Secrets of the Sapphires

by T. Sue VerSteeg

They rounded the corner onto the busy street and Garrett’s voice lilted across the air.

  “Nia!” he screamed. “I had Levinson track your location. I’m so glad I found you.”

  She turned her head toward him and her heart melted. Unfortunately, Gregor pounced upon the tender sentiment, releasing an evil laugh.

  Garrett’s face scrunched into a scowl. “Are you all right?”

  “I’m fine, my darling. Why do you ask?” Gregor threw her into his arms. Nia was frantic for control. She willed her neck muscles to bend, her eyes to show something besides the lust Gregor exuded, her tongue to speak the words she wanted.

  Nothing.

  After he pushed her to arm’s length, Garrett gave her a skeptical sideways glance. “Darling?”

  Gregor slid Nia’s hand over the rough material of Garrett’s jeans, massaging his crotch. “What? You don’t like my pet name for you?”

  What is your deal with handling all the man meat?

  Then it hit her. She wasn’t just possessed by a vampire.

  There’s nothing wrong with being gay. I just don’t much appreciate you using me to get your man-meat fix. Her words rattled around in her own mind, but the feel of her body tensing let her know Gregor was paying attention. She counted the one little blessing that he wasn’t a straight blood-sucker on a chick fondling kick.

  Nia jumped on the tiny reprieve his shock had given her. She yanked her hand back, shaking her head frantically. “No, it’s not me.” Gregor was quick to regain control. “I guess I’m extra horny today.”

  “Horny? What’s possessed you today?”

  That’s what I’m trying to tell you!

  Gregor stroked Garrett’s chest. “I guess I’ll try to be my coy, demure self.”

  Laughter rang out and Garrett clutched his side. “Yeah, that’s you.” His chuckling subsided. “We need to get down to the department ASAP. Lexie has called in the cavalry, wanting you and Shrek—Brandon—delivered to her on a platter. It seems you guys were caught on the security camera so she has proof that you were in her office snooping and using her computer.”

  “Oh, that,” Gregor muttered while stumbling through the situation, “perhaps we should get down there now then.” Nia felt a wicked smile spread across her face.

  Garrett tugged her against him. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

  Gregor and Nia both released a contented sigh in return.

  They followed Garrett to his car, sliding into the passenger seat. He drove like a madman to get them to the department and whisked her down to department headquarters. Gregor soaked in the surroundings with about as much couth as a first time Vegas tourist. He gawked at the people and craned his neck at each new entrance and hallway. Nia took his distraction as an opportunity to leave Garrett a message. She scribbled the address where Gregor’s entranced body was located on a slip of paper and brushed it onto the floor at Garrett’s feet.

  She watched him out of the corner of her eye. He picked it up, read it, tossed her a concerned look then stuffed it in his pocket. She prayed Garrett was beginning to understand.

  They came to a halt in front of Levinson’s door and panic jolted through her. She started screaming her thoughts. You need to listen to me! Tell them what I say!

  Gregor snorted his annoyance.

  Garrett stared down at her. “Are you pissed about something?”

  “Uh,” Gregor sputtered, “just that Alexis thinks she can accuse me of anything.”

  Her name is Lexie!

  “I mean, Lexie. She has a lot of nerve.” Gregor swung Nia’s arm around then crossed them both over her chest in a defiant stance.

  Garrett’s face scrunched into a scowl while he stared into her eyes.

  Are you going to listen to me now?

  Nothing.

  Do you want your precious sapphire?

  “All right,” Gregor muttered after turning away from Garrett.

  Levinson opened his door and a thoroughly pissed off Lexie sat in his chair, pink glossy lips pursed tightly.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Garrett stared into Nia’s hollow eyes as he led her into Levinson’s office. Her odd behavior and the address she’d written on the piece of paper had his mind racing to figure out what was going on. When she called Lexie “Alexis,” he knew she wasn’t herself, but how? She looked like the same Nia, smelled like green apples, just like always—other than the brief stint in medieval times, though neither of them smelled exceptionally well then.

