The Completion of a Circle - Dark Love 3

CHAPTER 15

The cold of the Paths was almost immediate as Azrael's six other children came at the summons. "Megel," it was Ezekiel who was the first to speak. "Why have you called us?"

Michael motioned to where Azrael was still rocking Torin, weeping his loss and his pain. "Why else, we are his Brood, and we have lost a brother and a sister tonight."

"Who?" He demanded, moving to be with his Sire. "Father, who killed our brother?"

Azrael looked up at his second Childe. "I did." The pain and grief were only surpassed by the guilt in his voice. "He was dead, I could not revive him, his mind had fled, so I was forced to send his soul where it had fled." He kissed Torin's cold lifeless lips. "Perhaps as strong as he was, his mind would not be owned." Then he looked to where David held Sapphire. "They were bound soul to soul, so when I was forced to kill him, She went as well."

Izabo cried softly as she touched Torin. "No, oh no." She had only faced the death of two of her Kin so far and it did not matter that she was nearing her nine hundredth year, to lose one of those that her Sire had loved and made her Kin, it was too painful.

Loki looked up at the six. These were Azrael's children. They would support him in his grief. But that didn't make him feel any better, if anything, it just made him feel more alone. His only Childe, his First-Born, was dead. He would have no one to grieve her loss with.

"Go on, Loki," David handed Sapphire back to him. "It is time, finish releasing her." He looked up at the six. "Support your Sire's wedded love. He lost his Childe too. When Tori died, so did Sapphire." He knew that other than Selene he was the youngest in the room, but Azrael was his master now, and he would not keep still as long as Azrael and Loki bled from their hearts as they did. He knew what they were feeling, he had suffered from losing Cain, but at least his once Childe and now friend still lived. "They are lifemate's. Sapphire was his First-Born."

Ariel moved to gather the wounded Elder to him, as Sapphire slipped from Loki's grasp. Making soft soothing noises as the man cried. He knew what this man was feeling, had lost a Childe, his First-Born as well. He had to release him, just as Loki, was, having to release his love.

Ventor, Azrael's youngest, knelt by his Sire. "Father?" He felt the man pull him close. "We are here, Father, and we'll stay as long as you need us." Death came so rarely in their lives that it was hard to accept this pain.

"He was so like you." Azrael wept. "He was so bright, so loving, so gifted." The pain in his soul as he felt such agonizing loss. "I took him from his life, I only wanted to offer him mine, and now, I have killed him."

"If, as you have told us, his mind fled from life, you did him a favor. I wouldn't have wanted to keep living if I couldn't live." The boy had been a Mage. His Sire had found and trained a Mage, had gifted him with his Gift, and now he was lost to them.

Azrael pulled away, reaching for Loki. "Come, now with our family, we will leave them with my, our, Sire. We can do that for them Loki. Leave them together, forever."

Loki just shuddered in his arms. "I can't, I can't let her go yet, Azrael. Don't ask me to let her go, not yet."

"We must love. They have left us, gone to where none of us can follow. We have to let them go." He held him close, sharing his pain. "My, our, children will be here for us. But we have to let the ones we have lost go. I will put them with Osiris, he watches over my other two, even in death, he watches over them."

Ezekiel helped Michael to pull the two up, supporting not only his Sire, but going to support his Sire's love. "Let's do this Megel, the sooner we do it, the sooner we can return here and see to our Father's grief."

Michael looked up to where Selene sat, weeping softly. "Come on little sister, be with us in this. You lost your brother too this night."

* * *

Again the darkness of the cavern was absolute, as they appeared.

