Page 33 of Thunder with a Chance of Lovestruck

Rachael burst into tears. “Uncle Nile, stop. Please. It’s not like that.”

Drest’s jaw set as anger filled him. All he wanted to do was bash Nile’s face in.

“I didn’t mean to…” Rachael started, peeking out from behind Drest, tears on her cheeks. “Uncle Nile, I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t have given in to the pull to him, but—”

“Silence!” shouted Nile so loud the wine bottles around them began to shake.

That shouldn’t have been possible.

Drest glanced from one row of clanging bottles to another before looking back at Nile. How was he doing that?

It was then Drest felt something in the air. Was it Fae power? How could that be? He wasn’t using magik. The only other thing in the home capable of that level of power was Torid, and this power wasn’t his.

Rachael tried again to get around Drest, but he caught her.

“No, hon,” he said, worried she’d be harmed with whatever was happening. “Stay back. I’m not going to let him speak to you this way.”

“Rachael, I’ll speak to you exactly the way you deserve to be spoken to,” said Nile, hate sliding off his tongue. “And I will deal with you later once our jailor has been taught a lesson about what happens to those who touch what is mine.”

“What’s yours?” echoed Drest, instantly disliking the inflection in Nile’s voice as he’d said the words.

Rachael tugged at her dress, smoothing it, clearly trying to be sure she was totally covered. The franticness in which she went about doing so, and the fear he could feel radiating from her, left Drest fighting the urge to kill Nile then and there.

“You sick bastard!” shouted Drest, his anger aimed fully at Nile. “She’s not yours. If you imply as much again, the next report I’ll be filing with the Nightshade Clan will be about your untimely death by my hand.”

Nile’s eyes blazed murderously. “Maybe it will be you dying by my hand, Hunter.”

“No one is dying by anyone’s anything,” said Rachael, crying harder. “Stop it. Both of you.”

Drest twisted partially and cupped the side of her face. He offered a warm smile as he caressed her cheek. “Honey, I need you to go to the back corner. Far away from him, okay? I’ll handle him. You just stay back, all right?”

She nodded slightly, still crying.

Her tears twisted at Drest’s gut, and he found himself dipping his head, his mouth easing over hers once more. He’d wanted to relieve her fears and worry.

As something slammed into him, he realized a second too late that he’d been foolish to take his eyes off Nile.

Rachael screamed as Drest tumbled backward.

Nile turned and seized hold of Rachael’s arm violently before yanking her close to him. He glared down at her. “I will see to you later. Go to your room! Now!”

Drest pushed off the wine rack and charged the man. He knocked Nile away from Rachael. Nile struck the wine rack behind him. Bottles broke under Nile’s weight. Glass and wine went everywhere.

Nile pushed off the rack with a snarl and struck Drest with enough force to cause him to stumble back.

Drest fell into Rachael and twisted, cradling her against him, absorbing the impact and protecting her as he did.

Nile grabbed for her, trying to rip her from Drest’s arms.

There was a massive roar, and suddenly, a huge rottweiler was there, leaping at Nile. It bit down on Nile’s leg, and he released Rachael a second before he punched at the dog.

“Torid!” screamed Rachael as she lunged for the dog, putting herself over it protectively.

Drest went at Nile, kicking him away from Rachael and the dog.

Just then, the dog morphed into the goblin that watched over Astria. It hissed at Nile as Drest punched Nile in the face. He hit him again, causing the man to stagger out of the wine cellar and into the basement corridor.

Nile’s head snapped up, and his gaze hardened on Drest. He swung at Drest, barely missing him.

---