Dashing devil 5 bold beg.., p.42
Dashing Devil 5: Bold Beginnings, page 42
However, despite the tranquility he felt embracing his angel, Boyd couldn't ignore the weight of the impending conversation that loomed over them like a shadow. With a heavy heart, he knew it was time to broach the subject and share the information that Stepper had passed on to him.
‘You are correct. Daisy is starting to consider going to bed, which makes it simultaneously inopportune and the perfect time to tell her,’ Mindy affirmed his decision.
Boyd waited until it felt like both Hope and he had reassured each other enough before clearing his throat. “My love,” he rumbled softly, “I don’t wish to move either, but I’m afraid it’s time we had that conversation… and this position may not be ideal.”
Hope let out a sigh, took a long inhale through her nose which he sensed was her attempt to fill her nose with his scent, then gracefully extracted herself from his lap with a sad smile. She immediately turned and walked over to where Laura and Daisy shared a loveseat to squeeze in between the end and the smaller fairy woman. She took Daisy’s hand and rubbed her thumb over the back of her small knuckles, turning a sad smile on their now confused chef.
“Umm, what’s happening?” Daisy’s confusion shifted to concern as she looked around the group and saw everyone but Kayla looking at her with expressions similar to the angel’s.
“For starters, you have the day off tomorrow—and as many as you need after that—but tomorrow is mandatory,” Boyd began, having no good way to start the difficult conversation.
Daisy’s eyes locked onto his and he saw a swirl of emotions run through her iridescent eyes. She bit her lip, trying to decipher the seriousness in Boyd's expression. It didn’t take her long to come to the correct conclusion.
“It’s Bianca, isn’t it? She’s dead.”
Boyd nodded his head slowly and watched as the chain of emotions became a storm that roiled through her. “We received confirmation of what happened to her.” He saw no reason to tell her that Stepper had provided video evidence along with photos of her body.
Even if she wanted to see them, he would not allow it. “She is no longer with us.”
The storm continued to rage within the fairy woman as she processed his words. “Did she suffer?”
Boyd had also decided to provide her with a gentle version of the truth instead of the facts. “No, she did not. Bianca was not afraid, and her death was quick.”
Omega Ray’s crown warped the minds of those it affected, so the young woman was not trapped inside her own body as a monster controlled her. Instead, she had been completely and totally robbed of her free will. Boyd wasn’t sure which was worse.
Daisy didn’t need to contemplate such matters concerning her friend. The young woman’s death had been quick, the monster that stole her from the world had apparently concluded he was bored with her and ended her existence a moment later.
“Do you know who did it?” Daisy asked, emotion starting to make her voice tremble. This only frustrated her, if her expression spoke true.
“It was Archangel… and he will pay with everything he holds dear. I promise,” Boyd said with a firm nod.
“Good,” Daisy tried to give a satisfied nod in return, but her delicate features contorted in anguish as tears welled up in her eyes.
Her small frame trembled as the weight of the news settled upon her, crushing her heart with grief. She had previously said she understood that her friend was likely dead, but that didn’t make the confirmation any easier to hear.
He watched her fight the tears, but it was a losing battle.
As soon as Hope saw the first fat drop roll down the smaller woman’s cheek, she reached out with a hand and gently wiped it away. “It’s okay to feel this way, Daisy. Let it out,” she whispered softly, her angelic voice soothing like a melody. His angel pulled the fairy into a side hug, working a wing into place behind her.
Silvie was next to move in as Daisy’s tears began in earnest, blurring from her seat to kneel before the young woman, unshed tears rising in her light blue eyes that mirrored the fairy’s pain.
“You don’t have to be strong all the time,” Silvie said softly before rising up to join Hope in embracing her.
Laura slid closer on the couch and pulled Daisy into a hug from the other side. “They’re right Daez. You have to let these things out so they don’t fester.”
