It looked like tonight’s event was not the exception.
After finding those abandoned warehouses really abandoned, Orianna had figured for sure she would go back to her apartment empty-handed. Of course, the weirdos she’d encountered had once again given her the gift of hope. And while she seriously doubted the woman was trustworthy, Orianna didn’t have the option of being choosy these days. She’d been down this road a hundred times over in her search for answers. It hadn’t taken long to realize she could leave no stone unturned. Even then she always seemed to be one step behind her sister.
One day, she thought to herself. One day this pursuit would lead her right where she was meant to be. She only hoped that wasn’t a nursing home.
It had all started when Orianna’s mother had been brutally attacked, left for dead in an alleyway not too far from the hospital where she’d worked as a triage nurse in their hometown of Oklahoma City. Kinda ironic that Elizabeth McKay had spent all her time saving people’s lives only to find herself barely clinging to her own with no one around to help her. The incident was chalked up to a tragic case of wrong place, wrong time, a tragedy that left Orianna’s mother confined to a wheelchair, the lower half of her body paralyzed and useless.
Random, they’d said.
Pure and utter bullshit.
According to the worthless detectives who’d closed the case with minimal effort, Orianna’s mother had been an arbitrary victim in a personal attack gone horribly wrong.
First of all, what attack went right? It was an attack. That bitter, nasty word did not roll off the tongue easily. Secondly, how many muggers skipped over the pocketbook full of cash, hands glittered with expensive jewelry in lieu of beating a defenseless woman to a pulp? None? Yeah. That was her thought, too.
Of course, that was only the first of many unfortunate incidents to trickle through her family. Over the years, Orianna’s father had endured countless injuries at the hands of those random attackers. Or so her father claimed. Orianna had stopped believing in coincidence after the third time. By the tenth, she’d known there was a reason.
And those events had ignited the tragedy that was her life.
In an effort to shield his children—or so he claimed—Erik McKay had convinced their grandmother to spring for boarding school. With their education dealt with, he packed up Orianna and her sister, shipped them off, and officially washed his hands of them. Someone probably should’ve told him safe was a relative term, because uprooting their lives and forcing them to leave their mother had resulted in something else entirely. While Erik had resumed his day-to-day as a licensed plumber and his nightly rounds with booze and cards, Orianna and Amber were left to fend for themselves.
Those two kids who’d suffered unnecessarily had done what any tragedy-stricken adolescent would do. They went off the rails, seeking solace in booze and sex, looking for anyone to bestow even a smidgeon of acceptance upon them and failing miserably.
Never one to rock the boat, Orianna hadn’t put up a fight. At twelve, she hadn’t had much of a say in anything she did, so she went along with the plan. As for sticking to the straight and narrow … yeah, that was a no go. Unfortunately, Amber—fifteen when this all went down—was the one who’d veered too far off the path to find her way back. By the time Orianna was old enough to help her sister, it was too late. Amber had disappeared.
In pursuit of her troubled sibling, she’d traipsed across the US and back, through big cities and small towns, following one failed lead after another. And here she was, the cataclysmic result of human incompetence, the only one sound enough to make the effort. Her mother was barely coherent, still suffering thanks to injuries from the accident along with her addiction to prescription meds. The gifts from that random attacker just seemed to keep on coming.
Of course, her father was likely the biggest fuckup of them all. Erik had disappeared off the grid completely four years ago, abandoning his job and his wife in lieu of running from the mob his gambling addiction had gotten him indebted to. As for Amber … well, Orianna had no clue what she’d been up to because her sister was MIA, likely taken by those same goons out to make an example of their father.
The fate of her family had structured Orianna’s destiny, sent her on this never-ending search. Every day when she woke tired and lonely, Orianna vowed she would continue her pursuit until she found Amber—dead or alive. Once she did that, she would go after the assholes responsible for destroying her entire world and put them in the ground, where they belonged.
Was Amber here like that woman claimed? Orianna seriously doubted it. Luck wasn’t something she’d ever relied on because it had failed her time and time again. The most she could hope for was that these people might shed some light on the situation, tell her where to look next so she could one day drag her sister back to their mother and give her what-for.
Orianna paused as the sidewalk gave way to fancy pavers, painstakingly laid by hand, herringbone style, to form the long driveway—a mere introduction to the monstrous estate that sat grandly before her, designed to both intimidate and beguile. With night in full bloom, the lights had come on, strategically placed to highlight and accent. She was impressed, no reason to deny it. Perhaps envious.
While she stood there, admiring the splendor derived from more money than sense, Orianna thought about the woman who’d told her to come here. There’d been something off about her, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on what it was. Aside from the David Copperfield routine, that was.
Perhaps by coming here, Orianna was proving the one thing she’d denied all along. Maybe she was an idiot after all.
But she was a persistent idiot, if anything.
Figuring what the hell, Orianna pushed forward. There was a fifty-fifty chance whoever resided within these walls knew where her sister was.
