Ethereal: The Light in the Shadow

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Ethereal: The Light in the Shadow Page 32

by Zoe Knights


  By the time it came, her nerves were close to jumping from her skin.

  Part of her feared this was all some convoluted plot. That she’d enter that room to see the blackened eyes staring from Sam’s face, and Somni would be within.

  But could Somni know about the moustache? About the room?

  She had to take the chance.

  She’d worn her jeans to bed, hiding beneath the covers, and her old green jumper she still adored.

  She’d let her hair loose of her braid, and a mane of curls tumbled around her shoulders. Silently, she slipped from her room, darting through the hallways, jumping at the slightest sounds.

  Eventually, she made it to the wall with the nook that Sam had pressed. She fiddled with it for a moment, before finally pushing it the right way and the wall opened to reveal a dark archway.

  Her heart trembled, but she quickly slipped through.

  The dull, flickering light of a lamp within coated the walls in a golden hue and Eddie softly walked closer.

  She heard the shuffle of paws shifting over the floor, and her heart sped up in her chest.

  Finally, she reached the end of the hall, and her heart jumped to her throat, her whole body stilling as her eyes immediately landed on Sam.

  He was standing there so casually as though he’d never left. Neeshka’s ruby eyes locked on her, but she continued to slowly pace the permitter of the room, waiting for Eddie to enter.

  Eddie remained locked in a gaze with Sam, neither of them breaking the silence around them. Her heart pounded uncomfortably, while her breath came too quickly.

  She felt drowned by the nightmares that swam behind Sam’s eyes. He looked so unsure, so frightened like he thought she might still turn and run.

  That thought alone was too much to bear and suddenly…everything overwhelmed her; relief, fear, confusion, grief. Her whole body shook, and she had to look down, squeezing her eyes shut as a single tear slipped out.

  “Eddie?” she heard Sam softly whisper, his footsteps moving closer to her in a hurry.

  She saw through blurry eyes, him lift a hand to perhaps touch her cheek, but he hesitated unsure, then reluctantly pulled back.

  This uncertainty was all it took to tip Eddie over the edge. She threw her arms around his neck, pulling him against her and burying her head into his shoulder.

  She felt his heart pick up in his chest against hers, felt him take a quick breath before softly, and still a little hesitantly, he wrapped his arms around her in return. His hands lay flat and warm against her back, gently caressing her through the fabric of her shirt.

  Then she heard him breathe a little more raggedly, those hands holding her tightly, and she felt him lean his cheek against her head, nuzzling into her hair.

  Tears burned behind her eyes and she closed them again, desperately holding them back. His skin burned even through his warm, knit jumper – lean muscle taut as he held her so close.

  “It’s you…” Eddie whispered brokenly into his neck. “It’s really you…”

  “I’m so sorry…” words tumbled gruffly from Sam’s lips, falling against her hair. “For everything you went through… Eddie. For what… for how he treated you…”

  Eddie shook her head roughly, holding him tighter, though that should have been impossible for her grip was already like iron. “It wasn’t your fault…” she whispered croakily.

  Sam pressed his cheek into her hair, gasping in a ragged breath. “I thought you… I worried you mightn’t even want to see me, let alone let me touch you,” he whispered coarsely. “I hate the memories I have of him… using me to force-”

  “Sam stop, stop!” Eddie urged, finally pulling back, her eyes glistening with tears that left salty trails down her cheeks. She gazed into his equally wet, brown gaze that looked at her as though she were the only thing of importance in the entire world. “You’re here now. He’s gone.”

  “Eddie you… you saved me in there,” Sam said so firmly her breath caught. “I could never have gotten out of there without you. You… you stuck by me, even with him inside you… you got me out. You convinced Neeshka. You… you’ve no idea what that means to me…” his voice softened. “What you mean to me…”

  Eddie’s fragile heart trembled further.

