His Guardian Angels 4
Angel Wed
Just as Madigan Parker and his guardians believed that they had
settled into a life of normalcy, complete with a wedding to plan
and a new business, an unexpected visitor throws their happy life
into chaos. War is coming to Urun, and the hunters are bent on
destroying all sanctuary cities. The heavens are divided on the
issue, and it will be up to Madigan to rally his fellow nephilim.
Awakening his angelic powers is just the beginning of a life-
altering race to get ready as hunters begin to gather at the
outskirts of the city. With one week until the fighting is slated to
start, Madigan must come to grips with his new powers, juggle his
fearful lovers, and make a decision to stand up for what is right in
a world that is against his very existence. Will he be able to
overcome his fears in time to be a leader in the upcoming war?
NOTE! You are purchasing Siren's serialized imprint, the
LoveXtreme Forever Series. This is Book 4 of the His Guardian
Angels collection. These books are not stand-alone. Each is a
continuation of the previous book and must be read in the
numbered order. Each book may end on a cliffhanger but usually
with a happy for now for the beta hero and one or more men. The
final book contains a happily ever after for the beta hero and all
his men.
Genre: Alternative (M/M or F/F), Fantasy, Ménage a Trois/Quatre
Length: 35,339 words
ANGEL WED
His Guardian Angels 4
Jana Downs
LOVEXTREME FOREVER
MANLOVE
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
ABOUT THE E-BOOK YOU HAVE PURCHASED:
Your non-refundable purchase of this e-book allows you to
only ONE LEGAL copy for your own personal reading on
your own personal computer or device. You do not have
resell or distribution rights without the prior written
permission of both the publisher and the copyright
owner of this book. This book cannot be copied in any
format, sold, or otherwise transferred from your computer
to another through upload to a file sharing peer to peer
program, for free or for a fee, or as a prize in any contest.
Such action is illegal and in violation of the U.S. Copyright
Law. Distribution of this e-book, in whole or in part, online,
offline, in print or in any way or any other method currently
known or yet to be invented, is forbidden. If you do not
want this book anymore, you must delete it from your
computer.
WARNING: The unauthorized reproduction or distribution
of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright
infringement, including infringement without monetary
gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5
years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.
If you find a Siren-BookStrand e-book being sold or shared
illegally, please let us know at
legal@sirenbookstrand.com
A SIREN PUBLISHING BOOK
IMPRINT: LoveXtreme Forever ManLove
ANGEL WED
Copyright © 2012 by Jana Downs
E-book ISBN: 978-1-62241-917-3
First E-book Publication: November 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 Angel Wed 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
ANGEL WED
His Guardian Angels 4
JANA DOWNS
Copyright © 2012
Chapter One
Bren sucked Madigan’s thick cock, bobbing his head in a rhythm
designed to deliver the maximum amount of pleasure to the nephilim
and finish him off in no time flat. They were on their fifteen-minute
break at the bakery while Cross manned the front of the shop. They
shouldn’t take forever given that opening day was far more successful
than any of them anticipated. There was a line out the block but the
come-fuck-me smell the nephilim was throwing off for the past hour
had already almost caused a brawl between a fallen angel and Michel.
“God! Bren!” Madigan gasped as Bren ran his tongue expertly
along the underside of his dick. Bren reveled in the sounds of pleasure
that his lover was making. Another hand wound in his hair as he
continued his quest to give the fastest blow job in the world. The
scent that surrounded him was familiar. Michel.
“He looks beautiful on his knees. Does it feel as good as it looks?”
Michel rumbled.
“Hell yes!” Madigan groaned, tossing his red hair and hanging on
for dear life. He really needed a haircut. Bren just continued to suck.
Michel only added to the pleasure of his task. How did Madigan get
sugar on his cock? It had probably been his earlier midmorning
8
Jana Downs
quickie with Yuri and Cross. The three-way had probably involved
some of the confectionary sugar that had been stored in the office.
Michel continued to stroke Bren’s hair, sending shivers down his
scalp and spine. “Bren, you’re making me horny.”
You’d get horny at a stiff breeze, Michel. The thought wasn’t far
off. Ever since the five warriors had gotten mated to one extremely
needy nephilim, their libidos had been insane. Then Michel started
stroking downward, caressing the wings that were spread out like an
ebony blanket behind him. Bren couldn’t help the moan that issued
from his mouth at the contact. Angels’ wings were extremely
sensitive and could produce orgasmic pleasure if rubbed correctly.
Bren liked to compare it to a full-body blow job.
Madigan gasped and dug his fingers into Bren’s scalp. The sting
wasn’t unpleasant. Michel knelt behind him and trailed one of his
hands further down his back before it circled to his front to pull at the
buttons of his pants.
“You know, I came to tell you two to hurry,” Michel muttered.
“But…damn, how’s an angel supposed to say ‘no’ to two of his
beautiful lovers in a position like this?”
Madigan chuckled. “More the merrier in this family.” It was a
good philosophy. This was going to turn into more than a blow job at
this rate. It suited Bren just fine. He was more than game.
Bren pulled off Madigan’s cock. “Michel, hurry up and fuck me.
Stop talking it to death.”
“You’re so rude, Bren. Not to mention pushy.” Michel sounded
amused by the fact. He finished pulling down Bren’s jeans. The
warrior enjoyed harassing him. It went back to the natural tension that
arose between the Archangel Michael’s angels and Lucifer’s brood.
Bren thought it added to the spice of their relationship.
Michel produced slick from somewhere and began to prepare
Bren’s hole while Bren concentrated on making Madigan orgasm
before Michel managed to stretch him enough to fuck him. He would
Angel Wed
9
enjoy filling Madigan’s already stretched passage after he was
sensitive from orgasm.
All thought fled as Michel pressed a thick finger to his ass,
circling the hole before forging a path inside. Bren couldn’t resist the
groan of need that escaped him at the act. He fingered him for endless
moments, igniting the nerve endings and turning him into a quivering
mass of lust. It wasn’t long before his hips started moving on their
own accord, pushing back to meet the fingers that tormented him. It
wasn’t enough, though. It was never enough anymore. His body was
accustomed to being used hard by four other very well-endowed
angels. Fingers just wouldn’t cut it.
“So hot,” Madigan said, his words a barely understandable gasp of
sound. He didn’t realize it yet, but his hunger for them was getting
worse. His angelic side was almost in full bloom, his powers growing
and desiring more of life in every aspect. His training needed to start
taking priority. There were so many distractions in their new life,
though.
“Mind on me, Trouble,” Michel commanded, nipping at the
tendon on his right wing. Bren gasped, his mind blanking at the
action. “Trouble” was Michel’s new nickname for him ever since
they’d begun planning their wedding thing. It wasn’t Bren’s fault he
disliked everything that the rest of them agreed on. A third finger
pushed inside him. Fuck! If Michel didn’t hurry up, Bren was going
to blow his load and how embarrassing would that be?
Finally, Michel obliged him and pressed the thick head of his dick
to Bren’s needy opening. Without preamble, the angel slid deep, and
Bren sucked Madigan convulsively. God, that’s tight. No matter how
many times he was taken by his lovers, he never quite got used to it.
Wanting to be fucked was a double-edged sword. On one hand he
needed more, but on the other, he was always surprised at their ability
to fuck him stupid.
They rocked in unison, feeding off the lust of the other. Madigan
was leaking pre-cum in a steady stream, the slightly sweet taste
10
Jana Downs
decorating the tip and Bren’s taste buds with every bob of his head.
Give it to me, Madigan. Give me your pleasure, sweet nephilim.
Michel pounded his ass, the flesh slapping together in a familiar
symphony. It wouldn’t be long before he lost his damn mind, and he
needed Madigan to lose it with him.
“Bren, your ass is like a vise,” Michel complimented, changing
the angle of his thrusts so that it rubbed his pleasure spot with every
lunge. “Bring him, Trouble.” He sucked harder, and Madigan cried
out over and over again, letting everyone know how close he was to
the edge. Good thing we installed the soundproof panels in the office.
No more than three of them could fit inside, but it offered a small
place of retreat in which they could go to take the edge off their
hungers, be they for food or for sex.
Madigan yelped something indiscernible before his release
flooded Bren’s mouth. Bren’s own arousal jerked at the taste and then
he was spilling his release onto the blanket under them. Three thrusts
later, Michel tumbled after them, the hot jets of cum coating his
insides with each shuddering breath that issued out of Michel’s
mouth.
Finally they were still, basking in their brief moment of afterglow.
There was so much that had to be done and so little time to do it. This
stolen moment would be all they had for the next week or two.
Madigan’s friends were coming today, the shop was fully operational,
and Madigan’s mother would be arriving within the week. There was
no time to settle into their new life in Urun.
“Hmmm, somebody take my cookies out of the oven,” Madigan
murmured, his eyes shut and a look of bliss on his face.
Bren laughed, drawing off his lover’s cock. “Bright eyes, you are
a red-hot mess.”
* * * *
Angel Wed
11
Madigan took out his last batch of cookies and packaged them in a
box with the logo of their shop Angel Treats emblazoned in gold
letters against the white cardboard. His friends loved his baking, and
he couldn’t wait to show off his new recipe. He and Dex had come up
with it as Cross and Bren had planted cherry blossom trees out front
and Michel and Yuri had put together the library so that they could
meet with their archangels there. It was the only “office” big enough.
The one that came with the house was now Madigan’s.
“Shop is packed up and lights are off, Madigan,” Cross said,
popping his head into the kitchen. “Bren put the rest of the cake
pieces in the freezer for tomorrow’s assembly.”
Madigan nodded and finished closing his box and put it in a
grocery bag. “Michel said to tell you that he’s replenishing the
supplies out of the stockroom.”
Cross waved a hand of acknowledgement. “Okay. I’ll finish
closing out the register.” He should’ve legitimately done that first, but
there wasn’t a real point in arguing. His men tended to be very
stubborn when it came to being corrected about anything.
Madigan looked up and around his new kitchen, alone for the first
time in a while. He smiled. It wasn’t like his men to let him have a
minute to himself. They were getting slack in the city of sanctuary.
An unfamiliar energy pulsed around him.
“You’re right to think that they are careless to leave you alone. If
I were a rogue hunter, you would be dead,” a lyrical voice said from
behind him. The tone seemed familiar, but Madigan was sure he’d
never heard it before.
“If you were a rogue hunter, you couldn’t have poofed into my
kitchen like a ghost.” He went to turn but was stopped by a hand on
his shoulder.
“No. I’m in my true form. Your angels haven’t trained you to see
properly. They have been remiss in their duties. I had hoped to be
able to visit you by now.”
A knowing filled him. “You’re my father?”
12
Jana Downs
A pause, a soft sigh. “Yes. You’ve met your Uncle Gabriel
already. He’s an angel of death, more used to assuming his human
form. I am less able to suppress my energy. I’m not even supposed to
be here, but I had to. I had to warn you.”
Madigan’s chest tightened. His whole life he’d wanted to meet his
real father and had been frustrated by his mother’s explanation of the
man’s absence. No one believed that divine beings made children.
That was only for stories. His twenty-eighth birthday had changed
that belief, but despite seeing many angels, fallen angels, and other
nephilim since, he’d never met the man who had contributed the other
half of his DNA. The words that Raphael had spoken penetrated his
awe.
“Warn me?”
“By our laws, I am forbidden to interfere, but I cannot sit by and
watch this happen. If the seraphim cast me out for this, then I go
gladly to a fallen state.” He didn’t seem to be talking to Madigan at
that point, but the next sentence seemed to be addressing him. “Azrael
has garnered enough approval from other angels to declare that
sanctuary law only applies to fallen and the damned. Nephilim are
now free game.”
Madigan’s heart skipped a beat. “How is that possible? Sanctuary
states apply to all beings.”
“The Creator settles disputes that arise in the heavens. He has
remained silent on this issue. Azrael is interpreting that silence as his
approval. We interpret his silence to mean that we are to enact some
deep change and that all voices, not just the angels, are to be heard.
Azrael imagines that we are building an army to end the hunters’
tyranny, and he has declared that only the son of an archangel could
lead that army. You are the only living son of an archangel, Madigan.
They will be coming for you, and you will have to be prepared.
They’ve created a self-fulfilling prophecy because you’re going to
have to raise an army to do it.” Warm hands rested on his shoulders,
Angel Wed
13
and the energy coming off them tingled and made Madigan’s muscles
jump. “I wouldn’t have chosen this for you.”
Madigan didn’t know what to say. An army? Him? He was a
baker! Sickness roiled in his belly. “Is there a way for me to get out of
it?”
“None that I can see.” Raphael paused. “I must go. I’ve been too
long already. Tell your angel-bound lovers what I’ve told you, and be
careful as you travel home today. I don’t know when Azrael will make
his move.”
Then the presence at his back was gone, and the kitchen was just
an empty kitchen once again. He breathed out. It figured that his
peace would only last a handful of weeks.
“Madigan?” Bren asked as he came through the door. He frowned.
“What’s wrong?”
Madigan mentally shook himself and concentrated on being calm.
“Nothing, Bren. Just having a chitchat with my father.”
“The archangel was here?” The angel took a deep breath,
obviously taking in the scent in the air. “I didn’t even feel him. What
did he want?”
“We need to get home. After supper we need to talk.” And his
friends were supposed to be arriving tonight, too. Damn it.
“Are you all right?”
Madigan shrugged. “I will be. Just shook up. No big deal. It’s not
every day that a guy meets his daddy.”
The door swung inward once again and nearly hit Bren in the back
as it did. “Everything ready?” Cross asked as he stepped through the
door. “We’re ready to go if you are.”
“Yeah. I was putting some cookies together for the guys.” He
grabbed up the grocery bag of cookies he’d made and turned around.
“Let’s go home, boys.”
* * * *
14
Jana Downs
Madigan was unusually tense on their walk home. The house that
they’d moved into was only two blocks away, and it had been decided
when they moved into their gorgeous three-story detached townhouse
that they wanted Madigan’s business to be near enough to walk to.
None of the angels liked cars, and it gave them the convenience of
town-living, something Madigan was use to. Madigan had been
excited about the walk this morning when they’d left. It made Cross
wonder exactly what was going through his mind as he walked in the
middle of their rather imposing posse. Cross walked behind, Bren
beside him. Madigan was in the center with Michel and Yuri up front
and Dex walking beside him, nearest the road. Madigan was
vulnerable on one side, but Cross’s eyes were vigilant as they scanned
every building and alley they passed for any sign of trouble. They
were in the biggest sanctuary in North America, so he perhaps
shouldn’t have been worrying so much. Unfortunately, that was his
nature.
They crossed the street at the crosswalk, and their home came into
view. Cross didn’t resist the wash of relief as it crashed over him.
Home. It was a good place to return to with his lovers. The cream-
colored home with the stark-white trim had felt right the first moment
they’d seen it in the online real estate ad. On the walk-through,
Madigan had nearly buzzed with happiness over the multileveled
townhome. Unlike the sprawling suburban house that they’d been
staying at with Marius and his two other lovers, their home was a
cozier affair and the space went up instead of out. It was preferable
because they could all be close when they were all on one level, but
when they needed space, they could spread out to the different levels.
Not to mention that it was nearer to the center of town and therefore
easier to defend and police. In other words, it was a combination of all
the traits that made for five very happy guardians and one very happy
nephilim.
He checked the time on his cell phone. They still had an hour
before Madigan’s friends were set to arrive. Good. Maybe Madigan
Angel Wed
15
would let Cross work the tension out of his nephilim’s shoulders
before they got there. It had to be delayed stress or something because
the first day of business had gone well. It seemed the people of
Titanville were very community oriented and had come out en masse
to support the fledgling business. Cross knew that they made a few
addicts with Madigan’s sweets. The breakfast crowd alone had been
impressed with his goodies.
“Who has the key?” Cross asked suddenly, patting his pockets and
knowing that it wasn’t there.
“Me,” Dex rumbled, holding up the silver key for Cross’s viewing
pleasure. “You gave it to me this morning, commander. Are you
getting forgetful?”
Cross snorted. He was going to have to show his lover exactly
how “forgetful” he was tonight when they were ensconced in their
room. The entire top floor had been converted to their bedroom, and it
was their paradise. Tonight it was going to be Dex’s torture chamber,
though, because he would pay for the “forgetful” remark with a
prolonged orgasm that he wouldn’t soon forget.
“Ooh, he’s planning something wicked,” Bren said, grinning
wide. “Look at his face. He’s either going to flail you or fuck you to
death.”
“Can I have a vote on which one happens?” Dex asked, jogging
ahead and skipping three steps to reach the front door.
“No!” Cross barked. His lovers laughed. At least everyone but
Madigan. He looked lost in thought. Cross frowned. What was going
on?
They climbed the steps as Dex ducked inside and disarmed their
security system. Cross was the last one in the door, and he closed it
gently behind him, locking the bolt and resetting the alarm out of
habit.
“Everyone grab showers and get ready, please,” Madigan said,
hanging his coat up on one of the hooks by the door. “They’ll be here
by eight thirty, and I’d like you guys to look presentable.” They’d
16
Jana Downs
already planned on ordering pizza tonight for dinner. Madigan
would’ve liked to cook, but there wasn’t enough time. Besides, the
angels had really wanted him to enjoy his night of showing off for his
friends. Cross knew they were beautiful men, and their Madigan
deserved to gloat about his fortune just a bit.
“Michel and I call basement shower room,” Bren said, taking off
toward the door that led to their finished basement. Michel was
almost immediately on his heels.
“Don’t get preoccupied playing Xbox, you two! I want you two
showered, shaved, and ready to meet them,” Madigan wailed as they
disappeared. He sighed. “You know, I don’t live with grown men. I
live with a bunch of kids.”
Yuri made a noise of disgust. “Unless you have been around
children who can perform quantum physics operations and apply any
mathematical formula known to man in his head, you’ve never been
around a kid quite like me.”
“Not doubting your intelligence, Yuri, just your maturity. Off!
Shower!” Madigan pointed toward the stairs that led upward. There
was a massive shower in their bedroom that was technically big
enough to accommodate all of them. “I’ll use the second floor shower
and make sure the guest towels and whatnot are all in place. You guys
go on up.” He wanted to shower alone? Madigan never wanted to
shower alone.
“I’ll join you,” Cross said. There was only one sure way to find
out what Madigan was worrying over and that was to ask him.
Madigan hesitated. “I’m… Well, okay. Sure.” He headed toward
the door without another word. Cross tried to suppress the echoes of
annoyance and flash of hurt the less-than-enthusiastic response
caused.
Angel Wed
17
Chapter Two
Madigan checked the guest rooms and found them to be perfectly
in place. He hadn’t expected any less, but he had planned on doing
more thinking and less looking if he were being completely honest.
How was he supposed to tell his men that he was going to be at the
center of a bloody war? It wasn’t fantastic news considering they just
settled into Urun and had opened a business. Destined to be more than
a baker. That was what they were going to have to put on his
tombstone because it seemed no matter where he went after his
angelic puberty, Madigan’s shops just wouldn’t stand.
“What’s wrong, Madigan?” Cross asked, coming close behind
him and wrapping his arms around Madigan’s middle. His men were
so attentive to his needs. He loved them more than he could express,
and it just wasn’t fair to them to have to always be fighting his battles.
“I want you to train me. I want to be able to stand angelic forms,
and I want to be able to fight. This damsel in distress routine is getting
old.” Madigan hoped his words weren’t wobbling as bad as he
thought they were. Cross’s body at his back went rigid.
“That is a rather odd request, Madigan. Why the big push now?”
Madigan pulled out of his arms and made his way to the showers.
He made a mental note to restock the towels after they were done.
“Madigan, answer my question,” Cross said impatiently. He
wasn’t one to let Madigan get away with silence for long. Whereas
Bren would chalk it up to brooding, a condition he did more often
than any of them, and Michel would just quietly accept his silence
with the anticipation that Madigan would spill his reason for his
18
Jana Downs
discomfort in his own time, Cross was used to asking questions and
having them answered.
“I love you, but you’re sometimes annoying,” Madigan said
without thinking. He felt rather than heard Cross’s hurt. He turned his
head as they stepped up to the shower stall and twisted the knob for
hot water. His big warrior angel’s fists were clenched, and a worried
look was plastered all over his face. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that like
it came out.” He sighed. “I’m sorry. My visit from Raphael got me
thinking. I don’t want to be a burden to you guys. I want to be an
equal, a partner in this crazy war that’s going on.”
“Madigan, where is this coming from?” Cross asked in
bewilderment. “Everything was fine today. There were no conflicts.
We ran your bakery and came home. We’re in a sanctuary town,
Madigan. What could your father have possibly said that has gotten
you so afraid?”
“I’m not afraid, Cross. I’m frustrated. I’ve used the powers that I
was born with twice, and I can’t control them one way or another. I
want to be strong.” He tested the temperature of the shower with his
hand before stripping off his shirt and pants. He folded his clothes
neatly on the sink and watched as his lover did the same.
“But, Madigan, we’re in sanctuary,” Cross repeated, staring at him
like he wanted to shake him.
“What if sanctuary isn’t always safe, Cross? What if the age of
protection is over?” Madigan trembled at the thought. He’d been fine
with having his whole life reorganized, with losing his independence,
with becoming the damsel to five gorgeous warrior angels, but it had
been because they’d sold him on the idea that once they were in a
state of sanctuary that he would be able to regain his independence
and have a seminormal life with his lovers.
Cross stared at him with an indiscernible look on his face. “What
has happened that you’re not telling me, Madi?”
Madigan sighed and stepped under the spray. “Dearest Dad
thought that you guys were remiss in not teaching me to use my
Angel Wed
19
powers, honing my skills or whatever. He thinks that I need to be
trained and ready for what comes next.”
Cross’s massive body squeezed in behind him, their bodies
rubbing along one another as the steam rose like a fog around them.
Madigan couldn’t repress the shiver that racked him. He was a
nephilim, and his hormones weren’t easily dosed by even the worst of
news. It was almost annoying if it hadn’t been so incredibly hot to be
passed around by his husbands like a priceless treasure to be
pleasured senseless.
“I smell you, Madigan.” Cross’s voice had gone husky. “But
you’re not distracting me with your wiles.” Ha. I have “wiles.” That’s
new. I thought I just had hormones.
Madigan swallowed and leaned back into Cross’s chest. The angel
groaned, and Madigan couldn’t help the sliver of satisfaction that
went through him. Being desired by his angels was intoxicating. “You
know Marius is even teaching Levi and Erik how to use their powers.
They’re opening up a school for nephilim to learn at.”
