Immortal Bloodlines (7 page)

Christos came beside him. “Your mother—”

“Don’t want to hear it.” Killian’s mind was in a jumble. “I don’t know why you all don’t just give in and get it over with.”

“Not my call.”

Killian looked at Christos. “It is if you want her bad enough. I think you like the chase she has you on.” He lowered his voice. “But some advice, my friend. If you let her come after you instead, you’d better be prepared. An Amazonian Warrior always gets what they want.”

“So does a Silan Guardian.” Christos flashed his fangs then walked away.

“You need to stop denying your firebird.” Ryne spoke behind him.

Killian turned to him. Kaitya stood with Ryne who had Kalina by his side.

“Both of you,” Ryne said, including Kaitya in his look. “I was debating for a while if I should interfere or let you work it out. But what has happened with Storm makes me know I can’t.” Ryne’s eyes swirled then lit with flames. “You are an Amazonian Warrior and a Firebird. Instead of suppressing one for the other, let them work together.” He gestured with his hand. “The combination is formidable and Eve would not have brought you back and made you the hybrid you are if she didn’t think you could handle it.” Ryne rubbed his hand over his head. “With all that is going on with A’rm Ageddon, Eve hasn’t even realized what is happening, or she would have had this talk with you already. Or attacked you to unleash the firebird. It wants out and you are holding it in so tight. My firebird can feel yours crying to be let loose. Let it out.”

“I hear you, but I need to do something first.” Killian nodded then strode away. He rushed rapidly into the office. Storm lifted her head then leaned back in her office chair, arching an eyebrow.

Killian strode to the desk. “All you said was true. I want an equal partner but I can’t suppress my instincts to want to protect you. I will try to not be so overprotective.” He went to stand in front of her. “I knew in my warrior heart you were mine and set out to make you so. But today you showed me that you already knew what I was blind to.” He lifted his hand and brought up flames. “That my firebird recognized its mate. You are my mate by my warrior heart and my firebird soul.”

“Is that all you’ve got?” Storm scowled. “I haven’t heard I’m sorry yet.”

“I’m sorry for being an overbearing, protective idiot who doesn’t know when to let a wild woman be herself.” He pulled her into his arms. “You can protect me from now on.”

“Humph, maybe that was a better apology.” Storm placed her hands on his chest. “I can sense your firebird yearning for me, its mate. It bombarded me each time we are together. At first I didn’t know what it was, but then as we became more intimate it became clearer.” Storm studied him with concern on her face. “Why have you not shifted to let your firebird out?”

“I don’t know.” Killian frowned. “No, that isn’t true. Letting it out is acknowledging that I am changed. I am no longer an Amazonian Warrior.”

“There is no way you won’t be that anymore.” Storm smacked him upside the head. “Embrace both, you idiot. It makes you more powerful. You’re already a kick-ass warrior and now add to it a firebird. I can feel it in you—if you do that you are gonna be a formidable man.”

Killian held her hand and lifted it to his lips. “Knocking some sense into me.”

“Damn right. Someone has to. That’s the job of a mate.” Storm sighed then rolled her eyes. “All I wanted was a little sex and now I have a mate. Only I am so lucky.”

“Yeah, you are lucky all right.” Killian kissed her briefly then stared into her eyes. “You worked your way under my skin. Damn if I know when I fell in love with you.”

“You’re going to make me get all weepy.” Storm playfully wiped her eyes. “You say you love me in the sweetest of ways.”

“Only you would think it was sweet.”

“What can I say? I like the unique way of saying I love you.” Storm winked. “Now I’m old-fashioned so here it goes. I love you, Killian. Every stubborn, pain-in-the-ass part of you. Even the protective side that I had to kick some ass to get you to back down.”

“Now you say the sweetest things.” Killian kissed her again then held her close. “I promise to be by your side from now to eternity.”

“Ditto.” Storm smacked his arm. “Now you have something else to do.”

Killian stopped holding back the part of him he kept contained. He felt the power shift under his skin. In moments, hazel flames licked along his skin. Storm held his arms as his body was awash then engulfed in flames. Awareness of being a firebird filled him and with it the knowledge of the kind he was now part of. The power could be used for many things, ranging from hurting to healing…or to destroy. This time he used it for pleasure. He pulsed it into Storm and she gasped then shuddered. Killian pushed more power into her and enjoyed the flow as she shivered with carnal need. It bathed him and he fueled it with his firebird power. In the next moment Storm arched and he held her as she shook, coming hard.

