Page 27 of The Storm Within

Diobno’s smile deepened and became more condescending, as if he were amused by Ryker’s demand.

“He’s not actually wearing your dad,” Nate whispered. “It’s just an illusion.”

“Take. Him. Off.” Ryker’s voice was sharp, cold fury vibrating through each word.

Stunned, Nate watched as Diobno complied. His uncle never backed down from anyone, least of all someone he considered beneath him. The image of Ryker’s father shimmered, faded, then melted away, revealing Diobno’s true form, his eyes as cold and cunning as a predator’s, his expression filled with smug disdain.

Nate’s pulse quickened. No. This wasn’t his uncle, at least, not fully. It was another deception, layered over an illusion. Diobno was still playing games. “Open your eyes, Ryker,” Nate pleaded. “Break the hold he has over your mind. The longer he ensnares it, the harder it becomes to break free.”

“How?” Ryker stared at him, his eyes wide. “Tell me how to open them, honey bear.”

“Disgusting.” Diobno curled his lip.

Ryker’s eyes blazed with anger. “Just because you’re too rotten to love doesn’t mean your nephew is.”

Nate caught the gasp that wanted to escape, stuffing it back down, refusing to let Diobno sully a beautiful, and shocking, declaration. Whether it was a slip-up or intentional, it was Nate’s to cherish.

“You know nothing about me.” Diobno’s voice was dripping with so much hatred that Nate felt it along his skin like tiny, razor-sharp cuts.

Ryker lifted his chin defiantly. “What’s there to figure out?” He made a dismissive gesture, as if brushing Diobno away. “Fragile ego, obsessed with revenge over some perceived slight. Cruel, weak—”

“I am not weak!” Diobno’s bellow echoed in the diner, causing the windows to rattle.

Ryker smirked. “A run-of-the-mill narcissist. You’ve spent the last century punishing your nephew over a joke that clearly embarrassed you. I wish Nate could remember it so I could rub it right back into your—”

“No!” Nate’s heart raced, dread pooling in his stomach. He stood there frozen, wishing Ryker hadn’t revealed that.

Diobno slowly turned to look at Nate, his face a mask of fury. “Is that so?”

“Open your goddamn eyes, Ryker!”

* * * *

The world had turned pitch-black, enveloped in a deep, all-consuming darkness. The silence was deafening except for the harsh, labored breathing that sounded like a dog left outside on a hot summer’s day.

Ryker strained to pinpoint the source of the noise, but it was impossible when he couldn’t even see his hand in front of his face. He was no longer in the diner, so he must have somehow opened his eyes, only now he couldn’t see a damn thing.

“Nate?” His voice sounded small and insignificant in the vast emptiness surrounding him.

The labored breathing morphed into a high-pitched whine, a pitiful sound that Ryker tried to follow. As he crawled forward on hands and knees, the ground beneath him felt like smooth glass, but it was as cold as ice, sending shivers through his body.

“Nate!” His heart raced as panic set in. He couldn’t hear an echo of his own voice. Aside from the whine, it felt as though every decibel in the world had been silenced. It was eerie and unsettling, like the universe was holding its breath.

Where was his mate? Why wasn’t he answering?

“Nate, honey bear, please, answer me!” Ryker kept feeling around, but he had to push to his feet, his hands and knees freezing from the biting-cold ground. Yet, there was also an inexplicable warmth surrounding him. What was this place? Nate had said it was a shadow used to travel from one place to the next, but everything about it felt sinister.

This wasn’t how it had felt when he’d entered it the first time through the closet.

In his blind search, Ryker kicked something solid with his foot and froze, unsure he wanted to know what it was. He wasn’t one of those dumbass people who got themselves killed in horror movies. He was the one who refused to go to the campgrounds in the first place. “This is what you think about when you’re in total darkness?”

Too bad his mate hadn’t given him instructions beyond opening his eyes, because Ryker wanted the hell out of wherever he was.

The high-pitched whine made him look down, even though he couldn’t see anything. Only…it hadn’t sounded like an animal this time. He braced himself, hoping he wasn’t making the worst mistake of his life, then lowered to a crouch. Reaching out, his fingers brushed against soft skin. With the touch came the familiar scent of peppermint.

Nate.

He was violently shaking, his teeth chattering so hard that Ryker could hear the clacking sound. Carefully, he reached out and found Nate’s head, and then he lifted his mate into his arms.

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