The Sapphire Talisman

by Brenda Pandos

  “I’m supposed to do something for Alora but I’m trapped,” I said with a hushed voice. “Do you have a key?”

  “Don’t use her name or she’ll get really peeved.” Aden sounded like he had marbles in his mouth. He reached his hand into his jean pocket, fumbled around, and extracted a set of keys and a can of chew. “Is this it?”

  I wasn’t sure, but I hoped one would unlock the door.

  “Yeah.”

  He half-heartedly tossed the keys, just missing my outstretched fingertips. They fell to the ground in a jangling heap just out of my grasp. “Aden, I can’t reach them.”

  “Oops.” He snickered and slumped back over again.

  “Aden? Aden!”

  I grabbed the bars and shook them. Aden continued to snooze away soundly, ignoring me. I folded my hands up under my chin and leaned against the cage in defeat.

  God, if you’re up there. Please send someone to save me.

  The minutes ticked by and turned into an hour, then possibly two as the keys sat and mocked me. I nervously paced and waited for the others to come back. Alora’s lust-for-power trademark wasn’t within my radar anymore. Why did she leave?

  Now would be the opportune time for Nicholas’ gallant rescue since I wasn’t being guarded. But how would he know where to look? Thoughts of him returning to Mr. Pickles and not finding me there, along with my unanswered texts sent my nerves ablaze. He’d always been so level-headed, I imagined he’d return to my house before panicking. Maybe my scent lingered in the air leading up to the sidewalk where I was taken. Maybe my broken phone still lay on the ground where I dropped it, alerting my capture. That could make him go mad with worry.

  Yelling for help crossed my mind and I almost did when the atmosphere changed. An unknown number of people, including vampires, were on their way back to the building. My pulse began to race in expectation of the entourage’s arrival. I gathered the rope and wove it around my wrists behind my back, sitting in the shadowed corner.

  The door opened and Katie sauntered in with the two other guys from the van. They carried another poor soul in between them, supported by their shoulders.

  “Where is she?” Tony’s voice was full of excitement—a child with a surprise for his mother.

  “She’ll come.” Katie dusted off her hands on her pants and straightened her black fitted-top.

  “Do we have to wait long?” Evan asked with a grunt. “He’s kinda heavy.”

  “Shut up, you big baby,” Katie snarled. “If you want immortality, you’ll do as she wants without whining. Keep it up and maybe next time I’m thirsty I won’t stop.”

  Evan spat on the ground, internally covering up his loathing hate. The man between them mumbled undecipherable threats and jerked, pulling Tony and Evan off balance.

  Katie pivoted around and lifted up his head by his hair, still blocking my view of their captive. “Quiet down, Nicky, or I’ll have to do something more drastic.”

  At the mention of his name I shrieked and rose to my feet. “What have you done to him?”

  “Now, now, Julia,” Alora said, suddenly appearing in the room. “You promised to behave.”

  “Not to this!” I grabbed the bars between us and shook with all my might. “Let him go!”

  Alora pursed her lip and eyed the bloodied sock next to my feet. “Tony, she’s apparently escaped her restraints. Silence her.”

  With a satisfied smirk, Tony heaved Nicholas onto Evan, grabbed the gag off the floor, and headed my direction.

  I eyed the dirty rag and put my quaking hands to my side. “I’ll be quiet.” My chest heaved as I tried to center myself. My escape would be easier without being gagged and tied.

  “You’d better,” Alora said, no longer interested in me, but inspecting her new specimen. “Katie, what happened to him?” Her voice and eyes hardened in anger.

  Katie’s aloof demeanor dissolved into a bumbling child. “I’m sorry, my Queen. One dose wasn’t working, so we had to do . . . three.”

  Out of nowhere, Katie’s body flew into the air and hit a nearby wall. She yelped in pain as the sound of the collision reverberated throughout the room.

  “Good grief, Katie,” Alora barked. “Your haste has almost cost me two of my servants tonight. I’ve entrusted you to handle my affairs properly and all you’ve done is mistreat me.”

  “I’m sorry, my Queen,” Katie whimpered and kept her distance in the corner.

