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CHAPTER 12
Harris moaned at the pain. He didn't realize that it would hurt like this again. He was dead already, had been so for forty-seven years.
*I know Childe. Cameron wasn't near my age or power. It will pass, feed Harris. You know what to do for this, feed. *
*It burns. * He protested as he drank. The blood was like a hot burning fire in his body. He could feel it burning away all that he had been. The tie he still cherished with his old Sire, he felt it burn away. Now he understood what he had accepted in his taking what was offered. He had lost his Sire, was First-Born, no more. *I'm alone. * His mind cried out in anguish.
*No Childe, I am with you. My Brood, as well. For the first time, since your Sire died, you are far from alone. * Azrael's fangs sought his flesh. *Come, Childe, let us share this. *
Harris wept against him, as the fullness of the bond that Azrael was offering enveloped him. Nothing had ever been this complete in his life. Even his first night when Cameron had given him the Gift. It had not been anything like this. He clung to Azrael, shoulders shaking with sobs, as he drank.
*Come, children, you both are hungry. * Azrael pulled away, long enough to lick the wound closed, before reaching for Doc's wrist.
Doc moved to pull close to his Sire, mouth covering his throat.
Christian reached for his wrist. He was so hungry. It had taken him all the control he had ever mastered to keep from going mad. He had to bite back a sob, as the blood filled his mouth. He knew this blood. He was one of his, Line, again.
With the first swallow, Doc almost screamed. It was like acid in his belly. It burned, but it was so good.
Azrael, let, Doc's hand go reaching for Loki's throat. He still had to Gift Lerion, and he was already starving. He hadn't been this hungry in more years than he could recall.
* * *
Sam looked up at Gabriel, as the vampire pulled away. He was so sore from the night before. "Master?" Would he, do more?
"Sorry, Sam, but I don't have time to take this to its proper end tonight, or at least not right now. As is, I can't feed from you as much as I did last night. You haven't been here with us; long enough to recover from the blood you lost from my last feeding. I'll stop by another room. I'm going to have to start feeding a whole lot more, now that I am going to take more than just Hunter as my Childe." He sighed as Sam took the cut wrist that he offered and was quick to drink. "Not now, boy, but later, I promise." And Gabriel pulled away from him brushing his lips against his, reaching for Rain, to step back on the Paths again, seeking yet another feeder on the Hall.
'Later' , Sam trembled. Tears burning his eyes, the chain on his wrist rattled as he reached to masturbate, he burned with shame. It would happen again, 'later' .
Gabriel wasn't surprised to see Hunter and Jewel in his room, when he finally made it there. He knew that the time it had taken him to feed, even though he was traveling on the Dark Path, would have given his boy plenty of time to bring Jewel and reach his room.
Rain stopped. "But, I thought you said." She had said yes to this, but she had believed during her first time with him, she was going to be alone.
"No, Rain, I meant what I said. But He is my son. Besides, it wouldn't be fair for Jewel, who is here to be left alone and ignored." He squeezed her. "You have been here long enough to know that just because he is here, doesn't mean he is going to join us." He pulled away and began to undress. "If you come away from me, and still have no want for men. Jewel is here, and now as my Childe, she is as much your pet as she is Hunter's." He reached out and touched her cheek. "Come on Rain. It's time for you to try living again." He helped her to begin to undress. Making soft sounds of comfort as she trembled. "Really, Rain, this is a bit much, don't you think? You might still be a virgin to men, but you have watched not only your sisters with them, but also you mother with me. It isn't what you are making, it, out to be. Trust me, it is wonderful. Even if you decide to forgo men after your time with me, it will still be wonderful, even if it is only this once."
Rain just laughed softly. "You're right. I don't know why I'm acting like this. I mean, I've watched you and Forest before. I know it isn't going to be a bad thing." But even though she verbally agreed, she still moved to cover her nakedness as the last of her clothes came off. "I guess, it's because I was so young when she made me hers. Don't know, but . . ."
*Rain listen, to me. You really are worrying about nothing. It would be one thing, if you had suffered before Forest made you hers. But you hadn't. And as far as I could ever tell, she never mistreated you. *
She shuddered under his kiss, leaning into the hand that touched her breast. She tried not to tremble as Gabriel lifted her into his arms and moved to lie on the bed.
