“Orianna’s mother?” Blāz asked.
Interesting how his males knew all about what was going on over at Angel Central, despite the fact not one of them had gone over. At least not that Kaj knew about.
“Yes,” Kaj confirmed. “They’ve taken to one another quite well.”
He figured it had to do with the fact Bijou had lost her mother. Probably found comfort in having a motherly figure in her life. Kaj hadn’t met the human female, had actually done his best to keep his distance.
“Those angels sure like to give us shit for interacting with humans. They don’t seem to have a problem with it,” Blāz added. “Got them traipsing all over hither and yon.”
It was true, the angels were interacting more with humans now, but Kaj knew they weren’t casual acquaintances. The two humans currently in residence were family members of the amsouelots. They were obviously the exception to the rule.
“I heard they sent one back out in the human world,” Huracān prompted. “Know if that’s true?”
Kaj nodded, pushing his plate away. “Yeah. Scrubbed her mind, sent her back.”
For whatever reason, Blāz found that amusing, based on the chuckle he let out.
“You meet the healers yet?” Kidel asked, speaking up for the first time since they’d sat down.
“No. But they’ve arrived.” Clearing his throat, he wanted to bring the conversation back around to business, the intention of this gathering. “I need an update on the status of the electronics.”
Blāz began spilling words that made little sense to Kaj, but he trusted the male to know what he was talking about. Something along the lines of sensors and detectors, moving on to cameras and the official status of the steel shutters.
“No more bugs?”
“None,” Blāz confirmed. “I’ve tested them for the past two days. All settled. The house is now safe to traverse during daylight hours.”
“Good. Let’s get some furnishings in here and we can officially move in.” Kaj peered over at Mirakel. “Any updates on vestrahn coming to work here?”
Mirakel’s neon blue gaze settled on him. “At this time, I’m not comfortable bringing any into the mansion, so I had a conversation with Phillip. The male informed me they would gladly loan a few of theirs to manage the place until we can hire our own.”
Kaj wasn’t going to intervene in that regard. As his adighrielin, Mirakel would expect to have the final approval on all souls who would be within the residence of the Alpha. Considering he was Kaj’s first line of defense, it only made sense he was being precautious. And for now, they were capable of cleaning up after themselves. Not since the Seattle camp had they had vestrahn in residence. They’d been doing it for long enough, grown males and all that shit.
“I know it’ll take time for us to settle in completely,” he told his males, “however, we can’t get too lax. I doubt Darko has nixed the idea of taking me down, and that’s a situation I can’t let fester. We can show absolutely no weakness as we get our reign established.”
“Understood,” Mirakel said. “And agree. Which is why I’ve set up meetings with the noble families within the region. Huracān and I will be meeting with them starting next week.”
“Really?”
The male nodded. “The meetings are twofold. I intend to gauge their stance on the kirlesgun, as well as identify all males who are of fighting age.”
Kaj remembered doing the same thing for Kardobahn. Not getting input on the kirlesgun, because the king’s regime had already been established before Kaj’s birth. However, he had ventured out, seeking those who were not so much willing but rather strong enough to fortify the ranks within the Zenith. It had taken years to find worthy fighters to fill those spots, and decades to train them to be the most powerful amongst their species. The task laid out before them wasn’t a simple one, but it was doable provided they remembered this would require patience.
One day at a time was sometimes easier said than done.
Unfortunately for them, it was not merely a suggestion but a way of life, because they were officially back to square one.
Chapter Forty-Six
There was a wealth of emotion that flooded Obsidian as he stood with his brothers and the fiestreigh outside the mating chamber far beneath the mansion. Every member of their family—warriors, angels, and Fae—had descended belowground wearing the traditional black, weaponed up and prepared to stand vigil over Eclipse and Orianna for the next forty-eight hours.
Even Penelope would be joining them, despite his argument. His female insisted she was fully prepared to remain with them, even if he demanded she sit comfortably in a leather armchair he’d had brought down. Initially he’d been prepared to deny her the opportunity, but thanks to Amethyst, who had assured him her pregnancy was smooth sailing and that she’d be close by, he’d had no leg to stand on. For perhaps the first time in his existence, he’d been overruled by females. Obsidian got the feeling that wouldn’t be the last time.
From the moment Eclipse came to him, told him of his decision to officially mate Orianna, Obsidian had shared his brother’s pain. Seemed like just yesterday he’d undergone it himself, and if he lived to be two billion years old, he would never forget what it had felt like to pierce Penelope’s heart, to watch the life drain out of her. There was still an echo of pain deep in his chest from the memories alone.
So, for the past couple of days, they’d done what they could to pass the time. The never-ending minutes had ticked by, and after an intense sparring session in which Eclipse took on all six of his brothers, Obsidian got the feeling he was as ready as he would ever be. Now the male was down to the final hour. Orianna had to die exactly twenty-four hours prior to the full moon, and behind him, Eclipse was already inside, awaiting his female’s arrival.
