Salvation in Darkness

by Nicole Edwards

  “So a no on outside,” Orianna muttered.

  “We’ll try downstairs,” he told her as he made his way to the stairs leading belowground.

  The good news was, she wasn’t attempting to run out of the house; however, she was scanning every inch as though taking stock of the exits should they be necessary.

  “Eclipse.”

  The voice came from behind him, so he paused on the stairs, peered up. Reidar was standing at the top, watching him closely.

  “Give me a minute,” he told the ladeare.

  Reidar nodded.

  When he made his way into the bar room, he found Malak and Raksa standing in the far corner. Based on their rushed whispers, they were arguing.

  “I need the room,” he informed them.

  Malak’s blue eyes hardened before he offered an understanding nod. Without a word, the two males marched for the stairs leading up to the main house.

  “Who are all those people?” Orianna asked when they were alone. “Soldiers?”

  “Yes, but they’re also my family,” he said because it was the easiest explanation. “Have a seat.”

  As though considering her options, Orianna peered around the room before moving toward the bar. She perched on the stool he’d motioned her to while he headed around behind the bar.

  “Want a drink?”

  “I don’t suppose you have Mountain Dew,” she said with the first smile he’d seen since they had left the Dungeon.

  He bent down and opened the mini fridge they kept stocked with everything from water to beer. The thing was full of Coke, 7-Up, and A&W, but it was the work of a blink for the Mountain Dew to appear. Eclipse grabbed a can, stood tall, and took one of the crystal glasses from the rack. He added a couple of ice cubes, poured half the soda into the glass before passing it over to her.

  Orianna was staring at him, her brow furrowed.

  “What’s on your mind?”

  “Why do you really wear the sunglasses?”

  Not only could Eclipse not lie to her because she was his amsouelot, he didn’t want to. As far as he was concerned, there was no reason to sidestep the truth. Considering all she’d witnessed—him killing the human, the vampires at the club—he felt as though she could handle the truth.

  With a sigh, he removed the glasses and held her gaze.

  Orianna’s pretty blue eyes widened. “Your eyes … they’re glowing.”

  Yep. They were.

  “Why?”

  He chuckled. “Why not?”

  She offered that look, the one that said don’t play dumb, which only made him laugh again.

  “You’ve got fangs,” she noted. “Your eyes are silver, and they glow. I’m almost positive you gave that woman a brain aneurism back at the bar.”

  “Vampire,” he corrected. “The female was a vampire.”

  She huffed a laugh. “That’s the part you want to correct me on?”

  “The rest is accurate.”

  “Your buddy said you’re an angel.”

  Eclipse held her stare, nodded.

  Her gaze dropped to the glass. “I know this has to be a dream. What I don’t understand is why I haven’t woken up yet.”

  Walking around the bar, Eclipse came to stand behind her. He turned the stool so that she was facing him, removing the glass from her hand and setting it on the wooden counter.

  “This is not a dream,” he told her, keeping his voice gentle. “You’re not asleep, and yes, those were vampires, I am an angel, my eyes do glow, and I killed that male in the alley without hesitation.”

  “Why?”

  He frowned, studied her face. “Because he was going to hurt you.”

  She swallowed hard but maintained eye contact. “So you did it to protect me?”

  Eclipse noticed the soft rasp to her voice. “I’d do anything to protect you, Orianna. Anything at all.”

  That admission seemed to shock and confuse her.

  “Why me?”

  Well, hell. That was harder to answer than telling her vampires existed. He wasn’t sure she would understand that her soul was destined for his, that they’d been aligned long ago, back before she was even born.

  Rather than having to go into detail, he offered a small smile. “Why not you?”

  Her eyes bounced over his face as though looking for the truth.

  Eclipse realized he was waiting for her to fall apart, to freak out, panic. Orianna had done none of those things, accepting everything at face value. It wasn’t a normal reaction for a human.

