Protected in Darkness (Misplaced Halos, 1)

by Nicole Edwards

  “Is there anything I can do to help?”

  He shrugged.

  “As for this lintamair,” she said softly. “What does it entail?”

  He purposely shook off the thought. No way could he even think about it now. Not if he expected to hold on to his sanity.

  “Before Asmia heads out with the others,” he told her, purposely changing the subject, “I was going to have her give Winnie a tour of the mansion. Figured you could facilitate.”

  Penelope’s eyes shuddered, her disappointment in his deflection clear. “Okay. And while I do that, what will you be doing?”

  “Talking to the fiestreigh. Getting their assignments nailed down. Perfidious and Seraphina are on the move. We need to be prepared for their arrival in Darkness. And we have to be on top of our game.”

  He exhaled heavily. His body was weary, growing more so by the hour. Considering he’d put off feeding for several days, it didn’t surprise him. Between his hand-to-hand with Stygian, healing Eclipse, and the amnigh keeping him and Penelope entangled, he knew he couldn’t put it off much longer.

  Her eyes locked on his but she didn’t say a word, so he slipped into her thoughts, cringed when he heard her silent question.

  Looking away, Obsidian gripped the back of Penelope’s neck and pulled her to him, her cheek pressing against his shoulder.

  “I have to feed,” he told her softly. “If I don’t…”

  “I know. That’s why you want Acadia to stay back. You prefer her.”

  “I prefer you, Penelope. But … I can’t. Not yet.”

  “I know.” There was a sadness in her words that had pain coiling in the pit of his stomach.

  When she pushed against him, getting to her feet, Obsidian didn’t stop her. This was something they would have to deal with, but it didn’t have to be right this minute.

  Obsidian got to his feet, feeling the weight of everything settling on his shoulders once more.

  “I’ll have Asmia come in,” he told her, then forced himself to leave.

  While this was an important subject, it could wait.

  It would have to.

  “FIRST OFF, LET ME SAY THAT IT’S a pleasure to have you here in the mansion,” Asmia blurted the instant she stepped into Obsidian’s private quarters. “I’ve been meaning to sit down and chat, but … well, as you can imagine, it’s been rather hectic.”

  Oh, Penelope knew all too well. Though she didn’t have a job to perform, she hadn’t had a lot of down time either. And while she was enjoying spending every waking moment with Obsidian, she was wishing she could do more to help his brothers.

  “Anyway, I’m really glad you’re here.”

  Realizing she hadn’t bothered to respond, Penelope forced a smile. “Thanks. I’m not sure how long I’ll be here, but I’m glad I’m here, too.”

  “What do you mean, how long?” she asked, her voice edged with concern, a wrinkle forming on her forehead.

  Penelope waved off her question. “Nothing. So.” She forced a smile. “You’re going to give Winnie a tour and they’ve nominated me along for the ride.”

  She’d known Obsidian’s request was more of a way to occupy her time since she’d seen all there was to see of the place. Winnie, on the other hand, hadn’t been out and about much these last few days.

  Penelope motioned for Asmia to lead the way, suddenly desperate to get out of the bedroom. She couldn’t stop thinking about Obsidian feeding from Acadia. The possessiveness that rolled through her bothered her on all levels. She’d never been that type of girl and she wasn’t fond of the feeling.

  When they stepped onto the third-floor landing, Asmia pulled the door closed behind them. The sound of tumblers locking into place followed.

  “Quite the security measures around here,” Penelope said, keeping her tone light.

  “The warriors value their privacy, but now that you’re here, it wouldn’t surprise me if Obsidian doesn’t add some additional security measures.”

  “Inside the mansion? Why would he need to do that?”

  “For a male, an amsouelot is their sole reason for existing. It’s in their nature to ensure their safety and security above all else. Should something happen, something that took their amsouelot from them, the male would cease to exist.”

  “He would die?” she asked as they took the stairs down to the second floor.

  “No. Angels are immortal. However, he would have no reason to live at that point. We spend our entire lives waiting for that one true love, the one person we put above anyone and anything else.”

