Release Me (Storm Lords Book 3)

by Nina Croft

  Lilith wasn’t allowed to interfere directly in the Covenant, but that wouldn’t stop her from doing her best to meddle. He’d hoped she would never find out about Rachel’s existence. But perhaps that had always been a vain hope. She had spies everywhere.

  “Will you not bow to your Queen, Finbarr Stanton?”

  He’d sworn never to bow to this woman again. And he held himself still.

  Her eyes narrowed. “You’ll regret your insubordination once you are back under my power. Why not make it easy on yourself? You can have a good life among us. Just give up your pointless chase for an emotion that doesn’t exist.”

  “Hey, and I thought you were in love with Torr.”

  Fury flashed in her dark eyes. Way to make an impression. He was supposed to be conciliatory. He took a few deep breaths. Tried again. “Your majesty, you called for me. Tell me what you would have me do.” And he’d totally ignore whatever it was because he was finished doing Lilith’s bidding. Until the thousand years were up, she couldn’t touch him. After that…well, there wouldn’t be anything to touch.

  “I know you’ve found the woman you thought of as your wife.”

  “She is my wife.”

  Lilith ignored the interruption. “And I know the five days of the covenant have begun.”

  Shit. While he’d suspected keeping their meeting a secret was a long shot, he’d still hoped.

  “You look surprised.”

  He shrugged. And waited for what else she had to say.

  “My daughter, Cassia, has always been fond of you, Finbarr. Is she not beautiful?” Ah. He had an idea he was going to find out why Cassia was here. He’d known Cassia was fond of him, but he’d always thought of her as a child. She’d been sixteen when she’d been kidnapped. That would make her twenty-four. The same age as Rachel.

  Now he looked at her as a woman and not a child. Cassia was the image of her mother, beautiful enough to make a man ache—if he wasn’t already in love with another.

  “She can be yours,” Lilith continued, “and you will have a place at my side and control of my armies. Whatever you desire.”

  Never going to happen.

  Finn had been an angel once. For a long time, in his grief and madness, he’d forgotten that. He’d done despicable things, things he could never even seek forgiveness for, and Heaven would always be closed to him. But he didn’t want to be bad, and he’d spent the years since the Covenant was drawn up trying to do a little good in the world. And he would continue to do that until it was time to end his existence.

  “We won’t ask for your decision now,” Lilith said. “But understand that you have a choice. Your time here can be pleasant, or it can be something from your worst nightmares.” She smiled. “Which depends entirely upon my whim.” If she was trying to sell it to him, she was doing a crap job. But then Lilith would have no clue that he was contemplating ending his existence rather than returning to her. That scenario would likely never enter her head. “Return here in three days. By that time, you’ll see the futility of your dreams. And you will beg to accept our offer.”

  They turned and walked away, but after a few steps Cassia whirled around and ran back. She came to a halt in front of him. “I’m sorry.”

  “For what?”

  “For what you are going through. I see the pain in your eyes. But Finn, she’s not meant for such as you. Here you can have everything you desire. Is it such a bad place?”

  In truth, he’d always quite liked the Abyss. It wasn’t the place that was the problem, it was the people. Though he decided not to say that to Cassia. He just shook his head.

  “You know I love you,” she murmured.

  That got his attention. Er…no he didn’t. “What?”

  “You saved my life. I’ve loved you from that moment. I know you don’t think you feel the same, but only because you won’t allow yourself to forget the other one. She’ll die, and you’ll come back to me. But I would prefer you to come of your own free will.” She stood up on tiptoe and kissed him lightly on the lips. Her touch burned. “Think about it.”

  Then she was gone, and he stared after her, rubbing her touch from his lips.

  ***

  Torr was waiting for him as he came through the portal and back to his office in Washington, DC. And not only Torr; it looked like the others had arrived. Cade and his wife, Phoebe, Killian, and Bryce, who had found and lost his wife years back and nearly lost his sanity at the same time. He was saved thanks to Bella. Only Rourke and Devlin were missing.