Mindy stood next, his darkest love pushing in beside Silvie to join what had become a group hug. If she said anything, it was done in the privacy of Daisy’s mind. Raev moved around to the back of the loveseat and draped herself over it, reaching in behind Hope’s wing to rub Daisy’s back as she rested her head against the fairy’s bright and colorful hair.
His fiery haired love said with gentle kindness, “We’re here for you, Daez.”
Tinker got up and joined in after Mindy made room for her to reach the now engulfed smaller woman. She didn’t offer her words, either not having them or—more likely—thinking up too many to choose which ones to say.
Kayla looked just as concerned as the others as she looked for a way to enter and ended up hugging Hope and Silvie instead, adding to the warmth and comfort as best she could.
Boyd could no longer see the little fairy and was grateful for it. The small sobs and hiccups that emerged from the center of the pile of women were heart-rending enough. He found himself conflicted, wanting to comfort her as well but not sure if the physical display would be welcomed.
‘Get in here,’ Mindy settled it for him. ‘The promise was a big comfort and she’s starting to trust your word. But a physical display won’t hurt anything right now.’
Boyd rose and joined the others, kneeing behind the half-raised Silvie and wrapping his big arms around as many of them as he could. His wings joined his arms, covering them all as they held the crying woman. It might have been a breach of Kayla’s professionalism, but she didn’t complain.
Daisy's tears were a heartbreaking symphony, each sob a note of anguish and loss. She may not have known the lost woman for long, but the young Changed woman had faced similar adversities. Boyd’s understanding of psychology was far from complete, but it was enough for him to know that she likely recognized Bianca’s fate was one that could just as easily have been her own.
Religion had never really gotten off the ground on their new world, but Boyd thought the phrase ‘there but for the grace of God go I’ applied particularly well in this situation. It was a sentiment that applied equally to Raev, Hope, Boyd or any other Changed in the world. At that moment, he renewed his vow to fix that. No one should have to depend on luck to avoid such an end.
As her sobs subsided into soft sniffles and hiccups, Boyd felt a sense of pride in his team. The Devoted weren't just a group of Powered fighting crime or Wild Lands’ creatures together; they were a family bound by love and acceptance. Each woman brought their own strength and support to the table. They complemented each other in ways he couldn't have imagined.
It was only after the tears subsided that Daisy seemed to realize she was being embraced by everyone. “Um, thanks, but it’s a little hard to breathe in here,” she said awkwardly.
Boyd retracted his wings and began to move away, but they must not have been quick enough to disentangle the multitude of limbs that had formed around her. “No, seriously, I can’t breathe,” she said a moment later, panic entering her voice.
Everyone continued to try to pull away, with Boyd rising to his feet and stepping back. Then, the pile of gorgeous women sort of collapsed in on itself and a flash of panic shot through the demon before something small and colorful shot through a gap at the top to hover a few feet above the pile.
A three-inch tall version of Daisy panted as her wings fluttered behind her to keep her aloft. The pile of supple flesh that was his lovers, and a couple extras, continued to untangle itself as they looked around in confusion and concern.
“I’m sorry, haaa…” Daisy managed before sucking in another breath. “I think I just need a moment.”
Then, what looked like a soap bubble formed around her and shrank until it disappeared with a little pop.
“I did not know she could do that.” Boyd blinked.
“Finally!” Laura said triumphantly, having been one of the only ones to see what had happened. “She can do a lot you don’t know about. She must have finally gotten her Powers to work properly out here.”
“What?” Silvie asked in confusion.
“She shrank down to about three inches tall, flew out of the pile, then teleported away,” Boyd explained before turning on Laura with a frown. “Wait… her Powers haven’t been working? Does that mean she hasn’t been invulnerable?”
“I couldn’t say.” Laura smirked at him. “Doctor-patient confidentiality and all that. But if she wasn’t before, she is now.”
Boyd sighed, wondering when he would be done with people keeping important details from him. Then he remembered that he was a Changed Hero engaged in a shadow war for the fate of their world and realized that someone would probably always be keeping something from him. He decided to dismiss this particular oversight in communication.
