Dark Angel Ch. 09

Anniel concentrated hard and allowed her power to flow out. Carefully, she felt her surroundings telepathically. Her skin prickled with cold, but she tried her best to ignore it knowing it stemmed from flowing over and sometimes through inanimate objects.

There were a few things here and there, but mostly wide-open space. She could feel something broad, hard, and flat. It had legs...a table. There was glass or metal containers on it with liquid. Anniel wrinkled her nose when the feel of something acidic permeated it, leaving a bitter taste in her mouth. She wondered how the others managed to do this without gagging. It was awful. Moving on, she encountered a few rectangular-shaped objects scattered about. It felt like more beds, but they were empty. She could smell traces of musk and light sweat. Someone had had sex in the one farther away from her. The residue of energy remained.

Anniel closed her eyes to concentrated harder. Pushing her power out even more, she felt the glass cylinder that contained a life. Could it be Rayne? She hadn't known the girl long enough to recognize her life essence. There was so much torment and sorrow emanating from the source of life. Anniel shied away from it.

A powerful rush of energy washed over her, the kind of energy put out by weres shifting. Anniel's power snapped back into her as if she'd been slapped. Her flesh twitched and she half snarled-half whined, fighting off the involuntary urge to shift too.

Anniel panted, clutching at her belly. The feel of a tiny body squirming within her made her gasp.

"Oh-god. My baby," she said, her voice breaking with the onset of tears.

The scent of Seraph grew stronger, as well as wolf, and...

"Tiger? Seth," she screamed jumping to her feet. She wished she could roll her power out again to find her way to the door, but she really wasn't very good at it. Having heard the door opened and slammed so many times, she knew it was somewhere behind her bed.

With determination, Anniel crouched and made her way toward it on hands and knees, afraid of falling and hurting the baby. She screamed in pain when glass cut her palm. Rising to unsteady feet, she reached out and felt around until she came to a wall.

The sound of clashing metal reverberated just on the other side and the familiar scent of Ashriel filled her nose.

"Oh, no," she shrieked again. "Cyn, don't hurt him-please."

Her hands continued to feel her way across the rough, gritty concrete wall until she felt the cool hardness of metal.

Her fingers scrabbled about for a handle and she cried out when the door grew very hot. Fire. Cyneolle must be using his fire.

Uncaring if she burned her hands, Anniel yanked the door open.

"Stop. Don't hurt him. I love him."

Ashriel allowed the quiet of death to permeate his very soul. His wings spread wide and, sword at the ready, he allowed the cyborg angel to fire up his plasma lasers. Ashriel saw everything in slow motion as the powerful rebel leader aimed. Ashriel just stood still, watching him...and every molecule that swirled around them. The wristbands glowed green and the fire flowed. It was green, and looked as though it had a life of its own. For a moment, Ashriel admired the beauty of the green fire as it danced in a slow sensual arch toward him. The reality was that it raced at the speed of light, but time slowed for a reaper in kill mode. He leapt out of the way, as the flames tried to embrace him and flew right into the cyborg angel.

Cyneolle's body hit the concrete wall with a sold slam, cracking the wall. Bits of rock and cement rained down and his metallic wing sparked.

Ashriel felt pain stab into him and vaulted back. Looking down, he saw his chest and abs punctured with many holes. Blood began to flow.

The cyborg snarled like a vicious animal, jumping back up onto his feet. He reached back and pulled out two rod-shaped objects. Long blades protruded from each metal rod.

Ashriel grinned. "You need two blades to fight me?"

Cyneolle yanked his respirator off. Ashriel frowned when he saw his mouth and nose. There was something oddly familiar about his mouth and nose.

The cyborg angel snarled again. He had fangs and his back teeth, clearly visible in his sneering mouth, were shaped like canine teeth.

"I will kill you," he almost shouted, every muscle on his torso bulging with fury.

Cyneolle came at him—running. Ashriel let him get close and ducked to the side last second, his black wing striking out and sending the cyborg flying into the wall again. To Ashriel, it was like thwarting off the attack of a fly. It was slightly disappointing.

Cyneolle would not stay down and rushed Ash again. This time Ashriel engaged him. Swords sparked fire and Ashriel acknowledged his rival's strength. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to defeat Ashriel. He was accustomed to fighting against many. One cyborg was barely a warm up for Ashriel. They spun and slashed at each other. At one point Ashriel reached out and slapped the rebel leader. His goggles flew, and Ashriel stood staring dumbfound at his own face, but with darker skin and one cybernetic eye.

It was enough to shock him out of kill mode. His mind tried to make sense out of what he was looking at, but the cyborg was still intent on hacking Ashriel to death.

