Chapter Four

For two weeks Aridas allowed Talah to remain secretive about his identity, but it was time to end it. There was too much at stake—for himself and the Order—for Aridas to let Talah keep quiet. He found Talah on the archery range. The fallen angel’s aim had greatly improved from when he’d first arrived. Aridas leaned back against the wall, arms crossed as he watched Talah intently.

As he nocked the arrow to the bow, Talah stiffened. Then he drew back the arrow and let it fly. It hit the target off to the side of the center. Clearly something had disturbed his concentration. Frowning, Talah handed the bow to his trainer then listened before he nodded. Talah headed back into the compound in the opposite direction.

Aridas trailed behind Talah. He caught the door to Talah’s room just before it closed. “You can’t avoid me forever.”

“Why not?” Talah stilled beside his dresser. Not bothering to look at Aridas, he opened one of the drawers and pulled out another set of clothes.

“Because it is futile, especially here.” Aridas closed the door, taking care to lock it. “Sit. We have much to discuss.”

Tossing the shirt and pants on top of the dresser, Talah stared at him for a long moment before he finally sat on the edge of the bed. “What do we have to discuss?”

“How about you start with the truth? It will be much easier that way.”

“What truth?”

“I’m done playing games, Talah. If you don’t tell me willingly then I will force it out of you.”

Talah stood abruptly. “Look, I don’t know what you’re talking about, Aridas. It’s time for me to meet with Tern.”

“Report to my office when you are done.” Within the blink of an eye, Aridas was gone.

Ignoring his own bad feeling, Talah changed his clothes before he left the room. It only took him a moment to get to the Order’s library. Looking around, he saw Tern hadn’t shown up yet, so he headed down one of the aisles to get a head start on the books he needed. He pulled one of the books from the shelf and leafed through it. He could hear the voice of others entering the library, but he didn’t pay much attention to them.

“Did Sipiel speak to you yet, Enael?”

“Yes. But he wasn’t sure what the trouble was about.” The sound of books landing on a table followed.

“Aridas has been short of temper lately and it’s not like him.”

Talah looked up from the book and moved closer to the voices, taking care not to be seen.

“Anything that bothers our leader is bound to be a great deal of trouble, Aseron.”

The comment hit Talah like a blow. His mentor was the leader of the Order of the Highest. Disbelief kept him frozen as the other two walked off. When he could move, he headed around the bookshelves back into the central area of the library. The book was nearly forgotten in his hand.

“Ah, there you are.” Tern appeared at the end of the aisle. “Did you find the books on my list?”

“Uh, yes, I found one of them, Tern.”

“Wonderful. One of them is in Aridas’ office. Though, when you go to get it, be aware, he’s been in a mood lately.”

“It would be,” Talah muttered under his breath. “I’ll take this back to my room and get the other book as well. Did you need me for anything else?”

Tern thought for a moment. “Oh. Yes. Taleon sent word for you to be in his office in one hour.”

“Why am I popular all of a sudden?”

Tern shrugged. “Beats me. Get that book from Aridas, though, and get yourself to Taleon’s office.” With that, Tern left the library.

Talah put down the book. Not about to ignore his sense of inner alarm, he strode to the door and looked out. Instead of heading for the upstairs offices, he walked to the outer door of the building and went outside.

Once he was free and clear of the structure, his wings unfurled and he took flight. He had to get back to Sepha before any of the Order got their hands on him. In a blur of speed, distance displaced for him, and when it slowed he landed on one of the streets of Nara. Making his way to the nearby bar, Talah pushed opened the door. No doubt Sepha would show up sooner or later, and Talah was prepared to wait for him.

“What can I get ya?” a woman asked as she approached him just as he sat at one of the tables.

“A bottle of your strongest stuff.” Talah knew Sepha wouldn’t be at home right now. The demon was normally out recruiting through the area with Oriyas, but Talah had little doubt they would eventually come into the bar.

“On the way, hun.” She headed off to the bar.

