Summon Lyght (Archangels Creed)

by Daniels, Kenra

  Toren snorted with a shake of his head. "Fraught with bullshit maybe. Contact me the second you have them secured. I'll give you the coordinates to the new compound. You're coming in at the perfect time, I've heard they're readying the quarters for your quad." He paused and Lyght glanced at him. "The wedding chambers, I've heard are ridiculously lavish."

  Lyght froze up with sudden fear, wings rapidly going orangey-yellow. Damn, the color changes constantly revealing his every thought or feeling was the worst of his diamond properties.

  Toren laughed out right. "Forgot about that little detail, did we?"

  "You needn't enjoy it so obviously, you know." Lyght stared into his Brother's nearly liquid mercury eyes. "Anything I absolutely must know about that part of the mission?"

  Toren lowered his head and hid a grin. "Get ready?"

  Foreboding flooded Lyght until his diamond components darkened to near black. Bloody hell. "You sound…" Lyght cleared his throat a bit. "…a little…"

  Toren drove that steely gaze into his own, no mercy. "Awed beyond comprehension. Brother."

  "Holy Father in heaven!" Lyght couldn't keep the words in, or his shock out of them. He'd never heard such emotion come from his perpetually indifferent brother. "Wonderful."

  "Oh yes."

  "Oh God."

  Toren's laughter ripped the air with the metallic sound of his own wings flapping before leaving Lyght staring into empty space. He very easily conjured up wedding chamber images that made him clench his diamond eyes shut tight and wish to drown himself in the War Chamber's cleansing pool, normally only put to use after battling filthy demons.

  Lyght focused on Kassie's spirit. The purity of her sweet soul. Yes, that. She's harmless and gentle and full of light. Perfection in a…fragile human body.

  With that in mind, he found her spirit and locked on to it. Then soared toward her at the speed of his diamond's light, suddenly realizing he hadn't decided when to break the wedding news to her. Or how.

  Chapter Two

  Annoyance crept along Lesedi's skin. Of a certainty, something had happened. His contact missed the check-in for the fourth time. Another day wasted and only one more opportunity to make the exchange before he would have to cut his losses and leave. Not a thing but frostbite to show for it.

  With one last careful look around the winter-barren park, he rose from the bench to head for his car. Inane to use it for such short distances, even with the cold weather, but he could not exactly tote around his cache of weapons and survival gear. If trouble should arise, being defenseless was not an option in his business.

  The young mother helping her son feed birds at the edge of the little pond kept a cautious eye on Lesedi. She had almost left when he arrived but the child begged for more time and she relented when Lesedi made no threatening moves.

  Everywhere he turned in the little backwater town, his reception had been the same. The people had all been careful and watchful as if expecting him to sprout a second head at any moment, perhaps bang his fists on the ground like a gorilla and demand a white woman for a dish. The handful of gangbangers he had spotted his first day in the town apparently were their only experience with dark-skinned people. No surprise they expected trouble. If illiterate racists were his only experience with whites, he'd worry every time he saw white skin too.

  By the time he drove back to the center of town and parked outside the little rooming house that passed for a hotel, the short winter twilight had started to settle. In any other place, he would have switched hotels every night and not eaten at the same establishment twice to avoid detectable patterns. Besides making his exchange and staying alive, his only goal was to evade pursuers, but in Mason Montana, his normal way of doing things was not an option. The one and only little hotel sat across the corner from the one and only restaurant with the one and only public Wi-Fi.

  Never again would he set up an exchange and leave the details to someone else. Had he chosen the location, it certainly would not be in a place that made him such a large and easy-to-find target. The only bright spot he had managed to find thus far in the entire situation was the little diner. Not only was the food excellent, it was served by a rare treasure.

  Her nametag read MIYA and her low musical voice drew his imagination. Golden skin, flashing black eyes and a careful smile combined with a thick fall of heavy blue-black hair to tempt Lesedi to just sit and watch as she went about her work with a natural grace. Her slender body with its ripe curves no doubt fueled a lifetime of fantasies for the males who ate at the diner. His own mind had certainly gone there. Repeatedly.