Every so often, Obsidian would glance over his shoulder to ensure his brother was still holding it together. As it was, Eclipse was on his haunches, head bowed, breaths sawing in and out of his chest, his back rising with every draw of oxygen. Once in a while, a soft sound would escape, the sort you’d expect to hear from a wounded animal. Obsidian would wince, a renewed sense of solace for his brother. Obsidian knew how Eclipse felt, and he fucking hated that they had to endure this, but death and resurrection were necessary in their ritual. More so, ultimate faith in the Father who art in Heaven. In the end, Orianna would be safe, and Obsidian figured that was what Eclipse was hanging on to as he fought the urge to run far and fast.
Obsidian remembered being in that mating chamber, looking into Penelope’s eyes. She’d been the strong one that day. If it hadn’t been for her insistence, he knew he never would’ve gone through with that. From what he’d seen of Orianna over the course of these past couple of months, she was equally strong. Any female who mated them would have to be, he figured.
The door to the stairwell opened, Zeus and Aphrodite strolling in, the canines seeming to sense what was taking place. They’d become close to Orianna, and it made sense they’d want to accompany her down here.
Penelope stepped out next, Orianna behind her, and Acadia pulling up the rear. The female procession moved forward, all angels standing tall, wielding the weapons they would rely on to fight off anyone who attempted to harm them in the coming days. The same as they would every day for eternity.
As Orianna neared, Obsidian could hear the rapid thump of her heart. She appeared stoic, but there was definitely fear. He knew she was aware of what was going to happen because she’d seen the vision herself. That was more than Penelope’d had going into this, and he hoped it was enough for her to get Eclipse through it.
Penelope kept one hand linked with Orianna’s as they stepped up to Obsidian.
“You are a brave female,” Obsidian said softly. “And my brother needs your strength right now, the same as you need his. Go forth with the knowledge the two of you are in this together. From now until eternity.”
There were tears forming in Orianna’s clear blue eyes, but she nodded,
then took a step forward when Obsidian moved aside and allowed her entry into the room.
When Penelope released her, Orianna completed the trek, crossing the threshold into the room. Obsidian willed the door closed with his mind, then stepped back in front of it where he would remain for the entirety of the ritual. His female stood at his side, showing her support as well.
There was a flutter of sound as all wings expanded, spreading wide to shield the wall at their back, forming a solid circle around the space. Obsidian took Penelope’s hand in his, gave it a gentle squeeze.
She returned the gesture and he knew in that moment that, despite the horror of the act, it was worth it in the end. Orianna would be better off when it was completed. The same would be the case for Eclipse.
Thanks be to God.
Eclipse felt the shift in the air when Orianna stepped into the mating chamber. Very similar to the shift the night he’d sensed her at the Dungeon. Seemed so long ago and, at the same time, like just yesterday.
“Eclipse?”
It took effort, but he forced himself to his feet, his legs not nearly as strong as he’d hoped they would be. He’d long ago lost sensation in his knees as he’d remained on that hard stone floor, trying to come to terms with what he had to do. He was still no closer to being okay with it than he had been when he’d first learned of the ritual long ago. If it hadn’t been for the amnigh, and the pain he knew Orianna was in, Eclipse would’ve put it off for another month, or ten. Perhaps indefinitely. This was the absolute last place he wanted to be.
Soft hands curled over his cheeks, and he forced his eyes open, seeing Orianna for the first time since Penelope had sent him out of their room so she could tend to his female.
His amsouelot looked absolutely stunning in the pale blue gown that covered her, the wide sleeves bunched up at her elbows as she kept her hands on his face. Her hair had been pulled up into some fancy do on top of her head. It was the first time he’d seen her with her hair up, and he found he liked it. Then again, she could’ve cut it all off and he would’ve been fine with that, too. Her beautiful visage was only the packaging; it was her inner strength that he had fallen in love with.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the small table and the two items resting atop it: the cheap alarm clock—the hands telling him they had roughly five minutes—and the Jagdkommando dagger, the sharp blades catching the light. A shudder ran through him at the thought of what he had to do with that wicked sharp blade.
“It’s going to be okay,” Orianna said softly. “I’ve seen it, Eclipse.”
She’d seen herself lying on the cold floor, his body covering hers. But he knew she hadn’t seen him jamming that blade into her heart, nor had she felt the pain that would associate with a mortal wound.
The thought had him stumbling back, his throat closing as emotion threatened to take him to the floor. How could he possibly do this? Eclipse peered down at his hands, which were shaking so hard he wasn’t sure he could hold the dagger. How could they cause her pain? It was his ultimate vow to never forsake her, to always protect her. Yet he was the one who would end her life? Fucking irony, that was.
“I can’t,” he muttered, eyes closing. “Orianna. I don’t know how.”
Those soft hands were strong when they gripped his wrists, jerking him to attention. He forced his eyes open, met her pale blue ones.
“I love you, sezari,” he rasped, the words barely passing through to his lips. “I don’t know how to do this.”
“Yes, you do.” She stepped closer. “I love you, too, Eclipse. We’re stronger together. I know that, you know that.”
How could she be so fucking calm about this? So fucking stoic? In less than four minutes, she was going to die. He was going to plunge that silver dagger into her chest and stop her human heart. He would much rather the wound be inflicted upon him. He could handle that sort of agony. This … thinking about it was too much.
