The Sapphire Talisman

by Brenda Pandos

  I chewed on my fingernail while waiting, trying not to check the time every five seconds—the last being 6:38 PM. Just like Katie to plan the time to meet and be late. Unable to wait any longer, I started to text her when another came through.

  - My car battery is dead. Can we meet another time?

  What?

  My anger erupted. She probably just figured out her car wasn’t working and didn’t even have the audacity to let me know she was already running late.

  The thought to punch back a retort took a back seat as the overwhelming urge that Nicholas needed my help flooded my body. I rushed down the sidewalk to my car instead. But when my car was in sight, I heard someone call my name.

  Automatically, I turned to find the source. A weathered-looking buff guy covered in tattoos ran at full speed towards me. I bolted, but he was too close. His hands clamped around my arms and mouth. My phone toppled out of my hand to the ground; the plastic shattered.

  My muffled scream rang through the street, but no one noticed as he drug me to a nearby van.

  Chapter Eleven

  A mixture of feelings expelled from the people inside the van: happiness, excitement, greed, fear. But the unique one, the one I feared most, was the one with the bloodlust. It had the same intensity like Phil’s after he’d become a vampire: completely insatiable.

  The van door slammed behind me as the ruffian dropped me to my knees onto the floorboard, and bound my hands behind my back.

  “Nice work boys,” a female voice said. One I recognized.

  I turned around and squinted so my eyes would adjust to the dark interior faster. Sitting in the seats in the back were two husky guys with Katie between them.

  “Katie?” Her name slipped out of my lips in a gasp as I crawled back into a sitting position. I quickly assessed who the vampire was. Only Katie had the dark eyes, the flawless pale skin, and the radiating youth.

  “Hello, Julia,” she said, mawkishly sweet. “Sorry, but food no longer appeals to me.” She turned and placed her hand on the shoulder of the guy to her right. “Actually, I’m craving something different. Tony?”

  Willingly he held out his wrist. Several red crescent shaped wounds lined the inside of his forearm.

  “Slice or bite?” she asked seductively.

  “Bite,” he purred, his eyes lighting up.

  She grinned and brought his wrist to her mouth. I mashed my eyes shut, but felt his discomfort from her teeth piercing his flesh anyway. What followed, I hadn’t anticipated.

  Her pleasure exploded like fireworks, starting from her stomach, radiating out through her extremities, launching her and me into fluffy comforting warmth, free of any worries. I gasped as Katie let out a groan. Tony enjoyed the same euphoric heaven as his eyes rolled back into his head.

  She pulled back and licked the blood off her lips, her thirst not entirely satisfied.

  “Better than a hit,” she said with a grin. “Well, you wouldn’t know about that.” She eyed me like I was some innocent child.

  Wide-eyed, I tried to catch my breath, wanting her to bite him again so I could experience the feeling, instantly addicted. My cheeks burned as I tried to look disgusted.

  “You’ve done drugs before?”

  “I drink a guy’s blood in front of you and you ask if I’ve done drugs? Honestly.” Katie laughed, throwing her head back. “I didn’t think it was true when she told me you already knew.”

  I glared at her, feeling stupid for not acting more shocked. Out of the corner of my eye I watched Tony for the signs—at any moment he should start to burn from the venom in her bite, his body fighting from undergoing the change.

  But Tony just covered up his wound with a bandage from his pocket and left the wrapper on the floor.

  “Isn’t he going to . . .?” I stopped, realizing I revealed more than I wanted.

  Katie snickered. “He wishes,” she said, giving him a knowing look. “No, he won’t from me. I’m a hybrid.”

  “A hybrid?”

  “A non-venom producing vampire. Sterile.”

  “How is that possible?”

  “Questions . . . questions.” She clucked her tongue while running her hands through her crimson-streaked hair. “You’re the one who needs to answer our questions.”

  I remained tight-lipped.

  “Oh, don’t be so coy. You’ve already met our illustrious leader before. She’s so fond of you and your boyfriend.”

