Salvation in Darkness

by Nicole Edwards

  But for now their friendship was continuing to grow, their mutual love of Friends keeping them tight. They’d spent the past couple of weeks having marathon sessions in the female’s room, Elizabeth settled in that moving chair while Bijou took the spot on the upholstered chair beside her. Over the past couple of days, Orianna had begun to stop by more often. It was clear to Bijou she had something she wanted to say to her mother, but she couldn’t quite let go of whatever it was.

  Speaking of Orianna…

  The female appeared in the doorway, drawing Bijou’s and Elizabeth’s attention.

  “Honey, are you all right?” Elizabeth asked by way of greeting.

  “I’m…” Orianna nodded.

  “Perhaps I should give you two a minute alone.”

  Before Bijou could get to her feet, Orianna was at her side, gently touching her arm. “Please don’t go.”

  There was pain in Orianna’s brilliant blue eyes, the color having changed since her return from wherever they’d gone. No longer were they a soft cornflower blue but more of a … well, it was difficult to explain because they were technically the same color, only now they seemed lit from within.

  “Mom, could we turn off the television for a minute?”

  “Of course, honey.” Elizabeth stabbed the button on the remote to kill the image on the screen.

  “I need to talk to you about something.” Orianna dragged the other upholstered chair over so it was closer to her mother.

  “Is it about Amber?”

  Orianna nodded. “It is, actually.”

  Elizabeth’s eyes brightened, so much hope flooding her face. “Did you find her?”

  “I… Yes, Mom. I did.”

  Oh, boy. Bijou could tell this story wasn’t going to have a happy ending. She knew all about Amber, Elizabeth’s oldest daughter. During the time they’d spent together, she’d gotten an earful about both females. At first, the conversations had been all about Amber and how much Elizabeth missed her. However, those discussions had shifted to be more about Orianna and how proud Elizabeth was of her younger daughter. It was clear Elizabeth loved them both equally, but her heart ached for her oldest because she didn’t know where she was.

  “Mom.” Orianna reached out and touched Elizabeth’s hand.

  “Are you bringing her home?” Elizabeth asked, although Orianna hadn’t said anything more.

  The two females stared at one another for a long moment, the air between them crackling with the pain of loss.

  “I’m bringing her home,” Orianna confirmed, her voice quivering, tears forming in her eyes.

  “That’s all I’ve ever wanted,” Elizabeth said, her other hand covering Orianna’s.

  Bijou swallowed the emotion that was suddenly clogging her throat. Even as a bystander, she couldn’t help but feel for the two of them. She still ached from the loss of her own mother, a feeling she didn’t wish on anyone.

  “I need to make sure you understand what I’m telling you,” Orianna said, the last word said on a sob.

  “I know, honey. I’ve suspected it for a while. Amber’s no longer of this world.”

  Orianna sobbed. “No, Mom. She’s not. She’s… Amber’s in Heaven.”

  Tears formed in Elizabeth’s eyes, and it was then the older female reached for Bijou. Of course, the sentiment was enough to have tears forming in Bijou’s eyes, as well. She ached for their loss, much as she did her own. She remembered when her mother had passed, could still feel that dull throb within her heart. She doubted it would ever go away, no matter how much time had passed, but she had realized that accepting it helped. Knowing that those you loved were in a better place didn’t erase the pain, but it eased it somewhat.

  “She’s been cremated,” Orianna explained. “I’m having her brought here and we’re going to spread her ashes. That way she’s with us always.”

  Tears continued to drip down their cheeks, all three of them, as they sat together, trying to come to grips with the facts.

  “Thank you, baby,” Elizabeth turned her full attention to Orianna. “I know I had no right to ask you to do this, but … thank you.”

  Orianna nodded, then got to her feet.

  Bijou wasn’t sure what to do, but she got the feeling Elizabeth needed some space.

  “I’ll be back in a few minutes,” Bijou told her.

