“Beacons?” I asked quietly.
“Hollowed out limestone carvings filled with vamp blood etched with a warning in Latin. I’ve placed hundreds of them to encircle the town.”
“Well, there are only ten sets of teeth here. I’d say that is quite a dry spell or you’ve lost your touch.”
“That’s unlikely.”
Harry put one of the sharp rocks to his nose and inhaled. “Interesting. These bloodsuckers were very old.” He spun around in his chair to face Nicholas. “Were they talented? What powers did they have?”
“Shape-shifting, mind-reading, flying—” He snorted after he said “flying.” “Let’s see . . . linguistic.” He turned to me. “Remember anything else?”
I blinked, feeling a little tongue tied.
“Got to see the suckers first hand, did ya?” Harry interjected.
“She even staked one,” Nicholas said with pride.
“Way to go, Annie Oakley,” Harry said and tipped his invisible hat in my direction.
I just smiled and touched the emerald stone that hung around my neck. The necklace was the real hero and somehow helped me throw straight at that precarious moment when Justin threatened my life.
“One had blue eyes.”
“Ah,” Harry grunted. “From the Della Greca branch. Haven’t seen one of them in a long time. They’re usually very gifted. You know, you’re from the Della Greca branch, Sonny.”
My mind whirled. Alora had blue eyes as well and seemed very powerful.
“Nicky, in the box over there are some new stakes with a lighter alloy core. Try them out.”
Nicholas took out a wooden stake and inspected it before chucking it towards the dummy in the corner. The sudden loud thwack surprised me, effectively jolting me out of my memories with my responsive yelp.
“Nice,” Nicholas said and picked up two more, handing one to me. “The crosshatch design is new.”
The spike’s heaviness deceived me when Nicholas let go and I almost dropped it on the floor. The wood seemed denser than most. I noticed fine slivers of metal threaded along the sides of the shaft joining at the tip to make a sharp point. In the side, a miniscule brand of the cross was etched—the same one Nicholas had tattooed on his arm.
“Can’t lose these, Nicky my boy,” Harry said in complete somberness. “They’ll penetrate your defenses—look.”
Over on the floor, in a heap, a couple of tank tops lay. Nicholas picked one up and inspected the hole through the middle of the shirt.
“Using my clothing for target practice?” Nicholas said to be funny, but I could feel his nerves.
Harry’s hand shot out to grab Nicholas’ arm.
“I mean it. You account for every one.”
Nicholas removed Harry’s hand and clapped him on the back. “Got it, Harry. I’ll be careful.”
“You better,” Harry said and rose from his chair. “I’m starving. Who wants ice cream? Hung. Hung! Where’s that woman?”
Harry shuffled out of the room while calling her name.
Nicholas shot me a look of concern as I sat, wide-eyed.
“Why don’t I wear the shirt and you, the talisman,” I suggested quickly.
Nicholas softened. “Julia, no shirt is going to prevent a vamp from biting you. I wear the shirt to prevent getting staked, remember?”
“Yeah, but these are like—like those cop killing bullets, only for vampires,” I said while shaking the stake in the air at him. “I thought you said nothing can get through the venom?”
“The metal has been infused with the vampire’s teeth, ground down and put into the molten ore. It apparently gets through the venom vampire element—like scissors against paper.”
“The teeth?” My mind was swimming with details.
“Yeah, teeth—that’s what I just gave to Harry.”
My bottom lip quivered. Nicholas was suddenly at my side, his arms wrapped tenderly around me.
“Hey,” he said and tipped my chin up. “No tears. This is a good thing. I’ve got the stakes, the vamps don’t. And they don’t know our secrets either. Remember, we’ve got the advantage.”
“Yeah, but—”
Nicholas put his index finger tenderly up to my lips to stop me from speaking. “We don’t let others call our fate. We live our lives honorably, and when it’s our time we accept it.”
I sighed while a single tear fell and splashed on my pant leg. Nicholas knelt down, placed my chin between both of his hands, and held me for a second. His piercing eyes melted my soul.
“No fear,” he whispered before he kissed me.
