Salvation in Darkness

by Nicole Edwards

  Those massive sounds were males as they landed in front of the mansion. First Obsidian, then Stygian, followed by Eclipse, Aphotic, Shadow, Piceous, and last but not least, Cimmerian. Their wings—one black, one white—expanded outward, stretching to meet the next until there was a solid wall of angels standing sentry at the front of the mansion, blocking the vulnerable section that was missing.

  Her heart pounded when she realized that was exactly what they were doing. The warriors had created a barrier separating whatever was coming at them from those who were trapped in the mansion behind them.

  “Orianna!”

  She spun around to see Oliver racing toward her. His eyes were wide, and there was a cut on his forehead, soot along his jawline.

  “Come on,” he urged, reaching for her arm but stopping quickly as though he just realized the pain it would cause her. “We have to get you to safety.”

  “Penelope?” she asked. “Where’s Penelope?”

  “Kaj and Acadia came for her. They’re taking her to the Lair.”

  “My mother?”

  “Bijou’s got her.”

  “But how?” With the power out, the elevators wouldn’t work. How…?

  The words died in her throat when she saw the female carrying Elizabeth in her arms as though it was no effort whatsoever. She marched toward them, paused as she waited.

  “This way,” Oliver said again. “We have to get out of here now.”

  Orianna glanced once more at the front of the house, noticed the warriors were still there, still holding their ground, but there were more out there, the fiestreigh having come to fight on the front lines against whatever evil was coming for them.

  “Zeus! Aphrodite!” Orianna became frantic as she sought the dogs. “Zeus!”

  There was a single bark in answer, but it wasn’t from the main floor, she realized. No, had it not been for her new and improved hearing, she probably wouldn’t have heard it.

  “Orianna, we have—”

  “I’m not leaving without them,” she insisted, running for the stairs at the back of the mansion. She took them up to the third floor, then sent up another thank-you to the man upstairs when she realized the electronic scanners ran on a backup generator or battery. Once she was let through, she slammed the door inward and came to an abrupt halt. The damage here was far greater. Not only was the front of the mansion obliterated, the ceiling above had started to crumble.

  Orianna kicked through the rock and debris on the floor. “Zeus! Aphrodite!”

  The bark came from the corner of the living room, where the two canines spent most of their time. It took a minute, but she managed to dig through the downed boards and stone until…

  Her relief was nearly too much. Her head spun from the light-headedness, but she held it together as she dragged the boards away and freed both dogs. Neither appeared to be hurt, but they’d been trapped.

  “Good boy,” she told Zeus when he nudged Aphrodite toward her. “Come on. Let’s get out of here.”

  With the dogs on her heels, they made it back down to the main floor, then deeper, below the mansion to the underground tunnels. She followed, noticing the gas lamps were lit, which meant others had moved through there recently. She and the dogs circumvented the tunnels and finally ended up in the mansion the vampires had moved into.

  “We need to stay together,” Oliver said, his voice surprisingly calm and collected as he motioned her to join the others.

  With Bijou’s help, they were able to get Elizabeth settled on the sofa in the recreation room that was in the center of the main floor. Far enough from windows and doors but still too much in the open as far as she was concerned.

  “Where’s my father?” Bijou asked Oliver.

  “He went with the Zenith out to fight,” Penelope informed them, her hand protectively covering her swollen belly.

  Orianna watched as the young female nodded, her concern for her father’s safety evident.

  Her heart clenched in her chest as she thought about Eclipse standing out there, protecting all of those within the walls.

  She peered up at the sky. “Dear God … please.”

  She had no idea what else to say.

  Eclipse could feel the power attempting to push toward them even as they used every ounce of strength they possessed to push back.

  He had no idea how long between the explosion that tore the front of the mansion clean off and the time they’d made it there, but he knew it hadn’t been long. The alarm systems had gone off, but not even those countermeasures were as effective as telepathy. Miklós had announced the explosion probably before the first rumble finished. Eclipse, having been out with Reidar, had made it back to the mansion within seconds, and he hadn’t been the first to arrive.

  His first and only thought had been to protect those within the mansion. Orianna, Penelope, the humans. Clearly his brothers had had the same thought, because that was where they’d landed, wing to wing, spread out in an effort to protect their loved ones while the fiestreigh tore ass toward the intruders who’d somehow breached the dhira.

  As they stood there, withholding the brutal force attempting to breach the mansion, no one spoke. It would require more energy than they had. But the mental conversation was going full throttle. The most he could ascertain was that Eevuhl was making a go at the mansion. How the demon had located them, he had no idea, but it didn’t matter. They’d found them, and the bastard was coming at them with all his efforts. Which, unfortunately, were vastly greater than he would’ve liked. There was a reason the trielair had lasted this long. They were far more powerful than the puny fucking demons.

  What Eclipse couldn’t understand was why. What the fuck did he want here?

  We need more power.

  Eclipse agreed with Obsidian, but he wasn’t sure how they would do that. Summoning the energies of the universe would work only once, and then the mansion would be left undefended. As much as he wanted to believe the fiestreigh would be able to hold Eevuhl off, he knew better. Their efforts were best focused on whatever minions the male had brought with him, and based on what Eclipse could see, there were a good dozen or so. Which meant they couldn’t risk it.