  Elizabeth nodded, the motor on her chair coming to life as she started moving toward the balcony doors that overlooked the grounds below. There was nothing they could see because of the cloak the angels kept over the mansion, but that never stopped Elizabeth from staring out into the darkness.

  “Thank you for staying,” Orianna said when they stepped into the hall. “I didn’t mean to burden you with that, but … well, I know my mom’s close to you. She’s going to need a lot of support.”

  “I’m here,” Bijou said. “For both of you. No matter what you need.”

  Another tear fell down Orianna’s cheek. “Thank you.” A sad smile formed. “That means a lot.”

  Chapter Forty-Nine

  While Orianna took her mother up to the fourth floor via the elevator, Eclipse opted for the stairs.

  Ever since his ereswa had relayed to him her encounter with Amber in Heaven, he’d been waiting for this moment. Although Orianna seemed at peace after having visited with her sister, he knew the same was not the case for Elizabeth, who was now mourning the passing of her child. He couldn’t imagine how difficult it must be and prayed no one had to go through it. The loss of a loved one was hard enough, add to it that of a child … he couldn’t fathom it.

  Now, as he stepped through the doorway on the fourth floor, which was nothing more than an attic with a couple dozen dormer windows interspersed along the various branches extending off from the center, he watched as mother and daughter moved toward the south side of the mansion so the north wind would be coming from behind them.

  Eclipse had already delivered Amber’s ashes to the windowsill after Echo and Naos had gone to Kansas to retrieve them. The soft sound of footfalls signaled him to those who’d come to join them. Bijou was leading the way, Penelope and Obsidian behind her. He had expected that to be all, but more came, Reidar, Miklós, Søren, Oliver, then more of the fiestreigh and several of the heurosp filling in the empty space as they formed one long line behind the two females, all there to support their family member.

  He had briefly considered lowering the dhira so Elizabeth could see beyond the darkness but had opted against it. It was in place to ensure they were concealed from the demons, and since they’d yet to have a breach on the mansion, he was hesitant to tempt fate. But it wasn’t necessary, because Orianna could now see clearly out into the night, and she had the ability to give her mother the same sight. A simple touch upon her temples would clear the way.

  So, as they all stood silently behind the two females, Eclipse said a silent prayer to the heavens, thanking the Almighty for offering these females the closure they needed. It wasn’t as they would’ve preferred because Amber was no longer of this Earth, but it was more than they’d had for quite some time. At least this way, there was the potential for moving forward. The wounds would never heal completely, but over time, perhaps they would ease to something bearable.

  When Orianna’s tears began to fall in earnest, Eclipse stepped up behind her, wrapping his arm across her chest and pulling her into him. He was there for her, would always be, no matter her need. When she stepped forward, he did so as well. Another step and she was opening the windows wide, allowing the night to come in.

  It wasn’t Orianna who delicately touched Elizabeth’s temples, but Penelope. Obsidian’s ereswa stepped up and placed a gentle hand on Elizabeth’s frail shoulder, then touched her temple with her other hand.

  Elizabeth inhaled sharply as Orianna opened the urn, then held it up to the night, allowing the perfectly timed gust of wind to swoop in and carry them off, the remains of her sister drifting up and outward. A heavy sob racked Orianna, so Eclipse took the urn, se
t it aside, and pulled her into his arms, wrapping her tightly. No one said anything as they remained like that for long minutes.

  Time became irrelevant as still no words were spoken, but they weren’t necessary. Perhaps Elizabeth didn’t realize it, hadn’t noticed the wings that had expanded from one end to the other as the angels surrounding her provided a protective barrier behind. They could not change fate or affect free will, but they could provide comfort and strength in one’s time of need.

  With a nod of his head, Eclipse dismissed the others, wanting to give mother and daughter a few moments alone.

  The dawn came and the house went into quiet mode as usual, the universe continuing to spin despite all that had gone down during the night.

  Eclipse found Orianna in their private quarters, sitting on the bed, legs out in front of her, hands clasped in her lap. She was leaning back against the headboard, staring into space.

  “You all right?”