"Ssshh." Gabriel whispered lifting her chin, kissing along her throat. His hands moved over her body, stroking lightly. "Answer me this, baby, do you want to keep your name, or break away and truly start over?" More light kisses along her throat, and the soft hands.
'Forest, Mother, forgive me' . She would go on. Instinctually knowing that if she didn't reach out for this one chance, she would never love again. *My mother is dead, let Rain die with her. * She held on to him as he began to drain her. Preparing her for her new life.
*Hold on to me, Childe. Hold on to life. *
'Goodbye, my love'; she felt the tie, the bond of blood and love melt as Gabriel returned her life to her with his blood. 'Sleep well, sweety' .
Gabriel reached up with his left hand, as his right continued to stroke her, to pull her head to his throat. *Virgo, I name you Virgo. Not because of your maidenhood, but because you are renewing yourself, becoming new again. * He lay the naming force on her open soul. Sealing it in place. *Virgo, you are Virgo. *
*Father; * she responded to both the remaking and renaming.
*Come on Virgo. Hide from the pain in this with me. * He closed his eyes as he felt her fangs at his throat. He pulled away, for just a moment to kiss the wounds in her flesh, before sinking his fangs back into it.
The bond was perfect. She clung to him, pressing her body against his as they shared their first blood bond as Sire and Childe.
Lost in the blood she was sharing with her new Sire, Virgo reached for the hand that still stroked her breast, and slowly moved down to her sex, pressing it against her.
*Hold me sweetheart. Let me hold you. * For someone who had been so worried that she would never respond to a man, his girl was doing very well. If only he could bring her to him, now, and like this, she would never scorn the touch of a man, or a least one of her brothers, again. She felt so good in his arms, her body pressed against his.
His skin, as she ran her hands over his shoulders, was so smooth. The muscles under it were firm. It didn't matter, if he were a man, here and now, all she wanted was to hold him, to love him. He was her new Sire, her father.
His arms tightened around her as she responded to his kiss. Blindly and almost wantonly she was giving herself to this. *Relax, Virgo, Childe. Close you eyes, and relax. * He kissed her, once more before he began to trail his lips over her chin and down her throat. Kissing a path to her breasts. Feeling her nipple harder under his tongue as he teased it. Hand and fingers caressing and tugging at the other as he nursed from the breast under his mouth.
Virgo moaned low as her fingers tangled in his hair, as he loved her. And yes, it was love. He was her Sire, her father, had made her his Childe, named her and loved her. The cold hollow place in her soul was filled again. She was, orphan no more. She was his Childe.
"Ah," she gasped as she, felt hands parting her legs, then fingers parting her lips. To welcome his mouth and tongue. "Please," she just sobbed, holding his head to her.
*Ssshh, Virgo, relax. * He slipped fingers into her virginal sex, seeking the mark of her maidenhood that still might be there. But, the hymen wasn't intact. Virgin she might be, but the mark of it had long since been ruptured. 'Good' , that was one less worry he had with his Childe. Without the threat of pain, how ever brief, he could see to it that this was not the only time she sought his love.
She cried out, softly as she began to melt under him, his hands and fingers teasing her, his teeth locked to her clitoris. Tongue flicking fast against her core of pleasure. "Oh, yes, please, Gabriel, Father, yes." She cried out as her orgasm exploded within her. "Now, please, oh god, now!"
That was all the encouragement Gabriel needed. *Yes, now. * He moved up her body, hands reaching to pull her legs up over his hips as he moved to slip between them. And as he thrust down, feeling her sweet, hot sex encircle him, he bent to offer her again the bond of blood that was between Sire and Childe.
* * *
Wolf watched closely, holding Brandon to him as he watched Lerion accept Azrael's offer. "You know something?" He whispered to the man in his arms. "I'm going to be one of Davy's blood anyway. Azrael was his cousin, and it's the same Line."
Brandon looked at him, confused. "Come again."
Wolf just shook his head. "It's not important, Brandon. Just thinking out loud." He just wasn't in the mood to go into the long speech about how family worked within the Kin. He had been happy enough to accept a tie by adoption, that now. "Well, seeing as Lerion is busy with Az, and you are here, let's kill some time. It won't be much linger before I have to go through another spasm. Let's enjoy the time I have till I do.