  “And I won’t let anything like that happen again,” Sam continued urgently. “I… Rae is helping me. I’ll do what she asks so long as you will be safe,” he murmured. “But, you don’t… need to feel any obligation to me. You can… walk away, I’d understand. No matter what I will protect you…o-ok?”

  Eddie’s brow pinched, her eyes swimming. “I don’t want to walk away, Sam,” she whispered earnestly. “I made my choice, I… I’m here for you. I don’t want to lose you – especially not after all this.”

  Sam gazed at her, uncertainty in his eyes, but for once also a spark of hope. “I… don’t want to lose you either,” he murmured so softly Eddie was certain her heart would combust from the feelings coursing through her.

  “Sam…” Eddie began quietly. “I… I know what Rae has asked. I know she’s… Azrael.”

  Sam stared at her in shocked confusion.

  “I…” Eddie frowned further. “I… saw you talking to her.”

  Sam’s hand drifted slowly down Eddie’s back to hold her waist. “What?” he whispered, not understanding.

  “I… I don’t know, I… guess I dreamt it. But… I was there. In your eyes. I heard everything. I know what Azrael wants of you. That… that you have to stop Somni. All of it. And I want to help you.”

  Sam was shaking his head. “You… you- how?” he whispered in disbelief. “How could you have seen that?”

  “I… I really don’t know,” Eddie said shakily. “It… it just happened. I thought… maybe it was your necklace?”

  Sam’s eyes flickered down to her neckline where the silver chain remained tied around her neck.

  “Maybe…” he murmured uncertainly.

  “Sam,” Eddie continued insistently. “I want to help you. How… how can I help you?”

  “Eddie… I’m doing all this to keep you safe. Not to get you more involved-”

  “I already am involved!” Eddie urged earnestly. “You can’t take it back now. So if there is anything I can do. You have to let me do it. I want to keep you safe just as much as you do me.”

  “Eddie…” Sam looked down, shaking his head. “It’s not the same. I-”

  Eddie’s eyes flashed at his words. “It is the same,” she said sternly, her disapproval clear. “How can you say that? I-”

  “Because it isn’t,” Sam cut in firmly, his eyes hard when he looked back up. “Your humanity, your mortality makes it entirely different. I don’t want anything cutting our time short!”

  “Neither do I!” Eddie insisted earnestly. “And you are the one who is in constant danger. I am always afraid for you! I-”

  “It is still not the same!” Sam repeated harshly, pulling his arms from around her in this sudden flare of emotion. His brown eyes swirled, but they held her gaze. “Because of what I am. It changes everything!”

  Eddie was briefly stopped for words, her stare turning into a glare as a sharp spike of anger rose inside her. "It is the same!" she hissed again vehemently. "Just because you're some divine… celestial being," she spewed furiously. "And I'm just… just a human doesn't mean you care more!"

  "Actually it does!" Sam's voice was harsh and heated like fire. He stepped closer, bringing them again only inches apart and Eddie didn't step away, holding his fierce gaze. "Because you have one tiny life to care about me, one life that I'm trying to preserve," he stormed, gesturing wildly. "All that I am doing is for you. And one day I will stop aging, and no matter what happens when you're gone, I will love you for the rest of eternity! So forgive me if I want to protect the time we have!"

  Sam breathed heavily, his eyes dark and swimming as they glared at Eddie while she stared at him. There was a moment. A heartbeat.

  Then Sam realised what he sa
id.

  He stumbled away from her, his eyes wide at his own, abrupt, admittance.

  “Sam…” Eddie breathed, unable to control the beating of her heart, and her feet moved of their own accord, drawing them closer.

  Sam’s eyes flickered away, blood colouring his neck and his cheeks. He ran a hand through his hair roughly, tugging at his own brown strands. “Eddie, I don’t expect you to-”

  “Don’t you dare say it,” Eddie cut in so firmly she shocked herself.

  Sam remained silent, his hand falling from his hair, but he still could not look at her.