Instead of getting angry, he grumbled at the trauma nurse turned spy turned Hero Trainee, “Whatever… you’re off training tomorrow and for as many days as Daisy needs you. Let us know if there is anything she needs. We can probably arrange a visit with Connor, if it will help.”
Laura stood from the pile and started heading towards Daisy’s room, turning to throw him a wink over her shoulder as she swayed her hips. “You know, if you had made me one of your Devoted, you probably would have realized I was hiding something from you and sussed it out long before now.”
Boyd groaned as he tore his eyes away from her toned ass and sank back into his spot on the couch. Snorting softly, he closed his eyes and his tilted head back. That had been rough, but between them, they would make sure the little fairy came out okay.
Chapter 44
Boyd studied his reflection in the full-length mirror of his walk-in closet and concluded that he looked pretty damn good. Tinker, with some help from Silvie and Raev, had designed him a sharp tuxedo that every woman within a hundred-mile radius had given their stamp of approval for after seeing him model it. He could have grumbled about the double standard of not being able to see their dresses before the gala while having to try on his suit for them, but he kept quiet and waited eagerly for the big day.
Well, he did see one of them in a lot more dresses than had been the case since they’d moved to the base. Since the night she’d learned of Bianca’s fate and regained her full Power, Daisy had taken to wearing dresses a lot more often. She seemed to have a fondness for flowy sundresses in spring colors that swayed around her as she bobbed through the air—sometimes at her usual full-size of just over four-feet and other times only three inches tall.
All in all, she had gotten a lot more comfortable around the base and his team, although her fiery personality remained strong. Cleanup had also gotten a lot easier for her. She would point her palms at the table when they were done eating, and a stream of small soapy bubbles would pour out of them. In moments, spotless tableware and cutlery would be left in their wake. She had also taken to flying around the base spewing bubbles all over the place, cleaning every surface that she flew past.
Boyd had once gotten caught by a stream of Daisy’s bubbles when he’d stepped out of a doorway at an inopportune time. He felt cleaner than he ever had in his life, and he was pretty thorough in his sometimes-scalding showers. It was a decidedly odd but not unpleasant sensation.
Shaking his head to clear it of thoughts of the fairy woman, he returned to making sure he hadn’t missed a button or something. Mindy was going to do his hair on the way, even though he was perfectly capable of handling a comb—not that he would complain when the time came. She liked to take the time to play with his hair whenever she got to style it. And feeling her long nails scratch and massage his scalp, especially around the base of his horns, was divine.
His tuxedo was a luxurious shade of charcoal gray, with a subtle luster that gave it a slight sheen of black. The fabric radiated an aura of smoke, adding to his mysterious and alluring appearance. His dark wings contrasted beautifully against his fair complexion, making him appear even more otherworldly. The ensemble included a double-breasted jacket, its sleek silhouette exuding regal elegance.
The stitching was accented with a hint of deep crimson, adding a pop of color to the otherwise monochromatic selection. Beneath the jacket, he wore a black silk shirt with a modern, mandarin collar, giving the classic double-breasted style a contemporary update. It was topped off with a crimson pocket square neatly folded and tucked into his breast pocket. He was told not to worry about other accessories.
Satisfied with his appearance, he slid three boxes from a nearby shelf into his pocket and one longer one into his jacket’s interior pocket and made his way to the Great Room to await his loves. Boyd felt a mix of excitement and anticipation on his Bonds, with a dash of anxiety from Tinker. They had gathered in one of the empty rooms to help with each other’s hair and makeup, forgoing the offer to head into Glorith a little early for professional assistance.
Everyone had been looking forward to tonight for weeks, even his little inventor. What made it exciting was both the chance to dress up and to attend a swanky event, as well as for how things would change after it. The Devoted were going to step into the limelight in earnest. Boyd reached the Great Room and was apparently right on time.
