing, Sugar, just making sure that you never have to feel that kind of pain again." Zephyr nipped at her nose. "Now, pretty face, return the favor."
"But if you know what this means what it means to me, how can you hide the pain?"
"Because, baby girl, he knows exactly what it means to you. So he gave in when you wanted to pay the price, but even though he is older, and stronger than you are. Azrael, who is going to help you, is a Mage, and Mages tend to be a lot more painful, when they go to brand either a Childe, slave or pet, or in your case, a lifemate mark. Blame me blame your Sire. He blocked the pain for me when I marked Eris and I the same for Loki. And with role models like us, my boy is bound to be over protective of you."
Topaz smiled. "Okay, I give, it really isn't going to be as bad as he is worried about, but I won't fuss." She took the knife from Azrael. "You're going to help me, right, Daddy?"
Azrael just chuckled. "Of course, I will. I promised you, did I not?" He took her hand into his. Kissing it before pressing it against Zephyr's left breast, just below the mark of his Line. His power flowing from him into her, and through her, empowering her blood, making it powerful enough to negate the fact that she was, twenty years, younger than her lover was.
Cerberus held Zephyr as Azrael helped Topaz to make her mark on him. "You listen to me baby." He pressed his lips against the younger man's brow. "You take care of that little girl. And if you can't, just remember where you live, and don't hesitate to call for help." He smiled at Zephyr, love in his eyes. "Topaz might be your lifemate, but she is also my little cousin. I won't tolerate anyone threatening her, any more than her parent's or you will."
Zephyr just nodded, reaching up to kiss his Sire. "I know that, Father. Azrael has already reminded me of how much she means to him and Loki. Let's face it, Father, she is going to be the most protected Childe, since the first newly made of the Vampyr."
Azrael took the knife from Topaz as she bent down and kissed her mark, surrendering to the force that Zephyr had called into play. Letting him take her completely. He was now hers as much as she was his.
Cerberus just chuckled. "Go on boy, you may now kiss the bride."
Zephyr's fingers tangled in Topaz's hair as he brought her head down to meet his. "Kiss the bride," he placed kisses all over her face. "One time, ten times, a hundred, a thousand, a million, I don't care."
"So, they talked you into letting them mark each other." Megel's amused voice from the door. "Congratulations, little, sister. Mated couples seem to be taking over this house. First Azrael and Loki, then you and Zeph, and I am sure, knowing, Gabriel, he won't be satisfied until Hunter shares his with him." He pulled Topaz up, kissing her. "I am so happy for you, baby sister. That boy of yours is going to take as good care of you, as both his Sire and yours take care of their lifemate's."
"I am more worried about me taking care of him." She giggled as Megel tickled her. "Stop that, Megel, it tickles."
Megel just laughed, evilly. "I know that, why do you think I'm tickling you?" He just continued to laugh as she tried to get away.
"So, Megel, how was that boy you brought home last night?" Azrael just smiled tolerantly as His First-Born teased his little sister.
"Why don't you ask him, Master." Megel held out a hand to the man who stood there with Shadow and Julian. "Come on, pet, Azrael want's to check up on you. Don't be afraid of him, you know, I won't let anyone hurt you." Then back to Azrael. "His name is Austin. He knew, thanks to Crystal's books, who and what I was. He is the one that I mentioned last night. He asked to join me." He gathered his youngest sibling to him.
"So, pet, is what my boy say true? Did my Childe's books lead you to bind yourself to Megel?"
Austin dropped to his knee infront of Azrael. "Yes, Master, I fell in love with you all, back before I knew you were real. So when I saw," he looked up at Megel, as soft smile on his face. "When I say my master, and realized that it was all true, I had to come. And now, I am going to go, out of my way, to convince him that I know what I am talking about when I tell him, I want this. I know what I am asking for. And I am asking for him to make me his."
Azrael smiled. "And just how old are you, child?"
"Almost twenty-nine, Master."
Azrael looked to Megel. "What say you, Megel? He is not as young as most of the pets I bring into my domain."
