The Amulet Read online

"Alyssa," It was Xander. "You need to sit down. Your body is still adjusting to the transformation. You need to take it easy for a day or two. You've already exerted yourself too much." Without waiting for a response, he picked her up as if she were no more than a paperweight, and proceeded towards the manor.

  Nevar grabbed Snickers' travel bag, a begrudging feline voicing protest inside, and opened the door for them, with Zukko trailing at their heels. Something like disgust, or maybe jealousy, marked Nevar's face as they passed him. She felt her walls slipping, but she was no longer able to sustain them. She would just have to guard her thoughts.

  It’s okay, he said to her. You can let your guard down. Your thoughts are your own, and you are safe here.

  The voice was Xander's. He was in her head. She wanted her walls, wanted to have a simple thought without someone commenting on it. She wanted something to be her own. "Please, stay out of my head. There are things that I do not wish to share with the class."

  "As you wish, milady."

  He walked her through an enormous foyer hung with an ornate chandelier. The décor could have passed for a palace. Intricate moldings on the walls and large oil paintings on canvas dotted the walls. He carried her through a hall and past a heavy oak door. She had to admit, she was impressed.

  "Xander, you can put her down, now." His tone was friendly, but Alyssa got the feeling it was more like an order than a request. Nevar's eyes met hers for the briefest of seconds and then he looked away as though he had caught himself. Xander placed her gently on an over-stuffed leather couch in what appeared to be a massive study. She felt like she was an invalid. Feeling helpless was not her style.

  "Don't worry, Alyssa," Xander told her. "I know an independent spirit like yourself isn't used to this, but trust me, you'll recover quickly. Nevar should have told you that holding shields around your mind would deplete your energy too quickly, being so newly made."

  Her mind seemed to be an open book to them, and they could not seem to tear their eyes off the pages. It occurred to her that perhaps it was not possible for them to stay out of her mind. Perhaps her thoughts were as loud to them as if she had spoken aloud. "Am I right?" It would be a good test.

  "Yes." Nevar answered. We can hear you just as you can hear us. Of course, we only lower our shields when we want you to hear us. As you said, some things are best left unsaid.

  “Okay, I think I get the picture. You can keep your thoughts to yourselves. Just pretend you can’t hear mine.” She had no desire to know what went on inside a man’s head, let alone two. Even though she was certain that these two probably had very interesting minds compared to her normal crowd. “So, just how long will it be before I can have my privacy back?”

  Xander sat in an armchair across from her. “That’s a good question. You’re the first vamp I’ve ever known to even pull it off the first night. It could be a couple of days, but it may take much longer. Most don’t develop the ability until they are at least a few years old.”

  “Years?” She exclaimed. “I couldn’t stand that! Why would it take so long?”

  “I think the best answer to that is clarity of thought, or rather, a lack thereof. Have you noticed that some of your thoughts have taken you a while to process?” Nevar had a pained look on his face again. “Like what I am and what you are because of me? It took you until our arrival here to fully process it.”

  It was true, she noticed. It had come to her in bits and pieces. She had only seen the broad picture of it all outside. She should have fainted in her penthouse when she was attacked, but instead, she was overwhelmed by her heightened senses. She wondered now if Nevar had coaxed her into willingness. She had managed to shield her thoughts for a while… but it was when her shields had been up that she had started to see the pieces to the puzzle. “Nevar?”

  He sighed heavily. “I fear that I will never cease apologizing to you. Yes. I coaxed you a little, but only to get you fed."

  "'Trust your instincts'," she recited. She was livid, angrier than she'd ever been before. But when she turned a heated glare at him, she was the one who melted. He was standing there, shame in his eyes, waiting for whatever punishment she had in store for him. Her expression softened instantly. Suddenly, the pain and anguish she'd seen on his face all night started making sense.

  He had lost control, something that he admitted he'd never done before. Instead of taking her life, he'd offered her a new one. He had used what advantages he could to guide her in those first crucial hours. Without him, who knows what she might have done. She still wasn't quite sure what she was capable of.

