Dashing devil 5 bold beg.., p.24
Dashing Devil 5: Bold Beginnings, page 24
“So tell me what happened,” Kayla blurted out immediately after Boyd sat back in his chair. “I’ve been patient and let you unwind and get something to eat, but now I must know how it went… and on the record, please.”
Her camera drone came from the far side of the room and hovered over the reporter’s shoulder. Several other drones floated up at different angles to join it, it appeared Kayla wanted to capture the scene of them all sitting down for a meal, as well. If Boyd didn’t know better, he’d say their normally professional reporter had lost her unbiased calm. She sat poised on the edge of her seat, recorder in hand, prepared to point it—and the drone’s cameras—at whoever spoke next.
Silvie regaled Kayla with a mostly unembellished telling of the mission, with each of his loves contributing moments from their perspectives throughout. Hope had the most to contribute, having witnessed the ‘big fight’ from start to finish. His wonderful angel made him sound quite a bit more heroic than he probably appeared. Boyd tried to downplay this as fighting a worthy, if fortunately unimaginative foe.
Atlas would have been a worthy opponent if he’d been more intelligent. But Laura was correct when she described him as almost bored with the fight itself. In truth, it hadn’t been very exciting—once Crystallize was under control and his squishiest loves were away from the worst of the danger, that is. The account of their tale spanned the remainder of the meal, with frequent pauses as the storytellers found themselves passing the telling of the tale to the next person as they were distracted by the culinary delights of their dinner.
Everyone paused when Daisy brought out an ice-cream cake for dessert.
“That was wonderful, Daisy,” Boyd complimented the fairy woman.
A round of compliments for the chef circled the table after Boyd delivered the first into the comfortable silence that signaled everyone was full and content. Daisy smiled and accepted most of them, but Hope’s praise struck a nerve.
“That was an amazing meal, thank you,” his angel sang sweetly, “There's something special about your cooking, I could taste the love you put into every dish.”
“Wh-what? What do you mean? Love?!” Daisy’s brightly colored swirl of hair fanned out as her head snapped to face the angel. Her matching iridescent eyes, always large, went wide as saucers for a moment before she schooled her expression and continued. “Don’t be silly, I just followed the recipes. It’s not like I put any special feeling into it. I cook because it's my job, nothing more.”
Hope’s smile filled with warm understanding. “But it's more than just a job, isn't it? There's care in your cooking—I can taste it. It's what makes it so wonderful. We're all so lucky to have you as part of our family.”
“Family?” her eyes went wide again, then she cleared her throat and reigned her expression before glancing at Boyd. “Ehem, I... well… I'm just here to cook and clean. It's not like I'm one of you.”
Hope was undeterred. “You may not see it yet, but you're as much a part of this family as any of us. Your presence here? It changes things for the better.”
Daisy ducked her chin, her hair falling forward to hide her face before she replied. “I don't know about all that... I mean, I'm glad you liked the food. But… family? That's… that’s nice of you to say.”
“Ehe-hee,” his angel giggled. “It's more than nice, it's the truth. And whether you admit it or not, I can tell you care about us—just as we care about you. I may only have been here a short time, but even I can see it.”
“Well, maybe I don’t hate being here… but don't get the wrong idea, okay?” the spitfire mumbled shyly, then her chin lifted and she glared at Boyd with flushed cheeks. “And you—don't you start thinking this means I’m interested in... in whatever you all have going on. I’m just here to cook, not join your... relationship.”
“I understand,” Boyd stated with a nod. “We all respect your choices and your space. That is, unless someone has been pressuring you without my knowledge?”
His eyes drifted to Silvie, who caught his look and returned it with a pout. The big demon’s heart clenched, but he fought through it. That pout’s effect was vicious.
“No, she hasn't pressured me. No one has." Daisy shook her head. “And I can handle myself just fine. It's not about that. I just... I want to be clear about where I stand.”
“Completely clear,” Boyd confirmed with a smile, “and that's perfectly fine.”
