Chapter Twelve: Max Ryder
576 Words
Dinner at the Ryder estate was surprisingly peaceful.
Which was suspicious.
Very suspicious.
Jace sat at the table, slowly eating while Mason continued being annoying.
As usual.
"So..."
Mason grinned.
"No."
"You don't even know what I was going to say."
"I know enough."
Mason looked offended.
"Rude."
Across the table, Cole sighed.
"I miss the days when you two argued less."
"We never argued less."
"Good point."
Mason pointed at Jace.
"You know, if Elara kicked you one more time—"
Jace threw a dinner roll at him.
Mason ducked.
The roll hit Cole instead.
Cole stared at the bread.
Then at Jace.
Then back at the bread.
"You know..."
Cole said calmly.
"I support Elara."
Mason nearly fell out of his chair laughing.
Jace groaned.
His life was a nightmare.
Then—
Everything stopped.
His fork froze halfway to his mouth.
A scent.
One scent.
A scent he recognized immediately.
His entire body tensed.
No.
The dining room suddenly felt colder.
The smell grew stronger.
Closer.
Jace slowly turned his head.
And found himself face-to-face with the last person he wanted to see.
Max Ryder.
Standing directly behind him.
Smiling.
Jace's expression immediately darkened.
The resemblance was obvious.
Dark hair.
Silver eyes.
The same sharp features.
The same height.
The same blood.
But where Jace looked dangerous...
Max looked unsettling.
Like there was something broken underneath the smile.
Something wrong.
"Hello, little brother."
Jace leaned back in his chair.
"You're late."
Max smiled wider.
"Missed me?"
"No."
"Aww."
"I was happier when you were gone."
Max laughed.
Actually laughed.
Like that was the funniest thing he'd heard all day.
Across the table, Mason immediately stood.
"Well."
Nobody looked at him.
"I suddenly remembered I have somewhere else to be."
"You don't."
"I absolutely do."
Mason disappeared.
Fast.
Cole stood next.
"Good luck."
Then he disappeared too.
Coward.
Absolute coward.
Within seconds, the room was empty.
Just Jace and Max.
The way it always seemed to end.
Max casually sat in the chair Mason had abandoned.
Still smiling.
Always smiling.
Jace hated that smile.
"Where have you been?"
Max shrugged.
"Here."
"Helpful."
"I know."
Jace rolled his eyes.
Max leaned forward.
His silver eyes glinted.
"Miss me?"
"No."
"Still angry?"
"Always."
Max laughed again.
Jace wanted to punch him.
The worst part?
Max knew it.
And loved it.
"You're getting predictable."
Jace scoffed.
"And you're still insane."
Max placed a hand over his chest.
The picture of fake offense.
"That hurts."
"No it doesn't."
"True."
Silence settled between them.
The kind of silence that wasn't peaceful.
Just tense.
Uncomfortable.
Dangerous.
Then Jace noticed something.
A scent.
Faint.
Almost hidden.
But there.
His eyes narrowed.
Blood.
Not wolf blood.
Not human blood.
Vampire.
A lot of vampire blood.
Fresh.
Very fresh.
His stomach tightened.
Slowly.
Dangerously.
Jace looked up.
Max's smile hadn't changed.
Not even slightly.
But something dark flickered in his eyes.
Something predatory.
Something that made every instinct Jace possessed scream.
The scent was all over him.
Like he'd been in a fight.
Recently.
A fight with a vampire.
Jace's fingers tightened around his fork.
"Where were you today?"
Max tilted his head.
The smile remained.
"Why do you ask?"
Jace didn't answer.
Because suddenly...
He wasn't hungry anymore.
And for the first time all night...
He had a terrible feeling.
A feeling that somehow...
Somewhere...
Max was involved in something he shouldn't be.
And knowing Max Ryder...
that could only mean trouble.
- Writer
