“Oh.” Well, that certainly changed things.
“In your vision, could you see what was wrong with Obsidian?”
Orianna closed her eyes and let the images replay in her head. “I don’t see any blood, no visible wounds. But his eyes are closed and … I’m not sure he’s breathing.”
The couch cushion shifted, and when Orianna opened her eyes, Penelope was standing next to Obsidian, her arms around him. It was then Orianna noticed the extreme difference in their sizes. The man was enormous, like a mountain, and she was a much smaller … hill.
“How often do you have these visions?” Eclipse asked.
“I haven’t had many lately,” she admitted. “But I used to have them all the time. Mostly about my … family.”
Orianna tensed when she remembered the first time she’d had one. She’d been ten years old, and the image she’d seen had been of her mother lying cold and unmoving in an alley. At the time, she’d thought it was a nightmare and she’d kept it to herself. Nearly two years to the day later, it had come to fruition. Had she revealed it to her parents, perhaps her mother never would’ve been hurt.
Eclipse’s hand moved over hers and Orianna realized she was trembling.
“It’s all right,sezari,” he whispered. “Let me take you upstairs.”
Unable to find a reason to argue, Orianna nodded. She allowed him to tug her to her feet, then followed as he walked down the steps and through the kitchen.
By the time they reached Eclipse’s bedroom, Orianna’s legs were weak. No, her entire body was weak. As though her muscles were finally taking a vacation, giving in because someone else was strong enough to carry her burden for a while.
“Orianna!”
The next thing she knew, she was in Eclipse’s arms, her face tucked against his neck. She breathed him in and relaxed.
“What are you doing?” she mumbled when he set her on her feet in the bathroom.
“Bathing you,” he said softly before proceeding to undress them both.
She hadn’t even noticed he’d turned on the water in the tub, but she was grateful when he lifted her once more and carried her up the steps, then settled them both in the warm water. Orianna didn’t pull away from him, simply wrapped her arms around his neck and held on for dear life.
God, she was tired. Exhausted really. She hadn’t even realized how much until now. It was as though the past six years had taken their toll on her, draining all her energy reserves. Probably didn’t help that she hadn’t eaten in… She couldn’t recall the last real meal she’d had. Cheez-Its and Mountain Dew had become her only source of nourishment for so long.
“I’ve got you,sezari.” Eclipse pressed his lips to the top of her head.
“I believe you,” she whispered, pressing her lips to his neck. “I don’t know why, but I do.”
His big hand cupped the back of her head as she kissed her way up to his jaw. They remained like that for long minutes, making out in the tub, neither moving to explore further, simply settling on the tongue-to-tongue action. It was nice, but of course, the heat it inspired in her was far too powerful to ignore forever.
Without thinking, Orianna repositioned so she was straddling Eclipse’s thighs. He clearly knew what she needed, because he took over, redistributing her weight as though she was little more than a feather. His hand slid under her thigh, angling the hard ridge of his erection to her core. With a sigh, Orianna sank down on him slowly, allowing the blessed friction to send chills over her skin.
“You feel so good,” she whispered, resting her cheek against his as he maneuvered once again, his hips angling so he slid deeper inside her.
She moaned softly, then buried her face in his neck as he rocked his hips forward and back. The pleasure was intense as he moved, the friction making her skin tingle, her nipples pebble. It was utter perfection, and Orianna held on to the feeling for long minutes.
“Eclipse…” Orianna nuzzled his neck, her tongue licking over his skin.
Suddenly another vision appeared, this one robbing the air from her lungs. She saw herself lying in a room, her body unmoving as Eclipse leaned over her. She knew she was dead, but oddly that didn’t scare her. But there was pain, only she didn’t think it came from her body. It was an emotional turmoil. Seeing Eclipse hurting was something she couldn’t fathom, the thought of him being in pain…
“Come back to me,” Eclipse rumbled in her ear.
Orianna jolted out of the vision, her lips seeking his. And when he kissed her, a warmth filled her entire being. It was so much more than mere lust. In fact, it wasn’t a chemical reaction at all. No, this was more. Deeper.
She was falling in love with this … angel.
And she was falling fast.
Eclipse knew he was invading Orianna’s privacyas he slipped into her mind. He felt her acceptance even as an image of the mating chamber played in her head. He sensed her peace, her acceptance of him taking her life. He saw himself leaning over her, guarding her body until she returned to him. But what surprised him most was the fact there was no fear on her part. Not for herself, anyway. Her concern was only for him and the pain he endured because … yes, Eclipse felt her love for him.
