The Amulet (31 page)

He laughed aloud and his voice reverberated against the stone walls. His physical voice held authority in it that commanded respect. It was no wonder he had been a recruiter in his earlier years.

As am I, Alyssa. I would like to see a few more good years before retiring to a dirt nap.

Do you ever tire of it, Lucius? Having seen so many years go by? Do you ever wish for death?

There have been times that I did, but despite it all, each day holds new promise and new beginnings, so each one I see is worth living. When I die, I would not like my last meal to be a rodent, so you can stop saying the word death in my presence.

I was only asking to see what I had to look forward to, Lucius. Do you have a plan?

Yes, now I finally do.

Nevar was pacing the floor, waiting for Xander's return. He had relayed the information he had discovered. The scene was still fresh in Nevar's mind. He knew they had to go after Alyssa, but he also knew Gabriel would be after the amulet. It wasn't clear to him whether he would try to kill Alyssa to gain control of the amulet or keep her alive. Killing her would be difficult, so he held onto hope that Gabriel would try an easier route.

His eyes fell upon Jessie as he turned to make another lap of the floor. She was sitting on an ottoman with a dazed expression. The moonlight through the window made her hair shine like gold and it looked so soft he was tempted to bury his hands in it. The tears he saw glimmering in her eyes stopped him in his tracks. He scolded himself for letting his mind wander and put his hand on her shoulder. "We will get her back, Jessie, I swear it."

"Oh, Nevar! I'm so worried about her!" She leaned into him, her face buried into his hip. It was hard for him to offer comfort with her bringing so much attention to his groin.

He sat down beside her on the accompanying chair and offered his shoulder to her. She wasted no time in drying her tears on his chest. He felt the dampness leak through his shirt to moisten his skin. He inhaled deeply, partially to force his body to relax but mostly to breathe in the scent of her. She smelled sweet like the nectar of sunflowers and magnolias. She was the summer, despite the storm clouds that hung over her now. She was everything that he was not and somehow, he found himself being drawn to her like a moth to flame.

He heard Katarina scoff across the room and eyed her with a fierceness that was not typical to his nature. She shrugged him off, but he saw the flicker of fear in her expression. Her immortality was conditional upon her survival and he knew how to kill, had spent years perfecting his technique. Her silence was almost a guarantee.

Matthias, however, was a stranger to silence. "We shall go, Nevar. I will aid you however I can, but it grows close to sunrise and I desire the solace of my abode. I shall be in touch." He pulled Katarina closer to him and together they faded into mist. Katarina's body was slower, reluctant, but Matthias pulled her along behind him. It made sense. Katarina could not travel on her own, but with just a little vampire blood, she would retain enough to allow her body to change and travel by mist without being damaged, but not enough to change her.

Such a thing had never been attempted before but Alyssa had been proof enough that hybrids could exist. Nevar knew that there was purpose behind every move Matthias made. It was in his nature. He had come with the intent of bringing the ring to Xander. He must have known that Xander would react the way he did. Matthias, of all vampires, knew exactly how volatile werewolves could be when their emotions were out of balance.

Which meant, he had planned on being attacked by Xander. Sure, Xander was fast, but Matthias was far older and faster than any werewolf. Xander had tasted his blood. Perhaps just a taste was all Xander needed to be able to travel by mist unharmed. It would be a useful trick and it would make tracking Alyssa much easier.

He heard a sound from upstairs and felt Jessie startle against him before she pulled away to look up at the ceiling. He stood, transforming into mist. In what should have been a single heart beat, he was there, standing face to face with Gabriel. He realized it was a mistake a split second too late. Pain shot through his body like lightning. Through the acrid scent of burning flesh, he could smell lilacs and jasmine. Alyssa was the last thought before everything went black.

The pain hit her in the gut with such force that she groaned. It was so powerful, she believed it to be her own at first. The pain faded soon after it started, but she caught a glimpse of Nevar's mind before the vision faded. "No! Nevar!"

Shh! Quiet girl! You can't get too worked up. We have one chance at this and I can't do this alone! Whatever it is, you have to find a way to harness your emotions and save it for later!

She felt the tears leak down her cheeks, but she pushed through the pain and used it to strengthen her resolve. She would get out of here and she would make Gabriel pay for what he'd done.

It's the blood bond. Gabriel has the amulet now. He'll be heading back here soon.

He has the amulet back? Damn! I was hoping that thing was gone for good. Alright, I think I've just about... Got it!

The last shackle was off her wrist. It was amazing what Lucius could do with a rat bone. She could finally wrap her arms around herself, though it failed to take the chill from her bones.

Now, I can't do much more to help after this. I don't have much strength, but what little I do have, I will give to you in return for getting me out of this hell hole.

What if something goes wrong?

Pray that it doesn't, because I have no back-up plan
.

Jessie heard a scuffle and then a thump from the ceiling. She debated between running for Xander or trying to rescue Nevar. Before she made a decision, one was made for her. The mist that filled the room was so thick it was difficult to breathe. She bolted for the door, slamming hard into a terrifying figure. His eyes were glowing with a red hue and his stringy hair hung down around his face like a curtain of wet sand. Nevar's prone form hung limply from his right arm.

She screamed as loudly as she was able before he grabbed her by her throat, choking off the sound. Jessie had had enough. She transformed and slashed at him with her claws. Her claws met with flesh and marred his face and chest. His hand could no longer contain the expanse of her neck. Gabriel stumbled backward, releasing Nevar with a thud, under the force of her attack. She lunged forward after him, teeth first. She grabbed his arm and bit down hard. She felt the bones crunch beneath her teeth.