“Since we’re engaging in healthy communication already, I think it would be best for some of us to have a conversation tonight,” Mindy said as she rested her hands on the table. A calm smile quirked her darkly painted lips up at the corners. “We can’t put it off if we want Laura to participate. Since she asked Boyd to train her to become a Hero, she’ll either be preoccupied or exhausted for quite some time, starting in the morning.”
“She did what?!” Silvie and Daisy asked loudly together, shock and concern clear in their tones.
Boyd hadn’t said anything about it, and Laura hadn’t brought up her pending training after leaving the Osprey’s bridge.
“Oh, LuLu,” Silvie continued, using her recently chosen pet name for Laura, “if you wanted Hero training you should have asked Raev or me… or anyone but Darling. I love him but he’s a training terrorist.”
While his silver-haired love delivered her warning several hours too late, Daisy grabbed Laura’s arm and gave her a shake. “What happened to becoming a doctor? You can’t become a Hero. It’s way too dangerous!”
“He he he,” Raev let out her velvet chuckle, then added with a knowing tone, “Smart move… genius, really. But I guarantee you’re totally going to regret it. He’ll make you pay for it.”
“My Power will allow me to soothe your tired muscles and bruises,” Hope smiled gently, “but there is little I can do for the mental and emotional exhaustion you will experience.”
Laura smiled and shook her head as she let out a short bark of a laugh. “Well, I’ve survived double shifts in the E.R. while earning nearly perfect marks in med school; how much harder can Hero training be?”
She turned to Boyd, a challenging cast that was becoming all-too-familiar clear in her eyes. “But seriously, I’m prepared for whatever it takes.”
Boyd believed her. One did not achieve all she had at her age without drive, especially while maintaining her level of fitness. Which had granted her a physique that was particularly well displayed in the thin-strapped tank top she had chosen for the evening. The big demon blinked a few times to get his thoughts back on track.
Laura had the determination that was required, but determination and grit were only part of what made a Hero.
“We’ll see,” Boyd returned her challenging look.
He knew that part of what drove her decision was a belief that becoming a Hero increased her odds of snaring him. He also accepted that this was not an unwarranted belief. Even if he hadn’t reached his limit with Hope, Boyd knew he had a limit. And logic dictated that he save as many spots as there were in his heart for Heroes, especially given the benefits this granted to team cohesion.
Their team still had empty slots. In particular, they needed more combat supports. He had to admit that Laura’s Power had a lot of combat potential and utility as it was. She could take him down in seconds, and he was officially an S-Ranked Hero, or would be in the near future. She was only limited by two things—her Power’s range, and her squishiness.
Boyd knew these were things that his enhancement could possibly fix.
Part of him was already wondering what potential an Enhancement might unlock in her, which probably meant he should start recategorizing Laura from an ‘if’ to a ‘when’. He remained determined to wait until Hope had settled in before announcing anything, and their team dynamic would need to settle as well, before doing so.
Boyd held her determined gaze until Kayla interrupted the undeclared staring contest.
“Well, I for one look forward to reporting on your future exploits Laura, have you chosen a name yet?” the reporter asked.
“Thank you,” Laura replied as she turned to favor the reporter with a smile. “And no, I haven’t chosen a Hero name—not yet. To be honest, I never put any thought into becoming a hero until recently. You’ll be among the first ten to know once I pick one though.”
Kayla scanned the table, counting the number of people that would rightfully be ahead of her and deciding that being top ten was good enough. “Thanks. Anything related to The Devoted gets major views, but a new Hero being trained by the Dashing Devil? It’ll be huge.”
“This fits under the category of classified information you can’t share without permission,” Boyd rumbled.
The last thing he wanted was someone taking a potshot at Laura before her training was even partially complete. If they reported that she was a prospective member of the team now, he would have to bar her from unaccompanied trips away from the base until he was confident she could look out for herself. Were they to announce anything, Laura would no longer be able to accompany Daisy on shopping trips back to Glorith.