"You know how I feel, Father. He's now my Chosen. I'd make him my Childe, now, if I wasn't still waiting for his soul to be mine."
"Love, if you are waiting for the boy to give you his soul, for you to make him your Childe, then he will never be yours. He is very much like you in that. He will not, give, you, that part of, himself, never until you make him your Childe. He cannot, he is a Mage. Yes, another Mage, they really are coming out of the woodwork it would seem. You have just been incredibly spoiled by your boy there." He gestured to Shadow, before looked back at Austin. "Come here, pet."
Austin trembled, as he let Azrael pull him up into his arms. He kept telling himself that he wasn't in any danger. So far, every thing that he had read, and believed, to, be true about them, was. He knew Azrael, knew he was safe. And as his mouth opened to Azrael's kiss, he couldn't stop the low moan he made. Pressing against him, as he felt Azrael's hands moving under his shirt, to stroke his chest.
Crystal leaned against Megel as she watched Azrael cuddle Austin in his arms. "You better go on and make him your Childe, Megel. If you don't, someone is going to try to snatch him from you. It isn't often that a mortal not only knows what we are, but is a Mage and is willing to go into bondage with his eyes open, and totally aware of what is going on." She advised him. "Torin doesn't count, he knew he was a Mage, and that is why he was able to detect Azrael to begin with. Austin only knows what he read in my books."
"I will, Hon, I will. Just as soon as I get a few more for Shadow and me, I will, I promise. But he deserves a little time to be my Chosen."
"Megel, he has been your Chosen in his heart, since he read my first book. Go out and get another pet or two. I know how much you miss Cain. It's almost physically painful."
He just kissed her. He knew he couldn't argue with her. He did miss Cain, so very much. "I will, baby. I'm taking Shadow out tonight, and if we are lucky, I will be able to take him, tonight when I get back. If not, maybe tomorrow night."
"Did you hear your Master pet? Soon enough, you will be my Grand-Childe." Azrael gently went to undress him. "You will be not only just a Childe of his, but his apprentice as well. Though your Mage abilities sing softly in you, you do have them." He chuckled as Austin moaned, hips rising to encourage his hand. "I take it that you are not shy."
"Please, Master," he cried out as he felt Azrael pull him closer still.
"Megel," Azrael held Austin to him, and the mortal began to openly respond to his loving nature. "Go, fetch, how ever many you feel you and Shadow are going to need. I will see to your Chosen while you are gone. You need to take your little sister and your hearts brother with you."
Megel just shook his head, laughing. "Yes, Father, I am going to go as soon as I can pull Shadow away from Jules. Just try not to wear my Chosen, and slave out. He is probably going to get as much time, if not less, as my Chosen as Crystal did for you."
Azrael only laughed as Austin began to work his way down his body. "Me, wear this one out. Pray notice who is attacking whom, Megel. I am in more danger of him wearing me out than he is from me. Now take your boy and your sibling and go hunting." He stroked Austin's hair as the mortal worked at the fastenings of his slacks. "And hurry back, Megel, or I might just forget myself and take him as mine."
"He is my Chosen, Father, please, remember that." Megel reached and pulled Shadow away from Julian. "Come on, Childe. I have to see to it that when I make him mine, I won't have to worry about having enough to see to him and you." He looked up to where Topaz and Zephyr were pulling themselves up, getting ready to follow him. "Come on little sister, time to go and see if we can find a few more." And they faded from the room.
Crystal curled up against Loki and Selene, watching Azrael with Austin. "You do know, once he's Kin, his abilities are going to take off at a real scary pace, don't you, Master? Believe it or not, but he'll be better than Tori ever could have been."
Azrael looked up from where he had been lost in contemplation. "Are you sure of this, love?"
She just laughed. "Me, am, I sure? Oh, yeah, dead on. He'll rise, and he'll rise whole and strong. And then it will be Megel's turn to deal with a Healing Mage. Not too shabby for a first time getting a Mage as a Childe, don't you think?"
"No, Childe, it is not shabby at all."
