Bayou Summons Page 10

  “Did you think you could escape me so easily?” He asked her as he came to stand in front of her in the blink of an eye, stooping to look in her eyes. “Don’t worry, this time I won’t be inviting any of my slaves, at this point, they’re merely a distraction.”

  “You are a pathetic puke! Do you really think you’ll be able to keep me here?” Summer spat in his face.

  “Settle down, now. I want to make this as easy as possible for both of us.” He stood and walked to the other side of the room. “I made a mistake before, rushing it with you. For that, I’m sorry. I want to offer you a deal.”

  Summer’s interest was piqued. “What kind of deal are you talking about?” Her hands had gone completely numb. She tried to wriggle them, but they, like her legs, stayed in the same position.

  “Not much of one, really, but it does involve me leaving your warlock alive.” He pointed his finger at her like a father would when scold a youngster. “If you willingly come to my side, I will let your young warlock live the rest of his life in peace. If you do not, not only will I kill him, or shall I say make him kill himself, but I will also drag his ghastly soul into my domain and make you watch as I crucify him for all eternity.”

  “Great deal you got there.” Summer snorted with as little effort as she could manage. “Makes me want to sign right up, where’s the dotted line?”

  Again, he was in front of her before she knew he had even moved, but this time, his face hovered above hers so that she could smell his rotten breath. “You toy with what you do not understand, my queen. I have to admit, I find your insolence…” he paused, “…desirable.”

  Summer wanted to vomit. She heaved as he thrust his tongue out and licked her bottom lip. “Listen to me, you putrid sack of shit, the next time you stick your tongue on me, you’ll come back without it.”

  He laughed low in his throat. “I can always grow a new one. I like it rough. That will be the first thing you learn.” He looked over her shoulder. Summer couldn’t see, his body blocking the way. But when he stood, she could make out the lines of some sort of table in the corner. Through the middle of his legs, she could just make out the brown of leather straps on each corner.

  “Oh God, no,” she whimpered, her lip trembling at the sight of it.

  “God won’t be here for you, wench. I’m going to teach you a lesson you won’t soon forget. I’m going to pummel myself into you until your center rips. And I’ll enjoy every bloody second!” He snaked his tongue out and along his lips with evil in his eyes. “When you die from what I do to you, I’ll harness your soul and you’ll forever be in my keep, to do with as I please.”

  Shuddering, Summer pressed her face into her bicep. She had to do something and soon. The longer she stayed here, the weaker she became. Like a beacon, she felt a charge tickle her skin, heard voices whispering. She couldn’t make out the words, but they were comforting all the same. She wasn’t alone.

  Raising her head, she smiled sweetly at Alsandair. He watched her confused. “Why are you smiling? Is what I’m going to do to you that humorous?”

  “Not at all,” Summer replied. “I was just thinking it didn’t have to be that way at all.” She mocked his gesture as she licked her lips. She saw the eagerness in his eyes; saw his sex rise beneath his black pants. It was working.

  “Oh really,” he asked as he took a few steps closer and kneeled in front of her once again.

  “Why would I want death, especially that kind of death? Why not just agree to your deal and let you fuck me raw? I see that as a better plan of action.” Summer’s stomach hitched, protesting to the words spilling out of her mouth.

  “Unless you’d rather have it that way, but I can’t imagine why. Wouldn’t you rather fuck me when I was willing?” If she could move, she would do something suggestive, be coy, anything to persuade him.

  “Yes, I would. But, how can I trust what your lying mouth says? Maybe I should shove my cock in there, give you a taste.” That would be a golden opportunity. But, as soon as she thought of a reply, he was changing his mind. “No, that won’t do.”

  “Let’s look at this from my point of view. I’m immobile from where I am, what do you think I’m going to do from this position?” She could see him thinking it over, running through all the different things that could go wrong. Adding more persuasion to her voice, Summer continued. “It would be so easy to re-situate my legs, pull my pants off and slide underneath me. You could bounce me off your cock for as long as you wanted.”

