From Jennifer Ashley, With Love: Three Paranormal Romances from Bestselling Series

by Jennifer Ashley

  Poor guy. Valerian had no siblings that he knew of, dragons moving far and fast from their own kind not long after hatching. He barely remembered his own mother and he had no clue who his father was, and that suited him just fine.

  Adrian was different. He’d had camaraderie and a love with Tain and his other brothers, as much as Adrian snarled about them. One big happy, Immortal family.

  “Crazy,” Valerian said.

  “Who’s crazy?” The porch door swung shut as Sabina walked outside and plopped herself on the porch swing, lifting one jeans-clad leg and tucking her foot under her.

  “Adrian and his brothers.”

  Valerian sipped his beer while surreptitiously giving Sabina the once-over. She was slim and taut, her muscles honed for fighting, her legs long and strong.

  “You’ve known them long?” she asked.

  Valerian shook his head. “Only Adrian. I’ve never met his brothers.”

  “Amber and I have been best friends for years.” Sabina sighed and ran her hand through her tangled blond hair. “Did you come out here to be alone, or to get away from the noise upstairs?”

  Valerian grinned. “Are they making noise again?”

  “I was in the living room, but there was so much bumping and banging, the ceiling plaster started coming down. Septimus and Kelly are cooing in the kitchen, so no refuge there.”

  “I don’t blame them,” Valerian said. “Amber and Adrian, I mean. They’ve had a hell of a week.”

  “So have I, come to think of it,” Sabina said. “It’s not every day I have to rescue my friends from some freezing motel in Alaska and then help them fight a demon, not to mention an Immortal with a death fixation.”

  “Same goes for me.”

  Valerian studied his beer bottle, watching the condensation bead on the label. After a few moments, he rose and moved casually to the swing and sat next to Sabina.

  “Want some beer?” he asked. “I’ll grab one for you.”

  She shook her head. “Not with all the magic floating around here.”

  Valerian lifted his brows. “What’s that got to do with it?”

  “If I drink too much close to a flood of magic, it makes it that much more difficult to control the change. And I’ve never been close to magic that’s as strong as this.”

  Valerian carefully moved a strand of hair from her cheek. “It’s a werewolf thing?” he asked. “Dragons don’t have that problem.”

  “You get colds,” Sabina pointed out.

  “I was born in the tropics. My blood’s made for warm weather. I can stand it—almost—as a human, but not in dragon shape.” He took a sip of beer, his booted foot pushing the porch floor to move the swing slightly. “Wolves have fur coats.”

  “I’m not much for warm weather,” Sabina said.

  “Couldn’t work then, could it, a werewolf and a dragon?”

  Sabina made a slight shrug. “It could while we were in human form. In a temperate climate.”

  “That’s a good point.” Valerian leaned down and slanted his mouth across hers, tasting warm lips and an incredibly sweet mouth. Sabina rose to the kiss, lacing her hand behind his neck.

  They kissed for a long time. Valerian thought that if he’d had her along while he was flying around the icebergs, maybe he wouldn’t have been so cold.

  They kissed a little longer, Valerian bringing up his hand to cup her breast through her thin shirt.

  After a time they eased off. Sabina rested her head on Valerian’s shoulder and they sat, enjoying the quiet of the evening after battle.

  “I need to check in at home soon,” Sabina said after a time. “My dad’s already been on my cell phone, asking me what kind of death magic was going on here and why. They’ll all want to see me in person before they believe I’m all right.”

  “Your wolf pack?”

  “Something like that.”

  “You know, I was just thinking how dragons spend their lives alone, no parents, no brothers and sisters, no pack.”

  Sabina gave a short laugh, her breath warming his neck. “I’ve had nothing but family my entire life. Can’t go anywhere without them wanting to know every last detail about what I do.” She looked up at him, head moving on his shoulder. “I can’t put it off anymore. We’re only five houses down. Want to come with?”

  Valerian took another sip of beer then set the bottle carefully on the porch floor. “Sure, what the hell?”

