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CHAPTER 16
*See you one day, Father. * Sin's thoughts brushed across Azrael's mind.
*Rest easy, my son. One day, I will be with you. Hold to your brother's as you wait. * Sin had been the first of his Brood that had, been without Mage abilities. And the Childe had always felt as if he had disappointed his sire in some way. His untimely death had only increased Azrael's feelings that he had somehow failed his Childe. Sin had not lived, outside of his service to him, more than ten years. That was why before Kale, he had not taken any others that didn't have a Mage Gift. And then with Kale, it wasn't the same. The Childe had not been bothered at all by the fact that he was not like his Sire, or older brothers or sister. Had learned to cope as normal vampire's cope. "Thank you." He rested against Osiris.
"It is time, Azrael. I have been with you for the last four nights, my Blood Kin know not only of those that were before me for them, but my love for them as well. Isis and I have made our farewells. It is time."
Azrael sighed, pulling up. "I know. Hate it though I do, I know."
Azrael stood, looking down at Drax's body. "You are safe now. Go on, knowing that your body is safe." He turned away to lean against Osiris. "It is time." He would have to walk away again. Leave the man that had enabled him to come so far.
"Soon, Azrael, but not yet. That, youngest, of yours and his woman they, still ache to see you just one last time. A, final goodbye, Torin still feels a bit robbed. He was not even allowed the chance to wish your farewell, before you released him." He gathered Azrael close to him. "I go to my rest again, as they wake, for one night. At dawn, their souls will leave their bodies, and you will have to return the shells to their resting-place again. But for one night." *Drax is powerful, yes, but I do not wish to tax him past his abilities. So I will return to my rest. And your two will come and share this brief time with both you and the keeper of your heart. * Osiris held him close, imprinting the feel of his Childe to his mind, again. *I will always be with you. You are my First-Born. And I wait your coming to me again. * He returned to his chair. Holding Azrael close as his soul left his body, to return to the Realm of the Dead.
*Goodbye Father. * Azrael kissed his cold lips, *safe sleep. *
A, light hand on his shoulder, "Father?"
*Torin * arms an almost crushing strength, *my son. *
"We had wanted to come sooner, but Osiris, needed you more than we did." He kissed him. *When you break it down to how much we can do, He put out the most power in healing our Father. And, all, of it in getting him back to you. It was his idea to see to it that your blood is his. Crystal may share a soul, but Loki has something that not even she can do. *
Azrael pulled back, to turn one last time, to where Osiris now slept. "One day, Father. I will see you again, one day." Before turning back to Torin and, Sapphire. "Lei us go home. I only have one night with you. Let us not waste it on talking."
* * *
*Beloved, come. * Azrael appeared in his room. Pushing both Torin and Sapphire to the bed.
A sharp, intake of breath as Loki took in what was before him and he came at his husband's call.
"Hi, Daddy." Sapphire went to him. "Don't ask how, it's too long an explanation, just be glad." She felt so good in his arms. His first and most loved of all. Not even the love he had for Azrael would ever touch his heart the way Sapphire did. "Now you know why Tori and I didn't take time to talk to you and Azrael. We knew we would have a little time." She moaned as Loki's fangs sank home.
*How? * He didn't understand, tasting her blood as it filled his mouth. He had been the one that had released her, knew that there was no way possible for her to be here, and still have blood in her. He had helped to drain her.
She mentally laughed. *Magic, I'm a Mage, remember. *
Loki held Sapphire, sobbing as she drank from him. She was here again, he didn't know how, but she was here.
The sound of cloth ripping filled the, room, as Torin ripped Azrael's shirt, in a rush to feel, skin against skin. He had had over three years of wanting this. Just one last time, it was the only thing that he had ever really regretted. But now, he didn't have a lot of time with his Sire, but the time that he did, he would use to make sure that Azrael, never doubted his continued love and dedication.
Azrael chuckled as Torin struggled with his belt, and fastenings of his slacks. "Easy there, love. We might not have much time together, but really, Childe, you do not have to be quite in such a hurry." His chuckled turned into a gasp, as Torin was finally able to get to him, his mouth lowering to his erection. Torin had always enjoyed this the most, and Azrael had always been more than ready to let him take what he so enjoyed.
