The Jewel of Darkness [Celestial Jewels 2] (Siren Publishing Classic)

by J. Annas Walker

  “Who is Thanatos?” Sabrina asked.

  Aunt Eleanor spoke very little of the supernatural world outside of the comings and goings of the little town of Syvla. The classics were taught at home, but Eleanor skimmed over anything other than the major points of mythologies. If she thought not teaching Sabrina would protect her from the big, bad world, she was mistaken. The world nearly ran her over like a freight train.

  “God of Death,” Brandon replied. He still had not shifted his attention away from Delilah.

  Seeing him watch the pale-green demoness annoyed Sabrina. To be angry with her for not sharing was one thing. To see him openly looking at another woman went beyond the pale.

  She looked to her father, hoping for support. He, too, kept his focus on Delilah. He seemed to be taking in her every move, hanging on her every word. This added to Sabrina’s displeasure.

  “I thought that was Pluto,” Sabrina said in a huff. She crossed her arms over her chest and waited for someone to confirm her information.

  Delilah’s face softened, as much as the sharp, angular features allowed. She glanced back over her shoulder to the two men behind her. Flashing a quick smile, she made her way to the couch and sat on the far end. Her hands remained folded in her lap.

  “I promise not to bite,” she said to Sabrina, patting the cushion next to her.

  Sabrina glanced over at Brandon and her father. Their gaze followed Delilah. They seemed mesmerized by the woman, like a cat watching a bird. Jealousy boiled in Sabrina’s chest. She thought for a moment that she might actually choke.

  Instead, she swallowed hard, held her breath, and counted to ten. She tried to plaster on a polite expression. It took force of will to make her feet move, but she did it. Taking the seat farthest from Delilah, Sabrina sat down.

  Delilah closed her eyes and let her sharp teeth show with a smile. “I don’t blame you. I teased you mercilessly. I see your guards have their hackles up.” She held out a hand like a game show hostess presenting prizes in Hadrian and Brandon’s direction.

  Sabrina took another look at them. From this angle, their stares seemed more like cats waiting to pounce. The jealousy simmered back down, replaced with embarrassment. If emotions colored a person, she and Delilah would look like a matched pair.

  “The three brothers split up the realms of man eons ago. Jupiter took the land and skies, Neptune the oceans and seas, and Pluto resigned himself to the underworld. The underworld houses the dead, giving Pluto dominion over them. Thanatos acts as a guide to those who have meet their end. However, he is not one to take kindly to those who can circumvent death. Usually, he wouldn’t bother with a vampire. You’re an unusual case, and something about you caught his attention,” Delilah explained.

  “Do you mean to say there is nothing we can do?” Sabrina asked.

  Delilah ran a finger over her dark lips. Shutting her eyes, she held still for a moment before replying. She opened her eyes and gave Sabrina a half-smile.

  “I think we can buy you some time. Do you still have that necklace dear Auntie Eleanor saddled you with?”

  Sabrina felt sick. She wore a dark, crystalline necklace without a clasp her entire life, until six months ago. When she learned the truth of her past and made the conscious decision to live free and to love Brandon, a clasp formed, allowing her to remove the magical shackle for the first time in her life.

  She lifted her hand to her neck and rubbed the place where the chain had lain for nearly a century. There were still moments when she would panic in its absence. Those moments diminished as time passed. The thought of being forced back into a chain, albeit an elegant one, disgusted her.

  “I have it,” Brandon said.

  With her focus trained on Delilah, the sound of Brandon’s voice startled Sabrina. She glanced at her father, who was still watching the demoness but had sat in his favorite chair. She caught sight of Brandon’s back as he headed down the hall to their bedroom.

  A minute later, he returned carrying the chunk of smoky quartz in its gold bezel and elaborate chain. The clasp swung loose from the side of the bezel. He snapped it into place with a tight click, where the clasp disappeared. Now the chain looked like there was no beginning and no end with a fixed pendant in the middle. He dangled it in front of Delilah. When she reached for it, he pulled it back.

  “What do you intend to do, and what is it going to cost?”

