Protected in Darkness (Misplaced Halos, 1)

by Nicole Edwards

  And while she was used to this, waking in Obsidian’s bed, him beside her, it felt different somehow. She felt different.

  The heat she’d grown accustomed to had dissipated, but her desire for Obsidian hadn’t waned in the least. Her body was drawn to his. And here, protected by darkness, she was compelled to move toward him, wanting to get closer.

  He was warm, solid. Naked.

  Just the way she liked him.

  During their interlude in the living room, Obsidian had been mostly clothed. In fact, now that she thought about it, they’d had sex while he was half-dressed numerous times in the past two weeks. As though getting them off took too much effort. Such a shame, too, considering how beautiful his body was. Every second she could, Penelope openly ogled him, no longer ashamed of the desire he inspired within her.

  Ogling him wasn’t an option now, but she did the next best thing. Trailing her hand over his chest, she memorized the smooth planes of muscle, the hard angles of sinew and bone beneath his velvet-smooth skin with her fingertips. A soft hum sounded from his chest, his arm coming around her, pulling her closer. He pressed his lips to her forehead, breathed out roughly.

  It was a move he made frequently, she realized. As though Obsidian preferred to have her close to him. She happened to be quite fond of the position herself.

  “I didn’t mean to wake you,” she whispered in the darkness.

  “Glad you did.”

  Penelope lifted her head. “Seriously?”

  He chuckled, pulled her until she was draped over him. “I was tempted to do the same, ayreme.”

  He brought her mouth down to his. The smooth warmth of his lips awakened all of her senses, her body keenly aware of the position she was in.

  She had no idea what he was thinking, but she could feel him staring at her. As had been the case since the first time they made love in his hotel room, there was a lingering tension between them, one that never fully dissipated. The gentle way his hands moved over her stirred that longing, made it seem … justified somehow. As though they were meant to spend an ungodly amount of time doing exactly this.

  Hard to believe that three weeks ago, she hadn’t known he existed. Everything since had seemed to go at warp speed. And somewhere in that time, perhaps even the first night at the hotel, Penelope had fallen head over heels in love with him.

  It wasn’t normal, she knew. Two people did not give in so easily. To lust, sure. But not to love. And while she knew that deep down, Penelope couldn’t seem to fight her emotions. They had settled over her like a security blanket she’d been looking for her entire life. Obsidian made her feel as though she belonged here. Living in his house, sleeping in his bed, feeling his warmth against her through the day when they slept, the nights when they continued to get to know one another.

  His warm hands trailed down her back, curved over her ass. Thick fingers teased her clit before sliding inside her, dragging a soft moan from her chest. The man knew exactly how to touch her to make her burn.

  Penelope rested against him, completely wanton in her need for him. She positioned herself so he’d have better access. Her lips grazed his neck as his fingers teased and enticed until she was rocking her hips, wanting more.

  “Ride me,” he whispered.

  With his assistance, Penelope worked herself onto him, grinding down, grateful for the freedom of the bed. Just as she was working up her rhythm, his body shifted, his torso elongating.

  “Lamp on, ten percent,” he said softly.

  The next thing she knew, the room was bathed in a soft light, the bedside lamp highlighting his exquisite form.

  “I want to watch you,” he said, his hands tucked beneath his head in a casual yet arrogant move.

  Long and lean, every muscle defined, his biceps bulged, his pecs flexed. His golden skin was dotted with scars he’d gotten through the years, or rather centuries. Yet they didn’t take away from the masculine beauty he presented.

  “Touch yourself,” Obsidian instructed, the soft rumble an aphrodisiac.

  Her hands moved to her breasts as she worked her hips forward and back. Penelope closed her eyes, taking her pleasure from him. His gaze penetrated through her. He was watching every move, his hips shifting from time to time, pushing up into her. There was no frantic rush, just two bodies moving as one, the friction so intense she could feel every nerve in her body waking to find the source.

  Although he appeared relaxed, completely unaffected, there was a slight tremble under Obsidian’s skin. He was enjoying this as much as she was, but for some reason, he felt the need to pretend otherwise. Or perhaps he was simply enjoying the show.

