White Lies: (The Uruwashi Series #4) Read Online Free Page A

seikonō abilities but looked like a fledgling. And with the extensive ancient knowledge her great, great Grand-sire had graciously passed onto her, she could even project her presence as a fledgling—a powerful bluff if any.
    But she was not projecting as a fledging and Desmond knew everything that had happened in Greece. He’d been there for it all. Instead of pressing the issue, Ash jumped right to the thing that was really bothering her.  
    “The mask?” she asked a she let imagines of her past experiences with the mask flow freely from her for the other vampire’s consumption.
    Desmond made a noise through his teeth, a cringe as he caught the images and offered his own in return. He flicked his spent cigarette over Tristan’s head. “Aye, she be of a mood today.”
    Ash returned his frown.
    “Nothing to worry ‘bout, wee lass. Just…” He sighed. “Be what it be, is’all.”
    “I see.”
    “Something wrong?” Tristan asked as he stepped closer to the others and then tensed when he heard the crunch of snow and gravel behind him.
    Desmond flicked a glance behind them and then smiled sadly at Ash, “Com’n then.”
    A flash of jealously hit Ash and she turned to Tristan. His mind was locked up tight, but his emotions, they always leaked off him in waves of tickling fingers that groped at her psyche. And every other vampire within reach.
    Desmond thought he loved Ash and Tristan was very aware of those feelings. But Ash saw Desmond’s love, of what he considered love, just a burden to them both. He was fixated on her in the unhealthiest of ways but she understood the why and pitied him for it.
    Inside, the same corridor that they’d travelled down just a mere week before Lucien’s rampage was now a wholly different place than it used to be. The dark stained wood pillars butted with massive fusama and oil lamps were all still there, but now they all seemed dead. There was no fire lit in the lamps to give life to the lewd carvings. Everything was cold and empty.
    A sudden rush of excitement washed over Ash a moment before Simon burst into the hall behind them, panting and rosy cheeked. He was smiling brightly as he worked off his shoes, hopping on each foot for balance. And when Tristan glanced back to smile at the fae, a tendril of regret flowed out of him.
    Anticipating the worst from the ancient Master and not wanting to upset her just yet, Ash slipped her knee-high boots off to leave with Simon’s—Tristan declined, despite her warning. Desmond only rolled his eyes.
    Ash fell in next to Tristan and took his hand. She squeezed lightly to tell him she was there for him and the turmoil he was shifting through in his locked-up mind. He squeezed back, a little smile curling his lips. Off to the side, Desmond noticed the silent words between them and snorted in aversion, getting the bird from Tristan in turn.
    Ash smiled to herself. Behind them, Simon was talking and no one tried to join in on his single breath monologue in which he was trying to persuade Desmond into going into town tonight for fun.
    When the group stopped at the back of the house, Desmond turned and shot Tristan a harried look. Something passed between them with that simple look, a touch of understanding that surprised Ash. Tristan was fighting not to smirk as he shrugged. Desmond scoffed again, only to hide his own smirk, and pushed the panel open, filling in the doorway so that the others had to brush past him to get by.
    Simon moved to follow, mouth still going, but Desmond stopped him with a big hand that nearly swallowed up the fae’s chest. Simon’s voice cut off with a sudden abruptness that left everyone in deaf silence. Tristan let out a long breath and lowered his head to smile at Ash, making her warm with that one small gesture.
    “Oi, Jennifer was lookin’ for yew.”
    Simon blinked up at the large Scotsman. Suddenly he broke out into a grin, all teeth, and grabbed for Desmond, beating his palms against the big man’s