Gathering Storm

by Jess Parry

  Breathless, Siobhan ran straight into his arms. She wrapped herself around him and breathed in the earthy scent that clung to him.

  Ash, feeling Siobhan’s warmth enfold him, shivered as he kept from embracing her. Lifting his head, his whistle pierced the air around them.

  Within seconds the air shimmered as the black stallion raced towards them. Baying before he stopped in front of them and snickered softly at his master.

  Siobhan raised her head to see two black eyes staring warily at her. She watched as the stallion’s nostrils flared slightly as she raised her hand to him. Ash held his breath as he watched his ever faithful, but temperamental friend take in Siobhan’s scent. Would he know her? Would he remember that she is what his master has been searching for?

  Those thoughts plagued his mind, as he continued to watch Siobhan slowly step away from him towards Storm. Cooing softly, Siobhan watched as the horse stepped from foot to foot as she approached. This stallion was familiar to her, she could feel the memory lurking just beneath the surface. Closing her eyes, she willed the memory to come. She felt the images flood her as she opened her eyes and stared wide eyed at the Stallion.

  “Storm” Siobhan whispered

  Storm stopped prancing and raised his head to her, just as Ash expelled the air from his lungs. Stepping towards the beast, she calmly laid her hand onto Storm’s nose and rubbed softly.

  “Oh, I forgot how beautiful you are” Siobhan whispered as Storm lowered his head to her in loving submission.

  Grabbing Siobhan, Ash climbed onto Storm’s back as he felt the chaos within the woods steadily growing closer.

  “Storm, take us somewhere safe” Ash commanded as the stallion raised his head scented the chaos.

  Turning quickly, Storm took off across the field carrying Ash and Siobhan away from the impending chaotic storm.

  “Bloody hell, I thought you said he wouldn’t take her” Shawn boomed as he watched the Stallion disappear

  “He didn’t, he took her away from that” Claire responded as she pointed towards the woods

  Turning, Shawn, Sarah and Claire watched as a hooded figure emerged from the woods. The light disappeared with every step he took, the grass withered in his wake. He turned to face the direction the stallion was going, watching for a moment before turning back to the house. They watched as his hood tilted to the side with his head, before he raised his hand into the air, then disappeared.

  20 CHAPTER Twenty

  Ash could feel every inch of Siobhan pressed against him as they rode Storm. Memories flooded his heart of the first time they had met. She had been slightly shorter, with redder hair then. She had been fearful of Storm, but now she had almost brought his stallion to his knees with her power.

  Shuddering at the thought of Storm accepting her so quickly confirmed that Siobhan held a power that would either save them or tear them permanently apart.

  Pulling on the reins, he felt Storms muscles quiver as the stallion fought the urge to push forward and defy his master. Raising a brow, he felt the horse tremor as he relented and came to a halt before a beautiful meadow. Dropping from the horse, he raised his arms to catch Siobhan. Ash’s eyes widened as she slowly slid down to the ground on her own. This was new flittered through his mind as he quickly assessed that she knew how to ride this time.

  “I took lessons, since my grandparent’s had horses at one time, I wanted to ride with my grandpa” Siobhan answered the unspoken question

  “Ah” Ash answered quietly “This grandpa, he means a lot to you?”

  “Yes, he and my grandmother, they both mean the world to me”

  “What about your parents?”

  “Oh, I love them and would be lost without them, but my grandparents” looking wistfully into the distance a moment before turning back to Ash. “They are to me what love means”

  Ash watched as the blush slowly rose across Siobhan’s cheeks, as she dropped her eyes from him.

  Reaching out, Ash brought her chin back up to meet her gaze “Don’t ever be ashamed to love them, or admit their love for each other awes you”

  Closing her eyes she let Ash’s lilting voice encircle her like a warm blanket on a cold evening. Shivering she opened her eyes and stared into his aquamarine eyes. She saw the raw emotions dancing in those emerald eyes just before he lowered his head towards her.

