The Amulet Page 13

  Alyssa followed her nose. She smelled blood, Jessie's scent but different, tainted, and Nevar. She followed the smell to the study. Jessie was laying motionless on the overly stuffed leather couch. Before she had a chance to look for him, Nevar was wrapping a blanket around her naked body.

  "I would have brought you clothes, but I knew you would never leave her to change."

  "How is she? Is she...?"

  "She is as well as can be expected. The Were gene is infecting her. The fever has begun to set in already. I gave her something to make her sleep. With any luck, she will be out for the worst of the symptoms."

  "What did you give her?" She asked.

  "Horse tranquilizer," he answered. "Her body will burn it off quickly, but it is enough quantity that it should knock her out for a while."

  Alyssa knelt by Jessie and pushed a strand of blond hair out of her eyes. There was a fine misting of sweat on her forehead and her breathing was ragged, but it was steady. She felt a hand on her shoulder and she looked up to see Xander. He had a towel wrapped around his waist and a concerned look on his face.

  "Xander, tell me the truth," she pleaded. "How hard is this going to be for her?"

  He sighed, looking out the window. She followed his eyes and saw the moon hanging heavy in the sky. When he turned to meet her eyes, he pushed his hand through his golden mane. "I won't lie to you, 'Lyss. She's got a hard time ahead of her, but it will get better. The wound in her leg is going to burn like fire and it won't begin to heal until she has enough Were blood in her. Right now, her human body is fighting the gene, but the more it fights, the harder the process is. Her body can't win this fight."

  "And afterwards?"

  "She'll have to battle with the beast the same as you and I have to do. But, you won't have to go through this life without your friend. She will be young for life and stronger than she's ever been before. In the end, it's worth the fight."

  Alyssa nodded her thanks and turned back to Jessie. "How long will she sleep?"

  "It depends on how fast the Were blood burns it off. It should last about ten hours."

  "She's going to be hungry when she wakes up," Xander told them. "She won't understand what's going on, she may even transform, but she's going to need to eat to maintain her strength."

  "It is almost sunrise, Xander."

  "Is there anything here I can cook for her?"

  "The kitchen should be well-stocked," he answered. "Mainly for appearances, but I do enjoy a nice meal from time to time."

  "She's going to want meat, but I should help you. It has to be cooked just enough to warm it up and not overly spiced, the redder, the better."

  "But Jessie won't eat anything that's not well done," Alyssa argued.

  "That was the old Jessie, 'Lyss. She's never going to be the same person she was anymore than you are."

  "You keep calling me 'Lyss'," she noticed. "That's Jessie's nickname for me."

  He laughed a little and shrugged his shoulders. "Sorry, I picked it up from her thoughts, not intentionally," he was quick to add, "but it was just so cute, I couldn't help myself."

  Now, she was blushing. Here she was, naked, wrapped in a blanket, and she was blushing over a nickname. She felt so ridiculous. "Alright, Wolfie, let me get some clothes on and you can teach me how to cook for werewolves."

  Nevar was laughing before she had finished talking. The air felt significantly lighter than it had all night. Alyssa looked back at Jessie's now shivering body, then at the blanket wrapped around her. Jessie needed it more. She didn't dare look to see if anyone was watching, she couldn't. Her hands swung the blanket around and she covered Jessie with the warm fabric.

  Alyssa smiled as Jessie's shivering slowed down, then stopped. Jessie would have done the same for her, she knew. What's a little embarrassment compared to the tragedy of what she was now going through? Alyssa knew part of the blame rested on her shoulders. If it wasn't for her, Jessie would never have crossed paths with a werewolf, and not just any werewolf, her own mother! Katarina had a lot to answer for when she crossed paths with her again. That, was Alyssa's vow.

  Xander realized what Alyssa was doing just a split second before it happened. He didn't have enough time to debate looking away from her, and then, he couldn't look away. His hand gripped the towel around his waist tightly. Her glorious body was exposed once more and he felt his blood running hot through his veins. He would have offered his towel to her, but his body threatened to betray him and it was all he could do to control his thoughts.

