“We need to talk.”
“Time’s past for that,” she snapped, trying to pull away.
“What about Penelope?” he asked.
“What about her? She’ll be fine without me, Reidar. She’s been fine without me. Before I came here, I hadn’t seen her in a year.” Her eyes narrowed. “Did you think that’s why I came? For her?”
Honestly, he’d hoped it had been the case, because the thought of her uprooting her life for him…
“Oh, my God,” she whispered heavily. “You did think that.”
Meeting her saddened gaze, Reidar tried to put the words in a sentence. He needed to tell her that if she left, her memories would be scrubbed. She would have no recollection of him, of the time she’d spent at the mansion. In fact, Penelope’s entire existence would be erased from Winnie’s memories, a huge part of her past gone forever.
“You can come with me,” she said softly.
No, he couldn’t. Not only because she deserved far better than what he could offer her, either. As much as he wanted to believe she was his amsouelot, Reidar knew that wasn’t the case. But he’d been biding his time, trying to figure out a way to protect Winnie. She didn’t deserve to have big gaps in her history, but since she was bound and determined to leave, it was inevitable.
“Do you love me? Even a little?”
Pulling himself from his thoughts, Reidar focused on her face. She was a beautiful female, and perhaps that was what he’d gotten so caught up in when he’d been sent to protect her. That and he’d spent so long hoping to find the female he would spend the rest of his existence with only to come up empty so many times. Five hundred and twenty-one years of existence and Reidar had yet to have anything or anyone who was his and his alone. Sure, he had the fiestreigh, his family. He had Obsidian, the male he’d looked up to, vowed to protect. But he’d always wanted more than that.
Truth was, he’d been willing to accept what Taayin and Asmia had. Their souls weren’t destined to be together, but he’d seen their love for one another, knew it was possible.
“I care about you,” he admitted, because lying to her wasn’t fair to her.
Her face fell and he could see it in her eyes. She just realized what he’d been hiding all along. His love for her had never been real. It had been a figment of his imagination, something he’d attempted to build up in order to create that perfect place in his mind where he felt he belonged. But the problem was, he’d dragged her along with him, given her hope when, in actuality, there was none.
Tears glittered on Winnie’s lashes as she took a step back from him. Her mouth opened, closed. Nothing came out. She was as speechless as he was, but deep down, he knew she wasn’t heartbroken. Their love hadn’t been real. For her it had likely been built on the heat of the moment. Him coming in and whisking her off to safety, taking her away from her life in an effort to protect her from this world she’d never known existed.
“I’m sorry,” he told her, knowing it wasn’t nearly enough.
Winnie’s eyes narrowed. “Yeah. You should be.”
All Orianna had of Amber’s was a broken hair clip, a Colorado Mesa University T-shirt, a couple of dollar store hand towels, a diary with exactly zero entries in it, and a red pen.
Not much of anything and exactly nothing to help her in her search.
But it was more than she’d had before they had come here.
And while her disappointment continued to pile up, Orianna felt a sense of peace. She knew it had to do with the fact Eclipse was there with her. He’d brought her here, giving her the chance to chase every lead in an effort to get the closure necessary to move on.
“I’m sorry, sezari,” he whispered, pulling her against his chest, his big arms circling her, providing the comfort she’d come to expect from him.
Maybe that was the reason she suspected this would be her last venture in what had become her entire life’s purpose. Finding Amber was all she’d focused on for so long that Orianna had stopped caring about herself entirely. That wasn’t easy to do these days, what with Eclipse giving her so much to live for.
But it wasn’t just him. Penelope, Obsidian, Acadia, Miklós … they’d all given her something she hadn’t had in a long time: contentment and a sense of belonging.
Despite the fact her heart was still cracked from the loss of her sister, Orianna had something to live for now. People who cared about her, worried about her. She wasn’t even sure the last time her mother and father had worried about her. Sure, Elizabeth asked about her every time they spoke, but Orianna felt a detachment between them, likely brought on by time and distance.
“Anything else you want to check out while we’re here?” Eclipse asked, his warm hand sliding over her hair.
Orianna breathed him in, felt her body warming from his touch. She’d been on a constant simmer since they left the mansion several hours ago, and with every passing minute, she felt the need for him building.
“Are we safe here?” she asked, peering up at him.
His eyes locked on her face, the silver churning so beautifully.
“Safe how?”
She smiled. “For a few minutes of privacy?”
Orianna noticed the instant those words registered because his silver eyes turned molten. Probably didn’t help that she’d slipped her hands beneath his T-shirt, her palms sliding over his smooth flesh. She gave him a gentle nudge that had his back meeting the wall. They were still inside the storage room, the buttery-yellow glow from the ancient lightbulb providing the perfect ambience.
When he didn’t object, Orianna lifted his shirt higher, her lips resuming the exploration her hands had been taking seconds before.
“Sezari…”
His skin was warm against her lips as she skimmed her mouth over him. The muscles beneath flexed, hardening his abdomen.
“Just a few minutes,” she whispered, her hands shifting to the button on his jeans.
