Authors: Diana Steele
“I’m coming.” He growled.
She sucked in a deep breath and shoved him away from her, pressing her palms and feet against his chest and ramming him into the ground.
Adelaide rode him, one eye on his convulsing body and the other on the entrance directly above him. “Mmmm….” She murmured as she felt yet another orgasm rip through her body.
He filled her with his infertile seed, grunting as he did so.
Adelaide took in a deep breath to calm her nerves for the suicidal move she was about to pull.
The general looked right into her eyes, his smile fading when he realized what was about to happen.
It was now or never.
Adelaide flapped her wings as hard as she possibly could, grunting at the pain shooting through her body. Without a running start, she was putting the pressure and weight of her entire body on her wings and it hurt like hell. A tiny voice in the back of her head told her she had made a mistake that she had nowhere to escape to; that there surely was an army of vampires waiting to execute her on the spot right at the surface.
Yet, her entire body screamed for her to survive. She had already been an angel-slave. She had put far too much stock in this war that had nothing directly to do with her, and there was nothing more depressing for her to think about than becoming a pawn for someone else, yet again. As her wings began to give out and she could smell the metallic stench seeping down from the surface along with the bright, white light of the surface she decided she would run as far as she could for as long as she could. She would never go home, nor would she ever go back to Daman, the man who would have sold her life without thinking twice of it.
As she exploded onto the ground, she found that the hole actually led to a tent. She spun around, her heart fluttering in her chest as she struggled to find the flap. Less than thirty seconds later, the general came crawling through to the surface, just as naked as she was. Yet, for some odd reason, he was able to maintain his calm. “I must say I am thoroughly disappointed.” He murmured as he walked towards her.
She ignored him, her eyes darting around the tent as she struggled to find an object or anything she could use as a weapon. The tables and shelves were all filled with tactical maps and vials of blood… but no weapons. Adelaide could feel her time running out as he stood there watching her struggle with a smirk on his face. Finally, out of desperation she picked up a chair and ripped one of the wooden legs off of it, creating her very own wooden stake.
The fact that the general didn’t even bat an eyelash at this frustrated her even more.
In fact, he just stood there, his eyes trained her, watching her chest rise and fall with every nervous breath she took. He cocked his head to the side, holding out his arms to her. “Oh come on. Don’t be silly.” He ordered in a condescending voice as he approached her.
She flinched when he placed a hand on her cheek, counting on the sensation of his touch to calm her down.
But Adelaide was much stronger than that. With a gasp, she drove the stake into his belly. He stumbled backwards, a grunt slipping out of his mouth as he pulled it out of him. She took that brief moment of hesitation as her chance to run. She spotted the flap that led to the outside world and squeezed herself through it.
Outside was a group of tired-looking, yet completely unassuming vampires, caught off guard by her emergence. She sprinted down the row of tents, her chest wheezing and her entire body aching as she continued to run. Once she had reached the outskirts of the camp that bled into the forest, she could hear something behind her and in front of her. Her heart began to pound against her chest as the thought of an ambush… the one that the general had promised, consumed her mind.
But that sound of someone running; the thumping against the soil and the ripping of the leaves continued on behind her, so she had to turn to see what it was. A gasp escaped out of her heaving chest when one look told her that it was the general himself that ran after her.
Adelaide turned back around just quick enough to see Daman standing in front of her, but not quick enough to stop herself from ramming into him. She yelped as he wrapped his arms around her, but she wrenched herself from him, her fear and frustration getting the best of her. “He’s coming.” She gasped. “We must run.”
But he wasn’t listening to her; he held her face in both of his hands, his dark eyes piercing right through to her damaged soul. “Why are you naked?” he demanded. “What did he do to you?”
“Nothing that you hadn’t already done.” Adelaide snapped.
Daman frowned. “When the general makes up his mind, there is nothing I can do to stop him.”
Adelaide rolled her eyes at this attempt at an explanation. “So why are you here?” she demanded.
He furrowed his brow. “You know I could never leave you to die!” he roared.
This finally got through to Adelaide. She looked up at him and saw a softer part of him that she had never really experienced before. She found herself more drawn to him in that moment than she had been the entire time that she knew him.
“I love you more than I’ve ever loved another creature and I’m sorry if I ever made you feel any differently.” He pleaded.
Adelaide heard a sound behind her. “Well, well, well. If it isn’t the heart-breaker.”