  But that voice was the key to it all. Some magical quality of tone gave him the sensation of a supple hand wrapped in a velvet glove gently stroking his cock. Lesedi found himself spending an unconscionable amount of time dreaming up ways to coax her to say more than her usual what can I get for you, sir, without making himself look like a fool. Thus far, his efforts had yielded minimal results.

  As the twilight gave way to full darkness, he crossed the street to the diner. Force of habit drew him to a halt just outside the door for a quick look around, marking possible vulnerabilities. With nothing out of the ordinary, he shoved through the door and went straight to the table that had immediately become his favorite. He'd initially chosen the corner for its strategic position, allowing a clear view of the room and the entrance, but he'd come back to the same one repeatedly because Miya would be the one to take his order and deliver his food.

  Only a moment after Lesedi sat, Miya wove a path between the other tables, all occupied. She paused to top off someone's coffee from the ever-present carafe in her left hand, then continued toward him, the sway of her perfectly rounded hips nearly hypnotizing him. Her thick pony-tail swished with her exact halt next to him, echoing a passionate energy he sensed bubbling in her veins.

  "What can I get for you, sir?" Her shy smile sent a bolt of sunshine through his evening and straight to his groin.

  He could not contain the grin that spread across his face. He gave his usual reply. "I will have the Blue Plate Special."

  She didn't bother to note it on her order pad. "And to drink?"

  He always made her ask, just so he could hear her speak a few more words. "Is the sweet tea good today?"

  Her succulent mouth curved in a slight smile, as if she knew what he was doing and didn't mind terribly. "It's perfect. And we have some fresh mint leaves for it today. You want some with yours?" Such a long speech from Miya was a veritable feast.

  Lesedi fought the urge to adjust his cock as it twitched against the confinement of his pants. "Mint? I have never tried it with tea, sweet or otherwise." He had to settle for stretching one leg out before him to create a bit of space in his jeans.

  A genuine smile graced her lips, giving a glimpse of perfect white teeth. "You have to try it. We don't have it often. It was my idea but Mac thinks it's too citified."

  Beautiful did not begin to do her justice. Lesedi stared, speechless and transfixed with the graceful sway of her body as she turned back toward the kitchen. He was still watching her when she glanced back over her shoulder toward him and ducked into the kitchen. Did that little smile still curve her lips?

  Miya delivered his dinner as a laughing young couple came in, arm in arm. What did couples do in such a little town? No museums or galleries, no orchestra or theater, not even one of the ubiquitous American malls. Would Miya do something with him if he asked? Did he dare?

  What the hell was he thinking? Whiling away empty hours dreaming over a white girl, probably a married white girl, was totally unlike him. For a man who never gave a second thought to female companions, beyond ensuring they enjoyed themselves, his recent thoughts were trouble waiting to happen. Perhaps it was the wretched boredom that the town's theme invoked. Mind numbing.

  He resolutely pushed Miya's smile from his mind and took a bite of his meatloaf.

  ****

  Kassie sobbed in the darkness, trying to gather her wits. No wonder the
person in the next cell had begun to wail when that thunder sound started. It signaled a visit from a lifetime worth of nightmares all at once.

  Drawing herself together with sheer willpower, she forced herself to focus. She couldn't break now, not now. She worked her way to a sitting position, stifling whimpers. It was just sex for crying out loud, and not like she hadn't done a whore's duty before. She had thought sure she'd be able to pull it off without a hitch but then they hurt her. A lot. These men apparently didn't like anyone to cooperate. She tried. They hurt her anyway. They seemed to get off on her pain and tears. But she'd managed to not scream. Barely.

  Kassie's body throbbed with what they'd done to her. They hadn't hit her in the face, but that was the only mercy they'd shown. Odd. Maybe their boss didn't like damaged goods.

  "Y-you o-o-kay ma'am?"

  Oh God, the boy. She'd tried her best to be quiet so he wouldn't have to hear what they were doing. Judging by the sob that followed his question, she was pretty sure she hadn't done a very good job. "Oh, I'm alright sweetie."

