A Kiss of Ashen Twilight (Ashen Twilight Series #1)

by Lori, Rae

  “Pretty bold move for a girl living on borrowed time,” he said. His cold voice was deep and raspy. “What exactly is it that you think you know?”

  “The elemental was summoned by you, wasn’t it? You were trying to find me by process of eliminating my family.”

  He pursed his lips, impressed. “Could be. What makes you think it was one of us?”

  She smiled. “You’re here, aren’t you? Taking the bait.”

  The Ren snarled. “I’m sure you’re not that dumb, little girl. The more you cooperate, the less this will hurt.”

  Ariya waited until he was close. Her hand gripped the rapier now warm in her sweaty grasp. He closed in on her. She pushed her coat away, swung and jabbed but she only hit wind he left in his wake as he dodged her movements. He laughed proudly, mocking her.

  “Come on little one,” he sneered. The Huskies around them morphed into various human forms and slowly made their way around her like a swarm moving in. “I promise this won’t hurt—much.”

  Ariya felt like a tiny mouse in the midst of a pack of hungry cats waiting to pounce. She reached to the tie at her neck, untied the cloak and whipped it off her shoulders. She spun the cloak around her body, uncovering herself like a shedding cocoon. As the cloak fell to the ground, her wings spread out like thin sheets of translucent silk. The Rens dove for her as she leaped high into the air. Her wings pushed against the wind, lifting her higher and higher above the city streets. Her heart beat fast and her mind raced, feeling the adrenaline pumping through her veins. She had to move fast. She lowered herself on the brick building across the way and turned back to the pack on the alleyway below.

  Sirens broke throughout the area alerting of the police cars turning the corner down the street. The neighbors on the other side of the street must have heard the noise!

  “Move out!” the scraggy haired Ren yelled. The pack jumped high into the air, and before gravity could take over, they morphed into a flock of bats in thin air all forming a cloud of dark shadow within the alleyway sky. Through the small air pockets, Ariya could see a one Ren left standing in his human form. The police cars turned the corner and screeched to a halt on each entrance end. The cops climbed out of their cars with their guns drawn and their senses on alert.

  “Hands up!”

  “Back up against the freakin’ wall!”

  The Ren turned to the armed officers and bared his fangs. A high pitched screech emitted from his open mouth. The cops backed up, trying to cover their ears with one hand while aiming their guns with the other. A spray of bullets flew through the air but the oncoming bats moved closer together, blocking Ariya’s view.

  Ariya turned on her heels and raced toward the opposite building, the screeches grew louder, tickling a grating nerve in her. She was losing focus. The screeches in her mind enclosed around her brain and the only feeling she had left was the will to survive. She turned to look behind her. The building across the way wasn’t too far ahead. She had to hold on.

  The loud thunderous flock of bats echoed behind her as she pumped energy into her legs. Once she reached the end of the building, she leaped over the dark chasm and swung around in a 180-degree turn. Her wings flared to life and anchored her body in the air as she threw her hands out sending a stream of fire flowing from her fingertips. She watched as the inner bats caught the wave and burst into flames while the others flared out. The air filled with the stench of smoke and rotting meat. She sent another wave, a stream of blue energy, toward the remaining bats and only a small dust cloud remained.

  Ariya raced toward the end of the building and the open city block. They were still here. She told herself not to look back despite the loud flip-flap sounds in the air behind her.

  She raced toward the ledge near the rendezvous point and dove off

  Her wings flared as she sailed slowly toward the ground where Jace, Rich and the House of Lycan waited in their true forms.

  “Duck Ariya!” Jace yelled in predatory growl.

  The minute she hit the ground she dropped. A massive wind flew over her, caressing her thin wings. Snarls, hisses and growls filled the air; she remained still with her eyes closed. Bodies slammed against the ground. Large paws ripped into flesh, tearing and mincing them to shreds. Ariya shut her eyes and waited until silence claimed the area amidst the police sirens echoing in the distance.

  A pair of arms wrapped around her and pulled her up.

