Chapter 21
I’m dumbfounded.
There’s no way I’m seeing what I’m seeing.
The sky is an array of colors. Bright, vivid, yet in many places, as dark as the deepest pit in the world.
Brush strokes of lightning paint across the sky.
Variations of purples swirl, an oasis of violet coming to life.
Thunder groans from up above, disagreeing with me.
I roll down the window, lifting my camera to snap pictures of the gorgeous nightmare. The hairs on my arm stand on its ends from the danger as we get closer.
The storm clouds grow, blooming from the warm air.
Ruka cuts across the field. The wheat parts for us, slapping against the sides of the truck as we make our way to the storm. I continue to take pictures, not wanting to miss a moment of history being made.
“Look,” Oklahoma points at something up ahead. “It’s her.”
I have to wait until we get closer to see what he does.
“How did you see her? Vision like an eagle,” Ruka praises. “You’d do well on chases with us.”
“Better get used to me tagging along. I’m not leaving Nariko’s side.”
I turn around and take a picture of him before he can protest. I knew he was looking at me, and I wanted to catch the moment. I want to be able to see him anytime I want, so I never forget how much this man loves me.
His hair is soaked from the rain, and it’s curling at the ends. His damp shirt clings to his body, allowing me to see every hard-earned muscle this man has. Six abs. Firm pecs. Biceps that stretch the sleeves.
My mouth waters. My body comes alive with heat, and now is not the time.
Oklahoma smells the air, his eyes turning that scarlet red that I love, and I take another picture.
As much as I want to see his love for me, I also want to see his desire.
The truck bounces me out of my seat the more wheat we drive over.
“How is she doing this? There has to be a reason, right?” Ruka asks. “It isn’t possible.”
Oakley side-eyes me with a knowing look. After today, I might have to rope Ruka in on the paranormal world. It will be easier with him knowing the truth and understanding why I fell so hard for Oklahoma.
“Holy shit.” Ruka slams on the brakes, and Oklahoma slams his forehead against my seat.
“Give a guy a warning!” he shouts.
I turn around, holding in a giggle, and ask, “Are you alright?”
“I will be,” he winks. “Kiss it better?” He leans forward, and I can’t say no. I let my lips linger, wanting the kiss to stay on his skin hours after.
“I’m as good as new.”
“Ugh, focus you two. We are not in a good place for lovey-dovey nonsense, okay? Life or death here, people.”
Ruka points to the left, and I follow his fingers, my stomach filling with dread when I see another supercell. It’s a multi-vortex tornado. Three twisters hit the ground, tearing the earth apart. The bigger of the three has a satellite tornado, a smaller rope that circles the main vortex.
I’ve never seen anything like this before.
“Guys.” Ruka points to the far right, and I have to roll down my window to get a better view.
The wind swirls in the car, whipping my hair so hard, it stings my shoulders and cheeks. I toss it up in a messy bun to get it out of the way.
My brows raise at the wedge tornado coming our way. The sky is as dark as soot, reminding me of coals waiting to be burned.
The wedge barely moves. It’s slow and gaining width.
Meaning this tornado might be the most violent in history.
The other tornadoes to the left are heading right for it. I’ve never seen two cells combine. I know it’s possible, and given the circumstances, it would only mean this massive wedge will become more powerful.
“We have to stop her,” I say, adjusting my lens to zoom in on our unknown new friend. “If we don’t, she’ll destroy everything in her path. We can’t risk that. Too many towns and people have already died because of how strong this tornado season.”
“We can’t kill her,” I add.
“Might have to.”
“What? No. Oklahoma, I can’t believe you just said that!”
“Nariko, who knows where she will go off to next. She might destroy more towns and kill more people. We’re lucky right now.
We’re in the middle of nowhere with nothing but land, but ten minutes away?
Our friends are there, and they are in the path of this monster.
There’s no way they would survive unless they got to a shelter. You know that.”
“Killing her isn’t the right thing to do!” I raise my voice, tears threatening to fall. I can’t believe him. I can’t believe he would suggest something so heinous and illegal.
“Killing her might not be the right thing to do, but it might be the necessary thing to do,” he dares to continue to speak.
I narrow my eyes at him and take a picture, wanting to remember when I was mad at him.
“How about we talk to her first?” Ruka offers, slicking his hair back and out of his face.
“Talking didn’t do much the first time,” Oakley reminds us, his fingers brushing against the back of my nape.
