The Amulet (7 page)

Then, nothing. He took a breath, but his heart was still and silent. Anger and disappointment flooded over him, filled his mind, and he could think of nothing else. He rose to his feet, intending to lash out at this stranger. He raised his fist and swung, but the stranger caught his hand easily.

You have much to learn, young ward.

The man was dressed like an aristocrat, his powdered white wig announcing his rank. He was poised, dignified. He looked to be in his early 40's, but his eyes spoke of wisdom far beyond that many years. A sense of calm washed over him suddenly. He was not prone to sudden mood change, and it felt foreign to him. Whoever this man was, he was not your average Parisian.

Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Matthias.

Chapter Five

"Who's Matthias?"

"He is the oldest vampire I know still alive. He was an invaluable mentor when I was new. He gave me a new life at a time when I was seeking my death."

"Nevar, I'm truly sorry about your wife and son. It must have been hard to lose them."

"It was long ago, but I carry them with me to this day. My curse is that I am still here long after they have moved on. I wanted so desperately to join them that night. I always wondered, if I had not fought to save myself, would Matthias have let me die in the streets of Paris that night? Fate, it seems, had a hand in things."

She could understand him now. The guilt he carried with him was not only because of her. His loss went so much deeper than that.

"The day will be marked in my mind forever, just as I am sure this one will be marked in yours. I hope that it will be worth remembering for you."

She averted her eyes, letting her eyelashes sweep her cheeks. For everything that had happened, it had not been an unpleasant night. The uncertain path ahead of her was more frightening than anything else. Vampires, werewolves, myths come to life, those she could handle. The idea of an eternity stretched out before her, never changing or moving forward, that was what scared her. Then again, how many actresses would do anything never to grow old? She could only manage to pull it off for so long before it grew too suspicious. Then what?

"I don't know where to go from here. I've always had a plan for everything, but what should I do now?"

"For now, I think you should sleep. Things will become clearer after you have gotten some rest."

He was right, of course. She was exhausted, more mentally than physically, but tired nonetheless. She nodded and then leaned back to sink her head into the down pillow. He laid down beside her, but in such a large bed, there was still plenty of room between them. As soon as her eyes closed, it seemed, she fell asleep.

It was dark, even for her eyes. She felt as though she were being pulled forward, towards what, she didn't know. She entered a strange doorway, marked only by a change in the air. All she could smell was a thick layer of must that was almost suffocating and an almost hidden note of old tea leaves. She decided not to breathe. The darkness was like a felt blanket all around her. The air was too thick. It was hard to move. Two glowing red eyes appeared to pierce the darkness. They seemed to release her from her bonds. The thickness of the air receded and she was able to move towards the glowing eyes. Something told her to be wary and she stopped in her tracks. She trusted this voice. She looked all around for its owner, but there was no one to be seen.

The glowing eyes grew brighter, impatient, but their light did not quell the darkness. Instead, they seemed to make the darkness thicker by contrast. The eyes frightened her now. She turned and tried to run from them, but the air held her fast. She cried out for the voice to save her as she struggled to free herself.
I'm here,
it told her.
Come to me.

The sound of the voice seemed to come from everywhere, and nowhere. It was soothing, and she closed her eyes to concentrate on it. There was a heat growing behind her, but she ignored it. She ceased her struggling and relaxed under the coaxing of the voice in her head. Nevar!

She opened her eyes. He was there beside her, awake and shirtless. She wanted to cry. These nightmares would never end, it seemed, and she wanted desperately to find some peace. She threw herself into his chest and tried to push back the tears. The last thing he needed was to see her cry, but she felt she was mourning her own death. This new life was strange and frightening.

His hand stroked her hair and he calmed her with his presence. She found her fingers lacing the curls on his chest. It was soothing, like petting Zukko or Snickers, but they never pet her in return the way he was. The silence of his chest was strange to her. She kept expecting to hear a heartbeat behind his ribs, but she never would. It surprised her to feel the damp spots of his skin where tears had fallen. So much for trying not to cry.

Do not fret over a few tears, especially where they are warranted.
His other hand wrapped around her waist and pulled her close. He was a wall surrounding her, shielding her with his body, and there, she felt safe. Her eyes closed against the tears. Her body stopped fighting and she was soon relaxed enough to fall asleep in his arms. This time, there were no dreams, only the deep sleep that comes after a long day and a longer night.

He knew the instant she fell asleep. Her mind was in a peaceful place now. It brought a smile to his lips that he was there in her dreams. She had cast him the role of bodyguard and protector. She should have picked Xander. He had been unable to save his wife and their new son all those years ago. How could he expect to save anyone? Xander was strong and loyal, and as vicious as a guard dog when he needed to be. Yet, as she slept in his arms, she never doubted him. She was beautiful, and she needed him, and it nearly broke his heart. He hoped that he did not let her down. He brushed the hair from her eyes and kissed her ever so gently, so as not to wake her. Then, he closed his eyes and walked through her dreams with her.

It was the purring that woke her. Being Snickers, she had curled up in her favorite place to sleep, Alyssa's neck. Her fur was nearly suffocating, and would have been problematic had she still needed to breathe. She was most likely seeking warmth, but she had wondered a time or two if the feline was secretly plotting to asphyxiate her. It occurred to her that she had not seen Snickers slip through the secret opening into Nevar's chambers.