  She seemed to move in slow motion as she rose from Jessie's side and turned to leave the room. Her skin was pink with a new blush of color that spread from her cheeks to the tops of her breasts. He felt a tightening sensation in his groin and tried to tear his eyes away from her beautiful behind swaying from the room. Only when she was completely out of sight was he able to regain control of himself. From the corner of his eye, he could see Nevar had fallen under the same spell.

  It was dark and stormy. There were eyes hiding in the darkness. The black wolf was after her. She started to run, but the wolf was gaining on her. She felt her heart racing and sweat pouring from her brow. She was burning up. She felt like she was on fire and pain ripped through her body. She screamed out in fear and pain.

  She hadn't realized her eyes were closed until they shot open. There was no wolf, but the pain she felt was unbearable. She grit her teeth against a wave of knives running up her leg as a bolt of lightning lit up the unfamiliar room. Standing in the doorway was a hulk of a man that closer resembled a Greek god. Tall and muscular, his long golden hair hung around his shoulders like a lion's mane. He had an animalistic quality to him. His eyes were so intensely blue they seemed to glow in the dark.

  She was scared at first, but he didn't seem to pose a threat to her. In fact, he looked like he was guarding her. Jessie tried to talk, but all that came out was a low rumble from her throat. The sound startled her, but another wave of pain wracked her body and she doubled over as the fire engulfed her.

  Suddenly, she felt hands on her and she lashed out blindly. She heard Alyssa's voice cry out in surprise and pain, and the hands pulled away from her. No, this is not what I wanted! She didn't want to hurt her best friend! If she injured Alyssa, it could ruin her career, the press would have a field day, and their friendship would be in jeopardy. She wanted to apologize, but she could only grunt and groan. The pain was too much.

  Alyssa was in tears, not from pain, but from heartache. She had tried to comfort her friend, but she had been hasty and careless. Jessie had clawed her face by mistake. She could hear Jessie's thoughts and knew that her friend had not meant her harm, but she also did not know how much power she had in her now. Her talons had cut deep. She was part wolf, part human.

  Her wounds would heal quickly, but she was hesitant to touch Jessie again. She had grown fur around the bite wound in her leg and her feet looked more like paws. Her canines were elongated and she suspected that was why she was growling instead of talking. Xander had warned her that the signs would be subtle at first. It had only been a little over eight hours since she had been bitten, but they were hopeful that she would progress quickly.

  As Jessie's body seemed to relax out of the pain, Nevar entered the room with the meal she and Xander had prepared. A large rare porterhouse steak dominated an entire plate in the center of the tray. A Cornish game hen was set to one side and a half rack of ribs was on the other. Alyssa had insisted on a side of mashed potatoes, made just the way Jessie liked them, but Xander had added bacon to the dish.

  The scent was overwhelmingly mouth-watering. Alyssa had been tempted on several occasions to sample the meal herself, but she had exercised great will in restraint. Jessie, she knew, would not have such restraint. As the scent filled the room, Jessie's head lifted in response.

  Alyssa took the tray to her, careful not to spill the wine Nevar had hand-picked for her. The hope was that the alcohol would ease the pain, make her sleep, and slow her body f
rom fighting the were gene. Jessie's eyes grew wide when she saw the feast being presented to her. Her thoughts were warring against the rare meat, but her stomach won the fight.

  As soon as Alyssa set the tray down beside her, she tore into the steak, not bothering with the formalities of a fork and knife. She had made sure it was an excellent cut of meat and it would be tender and juicy for her. Jessie was screaming in her mind for water, but she took the wine and gulped it down. It satisfied her thirst and enhanced the taste of her meal.

  She ravaged the hen, leaving nothing but bone and cartilage behind, then she attacked the ribs. Alyssa was close enough to hear the bones crack as her jaws bit down on them to get to the marrow. She couldn't believe this was the same Jessie she had known all her life. It was the wolf, she told herself. The wolf lived in her, too, and she knew what a struggle it was to keep it caged. If she hadn't been doing it all her life, she wouldn't be able to control it, either.

