Obsidian chuckled. “They’ve been waiting their turn,” he said, his voice muffled from outside Michael’s feathered cocoon.
“Perhaps they could wait a few more minutes?” Michael asked, letting his wings pull back so he could look into the male’s face. “I’m not ready to leave her just yet.”
“If you’d still like to stay,” Obsidian said softly, “we’d be glad to have you.”
Michael’s eyes flipped up to Obsidian. “Truly?”
The male nodded. “Keep in mind, it might not be easy. But as far as I’m concerned, you’re welcome here.”
He swallowed past the knot forming in his throat, his attention returning to the tiny warm bundle in his arms. Oh, how he wanted to stay. It would mean everything to him. Of course, he understood Shadow and Piceous would likely get up in arms about it, but … well, he would deal with them when the time was right.
Unfortunately…
He glanced up at Obsidian. “I’d appreciate if you’d keep the offer open. I’ve got penance to pay after … recent events. But I’ll return as soon as I’m able.”
Obsidian’s dark brows lowered and there was concern there. “Is everything all right?”
Michael looked at Ari’el once more. He smiled, because how could he not? “It will be.”
It definitely will be.
Epilogue
When an archangel asked for a face-to-face, it wasn’t exactly appropriate to tell him to get fucked.
Kaj had learned that the hard way.
And now, here he was completely incapacitated while that fucking archangel stared at him with iridescent eyes that appeared to be transforming from their original dark brown to that familiar silver and a mischievous smirk on his oddly handsome face.
“Let me go,” Kaj grumbled. “For fuck’s sake.”
“Will you be good if I do?”
Like he was a recalcitrant five-year-old. Whatever.
Since he could move his eyeballs, Kaj rolled them. “Of course.”
The release on his muscles was instantaneous, causing him to stumble forward. He righted himself, squared his shoulders, and turned to face the male who’d not so much asked to have a sit-down but rather declared it to happen.
Apparently, that meant it was happening.
“What’s up, Michael?” His tone was reflective of more resignation than curiosity.
“I am here on a mission,” the archangel said, his voice deeper than usual, reflecting the sincerity of his visit.
“What’s new? That’s your only setting, is it not?”
Couldn’t the male simply pop in for a beer, not pay him a visit to launch his latest efforts to thwart his asshole brother?
Because Kaj knew exactly why the male was there. In fact, he’d been expecting the visit since the attack on Angel Central a month and a half ago. For a brief time, Kaj had thought he’d gotten a reprieve when the male disappeared for a solid month after visiting his granddaughter for the first time.
“Drink?” Kaj offered, strolling toward the decanter of whiskey set up on the sideboard of their formal living room in what was now officially referred to as the Lair.
“A bit early, is it not?”
“It didn’t require a question,” Kaj grumbled, pouring two fingers into a squat glass. “But I’ll take that as a no.”
“I assume you recall Eevuhl’s visit and his ultimate demise?”
Kaj smirked, tossed back his drink, poured another. All while he ignored the throbbing in his thigh from the knife wound he’d endured during the attack Michael was referring to. He had healed just fine, but there was still the ghost of an ache every now and then, usually brought on by thoughts of Acadia. He hadn’t seen the female since that day when he’d first taken the vein of another Fae rather than go to her. Since then, he’d continued to feed from the various females, doing his level best not to think too hard on it before, during, or after.
“I recall,” he told the archangel, remembering he had an audience.
“Then you shall understand the necessity of this meeting.”
“I might,” Kaj told him, carrying his glass with him as he strolled back in Michael’s direction. “Should you be so inclined to enlighten me.”
“Perhaps you also recall the mission my warriors are on, their search for the amsouelots.”
Oh, yeah, he was well aware. “I’m all caught up on their drama, yes.”
“Then you’re aware Lucifer has altered his course?”
That got Kaj’s attention. “He’s not continuing his efforts to lay waste to humankind?”
“He’s still moving forward with that plan,” Michael stated, clearly missing the levity of the statement. “However, his endeavor to claim the amsouelots to obtain control of my warriors is no longer his top priority.”
“I’ve never thought of him as one to give up so easily.”
Michael’s head lowered as he began to pace. “He’s not giving up, of that I’m certain. His attempt to acquire the child is proof he’s realized there’s a far greater power to be wielded.”
“Ari’el?”
