Page 5 of I Am the Storm

I do everything I can, but nothing works. I look to Sebastian, panic on my face. "He's not waking up."

"He needs blood," Sebastian says, kneeling next to me, his hands supporting his brother's head gently.

I nod, knowing what I need to do. I hold up my wrist to Sebastian. "I don't have a knife, can you… "

He knows what I'm asking and takes my wrist into his mouth, biting deeply. The pain only lasts a moment, then a strange pleasure spreads through me. When my blood touches Sebastian's tongue his eyes widen, and he sucks more out before he realizes what he's doing and pulls himself away.

"Eve," he whispers, his pupils dilated, but I can't focus on him right now. I hold my wrist over Derek's mouth, letting my blood drip down his throat.

After a few moments, Derek stirs, his mouth seeking my blood, and he begins to drink.

My head spins and I feel dizzy from blood loss when strong arms pull me away from Derek. Sebastian cradles me in his arms. "You can't give him too much," he says sternly.

I look into his eyes and flick my lids. "You really are always mad at me for something," I say half-jokingly.

Then I hear Derek shift and sit up. He takes my wrist into his hand and licks at the puncture marks there, closing them.

Another explosion rocks the ground, and as terror spreads through the crowd, a figure emerges from the flames of the courthouse.

At first, it looks like an Ifrit, so lit up by fire is he, but as he nears us, I realize who it is, and I swallow a sob and run towards him.

"Liam!"

The fire Druid looks toward me, and I notice the bundle under his cloak, protected from the flames. He pulls out the infant as the fire dies around him. Alina lets out a piercing wail, and I release my breath in relief as I reach them and throw myself into his arms, burying my face in his neck.

He smells of smoke and magick, and my tears burn off his hot skin like rain hitting scalding pavement. "I feared you were both dead," I say.

His lips find mine and he kisses me deeply, his daughter between us, her tiny hand gripping onto a lock of my hair and tugging as Liam's passion consumes us both.

We are so lost in each other that, at first, I don't hear it, but then, a distant sound intrudes on my consciousness. It's faint but grows in clarity as it draws closer and before long, I recognize it as the beating of wings.

Very large wings.

As I pull away from Liam, I can feel the wind on my face, pulsing in time with the beat of those wings, and as I look up, I see a massive blue dragon descending from above. It is slightly smaller than Dath'Racul, with a sleek, elegant body and deep blue scales reflecting the light like sparkling sapphires. Each of the six living dragons embody an element, I recall, and as this dragon begins to roar, a powerful stream of icy water pours forth from its mouth, striking the flames with a steaming hiss, quenching them more quickly than anything else thus far.

Water falls on us, soaking through our hair and clothes, and from the dying flames and gray smoke, Elijah emerges, silver hair wild in the wind, head bowed, shoulders slumped. A limp body lies in his arms, with skin charred black. And when he comes closer, I see who he's carrying.

Lily.

The Crime

You are a storm in transition, even as these words are being written.

~Nikita Gill

My gut clenchesas I run to the wind Druid, the rain I created with my powers growing stronger as emotions flood me, surging my magick. The wind grows fierce and lightning flashes across the sky.

"Is she—?" I'm afraid to say the word as my tears mix with the rain.

"She's alive," Elijah says, "but by a thread. We have to get her home. To her tree."

It takes a moment to see the smallest movement of her chest and I exhale in relief. She's still breathing, but I can barely imagine how. Her beautiful punk hair is singed, and her skin is covered in charred burns that swell with puss. If she were human, I would have no hope, but she's not, so anything is possible. You’ll be fine, I think. You have to be fine. I cling to that thought as my hand falls to Elijah's back and we walk as quickly as possible to the carriage. Sebastian helps Derek stand up and Liam follows with Alina in his arms, covered by his cloak to protect her from the smoke and rain.

Elijah, Liam, and I squeeze in the back, and while I hold the baby, the fire Druid begins to examine Lily’s wounds. Sebastian and Derek sit up front, and Sebastian takes the reins to guide us home.

The horses whinny at the clash of thunder in the sky, and I realize my storm is taking on a life of its own. The question is whether it's doing more harm than good at this point.

I take a breath and try to calm my emotions as the baby in my arms fusses and begins to cry. I hold her closer and rock her, whispering soothing platitudes while I watch Liam.

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