The Onyx Talisman Read online

  Nicholas’ eyebrows pinched together. “And why would she think that?”

  I shrugged apologetically. “’Cause you’ve killed every vamp that you’ve ever run across.” An important detail I’d somehow forgotten to mention. “I’ll tell you more later.”

  Nicholas blinked at me in annoyance.

  “So, you’re home, Nick,” Phil said with a half grin. “No hard feelings?”

  “I need to explain,” I interrupted. “Alora erased his memories, so he doesn’t remember you. Actually, he doesn’t remember anything.”

  Phil’s eyebrows shot up as his glance fell on me, then at Nicholas. “Wow. I mean, Alora’s cruel, but that’s a shocker.”

  “Please don’t start,” I said. “Nicholas, this is Phil and Samantha. Samantha is the new vampire I was telling you about. Phil is trying to help her control herself. We’re all friends.”

  “Hey,” Nicholas said, seemingly uninterested in small talk. He wandered over to the dresser, stopping to touch the photo of his mother.

  Phil put up his hand to stop me when I moved to follow Nicholas. “Parker, you need to stay put. Tiger here is a having a rough time and you smell a little too delicious today.”

  Sam peered over Phil’s shoulder, still watching Nicholas like a hawk, but keeping tabs on me, too, with a hungry gleam in her eye.

  “Is Scarlett here?” I asked Phil.

  He shook his head. “Haven’t seen her since you went to L.A.”

  “Did she follow me there?”

  “I’m not sure—”

  Suddenly, a whir of bodies ended with Phil restraining Sam’s arms against the wall, knocking a picture onto the floor with a crash. I gasped as Nicholas eyed the broken frame with pursed lips.

  “Sorry,” Phil said to Nicholas quickly.

  Sam hissed, unaware of the damage she’d done. “I have to,” she whined.

  “No.” Phil looked directly into her eyes. “Remember what I told you. The longer you withstand, the sooner it will go away.”

  Sam began to cry and sagged down.

  Unable to handle her distress any longer, I headed for the door. “I’ll be outside.”

  Nicholas turned to me with a nod.

  I paced for a little while and decided to curl up in Nicholas’ front seat. The journal fell open onto my lap to my favorite page.

  November 12

  I finally told her how I feel. Overwhelmed with everything about her, her warmth, her scent, her laugh. She was curled up in my arms and it just slipped out. She froze and her beautiful eyes locked onto mine. She asked me to repeat myself. I wasn’t sure if the timing was right. If it was too soon. If she’d say it back. So, I told her … I love you. Her smile electrified her entire face and she cried and said she loved me. I’ve never been happier to hear those magical words. I constantly dream of holding her, to feel her warmth and every breath, to protect her. I hope I’m not taking risks I shouldn’t. I just can’t be without her. She’s so special to me… my everything … my love.

  My heart swooned then swan dived into my shoes. What if he didn’t feel the same way when he reread the pages? Could we honestly start where we left off with only a story to bridge our history together? Temptation to remove the page and keep it from him crossed my mind, but there wasn’t enough time to take every page out where he’d sworn his love and devotion to me. I closed my eyes and prayed this would ignite a spark within him and he’d genuinely remember how things used to be.

  Somehow, with the ease of knowing he’d returned, my mind quieted and exhaustion set in. Once the dream started, I knew I’d fallen asleep. Nicholas, Phil, Katie, Sam, Tyler, Todd, and I picnicked at the beach in full sun, the waves shushing in the background. We all were friends and happy, truly happy.

  A dark shadow covered over us, like an eclipse. I turned just as Nicholas ripped the talisman from my neck. Then everyone bared fangs. I was to be the main dish. Before they pounced, I pulled open my eyes with a gasp.

  But the bloodlust didn’t evaporate like the nightmare had. Everywhere I looked, dark eyes peered at me through the windows of Nicholas’ car.

  “Look who’s awake,” one of them said. “Time to come outside and play.”

  A dark haired boy scrubbed his finger upward and the lock magically flipped up by itself. He popped the handle and opened the door. A rush of cold, clammy air flooded the interior of the car.

