Angelic Ties

His Guardian Angels 2 

Angelic Ties Madigan Parker thought accepting a relationship with his five guardian angels was difficult. He's learning that being in a relationship with all of them is more difficult as personalities clash. Bren still distrusts Cross, Yuri believes he's the odd man out, and Michel is just too nice to put his foot down with any of them. While Dex is the only one admitting to the mutual affection and attraction that is growing between them, Madigan has his hands full. He wants to take back his life and reopen his business. But being a baker proves difficult as old enemies circle closer, and keeping his lovers safe proves to be a lot trickier than Madigan originally thought. Torn between the life he had and the new life awaiting him, he has to decide if staying in the town he calls home is worth the risk to his men and to his heart. Genre: Alternative (M/M or F/F), Fantasy, Ménage a Trois/Quatre Length: 28,514 words

ANGELIC TIES His Guardian Angels 2

Jana Downs

LOVEXTREME FOREVER MANLOVE

Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com

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A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK IMPRINT: LoveXtreme Forever ManLove

ANGELIC TIES Copyright © 2012 by Jana Downs E-book ISBN: 1-61926-595-8 First E-book Publication: April 2012 Cover design by Les Byerley All art and logo copyright © 2012 by Siren Publishing, Inc. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: This literary work may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including electronic or photographic reproduction, in whole or in part, without express written permission. All characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead is strictly coincidental.

PUBLISHER Siren Publishing, Inc. www.SirenPublishing.com

Letter to Readers Dear Readers, If you have purchased this copy of Angelic Ties by Jana Downs from BookStrand.com or its official distributors, thank you. Also, thank you for not sharing your copy of this book.

Regarding E-book Piracy This book is copyrighted intellectual property. No other individual or group has resale rights, auction rights, membership rights, sharing rights, or any kind of rights to sell or to give away a copy of this book. The author and the publisher work very hard to bring our paying readers high-quality reading entertainment. This is Jana Downs’s livelihood. It’s fair and simple. Please respect Ms. Downs’s right to earn a living from her work. Amanda Hilton, Publisher www.SirenPublishing.com www.BookStrand.com

DEDICATION To Kandyce. Just because.

 

ANGELIC TIES His Guardian Angels 2 JANA DOWNS Copyright © 2012

Chapter One Madigan glared up at the two men who circled above him like hawks twelve feet up in the air. The analogy was apt because they were angels after all. “Give me back my book!” Madigan shouted as they tossed his paperback back and forth between them. It was the most ridiculous version of monkey in the middle Madigan had ever been subjected to. When the angels had wandered outside to test the barrier, Madigan had tagged along with his book in hand in hopes of returning to it when they’d finished. So much for that. Bren swooped low, his black wings tucked against his body as he dove and offered up the novel to Madigan’s outstretched fingers, only to snatch it back and toss it to Michel when Madigan’s fingertips grazed the spine. “Argh!” Madigan yelled in frustration. They’d been playing this game in the front yard for almost half an hour now. He was freezing. It was a ridiculously cold October. He wrapped his Harry Potter yellow-and-maroon scarf more tightly around his neck and crossed his arms. It was hard to believe only a few weeks ago, the week of his birthday, that he’d been wearing a T-shirt outside and worrying about rain. That was before the weather had turned cold and the threat of

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death had confined Madigan to his mother’s house until his five guardian angels could come up with a solution to protect him against his enemies. They had found a rather unconventional solution to the problem, one that required Madigan to essentially marry all five of them for a temporary cease-fire. They were all still getting used to the idea. It was the first day they’d ventured outside in almost two weeks. Cross and Yuri had been working on creating a barrier between the yard of Madigan’s mother’s house and the rest of the neighborhood. It wasn’t to keep the hunters, those angels which hunted nephilim like Madigan, out. It was to keep the neighbors from seeing angels flying in and out of the house. None of the angels could drive, and Madigan hadn’t been able to since they wouldn’t let him leave the house without all of them in tow. His car wasn’t big enough to fit five massive warrior angels plus himself. “Bren, Michel, knock it off.” Cross’s stern voice was a welcome interruption. Madigan glanced up in time to see his red-haired lover walk down the steps and onto the sidewalk. Their eyes met. “The barrier seems to be holding. No one is standing and pointing.” “I’m more worried about one of them dropping my book in a puddle,” Madigan griped. The two angels above him landed softly on the grass a few feet from where Madigan and Cross were talking. Michel’s aqua-colored eyes shone with mischief. “Sorry, cutey.” He tossed the book across the space that separated them, and Madigan nearly dropped the book himself when he caught it. He glared at the angels. “You guys suck.” “Only when asked nicely,” Bren quipped, not missing a beat. His black eyes focused on Madigan, and the nephilim felt the heat of it down to his toes. His sex drive immediately kicked in, hardening his body in preparation for some serious fucking. He sighed and rolled his eyes. Angelic puberty gave him a perpetual hard-on the likes of which he’d never experienced before. It was a constant state of

 

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readiness that the angels in his life were more than willing to indulge him in. “So when can I go back to work?” Madigan wondered before the others caught wind of his idea and whisked him elsewhere. The angels shared a look. Madigan frowned. “What? It’s a simple question. I agreed to stay here until we found a way to keep me safe outside the house. We did that. Good Eat Sweets is losing business every day I’m ‘on vacation.’” “We understand that—” Cross began. Oh no. Every time he started the conversation, Madigan knew that the guardians were about to make a demand of him that he was going to hate. “Dammit all, Cross. Don’t you do this,” Madigan interrupted. “Told you he wouldn’t go for it,” Bren cut in. He pointed at Cross and glared. “He wants you to stay in sanctuary indefinitely.” Cross snarled. “Way to be a team player, Bren!” He clenched his fists and returned Bren’s glare. “You agreed to this last night.” “I wasn’t happy with it then, if you recall.” Bren crossed his arms and stepped closer to Madigan. “Not. The. Point,” Cross snapped. “When did you all have time to have this little conversation?” Madigan wondered incredulously. They hadn’t gotten into bed until almost one last night after they’d spent most of the evening making love. Coming together with them was always a decadent experience and left him utterly exhausted. He didn’t understand how any of them had the energy. “After you went to bed, we went into the angel room and had a guardians’ meeting,” Cross admitted after a moment of silence. “Yuri assessed the situation from his position as our scholar and told us that the binding, though we’re very firmly connected to you, has weaknesses in the bond between one another.” His eyes shot to Bren before coming back to Madigan. “That means that it’s not one hundred percent safe for you to leave sanctuary.”

 

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“Can we take this conversation inside?” Michel interrupted the explanation. “Madigan is shivering.” They all went into action then, ushering him toward the warmth and confinement of the house. Madigan was getting cabin fever, and if Cross didn’t cave on the subject, he was going to flip out. Michel’s arm settled over his shoulder. “Stop thinking so hard, cutey. I promise that we’ll be reasonable.” “What’s your version of reasonable?” Madigan shot back, leaning into the touch. He looked up at the kissable lips of his angel lover and sighed. He could forgive them all for almost everything when they were touching him. Michel’s mouth was fuller than most, too. Absolutely yummy. Michel’s face broke out into a grin. “We’re divinely reasonable.” “Divine huh?” Madigan poked his lover’s ribs. “And what does this divine reason get me?” “Five overprotective angels and a lot of orders.” Madigan huffed. Now that was truer than any statement ever made. He hadn’t seen any members of the sect of angels who were calling for his blood since the night of his birthday, but he heard enough about them to fill a book. Each of his angels told him stories of the downright hate crimes that the hunters committed against half angels like Madigan. Death was apparently the kindest option that the hunters offered. But it was hard to be fearful of people that he hadn’t seen or heard from in weeks. Once they were all situated in the angel room, Madigan turned on them. “So I think keeping me here under lock and key for an indeterminate amount of time is complete bullshit. My mom left me the bakery to manage, and we’ve made zero money since I agreed to be under house arrest. Beyond that, you all promised me that once we were bound together I would have more freedom. Do the words cease-fire ring any bells?” “We’re having trouble bonding together, Madigan. You have to understand it isn’t every day that angels from different choirs bond. It

 

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simply isn’t done,” Cross hedged. So he was to be the spokesman for the group, eh? Madigan growled. “I don’t care if it isn’t done. It isn’t done in my world to marry five other hunky men, either, but I did it. That is no excuse, and you know it. I’m going to work on Monday come hell or high water, and you guys will work out your differences by then.” He pointed to first Cross and then Bren. “You two especially. Every night we’re in bed together, you two never touch. It’s time to get over it. Got me?” The two angels looked like he’d sprung another head. “I mean it!” he snapped. He had been frustrated over their inability, no, unwillingness to connect for weeks now. “Either you two work something out or else neither one of you bother coming to my bed. I’ve had it with your schoolyard bullshit. We’re a family now. For better or worse. Start acting like it.” Bren was the first to react. “That’s bullshit, bright eyes! We can’t just manifest feelings and trust between us because you declare it so.” “In this I have to agree, Madigan. You’re being unreasonable,” Cross agreed immediately. “The hunters will not care that you have a business to run, and I will not take a chance in losing you.” Those copper-colored eyes of his slid down to the floor. “You mean too much to all of us.” “But for this to work, you have to all mean something to each other as well. Yuri, tell them,” Madigan said in exasperation. Yuri nodded his dirty-blond head. “I agree with Madigan. The ancient texts specifically said that we all had to bond as well. You two both focus all your energy on Madigan and none on the rest of us. You’re being selfish dicks.” “I’m not being a selfish dick!” Bren exploded in his usual show of temper. “I would die for Madigan!” “You’d have to be willing to die for the rest of us, too, Bren,” Dex spoke, uncurling his massive bulk from its position against the wall. “You’re fine with taking pleasure from the rest of us but not giving it. And Cross won’t even give us that.”  

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“Oh give me a break! You and Michel and Yuri love each other? Riiiiggghhht. Just because you’re more willing to fuck each other stupid doesn’t mean that you’re in love,” Bren snapped. Dex took a menacing step forward. “I care very deeply for everyone in this house, Bren. Everyone. Including you. Don’t you dare dismiss the deep affection I feel. If that is what love is, then rest assured, I love you all very much.” Bren gasped, and Madigan smiled. Dex had been the scariest out of them all at first, but his tough exterior hid a heart that was soft and loving. He was proud of his man for making that announcement. Madigan stood and walked over to the big angel and embraced him in a tight hug. “Thank you, baby,” Madigan said warmly. “That means so much to me.” Dex kissed the top of his head. “I meant it, Madigan. We’re bound, and I won’t allow any fears to keep me from my mates.” He shot a look at Bren and Cross. “Any of them.” Yuri clapped his hands. “Well, now that that is settled, I guess you two better start working on your relationship if we’re going to Madigan’s work on Monday.” “What do you mean ‘we’?” Madigan squeaked. “I can’t have all of you in the bakery!” Dex squeezed him tight. “We can’t leave you alone, Madigan. Besides, I’m sure you will be able to find us something to do.” “Oh for the love of God!” Madigan moaned. How was he ever going to get anything accomplished with his massive band of angels in tow? They were beautiful and distracting, and he could guarantee none of them knew the first thing about baking. Well, maybe Dex, but that would be it! “I’m going to the kitchen to make some sandwiches. Who wants one?” he asked, trying to distract himself from the growing feeling of dread that opening the shop Monday was going to cause. He was going to have a mess on his hands.

 

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“I’m so in!” Yuri called, jumping down from his perch atop the couch and sprinting toward the French doors. Dex started laughing. “Me, too.” He scooped up a protesting Madigan and took off in pursuit. Madigan rolled his eyes, but the laughter was infectious and soon he was laughing right along with them. He was sure his angels could work out some of the kinks in their relationship by Monday if it meant that would be the only way they had of protecting him. As much as Madigan hated to play dirty, he wasn’t above it to ensure the safety and happiness of his angels. If that meant he’d have to play hardball, so be it.

 

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Chapter Two Bren and Cross stood and started making their way to the door in an effort to follow the other guardians and their charge into the kitchen. Michel slapped a hand on either of their shoulders. “Boys, we need to talk.” They turned in unison to glare at him. “You know that you’re being stubborn about this, and it’s about time for you two to learn to share.” He licked his lips nervously. “I think I’m the best one for the job.” “Madigan can—” Cross started. “No, Madigan can’t. Every time you two share him, you start competing. You have to have neutral ground to start on.” He pointed to himself. “I’m about as neutral as you can get. I can bottom or top, and I don’t mind being completely one or the other. Not to mention Dex will not have the patience for your mouth, Bren. And Yuri will be cracking smart-ass jokes in an effort to hide his nervousness with you, Cross.” “I don’t see why Madigan can’t be in the middle if we promise to try and not be so competitive,” Bren grumbled. Michel shook his head. “It’s not about tolerating one another so that you can touch the one you love. It’s about loving each other and wanting to touch one another. Working as a team will help that.” They both opened their mouths to protest, but Michel cut them off. “Do you really want to risk Madigan’s safety because you were both unwilling to try?” That shut them up. Michel had to agree with Madigan. If they could just get over their distrust of one another, Cross and Bren could make something infinitely beautiful with the rest of them. He looked

 

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at the two of them beneath lowered lashes. He wouldn’t mind being the one to get them used to each other, either. Both angels were strong and sure and loyal to a fault. But, while the relationship between Madigan, Dex, Yuri, and himself had grown with each passing day, the two of them just seemed to be growing farther apart. It was tragic really. “What do you propose we do?” Cross asked after another moment of silence. Michel considered them. They were both so tense a loud noise would probably send them bolting. Slowly, he walked to the door. “Join me upstairs in our room and we’ll discuss it.” It was a gamble, but Michel knew if they bucked here there wasn’t a point in discussing anything. “We’re just going to talk?” Bren asked. He wasn’t being his normal snarky self for once. He looked almost afraid. Which was ridiculous because it was a well-known fact that he loathed more than feared Cross. They were equals as far as strength went. “We’re just going to talk,” Michel reassured. “We won’t do anything that we’re not all prepared for, all right?” Bren nodded but didn’t look up. “Cross?” Michel posed the question. Was he in or out? A lot hung on his answer. The red-haired angel nodded. “Lead the way.” **** “Do you think they’ll be all right?” Madigan asked from his perch on the barstool as they heard the telltale sound of multiple pairs of feet stomp up the stairs in the direction of the bedrooms. He couldn’t help but shiver at the thought of what was going to be going on in just a few short minutes. Maybe. The idea of it got him hot at any rate. “They’re in good hands with Michel. He’s quite soothing and nonthreatening when he wants to be, and that’s just what they need,”

 

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Dex reassured. He placed a sandwich, minus the crust, in from of Yuri and then got out another two pieces of bread. “PB and J, love?” Madigan nodded. Dex knew his food tastes so well, he could predict down to the salad dressing what Madigan would want on any given night. He was a great cook, too. It was really nice not to be the one in the kitchen all the time. He glanced at Yuri, who sat reading a copy of Sports Illustrated and drinking a Monster energy drink. He was probably the angel he knew least. He knew he was the scholar and could communicate with Dex via a telepathic link. Beyond that, he knew Yuri had a foul mouth and a really strange sense of humor but little else. He was also the “consort” that he had spent the least amount of time with one-on-one. It was hard getting to know all of his consorts individually when they were all cooped up together. Plus Yuri tended to spend a great deal of time in the angel room poring over texts he got from God only knew where. “If you keep staring at me like that, Madigan, I’m going to take it as an invitation,” Yuri said, not even looking up from his magazine. He flipped the page. Madigan blushed. He hadn’t meant to be caught staring. “You can stare at me anytime, babe. Just warning you, listening to them screw is going to turn me on.” There was the crudity that Madigan had grown accustomed to in Uriel’s angel. He didn’t even bat an eyelash when Yuri said it now. “So do you think they’ll actually go through with it?”Madigan asked. He was curious as to what the other angels thought about the situation with Cross and Bren. Yuri shrugged and raised his eyes to meet Madigan’s. “I think that anything too intimate is going to send one or both of them back to ground, but if Michel runs interference, I think they’ll get it done.” Dex put a sandwich in front of Madigan on a small white plate. Yuri turned his head and gave Dex a kiss of thanks. The bigger man relaxed into it immediately, and Madigan watched the beauty of the two of them kiss with a sigh of happiness. His men were so damn

 

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beautiful together. He loved watching them almost as much as he loved them touching him. Almost. The two pulled back when Dex nipped at Yuri’s full bottom lip. “Eat your sandwich,” Gabriel’s angel commanded. “I worked hard on that.” Yuri snorted. “Slaved over a stove all day. I pity you.” He reached out and pinched Dex’s ass. Dex laughed and stepped out of his reach. Those two were very comfortable with one another. Madigan wished all of his lovers would be so easy together. Dex turned his attention on Madigan as he took a bite. He made a happy little noise as the taste of apple jelly and peanut butter hit his tongue. Yuri laughed at him. “The noises you make when you eat are not normal.” He chuckled, shaking his head. “Sex comes to mind.” Madigan finished chewing his bite and swallowed. “Hmph,” he said. “Sex always comes to mind with you. Doesn’t matter what sort of noises I make.” Yuri shrugged like that was beside the point. “I can’t help that you are adorable. It is your burden to bear.” He picked up his own sandwich and took a bite. “Hmmm, though in your defense,” he murmured through a mouthful of sandwich, “Dex makes a mean PB and J.” Madigan was surprised when Dex picked him up off his stool and sat down in his once-occupied chair, settling the nephilim in his lap. “I enjoy the fact that you enjoy the food I give you,” the big angel admitted. He was Madigan’s unexpected sweetheart. Out of all his angels, Dex was probably the most tenderhearted. Madigan settled back into his angel’s embrace as Yuri continued to make remarks about sex and food being linked and let Dex feed him from his fingertips. He imagined that they were trying to distract him from worrying over Cross and Bren. He licked the peanut butter off of Dex’s finger as he offered a bite of sandwich to him. The big angel shifted underneath him, the massive cock Madigan was sitting on starting to stir. The half angel smiled at that. It didn’t take much to get  

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any of them going. Thank God. As a nephilim going through puberty, Madigan had a sex drive that would rival any horny teenager. In the two weeks he’d been under house arrest, he’d become very familiar with the multiple O. A groan sounded from the bedroom above them. “Well, that sounds like a good sign,” Yuri commented dryly, turning his attention back to his magazine. Madigan took another bite of sandwich. He sure hoped so. **** “Bren, you have to relax just a little bit,” Cross soothed as Michel kissed his way down Bren’s rigid chest. “You’ve done this with me in the room with you before.” He genuinely wanted to mend the tension between them. He hadn’t expected to want to, but he did. And it wasn’t just for Madigan’s sake, either. Over the past few weeks, he’d grown much more accustomed to the touches of the other angels, all of them except Bren. For some reason, either one or both of them just started fighting whenever there was even a hint of intimacy between them. Maybe it was because of the bond that was growing between them, but Cross felt like his circle was incomplete without the other angel in this with him. “Yeah, well, you’re not usually looking at me like that,” Bren snapped. His characteristic flare of temper wasn’t an unexpected reaction. He lashed out when he was uncomfortable. That was just the way he was. Cross just needed to learn not to let the other man goad him. “You’re not fucking me. So get the idea out of your head.” The added snarl surprised him. So that was what Bren was afraid of? Cross fucking him? “Bren, he’s right. You need to relax just a little bit,” Michel murmured against Bren’s neck. His hands smoothed down Bren’s chest and played with the hem of his pants. Even from where Cross stood, he could see that the other angel was hard.