  “Until we know why Thanatos wants her, it would be best if we block him from making contact. Clearly, he has to use the old mirror trick right now, but that may not always be the case. Shielding her from his influence delays his plan. I plan to use a version of the spell Diana and Eleanor used. Only mine won’t restrict her. It will be like having a magical dark spot. He will know something is there but not who or what. We use this method all the time to travel between levels of the underworld and this plane. She will look no different. The exception is that we do this by willing it to happen. She will have to wear the necklace constantly,” Delilah explained.

  She reached up again to take the jewelry. When it was not offered, she held out her hand, palm up. “Oh, all right. I ask only for the usual fee and incidentals,” she said, a note of exasperation in her voice.

  Brandon dropped the stone in her hand. He moved to sit on the arm of the couch behind Sabrina. He put his hands on her shoulders and pulled her back into him.

  Hadrian leaned forward. “What side effects will there be?” His stern expression held steady.

  Delilah offered him a coy smile. “We don’t suffer side effects. I can’t say this will be true for her, daddy dear, but I think her magical heritage should provide some protection. After all, she is unique. The results will be, too.”

  “I don’t like not knowing the details,” Hadrian said gruffly.

  Delilah sat back, stretched her arms along the back of the couch with the pendant dangling from one hand. “Now, how am I supposed to give you a guarantee? Do you think goddesses go around spawning vampiric half-breed children every other day? Hmm?” Her tone remained light, but her face was concerned.

  “I don’t care, as long as she is safe. Do it,” Brandon commanded.

  Sabrina reached up to hold his hand on her shoulder for a measure of comfort. The unknown variables in this equation bothered her. Having been called a half-breed most of her life, the quip about her mother’s choices irritated her. The sexy, confident demoness in front of her made her feel inadequate. For once in her life, she wanted to know for certain who and what she was. She wanted to fit in, to be like everyone else.

  Other supernatural creatures had to keep secrets and lived in the shadows, too. However, within their own community, they led their version of normal lives. They had friends and jobs. There were parties in the building most weekends. Some even put together book clubs and game nights.

  As the wife and daughter of the bosses, she knew these people on sight, spoke to them often, and gave gifts for special occasions. But there was always a thinly veiled barrier separating her from them. Not having been born or made one thing or another, she felt like a complete freak that lived a half-step out of time with everyone around her.

  A firm grip on her upper arms brought her out of her thoughts and wishing. No one looked at her. They were watching the magic being cast a spell. Sabrina focused on the pale, sea-foam green woman in front of her.

  The pendant floated a few inches off Delilah’s palm. Sabrina watched as it rotated and spun in the air. The smoky quartz filled with a familiar dark light trapped in the facets. Flickers of light emanated from within the stone. Sabrina remembered the dark rainbows it once threw, but this time they were different. Instead of rainbows, shadows played around the edges and danced across the surface. Red light radiated down the length of the chain and soaked into the gold. Sinking back down into her hand, the pendant looked like any other piece of jewelry with a deep-black, cut stone.

  Delilah held the necklace out for Sabrina. She gave a playful smile. “Do you want to do the honors? O
r shall I?”

  Brandon reached over Sabrina and picked it up. He turned it over in his hand a few times. Seemingly satisfied, he unbuckled the clasp and held it up for Sabrina.

  Disappointed at being forced back into her former prison, Sabrina lifted her hair out of the way. She tilted her head down to give him better access from behind. The gold draped around her neck. To one side, she heard the distinctive click of the clasp locking into the side of the bezel. She dropped her hair and lifted her chin to allow him to spin the stone into place.

  As it came to rest on her chest, a ripple of dark haze and shadow covered her. The room dimmed for a moment. A chill soaked into her skin, causing her to shiver. The room appeared to return to normal as the sudden cold subsided.

  Delilah tilted her head from side to side. She reached out with one finger pointed and swiped at the air in front of Sabrina. She gave a high, bell-like peal of laughter and clapped her hands.

  “Well, that worked better than expected!”

  “What did you expect?” Hadrian asked. He stared at Sabrina as if he were inspecting her for flaws.

