“The hybrids are here.” Without opening her eyes to look at him, she somehow knew that Lucian smiled at the prospect. In fact, she found it possible to read the emotions of everyone around her, not so much their thoughts as she could with Ryder though powerful nonetheless. Kell and Pollux had been focused on sexual energies but abruptly changed gears to mirror Lucian’s impulse to fight. Storm opened her eyes, her body suddenly very alert to the threats around them, and surprisingly aware of how many hybrids approached.
“Half a dozen are moving through the orchard, two dozen are coming through the front gate, and there are nine attempting to break in through the back door of the garage.” They all looked at her. Dan opened his mouth and then closed it. Roane nodded toward Lucian and the Scots who crept out the bedroom door. Dan released his wings and flew through the hole she’d blown Ryder through.
“Go, seraph. I will defend her. The shield of this room will help me protect her. You will be more useful out there, you know I have the right of it.” Roane sat cross-legged on the bed near her feet. Shane nodded at him and then stood.
“Babe, take care of yourself.” Releasing his wings, Shane flew off after his brother.
Storm looked at her grandfather. “He has Ryder. I want him back.”
“I know. You cannot kill him, Storm. I will not allow you to sacrifice yourself so that he can win by default. I will go for Ryder.” Roane stretched his legs and leapt off the bed in a smooth motion.
“You cannot kill him either. I will not lose the only family I have left. There is another way.” Storm looked to her grandfather.
“Storm, he is mad. My son has lost his mind, he must be put down. There is no alternative.”
“Yes, there is. I saw it. The whole vision did not make sense, but part of it did. I know what to do.” Storm pushed back the blankets and stood facing Roane. “I think it is time I meet my grandmother.”
Ryder
Ryder stood there for a long time, trying to release himself and planning dozens of ways to torture his captor. Jasper remained unconscious on his table of torturous tools. He had to give the anomaly a little credit for getting a leg up on an Immortal, especially a former enforcer, but it ended there. Ryder seethed.
“Wake up you piece of shit.” No response.
Ryder closed his eyes and reached out for Lucian. He touched his friend for a moment and knew the Immortals were engaged in battle with Jasper’s hybrids. No help there. Hopefully somebody stayed with Storm, one of the seraphs at least. No, Roane likely refused to leave her side. He reached out for Roane and Storm, hoping they were together, but ran into a mental wall of golden light. What in Hades was she up to?
Storm
Storm felt a tickle on her conscious but brushed it away. She knew who it came from and he needed to be patient. Roane felt it too, she saw it in is face at the same moment but they pushed through. Storm had learned basic summoning spells as a child but she’d only used it for art supplies and books. Summoning a deity proved to be more difficult as it turned out, even with her grandfather’s aid. Standing in the middle of her kitchen, holding his hands and surrounded by a circle of salt, Storm chanted and used Roane’s memories of Damarra to call on her. The warmth of their combined power enveloped her like a swaddled infant.
A bright white light emerged between Storm and her grandfather. She watched it take shape, growing and stretching until a lovely woman stood before her smiling broadly.
“Hello, Storm.” Her voice like tinkling bells sounded childlike and ancient all at once. Auburn locks, much like Storm’s, flowed down past her waist and the diaphanous emerald gown contrasted her peaches and cream complexion. Storm released Roane’s hands and took a step back. “You are lovelier than I ever dreamed, granddaughter. I have watched you grow and move about this world with such purpose. I met you once, when you were in Ireland. You seem so much warmer now.”
Storm exhaled, realizing she’d been holding her breath. Wow, that’s a lot of information to process on top of the fact she actually summoned her grandmother from wherever the Tuatha De resided. Emotion surged through her and Storm found herself babbling, spilling everything actually. “I – well – I don’t know how to begin. When did I meet you? I don’t remember you. My aunt died so her binding spell broke and my emotions were released and now my father has my Immortal and wants me to turn myself over to him so that he can kill me so that he can take back the power he thinks I stole from him somehow but I don’t even know how to do that and I don’t want to die.” Once Storm started, everything came out so fast and then her grandmother’s arms were around her accompanied by a sense of complete serenity. Damarra withdrew some and looked her over.
