Protected in Darkness (Misplaced Halos, 1)

by Nicole Edwards

  Not because he was a saint, by any means. No, more like he preferred less complicated relations. When it came to sex, he ventured outside to sate his baser urges. Now that he’d made the formal introduction to his amsouelot, Obsidian wouldn’t be able to bear the touch of another female, Fae or otherwise.

  However, he did require a Fae for feeding. At least until his amsouelot provided her blood as nourishment.

  The thought had him remembering Penelope’s fascination with vampires. He wondered if she’d be surprised to find out how much the Angels of Darkness had in common with them.

  “Where’s Taayin?” Obsidian asked Gryffyth when Acadia disappeared.

  “In the library. Doing research. With Asmia.”

  He nodded though he seriously doubted the lieterra and the Fae were nose deep in a book.

  “And Reidar?”

  “He sent me and Gerran back here. Said he’d be along shortly. He was making a detour after he had a chat with Penelope’s guardian.”

  Curiosity got the best of him. “Who’s her GA?”

  “Stig.”

  Obsidian didn’t know the angel personally, but he suspected the male was a suitable guardian for his female. He’d yet to meet a guardian angel who had failed at his or her duties to protect the humans they were responsible for. Considering the rules they had to follow when it came to interfering, Obsidian doubted it was an easy job.

  After finishing his beer, Obsidian tossed the bottle in the recycle bin. “Tell Reidar I want a meeting at nightfall.”

  “Of course.”

  Without further ado, Obsidian headed up the stairs to his private quarters, otherwise known as the largest bedroom in the five-bedroom house. It was nothing compared to the Colorado compound, but it worked for their needs.

  He sensed the Fae before he stepped inside. Acadia had changed out of her gown into her white robes, which covered her from neck to toe. Her dark hair was secured on top of her head in some sort of intricate knot, fingers clasped tightly as she sat primly on the bed awaiting his arrival.

  One of the reasons he preferred to feed from Acadia was her understanding that he preferred silence when he fed. Obsidian wasn’t big on conversation, and he felt no need to turn an already intimate act into something more than it needed to be. However, he wasn’t so selfish that he couldn’t provide her with what she needed.

  “When’s the last time you fed?” he asked her.

  Purple eyes lifted. “Two days, but Alden’s offered.”

  Grateful she wouldn’t need to siphon his emotions, Obsidian nodded, then took a seat beside her as she pulled the sleeve back from her wrist, then held up her arm.

  Because he’d interacted with his amsouelot, the touch of another female would cause tremendous pain so he did his best not to touch her more than necessary. Acadia must’ve realized because she used her other hand to hold her arm securely. The instant he leaned forward, his fangs elongated, preparing to pierce her vein. A second later, Obsidian sank into her flesh, fueling himself on the blood required to maintain his existence.

  When Michael had presented his plan to God, requesting that an army of warriors be sent to Earth to guard humanity, the Father of Creation had decided to put a few rules in place. His attempt to keep them in line, Obsidian figured. In an effort to keep their existence a secret from the humans, they were only able to venture out in darkness. And as a means of keeping track of them, God required them to feed on the blood of a Fae. His theory was it would keep them from going rogue if they were tethered to others, plus, with the Fae’s blood flowing in their veins, He would always have a bead on them. The only human blood that could sustain an angel was that of their amsouelot.

  Considering his vast capabilities as a warrior, Obsidian knew the pros far outweighed the cons.

  Several minutes passed before Obsidian released Acadia’s arm. She quickly sealed the wound on her wrist, then nodded before disappearing as she was known to do.

  As expected, it only took a few minutes of quiet before his body hardened, the need for release becoming his main focus as thoughts of Penelope invaded. He’d done well to ignore it back at the hotel, though he couldn’t deny he’d hoped she would end up in his bed tonight.

  Obsidian set aflame two candles using his mind, needing a distraction. From his perch on the bed, he stared at the wall, replaying the events of the evening in his mind. Already he missed Penelope, but it helped somewhat to know he had a direct link to her emotions. She would also have a direct link to his, should she figure out how to tune in.