*Gabriel, * Loki's mind sought out one of the two other than he and Azrael, who had mourned her, the most. *Bring your Childe, and come. * Sapphire had been in less of a mad rush to undress him. But now that she had, she was just as willing as her mate to hold her Sire. Thighs parted, legs lifting to wrap around Loki's hips as he joined with her. His body merging with hers, even as they joined in blood. Sharing something that they had enjoyed for such a brief time, the bond of Sire to Childe.
Hunter cried out, trying to reach for Sapphire, Gabriel holding him, back. "Robby!"
Loki caught her head in his hands as he pulled up from her throat to kiss her. *Go on, I know how much you love them. * He rolled over. Pulling away from her as she practically leapt into Hunter and Gabriel's arms.
"How?" Hunter just held her, confused.
"The same way Osiris was able to be here. We're Mages, and combined, yeah, Osiris has more training, but on a pure power level, we're more than his equal." There was no fumbling with clothes. Hunter and Gabriel had come straight from bed. So nothing hindered hands and mouths as they came together in joy.
Torin whimpered low as Loki pulled him up on his knees, as he made love to Azrael with his mouth. The gentleness that Loki displayed as he first parted the smooth half-moons of his ass, and then, the slow easy thrust of cream slick fingers, left him trembling.
Loki leaned forward as he filled him, to kiss his shoulder. Fingers encircling his young lovers erection, as he made love to him.
Torin wrapped his arms around Azrael's hips as he sobbed around then hardness in his mouth. *Daddy, * he had promised, the next time he was in bed with his Sire's husband, the man that he called father as well, he would call him the endearment. He had never thought that, that was going to be a promise he could ever see fulfilled. He wasn't going to miss out on this one chance.
Loki sobbed against Torin's skin as his hand and lovemaking became less controlled, and gained strength. His own, emotion triggered orgasm flowing over him. Not erupting, or exploding, but rather a rolling wave, as it swept over him.
Azrael cried out, his own release stealing his mind, as he felt not only Loki's gentle ending wash over him, but Torin's less peaceful one as well.
Azrael held Torin between him and Loki, as they lay, resting, and listened to Sapphire's reunion with Hunter and Gabriel, "I have missed you so, Tori." He kissed his Childe's brow.
Torin twisted in his arms, to face him. "Blue and I have only this one night, to be with you and our family. I want to make a memory with ever second until the sun rises." He sank his fangs deep. *Call, Megel, Selene and have her bring Casey. Harris and Vincent too, Wolf and Christian, are my friends, I love them. * There was no past tense. He loved them both as strongly today, if not more so, as he had at his death.
*Come. * Azrael opened a summons to them all. There was not one of any of those in his home that was not connected in some way to these two.
They came, almost as one, cries of joy and pain. Joy at the coming together, but pain at the bitter knowledge that it just couldn't last for long.
Shadow looked over the scene, laughing. "Sapphire, Tori, how?"
"Don't worry about how right now, Shadow. Just come and be with us."
Shadow snorted at the number of his Kin on the bed already. Azrael's bed was much larger than a regular king was, but still, there was a whole hell of lot of them trying to converge on it. *Oh, yeah, Tori, but maybe we all should hit the playroom, there is at least enough floor space and places to lie down there. *
And again, almost as one, they all sought the Paths.
Torin pushed Azrael back onto the bed. *Daughter, come. * Azrael sent out a call to Topaz. *Bring your husband, but no more. * Azrael wanted to share this joy with so many, but he had to limit the number eventually. After all, he did want at least a few moments with his Childe. "Hold me for a moment, Childe, I have a little sister for you to meet, it was she that enabled me to go on after your death."
"Tori, Sapphire, but how?" Topaz didn't even hesitate at her Sire's summons. And Zephyr was just as quick to respond. If Azrael was summoning her, it must be important. But he never dreamed just how much so.
Torin shook his head, smiling. "Come here you, I was pretty sure that after Blue and I went on, Az would have to come up with a way to ease his pain, I just never realized you were that ready."