  "I'm sorry, Nevar. I'm afraid I may have judged you too harshly. Normally, I would have the benefit of being able to think things out before throwing accusations around, but it seems I cannot afford that luxury currently."

  "Given your current rate of progress, I imagine you will not have to wait long for it." Xander looked outright impressed. His smile was perfect. If he wasn't a model, he should be. He gave her a quick wink that made her blush. "She's amazing, Nevar. As long as I've been alive, I've never seen any vampire with so much control, even into their second or third year as she has. Forgive me for saying so, Alyssa, but listening to your mind work is fascinating."

  "I'm glad that you think so, but I don't understand. What do you mean when you say I have so much more control than other vampires? What would normal behavior be?"

  Both of their faces looked grim, but it was Xander who spoke first. "For one, you would have torn Nevar's face off just a moment ago. For one split second I saw it there, but you pulled it back so fast, a human's eyes would have missed it entirely. Most newly made vampires' minds are hard to read, like trying to read a book through muddy water. Yours is not only clear as a bell, but quick as well. Although you're still processing your heightened senses, you're still able to process other information. You have the mind of a vampire centuries old, rather than hours."

  Nevar seemed to take some pride in Xander's words because he squared his shoulders and the guilt he'd been wearing all night seemed to lift off his face. What she saw beneath nearly took her breath away. He had always looked stunning, but now, he had a light in his eyes and a presence about him that dominated the room. She caught herself thinking that she was in a room with two of the most gorgeous men she'd ever seen. The models and actors she'd worked with before could not hold a candle next to them, and that said a lot.

  "Okay," she said, "May I ask just how old you are?"

  Nevar's laugh filled the room. "How long has it been, Xander? Let's see, I was turned back in 1326, so that makes me nearly 700 years old."

  "Are werewolves immortal, too?"

  "I wouldn't use the term immortal. We die, but as long as we continue to transform, our bodies don't age. It's not so much involuntary as the legends make it seem. We can change at will, but we do draw strength from the moon. It affects our blood the same way it pushes and pulls the tides, waxing and waning each day as it rises and sets, not just how much shadow may or may not be covering it." He scoffed and shook his head slightly. "Humans are such superstitious beings. They tend to invent explanations to things they don't understand."

  "Don't underestimate them, Xander. Their science is getting much more advanced."

  "But we, I mean, they believe that vampires and werewolves are just figments of their imaginations... I would still believe it if I wasn't here now."

  "Well," Nevar noted, "we prefer it that way. Life was far more difficult in the 18th century when our kind were abundant. Too many of us meant that the humans caught on. Not only did they hunt us, but they managed to succeed in killing a few of us. Luckily for us, the majority of their victims were half-rotten corpses."

  Alyssa turned back to Xander. "What about the legends about werewolves? Are you allergic to silver like the stories say?"

  He laughed. "Why? Are you planning on trying to shoot me with a silver bullet?" He ran his hand through his golden mane and put on a more serious expression. "Unlike my friend over here,
my kind are a little more vulnerable. Now, we heal quickly enough, but some wounds are fatal. As far as a silver bullet goes, it could be made of lead and still kill us if it hits a vital organ. Our hearts still beat."

  Alyssa felt a twinge of jealousy. How nice it must be to have life and the abilities that he had, and to be able to end them if he chose to do so. It seemed that he had gotten the better end of the bargain. He looked up at her and his eyes locked with hers.

  "Don't think that mine is a pampered existence," his tone was harsh, but there was a softness in his eyes that confused her. "When the wolf takes over, I must fight to keep myself in check. If the beast were ever to gain complete control, I would never be able to return to my human form. My soul would be lost to the beast, a fate far worse than death.”

  She was slightly taken aback by his tone, but she could certainly understand the seriousness of his words. “Speaking of souls, what about mine? Did I lose it when my heart stopped?” She made her tone match Xander’s, and held his eyes with her own.

