A Job From Hell (Ancient Legends #1)

away, towering over me. “Amber, that
thing’s infused with magic. Whatever it’s for, it’s not doing you any favors.
Take it off now.”
    With shaking fingers I unclasped the
pendant. The metal burned and twisted like a snake in my hands as I dropped it
to the ground. My mind cleared as though a heavy cloud had just lifted. I inhaled
to calm my racing heart.
    Aidan clasped his mother’s necklace around
my neck and placed a kiss on my forehead. “It’s just a necklace,” Aidan said,
as though sensing my hesitation. “I’d never influence you in order to take
advantage.”
    I let him hold my hand on the way back. Trudging
down the path to the house, something clicked into place. My rage had
disappeared, and curiosity had taken its place. “Do you sleep during the day?” I
asked, resuming our conversation. That much I knew already, but I needed to
hear it from him. Just the usual gathering of facts.
    “Unfortunately, yes. I wish it was just a
myth.”
    I laughed. “Guess Bram Stoker got it right.”
    “Finding the book will give me my life
back. I haven’t seen the sun rise in hundreds of years.” He pointed at the dark
horizon. “It’s the first thing I want to do with you by my side. We’ll have
eternal youth and—”
    “Perfect skin.” I giggled.
    “Yes, all of it. No more blood, no more
fearing sunlight.”
    His talk of a future together made me feel
awkward, insecure, so I decided to change the subject. “If you stay outside you
burn to ash?” The thought both scared and fascinated me.
    He smiled. “I don’t know. But I’ve heard the
pain’s unbearable, so I’d rather not find out.”
    The house was as silent as a tomb. We entered
the kitchen through the backdoor and climbed up the stairs together. In front
of my room, Aidan stopped and pressed his lips against mine whispering, “Promise
you won’t run away.”
    I nodded and wrapped my arms around his
neck, hating myself for giving in so easily. I wished he’d ask if he could come
in to spend more time with me. If only a few minutes. After Cameron’s stunt I
needed to feel loved again. Aidan pulled back.
    “Sleep well.” He smiled, then turned on his
heel. Holding my breath in case he changed his mind, I waited until he
disappeared up the stairs before returning to my room, ready to get some sleep.

    ***

 
    The day seemed too long. I couldn’t eat or sleep
because my thoughts kept circling around my encounter with Aidan. He’d said we
were meant to be together. I’d read enough magazines to know no guy would ever
make such a grand statement, unless he followed a hidden agenda. Aidan lied to
get my cooperation. I was willing to cooperate, but only if he promised to help
me return unscathed from wherever I was supposed to travel. As much as I
fancied the idea of eternal youth, I wouldn’t turn into the Princess of
Darkness. My parents would never get over that blow.
    From behind the curtains of my window on
the first floor, I watched Harry Timble examine the
scrubs around the house, a black cat meowing around his ankles.
    “Is this your work, kitty?” he said as he
pulled out a dead squirrel from behind a bush. “Such a good girl. You get them
all, don’t you, dearie?”
    The old man reminded me of my father who
had worked so hard to give Dallas and me the best education possible. I missed
my parents so much. So, I vowed to focus on damage control and get out of this
situation as soon as possible. No more Aidan. No more wishing we could be
together. We lived in different worlds. It would never work out.
    I retreated to the kitchen to get another
cup of coffee and stared out onto the back garden, my fingers playing with
Aidan’s pendant. The house was empty and silent. For the split of a second I
was tempted to invite Harry in for a cup of tea, but then decided against it.
One thing was obvious, the old man didn’t know what was going on in Aidan’s
house. With so many questions still unanswered, I didn’t trust my curiosity. I
couldn’t start poking around and risk arousing the old man’s suspicion.
    I waited until Harry headed for the garbage
bins in the garage, the cat still meowing at his feet, and then left the house,
following the path to the place where Aidan had shown me a part of his former
life only a few hours ago. But I didn’t walk as far as the tree trunk. Risking
being kidnapped by the Shadows was out of the question if I was to have my old
life back.
    Pulling my cardigan tighter around me, I