Prologue
The scent of alcohol, smoke and sweat filled the air. Jace wrinkled his nose in disgust, watching the mass of humans with a predatory glint. Lights flared up from the dance floor, illuminating the bar and catching his eyes, making them glow with an inhuman aura.
The cacophony of dancers writhed and shook in unison, grinding against anything that moved. All night long he had been given seductive winks and alluring smirks, though none seemed to catch his attention for long. He had to admit, many of the girls were pretty, earning second looks from him, but none had actually caught his attention. They were all your basic run-of-the-mill dolls, sporting blonde curls and big blue eyes. There was nothing particularly interesting to him though. He wanted someone striking; someone with eyes glinting with intelligence and fight, someone that was not classically beautiful, but exotic-He had always been a picky eater.
That was when something caught the corner of his eye. Turning his face to catch a better view, Jace's eyes landed on her. She had an overall pale complexion. Long legs built for a ballerina flowed from narrow hips, hiding behind a halter dress of black lace. Her hair was so blonde that it was nearly white partially covering pale eyes as they darted around the club.
He grinned to himself. Fresh meat! She wouldn't be missed around here.
Pushing himself away from the bar with one last swig of his drink, Jace made his way over to the girl. Before making his presence known, he circled around her, prowling as a lion might a gazelle. Hands snaked over his chest, making lame attempts to pull him in, but nothing could sway him. He had selected his dinner for the night and he was famished.
The creamy whiteness of the girls skin was all that he could see, all that he could focus on. She tilted her head back, wiping her hair to the side in order to expose more of her throat. Blood red lips pulled up at the corners with a devious smirk, light eyes glinting in a mischievous taunt. Jace skimmed his nose along her beating pulse, pushing his self-control farther than he should.
This thought barely made an impression on his psyche. Instead of stopping, he began nipping at the soft skin below her earlobe, eyes raking down her long legs, now curled with desire. The girl let out a cry of pleasure; gasping with each bite he placed upon her skin. Jace grinned, knowing his teeth would soon pierce her skin and revel in the liquid warmth that ran through her body. She was molten gold in his eyes; the drop of cider on a cold winter's night.
The girl's cries soon melded into one continuous melody. Jace had to admit, he enjoyed this too; though with each thrust he pushed himself a little closer to the edge. This girl would die. Soon. He never left with a guilty conscious; in fact, guilt had never crossed his mind.
'Except with her.' A tiny voice chided from the depths of his mind.
Jace truly hated that voice. Nevertheless, he shook it off, rearing his attention back onto the girl as he shuddered with release. He allowed his arms to give out, collapsing his body on top of the girl's, both panting in unison.
"Wha-what's your name?" She stuttered, racing to calm her breaths.
Jace leaned up to a sitting position, pulling her with him until she rested in his lap, her back pressed to his chest. He pushed her hair to the side, bringing his lips to her neck once more. He could hear the erratic beat of her heart, sending blood pounding through her veins. When she swallowed, Jace felt every movement, every twitch, and every contraction of every muscle. The rose scent of her perfume lingered on her skin, transferring to his body, filled his nose. He wrinkled it in distaste, pressing snide comments aside.
"Jonathan." he sighed. "My name is Jonathan."
The girl's lips quirked up, forming a smile at the sound of his voice. She hummed gently before moving her lips to form her next words. "Jonathan." She tested it out. "That's a nice name, Jona-"
Jace bit into her neck with the savagery of a wolf, tearing her throat open with ease. Her voice cut off, a horrific cry of terror wrenching it's way through her throat. His own vicious snarl masked her scream as his hands secured her writhing body.
Jace's hand covered her mouth, holding her neck still so that he could better access her blood. Hot sustenance poured into his mouth, quenching and soothing his parched insides. Strength returned to his muscles with renewed vigor, allowing him to drain her quicker. Jace grew stronger as she grew weaker, gradually loosing her pointless fight. Blood dribbled down his chin in a steady stream, snaking it's way down their entangled bodies.
The closer she came to her end, the more heightened Jace's senses grew. He could hear the drip of blood as it fell from their bare bodies. He could hear the voices of partygoers outside the room and down the block. He could feel the tremors of bodies moving in the room over, and he could taste the humidity in the air.
His eyes roamed up to the floor length mirror across form where he sat, eyes taking in the reflection staring back at him. He was perched powerfully on the edge of the bed, golden eyes devouring the dead girls body. Her limbs, once graceful and strong, now stretched limply across his lap. She was deadweight, no longer warm and beautiful. Her soft skin, pale, dull, and graying, was beginning to fall into decay. The only color that remained on her body was that of the fallen blood.
Hating for it to go to waste, Jace flicked his finger over it, cleaning off the tip of his finger. Her body slumped to the ground with a resounding thud as he stood, quickly dressing himself. Jace fastened his belt around his hips, smoothing the front of his shirt, and checked his reflection once more. An easy smirk crossed his fine features, marring their perfect appearance.
Jace turned toward the door, giving one last thought to the nameless girl on the floor. Before exiting, he paused, turned back, and flicked several coins over her body. Such a simple gesture, it seemed, one that had become a force of habit ever since his greatest act of cruelty; his masterpiece, as he referred to it.
The golden man strolled out the door, sparing no more glances backward. He stepped into the cold darkness of the street, basking in the sounds of car honks and far off laughter. He paid these no attention, smiling to himself with the thoughts of the girl's last words: his name on her lips.
