A Kiss of Ashen Twilight (Ashen Twilight Series #1) by Rae Lori Read Free Book Online Page B

dude.”
    “Yeah, well, you gonna comment on the aftermath or you gonna freakin’ help me already?”
    Raine knocked his head back with a snarl. “Pssh. Whatever.”
    They dragged the Shifter corpses like thick, heavy stones across the alleyway. Avery was surprised the predictably nosy neighbors didn’t peek their heads over the fences to see what was going on. Normally they couldn’t get enough of the sensationalism and violence in their community. Perhaps it worked to their advantage they decided to take the night off. He grabbed his cellphone from his pocket and flipped it open.
    “Hey, what are you doing?” Raine yelled.
    Avery snapped the phone shut and threw Raine a bitter glance. “Are we trying to alert the entire nation that we’re here? Keep your freakin’ voice down! I’m making a call to Blakedon to let him know to keep an eye out just in case Archane makes an appearance. Something tells me he’s probably hiding her out.”
    From what he could remember in the fight, the Fairy girl struck her head when Archane pushed her out of the way. She didn’t move at all after that blow. In his sleepy haze after he was knocked out—no scratch that—after Archane got in a lucky hit, Avery watched him pick her up and leave the area. Luckily they wouldn’t be able to hide out for long if their creature can conform to any element. A thin smile crossed Avery’s face as he thought about the impending death of Jace Archane and the houses. He’ll be begging for mercy by the time the elements destroyed him.
    “Blakedon here,” the deep voice said from the phone.
    “Yeah, Dad, it’s me, Avery. I got some good news and bad news for you. Which one you ready to hear first?”
    * * * *
    Jace lost himself in the sounds of the nightly cityscape and the roaring engine beneath him as he pulled into the lot of the busy club. He figured the girl would be fine on her own while she slept as he sought some food for the night. The fight had taken a lot out of him energy wise and he could think of a lot of other ways to direct said energy than wasting it on testy Rens. He was relieved to see the sleek blue/black Kawasaki Ninja parked among the other motorcycles and various other vehicles. He stepped out of his Roadster and his gaze dipped down to the Kawasaki ’s license plate; WLFKING . He chuckled.
    “Just put it right out there, man,” Jace said in a low whisper.
    “You know I love to flaunt my good fortune.” Rich Hammond held out his hands as he stepped away from the group. The two men met in a tight hug.
    Jace looked and waved to the group outside the club. From here he could tell they were all kin, even if he didn’t know them by face alone. A mixture of Nightwalkers, Lycans and the Shifter Elves covered the parking lot of the club. They had a reputation as good-for-nothing troublemakers within the territory and the surrounding inhabitants knew to stay away. He supposed it was better than being known in their true nature. If it ever got out that their kind truly walked among the living, he predicted a bloodshed like that of no other, much worse than the days he when he grew up.
    A familiar face caught Jace’s eye as he turned his head. Beautiful, smooth honey complexion, Dark silky hair that fell in soft waves over delicate shoulders. Shelly Harmon lifted her moist, delicately painted lips into a smile once she saw him. Right away he noticed the hulking Lycans holding her close. Vex Truman. Also known as Rich’s pack brother, fellow football coach, and a temperamental Lycan if he ever knew one—aside from Rich, of course. Despite her curvaceous form leaning into Vex, he couldn’t mistake Shelly’s thoughts she sent his way and what she wanted him to do to her body. Every aching detail sent his blood pumping faster. Alarm bells went off as every fiber in his being said she was hands off. Still, she and Vex hadn’t officially announced anything concrete in the same zip code as monogamy. Considering pack rules,