I held my ground and watched him for any signs of attack. "Maybe you shouldn’t be those vile things if you don’t want to be associated with them?"
His eyes narrowed, and his fingers twitched, rotating the rings on his hands so they’d inflict maximum damage once they connected with my skin and bone.
"My rule would be ineffective if no one obeyed my commands," he explained, slowly revolving around me. "I cannot allow anyone to defy me, not even my sons—especially not them. And definitely not you."
I held my chin up high, trying to watch his movements while still appearing unaffected. "You could rule in a just way, and people would obey you because they respected you, rather than feared you."
He chuckled and made his way behind my back. I didn’t trust him, not one freaking bit, but for some reason I felt the need to be brave. I stared straight ahead, exhaling a massive, weighted breath when he reappeared on my other side and I was still unharmed.
"I tried that once—a few times, actually—in my youth." When he reached the front of me, he finally stopped circling, planting his feet and staring intently, unnervingly, into my eyes. "If it had worked, obviously, we wouldn’t be having this conversation right now. Fear is a more effective tactic than respect. It’s been proven true time and time again."
His arm was around my throat in an instant, his inner elbow blocking my windpipe.
Damn me for letting my guard down for even a second!
I reared back and smashed my head into his nose, but nothing happened—no crack, no blood, no shouting. Nothing. He squeezed even tighter. I could feel my face turning red as the pressure built in my veins. Attempting another tactic, I elbowed him in the ribs. Again, nothing. I punched backward into his crotch, but his junk was solid as iron.
This was it. I was going to syphon the life out of every Storm alive and then finally die myself, effectively killing us all in one moment of stupidity and weakness.
Anger fumed and boiled beneath my skin as the darkness of oblivion crept closer. I hated him. I needed to end him. Kill the king. Rory’s words... or perhaps now they were mine? The phrase echoed in my head like a mantra. Kill the king. Kill the king. Kill that motherfucking bastard once and for all.
All at once, the pressure exploded. I sucked in a deep, ragged breath as curly peach flames broke out across my flesh, singeing the king’s arm and chest. He cursed and jumped backward, eyes wide when I turned around and glared at him.
Then his gaze lost focus as something seemingly dawned on him. "You puked."
"So, there was something laced in the wine." It wasn’t a question. I didn’t expect him to admit to anything.
"You really shouldn’t have done that."
He lashed out at me, but now that my strength was back, I dodged him quickly. That’s when I saw a strange weapon gripped in his fist. It was white and curved, wide at the base and deadly sharp at the tip.
I didn’t have a weapon. I didn’t have a shield. I’d left my ax back in my room along with my rucksack and dirty traveling clothes. So basically, I didn’t have a chance. Still, I fought like hell as long as I could. I shot him with fire over and over, but it seemed his exterior defenses had somehow been refortified. Like before, it was as if his skin were impenetrable—even against fire.
All I did was turn a disgusting situation into something horrific. The more I used my power, the more the side effects kicked in. The guys were a heap of painful moans and unconsciousness on the floor, which really only left the fucking Storm King to target.
No! I screamed internally as revulsion and abhorrence filled me. Don’t you dare single in on him!
But, unfortunately, I couldn’t control that particular aspect.
I forced myself into defense, blocking his white tooth-like weapon with my bare forearms, because I knew I couldn’t afford to use my power any more than I already had. If I ended up fucking the Storm King tonight, I’d never be able to live with myself. I’d rather drink chimera blood and plunge from the top of the Dryroot Canyons.
He readjusted his grip on the white weapon, his forearms flexing where his robes had crept up his arm. The way his muscles moved momentarily distracted me, making me wonder what it’d feel like to rake my fingers up his body.
Gods damn it, this was repulsive!
It was almost a relief when he finally stabbed the damn thing into my chest, causing me to crash to the floor in an instant, surrounded by an ever-growing puddle of blood. My eyes blurred, slipping in and out of focus. I glanced right and somehow managed to noticed that none of my guys were moving anymore.
