The Amulet Read online

  "Okay, but don't sit on this too long," she warned. "It's a good gig and you know it. Do this movie, and your career is set. Do it well, and there are no limits to what you could do."

  "I know. Thanks, Jessie. I'll call you tomorrow?"

  "By 8 o'clock, if you don't mind. My show comes on tomorrow night and I'm not missing the season finale for a phone call, not even from you."

  Alyssa laughed. Jessie was not just her agent, but a long-time friend. The two of them went way back, and Alyssa was sure that even if the president called her at 8, she'd let it go to voicemail. "Of course. Goodnight, Jess."

  "'Night, Lyss."

  Click.

  Alyssa took the phone from her ear and turned towards Nevar, who had been patiently quiet. The worry must have shown on her face because his eyes were soft against the hard planes of his face. He came the short distance to her side and brushed the flesh of his thumb across her cheek, drying the tear she hadn't realized had rolled from her eye. She closed her eyes, embarrassed that she was so weak in front of him. No, she told herself. You are a strong, beautiful soul. Her grandmother's words echoed in her mind, making her want to cry some more.

  "Alyssa."

  Her name rolled from his lips like a praise, sending a chill of pleasure through her. The man held too much power over her for comfort, but she had never wanted to be overpowered by a man more than she did now. Instead, she buried her face into his chest, hiding the tears that started to flow, hiding the desire that was burning inside her.

  He wrapped his arms around her and stroked her hair, offering comfort. He had never been there to comfort his wife. The army had kept him away most of the time while she was alive. A hundred years of war had been unkind in his days, but he had been there at the end.

  He had seen his son born, ripping his mother apart inside. His blood alright, barely alive and already a killer. But he hadn't resented the child, in fact, he had treasured him. He had a beauty about him that could only have come from his mother, but then he had fallen ill. He had been able to comfort neither of them. But he was here for Alyssa, and he would comfort her.

  "Nevar?"

  Her voice was heavy with tears, but she was trying desperately to hide it. He pretended not to hear it, but silently offered her his strength. "Yes, milady?"

  "I don't want to stay here," she said.

  Of course. The whole place was a monument to what he had taken from her. He felt a knot of disgust gnawing in his gut. He felt like an idiot. "Is there anything you want before we go?"

  She gave a gentle nod, then backed slowly away from the shelter of his chest, careful to hide her face as she did. He looked at the two damp spots on his shirt and felt a pang of regret. She made him feel protective and vulnerable. It seemed an odd combination of emotions to him. He also felt like a complete ass.

  She packed in a determined silence. There were so many thoughts running through her head, and she refused to think about any of them. Just pack and go. A few outfits, food for Snickers and Zukko, who still needed such things, her laptop, which she figured would be useful, and then her cell phone, which she currently wanted to throw off the balcony high-rise. She jammed it to the bottom of her carry-on bag and closed it with a flourish.

  She sighed thoughtfully. With Nevar in the other room, she had a moment to school herself into some semblance of composure. It had been unbearable to lose control of herself like that in front of him. And yet, she had wanted to seek comfort in his arms, wanted him to be her rock. He was shelter and safety in a raging storm, and she wanted him. He was dangerous.

  A warm shiver of desire ran through her. She imagined her hands running across his iron chest and his fingers caressing her tender flesh. No. She pulled herself back out of the fantasy. There was a time and a place and this was neither. She turned around to find Nevar standing behind her. Instinctively, she checked that her thoughts were still shielded but her privacy was still intact. She silently cursed the heat that rose to her cheeks.

  The smile playing at the corners of his mouth was mischievous and sultry. She could smell pheromones rolling off of him in waves. It was then she realized what had given her away. He could smell her desire. She steadied herself, the knowledge seeming to bring strength back to her uncooperative limbs. His smoldering eyes studied her for a moment before making some decision and his expression changed.

  "Are you ready, Alyssa?" His voice gave nothing away, not without emotion, but nothing that told her of where his thoughts were.