Azrael both hated and loved this place. Hated it because of the loss he felt anytime he came here, and loved it because so much of his love was in this place. "Osiris, Sire," and even softer, "Father." He reached out to touch the face of the man that had given him so much. "I have brought two more of your Grandchildren to be with you. Guard over them as you do Thorne and Sin." He gently lay first Torin at the, mans side, before reaching for Loki. "Let your Childe rest with mine. Let them slumber together, always." He moved, as Loki, still sobbing, lay Sapphire with Torin. "They were lifemate's, Father, my Son's mate is the Childe of my Husband. Watch over her as you do your own blood Grand-Childrin. He then moved to first one of the silent forms in the cavern and then the other. "Thorne," he whispered, touching his Childe's hand. "You are not completely gone to me, I have Gabriel, your Childe in my care. Your precious First-Born, the one that you trained so well, he lives."

Michael turned, hiding his face in Selene's hair as he wept. He had been here only three times before now, and with each visit had been forced to leave another of his family here. And he knew that one day, he would be forced to return, leaving, either his Sire, sibs or one of his children here again, or if he died before them, then he would be brought here, to join the silent sleepers.

* * *

The house was silent as Azrael returned with Loki and his Brood. For that he was so grateful. He didn't think he could have kept his sanity had there been chaos.

Lilith and Christian moved as one to gather David to them, both in tears at the loss and pain that they knew their Sire was feeling, for they felt it too.

Zephyr who had appeared while they were gone looked up from where he sat holding Morgan as she cried. "Master?" He had never faced such pain before. None of his brothers had ever died. "What can I do?"

"Do what you are doing now, Childe, comfort my, only, Chosen." Azrael began to cry anew. "Guard over her well, boy, she is all I have left."

"With my life." He vowed. * Father, * he frantically sought out his Sire. To be granted the feel of protective love cover him.

* Who has hurt you? * Came the immediate response.

* Come, I need you. *

Again the cold of the Dark Paths filled the room, as Cerberus stood there, ready to protect his Childe if need be. But as the grief and loss swept over him, he knew his Childe was in no danger, he had felt this pain many times, suffered with and supported many during it's sharp, clawing, agony. He gathered his Childe to him, pulling Morgan into his arms as well. "Who died, love?"

"Torin, and his mate." Zephyr hid in his arms, even as his own tightened around his love. "Something went wrong Father, Tori died and so did Sapphire." He sobbed against the man.

'Torin, dead', he felt the agony, the soul wounding pain that only a Sire could feel with the death of a Childe. The joy he had felt with the return of his Line was lost as he fought off his own grief. Now he would do what he must for his uncle, later, with his own children, his precious children, he would grieve. But for now, he would offer what comfort he could to this one. * Eris, * his mind sought out his own First-Born. * Bring your brothers, come. * He squeezed his Fledgling once more before pulling up to offer what aid he could to this man, the one that had given him so much. "Azrael," and softer still, "uncle." He knew the danger the elder Kin was in now. The death of a Childe had been the end to more than one of the Rogues in his house.

Azrael looked up from where he was hiding in Loki. "Cerberus." The, soft whisper, of pain, "Tori is dead."

Cerberus ignored the rest, they were not important, only this man mattered to him. "I know."

"I am lost." He let the other Coven Master pull his close, briefly pulling away from Loki. "I did everything I could do, but my Childe died."

"And the girl?"

"Sapphire is dead. My Childe is dead." Loki sobbed against Ariel.

Cerberus was torn, he so wanted to support Azrael, but Loki had lost his Childe, his First-Born. Wounded as he was, he knew that unless some one did something, that he would die. "What happened? Did the Gift not take?"

"Yes," He sobbed. "She was perfect."

"What happened Elder?" He let Michael take Azrael as he pulled Loki from a stranger. "Here," he pulled his hair back, offering the only comfort he could to the wounded one. "Drink first." The story washed over him as he felt Loki's fangs blindly seek his throat. The joy, the pride, the love, and then the pain, the unbelievable, pain, and the horrid loss. It had been Torin who left, whose mind had fled, leaving his body to die, and with his death, his mates as well.

Eris stood just out of Cerberus's reach. His, brothers, and Fledglings behind him "love?" He reached; trying to reached his husband. "Father?"

"Take Zeph home, take him and Azrael's Chosen take them both and flee here love."