My eyes closed as we kissed, a few more tears spilling forth. The sweetness of his mouth mixed with the saltiness of my tears. I entangled my hands in his hair, demanding more. The thought of anything happening to him was too much and he responded with the same intensity. I almost completely lost all awareness of where we were until a sudden surge of embarrassment interrupted our passion.
“Holy mother of— Get a room,” Harry said and slammed down the tray of ice cream before leaving abruptly. “Call me when you two are finished.”
I heard a few expletives under his breath as he shuffled down the hallway.
“No, Harry,” Nicholas called out while standing up. “Come back.”
Alone, I took out a pocket mirror from my purse to examine my eyes. Red, like I expected. I powdered them before I heard them coming back, then remembered Harry was blind and snickered at my vanity.
I jumped up, grabbed a dish, and began to eat before they entered the room.
“This is good, Harry,” I said with a mouthful. “Thank you.”
“Sucking face does work up an appetite,” Harry said gruffly.
“Sure does,” Nicholas said while making a face. I stifled a chuckle which relieved my own awkwardness. “Okay Harry, enough chit-chat. Let’s get down to business.”
Chapter Five
I tried to concentrate while Harry and Nicholas talked, but ended up falling asleep in the chair. When I opened my eyes we were in the car driving again.
“Where are we?” I asked, sat up, and yawned. The freeway seemed extra desolate at three in the morning.
“Just left Orange County.”
Nicholas reached over and put his arm over my shoulders. Still feeling sleepy, I snuggled into his chest and inhaled the glorious scent of his body mixed with his leather jacket. My eyes closed while he lightly rubbed my neck and shoulders. I loved that I still got butterflies from his touch.
“You’re tense,” he said and applied pressure to my trapezius muscle.
“Am I?”
Of course I was.
Because of my manipulation, I’d dangerously run away with Nicholas to L.A. while Alora staked out her camp in my town with intentions to find and capture Nicholas, the wanted vampire slayer. Enigma, being ambiguous as usual, said our success in defeating Alora included eliciting help from someone I didn’t know, and who Nicholas despised—his father. And then somewhere in the mix I was supposed to destroy all the vampires because of a prediction from a now deceased fortune teller with an unknown gift that could mean the ending of Nicholas’ life. All because he was part vampire. Not to mention, if my father ever caught word I’d left town without permission I’d never see the light of day. I had a lot on my mind.
But Nicholas temporarily took away the worry as I melted under his touch, relieved to be anywhere but the bad part of Orange County. The environment, still discontented, felt somewhat palatable with Nicholas’ peace blocking it, like icing on top of a burnt cupcake.
“I’m sorry to drag you all over at such an insane hour. Harry’s an insomniac and most congenial late at night.”
I snorted. Of all the words to describe Harry, congenial wasn’t one I’d pick. If that was Harry being congenial I’d hate to see what he was like during the day.
“I begged to come. Remember?” I reminded. “What’s next?”
I actually hoped a pillow would be in our near future.
&nb
sp; “One more quick errand, then we’ll check into the hotel. You’ve got a big day tomorrow.”
Suddenly the realization of being alone, together in a hotel room with a bed brought a blush to my cheeks and my heart quickened. My shoulders reactively tightened, undoing any benefit the massage might have brought.
Nicholas responded by kneading deeper. His calm worked its magic on my tattered body and I realized, with slight disappointment, he had no intentions of seducing me. His role—forever the protector—trumped any of his other desires. It’d been this way since the beginning of our relationship. I wasn’t sure if I should be flattered or frustrated.
At the moment I was too tired to care. I snuggled deeper into his chest and pushed the doubt from my mind. He loved me and that was all that really mattered—not the fleeting feeling of lust.
When I opened my eyes again we were parked in front of a three story Victorian house in an established neighborhood. The maple trees stretched far into the night sky, which effectively blocked out the moonlight and left ominous dark shadows over the manicured lawn. Cement stairs led up to the porch flanked by two unlit lampposts. Somewhere beyond, I assumed, was a door.