Zephyr pulled both, close, smiling as he blinked back the tears that swelled in his eyes. *My girl here, I thought she was going to go crazy there, a time or two. You had become her brother, in her heart, long before you really were. * Torin was back, he didn't understand how, but then again most of the time he didn't understand a lot of the things that went on around here. And right then, as he kissed Torin feeling Topaz pull him down to joint the two of them, he didn't care.
Karma leaned back against Harris and Doc as he watched Torin go from Topaz, to pull Casey close as the kid just fell against him crying. "Vincent used to say, for a damn, know it all, pain in the ass Mage, Tori was cool. I wish he had lived long enough to see him like this again."
Harris just hugged him tight. "Why? Vincent is with them all the time now. Yeah, it would have been nice, if he were here to share this with us, but not because those two are so far from him now, hell, son, they sleep in the same chamber with him, share the same Realm."
Karma just shrugged. "Yeah, well, I don't think that they can be quite the way they are, being right now, there. Vincent was so very physical."
*Wanna bet? Just because they're dead now, doesn't slow down the urge to, as Shad would say, make like bunnies. Didn't you hear me when I told you earlier, that you were destined to be with Doc and I, Shiva and Cameron have become very close? *
Shadow rested a hand Greg's shoulder. "Go on, darlin' by the time he is finished with Casey, he's going to need a hand cleaning up." He smiled at the worried look Greg gave him. Not fear, or at least not yet, but worry. "It's okay, you're my Chosen, Torin is my Sire's brother, that makes him my uncle. He would no more hurt you, than I did my cousins girl last night. You are going to be family soon enough, He isn't a Renegade, only one of those scum would even think about hurting what belonged to one of his Blood Kin." He tilted Greg's head up to kiss him. "Besides, he was Sapphire's master almost as much as Az was. And he looks almost as sweet and harmless as Thorne, so it should be no big deal to go to him for a while."
Casey sobbed his orgasm as he felt the combined feelings of Torin making gentle love to him, and the feel of a warm mouth that took him. "Oh, oh, yes, harder, Tori, gods." He shuddered, pulling Torin's face to his throat. Screaming in absolute joy as he felt his friend, and lover's fangs sink into his skin.
Greg reached past Casey to Torin as the vampire fell back, gasping. Again, something in him seemed to know what to do.
"Well, hello," Torin laughed as Greg bit at his chest as he moved up Torin's body. "Good to meet you, too, honey." He kissed him. "Hold that thought pretty one, I have to pull away for just a sec." He gently took Greg' shoulders.
Dark blue eyes looked up to pewter ones. "Don't worry about that Master, I can take care of you." Greg took his hand that had been pushing him away gently, and kissed the palm, rubbing his cheek against it. "If that is okay with you, Master."
Torin cupped Greg's chin, lifting his head, to catch his eyes again. "Who are you?" His eyes looked deep into Greg's. "Karma?"
Harris felt his Childe stir in his arms. "Yeah, Tori?" Karma smiled.
Torin shook his head, "not you Chris. This mortal, he's, who is he, and," he looked down at Greg's chest. "Megel, do you know who this boy, or at least the soul he has in him, is?"
"Firstly, little brother. Christian is dead. He died a few days ago. That is Karma. And second the boy you are holding, is not my Chosen. You need to talk to Shadow, Greg is my First-Born's, Chosen, not mine. Look at that brand again."
"I'm sorry, Karma, I might have probably should have kept a little better eye on others, but I was keeping a close watch on Azrael and Osiris. I didn't think to keep a look out on all the rest. Forgive me." Then he raised an eyebrow, in Shadow's direction. "I didn't think you were old enough for a Chosen."
"Well, I had to go out and collect a few to help with Thorne, Megel has his hands full with the other Torin that lives here, so I couldn't count on him to help me as much as I used to. I certainly couldn't ask him to keep helping me, with my own Childe." He squeezed Thorne against him. "Losing Cain and so many others, it messed with me, real bad. Megel is my Sire. I'm his First-Born, so he was willing to give up the remainder of my service to him, and let me Sire Julian, who had been my first Chosen." He snickered at Torin's amazed look. "And when I got ready to take and make my Chosen, my Childe. Killing Jules, and giving birth to Thorne, I had to go out and collect a few. I didn't know he was special until Megel had pointed it out to me, earlier tonight."