The reporter rolled her eyes. It seemed Raev and Silvie had started rubbing off on her. And Boyd couldn’t tell if that was a good thing—or not.
“I assumed as much,” Kayla pouted, and while her expressive features made her naturally good at it, she had nothing on Silvie.
“Daiz dear, it will be okay. I promise.” Laura showed her other side as she turned to the concerned fairy with the warmth Boyd had come to expect from her.
The fairy woman scowled at her friend.
“It’ll be okay. It’s just training—for now. But I do fully intend to become a Hero. Just know that I didn't make this decision lightly.” Laura frowned at Silvie and then Raev. “Yes, it's going to be hard, but it is something I need to do. I want to use my Powers to make a real difference. After seeing what you all have accomplished, I realized I can do a lot more as a member of your team than I ever could as a doctor.”
“But…” Daisy began to protest but couldn’t seem to think of an argument.
“The training will take a while,” Laura smiled warmly, “you don’t have to get used to the idea all at once.” She gently patted one of Daisy’s hands before pulling them away from her arm.
The nurse turned to Mindy, “Now, what’s this about a conversation that includes me?”
“We want to have regular conversations among Boyd’s lovers to air concerns or grievances, settle any conflicts, and just check in with each other,” Mindy elaborated. “I was hoping since I know you received some training on the topic, that you wouldn’t mind participating as a kind of mediator.”
‘At least until she joins as one of your lovers, kuh-he,’ Mindy added privately with her signature giggle.
“Oh? Well then, yes, I would be happy to moderate such a discussion.” Laura nodded her agreement. “Will it be everyone?”
“Tinker will be sitting this one out,” Mindy replied with a nod to the smaller woman seated next to her. “She wants to sneak in a little mini date while the rest of us are distracted.”
“Drats,” Kayla complained, “I was hoping he would be unoccupied.”
“Oh?” Raev raised a fiery eyebrow, her ears sticking up and the tips of her tails flicking to match the amusement he sensed in her. “Decided to finally take a swing at getting fully em-bedded?” His vixen’s rather talented tongue managed to infuse an absurd amount of innuendo into the word.
“In another life, maybe.” Kayla laughed and shook her head at the redhead's antics. “I’m afraid that in this one, I must remain in a strictly professional relationship with your hunk of a man, so I suppose I’ll just spend tonight touching up my next piece.”
The reporter had been releasing what amounted to profiles on the Changed that had gone missing, including interviews she’d done with those who knew or had last seen them. News2 was showing them, but they had also been picked up by networks all over the world. Kayla was doing her part to keep the missing Changed in the minds of the populace while Boyd and his team acted behind the scenes.
“Um,” Hope azure eyes flittered over to him and he sensed unease build within her. “I had hoped to serve… I mean… I had hoped to spend some time with Boyd to ease his mind before he slept.”
Silvie let out one of her bell-like giggles and gently shoved the angel’s shoulder, “You’re insatiable, aren’t you honey-buns? These talks are important, though, and we haven't had one since you got here—mostly because it’s almost impossible to peal you off our Darling. Tinker hasn’t had any alone time with him that wasn’t spent in her lab in days in a week!”
“I don’t know,” Raev chuckled on a rising, skeptical note. “It sounds like Tinker’s been getting plenty of quality time, given what we all know happens in those sessions.”
“Not that kind of quality time.” Silvie puffed out her cheeks at Raev before turning back to Hope. “Communication is vital, and I was certain you'd appreciate the chance to deepen your bond with your sisters.”
“Well, yes… of course I do,” Hope nodded with a pout, before glancing his way again. “It’s just that…”
Boyd realized he needed to start easing back on their shared clinginess. She needed to have this conversation, so he gave her a reassuring smile as she trailed off.
“Sometimes quality time with others will mean spending a little time apart. Go, have a good talk, Hope. I could use a little time with Tinker,” he rumbled warmly as he stood from the table.
