Approaching Storm (Alternate Worlds Book 2)

by Taylor Leigh

  Sam slumped down to her stomach with a sigh. ‘I’m not tired. Are they still monitoring you?’

  ‘Nope, doesn’t look like it.’

  ‘Then don’t feel like you have to go. I’ve been waiting to talk all day. It’s weird…I just…’

  ‘It’s the connection between us. I feel it too.’

  Mentioning it seemed to make the ache worse. ‘Can’t we just stay like this? Until one of us falls asleep, at least?’

  Tollin sighed contentedly, which she found surprising, considering his circumstances. ‘Oh, I don’t suppose why not. Why you’d want to talk to a daft old man is beyond me, though.’

  Sam grinned. ‘Shut up.’

  He paused thoughtfully for a moment. ‘So, Samantha Turner, tell me about your life. What do you like to do in your free time? What’s your favourite food, who are your mates, your childhood?’

  Sam shook her head in disbelief. ‘You’re joking. You want to know all about my dull, mundane life at a time like this? When you’re strapped up to a chair in Myrmidon Headquarters?’

  She could almost hear Tollin stretching out, a quirky smile playing at his lips. ‘Oh, you’d be surprised just how desirable it is to hear about what you humans do on a daily basis. The dull mundaness of life would be a welcome change, now and then.’

  Sam sighed, brain working overtime. For the next hour and a half she and Tollin talked about her life on Scottorr, her studies, clubbing nights, everything under the sun that Tollin could think of. He didn’t talk much, just jumped in here or there to ask a question or make some wry comment.

  Slowly their talk dwindled to a comfortable, sleepy silence after Sam finished telling him about the part of the city she grew up in.

  ‘What about your family?’ Tollin asked at last, breaking their stillness. The question was gentle enough, but it still reopened the wound in Sam’s chest.

  Sam sighed. ‘My mum died when I was three. Drowned.’

  She rolled over on her side, half expecting to see Tollin lying next to her. Instead she stared at the bare wall. ‘Just been me and my dad since then. He took it pretty hard, now he just…well, he did…just work all the time. I spent a lot of time with my aunt or Darius. My dad would be gone to Scrabia for months at a time so I was free to do as I pleased.

  Didn’t really like spending time with my aunt. She’s the rich one in the family. Dad wanted me to live with her and have a better life, but I wouldn’t have it. Not my idea of a good life. Got a big house and servants and all that. Thinks she’s living in the wrong century.’

  ‘Oh, I know the type.’ Tollin chuckled. ‘My mum died when I was young, too. When I was born, or close enough…Didn’t ever really get to know her…besides what my inherited memories tell me.’

  She ran her fingers through her hair; distantly wondering what Tollin was doing right now. Was he as well as he claimed, or was he in pain? ‘You don’t talk much about yourself, you know that?’

  ‘Why talk about all that rubbish I’ve already lived through when there’s more interesting things to learn?’ He cleared his throat. ‘So, you and Darius, how long have you two been together?’

  Sam flattened her lips; the question tasted sour. ‘About three years. We’ve been friends for ever. It wasn’t until recently that we decided to give it a go. Everyone thought we were a couple, anyway.’

  ‘Ah.’

  She winced. It was getting harder to talk to him. The ache was growing worse. ‘It’s funny…how things that seem so important, things you think you love, sometimes they don’t mean that much when you see what else is beyond your small view of the world. My whole life…it just sounds so ridiculous now, so pointless laying it all out to you.’

  ‘Well, there’s always something better out there, I suppose. I guess the trick is just accepting that and being happy with what you’ve got.’

  Sam bit her bottom lip. ‘But what if you can have what’s better? What if it’s there right in front of you, what if you know you can’t without it? Isn’t it worth a bit of risk to try and go for it?’

  Tollin let out a deep breath. ‘Is that what you think my life is? Something better?’

  She pulled her pillow closer to her. She felt defensive about her statement. She’d meant it. ‘I just know I can’t go back.’

  ‘You can’t. At least not back to what life used to be. For that, I’m sorry.’