  “We? You have an amsouelot, too?”

  “Yes. We all do.”

  “But this is all so new,” Penelope told her. As in only two weeks since the day they met. “How’s it even possible for him to want to put me above everything else?”

  “As a human, you’re taught not to rush into things, to allow it to grow and blossom. For us … the blossoming occurs prior to the meeting. Some humans have the benefit of experiencing different variations of love. For us, there’s only one.” Asmia motioned behind Penelope. “There’s Winnie now.”

  Penelope turned to see her friend strolling toward her, a wide grin on her face.

  “Sorry, I was in the shower when Reidar told me you were going to give me a tour.”

  Asmia smiled. “No worries. We’re in no hurry.”

  “So, tell us about this place,” Penelope said, smiling.

  “As you’ve probably noticed, the warriors built this place to be a fortress. While it may not look like it, there’re many levels of security. They wanted us all to have a safe place to go, where we didn’t have to worry about what might be coming to find us.”

  “Your enemies?” Winnie asked.

  Penelope had to wonder how much she’d learned in the short time she’d been here.

  “Yes.”

  “Are demons your only enemies?”

  Penelope smiled. No need to wonder how much Winnie knew. Looked as though Reidar had given her the details.

  “Not our only, no,” Asmia answered. “Humans, too. One of the rules of our presence here on Earth is that we’re to go undetected by humans. Which is why Darkness, Colorado, does not exist on a map. And even if humans knew of its existence, they couldn’t find it. Not even if they had the coordinates. For all intents and purposes, this place doesn’t exist.”

  “So if I left, I couldn’t find my way back,” Penelope asked.

  “Correct.”

  “What if that darkness shield wasn’t in place?”

  “Still couldn’t find it. You could walk the path up to the house, but before you got here, you’d be compelled to take a new direction.”

  Well, that sounded promising. At least as far as keeping the demons out.

  Asmia smiled, leading the way down a wide hallway on the second floor. “You might’ve already seen this, but it’s one of the game rooms. Pool table on this side, couches and television on the other. It’s a safe bet you’ll always find someone in here.”

  The large space was set up for entertaining and, at the moment, empty. A red-felt pool table and several recreational chairs and recliners scattered about took up one side of the room. There were pool sticks mounted to the wall, the decor matching the old-world style of the rest of the house. Past the pool table was a U-shaped couch, this one in brown leather, facing a wall with six television screens mounted to it. In the center of the sofa was a square coffee table.

  The large stone fireplace separating the spaces was identical to the others she’d seen, splitting the enormous area into two sections. The far side had a plush, U-shaped sofa facing the fireplace and the television mounted above it. A huge cushioned ottoman was tucked in the U, a decorative tray sitting atop it. The outer wall held bookshelves with various decor and books on every shelf. The other side of the room was a wrought iron railing that overlooked the main floor below. Penelope could hear someone moving around in the kitchen.

  “I have a question,” Winnie said.
“Not really related to the tour.”

  Asmia nodded. “I’ll do my best to answer.”

  “Are there any other angels on Earth?”

  Penelope smiled. It didn’t surprise her that Winnie was so curious. It was one of the many things they had in common.

  “Aside from the warriors and those who support them?” Asmia asked.

  “Yes.”

  “To be honest, that’s way above my pay grade. I’m here specifically to support the warriors. The information I receive is what they permit me to have.”

  Penelope and Winnie fell into step with the Fae as she led the way toward the front of the house.

  “All the rooms on this floor are for the fiestreigh. At least in the three wings that branch off. This one is a guest room, though until your brother arrived, we’d yet to have a guest.”

  When Asmia opened the door, Penelope stepped inside, took a look around. The space was as palatial as the rest of the house. High ceilings, inset bookcases, a sofa, along with one wall dedicated to an entertainment center, another with floor-to-ceiling windows, the drapes pulled back, offering a view of the dark mountains beyond. The bed was king-sized, the duvet a plush, silky blue to go along with the masculine design.