  Levinson smacked his hands on his desk. He stood next to Lexie who was sitting in his chair, glaring at Nia. “You have some serious accusations being tossed at you. I’m sure you and Shrek have an explanation, I’m just not sure it’ll keep you from being arrested.” He crossed his arms over his chest and peered down his nose. “Would you like to wait until Mr. Shrock has been brought in here to tell us what happened?”

  Nia glanced around the room at everyone as though she were meeting each person for the first time. “I, uh, can explain everything. We were, well, getting information from…her hard drive and, uh, Alexis, I mean, Lexie changed the mission orders to trap us back in time.”

  “That’s insane!” Lexie jumped to her feet, eyes ablaze. “You undoubtedly found mission orders on my computer. I download them for Mr. Levinson sometimes.”

  Levinson nodded his acknowledgement.

  Lexie continued, “I got into the habit of downloading them all so they’re there if and when he needs one.” She placed her hands on her tiny hips, flashing a haughty smirk.

  Nia cleared her throat, her expression never changing from its somber façade. “I, uh, have a disk in my locker that proves otherwise.” She turned, reaching for the door.

  “She’s going to run away!” Lexie shrieked.

  Levinson ran from behind his desk and grabbed Nia’s wrist before she had the door open. “I don’t think so, Nia. I thought I could trust you, but you blatantly lied to me last night.” He produced a pair of handcuffs from his jacket pocket with his other hand and slapped one side over her wrist.

  Nia’s pupils took over her eyes, anger distorting her features for a moment. Calm quickly returned. “I will come right back.”

  Garrett grabbed the chain dangling between Levinson and Nia. “Let me escort her to her locker.”

  Levinson’s face was contorted in disbelief. “How do I know you aren’t in this with her? It’s safer if I do it.”

  Garrett waved an arm toward Lexie. “I was out with Lexie last night. How could I have been in on anything with Nia?”

  Both men turned toward the blonde in question. With a smug look of satisfaction pasted on her face, Lexie blew Garrett a kiss. She snaked her tongue over her lips in an overstated gesture undoubtedly intended to piss Nia off since her gaze turned toward her when she finished.

  Nia stood there with a blank look on her face for a few seconds. She then proceeded to roll her eyes and huff in annoyance before her monotone voice replied, “You bitch.”

  Garrett shook his head. He knew there was something going on. Nia never backed down from a fight, definitely not when Lexie was on the receiving end. He took the open cuff from Levinson and attached it to his wrist.

  “We’ll be right back.” Garrett tossed the door open as two agents yanked on it from the other side. They each had one of Brandon’s arms, which were cuffed behind his back. His eyes were both blackened and small cuts were scattered across his face. He had evidently put up a bit of a fight.

  Brandon’s frantic voice cried out, “Nia can prove it. She has a disk hidden somewhere. We can prove it!” He turned his rounded gaze toward her. “You have the disk, right?”

  “Of course I do,” Nia grumbled, “Where do you think this man is taking me?” She lifted her cuffed hand, shoving it in Brandon’s face as they walked by him.

  Garrett dragged her down the hall, into the gymnasium, completely convinced that the person hooked to his arm was not Nia Brooks. She would never treat Brandon with anything but respect,
not to mention the “this man” comment.

  He slammed her against the matted wall. “Who the hell are you, and what have you done with Nia?”

  Pure, angry evil finally gave way to an innocent smile. “It’s me.” She batted her lashes, reaching her free hand out to stroke his chest.

  For two seconds he wanted nothing more than to kiss her, believe her words, then his northern most brain kicked back in. “Don’t feed me that bullshit. I know you aren’t Nia.”

  A hot breeze stirred through the windowless room. Garrett found himself slammed flat against the same wall. Nia, still attached to him by the handcuffs, rolled over and pressed herself against him. He tried to move, flinch even. He felt imbedded into the padded wall. He stared down into her solid black eyes, void of any emotion, and willed his mouth to speak, nothing came out.

  She pulled their cuffed hands in front of her. “Damn these stifling mortal limitations.” She turned her attention to Garrett and popped up on tippy toes. “Garrett, my darling, I need to get one teensy little thing out of my locker then you will be free of me.”

