Clove : Book 4 of Lord Emperor Vampire Series

I am having modem issues…Q&A and Kudos later.

AsyenMari: smuttiness awaits (just not in this chappie) 

Spirit: thanks for the beta! I love the fish.

Marin Liliz: you make me laugh. Keep it up.

Laur: hellcats silent speak is a problem that will be revealed soon. Wait for it…. No one outside of the Von Drachenfeld and the Loyal know that X is back. Once word gets out that Claudius is defending his rank, everyone will know that the white demon of death is back and means business. He can contact his human family after/if if secures his position back in the house. Morose (dead hellcat) will be making a comeback later.

K: the Hendersons are just old coots who worked hard to get their condo and they are damned if anyone is going to drive them out. I like the fact that they had stood off Laim’s winning ways for seven years. Go Coots!

Liam would have dragged his Honey to the beach when he was whole and back on the beach. If he kept Hades too long, his teenaged body would die and he would be stranded with his love. He would not reincarnate…he would be trapped on the beach forever. (Just as bad as being cursed with hemlock) And no, Azrael has not recanted his oath to kill Hades. Bwah hahahaha. Ahem.

Sigmund is dead. D.E.A.D. He will not be popping up or showing up except as recollections. He had enough of this life and willingly went into the light.

Natana: I would like Skell to dress up. I personally would love to see him in 40’s suits (dressing like Humprey Bogart) but as I said, the characters tell me what they want. I have no clue what is going to be his preference. Right now everyone is going to wearing Sex’s clothes ( which were skin tight) because that is the only thing that fits right now. The boys need to eat and get back up to their idea weight.

Thank you again for the encouragement. For some reason this chappie was hard to write. I thought the next chappie would be sex/Claudius, but the story has veered off again on the scenic route. Mauh to: Rosemary; sasha;jae; AsyenMari;Lioncourt; rainy; Spirit; Marin Liliz; Laur; k; rosei; dark avenger; a.taste.of.insanity (x2); and Natana. Welcome to darma and tauruschild8927 from the forum.

Chapter 154: Brother Blueberry

I have never been beaten to a soundtrack before. It made everything a little surreal until Armor connected solidly with a punch to my chest. I thought he knocked my lungs out my back. I staggered back and would have hit the floor but the helpful hands of the Loyal kept me from falling and also shoved me back towards Armor. Thanks.

Fight like a human. The only fights X engaged in ended up with him in curled lump bleeding profusely all over his bowling shirt and saddle shoes. New game plan, don’t let big and tall hit me. I used the shove the Loyal gave me and ran at Armor, jumping up into a spinning kick. I brushed his head. It was enough to knock him off balance. I dropped back down to the floor and whipped my leg out aiming for the back of his knee. I connected solidly. The red wood fell towards me.

I danced backwards and ended in a paso double, matador stance. What the Hell. I lifted my arm back and one across my chest to finish the dance move. Armor’s eyes narrowed as he looked up from the floor. “I thought you told Marcus you could not dance.”

“I never said I couldn’t. I just said no.”

Armor scrambled forward swiping at my ankle. I hopped to the left then the right then scurried sideways as he rolled right back to his feet. If he got a good latch on me, I was toast. He would snap my ankle just the way Father did my wrist and that would be it for me. Crap. I blocked a left punch but he stepped in and followed with a right elbow to my temple. I actually heard bells ring. He grabbed the neck of my shirt and yanked me forward the same way the punch had knocked me. I stumbled forward and hit the floor hard with my knees but got my hands out to keep my face from going splat. Move. Movemovemove. His foot just brushed my ribs.

I flipped two more times, getting some distance between us before getting to my feet. I had the lovely taste of cinnamony blood filling my mouth. Damn and I’m wearing white.

“How you feeling, little brother?”

“Oh, I’m hardcore big brother…just hardcore.”

The music was techno and pulsed in my blood. It was…fun. It hurt but the last time I was trying to cause Armor the most pain possible. I was brother vengeance. I was stepping up to take on the bully.

“Giving up?”

“Are you?”

“No.”

“Ditto.” As I have always said, for a big man, damn he could move fast. I felt his fingers rake my chest as I spun out of his grasp. I brought my elbow up and slammed it hard against his temple. He dropped…on the back of my calf. I hit the ground. He landed on top of me. Damn, he was heavy when he wasn’t trying to be courteous.

“Marquis of Queensbury rules?”

Armor twisted and looked at me. His hair was tangled and hanging everywhere. “I do not think so.”

“Okay.” I reached out and grabbed two handfuls of hair and pulled myself out from under him. I scrambled away. He sat up on his knees and held a hand to his head.

