Longsummer Nights by unknow

Author:unknow
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: VOW

It was sort of satisfying that Xanthe spent their entire trek to her house in stunned silence. Maybe it was a bad idea to be alone with a vampire on her home turf, but frankly if Xanthe wanted Jess dead, she could do it anywhere and at any time. Xanthe’s home was no worse a location for a long-overdue chat than any other.

Of course, Xanthe being Xanthe, house wasn’t quite the right term for the place. Even at the heart of Belle Reve, which was literally known for its decadent mansions, The Archisolium outshone all of its neighbors. The architecture expressed itself in such a different league that Jess wasn’t sure “mansion” was even the accurate term. Palatial, maybe. Enormous and old, but almost confusing in its grandeur. A patchwork of architectural styles, none of them remotely modern; marble columns here, gothic buttresses there, byzantine arches and towers just for fun. On the long path to the front door, Jess marveled at the baroque-looking stained glass windows, the renaissance-style facades, the wildly vivid and beautiful mosaic underfoot.

Surely there was no way the inside could be as impressive as the exterior made it seem. But then Xanthe gestured her over the threshold and...

The inside reminded Jess more of a museum than a home. The vast entrance hall was dotted with unbelievable sculptures and perfectly preserved ancient pottery; beyond it, into the corridors, even more priceless treasures perched on pedestals. The floor was covered in the most intricate antique carpets she’d ever seen, the walls draped with rich and vibrant tapestries in between clusters of framed masterpieces that would've had any art historian salivating.

Xanthe led Jess to a sitting room even more packed with exquisite bounty. The furniture itself was sinfully lush, thickly and lavishly upholstered.

All in all, it seemed to Jess like nothing so much as a dragon hoard, a carefully curated collection of two thousand years’ worth of Xanthe’s favorite things. And here Jess was, in the middle of it. She could hardly breathe for fear of ruining something.

Xanthe, lacking the same reserve, reclined sinuously on the burgundy crushed velvet chaise. “Please, make yourself comfortable,” she said, finally breaking the silence. She gestured at the sofa opposite her—gorgeous and plush and definitely at least three centuries old.

Jess sat cautiously and raised her eyebrows at Xanthe. “You're finally good, huh? Done processing?” She didn’t wait for a response before she continued, “Ready to explain why you just tried to kidnap me or whatever that was?”

Xanthe narrowed her eyes. “Excuse my lack of repartee, but I’m having trouble believing you’ve had your memories back for...how long exactly? Has it been this entire time, or only recently? I believe it is my right to know precisely how big a fool you’ve made of me.”

“Nuh-uh, nope, I asked first. You don’t get to demand any answers from me until I start getting some from you.”

Xanthe sighed. “The plan was—I was just—it’s moot now, anyway. I was trying to restore your memories.”

“Why?” As far as

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