 

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“I thought we were just going to t–talk,” Bren stammered a mild protest. Cross watched his face flush with desire, and he had to admit that it was a beautiful sight. Out of everyone here, besides Madigan, Bren was probably the most attractive to Cross. His long, black eyelashes and deep eyes reminded him of the thickest part of night. That coal-black hair was just thick enough to fist. The attraction had, at first, made Cross uncomfortable. He had been anticipating his attraction to Madigan, had looked forward to it, in fact. But wanting another of the angels had never seemed like a possibility when he’d signed up for the mission. The leader of the angels had originally thought the true conflict would come from the strained relationship between Bren and Michel, but apparently, Cross was more suited to be the object of Bren’s animosity. Most of Lucifer’s angels tended to be a little standoffish when it came to the other choirs. Bren was no exception. Bren closed his eyes and let Michel pull his shirt up and then off so that his muscled chest was bare. His sienna-colored nipples were already puckered as if begging for attention. Cross sighed. He wanted to put them in his mouth, suckle the tips until they were even more flushed with excitement. Bren would look beautiful astride Cross’s lap as he rode out his pleasure on Cross’s hard cock… “Stop fucking thinking about fucking me, Cross!” Bren snapped, drawing Cross’s gaze upward to Bren’s flushed face. Was he being that obvious? “I’m not ever going to be your bitch.” “I don’t recall asking you to be,” Cross returned dryly. A thought occurred to him. “That’s what all this anger is about? You think I just want to use you like my bitch?” His nose wrinkled at the word. It seemed so derogatory. “Oh, why don’t you just admit it? You all want to put me in my place, and that would be the easiest way to do it,” Bren said. Michel backed off his chest and looked at him, wide eyed.

 

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“That is not at all what we want,” Michel said. He placed a soft hand on Bren’s chest. “We want you to be happy with us. This relationship isn’t going away, and it involves us all.” Bren snorted. “Yeah? I don’t see High and Mighty Mr. Cross volunteering to bottom for me.” “You think being on bottom means that you’re less of a man or something?” Cross asked. He was getting annoyed with Bren’s attitude and was trying very hard to keep his temper in check. What Bren really wanted him to do was say forget it and walk away. If he did that, Bren could go to Madigan and say that he’d tried. Really Bren had just tried to get out of this by goading Cross. “Well, it certainly doesn’t help,” Bren snapped thoughtlessly. A look of hurt crossed over Michel’s face an instant before he smoothed it over to a mask of indifference. The fact that he’d hurt Michel finally pushed Cross over the proverbial ledge. “You better say you’re sorry to Michel in three seconds, or else you’re not going to like what I do to you.” Cross’s voice was deadly, and he knew it. He was very close to losing his temper completely. A downright nasty grin slid onto Bren’s face. “Why don’t you make me?” Cross was on him before he finished his sentence, tackling him to the ground and pinning his arms over his head. Bren hissed, kicking his legs out, which only served the purpose of letting Cross between them. The hard press of Bren’s cock against him was not lost on Cross. He rubbed against the hardness deliberately, eliciting a yowl of denial from Bren. The other angel bucked, managing to half dislodge Cross from on top of him. “Guys! Stop!” Michel shouted. “This isn’t helping anything!” Cross looked over at Michel. Whether the angel saw it or not, this was going to have to happen this way. “Go, Michel. I’ll not have him hurting you again. I’ll call you back in a bit. Go take a shower or something.” The shower was usually where they went to have a few minutes to themselves. Despite

 

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the relative spaciousness of the house, it was still crowded with six grown men. The determination Michel saw in Cross’s face must’ve reassured him or something because he gave a nod and turned on his heels before disappearing into the bathroom. The shower started. “You are going to learn how to play nice, or I’m going to kick your ass in whatever way necessary,” Cross said, tightening his hold on Bren’s arms until the other man winced. “Screw you!” Bren snarled. “Is that your final answer?” Cross asked. He watched as a look of absolute terror stole over Bren’s face. He was scared of this and scared of wanting this, and Cross knew it. “You don’t really want me.” The words were quiet. “The only reason you’re doing this is because of Madigan. I understand that, but I don’t want that. I love Madi, and for his sake I tolerate the others but—” “This is way beyond tolerance, Bren,” Cross interrupted. “Madigan did not get your dick hard right now.” To prove his point he rubbed against Bren’s hard-on, eliciting a gasp. “What scares you is that you can actually care for us the way that we all want you to and the thought of the possible rejection is one you just can’t handle. So you snarl and bitch and act like an asshole to keep us at arm’s length, especially me. But I see you, Bren. I see through all this shit you put up around you and so does Madigan.” “No,” Bren protested. Were those tears in his eyes? “Let me up. Let me go. I don’t want this.” Cross smiled wanly. “Bren, you’re just as strong as I am. If you wanted up, you’d be up by now.” Cross watched as Bren’s resistance crumbled and was replaced by a reluctant resolve. Once he felt the last fight go out of him, Cross loosened his grip. He brought his hands up and cupped Bren’s face. “I’m not asking for an overnight change, Bren. I’m asking for a chance and for you to try. Really try.”

 

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Bren sighed. “I’ll try,” he allowed. He licked his bottom lip. “I think I dislike you most because you make me the most jealous.” The admission was unexpected. “Everyone likes you, respects you, loves you. Even Yuri looks up to you. They want me, but they don’t like me.” “I think you’re wrong about that. When you’re not being a snarling ass, you’re actually quite loveable.” And he was. Bren in a good mood had a wicked sense of humor and a delightful playfulness that teased and provoked everyone near him. He’d taken to showing Madigan magic tricks in the living room after supper, and he had great taste in movies. He was also thoughtful, though he tried really hard not to let anyone know it. Cross genuinely enjoyed watching him with the others and had felt a little excluded because Bren changed the instant he realized Cross was present. “Really?” Bren seemed so vulnerable to him at that moment. Gone was the warrior angel that could give Cross a run for his money when it came to physical strength. This was the man underneath. “Who hurt you, Bren?” Cross wondered, pressing a kiss to the side of Bren’s neck where Michel had been kissing moments before. “Who made you feel like you couldn’t be loved?” “It was a long time ago. I don’t want to talk about it now.” Bren sighed and tilted his head to the side to give Cross better access. It was an improvement from his earlier attitude. Cross pressed another kiss to Bren’s jumping pulse, this time using a little tongue. “Hmmm, you’re beautiful, Bren,” he whispered against his flesh. Bren gasped and started moving restlessly. “Think I want to suck you. Is that okay?” Bren closed his eyes and nodded, trembling. He was so damn beautiful like this. The wall between them was down at last. Even if it went back up after this, Cross would hold on to this memory like a shield for future battles with Bren. They would have this moment. Cross kissed his way down Bren’s chest, finally getting a sample of the puckered tips of Bren’s nipples as he went. The other angel

 

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gasped softly and arched a little into his mouth. He was sensitive there. Good. Cross went down the center of his lover’s chest, tracing the tops of his abdomen with his lips and his teeth. Bren’s skin was surprisingly soft. It was an unexpected delight. Bren squirmed as Cross moved farther south. He tongued the indent of Bren’s navel and the other angel laughed. “Ticklish,” Bren admitted with a sheepish smile. He was loosening up. Cross smiled against his skin and unbuttoned the top button on his jeans. Bren lifted his hips to help as Cross slid the heavy denim down his thighs and off his feet. He sighed happily as Bren lay beneath him in nothing but a silky pair of blue boxers. “When you first came into my lord Raphael’s study to do the binding, I imagined what you’d look like like this.” Cross couldn’t resist the impulse to nuzzle his cheek against the silk of the material, burying his nose in the apex of Bren’s thighs. Bren made a noise of want. The soft skin of his sac was just beneath Cross’s mouth, and Cross indulged himself by taking first one delicate ball into his mouth to suckle through the material, then the other. Bren moaned then, the noise low and needy. Cross lifted his head as his fingers began to peel back the silk. “You seemed so removed from everything that was happening. So frigid. I wanted to devour you.” “I hated you,” Bren whispered. He was panting lightly now, anticipating what Cross was going to do next. “I thought you’d take Madigan away from me before I even had a chance to court him.” “When did you stop hating me?” Cross asked. He peeled Bren’s boxers the rest of the way off and sighed in appreciation at the gorgeous cock inches from his face. He’d seen it before. They’d been sharing a bed with Madigan and the others for weeks now. But he’d never been this close. He inhaled the musky jasmine scent that was all Bren. “Fuck. Me. Are you going to stare at it all day?” Bren demanded, he was trembling harder now, like he was already on the edge of

 

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pleasure. Cross reached out and took a lick, his hand going between Bren’s thighs to fondle his balls expertly. “When did you stop hating me?” Cross repeated, blowing gently on the wet spot he’d made. Bren’s cock jumped, smacking Cross in the face. They shared a laugh at that. “Sorry,” Bren said. Cross continued to knead him, but he wasn’t going to let up until Bren answered him. “Ugh, fine. The first night we were all together. When Michel sucked you off while we all masturbated for Madigan. It was the way you talked to me. Made me so hot.” Cross rewarded him for the admission by sucking the entire length of Bren’s dick into his mouth. He worked his throat muscles to clench over the mushroomed head. He suckled hard, getting a suction going that put a Hoover to shame. Bren’s hands immediately wound themselves into his hair. “Oh! Christ! Cross!” the other angel cried out. He humped Cross’s face helplessly as Cross worked him with his mouth. Vaguely, Cross was aware of the shower turning off. Michel was in for a hell of a sight when he stepped out of the bathroom. Bren moaned, and the sound was echoed by Michel over Cross’s right shoulder. “God in Heaven, that is hot,” Michel breathed. Cross pulled off Bren’s prick with a soft pop. “You have something to say to Michel for being an ass earlier?” Cross asked as Bren made a sound of protest at the loss of sensation. His body leaked pre-cum in a steady stream that ran down the length of his arousal. Cross kissed Bren’s head but otherwise gave no stimulation. Bren made a strangled noise, and his eyes turned to Michel. “I’m sorry, Michel.” He gasped as his shaft was again engulfed in Cross’s mouth. The reward system seemed to work really well for him. Cross knew that Bren would have a fit if he ever heard Cross’s thought aloud, but it was a funny one to think about. Then Bren went further than Cross had expected him to. “Let me suck you, baby. Let

 

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me show you I’m sorry.” Cross heard rather than saw Michel’s hesitation. “Is that what you want?” Michel asked finally. Cross understood his reluctance. He was also afraid that Bren would freak if he were made to submit even a little control to someone else. The progress he’d made was good, but he was still seemingly in control of the situation. Cross hadn’t yet taken him to the next level. “I’m not glass, you two,” Bren grumbled in frustration. “I want to suck you, Michel. Let me.” Cross caught the image of Michel walking toward them out of the corner of his eye. The male just had a pink towel on that covered less than it showed. He dropped it on the floor beside them and knelt down on the hardwood. “How do you want to do this?” Michel asked as he surveyed the two of them. Cross knew it probably looked deliciously wicked, him on his elbows deep throating Bren while the dark-haired angel asked for Michel’s cock. “F–Fuck my mouth,” Bren stammered. Cross wasn’t sure if he was nervous or if the fact that he’d chosen that moment to lave the underside of Bren’s dick with his tongue had anything to do with it. Probably a combination of both. Michel gave a growl of approval over Bren’s words and immediately straddled Bren’s head. “Just let me know if anything gets uncomfortable, love,” Michel murmured, cupping his lover’s cheek gently. “Just tap my hip or something.” Bren nodded and opened his mouth. Then Cross couldn’t see anything but Michel’s tanned ass as it fucked into Bren’s mouth. It was a beautiful sight. Cross just wanted to sink his teeth into Michel’s flexing buttock as it propelled his cock forward into Bren’s hot cavern. Within minutes, Bren was crying out around the thick length in his mouth and jetting his sticky pleasure into Cross’s mouth. Cross sucked dutifully, not spilling a drop of semen as it gathered in his mouth and threatened to seep out of the corners of his lips as Bren’s  

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hips jerked, wringing the last bit of pleasurable sensation from the organ. Cross reveled in the taste of Bren, a taste he’d never been granted before. He wasn’t as sweet as Madigan, and he wasn’t quite as musky as Dex. Bren had a completely unique flavor that had a pleasant tang to it. Cross licked his lips, looking for errant drops of cum. He would definitely be doing this again. “Ah, sweet. Hmmm, you’ve got a nice mouth, Bren,” Michel moaned, his hips working a little most desperately against Bren’s mouth. Cross growled at the scene. Without thinking, he leaned up, parted Michel’s cheeks, and plunged his tongue against the flexing entrance to Michel’s body. Michael’s angel cried out, his body shaking at the two stimuli. Cross lifted his head. “Switch positions. I want in you.” His voice was a little hoarse. The fucking he’d endured by Bren’s cock had been a lot more frenzied than he’d thought. Michel whimpered but did as he was bid, rolling off Bren’s face. The dark-haired angel blinked in surprise, his pupils dilated in pleasure. “You’re not going to…” Bren began. “Not yet,” Cross said. “Not here. I want to give you time to think about it first.” Bren smiled dazedly. “You’re too nice, Cross. I would’ve had your ass by now.” He still might, Cross thought. He didn’t typically bottom, ever. But if that’s what it took to get Bren happy… Cross gave Bren a wicked smile. “You just sit back and bask in the afterglow, Bren. I’ll give you a show to let you see what you’re missing.” Michel took that as his cue and rolled to his back with his legs spread beside Bren. He laced their hands, and Michel kissed Bren’s knuckles. “Tell me how it is,” Bren demanded, heat beginning to seep back into his eyes. Michel nodded. Cross positioned himself in between Michel’s spread thighs, hoisting his legs on his shoulders so that he could achieve a deeper penetration. His cock was dripping, thoroughly aroused by the oral

 

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performance he’d given Bren. Michel’s breath hitched as Cross pressed the head of his cock against his perineum. “Oh Christ!” Michel yelped as Cross’s hips jerked and pushed his cock deeper into his tight channel. He hadn’t had much preparation, and Cross knew he wasn’t small. He really needed to be more careful. He gritted his teeth and resolved to do just that. Michel’s face turned toward Bren, and the other angel started kissing him. It was Cross’s turn to moan. It always ratcheted up the intensity for him to watch his lover, whichever one he happened to be with at the time, being touched by someone else. Bren’s hand managed to snake between them and pump Michel’s engorged length in time with Cross’s thrusts. The action drove Cross nuts. He lost all sense of “right” and “proper” and “civilized” and turned into a rutting animal that was only concerned with its own release. Michel’s cries of pleasure echoed in his ears, driving him on. He knew he was close now, close enough to come at the slightest provocation. “How is it, Michel?” Bren asked, deliberately separating their mouths to whisper it huskily into Michel’s ear. That boy was the devil sometimes. “How does that thick cock feel in your tight ass?” “Feels. Real. Good! Ah! Cross!” Michel grunted out the words as he was pounded over and over again. His eyes rolled into the back of his head, and his cock spat his spunk all over his own chest and Bren’s clutching palm. The sensation of Michel’s butt rhythmically clenching and unclenching around his shaft was too much. Cross pulsed twice inside his lover before shouting his release as he came deep into the willing depths. After a moment of suspended animation, he collapsed against Michel, letting both of the other angel’s legs fall to the floor on their respective sides. Cross panted, paralyzed and numb from the intensity of his orgasm. A hand smoothed down his sweaty back. “You’re beautiful when you come apart,” Bren murmured. He was the first one on his feet. He padded to the bathroom and got a  

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washcloth for the two of them. In a house with this many men, they were well stocked in washcloths for just such occasions. Michel started laughing. “Well, I just wasted a perfectly good shower,” he joked as Bren administered to the two of them with damp wipes of the cloth. Cross grunted, still unable to articulate a sentence quite yet. “I think it was worth it,” Bren said, smiling. It was nice to see that expression on his face as opposed to the scowl Cross had grown used to. Suddenly, the smile disappeared from his lover’s face and the scowl was back. Cross sat up, not comprehending. “What is it, Bren?” “I’ve got to go out for a bit. My lord is calling.” The dark-haired angel rolled to his feet and began rummaging in the bottom drawer of the dresser which was designated as his. Cross sighed and watched him get ready. It wasn’t really his fault. They were all subject to the whims of their Archangels even if they were on a sacred mission. “Be safe,” Cross heard himself say. He was surprised that he was already worrying over the other man. He’d grown to care for them all, but the vulnerability that Bren had just showed him tugged at something inside him. “I will. Tell bright eyes that I’ll be back for dinner, no problem.” Bren pulled out a pair of blue jeans and underwear and slipped them on. Wings unfolded from his back from the sigils inked there. They were given to them so that they could hide their wings while they were caring after Madigan on Earth. Bren’s wings were lovely, midnight black. He was almost invisible against a night sky when he flew. “Hey, Red.” The familiar irksome nickname drew Cross’s attention back to Bren. “What?” he asked. “Thanks. For everything.” Bren blushed as he spoke, and Cross’s heart swelled. After he’d met Madigan, Cross had thought he had given all of his heart to the half angel with the sassy attitude and the

 

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adorable looks. He looked at Bren and then at Michel. Apparently, his heart had room for a few more.