  "More wine, Jessie?"

  She growled in response but then her expression softened and she nodded gently. Alyssa poured her another glass, which she drank immediately.

  "Enough wine, Alyssa, we need to switch her to water now. She needs to stay hydrated," Nevar warned her.

  "Of course," she answered. "So sorry, Jessie! I've forgotten my manners! I've been so worried that I forgot to introduce you. This is Nevar. I've been staying with him these last few days. This," she pointed at Xander, "is Xander, he's Nevar's best friend."

  "Haha," Xander laughed. "I might be his only friend." He paused, and then continued. "Jessie, what happened to you is a tragedy and it's going to be hard to explain and even harder for you to accept it."

  Jessie had stopped eating and now, she looked pleadingly at Alyssa. This time when she tried to speak, her voice did not fail her. "'Lyss? What's going on?"

  Alyssa sighed heavily, pouring a glass of water for her. "It's a long story. You should finish eating while I tell you." Jessie finally picked up her fork and started to pick at her food. "I suppose I should start with you. That wound in your leg is no ordinary wolf bite. All the myths and legends about werewolves and vampires are all true, well, mostly true. Xander is a werewolf, and Nevar is a vampire."

  Jessie promptly spit out a mouthful of mashed potatoes. "What?! You're joking, right?"

  "I'm afraid not. Did you think that wolf was just abnormally large? And the reason I've been hiding out is because I was turned into a vampire. The werewolf that bit you is actually my mother."

  "But," she argued, "your mother's dead."

  "No, she was presumed dead. They never found her or my father. I'm part werewolf and part vampire. In all honesty, though, that was the first time I've seen my mother outside of a picture frame."

  "Why did she bite me?"

  "I don't know the answer to that, I'm afraid. I have no idea why she was here in the first place. She certainly didn't call before she came, which would have been polite since she hasn't seen me since I was an infant."

  Xander managed a chuckle at her joke. She smiled at him, then noticed Nevar shrinking into the shadows. "Nevar?"

  He turned back to face her and saw for the first time how pale he looked. He read the concern in her eyes and held a hand up before she had a chance to speak. "I need rest. I have been awake too long. I am too tired even to feed."

  She realized she had not seen him hunt since the night he had changed her. "Jessie?"

  "Yes?"

  "Will you be okay here with Xander for a while?"

  "Sure, leave me with the werewolf."

  "Jessie, I wouldn't leave you with him if I didn't trust him implicitly, but if he tries anything, you are more than capable of putting him in his place. You should have seen what you did to my face."

  "Sorry about... that, ...'Lyss," she stifled a huge yawn. "That wine is... really ...strong," she slumped back in the couch and fell asleep.

  "Did you give her something to make her sleep again?" Alyssa asked Nevar.

  "No, it would have been useless. Her body would burn it off before she even fell asleep. But the wine obviously did the job."

  "Xander? Will you watch over her, please?"

  "As you wish, milady."

  "Let me know if anything happens to her, Xander. I really do trust you implicitly."

  It is an honor, Alyssa.

  She blushed. Turning back to Nevar, she wrapped his arm around her shoulder and focused her mind. She succeeded in transforming them both into mist then they drifted through the manor. She somehow found her way to the bookshelf that led down to his private chambers. She pulled the leather-bound book that triggered the switch and helped Nevar down the stairs. The fact that he didn't object to her help spoke volumes about his condition.

  "Nevar?"

  "Yes?"

  "Can you take my blood? Just enough to regain your strength?"

  "Alyssa, I could not bring myself to take any more from you than I already have."

  "I've eaten, Nevar. I have strength enough to hunt again if I need to, but I have not seen you feed since you turned me."

  "Alyssa," he started, but he never finished. Her expression did not welcome any further objections. His weariness was overtaking him like a plague. As tempted as he was to take her up on her offer, he had his doubts. "It may not work, Alyssa. Your body may heal itself too quickly. I have never attempted anything like that."

