Storm
The pounding in her head reminded her of the worst hangover she ever had. Storm’s entire body felt drained and completely useless. She couldn’t move her arms or legs and for a moment she wondered if she’d been somehow paralyzed.
“You overdid it a bit, luv.” Aunt Trin’s apparition floated beside her where Ryder usually slept. “Would you like me to get the Seraphs up here?”
“Are the babes okay?” Storm’s heart caught in her throat. What if her antics harmed the girls?
“Yes, yes. Of course. They are part of the reason you feel so drained. It was bound to happen. Your body cannot regenerate as quickly when you are feeding the babes.” Aunt Trin frowned. “Were you showing off? It was hard to tell on the other side but Rosalee was pretty unhappy when she crossed over, though her spirit only lingered for a moment before our realm expelled her.”
Storm frowned. “Expelled her?” Dammit.
Aunt Trin nodded sadly. “I thought I’d better deliver the news myself. Rosalee did something none of us would have anticipated.”
“What exactly happened?” Storm felt her fingers come to life as a sinking feeling hit her stomach like a ton of bricks. A memory of some ancient black magics she studied when researching ways to help Lucian. But they all required – no! No way. “Rosalee would never do that!”
“Never say never, luv.” Aunt Trin sat up, well as much as a ghost could sit up. “Her children crossed over just after she was expelled. All of them.”
Storm felt the sudden need to wretch. Aunt Trin touched her, solidified and helped Storm sit up so to expel the contents of her stomach on the floor beside the bed. Wiping at her mouth with the back of her hand, Storm faced her aunt. “All of them? What would that mean? Did she come back? What is she now?”
“I do not know. I have people seeking answers but it may take time. I suggest you all start researching on this side.” Aunt Trin slipped off the bed. “Have you heard from Damarra yet?”
Falling back on the pillows, Storm exhaled loudly. “Not really. I had a sort of vision of her where she said she was fighting in another realm. I really screwed up, didn’t I?”
“No, luv, you could not have known.” Aunt Trin glided to the foot of the bed, her hands already fading out. “Do not count your grandparents out, Damarra is a Goddess and Roane is one of the first Immortals, he is no slouch.”
“I didn’t know that. One of the first? What does that mean?” Storm tried to prop herself up but failed miserably.
“Rest, luv. Give yourself time.” Aunt Trin’s vanishing hand hovered above Storm’s legs.
“Tell me about Roane before you go.” Storm plead, her voice weak. Internally she cringed.
“There is time for that, luv. Search the secret compartment again, for the volume marked with an ancient sigil. You will know it when you see it. There is much information there if you see with your instincts and not your thoughts.” Aunt Trin faded further. “I wish I could say more but some things you must discover on your own as I did. It is the only way to understand and accept what you must.”
“All of these riddles are taking precious time, Aunt Trin. Isn’t there a way around them?” Storm breathed her words with as much conviction as she could muster.
“I know, luv. But nothing in this world is easy and there are forces working against us at every turn. Many secrets have been buried in time. I sought as many as I could to help you on your way but I cannot possibly know what is most important at this juncture. I can only lead you in what I believe is the right direction in hopes you find the answers you need as you need them. Things must happen in order, it has always been that way. It is destiny’s cruelest joke and only serves to give the illusion of free will.” Aunt Trin sighed. “My time is up. I will be back as soon as I have word. Take care of yourself and have Angeline show you the birthing room before you make that choice.” The last words hung in the air for a few moments as Aunt Trin faded out completely leaving Storm to curse her overzealousness the night before. With no alternative, the Emerald Seer drifted back to sleep allowing her body to regenerate.
PacMan pushed the bedroom door open, sniffed at the contents of Storm’s stomach splattered about the floor, and poked at his master’s sleeping form once. He whimpered, cocked his head to the side, nudged Storm again and licked her face. When she didn’t respond, PacMan trotted out of the room with some urgency.