  Her lips crushed against his, her tongue invading his mouth, probing and jutting wildly about. He was powerless to do anything but let her. She then pulled his bottom lip between her teeth, rubbed a hand against his zipper. Garrett tried his best not to respond. He was, in fact, a full-blooded male; for all intents and purposes, Nia was the one playing with his junk this time.

  Sort of.

  She backed away from him; her face puckered in a scowl, Nia tossed her unshackled hand out wide. “Fine,” she spat.

  Bewildered—and surprised to be only slightly relieved that she stopped—Garrett scanned the room as he regained control of his body. “What? I didn’t say anything.”

  Nia yanked him toward the women’s locker room. He followed, still trying to fathom what had just happened. They stopped in front of her locker. He watched her fumble with her combination. When she finally unlocked it, an evil cackle escaped her lips as she slammed the door open. She shoved her upper body into the confined space, attempting whatever she was doing with one hand. Out of nowhere Nia yanked her other hand—and his along with it—into the locker, smashing Garrett’s face against the cold metal. A few seconds later, she appeared with the disk, pressing it against his chest.

  “There you are. Now get me the hell out of this place,” she hissed.

  “I can’t let you go. I have to get this back to Levinson so they can nail Lexie’s ass to the wall.” He waved the CD in front of Nia’s face, turning to drag her back to the office. He may as well have been tugging the Titanic along behind him. Rubbing the shoulder he’d nearly dislocated, he muttered, “After that I’ll get you out of here.”

  Nia followed him back through the gymnasium and into Levinson’s office. Lexie and their boss stood behind the desk whispering to one another while Brandon sat in front of them chained to his chair. Garrett seated Nia in the other wingback and had Levinson unhook his wrist, attaching her there, too. As Brandon began explaining what was on the disk, Nia pretended to be somewhat interested. Garrett slipped out the door. He pulled the paper from his pocket and analyzed the address.

  A cold chill ran down his spine. It was headquarters to the vampire underground very near to where he’d found her.

  “Of course,” he smacked his own forehead, “that’s why Nia was in that neighborhood.”

  He took off at a dead run. It wouldn’t be long before Shrek cleared their names and Nia was free to go, free to take whoever was along for the ride with her. After winding through the agency, the office above, and the parking garage, he came to a sliding stop next to his car and slipped behind the wheel. Squealing his tires at every corner, he quickly retraced his steps back to where he’d found Nia earlier.

  He got out and popped his trunk. Sunlight glinted on the metal blade of his sword. It had come through time with him. For some reason he’d yet to take it out of his car. Now he knew why. He was meant to use it again. He slung the sheath low on his hip, sliding the blade into it. Walking up to the door, anticipation and nerves rallied for control, adrenaline pulsed through his veins. After pulling out his lock picking kit, he stared down at it with amusement, putting it away. Instead, he chose to harness his hyped up system, kicking in the door. Wood from the doorjamb splintered and crashed down the shadowed staircase in front of him.

  Time seemed to slow. Each heavy footfall on every wooden step echoed throughout the cavernous basement in long drawn out thumps. The sound of his own heartbeat reverberated in his head. Every motion of his body was slow, deliberate, until Garrett saw him.

  Sitting in the middle of the room, a man clothed in a black robe sat in a trance. The candles around the room flickered with the cold breeze that blew in from the open doorway.

  Garrett unsheathed his sword as he closed the gap between them. The resounding ping of the steel caused the other man’s eyes to open, showing only the bloodshot whites. They glowed bright in the dark room, closely following Garrett’s movements. The creepy man levitated in front of him and hovered eye to eye. Another breeze rifled through the room, extinguishing the candles and stirring the door debris. This time the air was fast and hot. Splinters drove through the air pelting Garrett, several piercing his skin. He shielded his eyes with one hand, the sharp sword held at the ready with the other. The closer he got to the mysterious man, the harder the searing wind blew.

  With one swift motion, the man’s legs extended to the ground. His eyes rolled forward, bringing the air to a standstill, raining debris to the floor. Innocent, scared eyes stared back at Garrett.

  Nia’s eyes.

