Talisman 01 - The Emerald Talisman

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 unfasten the chain.
    Nicholas was disappointed in my statement. I’m sure because my actions showed my lack of faith in his abilities.
    “Well, you can’t give it back,” he said plainly.
    “What? Why?”
    “I willed you to have it,” he said solemnly. “Only after your death would I be able to retrieve it. Fortunately, your death will be virtually impossible while you wear it.”
    I gasped at the confession, my hands falling limp into my lap. There had to be another way. But his determined face told me I’d not win this fight today, plus I didn’t have the energy to try anyway.
    “If it’s impossible for me to be injured, then why does my cheek hurt?”
    “Okay, let me clarify. You can’t die from a vampire’s hand, though you could still be under their influences. But it doesn’t save you from yourself.”
    “That’s good to know,” I said.
    I thought back to when I’d lost my voice. I knew Angelia had somehow silenced me but that’s as far as her power went. No matter how hard she tried, she wasn’t able to crush my arm.
    Suddenly, I felt very tired. I slunk into his side and he wrapped his arm around my shoulders. With a yawn, I looked at the time. It was after one in the morning, much later than I thought. I sighed because I didn’t want to go home, but I didn’t know if anyone worried I was missing. Without a cell phone they wouldn’t be able to reach me.
    “I should be getting home. It’s getting late,” I said, as I started to reach for the door.
    I felt his disappointment was just as strong as mine.
    “I’m sorry to ask you this, but before you go, I need your help with one last thing.”
    “Really?” I was confused.
    “Bettina said that she should’ve killed you earlier. What did she mean by that?”
    “Oh,” I said looking down.
    Even though Phil was dead, I didn’t want Nicholas to think I willingly went with him when he kidnapped me. I kind of hoped the whole sordid thing would have gone away when the others died. But Alora was still alive and she knew who I was.
    “Well . . .” I took a deep breath. “ . . . Phil kidnapped me and took me to meet the others. He wanted their blessing before changing me.”
    “Everyone’s blessing or just one?” he asked.
    “Don’t tell him about Alora,” I heard in my mind.
    My eyes shot outside. Enigma was nearby again.
    “It’s not time for Nicholas to know about her yet. I promise it will be detrimental to tell him.”
    My heart started to beat a little faster as I felt time passing while he waited and I struggled to give him an answer.
    “Be-Bettina,” I finally said.
    “She was the head vampire?”
    “Tell him there was another, but she’s not here locally, but was planning to visit.”
    “There was another . . . but she’s not here. She was going to be coming,” I said quickly, amazed at how easily the lie came with the cat’s help.
    “We need to go there. Where did he take you?” he said, while starting his engine.
    “What about my car?” I asked, as he pulled out of his spot.
    “We’ll worry about that later.”
    I looked down the street when he got to the corner, to get my bearings.
    “That way,” I pointed.
    The hideout was closer than I realized. I worried Alora was still there and in the confrontation I’d get caught in the lie. I didn’t want anything else to ruin our budding relationship, especially after I had the chance to come clean and didn’t. The closer we got, the more I resented the cat and saw our relationship unravel in front of my eyes. He’d never forgive me for keeping this from him.
    “What are you planning on doing?” I asked, feeling my fear heighten.
    “I’d like to take care of this before they can replace their numbers. If you invite me inside, then I can hopefully surprise them.”
    “Invite you?”
    “It works both ways for vampires. If they live there, I can’t come in