  They slipped out of the room, down the hall.

  Asmia continued to explain, “Each wing has dozens of private quarters as well as additional bathrooms and offices.”

  “Where’s your room?”

  She motioned to the left. “Looks much the same as the guest room. Only less blue, more purple.”

  They reached another hallway, turned left.

  “The only recreational room on the third floor is the movie theater, which you’ve seen. Down here, we’ve got the library, the males’ hangout, and—”

  “The males have a hangout? Like a man cave?”

  Asmia giggled. “Yes. No females allowed. On the main floor, you’ve got the kitchen and community spaces. Dining room, ballroom, office, laundry.”

  “I saw the indoor pool,” Winnie told them.

  Penelope smiled to herself. She remembered an encounter she’d had with Obsidian in that pool.

  “Yes,” Asmia explained. “Olympic-sized swimming pool, hot tub, sauna. There’s also an indoor basketball court and a fully equipped workout room.”

  “You never have to leave, huh?” Winnie said.

  “Not unless we’re going to work, no.”

  The Fae led the way into the library Obsidian had brought Penelope to when they first arrived. It smelled of furniture polish and paper, an oddly interesting mix. The enormous room was clean and dimly lit.

  “About the hangout … why do the men have their own?” Winnie asked. “They sit in there, drink beer, and belch?”

  Penelope giggled. She truly was happy to have Winnie there with her.

  And perhaps, if they had more time, Penelope and Asmia might be able to build a relationship. She liked the Fae. A lot.

  “Pretty much.”

  “So what do angels do for fun?” Penelope asked, getting on board with Winnie’s questions. “Aside from basketball, swimming, and working out?”

  “The same things humans do. Aside from our aversion to sunlight, we’re not much different.”

  It was Penelope’s turn to laugh. “Uh, you forget about the mind control, ability to vanish in thin air, telekinesis, pyrokinesis… Shall I go on?”

  “Fine.” Asmia’s eyes glittered with amusement. “There are a few additional things.”

  Realizing she’d seen almost everything there was to see, Penelope had one question. “Where do the heurosp live?”

  “They’ve got a separate residence that can be reached via the tunnels beneath the mansion. It’s part of the grounds, but separate to maintain privacy.”

  “Beneath?” Winnie’s gaze bounced between the two of them. “What else is down there?”

  “The warriors built the underground space as a safety measure,” Asmia explained. “In the event something happened and they needed to find shelter from the sun. They use it for recreation mostly, but it’s more or less equipped to house us all, even if temporarily.”

  Before they could launch into more questions, Reidar appeared in the doorway. His eyes locked on Winnie.

  “Mind if I steal her away for a few minutes?”

  Penelope wanted to tell him to go away because she hadn’t gotten to spend much time with her lately. But she saw the way her friend’s face lit up and thought better of it.

  Penelope smiled when Winnie blushed. “Not at all.”

  Winnie ducked her head, a move completely out of character for her, and made her way toward Reidar.

  Once she was alone with Asmia, Penelope peered around the library. “Asmia, can I ask you a personal question?”

  “Of course.”

  She turned back to the Fae. “Has Obsidian ever fed from you?”

  Asmia’s amethyst eyes remained locked on her face. “At some point in my existence, they all have, yes.”

  She nodded.

  “Why do you ask?”

  Penelope shrugged. “It’s just … I don’t like the idea of him feeding from Acadia. Well, from anyone, actually.”

  Asmia nodded. “That’s a natural reaction.”

  “Is it?” The words shot out of her mouth along with her disbelief. “The man I’m in love with has to feed on the blood from a fairy, Asmia. I’m not sure there’s anything natural about that.”

  Asmia offered a small smile. “Maybe not. But it’s not something Obsidian can avoid. His existence depends on it.”

  “Can I—” The words died in her throat as the heat hit her, buckling her knees.

  “Penelope!” Asmia grabbed her arm, helped her into a chair. “What’s wrong?”