A soft thud sounded when he dropped his head back against the wall. She took that as permission to explore. Just a few minutes. That was all she needed. Some time to remind herself she was alive, and she had so much more to live for now. Just because one chapter of her life was coming to a close didn’t mean she had to wait for the next. For the first time in her life, Orianna was actually ready to move forward, to live.
“Orianna … oh, fuck, sezari.”
She smiled as she revealed the thick column of his erection. He was velvety smooth and hard as granite, a perfect combination. His breaths grew a bit labored as she continued her exploration, her lips traveling lower as she worked toward her goal. She wanted to feel him in her mouth, to taste him, to hear that rough growl that would eventually come when she took him between her lips.
Cognizant of where they were, Orianna maintained her focus, dipping her head down and licking the swollen head, his salty taste exploding on her tongue. She moaned as she opened her lips and slid them around him, easing down slowly. He didn’t rush her, one hand resting on her head, the other curled around the back of her neck as she caressed him with her lips and tongue.
In that moment, nothing existed except for the two of them and this intense heat they generated when they were together. Thanks to her conversations with Penelope, Orianna had learned a bit more about it. It was what the angels called amnigh, a phenomenon that encompassed two souls that were destined to be together. Their need for one another was spurred by destiny, but Orianna fully believed it was more than that. She couldn’t imagine wanting anyone more than she wanted him.
Eclipse’s hips jerked forward, a deep guttural sound rumbling in his chest as she used her hand and mouth to tease and entice. She was driven by this insane need to pleasure him, to let him feel all those crazy sensations he instilled in her, to let him know she had an overwhelming desire to worship him.
“Sezari … you’re too good at that.”
His praise made her smile, but she didn’t stop her ministrations, continuing to take more of him in her mouth, h
er tongue exploring, laving, tormenting.
Eclipse’s hand tightened on the back of her neck, as though warning her if she continued, he wouldn’t be able to hold back. That was exactly what she was working toward, sending him over the edge, knowing she was the one who could do this to him. The only one.
“Oh, fuck … sezari … I’m gonna come in your mouth.”
The promise had her grip on him tightening as she stroked in rhythm to the suction, her mouth meeting her hand again and again. His erection pulsed and flexed, his hand tightening on her neck until…
“Fuck!”
He exploded in her mouth. Orianna doubled her efforts to drink him down, not quite ready to stop. She loved the taste and feel of him, but it was more than that. It was the intrinsic trust required between two souls to allow this sort of intimacy. Bodies could mate, that was a given. People did it every day, some without thought or regard for the repercussions. But when love was involved, when one was willing to surrender mind, body and soul to another, that was transcendent. It was the very reason Orianna didn’t fear her future anymore.
Eclipse was the one who stilled her, his hand fisting in her hair as he lifted her head. She smiled up at him, licking her lips as his silver stare pinned her in place. The world spun briefly as he switched their positions, her back meeting the wall as he leaned down, his lips finding hers. Orianna sealed her mouth to his, loving the way his tongue caressed hers even as his deft fingers quickly unbuttoned her jeans. A sharp cry escaped her when his hand dipped between her legs, his long, thick finger piercing her. Another joined as he fingered her, sending her brain spiraling.
Orianna threw her arms around his neck, holding tightly as he worked her to the edge within seconds. She held on for as long as she could, but it wasn’t long at all. Every muscle in her body tightened as her core shattered, the orgasm rocking her on her very foundation. It wasn’t about her physical being, either. No, Eclipse had the ability to reach the very heart of her spiritual existence.
When she relaxed, his hand curled around her neck, his tongue still stroking inside her mouth, his lips softened as a smile pulled at both their mouths.
She forced her eyes open when he pulled back. His were glowing brightly, something she’d started noticing more lately. It seemed the closer they got—both physically and emotionally—the more brilliant the light became.
“What do you say we take this back to our bed?” he suggested, his words a rough rasp that stirred more than her desire for him.
Our bed.
She liked the sound of that.
So, so much.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
“There’s no sign of her anywhere,” Søren grumbled, his frustration as apparent as every other soul in the mansion.
It had been four days since Perfidious pulled the snatch and grab with Asmia, and despite their nightly searches, no one had uncovered so much as a single hint of where the demon had taken her. Because of that, tensions were high, and Eclipse’s anger was growing tenfold.
Though he’d dedicated last night to Orianna’s search for her sister, tonight he was committed to the mission to search for Asmia. Surprisingly, Orianna had suggested they both focus their efforts on the Fae for the time being. He wasn’t sure what exactly happened last night, but Orianna had been different since they’d left that small apartment. Not only because of what they’d done, either. No, he’d noticed a shift in his amsouelot, as though she was finally coming to terms with the fact Amber was not coming back.
“Tell me who’s out tonight,” Obsidian demanded when he strolled into the war room where Eclipse had been monitoring the efforts for the past three hours.
“All ladeares are out right now,” Søren told him. “The Fae have teamed up with them, as well.”
The lieterra motioned toward the whiteboard, which outlined the current alignments.
“Where’s Taayin?”
Eclipse decided to answer that one. “He asked to go out, so I approved it. He’s with Viator and Basker.” The two male Fae had offered to tag along because they had more abilities when it came to subduing Taayin should it be necessary.
