“Yes,” he rasped, unable to look away.
Someone cleared their throat from across the room, startling Oliver out of his stupor. When he looked up, he noticed a big male staring back at them. His icy green eyes were similar to Bijou’s. He had the same onyx hair, the same fair coloring…
Shit. Her father.
Oliver instantly dropped her hand, then peered over when Bijou chuckled softly.
“Doesn’t take much to intimidate you, does it?”
“Are you an angel?” he asked, though even as the words came out, he realized they sounded like a cheesy pickup line.
When she smiled, Oliver was awestruck, his eyes fixated on the pointed canines the move revealed.
“Vampire.”
“Vampire?” Confused, he waited for the punchline. When one never came, he cleared his throat. “You’re serious.”
“Very. Why? What are you?”
“Human.” Though he appeared to be in the minority here in this mansion.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Oliver the human,” she said kindly, laying her soft fingers on top of his hand.
There was an immense pressure somewhere in the center of his chest. It was difficult to breathe, though air seemed to be filtering in and out of his lungs just fine.
“Are you staying here? With the angels?” he asked, glancing up when one of the servers came over, carrying ceramic pots of coffee and a tray full of mugs.
“My father’s seeking refuge for me here,” she said, her gaze still moving over his face as though she was as surprised to see him as he was her.
“Refuge? Are you in danger?”
“Only from the demons hell-bent on eliminating the vampire race.”
Oliver let the words penetrate his gray matter. He tossed them around, but no matter how hard he tried, they didn’t make sense. Vampires?
“And you? Are you staying here?” Bijou asked.
He nodded.
“Because you’re in danger?”
“You could say that… I mean, no. Not anymore. I was. From my girlfriend. I mean, ex-girlfriend. She was a demon. Is. She is a demon. Or maybe she’s dead. I don’t know.”
Her soft laugh settled over him like an ocean breeze.
Oliver realized he sounded like an idiot, but no amount of acknowledgement was making his tongue work any better. He was completely awestruck by this … vampire. Bijou. She was lovely, in a way he’d never seen before.
When Bijou ducked her head, Oliver realized he was still staring.
“I apologize,” he said softly.
“Don’t,” she said, her hand resting on his once more. “I like the way you look at me.”
His eyes flipped back to her face. “You do?”
She nodded and he detected an innocence about her, one he didn’t expect to encounter this day and age.
He was captivated by the shiny black hair that slipped over her shoulder when she moved, the way her light green eyes surveyed the room constantly, as though seeking danger.
“How long have you been here?” she prompted after he passed her a cup of coffee.
“Almost three months, I think. Time seems irrelevant these days. One minute bleeds into the next.” He smiled as he reached for the small pot of cream.
“But you like it?”
He found himself nodding, though he was surprised by his own admission. “And you? How long do you plan to stay?”
“Indefinitely, I guess.”
“You don’t sound pleased by that.”
“My father … he can be a bit … what’s the word?”
“Asshole?”
Another soft laugh came from her, this one making his entire body harden.
“Not exactly what you’d call the king of the vampires. Not if you want to keep your head, anyway.”
Oliver’s eyes rounded like saucers as he glanced over at the big vampire who was now sitting with Obsidian and Penelope. “King?”
“Technically, Alpha.”
“Wow. Is that an elected position?”
Bijou shook her head. “His father was the Alpha. When he died, it passed down to my father.”
“And that makes you what? Vampire royalty?”
She chuckled then ducked her head. “Actually, I’m a bastard. My mother and father weren’t mated when I was conceived.”
Oliver’s gaze swung back to her face. “And here I thought vampires were myths.”
She smiled sweetly. “We thought the same about humans at one time.”
Oliver laughed, couldn’t help it.
“You have a very nice smile,” Bijou said softly.
He could’ve said the same about her, but in that moment in time, he couldn’t find his voice. He felt a shift inside him, like puzzle pieces were being clicked into place or the final touches being put on a painting. Oliver felt whole for the first time in his life, complete in a way that confused the hell out of him.
And he had the distinct feeling Bijou was the final piece.
Chapter Sixteen
Eclipse woke to the sound of movement. First the shutters lifting, then bare feet pattering around the room. He knew where he was, even knew who was making the noise, but he kept his eyes closed.
“Crap,” Orianna muttered.
“Problem?”
He heard her sharp inhale of breath and smiled as he rolled to his back. Evidently, she’d thought he was still asleep.
“I didn’t mean to wake you.”
Easing into a sitting position, Eclipse pulled the sheet over his lap to cover the erection her nearness inspired, his attention turning to the female snatching up clothing and tugging it on piece by piece.
“Going somewhere?”
She turned to look at him. “I have a life to get back to. If I’m not at work in twenty minutes, I’ll be fired.”
Part of him wanted to throw out a barrier, keep her from leaving the room. He wasn’t too proud to admit he wanted her to stay forever. And not only because that cold loneliness would consume him once she was out of sight. No, he wanted her to stay because … well, because he wanted to get to know her. More than just how perfect she felt against him, how easily she soothed every part of his soul. Although a few more hours of that wouldn’t bother him in the least.