Ashriel threw his body against Cyneolle, knocking him back and pinned his wings with his own. Again, the sense of being stabbed had Ashriel gasping.

Cyneolle effortlessly tossed Ashriel back. His head hit the ground hard, and he felt the metallic angel hovering over him as he tried to gather his wits.

"Stop. Don't hurt him. I love him.," he heard Anniel shriek as the edge of Cyneolle's blade bit into the side of his neck. Ashriel's body arched in pain, but the cyborg withdrew his blade. Ashriel would have been beheaded otherwise. His hesitation had almost cost him his life.

He clutched the side of his throat and looked up at the rebel leader. His body was immense, knotted with thick muscles. His flesh was a deep dark golden brown and his hair dark blond. His good eye was golden with a pale blue starburst shape around the pupil. The other was a metal ball but the iris in the center of the ball matched its unharmed twin. Cyneolle's thick lips were peeled back, exposing his teeth in a snarl. He looked like he still wanted to kill Ashriel, his body shook with barely repressed violence, and his breath rasped in and out of his gritted teeth.

"You're the one that hurt her, aren't you?" he growled with an inhuman voice.

"Cyn, please. Don't hurt him," Anniel begged.

Ashriel looked up and gasped when he saw her. She felt around the wall and reached both hands out, stumbling a bit as she cleared the edge of the metal doorframe. Her eyes looked strange. The skin around her lashes was puffy and shiny, and her beautiful golden eyes looked milky. Horror filled Ashriel as he suddenly realized she was blind.

Cyneolle straddled him, his fist going around Ashriel's neck.

"You worthless piece of shit," he rasped, choking Ashriel. "You fucked her, left her pregnant, and then abandoned her."

Anniel came into Ashriel's line of vision and his shock doubled when he saw her bulging belly. Spots danced before his eyes, but his gaze was riveted on her rounded stomach. He'd had sex with her the night before and she hadn't been pregnant. What the hell was going on?

Cyneolle sent his fist into Ashriel's face and he knew no more.

"Cyn? Ashriel?" All she heard was heavy breathing. She stumbled toward the panting. "Ashriel, baby? Ash?" A sob choked her. "Cyn, what did you do? Why isn't he answering me?"

She reached out to feel but strong hands gripped her wrists. "Do not touch that wretched Seraph.," Cyneolle rasped holding her back.

"Cyn, no," she cried out feeling on the verge of hysterics. "What did you do to him?"

"You said the father of your first born was a blond Seraph."

Anniel stopped struggling and frowned.

"The Seraph that lies there on the floor has golden hair."

Garethiel? Why was Garethiel there?

"What did you do to him?"

"Not enough to suit me," Cyn answered tersely.

Low growling filled the chamber they were in and the scent of Seth filled Anniel's nose. She felt Cyn tense and turn. Anniel gripped his arms.

"Don't hurt him. I know that were." She blinked in the direction of the deep growling. "Seth?"

The growling stopped and she shivered at the feel of power swirling around her.

"Annie. Step away from the cyborg."

Cyneolle snarled viciously and Anniel tightened her grip on his beefy arms. "Easy. Both of you. Seth, don't try to fight him, and Cyn don't you dare hurt that weretigri."

She stepped away from Cyn and tried to dash toward the rush of power emanating from Seth, but the rebel leader gripped her arm, his snarls more pronounced.

"I don't want you to go," he growled tersely.

Anniel turned her head and stroked his arm. The sound of Seth growling now filled the chamber along with Cyneolle's. "I just want to hug Seth." When Cyn's hold tightened, she frowned. "I raised Seth from a cub. He's like a son to me. Let me go to him, please."

Cyneolle's hold loosened until he finally released her.

She raced toward Seth. He met her half way. Her arms wrapped around him and she buried her face in his neck.

He held her tightly. "Annie. I'm so glad we found you. Everything that could go wrong on this trip has gone wrong."

"Where's Devon? I barely feel him?"

"He's blocking himself. I don't know why."

That frightened Anniel, but before she could say anything else, Seth moved forward. Cyneolle's growls intensified. Seth bent and Anniel followed him down, reaching out and feeling another body on the ground. Cyneolle had said it was a blond Seraph, but her nose told her it was Ashriel.

"Seth, tell me this isn't Garethiel."

"Of course it isn't. Why would you think that?"

Groaning came from below and she felt Seth moving beside her.

"Stay down, Ash," Seth said.

Anniel touched his body in desperation and finally collapsed over him, mindful of her belly. She pressed kisses all over his face. "Baby," she whispered. "Ashriel, baby. Are you all right?" Her fingers fisted his hair, her lips reacquainted themselves with his face and neck. Unable to help herself, she nipped him and he jerked beneath her.