Gabriel let out a terrible screech that pierced her ears. She winced and released her hold on him. His right arm hung uselessly at his side now but he hit her squarely in the jaw with his left. She rolled with his punch to lessen the impact and escaped with her jaw bone intact, but the force had her seeing stars nonetheless.

"Insolent dog! Did you think your power was greater than mine?" His boot found its way into her gut. "I shall teach you what we do to dogs who cannot obey their masters!"

She snarled through the pain and snapped at his leg. He was too quick and faded into mist to reappear behind her. This time, he hit her at the base of her skull and she absorbed the full impact. The darkness closed in on her and she reached for Xander to tell him to turn back. If he answered her, she never heard it.

His paws dug deep as he lengthened his stride. Jessie's message had been blurry and difficult to understand, but the one note that rang clear as a bell through her was danger. He was unable to reach Nevar and that was a bad sign. When he reached the manor at last, he didn't bother with his less than human from. The door had a handle that opened easily even for the massive paws of a clumsy Were.

With the door open, the scent of the scene was strong enough to wrinkle his nose. He smelled blood, Jessie's this time, and burnt flesh, but it was unrecognizable, and he smelled Gabriel. Xander was pleased to find his blood on the hardwood floor. Almost hidden beneath the more potent layers was a more subtle aroma that he had almost missed: Alyssa.

Gabriel had taken her blood, and he had come back for the amulet. Judging from what he saw here, he would have bet his fur that he got what he had come for. The manor was a wreck. There had been quite a struggle. Now he was left alone with no way to track them by mist as the sun dawned in the east. He had little choice but to wait until sunset, wait and plan.

Alyssa had managed another meager meal without wasting too much energy. She was beginning to feel her body heal and her strength was recovering slowly. It was a start. Lucius was an adept hunter and had managed to score a small meal for himself as well. He would need everything he could get when it came time to execute their plan. She still had her doubts about his plan. She had barely been able to stop herself with Xander and she had cared for him. The risk of drinking his blood and taking too much was a heavy burden for her to carry.

She heard Lucius approaching behind her and quickly cleared her thoughts. Her shield was difficult to maintain for any length of time. She had tried to avoid using it, but she had pulled a small one around her emotions to hide them.

How are you doing that?

She was startled and confused at first. Had he figured out her trick when no one else had?

How am I doing what?

Don't play dumb. You were shielding something from me. I could feel it, but it was only a small part of you. It was like an open book with a hole cut straight through the center. Sure, I could read most of it, but there was a piece missing from your mind.

I'm not sure how I learned it. I wasn't taught how, but it requires less energy to hold a smaller shield and I thought it was harder to detect. You are the first to notice it.

I have a talent for sniffing out deceit in others. It made me an excellent recruiter and has kept me alive more than a few times. What were you hiding from me? If you are planning to bail on me, you can forget the whole thing!

Nothing like that, Lucius. Use your talent on me. I am not deceitful. I was guarding my fears.

Now is not the time for fear. Be afraid later. It will only get us both killed now.

That's what I'm afraid of...

I am putting far more trust in you than I particularly care to, but, whether I like it or not, my survival depends on you, so do whatever it is you need to do in order to get your head straight. The moon will be full again tonight and it's our best shot of escaping! Our powers will be at their peak and we may not get another chance like this.

Just then, Alyssa felt something like overwhelming satisfaction spreading through her, but the sensation was foreign to her. It must belong to Gabriel, she thought. It made sense. He would be extraordinarily pleased with himself now that he had the amulet and her within his grasp. Little did he know she had an ace in the hole. She trained her emotions into quiet submission. Gabriel had tasted her blood and she did not need to give her true feelings away.

Gabriel is close, Lucius. I can feel him.

If he finds me, he will drain me dry like the rest of my kind. I must leave you for now, but I will be close by.

Alyssa was anxious about being left alone, but she needed Lucius alive. No sooner had she nodded to him had he slipped into the shadows and vanished as easily as if he were a shadow himself. She heard movement coming from the far side of the darkness as a knot of dread began to wind itself tightly in her gut. The footsteps grew louder and she thought she heard something being dragged across the stone floor. There was pain. She felt it now, but it came and went, as if through a bad connection.

She was still weak, and she felt lost without the heightened senses she had grown accustomed to. She could not see the figures approaching through the darkness, nor could she smell beyond the musty odors of the dungeon. Alyssa assumed it was Gabriel and slid her wrists through the unlocked shackles. She hoped Gabriel would not think to check them, but kept her hope hidden behind her shield. If he discovered her plan to escape, she would lose the element of surprise, and possibly her chance at survival.

"Alyssa, so glad to see you conscious! You have guests, my dear," he said with a sneer.

"Gabriel! I thought I smelled something rotting, you filthy coward!"

"Now, is that any way for a lady to behave? Such a shame that such a pretty mouth can spout such vulgarity."

"I have yet to teach you the meaning of vulgarity! Just you wait until I can wrap my pretty jaws around your throat, but it looks to me like my sister beat me to it!"

"You have a bit too much spirit, it seems. We will see how long that lasts when I kill off your sister and your vampire lover." Suddenly, he tossed Jessie across the stone floor just a foot away from her. Like her, she was exposed to the cold and she looked battered and bruised. It was all Alyssa could do to remain still in her chains and not rush to her sister's side. She could just make out the gentle rise and fall of her ribs, which eased her worry slightly.

"Where's Nevar?"

"I prefer to keep the dogs away from vampire blood. I have made other arrangements for your creator. I imagine you will hear his screams when the sun reaches high noon."

"You bastard!" She spit at him.

"Such language would never have been tolerated from a lady in my day, but I suppose that is the result when you lie with dogs. I am afraid I have no leniency with unruly pets. Nevar should have left you to die rather than share his blood with your kind, half-breed, but I will rectify his mistake!"