‘We will be out shortly. There is a chair for you close by the stairs to our hall,’ his darkest love informed him.
Boyd spotted the padded wooden chair constructed for someone with a tail and wings about his size at the top of the stairs and took a seat in it. When he did, he had to restrain a chuckle. The chair was set up facing down the hallway, but about eight feet in front of the chair someone had put up a red velvet curtain to block his view.
‘Kuh-he,’ Mindy giggled. ‘Silvie does love her showmanship.’
Daisy came darting up a moment later at three inches tall to hover in front of him, the skirt of her pale green sundress and brightly colored hair fluttering in the wind generated by her wings. Her iridescent eyes moved over him and then to either side.
“Someone set out a chair for you, how thoughtful. It must be nice. Not that I care, I don’t need a chair or anything,” she huffed. “Just saying.”
“I’m sure Silvie would have done so if she’d known you wanted to be here for this little show.” He nodded to the curtain. “I don’t think anyone thought you were interested.”
“Why wouldn’t I be?” Daisy scowled as she crossed her arms over her chest and leveled a glare at him.
“Because you’ve seemed extremely disinterested every time the topic came up,” Boyd said with his signature one shoulder shrug.
Daisy huffed, unfolding her arms and planting her tiny fists on her hips. “Of course I’m interested. This will be one of the biggest events of our generation and most of the people I know will be there. I just didn’t want it to seem like I secretly wanted to go or something… b-because I don’t. Something that fancy wouldn’t be my scene. Besides, I couldn’t go even if I wanted to. It would bring attention to me and that might get back to Connor.”
Boyd suspected that the fairy woman really did want to attend the gala, but she was right. So far, no one had connected the Baker siblings to The Devoted. And as far as Boyd was concerned, the longer they kept it that way, the better. The moment that they were publicly associated with him and his ladies, would be the last time they could securely move amongst the general population without an escort.
“Well, would you like me to grab you a seat?” he offered, unable to think of anything that she might welcome.
“No need to go to the trouble,” she huffed again. “I can just hover.”
Boyd lifted his hand from where it rested on the arm of the chair, shifted it to his leg, and nodded to the padded spot moving it had opened up. “You could comfortably sit there at your size.”
Daisy glanced at the proffered spot on the arm of his chair then glowered at him for a moment. He might have been mistaken, but he thought he saw her give his shoulder a longing glance.
“That’s okay, I’ll just stand,” she grumbled. Daisy grew to her normal size of just over four feet tall, gently settled to the ground, and stepped over beside Boyd to face the curtain. She was just in time, too.
The big demon watched the curtain twitch to the side and caught a glimpse of a silver-flecked blue eye a moment later. Silvie delicately pulled back the curtain, revealing a sight that took his breath away. His love was always beautiful, but tonight she had surpassed all expectations. Her gown, as she had described it, was made of a shimmering gold silk that caught the light and reflected it in dazzling patterns. As she floated forward with a radiant smile, her dress seemed to emit its own glow, making her appear almost ethereal.
The plunging neckline of the dress was set off by delicate golden trim, expertly contoured to accentuate every curve of her fit figure. Slits ran up both legs nearly to her hips, revealing toned muscles and adding a touch of risqué to the otherwise elegant ensemble.
With each graceful spin and movement, the fabric of the dress flowed and clung perfectly to her form without hindering her movements. Gossamer strands of golden fabric attached near the waist of the dress connected to straps around each wrist, creating an angelic effect as the silk strands hinted at wings that gently swayed with her gestures. The sight left him speechless and filled with awe at the beautiful woman before him.
She wore carefully applied makeup that accentuated her delicate features, giving her a subtle glow. Her hair, intricately styled with dozens of small golden beads, held the front in elegant knots while allowing her silver locks to cascade down her back and intertwine with the rich fabric of her shimmering golden gown. She resembled the angel that Hope actually was, radiating an otherworldly beauty.