“As fascinating as that is, none of them will be able to teach the
son of an archangel how to use his powers. We’ve delayed the
teaching for a reason. I don’t know if we’re strong enough to be able
to contain you if your powers fluctuated sporadically. We’ve
discussed it, and until you get your wings and some of your initial
power levels even off, it’s much too dangerous.” He really disliked
when Cross got his lecturer voice.
“We may be out of time, Cross,” Madigan said quietly.
Cross slid to his front so that the water pounded into Madigan’s
back. Their eyes met in the steam-filled space. “What do you mean?”
“Azrael has gone rogue. He thinks that I’m raising some kind of
army of nephilim. Raphael said he’s coming after me. Sanctuary isn’t
safe anymore.” The words came out in a rush, and Madigan wasn’t
sure that Cross heard him correctly because he just stood there for a
solid minute staring.
20
Jana Downs
“It’s impossible,” he muttered, raking a hand through his red hair.
“Only a crazy person would even attempt to go against something
blessed by the Creator.”
Madigan raised his hands and trailed them down Cross’s rippled
abdomen to rest on his lean hips. “Yeah, well, in my mind, hunting
down innocent people because they’re ‘abominations’ qualifies as
batshit nutso.”
Cross smiled grimly. “I see your point. Did he give you a time
frame?”
“Is ‘soon’ a time frame?”
“We won’t be able to continue running the bakery. We’re going to
have to focus on nothing but training you.” Cross sounded very put
off by the idea. Madigan understood the feeling.
“I figured. What about the wedding?” He tried not to sound
insanely upset over the idea that he wouldn’t get to have the wedding
he’d been planning diligently for weeks. It wasn’t just for his benefit.
His mother had so looked forward to the event, and it would kill her
to see it cancelled.
Cross shrugged. “I’ll have to discuss it with the others. I want to
say that it will continue on as scheduled, but I’m not sure if it’s safe
enough to conduct. We’ll see.”
Madigan nodded tightly and grabbed the unopened bottle of
shampoo he’d stashed in the shower caddy. He tried not to be crushed
by the idea that they wouldn’t get the ceremony he’d envisioned.
He’d really been taken by the wedding they’d been to a few weeks
ago between Marius, Levi, and Erik. It had given him great ideas, and
his men had looked so handsome trying on their tuxes at the formal
wear shop. He lathered his hair and sighed. Sometimes it really
sucked being a nephilim.
“If it is within my power, we will still have a ceremony. It may
not be what you envisioned, but I will do my best.” The soft pledge
made Madigan’s heart turn over. It was just like his Cross to try to
accommodate even Madigan’s silliest wishes.
Angel Wed
21
“Cross, if it’s doable, fine. But if it isn’t, I’m a big boy, I can
handle it. I won’t consider it a cancellation. It’s more like a delay. I’m
not giving up on us and our wedding quite yet.” He was proud of how
strong his voice sounded. Maybe I’m picking up more than their
insatiable appetites. He admired his lovers’ strengths, and he
supposed it was high time he started displaying strength of his own.
“You are an amazing person, Madigan Raphael Parker,” Cross
said, wiping a bit of soap from Madigan’s brow. “Hurry and wash, my
love. The others will think I’m ravishing you and get jealous.” He
winked.
Madigan couldn’t suppress his smile. “Oh darn. My other angels
will get riled and demand a turn.” His smile widened into a grin. “I
see no downside to this.”
Cross shook his head and chuckled. “Normally neither would I,
but your friends are due to arrive soon and I don’t know if the best
way to introduce us is to be caught mid-orgy.”
“Right.” Madigan rinsed out his hair and switched places with
Cross so he could wet his hair while Madigan lathered up with body
wash. This was a change of plan, a new direction. It was no different
than any other twist or turn that had happened since his twenty-eighth
birthday. “Hey, Cross?”
“Yes?”
Madigan found it infinitely distracting to see trails of soap suds
wash down Cross’s broad chest. “I hope someday soon we can
actually develop a routine. I don’t know about you, but I think living
on the edge kind of grates after a while.”
Cross dipped his head back into the spray and closed his eyes.
“Welcome to the life of a nephilim, baby. Maybe soon the war will be
over.”
Madigan hoped.
* * * *
22
Jana Downs
“Bren! You so cheat!” Michel rumbled, elbowing Lucifer’s angel
as he did some fancy move that he knew didn’t exist anywhere but in
the cheat codes.
“It’s not cheating if we have the same access to the information,”
Bren said cheerfully before reaching out and pinching Michel’s arm
in retaliation. They’d showered in record time and were listening for
signs of movement upstairs so that they knew to hurry and dress.
Grabbing a few minutes of Xbox time in the intervening period
seemed like the perfect way to pass the time.
Michel cussed him under his breath and paused the game. “You’re
a brat.”
Bren grinned. “You love me.”
“I do, but you shouldn’t take advantage of the fact.” They’d
developed this teasing camaraderie lately and it was something that
made Michel infinitely happy. He preferred mischievous Bren to
brooding Bren any day.
“I got a letter back from the head of my family,” Bren said
unexpectedly. Michel looked over at him in surprise. He hadn’t even
known that Bren had sent a letter off to the underworld. The rest of
them had been sending letters to the heavens inquiring about which
family members might be available to attend the wedding, but Bren
had washed his hands of it loudly.
“Why didn’t you say anything?” Michel asked, leaning over and
wrapping his arms around Bren’s muscled middle. He pressed a kiss
to Bren’s naked chest. “We would’ve been supportive.” Not that any
of them really looked forward to dealing with Bren’s family. Lucifer’s
people tended to be hellions, and a lot of the choirs just didn’t like to
be around people so absolutely abrasive, loud, and unapologetically
un-angelic. Michel had even shared their philosophy until he’d
become one of Bren’s lovers. Bren may have had a tough exterior, but
his insides were pure angel, and for the first time, Michel had
understood the difference between Lucifer’s angels, the fallen, and the
damned.
Angel Wed
23
Bren shrugged. “I didn’t want to kick up a big fuss before I knew
if they were going to come. You know how unpredictable they can be
sometimes.” Keeping the peace in Hell was understandably harder
than most angelic duties, and Lucifer tended to send them on sporadic
side missions for no one’s amusement but his own.
“Well, what did they say?”
Bren sighed and drew Michel closer to him. “They’re coming. Not
just my immediate family either. My lord has requested an invitation,
and the head from each of my two cousin clans are going to be
attending as well. It’s a damn mess.”
Michel frowned. “How is that a mess? Isn’t it a good thing that
they’re being supportive?”
Bren snorted. “It depends on how you’re using the word
supportive. I promised Madigan no drama, and my family can get
more than a little rowdy.”
“We’ll handle it, Bren. No worries. Just be happy that they’re
coming.” Michel hadn’t shared that his family had refused to attend.
The bigoted assholes. They thought he was being corrupted by the
influence of a nephilim and that he wasn’t in his right mind.
Archangel Michael had sent his regards and his apologies. He would
be campaigning in Siberia against one of the damned who had built
himself a little oasis of horror soon, and he didn’t want to promise
that he would return in time. But at least he was supportive.
“I’m trying. I’m just worried they’ll make a mess or start a fight
or a million other things my family tends to do at celebrations. I
already axed the idea of a bachelor party bonfire.” He cringed as he
said it, and Michel couldn’t help but laugh.
“You’re going to be fine, Bren. Everything will be just as it was
meant to be. Focus on right now and making a good impression on
Madigan’s friends. These humans are important to him, and I think it
matters if they like us.”
24
Jana Downs
Madigan had been excited to have his friends join them for a visit.
Michel wagered that he would ask one or all of them to be in the
wedding party though he was keeping it on the down low.
Bren nodded. “I understand that. I just don’t know how the
humans are going to take this relationship. These sorts of
arrangements don’t exist in their world.”
“They’re our Madigan’s friends. They have wider vision than
most of the population.” Michel hoped so, at least. Madigan needed
all the support he could get while they worked on building a life in an
unfamiliar city removed from his normalcy.
* * * *
Yuri knew he shouldn’t, but not touching Dex wasn’t an option.
He was nearly seven feet of tanned, muscular perfection with a hard-
on, and Yuri wasn’t man enough to walk away. We should never have
decided to shower in pairs. They would’ve had more luck not fucking
if they’d all showered together. The thought made Yuri’s already
aroused body leak a clear drop of liquid pleasure.
“Yuriel, you know it’s difficult to concentrate on washing my
body while you keep waving that thing around,” Dex rumbled,
soaping his cock and balls with slow-moving hands.
“You started it,” Yuri groused, popping Dex’s ass with the wet
washcloth he’d just washed his face with. “I’m not the only one
saying hello.”
Dex hissed as the cloth connected with his backside. “Madigan
will be mad if we are late to meet his friends.” Was it his imagination
or was Dex throwing off some serious come-fuck-me vibes? Yuri
sniffed the air and caught the heady scent of lusty angel. Okay, it
wasn’t his imagination. Dex smelled like sex and looked built for sin.
“Yeah. That responsible thing might be more effective if you
didn’t smell like a bitch in heat. Dex, what’s going on man?” Yuri
asked. He wasn’t complaining. He was more than willing to make
Angel Wed
25
sure his lover was completely and utterly sated. It just wasn’t like Dex
to be off task unless Madigan was throwing some serious nephilim
pheromones. The gentle giant was in need.
Dex smiled, his eyes sparkling with amusement. “Do I have to
have a reason to want what is mine?” No. He didn’t. But still. Yuri
hesitated. “Stop looking at me like that, Yuriel. We both want one
another, and there isn’t a reason in the world we shouldn’t have what
we want. We’ll be quick and then dress for Madigan’s friends. I’m
nervous they won’t approve of us. Let me blow off a little steam and
relax.”
Yuri nodded. “All right. One unforgettable quickie coming up.”
He had bought a new book for his kindle of the scandalous variety
that had been teasing him with a new way to drive his men nuts for a
while now. It would be good to try out tonight.
“You’re thinking bad thoughts,” Dex rumbled as Yuri slid in
behind him and spread his ass cheeks.
“Oh yeah. I bought this book—”
Dex burst out laughing. “It always starts with a book with you.”
“Hush, sexy angel. I’m a scribe. It’s what I do.”
* * * *
Madigan was beyond annoyed by the time his men finally
assembled in the living room a half hour later. The text on his phone
said that Christian had just gotten off the exit to Titanville and the
GPS said they’d be in Madigan’s driveway in five minutes. Dex and
Yuri had sat on the couch cuddling in a way indicative of a nice, slow
fuck. It was in the way they touched one another, and Madigan longed
for the same calm that they were giving off.
He should’ve been looking forward to seeing his friends for the
first time in a few months and telling them all about his exciting
news. It was just hard to muster up excitement over the event when he
was still hung up on the fact that Raphael had just told him to raise an
26
Jana Downs
army. I don’t know anything about war. I don’t even watch war
movies. I’m a little bit of a pacifist, in fact. What did he know about
anything? He was just going to get a whole lot of people killed,
including his lovers. His stomach twisted at the thought.
Cross reached out and pulled Madigan into his arms. “If you don’t
want to send the rest of the men into a panic over why you’re
unhappy, put on a happy face,” he whispered, nuzzling his ear and the
line of his neck. Madigan tilted his head to the side and let Cross nip
his pulse. Almost instantly he felt his sanity slipping away and a
hunger rising up in him that had everything to do with his angelic
nature.
“Hm, damn, bright eyes,” Bren rumbled. “You smell good. We
have time for something sexy?” Madigan’s eyes locked on Bren’s
hungry expression. His dark eyes were chock-full of promise.
“No. We don’t. They’ll be here in, like, three minutes.” Madigan
knew his words and his body were saying two completely different
things. He leaned back into Cross. I should’ve scratched my itch in
the shower. Dex and Yuri had the right idea.
“Then let’s talk about how not sexed up you’re looking right now,
Madigan,” Cross said, stepping back.
“My family is coming to the wedding. Including my archangel,”
Bren blurted out. Madigan took the distraction like a lifeline. His
instincts were kind of annoying sometimes.
“I thought you weren’t inviting them?”
Bren looked down at the wood floor. “Yeah, well, I didn’t think
they’d come anyway. I was surprised.”
Madigan smiled at him. His big, tough angel was afraid of what
they thought about Lucifer’s bunch being present on the wedding day.
“I’m glad they’re coming. It’ll give you something to think about
instead of the wedding.” He bit his lip to keep from saying “if there is
a wedding.”
The doorbell made him jump, which in turn had his lovers looking
at him quizzically. Crap. I’m as jittery as a caffeine addict at
Angel Wed
27
Starbucks. Why of all days was today the day Raphael told him about
Azrael’s plan and Madigan’s role in it?
“Uh, get the door, one of you,” Madigan muttered. He knew they
wouldn’t let him answer it. They were still paranoid enough, and now
Madigan shared their paranoia. Bren got up and swaggered over to the
door. He looked in the peep hole before opening the door.
“Hi,” he greeted, opening the door wide. “You guys must be
Madigan’s friends.”
“Oh wow,” Becka said, awe saturating her voice. “Madigan, call
off your gorgeous boyfriend. Holy shit! There are more of them.
Which one is yours, Madigan?” Becka finally stepped fully into the
room, and Madigan couldn’t help but smile at her awed expression.
“Oh my God, Madi. You’re running a freaking stud farm. I mean, I
thought Christian’s new dish was wowza but jeez!”
Madigan grinned as Michel took her suitcase and stepped aside
for Daniella to come into the living room as well. They looked just
like he remembered, not a hair out of place. Becka was the same loud,
tall, and brassy brunette she’d always been. She was dressed to the
nines in a couture print dress that probably cost more than his entire
wardrobe.
“Madigan, you’re having a party, brother!” Daniella squeaked as
Dex rolled off the couch to get her massive suitcase. Daniella was a
pixie with short blond hair and more sparkly punk-rock jewelry than
any three people should wear at one time.
“Get over here and give us a hug,” Becka demanded, opening her
arms as his men pulled their luggage out of the way. Madigan felt
some of his tension ease as he took his three steps toward his friends
and wrapped one arm around Becka’s waist, squeezing her tight.
Daniella crowded into his other side, and he gave her an equally
enthusiastic squeeze.
“Please tell me you are banging as least two of these gorgeous
hotties,” Becka whispered conspiratorially.
Madigan chuckled. “Where is Christian?”
28
Jana Downs
“Oh right.” Becka giggled. “His boyfriend dragged him into the
backseat when we hit your driveway and, oh my God, he was laying a
serious lip-lock on our dear Christian.”
Madigan frowned. “He brought his boyfriend with him? I thought
I told you that I needed to tell you guys something important.”
“Yeah about your new boyfriend. We got it,” Daniella said before
kissing his cheek and pulling out of their combined embrace.
“Christian thought he’d surprise you with his new beau since you
have been so secretive about yours.”
Madigan’s frown deepened. “That’s not how we do things.”
Becka stepped farther into the house and shot Madigan a wink.
“You’ve been out of touch for a long time, Madi. Besides, it’s not like
he’s parading around a hookup. Az has been dating him for over two
months now.”
“Az?” Madigan asked. Who the hell was named Az? It sounded
like a shampoo or something.
“He’s weird, super weird, but he’s the only one of Christian’s
boyfriends who seems to be able to stick. Chris is completely and
utterly head over heels. I’m actually pretty excited for you to meet
him,” Becka said. The crunch of footsteps on the concrete sidewalk
interrupted any other commentary she was going to make on
Christian’s new boyfriend, and Madigan pasted a smile on his face to
welcome the additional guest into his home.
Every molecule in his body froze as Christian swept through the
door with his boyfriend on his arm. A massive frame and dark brown
hair made for a gorgeous specimen of manhood. The only thing
missing were his indigo wings. He has brown eyes. I didn’t remember
that.
Madigan whispered the name of his greatest enemy. “Azrael.”
Immediately he was shoved behind a mountain of man flesh. The
girls screamed, and the flash of heat told Madigan that angelic swords
had been drawn. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. His heart pounded. So this
is it. The war is on or something.
Angel Wed
29
“Leave. Now,” Cross growled. Madigan desperately wanted to see
what was going on and if his friends were okay. Unfortunately, his
height and their bulk let him see neither.
“Is this how you treat your lover’s guests, Cross?” Azrael asked.
The pitch of his voice sent shudders of dread through Madigan’s
entire body.
“Let me take his fucking head off, Commander,” Michel rumbled.
He was nearest to Madigan. His Guess jeans were easily recognizable
by the scorch marks that ran down the left thigh where he had been
practicing with his sword while wearing them. To the untrained eye,
the jeans looked acid washed, but Madigan knew better. Plus, he’d
recognize Michel’s pert ass and blond hair anywhere.
“What is wrong with you guys?” Christian asked in a terrified
voice.
“One swing, Commander. One swing and he ends,” Michel jeered,
swaying closer to their houseguests.
“Hold, Michel. This is Sanctuary. We can’t harm him.” He could
almost hear Cross’s teeth gritting.
“Oh come on, Cross!” Bren snapped. “He didn’t come here to
mend fences.”
“What the hell is going on?” Becka asked.
“We can’t, Bren! If the authorities take us away from Madigan for
violating sanctuary laws, he’ll be completely exposed. You think
Azrael is the only angel willing to stand up and lead the zealots?
We’d make him a damn martyr,” Cross argued. “Azrael, you need to
leave.”
“Az?” Christian’s voice was shaking. All the fiery swords were
obviously freaking him out.
“Hush, human. The angels are talking,” Azrael snapped.
“Don’t talk to my friend like that!” Madigan shouted. He wanted
to punch the angel in his smug face. He didn’t consider himself a
violent person, but the impulse boiled up inside him like a pot on a
hot stove.
30
Jana Downs
In a more reasonable tone, he addressed Cross. “Cross, it isn’t
complicated. We can talk this out. Come outside and deal with this.”
“Like hell,” Dex rumbled at the same time that Michel snorted.
“So you can sniper us like bucks in hunting season? Please,
Commander, one swing. I won’t even hit the humans.”
“No!” Christian yelled.
“Everyone calm down!” Cross shouted. “Azrael, go over to the
couch and sit down. Bren, take Madigan and his human friends to the
far side of the house. Dex, go with them.”
“Hell no,” Madigan said. “We’re not separating.”
Cross whipped around. “Do not argue with me, Madigan. You
will go where you’re safe.”
Madigan had enough. He was done being bullied and terrorized by
a faceless enemy, a threat. “If he’s here to kill me, he wouldn’t have
come alone. Separating us only makes easier targets. He wants my
attention by coming with my friends. He’s got it. Move your big
angelic butt out of my way so I can see him.”
Indecision warred over Cross’s face. Finally he nodded and
stepped to the right. Michel made a noise of protest but allowed
himself to be jostled further to the side, flaming sword and all.
Madigan stepped forward into the gap that Cross had left behind.
Now that he was at the front of the pack, he could see what had
his friends stunned into silence and terrified. Bren, Dex, and Michel
all had their swords drawn and Yuri and Cross looked ready to
murder someone. Azrael stood behind Christian. What a prick. Becka
and Daniella were pressed into the corner nearest the door looking
like they wanted to be anywhere but there at the moment.
“Christian, go stand over by Daniella and Becka. I don’t want you
getting hurt,” Madigan said. He wanted to get him out of harm’s way.
He needed to. Chris was a great guy, and he had the sneaking
suspicion that he’d been used by Azrael, the prick.
Angel Wed
31
“Madi, what the fuck is going on? You know Az? Az, baby?”
Christian looked so lost in that moment that Madigan felt intensely
sorry for him. Poor Chris didn’t deserve this.
Azrael pressed a kiss to Christian’s cheek. “I told you to hush
once, Christian. I meant it. I need you to be quiet so you can be safe.”
“If you care so much, put him out of harm’s way,” Madigan said.
He was confused at the genuine caring that permeated Azrael’s being
as he looked on at Christian. “I thought it was an abomination to be
with humans?”
“The only one in this room who poses a threat to him is right in
front of me. I will not harm him. He’s an innocent,” Azrael said
coldly.
Madigan snorted. “Sure. He’s human. Not a freak of nature.”
“It’s forbidden to procreate with humans,” Azrael stated, petting
Chris’s cheek.
“But screwing them is all right?” Madigan asked, glaring at the
action.
“As long as a child isn’t produced. It isn’t necessarily right, but it
isn’t forbidden,” Azrael reasoned. Christian was looking more and
more confused as their conversation went on.
“Good to know. What the hell are you doing here?” Madigan
asked. He tensed as Azrael walked slowly over to the sectional and
plopped down in Yuri’s favorite section, drawing Christian into his
arms as he went.
“I’m here to talk.”
Madigan scoffed. “That’s what a damn phone is for.”
“That isn’t the type of message I wanted you to receive. Besides,
you wouldn’t have believed me had I called you.” Azrael had a point,
but Madigan didn’t have to like it.
He glared. “So if you came here to talk, why are you hiding
behind my friend?”
Azrael ran his fingertips down Chris’s arm. “I’m making sure one
of your very protective lovers doesn’t get sword happy and run me
32
Jana Downs
through. This meeting was delicate to set up, and injury would be
inconvenient.”
Madigan supposed that was one way to put it. The angel’s
arrogance was astounding.
Their eyes met, and Azrael leaned back into the leather, looking
calm for someone who was in a room full of very large, armed men.
“I am a reasonable being. I understand there are times when one must
fight and kill and there are others when one must yield.” Chris tried to
get up, only to have Azrael grab the tender back of his arm and force
him back down. “Now, pet, don’t be fussy. We’re almost done.” His
attention returned to Madigan. “I have a proposal for you. You and
your lovers leave, run from sanctuary, run from civilization. Settle in
a small town somewhere I don’t know about. I promise not to hunt
you or even try to track you down.”
Madigan’s breath hitched. “What is the catch? What are you
getting out of this?”
“My plans are much bigger than one abomination. There are wider
plots at work here that you don’t know about. Nephilim numbers in
recent times have been allowed to flourish well past puberty. They
take shelter in sanctuary states where they can find them and join up
with fallen and rogue guardians whenever they can. Did you know
that in Urun alone there were twelve nephilim children born in the
past month alone?” He sneered as he asked the question as if he’d
never heard anything as disgusting as what he’d just said. “It’s
horrifying. The heavens are even being infected by the idea of some
great spiritual change.” He shook his head. “The hunters and I cannot
allow this to go on any longer. The Creator has remained silent on the
issue, and we take it to mean he is in support of our mission.”