It was the general.
Daman shifted his gaze above her shoulder, his eyes hardening.
“No.” Adelaide pleaded. “We are in enemy territory. We have to run.” She gasped.
He nodded and in the next moment, the two of them broke into a sprint. Despite the pain reverberating through Adelaide’s body, she took to the air as quickly as possible, saying a quiet prayer that she wouldn’t run into another angel in the sky. Yet, oddly, her flight was eerily uneventful.
Finally, she made it through no man’s land, tumbling down into the grass of the field in front of the demon camp. She tried to get back on her feet, but found that she was much too tired to manage. Her wings folded onto her back and her limbs gave out, leaving her in a puddle of arms, legs and feathers.
Through her partially open eyes, she saw Daman approach her. Without another word, he took her into his ghostly arms and carried her home.
All is Fair in Lust & War
Book 2
Morgana Patrick
Copyright © 2015
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This book is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents and dialogue are drawn from the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. While reference might be made to actual historical events or existing locations, the names, characters, places and incidents are either products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
DISCLAIMER
Please don’t be stupid and kill yourself. This book is a work of FICTION. Do not try any new sexual practice that you find in this book. It is fiction and not to be confused with reality. Neither the author nor the publisher or its associates assume any responsibility for any loss, injury, death or legal consequences resulting from acting on the contents in this book. Every character in this book is over 18 years of age. The author’s opinions are not to be construed as the opinions of the publisher. The material in this book is for entertainment purposes ONLY. Enjoy.
Chapter One
The vampire shadow extended across the plains that housed both demon and vampire camps. The clouds were dense and dark, casting a perpetual night out on the forest. Adelaide’s wings beat through the stench of vampire blood and demon death; of burning and of spells cast. She wrinkled her nose, squinting her eyes, because even though it was harder to see this way the smoke burned if she didn’t. With her lips pursed and her gold-coated arms pressed to her sides, she cut through the air as she concentrated her efforts on resisting the urge to breathe. Energy coursed through her body, driving her heart forward, her wings upward, and her internal temperature up. She knew that the suit was made to keep her skin safe from the scars and burns a battle of electricity and fire could cause, but with the smoke coating her hair and skin, the constant flying and the Energy coursing through her veins to keep her in flight, the heat was driving her crazy.
Daman.
The sounds of vampires screaming and demons popping in and out of form along with the firing of weapons, the clanking of silver swords and machetes, and the booming of explosions filled her head such that the only thing she could keep in her mind was one word: Daman.
She peered down at the battle below her, which, at this height, looked like an amorphous cloud dotted with blobs of beings. Every once in a while, she could hear the unmistakable screech of a vampire death, or the ghostly whoosh that marked the end of a demon’s existence. The peaceful plains, covered in dark green grass and spotted with bushes had been transformed into an ash-covered waste-land dotted with the spots of hell fire the demons had summoned from below. She had been instructed to watch the line of vampires so that she might spot the exact moment when General Constantine enacted retreat. The demons had partitioned another army waiting within the dense forest that separated Constantine’s camp from No Man’s Land. Daman was in command of it and thus, he needed to know exactly when the vampires planned to retreat so he would be ready to take them out.
With a fluttering heart, she listened to True Death wrap its hands around soldier after soldier, wanting nothing more than to dip down, grab a silver machete, and slay vampires with her own hands. Her wings were growing more and more tired and the smoke continued to gather up at her heights, burning her eyes and making it impossible to breathe. She missed the air, the sweet, crisp oxygen that would sift through her lungs and rejuvenate her skin. Her blood felt heavy and thick as it seeped through her veins, weighted with carbon and toxic. With every passing minute, it was harder and harder to remain in flight, or even to remain concentrating but even through all of that, she could tell that the demons were winning.
The unmistakable cry that marked the end of a vampire’s life had nearly become a permanent part of the landscape. Beyond that, fire covered the ground and the purple mist that marked traveling demons hung in the air. She squeezed her eyes shut for a short moment so that she could concentrate for long enough to summon the amount of energy it would take to redirect her wings. In the next moment, she was flying below the dense cover of the vampire shadow, bathed by the ever rising smoke. At this height, she could see much better. It didn’t take her very long to spot Constantine. He zoomed through the crowd of bodies, the blur of his frame capturing demons right before his iron-clad grip and impossibly sharp teeth ripped them to shreds. That was the trick: to catch them when they weren’t expecting it. That way, they could scarcely render themselves formless before the vampires got them. As she watched, Constantine grasped a demon soldier by its neck. He reveled in its death raising the shadow of a body up to the heavens as a sneer spread across his menacing face. He hissed something at him, before taking his free hand and driving it right into the chest of the demon. He ripped his heart out and threw it onto the ground, where its crumpling form joined the ashes. The demon fell limp in his hands, before falling to the ground.