Ryder
Amidst all the laughter in the kitchen, he nearly relaxed but Ryder’s thoughts kept turning to Storm who still had not emerged from their room. No matter what she said last night he knew his mate well enough to recognize she had overdone it. Storm did not even stir when he kissed her. It took everything in him to stay in the kitchen. Ryder knew better than to worry their friends and Storm would be furious if he revealed her weakened state unnecessarily. Perhaps it was just the pregnancy, in spite of her exceptional power and foresight, she was still human and subject to all the fatigue and symptoms of pregnancy. He started clearing the empty plates and putting a fresh plate together for Storm. Nobody would think twice about him serving his wife breakfast in bed, right?
Ryder did not hear PacMan enter the kitchen, did not hear his chains until the dog tugged at his pants. “What is it boy?” Ryder tilted his head and tried to glean something from Storm’s pet. PacMan just whimpered and tugged at his pant leg again.
“What’s wrong with Pac Man?” Sophia bent down and rubbed behind the dog’s ears. The Phoenix slithered up between her legs and rubbed against Pac Man. Ryder found the entire exchange beyond surreal but something about Pac Man’s behavior concerned him. Sophia met his eye, tilted her head and looked upward with just her eyes.
“I told Storm I would bring her breakfast so he is probably coming to remind me.” Ryder loaded the plate before him with a few more strawberries and pieces of French toast, grabbed the last bottle of water from the counter and made his way toward the door. Pac Man detached from Sophia and the Phoenix to follow close at his heels.
“Mind if I accompany you? I really want to chat with her about some ideas I had for some new potions.” Sophia trailed off and the Phoenix hopped on her back in one seamless motion.
Ryder nodded silently and slipped out the door trying to maintain the appearance that everything was just fine though he was starting to doubt that was true. Sophia followed silently up the stairs but nobody else seemed to think their exit odd enough to question them. Ryder took the stairs two at a time once he reached the foyer, careful not to spill the food. The smell of vomit struck his nose as his feet hit the hall floor. The Phoenix hissed and Pac Man whimpered again. Ryder handed the plate to Sophia and bolted down the hall. Storm lay sprawled in the bed, breathing slowly but evenly. She seemed to be alright, merely sleeping, but a pile of vomit littered the floor on Storm’s side of the bed. Ryder stepped around the vomit and felt Storm’s pulse which seemed normal.
“What the hell?” Sophia stopped in the doorway, her eyes roving over the scene in the room. The Phoenix leapt off her back, whipped around the mess on the floor and jumped on the bed. She slid up beside Storm’s sleeping form and began to hum softly.
“I have no idea. Could the pregnancy do this? I mean could she be having complications?” Ryder heard the panic in his voice matching the fear rising up inside him. He could not lose her, not his Storm.
Sophia looked skeptical. “I don’t think so, Ryder. Look, she is breathing normally and her color is good. Do you think she overdid it last night?”
“I know she did. I think you do too, but this?” Ryder swept his hand toward the stinking pile that made him want to wretch as well.
“Let’s clean it up, let Storm rest a bit longer with my girl and if she is not up soon then we’ll call Dan and Shane up, deal?” Sophia did not wait for his response. She strode into the bathroom, careful to avoid the mess. Ryder reluctantly slipped off the bed careful not to disturb the Phoenix. Sure enough, by the time they cleaned up the last splatter, Storm was beginning to stir.
The Phoenix licked Storm’s face lightly and hopped off the bed to rejoin Sophia. The pair slipped out of the room shutting the door quietly behind them. Ryder sat beside Storm on the bed, tracing his thumb along her cheek as her eyes fluttered open. Storm’s eyes flared for a second until she recognized him and her face softened into the sleepy smile he loved so much.
“Morning, my love.” Ryder gave his best lopsided smile to hide his concern.
“I know you are worried, Ry. Sorry about the mess.” Storm frowned, the deep worry lines marring her smooth complexion.
“As long as you and the babes are alright.” Ryder trailed off, waiting for her explanation hoping she would ease his mind.
“We are fine, I promise. But the news is bad, worse than bad, really.” Storm bit her lip, looked away and he noticed a tear slip down her cheek.
“Storm?”
