I stood in the dark and realized I hadn’t heard Nicholas pull away. When I went to the window to look out, the only car that remained on the street now was mine.
Exhausted, I drug myself up the stairs and got ready for bed. I knew I’d have issues falling sleep. My raw hands ached and my body felt fatigued, but my mind was alert, racing with new information.
I decided I’d try to fall asleep on my own before taking a Tylenol PM. I pulled the covers up to my neck and turned off the light. The moonlight shone into my room and I turned towards the night sky.
My phone buzzed with a message on my nightstand. It was from the number I’d just tucked into my memory bank.
- Goodnight and don’t worry. I’ll stay close by tonight.
I blinked in astonishment and instantly felt better. I sent a message back.
- Thank you. Goodnight to you too.
I wanted to look out the window but didn’t want Nicholas to see me. If anything was ever to happen between us, I didn’t want to appear too eager.
Happy with the new tidbit of information, I snuggled up in my covers, reenacting his arms and to my surprise, quickly drifted off to sleep.
. . .
13 – YEARNING
I woke up to a beautiful Saturday morning and found I’d slept soundly the whole night through. The sweet aroma of freshly brewed coffee drifted under my door and I heard pots clanging in the kitchen.
The light of the bathroom hurt my eyes as I examined the puffy marshmallows that were my eyelids. I slathered them with special cream and hoped Dad wouldn’t notice.
I threw on my favorite tattered robe and bunny slippers and scuffed down the stairs to the kitchen.
“Good morning sleepyhead,” Dad said with a quick glance over his shoulder. “Want some coffee?”
“Yes,” I mumbled and made my way to the pot.
With my mug in hand, I slid into a seat at the kitchen table and put my lips to the rim to take a long slow swig. I felt the warm liquid go the length of my throat all the way to my stomach and let out a sigh.
“That good,” Dad said as he continued voraciously dicing zucchini, onions and broccoli into slivers.
Within seconds, the veggies hit the wok with a sizzle and filled the room with a mouthwatering garlic aroma. I waited for a lecture about coming in late the night before, but he said nothing about it.
“Things going better with you?” he finally asked.
“Yeah, I guess so.”
I wanted to share what I remembered about Mom, but knew this wasn’t the right time. He seemed happy today, like everything between us was patched up. Why would I want to ruin it?
“Has Phil come back yet?”
“No,” I said quietly. “Not yet.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” he said with a twinge of worry. I guessed it wasn’t for Phil’s welfare, but my own.
“They cancelled the homecoming game because of it.”
“Really? That’s a shame,” he said sounding surprised, but I knew he wasn’t. Probably something else Mr. Brewster revealed after I left the meeting.
“Yeah, I wasn’t planning to go anyway.”
“And you are still grounded,” he said in a fatherly tone.
I sulked down in my seat, hoping he’d forgotten.
Before I could pout, he slid a steaming hot gourmet plate of scrambled eggs with sautéed vegetables and seasoned potatoes to die for in front of me.
“Looks really good, Dad,” I said.
The skin around his eyes crinkled up when he grinned. He was unsure about his parenting skills, except when it came to cooking. It was one area he could be successful at every time.
“What’s cooking?” Luke said as he sauntered into the kitchen.
“Sorry, it’s all gone,” I said with a mouthful of food.
Luke made a face at me before dishing himself up a plate.
We sat and enjoyed our breakfast quietly. It had been a while since we’d all been together for a meal and I treasured the moment.
“So what are your plans for today, Jules?” Dad finally said, after taking his last few mouthfuls.
“The homecoming dance is tonight and I’m going to help Sam get ready, if that’s okay with you, Dad.”
“Aren’t you going?” Luke asked innocently.
“No,” I said with a tiny hint of disdain. “I’m grounded, remember?”
“Oh, yeah,” Luke said, hiding his smirk while keeping his eyes on his plate.
“Did you want to go?” Dad asked.
