Protected in Darkness (Misplaced Halos, 1) Read online

  Contents

  Title Page

  Nicole Edwards Book list

  Dedication

  Copyright

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  Epilogue

  About Nicole Edwards

  Acknowledgments

  Dictionary

  Nicole Edwards on Kobo

  PROTECTED IN DARKNESS

  MISPLACED HALOS, 1

  NICOLE EDWARDS

  BY NICOLE EDWARDS

  ALLURING INDULGENCE SERIES

  Kaleb

  Zane

  Travis

  Holidays with the Walker Brothers

  Ethan

  Braydon

  Sawyer

  Brendon

  THE WALKERS OF COYOTE RIDGE SERIES

  Curtis

  Jared

  Hard to Hold

  Hard to Handle

  Beau

  Rex

  A Coyote Ridge Christmas

  Mack

  AUSTIN ARROWS SERIES

  Rush

  Kaufman

  CLUB DESTINY SERIES

  Conviction

  Temptation

  Addicted

  Seduction

  Infatuation

  Captivated

  Devotion

  Perception

  Entrusted

  Adored

  Distraction

  DEAD HEAT RANCH SERIES

  Boots Optional

  Betting on Grace

  Overnight Love

  Jared

  DEVIL’S BEND SERIES

  Chasing Dreams

  Vanishing Dreams

  MISPLACED HALOS SERIES

  Protected in Darkness

  OFFICE INTRIGUE SERIES

  Office Intrigue

  Intrigued Out of the Office

  Their Rebellious Submissive

  Their Famous Dominant

  Their Ruthless Sadist

  Their Naughty Student

  Their Fairy Princess

  PIER 70 SERIES

  Reckless

  Fearless

  Speechless

  Harmless

  Clueless

  SNIPER 1 SECURITY SERIES

  Wait for Morning

  Never Say Never

  Tomorrow’s Too Late

  SOUTHERN BOY MAFIA/DEVIL’S PLAYGROUND SERIES

  Beautifully Brutal

  Without Regret

  Beautifully Loyal

  Without Restraint

  STANDALONE NOVELS

  Unhinged Trilogy

  A Million Tiny Pieces

  Inked on Paper

  Bad Reputation

  Bad Business

  NAUGHTY HOLIDAY EDITIONS

  2015

  2016

  For Zeus.

  I know you’re still here with me.

  Copyright © 2019 by Nicole Edwards Limited

  All rights reserved.

  This is a self-published title.

  Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.

  Author: Nicole Edwards

  Title: Protected in Darkness

  Series: Misplaced Halos, 1

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents either are the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locals is entirely coincidental.

  Cover Details:

  Image: Front cover - © Nelli Valova (25280541)| 123rf; Angels of Darkness logo - © Nelli Valova (23506218)| 123rf; Interior image - © huhulin (20193921)| 123rf

  Design: © Nicole Edwards Limited

  Interior Details:

  Formatting: Nicole Edwards Limited

  Editing: Blue Otter Editing | BlueOtterEditing.com

  Identifiers: ISBN: 978-1-64418-007-5 (ebook) ISBN: 978-1-64418-008-2 (paperback)

  Subjects: BISAC: FICTION / Fantasy / General | BISAC: FICTION / Romance / General

  Prologue

  SOME BELIEVE ANGELS ONLY EXIST IN HEAVEN, some claim to have met one, others think they’re nothing more than fictional fodder meant to give humans hope.

  Being of the celestial, winged variety myself, I can attest to the fact that we do exist. Granted, we’re not all floating on clouds, listening to the soft strum of a harp while waiting to greet the next to pass on to their life ever after.

  Nope. Then again, neither are those who protect the gates of Heaven.

  As for the eternal resting place … well, it’s much like it is here on Earth. Chock-full of well-meaning folk attempting to maintain order with their policies and procedures. Yes, those are the angels you’re familiar with—robes, halos, wings—keeping a watchful eye over your loved ones who’ve moved on to claim their just reward.

  For the record, my brothers and I aren’t those types of angels, nor have we stepped foot in Heaven for some fifteen hundred years or so.

  I know what you’re thinking. Oh, pity, he’s a fallen angel.

  Try less fall, more push.

  See, we’re part of what Heaven refers to as misplaced halos, a faction of celestial warriors sent here to walk amongst the humans under the cover of darkness following the orders of our leader: the archangel Michael. You might know him as the protector of humanity, the patron saint of warriors, or even the one who sent the big bad to his rightful destination.

  Yep, he’s our boss and he sent us here to watch over you. He refers to us as the Angels of Darkness.

  Perhaps we were your next-door neighbors at one time or another. If so, you would remember us. We were the ones with the fast cars, loud music, and all the leather. Not your typical divine beings, no, but we get the job done.