  "I told you they'd come, I told you."

  It was the same voice from earlier, and she still couldn't make out for sure whether it was male or female, and no longer cared. Frantic and terrified was the only thing Kassie recognized. She felt the same thing through and through her mind and body. Tears stung her eyes and poured down her cheeks. She covered her mouth with a hand to hold the screams in. All the ones she'd stifled during the brutal rape clawed at her insides to be released. Like if she didn't, the nightmare would be sealed forever in her bones, blood, and mind. Oh God.

  The boy kept his cries down to strained sobs, expressing his worry of being heard. "I'm scared, I'm scared, I'm scared," he whispered before his voice broke on a gag.

  Kassie's heart clamped in her chest before she hissed with determination, "You stop it! This instant!"

  Scolding helped some children regain control but the boy only cried more and Kassie bit her lower lip and put her head against the wall.

  A cool draft tickled her face and she gasped, her eyes popping open. A hand clamped over her mouth, stifling her scream. Not again, God, please, not again! Her body went rigid with terror, leaving her paralyzed and unable to fight.

  "Shh. You have to be quiet for me. Can you do that sweetheart?" Solid warmth surrounded her, drew her close.

  Trembling uncontrollably, she stared frantically into the most beautiful pale-colored eyes. His velvety voice immediately soothed her, evaporating the terror and dissolving her pain. She suddenly found herself focused enough to figure out his proper English accent. Her thoughts cleared, allowing her to absorb the importance of his arrival. Though it was dark, she could see his face, smooth and…holy Montana mud pies, beautiful.

  She remembered his question and nodded, at the same moment recalling her nakedness. He removed his hand from over her mouth as she frantically covered herself the best she could, drawing her knees up and pulling her arms over her chest. For some reason, having him see her that way felt horribly wrong—not just embarrassing, but fundamentally wrong. But dammit, all her hiding only made him look for the problem.

  Kassie's face burned with shame when he clenched his eyes shut. "I'm…I'm sorry," she whispered, feeling dirty and hating that he had to look upon her in such a state. Something in his aura made her feel he should never behold less than perfection and purity. She couldn't be further from that at the moment if she tried. Fresh tears rolled down her cheeks.

  "You're sorry?"

  His rough whisper sounded incredulous, but Kassie couldn't tell if he thought her stupid as a shilling or what.

  "Where are your clothes? I'll get them." His business-like tone felt harsh and abrasive on her sensitive psyche. Tears threatened to gush and she blinked them rapidly back once more as she reasoned he was likely only trying to not feel awkward with her.

  Kassie's mind scrambled for the answer and her mouth opened to utter absentminded syllables. "I…I…uh…" She looked around and a sob surged up her throat, nearly strangling her. "I'm…not sure." She didn't know what the men had done with them after ripping them off. A second sob ran over the first.

  "It's okay. I've got you." The man scooped her up in his arms and Kassie panted and latched onto his neck. He was warm and smelled…like a crisp winter day, fresh and clean.

  He walked with her and she panicked. "What are you doing?" Was he insane? Those men wouldn't be far away.

  "Taking you out of here."

  A sound from the next room took away concerns about the men who had hurt her. "I can't leave without the boy!" She struggled in his arms, trying to push against his chest. She'd rather stay than abandon that child to the horrors of what she'd just gone through.

  He just looked at her, his hold uncompromising. "What do you want from me Kassie?"

  The man's cool breath hit her mouth and she tasted light mint. He was mouth-watering. "Oh God," she whispered, closing her eyes.

  "Oh God," he repeated back, sounding…aroused?

  No. She was losing her mind. She'd been under a great deal of strain the last few days, and those men and what they did to her was the final straw. Her mind had just fractured under the pressure.

  He leaned in as though to hear better. "Oh God, what?" Only it was his perfect mouth he brought closer to hers. And heaven help her, his tone. Sexy, sweet, silky. Dizziness—no, not dizziness… more like what she imagined would have been called the vapors in Victorian days— took Kassie with a fury and she held his neck tighter, feeling as if she were falling. Her mind hadn't just broken a little. The damn thing had shattered all over the floor. After the last two hours of her life, how could her heart possibly flutter over a handsome man?