Zealots really scared the hell out of Madigan. Anything in
extremes, be they religious or otherwise, never seemed to be a path to
anything other than misery. He swallowed. Azrael really believed
every word he was saying, and that sort of blind dedication was
dangerous. Cult crazies. Someone laced the Kool-aid.
Angel Wed
33
“We’re going to kill them all, Madigan. Every last one of them
that have saturated the cities and polluted the Earth. It will be a
reckoning that will surpass even the great war of Babylon. An army is
even now being raised for the task. However, there is a wrench in my
plan that is proving to be more of a headache than I want to deal with.
There is a prophecy that foretells a son of an archangel, an
abomination, that will unite angel, fallen, and nephilim alike. I’m sure
you have heard the stories.”
Vaguely, Madigan recalled something about a prophecy but
nothing specific. Yuri tended to spill copious amounts of information,
and Madigan had difficulty keeping it all straight in his mind. Raphael
had mentioned something about a legend earlier.
Azrael smiled. “You and I both know that you’re not a warrior,
little baker. You would have just about as much luck running an army
and organizing a campaign as I would in falling in love with a harem
of nephilim.”
Madigan may have had a similar thought not too long ago, but the
principle of the thing grated nonetheless. It was insulting to be
thought of as less than a threat.
“If I’m so insignificant, why not just kill us with the rest of the
nephilim?” Madigan asked through gritted teeth.
“What is going on?” Christian interjected.
“Hush, pet,” Azrael soothed before turning his attention to
Madigan’s question. “I may not believe that you can lead an army,
Madigan, but you do tend to arouse a certain loyalty in those who
know you.” He squeezed Christian’s shoulder. “This darling, for
example, talks about you quite often, considering how seldom you
communicate. It has been brought to my attention that you also met a
healer named Scepta. My contacts say that he has a certain softness
for your group. He is an anomaly and a factor that I do not want to
deal with directly if I can help it. I will allow you and your
companions to leave the city and will not hunt you thereafter if you
leave within in the week. If you are still in Urun at the end of the
34
Jana Downs
week, I will assume you will not see reason.” He smiled, the
expression joyous and vicious at the same time. “Then I will take
pleasure in eliminating you one by one.”
“Motherfucker!” Dex barked suddenly, muttering to the ceiling
like he did when he was talking to someone none of them could see.
He cursed again and looked back to the room. “They took the
sanctuary in the Florida Keys.” There was a sanctuary in the Florida
Keys? Why was I not informed that there was a beach option? Then
what he’d said penetrated.
“Took the sanctuary?” he asked, dread filling him.
Dex sounded choked when he answered. “They killed every
nephilim, fallen, and damned that stood against them. The ones too
young for murder were sterilized. By all that is holy, they must’ve
killed two thousand people.” Horror saturated the room.
“Another city will fall within the hour. We’re working from the
exterior inward. In five days time we will be knocking on your
doorstep, Madigan. You have to ask yourself, is your rebellion worth
your life?” Azrael asked. His eyes swept the room, indicating Becka,
Daniella, and Christian. “Is it worth your friends’ lives?” He nodded
to Cross and his other angels. “How about your lovers? Are you
willing to have them hunted down like dogs and executed like
common criminals? Think about it, Madigan. You pose no threat to
me. If you fight, you die. If you stay, you die. If you run, you have a
chance at a real life, a happy one. You’re not capable of breeding, so I
don’t have to worry about hunting your offspring. I can overlook your
existence. Think about it.” He leaned over and kissed Chris’s cheek.
“For what it is worth, I did enjoy our time together, Christian. You’re
a good man. Stay that way.” He stood. “Move, children. I’ve things to
do, wars to wage. I’ll be checking up on you all at the end of the
week. Good evening.” He walked over to the front door and Beck and
Daniella hurried to get out of his way. Madigan stared after him with
impotent rage.
Angel Wed
35
The door shut quietly behind the hunter as he let himself out. “He
can’t do this,” Bren whispered. Christian rubbed his arm, tears
spilling down his face in silent admission of hurt and confusion.
Madigan finally got over his shock at the sight and went to him. He
sat beside him on the couch and drew him into his arms.
“I’m so sorry, Christian. I’m so sorry you got dragged into this,”
Madigan murmured, holding onto his friend as quiet sobs racked his
body. He petted his back and looked up at his lovers helplessly.
“Someone needs to tell us what the hell is going on,” Becka
snapped, coming out of the corner and into the room. Daniella
followed, looking pale and shaken.
Cross considered her, sighed. “I suppose we can’t break this
gently as planned. Becka, it’s nice to meet you. My name is Cross.
That is Dex, Bren, Yuri, and Michel.” He pointed to each of his lovers
in turn. “We’re Madigan’s lovers and his soon-to-be husbands. We’re
also his guardian angels.”
“What?” Becka asked. She obviously hadn’t been expecting that.
His lovers pulled their shirts off and the sigils on their backs glowed
for a split second before wings blinked into existence at their backs.
“Holy shit!” Daniella squeaked.
Christian sighed but didn’t seem surprised. Madigan started. “You
knew? You knew Azrael was an angel?”
Christian nodded, pulling back at the same time. “He told me,
showed me. I didn’t think he was dangerous. I mean, he is an angel.”
He frowned. “Wait, what does that make you, Madigan?”
“I’m a nephilim, a half-angel. My mom is human. My dad really
is the Archangel Raphael.” It was the first time he’d told someone. It
sounded strange to his ears. It felt like he was claiming his heritage
for the first time instead of running scared of it.
“Why did Az threaten to kill you?” Christian asked softly.
Madigan was grateful when his lovers went and escorted Daniella
and Becka to the couch to sit with them before disappearing and
reappearing with the cookies Madigan had brought home. Madigan
36
Jana Downs
answered his question as Christian took a bite out of one of the
cookies. “There are a band of angels that view half-angels as
abominations. They think we should die because we’re different.”
“That’s stupid,” Christian said through a mouthful. “How could
that be acceptable in heaven? Does God endorse this?”
“No. The Creator doesn’t approve of killing nephilim, but he
hasn’t interfered. He’s left it up to us to face injustice,” Cross offered,
passing out bottles of water to the room. “Azrael has led the hunters
for over a generation now.”
“The timing is inconvenient, but it is what it is,” Bren said,
plopping down at the floor by Madigan’s feet. “So, I’m sorry this is
all a shock to you guys or whatever. But we have a bigger situation
than the humans losing their mind over dudes with wings. What the
hell are we going to do?”
Madigan reached out and massaged Bren’s midnight wings,
stroking them in a fashion that, while not utterly sexual, was
definitely stimulating. “Don’t be rude, Bren.”
He groaned. “Cheating, Madigan. Don’t make me get wood in
front of your friends.”
“Inappropriate, Bren,” Cross rumbled.
“What the hell are we going to do?” Dex asked, pacing the floor.
“We have to leave,” Michel said. Madigan turned his head toward
the immobile angel who still held a flaming sword clutched in his fist.
Michael’s angel was paled out like he was woozy and staring off into
space like he’d seen some kind of ghost or something. “I can’t lose
you guys. I won’t. We run.”
“Are you out of your mind?” Madigan snapped. “We have friends
here. I am not leaving them to rot. Azrael is scared of something or
else he wouldn’t have risked coming here and offering us some kind
of deal to leave. You really think he’s being generous for whatever
reason?”
“Madigan has a point, Michel. He didn’t harm Christian or the
two girls. How many times have hunters kidnapped loved ones in the
Angel Wed
37
past to flush out a nephilim?” Cross asked, crossing his arms over his
chest. “There is something not right about this situation.”
“I don’t care! They’re destroying sanctuaries, and they’ll be
knocking on our doors in a week. We need to gather what we can and
run.” It was so different from everything he knew about Michel.
Michel was one of Archangel Michael’s angels and as such was
always ready to fight. “I’m not being a coward, Madigan,” Michel
whispered. “I just can’t risk you guys. There are times to stand and
there are times to run. This is one of the times to run.”
“Wait, you’re all together?” Becka asked looking around the
room.
Madigan sighed. “Yeah. We’re all together. All five of them are
mine. We’re angel bound. It’s like being married in their culture. This
wedding thing was for my benefit. I wanted to claim them in front of
my family.”
“Guess this ruins everything, huh?” Christian said. He sounded as
sad about it as Madigan felt.
“It figures that you would be the one to end up being the slut
muffin in the end, Madigan,” Becka huffed. Madigan burst out
laughing at the absurdity of the statement. She gave him a wobbly
smile. “What? I always knew you had an inner wild child screaming
to get out.” She appraised his boys one by one. “And damn, Madigan,
your boys are fine, if I do say so.”
Madigan smiled before reaching out and pretending to cuff the
side of her head. “Becka, you’re insane. I love you.”
“No,” Christian said. “I’m not going to be the reason you don’t
get your wedding, Madi. Out of everyone, you deserve it.”
“Chris,” Madigan began, “there is no reason for you to be upset.
You didn’t do anything. Azrael was planning this from the beginning.
He was using you, Christian. It wasn’t your fault.”
“I brought him, though. I let him talk me into letting him come as
a surprise. I’m not going to be the bearer of bad news that destroys
your wedding,” Chris protested. Poor guy looked miserable.
38
Jana Downs
Madigan’s heart ached for him. He must’ve really felt betrayed by his
“boyfriend.” It was just another black mark against Azrael as far as
Madigan was concerned.
“Oh for the sake of all things holy, please, shut up the hysterical
human. There are more important things than a wedding,” Michel
said, his sword disappearing from his hands with a shrug of his
shoulders.
Bren frowned. “No, Michel. There isn’t. If we’re going to stop
living because we’re afraid to die, we might as well let the hunters
hack us into little pieces. When Cross died and Yuri was torn up, I
was scared. I was terrified that I would lose you all. But it also made
me appreciate you more. I want to live every second, Michel. I want
to marry the men I love in front of my family and all of yours. Fuck
giving Azrael his way. We’ll move the date up. It won’t be as good as
the one that Madigan had planned, but we can use the park, bake a
cake, and pledge ourselves in front of our families. Either we take a
stand against the hunters or we never will.”
“I can’t watch you die,” Michel said in a choked voice.
“You won’t,” Madigan said. “You’re going to watch us live. I’m
with Bren. We’ll have a wedding this weekend. Since Scepta is the
one Azrael is afraid of involving, we’ll start there. Yuri, do you have
his number from when he healed your wings?”
Yuri nodded. “Yeah. Let me run upstairs. I left my cell there.” He
took off in the direction of the stairs.
Satisfied, Madigan turned his attention back to the rest of the
room. “Dex, why don’t you take our guests to put their stuff away in
the spare rooms? I’ll whip us up something to eat in the meantime.
Cross, Bren, Michel, come on with me into the kitchen. We’ve got
things to plan.” Michel looked at him like he’d grown another head.
“What?” Madigan asked.
“I’ve never noticed how much like your father you were until this
second,” Michel said. He looked impressed. Madigan felt pride well
Angel Wed
39
up inside him. It was funny. He hadn’t really felt like the son of an
archangel until that second either.
40
Jana Downs
Chapter Three
Dex was twitchy as hell as he watched Christian put away his
clothes. To say he was terrified was an understatement of epic
proportions. The others didn’t hear the frantic shouts from his family
members, including Archangel Gabriel, about the hunters attack. The
things they’d shown him would haunt him for the rest of his
existence. Flickers, pictures, images from the battlefield had been
streamed rapid fire right into his mind. It had been a slaughter. As one
of the angels of death, Dex was used to seeing things that would turn
the stomachs of lesser men, but the way the hunters had killed was
dispassionate and almost mechanical. It left him chilled to the core.
“Are you okay?” Christian asked as Dex stared out the window
that looked into the narrow strip of yard that ran along the side of the
house.
“Not really. However, I will survive.” For now. There were no
guarantees once the week was up.
“He must really love you guys. I’ve never seen Madigan so
passionate about anything. Do you really think that Az, I mean,
Azrael will try to hurt you?” Christian asked.
Dex looked at the human. He looked so innocent, so full of faith
that the man he’d been seeing wasn’t the monster Dex knew he was.
“I’m sure he would. I’ve seen him hurt people in the past.”
The tears that filled Christian’s eyes weren’t something that Dex
was prepared to deal with on top of everything else. “He seemed so
sweet. He never pushed me to do anything I didn’t want to. He was a
really considerate boyfriend.”
Angel Wed
41
Dex tried to be as kind as possible with his next words. “Azrael
doesn’t consider you a threat, Christian. We’re taught from a young
age that humans are fragile beings in need of our consideration and
care. He most likely had no intention of hurting you, and, for what it’s
worth, he may have actually liked you.”
Christian swallowed. “He used me to get to Madigan.” Dex
nodded. The truth hurt sometimes. “I want to help you guys anyway
that I can. Madigan is one of my best friends.”
“I appreciate that,” Dex said. Madigan sure knew how to pick his
friends. Azrael had been right. He did inspire a loyalty. “However,
what Madigan really needs is the support of his friends more than he
needs anything else. After this weekend, you need to go home and
stay safe. The hunters won’t bother you.”
“You sure? I mean, do you want us to go?”
Dex nodded. “You have to go. We have enough trouble protecting
Madigan, and he’s heartier than most humans.”
“I get that,” Christian said. Dex hoped he did. “So Madigan is like
superman or something now?”
Dex’s lips twitched. “Not quite yet. But soon.”
It didn’t take them long to unpack their suitcases. Daniella kept
staring at Dex like he was an alien, and Becka kept opening and
closing her mouth as if she couldn’t decide whether or not to chew
him out for whatever reason. This was not how I wanted Madigan’s
friends to meet me. He shifted in discomfort under their scrutiny. In
his mind he’d imagined the meeting to be polite and a little
uncomfortable, but that would be eased by conversation and a bottle
or two of wine. He had wanted to be charming and dressed
appropriately, definitely fully clothed. His mood was spiraling into a
depression. He wanted to share Madigan’s enthusiasm for the hope of
a better reality, but the sad truth was that hunters had been killing
nephilim for generations and they were really good at it.
He herded the humans back downstairs with his mind on the
future, what little future he had left. A week was not long enough to
42
Jana Downs
be with his lovers. He needed eternity to fight and love and laugh with
the five men he’d fallen in love with.
“Dex?” a familiar voice called as soon as they reached the first-
floor landing. Dex twisted his head to see Yuri leaning against the
doorway that led from the living room into the kitchen. How he had
gotten back downstairs before them was anyone’s guess.
“What is it?”
Yuri pushed off the doorway and motioned to the humans.
“Madigan has put sandwiches in the kitchen for the three little bears.
Can I talk to you in the game room, Dex?” Dex followed him to the
side stair that led to the basement, aka the man cave. Bren and Michel
spent a lot of time down here playing on the Xbox, and Yuri was
glued to the flat screen whenever it was free to watch ESPN. It was a
very comfortable room and one they spent a lot of time in.
“What is it?” Dex asked as soon as they turned into the room.
Yuri didn’t answer him. Instead he pushed Dex into the wall and
proceeded to kiss him stupid. Dex groaned, his body instantly on fire.
Once, twice, a million times is never enough. “Scepta answered on the
first ring. His fathers want a meeting with us tomorrow, but it’s all
hush-hush on the exact reason. I woke up Marius as well to let him
know what is going on. He says he’ll watch over the humans with his
husbands while we go to Scepta’s house,” Yuri said between kisses.
“Uh-huh,” Dex managed, running his hands down Yuri’s body,
molding the muscle he found there. He was desperate for a firmer feel
of him. If he was going to die, he was going to soak up every
molecule of touch from his lovers first. Yuri cupped him through his
jeans, and he about lost it. He groaned, the sound low and needy.
Yuri broke the kiss with a definitive jerk of his head. “You feel it,
too.”
Dex growled at the interruption. He needed someone to touch. If
he were being honest with himself, he needed all of his lovers to
touch him. Now.
Angel Wed
43
He popped the button on his jeans as Yuri kneaded his hard cock
through the denim. “I need to feel alive. Yuri, all those people…”
“I know, Dex. I know. Tonight. We can’t just disappear down
here and leave the rest of our lovers hanging.”
Dex frowned. “You started it.”
Yuri took Dex’s hands in his own and pressed their chests
together. Dex shivered as Yuri kissed a hot, wet line down his neck.
“I know, baby. I just needed to make sure that this was real.
Madigan’s determination to stand against the hunters freaks me out,
and I’m scared. I needed to feel something solid. You’re about the
most solid man I know.”
Dex tilted his head to allow Yuri better access. “Have you told
them about Scepta and the rest?”
“Yes.”
“Then let’s hear what Madigan has to say. Hey, Yuri?”
“What?”
“I’m fucking scared, too.”
* * * *
Bren wanted to scream. Playing house while the threat of
destruction hung over them like a funeral shroud was driving him
nuts. Madigan had been quiet for the most part. He’d been moving
around the kitchen, making coffee and putting a little tray of snacks
together for whatever reason. Bren suspected that he was thinking and
just moving on autopilot.
“Reconsidering that running thing, Bren?” Michel asked as the
humans took their seats at the table and began to munch on Madigan’s
plate. Madigan smiled at something one of them said, and Bren’s
heart turned over. He was handling this a lot better than the angels
were.
Bren wrapped his arms around Michel’s waist and pulled him
against his body. “What is the point of running, Michel? So we can
44
Jana Downs
live again for another year? Five years? Ten years? If they come at us
next week or years from now, we both know that they will come.”
“We knew that this moment was coming. Not in this way, but we
knew the hunters wouldn’t give us a big enough reprieve to last for an
eternity,” Cross said as he came to stand with them, his shoulder
brushing Bren’s as he did.
“We’ll stand together,” Bren stated.
“You guys have got to stop thinking that it’s over. It’s depressing
as hell,” Madigan interrupted their morose rally from his place at the
table. He turned his head, and Bren felt that stare down to his toes.
There was power in Madigan that Bren had only seen glimpses of
before. He is the son of Raphael. His power will awaken, and the man
he will become is going to be phenomenal. Bren constantly forgot
how young Madigan was. He viewed him the same way he did most
humans instead of the new angel Madigan was growing into.
“So what do you suggest we feel, bright eyes?” Bren asked. The
new strength that was clinging to his lover was a turn-on.
Madigan winked at him like he read his mind. “I suggest you hold
your horses. Where are Dex and Yuri?” Madigan asked.
“They went downstairs,” Daniella offered, sipping on the big glass
of water.
“We’re back,” Yuri interrupted as he and Dex came through the
door from the stairs. They both looked considerably well kissed. Bren
felt a flicker of jealousy at the thought. He wanted to be buried in bed
with his lovers, stealing moments of bliss when he should be
worrying about the mess they’d landed in. It wasn’t fair.
“Glad you could join us,” Cross drawled.
“I was just filling Dex in,” Yuri said, shifting under their
commander’s gaze.
Bren rolled his eyes. “Yeah? With your tongue?”
“Boys,” Madigan warned before they could really get going. “So
we’re good to go to Scepta’s house tomorrow? Is there anything I
need to know?”
Angel Wed
45
Bren shook his head. “We’re not entirely sure, Madi. Most of us
haven’t actually met a seraph. Our archangels are the ones who
interact with them. Scepta is the closest thing I’ve ever come into
contact with, and he is a little creepy. Seraphim are farther removed
from humans than guardians are. The heavens are composed in a
hierarchy for a reason. Usually those who are more ‘other’ are higher
up the ladder. Seraphim are pretty high up there. I have no idea what
exactly we’re supposed to expect from a meeting with a Scepta and
his fathers.”
“I suppose we’ll find out soon enough.” Madigan looked really
Zen when he said it, like he’d given up on worrying about the future
entirely. It only added to the air of confidence around him. “Marius is
going to show you guys around town tomorrow while we’re at the
Scepta’s house. Is that cool?” He spoke to the humans then.
Becka shrugged her shoulders. “We’ll shop around for wedding
clothes and get a plane ticket for your mom for this weekend. So is
Marius like you?”
“A former fallen angel, actually,” Michel snipped. Bren trailed a
hand down Michel’s back. He knew that Michel had made peace with
the fallen and now they were friends of sorts, but Michael’s angel still
tended to be snarly when talking about the fallen. He didn’t need to
be, though. The humans didn’t need to develop prejudices before they
met Marius.
“Like a demon?” Christian asked, looking absolutely terrified.
Bren snorted and then laughed.
“Not really. It’s like being an angel on probation,” Bren supplied.
“You guys will be just fine with Marius. Promise. The guy is a smart-
ass, but he’s relatively harmless. Besides, you’ll have the Elites with
you as well. They’re super guardians. So either way, you’ll be all
good.”
Christian nodded, though he looked considerably paler than he
had a minute ago. “I think I need to go lay down.”
“I think I am with you, Chris,” Daniella seconded.
46
Jana Downs
“We have all had just about as much excitement as we can take,”
Madigan finished. “I need some cuddle time with my guys. We’ve got
a ton to do tomorrow.”
“Lucky bastard,” Becka quipped, pushing back from the table and
tugging Daniella along with her. “Chris, you wanna cuddle with us,
honey?”
Christian nodded. “I don’t want to sleep alone.”
Becka gave them all a cheeky grin. “Three-way in my room.”
Bren laughed as Madigan made a face of disgust. He was
beginning to like her. She was sassy and reminded him a bit of one of
his sisters.
“You’re a freak, Becks,” Christian said, joining his other two
friends. “Good night, gentlemen. I’m sorry again for bringing trouble
to your door.”
It took the humans only a moment to clear the room, and as soon
as they did, a tension settled over the men who remained. Bren felt
instant awareness sizzle along his nerve endings, awakening the lust
he’d kept in check while Madigan had concentrated on calming the
humans and formulating a plan. Cross’s nostrils flared beside him.
Bren wasn’t the only one who was feeling the need to come together.
“Bright eyes?” Bren rumbled as Madigan continued to sit at the
table and trace the lip of his cup with his fingertips.
“Wait,” Madigan commanded, closing his eyes. “I feel so alive
right now. Do you feel it?” Bren found himself nodding even if
Madigan couldn’t see it. “I’m scared. I know that the odds are stacked
to the stars against us and that we’re probably going to die.”
Well, that’s fucking cheerful. Bren hoped that the point of his
speech was more upbeat than the beginning.
Madigan continued. “I also know that I need to reaffirm the fact
that we are absolutely alive.” He shivered. “I think we need to go to
bed now.”
“Agreed,” Dex rumbled, his eyes burning with need. Bren’s cock
swelled behind his zipper. He was so down for this. The possibility of
Angel Wed
47
losing his lovers was a pain he couldn’t deal with right this second
and the need to feel his husbands against him was paramount.
