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And with that out of the way...

Welcome back, my lovely reader! Oh! I am so ready for this! Did I ever mention Lorelai is my personal fave character of the series? Author bias is real, it's true! Why, I almost made her the lead of this serial, can you believe that?

A-Anyway... so yes, we find our lovely angel in quite the situation, don't we? Oh yes, Ryder's about to have his hands full to be sure, ah fu fu! Okay, I'll rein it in here. Suffice to say those two are going to finally get that much-desired time together, eh?

Oh, but don't let your guard down! There might be a little more drama snuck in that you weren't expecting! You may have noticed some... inconsistencies from the other serials, regarding Rachel, yes? No? Oh, but were they oversights or intentional? Time to find out! Let's jump right in!

--*--

Episode 6:

My Angel-fox

Even though I came here of my own volition, it was still hard to process where I found myself. Lorelai stepped back from me, her fluff of tail hiked inside her evening dress as she made her way to a large oaken door attached to the study, resting her hand upon the handle to it.

"Will you join me in my chambers then for that drink, or shall we keep it less personal and I just take your wrist here in my study?" The ewe's eyes smoldered red as she cooed the words in a hauntingly seductive tone I never imagined hearing from her.

She didn't push any of her will into the words, but every fiber of my being screamed to go to her chambers, which was utter madness. She was still a vampire and my life would be forfeit if she desired it, but she had that chance multiple times now. Did I trust this wasn't just some game to make the kill sweeter? She was long-lived, what was a year or so of build-up for a being such as her?

No, that wasn't her, I could feel it in my very soul. I trusted Lorelai, I wanted this, I wanted to show her how I felt in earnest. I felt myself come back from my little internal debate, her eyes looking amused, a smirk on her face, a hand on her hip as she spoke out, "Have you sufficiently weighed your pros and cons, my angel-fox?"

My dark ears lifted and my wings snapped out slightly before I set my jaw and moved forward. She showed an approving grin as I pushed the door to her chamber open myself, then gave me a shocked little bleat that made my heart jump in my chest when I lifted her from the floor.

The chamber was lit by a few hanging wall lamps as if she had anticipated my arrival, no doubt she would have sensed me coming a mile or so off. In my head, I imagined the ewe hastily tidying her bed chambers and lighting the lamps excitedly, perhaps changing into the dress now on her.

"Oh my, how dashing!" Lorelai spoke with amusement as I hefted her from the floor by her hips. Her smaller hands gripped my shoulders as I drew her closer, seeing her show those sharp teeth before we pushed into a deep kiss.

The ewe tangled her fingers into my hair, rubbing at my ears as I held her by her hips, walking towards the large bed. I gave a soft yip through the kiss as her teeth found my tongue, giving it a little nip, my divine blood mingling with our saliva as the kiss deepened. I of course, was channeling my powers to keep my touch from harming her even as I felt her small body shudder from tasting my blood through the exchange.

We parted the kiss as I took a seat on the soft down-mattress, feeling her push right to my chest and I saw a flash of teeth before she snapped down hard upon my throat. She had obviously had enough of the teasing as I felt her start to pull my essence from me. My ears folded as the euphoria started muddling my mind, my tongue lolling as I whimpered and bared my throat more fully as she drank.

"S-Sorry... I kept you... waiting so long..." I whispered the words, my hands circling her soft curvy hips, kneading at them while she supped from the bite marks she left behind.

Lorelai drank deeply of me for several moments and I could practically smell the desire upon her as she finally pulled free, dragging her tongue up against the wound to heal it, even as my own divine body started to heal itself.

"Why... did you wait so long?" The sheep hissed the words as she pushed herself down into my lap, grinding upon me like she did that one night, her red eyes staring up at me, feeling the excitement she had elicited from me now pushing into her crotch.

"You had just returned from a trip... had a new family member... I didn't want to impose..." I spoke the words while panting as my touch grew more daring, my hands slipping up to her chest. My fingers brushed over and squeezed at her ample breasts through the dress, feeling the ewe's hard little peaks through the silk.

Her bloody teeth showed in a grin as I touched her, then she sighed happily before giving a nod as she licked her lips. "It was worth the wait for the drink alone... though I think we both want a little something more this night..."