  When thoughts of her flooded his brain, Obsidian paced the floor of his bedroom. He stared at the bed and wondered if he would one day share this one with his amsouelot. He’d waited so damn long to have her in his life, it was difficult to think he’d be sleeping alone for now.

  His body was assaulted with sensual heat, the need to assuage the desire powerful enough to steal his breath. From the very moment he’d learned of Penelope’s identity, Obsidian had refrained from taking pleasure in another. Three weeks wasn’t all that long for abstinence, but for an angel, it was an eternity.

  When clothing became too much to bear, he stripped it off, continued to pace. It was the only option for fighting the all-consuming need. While angels harnessed a tremendous amount of power and abilities, there was one major flaw in their design: an overwhelming sexual desire. That was the case for all creatures labeled as misplaced halos. Angels outside of Heaven’s gates, vampires, fairies, incubi, succubi. The list went on and on, consisting of what humans mostly believed were myths.

  Of course, many believed angels felt nothing, had no humanity, much less a sense of desire, but that wasn’t the case. While fallen angels were little more than immortal humans, those of them who’d been assigned to watch over the humans endured emotions and needs on a much grander scale. Quite frankly, the sexual urges were damn near unmanageable.

  Masturbation, though a useful tool, did not sate the urge, it merely muted it for a brief time. Unlike with humans, sex was not a social construct, a biological requirement for reproduction. And what had baffled human psychologists for ages regarding why their species wanted or needed sex would’ve sent them into hyperspace if they understood the bearing it had on angels. Sex was a vicious necessity that had to be tended to, otherwise, vile things happened.

  Obsidian hissed when his knees weakened, his chest expanding with every labored breath, the pain reaching intolerable levels.

  Walking eventually became too much of a torment for his cock, forcing him to drop to the bed, feet on the floor, flat on his back, staring up at the ceiling as the sensual pain called to him. There was only one way to eliminate it, albeit temporarily. Obsidian focused on breathing, refusing to touch himself until he was on the verge of bringing down the house with the force of his restraint.

  The instant he gripped his cock, he hissed. The damn appendage was so fucking sensitive, the simple stroke had pleasure darting through every limb. It wouldn’t take long, but as had been the case in recent weeks, Obsidian closed his eyes, envisioned Penelope. The female he’d already dedicated his life, his love to. One day she would be his ereswa, and he would cherish her until the end of time.

  Obsidian didn’t ravish Penelope in his fantasy, knowing that would only make things worse. The more he wanted her, the more intense the need would become, so for now, he was satisfied with picturing her in his mind as he stroked his cock faster, harder. Seconds turned to minutes as he held out, enjoying the pleasure of his own touch, thinking of his amsouelot, forcing the erotic fantasies away.

  Despite his best efforts, an image slipped into his mind and his hips jerked upward, driving his cock into his fist. He envisioned Penelope kneeling before him, her sweet lips…

  “Fuck!” His teeth clamped together, back bowing as his release tore through him, ripping a howl from his throat.

  It took long minutes to settle, to force himself into the shower. That was all he would allow himself, knowing that in the end, once Penel
ope was with him, he would be relieved for all of eternity.

  Once he was clean, Obsidian padded to the bed, fell into it. Closing his eyes, he thought of Penelope for as long as he could before he succumbed to sleep.

  Chapter Four

  Tuesday, July 23, 2019

  “YOU DUMB ASS,” SERAPHINA HISSED. “IT’S NOT hard. Get in the car and drive. Wait until she’s walking out in the open, then run. Her. Over.”

  Though the empty eyes merely stared back at her, Seraphina hoped the impietan could process the simple order. It was about as reliable as a rat, but short of handling the task herself, she had no other options. She didn’t care who the orders had come from, she was not going to waste her time or energy on that little prissy princess. For one, Seraphina couldn’t understand what any male worth his salt would see in her. She was human.

  “Do I make myself clear?” She glared at the thing still staring back at her.

