Blood Bonds: An Angel's Love

/.../ is thoughts.

Chapter 2

Staring soulfully, his emotions usually masked, Kratos’s strong hand grabbed Lloyd’s muscled shoulder. Lloyd’s large eyes, gold glinting in them like tiger’s eye stone locked with his. That gaze made a stream of memories crashing together, like water drops tumbling into one massive waterfall to a raging stream below coursing through Kratos’s restless mind.

/What is it?/ Anna asked, nuzzling her face in his neck.

/I felt it/, Kratos replied softly, stroking her tasseled silky hair, /something right here in my heart when we made love./ With one arm he held her, the other slid over his heart thumping slowly. /It must have been our newly conceived baby’s soul./

In the present, the breath and depth of Kratos’s feelings surfaced in his thoughts. /My grief for Anna is somehow channeled into my attraction for Lloyd. Have those feelings I’ve harbored for you are also my sin, my son?/

“Umm uh, thank you for the present, Kratos.” Lloyd’s gloved hand with the blue sapphire Exsphere mounted in clasped the antique locket his father placed in his palm. It made Lloyd’s arm tingle, Anna’s spirit within awakening, drawing closer to her beloved husband’s soul. Her life force made the gem emit a soft blue light, refracting around the edges Lloyd’s youthful face. Twin points of bluish light, each played in his irises like magical fireflies trapped inside.

Her autumn-dark eyes became her son’s, specks of red, glints of gold, colors of that season playing deep in their depths. Her pale winter skin, fresh as early spring became his, soft to the touch like a rose’s silky petal. Her thick summer hair tumbling freely unbound in coils became his, mahogany brown the shade of tree bark. How it hurt to see him turn into her. Yes, she would be proud seeing what a fine boy Lloyd grew up to be.

“Well, I’ll I guess be heading back inside.” Lloyd shrugged, grinning nervously. “Looks like I’ll be listening to you after all, eh?” Inwardly, he scolded himself. Lloyd, you stupid, stupid fool! You say you like him then wanna leave. Ah, no wonder Genis says you’re dumb.

His awkward expression made the vestiges of a feint smile creep across Kratos’s somber features.

“Wow…I, I don’t believe it!” Lloyd blurted, pointing. “It’s the first time since we met you…you smiled, Kratos.”

“…I…I suppose so,” he admitted evenly, a man of few words, his countenance expressionless though love twinkled for Lloyd in his narrow, wine-red orbs. “If you can call it one,” he added, rather detached.

“I would.” Smiling widely, Lloyd waved turning away. “It’s kinda late. I’ll be going. Goodnight.”

“Night, Lloyd,” he returned softly, his deep base voice tender for a moment at the sound of Lloyd’s name. “Sleep well.”

Clapping him hard, Lloyd buried his boyish face into Kratos’s powerful chest. Brushing back thick strands from his son’s forehead, Kratos ran a finger down around Lloyd’s jaw line, pausing at his chin, angling it up so their gazes melt directly. Something innate within Lloyd, the subconscious knowing of Kratos as his father loved him back with every breath breathed and thump his heart beat.

In an existence devoid of meaning, family became Kratos’s very reason for living. His heart, bottled with emotions from Anna’s death churned violently, though outwardly he remained calm like the sea’s placid mirror surface. /My son, you haven’t changed, If you knew who I was, would you still like me the way you do? I couldn’t forgive myself for hurting you, so I may return your affections, but I must question the morality of my feelings./

“I will,” Lloyd whispered, parting.

Just as he vanished around the corner of Dirk’s house, Kratos heard a whimper in the dark. It came from a massive green and white four-legged beast. Panting, Noishe rubbed playfully against Kratos’s slim leg.

Sighing heavily, he scratched behind the giant dog’s ears. “What a good boy, you’ve protected him all those years.” Time weighed heavily in Kratos’s weary voice. Knowing those years his son lived safely in Noishe’s protection meant more than his eternal life or the godly power of a seraph.

“Ruff!” Chasing his tail, Noishe wagged, his beady black eyes sparkling vividly. They told him Noishe loved him as greatly as he loved Lloyd.

An ordinary man might melt from Noishe’s unconditional love. Raised as a knight to die in the line of duty before his days as angel, loosing the heartbroken Mithos to insanity after Martel’s death, enduring an endless 4000-year life, and killing the woman he loved because she begged him all made his heart ice over.

“…Keep watching over Lloyd. Do you understand?”

“Ruff! Ruff!” he barked, nodding his muzzle at Kratos.

Inside the house, the very last embers of Dirk’s forge died, casting a dim glow off wooden walls lined with weapons and armor forged. Kratos passed through to Lloyd’s room in the attic, admiring how moonlight streamed in, bathing his son’s sleeping form. Curled over on his side, he hugged his knees to his chest, head tucked in, hands clasped around Kratos’s locket close to his heart. Sighing again, he sat at the foot of Lloyd’s bed, lost in thought.

Thick, heavy moisture laden clouds drifting outside blocked bright silver moonlight. A cold draft blew in, window shudders outside creaking. The wind outside hissed, whistling past Lloyd’s window. Moving swiftly Kratos latched it shut, hearing several small branches snap against the roof. Soon, torrent after torrent of wet sheets hammered down, a thousand nails hitting at once to the ear just below the low attic roof.