"I've thought of you nearly every day, Lorelai... you've enchanted me..." I spoke the words with a hungry growl as I moved to slide the straps of the dress down along her shoulders.

"In truth, I've thought about you rather frequently as well, my angel-fox..." She gave me a cute smile at the straps, then casually grasped the hem of the dress, pulling the whole thing over her head, stripping herself bare before me.

My heart pushed up into my throat as those large breasts bounced free, her whole body looked soft and supple to the touch. She showed her teeth in a pleased grin at how I looked upon her, grasping my wrists as she guided my hands back to her chest.

"Come now... I've longed for your touch, do not be shy, Ryder..." She cooed the words as my palms started to knead at her flesh, squeezing it somewhat harder now, a hungry snarl filling my throat as the sheep bleated out in soft groans.

"I-.. gods to touch you like this..." I shook my head and shored up my courage before showing her a grin. "Did you get enough to drink, my ewe?"

She giggled at the words and licked her lips. "Your ewe? Ah, I suppose it's fair since I've been calling you my angel-fox, yes? I've had enough to drink for now, why do you ask?"

With a shift of my hips, I rolled her right over onto her back there in the bed, the sheep bleating out in an amused laugh as her chest swayed from the impact. "Because now it's my turn to taste you!" I barked out the declaration and moved down between her legs.

Lorelai grinned drunkenly but offered no resistance as I pushed my hands under her knees, spread them, and took in the view of her. She huffed out and laid back calmly as I took a look at her dewy folds against the soft pale flesh, a small tuft of well kept almost wool-like hair on her crotch.

"I am yours tonight, Ryder. Do as you please, I will tell you if something is not to my liking." She sighed the words as her hand slid into my hair, but then I grunted in surprise as she showed her sharp teeth, gripping my hair and ear as she pulled me down. My mouth parted and I began to lap at her pearl right away, like a dog wanting to please his master.

"Ooohh... ngh... it's been decades since I let another touch me like this, my angel-fox... do you feel sufficiently privileged?" She panted the words out, giving little huffing moans from time to time while I worked.

My tongue rolled and teased her, both my hands holding her knees spread. I didn't bother coming up until I had what I wanted. I kept working her, kept circling and teasing that perfect little pearl until the sheep's breathing became ragged. I kept pushing and pushing, until Lorelai finally gave me a sharp little bleated moan, the sounds she made sending shivers up my spine as I finally at long last pleased this beautiful creature that had haunted my dreams.

She shuddered and groaned weakly as I lapped at her honey, then rose from her legs, her hand weakly releasing my ear. "Privileged? You are no prize to me Lorelai, just a sheep I really like... I respect you, I... trust you." I growled the words, even as I reached to untie the sash of my robes.

Her teeth showed in a crooked grin as she hummed out, "You sound like you're in love, my angel-fox."

"I've been accused of falling easily, are you complaining?" I showed her a cocky grin as I parted my robes and brought down my undergarments, letting the ewe get her first look at my length.

Lorelai lolled her tongue slightly as I saw her eyes widen, then she rubbed her heel against the side of my hip. "Sit down, Ryder. I wish to move to your lap for our first time."

In truth, I wanted to take her there, but at this moment she was everything, how could I deny that request? I took a seat right in her bed and the ewe climbed into my lap, moving to press her wet petals against the underside of my length, grinding as she gripped my shoulders. "I'm impressed you know, most males find using their mouths like that... demeaning."

"You are very special to me, and I feel no shame in pleasing those I care abo-" I couldn't finish the flowery words, my tongue lolling out as the sheep gave me a grin and pushed the tip of my length right into her snug entrance, then slowly lowered herself down.

"L-Lorree...." I moaned out, my nails digging into the silk sheets as she mounted me, every inch being forced deep into her tight burning hot walls. The sheep gave a little bleat as she came to rest fully in my lap, licking her lips as she sat there adjusting to me.

"Gods... I'd forgotten how good it felt... Don't rush this, Ryder... I wish to savor this moment, I wish to... savor you." She panted the words, her eyes red again as she gently shifted her hips, forcing me to grind at her core.

