A Kiss of Ashen Twilight (Ashen Twilight Series #1) (24 page)

Ariya breathed softly. Her heart beat echoed so gently in his ears in rhythmic patterns he almost swore she was fast asleep. Then her head moved slightly. “What happened?”

“The young goldsmith was kidnapped and taken aboard a pirate ship. His beloved didn’t hear from him for days but she refused to believe he would leave or that something happened to him. She waited five whole years and in that time he was able to escape, make a living to have enough money to care for her when they were reunited, and finally return to her so that he would carry out his promise to marry her.”

“How did he know they would meet again?”

Jace shrugged slightly. “He just knew. That was the main thing keeping him going all those years of work. That and his promise to return to her.”

Her body vibrated slightly as she chuckled. “Is this a true story?”

“So I was told by my mother. The old woman showed her the ring right before she confessed to be the goldsmith’s love.”

Ariya opened her mouth to speak though no words could express her feeling at that moment. She felt Jace lean down toward her and the curvature of his smile against the crown of her head. Slowly he lifted his hand again to show her the rings.

“This one is the same ring the old woman gave to my mother who then gave it to me. She made me promise to keep it as a reminder that there is love in this world. But I had seen so much death and darkness that I almost forgot. That’s why I had it hidden away.”

He lifted her hand and slipped the other ring over her ring finger.

Ariya immediately jumped away taking the ring off her finger. She gingerly slipped it back in his hand. “Jace, I can’t take this.”

“Why not?”

“You can’t give this to me.”

“I choose to give it to who I wish, Ariya. And I want you have it. I want you to remain my betrothed.”

She reached up to caress his cheek as she stared into his eyes. “I can’t stay here.”

“Just a little while longer.”

Jace bent down to gently kiss her lips. The idea of her wearing the ring that he kept all these centuries touched the shattered remnants of his heart. Still he couldn’t help wondering if it was her turn to hide now. He wouldn’t let her go away so easily.

“Morning is coming,” Ariya said idly as she looked at the clock.

“So we will speak of this more tomorrow eve.” He slipped his mother’s ring on his finger and placed the other ring on hers before kissing her fingers. The burden of the night’s battle weighed down on him as he slid back on the bed and urged her to lie back down on his chest. Morning was definitely on its way as he felt the mimic of death falling upon his worn body. He closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as he slowly gave in to waiting sleep.

* * * *

Avery walked along the empty desert landscape where the preternatural skirmish took place. He waited until the police finally left before he walked over to the spot where the elemental was eliminated. His group of Shifters cornered the area, their senses keen on anything that seemed out of place. A dark spot indented on the ground in the shape of a figure caught his eye.

“Close,” he said softly. “Yet so far.” He reached into his coat pocket and flipped open his cell phone.

“Avery,” said the deep voice on the other line. “Good news?”

“Yeah, dad. Looks like they succeeded in vanquishing it.”

“No sign of it anywhere?”

Avery shook his head. “None. I had to wait until those mortal cops left. They didn’t see anything, but I can tell they were here.”

A deep laugh spread across the line.

“You must be thinking what I’m thinking,” Avery said with a sly smile.

“Of course. Round two.”

“I’ll work on getting the Fairy. Meanwhile, you can go ahead and get the preparations ready. I have a feeling this won’t take long.” Avery flipped his cell phone close. “Let’s move out!” He gestured for his men to return to the car. Mentally he began to prepare for the Fairy hunt that would ensue for as long as necessary. This time, he wasn’t giving up until his family usurped the power they so rightly deserved.

* * * *

Ariya awoke hours later. Her warm body shivered as Jace’s cold skin touched hers. Through her sleepy haze she looked up at Jace and noticed his arms wrapped around her. His pale muscled chest served as her pillow and his arms were her comforting security blanket. She must have fallen asleep as he fell into his rest. She didn’t want to leave but she recognized the peaceful look that spread across his face and knew he wouldn’t be awake until night. For now his body was literally dead complete with the cold, steel tenor of death; absent of the rotting aftermath. Slowly she slipped out from under him and reached for the ground with her outstretched toes. Her bare feet were already cold and became colder at the touch of Jace’s wood floor.

She didn’t think about taking the clothes that Jace left for her. They were technically still his after all. For now, she needed to get home before she changed her mind and return to the comfort of Jace’s warm, soft bed. As she stopped at the frame of the bedroom door, she turned back to watch him sleep, hoping to embed the image in her mind. His bare chest remained still with not a breath passing into his lungs. His handsome youthful face was motionless in a temporary death.

Something caught her attention out of the corner of her eye. She turned to look at her hand resting on the frame and saw the Claddagh ring. Her mind replayed the moment before they fell asleep as he slipped it on her finger. Then she remembered his offer to become his betrothed. A sly smile crossed her lips as she caressed the smooth intricate design. It was beautiful beyond words. Not only in the thoughtful care had it taken to make the design but also of the sentimental story behind it. Still she couldn’t accept it. As much as she would love to lose herself here with Jace for the rest of her days, she couldn’t think only of herself. Her people needed her now more than ever. She was the only descendent left her family to rule the people of the Aziza. She had to think of them first and herself after.

