The Storm Sullivan Saga: The Emerald Seer Series Box Set

by Violet Patterson

  “Ang, she will find out when it is time. We all have roles to play in this.” Dan kept his eyes on the road, hugging every curve just so. Usually Angeline would laugh, not today. She opted to look out the window, silently passing the miles to the cemetery where Trin Sullivan would be laid to rest. Angeline performed her part of the ritual and had the rest of the elements delivered to Storm Sullivan to complete it correctly. It still seemed surreal, necessary to further their efforts, but surreal nonetheless. Angeline followed every instruction to the letter. Ryder played his part and the Seraphs played theirs. In the end, Trin Sullivan sacrificed herself to return her borrowed power to its true source and raise the Emerald Seer – their only hope of defeating the Unseen. Until the last moment Angeline hoped to discover the identity of the summoner but failed. So many loose ends to tie up, so much Trin kept from Ryder, so much more to be uncovered. But for now, everything rested on the shoulders of the last Sullivan Seer.

  “Will she do it, Dan?” Angeline turned to face the Seraph, more than dashing in his crisp, black suit. They unwittingly – and on her part unknowingly – matched in black suits with gray shirts. An image of Olivia flashed through her mind, good to know that spell remained a barrier to her blossoming feelings for Dan. It must have been why Trin insisted a third party bind the spell. Of course, Vanya had been more than willing. That was the last time Angeline saw her mother, purely for the safety of her family.

  “I believe so, Ang.” Dan pulled into the cemetery parking lot. He pointed to a VW Beetle. “That’s her car. She could have used her power to make money but has not. She lives in a small apartment with bare essentials. Our Storm has honor. It is our duty to lead her to the right path. Are you truly taking up the mantle of Ryder Cohen’s familiar?”

  “Yes. Trin arranged it. I need access to what is happening in that house, Dan. I need to know if he believes Trin about the prophecy and I need to do my part to push him toward Storm. This is the only way. Also, you should know, Ryder is watching her for signs of Sullivan power.” Angeline opened the door and slipped out. She bent over and peered back in at the Seraph. “It is just business, Dan. With me it can never be more than that.”

  ~

  Her heels clicked down the hall echoing the vast emptiness. Ryder Cohen’s Durstine Manor could not be more different from Willow Wood. She would miss the warmth, the orchard, and the antiques. It turned out to be a fair stroke of luck that she took one last stroll through Willow Wood after the funeral else she would have missed Keene altogether. At least fate still smiled on her once in a while. She surprised the creep in the orchard, leapt on his back and choked him into a faint. Thankfully Dorian remained in town. Angeline deposited the rogue familiar and traitor in the vampire’s loft for safe keeping. Dorian could do his magic tonight and she would turn him over to Ryder in the morning.

  Angeline stopped outside Ryder’s library and eyed the card once more. She raised a hand to knock but didn’t need to.

  “Come in, Angeline.” His voice sounded through the door, clear and stripped of emotion.

  Pushing the heavy door open, slowly to increase the drama of her entrance, Angeline thrust her shoulders back and walked toward her new boss. At least he acknowledged her appreciatively. “It is done, my liege.” She forced herself to hand over the blood red card boasting Trin Sullivan’s funeral arrangements and the announcement from the local paper. He had not attended. She thought it strange initially but then recalled the truth of his relationship with Trin, almost entirely a fallacy. Angeline asked Trin how Ryder envisioned their time together. Her mentor simply smiled and said she would never kiss and tell. Angeline felt her lips curl into a half smile. Ryder did not notice. “The Hunters seek Keene as we speak and the girl is being followed. She has shown no signs of supernatural skill.” Though she would. Angeline knew it would come, a little at a time until the Emerald’s full power returned to Storm Sullivan.

  “Well done, Angeline. Notify me when the Hunters have located Keene. He does not matter much, provided the girl shows no signs.” Ryder looked down at the card and exhaled. Angeline wondered how he truly felt. Ryder waved his hand in dismissal. Angeline turned, frowning at the indignity. Trin never treated her in such a manner.

  Once outside the library, Angeline’s head cleared and she made for her car, one of Trin’s actually, a sporty little black jag. The sun would not set for another few hours but she wanted to be present when Dorian awoke.