“We’re not going to make it to the bedroom,” Yuri murmured. He
pulled Cross back so that he could run his hands over the big
redheaded angel’s tense six-pack.
“We can’t do it here,” Cross protested, leaning into the touch.
“The humans could come in any moment.”
Madigan groaned and pressed his palm against the front of his
jeans. The sight and smell of nephilim desire was enough to make
Bren think that fucking and getting fucked on their kitchen table was
an excellent idea.
Bren growled. “We need to hurry.” But it was too late. The scale
had tipped from reasonable to irrational, from want to need. Dex
crowded against Cross’s back, grinding his monster cock against the
seat of their commander’s pants. Michel opened his arms, and
Madigan all but jumped into them. Bren moved without thinking,
bracketing Madigan between Michel and Bren’s bodies. Michel and
Madigan’s lips sealed together, and the soft wet sound of their
tongues tangling just served to make Bren’s cock jerk.
“Fuck!” Cross cursed in a strangled voice. Bren glanced over in
time to see Cross dragged backward by Dex as Yuri all but ripped his
jeans off. It would’ve been funny had it not been so damn attractive.
Bren reached around Madigan’s body and popped the button on
Madigan’s pants, lowering his zipper as quickly as possible without
snagging the tender flesh beneath. His lover had recently started going
without underwear, and Bren was thankful for it. Easier access was
definitely a thought he could get behind.
“Going to fuck you stupid, bright eyes,” Bren promised as he
smacked the tight flanks he was grinding against with his spare hand.
Madigan groaned into Michel’s mouth. Yeah. That’s it, bright eyes.
Ignite for us.
Madigan pulled back so they could get his shirt off, and then he
was blissfully naked for them. Bren undid his own pants and pulled
48
Jana Downs
out his weeping dick. He smeared the liquid over the head with his
palm and gritted his teeth to keep the noise of want from sounding.
He eyed his nephilim’s buttocks with appreciation as Michel kneaded
both cheeks as if he were offering it up for Bren’s perusal. Lube was
necessary. Did they have lube in the kitchen?
“Lube?” Dex asked from across the kitchen, drawing Bren’s
attention. Cross was bent over sucking Yuri’s thick cock, his beautiful
redhead bobbing rapidly. He was obviously lost in his task. Dex
already had two thick fingers stretching their commander’s tight ass. I
want that. I want his ass. No one had ever had him, and Bren longed
to be the first.
“Mine,” Bren growled, baring his teeth at Dex’s inquiring face.
Dex looked like Bren had slapped him.
“Huh?”
“I want inside him first,” Bren said. In all the time they’d been
coming together as a group, he’d never pulled rank and demanded
something different than the natural way they’d paired off.
Cross pulled off Yuri’s prick with an audible pop. “Hey, don’t
growl at Dex, Bren.”
“You’ve been teasing me for weeks, wrestling around and never
giving me your ass. Tonight you’re giving it to Dex. What gives?”
Bren wasn’t really mad about it, but he was curious. Plus, he was
hazy with want and it made him a little growly. He’d sworn over and
over that he would man up and take Cross, but every time his
commander touched him, Bren yielded.
Cross licked his lips and offered Bren a shaky smile. “Bren,
you’re many things, but gentle isn’t one of them.”
Ah, I get it. He was following Bren’s example. Bren had asked
Dex to take his virgin entrance because the giant of a male was the
gentlest out of the bunch. His commander was asking the same thing
out of Gabriel’s angel. “Use olive oil. It’s in the cabinet above the
stove,” Bren said, nodding his head to the stovetop.
Angel Wed
49
Cross winked at him before going back to his blow job. Yuri
moaned as his prick was enveloped in the heat of Cross’s mouth once
more. It was a beautiful sight. Dex still looked hurt, though.
“I love you, Dex,” Bren said as Michel laid Madigan on the table
beside the food tray and started kissing a path down his chest. “Do
him good for me so he’ll be ready for round two.”
“You sure?” Dex asked. Bren felt a moment’s shame at the
hesitation. This was a moment of joy and coming together. There was
no room for Bren’s attitude.
Bren hoped his next words would take the uncertainty off Dex’s
face. “He’s right. I’m not gentle. You’re better for the breaking of
virgins, Dex. It’s going to be hot as hell to watch.”
Dex grinned. “It will be.” He returned to his task, smearing olive
oil over his prick before smearing more on his fingers to slide back in
beside Cross’s body. Bren shuddered at the sight.
A quick glance around the room revealed his lovers deep in the
throes of their passions. He wanted all of them. He didn’t want to pick
a group or be separated from them by even a foot of space. An idea
started forming in the back of his mind.
“I have an idea guys,” Bren declared, grinning. The others glanced
in his direction, each too far gone to protest. Good. It was about time I
got my way. He crossed over to the table and jerked Michel back,
leaving a groaning Madigan sitting up in confusion. “Ever heard of a
conga line?”
Michel nodded dazed. “It’s dancing.”
“Not the way we’re doing it.” Bren smashed his lips down on
Michel’s, loving how thick and soft they were. He swept his tongue
inside and tasted a blend of Madigan and Michel. It was an
intoxicating mixture. He pulled back at the same time he turned
Michel around. “Come here, bright eyes. Michel is going to fuck you
for me.” Madigan hopped off the table and slinked toward them. Bren
put the olive oil on his hand and reached around to rub it on Michel’s
naked cock. With his other hand he spread Michel’s cheeks to
50
Jana Downs
encircle the tight ring of muscle that guarded the entrance to his
lover’s body. God, this is going to be fun.
He turned his head, meeting Yuri’s eyes over his shoulder. “Yuri,
you take Dex while Dex takes Cross.” He winked at the redhead.
“You can fuck me while Dex does you.”
Michel chuckled. “Fucking conga line. Nice.”
It took them a moment to get into position. The olive oil was
passed up and down the line as needed before it was put out of sight.
The sound of flesh rubbing together mixed with the smell of olive oil
was an interesting combination, and Bren reveled in the headiness of
it. Cross’s fingers stretched his ass while Michel pushed back to
envelope Bren’s cock. At the front of the line, Madigan was already
fucking himself on Michel’s dick, and the poor angel was already
making sounds of desperate need by the time Bren figured he was
stretched enough to take his length.
“You’re a kinky bastard, Bren,” Yuri groaned from somewhere
behind him. He was last in line. He was panting like he was running a
marathon. Bren imagined the view was quite spectacular. All six of
them moving together, fucking together, had to be a hell of a sight.
Then Bren stopped thinking all together as Cross growled something
complimentary in his ear and sank to the hilt in his ass. Bren fell into
sensation, uncaring of anything but the incredible sensation of the
stimulation.
The sound of smacking flesh became an aural declaration of their
need, and it wasn’t long until they all caught a rhythm that worked for
them and began fucking one another in earnest.
“Yes!” Madigan screamed, jerking his cock in time to Michel’s
lunging. The sight did nothing to calm Bren’s desire. Instead, he
moved faster, needing to get off more than he needed anything in his
entire life.
“Bren,” Cross groaned in his ear. “You feel good.”
Angel Wed
51
“Thanks, red,” Bren panted, his eyes crossing as his commander
changed the angle of his thrusts so that it rubbed the pleasure spot
buried inside him.
“Dex is fillin’ me up so good, Bren,” Cross admitted in a
strangled voice. “Never thought it could be this good.”
“Better. It gets better all the time,” Bren promised, his mind short-
circuiting as orgasm burned up his spine. He didn’t want to come so
soon, but he didn’t know if he could help it.
“Give it to me,” Michel commanded over his shoulder. Fuck all, if
that wasn’t the sexiest thing ever or what. Bren lost it, obeying
Michel’s demand with an enthusiasm that bordered on spiritual
zealotry. Distantly he was aware of Cross shouting out his own
pleasure and the pulses of his release erupting in the confines of his
ass, but everything was so surreal that it was only a distant
recognition.
More growls and shouts filled the air as his lovers joined him in
his orgasm moments later. In the aftermath, Bren was surprised he
was able to still stand. He felt like he’d had all the cum wrung out of
him.
“God, let’s do that again,” Madigan declared from the front of the
line.
“No kidding,” Dex rumbled from somewhere behind Bren.
Bren groaned. “Nope. I’m dead. I can’t.” The thought of having to
walk upstairs to get into their bed made him want to cry. It would take
so much energy.
Madigan pulled off Michel and circled around so that he was
standing off to the side of their line. He grinned, looking way too
perky for Bren’s liking. “That is hot,” Madigan declared, already
palming his growing erection. Christ. Nephilim libido is going to be
the death of me yet. But what a way to go… “Hmm, how about a
change of line-up? It’ll be like those dead-man sprints I ran in high
school.” Bren groaned. He’d created a monster.
52
Jana Downs
Chapter Four
“You okay, Madigan?” Cross asked for the fourth time as they
drove away from Marius’s house. The new Elites seemed to have
settled in with the threesome nicely, and Madigan had been happy to
see that the tension of the wedding hadn’t carried over. He’d
suspected that all was well at the photography session that had been a
wedding present to Levi, but seeing the candid interaction between
them was a relief. It was easy to see that their family had expanded
from three to seven.
“I’m fine,” Madigan promised, watching the streets as they turned
from the subdivision to one of the main roads that ran to the city
center. The tallest building in town lay at the direct center, and it was
apparently where Scepta lived with his fathers. He’d always
wondered what the building was. I guess it’s time to find out.
“I like your friend Becka,” Bren said, leaning over to give
Madigan a kiss on the cheek. They were sitting in the second row of
seats in the SUV. Cross was driving while Dex sat shotgun due to the
length of his legs. Bren, Madigan, and Michel sat in the second row of
seats, and Yuri was reading a book in the back, able to stretch out at
last because the humans had been dropped off. “She reminds me of
my sister, Krista.”
“That’s good,” Madigan said. He was glad his friends and his
lovers seemed to be getting along. He was worried about Christian,
though. The poor guy just couldn’t catch a break when it came to his
everyday life or his love life, apparently. He was putting on a happy
face, but Madigan could tell the situation with Azrael was weighing
heavily on him. Why can’t things be easy for once?
Angel Wed
53
“You’re zoning out, Madigan. Did you hear a single word I’ve
said in the past five minutes?” Bren asked.
Madigan shook his head. “Sorry, Bren. Just worried about them.”
Not that he was worried that the other angels wouldn’t take care of his
friends, it was just that he was worried about how well they were
dealing with the news and the fact that Madigan was now engaged to
five other men. It seemed to have fallen into place much too easily in
some ways.
Bren snorted. “Don’t be. Your friends aren’t very judgmental
people. Did you hear what Becka said? ‘It seems everyone in this
town has a gaggle of gorgeous studs to marry. Screw living
elsewhere. I’m moving here.’ That is not the attitude of someone who
is freaked out by a nontraditional marriage.”
“If you say so,” Madigan said noncommittally. “Sometimes I wish
you guys had another angel for a mate. You wouldn’t be involved in
all this stuff then.” The comment may have appeared to come out of
left field, but he’d been thinking about it most of the night. For the
first time since they’d all started sleeping together, Madigan hadn’t
slept easily. Despite the exhaustion of their kitchen rendezvous that
had lasted several hours and the piping hot shower afterward, he
hadn’t been able to unwind. He’d lain awake, contemplating the what-
ifs in his life. What if he’d been born an angel? What if he’d
encouraged his men to kill Azrael last night and screw the
consequences? What if he lost one of them next week? “Sometimes I
think it would’ve been better if you guys hadn’t been in time to save
me from Azrael on my birthday.”
Cross sucked in a breath, astonishment written across his features
in the rearview mirror. “Madigan, don’t ever speak like that again.
You are the best thing that ever happened to us. You’re the glue that
holds us together and the one who showed us that love can only be
multiplied. I wouldn’t change a thing about how we met or what you
are.”
54
Jana Downs
Madigan shifted in his seat, soreness shooting down his left thigh.
He might’ve overdone it last night. “I’m sorry, guys. I know we sort
of rallied last night and I’m dragging the mood down.” The fear he’d
postponed was beginning to surface again.
“We love you,” Michel said, petting Madigan’s head. “The
greatest tragedy in my existence would’ve been us being too late to
take you away from the hunters.”
Madigan’s heart turned over. “Thanks, Michel. I love you, too.”
They turned down a one-way street that ended at Park Square, the
small area that most people used as a lunch spot. The black wrought
iron benches, trees, and fountains provided a comfortable setting.
Behind the scenic scape, the tallest building in Urun rose up like a
giant standing guard over the city. Cross took the closest parking
space and cut the engine. Madigan wished he knew what to expect.
The way his men talked about the seraphim and Scepta’s parents gave
him the creeps a little bit. It was like they considered them aliens or
something.
“Vee formation, Madigan at center, guardians,” Cross
commanded as they unbuckled their seat belts.
“But we’re in sanctuary,” Yuri protested.
Cross turned around to look at everyone in the backseats. “I don’t
trust Azrael as far as I can throw him. He may have given us a week,
but there is no way that I’m trusting him to keep his word and leave
us alone. We’re going back to the old way for now.”
“Wow. That’s depressing,” Madigan said, half-joking. “I just got
used to walking mostly unhindered and not jumping at every
shadow.”
Bren reached out and cupped Madigan’s cheek. “Good thing it’s
high noon, bright eyes. There aren’t any shadows.”
Madigan smiled. He loved how they took care of him. “Get out of
the car, smart-ass. Let’s get this over with.”
* * * *
Angel Wed
55
Yuri whistled as they came into the lobby of the ten-story, steel-
and-stone monstrosity on the other side of the small park. The lobby
looked like something out of a CEO’s wet dream. Polished black
marble floors and dark mahogany wood made the space seem at once
relaxing and incredibly high end. It was clear that some very powerful
men lived here.
“Hello, gentlemen,” Scepta greeted as he stepped off the elevator
at the far end of the lobby. He looked a little different from the last
time they’d seen him, less like a child and more a reflection of the
powerful being he was. His face was flawless as always, and he
maintained the same red hair and copper eyes he’d had last time. But
his build was almost as big as Dex, and he wasn’t hiding the power
that Yuri had only glimpsed at last time. His wings were out this time
as well, and the pure-white feathers were almost blinding in their
intensity.
The security guard at the desk nodded his head as he passed. It
was just short of a salute. Yuri watched Cross’s muscles tighten. It
wasn’t a secret that their commander found Scepta to be both
annoying and completely unnerving. His previous alleged relationship
with Raphael probably played a significant role in that dislike.
“Scepta, thank you for setting this up for us,” Yuri said. If he let
Cross speak, no doubt there would be several tense moments of
argument. The little healer seemed to really enjoy goading Raphael’s
angel, and Yuri didn’t feel like hosting an intervention.
“You’re very welcome. My fathers already wanted to contact you.
So if you hadn’t, I would’ve called you today. I’m assuming you
know that the other sanctuaries have fallen?” His voice was like a
cacophony of bells, somewhere between the angelic tongue of the
seraph and English. Madigan slapped both hands over his ears and
yelped. It was an understandable reaction. The tone even made Yuri’s
ears tingle a bit. Scepta frowned. “Forgive me. I had assumed you’d
been working with him.” When he spoke then, his speech was
56
Jana Downs
perfectly human. “I’ll need to warn my fathers.” He waved to them,
pointing to the elevator. “Follow me.”
They went en masse toward the steel box on the other end of the
lobby. Minus the tap of their feet on the marble, the only sound was
their breathing. Not even the city noise penetrated the tower. It was
weird.
“So what do four angels need with ten stories?” Yuri asked as
they piled into the large elevator.
Scepta hit the button for the 10
th
floor and smiled. “We rent out
some of the spaces on the lower floors for local businesses. The fifth
and sixth floors are a collection of safe houses for new refugees that
were unable to bring anything with them. Seventh and eighth floor are
off-limits. My fathers haven’t told me, and I haven’t asked. You need
a key to get onto them. The ninth floor is my home, and the tenth is
my fathers’ domain.”
“We’re going to the top?” Cross asked, wrapping his arms around
Madigan. Their nephilim looked downright exhausted. They probably
used him too hard last night, but Yuri couldn’t bring himself to regret
it too much. It had been a sexy distraction from a lot of stress.
Scepta smiled to himself like Cross just amused him. “Yes. My
fathers aren’t actually that formal, so they thought it would be better
than the board room on the ground floor. Plus I am under the
impression they want privacy since my father Daisis is going to be
joining us.”
“The ArchSeraphim Daisis?” Michel asked, slack-jawed. Yuri
frowned as Scepta nodded. This couldn’t be a good sign. Typically
seraphim stayed in the heavens and weren’t bothered by things on
Earth unless it was something that would change the course of history
and forever alter some key piece of the future. He had expected
Scepta’s other fathers, the two nephilim who were the archseraphim’s
husbands, to sit down for a meeting with them, but he’d never
expected Daisis to join them. Other than protecting his lovers, Daisis
shouldn’t have been concerned. It made Yuri realize that even the
Angel Wed
57
highest of angels were now involved personally in the conflict
between hunters and nephilim.
“This is bigger than you know,” Scepta said in his normal cryptic
fashion. “Madigan, you have started something infinitely larger than
you intended.” The elevator dinged as they reached the top floor.
“Your death was predicted months ago. Yet, you live. The world has
been altered, and a new prophecy has come out of the works. You’re
very clever, Yuriel.”
“Me?” He knew he was clever, but he wasn’t sure what Scepta
was getting at.
“Oh yes. Word of your angelic binds to Madigan set off quite the
trend. It is the reason the hunters are so determined now. You
provided a measure of protection no one had ever thought of before.”
Scepta stepped out of the elevator, and Yuri was again awed by the
décor. White and Mediterranean blue lent itself to the image of
Grecian temples of old. The long foyer led into a great open space
that Yuri imagined to be the living room, if the plush couches and
large flat screen were any indication.
“Thank you, son,” a deep voice rumbled to their right. From one
of the side halls stepped a man who looked like he was in his early
thirties, blond haired, brown eyed, and built like a walking wet dream.
“Not a problem, Father. Is there anything else?”
The man shrugged. “You might want to stay and listen. This
affects you as well.”
“I’ve already seen it, Father. I know how the conversation ends.”
Scepta turned back toward the elevator, stepping around the group of
guardians and their nephilim. “Call me when you have a task for me.”
“Scepta Victor Alexis Sabellius, Runa was not asking you,” a new
voice thundered. Even Yuri jumped at the words. The opposite
hallway was suddenly filled with yet another person Yuri had never
met before. Power came off the new man like water off a smooth
stone. He wasn’t as large as the other male, despite his extraordinarily
booming voice. Smooth mocha skin and pale green eyes were nicely
58
Jana Downs
placed on sharp angular features and a tight, lean frame that was just a
little shorter than Michel. He leaned his hip against the entryway.
“Daisis will be here any minute, and you’re not avoiding him for yet
another night. You two will bury the hatchet tonight. These moments
are too important to waste on petty arguments.”
Scepta sighed like the whole thing was terribly inconvenient.
“Fine. I’ll sit in.” He pointed to Madigan. “By the way, that nephilim
can’t even handle seraphim tongue. His brain is going to short-circuit
when Dad gets here.”
“Good to know, Scepta,” the man said. He turned his attention on
Madigan, who looked like he wanted to melt into the floor in
embarrassment. We failed you, Madi. We tried too hard to protect you
from everything and didn’t teach you what you needed to learn to live
in our world. Yuri was a little ashamed of the fact. They’d let the
honeymoon intoxicate them into a state of complacency. “I’m Unu,
Madigan. Would you step into the kitchen with me?”
“Um.” He looked to Cross. It was something he’d learned from
the rest of them. Yuri was sure of it. Cross nodded, and Madigan
continued. “Sure, Unu.”
Yuri watched his nephilim lover crossed over to Unu before
turning with him and disappearing down the hall Unu had come out
of. “Why don’t the rest of us go ahead and sit down? The couches are
really comfortable,” Runa said, motioning to the seating area.
“Thanks,” Yuri said as he followed the rest of his lovers to the
couches. He hoped Madigan would hurry and get back here soon
because having the nephilim out of their sight was going to make all
the guardians twitchy.
* * * *
“So, son of Raphael, why are you as weak as a human still? My
son tells me that you have considerable healing abilities, and I don’t
doubt that you have more than that,” Unu said as they entered the
Angel Wed
59
kitchen at the far end of the hall. Like the rest of the house, it was
Grecian style and had beautiful tile work throughout the space. The
only thing that seemed modern was the appliances that were shiny
silver islands in a sea of white and dark blue. An old antique wine
cabinet stood off to one side that Madigan instantly fell in love with.
It took considerable effort to get back to the question at hand. “My
lovers have been busy getting our home ready, the bakery ready, and
our wedding arranged.” The excuses felt somehow less relevant now
that his powers might actually come in handy. It wasn’t as if they
hadn’t had a spare minute, but, if he told the absolute truth, he really
hadn’t wanted to go there. It was as if so long as Madigan didn’t have
to deal with the angelic world directly, the threat didn’t really exist.
Unu turned his back to Madigan and went over to the cabinet
Madigan had been admiring the second before. “Hmm, I suppose
those are reasons.” He opened the bottom door and withdrew a
canister that looked like something Madigan’s mom used for canning.
“However, I think you haven’t accepted your angelic nature quite yet.
I don’t blame you. I denied it for the longest time. Of course I was
raised to believe that untrue gods were everywhere and the devil
literally walked around tempting people to hell.” Unu frowned.
“Which isn’t completely untrue. I’ve seen him walking around before.
Lucifer is just a weird character. However, last time I checked, people
don’t need any help tempting themselves. He mainly watches.
Anyway, that’s off topic. The point is, I’ve been there.”
“When were you born?” Madigan asked. He couldn’t imagine that
he was that much older than himself.
Unu smiled and brought the canister over to the island and started
unscrewing the top. “I was born in puritan New England, friend.”
Madigan tried to keep the shock off his face at the words. History
wasn’t necessarily his thing, but he knew that the words meant that
the man he was looking at was a couple of hundred years old. He
shouldn’t really have been surprised, but he’d assumed only angels
lived lives that long. He thought nephilim were mostly human.
60
Jana Downs
“I was born a few months after my mother wed her husband, the
town’s preacher. He married her to keep her safe from the wrath of
our neighbors, and it worked for the most part. Runa is a couple of
years older than me and blew into town a few days before my twenty-
eighth birthday. He saved me from the hunters, and we ran together.
