AOD

Angelos City, Angelorian continent, Seraphia; 3432:

Davariel watched his best friend, Kabiel, spread his black wings and take to the lavender and pink streaked heavens. The sun was dipping into a golden ocean, its rays stabbing slashes of light in a breathtaking display.

The dazzling display of nature left Davariel unmoved. Loneliness was a hollow feeling in his heart. Most other fledglings were away visiting their families.

"But not me," Davariel whispered, peeking out from his bedroom balcony doors.

Leaning against the cold stone wall, he stared out at nothing in particular, swallowing hard against an annoying lump forming in his throat.

Davariel scowled.

Family. He had none save for the reapers that had drawn him in one stormy night after he'd been abandoned at the holy city's gate. Whomever left him hadn't bothered to cut away the placenta and umbilical cord; just wrapped him in a bloodied old blanket and left him crying in the rain, barely an hour old.

Davariel gazed at the rolling lawns and pewter fountains surrounding the fortress castle, his home, or prison, depending on how one viewed it. Perched atop Mount Chielos, a wall twenty spans high and fifteen thick kept it separate from the modern metropolis of Angeloria; a metropolis he barely ever saw anymore except whenever he peered out from his balcony doors. It spiraled down the mountain face, close to the surging sea, home to thousands of white winged citizens. To them, Davariel was the prime cause of their grief; the reason thousands upon thousands of off worlders invaded their pristine city...to get a view of him, the most beautiful Seraph ever born. A god.

Davariel sneered. "A wretched prisoner."

Unwilling to dwell on painful things, he pushed away from the glass doors, tearing off his soctanal from his hips and strode toward the steaming bath set up in the middle of his room.

Placing his hands on the rounded edge of his new jewel-encrusted gold tub, he opened his wings, his reflection catching his attention for a moment.

His blonde hair had grown very long. Some reapers kept it trimmed around their shoulders, but Davariel like feeling it brush the top of his upturned ass. He smiled, despite the melancholy in his soul, and with a few sweeps of his jet wings, he lifted himself into the hot water.

Bliss.

He took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and submerged himself. Once thoroughly soaked, he rose and reached for a bottle of his favorite wash and sponge.

He heard the hum of Kabiel's wings, and voice as he recorded images with his new crystal vid.

"They stand there all day long, once every moon cycle, calling him...and what does that son-of-a-bat do?"

Davariel knew Kabi referred to the horde of off worlders swarming around the holy city of Angelos walls...waiting to get a glimpse of him. Not today.

The sound of wings fluttering in the breeze stopped with a thump that announced the chestnut-haired reaper had landed on Dava's balcony.

"He snubs them like the conceited ass he is," Kabiel finished in a loud voice, obviously trying to goad Davariel.

Davariel just ignored him, like usual, bringing the big soapy sponge over his head. He squeezed, allowing the suds to drench him, head back, throat arched, tight-nippled chest pushed out. How he loved to tease with his body, and Kabiel's silence only attested to Davariel's legendary beauty. He knew Kabi stared entranced and spread his wings farther upon feeling the last rays of the sunset strike his wet body.

Kabi cleared his throat, as if shaking himself from his stupor. "Look at that pretty girl indulging in her bath," he teased, but his voice came out deep, aroused.

Davariel grinned, opening his eyes to see pink staining Kabi's cheek guiltily. Feeling wicked, Dava tucked his wings behind his back, and spread his thighs as he raised his hips. "Come here," he purred, "let me show you how much of a girl I am."

Kabiel snorted, trying to hide his smile. "Have you no shame, reaper? I'm recording this for my dear sweet mother."

Davariel rolled his eyes. "Oh, well . . ." he laughed, rising from the water, "in that case, let's give her something beautiful to visualize when she mounts your father."

His best friend's silver eyes went round when Dava gripped his erection and stroked in a lazy rhythm. He never stopped recording, but instead turned the crystal orb to get a closer shot of Davariel shamelessly masturbating. Kabiel burst out laughing when Dava tweaked one of his nipples with his free hand and wiggled his tongue with all the perversion he could muster.

"Brat," Kabiel exclaimed.

"Me?" Davariel made a show out of looking offended. "She's the one always trying to get her hands into my soctanal," he replied, mentioning the traditional fledgling reaper's black satin loincloth.