My lips brushed her own as my hands moved to rest on her hips. "I will, but we can do it again, Lorelai... don't think this has to be once." I gave her a gentle kiss, my own hips keeping pace with her movements, feeling her honey slick my length as she bleated out gently, then showed her tongue with a nod.

"Already planning to have me again and again? You're such a deviant, my angel-fox..." She sighed out and pushed closer, nuzzling into my chest as I embraced her. She was being surprisingly gentle now that we were in the full act.

I sighed into her drooped ears, both my hands moving to hold her full round backside, watching her tail flip up with each gentle push I made into her, her breath hot against my chest while I moved inside her, feeling her clenching while her small horns pressed into me.

"I've never laid with a dog before, Ryder... is that your knot I feel at my entrance?" She panted the words out, her nails digging into my chest as I pump inside her, that ewe honey slicking me as the bulge in question dug at her petals.

"Yeah, but don't worry, I'm not rushing, and I don't have to knot you, Lorelai." I hum the words, kissing the top of her head while pushing and moving, feeling her own curvy hips sway and grind, both of us relishing in this moment, slowly making love for the first time.

"Ha... please do... it is so rare I get new experiences, my lovely angel... ngh... I am thankful for your consideration though." The ewe showed me a playful grin as she pushed off my chest and leaned back, bracing on my knees so I could see the full view of this beautiful vampire I was now inside.

My heart pounded as I moved my hips a little faster, just to make those ample breasts sway and bounce, her peaks hard and tight, the color of them a lovely contrast to her soft pale flesh. I could feel myself growing more and more eager with each movement we made as we made love together for several more moments.

"You are close... don't hold back, please my angel-fox..." She looked up at me, her red eyes seeming to sparkle in the lamp-light as I nodded my head several times, my own tongue showing like hers as I grasped her hips hard, my movements growing more desperate as I pumped up and down inside the gorgeous sheep I'd been thinking about for so long.

"Yes, yes!" She bleated out excitedly, panting and moving to grasp my shoulders, giving me an excited and surprisingly cute grin, her own tail flicking about to simulate how mine was wagging. "Do it my angel... knot me... claim me!"

I snarled like a feral dog at those demands, my nails digging hard into her soft hips. With a heavy motion, I tugged her down and forced my knot to push in, trapping her with me as Lorelai gave me a happy little bleat from the motion.

Her honey covered me again and I threw my head back to howl out, forgetting where I was. I felt her small hand slap over my mouth to muffle my cries as her tongue lolled out when she felt my thick adoration for her erupt deep into her at long last.

With a shudder, I gently snapped down on her fingers, suckling at them as I whimpered, trying not to make too much noise as I released into her again and again, her walls like a vice as they milked in every drop. I didn't care, I didn't care if this was my last moment's, to be in her arms, to be filling her with my love like this, I could die happy if it were for her pleasure.

My lips parted in a low soft moan as I came down from the throes, a little of my drool rolling down her wrist as the sheep gave me an amused smile, moving her wet hand over my cheek before guiding me down to her to kiss me once more now that our first time of making love was completed.

We kissed for several moments like that, both clinging as I shuddered, feeling the occasional clench of her walls before she parted from me with a gentle sigh. "By the gods Ryder... You are something else..."

"I can't even... I have no words for that Lorelai..." I moved in and gave her cheek a nuzzle, still panting as I moved to tangle a hand into her curly long hair, fingering and teasing at one of her horns as she gave me a cute grin.

"The servants are trained in cooking for mundane, will you stay and have dinner? That is not a segue into me feeding you to my family, it is an earnest offer," She giggled the last of the offer, then licked her lips. "I'll not be sharing you in that way..."

I blushed and bit my lower lip, nodding a few times. "Will it be okay? And.. of course, you can have more, Lorelai."

"It will be fine, though my brother Elias and sister Sarnai are off on a little adventure together, so it will just be us, the servants, and my brother Val." She gave me a cute smile as she casually took me up on my offer, collecting my left hand to bring my wrist up to her mouth.

I gave a small hiss as her teeth dug in, then I lolled my tongue slightly, my free hand rubbing at her hair while she gentle supped from my wrist, happily drinking down my divine blood as a post-sex snack. "Of... ngh... course, that's fine..."

