Release Me (Storm Lords Book 3)

by Nina Croft

  “Enough.” He needed to be deep inside her. Desperation clawed at his insides.

  He knelt before her, his hands still in her hair as he pulled her toward him. He kissed her lips, her cheeks, her ears, anywhere he could touch, frantic now with the need to be at one with her. His hands grasped the curves of her ass and pulled her closer, so his erection pressed against her belly. Shifting his hands to her waist, he lifted her, and lay her down on the soft sand. As he came down over her, she wrapped her legs around him. He kissed her throat, her breasts, licking at her nipples so she arched her back, pushing against him, pleading for more. Drawing one into his mouth, he suckled her, scraping with his teeth. His hand moved between them, and he found her soft and wet, and as he slipped a finger inside, her hips pushed up, and she let out a moan of wanting.

  Unable to wait, he pressed himself against her, and as she opened, he thrust into the heat. For a moment, he held himself still, eyes closed, sinking in sensation, as close as they could be. She bucked beneath him, and he opened his eyes, stared into hers as he started to move.

  Pushing inside, pulling out, in again, the hot grip of her muscles driving him crazy with need. As he ground against her, he could feel her pleasure rising, in the tenseness of her body, the grip of her fingers digging into his shoulders, the low moans that escaped her throat. He took her mouth in another long kiss, pushed inside, rotated against her and felt the moment she came apart for him. Her spine arched, and she threw back her head and screamed his name.

  As he released the last of his control and spilled himself inside her, she pushed up against him, and he came again, pleasure washing over him, dragging him under. Finally, he collapsed against her, burying his head in the curve of her shoulder, rolling her so she was sprawled across his body.

  Her breathing slowed, then she pressed her palms flat against his chest and pushed herself up, so she could look down into his eyes. He searched her face. The fear had gone, and she appeared at peace, though sadness lurked in the back of her eyes. “I don’t want to die,” she murmured. “I never realized how afraid I was until you came. The fear was always there, at the back of my mind. Now there’s something I need to do.” She rose to her feet, and he watched as she stepped gracefully toward the water. She looked back over her shoulder as she stepped into the gentle current. A little shiver ran through her. “It’s cold.” But she didn’t stop. She walked into the center of the river, where the water was up to her waist, and she wrapped her arms around her middle and turned to face him. “I’m not afraid any longer,” she said. And she lowered herself into the water, until she was totally submerged. She came up a second later, brushing her wet hair out of her face.

  He got to his feet and strode toward her. She was right, the water was icy, but he followed her in, enfolded her in his arms, and pulled her hard against him. Then he lifted her against his chest, carried her out of the river, and out laid her on the bank. He warmed her with his body. Wrapping his arms around her, sinking into her. This time they made love long and slowly, the pleasure so intense that he thought it might shatter them. Part of him wished it would, that they could end this way, just close their eyes, hold each other tight, and let it be over.

  But he had things to do. Promises to keep. He wouldn’t allow her death to be in vain.

  Through the long hours of the night, they held each other, making love over and over until their bodies truly became one, their breathing synchronized, their hearts beating in time.

  As dawn lightened the sky, she lay face-to-face with him, legs tangled, her hand caressing his cheek. “I knew it was wrong to love you,” she said, and he felt the words against his skin. “Wrong to steal you from Heaven. So I kept the words to myself, as though if I didn’t say them aloud, things would stay the same and I could keep you. But it made no difference. All it did was make you doubt my love. But I do love you. For always.”

  He wanted to howl and scream and rage at the heavens.

  But he forced those dark feelings down. He’d allowed them to overtake him the last time he’d lost her. He wouldn’t do it again. That wasn’t who she would want him to be. This time was for her. “I love you too. For eternity.”

  Then the sound of gunfire shattered the peace.

  ***

  Beside her, Finn shot upright.

  “What’s happening?” she said. Her brain scrambled to understand what was going on. Warm from Finn’s lovemaking, she was at peace from finally admitting out loud that she loved him. She’d almost closed down, accepted that it was over.