Azrael had already had to pull away after he had made Harris his Childe, to feed again. Mark lay curled up with Willow and Casey. He regretted the fact that he had to send him back to his little friends, without sharing his love with him. But Lerion had needed him more, than his pet did. And as he pulled back, smiling down into His Childe's face. *Now, even as I give you to my Line, I leave your name, yours. As I did with Harris. Your old bond with your Sire is gone, in its place is mine. But your name is still Lerion. *
Lerion just held him, trembling in his arms. He wanted to protest, to explain that, he wanted to be completely reborn in a new life. For Wolf, he wanted to be reborn.
Azrael bent and kissed him, as Lerion's feelings washed over him. He smiled at what he felt. Now, 'this' was a Sire. Young he might be, no more than a Childe, but he was a fine Sire. *Then, for my Grand-Childe, I name you Vincent. For Wolf, you are and shall always be Vincent. * The seal on the name was set as Azrael lowered his mouth to Vincent's neck. Pulled him close again, holding his head to his throat.
Vincent, who had been Lerion, but no more, whimpered so low that it was near a moan. As he held on, riding out the pain of his rebirth. He had watched Harris and knew that his Sire's blood was much more powerful than his first Sire's had been. But he never realized how much it would hurt. It was almost like he was living through his death spasms again, but this time in one single, agonizing, spasm. *Father, * he hung on as his body shook with the pain.
*Keep feeding Childe, the pain will pass. * The only Childe he had Sired, in the last over four hundred years that wasn't a Mage, had been Topaz. And he just couldn't compare her to anyone. There had been no pain, no, long horrifying hours waiting for the spasms to leave her.
And again the bond of Sire to Childe helped to ease Vincent through those long moments when his body felt like it was being consumed in fire. The blood that was burning a painful trail to his stomach, even as it eased the pain of the rebirth. Stopped; and now only glowed warmly in his belly.
*Now, Childe, come and feed from your Sire, Vincent, as he does from me. *
Wolf cried against Vincent's throat as Azrael gently took his hand to share a three-way bond with the Childe. Vincent was right. His newborn couldn't be without the healing of this bond, the love from his Sire. But as Azrael sank his fangs into Wolf's artery at his wrist He was able to see to it that Vincent did not have to deny his Childe his continued healing.
* * *
"I have a question for you, Father." Harris lay with Doc and Christian, watching as Vincent and Wolf held each other.
"Yes, Childe?"
"I felt you rename Lerion, what did you name him, and why?"
"You are already named after one of the greatest Mages of our kind. And I have been training you under that name. I would have had to strip you of all power to rename you. Whereas, with your brother, I named him Vincent, to help my Grand-Childe, and his First-Born heal. I could do that, neither Kin are Magi, there is no loss of power in the doing."
"Oh." He hadn't considered that. "It's good to hear the name Vincent in this house again. He was a dear friend. My little brother, who took his Chosen will do right by the name."
Azrael just chuckled as he watched Vincent and Wolf turn and pull Brandon into their lovemaking. "Yes, I do believe you are right."
"If anything, his capacity for being such hedonistic bastard is reason enough for the name." Harris chuckled as he watched his brother, pinned between his two. Wolf making love to him, holding him up, as Brandon blew him.
"Yes, well, his remaking was more traumatic than yours. Cameron, might have been little more than a Childe when he made you, and nothing more than just an apprentice, at his death. He was still a Mage, though the comparisons are vast, it is still there. Before his rebirth, Vincent had never had any dealings with me, or the other gifted in my house. It was much harder on him. I did not realize how much it would hurt him." There was such sadness in Azrael's tone. "I think I frightened him a bid. So he is naturally going to go and work it out. He is Wolf's Sire, and Brandon's master. Yet I frightened him. He is reaffirming his dominance."
Harris snapped his fingers. "So that is why after so many of the lessons that you share with Doc and I. The more stunning and frightening the lesson is, the more I want to pin Doc under me and remind him of just who I am to him." Harris chuckled. "Oh my, I just remembered, Christian isn't a Mage. My poor Childe, he is probably going to be worn out by the time he goes to his rest, every morning."
Azrael just shook his head laughing, softly. "I would not bet the farm, pardon the metaphor, if I were you. Your boy there has been known to exhaust his Sire, more than once. And Vincent was much older than you."
"So, Father, do I have to be with you, to feed my Brood?"
