Eclipsed by Midnight (21 page)

“Are you ready to begin?” she quietly asks as she approaches, thankfully not afraid. I really don’t like scaring people who are on our side of this mess.

“Yeah, sorry about that. I just get a bit temperamental sometimes.” I try to wave off my outburst.

She shrugs it off and gingerly sits down on the ground in front of me, long legs elegantly folding up under her flowing white skirt, palms up. “I’d expect nothing less. Join me?”

Following her lead, I position myself across from her. She chants a few words that sound Latin, and the sand slowly begins to move just behind her as if someone had pushed the end of a stick there. The invisible stick quickly drags all the way around us, drawing a circle in the sand.

“Can you pull the veil?” she asks with a naughty look.

“Um, sure.” Closing my eyes, I use my essence as an extension of myself and visualize pulling the air around us as simply as pulling the curtains on a window. The air stills as shifting takes place in the form of the sound of sand pouring through the hands of time. The veil between our world and the ancient one folds in on itself just within the lines of the circle she drew with her magical, invisible stick. Weird.

“Great. Sorry, but we need the privacy.” She beams me with her genuine smile.

“Oh?”

“Yeah. There are some things Dominic doesn’t need to know and neither do the humans outside of this place. They can still feel things even though they are clueless as to what it is. Don’t need them accidentally being drawn here and walking in.” Smart girl.

“What does Dominic not need to know?” My trust is low, very low, and her statement strikes me as curious.

“The extent of your powers for one. He does a good job protecting himself from dreamwalkers and mind invaders, but the less they know, the better. And honestly? The depth of our connection.”

“We’re connected?”

“Yes, it is hard to explain, but our powers are. Probably because of your son.” She sheepishly looks away, looking her young, girlish age for the first time.

“What?” This made no sense.

“Your son and I share a connection as well. I am not sure how it all will play out in the end, but I really don’t need Dominic or anyone else knowing that right now,” she whispers as if they still might be able to hear us beyond the wavy, glass-like walls now surrounding us.

“Aiden?”

“Yes.”

“Damn it,” I breathe and hang my head.

“Is it that bad?” Her young-girl pride suddenly is very hurt as she attempts to hide behind her flowing locks.

“No, love, it is not,” I halfheartedly attempt to soothe her self-doubt. “It’s just…” I sigh and trail off, picking at a sliver of peeled rubber on my boot.

“You want to protect him from any attachments until we know if he will survive or not.” Her wise, witchy ways about her returns.

“Yes.” Etienne is barely visible on the other side of our bubble as he paces the arena, keeping watch, worried about what we are up to.

“I understand.” She decisively nods and smiles again, outstretching her hands toward mine, drawing my attention back to our circle. “It’s okay; I’m not going to bite.” She giggles, trying to ease my worry.

When I take her hands, we instantly link, the power surge taking our breaths away, forcing us to gasp for a few moments as we comprehend the movement of energy.

“Wow, I wasn’t expecting that.” She chuckles again, breathlessly meeting my gaze.

“What was that?” I murmur, not understanding.

“I tapped into your connection to all things, holy cow! What a rush!” Her restless body takes a moment to settle back into position.

“That’s all me?”

“Pretty much, mostly you, but a bit of the baby and me.” My mouth guppies as I try to find the words. She isn’t supposed to know. “Don’t worry, I won’t say anything. I am sorry. I can’t help it,” she rushes to assure me, picking up on the invasion of privacy.

“I just thought it was hidden behind my barrier still. Things are too dangerous right now.”

“Yes, I know. Don’t worry; she is well hidden. It is just part of my own gift.” Blind to her simple admission, I stare at her, jaw now in the sand.

“She?” I finally gasp, thrilled and suddenly more scared than ever.

“Gosh darn it! Sorry, My Lady.” She casts her eyes down in shame as it takes over her innocent aura.

“No, it’s fine. How do you know?”

“It’s part of my gifts. I am tapped into nature to a disturbing degree; I can talk to it. And the sun or light energy, I can wield it.” Her amber eyes light with excitement, her hair seemingly curling around her face at the same time.

“So, you can talk to her?” My voice climbs a notch as I lean forward.

“Not fully, she’s hiding herself, but there are things about her light, her energy, that talk to me. I am not sure that makes sense…” She trails off. Her self-doubt takes over again and her strawberry-blonde waves fall forward to hide her adorable features.

