8

I woke the next morning with Brax in my bed. I knew he'd probably snuck out to handle angel things, and he didn't need sleep like I did, but I appreciated him making the effort and wanting to hold me like this.

Especially after all I'd been going through.

I popped to the bathroom and handled what I needed to before returning to the bed. I stared over him and then realized he was awake, carefully watching me.

Moving closer, I pulled back the covers and crawled in with him. His eyes went wide, and then I straddled his naked lap and waved away my nightgown. I used my magic to get me ready and his dick was mostly hard even before I touched it.

"I'm sure," I whispered when he opened his mouth to check.

He nodded and sat up to kiss me, cupping my face and playing with my hair as I gave him a few strokes. "I've never wanted anything more than to be with you, Soraya."

I wanted to believe that, but he'd lived so long—so much longer than me, and I'd wanted things more than to have sex with him. But… Maybe I would feel that way if I wasn't so upset about too many other things?

I simply kissed him and lowered myself onto his dick.

And orgasmed. I orgasmed hard , my eyes going wide as he held my face and made me focus on him.

He smirked when I was done. "I didn't even do that, sunshine. I didn't bless you. That was all us."

Okay then. That had never happened to me before, but I was all for it.

So was he from how hard his cock was and it twitching inside of me as I worked my hips. He moaned and kissed me deeper, his one hand moving to my ass as if needing to touch me more but also keep me steady.

"Good?" he checked, nodding when I did.

Too good, honestly. I rocked my hips and was right there again. "Bless me."

"Gladly," he growled, using his power and giving me what I wanted.

I came with a scream and he groaned, the feeling of me orgasming around his body exactly what he'd been dreaming of from what he mumbled. Brax kissed me fiercely and then his hand was helping me move, wanting more.

More of me.

More of my body.

More of that feeling.

"I love you, sunshine," he whispered against my lips as I got closer again. "I've only ever loved you like this. I know this is love."

I saw the vulnerability in his eyes and reached deep to give him what he needed. "I do feel that for you too, but I'm not fully in love yet. I've been too hurt, and we've been—you're so special to me. I wouldn't ever risk the threats if you weren't, but I need more time."

"That's more than I deserve after what you've been through because of my family."

I moved my fingers over his lips when he went to say more. "Just us, Raphael. Just us. Show me and let it just be us."

He kissed my fingers. "You're perfect."

Brax went to roll us, but I stopped him, smiling when he seemed confused. "Stay with me. Like this." I moved a bit faster. "So intimate our first time."

Shock flashed in his eyes, and he sat up a bit more, holding me with his large hands and helping me. "Ride me, sunshine. Take me. I'm yours."

Damn right this confusing, pain-in-the-ass, wonderful man was.

I cupped his face and kissed him, moaning when I was overwhelmed, and chased our orgasms. "Gonna—"

"Brax," he whispered. "I always want to be just Brax with my love."

I nodded, glad he'd decided how he wanted me to handle that or what he wanted even. I tightened around him and felt he was ready too. Crying out his name, I heard him bellow mine as we finished together.

And something crazy happened. It wasn't just an orgasm or even power like when he blessed me or gave me power like he'd done to Hunt as well.

This was something much more and indescribable. If I had to compare it to something, it was like the first time I attached a chi jar to me. Or maybe when I learned to do many. It was as if… Raw potential opened inside of me.

And it just kept going. New doors opened inside of me and my power as I rode my climax. I hung onto Brax as if he was the only thing keeping me grounded and enjoyed what was happening.

It felt like forever, and I slumped against him when it was over. It took even longer for me to make my mouth work even if my body was done in.

I realized he might be in the same state because he was lying back on the bed with me on him. "What did you do?"

"It wasn't me," he panted, sounding a bit shocked. "I didn't bless—we were blessed." He hugged me tighter. "The vision was—you have—we have children, and you were pregnant with Remy's child. We were happy, and I saw another figure that I think is Isaac. But we win. Not everything perfect, but we win this part of the war and restore balance."

"That's a lot," I whispered.

"You were even more radiant than now and more powerful," he murmured against my hair. "And still so humble. You humbled me, and I felt how much I loved being a father. I would never have thought that, but our child—I felt love like I'd never thought possible for you and our children. Two that I saw." He kissed my hair when I said nothing. "Far in the future. It wasn't soon."

"I don't know I could be a mother after what was done to me, Brax."