  The fabric of his pants was now distended, his cock was seeking release. Alsandair looked at her, sizing up her proposition and finally deciding. “Okay, that’s what we’ll do.” He gave a nasty grin and rubbed his hands together as he walked towards her, pulling her pants off. She felt nothing as he did. The bright side to her proposal was that her entire body was numb, so if she didn’t find a way out by then, she wouldn’t feel it. At least, she prayed she wouldn’t.

  His stance was jittery as he fumbled with his clothing. Not bothering with the shirt, Alsandair hastily made his way to her. His rod bounced up and down in front of her face. To keep up the charade, she bit her lip and looked at it, then brought her gaze to his face. She smiled, pretending arousal. Getting down on his knees, the demon stroked his manhood as inhuman bellows escaped his mouth with every new tug. He was too far away to do anything just yet, so she watched, licking her lips, faking anticipation.

  His ass moved with the rhythm, back and forth, as he rocked with the movement. “Do you see this? You want this, don’t you? You want me to fuck you hard, huh?”

  Summer nodded, fluttering her lashes at him. “Oh, yeah, keep playing it that way, Little Miss Innocent is about to be punished.” She felt the urge to gorge, but quelled it. He scooted on the floor, situating himself under her. He wasn’t getting close enough to inflict any sort of injury, which was her plan. She figured it might buy her time, but to do what? She had no idea. It was time for a new plan, if she didn’t come up with something in the next five seconds, she would be consummating a relationship with an underworld groupie.

  A slight breeze wafted down the corridor, brushing Summer’s face. With it, came the voices she had heard only this time, she understood what they were saying. It was a chant. Her only hope was to try and slip away again. She closed her eyes, listening to the words and repeated them over and over in her head, picturing Cayden’s face. I’m coming back, she thought as she traced his chiseled features with imaginary fingers.

  Spirits of the great realms come to me, carry my soul away.

  As Alsandair attempted to push himself in her, she simply disappeared. He sat, his loins throbbing and exposed. Roaring, he got to his knees and let out a scream that reverberated through the realms.

  Chapter 18

  Summer awoke to a halo of worried faces circling above her. They were tipping and going in and out of focus. Cayden’s handsome features peered down at her. He looked scared and relieved at the same time. She wanted so badly to reach up, graze his cheek with the back of her hand, but she was so weak. The sickness she had grown accustomed to for so long had returned and her eyes strained against the light in the room, protesting.

  “Thank the Powers we got her back.” A voice streamed in, though she couldn’t tell who spoke those words. She groaned with the horrible feeling of being incapacitated. Then, a slender hand reached through, parting the small crowd and reaching for her. Summer tried to lift her hand, but it fell limply back beside her onto the bed.

  As soon as the healing energy spread through her, she sighed in relief. Lurleene moved closer, put her other hand on her forehead, and whispered. “Rest, Cherie, I will help the pain.”

  Grateful beyond belief, Summer allowed herself to float away. As her eyes shut, she watched Cayden vanish from sight.

  ****

  When Summer woke again, it was a perfume that had summoned her, stirring her inside with an intensity she’d never known. She flexed her fingers, pulling them in and out while clutching
the cotton that was so luxuriously wrapped around her. Her limbs ached with every move. She twisted her head on the pillow and saw that in an earthenware bowl, much the same as the one Cayden used at his altar, there was incense, burning strong. The stick was a dark green and from it, thin spirals of smoke rose to dance around the room. The spirals bobbed and weaved to a tune only they could hear.

  In the high-back chair that she had seen Faline stand so regally next to, sat Cayden. He looked menacing as he raised his hands to his sides and tipped his head back. His voice was soft and gentle, warring with the vehemence that showed in his face.

  “Surround her, enfold her, heal and hold her.”

  He chanted this line three times and went on. “Winter winds on a winter day, winter sun melt her troubles away. Wheel revolves, death to birth, air to fire, and water to earth!”