  “You’re not invited in here,” I squealed, his motions happening too fast for me to catch the door.

  I crab-crawled over the console onto the driver’s side and mashed down the lock, holding it in place.

  “Come on out,” he said from the open door. Behind him others jockeyed for the closest position, faces I recognized. People from my high school.

  “Nicholas!” I screamed, wondering why I was alone in the driveway inside a swarm of vampires. Did they go somewhere and leave me? Or was this a horrible nightmare? “Phil!”

  “She’s a breath of heaven,” a brunette girl said.

  My mouth dropped open. “Rochelle? Rochelle Pierce?”

  “Yes,” she smiled, showing her canines. “Cool, isn’t it?”

  “No, not really.” I wrinkled up my forehead. “Is the whole cheerleading squad vamps?”

  She laughed and then looked over the roof of the car with sudden terror. I tried to see what scared her, but bodies and drooling mouths blocked my view. When I turned back to make sure I hadn’t imagined her, she’d gone. Then, one-by-one vamps’ chests began to explode with fire as something zinged through the air. Ash rained down, thickening the air. The sea of vamps parted and retreated to the shadows of the tree-line.

  My view finally clear, I spotted Nicholas on the walkway staring down at his hand in wonder. He reached into his jacket, one he wasn’t wearing earlier, and produced a stake. He pointed it towards the nest of human-like snakes hissing at him. I jumped from the car with spongy legs and ran to hide behind him.

  “Where were you?” I asked, catching my breath.

  “Phil and I were talking.” He studied the symbol burned into the bottom of the stake, the one that matched his tattoo and the cover of his journal. “That was awesome. You say I do this all the time?”

  I looked at him in surprise. “Yeah, and you made the stakes too.”

  “I found this jacket in the closet with the stakes hidden inside the lining.” He held out the trench coat to show me and beamed like a kid in a candy store. I didn’t have the heart to tell him Harry actually made most of them.

  “We just want the girl,” one of them screeched. “Give her up.”

  He chucked another stake at the voice and the vamp burst into flames. The others began to thin, their fear overpowering their lust for me.

  Phil came outside with Sam still glued firmly to his side.

  “Wow,” he said. “It’s a vamp fest. Are you advertising a blood drive, Parker?”

  “Funny.” I pulled a face.

  Sam gasped, her eyes elsewhere. We followed her gaze and all of us turned at once. Todd stood out from the crowd in his vampire glory—mean and buff. I cowered momentarily. Nicholas flinched and I stayed his hand as he took out another stake, ready to eviscerate him. I wished I’d brought my laser so I could have the pleasure.

  “Samantha,” Todd twisted his face. “What are you doing here with … Phil?” His mouth froze partly open and then a revelation hit his eyes. “And Julia?” He arched an eyebrow at Sam. “Don’t tell me you’re protecting—a human?”

  Phil squeezed Sam’s hand. I channeled some courage her way as well.

  “You have a lot of nerve showing up here.” Sam’s voice shook. “How dare you change me, then leave me alone. With my mother, no less! I had no clue what was happening to me. I almost murdered her and my best friend.”

  “You haven’t fed yet?” He let out a gust of air. “What are you waiting for?”

  “Of course I haven’t. I’ve chosen to abstain.”

  Todd laughed a deep bellow that rumbled the ground. “No
wonder.” He clenched his jaw and turned his lecherous gaze on me, giving a once-over that creeped me out. “That won’t last long, not with her around.”

  Sam gave a slight groan, her vampire side fighting painfully hard against what she was choosing to do. “You need to go, Todd.”

  “Do you know how much that venom cost? I didn’t go through all the hassle to just lose you to some human-loving cause, Samantha. I don’t have all night. Let’s go.”

  “You took my humanity without permission.” She gripped Phil’s hand harder; her knuckles whitened. “There are consequences to what you’re doing and I won’t take part in it.”

  Way to go, Sam.

  Todd’s glaring eyes bounced from Sam, to me, to Phil, and landed on Nicholas’ hand. I removed my grip to let him know he’d overstayed his welcome and Nicholas could stake him at any moment he chose.