--*--

Demons:

Also known as daemons, these are the denizens of the underworld. Most demons that appear in the mundane realm come there as a kind of 'right of passage' journey. The demon has all their memories stripped away of their youth and usually are simply left in the mundane world to find their way. Particularly lucky ones may have some sort of benefactor that watches over them for the first few years, but otherwise, they are alone.

Demons can also be summoned via powerful rituals, but the summoner must take great care in how they perform the ritual as well as how they interact with the demon. Summoned demons can only remain in the mundane realm for a fixed amount of time, usually based on the strength of the summoner.

--*--

I found myself seated at an elaborate dining table after we cleaned up. The servant mouse from before came over to lay a small basket of freshly baked rolls on the table, giving me a sideways glance, clearly smelling his mistress upon me.

"Something on your mind, Jeremy?" Lorelai cooed out while rolling some of my blood in her wine glass.

The mouse perked his ears and tail, giving a slight jump before turning to face her, shaking his head. "No, Mistress! I apologize for my lackadaisical moment!"

Jeremy quickly slipped out of the room as I frowned and looked over at Lorelai. I barely parted my lips to ask when she answered as if she already knew my question, "He isn't enthralled or here against his will, none of my mundane servants are, my angel-fox."

"He looks pretty young. Didn't you mention he had a sister when I arrived?" I collected a roll and took a bite after asking my question.

"Ah, you were able to retain that information despite arriving ravenous for me?" Lorelai gave me a cocky grin before sipping on the blood on her glass, humming as she savored it before answering my question, "He is as young as is his sister, Jennifer. They are mere children, but I found them in a poor state of affairs, so I adopted them into my family. They may not be like us, but they are my siblings all the same and I afford them the same protection as the rest of my family."

"Why do they have such unorthodox names?"

Lorelai shrugged. "They had no names when I found them, so I gave them names that were more exotic for this region.

I gave a nod while staring down at the roll in my hands, contemplating things. The general belief of my kind and the church was that they were all mindless monsters, but here they were taking care of children and Lorelai had shown several times an obvious love for her family.

My ears lifted at the sensation I felt next, another presence in the room, a demonic one. I sprang from the table with a snap of my wings, drawing my silver longsword as I turned to face the sensation. I saw a tall lithe goat standing there around my height, a hand on his hip, looking nothing but amused by my movements.

"Ryder, this is my brother, Val. Val, this is Ryder," Lorelai huffed, not looking the slightest bit concerned as she took another pull from her almost empty glass.

He showed his teeth in a grin and extended his hand towards me. "A pleasure, Ryder," His words came out in a sing-song tone of voice as I sheathed my sword. My eyes narrowed, sizing him up and trying to pinpoint what type of demon he was.

With a flourish of his free hand, he pushed the long flowing black hair off his shoulder, hiking his small fluff of tail behind him. "Afraid you'll hurt me by touching me?"

I couldn't help but show my teeth in a snarl. I didn't trust demons, vampires were one thing, but demons... Still, it was Lorelai's home and he obviously was her brother. I swallowed down my instincts and channeled my focus before moving forward and clasping my hand with the other males.

My eyes widened as I suddenly appeared back in my quarters at the citadel. I barked in shock and looked around at my room, every detail perfect, except the goat was sitting on the edge of my bed, legs crossed in his tight trousers and open tunic that showed the definition of his well-manicured figure.

"I didn't think that would work!" Val laughed the words before giving me an amused smile, his dark eyes glittering in the sunlight of the room.

"You're an incubus... dark gods be damned..." I snarled the words as I glared upon him, my teeth showing in a scowl.

"Indeed, and when you channeled your prayers to not hurt me, you gave me enough of an opening to do... well, this!" He hummed as he stood and sauntered right up to me, pushing a hand to my chest as he leaned in, giving a huff near my throat as I growled at him. "Even here... you reek of my lady... how was she?"

"How... do you know of my prayers? And, that is personal between me and Lorelai!" I growled and tried to take a step back, but my body wouldn't comply with my desires as the goat kept his palm against my chest, circling it as he hummed.

"I could just tell when we shared grips, felt you pulling your will away and now... well, you've learned a valuable thing about your ability, haven't you? Can't keep your willpower at full doing this little trick of yours."

