by Lori, Rae
He gingerly approached her and set his briefcase and supplies down on the ground nearby. He scooped her up into his arms and held her warm body close to his. A mix of emotions raced through him. Fear. Relief. Anger. Content. Reaching in his pocket for the key, he balanced her body with one arm and unlocked the door with his free hand. Right away, he headed to his bedroom and gently set her down on his bed. He was amazed that he didn’t wake her. He went to retrieve his items from the hall when he sensed a presence. From the scent, he knew exactly who was watching. He peered up across the hall as the old woman’s door closed with the click of the lock. Jace closed his door and locked it with a smile on his lips. Who needed the cops when he had his own personal neighborhood watch across the way? Perhaps she would come in handy one day if he ever found himself being watched.
Once he returned to the bedroom, he stood by the door frame for a moment watching Ariya sleep peacefully. She was as beautiful as ever in her soft gown. Her dark feet were bare and he had to wonder how she could walk so freely on such vile streets. Mortals weren’t exactly the cleanest of species in this world. The thought of her risking her life near mortals to come back to him, made his heart swell. His body tingled as he walked to her and gently cradled her face in his hands. She was as beautiful as he remembered and so soft like a feather in his hand. He couldn’t help fearing for her life just then and at the same time being selfishly thankful that she had returned.
As if sensing his thought, Ariya roused and opened her eyes. Her tired visage brightened once she saw him. She bolted upright, wrapping her arms around his neck to hold him close.
“Jace!”
He remained still, careful not to let his body give away how much he missed her. Even though he did. Instead he reached behind his neck to unwrap her arms before he moved away. As much as he wanted to indulge in the feel of her next to him, he couldn’t quite let himself do it just yet.
“Jace—”
His gaze dodged hers. “Ariya, you came back.”
“Of course I did. I said I would.” She slipped off the bed and went to him. Her hands held his face, turning him so he looked in her eyes. “I’ve never stopped thinking of you.”
He forced her hands away and crossed the room. “You shouldn’t have come back, Ariya. You were in your world and I was fine here.”
“I had the dream again. I thought you may have been danger.”
“As you see,” he said opening his arms. “I’m fine. Everything’s well here.”
The ring popped up in her mind and she turned toward the dresser. Right away she noticed the rings weren’t there. She felt him curse his thoughts for giving himself away. “Jace, let me explain,” she said walking to him. “I couldn’t—”
“What about your family?” He said gruffly. “They must have been overjoyed that you left them a second time.”
Her heart nearly stopped at the sharpness of his words. He cursed himself again. He must’ve known. “They’re dead, Jace,” she said, her voice hollow. “My home was still in shambles. We rebuilt it in their honor. I think they would’ve wanted it.”
“I’m sorry Ariya,” Jace said softly. “I didn’t mean it.” He walked toward her but she immediately stepped back.
Ariya told herself to focus. She had come here for a reason and it wasn’t because she suspected Jace would meet her with open arms. In fact she should have expected him to be angry. It was her fault for shutting him out when it took so much for him to trust her. Once she saw him open his mouth to protest, she spoke. “I found out some things that I needed to run by you and the house.”
“What is it?”
“I think my mother and father may have known about this elemental creature. I don’t think this was the first time it made its appearance. I found this book called The Book of Elder in my father’s library. It looked like the same one I had seen my mother read sometime before the elemental attacked. It had a section called the ‘Elementals of Nature’. Basically it said someone had summoned the elemental which could integrate itself into anything it was ordered to change into. It also had the ability to absorb the energy, lifeforce and powers of those it consumed.”
“Which is why Shelly was almost drained.”
“Right. And why my sisters were found completely drained. Someone had summoned that elemental, Jace. They were targeting my people and my family in a way that we’ve never seen before.”
Jace’s raised an eyebrow. “Do you think another one may be coming?”
“I don’t know. The only reason for it to exist is because it does the duty of whoever orders it. That’s the only reason for the elemental to exist. To absorb the power of its targets and return it to the one who created it.”
“And this was in the dream?”
Ariya shook her head. “No, but I felt the same ominous presence in the dream. There was only battling from your time. No sign of the elemental even though I could still feel it there.”
Jace ran his hands through his dark wavy hair. The wheels turned within his mind. “So let me get this straight, then. You’re thinking someone in this realm summoned it to target your people?”
She shook her head. “No. To target me. I’m the last within my family line and the last to hold this gift of magic. When I returned home, I found out why my mother and father had been trying to teach me to hone my craft. I had abilities that no other Aziza held other than my friends. Higher than my sisters even. I was the only one to survive this elemental creature. And I was meant to become Queen among my people to keep them safe.”
Jace’s eyes widened. “Queen? Like as in—a Fairy Queen?”
Ariya chuckled. “Yes. It was my birthright. I stayed there to make sure things returned as it was. Though, I couldn’t shake the dark feelings clouding my mind. I returned here to find out who was behind the elementals and stop them before they strike again.”
“Do you think this person is a Nightwalker?”
She shrugged. “I can’t say for sure. I know it is someone who’s been studying us for years. I’m sure of it.”
