“And?”
“And what?”
“And you did nothing to stop her?” I scoffed.
He pulled his brows together and managed to straighten his posture. “How was I to know she’d recreate this?”
He waved his hand in front of himself, disgusted with me.
“I think giving her your blood would have been a red flag,” I said sarcastically.
His eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”
“She needed it to make the serum.”
He shook his head. “That’s preposterous. I never gave her my blood.”
The soft smell of his honesty wiped away the traces of the cigar smoke. Alora must have taken his blood when he wasn’t aware.
“So what do you think she’s doing in California?”
“She’s living there with Nicholas, because he wanted to be with you.” He clenched his jaw. “I can’t just move to California on a whim. I have responsibilities.”
I blew out an angry breath. “Well, isn’t that convenient.” I tapped my finger on my lips. “Did I happen to mention she has a talisman, too?”
“What?” He put his face in his hands. “No… no!”
I leaned forward. “I need to know everything, Preston. How you were born. How it all works. Her weakness.”
He blinked at me in shock, then turned away. “I don’t think that’ll help you.”
I stepped forward and flashed my fangs. “She’s making an army.”
“And you think I can stop her?” He laughed, a tittering annoying sound.
I slammed my hands into the table in front of him, busting it to pieces; anything to keep myself from grabbing his scrawny neck and choking him. “You don’t have a choice anymore! She’s lethal and I don’t know how to stop her.”
He got up and moved toward the sliding glass door again, side stepping over the mess. “There’s nothing I can do.”
I moved forward, ready to grab him again if I had to. “You’re her husband.”
“That doesn’t mean anything. Yes, maybe in the beginning she actually cared about me, but when the memories surfaced… she changed.”
I put my hands on his boney shoulders, pressing him against the glass. “There’s something she needs to know in order to complete her power. She’s tormenting Cain and looking for Scarlett. She’s close, and if she figures out whatever it is, she can kill me, then no one can stop her.”
“And how can I change anything? I’m human.”
I smiled evilly, though the thought of biting him made me want to hurl. “You don’t have to be.”
His desire bloomed and landed deliciously on my tongue. His nostrils flared.
“Stop…” he trailed off, his voice shaking.
“If that’s what it’ll take for you to see reason.” I inclined my head and licked the end of my canine, secretly disgusted things had come to this. I wouldn’t have had to threaten him if his cowardice hadn’t repulsed me so.
Sweat broke out on his brow. “I’m no coward.”
Angered I couldn’t stop my thought-thrower, I let go of him. “Then be a man and tell me what I want to know.”
He swallowed hard and kneaded his hands. “Fine. I’ll tell you, but I want to remain human. I won’t join your side and go through the torture again.”
Using all my will power, I sat down and slid my hands under my legs. “Fine.”
He glared, then looked away before he sat. While he collected his thoughts, I worked to see him as a human, as a tortured soul who wasn’t as lucky in the Russian roulette of reincarnated lives.
“I appreciate that,” he mumbled with a curt smile.
Crap. My cheeks heated. He’d most definitely heard my thoughts.
He inclined his head. “Are you doing that on purpose?”
I pinched my lips. No, idiot! You think I’m trying to broadcast everything I think?
His eyes tightened, and I smirked. What could he possibly know about the workings of shutting up one’s brain? “Let’s just get to business.”
“How can I trust you won’t accidentally tell?”
I looked away, feeling weak. He was right. Keeping secrets would be impossible, but how could he know what to do?
“I do know a thing or two about telepathy.” He let out a long sigh. “Yes, this rebirth wasn’t all that kind to me, but believe it or not, as Preston the first I was handsome and strapping, so much so, that Rachel couldn’t help herself but make me her companion. I constantly have to remind myself that was a different me… a different life.”
Guilt swept over me. How cruel of me to judge him. I would have been crushed if I turned out to be anyone but myself when being reincarnated.
I tried to keep my thoughts in check, and nodded, recalling the vampire family tree on the wall in my dad’s office when he worked for the Extraterrestrial Unit. He’d kept track of all their details and whereabouts. Preston managed to live undetected that entire time.
He tilted his head, thoughtfully. “What you may not have known is that Cain lost the talisman to one of his royals. He promised a royal title if anyone knew of their location. Unaware of its power, I took on the challenge and found his precious jewel in the hands of a human. With my good looks and charm, I swindled it from her easily. Then I knew its secrets, too, so I ran.
“And many years later, after developing a relationship with Alora, I fell into that same trap and gave it to her. When she delivered Nicholas and almost bled to death, she removed it so I could change her. Little did I know how the evil would overtake her mind.”
I huffed. You and everybody else.
Preston’s lips thinned into a line. “That could be fixed if you’d just imagine a bubble around yourself, like an invisible force field.”
My mouth hung partly open. Grandma had said the same thing when I’d struggled with my empathic powers. That all I’d needed to do was encapsulate myself against everyone’s feelings to stop them from assaulting me. Maybe this was the same thing, but in reverse. By shielding myself, no one would be able to read my thoughts. I closed my eyes and practiced like I had before.
Can you hear me now? I asked internally, before opening my eyes.
