Dark Prince

Dark Prince

Alpha Angels Series

Book Two

Levana Hyll

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are a product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously.

Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Copyright © 2010 by Levana Hyll

All rights reserved. Published in the United States by Levana Hyll

ISBN-13: 978-1456348816

ISBN-10: 1456348817

Printed in the United States of America

First Edition

For Jenny, Cindy, Frank, and Gil. My number one fan, Colleen Dunphy from writerscafe and all my other Angel-struck followers. I couldn't have done it without you.

Alpha Angels Series:

Fallen Angel

Dark Prince

Coming Soon:

Angel of Retribution

Golden Angel

Dark Angel

Angel of Redemption

Sethaliel

Devon is an archangel, bestowed a divine sword by a Dominatio the day he was born. Raised by Seraph's, love and kindness fill his life. Surrounded by angels he handpicks himself from Edenia's misfits, Devon feels he is in Heaven... until disaster strikes. One minute he's trying to break up a fight between his beloved angels, the next he's being awakened into a realm of hatred and distrust... all aimed at him. Three hundred years have passed in the blink of an eye for him, his angels have disappeared without a trace, and devils call him master now. Why didn't the Seraphs tell him he was a demon... son of the fallen angel, Davariel?

*

Prologue...

Devon awakened with a start. Heart pounding, he turned over in his bed, his hand automatically going to the cold, empty pillow beside his.

She was gone.

He sat up with a sigh, rubbing the heel of his palms over tired eyes, and then looked around. There was a shattered mirror on the floor at the foot of the bed's pedestal, the silver shards gleaming on the black floor. The silver ball that had sat on one of the nightstands was near the door, reflecting the dying flames of the fire pit in the adjacent lounging area. Twenty paces from the bed, the thick glass that held back the vast vacuum of space revealed his reflection, sitting up in the king-sized bed. His skin looked stark white draped in black, satin sheets, and his hair, blacker than both the sheets and space, hung loose about his shoulders.

In a daze, his mind replayed the last fight.

Lillique had screamed, and ranted, slapping and scratching at his flesh until angry welts marked his fair skin like ribbons of pain. He took it all, doing his best to shield himself from the worst of the blows. When she grabbed a handful of his hair and began pulling, ordering him to kneel, he knew he had two choices; remain standing and end up with a painful bald-spot, or obey and let her finish kicking his ass.

His knees hit the floor with a thud as he cringed, waiting for the continued onslaught. Eyes downcast, he could still see her reflection in the glossy floor of their quarters. Coils of reddish-brown hair had fallen across her cinnamon-colored face.

"That's where you belong, you son-of-a-bitch," her voice grated between clenched teeth. "On your knees, at my feet, for everything I've had to endure."

He turned imploring eyes to her. "Lillique, please understand... "

Stars exploded behind his eyes as his hair flew across his face. Pain, searing and bright, throbbed on the left side of his face where she'd slapped him. Automatically, he shielded himself with his arms, tasting blood in his mouth as she continued to scream at him. "I don't want to understand! I hate this space station! I hate your fucking Master Guardians!" To his chagrin, he yelped when she grasped two handfuls of his long hair and yanked his face up an inch away from hers. For a brief second he saw her green eyes gleam as her sneer twisted into a satisfied grin, enjoying the pain she was causing him. Her grip tightened making him wonder if her intention was to rip his hair out completely. "I want you to take us out of here. Renounce the Master Guardians—or so help me, Devon, I will leave and this time it'll be for good!"

If only I were so lucky—he thought miserably to himself. He gripped her hands, holding them still, feeling the burn of his scalp. "Lilli, I-I can't..."

Making an enraged sound, her fingernails came slashing downward with every intention of clawing his eyes out. Devon teleported out in time, leaving her swiping the air. "Lilli, stop," he demanded from the other side of the bed, not knowing what else to do.

Her face contorted into a mask of hatred. "You just want to be near them! Those two whores!"

He ducked just in time as a decorative chrome ball he had on a nightstand by the bed sailed past his head and crashed against the frosted glass partition separating the hygiene room from their sleeping area. Thankfully, the glass was shatter proof. He stood gaping at her, not comprehending the abhorrence she felt toward his Master Guardian sisters. "Shit! Don't call Annie and Rowie that. They're just... "

"Whores!" Her voice sounded shrill in the bedroom. "It's over! I'm done with you, Devon Angelos!"