  “There’s no good answer for that question, because in all honesty, no one knows. The only ones who might know, well, they aren’t saying. Only death will answer that question for you.”

  Nevar looked at her with sympathetic eyes, no doubt thinking he was at fault for her current condition. "And I am," he answered her thought. "If you will allow me to prepare a room for you, Alyssa, I wish you to stay here until you recover fully."

  She looked at them both in turn. They looked genuinely concerned for her well-being. Perhaps if she stayed, it would help ease Nevar's conscience. She much preferred to see him with an aura of confidence as opposed to his apologetic moping. "Okay, if you insist. I have more questions to ask and it will give me plenty of time to think of more."

  "Can I let the cat out of he bag?" Xander laughed. "So sorry. I've been holding onto that one since I arrived!"

  Alyssa couldn't help but laugh. "I'm sure she would like that if, of course, it's okay with you, Nevar?"

  "Certainly. After all, I already allow Xander on the furniture, do I not?" His ensuing laughter was infectious and she had to hold her sides to keep them from splitting apart. Even Xander was laughing. As he left the room, she had the impression that the true personality of Nevar was starting to show. He was like a multi-faceted gem that had to be turned this way and that to see and truly appreciate the light reflected in each side and angle.

  She heard Xander unzipping the travel bag holding her cat and saw the long-haired tortoise shell spring out. She was a mottle of colors ranging from black to orange, but mostly a rich chocolate and caramel mixture with a white spot under one eye that resembled a tear. She had always joked that the quirky feline was a little bit nuts, so the name "Snickers" was a perfect fit. She was small as far as cats went, but her long hair made her look much larger than she actually was. Being a smart cat, she bolted from the room to find a decent place to hide until she felt safe, or got hungry.

  Zukko had curled up to sleep at her feet, feeling more secure by his master's side than hiding beneath some strange piece of furniture. She bent to pick him up and pull him in her lap. She ran her fingers through the soft fur on his back, finding comfort in his warmth.

  "Alright, now I'm jealous," Xander said, with a smirk. Your fingers look so very tempting.

  You're not going to test how far my self-control will last, are you? But she couldn't help but smile under his gaze.

  The mischievous twinkle shone in his eyes again and one corner of his mouth pulled up enough to flash her his stunning smile. The thought had crossed my mind, and quite tempting, but not on the first night. He winked at her and stood up, as if he were preparing to leave.

  "Wait, are you leaving? I still have more questions for you." She started to get up to follow him, and she found out very quickly why the two of them had insisted she stay here. The moment she reached her full height, she felt the world turning very quickly. Her stomach lurched as though she were to be sick. Darkness crept up at the edges of her eyesight and then her muscles melted beneath her and she started to fall.

  She was caught by strong arms, thickly corded with muscles. As her vision began to clear, she followed them up to see Nevar's handsome face. She had not even seen him re-enter the room. He caught her legs in the crook of his arm and lifted her easily, despite her being dead weight.

  "Get ready, Alyssa. I am going to whisk you away again," he warned. He gave her a slight pause for courtesy's sake then they dissolved into thin air again, leaving Xander standing there and drifting through the air up a grand staircase to a bedroom down the hall. She felt her body rematerialize, but still felt weightless in Nevar's arms. He carried her to a bed that dwarfed her own and laid her down.

  The room was exquisite. She recognized the gold fleur-du-lis painted by hand on the walls. If she wasn't mistaken, they had used actual gold in the paint, making this a room fit for a queen of France. Everything in the room was either velvet red, or royal blue, and everything was accented in gold. The authentic French decor was fit for a museum.

  Nevar smiled at her and pushed a strand of hair out of her eyes. "Your eyes miss nothing, do they?"

  "Nevar," she started. His voice had been so soft and his touch had not only lit her on fire, but it had been as gentle as though he were afraid she would shatter if mishandled.

  Xander walked into the room with Snickers purring in his arms and Zukko wagging his tail at his feet. "It must be my animal magnetism," he said in response to her openly shocked expression.