He chuckled which made me flinch, but he held me to him. "Sunshine, you're more a mother now than most mothers. Tommy. Keegan. So many others. They might think of you like an aunt, but you are the mother they needed. That woman you saved earlier, you protected her and had the wrath of a mother. I worry about a lot. Never your ability to be a mother."

That was maybe one of the nicest things anyone had ever said about me, and it genuinely healed some part of my broken soul. I felt young Soraya who had tried so hard to be loved and feel accepted smile a bit and like some of her abuse faded.

I angled my head for a kiss and he smiled, knowing I'd truly heard his words.

"I need you again," he whispered before rolling us. "Tell me I can have you again, Soraya, my future mate." He brushed my hair back and lifted my leg up onto his hip. "It has been so, so long for me and never like this. Please, I need—I cannot tell you how desperate I am to have more of you."

Who the fuck could deny a man who could beg like that and be so sexy?

Not me.

He moved my leg between us and thrust in me deeply, smirking when I moaned. Then he leaned in closer and snapped his hips faster and faster. "Tell me I fuck you better. Tell me that none of my brothers fucked my lover's body like this."

I should have been nice, but he switched to talking a bit dirty, so I switched to being my normal sassy self. "So far it's about the same."

Something dark filled his eyes but not angry or bad. He leaned in and bit my lower lip in punishment as he drilled my body. He told me how he would fuck me so good and so often now that we'd had sex that I'd forget any other angel. And if I was going to use my mouth to say bad things then Remy's cock should be in it and Isaac in my ass.

I orgasmed. I fucking just came apart at the idea.

"I'm so taking your sweet ass tonight," he groaned. "You really, really like anal sex."

"I do, but I really, really like it with Isaac. He's so into it and my ass especially," I confessed. "The damn croc is obsessed with it, and that's like an aphrodisiac to me."

"I'm obsessed with all of you," he promised. He pulled out of me and flipped me onto my stomach, spreading my knees wide before he shoved his cock roughly into me. " Fuck! You kill me with this body. No woman should be this perfect and feel this good at the same time."

We both knew it was partly my submitting to him and also just he wanted me deeper. He screwed my brains out but was also still loving somehow with the way he kept blessing me, so I ridiculously enjoyed it even when he was so rough.

When he finished that time, I was done and done and had no strength in any part of my body, completely vulnerable to him.

And I let him see in my eyes that he meant something real to me that I allowed that.

He nodded and juiced me up but was much gentler this time, including the shower and cleaning me up with his power. Brax looked cute as he stood there waiting to get yelled at or praised.

"Perfect, love," I told him as I stretched. "If you could dress me for the day, that would be lovely."

"I want you naked," he countered.

"I have to handle something this morning." I smiled when he pouted. "Please? It's really bothering me. I'll be quick, and you can help so I can—I've left it too long."

"Whatever you need, sunshine." He moved over me on the bed and gave me a soft kiss before using his power to dress us both and have us standing. "Food first."

"Perfect, but one change. I forgot I had something planned for Isaac tonight. It's my thank-you for him being so understanding and patient with me when I've needed it. Plus, the help with Hunt."

"Can I join in or—"

"You can watch and see how I reward good boys," I teased before darting out of the bedroom. I laughed that he was hot on my heels but let out a yelp when someone grabbed me when I reached the kitchen.

"Yes, I am obsessed with your pert, tight little ass," Isaac breathed before mashing his mouth to mine. "And what time do I need to be ready for my surprise?"

"Eight," I panted.

"I'll make sure I'm free for you," he promised, eyeing me over as if debating having me for breakfast.

I wasn't sure if I was glad or disappointed when he let me go so we could eat. Both?

Remy was there too and I gave him a kiss, worried how much they heard or felt when he frowned at me. "Sorry, forgive me a moment."

And then he lifted my skirt.

Huh?

"What is this?" he demanded.

"My panties," I drawled and went to pull away.

He growled and lifted me up, shooting Brax a pissed look. "You fucking marked her with something?"

"I didn't," Brax muttered as he moved closer.

Remy set me on the counter and pushed up my skirt so my right upper thigh was visible. "Then what the fuck is that?"

I glanced down and felt my eyes about bug out of my head when I saw what looked like something between a tattoo and a birthmark.

And in the shape of a lightning bolt.

"Is she Thor?" Isaac drawled. "What the fuck?"

I sighed, not knowing who that was besides a comic book character or… Marvel? No, DC.

So not the point right then.

Brax blew out a harsh breath before glancing up. Then he met my gaze. "We were blessed. You were. You felt something." He gestured to my leg. "That's the proof if I had to guess." He waited until I nodded. "It's not because we had sex but the path you're on. Us—all of it. I can't tell you for sure and all of it is always a test too."