Cerberus pulled close to Azrael. "So, Megel nabbed him a Mage, hu?" He stroked Austin's hair, as he used his mouth on Azrael. "He's as bad as that little boy of Zephyr's."
"I will have you know," Azrael sighed, closing his eyes, hips rising at the warm mouth. "There is nothing wrong with Darion. The child is just overly, loving, and if this one is as loving, then I consider Megel very fortunate."
Cerberus pulled Eris close. "Do you think Megel will be ill with me if Eris and I go to share him with you and Loki?"
Austin looked up, real fear, in his eyes for the first time since coming here. "Master?" he looked at Azrael.
"It's okay, Austin." Crystal knew what the cause of his fear was. "You just read the first book, right? Well I know both Cerberus and Eris, they played a large role in not only my second book, but my third as well. They won't hurt you. Megel meant what he said, he won't let anyone hurt you." She looked up at Azrael. "I hate to spoil a perfectly good orgy. But believe it or not, I'm hungry again."
"Let your Father be honey." Loki stroked her hair. "I fed from Casey already once today. And we have plenty of feeders if I need more." He pulled her head to his throat. Eyes closing as she went to cool her hunger with his blood.
*Thank you, beloved, I keep forgetting that you can bear up under her needs as well as I can. * Azrael felt just a bit of guilt at how relieved he felt that he was not the only one that could care for her. He opened his eyes to meet the black brown ones of Austin's, as he looked up at him. Part in fear, part in confusion. "It is all right, pet, I was only jesting with your master when I threatened to take you for my own. You are my First-Born's, Chosen. I will never let any harm you. Cerberus is my nephew. And Eris is very much like Hunter, and Doc, his husband and Childe." He kissed him softly. "Has your master seen to your needs tonight? You, who will be my Grand-Childe soon, if you need a tie with me to help get you past this, I offer it." He held Austin close as he reached for the knife in his boot.
"Yes, Master. Megel made sure I was taken care of when he unchained me when he first got up." But, he didn't refuse the blood as Azrael opened a liquid line on his chest.
* * *
Megel pulled Shadow close as the appeared on a filthy street. "Zeph, Hon, watch out for your, lady there. This isn't the best place in the world, not even for us."
"I know Megel, Cerberus is known for getting most of our feeders from places like this. We run a Rogue Covenstead, so we tend to be very used to saving Rogue children as well as Rogue Kin." But even though he spoke as if he knew what he was talking about, he still pulled Topaz close.
"So, might I make a suggestion, Megel?" Shadow patted his arm. "With as gay as both Julian and Austin are, we should probably get at least one more man. Maybe this time, he won't be quite as gender biased as they are. I know how Azrael and you deal with heterosexual men. You both used to be. I don't think I count. I was gay, and just didn't want to own up to it. It took me forever to willingly come out of the closet to anything other than Vampire's. I don't think I ever fully came out until I got Julian. The time or two with Mark and Will, they didn't count."
"Male or female, I don't care. As long as they are easy to bend to my will, it could be a either." Zephyr hugged Topaz. "But we need at the very least three. That way I can keep two at my Father's and two at Azrael's."
"Well, lucky you both are, I chose this place, it is very similar to where I got Shadow. There is an over abundance of prostitutes here. Shall we see if we can save a few of them?" Megel looked around, trying to pick up any sounds that would give them an opening.
* * *
Austin was half mad with what he was feeling as Loki made love to him, Azrael moving to put his lover and beloved husband between he and Austin, even as Cerberus went to make love to Azrael. But the feeling of a cool, tight mouth on him, took what was left of his control from him.
It wasn't until he leaned forward to return the pleasure he was feeling that he realized that it was Crystal that was blowing him, and not Eris. "Oh, shit." He tried to pull away from the incredibly tight mouth. "Please, I, I don't think I can."