  Angeline pulled into her usual parking space. She slipped out of the car, gym bag in hand, and snuck into the front door of the loft space. In the middle of the main room, Keene remained strapped into the chair, his head lolled to the side and drool from his wide open maw soaked the shoulder of his shirt. Satisfied with his condition, Angeline slipped into a guest bedroom and changed quickly, selecting a pair of running tights and matching black tankini. Angeline withdrew the gold chopsticks from her hair and opted for a simple plait instead. She glanced at the clock, a few more hours until Dorian would rise. Plenty of time for a much needed work-out.

  ~

  “My apologies, Angeline. Either he knows nothing or his knowledge is protected by something stronger than I. Perhaps the Seraphs -” Dorian trailed off at her warning glance.

  “We knew it was a long shot, Dorian. Thank you for trying.” Angeline whipped out her phone and texted Ryder. “I’m dropping him in Ryder’s basement so he can be dealt with.”

  “I am leaving tonight, Angeline.” Dorian spoke matter of factly but with an unusual expression on his face. “There are new players in town who do not appreciate my kind. I also have a few leads to check out.” He moved closer taking her hand in his. Dorian’s cool touch sent ripples up the flesh of her arm. Pulling her close with his other hand at her waist he studied her reaction.

  “Dorian, I-“ Angeline fought to speak but he interrupted.

  “I am aware of your limitations, fae girl. I understand what it is like to yearn for someone without hope of acting on your affections. With me it is but physical pleasure.” Dorian raised her hand to his lips, focusing on her face as he kissed her knuckles softly. “My heart belongs to another as does yours but this does not mean we cannot enjoy each other’s company on a more intimate level. I should very much like to call on you again, Angeline. You are wonderfully captivating.” Dorian smiled, baring his elongated fangs and then released her. “Until we meet again, cherie.” He vanished in a cloud of smoke. Dorian loved the dramatic exits. Angeline half smiled.

  Her phone buzzed, a message from Ryder instructing her to deposit Keene in his basement and meet him at Starlight first thing in the morning. She almost forgot he’d just redone Noveau and renamed it. Angeline collected the remainder of her belongings from Dorian’s loft and tossed them in the small trunk of the jag. Keene appeared to be unconscious again so she re-bound his hands and feet and propped him in the passenger seat. Easy enough.

  Rosalee was just leaving for the evening when Angeline arrived at Durstine Manor. Tonight the housekeeper was dressed in another of her unusually skimpy dresses with stiletto heels but she helped Angeline move the body into the basement without complaint. There was no love lost between the pair from day one but even Rosalee disliked Keene.

  “Serves him right whatever happens.” The witch spat on Keene’s unconscious form before heading out of the small underground cell and back up to the main level. Angeline followed closely but not too closely. “That thing sickens me. Which of the Hunters finally captured him?”

  “I trapped him. I caught him skulking around Willow Wood when I went back to gather my belongings.” Angeline suspected the witch thought more of the situation but to her credit said nothing at all.

  “Good bye, fairy.” Rosalee strode down the hall, grabbed her neon pink clutch from a side table and slipped out the front door closing it behind her.

  Angeline flipped her phone open and shot a text to Dan to make sure they were staying at Willow Wood with Storm and that it was still alright for her to sleep at their ap
artment. The response came through quickly enough and Angeline exhaled loudly. She picked up a bottle of wine on her way to the Seraphs’ apartment with plans for a nice hot bubble bath.

  The next morning

  Angeline awoke to a loud, shrill ring in her ear. She didn’t recall setting an alarm. Squinting in the dim light of Dan’s bedroom she realized it was her phone. What the hell? Clumsily she reached for it but didn’t recognize the number. “Hello?”

  “Fairy, you need to get over here right now.” Rosalee’s panicked voice rippled through the speaker, louder than Angeline would have liked.

  “What? What happened?” Her voice came out raspy.

  “Just get over here. NOW.” Rosalee hung up before Angeline could say anything else.

