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CHAPTER 16
Torin met Azrael as they returned. "Here, Master. Let me have her." He had begun pulling power for the healing the moment the barrier was shattered and he could feel Jenna again.
"Ssshh," Azrael gently pulled away, pushing Jenna into Torin's arms. "You are home Jenna. I will be here. You let Tori heal you, I will be here as soon as he is finished." He looked up at his Chosen. "Heal what you can. Call me if you need my help. But for now, I must trust my love to you. I have a Childe seeking death on my hands. If I don't convince him of his safety, he will fade."
Torin looked at the marks on Jenna's body, tears flowing down his cheeks. "Oh God, baby." There was so much, she had been hurt so badly. "Ssshh, wait baby. It will be all right, I'll make it all right." Force flowed from him, his own power erasing the blood brands on her body. ' At least he wasn't a mage, thank you Lady' . Torin sent a quick prayer of thanks to the goddess. If he had been a mage, there would have been no way for Torin to heal her; he didn't have that Kind of power, yet. But the beast was only a vampire with trumped up psychic abilities. The marks faded under his hands, the burns leaving only the faintest of scars on her breasts, buttocks and mound, moving to heal the tattered flesh there. They would fade with time. Jenna wouldn't have to be reminded of her pain.
"Please, baby, let me see." She still suffered; Torin dreaded looking down as his fingers parted her legs. He knew what he would find. "How the fuck?" How did a vampire blood-bond anyone here? "Baby?"
"Balls," she whispered. "Shiny little balls on rods, his whole organ was shiny, sharp little balls on rods." The sight would haunt her for the rest of her life. "Tori, I'm ruined. Please, I can't live like this. Let me die."
"No!" He refused to believe that there was nothing that could be done. "I'll heal you, I promise. You've come through bad times before, you'll make it." He poured everything he had into her, but other than healing the burns. He couldn't remove the brand. It was too total. The mark was seared too deeply into her flesh. He couldn't reach it. She would feel no pain, but nor would she ever feel anything here again.
'There has got to be something I can do' . He was frantic. If he left her like this, a constant reminder of what had been done to her, she would die. No one could live with this done, to, them. 'How do I cover everything at once'? That was the problem he had to pull a combined power that covered the burn evenly to rebuild the tissue. This was not going to be easy.
* * *
Azrael sat Kary down beside him on the couch. "Are you afraid of me Childe?" He took the boys hand in his.
Kary looked down at the hand that held his. "Yes, Master." What would happen to him now? How much more would he have to suffer? 'Shiva' , his mind cried out to a dead man. 'Forgive me, I wish I had died with you'.
Azrael tilted his chin up, so that he could look the boy in the eyes. "We will talk Kary. I promise you. Grant me the, time, I ask to do what I can to help you. If I can give you no reason to want life, I will help you end it. But allow me the time to try."
"Yes, Master." Was the automatic response for the last several days, "my life is yours."
"Good, the first thing we will do is get you cleaned. You look to be about Billy's size." He turned to David. "Vincent would your pet Billy mind loaning this Childe some clothes. I will see to his needs later. But for now, he needs a bath and something clean to wear."
David nodded. "I will see to it Master. If Kary will come with me, I'll get him cleaned up. I'm sure Billy would be happy to loan him a few things." He laid a hand on Kary's arm. "Will you come with me?"
"Master?" Such pretty eyes, it was a shame there was fear in them.
"Go with Vincent. I will be here when you return. We will talk soon."
* * *
Jenna watched Torin's face as he struggled to heal her. "You can't do it, can you? I'm going to be like this for the rest of my life." She couldn't feel his fingers as the worked inside her or the hand that rested over her sex. The scarring was total. She would never feel anything again.
"I will heal you, I swear it." But he was beginning to believe she was right, that there was nothing he could do to make it better.
"At least I have one avenue left." She whispered. "He even mocked me about it. Saying the pretty faces were a dime a dozen, but a nice--" she choked back a sob. "A nice ass was hard to find. Asked me if my Master ever used me like that." More strangled sobs. "Laughed to know that it was Azrael's preferred choice with me."
