Between Embers (Lost Kings MC #5.5): A Companion to White Heat: Three Short Stories

BETWEEN EMBERS (LOST KINGS MC #5.5)

A COMPANION TO WHITE HEAT

AUTUMN JONES LAKE

Contents

Title Page

Copyright

About Between Embers

Acknowledgments

Foreword

TIMELINE

Teller

Murphy

Zero

More Than Miles Excerpt

Also By Autumn Jones Lake

Last Page

COPYRIGHT

Between Embers (Lost Kings MC 5.5)

(A companion to White Heat)

Copyright 2016 Autumn Jones Lake

All Rights Reserved

Digital ISBN # 978-1-943950-07-2

Edited by PREMA

Cover Photo: Dollar Photo Club

Cover Design: AJ Lake

Digital Edition License Notes:

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Publisher’s Notes:

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons living or dead, is entirely coincidental. The author recognizes the trademarks and copyrights of all registered products and works mentioned within this work.

Neither the publisher nor the author endorse or condone any actions carried out by any fictional character in this work or any other.

The
only
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Thank you.

ISBN: 978-1-943950-07-2

ABOUT BETWEEN EMBERS

If you were wondering what some of the other LOKI men were up to during Rock and Hope’s wedding…this is your chance to find out.

Between Embers (Lost Kings MC 5.5)
is a collection of three short stories, approximately 25,000 words all together. This is intended to be a companion piece to
White Heat (Lost Kings MC #5)
. If you do not enjoy reading similar scenes from a different character’s point of view, then please skip this.

If you were curious about what Teller was doing the morning of the wedding. What Murphy and Heidi talked about when she arrived at the clubhouse, or how Z and Lilly spent the night, I think you’ll enjoy
Between Embers
.

At the end, you’ll find an exclusive excerpt from
More Than Miles (Lost Kings MC #6)
which will be available on August 16, 2016.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I’m lucky to have a lot of supportive and encouraging people in my life. This seems like a good place to express my appreciation.

Mr. Lake, thanks for always being in my corner.

Thank you once again to Shelly, Angi, Clarisse, Tamra, Elizabeth, Amanda, Robin, and Iveta for your feedback. Than you to Andrea, Tanya, and Elizabeth for reviewing these short stories on short notice.

Thank you to my crit partners, who encouraged me to go ahead when I was ready to give up.

Thank you to my editor, Vanessa for giving me this idea.

Most of all, thank you to my wonderful readers who keep pushing and inspiring me every day.

FOREWORD

If you’ve purchased
Between Embers
and are now reading this, I’ll assume you’re more than just a casual fan of the series. These short stories are for you. Let me share with you how
Between Embers
came to be.

While we were in the process of editing White Heat, my editor made a comment about how it seemed an awful lot was going on with the other guys and she wanted to know what they were up to during the wedding. Of course, in my head, I knew exactly what everyone was up to. My secondary characters don’t
know
they’re secondary characters. However, it was impossible to show their activities through Rock and Hope’s point-of-views, or even Wrath and Trinity’s and it would have been extraneous in a book that was ready approach 125,000 words.

But the idea wouldn’t go away!

I’d been planning to do another book of short stories like
Three Kings, One Night
for a while now. I really love those stories—not everyone does because they’re “too short” (to which I always think which part of
short stories
was misleading?) To me they’re important to the series to give background on some of the characters who at the time when I published them, hadn’t been featured yet. I have referred back to them on several occasions.

Anyway, I’ve wanted to do another collection similar to
Three Kings
for a while and just haven’t been able to fit it in my writing schedule. My plan was to add
Infatuated
, the story featuring Z and Lilly that was included in the
Pink: Hot & Sexy Anthology
, since that is no longer available, one of Rock and Hope finally using their basement, and one other couple.

Except, I’ve been so caught up in Murphy’s world, toiling away at
More Than Miles (Lost Kings MC #6)
and one or two other projects, that this was pushed aside.

The damn idea for “between the wedding” stories wouldn’t go away, though!

Then I came up with—what I thought—was a killer title “Between the Embers” (then I whittled it down to
Between Embers
so it had two words like
White Heat
, since it’s a companion piece to
White Heat
) while sitting in a CR-RWA workshop (I get some of my best ideas at my CR-RWA chapter meetings—thanks guys!) Once I figure out a title, I get so excited, I’m committed to the project, but damn that Murphy didn’t make things easy on me!

As is my process, I had bits and pieces of each story written out. A few things that happen in
Between Embers
are critical (in my head) to future books, but this series is my baby, so naturally I think everything is critical.

There it is.
Between Embers
is intended to be a fun collection of stories to go along with
White Heat
. If you haven’t read it yet, these stories won’t make a lot of sense to you.

If you’re still reading—thank you! I hope you enjoy these little “between the scenes” glimpses into the world of the Lost Kings MC.

TIMELINE

Between Embers
contains chunks of time that were not seen in
White Heat.
Each story covers the same time period. Some events you
did
see in
White Heat
and you’ll now see them here through a different character’s eyes.

Teller’s story starts early the morning of the wedding and ends when he goes to bed. Murphy’s story also starts early in the morning and ends after the reception. Z’s story starts before the wedding and ends the following morning.

The day hasn’t even started, and I’m exhausted. I’m up at this hour so I can run home and pick up Heidi. I’m not expecting to run into the bride in the kitchen.

“Oh, Teller. You startled me.”

I run my gaze from her shiny robe, shorts, over her bare legs, and down to her fluffy slippers. “What are you doing in here?” My voice comes out harsher than I mean it to, so I force a smile.

Hope sets a carton of milk down on the counter. “I don’t know. I was going to eat breakfast, but I’m too nervous.”

“As long as you’re not plannin’ a getaway.” I was trying to be funny, but I just sound like an overbearing jerk.

She ignores me and pulls a loaf of bread out of the fridge, popping two slices in the toaster. “Do you want anything?”

“Coffee.”

“You’re on your own there. Every time I try to make coffee, it tastes like burned beans.”

“Trinity’s the one who knows how to make the coffee.”

She chuckles softly. “Yup.”

“So, you happy you’ll be out of the clubhouse after tonight?” Again, I sound more like a cop interrogating her rather than the respectful way I should talk to my president’s ol’ lady and I’m not sure why.

“I don’t think the house is ready for us yet.”

Prez said it would be ready tonight. He
also
said it was a surprise. I’m not sure why it bothers me that they’re moving out. It’s none of my business. “No. You know what I mean.”

“It will be nice to be alone with my husband.” Her lips curve into a dreamy smile. “But I’ll probably miss you guys. It’s impossible to be lonely here.”

Her words sock me in the gut, but I cover it up with a joke. “Come on, you’ll be happy to get away from all us dirty horndogs.”

“Well, I’ve definitely seen my share of things that can’t be unseen.” She fake shivers and I can’t help laughing.

“You’re so calm. I remember when he married Carla, she was a maniac. Screaming and yelling at everyone.”