CHAPTER THIRTEEN
“Pain, I do not likethe dejavu I’m getting,” Butterfly whispered as he led her to some surprise.
“Trust me, this is nothing you’ve ever done before.”
“Well, something is familiar about it! And that only makes me more nervous. At least give me a hint?”
“It’s something you’re going to love more than anything in all the world. Besides me.”
“Who all is there again?”
“Everybody.”
“As in the sisters, your brothers, the hired help?”
“The whole castle.”
“Why!” she cried. “Will I have to talk or anything? You’ll have to stay next to me the entire time.”
“Every second,” he assured.
“How long will it take? It’s not a party is it? Like some surprise party, I don’t like that.”
“It’s a surprise, that’s all you’re getting. Not another word, Mistress.”
She smiled at how that one name held such power over her. “Fine,” she whispered. “That translates to yes sir,” she added.
“My hand is about to translate pain to your ass.”
“Promise?”
“One more hint. Kaphas will be giving you this surprise,” he said.
“Kaphas?” she wondered, curious as hell now. “Who are you calling?”
“Kult. To make sure they’re ready. Hey, we’re at the end of the hall. Okay, here we come.”
“Oh God, I do not like this,” Butterfly whispered. “How do I look?” she asked for the tenth time at the door.
He grabbed her face and kissed the fear right out of her. “Wow,” she marveled, breathless. “You are such a good kisser.”
He smiled.
“And so cute, God you are so, so, so cute.” A sound startled her and she looked at the door. “What is that?”
Pain opened the door and she gasped at finding all the sisters there, Kaphas front and center, holding a crying baby.
She was practically panting as her heart tried to beat out of her chest, watching as a smiling Kaphas walked toward her with a baby swaddled in his arms. “Alright, you’re okay,” Kaphas whispered to it, nearly silencing the lusty cries to the sisters’ amazement and Butterfly’s.
“How do you do that?” Celeste marveled with a giggle.
“It’s like he’s got connections, yeah?” Rowan thought.
“I do have connections,” Kaphas whispered at him, looking at Butterfly. “We have a special bond. He can feel me, and I can feel him.”
He lowered the baby into Butterfly’s arms as she sucked in a breath, seeing his precious little face, so peaceful now. “Oh my God,” she breathed. “Oh my God, he’s so precious.”
“Meet the little prince of your island of broken treasures,” Kaphas said.
“And he has a kickass name,” Kult informed, getting Butterfly’s happy smile.
“Don’t you dare say it,” Pain ordered.
“Why?” he whined. “It”s the perfect name! It”s who he is!”
“Shhhh,” Butterfly whispered, smiling at the baby. “Use your soft voices and tell me what his name is.”
“Tell her how you got him,” Kult ordered. “Give her the exacts, don”t fluff up the facts.”
Worry stole her smile as she looked at Pain and Kult then Kaphas. “How did you get him?”
“They were giving him up for adoption,” Rowan said, coming forward with a smile.
“Only he didn’t quite make the cut,” Kult added, “so they threw him in the dumpster where he fought for his life and Kaphas saved it.”
Butterfly gasped, looking down at the baby. “They... threw him away?”
“What?” Kult cried to Pain as Butterfly’s heart broke. “I”m not letting anybody steal his heroic beginnings,” Kult guaranteed. “He’s a fierce warrior, he survived getting thrown in a dumpster, there will be nothing he can’t overcome.”
Butterfly worried now, “But...can I still adopt him?”
“You can do a hell of a lot more than that,” Kult said. “He”s yours to keep, no paperwork necessary. Once you kill a baby and throw it in the trash, nobody gets a say if somehow he survives, am I right King?” Kult called to Quantum.
“I’d say it falls under the law of abandonment and the forfeiture of rights.”
“That and the law of die if you try and touch him,” Kult swore. “We’ll get the dumpster ID for his birth certificate just for records.”
Butterfly wiped her face on her shoulder and got back to staring at the little miracle in her arms. “You’ll never want for anything,” she strained down at him. “You have a whole fleet of family here. They will always protect you and love you.” She stifled a sob, looking at Kult. “What”s his name?” She eyed Pain who let out a heavy sigh. “It’s alright,” she assured.
“It’s not official,” Pain said.
“It”s official to me,” Kult muttered, her heart soaring that they were fighting over the name of her very own baby. No, their baby. He’d belong to each of them, just as she said.
“Kaphas likes it,” Kult said.
“I do,” Kaphas said. “It fits him perfectly. He should wear it proudly.”
“Then tell me!” Butterfly said. “It can”t be that bad.” She eyed all the dreadful faces and laughed.
“Garbagio,” Kult blurted. “Defender of the broken and discarded. Ruler of the ashes. Lord of overcomers. And the fucking Boss of Badass.”
Butterfly couldn”t stop her sobs as she nodded, looking down at their angel. “He”s right, little one. You are all those things, aren”t you? Garbagio,” she whispered, placing a kiss on his forehead. “Bagio, for short maybe?” she asked smiling at Kult.