  “I may get… less time,” Eddie continued softly, peering at Sam to try and catch his gaze. “But in the one life I get… I want to spend it with you…” she whispered. “So don’t you dare try to tell me I don’t love you just the same.”

  Sam exhaled raggedly, his eyes finally flickering up through his dark lashes to gaze at her.

  Eddie took her chance to raise her hand to his cheek, surprising them both. Her fingers trembled slightly as they softly grazed over his skin and she could feel his speeding pulse, the nervous shake to his breath. “I…I know that I… have no idea about…how the world even works,” she murmured, forcing a strange, half laugh, the turmoil of emotion she had felt over the course of this week leaving her dizzy. “But…after being through Hell and back with you…there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for you. So please… please let me.”

  Sam’s brow pinched, another ragged breath falling from his lips and he brought his own hand up to softly cover hers on his cheek while his eyes flickered over her face. “Eddie…” he murmured her name in such a way that it caused a riot of butterflies to soar through her stomach again. He leant even closer. “You still have school…” he whispered finally.

  Eddie nodded quickly, relishing the warmth of his palm against the back of hers. “I know…” she whispered, overwhelmed by what she was feeling, drowned by his gaze. “I’m… a pretty good multi-tasker,” she said with a half-hearted grin. Sam’s gaze remained earnest and serious. So Eddie’s brow pinched again. “Please, Sam. I’ll be safer with you, anyway. Don’t you want that?” she urged softly.

  She could feel Sam’s pulse thundering beneath his skin, she saw his gaze lingering on her lips as this distance between them was minuscule and yet still so far. He breathed in too quickly, dark lashes fluttering around his eyes and he took his spare hand to Eddie’s cheek, running his fingers gently up her jaw before they delved softly into her hair that cascaded with messy curls down her back.

  “It is… impossible to win an argument against you…” he whispered breathily, inching closer with every moment they lingered like this. “You’ve more power over me than all of mine combined…”

  Eddie laughed softly, closing her eyes for a moment as she leant in again, their noses brushing. “Then maybe you should have learned by now…” she whispered against his lips. “Stop trying to disagree with me…”

  Sam’s eyes fluttered shut too, his breath tickling her sensitive skin that was hyper-aware of his presence. “Not when it ends like this…” he murmured softly, resting his forehead against hers, their lips so temptingly close, but he would not breach the gap.

  Eddie breathed out shakily, her fingers shifting across his cheek. “Sam…” she whispered breathily, her eyes opening slowly with his, their gazes locking them both within this intimate moment. One more breath past and Eddie could wait no longer, her lashes fluttered her lids closed once more and before either could utter another word… she captured his lips with hers.

  Their hearts thudded in unison, time stilling around them, and Eddie heard Sam’s breath catch in the back of his throat. Her kiss was far too soft and delicate, a tempting brush of lips for the barest of moments, but it was enough to create a riot of emotion to explode in her chest.

  She pulled back just slightly, Sam’s shaky breath dusting her lips, “Eddie…” her name fell from his tongue, and without wasting another second, he was chasing her for another kiss. Eddie’s heart jumped to her throat, and this time when their lips met, heat swam through her body, for his touch was firm, certain and full of such tenderness she was sure her heart would burst.

  She felt his fingers brush over the back of her hand on his cheek, while the others in her hair stroked her curls, entangling themselves further as he held her tighter.

  And Eddie could not resist the way her body urged her closer, her free arm moving to wrap around Sam’s neck just as her lips parted, allowing him to kiss her deeper. Sam made a sound, soft and almost desperate at the back of his throat, stirring Eddie’s feelings further as a sharp jolt of heat swept through her abdomen.

  Her heart pounded while her skin burned where he touched her as the heat swooping in her belly made her decisions for her, urging her for more. She was certain Sam felt the same, for he too seemed to be wavering on this delicate line where desire beckoned just on the other side.

