The Ash Moon (The Ariane Trilogy Book 1)

by Michelle Dare

  “That was you and Aries.” I remember it from the book.

  She nods. “It was. Our story is real, Ari. I met him that way. I lived every day of those pages. Aries showed me how unconditional love could be. These men, these models of Lealla's, when they find the woman they are meant to be with, their souls sing in joy. They see no one else but her. I’ve seen it happen with every pairing in the pack. When Orion comes back into the house, I want you to watch him. Really take in his movements and the way he analyzes things. The way his eyes are either on you or scanning the area around you. You're ahead of the curve. You've read the books. All that's left is for you to truly absorb what they say.”

  The conversation lulls while we snack, then picks up again when she asks me about my parents and school. We avoid book talk. I'm not sure what to think about all this. Furthermore, what is this thing between Rion and me? We met, danced for hours, and now he's picking me up at school and taking me to meet his family. Are we a couple? I've never had a serious boyfriend before. The only thing left for me to do is ask him. But that pales in comparison to what Aries, Cassandra, and he are telling me. I’m not sure what to think anymore.

  Aries and Orion come back inside, and it's then I realize what time it is.

  I jump up. “I need to get home.” If we leave now, I can get there before my parents do. I'm not ready to introduce them to Rion when I don't even know what we are.

  We say goodbye and get back into the Jag.

  “Is everything okay?” Rion asks.

  “Yeah, I want to get home before my parents do.”

  “Do you not want them to see you with me?”

  “I'm not sure. What is this, Rion? What are we?” One conversation at a time. That’s how I’m going to take this. We can figure out what we are now and this whole other craziness later.

  “I'm sorry. I have to remember how different things are in your world.”

  “My world? Last time I checked we live in the same state, not to mention planet.”

  “What did you and Cassie talk about?”

  “Oh, no. You're not doing this to me again. Tell me what you mean.”

  He lets out a long breath. “I was hoping you'd read at least the rest of Aries' book first.”

  “Well, I haven't. I want answers. We have an hour in the car together.”

  “How about I make you a deal? You reread as many of the books in the series as you can by Friday. Then, Friday night, I'll take you out and answer any questions you have.” Why is everyone so intent on me reading these books? I've read them; however, if it means I finally get the answers I’ve been seeking, then I'll read them again.

  “Fine, but I still want to know what you and I are. What's going on between us?”

  “I can answer part of that. The rest will have to wait until Friday.”

  I groan loudly. “Fine.”

  “I want to be with you, Ari. I want us to be exclusive.” I wasn't quite expecting that. I figured he would ask if I wanted to date him, not be with him and only him. Though, given how protective he seems to be, it makes sense he’d want me to be with only him.

  “You hardly know me.”

  He shrugs. “Sometimes you just know.”

  “After a few hours of dancing?”

  He turns and smiles, then focuses back on the road. “I knew from the first moment I laid eyes on you that you were mine.”

  “I wish I had your kind of confidence.”

  “You deny you felt something for me when we first met?”

  “I'm not sure if it was something I felt when I first saw you, but I thought you were attractive.” Did I admit that out loud? I need to get home and out of this car.

  “It was more than that for me. I saw you from across the room. You were this beautiful creature. It felt like no one else existed but you. The world fell away. What was left was a single path from me to you.” If he keeps talking like this, I'm going to melt on his leather seat. I'll be nothing more than a puddle. “Then,” he continues, “when we touched, I knew you were her.”

  “Her?”

  “My...forever.”

  “Okay this is getting a little heavy. We just met. There's no way you know that already.”

  “In all the books in Lealla's series, there is one common factor—the men always knew when they found the person they were meant to be with.” Here we go again.

  “They are books. Nothing more. Of course they know. They’re wolf shifters. They have this magic or something in them that lets them know when they've found their mate. Then they spend chapters making the woman understand she is it for them.”

  “Exactly.”

  “Huh?”

