Protected in Darkness (Misplaced Halos, 1)

by Nicole Edwards

  “And?” Taayin frowned. “What the hell was it? And why did it happen?”

  He had no idea, so he offered up nothing.

  Taayin’s blue eyes remained locked on his face. “It seems the amnigh’s having quite the effect on … all of us.”

  “How’s that even possible?”

  “You got me. Then again, we’ve never been in the presence of a warrior who’s found his amsouelot. I assume that wasn’t the first time you got your freak on. Something must’ve happened to inspire the event.”

  “What time was it?” he asked.

  “Oh, I don’t know. This morning. Maybe six thirty. Seven.”

  About the time he’d been talking to Penelope. His thoughts drifted to that moment when he’d been buried deep inside her, the taste of her blood on his tongue when she’d scored her thumb. Something had definitely transpired between them then.

  Not that he intended to explain himself to the male. “I have no idea. You’ll have to let me know if it happens again.”

  “Great.” Taayin huffed. “Just what we don’t need. Some strange sexual energy plaguing the masses.”

  “Yeah, well, at least you’ve got options.”

  “I’m not sure the heurosp are pleased by this phenomenon. It affected them as well.” Taayin laughed. “Wonder how the human fared.”

  Considering Oliver’s inappropriate behavior toward his sister, Obsidian hoped it was painful.

  “What else is going on?” he asked, hoping to move on to a more appropriate subject.

  “I need to have a few minutes of Penelope’s time,” he said simply. “For her palm print and iris scan.”

  “She should be down shortly.”

  Getting to his feet, Taayin headed for the door, pausing with his hand on the knob. “I know it’s not my business, but would it be possible to keep me in the loop once … once you’ve determined the timing for the lintamair?”

  “It’ll be awhile.”

  Taayin turned to face him, confusion wrinkling his brow. “Awhile? But I thought that was the goal. To bring the amsouelots here, to undergo the lintamair. Ensure their safety. Why—”

  Holding up a hand, Obsidian cut him off. “She needs time to get accustomed before I look to her to make a decision that will alter the course of her life.” And ultimately result in her death.

  Obsidian could tell Taayin wanted to argue, but for whatever reason, he chose not to.

  “Is that all you had for me?” he asked before Taayin could slip out.

  “Actually, I wanted to tell you—”

  A knock sounded on the door.

  Taayin pulled it open and Stygian stuck his head in, a wide grin on his face.

  “Well, I’ll be damned.” Obsidian shot to his feet, walked over to the male.

  “To tell you Stygian’s coming home,” Taayin mumbled, evidently late on delivering the news.

  An embrace ensued between Obsidian and his brother, with some powerful back slapping tacked on.

  “What the hell are you doing here?” Obsidian asked, peering around him to see who else had arrived.

  “Backup.”

  “What about your amsouelot?”

  Stygian shook his head. “No luck. Not yet, anyway. Søren’s working day and night.”

  “And the others?”

  “Aphotic’s locked in on his.” The male smirked. “She’s giving him a run for his money.”

  “Is that so?” Didn’t surprise him. Aphotic was the youngest, the party boy, one might say. He had a way with the ladies, so it only made sense that the one he would need most would make him earn it.

  “Serves him right,” Stygian added. “I talked to Cimmerian a little while ago. He’s in California right now, tracking down a lead. Last I heard, Piceous was in New York, but no luck on that front, either. Shadow’s in Canada. I think he’s closing in.”

  “And Eclipse?”

  A wide grin formed on Stygian’s mouth. “Believe it or not, his female’s right here.”

  Obsidian frowned. “In Darkness?”

  “Telluride. But he’s heading home now.” Stygian peered around the room. “And Penelope? When do we get to meet her?”

  He peered up at the ceiling. “She should be down any minute.”

  “Phillip said the evening meal’s about ready. Perfect timing, huh?”

  Yeah. Perfect timing.

  “You think maybe you could get a haircut while you’re here?” Obsidian joked, although Stygian’s hair was getting long, a few inches past his shoulders.

  “I think I’ll grow it out.”