He crossed his arms, and she laughed at his distraught expression. “Fine. Garbagio or Bagio. If anybody calls him anything else, I’ll donate their tongue to one of Pain’s masterpieces.”
****
KAPHAS WAITED TILLall were asleep in the castle before stealing away to Celeste’s room. He knocked softly on the door, listening for sounds. He made out soft steps before she inquired about her late-night caller. “Who’s there?”
“Kaphas,” he called quietly.
She opened the door and the sight of her in that white gown with her hair down made him forget his original plan. Why was he there?
“Are you okay?” she asked, her concern poking at every need in him.
“I’m...having a hard time sleeping.”
She leaned her head out the door a little. “Come in,” she whispered, stepping aside.
He entered and she shut the door, locking it back. He liked that she felt safe to lock him in the room with her.
“Are you remembering things yet?” she asked, coming to stand next to him. “Do you want to sit?”
He went to the loveseat and sat, considering which angle he wanted to use with her. Again he was drawn to the angelic allure enshrouding her, wondering how to best taste that.
“Are you feeling okay?” she asked, sitting next to him, her sincere concern touching him in those deep places even he hadn’t been able to get to yet. She reached out and placed the back of her hand on his forehead then softly against his cheek. “You don’t seem to have a fever.”
“Can I sleep with you? If I promise not to touch you...inappropriately,” he added, not wanting to suffer another night of zero contact with her.
Her compassion filled her face and she regarded the bed then the air space between them. “If you need to,” she said, her brows furrowed. “How are you feeling?”
“Alone,” he whispered, oddly glad it was true. He wanted to tell her the truth in all things but he had to lie sometimes for both their sakes. Mostly his. “I’m behaving like a three-day old,” he said, smiling.
She didn’t return it as she shook her head. “You’re behaving like a perfectly normal... man in your situation.”
He stared at the compassion in her eyes, feeling that special Celeste stir of his powers humming in his blood. It’s very own essence he was sure. “I still don’t remember what happened at my death,” he said, even his gaze comforted by her soft features.
She nodded at him. “It’s okay,” she said softly. He looked down at her hand on his, remembering. “I knew which one was yours. Tonight... when you and your sisters prayed and touched me.”
He found her gaze troubled when he raised his. “I have one more death,” he said, covering her hand with his.
She swallowed, nodding a little.
“I don’t...want to be alone again.”
“You won’t be,” she assured in a whisper.
He slowly closed his hand around hers. “What if it comes early?”
She covered their hands with her other one. “Then I won’t leave you for a single second today,” she said with soft assurance.
He looked down, staring at her hand and placing his other one on top of hers. “What if... I’m Handy,” he barely whispered. “And... I don’t want to be?”
She gasped and he locked his eyes on her wide, anguished ones. “Then... you don’t need to be,” she said very quietly. “You are...perfect,” she whispered, tears making her eyes glow. “Just as you are. You are Kaphas,” she conceded, nodding. “And...” She lowered her head as her tears fell, holding him spellbound. “I’m so very sorry if I...made you feel somehow less than... amazing. Because you truly are amazing.”
He leaned in and kissed her cheek, pausing at her skin when her warm breath raced over his face and neck. He closed his eyes, drawing her into him. “Can I hold you tonight Celeste?”
He felt her barely nod and his heart soared. Then she climbed into his lap and he leaned back as she wrapped her arms around his neck and lay herself against him. She drew her knees in and nestled her forehead into his neck, bringing a boiling heat to his powers at her idea of him holding her.
“Like this?” she whispered softly as he carefully wrapped his arms around his angel, his pulse a war drum in his heart.
He reached up and stroked her head, gliding his fingers over the silk of her hair, absorbing her sweet spirit with his powers. “Just like that,” he whispered as she snuggled closer to him, pushing right against the steel rod of his cock.
After many seconds she asked, “Do you... think I’m... pretty, Kaphas?”
He drew his head back and turned her face up to his, staring into her eyes for many seconds. “What do you think?”
Her gaze lowered to his mouth as the worried lines on her forehead softened. “I think... somehow you do.”
He slowly smiled then she did too at seeing it. “I think pretty is a very sad little word next to your beauty.”
She put her head back in his neck, snuggling on him again. “How sad?” she wondered, her sweetness slaying him.
“So sad... it makes even the saddest tears cry.”
He smiled at her tiny laugh. “That is so very, very sad,” she thought. “I would never want anybody to be that sad, not even a word.”
He returned to stroking her hair, his hand exploring everything it touched. Her contours, her texture, her tiny size next to him, the precise sound and rhythm of her heartbeat as he did. All of it brought on a question he didn’t want to ask for fear of the answer. As he contemplated it, the need to know passed up his anxiety. “Do you feel safe with me?”
She reached up and toyed with a lock of his hair. “What do you think?”
It wasn’t her testing, teasing tone that made him smile but the answer she’d just given. “I think... somehow you do.”
