Eclipsed by Midnight (7 page)

“I tried to keep you out, you cow. But you wouldn’t hear of it. You wouldn’t leave it be.” I sob and bury my face into her hair.

“Why am I so hard headed? I should have listened. Then maybe we could have spared the kids this.” And that’s when we both really lose it and fall onto the couch in a heap of estrogen-fueled pain. Molly comes and sits by us, holding the tissues and rubbing our arms while whispering sweet things. After a while, the storm subsides and we are able to sit back to take shaky breaths.

“Now, dears, doesn’t that feel better? A good cry always helps,” Molly chirps and begins cleaning up our mess.

“Molly, how did you do it? How did you allow yourself to love Edward when you knew he would pass so soon?” Ang blubbers, not even thinking.

Molly’s face falls before becoming lost in thought. She shuffles back around the table and falls into the wingback across from us as her fingers begin to thoughtfully play with the diamond bracelet around her delicate wrist.

“Oh, Molly, I am sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.” Ang realizes the chasm of emotion she has opened for our lovely friend.

“Rubbish, not to worry, dear. That man was the love of my life. Roman’s father was a lovely male. Don’t get me wrong, a bit potty, but a good husband and father. When he suddenly died, I was quite lost. All of my young had been reared and were off on their own, even Roman, the baby. When Etienne took me in and restored my purpose in life, he also brought that cheeky sod into my life. Edward was like no one I had ever met. While the new position of head of house for Etienne gave me purpose, Edward gave me passion—a reason to breathe a bit deeper, to smile a bit longer. His mind was as brilliant as his personality and he challenged me in ways I had never been before. He made me feel bright, beautiful, and sexy—all foreign things before him. The gifts he gave me one can never repay, and for that, I am eternally grateful. In all of my years, I never thought I would fall for a human and enter the happiest phase of my life. The end result was inevitable. We both knew it. I feel his loss every day, much more so than my first mate. But, at the end of the day, it was worth it. To have been bestowed what I had through his love for me remains well worth the subsequent pain I endure in his absence.” She becomes lost in the firelight as we sit and ponder, dabbing away the remnants of sadness. I understand where she is coming from. Having now known the level of love and passion I now do, it was very much worth the leap of faith.

“What do you think about our kids’ situation?”

“Let it play out as it will. Don’t try to keep them apart. You know that leads to more troubles.”

“You know very well what can happen when they turn. I won’t risk the girls’ lives like that,” I remind her. I’ve heard horror stories studying with Damien.

“Of course, but weren’t you beginning to tell Angelique of a brilliant idea prior to your disagreement?” Molly gently reminds me, making my mind race forward once more with a gasp.

“Yes! Ang, you and Christian take the girls to Tokyo. There is a Disney park there. You can take our jet and spend a few weeks, go wherever you want. Money isn’t an issue.”

“Geez, Sash, that’s an amazing offer, but he doesn’t have the energy or the mindset for that. He’s been in such a mood.”

“That is where your cool bestie with magical voodoo comes into play. Let me play with his mind. I promise I won’t alter anything important. Just let me take away the pain and depression so you can enjoy what little time you have left with him in peace.”

Her whole body tenses up as fear of the unknown washes over her. “You wouldn’t manipulate him into anything he wouldn’t want, right?”

“Seriously?”

“I have to ask—for my peace of mind.” That was one promise he made Ang make and she would keep indefinitely.

“No, I would never go against his wishes like that. You know that.” She pauses for a long while, lost in possibility. Molly and I fix another cup of tea while we give her the time and space she needs.

“Okay, let’s do it. Please, Sasha, give me my husband back for the little time that I have him.” She grabs my hands and searches my eyes. “We don’t need your money or all that stuff. I just need him back.” Tears silently trail back down her cheeks as resolve claims her and hope lights her tired being.

“When do you want to do it?” I smile, happy to see the cloud lift ever so slightly from her.

“Now, right now.” She is dead serious about this.

