A Kiss of Ashen Twilight (Ashen Twilight Series #1) (5 page)

Then he remembered the silence.

Jace looked down at his lover and saw her deep blue eyes icily staring ahead forever. He waited too long once again. Her thin, pale body already grew cold as he gently closed her eyes. He ran his hand over the thin, blond tresses splayed across his five thousand count Egyptian cotton pillows. With one gentle kiss upon her forehead, he reached for the cordless phone and dialed a number.

He let out a deep sigh, rubbing his hand over his face as the phone rang on the other end. His body slowly descended from the high while he still warmed up from the feed. He already missed the blissful elevation, but more pressing matters waited for him than his unquenchable thirst.

“Polidori here.”

“Hey Angel. It’s Jace.”

He felt her smiling across the line as she spoke her next words. “Well, well, well your highness. What could I do for a big important guy like you?”

Jace chuckled. “I’m not any of that high royalty right now. Just an heir moonlighting as a foot soldier for Julian.”

“Not just any heir, handsome,” she said with a chuckle. “Julian would have your head if you forgot how important you really are.”

“He doesn’t give me enough time to forget. That’s not why I called though. I got another accidental necro on my hands.”

“Got a little happy in the sex feed again, huh?”

Jace stared down at the still girl underneath him. “Apparently so.”

“Well,” Angel sighed. “Hang tight and I’ll be over in ten.”

“Ah, I can’t stay.” Jace pushed off the girl and moved to the cold area of the bed next to the girl. “Got an emergency meeting tonight with Julian. Okay if I leave her outside my door?”

Angel scoffed. “All right, but you’ll be risking nosy human neighbors sniffing around.”

“I’ll risk it.”

* * * *

After making a quick rest stop, Jace stepped was out on the street, feeling the cold night air on his equally cold skin. He loved the sounds of the city around him and of all the cities he’s been to, downtown
Phoenix
had to be the lowest key.

Summer was near. The air flirted with the cold one day and teased with a warm caress of heat the next. City nightlife sprang to life with car horns, bright lights and unsuspecting humans walking the streets to and fro.

He breathed in deeply, sensing the flurry of people, their thoughts and emotions along the busy street. Even though his body felt full from the recent feed, his nostrils tickled with the smell of blood. His mouthed watered to taste the sweet liquid. The city dwellers smiled, laughed and conversed among themselves. So unaware of what the world held beneath their radar for so many centuries.

Jace tightened the loose leather jacket around his torso. He waited until his driver opened the back door to the waiting limo before sliding in.

The Archane house was located downtown amidst the art scene. A massive green lawn and large foliage obscured the structure, nearly hiding it from the patrons who walked by. The ancient gothic European architecture was a vast contrast from the normal southwestern ranch homes in the area. Although it scared the crap out of the older residents of the town, it was a scream during Halloween time.

The limo rounded the circular driveway to the front of the house and stopped. As Jace stepped out, he spotted the three main sport cars parked out front. The black
Lincoln
town car belonged to his Uncle Julian, Patriarch over the House of Blood; the hunter green 1956 Jaguar Roadster belonged to Michael Hammond, Patriarch over the House of Lycans; and finally the dark green Corvette was Daoine Oberon’s, Patriarch over the House of Shifter Elves. Julian planned to pass down the
Lincoln
when the time came. As much as Jace admired the beauty of that car, he wasn’t ready to take the House of Blood throne or give up his BMW Volga Roadster. Sooner or later his uncle would have to understand that.

Jace ran up the steps to the front doors that opened automatically. He stepped inside and absent-mindedly ran his hands over his wavy shoulder length hair. A small gathering of the houses took place out in the foyer. He immediately recognized Brenden, the tall, bald, dark vampire in black sunglasses serving as head of security. Next to him Gael Almadovar spoke in small gestures. Gael took his office as regent to the House of Shifter Elves seriously. Although one wouldn’t know it from his calm demeanor. Gael’s milk chocolate complexion, piercing green eyes and strong Moorish features made him an easy weakness for the ladies.

“Not at the Torch tonight, Gael? I thought we were meeting there with Rich.”

“We are,” a hint of the Spanish accent lingered on his tongue. “I had to see Daoine before going in. There’s a big meeting going on tonight. I’d proceed cautiously, if I were you.”

Jace saluted with a grin. “They usually are in a meeting. See you in a few hours.”

Gael laughed, showing off his dimpled cheeks and shook his head.

The soft muffle of voices stretched all the way into the East wing of the hall. To any mortal it would be a low hum, slightly indecipherable. Jace heard the voices yet still couldn’t make out what they were talking about as he stepped onto the floor and headed for the door. Usually he tried not to interfere on the conversation, but there was no way he could willingly cut down on his keen hearing ability. Not that he’d want to, anyway.

“Here we go,” he said with a sigh.

The three patriarchs turned in his direction. Jace straightened his posture and held his head high.

“My dear Uncle,” he said, holding his arms out with a smile. “I came as soon as you called.”

His Uncle Julian stood around six feet with the looks of a smooth handsome man in his late thirties. Baby blue eyes complemented a mane of wavy brown hair tied back in a short ponytail. Jace could easily pass as his son and since losing his father so long ago, Jace did consider him a close father figure. After all, he was the next in line for the patriarch as heir to the House of Blood.