No...
My internal plea was weak. I was barely able to concentrate on it—or anything else for that matter—as I quickly drifted closer to the blackness of unconsciousness.
The last thing I remembered was the Storm King carefully slinging the bag with the chimera egg over his shoulder and leaving us to die.
Chapter 30
ASHER
One hour earlier...
After I flitted away from the group in bird form, leaving them to deposit their horses and make their way into the palace, I scanned the rooms in search of Cal’s.
One servant was already in there hurrying to lay out his clothes, and not long after, a second servant entered carrying a tray of meats and chocolates.
I waited anxiously for them both to leave, and as soon as they did, I swooped into the room and crashed into the wall with enough force to shatter my skull. The pain was short-lived, though, and soon I was back in my human form, scrambling to find a hiding place. I lurched under the bed, tugging on the sheet skirts to hide me a little better when I heard voices out in the hall.
If those fucking servants hadn’t dawdled so long, I wouldn’t be cutting it this damned close.
The voices carried on for a few moments, their tones low and muffled so I couldn’t make out what they were saying. Eventually, Cal walked in and shut the door, depositing the messenger bag at his feet—directly beside the godsforsaken bed.
I couldn’t believe my luck.
His clothes hit the floor, and he quickly padded over to the shower and turned on the water.
This was it. I reached out and stole the fake egg, tucking it into the mattress above my head, where—hopefully—Cal would never think to look. Then I called on my magic and focused on the bag. In a rush of adrenaline, my body dematerialized and floated through the air, swirling like a cyclone of golden dust... and I landed—in egg form—half in and half out of the sack.
Shit!
It wasn’t how Cal had left it. He was going to notice the change right away and call me out on my bullshit. He’d probably kick my ass too, then forbid me from doing anything so stupid ever again.
Basically, he was going to ruin everything.
I pushed at the inside of my shell, surprised to find that it tipped slightly.
Yes!
I pushed again and got my egg a bit further into the bag.
Then Cal turned off the water.
No!
I pushed harder, putting all my pathetic baby strength into rolling that massive eggshell over, and while I did make progress, it still wasn’t enough. I was only about three-quarters of the way in now.
Cal dried off and dropped the towel on the floor. I couldn’t see anything through the shell, but I could hear and smell everything plain as day. The shuffling of clothing, the spicy scent of the meats on the tray, a spray of cologne, a deep sigh of nervousness.
Yeah, you and me both, bro.
I heard his footsteps drawing nearer, felt the vibrations of them echoing on the stone floor. I closed my eyes, waiting for him to realize what I’d done... but he didn’t. He gently rolled my egg the rest of the way into the bag and shouldered it.
I cracked open an eye. Holy fucking shit! My plan was going to work after all! He must’ve just assumed the egg had rolled out a bit when he dropped the bag on the floor. I could hardly breathe through my enormous relief.
From there, I listened as Cal met Alexis a
nd the rest of our brothers in the hallway. I swayed back and forth as he carried the bag down the corridors and stairways and then up the grand staircase that led into the ballroom.
Everything was louder there, but despite the buzzing noise of voices, I could hear the melody of a beautiful tune playing in the background and the laughter of some nearby party guests.
It was calming, swaying at Cal’s side as he walked, while the melody twinkled all around us, enveloping me like a blanket of warmth and comfort. Soon my chimera eyes were drooping shut.
Son of a bitch, no!
But I couldn’t help it. It was difficult to fight the natural instincts of the animals I became, and babies especially.
Before I knew it, I was fast asleep.
Overwhelming pain awoke me from my peaceful dreams. It gripped my heart like a vice, squeezing until I thought it might burst.
The blood bond.
Oh shit.
I scrambled to crack a small hole in my shell, but it took a ridiculous amount of work; I was a baby, after all. I hacked and hacked at the damned thing with my claws for I didn’t even know how long, listening in terror to the sounds of fighting in the background.
