Jacquelyn Frank - Gideon (The Nightwalkers, Book 2)

GIDEON

By JACQUELYN FRANK

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

This time there is only one entity upon which I would liketo focus all my gratitude:

To Kensington Publishing

For all that you have done, for every single sector orgroup or individual who has had anything andeverything to do with the creation of the Nightwalkers series as it stands on the shelves today and in the future.

My special thanks to the sales force who made a firsttimeauthor come out with an astounding first-time printrun with Jacob. You people are incredible and I dedicatethis book, its beauty, and its successes to you. Every timeyou see it or Jacob on a shelf in the store, you should feelthe outrageous pride that comes from a job not just welldone, but done in splendor.

To the art department, I LOVE THIS COVER!

And Kate: You are a goddess, my ultimate cheerleader,and the driving force behind everything that ishappening for this series. You baby me, spoil me, andscold me as necessary but you never, never once, lostfaith in me or this series.

Just so you know that I am aware I am the luckiest ladyin the world.

Thanks to all of you.

We must enforce ourselves more strictly as the timeapproaches. In the age of the rebellion of the Earth andSky, when Fire and Water break like havoc upon all thelands, the Eldest of the old will return, will take his mate,and the first child of the element of Space will be born,playmate to the first child of Time, born to theEnforcers...

The Lost Demon Prophecy

The Vampire eyed the Demon before him with a lengthy, contemplative gaze of midnight blue. The black centers of his eyes were slightly oval in shape, the contour just enough of an oddity to incite one"s curiosity, beckoning one to lean in closer, to gaze and study them just a little deeper, to stumble into them like a well-spun web. Since such temptations could not lure the Demon, the Vampire"s only intention of close study was strictly for scrutiny as he tried to decipher the silent figure"s purpose.

With uncharacteristic patience and largesse, the Vampire leaned back in his chair and casually hooked an ankle over one knee as he did so. As usual, the Demon was biding his time before he began to speak about whatever it was that was on his mind, whatever it was that had brought the Ancient to the Vampire"s lair. It was always good that he put so much care of thought into his speech, the Vampire mused to himself, because when this Demon spoke it was often to lay brutal truths at the feet of whomever he was conversing with. As admirable a trait as that was, it was not so refreshing as one might expect it to be, particularly when it heralded pivotal occurrences in the lives of the Nightwalker races.

Since time had begun, ages before the mortals had spread across this earth like an intemperate pandemic, there had been the Nightwalkers. The Dark Cultures.

Those who basked in the moon for their daylight, and slept or hid from the sun when its acidic rays would try to touch their susceptible skins or minds. The clans had run with the wild beasts of Nature, their special gifts rooted in Her ways, keeping them connected to the soil, the free creatures, and the pulsing, magmatic center of Her heart. And though in the modern age the mortals were the dominant population by a dramatic percentage, the Nightwalkers yet lived. The Dark Cultures were preserved, each with its separate ways and traditions, and each had carved out niches in those places that remained isolative and usually too inhospitable for humans. Some had adapted and now lived on the fringes of human societies, emulating or enjoying mortal ways... or a careful facsimile. Almost every clan had carefully laid laws and beliefs about how far its members could go when it came to dealings with human beings.

Time had not cut the Nightwalkers" links with either moon or sun. Errors and enemies had severely thinned out the ranks of all of the different clans in one way or another, and yet they survivedquiet, unknown to mortals for the most part, and searching for ways to find harmony in a rapidly changing world. But the world had changed before, and would change again, and there would always be the Nightwalkers to dance beneath the moon and sleep behind the sun.

You have not come to visit in a great while, Gideon, the Vampire observed in the capricious way of his people, no longer wishing to wait for the Demon to come around on his own time. I had not expected to see you.

Gideon lifted his cool, silver eyes from the delicacy of the rare zebra"s milk he had been swirling idly in his glass. The exotic milk, and others like it, was a Demon"s alcohol. It was proof that though Nightwalkers greatly resembled humans, usually very handsome and appreciable ones, there were distinct differences in their chemistries and physiologies. These distinctive differences would set them apart as supernatural beings to the common eye, should they decide to flaunt them.

But the Nightwalkers used great care here. Human beings could become overzealous at even the smallest hint of myth or mystery. It was in their nature to fear that which was more powerful than themselves, a failing that would not change until they matured as a species.

Regardless of the fact that he himself boasted unusually riveting features, the Vampire was struck, as he always was, with the drilling effect of the Demon"s molten mercury eyes. Gideon"s facial appearance, agelessly aristocratic, showed nothing of his having existed for a more than a millennium, but those eyes most certainly did. Since Demons also tended toward a swarthy complexion, looking perpetually tanned, it magnified the startling effect of Gideon"s gaze.

The Ancient Demon also had hair of incredibly pristine silver, long enough to touch his collarbone and tied back with a thin strip of tanned leather. In humans, this coloring would be a sign of age, but the Vampire knew Gideon had been born with his hair color, and, in spite of it, would never look a day over the age of thirtyfive.

Perhaps a little closer to forty when one took those aged eyes into account.

If you have felt slighted in any way, Damien, I extend my apologies, the Demon said with distant manners, his rich voice filling the echoing places of the large room.

Damien dismissed the idea with a click of his tongue and the brushing wave of an elegant, longfingered hand.

We are creatures of the ages, Gideon. We have long since learned to not feel slighted when one or the other of us goes into seclusion for whatever reason.

Damien"s indigo eyes narrowed on the Demon seated across from him. But I admit that I am curious as to the motivation for your visit after all this time.

I am afraid it is not as social as I might have wished it to be, Gideon said. I am here to serve you warning.

Warn me? Damien cocked a gracefully arched brow at the Demon.

Yes. As the most Ancient of my race, to the most Ancient of yours.

Damien acknowledged the reverence of Gideon"s distinction with a graceful inclination of his head.

Despite the vast differences in our races, Gideon, you and I have always found much in common with one another.

And it is a commonality that brings me to your door now. A common enemy.

This revelation made the Vampire"s spine straighten with sudden tension.

Necromancers. It wasn"t a question. They had both been alive too long not to know what was of import to one another. Damn, Damien hissed, suddenly standing and pacing the floor of his cavernous parlor. I should have known. I should have sensed something was amiss!