Across the Vanishing Sky (Starlight Grove, #1)(138)

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Curious about what happens after Nova's and Kol's paths collide? Get their story in Into the Fading the Twilight and keep reading for a sneak peek!

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There are two other Catherine-verse crossovers in this story. If you're curious about Dex's ex-FBI profiler friend Anson, check out Fragile Sanctuary!

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If you want to know more about Dex's true crime prodcaster friend Ridley, check out All the Missing Pieces and keep reading for a peek at both books!

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INTO THE FADING TWILIGHT SNEAK PEEK





NOVA AND KOL’S STORY





Nova


I trailed behind Kol, stepping into the darkness because he made me brave. But he didn’t go to the front door. Instead, he strode to the garage, which was connected to the house by a short, windowed walkway. Pulling out a set of keys, he unlocked a door.

I frowned. I wasn’t exactly a car or tool girl, so I wasn’t sure why Kol was leading us into a place that housed that sort of thing. But still, I followed.

Slipping inside, Kol led me around his Forest Service truck and toward a set of stairs at the back of the space. He took them one at a time, making sure I was with him every step. Then, he opened another door at the top of the stairs and stepped inside.

The scent of sawdust filled the air, and I took in the surrounding attic area. The walls were still exposed drywall, but a living space of sorts was beginning to take shape. A kitchen in one corner, a bathroom in another, and so many windows, the space would be full of light during the day.

“An apartment?” I asked, moving toward the massive window at the back. The moon illuminated the land just enough for me to see glimpses of the pastures and forest, with Mount Lupine in the distance. It was breathtaking.

“An apartment,” he echoed.

I stilled, taking a second before I turned to face Kol. A buzz lit beneath my skin. “Oh.” It was all I could manage to say at first.

Kol simply stood there, waiting for…something.

“And you’re showing it to me because?”

“You should live here.”

He said it simply. Like it was an undeniable truth.

“I should live here,” I parroted. I knew the Archer brothers were protective of Twisted Oak Ranch. It only took a couple of visits to realize that. Outsiders weren’t exactly welcome, and I got the impression the few dinners I’d been invited to were exceptions and not the rule. The fact that their middle brother, Orion, hadn’t graced a single one was proof of that.

“It’ll be ready in about two weeks. Maybe less if I can get my brothers to help,” Kol went on.

“Are you serious right now?”

Kol stared at me, those eyes stormy with flecks of light in their depths. “Phoenix. Sometimes, we have to walk before we run. Here, you’ll know you’re safe but will have your space. No one breathing down your neck.”

“Kol,” I croaked.

“I’ve got you.”

My eyes burned. Because I knew those words were the truth. He did have me. I didn’t know why the universe had brought him into my path, but I knew I’d be grateful for the rest of my days.

“You don’t even know me,” I rasped.

Kol didn’t look away. “I know enough.”

The words burned with the most beautiful, scarring heat. “Okay.”

His mouth curved into one of those rare smiles. “Okay.”

Get Into the Fading Twilight Here





FRAGILE SANCTUARY SNEAK PEEK





Anson


“What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

Her ire raised my brows a fraction, my practiced mask slipping just the tiniest bit. “What am I doing? You’re the one sneaking around a construction site. This is private property. I could’ve called the cops on your ass. Or worse, you could’ve broken your neck.”

She let out a huff of breath that made wisps of hair dance around her face. “I know it’s private property, you overgrown oaf.”

A muscle along my jaw ticked in a staccato punch as I tried to rein in my annoyance. “Then why the hell are you on it?”

“Because I own it,” she said with a haughty glare.

Well, shit.

I took in the woman with new eyes, my gaze raking over her in a fresh sort of assessment. Her deep brown hair was just a bit wild like it needed to go its own way no matter what anyone had to say about it. Her skin was a deep bronzy-gold and looked smoother than anything I’d touched in years. While petite, she had curves for days. Dips and valleys that had images of my best friend’s little sister swirling in my brain—thoughts I had no right to.

Shit was an understatement.

“Nothing to say now?” Rhodes demanded.

My gaze flew back to her face, taking in the defiance in her eyes. I respected the hell out of it, but I wasn’t about to let her win this battle. “Still shouldn’t be in here. Might be your property, but exploring it when it’s condemned is reckless and stupid.”