“There, that’s better. You have some work to do on controlling those emotions of yours.” She registered the other figure in the circle and frowned. “Hello, Roane.”
“Damarra, it is lovely to see you again.” Roane’s eyes flashed silver; Storm figured it must be a trait of the Immortals.
“Of course it is dear, they all do it, except Lucian but he is a wee bit different.” Damarra winked and projected into Storm’s head, This is our way, dear. Part of my gift to you. When you care deeply enough for somebody it will be possible to commune in such a way. Sorry for eavesdropping, it just happens sometimes.
That explains a lot. Storm realized just how much she had to learn. Ryder first. She needed him.
Damarra looked at the salt circle, whirled her hand around and the salt cleaned itself up, vanishing into the garbage can. “That’s better. So my son has your lover, my dear? That simply will not do. He only existed to allow you to be born. It seems he has lost his purpose and gone a wee nutty.”
“I’m sorry, run that by me again?” Storm’s head started to spin. No way did she hear that right.
“Which part, dear?” Damarra looked around the kitchen, absentmindedly responding to Storm. “This room is fascinating. Appliances have changed again, they are so sleek now.”
“Damarra, I think our granddaughter has not been as educated as we’d hoped.” Roane rolled his eyes and smiled at Storm. “Perhaps you could just give her the short version?”
“Well, didn’t you read the journal, dear? You should have had that on your eighteenth birthday.” Damarra ran her fingers over the handles on the refrigerator doors and opened one. She laughed, “How marvelous this all is. I need to visit modern times more often.”
Storm sat on a bar stool and clutched the counter. “I ran away at seventeen.”
“Well that was silly, dear. You were safe here. Your aunt had the journal and knew how to protect you. She would have given you the journal and trained you in the ways of the Emerald and when the Immortal came you would have fallen in love, healed the rift, and taken your destined place in this world. Easy enough. I do not understand where things went awry.” Damarra walked over to the sink and turned it on and off. She looked up at Storm and smiled. “It matters not I suppose. Do you love the Immortal, dear?”
Dammit. It had been hard enough to confess her feelings to Ryder but to admit them to the grandparents she’d just met, well, that’s a different story all together.
“I will take that as a ‘yes.’ Then everything is as it should be. Let’s go collect your lover, shall we? We can answer all of your other questions once your course has been righted again.” Damarra smiled. Storm wasn’t sure what to make of her but it didn’t seem to matter. Her grandmother slipped an arm around her waist and hugged her close. “You will get used to my ways, I assure you. Come along, dear, it will all work out.”
Damarra led Storm across the kitchen. As an afterthought she looked back to Roane, “It is good to see you as well, Roane. Care to come along and right a few wrongs?”
“Of course.” Storm thought he had more to say but her grandfather simply smiled and followed them out of the kitchen. He loved her still. Storm didn’t know how she knew but it was very clear. Damarra leaned in and whispered in her ear “It is our way, dear. You can read emotions.”
Never in her wildest dreams could Storm have pictured herself standing on the front stoop, arm in arm with her grandparents, an Immortal and a deity. They stepped into the middle of a raging supernatural battle. Dan and Shane were flying around with flaming whips taking the hybrids down by their legs so the Immortals could finish them off. Damarra released Storm’s arm and gave her a light pat, “Watch this, child.”
Damarra walked into the middle of the fracas and extended her arms in front of her. “Cease.” Her voice reverberated through the night and all activity stopped. Damarra turned back to Roane and Storm, brushed her hands and winked, “Why do males always feel the need to solve everything with violence? It really never works, I mean, who can think with all of that noise and look at your poor lawn, to say nothing for that second story window.”
Storm flushed, how embarrassing, “I may have done that to the window.” Apparently, Ryder had healed from it alright, judging by their foray in the study, but she supposed she would have to make that up to him as well.