  “You heard her,” Phil said, taunting him with a lift of his chin. “Hit the road, Jack.”

  “This isn’t over,” Todd said with a scowl right before he disappeared, along with the rest of the vamps.

  Sam let out an exhale and gently collapsed into Phil’s side. “Julia has to go, or we do. I can’t take it anymore.”

  I opened myself up to feel her angst—overpowering and all consuming.

  “We’ll go.” He kissed her on the forehead before he gave me an apologetic shrug. “She’s right. You’re exceptionally tasty right now.” He launched the two of them into the air.

  Tasty? How could that be with the talisman on? My insides crawled from the rejection as I watched them soar out of sight. That used to be us flying off together on some wild adventure and now, because I was tasty, I couldn’t go.

  Why am I jealous?

  I sighed and turned to Nicholas for some form of comfort. In the olden days, he would have wrapped me up in his arms and kissed me. Instead he stared, waiting for me to lead.

  “Do you smell me?” I asked, dejected.

  “You are appealing.” He turned up the corner of his lip. “So now what?”

  I wanted to brainstorm what had changed with the talisman when reality hit and I freaked. Dad would be home, flipping out, especially since I shut off my phone and it was after dark.

  “I have to go home.”

  “Let’s go,” he said and ushered me towards his ash-covered car.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “Julia Katherine Parker! Where have you been?”

  I sulked into the house under the scrutiny of Dad’s sleeper-wave eyebrows as Nicholas drove away. He promised to come to my window later after Dad settled down, well, if Dad settled down.

  “Sorry.” I held my head low. “I was out with Nicholas. It’s cool. I wasn’t outside when it got dark.”

  “Cool?” Dad slammed the door, veins bulging from his forehead. “I told you to stay home! There’s been a new outbreak of—” he made fang fingers to indicate the obvious, “and you’re out gallivanting with—did you say Nicholas? I thought you two broke up. And why is your phone off?”

  I inched closer to the stairs, hoping for a quick exit. “He just came back into town. Sorry, I forgot to text.”

  “Julia! You can’t shut off your phone!” He pressed his hand onto his forehead and groaned. “It’s after dark and dangerous. There hasn’t been this many since, I don’t know how long—” He sighed and shook his head. “I was worried sick.”

  “Dad, seriously. I was fine.”

  “No! You don’t understand. The ET unit is coming here to set up camp. We need to find and stop the source. We’re all in grave danger.”

  “What about Luke? Won’t he get suspicious?”

  I heard a flush and looked up as curiosity stood at the top of the stairs in the form of my brother with a horrendous case of bed head. “Grave danger?”

  “Look who’s up.” Dad flipped his frown into a smile. “I was… quoting a movie. It’s nothing. You finally feeling better?”

  I followed with a fake laugh. Dad lied worse than I did.

  “I think so,” he said and coughed. “I’m going to take a shower.”

  “Good thing.” I fanned the air with my hand as if I could smell his stink from there.

  Luke didn’t respond, only turned around, and headed for his room. I made a beeline for the stairs.

  “Julia, we aren’t finished. I will come talk to you later.”

  I didn’t respond and ran the rest of the way up. After I closed the door, I turned on my phone, anxious for a text from Nicholas. Then I remembered I’d never asked if he’d reactivated his, or even knew he had a phone.

  “Crap,” I said as the phone vibrated with texts and messages, all from Dad.

  I went to the window and looked out, unable to see the street. We hadn’t worked out a time when he’d return. I’d merely informed him my window was on the second story in the back.

  I curled up in my covers and found an old movie on the Netflix app on my iPhone to stay preoccupied. Halfway into the movie, another bout of bothersome bloodlust pounced upon the house. Though I knew I was completely safe, I pulled the covers up to my nose and watched the window.

  Why did I suddenly smell extra delectable to vamps? I looked to the talisman for support, noticing it hadn’t changed temperature lately to signal danger like it had in the past. To my horror, white smoke swirled within the stone’s blue depths. A dreadful thought crossed my mind. What if Nicholas’ bloodlust had been triggered again? Was he going to will away the talisman from me? I clicked off my bedroom light and slid onto the floor, peeking over the side of my bed with my laser pen.