Kabiel gave him a wry grin and shrugged. "We're supposed to be angels." He wiggled his wings for emphasis.

Davariel rolled his eyes with a sigh. "Death angels, Kabi." He lowered himself back into the warm water. "We kill demons and devils. Nothing angelic in killing."

He slipped beneath the water for a few seconds and resurfaced, spreading his wings wide, and shaking them. Droplets of water rained everywhere.

Kabiel, shielded himself and his vid-crystal from the deluge with his own wings. "That's what we reapers are born and bred to do," he pointed out from beneath his feathers.

The door squeaking open drew their attention. Davariel already knew it was the high priest, Gadriel without having to turn his head to look behind him. The older reaper frequently came to him when he bathed. It seemed today would be no different from usual.

Kabiel gulped, his eyes wide as he took a few steps back.

The high priest stalked forward, Kabiel backing up even more until he tripped on the step that marked the bedroom floor from the balcony. His wings twitched out to steady him before clipping tight against his back. Gadriel marched to the balcony with a frown and closed the glass doors on Kabiel and his annoying vid-crystal.

"B-but how am I supposed to get to my room, father Gadriel?" Kabiel tapped on the glass with annoying persistence.

"You can climb down," Gadriel's voice roared, making Kabiel flinch and move away from the glass. "And if I catch you flying within sacred grounds again, I shall thrash your bare hide, boy." The high priest gripped the wide leather belt cinched low on his narrow hips, making Kabiel gape and shudder.

With that fledgling reaper scooted over the edge of the balcony and disappeared.

Davariel snickered, closing his eyes once more as he angled his head back. "You'd enjoy doing that, wouldn't you, father?" It wouldn't be the first time father Gadriel had reddened a fledgling's ass.

He opened his wings as he squeezed the wet sponge over his head. Davariel couldn't help the smug grin that graced his lips. He knew the picture he presented, with his neck tipped back, body arched seductively as water from the sponge cascaded over him. He knew exactly how much power he held over the high priest at that moment.

After rubbing the excess water from his eyes, Davariel opened them to see Gadriel kneeling next to the gold tub with a look of utter adoration on his face. The high priest's silver eyes raked over his body as he sighed.

His eyes....

Davariel reached over to his right and picked up a mirror. Once again, he looked into his own face. Every reaper had silver-grey eyes...except for him. His eyes were not only a shocking shade of electric blue, they were larger than normal, almost encompassing the entire white area, making Davariel unique amongst other reapers. He always wondered why. What alien species had contributed to his conception? That was the reason he was named Davariel. It meant God's different one in the ancient cherubic tongue of the Dominatio's.

Davariel frowned at his face. He didn't want to be different. He longed to be free, to be normal, have a family, someone to love and that loved him, maybe his own chicklings to call him papa.

Yes.

Gadriel gently pulled the mirror away from Davariel's face, breaking into his reverie. The high priest's eyes smoldered with barely repressed lust. "Such a beautiful sight, my Davariel."

Davariel lowered his lashes with a coy smile. At least he was father Gadriel's special boy. "My new tub? The ruler of a Fae planetary system sent it as a gift."

"No, silly angel." Father Gadriel laughed. "You. You're the beautiful one." He reached out and caressed Davariel's face.

Davariel's smile faded with a wistful sigh as he recalled one of the special visitors he had Kabiel pluck out of the horde of visitors today. It was a young Seraphian girl with wings so white they were almost blue.

He bit his lip, leaning into Gadriel's caress as he looked up from beneath his gold tipped lashes. "I met a girl today. She was one of the privileged ones allowed into our city."

Davariel held his breath, waiting. Surely, father Gadriel would understand his curiosity.

Gadriel's grin waned. He'd screened the special visitors and there was no girl amongst them. He'd never allow a temptation near his beloved angel. Of course, he knew Davariel occasionally would have his friends fish people out from amidst the throngs that came to see him. Whoever caught his fancy he'd have brought to him, like a child picking out sweet treats at the market.

Bringing aliens onto sacred grounds was forbidden, but since Davariel had no blood family to visit, the high priests and priestesses had taken pity on him and allowed him the indulgence. When Davariel was smaller, he'd pretend the alien was his mother who'd come, or his father. It was always the same. The angel-struck creature would pick him up and hold him for hours, until visiting time came to an end. Then they would have to pry the child from the hysterical alien. There were times when Davariel had cried too as he waved bye-bye to another pseudo mommy or daddy.