  7:18 am. Too early. Angeline groaned and rolled out of bed. She selected a business suit from her trunk the night before and dressed quickly now, flipping her hair up in a tight chignon to disguise the fact she’d slept with it wet. Speeding over to Durstine, Angeline wondered what could possibly prompt Rosalee to contact her instead of Ryder. Unless something happened to Ryder? No, that didn’t feel right. She pulled into the drive and found Rosalee hanging out the front door, surprisingly well put together. Interesting.

  “It’s about time.” The witch tapped her foot impatiently as Angeline navigated the distance between them.

  “I was sleeping. What’s so important?” Angeline held the witch’s gaze, surprised she was willing to make eye contact after her avoidance yesterday.

  “Keene is dead.”

  “Wait, what? He was alive when we left last night. How is that possible?” Angeline pushed past Rosalee and practically ran down the hall. “Where’s Ryder?”

  “He left early this morning with Lucian.” Rosalee gave Angeline a ‘keep off, he’s mine’ glare and followed her down to the cell they deposited Keene in the night before.

  “Is he aware of this, yet?”

  “No, I am not stupid. I am the housekeeper, you are the assistant. It is your job to give bad news.” Rosalee opened the door to the cell. Angeline was not prepared for what she saw on the other side. Keene sat upright in the chair, his unseeing eyes open wide, almost in shock. His shirt sleeve appeared bloody and on closer examination Angeline saw he’d written something.

  “Did you touch anything?” Angeline backed away slowly and withdrew her phone. “Nevermind, don’t touch anything, I am calling in the Hunters to see if they can figure what happened.”

  The doorbell rang upstairs, thundering through the basement intercom system and Rosalee disappeared in a huff. Angeline withdrew a plastic bag and pair of gloves from her briefcase. She removed the shirt from Keene’s body and slipped it in the bag. It would be best for Ryder to examine this himself.

  “ANGELINE!” Rosalee’s voice echoed down the hallway as Angeline made her way to the main floor. She dropped the bag of evidence and her briefcase and walked quickly down the hall as Rosalee struggled to close the front door. “He wants to see Ryder. I told him Ryder is not here. My magic does not work on Immortals.”

  “Open the door, Rosalee. I will handle it.” Angeline smoothed her hair and slipped toward the crack in the door so she could slide out when Rosalee cracked it open far enough. She came face to face with a peculiar Immortal who could only be Roane, one of the originals and a member of their council. “Good morning, I am Ryder’s assistant, how may I help you?”

  “Let me in so I may wait for his return.” Roane’s eerie voice lived up to its reputation. Angeline struggled to suppress her shudder.

  “Apologies, but my liege will not return for some time and Rosalee is involved in some deep cleaning. Surely you can understand a housekeeper not wishing a guest to see her working in such a manner.” Angeline inclined her head, forcing as genuine a smile as she could muster.

  “You will let me in, fairy, or there will be problems. I have important things to discuss with Ryder Cohen and I will not wait without like some common mutt.” Though his words were cruel his voice never changed octave. Interesting. Angeline pondered for a moment and in that moment Roane tried to push her out of the way and force himself inside. She reacted on instinct shooting a knee in his gut and then connecting her fist to his face. The Immortal fell backward, righted himself and glared at her.

  “You are hereby stripped of your position as a familiar. This is outrageous. How dare you strike me? This is not the end of things.” Again, malicious words without inflection, but Angeline stood her ground. Roane glared, his face already starting to swell. She swore the Immortal half smiled as he turned away. Angeline stood her ground until Roane disappeared from sight. She slipped inside to find Rosalee standing in the middle of the foyer.

  “I will summon the Hunters from Starlight. Watch for them. Shut the gate behind me and use the security system to identify anybody who comes calling today.” Angeline casually strode down the hall, collected the bagged shirt and her briefcase as if nothing happened, and headed for Ryder’s study. Rosalee was still standing in the same position when she returned to the foyer to leave. “Rosalee, you were right to not let Roane in.” Angeline left the housekeeper standing there and locked the entrance behind her.

  ~

  Angeline opened her laptop, pretending to work so the bartender would leave her be. She couldn’t focus on anything, wondering what Ryder would say about her tussle with Roane. The door to the club opened and he strode in. Angeline took a deep breath before acknowledging him.

  “Hey, boss!” The bartender, Frederick or Claude or whatever he was going by now, called out from behind the bar. “I am ready to go over stock when you are done.” Angeline heard him shuffle off, apparently aware something was about to go down.