Daisis had always been watching over us and had steered Runa to me,
though we didn’t know it at the time. He came to us a few weeks later
and showed us how to use our powers, though he had to have one of
the archangels come with him. Gabriel, I believe. He kept out of sight
while Gabriel did this ritual. It unlocks most of the powers that you
naturally keep under wraps. It’ll make you just short of getting your
wings.”
Fear twisted Madigan’s gut in a sharp knot. “I don’t know about
this.”
“If we don’t do this, you won’t be able to tolerate Daisis. While
that’s not a necessity—you could wait downstairs—I thought you
wanted to actively participate in this discussion. You made the
declaration that you would stay and fight. There are ways, training, to
help you unlock those powers at a slower rate. It was what your
angels should’ve been doing the whole time. You wouldn’t have as
far to go if they had. But if the hunters are coming, you don’t have the
months it will take to get you ready to see Daisis. So, make a
decision, Madigan. Are you in or out?”
Madigan sighed. He had said he would stand and fight. Embracing
the parts of him that had nearly gotten him killed on more than one
occasion wasn’t as easy as he thought it would be, though. I can’t run
anymore. I’m done with running. I need to bite the bullet. “Okay.
Sorry. I’m a little wigged out.”
Unu nodded and put his hand inside the canister. “That’s okay,
Madigan. I think everyone is bothered by a deep profound change in
who they always assumed they would be. What you need to keep in
mind is that just because you are embracing every part of yourself
doesn’t mean that you destroy who you are. You will still be Madigan
Angel Wed
61
after you fully step into the nephilim world.” Unu motioned to the
barstool. “You might want to sit down for this. It’s a little disorienting
at first, and the backlash is a little wild.”
Madigan’s heart started to pound. He had never been adventurous
when it had come to experimenting. He even freaked out when he had
to take a Tylenol while drinking beer.
“Deep breaths, Madigan. It’s not like I’m asking you to do a line
of cocaine.” Unu sounded way more amused than Madigan thought he
should sound. “Close your eyes and take a deep breath.”
Madigan did as he was bid. The breathing technique helped a bit
with his anxiety. He opened his mouth to ask when they were going to
start only to have pain explode along his nerve endings. His eyes flew
open, and the world spun like he’d downed a fifth of whiskey in a
matter of seconds. As much as he wanted to scream, he couldn’t even
breathe past the agony in his limbs. Unu finished sprinkling the grainy
substance from the jar in a circle around Madigan and lit a blue and
purple candle on the island that he pulled from God knew where.
“Breathe, Madigan. It’s almost over,” Unu said. Madigan didn’t
believe him. It was like the pain was never going to end. Like acid.
This shit is like acid. The urge to go throw himself into the nearest
body of water was almost overwhelming.
“Madigan,” Raphael’s voice said in his head. Madigan winced. It
was so loud. Everything was so loud. His own breathing felt
deafening. “An old trick. Ashes and dust from the wildest parts of the
underworld, the part no angel would tread. When placed in a circle
around a being of divine origin it produces a reaction, a rebellion,
forces your angelic powers to push out to repel it. The only one who
wouldn’t react to it would be the archangel and archseraphim of the
realm.”
“Fuck. Hurts.” Madigan was pretty sure he was gritting his teeth
hard enough for them to crack. If Madigan broke his teeth, the other
nephilim was so paying for his dental work.
62
Jana Downs
He felt Raphael’s sorrow, which was just plain strange. “I’m sorry
you have to go through this, son.”
He felt something boiling up inside him like an angry tide against
a shore line. It swamped him a split second later, drowning him in a
frothy fury of pure energy. He screamed as the world exploded.
* * * *
Cross was on his feet at the ear-splitting cry that seemed to fill the
whole house. Without thinking, he ran toward the area Madigan had
disappeared into, and the sound of pounding footsteps behind him
said he wasn’t alone in the endeavor.
“He has awakened.” The familiar voice of his archangel gave him
little comfort as he turned into the kitchen and took in the wreckage
therein.
“Unu!” Runa yelped, jumping over the jagged pieces of wood that
might have been an island or a kitchen table at one point. Tiles were
shattered everywhere and the dust of wreckage filled the air, making
it extremely difficult to see. The guardians fanned into the room,
desperately searching for Madigan as the dust settled.
“I thought you guys were here to help us, not kill us!” Cross
shouted as he upended a downed cabinet. His heart stopped at what he
found under it. A very pale Madigan lay prone on the floor, his face
relaxed in unconsciousness. Cross fell to his knees and pulled the
smaller male into his arms. “Madigan!”
Scepta was suddenly there, kneeling beside them. The healer
sighed like this was all a very dramatic event that was really
annoying. “I told you not to use hell dust on him, father.” Cross
imagined that statement was in no way directed to him. “He’s the son
of an archangel. He’s got more punch.”
“Do something!” Cross commanded.
Scepta’s copper eyes met his. “Careful with those orders,
commander. I’m not a guardian to be ordered about.”
Angel Wed
63
“Please,” Cross begged, his eyes glued to Madigan. He felt his
lovers surround them.
Scepta sighed again and looked around at the guardians glaring
daggers at him. “Fine. Blame the guy with the ability to see the future.
Everyone always does. He’s fine. Look. He’s already waking up.” He
pointed to Madigan’s face as his eyes slowly opened. “My father took
more damage than he did.”
“You are not to be rude to guests, Scepta,” a voice that was so
inhuman that it nearly made Cross’s ears bleed said. He’d thought that
the archangels had overwhelming voices, but the voice of this being
was unnerving to a degree the archangels’ had never been. It had to be
Daisis. “Take your lover back into the living room, Cross. I will right
the kitchen and clean up my own lovers. Scepta, entertain them for a
moment.”
“Dad, I’d really like to just go. So if you could—”
Daisis interrupted, irritation lining every word. “I don’t want to
hear that you’ve seen it. When are you going to realize time is
nonlinear? Everything and nothing has ever happened. Use visions as
a guide but never an absolute. The future can change with a thought.
Your arrogance is infuriating. Go to the living room. Now.” Cross
still couldn’t force himself to turn his head. It wasn’t a rational fear by
any stretch of the imagination, but the voice sounded so primal that it
was hard to deal with. “I’m in a human form, Cross. You can look at
me.”
“No looking. He’s hot as hell. Like candy dipped in something
else yummy,” Madigan interjected, his eyes glued to something over
Cross’s left shoulder. Cross felt a flicker of annoyance at that look.
He should have eyes only for them. “Red, baby, I don’t want him like
I do you. But he’s kind of hard not to look at. He’s like a platinum
statue or something.”
Finally Cross managed to turn his head, and he had to admit that
he was almost instantly snared as well. Pale silver eyes stared through
rather than at him, and a face that was almost too perfect to be real
64
Jana Downs
made the archseraphim’s whole being seem surreal. His hair even
looked ethereal because it was so white-blond it almost looked white.
“Whoa,” Cross managed. The looks weren’t even the part that
took his breath away. It was the barely contained power that was
leaking out of every pore. It made Cross wonder how in the world
Daisis’s two nephilim lovers managed to have sex with him. He
blinked. Why am I thinking about having sex with him even in
abstract? The archseraphim was so elemental that it boggled the
mind. It seemed impossible.
Madigan laughed. “You should see the look on your face. Help
me up.” Cross mentally shook himself and did as Madigan asked,
pulling both of them into a vertical position. Instantly, the rest of their
lovers closed ranks around them, petting and soothing both of them.
“You all are very blessed,” Daisis said thoughtfully. “Go on. I will
join you in a moment.”
Cross shepherded Madigan toward the hallway, avoiding the
debris as they went. “Are you okay, Madi?” he asked, petting his
lover’s dusty hair. Madigan nodded but looked like he was in a daze.
Cross frowned and squeezed Madigan’s shoulder. “Madigan?”
“What?”
“Are. You. All right?” Maybe whatever Unu had done fried
Madigan’s brain or something.
The nephilim giggled. “Really? You think I’m scrambled?”
Cross was almost a hundred percent sure that he hadn’t said that
out loud. Really. He inhaled deeply, and his nostrils were singed by
the acrid ozone smell of power. His eyes widened. Madigan was
throwing off the same type of power as his father did. Cross had never
felt a nephilim so powerful.
Scepta pushed through their wall of bodies and took the lead. The
healer looked extremely annoyed. “The intensity will die down in a
second. He’s just stretching out. Eventually he’ll have all his father’s
powers and then some. He won’t be able to contain or filter it for the
next few hours, so keep him as calm as possible.”
Angel Wed
65
“How’s that going to work with the upcoming discussion?” Yuri
asked as Cross gently guided Madigan into the thick plush of the
leather sofa.
Scepta perched on the arm of the recliner and crossed his arms
over his massive chest. “My dad will contain the power.”
Cross rubbed his lover’s shoulders as Madigan stared at the
ceiling, obviously seeing far more than was visible to the naked eye.
Seeing Madigan like this was more than a little frightening. He leaned
his forehead against Madigan’s shoulder, kissing his neck. “Madigan,
come back to me. You’re freaking me out a little.”
“There are so many colors, Cross. Everything has this energy in it.
There is power everywhere.” Madigan sounded downright awed as he
said the words.
Scepta chuckled. “You’re seeing auras and energy patterns. The
auras are the bits that move. Energy patterns are flat and look more
like background scenery. They’re nonliving. Auras are living.”
Madigan’s eyes lowered to look at the rest of them. “Souls. I see
yours. They’re all these crazy colors. But I can still see you. It’s like
having double vision.” He cupped Cross’s face. “It’s better when I
touch you. I feel you. I know you’re afraid, and I know what you’re
afraid of. Is it always like this for you?”
Cross shrugged. “Not really. We learn at an early age to filter a lot
of what you’re seeing. We can see it, but it’s like straining your ears
to hear something soft. It can be done, but I have to think about it.”
Madigan nodded, but Cross wasn’t sure if he really understood the
concept. He looked like one of the drugged humans he’d encountered
in some of the larger cities. The addicts had the same awed looks
when they’d been high on their drug of choice.
“Sorry, gentlemen,” Daisis said as he all but glided into the room.
Cross turned his head to watch the movement. “Madigan, don’t worry
about the kitchen. I’ve righted it.”
Madigan shifted and turned his head to Daisis. “Good. I was
concerned I’d broken it. I thought the kitchen was lovely.”
66
Jana Downs
Daisis gave him a gentle look as Runa and Unu settled on either
side of him. “And it is lovely again. I’m going to need you to focus a
bit, Madigan.”
“Yeah? How do you expect that? You just scrambled his head like
an omelet!” Bren snapped. Cross glanced over at the same time
Madigan moved faster than Cross’s eyes could follow. Bren yelped as
his arms were suddenly filled with nephilim.
“Bren, you’re panicking,” Cross said as Madigan wrapped his
arms around Bren’s middle, and Lucifer’s angel jumped like he’d
been shocked.
“Look at him! They did something to him!” Bren yelled, his eyes
wild with fear. Cross got a glimpse of Madigan’s face an instant
before his whole body lit up like a roman candle. He was so bright it
was impossible to look at him.
“Hush, Bren. I love you. They just opened me up to what I am to
become. I’m still your bright eyes,” Madigan said. His voice didn’t
sound human anymore, though. It sounded more like…
“Fuck me, you sound like an archangel,” Dex declared. Cross
couldn’t help but to agree. The words were Madigan, even the tones
were Madigan, but the otherness clung to him like cobwebs.
“Madigan, babe, you’re blinding me here,” Bren groaned. The
light faded instantly, and Cross was left blinking back spots in his
vision. When they finally cleared, Cross could see Madigan curled
against Bren’s chest and a look of pure relaxation was painted all over
Bren’s face. “You took all my fear, Madigan.” Bren kissed their
lovely nephilim lover square on the mouth, uncaring or oblivious of
the other men in the room. Despite the tense situation, Cross admired
the display. Bren didn’t let the situation get out of control and drew
back only seconds afterward. “For future reference, it’s against our
laws to tamper with someone’s aura, to change their mood. I don’t
know how you’re doing it, bright eyes, but I got it now.”
Angel Wed
67
“Can we finally get this conversation going?” Scepta asked with
an annoyed sigh. Daisis waved his hand, and Scepta tumbled off the
arm of the couch.
“You let them settle, Scepta. You are being a brat yet again,”
Daisis said. “Madigan, are you feeling steadier?”
Madigan pushed himself back vertical. “Much.” Cross was really
happy to hear Madigan’s voice returned to normal. “The hunters are
coming. I can feel them gathering outside the city. They’re really
going to attack Urun.”
“Yes. I’ve seen that possibility. I also see the possibility that we
are going to have to fight them. You are going to be an intricate part
of that,” Daisis said. Cross watched as Unu and Runa lay against the
archseraphim’s chest. He gathered them closer, and for the first time
Cross was able to see the very real connection between them. He’d
missed the love because of Daisis’s power.
“We’ve been in charge of this city since its inception, and we feel
that we have a responsibility to its citizens. Madigan, you are the first
son of an archangel to ever grace our streets, and whether you think it
means anything or not, other nephilim and even the fallen will be
attracted to your heritage. It gives you credence as a leader that others
do not possess,” Runa said. “Scepta is too powerful, too other, to act
as a leader, and we are seen as too close to Daisis to be relatable.
You’re the perfect go-between.”
Yuri’s frown deepened as Runa spoke. “It also makes Madigan a
target.”
Scepta snorted. “He’s already a target, Yuriel. Azrael wouldn’t
have come to personally offer an out if he didn’t think that Madigan is
the biggest threat to his plan. The man may be insane, but he isn’t
stupid. He fears what will happen if Madigan stays and plays leader.”
Madigan interrupted whatever retort Yuri was formulating. “What
do you need me to do? We’ve already decided to stay, so talking
about what Azrael thinks or feels is a moot point.”
68
Jana Downs
Daisis nodded, looking pleased. “Agreed. Scepta, your impatience
is showing.”
“Daisis, stop picking on our son. He’s trying to be helpful, and
you’re being an ass,” Unu snapped. Cross blinked. Who talked like
that to an archseraphim?
“He is my lover, Cross. He may talk to me in whatever fashion he
sees fit,” Daisis said, reading his mind. His lips twitched and the
corners perked up on the end. “Though I would prefer if he didn’t call
me an ass.”
Scepta hid a grin behind his hand, and Madigan openly laughed.
“I guess it doesn’t matter how high up the hierarchy you are when it
comes to lovers,” Madigan said.
“That is very true.” Daisis winked in Madigan’s direction before
continuing. “We are going to make an announcement on Monday,
after your wedding. We would like for you to stand with Runa and
Unu when we broadcast. Cross, all your men have combat training. I
want you to be prepared to train up volunteers. Madigan, you’ll be
expected to learn how to use your powers as well. They might be key
in turning the tide in the upcoming war.”
War. That’s what this is leading to. Open battle. Bloodshed. The
things they’d been avoiding in the months they’d been with Madigan
were suddenly quite literally on their doorstep. It chilled Cross to
think about Madigan fighting alongside them. He was a treasure, an
object to be protected from even the least harmful of distresses. He
swallowed. “We want the utmost protection for Madigan. I want you
to train him personally, Daisis. I want him the most prepared he
possibly can be.”
“Done. You teach him weaponry. I will teach him to master his
powers,” Daisis agreed. Cross thought the agreement would create
some closure for him, but it didn’t. It only solidified the knowledge
that Madigan would be in immediate danger soon. His mind took him
back to the first time he laid eyes on Madigan and the sheer terror he
had felt at busting into the small apartment above his lover’s bakery
Angel Wed
69
and finding Madigan surrounded by hunters. The smell of sweat, fear,
and burning furniture had overwhelmed everything else. The sight of
heavenly swords burning through everything they touched had made
Cross afraid that he’d come too late.
“So we can have a wedding this weekend?” Michel asked. He
sounded tentative, unsure. Cross thought the wedding was a terrible
idea given the circumstances, but who was he to deny even a moment
of happiness for his lovers? He would deal with his anxiety over the
issue the same way he dealt with everything, quietly.
“Cross?” Bren asked, obviously asking his opinion. Cross
swallowed. Everything was happening really fast.
“We’ll discuss it at home,” Madigan interjected. “This isn’t
something we need to discuss here. I think the whole hunter thing was
enough. Daisis, it was nice to meet you and your husbands.” Even
Cross heard the good-bye in his words. He was taking control of the
situation, and it was a wonderful, frightening, and strange thing.
“Formation on the way out, gents.” Cross heard himself say as his
lovers pushed themselves to their feet and started toward the door. At
least I still remember how to be a commander. It was all very surreal.
“Relax, red,” Madigan quipped, bumping his hips as they crowded
onto the elevator. “I’m really okay. Everything is going to be all
right.”
Cross looked down at him and fell into his green eyes. “Yeah?
Have you seen the future?” It wasn’t necessarily a common skill in
Raphael’s choir, but it wasn’t unheard of.
Madigan leaned his head against Cross’s shoulder. “No. I just
know. Good triumphs over evil, right? That’s how the heavens roll.”
“I don’t know about all that,” Yuri muttered, looking morose.
“The hunters believe they’re right just as much as we do.”
Madigan huffed as the elevator dinged, announcing their arrival to
the ground floor. “Then we’ll just have to change their minds. I
haven’t come this far, struggled this much, and loved this hard only to
70
Jana Downs
lose it all in a week. We’re going to live, guys. There are no other
options.”
Cross prayed.
Angel Wed
71
Chapter Five
“I’m going to fuck you stupid,” Madigan declared as Michel
finished laying out the last table cloth they would be using in the
reception. The custom table tops that Madigan had ordered wouldn’t
have been ready for weeks, but Michel had managed to get some that
were nearly identical locally.
Michel offered him a grin. “I will take you up on that, nephilim.
I’m all for being rewarded for my efforts.” Though the conversation
was joking, lust reared up inside of him at the thought. Nephilim
hungers were always sharp, but today it seemed especially so for
whatever reason.
Christian had gone downtown with some of the guys to pick up
things for the wedding, Bren was having a Halo showdown with
Becka and Daniella downstairs since they were all addicted to the
game, and Michel had been helping him get everything organized to
take to the park so that he would know exactly where everything was.
His kitchen was a mess at present, and it was a good thing that they’d
bought the bakery and had it furnished just down the street. Not that
I’ll get to use it after this week. Madigan shook his head. There was
no point in thinking like that. He’d been serious when he’d told his
men he was allowing for no other option. They would live, and he
would get his happily ever after even if he had to kick every hunter in
the nuts from here to hell to get it. With the mojo swirling inside his
body like too many caffeine pills, he was just insanely cocksure
enough to try. It was like he’d been living his whole life with his eyes
shut, and now he was seeing all the colors for the first time. He felt
like he’d changed, become more what he’d always wanted to be, and
72
Jana Downs
left the weaker parts of him behind. It scared him in a way, but in
another he felt alive.
“Your mom texted your phone a minute ago, by the way,” Michel
said, pulling Madigan into his arms as he finished folding the last
cloth.
“Yeah? Is she coming now?” He’d almost forgotten that she was
arriving within the hour. He’d planned on having the house arranged
just so to display his powers as a domestic god, but the best-laid plans
of mice and men had screwed him out of that one.
“I’m not sure. Check your phone,” Michel said with a shrug. Well,
duh. I guess that makes sense. Madigan wasn’t sure where his head
was since yesterday, but it was so focused on his new senses that his
old ones were getting overwhelmed.
He unlocked his phone and the message popped up. Be there in an
hour. <3 Madigan smiled as he read the words. His mom was the
best, hands down, and he couldn’t wait to see her. Some people might
have considered it strange, but they’d always been close, and the
weeks of separation had been the longest he’d gone without seeing
her in his whole life. Even their telephone conversations had been
brief.
“She’ll be here in about forty-five,” Madigan said. A bolt of lust
slammed him out of nowhere. Someone was fucking, and it smelled
wonderful. He stretched his senses out feeling the vibrations through
the walls. His men were home. Yuri was screwing Dex against the
side wall of the house. He could feel their energy pulsing into the
foundations of their home. He gasped and pressed the heel of his hand
against his suddenly too-tight pants.
Without thinking, he turned and grabbed Michel, slamming him
against the cabinets in the kitchen.
“What the hell?” Michel asked, jerking out of his hold. Madigan
was having none of it. He growled. These were his men, and he
needed. Didn’t Michel understand that? “Baby, come back to me.
You’re getting overrun with the power.” No. He didn’t want to hear
Angel Wed
73
that. He wanted Michel naked and buried inside him. He wanted to
provide a counter pulse for the house so the whole thing would light
up like a kaleidoscope. It would be an amazing display.
“Give it to me, Michel,” Madigan rumbled, tearing the bottom of
Michel’s shirt. He laughed. He was stronger now. He bet he could
even arm wrestle Dex.
“Madigan,” Michel repeated, running his hands down Madigan’s
arms in an attempt to calm him.
“Shh, my angel. I need this. Please.” Annoyance flickered through
the nephilim’s mind. It wasn’t fair that Michel was trying to deny
him.
“Some nephilim go crazy with the power, Madi. You don’t
understand. You can’t fall into it. This is why awakening is almost
always done slowly!” The rest of Michel’s T-shirt tore like paper in
his hands. Naughty Yuri and Dex shouldn’t have excited him if he
was expected to behave. It wasn’t fair.
“Madigan, enough.” Raphael’s voice echoed through the kitchen,
and Madigan felt himself being pulled backward away from Michel.
He whimpered. He wanted his lover. Michel was his. He wanted to
make the colors pulse and dance. “Son, come on. Don’t do this. Don’t
go mad on me.”
Madigan squeezed his eyes shut and tried to concentrate on
breathing. He felt sick all of a sudden, like he was on a rollercoaster
that suddenly stopped. He turned his head and tried to concentrate on
breathing. The warm arms around him felt different from the familiar
pulses around the house. Those arms felt stronger than his lovers’.
The energy that came off the being was more aligned with Madigan’s.
It seemed to balance him, take some of the insanity in his blood, and
let him feel more human.
“I’m going to be sick,” Madigan warned as the riot in his stomach
got worse.
“Michel, grab the wastebasket and bring it over,” Raphael
commanded as Madigan started to heave. “Now, go outside and get
74
Jana Downs
the rest of your husbands and call Bren up from the basement. Bring
them here. We need to have a discussion.” Madigan lost the battle
with his stomach and started to heave just as Michel handed off the
basket.