  Feeling Ash’s firm lips press against her violently, before yielding to her soft lips as his tongue traced hers. He was silently asking her to open to him, to let him inside. A soundless plea as his breath tickled her slowly parting lips, sighing softly; she yielded to him as he ran his hands through her hair. Tangling his fingers into the soft curls that began wrapping around his long fingers, clenching the thick tendrils, he pulled her closer to him as he deepened the kiss.

  Groaning, Ash, felt everything Siobhan’s heart felt for him circle his tattered heart. He felt his soul slowly waking from its slumber. Power rushed through him stronger than the lust he felt, stronger than the chaos that now timidly seemed to search for a hiding spot. He felt the energy of the hoarfrost growing stronger with him as he felt Siobhan’s tongue dancing with his. Shaking, he pulled his head away from hers, watching as she slowly opened her eyes to gaze at him.

  Stealing the breath from his lungs he watched as her eyes darkened to almost fully back onxy, he saw the tips of her ears begin to sharpen into points. Stepping back he watched as Siobhan began to slowly change back, her eyes returning to their deep forest green. He felt the hoarfrost retreating within him once more as the chaos began emerging.

  “Oh god what is this magick?” Ash voice hoarsely whispered

  “I don’t know, but you made me feel darker, I wanted to get inside you” Siobhan’s voice answered

  “You have dark fae inside you Siobhan, like recognizes like”

  “Dark fae?”

  “What I am, or who I used to be” Ash’s answered with anguish

  “Please Ash, tell me” Siobhan pleaded

  “It’s in your memories, memories I can bring to the surface, but with a price that could end you beloved”

  Siobhan watched the pain filter through Ash’s beautiful face as he battled a decision she knew only he could decide.

  Sighing heavily, Ash stepped towards Siobhan, placing his hand on her cheek tenderly.

  “I will try”

  Siobhan turned her face to place a single kiss in his palm, he felt her breath caress his fingers as she whispered thank you. Groaning at the intimacy between them, he pulled her to him enclosing in a tight embrace. Kissing the top of her head lightly before letting her go, he immediately felt the empty space she left.

  “Come, we’ll have to lay for this as the memories will be fast and furious, it will rob you of strength, so lying down will help”

  Ash took her hand leading her to a soft spot among the wildflowers, he watched as she quietly laid down, looking up at him with complete trust in her eyes.

  “Aghra” he muttered as a small smile ghosted his beautiful lips

  Lying next to her, he stretched his long limbs as close to Siobhan, but not touching her. He saw the longing in her eyes as the energy crackle between them. Sparks of energy laced with Ash’s chaos flew into the air around them cocooning them.

  Touching her forehead, Ash closed his eyes taking a deep breath he opened his eyes meeting Siobhan green eyes, his emerald eyes glowing brighter.

  “Tá mo chroí istigh ionat” Ash’s lilting voice flowed through Siobhan softly

  Closing her eyes as she felt the sudden pull within, opening her mouth a scream pierced the air around them shattering the quiet. Inhaling sharply, Ash pulled Siobhan into his arms rocking her gently with soothing words filling the space her scream opened.

  Lost as the darkness engulfed Siobhan, Ash’s words were lost as memories flooded her breaking the walls around her. Shivering as she felt Ash’s emptiness wash through her, as image after image raced through her mind unyielding in its search. She felt the chaos inside
her battling to close the onslaught of emotions, the screaming in her head rising to climax as the one memory her heart sought opened to her as a rose to sunrise.

  “Tá brón orm” fell from Ash’s lips as he watched his beloved’s eyes turn completely black once again.

  The blackness inside her mind slowly cleared as the vision of a seductive dance between two lovers sharpened.

  There’s a storm coming, she could feel the air drop as the pressure increased around them. Raging thunder sauntered easily through the night sky. It might calm the sweltering emotions lurking just beneath their calm surface. A ripple effect to the possible damage, inside her chest with a longing she thought had been buried deep in this cavernous wasteland her heart imploding, shattering.

  Silver eyes gleamed as lips ravaged her.

  Lightning crashes through the darkened clouds its brilliance scattering her tenacious hold to the winds. Yearning to touch the breakable strands of ecstasy that encompass her, she yearns to be forbidden, she wants to be unbidden.

