Storm Mistress

by Rivers, Brandy L

“Go. Do what needs doing.” Scotty grinned. “I have Isa covered.”

  Toryn trotted to his Maserati and tore off for Lake Union. He had a bad feeling something was going to happen tonight and he needed to get back to Isadora as quickly as possible.

  * * * *

  Isa sat at the bar with Mike after Toryn and the guys finished their set. “That guy really scared you, didn’t he?” Mike asked, concerned.

  “He’s clearly unbalanced. Makes my skin crawl. I don’t get it.” She sighed and looked away. The pleading in Mike’s eyes was too much to stomach. “Be sure to tell Roxy and Trevor congratulations and I’m sorry I couldn’t be there.”

  He laughed sadly. “She wouldn’t mind you attending to keep me company.”

  True or not, Isa finally realized how much their arrangement was hurting them both. “Mike, I can’t. Go enjoy yourself, and maybe you’ll meet a woman there who will sweep you off your feet.” She put as much happiness into the statement as she could muster, but she was fracturing. Not from Mike, but because of Toryn. Shit, it was the same thing, wasn’t it? Mike wanted her, but she wanted Toryn who wanted Leon.

  Fuck, fuck, fuck, I will not cry.

  “Even if I’d prefer to be with you?” The longing in his expression tore at her heart.

  She bit the bullet. “Mike, you are always going to be special to me, but we don’t work together. You know if I went with you, we’d be at each other’s throats by Monday. We would wind up killing each other in less than a week.”

  He half-laughed, but his eyes were shiny with tears. “Yeah, I know. Besides, I couldn’t handle Toryn always being so close if we were together. It would be too much competition.”

  Now she really did want to cry, but damn it, she wouldn’t. She let out a strained laugh. “You know that will never happen. We’re friends, always have been, always will be. We’re never going to be anything more.” Oh fuck, that hurt to say, but it was the truth so she forced a smile.

  “I wish I believed you.”

  She rolled her eyes and gave him a hug before he got up to go. It wasn’t going to be long before Toryn came to take her home. “Have fun at the wedding, Mike.”

  He snorted. “Sure, as much fun as weddings can be without a date.”

  “Weddings with dates are just as awkward unless you are really serious. It would have been weird, and I think you know it.”

  He kissed her softly and it felt like a goodbye. A permanent one. Then he left the bar. She hated to watch him go, but it was time.

  Turning back to the counter, she caught the bartender’s attention.

  He gave her a curious look when she ordered a double shot of Grey Goose after drinking Love’s all night, but didn’t argue.

  Evan sat down beside her and put his hand on her upper thigh, turning her toward him.

  Instinctively, she threw her drink in his face. “Didn’t we already have this conversation?”

  He raised one pale eyebrow and gave her a sexy grin that had aroused her the first ten minutes they were dancing but quickly started turning her stomach. “You’re still playing hard to get?”

  She slapped his hand away. “Try never gonna get, now keep your damned hands to yourself.” The bartender winked as he passed her another double. She paid more than enough for both before slamming it back.

  Glancing at the stage, she watched Toryn heading out the door, looking pissed.

  Well fuck, he’s stuck dealing with work.

  Before she could get her phone out to call a cab, Scotty slung an arm over her shoulders and whispered in her ear, “I’m taking you home. Toryn’s stuck going to a client’s place and wants me to make sure you’re safe.”

  She gave him a pleading look. “Please tell me you are ready now.”

  Scotty glanced at a vodka soaked Evan and laughed. “Yeah, let’s get you home.”

  * * * *

  Scotty pulled up outside her apartment. Isa put her hand on the handle but looked over at him. “Thank you, Scotty.”

  He gave her his killer smile. “Hey, anytime. You okay, hon?”

  “Yeah.” She rolled her eyes and looked out the window.

  “No, you aren’t okay. What’s wrong? You’ve been edgy all night. Hell, all week.”

  Her gaze rolled back, “I don’t know.” She let out a heavy sigh. “It seems like everything is changing so fast.”

