“Did you find anything, Storm?” Dan and Shane appeared in the doorway, wings tucked away.
“Just a reminder that Aunt Trin loved me and knew I would be back.” Storm smiled. “Come on, I found the hidden room. It is absolutely amazing.”
“Babe, we’d love to, but we have company.”
“What?” Storm went to full alert, “Now who?”
“Babe, calm down. They are here to speak with us. Why don’t you go on to her room and we will handle the Immortals.” The guys turned to walk away.
Storm seethed, “Do not let them in my house. I told Ryder he is never to enter my home again.” Rage rose in her stomach again, her fingertips warming in response. She knew without looking that her appendages were glowing golden.
“Calm down. Please, relax. They have information that could keep you safe and they have pledged to protect you. Storm, you apparently have a lot of enemies so you need as many allies as you can get.” Dan walked slowly toward her, always logical one.
“I do not want him in my house. I loathe him.” Storm put on her best pout; it had worked dozens of times in the past with them.
“Nope, sorry, no pouts today. You were attacked last night, if not for that man down there who knows what would have happened. Whether you like it or not, you owe him, babe.” Dammit, Shane always took her side. If he was on the Immortal’s side she had no hope of winning this one. “Besides, methinks you do not loathe him as much as you claim.”
Dan’s eyes widened with understanding, “Hell, I want to shake the hand of the man who can make our Storm turn eight shades of red.”
“You are both incorrigible. Do what you like, I simply loathe the man. I will be in Aunt Trin’s room. He has fifteen minutes to give you the goods and remove himself from my home.” Storm turned on her heel and headed for her aunt’s room. She could hear the guys conferring over whether or not the Immortal had tamed the beast. Storm slipped into the boudoir and slammed the door before she could hear them refer to her loss of virginal status in yet another off color analogy. She leaned against the door and exhaled. A fizzle of golden energy welled in her fingertips but she shook it off. Seemed she was mastering her new skills fairly well, other than sending Ryder through her bedroom window. He deserved it though.
Storm surveyed her aunt’s room. The furniture, a fabulous mish mash of antique pieces including a turn of the century four poster bed, had all been refurbished by her aunt. Antique lace curtains billowed lightly in the cool breeze from the windows. Storm could smell Aunt Trin’s perfume, her own special blend, and inhaled deeply – a combination of florals with amber undertones. Making her way around the armoire, Storm slipped inside the walk in closet. Aunt Trin loved clothes and shoes. A massive organizational unit had been installed at some point but the sheer mass of clothing and footwear overtook every inch except for a narrow pathway down the middle. Past the heavy winter coats and shelves of hat boxes Storm located the small switch she’d found the day before while hiding. Flipping it up caused the wall of hat boxes to swing outward just enough for a person to slide through.
The room was modern and twice the size of the closet. Storm figured her aunt must have had the upgrades done recently though the room had to have been built with the original second floor. Monitors lined the far wall and showed various points in the house. A control panel sat before it with knobs to control volume and clarity as well as adjust the camera angles. This seemed intense; Aunt Trin had clearly grown paranoid over the last ten years. Storm sighed; guilt flared briefly but subsided with the memory of why she’d left. The side walls were laden with books, volumes Storm had never seen, and scrolls, some so old they were disintegrating at the edges. Storm turned back to face the door. A tall mirror leaned against the wall beside the portal. The ornamental frame reminded Storm of a Renaissance piece. To the left sat a small apothecary chest with neatly labeled drawers – all in Aunt Trin’s hand. Several cloaks hung from decorated hooks to the right of the mirror, a lovely emerald velvet one stood out against the rest. Storm moved to touch it but stopped as a familiar voice registered in her head. Dammit.
Whirling around, she scanned the monitors. Sure enough, Ryder and his friend sat in her study opposite Dan and Shane. Storm crossed the room and settled in the leather executive chair before the control panel. She turned up the volume for the study in time to hear Shane respond to whatever Ryder had asked.
Ryder
“She’s alright, shaken up a bit, I think. Physically unharmed though.” The seraph shrugged. He did not seem to be giving the whole story. Ryder nodded tightly. He knew the seraphs felt for her as well, likely the source of tension in the room. They must know what occurred in the dining room the day before.
