As he led Orianna down the stairs to the second floor, Eclipse couldn’t hide the pride he felt. Without question, his female was already willing to help save someone who was important to him.
If he hadn’t already loved her, no doubt he would have after that.
Orianna followed Eclipse down the stairs to the second floor. They traversed a carpeted hall, which was lined on one side by doors, the other a wrought iron railing that safeguarded from the long fall to the main floor below. She could hear people moving around, and from the sounds, there were more than a handful occupying the space. But rather than quell her curiosity, she opted to focus on the task at hand: help find the Fae and bring her home safely.
It felt strange to be offering to help do anything other than locate Amber. But the instant she’d seen the concern etched on Eclipse’s handsome face, Orianna had known it was the only thing she could do. Whether or not it worked, she had to at least try. She, of all people, knew what it was like to not know where your loved one was, and she would’ve given anything to have an army of people helping her back when she’d first started looking for her sister. Perhaps if she had—
“This is her room.” Eclipse exhaled slowly, then turned the knob and opened the door.
They both paused when they noticed Miklós sitting in one of the upholstered chairs near the bed. He had his head in his hands, elbows on his knees. Orianna glanced up at Eclipse, curious as to what was wrong.
The concern on Eclipse’s face told her everything she needed to know. For some unknown reason, Miklós felt responsible. Perhaps she would get the information later. Right now, she didn’t want to waste any time.
Eclipse cleared his throat, drawing Miklós’s attention up.
The angel got to his feet, shoulders slumped. “Sorry. I’ll leave you be.”
Orianna wanted to tell him to stay, but the truth was, this would work better if she had no distractions.
“Would it be possible to be alone for a few minutes?” she asked Eclipse when Miklós slipped out between them.
“Of course. I’ll come back and check on you shortly.”
Orianna nodded then stepped into the space. She couldn’t help but smile at the girly decor that surrounded her. It was a bedroom made for a princess, decked out in several shades of purple and interspersed with silver and white. The king-size bed was made, the pillows situated with precision, as though whoever had done it was allergic to chaos.
She ran her hand over the silky comforter as she moved across the room. The antique furniture was polished, the light wood gleaming, the intricate knobs and pulls shiny despite their age. On top of the nine-drawer dresser were several silver frames, all showcasing pictures of Asmia and a man in various poses. She picked up one, stared at the two beautiful people. Like really beautiful, the sort of magnificence that defied logic and reason. They looked happy together, both smiling as the man hugged Asmia to him, his arm securely around her shoulders.
Setting the frame down, Orianna inhaled deeply. There was a light fresh scent that lingered in the air, and she wondered if that was Asmia’s perfume. It was uniquely female and vaguely familiar, as though she’d smelled it somewhere in the mansion before.
She made her way across the room, past the thick shag rug—also purple—that fanned out from beneath the bed, through the double doors that led to the en suite bath. It was much like the bedroom, the walls and tile a brilliant white, accented with various shades of grape and chrome, from the towels hanging on the bar to the rugs in front of the sink and the shower. Even the toothbrush was purple.
Orianna stepped over to the vanity and opened the wide drawer. Inside was a hairbrush and a thick-bristled comb along with an array of makeup. She took the hairbrush out, closed the drawer, and returned to the bedroom, taking a seat on the velvet bench at the end of the bed. With the brush held firmly in her hands, Orianna stared at the pictures of Asmia before closing her eyes and focusing on breathing. In, out. Slow and steady.
Forcing a vision was never something she’d been good at, but she knew from experience it was a possibility. Her only concern was that she wanted this too much. Because of her anxiety, Orianna feared she would fail.
From somewhere beyond the door, she could hear voices, deep male baritones drifting up from the open floor below. She squeezed her eyes closed and fought to focus. They needed to be quiet or—
“You’re safe now, gorgeous. Right where you belong.”
Holy shit. This had to be who Asmia was with. Didn’t look much like a demon with the fancy suit and shiny shoes.
“You won’t keep me here, Perfidious. They’ll come for me.”