The door opened a moment later and a hooded, cloaked figure walked in. No one seemed to notice the newcomer as the figure went to a table in a dark corner. When another woman approached the stranger, there were hushed voices, a nod of her head, and she left the table again.

Talah kept an eye on the door, but ignored the stranger for the most part as he waited for his drink. Before the barmaid could return, Sepha came in. Immediately Sepha’s golden gaze found him.

“What are you doing here, my sweet?” Sepha purred.

Keeping his voice low, Talah got right to the point. “I’ve had a problem, Sepha. I believe they’ve somehow discovered who I am.”

“You will explain everything to me later.” Sepha paused when Oriyas walked up to the table. “It seems my young one has returned to us unexpectedly.”

“What happened?” Oriyas asked.

“They know who I am,” Talah said.

Oriyas lifted an eyebrow. “How?”

Sepha cupped Talah’s face in his hand, his talons sharp, digging into Talah’s skin as Sepha pulled him closer. From the look in Sepha’s eyes, Talah hazarded a guess that the demon might know more than Talah wanted him to.

“My precious Talah will tell me all about it later, won’t you?” Not letting Talah answer, Sepha kissed him hard.

When the barmaid set down several mugs in the center of the table, Sepha pulled back and smirked. He lifted his mug and took a healthy swallow. “Return to the house. You will explain everything there.” Finishing off his drink, Sepha stood. “I expect you there promptly.”

Oriyas got up as well and followed. “Do you want me to handle Isasen?”

“No, we will both take care of him then I will return home,” Sepha answered before directing a look back at Talah. His faint smile spoke volumes.

After drinking half of his cup, Talah set it down then slid out of the booth to leave as well.

Sepha and Oriyas made it out the door, but just before Talah neared it, the cloaked figure shimmered into form before him. “Upstairs. Now.”

Recognizing the voice, Talah stiffened, but before he could get away, a relentless grip encircled his arm. He had no choice but to follow as Aridas pulled him up the stairs and down the hall to one of the private rooms. The second Aridas locked the door, he slammed Talah face-first against it.

“Leaving was a very stupid idea.”

Pain shot through Talah as his face pressed into the wood. He growled and twisted, freeing his arm, and went for Aridas. He had no doubt the angel planned to kill him.

An iron grip seized his arms, wrenching both behind Talah’s back. Aridas used his free hand to rip Talah’s pants open. “You came into my House under false pretense,” he snarled. Hard, heated flesh slid between Talah’s thighs. “But you made one very bad mistake…” Two barely-slick fingers thrust into Talah. Aridas’ voice dropped to a whisper. “You left.”

Shock rippled through Talah. He hadn’t expected this at all. Before he could subdue his own response, a low moan escaped him. “Aridas.”

Withdrawing his hand, Aridas spit on his palm, slicked his cock and pushed in, filling and stretching Talah without stopping. His entire length buried deep inside, Aridas pinned Talah to the wall, one hand reaching around between Talah’s body and the wooden wall to wrap tight around his prick. “Don’t do it again.”

Talah was lost and he knew it. He had no resistance to Aridas. The pressure filled him and his thoughts spun wildly out of control. “Fuck me, Aridas. Let me feel you again.”

“If I see him near you again, I will kill him,” Aridas snarled in Talah’s ear, his thrusts brutal as he pumped in and out of Talah’s body.

Talah realized what had brought this out in the angel. He met each thrust, wallowing in the roughness as he reached back for Aridas. He could feel Aridas everywhere inside him. It felt as if Aridas had taken complete possession of him, and Talah gave in to it. “I just want you.”

“Prove it.” Aridas stopped moving. “Come.”

The echo of Aridas’ voice ran deep inside Talah. Before he could still or control it, the sudden urge overwhelmed him. Without even touching himself, he began to shake and he cried out to his lover as he came.

“Where do you belong?”

Collapsing back against Aridas, Talah shivered uncontrollably. He knew the answer and could no longer deny it. “With you.”

Aridas pulled out slowly then slammed back inside, hips jerking as light exploded around them, fusing their souls.