  A tap on the window made me squeal. The dark haired vampire that tried to get me from Nicholas’s car had returned and motioned with his finger to come outside. I smiled back, a little larger than I should, before zapping him with the laser. His smug expression faded to fear before he exploded to a crisp.

  My breath bounded out of my lungs in tandem with my pulse, when another vamp appeared at my window. I blinked, astounded. Didn’t they just see me blast the last vamp who tried to get me to come outside? I zapped him, too.

  After the ridiculousness of zapping ten vamps in a row, I held down the button so the pen continually shot light out the window. The goons finally took a hint and stayed away. I shut them out of my radar as well, sickened by their disgusting love of blood—my blood.

  Dad wasn’t kidding when he said an onslaught of vampires had descended on the city. Did Todd sire our entire school? He said he’d bought the venom, but who would possibly want to dole out immortality so freely only for the money? There had to be at least twenty-five at Nicholas’ and I’d killed over ten within fifteen minutes. None of it made sense.

  I remembered what Nicholas had said about a vampire and their kin, about them all sharing the power equally. So the more in your family tree, the less powerful everyone was. It prevented any one vampire from siring armies of immortals. But these new vamps, though they didn’t seem very smart, were actually quite strong and talented with special gifts, like mind-moving of objects. Whoever made them overcame the rules.

  And with the talisman acting up, if there was ever a time I needed protection, it would be now. Actually, the whole town needed it. Where was Nicholas? I turned off the laser and looked out the window.

  Hundreds of eyes peered out at me from the shadows. I screamed. Then the power went out.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “Julia!” Dad yelled from down the hall. “I’m coming!”

  He stumbled into the room and tripped over something, landing on the floor with a loud “oof.”

  “Where are you?” he asked frantically.

  “Over here.” I reached out to meet his hand. “The vamps. Where’d they all come from?”

  “We’re safe inside.” He pulled me to my feet as we peered out into the scary darkness. They flitted across the lawn with jarring, blurred movements, like a swarm of bees. “I’m here.”

  Then the whispers started. “Julia, come outside.”

  “Dad,” I
squealed and put my hands over my ears. “Why are they after me?”

  “I don’t know, but let’s get the power on.”

  “No! You can’t go out there,” I cried. Especially if he was only armed with a freaking laser pen.

  “Don’t worry. I’ve got a backup generator in the garage.”

  I swallowed hard. Together, with my nails firmly planted into his ribs, we filed down into the basement room. He flipped a switch and everything illuminated.

  “I had one installed just in case,” he said with a smile. “Now let’s go laser some vamps so they don’t wake up Luke.”

  I halfheartedly grinned at his excitement, but felt something change outside. The emotion game dominated earlier by the love of my blood was taking heavy hits against tremendous joy and fear. Someone had come to our rescue.

  As we peered outside the living room window, I braced myself for what we’d see. Three pairs of vamp eyes appeared and gawked back. Before Dad could laser them, something zinged through the air and hit them with a thunk. Fire crackled out of their torsos in unison, puffing them into smoke and ash.

  “Oh.” I bit my lip, moved by Nicholas’ amazing physique as he performed ninja moves in our yard; a duffle bag filled with stakes sat at his feet. No use in hiding the obvious now.

  “Your boyfriend is a vampire hunter? Dirty Harry?” Dad’s anger ignited. “And you knew this all along and didn’t tell me?”

  My mouth wouldn’t work, caught in a lie and afraid to tell him the real truth. This was going completely in the wrong direction.

  “It was to protect him,” I finally spit out.

  “Protect him from whom? We’re the good side.”

  “Yeah, but …” I pushed my sweaty bangs out of my eyes. “He asked me not to. I couldn’t betray his identity. And if I told you, the entire agency would find out. Besides, there’s stuff about him you don’t understand.”

  “Like what? What could be more important than telling me?”

  My shoulders sagged. “I was respecting his right to anonymity.”

  “Anonymity? Jules, it’s about getting rid of the bloodsuckers. Something we all want—”