Eris pulled away from where he had been curled up with Justin and Brandy. "Austin." His voice was gentle. "Look up at me." His light blue eyes met Austin's black, brown ones. "You have to get past this, Hon, What if your Master brings home a woman? Are you going to be cold to her? Here, now, like this, gender doesn't matter. Only the willingness to share your love." Eris didn't make it a habit of dominating any but his two Fledglings, and then only their first night with him. Hades, his First-Born, had been so heterosexual back when he first took him, that he was damn right homophobic. It had taken him many hours to get him past his fears. But now, he was one of the most loving in the house. "Let Crystal turn around, let her make love to you." His voice was so soft, hypnotic even.
"No, baby," Cerberus gritted his teeth, trying to control himself. "Didn't you hear Azrael? The boy is a Mage, he has to go into everything, fully aware."
"Let my Childe, curl up with you, Eris. Soon enough, Megel will come home. Until then, upsetting the boy is unfair." Azrael held back, fangs just a breath from Loki's throat. He wanted, so badly, to share a bond of blood and love with his beloved, the Keeper of His Heart. But he would wait until every thing was calm before losing himself in it.
* * *
Justin cried out in fear as he saw the man, the one that had raped him, standing in the door, Gabriel and Hunter with him. The moment of peace and pleasure leaving him, as he looked at the thing that had haunted his nightmare the night before.
*There is no reason for you to feel fear, pet. * Azrael pulled away from where he was at the first sounds of his pets protesting cry.
*I'm sorry for scaring him Grand-Sire. * Gabriel's thoughts touched Azrael . *He only wanted to come and beg the boy's forgiveness. He's totally beaten down. He begged me to stop hurting him. Right now, if I do this right, and can talk Justin into forgiving him, I can make him want Hunter and I. And I really think that is a much worse punishment, for him, than letting Hunter kill him. *
Azrael looked the mortal up and down. *I can see to it that my pet forgive him, but are you sure that you want to take on this beast? I took Mark as my pet, but unlike that thing, Mark had only killed, he had never raped any of his victims. *
*I told him that if Justin forgave him, so would I, but I also told him that I wouldn't make love to him, but I wouldn't hurt him either. I think I offered him a simple 'fuck'. *
*Very well, have him grovel at my pet's feet and beg his pardon. I will see he gets it. But only if he is willing to prove his regret to us all. I will not allow him to touch, Justin, but there are many others in the room that are not my precious one. *
Gabriel looked at Sam. "Go on, you have to convince my Grand-Sire's pet of your regret. Remember, all that live in this house are either your master's or your mistresses. Best hope that you beg him right, I'd just as soon not have to hurt you anymore, tonight. But if he won't forgive you, I will."
Sam's knees slammed into the floor as he dropped infront of Justin. "Please, Master." Sam was crying, ashamed of how weak he felt, but unable to stop the tears. "I'm begging you. I'm sorry, so sorry. Please, either forgive, me, or please, let me die. I, I can't do this anymore. Please, Master." He choked on his sobs. "Please, I'm sorry."
Justin just looked at him in shock. "You, you raped me, and now you want me to forgive you?" He snarled at Sam. "You have got to be fucking kidding me. If I forgive you, then I have to be willing to let you touch me. And my 'Master' ," he spat the word at the groveling man before him. "My Master he already told me that I wouldn't ever have to let you touch me, ever again."
"Pet," Azrael moved sit by him. "He will never touch you. The only thing your forgiveness promises him is that he will not be forced to suffer nightly for the rest of his life. It does not promise him our love, or our kindness, only that when one of us goes to, 'fuck', him, that it does not torment him." He caught the boy's chin in his hand. *Forgive him, * a single, soft, command.
Justin looked from Azrael to Sam and back again. "You won't let him touch me, right, Master?"
"No, pet, I will not. Even if you one day need discipline, I will never let this thing touch you." He kissed the boy lightly. "Go on, child, forgive him. He might beg your forgiveness now, but trust me, soon or late, he will wish you had asked for his death."
Justin looked down at Sam, who sill huddled, there, at his feet. "Okay, I, I forgive you." And he began to cry, turning to hide in Azrael's arms.
Jewel looked up at Hunter as he sat beside her. "I don't get it." She muttered. "You aren't going to let him come and share a bed with us, are you Hunter?"