Preston watched on quizzically, but didn’t indicate that he heard anything unspoken. I then imagined a little skydiving trip where I dangled him over Texas, except he didn’t have on a parachute.
His face remained calm. “Are you doing it?”
“I think so.”
Preston tilted his head. “Magnificent. How did you master that so fast?”
I stopped myself from rolling my eyes. Lots of practice, let me tell you. “I don’t know,” I lied. He didn’t need to know about my prior empathic life. “Do you know how the talisman was created? The first one.”
“I assumed witchcraft, or a spell. Elements of purity mixed with that of evil.”
I might have thought a spell too, if Alora hadn’t accidentally made one herself. “Maybe.”
“How was Alora’s created?”
The million dollar question.
“They told me that when my blood mixed with the prior vampires’ blood, it crystalized.” I left off the part that it happened inside of Dr. V.’s veins. “With the extra blood stored, they probably have made hundreds by now.”
“Ahhh.” He scratched at his chin. “The good of your blood against the powers of theirs. Interesting.” He leaned forward. “So what’s the secret of the serum?”
My brows furrowed. Was he not grasping the gravity of this situation? “Nicholas put just the vamp blood inside me, and I became a vampire.”
“They used you as a vessel.” His eyes lit up, then darkened. “I can’t believe my son would chance doing that. How did he know that would work?”
I looked away and shrugged. He did take a huge chance, all on his mother’s promise. “They have Dr. V’s research from the past so, I guess he knew what to do. They’ve also made sterilized venom.”
Preston stiffened. “Why would they do that?”
“You’re kidding,” he breathed. “That’s incredible.”
“No. Now she has the means to make an unstoppable army.”
My gaze flicked upward to a spider wrapping up a fly in her web. We were running out of time, and at this point, I was beginning to fear only my death would stop her.
“It had always been Cain’s desire to rule over humans,” he said. “But it’s hard when there’s so few, and you have to deal with the sun.”
My gaze returned to his. “I stopped him when I was the seer.”
“You? I thought that was a myth.” Preston’s eyes glossed over. “No wonder Nicholas was so attracted to you.”
I scrunched up my face and chuckled sarcastically. “What?”
“He said he felt whole when he was with you. Like your goodness healed the evil inside him.”
I shook my head. My goodness, or whatever was left of it, definitely wasn’t helping heal Nicholas now. “He told me it was because of the guilt from my mother’s death,” which you were responsible for.
Preston shrugged indifferently. “Well, that too. But he was drawn to you—in more than just a physical attraction.”
I gritted my teeth, remembering what Katie had said about what I’d projected when kissing Phil. He most likely hated me now. “Cain said there would be another seer.”
His eyes widened. “Yes, that’s right. Someone you’ll be so overtaken with, you won’t be able to help yourself.”
Great.
“Dad?” A male voice called from within the house.
My spine stiffened. Nicholas came into view and stopped in his tracks. “What are you doing here?”
I stood and swallowed. “Maybe I should ask you the same thing.”
Within a flash, Nicholas pulled Preston inside. I jumped and bounced off the invisible threshold boundary. “Leave him alone!”
“I’m not here to kill my dad.” Nicholas’ glare met mine. “Get out of here. You’re not welcome.”
I sucked in a tortured breath, hurt by his rejection. Katie was right. He had heard everything. “Nicholas, I’m sorry.”
He shook his head. “Sorry? That’s all you can say?”
I bit my lip, looking everywhere but in his condemning eyes. “It was an accident.”
He glowered at me. “Wow. An accident? I can’t believe you’d stand here and lie to me. I heard every last detail, Julia. Everything.”
“You did?” My voice quivered.
“And to think you were jealous when I drank from Katie, yet you…with Phil, of all people.”
His disgust thickened the air. My stomach churned. “I know. I’m an evil horrible person—”
“You’re more than evil. I trusted you. I proposed to you.” He eyed me with contempt. “I can’t believe you’d cheat like that. I can’t forgive this. I won’t.”
“Please,” I begged. “I have no one.”
He smirked. “And you should have no one.”
“Nicholas,” Preston warned, his voice low.
“No, Dad. I mean it. It’s over.”
He could hardly look at me. I stepped off of the porch and poised myself to fly, my heart shredded to pieces over how I’d hurt him. The weight of what I’d done pressed on me so hard I could barely stand.
Closing my eyes, I punched my hand in the air and flew as fast and hard as I could. I’d burn up in the sun before I’d think another minute about his disappointment in me. I couldn’t live, not after what I’d done. My life was over, and I wanted to end things as quickly as possible. Then everyone would finally be happier.
CHAPTER FIVE
Of course, once the morning sun barely singed my skin, my survival instincts took over, and I flew into a cave to hide. I was upset, but not enough to allow myself to go through that much pain.
Busting the walls and kicking anything in my path, I demolished the inside of the cave.
“Why?” I screamed, curling my hands and tucking myself into a ball.
Alora had everything once again, and I had nothing. I could try to cast blame, but she didn’t make me kiss Phil. I loved Nicholas with all my heart, but obviously, there was something not right with our relationship to do what I’d done. Not to mention how pissed I’d be if I ever caught Nicholas kissing Katie. Were they together now? The thought made me want to rip her head off.