  Leaning forward, Penelope pressed her hands to his chest, held his intense gaze. She could see through the facade. The way his heart beat just a little harder than normal, thumping against her palms as she used the hard planes of his body to leverage herself up, then dropped back down.

  He groaned softly, silver eyes glittering, glowing.

  She did it again and again, noticing the tension in the lines around his mouth and eyes tighten. He was going to snap any second, she could feel it. And though she wasn’t sure that was a good thing, Penelope couldn’t stop herself from pushing him closer and closer to that edge.

  “Be careful, ayreme. You don’t know what you’re asking for.”

  She didn’t. Nor did she care. This man had turned her into someone she didn’t recognize, and she liked that woman. She wasn’t Little Red Riding Hood slipping through the forest. She was taking the big bad wolf head on, ready for anything he could throw at her.

  Penelope worked her hips faster, taking him to the hilt, but it wasn’t enough. She needed more and he knew it.

  His hands came from under his head, slowly gliding over her thighs, stilling her with a firm grip. She groaned her frustration when the blessed friction ceased. He answered by flipping her onto her back, coming over her, and driving deep inside.

  She screamed, pleasure and pain obliterating her mind. She reached for him, arms circling his neck as she held on. He pounded into her, savage and wild and utterly depraved, a need so deep Penelope could feel it in her soul. It intoxicated her, made her crave more, never wanting that moment to end. Her orgasm crested, unintelligible sounds coming out of her as she reached for another, desperate for him to provide.

  Obsidian didn’t disappoint, relentless in his pursuit. He ordered another orgasm and she gave. Another and she surrendered again. Her body was weak when he demanded one more. Penelope shook her head. It was impossible, but he seemed to believe otherwise. His hand tucked under her thigh as he shifted his hips, changing the angle and proving once again that he reigned supreme over her body.

  This time, when she cried out, he followed her over, her name a rough grumble on his lips.

  “Sleep, ayreme,” he whispered, rolling off her and pulling her against him.

  Truth was, she was exhausted. The past couple of weeks had been taxing on both her body and her mind, yet she found it difficult to close her eyes.

  Obsidian stroked her hair and Penelope sighed against him. It felt good to be held, something she’d never had before him.

  She turned into him, pressing her lips to his chest. His big hand curled around the back of her head, strong and reassuring, even though it also reminded her of how incredibly giant he was. He towered over her, surrounded her. It should’ve been intimidating, but it wasn’t.

  Needless to say, she was in love with him, her heart tethered to his.

  In the twenty-eight years she’d had in this life, Penelope had never met a man who held her interest for longer than a minute. A few she’d considered friends with benefits, even gotten close to. She had always figured it was a fault of hers. A lack of passion that she’d been born to endure. And while she was a woman who knew how to satisfy her own needs, she’d never felt an unbridled attraction to a man.

  Not the way she did now. For Obsidian.

  Overwhelming, powerful. Distracting.

  Eterna
l.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Sunday, August 11, 2019

  SITTING AT THE KITCHEN ISLAND, OBSIDIAN WATCHED Penelope as she talked softly with the Fae, the females drinking wine while everyone else worked around them.

  Although it was Sunday and they’d all had a late night at the club, the day had passed once again, and everyone was back to business as usual. Laptops and iPads were scattered across the granite top, fingers flying over keys as they worked diligently to identify their targets. With four more amsouelots yet to be identified, no one was letting up in their pursuit.

  At the same time, they were trying to get a bead on Perfidious, find out if he was close. Obsidian was grateful the demon hadn’t made a move, but the more days that passed without a hint of him, the more his tension grew. The last thing he wanted was for them to get lax, to think that the security of the mansion would protect them.

  Of course, there didn’t seem to be anything lax about Eclipse. Ever since their trek to the club, Obsidian’s brother had been on edge. Whether it was because of his amsouelot or the fact that Taayin insisted there had been demons present, Obsidian wasn’t sure. He could’ve grilled the male, but he’d been giving Eclipse space, wanting to give him time to deal with his revelation.