  Alora turned her attention to Nicholas. “My poor darling. Let’s get you fixed up.” She glanced towards Katie with disdain. “Get Alexandra, now.”

  “Yes, my Queen.” Katie bowed.

  “Untouched,” Alora added.

  “Of course.”

  Katie’s animosity inflamed as she straightened up and calmly flitted out of the room though her face didn’t show it. Effortlessly, and with great care, Alora took Nicholas from Evan and carried him into the cell next to mine. She gently laid him down on a cot; something my cell seemed to be lacking.

  My heart pounded in my chest like a sledge hammer against my ribs. Now was the time my secret power needed to emerge. I couldn’t stand here and watch the love of my life die when it was my destiny to save the world from the wretched blood-suckers in the first place. I gritted my teeth and willed for a miracle with all my might, but nothing heroic happened.

  Then Nicholas’ eyes rolled back into his head. The consuming suffocation he felt pulled me under, as if we were both trapped within a wet wool blanket.

  “He’s dying!” I screamed out, watching him gasp for each life-sustaining breath.

  “It’ll all be over shortly.” Alora spoke, her gaze attentive on his face. She pushed back his damp bangs. “I promise.”

  With rapt concentration, I tried to break the connection from his all-encompassing aura. What Grandma said about the distancing being more difficult during times of stress couldn’t have been more accurate. The severing tore at my chest and left hollowness in its place as I focused to put up a mental barrier. Once I was free, I studied his face to make sure abandoning his side internally wasn’t going to make the pain worse for him.

  What I felt afterwards was surprising. Out of Alora’s cold heart flowed genuine concern for Nicholas, like a mother’s love for her son. I furrowed my brow. Her feelings didn’t make sense at all. Phil had said she wanted him for the reward. The higher-ups didn’t like vampire assassins roaming free and had ordered his capture.

  “The one thing I’ve learned about family skeletons is that they always have a way of finding the light of day and ending up at the neighborhood garage sale,” she whispered.

  I helplessly watched in horror, as the time between each breath he took grew longer, my hatred for Alora increased with each second.

  “You’re insane. I thought you had to turn him in alive,” I spewed. “His death will do you no good!”

  “Oh, but I have grander plans for Nicholas than fulfilling his warrant. But I wonder . . . did Nicholas ever mention his mother’s name?”

  I shot Alora an ugly look. What a crazy question to ask? Why did it matter if he ever did or didn’t tell me her name? Nicholas was dying.

  “Please help him,” I whispered, watching his skin turn grey, his breathing almost at a complete stop. More than anything, I wanted to throw the necklace to him or do something. Maybe being in contact with the talisman would save his life.

  “Don’t fret, Julia.”

  “You heartless witch,” I blurted. “You’re doing nothing but talking—look at him, he’s going to die!”

  The door opened again. Katie brought in a girl, younger than me with a serendipitously happy grin on her face, towards the cell.

  “Thank you,” Alora said to Katie, taking the girl by the hand and leading her inside.

  The girl pursed her lips in contained excitement.

  “Thank you, my dear, for your gift.”

  My eyes opened wide, wondering what “gift” meant.

  With a flick of Alora’s fingernail, blood
gushed from the girl’s arm and she cried out. I gasped, expecting a sudden feeding frenzy. Instead, Alora patted the girl on the back and motioned for her to do something. The girl smiled and willingly held her arm over Nicholas’ mouth.

  “What are you doing?” I ran to the edge of my cage.

  Nicholas spit red bubbles as the blood poured into his mouth.

  “You’ll suffocate him. He needs water!” I exclaimed and fell to my knees, tempted to beg them to stop.

  He fought the liquid, shaking his head. I lifted my feelings’ barrier just as the huge internal struggle erupted inside him. The vampire within wanted to claw its way out and actually drink the blood. His eyes rolled back into his head and he groaned, trying to control the urge.

  “Stop!” I screamed, afraid of what would happen if they didn’t quit.

  Alora gave me a joyful look while smoothing back Nicholas’ hair and sang a little tune.

  The animal inside him exploded through the tight container Nicholas hid him in. His eyes burst open and his face contorted with a snarl; he took the girl’s wrist and yanked it to his lips—wanting more. The girl moaned in delight, followed by a sigh, then fell down next to his body.

