by Azure Boone
She cried out and her fingers left his hair and dug into the muscles on his butt. And pulled hard.
Troy's head rose with a roar at the explosion of pleasure. Unable to stop, he began pumping in and out, driven by Devyn's desperate cries of yes yes do it.
He brought his gaze back to hers, needing to see her. Her hands held his face as she gazed at him with all the shocked pleasure in the world. Troy's jaw hardened with the fast approaching heat in his groin. He wouldn't deny it. She wanted it, he wouldn't deny her.
Devyn met his thrusts and Troy kissed her. Kissed her right as his orgasm flooded his body. He raised his head, body locking up with the force, before moving him to its demand. Hard and fast. Devyn's cries of ecstasy came with his own roar, as wave after hot wave pumped from him into her. His thrusts began to slow and lessen until the strength left his body and he collapsed half on her, winded and dizzy while still suspended in that dimension between heaven and earth. That dimension where two souls met and became something intangible and divine.
He became aware of Devyn's sobs and jerked his head up. "Oh God did I hurt you?"
She wrapped her legs around him and hugged his neck tight, burying her face in his shoulder. "Wasn't supposed to be that way," she cried.
What way? Fuck! How could something so perfect be horribly wrong to her?
"Wasn't supposed to be the best damn thing I've ever known! How do I deserve this?"
Before he could enjoy what her words meant, a loud roar from inside the room bolted them upright.
Kassern.
****
Kassern's angelic patience wore threadbare. He'd had no clue Devyn's orgasm would be powerful enough to break through the barrier he'd placed over the house. Who would imagine two virtual strangers could have such a strong experience? Not only that, but the reverberating energy shot clear into earth's atmosphere, literally calling all devils in the hemisphere. The best part of that bad news was Troy and Devyn's union created one hell of a spiritual explosion. For Kassern, that meant creating a kick-ass warrior. He'd chosen his couple very well, it seemed.
Standing stark still in the center of the living room, Kassern felt the legion of devils closing in, while Troy poised at the entrance to his paradise, and the key to Kassern's power. The need to meet the demons in battle nearly overcame his common sense. He couldn't leave the couple now that the demons knew their location. Evil would attack them the moment he turned his back.
The alternative, hurrying them along, might cost him dearly in the long run. There was an exact formula for physical pleasure, but the heart and mind of the individuals made the intensity of every binding between two people like fingerprints. Those fingerprints could change with only a thought, making the whole thing a seat-of-the-pants scenario. Nothing he wasn't used to.
He could only pray his back-up would arrive before the demon hit-squad rang the doorbell.
Rising energy from the bedroom started trembling along Kassern's spirit-skin. Ought to be interesting. Come on, come on. Kassern waited, listening to the escalation of pulses, feeling the end, the doorway right there, the spiritual portal opening a bit more with each heartbeat.
Kassern geared up for heated battle, flipping the mental switch that brought his ruby armor out of concealment. Following his well-honed instincts, it formed the impenetrable seamless second skin, making him appear washed in blood. .
His wings clinked as the primary flight feathers transformed into twelve ruby swords. When the blades became contaminated from the corrupt flesh of devils or the poison blood of demons, his holy fire would cleanse away the filth.
Troy's roar shook the spiritual air followed by the white holy fire of a righteous man's passionate fulfillment. That would hold the demons back temporarily. No evil thing dared get in the path of such purity for fear of being eternally crippled.
At the peak of the orgasm, Kassern produced the tool required for him to join the human realm via the divine binding. The body-length ruby staff, thin as a toothpick, glowed as Kassern flashed into the bedroom, remaining invisible for the procedure.
He entered the intense light of the couple's passion and slammed the tip of the staff into the solid floor of white. "Tendo tertius!" He spoke a few more words in the sacred language of Heaven. Crimson fire exploded throughout the room, mixing with the brilliant glow.