  “Great. You’ve got long hair, Eclipse has a mohawk, Aphotic’s sporting mutton chops. What’s next?”

  “I’d say you could grow some facial hair,” Stygian teased, “but you’re the only one of us who can’t.”

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah.” Obsidian grinned, glad to have his brother home.

  A ruckus sounded from the kitchen, drawing Obsidian and Stygian out of the office.

  “What’s going on?” Obsidian prompted, scanning the grim faces of all the males standing around.

  “We’ve got a problem,” Reidar growled softly, his eyes never leaving Oliver, who was leaning casually against the counter, a glass of juice in his hand, looking like he hadn’t a care in the world.

  “What?” Oliver asked, grinning. “You’re telling me I don’t have the right to call my girlfriend? She deserves to know where I’m at. Now she does.”

  Oh, fuck.

  Footsteps sounded from the front of the house, slowing as they neared. All eyes shifted that way, awaiting the new arrival to step into the kitchen.

  “I didn’t expect a party,” Eclipse said, his eyes quickly scanning all the occupants. “Well, fuck me running. What’s wrong?”

  Reidar relayed the condensed version to Eclipse.

  All eyes locked on Oliver again. For a brief moment, Obsidian almost felt sorry for the male. He had absolutely no idea the trouble he’d caused.

  “How long before she can get here?” Taayin asked, the question aimed at no one in particular.

  “Worst case, a few hours,” Reidar stated, his gruff tone reflecting the displeasure he found in the fact. “I figure we might as well get prepared.”

  Which meant only one thing. Obsidian peered over at Stygian then Eclipse.

  “Throw it up, boys,” Reidar announced.

  Nodding at his brothers, Obsidian let his senses flare out over the mansion. When he felt his brothers’ energies, their efforts combined, effectively throwing up a shield to disguise the mansion from anyone and everyone. Though it was invisible to angels, the dhira settled over the property, making it appear as a vast nothingness. The cloak wasn’t as powerful as it could’ve been if all his brothers were there, but it would work for the time being.

  “I’m going to get Penelope,” Obsidian informed Reidar. “You team up with Mordecai and Magnar. Get me a bead on Seraphina.”

  The male nodded, then everyone dispersed.

  PENELOPE HAD JUST STEPPED OUT OF OBSIDIAN’S bedroom, intending to take the stairs down to the main floor, when Obsidian came strolling around the corner, his long legs bringing him down the hall toward her. His brow was furrowed, his mouth a thin line and she imagined his eyes were glowing behind the dark lenses.

  She came to a stop before him, reaching out to touch his chest. His hard body seemed to lean into her. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing yet, but…” He exhaled heavily as he pulled her into his arms, his lips brushing the top of her head as he bent down. “Your brother called Seraphina. Gave her our location. Or what he thought was our location, anyway.”

  She inhaled sharply, pulled back enough to look into his face. “Why would he do that?”

  Obsidian motioned in the direction of the stairs, taking her hand in his. “In his defense, we didn’t tell him what’s going on. I doubt he meant to cause problems, but…”

  Even if it was unintentional, he most definitely did.

  “He doesn’t re
alize his girlfriend’s a demon so he called to check in?” She felt weird even saying the words.

  “We need to bring him up to speed.”

  Yeah, unfortunately, they did. She wasn’t eager to see Oliver’s reaction, but he did deserve the truth. No matter how unrealistic it sounded.

  They took the back stairs down to the main floor. As they emerged from the stairway, Penelope could hear the sounds of people working. Footsteps traipsing through, pots being set down, a rush of whispered commands.

  When they stepped into the kitchen, the first thing she noticed was the metal shutters at the back of the house had retracted, the lights inside reflecting off the dark glass. The second was that she couldn’t see a single thing outside, not even the lights in the swimming pool.

  “Why’s it so dark?” She moved closer, stepping up into the sunroom.

  Obsidian moved behind her, placed his big fingers gently on her temples. Suddenly she could see clearly out into the night. The pool lights were on, coloring the water a teal blue. The patio lights highlighted the empty furniture. In the distance, a sliver of moon cast the tall trees and mountains surrounding the property in silhouette.