Jace sighed. No one in the house could have been responsible since none of them even knew the Aziza existed before now. The humans didn’t know much about the Aziza based on their lack of information about the race. That left the Rens who were always looking for a way to one up the houses and break their bonds. Could they have been studying Fairy lore all this time? Perhaps that was their goal and they found the goldmine when they tapped into a creature that could cross realms. Still there was still no sign revealing the identity of their leader and it’s possible they could be switching this very minute to throw them off. Perhaps Julian would have an idea.
He turned to the clock next to his bed. 2:30 a.m. Plenty of time.
“You’re going to call him?”
Jace looked up at the sound of Ariya’s soft voice. He couldn’t help smiling. He had to get used to someone being able to read his thoughts again the same way he could theirs.
Ariya sheepishly raised her shoulders. “Sorry, I couldn’t help it.”
He held out his hand. “How about we take a ride downtown?”
* * * *
Jace sped along the downtown streets, thankful for the emptiness this time of night. So many thoughts crossed his mind as he drove. He felt at peace with Ariya at his side again. It was almost as if she hadn’t left at all. For a small moment, he wondered if she missed him as he did her.
Perhaps she was right about the elemental and the fact that she came back with the warning had to mean something was definitely up. Moments later they pulled up to the Ashen Twilight House. Outside, it was still filled with guards conversing amongst each other. Jace slipped past them with a nod and led Ariya up to the second floor. Fortunately, the conference room was absent of any visitors.
“Wait here,” he told Ariya. “I’ll be back.”
He went to the door and looked back at her standing in the middle of the floor watching him carefully. With a surge of energy flowing through his veins, he r
ushed back to her and gently pulled her body against his. In an instant, he leaned down and crushed his lips upon hers in a deep kiss. He breathed in the scent of her body, her blood and her essence. His hands roamed over her body and he had to calm himself down before they got too carried away in his Uncle’s home. Reluctantly he pulled away and smiled down at her.
“Welcome back, Ariya,” he said softly. “I’ll go get Julian.”
He turned and quickly took his leave. In that moment, his mind filled with a strange rush of images: Julian, standing in direct sunlight. In a flash, it was gone before he could completely understand it. His preternatural senses picked up Ariya’s exhale, barely audible enough for mortal ears.
* * * *
Julian’s room was down the hall along the open hallway. Jace remembered he kept the area dimly lit to give the guards a sign that he wasn’t to be bothered. Tough luck, Unc. This was too important to wait.
He reached out for the doorknob, thankful when it turned all the way. Inside, Jace could barely make out the lump of forms on the large bed with a canopy overhead. He slowly walked across the wood floor and found a match stick to light the candles around the room.
Soft shadows formed the contours of three female forms strewn across Julian’s bare, sleeping body. They were all different shades with various hair shades. All had the same shapely build that reminded him of the voluptuous women of his time, before stick figure chic was in fashion. Jace shook his head. One thing his Uncle always joked about was variety making life more interesting. He raised his hands and clapped loudly, awaking everyone.
“Julian, I need to speak with you,” Jace said smoothly.
Julian leaned upward amidst the waking females covering him. He gestured toward them with a nod. “Can it wait?”
“No. This is rather important and can affect all the houses.”
With a sigh, Julian climbed out of the bed and reached for his black silk robe. Jace followed the movement out of the corner of his eyes as one of the women tossed him a wink.
“This better be good,” Julian muttered.
“Don’t worry. You can return to the brides once this is all over.” Jace tipped his imaginary hat as he turned toward the door. “Ladies.”
Once they stepped into the conference room, Julian’s expression remained blank as he looked at Ariya standing near the fireplace. Jace felt her body tense once she sensed Julian enter the room. What was going on? She couldn’t still be nervous around Julian after all this time. He figured his Uncle must’ve noticed this too as he looked at him, but Jace merely raised an eyebrow and shrugged.
“Ariya, you’ve returned.”
“Yes, I have,” she swallowed deeply then took a breath to calm herself. “I found some more information about this elemental. Jace believes it may point to the Rens being responsible for conjuring it up. And if it’s true, I think there may be another one on its way.”
Jace watched Julian rub his chin as he listened to all the details they found out so far. He couldn’t help feeling Ariya’s tension around Julian as if she was being cautious around him. He wondered if it could have something to do with the image flashed in his mind.
Julian turned to Jace then back to Ariya again. “Are you certain?”
“Well, I’m not a hundred percent certain but I do have a strong feeling about it.”
Jace stepped in front of Julian with a look of determination as he folded his arms. “I’ve been thinking about what she said concerning the creature. If it’s true then we may have another problem on our hands. Much bigger than before. You two and the other Patriarchs absorbed the elemental. Considering the Rens, they may be trying to top themselves. Perhaps with a stronger creature the next time they strike.”
Julian walked around the room with his gaze low in deep thought. His dark velvet robe shuffled against the designer carpet covering the floor. Ariya and Jace looked at each other for a moment, wondering what his next words would be. After a moment he finally folded his arms behind his back, straightened his posture and nodded.
