Twilight of Embers (Dragons of Ember Hollow, #1)

by Tessa Hale

“She doesn’t show any sign of scenting us.” Knox’s expression darkened. “Her parents were killed, murdered. She ended up in foster care.” Rage sparked to life from somewhere deep, a blazing inferno almost impossible to tamp down. “Mad, your eyes,” Knox warned. I closed them, working to get myself under control.

“How the hell are we going to explain it to her?” I didn’t have the first clue. “We have to tread carefully. And I can’t be involved.” Knox gaped at me. “She’s our mate.”

Staying away from your mate went against every instinct we had. It could cause physical pain, even sickness. “I don’t have a choice.” He shook his head. “That’s dumb⁠—”

“We need to call Cillian.” Our alpha had been back East, dealing with family drama, but he needed to know this.

Cáel wasn’t altogether stable. He’d been too broken for that. And I wasn’t sure what a mate bond would do to him. He might gut every man that looked at Hayden.

Delaney had made it clear over the past twenty-four hours that I was on her shit list. That was fine, but this petty, mean-girl crap was already getting old.

I really hoped this wasn’t an omen for my first day of classes. I tugged the zipper with my fingers, even though the pull was missing. It worked okay. But I knew I needed a backpack. It was also a reminder that I needed a job ASAP.

most people didn’t pay me any mind. I did catch a few girls glancing my way or whispering to their friends as I passed. The actions made my stomach cramp. I really hoped Delaney hadn’t spread some ugly rumor out of spite.

“Professor Brent?” His typing slowed, and he finally looked up. He was probably in his mid-fifties, with brown hair and a bit of salt and pepper woven through it. His hazel eyes swept over me. Something about the way he assessed me sent a shiver down my spine. “Hayden Parrish?”

“I like to do more frequent check-ins with my scholarship advisees. I want to make sure we catch any slip-ups before it’s too late.” I swallowed hard. The idea of losing my scholarship was just about the worst thing I could imagine. “Okay.” “We’ll start with every other week for now. Adjust from there.”

He pushed his chair back and stood, rounded his desk so that he was standing next to me, and leaned back against the mahogany. His leg grazed mine as he shifted, but he made no move to break the contact. I coughed, using the action to lean away and create distance. Brent’s eyes narrowed. “With such big goals, you’re lucky you landed me as an advisor. I’ve coached many students through their MCAT exams and into prestigious medical schools.” A wave of nausea swept through me as he moved slightly closer again.

“I should have you transferred into my section for that,” he muttered. “But I’ll have you for Intro to Psychology, so that’s something.” The way the professor spoke made my skin crawl, and I hurried to push to my feet, grabbing my backpack.

I wondered if you could switch advisors. But changing would likely piss him off, and since he was going to be teaching another one of my classes, that didn’t seem like the best idea. I bit the inside of my lip as I hurried down the hall. I rounded the corner and ran smack into a hard wall of muscle.

“Don’t you watch where the hell you’re going?” Easton snapped. My hands trembled at my sides, the adrenaline from my meeting with Brent still humming through my system. I’d been mostly lucky when it came to foster placements, but that hadn’t meant it was completely creeper free. I had a finely honed radar for sleazes for a reason. And being in such close proximity to Brent had sent the memories surging. “Sorry,” I muttered, trying to duck around Easton. His hand flashed out quicker than should’ve been possible, and he caught my arm. “What happened?”

I’d always loved biology. It had been the science that had come most naturally to me. It was chemistry that was always a struggle. I hoped that this would be one of my easier classes, but as soon as I stepped inside the room, I knew that wouldn’t be the case. Angry green eyes locked with mine, and I nearly tripped over my own feet. Easton. But he was a junior. Shouldn’t he have been in an upper-level science? I guessed not if he wasn’t a science major.

Across the aisle from him, my roommate chattered away. I didn’t think he heard a word Delaney said. And when she realized she’d lost his attention, her gaze followed his line of focus. The moment Delaney caught sight of me, red rose in her cheeks, and a scowl twisted her pretty mouth. Great. Just great. My favorite class was going to be ruined by two people who wanted to kill me with their eyes.

“Wren,” the girl said. Her voice had a husky quality to it, as if she didn’t use it often. “Nice to meet you.” She bobbed her head in a nod, and her hair shifted with the motion. It revealed a scar slashed across her cheek. I fought the urge to suck in a breath. Whatever had happened to her had to have hurt.

Wren—shares Biology class, long dark brown hair hangs in face, husky unused voice, scar on cheek

I scanned the room and didn’t miss a few girls fluttering their lashes his way. A surge of anger swept through me, and I had to grip the desk to get myself under control. Maddox’s gaze snapped to me, as if he could somehow read my emotions. His jaw tensed, and he forced his focus to the stack of papers in front of him. What the hell was wrong with me? It was as if every one of my emotions was in overdrive lately. I tried again to focus on my breathing as Maddox discussed the class’s syllabus, but it was a struggle. The words on my paper swirled and danced. By the time class was over, I thought I’d only heard about half of what Maddox had said.

I didn’t miss how Wren hovered at the back of the classroom until most of the students were gone and then made a beeline for the door. I frowned after her as I made my way up the aisle.

My first day had been beyond long. I shared three classes with my roommate, who’d made a show of whispering loudly about me to her friends. Thankfully, I only had the one with Easton. But who knew what tomorrow would bring. The workload at Evergreen was no joke.

