Eclipsed by Midnight

by Kristina Canady

  “Hey guys, that was a fast game.” My hand moves to mess Ethan’s hair before I sit back down next to the fire.

  “The girls were getting cold so we came back,” Aiden responds as he drapes a blanket around Liz’s shoulders and Lysa drops to curl up next to her mom. Ang was right—this was coming years ago.

  “Remind my old ass not to challenge them to a game for quite some time. Well, back to work.” Erik begins to shuffle from the room, Roman hot on his heels.

  “Hey, brother mine, quick favor?” His blond brow quirks as he halts. In the background the kids joke around with one another and Aiden’s eyes linger a bit too long on Liz. Ang and her family need to get the hell out of town, fast. Aiden’s hormones are about to be on vamp overdrive, which won’t help him think clearly and he doesn’t need to drag Liz down that path.

  As I walk out into the hall, Erik follows me. “So, what would it take for you to babysit in the TV room a bit longer while I cloud a human? Oh, and also have you help Ang plan a month-long trip overseas for her and her family using my trust fund?”

  He blows out hard through pursed lips. “Have you talked to the boss about this?” Erik wavers.

  “No, why should I?”

  “I’m not even going to dignify that with an answer.” His stern brow tells me all I need to know. He won’t budge until the captain has signed off.

  “Fine. Can you please set them all up with a move in the theater while I run it past the master?” I smart as my hand waves exasperatedly toward the basement door. The basement held many wonders aside from our private suite at the back.

  “Sure thing, princess.” He chuckles to himself as my blood boils at the title, and I turn on my heel to find Etienne.

  When I follow our bond, I find him seated on the back porch under a heat lamp as he and Christian smoke cigars and sip on whiskey.

  “It’s a bit early for that, don’t ya think?” My chin lifts to their glasses, and they pointedly ignore me. “Lil, a minute please?” I pull on our invisible connection for added influence and head back into the house to camp out in the mudroom and wait. Finally, after a few tortuous minutes, he excuses himself and joins me as Christian finishes his cigar in peace.

  “Oui, Anu?” He stalks me across hall, and I back into the wall as his palms come to rest on either side of my head. His large figure dwarfs mine as my thighs squeeze together on their own. Close proximity has always been difficult. Our bodies are drawn together.

  His breath is laced with whiskey and sin as he licks his lips and stares into my eyes. A girl could get lost there and forget her purpose. Quickly shaking his effect off, I remember my cause. My mouth quickly moves to give him a rundown of all that has transpired while I struggle not to lose focus in his presence; my knees begin to go weak as he traces the tip of his nose ever so slowly down the column of my neck. The heat of his breath fans out and across my skin, making me clench certain regions and quicken my breath.

  “For fuck’s sake, Lil. Now is not the time to be messing with me like that.” I groan in frustration, longing to be wrapped up in his arms as our naked bodies become one.

  “Tsk-tsk-tsk. What have I said about that mouth?” He drops his hands to my hips, fingers digging in hard, and I immediately tremble. He knows exactly what that does to me.

  “Pleeeease, Lil!” I beg and bite my tongue, needing a taste of pain to keep my lust under control in the face of our guests.

  “I do love it when you beg like a good girl.” Purring, he nips at my earlobe before feathering light kisses on the skin just below it. He barely needs to touch me at any given moment to make my panties dampen. “Hmm, if I say yes, you are going to have to do some time in the restraints for me.” He grinds his hard dick into my stomach, the height difference making it so that I’d barely have to bend at the waist to take him into my mouth. And I am pretty sure he could titty fuck me while standing if he came up on tiptoes. Nuzzling my face between his pecs, I drink in his heavenly sent.

  “Okay,” I hesitantly agree. He’s been trying to get me in those things since before I was captured. We had one good night with a form of them after Belize, but it took a lot of coaxing. Then, after I got home, my PTSD wouldn’t quite allow for it. He’s had fun restraining me with his body, but I know he craves having me presented before him in binds. Now, he is fully taking advantage to get what he wants like the true bastard I’ve come to love.

