Burning to Ashes by Evi Asher Page A

humanity, intent on destroying everything and anything.
    He let his beast forward, and between the two of them, they worked the ancient ritual to bring her new wolf under control.
    It was a risky deal. Not many Lycans would have interceded like this. Only the most powerful of his people could do the Delant— the ritual that prevented the change from completing. The chances of her turning and ripping them all to shreds were high. Right now, Scarlet was more monster than human, and her creature was feral.
    But Scarlet had a lycan half—the thought almost made him smile. That lycan was his wolf’s mate, and the only reason Archer might pull this off was due to that bond.
    She relaxed more under his touch, her transformation visibly stopping, and reversing. Her fingers curled as claws and uncurled in the dirt as normal human appendages.
    It worked.
    He wanted to shout for joy, but he kept his movements and his beast’s song going until the process could finish.
    Without warning, the change reversed completely and Scarlet’s body fell limp. Archer grabbed her before her face could hit the dirt. He picked her up, standing to cradle her in his arms. “She needs a safe place to rest. This will have taken a lot out of her.”
    Sophia opened the back door of the SUV so Archer could place Scarlet down on the backseat. He took off his jacket and covered her with it, then closed the door quietly.
    Erik glared at Archer. “Time for some answers, now.”
    Archer returned the machete look, and motioned for the others to follow him away from the SUV.
    “Why didn’t you tell us she was Lycan, Archer?” Erik was seriously pissed off, his feet stomping the grass flat as he followed.
    Archer stopped about ten feet away from the SUV and turned to the other Eternals. “She wasn’t a Lycan. This threw me as much as it did you. My wolf would have told me if she was Lycan from the start.” Archer blustered, but did a quick mental check with his other half who seemed to confirm and evade the question all at the same time.
    “I think you are talking horse shit, and I’m considering beating your puppy ass up.” Erik raised himself to his full height. “How about an extra tail next time you decide to go wolf.”
    Sophia stepped between them. “Oh, stop it Erik, you are such a drama queen.”
    Erik spluttered, “I. am. Not!”
    Sophia looked at him as if he’d just made her point for her.
    “How about more logic and less testosterone?” she offered.
    “Whatever you say, Mr. Spock.” Erik must have thought he had her until she smiled and answered. “Geeky…drama queen.”
    Sophia seemed to dismiss Erick as she gave Archer her attention.
    “Scarlet wasn’t a Lycan when you met her?”
    “No. There wasn’t a bit of Lycan in her. My werewolf would have known it immediately.”
    Tate stepped into the conversation. “But we just saw her change. How can you argue with that?”
    “That’s an easy answer.” Sophia looked like a middle school teacher about to tell her class the meaning of life. “She wasn’t a Lycan when Archer met her, but somewhere along the line, he must have bitten her, infecting her with the lycanthropy virus, and now, she is a Lycan.”
    “I don’t know how that could have happened, but this was her first change, and it was too early. If I’d let it complete…” Archer’s voice was low as he shook his head. “It would have been bad for us all.”
    “Okay, here are a few questions, then.” Heath held up his index finger. “Why would it have been bad?” He lifted another finger. “Why did she change before the normal full moon time?” The third finger came up. “When did you bite her, dude?”
    He raised his pinky. “Where is the bite? I haven’t seen anything on her that resembled a bite.”
    “You’ve been looking?” Archer’s stare became flat.
    “Easy, Cujo. I didn’t look any more than any hot blooded male would.”
    A low growl escaped Archer’s throat, and he took a step