Ariya closed her eyes and replayed all the moments Jace held her, looked upon her with passion and care. The feel of his body and touch on hers as he fed from her and she gave him her lifeblood was intoxicating. It was a feeling she had never experienced before, never read before in any text or her studies human anatomy. Yet it brought a desire to have him close to her each day. Part of her was angry for what she was about to do but she assured herself this was best at this moment. Jace would understand her actions once he realized what she left behind in the aftermath of her lands.

Slowly she slipped the ring off her finger and placed it gently on the wooden dresser. She ignored the sting in her heart as she took one final look at Jace sleeping peacefully.

Ariya gathered her strength and forced herself to continue walking out the door. Her knee high black buckle up boots sat near the front waiting for her. She quickly stepped into them and buckled them up then changed into the soft gossamer dress she wore on the first day in this world. Then finally she took her leave.

Outside the fiery horizon was a warm orange tint amongst the chocolate mountain hilltops surrounding the city. The air was still and thankfully pretty mild for this time of year. Later on in the afternoon, the temperatures would grow a little warmer.

Ariya rushed along the quiet residential area with only sparse amounts of cars rushing back and forth on the busier streets nearby. Looking around, she made sure no one spotted her as she readied herself to cross back into her own realm. In moments, she would be home and all her questions would be answered.

* * * *

Jace’s eyes flashed open and he bolted upright in bed. A flash of cold air breezed past his face. He jumped to his feet and rushed to the front door, but he knew she was already gone. The bareness of the apartment nearly choked him with mockery. The large apartment felt spacious and emptiness filled the room that never was there before. Then he saw it. The Claddagh ring he had slipped on her finger was left on his dresser with his other collectibles.

His gaze fell as his body tensed in physical pain. His stomach jolted with bile that crept up to this throat and he had to swallow a few times to push it down. Why did she not take his gift? It was a promise that he had made to no other woman in his life but Ariya—and she threw it back at him without another word. Not even a note to explain how she felt!

Jace tried to calm himself down though nothing would stop the fire erupting within his chest. He yanked the ring off his finger and hauled off throwing it against the wall, thankful for the loud clank it made upon impact though he knew nothing would calm his nerves.

He tried to reason to himself that everything would be okay. In fact, now he could resume his work and continue trying to face his duties at the Ashen Twilight house. He could freely feed from whomever he chose and not feel guilty that every woman thereafter would die upon his feed. There were no strings attached now. She had returned to her world and he could now return to his. The fantasy life was over.

Deep down he knew it wasn’t that easy. He wanted her to come back, he mostly hoped it. The question was, would she?

A shudder rippled throughout his body with the open air crashing against his bare chest. He rushed past the hallway and to his kitchen to grab a quick drink. His blood was depleting and his skin was cold from the lack of feeding before his slumber. He poured a drink from the fridge and took a quick gulp but it didn’t cool his burning desire. Bottled blood rarely did on most occasions. He closed his eyes as he felt the effects of the blood flowing through his system. His heart began to beat in slow weak pumps. For a moment he felt like he had when he was a mortal. His body warmed in that moment and the sound of his own heart beat ignited him, until it slowly died down to silence before it stilled again.

Jace slipped his shirt off and tossed it to the side, not caring where it landed. He grabbed his glass again and stepped into the living room. With another gulp, he dropped to the floor to do pushups; anything to distract his body from feeling as if his own heart was ripped out from his chest. His muscles contracted and pulsed with each breath he pushed out. The sweat was already growing at his temples. His heart was nearly bursting out of his chest, spreading the blood he had consumed. He had to get rid of this emptiness—this desire. He never felt connected to anyone before. To feel that would be a weakness, an almost intangible vulnerability, and the extension of this was best described by Julian’s situation.

Jace gritted his teeth as he pushed his body off the floor. Before he pushed her out of his mind, there was one thing left he had to do. He tried to slow down his breathing as he retrieved his paint brushes and canvas from inside the living room coat closet. With every passion that cornered his body, he painted through the early hours of the night.

Chapter 8

A
riya walked across the green lands of the forest allowing herself to take in the ruins surrounding her. It felt different now. The forest where she used to play as a child when she took breaks from her studies had now become a distant fantasy land. The bright shining sun sitting amidst the azure blue sky was a mockery of the night that had become her new home. Through the dark brown towering stalks of trees she saw the aftermath of the fire that tore down her home. Broken shards of crystal and crushed stone formed a soaring pile in the middle of the open meadow. She spotted a few of her guards and ladies-and-waiting but no where was any of her friends and family.