  But right now, none of that mattered. Not the fact he’d killed for her, not the past couple of hours. The only thing he cared about was that she was here with him, safe.

  “I know it’s a lot to take in, Orianna.”

  “Understatement of the century.”

  He smiled, grateful she could still tease him.

  Because he wanted to touch her, he cupped her face, brushing his thumb over the smooth, warm skin of her cheek. His gaze dropped to her soft pink lips.

  “You’re going to kiss me, aren’t you?”

  He grinned. “I’m thinking about it.”

  In fact, he’d thought of little else since he first laid eyes on her tonight.

  “What are you waiting for?”

  He met her eyes. “I’m worried once I start, I won’t be able to stop.”

  “No one’s asking you to.”

  Maybe they were both dreaming, because Eclipse could not wrap his head around how easily she was accepting him.

  When her hand lifted to his face, he didn’t flinch, only drew oxygen deep into his lungs. The air seemed to crackle between them, his body flooding with heat.

  “How about this?” she prompted. “You kiss me, and I’ll let you know if I want you to stop.”

  A rough rumble sounded in his chest as he cleared the distance between their mouths. Eclipse hovered there for a moment, the two of them sharing air before he pressed his lips to hers. The soft sigh she released hardened his entire body, and when she nipped his lower lip, teasing him, Eclipse slid his hand behind her head, held her there as he licked his way into her mouth.

  Her soft moans vibrated through him, had him leaning closer. And when her arms circled his neck, every ounce of decorum escaped him. With his mouth fused to hers, the only thing he could think about was sliding into the heat of her, penetrating her slickness with the aching erection pressed intimately against his zipper. All those nights he’d spent invading her mind were nothing compared to the feel of her against him.

  Realizing he was damn close to losing his fragile grip on his control, he pulled back.

  “Don’t you dare stop now,” she muttered, jerking him back to her.

  This time, Eclipse kissed her with the passion that had been bottled up inside him for centuries. He stepped closer, her knees widening to give room for his hips as he tilted her head back, fusing their lips. The speed at which they ascended into dangerous territory rivaled that of his Bugatti.

  Soft fingers curled around his neck as she held him in place, as though she thought he would release her before she was ready. The only reason he stopped was so they could catch their breaths.

  “This is so much better than those dreams,” she whispered, her breath fluttering against his face. “But I knew it would be.”

  He pulled back enough to meet her eyes. “How’s that?”

  “I know things. I’ve seen them.”

  Eclipse added more space between them, wanting her to elaborate.

  “In all fairness, I don’t know if it’s future or past, but this is déjà vu for me. I’ve been here. With you.”

  Because he knew she couldn’t lie to him, Eclipse had no choice but to believe her even if he didn’t fully understand.

  “My mother calls it second sight,” Orianna continued. “I often get these visions.”

  “Are you awake or asleep when it happens?”

  “Both. But I can never tell if it’s future or past and I can never see myself.”r />
  “But you’ve seen me.”

  “Not until recently, but yes. I have.”

  “You’ve seen me kissing you?”

  She smiled, a hint of color coming into her cheeks. “No.” She motioned around the room. “But I’ve seen this space before. The jukebox, the pianos. It’s all familiar, like I’ve been here.”

  “What happens in this vision?”

  “We’re together,” she said softly. “As in comfortable, like we’ve been together for a long time.”

  This tidbit of information was interesting, and he had to wonder if there was a reason the amsouelots seemed to have certain psychic abilities. For instance, Penelope had the skill of detecting others’ emotions. Or she had before she’d taken the leap from human to angel. And now Orianna was telling him she had precognitive talents.

  Orianna was staring up at him, her eyes locked on his. “You don’t believe me?”

  “I do,” he assured her.

  “Good.” She chuckled. “Because it’s not nearly as farfetched as vampires and angels.”

  True.

  Her pretty blue eyes remained locked on his face, shifting around as though she was memorizing him. He could sense her curiosity, knew if he slipped into her mind that she would still be running through the dozens of questions she had for him.