There was a soft growl that escaped the archangel, a sound usually reserved for the warriors. It was odd to hear it from the almighty male, but not necessarily unexpected.
“I have it on good authority he’s shifted his objective,” Michael explained.
“Which means?”
Michael stopped pacing to meet Kaj’s confused stare. “Rather than merely possessing the souls of their amsouelots, my brother endeavors to possess the souls of their offspring.”
Figured. Bastard was underhanded like that. “Then eliminate their ability to breed. Seems fairly simple to me.”
Michael sighed. “If only it were that simple.”
Kaj stared, waiting for all the pieces of the puzzle to come together. It didn’t take long.
“You can’t intervene,” Kaj mused. “You’ve granted them permission to seek their amsouelots, and now you have to let it play out.”
Michael nodded, seemingly surprised by how quickly Kaj had come to that realization.
“What is it you want from me?” he asked, knowing somehow this was going to affect him in a major way.
“I’d like the vampires to pledge their loyalties to me and my warriors.”
Kaj frowned. “Not sure I understand. We’ve fought alongside them. What more do you want? An official declaration? Fine, we’ll help out when we can.”
Michael shook his head. “I want you to fortify the ranks of the Zenith with the future warriors who’ll be undergoing training in the near future. Not only will this benefit the warriors and provide additional protection for their offspring, it will also provide the strength necessary to ensure the survival of your race.”
Was the male speaking in tongues? Kaj had absolutely no idea what that meant.
Clearly Michael noticed his confusion because he continued. “Seven hundred years ago, your father and I had a conversation. We came to an understanding, one that I”—Michael held up a hand—“we believed, because your father was in complete agreement, was most beneficial to the survival of the vampire race.”
The male had his full attention.
“It was at that time we declared your father Alpha of your species, the most powerful vampire in existence.”
“I’ve heard the stories,” Kaj told him. Though he’d never heard mention of Michael.
“Though your birth would come nearly two hundred years later, it was predestined. As was the birth of your daughter, Bijou.”
Kaj could hear the rapid thump of his own heart, so loud in his ears, but he wasn’t sure what caused it.
“Her destiny was defined long ago,” Michael said.
A snarl escaped him as he stared at the male. Kaj had no fucking clue where this was going, but the mere mention of his daughter brought out his inner beast’s protective instincts.
Michael’s color-shifting eyes locked on his face. “Kaj Courtenay, you are not only the Alpha of your species,
you are the father of the female who shall mate the original vampire.”
“Wait. Huh?” Kaj stared at the archangel. “My daughter is to mate the original vampire. Not to sound all Adam-and-Eve oddity or anything, but exactly how does one mate one she’s related to?”
“There are no direct descendants of the original vampire,” Michael stated, as though that made all the sense in the world.
“No?” Kaj motioned to himself. “Exactly how did I come to be without the original vampire breeding?”
Those strangely colored eyes remained on his face. “The original vampire did not mate, nor did he breed.”
Okay, so clearly they were getting nowhere fast. “You lost me.” He waved a hand. “But it’s all moot anyway. The original vampire is dead.”
“Quite the opposite. He is very much alive, merely … preoccupied at the moment.”
“Meaning…?”
“I’ve kept him hidden for his own protection.”
“You?”
“Yes.”
“For seven hundred years?” Kaj got the feeling that didn’t mean he was being locked in a cage somewhere. For one, Khari was far too powerful. He would’ve easily broken free. “Where is he?”
Michael took a deep breath. “Khari is currently in a human vessel.”
Unable to help himself, he laughed. “A human vessel? The original vampire is sporting a human meat suit? Tell me, what poor sap is giving the male a ride?”
“You know him as Oliver Calazans.”
Kaj’s smile fell instantly. He stared at the archangel, slack-jawed and dumbfounded. “What did you say?”
“Do you really need me to repeat?”
Kaj shook his head. “Fuck. Me. Running.”
“Still not sure how that’s a thing, but…” Michael waved it off with a hand. “It’s time we resurrected the original vampire, Kaj. And I need you to do it.”
“What happens to Oliver?”
“The human will be fine. Once they’ve split, he’ll go on about his life in a normal fashion.”
“Normal?” Kaj huffed. The human lived with angels, Fae, and vampires. What exactly about that was normal? And to find out he’d been sharing a vessel with… This was too fucking crazy.
