Burke handed the old man off to Tanin and grabbed Cullen’s arm. “I’ll get her.”
“Not without me. I owe her,” Cullen said, and charged back into the prison.
Chapter 36
Storm felt her life slipping away. The guard, even though he had suffered a knife wound, had overcome her and now held her up by the neck, braced against the cold stone wall. Dampness from the stone seeped into her garments, sticking them to her body while she labored for breath and knew that death was near.
Could this be her end? By a simple squeeze of a hand? Her vision blurred, and then she thought of Burke and how he waited just a short distance away. He had promised he would keep her safe. He would come for her. He would save her.
He would be her avenging angel as she had been for so many.
He would not fail her.
She only needed to survive until then.
She found her last ounce of strength and struggled with the man, beating at his neck. His fingers faltered just enough for her to catch a much-needed breath. Then his meaty hand closed around her slender neck once again.
She pummeled him with her small fists and lashed out with her feet, delivering blow after blow to every part of his body she could reach.
She was feeling faint, feeling life slipping away again, and all she could think about was Burke. If she could have spoken, she would have screamed his name.
Instead, she let loose in her head, hoping somehow Burke would hear her.
Burke.
“Not that way,” Burke said, Cullen in the lead.
“Are you sure?” his brother asked, stopping short.
“Absolutely.” Burke charged to his right with a force that propelled him like a battling ram. He could almost hear Storm calling out to him.
Over and over and over in his head, he heard her frantic calls and he was desperate to reach her.
He turned the corner with Cullen on his heels, and what he saw turned his worry to rage. He charged at the man who dared to put his hands on the woman he loved.
His fist connected with the man’s lower back and took him down in one blow. To make certain he stayed there, he delivered several more and then hurried to scoop up Storm.
She coughed and choked. “Out of here.”
“You can barely speak and still you give orders,” Burke said, hurrying along the corridor and up the steps with her in his arms, followed by a chuckling Cullen.
“Now I understand her reputation,” Cullen said.
“You don’t know the half of it,” Burke said with pride and hurried out into the night where Malcolm and Tanin waited for them.
There was no time to stop and discuss the particulars of the escape. Time was of the essence. They needed to get as far away from the prison as possible. Once the escape was discovered, soldiers would cover the land like locusts. There would be no safe place to hide.
Burke refused to put Storm down. He kept her firm in his arms and carried her without difficulty. There was no way he would chance losing her again. It would take nearly a full day to reach the ship, and then under cover of the night, they would sail away and finally—finally be safe.
“I can walk,” Storm argued.
“Your neck is bruised.”
“My feet are fine.”
“Perhaps, but I feel safer with you in my arms,” Burke said adamantly.
“You need to speak with your brother,” she urged.
“It can wait until we reach the ship.”
“No, it can’t. You have waited a long time for this moment. Talk with him. I can walk on my own.”
“I almost lost you,” he growled beneath his breath.
“I, however, had no doubt you would rescue me. I called out for you and you came for me.”
Burke near stumbled over his own feet. “I heard you. In my head I heard you.”
Storm smiled and pressed her cheek to his, her arms wrapped snugly around his neck. “I knew you would. I knew you would not let me die.”
He rubbed his cheek hard against hers. “You frightened the hell out of me.”
“It’s a good way to keep you on your toes.”
Burke laughed. “I see you have adopted my sense of humor.”
“It is a part of you I love. Why wouldn’t I want to emulate it?”
Burke stole a quick kiss. “Damn, but I love you so very much.”
“And I love you just as much, but now you need to see to your brother.”
Burke stopped and lowered Storm to her feet. He didn’t want to let her go but Storm was right. Not only did he need to speak with Cullen, he was eager to speak with him. He had waited many years for this and it was finally here. “Stay in front of me where I can keep an eye on you.”
“Of course,” she said with a smile and took off to catch up with Tanin, who led the group.