Free Ryder on the Storm: Emerald Seer I by Violet Patterson

be a girl moving into her family house with two gorgeous men. No visions, no Immortals, just her seeing the world as a young woman should, with all the emotions she should have had her entire life.
     
     
     
    Ryder
     
    Ryder slid into the driver’s seat as Lucian slammed the passenger door. Thankfully his friend didn’t fight to drive this time. Ryder needed to drive to occupy his shaking hands. She did something to him. That’s the only explanation, cursed him maybe? But he did not feel any different.
     
    “Well, brother? What happened? Does she have the Sight?” For Lucian that marked easing into the conversation. Ryder grimaced.
     
    As they sped through town toward his meeting with Frederick, Ryder doubted there was time to tell everything. He did not get the book. Without the book he could not prove anything to anybody. If Ryder could persuade Lucian enough to buy some more time he could slip back in for the book later. He needed Lucian. Her face flashed in his mind. Those eyes. Her touch. Ryder shook it off. He had to focus.
     
    “Lucian, I have to meet Baron for a few to go over Starlight’s stock. Could you call the boys and see if we can meet them for an early dinner instead? Maybe 4:30 at Il Bistro? That gives us time to talk, and we have a lot to discuss.” Ryder worked to keep his voice steady but his mind kept returning to Storm Sullivan. He found her innocence beguiling, so young and unaware. He doubted she even knew about the legend. She did not seem to understand the depth of her power. How could that be possible?
     
    “Ry, what happened in there? Talk to me, brother.”
     
    “I will, I am ready to tell you everything but I need to meet with Baron. What happened with the seraphs?” Just a temporary subject change but the information could be helpful. Information could do that.
     
    Lucian shrugged, “Nothing, brother, nothing at all. We shot the shit, turns out they’ve heard of me. They certainly did not want me to set foot in the house. One of them started to glow a bit, I could tell they wanted badly to protect whomever was in the house.”
     
    “You seem disappointed.” Definitely more to the story, he knew somebody special lived in the house. “Please, just give me time to explain everything before you do anything rash.”
     
    “I will, I owe you at least that. A bit of a fight would have been nice, though, I am restless again. You know what happens when I have no outlet for my energy, for the fire.” Ryder knew. He had hoped the seraphs would fight Lucian a bit, just a little sparring to dampen his inner flame.
     
    “I am sorry, Luc. We will figure something out. Perhaps Kell and Pollux would be willing to spar for a bit? Would that suffice?” Ryder hoped one or both would agree to a sparring session. He had a room in the basement of Durstine that would work. Doubt rolled off Lucian in waves. Clearly he too recalled the last time Kell and Pollux had agreed to a sparring match. Clearly he had another kind of activity on his mind. “Not Rosalee. I do not care who else you choose, but not Rosalee. I can call Angeline if you like, she is quite attractive and a familiar.”
     
    “Very well, call that lovely assistant of yours then, I prefer a romp with a woman.” Lucian wagged his eyebrows in that familiar way.
     
    Ryder laughed, “I will search for a new familiar then. Speaking of familiars, would you care to have a hand in Keene’s demise?” It seemed a good time to lay a few cards on the table, a show of good faith for Lucian’s support.
     
    “Ah, so you do have the betrayer in custody.”
     
    “Of course. Did you doubt me? I could not let Roane know that, he’s probably out tracking as we speak. I even left a few false trails to buy us some more time.” Ryder looked at his friend, “Do not look so surprised, I did not know Roane and the boys were coming but I knew somebody would be sent to collect the familiar for trial. I want to deal with Keene first, I