  I hated the taunting tone to her voice, like I was Alora’s little puppet. My eyes formed into slits as I tried to inconspicuously wiggle out of my restraints.

  “Where are you taking me?” I demanded, trying to divert the conversation, nervous because the windows were blacked out.

  “You never told me you and Nicholas got back together.”

  “I have no clue what you are talking about.”

  “Psscht. Knock off the act.” Katie put her hands together in a prayerful pose, resting them lightly against her lips. “I’m actually here to help you. I could arrange for your transformation, instead of whatever she’s got planned. Just—you know—tell me what Nicky’s deal is.”

  “His name is Nicholas,” I said with a glower.

  “Now see? We’re getting somewhere.”

  “I’m not telling you anything.”

  “Look, Jules,” she said while leaning forward in a whisper. “You don’t want to become a blood slave. It’s bad. Just tell me like . . . where he gets his cool weapons, and I’ll make sure you get a vampy makeover like me.”

  “As if,” I said with a smirk.

  Katie smirked back, radiating smugness. I cursed internally at myself for again revealing too much.

  “She’ll get it out of you whether you want to tell her or not, so there’s no protecting you after that.”

  I’d spent enough time with Alora to know she’d neither care nor appreciate what Katie could deliver if she could acquire it herself. Again, Katie’s agenda was to get in good with her new Queen and nothing more.

  “Never.”

  “Your funeral.” Katie waved her hand, looking bored now. “Gag her.”

  “No. Katie, seriously, I know her. She doesn’t care about you. You don’t have to choose this life. I can help you. You wanted to go to college. You were pursuing Tyler.”

  The wicked smile flashed across her face. “Who says I’m not going to get him?”

  I gaped right before Tony put on the gag.

  “Blindfold her too.”

  In the dark, I listened to the four of them talk. Katie spoke too softly for me to hear what she said. I kept wondering when the van would start and then panicked. If they knew Nicholas was going to return, were they just waiting to capture him?

  Then I felt Katie come towards me, her lips close to my ear.

  “Enjoy the trip,” she said.

  I heard the door open and close; the blood lust faded away. Then the van started, moving erratically away from the curb. The sudden acceleration and sharp turn toppled me over and I flopped like a fish onto the floorboard.

  Nothing much was said during the drive. I tried to memorize the many turns and stops, but finally gave up. Eventually the van slammed to a halt and the engine died.

  “We’re here,” one of the guys said. “Get her up.”

  Someone drug me to my feet and led me towards the door. Outside, the ground felt uneven and the air smelled of the sea. Sounds of a rollercoaster ride and shrill screaming could be heard in the distance. We were somewhere near the Boardwalk.

  “Come on,” my handler said, slightly annoyed, after he slammed the door shut. A scuffle between the other guys happened next to us. “Just leave him in the van, Tony. I’ll explain what happened.” I felt someone take my arm and lead me away from the van. “She doesn’t like to be kept waiting,” he yelled over his shoulder.

  “No,” a deeper voice said back in anger. “Help me carry him, Evan.”

  I heard a loud groan and a shuffling against the ground far behind us.


  “Whatever,” my handler said under his breath, tugging for me to move faster. “I haven’t got all night.”

  We walked for a little ways and I tried not to trip on the trash scattered on the ground. It seemed vampires liked to hang out on the dirty outskirts of society. We eventually ended up on a sandy surface before stopping.

  I cringed as I was greeted with an impatient frustration coupled with a unique, controlled bloodlust before the loud squeak of door hinges signaled we were entering a building of some sort. My captor’s anxiety spiked as he walked me over the threshold and inside.

  “Bring her to me,” a familiar, melodic voice spoke from the back of the room, sending chills up my spine. I remembered the voice well, a voice that haunted my dreams. Alora.

  The guy pushed me forward and I stumbled, only to be caught by someone’s strong grip. Her lust for power infused me while she held my arm, helping me catch my balance. The memories hit from when I experienced her feelings for the first time, when Phil, her newly sired vampire, had brought me to meet her.