 

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Chapter Three Yuri finished his sandwich and drank his milk while reading through his magazine. It was no different from ancient Rome really. Every culture had their gladiators. The image appealed to him, so he watched the sports and read the highlights and behind-the-scenes clips. It was addicting really. The more he learned the more he wanted to know. Dex and Madigan had vanished a few minutes ago into the living room as the cries from upstairs had gotten to an obviously orgasmic level. They’d invited him along, but Yuri had declined. Madigan still wasn’t one hundred percent comfortable with welcoming him into his body, and he didn’t want to push. He could bide his time. It was the most logical course of action. He flipped on the small kitchen TV to MTV and started watching Jersey Shore reruns. He’d seen them all multiple times, but he was always amused by those strange humans and their television show. He’d met Snooki’s guardian once. Nice guy. Loved being on TV. Lucky bastard. He came to the last advertisement in Sports Illustrated and sighed. He’d have to go out to the store and buy something else to read. At the rate he went, reading would’ve been an expensive habit had he had the need for cash. Madigan’s cry of release overwhelmed the screaming on the show, and Yuri’s cock answered by filling painfully. He glared down at his lap. It really wasn’t necessary for it to do that every time Madigan got a hard-on. But he supposed that was what he got for being mated to a newly born nephilim. They had notorious libidos, and Madigan was no exception. Dex must’ve been sating Madigan’s

 

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hunger for the time being. At least once a day he needed them all at once. Which was fine with Yuri. If he got a particularly stubborn itch, he’d go find one of the other angels to scratch it. He glanced at the ceiling. Things must’ve gone well with Bren if the noises coming from there were any indication. “Yuri,” Dex’s voice sounded from the doorway. Yuri glanced his way in acknowledgement before turning his attention back to the television. “Yuri, he wants you.” Yuri pushed himself off the stool and crossed to the fridge where he pulled out the gallon of milk and poured him some more in a glass. “Didn’t you already fuck him? Why would he want me?” Dex shrugged. “I think he feels bad that you didn’t join us.” “Why?” Yuri asked. “I declined. It wasn’t like he didn’t make the offer.” He took a sip of his glass. Madigan was a strange human. Freaking hot. But strange. “He feels like you’re not as close to him as everyone else.” Dex crossed his huge arms over his chest. “You are a little more removed than the rest of us. You spend a lot of time by yourself.” Yuri shrugged. That was a common complaint by his lovers. “I’m a scholar. That’s what I do.” He didn’t know what else to say. He didn’t want to make Madigan uncomfortable. “I’m just taking things slow with Madigan. Trust me when I say I am definitely interested.” Dex nodded. “Just making sure. I think Madigan feels the same way. It’s just sometimes when you’re not there, he wonders. You know?” “I’ll make a more concentrated effort to seek him out one-on-one once we are able to move about more freely. All right?” For once he didn’t add his bad mouth or his snide comments. Dex wasn’t the angel to mess with, especially not with Madigan. Normally, that wouldn’t stop him, but he felt like he should at least take the conversation seriously because Dex didn’t usually dwell on all that “feelings” bullshit.  

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“Okay.” Dex smiled and turned back to go into the den. “You should’ve joined us. It was phenomenal.” Wasn’t it always? Yuri glanced down at his still-aching cock. Yeah. Maybe he should’ve joined them. **** Bren enjoyed the wind on his face, even if it was colder than the third ring of hell. The expression made Bren smile. It was just an expression but one that Lucifer’s angel found funny. He’d heard the gong of his lord’s bell as he’d finished cleaning up his lovers. Some things couldn’t be interrupted, but that wasn’t one of them. He winged his way toward the temple that was on the outskirt of the city where Madigan lived. His lord would meet him there. He didn’t know how he knew, but he knew. Like all angels bound to an Archangel, Bren was able to pick up on things that Lucifer wished of him. Meeting locations were the easiest. The particular Judaic temple where Luc wanted to meet belonged to a small congregation of Jewish people who were mostly middle class. Luc enjoyed going to their ceremonies mostly, giving them small blessings where he could. It was just his way. He could be very generous when he chose to be, or he could be very cruel. Being the devil allowed him to do both in equal measure. Bren wondered what sort of mood he’d be in when he arrived. He wasn’t very predictable. “Orgies on Saturdays, church on Sundays. You’re a walking conundrum, my Lord,” Bren said by way of greeting as he landed on the temple steps. Luc was staring off at something over in the adjacent cemetery. All angels looked like their archangel. It was like some unwritten rule or something. Lucifer sported the same pale skin, dark hair, and dark eyes that Bren had. The difference was in the wings. Luc’s wings were a breathtaking violet color tipped in crimson. “Actually, services are on Friday. So though your schedule is flawed, it is still workable.” His lord’s voice was perfection, the

 

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sound more akin to wind chimes than human speech, but then that was the angelic tongue for you. Bren bowed as he was addressed. It was customary after all. “My brother called me quite concerned this morning. He says that your new bonding is not going according to plan.” Bren worried his bottom lip. Crap. He hadn’t been expecting this. “Cross and I don’t always see eye to eye where Madigan is concerned,” he hedged. Eyes the color of pitch turned toward him. The archangels in general were ethereal creatures, and Bren always felt like Luc was looking straight through him whenever he drew his gaze. “So kill him so he can be replaced.” Luc’s solution was as logical as it was chilling. “If Madigan’s safety is compromised, then do what you must.” “What about Lord Raphael? He wouldn’t be too happy about me killing one of his top generals,” Bren protested. The thought of killing Cross made him sick to his stomach. A hand came up to touch the place where it churned. “Come on, Luc. That isn’t very smart. Especially since it is Raphael’s son we are guarding.” Luc’s black eyes assessed him quickly. “You have grown softer since being with them. In such a short span of time, you are displaying gentility that I’ve never known you to posses. Diplomacy was never in your skill set.” He sighed heavily and picked up a dead leaf that drifted onto the concrete steps. “I had not anticipated losing you forever when I allowed you to come on this mission, Brenin. Now I fear that I already have.” “You’ve not lost me,” Bren promised, even if he, too, wondered the same thing. He wasn’t the same man he was a month ago. Luc grunted but made no other sound of response. Bren sat on the steps beside his archangel. The sunshine was finally dissolving the morning mist. It had been clouded most of the day. Finally, Luc spoke.

 

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“Weather is changing,” he said. Bren looked at his archangel. What was he getting at? Luc rarely called him to make idle chitchat. The archangel looked up into the sky as the sun ate away at the clouds. “A brief respite before a storm. Bundle up your Madigan come Monday, Bren. The weather is going to be nasty.” Then he stepped between worlds and was gone. Bren found himself alone on the temple steps. That was by far the strangest conversation he’d had with his lord. He couldn’t help but wonder if it was an omen of some kind. He looked up at the sky. A brief respite. Well, if that was the case, he better be getting home. **** Madigan hummed as he moved around the kitchen. He and Dex alternated cooking nights and it was his turn. He didn’t mind. Michel and Yuri always did the dishes, which was the worst part for him really. He’d grown used to his men coming and going pretty frequently, so he wasn’t worried about Bren being gone. When the archangels called, it was apparently more than a suggestion to appear. It was more like an order under the threat of something painful for disobedience. They never left him alone for very long, either way, and Bren had given them a time to return. “Need any help in here, cutey?” Michel piped up, sticking his head in the kitchen. He was supposed to be setting the dining table. “Are you done setting the table already?” Madigan asked. Michel nodded and smiled, revealing dimples. “Sweet. You can start on the salads.” They were having an Italian-themed night tonight, complete with salad and pasta with tuna, sun-dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, lemon, and white wine. Michel went to work beside him, humming some nameless tune that had Madigan’s hips swaying along with it. They danced around one another as Madigan pulled down the plates from the cabinet and taste tested the pasta sauce.

 

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“Want me to cut up some bread to go along with this?” Michel asked as he took down the loaf from the top of the fridge. His men were big carb eaters. Madigan shrugged. “If you like,” he said. After another minute of the silent arrangement of dishes he spoke. “So, what happened today? I heard you guys upstairs, so I’m guessing it went well physically. But how are they?” Michel got a soft smile on his face that made Madigan’s heart swell. It was a good sign. “I think they’re finally reaching out to one another. It was rough going at first, but Bren let Cross touch him and, I have to say, it was explosive.” “That’s good.” Madigan didn’t know what else to say. He felt like jumping up and down in triumph. Michel beamed. “It’s great. We’ll finally be a family.” Madigan knew that the idea of family was really important to Michel. He’d never had one before, and now that he did, he was determined to make it work. He was always the first one to volunteer to help out and was constantly going out of his way to mend rifts between the guys and help Madigan adjust. Sometimes Madigan wondered if he gave too much, though. Michel rarely took anything for himself. Madigan turned and wrapped his arms around Michel’s middle, pulling him close. The angel chuckled, dropped the bread he was cutting, and wrapped both arms around him. The world felt right here. In the arms of his angels he felt peace. He inhaled Michel’s scent, reveling in the taste of man and something sweet. Each of the angels smelled equally as delicious. Sometimes Madigan felt like a dog that wanted to wallow in those scents. “Hey, babe. Thought you’d want to know, Bren’s back. He’s coming up the front steps,” Yuri poked his head through the door. His eyes took in their embrace with just a flicker of desire. “Want me to tell him to wait?” he asked cheekily. Madigan rolled his eyes and gave Michel a final squeeze.

 

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“Nah, dinner is practically done, so I’ll go say hi to tall, dark, and broody.” Madigan pointed to the dishes on the counters. “Can you two carry everything to the table for me?” They both groaned like they were in pain. “Not fair,” Yuri whined. “Fuck all, babe. You always give us chores.” Madigan stuck his tongue out at the angel. “That’s what you get for not coming to my bed this afternoon,” he teased. He pointed back toward the stove. “Get moving. Everyone is hungry.” Madigan pushed open the swinging door that led into the living room and took a right to walk down the hallway toward the entryway. Bren was looping his scarf over one of the hooks that lined the wall beside the front door. Other than that, he was bare chested with blue jeans and boots on. Shirts didn’t really work well over the wings. “Hey, Bren,” Madigan greeted. The dark-haired angel opened his arms, and Madigan immediately went into them. “Hmm. Hi, bright eyes. I wasn’t gone that long. What’s with the front-door greeting?” Bren asked, kissing his temple. His skin was chilled from his flight. Madigan had the urge to go fetch a blanket to wrap around him. “Just wanted to say welcome home,” Madigan said, nuzzling his face against Bren’s cool chest. He pressed a kiss over the heart beating there. “Missed you.” Another set of footsteps approached them. “Hi, Bren,” Cross said from somewhere behind Madigan. Madigan watched Bren’s face as he looked at Cross. There was a tenderness there that he hadn’t seen before. “Everything go okay with your archangel?” Bren shrugged. “A little strange. I’ll tell everyone when we sit down to eat. But it was nothing too foreboding, so I guess it went all right.” “Good. That’s good.” Cross’s voice was quieter, and Madigan felt there was more than just words being exchanged between them.

 

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“Supper is ready. Yuri and Michel already set the table. Why don’t we go on to the dining room?” Madigan suggested. Bren leaned down and pressed a kiss to his mouth. “Sounds like a good idea, bright eyes.” His mom’s formal dining room had become their place of congregation in the evenings. Madigan’s mother had rarely used the space, delineating it for special occasions only. Madigan and his guardians had taken to using it for almost every meal. It was for simple reasons really. It was the only space in the house where they could all sit down for a meal together without being crowded or needing to stand, and Madigan especially enjoyed being able to look at everyone and chat equally. It made sure less fights got started. The table was set with simple white china plates and silverware on paper napkins. Cups had been placed in front of each plate. Madigan had had a time teaching the boys how a table was set. They weren’t very familiar with family dining until he’d come along. The whole experience should’ve been weird for Madigan as well, being that until a month ago he’d lived by himself in an apartment over his work. He hadn’t had a real boyfriend in forever and had spent most of his time baking. He’d thought he was just a normal, twenty-eight-year-old guy. Yeah, things had changed all right. Bren took his familiar space on Madigan’s left. Cross sat on Madigan’s other side, at the head of the table. Yuri sat facing Cross, and Dex and Michel grabbed chairs opposite one another as well. Their eyes were glued to the feast before them. Madigan felt a moment of pride as they practically licked their lips. The pasta was steaming, filling the room with the smell of the wine sauce and a hint of herbs. “Eat your salads, guys,” he reminded as they started passing the bread basket around. He smiled. They should be glad they don’t have regular health problems. Their cholesterol would be through the roof. Between the high-carb diet and the salt, they would have no chance in hell of making it to sixty without having heart attacks. It was then that  

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Madigan was struck by the sheer magnitude of their age differences. They literally had centuries on him. Sixty had come and gone for them eons ago. “What’s the matter, Madigan?” Dex asked. His ever-observant eyes nailed Madigan to his chair. Everyone at the table stopped eating and joking around to look at him. Madigan swallowed. Damn. It was hot to have them all so attentive. “It just occurred to me that you were around a really long time before I was even thought of.” He shrugged. “It just struck me all of a sudden.” Cross frowned. “Does it bother you? The age difference, I mean.” Yuri laughed. “What are you going to do about it if it does bother him?” he asked. “You can’t undo time.” He took a bite out of his bread slice. “It doesn’t bother me, per se. It’s just that it seems strange to me to think that you guys were here before this city was,” Madigan said. He drizzled a little dressing onto his salad and picked up his fork. “Besides, Yuri has a point. What would you do to fix it?” He smiled. “I love you guys too much to want to change a single thing about you.” Everyone froze. Madigan looked around at the stunned gazes of his angels. “What?” he asked, his heart beginning to pound. “What? Did I say something?” Another thought occurred to him as no one answered. “Is it the hunters?” He looked at Cross. “What’s going on?” “That’s the first time.” Yuri’s voice drew Madigan’s eyes to the end of the table. “That’s the first time you’ve said that you love them.” He looked incredibly sad as he spoke. Madigan’s heart stuttered in his chest. It hadn’t even occurred to him what he’d said until Yuri pointed it out. But looking inside his mind, he saw the truth. He did love them. All of them. They were each special and wonderful and perfect men. “That statement includes you, Yuri,” Madigan said softly. Yuri looked taken aback for a moment before he slowly nodded, a soft

 

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smile flirting with his lips. “I do love you all. How could I not?” They pushed themselves back from the table at the same time, making Madigan jump. “What?” he squeaked. They put their middle and pointer fingers on their tattoos from their wedding. Heat instantly speared him at the gesture. What the hell? “Devotion forever, love for eternity, I do so swear,” they said in unison. Now it was getting a little weird for Madigan. They sat down abruptly, returning to their meal like nothing had ever happened. Madigan blinked at the sudden return to normalcy, if there really was such a thing living with a bunch of angels. “Um, Cross? What just happened?” Madigan asked as Dex tossed Michel the shaker across the table, showering them all with salt. Cross’s copper eyes lit on him. “We were just saying it back,” he supplied. He had this grin on his face that said he was as happy as a clam. He forked a bite of pasta into his mouth and continued to stare at Madigan. The half angel mentally shrugged. It was the strangest “I love you” that he’d ever received, that was for sure, but it warmed him that they returned the sentiment. Even if it wasn’t what he’d expected. “So Bren, what did the devil have to say?” Madigan asked, changing the subject. Bren finished chewing the piece of bread he’d shoved in his mouth and swallowed. “He was a bit stranger than normal. He told me to kill Cross.” Cross choked on the water he’d been drinking and started coughing. “But I declined since we were getting along so well.” Cross glared at the other angel, and Madigan put a hand over his mouth lightly to cover the laughter. Bren had done that on purpose. “Then he prattled on about the weather for a bit. Said that it’s fixing to get nasty and that this was the ‘calm before the storm’ or something to that effect. He told me to make sure Madigan was dressed warmly for work Monday.” “So I guess that means I actually get to go?” Madigan wondered. He tried to keep the excitement out of his voice. He hadn’t really  

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expected his angels to cave to his demands. He glanced at the heated look that was exchanged between Cross and Bren and smiled. Well, maybe his stubbornness had paid off. “Yuri and I will check the bond tonight and finish our protection sigils for the car and the house, and then, if everything is good, we can go to your work on Monday,” Cross allowed. “I don’t foresee any problems, babe,” Yuri piped up. “So I’d count on getting out of the house.” Dex spoke, “I’ll change the oil in your car and make sure your fluid levels are good before we leave. You have no idea how common it is for you mortals to die in car wrecks.” Madigan blinked. “You know how to change the oil in a car?” He could change his own oil as matter of fact, but he hadn’t expected any of the angels to have that particular skill. They hardly ever rode or operated vehicles from what Madigan had gathered. “I had a charge who was a mechanic at a garage in Pittsburg about fifteen years ago. Good guy. I helped him out occasionally,” Dex said. “I could replace your whole transmission given enough parts. To be honest, I’ve been eyeing the vintage ’65 Beetle in your mom’s garage since we got here.” Madigan laughed. “My mom has had that for years. It doesn’t even run. The next time she calls, I’ll ask her if you can tinker on it though, if you like.” Dex nodded enthusiastically and started devouring his salad. “So have you told her about us yet?” Yuri asked suddenly as they all continued eating. Madigan stopped midchew. That was a random question. The idea of telling his mom he was sleeping with and now married to five other guys kind of gave him the hives. He wasn’t sure how she’d react. “Um, that you were all here, yeah,” he said finally after he swallowed. All of his angels had now stopped eating and were paying way too close attention to their exchange.