Boyd had learned long ago that if he wanted Hope to do something, it was best to lead by example. Sure enough, Hope stood after he did, brushing the front of her dress flat along her resplendent hips as she stepped away from the table. His angel had taken to wearing either backless and cleavage-exposing white dresses with various accents and in different cuts, or the oversized shirts that Tinker had made for him around the base.
Neither ever came to her knees and she very rarely wore underwear.
Everyone else began to rise as she stepped around the table and into his arms for a tight hug. Hope pressed the bounty that tonight’s thin and simple sundress barely protected from his roving gaze. It was almost enough to make him change his mind… almost.
But now that it had been brought up, he sensed how his little inventor really could use some quality time—and not that kind of quality time. Hope needed to have this conversation so their family could remain strong, almost as much as Mindy needed to work through whatever had raised a barrier between her and the angel.
“I do want to get closer to my sisters,” Hope mumbled into his shoulder before leaning back slightly, licking her lips to wet them, and tugging him down for a brief kiss.
Now that the big demon was less than a foot taller than her, they fit together even more splendidly. But he still had to tilt his head as she rose on her bare toes to brush her full pink lips against his.
“Um…” Hope’s azure eyes slid from Boyd to Tinker. “Is it alright for me to ask if you think he will be returning to his bed tonight?”
It felt to Boyd like Hope was afraid asking the question would affect Tinker’s decision, but also that she wanted to prepare herself if they were going to be separated overnight. It might be their first night apart since her arrival, depending on how Tinker answered the question.
Chapter 26
Tinker hesitated for a moment before answering and Boyd sensed a brief conflict within her. It settled promptly and she gave a firm, determined nod as she came to a decision. “Yes, he will,” his little inventor stated firmly.
It was almost as if she needed to convince herself more than any of the others.
“And so will I!”
Before anyone had a chance to respond, her cheeks flushed a middling level of pink—mild embarrassment, at least for her—and she quickly added, “Um… I mean… if that would be alright with everyone. I think it’s time I start joining the big bed to sleep with everyone, but only if the invitation is still open.”
“Of course, it is Sweetie!” Silvie bubbled over first and excitement flooded Boyd’s bond with her. She had been looking forward to the whole family sleeping together for quite a while. “You’re more than welcome!”
Raev smirked, her playful streak that was ever so quick to rise to the surface evident across their Bond, and then leaned on the back of her chair with her emerald eyes twinkling with mischief. “Well, well, well,” she purred, “look who’s finally joining the big leagues. Don’t worry, Tink, we don’t bite… much.”
She finished this statement with a wink that triggered a round of giggles that spread through the group. Tinker’s blush deepened, but a small smile tugged at her lips—a sign that matched what he sensed over their Bond. Raev’s words had been taken in the playful spirit they were intended.
Raev continued, her tone softening considerably, “But seriously, Tink, it’s about time. We’ve all been waiting for you to come around. The big bed’s been feeling a bit empty without our genius inventor.”
Hope nodded her agreement, her azure eyes shining warmly. “It will be nice having you there, sister. I understand you are not interested in sexual intimacy with us, but sleeping together is wonderful. Thinking of you alone while the rest of us are together has weighed on me, but I’m also greedy and don’t want to lose Boyd to your bed. So, yes, please join us.”
“You know my thoughts on it,” Mindy smiled warmly, having discussed with Boyd how she was working on getting Tinker comfortable with the idea that there were non-sexual kinds of intimacy she could share with his other loves that she might find to her liking.
“Okay, great!” Tinker grinned, her cheeks a deep, pleased pink at all the positive attention. “I figured it would be okay, but I didn’t want to assume. So… um… I guess I’ll see everyone later, then? Well, everyone but Daisy, Laura, and Kayla…”
The petite woman pursed her lips. “That is… unless Boyd goes through a major personality shift in the next few hours and decides it’s time to grow his harem by three.”
She delivered this last bit with the wry sense of humor Boyd had witnessed a few times. He was glad that she was comfortable enough to share it with the entire group. She was opening up more and more every day.