  “What do you mean?” but his tone implied he had an idea.

  “I don’t know. Feels like my life is spiraling out of control.”

  “Well, if you really want Toryn, you are going to have to make the first move.” He said it so bluntly her jaw nearly fell into her lap.

  “What? That wasn’t what I meant!” she blurted out defensively. So maybe it was, but she couldn’t make the first move. Toryn had a serious partner, and she wasn’t about to tear them apart for something that would likely end in disaster. “Did you lose your fucking mind? We are not like that.”

  “If he thought you really wanted to be with him, he would be with you in a heartbeat. I honestly think he would do anything for you, only you. Trust me, he’s lost when you aren’t around. It’s making the rest of us sick.”

  “You’re nuts,” she accused.

  “No hon, you’re blind if you don’t see the way he looks at you. He wants you to be happy and he’s convinced he’s not the right man. Funny thing is, in all the time I’ve known you, you don’t ever seem truly happy when he isn’t around.”

  Isadora stared at him, unsure of what to say. It would kill her to tell Toryn how she felt because he didn’t see her that way. Ten years, and he never once took it further, and Toryn always went after what he wanted. Always.

  “He’s afraid he would throw your whole world upside down if he told you how he really feels. He is so sure he is all wrong for you he will never say anything unless you push him. So you have to make the first move.” Scotty was so sincere she couldn’t breathe.

  She mentally shook herself and climbed out as quickly as she could. “Thanks for the ride.”

  He smiled knowingly. “Once you’re ready to admit your feelings to yourself, think about what I said. You and I both know you fell for him ages ago. He fell for you the moment he saw you.”

  Isa swallowed hard and slammed the door. Stunned, she backed toward her place and waved awkwardly. She made it up to her condo and into her room where she sat down on her bed, staring at the door while she tried to catch her breath.

  * * * *

  Toryn arrived at the Derringer place. The wards felt fine as he drove up to the house. Something more was going on, and not with the client. Remus was behind the security breach, he was sure of it.

  The client was an ethereal, which meant his form wasn’t always solid, and he could ghost through walls. The problem was that Derringer had been known to trigger the alarms when phasing through the wards. Toryn had to reset the spells several times when Derringer first became a client.

  “Good evening, Toryn. What are you doing out here tonight?” Derringer asked pleasantly, but obviously confused.

  Toryn managed a smile. “Remus asked me to come out. He said you believe the wards have been tampered with.”

  “That is true, they have been. I fixed them myself, and even left a message an hour ago that it was unnecessary for anyone to come tonight.” The ethereal frowned, and faded out for a second. “Maybe he didn’t get the message?”

  More likely, Remus triggered the wards earlier and purposefully ignored the follow-up message. An elaborate set-up. “I’ll have Lonny check the grounds tomorrow morning. He should be able to determine who tampered with the warding. We’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

  “I would appreciate that very much. Have a pleasant evening.” He smiled as he flamboyantly opened the door to go back inside. Apparently he’d learned his lesson about the wards.

  Toryn hurried back to his car as he dialed Isadora. It rang three times before she answered with a curse and then a shaky, “Hello?”

  “Hey, I
sa.” Relief washed over him. “Are you all right?”

  “Yeah, fine.” She wasn’t though. Her voice was rough.

  “What is it? What’s wrong?” he demanded. He knew something bad was coming. There was a sense of dread in his gut, pushing him to get back.

  She half-laughed and rambled on, “Mike and I can’t keep playing the same old game. Something shifted for him, and now I feel like a bitch for leading him on. Shit, I think I’m going to be sick. I’m a fucking moron.” She let out a tense laugh. “I need to stop stringing him along. Things haven’t been working with him for a while. Our arrangement had to come to an end sometime.” Her voice broke and it crushed him. “I can’t make him happy, he deserves more.”

  Frustrated, Toryn pulled at his hair. He hated hearing the pain in her voice, and wished there was some way he could make it all better.