Her tinkly laughter reverberated in his body, and he tightened his embrace, feeling her more. “I think safe is a very, very, sad word next to... no, not working. I think safe is a very, very, terrifying word next to how I feel when I’m with you. Still not good enough,” she complained, twirling her finger in his hair as his powers rippled with her magic. “That’s it,” she realized in light excitement. “There are no words for just how safe I feel with you.”
“None?” he pressed, smiling.
“Not in all the universe,” she decided, factually.
“I’m just a wordless safe haven.”
“Indeed,” she marveled, seriously. “Where do all the words go? You come near and they vanish. It’s like a mean magic.”
“My presence makes you speechless?”
“I think more like dumb,” she said, bringing his laugh. “It’s true! My circuits get all scrambled up, it’s a very messy collision of neurons and I can only imagine what it looks like on the surface. Embarrassing.”
“And all this madness just because you feel safe?” he dared, her sweet words bringing more hunger in his hands.
Her hair twirling slowed in the sudden silence. “Maybe more,” she confessed softly.
He pressed his face against her head. “How much more?”
She resumed her hair twirling. “Maybe... so much more.”
His cock jerked beneath her, and she tensed, feeling it. His hand paused on her hip. “Do you still feel safe?” he quietly asked.
She nodded.
“You nod because you have no words?”
She nodded again and he suddenly hungered to feel her beneath the gown. “I’m starving,” he murmured, his touch slower, more deliberate now. His powers were cranked all the way up, tuning in to her hammering pulse.
“For... food?”
“For strawberries.”
Her breaths turned shallow as desire wound her body tight. “I have run out of fruit,” she whispered, breathless. “I always eat it first from the basket they bring.”
“Your breasts have the strawberries I’m starving for,” he dared.
“Kaphas,” she gasped.
“I should apologize,” he whispered, navigating his hand to the edge of her gown. “But I’m not sorry.”
Her breaths remained sharp as he crept along a secret path under her gown. Midway between her trembling legs, he paused, realizing he didn’t want to take it this time. “I think... I”ll wait till you are ready.”
Her breaths froze. “Ready... for what?”
“To serve it to me.”
The tension in her body gradually loosened and she eased off him, causing his pulse to quake with worry. She stood before him, and they stared at one another till his blood ceased flowing. She reached up and moved the gown slowly off her shoulder, the immaculate gift jumpstarting his heart and breaths.
The moment her breast filled his burning gaze, his control left him. She lowered the other side of her gown and stood, staring at him, both breasts heaving.
“Am I pretty?” she barely asked.
The fear in her tiny words provoked fury in him, that she could possibly not know how blindingly divine she was. He stood and she looked up at him, worry edging the heartbreaking longing in her eyes. He took that perfect face gently in his hands, sliding his thumbs along her skin as he owned every inch. “Your beauty...steals all the air from my lungs. And all the sense from my mind. And when I look at you... I know that I have a soul. Because it grows wings when I’m near you. And soars to places I do not understand and yet long to with all that I am.”
Her breaths shook as she devoured his words then suddenly devoured him, pulling his mouth to hers.
Her passion cut him loose and he grabbed her thighs, lifting her onto him, his hunger and desire sending his Kevlar in a million directions.
“Kaphas,” she cried, her mouth fighting to taste him at every angle as he found the bed. “I only want you, I want you to be my soldier, all mine.”
He lay her on the bed, ripping the gown the rest of the way off and stripping out of his clothes. Her breath rushed out at seeing his body and he knew it was a freak show as his Kevlar armor searched for a way in to that place only she could go, needing to protect him.
He covered her body and she wrapped her legs around him, pulling his mouth back to hers. “You must tell Handy I am not sorry for choosing you and I will never be sorry for it!”
His hunger flared at that confession and he held her jaw, taking control of the kiss. She panted, giving her mouth over to his while grabbing hold of his cock in both her hands, moving him to her entrance.
The second the head met her tight heat, he needed to shove through the barrier, the idea bringing a throb to his canines.
He buried his mouth on her shoulder with a hunger, piercing the warm silk. The second his power entered her, he kissed her and slammed his cock to the very bottom of her.
She arched with a huge gasp, her breasts sealed to his chest as her nails created eight points of fire on his back. He pulled out and delivered another plunge, the pricks on his back turning into flaming rivers with the rake of her nails. He pumped faster and harder, bringing her fingers to his ass and his name on her cries.
He felt his backlash power open up, creating a loop between them, drawing kinetic energy from the air, filling her with his strength as he became a monster a tiny human angel couldn’t survive.
His canines lengthened more as his orgasm rose to lethal, his hips now a battering ram.
“Kaphas!”
His head dropped and his fangs pounced mercilessly through flesh, blasting a shield into her. The second she was safe, his orgasm unleashed, and all that he didn’t remember in his death, blasted through him, revealing who he was and why he’d hidden it. He was not a soldier. He was not pieces of his brothers. He was Kaphas. A partitioned vessel of all their demons imprisoned into one. One that would protect them from their eternal enemies within. And his final death would bring everything remaining that would seal this fate.