As she strolled up to the front doors of the two-story mansion with its modern charm and lush landscape, she couldn’t help but wonder why random strangers would be invited to parties like this. Based on the volume of high-end vehicles angled in the designated spaces on the circular drive, this was a shindig for the rich and famous. Considering there was no one lingering outside, Orianna assumed it was well underway, which worked to her benefit.
As she made her way toward the wide front steps, she didn’t encounter a soul, which was as much a relief as it was a surprise. No one to question why she was there, no one to scrutinize her attire. She doubted her casual ensemble was appropriate for a gala, but for tonight it would have to do. She didn’t have the time nor the inclination to backtrack in an effort to blend. In her defense, the woman hadn’t mentioned a dress code.
Before she reached the front steps, Orianna paused for a moment, sensing someone out there, staring back at her. Figuring there were security guards monitoring the grounds, she glanced around but saw no one.
A flash of yellow caught her attention. Orianna squinted in the dark, attempting to make out what it was.
“Oh, God,” she whispered, her breath catching in her throat.
Eyes. Those were glowing eyes peering back at her. While she couldn’t make out the details, she sensed it was human. Too tall to be an animal.
Orianna found herself trapped, held there momentarily as though by some invisible force. Her heart pounded in her chest, anxiety replacing determination as fear blossomed hot inside her.
And just like that, the feeling disappeared as though released like air from a balloon.
Exhaling heavily, Orianna shook off the weirdness. Likely some drunk guest using the foliage as the facilities, and here she was thinking it was something ominous.
The distinct thump of bass startled her, drawing her attention to the front doors.
It was now or never.
She was standing on the bottom step when one of the two doors flew open and a large guy stumbled out, laughing uproariously. His bloodshot eyes briefly met hers before another snort of laughter escaped.
Quick reflexes were the only thing to k
eep her from being trampled as he marched down the stairs at an angle. She turned to watch only to see him trip over one of the stone pavers surrounding the bushes. He nearly went ass over teakettle, saved when his palms crashed into the concrete.
Which seemed to amuse him all the more.
“It’s time to get you home, you jackass,” a man said, appearing in the door a second later. He smiled down at her, too. “Have fun in there. One hell of a party.”
Yeah, it looked like it.
“Come on, you lightweight,” the man said to the other. “Upsy daisy.”
While the two rambled incessantly on their way down the path, Orianna scaled the steps to the open door.
Once she’d cleared the threshold, she closed the door behind her and turned to survey the scene. The house looked nothing like she’d expected based on the exterior. There were stained concrete floors, huge stone pillars holding up the ceiling two stories above her. Oddly enough, there were no windows, only solid stone walls, which meant the exterior was merely a shell, a facade to hide the depravity that took place within.
The music blared, seeming to come from all directions, and there were people everywhere. Some lingering against the walls, engaged in God only knew what, while others swayed and gyrated on what she assumed was a dance floor.
Good news was, Orianna’s attire wouldn’t be an issue.
Her attention was drawn to the second level, only a few steps higher than the main floor. It seemed to span out around the space, offering the occupants a higher vantage point to watch the debauchery taking place. And that was the only way to describe the chaos. This was a den of seduction and sin, and those in residence were completely oblivious to everything except each other.
It felt like another dimension, and Orianna wondered how her sister had found this place. If, in fact, she was here.
Something told her the woman who’d given her the tip didn’t have a clue who Amber McKay was, but as she’d told her mother she would do, Orianna had no choice but to follow up.
After all, it seemed to be her destiny.
No matter how much it truly sucked.
Chapter Eight
As Eclipse stood near the back wall, surveying the humans and vampires, the hair on the back of his neck tingled with warning. As usual, he expanded his senses, allowing them to spread out over the twenty thousand square feet before him. He picked through the noises and smells until he located the anomaly. The instant he made the connection, his heart kicked in his chest.
Eclipse felt more than saw the female descend onto the club floor, smiling as though she belonged. She raptly held his attention as she moved with purpose toward the bar, flagged down a bartender, and ordered a gin and tonic.
She didn’t look like a gin girl. No. More like … hmm. He would’ve pegged her for one who liked a good, stout lager like he did. But, as they said, opposites did attract, right?
As he remained on the perimeter of the space, Eclipse wondered what the odds were that he would’ve stumbled upon her tonight. Here of all places. Hell, it wasn’t until a month ago that they’d managed to nail down an address for the elusive Orianna McKay. Then again, technically Orianna hadn’t had one until she moved into the five-hundred-square-foot furnished apartment in the heart of Telluride after taking a job at a local convenience store.
Now she was lingering in a vampire club.
Question was, how the hell had she found the place? More importantly, what were her intentions now that she was here? Clearly she didn’t realize what she’d stumbled upon; otherwise she would’ve run for her life.
With drink in hand, Orianna strolled through the mass of bodies, heads beginning to turn, nostrils flaring in anticipation. After all, vampires had a keen sense of smell to go along with their other heightened senses, and this female was fresh blood. His own fangs tingled with the urge to feed, something he’d put off for far too long. Considering he couldn’t stand the touch of another female, he didn’t have much of a choice, now did he?
