Blood Wars: Book 4 (The Talisman Series)

by Brenda Pandos

  My jaw opened and closed. Phil would get in trouble for underage drinking. If he drove here, would that mean a DUI, too? And if there truly was a mole at the precinct, I didn’t need them to know where I was staying for the time being.

  Exhausted, I sat down again and rested my hand on Phil’s arm. He cuddled it, and began to snore loudly.

  “No. I’ll just stay here until he wakes up.”

  Mr. Cruor walked closer. “I need to alert his parents. I am still on staff at the school and there are rules.”

  I watched Phil’s peaceful smile. Why would he show up drunk? So drunk he passed out? He was smarter than that. Was he that worried about me? I still didn’t believe Rachel, but I didn’t want Phil’s record trashed either if I was wrong.

  With a quick kiss on his forehead, I breathed in his scent. I remembered his confession and for a brief moment, I wondered a quick “what if.”

  The yelling in the hall distracted me, making the hairs on my neck stand up. Were his parents already here?

  “Horace! Where are you?”

  I stood. The angered man sounded a lot like Dad.

  He appeared in the doorway, then marched across the room and stood toe to toe with Mr. Cruor. “When I call you, especially when you’ve got my daughter in your house, you answer. You hear me? You answer!”

  “Yes, of course. I haven’t received a call.” Mr. Cruor cleared his throat and took a step backward. He felt inside his pockets. “I must have left my cell in my office. Sorry about that.”

  Dad leaned in. “I don’t care how you keep track of it, or if you have your assistant hold it for you, or you duct tape it to your chest, you will answer it. Or I take my daughter from the program permanently. Understood?”

  Mom stepped into the room. Her eyes were bloodshot like she’d been crying.

  Mr. Cruor’s face paled when spotting her. “I didn’t mean to cause you two concern. It was an honest mistake, Russ. I apologize. And frankly, you and Anna will be with Julia at all times from now on.”

  “That’s fine, it’s just I have something to discuss with you. Privately.” Dad marched to the corner of the room. Mr. Cruor followed. I leaned over to listen in, when Mom folded me into a hug.

  “I’m okay, Mom. Nothing happened to me.”

  She sniffed softly and hummed in agreement.

  I pulled away and gained eye contact. “Mom, what’s wrong?”

  Her eyes flickered around the room, then landed on Phil. “What happened?”

  I grabbed her shoulders. “That’s not important. Why are you crying?”

  She gnawed on her bottom lip before batting away a tear off her cheek. “Nothing bad, really. Just some shocking news.”

  “Is Gran okay? Luke? Is it Aunt Joe?”

  “Everyone’s okay.”

  “Then what? Are you…?”

  More tears filled her lids. She swallowed hard like she had a lump in her throat. “I’ll be okay. We just need to maybe wait a day before going to New York.”

  “Why?” I grabbed her hands and squeezed. “What happened?”

  “I…” She gulped and closed her eyes. “Have….” Her lower lip quivered and she stopped talking.

  I leaned in to look in her eyes. “Have what?”

  “There was a lump in my breast. I had it biopsied. Come to find out it’s…” She laughed. “I can’t believe I can’t say the C word.”

  “Cancer?” My mouth dropped open, then relief flooded through me, and I wrapped my arms around her tight. “Oh, thank God, Mom. I’m the cure. I’m the cure!”

  “I know,” she said with a sniffle. “I’ve wondered this entire time why you’d been given this gift. In any other circumstances, I don’t think I would have been a candidate, or could have afforded…” She sniffled again as tremors wracked her body. We hugged tighter.

  “Mom. It’s okay. We just need to get you an injection.” I pulled her toward Dad and Mr. Cruor’s tight circle.

  They stopped talking, but Dad’s face was red and blotchy. He stared at Mom as if she was already dead. “I need to talk to you, Anna.”

  “Why?” I asked, confused.

  “Julia,” he warned.

  “No. Tell me. Why?”

  Dad’s glance swung to Mr. Cruor.

  He cleared his throat. “It appears that your blood, Julia, only cures blood born cancers. I’m not sure if its effect on the kind that your mother has… will be good or bad,” he said plainly.

  “What?” I gripped onto Mom’s hand. “Good or bad? What’s that supposed to mean?”

