Archangels Creed Box Set 1-3

by Azure Boone

  Shoulder length onyx hair framed the flawless face. Dark beard stubble emphasized square jaws and high cheekbones. Full lips curved into an innocent grin. A cleft chin combined with the other features to give the man a deceptively boyish look. The relatively benign façade veiled something entirely different; Troy's best friend from High School had that same look after becoming a Special Forces sniper.

  Troy finally forced himself to look into the man's odd eyes, like glittering, finely cut stones, rubies. "What… are you?" Definitely not a simple human.

  The man reclined in the chair a little, stretching out one long leg, as if he were truly enjoying himself. "An archangel."

  Troy's grasp on reality slipped a little more. An archangel in his kitchen was nearly as farfetched as an extraterrestrial or something similar.

  "I thought angels had wings?" Devyn's trembling whisper heated Troy's arm.

  He didn't blame her for not speaking, who knew what would set this crazy person off on a killing spree?

  "Ah, yes. Wings." The man stood and giant scarlet wings materialized behind him, threatening to fill half the room. Each exquisite feather glistened with countless sliver sized gems, cut perfectly. A small movement from the man, and the stones glistened in a magnificent show of refracted light and tinkling chimes.

  Devyn squealed her terror, digging nails into Troy's arm. He barely noticed as he plastered them against the wall. It was hardly far enough.

  Troy stared, transfixed, as a ruby cross slowly surfaced from beneath his skin until it glowed over his entire torso and radiated unbelievable heat across the room. Belief that the man was what he claimed to be grew right alongside the dread in the pit of Troy’s being. Those wings were no joke, and neither was that crazy heat, which begged the question what on earth was he doing there?

  "I'm on the good side." His wings disappeared like a mirage, but the glowing cross on his torso remained. "Name's Kassern."

  Troy cringed away from his extended hand, covering Devyn with his entire body. He swallowed back the freight train of fear slowly taking him. "What do you want?" His voice sputtered, barely audible over the erratic pounding of his heart.

  The archangel suddenly held up the red panties in one hand and the crucifix in the other, seeming to compare their weight. "Your undivided attention for one, which I think I now have. And complete cooperation would be really nice too."

  "Cooperation?" Troy's eyes remained fixed on the conflicting panties and crucifix. No doubt about it, in big trouble.

  Kassern brought the items together in his hands, stepped closer and held out the necklace. But the crucifix was no longer gold, it was red. Like the panties. Which were gone.

  "Yeah." Kassern dangled the necklace a little. "First thing you need to get through your crazy head, is that those two things belong together."

  ****

  Kassern was more than happy with their little kiss that opened the portal. It was made of just the right stuff to get the job done.

  "Mind if I speak bluntly?" Kassern tilted his head at the terrified human and grinned when Troy answered with barely a head shake. "Great." Kassern returned to sitting comfortably in the chair before diving right in.

  "There's a little trouble here on Earth that has come to our attention." Kassern resisted a snort at seeing his little preachers eyes fill with guilt. As if his misconceptions about lust would require the undivided attention of the Archangel Brotherhood. "We have thirty days. Well, twenty-eight now."

  "F-for what?" Troy asked.

  "Devyn, I won't bite, please, you can come out of hiding." Kassern fixed a friendly smile on his normally rigid face. Odd to see the normally fearless woman behaving like a scared child. He hoped he'd made the right choice with her. Too late to change vessels, since he'd already stepped through the portal. He would just have to work with the raw material, that’s all.

  What to reveal first? Considering the amount of fear in the room, he worried about propelling them into insanity by giving the wrong info at the wrong time.

  "Satan's building an army. A scientist found a sort of loophole in the human genome. A simple way to alter the basic code that makes humans human. Satan has teamed up with the scientist, removed ethical boundaries, and convinced him to create…new beings."

  "New beings?" Troy scrubbed a hand over his face in a habitual reaction to stress.

  Kassern nodded once, resisting the urge to influence their minds. If he violated their Free Will, the rules that governed the entire system would be broken, and the archangels would be penalized, giving Satan's team a free advantage.