Holding tight to the vibrating staff, Kassern roared with the exchange. One-third of his angelic being entered Troy and Devyn, while one-third of their humanity flowed into him. The three became one flesh, one spirit, one being, bound together by one of God's most sacred gifts to humanity.
Kassern had known it would hurt like hell. Downgrading was a bitch while upgrading was like a spiritual orgasm. But forming an entirely new being… Well, Kassern hadn't been sure what, exactly, that might entail, given the union's chameleon-like characteristics, all controlled by thought and mood.
As soon as the exchange was complete and Kassern became visible in the room, Troy and Devyn scrambled for privacy.
"Sorry to cut the afterglow short," Kassern said, winded. "Get dressed now. We've got company coming in two minutes." Unaccountably aware of their self-consciousness, Kassern turned his back.
Troy hurried to obey, and Devyn followed suit, both more in tune to his emotions than before. First benefit of the exchange.
"Who's coming?" Troy jerked his jeans on, wincing as the fabric encountered flesh unaccustomed to being so sensitive.
"A legion of devils."
Chapter Fourteen
As Kassern wondered in dismay exactly how to cram himself into Troy's car, the company of devils arrived. To the average human without angelic upgrades, it would have looked like a swirling dark cloud. Kassern clearly saw the cluster of nasty demons, but couldn't quite distinguish individuals. Ahh, the benefits of humanity. Accustomed to seeing their grotesque features clearly, he almost enjoyed the respite from the ugliness. The sulfuric stench of the things hadn't decreased at all, though.
"Stay put." Kassern left the car. With every step, his ruby armor appeared. He formed his right arm into one of his favorite weapons that resembled a blood-red Uzi, only it delivered calculated blasts of angelic force with withering accuracy.
A thought materialized his ruby staff in his left hand, ready to discharge more sustained blasts of power while his wings stirred the air upon springing forth.
Making every second count, he opened fire on the pack. The new munitions he'd fashioned for the mission were things of beauty. Forged from varying levels of supernatural power woven together, the rounds streaked through the air in blood-red flames, flaring first gold, then dark red upon striking the target.
He paused firing long enough to lob a series of power-grenades toward the leaders. The compact orbs of fiery cleansing turned the sky to swirls of black and washed the second rank of demons with the blood of their brethren.
Kassern's staff and wings deflected the barrage of annoying armor-piercing rounds filled with hell-fire. If they followed the usual pattern, their next volley would also hold brimstone.
Preferring to avoid the painful chemical burns from the toxic substance, Kassern decided to end it before the disgusting gnats stepped up their efforts. A steady stream of golden lightening flashed from his staff, slicing through the demons without effort. The reeking horde dissolved under his assault into globs of sticky black goo that clung to the survivors.
Finally he heard the approaching Cavalry. As the band of war angels took over, Kassern flashed into the back of the car, remembering to change from his armor to more normal clothing. Well, as normal as he could tolerate, considering human clothing was so restrictive of movement as to be dangerous. Jeans and no shirt were as normal as he cared to get at the moment. At least he'd solved the puzzle of getting into Troy's car. All that remained was to figure out what the hell to do with his knees and feet in the three inches of foot space.
"Best be going now." Kassern settled for using the entire back seat for leg space as his couple
jerked to face his sudden appearance.
"Leave. Like now." Kassern flicked his fingers forward.
Troy wasted no time shooting out of the driveway. "Where to?"
Kassern sighed, resting his head against the window. Explaining every move already bothered him. "We're picking up Karly." The next phase of the transformation would allow his triumvirate, as Uriel had labeled each Archangel's unit, to communicate wordlessly. Kassern could hardly wait.
Devyn spun in her seat. "Jake isn't going to just let her go."
Kassern smiled at her ignorance, finding it kind of cute, and so typically human. "Yes he will."
Her gaze dropped briefly to his glowing cross before she faced forward. He knew she wasn't altogether sure which side he was on. Smart girl. One of the reasons he picked her, for her skepticism. He needed somebody cautious and very aware of the potential dangers that lurked at every corner. His preacher was cautious of all the things he knew, but he didn't know enough. Devyn, on the other hand, did. She finished off their little picture perfectly in that regard.
