The Virtue Of My Dark Angel, Dark Angels of the Apocalypse Book 3

Chapter Twenty: Appropriate Aftercare

Barbatos..

It had been important for him to depart quickly. He knew Drew would take care of their girl, but it still stung for him to practically flee the room at a run.

He didn’t even bother to put on his clothes, just scooped them off the floor, and as a result, found he had grabbed up Bethany’s shirt as well, accidentally.

Her scent tingled in his nostrils, reminding him of his many failings.

But he was trying to drive Drew and Bethany together, and the best way to do that, was to make himself scarce. That way, Drew’s kind heart and giving personality could shine through.

Instead of the jealous gatekeeper Bethany was used to seeing.

Barbatos sighed, dragging great lungfuls of Bethany’s scent in through his nose and mouth. If he let just enough of his facial features change to Demon form, he could taste her, just by scent alone, with the special glands in the roof of his mouth.. Of course, it didn’t compare to the taste of the flesh between her thighs, but the scent of her skin was enough to get him through..

He yanked the shirt away from his face forcefully. What was he doing? He was trying to let Drew and Bethany deepen their bond. Not drown his senses in her pheromones so much that he was forced to go running back and interrupt them.

Ah, but he already missed both of his Markeds, though there was no way on Earth he’d admit to either of them just how addicted he was to them both.

Drew..

Drew held Bethany until she’d cried herself out, then suggested she clean up and take a nap. While she numbly wiped herself down, he brought her a glass of water and a bowl of the strawberries she loved so much. She smiled wanly at him, took a sip of the water, and fell into bed, almost instantly asleep. Now Drew was on the prowl for Barbatos. Sure ‘Tos could be callous, but Beth was special. She was theirs, and her heart was fragile. And ‘Tos had just cracked that glass heart.

“Barbatos!” Drew let the name rip from him like thunder, knowing it would reach their Demon and grab his attention. He didn’t stop though, stalking out towards the barn, thinking Barbatos must be somewhere amongst the animals or plants since he hadn’t been within the house.

“I’m here.” Barbatos rounded the back of the house, startling Drew enough that he let out an undignified yelp, which only made his anger worse because of his embarrassment. Barbatos ignored Drew’s yelp, and his anger, brushing off his gloves and placing an ax down by the porch railing.

Drew stomped straight for him, lining their bodies up toe to toe.

“Just what do you think you are doing?” Drew snarled. Barbatos looked down at the ax he had dropped.

“I mentioned building Bethany a room, didn’t I?” Barbatos looked genuinely confused, and for a moment, Drew was honestly touched, and he blinked, looking at Barbatos in surprise.

“Wait, what? You are? ‘Tos that’s so sweet! I was going to help! And this is totally not the topic and you know it!” Drew was seething by the end of his gushing statement. Barbatos sighed.

“I presume this concerns Bethany.” Barbatos stated, tugging his leather shirt over his head and wiping his face with it. Drew once again was distracted, but he knew Barbatos’ methods too well now. He wrenched his gaze from the sweat beading and glinting in the sun where it was trapped in the hair on Barbatos’ chest or sliding inevitably downwards towards Barbatos’ waist.

“Of course it does!” Drew snapped “You left her there crying for heaven’s sake! Couldn’t you have at least held her for five minutes before stomping off like the beast you are?!” Drew shouted. He could swear for a brief moment, he saw Barbatos wince, but the expression was there and gone so quickly, Drew wasn’t entirely sure whether he saw it or not.

“You know I’m not good with emotions.” Barbatos grumbled.

“Of course not, but some aftercare would be nice, even from an emotionally stunted monster like you!” Drew seethed, then took a breath as Barbatos gritted his teeth. Drew realized he’d gone too far and he backed up a step. “Look, what I’m saying is, I know you have it in you to be kind, to release those softer, more humane sides when you wish, and you’re gonna have to do it with Beth, ‘Tos.”

“Beth?” Barbatos raised a brow at Drew, who crossed his arms over his chest, using his height to loom over Barbatos.

“You think you’re special? Exclusive? One and only owner of pet names?” Drew demanded, and this time Barbatos advanced on Drew, bumping his chest up against Drew’s abs.

“Yes.” Barbaots growled, yanking Drew’s head down to him to place a hard kiss on Drew’s lips. “I want it all. All of your love, your devotion, your worship. The rights to it all!” Barbatos sighed and let Drew go. “But I also love that you care for our girl where I cannot.” He looked away from Drew, picking up his ax once more. “Never stop being that kind-hearted person Drew. She needs it more than you know.” He turned his back on Drew and walked back towards the other side of the house and Drew was left gaping.

“Have I just been.. Barbatos were you manipulating me?!” He yelled after his lover, but the Demon didn’t answer and Drew was left staring after him, once again feeling that Barbatos had put his two Marked in a situation exactly as he wanted them to be to have the perfect outcome. “Damn your Virtue’s foresight.” Drew muttered.

“This has nothing to do with that!” Barbatos called back, and Drew startled.

“Oh yeah, then how do you explain that?!” Drew demanded, then gave up with a frustrated sigh.

Bethany..