Nicholas glared towards the house, full of disappointment and bitterness, unaware I was awake. His head flicked a fraction upward and I followed his gaze. The curtain fell into place, as if someone had just peeked around it.
Then I saw him; his face glistened in the moonlight, arms folded, leaning up against one of the posts. A vampire. A very sad and lonely vampire.
The standoff made me anxious.
When I shifted in my seat Nicholas’ hand enfolded mine.
“Who’s that?” I asked in a whisper, but I’d already suspected who the stranger was.
“Meet Pastor Preston Kendrick,” he said without emotion. “My father.”
My jaw dropped. I had no clue Nicholas’ father was a pastor.
“I’ll be back in a second. Promise,” he said with a kiss on my temple.
I felt him squeeze my hand before he disappeared. While my eyes closed to blink, he’d opened the car door, closed it, and breezed into the house. If I hadn’t heard the car door shut I’d assumed he’d vanished into thin air.
I waited anxiously, feeling the atmosphere inside—stiff, unemotional, strictly business. Preston didn’t feel like the other full-blooded vampires I’d met, which was surprising. His thirst was minimal, but the guilt was overwhelming—something Nicholas struggled with frequently as well. I knew Nicholas’ stemmed from the regret of being late to save my mother, and for putting me in harm’s way by being romantically involved with me. But I didn’t have a clue why Preston would feel guilty. Maybe his grief from losing his wife in the traumatic birth of Nicholas strained their relationship. Or he felt responsible since the pregnancy was his doing, unaware he wasn’t sterile as believed in the vampire world.
At the same time, Enigma’s words rang through my mind. We needed Preston’s help in order to defeat Alora, and somehow I was supposed to facilitate Nicholas’ asking for it. The thought of just knocking on the door and blurting out what I knew came to mind, until I imagined the outcome. Nicholas would feel betrayed, and possibly mortified I’d begged his father, of all people, for assistance with information I’d kept hidden from him through lies. And Preston might not even want to get involved with our petty situation. He could possibly become upset that Nicholas allowed his initial relationship with my mother to blossom into a romance with me. Not to mention his irresponsibility in giving me the talisman.
Whatever happened would need to be handled delicately, and possibly without Nicholas’ knowledge. Coming back at another time or writing Preston a letter seemed a more reasonable option. I glanced back at the house and noticed a faint address etched in the cinderblock at the bottom of the stairs. It read 612 Elm. Using Google maps later would give me the city and zip.
My eyes focused on the nearby houses. They seemed charming, but not kid friendly. I wondered if Nicholas was even allowed outside to play growing up. My assumption was he’d spent a lot of time with Hung and Harry, getting more of a loving upbringing from them on the hard streets of Orange County.
The door slammed shut and I jumped. Nicholas threw a brown leather satchel in the backseat and started the car. His hands moved so fast I couldn’t register what he was doing until we were zigzagging down a maze of side streets. Once I realized we’d left I sat quietly and allowed Nicholas to process his thoughts all the way to the hotel.
“If you’d feel more comfortable I can go in and get the keys,” he said when he pulled into the driveway of the Beverly Hills Hilton.
“I want to stay with you,” I said, feeling like it was my turn to heal his tattered spirit. I grabbed his hand and massaged it.
Nicholas parked, grabbed our gear, and opened my door in seconds. I only saw a blur. He usually reserved that talent for when we were in danger, but he was clearly rattled from the visit with his dad.
“You okay?” I asked while searching his eyes.
“Yeah,” he lied and looked away. He held out his hand to help me out of the front seat. My eyes were drawn to the large padded case that hung over his shoulder.
“What’s that?”
“My guitar,” Nicholas said nonchalantly.
“You—you play the guitar?” In six months he’d never mentioned he played.
“I’m not that good; I just didn’t want to leave it in the car—it’s special to me.” For the first time I saw Nicholas blush.
“Will you play something for me later?”
Nicholas glanced sideways with a coy smile. “We’ll see.”
