Summon Lyght (16 page)

"
I'm not naming any names, but somebody is dotty gaga with our Peggy."

Tyler looked over at Robert the Scorpion and realized in horror what he was saying. The instinct to deny it jumped on his tongue, but one look at Peggy
's pleased smile froze him. No way would he offend her for his own pride. He looked down and shuffled his feet, wishing the subject would change.

"
So when do we tell them?" Francis mercifully granted Tyler's wish and took the conversation back to the original subject.

Tyler sighed in relief.

"Tell what?" A deep voice with a sort of odd accent came from just outside the door.

Interested in what would come through the door next, Tyler leaned to get a good look. When a monster that looked a whole lot like the one he
'd seen back at Miya's house strolled in like it owned the place, he sucked in a deep breath to scream a warning. But Francis and the others seemed perfectly at ease. Maybe this was another of their friends, practicing different forms? He sure hoped so as he let his breath out slowly.

Chapter Sixteen

Francis groaned inwardly. Of course. Russell. The monkey bastard was such an annoyance. Why did he think he could just come waltzing into
this
room without knocking?

"
I was coming to bring a message."

The ruby in Francis
' blood heated to near boiling. "Do not. Ever. Read my mind."  He
hated
when they did that. Francis fought to get control of his anger. He did that a lot around the creatures. It was difficult to find a decent spot in his mind for them. Especially after they'd bitten Karly. He still didn't feel right calling her mom. Yet. It just seemed disrespectful to assume such a close bond before it actually existed. And he didn't want to rush her. Especially lately, she wasn't feeling well at all. He glared at Russell. Due to
his
kind.

Sure, it hadn
't been Russell or one of his siblings to bite Karly. Francis could easily make that separation. He didn't even blame them for what others of their kind did, but that didn't mean he had to like them. But Russell, he could not stand for the simple fact that he had a drool crush for one of the human wives.

Forget the message and get the hell out. That
's what burned on his tongue. "Give your message."

"
Well I…" The creature sniffed, tilting his head slightly. He looked around and a low growl gurgled from his throat.

Francis stood, his ruby immediately forming a protective barrier over his skin.

The animal let out a bone crunching roar aimed at the human boy.

A flash of confusion struck Francis.  

Peggy shifted into metal form, holding her hands out toward the beast. "What's wrong?"

The thing thrashed and bellowed as though something held him… No. As if he held
himself
back. The second Francis doubted he would succeed, he flew over to help with a ruby punch to the heavy chest.

"
Don't hurt him!" Peggy screamed.

The scene became a flurry of insanity in only a millisecond as Russell
's brothers came thundering down the corridor, no doubt in answer to the beast's distress. The cause of that distress was unclear, but Francis wasn't taking any chances.

The creatures still had the potential to be as bad as they were good and just because Peggy insisted they were practically angelic didn
't make him feel better. She'd mothered the beasts when they were babes, not him, so he didn't share her confidence. Especially since their kind had bitten his mother and now snarled at his first human friend.

Was it jealous?

"Stand down!" Francis yelled in the creature's face. "Tell your brothers or this is going to get bloody!"

The creature growled as though possessed by some unseen power.
"I…I can't…"

"
Something's wrong with him!" Peggy cried, shoving at Francis, holding the creature's head and peering into his face. "Talk to me Russell."

The lust in its eyes was unidentifiable, but Francis knew it wasn
't friendly, and by the looks of it, his eight brothers shared that lust.

"
Stop…me!" the creature finally managed in a horrific growl.

Francis wheeled to face the wall of teeth that barreled up on his right. Their eyes were trained on the doorway to his room. Tyler. The creatures shared a mind link and whatever Russell
's problem was had immediately become theirs.

Francis quickly formed a ruby bow out of his arm and shot a spray of sleep darts into their hides, fighting his instinct that insisted lethal force was called for each and every time he faced the abominations.

"Bloody hell!" Robert perched on the top of the couch and peered at the beasts who'd merely staggered briefly before resuming their rabid pace. The diamond scorpion's lethal stinger was poised and ready.

Francis
' anger mixed with sudden fear at having to possibly kill the beasts. Maybe if he hit one hard enough? He turned the bow into a sledge hammer. "Maxwell! Protect the boy!" Francis swung his arm and upper cut the first beast. The sound of shattering jaw bone mixed with a howl and the creatures' shrieks reached a deafening level. They were suddenly torn between a savage need to avenge their sibling and the mysterious drive to pursue the boy. Francis had never seen anything like it aside from demonic possession.

"
Russell!" Peggy screamed. "Stop it!"

Russell
's only response was to fight even harder to free himself of her metallic bear hug. He chomped at her like a rabid dog, his teeth snapping loudly on her metal skin.