"Anniel?"

"Yes, baby. It's me. Oh-baby, are you hurt? What happened?"

"You're bleeding allot, Ash. Damn. You look like Swiss cheese, man. What the hell did you run into?"

"The fucking borg has an armor of spikes. They stab out when the sensors pick up body heat in close proximity. Pretty awesome protection," he coughed.

Anniel felt his chest and abs. The scent of blood grew strong as her hand encountered sticky fluid.

"Ashriel," she cried out in alarm.

"I'll be fine," his hand caressed her cheek. "What happened to your eyes?"

She touched his hand and snuggled into his palm. "I got splashed with King Dred's blood when Cyneolle saved me."

Cyneolle.

Ashriel still felt darkness tugging at his mind but he shook it off. Slowly rising up, he turned to look at the cyborg standing with clenched fists behind him.

His face was now devoid of emotion. It reminded him of Seth's expression when he was trying to hide how he really felt.

Ashriel turned back to Anniel and smoothed his hand over her belly. Confusion and jealousy assailed him.

Had she already been pregnant when he'd lain with her? He'd looked at every inch of her body the night before and her belly had been flat, only the soft ridges of her muscles rippling beneath her satiny brown skin.

She wore a silver, cropped top, with low riding black pants that left her belly exposed and there was no mistaking the round bulge.

"Anniel, what is this?"

Her hands smoothed over his and she smiled a bit before she bit the corner of her lip in worry. "Ash...I'm pregnant."

"I see that, Anniel," he whispered wanting to scream in rage. "When? How? Who?" he finally snarled through clenched teeth.

She winced and drew away from him, her expression hurt. "Who? What the hell do you mean who?"

"I fucked you months ago, and I fucked you last night. You did not have this last night. What happened?"

She brushed his hands away with a scowl and rose.

Ashriel scowled when she reached for Seth. "I want to go home, Seth."

"No problem," the weretigri looked behind Ashriel, "I think."

Ashriel turned once more to regard the cyborg Seraph.

His eyes were on the ground, shoulders slumped.

It was Gareth. It had to be. Or Garethiel had gotten someone else with child. That was possible.

Ashriel took in the color of the cyborg's skin and his eyes. It was a lighter shade than Anniel's and the eyes were a definite mix between Annie's golden eyes and Garethiel's blue ones.

Ashriel stood and approached him. Cyneolle raised his face and scowled.

"Come with us," Ashriel said.

The cyborg's face registered surprise before closing up again. "My people need me."

Ashriel stepped closer, his eyes narrowed. "Your mother needs you," he whispered.

Cyneolle flinched and scowled. His eyes went to Anniel and his scowl faded. "Mother?"

"I think you're Gareth."

Cyneolle stared at Ashriel again. "That name does not sound familiar to me."

"Aren't you curious? Wouldn't you want to be sure?"

Cyneolle watched Anniel talking with Seth. "And if it isn't true, she will suffer the loss of her child again. I do not want to put her through that anymore." He glared at Ashriel. "You have touched her again, by your own admission. She said the father of the child she carries has dark hair." Ashriel blanched. "So you are not the father."

He fingered his locks, remembering that Natanael had made it blond. Ashriel shook his head. "This isn't the natural color of my hair. My friend lightened it so..." It didn't matter why. Anniel was pregnant with... "Why is her belly so big when it wasn't that way last night?"

"She inhaled the toxins in the air. Her entire system became contaminated. In order to keep her from turning into a rager, Doc pumped her full of nanobots. She was repaired and restored from the inside. The nanos accelerated the growth of the embryo to help stabilize and strengthen it. They purified its blood choosing the strongest genes. She carries a full Seraphian female within her."

Ashriel's knees almost gave out. "Full Seraphian?"

"Yes." Cyneolle's eyes looked at Ashriel's black wings. "Full Seraphian blood."

Ashriel swallowed. Seraphians were a mixed race. They carried the ancient genes of the wingless natives and the genetic traces of a divine entity, Ishtabiel, the legendary mother of the winged Seraphs. Only she had full Seraph's blood. Reapers were the only ones closest to having the purest of blood.

Ashriel turned tear-filled eyes to Anniel. Within her womb she carried another reaper. Once the high priests and priestesses in Angelos found out, they would come and take the chickling away. Anniel would lose her second child to the holy sect.

Anniel was livid with Ashriel. How dare he ask her who the father of the baby was. Typical male. She wanted to scream, rant and cry. She was glad she couldn't see, because she really didn't want to look at him. Did he think she was some floozy to question her about the baby? He was the father. She hadn't wrapped her thighs around anyone else since they'd awakened from suspended animation.

