Talisman 01 - The Emerald Talisman

because Mister Nick here must have tipped you off on how to avoid interactions with curious vampires.
    “But that wasn’t all you were hiding. From your text messages, I was able to figure out more about your chaperon,” Phil said as he turned and glared at Nicholas. ”Your little plan in the tunnel might have worked, if I hadn’t spotted you first. But I still couldn’t figure out who or what you were, since I couldn’t smell you, hear you or even feel your presence. You can’t be human—but after we interrogate you, we’ll figure out your secrets.”
    Nicholas let out a snort. I sensed he wasn’t at all worried about being interrogated.
    “So, I just needed to stay glued to you, Parker, and Nicholas would show up eventually.” He laughed generously again, enjoying his captive audience. After we didn’t respond, he made a sour face.
    “Justin happened to know where you worked, so as soon as the sun set, I showed up and Nick was nowhere to be seen.”
    The younger, cagey vampire in the room with Bettina came to mind. His face suddenly clicked. He was Justin transformed, another precious life taken by these snakes. But in spite of the horror now covering my face, Phil continued on.
    “I’d planned how I would deal with Nick, unaware he took the evening off. So, with nothing to do but wait, I decided to rifle through your car. And that’s when I found your cell phone and your garage door opener and we already know what happened with those. Your plan almost worked. Too bad Nick wasn’t around to stop me. But what I want to know is how you figured out to come here?”
    He watched me inquisitively as I stood, shocked at the revelation of how he masterminded this whole plan to find me. Nothing would come out of my mouth in response.
    “It’s okay, Parker. I’m not mad at you or anything. Actually, you showing up makes this victory all the sweeter,” he purred.
    “What do you mean?” I said slowly, backing up for an easy escape.
    “Well, I turn in the bad guy and we live happily ever after,” he said plainly.
    “Bad guy?”
    “Yeah, Nick here is a wanted vampire murderer. Those idiots are going to be so happy when I turn him in. Can you believe they’ve been here a month looking for him? And I’m only a vampire for a week and I find him the first day. Morons.”
    He looked directly at Nicholas to rib him some more.
    “And for you, I’m gonna finally get some respect around here, and get the girl,” Phil said teasingly.
    Nicholas lunged towards Phil again, shaking the pole.
    My head spun in chaos, trying to process the new information, weighing the fact we had bigger problems now. I needed to escape before Phil could change me, but couldn’t leave Nicholas to be turned in like a lamb to the slaughter. Plus, from the sound of it, an angry group of vampires might possibly be showing up any minute. We were trapped.
    “I’m not going anywhere with you, Phil,” I said, knowing my demand was fleeting.
    “Really? How can you say that after the kiss you gave me earlier?”
    My mouth fell open and I froze, afraid to look at Nicholas’ expression. For a second, I thought he was going to rip the pole in half when his anger boiled over, which flooded my head, making it impossible to concentrate.
    “You kissed me ,” I said coolly, hoping Nicholas was still listening.
    “Oh, why are you playing so hard to get? I know you want me,” he purred again with a chuckle, his eyes sparkling with increased voracity.
    “No, I don’t,” I replied matter-of-factly.
    No longer conflicted, I meant what I said. Any confusion I had about how I felt about Phil was cleared up by tonight’s events.
    Phil started to advance towards me. “You’ll change your mind, after—”
    “Leave her alone, you parasite!” Nicholas bellowed.
    “As if you could do anything,” Phil snapped back.
    But my mind was spinning. He planned to change me. To make me like him. And it wouldn’t be after he delivered Nicholas. It would be now.
    “After?” I asked for clarification, my voice cracking.
    “Yes, after I change you.” His eyes were wild with want and before I knew it, his body was pressing me up against a stack of boxes. Pinning my arms to my sides, his breath brushing against my throat he said, “I’ve been curious what you taste like.”
    “No,” I pleaded as I hyperventilated, my head starting to feel light, and limbs tingly.
    “I’ll be quick, I promise,” he whispered, his emotions chock-full of