When the Dead Come Home Read online

  Also by B.L. Brunnemer

  Books Of Stone

  Found

  Run

  The Veil Diaries Series

  Secrets From the Grave

  When The Dead Come A Knockin'

  When To Fear The Living

  Whispers From The Dead

  When Evil Comes to Play

  When The Dead Have It Easy

  When The Dead Come Home (Coming Soon)

  When The Dead Come Home

  B. L. Brunnemer

  Copyright © 2020 by B. L. Brunnemer

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Created with Vellum

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Epilogue

  Miles

  Lexie

  Jadis

  Evelyn

  To my wonderful people; Chrissy, Melissa and Susan! You guys are there for the late nights, the low points and the high. I could never have gotten this one done without you!

  * * *

  Also, to the wonderful staff at Grand Forks Chiropractic for being so patient with me when I forget my appointments because I’m working. Told you I’d add you guys!

  Chapter 1

  Saturday

  I let the tattoo shop door close behind me as I rushed across the parking lot. Asher was back. Smiling, I climbed into my Blazer and slammed the door shut. Last month, Asher had his first shift into a werewolf. Since then he’d been at Astrid’s house so she could mentor him through it. His entire life and body had changed. He needed to re-learn everything about himself. No one had really seen him since. I started the car and peeled out of the parking lot while practically bouncing in my seat.

  There had been some calls and Skype, but that didn’t cut it when you’d just started dating one of your best friends. Especially one you’d been crushing on for months, as well as crushing on and dating his four best friends. Yeah, it was complicated. Things were still new for all of us.

  My pulse beat in my throat as I pulled onto his street. Butterflies took off as I parked, shut off the car and ran for the front porch. Not bothering to knock, I simply shoved open the white door.

  Asher was walking out of the kitchen doorway as he lowered and tapped the screen on his phone. Those ocean eyes met mine. Everything stopped. His sandy blond hair was shorter than it had been a month ago. The bags under his eyes were gone now, his face that boy next door kind of handsome. Wide shoulders and that almost extra foot of height on me… I took it all in in a heartbeat while never pulling my gaze from his. A smile spread across his face, lighting him up as I ran to him.

  He came toward me, dropping the phone to the floor before he caught me in the air. I wrapped my arms around his neck as he held me tight in his. Warmth and happiness bubbled through me as I wrapped my legs around his waist. I took a deep, shaky breath of vanilla and cinnamon. Something inside me settled. Asher was home. Just like that, a month of not seeing him was gone as if it never existed. Light rolled through me as his face buried in the crook of my neck while he took his own deep breaths. A low growl rumbled in his chest, vibrating through me. I smiled against his skin. His wolf was happy to see me too. I think…

  “Was that a good noise or a bad one?” I whispered against his throat.

  He lifted his head, his nose trailing up my skin to my cheek. “Ally…”

  His deeper voice sent a shiver of heat through me. I met his eyes. The light and dark blue now had a thread of silver weaving through them. Definitely a good noise.

  I pulled myself higher, bringing my lips up to his. His lips moved with mine. Heat pooled as he kissed me harder, sweeping in and taking control. Thought long gone, I kissed him just as eagerly. The need to touch and be touched was almost a hunger. An entire month without seeing him, touching him, without that vanilla and cinnamon scent. He lowered me onto something soft before moving over me, his hand sliding up the outside of my thigh leaving want behind. Our breathing grew heavier as I slipped my hands under his shirt to touch scorching skin.

  “Damn, Ally. I missed you.”

  My body clenched at the roughness in his voice. “Missed you too.”

  His lips began kissing down my neck again, his fingers pulling the loose V-neck of my slouchy shirt down until the valley between my breasts was exposed. His lips and tongue traced down my breastbone to bury between them. My fingers dug into his hair as my entire body went up in flames. His lips found the curve of my breast; my head fell back as a small moan slipped from my throat. His hand squeezed gently as his teeth pressed into my flesh, shooting electricity down my nerves. My breath caught as I clung to him.

  At least until his teeth dug in more. Hot, sharp pain had me hissing. “Ow!” He didn’t let up; in fact, he bit harder. “Ash, that hurts. Stop!” Adrenaline poured through my veins like ice water. I pushed his shoulders away, but he wasn’t budging.

  His silver-blue eyes met mine before he jerked away and hit the floor. His gaze held mine as the silver began to fade while horror moved in. Did he...? I pulled my neckline down and looked at the bite. There was a perfect impression of his teeth in my skin. I wiped my fingers over it… no blood. I shifted my bra back to cover me before looking up at him as he slowly got to his feet.

  His face was pale as he wrapped his arms around himself and took another step back. “Did I—”

  “No, no blood.” I readjusted my shirt before sitting up and putting my feet on the floor.

  Asher moved back under the pass-through to the foyer.