“You pulled my hair.”

“I asked if you wanted to fight fair. You said no.

He lunged at me. He caught me by the braid and threw me around like he was fly fishing. Holy crap that hurt. I jumped around like a cat on a hot tin roof. Flip, Flip, I gave Armor a right cross to the cheek. His head snapped sideways but he didn’t let go. So I hit him again. He stumbled back. I got jerked forward. I rammed my heel at the side of his knee. I got tossed like one of those Olympic hammers. There was actually a sound effect of ‘Splat’ in my head when I smucked the gym wall, on my back, upside down. I hung there for about a second and a half before gravity kicked in. I went splat again. The floor feel nice and cool. I rested my cheek against it. It was tempting to stay there and soak it up.

Armor was cursing. I broke his knee again. Get up. Get up. My body finally started working…ever so slowly. I had broken ribs. I was lucky my brains weren’t leaking out my ears. I staggered to my feet and held a hand against my side. It hurt to breath. Oh yeah, I got broken ribs. I really didn’t want to straighten up either. My braid had disintegrated and my hair hung everywhere.

His face was pale with pain but he stood. Our vampiric bodies were letting us heal already but it still didn’t mean it didn’t leave us in constant agony.

“What the hell is it with you and knees?”

I gasped, “If you can’t run, you can’t catch me and kick my ass. That’s X’s philosophy. It works.”

“X and I are going to have to have a chat about this.”

There was a single cry ‘THAT’S ENOUGH!” then the music just died off. The fight was over. We were still both standing. What the hell does that mean?

Marcus voice came on the CD. “If there is a clear winner, you know your winnings, if you are both still standing there is something else you have to do. You have promised to share a drink and patch up your differences. After that, Armor, I want you to take Skell hunting. Teach him how to feed. He is little more than the winglets. Take him to the Golden Phoenix. Don’t worry about seeing to the side effects, Lanseng will find him.”

“Shake hands and come out brothers.”

That was so corny. I gritted my teeth and stood up. Can you say sharp stabbing pain? The Loyal who I had forgot they were there until they acted like a rubber band and shoved me back into the makeshift arena, broke out into applause and cheering. Why? We really didn’t settle anything. But then we weren’t out to settle anything.

“You have a vicious right cross, little brother.”

“What the hell have you been doing the past seven years, caber tossing?” My back hurt. I wanted to find a block of ice and lay on it.

Armor pulled himself upright, his brow broke out into sweat beads. “You know I have done nothing. I let Marcus to carry on alone.”

“Thank you.”

One eyebrow arched at me. His cheek was turning purple. I got him a good one. “If you didn’t leave him, Marcus would never have grown up. I liked the old Marcus. I think I love the new, mature one more. Can I curl up in a corner and die now?”

I gimped my way to an expanse of wall and with agony ripping through me, I slid down until my bony ass hit the floor. I held an arm to my ribs. Armor lurched my way, dragging his leg behind him and flopped down beside me.

Ice packs arrived courtesy of the Loyal. Riot crouched between us and poured out two cups of blood. Riot! “I’d hug you, but I’d pass out.”

“Glad to have you home, Lord Emperor.”

“Claudius is Lord Emperor.”

“You were first. You will always be my Lord Emperor.”

That didn’t sound good. I didn’t need factions within factions happening here. I reached out for the blood. Okay…sharp stabbing pain. I would deal with that later.

Armor held his cup out. “This may not be what Marcus had in mind but we are a little more mangled than he expected. To Brotherhood, Azrael.”

I had to transfer my cup to the other hand and then raised it up and clinked ceramic. “To Brotherhood.” I drained it in one glup. I handed back to Riot. “Keep it coming.”

“You do know that we still have not settled who is top dog.”

“Not high on list of priorities, right now. Golden Phoenix?”

“The Golden Pheasant burnt down. A new bar was built out of it’s ashes and you would never guess who did it.”

“Hades. He likes owning clubs. Easier to hunt with that baby face of his.”

“He is there most of the time. You are going to have to make amends with him Azrael.

“Shouldn’t X?”

“You could keep holding your breath for that. You’re the designated peacekeeper, little brother. You got anything else to change into? All the clothes I had for X are too big. Those pants fit all right.”

I smirked at him. “You know who’s pants these are. Anything else that fits is going to be in Father’s closet if he didn’t pack Sex’s clothes away and I don’t think that Father is in a giving mood right now.”