  When Obsidian removed his fingers, it went pitch black once more.

  “It’s an illusion,” he explained. “A cloak my brothers and I erected to shield the property. Only angels can see through it.”

  Well, wasn’t that fun?

  Obsidian took her hand and led her back down to the kitchen toward a set of pocket doors. He slid them open to reveal what she assumed was the formal dining room. Granted, cafeteria was more apt, only far more elegant. Several chandeliers matching the one in the foyer hung from the ceiling, brightening the space. There were several round tables scattered throughout, each large enough to seat probably a dozen people, each decked out with white tablecloths and fancy crystal vases in the center. Despite the opulence, everyone was congregating at the long table in the center of the room. The wooden top was covered by plates piled high with food, a few laptops and iPads scattered about.

  There were probably three times as many people present than there had been this morning in the library, and when Obsidian cleared his throat, the conversations died off and every pair of eyes seemed to focus on her.

  Two men instantly got to their feet, sauntering toward her.

  Penelope managed to remain rooted in place, rather than shrink back. Though all the men she’d met were on the larger end of the spectrum, these two were as imposing as Obsidian though not quite as tall. Both had black hair and dark glasses covering what she assumed were glowing silver irises, though they didn’t look much like Obsidian beyond that.

  “Penelope, I’d like you to meet Eclipse and Stygian.” There was pride in Obsidian’s voice. “My brothers.”

  Eclipse—the one with the mohawk—nodded his head in greeting. He was dressed head to toe in black, from his heavy combat boots to the leather pants and the black T-shirt that stretched across his enormous upper body. Aside from the intimidating attire, he was jaw-dropping handsome, with his modern goth haircut, and the dark stubble that covered his chiseled jaw.

  Stygian, on the other hand, looked like he’d just stepped out of a board meeting for bikers. He wore black slacks, a crisp white shirt, unbuttoned at the throat, sleeves rolled up to reveal tattoos covering both forearms. His silky onyx hair was parted down the middle and rested on his shoulders, and the sharp angles of his jaw weren’t sporting even a hint of a shadow.

  Both men smiled in greeting but neither offered a hand, clearly knowing their touch would cause her pain.

  “It’s nice to meet you,” she told them, trying her best not to stare, but it wasn’t easy.

  “The pleasure’s ours,” Stygian said firmly before gesturing toward the table. “Come join us. We didn’t mean to start without you, but, well … growing boys and all.”

  Penelope smiled up at him. There was a kindness about him that seemed at odds with the hard lines of his face and the intimidating aura.

  With Obsidian’s hand firmly on her lower back, she moved around to the seat he guided her to, directly across from his brothers. He took the one next to her. As she took her seat, she briefly glanced over at Oliver, smiled. He didn’t return the gesture, instead glaring before dropping his eyes to the table.

  “We’ll do formal introductions later,” Eclipse said, his eyes trailing to the other end of the table. “For now, I’d like an update.”

  A man wearing a three-piece black suit appeared beside Penelope, setting a plate on the table in front of her. Another did the same for Obsidian.

  Pancakes, eggs, and bacon, thank goodness. Needless to say, relief filled her. She wasn’t used to eating dinner when she first woke up, though she knew some people preferred it. Then again, it was technically morning for them since they slept during the day—or she assumed they did since they were restricted from going out in the sunlight.

  “We’ll start with you, Magnar,” Eclipse said even as he began shoveling pancakes in his mouth.

  A dark-haired man sitting beside Reidar spoke up. “I’ve got a lead on Perfidious, Seraphina, and Sirius.”

  With her fork halfway to her mouth, Penelope peered down the table at the man. “Did you say Sirius?”

  “He’s a demon—”

  Before he could launch into an explanation, she grabbed Obsidian’s forearm. “My friend Winnie … the one in California. She mentioned that name. Said he was visiting her in the bar she works at.” She seriously doubted the name was all that common.

  Several men began tapping the keyboards of their laptops.

  “He’s been in Los Angeles for the past couple of months,” Reidar stated, meeting her gaze. “Is that where your friend is?”

