The Elder Blood Chronicles Book 3 From the Ashes by Melissa Myers Page A

voice had begun to influence
her. I think it’s because they are closer now, and there are so
many. It’s hard to separate myself from them , she explained to
Jail, the remorse at last flooding through her. Jail was right. Her
mother would be disappointed. She had wanted a beautiful daughter,
not a monster. Help me learn to ignore them , Emily asked
with a light squeeze on Jail’s arm for emphasis.
    Gladly, if it will keep you from eating my
friends . Jail’s voice had lost a bit of its tension and she
could feel the muscles of his arm relaxing – the nice firm muscles
of his arm. Her gaze roamed from where her hand rested on his
forearm up the path to his broad shoulder. He was impressive in
form. Aspects be damned, Emily , Jail said, i t really is
fuck or fight with the Blights, isn’t it. Not saying it’s not
flattering to be admired like a piece of meat, but with a Blight
doing it, it’s flattering and frightening at the same time .
    Emily chuckled softly and let out a long
sigh. Sorry, Jail, I didn’t realize I was slipping this much.
You really are quite tasty looking though . The arm beneath her
hand tensed again and she chuckled again.
    Please don’t ever say that again , Jail
requested gently, and paused in his steps as a figure left the main
house. By the coloring and dress Emily guessed it was Wisp’s
brother, though she had never met the man before. He moved past
them with barely a nod and headed straight toward a massive white
horse. “Safe journeys, Victory,” Jail muttered as he watched the
man ride off.
    “Bugger safe journeys. May his horse trip and
roll on him. It would serve him right for riding something that
damned big,” Neph snapped as he approached from the house as well.
All mystery surrounding the departing man’s angry expression
vanished from her mind at the sight of Neph. The surly Delvay had a
habit of putting that expression on people’s faces.
    “May I ask what that was about?” Jail
inquired softly, his eyes locked on Neph.
    “Bloody Fionaveir wanted Jala to return to
the city with her people. He says it is by Lutheron’s orders. I was
kind enough to point out that none of us here have tattoos that
read I’m Lutheron’s bitch as he does. Then he demanded to
speak to Jala and I said I’d send him straight to her. At that
point Wisp started screeching something about not killing her
brother,” Neph explained and waved a hand in dismissal.
    “I thought you were supposed to have
political training. Did the thought of diplomacy ever once cross
your mind, Neph?” Jail asked in a tired voice.
    “Nope, not once,” Neph replied as he drew a
cigarette out of his coat pocket and glanced in Emily’s direction.
“More therapy, eh?” he asked.
    “How do you always know where I am?” Emily
hissed in frustration. No one else ever seemed to have a clue as to
where she was, but Neph did. It was infuriating to her and no doubt
the largest reason she hated to be in the man’s presence.
    “Well unless Jail has taken to walking with
his arm at that jaunty little angle all of the time, it was a given
that you are here. That and the fact that your grip on his arm
tightened when I started speaking and he now has little indents
from your claws in his arm,” Neph replied in his typical sarcastic
voice and Emily felt a growl building in her chest.
    “She is having issues with feeling like one
of us, Neph. Please don’t make it more difficult for her,” Jail
said with a sigh.
    If the instincts hit me when Neph is
around, I make no promises. Chances are, I’ll have him arranged
into cutlets and steaks by the time you hit the door , Emily
warned Jail through their link.
    Chances are that I will move slower to
save Neph than I did for Sovann, so you will likely have your first
steak eaten by the time I arrive to stop you , Jail replied with
a bit of amusement.
    “So what did you end up telling him to get
him to leave?” Jail asked in an attempt to change the topic.
    Neph glanced past