The Emerald Talisman (32 page)

My cell phone.

I tried to get up, but he restrained me.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“To get my phone…”

His strong arms encircled me tighter making
it hard to go on my quest to find it in Phil’s ashes.

“It’s probably gone.”

“What?”

“I’m sure it burned up when I — you
know.”

I grimaced. Our kiss had temporarily caused
me to forget all about the causalities. I snuggled back and stopped
fighting his arms.

“I’ll get you another one,” he said.

The cell phone didn’t seem as important any
longer. The burden of my classmates’ lives hung heavily in the
air.

“I’m sorry about everything,” Nicholas said,
as if he felt my grief.

“I figured you’d be really upset about how
Phil behaved. What he did.” I squirmed. “What I did.”

“You don’t seem to remember I know these
filthy beasts inside and out. Of course he’d seduce you. I can see
why,” he said with warmth.

I looked sheepishly into his eyes. They
glimmered back with kind understanding.

“So now what do we do? I don’t think I can
hold in the secret with their families thinking they’re still
alive,” I said grimly. “I know firsthand the torture they’re
experiencing. They need to know the truth.”

“Well, I had intended to burn down the
building. We can plant the teeth inside if you want.”

“Teeth?” I said in shock.

My eyes drifted over to a nearby pile of ash.
Hidden inside were white rocks glimmering even when the clouds
covered the moonlight.

“I usually take the teeth, to cover up the
evidence,” he offered.

The weight lifted. This solution solved the
nagging problem that pressed on my conscience. A single tear fell
down my cheek as my thoughts drifted to my own mother. I finally
understood the guilt Nicholas carried this whole time. He’d been
there, he’d watched her die. He knew that I’d be motherless like he
was; raised by a heartbroken father.

“Nicholas?” I asked, scared to even mention
the subject for fear of how both of us would involuntarily act.

“Before you ask me anymore questions, I want
to get you someplace warm. You’re shivering,”

He stood me up and removed his coat. I was so
absorbed in both our feelings, I didn’t realize my teeth were
chattering. When he wrapped his coat around my shoulders, the
warmth infused me though I thought my legs would buckle under the
weight.

“What are you carrying in here, rocks?” I
said, smiling up at him.

“Just about,” he said as he ushered me to his
car.

We both sat silently in the car for a minute.
I held my hands in front of the heater, unsure if it was a good
time to talk about what happened with my mother.

“You were asking?” he said, after a few
uncomfortable seconds.

I looked down at the floorboard and bit the
side of my lip.

“My mom…” I started, but my eyes filled up
with tears.

I glanced up into his lush verdigris eyes.
The lump in my throat prevented me from speaking further. Nicholas
reached over and grabbed my hand.

“Are you ready for me to tell you what
happened?” he asked quietly, with compassion in his voice.

My lip quivered and I nodded my head. He
looked at me with empathy.

“Julia…” he said slowly. “The day I met your
mother will always be one of the best days of my life.

“It was another meaningless weekday. For some
reason, I decided to stop by the park to get away and think. But
while I sat there, I couldn’t help but notice the kids and their
mothers playing together. It made me imagine what my life would
have been like if I’d been normal and my mother was alive. Your mom
noticed and just started talking to me.

“For some strange reason, I felt safe opening
up to her. So, I came back the next day hoping she’d be there. She
was. She invited me to come any day I wanted and visit with her on
her lunch break.”

He looked out the windshield thoughtfully,
reminiscing. I knew the park. I’d been there a lot with my mom
before the accident. I saw them talking in my mind’s eye.

“I was brave and followed her home after work
one day. I wanted to see what her life was like. I knew she was
married and had two kids because she’d always gush about you two.
It was the weekend and your family had plans to go to the zoo.
Watching how happy everyone was together stirred up something in me
that I wanted so badly. It was the first time I saw you with your
bouncy curls.