  Eclipse brushed her hair back from her face, then cupped her cheek once more. “I need you to stay here with me, sezari.”

  Her gaze bounced over his face. “Need, not want?”

  “Oh, I want you here with me, too.”

  “Why?”

  “To keep you safe.”

  “Is that all?”

  He couldn’t help but smile. “Not even close.”

  “Then tell me. Why do you want or need me to stay here?”

  “Because you belong to me, Orianna. You’re my amsouelot. My soul mate,” he clarified. “I’ve been waiting for you my entire life. Now that you’re here, I don’t ever want to let you go.”

  He could sense her skepticism, but there was something else, too. Hope, maybe?

  “You say that like you’ve been alive for a long time.” Her eyes narrowed. “How old are you?”

  “One thousand, six hundred and ninety-seven.”

  Those blue orbs went from squints to saucers. “Seriously?”

  Eclipse nodded.

  Sure, it was probably far too much to reveal this early on, but Eclipse felt better having said it. Orianna needed to know who he was, that there was something bigger than the two of them, something more powerful than the desire they had for one another. Even without destiny flexing its powerful muscles, Eclipse would’ve wanted this female.

  “Say you’ll stay with me,” he urged.

  He wanted to kiss her again, but he refrained. Barely. She was considering his request and he wasn’t about to interrupt.

  “Okay.”

  Yeah, that came a little too easily. “But…?”

  Her smile was both mischievous and wicked. “You have to help me.”

  “With…?”

  Orianna’s expression turned serious. “I want you to help me find my sister.”

  Little did she know but he would help her no matter her request. He was devoted to her, would walk through the fires in Hell for her. But there was one major problem.

  “I’m sorry, Orianna. That’s not possible.”

  She looked as though he’d struck her, her body jerking backward. “So, what? You just intended to fuck me, then send me on my way?”

  When she tried to get down from the stool, Eclipse gripped her wrists and held her in place. He leaned forward, staring down at her until she met his gaze. He could see the anger churning in her eyes, could feel it surrounding her like an aura. His female fed off that anger, had allowed it to fuel her for so long.

  Keeping his voice low, he leaned closer to her ear. “I fully intend to be inside you in the very near future, sezari. And as often as you’ll let me after that.”

  “Fuck you,” she hissed, her eyes glossing over with unshed tears.

  “As for sending you on your way … that’s certainly not my intention.”

  She fought his grip on her wrists, then planted her hands on his chest. Her insistent shove didn’t move him, so he helped her out, stepping back to give her space.

  “I’m good enough to be your whore, but not good enough for you to help me find my sister?”

  Christ Almighty. How had they gone from making out to her attempting to reduce him to ash with a glare?

  He took another step back. “I wish I could, Orianna. I really do.”

  “I thought you said you were an angel?”

  The word angel came out with the same emphasis as she would’ve put on something she detested.

  “Aren’t angels supposed to be good?”

  In myths, sure. Sometimes Eclipse wondered if there’d ever been any good in him. But he didn’t reveal as much to Orianna. He figured she had enough to deal with at the moment.

  “I think it’s time for me to go,” she said, hopping down from the barstool. “Thanks for the drink and the entertainment.”

  Eclipse didn’t move, didn’t speak. He couldn’t.

  “I guess I’ll just see myself out, then.”

  “Don’t go,” he said softly, needing her to stay with him. Not only because the past few weeks had been hell or because he couldn’t stand the thought of her being out there alone. Now that he’d touched her, kissed her, their souls were entwined. Any distance between them was going to be brutal.

  There was a hint of regret in her eyes when she said, “I don’t want to leave, but if you won’t help me…”

  “I told you, I can’t.”

  Orianna’s voice was raised when she asked, “Why the hell not?”

  Eclipse turned away, unable to look in her face when he said, “Because your sister’s dead, Orianna.”