Riot bowed and took the thermos for a refill. The pain easing but it was nothing like the healing hand of light. Just for the hell of it, I tried it. Nothing. I sighed. Okay, I was just going to have to deal with the old fashioned way. Wait it out.

“Tomorrow is not going to be pretty, is it?” Armor tested his knee by trying to raise it. He groaned and put it back on the floor.

“No. It ain’t.” I set the empty mug on the floor between us. I pushed my hair out of my face only to have it flip back in the way again. Fine. “It’s going to very bad, Armor. Sex is still and cold. When have you seen that little maniac to sit in one spot. Even when he was in distress he was emotional. Father may have wanted to save us some of the burden, but he did more damage than he could have ever expected.”

We sat in silence and the room slowly emptied. It was a good thing that Father made the challenge public because there was no way that this was going to be a secret now. The little white vampire was back and kicking ass…well kneecaps. I sighed and slipped sideways. I ended up leaning on Armor. I made a move to get back up but he yanked on my hair. Owww…the back of head was pulsing from getting tossed around by the long and lovelies. “Stay there. I miss him.”

“Why was Marcus late getting here?”

“You wanted your ass kicked so badly?”

“Remember we’re both fucked over sitting here.”

“He went and finished Lex’s poster. Who did a crappy job on the yellow crayon?”

“X.”

“Is there something wrong with you? You seem to lack fine motor skills.”

“Hey….I can drive just fine. I’ve never colored before, but I can tell you I can do a damn sight better than that. At least bigger brother tries.” I just leaned against the big guy breathing in the appley goodness.

“Is it nice?”

“Marcus always does excellent work. He fixed that yellow fiasco.”

“No, I’m asking about the Golden Phoenix.”

“Even though you want to hate him, Hades always does things with class. For a gay strip/dance bar, it’s damn elegant.”

I had to laugh. Ha. Ow. Hahah. OOOww. Oh, stop. Hades was such a little pervert.

Riot came back and set a stack of clothes beside me then reached for my abandoned cup. “Riot?”

“It never hurts to ask, Lord Azrael.”

I was touched. “Thank you.”

“It is the least I can do, Sir. I will be gathering a detail for your night out. Please excuse me. I am glad that you’re back, my Lord.”

I watched him walk away. “Did anyone tell you that Edna passed on?”

I felt my breath catch in my throat. “No…”

“It was peaceful. She was elderly, though you never would have known it. She gave your children their first hair cut. She was able to last long enough to see Tommy married but she didn’t see his daughter come into the world.”

“Xavier is going to be upset. He liked Edna.”

“She took Xavier’s and Sex and Claudius’ poster with her in her coffin. The Hellcats walked the coffin to the gravesite. It was quiet stirring. It was the first Vampire funeral held for a human.”

It was only fitting. She saved Sex’s life when Alarik had him cornered in the shop. She slit her own wrist and forced him to drink from her. Another light had gone out in the world.

I took a deep breath. Okay…that wasn’t mind numbing agony. It wasn’t all hunky dory either but I should be fine enough to get to a shower and get into Sex’s old clothes. I had a feeling my nether regions were going to be sorely close to being exposed. I looked down at my tee. It was ripped and I had blood splattered on it. Unfortunately it was my own.

“How’s the leg?”

Armor flexed it experimentally. “All most there.”

I rolled and groaned my way to my feet. “I’ll meet you at the elevators then at 10. I’m going to grab so shut eye.”

“You should be rested, you were with the Marcus all day.”

“I’m about as rested as X was.”

“Should we worry about that?”

“Worry about what?”

“Wearing out that body.”

This was not a conversation I wanted to be having with Armor. Hell, I didn’t want to discuss this with Marcus. “I think I got high mileage guarantee. Don’t worry about it. I think everyone is just a little bit ramped that we’re home and I expect to be sore and very very tired.”

“Eat something!”

I picked up the clothes and did my best impression of a drunk at last call pretending not to be hammered. Unfortunately, I had been really hammered which was why I was listing to starboard. I was walking better by the time I got to Marcus’ room. I gingerly sprawled out on the bed and I think I was asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.

Sex was calling for me. It’d never heard him in my sleep. It was like my conscious had been a barrier before. Maybe we were getting stronger quicker because we weren’t relying on the body to get used to the power and abilities. I don’t know, I was just blowing smoke out my ass.

Sex invited to the beach and when I got there he had it all festive. Together we had built a circular tiki hut and divided it amongst us as our own private space. Being locked here together had gotten on all our nerves real quick. By social contract we agreed that privacy was the key and that if one of us retreated to the hut, that was the signal to fuck off. It was our own slice of blue heaven.