 

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“You know that’s not what I mean,” Yuri said. His brown eyes assessed the tension in Madigan’s limbs. “Are you going to tell her that we’re your consorts or not?” Madigan shrugged and tried to act nonchalant. “Wasn’t planning on it, per se. You’ve got to understand, it’s a little unusual for someone in my world to have one husband, forget five.” Yuri’s eyes narrowed. “It’s unusual in our world as well. That is no excuse.” “Why are you picking a fight?” Madigan asked. “You know, it’s usually Bren that starts in on me about something.” The joke fell flat. “Besides, you guys don’t even have families to tell. Gabbing to your friends about being married to five other guys is a little different than telling your mom.” “We have families, Madigan,” Cross corrected with a frown. “Just because we’re angels doesn’t mean we don’t. Every choir has groups of angels that we were essentially raised with. I have three brothers and two sisters who lived with me in a home in the Heavens until I was chosen as a guardian. They’re our brothers and sisters. Our archangels are like our fathers, their brothers like our uncles. In essence, our families are just greatly extended versions of yours.” “It’s not the same,” Madigan said stubbornly. Beside him, Michel seemed to shrink into himself. “Leave him alone, guys. If he’s ashamed of us, well, it can’t be helped. Let’s just enjoy what we have.” Michel’s words were a shock. They were cold and bitter. Nothing like the normal Michel that Madigan knew. “It’s not like that,” Madigan said. “Then what’s it like?” Michel snapped. “I thought you just needed some time to build up the courage to tell your mom, but you were never going to tell her, were you?” Madigan looked at the anger in Michel’s face helplessly. “I really hadn’t thought about it,” he admitted.

 

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“We said we’ve give him time, Michel,” Dex murmured, reaching out to smooth some of Michel’s blond hair out of his face. “He said he loved us. That means he’s ready, right? Why would he say it if he wasn’t ready to be serious? To tell everyone about us? I’m no one’s dirty secret.” Michel shook his head as if to clear it and stood. “Thank you for the meal, Madigan.” The words were stiff. “I’m full.” He turned and walked around the table before heading down the hallway. The front door opened and slammed shut. Madigan sagged into his chair in bewilderment. “Why is there always some emotional drama going on in this house?” Bren wondered, taking another bite of pasta. If he was trying to joke around, it wasn’t funny. “Oh shut up, Bren. Your smart mouth is unnecessary right now,” Cross snapped. Dex interrupted, “This is all a misunderstanding.” Bren glared at Cross. “Don’t tell me to shut up.” He pushed back from the table and stood. “I think I need a little air myself. Food was good, bright eyes.” He stomped away from the table and went up the stairs. Cross made a noise of frustration before shoving away from the table as well. “I’m going to find Michel and make sure he’s not doing something stupid.” Dex sighed. “I guess I’ll go after Bren then.” He stood and kissed Madigan on the cheek. “Don’t worry, Madigan. They’re all just overwhelmed emotionally and don’t know how to deal with it. You can tell your mom when you’re ready.” Madigan felt tears prick his eyes as he stared down at the remains of his supper. How had everything gone so terribly wrong in a span of five minutes? “I’m sorry, Madigan. This was my fault. I should’ve waited to ask you that,” Yuri said. Madigan glanced up and was surprised to see him still there. He’d forgotten until he’d spoken. “I know human family situations are delicate things, and I shouldn’t have called you

 

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out like that.” The angel sighed, looking tired. “They’re warriors who aren’t used to being vulnerable. You make them feel vulnerable, so therefore they react a little more brashly when you hurt them than they normally would. My question was out of line.” “No,” Madigan disagreed with a shake of his head. “They had a right to know. I really just haven’t had time to think of that. I should have, though. It’s just that being here with you guys, separated from the world, feels like a dream sometimes. Like it’s separate from reality. If you guys are permanent fixtures in my life, it only makes sense that I tell my family all about you and my relationship to you.” He echoed Yuri’s sigh and slumped down farther in his seat. “I just wish I hadn’t messed up our meal. Everyone was getting along for once.” Yuri beckoned Madigan, and the nephilim went willingly into his lap. He laid his head on Yuri’s shoulder while the angel stroked his back in slow, sure circles.

 

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Chapter Four “His denial hurt more than I thought it would,” Michel said before Cross could say anything. He’d felt the leader of Madigan’s guardians rise up to meet him as he circled the old bell tower downtown. He was flying pretty high, using the layer of clouds as covering as he circled the city. “I don’t think he was denying us, Michel. He’s just as lost on what to do about this situation as we are.” Cross’s great red wings brushed against his as they flew side by side. The caress was intentional and had its intended effect. Michel shivered as tendrils of sensation streaked down his back and nestled in his sac. “We’ve asked a lot of him.” Michel tucked his wings to his body and dropped a few feet before extending them out and catching the air to level him out. “I know that logically. His words hurt in the same way a child’s does. Ignorant comments often have a way of striking deepest without meaning to.” Love for an angel was not a fleeting thing. It was an immortal thing, an emotion that consumed their very souls until they became completely devoted to the objects of their affection. To be given love and then to have it so cruelly taken away by some wellchosen words was worse than carving out an angel’s heart. “I think I’m okay now,” Michel added. “I just needed a little breathing room. I’m sorry I lost my temper.” The last thing he wanted was to be a bother to Madigan and the rest of his men. He worked really hard to make them all a family, and it wasn’t fair of him to burden any of them with his petty emotions. They all had enough to deal with without having to worry about him, too.

 

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“Everyone is entitled to lose it every once in a while, Michel.” Cross was above him now, circling him, showing off. As true as that was, it still wasn’t fair of Michel to add to Madigan’s worries. “One day I want to be able to take Madigan up here. I bet he’d really enjoy it if he weren’t flying for his life.” Michel smiled at the thought. “We could play Toss the Nephilim,” he suggested. They shared a laugh over the image. Madigan would be furious with them if they even hinted at it. Yeah. They were going to have to do it when it was safe. “You ready to head back?” Cross asked as they took a wide turn that sent them soaring back in the direction of the house. Michel nodded. “Yep. I was just thinking about a nephilim sandwich for dessert.” “Hmmm, I’m sure we could convince him of that,” Cross agreed. Madigan’s sex drive had to be satisfied, and though he had been with a few of them over the course of the day, he’d want the main event come bedtime. Michel’s cock throbbed at the thought. There was nothing better than Madigan and the others naked. “Hey, Michel?” “What is it, Cross?” Michel asked. He’d been so busy contemplating their naked mate that he’d missed the moment when a thoughtful expression had fixed itself to Cross’s visage. “You don’t have to be so accommodating all the time,” Cross said. “You’re the perfect man for us, and we love you with all your flaws.” Michel smiled. That was just what he needed to hear. **** Bren sucked Dex’s cock like he was mad at it. Gabriel’s angel gasped as Bren deep throated him, sucking with enough force to leave a hickey if he so chose. Water splashed over Dex’s shoulders, soaking the dark head that bobbed dutifully on his knees. As usual, Bren had

 

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escaped to the shower, and as usual, Bren was taking out his frustration in a manner that was entirely unexpected. “Christ!” Dex hissed as Bren started massaging the tight sac beneath his cock. He felt an orgasm building up in the base of his spine. He wasn’t going to last long at this rate. Bren popped off his dick suddenly enough to leave Dex gasping. Striking, black eyes looked up at him through a haze of steam and water. “I want you to fuck me,” Lucifer’s angel said. Dex’s heart thundered in his ears. Had he heard right? “Please, Dex. You’re the only one I trust for this. I’ve never had anyone up there.” Dex cupped his cheek at the astonishing gift. Bren swallowed and leaned into his hand. “I know you’re big. I figured if I could take you…” Dex nodded. “That you could take the others as well.” His body was screaming at him to start the preparation because it was going to take a lot of energy to break in Bren’s virgin ass, but Dex didn’t want him doing this for the wrong reasons. “Why now, Bren?” Bren looked away. “I just realized that I think I love you guys and I want to be in this for real. Nothing halfway. If Madigan can love all of us despite the bitching, the bossing, and the drama, so can I.” “You don’t have to bend over and take my dick up your ass to be in this for the long haul, Bren,” Dex assured. Said dick screamed at him to shut the fuck up. Bren’s eyes rose again to meet him. “But I want to. I want to feel you all in every way I can.” The feelings were in the right place then, but as much as Dex wanted to take him up on the offer… “Then you have to give yourself to us, all of us. Just because you’re vulnerable with us one on one doesn’t mean you’re acknowledging this relationship as a whole,” Dex said as gently as he knew how. Bren frowned. “What do you mean?” Dex offered him a hand up, and he took it and stood.

 

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“This marriage is not six separate relationships in one marriage. This is marriage is one relationship between six separate people. There has to be an even playing field in our love, and that means sharing all our vulnerabilities with everyone in it,” he said. “I still don’t get it,” Bren mumbled. Dex leaned forward and kissed the pout off Bren’s lips. The other angel groaned, obviously still aroused despite the heaviness of the conversation. Dex drew back but only so that he could rest his forehead against his beloved’s. “I mean you don’t have a relationship between yourself and me or Cross or Michel or Yuri or even Madigan. You have a relationship with us. Like the links on the bracelet. Madigan may be our clasp, but we are all linked as a single chain.” “Hmm, I get it.” Bren’s hands crept up his shoulders so that they were holding one another. “Cross still pisses me off,” he said. Dex chuckled. “That’s okay. We all get on one another’s nerves. It’s normal. Especially since we don’t have a lot of room here.” He couldn’t resist kissing him again. “So why don’t you save the fucking for tonight when we all go to bed? We’ll just have a very nice mutual masturbation session. What do you say?” Bren’s hand circled his leaking cock, and Dex shuddered. “Sounds good.” **** Cross watched Madigan as he rode Michel’s slim hips. It wasn’t as desperate as it usually was because he’d come already. It was something deeper. They were making love. Madigan’s way of apologizing to Michel, Cross supposed. They were beautiful together. Cross’s hands ran up and down Bren’s back, tracing the lines that indicated where his wings were. The other man shivered. He still had to make up to Bren. Their tiffs were getting easier to get through though. When they touched, everything seemed okay.  

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He pressed a kiss to the curve of Bren’s neck, and his tongue came out to caress the muscle there. “Mmm, you taste heavenly, Bren.” “Thanks, Cross,” the other angel gasped. “I have a surprise for you.” Cross’s hands slid down and massaged the tight sac he found there, rolling the tight globes between his strong palms. “Oh yeah,” Bren murmured, his hips arching up against the touch. “It’s a pretty big surprise.” He and Dex shared a secret smile, and Cross raised his eyebrow. Now that was interesting. Bren was usually so distant from everyone. The fact that he actually had a secret to share with Dex made Cross warm. He was finally reaching out to them. “Ready, Bren?” Dex asked as Madigan cried out his release and soaked Michel’s chest with his seed. Cross turned Bren and claimed his mouth in a kiss. He was quickly becoming addicted to the taste of Lucifer’s angel. Dex pulled him from Cross’s grasp with a laugh. “You can have him back when I’m done.” “Done?” Madigan asked, grinning wryly. He was reclined against Michel’s side now, bracketed in by Yuri whom he was jerking off with almost lazy precision. Bren fell forward onto his elbows, his ass perched toward Dex. Madigan’s hand paused on Yuri’s body. “Aw, Bren.” He sounded breathless. His nephilim libido was insatiable. “Want to watch, bright eyes?” Bren seemed so vulnerable in that moment. His black eyes were two twin flicks of midnight. They met Cross’s for an instant. Heat was also in those depths. Black flames that burned everlasting, much like Hell’s fields in the under realm. “I love you,” Cross said without thinking. Bren’s eyes widened, and naked fear flooded them an instant before that bright, giddy heat was back. “I kinda like you, too, asshole.” Bren murmured. But he was smiling. Cross watched as Dex’s thick fingers started preparing Bren for his cock. The combination of agony and ecstasy that was evident

 

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on his face made Cross hot as hell. He wanted to be part of this moment, this taking of Bren. “You want in Dex while he does Bren?” Madigan asked. Cross nodded as Dex’s fingers pressed deep, scoring something inside Bren that made him cry out in part pleasure, part pain. The big angel turned his head and nodded, sweat beading at his temples and running down his face. His muscles were trembling. He wanted Bren fiercely. Anyone could see that. Two fingers pierced Bren when Cross moved behind Dex, effectively cutting off his visual of Bren being penetrated. He hoped Dex was using enough lube. His concern was probably unfounded, but it was there nonetheless. He worried about all of them. The more he cared, the deeper the worry. “Get me ready, Cross,” Dex said gruffly. The hoarseness in his voice was incredibly sexy. The red-haired angel ran a reverent hand down Dex’s thick backside. Pounding into Dex was so fucking good. Cross had never considered himself to be into polygamous relationships, but he’d been proven wrong time and time again since joining these men. Two weeks with them was better than all his years in Heaven. His fingers spread him and circled Dex’s entrance. Michel managed to extricate himself from his comfortable position and circle behind to offer Cross a tube of lube. He pressed a kiss to Cross’s cheek and gave him a wink. “God, that’s hot,” Madigan murmured. Raphael’s son was the reason for all of this. He was their center, their sun. Cross loved him all the harder for it. He pushed his fingers slowly into Dex’s tight pucker, coaxing the muscle to loosen to allow him entry. He wiggled his fingers around, making sure to stroke all the nerve endings there to life, paying special attention to the knot of pleasure located just inside. The gasp from the big angel had him growling. The urge to fuck Dex was strong, but the urge to protect him from harm was stronger.

 

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Cross forced himself to prepare Dex properly even as the moans that were beginning to grow in volume from Bren were intensifying and turning his mind to mush. Dex turned his head and growled over his shoulder. “I’m not fucking porcelain, Cross. Fuck me already.” Madigan’s giggle was muffled but still clearly laughter. “Bren’s ready,” Dex added, pushing forward slightly. Cross reached down and massaged Dex’s sac as he pushed inside Bren. The strangled groan gave him intense satisfaction. Once he knew that Dex was fully seated and Bren was mewling for more, Cross speared Dex’s sweet ass with his cock. It was fast, probably too fast, but he was really turned on at this point and didn’t think he could take much more. He stilled once he was all the way inside him, knowing that Bren was having to adjust to a lot just then. “God, that’s hot,” Madigan repeated from somewhere in front of him. Cross imagined that they provided quite the visual. Yuri’s chuckle answered his repeated declaration. “Don’t talk with your mouth full, Madigan.” A happy little noise filled the air along with the sound of licking. Oh God, Cross wished his could see what was going on. His eyes slid shut, and he just concentrated on breathing and listening to his lovers as they all voiced their pleasure in the little moans, grunts, and groans that Cross was becoming accustomed to hearing when they were all in bed with one another. How had he ever stood just one lover at a time? The aural stimulation alone from all of them was pure paradise. Dex started moving, fucking himself into Bren’s body and squeezing down on Cross’s cock at the same time. It wasn’t long before they found a rhythm that had them all gasping. Cross’s body was so tightly strung that he knew it would take just a little push to throw him over the edge into the abyss and beyond. Bren’s cries of pleasure echoed off the walls of their bedroom, and Madigan’s moans answered him.