  “Ash?”

  He shook his head. “This isn’t a good idea.”

  “We just got carried away. Astrid sent me a list of the big don’ts and that was right up there in the top five.” I shrugged. “I just really missed you.”

  His eyes were rough when they met mine. “Maybe this isn’t a good idea.”

  My heart dropped.

  “It’s the first time I’ve kissed you since my shift and… I almost drew blood, Ally.”

  “I know.” I gestured at my chest. “It was my boob, I’m kinda attached to it.”

  He went to say something but instead started laughing.

  I smiled and relaxed a little. “Ash, it’s going to take time. We’ll need to figure out what works for us and what doesn’t. We just need to be more careful.”

  He shook his head. “I might not have as much control as I thought.”

  I sent him my wicked smile. “Superman, you might not have noticed, but I wasn’t exactly in control either.”

  He grinned as he stopped rubbing the back of his neck. Then his face grew somber. “If we’re together, there’s a big risk of you being converted. I don’t know if I want to chance it.”

  “Where is this coming from?” I asked. Asher sounded like my old therapist when she wanted to bring up a subject.

  “Astrid said we really needed to talk about the risks of dating.” Asher shrugged. “After what just happened, we might as well talk about it now.”

  “Okay, let’s talk about
it.” I ran my gaze over his still tense shoulders. “Are you going to sit down, or do I have to chase you?”

  He snorted quietly as he came back into the family room. He sat down on the coffee table in front of me, his knees reaching the outside of my hips.

  “It is a very real risk that you might be converted, Ally,” he said, meeting my eyes. “Astrid says it happens by accident all the time.”

  “I’m a necro,” I reminded him. “Are we sure I could even be converted?”

  His grin was back. “I asked Astrid. She said she’d talk to Evelyn and get back to me with an answer.”

  I smiled. “Asher, I know the risk. But, it’s one I’m more than willing to take. And you can’t make that choice for me.”

  “I could kill you, Ally,” he reminded me. “I am a wolf inside; you can’t trust him not to hurt you.”

  “I don’t.” I met his eyes again. “I trust you.”

  “Ally—”

  “You stopped yourself, Ash.”

  He looked at me, doubt filling his face.

  I needed to make him understand. “I couldn’t push you away. I tried. You stopped yourself. You got yourself away from me before you broke skin.”

  He closed his eyes and hung his head. The tension radiating through his body made my heart ache.

  I reached up and lifted his chin until he looked at me. “I don’t play games. I don’t go back and forth. I love you and I want to be with you.”

  His gaze was steady on my face and silver slipped through the blue as my fingers dropped from his chin.

  My stomach knotted. “Asher, do you want to be with me?”

  His face grew softer. “You know I love you.”

  “Do you want to be with me?”

  His eyes were rough seas again. “Yeah.”

  “Then we’re going to figure it out, together.” I reached over and took his hand. “Running away is just going to hurt us both and make us miserable. And I don’t want to do either of those things.”

  “You’re right. But no more close calls.” His fingers squeezed mine. “I know we talked, but… how have you been?”

  I weaved my fingers with his and tried to smile. “Worried about having all of you in the same room again.”

  “Me too.”

  “I really missed you.” My voice all but cracked.

  He got to his feet, pulling me to mine. His arms moved around me carefully as I pressed against him. My eyes closed as I rested my cheek against his chest while he buried his nose into my hair. We simply reveled in the fact he was home and we were together again.

  I don’t know how long we stood like that, but soon Asher was lifting his head and loosening his arms. “The twins are coming.”

  I let him go as he stepped back toward the pass-through just before the door burst open.

  Isaac hurried into the family room, all smiles. How could I describe Isaac? I smiled to myself. He was about seven inches taller than me, his wide, built shoulders in a lime green shirt on top of camo cargo shorts. His short hair was longer than usual, shaggy and blue with darker blue streaks through it. His skin had darkened over the summer bringing out his brown eyes. There was a light to Isaac that I could never really describe. His personality just shone out of his eyes turning them into a unique amber.

  “Asshat!” Isaac ran into the room and tried to tackle Asher. Tried being the operative word. Asher barely moved a muscle as Isaac’s toes brushed the floor while he dangled from Asher’s shoulders like an unwanted backpack.

  Asher chuckled and looked at him. “What are you doing?”

  Isaac grinned at him. “I tried knocking you on your ass, but I guess that’s not gonna happen anymore.” He dropped to the floor and hugged Asher around the waist. “We missed ya, man.”