  It was clear from the expressions facing him, disbelief and pity mingled, that Torr had brought them up to speed.

  “What did she want?” Torr asked, handing him a glass of scotch. He could do with the whole bottle.

  “What do you think she wanted? She knows about the meeting and that the five days have started. She offered me a job as head of her army. And Cassia was there. She’s part of the deal as well and will apparently make me a much better wife than the one I currently have. She told me she loved me.” Christ, if only he could hear those words from Rachel’s lips.

  “Cassia is hot,” Killian said.

  “You fucking marry her then,” he snarled. But he knew Killian was only trying to lighten the black mood. Lilith had daughters for all of them. At least Cassia wasn’t a complete bitch like the others.

  They were all silent for long minutes.

  He gulped his scotch down in one swallow and went and refilled his glass.

  “I’m supposed to go back in three days,” he said. “Apparently, by then I’ll know it’s hopeless.” He scrubbed a hand through his hair. Hell, he already knew it was hopeless. Pain constricted his heart.

  Bella came up beside him and rested her hand on his arm. Peace flowed through him.

  “Don’t give up hope,” she said.

  But he’d given up hope long ago. He wouldn’t know how to get it back. Now he had to work out how to get through the next days. What else could he do? He couldn’t just wait for her to die. There had to be something. Rage and frustration roared inside him, and he threw back his head and howled. He could feel his wolf raking sharp claws down his insides, wanting to be free. Maybe that was the answer. Through the window, he could see the storm clouds gathering, lightning forking across the sky.

  He’d go somewhere far away and shift. Pretend it wasn’t happening. That the one woman who had shown him that true love existed wasn’t going to die. Again. Because of his stupidity. Maybe he’d stay as a wolf until the thousand years were up, and then Torr would put him out of his misery. Except that was giving up, and he’d promised himself that whatever time he had left he would use it to do good.

  He came back to himself, to find Killian standing, legs braced in front of him. “Get a fucking grip,” he said. “You’re acting as though you’ve already lost. Like she’s already dead.”

  “She might as well be.”

  “Stop being such a fucking pussy. You’ve found her. You have a chance.”

  He snarled. “Haven’t you heard anything? There is no chance. She doesn’t love me and isn’t going to miraculously fall in love in the next five days.”

  “You have to go to her,” Cade said.

  He whirled around. “What’s the point?”

  “If all else fails you can be with her at the end,” Bryce said. “I wasn’t there. I couldn’t stand to see her die, so I left. And I will regret that always.”

  Bryce had found his wife, but she had been too damaged by the life she’d led. Too broken. Bella had almost been the same when Torr found her, haunted by the memories of her many lives. It had made her wary of getting close to anyone.

  He thought of Rachel dying and everything screamed in denial. Could he go to her? Be with her? Part of him wanted to so badly. Even a few days was more than he’d ever expected. She’d kissed him back. Maybe just to touch her. Maybe he could give her some comfort in the end. Make sure she knew if anything happened to her, then her son would be looked after.

&nb
sp; “I’ve sent a message to Gabriel,” Torr said, interrupting his thoughts. “See if there is any bargain to be made. If there is anything we can offer in exchange for her life. Lilith is unlikely to budge, but we can try. In the meantime, Cade is right. You should go to her.”

  Finn paced the floor, trying to get his mind to function, to work out what was best in all this. Not for him, but for Rachel. What could he do for her to make things easier?

  “You’re over-fucking thinking,” Cade said. “Just go. You’re fucked anyway. The time has begun. If you stay away, it will make no difference. In five days—less now—she will die.”

  He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and nodded.

  He’d go. He wouldn’t be a coward. He turned to Torr. “But if she dies, you promise you’ll finish me.”

  “I’ll give you the same offer I made Bryce. One year. If you still feel the same, I’ll do as you ask.”

