“As a human, you’re taught not to rush into things, to allow it to grow and blossom. For us … the blossoming occurs prior to the meeting. Some humans have the benefit of experiencing different variations of love. For us, there’s only one.” Asmia motioned behind Penelope. “There’s Winnie now.”
Penelope turned to see her friend strolling toward her, a wide grin on her face.
“Sorry, I was in the shower when Reidar told me you were going to give me a tour.”
Asmia smiled. “No worries. We’re in no hurry.”
“So, tell us about this place,” Penelope said, smiling.
“As you’ve probably noticed, the warriors built this place to be a fortress. While it may not look like it, there’re many levels of security. They wanted us all to have a safe place to go, where we didn’t have to worry about what might be coming to find us.”
“Your enemies?” Winnie asked.
Penelope had to wonder how much she’d learned in the short time she’d been here.
“Yes.”
“Are demons your only enemies?”
Penelope smiled. No need to wonder how much Winnie knew. Looked as though Reidar had given her the details.
“Not our only, no,” Asmia answered. “Humans, too. One of the rules of our presence here on Earth is that we’re to go undetected by humans. Which is why Darkness, Colorado, does not exist on a map. And even if humans knew of its existence, they couldn’t find it. Not even if they had the coordinates. For all intents and purposes, this place doesn’t exist.”
“So if I left, I couldn’t find my way back,” Penelope asked.
“Correct.”
“What if that darkness shield wasn’t in place?”
“Still couldn’t find it. You could walk the path up to the house, but before you got here, you’d be compelled to take a new direction.”
Well, that sounded promising. At least as far as keeping the demons out.
Asmia smiled, leading the way down a wide hallway on the second floor. “You might’ve already seen this, but it’s one of the game rooms. Pool table on this side, couches and television on the other. It’s a safe bet you’ll always find someone in here.”
The large space was set up for entertaining and, at the moment, empty. A red-felt pool table and several recreational chairs and recliners scattered about took up one side of the room. There were pool sticks mounted to the wall, the decor matching the old-world style of the rest of the house. Past the pool table was a U-shaped couch, this one in brown leather, facing a wall with six television screens mounted to it. In the center of the sofa was a square coffee table.
The large stone fireplace separating the spaces was identical to the others she’d seen, splitting the enormous area into two sections. The far side had a plush, U-shaped sofa facing the fireplace and the television mounted above it. A huge cushioned ottoman was tucked in the U, a decorative tray sitting atop it. The outer wall held bookshelves with various decor and books on every shelf. The other side of the room was a wrought iron railing that overlooked the main floor below. Penelope could hear someone moving around in the kitchen.
“I have a question,” Winnie said. “Not really related to the tour.”
Asmia nodded. “I’ll do my best to answer.”
“Are there any other angels on Earth?”
Penelope smiled. It didn’t surprise her that Winnie was so curious. It was one of the many things they had in common.
“Aside from the warriors and those who support them?” Asmia asked.
“Yes.”
“To be honest, that’s way above my pay grade. I’m here specifically to support the warriors. The information I receive is what they permit me to have.”
Penelope and Winnie fell into step with the Fae as she led the way toward the front of the house.
“All the rooms on this floor are for thefiestreigh. At least in the three wings that branch off. This one is a guest room, though until your brother arrived, we’d yet to have a guest.”
When Asmia opened the door, Penelope stepped inside, took a look around. The space was as palatial as the rest of the house. High ceilings, inset bookcases, a sofa, along with one wall dedicated to an entertainment center, another with floor-to-ceiling windows, the drapes pulled back, offering a view of the dark mountains beyond. The bed was king-sized, the duvet a plush, silky blue to go along with the masculine design.