  “She could have disappeared from sight completely. You know, become invisible. There was also a possibility she would have canceled out the magic altogether. But here she is safe and sound and undetectable. I had to touch her aura to make sure it was still there,” Delilah said, sounding very pleased.

  “And this will make Thanatos leave me alone?” Sabrina asked.

  “No. It will make you harder to find. We need to know why he has an interest in you. You may be nothing more than a curiosity to him. When he thinks someone has cheated death, he usually confronts them head on, not in dreams and reflections. That magic belongs to Hypnos, but she is very reclusive and unlikely to bother anyone. The necklace masks your presence as if you were a demon. You should just blend into the countless other dark blips on his radar. With luck, we’ll have time to figure out what he wants,” Delilah replied.

  Brandon stood behind Sabrina. “I know it’s not in your nature to help like this and to ask for so little in return. Thank you,” he said, offering her his hand.

  She stood, seemed to ponder the possibilities of shaking, and gave him a firm grip with two pumps. “Oh, don’t worry. I always get mine in the end.”

  Hadrian pulled out his cell phone. A flurry of taps to the touch screen preceded his nod to Delilah. He stuffed it back into his pocket and gestured to the door.

  Delilah took the hint and stroked his beard as she passed by. Puckering up, she made a kissing noise at him and winked. When she reached the door, she placed her hand on the frame and dug her nails into the wood.

  Without turning around, she said, “A word of warning, Sabrina. Do. Not. Take. Off. That. Necklace. No matter what. Thanatos isn’t the only harbinger of death. You may have piqued more than one interest.”

  She released the door frame and strolled down the entrance hall. As she did, a ring of flames sprang up, engulfing her. A flash of heat rolled through the air, and she was gone. Only a burn mark on the floor remained.

  Brandon wrapped his arms around Sabrina. “I won’t let anyone take you from me. Ever,” he whispered.

  Chapter 4

  The penthouse apartment’s ornately carved entrance closed without anyone touching it. The smell of ozone and a hint of sulfur filled the air. Delilah’s departure left what Sabrina imagined was a scent of her home. Covering her nose and mouth, Sabrina thought it no wonder demons traveled to this level so often, if only to escape the smell.

  Her hands slid down from her face, brushing the pendant with her arm. A twinge of panic ran through her. Her breath caught. Trapped. She felt trapped by the past hanging around her neck. The room suddenly seemed too small for the three of them. The walls closed in as the air rushed out.

  The floor came at her fast. Before she could hit it with her forehead, hands grabbed her, pulling her back up. Sobs broke through the second she was able to breathe properly.

  “It’s okay. Shhh, don’t cry, sweetheart. I’ve got you,” Brandon cooed. He coaxed her hair back from her face.

  The feel of his touch helped steady her nerves, but the gravity of being hunted by Death hit her harder than being forced back into a charmed necklace. She clapped both hands over her mouth to prevent herself from screaming. Fangs dug into her palms.

  Even though her heart no longer beat, she felt her chest tighten. Had a beat been present, she knew there would have been palpitations. Trembling set in, rocking her from head to toe, as she filled with dread. Blood-tinged sweat rolled down her neck from under her hair. The sight of red-tinted sweat beading up on her skin added to her terror.

  “What’s wrong with her?” Brandon asked. He scooped her up in his arms.

  “She’s panicking,” Hadrian replied matter-of-factly.

  Wind rushed across Sabrina’s face. She knew where he had taken her when the bed materialized underneath. She curled up on her side and squeezed her eyes closed. A wet washcloth swiped across her face and neck. The sleeves of her robe pushed up and the cloth rubbed the length of her arms.

  “This will never do,” Brandon said, “You need to take a shower. I’ll tell the staff to get fresh sheets.” His weight left the bed beside her. When had he sat down with her?

  She took a deep breath and held it. Opening her eyes, she saw him leave the room. Exhaling slowly, she thought about what he said. A shower. Aunt Eleanor always said a shower made everything better. The water washed away the filth and the stress, allowing her to think more clearly about the problem at hand. A twinge of pain flickered through her at the thought of her lost mother-figure.