When I finally knocked out a chunk of shell just big enough to see through, that’s when I saw Alexis crash to the stone floor in a barely conscious heap. It took every ounce of willpower I possessed to keep from bursting from my egg in a fit of rage. My protective instincts were soaring high, urging me to avenge my fallen lover and my brothers, but I knew that as long as I survived, they would survive. Plus, we really needed this plan to work if we ever hoped to defeat the Storm King.
So, I forced myself to stay still.
The king strutted over to me and scooped up the bag that held my egg. He stared down at me with far too much interest and excitement, then shut the flap and started moving.
Everything was shadowed, and I couldn’t see anything aside from the inside of the bag. I closed my eyes and listened instead, hearing the loud thump of his boots on the marble floors of the palace.
Several servants muttered, "Good evening, Your Majesty," probably while kissing their damn toes in a bow so low, but the Storm King didn’t reply; he just kept on walking.
A few minutes later, he paused, and I heard the faint squeak of a door opening followed by a fresh breeze. His footsteps were quieter then, possibly crossing the lawn, but to where? The barns? The woods? Into a carriage? Into town?
He kept walking until his steps grew louder as twigs and dry leaves crackled under his feet.
Okay, so woods it is then.
I had no idea how far he’d walked, but it was long enough for the dim light in the messenger bag to fade into the inky blackness of night. Insects chirped peacefully all around. Nocturnal birds cooed from their perches in the trees. There was absolutely nothing I could do to keep my drowsy, baby chimera ass from falling asleep.
Again.
Sometime later, I awoke with a thud.
The Storm King had dropped the bag—with me in it—and suddenly, I could see again. Not much, considering it was still dark as fuck, but at least the material of the bag had slipped enough for me to attempt squinting through the darkness.
There was a tall stone arch standing in the middle of a forest, but beyond that there was... nothing. It wasn’t attached to anything that I could see—no walls, no columns, not even a tree. It just stood there, silent and alone. It looked like any other ruin to me, but since the Storm King apparently thought it was important, I knew better than to dismiss it at face value.
He stepped forward and rapped his knuckles on the stones, as if knocking on a door. He waited, but nothing happened. So, he knocked again, crossing his arms and tapping his foot. Suddenly, the stones illuminated, and a door appeared, opening slowly.
A man stood on the other side with mussed-up dark hair and groggy eyes. He rubbed at his temples as he tried to focus on my father. "What do you want?"
The Storm King cleared his throat and tried to make himself look taller. "I’ve brought the chimera egg you requested."
"No shit?" The man squinted, as if trying to see clearly through bleary eyes. Then he turned around and called into the space beyond. "Dion! The king is back with the egg!"
"Dude," a muffled voice called back, "I’m trying to sleep. What time is it?"
"Early," the dark-haired man replied. Then he brought his attention back to my father. "I didn’t think you had it in you."
The Storm King scoffed. "Of course I did."
Yeah. Right. He was a pussy-ass bitch who’d sent his own kids to their doom on his pathetic behalf. And for what? That’s what I needed to know.
Another man appeared in the doorway—Dion, most likely—ruffling the tight ombre curls piled atop his head. The bottom half of his head was shaved short, giving him a chill yet sophisticated air. "Let’s see this egg, then."
Suddenly, I was floating through the air on my way to the Dion guy. He took me in his smooth, brown hands and spun me around. I watched the forest swirl by through the crack in my shell, then I stopped in front of his face as he scrutinized me. "It’s real."
The dark-haired man chuckled. "You did good, Zachy-boy."
I glanced at my father, grinning as he visibly bristled at their casual nickname. Whoever these guys were, they clearly had much more power and authority than he did. He’d never have let them speak to him in such a way otherwise. He wouldn’t have been on a mission for them either. It was kind of odd though, because they didn’t look any older than me and my brothers.