  Her eyes shifted to him and a small smile formed. “I am now. I was thinking about a bath.”

  From where he was, moving toward the bed, he willed the water on in the bathroom.

  “One of these days I’ll catch on to that,” she said with a wider grin.

  “Give it time, sezari. We’ve got plenty of it.” He held his hand out, urging her to come to him.

  There was a bit more spunk in her movements when she hopped down to the floor and sauntered toward him. He couldn’t help it, just looking at her made him smile. Though she’d been the most beautiful human he’d ever glimpsed, as an angel she was blindingly radiant. Her blue eyes were now lit from behind, proof her soul was safely ensconced in Heaven with his. Though there was no way to predict what Lucifer would do, ultimately, she should now be off his radar. Not that Eclipse would ever lower his guard when it came to her safety, but he could breathe a bit easier now that the target was no longer on her back.

  He pulled her into him, his hands sliding beneath the soft sweater she wore, one of the many the heurosp had purchased while the lintamair had been underway. Now, Orianna’s side of the closet was as full as his, their lives officially merged upon this Earth, where they would reside until their mission was over.

  “I want you naked,” he whispered, tugging the sweater upward.

  She allowed him to undress her as they made their way to the bathroom. By the time they reached the tub, he’d discarded her clothes along with his and easily lifted her into his arms and carried her down into the tub. He kept her in his lap as they settled into the warm water, the ends of her hair darkening as they got wet.

  “I love you, sezari.” He’d made sure to tell her as much, in exactly those words, because he hadn’t realized how much she had wanted to hear them. From time to time, he spoke in his language because it felt a bit more intimate, but he continued to use her English words, as well.

  Orianna pulled back and met his eyes. “My heart belongs to you and you alone because you are my heart.”

  Those words in his native tongue … Eclipse hadn’t expected to hear her say them, so it caught him completely off guard. He jerked her toward him and sealed their lips as emotion churned in his chest. That had been the case since the night he’d taken her life, and it didn’t seem to be letting up. With every passing minute, he found himself connecting with her more and more. He figured one day he’d be as much one with her as they were during their most intimate moments.

  Speaking of intimate moments…

  Eclipse growled softly, then dragged his lips along her jaw. “Take me inside you, sezari.”

  Her eager moans drifted to his ears as she reached between them, taking him firmly in hand and guiding him into the warm haven of her body. More groans, from both of them, as exquisite pleasure blanketed their private moment.

  As she took him deep within her, Eclipse cupped her head, pulling her mouth to his neck. He wanted to be inside her in all ways, to provide her sustenance while she gifted him with pleasure. He heard her soft hiss, felt the sharp tips of her fangs, then was obliterated by sheer ecstasy. There was no way to accurately describe the sensations that flooded him when she took his vein.

  Eclipse slid his arm around her waist, holding her tight to him as his cock swelled deep inside her. She shifted just the slightest bit, and he went off like a rocket, a dark rumble tearing up through his throat as the orgasm shattered him. That was only the beginning. For the duration of her feeding, Eclipse continued to ride that wave again and again, crashing several more times. Good thing they weren’t restricted to only one orgasm.

  By the time she sealed the punctures on his neck, Eclipse was desperate to move, to drive deep inside her. It would’ve made sense to switch, to feed from her, but he couldn’t contain himself. As soon as she pulled back, he lifted her, his hands curling around her thighs as he rose out of the water. Settling her on the tiled ledge, he bent his knees and began driving into her, hard, fast. Oh, so fucking deep. Absolute heaven.

  “Sezari…” He couldn’t stop; the need to mark her was greater than anything he’d ever felt before.

  “Come for me,” she pleaded, her legs tightening around his hips as she braced her arms on the edge of the tub. Her breasts bounced with every brutal thrust of his hips, and he’d never seen anything more beautiful.

  Eclipse gritted his teeth, his fingertips digging into the soft flesh of her hips as he slammed in once, twice. On the third stroke, he exploded deep within her, a rumbling howl escaping him as he did.