"No." Another stranger stepped forward. "I don't know who you are, but you will not take my Father's, Chosen, from his house."

Cerberus looked up to the stranger. "I am Cerberus, if Azrael is your Sire, then I am your cousin. Morgan is safe in my home. You can't ask her to stay here, not with the way Azrael is suffering. Not with the pain his husband, who has lost not only a Childe, but also, his First-Born. I don't know you, but I am going to take and send both children away for now. I am Master here. Your Sire has placed me as his second, only he and Loki are before me. And I will see to it that I do all that I can to help them both, even if it means angering them to make them pull away from the death they now seek." He gently stroked the hair of the sobbing man in his arms.

"It's okay Ezekiel." Michael looked up from Azrael. "Cerberus is right. Morgan should not be here, none of them should."

Eris pulled away, going to kneel by Zephyr as he held Morgan, crying with her. "Come on honey. You heard your Sire. Bring your love and come with me."

"No," Morgan tried to pull away. "He needs me now, I can't leave him." She knew that if she didn't give her master a reason to keep living, she was afraid that he would chose to follow Torin. "Please, he needs me."

Azrael looked up at the pain in her voice. "Precious?"

"Don't let them take me, you need me. Please Azrael, don't let them take me." She was so afraid that if she left, she would never see him again.

"You must love. Go hide for now, I will be here when you return." He tried to smile at her, but it never touched his eyes. "I will never leave you, you are my world now. But Cerberus is correct. You should not be here."

Michael looked to where Joseph sat, Shadow in his arms crying. "Cain, take Shadow and go. Seek the peace of a home that does not bleed with pain as ours does now. Take Amber and Ben with you."

David touched Anna's cheek. "You too, neither Christian nor you need be here now. Take our pets and flee." He looked up as Zak was gathering William to him, getting ready to leave, for now.

Selene looked to Casey, who was now trying to seek comfort from Mark and Jenna, both crying softly. She knew all too well the feelings of loss and pain that were in this house. This man, her adopted Sire, had given her back so much. And had asked nothing. But now, like this, she would make a sacrifice that Azrael had never asked of her. "Megel." She reached and touched Azrael as he lay against his Childe, his First-Born.

"You too, little sister. Let me care for our Sire, and you go where the memories this is bringing up, are less painful."

She shook her head. "I won't leave. Not now, not with the way they both bleed." A light, trembling hand on Azrael's shoulder. "Azrael," she whispered. "Let me fill the hole in you, be my Sire in truth."

He pulled away from Michael, trying to focus on her words. "No, Selene." He whispered a raw pain filled sound. "I can not do that. Your connection to your old Sire is all that keeps you here, with me. Do not ask me to lose another Childe, not now."

"Mara would want it. I know she would." She took his hands into hers. "Let me give you something to hold against the emptiness."

He shook his head, looking to Loki. "No, Childe. I have Morgan, I will not be bereft of a Childe." He pulled her close, crying as he did. "But, would you, would your, Sire, understand if you took another that was not me?"

She looked to where his eyes rested on his husband. Could she, would it ease the pain that she knew he, all of them, felt? "You want me to give myself to Loki?"

"Only if you are at peace with it. Only if you know that Mara would be at peace as well. Will you give me that, offer the keeper of my heart your love and your life?"

She nodded. "Anything, you have given me so much, freed Mara's soul. If becoming his Childe will help, in any way, to ease his and your pain, I will. I will finally let Mara go, and live again." She kissed him, just briefly before pulling away, reaching for Cerberus, who still held Loki. "Let me." She took the heart-wounded man, her soon to be Sire, into her arms. "Let me Loki. Be my Sire, let me give you another Childe." She wept with his pain as he held her. "I can never replace Sapphire, but I can give you my love."

"No," Loki moaned against her. "No more, let me die. Please just let me die."

Azrael cried out in pain, as he reached for his love. "No, never, don't leave me too. Please, beloved, the keeper of my heart, please, live, if only for me." He held Loki, crying with him. "I will die if you do. Please, live, if for nothing else than I need you."

