Ember Read Online Free

cheeks at the memory.
    Ivy scowled watching her closely. “Oh yeah? Then what was I saying?”
    “Something about your latest hot guy,” Candra offered with an embarrassed grimace.
    Ivy mashed her lips together in a flat line, letting Candra know she had guessed wrong. “Close, but no cigar. It was something about your hot guy.”
    “My…” Candra’s eyes automatically found Sebastian, who had come to a stop and was leaning casually against a lamppost across the street, his ankles crossed and a smug expression firmly in place.
    “He is not mine,” Candra finished sternly.
    “Good. You won’t mind if I take a shot then.”
    “What?” Candra gasped, appalled.
    Ivy’s lips slowly spread into a mischievous grin, and then she laughed. “I knew it.”
    Candra was about to protest, vigorously, that she didn’t want Ivy near Sebastian because she didn’t trust him, when a familiar figure stopped them in their tracks.
    Ananchel was clad in full leather again, looking every bit as strikingly beautiful as Candra remembered. Blood rushed to her cheeks, and ice spread swiftly up her spine, making her suck in a fast breath. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end when Ananchel grinned at her as if they were old friends.
    “You,” Candra growled in accusation and shoved a reluctant Ivy behind her.
    “Now, now. I hope you are not still upset about our last meeting.”
    “Candra, what the hell?” Ivy started fighting to move, but Candra’s arm was holding her fast, using her own body as a shield to protect Ivy from whatever messed-up power Ananchel seemed to process.
    Flame-hair was dangerous; Candra knew it. She glanced over to where Sebastian was standing by the post, his expression a mixture of incredulity and rage.
    Sebastian’s entire body seemed to vibrate. His foot moved forward as if he was ready to launch himself across the street. But he didn’t. He froze, and his taut lips mumbled something Candra couldn’t make out. The fingers of his left hand turned in before his knuckles hit the side of his leg hard. To Candra, it appeared he was putting a great deal of effort into not interfering in the scene before him. She couldn’t figure out why he didn’t want to help them.
    “Sebastian?” Candra mouthed soundlessly. Her distrust of him disintegrated—not completely, but enough that trusting Sebastian was still better than making polite conversation with a woman she was sure had tried to dispatch her a few days earlier.
    To Candra’s astonishment, Sebastian didn’t make a move, not so much as a twitch in their defense. She felt her face fall in disbelief and pushed back a step, forcing Ivy to stay behind her. Her estimation of Sebastian took a further nose dive in that moment. Over Ananchel’s shoulder, Candra could see Father Patrick at the door of the school, coming out to usher stray students inside.
    “Come now, Candra, I thought you and I could be friends,” Ananchel purred.
    Candra turned beseechingly to Sebastian, but he was gone.
    “Who in hell are you?” Ivy demanded.
    “In hell?” Ananchel echoed in a puzzled tone. “What a strange question, little one.”
    Father Patrick finally turned his attention to them. Candra supposed he was still too far away to see her dismayed expression but near enough he would hear her scream. She opened her mouth, but much to her horror, nothing came out. Instead, a rush of pleasure washed over her, making her legs give way. Unable to support her own body, she dropped.
    Or at least she would have if Ivy wasn’t quick enough to catch her.
    “That is not a good idea,” Lofi warned, seemingly stepping out from nowhere to block Ananchel from them.
    As fast as the wave of pleasure knocked Candra over, it receded, leaving her weakened and disorientated. Clutching her stomach, she leaned heavily against Ivy for support.
    “Lofi!” Ananchel greeted her, flicking her long hair over her shoulder. It was mesmerizing, shimmering and moving like roaring flames