  When he brought his head back down, his eyes seemed a different color, and for a second she thought she had seen them flash with some sort of emotion. What that emotion was, she couldn’t be sure.

  Wanting him to come to her, she called his name. “Cayden,” It came out as more of an undertone than a request. He had heard it, though. His sad eyes flew to the bed before they went wide with shock. He made it to the bed in two steps and sat gently down before taking her in his arms. Hanging on to each other, they stayed like that for what seemed like an eternity. Cayden was the first to break the silence.

  “I don’t know what I would’ve done if I’d lost you. I can’t bear the thought of having to live without you.” Cayden held her at an arm’s length. “Did he do anything to you, Summer? Did he hurt you? Because I swear, I don’t care what I’ll have to do to make him pay…” Summer cut off his plot for revenge by placing her fingertips on his lips.

  “I’m fine, Cayden. It’s a good thing you guys got me out when you did, though. Otherwise, there would’ve been irreparable damage.” She managed a snort, trying to lighten the mood.

  “I’ve never been so scared in my life,” Cayden remarked.

  “Me neither.” Summer admitted with a sigh

  Cayden raised himself off the bed and circled to the other side. Lying down, he gathered her in his arms, trying to make himself believe that he could protect her, that she was here and out of that madman’s world.

  Summer’s glasses were fogging up from Cayden’s hot breath streaming down on her face. She giggled and moved to take them off. “Is it getting hot in here or is it just me?” She held up her glasses as proof.

  Chuckling, Cayden pulled her back down to him after she had set her glasses next to the incense that still swirled around the room.

  She curled into his chest, breathing in his scent of lavender and some other sweet herb she imagined he had used in his spells as she slept. “I’m starving.”

  He looked down at her, her face buried deeper into his shoulder, her lips brushing against his neck as she breathed him in. “Well, you keep that up and you won’t eat for days. I’ll lock you up in this room and have my way with you.” He quipped, lightly

  “Oh, will you?” Summer giggled back at him.

  “I certainly will. Don’t test me.” His big hand rested on her shoulder, his index finger looping lazily through the blond curls that fell there.

  “I could eat a skunk.” She said, hoping he would take the hint and get her some food.

  His laughter shook the bed until there were tears gathering in his eyes. “You could eat a skunk?”

  “Yeah, haven’t you ever heard that before?” She asked.

  “No, I can honestly say I’ve never heard that particular metaphor.”

  “In the Midwest, we used it quite often. You know, you’re so hungry that the smell wouldn’t even stop you?”

  She got to her feet and looked at him seriously. Without being able to stop he laughed at her again. Exasperated, she jumped on him and attempted to push him off the side of the bed. But, he was too quick, pinning her to the bed in seconds.

  Cayden looked down at her with all the love he felt in his heart. “You have got to be the most amazing woman on this planet.”

  “Only on this planet?” Summer asked as she rolled her eyes. “Gee, thanks.” She giggled.

  “What do you want for breakfast, O queen of all the worlds?”

  “Now, that is much better.” She said it with the dignified voice of royalty. “What do you have?”

  He squint his eyes. “Hmmm, let’s see. I have eggs, bacon and pancakes. Any of that sound good?”

  “All of it does.” Summer said as her stomach rumbled loudly.

  “Let’s get cooking then.”

  She raised a brow. “Lets? Are you implying that I have to help?” He laughed again, doubling over and holding his stomach as fresh waves of laughter shook him.

  “Oh, never that, My Queen,” Cayden replied.

  “Good, because I fully intend to sit on my butt and do nothing at all, except maybe watch you move around the kitchen.” She winked at him.

  “Whatever you say, my love,” he said bowing as he did.

  A thought struck her. “Actually, you know what I’d like to do?”

  “What’s that,” he asked.

  “I need for you to teach me the basics of summoning.”

  The mischief and teasing had left his eyes. “Why?”

  “Faline said that she couldn’t summon me, that she existed in another realm and that if I ever needed her, I would have to summon her. She said that you could teach me how to do that.”

