Tattoos and Cupcakes (Amulet of Queens Book 1)

by Everly Taylor

  “Can’t say I’ve heard anything about you.” Meeting his gaze, I waited out his scrutiny.

  “That is unfortunate, isn’t it? Why don’t we have a bit of a talk then, maybe we can learn more about each other,” he said smoothly. Indicating to one of the men to move the chair closer to him. The man rushed forward with the seat and promptly returned to his place against the wall.

  “A talk? That’s what you call this?” I lifted my arms and indicated the chains hanging from my wrists.

  “Just a small precaution is all. To protect you from yourself, or from doing anything you don’t intend to before we have had the chance to get to know each other better.” He seated himself in his chair, trying to appear like it didn’t hurt him to do so, but you could see the toll standing had taken on him. It was definitely worth filing away for later.

  “So why don’t you start by telling me about yourself?” He tried giving a thin smile, and instead only came off as someone’s creepy ass grandpa who you avoided at Christmas.

  “Oh, don’t I even get to know your name first?” Sarcastically, I bat my eyes at him.

  “Excuse my manners, I am Sylred, the true heir and ruler of the vampires,” he introduced himself as he slightly bowed his head in my direction, like he had given me some great honor by being in his presence.

  I let out a laugh. “Are you serious right now?” I stared at him in disbelief. He had just sat there and addressed me as if we were at a fancy dinner, not like my ass was chained to the wall. And to top it off, he’s going to claim he is the ruler of the vampires? This guy was crazy and I was done playing his games. “Don’t you think you should be in the geriatric ward? You honestly don’t look so well. They’ll give you all the sympathy conversation you’re looking for, you won’t find it from me.”

  Anger flashed across his face, the red around his eyes burning brighter. “I’m not looking for sympathy conversation. You want to do this the hard way, then fine.” He rapped his cane on the floor next to his chair, emphasizing the last word. “Tell me where Valentina is and where she put the amulet.”

  “I have no fucking clue and if I did, I wouldn’t tell you.” I had to protect Sam and giving him the amulet would make me lose the upper hand. Maybe I could bargain with him and he would let us go.

  “Don’t lie to me! I know you know where she is, my people have seen you consorting with those traitors she harbors. She would have given the amulet to you, so don’t deny it. Where did she tell you to keep it?” he spat out.

  “She didn’t tell me to put it anywhere,” I insisted. This was the truth, she just asked me to keep it with me. Valentina hadn’t actually instructed me to put it anywhere. I also technically didn’t know where she was at the moment, so hopefully the truth in my words would make him believe me.

  He narrowed his eyes at me, and seemed to see right through me. His harsh glare searched for some sort of response, “Search her,” he barked, making me jump.

  Two men crossed the room and started roughly searching through my pockets and patting down my legs. Shackled, I was unable to do anything to stop them as he pulled the chain from under my shirt, the amulet now glowed softly in front of my face.

  “Bring it to me,” Sylred ordered, his wide eyes never leaving the amulet. The man holding the chain reached with his other hand and grabbed the stone, pulling hard as he tried to yank it from my neck. My gut clenched as I felt him tug, I had a terrible idea what was going to happen next.

  Slowly, a red glow flowed through his fingers, spreading as it had with the man in the store. Cracks spread from his fingers, trailing across the rest of his body as they spread and opened into gaps, allowing more light to stream through. He dropped the stone, screaming in agony as the red light bled from the fissures. His ear-piercing scream stopped suddenly as the light dimmed to nothing. He stood there for a moment, his eyes frozen in shock and pain before a white light burst outward, making me turn away.

  The light dimmed and I looked back to where he had been only moments before. Nothing remained but a pile of ash where he had once been. Next to me, the man that who helped him in his search remained frozen in shock.

  “Fascinating! What did you do to him?” Sylred exclaimed, leaning forward in his chair.

  “I didn’t do anything, you sick fuck. He tried to take my amulet and that just happened,” I explained, urging him to believe me. I hadn’t done anything, the amulet did this shit by itself. His excitement was not looking very promising.