“Perhaps they’ll try.” The man snickered. “But trust me, we won’t be here long. And we’ll keep moving to ensure your safety.”
Orianna studied the man with his dark hair and clear blue eyes, wanting to be able to give an apt description of him. She shifted her focus to the room they were in. It looked like a warehouse or maybe a dungeon. Dark and dingy, similar to the abandoned warehouses she’d visited when she’d been looking for Amber.
“Why are you doing this?” Asmia asked.
“Because you’re my mate, gorgeous. Even if you don’t realize it yet.”
“Never,” Asmia snapped. “I belong to no one.”
“Oh, but you do. And it won’t take much effort to manipulate the Fates, have them realigning your destiny, if it’s the last thing I do.”
Orianna groaned when the vision faded, slipped away on a whisper of breath. She kept her eyes closed for a second, allowed the snapshot image to remain in her mind so she could relay everything to Eclipse. Whether or not it would help, she didn’t know, but Orianna would do her best to—
The image flashed brilliantly in her mind once more, the man moving toward Asmia.
“Oh, God,” Orianna cried out when the image flashed. The dark hair and chiseled jaw gave way to… “He’s the devil.”
The face was grotesque, the skin pulled too tightly over the features, complete with beady eyes and a distorted nose. There were bumps on his head. No, scratch that. Those were horns. Short, stubby protrusions with sharp points.
She inhaled sharply when the image warped, returning that of the human man, who looked normal in comparison.
The sound of the doorknob turning had her eyes shooting open. The hand holding the brush was over her heart as though she needed to assure the organ she was safe and sound, no devils here. Eclipse stepped inside, Obsidian and Penelope right behind him.
Who knew what she looked like, but based on the way their eyes widened, it couldn’t have been good.
“Sezari?”
“I’m okay.” She wasn’t sure if she was assuring him or herself.
“Anything?” There was so much hope on Penelope’s pretty face.
“I saw her.” Orianna glanced between all three faces. “Looks like he’s taken her to an abandoned warehouse. I don’t know where, couldn’t see out any of the windows.” She exhaled heavily. “He was telling her he’s going to realign their destinies. I don’t know what that means. Something about manipulating the Fates so she belonged to him.”
Eclipse glanced over at Obsidian briefly.
“But it gets worse,” she admitted, drawing their attention back to her. “That thing she’s with…” Orianna inhaled deeply, the image flashing in her brain once more. “He’s a devil. Like, literally. Horns and all.”
When they didn’t appear surprised by that, Orianna frowned.
“He’s a demon,” Eclipse explained. “Did you see him in his natural form?”
“The vision flashed between the two. He looked like a man, then…” More breaths in, more out. Slow and steady. “I can try again if you’d like,” Orianna offered when no one spoke. “I’m not sure what good it’ll do.”
“We appreciate your efforts,” Penelope said, her voice edged with pain, her eyes ringed in red. Clearly she’d been crying.
Orianna held up the hairbrush. “I’d like to keep this for a bit. I’ll h
old on to it. Maybe another vision will come.”
Obsidian nodded before leading Penelope from the room.
Eclipse offered his hand and Orianna accepted it, allowing him to pull her to her feet.
“Thank you for doing this.”
“I wish someone had offered the same when Amber took off.” Once again thinking that she might be alive if they had. “I’m not sure what good it’ll do, but I can give a decent description.”
He pressed a kiss to her forehead as he pulled her into him. “Thank you for this. Asmia’s family,” he said softly. “She’s only been here for a century or so, but she’s…”
“You don’t have to explain,” Orianna said when his words drifted off. “I get it. Family’s family. And we won’t stop looking until we find her.”
Eclipse pulled back and peered down at her. His hands cupped her face and she saw something glittering in his eyes. Not heat. No, not like they’d experienced before. This was more than that. Something powerful, all-consuming.
“Come on,” he finally said, breaking the eye contact. “Let’s go downstairs. My brothers are arriving, and I’d like to see where we’re at.”