  Never to fear, we aren’t in one place for long. We’re drifters, never quite settling in because we’re needed everywhere. Small towns, big cities, bayous, mountains, deserts, we’ve experienced it all. But most importantly, if we stopped in and later disappeared, it was deemed safe for you to keep calm and carry on with your routine nine-to-five, maintaining your cute little house, raising your two-point-five kids, and throwing sticks for Fido.

  That’s what we were sent here to do. Protect you.

  From what, you ask?

  Well, demons, of course. Those that escape Hell, working for Lucifer, performing his evil deeds in an effort to prove their worth. Stealing souls, wreaking havoc, and trashing lives with absolutely no remorse. I hate to break it to you, but there’s probably a few who’ve settled into your quaint little cookie-cutter neighborhood when you weren’t looking. And no, Shawn, the drunk guy t
wo doors down, is not a demon. He’s just a jackass.

  Like I said, that’s why we’re here. Seeking out the evil and sending them back where they belong.

  Why do we do it? Well, that’s what we were created for. We gain satisfaction by fulfilling our duties, protecting those who need it.

  Oh, and because we were promised one thing: a love that knows no bounds. What we refer to as an amsouelot. A single soul destined for each of us, the two halves forming the whole, completing one another.

  Of course, this carefully guarded secret got out eons ago. Humans use the term soul mate, though often the connection for them is little more than hope for a love everlasting. Often in an attempt to force the union, the human’s beliefs are steeped in exploited traditions and trivial efforts. In reality, unless the two souls were destined by the Fates, those ventures are merely a desperate need to curate a love that has little chance of survival. That’s not to say your relationship is doomed to fail. Perhaps you’re one of the lucky ones who’s found your destined love, sealed by the Fates. It does happen.

  However, for angels, it’s a bit more complicated. For us, it isn’t a matter of wining, dining, and roses. We can’t use Tinder or eHarmony to track down our one true love. There is no such thing as a chance meeting. And once we do come face-to-face with the one destined for us, the interaction’s far more intense, a phenomenon that engulfs both souls, entwining them, making it impossible to keep any sort of distance, both physically and emotionally. When we mate, we do so for eternity.

  Most importantly, without our amsouelot, we would have no reason to live. In essence, we would be nothing.

  Which brings me to the beginning of this story…

  Sunday, June 30, 2019

  RELAXING IN HIS CHAIR, A CHILLED BOTTLE of Corona in his hand, Obsidian watched his brothers as they poked at each other in their attempt to enjoy one of their few nights off as of late.

  “Now that was a lucky shot,” Eclipse shouted, chugging back his beer, then following with a satisfied ahhh. “I’ll drop a benji if you can do that again.”

  “You’re on, brother,” Aphotic countered, snatching up his glass and tossing back the last of his favored Fireball.

  While X Ambassadors crooned about the devil you know, Aphotic repositioned the cue ball, then pointed his stick at Eclipse, a shit-eating grin pulling at the corners of his mouth. “Watch and learn, son.”

  Obsidian smiled to himself, grateful to be back home, even if it was only a temporary hiatus.

  “They just don’t quit,” Stygian rumbled, his hand casually stroking the top of Zeus’s furry black head.

  The dog had been glued to Stygian’s side since they’d returned to the mansion early that morning. As for Aphrodite … Zeus’s much younger playmate was currently sprawled out beneath the pool table sleeping soundly despite the noise.

  “Eclipse is out what? A grand at this point?” Piceous rumbled, his tone relaxed, hooded eyes following the action. “He does know he’s being hustled, right?”

  Oh, he knew. And if Obsidian had to guess, Eclipse had a plan to hustle the hustler.

  “Can’t blame ’em for wanting a night off,” Shadow drawled, sipping from his third glass of Glenlivet.

  “You’re right about that,” Obsidian agreed, taking a deep breath and watching the males strut and grunt.

  It had taken four months, but they’d finally cleared out the demon nest that had taken up residence in New York City. Not an easy feat, mind you. Working under the cover of darkness in the city that never slept required strategy to eradicate more than three hundred demons, but they’d pulled it off, ridding the metropolis of the evil that lurked in the shadows.

  Part of it, anyway. As for the malevolent humans that resided there … well, that wasn’t their responsibility, thank God.

  Obsidian was equipped to deal with a wealth of shit, but the humans’ behavioral problems were their own. The warriors had their hands full. As it was, it would only be a matter of time before more demons would return, a new group sauntering in and attempting to take over. The demons did their thing, which allowed the warriors to do theirs.

  “So where’re we headed next?” Cimmerian flopped down on the black leather recliner, long legs dangling over the side. He tipped his head back, regarded Obsidian. “Tucson? Dallas? Maybe we could head down to Miami. It’s been a while since we’ve had any Cuban action.”

  Before Obsidian could respond, the lights flickered, dimmed, the surge of electricity coming from the lights and lamps throughout.

  In the true manner of warriors, the seven of them were on their feet, armed and ready to take on the threat. Big or small, didn’t matter. They were always ready.

