Talisman 01 - The Emerald Talisman

the other side and halted. There were more vampires beyond. Thirsty vampires.
    “It’s okay. Come on,” he whispered, as he bolstered his own courage.
    “No,” I whispered, forcefully. “I change my mind; I don’t need to make a call.”
    “Call?” he asked, like my original request completely slipped his mind. His apathy told me he didn’t care what I needed.
    We barged in on three people hovering over a large map on the table in the middle of the room, vampires. They all stiffened and turned in our direction—the same dark eyes from the beach bore holes into me. I felt the beginnings of a feeding frenzy when they recognized I was human.
    “What are you doing bringing her in here Phil,” the woman seethed, acting like Phil broke some code.
    “Didn’t you hear me order for take out?” The taller man with platinum white hair cackled, jabbing the other as they both eyed me lustfully, licking their lips. “Good timing, Phil. I’m starved.”
    Phil shielded me with his body and glared back, full of determination.
    “She’s mine,” he commanded. “I’m looking for Alora, where is she?”
    “I don’t think you’re going to be able to fight off the three of us to protect your little girlfriend, Phil,” she said, suddenly advancing closer.
    I cowered behind Phil. He stood even taller as she got closer, tucking his arm around my waist to pull me into his back.
    “Bettina, I’m serious. She’s important. I need Alora,” he said with a growl, thick with impatience.
    She glowered at him with her pale blue eyes for a minute and then let out an exasperated sigh.
    “Fine! Toth, go get her,” she ordered, waving her hand in the air at him.
    Toth, the one with platinum-white hair, glared at me with his beady black eyes before winking at Bettina and leaving the room. Bettina felt humored, and softened. I breathed a sigh of relief, knowing at least for now they weren’t going to feast on me. But I still felt like a tasty steak in the middle of three ravenous tigers, knowing the tables could turn at any moment.
    Bettina went back to studying her map, still eyeing me occasionally. She was tall, lean with long black shimmering hair that spilled down over her shoulder and onto the table. Her clothing matched her complexion perfectly and her crimson colored lips puckered while she made notes with her pen. I guessed she was in her early twenties, but couldn’t help but feel jealous of her beauty.
    The other male vampire was shorter than her, about the same age as me, with brown, bed-head hair and disheveled clothing. He was strikingly attractive like the others, but cagey, his blood lust the strongest as he paced around, barely able to control himself. I recognized his face and almost began to place where I knew him from when the door on the other side of the room opened.
    I stood in awe and felt the world around me stop as if to admire the woman who stood before us. Everything quieted in her glorious presence, even the florescent lights. I would have said she was angelic, but even that didn’t describe the effect she possessed over her environment. Her auburn hair seemed to dance as it swooped gently across her forehead and shoulders, just barely concealing her big, sapphire doe-eyes adorned with thick black lashes. Her skin glimmered softly like the snow in the sunlight. The thin fabric of her black dress clung to her shapely body, caressing every curve.
    Everyone instinctively bowed in her presence, the strength of her intimidation overwhelming. All I could do was stand and gawk as Phil moved aside so she could see me better. I felt helplessly abandoned, nothing between us to prevent instant carnage, if she wanted. She nodded slightly before walking towards me. Phil didn’t move from my side while the others left the room.
    “Hello, Julia,” she said sweetly with a hint of a southern accent, her eyes studying me intently. “I’m, Alora.”
    She held out her delicate slender hand.
    Frozen, I didn’t know if I could make my hand reach out to greet hers in return, but like a puppet on a string, my hand obeyed. When we touched, I felt the awesomeness of her power and almost gasped. Whatever she was capable of doing with her small frame, she knew it and oozed confidence. And she had amazing control over her blood lust. More so than all the vampires I’d ever met, with the exception of Nicholas, of course. But then again, he was only half vampire.
    “This is the one I was telling you about, Alora,”