Return to Me (Storm Lords)

by Nina Croft

  Now she had a need for some sort of closure.

  “Bella?”

  “I want to see my mother.”

  He glanced at her again. “I thought you weren’t in touch.”

  She shook her head. It had been a stupid idea anyway. “It doesn’t matter.”

  “Yes, it does.”

  He slowed the car and turned off the main road. He seemed to know exactly where he was going, and soon, the wide roads gave way to narrower ones and the smart buildings to rundown blocks of flats, separated by concreted areas, the walls smeared with graffiti.

  He pulled up outside the block where Bella had spent the first fourteen years of her life. She stared at the ugly building and the old reluctance washed over her.

  “Do you want me to come with you?” Phoebe asked from beside her.

  “No, wait for me here. I won’t be long.” She scrambled out of the car before she could change her mind.

  The hallway stank as she remembered, stale smells of decay and worse. She ignored them and headed up the narrow stairwell and out onto the second floor walkway. Her mother’s place was at the far end, but it was clear before she got there that she’d wasted a journey. The flat had been burnt out some time not too long ago. Smoke damage streaked the outside walls, and the windows and front door were boarded up.

  Bella stared at it for a long time, unsure what to do, when the door next to her mother’s opened and a stranger peered out. “What do you want?”

  “I was looking for the woman who used to live here.” Bella nodded at the burnt out apartment.

  “Gone. Dead. Died in the fire a year ago now.” The woman’s face softened. “Did you know her?”

  Bella’s mind went blank. She didn’t know how to respond. She shook her head at the woman’s question and turned away, leaned on the railings that ran along the walkway.

  Her mother was dead.

  She’d never been a happy woman, always looking for something or someone to blame for her unhappiness. Often that someone had been Bella. The woman, who should have comforted and helped her, had made her life a living hell.

  Her mother had never loved her. But it had been more than that. Looking back, she realized her mother had never loved anyone, had probably never been capable of loving. Her mother had been an evil woman.

  Bella recognized the face of evil. And in that moment she knew that whatever else Torr was, he was not evil. As she accepted that fact, the tight knots of tension inside her unraveled, and she knew what she had to do.

  She’d find Torr, tell him she believed in him, that he was a good person. Suddenly, it became vitally important that she do it, and do it fast. She had cured Bryce, surely, she could help Torr. Then she remembered that hole where his soul should be. It wasn’t going to be so easy. But she had to try.

  “Are you all right?” She whirled around. Cade stood on the walkway beside her. “We were worried,” he said.

  “I’m fine. But I need to see Torr. I need to see him now.”

  His face closed up. “You can’t see him. He’s gone.”

  “Then take me to him.”

  “I can’t do that. Look Bella, Torr told me to wait a day, make sure you’re safe and then let you go. He said to pay you the money he’d offered you for the job and also that he would see to it that your friend’s killer is brought to justice.”

  Bella tried to take in all the information. From what Cade was telling her, it appeared as if Torr wasn’t coming back. Ever. Was she too late? She couldn’t be too late. “Please, Cade. It’s important. I have to see him. I have to tell him…”

  He glanced at her sharply. “Tell him what?”

  “I don’t know exactly. Something—something important—I’ll know when I see him. I have this feeling that it can’t wait.”

  He studied her for a long moment, and finally nodded. “I have to take Phoebe back first. Then I’ll try to take you to him—but to be honest, I don’t know exactly where he is.”

  “But you’ll try?”

  He nodded. “Come on.”

  He led the way almost at a run and Bella followed him. Phoebe was waiting by the car. “What’s happening? Did you see your mother?”

  Bella shook her head. “We have to hurry.”

  “Hurry where?” She turned to Cade. “Where are we going?”

  Cade opened the back door and hustled them in. “You’re going home. Then I’m taking Bella to Torr.”

  Phoebe paused halfway into the car. She looked at Cade and Bella could see the disbelief in her eyes. “Can you do that?”

