by Elara Skye
Amelia breathed out with the frightening realization, tightening the embrace. Finn seemed to sense the shift, and barely a moment passed before he rolled her onto her back effortlessly. With a final glance, he slated his lips over hers, like he’d been considering it the entire time. It didn’t take Amelia by surprise, at all, but her body reacted as though it did—heart racing, limbs tensing.
Regardless of how Finn felt in turn—whether or not he felt the same—Amelia dove head-first into the moment, chasing the fear away as his hand slid down her waist, tugging at the robe, pulling her clothes apart as he slowly did his own. Her eyes went to his chest, which rose and fell as his breaths quickened.
Surrendering herself, Amelia let her body articulate her feelings, as there were no words to describe how she felt. Without thinking, her hands dragged along Finn’s arms and shoulders. He, in turn, left a trail of open-mouthed kisses along her collarbone and neck, moving slowly and attentively. Her body felt weightless underneath him, tingling beneath the touch of his skin. As he rose back up, Finn met Amelia’s eyes and smiled warmly, leaning down to kiss her deeply.
Amelia decided that she didn’t care how he felt at that moment. She didn’t care what he thought about her, or anything beyond what was about to happen. Beads of sweat were collecting along her hairline, her heart racing as he shifted atop her with his entire weight, situating between her legs.
And now, Finn Regis—the frequent the topic of rumor, whom she once regarded an abstract affiliate—had her on her back, her legs around his hips.
Her gasp was sharper, louder than she intended as he filled her with a single thrust, pausing to let her adjust. A groan rumbled from Finn’s throat, his lips hovering over hers, while tendrils of pleasure shot out from where they were joined. His forehead rested against hers for a moment, and then he kissed her again—setting a slow, steady pace against her. Amelia moaned accidentally, but Finn hardly seemed to mind, sighing heavily at the sound. From there, it was a struggle not to make much noise beyond their panting breaths.
Damn it, she was in love with him.
Amelia’s head was swimming, her neck arching as he kissed it. In the ceiling lamp overhead, she saw the dark, scattered reflection of their bodies intertwined in the blanket. Amelia knew she was getting closer and closer—so was Finn, as his breath began to shorten, pace quickening. It didn’t take long for the culmination of touch and pleasure to peak, and Amelia struggled to bite back the choked, pleasureful cry in the back of her throat—gasping instead. Finn kissed her at that exact moment, swallowing the sound. He followed shortly after, the pace stuttering to an abrupt stop against her. Afterward, their breaths were the only sound left permeating the silent night.
Finn lifted his head and peered down at her, brow slowly furrowing with curiosity.
Amelia waited a moment for him to say something, and finally whispered, “You look a little spooked.”
He grinned. “Just a little.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know,” he whispered back, and his lips quirked upward. “I feel good, but I feel like I’m in trouble.”
She was on the pill if that’s what he meant, and he had definitely seen her take it before. Amelia couldn’t hold back the smile that rose, pulling him closer to her. “No trouble.”
The remark earned her a breathy chuckle when she looked at him again, smiling brightly this time. Finn dipped down between her hands and kissed her lazily. “You need sleep, darling.”
Darling.
Her heart soared at the word.
“Then I need to get dressed,” she said, nodding for him to get off her.
Finn’s gaze flickered downward. “Is that necessary?”
She bit her lip. “Not if I sleep in your bed.”
“Well.” He kissed her again, lingering against her lips as his voice rumbled, “Let’s go, then.”
Chapter Thirteen
Of all the turns that the night could take, Finn expected this one the least. To think, that very morning, he sat through a last-minute meeting and continued through the day as though nothing was happening. Now, Amelia was fast asleep in his bed, in the dead of night, following a harrowing—then pleasureful—evening on the other side of town. Finn dressed quickly and paused to look at her when he finished. Amelia suggested the move to his bedroom and hadn’t objected to any of the advances that followed. It made for the most blissful night of his life.
But it was time to set that aside and get back to what he was doing before he was interrupted. Pulling his boots on, Finn opened and closed the door carefully, leaving her behind in the bedroom. The police would likely surface at her home the following day, so he had a limited amount of time to conduct his own investigation—which he deemed necessary after talking to the officer.
Finn left for the rooftop, per the usual routine of traveling through the Ether. From there, it was a simple trip back to the outskirts of the city, where Cat and Amelia’s home was. The street was dead quiet when he arrived, just as he expected, save for his boots scraping against the walkway. Finn carefully scanned the outside first. There were no signs of anything strange, nothing the police hadn’t already seen. Except, of course, for the broken doorway, which was now taped up.
Naturally, the door was no barrier for him. Even within the Ether, he could taste the staleness of the home as he entered it, dust particles floating around the moonlit room. It was sad to see their living space in such a state, and he couldn’t step anywhere without something snapping under his weight. While he scanned the carnage, it was disturbing to think that Amelia had come home to find this all alone, with books and debris strewn all over the ground. Finn took every detail into account as he wandered further into the kitchen, scanning the area for clues—pausing when something caught his attention.