She looked beside her where Nevar was still laying. He looked at ease for once. The night must have been long for him, as well. It was odd to wake up next to someone she barely knew. She had never been into one night stands, and this was the closest she'd ever gotten to one, but somehow, she knew he would never have thought of her that way. Maybe it was his older way of thinking that convinced her. Although, he had her fooled more than once last night, and had he actually tried, she feared she would be putty in his magnificent hands.

"My ears are ringing. You must be thinking about me," he smiled.

Damn. He'd been awake and listening. She'd forgotten to shield her thoughts. She quickly remedied the situation, finding that it was easier and faster now. Still, she had to fight a secret smile. His sense of humor was a startling relief to the guilty gloom of the previous night.

He laughed and scratched the top of Snickers' head, instantly winning her heart as she leaned in and purred louder. "How did she get down here?"

"She's always been a little escape artist." Alyssa said, shifting the cat to her lap so she could sit up. "I had to pry her out of my ceiling once. Somehow, she had crawled up into the ventilation system. We never did figure out how she did it."

"Well, we're going to have to find out. If she can get in, so can others, and they may not be as friendly."

"Are you talking about Gabriel?"

"He's at the forefront, yes, but I have other enemies. Imagine how many people you can anger in seven hundred years, and vampires can hold a grudge for eons."

"The stories about covens, are they true?"

"There are a few. Most of us are reclusive, for good reason. Very few covens last for very long, and new vampires almost never linger in a group, too easily angered, except for you. I'm not exactly sure why, but you don't follow any of the typical patterns."

"There must be a reason," she answered. "Is there someone who might know?"

"Matthias would, if anyone does. But, I am certainly enlisting Xander's help if we are to seek him out. I do not dare to hunt a hunter without a little muscle."

"Is Matthias holding a grudge?"

"No, but he doesn't care for company these days. But, he can also walk the planes. He's the only one I know who can teach you how to control it."

I'm hungry, Nevar.
She felt ashamed to admit it, but the pain in her stomach was growing. She was no longer able to ignore it.

There was pain in his eyes again. She was giving too much away. She schooled her features into her best poker face, which she was terrible at, but her focus had improved considerably since she last played the game. Her luck, on the other hand, was another matter entirely.

"I feel like I'm being too needy," she told him. It was the truth, but the other half of it was the dread of what she was about to do. There were no more clouds to conceal the truth of what she was left in her mind, and no more twisting of her thoughts by Nevar to help her along. She looked at him with pleading eyes. "You'll help me, won't you?"

"If you need it," he answered simply. "Would you like to go back to your home as well?"

"I'd like to pick up a few things if you still want me to stay here." It struck her that she had no idea how long he would want her here. He had said a few days, until she had recovered from her physical change, but the mental change in her was far more frightening. Walking the planes was bad enough, but her nightmares had been so real. Only Nevar had been able to chase them away. What would she ever do without him?

"Alyssa." His voice caressed her name like a melody to a song. Her fear was written on her face, she knew, but whether he knew why or not was a mystery to her. "I would say it is going to be okay, but I can't promise you that. What I can promise is that I will be here for you. I know things are different and they can never go back the way it was before, but unless you order me away, here I am."

"Is it from experience that you know just what to say or am I just that easy to read?"

He smiled at her. "Maybe both. Matthias did not tarry long after turning me. He gave me the knowledge I needed, then he vanished and left me to my ways. You are the only one I've turned, but I have no desire to leave you for the wolves, so to speak. I'm sure the phrase holds new meaning for you after meeting Xander, but there's something you should know."

"I recall getting strict orders not to believe anything you say about him," her smile was teasing, but his expression was serious, and her smile died away with her voice into the air.

"It can wait until you've been properly fed. It's quite a long story." He got out of bed and walked across the room and began to dress himself. He seemed to take his time fastening each button and straightening every wrinkle until he looked as though he stepped right out of a magazine.

She knew the only clothes she had were the ones she wore the night before, but she didn't remember where she had placed them. Looking around the room, she found them carefully laid out for her. She got up and walked across the room, finding each movement easier and more graceful than she'd ever been on a runway.

She dressed with purpose, not knowing or caring whether Nevar was standing audience or not. After carefully arranging her ensemble to perfection, she shook out her hair. She wanted a shower and clean clothes, though to be honest, she didn't feel dirty in the slightest. Filth must be a human syndrome. Vampires didn't need to sweat, and her skin was not oily, but the sensation of the water over her skin would make her feel normal again. She missed her scented bath oils and floral soaps.

She turned, looking for Nevar, but she was alone in the room. Walking out into the sitting room, she saw him. He was staring into the fireplace, seeming very deep in thought. He must not have heard her approach because she saw the shiver that ran down his spine when he saw her. It was as much evidence as if he had jumped out of his skin. She opened the walls around her mind just enough to reach out to him.
I didn't mean to frighten you.
It was an odd sensation to her. She was testing the limits of her powers again, stretching new muscles.

The smile on his face was undeniable. He was surprised and impressed at her progress. "Your wonders never cease," he paused for a moment before continuing on. "There is much to do and plans to be made. Your life has taken a drastic turn, and it's my fault. I'm determined to see I do what I can to ease this transition for you, but I fear I'm failing you."

"You have not failed me," she was quick to reassure him. "There isn't much about this that's easy to accept, but I've yet to run screaming in the other direction or haul off and punch you, so I think you've been pretty successful considering."

Nevar laughed, looking into the fire. When he turned back to her, his expression was much brighter. "Don't forget, though, you did get close to taking a shot at me."