“Rosalee’s children will not be joining us. They are all dead.” Storm choked back a sob.
“What? How? When?” Ryder’s stomach plummeted.
“Shortly after I killed Rosalee.” Storm held his eye, pain and regret warring in their deep green depths.
“Well, at least they will be together as a family. Hopefully that will be some comfort for Rose –“
“You don’t understand! Rosalee is the one who killed them! She sacrificed her own children to resurrect herself!” Storm practically screamed at him as she sat upright. Tears streamed down her face as she began to sob uncontrollably.
“What? She would never sacrifice her children!” Ryder stood, a wave of illness rolling through his stomach. She was not the Rose he knew when she arrived the night before. He had to admit he may not know what she could be capable of.
Storm composed herself, wiped at her cheeks with the backs of her hands and continued, tears glistening in her eyes. “Aunt Trin saw them cross over, Ry. She said Rosalee was expelled and her children crossed over. They are looking for answers, trying to decipher what Rosalee did, but we need to research on our end. We have to know what she is now, what she’s done to herself.” Storm reached out and touched his hand, such a simple gesture but one that set his pulse racing.
“Why not eat a little breakfast and clean yourself up first?” Ryder gestured to the plate he had assembled. “You need to eat, my love.”
Storm turned up her nose at the food. “I don’t have time to eat, we need to know what Rosalee did. I may have made things worse by killing her, I am just as responsible for her children as she was.”
“No! Do not say that!” Ryder stood, frustration rippling through his core. “You did not know, how could you? How could any of us?”
“But I was rash and headstrong. I was showing off as Aunt Trin kindly reminded me.” Storm hung her head. “I messed up. It was too easy and I knew it but I wanted to show my power, to give those potential allies something to believe in. I wanted to buy time -” Storm’s voice broke and it wrecked something inside him.
Ryder ran his hands through his hair, searching for the right words but they did not come. Finally, he did the only thing that felt right. Sliding into bed beside his wife, Ryder pulled her close, wrapping his arms about her form and planting feather light kisses down her cheek and neck. The words came out in a breathy whisper at Storm’s earlobe, “We all make mistakes, my love, every one of us. They call it humanity. We will learn from this and move on.”
Roane - just after the sealing of the portals
She returned. Damarra walking down the slope of the hill with the breeze in her hair was more than Roane could take. Something inside of him changed the moment he saw her like that. Want. He wanted her, to hold her and smell her and kiss her. She became the center of his world in that moment and the steps between them were like a chasm he had to cross. Roane sprinted the distance and briefly forgot who they were beyond a male and a female. His hands found her waist and he pulled Damarra close, lifting her so that her nose grazed his and her body fit just right against his. Her bosom heaved against his chest and her eyes flared, swirling with surprise and something more. She did not fight him. Damarra smiled, he felt her whole body relax into him.
“I am home.” Just three words but the best three words he had ever heard her utter. Damarra tilted her head just so and Roane slanted his mouth over hers in a gentle kiss.
Withdrawing, Roane studied her face, wondering what she was thinking, if she quaked inside as much as he did. He wanted to know if she wanted more, if she yearned to feel his lips again as he craved hers. He wondered many things in that moment but instead he simply carried her toward their home and said, “Yes, my love, you are home.”
Storm
For a moment, things felt right as she melted into Ryder’s arms. His strength seeped into her and Storm realized how much she had come to need him. Before she would have resented that need and rejected it but now things were different. It was not weak to ask for help or accept assistance, she understood that now. Ryder balanced her and everything in the world was about balance, keeping the scales level. That meant she had work to do, Storm had to fulfill her purpose as the Emerald Seer so the Unseen could not rise and tip the scales perpetually. But right now, standing in the shower, she just wanted to be back in bed, wrapped in Ryder’s arms where they could hold the world at bay. No matter how hot the water got she felt cold. Images of Rosalee’s kids kept parading through her head and Storm could not get clean. It made her want to vomit all over again. The children were innocents. One would have allowed Rose to resurrect herself, but all of them? Why all of them? How could a mother execute her children? Welling up from the pit of her stomach a different emotion took root. Anger swept aside the illness and sorrow as Storm’s own maternal instinct kicked in. Fury took over and Storm realized what had to be done. She flicked the water off and jumped out of the shower grabbing a towel from the rack with a flourish that almost knocked her off balance. “Ry? Are you out there?”
