When Storm stepped into the Kaden’s office, and saw the five guys in the room, she knew that Jutul had informed them of the situation, when she had been probably packing her clothes. Good, it will save her from making an explanation that will end up killing time. “When are we getting them?” She asked, without preamble, not bothering to take a seat on the table. There was a pinch of silence before Kaden gave her a reply. “Tonight. Since they are the same people that had attacked Liam and his family, then they would be holding them in the same place…” Kaden was talking, but Storm took a second to look at Liam. He had been one of those in the bar, when she had come to see Mr Tim for her debt, so of course she recognized him. He looked worse, not good. They must have hurt him hard. She wondered how he was feeling with his pregnant wife missing. She sighed, after taking note of this, and settled down. “But how did you know of them being the culprits?” She heard Kaden ask after his ex
Storm cracked one eye open, wincing when a split of headache assailed the region surrounding her forehead. What happened? She thought, shutting her eyes calmly. How had she gotten to this position? She knew she was lying straight on a bed, a very soft bed, and the sheets smelt like jasmine. She allowed her hands to roam the bed, while prepping her head to dispel the ache troubling it. She found it funny that she was a healer, and yet her body didn’t seem to understand that. How can sickness live in a body that gives health? She sighed, remembering then that healing Liam had brought her to this situation. His wounds must be so grievous. She surmised, cracking her eye open again. This time around, she could do so without wincing in pain. The ache was gone. Inhaling deeply, she sat up straight on the bed, slowly of course, not wanting to upset another nerve ending. Her eyes took in her surrounding, admiring the few touches that she hadn’t noticed before when Kaden had brought her h
“There they are!” Storm screamed, pointing out to the three cars immobile before a huge black gate, with headlights turned off. With the approaching of Jutul’s car, she saw Kaden and his people swifty turn and look at them, or at their car rather. However, Jutul had informed Kaden in advance that they were coming. So, the men with Kaden just stood at attention with their guns by their side, watching as she and Jutul stepped out of the car and walked toward them. “I told you to stay at home. Why don't you listen? Why are you so stubborn?” Kaden asked, when Storm had arrived at his station sporting a haughty look.“Well, If I hadn’t come, what would you have done about the gate?” She asked him, piquing her eyebrows in the dark. She could barely make out his face in such darkness. “We would have broken down the gate.” Kden answered, gesturing with his hand that they be left alone. The others with him walked back a few paces, except for Casper, Lent, and Liam, who was now hale and he
Storm paced wildly around her sitting room, her heart down her stomach as she contemplated how much longer she had to wait before Kaden and the others would return from the raid with Justin and Lucy. After she had opened the gate with its lock, Kaden had ordered Jutul to take her back home. She had been angry and bittered, but she was outnumbered too, and so she had followed Jutul, through another route so that they wouldn’t be caught in a crossfire. On their way home, she had heard the guns firing for the millionth time, and for each time, she jerked up on the car’s seat unable to help herself. Perhaps, it was nice that she had returned home. Yet, she didn’t like this edgy feeling. Hadn’t it been three hours already? She enthused, her eyes wandering to the clock. When would they be back? She fell back to the sofa, her feet beating a haphazard rhythm on the floor, her patience already worn thin. Ten minutes later, she was startled by a knock at the door. Storm jumped out of the s
“But you already put us in trouble!” Lucy shouted, flinging her arms, like she didn't know what to do with them. “I know this isn’t really your fault-you hadn't planned for this to happen, you hadn't forced us to come with you to this region. We had, because we chose to stand by our best friend, yet we are paying the not so good price. The least you owe us is to tell us the whole truth. To stay or to leave will be decided by us.” Storm shook her head. She couldn’t do that. “You will want the truth, even if it puts your life at risk, and that of your family, even if it could lead to your death? Are you sure you want that, lucy?” Lucy furrowed her eyebrows, then looked at Justin who had the same expression. “Are you holding a government secret or what? What could this be that might warrant our death if told. What does Jess want from you?” Justin inquired, his hands splayed on his thigh, his entire focus on Storm. He was just beginning to realize the depth of the situation. If Storm
When Storm awoke from the slumber with the dream that left a bitter aftertaste in her mouth, the first thing that she noticed was the eeriness in her room, like the beast that had troubled her dream was right in the same room with her. This caused her to shudder, and wish that she was sharing her room, her bed with someone-with Lucy, Justin, or even Kaden. She would take anyone at this point. She checked the time on her phone. It was seven am on the dot. Thank goodness. She muttered under her breath, pushing her groggy self out of the bed, determined to get rid of the feeling that had escaped the dreamland into reality with her. I must overcome this. She kept muttering, heading to the bathroom, to rinse her mouth. After she was done, she threw a bland gown over her night wear and then strolled out of her room. When she got to the sitting room, she took a deep breath; it was like the burden had gotten off her back. Was there something wrong with her room? She wondered, knowing that