  And that peace had been destroyed.

  “I don’t know. Get dressed.”

  He was moving as he spoke, untangling himself from her. He jumped up and was pulling on his clothes as she got to her feet. She didn’t bother with underwear, just dragged on her jeans and T-shirt, shoved her feet into her sandals, and then they ran through the forest. More gunshots, coming from the direction of the house.

  Jacob!

  Finn grabbed her hand, and they ran faster. Nearly there. He skidded to a halt, and she was almost jerked off her feet and to the ground. She righted herself. Killian blocked the path from the opposite direction, breathing hard. He tossed some sort of rifle at Finn, who grabbed it with his free hand.

  “We’re under attack,” Killian said.

  “Who?” Finn asked.

  “We’re not sure. A mixture of demons and humans.”

  “Lilith?”

  “No. But Cassia is here.”

  “Goddamn it.”

  “Who is Cassia?” she asked.

  “Lilith’s daughter.” He cast her a look. “I’m supposed to marry her once you’re gone. Never going to fucking happen. Goddamn bitch.” He released his hold on her, shifted the rifle to his right hand, gripped her with his left, and followed Killian, slower this time.

  Her heart was beating fast, her mouth dry. She wasn’t afraid for herself—she’d already accepted that she was going to die—but Jacob was back at the house.

  He would be safe, wouldn’t he? There was no reason for anyone to go after her son.

  But then there had been no reason last time either.

  They paused, almost at the house, and she peered around Killian’s huge form. A wolf lay across the path, clearly dead, the fur of its throat singed black, its eyes lifeless and staring.

  She bit back a sob. The dead wolf made everything so real. Finn’s arm wrapped around her. “Come on.”

  He urged her forward the last few feet, to where the pine trees gave way to the meadows in front of the house. They stopped, concealed in the shadows of the trees. She peered out, trying to make sense out of the chaos, searching for a sight of Jacob or Papi. Smoke wreathed the air, and her gaze skittered off the bodies that littered the space between them and the house.

  There were two men on the front porch, both strangers. The one on the left turned toward them as though sensing their presence, a pistol aimed in their direction.

  Beside her, Finn leveled the rifle on his shoulder and a shot cracked out. The man crashed to the ground, but another took his place and Finn backed her deeper into the cover.

  Somehow, they had to reach the house. She had to get Jacob and Papi. As she tried to step forward, Finn stopped her with a hand on her arm. But she wouldn’t lose another son. Whatever it took. And she pulled free and stepped forward, out of the trees, Finn beside her, trying to cover her with his body.

  She stopped as the door to the house opened, and Papi and Jacob appeared. Papi had his hand on Jacob’s shoulder, and his face held a fixed expression of terror as he looked around. He pulled Jacob’s face against him so he wouldn’t see the carnage. A woman appeared behind them. She looked young, tall, and slender, with red-gold hair and dressed in jeans and a short leather jacket. Was this the woman Finn was supposed to marry?

  She shoved Papi in the back, and he stumbled forward and collapsed to his knees, losing his grip on Jacob. Across the space Jacob caught sight of her. He started to run, but someone grabbed hi
m and hauled him back. A pistol appeared in the woman’s hand, and she held it to his head, freezing Rachel in place.

  “Stop,” the woman shouted, and the word cut through the roar of guns and the screams of the dying.

  One by one, the fighters stalled. And everything went still and quiet.

  Rachel struggled against Finn’s hold, but this time, he held her still. “Wait.”

  ***

  Finn took in the scene in front of him.

  The fighters had parted, each backing away, the demons closer to the house, the wolves nearer to where he stood with Rachel at the tree line. He recognized Brandon and nodded. Others lay dead, scattered on the grass in front of the house. Piles of ash were all that remained of the demons that had been killed. And the occasional human body lay with his throat ripped out. The sharp scent of blood, mingled with spent ammunition, hung on the air and, beneath that, a whiff of sulfur.