Torin just laughed softly. "I should have known. You always were just a bit of an overachiever." He looked back at Greg, who was watching him closely. "So you knew that he was special, but did your Sire, happen to tell you how much so?"
Shadow; bit at his bottom lip. "I take it that it's not just some lucky Rogue soul, hu?"
Torin just laughed. "That does it, Blue, we are going to have to implement that plan we had been working on. The Shadow Realm, has been wondering where Karma's soul was for from what I can understand almost as many centuries as our Great Grand-Sire's been around, forget dead, but alive and Kin." Then he stopped the smile on his face, though not fading completely weakened. "Shadow, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but you can't have this one as your Chosen. A Mage can take one who is not a Mage, as a Chosen and Child, but it doesn't work the other way. Don't make him like Shiva was."
Shadow looked down, rubbing his nose. "So, it looks like I'm going to have to deal with having him as my little brother, instead of as my Childe." He shrugged. "At least I don't have to worry about dealing with Megel suddenly finding himself with a soulmate. Done did, that already."
Torin struggled to sit up, pushing Greg even farther away. "' Fuck me' ." He just looked at them all. "Just what has been going on? It's enough that Az, ended up with Crystal. But Drax, then Osiris, what the hell did I miss?"
Azrael laughed softly. "A great many things, love. The least of which is the souls return to us."
Torin caught Sapphire's eyes. "Blue?" She nodded. "Azrael, I know we hadn't wanted to talk this trip, but I think we need to, now."
Azrael heard the desperation in Torin' voice. "Okay, Tori, what is it you wish to say?"
Sapphire went back to Torin, leaning against him, offering her support. "We have got to come back. There is just too much going on for me to stay where I am."
Azrael just shook his head, sadly. "Torin, beloved. You are dead, the very fact that you are here, is a miracle that I never will be able to thank the fates enough for. But Childe, you are dead. I released your soul myself."
Torin shrugged himself, reaching to grab Azrael's hands. "So what? If I, can get Sapphire to agree to it and am real lucky. I can come back. All I have to do is keep an eye out for the birth of an infant that looks promising, and take the place of the mortal soul in the body. The only thing that had kept me from trying that, is Sapphire. If she isn't ready to jump, I can't." He looked at Azrael, a plea in his face. "I can't lose her again, it took god only knows how long for us to find each other. But if we could move together, find not just one, but two bodies, tightly linked together, we could do it."
"Twins." Crystal gasped. "Yeah, you could do that, if you were sure that there were going to be twins." Megel had replaced the shield around her gift when Osiris had left, but the truth that came to her was just too powerful. Not even Megel's greater power could stop it.
"You know what I'm talking about, don't you?" 'Yes', she was his Sire's soul. What she understood, surely Azrael did too.
Azrael shook his head. "Yes, Childe, I do understand what you are trying to say. But Torin, find a new pet that is pregnant is not going to be hard, but not even I can decide how many she carries." Crystal snorted, and Torin laughed. "What?"
"Think Azrael, honey, if we got a girl, robbed a sperm bank, and set her up here, who are you kidding, we could decide how many. Or have you forgotten Torin?" She made a funny face at him.
"I am well aware that my Son could do the work, he helped to heal and repair my heart. But he leaves in a few hours."
"No, I'm not talking about this Tori, I know he has to go back, at least for now. But Megel's Childe. He's named after him, after all. Remember why?"
Azrael nodded. "I am well aware of what my Grand-Childe is. But again, what good will that do. It will be years before that Childe can do near what the man he was named after can. Yes Tori, of course, when my Grand-Childe can do what you once could, I will be more than happy to give you the vessel for your return. What are a few more years? Is it not enough that you now know that there will be a way made for you again?" Azrael was trying to appear calm, but the promise of getting Both Torin and Sapphire back again, was thrilling.
