River was standing outside in the darkness, goose bumps peppering her flesh as magic swept through her. Unstoppable, it overpowered her.
For years, she’d kept it inside. Now it was all crashing out. A terrifying, uncontrollable wave.
It shattered every barrier she’d erected to keep it in place. Smashed them as if they’d never existed.
Her magic was a deadly force as it swept out of her.
River cried out and tried to reel it in, but nothing was working. Water poured from the sky, a deluge that soaked everything in seconds. Her clothes were plastered to her body, a second skin.
River moaned, attempting to wrestle the storm back under control, but the more she tried to contain it, the harder it raged. Thunder screamed. Lightning lit up the sky, illuminating the rain cascading from the heavens. The wind roared in her ears.
The storm wasn’t stopping, no matter what she did.
Sobbing, River reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone. It was drenched in seconds, and the battery was at 3 percent. The device, though waterproof, was slippery. It took several tries for her to navigate to her contacts, and her fingers trembled as she punched in a quick message.
River
911
She pressed send moments before the screen flickered, then went black. Did the message get out on time? She didn’t know.
More magic poured out of her. Faster. Deadlier.
Soon, screams surrounded River. Cries of horror. Panic.
Her heart hammered. Tears streamed down her face, and sobs wracked her body. Never-ending rain fell from the skies.
Every minute felt like an hour as River tried to reel in her magic. But no matter how hard she tried, it wasn’t working. She didn’t know how; no one had ever taught her what to do.
She was too young to be wielding so much power. Only fifteen. How was she supposed to know how to handle a situation like this?
Death was here, grinning as River sobbed, escorting people into its watery embrace. By the time Ryker arrived, it was too late. She’d ushered hundreds of souls into the afterlife, and now?—
Someone was shouting River’s name. There was a frantic edge to their voice, but it sounded like they were underwater, far away from her.
The screams were deafening, and they weren’t stopping. There had been so much death that day. Too much.
A hand grasped River’s shoulder. Shook her hard. Her teeth clattered.
“It’s over, River. The storm is over.”
Those were the same words Ryker had spoken the night of the Incident. The last ones she remembered hearing before she collapsed in his arms.
Ryker repeated the words over and over, until River forced herself to look at him again. She was still on the floor, and Ryker’s arms were wrapped around her. He was holding her close, brushing her hair back from her forehead.
Brynleigh was crouched at his side, and there was so much sorrow reflected in her gaze that River’s heart wrenched.
Brynleigh, who had lived in Chavin.
Brynleigh, who had been there the night of River’s storm.
Brynleigh, who had had a family until Riverstolethem from her. Killed them, like she had so many others.
Brynleigh, who was a vampire because of River.
Brynleigh… who was her brother’s wife.
Which meant…