“My dad always warned me to stay distant from
humans, or something would happen to expose that I was different. I
thought I could avoid it from happening until one day when a large
branch almost fell on top of her and I used my vampire powers to
catch it. I thought I played it off well, but I could see it in her
eyes. She knew I was different and I had to sever our
friendship.

“I didn’t even tell her, I just stopped
coming. But I couldn’t stay away. When I finally did come back, she
insisted that I come meet her family. I didn’t want to. I was
afraid I would become attached to you guys too.” Nicholas smiled.
“But your mother wasn’t one to take no for an answer, so after much
urging, I finally agreed. We should never have met at the park
after dusk. I knew better, but she wanted to pick me up after she
got you from preschool.

“I told my dad and he became furious. He
couldn’t believe that I’d let the relationship go as long as it
had. He warned me not to go and my indecision made me late.”

He looked away and clenched his jaw. I
remembered what he said about being responsible. My heart ached
alongside his, silent tears pouring down my cheeks.

“The events that happened next have haunted
me every day since. When I finally arrived, your mom had already
been bitten and
he
was fixed on having you for his next
meal. It was at that moment I discovered my passion to kill those
who mercilessly fed on innocent human lives. I managed to do it
quickly and somewhat away from you so I wouldn’t traumatize you any
further.

“But once I came to you and held your hand,
you knew I wouldn’t hurt you and stopped crying. I looked into your
trusting hazel eyes with your tiny black lashes and golden bouncy
hair and vowed you’d never have to worry again. I’d be there for
you forever.

“My Dad helped me push the car into the river
to make it look like an accident. And we buried her in a beautiful
meadow in the mountains. You never left my side the entire time. A
part of me wanted to keep you, but my dad convinced me that you
needed to be with your family and you’d be too young to remember so
the secret was still safe.

“So, I took you home. Do you remember what I
told you?”

I looked up noticing the viridian flecks
glinting in his watery eyes. None of what happened was very clear.
My mind circled mostly around feelings, her face but a blur.

“No,” I said with a stutter, somewhat
ashamed.

“I asked you not to tell anyone, before
knocking on your door. You nodded your head and smiled. I stayed
with you until the very last second. You were scooped up by your
dad and I faded into the shadows. Every once in a while I’d show
myself to you to reassure you that you were okay. But eventually,
you stopped recognizing me and once you started talking again, it
was as if it never happened.”

“I stopped talking?” I asked, surprised.

“Yes, for a while. Your dad was very
concerned, so he decided to move the family to Scotts Valley. You
needed a mother figure in your life in a new environment to heal.
Soon after the move, you started speaking again. Everyone was
terribly relieved.”

“I don’t remember,” I said quietly, looking
down at my dirtied tennies. “My dad doesn’t talk about what
happened. I think he’s afraid I’ll remember and I don’t think he
wants to know.”

“Yeah,” he said with a deep breath.

I looked back up into his shimmering eyes. We
shared such pain together and it was reassuring he’d understood.
But he couldn’t keep blaming himself. If he had known, then I’m
sure he’d be protecting her today instead of me, or maybe the both
of us.

“It wasn’t your fault. You were just trying
to do the right thing,” I said softly. “I know you loved her. You
can stop blaming yourself.”

Nicholas sat up straight and his face
remained blank as he stared out into the wooded trees. I interlaced
my hand in his and tried to bring him back to me.

“It’s all part of the curse,” he said with a
familiar disconnected flat tone.

I didn’t have the energy to fight him. In
time, I knew he’d forgive himself and we could heal together.

“It wasn’t all a waste. It brought me you,” I
said in barely a whisper.

He looked back at me and I swallowed hard as
my heart fluttered. I blinked back the fresh tears brimming in my
eyes.

“I look into your eyes and see her. It scares
me that I’m going to mess it all up again.”

The words caught in my throat again. I didn’t
know what to say, other than I wanted things between us to work
out. More than he’d ever know, but I was afraid I’d be the one to
mess it up – with my prediction. But he leaned over and kissed me
so passionately, I almost melted into the floor. His lips soft yet
urgent; his hand finding its way to the nape of my neck, pulling me
closer to him; his tongue searching and intertwining with mine. I
was gasping for air when he finally released me, whirling with so
many feelings I didn’t know which one to land on.