The rest divided their attack. Four on Francis and four toward Tyler.

Robert left his perch on the couch and stood with the boy embraced between his pincers. A solid diamond shield enshrouded both of them while Maxwell went dragon and blasted a wave of liquid ice over the oncoming beasts.

Francis hesitated to injure another one until he understood what was happening. He might not like the bastards, but this attack had to be someone else
's action. The behavior just didn't fit the facts. He exhaled thick ruby mist over the creatures until it held them powerless and immobile. He spoke the command to open a slit in the air next to the creatures. Another word hardened the ruby mist and bound the beasts inside a cluster of shimmering jewels. He flicked his finger and sent them into the darkness between the Universes to wait while he figured stuff out. The slit closed with a
slight hum at his command.

Peggy let out a loud sob and he spun toward her. She stood with dozens of bloody blades protruding from her metal skin.

She looked at him, stunned tears rolling down her cheeks. "He was crushing me." She gasped back a full sob. "And he was a second away from hacking into my powers!" She dropped next to the barely breathing creature and pulled him into her arms. "Get Toren!"

"
I'm here, I came as fast as I could." He looked around. "What the hell happened?"

"
They attacked." Francis shook his head winded with worry.

"
I hurt him Toren," Peggy wailed.

"
What happened?" Dorn appeared next to Maxwell, followed by Kassern.

Maxwell explained and Francis met his father
's hard ruby gaze as Kassern hurried to him and held his shoulders. "You okay?"

Francis gasped in relief. Kassern was concerned rather than angry. He nodded.
"I'm fine. I don't know what happened, Russell came in, took one look and sniff at Tyler and went ape shit. Next thing I know, the whole brood is here attacking. I didn't know what to do. I hurt one. I'm sorry but I couldn't think of any other way to stop them, but it just made them divide their attack. I cast the four who came after me into the Darkness. Peggy had to hurt Russell. She was holding him back. Dad, they acted like they were possessed and Russell seemed to be fighting to get control. He told Peggy to stop him and she did but then he was hacking into her powers and she had to do it."

Kassern pulled Francis into his arms and hugged him.
"I'm glad you're okay." He turned toward Peggy. "Holy shit," he whispered.

"
He'll heal." She stroked the beast's face and wiped her tears. "I didn't kill him, but I hurt him bad. I had to."

An explosion erupted behind them and the four creatures held in ice launched for Tyler as if they hadn
't been interrupted. Francis' heart lurched. Robert had removed his shield and Tyler was unprotected.

Immense darkness fell over the room and a loud boom shook the air. The light gradually misted back in to illuminate a perfect black cube covered the beasts.

"Be still."

Francis recognized the deep ominous voice coming from the right side of the room. The Onyx Archangel Warrior. Even though Francis knew Zool well, he still felt like a stranger. Zool
's onyx powers were as dark as his general mood and Francis often marveled how he could appear so fearsome and dreadful and still be on the good side. Even the other Archangels were wary of the black warrior, and for good reason.

"
Zool." Kassern nodded. "What brings you?"

The tall angel leveled those fearsome eyes on the human boy.
"He does."

Chapter Seventeen

Miya
's pulse pounded in her head as she finished her shower. Had the floors just shook? God, she was nervous. What had she gotten herself into? She had to be insane to bargain away her virginity like a chair in a yard sale. But they'd been so convincing that the fate of the world rested between her legs, leaving her no choice.

And it wasn
't as if she didn't
want
to be with Lesedi. She did. More than anything. She just didn't want it to be like fulfilling a contract. The rooms they'd been shown to reminded her of an expensive brothel, all rich colors and sparkling furniture made of some kind of gem material that practically glowed. The lavishness of the suite contributed to the sense of surreal prostitution.

She dried off and stood naked before the floor length mirror constructed from the same stone as everything else, just in silver white, polished to a mirrored shine rather than one of the many hues of the other furniture. Would Lesedi like what he saw? She might be no great beauty, but the artist in her recognized the pleasing proportions and symmetry of both her face and figure. Unless his culture had trained him to prefer something else, he would like her.

And certainly he would know what to do. She sure as hell didn't. She knew the facts, of course, and even a little of finer details, but nothing from experience. All she knew came from books, romance novels in particular. And she'd often been informed that
real guys
bore absolutely no resemblance to the heroes her favorite authors cooked up.

This wasn
't exactly like an actual romance anyway. More a business transaction. They needed to do the deed so Lyght could do whatever it was he did and fight the demons. No matter what it really was, though, Miya wasn't about to walk into her first sexual experience as if it were nothing more than a handshake. Hopefully Lesedi wouldn't find her little preparations too ludicrous. Surely a shower and clean underwear wouldn't be considered too prudish.

