Chasing the Storm by Aliyah Burke Read Free Book Online Page A

to losing it, he knew that. And he understood it. This wasn’t easy for anyone to accept. Add to it the running for her life, and he knew she had reached the end of her rope. Dark circles were prevalent under her eyes.
    Strapping on his weapons, he continually peered up at her. She hadn’t tried to leave the room and she wasn’t cursing him. Bag in hand, he walked to her and the door.
    “You can sleep more in the car.”
    “Whatever,” she muttered, chewing on her thumbnail. She wouldn’t look at him, just waited for him to open the door.
    He did and stepped out first, keeping her inside. Senses alert, he searched for any lingering stench that accompanied those damn things. Nothing reached him, but he wasn’t entirely sure there weren’t members of The New Order out there waiting. Humans smelt like humans. He couldn’t always distinguish good from The New Order.
    They walked swiftly across the parking lot to where his stolen vehicle waited. As she climbed in, he continually checked the sky. Although the prime of the morning was still nearing, he didn’t trust that the treetops didn’t hold some creatures out to stop them.
    He got them on their way and watched her from the corner of his eyes as she eventually slumped over and fell asleep. With each second he spent in her company, his protectiveness grew exponentially.
    “We should be there by afternoon. I have to be careful, driving a stolen car.” He sent the call out to his siblings.
    “And your woman?” Roz posed the question.
    “Currently sleeping. She’s exhausted and wiped from everything that’s happened. It hasn’t helped she has been running from her cousins who want to kill her as well.”
    “I’ll get a room ready for her. Or is she staying with you?”
    “She can have her own room, Roz.” Even as he sent the words, he wanted to growl in frustration. He wanted her in his room with him.
    “Are either of you hurt?” Dracen asked.
    “We got injured in the attack but I healed her, and by the time we get there, I should be fully healed. I need more shruiken though, I lost a bunch in those we fought.”
    “Travel safe, brother, and we’ll see you when you get here.”
    “See you soon, Billy.”
    He was closest to Billy. They shared almost everything, and Cale would feel better when he was back surrounded by his friends and family.
    Turning on some music, he kept it low so as not to disturb Taylor. He could see the chain that held her pendant clasped in her hand. It brought her strength—a blind man would be able to see that.
     
    * * * *
     
    She woke when they went over some bumps. Careful not to show she had awakened, Taylor sneaked a glance through cracked lids. It was dark out and she couldn’t make out much more than a parking lot and a few lights.
    Cale parked them in an empty spot, in the back, then shut off the engine and killed the lights. She sat up.
    “What are we doing here?”
    “Waiting for a ride.”
    Her belly clenched, but she ignored the nervousness which grew. “From?”
    “Billy.”
    She might be tired, but that name was familiar. Another of the Astral Guardians and a man he considered a brother. The knowledge helped to calm her a bit. Right, unless you’re being taken to a place for some kind of sadistic, freaky murder ritual thingy, her subconscious chimed in with that most unwanted piece of news.
    Keeping her head against the rest, she closed her eyes. Suddenly her life didn’t seem so bad. Her old one. Running from those who wanted to kill her to running from others who wanted to as well. The ones she knew gave her a bit of an edge. These New Order psychos she knew nothing about. Nor the demons that were suddenly after her as well.
    “Come on.”
    Cale got out, grabbed his bag then walked away.
    “Don’t bother waiting for me, or anything like that,” she muttered. Following suit, she stepped from the interior only to run smack into Cale’s chest. “Oomph.”
    She grabbed at him to keep from falling