Bethany woke to the sound of an ax splitting wood. There was really not any other sound quite like it, the sharp crack of the metal biting into the wood, the creak of the wood finally letting go and splitting. The thunk of wood on wood as the ax was embedded in a stubborn piece that was then knocked against another.

It always reminded her of winter. Of shivering in cold rooms around a fireplace that just couldn’t bite back the chill. Of the smell of smoke and frost.

She cracked open puffy, raw eyes and only then noticed Drew was wrapped around her. He hadn’t gone back to work? He’d stayed with her? Fresh tears sprang to her eyes, and she wasn’t sure what to make of the situation.

However, she did know what to make of the borrowed sweater. Whatever had happened to her shirt? Though she guessed it didn’t matter too very much, she’d planned to ask Drew to help her make a new one, and he seemed more than eager to see her wearing this one again, though it draped loosely off her shoulders and bared one of them completely. She eased from the bed, and out from under Drew’s arm, curiosity driving her towards the sound of the ax, and if she wanted to be entirely truthful with herself, her own lack of self-worth driving her from Drew’s arms.

Not bothering with her pants, she crept outside into the evening sun, and followed the sound of the ax around the back of the house.

Barbatos swung the tool like it weighed nothing, swinging it over his head to bring it down two-fisted on a large tree trunk. He wedged something inside the split he was making and dropped the ax, picking up another tool, what looked like a heavy mallet. With that, he drove the wedge deeper with a mighty swing, and with a deafening crack, the tree trunk split cleanly into two. Bethany jerked, slapping her hands over her ears, and Barbatos set the mallet down beside his feet, leaning the handle against his leg.

“If you don’t like the noise, get back inside.” Barbatos grumbled, but she released her ears and glared.

“I didn’t say that.” She argued. Barbatos finally glanced at her out of the corner of his eye.

"If you’d jumped any higher, you could have helped me patch the roof.” He remarked. She crossed her arms. Is that what he was doing? She’d thought for sure he was building her.. She shook her head and fisted her hands, letting her nails bite into her palms to remind herself she had enough pain in her life without creating more. Spinning on her heel, she decided to leave him to it.

“Bethany, wait.” Barbatos sighed. She froze. He’d actually used her name. Not ‘girl’ or some insulting pet moniker. “I’m.. sorry.. I left you earlier.” He muttered, and she tensed even further. What kind of apology was that supposed to be?

“Yeah sure.” She answered him, not looking back, and then started to walk off, but he caught up with her and grabbed her wrist, tugging her to a stop. His leather gloves had wood splinters in them, and they bit into her skin. She concentrated on that to keep herself from the tears that threatened.

“Bethany..” He murmured, so close to her ear that it gave her goosebumps “I mean it. Drew mentioned that you would have appreciated it had I stayed..” Her heart lurched. Had they been talking about her behind her back? Had Drew mentioned she cried? She spun on Barbatos.

“Listen, I’m not some basket case for you two to pity and discuss behind my back!” Her words died when she saw how close Barbatos really was, but she swallowed hard and continued. “If there’s a problem, you can bring it right to me.” She finished breathlessly, and Barbatos merely stared her down. It was a look that penetrated deep within her soul, and she found herself fleeing from it within short order.

It wasn’t until several days later, when she came in from the garden to see the men hard at work on the back of the house, and decided to bring them some drinks and snacks, that she realized that Barbatos might have been trying to distract her from what he was doing back there.

“Beth-any!” Drew yelped when she rounded the corner with the two cool glasses of water. He nearly dropped the handsaw he was holding, and quickly tried to hide it behind his back like a guilty child caught stealing sweets. Barbatos shook his head.

“Subtle Drew.” Barbatos muttered, and Drew turned to shush him. Bethany narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

“I brought drinks..” She began, and Drew reached for one, but she pulled it back out of his reach. “But now I’m wondering if I should withhold them in favor of information.” She stated dryly.

“That’s blackmail.” Drew accused.

“No, that’s common sense after your reaction.” Barbatos laid down his ax and stepped around Drew to reach for the other glass. Drew scowled, but took the water that was offered to him, though Bethany made him chase it a bit with a raised brow until he cursed.

“We’re prepping to add onto the house, ok?” Drew folded and Bethany relinquished the drink, folding her arms in front of her chest as he gulped greedily from the glass.

“I figured it was something like that.” Bethany responded, and a brief hope tried to k****e in her chest that she squashed mercilessly. “But what for?” She asked, eyeing the weak-link, Drew. He gulped faster on his water, refusing to answer.

“What do you think, Bethany?” Barbatos sighed. “I don’t mind sharing a room with you, but it’s gonna have to be bigger. Or you can have your own. And unless you plan on just raising the kids in the same room-” Bethany choked, and Barbatos raised a brow, his words coming to a halt.

“K-kids?” She grabbed Drew’s water and took her own gulp. “That’s something we haven’t really.. I mean.. Kids?” Drew raised his gloved hands helplessly.

“I mean, I had hoped we would repeat our little tryst from the other day, but if you don’t want to-” Drew mentioned.