Kaden was with clique, as Storm had come to call them when she stepped into his office. Whatever it was they were discussing came to a halt when they saw her walk into the room. “Good morning to you all..” She greeted, before taking one of the seats surrounding the second table. “How was your night?” There was a brief hesitation on the part of the males, before the echoes of ‘fine’, and ‘good morning’ were returned to her. She wasn’t sure if it was because they weren’t used to being greeted by women-she discounted that the next second because of the secretary that had given her a glare before letting her inside the office. Storm finally concluded that it was just because of her. But why? Hadn’t they expected her to greet them or what? “I just saw Lucy and Justin leaving here. They were not exactly happy. What did you tell them?” She started the conversation, deciding not to ask them what they had been discussing before she had stepped inside the office. There was enough time to
He believed that she had heard enough? Storm huffed. Who was he to speak for her? When had she spoken that she had heard enough? The guy was always so uptight, a party pooper. Was it because he was the leader or what? She watched as Jiraq raised up his two hands as if in surrender, and kept shut. “I never said that I have heard enough.” She finally voiced her thoughts, not someone to keep a lid over her words. “And I don't know why you think that you have the power to make my choices for me..” Casper whistled, reclining deeper in his chair, his arms folded across his chest as if he was ready to watch an unfolding drama. Lent and Liam followed suit, although Liam was sporting a smirk on his lips. They found this funny. Storm didn’t find any of them funny. “I am not trying to, Storm. I just think it is too soon to bore you with old tales.” Kaden pointed out, meeting her unmasked glare. Storm shook her head, about to continue the tirade, when Kaden raised up his hand, indica
Storm could feel her heart pounding hard, but it was more out of excitement than fear. She should be afraid, the bird was a true raptor, but it was magnificent. It had black eyes! Round, shiny, very intelligent black eyes. She stared at it for two full minutes. That wasn't normal, she was certain. Very slowly, so she wouldn't startle the creature, she backed across the room to the desk where she kept her phone. Still looking at the bird, she googled the images of the bird, biting her lips intermittently as she waited.Strangely, the bird was observing her just as intently, an intelligence in its gaze as it watched the phone beep occasionally. When the page opened, Storm glanced at the image of the harpy eagle. The eyes were round and shining with intelligence, but they were not black. The eyes in the picture were a bright amber with a black pupil. She let out her breath slowly. Something was wrong with her bird.‘You aren't blind, though, are you?’ She sent the words, not even kno
After Storm was done eating, she thanked Kaden, and let him have the plates when he stretched his hands to collect them. To hold herself from jumping on him, and demanding that he put her out of her sexual misery, she stood up from the bed and sauntered to the window to look at the forest, and clear her immoral thoughts. He had joined her to eat, and for each time his mouth had closed over a morsel of food, she had jerked subtly, as if the mouth was closing over her twin orbs. In a large oak tree, plenty feet away from her, a bird flapped its mighty wings, drawing her attention. A smile swept past her lips when she became aware that she could sight its distinctive features. She was not the same Storm of a month ago. She was different now, considering the amount of trainings she had submitted too.The bird had a round facial disk with a very pronounced ruff. It wasn't an owl but it was large. Very large. The unusual bird could easily weigh at least twenty pounds. She stared at it
Storm walked into Kaden's treehouse and was immediately struck by how it seemed larger than usual. The wooden walls, which should be plain and simple, were adorned with colorful murals and hand-painted designs. One wall even showcased a sprawling mural of a sunset over a peaceful lake, with vivid oranges and pinks blending into each other. And another wall had a charming depiction of a forest, complete with playful animals like squirrels and birds, all brought to life with bright, cheerful colors.The room was filled with natural light that filtered through the large windows, which had been decorated with flowing curtains in soft, earthy tones. The curtains swayed gently in the breeze, adding a sense of movement to the scene. The wooden floor was covered with cozy rugs that added warmth and comfort to the space.A large, comfy bean bag was positioned in one corner, surrounded by soft pillows. Next to it was a small bookshelf brimming with colorful books, their spines lined up neatly