  "I am at a loss for words. She's never warmed up to anyone so quickly."

  "Xander has a gift with animals because he is one," Nevar answered. "That's also why I called him. Not only can I trust him with anything, but his skills can be very useful. Not to mention he knows the histories as well as I do. I must go out again, but he will stay with you until I return."

  "Why do you have to go out again? Surely you don't need to feed again?" He'd taken much more than a pint from her, so she didn't understand why he was leaving her.

  "Not for me, for you, but you are in no shape to go yourself. Instead, I must collect some from the blood bank to bring back to you. It won't take long." He surprised her by placing a chaste kiss on her forehead.

  Her body warmed all over from having his lips touch her skin. What was it about this man that was so different from any other? Oh, yeah, she thought, he's a vampire. How many vampires had she ever met? He was most likely the first. There was really nothing about his appearance that marked him a vampire. He was not extremely pale, or have elongated canines. He wasn't grotesque like some of the Hollywood scenes portrayed, quite the opposite. He did not have red eyes or a menacing look about him, either. But perhaps, what marked him was his allure and inhumanly good looks.

  "Take care of her, Xander." Again, Alyssa felt it was a command and not a favor. He walked to the double French doors that opened out onto a balcony and his form began to fade from solid to opaque, then transparent, and then he looked like merely smoke as he passed through the seal between the doors.

  "Just you and me now," Xander smirked as he moved across the room to sit at the foot of the bed. He released Snickers so that she could curl up in Alyssa's lap. She found solace in her silky pelt.

  "She's a very smart cat."

  Alyssa smiled and Snickers began to purr under the petting and praise. "I've always known that. She found me, not the other way around. It was storming outside. We had the doors open for some strange reason. She came inside seeking shelter from the hurricane and started rubbing her head on my ankle. She scared me to death. I thought she was a mouse or a rat at first. She looked half-starved and half-drowned. From that moment on, we've always been together. I take care of her and she takes care of me."

  He chuckled to himself, as if to an inside joke. "Sorry," he said, "she said the same thing almost verbatim."

  She looked at him curiously. "You can speak with them?"

  "They don't exactly speak the way humans do; their t
houghts are more visual, like pictures or flashbacks, but the general idea comes out the same. She told me that she takes care of you, and for you to acknowledge and openly admit it is slightly humorous, in addition to the fact that you're humble enough to say it, it's no wonder she chose you."

  "She's been there when no one else was. She has always treated me the same way, whether I was on top or at rock bottom. To her, I've always been the same. I'm grateful for her, and Zukko. I don't know where I'd be without them." The thought struck her that she would far out-live the two of them, but she pushed it aside, as she always did when the thought crossed her mind. Snickers was nearly five, but she still had a lot of years ahead of her. Zukko was barely two, and had a long life ahead of him, for a dog anyway. She had time before she had to face the reality of their mortality.

  Xander placed a hand on her thigh. She started to slap him, but his face was not mischievous, but sincere. He knew her thoughts and he was being sympathetic. Although, his hand could have found a better perch to offer comfort from.

  "Why can't I do both?" he asked with a raised eyebrow. Now, she pushed his hand away because he was being mischievous.

  "Whatever happened to 'not on the first night'?" she teased.

  He threw his head back in laughter. "You are a clever minx. I shall have to keep my word then, shan't I?" His head turned towards a sound she had not heard and the expression on his face changed. "Nevar is on his way," he said, answering the question she had not even formed in her mind yet.

  "How did you know what I was going to ask before I did?"

  "You were right. You are an open book. Your expressions and your body communicate more than words."

  She wasn't sure if she was offended by his statement or just pissed off that she was so predictable. She shook her head. She was tired, and easily irritated because of it. What she needed was rest. And she knew that the two of them would assure she got it.

  "I'm so tired. I can sleep, can't I?"

  He looked at her strangely. "Of course you can. But you may want to say goodnight to Nevar first."