Perfect Storms (Storms of Blackwood Book 4)

by Elle Middaugh

  Wasn’t that the truth?

  Cal smirked. "Maybe if you two had been chopping down trees like us, she’d be ogling your glistening bodies too."

  "Whose body is she ogling?" Dan asked, stepping out from behind a tree, his arms and abs already flexed for my viewing pleasure.

  I couldn’t help but giggle. "You guys are so ridiculous!"

  They all three bent and stretched into different sexy poses, and my giggles quickly turned into full-fledged laugher. It was so nice to be laughing after the morning we’d had…

  And just like that, my mood went sour and the laughter faded away.

  "What’s wrong?" Rob asked, grabbing his shirt from the branch of a tree and pulling it over his head.

  "Nothing." I smiled, but the joy was already missing.

  I’d gotten their mothers killed. While it was awesome that we could still talk to their spirits, it was still gut-wrenching and guilt-tripping to think about. I didn’t deserve to be laughing and joking around; I should’ve been mourning the deaths I’d caused.

  "You have an extra ax?" I asked.

  I worked in relative silence for the next few hours—other than the loud gusts of my huffing and puffing. It’d been a long time since I’d performed manual labor like that. It was strange, but it kind of felt good. The burn in my muscles was comforting, the weight of the ax in my hand, familiar.

  By the time dusk started falling, we finally called it quits for the day.

  The first thing I did was rush to a bath. Being sticky and sweaty was bad enough, but in the freezing cold, it was downright stupid. I didn’t need to suffer from hypothermia and affect the whole bond because of it. After I dressed in a fresh, burgundy, long-sleeved gown, I met the guys in the tavern for dinner. I expected it to be busier than it was, but I guessed most people had their own homes and food to enjoy.

  As I strode across the room, I watched Dan and Criss throwing hot rolls at each other from across the table with a look of childish joy on both of their faces. Even the rest of the guys, who were simply watching, wore happy expressions. Again, my heart sank into a miserable puddle in my chest. How could they laugh and have fun? They must’ve been so pained inside…

  "Not that again," Cal pleaded, gazing determinedly into my eyes. "No more sad faces."

  The other brothers turned to me, their playful smiles still lingering.

  "What’s wrong, Sweets?" Ash asked, carefree as always.

  I shook my head and sat in the only open chair—between Ben and Dan.

  "Nothing’s wrong." I smiled and reached for a roll. "Could someone pass the butter?"

  Ben’s fingers brushed mine as he handed me the small tub, and when I looked up, I was terrified to find water swimming in my eyes. I quickly blinked the tears away, but Ben had definitely seen them. Instead of pressing the issue, like I thought he might, or calling for a chat, he simply changed the subject.

  "So, how many more logs do you think we need for the barricade?" he asked Rob.

  I buttered my bun in thankful silence.

  Rob took a big bite of his roll, chewing thoughtfully before swallowing. "I’d say we got about two hundred today. Plus, the hundred Ben did all by himself. We’ll probably need to log for another couple days in order to have enough."

  "We’re only barricading the north side of town, right?" Criss asked. "Since King Thane wouldn’t be approaching from the south."

  Rob nodded. "Correct. I want to send a few scouts out too, see if they can get an early glimpse of what we have to work with."

  Cal dabbed his already clean lips with a napkin. "If our scouts can observe where the Eye is being kept in our enemy’s formation, then maybe they can pick it off before Thane even gets here?"

  Dan’s brows rose as he considered the idea. "If that’s the case, then maybe we should be the ones to go ahead? Let the Blackdell citizens finish the barricade—as a precautionary measure—while we do the more dangerous shit and secure the Eye?"

  Rob cocked his head to the side, contemplating. "That’s not a bad idea. Maybe Alexis can lead the barricade project while we’re gone?"

  "Uh, fuck no." My response was probably a little too blunt, but in my defense, it came out before I could even try to stop it. "You’re not going to keep me out of the action and hide me away from the war while you guys risk life and limb. That’s not how this works."

  Rob glared at me. I glared right back. Now that the tears were gone, I was feeling fiery and determined.