The sign for Spark’s Diner had an adorable scrawl to it with little fireworks around the words. I’d combed the classifieds over lunch, and this was the best opening available. I just hoped my four years of waitressing experience would land me the gig.

“How can I help ya, darlin’?” a husky female voice asked. My gaze moved to the owner of the voice. She looked to be in her sixties or seventies, with lines around her eyes, and white combed through her blonde hair that was pulled back in a braid.

Fiona—owns Spark’s Diner, Southern husky voice, 60-70s, blonde streaked with gray hair

As I got closer, the woman’s nostrils flared, and her eyes widened. “Al-all right.” She cleared her throat. “I’m Fiona, and this is my place.”

“Very professional.” I shrugged. “I need a job. I wanted to give myself the best shot.” Something in the woman’s expression softened at that, and she turned to scan the sheet. “Looks good to me. When can you start?”

That three o’clock hour is full of students, and it’ll stay busy until we close at nine. On weekends, we stay open until midnight. Get a nice business from students trying to eat away their drunkenness. You up for working weekends?” “Yes, ma’am,” I said quickly. I’d take all the hours I could get, and then I’d be spending the rest of the time in the library.

A black Mercedes G-Wagon pulled into a spot right in front of the diner. Nothing about the vehicle was run-of-the-mill. The windows were so dark you didn’t have a prayer of seeing inside. The tires were slightly larger than normal, and the spokes were completely black, as well. I half expected Secret Service agents to pile out of it. I was wrong. The driver got out first. Easton

those two familiar faces were sitting at my reserved table. I approached warily. “Are you allowed to be sitting here?” Knox’s gaze jerked up at the sound of my voice, and a huge grin spread across his face. “Hayden, what are you doing here?” Easton scoffed and simply glared in my direction.

Knox frowned. “Aren’t you taking a full course load? Are you sure you have time for a job?” I pulled my menu pad out of my apron pocket. “I’ve managed work and school for a long time.” Apparently, that was the wrong thing to say, because Knox’s frown only deepened.

As I took in the man in the entryway, I froze. I’d never seen anything like him. He looked like he was born in a different time. The Viking era, maybe? He was massive, even taller than the twins, with broad shoulders and a muscled chest. His white-blond hair was long but shaved on the sides. The strands themselves were woven into intricate braids or dreads, and tattoos decorated the sides of his skull. The moment his light blue eyes locked on me, they flashed silver.

Cael—Senior, looks to be from Viking era, long white-blonde hair shaved on sides with tattoos and dreads or intricate braids, light blue eyes flash silver, taller than twins, massive, broad shoulders n muscular chest, scuffed motorcycle boots, faint scar on lip, tattoos on arms and hands and neck

“Cáel,” Knox warned. But it was too late. The Viking came right into my space and hauled me into his arms, crushing me to his chest. I let out an oomph at the impact. My first instinct was to shove him off or knee him in the balls. But the second his scent wrapped around me, I froze.

mix of freshly falling snow and campfire. Something about it held me captive, but more than that, it hit me with a longing that nearly took me out at the knees.

Cael’s scent

The man’s hand slipped under my fall of hair, and the moment his fingers touched my neck, that now-familiar zap of electricity coursed through me. He shuddered against me, seeming to feel the exact same sensation I was.

“Ceann Beag,” he whispered. “Cáel,” Easton growled. “Let her go.” ...

That concern morphed into pain. “Cáel. He’s one of our brothers. But he doesn’t always act like most people. A lot of kids on campus are scared of him.” Pain lanced my chest. “I know what it’s like to not feel normal,” I said quietly.

“Cáel doesn’t usually touch…anyone,” Knox explained. “He can’t handle the contact.” I sucked in a sharp breath. What would that be like? Not to be able to withstand any human contact. I didn’t get a lot of it. Even now, just having Knox’s arms wrapped around me was an overload to my senses. But I’d had something. Mrs. Johansen would hug me on big occasions like my birthday or graduation. Mr. Johansen would pat me on the shoulder when I got an A on a test. Cáel had none of that.

I understood his not telling me. It wasn’t any of my business. But that didn’t change the fact that there was a part of me desperate to know.

Once he decides he likes someone, he doesn’t deal well with any perceived threats against them.”

He leaned forward and pressed his lips to my forehead. Sensation ripped through me at this simple touch. A cascade of sparks, as if a firework had been set off next to us. I pulled back, and Knox’s eyes swirled gold.

“How do you know Knox, Easton, and Cáel?” Fiona asked, her voice barely a whisper. My brows pulled together. “Um, school?” I said it like a question but hurried to explain. “I met Knox and Easton at school. I just, uh, met Cáel.” Fiona’s eyes went wide, and her skin paled several shades. “You’d never met him before?” I shook my head. “I guess Knox just told him about me.” Fiona gripped my arm and squeezed. “Just be careful. They’re mixed up in things a girl like you doesn’t want any part of.”

The grit in his voice made me jump, my gaze snapping to his. The light blue hue of his eyes held me captive for a moment, my breaths coming faster. It was then I saw a faint scar bisecting his lip. Cáel extended his hands toward me slowly. Tattoos extended from beneath his sleeves and covered his hands. But his movements were gentle, as if he didn’t want to scare me.