Ashes Reborn (Souls of Fire #4)Author: Keri Arthur
Genre: Urban Fantasy
On Sale: September 5, 2017
Publisher: Berkley Mass Market
ISBN: 9780451477910 | $7.99
Description:
The next blazing-hot installment of the Souls of Fire series from the New York Times bestselling author of Flameout.
The clock is ticking as Emberly—a phoenix capable of taking human form—races to take revenge against the sadistic and mysterious Rinaldo. The elusive rebel leader threatens to keep killing until he is given all of the research about a plague like virus derived from vampire blood.
Forced to reach out to the Paranormal Investigations Team for help, Emberly and her partner, Jackson, must decide who to trust as they follow the trail of dead bodies. When classified information is leaked and their safe house is ambushed, Emberly’s suspicions are confirmed—someone at PIT has betrayed them.
A final battle looms and Emberly will need to command all her powers—or watch the world turn to ash....
But it was a curse we could have ultimately lived with, if not for the fact that it came with one other kick in the teeth-that no matter whom we did fall in love with each lifetime, the relationship would end in ashes, just as the witch's had.
As far as I was aware, no phoenix had ever found a way to break the curse. I certainly wouldn't-not in this lifetime, at any rate. Sam might have gotten as far as talking to me of late, but I doubted it would ever progress beyond that. Not given what he saw as my complete betrayal of his trust-even if he now understood the reasons for it.
I drew in a deep breath and released it slowly, letting it wash the lingering wisps of regret and hurt from my mind. I needed to concentrate. The sun had almost reached its zenith, and that meant it was time to begin.
I stripped and placed my clothes onto the loose white tunic I'd brought here for Rory, and then kicked off my shoes. The slight breeze teased my skin, its touch chasing goose bumps across my body despite the sunshine.
Within me, energy stirred, energy that was a part of me and yet separate. Rory's soul, impatient for his rebirth. When phoenixes died-as Rory had in Brooklyn-their flesh became ashes that had to be called, and then retained, within the heat of a mate's body. If for some reason that process didn't happen, then there was no rebirth. And that, in turn, was a death sentence for the remaining partner, as phoenixes could only ever rise from their ashes through a spell performed by the mate.
And there was also a time restriction on rebirth. It had to be done within five days of death, or the life and the fire of those ashes would die, and the spirit and energy would be returned to the earth mother, never to be reborn.
It had been three days since Rory had passed. I was pushing it, time-wise-hence his impatience and, perhaps, a little fear. But I'd had no choice-the weather in Melbourne had been so bad, a fire would have struggled to remain alight. And while, as a phoenix, I could have kept the flames burning, I couldn't afford to waste energy when I had no idea how much I'd need for the ceremony. Because no matter how long I'd been doing this, no rebirth was ever exactly the same.
I brushed stray strands of red-gold hair out of my eyes as I moved into the center of the clearing and toward the square stack of wood I'd already piled there. The dry grass was harsh and scratchy underfoot, and the scent of eucalyptus teased my nostrils.
It was a perfect day for resurrection.
(1) Paperback copy of Fireborn (Souls of Fire #1) - Open to US/CAN only!