“…No…Mom…” Jerking violently in bed, Lloyd tossed suddenly, hitting the bedroom wall, shaking as though an earthquake struck.

On a night like this, Anna died by the cliff outside the ranch. The weather must be making him remember, Kratos observed, sighing. He bent over Lloyd in the dark, catching a tear that rolled down his cheek. This fragile human boy, expendable in the eyes of Desians, seen as an inferior being by Cruxis angels, became Kratos’s very salvation.

“…Don’t leave me! D…Dad, I’m scared, where’s Mom?” He whimpered, reliving his mother’s tragic loss. In the nightmare, he saw the end of Kratos’s blade plunge through Anna’s spurting chest. Blood rained on his clothes, hair, face, and lips. Throwing himself on her, he wailed, Mom!

/Please, forgive your father. He did this because he loves me./ Anna smiled sadly, wearing an expression etched in Lloyd’s memory. He would see it in dreams, lurking in his mind’s eye forever. /And know I’ll always love you, okay dearest?/

“Oh, my son…” Pain caught itself in Kratos’s tight throat. Lifting the boy’s trembling frame in his supportive arms, Kratos pillowed Lloyd’s head on his firm lap. He brushed aside a loose brown tendril behind Lloyd’s ear. “I’ve hurt you so much. No matter how hard I atone for the pain of Anna’s death that wound will always ache inside. If I loved you the way you like me, would that mend your broken heart?” His father’s gentle tone soothed over Lloyd’s impending fears.

Outside, dawn broke across the coruscating sky. Pinks, reds, yellows and oranges spilled into a brilliant palette of watercolor across the fiery horizon. Morning glories opened their violet faces to the sun upon vines crawling up Lloyd’s house. Soft morning tones painted the outside walls in pastel hues the color of spring. Songbirds perched on eaves above Lloyd’s window sang sweetly. Stirring, Kratos inhaled the fresh scent of greenery permeating the moist damp air.

Yawning, Lloyd stretched, eyelids fluttering open. He met Kratos’s ruby eyes, brownish black like garnet stone deep in their center, peering out calmly in return.

“I had a dream, Kratos,” he began, sitting up. “The sky rained tears, sad ones of blood. Then an angel with purple and blue wings came. He spread them, protecting me from the rain. And, he looked like…you.”

“Hmm, how mysterious.” His voice warmed slightly. A hidden smile lurked in his handsome features. “Although his path may differ, know that he would always protect you, with wings unseen but there.” He spoke wisely in arcane ways, wrapping a tender arm around Lloyd to symbolize what he said.

Reaching up, Lloyd cupped Kratos’s alabaster white cheeks. He closed his eyes inclining up to kiss the taller man before him. Slipping one arm around Lloyd’s shoulders, the other encircling his waist, Kratos pulled him close, possessing his son’s lips far more unrestrained than before. Lloyd shivered, feeling a tingle crawl up his spine.

“…No, I can’t.” Kratos broke their kiss, pulling back. I’m your father, its wrong.

“HEY!” Lloyd growled, frowning. “What the hell!?” He raised a fist, balled angrily at the auburn haired man. Fire burned in Lloyd’s wide orbs. He’s humiliating me again, trying to prove he’s better at this as well as fighting. Dammit, I can’t stand it!

And he’s too immature. Even if he desired it, it wouldn’t work. Eyes closed, Kratos silently crossed his arms turning away.

Lloyd frowned, dashing downstairs. “You jerk!” he hissed, racing past Dirk, Colette, Genis and Raine outside.

“My boy!” Dirk dropped his hammer at the forge.

“I can’t believe we head north to the Triet Ruins today,” exclaimed Raine, prancing. “Ruins, ruins, R-U-I-N-S!” She smiled obsessively as if waves of orgasmic ecstasy pass through leaving her in bliss.

Genis rolled his eyes, trailing after Lloyd. “There goes Nee-san…”

“Hey Lloyd, what’s wrong?” the silver hair elf asked outside of Noishe’s stable, placing a hand on Lloyd.

Kratos had quietly maneuvered out of Lloyd’s room, perched atop the roof eavesdropping from above.

Lloyd twitched, his frame shaking, pain sown on his face. “I hate him.” His words stabbed Kratos spitefully like a knife in the heart.

“You’re…in love, aren’t you?” Genis prodded, studying the pain wrought in Lloyd.

“S-shut up!” Lloyd sniffled, storming off into the woods.

“Genis, pack our things,” Raine ordered, barging out, still ecstatic in ruin-mode.

“Leave him to me,” Kratos’s deep voice rang out. He landed swiftly perusing Lloyd.

Catching his breath, Lloyd slowed down, dragging his feet at a lazy pace on a path that led to a cliff overlooking plains and the Triet desert in the distance. He dangled his legs over the precipice, letting his heels idly kick some rock. His gaze drifted into the deep sapphire gem mounted in his right hand. “Maybe Genis is right. But I don’t like the way he always watches and criticizes. No matter how hard I try, he can never be pleased.”

A rustling snuck through some underbrush.

“Where’s there!?” cried Lloyd, body tense, about to unsheathe his twin blades. He turned too close on the edge feeling himself slip. A few loose pebbles tumbled down a hundred foot drop below. “Noooo!” His lone cry echoed out carried by the wind over the plains to the desert and beyond.

TBC