“Would you be willing to help us out?”
Ariya nodded. “Of course. Anything I can do to stop this thing.”
“Well, now,” Jace said holding his hand up. “What exactly do you have in mind for her to do, Uncle?”
Julian still kept his gaze low as he spoke. “I think we may be able to use Ariya’s talents to find out exactly who may be behind everything. It’s a little late to brainstorm now. But I would love for you to come by tomorrow evening a little earlier and we’ll see if we can put the plan to the test.”
Ariya nodded and turned to Jace. “I’ll be here.”
“Good.” Julian headed back to the door when he stopped and turned. “Oh, and welcome back.”
Once he left, Ariya couldn’t help smiling as she went to Jace. “Did something happen while I was gone?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, is that the same Julian?”
Jace chuckled as he walked to the door. As she wrapped his arms around Ariya, he couldn’t help wondering the same thing.
* * * *
Later that night, Jace held the door open for Ariya as she stepped through the threshold. He closed the door behind her, but she almost didn’t hear it as something else caught her eyes. Pushed back in the corner of the living room was something she hadn’t seen before. An extravagant sturdy wood framed easel against the wall holding a large cotton duck canvas with a large white blanket draped over it on the opposite side. Jace remained behind her. She felt his eyes watching; was he waiting for her to discover the piece? She circled the easel and when she laid her eyes upon it, she gasped and clutched her hand over her mouth. A beautiful picture perfect rendition of her image was depicted in extravagant color. From her long dark chocolate curly hair, to her dark brown complexion and the innocence of her brown eyes, she saw herself the way Jace saw her. A tear fell from her eye and there were no words that crossed her mind or fell from lips.
Jace appeared beside her, his gaze darting from her to the image. “The night you left I promised myself if I were to forget you in my mind’s eye, I would always have a picture to remind myself of you. And to keep you immortal in this realm as the days went on. But I couldn’t forget you no matter how hard I wanted to. When I saw that ring on the dresser—”
She turned to him and immediately wrapped her arms around him, pulling him close. “Jace, please. I had my reasons for leaving that ring. It wasn’t time. We couldn’t know what would happen—”
He reached down to gently cover her mouth with his fingers. “Shh. I understand. We have some time to talk about that in the days ahead. For now I have to go get something to eat before the night is over.”
“Will you not stay here? You’ve shared your home with me and you’ve fed from me before. Why not now?”
“You know my flaw, Ariya. I don’t want to put you in that kind of danger.”
She shook her head. “There was no danger before, Jace. I was perfectly well after you fed.”
“Even so, it’s not something I want to risk.” He cradled her face in his hands. “Please trust me on this?”
She forced a smile, feeling his gentle kiss upon her forehead before he moved toward the front door.
Thinking over the past few hours and what they had deduced, her thoughts fell on Julian and the way he looked at her. Her nerves were gone now and perhaps she wasn’t crazy in what she saw earlier before in the daytime. Maybe it wasn’t even Julian at all. “Jace—”
Out of the corner of her eye, she watched him stop and turn to face her.
“I think I may have seen Julian earlier today.”
Jace’s shoulders tensed as he lifted his chin. “When?”
“This afternoon he was standing out on the terrace—”
Jace quickly stepped inside and closed the door behind him. “Wait a minute. You saw Julian during the day?”
Ariya nodded slowly. “I didn’t think it was him at first until I looked closer. I cou
ld have been wrong.” She tried to ignore the sharp sting in her heart she felt whenever she stretched the truth a little. She knew it was Julian the moment he looked right at her. The one thing she didn’t know was the “how’s” and the “why’s” of it happening. “I didn’t want to say anything back there for fear he would read my thoughts. He may not have wanted anyone to know.”
“Ariya, it couldn’t have been—”
“Who, Jace? Who else could it have been?”
“How was Julian able to walk in the day?”
Ariya shrugged. “I’m not sure exactly. It could’ve been the power of the first elemental. Remember your uncle, Daoine and Michael all absorbed it that night. That was the same night it infected the mortals. And if it’s true that the elemental absorbs power then they could’ve absorbed the mortal’s ability to withstand the sun.”
Jace shifted his weight. “Well, if that’s true I hope he hasn’t absorbed their faults as well.”
“Maybe—But maybe not, considering it was the same creature to attack my friends and family. If it really did integrate itself into him, then he should have our powers as well.”
Jace sighed and held up his hands. “Either way, we can probably figure this out later. I’m too tired from a wild night as is.”
“You don’t have to go out to eat, you know.” She smiled. “What about the bottles in the fridge?”
Jace frowned and shook his head. “Sometimes a guy needs a change of pace, you know. New blood and all that.”
Ariya nodded, trying to ignore the nagging disappointment tugging at her nerves. “Where are you going to sleep when you get back?”
He slipped on his jacket and pointed to the couch nonchalantly. “Over there is as good as it always was.”
“Well,” she batted her eyes and softened her voice, hoping he would catch her hint. “Your bed is pretty big as I recall.”
He turned toward the couch. “It’s not a problem, really. I can just close the blinds to keep the sun out during the day.”