 

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“Dex,” Cross managed to gasp out in warning as the tingling at the base of his spine signaled his impending orgasm. “Go ahead,” Dex rumbled, clearly almost there as well. “Fuck me full of your cum.” Cross did just that, pounding into Dex’s ass hard enough to jar the whole bed with the force of his movements. Bren screamed his pleasure to heaven as the movements triggered his release. Dex grunted out something that sounded like an “I love you” before stilling in orgasm as well. Finally, the only sound in the room was their harsh breathing as they rested against one another in the aftermath of their fucking. Cross kissed Dex’s sweaty shoulder. He reached around and found the skin of Bren’s back, petting it in praise. His lover was brave. “Guess that means Bren is fair game, huh?” Madigan wondered, a smile in his voice. Bren mumbled something that sounded like an affirmative. “Goodie. I want a turn.” “Watch it, bright eyes,” Bren warned. Dex groaned as Bren wiggled out from under him and crawled over to Madigan, who still had a drop of Yuri’s pleasure on his lips. He lapped it off with sure licks of his tongue. Cross felt his arousal twitch at the visual, and Dex made a noise of protest. “Out,” the big angel grumbled. Cross did as he was bid and rolled to his side. Life finally felt like it was where it was supposed to be. “Who has first watch?” Michel wondered as they all settled into a snuggle fest. Cross’s mind was a wash of cotton. He just didn’t have the energy to think. “I’ve got it with Dex,” Yuri said. Cross held Madigan as Bren snuggled to his other side. Glad they knew the schedule. He yawned. “Wake me up when it’s my turn,” he muttered.

 

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Chapter Five “Come on, guys! I’m going to be late!” Madigan yelled up the stairs from his place in the foyer. He glanced at the clock. He really needed to get to the shop and fire up the ovens. It was already fifteen till six. He would just have enough time to get his pastries done for morning traffic if he hurried. Michel skated down the hallway as Madigan hollered. He’d been in the angel room apparently, because Madigan couldn’t think of any good reason that he would be on that side of the house anyway. He was dressed in a simple, navy-blue T-shirt and jeans that he still managed to look sharp in. The blues contrasted nicely to his blond hair. “Sorry. There was a message from Lord Raphael that Cross wanted me to grab.” Michel gave him a crooked smile and grabbed one of the new black leather coats from the coat stand. Madigan had no idea where they’d come from. Bren and Cross had come in with an armload of them Sunday night, along with a few trash bags full of clothes in all their various sizes. Dex had been the hardest to fit because he’d been the tallest. “All good. What did he have to say?” Madigan was still intensely curious about the man who was his angelic father. He’d yet to talk to the man, something about angelic laws and forbidden rendezvous or something like that. He was still pretty fuzzy on the whole subject when Cross had tried to explain it to him. “Just telling us to take care. Apparently, some of the hunters are petitioning to have us removed as your guardians despite being joined to you. They’re not happy.” Michel leaned down and gave his cheek a

 

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kiss. “Nothing for you to worry about, cutey. You need to worry about making enough pastries for our breakfast because, I’m not going to lie, I’m starving to death.” “I second that motion,” Dex said, coming down the stairs and snatching his own coat. He was also sporting a T-shirt and jeans, except his were all black. “I’ve been looking forward to your pastries since learning that you were a partner at a pastry shop.” Madigan looked at them in dismay. Crap. He was going to have to fix twice what he normally did just to keep up with their appetites. He supposed it was only fair, though. His angelic appetite made meals of them more often than not, and all the extra calories they were burning keeping him sexually sated needed to be replaced. Yuri had been Madigan’s “breakfast” this morning. “Where are Bren and Cross?” Madigan asked, tapping his foot in impatience. He really needed to get moving. “They’re coming, baby,” Dex reassured. He petted Madigan’s head before putting a toboggan on it. “It’s cold,” he said by way of explanation. They were forever taking care of him. It was kind of nice. “Where’s Yuri?” Michel wondered. Madigan felt a blush steal over his cheeks. He’d left him in the shower after they’d… “Um, getting ready in my old room,” he muttered. Dex and Michel shared a knowing grin. The front door swung open, making them all jump. “I told you the car was fine and the wards were in place. You never trust me to do anything,” Bren complained. He was shirtless, so they must’ve been flying. Madigan wished they would at least wear scarves or something. They were liable to catch colds running around half naked. Wait…Did angels catch colds? “It never hurts to have an extra pair of eyes look at your work, Bren,” Cross said, coming in right behind him. “I was just worried.” “You always worry,” Bren grumbled, folding his wings back against his spine. Madigan watched in fascination as they disappeared  

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into his flesh. He knew there would be a tattoo in their place when Bren turned around. “Seriously, asshole, lay off.” “Oh bite me,” Cross growled. “Why aren’t you two dressed yet?” Madigan demanded, interrupting before they got into another tiff. They glanced at one another sheepishly. Madigan sighed. “Please, go get some shirts on. We were supposed to leave fifteen minutes ago.” They each pressed cold kisses to each side of his face and took off up the stairs. “And grab Yuri while you’re up there!” Ten minutes later, and twenty-five minutes late, they were finally pulling out of the driveway. It was not easy to fit that many grown men into his car. Madigan was beginning to feel like a clown in one of those little circus cars. Michel had sat in the passenger seat, Cross had sat behind him in the backseat with Yuri perched in his lap, Bren had sat in the middle, and Dex had sat behind Madigan since he was the shortest and could have his seat farther up than Michel. “I’m going to invest in a SUV,” Madigan muttered as he turned onto Twenty-First Street. The commute was only about fifteen minutes, but still, his angels were cramped. “They’re a lot safer,” Dex piped up from the backseat. “And roomier,” Yuri seconded as Madigan hit a pothole in the road and Yuri smacked his head into the cloth-covered roof. Madigan winced for him. Poor guy. “I’ll have to wait a couple months to get a down payment together,” Madigan said apologetically. “The shop never really makes enough for big purchases, and since I haven’t been working, it’ll be a little while.” “Nonsense.” Cross snorted. “I’ll speak to your father right away.” “He’s an angel. You guys don’t have human currency, do you?” Madigan wondered. “We’re guardians, Madi.” Michel reached over and petted his thigh. “Our resources are pretty unlimited so long as it falls within the perimeter of our missions. We have earthbound angels all over the

 

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world who own businesses, work jobs, and are strategically placed to keep us all as prepared as we can be so that we can better protect our charges.” Madigan was so engrossed with the idea that angels were literally just walking among humanity as everyday joes that he nearly missed the red light that had just turned. His foot punched down on the break, throwing them all forward as the tires squealed to a stop. “Crap!” Madigan yelped. “I’m sorry, guys. God.” “It’s okay,” Yuri said, cringing. “Cross’s knee only went partway up my ass instead of all the way.” Dex smacked his arm behind Bren’s back. “Please, just pay attention, baby,” he said to Madigan. They arrived shortly thereafter at the shop. The sun was rising steadily on the horizon and painting the world in pleasing shades of pink and orange. It was bitterly cold, but the day held a promise of sunshine. “Huh,” Madigan murmured, checking out the cloudless sky. “Looks like the devil was wrong about the weather.” The others didn’t offer comment but instead concentrated on maneuvering to get out of the car. Madigan’s gaze went from the sky to the pavement as he parked in his familiar parking space. He looked up at the rusty steps and the busted window of his darkened apartment. He’d forgotten about the broken window. His angels had gotten all of his things that were recoverable from the wreckage days after he’d arrived at his mother’s house. He’d sort of been in shock at the time, so now that he was seeing the destruction first hand, it hit him all over again. A warm arm fell around his shoulders, Bren’s. “It’ll be all right, bright eyes,” he murmured. “We’ll make a new home together.” “We can’t live at my mother’s house forever,” Madigan said in a sad voice. “Where will we go?” “We’ll figure it out. Let’s just get through a workday. Okay?”

 

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Madigan nodded. He didn’t know what he’d do without his men. They centered him. He could deal with anything so long as they were there with him. The apartment was painful to think about, but the things he’d traded it in for were worth it. Bren was right. He didn’t need to worry about the future. He just needed to worry about making food, taking orders, and having a good day at work. **** The entire shop smelled fantastic, like sugar and chocolate. It made Michel’s stomach rumble just standing there and he’d been here for what seemed like hours. “Are they done yet?” he whined in impatience. “Not quite,” Madigan said as he moved through the kitchen with the ease of a king commanding his court. He was in his element in this shop. It was a new side of Madigan that was really interesting to see. “You said they’d be done by eight, bright eyes,” Bren complained. Michel chuckled. Poor Madigan. He had five warrior angels to feed. “Give them two more minutes and then take them out. Trust me, Bren,” Madigan quipped. He’s already started placing other items in the display case out in the front of the store and had showed Michel and Yuri how to use the cash register and card machine. Dex was going to be helping him in the kitchen while Bren and Cross took turns doing perimeter checks and answering the phones. Michel gave it to lunch before they were snarling at the people who were calling to place orders. While Madigan’s filing system seemed idiot proof, Bren and Cross did not strike Michel as people well equipped to deal with the inevitable glitches that came with learning a new organizational system. Give them an enemy to fight any day over paperwork and order forms. It was going to be hilarious to watch. The timer dinged on the stove top, and it was like Pavlov’s dogs all over again. Michel’s mouth started salivating.

 

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“Perfect,” Madigan purred, using his oven mitts to take out the three trays of hot pastries and put them on the heat-resistant counter. Bren reached for one and got smacked on the hand for his effort. “Nope. Wait for them to cool a little bit.” They all groaned in unison. This was going to take forever… **** “Can I help you?” Bren asked as a couple came through the doorway, arms linked and coats securely fashioned. They weren’t inexpensive coats, either, probably something that needed to be dry cleaned. The hunk of a diamond on the smaller man’s finger probably added to the image of wealth that the two were sporting. Bren had seen these types of displays over and over again throughout the ages. It was good to see that a couple of the same sex felt secure enough to sport them. “Yes, please. We’re looking to talk someone about making a wedding cake. It’s a little short notice, but our other baker ended having a family emergency and couldn’t do it. She recommended this shop. Can you help us?” The smaller blond man was sweet. Bren could tell by his aura. He was exactly what he purported himself to be, a young, desperate groom with a deep wallet. “What’s the time line and how many guests?” Bren asked, drawing the little order pad Madigan had instructed they use from under the counter. They were lucky they’d arrived when they did. The morning rush had just settled down. The commuters had grabbed almost all of their pastries and bagels. He was extraordinarily happy that Madigan had thought to make the guardians a batch of their own beforehand. The smaller man gave him a soft smile. “It’s in two weeks, and it’s for a hundred and fifty guests.” Bren nodded and jotted it down. “Let me hop in back and check with Madigan about the time frame and whatever, and I’ll be right back.” Bren ripped out the order  

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sheet and ducked into the back. It was then he realized he hadn’t seen the guardians for the two humans that had come into the shop. All morning the shop had been overrun with humans, their guardian angels, and even a few earthbound demons who were either tagging along with humans they’d bonded with or on their own, living human lives. Every human who had entered the shop had had a guardian in tow. “Madigan?” he called, not wanting to alert the two “customers” that he realized they were guardian-less. He didn’t even know if they knew, but he felt like it was suspicious nonetheless. Madigan was just coming out of the huge walk-in freezer wheeling a cart of cakes as he entered the back part of the kitchen. Dex was scrubbing the stainlesssteel countertops on the island workstation of the remnants of some sort of icing. That had to mean that Cross and Michel were on patrol. Yuri was probably still in the office sorting through the paperwork and organizing it for Madigan’s convenience. “What’s up?” Madigan asked, taking one of the cakes off the rack and sliding it onto his workstation. His attention flicked to Dex. “Hey, babe, can you grab me a batch of fondant and color it for me? I need it to be hot pink for the Sweet Sixteen cake we’re doing.” Dex smiled and winked. “Will do, Madi.” Gabriel’s guardian was really taking to this whole bakery thing. “You might want to hold off on that,” Bren said, grabbing Dex’s shoulder to stop him from walking away. Dex frowned. “What’s wrong, Bren?” “I’ve got two people out here who want a wedding cake made,” Bren began. “They don’t have guardians, angelic or demonic. I thought it was weird.” “That is strange.” Dex’s frown deepened. “Do they seem hostile?” Bren shrugged. “Their auras are really evened out. They feel pretty human.” “Earthbound angels in disguise? Maybe they’re Cherubims.” The messengers weren’t unheard of but were usually only sent by the

 

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higher ups in times of great emergency. It wouldn’t make sense for them to be in Madigan’s bakery. Yuri chose that moment to pop out of the office. “Could be nephilim. They have humanlike auras and aren’t granted guardian angels until maturity if the hunters don’t find them first.” “What’s the chance of two nephilim wandering in here by coincidence? I just don’t know. Any known nephilim would scatter, especially given the high numbers of hunters in the area,” Dex said. “Where’s Cross?” Bren asked. He didn’t like this, and he especially didn’t like the fact that they were divided. They’d expected an attack from outside. No one had thought that anyone would be arrogant enough to walk through the front door. “Calling him now.” Dex started muttering to himself, invoking his powers to communicate with Cross. Madigan, who’d been quiet the entire time, spoke up. “Excuse me but if they are nephilim, why would they try and hurt me?” He looked like he was getting scared, and Bren didn’t like that one little bit. He hated to see Madigan afraid of anything. He was theirs. Nothing and no one would be able to get to him. “Sometimes other nephilim sell out others so that the hunters will let them live for a bit longer. They pay for their own lives by turning in someone else. It’s almost like a bounty. Some nephilim are ‘worth’ more than others. As a son of Raphael, you’d be worth quite a bit,” Yuri supplied. He didn’t look happy about it and drew Madigan into his arms, cradling the smaller man into his chest. “I’m beginning to hate being Raphael’s son,” Madigan grumbled into the material of Yuri’s shirt. Bren’s heart constricted. He’d do almost anything to take away the obstacles in Madigan’s life. Selfishly, he couldn’t feel bad about Madigan being Raphael’s son, though. If he wasn’t, they most likely would’ve never met. They all jumped as the back door slammed open to admit Cross and Michel. Bren couldn’t help but to appreciate the two shirtless men

 

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for a moment. They really were beautiful specimens of manhood. Their wings disappeared in a small flash of light. “Report,” Cross barked as he came around the counter and took Madigan from Yuri’s arms. He seemed to be checking to make sure everything was all right with him before turning his attention to something else. Bren gave a basic rundown of what had happened since he’d left shop. “They’re still waiting out there?” Michel asked. Bren nodded. “Then someone needs to go keep them occupied while we figure out what to do.” He grabbed the shirt he’d stripped off for patrol in the office and pulled it on. “I’ll go take their order or whatever and feel them out. Figure it out.” “I’ll go with you to man the counter,” Yuri volunteered, following after Michel. Madigan worried his bottom lip. “I need to take out some more cookies and stuff in about ten minutes,” he said. “We’ll figure it out, bright eyes,” Bren assured. “No worries. The shop won’t suffer.” Madigan seemed content with that and gave Cross a hug before pulling out of his grasp. “I need to knead my fondant,” he griped as Cross’s arms tightened around him. Bren smiled at the sight. His lovers were so adorable. Dex cleared his throat. “The situation at hand, gentlemen,” he reminded. “Right. Well, we’ll keep an eye on them, and if they try anything, we kill them.” Cross made the statement without batting an eyelash. Bren’s stomach turned over. He knew Madigan was going to go off the deep end at his phrasing. “You’re not killing anyone in my shop!” the nephilim hissed, right on cue. “Madigan, it may become necessary. What if they attack?” Cross asked in a reasonable tone.

 

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“You. Are. Not. Killing. Anyone. In. My. Shop,” Madigan repeated, glaring daggers in his direction. He wiped his hands on his apron. “I need to go talk to them if they want a cake.” “No!” Bren and Cross shouted in unison. On that they were in perfect agreement. Madigan’s safety was their number-one priority. “Michel can handle it,” Bren said in a calmer voice. Madigan was already getting agitated. It wouldn’t do to needlessly upset him. Dex spoke up. “What if they need help?” Bren turned toward him. He’d lost his damn mind. That was the last thing they needed Madigan to worry about. “What if they just want a damn wedding cake? Jesus. Can you guys relax for a minute?” Madigan snapped. “They didn’t even do anything.” “Bren, go with him to talk to the two of them. If anything seems off, just let me know.” Cross’s unexpected words had Bren chewing on his lip ring. Huh. What was their fearless leader up to? Then he looked back at Madigan. Ah, that explains it. Madigan was fixing to flip his shit if they didn’t bend a little. Their youngest mate had them all wrapped around his fingers. “I trust you,” Cross added. Bren looked at him and felt his heart swell. Christ, I’m falling in love with him. The realization felt sort of like being stabbed in the chest with a flaming sword.