"I suppose you want your potion now," the dark-haired man mused.
The Storm King bowed slightly. "I would, very much, yes."
He passed the king a tiny teardrop-shaped vial with a cork in the top.
"You know the rules," the dark-haired man said. "It’ll only last a month. If you want another vial, you’ll have to complete another task."
The king nodded curtly. "What might the next task be?"
The man rubbed his chin theatrically. "How about the Eye of the Sea."
The Storm King’s brows furrowed. "The Eye of the Sea? What’s that?"
Dion held up his hand. "No hints. That’s cheating. Now go."
Without another word, my father scurried off into the night like a reprimanded child. It was incredible. I’d only ever seen him as an unbreakable monster, so it was fucking delightful to see him so frail and pathetic.
Dion sighed and passed the other man my egg. "Why the fuck did you want a chimera egg again?"
The man sniggered. "I don’t know. It’d make a pretty badass pet, don’t you think?"
Dion stared flatly. "A deadly pet that could kill you at any second maybe."
"Oh, that’s the fun of it," the other man insisted. "What’s life without a little danger and risk?"
Dion sniffed out a laugh. "You’re fucked up, Ares, you know that?"
"Yeah, but you love it."
Dion shook his head, sending his spiraled curls springing. "I tolerate it because you’re the only one who parties as hard as I do, and I need a solid wingman."
Ares patted Dion on the back and shut the door behind us, escorting me into another world entirely, another dimension.
"You know Hydratica has the Eye of the Sea at the moment, right?" Dion asked blandly.
Ares chuckled and set my egg down on a random stand. "Of course I do. Why do you think I chose it?"
"Honestly?" Dion asked, trudging through a sea of passed-out bodies and overturned bottles of alcohol. "I thought you wanted it as a fish tank decoration."
"Oh, now there’s a good idea."
I watched in awe as Dion clapped his hands and the mess just magically vanished—including their sleeping guests.
"But I also just want to fuck with that dude," Ares continued, as if his friend hadn’t just enacted the most badass magic I’d ever seen. "He’s so hell-bent on ruling that world; it’s going to be epic to pull the rug out from under his feet. Plus, it’s been a while since they�
��ve had a good war there, and my previous attempts have all fallen through."
Dion smirked. "Those demigods are giving you a run for your money."
Ares glared, and I’d swear I saw literal fire blazing behind his darkened eyes. "Why don’t you go fuck yourself, Dionysus?"
Dion merely chuckled, completely unfazed by the War God's anger, then clapped his hands once more.
Suddenly, all new décor appeared: flashing purple lights, trays of fresh alcohol, new leather furniture, and even a different set of scantily dressed partygoers. Music filled the air in deep, vibrating waves, rattling small chunks of shell right off of me, and I couldn’t help the wide-eyed sense of wonder that overcame me.
Whatever this crazy place was, I knew one thing for sure:
The Greek gods were not as fucking gone as we’d once thought.
THE END of book two
Continue the hot and heavy adventure with Alexis and her Storm Princes in Storm Chaser!
Afterword
I hope you’re enjoying this crazy-sexy journey, because I sure as hell am! Alexis and the Storm Princes are seriously my new favorite characters! Xoxo. I can’t wait for you to see what they get up to in book 3 – Storm Chaser!
If you liked this book, I hope you’ll consider leaving a review.
It would mean the world to me!
To stay updated on release dates and everything bookish, feel free to join my Facebook reader group, very cleverly coined: Elle Middaugh’s Reader Group LOL
Acknowledgments
A huge HUGE thank you to these amazing people:
Michelle, Jess, and Brittany—alpha readers extraordinaire! Extra love for Michelle for being such a wonderful assistant!
Lori—the best cover designer ever! lol
Virginia (and the staff of Hot Tree Editing)—as always, you ladies are amazing!
Thank you to my family for being so supportive as I write my ass off lately.
Stormy Nights (Storms of Blackwood Book 2) Page 25