****
"Wait for me. Don't leave the car."
Kassern headed up the flight of stairs, hoping the events of the next few minutes wouldn't create too much of a spiritual racket. Dealing with another herd of demons rated pretty low on his To Do list. He needed to get Karly and take them all someplace safe for a few days. He wasn't positive yet, but it seemed he was actually tired. Had to be part of the humanity perks he'd inherited. To him, it was just a time obstacle he did not need.
He neared the door and paused. Where was Karly's guardian? He stared at the knob but the outer surface didn't give way for him to see if the lock was engaged. Great, he couldn't see? His jaw tensed at his new human gifts of weakness. Just how much strength had he lost? Had any vital abilities deserted him?
He turned the knob and nudged the door open, the locks splintering off. Still had his warrior's strength. Huge plus there.
"Heyyy man, you broke the door."
Kassern regarded the skinny guy with the slurred voice on his right, noting the drug confusion crimping his forehead. "Where's Jake?"
The man broke into a rotten toothed smile. "Up in the back." He raised his brows. "Havin' a li'l fun with his ol' lady, Karly. Ask real nice like, he might let you get a li'l bit o' that."
Nauseated, Kassern listened as he walked through the apartment dump, wishing he'd lost his angelic sense of smell instead of his hearing. Temporary. Damn well better be.
He stepped over an overturned lamp and heard them. The sound coming from the room at the end of the short hall nearly locked his limbs. A sharp female cry and cynical laughter from more than one male. Three steps and he kicked open the door, interrupting the sick party.
Four men surrounded the human girl, beaten and burned beyond recognition, tied to the bed, nothing hidden. The blood pooling between her legs brought a rage Kassern was not used to. Another human weakness.
Her guardian stood nearby, wringing his hands, tears coursing down his cheeks. He turned helpless eyes to Kassern. "I just couldn't do enough to make a helpful difference."
The fury that coursed through Kassern called his armor out in haphazard fashion, rather than his usual strategic pattern. Ruby daggers sprang out of his knuckles while gauntlets covered his hands, and spiked vambraces turned his forearms to lethal weapons. His lower legs sported razor-blade embellished greaves and spurs appeared on his heels.
The human to his left stank with Karly's blood, so he took him first.
When Kassern spun him, the man pulled a gun from his waistband and fired. Kassern's shields dissolved the bullets before they could strike him. With one flick of a finger, he sent a probe into the man's head, and learned his identity and a long list of depravities in a millisecond.
So this was Jake.
The first blow of Kassern's fist sent blood flying through the air. The second crushed bone. One of the other men chose that moment to attack him from behind, coming with a knife and trying to reach around his neck. Kassern kicked backward, the spur on his heel ripping into the man's thigh. Chaos erupted, with Kassern at the center and blood running freely.
He took his time making them pay, making them bleed and scream while he covered their bodies with his seal, the holy cross. Every one of the judgments went tendon deep and came with the citing of every sin they were guilty.
Five minutes of mutilation left him heaving in the center of the bloody room, the four men moaning in debilitating pain. If they were lucky, they'd pass out before they bled to death. If they lived, they would wear his mark for all to see, forever. Kassern glanced at Karly, who stared at him through narrow slits permitted by the grotesque swelling of her face. Her limbs trembling uncontrollably as he hurried to the bed and severed her bindings with a fingernail. He breathed a ruby mist over her body that formed a silk-like blanket covering her nudity and soothing her wounds. He carefully scooped her up.
Kassern carried her out of the carnage and to the car. He tried not to feel the damage they'd done but having her so close to him brought it into his pores. His rage returned as he hurried, along with a bone-deep fatigue. He needed to get them all someplace safe so he could rest.