"Sapphire is dead." There was no end to the pain he felt. "My First-Born, my Childe is dead. How can you ask me to go on? My heart died with her."

"Please, I beg you, do not leave me." Fear, like he had never felt before, took hold. He had bound his life to this one, and if he could not save him, he would die. "Please, beloved, let Selene fill the ache in your soul. Let her be your Childe. Not First-Born, but still a Childe of yours." He sobbed, rocking Loki against him. "Please, oh please." He had lost so much already he, could not live through another loss, not now, not so soon. "I have lost both my children this night, do not ask me to lose you as well. Please, Loki, live."

Loki just lay against him, crying, feeling the loss, accepting his death, preparing to follow his Childe, his precious Childe. "No, you must live. You have your Children, you have your Chosen, you, have so much to live for. Please, let me die."

"No!" Michael grabbed him, pulling him away from Azrael, trying to make him see. "Please, Loki. Don't let your old Sire win, you have a life with us, with him, now. Live, if for no other reason than for spite. Take Selene, she wants to be your Childe, make her yours, live."

"The pain is like no other." A soft voice. "I know, I lost Adam, I thought there would never be anything but pain. But you can live. The loss of your First-Born, no matter how much it hurts, you can live."

Loki turned on him. "How, how can you ask me to live. How can you, who knows what it feels like, how can you, of all people ask me to live?"

"Because I do know what it feels like. I came close to fading, would have if it hadn't been for Throne. He kept my body and soul together during my grief. He wouldn't let me fade. He supported me while I bled. Just as Azrael will support you. But you can't die. I won't let you, I can't lose my Father too." He pulled Selene close, forcing her into Loki's arms. "Live, fill your soul with this Childe, let her take the pain. You have a chance that I never did. I am still alone, but you have Azrael, and you have her."

* Live, Father *, a whisper of a thought as Sapphire's voice touched him. * Live, I am at peace now, no more pain. Live. *

"Sapphire," Loki looked up, eyes wild. "Please, Sapphire, wait."

* No, Father, there is no place for you here. Live. * It was Torin. * Forgive me, I had wanted to live, but no more, just live. * Then to Azrael, * goodbye Father. Keep all in my heart safe. Live, even as you want to fade, live. * And the touch was gone.

The room was silent once again as both Loki and Azrael savored the last sweet touch of the essence of their children. But it was not over, even as Azrael looked up, tears streaming anew, he felt a light, almost kiss brush against his cheek, *g oodbye, Daddy. *

"They are gone." He whispered to Loki, pressing against him, trying to hide from the pain as the younger Kin wept. "Please, beloved, they are gone." Never, not even in his wildest dreams had he ever thought that his Childe's soul would have ever been strong enough to be able to pass through the veil. Not even for the brief moment that he had, or that Sapphire would have been willing to comfort them as she had. "Please, Loki, do as your precious Childe asks, live. There is no place for us there where they are yet."

"Here, Master." Selene wiped his tears away, calling him back to her. "Please, Loki, if Sapphire wants you to live, then do that. Live."

'Live, yes, I will live'. He pulled her against him, this one, who was willing, to, give, herself to him, was Kin already. There was no fear, no uncertainty of her life. * Hold on to me, Selene. Hold on to me, I will make you mine. I will live, give my lost Childe her wish. Be mine. * He felt her timid, quiet soul in his hands as he went to remake her, claiming her as his.

David watched on, sobbing quietly as he watched what was played out before him. They would live, Azrael and Loki would live.

* * *

Zephyr held Morgan to him, even as Eris moved to comfort them both. He was lost in her pain, a pain that he had prayed that he would never have to feel, but now, like this, he was being forced to face it.

Jacob moved to take a young boy who sat, with Titania, into his arms. "Go on Darion, go help your master and see if you can support his love too." Before moving to gather Eris, his closest sibling to him. "Go on, Mike, let Morgan find peace, if only for now. Let her hide in you."