As the female weaved through the masses, Eclipse admired her pouty lips, long lashes, a nose slightly tipped upward. Dressed more like a teenager than a grown woman in her short pleated black skirt and skintight, long-sleeve, red T-shirt, she made his mouth water. He even found the black leather tennis shoes an odd yet appealing accessory. She certainly wasn’t like the other females here, dressed in barely there dresses and four-inch heels. No, Orianna was far more alluring as she was.
Eclipse had to give her credit. She was quite adept at pretending to blend when she most definitely did not. Even her casual brush-offs seemed kind, though she couldn’t possibly know the male she’d just waved off wanted to sink his fangs into her neck.
Then again, it was good for all of them that she wasn’t cozying up to this crowd. Due to the fact he’d already bonded with her during their encounter in the alley two and a half months ago, Eclipse couldn’t promise he wouldn’t bring the place down in a crumble of rock and dust if he caught sight of a male getting handsy.
“Looks like you’ve found something interesting.”
Eclipse only spared Kaj a brief glimpse as the vampire approached.
“Aw, hell,” the male drawled. “She’s the one, huh?”
She most definitely was.
“So tell me, what are the odds she’d show up here tonight?” Kaj mused.
“No fucking clue.”
“You do realize this is probably the worst place for her to be, don’t you?”
Oh, yeah. He knew.
“May I offer my vein,” a human female suggested, stopping directly in Eclipse’s path.
Eclipse didn’t look her way.
“Why don’t I show you someone who’ll take you up on that,” Kaj told her. “You good here?”
Though he nodded, Eclipse wasn’t sure how much truth there was in that answer. He was in caveman mode at the moment. The only thing he wanted to do was throw Orianna over his shoulder and whisk her off anywhere but here. The primal male inside him was eager to get her alone, strip her down, and feel those long legs wrapped securely around his hips. As far as he was concerned, that was the only way to sate these intense urges, to relieve the pent-up frustration.
“I’ll check back in a little while. Stay outta trouble,” the vampire said as he motioned the human blood bank in the opposite direction.
Moving toward his amsouelot, Eclipse inched past a male sinking his fangs into the neck of a female. Curious, he reached into the male’s mind. He found the vampire was directing thoughts of euphoria into the female’s frontal lobe, rewiring her brain to believe their intimate interaction was about sex, not feeding. Eclipse didn’t approve of compelling humans to do their bidding, but as long as the vampire wasn’t dropping bodies in his wake, Eclipse figured it really wasn’t his place to intervene. After all, vampires weren’t in the business of drawing attention to themselves any more than angels were.
“No, thanks,” the soft voice sounded, drawing Eclipse’s attention. “I’m actually looking for someone.”
“How do you know you haven’t found him, baby?” a male remarked.
Remember whose house you’re in, angel.
Eclipse’s eyes shot over to Darko, who was standing at the railing on the second level. The male was watching him intently, clearly reading his body language.
Stay out of my head, vampire.
A devilish smirk was the vampire’s response.
It took effort, but Eclipse gave a curt nod, assuring the vampire he wouldn’t cause trouble. Provided this asshole understood Orianna was not on the dessert menu tonight. Not for him, at least.
Figuring now was the perfect time for his path to cross with the oblivious female, Eclipse purposely moved to intercept and stopped as Orianna did her best to shrug off the irritant hoping to latch on to her vein.
“Leave,” Eclipse ordered the vampire.
The male turned to face him, likely gauging his chances of taking Eclipse down. He must’ve realized they were slim to none, bec
ause he offered a hiss but backed away, nonetheless.
Light blue eyes lifted slowly, perusing Eclipse’s six-foot-six-inch frame before coming to a stop on his face. He waited patiently for recognition to dawn, preparing himself for the repercussions. This was the first time they’d come face-to-face since the incident in the alley, the time when Eclipse had killed the human male who’d been threatening her.
Her pretty face remained expressionless, though Eclipse saw the curiosity there. Orianna knew who he was, but there was no fear, no desire to flee.
A smile would’ve revealed his fangs, so he held off, content merely to observe the heat he recognized in her eyes. It was what was known as amnigh, a phenomenon that affected amsouelots—souls destined to be together, their divine decree sealed by the Fates. Ever since their initial meeting, their souls had begun the dance, attempting to pull the two of them back together. Because so much time had passed, Eclipse knew it would increase tenfold before the night was over.
“Looking for someone?” he prompted, studying her lovely face, memorizing every soft, alluring angle.
Orianna took a sip of her drink, her smile sweet yet blasé, as though his mere presence wasn’t affecting her. “As a matter of fact, I am.”
“Who?”
“What business is it of yours?”
For the past few weeks, he’d been fearing their next encounter. After he’d killed the male in the alley and she’d run for her life, Eclipse had expected Orianna to scream bloody murder when he formally introduced himself. Instead, she was considering him with skeptical yet inquisitive eyes.
Two could play at that game.
“I figure you’ve got two options, sezari. Either you’re forthcoming with some information or I’ll simply compel it out of you.”
“Compel?” She snorted, a sound that was oddly endearing. “Is that code for something? Torture, perhaps?”
Salvation in Darkness (Misplaced Halos Book 2) Page 8