"I have no preferred anything on you." Azrael knelt beside them. "I love your body, all of it. Your face, your breasts, your form, there is not a portion of you that is not lovely to me. Never forget that." He looked to Torin. "Can you help her pet?"
"I can't get to it. I have to be able to lay my hands on all of the burn at once. I can't do it." He wiped a tear from her face. "Forgive me Master, I have failed, again."
Robyn sat there listening to them. He has to be able to get to the entire problem at the same time. She ran the dilemma through her head. It obviously wasn't like a regular burn, but more like an infection. Like a rash of some Kind that if you didn't treat the whole thing, it would just spread back. "Master."
Azrael hated to look up, to look away from his hurting one. "Yes Robyn."
"Got a question for you. Isn't there some way to get power there? Mix up potions or something. Flush her out, you know like if she had an infection."
"It's not that easy pet. This is not an infection, but a chemical reaction very similar to a form for acid."
"So figure out a solvent. Almost all acids have neutralizers."
Torin's head snapped up. "Yes," he looked down at Jenna, then to Azrael. "It just might work."
"What might work Torin?" Was there, hope? Could his wunderkind have an answer?
"A solvent." He pressed Jenna into Azrael's arms. "Blood did this. His was stronger than hers, that's how a brand is placed right?"
"Yes, what are you getting at Torin?"
"Well, what would happen if more blood was introduced? Blood stronger than his was. You have a bond with Jenna. Your blood already has altered her. You made Mo your pet, gave her your blood and it saved her life. What would happen if she were able to get a dose of your blood there? One that has been Magickally altered, so that the healing properties are all that remain. I mean think about it. That first night I was here, sex was great, but it wasn't till you came in me that the soreness faded."
"This is a bit different Torin. Yours was sore muscles and I had to consciously defuse my blood so if I tore you, you, would not suffer the fate my Jenna is suffering."
"But don't you get it. You fixed your own blood. I did tear a little that first night, the pain wasn't anything to think about, I was having too much fun, but when you came that first time in me. The pain was gone. The healing properties took over." This was an idea, a workable idea. "So what if I do a super healing on your blood, where not only have you fixed your blood where it doesn't do anymore damage, but it also increases it's ability to heal." It was a good idea, better than anything he had thought of so far was.
Azrael considered it. At worst it wouldn't work. But, Torin was right; there might just be a chance in this. "What do you want me to do?"
"Maria," Torin closed his eyes at the fear and pain in her eyes. "You wouldn't have one of those disposable douche things would you?"
"No, but there is an old fashion one in the dungeon."
Torin didn't even want to know. "Do you know where it is?" She nodded. "Go get it." He smiled down at Jenna who lay in Azrael's arms a look of fearful hope in her face. "Don't get your hopes up. It might not work, or if it does it might take a while."
"So what is your plan?" Azrael was ready to try anything.
"If I can get you to bleed into the bag, and alter it like you did with me. I will see what I can do to up the healing properties in it. It is about the only shot I can think of. Blood is pretty powerful stuff, and when used in a ritual adds power normally unavailable. I'll make a healing potion out of it and see if it is strong enough to counter what that jackass did."
Azrael considered it. "But Torin, the amount of blood in my release is small, you know that. There are other fluids, there, lubricants, intoxicates similar to those in my saliva and bite. I can't swear that you can alter that much whole blood."
"Okay, so jack off. I need as much as you can give me quickly."
Robyn shook her head. Her master was over three thousand years old, and he couldn't figure this out. "Uh, guys." She raised her hand a little. "Got an idea. If Azrael can alter the blood before it comes out in sex, why don't you just do it that way? Or do you have to work on it before it gets into her?"
"No, not if I'm ready when he does." He reached over and kissed her. "Goddess, I love you Blue."
"Hey, like it's part of the package deal right?" She hugged him. "You get strapped with Zak and William for in-laws, I get a whole house full. Now go do your stuff."