  Silk chases her skin seductively; binding her closer to the seduction of her beloved’s touch. Shadows of desire laced with the bitter enlightened pain as tension erupting pebbles of obsessive inclination. Lips pressed tightly she will not mutter a sound. There is a word for freedom, to release her back to the safety of her world.

  Hoarse whispered promises of lost control cloy to her ringing ears. Lying on a precipice; she wants to enjoy this little pain a moment more. Growls of agonizing frustration filter through her groans as every part of her body tingles.

  “Let go a ghra” a predatory rumble in her ear; as stinging longing to be filled engulfs her.

  “Lose yourself…let the chaos out” falls from her lovers lips

  Her lips open to the slight pressure wickedly edging her over into oblivion. She has strayed from who she was meant to be.

  “Rain” floats from her lips as she shattered.

  The cool drops of rain gently fall against her cheeks mixing with the silent tears that fall from her closed eyes. She feels the breath of her lover, her beloved her mind corrects, before she opens her eyes to meet the beauty of emerald softly glowing at her.

  Shaking her head, she pushes away from Ash, no there is something wrong, his eyes, they are not her beloveds.

  “Your eyes, they are not yours” Siobhan mumbles as she stumbles to her feet. She backs away from Ash, as she feels the pressure in her chest growing rampant. Pushing her fist tightly to her chest, she tries to stop the pressure that is growing stronger.

  “Siobhan, don’t fight it” his voice huskily calls to her

  “My god this pain is excruciating” Siobhan wails as she drops to her knees

  Rushing to her, Ash pulls the hoarfrost forward encircling Siobhan with the frigid air trying to cool the heat burning her from the inside out. Cursing the gods for his foolishness, tears he thought long past shedding fall angrily from his cold eyes.

  “Not again” Ash moans achingly

  Reaching for Siobhan, Ash hands enclose hers, sending hoarfrost through her. The coldness quickly seeped into every inch of her, cooling her fevered body. Ash watched with horror as Siobhan’s eyes turned to black orbs, her ears elongated quickly as the energy rushed out of him into her.

  Power surged through her, opening the dam of emotions she held tightly. Chaos flooded her blood cooling the fire engulfing her. She felt the anger surface, the pain pushing it through the clouds lurking in her mind. The ring glowing as it shot the fire into the sky as it arched to embrace the lightning racing to the earth.

  The shattered lightning met the earth shaking the ground around them. Siobhan felt the loss of Ash’s touch for a moment before the anger replaced it. Turning to Ash, she watched his eyes turn to glowing orbs as he pulled his hoarfrost back.

  “I am not yours” Siobhan’s voice ringing clear through the raging wind surrounding them.

  Ash stumbled back from the power she wielded at him unknowingly. He heard the soft cry of his stallion as it raced around them trying in vain to reach its master. Turning her eyes slowly from Ash, she watched his stallion prancing around baying, rocking his head side to side crazily.

  “Storm stop” her voice broke the circle around them, as the stallion halted “I will not hurt him, but I will not be his”

  Turning to Ash, she waved her hand before her, splitting the air, stepping through Siobhan disappearing before his eyes. His hands meeting the dispersed energy as he reached for her, she was gone.

  Howling in agony, Ash fell to his knees lost.

  “Well, that was quite an interesting turn, don’t you think?” Marcus voice called to Ash as he stepped through the opening of energy.

  “What the hell do you want” Ash hoarsely asks

  “To know what the bloody hell was running through your mind to do what you have just done”

  Sighing, Ash stands glancing over to warily watch Marcus circling him. Marcus stopped a few inches from Ash, raising his head he inhales deeply. His eyes widening, the kaleidoscope colors swirling wildly as his mouth opens.

  “Oh my” Marcus breathes in the intoxicating scent of Siobhan lingering in the cool air

  “Don’t” Ash hisses

  “Oh I must, brother, this is absolutely divine”

  “She is mine” Ash spits out

  “I believe she is claiming herself” Marcus tusks

  “She.will.always.be.mine.”