Storm’s mind kept conjuring up provocative images, as she and Kaden walked hand in hand around the clan. The kiss they had shared in her room still tingled on her lips, still kept heat in her blood, still made her hunger for more. She inhaled sharply when Kaden turned and stared at her, his eyes brimming with the emotions that she was sure was playing out in her own mind. For a second, she feared that he might have peeked into her dirty mind, but then she remembered that they were not bonded yet, not in that sense. It brought her swift relief which came with a coating of abashed-ness seen in the coloring of her cheeks and necks, something that wasn’t lost on Kaden who was battling to hold on to his honor. He cussed at himself for closing her lips with his earlier, knowing what could happen from there. But she had been speaking, and her luscious mouth had been like water in a desert land; he had been parched so much that he couldn’t have been able to help himself. And now, the stirr
All through the week, Storm only concentrated on the books Kaden had given her, or rather on the first book she had collected from the pile. Jutul had done the same, concentrating on the second book he had picked. Both had only taken breaks when they wanted to eat or when they wanted to train with Casper for an hour. To assuage Kaden’s caveman jealousy, all the reading had been in the dining downstairs, and yet they weren’t close enough to whatever the books were on about. They weren’t close to the end either, and the transcribers were doing a poor job, despite Jiraq’s input sometimes. It was then that Storm had learnt that Jiraq wasn’t done with the book either. ‘What are you doing with one of the hardest books in the pile?” had been his first question when she had solicited for his help. He had gone ahead to pick up a smaller book, written in English, for her and Jutul to start with, but she had declined—she had grown attached to the old book. And she had vowed to bring it to a fi
Storm groaned tiredly; under the full weight of the knowledge she had been absorbing for the past four hours. Kaden had been true to his word, and with the help of Jiraq, had bundled more than thirty books which smelt of oldness into her room this morning, just before she dressed for school. “For those written in old language, Jiraq was kind enough to let you have his transcriber, so that you can better understand it. You can check them out after classes today.” Kaden had said, when he had stepped into her room with a fellow whom she knew went by the name, Micheal, Liam’s younger brother. She had found out right after Liam’s recuperation weeks ago, about the wicked action on the young fellow who didn’t look a year older than her. The first book on the pile had gotten her attention after the duo had left the room, and picking it up, she had decided to peek at a page, then return to her preparation for school. But a page had turned to two pages, and then five pages, until school was
Storm was chatting with Lucy and Justin, in their phone group , around a time when she should be sleeping, when she heard her name being droned in her ears. “S-t-o-r-m” She furrowed her eyebrows, and looked around the room she shared with Kaden sometimes. There was no one. The voice sounded familiar, and until she felt the eeriness in the room, she didn’t know who it was. The vampire.She got up from the empty bed, and sauntered toward the door, needing to get to Kaden as soon as possible, but the door wouldn’t budge. She stamped her foot on the floor out of frustration, as fear suddenly took root in her mind and body. Where was he when she needed him? Why hadn’t he spent the night with her? She wondered, never minding that she had been one to ask they sleep on separate beds tonight, after he had returned from his meeting with his people, after she had returned from seeing her friends off with Lent. The voice called for her name again, and she shuddered before she could help it, h
There was a stark naked silence in the room after Jutul’s declaration. So stark was it, that Storm felt her ears ringing with deep silence, deep silence and an unclothed unbelief. They were lying? If she didn’t know of Jutul’s gifts, she would have berated him for speaking against her friends. But she knew. She knew he was telling the truth—there wasn’t a need to lie. And she still was finding it hard to believe. Lucy and Justin had planned a lie, and had come to convince them of it? All for what? To gain information on what was going on in the clan? Was their school even on break? Then, the silence was broken by Kaden’s voice which had descended to a certain chillness that informed Storm that her mate was angry, very angry, at being made a fool of. “Lent, place a call to the school’s authorities, and find out if the school is really on break…” Lucy’s dark laughter interrupted his statement, and brought Storm’s attention to her. “So y’all would rather believe Storm’s newest friend
Of course they wouldn’t. Storm thought, looking at Lucy squarely for the first time since she had entered the room. Her friend was still bubbling in age-old anger, and was still carrying a grudge against her.And since, Storm knew she couldn’t do much about it—because what Lucy was demanding was unattainable—she let the latter think that she wasn’t bothered by it. It would help with them leaving earlier. Having seen what exactly was at play here, what evil forces were at play here, she wasn’t about to risk the lives of her friends. She wasn’t about to have their blood on her head, because she wanted them to be included in every facet of her life. It was better they thought she was against them; it was better they believed that she didn’t value their friendship.“So, why are you here, Lucy?” She schooled her face to a cold aloofness, unfazed when Justin let out a cuss word, whilst darting a glance between Lucy and her. There was a minute silence, where Lucy scanned Storm’s features;