"If I don't see you before light, I'll ask for some time with you tomorrow night." He kissed her once more. "Azrael might want me to stay with Jenna come light. It's just an hour or so off."
"Robyn, go to Megel, ask him if he would chain you for me tonight. Tell him I want Mark to stay with you." He smiled at her softly. "You do what my boy tells you to do. You will be in a bed."
Robyn closed her eyes. "Okay. Take care of everything, I'll see you later."
"Have fun precious."
* * *
David sat on the edge of the tub as Kary bathed. "Azrael will have all those obscene marks removed from you." The kid looked like hell. Set had branded him with perverse sexual designs. "That bastard never hurt you like he hurt Jenna did he? Your rectum isn't scared, is it?"
"No Master. He did that to himself for her, and her only. He threatened me with it, just as soon as he tried it out on the girl, but." There really wasn't anything else to be said. Set was dead. He would never be able to hurt anyone else again. "Will my new Master brand me as well?"
David thought about this. So far the only two people in the house that carried Azrael's brand were Michael and Maria. "Don't know, I guess would depend on exactly what you were to him. But if he does, Megel or I can keep it from hurting."
Kary touched a marred mark on his chest, over his left breast. "He ruined it." The words were softly spoken, but the pain in them was strong. "Shiva gave me his mark, the night the transformation was complete and I was true Kin. Set, he--he ruined it."
David reached out for him. The Childe was in so much pain. Azrael needs to let this one die. Or remake him. "Come on up Kary. Let's get you dried off and dressed. Azrael will tell you where you are staying at light.
"I loved that mark." He never looked up. His attention on the once lovely brand that Set had mutilated, "I was his, and he loved me." He looked up, tears in his eyes. "He loved me! Just the way I was. He didn't ask me to pretend to be something I wasn't."
"I know Kary. Believe me, I know. I love Lilith like life itself. I understand how your Sire felt. Maybe Azrael can save it, or at least part of it for you. Ask him. Don't be afraid, just reach out to him. If you try to accept him, he will move heaven and earth to help you."
Anna met David as they returned. "Hi, is he all right?" Michael had explained things briefly before taking Joseph to bed.
"Working on it. Where is everyone?"
"Gone. Azrael and Tori took Jenna and left. Megel drug Cain to bed, he kept falling asleep on him. The humans are locked up for the night. Megel asked it you would keep Kary. I'm going to go sleep with Selene."
David turned to Kary. "Would you mind sleeping with me? If you would rather not, I'll find you a room to sleep in. I'll put you out till one of us wakes you tomorrow. That way I won't have to worry about you doing something unwise."
Kary stepped closer to David. "I--I don't want to be alone." He wouldn't look up. He couldn't look anyone in the face.
"Sleep well honey, I'll see you tomorrow night. Remember, you have to eat in."
"I will, take care."
David watched as Anna led Selene out of the room. "Well, I guess we need to call it a night." He reached for Kary's hand. "You want me to hold you tonight?"
Kary looked up at him. Would he want to, would it hurt like it had with Set? Would he make him? "If you want to, Master."
David snorted. "I hate when someone says that. Come on Kary, we'll work out logistics once we're in bed."
* * *
Jenna lay with Azrael, crying as he touched her. "Please, Master, don't do this." She couldn't bear him touching her right now, not like this, with her unable to feel him.
"Ssshh," Azrael kissed her. "I understand precious, really I do. But I must. If there is a chance to heal you, I will take it." He kissed one breast then the other. "Lay back Jenna. If this doesn't work, I will never touch you again without your request." He smiled down at her, his eyes shining with his love and pain. "I will always be here for you my love. But I will allow you the space you will need to come to terms with this."
"Master." She moved to press closer against him. "Promise me something, if Tori can't heal me, if I have to carry his handiwork for the rest of my life. Promise me you'll kill me. Don't make me live like that. I don't feel like I'm yours anymore. He made me beg for this, made me like it. If I have to walk around with that as a reminder, I'd rather be dead."