Obsidian’s concern was palpable, but Eclipse had been prepared to defend his decision if and when his oldest brother tried to nail his balls to the wall. The fact of the matter was, they couldn’t keep Taayin locked up indefinitely. The male would go fucking crazy, and if anyone deserved to be out there looking for her, it was Taayin.
“Anyone else with them?”
“Raksa’s keeping close but out of sight,” Eclipse told his brother.
“Probably a good idea.”
Yeah. Maybe. At this point, Eclipse couldn’t blame Taayin for any outbursts that might arise from his search for the female he loved. Hell, he wouldn’t be surprised if Taayin went on a rampage and burned down the entire town. Granted, he hoped it wouldn’t come to that, but again, he wouldn’t blame the male.
“Penelope and Bijou are with Orianna,” Obsidian said, his eyes reflecting a hint of concern Eclipse hadn’t noticed until now.
Eclipse turned to face his brother.
“She had another vision,” he said softly.
Without waiting for more details, Eclipse let his senses flare out to locate his amsouelot before he evanesced and took form in the sunroom.
Anxiety spun in his veins as his brain worked to puzzle out the scene before him. Penelope and Bijou were sitting on one of the leather sofas, the females flanking Orianna, who had her head in her hands, her full attention on her feet.
His breaths rasped in and out of his lungs as a true fear took root. Didn’t matter that his brain had determined she was alive and breathing, he needed to hear her voice, see her eyes, touch her skin to know for sure.
Penelope looked up, her golden eyes sympathetic, the small smile hesitant. “She’s all right.”
He wasn’t sure how she could be so calm and collected when every neuron in Eclipse’s brain was rapid-firing and the damn things weren’t in sync. Just the thought of something happening to her had his nervous system threatening a shutdown.
This was the third vision she’d had in as many days, none of which had been about Asmia, rather focused solely on Obsidian, just a constant repeat of what she’d already seen. They’d opted to keep from sharing the details with his brother mainly because they didn’t know what it meant. Until they could translate into something they could shape and mold into a plan, Eclipse figured there was no reason to put everyone on high alert.
Bijou hopped to her feet, stepping out of the way as he approached. Eclipse took a seat beside Orianna, sliding his hand up and down her back. When she instantly leaned on him, he felt a comfort he’d gotten used to over the past few weeks. Although they’d been battling the amnigh, which seemed to be intensifying with every passing minute, they’d been growing closer in other ways, too. He found pleasure in taking care of Orianna, even being a shoulder for her to lean on when necessary, and it warmed him to know she was doing so more frequently.
“It wasn’t about Asmia,” Orianna said softly. “I hate that I’m disappointing everyone.”
Frowning, Eclipse pulled away and looked into Orianna’s lovely blue eyes. “No one’s disappointed, sezari. Not even a little.”
A small smile appeared, and Eclipse knew it was forced. “Then I’m disappointed in myself.” She lifted her hand to show him the hairbrush she was clutching tightly. “I’ve kept this with me and still nothing.”
Penelope shifted, repositioning so she could face Orianna more fully while placing one hand on her ever-growing belly. “We don’t expect you to be able to find her, Orianna. But we appreciate that you’re trying.”
Eclipse saw the sincerity in Penelope’s face, heard it in her words. Without looking, he could feel Bijou’s concern, her need to comfort though she wasn’t sure how to do so. He knew the females in the house had shared some conversations recently, spent a bit more time together in an effort to pass it while Eclipse and Obsidian went out with the fies
treigh doing their part to locate Asmia. As much as everyone wanted them to sit on their asses, they just weren’t built that way.
“I just wish I could do more.”
“We all wish we could do more,” Penelope said, giving Orianna’s knee a friendly pat. The move made Orianna jerk against Eclipse. He instantly reached for her as her eyes rolled back, her body going limp.
Okay, not the patting that sent her into those strange seizure-like convulsions. Like every other time, Orianna was unable to hold herself up, her body flopping as her eyes fluttered, only the whites showing. Didn’t matter how many times he’d witnessed it, he was still scared shitless. Not for the first time, he wondered how Orianna had dealt with these when she’d been on her own, traveling the country in an effort to locate her sister.
“She’s having another vision,” Penelope whispered. “This is what happened earlier.”
Eclipse felt a sudden panic flare in his chest as he eased her back on the pillow, watched helplessly as her body trembled.
A fluttering sound drew his attention away momentarily. When Michael appeared, Eclipse wasn’t at all surprised to see him, but the worried expression on his face did concern him. Unfortunately, he didn’t have time to deal with the archangel, turning his attention back to his amsouelot.
Orianna’s eyes fluttered open as she exhaled. Her gaze instantly shot to Eclipse.
“She’s his mate,” she whispered, her voice rough.
“Who?” he asked, brushing her hair back from her face.
“Asmia. She’s—”
“Taayin’s amsouelot,” Michael said sternly. “We have to bring him in now.”
Without hesitation, Eclipse shot off a telepathic message to Obsidian so his brother could deal with the archangel’s impromptu appearance. Before he even finished, Obsidian appeared, his eyes scanning the room, clearly looking for Penelope before shifting to Michael.
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