Summoning Darkness (3 page)

“He’s in good hands, your man. I wonder if he knows that.” Jane Milano gave Heidi’s hand a squeeze. Merely twenty-four and just out of college, she had joined the Scarlet Summoners after an encounter with a demon at a bar. Coming close to being a demon’s last meal had changed her entire outlook on life and she decided to leave behind a promising new career in accounting to learn magic.

Heidi forced a smile onto her features. “I’ll tell him you said so next time I see him.”

“Tonight.”

Lillian’s statement had everyone turning toward her. Although socially the Summoners treated Lillian like one of the girls, when they hunted, there was no doubt who was in charge of an operation. She’d hand-picked every hunter herself and had put each woman through rigorous magical and combat training.

Each of the six Summoners had a compelling reason for dedicating her life toward such a dangerous pursuit. One moment of inattention, and a hunter would forfeit her soul. Heidi didn’t know all their stories, but she guessed Lillian’s past was darker than anyone else’s. The woman clearly held her secrets under close guard, and the shields she’d erected to protect herself were truly impenetrable.

Heidi stepped forward. She crossed her arms over her chest, completely unabashed by her nudity. When Luke had taken her virginity, he’d also awakened something in her. Determination, courage, valor. Whatever it was, she’d clung to it with both hands and hadn’t looked back. She no longer had a shy or demure bone in her body.

“I don’t think I understand,” Heidi said.

Lillian inclined her head, offering a silent acknowledgement of Heidi’s magical development. “You’re ready. After the way you handled that demon tonight, there’s no longer any doubt in my mind that you’re capable of doing what you’re determined to do.”

A notch of elation worked its way into Heidi’s belly. It fluttered there with the strength of a thousand butterflies flapping their wings. “You mean…”

Lillian nodded. A small smile curved her full lips. “You’re ready to conduct the summoning.”

* * *

Heidi’s hands shook as she pulled a heavy set of keys from her pocket and inserted one into a metal door. She’d spent the last two hours going over every chant she’d ever learned with Lillian, preparing for any possible scenario she might encounter.

She was ready. She knew she was. Besides, Lillian would never let her perform a summoning if she thought Heidi couldn’t handle it. She’d participated in dozens of demon slayings. This would be simpler. It wouldn’t require any combat, though her soul would be in more danger than ever before. One wrong syllable in an incantation, and the demons could reach through the tear in the veil and pull her inside before she had a chance to figure out what happened.

That’s why she had to do this alone. She couldn’t risk the souls of any of the other Summoners for a battle that was intensely personal. Besides, none of her sisters had ever attempted to perform a summoning. And although they’d all offered to stand at her side, she’d refused. This was something she had to do on her own. Luke was hers to rescue. And if she failed, she didn’t want anyone else’s soul on her conscience for the rest of eternity.

Speed would be of utmost importance. She had to focus on Luke, establish his location, and yank him through to the mortal realm faster than the demons could react.

If he’s still alive
.

Heidi shook her head, pushing the unsettling thought away. Lillian had assured her that Hell didn’t work the way everyone thought it did. She’d all but sworn that Luke was still alive and able to be rescued. Although the woman’s intensity and knowledge of all things demonic unnerved Heidi at times, there was no one she trusted more. If Lillian said Luke could still be saved, Heidi believed her.

The alternative was too painful to contemplate.

Taking a deep breath, Heidi pushed the door open and stepped inside a dungeon cell. The air was cold, making her nipples pucker under her thin cotton shirt. She flicked her hand and used a small amount of magic to light the candles scattered around the room.

This cell was identical to the last, though many of the more cruel instruments of pleasure were missing. The Taken By Force dungeon catered to the preferences of diverse clientele. The staff served an array of clients, ranging from those who preferred light spankings to customers who delighted in hearing others scream.

Nothing was off limits at Taken By Force. That was exactly why it had become so popular with those looking for something off the beaten track. The dungeon was owned by Juliet McCannon, a woman of stunning beauty and quiet grace. Since she was a Scarlet Summoner herself, the other hunters had free rein in the establishment. Empty cells were the perfect lure for a demon on the prowl. Their savage appetites often led them to seek out submissive souls who could be easily bent and distorted to their needs.