"Zephyr." He whispered. "Mike died last night, died with the first mixing of my Fathers blood with mine, died when Cerberus branded me as his."

Jacob only tilted his head in acknowledgment. "Zeph, your girl needs you. You need her, go on little brother, go find peace." He had stood in the role of Cerberus's First-Born for so long, as Eris was never allowed to stand as such. That now even, with, the new freedom that was returned to his Sire with the return of his Line, he still behaved as such.

Another of Cerberus's sons reached for one of the mortals of Azrael's home as Cain and Shadow appeared. "I'm Rook." He wiped the tears from Amber's face. "Let your masters grieve, come and be with me."

One by one, each found some comfort from the strangers. The Rogues responded from experience. Gathering each going to let them hide from the pain that cut at them so badly. Even David's newest, Mathew, was finally coaxed into pulling away. Into accepting the hands and touch of a Kin that wasn't his master. One that he didn't know.

Zephyr looked up from where he was, holding Morgan against him, as he felt the pain filled touch on his mind. Bring her home. That was all, just one command. "Come on Morgan, love, Your master needs you now."

* * *

Azrael held out his arms as Morgan returned. Crying as she went into his arms. She was so happy to see him. She had been so afraid that she would never see him again, that now, with his arms around her, body shaking with sobs as he held her. It was her greatest prayer come true. "Morgan," his voice was so soft that had she not been where she was, she would have never heard him. "Help me."

She reached out and captured his face in between her hands. "Anything, you know that Master. Anything, just ask it, I'll do it."

He kissed her, stroking her cheek. "Be my Childe. I know that I had told you that it would be later, I had hoped to let you finish gaining your strength. But now, now I have a wound in my soul, on that only you can heal."

Morgan pulled his head to her throat. "I'll do anything I can, you know that. If becoming your Childe helps you at all, I'll do it now." She sighed as she felt his fangs puncture her skin.

Azrael cried as he felt the wound in his heart, his soul, the agony that he had feared would never give him peace. It didn't heal, didn't stop hurting, but as Morgan gave herself to him, moving to become his Childe, it did fade, just a little. Even the pain he felt as his precious Chosen began to die, was a good pain, the pain of a new beginning. And as he returned the life he had just taken from her, with her soul opening as it did to him, he was finally allowed to have hope again. * My Childe, * his mind touched her, * Topaz, my lovely Topaz ". *

*Sire, * she held on to him, even as she began to feel her new life. * Father. *

Loki, holding Selene, watched on. He still grieved, but now, the pain was bearable. This little one in his arms had made it so. And all he could hope was that as Azrael made Morgan his, then his husband would find the pain he felt to be the same.

Ezekiel lay a hand on Michael's arm. "Our Sire is going to heal now. Perhaps we should go, he needs to be with our new little sister."" He spoke softly. Not wanting to disrupt what was going on before him.

"No, wait. Give Morgan time to finish her transformation. Stay with us for a few days. She doesn't know any of you. So while you are all here, it would be easier to let her get to know you. That way I don't have to track you down to introduce you." He let his younger brother pull him close. "Besides, yes our Sire is healing, but I don't think he is ready to stand without us, or at least not yet."

"I will not leave him." Izabo stated flatly. "I will not go, not unless my Father says I must. If he needs to be with us, for now, or for however long he needs us, then I will stay."

And one after the other echoed her assurances. No they were his Children, and they would not leave him, not now, and not like this. Even Ventor, Azrael's youngest, agreed that he would not leave, he didn't care about the law.

Azrael held Topaz, his newest Fledgling as she died. Wiping the blood from her mouth as the first change, the one that always happened before the final death of the body took place. He wept with her as her fangs came down. Sharing her pain as he comforted her as best he could.

There was no pain, no agony as she lay against him. Even as she felt herself dying, there was no pain. "I love you." She murmured weakly. "I'm not afraid of this." And her eyes closed as she died.