Dark Origins Read online

  “Would you still make it?” I ask.

  He smiles down at me. “I wish I were strong enough to say no.”

  “Then don’t.”

  “I love you,” he says. “I love you very much, Nephal.”

  “And I you.” I cling to him. “Is this where we will stay then?”

  “No, we must be more isolated, where no harm will come to Cassius, we must continue to walk, and if we cannot walk”—he picks me up in his other arm as his wings spread out–“we fly.”

  THIRTEEN

  Sariel

  He’s beautiful, finally sleeping in the small crib I’ve made him, and so is she, laying there watching me like she wants me again when I know I shouldn’t.

  Seventy-seven days to do whatever I want.

  And I know exactly what I want to do.

  So while Cassius sleeps—I love his mother. I slowly pull her clothes from her body, and I kiss up and down her legs then between them. I suck on her neck, wanting to almost bite into it with my teeth. My mouth finds hers again as I thrust into her, knowing that nothing will come this time as I hold my seed back, seed I had no idea had any power to impregnate a human.

  She bucks beneath me. “I need you, Sariel.”

  “I’m here.” My thrusts become more urgent as her mouth demands more and more of my tongue.

  Sweat drips down my back as I allow her to flip me over. I massage her breasts as she rides me. It is so beautiful watching her find her own pleasure that I can’t hold back the scream of pleasure erupting from my throat as I feel her release. I soon follow, quickly pulling her off me before I spill into her the exact seed that put us in this situation.

  And so our nights continue.

  With more kisses.

  More talking.

  Taking turns with Cassius even though since he’s half-angel, he’s one of the best-behaved babies I’ve ever seen—possibly it’s because he’s mine that I think that or ours, but still, it’s true.

  He’s beautiful.

  From his inky messy hair to the way he coos at us or even cries.

  The days go by faster and faster.

  I cling to Nephal on the last day as we rest Cassius between us. She’s wrapped in a fur; I kiss our child’s forehead and watch the fur drop from her naked body as she walks him over to the crib and lays him down for bed.

  Soon this will be over.

  Soon I will visit her as much as I can without making everyone angry, but I know it will be a while.

  My heart burns in my chest.

  I want to cry out.

  Instead, my little immortal human stronger than any angel I’ve seen, walks toward me, straddles my body then brings her mouth to mine in the sweetest kiss I’ve ever felt. “We will live.”

  “But—”

  “—You’ll come back for him, and you’ll take care of me. I am immortal now, after all.” She smiles, her blue eyes glistening.

  “I will take care of you both for an eternity and more, my little downfall.”

  “And what a wonderful result of that downfall, don’t you think?” She looks over at the crib as a tear slides from her cheek onto my chest. “I wouldn’t want it any other way because I get my life with you, my Sariel, my guardian angel.”

  “Always,” I swear. “Always, I will protect you.”

  “I know.” Her smile is sweet, her words soft. “Now show me with your body before you leave me, so I can remember what it feels like to be yours.”

  I flip her over on her back and cling to her so desperately my hands hurt, and I suddenly hear the stars again as they sing down on us, as they shine. I hear them sing the song of heavens, a song of promise.

  They’re singing it for me.

  For a fallen one given a second chance, an archangel who should have black wings but instead was able to keep what he was given, plus a partner and a son.

  I cannot be upset.

  I won’t allow it.

  Even if I do not deserve this song, I will take it.

  I press my palm to her chest and whisper. “Do you hear them sing the praises of your beauty? Of our son? Of our union?”

  Nephal lets out a gasp as her eyes glow. “It’s beautiful!”

  The stars sing their own songs and melody, yet somehow it all mixes together in a way that includes every language, every tongue, every note, and includes color that you can see through the music.

  It’s magnificent.

  And I have missed it.

  I let them sing us our last song as I kiss her mouth. She tastes like sunlight and the earth I chose to protect long ago.

  And the mountain I looked away from, only to watch her.

  I pause, looking down at her.

  Maybe, just maybe, part of my purpose all along was to watch—her.

  I smile at this.

  I am a Watcher.

  So I do exactly that.

  I watch her.

  I watch her as she smiles up at me.

  As her mouth finds mine.

  As she uses me for her pleasure, her hands scratch down my back, gripping my hips pulling me closer and closer. I memorize the taste of her skin, like the very earth she came from, like fresh rain in the morning, like life itself.

  I don’t want to let her go; I find it nearly impossible as her little moans reach my ears. I even wish for the scratches on my skin to become her scars so that wherever I walk and whatever I do—the rest of the world knows who I belong to, who my partner is.

  It is the woman I now watch.