Ryder peeked his head into the bathroom. “Yes, my love. What do you need?”
“I know what we have to do and I know where the answer is.” Storm flew around the room explaining her idea to her mate while he perched on the bed following her flurried movements with only his eyes. “What do you think?”
“It is the best lead we have so far. Are you okay? I mean, are you well enough to do this?” Ryder stood and stopped her gently, taking her wrists in his.
“Of course. The Phoenix helped me heal and now, well, I feel revitalized somehow – like I can do anything.” Storm skipped the part about feeling not returning fully to her hands or the semi-queasy feeling in her stomach, or even her inability to summon her powers yet. Oh well, it would come back. “I will eat a bit, have some tea, and all will be well again. Promise.”
If he doubted her, Ryder did not show it. Instead he picked up the now cold breakfast food, “I’ll make you something else, what sounds good?”
Good question. “Honestly? Macaroni and cheese with chicken nuggets.” Storm’s stomach rumbled at the thought of cheesy goodness and crispy chicken, especially since Ryder liked to make them both from scratch using her mother’s recipe.
Ryder bowed comically and chuckled. “As you wish, m’lady. I shall begin your feast while you greet your adoring fans and Lucian can rally the rest of the troops.”
Storm frowned. “I suppose we will all fit in the study. The vamps will have to be briefed later, I suppose. We can’t wait though if we want this to work.”
“No, you are correct.” Ryder opened the bedroom door. “Ready, my love?”
“Yep. Let’s do this.” Storm followed her husband out the door. She tapped her hand against her thigh urging Pac Man to follow. She wasn’t sure why but lately it soothed her to have him close.
Angeline
Several people were bustling about the kitchen laughing and picking at the remnants of breakfast. Some of the newcomers were introducing themselves to the others while Angeline watched from the far corner where she sat beside Olivia. Frederick had quietly slipped in and settled on
the other side of Olivia. The trio sat rather quietly, occasionally exchanging observations on the newcomers but generally just watching since moving away from the breakfast bar to allow more people a chance at the food. It was nearly picked over by now and Angeline realized somebody would have to leave to go to the store at some point. She wondered how many Storm would send as a precaution. Surely they were being watched closely. Angeline wondered how specific Storm needed to be when claiming somebody. The longer they sat, the more questions bloomed in her head.
“Morning everyone!” Storm’s entrance disrupted Angeline’s thoughts and brought all conversation to an abrupt halt. Lucian hid an amused grin behind his cup of coffee as everyone parted ways to allow Storm a wide berth as she crossed the kitchen with Pac Man on her heels. Ryder slipped in behind her allowing the door to swing closed at his back. He exchanged a meaningful glance with Lucian which Angeline recognized well enough. Lucian’s smile faded and he set his coffee cup in the sink before walking out the door Storm had just entered through. Ryder surveyed the room nonchalantly as he began preparing more food. Sophia took to clearing the soiled dishes to give Ryder more space. Angeline stood to help but found her path blocked by five wood sprites seeking audience with Storm. Mara, Mia, Matthew, Morgan, and Mickel were siblings orphaned by the witch Elba not long before her demise. They were tall and spindly with long brown hair, olive skin, and large doe eyes. The eldest, Matthew, couldn’t be more than twenty and the youngest, Mickel, was little more than a child. Their long wild locks were somehow reminiscent of willow tree foliage despite the rich sepia color. All five bowed in unison to pledge themselves to Storm’s service, an offer she accepted with grace and appreciation. Storm even offered the siblings shelter in the orchard as opposed to rooms in the manor. The sprites nodded and disappeared out the back of the manor, apparently eager to rejoin the trees.
The Storm Sullivan Saga: The Emerald Seer Series Box Set Page 49