The Storm Sullivan Saga: The Emerald Seer Series Box Set

by Violet Patterson

  “What are you thinking on?” Damarra looked up at him, a soft smile on her face.

  “Just that I will never take this for granted.” Roane kissed her lightly on the nose and pulled her just a little closer.

  “That is a nice thought. I think I like that very much.” Damarra tucked her head into the crook of his neck, her hair tickling him a bit.

  “I will love you for all of my days, Damarra. Even when you go away, I still love you.” Roane whispered in her ear, his words full of the emotion he felt so deeply.

  “And I will always find you. No matter what happens, I will always find you and bring us back together.” Damarra’s face darkened for a moment but quickly returned to its peaceful, happy state. “Always.” She whispered.

  Storm

  She was so tired. All of a sudden her body opted to betray her in the worst ways. Storm wasn’t lying. Ever since returning from the other realm she felt wrong. No, not wrong, just different. That wasn’t right either. Storm couldn’t control her emotions and her body ached from the waist down. She had her suspicions but how could it be possible? Even with twins she should be able to carry them for another month. Clinging to the necklace in her hand, the locket Credne had given her, she could see the girls in their bassinets, see them cooing and waving their chubby little fists. She knew they would be alright but how could they be coming now? As they climbed the stairs to her room, Storm felt nothing but gratitude for Angeline for suggesting a nap. Perhaps that’s all she needed and when she woke up things would be better and she’d be able to finish the meeting that evening and hold on for at least another month. When her head hit the pillow, Storm drifted off easily, welcoming the sleep until the pain started. In her dream she was fighting a group of unknown assailants. Storm swung with her fists, kicked with her feet, rolled away from attackers with unusual ease but they kept coming. Finally, one landed a kick to her gut and Storm tumbled over, racked with pain as the air fled her lungs. They descended, faceless bodies from all directions intent on ripping her limb from limb.

  Storm woke up gasping for breath, her lungs screaming for air and a searing pain across her abdomen. Angeline and Sophia leapt from their chairs by the window and Olivia awoke with a start. The Phoenix reared back into Olivia and began whimpering. “Get Ryder, please get him now.” Storm breathed out her request hoping it was audible. Angeline sprinted out of the room and Sophia flew to her side as another sharp pain drilled through her abdomen. “Soph, I want a hospital. Make them take me to a hospital.”

  “Storm, are you in labor?” The look of shock and horror on Sophia’s face confirmed what Storm knew to be true. She had no idea how long her nap had been but doubted it ever would have stopped this from progressing. If anything, it may have sped it along given the sudden intense pain. “Breathe, come on, Storm, you have to breathe.” Sophia stroked her hair and Olivia slipped backward off the bed toward the bathroom. She quickly emerged with a washcloth, crawled back on the bed and applied it to Storm’s neck. The cool water trickling down her back was refreshing. Storm tried to thank the girl but doubled over in another contraction.

  “We don’t have time to get her to a hospital.” Olivia spoke over Storm which normally would have annoyed her, especially coming from such a young girl, but right now, she was focusing on the tiny crack in the footboard from when Ryder got a bit too enthusiastic with their lovemaking. A good memory, Storm clung to it with every fiber of her being and focused on breathing steadily while squeezing Sophia’s hand.

  When the contraction was over, Storm looked to Sophia again, gritting her teeth to emphasize her point, “I. Want. A. Hospital.”

  “I will do what I can, Storm, but your contractions came on suddenly and they are really close together. I don’t know if we can make it or set up –“ Sophia continued but she may as well have been speaking a foreign language because Storm’s blood was pulsing in her ears so loud with the start of the next contraction that she went deaf for a few moments. She remembered reading that people with high pain thresholds thought labor wasn’t too bad. They were crazy. This was complete torture. Focus. Breathe. Breathe. Focus. Come on, Storm. You are the Emerald for crying out loud. You can handle a little childbirth.

  “Storm?” A whisper in her ear. Familiar but no, it couldn’t be.