I sensed the dance, unlike the game, might have been something negotiable if I really wanted to go, but I didn’t, at least not with anyone from my school. And Nicholas was a little busy hunting down the vampires of the world.
“I don’t have a date.” That’s entirely human, half-vampire actually, but he doesn’t drink blood or anything gross like that.
“You don’t seem too upset about it,” Dad said catching my mysterious smile.
“I hate dances, Dad. You know that.”
“Ah, hey that reminds me. Whatever happened to that boy that helped you home last week?” Dad asked while picking up the newspaper off the table.
I froze. Had he seen us together last night?
“Yeah, what was his name? Nicholas?” Luke asked.
I shot Luke a look and shook my head back and forth, wide-eyed to plead for him to shut up.
“I think he’s been busy,” I stammered.
“Oh,” Dad said, suddenly absorbed at something in the news.
Luke looked back with apologetic eyes. I held my breath hoping the subject would pass. I didn’t have a good excuse prepared and the chances of getting caught in a lie were greater since we just hung out the night before.
“Anyone need anything else?” I asked in a planned escape and stood to clear my plate.
“Hmmm?” Dad said while perusing the stock page. “You can clear my plate.”
Luke handed me Dad’s plate along with his own and gave me a wink.
Normally, I would have told my brother to do his own dishes, but said nothing and moved to the sink unsure of what he was going to do. To my delight, I heard him ask Dad about the status of some of his favorite stocks. When I turned, I caught his eye and mouthed a thank you. He smiled.
When I took out the trash, I looked around suddenly feeling inconspicuous.
What if he’s watching me right now?
I tried to see if I could sense his presence realizing I never felt watched in the past, but the surroundings were void of feeling, so I didn’t know. But to think he might be made me a little uncertain. I wondered if I should feel more violated. Was he spying or just easing his conscience?
This must be how people with bodyguards feel.
I decided I wasn’t going to worry about it, or I’d make myself crazy. We’d have to work out all the gritty details later because one thing was for certain; I wasn’t going to have some invisible guardian in the shadows my whole life – especially one whom I wanted to spend more time with.
I went back inside and immediately got busy. My insurmountable to-do list consisted of house cleaning, laundry and homework. I’d gotten buried in dust bunnies and dirty clothes since my accident and I had to get most of it done before going to Sam’s house tonight.
I didn’t have to work, like I’d originally told everyone. My boss had to make cuts in everyone’s hours due to declining business. But after Nicholas’ and Phil’s mysterious disappearances, none of my friends brought up finding me another date. I think they all started to suspect I was cursed.
It was just as well anyway. I only wanted to go with Nicholas, who I’m sure would have been my date, if his situation wasn’t so complicated.
Sam and Todd were doubling with Dena and Morgan, as I hoped. Katie was going with Erik, her new boyfriend and lineman on the football team, separately from the group. Cameron was more than happy to skip the dance to play a Magic tournament with the chess club.
“I wish you were coming,”
Sam said with a sigh while I worked on her hair. “I have an extra dress you could borrow.”
Her beautiful brown locks, elegantly piled up on top of her head in a French twist and dangling ringlets, were under assault as I sprayed every last strand with glitter filled hairspray.
“You’ll have a good time with Todd.” I tried my best not to sound jealous, because now I wanted to go. “Plus, I’m grounded.”
“Oh, I forgot,” she said as she wrinkled up her nose. “But you’re here…?”
“He fudged since he knew you’d kill him if I didn’t do your hair and ruined your dance.”
“Smart thinking,” she said with a wink, while she turned in front of the mirror.
I slumped down on her bed and thumbed through a magazine.
“I wasn’t going to say anything, but you seem… different… happy even. You finally doing better?” she asked, looking at me through the reflection.
I tried to hide my smile. I wanted to tell her I felt a hundred times better now that I knew the truth, but couldn’t.
“I am,” I said quickly, so I wouldn’t say anything more.