  "And don’t even try to argue with me, Robert Storm," I continued sternly. "You’re my husband, not my fucking boss. You can’t make me do anything."

  He glanced at Ben, and they shared a sneaky dark smirk.

  I turned toward Ben and raised a brow. "Don’t make me ban you from tying me up."

  "Wait, you’ve tied her up before?" Criss asked, looking a little worried.

  Ben grinned across the table at him. "Not like that. More like, in a sexual sort of way…"

  Chrissen’s cheeks suddenly flamed a hot fuchsia color. He nervously cleared his throat. "Oh."

  "You should join us sometime," Ben suggested. The deep purring bass of his voice coupled with his teasing tone had me hoping Criss would take him up on that offer sometime. Soon.

  But not tonight.

  I didn’t trust those fuckers not to seriously tie me up and force me to stay behind. It didn’t matter how many orgasms were on the line. Or maybe it did? Fuck! No, it totally didn’t.

  I sighed and turned back to Rob. "Listen. You’re just going to have to realize that I have powers too and that I’m capable of protecting myself. You can bury your head in the snow and wish I’d just listen to you, or you can accept the fact that I’m my own person with my own choices and consequences to deal with."

  When he didn’t respond right away, I gave him a subtle hint.

  "The latter would make life easier for both of us."

  He grinned then and shook his head, his stormy gray eyes rolling. "The protectiveness I feel… it’s not anything new. I’ve been like this with my brothers since we were kids. I think it has something to do with my secondary power of bravery. But also…" He took a moment to sigh and run a hand through his dark hair. "I just lost my mother, and I don't want to risk losing you too."

  My heart ached for him.

  "I can’t promise I’ll change right away," he continued, "but I can at least agree to try."

  I smiled wide, feeling true joy for the first time since I sat down at this table. Honestly, that was more than I was expecting to get from him. "Yes. That’ll be perfect. Thank you, Rob."

  "Whew!" Dan shouted, wiping a theatrical hand across his brow. "Out of full-name territory already. That’s gotta be a record for you."

  Rob flipped him the bird, and Ash busted up laughing. "Ah, you two never changed, did you?"

  "Nope." Dan grinned, puffing out his chest. "I’m just as charming as ever, and he’s still a gruff asshole."

  "And you’re still best friends," Ash added.

  "Naturally."

  Rob rolled his eyes at their banter and took another bite of his roll to hide his grin.

  A waiter approached, carrying a tray full of salty meats and steaming vegetables. The rich scent swirled around us, making my mouth literally water. From that moment on, none of us spoke as we dove into our meal. Eating dried food on the road was nothing compared to a freshly cooked meal. I wanted to savor every moment of the juicy meats and vibrantly colored veggies, and I’m pretty sure the guys did too.

  We settled down for the night, and I had a one-track mind. And no, for once, it wasn’t on sex. In fact, it was on avoiding sex. Rob might’ve promised to try, but I still wouldn’t put it past him or Ben, or any of the others really, to seduce me and then somehow leave me behind in the morning. Whether that meant tying me up with sensual rope and forgetting about letting me loose or just fucking me senseless so that I’d fall into a deep sleep and they’d conveniently decide not to wake me. Either way, I wasn’t falling for it.
Though, my vagina was certainly ready to test out my theories.

  With all the stress and worry about waking up on time and possibly approaching the Hydratican king tomorrow, it was difficult to fall asleep at all. It felt like hours before my eyes fell closed and stayed closed.

  But it felt like only minutes until I startled awake.

  "Your Highness," a voice shouted harshly.

  I blinked a few times and realized cold dawn was slowly settling into our shared room, casting hazy gray light through the room. A man—dressed in soldier’s attire—knelt at the side of our bed, shaking Rob’s shoulder.

  "Your Highness," the soldier tried again, shaking Rob harder. "There’s been an attack!"

  Chapter 6

  An attack? My initial reaction was to immediately hop out of bed and get into the heat of the battle. However, with the soldier standing there and me in my nightgown, I instead pulled the covers even further up my body and waited for him to leave.