Meanwhile, the General with one striking arm summoned another bout of fire from below. It exploded through the ash-covered grass, igniting an entire mass of vampires aflame. Constantine stood still as he watched, his dark red eyes squinting at the ruin. He turned his head as his gaze swept the vast battle happening before him. He realized what Adelaide and the General always knew would happen right about then. It was time for surrender.
Adelaide did not wait for the call, for she was far too excited, and much too certain to stay around for a minute longer. She knew that Daman stood just beyond the line of the forest, like a sitting duck, waiting for her call. The sooner she got there, the better. So, she flew through the dense air, pumping her wings and pumping her wings, ignoring the burn in her chest or the ache in her back until she had finally made it beyond the smoke-cover. She lowered her altitude, diving towards the tree line with her arms glued to her sides. When the ground began to approach her so quickly, she thought she might penetrate it, she tilted her body so that she was standing upright with her arms outstretched so that she could balance herself. Her feet slammed into the ground, raising dust.
Daman, who stood talking in hushed tones to one of his comrades, a demon male with long, dark hair and small brand on the side of his neck, turned at the sound of her arrival. Adelaide sprinted towards him, the corners of his lips rising in relief right before it quickly morphed into a grimace of anticipation. “I saw it.” Adelaide gasped as soon as she reached him.
He grasped her face with each of his hands. The sensation of his touch was a comfort in and of itself and it made her feel as if she could go another two hours in the smoke-filled sky. “Are you all right?” he asked, the intensity of his voice making his worry apparent. His violet eyes scanned her body for any and all signs of injury.
But there were none. “Yes. I am fine.” She replied. Adelaide’s urgent need to protect him had been replaced with a mild annoyance with the fact that he was smothering her so much.
He released a deep sigh and kissed her on her forehead. “All right. Well, what does it look like?” he asked.
“It looks like an impending surrender.” Adelaide explained in a quick voice, while her eyes looked past him at the crowds of men gathered behind him.
Daman gave a curt nod, before gesturing at the rest of his men to assume their positions. After a quick five minutes of hissed orders and shuffling of feet and weapons, the demons had disguised themselves within the cover of the trees. Adelaide, who had lodged herself in the top branches of a tree about three feet deep in to the forest with a rifle loaded with silver bullets, listened to the rumbling of vampires fast approaching. They would come quicker than a swift wind and would cover the sod and brand the trees. Her hands clutched the weapon so tightly that her knuckles became white and her fingers ached.
“Psst.”
Adelaide turned in the direction of the summons to find Daman staring right at her from the tree in which he sat. She raised an eyebrow at him.
“Be careful, Addie.” He whispered.
Adelaide had to restrain herself from rolling her eyes. However, she didn’t have any time to offer a response, for as soon as those words left his lips, the ground began to shake. The trees trembled from their roots. Adelaide held fast to the thick branches that surrounded her as the trunk of her tree trembled to a dangerous degree. The sickening sound of wood splitting clean in half filled her ears, just as the soldiers began to shoot at the vampires.
It took them less than a minute to realize they were being attacked and where this attack was coming from. The vampires began to grasp at the roots of the trees. Some of them scaled the trees, reaching the top and slaying the demons that awaited them. Her eyes began to tear up when their shadow descended over the forest. The screeches of death cut through the air, making it impossible for her to concentrate on firing her weapon. The tree she clung to shook so dramatically, she could scarcely see straight in front of her. Although she found it hard to think, and her stomach lurched, twisting and turning within herself and her ears rang from the diatribe of gun shots, she found it in herself to point her weapon and shoot. With her brow furrowed, her lips pursed and her teeth clenched. She fired bullet after bullet, ignoring the impact reverberating through her shoulder bone. She could not deny that she felt immensely powerful, sitting atop of that tree seventy feet in the air, picking out vampires like they were cattle.