  "Tell me sweetheart."

  Kassie whimpered, not having to be told twice. She leaned in and pressed her lips into his.

  He sucked in a sharp breath and jerked his head back.

  In that instant, her mind replayed his words. Tell me sweetheart. Horror over took Kassie at what she'd just done. But she'd clearly, clearly, heard kiss me sweetheart! "Oh shit!" She cried and closed her eyes. "I-I-I must be delirious, please forgive me, I'm not thinking straight, oh God."

  "You kissed me."

  The shock in his tone made her cringe. "I'm so sorry." What else could she say? There were no logical words to explain what had just happened. "It's probably a nervous breakdown, that's all."

  He suddenly turned his face away and let out a strange growl, long and low. "What did they do to you?"

  Kassie wasn't sure what he was asking, surely not what she thought, he couldn't possibly…

  He walked with her toward the exit and she squirmed, frantic again. "Not without the boy! Please. I won't leave without him."

  "Are you asking me to bring him with us?"

  She swallowed. "Is that…is that possible?"

  "Yes, it's possible."

  When he didn't move or speak, she became confused. "Can you?"

  He let his head fall back, seeming frustrated, and distracting Kassie with his stunning white bed-head hair and diamond stud earrings. "Are. You. Asking."

  Kassie nodded. "Yes. I'm asking you. Please bring the boy with us, I beg you."

  He groaned as though her words caused him agony then turned his face to her along with those devastating eyes. "You will owe me."

  Owe him? She'd give him anything. She nodded and verbalized it, "Anything."

  He tilted his head as though the offer was most unexpected. "Another kiss. Later."

  Kassie's heart clobbered her chest and she nodded. Eagerly.

  The next thing she knew, the man draped some incredibly soft fabric over her to conceal her nakedness. "Upsy daisy" He stooped an in the next second the semi-conscious boy lay in her arms, both of them cradled to his chest. He walked without hesitation, as if he knew the layout of the place and the two of them were light as feathers. Kassie realized the boy wasn't so young. By his weight and length, he was quite older than the ten or twelve year old she'd tho
ught. Still a baby to her.

  Before she could think anything of it, he stood holding her and the child in the midst of the group of men who raped her so brutally only moments earlier.

  Terror clawed at Kassie's insides and she clutched at his neck while holding the boy to her chest, shielding him.

  "Shh. Don't worry. They cannot see you sweetheart." The beautiful man extended his right hand toward her nightmare and flicked his middle finger. A pea-sized ball of brilliant light exited his finger with a deafening boom. "Nor will they ever see or hear again."

  The men dropped to the floor, grabbing their eyes and heads, screaming.

  "Silence and darkness shall bind them for the rest of their mortal days for the harm they have wrought this woman."

  Awe filled Kassie at his words. They sounded like an absolute decree of judgment. She'd thought surely she was dreaming it all up. And maybe she really was, but if she wasn't…oh heaven help her. This man was no man.

  She stared at his beautiful profile, her mouth suddenly quite dry, her mind reeling. That meant…she'd just kissed…an angel.

  Chapter Three

  For the forty-'leventh time that evening, Miya scolded herself for her foolishness. Never in her life would she have imagined herself capable of flirting with a black man, and a foreign one at that! Her common sense had simply grown wings and flew off without her noticing.

  She wasn't racist or anything, but in tiny little Mason, Montana, the races just didn't mingle romantically. Things were different in bigger towns where folks lived and worked closer with people from other backgrounds. Mason had barely two dozen black residents of all ages, the population continually decreasing as the younger adults moved away to find mates, no doubt in a more civilized area. She didn't blame them one bit, either.

  Not even the risk of angering friends and neighbors beyond redemption stopped her from indulging in her dark skinned customer. "Enjoying your dessert, sir?" She topped off his coffee that didn't need topping off, and actually paused a second for his reply.