The Battered Lamp Ch. 21

Kyle dropped the silver dildo behind the trash can at the base of the stairs. "Oh, yeah, tell Aaliyah I'm done with my task."

Corey drew back his arm and made a whipping sound. "You got to control your women."

"She's a wife, not a concubine," Kyle laughed. "Not like Aleah and her sister."

"Who needs a wife when you got a pair of sexy sisters sharing your bed?" Corey grinned. "Later, man."

Kyle nodded, and turned to head up the stairs to the second floor when his cell phone vibrated. He whipped it out and his heart almost stopped.

It was Christy.

His hand shook, and an excited buzz pumped through his blood. Taking a deep breath, he tapped his screen and held his phone up to his ear. "Hey, Christy." He winced. I haven't seen her since the attack last week, and that's all I have to say?

"Kyle." There was such a cautious hope in her voice. "I got your message. I...uh...I'm really sorry I didn't get back to you. There wasn't cell coverage where I was."

"It's good to hear from you," he said, climbing up the stairs.

"You mean that?"

"I do. I meant what I said in the voice mail. I...I miss you. Come back, we can work this out. Aaliyah's fine. Even Fatima's coming around. Slowly."

"Oh, Fatima's fine now? So you don't need my help to heal her?" She sounded crushed.

"No. But I need you, Christy." He swallowed. "If you can handle sharing me. I have three other wives. I want you to be with us, but..."

"I do," she whispered. "I get it. You can love them and still love me. And...I miss you so much. But there's something I need to tell you. You're in danger."

"Did Burke send someone after you?" Kyle asked. He hadn't thought Christy was in danger; she didn't have one of the artifacts like Fumi had.

"Yes. Sable"

"The witch that got away?" Sable had disappeared the night at the cabin. "Fuck, so that's what happened to her. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she answered. "I, um, I have a concubine now. I kinda had a Love Elemental hit Sable with its power and, well, she's probably going to be in love with me for the rest of her life. It was a pretty powerful blast."

Kyle laughed as he reached the top of the stairs. "Listen. I can't talk more. But I know about Burke. Can you get back soon?"

"I'm in California."

Kyle walked around the corner, nearing his English class. "Okay. I'll have Aaliyah wish you--"

"Kyle Unmei!" a voice boomed.

Kyle spun. The detective that had searched his house and three Pierce County Sheriff Deputies advanced on him, their boots pounding on the linoleum floor. The cop's faces were stony, their bodies tense. Kyle's heart beat faster.

"What?" he asked, slipping into an aikido stance.

"You're under arrest for the murders of Michelle Franklin, Karrie Robertson, Rashawn Underhill, and Lorrie Gore."

There was no way Kyle would let himself get arrested. Not when he and his harem were so close to moving on Burke and saving his mom. He reached out to Earthbones, summoning his sword. Beneath the linoleum was a concrete slab and the vary strength of the earth that had been poured into it. He could--

A deputy pulled out a taser. Two darts streaked through the air and struck Kyle. Pain erupted through him, driving out all thoughts. His cell phone fell from his grip, Christy's urgent voice cut off as it shattered on the floor. Kyle's legs stopped working, the electric jolt robbing him of motor control. He fell sideways, the side of a fire extinguisher case rushed at him.

His head crashed into metal. Darkness overtook him.

To be continued...