  She couldn’t speak, the painful need robbing her of breath and thought. Since it had only been a few hours since the last time she was with Obsidian, Penelope hoped this one would pass. After all, it was quite the inconvenience.

  “Talk to me,” Asmia urged.

  She focused on breathing as her nipples hardened, her core pulsed with sexual longing. Once again, her skin was too sensitive, the clothing she wore causing physical discomfort. It took everything in her not to strip it away, to ease some of the ache.

  “Leave us, Asmia.”

  Penelope didn’t bother looking up, grateful Obsidian had appeared as he’d promised, finding her when she needed him most.

  “Of course, Obsidian,” Asmia said softly before vanishing in thin air.

  Now that she knew what this affliction was, Penelope turned her full attention to Obsidian once they were alone in the library.

  His eyes heated as he kneeled on the floor between her legs. “Looks like I get the pleasure of loving you some more.”

  The promise in his eyes sent a spark of desire to her core, making her moan. “Yes. Please.”

  Chapter Twenty

  Friday, August 9, 2019

  WITH THE MANSION MOSTLY CLEARED OUT, THOSE who remained kept busy, most of them tucked away in the upstairs library, hiding out in the dining room, or even borrowing one of the many offices scattered throughout. Taayin, Søren, and Miklós worked with Gryffyth in an effort to provide support in finding the remaining four amsouelots, everyone pitching in the best they could.

  Though Obsidian spent most of his time with Penelope, he couldn’t deny something had put a minor rift between them. Okay, something made it sound like he didn’t know what it was. Except he did. It was the fact that he was still feeding from Acadia, which had not only put him and Penelope on tenuous ground, it had also put a rift between Penelope and Acadia. He wasn’t sure how to rectify the situation aside from feeding from Penelope, so he was doing his best to pretend the problem didn’t exist.

  Not exactly easy to do when the only priority he had was to make his amsouelot happy. Which, right now, he was doing by hiding out, giving Penelope time to spend with Winnie. Since Reidar had filled Winnie in to their existence, the two females had something new to b
ond over. They never seemed to run out of things to talk about, and when they weren’t chatting, they were asking questions. Luckily, Asmia had become the go-to for answers, the Fae growing ever closer with the two humans, hanging out with them when she wasn’t out on patrol.

  The soft knock on the main floor office door had Obsidian glancing up.

  When it opened, Penelope appeared, looking scrumptious.

  “I’m starting to think you’ve moved in here,” Penelope teased when she paused to lean against the doorjamb.

  Obsidian’s gaze traveled over her from head to toe, taking in the little sundress she was wearing. He imagined she was chilled, but as always, she was beautiful, her golden hair hanging down her back and over her bare shoulders. She had minimal makeup on, which made her look even younger than her twenty-eight years.

  “Am I interrupting?” she asked from the doorway.

  “Never.”

  “Good.” Her eyes sparkled when she stepped inside and closed the door behind her.

  There was a familiarity in that look that said she had something on her mind, so he waited her out. His amsouelot had been doing this lately, surprising him when he was working. At first, he thought it was her attempt to stave off the heat, but the more times she did it, he wondered if it was her way of ensuring she was front and center in his world. He could’ve told her no one would ever be more important to him, but he wasn’t sure she would’ve believed him. All because he had to feed from someone else.

  For the longest time, they remained as they were, staring at one another.

  “Is there something you need?” he asked, hoping what she needed was the same as what he did.

  “Actually, there is,” she said sweetly.

  “What might that be?”

  “You.”

  Obsidian was hardly breathing, anticipation amping up his already heightened senses. He noticed the exact moment her breaths became more labored, heard the distinct sound of her heart beating more rapidly, smelled the luscious scent of her arousal. His female intoxicated him and he doubted she even realized she was doing it.

  Figuring she needed a moment to decide what her next move was, he stood, moving toward the sofa on the other side of the desk. Before he could pass her, she pulled him up short, her small hand gripping his forearm. Her smile was radiant, her eyes heated as she stepped in close and reached up. She removed his sunglasses, set them on the desk before turning back to him.