"Noted... now get your paws off me." I snarled as my ears folded, feeling the Incubus rubbing and circling his hand against my chest a little more intently.

"Why? I can sense you're no stranger to laying with other males, Ryder." Val cooed as he dug his nails into my flesh.

"I lay with those I care about, not random demons!" I barked out and pushed my will out as hard as I could with the words, but it didn't seem to mean anything in this moment.

The incubus showed me a knowing grin and took a step back, his eyes now red as he pulled his hand away at last. "So, you care about her in earnest? I've never seen my lady take to someone... and a celestial at that..."

"How about we talk outside of my mindscape, demon." I barked and folded my arms, still glaring daggers at the goat.

"A show of goodwill is it? Very well, I will acquiesce to that." Val snapped his fingers and everything bled away.

I gave a huff, realizing I was back in reality, unfocused and shaking his hand. The goat quirked a brow as he spoke out, "Ryder, can you either focus those prayers again or release me now, it is starting to burn rather painfully."

With a growl, I release my grip from his, taking a step back from the incubus. Lorelai lifted her ears and looked over her shoulder at the goat. "Enjoy your chat in dreamland? I do hope you didn't pry into my affairs too deeply, brother."

"I tried but he wouldn't give me the details." The goat pouted as he took a seat and grabbed up a roll for himself.

Lorelai gave a nod towards me. "Good dog, I would have been quite upset with you had you spoken of our intimate time together."

"I'd never disrespect you like that, Lorelai." I gave a nod before taking my own seat again. As I saw Val nibbling on the roll he collected, I put it together as to why the servants were trained in cooking despite having a master that was a vampire. "So you have to eat?"

The goat gave me a smug grin. "I can completely sustain myself from feeding upon others, but food helps fill some of the gaps."

"He does not kill, Ryder. I have a no-killing policy in this home unless the one being fed upon is already too far gone, then it is a showing of mercy, not an execution." Lorelai finished her glass them gave me a smug smile as she passed it back to me.

"Haven't you had enough yet?" I gave her a smile and felt my tension ease to know the incubus wasn't off murdering people in their sleep, humming as I produced my small dagger and with a quick motion, was already refilling her wine glass.

In truth, I could channel my powers to dull the pain of small-scale injuries like this, it was a shame I couldn't do it with more heavy ones though. Val watched me with interest as I filled her glass with my blood until it was about a third full, then willed the injury closed.

"Last one, I promise, you're just so addicting in a lot of ways, my angel-fox." Lorelai gave me another grin and collected the glass when I presented it to her, taking a sip and humming happily.

"So what are you getting out of this, Ryder?" Val finally spoke up while grinning at the two of us.

"Her love," I spoke out in a concise tone, warranting a laugh from the ewe as I grinned at her.

The incubus showed me an amused grin and shook his head. "I supped a little of your energy when we were... chatting earlier. I can attest that the divinity in you is quite delicious, but are you alright just being fed upon like that?"

"Rest assured brother, Ryder is more than just a meal to me. Had I not harbored some feelings for him, it would have remained just feeding." I felt my cheeks grow warm and couldn't help but smile as the sheep point-blank said she had feelings for me.

He cleared his throat and met my eyes with a surprisingly hard focus. "Ryder... I do have to make the cursory threat to you, though I can already sense your intents are benign. Do not hurt my lady or there will be severe repercussions."

"Do not speak of me as if I am not present, brother. I am the matriarch of this house and you will afford me the respect I am due when in my presence!" Lorelai fired back at Val, then gave him a grin. "Though your chivalry is appreciated."

"Wait, you said you fed upon me earlier when you were in my head?" I felt myself growling again as the incubus gave me another amused smile.

"Just a little sip, it happens when I pop into other's dreams like it or not." Val shrugged and gave a nod as another servant came in. At first, I thought it was Jeremy again, but then I realized it must have been his sister, given the very faint difference in her scent and figure.

The young mouse gave me a polite nod as she placed out a large platter of various cooked food items. The spread of food was small but then again they were only feeding two, and one of those really only had to graze.

