Ryder on the Storm (22 page)

“In that case, well done, child.” Damarra nodded approvingly, “Let’s see that power of yours, I need to know what I am working with since you haven’t been appropriately trained.”

“You want me just to summon it? To do what?”

“Why not repair your lawn? You need to practice controlling it and show these hybrids who you are.” Damarra gestured to Roane to step back a bit, “Give our granddaughter some room, Roane. I want to see what she can do.”

Dammit. All eyes on her and she just wanted to be back in the study with Ryder. Then it came, no anger or frustration, it just welled inside her as she replayed their foray from earlier, his hands on her hips, lips tracing her jawline, Ryder moaning. Storm could see his face, eyes flashing silver in the firelight, hair in disarray as he cried out her name. She glowed, golden light surrounding her entire being. Storm imagined the lawn fixed and it repaired itself. She considered the window but thought better of it, no use showing off. Storm pulled the power back in, realizing she could indeed control it.

“See, that was not so hard. Well done, dear.” Damarra wrapped her arm around Storm’s waist. “Let us go handle your father.” Damarra frowned for a moment and then smiled again. “He is not far, shall we walk, dear?”

“What about the hybrids? We can’t just leave them here.” Storm looked at the handful of survivors who were quietly trying to sneak away. She couldn’t have them running off to warn her father.

“That’s easy.” Damarra looked at the hybrids and smiled, “Hybrids, children of my child, join us and earn your freedom.”

Ryder

Jasper started to moan. He moved around a bit.

“Get up you piece of shit.” Ryder had lost his patience a while back. “I hope a few of those toys of yours drew blood. Now get up and get me out of these chains.”

Jasper stood up, clearly more than a bit woozy, and then spun around to face Ryder. “Why would you do that? Without me you can’t get out of those chains.”

“Well, see, now that is where you are mistaken. I know a very talented group of magic folk and I am certain they could break this –“

“No, no they couldn’t. My blood went into the spell and only my blood can undo it, with the correct incantation, of course.” Jasper grinned, “So you see, it would be a shame to kill me before I can free you. I will free you if my daughter comes through.”

“What is stopping us from killing you and re-working your magic? It doesn’t even make sense, Jasper.”

“Oh, but it does make sense. You see, only my kin may pass through the doorway to this room and I am certain my daughter does not have the know-how to break my spell. Even if she did, Storm would have to kill me to free you and her life would then be forfeit.” Jasper plucked a small scalpel from his chest, sized it up, and returned it to the table. “You see, I have thought everything out quite nicely. Now, what shall we remove first? Perhaps a forefinger? I am certain you will miss that.”

“I am actually quite partial to my forefinger. I believe your daughter is as well.” Ryder just had to get him close enough to get a hand on the anomaly. Jasper made one error, telling Ryder that it would require all of his blood to break the spell. It was clear the anomaly had no intention of ever letting Ryder go so the Immortal had nothing to lose. At least he could make Storm safe again. Maybe they could find a way to break the spelled chains if Ryder killed Jasper instead. “She seemed particularly partial to my forefinger earlier today in her study. Of course, I suppose that as far as parts go, there are other ones that pleased her more.” Ryder knew Jasper caught his meaning when he tensed and turned slowly back around. His eyes narrowed slits and scalpels in both hands.

“What did you just say, Immortal?”

“I said that your daughter truly enjoyed my presence in her study earlier today, and in her dining room yesterday. She is rather exceptional in that capacity.” Ryder masked his face as if he were reliving the experiences though he didn’t dare to actually picture them. “She sort of glows golden when she climaxes. Truly a stunning sight.”

“You did not mate with her. That is impossible. She cannot find males attractive. I saw to that.” Jasper turned back to the table and set the instruments down, reorganizing those that had been disrupted.

“I am positive she is attracted to me, Jasper. Perhaps I should ask your permission to court her? Is that the way of things, though it seems pretty belated at this point.” Ryder noted that the tips of his ears had gone slightly pink. He needed to push further.