"No, honey, Gabriel won't. He might be forgiven and not have to be fucked up at every turn now, but he still stays on the Hall, and Gabriel can tend to him whenever he needs it, but it won't be love. I don't think he understands that yet. All he will ever get is 'fucked'."
* * *
Again the cold warned them before Megel, Shadow, Topaz or Zephyr could appear. But when they did, it was obvious that they had been busy. They each supported two unconscious forms in their arms, and another three, lay, at their feet.
"And what did you bring home this time, Megel." Azrael would not pull away from his pet. The boy needed support for now.
"More pets than I thought I would be able to gather in one night. And these three, they go on the Hall, no large crimes, Theft, assault, and the like. No, rape, a pleasant change." He lay the two mortals that he had been holding on the couch. "I gave Shadow permission to gather a few for himself. He still hasn't found peace for his loss. So I have given him permission to take Julian as his Childe. Jules has been with him since before he could stand apart from me. The boy is without a doubt Shadow's."
"And I am taking these two home to my Father's house." Zephyr gently squeezed the two unconscious boys' in his arms. "And Topaz has two that we can leave with Azrael, for when we are here." He nodded to the girl and boy she held.
"And after I make Austin my Son, I will help him learn to love the girl I brought home. He is going to have to learn how to care for female pets too." Megel smiled at Austin. "That is right, child. Give me just a few more hours, and you will get what you want."
Cerberus took one of the boys, holding the limp figure as Zephyr went to wake the first one. "Hi." He smiled, trying to put as much reassuring energy into that smile as possible. Tightening his hold as the boy tried to pull away. "Don't do that. You don't have to be afraid of me. I won't hurt you. Hell I saved you from certain death."
"Wh-Where am I?" The tenor voice was so light and frightened that Zephyr had to close his eyes as the terror washed over him. He could feel Lerion's new Childe's response to the boy's fear. He was going to have to do something about the fear and do it quickly.
"Where are you? At the moment, you're at my ladylove's Sire's home. But soon enough, once I get you past your fear, I will be taking you to my Father's home. I am going to need to keep you both with Darion. He is my, pet. I know that I probably will explain all of this wrong, but we need you, need you in a way that we haven't needed another mortal in a while. Azrael's house was blown up, and most of the pets he had were killed. And neither Topaz nor I can keep feeding off of the limited number he has here now. So we went out and took care of the problem." He reached out and patted the boy's hand. Frowning as the boy yanked his hand back. "You have to stop doing that. We have too many Fledglings in this house, and fear isn't a good thing to have around them. Now, my name is Zephyr or Zeph if that is easier for you. What is your name, pretty boy?"
"Eric," again that light, soft, tenor. "What do you want? I, I'll do anything you want me to do, I promise, but just don't hurt me. Please, just don't hurt me."
"Hurt you? I'm not going to hurt you. I, we, need you. Now don't freak on me, but we're vampire's, and you are here to see to it that we don't have to risk hunting." He tightened his hold on the boy again; knowing that with the information he just gave him, the boy was going to panic.
'Vampires, they're vampires'. The horror of the truth was almost too much for him, and he didn't doubt the man that held him immobile. A normal man couldn't just hold him like this one was, with no show of effort. So he stopped fighting, and just looked up at him, eyes displaying his inner fears. He was ready to die, expected it. "I'm going to die, aren't I." This really wasn't a question. He expected to die. "Please, if you have to kill me, please, don't let it hurt."
Zephyr just growled under his breath. "I'm not going to kill you Eric. That would be really stupid. I tell you we need you to keep from having to risk having to hunt, and the first thing you say is to beg for a painless death. I'm not going to kill you, Eric, and I'm not going to hurt you either. I swear. I'm not going to hurt you. And my Sire is master of his domain, so he will help me make sure that no one ever hurts you or your friend here."
The boy turned, looking at the other unconscious form that Cerberus held. "Mitch?" He tried to reach for his friend. "What have you done to him?"