  “Very well. They are all downstairs. Now is as good of a time as any. He is quite relaxed. And by the way, you are getting cuffed to the bed with that pretty little ass of yours propped up nice and high as soon as everyone leaves.” He reaches around and grabs a handful to punctuate the moment.

  “Then I won’t be able to see you.” My chest rapidly rises and falls. I’ve come a long way, but there still are some triggers we are working with.

  “Do you not trust me, mon amour?” He deepens our contact.

  Reaching up to run nervous fingers through my hair, I grab and pull at the scalp—hard. “Yes, I do. You know it is not that.”

  “I will make sure you feel me the entire time,” he sinfully promises.

  I finally release my hold at the assurance, my body giving in to his. “Okay, let’s just get this over with. Ang wanted to be there, but it’s best she doesn’t see all that. I’ll call Roman to stand guard.” I will pay whatever price I have to help my bestie, and I rather liked when he pushed me, even if the mind fucks took some accommodating.

  “Wouldn’t that alert—?” He is quickly cut off as I send my essence through the house along with earth’s element to find Roman and pull him toward us. Like a fish on the end of a hook, he is quickly reeled down the hall in a blink of an eye. “Oh,” Etienne murmurs as I turn in his arms to fill Roman in.

  Roman nods in agreement and stands in position as Etienne and I head out to the covered porch where Christian now looks half asleep. Calling the elements to provide privacy to any passing ears, I kneel before Christian and tightly bind the magic around us like a blanket. He looks at me, a bit alarmed, before glancing around, trying to figure what is going on. Quickly, I lock eyes with him and send my essence into his being, the elemental powers catching a ride on the shift. Beings that he is human, I attempt to hold back some of the flow so as to not to overwhelm him.

  Once inside, my emotions overcome me as I see all the pain, darkness, and damage lurking there. No wonder he hasn’t been himself. The cancer has literally been eating him from the inside out. Using my powers to lift as much pain and grief as I can, I use the cooling water element to cleanse him internally before pulling back. Holding him up by the shoulders, still locked in the trance, I whisper some words taught to me by Damien and find that Christian’s pupils immediately dilate further.

  “Christian, you will let go of the pain and depression. It will not find a home within you again. You will spend the last of your days surrounded in immeasurable love, laughter, happiness and peace with those you hold dearest. Do you understand?”

  Christian nods once.

  “Okay, old friend, I am going to release you. You are not going to remember this taking place. All you will remember is having a peaceful afternoon among friends and the best cigar and whiskey you’ve ever had.”

  He nods again and I close out, withdrawing the power completely. Standing up, I hold out my hand. “Hey buddy, it’s getting cold. Let’s go inside.” He rapidly blinks as his eyes refocus and he shakes his head, trying to clear the fog.

  “Yeah, those clouds rolling in sure cooled it off.” He takes my hand and stands with a smile as I fight back my own tears.

  I have to remain the strong one for them. Christian is an amazing man who has treated my best friend like a queen their entire relationship. For that, he has always been high on my respected people list. I hate this so much. I hate everything about what is happening to them, but it is out of my control. I hate that part too. It is my nature to want to fix, to want to heal, and to make right. Learning to let go and roll with the punches, only
helping where I can and having the knowledge to know the difference, has been my biggest and most difficult ongoing lesson. I am a control freak who wants to heal the world, so sue me. And this happens to be my best friend’s husband and the love of her life. I sure as hell don’t want her to lose that, but it doesn’t matter what I want. In some fucked-up way I can’t explain, this is part of a bigger plan and is something we don’t get a say in. Etienne follows us into the house, and Roman goes to fetch the lot from downstairs.

  “I’m really tired all of a sudden.” Christian yawn and scrubs at his stubble.