“Do not push me, Immortal. She is not attracted to you. Nothing happened.”

“Whatever helps you sleep at night Jasper. I mean, if believing your little girl is still a virgin helps you get through this then by all means, believe away. However, I will keep on picturing how sweet her ass felt in my hands as I had her up against the bookcase.”

“That’s enough. Keep your perverted fantasies to yourself.” Jasper’s voice took on a strange high-pitched quality. Ryder definitely had him riled up; the tension in the room had become palpable. Still, Jasper remained at his table, well out of Ryder’s reach.

“Not fantasies, though I have plenty of fantasies I will live out with her once you are dead.” Ryder pictured her face, her lovely face and longed to see her once more.

“Shut your mouth.” Jasper slammed his hand on the table causing a few pieces to scatter, clattering on the floor with a noise that echoed through the room. Ryder grinned, help had arrived.

Storm

Storm heard the voices before she saw the lit doorway. Damarra and Roane flanked her followed by the other Immortals who were in turn followed by the hybrids. Dan and Shane flew overhead, whips at the ready. It felt strange, like walking to war. Ryder’s voiced echoed into the night and when she realized what he said her face flushed.

“Well dear, I would say the Immortal is quite taken with you.” Damarra nodded approvingly.

“He is just trying to rile the anomaly.” Lucian put a hand on her shoulder and keeping his voice low added, “Do not judge him by this.”

“I know, I can hear his thoughts. He knows we’re here. He’s trying to tell me something about a blood spell. Any idea what that means?” Storm stopped and looked at her grandmother who’d taken to humming a tune.

“Bloody hell.” Lucian’s eyes flared and Storm saw the fire within, understanding washing over her. Damarra cut into her thoughts,
Focus. We will discuss Lucian later, dear
.

“What am I missing? What is a blood spell and why is it bad?” It was becoming rather irritating to discover just how ignorant she remained in the ways of supernaturals. After all her travels there seemed to be volumes of knowledge she lacked – all of which would be immensely useful at present.

Lucian had walked away, his fists clenching and unclenching rapidly as he muttered to himself. One of the Scots stepped forward, she couldn’t be sure which, “A blood spell likely means that none of us can enter with you. Jasper must have cast a spell that would allow only his blood to enter, that means you, Storm.”

“Not true. I think it is time for a family reunion.” Storm smiled broadly and sent a quick message to Ryder and grabbed her grandparents’ hands. “Guys, stay here, just in case he tries to run.”

Storm led her parents around the back of the dilapidated meat packing plant. She focused solely on Ryder and told him to duck.

Ryder

Heat flared inside him as Storm’s voice reverberated through his head. The wall opposite him blasted inward as he curled into a ball, avoiding the brunt of the flying debris. Jasper stood far enough to the side that he too remained largely unscathed. When Ryder stood he saw Storm glowing golden and very clearly in the throes of rage, her eyes even flashed gold and all her fury seemed to be directed at Jasper who simply looked shocked. No, he looked past her at the couple entering the room just behind Storm. Roane nodded at Ryder casually and the woman who entered beside him smiled warmly in his direction.

“Hello, Immortal. I apologize for my son’s foolish actions. This is not how it was to be.” She turned and glared at Jasper, the calming tone of her voice switching as rapidly as her expression. “Really, did you think you would get away with this?”

“Mother, I – how – I – what -?” Ryder stifled a snigger as Jasper briefly stumbled over his words like a child. He quickly regained composure and seized a large scalpel from the table. “Hello, mother, it is good to see you after all this time. I am pleased you have come to witness my triumph.”

“Silence. You sound like a wee child, so foolish and selfish. And you wonder why the Tuatha De banished you. It is a good thing you managed to bed the Sullivan Seer or your life would have been worthless.” The woman continued to move forward, pure fury etched on her face. “Honestly, do you think the Tuatha De will allow you to live now? They foretold of the Emerald long before Celine, you knew your purpose from the time you could speak. You have only succeeded in making her stronger and angrier. What did you think would happen? You cannot fight destiny, Calibos.”