  Her fingers brushed over the top of his back, her head tilting as she lost herself within this moment, pressing her body closer, a small sound falling from her lips and she felt Sam shiver against her. Abruptly, he pulled back with a gasp, his eyes firmly shut while he leant his forehead against Eddie’s, breathing heavily.

  When they finally fluttered open to meet hers, Eddie did not miss the glimmer of gold tinged within his brown irises, and it made her own rapid breath hitch further.

  “Small problem…” he murmured very quietly, his tone low and rumbling causing Eddie’s stomach to tremble in reaction.

  “What is it?” she whispered back, thoroughly aware of his touch and his closeness that still overwhelmed her, for neither had moved back.

  “I can usually… control it with others,” Sam continued lowly and Eddie only just realised how stiffly he was holding himself. “But you…” he breathed out a short, breathy laugh. “Well, it figures…”

  Eddie shook her head in confusion. “Am I supposed to know what you mean?”

  Sam squeezed his eyes shut, apparently concentrating hard. “My wings…” he whispered finally. “Are quite… out of control. I am… barely holding them in.”

  Neeshka snuffled from the corner of the room, a sound that was most certainly amusement and Eddie’s heart missed several beats in her chest while strangely her reaction was the same as Neeshka’s. A small smile crossed her lips, and she laughed in surprise. Sam opened his eyes and raised an eyebrow at her while she could still feel his heartbeat pounding in his pulse. “Sorry…” she whispered quickly. “It’s just… that’s never happened before?” she queried, her smile rather cheeky as she moved her hand from his cheek, while his own hand followed to hold hers by his side, this simple gesture igniting a further flurry of sensations in Eddie’s stomach.

  A smile twisted around Sam’s lips and he shook his head slightly. “No, it hasn’t,” he said wryly. “But, my embarrassment aside; I don’t think you realise what an issue this is…I can’t let my wings out at all. Or Devna will know where I am.”

  Eddie bit her lip, still harbouring a smile. “I guess you’re going to have to get used to my, apparently, overwhelming presence then,” she teased lightly.

  Sam shook his head, but a smile once more lifted his lips, and he pulled her closer, touching his nose to hers again. “You’ve no idea how difficult that will be…” he murmured.

  “All the more reason to let me help get rid of your mark…” Eddie whispered, leaning into his hold and relishing in his warm touch.

  Sam sighed lowly. “I don’t know where you came from, Eddie…” he murmured gently. “But, you are worth every fight,” he told her, his brown eyes gazing at her so tenderly she was lost within them. His lips tilted into a smile that was more cheek than anything else. “And I guess for now,” he added slyly. “We’ll just have to keep practising…” he finished, before capturing her lips once more.

  About the Author

  Zoe P. Knights was born in Melbourne, Australia. A passion for writing from an early age saw Zoe writing many fan-fic
tions for her favourite books and shows. Now living with her loving husband in Brisbane, Zoe runs a small business as well as writing her own novels.

  Coming Soon…

  Ethereal

  Part 2

  The Demon inside

  Acknowledgments

  This book was made possible by my loving and supportive husband, David Clinch and my incredibly encouraging parents, Lyn and Doug Moore.

  Table of Contents

  Prologue

  Oakland Abby

  Rumours and Reputations

  The Antichrist

  Late Night Swim

  Strange Encounters

  God’s Sense of Humour

  Goodbye, Old life

  Wrestling with Washing Machines

  Developing Trust

  The Shadow Wolf

  Strange Feelings

  Under the Stars

  Detentions and Realisations

  Reckless Abandon

  This Feels Right

  Play Me for It

  Don’t Tempt Me

  Train to London

  Shocking Discoveries

  My Feather, My Heart

  Grill Me

  Won’t Stand for This

  Confessions

  White Wings and Dark Eyes

  Welcome to Hell

  Somni

  Delusional Dreaming

  New Beginnings

 

 

 


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