  “Garrett, you have to kill him,” the man stated in a soft tone that belied the evil permeating around him.

  Garrett cocked his head to the side and inched closer to the man with Nia’s soulful eyes. “Who do I have to kill?”

  “Gregor.” The name tumbled from the man’s lips with an otherworldly growl and frothy foam. Nia’s eyes disappeared, replaced by blackened spheres.

  Garrett lifted the sword between them, laying the blade on his collarbone. “Gregor, I presume?”

  “Slash the life from my flesh and your precious Nia shall pass into Hell along with me.” His evil laughter shook the very foundation they stood upon. Gregor’s body convulsed, his laughter morphing into a gut-wrenching, high-pitched scream. Nia’s eyes tumbled back into place. “Kill him now, or he’ll kill everyone at the department. You don’t understand; he’s…”

  The laugh returned, his eyes rounding to coal black.

  Garrett pushed the blade into the evil man’s skin. “Let me talk to Nia!”

  “Or what?” he spat.

  “Nia, can you hear me? Please fight him and come tell me if he’s lying!” Garrett tried to keep his emotions from taking over, the sword still waggling against the other man’s flesh.

  Gregor hissed, but his evil façade faded. Nia pleaded through him, “I’ll be fine. End this lunatic now before innocent people die!”

  Garrett readied the sword. “Nia, I need to tell you that I...”

  A sweet smile crossed Gregor’s face, “No, not like this.”

  Within seconds the smile slithered back to pure evil. “How bittersweet!”

  Knowing Nia would indeed blatantly lie to protect innocent people, Garrett grappled with his conscience. When Gregor’s sallow fangs appeared, he knew he had no choice, kill or be killed. He reared the sword back, slicing through the still, dank air until it hit flesh and bone at the nape of Gregor’s neck. Without much hesitation, the blade tore through his spine, severing his head from his body.

  Not entirely sure why, Garrett threw both hands over his face. He knew Gregor wouldn’t spontaneously combust, sparkle, or any of the other Hollywood death rituals. He still found himself peering through his fingers regardless. Gregor’s lifeless, bloodied body crumpled to the ground in front of him, his dismembered head rolling toward the sunlight streaming down the stairwell. As his face turned into the sunbeams,
he wore a pained expression for a moment before peace settled on his features, a faint smile curling the corners of Gregor’s lips.

  Anxious to find out if Nia was okay, he scurried up the stairs and ran back to his car, leaving a blood trail from his sword the entire way.

  A police officer writing a ticket a few cars away from Garrett’s slapped his hand on his gun and screamed “Stop!”

  The man in blue dropped his ticket pad, darting after him. Garrett wasn’t deterred from the task at hand. He slid into the driver’s seat, leaving the police officer with his gun drawn standing in the middle of the road. A shot rang out, shattering the back window of his car. Cringing, he merely slammed his foot on the gas, skidding his car sideways down an alley and into traffic on another road. Glass crunched and clanged around in the backseat tearing at the leather. On a normal day, Garrett would be near stroke status, all he could think about at the moment was Nia.

  And why cops never shot at tires to stop a car, though he was thankful this one didn’t.

  From outside, the office building looked normal. The early work crowd milled about in the lobby. Garrett felt relief trickle through him. His wishful thinking was quick to fade, as he made his way to the basement, entering into the department. Ceiling tiles littered the floor, ripped into shreds; desks and chairs were overturned, computer monitors shattered, and live wires hung about, their static-crackling the only noise in the eerily quiet area.

  Garrett turned the handle, pushing against the door to his boss’s office. When it didn’t budge, he shoved his shoulder into it, pushing away some of the debris blocking his way. He slipped through the crack he was able to make then stood in shock at what he saw. The walls of the room were bent outward at the top; the entire ceiling had crumbled to the floor exposing the gray stone housing of the underground unit. Two security guards lay dead, battered, bruised, and sprawled across a downed bookcase. Levinson was in the far corner kneeling next to his overturned desk.

  He frantically scanned the room again. “Sir, where’s Nia?”

  Levinson turned his somber gaze toward him. “I’m afraid she’s right here.”