As she paused to reload, she saw something move out of the corner of her eye. It was Daman. A vampire had just split his tree in half from its base. Daman tried to hold his bearings, but the branch yanked backwards, throwing him into the air.
Adelaide’s heart stopped as her jaw swung open and a scream, coming straight from her gut seeped out. Tears streamed from her eyes as she watched his limp body fly through the air. She instinctively dropped her gun. By the time it hit the ground, she had already launched herself into the air. Hot Energy seeped through her veins, making her skin hot as fire as she zoomed through the air, expertly dodging the bullet fire coming out from demons who had not fallen. Those that had, continued to fight the vampires from the ground, throwing silver spears and wielding knives.
Adelaide held her arms outstretched in front of her as she raced through the skies, her body slamming clean into Daman’s as he plummeted through the air. A grunt slipped out of her lips as his body dragged her down. She fought through the pain, flapping her wings as hard as possible to keep both of them in the air. But what little strength she had left was rapidly depleting. She could scarcely hold her own body in the air, let alone a man’s. She grunted again and glanced down at Daman, who was too weak to even open his eyes. She was entirely alone in this.
With a sigh, her wings gave out, the smoke-covered, ash-encased feathers falling limp next to her sides. She clenched her jaw, bracing herself as she tumbled through the air, the air ripping at her skin as she plummeted down to the ground. Her back slammed into the side of a massive tree, the impact of this throwing her out in the other direction, where she skidded into the sod. Leaves and twigs clung to her body as her mouth filled with soot and mud. “Daman.” She croaked, as she laboriously sat up, ignoring the burn her skin and the tingling in her muscles.
He rolled over, shaking his head in confusion.
“Daman, are you all right?” she repeated in a broken voice.
He did not answer, but stood up, charging towards her with that same worried look in his eye.
Adelaide yelped as he yanked her up until she was standing and dramatically scanned her body, looking for any wounds. When he was satisfied that she had not been seriously compromised, he ordered her to, “Get out now! Go back to the camp.”
But Adelaide shook her head. Her wings were shot and the only way back home was through the fighting. “I can’t.” she muttered. “I-… I can’t fly.”
But Daman didn’t want to hear it. His eyes penetrated her with a sharp glare as he took both of her shoulders in each of his hands. “I said, go!”
Adelaide could feel his voice inside of her. “I don’t have enough energy for flight!” She screamed, and even as she said this, she could feel hot beads of sweat sprouting on her forehead and dripping down her face and neck. Her hair, which had been ripped from its tight bun clung to her face and neck. She felt so hot and stuffy that she could barely breathe. Another flight was out of the question.
The next thing she knew, Daman snatched a fallen rifle off of the ground and charged back into the fight. Adelaide felt completely lost. She turned, her gaze sweeping the destruction occurring all around her. Demons hissed as they died, their clouds of purple mist filling the humid air. Adelaide peered through the forest in front of her, but she couldn’t find Daman anywhere. So, she did the only thing she could: she picked up a machete that had been dropped by a now-dead demon and ran into the fight.
It was not difficult for her to find clash, for as soon as she had stepped back into the battle, she felt something tug at her wings. She whipped her body around and found herself staring straight into the dark red eyes of a vampire soldier. She yanked her hand through the air, swinging the machete at him, but he acted fast, grabbing her wrist with his hand. Pain shot through her arm, as she let the knife slip through her fingers, snatching it with her free hand and driving it into his torso. The vampire froze, his eyes wide open as he clasped the handle of the machete with both of his hands and stepped away from her. She wrinkled her nose at the stench of his flesh dismantling in front of her. She grabbed the knife and ripped it out of him, holding it away from her body to prevent the vampire blood from getting on her.
As Adelaide returned her attention to the battle, she realized that a tide had somehow shifted. She walked back through the forest, keeping her eyes peeled for Daman, but noticing all of the violet blood that had been spilled. Her heart sank at this. They had lost. A lump had lodged itself in her throat as she took step after step after step and still did not spot Daman. The forest had been dotted with demon armor the remaining vampires scoured for valuables, but still she did not see Daman. In fact, she did not see one living demon the whole time she spent walking through the forest.
By the time the field of ash was in sight, revealed in between the thinning trees, she still had not spotted Daman, dead or alive. The heavy knife slipped from her fingers, landing on the ground with a deep thump. It was a struggle to press one foot in front of the other, because what was it all for? If Daman had vanished; if he had died, what would that mean for her? What reason would she have for returning?