  The guys, however, didn't have that holding them back. Rob, Cal, and Criss had flown out of bed so fast I'd swear they sprouted wings. They were clambering into pants and wiggling into shirts faster than I'd ever seen.

  "Give me details!" Rob shouted as he thrust both legs into his pants. "Was it Blackdell that was attacked? When? By whom?"

  The soldier shook his head. "Not Blackdell, Highness. Blackburn, our neighbors to the east. And we don’t know who did it."

  "East?" Rob muttered, yanking a shirt overtop of his tired face.

  Cal frowned as he quickly fastened his buttons. "Hydratica is to the west of us. Why would King Thane be attacking to the east?"

  "Faking us out, maybe?" Rob suggested.

  Cal pursed his lips. "Possibly. Or maybe it’s not King Thane attacking?"

  "Who then?" Criss asked, slipping into his boots.

  It seemed Dan and Ash were the only ones who could sleep through a hurricane. Ben wasn’t in bed, nor was he in our little room either.

  Before any further discussion could take place, Rob gave the soldier his orders. "Speak nothing of this until we check out the Blackburn area for ourselves. My brothers, Alexis, and I will leave immediately. In the meantime, make sure the Blackdell citizens are still preparing the blockade. We need to be ready no matter what."

  "Yes, Your Highness," the soldier said, rushing out the door.

  A moment later, Ben entered carrying a tray of hot mugs.

  "Coffee or tea, anyone?" he asked in a pleasant tone. His features fell when he saw the guys rushing to get dressed. Jabbing a thumb over his shoulder, he hesitantly asked, "What was that soldier doing here?"

  I hopped out of bed and quickly grabbed a cup of tea, kissing Ben on the cheek when I was close enough. I missed simple things like this. Even in the flurry of battle prep and unexpected attacks, I wanted to always cherish the little moments we shared. I never wanted to take them for granted.

  Rob shuffled over and took a coffee, downing at least half of it in one gulp. "Blackburn’s been attacked. It’s a town about ten miles east of here."

  "Was it King Thane?" Ben asked, setting the tray of drinks down on our little end table.

  "We don’t know," Cal answered, threading a leather belt through the loops of his pants. He probably didn’t need a belt with an ass as tight as his, but whatever.

  Rob finished off the rest of his coffee in another gulp. "We’re heading over there now to assess the situation. I have no idea what the body count might be."

  Ben’s brown eyes went wide, and my stomach twisted even tighter. I set my tea down and quickly yanked my nightgown above my head, recalling the time Gemma and I had practiced this very action in my little shack back in Blackleaf. She’d wanted me to rehearse stripping seductively for the princes. Back then, I’d gotten my arms and head stuck rather gracelessly in the lacy fabric.

  Just now, I hadn’t fared much better. I stood there tugging and wiggling, trying to worm my way free, to no freaking avail. Finally, Cal took pity on me and pulled the damn thing the rest of the way off.

  I huffed. Apparently stripping wasn’t my calling. At least, not out of a nightgown.

  Gentleman he was, Cal then helped me wiggle into my gown and zip up the back. I took a moment to kiss his cheek, as I had Ben's, savoring another fleeting bout of intimacy with one of my guys. But he turned his head at the last second, claiming my lips in a pressing kiss.

  My surprise quickly morphed into desire, as he slipped his tongue into my mouth. My brain shut down. The only thing I could think of in that moment was Cal. I thought that was maybe why he did it, to take our minds off reality for just a few seconds more.

  "Usually, when you kiss a girl like that," Dan taunted, lacing up his boots, "you’re taking her dress off, not putting it on."

  Cal grinned, kissing me one last time before pulling away and glaring at his brother. "Unfortunately, nothing about our lives is usual, is it?"

  Dan shook his head and slid into his other boot. "A damn shame too. I could really go for an ice-shattering orgasm right about now."

  You and me both.

  We finished dressing for the harsh winter wonderland that was Southern Blackwood and promptly headed for the stables. Our horses were in mint condition and raring to go. Their coats had been brushed so thoroughly, they shined. Their manes were like silken waterfalls, and their saddles practically sparkled, with no scuffs or specks of dirt to be seen.

