Release Me (Storm Lords Book 3)

by Nina Croft

  Stretching out his neck, he lightly touched his nose to her bare hand, and a shiver ran through him. He shuffled closer until he lay stretched out beside her, not quite touching.

  As if sensing his presence, she stirred in her sleep. Rolling onto her side, she came flush against him. Her arm came around his body, and she burrowed her fingers in his fur. Then settled again, her breathing slow and even.

  He didn’t sleep, just lay through the night knowing this might be the only time he ever got this close to the woman he loved.

  Chapter 11

  Rachel was so comfortable. Deliciously warm, her face was pressed up against something so soft…

  She didn’t want to remember. Didn’t want to open her eyes. She snuggled closer.

  Someone, or something, licked at her cheek, and she almost leaped off the bed. Her eyes flashed open. She was sharing a bed with a huge golden wolf. She recognized him from the day before, but all the same, she instinctively edged away until she was up against the headboard of the bed. The wolf lay on his belly and slowly inched toward her, then rested his head on her thigh and gazed at her out of stormy eyes. Gray with a circle of black around the iris. She recognized those eyes.

  “Finn?”

  She reached out with tentative fingers and slowly laid her hand on his head. His fur was silky-soft under her fingertips, and he pressed up against her palm.

  Her guardian angel. Who had watched over her. Who yesterday had very likely saved her life. She still didn’t know why and guessed it was one of the many things he couldn’t tell her. Whatever his reasons, she trusted him.

  But she couldn’t stay here forever. She wanted to check that Jacob was okay. Find out what the plan was to get him away from the senator.

  She gave Finn a last scratch on the head and took back her hand.

  He whimpered, and she smiled.

  “I have to get up now,” she said. She glanced at the clock on the bedside table. It was ten o’clock. She had slept for about six hours, and she felt refreshed. And hungry. And ready to face whatever had to be done. For so long her whole life had been mapped out, the days unchanging, and now she faced the unknown.

  But strangely, she felt energized by the idea. Eager to get out there. A great weight had lifted from her mind when she’d seen Jacob last night. She hadn’t really believed he was safe until she had seen him. The senator clearly considered Jacob as family and wouldn’t mistreat him. She didn’t want him to spend too much time with the man, but at the same time, she was sure he would come to no immediate harm.

  The doorbell rang, and she jumped again, then looked at Finn. The wolf sniffed, and she got the distinct impression he was annoyed with the interruption, but not in any way alarmed. She relaxed.

  The bell rang again, and he got to his feet, shook himself, leaped off the bed and trotted out of the bedroom. A moment later, she heard the sound of the door opening and quiet voices. They had visitors. Had something happened? Finn appeared in the doorway in human form, and she instinctively grabbed the sheet and pulled it over her, suddenly aware that she was naked under the thin nightgown.

  Amusement flickered in his eyes, and she scowled.

  “You spent the night in my room,” she said. Actually, in her bed.

  “I wanted to stay close, make sure you were safe, and I thought you’d be more comfortable sharing your room with a wolf than a man.”

  He was obviously right, if her reaction now was anything to go by. Her pulse was racing, and her skin burned with embarrassment. But he was so big. And handsome, and seriously beyond anything she had ever imagined. She pushed the thought aside because it was never going anywhere.

  “Is everything all right?” she asked.

  “Yes. Jacob is fine. Phoebe and Bella have come to take you shopping.”

  “Phoebe and Bella?”

  “You met their husbands last night.”

  “I don’t need to go shopping.”

  He crossed the room, and she held herself very still. He didn’t stop but came to the edge of the bed and sank down on the mattress beside her. Her pulse raced even faster. She wanted to tell him to give her some space, that it wasn’t appropriate, but her tongue was stuck, and her lips glued together so she couldn’t get a word out.

  Reaching out, he tugged her hand from where she was clutching the sheet to her throat and held it in his own. His was warm and hard, and a sense of rightness flowed through her. The sensation was enough to calm her tattered nerves.