"Nothing, child. Your Master only eased your transfer to here, sparing you both the terrors that are on the Dark Paths." Cerberus pulled the body he held even closer.
"Please." Eric turned his head, offering his throat. "I don't care what you do to me, but please, don't hurt Mitch."
Zephyr gently took Eric's head in his hands and turned it back so the boy was looking at him again. "I'm not going to hurt him, pretty boy. He's your lover isn't he?"
Eric just looked down. Trying to hide from the eyes that seemed to see so much. "Please, I'll do anything you tell me to do. Just please, don't hurt him. He's all I have." Brown eyes, bright with unshed tears looked up into Zephyr's. "Please, I, I'm begging you. Kill me, hurt me, anything you want, just please, don't hurt Mitch, and please, don't let him watch."
Zephyr snorted in disgust. "How many times do I have to tell you, I'm not going to hurt either of you. But I will make a deal with you. Give yourself to me, be Topaz's and my pet, and I will let you keep him with you. Let your fear go, try trusting us, and I promise you, I won't ever let the two of you be separated." He lowered his mouth, to where it rested, just a breath from Eric's. "Kiss me, belong to me, call me Master. And I won't ever let the two of you be taken from each other or me. Resist, and I will leave you here, and take him with me." And he closed his mouth over the mortals.
Eric fought down a sob as he surrendered to Zephyr's kiss. He would have to submit to this monster or he felt for sure that he would lose everything that he held dear.
Zephyr smiled down at him as the kiss broke. "See, sweetheart. I won't hurt you, and I won't hurt your lover either." He lowered his mouth to kiss the boy again, cradling his head as he did so. "Call me Master, Eric. You can call me Zephyr or Zeph, most of the time, but you have to be willing to call me Master as well." Again he kissed the boy, a light, teasing kiss.
"Please, Master." And he lost all control as he began to cry. "See, I will do what you tell me to. Just please, don't take him away from me. Please, Master, I'm begging you." And this time, it was Eric that leaned up to kiss Zephyr. "Please."
"I won't. Just keep this up, and I promise, no one is ever going to take him away from you."
"I will, please, believe me, I will." He just cried against Zephyr's lips as the young Kin kissed him again.
"Good, I'm real happy that I don' have to be an asshole. Now look into my eyes." He gently wiped the tears from the boy's cheeks. "You are safe, always safe. I won't hurt you and I won't let anyone else hurt you, not now, not ever."
Eric sighed. "Yes, Master." Suddenly being where he was didn't frighten him so much. This was his master. Why would his master lie to him?
"You're going to help me with Mitch, aren't you Eric. He doesn't know who I am yet." He kissed the boy again, pleased to feel the ready response in the boys' lips. "Now, Eric, now it is time to give me your throat."
Megel watched as Shadow woke his two and wrestled with their terror. Having to finally resort to luring them back to sleep to quiet the fear in the room. He had to struggle to keep from stepping in and helping his Childe, but if Shadow felt he was ready to take on the care and feeding of a Childe, then he had to be ready to deal with all the little problems that came with being a parent.
"Hey, I know him." Austin commented looking at the man that Megel had brought home.
"You do?" That was a switch. But then again, he really shouldn't be surprised. The man he had brought to help him with seeing to his needs with Austin was a male prostitute's, and would only date men, or accept only men as their tricks. "So, Chosen, any warnings for me?"
"Only that he is probably going to react like the rest. Did you make him the same offer that you made Shadow when you first took him?" He reached out to lay a hand on the unconscious young man's legs. "This one is Randy."
"Randy, yes, that is a good name. Now come here." He could feel his Masters and Sires power on the fragile mortal that he held who was kissing him with such total abandon. "I see Azrael, sneaked a tie with you." He laughed as Austin stammered, trying to come up with a way to explain. "Boy, calm down. Strong as my Sire is, the tie he shares with you, won't last past your next feeding from me." He caught Austin's face, lips teasing the man. "Poor, thing, you actually thought I would be upset?" The man looked down, blushing. "Well never mind, I'm not. Now let's see if we can talk these two down."