  “I’ll see you shortly. I’m already on my way back. I could kill Remus for springing a false alarm on me at the last minute,” he growled, unable to contain his anger.

  “Hey, don’t worry about me, Tor. I’m at home, I’m fine, rattled but that will pass. Evan doesn’t take a hint.” She sounded worried, and she was so very rarely worried it freaked him out.

  “Well, you could take a hot bath and relax.” With that image in his head, his cock went ramrod straight. “I’ll see you soon.”

  “Thanks, see you then.” She hung up, and he knew she wasn’t going to stay put. She wasn’t going to be all right either. He didn’t bother to call back, instead punching the gas as if he had pack of hellhounds on his ass.

  Chapter 6

  She couldn’t sit still. Isa damn near broke a heel to get to the phone when Toryn called. And he wanted her to relax and take a fucking bath? Not happening.

  She snatched up her purse, rushed back out, and down to the café.

  If it wasn’t damn near closing time, she’d have run down to Shenanigans for a couple more drinks. Maybe if the coffee didn’t help to calm her ass down, she would dig her bottle of Grey Goose out and guzzle it.

  More than anything, Isa didn’t want to be alone, and being in public would help calm her a bit… she hoped.

  Looking over her shoulder, she spotted the freaky guy with dark inky hair, and deep blue eyes. He kept showing up, and something about him felt wrong.

  With one more asshole seemingly stalking her, she walked so fast she may as well have ran to the café. She slid into the entrance and the creepy guy dipped his head in a nod, winking before continuing down the road.

  Brent frowned when she stepped up to the counter. As he made her drink, he asked, “Where’s your friend? Toryn’s always with you around this time.”

  “Working.” She twisted the ends of her hair through her fingers. “All alone tonight.” And she certainly felt that way.

  “Not a good plan,” he warned cryptically.

  “Nothing I can do about my lack of company. I’ve tried.” After paying, she made her way to their favorite perch.

  Dread crept through her veins as she sipped her coffee. Why hadn’t she stayed home like Toryn wanted? Something bad was coming, she could feel it.

  Someone grabbed her thigh and squeezed before sliding his hand further up her leg. Her heart stopped and she looked up to see the blond asshole. “Stalk much?” She flung his hand away and stood up.

  He followed, stepping closer. “It’s not like that,” he denied innocently, flashing a seductive smile.

  She glared back, her skin crawling. “Now you’re pissing me off. Leave me the fuck alone!”

  He shook his head and stepped closer, but she didn’t move.

  “I want to make love to my beautiful princess, and after a night with me, you will know true power.” She threw her hot coffee at him and kicked him in the balls before running down the stairs, out the door, and down the road to her apartment. Her side was hurting as she made it to the front door of the building, but she kept going, making sure it was firmly shut and locked. She ran up all four flights of stairs because the elevator was slow as hell, and then slammed her door shut.

  She collapsed against the wood and slid to the floor, trying to catch her breath. Tears streamed down her face as she fell apart.

  * * * *

  So beautiful, and so cold. Precisely as a princess should be. Isadora had brilliant aim, and Evanastie’s balls throbbed as he pulled himself up to watch her streak out of the building. His phone rang.

  Evan held respect for only one man. The same man who made the arrangements to bring him to Earth and awaken the changeling. The technology baffled him, but he did as instructed and pressed talk. “Yes?”

  “Have you had her yet?” his friend gritted out.

  “Working on it. She is extremely stubborn, and the first woman to turn me down. Don’t worry, I won’t let her get away.”

  “You better not, and you are running out of time. If you fuck this up, I will have your head.”

  Evan knew he meant every word, being unable to lie. Forcing Isadora through the awakening would be as pleasurable as seducing her. No matter how she resisted, he had the skills to bring her to release again and again.

  “It will be done tonight.” Evanastie hung up and headed to her apartment. Her rejection baffled him. She had enjoyed his attention in the beginning, but somewhere along the way she started pushing his roaming hands away.