  “Ariya.”

  Hearing Jace’s voice she exhaled and realized how long she had been holding her breath. Feeling a sense of relief course through her body, she immediately wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close.

  “It’s over, baby,” he said calmly. “You did well.”

  Ariya peeked over his shoulder where she caught sight of the Lycans in their human forms. A bloody clutter of flesh, muscle and bone remained on the ground a few feet away. The last Ren standing now struggled to free himself from two large Lycans.

  “Let’s get you out of here,” Jace said.

  He slipped his hand under her elbow and led her to the waiting limo nearby.

  * * * *

  The ride to the Ashen Twilight House was silent, beside the blare of the police sirens running by a few feet away. The alleyway was conveniently located away from the main residential area, but now she realized how close it was to the neighbors. Ariya focused on the past events cloaking her mind as a question crept up. Should she mention that the leader bared his fangs to the mortal police? Had he put all of them in danger?

  She pushed the question out of her mind, thankful Jace didn’t break into her wall. Despite sitting close to her, his eyes remained fixated on the city outside the window. She figured he might as well be sitting miles away.

  Once they arrived, they immediately stepped out and headed for the house. Jace and Rich led the team up to the top floor of the house and at the end of the hall where the door remained open and a slick, bald Nightwalker stood at the entrance. He nodded upon their arrival before they entered.

  Inside the conference room warm, dark hues set the mood with the flicker of orange and yellow embers from the iridescent fireplace lined with painted brick. Intricate designs lined the tops of the walls giving it an antique feel. The room was already full with members of each of the houses. Julian waited near the front of the table standing with Daoine, Gael and Michael at his side. The two Lycans holding the Ren tossed him toward the ground and he landed at Julian’s feet. His eyes widened and he couldn’t remain still as he jumped up and crawled backwards away from the three men.

  Julian merely smiled and Ariya couldn’t shake why it felt unsettling. The smile remained even as he met her gaze.

  “Well done, Ariya.”

  The Ren’s gaze darted from Ariya to Julian, his mind racing with questions.

  “Please.” Julian gestured to a chair nearby.

  Ariya felt as if she should excuse herself but the air was thick with the tension of more pressing matters to come. Instead she quietly took the old, elegantly designed Victorian chair and made herself comfortable, careful not to crush her wings.

  She turned to watch Jace standing nearby with Rich and Gael on either side. Never before had she seen him more serious as he shared a glance at Julian who merely nodded in response.

  Then Julian’s smile disappeared sending a cold drill down Ariya’s back. She watched closely as he looked down at the nervous Ren on the ground. Slowly he approached him.

  “Julian,” the beaten Ren said pleadingly, “Look, I didn’t know she was with you, man. If I did I would’ve backed away I swear. We stay on our side you stay on yours, right?”

  “Wrong. You encroached upon my territory and my family the minute you brought that beast into my world.”

  “I didn’t do it, man! I didn’t summon it!”

  “Who did? Your leader?”

  The Ren’s mouth opened then quickly closed as he looked at each of the members of the house. “Please,” he said, his voice low and shaky.

>   “Every Shifter clan has a leader,” Julian said, leaning toward him. “Who is the leader in the Southwest?”

  The Ren shook his head, pursing his lips together.

  “Come on! A flunky like you must be close to the leader. Unless you’re too low on the food chain to already grow your own pair of brass balls.”

  That was it. That was what did it. The Ren’s demeanor suddenly changed in a flash and he spat in Julian’s face. “Blow me, bloodsucker.”

  Julian reached down, grabbed the Ren by his collar and slammed his body in the adjacent wall. He launched his fist into the Ren’s face repeatedly, each a stronger force than the last. The Ren toppled over, nearly losing his footing as he coughed and hacked up blood. Julian calmly straightened his suit out. He joined Jace who stood by holding a pair of leather gloves.

