Burning Ash

by N. J. Walters

  Lucifer sniffed the air. “One of the Egyptian bastards has been here.”

  “Sekhmet graced us with her presence,” Asher told him.

  Lucifer studied Jo with his dark eyes. She wanted to look away but didn’t. It was no different than facing a cobra or a rabid dog. Even though her first instinct was to run far and fast, she couldn’t show any fear.

  As compelling and handsome as Lucifer appeared, there was something sinister and malicious beneath the surface. She really wished she still had her sword in her hand, even if it wouldn’t be of much use, but it was currently lying on the ground several feet away.

  “That’s not all the goddess did. Congratulations on your immortality. Want to test it?”

  Asher thrust her behind him. “Stay away from her. Or, god or not, I’ll kill you.”

  Lucifer laughed. “My dear boy, you can’t. The balance between Heaven and Hell must be kept or all the worlds fall into darkness.”

  …

  Can’t. The word echoed in Asher’s mind. That’s what Maccus had said before. He couldn’t kill who he suspected might be behind this. They were all royally screwed. Not even Sekhmet could or would intervene. Not against the Lord of Hell.

  “He can’t kill you.” Maccus withdrew a sword from his back. Dark fire, glinting with blue and purple, exploded from the blade. “But I can wreak havoc in your realm. If you’re busy there, you have no time to interfere here.”

  “Put that thing away.” Lucifer tugged on the cuffs of his shirt to straighten them. “You’re taking this whole Guardian thing too seriously. I cannot interfere directly in the affairs of man. Or woman,” he tacked on as he gave Jo, who’d moved up to stand beside Asher, a cocky smile.

  She gave a slight shudder but didn’t flinch.

  What was Lucifer talking about? Why had he called Maccus a Guardian?

  “You can send demons to do your bidding.” A demon had taken his Jo from their home. “You can also manipulate the internet and arrange for contracts to be taken out on people.”

  The devil raised his hands in a mocking show of innocence. “While I am incredibly talented, why would I bother? Quite frankly, you’re just not that interesting.” But there was a twinkle in his eyes that belied his protestation of innocence.

  “You’re behind the contracts on Jo’s life.” In the same way he knew when a vampire was lying, he sensed it in Lucifer. The urge to attack, to beat the king of the underworld to a blood pulp, was almost more than he could contain. Only the potential destruction of the world kept him in check.

  “You have no proof, son of Sekhmet. I’m simply living my life and having fun. You should try it.” He turned to Maccus. “Are we done? I left a musician ready to sign his soul away so he can be a star, plus I have three naked women waiting for me at a luxury suite in Vegas. I’m busy.”

  Maccus lowered the sword. “You’re on notice. If anything else odd occurs, I’ll be paying you a personal visit.”

  “I’ll break out the flowers and champagne,” Lucifer quipped, but his arrogant facade had slipped. “It will be like old times. And I’m not your only enemy. When you became Guardian, you pissed off Gabriel as well, and who knows who else. Sure you don’t want to come along?” he asked Morrigan.

  “No.”

  “Then I’m out of here. And please don’t bellow anytime soon. I have business to attend to.” Then he was gone, leaving behind a stench of sulphur.

  “I hate that smell,” Morrigan muttered. Maccus sheathed his sword and put his arms around her. Asher had never seen such a tender look on his friend’s face.

  “You really think he’s behind this?” Jo asked. She rubbed her hands over her arms, still watching the spot where Lucifer had been standing.

  “I do. But he’s on notice now. You’ll be safe from him going forward.”

  “Not sure I understand why he’s so afraid of Maccus, but I trust you.” Asher’s chest expanded with pride as he slipped his arm around her. “And what’s with the Guardian thing? I don’t understand what that means.”

  “I don’t, either.” Asher looked at his friend, but Maccus’s face was hard as stone, his lips pressed together in a frown. Nothing could make him talk if he chose not to.

  “Fallen from Heaven, expelled by Hell,” Morrigan spoke, her voice a monotone, her eyes fixed on a point beyond them. “The Guardian will keep the balance of the realms. Balance must be kept, or all will be destroyed. The Brotherhood will be tested.”

  Morrigan shook herself. “Sorry about that.”

  “What just happened?” Jo glanced at him, and he shrugged. He had no idea.

