Malevolence - Legacy Series Book Two (The Legacy Series) (21 page)

           
Earl clapped his hands together, telling us to “Chop, chop.”
 
He led us to another room; the floor was creaky with every step we took.
 
I heard another set of footsteps that tried to match our stride, but it was always one step off.
 
I peeked over at Oakley to see if he heard it too.
 
To my surprise, it was Dolly that mentioned it first.

           
“
I don’t think we’re alone in the room.
 
If you listen closely, you’ll hear another set of footsteps.
 
Watch your back.”
 
Dolly broadcast to all of us together.

           
“
I hear it too.
 
What do you think it is?”
 
I thought back, only to Dolly.
 
“
Do you think it’s a ghost?”

           
“Highly unlikely but then these are items that have killed people.
 
If you and Pru are picking up human resonance it could be.”
 
Dolly replied.

           
“What brings the Phelan family to Paris?
 
Pleasure I hope,” Earl said.

           
“We are looking for a book.
 
It is rather old and is the only book that states there is a cure to the
Vampiric
virus.
 
It is a book of mythology of course,” Gus said.
 
“I’m doing a lecture about the phenomenon of the modern day vampire.”

           
Earl tilted his head to the side and tapped his finger to his chin.
 
His hands were dirty, with clumps of dried up dirt caked on the back of his hand.
 
His clothes were meticulous, from his dark gray trousers to his navy blue sweater.
 
We all stood in silence and perfectly still, until he yelled out “oh right, that one.”
 
He spun around dizzily, almost frantic looking around the room.
 
“Janet!
 
Hey Janet, they want to see the vampire exorcism book!”
 
He yelled out so loud that Pru actually startled a little.

           
“Exorcism?
 
No, I
want a book by
Nilas
Diefenbaker
, he wrote dark poetry about vampires in the seventeen hundreds,” Gus said sarcastically.

           
Earls face went ashen at the mention of Diefenbaker’s name.
 
“Absolutely not, that is not acceptable.
 
His poetry is not for the likes of you.”
 
He looked up and around the room and said, “I’ll let you take a look around while I find a book more relevant to today’s vampire lore.
 
If you need anything, look up into one of the cameras, Janet will notice you for certain.”
 
He lifted his eyebrows as he rolled his eyes up; obviously he wanted us to notice we were being watched.

           
“The likes of you?
 
What is that supposed to mean?”
 
Gus snapped.
 
Pru put her hand on his shoulder, obviously trying to calm him down.
 
He shrugged her hand off and turned to Earl and glared him down.

           
Earl’s eyebrows were twitching, his mouth was puckering and
unpuckering
and his head jerked to the side.
 
His ticks were like a kid I knew in school that had
Tourettes
Syndrome.
 
Great, we had obviously pushed the faerie over the edge and he would have a nervous breakdown before we made it out of the building.

           
 
“I assure you, you’ll like the beautiful poetry I will share with you,” Gus said.

           
“
Why are you busting his balls?”
 
 
I thought to Gus.

           
“
I’m not; I’m trying to make sure he isn’t jerking us around.
 
You’d know if I was busting his balls.”
 
Gus replied.

           
Obviously this visit was going to turn out to be a big pissing contest.
 
Pru put her arm through his and snuggled in close.
 
Oakley took a deep breath. Chad wedged himself behind Gus and in front of Oakley to keep the peace.
 
Dolly motioned for me to watch the door and she leaned forward whispering something to Earl.

           
I closed my eyes and said a little prayer.
 
Dear Patron Saint of Werewolves, please keep the guys from killing each other today.
 
We just want to find the poem with the antidote and get out of here, please protect us.
  
Amen

           
I wasn’t overly religious, but I did pray sometimes.

           
I watched Earl go from Mr. Lollygag to a nervous wreck.
 
Obviously it was time to get everyone on the same page to find the poetry.
 
“I’m not certain what is going on with everyone, but we are here for a reason.
 
Earl is on our side, as far as I can tell.
 
He let everyone know that we are being watched, so look around and get some clues.”
 
The feeling that someone else was in the room was still with me.

           
From the corner of the room, a bookshelf full of knick-knacks started to pivot to a secret passage.
 
It reminded me of one of the secret rooms Scooby-Doo and Shaggy always found.
 
Zikes
!
 
A woman walked through the passage without as much as a creak in the old wooden floors.

           
“Good afternoon, my name is Christina and I will be your guide through the rest of the museum.
 