  I’d suspected she was trying to read my mind in the process, so I repeated over and over “I’m not telling you” to keep from thinking of anything else. She let go with a chuckle.

  “Very nice,” Alora said, but not to me. “Where’s Katie?”

  “She stayed behind, my queen.”

  I sensed a silent exchange happening behind me. Someone felt excitement followed by a revelation. Shortly thereafter, the door clanged as the others—extremely annoyed—shuffled in.

  “Come on,” my handler said from further behind me, closer to the door.

  “But what about Aden?” the husky male voice asked.

  “Leave him over there,” he replied.

  There was a ruckus of movement and someone snorted, then the door clanged again. I listened as footsteps retreated away, leaving me in silence. Someone was still in the room with me, snoring lightly and very much at peace. Alora was here too, wallowing in her self-love. I shifted in the direction of the door.

  “Now, now, where do you think you’re going? The show’s about to start.”

  She lifted the blindfold from my head and I blinked back into her pale-blue doe-eyes. She looked the same. Her red, smooth tresses fell down over her shoulders, framing her delicate, angelic features. She smiled her usual sweet, non-threatening smile. I gritted my teeth on the soggy gag, wanting to spit in her face.

  “If you’ll be quiet, I’ll remove the gag.”

  I nodded. She touched me before removing it. I felt her smugness change into frustration, then anger as she continued to rest her hand on my shoulder.

  “Interesting,” she said in a low voice while she untied the knot. Her eyes studied my neck. Out of nowhere, she grabbed my shoulders and held my body sideways.

  “Hey!” I barked as the talisman slid out from under my shirt, dangling from the chain around my neck.

  Alora’s eyes reflected the blue gem, and revenge flickered ever-so-slightly along with it. “A family heirloom?”

  “From my boyfriend,” I said. My heart beat fiercely, half in excitement and half in terror. Did she know of the powers behind the necklace?

  “I see,” she said, letting go of my shoulders. “It’s very lovely.”

  The corner of her lip jutted up for a millisecond before she turned away from me and moved towards the body slumped on the floor.

  With one glance, I concluded we were in a storage facility for the Boardwalk. Broken carnival equipment lay strewn around the edges of the walls. Next to me stood the old sea captain that used to stand at the entrance of the water ride. He’d lost an arm and the paint on his black jacket had peeled away, revealing a reddish color underneath.

  In the corner were cages from the western days last summer when you could pay for someone to be arrested and they couldn’t leave until the time was up or they’d raised enough bail—all for charity, of course. Large stocks stood in front of that. Ironically, I’d been locked up in those same stocks for pictures.

  The ceiling was a mesh of metal with large holes along the edges of the beams. I could see the night’s sky beyond. Wherever this place was it wouldn’t keep out the sun come morning. Obviously, the vampires had to be living somewhere else.

  Alora cursed after mopping the sweat from Aden’s pale brow.

  “Is he dead?” I asked out of impulse.

  “No,” she murmured. “Just a little more spent than usual. He’ll recover.” She bent over and whispered in his ear. “Aden, love. Wake up.”

  Aden rolled over and put his hands to his head, pushing on his temples. “I feel . . . dizzy.”

  “I know,” she said, steadying him to a more upright position. “Katie had too much fun with you, didn’t she?”

  Aden giggled like a child, appearing half-asleep. She offered him water which he drank wholeheartedly.

  I sighed, anxious for Nicholas to come find me. I didn’t like waiting around for whatever they had planned.

  Out of nowhere, courage surged through my veins. “Why are you keeping me?”

  Suddenly, Alora was in my face and the talisman froze against my skin. “No one addresses me without my title,” she seethed, her honey-breath wafting gently across my face. “I’ll be patient since you don’t know the rules. Next time, I won’t be so inclined.”

  Like I’d ever call you Queen.

  Her hand hovered at my neck, just over the medallion. The iciness radiated off the stone, giving me chills. I willed her to injure me, eager to see her hand burst into flames. That type of pain would take the sass out of her evil smirk and put her in her place.