  “Yes, you do.” He squeezed her fingers. “There’s nothing wrong with your clothes,” he said, and for a moment the words made no sense. Then she realized he was talking about shopping. “But you need to blend in, and at the moment you stand out like a…”

  “Religious freak in a city of sinners?” she suggested. She’d heard the term once when she’d visited the nearby town with her Papi.

  He grinned. “You’re not a freak. But yes, you stand out, and we can’t afford that. So go shopping with Bella and Phoebe. Tell yourself it’s for Jacob.”

  “Where will you be?”

  “I have some people I need to see. But I’ll meet you for lunch.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a cell phone. “I’ve put my number on speed dial. If you need to reach me at all, just call me. Anytime.”

  She took the phone. She wanted to ask again why? But maybe for now she should just accept it.

  He made to get up but settled again, and she looked at him. So beautiful. His face all clean lines, his eyes so deep. His lips…

  He was getting closer. And she was frozen in place. Though frozen wasn’t the right word, because she was hot. Hot as hell’s fires.

  His face was so close now, she could feel the warmth of his breath. His lips touched hers, and heat jolted through her, sizzling along her nerves, settling in her stomach, sinking lower so a little pulse started between her thighs. The feeling was so unexpected that shock held her immobile while he deepened the kiss. His mouth parted over hers, and his tongue pushed inside, filling her. Her arms came up to hold his shoulders. Her head fell back. The feelings were so strange and yet familiar. As though he had kissed her a thousand times and her body welcomed him. Wanted him.

  He straightened, his mouth leaving hers, and she was lost and alone and wanted to scream at him to come back. Instead, she clamped her lips closed. And stared at him. He cupped her cheek with his big hand. Some emotion moved in his eyes, but then he took a deep breath and his expression blanked.

  He kissed her forehead and rose to his feet. “I’ll see you later.”

  And he was gone.

  Rachel sat in the bed, unmoving for what seemed like an age but was probably only minutes. Her lips tingled, her breasts ached. Maybe she was coming down with something. Perhaps she’d picked up a cold from her dunking in the river yesterday.

  She stared at the door where he’d disappeared, unsure whether she wanted him back or not.

  He was dangerous.

  And that kiss went against everything she had been taught to believe in. But how could something bad feel so good?

  She closed her eyes and relived the feelings. The smell of him, warm man overlaid with the musky scent of wolf. The taste of him, heat and spice. The feel of him, hard muscles under her fingertips, the softness of his lips

  Someone cleared their throat, and her eyes flashed open. Two women stood in the doorway. Both young, probably her age. And both were short, not much more than five feet. One had pale blond hair cut off blunt at the shoulder, framing a heart-shaped face, pointed chin with a deep dimple, and dark-brown eyes flecked with gold. The other had short, spiky red hair and blue eyes. They were both dressed in blue jeans, T-shirts—the blonde’s gold, the redhead’s turquoise—and sandals.

  “I’m Phoebe,” the blonde said, coming into the bedroom and stopping by the bed, holding out her hand. “You met my husband, Cade, last night.”

  Rachel took the hand that was proffered and shook it.

  “And I’m Bella. Short for Bellado
nna,” the redhead said, coming up on her other side. “Because my ma reckoned I’d poisoned her life.”

  “Oh.”

  “Don’t worry, I’m over it now.” She grinned. “I’m married to Torr, the scary one.”

  She remembered the dark man with the scar. “He was kind.”

  “Really? He must like you.” She studied Rachel for a moment. “I’m sorry about your little boy.”

  “Thank you.”

  “But Finn will get him back. You don’t need to worry.”

  Her stomach rumbled loud enough for everyone to hear. “Sorry,” she muttered.

  “No problem. Out of that bed and get some breakfast. Then we have to hit the shops.” She tugged the sheet from Rachel’s hand as she spoke.

  “We do?” She wanted to deny it, but Finn had said she had to blend in, and she knew, from her visits to the town, that she would likely stick out terribly here in the city. And she wanted to be able to go with them to get Jacob.