  “Keep going.” He's starting to make me crazy. Wait. Starting isn't the right word. He is making me crazy.

  “Hold on. You're telling me you feel for me what all those men—in all those books—felt for their mates when they first met them? How everything in their life paled in comparison to that one moment when she appeared?”

  “Yes.”

  “You need to drive faster.”

  “Why?” he asks.

  “Because I need to get out of this car. It's a book! A fictional book! This is real life we're talking about.”

  “What if they were one and the same?”

  “Enough. No more talking until you pull into my driveway.”

  “As you wish,” he replies with mirth. I turn my body in the seat to look out the side window.

  This is ridiculous. How can he possibly think our lives are like those in books? Okay, sure, Aries and Cassandra met the way that happened in the book, or at least she said they did. Maybe they were mere muses for Lealla. She loosely based their book on their real-life story. She took a real situation and adapted it, adding the paranormal element. That's possible and doesn't sound wildly insane, unlike all these men being wolf shifters. I can't even wrap my head around that.

  I spend the rest of the drive trying to remember as much as I can about the books. Stuff that sticks out to me: traits, when the mates met, how the men behaved around them. It all makes my head spin. Rion is right about one thing: I need to read all the books in the series again. Underneath all this insanity, there’s a part of me that wonders about everything he’s saying. And that’s the part that scares me. Nothing to do but read now. Considering there are twelve books in the series, it looks like I won't be getting much sleep this week.

  7

  Rion pulls into my driveway. I didn't realize we were back in my hometown. Hold on.

  I turn to him. “How did you know where I lived?”

  “All will be explained on Friday.”

  “You know you're bordering on creepy. Tell me how you knew, or I'm not going with you on Friday to wherever you're taking me.”

  “I followed you after the party. I wanted to make sure you got back safe.”

  My eyes narrow. “But we didn't go to my house. We went to Paige's.”

  “I kept watch over you until you got back home.”

  “I'm not sure whether to be flattered that you thought enough to want to keep me safe or completely freaked out that you stalked me for the night.” I need to get a grip on my emotions. Something inside of me is rejoicing at the fact that he spent all night watching over me. Then again, why would he need to? The hesitation is there as to whether I should be happy about this.

  “If it makes you feel better, I don't think I could have gone home without making sure you were safely in your house.”

  “Why?”

  His eyes soften and drop to my lips. “Because you’re mine, Ari. There's no one else for me. My life will be dedicated to making sure you're happy, protected, and never want for anything.”

  “I don't know what to say.” Partially because he's leaned forward and his lips are a breath away from mine. What I wouldn’t give for him to close the remaining distance and press his lips to mine. Would the kiss be soft and sensual or hard and possessive? Maybe I’ll be the one to lean toward him and find out the answers t
o my questions.

  A car horn blares behind us. I practically jump out of my seat. If not for the seat belt still covering me, I might have whacked my head on the roof of the car.

  I spin in the seat to peer out the back window of the car. “Oh, no.” My mom is behind us and she's getting out of her car.

  “It’ll be fine. You'll see.” He gets out of the car without another word. This could be horrible.

  I jump out after him and round the back of the Jag to try and intercept him and my mom.

  “Mrs. Sanderly, it's nice to meet you,” Rion greets with an outstretched hand.

  She ignores him and focuses on me. “What's going on?”

  “Mom, this is Rion. He's, um... We’re dating.” My face flames with heat and is no doubt as red as a ripe tomato.

  “Are you sure about that? Sounds like you're guessing.” Then she's looking at him again. She takes his offered hand. “What's your name?”

  “Orion Raines. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

  “Uh huh. How old are you?” My mom. Never one to beat around the bush. No wonder I have the attitude I do.

  “Nineteen, ma'am.”

  “Don't call me ma'am. I hate that. How can you afford such an expensive car when you're only nineteen years old?”

  “My parents were killed when I was very young. I inherited all their money when I turned eighteen.”