  In the end, Bryce had chosen to live. But he had only put off the day. Unless they could find a way around the Covenant, Bryce and any of them who failed would return to Lilith’s control at the end of the thousand years. And that wasn’t happening. They’d all die first. They were hunting for an answer, but Lilith was a formidable enemy. She’d put her plans to take over the Earth on hold when she’d lost control of her most powerful assets—them. But she was building an army, and war was coming.

  A year sounded an age if Rachel was dead, but Torr’s offer had to be enough. He wouldn’t budge further. Now Finn needed to get back to Rachel. Before she was arrested, or she came looking for her son herself, or…

  “We found the boy,” Killian said. “You were right. Her grandfather, Senator Danvers, has him.”

  “The bastard.”

  “Too right,” Killian replied. “We’re getting a file together on him. And it’s not good. He has a house in the city. Rourke and Devlin are over there now, keeping an eye on the place. But the boy is safe. He’s unlikely to come to any physical harm.”

  He could at least make sure she was reunited with Jacob. “I’ll go collect her,” he said. “It will be better if she’s here when we get him out.”

  “I’ll come with you,” Killian said. “I can fly while you two spend some time together. You need every minute you can get.”

  He wanted to say it would make no difference, but he had an idea that sort of defeatist attitude would piss everyone off. So he’d keep his miserable thoughts to himself. “Let’s go.”

  There was nothing else he could do. Except maybe pray.

  Trouble was, God hadn’t listened to his prayers for two thousand years. And God wasn’t the forgiving type, whatever humans thought. He was hardly likely to listen now.

  Chapter 8

  Rachel sat in the parlor, hands clasped on her lap, as the room sank into darkness. There was absolutely no point in going to bed. She wouldn’t sleep. She suspected she wouldn’t sleep until she was reunited with Jacob. She had no clue what the time was. Time had ceased to matter, as though the world had stopped moving and would only start when she held Jacob again.

  Papi had eventually left her for his bed. There was nothing they could do now except wait. Finn had said he would get news to her. And although she’d only met him that day, she trusted him.

  Maybe it was because he had been part of her life for so long.

  A man who could turn into a wolf. Or maybe a wolf who could turn into a man.

  She’d taken a walk that evening, through the forest, feeling as though she would go crazy if she stayed inside any longer. And she’d become aware of the shadowy figures weaving through the trees, staying parallel to her, close but never approaching. Padding on silent feet, their wolf eyes gleaming in the falling dusk.

  At one point she’d stopped, whirled to face the nearest, taking it by surprise, so it sat back on its haunches. “Please talk to me,” she’d said. “Tell me who you are. What you are. What he is.”

  The wolf had snarled, baring its teeth, before sliding into the darkness beneath the trees. But their presence had been a comfort. Finn hadn’t left and forgotten her. These were his…friends? Maybe not, but they had some connection. She’d returned home and settled herself in to wait. If nothing happened by morning, she was going to hunt for her son herself. How hard could it be to find a senator? Then she would do whatever she needed to get Jacob back. Maybe she could threaten to go to the authorities. Or perhaps to the newspapers. She couldn’t believe that a senator would want such bad publicity.

  But she was scared. She didn’t know her way around in the outside world. And her protectors were hardly likely to follow her to the city.

  She would just have to learn.

  Her stomach was hollow; she hadn’t eaten since breakfast but knew she wouldn’t keep anything down.

  She held onto the hope that if the senator did have Jacob, he would likely be well cared for. He might be scared, but he was a brave boy. She just hoped he knew she would come for him. Perhaps he didn’t. Maybe he didn’t believe she loved him enough. She’d always held herself too aloof. Scared to love him. Now, if she got him back, she would tell him every second of every day.

  When she got him back.

  She wasn’t sure how long it was after the sun had set that she heard a low, droning sound approach from the north. She jumped up and headed for the front door as Papi’s bedroom door slammed above her. Clearly, he hadn’t been able to sleep either. He came up behind her as she stepped out onto the porch, rested his hands on her shoulders as though he could keep her safe. It was a warm, clear night, and she stared off in the direction of the sound. A beam of light illuminated the land, though she couldn’t see the source yet.