  “Definitely. Up you get.”

  She glanced across at Bella, who had a smile on her face. The two were like a whirlwind, sweeping her along. And somehow, she found herself out of bed.

  “Goodness, you’re tall,” Phoebe said. “And beautiful. So striking.”

  “Get dressed, and we’ll meet you in the kitchen,” Bella said.

  Rachel waited until they had left the room and stared after them for a moment, her head whirling. She crossed to the bathroom. After using the toilet, she splashed her face with water and glanced at herself in the mirror. They didn’t have mirrors at Haven. They were a vanity.

  Was she beautiful?

  Joseph had always said she was pretty, but she’d never thought much about it. Right now, her black hair was a wild tangle around her face. She blinked at herself, trying to see what others saw. Her eyes were a pretty color—the dark green of pine needles. Familiar—Jacob’s eyes were the same green. Her lashes were thick, her cheekbones prominent. She’d always thought herself too thin and her mouth too big. She gave a shrug.

  Her clothes were folded neatly on the stool. She got clean underwear from her bag and dressed quickly, combing out her hair, pulling it into a ponytail. and placing the cap on her head. The apron came last, and she tied that at her waist, then headed out. She could hear murmured voices from the kitchen.

  She pushed open the door and stepped inside. Phoebe and Bella turned, their eyes widening in a synchronized reaction.

  “Oh my,” Phoebe said.

  Bella pursed her lips, but her eyes were gleaming. “Sorry,” she said. “But really… just… no.”

  “Forgive us,” Phoebe said. “We’re English. We don’t have anything similar. It’s just a little beyond our…experience.”

  Bella came around the table and halted in front of Rachel. “You really dress like this? All the time?”

  Rachel nodded.

  “Don’t you find it a little restrictive? How do you do anything in those long skirts?”

  She shrugged.

  “The hat thing has to go.” Bella reached out and snatched the cap from her head. Rachel scowled. “And the apron.” She turned to Phoebe. “We really should have gotten her some clothes yesterday.”

  “We thought about it,” Phoebe told her. “When we heard you were coming. But we decided if we did that, you might not come shopping with us. And that would have been a shame.” She patted the stool beside her, and Rachel sat down. “We got you the nightdress,” Phoebe continued, “because Finn told Torr that you were part of this really strict religious group, and we thought you wouldn’t want to sleep naked, and we didn’t know if you’d get a chance to pack.”

  “That was kind.”

  They had set food out on the table—bread and cheese and fruit. And a pot of coffee. Rachel poured herself a cup and breathed in the lovely scent. She blocked out the others while she drank it. Poured herself another, blew out her breath, and faced them again.

  “Bella doesn’t respect anything,” Phoebe said. “You’ll have to make allowances for her. Her mouth usually works before her brain. But she has a good heart.”

  Rachel knew that. The other woman radiated a sort of goodness. Almost palpable, like an aura around her.

  “I don’t care how good my heart is. The apron still has to go.”

  Rachel didn’t have a problem with that. She’d worn the clothes her community expected of her, but not through any intrinsic belief that such things mattered. She’d had the argument with Papi. She believed God shouldn’t care what people wore, only how they behaved and what was in their hearts. The clothes they wore at Haven mattered to the people, not to God. But she hadn’t had any great urge to dress differently. What she wore mattered little to her, so she hadn’t made a point of it.

  She helped herself to a piece of bread, spread it with butter, laid a piece of cheese on top. She ate it and then another. A small bunch of grapes, and she was ready to go. She got up and untied the apron, folded it and placed it on the table, took her plate and cup to the sink and washed them, then put away the rest of the food. While the two women watched her.

  “You’re so goddamn tidy,” Bella muttered. “Are we ready to go?”

  Something occurred to her. “I don’t have any money.”

  “Don’t worry about it,” Phoebe said. “We have lots. Believe me, money is not an issue.”

  Bella studied her. “You’re not one of those people who won’t accept money from others are you?”

  “Bella was a con artist before she married Torr,” Phoebe said. “He picked her up in a police station.”