“Have you seen my panties?”
Eclipse noticed the blush that suffused her cheeks as her eyes scanned the floor.
“Please don’t go,” he said softly.
Those cornflower-blue eyes darted to him, but they didn’t linger. “Like I said, I’ve got a life to get back to.”
So that was the way she was going to play it?
“Orianna…”
The smile that formed on her face was forced, her eyes never meeting his. “Look, Eclipse. About last night … or today. Whatever. That was fun and all, but…”
“Fun?” Eclipse snorted. “That’s not quite the word that came to mind. Maybe mind-blowing. Or earth-shattering. Cataclysmic, even.”
She rolled her eyes, but her smile was softer, a bit more relaxed.
He doubted she wanted him to wait her out, but Eclipse was curious as to what excuse she would come up with, so he remained where he was, watching her.
Finally, she spun around to pace to the far side of the room, turned back. “I don’t know what’s going on here.” She motioned toward the bed as she neared. “This … whatever all that was…” She exhaled heavily, then sat on the edge of the bed at his feet. “I haven’t quite wrapped my head around any of this yet.”
“Any of what?”
“You. Me. This.” She glanced over her shoulder. “Vampires and angels. Was any of that real? Or was I dreaming?”
“It’s real.”
“Which means nothing is as it seems, and my sister really is dead.”
Eclipse felt the pain as it washed over her. “I’m sorry, sezari, but yes.”
Another exhale, this one rich with exhaustion. “I was worried you would say that.”
“Call in to work,” he f
ound himself saying at the same time he was thinking or quit altogether. He preferred she do the latter.
“I just started there. If I do, they’ll fire me.”
He smiled because there had been absolutely no conviction in her words. “Good. Let them. We’ll spend the night together.”
As she peered back, he saw her smile in profile. “Didn’t we already do that?”
“If you’re talking about what went on here”—he patted the mattress—“that was how we passed the daylight hours. It’s night. Time for us to get up.”
“So you’re a night owl, too, huh?”
“I … uh … can’t go out in the sun,” he reminded her, watching for her reaction.
“Oh, right.” Her eyes darted to the windows. “Like vampires.”
He smiled. “We share a few characteristics.”
Orianna turned, resting her knee on the mattress. “Just out of curiosity, what exactly do you have that they don’t?”
Eclipse smiled. “A way with the ladies, for one.”
She barked a laugh that eased some of the tension inside him. “Yeah?”
“I don’t hear you complaining.”
“I’d probably give you an A for effort.”
Fucking hell, he loved when she teased him like that. He’d never encountered a female who was so straightforward, so easy to talk to. And despite the hardships she’d experienced, Orianna didn’t seem jaded.
She smiled. “What else?”
He forgot what they were talking about, too caught up in staring at her, the way her blond hair hung over her shoulders, just barely hiding the fang marks he’d left in her neck. “Else?”
“Characteristics? What makes you different from vampires?” Her smile was radiant.
“Most noticeably? Probably the wings.”
All signs of amusement faded from Orianna’s expression, her eyes widening. “Wings?”
Figuring this was a conversation that required sensitivity, Eclipse decided to put it on the back burner for the moment.
“The evening meal’s being served,” he informed her. “Since neither of us ate this morning, perhaps we should go down, get some grub, then we’ll figure out what to do for the rest of the night.”
“What do you usually do at night?” she prompted, still watching him intently.
“Fight.”
Her eyebrows rose. “Who do you fight?”
“Demons?”
The laugh that came from her was part disbelief, part hysteria. “You fight demons? Oh, my God.”
Since it was clear she wasn’t going to make a decision on whether to depart, eat, or something else altogether, Eclipse swung his legs over the edge of the bed and got to his feet. He padded to the bathroom, relieved himself, washed his hands and face, then returned to snag his jeans from the floor. Orianna was still sitting on the bed, same position as when he’d left. Obviously, she was trying to wrap her mind around the information he’d given her. Didn’t surprise him that she couldn’t. Most humans went to church to interact with God and his children. She was getting to know an angel on an entirely different level.
He bent down, grabbed his discarded T-shirt. As he stood to pull it on, soft fingers fluttered over his back. “Are these the wings you were referring to? It’s a nice tattoo.”
He held himself still, enjoying her touch. “There’s no ink in my skin.”
Eclipse felt her breath, and he assumed she had moved closer to inspect.
“So … how?”
“Wings, sezari. When they’re necessary, they’ll emerge.”
After tugging his shirt on, he turned to face her.
“Will you help me find my sister?”
The words were spoken so softly and with a desperation that made his chest ache. “Of course I will, sezari. Whatever it takes. But right now, let’s go downstairs.” He reached for her hand. “I’ll introduce you to some of the others. We’ll share a meal, then make a plan to get this search underway.”
To his surprise, she nodded, taking his hand and allowing him to lead the way out of his private quarters.
When they reached the dining room, Eclipse was glad to see it was full. Orianna, on the other hand, seemed a bit hesitant, her hand tightening around his as he led the way inside.
Penelope was the first to get to her feet. She gave Obsidian’s shoulder a gentle squeeze before she made her way over, her reuthet following close behind.