  He was hard just thinking about all the things he was going to do to her. Now that Toryn was busy with work, he would have all night to do as he pleased.

  * * * *

  There was a knock at her door. Panicked, Isadora spun around to lock it. But Evan flung the door open hard enough to send her sprawling on the floor.

  He smiled coldly as he kicked the door shut and stalked her across the room. She scrambled back, trying to get her feet under her, but he dove on her, his knee landing against her ribs, knocking the wind out of her before pinning her to the floor.

  She struggled to catch her breath as he tore her dress open. “So beautiful,” he groaned, “so perfect.” The bastard cupped her, over her panties, but still stroked her sex.

  “Get the fuck off me!” she screamed, trying to shove him away and clawing at him.

  He ignored her, and slid down against her. “This could have been pleasant.” He licked up her neck to whisper in her ear, “If you had gone along with the plan from the beginning, I would have spent hours making love to you, but now…”

  “You sick fucking bastard!” Her nails dug into the wrist of the hand working between her legs as her other closed over a large candle pedestal, slamming it against his head.

  That seemed to excite him. His response was to force her legs open and grind his erection against her. “You want it rough? I can do rough.”

  “No, get off me!” She bit his ear and tasted blood but didn’t let go until he slapped her upside the head.

  He grabbed a handful of hair and slammed her against the hardwood floor with a thud. Stars burst through her vision, but she continued struggling.

  When he ripped her panties off, she lost it.

  The crackle of electricity filled the air as she placed both hands on his chest and pushed with everything she had. There was a sizzling sound and the smell of ozone as he flew across the room.

  Scrambling away, she stared at her hands. They were covered with dancing electricity—and smoke? Maybe the shock fried his flesh.

  If he touched her again, he wasn’t getting up. The power flowing through her veins was going to kill him next time, and she was too pissed off and scared to care.

  * * * *

  Toryn heard Isa scream as he stepped into her building. He rushed up the stairs. The closer he got the more struggling he heard, and he knew—he fucking knew—Evan was there. Isadora was fighting though, and if she didn’t kill the fucker, he was going to.

  There was silence, then a thud. His heart damn near stopped as he burst through the door. Scanning the mayhem, his gaze landed on the piece of shit who was against the wall looking pissed.
The asshole had his dick out, blood dripping down his neck, and he smelled of burnt flesh. He wasn’t moving, but if he did, Toryn was going to fry him to ash.

  “Toryn?” Isadora whispered brokenly. He turned and found her standing across the room, pulling her dress together.

  One look into her eyes and he lost it. He blurred across the room to Evan and clocked him so hard the bastard crumpled from the impact. It felt like he broke the asshole’s jaw. Evan wasn’t getting up any time soon.

  “Isa, Princess.” Toryn went to her and carefully took her hands so she wouldn’t have to let go of her torn dress. “Look at me, please.” When she got those big green eyes up to him, he fought to hold back his own tears. Obviously in shock, her whole body trembled. “Are you okay, Isadora?”

  Her mouth opened and closed as she heaved breath after breath. Then she shook her head.

  He took her into his arms, pulled her close, and wrapped the throw blanket from the back of the couch around her, pulling it tight to keep her covered. He never wanted to let her go, especially now when she seemed to relax into his embrace.

  Wally, her next door neighbor, with the crazy troll doll white hair, peeked his head in. “You okay, Isa?”

  “No,” she whimpered.

  Toryn hugged her tighter.

  “Want me to keep an eye on him?” Wally nodded over at Evan with narrowed eyes and held up his shotgun as he stepped inside.

  She nodded and sniffled.

  Toryn smoothed his hand over her hair as the brownie took watch over the piece of shit. “Cops should be here soon. I wasn’t the first to call. I’m sorry about that.”

  “S’okay,” Isadora managed to get out, and hid her face against Toryn’s chest.

  Toryn’s heart twisted into knots. “Isa, I’m so sorry I didn’t get here faster.” He took a look at Evan and growled.