“Killian,” she screamed, her nails digging into his flesh.

He kissed her deeply then gently set her in her chair. Killian turned, ran to the window and went through the glass, shimmering briefly before coming back to form outside the window. He floated and watched his flaming body in the glass. Storm waved and he heard her in his mind along their shared path.

“
Go and fly with
them
.”

As she spoke, a screech filled the air and Killian watched as a majestic firebird swooped down and floated beside him. He instinctively knew it was Eve. She dipped her head gracefully then another firebird joined her. This one Killian sensed was Ryne. A body floated up beside him and Killian held out his hand to Kaitya. She met his fingers with hers and when they touched, she shed her skin and flamed. Killian shifted and let his firebird out the same moment that Kaitya did. A sense of rightness filled him as his warrior side aligned with the firebird. Through his fire-lit gaze, Killian viewed the many others surrounding him. Eve lifted her head and let out a harmonic sound then flew away. The others streaked after her. Killian glanced at Storm once more—she was in the window with a smile on her face. He inclined his head then, with Kaitya by his side, he flew to join the rest of the firebirds.

Storm watched as they departed and appreciated the beauty of Killian in his firebird form—he was breathtaking. When he had changed, flames circled his body then the majestic bird that was Killian was revealed. His feathers looked soft and ranged from longer on his body then shorter on his face. They were a mixture of reddish-brown and amber with a streak of magenta that went from his beak over his head then down his back. Although Kaitya had the mixture of colors like Killian, in contrast her streak was a brilliant white gold. She hugged herself and mused at how life was so weird. Killian was her partner in all senses of the word. Hopefully he would stop being so overprotective and see her as an equal. Storm returned to her desk, rubbing her temple. She blew out a breath. Lately her headaches had been getting worse. She hadn’t told anyone since it was apparent from the exhaustive tests they had run on her that they didn’t have anything to do with her run-in with Blagden. As she thought of him she frowned, wondering again about him and what he had planned. It was too easy that they’d got A’rm Ageddon from him. Since then, they hadn’t heard of any leads on him. He was just gone, and Storm couldn’t help but think it was the calm before all hell broke loose.

Storm bypassed her desk and went out to the unit. She nodded absently to the agents as she went by, going out of their division and into the hall. When Killian had asked her about why she wanted to see A’rm Ageddon, she hadn’t known how to answer him. She’d been thinking about seeing her for a while but had kept putting it off. Earlier today, she’d just gone. When she’d been told she couldn’t because of Killian’s order, she’d been livid. It was the last in a long line of overprotective things he’d done.

She tapped her foot as she waited for the elevator, then when it arrived, she got in and pressed the button to the lower level. The whoosh as it descended only made her more agitated and Storm didn’t know why. The ride was quick to the floor they were holding A’rm Ageddon on. Storm strode off and the man who had stopped her earlier lowered his head in a nod before he stepped back, letting her pass. Storm didn’t know who the man was—she didn’t think he was an agent but she didn’t ask him his name again, since when she had earlier, he hadn’t provided it. Entering the cell area, Storm thought of the other levels of containment area they had that held prisoners who had been part of Blagden’s plan. A’rm Ageddon was on this level with at least ten floors between her and other prisoners. The sensations of the fortification Eve had done to the area pressed against Storm’s senses. They were set so that Blagden couldn’t sense where A’rm Ageddon was in the building. The wards were also to keep A’rm Ageddon there if she somehow became free. Storm stopped in front of the glass cell and watched the woman floating in the center, shocked again at how identical A’rm Ageddon looked to Eve.

The cell A’rm Ageddon was in had all the comforts of a house. The woman was in stasis but Storm had overheard Christos saying that Eve was here most of the time, providing things that were familiar to A’rm Ageddon. Although the siblings were at odds, Eve loved her sister. Storm recalled Lupo’s words—Eve would one day have to make a choice between her life or A’rm Ageddon’s.

Storm stood before the cell and watched A’rm Ageddon eyes glance down at her. “I knew you were aware.” She studied her. “Or is it just me that you show this with?”