  "We'll have to find a way. It's either this, or I have to run out to get you a pint. I'd rather not leave the manor right now, but if I must, I will."

  As they reached the bottom of the stairs, Snickers and Zukko voiced a welcome to them both. Alyssa greeted them but did not stoop to pet them. Instead, she guided him into his bedroom and walked him to the bed. He collapsed gratefully, wanting nothing more than to drift off to sleep, but her hands on his chest kept him wakeful.

  Her nimble fingers were making quick work of the buttons on his shirt. The tip of her finger brushed the skin near his naval and he felt as though the fire in her touch had burnt him. An unnecessary inhale was the only sound that gave him away, but she heard it and he saw her lips quirk up into a smile.

  He did not want her to treat him as though he were helpless, but he could not find the will to make her stop. Her hands were heavenly torture. She slid his shirt off his shoulders and let it fall to the floor. Her hands found his bare chest and stroked the soft black curls. His muscles flexed beneath her fingers and then relaxed under her careful petting.

  Her hands moved slowly to the waistband of his jeans. He could barely stand the torture, but he resisted the urge to assist her. He could see the nervousness in her and reveled in it. The way she bit her bottom lip and tried to hide it, the clumsiness in her once graceful fingers, and the furtive glances she stole all gave her away, but it was so cute he couldn't help but smile.

  She finally managed the button and began to slide them down his legs. Stripped down to his boxers now, his weary body was suddenly keyed up. Electricity flowed through his veins where his blood should have been, but it had other business to attend to currently. Alyssa climbed into bed with him and unbuttoned her blouse, revealing her elegant neck and the tops of her breasts nestled in the pink lace of her bra.

  He was starting to feel light-headed. He needed what she was offering, but he wanted so much more than her blood. He leaned in close to her and kissed the vein in her neck. It was full and hot and her skin tasted sweet on his lips, but he hesitated. He did not want to cause her pain. He felt her shields fall and her thoughts urged him on. She wanted this. She wanted to give him this precious gift she offered. She wanted him.

  Her thoughts sent him over the edge of his control and he sank his teeth into the soft flesh of her neck. Her blood flowed over his tongue like a river of fire. The power he felt in her was amazing and it renewed his strength. He would not need much from her. The taste was different from her human blood, but it was mesmerizing.

  He felt her body closing the wound as the flow began to slow down. He let the wound clos
e on its own. She had given him her life once already. He would not take more than she was willing to give him this time. As the blood began to trickle off, he licked the wound and then kissed her beautiful neck. There was not a mark on her to show she had ever been injured.

  Her hand caressed his back and found the scar in his shoulder. Her fingers traced the rough edges and then she leaned into him as though the effort of sitting upright was too much. "Alyssa? Are you okay?" The concern in his voice was evident.

  "I'm fine, Nevar. You worry too much. I always get a little dizzy after I donate blood."

  He laughed at her joke and stroked her hair. "Much obliged to you, ma'am," he said in his best Southern drawl.

  She chuckled and relaxed into the safety of his chest. "You're very welcome, Nevar." He was warmer now than he had been before. His skin had been cool to the touch when she took his shirt off. She had seen the desire in his eyes as her fingers had undressed him. It had stirred the beast within. She looked endearingly up at him and winked at him, letting her eyelashes tickle the skin of his pectoral.

  His chocolate eyes smoldered with intensity. He leaned down and took her mouth in his. She felt his urgency in the hunger of his kiss. She had started something and he wanted to finish. There was power in his arms as they wrapped themselves around her. The exhaustion had vanished from him completely and he was aflame with passion.

  His hand slid over the thin cotton of her shirt and massaged her breast. She arched into him and closed her eyes. His fingers released the remaining buttons of her blouse and slid his hand beneath the fabric. She could feel him delicately tracing the pattern of the lace on her bra. His lips pulled away from hers and moved to her ear. "You taste delicious," he whispered.