  Storm looked around and sure enough, standing behind Sophia was the ghost of her mother, smiling down at her. “Mom?”

  The ghost nodded. “You can do this, honey. You can make it through this.” And then she was gone. Her mother who gave up on life had made it through childbirth. Storm’s resolve grew. If her mother could do this then she could too.

  “Storm!” Ryder’s voice entered the room. Sophia backed away and Ryder slid into the space she’d vacated taking Storm’s hand in his. His worried eyes roved over her and he leaned in to kiss her cheek. At that moment she was racked with another contraction and bucked backward nearly hitting her head on the headboard. “We have to get her to the birthing room. How close are the contractions?”

  “She wants a hospital, Ryder.” Sophia spoke up, confidently but not quite as forcefully as Storm would have liked. “The contractions are about two minutes apart. I didn’t know she was having any until she woke up about ten minutes ago. She said nothing before this happened.”

  As the wave of the contraction ended, Storm looked up at her mate and tugged on his hands. “I want to have them in a hospital, Ryder. I want this. It is my body and I want to be in a hospital.”

  “We cannot get you there in time, my love. Angeline has –“ Ryder pled, with his words and his eyes.

  They entered a silent battle of wills until Storm yelled at him. “I know what she has done but I want a hospital – NOW!” Storm felt the next one coming on and braced for it, squeezing Ryder’s hands tightly and breathing through it, focused on the crack in the footboard.

  “It shouldn’t be time yet!” Aunt Trin’s ghost appeared suddenly at the foot of the bed. Before she could react, Aunt Trin had corporealized and was touching her abdomen. “They are coming. Storm, luv, you can’t make it to a hospital. We are going to be lucky to get you downstairs to the birthing room. Angeline, call the doctor and the midwife I told you about, Lucian and Sophia get hot water ready and start warming up the bassinets.”

  “The birthing room isn’t done. The bed isn’t here yet or any of the equipment. We can’t do it down there.” Angeline chimed in from behind Ryder.

  “Hospital. NOW.” Storm managed to shriek out the last word before another contraction hit. She felt a great deal of pressure and feared she would not make it but she had her heart set on St. Ann’s. Wait, she had seraphs who could fly her there. They could get her there in a few minutes and it would all be fine. Everything would be fine. Storm breathed through the contraction, allowing it to roll through her limbs and growing accustomed to the searing pain in her abdomen. Something told her that there was a problem. She knew it. She had to get to a hospital now. “Dan and Shane can get me there in time. St. Ann’s is not far and it is a sacred place.”

  “Babe, I don’t know if we can do that. I mean, I can feel them already and –“ Shane’s voice carried out from somewhere near the door.

  “NOW! Shane, you are going to get me there and get me there now. Something is wrong and I want a damn team of doctors and nurses and all the medical equipment a normal woman gets. Now just get me there. Ryder, grab the bag and follow us and –“ another contraction wrecked her body but before she could respond to it, strong hands were lifting her from the bed. Her body tense with the contraction paid no heed to being moved but she didn’t dare make a sound as they exited the house. Once in the yard, Storm heard the sound of flapping wings and she was flying. Before she knew it, Dan and Shane were tucking their wings back and carrying her into the emergency room before her next contraction came on. The next several minutes were a flurry of clothes being changed and IVs and people probing her. Dan and Shane were giving the details of the pregnancy as Storm continued to answer mun
dane questions from the nursing staff between contractions.

  “We need to get her to delivery, she is ready to go.” Storm didn’t catch the doctor’s name; she just heard delivery and wanted to thank him. The pressure in her abdomen was growing and she wanted to push.

  “Ryder, I need Ryder.” Storm forced the words out as the next contraction rolled over her.

  “He’s coming, babe. We’ll get him back to you. I promise.” Shane dropped her hand as they wheeled her away.

