Within the Shadows of Mortals (Book 2 in the Ashen Twilight Series)

After Liam Blakedon’s death, a string of events unfolds. Ariya is now an Aziza faerie Queen settling with Jace Archane, a Regent in the House of Blood, in the Aziza realm. The houses continue to move west after fighting for their survival against the elemental led by Liam Blakedon, a former guard in the Archane house. A new beginning is on the horizon until blood is spilled on their lands once again… Late on the highway leading to California, a massacre breaks out in the darkness of night ending in the death of a Lycan family. Word gets back to Ariya and Jace in the Aziza Fae realm and they return to see how much has changed since they took their retreat. Mortals have become aware that Nightwalkers, Lycans and Shifter Elves are alive and well in their city. Worse yet, Rich and his pregnant mate, Joanna, have disappeared on the trip from Arizona to California. Ariya knows that Jace is tired of running and hiding after centuries of living within the shadows of mortals. Now, she must choose a path that will force her to decide whether to help her immortal allies or rule the broken kingdom left behind after her parent's death. Soon, she finds that Jace's presence in the Aziza realm brings an ancient evil to life that only lived in fairytales...until now. At the same, a group of mysterious hunters begin picking off members of the houses one by one. Soon the house in turmoil as hunters attack, bringing on a fateful battle between mortal and immortal. Jace’s relationship with Ariya tenses and he may end up losing more than his humanity as he straddles the line between revenge and redemption.