Or, more likely, it was someone. The sound of footsteps walking around the second level of the house, directly above his head.
Finn slid his gaze up to the ceiling, jaw tensing as he tracked the movements. They were slow and reluctant, the same as his. And, most importantly, they also resonated within the Ether.
Whoever it was, they were a supernatural being.
Finn couldn’t make out a demonic aura, but that was no longer a reliable gauge. Evidently, all sorts of things had been slipping by him lately. Finn took one step toward the stairs, still eyeing the ceiling, and the upstairs footsteps took two. At that point, he was ready to bolt up there himself. Finn nearly did, until the person suddenly sauntered out of the room above the kitchen. They’d been walking around in Cat’s room, he realized.
Finn’s defenses lowered a bit as they assumed a casual pace down the stairs. He realized then that it wasn’t a demon he’d caught in the house—it was an angel.
Finn stared at it from across the room, and the angel stared back. His irises were as pale as the night, and he had the blonde hair to match them.
“Who are you?” Finn asked the angel as it approached, his voice settling as they both exited the Ether, shifting back into the staleness of the house.
“That doesn’t matter,” the angel said.
“It does when you’re outside your district,” Finn answered. “No offense, but I don’t recognize you.”
“Nor do you need to. I’m just here to do my job. I won’t get in your way.”
“Your job?” Finn furrowed a brow. “I don’t remember assigning anyone to this incident.”
“So untrusting.” He tilted his head. “When’s the last time you saw an angel?”
“Beg pardon? You mean apart from my right-hand man? Just a few months ago.”
“And when’s the last time you trusted one?”
Finn arched a brow. “You give your opinions very decidedly to people you don’t know. Unfortunately, I don’t trust anyone I don’t know, either.”
“Maybe you should try it.”
“You’re getting a little too comfortable,” Finn said, narrowing his eyes. “Answer my question. Since you’re here, I assume someon
e sent you.”
“Is that what you’ve concluded?”
“It’s what I suspect. I also note that you were in Cat’s room—were you investigating, or is she someone particular to you?”
The angel leveled a flat stare. “That is private.”
“No, it isn’t,” Finn asserted. “Nothing’s private that concerns these humans.”
“Why, because Amelia Var Hart is yours?”
Finn clenched his jaw. “Varis,” he corrected darkly. “How do you know about that?”
“We learn about things that are relevant to us.”
“And how am I relevant to you?”
The angel nodded. “Because you’re Finn Regis.”
“You know my name—does my reputation precede me?”
“Absolutely.”
Finn stared at him. “And Cat?”
“Catherine is...” he hesitated. “My human.”
This was good news. At least the angel was here of his own accord, acting on behalf of his human—Finn wouldn’t have liked the implication in any other case.
“If she’s your human and you’re concerned for her, why didn’t you seek me out sooner?” he asked. “I imagine you’ve seen everything these girls have had to endure.”
“The things Amelia’s had to endure, you mean—not Catherine. She’s the one who dragged her misfortune into her friend’s life.”
“All the more reason to seek me out, knowing their association. Why haven’t you?”
“That doesn’t matter.” The angel said, looking around the room. “We’re here for the same reason. Because what happened here wasn’t the work of a human.” He gestured to the space. “Why else would the neighbors not have seen or heard anything?”
“I suspected that myself.” Finn crossed his arms. “I’ve been trailing a creature without a face. I suspect it had something to do with this.”
“Without a face?”
“Yes,” he said. “I was made aware of it the first time I visited a museum with Amelia. An earthbound spirit told me about it afterward. The Shadow People confirmed that—”
“You went to see the Shadow People?” the angel interjected. “And that worked out for you?”
“As far as I’m aware, it was fine…” Finn mumbled. “They weren’t as helpful as I wanted them to be.”
The angel looked off to the side. “I don’t even know where I’d begin to look for Shadow People in my district…”
“And where exactly is that?”
“Out west,” the angel said. “Where Catherine’s parents live.”
There was a pause. “So, you learned of this incident and traveled here to check on her?”
“That’s what the situation required, so yes.”
“And then you’ll leave?”
“Of course,” the angel said. “What else is there to do?”
Finn stared at him. “What exactly is your relationship with Cat?”
“My what?”
“Your relationship. Are you close with her?”
“Close?” the angel repeated incredulously. “Absolutely not.”
“Why so earnest?”
“Because we’re not supposed to have relationships with them.”
Finn fell silent for a moment. “What’s your name?”
“I thought we agreed that didn’t matter.”
“Cat and Amelia are staying with me. If you want news about them, or to check on Cat at any point, I have to know who you are.”
The angel sighed. “Tobias.”
“Alright, Tobias,” Finn said. “Thank you for your help with this.”
“Sure.” The angel shrugged. “If our suspicions are correct, and whatever did this wasn’t human, then things will only escalate.”
“They can’t get much worse than this,” Finn said, looking at the torn-up couch.
“Believe me. They can.”