“Ang, we’ve got an audience not far away.” My head tilts toward the door.

“The boys can take the girls to a movie or something.”

“The boys have been up all night and had a tiny nap before you got here. They are exhausted.”

“Doesn’t Erik have a TV room? Can’t they go in there while Etienne stands guard?”

“You can use my quarters if you need,” Molly offers.

“Good Lord, you really are determined to get this done now.”

“I want him back, even if it is just for a brief moment. I don’t know who that man in there is anymore, but he’s not my Christian.”

“Is this because of the football? I mean, most men don’t come back to us until what? February?” The corners of my mouth dare to lift.

“I’m serious.” For as young as she normally looks for her almost forty years, she has aged a decade over the last few months.

“One condition.”

Ang’s eyebrows hit the ceiling. “That would be…?” She bites her lower lip in worry.

“That you take the plane and my money to go on the trip of a lifetime. Take the girls and don’t come back until Thanksgiving. Live a little, bond, laugh, and experience joy—all together as a family. This also gives me the chance to get the boys together. Aiden especially doesn’t need any distractions.”

“What’s wrong with him?” Concern pinches her brow as I catch their scents becoming stronger.

“Not now—they are coming back inside. Let’s just say his stubborn nature has us worried and that this transition might be the hardest on him.”

The sound of laughter and friendly, competitive voices bounce down the hall toward us. Two happy sets of twins round the doorway, immersed in happy chatter as Roman and Erik follow them in. Roman catches sight of Ang and pauses before backing up to lean against the wall instead of taking a seat.

“Hey guys, that was a fast game.” My hand moves to mess Ethan’s hair before I sit back down next to the fire.

“The girls were getting cold so we came back,” Aiden responds as he drapes a blanket around Liz’s shoulders and Lysa drops to curl up next to her mom. Ang was right—this was coming years ago.

“Remind my old ass not to challenge them to a game for quite some time. Well, back to work.” Erik begins to shuffle from the room, Roman hot on his heels.

“Hey, brother mine, quick favor?” His blond brow quirks as he halts. In the background the kids joke around with one another and Aiden’s eyes linger a bit too long on Liz. Ang and her family need to get the hell out of town, fast. Aiden’s hormones are about to be on vamp overdrive, which won’t help him think clearly and he doesn’t need to drag Liz down that path.

As I walk out into the hall, Erik follows me. “So, what would it take for you to babysit in the TV room a bit longer while I cloud a human? Oh, and also have you help Ang plan a month-long trip overseas for her and her family using my trust fund?”

He blows out hard through pursed lips. “Have you talked to the boss about this?” Erik wavers.

“No, why should I?”

“I’m not even going to dignify that with an answer.” His stern brow tells me all I need to know. He won’t budge until the captain has signed off.

“Fine. Can you please set them all up with a move in the theater while I run it past the master?” I smart as my hand waves exasperatedly toward the basement door. The basement held many wonders aside from our private suite at the back.

“Sure thing, princess.” He chuckles to himself as my blood boils at the title, and I turn on my heel to find Etienne.

When I follow our bond, I find him seated on the back porch under a heat lamp as he and Christian smoke cigars and sip on whiskey.

“It’s a bit early for that, don’t ya think?” My chin lifts to their glasses, and they pointedly ignore me. “Lil, a minute please?” I pull on our invisible connection for added influence and head back into the house to camp out in the mudroom and wait. Finally, after a few tortuous minutes, he excuses himself and joins me as Christian finishes his cigar in peace.

“Oui, Anu?” He stalks me across hall, and I back into the wall as his palms come to rest on either side of my head. His large figure dwarfs mine as my thighs squeeze together on their own. Close proximity has always been difficult. Our bodies are drawn together.

His breath is laced with whiskey and sin as he licks his lips and stares into my eyes. A girl could get lost there and forget her purpose. Quickly shaking his effect off, I remember my cause. My mouth quickly moves to give him a rundown of all that has transpired while I struggle not to lose focus in his presence; my knees begin to go weak as he traces the tip of his nose ever so slowly down the column of my neck. The heat of his breath fans out and across my skin, making me clench certain regions and quicken my breath.