  Ariya felt the tension so thick in the air she could reach out and grab it. She dug into the arm of the chair, gripping it so tight that her knuckles nearly blushed red amidst her dark skin. The muscles in her hand began to ache and she had to remind herself to ease the forceful tension on the sides of the chair. She coached herself to remain calm as she sat back and tried to relax. Her rapid heart slammed against the walls of her chest, refusing to cooperate.

  “There was an APB put out 2 days ago,” Julian said as he pulled the leather gloves on his hands. “A man, fitting your description was feeding on a young woman—in public.” He went back to the weakened Ren, who was now holding his torso in a fetal position. “In front of everyone.”

  “I was behind an alleyway,” he coughed. “I wasn’t even—”

  “Taunting two police men with your fangs?” Julian raised his eyebrows. “Just like your buddy who did the same tonight. Was he the leader?” He seemed all to ready to step forward to Ariya in the alleyway.

  Ariya sat forward, feeling as if the wind was knocked out of her. How did Julian know about that?

  Suddenly he turned his head slightly in her direction as if to sense her thoughts.

  The Ren looked around at each of the Patriarchs of the houses then he turned to Ariya. His nervous expression switched to red hot anger in an instant.

  “You!” He pushed off the ground and raced toward her. Ariya held her ground despite feeling the rush of adrenaline in her blood. The Ren fell into Jace and Rich’s outstretched arms forcing him back onto the ground with a thud against the wall. Jace launched a kick toward the Ren’s chest, then another. His handsome face brightened with a sideways smile as he chuckled softly.

  Julian tightened his gloves over his hands as he reached down and grabbed the Ren, hauling him up by the collar. Slowly he cupped the shaky Ren’s neck and lifted him high overhead up over his head. “Who else knows about us?”

  “N-no-nobody, man!”

  “And you know this how?”

  The shaky Ren shook his head side to side. “Come on! Wh-What do you mean?”

  Julian gripped his jaw tighter, holding him higher. “Assuming these officers know who you are, they know about us. Correct?”

  “Well yeah—I mean no! No!”

  Julian dropped the Ren to the ground with a loud thud reverberating throughout the hall. He lifted his chin toward the guard at the door to close the door and give them some privacy. After the door lock snapped, he held out his hand. Jace stepped forward and placed a small capsule in Julian’s gloved palm.

  “I tell you what. I’m an honorable man. Not a monster. Not unless I have to be. How about I let you go if you give me the name of your leader. The very one who summoned this elemental. And tell me if he plans on sending out another one to finish the job.”

  “What leader?”

  “Last chance,” Julian warned with a sideways smile.

  The Ren shook his head, unsure of what to say.

  “W-what. Look, man.” His face was drenched in sweat, his chest heaving, as he looked around at all the eyes on him. Silently he pleaded for them, for anyone to help him, but they all remained still, and just watched him.

  “Here, why don’t I help you?” Julian placed his hands on the Ren’s cranium.

  Ariya felt the rush of images exchanged between them. A visage flashed in his mind; tall, lanky and fair with greasy scraggly hair that fell just above his shoulders. His eyes dark cloud and empty. Silver. The one who stayed behind to fend off the cops. Why did she get the feeling that wasn’t the last time she would see him?

  “Now,” Julian said breaking the connection. “A name.”

  The Shifter’s mouth opened then closed as he hesitated. “I-I don’t—”

  With an exasperated sigh, Julian forced the Ren’s jaw open and slipped the capsule on his tongue.

  “Bite.”

  The Ren followed direction and bit down. Not a moment passed before his body immediately vibrated with convulsions. He winced from the waves of pain shooting through his limbs. He let out an earsplitting yell. His fingers folded like claws as he held his arms to his body bearing the vicious pain overcoming him.

  Julian walked to him and hauled him up by his collar with two hands. He spoke slowly as if each word dripped like acid into his ears. “You have less than a minute to tell me exactly who your leader is, why he has the elemental and when he plans to strike. And don’t think for a second I’ll fall for that image you just handed to me.”

  The Ren gulped, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down. “Raine. Our leader’s name is Raine and that’s all you need to know.”

  “The truth!”