Finn shook his head. “Amelia is human. So is Catherine. Creatures of the Ether can terrorize them if we let them, but direct contact is forbidden.”
“I know. But if it’s something unfamiliar to us, it could be more dangerous than we thought.”
“Don’t worry, I’m determined to find out more about it,” Finn sighed heavily. “Sooner, rather than later.”
Tobias eyed him curiously. “I can tell you care a lot about your human.”
“Yes, I do.”
“And since you asked about my relationship with Catherine, I can’t help but wonder if there’s something special about yours.”
“Nothing in particular,” Finn said cautiously, looking at him. “I’m just close to my human.”
“I see,” Tobias answered gravely. “Be careful with that. There might be consequences.”
“Like what?” Finn asked. “The higher-ups might not be happy, but beyond that, I don’t see a problem.”
“I don’t know, I’m just telling you to be careful.” Tobias paused. “Do it for Catherine, at the very least. I wouldn’t want to see her lose her friend, for any reason.”
Finn regarded him a moment and nodded. “That’s not going to happen.”
“Thanks,” Tobias said. “I guess I’ll be going now. I can tell you there’s nothing else here, spare you the trouble of looking. If I learn anything, I’ll reach out to you.”
“As will I.”
“Thank you.” He nodded. “Goodbye.”
With that, Finn watched as Tobias rippled into the nothingness of the Ether, wisps of light and magic drifting along with him. In his absence, the conversation left Finn drained.
When he first became Amelia’s guardian, he questioned the assignment. As he stood in the wreckage of her home, he began to realize its necessity. Perhaps someone, somewhere knew that her life would take a turn in this direction—or maybe it was already in turmoil, and all the carnage that followed was inevitable by association. Or perhaps there was more to the bigger picture than Finn knew, which would explain why all these strange events were happening at once.
At the very least, it could have been the natural consequence of Finn’s entire life. The result of all his choices—his schemes and affiliations—which he never cared much for. Mostly, because he never had much to lose. As he looked around the dusty room, Finn hardly wanted to accept that the latter was the case. That his closeness with Amelia could have drawn this creature into her life.
Once he finally returned to the house, Finn slipped quietly back into his room. He undressed as Amelia rolled over to the other side of the bed, her slender hand resting on his pillow. Finn knelt at the edge of the bed, taking her wrist in his hand. He appraised her lovingly, chuckling at how her face smooshed against the pillow underneath it. Yet still, she remained fast asleep as he slipped under the sheets—careful not to wake her as he took her into his arms.
Let her wake in the morning and know how happy he was to have her there.
Chapter Fourteen
At the behest of her parents, Cat flew home after the break-in, leaving Amelia alone with the boys the following week. The investigation at their house took another two days to complete, at which point they were free to move back in.
To Amelia’s delight and dismay, the police hadn’t discovered anything stolen. But there weren’t any fingerprints, either—nothing to suggest a motive for the break-in, save for terrorizing them. Amelia was reluctant to impose upon her hosts and was relieved at Finn’s immediate insistence that she stay longer—at least until Cat was back.
Afterward, the three of them continued to live quite harmoniously throughout the week. Amelia pulled extra weight with chores and loved hearing about their work at the end of the day. She quickly learned that Alaric was quite the antithesis to Finn’s personality—which she found infinitely amusing—and appreciated how well they got along anyway, professionally and personally.
Meanwhile, on Amelia’s end, there was only one problem that persisted throughout the week.
“Excuse me?” she muttered as she approached Finn and Alaric on the couch, sportin
g a pair of shorts and a tank top. “I need to ask a huge favor...”
Finn was sitting cross-legged, and Alaric with his feet kicked up on the coffee table. Both were surrounded by mountains of work, pushing their fifth pot of coffee. The whole thing seemed like an inhumane punishment, considering it was a Saturday morning. Amelia couldn’t help but wonder about the metabolic rate buzzing through their bodies. Five pots of coffee would’ve had her tasting colors.
Finn looked up at the sound of Amelia’s voice, detaching from the computer in his lap. Alaric followed suit, and both stared up at her—coffee mugs in hand.
“What is it?” Finn asked.
“So, Nyxie’ fur is still a little matted, and kind of smells from when she was outside. I think she might’ve gotten in a puddle or something. I’d like to use your sink or your bathtub, to give her a bath.”
Finn glanced at the docile creature that leaped onto the armchair beside her. “Why is that a favor?” he asked. “Do you need help?”
“No, I’ll just be taking up the bathroom and all. It could also possibly get a little messy, but I’ll clean everything up when I’m done.”
Finn smiled, raising the mug to his lips. “That’s not a favor, darling. Do whatever you want.”
“Thank you,” she sighed happily, feeling a bit relieved.
Her eyes fell to Nyxie, and the cat immediately shot off the armchair, bolting away from the scene. It was like she knew exactly what was coming. Finn chuckled as Amelia darted after the creature, catching her at the end of the hall.
Just before closing the bathroom door, she heard Alaric mumble, “Cat bath—you ever heard of that?”
Clearly, he’d never owned a cat.