Blinded by the energy, Talah felt the piercing heat envelop him. Within it, he felt nothing but Aridas. He didn’t even hear his own cry as tears rolled unheeded down his cheeks. He’d been brought home, where he belonged.

Easing out, Aridas drew Talah back toward the bed. “Shhh, I’m here.” He got them on the bed and held Talah close.

“I work for the Damnation sect, Aridas. They sent me to the Order of the Highest to gain information about your Order.”

“I wondered if they might be behind it. Thank you for telling me, Talah.” Aridas slipped a finger beneath Talah’s chin. “You will be safe with me, but only if you do not keep secrets anymore. If there’s more I need to know, tell me. I know the being you spoke with earlier, but by reputation only. Anything more you can tell me will help us both.”

“Sepha is the leader. Originally, he wanted me in your Order. Then he decided to keep me, and the Low Council demanded he send me on my mission. I don’t really know that much about him.”

“What is he up to?” Aridas mused quietly.

“I don’t really know. He never told me. But I don’t think he’ll let go of me easily. You’ve seen what he’s like.”

“I have, unfortunately. Sepha is a warmonger, Talah. I wouldn’t put anything of that magnitude past him.”

“We probably shouldn’t stay here long. He’s going to come looking for me once he finds out I’m not home.” Talah tried to get out of the bed so they could leave.

“In a minute.” Aridas stopped him, rolling half on top of Talah. “I want a kiss first.”

Finding himself pinned back to the bed, Talah draped his arms over Aridas’ shoulders. He lifted his head, covering Aridas’ lips, and parted them with his tongue. In the kiss, he tried to express all he could of his own growing need for the angel.

Licking Talah’s lips, Aridas pulled back slowly. “Now we can go.”

Talah wanted Aridas’ hands on him and he arched against him. “In a minute we can.”

Aridas chuckled, hand sliding down, fingers closing around Talah’s cock. “What do you want, Talah?”

“To always be a part of you.”

“You always will be.” Aridas slid down and traced the length of Talah’s cock with his tongue.

Talah parted his legs for Aridas, giving the angel access to him. Drawing up his knees, Talah rolled his hips, urging Aridas to do more. Aridas rolled the lower half of Talah’s body upward. Then Aridas flicked his tongue over Talah’s hole, never breaking eye contact.

“Please, Aridas, please.”

Aridas lowered him and, with Talah slick with spit, he thrust his cock inside in one smooth motion. “Come on,” he whispered, leaning down to lick Talah’s lips, “take what you want.”

Talah wrapped his legs around Aridas and met the angel’s movements, stroke for stroke. He bit at Aridas’ lower lip hard enough to draw blood then licked away the few drops.

“I want everything.” Aridas rolled them until Talah was on top. Gripping Talah’s hips, he thrust up, pushing his cock deeper.

Giving Aridas what he asked for, Talah spread his violet wings out. The movement of his hips continuously impaled him on Aridas’ cock as Talah’s nails lengthened then ran downward over the angel’s chest.

“Take me…” With the words, Aridas turned his head, baring his neck in invitation.

“I give it all to you.” His true nature began to show as he lowered his head to Aridas’ throat. This was something he’d never done for anyone, yet Talah willingly did it for Aridas. Talah sank his teeth into the tender flesh and drank greedily. Talah’s climax surprised him, wave after wave rolling over him in exquisite pleasure.

“Talah.” Aridas whispered the name seconds before heat rushed through them both, his body arching beneath Talah’s as he came.

They both remained joined together as Talah continued taking Aridas’ blood. When everything slowly returned to normal, Talah released him. Lifting his head, he licked at the drops of blood left on them as he stared down at Aridas. “I will always hunger for you.”

“And I will always be here to sate that hunger.”

“I know that somehow, but we really should leave now.”

“I agree.” Talah got off the bed and picked up the remnants of his pants. “I suppose I should be grateful my tunic covers everything.”

Aridas chuckled and dressed. “Sorry about that. I’ll make sure you have replacements when we return to the Order.”

Talah dropped the pants with a shrug. “Come on. Let’s get out of here.”

“Right behind you.”