  “This is quite a lovely turn of events” Marcus mutters

  Ash reached out in the blink of a second wrapping his hands around Marcus throat. Squeezing, his eyes glowing he watches the smile grow wider across Marcus face. Barking out a laugh, Marcus lets the chaos free within him, zapping Ash as he lands the lightning fast blow to his abdomen.

  “Please, whelp, you may have been a prince I would have served centuries ago, but do not forget we are equals now”

  Stumbling back, Ash glares at Marcus.

  “We all have loved and lost you foolish boy” Marcus’s voice seductively wraps around Ash

  “I will not allow you or anyone else to have what is mine” Ash bellows as he grabs Storm’s reigns, jumping quickly onto the stallions back. Marcus watches as Ash rides away from him, turning his neck side to side, he casually rubs the fading handprints.

  “What have you done, you foolish prince” Marcus whispers as he turns to enter the open energy disappearing

  21 CHAPTER Twenty one

  Siobhan blinks as the air around her shimmers brightly. Looking around she tries to get her bearings, shaking her head to clear the mists swirling around in her mind. Glancing up, she sees Shawn’s grandmother’s place just ahead. Taking a clumsy couple of steps on wobbling legs, she heads towards the safety she knows will be at the house.

  Overhead the setting sun blazes reds, purples and gold fire across the evening sky. Siobhan stops to watch the colors blending as the sun slides down the horizon. The evening stars twinkling brightly a beacon to the moon’s rise. She feels the air shimmer around her as the evening twilight settles quietly. Turning, she catches Storm standing in the distance field, Ash sitting astride him, watching her.

  “Why” the whispered question travels to her in the wind as it wraps around her protectively

  Closing her eyes as the anguished question fills her heart with sharp pain. Twirling the ring on her finger, she feels the heat simmering around its edges. The ring warms as she feels the energy around her shifting; raising her head she glares at Ash.

  “You never gave me a choice” She whispers to the wind as she waves it toward Ash.

  Traveling quickly, the answer fills Ash. Shaking as he feels the anger simmering within the words.

  “Dochas” Ash calls back

  The answer envelopes Siobhan coolly, taking her breath, unable to turn away she watches Storm turn carrying Ash away from her into the darkening evening.

  “Hope” Siobhan whispers as she steps through the front door into Claire’s house. She instantly feels the protection of
the house wash over her. The warmth of the house instantly cleansed her tattered spirit taking away the dull ache inside her heart. Sighing, she walks into the kitchen to see Shawn and Claire huddled over a pot on the stove, while Sarah thumbs through one of Claire’s leather bound journals.

  “Hi” Siobhan mutters

  “I was starting to worry” Claire answers with looking over at Siobhan

  Shawn turns to glance at Siobhan, his eyes widening as he watches her eyes slowing turning back to their forest green. “Oh aye, I seen he has brought out the chaos within you”

  “What” Sarah screeches as she tears her eyes from the journal to watch Siobhan warily “Oh, goddess I’m not dealing with vixen Becky!” Jumping from the chair she runs to Siobhan throwing her arms around her “Please give me my Becky back” she whispers

  “I’m back, I promise” Siobhan chuckles as she squeezes Sarah back

  “Good. Cause I really don’t like that other Becky too much”

  “Dinner is almost ready” Claire calmly says as she turns to look over Siobhan

  “That’s good because I am starving” Siobhan answers

  Grabbing the bowls from the adjacent cabinet, Shawn quietly ladles up some soup, placing the semi full bowls onto the kitchen table before Siobhan and Sarah.

  “Inhaling the warm aroma of the steaming soup, Siobhan lifts a spoonful to her lips. Closing her eyes as the soup warms her from the inside.

  “This is delicious” Siobhan mutters between bites

  “Thank you” Shawn replies between spoonful’s “It’s a recipe I picked up from Gran years ago”

  “The rosemary plays well with the chicken broth” Claire says softly

  “Rosemary?” Sarah asks “Wait, isn’t that used as protection? I thought I read that in the journal I was looking through”

  “Aye, it is dear” Claire answers

  “So, you are basically filling us with as much protection woo-woo as possible?” Sarah mumbled