Obsidian continued to pace even as Taayin slipped out, off to handle the task of preparing the underground chamber where Obsidian would spend twenty-four hours mourning the loss of his beloved, and another twenty-four becoming one with her. If only he didn’t have to do the former to enjoy the latter. But when had life been simple for any of them? Humans, angels, vampires … they were all pawns in the game, moved around at God’s leisure, forced to endure in their efforts to prove their worth and loyalty.
Until now, Obsidian had never questioned his faith, never doubted his ability to do whatever it took to complete the mission. But when it came to Penelope … nothing mattered more to him than her health and her happiness.
As he thought about driving a dagger through hisamsouelot’ssweet, fragile heart, the anger bloomed hotter, churning, locating the pain and coalescing into a full-blown rage. The emotions made his muscles tense, his fists clenching at his sides again and again as his breaths kept a steady rasp in his constricted lungs. He moved for as long as he could until the pressure became unbearable.
Stopping in the center of the room, Obsidian drew in deep, ragged breaths, his face burning hot with temper until he threw back his head and roared.
The Earth rattled beneath him, walls quaking with the power of his rage, chips of stone falling to the floor, dust drifting down from the ceiling.
“Obsidian!”
He bared his fangs when Eclipse appeared.
“You need to relax, brother,” the male warned even as he moved deeper into the room. “The last thing you want is to put youramsouelotin danger.”
The heavy door swung closed, though not by Obsidian’s doing.
Obsidian spun around to face his brother, his heart thundering in his chest, a murderous rage throbbing in his veins.
“And what shall you have me do?” he snarled, the words coming out in a deep thunderous roar, the beast within him taking over. The ache in his chest was too much to bear, driving him to the edge of insanity.
“Whatever’s necessary,” Eclipse said, his tone firm, controlled. “You want to fight, we’ll fight. If it’ll help cool your jets.”
Obsidian snarled again. “You don’t want to take me on.”
“If it’s what you need, then it’s exactly what I want.” His brother shifted around the room, keeping Obsidian in his sights.
Reidar and Magnar appeared, blue eyes locked on him as they tried to determine what was going on.
Eclipse held up his hand to hold the males back. “Taayin’s preparing the mating chamber,” he explained for their benefit.
The thought of what would take place in that mating chamber … having to shove a blade into Penelope’s chest…
Obsidian howled, the pain unbearable.
“It’s going to be fine,” Magnar said, as though the male had any fucking clue.
His response to the asinine comment was to send a surge of energy at Magnar, driving Eclipse’sladeareback into the wall.
Eclipse had known his intention, because the instant Magnar’s big body slammed into the wall, he rushed him.
The fight ensued, and for the first time since he’d drugged the female he loved more than life, there was a sense of peace. It came with the impact of fists, knees, elbows. Though Eclipse fought back relentlessly, the male was no match for Obsidian. Not in this state.
Even when the others joined in, the three of them coming at him with everything they had, they couldn’t take Obsidian down. Love was a powerful drug, fear more so. The combination of the two made him invincible.
Something moved behind him, and Obsidian spun to see Søren there, his blue eyes glowing.
“I don’t want to hurt you,” Obsidian snarled even as he charged Søren, the male rushing him.
They collided. Seconds later, Søren was on his back, laid out on the concrete as Obsidian took the others on. Seconds turned to minutes, the four of them coming back for more, each failing as Obsidian put every ounce of his rage into every punch, every kick.
It wasn’t until the fifth male joined in that it became a fair fight. Gryffyth held nothing back as he drilled one punch after another into Obsidian’s torso before Obsidian managed to dodge, sending the male into the wall with the force of his fist.
Time seemed to stand still as the five of them ignored the pain, giving Obsidian an outlet for the fury that consumed him. The fear. The pain. There was no way to bury it, so he resorted to violence, desperate for a reprieve, but knowing none would come. Taking Penelope’s life would likely kill him. Didn’t matter that it was necessary.
Then the violence turned to turmoil. Obsidian’s knees crashed into the floor beneath him, a ragged howl escaping as the pain became more than he could bear.
Magnar, Søren, and Reidar dropped to a knee around him, while Eclipse shouldered the burden, holding him up, arms embracing as he attempted to comfort him. It wouldn’t work, but Obsidian appreciated the effort. These males were his family. As the rage turned into agony, Obsidian sobbed, leaning into Eclipse, battling the terror that came with the thought of taking hisamsouelot’slife. Even a never-ending afterlife didn’t make the thought any easier.