Ryder noticed that Storm had been inching toward him, never taking her eyes from Jasper or letting down her defenses; her hands and arms still glowed brightly. Wait, did the woman just say Calibos? That would mean – no – oh Hades. Damarra? Storm nodded up to him, a slight flush rose to her cheeks making her even lovelier.

“Do not call me that. My name is Jasper. I am not going back there, Mother. I do not want to die.” Jasper sneered and faced Storm. “You cannot break his bonds, silly girl. Thank you for moving away from your shields, though. Don’t worry, it won’t hurt – much.” Jasper reached to the table and grabbed an athame, but as he cocked his arm to throw Ryder heard a jingle of chains and a low growl.

******************************************

“Pac Man!” Storm screamed out for her dog as he leapt toward Jasper and tore into his shoulder before her father could react to the attack. The athame fell to the floor and skidded across the room. Storm heard a sick crunch followed by a yelp of pain. Pac Man withdrew, trotted over to where she stood and sat before her. Her vision of Pac Man, she’d almost forgotten.

“Good boy! That’s a good boy.” Storm knelt down and rubbed his ears. Normally he would have kissed her face but instead Pac Man just looked at her, his muzzle stained with Jasper’s blood. He nuzzled her chin with the top of his head and ran off through the hole in the wall. Storm hoped he’d be waiting for her at home.

Jasper lay on the floor the hole at his shoulder bleeding profusely and the arm itself lay a foot or so away. Her father appeared to be reaching for it with his remaining hand. Roane crossed over his son’s body and kicked the arm aside.

“No use letting it reattach, son. I do not believe you will need it anymore.” Roane crouched beside Jasper. He grabbed Jasper’s chin and forced his acknowledgement, “Know Storm will always be protected by the Immortals. Know that she will live a long full life with children of her own and a happiness and peace you have never understood. Know that your curse on me will be broken and all you have attempted to do will disappear when you do.”

Jasper started to cackle, more of a creepy croaking sound, “Not everything, the Immortal will never be free. If I go, he will stand there for eternity.”

Damarra crossed to Jasper and knelt beside him, quite careful to avoid getting any blood on her gown. She traced a finger along the side of his face. “I think you will find that you are not so brilliant as you believe. You cast a lovely shield about this building, true, but you failed to account for non-human creatures and it cost you an arm. I am certain that the Immortal is quite stuck in place, however, I am equally certain that you left a small loophole in that spell. You are too careless. Now, why don’t you tell me what spell you used and save yourself some pain, Calibos.”

“I will not, Mother. She does not win. She took my power and my immortality. I want it back.”

Storm looked down at her father, wounded and helpless, but she could only feel contempt. He wished her dead, her own father. Again she longed for the days when she couldn’t feel. Storm didn’t want to care that her father wanted her dead and had worked so hard to accomplish it himself. Something else registered as she ruminated.

“Wait, what was that about taking your immortality?”

“See, she doesn’t even know what she has! Just another stupid woman like her mother. The whole line was useless.” Jasper’s color faded, a sickly ash color.

“Enough. This is useless. You were never even destined to be immortal. You only managed to extend your life through black magic and to what end? Calibos, my son, you were always a means to an end. I am sorry but that is the way of things. Now, let’s figure out what you did.” Damarra placed her palm on Jasper’s forehead, a slight silvery web surrounded his head and then dissipated. “Just as I thought, a loophole. Foolish boy.”

Damarra stood and brushed her hands and gown off. Jasper had gone limp. Storm realized her grandmother had left him unconscious.

“Oh, yes, I suppose I did. It matters not. I simply did not wish to hear him blathering on anymore.” She turned to face Storm. “Do not look so surprised dear, I ceased caring for my son when he turned from his rightful path. You became my priority and I am, as I always have been, bound by destiny. It cannot be changed, adjusted in some ways yes, but some things cannot be altered.”