  “Surprise, I’m an oracle.” She pointed a finger at Maccus. “He’s the Guardian. We were sort of appointed.”

  “By who?” Asher let Jo asked the questions, figuring Morrigan might be more inclined to answer them.

  Morrigan shrugged. “God, I guess.”

  “God? The big G?” Jo held her hands out in front of her. “I can’t deal with anything else tonight. I just can’t. We’ll go for coffee soon,” she promised. “You can tell me everything then.”

  “Deal,” Morrigan agreed. “We need to be friends since we’re both going to be around for a long time.”

  “Do you agree that Lucifer was behind the threats?” Asher asked Maccus. He didn’t want any more surprises.

  “Probably, but he is right. I made enemies in Heaven, too.”

  “Angels and demons,” Jo muttered. “Dan Brown would be shocked.”

  Asher laughed and hugged her. “It’s a bit different.”

  “We stay alert,” Maccus assured him. “I don’t think you’ll have any more trouble. Lucifer knows we suspect him.”

  “It’s not over.” He knew it in his gut.

  “It’s not, but I need some peace and quiet.” Arm around Morrigan, he started to walk away.

  She laughed and called over her shoulder. “I’ll call you.”

  “Not if I can help it,” Maccus muttered.

  Asher figured the big guy couldn’t handle much more socializing. Morrigan really had changed him. Or maybe it was becoming this Guardian. He shook his head. No, it was Morrigan. A good woman changed a man.

  He should know. Asher wrapped his arm around Jo. “Ready to go home?”

  “I’m more than ready.” Asher walked out of the alley. With Jo by his side, eternity was something to be thankful for. There would never be enough years to uncover all the layers to the woman who’d claimed his heart.

  Epilogue

  “I’m meeting Morrigan for coffee later today.” Pleasantly sated from this latest round of lovemaking, Jo nibbled on Asher’s firm jaw.

  “You know what that means, don’t you?” he complained. “I have to go because Maccus will follow her, sit at a nearby table, and glare at all the other customers. Then the cops will be called, and mayhem will ensue.”

  She laughed, because he was right. It had happened before. Morrigan still talked about it.

  “You know you love these outings,” she teased. “Gives you and Maccus time to bond.”

  Asher swatted her behind, making her jump. “Ouch. Just for that, you’re not getting the present I have for you.”

  He rubbed his hand over her bottom. “Let me kiss it and make it better.”

  “You’d like that.” So would she.

  “So would you,” he parroted her thoughts. “What’s my present?”

  Jo tracked kisses over his hard pecs and washboard abs, working her way down to his groin. His cock was hard and ready, the tip already wet.

  “Hmm, this is an exceptional present. It’s one of my favorites.”

  Her life had changed so much these past few weeks. She’d let her apartment go and moved into Asher’s penthouse. It was a lot to get used to, but she was up for the challenge.

  She licked his shaft from base to tip, drawin
g a deep groan. She loved the way he responded to her. “Don’t forget, you have to call Bernard.” The vampire and his family were all fine. They knew nothing about the message that had been sent. The whole thing had been yet another manipulation.

  “Later,” Asher muttered. “I’m busy here.”

  “You’re busy.” She swirled her tongue around the flared head. “I’m the one doing all the work.”

  “I promise I’ll give you a present later.” He tried to look innocent but came off as cocky, sexy, and all hers.

  “I love you.” That was the biggest change of all. Every day was a revelation.

  “I love you.” Asher pulled her up his body and rolled her under him. “Whoever was behind everything, I owe them because they brought you into my life.”

  He wasn’t wrong. The danger would never truly be over for them, but they’d face it together. They’d love each other and hunt the occasional rogue vampire. Life couldn’t get any better.

  “Relax,” she told him. “You’re very tense,” she teased.

  “I wonder why.”

  “Trust me. I got this.” She levered herself up and took him in.

  His fingers tangled in her hair, his love for her reflected in his eyes. “I never doubted it for a second.”

  Like FREE Books?! Download one of Entangled’s bestselling books here!

  Acknowledgments

  It takes many dedicated people to bring a book to life. I am incredibly grateful to the hardworking and professional staff at Entangled Publishing who had a hand in making this book a reality.