 

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Chapter Six The sound of breaking glass sounded as the door crashed open and shattered from the impact. “Christ!” Michel shouted, pushing back from the table by the counter where he was sitting with the two humans, taking their order for a wedding cake. He drew his flaming sword as one pissed-off angel with pale green wings and matching hair stormed in with his own sword drawn. “Levi, Erik, come here,” he snapped at the pair of them. He glared at Michel. “How did you hide your wings, monster?” He bared his teeth. “If you hurt my lovers, I’ll kill you.” “What is going on?” Madigan asked, coming through the door. Michel’s gaze shot to Madigan and Bren, who was trailing in behind him. “Get Madi away!” Michel snapped. Bren wrapped an arm around Madigan’s waist and tried to haul him back toward the swinging metal doors of the kitchen. Michel turned his attention to the other angel and the two humans who had run behind him. The angel they were with sniffed the air, his eyes widening. Michel took a battle stance. If he was here to try and harm Madigan, Michel was going to take him apart piece by burning piece. “You’re angel bound to a nephilim?” the angel asked, lowering his weapon by small degrees. Michel tilted his head to the side, studying him. “Yes.” Dex and Bren came back out the door, their own swords of light drawn. “Be of ease, brothers. I am not one of the hunters,” the angel spoke, looking between the group gathered. “And I’m assuming by

 

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the fact that you have your nephilim’s scent on your skin that you aren’t, either.” “Who are you?” Michel asked, tightening his grip on his weapon. He was one of Archangel Michael’s, so fighting was in his nature. For upsetting Madigan and hurting his shop, Michel wanted to smash the other angel to bits. His men didn’t need this sort of added stress. “My name is Marius.” The greenish-blond haired angel tilted his head back and motioned to his lovers. “They are my nephilim, Levi and Erik. We just moved here about a week ago.” “Riiiiigght,” Bren rumbled sarcastically. “The fact that hunters have been saturating the area didn’t deter you?” Marius frowned. “We’ve seen no hunters in the area around town. I wouldn’t have stayed here if there were. Erik and Levi are everything to me.” “You’re not of the Heavens anymore, are you?” Dex spoke. It didn’t sound like much of a question. The answer seemed fairly obvious to Michel. “No. I’m one of the earthbound angels awaiting redemption. I met Erik and Levi in Memphis, and we’ve been together ever since.” Bren growled. “Can’t trust the fallen.” “I’m not irredeemable you know,” Marius snapped. “We’re a bit outside of Heaven’s law to be judging him, Bren,” Dex reminded, dispelling his weaponry. Michel eyed the action wearily. He didn’t know if he trusted the angel just yet. “If you’re not here to hurt Madigan, why did you break our door?” Michel asked. Marius shifted, and the dark-haired male whispered in his ear. The words were too soft even for Michel’s superior hearing, and the angel nodded. “I sensed an angelic presence inside and thought it was the hunters. I panicked because I let them”—he nodded toward his lovers—“talk me into letting them go into the shop by themselves.” He sighed. “They wanted to surprise me with a wedding cake. We’re

 

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having a ceremony in a few weeks, and they were very excited about the whole thing.” “Well, see, they did just want a wedding cake,” Madigan’s voice piped up. Michel whipped around, slicing the corner off the counter. It smoldered on the ground, and Madigan made a noise of frustration. “Watch it please. I’ve already got enough of a mess to clean up,” he motioned toward the door. Marius glanced at the broken doors. “I am sorry about that. I will pay for the damages.” “That would be appropriate,” Dex continued. His eyes went to Bren. “Would you mind getting on Madigan’s laptop and looking up a replacement door?” Bren shook his head “no.” Good, Michel thought. They shouldn’t trust anyone so easily. “I can make the cake,” Madigan said, drawing Michel’s attention back to him. “Please, put your weapon down, Michel.” Michel tightened his grip on his weapon. “Stand down, Michel. We outnumber them.” Cross’s voice joined them. Apparently, all the guardians had joined the fight for their charge. “Stand down, Michel,” Cross repeated. With a grumble, Michel did as he was told. If the fallen angel took a wrong step in Madigan’s direction, Michel was going to rip him apart. **** Madigan finally convinced his angels to relax enough so that he could take a seat with the two other nephilim in the back room of his office. The angels were sitting outside the door around the stainlesssteel island, glaring at one another, when Madigan had left them in the other room. He hoped they had the sense to clean up the front room a bit because otherwise the customers were going to be put off. Granted, he’d flipped the Closed sign around when they’d disappeared in back, but he didn’t want the front room trashed.

 

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“I’m really sorry,” the smaller blond-haired man said in a soft, sweet voice. “It’s okay. I’m beginning to realize that everything in this world is a lot more serious than I originally anticipated.” He offered the man a smile. “You’re Levi?” The blond nodded. “I’m still very sorry. Marius is very protective of us. We’ve had some bad run-ins with the hunters, and he’s been paranoid ever since. He considers us his charges.” “So you really think that you can make us a cake?” Erik asked. The other man looked nervous and uneasy sitting beside his lover. He was dark where his lovers were light. He had chocolate-colored hair, tanned skin, and plush lips. His eyes were dark brown as well, but they weren’t soft. He was a jaded man. “It’s very important to Levi that it be done in time. Marius may not show it, but he’s excited about it as well. He’s invited all of his family, and we’ve invited all of ours. If you’re just wasting our time…” His fists clenched at his knees. “I’m not wasting your time. I promise. I can make you a cake, no problem. I haven’t been back open long,” Madigan reassured. “You’re my only big order, so I can get it done.” He looked at the pair in curiosity. So these were fellow nephilim. For some reason, he’d been under the impression that something would clue him in that they were different than the average human. He guessed he shouldn’t have been under that impression. He didn’t think he looked any different than he had a year ago, but he’d thought it nonetheless. “We’re the first ones you’ve met since you hit puberty right?” Levi asked suddenly. Was I that apparent? “Yeah,” Madigan answered. “It’ll weird you out at first. But you’ll get used to it after a while. The world is just a little bit bigger than what you thought it was,” Levi said, smiling. “It’s a lot like Columbus discovering the New World, amazing and frightening and somehow unreal all at once.” Madigan nodded because he wasn’t sure what else to do. “If you need to talk to someone, I’ll leave you my cell phone number.”  

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“That’s nice of you,” Madigan said, meaning it. Levi opened his mouth like he was going to say something, but Erik interrupted him. “I know you want to make friends, Levi, but we came here to get a cake made. Not to buddy up.” “I’m lonely, Erik,” Levi snapped, showing a hint of temper beneath his sweet exterior. “We just met the guy, Levi.” “I can make the cake,” Madigan interrupted before their argument dissolved into something serious. “I just need some creative input on what you guys want on it.” Relief showed on Levi’s face. “This should be a happy time for the three of you. Picking out a wedding cake is supposed to be fun. So, forget what happened earlier and let’s make this happen for you guys.” Madigan’s enthusiasm seemed infectious. It was moments like these that made Madi really enjoy his job. He loved giving a little bit of joy to his customers whether it was over a morning pastry or a wedding cake. Levi gave a little smile. “Well, Marius’s favorite color is green…” **** Madigan was tired by the time the day wound down to a close. He’d done a few sketches on the cake he’d deemed “the nephilim cake,” but the real work wouldn’t really start until tomorrow. Due largely in part to their lack of door, the second half of the day hadn’t been as busy as the first, but Good Eat Sweets had still received an ample number of customers. His men had done well in handling them. He’d been surprised that humans hadn’t noticed Marius busting into his store with his wings flashing, but Cross had explained that he was most likely using a spell of concealment. Regular humans wouldn’t have seen the wings, only the man. It was a less powerful version of the same spell that his guardians used to conceal their own wings. “Tired, babe?” Yuri asked, massaging his lover’s shoulders as Madigan sat down at the small table by the front counter and started

 

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organizing his receipts for the day’s purchases. It shouldn’t take but another thirty minutes or so, but Madigan was beat…and freaking horny. His cock was pulsing in its denim prison. His mind slid away from numbers and into a place of silk sheets and firm, masculine touches. The little scraps of paper held no allure. It was then he realized that today had been the longest stretch he’d gone without sex for the past two weeks. An eight-hour shift had been eternity. Yuri’s nostrils flared. “Need something, babe?” “I need you to take me home.” Madigan’s voice had gone husky. Bren chose that moment to walk in from the back half of the shop. “We’re done with the dishes and the floors, bright eyes.” He stretched, yawning. Madigan’s scent must’ve hit his nostrils when he did because his eyes turned predatory. “Hungry, bright eyes?” “I could eat,” Madigan said, choosing not to understand Bren’s intent. “Quickie before we leave?” Yuri asked. It was tempting. He could really go for a little loving before they piled in the car. His dick throbbed. Okay, yeah, he was going to need a “snack” before they left. He didn’t answer but instead reached out and grabbed Yuri’s hand pulling him into the back office to the laughter of his other guardians. “Glad to be of service, Madigan,” Yuri rumbled, already unbuttoning his jeans. Madigan licked his lips and pulled his shirt over his head. Yuri’s eyes were darkened to a burnished gold, beautiful. “Yuri?” Madigan asked as he toed off his sneakers and chucked his blue jeans. “What is it, baby?” “I really do love you.” The words seemed to give the angel some pause but he recovered quickly, shooting him that signature smile of his that was two parts smart-ass and one part sarcasm. “I really want you, too, Madigan,” Yuri said. Madigan frowned at the verbal dodge of serious emotional admission but then Yuri’s lips  

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were on his own and Madigan ceased to think at all. Nephilim instincts were impossible to control when he was this tired and this needy for some attention from his lovers. “Bren stashed some lube in the top drawer,” Yuri rumbled against his lips. “Get it for me will you, baby?” Since Madigan was perched on top of the desk with Yuri between his thighs he guessed that made sense. He fumbled to open the metal drawer while Yuri continued to kiss him but somehow managed to get it open and to grab the small bottle without dropping it. With trembling hands he handed the container over to his lover. Something was decidedly different about this tussle than the previous ones. There was something a little rawer. Maybe it was the setting or maybe it was that the other guardians just sort of patted Yuri on the back and sent him off with Madigan that made this time seem different. Whatever it was had changed his hunger from sharp to a dull ache that made him almost feel shy. The same realization must’ve struck Yuri as well because he paused as he popped the cap. “In all seriousness, Madi, I care about you very deeply,” Yuri said, his voice hushed and almost reverent. Gone was the sarcasm and the humor. This was the scholar beneath the exterior and the man Madigan was head over heels for. He had a thing for smart guys and Yuri had intelligence in spades. Beyond that, Yuri was a lot more serious than he often conveyed in his sarcastic attitude. Madigan reached up and cupped his cheeks. “Make love to me, Yuri.” He didn’t ask Yuri to fuck him because it had suddenly become more than scratching Madigan’s continuous urge to screw. He wanted Yuri in the same place he wanted his other guardians, deep in his heart where he could treasure him always. Yuri’s mouth crashed down on his and their tongues mated in a slow dance designed to give Madigan exactly what he wanted. Madigan shuddered as one of Yuri’s hands crept between them, caressing his already throbbing entrance with slick fingers. The loving preparation made Madigan hot. As much as he loved to fuck, he loved

 

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making love even more. The gentle touch wasn’t something he got often with the virile warrior angels he lived with and he relished the opportunity to have it now. His angel’s fingers pushed into his body over and over, driving up the tension between them as Madigan moaned into his guardian’s mouth. “I’m ready,” Madigan panted. “Please, Yuri.” The angel reached between them and lined up his cock with Madigan’s needy hole. He put Madigan’s legs on either side of his shoulders, leaving his back side completely exposed. Madigan was glad he wasn’t much taller or else his head would’ve been hanging off the end of the desk in this position. “I would’ve preferred to make love to you for the first time in a bed,” Yuri said, pressing the head of his cock against the tight ringed entrance. “Wherever we are, it’s still making love,” Madigan managed to gasp as he was slowly stretched to accommodate his lover’s length. Yuri groaned as he pressed forward slowly until he was seated deep enough to ignite every nerve ending Madigan had inside him. Then there were no more words as Yuri built the tension between them to a fever pitch. The depth of his restraint was evident in the hard lines of his face and the look of absolute concentration Madigan saw there. Everything felt so intense. He wanted to go fast and hard but at the same time, this slow buildup was driving him crazy and he never wanted it to end. Madigan felt the orgasm growing in increments inside him. He tossed his head as the sensation made thinking an impossibility. The only thing he wanted was to feel his lover and that was all he did. “Yuri,” he gasped, “I’m really close…” Yuri rumbled something that Madigan couldn’t understand and his hips started taking on the harder, more driving rhythm that Madigan was accustomed to. Seeing Yuri lose control was a beautiful sight.  

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Their bodies smacked together, the sound of their flesh meeting filling the room with something decidedly raw and animalistic. Yuri reached between their bodies to massage Madigan’s turgid length as he raced towards climax. Madigan cried out as his balls drew up painfully and orgasm burned up his spine. He shuddered through the sensation, his reddened tip erupting into Yuri’s tight fist. The angel followed him over the edge almost in perfect unison, growling out his own pleasure as the last throb of pleasure was wrung from Madigan’s body with one last feral lunge. Yuri let his arms relax, bending over Madigan’s body and pressing a kiss to his lips. Madigan’s legs fell from his shoulders and he sprawled bonelessly on the desk’s unforgiving surface. “Hmm, that was good,” Madigan whispered, nibbling on Yuri’s lips. The angel smiled. “Thank you, Madi.” There was no reason to thank him. Madigan had just had his mind blown to hell and back and had begged for a longer ride. The smirk that Madi was becoming accustomed to formed on Yuri’s lips. “So you think that will satisfy until we get home?” Madigan gave him an innocent look while running his fingers down Yuri’s sweat-slicked back. “I’ll be good for another twenty minutes or so.” Yuri laughed but the sad part about it was that Madigan could probably go again in less time than that. His nephilim side was absolutely insatiable. “Oh to be young and a nephilim,” Yuri teased, pulling from Madigan’s hot body. Madigan had to agree with him there. Sometimes being a nephilim didn’t suck. As he watched Yuri bend down and collect Madi’s clothes so that he could get dressed, he thought that the perks of having beautiful guardians far outweighed the downsides of his nephilim nature. He grinned as he eyed Yuri’s backside. Yeah…Yum.

 

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Chapter Seven Yuri tried not to moan as Madigan palmed his package in the backseat of the car. Cross had told everyone that he was driving and had instructed Dex to take the front seat so he could stretch out his legs. That left Yuri sitting behind Cross with one hot nephilim in his lap and two other guardians jammed into the backseat. The day had gone well in Yuri’s opinion. It seemed the night was going to be even better. The nephilim’s sexual hungers were a lot to keep up with, and Yuri couldn’t say that he was complaining overly much about them currently. It always surprised him when Madigan touched him. Perhaps it was the first night he’d arrived and Madigan had rejected him that made Yuri feel that way. Whatever the reason, he constantly anticipated Madigan turning away from him. Uriel’s angel compensated himself by being grateful for the acceptance he received from his fellow guardians. They had never turned him away from their beds. Not even the most difficult of them. “Madigan…” He groaned the word finally as the little redhead found his dick through his jeans. He unerringly rubbed the head, licking the side of Yuri’s neck as he did so. Sometimes Yuri wondered if all there was to him and Madigan was sex. Yes, Madigan loved Michel, Dex, Cross, and Bren. It was obvious. However, did Madigan even know Yuri well enough to claim that? Protecting Madigan was his duty, so it shouldn’t really matter, but for some reason the idea of being excluded emotionally was almost worse than being excluded physically. The hand on his groin paused.

 

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“What are you thinking about, Yuri?” Madigan asked against the shell of his ear. “Your mind is not here in the backseat.” Yuri was surprised that Madigan managed to talk quite so well. Usually when his nephilim side was in need, everything else ceased to matter. Maybe it was the slow fuck Yuri had given him in the office earlier that had cleared his mind a bit. Michel’s knee bumped his in the darkening car. They were all packed like sardines, but Yuri had forgotten they were even there for a minute. “I’m good, little one. Just thinking.” “You’re always thinking. Your mind must run a million miles an hour.” Madigan embraced him in a tight hug. “Stop thinking bad things about us.” “I’m not,” Yuri protested. “You’re hard, but you’re not even here with me.” “What does that even mean?” “Are you guys really fighting about how hard Yuri is?” Bren asked from their left. “Madigan, our nerd boy here has fears of rejection that go so deep you might as well tattoo them on his ass because they’re not going away. You just have to love him and maybe it’ll sink into his thick intellectual skull by the time you hit one hundred.” “Screw you, Bren,” Yuri snapped. His intellect was his most prized trait, something that he had always relied on to get him through difficult situations. If Madigan had issues with him overthinking things, it was up to him to say so. He didn’t need Bren making snide commentary. It was then that something slammed into the side of the car. Madigan cried out as the metal crunched under the weight of whatever had hit them. The sound of rending metal screamed, making Yuri’s stomach turn over. The car skidded sideways, the tires sliding along the pavement in a sick parody of their normal forward movement. Cross shouted something from the driver’s seat as the car groaned as it began to tilt as it skidded. Yuri reacted without thinking.

 

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His wings exploded from his back, smacking the men on either side of him as they expanded. He brought them forward painfully and wrapped his wings around Madigan’s smaller frame. Everything happened so quickly that his mind hadn’t caught up with what exactly was occurring. The car rolled over and over off the road and into the forested area beyond. Yuri could see nothing but the flashes of light as the world spun. He hung on to Madigan for dear life. Something pierced his wing just below the first joint, but he barely felt the pain. They rolled for another endless set of minutes before coming to a stop. He couldn’t identify up from down. The orientation of his world was still spinning. Nothing hurt, but it wasn’t because he wasn’t injured. It was more due to the fact that he was in shock more than anything else. “Y–Yuri?” Madigan’s voice was hoarse as he spoke. Yuri wondered if he had been screaming. “Yuri!” “I’m okay, Madi.” Yuri didn’t know if he actually was, but it seemed like the thing to say. The angel mentally assessed his injuries but couldn’t feel enough of his body to tell. He opened his eyes and saw a bleeding Madigan. His heart constricted painfully. His Madigan was hurt. He hadn’t been fast enough in shielding him. Some of the glass must’ve got at him before his wings had closed. Thinking of his wings, he tried to open them open but couldn’t. They were stuck somehow. Bren’s voice sounded. “Madigan?” He seemed as shaken up as Madigan was. “He’s alive,” Yuri offered. He couldn’t determine more than that. “Everyone else?” “I’m okay,” Michel said, his voice hoarse as well. “What the hell hit us?” “I’m okay as well,” Dex muttered. “Pretty badly sliced up from the glass, but I’m okay. The seat belt saved my ass. I think it was a car that smashed us up.”