  Sam wanted to tell him not to apologise. Tollin was right. She could never go back to her life. Not the way it was. Not after her eyes had opened to all the new terrifying wonders of the world; knowing people like Tollin lived each day to fight it. Even if—after all of this was over—she could never see Tollin again, she couldn’t go back.

  Perhaps she didn’t need to tell him that. Perhaps he already knew.

  ‘Sam, there is one final thing I’d ask you to do, if it doesn’t make you too uncomfortable, that is.’

  Sam had to stop herself from saying she’d do absolutely anything he asked. ‘Sure, what is it?’

  ‘I’d like to you try to talk to the Daemons in your ring; open up the connection you have with them. Try and get some information out of them. Whatever is inside of Roth isn’t talking and those Daemons in your ring know more about him than I do. I need information. Anything would be helpful.’

  Sam couldn’t shake the sudden nervous excitement that started in her bones. ‘What? You mean open myself back up to them? But after all they’ve done, they could have me do something like go running back to the Myrmidon base or something stupid!’

  ‘Sam, you’re stronger than them, you’ve already proved that at the base. The Daemons can’t force you to do anything you don’t want to do—’

  ‘But they already have! Before we met they would hurt me; stopped me from doing things. They threatened to make me kill my own father!’

  He spoke very rapidly. ‘Listen to me. The Daemons use a very powerful form of suggestion to will people to do what they want. They can’t actually make you do anything. People with weak wills—or strong Daemons—can cause a lot more damage, they can take you over completely; but you don’t have to worry about that. You’ve already proved you’re not a weak-willed individual, you’re stronger than them, you just have to show them who’s boss.

  ‘They can’t hurt you if you don’t let them; if you don’t believe that they are hurting you. It’s like…you know sometimes when you cut yourself, but you don’t realise it till you look down and see the blood and then it starts hurting?’

  Sam nodded, head spinning, trying to make sense of it. ‘Yeah.’

  ‘Well, that’s like what the Daemons do to you. They don’t actually hurt you, they just make your brain aware of pain, influence it into thinking you’re hurting. If you tell yourself you’re not actually being hurt by them, it won’t hurt. You’ve just got to believe it and put them in their place; let them know they can’t push you around. And you’ve already proven your point to them, haven’t you?’

  Sam clasped her hands together and pressed them to her lips. Her heart thudded excitedly. ‘I’ll do my best.’ How thick she was! Of course it made perfect sense now. She had just let the Daemons do whatever they wanted to her because she believed she didn’t have a choice in the matter. Idiot!

  ‘Good girl. You’ll be brilliant, I know you will. I’ll check back with you tomorrow night, then?’

  Sam smiled. ‘I’ll be here.’

  ‘Right. Night!’

  And with that, Tollin was gone.

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Sam walked downstairs with a new sense of determination. The anniversary was approaching fast. Arkron and Marus were not going to just sit back and watch it happen, whether they knew it or not. It was time to come up with a plan. If those two and a prince could have stormed the palace on Scrabia during the anniversary last time, then the three of them could certainly take on the Myrmidon base together.

  First thing was first, however. Sam was well aware that at the moment she had absolutely no skills that would
help with Tollin’s rescue.

  ‘I want you to teach me how to shoot,’ she announced as soon as she saw Marus.

  He leaned away from the table, bemused. ‘That’s cute. I don’t think Tollin would like you around dangerous objects, all things considered.’

  Sam crossed her arms and looked around the room pointedly. ‘Well, he’s not here, is he?’

  Marus grumbled. ‘I’ve got better things to do, all right? Go bother someone else.’

  Sam shook her head. ‘No, it’s not all right! Look, the Myrmidons are going to figure out pretty quickly that this place isn’t abandoned, and by now I bet they already have. They’re going to be coming for us; I need to know how to protect myself! Because, no offense, I can’t always rely on you. I’m not going to just be standing around, I want to help!’

  Marus cast a look at Arkron, who had just come through the doorway. ‘I dunno…’

  Arkron gave him a shove. ‘Oh, go on! She needs to learn and I can think of no better teacher than you!’

  Grudgingly, Marus muttered some sort of agreement.

  Sam inwardly congratulated herself.