"Lovely, but why this…" I frowned, thinking what I knew of the symbol. "I'm the weapon of whoever up there? It's for the weapon of the gods, right?"

He opened his mouth but then closed it, frowning. "You're not wrong, but you've made it clear you're the champion of Mother Earth. I would think it's another meaning."

Isaac snorted. "Isn't it destruction?"

"Not when a blessing from up there," I argued. "Okay, I'll have the library look up mythologies and meanings, but right now we'll assume it's a heart of happiness, and that would be unbecoming for a blessing, so they picked something cooler."

"How are you so cool about this?" Remy demanded.

I smiled at him. "Flipping out won't change it nor give me the answer, pet. I've been flipping out enough lately, but today I…" It hit me what I was feeling and maybe the answer. I blinked at him and then focused on Brax. "They used to mean inner strength and the ability to overcome adversity—lighting the path and breaking through darkness."

He slowly nodded. "I think someone is saying to hang in there and you're on the right path and they support you. You're restoring cosmic order and to trust yourself." He tilted his head a bit. "You wanted to do something this morning. Did you think of it last night and maybe question yourself?"

"Yes," I breathed, slowly glancing up and swallowing.

Okay then. Wow, the gods agreed with me and were glad I was turning to Brax and letting people in?

It definitely wasn't about the sex and blessing our coupling because they wanted us to have kids one day, right?

Oh fuck, I was going to drive myself crazy thinking about all of this for sure.

We had breakfast and as much as I wanted to enjoy it and relax with the handsome men—or more—I needed to handle the situation bothering me. And now that I'd decided what to do, there was no reason to keep delaying.

I appeared where the work detail was happening… And no work was going on. I nodded to the officer who was clearly in charge and looked about to blow his lid.

"I apologize this hasn't panned out as we had hoped," I told him before using my power and cleaning all the vehicles there. "Unfortunately, fools don't know when they've been bested."

"No, no they do not," one of the men sentenced to the work detail said with a snort, clearly saying it was me. Rage burned in his eyes when I rolled mine and snickered. He pushed to his feet and gestured to all the others who were sitting on the ground in protest. "We won. You broke and came—"

"You won nothing," I drawled. "I won't play these stupid games and—"

"You just proved to everyone here that you're a weak woman who cannot handle her responsibilities and won't follow through on her threats," he sneered. "You said you would drown us in the ocean if we embarrassed you, and we have been—"

I silenced him and forced him to kneel. I did it to all of them. "I adapt . I sidestep tantrums and traps , you fool. That's what it means to be a leader, and my vagina has nothing to do with it." I moved over to him and flicked him in the forehead. "I won't make you cockroaches martyrs ."

Hunt snickered when people seemed shocked. "They really handicap themselves to a disgusting extent. How enchanters have survived as long as they have shocks me sometimes."

"Pure luck sometimes, but mostly it's how powerful we are if we get out of our own way," I answered. I was focused on the man still and nodded. "Yes, idiot, I knew what you were all plotting even without my magic that hears thoughts . I wasn't weak or too fragile to handle this. I wasn't being a distracted ditz or whatever else you all try to say."

"She was giving you all enough rope to hang yourselves. Again," Isaac said, his tone amused. "I had another week in the betting pool because she likes to rack up the crimes before handling things."

I gave him an impressed look. "I didn't know there was a betting pool, but I'm not surprised you were close. But yes, I was working on options, but also I wanted them to embarrass themselves." I smirked at the enchanters, feeling their confusion. "We've been taping all of this. I warned you of that.

"Enchanters all over the world have been watching your petty, childish disobedience. That you will not contribute to our society or help change this image of us. All of it. You have shown them the truth and how lovely and fair the humans have been treating you even when you have been horrible. The shifters who help us. You have been a teaching moment, idiots."

Several of them tried to struggle against my magic, but several people snorted.

That confused me. I turned to see Helen standing there with Shae and her crew. She nodded that they had come to be updated on the situation and report on it.

I focused back my attention on the enchanters I had to punish. "As is our law , every day you did not follow the legal punishment of your elders, a week is added to your sentence." I snorted when shock and horror filled their eyes. "I don't make promises that I don't keep. I would love to bury you all in the ocean, but I won't risk enchanters because of you.

"Instead, now we get to have you contribute in a way you don't have to agree to." I smiled evilly at them. "You won't do something simple in punishment like helping the people who catch criminals? Fine, you will now have a harsher punishment and send souls back to where they belong to help the world."