Eclipse greeted her with a smile. “Orianna, I’d like you to meet Penelope Calazans, Obsidian’s mate. Penelope, this is Orianna McKay.”
“It’s so nice to meet you,” Penelope greeted, offering Orianna a hug that seemed to surprise Eclipse’s amsouelot.
Orianna pulled back, nodded to them both.
“Would you like me to introduce you to the others?” Penelope offered, her gaze briefly cutting to Eclipse.
He nodded his approval, then watched as Penelope led Orianna from one table to another, introducing her by name. He noticed she didn’t make a reference to Orianna being his amsouelot, and he figured that was wise since he’d yet to give Orianna the lowdown on what it all meant, aside from destined to be together, yada yada.
“Things better this evening?” Obsidian asked, standing shoulder to shoulder with Eclipse.
“She’s still here. I consider that a good thing.”
“Good point.” Obsidian turned to face him. “I hate to have to tell you this, but Michael wants a meeting.”
Eclipse studied his brother, trying to read between the lines. “With me? Or all of us?”
“All of us.”
That relieved him somewhat. While Eclipse wasn’t intimidated by the archangel, the last thing he wanted was a tête-à-tête with the male. The last one they’d had was more than a century ago, and he still remembered how well that had gone.
Turning back to look at Orianna, relief washed over him as she strolled in his direction.
Unfortunately, that was short-lived when her eyes rolled back in her head and she swayed on her feet.
Bijou couldn’t deny there were plenty of things to keep her distracted from her own frustrations. She’d probably go so far as to call it drama. What with all the angels and Fae fluttering around in an attempt to figure out what turned that human’s knees to Jell-O and all.
She’d witnessed it as it went down. One second the pretty young human was offering a timid smile, the next she was passing out, barely kept from crashing to the floor when Eclipse appeared at her side, preventing her impact with the floor.
A quick glance at her companion told her Oliver had been distracted by the show. He was no longer staring at her as though she was from another planet. That was good, Bijou figured.
Not that she minded the human’s attention. Oddly, she’d been a bit flattered. Not since she’d been revealed to be Kaj’s daughter had a single male given her so much as the time of day. Even the male who had been courting her at the time had eased off, treating her like a leper, as though she was tainted simply because her father was the race’s Alpha.
It made sense that it wouldn’t matter to Oliver. And he didn’t seem fazed by the way Kaj had stared at him across the room during the evening meal, his eyes all but shooting daggers at the male who had the audacity to speak with her. Either Oliver was incredibly brave or ridiculously stupid, but she was going to assume the former.
A scurry ensued as Eclipse lifted the female, easily carrying her out of the dining room while the others remained where they were, staring after the pair. Well, everyone except Penelope. She was right on their heels, eager to assist. Not unsurprising. Since the minute Bijou had arrived here at the angels’ residence, Penelope had been more than welcoming. At first, it had been frustrating because Bijou had wanted the angels to be assholes—to use Oliver’s word—but instead, they seemed rather pleasant. Which made it difficult for her to keep her mad on.
“Have you been to the theater yet?” Oliver asked when the ruckus died down.
She peered over at her
new friend. He was a handsome male, she’d give him that. Not quite what she was used to. By nature, vampires were more… well, attractive came to mind, but she wasn’t sure that was the correct term because she’d met plenty of attractive humans. But there was something about Oliver. Beneath the nice packaging, she sensed an anger that bubbled down deep. There was something else, too, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. Almost as though whatever it was had been shielded from everyone.
“There’s a theater?” She stared into his pretty brown eyes. “Here?”
He nodded, then got to his feet. “I’ll show you.”
Since there was nothing she could do to assist the human and no one else seemed interested in what she was doing, Bijou found no reason to decline, so she pushed back her chair and got to her feet. She peeked into the sunroom as they passed on their way to the back stairs. More angels and a few Fae had appeared, circling the human and her mate, their eyes reflecting their concern. Perhaps she should’ve stayed so she gave the impression she was concerned, as well. It would’ve been the politically correct thing to do, but at the moment, Bijou wasn’t feeling all that PC. In fact, she was tired of putting on a front. It was all she’d been doing for the past year, ever since she’d introduced herself to her father. Being the perfect daughter to a male she hardly knew was far more difficult than it sounded.
Her attention shifted to Oliver. She admired his profile, noting the stubble along his jaw, the sharp angle of his nose, the flecks of gold in his hair. Based on the small pinhole scar on his ear, she had to assume he’d had a piercing there at one time.
“Is it true you and Penelope are twins?” she asked.
His eyes cut over to her. “Yes.”
Bijou memorized his features, taking a snapshot in her mind. She pulled up one of Penelope and compared the two as she continued to follow Oliver up the stairs to the second floor. Odd how they had absolutely no similarities aside from the coloring of their hair and eyes. In fact, as she mentally compared them, Bijou wondered how they could even be related. Usually siblings had some distinct similarities be it the structure of their bones, eyebrows, shape of their eyes, nose, even lips. She was surprised they shared even a little of the same DNA at all.
Salvation in Darkness (Misplaced Halos Book 2) Page 17