10. Rai

Chapter ten

Rai

A Parting Gift

" Y ou want what?" Raina asked me. She was the forger who made our weapons and more importantly, the healing ring all Guardians got on the days of their Initiation. It was my twenty-fourth birthday and at the stroke of midnight, a star shot through the sky and I knew it was because I'd experienced another milestone.

Three times, there was a falling star. Once, when I was born. The second time was on my twelfth birthday when I was Awakened. The year was 2036, and this third time was when the link to my Champion was activated, so to speak. I felt it too, his aura mixing with mine inside my body. It felt hot, which wasn't the normal experience I was told. All of the other Guardians felt a calming sense of peace. Me, just chaos. I hated it.

"Did you hear my question, because I'm not sure I heard you right?" Raina asked me and it brought me back to the present.

"I want it on my dick," I said. I didn't bother to sugarcoat my words. I wasn't known for doing so anyway.

"That's very unorthodox, Rai. It's tradition for all Guardians to wear the rings on their fingers with the symbols of their signs on them," Raina said.

I snorted. "And what is it about me that tells you that I follow traditions?"

She looked me up and down, checking out my all-black outfit. I was wearing black jeans, boots, a shirt, and a leather jacket. Since I was an Official Guardian now, I'd be allowed off the campus grounds. I couldn't wait to break free. I was looking to get laid. I wasn't a virgin, lost my virginity when I was twenty when Marcel and I snuck off the campus for the second time. The whole experience was pure enlightenment. I knew what I was missing and I wanted more.

"It's going to hurt," she warned.

I nodded. I knew that getting my cock pierced wasn't going to feel good. "It's what I want."

"I've never made one before. Do you have a picture of what you want it to look like?"

I pulled out a picture I'd drawn of the design I wanted. "The etching of my sign would go on the ball tip," I said.

"Oh my god," she gasped, her hand going to her chest. "Have you spoken to Headmaster Morris about this?"

"No, didn't think I needed his permission. It's my dick. I don't want such an important ring on my finger that I could lose it easily in battle. Can you make it or not?" I asked.

She huffed as if I'd insulted her craftsmanship. "The ring would not simply fly off your finger. Magic binds it to you."

"Ahh, but my finger can get cut off, right?" I pointed out.

She frowned but nodded.

I smiled. "Exactly. This type of ring will keep it safer."

"Give me an hour," she said, finally relenting.

I nodded and left my design with her and waited in the lounge. I wasn't sitting there ten minutes before Darius walked in and looked at me. I threw my head back and sighed. "She called you?"

He chuckled and nodded before walking over to where I was and took a seat. "A cockring?"

I widened my eyes and looked at him, shocked that he was so vulgar. "Why Headmaster Morris... mind your tongue, sir."

He smiled and shook his head. "It's not a bad idea," he said, then looked at his own ring on his right ring finger.

"Thinking about getting one for yourself?" I asked.

"Oh, heavens no. I've lived long enough to not need one."

"You're almost as old as paper, you can upgrade your dick. I'm sure Michael will be shocked," I teased.

Darius threw his head back and laughed hard. "Clearly, you don't know Archangels."

My smile kind of faded then, because I didn't. I'd never have the relationship he had with his. The kind that other Guardians had with theirs.

He must have seen the shift in my mood because he patted my shoulder. "I didn't mean anything by it."

"I know. It's okay."

He sighed then nodded. "Get the ring. It suits you."

"I was going to anyway," I said.

"In any case, I actually came here to give you this." Darius rose and left, then returned moments later with a bag with a bow on it. He handed it to me. "Happy Birthday."

I grinned from ear to ear, because it was the first physical gift I'd ever gotten since coming to the Guild. "What is it?"

"Open it and find out." He motioned for me to do that.

I pulled a black box from the bag that had a red bow on it. I opened it and inside was a treasure chest of goodies. I saw car keys to a Mercedes, a black credit card, a cell phone, and keys to what might be an apartment. "Holy shit," I gasped.

"Seriously?" Darius asked, one eyebrow cocked.

I grinned up at him. "Sorry about that. But you get me. This is amazing. Thank you." I pulled the keys from the box. "Is this my car?"

He nodded. "You'll find it in the garage."