“No, it’s not that, I do! But.. I mean, kids..” Bethany ran a hand through her hair and promptly got it tangled in the wild mess she had such a hard time taming. She laughed recklessly. “See what I mean, I can’t even take care of myself, and now you’re adding tiny humans to the picture?” She tried to yank her fingers free, but they were lodged, and Drew gripped her wrist. Gently, he began to unwrap the hair from her fingers, and Barbatos carefully set his glass down and approached.

“They wouldn’t be normal human children.” Barbatos murmured quietly as he pulled off a glove with his teeth and helped Drew with the knot in her hair. Bethany looked at him sharply.

“I mean, I know that.” Instinctively, she did, but somehow it wasn’t enough to know it, because she still had this idea of these helpless innocent babies dependent on her.

“Do you really, Bethany? Hybrids are.. Unique. Whether they be Cambion or Nephilim. It’s not like caring for a human child.” He patted down part of the hair he’d untangled.

“And even if they were.” Drew brought her hand to his lips after it came free. “You have the both of us to help you care for them.” Drew promised, leaving a lingering kiss on the backs of her fingers. She had a feeling a few more minutes of this, and this conversation would be a moot point anyway. How did the two of them work in concert so well like this to be so seductive?

Barbatos brushed the hair off her nape and kissed her there, before sucking the skin between his teeth and nipping it lightly. She shivered, a full body thing that made Drew’s eyes suddenly become narrow and calculating.

“I think you found one of our girl’s e-zones, ‘Tos.” Drew purred and Barbatos nipped her nape again. This time, the anticipation had her dancing out of his reach, or attempting to, if it weren’t for the fingers Drew still held clasped in his. Drew easily pulled Bethany against his body, tugging her along by the one hand and grabbing her around the waist as though it were part of some obscene dance. He chuckled darkly, spinning her around with him as she cursed.

“I thought you two were working.” She complained.

“All work and no play makes Johnny a dull boy.” Drew remarked, turning her towards Barbatos’ gleaming red eyes once more.

“Besides, I could use a little snack.” Barbatos growled, and Bethany knew for sure her pants did not survive the destruction as her body reacted violently to the lust in his eyes and his grumbly voice. She groaned.

“Alright, fine! But Drew, I want a promise out of this! I need some new clothes! I’m tired of washing these pants, and my shirt never did come back. Wonder why that is, Barbatos?” She demanded as her hands smacked into Barbatos’ chest as she ran into him. He looked so very briefly surprised she almost didn’t see it, but it was there, and she felt a certain sense of satisfaction from the moment, until Barbatos bared sharp teeth at her in a feral grin.

“Drew and I rather like seeing you in my sweater.” Barbatos responded, sliding said sweater off her shoulder to bare her Mark. His mouth clamped down on it in the next instant and she was lost in that lust haze, her head falling back on Drew’s chest as Barbatos opened up her soul and fed from her very being.

Drew..

“You are lousy at keeping secrets.” ‘Tos complained as he carried the limp body of their girl to their bed. They had worn her out quite well, and she was in that half-asleep state, breathing deeply, eyes half-lidded, a self-satisfied smirk flitting across her face occasionally.

“You really are.” Bethany mumbled in agreement. Drew rolled his eyes.

“You’re asleep, what would you know?” He teased and she giggled tiredly.

“I really am..” She yawned. “..so I still know you can’t keep secrets. Wait what?” Bethany tried to struggle up from unconsciousness, but Barbatos laid her out on the bed and covered her with a quilt. She hummed some nonsense under her breath and curled up happily, closing her eyes. “Ginger?” She muttered, already gone.

“Will be here when you wake. Rest. Drew and I will make something to eat.” Barbatos gently brushed the sweaty hair off Bethany’s forehead and she smiled sleepily, mumbling something else neither of them caught. Drew watched with narrowed eyes, but waited until ‘Tos had gotten up and left the room before saying anything.

“I knew you had a soft spot for her, and I doubt my scolding the other day made that much of a difference..” Drew casually pointed out as he brushed past Barbatos to enter the kitchen. As expected, when he glanced over his shoulder, his Demon lover had bristled.

“If you’re trying to say something, spit it out.” Barbatos spat, and Drew grinned with a shrug, pulling down a pan from the cabinets. He thought he might make some roast. It would give Bethany time to sleep, and would be something a little different from usual.

“Merely pointing out you can be gentle and provide aftercare when you want to.” Drew grabbed some potatoes, carrots, celery, onions and corn, then turned to see Barbatos right behind him.

“What’s your point?” Barbatos snarled. Drew’s grin widened.

“Oh you know.” Drew pushed past him again, placing the vegetables out on the counter and trying to decide which meat to use. “Just that you have a particular set of skills, and that necessitates you being a master manipulator.” Drew didn’t turn to see Barbatos’ growling exit from the kitchen, but he chuckled softly to himself as ‘Tos left. It helped occasionally to remind the Demon that he wasn’t as sneaky as he thought he was. Nor as powerful. Bring him down a peg or two. Keep him humble. Drew grinned again and chose a chicken. He couldn’t wait to go cuddle with his Demon and his girl in bed.