Hot Piece of Ash (Paranormal Dating Agency #28) - Milly Taiden Page 0,3

falling apart?”

“Excuse me.” Both men turned to see Isadora at the doorway. “I couldn’t help but overhear what you are talking about, with the door open and all.”

Ash smiled. “It’s fine, Isa. Please, come in.” The older woman took the second chair, and Ash sat beside her.

She glanced at both men. Ash waited for what she had to share with them.

She smiled. “Are you two serious about not knowing what’s happening to the island?”

Ash glanced at his beta, who shrugged and shook his head. In unison, they said, “Yes.”

Isa’s eyes widened. “Your parents didn’t tell you how the island’s magic worked?”

“Island’s magic?” Smoke questioned.

Ash searched his memory banks. “I remember something from a long time ago. Mom said the magic was related to the alpha and beta, and I didn’t have to worry about anything until it was my time.” That conversation came back to him. He was kid at that time and hadn’t paid much attention to the older people, including that conversation. He had been too busy trying to be leader among his friends.

“Anything else?” Isadora prompted.

“Yeah,” Ash said, “there was a lot of that talk when I was a kid.”

Isadora sighed and rolled her eyes. “Of course, there was.” She shook her head, and Ash heard her mumble something about men and paying attention. “As the story goes, your ancestors fled the European continent during the early medieval times to escape the slaughter of dragons.

“They landed here as the volcano had just erupted, and they needed a place to incubate the eggs about to be born. Of course, at that time, the Caribbean wasn’t the Caribbean we know today. Back then it was only the indigenous groups.” She waved a hand in the air. “You know the rest of that story, but what you’ve forgotten is that your kind has been here so long that your magic has seeped into the ground.”

Smoke’s eyes opened wide. “You mean the island’s taking our powers?”

“Seriously?” Ash wanted to slap Smoke up the back of the head. “No,” Ash grumbled. “It means that our magic has soaked into the island itself, and it’s what is keeping everything so perfect here.” That made complete sense to him. He hadn’t thought about it much, since the whole Caribbean was pretty much ideal in climate and amenities. But Costa Bonita had always been a step better than any other place.

From the corner of his eye, he caught his beta winking at their assistant to make her blush. He held in his sigh. That was typical of his second-in-command. Always trying to make the ladies smile and irritating the hell out of him—on purpose.

“Pardon me, Ash,” Smoke said, putting on an air of royalty. “You are correct. I had forgotten those particulars.”

“Liar.”

Both Isa and his beta laughed at his seriousness. He agreed that sometimes he was over the top when it came to worrying about things. He couldn’t help it. That was a natural thing for an alpha. His father was the same way. Fortunately, his mom—his Dad’s true mate—had been the perfect match to keep him from losing his shit completely.

“So, Isa,” Ash said, “what does that have t to do with anything right now?”

“It means dear boy, the island is tied to the well-being of the clan,” she replied.

Ash glanced at Smoke, wondering if they, or he, was out of touch with his people. No one was sick or dying. Everyone seemed happy and comfortable.

“More specifically,” Isadora continued, “the alpha triad.”

“Us,” both guys said.

“It’s time for you two to find your mate. From what I know, you’re a triad and need a third. Without her, you are not complete, and the magic is suffering.” Isadora wrung her hands together. “And by the way, the magic is losing control over the island’s natural inclinations, you better find her fast.”

Chapter Three

Later that afternoon, Ash couldn’t get the issue out of his mind. “We need a mate,” he sighed, rubbing a hand over the back of his neck. “If we plan on helping our people survive and keeping the island alive, this takes priority.” Were they a true triad? How would they know? Would their dragons tell them?

He knew he and Smoke were an alpha and beta team but did that extend to everything else? There hadn’t been a trio in hundreds of years. A while back when they had traveled the world they had happily shared women. Once they’d come home, they’d chosen to do their own thing separately.

Smoke nodded grimly from his seat in