Lerion supported his newest Childe as Wolf struggled to overcome the fear that was so strong in the room. He had forgotten how greatly fear affected the newborn of his kind. Living as he had for the last almost five years in a Covenstead, it wasn't something he had been forced to deal with often. At least not among the pets they kept. But here, now, like this, Wolf had to suffer like he had his first few days as his Sire's Childe. Struggling to control himself, against the fear. He looked up to see his new Chosen, struggling to overcome what he was feeling. "It's okay, both of you. The fear will pass, I promise. Just give their new masters time to take it from them."
Azrael was as aware of the heavy stench of fear in the room as Lerion was. He held Crystal close as Topaz tried to calm the little mortal girl in her care. "Enough." He passed Crystal to Loki, reaching to take the girls' arm, ignoring her vain attempt to pull away. "Listen to me, girl. You now belong to my Childe. All the begging and struggles in the world will not alter that reality. But you must control yourself, as I warned my, pet," he nodded to where Justin sat, watching it all with concern. "Last night, fear is not your friend here. Fear can, and will, get you killed." He smiled at the girl. His fangs showing, all traces of humanity left him as he purposely lowered his fangs fully. "Will get you killed, and very quickly at that."
The girl, looked at the fangs in his mouth, and screamed. Fighting with mindless desperation to pull away.
*Daddy! * Topaz fussed at him as she held the mortal who clung to her in mindless fear. *You're scaring her. *
*I know, precious. But it is a fear that I can dispel soon enough. It is far better that I give her a single figure to frighten her than run the risk of her fear of us all doing the damage it is capable of doing in my home. * His eyes bore into the mortals. "Do not fear me. Do not fear any in this house. Young as your mistress may be, she is still my Childe, and I will never allow, any, in her care to be harmed."
The cries stopped as the girl suddenly stopped her struggles. "I am sorry, pet, would that I could allow you the time you deserve to come to us, willingly. But we have far too many newborns here, too many that your fear is affecting. Better by far, I that took your fear from you, than leave it as it was, I do not want to see you killed, nor do I wish to see, any Childe in my home suffer." He stroked her cheek. "Now, that you are settled. What is your name, little one?"
"Su-Susan." She whispered. "Or anything you want it to be." She looked from him, to Topaz. "You don't like my name, I'll answer to anyone you do. Wanna call me Whore, Slut or Bitch, anything you like, I'll answer to it." She had been a prostitute long enough to learn the first rule. Some one pays for you, they own you for however long they paid for. "I'm gonna to be your slave, a slave don't have a name, you can call me anything, Mistress."
The sudden change in the girl threw Topaz for a minute. "Whore? Slut? Bitch?" She shook her head. "Nah, I like Susan, just fine. And, you're not a slave, you're a pet, but I don't like those labels." She took a deep breath. "I don't like them enough to, forbid, you from ever using them about yourself, ever again. You might be a pet, an overly pampered feeder, but I don't want to hear those words out of your mouth, ever again. Or I'll have to punish you."
"I don't understand." Hunter pressed against Gabriel, fighting what he was feeling. "That shit's fear, it didn't bother me. Why now?"
"You are Kin, now, beloved. Sam had hurt your great Grand-Sire's pet. You wanted him to fear you. But these children, they are innocent of any wrong. So their fear, it calls to the darker nature of our kind. Don't worry baby, I won't let you do anything to hurt either them, or yourself. Just be, patient. Soon enough their Masters, and their Mistress, will get them under control. Topaz might not be able to dominate the two she has, but Azrael will take care of it. Just watch."
"Father," Zephyr pressed Eric into Cerberus's arms. He was so torn between wanting to help the two new pets he had, and his desire to support his new wife. "Take Eric, I still have to talk to Mitch. Please," Eric didn't fight as Zephyr pushed him into Cerberus's arms. "Father, don't scare him." He prepared to wake the other mortal.
Cerberus only laughed, kissing the youngster in his arms, forehead. "Don't worry about your little pet, Zeph, we'll be just fine, won't we, boy?"