 

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“What about Cross?” Madigan asked. Silence answered him. Yuri felt a flood of adrenaline surge through him at that unnatural silence, clearing away his fuzzy-minded shock. “Cross?” Madigan asked again, pitifully. Dex started cursing like a sailor, never a good sign. “He’s unconscious. Bleeding pretty badly from his head. Gash on the side of his neck.” He paused long enough for a fresh dose of fear to floor him. “Hole in his chest. Looks like something came through the windshield.” “Fuck,” Bren said. “I think I see what came through the fucking windshield.” “What is it?” Yuri asked. “Looks like some sort of spear.” “How can you tell?” Yuri wondered. Bren paused. “It’s what is holding your wings closed. It was probably aimed at Madigan.” Cold rage went through Yuri. They were hurting his men. It was an odd thing to think of and an even odder thing to feel, but they were his and the idea that they were hurt… “This wasn’t an accident. There was more than one spear. Someone had to have tossed one through the side window to hit you like that. Looks like one scraped you as it came through Cross and another pinned your wings,” he cursed again, “This was definitely not an accident,” Dex said. Yuri couldn’t agree more. A groaning sound came from the front seat. “Fuck me, that hurts.” “Don’t talk, Cross. Conserve your strength,” Dex murmured. He sounded near tears. “Get Madigan out of here,” Cross commanded. Stubborn moron, Yuri thought. “Can anyone fly?” A hand touched Yuri’s wings. “My wings are good and my injuries are pretty minor.” It was Bren. “Good. Get him out of here.” “Cross, you can’t fly and neither can Yuri,” Michel argued.

 

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“Doesn’t matter. Our priority is Madigan.” “Someone just tried to kill us, and there are no guarantees that they aren’t still around,” Yuri said. He felt like a jerk for thinking so, but he didn’t want everyone to leave them. “I can’t feel my wings.” He added the last with a note of panic in his voice. He’d had numerous injuries over his existence, but none like this. Where the joints were connected seemed fused together. He smelled blood and knew that some of it was his. The wetness on his feathers told him a lot of it was his. “I’m not leaving you, Yuri,” Madigan promised, his green eyes sparkling. He really loves me. It was the singularly most important thought Yuri could ever remember having. Suddenly a door was wrenched open from the outside and sent flying. Dex growled, and someone else cursed. The sound of unsnapping seat belts played, and Yuri tensed as the sound of war cries reached his ears. The hunters had found them. **** Cross struggled to unbuckle his seat belt, his fingers nerveless and unable to process the sensation and gauge the correct pressure to open the mechanism. Dex unsnapped himself and launched out the open door as soon as Bren’s door was wrenched open. Bren cursed as he was pulled out of the car by unfamiliar hands. Cross’s vision narrowed as he slammed his hand into the seat-belt release button, finally applying enough pressure to make it unsnap. He panted hard as a nearly blinding pain lacerated his chest as he tried to sit up enough to open the door. He bit the inside of his cheek hard enough to bring blood as he resisted the urge to scream. He managed to raise his hand high enough to touch his chest. Fuck. There was still a piece of wood or something in there. “Cross, don’t!” Yuri shouted from the backseat. His wings were wrapped protectively around Madigan, pinned in place like a  

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butterfly’s through the connecting joints and into the metal of the car itself. If Cross hadn’t known that it was Yuri beneath the gnarled mass of bone, blood, and feathers, he would’ve been unrecognizable. “Gotta get out. Gotta help Dex and Bren.” He wheezed. God everything hurt so badly. He thought like an idiot that the hunters would follow the rules and leave Madigan alone. It was stupid. So stupid on his part. He was supposed to be the leader, supposed to have all the answers. Michel kicked the door until it came open and rolled out into the night as well. The sounds of screaming and fighting continued. He had to get out. He tested the door, found it wouldn’t give. He searched for a well of strength inside him, trying to find it even as the world he knew spun out of control. He didn’t have the extra power in him. His vision began dancing with spots of color. Vaguely, he realized he was losing consciousness. “Stay with us, Cross. Try to stay awake. You don’t need to go see the Maker right now. We’ve got to finish our mission.” Yuri was babbling from the backseat, but Cross barely heard the words, let alone processed them. He felt like he was drowning, but it wasn’t unpleasant. His muscles began to relax, and his heart slowed. He couldn’t see anything anymore, not even impressions of light from the swords that were slashing outside. Distantly he heard his archangel calling him, telling him to stay awake as well. Why? Why did he have to stay awake? He couldn’t remember. Something important teased the edge of his consciousness. “Don’t leave me, Cross.” Madigan’s sobbing words finally penetrated the fog of his mind. “Please, I’m sorry I made you all come to work with me. I’m sorry that you had to put up with the bakery, and I’m so so sorry about everything. Please, Cross, I love you. Please!” “Love…you…Madi,” Cross whispered, but it might as well have been a shout for all the effort it cost him. The strangest sensation of falling made his head spin as his eyes slid shut, and he heard no more.

 

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**** Dex was rarely in a temper. Now he was in a frothy fury. He drew his angelic sword which blazed from its place within him and hacked at the hunter nearest him. He felt the vibrations through the blade as it connected to flesh and bone. These monsters had tried to hurt his men, and it turned him into a berserker of epic proportions. He swung again, taking off the head of the nearest angel, the one who had Bren’s struggling body in his tight grip. It tumbled off into the darkness like a macabre football. He knelt beside his lover. “Bren, you okay?” he asked. “Right as rain, Dex. I thought Madigan was strictly off-limits?” Bren took his hand as Dex pulled him to his feet. “Madigan is. We’re not. I didn’t think about it.” Dex cursed and pressed a kiss to Bren’s cheek. “Glad you’re okay. Did you see any others?” Bren pulled back enough to draw his own sword. “Three more scattered when the two dragged me out. You get them both?” Dex nodded. “Good. Three more, I think.” “We don’t have enough people to hunt them down. We need to get Cross out of that car and to a healer ASAP.” He didn’t say so, but they were both thinking that Cross’s injuries could very well be fatal. If it was a last resort, they could use Bren’s serum on Cross to bring him back from the dead, but he really really really did not want Cross to die. “I’ll find them. You two get the others to safety.” They both jumped as a new voice added to the conversation. Michel’s stormy expression gave Dex a first insight into the fact that he was one of Michael’s angels. He was a warrior first before anything else. “You can’t go by yourself,” Bren protested. “There are three, if not more of them. We’re outnumbered and outgunned and outmatched with the injuries we have. We need to get out of here.  

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Once we’re well, we’ll hunt them all down to the ends of the Earth, but for now, we need to go.” Michel let lose an earsplitting battle cry and raised the fine hairs on Dex’s arms. “I will have my vengeance!” Dex understood where he was coming from. The hunters had tried to kill not only them but their loved ones as well. Michel was perhaps the most gentle out of the bunch, and his love ran as deep if not deeper than most. The most logical action would be to kill anything that had tried to harm those he loved. “Vengeance is God’s department, Michel,” Bren said quietly. “We’re guardians. Our duty is to our charge. Remember that.” Michel shook. “I’m just so angry…” The rage was thick in his voice. It sounded much more guttural than usual. “I know, baby. I know.” Bren put his sword out and drew Michel into his arms, rocking him slightly as he did so. Michel shuddered and clung to the back of Bren’s shirt. Dex stepped into the hug, enveloping them both. They stayed that way for a few seconds, taking comfort in one another. “You’re right. Let’s get our men home,” Michel said finally. Dex nodded. Sanctuary had never looked so good.

 

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Chapter Eight Madigan shook because he couldn’t do anything else. Yuri was murmuring quietly, trying to keep him calm, he guessed. Cross hadn’t spoken in several minutes, and the sounds of struggle outside had ceased around the same time he lost consciousness. Madigan couldn’t think of Cross being anything else but asleep. It would drive him crazy. He hated being trapped inside this cocoon while his lovers, hell, husbands, were out there fighting, probably injured, and possibly dying. So he cried quietly and let Yuri tell him how everything was going to be all right and that they were all going to lie in bed later and laugh about how scared they’d been. “I want to leave town when we get out of here. I want to go somewhere far away with everyone.” Madigan murmured the words and shivered. “Isn’t there anywhere safe?” When this day had started off, he’d sworn that he wouldn’t let fear control his actions, that surely it wasn’t as dangerous as his men led him to believe. He’d never doubt them again. When Yuri spoke, he sounded very tired. “We’ll go wherever you want to go Madigan. We can even travel to a town of sanctuary. Pacifist angels have made safe zones all over the world where the hunters can’t come. They’re remote, pretty rural, and hard to find, but I’m sure between the five of us we can find them.” “Can my mom come visit?” he asked. He needed to talk about something happy, anything to take his mind off of this moment. Yuri and Cross were terribly hurt. Madigan was a baker. He had never been around violence or anything remotely this terrifying. He longed for the days when he’d only worried about his mother’s blind dates.  

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“Of course. We’ll even behave.” The joke fell flat. Madigan wanted to go home. Yuri groaned as the driver side door was opened. Madigan felt a surge of panic go through him. What if it was the hunters here to finish him off? He couldn’t help the whimper that escaped him at the thought. He didn’t want to die like this. “It’s okay, bright eyes. It’s just us,” Bren said. Cold relief went through Madigan at the sound. Someone audibly swallowed and someone else hissed. “Cross.” The word Bren whispered held a wealth of sorrow. “Pulse?” Dex asked. “I’ll bring him back,” Bren said. “Back?” Madigan wondered numbly. “Back from where?” “Don’t worry about it, baby,” Michel murmured. He sounded as shaken as Madigan was. “Cross is just hurt.” “How you holding up, Yuri?” Dex asked. “Broken but I’ll live.” Madigan huddled closer to him. “I’ve got to pull this out to get you out of here. It’s going to hurt a lot, but I’ve got to get you and Madigan unpinned. Okay?” Dex’s voice again. Madigan hated not being able to see. “I’m taking Cross ahead,” Bren said from somewhere in the location of the front seat. “I need to get him into a place of Sanctuary for this.” “Go ahead,” Michel encouraged. “Take him on. Fly low and take the shortest path. We’ll meet you back at the house.” Madigan wagered that Michel was the one in charge when Cross was unavailable. He certainly sounded like the second-in-command. “All right, Yuri. Here we go,” Dex said, much closer this time. Yuri groaned as whatever it was that was pinning his wings to the car were cut and then pulled out of the joints. Blood gushed, soaking through Madigan’s shirt and splashing a warm spray against his face.

 

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Madigan screamed in terror. “Stop! You’re hurting him!” Yuri’s eyes were squeezed shut and his jaw was set so hard that Madigan imagined that it would break under the pressure. “We don’t have a choice, baby. We have to get him out of here so that we can heal him,” Dex said. “Get ready, Michel.” Yuri slumped sideways as a pair of arms grabbed him and pulled him from the backseat, Madigan along with him. They hit the ground and another set of hands pulled Madigan off Yuri. A flash of light momentarily blinded Madigan as Dex unsheathed his angelic sword of fire. Madi whimpered as Michel pulled him away from Yuri. Was this going to be a mercy killing or something? “He’s got to cauterize the wounds, Madi,” Michel whispered in his ear, cradling him gently against his chest. “It’ll make the bleeding stop so he can heal.” Madigan didn’t know how much more he could take of all this. His head was spinning, and his stomach was churning. The sticky blood clung to him like a liquid from hell. He sobbed pitifully, wanting this to be over with, needing this to be over with. Yuri screamed as the flaming sword touched his bleeding wounds, and the smell of burning feathers and flesh finally got to Madigan. He turned his head and wretched, throwing up the day’s food in painful heaves of his gut. Michel petted his back and whispered in his ear, trying to comfort him. “There,” Dex said as he finished applying his sword to Yuri’s wounds. He picked up the other angel like he weighed nothing. Madigan dared open his eyes long enough to see the tangled, gnarled mass of what used to be Yuri’s wings. They were scorched in places and bent at so many different angles that it looked like an angry child had snapped toothpicks in various directions under Yuri’s skin. His stomach heaved again. “We need to get them home,” Michel said, scooping up Madigan like he weighed next to nothing as well.

 

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“I’m right behind you.” Dex nodded in his direction. Michel took a running step and launched himself up into the air, flapping his wings furiously to gain altitude. The winds were just as cold high up as they were below, but Madigan barely felt it. Everything had gone curiously numb, and the world didn’t seem to be moving very fast. It was like time suspended. The sky above was an ugly gray black, completely obscuring any starlight that might have provided him some kind of reference point in the world above the ground. “A brief respite before the storm,” Madigan whispered. The wind whipped away his words and distributed them out into the sky. It had been an all-too-brief respite. His heart constricted. What had happened to Cross? Where had Bren taken him? “Almost there, baby,” Michel said as they climbed into the clouds themselves. Then Madigan felt the cold. It was a damp, penetrating cold that seeped through his already wet sticky clothes and dampened his skin. He shivered. “I swear, baby, five minutes tops.” They fell out of the sky like eagles on one of the Discovery Channel shows Madigan loved to watch, and his already sore stomach protested that, too. Luckily, he had nothing left to throw up. They hit the ground harder than usual, the movement jarring in its intensity. Another distant thud clued Madigan into the fact that they weren’t the only ones landing. Michel fished out Madigan’s car keys from his pocket, which was impressive considering he had to juggle Madigan’s weight to do it. The nephilim didn’t think he could walk. It was too much effort. “His eyes are dilated. Looks like a concussion,” Michel said as he bounded up the front porch steps. “Where’s Cross?” Madigan asked, finding his voice. He barely remembered getting here. Is this what shock feels like? From somewhere in the interior of the house someone shouted. “Dex! Michel! Get up here!” It took a second to process that it was

 

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Bren’s voice. He sounded choked. Was he crying? The fact that one of his husbands needed him drew Madigan out of his stupor. “Put me down,” he commanded, struggling a bit in Michel’s hold. “I’m okay, Michel. Please, let me go to him.” He tried to put all the returning sanity he could into his gaze, and something in the depths of his eyes must’ve reassured Michel because the angel put him slowly on his feet. Madigan wasted no time getting up the stairs. Despite the fact that he was stiff and hurting from numerous cuts and bruises on his body, the only thing that mattered was getting to his main goal. He swung around the corner and into their bedroom. The sight that greeted him made his heart plummet into his stomach. Bren sat with his legs tucked into his chest, his massive black wings spread out behind him, and his hands which were glowing a faint blue over Cross’s naked chest. Cross looked lifeless, still in a way that wasn’t natural for the living. Tears blinded Madigan, and he nearly collapsed. This couldn’t be happening. “I don’t know why he won’t wake up,” Bren sobbed. Tears cascaded down his normally cocky face. “My archangel said it could resurrect anyone.” The others rushed into the room, Dex carrying a now-unconscious Yuri. Madigan gave another little whimper of protest. Madigan shut his eyes tight as if by blocking out the light, Madigan could free himself from the situation they were in. Please, please, I need them. I need them all. Please, help me. “Put your hands over Bren’s.” The extra voice in his head had Madigan’s eyes snapping open. “Don’t worry about what you’re hearing, Madigan. You must hurry. The spell that Lucifer gave Bren is almost out.” A bolt of energy went through Madigan, propelling him across the room faster than he thought he was capable of. It was a giddy, tingling energy that infused him. That strange voice in his head instructed him to take Bren’s hands, so that was what he did, pushing

 

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the energy in his body out through his fingertips and into the still form of his lover. Immediately, Cross’s color got better, going from a pale gray to its normal complexion. The deep gouges and wounds on his chest slowly closed before his eyes, and the first stuttering breath Cross took made Madigan give a whoop of joy. The pulse at Cross’s neck began beating, weakly at first and then faster as the white light Madigan was exuding spread across his angel’s body. Madigan felt like he’d done this a thousand times. This act, whatever it was, felt natural to him. After the light died away from his hands, Madigan felt swamped with tiredness. He swayed on his feet. Distantly, he heard his lovers calling out to him, but the world spun out of control and he fell toward the carpet and unconsciousness.

 

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Chapter Nine “I’m speaking with him now,” Dex said as Bren paced the carpet outside their bedroom. They’d all thought it best to let everyone sleep as dawn approached, but they were still in full panic mode. Dex had offered to contact his archangel Gabriel to ask about the spell and how the hell the hunters had been allowed to harm Madigan. He hadn’t been the most severely injured, but he had been cut and bruised and traumatized. He’d also had a nasty slice taken out of his head, most likely from the spear that had pierced Yuri’s wings. If Bren ever found the three people left of the hunting party that had tried to kill them… “You’ve got to calm down, Bren,” Michel said, stopping his pacing with a well-placed hand on his shoulder. It was weird to think that just a few months ago the idea of working side by side with Michael’s angel was distasteful. As a rule, Michael’s and Lucifer’s angels just didn’t get along very well. Now Bren couldn’t imagine a life without every single one of them. He pulled Michel closer and nuzzled his hair as he wrapped his arms around him. The angel took the hint and leaned into him. Thank God. Michel kissed the side of Bren’s neck. The urge to gather all of his men to him and dissolve into a puddle of exhausted thankfulness was one that Bren had difficulty resisting, but before they could sleep, they had to know how the hunters attacked them. Yuri’s brain would be of great use right about now, but his was asleep, trying to heal the massive injuries to his wings upstairs in the bed beside a stillunconscious Cross.