But now, having come into full sexual bloom, Gadriel should have known Davariel would eventually start plucking out girls for his pleasure. The very thought had the dark haired reaper gritting his teeth in irritation

Davariel raised his face. "I like her. I want you to find her and include her in our games."

"Absolutely not," Gadriel bellowed, his voice echoing in the large chamber.

He reared back when Davariel slammed his fists into the water and screamed like a child having a tantrum. "Why not?"

Not wanting the boy to work himself into a belligerent mood, the high priest cleared his throat and tried in a softer voice, "Calm yourself, sweetling."

"I will not." Davariel stood, the water cascading down his long, lean body, like a shimmering curtain. "I want her." He faced the high priest undaunted, fists clenched at his sides.

Gadriel's eyes couldn't help but devour the sight. He gulped and tried to raise his eyes to the young warrior's angered face. "Temptation. You must stay away from-"

"What difference is there if I play the same game with her that you play with me? I want to know what it feels like to be with a woman."

Davariel's wings fluttered behind him, lifting him from the tub. His soaked hair left a trail of water that streamed from his curled toes as he flew to the side of his bed. He flung himself belly first onto the burgundy, satin coverlet that draped the round, angel-sized bed.

Gadriel rushed over to where he lay. His hands itched to mold themselves to all that wet, silky flesh, but he knew he needed to be patient. The fledgling reaper could become upset enough to tell someone about their secret games. Reapers were forbidden to engage in any sexual activity. Just because Gadriel used the scantivale to keep their auras from mingling didn't mean he wouldn't be punished. Davariel was just so beautiful, Gadriel could not help bt desire the young warrior

"She'll never be satisfied allowing you to play with her through the scantivale," Gadriel pleaded, mentioning the transparent barrier they always used in their erotic games. "She'll eventually want to feel you skin to skin. Please, Davariel. She'll make you fall from grace."

When Gadriel reached out to caress him, the young reaper shrank away from his touch in contempt. "Don't touch me. I want Levinia." Davariel's eyes narrowed to furious blue slits. "If I can't have her, you'll never touch me again."

Those words sent a shock of alarm through Gadriel. He was addicted to Davariel's charms and the mere thought of never being able to touch him again made him want to lash out and hurt someone, Davariel included.

"But, son, be reasonable," he insisted. "You're a holy warrior. We're not allowed to take mates."

"Then I don't want to be a fucking holy warrior," Davariel snarled back.

Fury filled Gadriel like bitter poison. He clenched his fists, struggling not to give in to the desire to slap that beautiful face. Petulant, spoiled little shit. Never. He would never let Davariel go. It was time to teach the unruly youth a lesson.

He took a deep breath and smiled at Davariel's scowling face. "It's alright, my sweet boy. Father Gadriel will help you." His smile broadened as he palmed his impatient cock. "Don't I always give you everything you want? I love you."

Chapter One

Eighty years later; New York City, North American continent, Earth; 3512:

Luciel gripped the hilt of her sword. The edge of the blade dripped black blood on the grimy sidewalk. It seemed like the end of time was upon the entire universe. There were hordes of devils and demons everywhere, killing and destroying everything in their paths. In the short time it had taken to teleport from her penthouse to the scientific complex where she usually trained, she'd encountered about twenty devils and six demons, all quickly disposed of by her own hand.

Luciel usually took the monorail to get into the center of the city, but ever since the whole planet had gone to hell in the past week, she'd had to resort to the risky and tricky deal of teleporting. She gazed across the street at the shattered tube of the monorail. Hovercrafts, and other personal air transports littered the streets like fallen over-ripe fruit. Most of them had been driven to the ground on purpose, piloted by demonically possessed citizens bent on murder and destruction.

Five cruisers made their way across the sky, their saucer-shaped hulls casting misshapen oval shadows across the devastation surrounding Luciel. Galactic guardian soldiers, scouting out survivors. There were humans who hadn't succumbed to possession; the pure of heart. Luciel raised her sword to signal she was alright. It didn't matter, though. They would recognize her. She was the only Earth-born Master Guardian.