  "What kind of beings?" The girl finally spoke.

  "Like a rabid animal. But smart. And human-based. Some can pass for human, some can't. Very strong. And very demonic. And we don't know nearly enough about them."

  Silence followed as the impact of his words sank in. Kassern smiled at how his couple held hands. Already leaning on each other for comfort. Nice.

  "What…are we supposed to do? Why are you here? For prayer?"

  Kassern met Troy's terrified gaze. The boy knew he was there for more than prayer.

  "I need a human base, from which to operate while in this realm."

  Troy's relief was palpable. "Like…my home?"

  Kassern agreed to that partial truth with another nod.

  "Will…will it be dangerous? These girls don't need more trouble."

  Kassern was impressed with Troy's immediate concern for Devyn and her friend. "Trust me. They're safer than they've ever been in their lives. As long as they're here. Where I am." Kassern studied Devyn for a second then leveled his gaze on Troy, seeing he needed more convincing. "The fate of the world depends on the success of this mission. If we fail, Satan will destroy mankind. Within a year." Kassern kept his voice even.

  "He-he can do that?" Devyn's voice trembled with fear.

  "If we don't stop him, yes."

  Kassern watched Troy weigh everything. Watched his faith kick in. "It-it would be an honor…of course. Do what you need. My home, my life…belongs to God."

  A slow grin bloomed on Kassern's face as he studied the man-boy before him, admiring the sudden power rippling from his spirit in soft white waves. Faith had never looked quite so beautiful. But he needed them together in this. "Devyn?"

  She locked her wide gray gaze on him. "Why does my vote matter?"

  Kassern gave a slight shrug. "The man you're standing next to has staked spiritual claims on you. Your agreement is required." Keep it casual, he warned himself, or she might bolt.

  She glanced from Troy to him, looking as offended as she was curious. Troy barely looked any different. Except for that little tiny knowing in his spirit.

  Kassern grinned. "When a man like Troy prays for a woman the way he has for you...bonds are formed. It was designed that way."

  Devyn's eyes narrowed at that round-about info and Kassern propped an arm on the table, drawing on his angelic patience. She finally looked at Troy, and Kassern stilled at the sudden admiration in her eyes. That's it…trust him. Start building the foundation.

  "Troy's the man of God here. What he decides is fine by me. What do I know?"

  Kassern wanted to clap. Her words quipped with feigned casualness but fear surrounded her like a cape. Kassern removed it with a wave of his hand, leaving only her caution, a far more useful emotion. Now that he had their agreement, he could use his powers. All that remained was to watch them grow fonder of each other. And once they consummated, the next portal would open. And the biggest part of his job would be accomplished.

  Devyn lay in the bed beside Karly, listening to her friend's steady breathing. What a day. They'd had nice guys, asshole maniac boyfriends, and a visit by an Archangel. And even though that last one had her in a state of euphoric impossibility, that wasn't what was responsible for the hum in her body. Troy's kiss. My God, he was…so damn hot. For the first time in her adult life, she'd felt real sexual excitement – the kind that made
every nerve sing with anticipation.

  As she drifted to sleep, her thoughts filled with the sensations Troy had created in her body, and wondering what might have happened if they hadn't been interrupted. What had he said? Something about her deserving romance and flowers and time? Did that mean he wanted to be the one to give her those things? Or was it just a unique way of letting her down gently?

  Sometime later, Devyn woke, needing to pee. She fought her way free of the unfamiliar sheets and stumbled to her feet. Where was Karly? Probably starving and went to find food. Devyn's heart jolted when she remembered that stupid rig Karly'd found. What if she'd woken up dying for a fix, and left to find a connection? Fuck.

  Devyn hurried to the bathroom before she peed on herself. The light was on. Relief slammed into her as she entered the steamy bathroom. Wow, nice. Real hot water. Karly needed that. It was good she sought to wash some of the poison out of her system when she woke up. Before Devyn could say a word or pull her shorts down, a muffled, strangled noise froze her. It didn't sound like one person.