  Asher relaxed and patted his arms as Ethan came through the door. Ethan’s eyes met mine then ran over me. He had been doing that more often lately, finding me in a room full of people before even seeing anyone else. Every time it sent heat rushing through me and made my pulse pick up. As Isaac’s identical twin brother, they both had the same height and shoulders. The same straight nose and identical pouty lips. But that was it. Ethan tended to wear all black and combat boots while Isaac… well, Isaac wore whatever he wanted. Ethan’s straight, black, jaw-length hair was down and tucked behind his ears. The five silver hoops running up his right ear flashed at me as he leaned against the pass-through doorway. Ethan’s chocolate eyes were warm as they ran over my face one more time before he turned to Asher. “Hey, Asher.”

  Asher shoved Isaac away from him playfully before turning to Ethan. The light in his eyes dimmed, his smile faded around the edges. “Hey…”

  Ethan grew completely still.

  “Did you make any snacks yet?” Isaac called over his shoulder before he disappeared into the foyer and headed for the kitchen.

  Asher turned his head toward me though he kept his gaze on Ethan. “Can you make sure he doesn’t destroy my kitchen?”

  I snorted before heading into the foyer and following Isaac through the door.

  Isaac was already at the cookie jar in the sunlit room when I came in. I lifted myself to sit on the counter beside the jar and stole a few for myself.

  Isaac moved closer to my legs until my knees brushed his hips. “How was work?”

  I finished the bite of cookie in my mouth before answering. “It felt long. Like Christmas Eve when I was a kid.”

  He took a bite out of my cookie. “So, what’s the plan tonight?”

  “Food, games, hanging out.” I narrowed my eyes at him and pulled my cookie out of his reach. “And that other thing.”

  “Going over how the dating schedule is going to work,” he finished for me.

  I nodded and took another bite of cookie.

  His smile faded. “Red?”

  I let my smile drop and shrugged. Lately, it seemed Isaac was the only one I could show how worried I was. Miles was always trying to keep the guys on track and communication flowing. Ethan was, well, Ethan, and being oddly distant. Hugs had even become rare from him. Zeke had been quiet and not sleeping again. He had buried himself in the garage and work, naturally.

  He leaned over and brushed my nose with his. “We’re not going to let anyone screw this up.”

  I rested my forehead against his. “Even me?”

  “Even you.”

  I smiled as he leaned down and brushed his lips over mine. It had been almost a month since I had kissed him. I sank into him.

  Ethan

  Asher waited until the kitchen door swung closed before moving between me and the others. “What the hell are you?”

  I sighed. He’d noticed. That wasn’t too surprising. “Remember when those witches tortured me?”

  He nodded as he shifted to a defensive stance.

  “They did something to me.” I made a point to not move. “Ranulf noticed it on the camping trip.”

  His posture didn’t change an inch. “Start talking.”

  I lowered my voice and quickly summed up what I knew. Which wasn’t much.

  He eventually relaxed and stepped away from the door. “That isn’t much to go on.”

  I started to spin my rings. “Yeah, I know.”

  He glanced at the kitchen door then turned back to me. “They don’t know?”

  “Isaac does.”

  He shook his head. “You have to tell the others. You can’t go around without knowing what kind of damage you can do.”

  I nodded. “I know, that’s why I’m telling everyone tonight. Isaac’s been watching me, but he can’t do it all the time.” I shrugged. “So far nothing’s changed. I’m not wanting to tear into anyone, nothing different. I just feel… better.”

  His brow drew down as he moved closer. He began sniffing the air around me. He moved around me slowly, smelling me like a dog. I stayed still even when he got extremely close to my neck. He sneezed and backed off.

  When he was done, he shook his head. “It’s subtle, but there’s a s
cent. I noticed the change mostly in the way you walked.”

  I raised an eyebrow. “The way I walked?”

  He nodded. “You moved smoother, it’s something I noticed about shifters in the last month. They’re more… graceful is the only word I can use to describe it.”

  “Ranulf and Astrid agreed that I’m not a shifter.” I raised an eyebrow. “But I smell?”

  He nodded, his eyes un-focusing. “There’s your cologne, which by the way makes my nose itch. And under that, there’s a hint of smoke of some kind.”

  I shook my head. That really didn’t tell me much.

  “You need be extremely careful with Ally,” Asher said, drawing my attention again. “You don’t know what kind of damage you could do.”

  “I haven’t even hugged her in over a week,” I muttered. And I hated it. I missed touching her, seeing that happy look on her face when my fingers stroked down her back.

  “Good.” He turned to look at the front door. “Miles is here.”

  “He’s going to interrogate you.” I grinned as I started toward the kitchen.

  “Watch yourself,” he reminded me before I pushed open the kitchen door. I really didn’t need the reminder.

  Lexie

  Ethan walked through the kitchen door, his shoulders already tense. Isaac backed up away from me to lean against the island.

  “Miles is here. He’ll be having his usual ‘are you okay’ talk in the family room.” Ethan jumped up on the counter beside me and took a handful of cookies.

  “So, we have a while?” Isaac took the last bite of the cookie in his hand.