Without argument, Orianna headed for the door, allowing him to steer her with a hand on her lower back. The first thing she noticed was the sounds had amplified in the house, more conversations, more movement. Definitely more people.
As they headed down the stairs, they passed several men and women—or were they angels?—coming out of rooms or going in. On the main floor, they had to weave through bodies. Dozens of people were scattered about, some sitting, others standing. Her eyes wandered from each one, taking stock. Some she recognized, many she didn’t. Based on the way they greeted Eclipse with warm smiles, Orianna had to assume they were all family. She couldn’t help but wonder what it would feel like to have a family like this. One that was there for one another—in good times and bad.
Speaking of family, she really needed to call her mother, let her know she was all right. She’d been dutiful in her conversations, but admittedly, she’d missed a few here and there. Every time she did, guilt racked her.
“Orianna, I’d like to introduce you to Stygian and Aphotic. Two more of my brothers.”
Pulling herself from her thoughts, Orianna smiled and held out her hand as was an appropriate greeting. “It’s nice to meet you.”
Stygian smiled, his gaze dropping to her hand. “Forgive us if it seems rude, but trust me, you do not want us touching you.”
Feeling shunned, Orianna dropped her hand.
Eclipse chuckled and pulled her against his side, hugging her tightly. “The touch of another male will cause you pain, sezari.”
“Pain?” She peered up into his face. “Seriously? Is that an angel bonding thing or something?”
He chuckled. “Or something.”
Well, that certainly explained a lot. And made her feel a little less like a leper.
“What about you? Will you feel pain if a woman touches you?” she asked, figuring it was only fair.
“Yes. The touch of a female would be unbearable.”
Orianna patted his chest and pulled out of his arms. “Good.”
Aphotic chuckled. “She suits you, brother.”
“That she does,” Eclipse agreed. “More than you’ll ever know.”
“Have you seen Shadow or Piceous?” Stygian asked, his gaze locked on Eclipse’s face.
“Not yet, but I’m sure they’ll be here shortly.”
“Good. Because we need to get a plan underway. And fast.”
Hoping she could contribute in helping to bring their family member home, Orianna clutched Asmia’s brush tightly in her hand and remained on the periphery. These people knew Asmia best, knew what they were up against. If she wanted to help, she had to take direction from them. Something she wasn’t familiar with but was relieved to have. When it came to her search for Amber, she’d been on her own the entire time.
Chapter Twenty-Four
The shouts sounded from the entry, drawing Obsidian’s attention and that of everyone currently in residence. They’d gathered in the sunroom to discuss preliminary plans, but before they could get underway, the ruckus had redirected their efforts.
Leading the pack, Obsidian came to a stop in the hallway at the front of the house, his brain processing what he was seeing.
“What did you do to him?” Rinc seethed, going chest to chest with Valterri, the two enormous males glaring daggers at one another.
Beside them on the floor was Taayin. The male’s eyes were closed, his jaw slack. He was out like a light.
“He’s not dead,” Valterri growled. “Merely incapacitated.”
“You fucker. I’ll rip your head from your goddamn—”
“Enough,” Obsidian snarled as he marched down the hallway.
He took in the scene, scanning the space before diving into Valterri’s mind to get a personal account of what had happened.
From the ladeare’s memories, he gathered that Taayin had overheard the conversation between Valterri and Cimmerian. Not surprisingly, Taayin had gone apeshit when he heard Asmia had been taken. In an effort to keep him from doing harm to himself or others, Cimmerian had knocked him out with a touch to his head, then had Valterri bring him to the mansion.
Which explained why Cimmerian was late.
“Get Taayin to his quarters,” Obsidian commanded Valterri. “Stay with him. Let me know when he’s awake, but don’t let him out of that room.”
Valterri nodded, hefting Taayin’s lifeless body—which required some serious leg muscles and a grunt—over his shoulder and carrying him up the stairs.
Penelope appeared as the scene settled, her eyes wide with concern. “Was that Taayin?”
“Yes.” The pain on his ereswa’s face damn near broke his heart. Since he’d told her about Asmia, Penelope had been crying, her sorrow so strong he could feel it in his own body.