  It is the woman who looks up at me with adoration in her eyes along with wonder as I bring her pleasure, as I sink deeper into her womb and find my pleasure. Her thighs clench around me, pulling me in, swallowing me whole as my mouth finds hers again. Our tongues move in sync with our bodies as our hands clasp together for the very last time.

  I tell myself it is for now.

  That the creators would not be so cruel.

  And I realize that this entire existence I’ve been given has possibly been something other than what I thought. Maybe all that time on the mountain was just the beginning.

  “This,” I whisper against her mouth. “Is not the end, my love.”

  “No.” Tears fill her eyes. “This is just the start of our story, Sariel. The beginnings are always my favorite after all.”

  “How so?” I ask as I feel her body start to fall apart beneath mine.

  My jaw hardens, teeth clench, as the feeling of her sucking me dry washes over me.

  I see stars.

  I see heaven.

  I see my future.

  Her.

  Wave after waves of pleasure shoots through me, between us, and still, neither of us look away as we continue to kiss and love one another.

  I don’t pull away from her, but I feel it in the wind. I feel the change; I smell it in the air as I slowly move to my knees and clean between her thighs, only to stand to my feet and move toward my son.

  I kiss him on the forehead. “I will be back to help you.”

  It’s not just a promise but a vow.

  I will help him navigate the darkness—I will teach him the light.

  “I love you, my son.” I kiss his forehead and run my hands through his inky dark hair before I start to put my clothes and then armor back on.

  My helmet and sword are last.

  Nephal is holding the helmet; the sword is too heavy as it lays against the ground.

  I pick it up, and then I reach for her.

  Her lips tremble as she steps into my arms and rests her head against my golden armor, and in that moment, something shifts between us.

  It is peace.

  Acceptance.

  Love.

  It is the will of the creators.

  I smile down at her. “What a wonderful fall…”

  “Still falling.” She kisses me on the cheek, then the mouth, then the other cheek. “Always falling, for my angel.”

  “My angel,” I say back, and then I feel the presence of many angels outside our tent. “It is time.”

  “I’ll see you soon,” she says.

  “Yes.” I nod. “I will count down the seconds.”

  “Eager?” She teases.

  “Always.” I release her and leave the tent and see Uriel standing there with seven angels flanking each side of him.

  “Are you ready?” He asks.

  I almost frown. “Would you be ready to leave your child?”

  He opens his mouth and then shuts it, opens it again, and says, “No, my friend. But I swear you this”—the angels near him start to walk around the small hut and stand guard—“she will always have the eyes of the creators on her, never will she suffer—that is their promise. Now, it is time for you to do good on yours.”

  I nod slowly and try not to show emotion as the angels stand guard.

  Years later, I would find out that they never left her side.

  Hundreds of years, they stood through snow, sleet, rain, sun. They forever were paired with her.

  And forever would be.

  And when it was time for the end, they would experience it with her, and later on, I would learn.

  It was their divine pleasure.

  To Watch—Her.

  FOURTEEN

  Cassius

  Thousands of years later…

  Fall 2022

  I watch her.

  I watch my little girl.

  The miracle that was born between me and my wife, Stephanie with the powers of an archangel—a miracle of a being, compliments of my father.

  My little girl is beautiful.

  She is also special. She doesn’t have to chase the darkness—no, the darkness runs away from her light. It runs away from her smile. And I know she will do something incredible one day.

  I k
now she is a gift from the creators, and I know my father looks down from his deserved spot and smiles when she giggles and knows that even if he looked away from his purpose.

  A new one was created.

  There will never be a mistake that we cannot come back from, and there will never be a sin that cannot be forgiven, and what is done in love? Well, is that really a sin?

  I have my doubts.

  As does the rest of the immortal council.

  It is not a sin to love.

  It is a sin NOT to.

  I sing her to sleep. My plan is to watch her while my wife Stephanie moves around the room, getting ready for bed.

  And I can’t help but wonder maybe this was what the creators had in mind all along.

  All I know is she is mine, and I love her dearly. No curse remains in this house, only love, acceptance, and joy… the journey was hard, but the reward? I would do it for eons for this. So yes, I watch her, my daughter, as she looks up at me with bright blue eyes and says, “Tell me again, Daddy. Tell me that part again!

  I start to speak as she falls asleep, and then she opens her eyes wide, clutching my hand.

  “Daddy, it’s okay. It’s okay to miss him.” She’s three and speaks like she’s thirty.

  I frown down at her. “What, sweetheart?”

  She smiles up at me. “He says you were his joy. I play with him sometimes, oh almosts forgot!” She scrambles out of bed while Stephanie gives me a warning look.