Azrael shook his head, his estimation of the youngster increasing. "No, Harris, only to bond. You blood is still the only blood Christian can take and live. Yes, the blood in you is not quite the same now, that you are my Childe, but it is still your blood."
"Thank God." Doc muttered, sitting up by Harris. "No offense, Sire, Grand-Sire. But I thought I was going to die there for a second before it all just sort of ganged up on me, and I don't remember much after that."
Azrael chuckled. "No, Childe, your father can feed you without being locked at my throat. But settle your fears. That will not happen again. It only was the first time you had drank from him, after he became my Childe. It did not do near as much to Christian as it did to you. He is used to my blood, his Sire and I, were Blood Kin. Both Sharra and I share the same, Grand-Sire. Sharra was Vincent's, sire, his mother. So he and I were cousins." He reached out and squeezed Christian's fingers. "Besides, your Childe here, he's been in my home much longer than you have. I have chased him around the bed more than once. The boy is an absolute treasure."
* * *
Gabriel lay, his newborn resting against him. The very fact that she hadn't pulled away yet, was still willing to lie in his arms, was encouraging. Not that he had any, doubts about the powerful connection he now shared with her. But it was still encouraging.
Virgo lay there, lying over and on Gabriel's chest, her hand absentmindedly stroking his skin. *So Virgo, Childe, should I take your willingness to lay with me, as a positive sign? *
*Yes, Sire, but please, I'm not real sure how I will be with any of the others, can I pass for a while, with them? *
Gabriel just laughed. "You are doing nothing more than echoing Hunter's words from a few years ago. Yes, Virgo, if for now, you don't feel quite up to dealing with the other men here. As long as you welcome my Childe, your brother, I will see to it that you are given the time you need." He kissed her softly, before pulling away to sit up. "Now, that you are settled Childe, I think you should try getting to know my girl here."
"But, Gabriel, look at her." Virgo protested. "She is almost as hesitant about women, as I am about men."
"Don't worry about it, Virgo. All you will have to do, for the first few times you love her, is feed her first. You know what our blood does."
Virgo looked at him, stunned. "You want me to bond her to me, Father? But she's yours. I can't do that."
"And she will still be mine, no matter which of us feeds her at night." *Trust me, Virgo, she will be just fine. * "Now no more lip. Come and meet your new brother and our girl. You never had any siblings. So this is a truly new beginning for you."
"What did he call you?" Hunter pulled his new sister close.
She hugged him. "Virgo," he began to laugh. "Hey now. Be nice."
Hunter tried to stop laughing so that he could explain himself, but it really was rather hard. "No, honey," he choked. "It's just that." And he began to laugh even harder. "I'm a Virgo." He fell back on the bed, arms wrapped around his stomach as he held himself laughing.
"Oh, okay," and she giggled. "Sorry, I though you were going to do the Virgo the Virgin jab."
"Nah, I know better than that." He finally got control of himself, though he did chuckle every time he thought about it. "Sapphire, back when she was still Robyn, before we moved in here, had been a witch, and I read a lot of the stuff she had on the new age religion, so I know what Virgo really means. And even though I find it a little funny, it is a real fitting name for you. Fits you like Hunter is going to fit me, one day soon." He reached down to kiss her, stopping just before his lips touched hers. "You're not going to get upset with me if I kiss you, are you?"
*Go on, Childe, Hunter is your brother. * Gabriel pulled Jewel close as he watched his two Fledglings together.
* * *
Susan tried to hold on to Topaz as she was trying to get ready to leave. "Come on, honey." Topaz tried to sooth her fears. "It's okay. Azrael said he would take care of you until Zeph and I bring Darion on our return trip." She glanced to where Shadow was holding Thorne, worry in her eyes. "Calm down Susan. You have got to quit being so afraid. No one is going to hurt you, honey, hell girl, I'd take you with us, but I don't think you could make the trip conscious, right now, and Zeph is already going to have his hands full with his two and Bryan." This was not working out at all like she had hoped it would. "Susan, listen to me." She finally grabbed the girl by the arms in frustration. "We talked about this last night. I wasn't sure then. Just, who I could leave you with when I was gone, but Azrael told me that he would take care of you. Be your master while I am gone. You know him, he's 'my' father."