  He rose, and Sabina walked down the steps of the porch, holding out her hand. Valerian slipped his larger hand in hers and let her lead him away.

  * * *

  The phone rang in the darkness, the peal shrill and insistent. Amber rolled over to pick it up.

  Adrian barely stirred beside her, his healing sleep deep. His head was pillowed on his arm, his hair a black smudge against the stark white of the guest bedroom sheets.

  “Hello?” Amber mumbled into the phone.

  “Sorry, Amber, I didn’t mean to wake you.”

  Detective Simon sounded embarrassed. The digital clock beside the bed read nine thirty.

  “No, I was just resting. What’s up? And where are you?”

  “Home,” he said. “I didn’t like to leave without saying good-bye, but I thought it was best.”

  “That’s all right.” Amber tried to remember when the detective had gone. Maybe when Kelly and Sabina had ducked out to the grocery store. Amber had been climbing the stairs to be with Adrian, and she hadn’t noticed.

  “Amber.” Simon hesitated a long time, as though he couldn’t bring himself to say why he’d called.

  “Thank you,” she said into his silence. “For helping me—us. For everything you did.”

  “It’s not over, yet,” he said. “Your vampire friend told me he’s gotten reports of a slew of demon attacks in Los Angeles, with about a hundred people killed. Looks like your demon’s going on the rampage.”

  Amber’s mouth went dry. She’d known banishing the demon and Tain from the house wouldn’t stop them, but she thought they’d give Adrian at least a day of rest. She looked over at Adrian asleep, his head on his bent arm. She hated to wake him, he looked so relaxed. You’ve done so much, but you can’t stand down. Not yet.

  “Amber?”

  “I’m here.”

  “I also wanted to say I was sorry for not being able to get Susan’s killer. I have a warrant out for the demon’s arrest, and the paranormal department is on it, but . . .”

  “An ancient demon from before the dawn of civilization will probably be a little hard for ordinary police to catch, even the paranormal unit,” Amber finished.

  “I wanted you to know I haven’t walked away from the case. That I’m here—in a professional manner, I mean. It’s my job to solve crimes, and I know your demon and Adrian’s brother won’t stop. I’ll render assistance with whatever you need. You just call me, all right?”

  “That’s kind of you.”

  Simon sighed. “No, it isn’t kind. It’s natural because I’m still assigned to the case. I’m trying to tell you I’ll help because it’s my job, not because I’m stalking you.” He trailed off, then drew a breath and began again. “What I mean is, I don’t want you hesitating to call me because I spilled my feelings for you up in Alaska. I’m a big boy; I’ll get over it. I don’t want you in danger because you were uncomfortable about calling. Am I making sense?”

  “Perfect sense. I promise I’ll call for help if I need it.” Amber paused. “I’m sorry it can’t be different.”

  Simon let out a snort. “Stop that. You aren’t sorry you’re with Adrian, so don’t pretend you are.”

  Amber saw Adrian lift his head, awake and watching her with fathomless dark eyes. “You’re right,” she said. “I’m not.”

  “And don’t be sorry for me. Like I said, I’m a big boy.”

  “You’re breaking my heart, Detective. I already feel bad enough.”

  He snorted again, and she realized he was laughing. “Don’t. You be happy with your mac
ho Immortal warrior. He ever hurts you, though . . .”

  “I’ll tell him.” Amber smiled into the phone. “Thanks for calling me. Good night, Detective.”

  “Good night. Tell Adrian good night, too.”

  “I will,” she said and they both hung up.

  Adrian reached across the bed to lightly stroke her thigh. “He’s in love with you.”

  Amber let out her breath. “He did imply he wanted to be more than friends, but that he’d back off because he knew how I felt about you.”

  “Hmm.” Adrian gave her an unreadable look and continued to caress her. She wondered what was going on in his head. Jealousy? Amusement? She remembered how he’d told Detective Simon in Los Angeles that he was glad there’d be someone to watch over Amber when he was gone.

  “There’ve been more attacks?” he asked. “I heard him.”