Azrael fought back a cry of anguish. She deserved to live. He had promised her life, one free of fear, of hunger or pain. He had failed to live up to his word. "I promise you Jenna. I will not make you live if you cannot stand to be with me anymore. I would free you if I could." He kissed her. "Please precious, I will never touch you again, I swear it. I will see to your every need. Please do not ask me to kill you."
Jenna held him. "Make love to me Master, one last time. I love you, and I know you love me." She lifted his head. "And I know, if this doesn't work, I won't be forced to live like this. I trust you to make it painless, and loving. And when I go to my sleep, it will be remembering my first true night with you." She could taste his blood in his tears. "The night I gave you my soul."
Torin watched on, praying that everything would work out. He couldn't see losing Jenna. She had just become part of his life; he wanted to share his feelings for Robyn with her. Watch the two of them become friends, and develop a partnership between them. "It will work, it has to."
"Torin, if it fails, please understand if I break." Azrael pulled his Chosen close. "I believe you are doing the best you can. I know you love her. If it does not work, you must not feel as if you failed. You did not, no one has ever been able to remove a brand like this."
Torin pulled away angrily. "It will work, I'll make it work. Jenna won't die. Do both of you hear me? I will make it work, and then we can forget all this."
Azrael realized if it failed to work, he would have his hands full. His grief would be paralyzing, but Torin would consider himself a failure, blame himself, for her death. For being, unable, to save her, so much was riding on a hope. "Let us pray you are right my love. By all means, let us pray you are right."
The softness of Azrael's touch, cut at, Jenna. Gentle was not the word for his actions as he began to make love to her. His every touch, every move was as soft and loving as an evening breeze before a spring shower. His slowness touched her. He was imprinting her memory in his heart. He was preparing to do what she had begged. She cried against his lips, mouth opening to him. * You are beautiful. * Her, thought, were gentle as they touched Azrael's mind and heart. * I have cherished every moment we have had together. You gave me happiness, and true love. For that I thank you. *
* My life will be empty without you. You I would have, one day, been made my Childe. I am sorry, I thought I had all the time I wanted for you. * He could have wept at the sound of her, moans, as he loved her. Would he lose this? Would fate be so cruel as to steal a soul so pure as his love's from his life?
Torin chewed on his lip as he held the power. Controlling the wild tide of life essence within him. He had never manipulated such a surge in a healing before. But what had he to lose? If it was too much and killed her it would be doing both her and Azrael a favor. He could live knowing that he had had a hand in Jenna's death. Had been an agent of mercy. Azrael would grieve for her, but not like he would if he had to kill her. No if it didn't work, it was best if he killed her.
Azrael had avoided touching her where the brands, scarring, was present. Knowing that the fact she could feel nothing would hurt her. So he worked hard on the rest of her body, bringing as much pleasure to her as he could call up. But it was time. He would make love to her. Knowing that even as he did, she would lay under him, her head hidden in his hair, feeling nothing. "I love you."
Jenna's heart held on to those three simple words as her, masters; weight came down on her. They, was a, shield, against the pain she was feeling, a barrier against the knowledge that this was, her, last, night. That if a miracle didn't save her, save them both, this would be her last night with the only man who she had ever fully loved.
Torin was ready, waiting for Azrael's signal. He worked on control, running through, every exercise, he had been taught to master his channels and the power in them. Preparing to either save his love or give her peace. Hardening his soul for the duty he had to perform. "I'm ready."
It was lifeless. There was nothing there. Set had killed a portion of her. She could feel each thrust through the rest of her body, but it never touched her. Her soul that opened at times like this remained closed, and her heart, which beat solely for her, Master, broke. She cried into his shoulder, sharing her pain and her loss with him. Knowing, without looking up, that he mourned with her. She was not alone in her pain. And for that moment, the terrible loss was shared, and she almost felt like she was his again.
It was so hard. How was he to spend any passion on his pet? It was taking an act of will, and will alone to remain erect inside her. There was no pleasure, no joy. Could simple stimulation be enough? If his heart and soul wasn't in this, could his body be.