  “We must be gentle and no biting,” Alora warned, like Nicholas was her pet. “Blood bestowers are to be respected.”

  Unable to stop the flood of yummy mind-numbing glee, my body began to tingle as the sensation hit me too. I fought to stay composed, but the euphoria took over and I crumpled to the floor, relishing in the delight.

  “I see you’re experiencing it too. Wonderful,” I heard Alora say, her ethereal voice dancing around in the sudden vastness of my head.

  And at that dangerous moment, all I wanted was to become a vampire and feel the rush whenever and wherever. With grave disappointment, I felt the bliss suddenly cease. A lion-like roar brought me back into reality and I opened my eyes.

  “Sorry. We don’t want to expend her.” Alora ushered the sappy, smiling girl into the waiting arms of Tony. “Take her back.”

  “I want more,” Nicholas growled and lunged forward with a snap of his teeth.

  Blood still clung to his lips. Dizziness caused him to sway and sit back down. He watched like a tiger deprived of his catch as Tony left through the door with his tasty snack draped in his arms. Then Nicholas’ eyes locked with mine. I gaped at his contorted, animalistic face that hid any resemblance of the man I loved.

  Alora patted his arm.

  “The next course will be in a second,” Alora said, shooting a glance sideways at me. “We need to talk first.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Nicholas had other plans as I felt his drug-induced stupor begin to fade and his body increase in strength. At any moment, fueled by a ravenous hunger, he was about to claw through the bars between us to get to me.

  “Look at me,” Alora demanded, placing her hands on his cheeks forcing him to stop gawking. He looked into her eyes and her touch doused the flames of his burning want, clearing his focus temporarily.

  “That’s better,” she said in a wispy tone and joined him on the cot, mussing with the front of his hair. “I’m here now. I’m going to fix everything.”

  He grabbed her hand by the wrist, tightening his eyes, then opened them widely, strangely emanating recognition.

  “Mother?” he whispered in disbelief, his voice slightly hoarse.

  “Yes, Son,” Alora answered, with a mixture of love and loss, bringing his hand to her heart. “I’m here.”

  I gasped, almost falling over at the confession.

  “How is that possible?” Nicholas pulled his hand away. “He said you died when I was born.”

  “Oh, did he now?” Alora’s disdain and nostrils flared outwards. “Makes sense. Preston hid you from me after we disagreed on the finer points of parenting. I’ve been looking for you ever since.”

  Nicholas pressed his hand to his forehead and closed his eyes. Anger, grief, disappointment and shock rose up into a full blown whirlwind. “I don’t understand.”

  “After you were born, I hemorrhaged. Preston told me it would be the only way to save me and keep our family together.”

  “He lied?” Nicholas mouthed, still excreting doubt.

  Alora tilted her head, her shoulders sinking down. Both of them exhaled at the same time.

  “I’m sorry, Son.” She rested her hand on his shoulder.

  Nicholas opened and closed his mouth a few times. Confusion encompassed his body.

  “So this whole time you were just looking for me? You’re not turning me in for all my slayings?”

  “Of course not,” she said with a chuckle, clasping her fingers over his clenched fist. “Well, I might have misled the others into thinking it was my intention—” The corner of her lip curled up.

  “What others?”

  “You don’t remember? My sweet Bettina, her sister, their mates and Phil. Oh, how I enjoy Phil.” Her eyes twinkled at the mention of his name.

  “It was you that was in charge of their coven?”

  “Julia didn’t tell you?” Alora asked, faking her surprised expression. “I met her with Phil, the same day you defeated my coven. She seems to get around, doesn’t she?”

  I returned her phony astonishment with a glare, suspecting she’d known all along I’d kept our meeting a secret, twisting yet another situation to turn Nicholas against me.

  “You’ve met Julia?” Nicholas shot me a wounded look, which pierced my heart like an arrow. The distrust that followed crushed it into tiny pieces. I wanted to die.

  “I did. It was delightful.”

  Please remember you promised we could explain situations like these. Please remember, Nicholas.

  “It wasn’t like that . . .” I stammered, a plausible excuse eluding me while my lip trembled.