I’m delighted you found your way to our little jewel.”
 
She smiled the same way Julie
Tidsdale
always had, fake and toothy.
 
“The good stuff is on the other side of the bookcase.
 
It wouldn’t be a
vampire
museum without secret passages, now would it?
 
Come, all of you, it really is worth the trip.”
 
She held her hand out, motioning for us to go ahead of her.

           
“
This can’t be good.”
 
Pru thought.

           
The first thing I noticed was the wooden shelves from floor to ceiling with nothing but books.
 
An intricately carved ladder mounted on a track to slide around the room was nothing less than a work of art.
 
There wasn’t a speck of dust in the room and the damp musty smell was gone too.
 
The only thing I could smell was hints of vanilla and the old book smell.
 
It would take years to read all of the books.
 
A massive desk with a leather desk chair was in one of the corners of the massive room.
 
Flanking each side of the desk were two museum quality glass cases on glass pedestals.
 
One held a large leather book that was bound with leather strings.
 
The pages were ragged on the edges and the stately gold monogram on the cover was only the letter V.
  
 
I was guessing it was someone’s personal journal.
 
Who did it belong to, I wondered.
 
The book in the other case was positioned where I couldn’t make out what it was.

           
“It is really a sight to see isn’t it?”
 
Christina said dramatically.
 
“I’ll leave you alone for you to look at all of the beautiful books.
 
There is a lounge for you to relax and thumb through them if you’d like.”

           
“Thank you, out of curiosity; can we actually touch the books in the glass cabinets?”
 
I asked.
 
I could feel that everyone in the room was holding their breath as we waited for the answer.

           
Christina pursed her lips together, her arms where crossed and she drummed her fingers on her arm.
 
I opted not to stare her down so I fixated on her long white fingernails.
 
I knew in the pit of my stomach that she was a vampire.
 
Her arrogance and formal speech pattern gave it away.
 
The lack of color to her skin was another no-brainer.
 
Something didn’t sit well though.

           
“You’re American, aren’t you?”
 
I asked.

           
“I am,” she said.
 
“I’m a cowgirl at heart.
 
Born and raised in Texas, I park my boots in Paris right now.”

           
So she was from Texas, which was directly below Oklahoma that was smack dab in the middle of the big supernatural trade scandal.
 
“Texas, I wouldn’t have guessed, your accent sounds more eastern United States.”
 
I quit looking at her finger’s and studied her for a tell sign.
 

           
“Sorry to disappoint you.”
 
She pointed at the door and said, “I’ll return soon, please feel free to read any books you can reach.
 
The ladder is an insurance nightmare, they won’t allow us to let the customers use it, sorry.”
 
As quietly as she appeared, she left.

           
“Take mental notes of everything, split up, it will be easier,”
I thought to everyone.

           
Gus stayed close to Pru, never any further apart than arms length.
 
Oakley was going to flip out on him sooner or later.
 
I sure as hell hoped I was not around to witness the show down.
 
I was not sure if Oakley was jealous of Gus because he was her bodyguard while in Paris or because he thought she was attracted to him.
 
“
I need you to cover me Oakley.
 
I want to take a look at the shelf in the corner.
 
You and Dolly make a scene over a book, and act interested in it.
 
The cameras are all pointed to the center; I don’t notice anything pointed upwards.
 
Trust me.”

           
We all moved into place, I browsed around still aware of that feeling of being followed; it was giving me the willies.
  
My jumping and landing skills had vastly improved since last year when I broke my ankles.
 
I pulled a book off the shelf and acted bored as I leafed through it.
 
I heard Dolly and Oakley having a conversation about vampires and I took my opportunity.
 
Pru and Gus were looking into the glass case, hopeful the museum would let them look at it. I took in a deep breath as I focused on the shelf above me, it was now or never.

           
I’d learned through trial and error how to jump with control.
 
If I stayed within a visual of my target, I just imagined myself there and I’d be there without a hitch.
 
Slightly bending my knees…I jumped.
 
My newest trick was my ability to hover for about thirty seconds before dropping to my landing.
 
I had been practicing to hover for a longer time but it wouldn’t happen.
 
The top shelf was as dust free as the rest of the room, meaning they keep track with what was there.
 
“
You said Diefenbaker right? I found one by him. First time charmed
.”
 
I slid the book in the waistband of my pants and landed without as much as a grunt.
 
Who’s the badass now?
 
I thought to myself.