* * * *
Dex slammed his hips forward, burying his dick inside his lover a
final time before spilling his pleasure deep in the confines of Yuri’s
tight ass. He hadn’t meant for it to get this far, but he and Yuri had
been playfully teasing one another all afternoon. The entire shopping
excursion had been leading to this moment. When they’d pulled up in
the drive, Cross had winked at the both of them and asked them to
make sure the side yard was secure. Dex had imagined a quick mutual
masturbation session. It had turned into so much more than that.
“God, that was good,” Yuri groaned, leaning his forehead against
the house. Dex hoped none of the neighbors saw. They would’ve had
to have really been looking to see into the little nook they’d gotten
into, but still.
“And irresponsible,” Dex said, giving Yuri a squeeze. “We’re
getting as bad as Madigan when it comes to sex.”
Yuri laughed as Dex pulled out and tucked himself back into his
pants. “Gotta keep up with our nephilim lover, man. It’s not our fault
we’re used to screwing at least thrice a day.”
“True enough,” Dex agreed.
“Guys, I need you in the house now. Raphael is here, and
Madigan isn’t feeling well,” Michel said from behind them. Dex
turned his head. He’d been so immersed in Yuri that he’d forgotten to
watch his back. It was a habit he’d gotten into since moving to
sanctuary, one he needed to get out of now that the war was on.
Yuri poked his head around Dex’s body. “I felt Raphael pop in,
but I figured it was for a visit before Madigan’s mom got here.”
Angel Wed
75
“Madigan has gone a little mental. The powers of an archangel
crammed into a half-human body are proving to be as dangerous as
we thought they were. He’s lucid most of the time, but when he sinks
into his powers, he has no filters, no concept of right and wrong.”
Michel sighed. “I have no idea what triggers him, and we don’t really
have time to figure it out. This needs to get under control yesterday,
and I’m a little freaked out seeing Madigan like this.”
Dex turned toward him and frowned. Michel’s worry wasn’t
unfounded. It had been the reason the hunters had started hunting
nephilim to begin with. A few nephilim had been unable to handle the
mental pressure of their powers and had snapped. There had been
death and chaos whenever it had happened. When the hunters had
enough and decided to label them as abominations, no one had really
protested. Times had changed, though. It was no longer a world where
magic was rejected as inherently evil and the communication was so
thin that it took insane amounts of time to garner information. The
people of this world were fundamentally different from the ones in
years past.
“Raphael wants us all in the kitchen for a family meeting. The
humans are downstairs in the game room,” Michel said, turning back
toward the front of the house. Yuri and Dex exchanged a nervous
look.
“The only constant in life is change,” Yuri murmured, twining
their hands to follow after Michael’s angel. That may have been true,
but Dex really longed for peace. All I want is to live in this house with
my men. I don’t want anything else. Fame, glory, infamy, or any other
vainglorious goals weren’t his cup of tea. Dex couldn’t imagine living
this life for hundreds of years, but he knew that others had. A few
months and he was already sick of it.
* * * *
76
Jana Downs
Madigan hadn’t wanted his first real meet and greet with his father
to consist of Raphael holding his hair out of his face while he vomited
profusely, but that was what it had turned into. He’d made it to the
half bath off the kitchen, and the archangel had somehow squeezed in
beside him to help him out.
“Why?” he managed to ask between heaves.
“Your body is going through an adjustment period, Madigan. The
angelic side has been dormant your whole life, and then instead of
coming into being naturally over time, it was forced into full form
overnight. It’s expected that there are some growing pains,” Raphael
soothed, rubbing his back in slow circles.
Finally, his stomach cramping eased somewhat and he was able to
rest his head against his forearm. “Hope it stops soon. I can’t take
much more. I waffle between euphoria and normalcy. The up and
down is giving me a headache.”
“It will be over soon. Your body is already starting to adapt.”
Madigan managed to turn his head and look at his father for the
first time in his life. He was surprised to see a fairly young-looking
face, early thirties at most, and the same deep-green eyes that
Madigan had peering at him. He was struck by how similar they
looked. He’d always thought that Cross had noted the similarity
because of their coloring, but in actuality, Raphael looked like a more
buff version of Madigan. It was weird.
“Whoa,” Madigan whispered. “You’re really my dad.” A thought
struck him. “How does my mom stand you? I mean, I had to be
awakened to stand higher angels.”
The archangel ruffled his hair in a very fatherly fashion. “There
are certain humans that are all but immune to our angelic auras.
Your lovely mother is one of them. Nephilim react even more strongly
to angels because there is a recognition in their souls of the kinship
between them. Our lives are all about connections, Madigan.”
“Did you love her?” Madigan asked.
Angel Wed
77
“As a friend, I loved her very much. We both wanted a child, and
it made sense. I didn’t want a child in the heavens that I would never
get to have a real relationship with. With you on Earth, I could come
see you, watch you grow up. The heavens aren’t arranged for such
personal relationships. If you had been born there, you would have
been sent to a school and been raised with a collection of other
angels. They would’ve been your family. It was selfish, but I wanted to
be your father in the real sense of the word. I knew when you got
older, it would be possible. I was arrogant, though. I thought I could
keep you hidden.” Raphael chuckled self-deprecatingly. “I found out
days before the hunters were slated to murder you. It wasn’t easy to
arrange for protection, but it was my fault for letting them find you.”
“It’s okay,” Madigan said, pulling his head up and flushing the
toilet. “I need to brush my teeth.”
“Of course.” Raphael helped him to his feet. Madigan wobbled a
bit but managed to stay upright.
“I think I’m all right. You can go wait in the kitchen if you want,”
Madigan said, digging under the small vanity and finding the spare
toothbrushes that Cross had insisted they get when they moved in.
They’d stocked up on a lot of things. Cross was a real boy scout.
“Very well. We’ll be waiting for you.” Madigan felt Raphael’s
energy blink out of the bathroom and reappear elsewhere in the house.
I wanna be able to move like that. With the new power inside him,
maybe one day he would be able to.
He brushed his teeth quickly before rinsing out his mouth with a
travel-sized mouthwash. The mirror showed the fatigue on his face,
and the worry was very visible as well. I’m losing it a bit. He had to
keep it together, though, had to stay strong. Once I get this power
thing down, I’ll be golden. He hoped so, anyway. He didn’t imagine
that it would be super fun to deal with a nephilim who was half-
cracked.
A knock on the door made him jump. “Madigan Raphael Parker,
open this door right this second.”
78
Jana Downs
“Mom!” he said, tears springing unexpectedly to his eyes. He
hadn’t realized until he heard her voice how much he needed to hear
her voice. Some people might’ve said he was a mama’s boy or a
pussy or whatever, but he loved his mother more than he loved just
about anyone other than his lovers.
He pulled the door open, and his arms were immediately filled
with the tiny, curvy body of his mom. She kissed his cheek as he cried
and clung to her like he was seven all over again. It was a long minute
before he was able to regain control of his emotions.
“When did you get here?” he sniffed.
“About thirty seconds ago. I called from the foyer until one of
your men came to let me in. You didn’t tell me your father was here.”
She pulled back and petted his hair, smiling. “Look at you, Madigan.
So grown up. You look so much like your daddy. You’ve gotten
strong since I’ve been away.”
“I feel a little crazy, Mom. I don’t feel strong. I feel out of
control,” Madigan confessed. “The hunters are coming. They’re going
to try to kill us.”
She looked stricken for a second, her brown eyes darkening to
almost the same shade as Bren’s. “So they are going to break the laws
of sanctuary. I thought it was strange that you wanted to move the
wedding up, but Becka wasn’t very forthcoming with the details. I
had hoped—” She seemed to steel herself before she continued. “If
sanctuary isn’t safe, nowhere is safe. You’re going to have to fight,
Madigan. You’re going to have to stand against them.”
He nodded. “I know. But we’re not going to stand alone. We’re
going to fight back. The whole town is going to take a stand.”
“But this weekend is your weekend. It’s not going to be perfect,
but it is going to be as perfect as it can be under the circumstances.
I’m going to bake you a cake to die for, baby boy.” The devilish light
had reentered her expression, and Madigan was happy to see her
unconquerable spirit couldn’t be held down even by the threat of
death. “However, you can’t spend the last days of your freedom
Angel Wed
79
entertaining guests. I’m taking Christian and the girls to the vacation
rental I managed to snag a few minutes away. We’re going to finish
the wedding prep there. Your mission in life is going to be to enjoy
your men and your wedding.”
“Vacation rental?” Madigan asked. How had his mom managed
that one?
She gave him a cheeky grin. “Of course. I didn’t want to intrude,
and I know how boys are when it comes to having ‘relations.’”
Madigan felt his cheeks scald as she air quoted the word “relations.”
“It won’t do to have you boys crowded on your last stress-free week
together. Raphael!” she called out, making him jump.
His father popped into the hallway outside the bathroom. “Yes?”
“Madigan and I are going to open a bottle of wine downstairs with
his friends. Why don’t you and his men relax up here for a bit? Then
you can cook supper.”
Madigan blanched at the way she informed Raphael what she
expected him to do. He should’ve been used to it because that was the
way she ran the kitchens at the pastry shop, but it was very weird to
see the behavior directed at an archangel.
Raphael grinned and gave Madigan a wink. “Sure, Maggie. I’ll
play chef if you keep our Madigan calm in the meantime. I need to
talk to his lovers anyway.”
Okay. His life had just gone from weird to downright bizarre.
* * * *
“Changes in his environment are going to be the biggest triggers
he’s going to have. That includes frolicking outside against the side of
the house,” the archangel said as he washed the head of lettuce in the
sink before carrying it to the chopping block. Watching an archangel
prepare dinner was the strangest thing Yuri could remember
witnessing in his considerably long life. “Strong emotions are going
to be another one. Fear, anxiety, lust, pain, these are some of what
80
Jana Downs
will cause his powers to fluctuate and his mental state to become
unstable.”
“The war starts in a week, my Lord Raphael,” Cross said, getting
the dishes down from the cabinet. “He can’t be this unstable during
battle.”
“Mental exercise will help him. I trust that ArchSeraphim Daisis
will have him battle-ready by next week. I’m just warning you now so
that over the weekend you all can learn to anticipate him.”
“There are no guarantees he’ll be any real help in combat,” Bren
interjected as Cross began setting the table. “Lord Raphael’s skill sets
tend to run more heavily toward healing.”
Yuri watched as Raphael began chopping up the lettuce expertly,
like a chef off one of Dex’s Food Network shows. “Yes. That is true.
However, Cross is the perfect example of one of my choir who is also
a warrior. Besides, healing might prove to be the more valuable skill
when the wounded start coming through the front lines. He needs to
be a symbol more than he needs to be a sword-arm.”
“I don’t like the idea of Madigan anywhere near battle,” Yuri said,
crossing his arms over his chest. “I, for one, won’t be able to
concentrate, knowing that he is fighting for his life. I believe
ArchSeraphim Daisis will have a battle strategy set up, and I have a
few ideas for placement if he hasn’t, but the fact remains that my
mind will be divided if I can’t see Madigan.”
“We’re not letting him out of our sight regardless, Yuri,” Cross
assured. “Though I’d like to hear your plans.”
Yuri nodded. As the brainiac of the bunch, he was used to them
asking him for advice on puzzles. This was just another type of puzzle
to him. “No problem, red.” Madigan’s nickname for Cross was rather
catchy, and they’d all started using it more recently.
Raphael’s next words nearly made Yuri choke on his own tongue.
“Sex will also keep him calm. So I’ll be expecting you guys to take
care of it.”
Angel Wed
81
Bren cracked up, giving a deep belly laugh like he was impressed
with Raphael’s boldness. “Right on, my lord. I will definitely be able
to keep that promise.”
Raphael turned his green gaze on Bren. “Your family will be
attending on Sunday, so I expect you to keep them in line.” That sure
shut Lucifer’s angel up. Yuri smothered a snicker but barely. There
wasn’t much that could shut Bren up.
Dex went to the stove and put a saucepan on an eye before
drizzling olive oil in the pan. He had been pretty quiet the whole time,
and Yuri could practically see the tension coming off of him in waves.
He was the gentle giant of the group, and as such, tended to
internalize a lot of the stress that was happening around them.
“You lecture us on how to keep him safe, but you won’t be
fighting in the battle with us,” Dex said suddenly, venom infecting
every word he spoke. Yuri’s eyes widened. No one talked to an
archangel like that. “You say you want him to be happy, but you are
abandoning us and every innocent person in the city.”
Raphael frowned. “Dex, the rules say I cannot be involved—”
“Fuck the damn rules!” Dex snapped, slamming down the bottle
of oil on the counter. “This is your son. I don’t care what the rules say
because the hunters aren’t playing by them anymore!” Shock infused
Raphael’s expression as Dex rounded on him. “This is the time for the
line to be drawn in the sand. It’s no longer okay for those who are
higher in the hierarchy to let the issue be settled between us. If you
refuse to help us, then you’re no better than those humans who see a
person getting murdered and do nothing. Without help, we will fall.
We will die. It’s not a lack of confidence. It’s a fact. They have
thousands. We have hundreds, maybe. They are trained killers. We
have shopkeepers, restaurant owners, and hotel managers. If you
don’t do something, then we are done for. The city will fall.”
“If you are to die, then fate—”
“Then fate will have been aided by cowardly angels who refuse to
risk falling for a cause greater than their own salvations.” Dex said the
82
Jana Downs
words with all the conviction of a man who had nothing left to lose,
and the more Yuri thought about it, the more he realized that Dex was
correct. While he had been optimistic about their chances due to his
stubborn belief that because an archseraphim had become involved
their chances of success were greater, the fact was that the hunters
were far more prepared for battle than they were. The odds were far
from good.
Raphael was quiet for a long time while Dex glared daggers at
him. The tension built, thickening and practically strangling the air
around them. “You’re right. The time has come to pick a side in this
fight.” Raphael’s quiet agreement broke the tension like a rubber band
being snapped. “I will speak to the other archangels and anyone else
in the heavens who will listen.” He extended his hand toward Dex.
“Thank you. I hadn’t seen until you said something.” They shook
hands, and Yuri stored it in his mind.
This was one of those moments that would be spoken off in the
pages of history. Some young angel much like himself would be
reading about this very conversation years from now. The recorders of
Lord Uriel’s choir were no doubt inking it into the scriptures right that
second and marking it with the brilliant green ink that signified a
moment of change in the world. He couldn’t help but be awed by it.
Finally Dex nodded. “We’ll finish cooking supper. You have
work to do. We’ll see you at the wedding?”
“I wouldn’t miss it for all the treasures of eternity.” With those
words, Raphael was gone, leaving the rest of them to look at Dex in
open shock.
“I’ll give it to you, Dex, you have some serious balls, man,” Bren
said finally. Dex sighed, and all the bravado went out of him in a gust
of air. Yuri understood the gesture. Archangels were insanely
powerful, able to control vast choirs of angels, answerable only to the
seraphim, who were in turn only answerable to the archserpahims. If
Raphael had wanted, he could’ve really damaged Dex for his bold
assertion that Raphael was a coward.
Angel Wed
83
“I think I almost pissed myself,” Dex muttered. “I just sort of said
it.”
“You were right to say it,” Yuri said. “It’s time someone did.”
Cross hadn’t said anything until that point, but he broke his
silence with a quiet agreement. “You spoke the truth, Dex. Lord
Raphael needed to see his role in all of this. Thank you for standing
up for us when no one else would.”
Yuri tapped his fingers against his jeans. “I suck at cooking, so I
think I’m going to write up some possible armament plans to e-mail
to Scepta in the morning.”
“Leave a message for the tux shop as well. We’re going to need to
try on our tuxedos tomorrow to make sure everything fits for
Sunday,” Cross said, rubbing the bridge of his nose. Their commander
looked tired, his pinched expression conveying what his words didn’t.
“Let’s get dinner ready for our guests and go to bed. We’ve got a long
weekend ahead of us.”
Yuri nodded and turned toward the hallway. He hesitated before
he ascended the staircase. “Someone want to come with me? I could
use the company.” He didn’t want to seem needy, but he wanted his
lovers around him.
“I’ll come,” Michel offered, stepping in behind him on the stairs.
Relief trickled through him, and gratitude for his men tightened his
chest. I’d rather live one week with these men than have an eternity
without them.
84
Jana Downs
Chapter Six
Madigan felt his father leave. “Raphael left before dinner,” he
said. He didn’t know why he was so disappointed in the fact.
“Your father is an important angel, sweetheart. He’ll probably pop
back in later,” his mother reassured, pouring him another half-glass of
wine. It was his favorite vintage red. His lips twitched as he thought
about his men. Cross might join him for a glass of wine, but Yuri
would definitely go for a beer. Bren wouldn’t drink at all. He just
didn’t partake in any alcoholic beverage.
“Let me just say, this whole angel thing wigs me the fuck out,”
Becka declared, taking the bottle from his mother after she’d finished
pouring and refilling her own glass. “I mean, I guess I’ve always
believed in angels in the abstract sense, but this is way more than
abstract. Your boyfriends have wings, Madigan. Wings. And you have
multiple boyfriends. You, who never even had one boyfriend for more
than a few months, now have five boyfriends you’re going to marry.
What is up with this crazy life?”
“Watch your language, Becka,” Madigan’s mom warned, sipping
her wine. “I understand what you mean, though. When you first get
introduced to the other side, it’s all very overwhelming. I ran into
Raphael at the bakery. I knew he was different, other, but I didn’t
know exactly how other. We struck up a friendship, and that was the
first step. I got a slower introduction than you girls did, but it was
pretty shocking.”
Madigan snorted. “You think seeing them all winged was a trip,
you should’ve been there when I walked into my apartment to see it
filled with hunters on my birthday. I almost had a heart attack.
Angel Wed
85
Dodging flaming swords is something out of some action flick I never
wanted to act in.” They laughed at that, and he felt the last bit of
tension drain out of his shoulders. He’d missed the easy camaraderie
between them. He glanced over and saw Christian staring at the far
wall, obviously deep in thought. “Hey, Chris?”
Christian turned his eyes on Madigan, and the nephilim couldn’t
help but feel a little guilt over the sadness he put there. “Yeah?”
“You okay, man?”
Christian shrugged. “Fine. I’m happy for you, Madigan. Really.”
“But?” Madigan prompted.
Irritation flickered over Christian’s face. “But I’m a little bummed
that the guy I’ve been sleeping with for weeks turned out to be the
bad guy, all right? Would you leave it alone? I mean, it’s great that
you have five hunky angels to show you that you are loved and
whatever, but I just wanted one guy and he wasn’t really into me. I
got played, Madigan. If you can’t see how upset that makes me, then
you’re a little blind. I’m dealing and trying to be a good friend. I think
that should count for something.”
“It does,” Madigan said softly. The girls were looking at the two
of them with guarded expressions on their faces. “I never wanted you
to get hurt, Christian. You’re like a brother to me.”
Christian made a noise of frustration. “It wasn’t your fault, and I
don’t blame you. Stop apologizing. You can’t fix it. Just stop talking
about it and making me share my feelings or whatever. It’s weird.”
Madigan shut up after that. His friend obviously didn’t want his
apology or his comfort. Not for the first time, he felt bad for
Christian. He hadn’t had it easy in life, and Madigan imagined this
disappointment wasn’t going to make all the other stuff seem any
better. I hope that you get your own personal angel one day,
Christian. I hope that he gives you the moon and stars because you
deserve them, my friend.
“So how come your dad can just poof in and out and you can’t,
Madi?” Daniella asked. The change of subject was a welcome relief.
86
Jana Downs
Madigan shrugged. “I don’t know. I don’t think my men can do it
either. If they could, I imagine it would’ve been much easier to
protect me.”
“I don’t think it’s possible to move in between planes until the
level of archangel,” Madigan’s mom cut in before sipping her wine.
“From what I gathered from Raphael, it takes a lot of energy, a lot
more than the average angel has.”
Dex’s booming voice echoed down the stairs. “Supper is ready!”
Madigan rolled to his feet and held out a hand for his mom. She
took it, and he pulled her out of the plush couch they’d been lounging
on. She gave him a wink and walked over to the stairs before
beginning her ascent. Christian slung his arm around Becka’s
shoulders, and they followed after. He and Daniella took up the rear.
“Madigan?” she whispered.
“What?”
“I think it’s really sweet that you want to take care of Christian,
but he’s a grown man. You’ve got to stop mothering him. Maybe you
can look at setting him up on a blind date once this whole thing settles
down, but until then, let him lick his wounds, hm?” She had a point as
much as he didn’t want to admit it.
He nodded. “I know. I just feel responsible.”
“Everyone is responsible for their own actions, Madigan,” she
reminded as they reached the top of the stairs. The smell of food
wrapped around them as they took a step into the upper level of the
house.
Madigan’s stomach rumbled. “I’m starving.”
“Agreed,” Daniella said, “I wonder what the boys made.”
* * * *
Madigan loaded the last dish into the dishwasher and turned his
attention to the still running water in the sink. It threw off this most
brilliant blue and green splashes of light. He ran his hand under the
Angel Wed
87
tap and watched as the drops of light absorbed into his skin. Being a
nephilim was the oddest thing ever. He thought he only had to deal
with the insanity of his newfound libido. He laughed as it splashed
against the base color of the sink and changed to a pink hue. I’m like a
baby discovering color for the first time.
“You all right, Madigan?” Yuri asked, wrapping his arms around
his waist from behind.
Madigan nodded. “Yeah. I’m not out of my mind or anything. I’m
just looking at everything and realizing I’ve never seen it before. I’ll
get used to it?” He almost hoped he didn’t because the world was
suddenly new again.
“Yes. Eventually it will become second nature and these things
won’t surprise you,” Yuri said, kissing the line of his throat. “Your
mom and your friends just left a minute ago. We thought an early
night would be best. We’ve got a ton to do tomorrow.”
“I want you all with me tonight,” Madigan said, leaning back into
the gentle caress. He managed to turn off the faucet before turning
around in Yuri’s arms. Uriel’s angel looked content, and it made
Madigan happy to see. He wanted his men to relax a little bit this
weekend. He reached up and curled a finger around Yuri’s hair. “You
need a haircut, love. We can do that tomorrow after the tux shop.”
“Sounds good,” Yuri agreed. “Join us in bed? Everyone else is
already headed that way.” The color burst around the angel’s aura, the
color a dazzling red. He wants me. He was surprised he could
recognize the emotion and the color almost simultaneously. I’m
getting better at this.
“I need you guys more every day,” Madigan admitted, kissing up
Yuri’s chest as he answered him. “I want you very much. Let’s go on
to bed.”