  “Angeline?” Ryder looked down at her, his face an expressionless mask, never a good sign. She closed the netbook and placed it inside her briefcase, standing in one fluid motion. Angeline procrastinated a bit longer by smoothing her hair and adjusting her blazer.

  “My liege, Keene has taken his own life. We are not sure how he managed it but I have a team examining his cell. He scratched a suicide note on his shirt, seemingly with his own blood. I bagged it before the others arrived and locked it in the safe in your study. The body will be moved to your lab by nightfall.” Angeline paused, now for the hard part, “I have other, er, news. Roane stopped at the manor earlier. Rosalee did not allow him entry so he tried to force his way in and I intervened. He was dissatisfied with my methods and stripped me of my position as a familiar.”

  Ryder laid a hand on her shoulder. “Angeline, you will remain as my assistant. Roane has no power to remove your status as a familiar and I assure you that will not happen. Please accompany me for the remainder of the day. Lucian is in the car, you can keep him company while I finish with Frederick.”

  Relief flooded her. She wanted to ask more about Lucian but opted to be grateful and remain silent instead. Angeline grabbed her briefcase and made for the door.

  “Oh, and Angeline, be sure to tell Lucian about your encounter with Roane. He will appreciate it greatly.”

  Angeline turned, smiled tightly and nodded. She pushed open the door and searched the parking for one of Ryder’s cars. She didn’t have to look far. A tall, broad figure with wild hair leaned against the vintage cherry red Corvette. He didn’t move as she approached. “Hello, Lucian.”

  “Angeline, I presume?” Lucian dropped his sunglasses just enough for her to catch the flames in his eyes. “Your car or mine?”

  “Um, neither.” Angeline knew little of Lucian aside from his appetite for women and fights.

  “Come on, babe. You, me, a few minutes and I could light a fire in you to shake that chip right off your shoulder.” Lucian smirked in what might have been a charming fashion if not for the thinly veiled insult.

  “Do not cross me, Immortal.” Angeline deftly tossed her briefcase onto the hood of her jag, unbuttoned her blazer and crouched into an aggressive posture.

  “I do not wish to fight you girl but
that does not mean I won’t.” Lucian removed his shades and tossed them into the driver’s seat behind him. “Aye, I know you are a fairy and I know you have a double dose, doesn’t frighten me a bit.”

  Angeline leapt over his head landing lightly on the hood of the Corvette, grabbing a handful of his hair as she went. “You should really cut your hair.”

  “I like it long.” Lucian gritted through his teeth. He spun to face her, a move that had to hurt his scalp, and seized her by the hips. Angeline released his hair, snatched his wrists and dug her nails deep in the flesh. He didn’t even wince. This would be fun. Lucian lifted her from the car and tried to throw her but she held tight to his wrists and planted her feet on his thighs. “You are a feisty one, fairy girl. Are you sure you wouldn’t fancy a quick romp instead.”

  “Now you’re just trying to make me mad, Immortal.” Angeline flipped backward slipping out of his hands into a perfect back tuck sticking the landing on the sidewalk beside the club. Lucian feigned a yawn. “Come on, I just did that in heels!” She blew a loose tuft of hair from her face. “Now I have to re-do my hair. Are you happy?”

  “Not really.” Lucian charged her and she tried to slip away but he telegraphed the move and grabbed her arm at the elbow. Angeline felt her body jerk back and was soon pressed up against Lucian’s frame. “Much better, fairy girl.”

  “Not gonna happen, Immortal.” Angeline swung her free hand around landing a quick chop to Lucian’s gut which only succeeded in loosening his grip slightly. That was all she needed to slip out and reform in a defensive stance. “We could go at this all day, Immortal. I am faster, you are stronger. What does this accomplish?”

  “It amuses me.” Lucian grinned. “You are skilled, I appreciate a skilled fighter, especially those with different abilities than my own. It challenges me.”

  “It did not amuse Roane this morning.” Angeline stood and smoothed her loose tendrils.

  “And what, pray tell, occurred this morning?” Lucian leaned against the Corvette again, smoothing his own wild mane, as much as he could anyway.