January Embers Novels & Stories

--- Burning Empire Chapter 1 Matteo’s heart hammered like a drum as he slipped through the crowded streets, clutching the small leather pouch tight beneath his coat. The city buzzed all around him — neon signs flickering, voices shouting, music pounding from nearby bars. But Matteo barely heard it. All he could focus on was the pounding in his chest and the sharp, cold weight in his pocket. This was it. His first real score.

His body was tense, coiled for attack. “You have five seconds to explain why you’re trespassing,” he growled. “I’m not trespassing,” she said smoothly. “I was invited.” I stepped beside him. “By who?” She held up a pendant, carved with the mark from my mother’s old journal—the Crescent Flame. “I’m Ember,” she said. “Elaine Greywood’s firstborn. Your sister.” I reeled. “No. My mother never mentioned—” “She couldn’t,” Ember cut in. “Because they erased me. Hid me. To protect you.”

Rowan's POV One week later* It's been a week, a wonderful week since Ember healed up from being poisoned by wolfsbane. She was poisoned by that demon called Zara, who pretends to be a cool and kind lady in front of Thane. She's just using him. Well, that's not the point. The point is that the second Ember walks through those doors, I won't hesitate to embrace her, kiss her, and tell her how much I have always loved her, despite being rude and harsh to her.

"Don't come in, Serena! This place is about to blow! You guys need to run!" Raiden was still heading out with Celia in his arms, but he paused when he heard my words. He looked back in disbelief at me. All warmth left his eyes, as though he were looking at a stranger. "How am I now realizing you're so sly, Winifred? "The firefighters will be here and can control the flames in half an hour! What will our colleagues think of me now that you're saying this place will blow up? Can't you be a little more considerate like Celia?"

As she stared out of the window, she wondered if Signoral had never been her true friend. “Why did she come to me?” Calista wondered aloud. Emily had claimed she was always in the same lecture hall, but Calista had never seen her until that night at the campfire, when Emily had been the life of the party. “What are you thinking?” Ranya asked, noticing her furrowed brow. “Signoral...” Calista began, using Emily’s given name for the first time since learning she was a Hamilton—a billionaire heiress who had chosen to run a lounge instead.

I wait til I hear feel the cold air drifting into the kitchen and the soft sound of a door closing before glancing into the hallway again. Through the doors glass I could see Embers back to me. The left side of her body was eliminated white from the moon and her hair looked like silver threads as they hung down her back. Creeping towards the door she shifts and a second later a see a silvery gold wolf dashing across the snow, her body low as she ran.

Emma turned, her hands trembling, the voice seemed familiar, tugging at the edges of her memory, but the swirling haze made it impossible to see. The ground beneath her feet was uneven, littered with shards of glass, chunks of debris, and the scorched remains of what once were lives. "Emma!" The voice called her name again and this time, it was sharper and more desperate. She squinted, her eyes burning from the smoke, through the haze, she could make out a figure, a man, his silhouette outlined by flickering flames, it was Jaxon. "Jaxon." She screamed, her voice raw with panic, she tried to move toward him, but her legs felt like lead, the closer she got, the farther away he seemed.

Carla and Travis watched from the sidelines, hands clasped. “We did it,” Carla said, her voice steady. Travis nodded. “And we’re just getting started.” The scars remained, but they were no longer wounds. Dave, Carla, and the other victims were healing, not just surviving but thriving, their journeys a testament to resilience, love, and the unyielding power of talent reclaimed. ----- This marks the end of the Burning Embers: Scorching Tales of Desire. Compiled short story arcs now made their way to their ends. See you next time. There'll be more ahead. Thank you!

"My answer is still the same. You're not going." Her green eyes narrowed. There it was. That tiny flare of temper I had learned how to provoke simply because I liked watching it arrive. It appeared that losing her memories had not taken that from her. That was good. Ember planted both hands on her hips. "We need the winterbloom. And you need the cure." "I do." "And the winterbloom is beyond the Veil." "I am aware of all three facts, Ember. It doesn't change anything," I deadpan.

Ember mumbled to herself, “But I fucking need him still.” Ember stopped in front of her apartment door and opened it with her key. Once she got inside, Ember removed her top shirt, leaving her in her sports bra. Ember went to the other side of her bed and opened the curtains. The street of Pinephil city isn’t that appealing to tourists at all. But the lights at this night hour would give justice and beauty to the city at least. “A sparkling façade of the gruesome life here.” Ember scoffed and softly closed the curtain. She went to her desk and opened her computer. She was about to take a seat when someone knocked on her door.