"Are these keys to my new home?" I asked, holding up the other set.

"Yes, but it will be warded off. You must remain protected. The only demon who will have access is your Champion."

"Where is it?"

"It's in Chicago, where you grew up. One of those high rises downtown."

My grin got wider, because I missed my home city. To know I was about to return there was the best birthday gift ever. "I thought I'd be living here."

"You're immortal now, Rai. That sensation you experienced was more than you gaining your ability to command your Champion. You have been fully Awakened. This Guild will now be for Guards only. You are the last Guardian born."

"Does that mean you'll be leaving here?" I asked.

Darius shook his head. "I live here, so I will continue my job as Headmaster. It's important that new Guards are brought in and properly trained. Their jobs are risky, and unfortunately, we suffer great losses. Demons are always up to something and humans are as well. Both Guardians and Guards must always be on the alert."

"What about your Guardian duties?" I asked. "I know it was important for you to be here to guide me, but I'm leaving."

"Make no mistake, I have never ignored my duties. Being the eldest, I am a source of guidance and information for everyone, so I must be where I can be found," Darius said.

"Unless you're kicking demon ass," I added.

He chuckled and nodded. "Very true."

"Okay, I understand." I looked back into the box and removed the card. "What's the limit?"

He smirked. "Don't get too crazy with it. That's the limit. Enjoy your life."

"Do I have to pay the money back?"

He shook his head. "No. Our jobs are our destinies. Income comes from those whom we protect. Just don't get ridiculous."

"You're no fun," I said with a smirk.

He looked at me and smiled. "You've come a long way, Rai, and I'm proud of you. Every hurdle, you leaped over it. You overcame immense sadness and loss to rise to greater heights. Never forget that."

The memory of the family I had to let go flashed in my mind and I felt the sting of that loss in my chest. I knew they were safe and that was what mattered. I nodded. "Thank you, sir."

"Stand up."

I did and he hugged me. "Stay safe out there. Never underestimate your opponent. Use your best judgment and be yourself."

I smiled. "Even if that means pissing people off?"

He laughed. "You wouldn't be you if you didn't."

"Damn right," I said. "You should see the weapons I had Raina make," I said, bragging a little.

Darius frowned. "Weapons?"

I nodded. "Yeah. A sword and gun. For when I'm out hunting demons."

He opened his mouth, but then closed it. "I see. Then you must be extra careful."

"That's my plan."

The side door opened and Raina poked her head out. "It's ready."

I looked at Darius. "Wanna watch?"

"I've seen it done before. Like you said, I'm ancient. Have fun and don't be a stranger. My number is in the phone, call me any time," Darius said, then hugged me again.

I held on to him tightly. For twelve years, Darius had been my mentor, my father figure. This place had been my home and now I was leaving it for good. My heart felt heavy in my chest, tight too, but I didn't want to cry.

Darius patted my back. "Remember my words, Rai."

"Always," I said. "Wait!" I called out before he could leave.

"What's the matter?" he asked.

I looked at Raina. "I'll be there in a minute."

She nodded, then went back inside.

I looked at Darius. "I had a really weird dream last night."

He smiled. "Did you speak with Azazel?"

My eyes widened. "How did you know?"

"It's the introduction dream we all get the night of our final Awakening."

"Why didn't you tell me about it?"

"Because then you may have stressed over it and not fallen asleep. You needed to have that dream, that connection. It's part of your transition," Darius said.

I smacked my lips because he was right. I would have drunk energy drinks to avoid meeting that damn demon in my dreams. "He... he wasn't what I expected."

Darius raised his eyebrows. "Oh? Really? What happened?"

"Well, for one thing, he was sitting on a bench as if he was enjoying the breeze and view. I thought demons didn't care about things like that?"

"Azazel is no longer your typical demon. He has emotions now, Rai, and he's spent over a century coming to terms with that. What else happened?"

So, he has feelings... didn't they always have those? Like feeling happy when they killed babies? I just went on.

I shrugged. "Nothing you wouldn't expect. I told him I could never accept him."

"What did he say?"

"Nothing. I woke up."

Darius nodded. "I see. Well, I'm sure you two will work it out."

I blinked. "That's it? That's all you have to say?"