  Confused, scared, sick to her stomach, nothing could stop her from pulling that curtain open.

  She stumbled back in shock. There was Karly, naked, plastered to Troy, likewise naked, her mouth over his.

  Karly dropped her legs from around Troy's waist and he firmly shoved her away.

  Despite the blind fury surging through her, Devyn noted some details. Karly's pinpoint pupils and slack mouth. Before she could see if Troy was affected, he'd yanked the shower curtain and covered his groin.

  Devyn couldn't speak. She was so fucking torn between fury and pain and confusion over the pain.

  The blank look on Karly's face broke with a sneering grin. "I wanted to fuck." She shrugged loosely, mouth going slack again. "He was here."

  Fury won over her confusion. "You leave him the hell alone!" She grabbed Karly's arm, wanting to break it off and knock her in the head with it. "He's off limits! You got that?" Flinging the offending arm away from her, Devyn stepped back, trying to steady her breathing. Damn. She had no right to go all jealous girlfriend on Karly. She had no claim on Troy. He could fuck anyone he wanted. But she certainly didn't want him to want anyone else.

  And, Troy didn't deserve to be attacked in his own home by a drugged up whore.

  "Devyn, please…" Troy yanked a towel from the nearby towel bar and wrapped it around his hips. "…I know it looks bad, but I didn't want this. She came in while I was in the shower." He turned and shut the water off.

  All Devyn saw was how the droplets looked on his smooth skin. What a body. She forced her eyes to his but was no better off when met with the honest intensity of hazel eyes. "Troy, you don't owe me any explanations." She forced herself to look away. "Karly, get dried off and into the bed. You need to sleep that shit off. Who the hell did you get it from?"

  Karly's face crumpled into tears. "I'm sorry, Devyn! I didn't mean to. It's just –"

  Devyn's patience ended and she grabbed Karly's arm. "Who did you get it from?"

  "I'm sorry. I –" Karly's eyes rolled back and her legs crumpled, but once again, Troy was there to save her. Scooping her up in his arms without a word, he lifted her and stepped out of the tub and brushed past Devyn.

  Following, and fighting down resentment that Troy had just rescued Karly for the second time, Devyn helped him get Karly on the bed and covered. It all seemed to take an eternity, and Devyn couldn't tear her eyes from Troy for even a millisecond. His smooth skin rippled with the play of underlying muscles, making water droplets glisten and reflect bits of light. For such a devout Christian, he seemed entirely at home in his skin.

  As if he'd read her mind, Troy stepped back from the bed to rummage in a small closet, and come up with a fringed blanket in a dark color. He slung the blanket around his waist, right over the towel, which suddenly left little to the imagination as the damp fabric clung strategically. Had he been aroused in the least bit by Karly’s sexual rampage? That bitch. A pang of jealousy hit her stomach.

  Even still, Devyn's insides flip-flopped as his unsteady hands tied the corners of the blanket. She swallowed hard, almost wishing he hadn't gone to the trouble.

  He was perfectly aware of her attention, if the flush of dark color over his high cheekbones was any indication. Nevertheless, he met her gaze steadily. "I'm sorry, Devyn. I didn't ask her to do that."

  She sure wished her heart would quit flipping every time he hit her with those intense eyes. "I know, Troy. It's just part of Karly. She's my best friend, the only person on earth I can count on to have my back, but sometimes…" Devyn lowered her gaze, "…sometimes she isn't friend material." Thinking for a moment, she came to a realization and nodded a little. "Actually, most of the time." Tears stung her eyes and she blinked them back furiously. It wasn't as if it were some new revelation or something.

  Troy came closer and laid a gentle hand on her shoulder. "No one is a hundred percent good. We have to take the bad, too, in order to enjoy the good parts of them. Come on, let me make you breakfast." Sliding his hand down her arm he left a trail of zinging sparks as he took her hand and tugged her after him.

