Tyler finally dragged some air in past the sucker-punch to the gut feeling just looking at her gave him. Could anything so absolutely perfect actually exist?
"See?" Francis pointed.
"Maxwell, try it!" The girl turned to the dragon, trembling with excitement.
"I will not."
"Pleeeeeeease? For me?"
The giant dragon snarled and sniffed. Tyler guessed it was kind of flustered. "Peggy, I'm clearly not—"
"Just try!"
"Oh for crying out loud. Fine."
They all watched as those giant clear eyes rolled up in annoyed concentration. The result that followed caused a ruckus of laughter.
"You did it!" She clapped. "Except…" She angled her head, peering behind him.
The tall lean young man with ice-blue eyes and black hair to his shoulders scowled at the long slender tail curled on the floor behind him. "I told you I couldn't."
"You can practice! And we won't have to hide! Oh this is fantastic, I'm so tired of hiding, Maxwell!" She ran over and embraced him.
"Whatever possessed you to think of this?" The dragon man scowled at Francis.
"Whatever possessed us not to think of it?"
"I'm with him." The girl, Peggy, pointed at Francis. "He's right. Absolutely and positively."
Maxwell rolled his eyes. "You likely have been wanting to be a woman just so you can shop."
She gasped as though she hadn't considered but definitely had dreamed. She hugged herself and spun around. "I could just think of whatever I want."
"Ummm, no, you can't. At least not away from the compound. No powers, remember?" Francis frowned and Tyler imagined it was from the effort to keep his voice stern.
Her pretty blue eyes widened. "Oh right." Then she smiled and Tyler was sure it was the prettiest smile he'd ever seen. "I'll just have to change before I leave." She turned her gaze directly to him and his breath caught in his throat. "What do you think? Do you think I'm pretty?"
The shameless question brought flames to his cheeks. Were his thoughts that plain? "I…" He didn't dare want to offend her. His pride would have to suffer. "You're um… beautiful… actually."
She gasped and clapped as though she'd won the Miss America contest. In Tyler's mind, she had. More like the Miss Universe.
"There, it's gone." Maxwell turned, presenting his backside. He was dressed like that guy in that movie…what was his name? Sherlock Holmes. Oh yeah, Dr. Watson. Even had his accent.
Peggy covered her mouth and looked at Francis. "Does Kassern know?"
Francis gave a tiny wince, so that was a negative.
Maxwell walked around like his legs felt funny, mumbling about strange fashions all while inspecting and straightening his clothes. "What is this made out of, anyway?" He sniffed and raised his brows. "Well that's a plus. My aquamarine properties are imbedded in the threads."
"When do you plan to tell Kassern?" Peggy asked.
"Well…I was hoping we might all…announce it together?"
"I don't know what the big secret is," Maxwell mumbled. "We're in human form. Why would either of you suspect that is forbidden or sacrilegious? We change forms all the time." Maxwell perched carefully on the couch arm and met first Peggy's gaze then Francis'. "Well we are. This is a war. There is nothing to feel guilty about." He glanced at them back and forth. "Right?"
"Right, right," they both answered quickly.
"Unless…" Peggy fidgeted with her nails while rocking on her bare heels.
Maxwell snorted. "I don't think you wanting to be a woman will be held against you."
"But don't you wonder?" Francis sounded curious.
"Wonder what?" Maxwell stood and leaned against the couch as though he couldn't seem to find a comfortable way to sit.
"Why it's so easy. To change into this form, I mean."
"Oh." Peggy's tone said that was on the bottom of her need to know list. She held up her hand and admired her nails that turned different colors all by themselves. "I didn't really think about it."
"Of course you didn't." Maxwell curled his lip a little then turned away to clear his expression.
She dropped her hand. "What is that supposed to mean?"
Maxwell raised both hands. "Now don't take that tone. I don't want to fight."
"Sure you do."
"Surely I don't."
She let both hands flop down to her side. "You know I hate when you call me stupid."
Maxwell gasped and looked at Francis. "Did I call her stupid?"
"Don't drag me into this." Francis paled a little, as if he dreaded listening to something they'd been through a thousand times.
Maxwell turned to Tyler. But all Tyler saw was the pain behind Peggy's anger. "You didn't say it outright but…I heard it."
Peggy gave a loud ha and pointed at Maxwell. "Finally, somebody who isn't afraid to stand up to the great and powerful dog-eared baboon dragon!"
Ouch.
"Well thank you for that, young man." Maxwell crossed his arms and glared at Tyler.