  “And you thought it wise to blow it all on a car?” If possible, her eyes keep getting narrower and narrower. Pretty soon she won't be able to see out of them.

  Rion chuckles. “I haven't even come close to spending all of their money.” I have to give him credit. He’s fielding the questions just as easily as Mom’s doling them out.

  “Are you some kind of playboy? Like to prey on young girls and show off how rich you are?”

  “You have me all wrong. In fact, I've never been in a relationship with anyone before. Ari is the first girl I've met who I've wanted to spend time with. Before her, I kept mostly to myself, only interacting with other members of my family.”

  “Where were you two?” Then she turns and her scrutinizing gaze is on me again. “And why didn't you tell me you were going somewhere, Ari?” I never tell her what I'm doing. For her to ask me, she must be very mad about what she’s seeing in front of her.

  “I was only gone for a little bit after school. I made sure all of my homework was done before I left. We went to visit his aunt and uncle. Nothing more. He wanted to introduce me to his family.”

  Her eyes swing back to him. “How serious are you about my daughter? I don't like any of this. If you're really a stand-up guy, I'm going to need you to prove it. Ari isn't one of those girls who parties all the time and gets wooed by fancy cars. She's a girl of substance, who has a bright future ahead of her.” She's pulling out all the stops, especially since she knows I have no plans to go to college.

  I never found anything I wanted to study and decided to take the summer to think about my options. The last thing I want to do is spend my parents’ hard-earned money on college when I don't know what I want to do with my future. They don't make a lot as it is. They'd have to take out loans to pay for it, and I don't want them going into debt for me.

  “I have nothing but the best interests at heart where it pertains to Ari. I promise,” Rion says.

  “You're a teenage boy. I have an idea what your interests are.” My mom tosses me her keys. “Move my car, Ari, so Rion can leave.”

  I don't wait for her to say more. This could have gone a lot worse. On the other hand, it could have gone a whole lot better. I back her car out and wait for Rion to get in his. He says something to my mom before he does so. I hope it was nothing horrible. Though, I doubt he'd dig a deeper hole. He didn't say anything bad to start with. I bet that's why Mom doesn't believe him. He was saying exactly what he should.

  Rion is driving out of sight as I pull my mom's Volvo back into the driveway. It's seen better days, but it's reliable and takes her to and from her job as a nurse.

  She's waiting for me when I get out of the car. “Ari, you could have warned me there'd be a random boy in my driveway when I got home.”

  “I'm sorry.”

  “You were hoping he'd leave before your dad or I got home, weren't you?” she asks, while slinging her arm over my shoulder.

  “Kind of,” I reply sheepishly.

  “Well, just be thankful it was me and not your dad.”

  “Really? Because I think you were harder on him than Dad would have been.”

  She laughs. “Maybe. Now, tell me all about him.”

  We sit and talk while she makes dinner. I fill her in on how I met Orion through the author whose book signing I attended. I decide to leave out that I met him at the after-party. I say that Rion was at the signing with his uncle, who is one of the cover models on the book. Only part of that is a lie. Rion wasn’t there; however, the rest is true. She asks what he does for a living. I tell her he's going to be a model for an upcoming book. I thought she'd flip, but instead she cocks her head, and says, “I could see that.” She also told me she trusts me not to do anything foolish.

  I let the conversation change to other things like school and Paige. I'll leave telling her I have another date with him on Friday until later in the week. No reason to pile that onto everything else I’ve said already.

  My dad comes home just as dinner is being served. I'm dreading what my mom is going to tell him. They don't keep secrets from one another. Ever.

  “Ari, how was school?” he asks as he starts to slice into the food on his plate.

  “Good. I'll be happy when I graduate.”

  “I bet.”

  “Ari met a boy,” my mom adds casually.

  This causes my dad to put down his knife and fork. There’s a hard edge to his tone when he speaks. “And who is this boy?” He's looking at me, not Mom. I need to be selective with what I tell him and hope Mom doesn't fill in the rest.