Heidi slammed a thick metal bar over the door to ensure she wouldn’t be interrupted. Complete concentration was key. Every ounce of conjured energy she poured into the spell had to be precise. She still had enough sexual magic fluttering through her to accomplish the summoning without gathering more, but it had to be done soon. Stored energy would only last for a few hours before it began to dissipate. Fire slid through Heidi’s veins, scorching in its intensity. She trembled with barely contained excitement. Concentrating on placing one foot in front of the other, she neared the summoning circle. While she’d rehearsed the chants, the other Summoners had been busy drawing the needed runes on the stone floor. The circle would serve as a concrete path for Luke to find his way back to the mortal realm. Each etching was imbued with magical energy breathed into it by the Summoner who’d drawn it. In the middle of the circle stood an altar draped with a white sheet. Knowing she couldn’t delay any longer, Heidi pulled her shirt over her head and discarded it on the floor. She sat on the edge of the altar and pried off her boots and socks, then slid out of her jeans and panties. Naked for the second time that night, she lay on the altar, feeling more like a sacrificial virgin than a Summoner about to cast the most important spell of her life.

Closing her eyes, Heidi smiled at the irony. She wasn’t a virgin anymore. Luke had seen to that. Though considering she hadn’t allowed another man inside her pussy since the night Luke disappeared, she might as well still be completely pure for all it mattered.

Passion sizzled in her blood. It sang to her, tempting her to touch herself. She often built up her stores of magical energy by feeling her body respond to the sensual touch of her own hand. She’d slide her fingers inside her wet, tight channel and remember what it felt like to have Luke’s cock buried deep inside her.

She’d have that again. Soon. But first she had to summon him to her, to save him as he’d once saved her.

“
Arayana beestara moi. Ascara den a trembena ekkari ar majid o vannah entri sal.
Vii on tres unvidare tro shari vin oi gherasi bu oi yara
.”

Goddess, protect me. Use the gift of sensual satisfaction to open a portal between
worlds. Let me slip inside unnoticed and return with my beloved at my side
. She’d practiced the chant a thousand times in preparation for this night, though she’d never been able to tap directly into the Underworld before. She needed the help of every one of her sisters and she felt them with her now, even though they weren’t physically in the room. Their power lingered and came to life around her, pulled forth from the etchings on the floor.

You’ve given me the strength to defeat demons. Now give me the strength to blind
their gazes to my presence
.

Heidi’s eyelids felt heavy as her lips continued to move. She concentrated on uttering the ancient words precisely as she’d been taught, all the while holding the clear image of Luke imprinted in her mind. His slate-gray eyes were at the forefront of her mind. She remembered the way they shone with regret as the demon held him high above her then ripped him away. A low hum began to build around her. Potent power slid through her veins, making her arch her back. Her breasts felt heavy, ripe with desire. Her nipples stiffened to tight buds and her pussy fluttered with desperate need.

Lust continued to blossom outward from her belly. It swam through every inch of her body, making her aware of every small nerve ending that ached to be touched. And still her lips moved, chanting relentlessly. She felt the exact moment when the fabric of reality began to tear. The hole had formed over her body and she propelled her spirit through it furiously, sliding into the Underworld on a potent stream of magical energy.

She couldn’t make out anything concrete around her, but the stench of malevolent evil was everywhere. Hands with long black claws reached for her. She had no time to consider what would happen if they grabbed her as she moved incessantly through the stifling heat. The smell clogged her throat and made her eyes water. She pressed on, desperately searching, seeking, pushing aside soul after wailing soul who also reached out for her, demanding her aid.

Her questing energy slammed into a familiar force so rapidly it made her cry out.

Luke
.

She grabbed on to him with every ounce of strength she possessed. His shock and confusion combined with shreds of remembered arousal. His emotions projected through clearly, sending heat to curl into her belly. He fought her at every turn. She felt his frustration, his certainty that he was dreaming, that he’d conjured her out of thin air.