  Mr. Cruor’s gaze fell to the floor. “I’m sorry.”

  “You’re sorry? You steal my blood to cure yourself and now you’re sorry?”

  “I think what he’s trying to say is we shouldn’t get our hopes up,” Dad interrupted.

  “Like hell!” I yelled.

  “Julia!” Mom admonished.

  “No. Get Rachel in here. Now! She needs to give Mom my blood! Then I’ll prove you naysayers wrong!”

  Mr. Cruor’s eyes flashed to mine. “What did you say?”

  My heart stopped for a moment. I’d called her the wrong name.

  “Raquel,” I mumbled quickly as my guilty eyes swung to him. “Get Raquel in here.”

  “You said Rachel,” Phil mumbled. “Damn vampires.”

  The air stilled in my lungs as the tension loomed like a flaming arrow about to hit a pile of hay. I continued to stare at Mr. Cruor, acting as if I’d said nothing wrong. The painful seconds ticked on.

  “She looks like someone I used to know,” I quickly said. “Their names are similar. Easy to confuse.” I chuckled under my breath. “Can you please call Raquel?”

  Mr. Cruor held me for a moment longer in his dark gaze, longer than I liked. Something registered in his eyes. Something humorous. Did he remember her by that name, too?

  “Of course,” he finally said and brushed past me. I wanted to puke from the relief.

  “There you are!” Katie stood in the doorway, face glammed to the max, wearing a black mini skirt with break-your-neck platform heels and a soft white flowing top that showed off her cleavage. Her hands were pressed on her hips. “I need to speak with you.”

  “Not now, Katie,” Mr. Cruor said quietly. “I’m busy.”

  “This will only take a second.” She reached out and latched onto his arm.

  He pivoted his wrist over and grabbed hers instead, tugging her toward him while holding a fake smile.

  “Not now,” he said through his teeth.

  She shirked him off. “You’re not reneging on New York, are you? I’m still going.”

  I hid my smile under my fingertips. This was so worth everything to watch her squirm.

  “There’s been a change in plans.” Mr. Cruor’s body was taut. Was he trying to remain calm?

  “What does that mean?”

  “It means you need to wait for me in my lab until I’m free. That’s what it means.”

  Everything inside me wanted to yell out, “that’s what you get for betraying me, biotch,” but I was a lady.

  “It’s because of her, isn’t it?” Katie pointed at me.

  I pressed my lips together, trying my hardest not to smile.

  “I don’t get why you’re putting up with her,” she said. “Set her straight already.”

  “I don’t get why he’s put up with you.” The words slipped out before I could stop myself.

  “Oh yeah?” She crossed the room, tottering the entire way.

  I busted out in a short laugh, hoping she’d fall.

  “Yeah.” I lifted my chin and gritted my teeth. “I heard what you said.”

  “About what?”

  “To your little girlfriends in the locker room—”

  “Uh oh. Busted,” Phil slurred with a laugh. “Here comes the cat fight.”

  Katie’s head swung around as she stared at Phil. “Shut up, you freakin’ loser.”

  “Oh, I’m a loser now?” Phil tried to sit up and flopped over.
/>   Katie laughed. “Look at you. Both of you. Idiots.”

  “Katie,” Mr. Cruor chastised. “That’s enough.”

  Throwing my ladylikeness aside, I stepped forward. “I know more than you think, bitc—,”

  “Julia!” Mom interrupted. “At this rate, no one is going to New York. I think we should go and let Horace get to his work.”

  I clenched my jaw. With Mom’s cancer, we needed the best doctors in the country. “You’re right.”

  “What?” Katie’s nostrils flared. “Why does she get to change the plan?”

  “Because my life doesn’t revolve around you,” I chuckled. “You’ll need to plan your little hook-up on someone else’s dime.”

  The muscle in Katie’s jaw worked, and I would have laughed my butt off hard if it wasn’t for my mother’s health. Even still, I’d gotten my wish as far as Katie was concerned.

  Katie flew into a fury, screaming, and she rushed me, nails out like claws. Dad stepped in her way before she could make contact. She flailed and scratched his cheek, drawing blood. “Let me at her. She can’t do this! I’ll get my revenge. You’ll see, you stupid, bit—”

  “Enough!” Mr. Cruor yelled.