  Her sharp inhale was like a blade through his heart.

  Chapter Twelve

  Dead?

  Nope. No way. Orianna wasn’t buying it.

  Amber was not dead.

  She couldn’t be.

  “You’re lying,” she snapped.

  “I’m not.” There was so much sympathy in his voice it was hard not to believe him.

  But why should she? She didn’t know him. Not really. A couple of interactions didn’t count.

  Plus, this was likely some carefully crafted ruse. Like angels or vampires were even real. This was all some elaborate hoax designed to… She had no idea what his goal was, but Orianna wasn’t falling for it.

  With a huff, she strolled toward the stairs. She was so out of here.

  “Orianna, please wait.”

  “Fuck you,” she bit out, not bothering to look back at him. “You can go to hell for all I care.”

  “Actually, I can’t,” he muttered.

  The flippant comment only pissed her off more, had her pivoting around and marching right up to him. He was tall, she’d give him that, which made her attempt to go nose to nose with him impossible.

  “Who the hell do you think you are?” she ground out, nailing him in the chest with her finger. “You seduce me, then bring me here for what? You think I’ll just fall into your arms? Maybe break down into tears because you say vampires are after me and my sister’s dead? I’m not that girl, Eclipse. I don’t need or want your protection.”

  He didn’t move, just stared back at her, those iridescent silver eyes so…

  “I’m not that girl,” she repeated. “I’m not going to fall apart.” Even as the words slid past the lump in her throat, Orianna couldn’t stop the tears that formed. “Why would you say that? That my sister’s dead?”

  Damn it.

  His silver swirling eyes remained on her, and she could see his sympathy, knew somewhere deep down that he wasn’t lying.

  Truth was, Orianna had suspected something had happened to Amber. She used to see visions of her sister all the time, but those had dried up sometime in the pas
t two years. Every day she waited anxiously for another to appear, feeling defeated when it didn’t. But that didn’t mean she would give up. Not until she knew for certain.

  “I’ll help you any way I can,” Eclipse whispered.

  “You can still help me find her. Even if she’s … dead,” she forced out of her constricted throat.

  Eclipse put his hands on her shoulders before pulling her into him.

  Instinct made her want to pull away, but she couldn’t, her body drawn to him like a magnet, his warmth something she needed at the moment.

  It felt strange to be held by anyone. She honestly hadn’t expected it, but now that she was in his arms, Orianna found it was the only place she wanted to be. No, it didn’t make any sense at all. She’d long ago stopped relying on people to provide comfort or safety. She’d spent far too much time alone in the world for that. But she wasn’t alone here, now, with him. Eclipse was … he was a comfort she had longed for and never expected to find.

  “I’ve got you, sezari.” His arms tightened around her.

  It was then Orianna realized her knees had weakened, the weight of the world she’d been carrying for so long finally too heavy. How long had it been since anyone had hugged her? Held her? Wanted to make her feel safe?

  Forever and a day, she realized.

  Was it such a bad thing to want someone to lean on? To know that there was a safe place to fall when she couldn’t keep going? It was such a pleasant thought, she wanted desperately for it to be real. Him, anyway. As for Amber…

  “I know you think I’m in denial,” she said, her cheek pressed to his chest. “But until I see her for myself…”

  Eclipse brushed his hand over her hair. “I know.” His lips touched her forehead. “Stay with me, sezari. Don’t go.”

  She nodded, more to give herself permission than to tell him she would. The mere thought of going back to her cold, lonely apartment made her chest ache. Then, of course, there were the… God, was it true? Vampires were real? And now they were out to get her?

  “Come on, sezari. I’ll take you upstairs and get you something to eat.”

  Her legs felt strangely numb, but Orianna managed to walk as he steered her up the stairs into the main part of the house. Like before, there were people everywhere. Several like Jeffrey and Phillip, who she assumed were staff who took care of the house, all dressed in black and white, working diligently in the kitchen that seemed to be the heart of this home.