Susan looked down, trying to think. "You, won't let him hurt me, will you Mistress. Please, I'll do anything you say, but he." She remembered his hard, cold eyes filling her soul.
"I think Azrael scared your girl there, baby." Zephyr noted.
Topaz nodded. "Yeah, I warned him he was last night. But he had to get through to her. It was a real touchy moment there at the time. He figured better, she was frightened of him he could deal with that, than of all of us. Gave her a single focal point for her fear." *Daddy, * Topaz was worried. Susan wasn't behaving at all like she should.
*Yes precious? *
*Zeph and I need to go. One too, many, soulmate's here for him to stomach. But, Susan isn't going with us, and she is terrified. Shad is here, and Thorne is with him. Can you help me? *
Silence for a moment. *Susan, child, * Azrael's gently touched her mind.
She looked up at Topaz, with a gasp of surprise. "He, he's talking to me, in my head."
"Now she's gone from frightened to freaked." Zephyr laughed.
Topaz hit him. "Yeah, honey, but you know he can do that, he talked that way with you last night. * We all can and the nice thing about it is when we talk like this, is has to be the truth. Not even as powerful as my Father is, can he lie to you like this. * "Just calm down and think back at him. He'll hear you."
Susan looked at Topaz, trying to do as she had been told. *Yes, * she tried, shyly.
*Calm yourself child. I have promised you once already that I would help your mistress to see to you. I do not do that by harming you the first moment my Childe's back is turned. Remember what I warned you of fear, and still yours. You are in no danger, you will never, as long as you are here, in my keep, and obey us, ever be in danger. * Then to Topaz, *I am not ready to pull away from my new Son's. So, before you go, bring your girl to me. It will give me a chance to hug you goodbye for a while. * And the link was broke.
Topaz sighed, relieved. "Come on guys, I got to make a stop by Azrael's room to drop Susan off and hug him goodbye. Then, we're outta here."
"Make sure you let me know how my two new uncles are, honey." Shadow looked up from where he had Thorne leaning against him, feeding, suffering through another death spasm. "I'd check myself, but as you can see, I'm a little too busy." *Besides, I don't want to freak either Max or Greg out anymore than they are already. And in the condition Az is probably in right now, that would be the thing to do it. *
*You just don't want him to decide that those two boys of yours look good enough to eat. What is it about you? Bad enough you're pretty enough to make most girls jealous, but Thorne as well, and you two, what is it with you and pretty little boys? *
*Lived with too much ugliness around me after our folks died squirt. I like keeping nice looking things around me, blame Megel. He started me off on this path. *
*Why bother, all he would do is laugh at me and tell me to blame Azrael. *
Shadow laughed out loud. *There are definite advantages to being Kin. *
* * *
Crystal cried out, sitting up. "Shit, now is not the time." She threw herself on Azrael. "Time to get up, he's coming."
"Who?" Azrael was on guard at once. His Childe, his soul, was frightened.
"Tristen, the Renegade that blew up your house, he's coming." She was near frantic. "Now Azrael. We have to get up now, you have to be ready for him, he's mad. There are too many here that he could hurt." She cried out. "Oh, damn, he's here."
The cold of the Paths struck Topaz before she could move from where she had been bantering with Shadow. "What?" She faced the stranger as he stepping into the room before her.
"You're alive." He hissed. "Damn you." He lashed at her.
To be struck back by Zephyr who went at once to defend his wife. *Father! * He cried out as the older vampire knocked him back, reaching for Topaz.
"You should be dead." Fingers tightened around her throat. "I sent enough explosives to blow a hole three times the size of your house."
*Daddy! * Topaz struggled against the hand that held her.
The room exploded is chaos. *Megel! * Shadow going to protect her, Zephyr getting back to his feet to go at the monster that was strangling his woman. Mark pulled away from Willow, Brandon from Melanie as well, going to help their masters, protect Topaz. Thorne trying not to lose his control as the scent of fear filled the room, as Topaz and Zephyr's four as well as Max and Greg cried out in panic.
"Let my Childe go, Renegade." Azrael stood there, the chill of the Paths still hanging in the air around him, but not even the cold of the Dark Paths could compare to the look in his eyes. This was the animal that had killed so many. Who had left so many with soul wounds that he was still trying to see cared for. "Your war is with me, leave the infant out of it."