She stormed out, like so times before, every sting and throb of abuse covering his body reminding him that it wasn't over. It never was.

He closed his eyes running his hands through his mussed hair. This was probably his punishment for having fallen into the wicked ways of the flesh. The Seraphs that raised him warned him against becoming a slave to his desires. With Lillique, he'd sampled every dark aspect of sex, including allowing her to fuck his ass with a dildo. She'd forced him down on his hands and knees, made him open his legs. After a while, much to his shame, he'd found himself tilting his ass higher so she could penetrate him deeper—how she'd laughed at him when he came. The memory alone made him shudder with desire, despite the beating he'd just received.

Devon hung his head feeling his cheeks burn. I'm so pathetic. I deserve to be paddled. He crawled into bed wanting the inevitable over and done with, but was surprised when only silence greeted him upon waking.

He rose from his rumpled bed, the sheets slipping to the floor. His eyes stared for a moment, unseeing, through the glass wall into deep space.

Lillique's screaming voice still echoed in his mind. She didn't understand the responsibility he had as leader of the Master Guardians. He'd even received a divine sword from a Dominatio when he was just an infant, making him an archangel. The winged cherub-like entities rarely bestowed such honors to beings from this realm. Lillique didn't comprehend at all. She'd always said he was stupid, that he needed to be a man. Sometimes he felt as though she were only trying to goad him into feeling anger. All he ever felt was hurt; hurt when she called him names, hurt when she openly flirted with other men, hurt when she had others laughing at him.

He shivered, feeling a tendril of power swirl around him tentatively; questioning, soothing. The others were reaching out to him.

I'm fine. Getting ready. He sent the telepathic message out to the six other Master Guardians left on Alpha 7. The white winged Seraphs that once guarded Earth's solar system, called Edenia, left a little before Lillique had entered his life ten years ago. They left Devon with the burden of watching over the solar system.

He pulled on his black uniform, with the gold winged insignia over his left pectoral. Glancing back at his room, he let his gaze go over the soothing hues of grey, from the pearlescent metal of the smooth walls to the dark, smoky shade of the rugs by the pedestal bed. Through the frosted glass wall that separated the lounging area from the bedroom, he could see the dying flickers of light from the fire-pit in the middle of the seating area. Dare I hope that this time she's really grown sick of me?

With a sigh, he used his telekinetic powers to lock onto the transport hangar and in the blink of an eye, he was striding toward his Viper. The black tear-shaped transportation pod reflected the grey metallic hangar as his booted feet echoed in the cavernous space. It had once been filled with thousands of the Seraphs' saucer-shaped transports, called Fire Chariots. With the winged aliens gone, the vast hangar stretched empty, most of it cloaked in shadows because the overhead lighting only lit the areas where humanoid life was detected.

Two of his fellow Master Guardians waited for him. It was their turn to go on watch around the Edenian solar system.

Seth leaned against his Viper, hands shoved casually into his pockets, eyes downcast. The bright overhead lighting glinted off his short platinum hair. He portrayed a relaxed demeanor, but Devon felt the angry energy he emanated. At nineteen, the shifter sometimes acted like a grumpy old man. Devon felt touched the boy took such offense at Lillique's treatment of him.

Rowie looked at Devon with sympathetic obsidian eyes. She'd pulled her gleaming black spiral curls into a high ponytail exposing her pixie-like face. With a little pout, she twined her arms around his neck and gave him an affectionate peck on his lips. "Aw, sweetheart, it's for the best you know." She rubbed her nose against his while her fingers stroked his hair lovingly.

He closed his eyes, his hands coming up to wrap around her tiny waist. "I'm okay, Row." Devon kissed her forehead with a sigh, breathing in the sweet essence of her half vampire blood.

Seth's snort drew their attention. "I'll believe that when Lillique doesn't show up again."

Devon reached out and caught the boy around the neck with a smile. He pulled Seth into his embrace. "Easy there, tiger. Don't get yourself worked up."

Devon ruffled his hair affectionately. The were-tiger had been with them since he was eight years old. His mother was an Edenian guardian soldier, the second line of defense in the solar system. She'd dragged the frightened child aboard Alpha 7 stating she didn't want him. She didn't know the man she'd had a brief affair with was a shifter. Had she known, she never would have conserved and used his sperm for fertilization. She'd called Seth an abomination and a freak, and damn lucky she hadn't put him down like the animal he was.

