From Blood And Ash Series Novels & Stories

This was about blood. And before this was over, Moscow would drown in it. "I am coming for you, brother," I whispered to the rain. "And when I find you, you will beg for death before I am done.”

I grabbed a match from the mantle and struck it. “What are you doing?” Silas roared, lunging for me. I dropped the match. The gilt-edged pages, soaked in the dry rot of twenty years, caught instantly. The secrets of the Ares empire—the murders, the bribes, the “Conditioning”—erupted into a wall of orange flame. “I’m clearing the site,” I said. Silas tackled me, the weight of him slamming me into the mahogany desk. We hit the floor, a tangle of limbs and fury. I felt the detonator fly from his hand, skidding across the floor toward the vault.

I hated that he noticed. He chuckled low. “Good. ’Cause there’s blood coming, brother. You either pick up your cut or get cut out.” I turned to him then, eyes cold. “You ever think maybe blood isn’t the answer?” He leaned in close, voice a whisper meant to sting. “This is the club, Ash. Blood’s always the answer here.” Before I could reply, Griff’s office door slammed open and he stepped out with fire in his eyes and a paper clutched in his hand.

Content Warning; Chapter contains graphic scenes of violence. * ASHER’S POV Kill. Kill. Kill. No matter how many I killed it just wasn’t enough. I was covered in the blood of the three rogues who’d attacked her. And yet it wasn’t enough, it never was. When the lust for blood was awakened, it just couldn’t be quenched.

Chapter Thirteen: Sister of Ash The sky had turned a deep, smoky gray, as though the heavens themselves mourned what was awakening beneath the soil. Seren stood at the edge of the crater, surrounded by the wreckage of her birthright and the screams of the cursed tree that once marked Black Hollow’s sacred heart. Her robes—dark blue with silver embroidery—fluttered with energy. She hadn’t aged past her early twenties, her presence defying time, her expression carved from stone.

Her copper rune-threaded robes fluttered as she turned, eyes locking onto mine with a smile too sharp to be warm. “Elias,” she said, voice airy and bright as ever. “We need your help with a bit of an anomaly.” “Aurelian,” I replied flatly, not bothering to ask. “I heard.” Ashleigh didn’t deny it. She just flicked her wrist, and a scroll snapped open midair between us. “The gate scan confirmed dragonblood. Four times. Same result.” I raised an eyebrow. “And your solution is to… assign me babysitting duty?”

Every one of my senses was on alert, but I couldn't move from the spot I was in. Blood rushed to my head, and momentarily, I could hear nothing but stare at Zane in stunned silence. Zane grunted, breaking me out of my thoughts. His face twisted in pain, staring down at his chest. “Ashley,” He coughed up blood, stumbling slightly. “No, no, no…” I whispered, taking a step forward. Behind Zane stood Gamma James, his eyes were cold, and he was breathing hard. “Why…what's going on? He's your alpha and not the enemy,” I said with as much calmness as I could muster, even as I was going crazy, trying to make sense of the situation.

Besides, I think they're too impatient to do things calmly. "What do you know about this wine called 'Blood of the Wise'?" Judging Orion's expression, there's no doubt, he's willing to tell him everything he wants to know. Ah. The scent of victory.

KAI I told him everything I knew while we stood in the ruined study, both of us bleeding in different ways. None of it mattered anymore. We needed answers. “Everything,” I said again when Elias didn’t respond. He was still staring at me like he was waiting for the word to somehow change what he’d just heard. “Start with the letter.” His hand went to his jacket pocket. He left it there for a second before pulling out the folded paper. “She’s alive,” he said. “My mother. Or she was. Ashford Hollow. Two hours north. My father knew the whole time and never went after her.”

When the cup was empty, Ash held another cup to my lips, after the third cup I felt full but not satisfied. After a moment my surroundings came alive. I could hear Ash’s fast heartbeat and ragged breathing clearer. I turned to face him. His eyes were shut. “What was that?” My voice sounded labored. “Blood.” His voice reflected mine. I pulled out of his hold and stepped away from him. I shifted my gaze between the empty cups and Ash’s face, shocked. “What did you say?” “You said you couldn’t chew so I had him bring you blood. Don’t worry, it’s not human.” He opened his eyes and looked at me. There was discrete silver in them. “Your color is back and you look better.”