  “Yes.”

  Obsidian motioned toward Reidar. “Find her ASAP.”

  He was already pushing away from the table. “And when I do?”

  “Keep an eye on her. If push comes to shove, bring her here.”

  “So, that’s a thing with you?” Oliver grumbled. “Just think you can snatch people off the street? You know they call that kidnapping.”

  “We call it ensuring you live,” Eclipse countered, clearly not amused by Oliver’s outburst.

  “From where I sit, you’re the dangerous ones,” Oliver retorted.

  “Your girlfriend’s a demon,” Penelope told her brother.

  Oliver glared at her. “Fuck you, Opie. I know you don’t like her, but watch yourself.”

  She cringed when he used the nickname she detested.

  Obsidian snarled, silverware dropping to his plate with a clatter. “I suggest you change your tone.”

  “Or what?”

  Obsidian snapped his fingers and suddenly Oliver couldn’t open his mouth. His eyes bugged out as he attempted to separate his lips.

  “Please don’t.” Penelope squeezed Obsidian’s arm. “He doesn’t mean anything by it.”

  Obsidian peered over at her, eyes blazing with fury. She wasn’t sure she’d ever seen him so angry.

  “The male lacks respect,” the man at the far end said, his blue eyes as hot as Obsidian’s. “It was too kind, as far as I’m concerned.”

  There was a rumble of agreement from the others.

  Well, she couldn’t very well argue with them. For some reason, Oliver wasn’t her biggest fan. And she seriously doubted this debacle was going to change his tune anytime soon.

  The man at the end of the table turned his laptop toward Oliver. “This your girlfriend?”

  Oliver squinted toward the screen, nodded.

  “Did you happen to catch the headline on that article?” The man pointed at the top of the screen, which was still directed at Oliver. “Stripper found dead in bathroom stall at club. Died of natural causes. Five weeks ago.”

  Obsidian snapped his fingers, giving Oliver control of his mouth once more.

  “That’s not possible,” Oliver blurted, his voice pitched higher than before. “She’s in my apartment right now.�
�

  “No,” Stygian said, drawing out the word as though he was talking to a child. “Seraphina consumed the female’s soul, took on her appearance. It’s one of their tricks. You, my friend, have been getting down and dirty with a demon.”

  For the first time, Oliver looked surprised, maybe even a little ill.

  “And since Lucifer’s orders are to kill Penelope so he can acquire her soul and Obsidian’s,” Stygian continued, “we assume Seraphina inserted herself in your life for leverage.”

  “Lucifer?” Oliver nearly choked. “The devil?”

  “Yes,” Stygian confirmed, but his attention returned to Obsidian. “I think it’s safe to say, they’ll make their way here.”

  “At the same time,” the man at the other end added, “Lucifer’ll likely double his efforts to find the other amsouelots.”

  Obsidian’s gaze turned to the man sitting beside Eclipse. “Søren? Any word from Michael?”

  The man looked up, pinned Obsidian with a cold blue stare. “He’s refused our request.”

  “Request for what?” Penelope asked, curiosity getting the best of her.

  “For reinforcements,” Stygian noted with a shrug. “I figured it wouldn’t hurt to try again.”

  Clearly bad news based on their expressions.

  “I do have a suggestion,” the man at the end said.

  “Go ahead, Mordecai,” Obsidian urged.

  Mordecai took a deep breath, exhaled slowly. “I think it might be beneficial if Obsidian and Penelope hole up here for a little while. We can take Gerran, Gryffyth, and Alden, split them up, help the others locate their amsouelots. At the same time, you won’t be without backup. With Reidar and Taayin here, you’ll have more than enough support.”

  “I’d like to request I go in the field,” Acadia said, speaking for the first time. “Asmia can remain here to serve you.”

  Penelope noticed the Fae looked everywhere but at her.

  “It’s not a bad idea,” Eclipse said.

  “Which part?” Obsidian asked.

  “All of it. Since Miklós has tracked my amsouelot to Telluride, I’ll remain in residence. They can take Stian, Ajax, and Cayden with them. Miklós and Magnar will remain back with me.”