The intruding, self-confessed Renegade looked up, dropping Topaz, at the sound of Azrael's voice. "No, you can't still be alive." Then he looked around at all the remaining Kin in the room. "No, they're can't be this many of you still alive." Then back to Azrael. "What kind of sorcerers trick is this?"
Azrael couldn't believe his ears. This mad thing, he was blaming him for living. Was actually angry that more had not died. "Sorcerers tricks? You actually sought not just to strike back at me for my help with seeing to Titania's justice, but to see my Line ended? There were innocents here. There were Kin here that had no part in your hate of me. You killed so many, and you are angry that you did not kill more. Vincent is dead, my Grand-Childe as well, most of the Rogues that were living with me. And all but a handful of our pets." Azrael trembled with rage.
Loki touched his arm. *Beloved, * trying to offer his husband. His, help.
The Renegade laughed. "I see your deception Azrael. I know he is dead. So maybe it worked out better that you did not die. It serves you right. And to think, you are going to spend the rest of your life, living with the shame of your cowardliness. You won't follow him into death, so you hide behind his memory."
*Beloved, don't. * Loki's hand tightened on his arm, as Azrael prepared to attack the animal. *Let me. *
Shadow stood there, a burning rage in his chest. "Cain was my Sire's First-Made. I am his First-Born. You thought you had killed me, and you were glad that you had killed Megel's First-Born?" *Father, * Shadow reached out to his Sire.
* Calmly, Shadow. I am here. Trust me Childe, if Azrael doesn't challenge him, I will. And on the ridiculously slim chance that, that, thing wins, then I 'will' challenge him again. *
Loki stepped away from Azrael, just a single step towards the Renegade. "You are right, I did die. And no, my beloved could not follow me. Not out of any cowardliness. He had two infants to care for. My Childe and his." Another step, moving closer to the murderer. "I was sent back, without him, I have no place there." His hand lifted, reaching for the other's throat. "It is to me, you have taken the most from. You killed me. I call challenge." And his fingers wrapped around his throat and tightened with crushing strength.
*Is Loki going to be able to do this? * Cerberus held Zephyr close. He had come almost as quickly as Azrael and Megel. This thing had tried to kill his Childe's lifemate. If Loki couldn't do what needed to be done. He would.
*Oh, yeah, cousin. My Father is fully capable. * Megel's satisfied mind touched his. *Of all the non-Mages here, he is the strongest. Torin with Thorne and Osiris's help repaired the damage to his mind. He has power to spare. *
*Damn. * Cerberus just watched on too stunned to be impressed.
"You killed me, you killed my Grand-Childe, and so many others here." Loki threw him back, against the wall. "I'm going to kill you first, and then I will release your soul so that My Kin can see you pay for eternity." Loki, who was always the most gentle of men, raged. All vestiges of humanity left his face as his fangs come down. "I'm going to kill you." And Loki attacked.
Azrael stood, there, shocked, as the two fought. This wasn't his love. Loki had never, not in all the time that they had been together, been like this.
*Beware the fury of a patient man. * Cerberus agreed with Azrael, this wasn't like Loki at all.
There was almost no flash of cold as suddenly there was another in the room. One moment, Loki was beginning to rip the Renegade apart, the next, he stumbled against Azrael. The Renegade was slammed back against the wall, screaming. Blood pouring from every orifice. *Die. * The, cold, command.
The room was silent. All were watching this creature that stood before them. He wasn't a tall form. Standing no more than a little over four and a half feet tall. His black hair was long, and dull. His features were such a study in contradictions. In one way, almost graceful, bur in another, the body, he rested there in a squat. Arms just a tad too long, shoulders wider than what would have looked normal. Legs, that though they were short, were powerful. Ears that pulled to a slender point, and his face, with the heavy bow and square, almost brutish, jaw. He wasn't ugly. In his own way, he was quite beautiful. But it was the eyes that drew the most attention. They were green. Solid, green no irises, no pupils, just green. A, green, that seemed to glow softly, with power.
And the power of them, it was oppressive. It forced the Kin is the room to their knees . *No, don't. * He held out a hand to Topaz who huddled before him.
Topaz looked at the hand, then at the strange looking creature that offered it. Whimpering, she backed away. *Sire, * she looked pleadingly at Azrael, but her father was struggling himself, with the power that now overwhelmed him. "Who are you." He got out through gritted teeth.