  “Humpty dumpty had a great fall,” Phil sang.

  Slide appeared at my father’s side, prying Katie off of him. “You better not be implying I’m fat, Phil.”

  “If the shoe fits.” He stared at her shoes, then craned his neck to see her red face. “Damn, girl. Getting a nose bleed up there?”

  Katie huffed and wobbled on shaky ankles. “Shut up.”

  “Like I said, things have changed,” Mr. Cruor said calmly. “Please take her to Raquel.”

  “If you cut me out after all I’ve done for you. Brought her here on a silver platter—”

  “You’ll get your reward,” he said with a glare.

  “You owe me more than that,” Katie hissed as Slide dragged her from the room.

  Dad quirked his head. “What is she talking about?”

  “This is making me uncomfortable. I’d like to go.” Mom placed her hands on my shoulders and pushed forward. “Russell.”

  Mr. Cruor smiled his charming smile at us, but from my parents’ stiff postures, they weren’t buying it. “Don’t look so alarmed. Katie’s quite explosive when she doesn’t get her way, as you can see. Her mother will be here momentarily to pick her up.”

  My mind wouldn’t stop though. What was the reward? I could understand being disappointed about New York, but was there a huge payoff coming, too?

  “Come on, Julia,” Dad said. “Your mother is right. We’re leaving.”

  “That’s a good idea, Russ. Mimi will show you three to the guesthouse. The house and kitchen is well stocked with everything you’ll need to be comfortable, but if there’s anything—”

  “I don’t think you understand. We’re leaving the premises.” Dad took Mom’s hand and led her to the door. She clasped onto me, making a rope of people.

  I tugged them to a stop. “I’m not leaving without Phil.”

  “I don’t know why you’re pacifying them, Horace.” Raquel stood in disgust from the doorway. “Julia appears to have remembered.”

  “No shit, Sherlock,” Phil said.

  I cringed. “Phil, shhh.”

  “We all remember Cain,” Phil slurred. “The dagger being plunged into my heart. Turning to dust. Finding myself once more in hell. I remember it all.”

  “We need to leave now,” Dad whispered to Mom.

  “It doesn’t have to be like this,” Mr. Cruor reasoned.

  “Yes it does,” Raquel said. She snapped her fingers. “Guards, take them.”

  Slide, Mr. Steroids, and Beef Cakes rushed into the room as Dad pulled Mom toward the door. Mom shrieked as Mr. Steroids grabbed her, and Dad tried to fight him off. Beef Cakes threw him to the ground and pressed his knee on his back. Slide headed straight for me.

  “Wait!” I yelled, holding up my hands. “Let them go! It’s me you want.”

  Phil stood and kicked his foot out, tripping Slide. He stumbled to the ground. Phil laughed and reached for my hand, then flew backward into the couch, backhanded by Slide. He reared back for another blow, but I stood between them.

  “No!”

  “Stop fighting,” Mr. Cruor demanded.

  Like a good guard dog, Slide lowered his hand, but I knew escape was futile. Beyond him, Katie stood next to Rachel in the doorway with a smirk on her face. “I told you you knew nothing.”

  I gulped, watching helpless as more guards entered the room and surrounded my parents. Then he entered, the green-eyed man that had abducted me.

  “Hello, princess.” He gave a little wave.

  I sucked in a startled breath and my gaze swung to Mr. Cruor. “It was you.”

  Mr. Cruor shrugged. “I always get my way, Julia.” His eyes darted to my parents, and the goons began to drag them out.

  “No!” I held up my hand. My parents began to argue, too. “They know I’m here.”

  “Who? The cops? They’re so busy looking for a mole, we’ll be long gone before they figure out the truth,” Mr. Cruor said.

  Mom gasped, fighting against her attacker. “No, I want to stay with Julia.”

  I laughed nervously. “What good is my blood if it only cures one kind of cancer?”

  Mr. Cruor chuckled. “You’re so gullible. I can’t believe you never asked for proof.”

  “Proof of what?” Dad asked.

  “Proof that I was sick to begin with.”

  My jaw dropped open at his confession. “Then why inject yourself and tell the world you had a cure?”