  “I can try,” Cade replied grimly.

  Bella settled herself into the seat as the car pulled away.

  Where exactly was Torr?

  This wasn’t real.

  Bella swallowed the icy lump of fear in her throat as she stared at Cade. She’d watched in puzzlement as he’d stripped off his shirt. Then her mind refused to react as he’d stood before her and grew wings. Blood-red wings. Phoebe stood beside her, one hand resting on Bella’s arm as if to hold her back. Bella darted her a quick glance. She didn’t appear surprised or shocked that her husband had just sprouted feathers.

  “Bella.” Cade gestured to her to come closer. She found herself inching backwards without thought. Phoebe’s hand at the small of her back, brought her to a halt, and then nudged her forward.

  Cade held out a hand. Bella looked at it, then at the crimson wing tips visible beyond his broad naked shoulders.

  “Take it,” Phoebe urged.

  Bella swallowed again, took a step forward and a deep breath, then slipped her palm into Cade’s. He pulled her toward him, took her other hand, and brought it up to his shoulders. His skin was hot and her fingers tightened. She sensed some shadow behind her and glanced over her shoulder. A huge gaping hole had opened in the floor, filled with nothing but blackness.

  “Hold on,” Cade said against her ear.

  He took a step forward, then another, until he stood poised on the edge of that opening into nothing. Bella closed her eyes. She had no clue what was or wasn’t real, anymore. All she knew was that Cade had promised to take her to Torr.

  “Ready?”

  Never!

  But she gave a curt nod, and screwed her eyes up tight as the world fell away.

  She forgot all thoughts of propriety as she wrapped her legs around Cade’s hips, her hands clinging to his shoulders, her face crushed against his bare chest as they fell.

  Faster and faster, the air rushed past them. Then the descent slowed, and the whoosh of enormous wings filled her ears. Finally, they landed with a dull thud.

  Cade held her for a moment, then plucked her fingers from his shoulders, put his hand to her waist, tugged her free, and put her down on her feet. Her legs gave way and she reached for him again. He steadied her, and this time her legs took her weight. She stood breathing deeply.

  “You can look now,” Cade said.

  “Do I want to?”

  “It’s not so bad.” A faint thread of amusement laced his voice. She pried her eyes open and peered around her. The light was dim as though the sun had just set beyond a huge glittering black mountain range off to her left. The sky was violet shading to midnight blue. They stood on a black sandy beach, by a river. No buildings in sight and nothing moved; no sounds broke the eerie silence.

  Bella swallowed, cleared her throat, trying to dislodge the solid lump of fear stuck somewhere in the middle. “Oh, crap. I’m in Hell aren’t I?”

  Cade grinned. “Welcome to the Abyss.”

  “The Abyss? Right. And isn’t that another name for Hell?”

  He shrugged, opened his mouth to reply when a loud clatter shattered the silence. Cade whirled, pushing Bella behind him. She peeked around his broad form. Five figures stood facing them in the faded light. Vaguely human, but with red glowing eyes. Shock hit her in the gut. They were the same things that had killed Justin, and a ripple of terror ran through her. She stiffened her spine. “What are they?”

  �
��Guardians of the Gate.”

  “What gate?”

  “The one we just came through. Keep behind me.”

  A glowing, crimson sword appeared in his fist.

  Where had that come from?

  It was a stupid thought. Where had any of this come from? The world had gone crazy. Cade raised the sword and his dark red wings spread wide. Bella stepped back to give him room as he swung the blade at the advancing figures. He appeared like some sort of avenging angel. But what sort of angels had wings the color of blood? Bella closed her eyes tight as the first one reached him. There were five against one. What chance did he have? She peered through her lashes. One was down already with Cade’s first stroke. He decapitated the second on the backstroke, and then shoved the sword into the belly of the third. He moved like a dancer, graceful and lethal. The two remaining figures backed away, and Cade slowly advanced on them sword held in front of him.

  Bella allowed herself to breathe again. It looked like they might live a little longer.

