Stormwind (The Storm Chronicles Book 3) Read Online Free

want to break something.”
    “You destroyed my bar!” Francois yelled.
    Raven rolled her eyes. “One table and some goo on the floor is hardly the whole bar. Besides, I know you got a fat bankroll for selling me down the river…twice. You can afford the cleanup.”
    Francois stepped forward. “Ravenel, I didn’t…”
    Raven raised the Automag and leveled it at Francois’ heart. “Finish that sentence and they will be sweeping you up with Creed’s body.”
    Francois raised his hands in surrender and stepped back. In turn Raven holstered her pistol and fished her phone out of her pocket. She called in the details to her Lieutenant as she left the bar, ignoring Francois’ whispered, “I love you, Ravenel.” Killing him just wasn’t worth the argument with her mother.
     
     
    RAVEN SPENT THE EVENING FILLING out reports explaining why she’d shot Creed a total of five times and why there were an additional three slugs pulled from the club’s floor. She hated to lie on official paperwork, but it was either that or tell the truth and get locked up in Chicago-Read Mental Health Center as a delusional psychopath. She’d take a few white lies over that any day.
    She pushed the paperwork away just before eleven and stretched, her back popping loudly in the empty squad room. She rubbed her neck and looked at her desk.  A stack of reports sat in her out box, a few long forgotten messages sat in her in box and her shiny new report sat in the middle on top of a blotter her father had used at the very same desk. Other than that, there was a picture of her and Aspen sitting on the hood of the Bass, a picture of her father and a small commendation for heroism in the fire that destroyed twenty-three city blocks. Not much for all the cases she and Levac had solved over the last couple years. She knew Levac kept a binder of all the weird cases they had solved together. He kept it stashed in his bottom drawer, but she rarely looked at it. She knew every weird case by heart.
    With a sigh she picked up the picture of her and Aspen. Aspen was grinning like a twelve year old, her purple hair held in braids and Raven was smiling, something she knew she didn’t do often enough. She couldn’t for the life of her remember what Levac had said before snapping the picture, but it had been funny.
    Aspen had left Chicago for parts unknown three weeks after the picture was taken. She’d sent a post card from someplace in St Louis and Raven could still feel her somewhere not too far away so she knew the kid was okay. But it didn’t keep her from missing the purple haired geek.  She’d forgiven the girl’s betrayal long ago. Aspen hadn’t asked Xavier to make her his familiar and she’d fought him as best she could. Maybe Aspen just hadn’t been able to forgive herself.
    Raven frowned and put the picture back. She needed to get out of there.
    She grabbed her things, flicked out the lights and headed down the back stairs. She would call Levac and make sure he was okay, grab a cab and head home.
    The night air hit her like a wall and she pulled her leather jacket around herself to keep out the worst of the chill. A pink tinted full moon hung over the city and illuminated the mostly empty parking lot in the gruesome shade of watery blood. Raven folded her arms and watched the odd moon for a minute before a vague flapping noise caught her attention. She turned her head and realized what she thought was some equipment covered by a tarpaulin was actually a car under a suede-cloth cover. Her eyes took in the shape of the car and her heart beat faster. She walked toward the shape and plucked a black envelope from the cloth. Red ink read “My Darling Ravenel.”
    Raven pulled the envelope open and read the note.
     
    This came for you today. I heard about the Bass from that sweet detective Levac and thought I would have it delivered for you. She’s beautiful. Dominique will be waiting for you. Don’t be late.
    All my love,
    Mom.
     
    Raven