  Rachel’s grandfather lay where he’d fallen, but now managed to push himself to his feet, one hand balancing himself against the wall of the house, looking warily around. He must think he’d been transported into Hell. And he wasn’t far wrong.

  Cassia stood with her hand on Jacob’s shoulder. The pistol still aimed at the boy’s head, and Finn had to fight down his rage. He had to do this right.

  Killian edged up beside him.

  “We need to distract her,” Finn said. “Take her attention from the boy, and if you see an opportunity, get in there and get him.”

  Killian nodded.

  What the hell was Cassia doing here? This was no manifestation. She must have opened a portal to allow her to bring the demons through. She risked everything. If she was killed now, she wouldn’t come back. She’d be dead. What had driven her to take such a risk?

  Beside him, Rachel was shaking, her attention focused on Jacob. The boy’s face was a mask of fear. Finn pulled her to him briefly, then blew out a breath. “Let me talk to her,” he said. “Find out what she wants.”

  She swallowed, her eyes wide, her mouth a tight line, but she gave a nod. She trusted him. How? After everything that had happened? But somehow, he wouldn’t let her down. “Stay here,” he said.

  He stepped forward.

  Cassia stared at him, a frown drawing her eyes together.

  “Let the boy go, Cassia.”

  She watched him through narrowed eyes, but her pistol didn’t waver. “Drop the gun,” she said.

  He tossed the rifle aside. “Why, Cassia? What is it you hope to achieve? The rest of my brothers are on their way. You can’t win. And if you die here, then it’s over.”

  She licked her lips. “I heard you’d made a deal. With Gabriel.” Her tone was filled with disbelief. “That you’d offered your life for hers.” She waved the hand with the pistol toward the forest where Rachel stood. “They told me you were going to die. For her.” Her tone was incredulous.

  He searched his brain for a way to make her back down. As he inched closer, her finger tightened on the trigger, and, behind him, he heard Rachel’s indrawn breath.

  “You can’t do it,” Cassia snarled. “You can’t die. Not for her. I told you I loved you. We’re meant to be together. We were always meant to be together.”

  Maybe the only thing that would work was the truth. “She said no, Cassia. Rachel refused my offer. She doesn’t want to live. She’s going to die.”

  He saw Jacob’s eyes widen and swore under his breath. But keeping the boy alive was more important now.

  “She’s going to die, Cassia. And then I’ll be free, and we can be together. Just let the boy go.”

  She stiffened her shoulders, stared at him. “The trouble is, I don’t trust you. You would give up everything for her. Your very existence. The lives of your wolves. All for her.”

  “You can trust me. I wouldn’t lie about this. In a few hours, the five days of the Covenant will be complete, and she will die.”

  “It’s not goddamn soon enough. And you plan to die as well. You’re not supposed to fucking die. You’re supposed to goddamn marry me. I always believed that once she was gone, you would finally come to your senses. You could have had everything. Marriage to me. Our own kingdom here on Earth. Whatever you wanted could be yours. And instead you’ve asked the Destroyer to take your life.”

  He sighed, closed his eyes for a second. “I never wanted a kingdom. All I ever wanted was Rachel.”

  In the distance, he could hear an approaching helicopter. Torr and the others. They’d be too late.

  “The Destroyer is coming,” he said to Cassia. “Ask yourself something. You say you love me. Are you really willing to die for that love?”

  She listened, her nostrils flaring, the runes standing out, writhing beneath the pale skin of her face. Gritting her teeth, she shook her head. “I don’t get it. I really don’t get it. And I won’t fucking accept it.” She took a deep breath. “The boy can live. But only as long as you do. So make sure you stay alive. But she dies now. Right now. Because I don’t trust her. No one is that selfless. She’ll change her mind, and you’ll die for her. Not going to happen.”

  He sensed a movement as Rachel stepped up behind him. Cassia’s eyes narrowed on her.

  Finn moved so his body shielded her, and she rested a hand on his arm. “I can’t bear to watch another son die,” she said. “I’ve already accepted my death. It makes no difference how I go. And if I can die saving Jacob’s life, at least some good will come from my death.”