Yuri turned, and Madigan was treated to a lovely view of his pert
ass encased in the blue jeans Madigan had picked out for him. His
own lust rose sharply as they climbed up to the top floor of their
townhouse. Images flickered through his mind like stuttering
88
Jana Downs
photographs, most of them memories of the things he’d done with his
husband, a few pictures of what he wanted to do.
“You think we could get a sex swing tomorrow?” Madigan was
ninety percent sure they had some kind of toy shop in town. He’d
have to Google it tomorrow.
Yuri stumbled, nearly falling up the stairs. His head whipped
around, and he pinned Madigan with an incredulous look. “What?”
“A sex swing. What do you think about getting one for the
wedding night? I was thinking you could all take turns fucking me.”
Madigan grinned. “What? You don’t like the idea?” The bulge on the
front of Yuri’s pants and the deepening of the red in his aura to a
nearly perfect shade of crimson told him he enjoyed the idea
immensely.
“Uh, yes. I am sure we can find one somewhere. Maybe I could
rush order from Amazon… Does Amazon sell sex toys?”
Madigan suppressed a laugh as the wheels visibly turned in Yuri’s
head. His scholarly angel was already making kinky plans to get what
Madigan wanted. The nephilim all but squirmed at the thought.
They reached the upstairs landing, and Madigan immediately
sucked in a breath. His lovers hadn’t waited for him to start the party.
They were all lying on their massive bed, naked, leisurely playing
with one another’s cocks. He swallowed as his mouth went dry.
“Madigan,” Cross rumbled from the center of the bed. Michel and
Bren’s hands were fondling him in unison, alternating between
stroking his hard length and kneading the heavy sac that hung
beneath. The colors of their lust seemed to merge into one giant haze
of reds and dark pinks. It was like feeling a porno.
“You guys are quick,” Yuri griped, stripping off his shirt and
striding into the room. “Our guests just left.”
“Shut up, brain. Get over here,” Bren said, motioning for him to
join them. “You, too, bright eyes. We need you.”
Angel Wed
89
“Our Madigan has requested a sex swing for our wedding night,”
Yuri declared, toeing off his shoes. “I’m thinking about ordering off
Amazon.”
A chorus of growls met Yuri’s announcement, and Madigan felt
the heat come over his face at the sound. Boldness in the bedroom had
never been his style before he met his lovers. It’s not the only thing
that’s changed about me. The thought came on the heels of a burst of
color in his vision as his lovers’ lust sharpened.
“Then he will definitely have one,” Michel said, pumping Cross’s
dick while Dex worked Michel’s and his own. “Maybe we can get it
overnighted after we finish?”
Madigan felt the power shift in him, the nephilim side swamping
the human side. “I want you to take turns,” he rumbled. “I want you to
get in line like you want to ride a roller coaster at a theme park and
fuck me one by one.”
“God I love when he talks like that,” Dex groaned, his hips
moving restlessly as Madigan spoke. Bren removed his hand from
Cross’s cock and rolled off the bed and to his feet.
“Get over here, sexy boy. I want to put your teasing mouth to
better use,” Bren said as he grabbed Madigan’s arm and pulled him
into his arms. His hard arousal dug into Madigan’s soft abdomen and
he tilted Madigan’s head up for a kiss. Their lips clashed, and
Madigan’s senses shifted again, oversensitizing his skin until every
touch felt intimately connected to his prick. He screamed into Bren’s
mouth, shoving his tongue deeper in an attempt to stop the wonderful,
awful way his body had become a live wire of sensation.
“Get him on the bed,” Cross rumbled from somewhere behind
them as Bren cupped his buttocks and kneaded the flesh there. Oh
god. Oh god. Oh god. I’m going to come. They hadn’t even started
touching him yet, but he had the sneaking suspicion that anymore
stimulation would send him rocketing over the ledge and into the
abyss.
90
Jana Downs
“You okay, Madi?” Bren asked, pulling back but only far enough
that their lips were separated by less than an inch.
“Need.” It was the only thing he could manage to say as the fire
inside him blazed on. He let Bren walk him over to the bed and lay
him down on it with his head hanging off the back of the bed while
the rest of his body rested comfortably. They’d never tried this
position. He groaned as he shifted on the comforter. Even the feeling
of the blanket against his skin was causing a riot.
“Dex, get down here and fuck my ass,” Bren ordered as they
started passing around a bottle of lube that they’d gotten from God
knew where. “Cross, I want to watch you take our Madigan.”
“I’ll suck his cock,” Michel volunteered. Oh God, please. I’m
going to explode.
It took them all a second to rearrange, and Madigan could do
nothing but throb. He opened his mouth obediently as Bren tapped his
lip with two fingers. He thanked whatever powers that existed in the
world for inventions of beds tall enough to support this position as the
helmet of Bren’s cock traced his lips. Behind Bren, he saw Dex’s
body come flush with the other angel’s. The way Bren’s dick jerked at
the action let Madigan know that Dex had slid deep into the tight
confines of Bren’s body. The visual of their auras merging coupled
with the sensation of Bren’s length in his mouth nearly had him
orgasming right then. Three thrusts inside his mouth made him twist
his hands in the comforter to keep from creaming.
Madigan screamed again as his prick was suddenly engulfed in
the hot, wet cavern of Michel’s mouth. He shot then, emptying his
tight sac as Michel sucked dutifully. But it didn’t stop, the sensation
sensitivity just kept on, and his cock remained hard as stone. His eyes
rolled. God. He didn’t know if he could take much more of this.
Cross growled. “He’s on fire tonight.” Madigan couldn’t help but
to agree. He couldn’t think past his want, and he couldn’t do anything
but be a vessel of their pleasure. Every moment felt like making love.
Michel popped off his cock. “Yuri, please, inside me?”
Angel Wed
91
“Course,” Yuri replied, getting into position. Cross chose that
moment to spread Madigan’s thighs and find the needy pucker that
was practically begging to be filled. Bren continued to fuck his mouth
like he could do so forever, and the smell of sex made Madigan’s eyes
roll. I love them. I love them so much. God, I need more than a week. I
need this every day, every second, forever. Cross pushed two slick
fingers inside him and Madigan came off the bed, choking Michel for
his effort and groaning around Bren’s length again.
“Hold his hips, Michel,” Cross commanded, continuing to pump
and stretch Madigan’s ass even though the nephilim was bucking like
some kind of sex-crazed maniac. Michel put his hands on Madigan’s
hips, pinning him against the mattress. Madigan trembled at the
sensation. It felt so good.
Cross, apparently satisfied with Madigan’s stretching, slicked his
own prick and pushed the thick head of his cock against Madigan’s
entrance, sinking slowly into the depths. Madigan needed something
to hold onto, and he found Michel’s hair to anchor himself against the
stimulation. He pulled Michel’s hair, demanding a harder suction,
guiding him in how to do it even better. The noises coming out of his
throat couldn’t possibly be human and had become a low continuous
wail at some point as they raced toward the finish line and his second
orgasm.
His eyes rolled as he watched Yuri’s aura spark as he slammed
into Michel’s body, groaning as he came. The spark set off another
orgasm in his own body, and Michel came with him as Yuri filled him
with spunk. Madigan trembled as he watched the orgasm build inside
Bren’s body. He relaxed his throat as Bren’s thrusts lost their rhythm
and his pleasure spilled over his tongue and down his throat. The raw
spark of life that filled Madigan’s mouth made him lose it yet again,
and he screamed so long he was pretty sure he blacked out for a few
seconds.
When he regained his senses, Cross was pounding inside him,
sweat streaming down his handsome face as the angelic commander
92
Jana Downs
was lost in Madigan’s body. He blinked and realized that Bren was no
longer in his mouth and Michel was no longer sucking him. He turned
his head and smiled at them as they leaned against the headboard and
watched him and Cross. With a twist of his hips he pushed Cross
backward, careful to not dislodge the cock that was still working
inside him. He wanted to ride. Cross’s hands caught his hips and
slammed him down on his thick arousal.
“Cross, come for me. Come inside me. Fill me up, lover,”
Madigan groaned, bouncing harder at the deeper penetration. This
was just what he needed. He knew if he could just get Cross over the
edge that the hunger inside him would ease a little.
It was like his words commanded his desires into existence
because the minute the words were out of his mouth, Cross’s eyes
widened and he slammed deep inside Madigan, shooting his load with
a rough cry of surprise. Madigan followed his, his balls tightening so
much that he was almost certain his balls turned inside out.
When he finished, he collapsed against Cross’s chest, unable to
move. His powers settled slowly back down, his vision returning to
normal as soon as it did. He exhaled, his mind swirling.
“I am dead,” he mumbled. He didn’t fight it when his eyes slid
shut. “I am seriously dead. I never want to come again.”
“Hmm, that makes two of us and I only came once,” Cross
muttered before squeezing Madigan and kissing his forehead.
Madigan meant to say something brilliant, but it just seemed too
difficult. Without meaning to, he slipped into sleep.
* * * *
Yuri finished his purchase with two clicks of his mouse and shut
his laptop with a definitive click. Without the illumination from the
screen, the room was plunged into darkness. After a quick clean-up,
Cross had tucked everyone into bed, but Yuri hadn’t wanted to slide
into dreamland without ordering Madigan his sex swing. He smiled at
Angel Wed
93
the thought. His lover may not have meant for him to actually go buy
it for their wedding night, but the image was burned into his
cerebrum.
He pushed himself up from the arm chair that was on the other
side of their bed and went over to the mattress. He almost always
slept on the outside because he was the one who most always was up
late reading, researching, or about a million other things. He strained
his eyes to look at his lovers, who were cuddled up in a dog pile on
their massive bed.
“Yuri,” Dex whispered in the darkness. “Get into bed, sweet.”
Yuri didn’t have to be told twice. He hopped up and was
immediately enveloped in Dex’s thick arms. The gentle giant was a
cuddle bug, but that was okay. If Yuri would admit it, so was he. As
he turned in Dex’s arms, he couldn’t help but feel the hard evidence
of Dex’s arousal settle against the swell of his ass.
“Seriously?” Yuri asked, trying to quell the laughter in his voice.
Dex shifted, but it only managed to grind the hardness against
Yuri’s backside. He did chuckle then. “I can’t help it,” Dex muttered,
pinching Yuri’s nipple in punishment. “I saw you flipping through the
pages on the web looking for the sex swing.”
Yuri’s laugher only increased at his words, making his sides
quake. “Getting a visual?”
Dex snorted. “You know I did. Don’t be a butthead. I can’t help
it.”
“Sweet wet dreams, Dexirus,” Yuri teased, wriggling his ass to
tease Dex.
“You are a bastard, Yuriel,” Dex grumped.
“Both of you, hush,” Cross rumbled from the middle of the bed.
“You’ll wake Madigan, and if I have to listen to him ooh and ahh over
the house shifting colors or catching glimpses of spirits or some shit,
you two are sleeping on the couch for a week.”
94
Jana Downs
They both cracked up at that. A pillow attacked out of nowhere
and clocked Yuri in the head. They erupted into smothered peals of
laughter.
“Laugh it up, assholes,” Cross growled.
“You hit us with a pillow, commander.” Dex snickered.
“I’m going to hit you with my dick if you don’t knock it off.”
Yuri snorted. “Was that supposed to be a deterrent?”
Dex laughed. “I think it was. I rather like your dick, red. You can
‘hit me, baby, one more time’ if you’re feeling froggy.”
Dead silence answered him for a good thirty seconds. “Was that a
Britney Spears reference?”
The entire bed erupted into loud guffaws, including the previously
asleep members of their family.
“How did you know that, Cross?” Bren asked through his
laughter.
Cross bristled. “What? I was a guardian of a pre-teen in the
nineties!”
“Sure you were,” Yuri teased.
“Leave him alone, guys,” Madigan mumbled in a sleepy voice.
“He can like Britney if he wants to.”
“I don’t like her!”
They laughed on.
Angel Wed
95
Chapter Seven
Madigan sucked in a breath as his men lined up on the raised
platform outside the dressing rooms for his perusal.
“They seem to fit correctly, Madigan. Do they look all right?”
Cross asked, smoothing his hands down the front of his suit jacket.
The white accents looked really sharp. It wasn’t the custom suits that
Madigan had picked out, but he thought they looked every bit as
handsome.
“The slits in the back will accommodate your wings?” Madigan
asked, eyes sweeping over each man in turn.
“The tailor said as much. He does them all the time, and it looks
to be about the right size,” Cross said, turning around to show off the
back. The slice of skin was lovely, and Madigan could imagine the
display the wings would create behind them at the wedding. He’d
insisted they do the wedding wings out. There was nothing about his
lovers he wanted to hide, and he was proud of everything they were.
“You guys look amazing,” Madigan managed to say. “You guys
are absolutely breathtaking.”
“Thanks, bright eyes,” Bren said, grinning widely. “I look damn
good in a tux. Madigan, I think you’re the only one who has to try on
your suit.”
Madigan watched their auras as the pleasure at the situation and
the compliment caused the colors to morph into blue and deep green.
They were content. “You guys want to wait outside while I do? I
know it’s weird, but I think I want to do this part myself.”
Surprise flickered over their faces, but they eventually nodded
their agreement. “We’ll go ahead and change and then wait at the
96
Jana Downs
front for you,” Yuri said, turning back toward the curtained dressing
room.
Cross hesitated before ducking into the curtained entrance.
“Madigan, call if you need anything. I still don’t trust that the hunters
won’t get impatient and attack us while we’re in this middle period
between now and when they start the war.”
Madigan nodded automatically. “Of course, Cross. I will be the
epitome of careful.” He smiled at Cross in what he hoped was a
reassuring fashion until he disappeared behind the curtain. His men
were beautiful and loyal to a fault. He wondered if it was all right to
be just the slightest bit selfish with them. He didn’t want to be the
cause for any pain for any reason. And though he knew he shouldn’t,
he loathed the fact that he had to share these last few precious days
with his family and friends. He wanted to just kidnap them all and go
off to a cave somewhere.
“What is right isn’t always easy,” Raphael said, blinking into
existence at his back. The familiar energy of his father wrapped
around him like a physical hug of reassurance.
“No truer words were ever spoken.” He listened to the sounds of
his lovers getting back into their street clothes and watched the
interior energy of the shop shift slightly from their movements. It was
weird having three-dimensional vision. “We missed you at dinner last
night, Raphael. Cross really looks up to you, and I know the others
are kind of in awe of your presence. Why’d you leave?”
Raphael’s hands rested on his shoulders, and Madigan still didn’t
turn around. He didn’t need to. He felt Raphael more in depth than he
could’ve possibly ascertained from him if he were looking at him
through his human lenses. “I had much to do. A war to prepare for.
But more importantly, I had a wedding to prepare for. Your flowers
have been taken care of. I know your florist couldn’t accommodate on
such short notice, but I pulled some strings.”
“Thank you,” Madigan said, meaning it. He’d been really
disappointed that he wouldn’t have any flowers but had resigned
Angel Wed
97
himself to it. It was better to go without than have something look
halfway. There was nothing in his marriage that he considered doing
halfway, and he wasn’t going to start with mediocre flora. “I’d really
like to get to know you. You know, when this is all said and done.”
Raphael squeezed his shoulders. “I’d like that very much. I truly
wanted a relationship from the beginning. Though we’re getting a late
start of it, I think we have a lot in common.”
Madigan couldn’t help but laugh at that. What could he have in
common with the archangel other than half his DNA? “You want to
go to a baseball game?” he joked. He wasn’t a big sports watcher,
unlike some of his lovers.
“I was thinking more along the lines of a wine-tasting. Lucifer has
a vineyard about six hour’s drive from here that would be the perfect
place to do so. They do tastings every weekend. I’ve had a few of his
vintages and I care for his vampire merlot the best, but I’d like to try
more.”
Madigan couldn’t help but giggle a bit at that. “Seriously? I’m all
about wine, but the devil owns a winery and he has a vampire
merlot?”
Raphael shared his chuckle. “Oh yes. He’s shipping to distributors
around the world via the Internet now. Apparently, if you order the
merlot you get them in a little black coffin box.”
Madigan got the image of a bright red devil with horns and a pitch
fork packing wine bottles in little black coffins. “Oh God, that’s too
funny.”
“He’s always had a taste for the macabre and the cheesy. Day of
the dead? His idea. I think he fancies the sugar skulls more than
anything else. Modern Halloween? His idea. The man is a candy
addict.”
“Raphael, you’re giving me a side stitch,” Madigan declared,
cackling so hard he couldn’t breathe. After a moment, his lovers
trailed out of the dressing room.
98
Jana Downs
“I thought I heard you out here, my Lord Raphael,” Cross said by
way of greeting as he came into the room. The others filled in after
him looking just as handsome in their jeans and T-shirts as they did in
their tuxedos.
Raphael stepped around Madigan and waved his hand in hello.
“Good afternoon, Cross. Please, escort your gentlemen out into the
main lobby and wait for us. My son and I are going to try on our
suits.”
Cross smiled, and the pride was splashed all over his expression.
“As you wish, my lord. Boys, let’s go.” The rest of the guardians went
dutifully with him, leaving him alone with his father in the dressing
room. It was still weird for him to see a slightly older version of
himself looking at him with the same fatherly expression Madigan
had seen on the faces of his schoolmates’ fathers at graduation.
“Let’s get you your blacks on, son,” Raphael declared, clapping
Madigan on the back. “I already put mine in one of the dressing
rooms. We’ll get to see how we look standing next to one another.
What do you think?”
“I think that’s awesome. You’re going to be officiating, correct?”
He’d hoped so, but he hadn’t wanted to get too excited about it. How
many people could claim that their wedding was officiated by an
archangel? It was crazy and unique, two things Madigan really liked
in a celebration.
Raphael nodded. “Absolutely. I wouldn’t bypass the opportunity
for anything. Your human friends will have to wear some protective
gear in their ears. I don’t want to risk them. I can make my
appearance more human for a short while, but my voice is something
I have little control over.”
“I’m assuming you’ve talked to Mom about all this?” Madigan
asked as they ascended the two steps up to the raised platform and the
dressing rooms beyond. He ducked into the first room that had his
name posted to the door. The suit bag was hanging on a fixture on the
wall next to the full-length mirror.
Angel Wed
99
“Of course,” Raphael said from the next dressing room over.
“She’s been apprised of all the security and safety measures I could
think of.”
“You guys are really good friends, huh?”
“I’d like to think so.”
Madigan pulled off his shirt and toed out of his shoes before
unzipping the suit bag. “So do you prefer males or females? Or do
you have a preference?” He thought about what he asked. “Wait, if
that is rude, ignore me.”
Raphael’s low chuckle sounded. “It isn’t rude. I don’t really have
a preference per se, but I do enjoy the company of males, if that is
what you’re asking.”
An idea started forming in his mind. “Ever think about dating?”
There was a long pause on the other side of the partition. “I rarely
‘date,’” Raphael said. He sounded like he was looking for the trap but
not finding it.
“But you must know people,” Madigan pressed.
Another awkward pause on the other side of the wall. “I suppose I
know people that are eligible dating partners. Where is this going,
Madigan?”
“I have this friend…” Madigan began. Silence answered his
proclamation, so Madigan took it as permission to continue. “He is a
really sweet guy, but he has really bad luck with men. I mean, his last
boyfriend was Azrael. I think it would be really awesome if you could
help me find a guy for him to hook up with. You know, prescreen
candidates or whatever. I figure as an archangel you know everyone.”
“Dating an angel isn’t an easy row to hoe, son. We’re very busy
beings, and our relationships always come second to our duties.”
Madigan took off his jeans and pulled on the pants to the suit.
“Humans are just as bad. I seriously think dating an angel would do
wonders for his self-esteem. He always thinks he’s not good enough. I
just want him to be happy.”
100
Jana Downs
“Then let nature take its course. Let him find a human to settle
down with. You may be all but immortal now, but your friend isn’t.
How would you feel if your lover was to be forever young and virile
while your body decayed and became frail? It’s better that he finds
love with his own kind, Madigan.”
“But you didn’t!” Madigan protested.
He heard the curtain pull back as Raphael exited his dressing
room. “I didn’t find love. I found a deep and profound friendship and
encouraged your mother to find someone in her own kind when you
were older. She just prefers her independence. If you really want
assistance with this when everything is said and done, I will.
However, you need to think a bit about the consequences of your
actions if you choose to go that route for your friend.”
Madigan frowned. He hadn’t really considered the things Raphael
had said. He was just so happy with his angels that he imagined that
everyone would be just as thrilled with an angelic joining. He sighed.
In this life, he felt like he was stumbling around ninety percent of the
time. It really was frustrating.
“Come on out, Madigan. I want to see how you look,” Raphael
said from outside his dressing room. Madigan fiddled with the buttons
of his cuff but couldn’t manage to get them buttoned.
“I’m going to need some help fixing all this crap,” Madigan
announced, opening the curtain and stepping into the hallway. He
wondered why all the clothing shops that sold dress clothes had ugly
green carpet that had an energy signature the same color as vomit.
The color shifted where Raphael stood, turning more yellow. Cool. It
was like angels left imprints on their environments.
Raphael laughed, the sound melodic. “You are a mess. Cuffs
undone, tie not tied, buttons mismatched. Were you paying any
attention when you dressed?”
“It’s harder than it looks. I don’t have a lot of practice with the
frilly bits. I’m covered in frosting and flour most of the day.” Or he
had been in his old life. The possibility of returning to that life was
Angel Wed
101
becoming more distant as time wore on. The bakery he’d opened had
lasted all of one day. The bakery he’d left had the door literally
kicked in the first day he’d returned from his solitary month with his
men. It seemed that the life of nephilim wasn’t compatible with his
former career choice. He wasn’t entirely sure what was compatible.
“Let me help,” Raphael said, stepping into him and beginning
before Madigan could answer him. Madigan held still as Raphael
righted his outfit. The archangel took a step back and gave him a
dazzling smile. “You look perfect. Your guardians are going to be
quite pleased. Come out into the main salon and have a look.”
Madigan followed dutifully, but some of his enthusiasm for the
whole process was somewhat lost. The wedding had been his point of
excitement for a while, and now it just seemed like something to be
hurried through. He frowned at the thought. It was a declaration, but it
seemed like the till-death-do-you-part bit was distinctly closer than it
should’ve been.
“When is Daisis making the announcement?” Raphael asked,
holding back the dressing room door so that he could step out into the
main platform.
“Monday. Training starts then, too.” Madigan turned to face the
wall of mirrors. His reflection was sharp, the black tux accented with
red instead of white was perfectly put together. If anything he looked
more like his father in this outfit. “I feel like I’m going to prom.”