Horrid bitch.

Again, tendrils of power swirled around him. "It's time to go relieve the others from watch."

Devon slipped into his Viper. The dark interior wrapped around him like the welcoming arms of a lover. He loved being out in space. The sight of the billions of stars and galaxies in the endless black never failed to take his breath away. He let his power out, seeking the others, linking with each individual Master Guardian until he came up against the solid wall of power his belligerent blood dragon, Remien, had erected around himself.

What the hell is that idiot doing?—he heard Seth shout in his mind.

Devon tried not to groan in exasperation.

Remien was new. He'd rescued the shifter at the insistence of his Earth-born mother. The woman had tearfully pleaded with Devon to get Remien off Earth before the Edenian council ordered her way-ward son put to death. Picked on one time too many, Devon knew Remien wasn't evil, just angry and rebellious.

Unfortunately, his rebellious nature was beginning to rub some of the others the wrong way.

Devon pressed his power tighter against Remien's telekinetic wall. Remi, why are you shielding yourself from us? Even though he'd used his most soothing tone, the were-dragon's power still heated up a few notches, obviously becoming riled at being prodded.

"Leave him be." Lucien's voice intruded into Devon's thoughts. "He's been a prick all watch.

Lucien's power always felt like a whirlwind around him, swooshing quickly then withdrawing. Lucien never let any of the males get too close either. Devon suspected he might have been abused. His aura swirled with dark colors of torment and pain, but he never dared ask Lucien such a personal question. When the blond beauty with the almond-shaped ice-blue eyes appeared aboard Alpha 7, Devon thought he'd fallen in love at first sight. There was something about the man that called to his heart, like a long lost love. Devon didn't know what to make of his feelings for Lucien. He'd never been attracted to men before. Wanting to explore these feelings, he attempted pleasuring himself secretly thinking of Lucien, but was surprised to find he wasn't the least bit aroused. It even felt uncomfortable thinking about a passionate embrace with Lucien. He simply loved him in an un-sexual way—a relief for Devon. Had he tried to approach Lucien in that manner he was sure Lucien would have ripped his head off. If he didn't know any better, he'd say Lucien hated men, barely tolerated them.

How the hell are we supposed to link with that bastard blocking us? Seth's snarl startled Devon out of his daydreaming. He couldn't believe how distracted he was. What was wrong with him?

Remi—Devon coaxed, but the wall only intensified. He could feel Seth's anger over the blood dragon's defiance.

Remien Fyre, you're acting like a child—Rowie's voice scolded through their telepathic communication.

Even though Remien only opened himself up to Rowie, since they were all telepathically linked, Devon's jaw dropped when the image Remi shot into Rowie's mind registered in his brain.

How's this for a child! The image of Remi over Rowie, their bodies glistening with sweat as he fucked her, blazed in everyone's mind. Remien's blood-red hair was plastered to his back, partially covering the tattoo he had of a dragon as his hips thrust feverishly.

Rowie's reaction was instant. Devon felt the curl of arousal that made her damp, his own cock hardening in response, then the shock, and outrage.

A slew of curses from both Rowie and Seth made Devon withdraw from the link with a headache. He sensed the others trying to intervene in the ensuing melee. They were supposed to be keeping an eye out for possible danger not fighting like a bunch of unruly children. A sense of unease settled over him.

There were many space vehicles roaming about as was normal, including several Utuduodian vessels. These humanoid aliens were from a female-dominated planet. Devon sensed they were reanimating something.

The feel of apprehension intensified. He was about to investigate the Utuduodian cargo, but a familiar presence stunned him. Lillique approached in her own transport pod. What the hell is she doing way out here? The annoyed tendrils of power emanating from the others wrapped around him like a whip, obviously protesting her return.

Their concern warmed his heart, but he knew he needed to fix this situation with Lillique once and for all.

He was about to speak to her when fire burst upon his skin. Devon screamed in agony and bewilderment as flame consumed his flesh. He immediately shielded himself, but still, his body was gripped in the most excruciating pain he'd ever felt in his twenty-nine years of Earth life.