I love his touch, but I’m still mad at him.
“Doesn’t mean we sign her death certificate. She’s looking for someone. It’s only right that we try to help. What if…” I cut my eyes to Ruka, who is busy watching the tornadoes inch closer to us. I mouth the words instead, “What if she is looking for her fated mate?”
That does it.
Oklahoma’s features soften, the stress around his eyes fading. A ghost of a smile twitches his lips, and he rubs his mouth, hiding that I’ve brought up a good point.
“You’re right, as always.”
“Good boy.” I pucker my lips for a kiss, and when he leans in, his eyes flash red.
“Am I?” he rumbles. “I like that.”
Ruka hits his forehead on the steering wheel.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
“Can we please focus? The cells are getting closer, and she is out of control. What the hell is going on? This doesn’t make any sense.”
“I’ll tell you later,” Oakley promises. “Let’s just survive these storms first, okay?”
“We can do that.” Ruka yanks the gear shaft to drive, slamming on the gas so hard that Oakley and I slam against our seats.
The truck fishtails, the back slinging out so far left, the truck tilts on two wheels before getting on all fours.
“Jesus, Ruka! Don’t get us killed in the process!” I shout at him, clinging to the handle above me.
Ruka cranks up the radio, the speaker louder than the guttural growls outside from the tornadoes.
Chris Stapleton’s Arkansas plays, drowning out the hail grenades hitting the truck.
The wedge tornado shifts, leaning right to head in the direction of the bar. It’s still moving slowly. It’s going to destroy everything it comes into contact with.
“I have service!” I swipe the app open to live stream, and Oklahoma snags my arm just as we launch over a huge bump.
We gain some air, soaring for just a second, then the tires hit the ground, thrashing us around. The phone falls out of my hand, thudding to the floorboard.
“You can’t. You’ll expose her,” he states with a slight shake of his head, his eyes drifting to Ruka.
I swipe away the live streaming app and decide to post a message instead:
“Bunnies, take cover now. A monster tornado is heading your way. Easily an EF4 and gaining strength. It will be catastrophic. I don’t have much time before I lose service again. Get yourself to safety immediately! Please, find shelter!”
“Ho-ly shit.” Ruka slams on the brakes, and we fly forward again.
The harness yanks my body to keep me seated, my neck snapping back, causing my head to hit the headrest. Oklahoma hits the back of my seat too, and I hear the snarl of annoyance because of Ruka’s driving.
My phone smacks against the floor again, and this time, the screen cracks.
“Damn it, Ruka!” I rub my shoulder, lifting the harness to massage the area.
“Hold on, tight!” Ruka slams the truck in reverse, wheat blurring on either side of us.
I bend down enough to see out of the front windshield when the multi-vortex tornado shifts towards us, gaining speed. The tunnel is circulating fast, the clouds morphing from light grey to black. Lightning sparks through the core, a beacon to Mother Nature at her angriest.
The song blaring through the speakers can’t be heard over the loud, monstrous howl outside. Hail smacks against the car from every direction. One hits directly to my right, clinking against the metal protecting us.
Ruka whips the car around, slamming on the gas. The tires sling dirt behind us and we spring forward, the car swerving left and right, tearing wheat from the root.
Oakley and I spin in our seats to look out of the back window, witnessing a terrifying, historical, once-in-a-lifetime event.
The two cells merge. The wedge swallows the satellite rope first, eating away until it forms the biggest tornado I’ve ever seen.
“Never in my fifty years,” Oklahoma whispers in awe and absolute terror.
This isn’t any tornado. It’s a monster. The demonic wedge releases a vicious growl. Shivers climb up my spine; the reality that we might die today sets in.
“I’ve never seen anything like this before,” I state, a nervous tremble breaking my words a part. “We have to stop her. If we can get her to see reason, maybe all the destruction will stop.”
“Stop her how, Nari?” Ruka presses his foot on the gas pedal, the truck gaining speed. “What if she’s a practicing witch or something? I know, I know. I hear how I sound, but I don’t know another reason for someone to be controlling the damn weather! She doesn’t seem too keen on stopping.”
“She’s sad,” I explain. “She’s looking for someone she loves. I’d destroy everything to find Oklahoma. We have to help her.”
“We’d have to turn around and head straight for that massive system. We wouldn’t survive it. It’s impossible. We can’t risk it.”