  The impietan cocked his head to the side, as though he couldn’t translate the words.

  “Fucking idiot,” she mumbled.

  Since she’d rendered it mute upon turning the pathetic male into a mindless, soulless demon, she’d get nothing in return. She’d found this little bastard in the back alley behind a casino. He’d just relieved another stupid human of her purse and was digging through it to claim his bounty. Seraphina had enjoyed raining on his parade.

  Though it remained in the human husk, that was about the only trait it shared with them. Inside was a cold, dead mass covered in the skin from its former life. Unlike the demons who emerged from Hell, the impietans had no worth other than extreme disruption and violence. And as a means of self-preservation, the things expired after three days, their souls banished to Hell for eternity, where Lucifer could do cruel and unthinkable things to them.

  “Go! Run her over.”

  It turned and left.

  Seraphina grabbed the glass of wine, tapped her fingernails on it as she peered at her reflection in the window. She smiled, admiring her upgraded body. Even a month in, it was holding up well. Thanks to the slutty waitress at the strip club, Seraphina was blessed with long black tresses, big tits, a tiny waist, and a rather impressive behind. The first thing she’d done was discard the hideous wine-red lipstick and atrocious fake eyelashes, which had been an immediate improvement.

  She licked her glossy fire-engine-red lips and smiled.

  “It’s true what they say. The devil is in the details.”

  She remembered how worked up the human male had gotten when he’d first caught sight of her. Truth be told, Oliver Calazans wasn’t as pitiful as she’d thought he would be. Quite the opposite, really. The male had stamina to rival that of any demon she’d encountered, and quite frankly, Seraphina happened to enjoy his selfless acts. Especially those that involved that wicked tongue.

  It was going to suck when she had to kill him.

  She fluffed her hair, seeing the light blue eyes peering back in the glass. “But orders are orders.”

  Perhaps she could keep his apartment when she was finished with him. Not like he would need the place.

  Even thinking about that shithole she’d been shacked up in made her shudder. Back before Oliver had invited her to move in with him. Rather quick, in her opinion, but who was she to deny the male his last wishes? If he wanted her in his bed every night, they could both reap the benefits until his dying breath.

  Now it was up to Perfidious. He’d finally arrived, his sole focus on the female they’d been sent to eliminate. One of the many amsouelots of those godforsaken warriors, all targets, their demise at the top of Lucifer’s agenda.

  Honestly, it had been ridiculously easy to find Penelope. Probably had a lot to do with the fact her brother was a sinner of the highest order even if he was rather good at hiding his many vices, including a sizable debt to some very unsavory people. And once Seraphina had homed in on him, finding the bitch had been easy-peasy.

  Her cell phone rang, drawing her attention from the window.

  “Yes, my lord,” Seraphina greeted Perfidious, using the title he’d insisted she use.

  “Rather cheerful, are you?”

  She grinned as she spun around to survey the living room. “If you must know, I’m enjoying my current assignment.”

  “Good. Because I expect you to hold on to it for a while.”

  With a controlled breath, Seraphina hid her disappointment. “How long’s a while?”

  “Until I tell you. For now, keep the male busy.”

  “Oh, that won’t be a problem.” Her eyes shot to the full-length mirror. She eyed the tiny scrap of lace that covered her sex, the demi bra that supported her tits, and the stilettos on her feet. Oliver would be home any minute, and she had a few surprises in store for him.

  “I didn’t think it would. In the meantime, I’m going to cozy up to the female.”

  Seraphina was tempted to call him out on the bimbo waitress he’d eliminated recently, but figured it was best to hold her tongue. She knew him. He did what he wanted, consequences be damned.

  She frowned. “That’s not the task. You’re supposed to eliminate her.”

  “All in due time, Seraphina. All in due time. There’s no reason I can’t enjoy my job, is there?”

  She didn’t respond, knowing the question was rhetorical. Perfidious didn’t need her permission to do anything. Not to mention, she wasn’t about to get on his bad side. Though she worked for him, Perfidious gave her plenty of room to roam. Crossing him would likely get her confined to whatever hellhole he was hiding out in.