"Don't mind it much, Ryder, it's not like I plunged fangs into you and guzzled blood. I'd akin it more as taking a little sip from your finger."

"Apologize," Lorelai spoke out sternly as she cut her soft brown eyes to the goat.

"My lady, it was not intentional and-"

"It was, your touch does not initiate it without your will coming forth. I'll humor your curiosity only so long. I'll not ask again, brother." Lorelai clicked her tongue, her eyes slowly turning to red as she sat her glass down upon the table.

Val made a point of standing from his chair, tucking one arm, and giving me a full bow. "You have my apologies, Ryder. I let my curiosity get the better of me and disrespected you, showing poor form as well as sullying my lady's name."

Jennifer lifted her ears at the display, her cheeks darkening before she quickly retreated from the room. I frowned and rubbed the back of my head. "It's uh... it's fine, really."

Lorelai gave the goat a nod, her eyes shifting back to normal as she collected her wine glass. "Ryder, the sun will be upon us within a few hours, will you return to your own home, or will you be staying in my chambers for the day?"

My ears perked at the offer and I swallowed hard. The thought of sleeping with her thrilled me and the citadel was constantly bathed in light, it wasn't as if sleeping during the day would be a hindrance for me. I felt my tail wagging as I responded eagerly, "I'd love to."

Val chuckled at the display and ran his fingertips through his hair. "I'm so happy you found a friend, my lady."

"Speaking of which. Let us keep this between ourselves, brother. Though I think your brother Elias would understand, I've little energy right now to explain things to your sister, she is still young and would find the concept of-"

"I understand my lady. Had I not been inside his heart, I would still hold reservations, but having experienced just how much he loves you, I'll not question it."

"What?!" I barked out and showed my teeth with a growl. "Don't just dig into my feelings and profess my love for me!"

"I jested, Ryder." The goat showed me a knowing smile as I grunted and jerked my gaze away, feeling my cheeks warm.

Lorelai showed me an indiscernible smile, her ears lifting slightly before she laid her empty glass on the table. "Ryder, I realize you are not here on business and this is a pleasure visit, but do you have any questions for me or my brother about things?"

I thought about it and then gave a nod as I asked my first question, "Well, the first and most obvious one, what is a demon doing with a family of vampires?"

Val tilted his head as if waiting to see if she would answer, sure enough, the sheep spoke up, "I found him and his brother Elias a few decades past, they each already shared a bond together. They were trying to control their powers, do some good with them instead of harm."

"Do some good?" I cocked a brow curiously as I looked at the incubus.

Val gave me a sad smile. "I and my brother trained in medical techniques even though we ourselves have very resilient bodies. We would travel and aid mundane where we could, be that villages suffering from sickness, or battlefields of wounded."

"I get that but how do your powers come into play?"

"You've experienced the euphoria of being embraced, Ryder. It deadens the senses, why... did you even feel any pain as my lady fed upon you?"

I rubbed my chin as I processed the words. They were using their abilities as a sort of anesthetic as it were. "That would indeed be beneficial during treatments."

"Or the dying," Lorelai fired back pointedly. I frowned at her words but then Val spoke up.

Val clicked his tongue as he collected his glass of wine before calling out, "I personally would rather go being in euphoria from being fed upon by Elias, or in a blissful dreamy state of sex, as opposed to laying upon the earth bleeding to death in mind-shattering agony."

"A mercy killing as it were." I frowned again.

"It is the only kind I allow in this house of mine, Ryder. Baring our enemies, of course, if someone attacks me or my family, they will be ended." Lorelai gave me a strong nod.

"For what it's worth, celestial. I and my brother would always attempt to offer those we took last rights if they were in any condition to pray, though I doubt the gods would hear our own attempts for them."

"The gods never truly turn their backs to anyone, Val." I grew solemn at the notion of it, wondering how many potential recruits may have come from their own interventions.

"Regardless, we deviated from the initial question. Our kind welcomes all into our family that may find solace with us. Many do not fit into the mold that the mundane expect and sometimes that includes other mundane. It is not uncommon for some to enter into our homes as mere servants, only to request to be embraced as one of us."

"Is that the same with demons?" I quirk a brow curiously.