  “Yeah, that hundred-year-old crap Etienne had you drink will do that.” Etienne faintly gasps and narrows his eyes at me. Yup, he’s probably going to throw in the leg restraints now too, shit.

  “Hey, guys, what’s up?” Ang questions as she comes up the stairs and takes us in.

  “Babe, I’m spent. How about we go home and talk about that trip you’ve wanted us to take?”

  Ang’s smile lights up the entire room as she runs up and wraps her arms around Christian, sending a pouting Roman to slowly back out from the reunion and into the kitchen. “Sasha has already been planning something special for us. Girls, guess we better pack!” Ang happily fetches everyone’s coats as they animatedly talk about what’s to come. Aiden and Ethan attempt to hold up their smiles and warm goodbyes, but it is obvious they are not happy about the timing of this trip. Ang hugs me one last time and whispers a thank you.

  “No problem, love. Erik is working his magic as we speak and your account will soon support you all for the month of memories.” I will never forget how she looks at me just now, priceless, with complete love and gratitude. It will stay with me for the rest of my life.

  As the front door clicks back into place after their departure, Etienne fastens the locks, and the boys begin to grumble as they stomp upstairs.

  “Guys, please understand that they need this time with their dad before he gets any sicker,” I call after them, their forms nearing the top of the stairs.

  “We know, Mom, it just sucks,” Ethan yells back before they quickly shut themselves away.

  A warm hand slides up my back, coming to rest on my neck before I am suddenly swept up into my lover’s arms. “Now, that you have thoroughly pissed off half the house, it’s my turn.” His lips are on mine in an instant as he carries me down to our hideaway and locks us away for the rest of the day.

  Chapter 5

  “Not only did I love her, but I could tell that the universe loved her, too. More than others. She was different. After all; I would be a fool not to notice the way the sunshine played with her hair.” ~ Christopher Poindexter

  Sasha

  “There’s my astute and prized pupil!” Damien exclaims excitedly via video chat on my laptop. Sitting back on the sofa of my little personal den that Etienne made for me, I take in my teacher’s loving face as a pang of loneliness hits. Koray’s long, white hair passes by the corner of the camera, and I feel my throat tighten. Damn, I really miss them and all the support they offer.

  “Hey guys, how are you?” Pushing past the lump in my throat, I focus on the task at hand. Today, I am being lectured in the origins on our medicine. Or more like verbally tested as I’ve been studying the pile he made me bring with me.

  “We are quite well. Nothing new to report on this end. I take it that your intuition was right on all things back home?” Damien’s dark eyes crease in worry as he has already picked the truth up off me somehow.

  “Yes.”

  Within a few moments, he and now Koray, who is hovering in the back, are well caught up.

  “My, my. That is quite a bit to swallow. What do you think are the chances of them surviving, my love?” Damien calmly asks Koray, who is now seated beside him.

  “It is hard to say. We won’t know for sure.” Koray’s frown deepens in thought.

  “Are there any herbs I could blend to help them?” It was going out on a limb, but worth the shot.

  “Not that I am aware of, dear Priestess. A female’s blood of strong lineage will be the best and safest bet.”

  “Shit, I haven’t even thought of that. Whose blood am I to use?” Goddess… and then there is the sex draw that happens with that whole bit. Picturing my kids in that position is simply too much. They need to wait until they find true love. I’m okay with not waiting until marriage, but I feel very strongly about having them save it for someone worth the sacred experience.

  “You need to find a strong pair of females who are not mated,” Damien reminds me. I haven’t contemplated the actual components of their transition yet. It’s been all that I can do to not think about the possibility of death.

  “Great. Cause with all the eren around here, that will be easy.” My shoulders slump.

  “Marguerite is not mated; she would be a good choice,” Damien suggests as Koray continues on in his journey through his vast knowledge bank.

  “Erik would never let that happen. Isn’t it true whomever you choose, you end up being linked to?” Erik is too selfish to share anyhow.

  “In a sense, just as anyone who has had your blood, you can track. But not always in the intimate manner.”