"That makes no sense when they don't have the power to see spirits and no magic with it," someone sneered.

I glanced over to see several enchanters who weren't part of the work detail. Family of theirs?

"Do you have a death wish?" I drawled. I silenced him when he opened his mouth to blast me. "What would have happened if you'd spoken to my father that way?" I nodded when he flinched. "You'd be dead. I don't take a life for insults, but I will take your magic for a week." I did just that, locking his magic to him for a week.

It was hard not to chuckle when he started frantically patting his body like he might have when looking for his keys.

I glanced at the crowd that had gathered for whatever reason or probably because they were watching what we were broadcasting. "That is now the standing punishment for disrespecting any elder. Our founding elders were half women, you sexist twats. Get it through your head that I'm not being progressive but bringing us back to our roots."

I thanked the officer for his time before bringing all of the enchanters on the work detail to my land in Peru. I saw Keegan and Jerome had brought the rest who were waiting. I repeated what I had said right as Helen brought Shae and her crew. Brax, Hunt, and Isaac easily followed.

I nodded to the two enchanters who were in charge of this program. They were terrified I would blame them and lay this whole mess at their feet.

Especially since they were my cousins and worried I thought that they'd done this to me on purpose.

No, they hadn't, and I knew that. The fact they were women was another reason the "prisoners" were being such assholes, and that wasn't their fault.

It was the sexist bastards'. Only them.

I glanced at Shae. "Were you brought up to speed what this land is?"

"No, but I've heard the rumors you ‘murdered' the poor people of Peru and stole this land from the government," she said with an edge in her tone. "And they have barely denied that because the cartel who runs amuck here isn't from Peru, so there's issues with their government."

I tapped my nose before nodding to the cameraman that he could record. Then I told everyone there what the land was and that the locals had taken care of the cartel before we were even involved.

Tanesha—the lion Alpha who was now under my coven and protected the land—came and told them what she'd done… Minus that her pride had really killed the cartel.

"I heard Elder Devil had some shifter groups under her, but I didn't think that was true," Shae cut in. "I'm curious how this came about? Why did you feel the need to have your pride under a different elder?"

Tanesha seemed shocked she would be bold enough to ask that, but after checking with me, she told Shae the truth. That they were a pride of lesbians, and while her elders couldn't outlaw that, they didn't do enough to protect them. They let their animals have too much forgiveness over the rules of people, logic, and morality.

So she asked for help from an elder who didn't have the same failings.

I blinked at Tanesha when she said that.

"Oh, Soraya, lots of us feel that way about you, girl," she chuckled as she came over and hugged me. "We're so much happier than we have been—than I maybe ever have been. And it's all because of you and there's a looming threat of the world ending." She smiled at me as she tucked some of my hair behind my ear.

"Yes, well, I'm British, love, and we're not the best at just blurting out such niceties as your free heart," I teased. I glanced over at Shae. "She is modest. We might give them help, but this pride is one of the most loyal and fiercest I have ever known. We met when I saved Tanesha from her abusive mate who was forced upon her, but she is my friend because she's kind.

"We have entrusted them to protect the children of the coven for years and years. Even before there was a coven I would leave enchanters I rescued for her to protect. There were always people after me or heat because of who I pulled out of danger, and Tanesha would always—"

"I'm sorry, but what do you mean rescued enchanters, Elder?" Shae cut in, glancing between her people. "Of course, you help people now, and no one can deny how many you've probably saved, but you make it seem—clearly, I'm missing something."

"Lots," Jerome chuckled. "People miss lots when it comes to Soraya Devil." He winked at me before focusing back on Shae. "I was a slave. I was caught when I had too low of energy to teleport away. There aren't a lot of Black enchanters, and a lot of racists didn't like when they'd find one. So it's always been a struggle.

"But Soraya came upon me and not only saved me that day, but all of the slaves who suffered under those horrible masters. Freed the poor White women of that family who were forced to—monsters treat all those they see as weak badly. There are a lot of Black Americans who are only here because Soraya Devil saved their ancestors."

"I would like to talk to you more later about your story and get specifics if you're willing," Shae pushed.

He dipped his head. "I think it's time, yes." He sighed when I snorted. "Some of us need to have patience and be willing to jump through hoops. It's how we help when we're not fighters like you, Elder."

"Lad, the world cannot take another one like me," I drawled. "And you have the patience of a saint , so you are not normal either." I winked at him to take the sting out of my comment.

Then I focused on the people I was going to enjoy fucking with.