  “The truth is, Julian—you won’t be the only one with elemental powers. Not anymore. This house will burn and that Fairy witch will be the key to ending it all.”

  The Ren laughed wickedly. Blood slowly poured out from his eyes, mouth, nose and ears, trickling down to his clothes. “You won’t know. You will never know.” His body arched back and screamed sharply, as pain overcame him. The sound echoed throughout the room as Julian dropped him to his knees. His body convulsed then became paralyzed in place as if he was empty shell of what he once was.

  Julian wiped his designer suit down, careful to clear it of any debris. “Dig in, boys.”

  Jace and the other Nightwalkers in the room bared their canines and approached the fallen Ren. They descended to their knees and tore the Ren’s clothes to shreds, leaving him a shivering naked form. Their mouths widened and they dove into the fair, naked flesh like a swarm. Ferociously they fed upon his dying form. Ariya knew she shouldn’t watch but at the same time she couldn’t look away. She felt the heat in her body rise as she sensed Jace’s feeding. The Ren’s blood shifted through his veins, nourishing him like a beating heart should as it came back to life again. The Ren’s heart slowed before it fell silent and his body became lifeless.

  “Enough.” Jace rose wiping his mouth and motioned as the others stepped away from the dead body.

  Julian gestured for the two Lycan guards to take him away. With a grimace he kicked at the mess left on his rug. “Rug was a gift from Elizabeth Woodville; King Edward IV’s consort herself,” Julian mumbled to no one in particular. “Worth more than your life.”

  “We can’t let this go on without an investigation, Julian,” Michael Hammond’s gruff voice eased the tension in the air. “I don’t know if this Raine character is our man. Either way we know he’s still out there.”

  “Michael is correct,” Daoine said, stepping forward. “Who knows what the other Rens have revealed to the mortals and if this creature’s words were true, he’s still planning another attack.”

  Julian held up his hands to calm everyone down. “We will get to the bottom of this, I swear. I think it’s time we start closing in our line of questioning with the Rens on the street. Make sure you keep low in areas populated by mortals. The state is pretty widely spread out but still there are places where we need to be cautious and aware.”

  “I can get some of the Lycans out on the streets to keep their eyes and ears open,” Michael said. “Make sure they pick up anything the Rens may be plotting.”

 
; “It’s a good chance they may be keeping their leader hidden considering how big this plan is.” Julian slowly paced the area, deep in thought. “I’d like you to find out who this Raine character is in the mean time.”

  Michael nodded. “Will do.”

  “I’ll keep my men watching over the city,” Daoine said folding his hands in front of his body. “They’re sure to see something from the skies and if anything they may be able to work on integrating with the Ren’s society.”

  “It’s worth a try but take precautions so they won’t sniff out the agents.” Julian looked up. “Jace.”

  “Yes, Uncle?” Jace said, straightening his posture.

  “I need you to do something very important for me.”

  Jace nodded. “Anything.”

  “I want you to go and have some fun,” Julian said, placing his hands on his nephew’s shoulder.

  Jace’s eyebrows rose slightly until he realized the time. He checked his watch then looked over at Rich. “Right, it’s time. What about you?”

  “We’ll be fine. I will, however, call you if I need you.”

  Jace nodded and excused himself. “Ariya.”

  His voice pulled her out of her frozen position. She couldn’t take her eyes away from Julian as he stood calmly before her when only moments ago his violent outburst sent a man to the grave.

  Sensing her thoughts, he relaxed his gaze on her and gave her a reassuring smile. “Thank you for your help, Ariya. Without you, we wouldn’t have been able to find out as much as we did tonight.”

  She forced herself to nod. “My pleasure,” said without thinking. Finally realizing Jace stood over her, she slipped her hand into Jace’s open palm and entangled her fingers within his. She allowed his strength to help her up and they filed behind Rich and Gael out the open door. Jace had mentioned that Rich had called him the same night she returned. Apparently he had invited everyone to a celebration. Despite the wild night she already had, she wasn’t sure if she could concentrate on the festivities. Whatever they may be.