  “What are you going to do, choke me?” I asked with my legs firmly locked beneath me, my blood rich in adrenaline. “I bet you can’t do it.”

  Alora wavered. She must have read something in my mind to know she couldn’t hurt me. I’d called her bluff. “But that would end things too quickly. I have plans for you,” she finally said.

  “Plans?”

  “Yes,” she hissed. “And you will start respecting me.”

  “Whatever.” I rolled my eyes.

  Her anger magnified while her hand blurred through the air and froze next to my cheek. I flinched anyway. The muscles in her neck constricted, the tendons jutting out from under the surface of her delicate skin. But the talisman warmed, calming my pulse. With a grunt, Alora’s hand shook, but she couldn’t come any closer.

  A deep, cleansing laugh burst forth from my belly when I felt her irritation follow.

  “There’s nothing stopping me from ordering Katie to hunt down your father, your brother, your best friend, even Nicholas,” Alora spoke with her index finger in my face.

  I clamped my lips shut to stop myself from calling her a bad name and wiped the smirk off my face.

  “That’s better.” The malevolence played across her tone. “I’ve come to get something that’s been stolen from me. It’s only fair, don’t you think?”

  “How does that involve me?”

  “You, my little pussy cat,” she whispered while using her finger to trace along my chin line to hold my jaw up so she could cast a burning glare into my eyes, “unfortunately are the key to everything.”

  Why am I always the key?

  “Aden,” Alora said while snapping her fingers. “Aden!”

  He’d fallen over again and slept on a pile of fish nets next to a bald mermaid.

  “Forget it. They’ll be here soon.” She recovered into her calm, angelic self, smiling her innocent smile. “Get comfortable. You’re going to be here a while.”

  I gulped, unsure what she meant. But before I knew it, she’d ushered me to one of the cages, locked me inside, and left the room.

  In the dark corner I stood with my eyes glued to the door—the one Aden lay drooling next to—awaiting my doom.

  Chapter Twelve

  “I invite you in, Nicholas,” I whispered ever so slightly through the hole in the metal siding next to me, knowing that in order to cross a vampire’s domain y
ou must be invited in. “Come get me, please.”

  All I could see outside was a cement wall topped with curled barbed wire stretching out of my view. I sobbed and crumbled into a heap on the ground. Now that I was alone, my bravery diminished to practically nothing. Hot tears began to pour down my cheeks and splashed on my pant leg.

  For once, since the fortune teller’s prediction, I feared for my own life. If they left me here the talisman would do me no good. I could die of thirst or starvation before Nicholas could find me. And without my phone, there was no GPS locator for my dad to come to my rescue either—not that I wanted him to be drawn into the vampire lair.

  I’d have to try to escape or get someone’s attention, which was very unlikely considering our desolate location. The general mixing of the beach-town carefree emotions was all that could be felt beyond Aden’s peaceful slumber and Alora’s thirst for power.

  The jagged edge on the metal hinge of the door caught my attention. While leaning my back up against the grate, I placed the rope gingerly along the edge and tugged. In my haste, the rope slipped and the metal sliced my hand instead. Fiery pain shot up my arm. I sucked the air in quickly between my teeth and tried again.

  With more care, I was able to break the rope free. Blood gushed down my arm and pooled in the crook of my elbow. To hide the scent, I licked the blood off and put pressure on the wound with my sock. The rusty-tasting substance turned my stomach and I gagged, completely puzzled at how becoming a vampire made blood taste like liquid heaven.

  Holding the sock on my wrist, I clambered to my feet and yanked on the door. The lock was new and held the frame solidly in place.

  “Enigma, if you can hear me, tell Nicholas where I am. Have him come get me,” I begged mentally in desperation. “I invite you, too.”

  “I invite everyone,” I said out loud in anguish.

  I scanned the floor for a nail or something to pick the lock, without any luck. Aden snorted.

  “Aden,” I whispered. “Aden, can you hear me?”

  He grunted again and stirred slightly.

  “Can you let me out?”

  “Huh?” he asked with half-opened eyes. “How’d you get in there?”