  “You have no idea what you are, do you, little vampire?” he inquired, his voice thin and gravelly again. I returned his gaze and decided that not answering at this point was better.

  “Give me the amulet and I will show you what you are, how great we can be together.” On the edge of his chair now, his hungry expression gave him away.

  “I don’t want to be anything with you,” I said definitively.

  Pointing to the man who still remained at my side, he demanded, “Take it from her.”

  “My-my Lord,” he stammered, “I don’t think that’s such a good idea.”

  “Are you questioning me?” Sylred challenged, his eyes hot. “There are much worse fates that await you than burning by that amulet if you don’t follow orders,” he threatened.

  Hesitantly, the man moved forward again, his eyes silently pleading with me not to incinerate him. I apologized in my head, I had no control over what was about to happen. Reaching down, his hand closed over the amulet. Don’t burn him alive, don’t burn him alive, I repeated in my head. This man didn’t deserve to die, vampire or not, for doing something he clearly didn’t want to do.

  He tugged on the necklace and nothing happened, no light was coming from the amulet, but the chain was also not budging from my body. I sagged in relief as he dropped it and straightened. “It won’t come off my Lord.”

  “Well, make it come off,” he ordered.

  A little braver now that he had touched the amulet and remained unharmed, he tried to lift the chain over my head and again, it remained unmoving.

  “Just take it already!” Sylred commanded from his position behind the man.

  More brazen now that he still hadn’t met his partner’s fate, he grasped the stone again and tugged hard. This time the stone had other ideas and ended his life as well, nothing but a pile of ash remained, providing evidence he had once stood there.

  “Oh impressive indeed, little vampire!” Eyes bright with excitement at who the fuck knew what, Sylred still sat on the edge of his seat watching the light show with eagerness.

  “You’re fucking sick.”

  “Do not anger me,” he warned.

  “I don’t give a flying fuck how you feel. You’re a sick old bastard that needs to get off his power trip.”

  Sylred got to his feet, the movement was the fastest I had seen from him since he had entered. “I will have that amulet one way or another, and you will cooperate.”

  With that he turned and left from the room, with the remaining two men following him and shutting the door behind them.

  Pulling my knees up to my chest, I let my head fall and rest on them. What the hell had I gotten into? I knew I had to find Sam and get us the fuck out of here. I just had no clue where here was, or how I was going to accomplish that.

  I had originally planned to try and convince him the amulet was back at my apartment, and I would only tell him where if he let Sam go. Now that he had found out I had it with me, I needed to come up with something else to get her out of here unharmed.

  Sylred was a sick fucker, and whatever he wanted with the amulet wasn’t good. The way he had gleefully watched his men turn to ashes at my feet solidified that. Anyone who could find joy in watching that needed serious help. He clearly had more going on than meets the eye, and it was interesting that it seemed to pain him to stand for too long. I wondered if he needed the stone so he could become healthy again like Valentina?

  I wasn’t sticking around to find out though, I didn’t care. I only cared abo
ut escaping. So far I had done a piss poor job of getting anywhere other than chained to this damned wall with ashes piled around my feet.

  Frustrated, I grabbed the chains secured to the wall and tugged. I don’t know why I thought this time would be any different. Leaning my head against the wall I tried to think through my options, which were not many. No matter what I thought of, each scenario seemed as less likely to succeed as the last.

  Maybe I would get lucky and Damien or Adrien would come back to check on me again, even though I had told them not to. He had the first time without caring what I had said. If they did, then maybe they would see the broken window and know that something had happened. At least they knew more about this vampire shit than I did, maybe they would find us.

  I drifted off to sleep again as my body tried to work out the last of the drugs, thinking of Sam and how I failed her, and putting my hopes in three men who I didn’t even know would ever find us.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Selena

  Stretching, I shifted my legs to keep them from falling asleep again. I had been left chained to this wall for hours after Sylred stormed from the room, angry that I wouldn’t give him the amulet or entertain his sick idea of talking to him. He seemed so unhinged I wasn’t sure if it was a good or bad sign that he hadn’t returned.