Tyler didn't appreciate the young reference. "You're quite welcome, mister." Smarty-pants, he wanted to add, but then a weird clickety clack out in the hall caught his attention.
"Lyght said I'd…"
All eyes turned to the door where a giant scorpion maneuvered massive pincers through the door one at a time before following with the rest of its body.
"Sorry, I thought I heard…"
Tyler couldn't decide whether the giant talking scorpion was terrifying or hilarious. And the thing was clear! Well, not totally, but it was made of something whitish that was darn near clear—stone? He literally looked like a giant diamond scorpion. No other way to describe him. Which was In. Sane.
"It's us, Robert." Maxwell gave a little finger waggling wave.
Peggy returned to her original metal form and ran to the scorpion's side and hugged it. Maxwell changed as well, only his dragon was half the size he had been before. "Greetings Robert. How goes your journey thus far on this strange planet?"
"Just like the human weather man predicted. Cloudy with a chance of freak thunderstorms. All in the span of a few hours." The scorpion nodded at Tyler. "Hello again."
Tyler looked around to see if there was somebody else behind him. "We've met?"
"Demon, two o'clock. Run."
Tyler gasped at the replay of the voice he'd heard in his head at Miya's house just before he saw that creature. "That was you?"
The scorpion nodded again. "Lyght had me on ba—uh, bodyguard duty." The scorpion turned with a faint clatter of multi-jointed legs to look at Peggy and Maxwell full on. "How did you do that?"
Peggy seemed to know exactly what he meant and blurted, "We just think it! And it's so easy! Try it! Go on, please, please, please."
He held up a pincer "Stop. I need to acclimate before I attempt that trick. I'm exhausted." He moved fully into the room with more clattering joints and plopped himself to the floor in what looked like a carefully coordinated routine despite sounding like a sack of broken glass.
Reality pricked at Tyler's mind and he blinked, feeling like he was stuck in a dream that was really more nightmare.
"You okay?"
Tyler looked at Francis. Francis the ruby man-boy. "I'm…just kinda weirded out." He looked at Peggy. And Maxwell. And Robert the scorpion. "I only ever see humans."
The three of them suddenly resumed their human form, looks of concern on their faces. Tyler stared around at them, confused. "I'm okay, it's just…"
"You don't look very okay." Maxwell bent a little and peered at him closely.
The back of his neck suddenly prickled and sent an uncomfortable chill down his back. Tyler raised one hand to rub at the annoying sensation but froze with it halfway up. His entire forearm shook and trembled. Oh. He stuffed his hands in his pockets.
"Are you going to be sick?" Peggy rushed over and stroked his cheek.
"Please, don't…" Tyler didn't know what to say without looking like an idiot or
offending her.
She pulled her hand back. "Do I repulse you?" She sniffed her hand. "Do I smell?" She turned to Francis, worried.
He shook his head. "It's not you."
"I can do black hair." Her hair changed to black licorice. "Or red. How about short?" Her hair changed again. "What about lavender? Oh! Magenta!" She went through several colors and styles until Tyler felt responsible for the crayon show.
"Stop!" Tyler said. "You're perfect the way you were. Trust me." He turned to Francis. "Tell her."
"You're perfect to him."
"Not to me," Tyler corrected.
"Not to you?" she asked.
Tyler's mouth hung open at how badly the whole thing was going. "Yes to me. To everybody."
"To you." Maxwell smiled a little.
"Yes, that's true." Of course Francis agreed with Maxwell.
"To you?" Hope filled Peggy's clear blue eyes as though being perfect to him was suddenly the most important thing. And Tyler was ready to consent to anything just to get out of the spotlight.
"Yes. To me."
"I'm perfect to you?"
Was she really going to make him say it again? He looked at Francis, desperate, but the red dude only chuckled and raised his hands, no help.
Caught between a rock and a hard place, Tyler met her beautiful gaze head on and bit the bullet. "You are."
"Perfect to you?" She raised an eyebrow in question, insisting he be clearer.
"You are perfect to me. Very perfect. The most beautiful girl I've ever seen up close." Oh crap. Well, at least his Gramps would be proud of him for manning up.
She giggled, leaned in, and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank you." Then she spun away, and danced to some unheard tune in her head. Maybe the Cinderella theme song, whatever that was, all while Tyler's mind zeroed in on the spot where her lips had touched his skin. It still tingled and he couldn't stop his hand from going to the spot.
"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 Univer
ses 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.
Summon Lyght (Archangels Creed) Page 13