  It’s a bad habit, wanting to sit by her at night, talk with her, sing to her until I’m ready to fall asleep too.

  “Look!” She runs back from her desk with a piece of paper. It’s a picture of my father, feathers and all, and next to him, one of the creators, his form I’ve seen often, he has long dark hair and ebony skin, he’s smiling and playing with her. “He’s really fun,” She points at him. “He always tells me it is well. That it will always be well no matter what, cool huh?”

  “Very cool.” I truly don’t know what to say, I’ve struggled to balance this whole king of the immortals thing with fatherhood, and now I’m even more out of my element, thankful that I have a wife who can sweep in at any time.

  Who’s also choosing not to and just watching us with a smile on her face.

  “T-they say I’m special, Dad! One time they said I was a gift. So it’s okay now, right? Everything’s going to be okay.”

  “Do you…” I start. “Do you see them during the day?”

  “Oh no.” She shakes her head.

  I exhale.

  “I see angels though. During the day, they watch me, and they say they watch me like they used to watch her, and in my dreams, I see Grandpa, and I see the other man who says I have a purpose. That’s good, right?”

  Tears fill my eyes. “So good.”

  She hugs me tight then jumps back into bed. “Okay, now I’m ready for another story.”

  Stephanie makes a noise in the back of her throat, standing at the door like I need to be the bigger person and let our girl sleep.

  Instead, I start the story. “Once upon a time, there was a beautiful girl named Stephanie.”

  Adiel giggles. “He’s talking about you again, Mommy!”

  My wife simply moves to my side and says, “Perfection in the imperfect. Was it the plan all along?”

  My daughter takes that moment to accidently sneeze out the cookie she somehow snuggled into her bed and laugh.

  “Maybe that’s why they stood on that mountain so long? All alone, he was told to be a Watcher. Maybe his job… was to both find and watch her, my mother.”

  We smile as Adiel eats another stolen cookie. She’s going to have to brush her teeth again. And I’ll probably have to tell her more stories.

  I don’t care though.

  Because they’re both right, as was my mother and father. The darkness will always call to the light, but the light will always defeat the darkness. The balance will still remain in order for balance to remain on this plane.

  It truly is well.

  My soul is full.

  My job is not yet done.

  But the burden feels lighter.

  All because my father chose love… over duty and life over death.

  Once Adiel is finally sleeping, I walk outside with Stephanie and look at the house I now live in with a freaking vampire, werewolf, siren, gods, goddesses… I smile because who thought this would be my life all those years ago?

  I walk outside and look up at the stars as they shine down. I smile. “You did good,” I whisper.

  “Talking to yourself again?” Mason comes up next to me.

  I roll my eyes. “Werewolves.”

  “What?” He elbows me. “You were just talking to the sky!”

  “They’re singing,” I say.

  “It’s the song of the creators. They sing it well.” He crosses his arms.

  “What are we doing?” Alex strolls up. “Singing practice?”

  I groan. “I’m leaving.”

  “Can I come?” Alex asks.

  “No,” Mason and I say in unison just as Timber pulls up in his brand-new red Tesla and hops out of the car.

  “Family meeting?” he asks with a grin.

  I smile despite the need to strangle each and every one of them and then sigh when I hear Ethan’s voice and something about the immortal council and how Horus just did the unthinkable.

  Perfect.

  Sounds about right when you think about it.

  My job, keeping the peace between Heaven and Earth. And the ragtag crew who gets to help me.

  Destiny, I guess, truly is in the stars.

  And sometimes starts when you watch where your heart is.

  Why my dad, Watched Her.

  WANT MORE RVD?

  Did you enjoy Dark Origins?

  Then check out the rest of The Dark Ones Saga!

  The Dark Ones Saga books can be read as complete standalone novels.

  Pick a couple you want to know more about and enjoy!

  The Dark Ones (Ethan & Genesis’s story)

  Untouchable Darkness (Cassius & Stephanie’s story)

  Dark Surrender (Alex & Hope’s story)

  Darkest Temptation (Mason & Serenity’s story)

  Darkest Sinner (Timber & Kyra’s story)

  Darkest Power (Horus & Tarek’s stories)

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Rachel Van Dyken is the #1 New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of over 90 books ranging from contemporary romance to paranormal. With over four million copies sold, she’s been featured in Forbes, US Weekly, and USA Today. Her books have been translated in more than 15 countries. She was one of the first romance authors to have a Kindle in Motion book through Amazon publishing and continues to strive to be on the cutting edge of the reader experience. She keeps her home in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, adorable sons, naked cat, and two dogs. For more information about her books and upcoming events, visit www.RachelVanDykenAuthor.com.

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