  The chains were making my arms start to go numb from having them in the same semi-elevated position for so long. I had tried to stand earlier but my restraints were too short, so that had ended with me awkwardly falling on my ass.

  I ultimately ended up sitting with my side against the wall, shifting now and then to avoid getting cramped up. Useless scenarios played over and over again in my head, no one had come back into the room so there was no chance of putting any of them, as lame as they were, into action. My hopes really rode on three men that I couldn’t be sure would even start looking for me.

  The door handle finally clicked, and I straightened as much as I could. Two of Sylred’s men came in again, taking their positions on either side of the opening and standing stoically, waiting for him to enter. He entered behind them, oddly looking healthier than he had before. Leaving the door open he crossed the room, his cane clicking against the floor, with a shrewd smile on his face.

  I eyed the open door behind him, it was potentially my way out if I could figure out how to convince him to take these chains off. Sylred hobbled his way to the chair in the middle of the room and sat, seeming to study me for a minute.

  “Selena, we don’t have to do this the hard way. You and I really can be great together, if you realign your loyalties.” Again, he tried to convince me to join whatever convoluted plan stirred in his head.

  “Maybe I would consider it if I weren’t chained to a fucking wall,” I lied, knowing I would never think of joining him in anything.

  “Nice try Selena. You are staying in those. It’s the only thing keeping all of us safe from your unchecked powers at the moment. Those aren’t just any shackles my dear, those are the purest iron that one can find, said to be forged in the fires of Hell themselves. They have been spelled to control any man or beast.”

  “Fancy, I didn’t realize you would pull out the fine china for me. Next time I’ll dress for the occasion,” I replied dryly. I tried not to be a smart ass with him, I really did. He just pissed me off so much I couldn’t help it.

  “Selena, it is in your best interest to not anger me. We will make a great team if you would only allow yourself to see that.”

  “My loyalties, as you put it, are fine where they are. However, I do appreciate your concern, as misplaced as it is.”

  “Maybe we can change that,” he stated. Without looking away from me he called out, “Bring in the girl.”

  My gaze snapped to the door as two more of his men shuffled in sideways, holding someone between them. After they had moved through the restricting space of the doorway, they turned to face me. Sam dangled between them, limp and unconscious, with one arm supported by each of them as her head lulled to the side, unresponsive.

  “Sam, no!” I tried to stand to rush to her, but the chains yanked me back as they snapped against the wall. “She has no clue about any of this, you fucking asshole.” Sylred only laughed maniacally.

  “You’re fucking insane! Just let her go and I’ll give you what you want,” I pleaded. Pulling at my binds I tried to reach Sam, but the chain remained immovable and only dug into my wrists farther. The blood welled back to the surface but the pain didn’t matter, I needed to get to my friend.

  “Willing to play nice now little vampire?” he asked, his red rimmed eyes boring into mine. “Let’s have a real conversation, shall we?” He looked between Sam and I. “Wake the girl.”

  What the fuck did he mean by that? I watched as one of the men came forward with a syringe, removing the cap as he started reaching for Sam.

  “Leave her alone, you asshole!” I knew it wouldn’t stop them, I was too helpless right now to do anything. The needle sunk into her neck as he injected its contents. Satisfied that it emptied, he removed it and walked away.

  Sam slowly blinked and lifted her head, struggling to orient herself. “Sam!” I cried out. Whatever they had used to reverse the effects of the other drug seemed to be working fast. She pulled her legs under herself to stand, the men now hardly had to support her.

  “Lena?” Her voice was dry and hoarse, and it made me wince in guilt knowing that I had caused it. “What the hell is going on?” she inquired, looking around in panic and trying to pull away from the men holding her up, but she remained too weak.

  “Sam, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I’m going to fix this.” I had to figure out something and fast, there was no way I could let them hurt my best friend for something I had gotten her into.

  “It looks like you’re attached to this one. It’s always nice to have a pet or two,” Sylred jeered.