The other seraph spoke up, Ryder turned to face him, “What we really want to know is what you did to piss her off.” Ah. There it was.
“I handled some things poorly. I met the wrong woman first. Though, I believe I may have been misled somewhat.” Ryder made a point of speaking clearly and turned slightly to face one of Trin’s cameras. He really hoped Storm had found the room and decided to take a chance. “Are we laying all cards on the table now? For Storm’s sake?”
Lucian shifted at his side. He did not fully approve of this part of the plan but Ryder could not see another. It had after all been Lucian’s idea to team up with the seraphs in the first place. He simply elaborated on the plan to allow a possibility for reconciling with Storm.
“Agreed.” The seraph, Dan, spoke for the pair. Ryder liked Shane better, more laissez faire in his approach to life and likely easier to win over on the matter at hand.
“Lucian and I have no intention of harming Storm. We are unsure of the intentions of the rest of our Brethren but they cannot make a move until I openly fail in an attempt. I have been given forty-eight hours to resolve the issue. I have two other Immortals in the vicinity who will join us if we call on them. We have been unable to figure out who sent the Were-hybrids after her yesterday. We have something that may help however.” Ryder nodded to Lucian who smiled knowingly and disappeared into the hall. Taking advantage of the slight break, Ryder addressed the seraphs on a separate issue, hoping that Storm was watching. “I did not murder Trin Sullivan. Please tell Storm. I had no part in it.”
Judging by their expressions, he’d managed to convince the seraphs. That’s something at least. Lucian walked in with a half-clothed body over his shoulder. Ryder moved the desk chair around to the center of the study and Lucian deposited the body in it. He removed the sack from the body’s head to reveal his late familiar, Keene.
“I believe you both are acquainted with my former familiar? He has been a very naughty boy.” Ryder punched him in the gut with some degree of satisfaction. It took a good deal of self-control to refrain from snapping the familiar’s neck. Keene whimpered into the gag, a bit of climbing rope that matched the pieces around his hands and feet. “He went rogue, was captured about a week ago, supposedly took his own life yesterday and should be lying dead in my lab. Imagine our surprise when we found him creeping about my garage. Rather strange activity for a dead man, is it not?” Lucian chuckled at his side, he’d found the entire situation amusing of course. “Given his suicide and apparent reincarnation, I am certain he knows about Trin’s murder and the attack on Storm. Lucian had to convince me not to torture my little friend, if you can imagine that.”
The seraphs nodded appreciatively. Lucian smacked Keene upside the head and then made is way to the liquor cabinet. “Think Miss Sullivan will mind if I have a drink, fellas?” He did not wait for a response. Ryder bent over to meet Keene’s eye, he really did look worse for the wear. Wonder how he pulled off the fake suicide. Eh, he’d work that out later.
“I am going to take away your gag. Those two men over there, they are seraphs. You cannot lie to them. As much as I would love to watch you squirm in agony, I would suggest you answer truthfully. They can cause spectacular pain when necessary, and then there is always Lucian. He does so like t
o fight. You have heard of him?” Keene nodded in understanding, grudgingly it would seem. It would have to do. Ryder removed the gag but not gently. Keene gasped for air and cast Ryder a murderous look.
“You will get yours, Immortal. There are more powerful beings than you in this world.”
“Oh, you mean those Were-hybrids that I took out with broken legs, a dislocated shoulder, and several broken ribs?” Ryder smirked, daring a rebuttal, but Keene managed to hold his face in a mask of contempt. Almost impressive. He nodded toward Dan and Shane, “Alright, seraphs do your thing.”
Poised to enjoy this, Ryder settled casually on the sofa crossing one ankle over the opposite knee. Lucian joined him, a drink in each hand. He planted one in Ryder’s hand and clinked the glasses together. “Cheers, brother.”
“Keene, did you aide in the murder of Trin Sullivan.” Dan, the more grounded of the two, started the interrogation.
“Yes. I gladly helped bring about her demise.”
“Why?” The other seraph chimed in. Ryder kept his eyes focused on Keene.
“She prevented the Emerald from claiming her true power.” Keene went stiff and grimaced, Ryder knew it had been a half truth and wondered which one delivered the pain.
