Read From the Ashes (Witches of The Demon Isle Book 8) for Free Online Page B

edge, but with the fog and crashing waves, and the wake left by the ferry, the man was nowhere to be seen. And not found.
    “Hey. Lucas. What’s going on?” Lizzy’s voice filtered into his mind as if she were speaking from a distance.
    Lucas blinked. Hard. His eyes darting side to side.
    He took a few steps back.
    The crowd was gone. The boat deck empty except for he and Lizzy.
    “Lucas?”
    He stared blankly in reply.
    “Um, hello?” she snapped her fingers in front of his face.
    “I… I guess I fell asleep on the bench. I thought someone tried to jump overboard.”
    “Been right here and it’s only us.”
    He shook his head. “I really need some sleep.”
    “You and me both.”
    Lucas took his seat on the bench again. What just happened?
    Dozing off was the only explanation. He counted down the rest of the minutes until his head could hit a pillow.
    A memory popped into Lizzy’s mind. “You know, while I was a ghast, I remember hearing tourists and locals talk about a guy who jumped off the ferry. Killed himself as it turned out. Guess he’d found out he was sick or something, but it was a popular subject for weeks. He was from the Isle and everyone knew him. Damn, there was some controversy surrounding his death but for the life of me I can’t recall what it was now.”
    Lucas stared intently. “When did it happen?”
    “Hm, let’s see. If I remember correctly, I think it was around the mid-1950’s.”
    Lucas didn’t respond, his gaze narrowing in on the railing.
    “You okay, Lucas?” Lizzy asked him. “You’re looking a bit pale.”
    “Yeah. Wicked tired.” He blew off the coincidence in what she’d just said, compared to what he’d just witnessed.
    “I might check in with the Howards at the hospital before I go home and crawl into bed,” Lizzy told him.
    “You might want to reconsider,” Lucas pointed out, aiming a finger upward at the sky.
    “Oh, right. Sun about to rise. Probably not awake yet. Although if I know Charlie, and I think I’m starting to, he probably never left his sister’s side unless he had to.”
    “And we’re back on the werewolf…” Lucas teased with a dry grin. Charlie kept coming up in conversation.
    Lizzy gave him a half shrug. “No reason to hide the fact I plan on marrying the wolf.”
    “Is he aware of this?” returned Lucas.
    “It was his idea…”
    Lucas lifted a brow.
    “Well, not marriage. Not yet… we have to, you know, go out on a date first.”
    Lucas shook his head, amused. Charlie Howard had no idea what he was getting himself into. “Regardless of who you actually wish to see, Lizzy, I don’t think visiting hours start this early at the hospital.”
    She conceded he was probably right, but cared nonetheless. Although thinking about it for a few minutes, she decided it did come across a little too eager. And easy. She did care about Melinda’s condition. And Emily’s. It wasn’t all about seeing Charlie. However, the idea of making him seek her out was suddenly much more appealing. It was equally appealing to toy with the idea of dragging him away from the hospital and back to her bed. That’d make quick business of it all. Lizzy had a sinking feeling that would not be happening anytime soon though. If she had to bet money, she’d put it all on the wolf overthinking things and regretting his proclamation.
    She hadn’t really talked to Charlie since the night he’d showed up at the manor and told her he’d fallen, hard, and fast. She’d only seen him for a few minutes at the hospital while checking in on things there, and letting him know Riley had left and they were going after him.
    Charlie hadn’t brought up the love subject and she’d left it alone. Something told her it wasn’t just the nature of the moment keeping him from doing so though… he was definitely overthinking things. It was obvious by the way he avoided real eye contact with her, and kept things light, almost professional and job-like. It would take some