Overnight, everything changed and every time I almost said something, I had to bite my tongue. The problem was I didn’t know where to begin. Nicholas’ situation forced him to tell the truth after I witnessed his heroic acts and he was right – you couldn’t just blurt it out. I contemplated making up a story, but didn’t want to lie to my best friend. I had no choice but to keep it to myself for now.
I checked the time again. The limo was scheduled to pick Sam up last so her mother and I could see everyone and take pictures.
Sam’s dress was a lilac strapless A-line knee-length number with a sequined bodice and tulle skirt. She wore open toe heels with sparkly sequined straps. The whole ensemble with her ringlets trailing down the back of her neck was breathtaking.
She spun around a few times in front of the mirror and I’d never thought she’d looked more radiant. She stopped when her mom knocked at the door. Nervousness hit me from all different directions. Todd must have arrived.
“They’re here, Samantha,” Sam’s mom said.
“Don’t worry,” I said in response to Sam’s newly horrified expression. “I’ll go down and talk to him. Come when you’re ready.”
Sam gulped hard and nodded.
I bounded down the stairs in front of Sam’s mom and greeted a petrified Todd in the foyer wearing a black suit, holding a corsage.
“You look really nice,” I said with a smile to give him courage.
He weakly smiled as he rocked back and forth on his heels.
“Mrs. King,” he said with a nod.
“Samantha will be down in a minute,” Sam’s mom said, amused.
I had a feeling he’d already greeted her formally when she opened the door and was stuck for something else to say.
The foyer felt crowded with everyone anxiously waiting for Sam to join us downstairs. I could sense her hesitation, but she finally appeared. We all watched in silence as she sauntered gracefully down the stairs.
“You look so… beautiful,” Todd said when she touched down on the ground floor.
“Thank you,” she said and blushed.
Todd slid the corsage on Sam’s wrist just as there was a knock at the door. I left the three of them to see who was knocking, while Sam’s mom snapped away on her camera. I opened the door to Dena and Morgan holding hands with huge smiles on their faces.
“Hey guys,” I said feeling smug in my matchmaking abilities.
“Hey, Jules,” Dena sang as they stepped inside the house.
I winked at Morgan.
Dena wore an exquisite white chiffon knee-length gown with an empire bodice and a black ribbon sash that tied around her waist. The dress bounced in slow motion when she walked. Morgan also wore a black suit and I commented on how he cleaned up well.
“Okay, you guys need to hurry up or you’re going to be late for dinner,” I barked while trying to shoo people out the door.
Sam shot me a wistful glance, but obediently filed outside with everyone else. However, before the group could make it to the limo, Sam’s mom insisted on a group photo in front of the rose-covered terrace. Sam’s mom primped, preened and positioned everyone for the shots and the group didn’t know who to look at as we both snapped a ton of pictures. Before long everyone got antsy. I watched Sam’s mom fuss over Sam and give Todd the lecture about when to bring her home. Sam appeared embarrassed, but I found the gesture very loving. I felt a pang of jealousy. I’d do anything to have a mother who would dote over me.
Watching Sam and her mother and feeling their unconditional love for one another, brought home the finality of my own mother’s life. I could feel tears threatening to break loose. The last thing I wanted to do was ruin their evening, but inside I unraveled. And as if they’d read my emotions, they got into the limo and left.
Sam’s mom hugged me goodbye. I held it together until I got into my car, then I let the tears flow. I never realized how much I missed her, counting on the hope she’d return. Thinking of my mom made me want to be with Nicholas again. He was the only one who could understand my pain, could comfort me. Where was he? Would this constitute as an emergency?
On my way home, I decided I needed ice cream – double fudge chocolate ice cream to be precise. I pulled into the Safeway grocery store parking lot. I didn’t even need to look in the mirror to know my eyes were red again, so I put on a pair of sunglasses before going inside. I didn’t care how silly I looked. I needed chocolate.