Suddenly Torin was there. Loving, caring, honest emotions flowed over him. Reminding him of how it felt when he could feel his girl. Jenna couldn't open to him now, but Torin reminded him of the joy that had been his when she had. And with that joy a hope. If all worked, as it should. If this crazy attempt to undo the past succeeded, he would feel this again.
Now! Azrael buried himself in Jenna, releasing his blood filled fluids into her. Feeling the raging healing force that poured from Torin, through him and into Jenna. With this feeling, came an understanding. It would either heal or kill. Torin had made the choice for him, had saved him from himself. The die had been cast live or die, his Chosen had saved him.
Jenna screamed with the burning force that filled her, starting in her groin and rolling outward to submerge her entire body in the painful purity of it. 'Yes' ! Her mind locked onto the sensations. She could feel the pain was burning away the numbness. She embraced it, cherished it, and prayed it would never stop. Better, this, than the nothingness she had suffered.
Torin felt consciousness slipping even as he emptied everything he had into her. He fought to hold on, he couldn't leave now. But the darkness would not be put off, it swallowed him, and with it an end to his pain.
* * *
Azrael moved slowly, pulling out, waiting for some word from her. She lived her chest rose and fell. But would her continued life be a blessing or a curse. And Torin, his bright loving Mageling he lay unmoving to the side. Azrael was torn, which to reach for first. "Jenna? Love?"
Her eyes opened slowly, large tear filled brown eyes that looked up at him with love and, did he dare hope, joy. "Master." She sobbed throwing her arms around him. The coldness was gone. The emptiness in her soul once again filled with his light. "I feel you."
He held her, his tears mingling with hers as they kissed. She was healed. The impossible had occurred, his love was returned to him, fully and whole. "I will never allow you to be put in danger again. I will see to it that you carry my mark. Forgive me for not being strong enough to bear the discomfort it would cause me."
Jenna caught his hand. "Do it. Please Azrael, I can't bear thinking that I am not completely yours."
"I will, I promise. I will mark you; I will mark each and every one of you. No one will ever be able to do what was done to you again."
"Torin?" Jenna gasped taking in his unconscious form. "Is he?"
"He is alive." Azrael pulled away from Jenna, gathering Torin's limp body close to his. "He gave us everything he had. He healed you precious. Had he not been willing to do what ever was necessary, you would have been lost to me." Azrael poured life energy back into Torin he was so dangerously low. "He will be a little confused when he wakes. It will take a few moments for him to get his bearings."
Azrael was mistaken. Torin's eyes snapped open as consciousness slammed back into him. "Jenna?"
"You did it love. She is healed." Azrael released him, smiling with happiness as Torin threw himself at Jenna. "We are both healed."
* * *
David undressed, watching the boy. The kid wasn't looking all that hot. He personally doubted that the Childe would live to see the end of the week. He was too young to have lost his Sire. "Kary?"
"Yes, Master?"
"Hey, try looking up when you talk to me. I'm not your Master, Azrael is." David sat on the bed beside him. "It's okay Kary, he's my master too. He's not like Set was. He'd never do this--." his hand indicated the marks that covered Kary's torso and back.
Kary eyed him. "What will he do to me?"
David shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine. My Master works in some of the damnedest ways. But I will say this what ever he does he'll do because he wants to help you. Believe that, Azrael is the one vampire other than my Sire that I have complete confidence in. He will do everything in his power to help you. But you have to let him. Do you understand? You have to want this help, be willing to try." He cupped Kary's face in his hands. "Living isn't as tough as you think. He will help you to learn to love it again, if you let him."
Kary didn't resist as David pulled him into his lap. Body unresponsive as he half lay against him. If he was, quiet, put up no fight, would the older vampire hurt him? After what Set had done to him, could her be hurt? "Wh-what are you going to do to me Master?"
"Kary, one more time, I am not your Master. Call me Vincent, or David, or Davy like my boys do. But don't call me Master. As to what I'm going to do, nothing if you don't want me to. I'd love to see if I can give you something to replace some of the horror that jackass forced on you, but I won't if you don't want me to." He cocked his head to one side, smiling comically. "So what do you say? Dawn is soon, should I just let you go to sleep, or give you something nice to dream about when you do?"