Before I could recover, he pulled me into an
embrace so hard, that I couldn’t breathe and I gasped.

“Sorry,” he said, releasing his arms a bit.
“I wasn’t sure how this would work out and it broke my heart to see
you so upset in the car. I should have thought to give you the
necklace earlier.”

I felt the crystal around my neck grow warm
and heard a faint high pitched ringing sound, almost like it
agreed.

“This necklace is special, isn’t it?” I
asked, feeling the heat from it under my fingertips.

“Yes, very.”

“Did it save me when I fought and ki–” I
gulped and skipped over the word, unable to say it, let alone admit
it. “—Justin?”

His eyes tightened for a second but his pride
swelled.

“Quite possibly.”

I had mixed feelings about his approval of
what happened. I knew it was a necessary evil, but I felt terribly
guilty.

“How?” I asked.

“The necklace provides protection against
vampires. When wearing it, you virtually become undetectable
meaning they can’t smell, hear or feel your presence. If they do
manage to capture you, they can’t do anything to harm you. They
can’t steal it from you either. Any vampire that tries to touch it,
except the person who gave it, would be burned by it. Same if they
tried to bite you.”

I thought back to Justin’s arm mysteriously
burning after he tried to bite me.

“So it’s impossible to come into ownership of
it by force. It must be given of free-will and the necklace knows.
It’s said it will turn black and burn any unwanted recipients.”

That must have been what he meant when he
told me it liked me. I held the stone in my palm and admired the
new, rich, deep, sapphire color.

“But it was green before?”

“It changes with each owner.”

“Who gave it to you?”

Nicholas frowned. His internal angst punched
my stomach – I’d asked another hurtful question.

“It was my mother’s. A friend gave it to her
so my parents could live together safely without fear. I became the
new owner after—well, you know.”

“Oh,” I said sheepishly.

I decided not to ask anymore questions.
Somehow I always managed to pry into painful places that were none
of my business. It did shed light on how his parents were able to
be married and the answer to how Nicholas and I could be together
as well. But with Nicholas being both human and vampire, did it
make him virtually invincible?

“I, on the other hand became impossible to
kill and track. It’s a good thing I was a fighter against evil,
because with it, I became the most powerful human and vampire in
the world.”

I cocked my head to the side and looked into
his tender face. How could he ever be evil? His character was the
kindest I’d ever felt. Of course he’d be a fighter of good. Would
that ever be a question? Then I remembered the prediction and went
to unclasp the chain.

“What are you doing?” Nicholas said as he
caught my hand.

“Giving it back. I’m safe, threat over. You
need this more than I.”

“No,” he said firmly and he put my hands in
my lap. “I gave it to you and I feel better with you wearing
it.”

“But you need it,” I said in earnest.

“I’m still immortal and equally as strong. Of
course they’ll smell my human scent which I can use to my
advantage, but I have other means to protect myself. I need you to
wear it.”

I grimaced and looked hard into his eyes. One
way or another, I’d get him to see things my way.

“No,” I said more forcefully.

“Julia, why are you so worried?”

I gulped back the tears, hating that I always
got so emotional at the wrong times.

“You’re going to think I’m nuts,” I said as I
looked away, trying to gain some sort of composure.

“You can tell me,” he said softly.

I took a deep breath.

“On the night we ran into each other at the
theater, I was given a prediction by a fortune teller that you were
going to die and I should avoid any interaction with you,” I said
quickly, suddenly embarrassed.

“Hmmm… I see,” he said, a smile forming on
his lips. “I hope you didn’t pay her.”

“You think this is funny?”

“Oh, no. Very serious. Sorry.”

“I believe her,” I said while squinting my
eyes. I reached up to unfastening the chain.

Nicholas was disappointed in my statement.
I’m sure because it showed my lack of faith in his abilities.