Page 111 of Ash Storm

“I … I don’t …”

Griffin reached her first. “It’s okay. Put the gun down, Chloe,” he said, very gently. Ash breathed a sigh of relief when she let go. Griffin quickly bent down and picked it up, tucking it into his belt.

He was also there moments later when Chloe fainted, picking her up before she hit the ground and hefting her once again in his arms.

“She’s okay,” he said, listening to her breathing. “She just fainted.”

“Is he dead?” Reka croaked, looking pale.

“He’s dead,” Ash confirmed, taking the man’s pulse, though the wound in his forehead left little cause for doubt.

Rogue staggered upright. His face was scratched and bleeding, and Ash could see red burns on the man’s back where his shirt had melted off.

“What happened to you?” Ash asked.

Rogue staggered forward. “His phone. We need to find his phone.”

Ash was closest. His right arm wasn’t working anymore, so he used his left arm to pat Afsan’s pockets until he came up with the newest iPhone model. His bloody fingerprint left a stain on the jeweled phone case.

Rogue slid down to the ground and picked up the dead man’s finger, unlocking the phone. From his cargo pants pocket, he brought out his own phone and a small, thin cable.

“I can get into his systems,” he said, speaking more to himself than to anyone else. “Give me a minute.“

Loud footsteps sounded on the stairs. Ash stood up, placing himself in front of Reka, before he recognized Dark and Slate. The two men took in the scene in front of them calmly.

“It looks like we missed all the fun,” Dark said.

Slate dumped a body on the ground next to Afsan’s dead body.

Reka jerked.

“Guess who we found taking a shit in one of the bathrooms?”

Ash snorted, only now noticing the man’s pants were around his knees.

“Alistair,” she breathed out. “Is he—“

“He’s alive,” Dark said. “Just unconscious.”

“He’s involved. He will know where the women are,” Reka said. “But if he won’t talk, then—“

“He’ll talk, believe me,” Dark said. “Thorne’s on his way for him. You all need to get out of here. I’ll stay and wait.”

Ash strode to Reka. He needed to touch her, to confirm she really was alright.

“Reka,” he began. His left hand came up to caress her face.

“Ash.”

Her arms went around his neck and she fell into his arms as if she was always meant to be there. Something—a feeling that was too strong to refer to it as simple relief—flowed through him.

And then she pressed her lips to his. The kiss stole his breath away. Her lips were warm, firm, and gentle, all at the same time, the friction between them exquisite.

She was alive—so alive.

And she will stay that way.

Eventually, she pulled back. She looked at Chloe, still unconscious in Griffin’s arms, as if assuring herself that her friend was safe.

“We’re going to have to—“

Ash tried to concentrate on her words but found himself distracted by the way blood continued to drip from his hand onto the floor. It suddenly struck him that the dripping might be a problem.

He swayed, and Reka reached out to hold him.

“Slate!” she shouted. Her voice sounded like it was coming from miles away—from the other side of the world.

Why would she ask for Slate?

Something shifted. Ash saw the purple lighting on the underside of the pool table. And then, he didn’t see anything anymore.