*Don't, please. * He held up his hands. *Peace, no, threat. I am no threat to you. * He closed his eyes, struggling for control, and the power lessened. *Peace. * His eyes opened again, but this time, the power of them didn't weigh on others with such crushing force.
Azrael struggled to his feet, as all around him, several others did as well. "Who are you?" 'What are you'? He wanted to ask.
*Drax, my birth name, is in a language that you would not understand, but to my mother's people, I am Drax. *
'Drax, his mother's people' , Azrael looked at him, not sure exactly what to say.
*As to what I am, I am the parent of your Line. I have followed its progress, from my first to the young in this room. *
"Then that would mean you are . . ." Azrael began.
*The eldest of the first three, * Drax finished for him. Smiling to display long and viscous looking fangs. *There are only three complete, Lines. I am the father or yours. I started it with my First-Born, and it has grown ever since. *
Azrael went to his knee again, Megel, Shadow, Gabriel and Cerberus following. "Elder, Sire," he whisper, as he hung his head. This, ancient Kin, he was the eldest of the original three, was the first of their kind.
*Don't *. There was despair in his thoughts. *Please, I cannot. Long have I been away from so many. Please, Mageling, don't. * He looked back to where Topaz huddled against Zephyr and Cerberus. *I am no threat to you, any of you. You are my Children. *
Azrael and Loki helped Crystal and Selene up. "What is it you desire, Elder?"
*Nothing, now that I know my younger brother's soul is well and within my Line. I have waited for so many centuries for Kiv's soul to be known to me. * He looked to Azrael. *With the coming of your soulbonded, Kiv has returned. I can rest now. *
"Kiv?" Crystal whispered to Loki.
*Yes, Seer, the soul you share with your Sire is that of my brother. I am the eldest and last. Ryllin faded first. I know where my brother is. But Kiv, he was never released. His soul, it traveled on, to be reborn. I waited for him. And now, he has returned. I can finally join Grel, after so long, I will be with my love, my lifemate, and the first, of my Children. *
"The woman on which you learned of our Gift." Azrael felt both wonder, and intense gratitude at how great the honor that the Creator of their race's presence was.
Though Azrael knew that he was no more than an infant to this ancient. He could empathize with the pain of having to spend millennia without the keeper of his heart. He had come so close to having to live that horrid pain. Not even the finding of the other part of his soul would have ever fully eased it.
*I am tired. I have watched over my children for more than a hundred and fifty thousand years. I am tired. I only stayed on, waiting for my younger brother's return. Planning, if they were not one of my people already, I would see to it. But now, I can sleep. I only need to be released so that I can finally, be with her. I am tired of being with her, but not. Release me, and place my body with the rest of the sleepers in your keep. *
"Why doesn't he just talk?" Shadow rubbed her temples. The power in the ancient's mind was painful.
*You would not understand me if I did. My language is very different from yours. But here, you can understand my thoughts and meanings. * There was an almost apologetic tone to the words. *And here, you know the truth. *
"But, won't you at least tell us a little about what we are?" Crystal was on fire. She had not seen his coming. He was outside the loop. Oh, she had seen the Renegades death, but she had thought it was going to be Loki that killed him.
*I am tired, Seer, I seek my death. You will know all that I am, soon enough. I have come here to have your Sire release me. With your coming, Kiv's soul is whole again. He will be strong enough to help me to seek my woman. With the, taking, of my blood, my history will be known to him, and as the rest feed from him, they will know it as well. *
Azrael stood there lost for words. This most immortal of all his kind was going to have him release him so that he could seek the Shadow Realm. He wanted him to do this. Azrael just couldn't come to terms with the enormous honor that Drax was placing on him.
*You are the eldest Mage of my Line that still lives. There are a few of my Line that are older then you, but none that are Magi. The soul of my brother is within you. So who better for me to, turn to, to ask rest? * Drax rose to move to where Azrael stood. *Come Childe, I have done my duty to my Children, I leave my burden on your shoulders now. Watch over my Children, even as you guard your own. * And he faded.
Azrael caught Drax's body as it fell. * I release you, go, seek your Childe, Father of us all. * Azrael's body jerked violently with the first taste of Drax's blood. He could do little more than sob in pain as he drank, releasing the eldest of his kind.
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