A’rm Ageddon didn’t reply but her eyes flashed. Storm stared at the woman. “Your wacko boyfriend has plans that necessitated us bringing you here.” In her gut, Storm sensed that. “I just don’t know why or what. But I’m going to figure it out. Then we will stop you. You see, we all sort of like this world the way it is. And having someone want to bring it to an end isn’t beneficial to us. Blagden might have to die for us to do so because I don’t see him as a man who will stop unless he is dead.”

A’rm Ageddon’s gaze heated and flashed. “Ahhh… You don’t like hearing that. And I can understand it. I have someone I love too, and the idea of losing them would rip me open.” Storm rubbed her temple. “It’s too bad you’re bent on ending the world. I read your history.” She smiled at the look in her eyes. “I see that surprises you. I know there isn’t supposed to be anything on you, but my race—although I am new to knowing about it—has been around as long as you and Eve. They have information on you. I find it very interesting that, together, you and Eve created this realm for mankind. Yet you want to eradicate it.” Storm titled her head to the side. “Why build something only to tear it down?”

She didn’t expect a reply and was shocked when she heard a faint voice in her mind.

“
It is mine to give or take. Humanity has lost their respect of me.”

“Sister, I thought you would by now have learned the error of your ways. A’rm Ageddon, it is not yours to give or take. You do not give a gift then remove it,” Eve spoke behind her.

Storm turned. With her first view of Eve since they had brought A’rm Ageddon to the agency, she could see the toll that being around her sister had wrought on her. Eve’s gorgeous face was lined with worry. Storm glanced at Killian and Ryne who were with her then back to Eve. Eve met her gaze and Storm staggered as pain lanced through her head. She grabbed at her throat and choked as power flowed from inside her, pushing out of her. A black film detached from her body and headed straight for Eve.

Chapter Five

Storm lifted her hand and shot power at the shadow, trying to stop it from reaching Eve but it bounced off it. It was almost to Eve when another shape materialized before her. The image of a man wavered and Storm realized he wasn’t actually present. He exuded power and danger. The man lifted his hand and the shadow turned and headed back to Storm. She threw up a shield, not wanting it in her again. He disappeared from view then Storm found herself looking at a broad back—she could see through him. The shadow hit him and he shuddered briefly before it flowed within him. Storm watched, awed, as the thing inside the wavering image of the man fought to be free. His power rose and Storm shook as it enveloped her, since she was so close. Her hearing went for a moment then everything came back.

“Storm!” Killian roared.

Storm stepped to go to him but her knees buckled. The faded man turned and caught her then lowered her gently to the floor, cradling her.

“Shhh… It is best you sleep.” His violet gaze was tender and he touched her face, stroking her hair back. “I’m so sorry that my father has done this to you.”

Storm opened her mouth to ask him who his father was but everything went black.

Killian ran toward Storm as she collapsed. The man who had stopped whatever had been inside of her caught her before she fell. Killian flicked his hand, bringing up his sword, then lit it with flames. He clenched the hilt as the man touched Storm’s face so tenderly. The man murmured something to her but Killian didn’t hear or care what it was. He lifted his sword and brought it down. An invisible power stopped him from connecting.

“Spilling my blood, even in this form, is a waste. Use your weapon where it is needed, Killian Erutan. I mean no harm to your mate.” The man looked at him then smiled. “She is a brave and strong warrior to have withstood a shadow hitcher for so long.”

“Fyodor, Shadow King or not, you’d better have a damn good explanation for breaching my agency as you have.” Christos came into form by their side. He glanced at Storm then at Fyodor. “What the hell did you do?”

“Saved me and Storm,” Eve said coming forward. “How did you know?”

“Lupo, when he was sent to me, mentioned there was something off with Storm. Killian, come and hold her.” Fyodor gestured to him like he expected him to obey.

Killian did, because he didn’t like how the Shadow King was holding his mate. He took Storm from the man and went to stand. His knees locked and he dropped to the floor. Killian glared at the Fyodor.

“Sorry, but you can’t leave yet. I need to put a protection on her until I can be here in person to cleanse any residue of the shadow hitcher from her.” Fyodor went to touch Storm but stopped. “May I?”