Val answered the question for me, "Demons are welcome, thankfully, however, like your kind, Ryder, we are not turned, we are born. I do not know the finer details, so I do not know if we are born of the souls of mundane as your lot are, or if we are just demonic souls from the start."

"How do you not know anything of your kind? No offense, I just find it perplexing you know none of the finer details, are you not a denizen of one of the nine hells? Can you not recall your time-"

Lorelai gently rested her hand upon my arm as I focused so it wouldn't burn to touch me. "Calm yourself, Ryder. I can see these questions are of great interest to you, but Val cannot tell you anything of the layers of hell any more than I could. When demons are brought into the mundane realm it is only one of two ways normally. They are thrust into it upon reaching maturity with no knowledge of their former upbringing shy of what they are, or they are summoned by a powerful mage."

"So you just... woke up one day?" I cocked a brow at the goat before me.

"That's right. I just was here, I had basic education like speaking and the general knowledge of what I was, but I couldn't tell you anything short of that. I didn't even know how to read or write the languages of the region I was in."

"I suppose that's somewhat similar to how we work." I nodded in understanding.

"Oh?" Lorelai cocked a brow curiously, I could see the look in her eyes, she was keenly interested in learning about my kind. I couldn't say if it was due to her interest in me, or just given our long history as enemies. Then again she was quite an old vampire and as she said prior, new things were rare for her, I assumed that included knowledge.

I'm sure several of my superiors would wish to reprimand or discipline me for rambling on about such things, but it wasn't as if I were giving them some horrible secret that would put the entirety of the citadel at risk.

"We are uplifted from fallen mundane, we don't retain any of our knowledge from our former lives. Usually, we will get glimpses of our final moments if they were particularly heroic or pivotal, others do not if the final moments did not mean anything."

"And what was your final moments, celestial?" Val cocked a brow as he asked, Lorelai looking curiously upon me as well.

"I do not know. It could be I was just very pious as a mundane, it could be the gods or Seraph do not see fit for me to know. Regardless I have no knowledge of my former life."

"The Seraph?" Lorelai gave me another curious look and I frowned, realizing I had casually brought up one of our most closely guarded subjects. The sheep seemed to give me a knowing look and shook her head. "Perhaps you can explain another time, let us deviate to another topic."

I spent a few hours talking with Lorelai and Val. We spoke of several things, but I mostly was just content to be with her, be in her presence, and enjoy time with her family. We retired to her chambers once the sun rose and the ewe happily made love with me throughout the morning.

Eventually, we collapsed into a deep slumber, tangled in one another's arms, holding each other possessively well into the evening hours.

--*--

The Nine Levels of Hell:

The underworld consists of nine levels or layers as it were. Contrary to popular belief, the underworld is not just a place for the damned souls of the mundane. In fact, only the two deepest levels are used to house the vilest souls, most are simply returned to the cycle or put to rest.

The majority of the underworld is simply the home of demons and their society. Similar to several mundane ideologies, demon society has a caste system, with more powerful aristocrats populating the deeper levels.

--*--

"You son of a bitch!" I roared out as my fist slammed right into the ram's jaw with all my might, the archangel pivoting and hitting to the floor. Rachel gave a shocked bark at my action and Toroah simply frowned.

"So, you think striking a superior will go without consequences, Knight?" Hagen clenched his bloody teeth as he found his feet, hand already on the large curved blade at his side.

"To hell with protocol and to hell with you!" I snarled and drew my own sword, shifting into a stance. "I'll send you back to the gods, they can sort out what your problem is!"

"Try it little fox!" Hagen drew his own sword as holy silver slammed together, divine sparks flying in all directions. In truth I was surprised I was keeping up with him at all, to say nothing of driving him back.

Hagen snarled and parried a strike, lunging in with his forehead. I met his headbutt with my own, growling between his horns and showing my sharp teeth as our eyes met, both our swords grinding upon one another as I spat out into his face, "Return them, or I'll cut yours off myself!"

"She'll earn them back or not at all, and nothing you can do will stop that, dog!" Hagen spat the words back, giving me a contemptuous smirk.

"Ryder, please!" Rachel called out to me but I simply growled and reared my head back, slamming it into the ram's nose with a loud crunch of cartilage breaking. Hagen staggered back as I drove a boot into his knee, hearing the popping break of bone and sinew before another boot sent him to the floor on his back.