  “Are you ready to push, Storm?” The doctor had kind eyes just visible above his mask. Storm forced a nod. “Good, just breathe through it and focus on pushing, okay?” Storm nodded again. She wanted to push. It sounded like the greatest idea since the beginning of ideas.

  “Okay, I am going to have you give me a good push with your next contraction.” The doctor stepped back as the nurses rolled her into place and locked the wheels of the bed.

  “I’m ready, it’s coming.” Storm focused on pushing with all the right muscles, she felt like her insides were splitting open but she pushed until the contraction subsided.

  “Good, that is very good, I can see a head, Storm. I need you to keep pushing just like that, alright?” The nurses held her hands but theirs were cold and clammy. She wanted Ryder. And then she felt him. Just as her next contraction started, Ryder replaced the nurse to Storm’s left and leaned in to kiss her.

  “I am here, my love. You can do this.” Ryder squeezed her hand lightly.

  She pushed and pushed and pushed some more until every bit of her body ached but eventually she heard a cry and the doctor showed one tiny baby to them. “Okay, Storm. We are halfway. Let’s get your other little one out, alright?” He handed the first baby to the nurse who took her over to a bassinet and began working on her. Storm watched her go, watched the small babe wave her fists and scream out. She prepared to push again as the next contraction hit and Ryder stayed by her side, his eyes flicking to their newborn in between pushes.

  “Storm, just give me one more good push.” The doctor squeezed her knees lightly in encouragement and Storm took one good breath before the contraction hit. She pushed and felt the second child move. The doctor withdrew from Storm with another small infant. But this one looked limp in his hands. His eyes read concern for a moment but he handed her with great care to the nurse and return to finish things with Storm. The nurse worked on the newborn for a few moments while Storm watched anxiously. The nurse turned to nod to Storm and Ryder, lifting the child so they could see her moving about.

  “What will we name them?” Storm whispered to her mate as he watched the babes in awe.

  “What do you think?” Ryder squeezed her hand but did not tear his eyes from the two newborns being cared for across the room.

  “Ember and Autumn ” Storm whispered before the world went black.

  Damarra

  Sitting on the rough stone was not comfortable in her current state. Credne had better get a move on or she would go to the sacred place without him as escort. Damarra was in a foul mood, fouler than the day she left Roane. Knowing he would not be there to see their child enter the world was wearing on her. How could a father not welcome his child? And she wanted Roane there to hold her hand, to coax her through it, to kiss her when it was all over. Damarra thought back to the day he realized she was with child. The look on his face made the discomfort well worth it. At first Roane did not believe then he questioned her extensively about how it could have happened then he became angry for a time and Damarra locked him out of their room until he accepted Morgaine’s hand in it all. Then the brethren called requesting his assistance with a new recruit. Roane had not wanted to leave, she was so close to the end and he did not want to miss it. But it was his duty and she understood duty. So here she sat, on the cold rock, waiting for Credne to accompany her since she could no longer navigate the terrain on her own.

  “Hello sister.” Credne’s voice echoed down from the top of the hill. “Are you ready then?”

  “Aye. A little help please, brother?” By the time Damarra managed to stand, her brother stood beside her ready to help her up the hill.

  “Mind if we fly? I figured it would be easier and it is being whispered that you will be early.” Credne did not wait for her consent and soon they were airborne, flying through clouds and around ripples in time. There were times Damarra had longed for the power to fly but this was not one of them. The feeling made her stomach churn in the most terrible way.

  “Are we almost there?” Damarra did not wish to show weakness to her brother but her stomach was starting to ache.

  “Yes, it is just over there. See the beacons?” Credne pointed to a flashing blue light and began their descent. “Is it starting to rain?”

  “No.” Damarra was focusing hard on the beacon, the tiny flickering light.

  “I thought I felt something on my leg.”

  “Yes.” Still focusing, the light was getting bigger and she could almost see the magic of the glamour.

  “What is that?”

  “The seers were correct, brother. My child will come early.” Damarra clung to Credne as he cringed with realization and sped toward the beacon. They landed lightly and half a dozen deities flew to her aid, carrying her into the temple.