“You talk to things and see things that other girls your age can’t. And that makes you insecure at times despite your growing power. Never try to hide your beauty, my dear.” I squeeze her hands.

“I haven’t been able to hang out with my old friends for quite some time. I’ve been with Dominic since sixteen. I fully came into my power then and my parents didn’t know what to do, witches being so scarce and all. They reached out through some elder family members and found Erik, who set me up with Dominic. It has been the best, yet hardest transition of my life.”

“How old are you?”

“Twenty.”

“Still so much living to do for a young lady who lives on a mountain.”

“The mountain is safe—plenty of magic there to tap into and play with. It takes up my free time.” Contentedness fills her being as she shrugs and relaxes back a bit.

“You really love this, don’t you?”

“What? Magic?”

“Your roll in this all.”

“Yes, I guess so. Helping people and channeling the magic around us to do so is the best, fulfilling on a level I can’t even explain.”

“You just might be right about that.” It is hard not to like this little sunbeam.

“Alright, you ready?” She excitedly squeezes our interlocked hands, her long hair beginning to lift around her in the absence of a breeze. Mine too, begins to do the same.

“For?”

“Oh! Just wait. It is amazing. By the time we are done, you will be able to control the light within you with no problem.”

Her beautiful, blinding smile has a light of its own, illuminating our little bubble slipped between the veils. Feeling less on guard and more in the moment, I give myself over to the energy brewing around us as she takes me on an unexpected journey. 

Chapter 13

“Intuition is a form of intelligence that goes beyond perception.” ~Deepak Chopra

Sasha

Completely spent, Etienne and I barely stumble through the front door by sunrise. Training with Solana on top of another side trip to check on Maurizio made this officially one of the top five most exhausting nights of my life. I swear to the goddess, my foot has barely breached the threshold and hasn’t even begun to fully bear my weight before Aiden appears in front of my face, blocking our passage.

“How can I help you, son?” I sigh as I push past his eager form. The warm and blissful atmosphere washes over us as we enter the old, craftsman-style mini mansion from the bitter cold morning. I still have my cottage, perfectly maintained, but vacant. It hasn’t been safe to go there alone, but I’m not giving up hope that one day I can still disappear there on occasion. I love that property. Perhaps it can become like an office or respite away. A bird needs to spread her wings here and there.

“You’re not glowing like Casper anymore. Solana helped you?” Aiden’s eyes search mine, on a mission for any sliver of information in regards to the girl. Connected indeed. Another fabulous common thread now woven into the tapestry of our unfolding destiny.

“Yes, she did. How was the time with Inessa’s nieces—what are their names?” Goddess, I really need to get better about remembering. Especially now that they are about to become the bonded blood partners of my kids.

“Lesya and Manya. It was fine, I guess.” He shrugs and attempts to not appear guilty.

My, I really wish he wouldn’t develop an attachment to anyone else right now. He already has too many feelings going around.

“Hey, Ma! Welcome back.” Ethan comes up and wraps me in his big arms for a tight squeeze, happy to see us all. His vibrant colors lift my heart and ease my worry.

“Did you all eat dinner yet?” The smells of something out of this world have me inching us closer into the dining room.

“Nah,” they both grunt and aimlessly chatter about something as Etienne and I lead the way and take our seats, famished from the evening. Thankfully, I have been getting stronger and not passing out as much, but my appetite for food and blood is getting out of hand. Best keep my stallion well fed too.

Not missing a beat, we all dig in, our silence amicable as we over indulge. Lord have mercy, I have not had green chili and tamales this good… ever. I groan as the morsels slide across my tongue in a burst of flavor.

“Anu, after we rise this evening, we are to travel to my parents’ estate and dine with them.” Etienne kills the mood between mouthfuls of dripping cheese and chili, making bile rise in the back of my throat. My eyes narrow as I severely contemplate stabbing him with my fork as recourse for ruining my meal.

The boys pick up on my change and lift their questioning eyes from their plates. I haven’t divulged all of that drama to them, and I didn’t want to either.

“Great.” I raise my glass of water, wishing it were wine, and try to clear my throat.

“Are we going?” Ethan asks in uncertainty.

“No. You will stay here with Gabriel,” I affirm.

“Why not Niall?” Aiden chips in through a mouth full of food.

“Because he’s coming too.”

“He is?” Etienne inquires without taking his attention off his second helping.