Someone had mentioned that everything she might need waited in the suite for her, and so far she hadn
't missed anything. From toothbrush to exquisitely scented soaps to towels thick enough to get lost in, the best of everything waited for her.

And the
clothes
! She'd hoped for maybe a T-shirt and track pants or something, but when she stood before the massive stone wardrobe in the fluffy robe she'd found waiting in the bathroom, it slid open. An inner door revealed drawer after drawer of silk and lace lingerie, all in exactly her size. The other side held several exquisite gowns, tons of jeans and tops, and too many other things to count, along with a collection of shoes the likes of which she'd never seen. Miya had the uncanny feeling that if she climbed inside the wardrobe, she might find a door on the other side leading her back to the real world. She was seriously tempted to check, just in case. She intended to go through with the plan, but an escape hatch might come in handy.

Opening the other set of wardrobe doors, she found a similar assortment of clothing for a man, presumably Lesedi. Was he responsible for it all? Not like it mattered. The clock was ticking. The last thing she wanted was for him to get impatient with waiting for her.

She returned to the lingerie drawers. What should she wear? Not one of the negligées that looked like they should be on some French model. Definitely not. She looked in vain for a plain bra and panties and finally had to settle for an ivory silk set trimmed in delicate lace.

What else? Jeans seemed a little too casual. The gowns were unbelievable, but definitely too much. She didn
't want to feel like an overpriced painting. Somewhat discouraged, she flipped through the remaining hangers of nice clothes, looking for the one thing that felt just right.

Ready to give up and just meet Lesedi in the underwear and bathrobe, Miya almost didn
't look at the dress on the last hanger, especially since yellow wasn't usually her color. But a closer look convinced her she'd found exactly the right dress. A strapless sundress with a fitted bodice of suede denim in a yellow so pale it was almost ivory and a flowing ankle length skirt was the perfect mix of innocent and hot. At least she hoped it was.

****

Lesedi tried to keep his fascination in check. The situation with Miya became something entirely different the moment she agreed to participate in the angels' plan. From his perspective, he could barely contain his anticipation. He had waited, near breathless, while she found one delay tactic after another—discussion with the others, a meal, a shower. Would she next demand sleep first?

Miya, on the other hand, seemed almost crippled with apprehension, definitely confirming Lyght
's assessment. A shame, really. He would have preferred she stay breathless and highly combustible with his touch. First he would have to coax his way past the strong business-like façade she had taken on to cover for her lack of experience.

At the moment, she flitted around the room like restless soft yellow light, tinkering with the many lit candles, finding it too dark. Lesedi watched in fascination from his seat on the bed, his back propped against the padded headboard. She had prepared for him and dressed in a soft-looking dress the color of morning sunlight that left her delicate shoulders bare. Lesedi wouldn
't be surprised if the skirt were made of spun diamond, light as air, the way it glistened and floated about her legs, first clinging then flirting.

He felt as if he had walked into some warped alternate dimension made entirely of diamond in various hues and tints and impossible thicknesses. The whole ensemble was fit for a king, only he did not feel like a king. The contradiction provided an awkward distraction. Filled
with such wonder and fascination, how would he ever relax enough to…No, that would not be a problem. Just watching her move around filled him with aching need.

Miya
's behavior served as a distraction as well, an obstacle to be overcome in order to claim what was his. Her nervous resignation to her fate turned her into a monarch butterfly in combat boots. The moment she decided to take part in the mission, she focused on Operation Sex, approaching their coming union like a logistical problem to be surmounted. Apparently, endless and elaborate planning and preparation were necessary for a suitable outcome.

She seemed to need the delay tactics. He burned to tell her they needed nothing more than privacy and time, but if her strange rituals abated some of her anxiety, he could wait. After all, her first time should be perfect, and he would do anything she needed to make it that way, including wait.

He only wished she realized she need not feel like a prisoner led to execution. Such an air of foreboding while approaching what should be a joyous moment betrayed her inexperience. He needed a way to ease her fears.

Finally, she seemed to come to some sort of resolution and came to the bed.
"So…" She sat with trembling finality on the mattress, eyes lowered to avoid his gaze. "What…position should we do this in?"

Lesedi stared at her, trying not to smile. Did she really just ask that? She must think sex needed planning out, or something. He was left at a total loss to explain the reasoning behind her question.
"What position would you like to perform in, Miya?"

Her face froze in confusion. She clearly had not anticipated being required to answer her own question.