  In the kitchen, he asked her to wait a moment, and disappeared into another room. When he returned three minutes later, dark blue pajama pants, of some thin, incredibly soft looking fabric clung low to his narrow hips. A snug wife-beater tank formed the perfect show-case for the rippling muscles and raw angles of his torso. God. And he seemed totally oblivious to the carnal image of perfect masculinity he presented. Very unlike his normal neatly pressed jeans and polo shirts. Devyn could easily get used to looking at him.

  Hmph. Who was she kidding? She already loved looking at him, and having her heart skip a beat before pounding her ribs.

  He paused in the midst of setting ingredients on the counter, and turned to face her with a mouthwatering grin. "I hope you like pancakes and bacon?"

  Transfixed by the way the faint stubble of beard emphasized the angle of his jaw, Devyn couldn't reply for an instant. Finally, she managed. "Uh, yeah. Of course. Doesn't everyone?"

  The satisfied smile that crossed his face just before he turned away of course made her stomach do another of those funny little flips. Good grief! She was behaving like a thirteen year old with a crush! She vaguely remembered those, but the real life nature of relationships and sex made itself known to her and took care of those childish fantasies.

  And of all the stupid times to develop a crush! Karly's pimp/boyfriend threatening them, losing their home, an angel making them part of a war with Satan, and Karly back riding the needle. Not the best time to go all juvenile.

  After a few moments of comfortable silence, during which Troy efficiently combined ingredients and a pan sizzled over a flame on the stove, Troy looked up at her and grinned. "My mom used to make pancakes every Saturday. It's the one thing I miss most about living at home."

  "Hmmph." Devyn didn't mean to sound bitter, but she couldn't help it. She was bitter. "I barely remember living at home. My parents were killed when I was twelve."

  He went totally still for a moment, staring at her, making her uncomfortable. She got up from the table and put a few dishes in the sink, feeling suddenly cooped up.

  "I'm sorry that happened to you Devyn." He turned back to his work, flipping a pancake expertly, and giving her a little privacy for a moment. "So, you what? Stayed with grandparents? Other relatives?"

  Devyn bit back the nastiness in her response as she turned and leaned her back against the counter. "No, I went to foster care. There weren't any living relatives, or close friends. So, I went through a series of foster homes, some good, some not."

  "Oh. Did anyone… Was anyone… Were-"

  "No one molested me, or anything like that, if that's what you're wondering. Or even abused. But most of the foster parents didn't do much in the way of parenting, and some of the kids were pretty messed up. That's how I met Karly. We sort of followed one another from foster home to gro
up home to foster home." She sighed and combed her fingers through her hair. "Wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been." But it still brought those damned tears, every time she thought of it. She closed her eyes to squeeze them away by sheer willpower.

  "I'm glad it wasn't as bad as it could have been."

  Warm breath brushed across her cheek and Devyn's eyes flew open to find Troy right in front of her. She stared, almost spellbound, as he opened his arms, offering a hug. When was the last time someone offered her a hug, just because she could use one? She didn't remember, but a very long time. Astonishing herself, she went right into his embrace.

  His clean, masculine scent worked its way into her consciousness, reminding her that he was the first person she had willingly allowed to come so physically close. Loneliness struck and her tears refused to be held back. She broke with a sob against his shoulder. He held her tight and made soothing noises until the storm passed, which was an embarrassingly long five minutes that felt like forever.

  When her tears started to fade, he slipped his fingers deep into the hair at her temple, sending warm tendrils of comfort across her scalp. Shifting carefully, he changed her position enough to give his mouth access to her forehead.

  Devyn moaned, helpless, as the silky heat of his lips slid across her brow and made their way to her temple. Her heart fluttered as he continued to nibble soft kisses down to her jaw. Devyn nearly fainted when his hot lips teased at her earlobe, sending a current of heat to her nipples.

  Troy's harshly indrawn breath signaled his awareness of her hardening nipples. He let one hand drop to the curve of her ass, holding her firmly in place. The other hand, so very hesitant, skimmed her ribs to gently cup her breast. She couldn't keep from arching and pushing her breast into his palm, never needing anything so badly. He moaned and tightened his fingers on her ass.