Oh, God, what happened? Are the others alright? His body began shutting down, slowly losing the capacity to retain the energy of his life force. I-I'm dying. No. I can't. Not yet. I've got to help the others. Is the solar system being attacked? Divine One, give me strength. There was nothing to do but use his powers to heal his body. It wasn't a meticulous job, but he healed the damage enough to be able to send out a pulse of his power in search of the others. What he found startled him. They were gone.

B-but that can't be. Not even their life forces are echoing. If they'd died—he choked back a sob. It's like they never existed. What the hell is going on here?

The stars were all wrong too, shifted out of their normal positions as if... somehow he'd been transported three hundred years into the future.

Chapter one...

Angel felt like a caged animal. She paced back and forth in Lady Thania's reception, feeling hateful stares directed at her. Filth covered her from head to toe. Her platinum blond hair was a matted tangle of dirt and leaves, countless cuts and bruises littered her arms and bare legs. One particularly nasty gash oozed blood down her abdomen. Angel had no idea what had happened to her white robe. When Morana purposefully tripped and upended a bucket full of fetid Morai dung on Angel's head as she weeded Lady Thania's garden, all Angel wanted to do was rip the little bitch's head off. Of course, when she'd lunged herself at the hateful girl, Morana's cohorts tried to restrain Angel. Daggers were unsheathed and clothing was sliced to ribbons as they ended up in a ball of writhing violence amongst the colorful blooms of the garden. It took seven guards to separate the four females; four were needed to hold Angel alone.

What punishment would be heaped upon her this time? Most of the Venushtians had accepted Angel's presence among them, except for Morana, Lyana, and Tanar Because of them, the list of Angel's countless punishments reached the heavens.

Angel glanced over her shoulder at her nemesis. The difference between them was like night and day. The other females were dark, muscular, and large breasted. Angel was as white as a ghost, with pale blue eyes. Although she was tall and athletically built, the goddess had not blessed her with an ample chest. Her breasts were two little handfuls that sat pert upon her chest with tiny pink nipples, the subject of much taunting during the cleansing rituals of the fledgling priestesses. Angel snorted, pushing away the feeling of self-pity with disdain. Her lithe figure afforded her speed and agility during battle. She didn't need curves.

Morana looked up at her through narrowed eyes. Angel smiled with satisfaction. Morana's nose was bleeding and she sported a bruise big enough to have swollen one of her chocolate colored eyes shut. Angel smirked. The girl's face was covered with Morai dung Angel had taken the pleasure at having made her practically eat. That'll teach the stupid little c...

A door squeaking open drew everyone's attention. Lady Thania's copper-colored eyes went over each young warrior in the reception. Her nose flared as her lips formed a straight line. "You four... again." The woman sighed, smoothing her long fingered hand over her brow, making her scarlet robes ruffle in the soft breeze that wafted from the balcony doors.

Lady Thania motioned the other three females into her chambers. Angel stood her ground, waiting for the older priestess to acknowledge her too. The woman's gaze swept over Angel's near nakedness. Angel felt herself blush, her gaze lowering to take in her appearance. A few leaves were still stuck to her skin, one strategically over one of her nipples. Her klowt, silver elastic holding a strip of white fabric between her long legs, was already stained with the blood of the cut on her belly. "Angel, clean yourself up. The high priestess has summoned you to her chambers."

Angel's eyes welled with tears, her head snapping up. The overwhelming need to throw herself at the other woman's feet and beg for forgiveness almost had her swaying forward. The priestess' raised hand stopped her cold.

Lady Thania's gaze went from stern to sympathetic. "Now-now, child. Spare me the tears and do as you're told."

Angel nodded and rushed out to her own chambers. The young warriors she passed on her way stared at her as if she'd lost her mind. Angel mused it wasn't everyday one saw a pale, naked warrior run down the castle corridors sobbing like a little girl.

Her mind reeled, trying to imagine why the high priestess would summon her. Could someone have heard her cries in the dead of night? She'd been plagued with visions of the most unusual sort as of late. The most disturbing vision, a demon coupling with her as she'd seen animals do, made her shudder. What should have been a nightmare caused her to awaken night after night crying out in passionate release. She'd whip herself, to rid her body of its shameful desires, but the following night, she would again succumb to the raven-haired demon's seduction.