 

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A loud banging on their front door had the three guardians tensing. Another series of loud banging followed. “Please! Open the door! Please!” Bren and Michel drew their swords in unison. The muffled voice sounded familiar. Bren looked through the spy hole and saw Marius and his two mates standing on their front porch. He was half naked as were his mates. They looked like they’d left wherever they’d been in a hurry. Healing arrow marks dotted the angel’s pale skin in the gray morning light. The two nephilim by his side looked shaken. The smaller one was crying. He glanced back at his men, who nodded at him to open the door. He swung it open, and Marius ushered his mates inside. His eyes widened as he took in their drawn swords. His shoulders slumped, and a look of pure defeat crossed over his face. “Please, I just want to get my lovers safe. Please.” Bren could detect no deceit in those words nor in the expression that Marius wore. “How do we know you didn’t bring the wolves to our door?” Michel asked, his voice hard. How Bren had ever thought Michel was too nice was beyond him. He was fiercely protective and turned into a real hard-ass whenever he sensed something that posed a potential threat to his men. It made sense for him to be that way, even if it was weird. The Archangel Michael was, after all, Heaven’s general, but still, the hardness was a different side of Michel entirely. Marius’s green eyes narrowed. “You don’t. But trust me when I say I’ll kill every one of the fuckers given the chance.” His arms tightened around both of his mates. “They tried to kill my Levi and Erik. They need to die like I need a tan.” The comment would’ve been humorous in a different circumstance given the paleness of Marius’s complexion. Levi, the blond, rhythmically clutched his hands as he stood beside his lover, staring at the floor. “I had to leave Miss Kitty,” the sweet blond whispered.

 

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“We’ll get her back, baby,” Marius reassured immediately, all of his attention going to his mate. “Miss Kitty?” Bren asked. He had to suppress the sarcastic jab he was tempted to make. It wouldn’t really be appropriate. “The kitten Marius and Erik bought me as a wedding present.” He sniffled, actually sniffled as the sentence ended. “I couldn’t find her when the hunters came.” “I’ll sneak back tonight and get her,” Marius promised, hugging his gentle mate. “We didn’t say you could stay,” Michel reminded, pointing his weapon at the three of them. Marius growled and stepped closer. “Don’t threaten another man’s charges, Michel,” Dex said sternly. “We both know what is going to happen if you keep up this aggression. There’ll be a fight. Madigan wouldn’t want that. You know he’d offer them Sanctuary.” “We have enough to worry over!” Michel protested. Bren couldn’t help but agree. It was hard enough with three injured members of their family upstairs and hunters possibly already plotting outside their doorway. “I can help. I’m one of the fallen. I may not be an angel anymore per se, but I have my own powers,” Marius offered. He looked more than a little desperate. “I’m begging you here. I have to have my lovers somewhere safe until we can move to our wedding location. There is a town of sanctuary not far from here. That’s where the ceremony is supposed to be. Please, it will only be a few days at most.” “How did you even find us?” Bren asked, his eyes narrowing. “This isn’t the address listed on the card.” Marius fished in his pockets and extricated the card Madigan had given them. “I tried calling Madigan’s cell, but there was no answer. So I tried the other cell listed. I talked to a lady that said she was Madigan’s mother. She gave me the address and said that you guys would give us sanctuary.”  

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Dex nodded like that made sense. “The owner of the house can extend sanctuary to anyone they choose. You know that, Michel.” “She doesn’t have possession,” Michel argued. “Madigan would give that to them, and you know it. There is no more arguing about this. Look at them, Michel. They’re exhausted and scared. How would you feel if someone tried to turn Madigan away?” That bit of the argument seemed to win him over. He sighed heavily. “I’ll get the linens out of the closet. You guys can sleep in the angel room.” He turned and stalked down the hallway. “Don’t mind him. He’s still upset about earlier,” Dex said. Marius nodded in understanding. “They apparently did a big sweep of the area. They nailed one other set of nephilim before us. We’d met them earlier in the week. They were also heading toward sanctuary.” He bit his bottom lip. “Don’t know if they made it out. They did call and warn us, but I have no idea what happened from there.” Bren frowned. “Have there been a lot of nephilim come through town recently?” Marius nodded. Michel returned with the mountain of blankets and pillows, and they all followed him into the angel room. Marius froze in the doorway. “Raphael? The Archangel Raphael himself?” The half sentences made sense to Bren. “Yes. Our Madigan is Raphael’s son.” “That would make perfect sense. Nephilim are probably being drawn to Madigan’s awakening power. An archangel’s offspring gives off a hell of a larger power signature than most nephilim produce.” Marius finally walked forward over the threshold and into the main part of the room. Levi and Erik took up a position on the couch as Michel made a makeshift pallet in the floor. “The hunters are using Madigan’s power like a lure. They waited until the number of nephilim in the area was saturated before they went after you all.” “Why us? Why not Madi?” Dex asked, puzzled.

 

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Marius walked over and sat in between his two lovers. “You guys could suppress the visibility of his power. They could be trying to force him into his Angelhood early. That would draw nephilim from all over the States to here. Without you guys to buffer the birth of a new angel, it’d be like shooting fish in a barrel.” “Fuck!” Bren cursed. “Hunters are so fucking evil!” “You were one of Uriel’s, weren’t you?” Dex had a thoughtful expression on his face. “That’s why you know the lore and the hunters so well.” Marius sighed and hugged his lovers to him. “Half right. I was one of Uriel’s, and I do know the lore because of it. However, I was also a hunter for two hundred years. Uriel cast me out because I killed an innocent. Hunters have laws that govern them, and I broke them. Azrael ordered me to kill a nephilim before he reached maturity.” He swallowed as if the recollection was painful. “He was sixteen and out with his friends. I cut him down and got myself banished for it. I was mad at first, but once I got here and found my lovers…” Levi stroked a hand down the center of chest as if to calm him. He shook his head. “I know how the hunters work because I was once one of those monsters. I know how they think, and if Azrael is leading the hunt, I know exactly how they operate.” “It might be useful to have you around then,” Michel allowed after a thoughtful pause. “But we can’t stay here. We’re endangering Madigan and the community doing so.” “Come with us to sanctuary. It’s a completely self-sufficient town. Humans are there, too, of course, but for the most part the whole place is a collection of angels, fallen, and nephilim. It’s a neutral zone, and hunters aren’t even allowed in the city limits.” Marius offered the place up like the prize it truly was. If everything he said was true, then Madigan and the rest of them could lead a seminormal life until Madigan matured. It would be perfect. “We’ll think about it and discuss it with the rest of our men,” Michel interrupted before Bren could go ahead and agree to them  

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following the threesome into the unknown. Michael’s angel was right. They needed to be especially cautious. Marius nodded. “That’s understandable. Our wedding is going to be there, so we’ll be headed that direction either way. The hunters won’t stop me from marrying the men I love.” “Maybe it should,” Erik whispered bitterly. “It’s crazy trying to have a wedding while dodging blazing swords.” “It’ll get better when we get to sanctuary,” Levi said, his eyes taking on the same determined glint that Madigan’s often did when arguing with one of the guardians. “We’ll leave you to your rest,” Dex interrupted smoothly. “The kitchen is right down the hall as is the bathroom. If you want something to eat or drink, feel free. We need to seek our own rest with our mates.” Bren agreed wholeheartedly. They’d been awake nearly twentyfour hours. To say he was tired was a vast understatement. He followed Michel as he took to the stairs, and Dex was a welcome and warm presence behind him as he climbed. Maybe things would look better once they got some sleep. They certainly couldn’t look any worse. **** Madigan came awake slowly, his mind a sluggish collection of hazy memories that swirled in his mind like bits of leaves tossed about by the wind. The warmth of other bodies pressed against his didn’t add to the desire for more information, either. He was relaxed and happy between his lovers. He rolled over and put a hand on Yuri’s winged back. His lovers enjoyed when he petted their wings. A hiss followed by a groan had him frowning. That was not the normal reaction. His eyes popped open as clarity hit. “Shit!” he yelped, snatching his hand back from Yuri’s back. “Sorry!”

 

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The angel gave a forced chuckle. “All good, sweets. Just hurt is all.” The chuckle died off. “How’s Cross?” “Alive,” Cross’s hoarse voice answered him, and Madigan gave a sound of pure joy before throwing his arms around Cross’s chest and scattering kisses over the still-healing wounds. “Miss me?” “Yes!” Madigan started crying, clinging to his lover. He hadn’t thought he’d ever see Cross again after last night. He’d nearly lost all of his lovers, and the thought left him chilled. “Wh’as goin’ on?” a slurred and sleepy voice asked from the floor. Madigan’s head popped up, and he was tremendously grateful to see Michel, Bren, and Dex curled up in a dog pile on the floor. There obviously hadn’t been enough room in the bed with Yuri’s wings out. “Just woke up. Is everything okay?” Madigan asked, adrenaline flooding through him in a delayed reaction to the trauma from the previous evening. He glanced at the window and saw it was full dark out. They’d slept the day away. Dex relayed the information about the hunters, the extra nephilim, and the fallen who’d showed up on their doorstep not long after the three standing angels had deposited Madigan, Yuri, and Cross into their bed upstairs. “I still don’t know why the spell my lord gave me didn’t work correctly,” Bren said as Dex finished speaking. “Sin Spells, by their definition, are spells of a selfish nature. It was designed to be administered either to yourself in your spirit form or to Madigan. It probably wasn’t designed to work on other guardians. Lucifer never did organize things that way,” Yuri provided from his position on his stomach. He would heal quickly, at least according to what Madigan knew about his guardians and their healing capability. “Madigan probably used some of his angelic power to alter the spell enough to work on Cross. Raphael is the healer out of the archangels. It would make sense that his son got some of his gifts.”  

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“I agree. That would make sense,” Cross said, tucking Madigan against his chest. “I can’t believe I nearly lost all of you.” Madigan squeezed him as tight as he dared. Dex started mumbling to himself, a sure sign he was talking to someone else. “Lord Gabriel says that he believes it would be a good idea to travel with the fallen and his nephilim. The sanctuary that they speak of is one of the largest in North America. It was established by one of my lord’s sons back in the sixteen hundreds,” Dex said after a moment of indecipherable muttering. “So this means we’re leaving?” Madigan trembled at the thought. This wasn’t just something that was going to go away. It was finally sinking in that the danger was not only real but potential every time he left the house. “What about the bakery?” “We can move everything to the new sanctuary. The fallen says that it is a fully functioning town, so I imagine they’ll need a bakery as well,” Michel soothed. The three men in the floor lumbered to their feet and crawled into bed as best they could with Yuri’s condition. “We’ll start over, baby. Don’t worry about this being the end. Think of it as the beginning,” Dex said, kissing the curve of Madigan’s foot as it poked out from under the covers. “Lord Gabriel is already speaking with your father on setting us up a house and a business for you to work in. It’ll be a few more days here, and then we can make the journey.” “What about the hunters?” Cross asked, cracking his eyes open. Bren provided the answer quickly as if he’d already been thinking along those lines. “Another reason we need to wait a few days. The fallen and his nephilim will be with us, so I’m hoping we can find a way around the hunting party or at least get a few reinforcements. I know of some of my line who would help.” Cross nodded and seemed to relax a little bit. “Looks like you guys have everything figured out without me.” “Oh hell, Cross. We’d be lost without our fearless, pain-in-the-ass leader,” Bren teased. Madigan watched the interaction with a smile on

 

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his face. It was like he could see the bond growing between them, expanding to a level of deep affection that he dared hope was the beginnings of real love. Madigan suddenly felt the pressing need to show all of his men how very much he loved them. Their eyes went to him as if they knew the direction of his thoughts. “I think I’m still too banged up for this,” Yuri said regretfully. Madigan leaned over and pressed a kiss to his lips. “No worries. I’ll get you next time,” Madigan promised. He expected Bren to grab him but was pleasantly surprised when it was Michel and Dex instead. The two males pressed him between them, letting him feel their need. “God, that is fucking beautiful,” Yuri murmured. Knowing that he was watching them touch one another added to the fire of Madigan’s want. “Didn’t know if I’d ever get to see this again.” The attack had been horrible, but Madigan couldn’t help but to feel a little thankful at the reminder of the impermanence of things. He’d been so caught up in his cabin fever that he hadn’t really appreciated the wonderful relationships he’d been forming with these wonderful men of his. Thankfully, he was naked under the sheet, and Dex slid off the bed so that Madigan could lie on his stomach and still reach the hardening cock that was going to be in his mouth soon. He couldn’t wait to taste Dex on his tongue and feel him in his soul. Michel’s hand palmed his ass, and he knew Michael’s angel would be the one filling him up. Michel must’ve grabbed the lube because the cold gel pressed against the tight entrance to his body with Michel’s fingers as he stretched him. Madigan’s eyes went to Dex as he opened his mouth for the big angel’s dick. Gabriel’s angel was already panting, and a drop of clear pre-cum decorated his tip. Madigan sucked him into the back of his throat with no hesitation at the same time Michel’s thick head popped through the ringed entrance of his body and began the slow glide

 

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forward into his unresisting body. A flicker of movement caught his attention out of the corner of his eye. **** Bren pulled the covers down Cross’s naked body and looked up at him through lowered black lashes. “Don’t know if I can,” Cross murmured, stroking a hand through Bren’s raven locks. The emotions he saw churning in those pitch-black eyes made a flutter of sensation fumble around his chest cavity for endless minutes. “If you can’t, just tell me. I’ve got to touch you, though. Really.” The admission warmed Cross exponentially. He wanted Bren’s mouth on him, needed his heart with him. They’d never been closer than they’d been at his moment of death. Even if he had been unaware of his surroundings when he’d slid from this world and into the spiritual realm beyond, he’d felt Bren’s agony over his passing. Beyond the fear and the anger had been love. Cross was sure of it. He didn’t imagine Bren would be fighting the pull between them for much longer. “Touch me, Bren,” Cross whispered, cupping the other man’s cheek for an all-too-brief moment before the other man pulled away and went to his task. The warm, wet suction of Bren’s mouth on his cock had Cross gasping painfully. The holes in his chest were a definite distraction, but thank God, he was an angel and healed relatively quickly. The pain quickly subsided into pleasure as Bren’s skilled tongue and lips created a riot of sensation on his sensitized organ. “Bren.” He gasped the angel’s name. “Love you.” He didn’t want to stop the words from coming out. He knew they were perfect and wonderful and right. The dark-haired angel drew off his cock with an audible pop. “Love you, too, red.” He put his mouth back down and got to work.

 

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**** Madigan’s heart soared as the words two of his angels exchanged reached his ears. He groaned around Dex’s cock as Michel changed the depths of his thrusts, nailing his prostate with ever-increasingly powerful lunges. There was a desperate edge to their lovemaking tonight. Distantly, Madigan realized he should try and be quiet because they had guests just downstairs, but damn if he could be with the sounds and smells of his mates around him. Nephilim hunger. They would understand. It took no time at all to get Madigan near his peak. His prick was throbbing with every delicious push and withdraw that Michel and Dex were giving him. He was stuffed full and loving every second of it. The sounds of Cross’s ecstasy as Bren sucked him only added to his arousal and his hunger for more of his angels. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying desperately to stave off the orgasm that was boiling through his blood, demanding he come and come hard. Michel’s hand found his cock beneath him and pumped his wrist in time to the equally matched thrusts in his mouth and his ass. His eyes crossed and stars exploded behind his lids. His butt clenched down on the hard shaft piercing him, and a groan of pure ecstasy sounded as his dick twitched twice before giving up its liquid pleasure in generous helping on the sheets beneath. Dex stiffened right after, shoving deep into Madigan’s throat as he reached his own climax. Michel followed almost immediately afterward, screaming his “I love you!” to the ceiling as he did so. There was nothing Madi loved more than to feel one of his men jetting inside him. It made him feel warm and loved and wonderful. As they pulled from him and arranged him more comfortably on the bed, they all pressed kisses to Madigan’s face, which only made him blush and giggle. Even Yuri managed to push himself into a reasonable position to lay a deep kiss on Madigan’s mouth. He sighed contentedly. He felt safe again.  

Angelic Ties

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They lounged against one another and talked about their plans for the next few days in the moments of their afterglow. Madigan knew this was right where he belonged. He’d miss his life here, but greater things waited for him in the city of sanctuary. They were tied together, more tightly bound than before due to their trauma, but Madigan had confidence that they’d be stronger because of it. They were joined, now and for the rest of their considerably long lives. They all had just better get used to it. He looked around the room at his men. It looked to him they were well on the path to being a happy family, and Madigan wouldn’t have it any other way.

End of Book 2: Angelic Ties To be continued in Book 3: Angel Kin HTTP://JANADOWNS.BLOGSPOT.COM/  

 

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Jana Downs lives in the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina with three cats, one dog, several dozen fish, and a very understanding partner-in-crime who hates to read but makes exceptions for her stories. You can usually find her either watching bad reality TV, buying way too many books on Amazon, or dreaming up another man or two to occupy her time because life is good but several drop-dead gorgeous nonexistent men is just better.

Also by Jana Downs Siren LoveXtreme Forever ManLove: His Guardian Angels 1: Angel Bound

For all other titles, please visit www.bookstrand.com/jana-downs

 

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