We walked hand in hand quietly through the vacant lobby. A preppy college guy at the front desk wasn’t too eager to help us since we interrupted the movie he’d been watching on a DVD player. He suddenly became very professional after Nicholas handed him his VIP Hilton members card.
“Welcome back, Mr. Kendrick. Would you like your regular room?” Preppy Guy asked after he swiped it through the machine—his nervousness suddenly surged to epic proportions.
Nicholas nodded. I furrowed my brow as I watched him from the corner of my eye, curious at the use of “regular room.”
“Very well,” Preppy Guy said while quickly clicking a few keys on the keyboard. He ripped off the printed receipt and slid it forward for Nicholas’ signature. I almost thought I saw a bead of sweat glisten on his upper lip as he handed over the room keys. “Enjoy your stay.”
Nicholas squeezed my hand, as if to convey there was nothing to worry about, and led me towards the elevator.
“What was that all about?” I peeked back at Preppy Guy who smiled enthusiastically at me.
“Let’s just say I’m a very special guest to the Hiltons.”
Inside the elevator Nicholas inserted his card and the light to the 23rd floor illuminated. He pressed the button for the Penthouse Suite.
I gasped. “Are you kidding me? That’s got to be so expensive.”
“Not really. It’s on the house.” A teasing smile finally flickered across his beautiful lips.
“So you’re not going to tell me?”
“My father saved Barron Hilton’s life once. We are invited to stay whenever we’d like.”
When the doors opened I stared, unblinking, for a second in disbelief. The foyer led to a giant room with vaulted ceilings, exquisite artwork covering the walls, lush burgundy couches, and floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the city. The famous HOLLYWOOD sign loomed on the hillside beyond the buildings.
I pointed and looked at Nicholas with wide-eyes.
“It’s the real thing,” he said smugly.
Inside, I meandered left, through a doorway, and entered a mint-green bedroom. A lavish headboard canopy hung over a King-sized bed adorned with downy pillows. I ran, jumped, and buried myself in the heavenly linens with a squeal. After composing myself, my eyes drifted to the attached bathroom. An intricate black-and-white marble floor led to a powder area, shower, and Jacuz
zi tub. I sighed and made a note to soak in there before leaving.
“There’s more,” Nicholas said as he studied me, his effervescent eyes gleamed with satisfaction.
He stood, leaning one arm against the doorway, and looked absolutely adorable. I removed myself from the downy goodness of the bed and moved past him, trailing my hand across his irresistible chest. He caught me and pulled me into his arms while he nuzzled my hair. I giggled and our lips touched.
“How could there be more?” I whispered, smiling at his delight.
He nodded and led me to a dining area so fancy I didn’t feel I could ever eat there, afraid I’d spill something and stain the upholstery or carpeting. French doors led to a deck, a hot tub, and the perfect view of the city. I was just about to check it out when I noticed another set of unopened doors. I turned the handle, expecting to find a kitchen, and walked into another mint-green bedroom and bath.
I looked up into his face and smirked. “I guess this solves my question of who’s sleeping where, doesn’t it?”
“Well?” His eyes caressed my face with tender care and wrapped his arms around my waist.
Always the gentleman.
“Doesn’t this make you wish you’d just taken my advice and waited here while I talked with Harry?” Nicholas said with a playful tone.
“Hmm. I remember the word room, not penthouse suite, as my choice.”
“Ah, true.”
I snickered. “Although, it would have been mighty tempting, considering Harry’s neighborhood and some of its creepy inhabitants. I’d still choose to be with you,” I said with a smile. “Hands down.”
Nicholas sighed and rested his chin on the top of my head.
“You’re too precious, Julia,” he said softly. “More than I deserve.”
No, you’re more than I deserve.
Chapter Six
The morning sunlight filtered through my closed eyelids, signaling my brain to wake up. My backpack lying on the luxuriant carpeted floor reminded me where I’d slept the night before. I yawned and looked at the clock with a gasp. It read 11:38 AM. I’d slept most of the morning away. To my surprise, next to the lamp, a single pink gerbera daisy sat in a vase with a note attached.
The Sapphire Talisman Page 4
