Stone of Ascension Read Online Free PDF

conversation.
    At least, that was her plan.
    Amber glanced at the clock on the car’s dashboard then took one last look through the crowd. No Nate. She still wasn’t ready to face him. Her stomach curled just thinking about him.
    Biting the bullet, she opened the door and exited into the frosty air that gusted off the water. It was a stupid place to hold a rally, but then she suspected the mayor’s publicity committee had hoped March would roll out like a lamb instead of the lion it was.
    She quickly crossed the street, tucking her head against the wind as she followed the small path through the park to the assembly area. The back of her hand prickled beneath her glove, reminding her why she had been avoiding everyone.
    The mark wasn’t easy to hide.
    Make-up, which seemed to fade quickly, extra-long sleeves and fingerless gloves had worked so far in keeping her dirty little secret hidden. Her aunt had remained silent and distant since her quiet outpouring of…what? Guilt? Anger? Resentment? Amber still wasn’t sure what it had been, but she’d left it alone, uncertain how to bridge the rift that had opened between them.
    Kayla, however, was more persistent, and Amber hadn’t been ready before now to dodge her questions about New York, Nate or her new fashion choices.
    The snow crunched beneath her boots, the low chatter of the assembling crowd growing louder but indistinguishable over the harsh brush of the wind. Amber kept her head down, her shoulders hunched against the cold that attempted to sneak around the collar of her coat.
    Her mind was busy rehearsing her words to Kayla, silently orchestrating the meeting, preparing herself to deflect any questions and act casual. The hard smack of wool against her forehead jolted her out of her thoughts right before her nose met the same unmoving wall.
    She jerked back in surprise. The bird mark burned under her glove, matching the odd sensation that scorched through her. Amber stared at the black wool as she caught a whiff of pine scent and realized she’d just rammed into someone.
    “I’m so sorry. I wasn’t looking…” The quick, embarrassed apology that tumbled off her lips died when the person turned to reveal the deep, crystal blue eyes of the man she’d just plowed into. Her breath caught.
    Damian Aeros. This time, she wasn’t imagining him.
    “No problem.” His deep voice glided through the air in rich baritone notes. “Are you okay?”
    He looked her over while she struggled to find her voice. “I’m fine. I’m sorry. I didn’t see you.” The jumbled garble of statements came out sounding just as flustered as she felt. Great. She took a deep breath and tried again. “I’m the one who ran into you. Are you okay?”
    A slight smile curved over his firm lips and lifted the hard set of his features. “I’m fine.”
    “I should watch where I’m walking,” she said in a lame attempt to hold a conversation. He was even more attractive up close, and her tongue suddenly felt thick and foreign in her mouth. “Then maybe I wouldn’t crash into innocent people.”
    “An incident that has allowed me to finally meet you,” he said smoothly. A light danced in his eyes as they held hers. The blue depths entranced her and reminded her of the sky just before sunrise when the purity of color was at its deepest.
    Heat flushed through her. What did he mean, finally meet her? She felt her cheeks burning and knew the blush was giving away her secrets. She smiled and hunted her blank mind for a witty reply.
    A punishing gust of wind pummeled her back in a surprise attack that forced her forward to within inches of his chest. He flicked his hands up to catch her arms, holding her steady. The tattoo seared and fluttered under her skin as a staggering flash of sensation consumed her.
    Her eyes widened as his face hardened.
    “What…” Her words trailed off under his rigid gaze.
    He dropped his hold on her arms and stepped back. His lips thinned removing the