  Sabrina could hear Eleanor’s voice in her head and knew what she would have said. “Get up, girl, and go handle business. Things will look different after a good scrubbing, and get behind those ears!”

  Sabrina smiled to herself. The memory gave her strength. Eleanor may not have always done the right thing, but she had the best intentions at heart. Deciding to take her duty-bound aunt’s age-old advice, she swung her feet over the bed and stood up. Resolve replaced the fear.

  Eleanor would be disappointed in you, if she saw you like this, Sabrina thought.

  A glance in the mirror nearly sent her back in a panic. Her hair stuck out in a wild mess. Red tearstains streaked her pale face. Bloody sweat covered most of her skin, ruining her favorite robe. She did not need to turn around to know the sheets matched her robe. The bed’s reflection told her they looked the same way.

  The necklace lay shimmering with shadows against her chest. There seemed to be a faint darkness around her body, riding her like a thin layer of hazy air. The charmed necklace worked. She wondered if others would see this or if it would just be her.

  An annoyance came over her. Another creature’s powers dampened her aura, controlled how others saw her. Her past happiness came, in part, from being free of the magical influence of others, and now, she let someone rope her back into something that made her genuinely unhappy.

  She shook her head. Enough was enough. She needed a shower. All she needed was a good scrub and time alone.

  Flicking on the bathroom light, she scanned the room. It seemed empty. Time had proven empty did not always translate to safe. Dropping her robe in the trash, she walked naked to the mirror. She gave it a tap. It seemed solid enough. No one answered the rap.

  Well, what did you expect? The Avon Lady? She half-smiled at herself.

  Shifting her attention, she noticed the woman in the mirror staring back. The blood left patterns on her body in shapes like the rumpled fabric. The squiggles and swirls looked like a tie-dyed, pink and red print on her alabaster skin. Her blue-black, long curls framed the colors. Her dark-brown eyes were nearly black with stress, making the colors stand out even more.

  For a moment, the reflection put her in mind of a blood-covered Eleanor, demigoddess and warrior. She imagined what it must have been like to have a gladius in her hand, cutting down her enemies. Possessing Eleanor’s magic added to the al
lure of the fantasy. After how Lucifer met his end, no one on any plane would dare come close to her if she wielded Eleanor’s gifts.

  Sabrina gave a sigh and got in the marble tile-lined shower. The water sprayed down on her, running in a red river down the drain. Cranking up the heat to her tolerance, she felt thankful Brandon replaced the old tanks with a continuous heat system. Running out of hot water no longer concerned her. She used her conditioning comb to loosen the tangled knots in her hair. The pink bubbles of the first wash were replaced by white ones by the third. Foaming body wash and a loofah took care of the rest.

  Standing in the hot spray, she visualized the water melting away the stress and tension. Along with the anxieties, fear of the unknown rinsed down the drain. She released all the things about herself and the world around her that controlled her life. In effect, she denied those things permission to influence her any longer.

  Still thinking of her emotions as tangible things, Sabrina imagined herself as an empty vessel in need of filling. The water poured over her, into her. She needed only to decide what she wanted.

  What did she want? What did she want to be? Was the answer as simple as that, to decide and ask the universe for it? Well, why not? Was she born a demigoddess or not?

  Delilah told them that the vampire only covered up what they were born to be. Hadrian and Brandon came into this world as humans. Their human side died. Earth-bound dark magic tied their souls to their dead bodies, but she was different. Underneath her vampiric self lay celestial magic, immortal in its own right.

  She truly came from universal magic, a blending of the Earth and the stars above. Her mother called her Midnight’s Jewel. What did it mean to be a goddess’s jewel?

  Sabrina raised her outstretched arms. She thought of Eleanor’s strength and sense of duty, her mother’s love and sacrifice, and the desire to be her own person. She wanted to be a vampire and have her inner goddess. She needed to control her own destiny, not be chased through the ages by more powerful beings. She wanted her own sparkle, not the magic others placed on her.