  He ran a hand through his hair. “Yeah, I guess I could.”

  Reality had come back for both of them as they made their way out of the room and down the stairs.

  ****

  The smell of bacon cooking had always done wonders for Summer. For her, it signified a new day and untapped energy. She just hoped she could understand everything Cayden was about to tell her. This warlock stuff was more confusing than she had first thought. There were at least five books strewn across the table, along with different figurines, candles and herbs.

  She surveyed the kitchen. It was small, but not too small. Its high ceilings matched the rest of the house and made it seem much larger. They were at least nine feet, Summer estimated. Cabinets ran from one side of the room to the next and were the same dark, dense wood that coursed through the house. Over the sink, a wide cabinet showed off fine china through stained glass in reds, blues and greens. Circles, triangles and squares caught the early morning light and had the dishes beyond bathed in a catechism of colors.

  The floors were some sort of stone, though she couldn’t be sure what kind. There different hues running through it, making even the ground interesting to look at. The walls were painted a soft cream and paneling covered the bottom half. Summer could get used to a kitchen like this, even though she hadn’t spent much time in any kitchen for years. But she could imagine herself here, making coffee, doing dishes, and cleaning what most people considered the heart of the home. And she could imagine it being her home indefinitely, forever.

  Cayden was trying to cover the basics before he explained how to summon Faline. A summoning had the potential to go wrong in many different ways and he wanted to make sure that Summer had some kind of background information before she tried it. It wasn’t that he didn’t have the confidence in her, but if she wavered for just a millisecond in her concentration while summoning, she could very well summon the necromancer or any other foul creature. Bringing the very evil they wanted to squash into their home.

  Their home? Had he really just thought that? How funny that he had begun to think of it that way without really realizing it. It had just become a fact. Summer was his and she belonged here with him forever. It was convincing her of that where he would have to think of a strategy. With everything that had been going on; lives at stake, evil men that turned into skeletons, that sort of thing, they hadn’t had time to really talk about what was going on between them. At this rate, if they survived another day, it would be miracle.

  Cayden was lo
st in thought as Summer said something from the table.

  “Let me get this straight. In candle magic, the colors, oils, herbs and divinity are what matters most. Am I right?”

  “Well, yes. The color of the candle can mean many different things. For example, brown is for working herb magic, black is used for divination, sometimes protection.”

  He turned back to the pancakes and flipped them as he continued, calling over his shoulder. “Oils are used much the same way; you pick an oil that symbolizes the theme of the spell you are casting.” He flopped one pancake on a plate and served it to Summer. Walking back to the fridge, he grabbed the syrup.

  She had already shoved a couple bites in, her cheeks puffed out. Around the pancake, she muttered, “Thank you.”

  “Your welcome.” Cayden went back to the stove to make himself a pancake. “Okay, where was I?”

  “Oils,” Summer managed as she devoured the rest of the pancake.

  “Right. The divinity means what deity you are calling upon for help in the spell. The Goddess, spirits, etc. The herbs are the same as the oils; they correspond with the meaning of your spell.” He put his pancake on to a plate and carried it over to the table. Summer cleared a spot for him to sit at.

  “There are also sigils.” Grabbing up Aunt Jemima, he slathered his pancake in buttery goodness.

  “What are those?” Summer asked her mouth still full.

  “They’re magical symbols that you can carve on the candle. They’re not necessary, but every little thing that is added to a spell, can raise that spell’s power, its intensity. Every bit can pack more power in the punch, so to speak.”

  Summer’s plate was clean. She took her fork and scraped the last of the syrup up, scooping it into her mouth as she nodded. “Gotcha.” She eyed the stove for more food.

  Cayden grinned. “I’ll make some more as soon as I eat this.”

  Looking disappointed, Summer heaved an old leather text from the bottom of the pile and set it in front of her. “I was reading in this book about invoking spirits. Is there a difference between invoking them and summoning them?”