  Something grabbed her from behind, and she stared down at the vicious claws digging into the skin on her wrists, blood welling at each point. She struggled, but whatever held her was immensely strong. Forcing her panic down, she clamped her lips closed to stop her scream. She couldn’t distract Cade. She relaxed her muscles, allowed herself to go limp, and the tight hold on her slackened.

  Kicking back as hard as she could, she wrenched herself loose, and lunged for freedom. Her legs were knocked from under her and she slammed into the soft sand. She rolled onto her back, and tried to scoot away as the thing loomed over her, eyes glowing. She wanted to close her eyes, but she couldn’t look away. Its emotions washed over her, hunger, need, and a deep burning hatred for all things that lived above. It leaned in closer. Her lungs filled with the fetid stink of its breath, and she turned her head and gagged.

  The certainty of her own death swamped her; and in those last moments, all she could think about was Torr. She would never see him again. Never tell him…

  The thing was torn away from her and flung to the ground. Cade stood over her, a fierce grin on his face, bloody sword still clasped in his hand. He nodded at her once, before striding over to where the thing that had attacked her, lay huddled on the ground. It made to rise, but he stamped a booted foot on its chest and it crashed back down.

  Cade put the tip of his sword against its throat. “The Destroyer? Where is he?”

  Bella started at the name; she’d heard it before, in the bar in Mexico City.

  “Well,” Cade urged, pressing the sword blade a little harder.

  “Razul has him.” The voice was low and thready, and Bella had to strain to understand.

  “Where?”

  “In the old dungeons beneath the Keep.”

  “Thank you.” Cade shoved the blade hard and a bright plume of blood gushed from the wound. The thing choked for a moment and then lay still.

  Bella scrambled to her feet and gazed at the bodies littering the ground all around them, trying to make sense of what she was seeing. They weren’t human, though they had a vaguely human form. Two arms, two legs, but they were stretched out thin, their skin leathery, and their skulls hairless.

  Cade cleaned his sword on one of the dead guard’s clothes, straightened, and came over to where she stood. “Are you okay?”

  “I think so.” She rubbed at the small cuts on her wrist. They stung, but they were the only damage. “What are they?”

  “Lesser demons. No real problem.”

  What are you?

  The question hovered on the tip of her tongue, but she bit it back, not sure she was ready for the answer.

  “So if these guys were guards, I take it you’re not welcome here.”

  Cade looked around them. “Would you believe this was home once?” He shook his head. “Not anymore. Come on, they’ll know we’re here soon and chances are they’ll send something much less easy to deal with.”

  “Where are we going?”

  He looked surprised. “To the old keep. According to our friend there, Torr is in the dungeons.”

  Bella put the facts together and didn’t like the answer she came up with. “Torr is the Destroyer?”

  “That’s how he’s known here.”

  “And in Mexico City.”

  He must have heard the doubt in her voice because he frowned down at her. “Look Bella, whatever Torr has done in his life, he had his reasons.” He considered her as though he could see into her mind. “Are you having second thoughts?”

  She shook her head slowly. It wasn’t the entire truth. Dread filled her. What were they? What had Torr done to earn the name Destroyer? Would she ever be strong enough to look into his mind and not flinch away from what she saw?

  “Then let’s go,” Cade said.

  “Are we walking?” she asked hopefully.

  “Hell, no, you’re running out of time. We’re flying.”

  Crap.

  Chapter 18

  Torr came awake suddenly to thick, stygian darkness.

  He was slumped on his knees on the hard rock floor, one arm shackled above his head. After rolling his shoulder to ease the ache, he pushed himself to his feet. The air was cool, but with no hint of movement. He was deep underground. Probably in the dungeons below the ancient keep.

  He’d lost track of time, but knew it must now be Samhain. Tonight, they would release him. He’d have one chance to destroy them and he couldn’t fail. He’d already failed enough. As far as he knew, the five days had expired and Bella was truly lost to him. But then, she’d been lost anyway; from the moment she’d seen into his mind.