Sacrifice.
The word sounded in his head.
The ultimate sacrifice, warrior. It’s what’s required.
Michael.
The archangel was in his head and those words were oddly … soothing.
Know I’ll be here with her when you can’t be. She’ll be kept safe until she’s returned to you. And when she does, she’ll be yours forever.
He had never known Michael as a gentlemale. No, he was more of a smart-ass, an instigator.
Trust in your faith, warrior. Trust in your love.
Eclipse forced his eyes open. The hands on the clock were a minute out from where they would forever stop for Orianna’s human existence. It was now or never. With strength he hadn’t expected, Eclipse moved toward the dagger. He gripped it in his palm, shielding it behind his back because, fuck, no reason she should have to look at it too closely.
“Come here, sezari.”
Orianna came to him without hesitance, as though she was okay with this. He wasn’t sure he understood how that was even possible, but he was out of time for questioning it.
“I trust you, Eclipse. And I have faith in you and Him. If this wasn’t where I was meant to be, I wouldn’t be here.”
For whatever reason, that settled him somewhat. Not enough for him to think this was okay, but enough for him to get his priorities in line. With his free arm, he turned her to face away from him, his left arm curling loosely around her neck. He pulled her back to his chest, her heart just off-center of his.
“Close your eyes for me,” he pleaded. He couldn’t live with the thought of her seeing what he had to do.
“I love you,” she whispered as she rested her head to his shoulder. “With all that I am.”
Tears sprung forth, but Eclipse slammed his eyes shut. Pressing his lips to her temple, he swallowed the sob that threatened, lifting the dagger. Even with his eyes closed, he could sense exactly where she stood, the precise spot where her heart was. His training and experience had prepared him with the knowledge of how much pressure was necessary to go through flesh and bone, to penetrate that delicate organ that kept her alive.
“Close your eyes, sezari!” The words burst from his mouth.
His chest burned, his eyes opening as he glanced at the clock once more.
“I love you,” he breathed against her temple.
His throat closed up as his arm pulled back. Thank the Lord Almighty, he would not remember the moment of impact, when he drove that blade clean through her chest and into her heart. His mind would forever block out Orianna’s horrific scream, the way she had reached for the forearm holding her as Eclipse lowered her to the floor. He would never relive the bloom of her blood as it drained out of her and onto the ground beneath them.
No, what Eclipse would remember for eternity was the cold that settled over him, an arctic blast that turned his blood to ice and his bones to stone. It was the punishment he deserved for what he’d done. It consumed him completely when Orianna took her last ragged breath, her eyes pleading with him as though he could save her from this.
And when those beautiful blue eyes closed once and for all, Eclipse, and everyone else in Darkness, would remember the tortured roar that screamed up from deep in the Earth and rocked the very foundation of the mansions that kept them sheltered.
Chapter Forty-Seven
Orianna’s eyes flew open and she squinted into the soft white that surrounded her. It was everywhere, from the walls to the billowy curtains that formed a canopy over the bed with its white comforter and pillows.
When she sat up, she expected to see angels, but there was no one in the room with her. Not that she could tell anyway. There was no sound, not air being driven through vents, not subtle creaks of a house settling, no footsteps, no bird song out the window. Nothing.
But it was a peaceful nothing. A calm quiet she’d never experienced before.
Her hand shifted to the wound over her heart, expecting to find blood gushing from the hole that had been carved into her chest, but it wasn’t there. There was no evidence
that evil blade had ever plunged through her. It was as though it had never happened.
Forcing her legs over the edge of the bed, she pushed herself to sitting, peering around, taking it all in. She appeared to be completely alone, but there wasn’t an emptiness associated with it. As though someone was still with her, watching over her.
“Hello?” she called out, her bare feet moving over the marble floor. It was surprisingly comfortable, not cold the way it was at the mansion. Even with the windows open, the breeze fluttering through, it was the perfect temperature.
Hoping something would clue her in as to where she’d gone, she started for the open window.
“Orianna?”
That familiar voice stopped her in her tracks. Orianna’s hand went to her mouth as she slowly pivoted. “Amber?”
A soft smile pulled at her sister’s mouth. “In the flesh.”
Orianna frowned, tears instantly springing to her eyes. “I … but … wh—”
“It’s okay,” Amber said, moving closer. She reached out and took the hand Orianna still had covering her mouth. “I’m here.”
And that was the moment fear settled in. If Amber was here, and what Barin said was true, that meant…
“Where are we?”
“Heaven.”
The implications of that hit Orianna square in the chest. She’d come to terms with the fact her sister was dead, but … well, truth was, dead was merely a term. It had never meant anything. Sort of like, Amber is smart, or Amber is mad. Merely an adjective: Amber is dead. Easier to accept that way, or in her case, easier to pretend it didn’t mean what it did. She had never thought of it in the verb tense: Amber died.
Yet here she was. In Heaven.
“But I’ve been looking for you,” Orianna told her.
“I know. I’ve been watching you for the past year.”
“You’ve been dead a year?”
“A few days short of a year, but yeah.” Amber’s fingers rubbed Orianna’s hand, as though soothing her. “I was watching you the night you met your angel.”
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