Page 1 of The Night Before Christmas

Prologue

Jace

The snow falls slowly from the dark sky. With a cigarette burning between my fingers, I can’t help but let the excitement of what this night will bring us.

A thick blanket of snow covers the school campus as I watch her from a distance, making sure to stay hidden where she won’t see me.

Lana stands under a lamppost, her breath forming clouds in the cold air as she looks around, as if feeling someone looking at her. However, there are only a few people here on campus during this time of year.

The glow of the lamp post is the only source of light and it’s just enough to see that her cheeks are flushed from the cold making her look even more breathtaking.

I take a long drag from my cigarette, letting the smoke wave out into the cold, dark night.

I can’t help but watch her, captivated by the way she seems lost in her own little world, unaware of everything going on around her as she heads back toward the dorms.

As I exhale smoke into the cold air, I almost take a step forward to soon. Ready to have her in my arms. But it’s not time yet. She doesn’t even know we’re in town. Soon she’ll get everything she’s ever desired. As soon as Atlas sends me the text that he’s ready, I can finally get this show on the road.

I follow behind her after she’s cleared some distance between us for a few more minutes, waiting until she is safe in the building. Then I flick my cigarette into the snow and crush it beneath my boot. I cast one last look in her direction before walking away, wearing a smirk.