  Taayin strolled in, staring intently at his cell phone.

  “Did you find out who it was?” Obsidian asked, hoping for some news on which demons were close. Though he suspected it was Perfidious, he wasn’t about to count any of them out.

  “I was able to get a picture. I’m pretty sure this is Perfidious,” the lieterra said.

  Obsidian took the phone from Taayin, stared at it, then passed it to Eclipse when he appeared at his side.

  “I remember him,” Eclipse grumbled, then frowned. “I was too preoccupied or I would’ve felt his presence.”

  Obsidian set the phone on the countertop, glancing at it one final time before Penelope pulled it toward her. She passed it over to Acadia, who then handed it off to Ziana.

  “He looks familiar,” the Fae noted, squinting at the screen. “I’ve seen him somewhere.”

  Elina took the phone, nodded. “Yeah. He was at the club.” Her gaze swung to Asmia as she passed the phone over. “You remember him, don’t you?”

  Asmia’s eyes widened as she stared at the image, horrified.

  “What is it?” Taayin asked, clearly sensing her panic.

  “That’s… He’s…” She set the phone away from her as though it would burn her.

  “Spit it out,” Obsidian snarled at the female.

  She swallowed hard, lifted her gaze to meet his. “I met him at the club. He asked me to dance.”

  Obsidian noticed she was avoiding looking at Taayin.

  “What did he say to you?”

  She shook her head. “Nothing. But…” Her amethyst eyes widened as they darted over to Taayin, then back to Obsidian. “I’d like to request to speak to you in private.”

  “Whatever you have to say can be said here,” he told her, not willing to allow her to keep secrets from Taayin. Not because he was worried about their personal interactions. If this was Perfidious, the lieterra needed to know what was going on as much as Obsidian did.

  “I think he did something to me,” Asmia whispered, terror in her eyes.

  Taayin’s body went hard, hands clenched into fists. “What did he do, Asmia?”

  She shrugged. “I have no idea. I remember not wanting to dance with him, but then I did. Like he willed me to do it. And … ever since … when …” A tear trickled down her cheek. “I think he manipulated my thoughts.”

  Penelope’s hand was on Asmia’s arm, a clear sign of her need to comfort the female. “What did he do, Asmia?”

  “Whenever Taayin and I … this morning, when we were intimate…” She shook her head. “I see his face in my mind. Not like a fantasy because I would never. I think he’s doing it. Perfidious is making me think about him.”

  “Turn around,” Obsidian ordered, moving to stand behind her.

  “I want to see,” Taayin insisted.

  He met the lieterra’s hardened gaze, surprised by the rage he saw there.

  “Show me, Obsidian.”

  Penelope was staring at them, eyes wide. “What’s going on?”

  Rather than explain, Obsidian pressed his palm to Asmia’s forehead. It took a moment for him to filter through her memories, locating the one from the night at the club. When he did, he projected the image out of her head and through his eyes, watching as Asmia danced with a male, their bodies pressed intimately together.

  A harsh snarl sounded from Taayin as Obsidian uncovered the hidden manipulation Perfidious had planted there.

  When you walk away from me, you won’t remember this moment. You’ll forget you were in my arms, but you’ll crave me. Your body’ll burn for mine. When you touch yourself, it’ll be my fingers you feel.

  And you’ll dream about me, Asmia. When you sleep, you’ll feel my mouth on you. It’ll make you hot, desperate. No other male will be able to give you pleasure. You’ll use their bodies, but it’ll be my face you see when you orgasm, my name that’ll whisper from your lips.

  Please … Perfidious…

  Not yet, gorgeous. We’ve got time yet. I want you to crave me the same way I crave you. And when it’s time for me to claim you, you won’t be able to resist me.

  The image disappeared when he removed his hand from Asmia’s forehead. He waited for Taayin to say something. He didn’t.

  When the male’s eyes met his, Obsidian could see the hatred he harbored for Perfidious. The feeling was definitely mutual, though he had to admit, Taayin’s hatred was more personal.