  And then he appeared, the demon in all his disgusting glory.

  Eevuhl emerged from below the horizon, his enormous body no longer contained within the shell of a human. Somewhere close to ten feet tall, the thing was more dragon than demon, absolutely grotesque as he moved toward them, one earth-rattling step at a time. Nothing was slowing him down, not even the gunfire coming from a higher vantage point behind them.

  “We have to hold him,” Obsidian ground out. “I will not let him get past me.”

  Eclipse knew that wasn’t merely a statement, it was a declaration. Obsidian was willing to give his life to ensure Eevuhl did not get to Penelope. Eclipse understood clearly, because that big demon bastard would have to step over his cold, dead body before he made his way to Orianna.

  As he attempted to figure out what their next steps were, watching that evil asshole who was aptly named closing the gap between them, Eclipse felt true fear for the first time in his existence. Not for himself, not even for his brothers. They could hold their own and would because this was their mission. No, that steady influx of adrenaline was spurred by his concern for his ereswa.

  For a second, he almost lost his grip on his control, but then there was a sonic boom that damn near knocked him off his feet. But it wasn’t Eevuhl breaching the barrier, nor was it the fiestreigh taking the shithead down—unfortunately.

  The male who appeared before them was what those humans might call a gift from God.

  In reality, he was an archangel.

  A really fucking powerful one who seemed quite pissed about the situation he’d literally landed in.

  “We have one chance at this,” Michael announced, facing off with Eevuhl but speaking to them.

  Although Eclipse had heard his voice a million times, he’d rarely heard it in its full angelic g
lory, as though broadcast through a bullhorn, the tenor so deep and powerful he imagined most would retreat from the sound alone.

  A round of encouraging grunts sounded.

  “What does he want?” Obsidian snarled.

  “The child.”

  Despite the rat-tat-tat and the various other sounds of a battle, Eclipse was pretty sure you could’ve heard a pin drop in that moment. At least inside his head and he could only imagine what Obsidian was hearing right about now.

  The deep roar sounded from Eclipse’s left, which meant the meaning of those words had registered with his oldest brother.

  “Unfortunately, my powers aren’t nearly as beneficial here on Earth,” Michael said, his words spoken so low Eclipse knew he had to be projecting the words.

  “Well, I fucking hope you have a plan,” Stygian growled.

  “I do, but Obsidian’s probably not gonna like it.”

  “Try me,” Obsidian barked.

  Probably not a good thing to say to an archangel.

  The sudden blinding light was enough to have Eclipse closing his eyes, and when he opened them, Michael was…

  “Holy. Fuck.”

  He wasn’t the only one who muttered the words when he realized what had actually happened.

  Obsidian stepped forward, breaking the daisy chain of wings, but he had good reason. Those fucking wings of his had expanded to twice their original span. No longer was one of them black, they were both brilliant white. The only thing brighter was the blade of the sword he wielded.

  The thunder continued as Obsidian broke off in a jog toward the demon gunning for them.

  Eclipse was fairly certain the world stopped turning in that moment when Obsidian and Eevuhl collided. But it wasn’t only Obsidian. Michael had merged with the male and that cataclysmic amalgamate was a strength not even the most powerful of demons could hold.

  Obsidian wielded that sword as though it was an extension of his arm. It felt like eons as the two battled it out, while Eclipse and his brothers held their breaths, maintaining the barrier between the battle and the mansion.

  The roar that sounded could’ve been the demon, could’ve been Obsidian, perhaps a combination of both, but by the time the winds settled from the displacement of air, there was only one standing.

  The other was dissolving as the steel blade pierced its chest, sending it back to its maker where it belonged.

  No sooner had Eevuhl headed off for his eternal damnation in Hell than Obsidian turned around and … collapsed, falling face-first to the cold, hard ground in front of him, like a statue that had been cut off at the knees.

  As it became evident there was no longer a threat, Eclipse released a breath, his brain kicking into high gear. He broke rank as he started racing toward his fallen brother. The others were right beside him, moving as though one toward the one who needed them most.

  It took three of them, but they were able to carry the unconscious male into the mansion, bypassing the front door and going right through the destroyed wall.

  Unable to vanish because of their burden, they carried Obsidian’s limp body belowground, down the stairs, weaving through the tunnels until they reached the medical unit, which was … completely empty.

  For about a second.

  A storm of people came from all directions. Fae, vampires, angels, even humans, all flooding the space, questions and comments filling the air, panic continuing to rise though the actual threat had been eliminated.

  But it wasn’t over. Not yet.

  Eclipse was able to help ease Obsidian down to the floor, but he lost his shit after that. His mind scrambled as he pushed through bodies until he found the one he was looking for. Orianna was walking alongside Bijou, who was carrying Elizabeth back to the mansion. His ereswa broke rank the instant she saw him, and only then did Eclipse’s heart jumpstart.

  “Where is he?” Penelope cried out, her hand covering her belly, tears streaming down her face as she hurried, the female healer at her side, assisting her.