She sensed the presence of a life force approaching and turned to face the newcomer.

A brief flash of blue-white light faded to reveal a white winged Seraph dressed in the same black uniform Luciel was wearing. Aria's light brown hair curled about her round face and her green eyes stared at Luciel. In them, Luciel saw the reflection of the desolation spread out around them.

"There are too many of them." The Seraph's voice was like the soft wash of a flowing spring, so at odds with the ruins surrounding them.

Luciel looked about. Most of the city was burned out, the smoke having turned the sky grey. Blackened buildings with smashed windows stood like terrified witnesses to the struggle between good and evil being waged in the city. Amidst the crashed hover-crafts and transports were human bodies, strewn about in various stages of decomposition; the carcasses of those once possessed. Those not killed were hiding.

There were other pulses of life forces around them...devils. They hid amid the debris and rotting corpses; skulking in the sewers, waiting for the right moment to strike. The demons were different. They were actual divine fallen angels, not Seraphian-born beings. When they appeared they killed without mercy or hesitation.

"What about reapers?" Luciel toed one body that seemed to be moving a bit, only to startle a large rat that had been feasting within the corpse. The rodent scurried over her black boot into a nearby magazine booth on the street corner, screeching in protest.

"Davariel has killed so many of them. The few thousand reapers that remain are scattered over the invaded worlds trying to destroy as many of the demons and devils as they can." Avaria shook her head, her eyes misting over. "Luciel, as long as the rift remains open more of them will keep pouring out."

Luciel tried not to shudder at the mention of that name. Davariel; the beautiful black-winged Seraph that had haunted her dreams as a child, sung to her, played with her, and when she bloomed into a young woman, kissed her the way a man kisses a woman he desires. His mouth sealed over hers, tongue delving in to taste every centimeter of hers until she thought her knees would give from the emotion. Luciel hadn't known who the beautiful black-winged angel was at first. It was on her sixteenth birthday, the day she received her divine sword from a Dominatio turning her into a human arch angel and her ascent into becoming a fully fledged Master Guardian that she realized with sickening horror, that the beautiful angel she was in love with was the very one she was ordered to kill. The same one who'd unleashed the reign of Hell in the universe—the angel of destruction, Davariel of Angelos.

She turned away and cleaned her blade on a stack of newspapers which were still tied in a neat bundle. "I've managed to get close enough to cut him during the holographic training sessions."

"Luciel, letting you battle him . . ."

"I know-I know." She spun around, her long, dark hair feathering across her face. "I won't let him capture me." She knew very well that Davariel needed a virgin Master Guardian. The purity and power of the virgin's blood would strengthen his demonic sword which would be used to finish breaking open the gates to hell. "But if he does capture me, I have another plan."

Avaria shook her head and opened her lips to say something more. The feel of icy-cold dread slithered up Luciel's spine, making her look around before snapping her gaze back to Avaria who stood poised with her sword unsheathed, in a battle ready stance. The Seraph Master Guardian also surveyed their surroundings. Luciel felt as if she'd lived this moment before. What? Something was going to happen. Someone approached...a wall of crackling power...pure evil...

Seven demons materialized; three sprung out from a dark crevice between two buildings, two others crawled out of a puddle of blood that had pooled in a large hole in the gutter and the other two descended screeching from a rooftop. Avaria and Luciel launched themselves into battle against the creatures.

Sunken yellow eyes in corpse-like faces with pointed brown teeth, the fallen angels always transformed their true beauty into terrifying visages. It helped them feed off the energy of terror they evoked. Some of them had no color, their translucent wrinkled skin showing their putrid innards. The others had a bluish or grey hue to their leather-like flesh. They also fed on the emotions of anger and hatred, so Luciel made sure to keep her feelings well reined.

Her blade sliced across the neck of a blue demon that flew at her. The creature's head sailed about twenty feet before hitting a light pole and falling into a mesh trash can. Two more Master Guardians appeared and helped them battle the demons, using their white wings as well as their blades to fight.

Even though Luciel did not have wings, she was by no means at a disadvantage. She impaled two more demons and was about to go after a third, but one of the Master Guardians intercepted, killing the creature before she did. Luciel panted as she watched the carnage around her. More demons appeared and a few devils; so many.