  “Really?” Rachel looked between the two of them. Were they telling the truth?

  Phoebe nodded solemnly. “She has absolutely no problem spending other people’s money.”

  She thought about it for a moment. Did she have a problem? Money was always short at Haven. Within the community most goods and services were bartered. And money was kept for things they absolutely had to buy. Or bills they had to pay. But it was also something else she never thought much about.

  “I don’t think I have a problem either.”

  “Good. That reminds me.” Phoebe pulled a brown leather purse out of the bag over her shoulder and handed it to Rachel. “Cash. In case you want to buy something and we’re not there. Finn said you wouldn’t have had time to sort anything out.”

  She hesitated a moment, then took the purse, tucked it in the pocket of her skirt. “Thank you.”

  “Good. Now, time to shop.”

  As they left the apartment, Phoebe turned to her. “I take it you’d like to see Jacob before we go?”

  “Please.”

  They took her to the room they had visited last night. A man was at the console. A different man.

  “This is Bryce,” Bella said. “Another of Finn’s brothers.”

  Bryce was tall, with short dark hair and a feel of the others about him. He held out his hand and she shook it. As she looked into his eyes, she could see a sadness lurking there, but also a sense of peace. He had lost something that mattered to him, but he had come to terms with that loss.

  “Welcome,” he said. “I hope we see a lot more of you.”

  She’d be going home once Jacob was safe, but she didn’t think she would bring that up now.

  He turned back and did something to the screen. The picture flickered and changed to a different room. A table. And there was Jacob, sitting wide-eyed, not moving. Across the table from him, the senator sat, drinking a coffee and talking with a man behind him. Bryce pressed another button and sound filled the room.

  “I want mama,” Jacob said.

  The senator glanced across, his brows drawing together. “She’ll be here soon. But you’re a big boy now. You don’t need your mother every moment of the day. Eat your breakfast.”

  Jacob stuck out his lower lip. He had a stubborn streak. From his father, not her. “Not until I see mama.”

  “Then you’ll be hungry. Take him back to his room.” He spoke to someone behind
Jacob, and a woman appeared in the screen. She took Jacob’s hand and led him away.

  Rachel reached out and touched her son on the screen. But he was unharmed. She had to cling to that.

  “Horrible man,” Bella said. She patted Rachel’s arm. “He’ll be back with you soon. Torr said they are hoping to go in tonight if everything works out.”

  “What is there to work out? Can’t we just go and get him. Isn’t the law on our side?”

  “The law is apparently on the senator’s side, because he pays them huge bribes to ensure that. They just need to make sure things are in place so he won’t be able to come after you again.”

  She nodded. “I know. And I’m grateful for everything you’re all doing. I still don’t know why you’re helping me.”

  “You will. Soon.”

  Phoebe sounded so sure. And Rachel put her fears aside. They wouldn’t help Jacob, just turn her into a wreck.

  They headed out of the building, and she stopped once they were in the open. There was a constant background noise, people and cars. And the air was heavy with fumes. She had a sudden longing for the forests of home.

  The other two swept her along. She thought about asking where they were going but wasn’t sure it would mean anything even if they told her. They stopped eventually at a huge store with a doorman in a uniform. She was receiving a few weird looks, but really most people hardly seemed to notice, too focused on their own little worlds.

  There were so many clothes. She ran her hands over the fabrics, her eyes roaming the colors. She loved the colors. She didn’t have a clue where to start. Luckily, Bella and Phoebe didn’t ask her opinion, just picked things up seemingly at random.

  “I don’t need all these things,” she protested. “They’ll be wasted when we go home.”

  “You can give them to charity,” Bella said. “Just think how pleased some poor homeless person is going to be.” She ushered Rachel toward one of the changing rooms and hung the clothes from hooks on the wall. Then she left, closing the door behind her, leaving Rachel in the spacious changing room. There were mirrors everywhere. She could see herself from every angle. It occurred to her that she’d never seen her back before. What a strange thought.