  A sharp whistle sounded and then everyone parted, giving Penelope space.

  Amethyst hurried toward her brother, the two healers flanking Obsidian, likely doing an initial assessment. Based on their expressions, neither knew what the hell to do. Stygian was dutifully relaying to them what had happened, the merge of the warrior and the archangel, the battle with Eevuhl, the demon’s demise, and Obsidian’s collapse.

  “Obsidian!” Penelope’s tormented cry ripped through the space.

  Everyone watched helplessly as she dropped to her knees, cradling his head on her thighs as she openly wept.

  The instant Orianna saw Obsidian, she gasped, and that was when Eclipse noticed what she did.

  It was her vision: Penelope kneeling beside Obsidian, tears running down her cheeks, the male unmoving, eyes closed.

  “Get back,” Stygian commanded, forcing everyone except for Penelope back a few feet.

  For the second time that night, time stood still as they stared at their fallen brother.

  “Obsidian,” Penelope cried softly, her hand sliding into his. “Come back to me. Oh, God. Please come back to me.”

  The healers seemed both confused and eager to do something to help, but they were now being held back by Stygian, as though the male knew something the rest of them didn’t. Perhaps he did, because a few painfully long minutes later, Obsidian’s chest lurched as though someone had shocked him with a defibrillator. There was a rustle of sound, like wings, but it faded quickly.

  Obsidian groaned, then turned his head, his eyes opening on Penelope’s face.

  “Ayreme,” he rasped, his trembling hand lifting to cup her face.

  Penelope bowed her head, rested it against his forehead, and sobbed.

  Grateful they were okay, Eclipse turned away from the sight and wrapped Orianna in his arms, holding her tightly. He took a moment to swipe his hands over her, assuring himself she was in one piece. Orianna’s arms curled around him, holding on to him as she softly cried.

  He hated to hear her anguish, but at the same time, it was the most precious sound in the world.

  Because it meant she was still with him.

  Chapter Fifty-One

  Three days later…

  Chaos.

  That was the only way Kaj knew to describe the aftermath from the demons’ attack on the mansion.

  It lasted for three solid days before they began to see a sense of normalcy return.

  First had come tending to the wounded.

  Aside from the shock of having an archangel take over his body, Obsidian had been mostly unharmed. A few scratches, couple of bruises. Nothing major. Rest had been the prescribed treatment, and true to form, Obsidian had ignored the healers’ suggestions, claiming to have far too much to deal with.

  The rest of the warriors had been unharmed, though drained from their efforts, too. Same as their oldest brother, they had refused to stay down. Most of their soldiers had required no treatment, their wounds healing before the dust had even settled, but there had been two ladeares—Magnar and Mordecai—who’d required some time in the infirmary. Both had been watched for the first twenty-four hours but were now back to their regular routine.

  The worst of the injuries had been to two of the heurosp, who had been dutifully working at the front of the mansion when the explosion occurred. Both had sustained minor burns and serious abrasions, but by the grace of God, they hadn’t been directly in the blast zone. One of the two, a younger female Kaj had never met, was still in the infirmary, undergoing treatment for the burns, while she sported a cast on her broken wrist.

  Kaj still wasn’t sure how they hadn’t lost anyone during the ambush. After Mirakel had demanded he stay put, Kaj had gone in search of his daughter and Acadia. The instant he’d seen with his own eyes that both females were unharmed, he and Acadia had moved Penelope to safety. At that point, he had shucked Mirakel’s orders and joined the fray. While the angels had held that big fucking bastard off, Kaj had gotten in a
good hand-to-hand session with three demons.

  The instant Obsidian/Michael lodged that blade in Eevuhl, the rest had turned to ash, drifting off into the breeze. Neat little trick, that one. And thank fuck for it. It hadn’t taken long to realize those little fuckers had been doubling upon their arrival. It’d been touch-and-go for a bit, and Kaj had feared they would be overtaken by the damn things but then … they were gone.

  Poof! Vanished.

  And though Kaj would survive, he’d suffered a fan-fucking-tastic knife wound to his left thigh. He’d managed to sneak it by the healers, because the last fucking thing he wanted was to have someone getting all handsy. Problem was, it should’ve healed by now, but it continued to fester, and he was beginning to get concerned.

  Of course, he knew what the problem was. He’d yet to feed, and it didn’t help that his female was acting as a sieve for all the males in the mansion. Every single time she offered her vein, the pain grew more intense, as though pieces of his soul were being chipped away and that damn wound was relaying the information to his brain.

  As much as he wanted to put it off, Kaj knew he couldn’t. Feeding was inevitable, and if he wished to get back to one hundred percent, he had to give in. Problem was, he knew Acadia was in no position to provide for him, and because of the way things stood between them, he couldn’t muster the courage to ask.

  Which meant he was forced to take the vein of another.

  He’d considered taking from a male but found the few they had were currently being put to work helping to rebuild the mansion.

  Now, as he sat in his private chambers in the Lair, he waited for who would come for him. He’d asked Mirakel to find someone, anyone. Just not Acadia.