“Why did you really help?” This could get interesting. Ryder watched as Keene’s face contorted in pain for several minutes before he whimpered and begged for release. His body went limp and he panted a bit before answering, Keene’s voice trembling through every word. Aw, he might cry. Ryder found it almost satisfactory.
“She would not look at me. I kept the garden, maintained the orchard, ran her errands but she didn’t look at me like she looked at him. And he didn’t even love her. She knew it. She knew he loved the girl even before he saw her. She told me so. But he can’t have her, he’ll never have the Emerald.” Keene spit at Ryder but one of the seraphs sent it back at him with a flick of the wrist. The spittle covered his cheek and ran down his chin.
“That is not polite. I would not spit again.” Ryder noticed that Dan’s eyes were flashing colors rapidly, the only visible sign of the seraph’s rage.
“So you loved Trin Sullivan and were put out that she slept with the Immortal. Is that what you are saying? That is pathetic, man. Really.” Shane clearly wanted to diffuse his brother and took over the role of lie detector. “Who did you work with? We need a name, preferably a location as well.”
Keene looked to Shane; a demented smile crept across his face. “Seraph, you can’t hurt me enough to reveal that.”
“Oh, I would not be too sure about that. Have you ever seen our kind at work? You know that whole wrath of God thing? That is what I will deliver onto you in every possible way.”
“I will readily die to protect my master.” Keene jutted his chin out and sealed his lips in defiance.
“That is where you are mistaken. You will not die. I can suspend your death and torture you for all eternity if I so choose. You will endure hell on Earth. In fact, I may have a necromancer summon Trin Sullivan to watch over you for eternity.” Shane had stood, a fire whip materialized in his hand and his wings threatened to break free. “What do you think, Dan? Think we could summon Trin?”
“I believe we can. Immortal, do you have a vault to store this creature in for eternity?”
Ryder nodded, “I am certain I have a few places we could stow him. In fact, there is a small private island with an excellent system of caves that would be perfect.” Keene would certainly know which island he referenced, San Calina, a sacred place that would only amplify the seraphs’ punishment, and completely impenetrable unless you knew its secrets. Doubt and fear warred on Keene’s face, finally guilt took over and tears welled in his eyes.
“Wait, no, please. I don’t want Trin to know. I didn’t want to her die. I really didn’t. She wasn’t supposed to die. They lied to me.” Tears flowed freely from Keene’s eyes as he blubbered like a scolded child. Remorse and grief overtook his defiance. “I’m sorry. I am so sorry. He wants the Emerald. He says that she needs to come into her powers and then be broken. He is going to use her to rule the supernatural world.”
Shane sat back down, the seraphs faces contorted to masks of misery. Ryder missed something in the interaction. They must know who Keene referred to.
“Who?” Lucian took the words out of his mouth. Ryder caught the impatience in his friend’s voice. The fire flickered briefly in Lucian’s eyes; he needed an outlet again and soon.
“Her father.” Shane looked up at Ryder, his face full of sorrow. “Storm’s father is doing this.”
Storm
Storm stood, hand to her throat, reeling from the series of revelations she just witnessed. Memories came flooding back completely unbidden, bad memories that she’d suppressed for most of her life. The day her father left had been one of the worst days of her life. He’d fought with Aunt Trin after slapping her mother into unconsciousness. The fear and confusion settled in her chest like a familiar friend. She’d still had her emotions then; just before her birthday. Tears had fallen freely, soaking her Rainbow Brite t-shirt as she hid in the hallway, listening with her hand to the wall so she could ‘see’ what was happening.
They were arguing about some jewelry and Storm could not figure out what was so important about an emerald. Her father swore it would change the world and her mother and aunt were worried that it would be abused. Father had stormed out of the room and toward the front door. She ran from her hiding place and called to him. He wrapped her in his arms and kissed her forehead gently, “I have to leave wee one. I cannot stay here.”
“No, Daddy! It is just a fight, you can kiss and make up.”
“Not this time. You can come with me if you want.” He looked hopeful somehow and picked her up.
“I will destroy you if you try to remove her from this house.” Aunt Trin had emerged from the study, her face raging with fury. “You have not yet felt my full wrath, McCallum. I would say your farewells and leave - alone.”