“In that case, well done, child.” Damarra nodded approvingly, “Let’s see that power of yours, I need to know what I am working with since you haven’t been appropriately trained.”
“You want me just to summon it? To do what?”
“Why not repair your lawn? You need to practice controlling it and show these hybrids who you are.” Damarra gestured to Roane to step back a bit, “Give our granddaughter some room, Roane. I want to see what she can do.”
Dammit. All eyes on her and she just wanted to be back in the study with Ryder. Then it came, no anger or frustration, it just welled inside her as she replayed their foray from earlier, his hands on her hips, lips tracing her jawline, Ryder moaning. Storm could see his face, eyes flashing silver in the firelight, hair in disarray as he cried out her name. She glowed, golden light surrounding her entire being. Storm imagined the lawn fixed and it repaired itself. She considered the window but thought better of it, no use showing off. Storm pulled the power back in, realizing she could indeed control it.
“See, that was not so hard. Well done, dear.” Damarra wrapped her arm around Storm’s waist. “Let us go handle your father.” Damarra frowned for a moment and then smiled again. “He is not far, shall we walk, dear?”
“What about the hybrids? We can’t just leave them here.” Storm looked at the handful of survivors who were quietly trying to sneak away. She couldn’t have them running off to warn her father.
“That’s easy.” Damarra looked at the hybrids and smiled, “Hybrids, children of my child, join us and earn your freedom.”
Ryder
Jasper started to moan. He moved around a bit.
“Get up you piece of shit.” Ryder had lost his patience a while back. “I hope a few of those toys of yours drew blood. Now get up and get me out of these chains.”
Jasper stood up, clearly more than a bit woozy, and then spun around to face Ryder. “Why would you do that? Without me you can’t get out of those chains.”
“Well, see, now that is where you are mistaken. I know a very talented group of magic folk and I am certain they could break this –“
“No, no they couldn’t. My blood went into the spell and only my blood can undo it, with the correct incantation, of course.” Jasper grinned, “So you see, it would be a shame to kill me before I can free you. I will free you if my daughter comes through.”
“What is stopping us from killing you and re-working your magic? It doesn’t even make sense, Jasper.”
“Oh, but it does make sense. You see, only my kin may pass through the doorway to this room and I am certain my daughter does not have the know-how to break my spell. Even if she did, Storm would have to kill me to free you and her life would then be forfeit.” Jasper plucked a small scalpel from his chest, sized it up, and returned it to the table. “You see, I have thought everything out quite nicely. Now, what shall we remove first? Perhaps a forefinger? I am certain you will miss that.”
“I am actually quite partial to my forefinger. I believe your daughter is as well.” Ryder just had to get him close enough to get a hand on the anomaly. Jasper made one error, telling Ryder that it would require all of his blood to break the spell. It was clear the anomaly had no intention of ever letting Ryder go so the Immortal had nothing to lose. At least he could make Storm safe again. Maybe they could find a way to break the spelled chains if Ryder killed Jasper instead. “She seemed particularly partial to my forefinger earlier today in her study. Of course, I suppose that as far as parts go, there are other ones that pleased her more.” Ryder knew Jasper caught his meaning when he tensed and turned slowly back around. His eyes narrowed slits and scalpels in both hands.
“What did you just say, Immortal?”
“I said that your daughter truly enjoyed my presence in her study earlier today, and in her dining room yesterday. She is rather exceptional in that capacity.” Ryder masked his face as if he were reliving the experiences though he didn’t dare to actually picture them. “She sort of glows golden when she climaxes. Truly a stunning sight.”
“You did not mate with her. That is impossible. She cannot find males attractive. I saw to that.” Jasper turned back to the table and set the instruments down, reorganizing those that had been disrupted.
“I am positive she is attracted to me, Jasper. Perhaps I should ask your permission to court her? Is that the way of things, though it seems pretty belated at this point.” Ryder noted that the tips of his ears had gone slightly pink. He needed to push further.
“Do not push me, Immortal. She is not attracted to you. Nothing happened.”