“You took Daniella. I think you look much more mature this time
around,” Raphael said, stepping so that they stood side by side. They
looked striking next to one another. Raphael was wearing all black
with a stark white tie. It made him look vaguely clerical. “I worried
that whole night. You had a flask of banana-flavored rum in your
jacket pocket.”
“You were there?” Madigan glanced at him in surprise.
Raphael nodded. “Of course. Senior prom was a big thing for you.
I wanted to see you off even if you couldn’t see me.”
102
Jana Downs
Madigan couldn’t help but be the slightest bit impressed. “You
weren’t kidding when you said that you were there when I was
growing up.”
“Not in the least. Do you like your outfit?” Raphael asked.
Madigan nodded.
“Good. Then let’s change. Your lovers are getting restless, and I
have much to do. Be careful today, Madigan,” Raphael said.
“The last forty-eight hours of freedom will be spent in careful
mode, dear father of mine,” Madigan joked, turning back toward the
dressing room. He realized Raphael wasn’t moving with him and
paused. “What? What is it?”
Raphael stood there, staring at him for what seemed like eternity
before he answered. “You’ve never really claimed me as your father. I
just, the words, felt nice to hear.”
Madigan’s chest tightened at the emotion in Raphael’s words. “Do
you want me to call you father?” It would be weird because he’d
resigned himself to not having a father a long time ago, but if it made
Raphael that happy, he’d do it. After all, the guy seemed like he was
really stepping into the father shoes now. It was hard to stay mad over
not growing up with a dad when his was an archangel who had more
or less been there all along.
“I’d like that very much,” Raphael whispered. “Though I’ll
understand if you do not.”
Madigan considered him. “Why didn’t you ever say hi? I mean, I
get that everything had to be on the down low, but couldn’t you have
sent a card or something?”
Raphael shifted, looking Madigan in the eye. “You never believed
your mother about your true parentage. I could’ve, but you would’ve
thought your mother was continuing a farce. We worked it out that
after you reached maturity, I would come to you and help you get
through the transition, help you hide your powers so the hunters
could never find you. Things did not go as planned.”
Angel Wed
103
“I can accept that,” Madigan said, meaning it. “So…Dad.” He
grinned sheepishly. “That is going to take some getting used to.”
Raphael returned his smile and nodded. “We’ll work on it.” They
turned in unison and went into the back rooms to get dressed in their
original clothes.
* * * *
Sunday dawned and painted the sky brilliant shades of gold,
orange, and pink before lighting to its familiar blue. Dex watched the
miracle of sunrise from the comfort of the back stoop. He had given
up on sleep hours ago. The world seemed to be holding its breath as
the clock ticked down the time until they would be wed in the human
fashion. Its silence disturbed him for some reason.
Though he’d been worn out from their lovemaking, the restless
energy that had infused him had Dex sneaking out of bed in the wee
hours of the morning. He’d flown over town for an hour or more,
sneaking a peak at the enemies gathering in the space between
sanctuary and the rest of the world. Their fire hadn’t done anything to
calm his anxiety.
He’d returned only to realize that everything was in order and he
had nothing to do. At first he’d tried to read a book, but Yuri’s Kindle
had proved to be empty of anything he really wanted to read. The
insanity of that statement just made him realize how unfocused he
was. Yuri had everything. He’d settled on watching ESPN and let the
sports highlights and repetition of information lull him into a state of
relaxation.
When dawn had lightened the sky, he’d moved his vigil outside.
With his favorite tea mug in hand, he’d sat and watched the sun come
up. It wasn’t a bad way to spend the morning, he supposed.
Somewhere in the house an alarm clock went off, and Dex knew he
only had minutes left before someone would interrupt his solitude. He
picked up his tea from where he’d put it beside him on the step and
104
Jana Downs
took a sip. As much as he loved his guys, he did enjoy the quiet every
once in a while. He didn’t realize how loud his life had become until
he separated from it.
Cross’s voice sounded from behind him. “You okay, big guy?”
Dex turned and looked up into the concerned expression of his
lover. “Fine. Just couldn’t sleep. You don’t look like you just woke up
either.”
“I heard you get out of bed,” Cross admitted, walking over to the
edge of the steps before taking a seat beside Dex. “You worried about
something in particular?”
Dex shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess it’s a combination of nerves
and anxiety. Today is the last day of the normalcy that we tried to
shelter Madigan with.”
Cross leaned his head on Dex’s shoulder and sighed softly. “I
know. It’s strange how I never thought about how much pain and fear
the hunters caused until becoming Madigan’s guardian. I didn’t
support the hunters, but I never stood up for the rights of nephilim
either. It seemed so distant before. Now everything feels incredibly
personal.”
“Agreed.” Dex kissed Cross’s forehead. He knew that the
commander more than any of them was feeling the pressure of the
upcoming battle. “I love you, Cross. I want you to know that I’ll
support you always.”
“Thanks, Dex,” the redheaded angel said, nuzzling his shoulder
where Cross’s head rested. “Let tomorrow worry over itself, though.
We need to concentrate on making this day the best we can. Since
you’re mostly dressed, why don’t you fly over to the tux shop and
pick them up while we make breakfast? I promise biscuits, gravy, and
a mountain of bacon when you return.”
“Hmm, I could get behind this idea.” Dex stretched, dislodging
Cross’s head. He grabbed the rail and hauled himself to his feet.
“They open at seven thirty, right?”
Angel Wed
105
Cross nodded. “Yeah. By the time you get there, they should be
open.” Their ceremony was slated to start at one p.m., but there was a
lot to get done between now and then, including setting up the park
with chairs and whatnot. Madigan’s mother was supposed to be
bringing the cake at twelve thirty, and all the catering tables needed to
be set by then. Bren’s family was set to arrive at ten, and Cross’s two
sisters were supposed to arrive at eleven. Dex just hoped Levi and
Eric didn’t have any problems getting the rest of last minute things
they needed. Marius and the Elites were bringing Madigan’s friends.
Dex prayed for a smooth day because Madigan was going to be
stressed enough. It was exactly why the rest of the guardians arranged
for a massage therapist to come give him a massage at nine. That way
he would start the day relaxed.
“I’ll be back in a bit,” Dex said, jumping the last three steps and
going a few more feet to give him clearance for his wings. The good
thing about sanctuary was that every yard and plot of land was
designed with angelic needs in mind.
With a thought, the script on his back blazed hot for an instant
before reforming to reveal his wings. He stretched them out and
pumped them up and down in an effort to create enough updraft to get
him airborne. It was much easier to fly when he jumped off
something, since it took less muscle power and considerably less
practice. His wings and upper back were a bit sore from his earlier
flight. He hadn’t realized how much he’d stopped using his wings
since moving into Madigan’s world. It was a bit disconcerting for a
being used to going everywhere via his feathery appendages.
He waved at Cross as he slowly lifted off the ground and gained
altitude. He would get to use his wings far more soon enough. His
eyes strayed to the fires that were still burning in the distance. Too
soon, really.
* * * *
106
Jana Downs
The doorbell rang at ten after ten. Bren tensed when it rang four
more times in rapid succession and a chorus of howls blasted from the
front doorstep.
“What in the name of God is that?” Cross asked, jumping as the
banging of “We Will Rock You” started drumming against the wood.
Bren groaned. “Don’t answer it. If we ignore it, maybe they’ll go
away.” He crossed the foyer to peek out of the side window and
shuddered at the mess on his doorstep.
Cross rolled his eyes from the hallway and snorted. “Let them in,
Bren. Madigan is finishing up his massage, and I won’t have him
disturbed.”
“Trust me. If I let them in, the disturbance will only get worse.”
Bren winced as they started chanting his name and banging louder. It
was nearly deafening inside. He could only imagine what the
cacophony of noise sounded like to the neighbors at ten in the
morning. It made him want to climb under a rock. He worried his
bottom lip, playing with the piercing there. Maybe he could pretend
that they weren’t there.
“By all that is holy, the racket is awful. Did someone gut a farm
animal?” Michel asked, coming out of the kitchen from the laundry
room. He had a basket of towels in hand. He looked from Bren to
Cross and back again. “Why isn’t anyone answering the door?”
“Shh, not so loud!” Bren shushed, glancing back out of the
window. Crap. Doyle saw me.
“Breeennnny! Brother fine, open the damn door!” Doyle shouted
in a sing-song voice.
Bren sighed and unlocked the door. He reached for the door knob,
and it all but flew open as his family stormed in like a conquering
army. His feet tangled in the welcome mat, and he tumbled backward.
“Bren!” Doyle shouted, his black eyes filled with laughter. “Dog
pile!”
“Dog pile!” the rest of them screamed before they piled on top of
him. He groaned again as they all chattered at him at once.
Angel Wed
107
“Help!” he said, looking up at Michel who walked up to the
mountain of dark-haired angels.
“Is that one of them?” Brady, the youngest of the nest, asked.
“One of what?” Bren gasped as someone’s elbow hit him in the
solar plexus.
“One of your men!” Brady said. He was so bubbly sweet that it
made Bren’s teeth hurt. He rolled, dislodging the whole mass of them
so that he could wriggle out from under their bulk.
“Yes, he’s mine,” Bren grunted, using Michel’s leg to pull himself
the rest of the way to his feet. He poked Michel’s chest as he got
there. “Thanks, asshole.”
“He’s one of Michael’s!” Brady said, laughing. “He’s pretty.”
“Damn straight. Big brother has plenty of hotties running around,”
Doyle declared, pride written all over his face. He got to his feet and
pointed over to Cross. “Look, there is another one!”
“They’re not freak shows!” Bren snapped.
“Nope,” Brady said.
“Not at all,” Doyle agreed.
“They’re hotties,” Krissy declared. “Introduce us!”
Bren felt the vein in his forehead start throbbing as his temper
escalated. He knew it was a terrible idea for him to invite his family.
They were going to be loud and obnoxious and—
Michel threw his head back and laughed. “Oh wow. You are the
calm one. I’m Michel. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you, Michael’s angel,” they chorused. Brady,
Doyle, Krissy, Cassus, Angelica, and Lucifel introduced themselves
while brushing off their barely appropriate dress clothes. Safety pins
held Brady’s jacket together, and Krissy had gotten another sigil for
strength tattooed down her leg from midthigh to ankle. He could see it
because of the ripped, black and plaid skirt she was wearing. Shoot
me now.
“Who’s the redhead?” Brady asked.
108
Jana Downs
Krissy craned her neck to get a glimpse of Cross, whose shirtless
body Bren had the sudden impulse to clothe. “Is it true, Bren? Red on
the head, fire in the bed?”
Doyle howled with laughter. “I bet it is!”
Bren sighed and offered a sheepish smile to his lovers. “I’m sorry,
guys. My family…”
Cross shrugged. “Hellions. Madigan is going to love them.”
“You goin’ to love us, too, red?” Brady asked, wiggling his
eyebrows suggestively.
Bren growled.
Cross’s eyebrows went skyward. “We’ll see. It depends on how
much trouble you are.”
“We’re lots of trouble,” Krissy said.
Lucifel snickered. “Fun trouble.”
“Loads of it,” Angelica finished.
Bren suppressed another groan. Today was going to be the longest
day of his life.
Angel Wed
109
Chapter Eight
Madigan looked out over the crowd from his place on the left side
of the arboretum in shock at the number of people who showed on
such short notice. All of the archangels sat in the back rows, showing
their support for their angels and, no doubt, for his father, who stood
separating Madigan from the rest of his guardians. They looked
tremendously handsome in their black and white tuxes, wings out
behind them, and all of them were gazing at him with a heat that
would’ve made him blush scarlet had he not been so pale from
nervousness.
Michel had nearly choked up earlier when he’d seen a few of his
family members fly in and take their seats. They weren’t the whole
list, but Madigan was happy that they decided to come even after the
group letter of disapproval of the union. It was a really touching
moment.
Bren’s family was hilarious, and they had brought plastic bubble
guns in holsters instead of the little bubble boxes everyone else was
using. It was like Ozzy Osbourne had a litter of angels if he judged
them on the frequency of their cursing and the way they dressed. They
were sweet though and had regaled him all morning with tales of
Bren’s childhood, distracting him from his nervousness completely.
His friends sat in the front row in special chairs that had
apparently been magicked to make them able to stand high-powered
angel aura and forbidden to move from their seats until all the
archangels left. Daniella and Becka wore matching yellow dresses,
and Christian was slick in his dress pants and light blue shirt. His
110
Jana Downs
mother sat beside them in a pretty red dress with matching pumps,
still smelling of sugar and frosting.
Thoughts of sugar inevitably made his eyes wander to the buffet
tables further down the tree line where his cake was being guarded by
caterers ready to serve their guests. It was the best cake he’d ever seen
her make, and he was really proud of it. The five-tiered masterpiece
was all white, complete with edible pearls and decorations, except for
six red roses in a line up to the top.
“Madigan, I ask that you pledge yourself to these, your guardians,
so that no matter what the future holds, your destinies will be
entwined. Where once you were angel bound, now you are wed,”
Raphael said, drawing his attention back to the front of the ceremony.
Madigan smiled at his lovers and spoke the words he’d been
rehearsing in his head for the past three hours.
“I absolutely pledge myself,” Madigan said.
Raphael nodded and turned his attention to his guardians. “I ask
that you, his guardians, do the same. Pledge yourselves to Madigan,
my son and your ward, so that no matter what the future holds, your
destinies will be intertwined.”
“We do so pledge,” they said in unison.
Madigan grinned as the audience erupted into shouts of
congratulations. His mom was crying from her seat, and he couldn’t
have been prouder to share this moment with her. She had been his
only rock for so long. The fact that this moment made her so happy
was just the icing on the proverbial cake. His eyes went back to his
lovers, who all looked like Madigan felt, happier and more relaxed
than they’d been the entirety of their relationship.
The rest of the ceremony passed quickly, candles were lit, sand
poured, kisses exchanged. The kissing part had taken the most time
and was fantastic. It wasn’t long before they were ushered down the
white runner that acted like an aisle through the seats and toward the
pavilion, tables, and buffet beyond. He waved at Levi, Eric, and
Marius as he passed them on the second to last row. It seemed like
Angel Wed
111
yesterday that he and his lovers were sitting in on their wedding. He
took note of the amethyst-eyed Elite’s arm that was slung over Levi’s
shoulders and thought maybe it wouldn’t be the last wedding he
attended for the group.
With all the angelic energy saturating the space, it should’ve been
nearly impossible to distinguish something “off” in the open area of
their ceremony, but something tugged on his senses and a dash of
black and green flickered out of the corner of his eye. He looked over
to the tree line and saw a figure leaning against an oak just past the
first set of saplings.
“You okay, bright eyes?” Bren asked. Madigan glanced at his
lover who was walking beside him.
“Fine,” Madigan said, giving his lover a smile. “You guys go on
and get us some plates. I’m going to hang back and talk to our
guests.”
Bren hesitated for the barest second before he nodded. “Beware of
my sisters. They will smear their lipstick all over your face, and it
stains.” Madigan couldn’t help but be amused by that. He imagined
that Bren had personal experience in that area.
He let the rest of his lovers get ahead of him before glancing back
at the person in the bush. Who skulked around the forested parts of a
park watching a wedding? He wouldn’t have minded extra guests.
Then the figure pushed off the tree and strode toward him. Azrael.
The swagger if nothing else was recognizable.
“Dare I hope that this wedding is your good-bye to Urun?” the
hunter asked, stopping just short of the clearing.
Madigan steeled himself and shook his head. “We’re not losing
our home or our friends.” The power he normally held in check
fluxed, spilling over his skin.
Azrael’s eyes widened. “So they’ve unlocked your powers. I see.”
He paused. “Don’t you see the utter stupidity that standing and
fighting is? You’ll all be killed. I’m being merciful, and it doesn’t
happen often.”
112
Jana Downs
“Better to stand and die than run like cowards.” Madigan realized,
as he was looking at the aura clinging to Azrael, that the hunter
wasn’t nearly as monstrous as he thought he was. He wasn’t the
boogeyman come to life. He was just an angel who wasn’t even as
strong as Raphael. Madness didn’t increase power, and the threat
Azrael posed, though terrifying in scale, was nothing without the
backing of his numbers.
“Last chance, Madigan,” Azrael said, his power building in his
aura. He’s going to strike me. The thought seemed ridiculous. Here?
He was going to try to kill him here? The sword formed in his grip,
blazing.
“You’re not scaring me, Az,” Madigan said, using the name he’d
given Christian. “You hurt my friends, harmed my family. You don’t
get to terrorize us anymore. You said a week. It’s been two days. Is
that what your word is worth?”
That seemed to give Azrael pause. “I did agree to a week. A week
you’ll have. However, at the end of that time, I will rip your entire
world apart. There will not be a stone left that will not be scorched by
our swords.”
Madigan’s stomach twisted at the fiery passion in his voice. “I
feel sorry for you, Azrael. You live in a world of hate and fear of what
nephilim will do to the world you love so much. If you’d open your
blind eyes, you’d see we just want to exist like everyone else. We
want to live and love and carve a little bit of happiness out in this
shared world of ours.”
Azrael sneered. “You have no idea the things your kind have
done, what it does to the world if a nephilim loses control of his
powers, what wreckage is left in his path. If you knew anything about
the things I’ve personally experienced with nephilim, little boy, you
would fall on my sword and save me the trouble.”
“Madigan!” Raphael shouted from a few feet away.
Angel Wed
113
Madigan didn’t take his eyes off Azrael. “Go on. I doubt my
father will be too happy at your appearance today. We’ll meet again
in a week, I’m sure.”
“Are you stupid, Madigan? In a week’s time, you’ll be nothing but
decaying flesh and bone. Your lovers will be made examples of.
We’ll rip their wings from their bodies and throw their bodies into
hell. I’ll do the last part personally.” Azrael grinned, and Madigan
could feel the truth of his words as he spat his hatred into the open air.
He reacted without thinking, his powers streaming out of him in a
burst of fire from the finger he pointed in the hunter’s direction.
Azrael’s eyes widened, and he dodged the arrow but barely.
Madigan took a step in his direction. “You will never lay a hand
on them, Azrael. I promise you that.” He felt rather than saw his
lovers crowd in behind him. His anger boiled off of him until his
limbs trembled with the emotions. “When you die, you will die alone,
miserable, clinging to your hate when everything else disappears.”
“No he won’t,” Levi piped up, coming to stand beside Madigan.
Where he’d come from, Madigan didn’t know. “See that color?” He
pointed to the deep purple black that ringed the periphery of the
hunter’s aura. “That is his future. The hunter is being hunted himself.”
Even Madigan was a little creeped out by the way Levi seemed to
stare right through Azrael, and he jumped when Levi laughed. “Oh
boy. Your worst nightmares are going to come to pass, Azrael, and
you will embrace them with the fervor of a convert. Before the war is
finished, you’ll join us.”
“Levi,” Erik whispered, pulling the smaller man backward and
into the protective throng of the angels at their backs.
“Shut your mouth, you filthy, dirty-blooded vermin!” Azrael
snapped, looking unnerved. Madigan looked at the bit Levi saw, but
all he could distinguish was the weird color. Azrael pointed his free
hand at Madigan. “I tried to give you a chance at happiness, Madigan.
You have thrown my mercy in my face, and I won’t forget it.”
114
Jana Downs
Levi giggled from behind them. “You wanted Madigan to run
because he brings your fate. Did ya go to a fortune teller, Azrael?
You’re so scared of your own shadow you encouraged enemies to run
so the possibility would die.”
Azrael’s wings burst from his back, and he offered up a glare for
Madigan. “This hasn’t even begun, Madigan Parker.”
Madigan just grinned. “You know, you’re not nearly as big of a
villain as I built you up to be. You have terrible manners, Az, but
you’re not that scary.” He glanced behind him and was pleased to see
his men, Marius and his household, his father and the other
archangels, as well as Bren’s extended family lined up against the
hunter. “Welcome to the new world order, Azrael. We’re all together
now, and the old way is over.” The hunter didn’t answer but instead
turned and walked in the opposite direction away from the clearing
and the wedding party.
Raphael put his hands on Madigan’s shoulders. “You did well,
Madigan.”
“My men will stand beside you, young Madigan. Azrael has
strayed too far from his original purpose,” the archangel Michael
said, his golden head all but shining in the sunlight. Thankfully, the
sun was keeping the chill off them. It was the warmest day in recent
weeks, and Madigan was pleased that their guests wouldn’t suffer too
much in the weather.
“As will mine,” Archangel Uriel spoke up.
“I offer my services as well,” Lord Gabriel said.
Lucifer, easily recognizable by his all black clothing, black hair,
and eyes the same shade of darkness as Bren, stepped to the front so
that he was standing in front of Madigan, facing him. “Now you have
an army, Madigan.” Lucifer was eerie. The angel looked like he was
looking into Madigan’s darkest thoughts and sifting through his sins.
Madigan shuddered. “War will bring much suffering, and you will
mourn before its conclusion.”
Angel Wed
115
Madigan swallowed. “Sometimes there are costs that must be paid
in order to stand for the right thing.”
Lucifer sighed like he’d expected Madigan’s words. “Oh yes.
Such lofty ideas of justice you have swirling through this brain of
yours. Ah, well, no matter. You’re determined. I can’t very well let my
fellow archangels have all the fun.” His black eyes went to Michael.
“We agree on so little, Michael, but we agree on this. You have hell’s
army for your disposal as well.”
Bren’s gasp was audible. Madigan swallowed. “Thanks.” He
blinked, and the archangel was gone. That was still disconcerting.
“Come on, Madi. Let’s not keep our guests waiting,” Cross said,
tugging on his hand to pull him away from the woods. The way
Cross’s hands trembled in his let Madigan see how much the
confrontation had upset his lover. He gave Cross’s hand a squeeze.
“Everything is going to be all right,” he promised as they moved
en masse toward the picnic area. For the first time, he believed it.
Azrael had fulfilled his own prophecy. Madigan had raised an army,
one that would only grow after the public announcement tomorrow.
Peace settled over him. War was coming, but they had a fighting
chance. This wasn’t suicide. This was gaining the right to exist
without threat of pain or punishment. This was living. He looked
around the clearing at his lovers. He loved them more than he loved
anything, and he couldn’t think of a better reason to live.
End of Book 4: Angel Wed
To be continued in
Book 5: Angelic Alliances
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.
For all titles by Jana Downs, please visit
www.bookstrand.com/jana-downs
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com