  The undead were fucking efficient. It said a lot about who they were as a people. Humans liked to sneer at and badmouth the undead, but when you compared them side by side, the humans really had no room to talk.

  I nuzzled my nose into Caramel’s cheek and climbed up into my saddle.

  With Rob in the lead, we galloped into the rising sun.

  Wind bit every exposed inch of my skin like a million tiny fangs. I knew my hands and cheeks would be bright pink, but I half-assed expected them to bleed as well.

  The further we rode, the more smoke we saw gathered in the sky. Soon, the smell of warm pine mixed disgustingly with the scent of burnt hair and skin permeating the air. Ahead, a few of the tree branches were still on fire, but the town beyond? It was nothing more than a steaming heap of charcoal.

  I put my hand to my mouth and nose—in surprise, but also to muffle some of the smell—as I scanned the ashen remains of houses, shops, and people. Bones rested all over the ground, complete skeletons with most of their skin and muscles scorched completely off.

  My stomach wasn’t known to be strong on a good day. This… this was the worst sight I’d ever seen. I leaned over and fell right off Caramel’s back. My stomach felt like it was spinning in circles, and my head, like it was being slammed with an ax. Crawling through the snow on all fours, I retched into the closest bush I could find.

  Bile and acid burned up my throat as I said goodbye to last night’s phenomenal dinner. And last week’s dried staples. And probably last month’s dessert. Basically, I vomited until I didn’t even have spit left in the pit of my stomach. I thought the poor organ might’ve flipped completely inside out and wrung itself dry before I was finally finished.

  Warm hands held my hips from behind, keeping me steady, while another set of hands held back my hair and gently stroked my spine. I slid away from their touch and plopped onto my ass in the snow, staring up at the kindhearted men who’d helped me. Ben and Ash. Of course. My heart warmed as they watched me anxiously, ready to step back in and help at a moment’s notice.

  I turned around, and my gaze once more drifted to the atrocious scene before us.

  Who could have done such a thing? Surely no one but a god could cause such terrible destruction… or a psycho with a god feeding him potions.

  Ares and the Storm King. They were the ones responsible for this; I was sure of it.

  "Come on." Rob’s voice was gentle as he tied his stallion’s reins to a branch. "Let’s get this over with." His gaze moved over to mine, and we passed a somber look of sadness. "You don’t have to come, Alexis. You can st
ay with the horses if you want."

  He’d called me Alexis, a surefire sign of how serious this shit was. But he’d also left the choice up to me, which went a long way in reassuring me of his promise from the night before.

  I nodded, standing up on quivering legs. "Thank you, but I’m coming. These were my people too. I need to see exactly what happened to them so that I know how best to avenge them."

  A spark of fire lit in his gray eyes, and his lips curled at one of the corners. "That’s my girl."

  We trudged through the sooty snow, then through the mud where the fire had melted it. Smoke hung in the air above our heads, but most of it had lifted enough to breathe without choking. Every once in a while, we’d come across something small and untarnished—a tuft of yellowed grass, a human hand, or a metal tool. But most everything else was utterly destroyed. Foundations remained where the stones and bricks hadn’t been blasted into bits, but the walls and furniture were nothing more than ash.

  "I don’t see an excessive number of footprints," Cal commented, staring at the ground beneath our feet.

  I looked down and saw a footprint at least half the size of mine, and tears instantly stung my eyes. This was no way for a child to die. No way for any of these people to go.

  "You don’t think it was King Thane’s army then?" Rob asked, toeing a steaming board to reveal a shattered mug underneath.

  Cal shook his head. "I don’t think any army was here. There’re barely enough footsteps to account for the villagers. It’s almost as if the attack happened so fast they didn’t even have a chance to run. These footprints must’ve been left by people strolling down the street."

  "Do you think it was Ares?" I asked, my voice a bit high-pitched and quavering thanks to the tears burning in the back of my throat.

  Ben knelt down and rubbed a blade of grass between his thumb and forefinger. He sniffed his fingers then shook his head. Trailing between two decimated foundations that had probably once been an alley, Ben stopped once more at another tuft of grass.