  “She’s not my fucking pet, dickweed. Just tell me what the fuck you want and let her go.” Still pulling on the chains, my wrists bled onto the floor.

  “Now that’s no language for a pretty little thing like you, is it?” He tsk’d his disapproval. “Now all you have to do is let me have the amulet and I’ll let your pet go.”

  “Take it! I’m not trying to keep it from you,” I urged him, hoping he would just take the amulet.

  “Could someone tell me what the hell is going on here?” Sam demanded, now standing on her own between the two men.

  “I’ll explain it when we leave, Sam. All he wants is my fucking necklace. Take it Sylred, and just let her go.”

  Sylred nodded to one of the men behind him, this one different from the ones who had been in the room previously. Bravely he stepped forward and closed his hand around my necklace, trying to lift it over my head. As before, it remained immovable and he fought to tug it off me.

  I pleaded silently with myself, with the amulet, I don’t know. I just wanted them to be able to take it so I could see my friend safe.

  “Give it to him, Selena!” Sylred demanded.

  “I’m fucking trying. I can’t control this damned thing!” I know my voice sounded panicked but there was nothing I could do. I was fucking terrified.

  Just as before, the man closed his hand around the stone and tried to yank it from my neck. The light was instant and bled through him like it had all the others. Intense white light blinded the room before his ash fell at my feet.

  “You will learn to cooperate!” Sylred bellowed as he flew from his chair so fast it toppled backward in the process. He pushed the man closest to him to the side and wrenched Sam against his chest. “The amulet, Selena!” He tightened his grip on Sam, with a strength that I didn’t realize he had. I only assumed it had to do with how angry I had made him by not giving him what he wanted.

  “I don’t fucking know how,” I sobbed, tears now running freely down my cheeks.

  “Stop lying. You are refusing to give it over and will pay for your disobedience.” Red eyes flashed as he eyed me angri
ly and his teeth descended. “And so will she.” He yanked Sam’s head forcefully to the side, exposing her throat. Sam kicked against him and clawed, trying to escape, but his grip was iron tight.

  “Lena! Lena, help me!” Terror and panic laced her voice as she thrashed against him, trying to get away. Sylred watched me, emotionless, as I struggled trying to get to my friend. He sunk his fangs deep into her flesh, cutting off her pleas for help, and they ended with a soft gurgle.

  “Sam, oh God, Sam!” I tugged on my chains, the effort futile as I watched him bury his face in her neck. Her kicks and punches slowed as he drew more blood from her, her face paling. “Stop, please, you need to stop, you’re killing her!” I cried out, pleading. I begged him to listen to me but he continued on. Blood ran down his chin, dripping onto the floor as he fed from her.

  He supported her now motionless body as he drank from her, my cries falling on deaf ears. Lifting his head he looked at me, blood running down his face and covering his suit. “Ready to play nice, Selena?”

  Bile rose in my throat, Sam hung lifeless from his arms while he stood there covered in her blood. “You’re a fucking monster!” I yelled, tears pouring down my cheeks.

  “I guess that’s a no.” He dropped Sam carelessly to the floor where she piled in a heap. Her body remained unmoving as blood slowly oozed from the punctures he had left in her neck, collecting around her on the floor.

  I sank to my knees. “Sam, please Sam, be okay,” I sobbed.

  Sylred paused to pick up his cane and moved in front of me, this time choosing to stand. “Selena, don’t kid yourself, I can’t allow you weaknesses and she is yours.” Signaling to the men behind him he ordered, “Finish her, and leave nothing.”

  “No!” I knew my efforts to pull on the chains were useless, and there was no way I could help Sam now. Nothing I could do would save her from his men as they descended upon her, dragging her back out of the room.

  I crumpled to the floor, racked with grief. I had just watched this man murder my best friend and I stood by, unable to do anything while it happened. My best friend, who had always been there for me no matter how hard I pushed back was an unrelenting wall of joy in my life. That same friend paid the price because I had been too stupid, too scared to accept the truth that had been put right in front of me.