  And just like that, every ounce of his energy dissipated. He had enough to pull her with him back into the water, but that was it. When he flopped onto the contoured seat and she giggled, he found himself laughing. He loved her sweet giggle. Then again, he loved every single thing about her.

  “Find it amusing, do you?” he teased, repositioning her so he could easily slip inside her once more. “How about I return the favor.”

  And he did.

  Quite a few times, in fact.

  Chapter Fifty

  They finished off December without a hitch.

  In fact, things had settled enough, they’d made it through a baby shower for Penelope on the first day of the new year. Orianna had made the suggestion, not thinking about the difficulties of shopping for baby things when Fed Ex and UPS didn’t know you existed. Good thing they had the heurosp. The immortal humans had gone out during the day and picked up everything they’d all requested, including the huge feast they’d indulged in afterward.

  And yet, twenty weeks into Penelope’s pregnancy and still no baby. All was good, though, and for that they were grateful.

  Though not confined to bed rest, Penelope didn’t do a lot of moving around. Most nights, after the evening meal, she would get settled in the sunroom. There was always someone with her, watching television or talking. Miklós had even set up an Xbox and was attempting to teach Penelope the benefits of first-person shooter games. Whatever that was.

  Orianna divided her time between keeping Penelope company, hanging out with Zeus and Aphrodite, and watching Friends with her mother. Turned out, she was quite a fan of the show. For the past couple of weeks, Amethyst—or Dr. A as they’d started calling her—had started building a rapport with Elizabeth. Enough that Dr. A had noted all of the medications she was on and was working to eliminate what she could while developing a pain management plan. It was still early in the process, but Orianna held out hope that they’d eventually get a handle on the addiction, perhaps even give her mother some semblance of normal.

  Now, as she wandered through the front hallway toward the sunroom to check on Penelope, Orianna was expecting a quiet night since most of the males were out patrolling the streets of Telluride and Darkness, the others having returned to their searches for the other amsouelots while still maintaining a steady search for Asmia. No one was giving up on the female, and personally, Orianna prayed every day that she would come home safe and sound.

  Tonight, Eclipse was out with Reidar and Kaj, Miklós and Søren manning the war room
below, and there were three pints of mint chip waiting for her, Penelope, and Bijou in the freezer. Quiet, peaceful night in. Just what the doctor ordered.

  “Hey, Pen!” Orianna called out, starting toward the kitchen from the front hallway. “Ready for that ice—”

  The explosion that rocked the very foundation of the mansion sent Orianna stumbling, the blast from behind her, knocking her forward and into the stone fireplace. For a moment, she thought she’d been knocked unconscious, because the entire mansion went dark.

  When she realized she was, in fact, still awake, Orianna’s attention splintered, going in several directions at once. She could hear shouting and screams, even got the scent of smoke, but she had no idea where it was coming from. Fear washed over her as she tried to determine which direction to go first. She hadn’t gotten a handle on that whole vanishing thing, so she was helpless in that regard. But she needed to find her mother. Penelope. Miklós. Bijou. Acadia. Zeus and Aphrodite.

  Oh, God.

  As some of the smoke cleared, she realized the entire front section of the mansion was missing. From where she was kneeling, just inside the formal living room, the kitchen at her back, she could see the darkened trees in the distance, the moon’s light casting their shadows over the front lawn.

  Her heart began to pound as she glanced around, not sure which direction to go. If anyone had been at the front of the mansion… She didn’t even want to think about what that meant. Her best bet was to go to those at the back, but she feared what might be coming in through the now massive hole in the front wall. After all, she knew that explosion hadn’t happened all by itself.

  As she got to her feet, prepared to head toward Penelope, her eyes caught on something at the front, just beyond the drive that curled around beneath the portico. Her eyes skimmed the darkness, tracking every detail, pulling it together into an image that made sense. The explosion that came next was not one ignited by some sort of explosive. It was like thunder, and it roared again and again, one right after the other, the ground shaking beneath her feet. She stepped forward to see what it was, and that was when her breath hitched in her throat.