Knights of Desire [Flights of Fancy 2] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) Read Free Page A

of how Anna would smile when he returned home.
    "I see you're safe, Landis."
    "As is everyone." As Landis hugged him, the firmness of the bulging muscles of Clemmons's chest pressed against him, stirring thoughts of passion and pleasure. "Any casualties here?"
    "Of course not."
    "Yes, I know. You told me so, and I've come to know you're right about the lizards playing with us."
    "Yeah, I told you so." Clemmons released him from his embrace and stared into his eyes with the familiar look of playfulness on his face. "I saw you looking at me. Are you planning to take advantage of me?" His eyes twinkled. "Please?"
    "You're insatiable."
    "Perhaps I am."
    Something in the corner of his eye caught Landis's attention. He turned to look, but whatever had flickered in his peripheral vision had vanished, and he saw nothing.
    Clemmons sounded puzzled. "What's that?" He pointed to a bright object, moving very fast, far above the eastern horizon. It sparkled and flashed like the falling stars seen most nights, but the color was wrong. Instead of the yellowish-white of a star tumbling from the heavens, this object blazed blue and red with tinges of pure, blinding white in the mix.
    The object moved far too fast and far too high for a lizard, and Landis felt no fear. Surprised by his lack of alarm, he realized quickly that the object would be on them before they could do anything about it. Resignation clearly took the place of fear.
    The moving light swept in a wide arc from the east to the south, moving quickly. It seemed to be falling, but Landis knew from his experiences with the dragons it was an illusion. The light descended in a controlled way, not falling at all, and passed directly overhead as it powered to the north. High above them, he noticed a wisp of white smoke trailing behind the object.
    As he and Clemmons turned as one to watch the light head north, a sudden noise swept over the valley. It started low, like thunder in the distance, and then built quickly to a loud, sharp boom, like God clapping his hands together to get the entire world's attention.
    The object stopped dead in the air. It hesitated and then seemed to get larger without moving at all.
    Clemmons chuckled softly with a hint of nervousness to the sound. "Um, it's coming here."
    Just like a ship sailing directly at the shore or a rider heading straight at a guard post, the object didn't move from side to side, it only got bigger. And it got very big.
    As large as a city carriage for hauling several hundred people, the object shone like a mirror in a silver color that reflected not only the sunlight, but also trees, grass, and other things. Settling closer to the valley floor, the object kicked up dust and dry grass, and the shimmering reflections of the sides made it hard to see clearly.
    It whined and screamed like nothing Landis had ever heard before but he wondered if creatures the sages spoke of in tales of banshees and demons that roam the night woods in haunted parts of the world might make the sound. As a knight, Landis didn't believe the stories, but he wondered if it might be time to start believing.
    The object suddenly grew four great legs, like some kind of drink-induced vision of a horrible insect, and came to rest on the ground. The sound cut off suddenly, and the eerie silence only added to the bizarre scene.
    He swallowed. "Well, what do we do now?"
    "Hand me your dagger." Clemmons held out his big hand.
    "What? Are you going to slit its throat?"
    "I wouldn't even know where to start cutting, but I'll feel better with a blade in my hand."
    "Good point." He pulled the dagger from its sheath on his chest and passed it to Clemmons. Landis then drew his sword.
    As they had done so many times in the past, the two men, lovers and comrades, stood shoulder-to-shoulder and faced an enemy.
    But unlike encounters with the dragons, they didn't know what to expect from this strange object.
     
    * * * *
     
    As they studied the view screen, Shane stood beside