  A huge thank you to my amazing editor, Candace Havens, for believing in this series and pushing me to be a better writer.

  And special thanks to Liz Pelletier, Riki Cleveland, Heather Riccio, Curtis Svehlak, Jessica Turner, and Bree Archer.

  Thank you to all the talented authors and loyal readers that I am privileged to call my friends. Your support and encouragement means so much. I don’t know what I’d do without you.

  About the Author

  Once upon a time N.J. had the idea that she would like to quit her job at the bookstore, sell everything she owned, leave her hometown, and write romance novels in a place where no one knew her. And she did. Two years later, she went back to the bookstore and her hometown and settled in for another seven years. One day she gave notice at her job on a Friday morning. On Sunday afternoon, she received a tentative acceptance for her first erotic romance novel and life would never be the same. N.J. has always been a voracious reader, and now she spends her days writing novels of her own. Vampires, werewolves, dragons, time-travelers, seductive handymen, and next-door neighbors with smoldering good looks—all vie for her attention. It’s a tough life, but someone’s got to live it.

  Don’t miss the Forgotten Brotherhood series…

  Fury Unleashed

  Arctic Bite

  Also by N.J. Walters…

  Drakon’s Promise

  Drakon’s Prey

  Drakon’s Plunder

  Drakon’s Past

  Drakon Unchained

  Drakon’s Tear

  Drakon’s Knight

  Night of the Tiger

  Mark of the Bear

  Pride of the Lion

  Howl of the Wolf

  Heart of the Serpent

  Flame of the Phoenix

  Lure of the Jaguar

  Alexandra’s Legacy

  Isaiah’s Haven

  Legacy Found

  Quinn’s Quest

  Finding Chrissten

  Damek’s Redemption

  Craig’s Heart

  Wolf at the Door

  Wolf in Her Bed

  Wolf on the Run

  Wolf from the Past

  Wolf on the Hunt

  Wolf on a Mission

  Wolf in His Heart

  Wolf in Her Soul

  Wolf of Her Own

  A Touch of Magick

  Dreams of Seduction

  Love in Flames

  Discovering Dani

  The Way Home

  The Return of Patrick O’Rourke

  The Seduction of Shamus O’Rourke

  A Legal Affair

  By the Book

  Past Promises

  Discover more Amara titles…

  Bane’s Choice

  a Vampire Motorcycle Club novel by Alyssa Day

  Nothing is more important to Bane than protecting his Vampire Motorcycle Club from the death magic invading his territory. An ancient vampire, he seeks cold, unfeeling, bloody vengeance…until a frustratingly sexy human doctor is thrust into his path. Buttoned-up Dr. Ryan Sinclair never thought she’d find herself in a motorcycle club full of terrifying vampires. Or so intrigued by their enigmatic leader, who seems balanced on the knife’s edge of killing her…or claiming her.

  The Rogue King

  an Inferno Rising novel by Abigail Owen

  Kasia Amon is a master at hiding. To dragon shifters, she’s treasure to be taken and claimed. But now she can’t stop bursting into flames, and there’s a sexy dragon shifter hunting her… As a rogue dragon, Brand Astarot has spent his life shunned by his own kind. Delivering a phoenix to the feared Blood King will bring him one step closer to the revenge he’s waited centuries to take. But when Kasia sparks a white-hot need in him, Brand begins to form a new plan: claim her for himself…and take back his birthright.

  Pirate’s Persuasion

  a Sentinels of Savannah novel by Lisa Kessler

  Immortal pirate Drake Cole has a painful secret—when the Sea Dog sank in 1795, a young stowaway, whom Drake swore a blood oath to protect, went down with the ship. The ghost of a boy lost at sea over two hundred years ago leads local medium Heather Storrey right to Drake’s door. She’s determined to free him from his self-imposed prison. But how can she protect him from a curse no one can see?

  Night’s Kiss

  an Ancients novel by Mary Hughes

  Vampires killed my parents before my eyes when I was young. My revenge? I’ll destroy every last one of the evil bastards, starting with their king. But only one man can help me find him. Achingly tall, dark, and too-sexy-for-his-own-good, Ryker. Now it seems evil monsters are also after our prey, and they’ll stop at nothing to see us all dead. And why are we having so much trouble finding the king?