“Whatever helps you sleep at night Jasper. I mean, if believing your little girl is still a virgin helps you get through this then by all means, believe away. However, I will keep on picturing how sweet her ass felt in my hands as I had her up against the bookcase.”
“That’s enough. Keep your perverted fantasies to yourself.” Jasper’s voice took on a strange high-pitched quality. Ryder definitely had him riled up; the tension in the room had become palpable. Still, Jasper remained at his table, well out of Ryder’s reach.
“Not fantasies, though I have plenty of fantasies I will live out with her once you are dead.” Ryder pictured her face, her lovely face and longed to see her once more.
“Shut your mouth.” Jasper slammed his hand on the table causing a few pieces to scatter, clattering on the floor with a noise that echoed through the room. Ryder grinned, help had arrived.
Storm
Storm heard the voices before she saw the lit doorway. Damarra and Roane flanked her followed by the other Immortals who were in turn followed by the hybrids. Dan and Shane flew overhead, whips at the ready. It felt strange, like walking to war. Ryder’s voiced echoed into the night and when she realized what he said her face flushed.
“Well dear, I would say the Immortal is quite taken with you.” Damarra nodded approvingly.
“He is just trying to rile the anomaly.” Lucian put a hand on her shoulder and keeping his voice low added, “Do not judge him by this.”
“I know, I can hear his thoughts. He knows we’re here. He’s trying to tell me something about a blood spell. Any idea what that means?” Storm stopped and looked at her grandmother who’d taken to humming a tune.
“Bloody hell.” Lucian’s eyes flared and Storm saw the fire within, understanding washing over her. Damarra cut into her thoughts, Focus. We will discuss Lucian later, dear.
“What am I missing? What is a blood spell and why is it bad?” It was becoming rather irritating to discover just how ignorant she remained in the ways of supernaturals. After all her travels there seemed to be volumes of knowledge she lacked – all of which would be immensely useful at present.
Lucian had walked away, his fists clenching and unclenching rapidly as he muttered to himself. One of the Scots stepped forward, she couldn’t be sure which, “A blood spell likely means that none of us can enter with you. Jasper must have cast a spell that
would allow only his blood to enter, that means you, Storm.”
“Not true. I think it is time for a family reunion.” Storm smiled broadly and sent a quick message to Ryder and grabbed her grandparents’ hands. “Guys, stay here, just in case he tries to run.”
Storm led her parents around the back of the dilapidated meat packing plant. She focused solely on Ryder and told him to duck.
Ryder
Heat flared inside him as Storm’s voice reverberated through his head. The wall opposite him blasted inward as he curled into a ball, avoiding the brunt of the flying debris. Jasper stood far enough to the side that he too remained largely unscathed. When Ryder stood he saw Storm glowing golden and very clearly in the throes of rage, her eyes even flashed gold and all her fury seemed to be directed at Jasper who simply looked shocked. No, he looked past her at the couple entering the room just behind Storm. Roane nodded at Ryder casually and the woman who entered beside him smiled warmly in his direction.
“Hello, Immortal. I apologize for my son’s foolish actions. This is not how it was to be.” She turned and glared at Jasper, the calming tone of her voice switching as rapidly as her expression. “Really, did you think you would get away with this?”
“Mother, I – how – I – what -?” Ryder stifled a snigger as Jasper briefly stumbled over his words like a child. He quickly regained composure and seized a large scalpel from the table. “Hello, mother, it is good to see you after all this time. I am pleased you have come to witness my triumph.”
“Silence. You sound like a wee child, so foolish and selfish. And you wonder why the Tuatha De banished you. It is a good thing you managed to bed the Sullivan Seer or your life would have been worthless.” The woman continued to move forward, pure fury etched on her face. “Honestly, do you think the Tuatha De will allow you to live now? They foretold of the Emerald long before Celine, you knew your purpose from the time you could speak. You have only succeeded in making her stronger and angrier. What did you think would happen? You cannot fight destiny, Calibos.”
The Storm Sullivan Saga: The Emerald Seer Series Box Set Page 16