  She nodded her head. Words seemed beyond her at the moment. Her once beloved penthouse now choking the air from her. It's a good thing I don't need to breathe, she thought. It was too bad she missed it so much. At least suffocation reminded you that you were alive.

  She wanted so much to escape the reminders of her old life. She wanted to keep it all, but knew she would have to let it go. Maybe she could keep up a nice charade for a time, but after a few years... Eventually time would tell on her little secret. She shoved the thoughts aside to worry about later, turning her back on the life she loved so much. She was facing Nevar, and in so many ways, she was facing her future. The life he offered her and had chosen for her, what she had now become, and what new path lay ahead of her, all reflected in him. She went to him and never looked back. She disappeared into the night with him, leaving a single fallen tear in her wake.

  He closed his eyes, feeling the flow of blood through his veins. The gentle pulsing was heightened by the pull of the moon. It would rise soon. He could feel it. Still only at three quarters full, but he felt the wolf stirring. It had been too long since he let the beast roam free, and it was growing impatient. He had to let it stretch its legs regularly or it would consume him.

  He hated it. He walked a razor-thin line between humanity and the animal and it would only take a gentle push to send him over the brink. The wind shifted and carried a scent to his keen nostrils. He shivered with anticipation. The thrill of the hunt bringing every neuron firing at capacity.

  His mind reached out, preparing for the shift, but he never did. There was something else there that shouldn't have been. He tried to find it, but it was gone again. It knew. Somehow, he doubted whatever it was had the good sense to leave for good. It would be back. But next time, it would be aware of him. It would be ready, and so would he. Xander knew he had to warn Nevar.

  They arrived back at Nevar's estate with plenty of time before sunrise. Alyssa had been silent since leaving her penthouse. Nevar longed to hear her sweet voice again, to hear her laughter. He did not take them inside the manor, landing instead outside on the southern face of the estate.

  It overlooked the entire property, all twenty-five acres. In the center was a small lake with an enormous fountain in the middle of it. To the right was his vineyard and a building beyond that where the grapes were processed and the wine was set to mature. Off to the left, there was another building surrounded by a large field and forest beyond that.

  He watched her as she gazed over the expanse of property and saw her eyes grow wide. He said nothing, but waited for her. She looked as though she were about to speak when a sound pierced the stillness. A look of sheer joy dawned on her face as she heard the whinny and Nevar saw heaven in her eyes.

  "Would you care to go for a ride?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

  Finally her voice broke through, still an edge of sadness to it, but almost imperceptible, even to his ears. "I'd love to!"

  They walked through wet grass towards the barn, the scents of hay and horseflesh already filling their nostrils. Nevar entered a code into the keypad to unlock the door, then swung the door wide and bowed to allow Alyssa to enter before him. He saw the corner of her mouth curve for a second at him, then she gasped when she looked into the barn.

  He had a total of seven horses. Two big black Friesians, two Clydesdales, an Andalusian, a chocolate-colored Tennessee Walker, and a roan-colored Arabian. He stepped beside her to make formal introductions. "Allow me to introduce you. The F
riesians and the Clydesdales I use mainly for field work. Call me old-fashioned, but I much prefer them over heavy equipment. Midnight and Twilight are the Friesians, I didn't name them, but it suits me just fine. Midnight is the slightly smaller mare and the stallion is Twilight. The Clydesdales are Captain and Cheyenne. The Arabian, I named Brush Fire. I raised him from a colt.

  "This one," he said, patting the Tennessee Walker's muscular neck, "is Infinity. She is an amazing horse with the smoothest gait I've had the pleasure of riding, but I've saved my favorite for last. Aegis is an accomplished show horse, both in dressage and show jumping. I have a feeling you'll love her as well."

  Alyssa was enthralled by all of the horses, but Aegis did catch her attention in particular. Andalusian were known for their high stepping gait and grace along with their athleticism. She was the whitest horse she'd ever seen and she seemed to glow despite the darkness of the stable. There were lights, of course, but why bother turning them on when you have vampiric vision?