"Seth," she said in exasperation.

"Easy, Annie. Let Ash talk with Cyneolle."

"Seth, He doesn't remember who his mother is. He's half wolf and half Seraph...like Gareth."

Seth remained quiet.

"Seth? Did you hear me?"

"Ash is trying to convince him to come home with us."

Annie's heart began to pound. Why would Ashriel do that...unless it was what she suspected all along. Cyneolle was Gareth. He just didn't remember.

Anniel put her hands on Seth, her palms coming into contact with hot flesh. If he'd shifted into his tiger, then the poor thing was probably standing naked in front of her. "Seth, tell me. Is that my son?"

Seth hands stroked Anniel's arms. He sighed and then said. "Yes, Anniel. It's Gareth."

Her legs almost gave out beneath her. "T-take me to him...please Seth."

Seth wrapped an arm around her waist and led her forward.

She felt him close and reached out. Her fingers felt the thick dreadlocks and the massive chest underneath. Uncaring that he remained ramrod stiff, Anniel melted against him and cried. Between sobs, she breathed in his new scent. Her baby. At last she'd found him.

"Why do you cry and clutch at me?"

Her hands smoothed over him. The fabric covering his torso was stretchy, pulled taut over his bulkiness. She felt the bulging knots of his biceps and grinned, thinking that her baby was buff as well as Seraphian tall. She turned her head and kissed the middle of his chest. He flinched.

"Please," he gasped, "No more."

She never wanted to let him go. Sorrow over not having been able to see him grow and knowing all he had suffered because of her absence assailed her. "I'm so sorry, Pooky-boo."

Cyn stiffened in her embrace. "I..." He gulped and squeezed her tighter. "That is what she called me."

"Who?"

"My mother," he whispered after a long pause.

Anniel smiled and then tipped her head back, even though she couldn't see him. "I am your mother."

"Dev wants us to go back up into the palace," Seth informed them. "We'd better get the others and hurry."

"I can't leave," Cyneolle rasped. "I cannot abandon my people."

Anniel tensed. She'd finally found her son and now she had to choose between going back home to Alpha 7 or remaining behind with him on this horrible planet.

"Baby, Devon can help. We can fix the problems on this planet."

"Annie," Seth growled in warning.

"He can, Seth. You know that," she snapped. She wanted her son back home with her. She refused to leave him behind to continue to lose what little humanity he had left. Remi could fix him too, repair his body and tissues, and rid himself of all the mechanical implements.

"Anniel," Ashriel began, "the LOS forbids—"

Cyneolle's snarl cut him off. "The LOS is the primary culprit of our situation. They are the ones who undermine the healthy and free development of all beings. Their hands are stained with the blood of the innocent. They are evil incarnate."

Anniel heard the hard conviction in his voice. "But they are just there as a representation of all living sentient beings."

"It is a lie. The strongest of all civilizations come together to determine how to control and subjugate the weaker. Our people were told that because of the war that broke out in the Edenian solar system, enemy sources had bombarded our planet, trying to take over. The only ones bombarding the planet was our very own government with the help of the king. Our air is toxic because up in the poles is a machine they built that spews toxins into the atmosphere. When one of the council members questioned the existence of this machine, we were told that it was a shield to protect our civilization. The council member was conveniently killed not long afterwards."

"But how would they benefit from poisoning their own citizens," Anniel asked.

Cyneolle laughed. "They sell the ragers to other governments as soldiers."

"Ragers?" Anniel asked again.

Seth stroked her arm, making her turn in his direction even though she couldn't see him. "Flesh eaters, Anniel. The person dies but the body remains animated, just functioning on a basic level—eating living flesh."

"Zombies," Ashriel sighed. "I thought I'd sensed them. Thought it was just my imagination."

Anniel shivered, her heart racing now. "Are you kidding me? But that's just fiction. Zombies aren't real. Please tell me you're joking. We're really not talking about the walking dead—are we?"

"We are," Cyneolle replied in his deep voice. His arms tightened around her. "These creatures have been sealed two hundred levels up, though once in a while they seep down into our levels. It's a big city and most of the levels are not properly blocked off. They were mostly the lower class workers. They could not afford good respirators and slowly became poisoned. Pride kept them from replacing their damaged organs with cybernetics and before there was anything anyone could do, the contamination became an epidemic. They began attacking each other. Their biology changed and their bite became poisonous, more than the air. By the time the upper levels sealed them off it had spread fifty levels thick, taking up almost the entire level block across the city. We were cut off from the upper levels, but we have managed to survive. The ragers provide a certain amount of protection from the upper class levels. No one dares cross the fifty levels just above our section."