  He hoped Cade would look after her, give her what she needed, and Gabriel would watch over her, her own personal guardian angel. At least, perhaps, she could have one good life before she finally died. This time for good and her soul would move on.

  A sound broke the silence. He lifted his head, concentrating. In the distance, some sort of fight was going on. Demons often squabbled among themselves, it was their nature, and he dismissed it from his mind. Finally, the sound died away.

  Torr leaned his back against the rough rock and closed his eyes. Red orange fire flickered against his lids. He blinked. Someone had come to a halt in front of the door, was peering through the bars.

  He didn’t move, shock holding him rigid.

  Bella.

  Against all reasoning, she was here.

  The door shuddered and a moment later, it was flung open from outside. He screwed up his eyes against the bright light as Cade stepped into the cell. Torr strained to see behind him, searching for her.

  She stepped out from behind Cade and stood staring at him.

  Emotion rose up inside him, choking him, blurring his vision.

  Why was she here?

  She stood shifting from one foot to the other, and he forced his gaze away to Cade. “Why the hell is she here? Which part of ‘keep her safe’ don’t you fucking understand?”

  “Christ, you look a mess,” Cade murmured, his eyes running over Torr’s body.

  Torr glanced down and in the flickering light from the burning torches he could see the damage Razul had inflicted. No fucking way did he want Bella to see him like this. He didn’t want her pity. What the hell was Cade playing at?

  He’d been strong enough to stay away from her, not hurt her any more than he already had. He’d come to the one place he was sure she couldn’t follow. So why the fuck was she here?

  She hadn’t spoken and she hadn’t moved since she entered the room. Now she made a small sound of distress. Her eyes were wide, filled with pain. He didn’t want to see her pain.

  “Get her out of here, Cade,” he growled.

  Cade moved into the room, settled his torch in the sconce fixed to the wall so it lit the dark corners of the cell. Then he came to stand in front of Torr. He rested a hand on his shoulder. “Good luck.”

  Torr watched as he turned and left the room. “Cade, get the fuck back here.”

&
nbsp; Cade ignored him, though he paused in the open doorway. “I’m going to go keep guard, give you a little privacy. Shout if you need me.” He walked out closing the door behind him.

  Torr stared at the stained wood, the iron bars, studying it in detail, unwilling to look at Bella, see the pity in her face.

  “Don’t be angry with Cade. I made him bring me.”

  At her soft voice, he couldn’t resist looking at her, and pain welled up inside him. He’d resigned himself to never seeing her again, now he thought if he moved, his heart might shatter. She was so beautiful, slender and pure, all he had ever desired.

  “Why did you have to come?”

  She shuffled toward him, her gaze never leaving his face, until she came to a halt only inches away. Reaching out a trembling hand, she touched her finger to his lips. At her soft caress, the strength inside him unraveled.

  “They hurt you.”

  He shook his head, trying desperately to pull himself together. “I’m okay. Why are you here, Bella?”

  She lifted one slender shoulder. “I had no choice. I needed to say I’m sorry.”

  At her words, despair flooded him once more. He had been right—she pitied him. He didn’t want her pity. “You have nothing to be sorry for.” He forced the words out through clenched lips.

  “I hurt you. I didn’t mean to. What I saw…” She shook her head. “But it was only shock. I wanted to see you afterwards, but you’d already gone, and Cade told me…” She gnawed on her lip then reached up and touched the heavy iron shackle. “Is there a key? Can I get them off?”

  “No. They’re impregnated with magic. Only Razul can open them.”

  “Why did you let him take you?” She gave a slight smile. “No, don’t tell me, you’re not allowed to explain.”

  “Bella, I accept your apology. Now you must go. I need to see this through. I can take anything they do to me, but if they capture you…I don’t think I could take that. I would do anything they asked, and believe me that would not be good.” The thought of Razul touching her, defiling her, filled him with a black helpless rage.