  "Take your pick," he offered.

  He might as well have offered her the keys to heaven. In the end though, it came down to Infinity or Aegis. She had been horseback riding a few times before and had some experience, but she was far from being an accomplished rider. "I'd like to ride Aegis, but I've only been on a couple of pleasure and trail rides."

  He smiled at her, his teeth gleaming in the low light. "Trust me, Aegis won't give you any trouble. Ride her. I have only one rule," he said.

  "What's that?"

  "You must either saddle your own horse or ride bareback," he cocked his head towards the tack room, still smiling.

  She returned his smile, sweetly. Granted, it had been a while since she had been riding, but she had learned how to saddle a horse and even how to groom them. Well, she never had to clean their feet, but she had seen it done and knew how at least. She walked into the tack room to find it well-stocked. Different bits and bridle styles, hackamores, Western and English saddles, bareback pads, blankets and hoods to keep away the insects, and harnesses hung neatly arranged from the walls or stands.

  She picked up a well-polished leather bridle with a standard bit and laid it across an English saddle along with a saddle pad. She used to struggle carrying the heavy tack, but that was before. Now, she lifted it easily, but it was still large and felt awkward in her arms. Nevar watched her quietly as she put the saddle pad on first and then the saddle. She stroked Aegis and spoke quietly to her while she worked.

  She waited until she heard her exhale before tightening the girth, remembering her first riding experience where the saddle was not properly tightened. The saddle had slipped off to one side of the horse and it had been a miracle she had not fallen off. She thought she heard Nevar "Mm" in approval. When she was sure it was secure, she lowered the stirrups and adjusted them a little. Next, she removed her harness and picked up the bridle. The bit went first. A little coaxing and she accepted it easily, allowing her to slip the leather over her head and buckle the chin strap.

  "Not that I am surprised, but I am impressed. I would have happily broken my rule for you, but obviously you did not need my help at all." With that, he left for the tack room and came out a moment later as she was leading Aegis from her stall. He walked towards Brush Fire's stall. She watched his well-practiced hands as they flew quickly through the process she had taken such care over. She frowned but reminded herself that he'd had centuries of practice.

  The Arabian had a lot of spirit and threw his head as Nevar finished. "I know," Nevar told him. "It's been too long." he left the stallion in the stall as he walked over to her. "Mount up and make sure your stirrups are the right length."

  She mounted on Aegis's left side, swinging her right leg over the mare. The stirrups were a little short for her long legs. Riding English was more disciplined and proper than the relaxed, and more comfortable, Western style. English riders needed their stirrups shorter in order to post on the trot, a kind of bouncing two-beat gait. Nevar adjusted her stirrups for her, his hands meandering over her legs as he did.

  "We'll have to get you some more appropriate attire for riding," he said, frowning at her gladiator heels. "I may have a pair of riding boots that someone left. Even if they are a little big, they would be better suited than these." He took the heels off her feet and left for the tack room once more. He came out with a pair of black leather boots that, indeed, looked too big for her feet. He slid a pair of socks on her feet as well as the boots. "A good rider is always prepared," he answered her questioning eyes.

  They were men's boots, which made her happy. She hated the thought of Nevar riding with another woman. There was plenty of room in the toes, but otherwise were pretty comfortable. "Remember to keep your heels down and the ball of your foot on the stirrup."

  She had remembered, but she checked her feet anyway. The last thing you wanted was to get your foot caught in the stirrup and get dragged by or trampled on by a spooked horse. Nevar opened the barn door wide enough to ride abreast then led his own horse from the stall and mounted in one fluid motion. He turned Brush Fire towards the open barn door and walked him slowly across the concrete floor out into the moonlit pasture.

  Alyssa gave Aegis a gentle click with her tongue and tapped her with her heels. She responded immediately and followed after Nevar. Once out of the barn, Alyssa pulled up on the rein, kicking Aegis with her heels, giving her conflicting signals. The result was Aegis lifting up on her haunches, rearing up. Alyssa shifted her weight forward over Aegis’ center of balance. Aegis pawed at the air in a grand display and walked a couple of steps forward on her rear legs before landing. Alyssa was smiling as Nevar pulled up beside her.