He chuckled. "I've given you my best advice... you have to choose your own path toward your destiny, Rai."

"I should have expected that." I laughed, then hugged him again.

We parted and I did cry a little as I watched him walk away. I cleared my throat and took my birthday gift in the room with me.

***

"Ahh fuck! Fuck!" I yelled as soon as the needle pierced my cock. I felt hot liquid flowing and knew it was my blood.

"The others weren't lying when they said you have colorful language," Raina said.

"Jesus fucking Christ!" I gasped as the burning throbbed in my pleasure zone.

"Oh! Oh my! Let's get this over with, you've got my ears burning," Raina said.

I braced myself as she slid the ring through the holes and then twisted the ball tip on. She then cleaned my penis off and as she did that, the pain started to fade as I healed, thanks to my new ring. Nice to see how it worked. Could have used that trinket during my many years of training. Instead, we had to drink that horrible concoction and heal over time.

I looked down to see the results. There it was. A sterling silver ring shone through my shaft. The tips of the ball bared my sword, the same that was my birthmark. I wondered how Azazel felt every time he looked down at his arm and saw my mark on him. Did he feel like cattle that had been branded by its owner? I hoped so.

"I pray this doesn't start a trend," Raina said.

"Only people who know about it are me, you, and Darius," I said as I climbed off the table. I tucked myself inside my pants and adjusted my clothes.

"Just so you know... you still need to be careful as that ring can only do so much. The more life-threatening the injury, the longer it will take to heal. In the heat of battle, you'll have to rely on your Champion to heal you."

I didn't want to hear that, but wasn't going to get into it with her either.

"Thanks, Raina, for everything," I said instead.

Raina went on. "Those weapons I made you. They will never be as strong as your Champion and what you'll create together," she said.

I only nodded, because she had told me that before. I waved goodbye, then left. There was one more place I wanted to visit before leaving the Guild. I entered the Hall of the Guild where the photos of the Guardians and their Champions were on the walls. The first time I visited that place, I was eighteen years old. That was when I found out about Azazel. Since that day, I'd frequented this place to gaze upon his portrait at least once a week. Memorizing every line and curve of his face. His expression I always found intriguing. Like he wanted to seduce me with his wickedness. Just a debonair bastard, that was what Azazel was.

I stood in front of it now, only this time, my own portrait was beside his. It had been painted a month ago, like all of the other portraits. Of course, I couldn't do anything boring. I posed in the photo, dressed in a cold-ass black suit with a silver tie. I stood, legs slightly parted with my hands behind my back. My head was lowered just enough for me to look up like the badass I trained to be. My expression was all business. I was proud of it. I looked down at my watch to check the time. I was supposed to meet Marcel soon and I still had to finish packing.

I went back to my bedroom and packed what little I wanted to take with me. I didn't have much to begin with. Mainly, my favorite toy when I was a kid and some clothes. I couldn't have photos of my family, because that might put them in danger. No demon or human could know about them. When I turned to leave, my best friend, Marcel, was in the doorway.

"You don't knock?" I teased.

He shrugged. "It was open." Marcel was twenty-five and already had his orders as a Guard. He'd been one for the past two years. He was six-two, handsome, with long blond hair, blue eyes, a strong jawline, and muscles that had been honed and toned. He also spoke more English now. If he liked men, I might have tried to seduce him, but he was strictly for the ladies. Me, I discovered that I loved the way a man's asshole felt, how their body molded against mine. That was my desire. Too bad for Marcel, I thought.

"Are you here to send me off?" I asked, slinging my bookbag over my shoulder.

"Nope. I've been assigned to your city and to help aid you."

"What? Really?" I asked, smiling.

He smiled and nodded. "Yep."

I hugged him, because it was awesome to have my only friend at my side. "So, you'll be living in Chicago with me?"

"Looks like. But I won't be living with you. I have a home in the Hyde Park area where they say there's a lot of demon activity."

"I wonder why you aren't living in the same building as me?"

"Who knows? I don't think any Guard is living there. We're pretty scattered throughout the city and state. Each with our own districts to patrol. Since I'm young and new to the scene, they gave me Hyde Park, because I can work with two other Guards who patrol that area," Marcel said.