Storm had started to cry. She yelled at Aunt Trin. Her mother walked out of the study, dazed. A thin line of blood dribbled from the gash on her temple. Storm wriggled loose from her father and ran to her mother. “Mama, don’t let him go.”
Aunt Trin had looked down on her, sorrow momentarily replacing the fury, “Darling, you have to let him go. Someday you will understand that we did this for you.”
Mother sobbed and clung to Storm as she watched her father leave through the front door. Returning to the present, Storm realized the gravity of that one memory. The pieces seem to click into place. Her father wanted her, but not as a father should want his child. No, her father wanted to use her, manipulate her. They had argued over her, the Emerald.
“Storm?”
At the sound of her name, Storm spun around. Aunt Trin’s reflection had appeared in the mirror, smiling at her just as she had so many times in life.
“You are so lovely. I am so sorry, luv. I never wanted you to find out this way.”
“Aunt Trin?” No way. Not possible. Sudden emotional trauma could trigger hallucinations, right?
“Remember the vial? You bound my spirit to this mirror. I set this in motion when I figured out your father’s intentions. I could not leave you alone. I so wanted to tell you everything before but I miscalculated slightly. I didn’t factor the gardener in.” Aunt Trin shifted in the glass. “Do you suppose you could give me a hand out of here, luv?”
“I’m sorry, what?” Yep, definitely imagining this. Maybe she had fallen asleep. This could easily be a dream. Storm could smell Aunt Trin’s perfume just as she had before. She closed her eyes and pinched herself.
“Still here, luv. Just walk up to the glass and take my hand. Honestly, Storm, in all your reading and travels you had to have stumbled across a Soul Mirror.” Okay, that was definitely Aunt Trin talking. She vaguely remembered hearing about Soul Mirrors in Singapore but it seemed a lifetime ago. Standing before the mirror, Storm reached out and placed a hand to the glass. It fe
lt like a liquid and she managed to press through it. Storm clasped her aunt’s wrist and began to pull. It took little effort in the end and Storm soon found herself wrapped in familiar arms.
Aunt Trin withdrew from the embrace and took her in, head to toe. “You are no longer a virgin.”
“Um, huh? No, I mean, well.” Storm heard herself stammering like a little girl all over again. How did her aunt manage to do that? Awkward.
“This is a good thing, luv. Your father will not have accounted for that. You must keep this to yourself for now.”
Storm looked at her feet. “Some people already know, Aunt Trin.”
“Who? Who knows? Surely you didn’t tell anyone that you slept with Ryder?”
Storm opened her mouth to answer and then looked at her aunt harder, “How did you know it was Ryder?”
“Silly girl, I saw it. I have been working to protect you all these years. He loves you. I only went to him to set him on the right track, luv. He is charged with ending our line, has been wiping out Sullivan Seers for centuries to prevent the Emerald from coming into her power. I had to change his mind. It didn’t take much.” Aunt Trin walked over to the monitors, “He saw one picture of you and his whole face changed. When he smelled you, saw your studio, heard your plight, well, Ryder is still a man above all else. I didn’t love him Storm; it really amounted to less than nothing. I never slept with him. He only thinks we slept together. I had to do something to keep him engaged long enough to hear truth. There is so much to tell you and I haven’t enough time.” Aunt Trin held up a hand which had visibly faded in the short time since she’d walked out of the mirror.
“Aunt Trin, am I really the Emerald?”
“Yes, luv. You are. Daughter of a Sullivan Seer and the Anomaly, you are a product of a powerful line and one who should never have been born. Your father is the son of an Immortal. I assure you that your mother had no idea, none of us did. He is cunning and powerful.” Aunt Trin walked to the bookshelf at her right and pointed at a small leather bound book. “Take that and read it. The rest of your answers are in those pages. Trust Dan and Shane, they have always been on your side. Lucian is honorable but he harbors a volatile fire within. He is fully devoted to Ryder and therefore will remain devoted to you if you should choose to walk that path. Ryder will ask something of you but know there is another way. I have to go now, luv. Until we meet again.” Aunt Trin faded away but her perfume still hung in the air, a comforting reminder that she’d just been there.
The Storm Sullivan Saga: The Emerald Seer Series Box Set Page 11