  Amber lay back down, not bothering to pull the sheets over her. “Worse than before, it sounds like.” She gave him a pointed look. “When you go after your brother and the demon, don’t argue about me coming with you.”

  Adrian did nothing but touch her gently, his fingers rough against her skin. “I’m not going after them, not alone,” he said after a long pause. “It wouldn’t do a damn bit of good if I did.”

  He looked delectable as he always did lying with the sheets twisted around his limbs, black hair on the pillow. His eyes held a grim light, his jaw tightening as he admitted what Amber sensed he hadn’t wanted to say for a long time. I can’t do this alone.

  “I’ll help you,” Amber said. “Whatever it takes, you know that. And Detective Simon just said that we could count on him any time, and Valerian . . .”

  Adrian sat up and pressed his fingers to her lips. “I’ll need more than your unique magic, and a dragon and a werewolf. I’ll need more than Septimus and the Seattle police. I need even more than your Coven of Light. I need an army, a powerful one that can rope in my brother, kill the demon, and stop Tain from doing what he intends.”

  “And you need me to help you recruit?”

  Adrian’s sternness dissolved into low laughter. “You wouldn’t know where to begin. What I need is an army of Immortals. One Immortal—me—isn’t strong enough to stop Tain. But all four of us together . . .” He scrubbed his hand across his unshaven face. “I really hate to admit this, but I need to find my brothers.” He fell back against the pillows and groaned. “Isis, help us all.”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  “Is finding your brothers so bad?” Kelly asked not long later, when they gathered around the table in the clean and well-stocked kitchen.

  Amber had made coffee for everyone and tea for herself and Septimus, who also didn’t like coffee. Valerian and Sabina sat side-by-side, very close together. They avoided looking at each other, but they didn’t throw sarcastic barbs at each other either. Amber found that interesting.

  “You have no idea,” Adrian said, hands around his coffee cup. “My brothers and I were made for a common purpose—more or less—a long time ago. You’d think we could work together, but it’s more like herding cats.”

  “Each one of you always thinks he’s right?” Sabina asked brightly. “Sounds like my family.”

  “I haven’t seen them in centuries,” Adrian added, running a blunt finger around the rim of his cup. “After the goddesses made it clear they weren’t too worried about losing Tain, I basically said up yours and went my own way. I assume Kalen and Hunter did too, because I never saw them again. Darius I think went back to Ravenscroft like the responsible Immortal he thinks himself to be. Don’t know if he’s still there.”

  “We could do locator spells on them,” Amber said. “I think. The Coven of Light could help. They have members all over the world.”

  “It might not be that simple,” Adrian answered. “Locator magic doesn’t necessarily work on Immortals. If my brothers don’t want to be found, they won’t be found.”

  “So, no putting up Wanted posters, then,” Valerian said in his rumbling voice. “Anyone with information leading to the whereabouts of Immortal warriors, contact Adrian. Description: Bad attitudes, big swords, cranky as hell.”

  Adrian gave him an acknowledging nod then went on. “Amber is right, the Coven of Light could help. There’s a spell of summoning, known as the Calling, which was used in the old days to summon Immortals to fight evil. It hasn’t been used in centuries, and knowledge of it might be lost.”

  Amber listened with interest. “You mentioned it when we were driving to Los Angeles. Don’t you know it? I mean, if it summoned you, you must have heard it?”

  Adrian shook his head. “I never knew what hit me until I was standing in front of the people who Called. I never heard what they chanted.”

  Valerian chuckled. “Embarrassing if you were in the middle of something private.”

  Adrian flashed a grin at him. “Too right. I have no idea whether knowledge of the spell exists anymore, or if my brothers will respond to it if it does.”

  “The Coven could research it.” Amber’s fingers warmed as her fascination increased. Searching for the perfect spell was a game she enjoyed, the more cryptic and archaic the spell, the better.

  “I’ve heard of it,” Septimus said.

  Valerian scowled at him. “I hope you’ve decided who’s side you’re on. Tain erasing life magic from the world should make you happy.”