  “Tell who?” Mr. Cruor smiled evilly.

  I thought back to all our conversations. Due to the nature of the discovery, he’d insisted we not tell anyone. Yet when everything went down, he’d told me the competition knew. He’d said my phone was bugged. Had he planted all the superstition and clues so I’d believe him, right down to the kidnapping? Had he orchestrated it all? I looked at Phil who smugly smiled from the couch. He’d been right all along.

  “It was all you,” I mumbled, unable to say such a horrible and cruel accusation.

  Mr. Cruor’s smile broadened. “Yes.”

  A tear slipped down my cheek as my parents disappeared from view. “What are you going to do with them?”

  “They’re leverage,” Mr. Cruor said. “I need to make sure you’ll cooperate.”

  “But why?” I asked. “You already have my blood.”

  “Because we need more, stupid.” Katie sauntered up to me, chest pushed outward. “When you didn’t go for the blood drive, I came up with the cancer bit and it worked. Pretty conniving, isn’t it?”

  Cancer bit? The blood drained from my face, then a mountain of rage flew through me.

  I slapped the smile right off her mouth. “That’s for my mom!”

  Her eyes grew and she held onto her cheek. Then she reared back to slap me, but I grabbed her arm and twisted, pushing her over.

  She fell sprawling onto the floor. I faked like I’d punch her. She flinched. “Geez, Julia.”

  “My mom has cancer, bitch!” I leaned forward and gritted my teeth. “So you can shove your lies up your ass. And I don’t want you in New York!”

  My angry glare swung between Rachel and Mr. Cruor. Then all hope drained from my body when I realized my blood didn’t cure anything. I had no leverage. I had nothing.

  I stiffened, ready to negotiate, ready to discover the truth. “Then what do you need my blood for?”

  Raquel smiled. “Now that’s the million dollar question.”

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  I waited, watching Rachel and Mr. Cruor talk to one another privately, braced for the worst. If my blood didn’t cure cancer, what did it do? As far as I could tell, nothing since Mr. Cruor had injected himself with it. Or had he?

  “I’ll do whatever, just let my parents go.” Neither paid attention to me as they continued talking. “Please, just tell me why you want my blo
od.”

  I sucked in a deep breath as the agonizing minutes pressed on. No use in pretending anymore. “Cain, I know who you are.”

  His gaze flicked over for a second, and he smirked.

  Katie sucked in a startled breath. “Since when?”

  “Since the beginning,” Phil said from the couch. “Don’t feel bad. She didn’t tell me either.”

  “Phil.” I rolled my eyes and plopped next to him on the couch. “Just be quiet, sheesh.”

  “You love me,” he whispered.

  “Yes, I do. But we’re trapped now. I should have listened to you,” I whispered.

  “I have a plan,” he said perfectly fine, then he winked.

  I studied him for a moment. Was he pretending to be drunk?

  “Oooh,” he moaned. “I think I’m going to be sick.”

  “Don’t puke on the carpet,” Mr. Cruor said quickly. “Take him to the bathroom.”

  Slide grabbed Phil by the arm and lead him into the hall. Phil moaned louder and soon his noises faded down the hall. What was he going to do?

  Cain and Rachel whispered more, actually in an argumentative sort of way. What was the deal? I tried to run through everything that had happened, looking for clues. How did I play into everything? Rachel rubbed her wrist. Had she been driving the van?

  “You can’t hold me. The cops know. Nicholas will find me!” I yelled, pushed to the point of exasperation.

  “I always find you.” Nicholas came around the corner.

  I jumped up, filled with relief and terror, quickly crossing the room to him. He didn’t know this was a trap and that we’d been lied to all along. That they were keeping my parents hostage.

  In his hand was a syringe.

  I stopped. “Nicholas?”

  He smiled broadly. “I told you you could trust him.”

  “I take it the serum is complete?” Cruor asked as he walked up behind me. He held out his trembling fingers for the syringe.

  Nicholas glared at him, and Mr. Cruor cowed under his stare. He knelt down. Rachel joined him. And so did Katie.

  I blinked at them all in shock. “Where’s Dr. V?”

  “You think he came up with this?” Nicholas laughed.

  “What is that?” I eyed the vial of purplish liquid.