  Of course, Zeus and Aphrodite weren’t going to be left out. The German shepherds were positioned within the group, snarling softly as they anticipated the threat to their home.

  “Relax, warriors,” the disembodied voice echoed through the mansion.

  “Well, fuck me running,” Eclipse muttered, relaxing his stance with a heavy sigh and tucking his deadly half-moon blades away.

  “Sounds like a challenge,” Michael said, taking form in the center of the room, the feathers of his wings rustling as they settled at his back. “One for another day, perhaps.”

  Still locked in a fighting stance, Obsidian kept his eyes on the archangel gracing them with his presence. It was rare for the male to make an appearance, and when he did, it was never good.

  In true Michael fashion, he didn’t get right down to business. Instead, he ambled around the space, picking up the eight ball from the table, studying it momentarily. He set it back down, moved on. His steady gaze scanned the entire space, taking it in before returning to them.

  “To what do we owe the honor?” Shadow queried, more than a hint of disdain dripping from his words.

  “Want to commend us on a job well done?” Cimmerian taunted. “Not necessary. We patted ourselves on the back already.”

  Michael picked up Aphotic’s glass of cinnamon whiskey, sniffed, grimaced, clearly ignoring their rumblings.

  “I come with a message,” he finally said, setting the glass down before turning his attention to them. “Please, sit.”

  “We’ll stand,” Obsidian told him.

  “Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Michael squatted down on his haunches, motioned the dogs to him.

  Zeus and Aphrodite went happily, tails wagging as they cuddled up to the archangel.

  “At least someone’s happy to see me,” he muttered softly, gave them each a generous rub before standing tall and crossing his beefy arms over his armor-clad chest.

  Mirroring his position, Obsidian honed his patience. The male wasn’t the sort to jump to the point when he could drag shit out.

  “I heard about the stint in New York.” Michael’s dark eyebrows rose. “Impressive. Though not exactly timely.”

  They’d long ago stopped waiting for Michael to bestow any sort of praise, so the seven of them remained silent, staring intently at their visitor. Though armed to the teeth, they’d all tucked their weapons away, out of sight but never out of reach.

  Michael sighed heavily, smirked. “You boys should relax more. The sticks up your asses aren’t becoming.”

  Since the archangel didn’t take well to commands, Obsidian kept his lips shut, though he was quickly growing tired of the male’s presence.

  “And here I thought I’d injected a sense of humor when creating you. My bad.” Michael dropped his arms to his sides, paced in front of the pool table.

  “Just get to the point,” Shadow rumbled, his shoulders squared, eyes narrowed. Clearly the two were still on the outs.

  “Fine. We’ve recently uncovered a leak.” Michael’s eyes briefly shot skyward. “Upstairs.” He leveled his stare on them once again. “I’d go so far as to say there’s a traitor in our midst. Though for the life of me, I can’t figure out who it is.”

  Didn’t surprise Obsidian. There were tight reins up there, but despite what t
he gospel wanted everyone to believe, not even Heaven was perfect. It was inevitable someone would fall through the cracks eventually.

  A scroll appeared in Michael’s hand before he motioned Obsidian toward him, holding it out.

  Stepping forward, Obsidian took the papyrus, broke the solid gold seal, unrolled it, and scanned the archaic writing. “It’s a list of names,” he told the others before meeting Michael’s unamused stare. “What is this?”

  “It’s a list of amsouelots,” the archangel clarified.

  Obsidian frowned. “How did you get this?”

  Only the Fates—Adorah, Nevaeh, and Karma—knew the alignment of souls. The sisters were the gatekeepers of the humans’ destiny and they took their roles seriously. They kept detailed lists under lock and key somewhere beyond the pearly gates. Not even the highest order of angels had access to them. Not even God Himself.

  Or so Obsidian had been told.

  “Look at it again, warrior,” Michael commanded.

  He peered down at the paper once more. It was then additional names appeared beside those already scrawled.

  Obsidian’s eyes narrowed menacingly, shot back to Michael. “What the fuck?”

  Stygian stepped forward, glanced down at the page, inhaled sharply. Obsidian passed it over so his brothers could see for themselves.

  “Who are they?” Aphotic asked.

  “Those, warriors, are the names of your amsouelots. The seven human females whose souls are destined for yours.”

  As the implications settled in, so did the silence.

  “That particular list was leaked,” he added.

  “To whom?” Obsidian inquired, though he seriously doubted he would like the answer.

  “Lucifer.” Michael paced away. “And before you ask, yes, it was the only list that made it into my brother’s hands, though we’re still not sure who shared the information. When we find him, the traitor will be persecuted.” Michael sighed, then relaxed, his wings fluttering when he turned back. “I don’t need to tell you that those females are in danger. Lucifer’s already sent his demons topside and they’re searching. I’ve done my best to keep them shielded, albeit temporarily, but you know my father. He gets all up in arms when we attempt to interfere.”