"Yes, Master," Eric watched as Zephyr woke Mitch. Closing his eyes as his boyfriend cried out. "Please," he wanted to stop this. "Master, please, let me talk to him." He wanted to explain everything to Mitch.
Zephyr looked up at Eric. "Yeah, sure," then to the boy in his arms. "Look up, listen to what Eric has to tell you."
Eric pulled Mitch close as his lover began to cry. "Ssshh, come on baby, you got to hush." He stroked Mitch's cheek. "Please, baby, you have to relax. Please, you give him a hard time, and he can take you away from me. Please, baby, I don't want to lose you."
"Who is he?" Mitch felt almost safe in Eric's arms.
Eric stroked Mitch's hair. "I think the better word is 'what' is he." He got ready to listen to Mitch's cries.
To give the boy credit, he didn't lose total composure. "I, I don't understand, 'what' is he?"
"I'm a vampire, sugar." Zephyr decided that it would be easier for his new pet, if he took some of the burden of explaining things to Mitch. "Ssshh," he held out his hands. "Don't lose it, we can't afford you to be afraid, right now. Don't make me have to keep my promise to Eric. If I can't get you to relax, to let me Dominate you, take away your fear, I'll take you with me, and leave him here with Topaz."
The only thing that kept Mitch from throwing himself from where he was to the floor to get away from Zephyr, were the arms that Eric had around him. "Please, baby, listen to our new master, please, I can't lose you too." He lowered his head and began to cry.
"Please, Mitch, listen to your friend." Zephyr felt horrible, as he took the boy from Eric, for what he knew he was making them both feel. But he couldn't do anything about it.
"Eric?" Mitch was like Ice in Zephyr's arms.
"I know it's scary. But, baby, I swear, he, our master, he won't hurt us. It isn't like what you think it is. He's bit me, once already, and it isn't what you think." He couldn't, look, up at his boyfriend. "It, it don't hurt, it feels, oh baby, I don't think I can make you understand what it feels like." His head lifted, exposing his throat as Cerberus sank his teeth, how ever briefly into the flesh there. Crying out as he lifted his arms
"See, darling," Zephyr cuddled Mitch close, watching as Eric responded to his Sire's'' slow, easy, seduction. ""It's okay, really it is." He lowered his mouth to Mitch's throat, bringing the boy to him in a way that the mortal couldn't fight. His hands, slowly, beginning to pull the boy's shirt from him.
He lifted his head, long enough to open the vein at his wrist before lowering his mouth once again to share a brief bond with him. Pausing only long enough for Mitch to pull, himself up so Zephyr could finish removing his clothes, before teasing him to the point of his orgasm, so he could use his release to lubricate himself so he could slip in, beginning to make love to the boy.
Megel held Randy close and his new pet listened to all he had to say. Tightening his hold on him as he felt the mortal in his arms begin to tremble. "Don't, pet." He softly kissed the back of Randy's neck. "You're mine, now and forever. I bought you. You are mine."
Shadow looked up from where he and Julian were holding the two he had brought home to help take care of his needs when he made Julian his. "Father," he pointed at Randy. "How come you took two that look like they do? They look as old, if not older than Austin does."
"I'm trying to gather pets that look old enough, in this age, to really be our on their own. You, are, barely of age, Cain was the same. Amber and even Ben, it didn't matter how old they really were, they never looked older than in their late teens, same with Denise and Evelyn." He kissed Randy's cheek. "Now, with Austin, I have a chance to pick my pets from those old enough to be my pets." All traces of humanity left his face as he sank his fangs into the flesh under his mouth, feeding. He would hold off on feeding a second time until he had a new Childe, but for now.
Shadow pulled Austin close as he tried to go to Megel. "Hold up, little brother." He held him.
"What?" Austin didn't understand.
"Wait, soon enough our Master will make you his. Just wait up." He looked up at Julian. "Dying is really rather messy. When we make it to a bed. I promise, darlin', just as soon as we make it to a bed."
"Now," Megel kissed the wound as it closed. "We go now."
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