  “He's nineteen, and I met him over the weekend at a book signing. He's very nice. I met his aunt and uncle today.”

  “I met him, too,” Mom states.

  “Oh, you did? I missed out on meeting the first boy my daughter has ever brought home?”

  “Hey, you've met Bray. He's over here a lot,” I say.

  “He doesn't count,” my dad replies.

  I roll my eyes. “Anyway, yes, Mom met Rion.”

  “And?” Dad asks. “What did you think of him?”

  “He seems very nice. He was courteous to Ari and to me. I liked him.” She says all this very nonchalantly as she's eating. I, on the other hand, sit with my mouth agape. I quickly close it before my dad notices. I'm so grateful Mom met Rion first and even more so that she hasn't said more. I'm sure if Dad knew he drives a car that cost more than half of what our house did, he'd have something to say about him. Hopefully, it will be dark on Friday night when he picks me up, and Dad won't be able to tell what kind of car he drives. I doubt I'll be able to get away with not introducing them, though.

  After dinner, I help Mom with the dishes as a thank you for not spilling everything. She knows why I'm doing it, too. She winks as she hands me a clean dish so I can dry it. Once we're all done, I head upstairs to start my reading, grateful, once again, I got my homework done in school.

  Hours tick by. I take small breaks here and there, but for the most part, I stay glued to my tablet. I finish Aries' book and move on to Dante’s. With each page I turn, I highlight certain things that pop out at me. Like the way the man acts when he finally meets his mate. The way he watches her intently. How his thoughts are solely on her and wondering how he can convince her to be with him, even though he's not an average human. Aries’ book was a little different. They were both wolf shifters, but they were each lone wolves. Dante is a wolf, but his mate is very human. He has to approach her differently—get her to accept him for what he is.

  Page by page, I find more and more things to highlight. And with each one, I gain a little insight int
o Rion's behavior. Could it be that he and Cassandra were telling me the truth? That these stories are based on their real lives? But they can't mean the wolf part, right? That's absurd. Humans don't shift. Vampires and the fae aren't real. There are no mages. No one can actually perform magic.

  Around two in the morning, I hear a noise outside. The house is eerily quiet as I tiptoe to the window in my bedroom, trying to avoid the creaky floorboards as I go. If my parents knew I was awake, they'd yell and take my tablet. They love that I read, but I learned last year that if they think I'm giving up sleep to read, they take my devices away. Nope. I don't want that to happen. Not now. Not when I feel like I'm finally on to something, although what, I’m not completely sure.

  Parting the curtains, I glance out in the dense trees behind my house. They go for a while until they meet a river. Nothing stands out to me. Nothing that could have made a sound. It’s only trees and darkness.

  Then, as I'm about to close the curtains and go back to my book, I see a quick flash of something green standing out in the darkness. But before I can locate it again, it's gone. I sit, staring out the window for a few minutes. Nothing happens.

  Back in bed, with my tablet glowing down on me, I turn a page and hear a howl outside. That's it. I have to put the book down. Now I'm hearing things. Enough wolves for tonight. They’re getting too deep inside my head. I should be sleeping anyway.

  8

  I'd like to say the next four days at school went by fast, but that would be a lie. Each day went achingly slow. I was exhausted and barely able to keep my eyes open. By Friday, I'd read eight out of the twelve books in the series. Every night, I read until I passed out. I was hoping to read the whole series by our date, but no such luck. I also never saw that green flash outside my window again, nor did I hear anything else howl. I firmly believe it was all in my head. The books are to blame for that.

  I didn't realize it until the next night when I was reading, but one of the traits of the wolf shifters is their eyes turn an emerald green when their wolf moves to the forefront. It either happens right before they shift, while they’re in wolf form, or if the wolf is trying to take over the human. It is the same color I thought I saw Rion's eyes change to that night at the party. Although, I didn't see them do that the next day when we were at his uncle’s place. I think I live too immersed in books. Maybe Paige was right. I have to remember they’re fiction.