Sex leaned against the doorway of his section and started out at the setting sun. I trudged up the beach pain free. Thank the gods. The sun had tinted everything a deep red and orange. I got a little closer and Sex gestured to the tiki torches spread out across the landscape and they flared to life. Even here, I couldn’t do that.

“Yo!”

“Hey.”

“Where’s baby brother?”

“He’s sleeping in my room. Nice beating you took.”

“All in a days work. Speaking of work, when the hell are you coming out to talk to him?”

“Azrael.”

“Did you get the diary he wrote for us?”

Sex just continued to stare out across the water. I missed the jumping bean. I never thought I would say that but I did. “I’m not mad at Claudius, well not any more. I’m just disappointed. Very, very disappointed with him. When the going got tough, instead of turning to me for support, he packed me on a shelf like a broken sex toy.” Sex finally turned toward me and offered a fake smile.”Tonight is for Skell anyway. He’s smart and he worked very hard to master the basics.”

How did I know it was fake? His eyes didn’t light up anymore. Xavier and I tried but the only one who could give that light back was the man who took it to begin with. Claudius. Father, thine name is betrayal.

“Skell can teleport?”

“He can pop between the Darkness and the beach quicker than you.”

“Which is bitchin unfair. I’m older, why don’t I at least get the crappy hand of healing?

“You won’t like this then. He’s got all the gifts that we know about – the hand of light, the healing light, mindwalking, the phoenix. The strange thing is he has armored wings, but they are all articulated and he can fly. Mind you, he’s not good at it. He can’t swim either. X and I had to play Baywatch and haul his ass out of the ocean when he crashed.”

“Sex…”

“Don’t start, X has been at me all day.”

“Then you should…”

“We have bigger problems that just getting me fucked.” I blinked at his crass statement. “Azrael, can you take Skell in hand. I’ve got to come up with a way to defeat Claudius before tomorrow. He’s got wings. I don’t know how many of the gifts. All I know is that he is going to try like hell to win tomorrow. He honestly believes he is protecting me by doing it. Protecting us.”

I didn’t want to do it but it seemed I was shoved into the devil’s advocate’s role. “Is that such a bad thing, brother?”

“I need a lover, not a father. I need him to stand beside me or support me not to block my way.”

“You still love him.”

“Of course, I do. Do you think I like playing the drama queen? Even before the diary, I knew I still loved him but I need to be more than a toy, Azrael. I have to make him see that - and we need to win.”

“Come here.” He started as I reached out and hugged him. “I’m not a total asshole, Sex. I got a new and improved Puppy. I’m happy. I want you to be just as happy.”

“So do I.” Sex leaned into me and then my world turned healing light blue. “You held your own against Armor. Impressive.”

“That’s it?”

“I fought him for a year and in the end I still got myself raped.”

“You were still human.”

“Doesn’t make the feeling of helplessness go away.”

“Does X…”

“No and for Gods sakes don’t tell him. It’s mine to deal with.”

I pushed myself back and took a real look at Sex. He was my older brother. He was the first brother. He’s come from the darkness to save X. I had no doubt that he fashioned me to take on the darker parts of our vampiric life. Now…Orel Wessel sheered off a piece of him to make Skell yet here was was standing before me, giving me comfort, healing and still shouldering burdens he wasn’t meant to bear. Claudius was right. He couldn’t keep doing this but it wasn’t up for Father, or Marcus even Armor to do it.
Sex took being big brother seriously. It was about time the rest of us stepped up and did the same.

“I better head back. I have to track down Lanseng before we take Skell out hunting.”

“Lanseng? I thought he was yours.”

“I got kicked to the curb. No biggie. Lanseng has always said that he was here for Hashmalliam”

“Skell? Does he have Endellion?”

“No clue. And, I don’t think we should mention it until he gets comfortable around us. I’m going to shake down Lanseng. I’d rather introduce baby brother to the wading pool first. Lanseng can be…Lanseng.” After all the talk about Marcus being strange, I wasn’t going to start calling some else names.

“Go.”

Someone larger than a six year old was wrapped around me. Panic attack. I elbowed the body away from me and scrambled blindly forward right into the wall. I ended up in a pile on the carpet forehead first between the bed and the wall. Damn it, I was stuck. I kicked backwards once.

“Skell?”

Speak of the blueberry devil. “Azrael…get me up.” Long fingers got anchored in the back of my pants and yanked me back onto the bed. Pure concern looked back at me from those red irises.

“Marcus said that Skell would be waiting for me.”

I was shoving my mass of hair out of my face when he said that. That, that …..puppy. He expected us to end in a draw.