  “That’s what I thought. However, I am going to need something from you.”

  “Anything, my lord.”

  “I’m going to require access to your body.”

  Heat bloomed inside her. “I’m looking forward to it.”

  “Be careful what you wish for,” Perfidious rasped. “I’m feeling a tad mean these days.”

  “Mmm.” Her scalp tingled with thoughts of Perfidious’s hands pulling her hair. Unlike the human, the demon had no problems asserting his dominance over her.

  “Are you thinking about me? About all the dirty things I’m going to do to you?” he asked, his voice deeper than before.

  “Just let me know when and where, my lord.”

  “Soon, my pet. Very, very soon.”

  The last thing Seraphina heard before she disconnected the call was a promising growl.

  The first thing Penelope did when she got home was go next door to Janice’s and feed Bill, the fat, fluffy gray cat her neighbor fancied.

  “Good news is, your mommy’ll be home later today,” she said aloud, though she knew Bill wasn’t listening.

  The feline didn’t care much for people, so even when she called out to him, he remained in hiding. She’d learned the first day that it wasn’t worth sticking around to see if he’d make an appearance, so Penelope rinsed out his water and food bowls, refilled them before locking up and going home.

  With energy to burn, she made a quick yet thorough pass through her apartment, cleaning from the baseboards to the ceiling fans and everything in between, finishing up with a pass of the vacuum cleaner. The effort relaxed her, though it did nothing to shut off her brain. More specifically, the delicious thoughts of Obsidian. She could still smell his rich, exotic scent, hear his deep, rumbling voice. For the first time in her life, she was completely enthralled by a man.

  Those lingering thoughts were what drove her to make a cup of coffee and settle into the thick, velvet-soft cushions of her sofa. It was her favorite piece of furniture in her apartment. The deep red with white pipe trimming the cushions made her happy.

  Penelope stared around the room, her thoughts drifting back to Obsidian. He’d certainly piqued her interest in the short amount of time she’d spent with him. She hadn’t meant to rush out of there so quickly, but she’d had no choice. Not only because she really did have to feed her neighbor’s cat, but also because she wasn’t sure she trusted herself in his presenc
e.

  Never had she met a man she’d considered sleeping with on the first date. Not before Obsidian. Yet the entire time she’d been with him, she’d imagined his hands on her body, the two of them falling into his bed, tangled in a heap as they moved together. Even before he’d kissed her in the elevator, Penelope had wondered what his lips would feel like. Now she could think of little else.

  Part of her wished she’d gotten his phone number. She would’ve loved to hear his voice right then. A giddy feeling trickled through her at the thought of having breakfast with him Thursday morning. Though only two sleeps away, it felt like an eternity from now.

  With the urge to tell someone about what had happened, Penelope grabbed her phone and dialed Winnie, the one and only friend she had back in California. She was a bartender, so Winnie’s schedule aligned with hers almost perfectly.

  “Hey, chickadee,” Winnie greeted with a laugh. “I was just about to call you. Make sure you’re alive after that cryptic text. I take it this isn’t a forced call seeking a ransom?”

  Chuckling at her friend’s odd sense of humor, Penelope assured her she was safe and sound.

  “Always a good thing,” Winnie said.

  Penelope settled into her sofa, stared at the television. “What are you doing?”

  “Watching Supernatural. Hold on, let me see which episode this is.” There was a brief pause. “Season nine, episode eight.”

  She grabbed her remote, clicked on the television, and hit the Netflix app, then searched for Supernatural. “Is it just starting?”

  “Yeppers.”

  It only took a second to pull up the episode Winnie was referring to and she smiled. “Start it over. We’ll watch it together.”

  “Done.”

  Back in California, she and Winnie would hang out on the weekends, binge-watching shows like The Originals and Supernatural as well as others they’d come to know and love over the years. When they weren’t watching television, they were devouring paranormal romance like it was going out of style.