  Finally, it rose over the tree line—a helicopter, heading straight for the house. Perhaps it was the senator’s men, coming back to get her. If it was, she had no way of stopping them. And at least she would presumably be taken to Jacob. Though that would mean they would both be in the senator’s control, and she had a feeling she would not find it easy to break away.

  Out in the paddock, the horses neighed in panic at the monster from the skies.

  “Perhaps you should go and hide, child,” Papi said. “In the cellar beneath the barn. I will see what they want and come and get you if it’s safe.”

  The drone was a roar now. The wind from the whirling blades wafted against her face, the lights so bright, she had to shade her eyes. She considered his words, but the moment to hide was gone as the beam of lights played over their figures on the porch. So she stayed where she was, arms wrapped around herself while the helicopter hovered above the grass in the home paddock, slowly lowering to the ground. Before it even touched down, a figure leaped from the open side door.

  She recognized him in an instant, and the dread seeped from her body, replaced by an emotion she hardly recognized. Elation. A wild joy that, for a moment, blanked out the fear and the worry.

  Finn.

  He’d said she wouldn’t see him again, and yet here he was. What had changed? Did he have bad news? Good news? For a second she searched behind him. Maybe he’d already rescued Jacob and was returning her son to her. But he was alone as he crossed the space, vaulting over the fence and jogging up the drive.

  He was dressed in dark jeans, a black T-shirt, and a short leather jacket. Beneath it she caught sight of some sort of holster. He was armed, and a shiver ran through her.

  What did she know of him, really?

  But something told her that he was her best—maybe her only—hope of getting Jacob back. All the same, she must keep up her guard.

  He came to a halt on the step below where she stood, so his face was level with hers. His gaze locked with hers, and he searched her face, a slow smile curling his beautiful lips. Without conscious thought, her own lips tugged upward, then she lowered her gaze. He held out his hands to her, and Papi’s fingers tightened on her shoulders. She kept her hands where they were, clasped firmly in front of her, and Finn’s dropped to his side.

  “Mr. Stanton,”
Papi said. “Do you have any news for us?”

  He nodded. “Jacob is safe. He’s with Senator Danvers. We can presume he means the boy no harm.”

  She blew out her breath and her fear dissipated as though a fog cleared from her mind and she could think again. He was alive. Anything else she could deal with.

  “That is good news,” Papi said. “But how can he do this? What gives him the right?”

  “We’ve been gathering some information on the senator. He’s a powerful man who has gotten used to doing as he pleases.”

  “Who is ‘we’? Who are you, Mr. Stanton?”

  “My company, Stormlord Securities. We have people watching the senator’s place now.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a paper, handed it to her. She unclenched her fingers and took it from him. It was a photograph. Jacob with his great-grandfather standing beside him, a hand on his shoulder. She traced her finger over Jacob’s face. He wasn’t smiling, but at least he didn’t look scared.

  “Will you help us get him back?” she asked and held her breath waiting for his answer.

  She didn’t know why he was here. Why he had been there to help her that afternoon. Or why he had been watching her throughout her life. A shiver ran through her. He’d said he’d been employed by her father, but she sensed it was more than that. And she had no clue what it could be. But she wanted his help. Needed his help. Earlier, she’d thought she was alone. That she would have to find a way to understand the outside world or say good-bye to her son forever. Now, here was the help she needed, and she would not turn it down just because he was something beyond her comprehension.

  “I will,” he said. “But I think you should come with us. It will be easier on Jacob if you’re close by.”

  She searched his face. “I thought you said you couldn’t take me with you?”

  “That was yesterday. Things have…changed. The senator has contacts within the police department. There’s been a warrant issued for your arrest.”

  “What?” she said. “How? What am I supposed to have done?”