"Father." Megel pulled close. "If my little brother wishes to return, and with him my sister as well, Torin is not only my Childe, but my soul. Torin is my brother. I could work through my son if my brother will agree to accept my help. It's going to take close to a year for, there, to be a life for him and Sapphire. Then another fifteen to twenty before they are ready to return to us. Maybe, Shadow has had a very bad effect on me, but I just don't see waiting unless it is absolutely necessary. I only wish I could have asked Cain to return this way. But, he isn't powerful enough to choose the life he was going to take. And the odds of me finding him again, if he just took what ever life he could find, is not to my liking."
"Tell you what, Megel, you help me, I'll see to it that he comes back with us, if he is willing to leave Vincent to watch over Lilith, and Karma. Just make sure that the girl, who you pick, can carry triplets. If you help me and Blue, I'll help you."
Megel smiled, shaking his head. "I don't need that. Vincent is with him. I released my son back to his original Sire. I won't ask him to leave Vincent."
"But you will help Blue and I, right?" *Think he's your soulbonded, it should be a snap. *
*To have you both back, I would do anything short of putting my Brood at risk. Yes, little brother, I will be more than happy to help you. *
* * *
Much later, as the house quieted. "We don't have much more time, Father." Torin held Azrael, as Sapphire lay at his side, holding Loki. "Promise me, you'll help with this. Neither of us had any time with you or Loki last time. Give it back to us."
Azrael kissed his brow. "Do you feel the need to beg, Tori? Your death almost cost my life. Sapphire is Loki's First-Born, and at the time, he was still wounded of mind. Had Selene not offered her life to him, giving Mara up completely, he would have followed her. Without him, I would have joined you. So yes, my love, I will help you. At rising tomorrow, I will begin to seek out another, one that is not blood bonded to one of us. To see that she is available to carry the children I will need of her. Both, a male and female."
"I don't care the gender of the body. Male or female, I just want to get back to you. Too much is going on now, I have to be with you for it." He reached out a hand and stroked Azrael's cheek. "Thorne and Sin would have offered to do it, but, Thorne has Gabriel to watch over, and Sin wasn't a Mage. I would have offered to help Sin, but then I happened to remember. Sapphire is Loki's First-Born. Sin isn't yours. And I couldn't ask her to go without me. So I didn't." He reached up to kiss Azrael, one last time. "Goodbye Father, see you soon enough." And his eyes closed. Beside them, Loki sobbed over the slumbering body of his First-Born.
* * *
Doc held Harris. "Why didn't you tell me who Karma was going to be to you?" He had known that it would never be him, had worried a little that his Sire and lifemate would feel pain at having to choose one for his heart. So he didn't understand why Harris had neglected to tell him that his worries were over. Karma was not only his new husband, but his Sire's Childe as well.
"I didn't want you to feel threatened. I didn't know if you completely understood what having Karma as my soulbonded would mean to us."
Doc pulled away a bit miffed. "I know what it means to me, but I'm not sure anymore what it means to you."
*It means that my Brood will never have to leave me. I took you both as my lifemate's. But you are my First-Born. This gives Karma something of his alone, and me, that is his. * He pulled Doc back to him. *It also means that not only is my First-Born my Childe, but so is my soul. * He held his Childe close as Doc cried. "Besides, he isn't even a Mage yet, you fool. I can't be his soulbonded until he is. So you have plenty of time to get used to sharing your new husband with me." He laughed. "Damn, son, don't get possessive on me."
"Well, as long as it is you. I guess I can live with it. I don't think I could be so understanding if one of you up and took a soulbond with yet another. Three is pretty much my top number." He laughed back, kissing him. "I will just learn to watch Loki a whole lot closer. He's much older than I am, and in the same boat. At least I have being a Mage, as well, on my side."
"Uh, guys," Karma lay on his side beside them. "Don't you think, seeing as you are talking about me, it would be nice to include me, even if it is only in passing."
Harris and Doc laughed, reaching out, as one, to pull Karma close. "I'm sorry, baby. It's just been something of a shock to me. But Doc is right. I should have mentioned it earlier. He understands why I didn't tell him, but I don't know if you will why I didn't you."
"I don't know about that, Father, maybe it's because it' been a real hard time for me so far, or my new Name change, or my marrying the two of you, or I don't know, half a dozen other reasons."
