The vampire had called her an abomination. She had opened her mouth to comment on how strange that was, coming from a bloodsucking monster, but closed her mouth again. It was weird enough that she didn’t want to even think about it. Besides, there were other, more pressing questions—-such as why the vamp had chosen to die rather than talk.
It could be vengeance. It could be something else. Whatever it was, it was personal. That thought made her queasy. “Are you all right?” Reynard asked. “Yeah,” Ashe said, keeping her voice light, impersonal. “He went down easily enough.”
Reynard sat down on the bench, head bowed. Ashe looked away. He didn’t look happy, but skewering the enemy wasn’t a cheery kind of thing. But then again, you didn’t get into this kind of work to talk about your feelings.
Ashe turned to lean on the railing. Below was the garden, bathed in starlight. A much better view than the vampire. The body had already started to shrivel. In about twenty minutes, it would be a pile of dust. It was as if time caught up with vamps, grinding them to nothing. Once he was gone, they would search his possessions for clues.
Above, the stars glittered like sequins on a torch singer’s evening gown. Below, the gardens glowed like a fairy kingdom. It seemed distant and surreal, a pretty mirage she could look at but not touch. She was made from a different element—something dark and dangerous.
At some point along the way, when her parents died, or when her husband died, or maybe when she’d bagged her first monster, she’d let herself slide into the darkness. Now that her daughter was home, she had to snap out of it. Kids needed a bright, shiny world. Eden needed something besides a monster-slaying action figure for a mom. Too bad Ashe didn’t know how to be anything else.
She would try. Goddess knew she would try. She would try to see the beauty in the world and look away from the shadows.
She heard Reynard shift on the bench behind her. “You should come see the view,” she said. “No, thank you.” His voice was quiet. The dark made it oddly intimate. “Why not?”
He was silent for a few heartbeats. “I have to go back to the Castle.”
“So?” She turned, leaning against the rail to face him.
He raised his head, but didn’t meet her eyes. “Whatever I see out here will make me restless, and I don’t have a choice about going back. It’s best I see as little as possible.”
There was so much regret in the words, it bruised her. Regret—that she knew. She could almost taste it like coppery blood on her tongue, sharp and familiar.
Now, finally, there was something about him that she understood.
And, Goddess help her, she suddenly wanted to fix it.
“I urge anyone who is a fan of urban fantasy and paranormal romance to put Sharon Ashwood at the top of their list!” —Night Owl Romance
Praise for Ravenous
“A multilayered plot, a fascinating take on the paranormal creatures living among us, plus a sexy vampire, a sassy witch, and a mystery for them to solve ... Ravenous leaves me hungry for more!” —Jessica Andersen, author of Skykeepers
“Sexy, suspenseful fun. Ashwood really knows how to tell a story.” —New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong
“Strong world building… Readers will look forward to the sequel.” —Publishers Weekly
“Intriguing and darkly entertaining—not to mention sexy. Ashwood is definitely making herself right at home with this genre.” —Romantic Times
“The world is interesting (I look forward to seeing more of it!), the romance gorgeous, the sex sizzling. There’s plenty of action, as well.” —Errant Dreams Reviews
“This tongue-in-cheek, action-packed urban fantasy hooks the reader from the opening moment... and never slows down.” —Midwest Book Review
“A fast-paced urban fantasy... nonstop action that will keep the reader turning pages long into the night. Ashwood has created a wonderful fantasy romp that’s tough to put down until the end. I look forward to reading the next installment in this series.” —Romance Junkies
“The world building is complex and absolutely terrific. But, most of all, it’s the powerful attraction between the spunky witch heroine and her sexy vampire partner as they battle evil that makes this story a real page-turner! With demons, hell hounds, weres, and vampires waiting in the wings, I can’t wait to see what happens next!” —Alexis Morgan
“I think I have found a new favorite series...I guess I have to wait for the next story, hopefully not for too long!” —The Romance Studio
“Ravenous is a fantastic read, filled with action, suspense, lush details, sizzling romance, and very memorable characters. Ms. Ashwood has created a very compelling world and left us with enough questions about the fate of certain characters to have us hoping that this is the start of a very promising new series.” —MyShelf.com
“Ms. Ashwood has created an intriguing world where both good and evil dwell in the shadows and things are rarely what they seem. Ravenous is a well-written and sexy read that makes for a great escape from the norm. I look forward to the next visit with the Dark Forgotten.” —Darque Reviews
“Ravenous is packed with action, humor, and a drool-worthy vampire. The demons and the hellhounds and the evil house with a killer mind (oh my!) are what set it apart from the fold. A whole new mythology surrounding the supernatural and how humans police them is introduced, and I can’t wait to see where Ashwood takes it. This book earns 5 tombstones for creativity, sex appeal, and one kick-ass house.” —Bitten by Books
“Sharon Ashwood hooked me from the first page! Ravenous gets off to a roaring start and the fast pace never relents. Ravenous has all the elements of a top-notch urban fantasy tale… It will be hard to surpass this book! I can’t recommend this one highly enough!” —CK2S Kwips and Kritiques