  “I think you have more riding experience than you’re letting on, Miss Thomas.”

  She laughed. “No, not really. The first time a horse reared up on me was completely by accident, and not signaled by any means. He just decided he didn’t want to be ridden that day and I happened to be along for the ride. I managed to stay on him, though. After that, I learned how to signal them to do it. This is the first time I’ve been able to try it.”

  “You picked a good horse for it, then. I think I will give you lessons. You have natural balance, and I think you would do well in the jumper course.”

  She'd always wanted to take lessons, but with her career, it had never been possible. It seemed like fate was trying to tell her something. Maybe her old life was gone, and she was deeply saddened by the loss, but an entire world of new experiences had opened up for her and she had plenty of time to do all the things she had always wanted to do, but never had.

  Aegis pawed impatiently and started chomping on the bit. "Sorry, girl, you're right," she patted the mare's white neck in apology. "How about a race?" But she didn't wait for an answer. She gave Aegis three quick kicks and let the mare have her head. She took off with amazing speed, but Alyssa was no fool. Arabians may be smaller than some breeds, but they were fast and had amazing stamina. She had only a split second head start and she could hear Brush Fire pushing for top speed behind her.

  She bent low over the Andalusia’s neck, her mane stinging her face as it whipped in the wind she created. She saw the fence a little too late to stop, but Aegis had other ideas. The horse gathered beneath her and she just had time to shift her weight to stay in balance.

  She launched herself forward and up and Alyssa moved with her. She cleared the top rail with room to spare and landed gracefully without missing stride. Alyssa let her run a few more yards before turning her and pulling up on the reins to stop her.

  Alyssa was enthralled with the power and grace of the animal beneath her and almost missed Brush Fire's refusal to jump. He planted his feet and tossed his head and whinnied a complaint. Nevar's reactions were fast. He kept his balance and avoided being head-butted by his own horse. "He's great for endurance races, but he won't jump anything this high," he explained.

  "I'd like to do that again! Give me a moment and I'll bring her back over." She turned Aegis again a
nd brought her to a canter, the three-beat gate was as smooth as a rocking horse. Without slowing down, she turned her around and headed straight back for the fence. She clicked her tongue and the mare responded with speed.

  This time, prepared for the jump, Alyssa was able to count the beats and measure where she needed to jump. Aegis already knew. She was a born jumper, thought Alyssa. She cleared the fence easily and seemed pleased with herself, holding her tail up and prancing that high-step her breed was famous for.

  Nevar held his reins in one hand and clapped. "Excellent form. It seems I won't have much to teach you. You seem to have a firm handle on the basics."

  "Why thank you," she said. "But I'll be honest, Aegis is doing all the work. I know that there's more to it than just going along for the ride."

  "For tonight, that's enough." he smiled at her and pulled Brush Fire as close to Aegis as he could, Aegis did not appreciate the stallion being so close. He leaned out of the saddle and kissed her. It started slow, but grew as he fought to devour her mouth with his.

  Alyssa was lost to his kiss. Fire exploded from every nerve in her body and the beast purred within her. She didn't want this to end, but Aegis had other ideas. The mare jumped straight up in the air and kicked out with her legs in a fantastic display, well, it would have been had it been in the dressage ring. As it was, Nevar and Alyssa broke apart immediately, Alyssa struggling to stay in her saddle and Nevar pulling Brush Fire out of kicking range. The stallion snorted and shook his wedge-shaped head, almost as if he were saying, "Show-off".

  "I'm sorry, Alyssa," Nevar apologized as the mare finally calmed down, although he didn't ride up beside her this time. "I have never paired these two up together before. I normally ride one or the other, and I rarely let anyone else ride them. I suppose she isn't fond of Brush Fire."