  “You mentioned you met him at the casino,” Reidar noted. “The night that woman was killed in her hotel room.”

  Asmia nodded, looking at Obsidian’s ladeare. “Yes. He looks different now.”

  Not surprising. To keep below the radar, Perfidious would need to exchange bodies.

  “I think he’s fixated on her,” Reidar said softly.

  “Me? Why me?” Asmia asked, clearly as shocked by the revelation as the rest of them.

  A bitter growl sounded seconds before Taayin vanished.

  “Taayin!” Asmia yelled, then turned to look at Obsidian. “What have I done?”

  Penelope got to her feet, hugged the female. “You didn’t do anything, Asmia. He did this to you.”

  “He hates me,” the Fae mumbled.

  No, he didn’t. In fact, the male was so far gone, Obsidian had a difficult time believing they weren’t mated. He’d never seen a male react this way, not one who hadn’t connected with his amsouelot, anyway.

  “Did you remove it?” Asmia asked, turning to him.

  “Yes. I took care of it.” No way would he allow the demon that sort of power over any member of his family.

  But it had him questioning everything. What exactly were Perfidious’s intentions? Was he out to eliminate Penelope? Or did he have a new fascination with the Fae? Not that it really mattered. The demon was still dangerous and regardless of which female he was after, Obsidian wasn’t about to allow him to harm a single hair on either of their heads.

  “I’ll go talk to Taayin,” Obsidian told Asmia.

  Before leaving, Obsidian pressed a kiss to the top of Penelope’s head, then dematerialized, taking form in the main-floor gym.

  Weights clattered where Taayin lay on his back, hefting more weight than any mere human could even fathom.

  “Talk to me,” he said, keeping his voice calm as he weaved through the equipment, making his way over to Taayin.

  “Nothing to talk about,” his lieterra growled.

  “On the contrary, I’d say there’s a shitload to talk about.”

  Taayin sat up, his eyes glowing, fangs descended. He looked ready to rip someone’s throat out.

  Not sure if his rage was directed at Asmia or Perfidious, Obsidian felt the need to add his two cents. “This isn’t her fault.”

 
His eyes narrowed. “I never said it was.”

  “She thinks you blame her.”

  Taayin frowned as he reached for his discarded shirt and wiped his brow. “Why?”

  Surely the male wasn’t that dense. “I don’t know, Taayin. Maybe because you disappeared. Abandoned her.”

  The realization flittered across the male’s face. “What’s his motive?”

  Obsidian leaned back against one of the many machines. “No idea, but I’m certain he was the one to kill the females at the hotel. Sounds like he was stalking the place.”

  “Never thought his selection was a coincidence,” Taayin mused. “But I figured it had to do with Penelope. What does he want with Asmia?”

  Good question. Unfortunately, Obsidian had no fucking idea. “No telling with Perfidious. But I doubt he’s out to hurt her. If he was, he would’ve done so at the club.”

  He’d evidently had the opportunity despite the fact she’d been surrounded by angels.

  Taayin’s gaze dropped to the floor. “Every time I’ve been with her since … she’s been fantasizing it was him.”

  If there was any bright side at all, Obsidian figured it was good they’d caught it early. As it was, it had only been a full twenty-four hours since they’d ventured to the club. Not that he wanted to know how many times Taayin and Asmia had been intimate during that time.

  “Not because she wanted to,” Obsidian reminded him. “That’s not her fault.”

  “Doesn’t make it any easier to handle.”

  No, Obsidian doubted it did.

  “She’s not my amsouelot, but… sometimes it feels like she is. Or at least she should be.”

  For as long as he could remember, Taayin had been eager to be mated. Then, when Asmia had joined the fiestreigh, it was almost as though he had been, the two growing closer with every passing day.

  “Have you ever thought maybe it doesn’t matter?” He watched Taayin. “So what if the Fates didn’t proclaim she’s the one your soul’s seeking. Doesn’t mean you don’t love her. Doesn’t mean you’re not meant to be with her.”