Hagen showed his teeth in a furious scowl as the blade of my longsword pushed to his throat. "I mean it! Return them or I'll kill you, kid!" His eyes narrowed in a cold fury at my insult but I just dug the tip into his throat, divine blood starting to bead up around the silver.

"You've made your point, stand down, Knight." Toroah finally spoke out as he strode towards me and Hagen.

"I'll make my point through his fucking gullet!" I barked out, then gave a sharp yip as Toroah grabbed my arm, squeezing it with surprising strength.

"Stand down, now!" The rabbit hissed the orders and I felt his will overwhelm me in compulsion. I snarled and jerked from his grip, withdrawing my sword, swinging the blade to dislodge the blood before sliding it back into its scabbard.

"I'll have your rank and wings for this, Knight." Hagen sneered as he slowly stood, rubbing his throat that was already healed, the knee starting to reform no doubt.

"Silence, you'll have none of that because you instigated this altercation, Hagen." Toroah stepped back and looked us all over before shifting his hands to his hips. "Rachel, go ahead and say something."

"Ryder, these were terms I agreed to, I told you that," She sighed as she pushed a hand to my chest in an attempt to calm me.

I stared hard at her back, seeing it devoid of any sort of wings and showed my teeth in another snarl as I looked back at the ram who had regained his stoic composure. "Terms that were childish and-"

"Enough!" Toroah spat out in the closest I'd ever heard him come to anger.

"Need I remind you, technically you do not outrank-"

"Need I remind you I technically do! Now shut your maw before I let Ryder finish what he started!" Toroah fired back at the other archangel and I gave him a smug grin.

"Ryder, regardless of the pretense, Rachel accepted the terms. If she wishes to be Hagen's first, this was her ordeal, she must go without her wings until he deems her worthy. It is a verbal contract and one that cannot be broken. If you strike him down you simply leave her in that state," Toroah snarled the words at me with heat in his voice.

"It will be fine, I promise you." Rachel pushed her hand to my cheek, guiding me to look back upon her, the golden flecks in her eyes, showing she was slightly gauging my words.

"So be it, I love you wings or not," I spoke out and pushed my forehead to her own.

"Toroah, how did your first gain enough power to best an archangel?" Hagen hissed out the words and my ears lifted, looking back towards the two of them.

"Ryder, would you like to field that question?" Toroah spoke out in a smug tone, poking his nose up slightly.

I rested my hand on the hilt of my sword, a cocky grin showing as I strutted over to the ram, my tail wagging. "Oh gladly, you see... sir. I train diligently with one of the greatest warriors in our military. Your rank affords you vast power, but that won't account for elbow grease and training. While you sit around feeling accomplished and barking orders-"

Moving right into his face, I had to raise onto my toes to meet his eyes as I finished the words, "-I get shit done." I kept my blazing blue eyes focused on his as we locked into another silent duel, then gave a snort through my nose as he broke eye contact first.

"Report to my office in one hour for your first assignment." Hagen spat the orders out as he turned and stormed away.

"Sir!" Rachel offered him a salute, then frown at me and Toroah. "It will be fine, it's not like I flew around all over the citadel anyway."

I gave a furious growl in response to her words. "He does this as a retort against you and me! A childish-"

"Do you think me slow in the head, Ryder? I know clearly what he does and I accept it, as it is my desire to rise in rank, to be worthy of you and protect you as you protect me!"

"If any is unworthy it is me, Rachel! I do not deserve either of you..." I frowned and shook my head. "It's my fault he's subjecting you to this, and there's nothing I can do about it."

"Adversity builds character, Ryder. I am confident Rachel will rise to the challenge, why perhaps she will even surpass you." Toroah gave the vixen a gentle smile.

"Your words are too kind, High Commander. Thank you for your support and confidence in my abilities." She gave him a salute then huffed out. "I should go adorn my gear, the commander will expect me to arrive in proper dress."

I watched her quickly move away, her back looking unfamiliar without the wings, but it was a view I would grow used to over the coming days, weeks, and even years. Things settled into normality and time moved along as it always did.

---

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