  ‘Oh,’ Arkron said, ‘and try not to flirt too much with her, will you? Tollin would kill me if I let anything happen.’

  An hour later, Sam and Marus stood in the damp weather facing targets. Marus had gone over the basics and after he had finished showing off, stated it was Sam’s turn to shoot.

  She’d never held a firearm before, and the feeling was strange. Still, Sam sighted the target and did the best to still the slight tremble in her arms. She wasn’t sure how prepared she was for the noise and kickback. Marus leant over her. She could feel his breath against her neck.

  ‘Okay, now…steady, bend your elbows just a bit.’

  His hand ran down her arm. Sam struggled to avoid shivering at the touch of his large, strong hands as they adjusted her. His touch still managed to send waves of heat along Sam’s skin up to her cheeks. Beneath his skin, barely visible, Sam thought she could see a faint pattern of Vs, almost scales imprinted like old scars. ‘And you’re twisted to the side just a little, keep your hips forward. Now.’ Marus gently twisted her waist until Sam was standing straight.

  She swallowed, throat much too tight. ‘I don’t think I’ll be able to with you this close,’ she managed to breathe.

  Marus shrugged. ‘Give it a go.’

  Sam squeezed the trigger. There was a loud noise and she watched as a small hole was ripped into her target. She grinned widely.

  ‘I did it!’

  Marus smiled a great smile. ‘Impressive work! I’d say you’re a natural!’

  She had to shake herself, caught off-guard by his infectious smile. Sam cleared her throat. ‘Well, one shot’s hardly practice!’

  For the next hour Sam and Marus tested different weapons until both of their ears were ringing and the rain finally chased them inside.

  Sam stumbled in after him, wide smile plastered on her face. Marus was grinning too, his all-too-attractive smile. Sam still found herself mildly disturbed by how easily he could tease with her emotions. She hadn’t been this flustered since she was a young girl! What was she thinking?

  ‘Want a drink?’ Marus asked, holding up a tumbler of whiskey.

  Sam shook her head. ‘No thanks. Water will do.’

  Marus slid her a glass before leaning across the counter towards her. ‘Y’know, I’m starting to think that maybe Tollin wasn’t completely mental taking you in.’

  Sam raised her eyebrows. ‘Oh? What’s that supposed to mean?’

  Marus pulled a face, eyes twinkling. ‘Well, it’s just, I’ve met a lot of women over the years and not all of them have proven themselves to handle this stuff. And who would have thought of all people you’d manage?’

  Sam leaned against the counter, mirroring him. Taking an insult from a dragon didn’t seem as rude as it ought to have been. ‘Oh? Because I’m human or because I’m nothing from the poor end of town?’

  Marus laughed hollowly. ‘Heh, I guess both—not that I’m prejudice, I’m not. I like humans, believe me. I just didn’t understand why Tollin insisted on bringing you along.’

  Sam glanced away, his words setting her stomach flipping. Tollin had seen something he liked in her. She still couldn’t quite believe that. He was probably regretting it now.

  ‘I don’t know why, either,’ she confessed. ‘I wasn’t really living my life, just kind of getting through each day. I didn’t ever think I’d be doing everything that I’ve been a part of recently. Not in a million years. And funny thing is; I can’t even imagine going back to my old life. That scares the hell out of me more than anything.’

  ‘No doubt the idea of never seeing me again is terrifying.’ Marus grinned.

  Sam rolled her eyes. ‘Shut up, you.’

  Marus narrowed his gaze as he looked at her. ‘Are you all right?’

  Sam sighed. Not really, but she couldn’t get into that, and she had a sneaking feeling Marus didn’t really want to know. ‘Just haven’t slept well. Have a lot on my mind.’

  Marus smacked his hands down on the counter decisively. ‘You know what you need?’

  Sam stared at him uneasily. ‘What?’

  Marus smiled. ‘A distraction. Come on.’

  Sam shivered in the cold breeze. It had stopped raining for the moment, but if weather on Scottorr was anything: it was wet and cold.

  Marus had enthusiastically pulled her out of doors and now Sam was waiting for him to re-emerge from the shed he’d ducked into.