He should help her. Despite the impulse to give gentle guidance, his annoyance with her businesslike approach to their lovemaking insisted on showing itself. "Perhaps doggie style? Something more daring? No? How about missionary? Yes, I'm sure that is the perfect position for you. Miya the missionary, storming the sexual jungle with a guerilla vagina, determined to conquer the enemy penis."

Her jaw dropped and Lesedi immediately regretted the insult.
"What is your problem?"

Frustration won out over his guilt.
"Do you really expect me to make love to you this way? Like a military operation or some distasteful business deal? I am forced to admit, even as much as I want you, it is a bit difficult to attain the necessary… erection." Lie. Even as he scolded, his hard-on strained against his zipper.

Her eyes widened with the dramatic shrug of her shoulders.
"This
way?
What do you want from me? This is my
first
time, if you're expecting some raving performance from me, you're way out of luck and better head on back to Africa."

"
Performance!" Lesedi bolted up from the bed and paced, cock pushing uncomfortably against his waistband, his glare trained on her. "Performance?" Everything about her drove him closer to the edge of passion, some new horizon beyond which he had never ventured.

"
Am I using the wrong term?" A barely audible note of smallness in her tone betrayed her true confusion.

Lesedi forced his voice to soften, just a little.
"Very much so." A small seed of guilt pricked at his conscience and reminded him of her virginity.

She shot to her feet.
"Well excuse me! I must have been absent the day they dished out sexual vocabulary. I suppose you'd be oh so
fluent
though."

He paused and narrowed his gaze. She met it with her own determined one. He wanted to make a suitably caustic retort, but he could not deny the fact that he
was
very well-spoken in every aspect of sex. He went back to pacing, focusing on the problem. Her. "I may be fluent in sex, but I sure as hell do not plan on just assuming a position and fucking you like an animal with a contract to fulfill." He paused and wagged his index finger with a definitive
no.
"I did not. Sign up for that."

By her incredulous gasp, she had misconstrued his words. Again. But which ones? He could only wait with bated breath for some clue.

Her retaliation began with a furious nod that swung her loose hair in a distracting cloud around her face. As if she sensed the direction of his thoughts, she furiously pushed the offending hair back, pulling the whole mass into one clump. "So you
are fluent in sex
." She nodded at him for many seconds then plopped back on the bed. "Aren't I just out of my league? How many women have you fucked, exactly? Or can you even remember?" Something like despair crept into her voice, just for a moment, quickly replaced by fury. "Maybe you're married. Oh!" She gasped and widened her eyes. "Maybe you have
many
wives Mr. African…Harem Husband. Get the knife ready to jab another notch in your
fucking
belt." She quoted the air with her fingers.

Lesedi stared at her slack jawed, unable to regain his composure. Toward the end of her tirade, he
'd realized it. She was
jealous.
His broad grin fought through, impossible to repress no matter how angry it would make her.

Her gaze narrowed and a wave of palpable fury rolled from her.
"What is so
fucking…
funny?"

His cock throbbed again, sensing the passion coursing through her. It thrust toward her with unashamed need before he could regain control. Damn. He had meant to hide how
glad
her jealousy made him.

Once again, she misread him. Her gaze suddenly lowered to his waist and she gasped and pointed.
"Oh so now you're ready to
get busy
?"

Yes. Yes he was. Her jealousy of the women he
'd been with provided a major turn on for him. Her possessiveness aroused him wildly, driving him to possess in return. She was possessive of him. Odd, given his history with women, but nonetheless arousing. He wanted Miya jealous, needed her possessive. Given the flush in her cheeks and the rapid rise and fall of her breasts, his arousal did more than just anger her.

In reaction to the realization, Lesedi
's hand dropped to cup his cock.

Her tongue swept over her lower lip in nervous reaction to his boldness. No. Hungry. She was hungry. For him. And afraid at the same time. The entire
performance
was no more than a tough act. All her instincts insisted on hiding fear and innocence. Those qualities turned a woman into prey for the likes of that asshole at the diner.

She needed direction, as his earlier impulse suggested. Guidance. A sure hand.

Mmm. Maybe firm and sure. His cock jumped at the overwhelming impulse to dominate her. Bring her to her knees in wanton desire. Begging.

Would she submit? Or fight? Could she give him the ultimate gift of her trust?

Excited need drove him to forge ahead, without the careful negotiations and guidelines western women generally expected in such arrangements. "Since I am the one with all of the experience, I will lead you. You will do as I say. Say yes if you agree to this, or no, if you don't. But know that once you agree, I will not stop. I will not stop until you are screaming my name and clawing my flesh in unfettered passion." He watched her go from angry to breathless arousal in the space of a heartbeat.

Her eyelids lowered with desire and her cheeks flared with heat. The concept might be
new to her, but instinct drove her to accept his domination.