Vampire in Atlantis

“My father often informed me I was quite obstinate and annoying,” she told him. “Perhaps I am exactly who you deserve.”

He grinned and rolled up to sit, then stood, pulling her up with him. “I don’t know about that. If—”

But she stopped hearing his words after that. He was still speaking, but a voice on a very old and unused mental pathway in her mind came through loud and clear and drowned out any other sound.

Serai of Atlantis, this is Reisen of Mycenae. I bid you allow me to communicate with you in this manner.

The response to his formal request came to her unconscious mind before her conscious mind could think of it.

Accepted and welcome, Reisen of Mycenae. What news of the world?

We retrieved what we needed from the bank last night. Melody, ah, the human woman Melody has asked me to meet with certain others with her this evening and then I am free to catch up to you and assist you with your quest.

She heard the slight oddness in his voice when he mentioned Melody, but it would have been impolite to inquire as to its cause.

You were successful, then?

We were. Now we only need—Wait. There is someone—

The mental connection between them snapped and then expanded, filled with Reisen’s rage.

They found us. They’re outside. Melody—they shot Melody. I have to go. I’ll contact you as soon as I can.

Serai gasped and Daniel was instantly there, wrapping his arm around her shoulders to steady her.

“Are you okay? What’s happening? You looked like you went into a trance.”

She nodded, distracted, but couldn’t focus on what he was saying.

Reisen, I hope Melody is not badly injured. Be well and safe. Contact me when you can. My best wishes and prayers go with you.

And mine with you, Serai. Tell that vampire that if he hurts you, he’ll answer to me.

The connection broke, and she let it go. Reisen had enough to deal with right now. She sent a fervent prayer to Poseidon that Melody would be healed quickly and that they would be safe, and then she realized that Daniel was shaking her.

“Serai? Serai! Answer me,” he demanded.

“I’m fine. You can stop shaking me now.”

He released her instantly, and then he took a step back and shoved a hand through his hair. “What was that? You were gone. Is that the telepathy thing?”

“Yes. It was Reisen.”

A flash of something crossed Daniel’s eyes, but he simply nodded, waiting.

“The bank job was a success. They got what they needed, but while we were communicating, Reisen said someone attacked them. Melody got shot.”

“Is she okay?”

“I don’t know. He didn’t know. He was on his way to help her and get them away, I think. He said he’d contact us again when he could.” She left out Reisen’s threat, figuring what Daniel didn’t know couldn’t annoy him.

She looked out toward the entrance of the cave, where it was now full dark. “Time to go. I can feel the Emperor, and it’s calling me very strongly.”

“We’re on our own,” Daniel said.

Serai held out her arms to the sky and pulled the strength of the Emperor to her, but this time on her terms. Its power soared through the air toward her, all but thrumming through her bones. “This is our quest to win or lose. Somehow I feel that very strongly.”

He lifted the backpack and slung it over his shoulders again. “Then we really are on our own. Let’s find that gem before the witch starts to play with it again.”

But it was too late. The witch forced her magic through the Emperor again, and Serai screamed, her skull nearly shattering with the force of the pain from another badly manipulated blast of the gem’s power.

When she could breathe again, she gritted her teeth and headed out of the cave. “Now. We need to go find that goddessforsaken witch now.”

Chapter 19

Farther into the Red Rock Secret Mountain Wilderness area, inside an ancient, abandoned Sinagua Indian structure

“I don’t know how to do it!” Ivy realized that screaming at the man with the gun was probably a bad idea, but blood ran freely down her lip and chin from her nose, and her skull felt like it might crack wide open. Whatever this amethyst was designed to be, a treasure-seeking tool aimed by a kidnapped witch was not it.

Definitely not it.

This try had been worse than the others, though—far worse. This time, she’d believed she’d made a connection with another woman. Another witch, maybe, or at least someone with some kind of magic that happened to resonate with the gem. The other woman had been in pain, too, and Ivy had the uncomfortable feeling that she’d been the one to cause it. She flinched a little as that concern led to another worry; they still hadn’t told her what had happened to Aretha. She didn’t buy the lame story that the apprentice had suddenly decided to take a vacation to Mexico. The girl had been flighty enough for something like that, certainly, but something about the story and the man who’d told it to her didn’t quite ring true.

The same man now pointing a gun at her bleeding head.

Ian was frantically digging into his backpack, and he came up with a clean bandanna, which he handed to her.

“Mom, use this and wipe your nose. You have to stop now, this is hurting you too bad,” he said, and she would have given anything—done anything—to have spared him the pain and fear showing so plainly on his sunburned face. His bright blue eyes, exactly like his father’s, were a little shiny, but her proud boy hadn’t given in to the tears. He was worried about being strong for her.

She was worried that Smithson would shoot Ian as quickly and callously as he might swat a gnat. Smithson had an oily, burnt-orange aura that lurched and coiled around him like a sun-drunk rattlesnake, and she had the feeling he was just as deadly.

Which led her back to the gun.

Oddly, however, even though night had fallen with its characteristic desert suddenness, the vampire who she’d thought had been in charge wasn’t there. Smithson had dragged her to this new location during the afternoon, after she’d barely gotten five hours of sleep. He’d forced them to eat some nasty beef jerky on the hike from the other cave and given them a little water. She’d felt a dehydration headache looming even before he’d dragged her into this new structure and forced her to use the amethyst again. The vampire wasn’t with them, though, and that made her wonder if their criminal partnership was falling apart and, if so, how she could use the knowledge to her advantage.

She put an arm around Ian and wiped her nose with the cloth he’d handed her, and then she looked at Smithson and tried to appear totally unafraid of the gun aimed at her head.

“Where’s the vampire?”

His eyes shifted a little, the classic “I’m getting ready to lie to you” indicator, and she wondered why a so- called criminal mastermind wasn’t a better liar. Especially since she’d heard he was a banker, too.

Scumbag.

“He’s no longer important. I’m in charge now. You can have five minutes, and then I want you to try again.” He waved one of his thugs over to give her another bottle of water.

She took the cap off and handed it to Ian first, who took a drink and handed it back. She drank deeply,