“It’s time they make the connection of my bloodline instead of viewing me as some lowly human you bedded,” I scoff. The boys immediately tune back into their food, not wanting anything to do with the topic.

Smart kids.

∞

Pulling up to the grand mansion sitting on Allen’s Lake just north of Boulder, my heart leaps into my throat. Something feels off about this.

“Easy, mon amour. It’s only breakfast, and then we shall return home,” Etienne says, attempting to calm me.

“It’s not that. Something is off, and it doesn’t feel right to be here away from the boys.” Like a livewire, my body begins to hum as my hands nervously fret over the hem of my knit dress.

“We haven’t a choice. If we don’t suffer through this, they will come to the house and impede there. We are close to solving things with my father. Until that happens, it is best that the boys’ transition not reach the royal court,” Lil says as his hand encompasses mine. The movement draws my eyes to the black stones in his cuff links before they flick to his wedding ring with the black diamond. My matching necklace heats, reminding me of its presence as my mind chews on what interference I am picking up on.

“The minute I figure out something that tells us we need to leave, will you listen?” I turn my eyes up to his in urgency. I can’t put into words why, but something is telling me this will need to be a short visit.

“Yes, of course.” He leans in and pecks me on the lips, the corners of his mouth lifting as he contemplates going back in for more. His slicked-back hair is neatly tied at the base of his neck and his suit is crisp, making my debonair lover look quite pressed and lethal as ever.

“Alright, ye love birds, out with ye,” Niall jokes from the backseat as his heft shifts the car on his exit, shaking up the moment. The door slams and we are left alone once more.

Funny how many years we spent just like this, fighting the pull toward one another over the console of a vehicle. Longing for one another on so many levels, yet exercising control on extreme levels just to keep the world from spinning off its axis.

Sending one last look of longing my way, Etienne squeezes my hand. “You’ve got it all under control?”

“Yes, Lil.” Let’s do this.

Walking up the stone pathway, hand in hand as Niall brings up the back, I feel as if we are going to war, not a family dinner. We haven’t even reached the porch before the door swings open, blasting the dusky night air with too much light. Etienne’s mother, Queen Sofia in all of her ice blue, silk wrap dress glory, comes floating out to greet us.

“Darlings, I am so happy you came.” We ascend the steps and into her zealous embrace, one that does nothing for my motivation to actually walk in. “Please, come in. The meal is just being set. Come, come, get out of this chill.” She ushers us on, anxious for us to get inside.

When we move inside, a maid welcomes us by the coat rack, quickly stripping us of our winter gear, her nervous eyes skimming back and forth between us as she attempts not to make eye contact. Trying not to dwell on her behavior and the spiders now crawling up my spine, I take in our surroundings as we go.

The entire house is done in classic Colorado winter lodge fashion. It didn’t fit with their style or the décor I had become accustomed to back in France. There, it all dripped in opulence and old European themes with a touch of medieval. This was woodland comfort with the scents of earthy pine and cedar with chunky, yet simple lines. Perhaps they just took it over from someone and moved right in? Although, many often liked to mimic the area in which they vacation. The lighting emulates yellow hues as it bounces off the furniture and polished log-lined walls. Following the queen and her assistant, we finally come to the dining room and the source of my discomfort.

Sitting at the head of the table is Francios and way more dark energy than I am comfortable with. It fans out from all around his proud figure, like sticky, foul fingers waving in the wind. I pull on my bond to Etienne to alert him, and he shoots me a quick look of understanding before pulling out my chair, motioning me to sit. My throat tightens as my blood pressure soars. He’s going to make us stay? Can no one else see what I am seeing? It’s the shit nightmares begin with.

Just wait, Sash, he promised. I tell myself, there has to be a good, rational explanation why he’s not ready to bail.

“Children! Welcome, I am so happy you could come. Niall, what a welcome surprise.” Francios’ cordiality doesn’t match what’s stemming from him.

“Well, it’s not every day that the in-laws get ta have a meal together.” Niall’s wicked sense of humor and bluntness rings out as he nonchalantly takes a seat to the right of the queen. I am too busy studying the shit emanating out from around the king to get pissed by it.

“In-laws?” Sophia expectantly inquires as her chair is pulled out for her by the maid at her husband’s right-hand side. We follow and all settle in around the long, rustic table. Francois leans in on his elbows, joy at seeing us clear as day on his face, yet contradicting the blackness now attempting to slowly slither up the table from him like a foreboding, hungry serpent.