Her concentration began to slip. The chant slowed, the words coming harder now. The small connection she had to him began to dissipate. She could feel him slipping.

“I’m here to take you home.”

She skimmed magical fingertips over his torso. Her fingers came away wet. She had no time to think about what that meant. Luke grabbed on to her with both outstretched hands and she yanked him back into the mortal realm at once.

But the magical energy that had created the portal quivered and shook. She knew she’d lost the focus she needed when she’d spoken. Fear snaked up her spine. Something heavy attached itself to Luke, dragging him down. She pulled harder, panic clawing at her throat, threatening to gag her.

Then the world spun out of control. She lost her grip on Luke and felt him slip away from her. A moment later, a firm male body slammed on top of her, knocking the air from her lungs. She grabbed on to him, pressing him hard against her, needing to know she had him in the flesh. Another sound, like something landing hard beside her, echoed through the room. The portal fused with a loud pop, and a smattering of dust fell over her body.

Heidi opened her eyes, expecting to look into Luke’s face. Instead of the slate-gray eyes she’d been picturing, she gazed deep into orbs that were midnight black. Hair that matched the man’s eyes fell unbound around his shoulders. A slanted nose that looked to have been broken a few times, high cheekbones, a square jaw and a hard mouth completed the breathtaking visage. She could also make out wide shoulders and arms the size of tree trunks, as well as a rapidly stiffening cock that nestled much too comfortably in the wet heat of her slit.

“Now this is an unexpected surprise.” His deep voice sent a shiver to skim her overheated skin. “Somehow, I don’t think Baal decided to reward my years of service by giving me… you.”

A rough chuckle escaped his throat as though he’d made a joke he didn’t expect her to understand. He pushed his groin firmly against hers, the head of his cock nudging her slick entrance. He was so perfectly positioned, he could slide inside her with one quick thrust. Despite her confusion, Heidi’s body responded of its own accord. Her back arched and her hips thrust upward while her pussy pulsed hungrily, eager to be filled.

“Heidi.” Luke’s familiar voice slammed into her with agonizing force. It sounded scratchy and raw from disuse, but she’d have recognized it even if it had been a whisper. “What’s going on?”

“Luke!”

Heidi’s distressed scream filled the room. Luke lifted his head and tried to raise himself to a sitting position. The rock floor beneath his body felt cool, not scorching hot like the lava-rock he was accustomed to lying on. He’d fallen --that much he could remember clearly. One moment he was being roughly tossed against the side of his cell after another agonizing torture session, and the next
she
was there, like an angel breaking through the darkness that eternally surrounded him.

A darkness he’d earned. One he deserved.

“Where am I?” Luke murmured. Why couldn’t he focus?

Fog clouded his brain. Fire blossomed from every nerve in his body, setting his flesh ablaze with thousands of painful stings. Blood coated his skin. He could feel it dripping over his chest and down his back to pool onto the floor.

“Get off me!” Heidi commanded.

Luke forced his gaze to her. She lay on top of a long altar draped with a white cloth. Although he couldn’t see her face, he could make out her unmistakable curls and the perfectly sleek lines of her body. And he could discern a man’s form lying on top of her. Jealousy burned a hole in his gut. The emotion felt foreign, like some longforgotten part of his past that should have been familiar, but wasn’t. A deep male chuckle slid through the room. That voice he did recognize.
Varin
.

Luke licked his dry lips. “I’m still in Hell, then. Nothing but the scenery has changed.”

He forced himself to his knees though every muscle in his body protested the movement. Through narrowed eyes, he watched his Underworld cell mate roll off Heidi. Varin landed in a crouch on the other side of the altar. His loose mane of black hair framed his cheekbones, giving him a feral, predatory appearance.

For a moment, Luke questioned whether the man standing in front of him was in fact the same man he knew. Since the day Luke had found himself roughly torn from Heidi’s arms, Varin had been his constant companion, whether he’d wanted the company or not. They’d shared a small cell, barely long enough for both of them to lie down in. Twice a day, either wraiths or Demon Guardians came for one of them. They were taken separately, and for a few hours while Varin was being tortured, Luke had peace.