  “Not really.” Septimus sipped tea. “If Tain unmakes the world in order to kill himself, he unmakes me with it, and I enjoy my long life. You do know why vampires become vampires, don’t you? The Turning is only successful when one truly fears death. Most humans accept death in the end and welcome the peace. Vampires will do anything to avoid that peace. I imagine the Old vampires will be more amenable to helping you stop Tain. The young are shortsighted.”

  “Yeah, vampires today,” Valerian said, shaking his head.

  “I’ll contact the Coven of Light,” Amber said. “They’ve all noticed the sudden increase of death magic, even though some have told me they’ve been sensing it for almost a year, but it’s escalated. They’re fairly powerful witches—one of them may know of the spell already.”

  “We need to find it quickly,” Adrian said. “Tain is already very strong and getting stronger all the time. The demon attacks in Los Angeles will seem like nothing in a matter of days. We have to grab him and stop him, because none of us at this table will be safe from him. We know what Tain and the demon are up to and the danger they present, so they will go for us as soon as they can.”

  “Thanks, I feel so much better,” Valerian said.

  “A spell like the Calling will need much power,” Septimus said. “Do we have it? No offense to you Amber, but in my experience deep magic to call ancient ones like Immortals takes vast power, not to mention planning and timing.”

  Adrian nodded his agreement. “Sending it on a day of power would be best, when we can focus as much magic as possible into an intense ritual. The moon is waning, and I don’t want to wait all the way to another full—”

  “Beltane,” Amber said, cutting him off.

  “Beltane?” Kelly asked. “What’s that?”

  “The night of April thirtieth into the first of May,” Amber said. “A power day and a major celebration. Beltane is about rebirth, the end of winter, the Goddess and God joining, rejuvenation and fertility.”

  “The power of sex.” Valerian grinned. “I can go for that.”

  “Figures,” Sabina muttered.

  “Beltane is the epitome of life magic,” Amber said, ignoring them. “A perfect time to raise the spell—if we can find it by then.”

  “Needless to say, I won’t be attending this life-magic fest,” Septimus said. “Better if I go back to Los Angeles and stand by to enforce order, if I can. I don’t want the demon turning my vampires against me, or killing them if they stick with me.”

  “The demon will hunt you down,” Valerian said. “I’ll bet he’s pissed off about you helping us find Adrian.”


  Septimus shrugged. “If I get into trouble, I’ll be sure to call on you, dragon. You can burn him out.”

  Valerian laced his hands behind his head. “Be happy to.”

  “Witches who dabble in death magic might know of this spell too,” Amber said to Septimus. “If you happen to hear of anything . . .”

  “You’ll be the first to know,” Septimus said.

  Sabina said softly to Amber, “Susan was going to be High Priestess at the Beltane festival this year, wasn’t she?”

  Amber’s throat tightened. “Yes.” Amber thought of the clutter of the workroom upstairs—Susan’s plans for garlands, the circle, the maypole, the ritual. She and Susan had been working on writing the ritual for the better part of the year, wanting to get it exactly right.

  “I guess we know who will be High Priestess instead,” Sabina said, looking at Amber then Adrian. “And High Priest.”

  The High Priest and Priestess guided the ritual and represented the God and Goddess, some said they manifested the deities themselves. The Beltane ritual was powerful, and any magic done afterward would be strong. If Adrian needed intense magic to work the Calling, they would find it after the Beltane ritual.

  Valerian hadn’t been wrong about the sex part. A powerful priest and priestess raising energy through the sex act could work highly charged magic. Never mind crystals and candles—sex magic could render amazing things.

  Adrian slid his hand over Amber’s and sent her a smile that hinted of sin. “I’d be happy to,” he said.

  * * *

  Amber began her search for the Calling spell that day. She contacted the witches in the Coven of Light via their email group, asking once more for their assistance.

  We need Immortals to stop an Immortal, she wrote. This has moved beyond avenging Susan’s death. We need to find the spell, and we need to find it quickly. We have ten days until Beltane. Will you help?”

  The response was an enthusiastic yes. Those online promised to pass the word to others in the Coven who couldn’t access the loop on a regular basis, then they signed off to start the search.