I made a beeline to the frozen foods section, pulled out a pint of Ben and Jerry’s Chocolate Fudge Brownie and headed to the check out stand. As the checker rang up my purchase I averted my gaze, hoping she wouldn’t ask any questions. I was relieved when she gave me my change without giving me a second look.
Evening had descended while I was inside. Without the sunlight, the temperature had dropped and felt noticeably colder. I pocketed the sunglasses, wrapped my arms tightly around myself and headed towards my car. I just wanted to be home, in my jammies, eating my ice cream, watching a good mind-numbing movie.
“Julia.”
I turned around, unsure if someone called me. No one was there. I shook my head and continued on towards my car.
“Parker.”
This time I knew I wasn’t hearing things. I recognized Phil’s voice, even though tonight it was raspy and barely more than a murmur. I spun around, but he wasn’t there. Weird.
“Phil, where are you?”
I saw movement in the shadows at the corner of the store, just outside the light. That’s when I saw him. A gasp escaped from my lips.
He leaned against the wall, with a black sweatshirt hood over his head, shifting his eyes from me to the other patrons who left the store. His skin was no longer tan, but a creamy white and if he hadn’t called me by my last name, I wouldn’t have recognized him. He appeared agitated and I could feel his extreme hunger – the unmistakable hunger – the hunger of a vampire.
My eyes widened and my pulse increased as I tried to remain composed, frozen in my spot.
“Parker, I need your help,” he said soft and slow, sounding like he was hurt.
My mind screamed and told me to run, but my feet stayed firmly rooted.
But how did this happen?
The only thing that crossed my mind was the bites from his attack must have been vampire ones. Is that how vampires are created? I didn’t know, but whatever happened he was one of them now and more than I could handle. I needed Nicholas’ help. This was a true emergency.
“Phil,” I whispered. It was all that would come out.
“Please come over here for a minute. I want to talk to you in private.”
His hunger overwhelmed me and I knew without a doubt what he wanted. I wasn’t going to fall into his trap.
“Phil, I know someone who can help you work through this change,” I said, talking from complete ignorance, but hoped Nicholas would know what to
do.
He gave me a wicked grin.
“Clever girl,” he hissed and the leaves at his feet spun up as if caught in a whirlwind and he was gone.
I looked around the parking lot for any evidence of his presence, but he was no where to be found.
Phil and his hunger had vanished.
. . .
14 – FASCINATION
U sure of whether Phil was still lurking in the shadows waiting for me, I darted back inside the store and took out my phone.
- I’m in trouble. Where are you?
As I clicked send, I watched the parking lot with trepidation waiting for his reply. Nicholas had said I was safer around people, but I would feel better if he were here instead. Someone touched my shoulder and I jumped.
“I’m sorry to startle you. Are you okay, dear?” asked a store employee with a name tag that read “Pam.”
“Oh, yes... I’m… I’m just waiting for my ride,” I stammered as I lied, feeling self-conscience about my demeanor and tear-stained cheeks.
“Well, if you need anything, come see me, okay?”
She pointed to the flower shop in the store. I thanked her, plastered a happy grin on my face and moved to a more secluded area of the store lobby.
My phone vibrated.
- I’m here. What’s wrong?
How was I going to tell him in one text message all the details about what’s transpired with Phil?
- Long story, but my friend who had an accident, just confronted me in the parking lot. He’s a vampire now.
The wait for the reply text seemed to take forever. What would he think? Did he already know?
- Walk out with the next person and go straight to your car. Don’t go home. I will follow you. I want to see what he does.
With gritted teeth, I flipped my phone closed and shoved it in my pocket. I didn’t like his brilliant idea that I be the bait to lure Phil out of hiding.
I stood at the double doors pretending to read the labels on the kitty litter and waited for a tough dude to walk out with. When the third old lady exited the store, I gave up and started to head out until I spotted a security guard.
Talisman 1 - The Emerald Talisman Page 15