The older vampire stepped out from behind his desk to join Michael and Daoine in the middle of the room. He kept his gaze on Jace as he placed his hands on his friends’ shoulders and spoke.

“Gentleman, I do believe this meeting is adjourned.” Julian’s voice was tight, completing the tense gaze he threw Jace.

“Did I miss something?” Jace said with a smirk as he peered at each of the patriarchs.

“Elder business, we were just finishing up.” Julian’s voice remained unabashedly polite.

This was heavy. That was all right, though. Jace knew how to handle his Uncle after so many years. Just another kink in the land of cogs working on the bigger machinery. Nothing he couldn’t handle.

“Until next time, Julian,” Michael’s gruff voice was deep, spreading throughout the room. His strong gaze and intimidating disposition would send signals off in any mortal unaware of his true nature. A sly smile crossed the Lycan’s lips and his head gently dipped in a slight nod.

“Jace,” Michael said in a hoarse, farewell tone.

Daoine was another story. Tall, lithe and mystical, he was enchanting and stunned any human in his vicinity with his beauty alone. No one knew his true age, but the eternal magnificence of youth forever imprinted itself in his face and body. His thin, angular face and slightly sunken cheeks accented his regal look.

The Shifter Elf’s lips pressed together as he nodded on his way toward the door.

“Jace,” Daoine said in a voice reminiscent of soft choir bells.

“Gentleman.” The soft footsteps descended down the hall. Jace flung his arm forward, slamming the door close. Finally Jace turned to his Uncle with a wide smile on his face. He liked being in the company of such great leaders. At times it did feel daunting and frankly tiring. Of course he wouldn’t vocalize this nor think it in his Uncle’s presence, but sometimes a good mortal filled the empty space just nicely.

Jace couldn’t help smiling wider when he noticed the vein popping out from Julian’s forehead.

“Uncle Julian, I can’t say how happy—”

Julian’s hand whipped across Jace’s face like lightning, smacking him hard.

“You insolent little—!” Julian’s smooth voice turned raspy, a warning to alert he was pissed off to the edge. His jaw flexed as he exhaled to calm himself enough to continue. “You show some respect when you deal with your elders and that includes being on time when I ask you here.”

Jace straightened out his jacket, trying to maintain his composure. The right side of his face burned like fire while his mind raced to comprehend that he was actually hit like a little child. While he felt a little of his pride broken beneath his skin, he shook it off and widened the distance between him and Julian.

“I had a little detour on the way here.”

“Your appetite could have waited until afterward. And judging by your call to the Necro Cerberus, I’m thinking you would have done better to wait and take your time.”

Jace tried hard not to chuckle. Angel must’ve mentioned his call to Julian once they hung up. Either that or his phone was tapped by the blood brigade.

“Priorities, Uncle,” Jace said calmly.

“Of which you have yet to recognize. I won’t have the future patriarch over the House of Blood being sloppy and destroying our entire legacy.”

Jace sneered. “Thanks for having such great confidence in me, Unc.”

“Don’t you dare turn this around on me, Jacinus. You waltz around here acting like the eternal party boy with no care in the world for what’s important.”

“Oh yeah? And what’s that?”

“Responsibility.”

The word hovered in the air like a thick mist. Jace tried to shake it off with a laugh.

“Right.” He walked over to the large cushioned brown leather seats and sat down, stretching out his long limbs. “Is this why you called me here tonight, Unc?”

“Not necessarily.” Julian walked back to this desk and reached for the single folder on top. He pulled out the top sheet of paper and flipped it around so Jace could read it right side up.

“What’s this?” Jace asked with a raised eyebrow.

“The signed affidavit to give over your complete birthright and inheritance. Being the last Archane left, it is up to you to carry on our legacy. But if you choose to sign and relinquish it all, your life will be completely yours.”

Jace’s gaze bounced between the paper and his Uncle’s piercing eyes. He tried to study the look in Julian’s, but it was completely unreadable. He wouldn’t dare try to read the ancient Nightwalker’s mind at the moment. He was no fool.

“You mean if I sign this, it will all be over? My duties, all the expectations—I’ll be able to live as I please?”

Julian nodded once. “Completely.”

The paper appeared like any other legal document complete with an X signature line on his birth date; July 20, 1420. Jace dreamed of this moment since the days after the war with Vlad the Impaler. He didn’t grasp the beauty of being a Nightwalker until then and ever since that time, he partied like a man on his last night of bachelorhood. He had suffered too many losses for too long and it was time he focused on something else. Revelry seemed like an advantage in the act of crossing over into an immortal. Jace felt it was the most fitting, and as it turned out, the most rewarding. The signature should have been easy for him now that he had the chance for an escape. Though now the idea of his lavish lifestyle, his access to the finer things in life and the status of the Archane name was all too enticing to let go.

“What are you waiting for?” Jace shifted at the question in his mind verbalized by his Uncle.

“I—I just—”

“First time I’ve seen you at a loss for words, nephew.” Julian said with a smile. “Are you unsure?”