He wasn’t sure he even wanted to know what that entailed, but before he got that far, he figured he’d ask the more important question. “Say I agree. What’s in it for me?”
Michael’s head tilted in a haughty manner, nose lifting toward the ceiling, his eyes locking directly on Kaj’s. “I shall free the Fae from their debt, returning their rule to their rightful queen.”
The male looked at him as though he would possibly know who that was. “I don’t follow.”
This time Michael appeared confused, his dark brows lowering. “You mean to tell me you don’t know who the queen of the Fae is?”
“Not a clue.”
Those dark eyes remained level on his face. “Kaj, the queen of the Fae is Acadia.”
What the… Holy. Fuck.
“So will you do it?” Michael prompted. “Will you assist me?”
“Do I have a choice?”
Michael smiled, a full-fledged grin. “No. Not really. But I’ve heard it’s polite to ask.”
Yeah.
Polite.
Because that fucking mattered anymore.
Acknowledgments
As always, I have to thank my husband for putting up with me. This series has resulted in some rather intriguing conversations over dinner and I have to say, I truly enjoy picking my husband’s brain. We’re about to celebrate 18 years of marriage and I have to admit, I never thought anyone would put up with me for this long. I love you, Steven!
Chancy and Jenna, though I’m the world’s worst friend (not texting or calling), I am forever grateful that you put up with me.
I also have to thank my street team – Naughty (and nice) Girls – Your unwavering support is something I will never take for granted.
I can’t forget my copyeditor, Amy at Blue Otter Editing. Thank goodness I’ve got you to catch all my punctuation, grammar, and tense errors.
Nicole Nation 2.0 for the constant support and love. You’ve been there for me from the beginning. This group of ladies has kept me going for so long, I’m not sure I’d know what to do without them.
And, of course, YOU, the reader. Your emails, messages, posts, comments, tweets… they mean more to me than you can imagine. I thrive on hearing from you, knowing that my characters and my stories have touched you in some way keeps me going. I’ve been known to shed a tear or two when reading an email because you simply bring so much joy to my life with your support. I thank you for that.
About Nicole Edwards
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Nicole Edwards lives in the suburbs of Austin, Texas with her husband and their youngest of three children. The two older ones have flown the coup, while the youngest is in high school. When Nicole is not writing about sexy alpha males and sassy, independent women, she can often be found with a book in hand or attempting to keep the dogs happy. You can find her hanging out on social media and interacting with her readers - even when she's supposed to be writing.
Want to know what’s coming next? Or how about see some fun stuff related to Nicole’s books. You can find those, as well as tons of other stuff including exclusive content for your favorite series on Nicole’s website.
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BY NICOLE EDWARDS
ALLURING INDULGENCE
Kaleb
Zane
Travis
Holidays with the Walker Brothers
Ethan
Braydon
Sawyer
Brendon
THE WALKERS OF COYOTE RIDGE
Curtis
Jared
Hard to Hold
Hard to Handle
Beau
Rex
A Coyote Ridge Christmas
Mack
AUSTIN ARROWS
Rush
Kaufman
CLUB DESTINY
Conviction
Temptation
Addicted
Seduction
Infatuation
Captivated
Devotion
Perception
Entrusted
Adored
Distraction
DEAD HEAT RANCH
Boots Optional
Betting on Grace
Overnight Love
Jared
DEVIL’S BEND
Chasing Dreams
Vanishing Dreams
MISPLACED HALOS
Protected in Darkness
Salvation in Darkness
OFFICE INTRIGUE
Office Intrigue
Intrigued Out of the Office
Their Rebellious Submissive
Their Famous Dominant
Their Ruthless Sadist
Their Naughty Student
Their Fairy Princess
PIER 70
Reckless
Fearless
Speechless
Harmless
Clueless
SNIPER 1 SECURITY
Wait for Morning
Never Say Never
Tomorrow’s Too Late
SOUTHERN BOY MAFIA/DEVIL’S PLAYGROUND
Beautifully Brutal
Wi
thout Regret
Beautifully Loyal
Without Restraint
STANDALONE NOVELS
Unhinged Trilogy
A Million Tiny Pieces
Inked on Paper
Bad Reputation
Bad Business
NAUGHTY HOLIDAY EDITIONS
2015
2016
Salvation in Darkness Page 49