'Damn, he's quick'. Harris was impressed with his new Childe. "And you don't have a problem with it? I was only trying to protect you. You're my Childe first, and always. I didn't want to overwhelm you anymore than I had already."
Karma just hugged them both tighter. "I'm not Doc, I don't have to know everything, right then and there. I could have lived without knowing it, at least for a while. But I'm glad to know it. Won't freak me out near as much as it would have when it happened."
Doc just shook his head, laughing softly. "No, it's going to be a real anti-climax after the first time you find out you're a Mage, trust me."
"Then I guess I'm doomed to find them both, just, really great. I know I'm a Mage, Shiva told me that, day's, ago. And now I know Harris is going to be my soulbonded. I don't think I can get much more awestruck than I am, right, now."
"Well, if your soul bonding with Harris's is any where near as amazing as the first time, your other awareness, is, then I can safely say, you have no idea what you're talking about kid." Doc shook his head slowly as he squeezed. "Because, I happened to have known what I was before it happened, and I almost died in ecstasy. That is why I am Harris's First-Born, I was his, mortal, lover when it happened, and Harris couldn't resist the offer of another Mage, we were under the impression that they were hard to come by, back then. And when he made me his Childe, he took me as a lifemate at the same time. So I would never have to leave him."
"I always knew you were his husband, as well as his First-Born, but never the how's and why's of it."
"Well, I seem to being falling into fortune left and right, these days. Though I would never trade my good luck for the lives it cost us. If it had to have happened, at least it brought about something good. I got to share Doc's awakening the first time, and I'm going to get to share yours." He brushed Karma's lips with his own, "Doc is my First-Born, and you're my soul, what more can one man ask?" His mouth came down.
* * *
Megel held Shadow as they watched over the others sleeping. *Torin is gone. * Megel's, soft, touch.
*He'll be back. If Azrael doesn't move the moment he puts Torin back to wait, Loki or you are going to pounce on him. * Shadow looked down to where Greg and Max slept. *Didn't mean to shove my choice off on you. Had no clue, I mean really, that he was going to turn out like you. Damn, Mages, next thing you know, they are going to be dropping from the sky during rainstorms. I mean, look at it, this way, not only is there, Azrael's new mate. But Karma as well, that boy is going to shock us all soon enough, and Torin, that's three for three so far. And we have Hunter here with Gabriel, along with Harris and Doc. We got Mages coming out of our asses. How the hell did I have any idea that Greg was going to be one? * Megel almost hurt himself, trying to keep from laughing at Shadow's words. *No man, more power to you. I happen to agree with Vincent, when he used to grumble about damn, know it all, pain in the ass Mages, sorry Megel, but it just doesn't move me like it does you. No, I'm sorry if you didn't want to deal with him yet, but by all means knock yourself out. But Tori was right, I won't do to him, what Kali did to Shiva. *
*Whom are you trying to, convince Childe yourself or me? * He knew that eventually, with as long as Shadow was going to wait before choosing to take Greg, from, Chosen to Childe. The boy would have been found out and then Shadow would have been forced to face the decision to release him. Luckily for him, he hadn't had enough time to really become attached to the mortal, so it wasn't hurting him like it could, to lose his Chosen. *You would have in the end, released him anyway. Once you found out what he was going to be you are my son, I helped to create your nature, and you would have never kept him from the arts. This way, you at least have him as a brother. * His mental laughter danced over Shadow's mind. *Tell me what it is about those like you that, has, me in a position that I keep ending up with them as my children. Tori, he isn't, but that is not to say that in the end, he will not enjoy it. And you well, we, know all about you. But Greg, if what I have seen is any indication, that boy out shines even Sapphire in his tastes. *
*Yeah, maybe, but I got one thing that they will never touch. Not even Tori with as much as he is your other half, can. *
*You have many things about you that they could never touch precious. But which one are you referring to? *
*Cain was the closest thing that could have ever come close to it. He was your First-Made, but me, I am your First-Born, no matter what and who comes next, no one will ever take that away from me. I am your, First-Born. * His fangs sank into Megel's chest, as he pulled closer . *The rest, they're asleep, but I'm not ready to close my eyes for the day, just yet, make love to me, Megel. *
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