“For fuck’s sake, Lil. Now is not the time to be messing with me like that.” I groan in frustration, longing to be wrapped up in his arms as our naked bodies become one.

“Tsk-tsk-tsk. What have I said about that mouth?” He drops his hands to my hips, fingers digging in hard, and I immediately tremble. He knows exactly what that does to me.

“Pleeeease, Lil!” I beg and bite my tongue, needing a taste of pain to keep my lust under control in the face of our guests.

“I do love it when you beg like a good girl.” Purring, he nips at my earlobe before feathering light kisses on the skin just below it. He barely needs to touch me at any given moment to make my panties dampen. “Hmm, if I say yes, you are going to have to do some time in the restraints for me.” He grinds his hard dick into my stomach, the height difference making it so that I’d barely have to bend at the waist to take him into my mouth. And I am pretty sure he could titty fuck me while standing if he came up on tiptoes. Nuzzling my face between his pecs, I drink in his heavenly sent.

“Okay,” I hesitantly agree. He’s been trying to get me in those things since before I was captured. We had one good night with a form of them after Belize, but it took a lot of coaxing. Then, after I got home, my PTSD wouldn’t quite allow for it. He’s had fun restraining me with his body, but I know he craves having me presented before him in binds. Now, he is fully taking advantage to get what he wants like the true bastard I’ve come to love.

“Very well. They are all downstairs. Now is as good of a time as any. He is quite relaxed. And by the way, you are getting cuffed to the bed with that pretty little ass of yours propped up nice and high as soon as everyone leaves.” He reaches around and grabs a handful to punctuate the moment.

“Then I won’t be able to see you.” My chest rapidly rises and falls. I’ve come a long way, but there still are some triggers we are working with.

“Do you not trust me, mon amour?” He deepens our contact.

Reaching up to run nervous fingers through my hair, I grab and pull at the scalp—hard. “Yes, I do. You know it is not that.”

“I will make sure you feel me the entire time,” he sinfully promises.

I finally release my hold at the assurance, my body giving in to his. “Okay, let’s just get this over with. Ang wanted to be there, but it’s best she doesn’t see all that. I’ll call Roman to stand guard.” I will pay whatever price I have to help my bestie, and I rather liked when he pushed me, even if the mind fucks took some accommodating.

“Wouldn’t that alert—?” He is quickly cut off as I send my essence through the house along with earth’s element to find Roman and pull him toward us. Like a fish on the end of a hook, he is quickly reeled down the hall in a blink of an eye. “Oh,” Etienne murmurs as I turn in his arms to fill Roman in.

Roman nods in agreement and stands in position as Etienne and I head out to the covered porch where Christian now looks half asleep. Calling the elements to provide privacy to any passing ears, I kneel before Christian and tightly bind the magic around us like a blanket. He looks at me, a bit alarmed, before glancing around, trying to figure what is going on. Quickly, I lock eyes with him and send my essence into his being, the elemental powers catching a ride on the shift. Beings that he is human, I attempt to hold back some of the flow so as to not to overwhelm him.

Once inside, my emotions overcome me as I see all the pain, darkness, and damage lurking there. No wonder he hasn’t been himself. The cancer has literally been eating him from the inside out. Using my powers to lift as much pain and grief as I can, I use the cooling water element to cleanse him internally before pulling back. Holding him up by the shoulders, still locked in the trance, I whisper some words taught to me by Damien and find that Christian’s pupils immediately dilate further.

“Christian, you will let go of the pain and depression. It will not find a home within you again. You will spend the last of your days surrounded in immeasurable love, laughter, happiness and peace with those you hold dearest. Do you understand?”

Christian nods once.

“Okay, old friend, I am going to release you. You are not going to remember this taking place. All you will remember is having a peaceful afternoon among friends and the best cigar and whiskey you’ve ever had.”