  No!

  But Rachel was already edging away from him. Out into the open. “Look after him for me, Finn.”

  She stepped away and for a moment his mind was blank. He refused to accept this. That her life could be over. He’d been in denial. It hadn’t been real.

  The gun in Cassia’s hand swung around. No longer aimed at the boy.

  “Run, Jacob,” Rachel screamed.

  He pulled free and he ran, racing down the steps. Killian swooped in and plucked the boy from the grass and lifted him to safety. But Rachel stood out in the open. Undefended. Cassia’s gun aimed straight at her. And in that moment, he couldn’t allow her to die like this. Not through violence. Not again. He didn’t care how little time she might have left.

  Not happening.

  His wings formed, and he flew toward Rachel as the first shot rang out. He crashed into her, knocking her from her feet and to the grass. Another bullet singed the skin of his arm, and he whirled around and launched himself at Cassia. A bullet took him in the side but didn’t slow him. Cassia was out of ammunition, and she tossed the pistol aside. He was almost on her as a portal opened and she vanished. Carried by his forward momentum, he teetered on the edge of the Abyss, pulling himself back and into the air at the last moment.

  He landed, then turned around. Rachel lay on the grass. Her face toward him, one hand outstretched, the other clutching her side, blood oozing between her fingers.

  Chapter 27

  Rachel smiled up at him, and then grimaced in pain. “You said it wouldn’t hurt. You lied.”

  Oh, God she was going to break him. This wasn’t how it was supposed to end. He’d fucked up so badly, and once again she was paying the price for his mistakes.

  She coughed, and a trickle of blood ran from the corner of her mouth.

  He’d seen enough bullet wounds to know this one was fatal, that she was dying, and inside he howled with pain. But he wouldn’t let her see. “You’ll be fine,” he said. “Just keep breathing.”

  “But for how long?”

  The sun was fully risen now. The five days of the Covenant were coming to an end. And everything hurt.

  “Jacob?” she whispered.

  “He’s fine. Don’t worry, we’ll look after him.”

  “Don’t let him see me like this.”

  He nodded. Reaching down, he scooped her up into his arms, spread his wings, and lifted into the air. The howls of wolves followed them as he flew over the tops of the trees, Rachel clasped against his chest. He could hear her harsh br
eathing, feel the life draining from her.

  He spotted a clearing in the forest and he lowered her to the soft grass.

  Stroking the hair from her face, he kissed her lips, tasting the bittersweet tang of blood. “Please don’t die.”

  “I wish I could stay. I don’t want to leave you.” She reached up with trembling hand and rested her palm against his cheek. “I love you.”

  At her words, something broke inside him. But at the same time, something healed.

  “I never loved Marcus more,” she said. “That was part of the problem. I was filled with guilt. Because I loved you so much. I would have done anything for you. If you’d offered me eternity, I would have said yes.” She drew in a ragged breath. “How can eternity be reduced to a few meager minutes?”

  The last of his guilt faded. “I love you. I will always love you.”

  A smile curved her lips, and her eyes drifted closed.

  No!

  He couldn’t lose her. There had to be something he could do. Some way to save her.

  He dropped to his knees, and for the first time in two thousand years, he prayed.

  Dear Lord,

  Save her. She’s innocent and truly good. Let her live.

  When he looked again, she was so still. For a moment, he thought she was already gone, and cold dread filled him. Then he saw the slight rise and fall of her chest.

  He covered his eyes with his hands.

  A bright light filtered through his fingers, and he dropped his hands from his face. A golden haze filled the forest as Gabriel landed only feet away from where Rachel lay. Finn waited for hatred to fill him. This was down to Gabriel. But the hatred never came. It wasn’t Gabriel’s fault. Finn and his brothers had betrayed their own people, betrayed the laws of Heaven, and taken the consequences. Take what you want, says God, and pay for it.

  They’d all paid.

  Gabriel strolled toward them, golden wings furled against his back. He stopped beside Rachel and stood looking down.

  “You told her of the Covenant,” he said.