  “It seems I have found you this time, my love.” Standing beside the massive bed was Roane, smiling broadly and holding a lovely, plush white blanket. “For our young one from Almha. She called me from the brethren and brought me here so I would not miss this. Are you ready?”

  Damarra took Roane’s hand as she was helped into bed and smiled back at him. “Aye. I am quite ready now.”

  Ryder

  Two baby girls, two seemingly healthy baby girls. Storm did it. She was early and they were small but somehow they were healthy and whole. He could not stop watching them, making sure they kept moving and breathing, listening for words of concern from the nurses. They were early, so early. It seemed impossible that they were breathing on their own let alone wailing. The NICU doctor entered at some point and was now examining Ryder’s firstborn. His and Storm’s firstborn. Theirs.

  “What will we name them?” Storm’s exhausted whisper broke his reverie but he still could not look away from the infants.

  “What do you think?” He squeezed her hand to let Storm know he heard her. Later he would really make things up to her, really show his appreciation. Now he needed to fulfill his promise to her – ‘make sure the babies are alright and then worry about me’ she’d said. He promised.

  “Ember and Autumn.” She whispered.

  “Ember and Autumn” He asked. “Interesting choices, my love. I like them.” Ryder looked down at his wife and the world stopped. “Storm?” He shook her lightly, kissed her, but she did not respond. “Doctor?” Ryder looked at the man working on Storm.

  “Has she gone to sleep?” The doctor asked absentmindedly as he continued to work with the needle. “I figured she might. That was hard work and she lost more blood than I would have liked but –“ The doctor looked up and stopped mid-sentence. He stood in a hurry and raced to the phone. Within seconds a team of nurses and doctors rushed in and Ryder found himself in a flurry of ‘please move sir’ and hands trying to push him away. He refused to release his wife’s hand. His Storm was not going anywhere without him. Reaching out to Lucian, Ryder knew he needed to get Storm out of there. He was taking her home and they were not going to stop him.

  “Leave my wife alone. I am taking her and the babies out of here.” Ryder spoke evenly but in the deep, guttural voice he relied upon in such circumstances.

  “But she is comatose and they are premature newborns! We can’t possibly –“ One of them protested but the others backed away in fear. Ryder had not often used this gift but now seemed as good a time as any and he filled the room with his shadow-self. Lucian entered, hesitated a moment but quickly regained composure when he realized what Ryder was doing. Lucian scooped up the babes and Ryder collected Storm in his arms, careful to
wrap one of the unsoiled blankets around her.

  “We need to send Dorian back at sunset to wipe them.” Ryder frowned as he moved aside to avoid being seen by a nurse pushing a pill cart.

  “I already called him. It is past sunset, brother.” Lucian nestled the babes close to him, “He will be here shortly. Sophia has everything ready for us at the house and the angels are waiting outside with Frederick and the new shifter.”

  “Thank you, Luc.” Ryder kissed Storm on the forehead as they navigated out the back door of St. Ann’s where a battle was underway. The angels were soaring overhead sending lightning bolts at were-hybrids. Two large black bears who Ryder presumed to be Frederick and Jordan, were mauling fire sprites. Dorian appeared in front of him, eyed Storm and met Ryder’s eye “Get them to the manor. Watson and the soldiers go with you.” He jumped back into the fray, teeth bared and eyes flashing in the dim light from the parking lights. Ryder slipped into the back of the Hummer with Storm. Lucian rolled in after him and slammed the door as Watson threw the car into drive.

  “Hold on sirs.” Watson floored it and with a screech they were peeling out of the parking lot with a half dozen military vehicles in tow.

  Ryder hugged Storm close, careful to allow her air but shielding her face from everyone else. His heart pounded in his chest and he wanted to lash out at something, to strike down every beast who attacked the hospital. The rage inside continued to build until it overtook his worry and concern, until he could see only revenge against everything dark and evil.