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Off the Coast of Boston, Massachusetts

Years Ago

–Storm–

“W E SHOULD TURN back,” my mother murmured, eyeing the dark clouds on the horizon with unease. Her freckled skin paled, and she white-knuckled the boat railing. Even though her soft warning caught on the chilly wind, I still heard her. More than that, I felt her fear in a way that made no sense to most but did to us despite my young age.

“But we can’t turn back, Mama.” I cuddled close, trying to ease her fear, doing my best not to cry or be sad because she needed me to be strong. “Remember what you told me?” I looked up at her as her bright red hair whipped on the salty wind and put my hand over hers on the railing. “Remember how you said I was named for what’s coming?” I swallowed hard and put on my bravest face. “Remember how you said we had to go no matter what?”

She shook her head as if ready to deny it before inhaling deeply, then exhaling as if rallying her courage.

“You’re right, sweetheart,” she said more firmly now, the fear gone from her eyes but not the sadness when she looked down at me. “As you so often are.” She crouched, balancing well despite the swaying boat, and cupped my cheek, once again so very brave as thunder rumbled in the distance. “Trust that, Storm. Trust your dreams and your instincts. Let them guide you always. And trust your blood because it’s as much Scottish as it is Irish.”

I promised her I would over the increasing wind gusts and crashing waves against the hull. Soon after, the first heavy raindrops fell, and we headed to the cabins below.

Or at least we tried before a wave slammed into the boat so hard it rolled sideways. The next thing I knew, icy cold water crashed into me, around me, smothering me, trying to steal me away into the darkness. Faces came and went: my parents, uncles, aunts, and cousins.

Kaia reached out to me, and I grabbed her hand only to lose it.

Then, Naya reached out, but I couldn’t get to her.

I struggled to breathe as everything flipped, spun, and continued crashing around me. Frothing icy salt water filled my mouth and clogged my throat. Kaia grabbed my wrist and pulled me with her, but I couldn’t tell what direction. Then she was gone again, and everything swirled around me in a sea of darkness and cloying chill. My entire world dwindled down to wind, waves, and ever-intensifying terror. Down to mother nature’s wrath and fury.

But it was my fury, too, because it was my storm.

Made for me. Designed to take away almost everything I loved and to thrust me on a new and dangerous path. One glimmering down at me as I slipped beneath the waves, caught in the current of the sinking boat. Swallowed whole, descending into the abyss, I gazed up at the fiery waves above. Flaming water determined to consume the darkness. Maybe even consume me.

He was coming for me.

They were coming for me.

But who were they? What were they?

My vision dimmed the longer I went without air, but there was no more fear. There were only wings, catlike eyes, and peace where there should be terror. Then there were other eyes. Wolven eyes. His eyes. Terrible yet alluring all at once.

Coming for me.

Taking me.

Stealing me away if he could. And he would. All of him would take all of me, and there would be no escaping. Maybe for now, but not forever. His tomorrow would become my future, and my enemy Tadc would own my inner storm whether I liked it or not.