Kary sighed. He should have expected this. Did actually. Yet he had asked to stay with him. Knowing full well how the older vampire would act. Shiva had never taken him to sleep with him unless they shared love first. And these vampires were so very like his Sire, quiet and, kind, gentle and understanding. "I--my name is Christian." He looked up. "Shiva gave me that name."
David smiled down at the fearful hope in the boys' eyes. "And mine named me Vincent. Do you want to be known by that or Kary?"
Kary leaned up, pressing his face into the nape of David's neck. "You'd call me Christian?" Set had drug his old name out of him, telling him he no longer deserved his vampiric name.
"Well of course I will. It's your name isn't it?" 'That's it sugar, open up' . David's arms tightened around Kary. "If you want, no one will call you anything else."
Kary/Christian drew himself up, reaching for David's shoulders. "Say it. Say my name." He needed to hear it. To have another Kin speak it before he would believe it to be true.
David understood how important, a, vampires'Gift Name was to him. It was part of the rebirth. It was a living, constant symbol of a vampire's new life. "Look into my eyes Christian, trust me. I have a Childe, I know what your name means to you, and more importantly, in a small way, what it meant to your Sire. Kary died the night Christian was born, so all you, are, is Christian now, and I will never address you as anything but that." The boy fell into his arms crying, the pain of his loss finally being allowed to be set free. "That's the way. Go on, I'll hold you."
Christian, never again Kary, only Christian felt the arms that held him, the hand that stroked his hair with gentle compassion, the brush of air across his neck as David whispered to him, talking of tomorrow's, of a life that wouldn't be filled with pain and loneliness. Of learning to be happy and find love again.
He let David take the lead. He needed this, his Sire was dead, and he hurt so badly. He needed someone to hold him, to make him feel like he had value again. His world was so confused. "Vincent?"
David looked up from where his head had been resting against Christian. "What's wrong?"
If Christian's kiss surprised him, he hid it well. Allowing more strength in his hold as his mouth returned the needing kisses. "I want to dream of nice things."
Azrael would love this one, if he could be saved. "Are you sure Christian? I don't want to do anything that might hurt you. You're young, do you understand what you're asking?"
Christian looked at him, a look of confused longing radiated from his face. "I think I'm asking you to make love to me. I thought that's what you were offering." He chewed on his lip. "You were weren't you?"
"Ssshh," David kissed him. "Yes. I would love to make love to you. You can hide for now in the pleasure I offer." His fingers worked over the buttons of the denims he wore. "Answer me a question Christian."
"Uh-hu?"
"Do you hurt much? How careful do I need be?" He captured Christian's face between his hands, feeding on his mouth. "I'm not like that bastard, no one here is. Talk to me baby, are you in pain?"
Pain. Could the older vampire ever understand how much pain he was in. "My hurts aren't really physical anymore. The brands have healed." Large blue-gray eyes searched his face. "I hurt inside."
David relaxed a little. The boy looked so bad, but he was healthy, the burns had healed. "Poor little brother." The pains of grief would take time, but even they would heal if Christian would let them. "As I love you, take some of the joy I plan to shower you with and let it soothe your hurts. If there is anything I can do, any of us, to help you now, would you tell me?"
The sob that broke free was more a feeling than an actual break. "Make me forget."
Forget, the, Childe wanted to forget. David nodded as he pressed soft light kisses along the line of his jaw. He could grant that, a few moments of forgetfulness, something to make the hurt fade for a few minutes.
Anna had come to him a few nights before, trying to understand why Selene behaved the way she did, and what could she do to help her. David found it funny in a sick way that he now was having to employ the same advice he had given her, on yet another Childe that had suffered the exact same fate by the same monster. He let him pull close, hide in the simplicity of physical pleasure, using the body's own senses to dull the inhibitions was impossible in truth, but a brief dulling of the memories was possible. It had worked on Selene. She was beginning to live again. He prayed it would do the same for Christian.
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