The Angelus Brothers Chronicles - The Golden Hind

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

Duncan put a protective arm around Marie as Cassiel's jaw dropped and Raphael swore under his breath. Kaia sat motionless except for her breathing which was heavy as she watched the terrifying sight of the vampire's skin pale and his eyes turn as black as the hell hole she'd just left. His fangs peeped out from between his dry lips as he licked them and watched her like she was prey. He smelled so strange, almost like the deep warm musky aroma of a stag but there was no doubt he was a vampire as he eyed her like an exotic delicacy.

"Gabe?" Cassiel's voice sounded unsure as he stood slowly and took a step toward his brother. The older vampire's eyes slipped towards his youngest brother. As they did, Kaia took the opportunity of his distraction to shift into her hind form and leap over the rail of the lowered side of the gazebo and out into the blinding sunlight. Gabriel, with a snarl, spun on his heels and started to run after the hind with all the speed and strength his vampire body could muster but he was no match for the swift-footed doe. She ran in a straight line, her eyes closed against the sun, her heart pounding in panic. With no idea where she was going or what was in front of her, she raced headlong into the lake.

Almost immediately the ground disappeared from under her hooves as the water deepened, she tumbled forward letting out a startled grunting cry. Flailing in the murky water the terrified hind began to sink as she gulped down a mouthful of water, the sundress that now billowed out around her acting as a weight. Hoved legs kicking frantically as she hit something hard and wooden feeling on the bottom of the lake, finding it again she pushed upwards from it towards the surface. Gasping for breath she coughed and sputtered as arms wrapped about her neck and began swimming back with her to the shallows of the shore.

For a moment she thought it was Cassiel who held her so tightly against him, but this body was too broad and solidly muscled to be the lithe hybrid. Catching the musky scent again, her mind reeling she panicked and kicked out trying to escape the crazed-looking Vampire. Slipping from his grasp, leaving him only holding a soggy dress, she sunk to the bottom on her back and flailed her legs attempting to right herself. One of her hooves connected with something firm with a thud and she heard a grunt as the strong legs beside her staggering back. Flipping over to her feet she could hear Cassiel calling to her and bolted towards the sound. With a grunt, she ran full force into a tree and fell back to the ground unconscious from the blow.

***

Gabriel placed the deer gently down on Marie's emergency room table and watched as Marie studied the gash on the animal's forehead. Marie frowned; she had never before seen golden blood. His eyes were still black and the demon screamed in his head that their bride was hurt, it wanted to kill someone. His hands shook as he fisted them at his sides.

"Is she okay?" His voice sounded thick and strange, he could hear the sound of his own blood rushing in his ears. Marie glanced up at him with a worried look on her face.

"Oui, she is going to be fine except for a headache. Are you?" Her blue eyes studied him with an oddly blank expression on her face. It felt like her icy eyes were boring into him and seeing the demon screaming in his mind.

"Yes." She watched him for a few more moments before turning away to put on gloves and clean the wound.

***

Her head hurt, fighting through the black fog that seemed to surround her, Kaia opened her eyes and winced at the pain in her head. Grunting she rolled on her side and fell off the bed where she was laying, landing on the tiled floor with a clattering thud as her hooves then body landed on the floor. Huffing in annoyance she began to pick herself up as a figure crouched beside her.

"Are you okay?" She looked up into the ashen face of the oldest Angelus Brother. Leaping back quickly she snorted at the vampire and watched him warily.

"I didn't mean to scare you." She pawed the tiles gently with her front right hoof. "I... I didn't know how overwhelming it is to suddenly be face to face with your fated one." His cheeks flushed red as he spoke. Kaia snorted.

"Can you talk? When you're a deer?" He asked in a small unsure voice. She grunted and shook her head. For the first time since his father's death, he felt like an unsure child about to be beaten for doing something wrong. She watched him in the dimmed light as he rubbed his left arm then wiped his hand over his face like someone who was deeply tired. His shoulders slumped and he looked defeated. He felt defeated, why would they do this to him, he'd waited so long for a fated one and now he'd been given one she was terrified of him. He could smell her fear mixed with that warm tantalising cinnamon scent. It didn't quiet his demon.

She stepped a little closer and sniffed at him. He smelt so good with his deep musky scent, she moved a little closer again and studied his face. She thought he was handsome by a two-legged beings standard, much like his brothers, with his black hair and eyes that were no longer midnight black but bright sky blue shining brightly against his pale skin. His black trousers and white shirt did nothing to hide that he was huge and muscled, not bulging like the bastard Heracles had been, but strong looking. Like Cassiel he had a chiselled-looking square jaw and strong nose.

His eyes didn't move from her as she stepped back a little and looked at him some more, thinking back to Rouge talking about her vampire. Kaia had never wanted a fated one before, didn't know other creatures or the Gods had someone who would be fated to be theirs but hearing the witch talk had made her consider how it might be to have someone of her own. Someone to love her and care for her as her sisters had. Rogue's vampire had come to another dimension and fought an army to reach her. Would this vampire have come for her had he known she was there? This Gabriel, would he love her as much as Raphael did Rouge? You just had to see them together to see he was completely and utterly devoted to her and nothing else in his life mattered but her. Something she hadn't known existed now seemed tantalising.

She and her sisters had once been like that. As long as they had each other nothing else mattered, they were each other's worlds. Whatever parents they had had may have abandoned them but they had been there for each other. They were each other's everything. Maybe this man standing before her would be like that for her. She had felt overwhelmed before, so many people around her, then the vampire with his soulless eyes and fangs. It had been too much after so much solitude, she'd just had to get out of there and her deer's instinct was to run. The deer in her always chose flight over fight. But now she felt a calmness as she watched him watch her. A strange tingling feeling was washing over her as she studied every muscled inch of him.