“He didn’t take it well,” she said softly, no surprise in her tone.
Malak, Shadow’s ladeare, turned to Obsidian. “I know this is going to sound entirely shallow, but tell me she’s not his amsouelot.”
Obsidian shook his head.
Taayin had wanted her to be. And while Malak was right, it was entirely inappropriate to think, it was the only saving grace at the moment. If they’d been destined by the Fates, Taayin was as good as dead. An angel would not survive without his mate.
“Get out of my fucking way!”
“Son of a bitch,” Eclipse grumbled, turning to race up the stairs to the second floor.
Obsidian was right behind him, hoping to intervene before Taayin caused too much damage.
Right before his eyes, Taayin’s arm shot out, his fingers wrapping around Eclipse’s throat as he lifted him off the floor and threw him over the railing. A round of shouts sounded even as Eclipse vanished, taking form with both feet planted firmly on the main floor, saving himself. Before Obsidian could reach Taayin, Valterri dropped to his knees, hands around his throat, gasping for air.
Though Obsidian understood his pain, he cut off Taayin’s power by using his own. Valterri fell over as he fought to fill his lungs.
“Where is she?” Taayin demanded, appearing only a foot from Obsidian, his blue eyes lighting up the entire room. “Where the fuck is she, Obsidian?”
“I don’t know. But we’ll find her.”
The deep growl that sounded from Taayin was nothing short of a wounded animal and had every male in the room standing tall.
“I’ll kill every single one of you,” Taayin declared, his eyes scanning the space.
“Relax, Taayin,” Stygian said softly, attempting to ease the beast.
“Every. Single. One.” Taayin’s gaze went to Obsidian then over to—
The instant the male’s eyes locked on Penelope, Obsidian lost his shit. His arm extended, a bolt of energy exploding outward, rendering Taayin motionless. The male was trapped in his own body, but his rage was so intense Obsidian
wasn’t sure that would hold him for long.
Stepping closer to the lieterra, Obsidian lowered his voice. “I feel your pain, but you even think about harming my ereswa, we’ll have serious problems. Understood?”
Some of the heat seemed to dissipate from Taayin’s eyes, replaced by unshed tears and what Obsidian prayed was regret.
“Obsidian.” Penelope gripped his arm. “Let him go. It’s okay. He won’t hurt me.”
He had to weigh his options. Like Taayin, they were all frustrated and angry. Asmia was family, but no one … absolutely no fucking one would threaten his mate. Not and live to remember it.
Obsidian hated to do it, but he knew Taayin needed the reprieve. Pressing the palm of his hand to Taayin’s forehead, Obsidian sent him into a deep sleep. One he wouldn’t come out of until Obsidian was ready for him to.
“Why’d you do that?” Penelope shouted, starting toward Taayin.
Obsidian stopped her with a firm hand on her arm. “Don’t touch him, ayreme,” he snarled. “If you do, I’ll kill him where he lies.”
She jerked back, clearly surprised by the rage in his voice. Hell, he’d surprised himself.
“Okay, why don’t we all take a second to breathe,” Stygian suggested, planting a firm hand on Obsidian’s shoulder. “We need to think rationally so we can get Asmia back. We all expected Taayin to take the news hard, and this could’ve been handled better, but for now, he’s right where he needs to be.” Stygian turned to Valterri. “Let’s get him to his room and I’ll throw up a barrier to keep him there in the event he manages to wake up again.”
The male nodded, then hefted Taayin’s lifeless body over his shoulder once more.
“Just out of curiosity, how exactly did he do that?” Stygian asked, motioning toward Eclipse as their brother appeared at the top of the stairs.
“Never underestimate the power of fear.” Especially when it came to a female. “I want everyone to meet in the bar. It should hold all of us. I want to know what the plan is to find Asmia. The minute the sun goes down, I want boots on the ground. Understood?”
A rumble of agreement sounded as everyone turned to head down to the main floor.
Salvation in Darkness Page 24