  “Are you sure it can’t be a male’s blood?”

  The two exchange thoughtful glances before turning back to me.

  “No, even we need the help of an occasional female for strength. Sharing blood amongst ourselves is simply for pleasure, but it does not aid as much as we need.”

  “I don’t want to just hit the streets and find a few girls for them. That feels so wrong—cheap.”

  “Blood along the royal side would give them the best chance possible,” Koray adds.

  “Oh god, that is not a can of worms I want to open.”

  “You might not have a choice.”

  “Oh yeah. Hey, royal families… lowly half-breed needs your young females for my quarter-breed sons. That will go over swimmingly.” They both chuckle at my attempt in humor.

  “How about Inessa’s young nieces? They are unbound and about the same age.” Koray strokes his long beard and his eyes get that damn twinkle that tells of more plans strung to that one.

  “Hilarious. She’d never go for it.”

  “Would it hurt to ask?” Damien joins his mate in consensus on this topic.

  “I suppose not. She always verges on pissed off anyhow, and I have become accustomed to that.” She may try to kick my ass for even bringing it up, but that could be fun too.

  “Very well, before we move on, there is someone I’d like you to meet there in Denver,” Damien excitedly moves forward.

  “Oh?” Picking up my tea, I sip in anticipation. Why is Koray studying me like that through the video chat now?

  “Yes, Dominic. He’s the local healer there. He is already familiar with your work. He mentioned a rogue Scot as well as Dagan.”

  Tunnel vision sweeps in as memories and fear flood back. “Uh—that was a while ago,” I stammer, fighting my reaction.

  “Well, you made an impression and greatly aided in their recovery. The two are quite functioning now.”

  “Really?” For some reason, I pictured them to have been swept away to some underground prison, shackled to stone, awaiting impending demise.

  “Absolutely, I am surprised your mate hasn’t updated you on their profound recovery.” Damien’s dark brow arches.

  “You’d be surprised on the amount of things he fails to update me on.” I grumble. Perhaps a bit of light being spread on these developments might have helped me in my confidence with all that I am learning.

  “He fails to keep you abreast of most things?” Koray leans forward.

  “Unless he is forced to tell me, that has been his trend. Why, what else are you not telling me?” Damien and Koray exchange an odd look before turning their attention back to me.

  “Ina su-alal u sandu, their search for that continues,” Damien breathes, still holding back, but I don’t want to push.

  “Etienne likes to
protect. If he feels like me having knowledge over a silly cup might do more harm than good—that is why he didn’t say anything.” That’s how the king of omission works.

  “Dear, has he told you much about his past? The years he spent rogue?” Koray inquires.

  “No, not much. We all have skeletons in the closet; I don’t need to know everything.” My mind wanders to the last time I attempted to help him by using my power, and I shudder at the thought. A side of him I never thought possible creeped through in that moment. I didn’t like it one bit.

  “But you’ve spied with your gift and saw something?” Koray calls me out; the male never misses a damn thing.

  “Yes, things I don’t care to explore further at the moment.” No one wants to delve deeper into their soul mate’s dark past.

  “There is going to come a time where you won’t have a choice but to. Bonded pairs are intended for balancing each other’s shortcomings.”

  “Guess we will cross that bridge when we need to.” I really hope we don’t need to. If what I sensed was correct, Etienne’s got some shit—shit I am not sure I can understand and love him through. If I learned the truth, would it distort my view of him and our intimate relationship in a reprehensible manner?

  “Very well, back to the relic—” Damien attempts, but I cut him off.

  “What is so important about this silly myth? Surely, no one can rule two species with a decrepit artifact.”

  “And surely you’ve had your mind blown enough in this world to know that it could be true,” Koray jumps in.

  “Touché.”

  “Your mate is after it because it pertains directly to you. Their search has led them to the states.”

  “Here?”

  “Yes, native land up north. The eren are preparing to depart in a week’s time to begin their hunt.”