“Well he’ll be here soon. I wanted to talk to you anyway.” Lanseng reached out and pulled my hair back, running his fingers through it.

“If you are going hunting, you will need it down.” He slipped off the bed and disappeared into the bathroom. Aside from the embarrassment of wedging myself between the bed and wall, I actually felt good. Thanks Sex. I stripped off and reached for the clothes Riot had appropriated from Father. A hand came across my bare stomach and urged me gently back to his tallness. “What do you wish to speak to me about?”

“This.” I tapped the back of his hand. He released me, waited until I pulled on a black and red form hugging tank and he ended up plastered against my back. “Lanseng….” He played with my hair. A soft bristled brush stroked my nape. I think I moaned out loud. “Lanseng….Lanseng.” I pulled myself away and looked up at him.

“Yes?”

I pulled on a pair of black low cut chinos. Were these even in style anymore? When the hell did Lanseng become the Seer octopus. I pulled his hands out of the back of my waistband and set my finger on the tip of his nose. “Bad.”

He smiled.

“My getting stuck between the bed and the wall is what I want to talk about. You have to be patient, Lanseng. That reaction wasn’t mine. That was a physical condition from the abuse Skell endured at the hands of Orel Wessel. You can’t sneak up on him like that.”

“I wasn’t sneaking, I was laying still.”

“You know what I mean.” I plopped back on the bed and slipped on some socks and dark Docs. Lanseng lowered himself to his knees and tied my shoes. Hair or feet. Does everybody I meet have that fetish?

“I intend to woo.” He patted my right foot as he tied the laces then reached for the other one.

“Woo?”

“Woo. Court. Date.” His red eyes flicked up at me and he had a slight smirk on his face.

“I know what woo means.”

“It’s not my intention to jump him.”

I reached out and cupped Lanseng’s chin. “We are taking him hunting tonight. You know that he will end up in flame. That could be dangerous for you. I’m trying to warn you so you will protect yourself. This will be Skell’s first time.”

“He’s a flame virgin?”

I stilled at that. They didn’t allow him to feed off of humans so he never did get the overpowering effect of a full flame. He drained fledglings but a human was like to the 10th power of that. “Yes, Lanseng. That is exactly what he is and he has our strength and determination. Armor and the Loyal will be there, but he’s just as quick as Sex and if he locks onto you…he could kill you with truly meaning it.”

“Skell is my reason for being, Azrael.”

“Let him come to terms with the family, first. Everyone says the brothers are young. Skell is younger still. Don’t blow his mind right away.”

Lanseng finished my shoe, rose elegantly back to his feet and offered me a hand up off the bed. I stood and turned so he could work the brush through my hair. “Am I a fool, Azrael?”

“What? No.”

“I have studied you and your brothers. As I have said, my timing is off. I sensed Hashmalliam amongst you. I thought it was you but I was years ahead of myself. I know more about the Destroyer than you, Angel of Death. Do no worry about me. I know what I am doing.”

I could feel the earnestness in Lanseng’s words. He was that confident. Still.
“I am worried about both of you. Skell has seen the darker side of sex. You are practically a virgin. You know what is going to happen when he gets his flame on.”

“You are truly concerned for us.” Lanseng kissed the top of my head. “Thank you Azrael. I plan to show your little brother tenderness, gentleness and hopefully love.”

“He’s going to rip your neck open.”

“That is possible. If he needs all my essence, I will allow him to take it. Do not worry. Once Alarik perished, I was able to ‘see’ all of you again. Your futures are bright and long and I am with you.”

“Have you ever been wrong?” I got the bristles smacked off my ass. Ow.

“I may be early, I may be late but I am never wrong in the end. Now you are mouthwatering again. Thank you for taking my virginity, Azrael.” He laid a tanned hand on my shoulder. I reached up and patted the back of his hand with one that was alabaster. I seemed to have gotten paler than I remembered in our involuntary incarceration on the beach.

“You were a freak. I was trying to be gentle with you.”

“As I have said, thank you. This large body requires stimulation.” The seer turned toward the door then paused and looked back when I didn’t follow him. “Azrael?”

“Don’t hurt him, Lanny. Don’t push him beyond his comfort zone. He hasn’t had much kindness.”

Lanseng turned on his heel and came back wrapping me in a tight embrace. “Skell doesn’t want that from me. Besides, his older brothers will give him the kindness he needs. Come. Let’s have some fun tonight. Tomorrow will be another one of those traumatic days.” Lanseng swept elegantly out the room.

Damn it! I hate it when he says stuff like that.

* * *