Archangel's Kiss

Chapter FOURTEEN

PHILIPPE

The damn gargoyle brat was making me wait for him like a commoner. I was getting extremely annoyed. He would flash his title to us as if it was something to bow to. I couldn't care less that he was the damn prince of those flying rats. I was the ruler of the vampire community and didn't need this kind of disrespect!

I had to calm my nerves and control my reactions since I was more patient than that. I had eternity for god's sake! So why am I jumpy and breathless, thinking that time was slipping through my fingers?

Aria hadn't shown up yet. Cedric had her. I had no idea why. Maybe she was dead when he took her out of the river, or perhaps he planned to use her as a witness. If she was coming with him, I was going to see her. She was going to accuse me, and that wouldn't work for me. I had made plans to conceal my involvement. Maybe I should have sent my second in command to that meeting, but Cedric would be offended by it.

I was in a dilemma, not to mention in big trouble. I couldn't hold still in my seat. I paced along the corridor and clenched my teeth. I should have drunk blood before coming here. It would have calmed me down. I needed to be polite with Cedric if I wanted my plan to work.

A few agonizing minutes later, the mighty prince eventually arrived in his plain human form and wearing some casual clothes like he belonged to this world. He seemed strangely happy. I don't ever remember seeing a smile on his face. Cedric was talking with Jacob, completely caught up in what he was saying because he just noticed my presence when he arrived next to the door of the room where we were planning to meet.

"Why the hell do you look so happy?" I questioned, unable to conceal my bad mood and my surprise.

"Good evening, Philippe," he greeted, offering me his hand that I shook in return. "How are you feeling today?"

I frowned and didn't reply to his cheerful tone. Saying that Cedric wasn't acting like himself was an understatement. We would be well-mannered to each other, but his kind and my kind were enemies. They didn't like the fact that we were creatures of evil. We didn't like the fact that they thought they could kill us whenever they felt that we weren't obeying the rules. We had every right to exist as they did. We weren't all monsters.

"Are you and Jacob the only ones attending this meeting?" I asked, staring back for signs of Aria. I could smell her on his clothes.

"What's wrong with you?" he asked, staring into my eyes and probably noticing the change of color.

I steadied myself, trying to control my primeval instincts. "I'm annoyed, that's all."

Cocking an eyebrow, he questioned, "How do you think I am?"

"I was the one accused of disrespecting the rules. You were the one who sent your gargoyles to hunt my vampires."

"I hope you have a good explanation for what happened yesterday."

"I'm hoping you have one too, because, as far as I know, my vampires haven't done anything wrong."

"We have one witness."

"Where is your witness?" I asked, squinting to make clear that I didn't believe him and thought he was bluffing.

"All will be revealed in time."

His answer was somewhat vague. He was concealing something, or maybe he was afraid we would hurt his supposed witness to shut her up. I knew it was Aria and wanted to know where she was. Apparently, the gargoyles still had her, and I wasn't going to be able to see her anytime soon.

I was enraged. I wanted her back. I wanted to growl at him for keeping her away from me. She was mine. Damn it! She should be mine. I rejected her, I had to keep remembering it and stop acting possessive like that. She was better off without me. There was nothing special about her, besides the fact of smelling good and being addictive. Yet, she didn't belong in my world and deserved something better.

"Who's your witness?" I probed.

"Let's go inside to talk. I'll get you a drink, and we will exchange information."

"You're rather friendly today. Inviting me to have a drink with you and wanting to sort things out. I thought you were coming to make threats."

"Well, if it was just a misunderstanding. I think we can fix things without going to war. I have other matters more important to take care of, so I don't wish for things to escalate."

"More important matters?" I asked, utterly astounded by his words. I thought the kid would live and breathe to have an excuse to kill us all. That was unexpected.

"Yes," he replied with a happy voice that didn't shed any light on what could be more urgent to him.

I had to get my spies on the matter and find out what was going on. All his reactions were entirely unlike him. He seemed to be under the effect of some happy drug.

"Have you been drinking?" I asked, being rude but boiling with curiosity.

"Maybe," he answered and smiled, ruffling his already messy hairstyle and opening the door to come in. "It's nothing that you need to worry about since we have an important matter to discuss. I need to end this quickly so that I can go back home."

I followed him, Jacob entered after me, and Gerard followed behind, closing the door. So, there we were, the four most powerful beings in Paris, talking about war and peace while playing with the lives of humanity as if it were a game.

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