I curled my arms around my legs, wishing I could cry, wishing I could go back in time, wishing for something other than this.
I couldn’t have a pity party. I had to stop the army. And because of the consequences of my decisions, I’d have to do it alone.
I dusted myself off, and watched the shadows lengthen across the cave floor. The sun would set and when it did, I had a lot to do.
~|~
Standing in the alley outside of the precinct in Scotts Valley, I waited for Harry to return to the office. Who knew what Alora had done when messing with his memories, but with all the missing bodies, his revived investigation could create a distraction.
And like clockwork, Harry sauntered past just after 9pm.
“Detective!” I called out.
“Julia?” Harry stopped.
I stepped into the light, smoothed my hands down my pants and smiled, just enough that my lips still hid my canines.
“Hey, Detective. You got a minute?”
He blinked at me in shock, then gestured his hand to the door.
“Yeah, let’s go inside.”
We walked into the precinct. Brown Eyes’ mouth fell open upon seeing me. I flashed a disarming smile, but it didn’t stop her rancid annoyance from flooding the air.
“I’ll be in my office if anyone needs me,” Harry said curtly.
I lifted my chin and marched past Brown Eyes’ desk.
He motioned I sit. We stared at one another for a brief moment.
“So? What’s up?” he asked.
I cleared my throat. “I was wondering if you’d found the missing kids from school.”
“You know I can’t discuss the case with you.”
“I know, I just…” you can trust me.
Harry’s eyes glazed over. He pulled a piece of paper from his drawer and pushed it my way. Faces of the missing classmates were scattered across it. “We’re hitting a wall. No one is talking.”
I nodded in understanding, tracing my finger over the three vamp tramps, Felicity, Vivi, and Lexi, at the top of the list. Were they still in the cages underground? “Have you checked with the Cruors?”
“The Cruors? Yeah, why?”
“Aren’t they suspects?”
Harry blew out a breath and shook his head. “No, not since I dropped by…” He stopped and his confusion left a bitter taste on my tongue. Of course he’d have trouble remembering after Alora tampered with his memories.
I exhaled long and hard. “I think you shouldn’t excuse them.”
“I agree, but…” The confusion lingered. “They’re not suspects.”
What did Alora do to you?
I leaned forward. “What if I told you all the students that are missing are in the mansion, underground and in cages, and I barely escaped?” I gritted my teeth. “They’re doing something, like experiments on them. It’s bad.”
Harry’s eyes narrowed. “You don’t look like you just barely escaped.”
“I did,” trust me.
Harry’s eyes lost focus. “Okay. Wait here.”
He leapt from his chair and stormed into the Lieutenant’s office, slamming the door behind him. Through the wall, I heard Harry demand they get a search warrant. I gave a little internal high five to myself. My powers of persuasion were finally working.
“On the claim of one girl?” the Lieutenant asked. “We need more evidence than that. Do you know who the Cruors are? What kind of money they have?”
The skin on my neck prickled at the smell of anger. I’d celebrated too early.
�
��I know. I just have a feeling.”
“I need more than a feeling, Harry! Get me evidence!”
Defeated, Harry marched from the office, his nostrils flaring and his hands balled in fists. With a straight face, I turned around and acted indifferent.
Harry leaned against the door jam. “We’re going to look into it, Julia. I’ll have to get back to you.”
“My parents are there, too, against their will.”
His eyes widened as he walked inside and shut his office door. “Why didn’t you tell me that earlier?”
My brow pitched upward. I had a lot to learn about police work, apparently. “Can you swim?” I asked.
“What?”
“I know a secret entrance to the mansion, but you’ll have to swim.” I lifted my chin to poster him a little. “They’re in there, I promise you. The Cruors aren’t looking for a cure to cancer.”
He eyed me again. “When did you say you escaped?”
“Uh… earlier today. I cleaned up. Promise, I’m not lying.”
“We can’t just break in.” His forehead beaded in sweat. “Have you heard from your parents? How do you know they’re in there?”
“We were staying there, remember? Just try calling them. You’ll see.”
Calling my bluff, Harry whipped out his phone and dialed. I held my breath. If they answered, my plan would go up in smoke. Luckily, no one did. “Let’s stop by.”
I worked my jaw, unsure about anything other than I needed a distraction so I could stop Alora and rescue my parents.
“Fine,” I mumbled.
After another quick argument in the parking lot over the warrant, I reluctantly hopped into Harry’s car.
“We can’t just storm in there guns blazing, Julia. I’m sure after I talk to Horace, he’ll explain what’s going on.”
That is if he’s alive.
After a few moments of driving, my chest tightened. I couldn’t waltz up to the door with Harry in tow. I’d be taken and he’d be sacrificed on the spot.
“Stop!” I yelled.
Harry sucked in a breath, and yanked the car to the curb. “What is going on with you?”
“We can’t go the mansion, just you and me.”
“Why not?”
Blood Wars: Book 4 (The Talisman Series) Page 26