“Yes, Niall is my father,” the words absently fall from my lips as I jolt. My senses dive into my own magic, pulling protection around me like second nature. Etienne takes the open seat to the left of his father as his attention stays on me, simultaneously pulling on our connection, trying to read into what I am picking up on.

“Well, that is quite interesting indeed.” Sophia huffs as she reaches for her wine, her face expressionless.

“That’s fantastic, my dear, I knew you were royalty all along,” Francois chirps as he winks at me; his personal, peppermint scent calling forth peaceful times spotlighted around hot tea and welcome conversations. Yet, he is tainted, sour. Perhaps that is why his features strike me as plain, yet odd. Etienne may share some resemblances with the old man, but his looks definitely came from his mother. My eyes drift briefly to Sophia. She remains her usual untouchable, hesitant, but doting motherly self.

“Thank you,” I reply as Niall begins to regal them with nonfictional recollections that led to his proud parental status. I slip into my own mind and Etienne watches me watch them.

“Fabulous! Well, I am delighted that the mystery is all solved and buttoned up.” Francios averts his attention to the door leading into the kitchen, waiting patiently.

“Terrible how your parents handled it though. It could have ended a lot worse,” Sophia chimes, sadness over the possibilities washing through her colors.

“Tat has been dealt with and laid ta rest, but thank ye for ye concern.” Niall ends the conversation. Sophia opens her mouth to say something, but the look from Niall has her shutting it fast. The big ol’ bear has a nasty streak that only comes out when necessary. Niall wouldn’t discuss the topic with any of us, well, expect for Etienne, who was the definition of Sub Rosa.

“Glad you handled it appropriately, old friend. Would you look at that…?” Francios eyes the opening door and subsequent parade of staff filing through with trays of the very lavishness I had expected when walking in.

When Molly spoils us like this, all my cares disappear. Here and now? My stomach is turning and dread is weighing heavily as I keep tabs on that shit trying to climb up and over the table. “Thank you, this looks lovely,” I attempt a lie, which has Sophia’s eyes narrowing on me immediately. Pretending not to notice the alert now fettering between everyone at my obvious untruth, I will my hands to reach for the caprece salad.

“Sasha, tell us, how are your studies going?” Sophia casually asks as she, too, begins to serve herself, her draw to test me increasing.

“They are good. I am learning a lot.” Which was a fact; it was a welcome distraction on my few minutes of down time a day.

“What are you focusing on now?” Her rapt blue eyes find mine, waiting for another slip up to use as a discretization. There is no doubt in my mind that, no matter what, no woman will ever be enough for her prized son.

Allowing my shoulders to drop, I internally pull my blockade a bit closer. “Healing mostly, I am quite fascinated by it considering my old line of work. When Damien is not tutoring me there, I pick up what I can on history and culture.” Not to mention weapons, fighting, and magic, but something made me stop before I got to that part. The most valuable thing I have learned through all of this transition is to trust my instincts, and I’ll be damned if I forget to do that now.

“An honorable line of work. Will you be coming back to train with your mentor in person soon?” A hint of bubbly hits her tone, reminding me of Emmanuelle, softening the lines on her too-perfect exterior. 

“Hopefully.” A meek smile attempts to appear as I pick up my fork in the midst of contented males beginning to happily converse and fill their bellies. My utensil begins its journey into the seemingly harmless bounty on my plate, but it stops mid-dissension as the materialized bits start to swirl before my eyes and the hairs on the back of my neck rise.

“Anu?” Etienne calls my name from what sounds like the end of a tunnel.

“Dear?” Sophia’s tender, apprehensive words accompany a hand brushing mine. The shock from the strange and revolting contact startles me to look up and into Francios’ worried eyes. Have I been sitting here staring at my food long enough to cause the king himself to rise from his seat?

“I’m sorry…” I breathe as I pull away from him and catch sight of an odd button on Francios’ dinner jacket that doesn’t belong. Trying to get a better look at the engraved symbol there, I lean forward but the warning bells alarm in my head in a deafening tone, blinding me momentarily. Messages begin to bombard me at a pace I can’t keep up with. As the download from the celestial highway bashes me, one thing becomes very clear…

Etienne and Niall immediately stand, coming to my side.