  ‘Marus?’

  ‘Just a minute!’ There was a crash from inside and he cursed.

  A moment later, as promised, Marus ducked out through the arched doorway, leading something. A motorbike. Sam gaped at it in surprise. She certainly hadn’t been expecting that.

  ‘Up for a ride?’ he asked, eyes shining.

  Sam bit her bottom lip, desperately wishing her insides would stop doing tumbles. The idea of such a thing with Marus was both exciting and sent her cringing with guilt.

  ‘You’re joking.’ She didn’t really pause to think of Marus’s driving skills. If it was like he flew, she knew what to expect. Fast.

  ‘Don’t tell me you’re scared.’ Marus tossed a helmet to her. ‘Come on.’ He swung himself onto the bike.

  Sam froze for a moment, torn. The tightening sense of time was crunching in around her. And the sneaking warning that she should not get close to Marus gnawed at her conscious. Yet, truth be told, Sam wanted to go. Badly. She’d been putting off Tollin’s assignment, dreading the idea of contacting the monsters trapped in her ring and had desperately wanted an excuse not to. A distraction in the form of going for a ride with Marus was all-too attractive.

  Marus gave her a steady look. ‘You don’t have to torture yourself over Tollin every minute of the day, Sam. You need a break!’

  A few hours couldn’t be so bad, right?

  As guilty as she felt, Sam found herself strapping on her helmet and walking towards him. ‘Don’t make me regret this,’ she warned.

  Marus glanced back at her with a wry grin. ‘I’ll do my best.’

  Sam swung up behind him with a little less reluctance than she would have liked and wrapped her arms around his broad chest. Before she had time to decide if she was making a bad decision, they were off.

  Sam had never been on a motorbike before. Darius hadn’t owned one; anything beyond a rugby game was a bit too daring for him. It didn’t take Sam long to decide she liked it. After riding on the back of a dragon it felt tame; but seeing the green forest fly past her, leaning around tight curves with nothing but Marus to hold on to, and the cold, wet air hitting her face was exhilarating.

  Marus was exhilarating.

  The road they were following started to climb. Sam turned her gaze away from Marus’s profile to look behind her. She could see the Druid city of Wounded Horse beneath them now. Off in the trees was the keep, sitting on its own little hill.

  Even through h
is thick jacket she could feel rippling muscles. She was amazed how different he was from his brother. None of Tollin’s familiar traits were there. She could see nothing of him in his brother. It left her feeling hollow inside. She saw her situation for what it was. Meaningless. A waste. Something she didn’t want or need. Why she’d agreed to it at all suddenly felt stupid. The joyride had lost its appeal.

  She closed her eyes as the bike rounded another turn. Her care-free feeling of escape certainly hadn’t lasted long. Tollin’s time was running out and she was just letting it slip away. Her arms wrapped around Marus gave her a dirty feeling. This wasn’t what she wanted.

  And yet, hadn’t these last days proved she was no longer capable of thinking straight? It was impossible to verbally express the confusion of mental entanglement she was caught up in. Being as close as she was another individual now, completely against her will, was making her confused and torn. All of this nonsense was forcing her to care for Tollin much more than she should; despite the fact he’d saved her life.

  Better if it had been nothing but infatuation, but it wasn’t. It was a deep, aching desire to be near him, so intense it was almost painful, like holding two magnets apart and watching them struggle. Sam had never experienced an emotion that strong before towards anyone—not even Darius. It was almost love.

  But that was impossible, wasn’t it?

  She didn’t even know Tollin. She knew nothing at all. Any clues she may have had about him he’d quickly wiped from her mind. All she had, really, was just her tangled connection to him which was getting more perplexing and more agonising by the day.

  Of course a piece of her loved it; and part of her hated what it did to her. She didn’t like having thoughts and emotions that weren’t her own. It was an aggravating manipulation but she wasn’t sure she’d be able to live without it now. As brief as her time with it had been, it was so ingrained into her very being now Sam was finding it hard to recall exactly what life was like before it had happened. All of this unwanted intimacy was absolutely, terrifyingly incredible.