But first, he'd have to do something to ease Karly's pains. Especially the emotional and spiritual. She wouldn't heal with her heart and will this broken.
Chapter Fifteen
Troy stayed silent, paying careful attention to the road. Anything to keep from focusing on the sounds and smells behind him. Thinking about what Jake had done to Karly took him directly into a waking nightmare, and had already made him lose his cookies.
"We need to stop," Kassern muttered from the back seat where he still cradled Karly in his lap.
Troy eyed him in the mirror. Stop? "You think it's safe?"
"No." Kassern met his gaze. "But she must be tended and cleansed of what they've done."
"I'll stop at the next exit." They'd been driving for nearly two hours. Kassern said he wanted them as far from the city as possible.
"We'll rest for six hours and move." Kassern's tone lowered.
A glance in the rearview revealed Kassern studying Karly's sleeping face.
"Where are we going after?" Troy asked. Wherever it was, he should stop at an ATM. He didn't have a great deal in the bank, but they'd probably need every penny to finance their little vacation.
"Uriel hasn't told me yet."
"Who's that?"
"My commander."
"Well, when will you know?"
Kassern again met his gaze in the mirror. "When my humans are strong enough."
Strong enough? "For what?"
"To enter the holy sanctuary."
"The holy…what holy sanctuary?"
Kassern leaned his head against the seat and closed his eyes. "The only place on earth that you'll be safe while my brothers finish the circle."
The circle. Had he mentioned that before? "And that would be…what circle?"
Troy hated hitting him with twenty questions when it seemed the angel was exhausted. But he had to know.
"The one we'll need to defeat the army of--”
Karly’s sudden screams cut off the angel’s tired words. It had to be the fifth time she’d done that, like her mind was set to detonate with the reoccurring nightmare. Troy watched once more, fascinated as Kassern pulled her face close to his and whispered foreign words softly to her. And like a drug, it seemed to knock her out.
Troy squeezed Devyn's shoulder when she covered her face with her hands and cried. Again. When Kassern had got in the car with Karly, Devyn nearly lost it when she realized what they'd done to her.
Following the signs from the highway, Troy found a decent looking hotel off the main drag of the city the exit led them to. It only took a few moments to get them registered for the adjoining rooms Kassern insisted on while everyone else waited in the car.
Letting them into the first room, Troy opened the connecting door so Kassern could take Karly through and la
y her down.
Devyn started toward the shower, then paused. "What about Karly? I might need help to get her cleaned up."
"Don't worry about it. I've got her." Kassern turned to the connecting door, Karly still cradled against his chest.
"And how is that appropriate?" Protective belligerence weighed in Devyn's voice and the angel glanced over his shoulder.
Shaking his head, Kassern headed into the other room. "Because I'm an angel. Stop worrying."
Devyn didn't say anything else, apparently satisfied with his answer. Or just unable to argue.
Troy ran his hand over her arm. "Why don't you get that shower? I saw a pizza sign in the gas station next door. By the time you're finished, I should have something for you to eat."
Devyn agreed and went into the bathroom. A couple minutes later, he heard the water come on. Troy tapped at the partially closed connecting door. When Kassern only grunted in reply, he pushed the door open and stepped through.
Karly lay on the double bed, mostly covered, while Kassern bent over her, cleaning wounds with a tenderness that seemed at odds with his somewhat abrasive personality. He spoke without glancing up. "I need you and Devyn to join again."
"Uh, excuse me?" Surely he hadn't heard correctly.
Kassern looked up finally. Troy's heart skipped a beat at how gaunt the angel's face had become. Dark smudges lay under sunken eyes. When Kassern straightened to stand, the fluid grace that normally marked his movement had been replaced by jerky fatigue.
"Are you okay?" Troy instinctively reached to steady Kassern.
"Not really. Karly needs more healing right away, but being in this realm is exhausting. Since I don't have time to rest first, I need you and Devyn to do your thing again and give me a little energy boost." He scrubbed one hand across his bare chest.