  “But yet you trusted her enough to give her my talisman,” Alora said, in disgust.

  Nicholas looked off to the side, his mind elsewhere. “Your talisman,” he echoed.

  “Yes,” she said softly. “I gave it to you, when you were born, to protect you from the both of us. A foolish and weak decision that I now regret. The truth is your father couldn’t bear to live without me, his precious and perfect human wife. He thought if he changed me, we would continue to be a happy little family. He didn’t account for what I’d want after becoming a servant of the night—and it wasn’t being a docile homemaker, hiding in the house, denying my thirst.

  “I shouldn’t talk disrespectfully about your father, he did liberate me. But he didn’t do so well in raising you,” she said, laced with irritation. “But soon you’ll see how being a vampire slayer isn’t really your place. But, I want my necklace back.”

  Her flip from sweet to evil, with only one goal of retrieving the necklace, left me cowering in the corner. Only Nicholas had the power to remove the necklace beyond my will. Without it, I’d be a free lunch to any vampire that wanted me.

  “No,” I whispered, watching Alora remove her hand and with it, the shelter she’d temporarily placed over him which dissolved to practically nothing.

  Nicholas didn’t answer. The freedom from the absence of her touch finally allowed the evil leniency to push towards the surface and gain control, swallowing up the clear-headed side. What was left were cold and empty eyes like a great white shark, hungry for blood and determined to fulfill its murderous desires.

  “I’ll leave you two to talk,” Alora said with a knowing nod, standing up. “Do with her as you want, Nicholas, just collect my necklace.”

  “Yes, Mother,” he said and his eyes locked on my neck.

  “Daylight will be upon us soon. Katie? Evan? Grab Aden. Let’s go.” She snapped her fingers and the group followed her command and scattered.

  I shivered, finding that Nicholas and I were suddenly alone.

  My eyes welled up with tears as the panic enveloped me. The prediction said I’d save the world with a hidden talent, that unfortunately still eluded me, and apparently without the talisman’s pr
otection. Fulfilling the destiny under these circumstances seemed downright impossible.

  Reasoning with him or becoming like him were my only two viable options. If I resisted, he’d snap me like a twig. But if I were to change, I’d have to commit suicide to defeat the vampiring world.

  He moved to my cell door, effortlessly destroying the lock. I grasped the talisman with both hands, my arms shaking, unsure what he’d do next.

  “You don’t want to do this,” I said quietly. “She’s our enemy, remember?”

  The astounding hunger sparked his eyes, electrifying the viridian flecks, making my head dizzy. I backed up into the corner, holding the bars behind me for support.

  “Nicholas, please.”

  He walked in gradually, growing stronger with each passing second, watching me without blinking. I stared back, searching through his madness for the man I loved. Some shred of goodness stopped him from just tearing into me like an animal.

  With all my courage, I stepped forward and turned my head to expose my neck. “If you won’t spare me,” I said boldly. “Make me like you then.”

  He exhaled, oozing satisfaction. I felt his hand move my hair from the nape of my neck and with his finger, he lightly traced the chain lying on my collarbone.

  My heart began to pound while ice poured down my spine. He ran his nose along the side of my cheek and inhaled. I swayed.

  “What are you doing?” I asked, in a whisper, feeling excited and petrified.

  “I’m savoring you,” he said, his breath hot against my ear while he nuzzled my skin.

  The power of our emotions intermixed together, clouding my judgment. At the same time, his hands moved up the sides of my torso to the back of my neck, unclasping the chain. The talisman slipped off my body and fell into his other hand with a clink. I stiffened, feeling the tension within him coming closer to snapping.

  The absence of the necklace made me feel naked, raw, and vulnerable. In response, I wrapped my arms around my torso, hugging myself.

  With a velvety touch, Nicholas pulled away my T-shirt so my shoulder was exposed. His arms fastened around me, his breath dewing the hairs on my neck while he rested his lips on my skin, a simple kiss before the inevitable. My chest heaved in anticipation of the pain, already knowing what it felt like. I could no longer separate myself from his aura. The want encompassed me and all I longed for was to tumble into the bliss with him forever.