"I guess that's cool. We do need our own spaces, especially after living here for all these years," I said. "And having your own district makes sense."

"We'll still be able to see each other and hang out, in addition to my duties."

Marcel knew his role well. He'd be my scout, gather information for me and handle his own business to weed out wickedness. I was ready to start this next chapter of my life.

I smiled. "This day keeps getting better. Come on, let's get the hell out of here."

***

Inside the garage, Marcel climbed into his Audi and I was sitting behind the wheel of a beautiful black, Mercedes-Benz AMG SL 63 Roadster. I had no idea how much the car cost, but I could smell the money. It was gorgeous and I would have never thought in a million years that it would be mine. I guessed if I had to risk my life to save the world, the least I could do was live in luxury. Considering I spent twelve years in a state-of-the-art Guild, I was used to such finery.

Marcel pulled up in front of me. "You ready?"

"Hell yeah," I said, giving him a thumbs up. I rolled the top down and we were off to begin our new life together.

***

After driving from LA to Chicago, we were both exhausted, but ready to see what our new homes looked like. I was now living in a penthouse condo on the seventy-fifth floor of the Stellar Building. Talk about having access to the company amenities, because that was what this was. Not that I was complaining. I opened the door and then walked into the slickest bachelor pad ever.

Leather and suede furniture, a hundred-inch TV, surround sound system, open concept, and state-of-the-art kitchen. Of course, I wasn't the best cook, I knew how to make food to survive, but that wasn't where my training was focused. Stood to reason I'd be ordering out quite often. I continued to gush over my new home as I toured it.

When I got to the master suite, my mouth dropped. It was huge, almost like its own apartment. I had a lounge area where there was a sofa, a desk, and chair, a library, a fireplace, and a bar complete with a sink and fridge. I turned in the other direction and saw that I had a table and four chairs in case I wanted to just eat in my room, I supposed. I made it to the section with the California King bed, dresser, and bench. The closet was humongous and I couldn't wait to fill it with clothes.

I went to the other bedroom and it was very nice, a lot smaller than mine, but perfect for a guest bedroom. It didn't have everything in it that mine did, such as the library lounge or bar, but it did have a TV, sofa, bed, and dressers as well as a private bathroom. I went back to my master and sprawled on the bed, and it was so damn comfortable. I think I drifted off to sleep because I awoke with a start at the sound of my doorbell ringing. I answered it to see Marcel. I let him in and he gasped as he looked around.

"Oh, fuck. Okay, now I'm jealous," he commented. "I thought my home was awesome, but damn... they spared no expense on your lucky ass."

I chuckled. "What does your place look like?"

"Not like this, mon Dieu." Marcel checked out my master bedroom. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me!"

I laughed then.

"I don't appreciate them splurging on you just because you're a Guardian," he said with a smirk. I knew he was joking. Well... there was probably some truth to that, but I knew he wouldn't hold it against me.

I shrugged. "There's a lot more of you all than us."

He smacked his teeth. "Yeah, whatever. Still, this place is beautiful. And check out that view. I have a nice one in my home, but yours is amazing."

I looked out at the wall of floor-to-ceiling windows and nodded. I even had a sliding door that led out onto the balcony. That was where we walked out onto and looked down at the bustling city below.

"Man, this is perfect," Marcel said. "We're so high up."

I gazed down at the twinkling lights of cars and apartments and nodded. The air felt vibrant and I was charged with the energy that flowed through me. "It is."

"So, are you excited about your life now? Like meeting your first demon? Speaking of demons, are you going to Call him?"

Azazel, that was who he was talking about. I shook my head. "I don't need him."

Marcel looked at me. "Every Guardian needs their Champion, Rai."

"I'll prove that I don't." I sighed. "Come on, let's grab some food."

I thought back to our first encounter when I'd met him at the club. Apparently, the club was owned by demons and we were lucky to have survived. Darius told me that it had been Azazel who was looking out for us. He was also the one who called a Guardian to alert them about our whereabouts. I also found out, after I'd sobered up, that Azazel had killed all of the demons in that club. But I knew it was only because he couldn't have killed everyone. For over a hundred years, he'd been neutered. That didn't make him good. I didn't need him.