The Angelus Brothers Chronicles - The Golden Hind

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

"Mind if we join you?" Cassiel grinned at Raphael and Rouge as he escorted Kaia into the gazebo and helped her to sit down. The poor doe was exhausted, they had raided Winston's pantry then walked right around the lake but she had started to stumble as they had neared the gazebo.

"Kaia?" Rouge sat forward as she spoke and peered under the wide-brimmed hat. Cassiel hid a grimace as he looked at the witches' shaven head and ashen complexion.

"Yes." Smiled Kaia as she looked first at Rouge then the huge vampire next to her. Raphael was taller and broader than Cassiel with jet black hair down to his chin and bright blue eyes. He looked huge next to the slim green-eyed witch. But not as terrifying as he had in the darkness of her prison.

"It's nice to finally see you. Well sort, of laughed the witch.

"My eyes can't handle the light yet. So silly hat it is for me." Laughed the doe. "I still cannot believe I am here and not in that hole."

"It must be so strange after so much time."

"It is strange and wonderful. So many new things to learn in this world. The bath, what an amazing thing, a pool of hot water in a house and the way they make houses now. Oh and cake. Have you eaten cake? Cake is amazing." Both Rouge and Raphael laughed.

"Yeah cake is pretty good. You should try chocolate cake and ice cream." Raphael looked down at Rouge.

"You like chocolate cake and ice cream?"

"I'd live on it if it was an option."

"Why didn't I know that?"

"There's no chocolate on the Isle or ice cream for that matter." He raised his eyebrows and nodded thoughtfully.

"Can I have some of this chocolate cake and ice cream? Is it something we can get?" Kaia asked Cassiel. He laughed and winked at her.

"I have never disappointed a lady. If your heart desires chocolate cake and ice cream I shall provide it." The other three laughed while Kaia frowned at the odd way Cassiel spoke.

"What will you do now you are free?" Raphael hugged Rouge as he asked.

"I do not know. My sisters are gone, Rouge and Marie tell me my home in Ceryneia is no more. I cannot just freely roam the woodland any longer as man has changed and will hunt me." She looked lost and alone dwarfed in the hat and ill-fitting dress. "Not that you have not all been wonderful. I just feel a little lost in this new world. I don't know where I fit anymore. I prayed to Artemis, I hope she may answer me."

"If we speak to Duncan I am sure he would ask his father if you would be welcome on the Hidden Isle where we have a home. There's woodland there and no humans. Just the wolf pack and us."

"He won't mind, they took an ugly arse vampire in, they will take a pretty hind." They all looked round to see the huge wolf with his arm draped around the shoulders of his petite mate.

"That's so nice of you, you've all done so much for me and don't even know me." Marie and Duncan took a seat in the gazebo with the others.

"Gabriel is trying to establish a strong chapter of the Olympian army here in his family's home. Helping people is a big part of what he does." Said Marie as she smiled at the doe.

"I need to meet this Gabriel, to thank him."

"You'll meet him soon enough. You'll know him when you do. He's always very composed and proper, like Winston, only more annoying and self-righteous." Cassiel laughed as Raphael nudged him with his foot.

"I wouldn't have my Red back if it hadn't been for him." For the first time in his life, Raphael saw Gabriel for what he truly was. A man just trying to right a few wrongs.

***

Gabriel still couldn't believe what his eyes had read, it was her, they'd found her. The disgraced vampire, the joke of the army, the butt of all the jokes. The one the other Commanders snubbed and ignored, he was going to be the one to find The Oracle. His team had been the ones to find her. Nettie and Maude, his two most loyal soldiers, had done it, he would get them promotions for this, hell, he'd have statues made of them. He raced across the lawn in excitement, looking for any of his brothers to tell his news to, usually, he couldn't swing a cat without hitting one of his brothers but now he wanted one and they had all disappeared. Even Azrael hadn't been in his attic room pouring over his scrolls and ancient tomes. He'd been getting more and more peculiar of late, but Gabriel's mind was too preoccupied to give the matter too much thought at that moment. He noticed Duncan and Marie strolling casually towards the gazebo and picked up his pace to catch up, in lieu of a brother, his newest recruits worked to blurt out his news to. At this moment he'd be happy to tell Rouges magpie.

Seeing they were joining Cassiel and Raphael with Rouge and what must be the Ceryneian Hind who he'd yet to meet he jogged a bit faster towards them. That odd cinnamon smell that kept haunting him pricked at his senses, but his attention was too fixated on his news to register that it was on the air again. It was his demon that was noticing it. It began to stir in the back of his mind, to purr and search for the intoxicating scent.

"I've found her. I know where she is. It's really her." Shouted Gabriel as he raced across the lawn to the group assembled in the gazebo.

"What's got him so excited?" Asked Raphael in surprise. Amaranth's tree rustled in the breeze like it was as intrigued as them.

"Sounds more like a who than a what." Responded Cassiel shrugging. "Who? Is she a looker? I'll consider a good personality and sparkling wit." Everyone rolled their eyes at the young Casanova wannabe.

Gabriel reached the gazebo and grabbed at one of its heavy wood uprights to support himself as he felt his legs begin to shake, he grinned ear to ear as he surveyed the perplexed faces before him. Gabriel grinning was as rare as the hind who sat among them.

"I've found....." His grin faded as his eyes turned black as night and his fangs lengthened, the full force of her cinnamon scent hit him like a tornado waking his demon with a howl of excitement that reverberated around his head.

"Who?" Asked Cassiel as Raphael frowned at his older brother's sudden change of demeanour, he tensed slightly seeing his brother's demon suddenly leap to the foreground completely uncontrolled. The usually calm and collected Gabriel was either about to rip someone apart or mate with them and Raphael didn't know which.

Gabriel's voice came out in a harsh whisper. "My bride..."