Free The Onyx Talisman by Brenda Pandos

Really.”
    “No. Somehow in the whole ordeal, I ended up hurting you kids.”
    His words were mostly truth. There was something underlying, another reason he kept us away from L.A. but especially after the trauma of the day, I didn’t want to push things.
    “Don’t be too hard on yourself. It’s in the past.”
    He groaned, seemingly at the red light, but I knew it was at himself. “I really hate this town. So many people.”
    So do I.
    I bit my lip and leaned back in my seat. “Are we going home tomorrow?”
    “The sooner the better,” he said with an exhale.
    Good.
    I didn’t want to ask about how Luke was doing, or what took Dad so long; I just hoped he’d be well enough to handle the drive home and not puke all over my car. At the hotel, I planned to bathe in anti-bacterial lotion to prevent catching whatever he had. My bout with the flu a few months ago was bad enough, thank you.
    Once we pulled up to the hotel, Dad growled something under his breath as he slowed down and wove around clusters of excited girls in cheer uniforms. Due to a cheer competition, parking had become sparse.
    “Here,” he said, motioning to the curb. “Jump out and I’ll go park the car.”
    “No,” I said, noting a wave of bloodlust bouncing on the fringe of my detection zone, almost in tandem with the setting sun. My heart practically catapulted itself from my chest in fear. I couldn’t let him walk outside unprotected, just in case. “Let’s use valet.”
    “Oh, wait. I see one.”
    Before I could insist further, he zipped around the corner and parked in a dimly lit section behind the building. My heart continued to flounder like a fish out of water. Something lurked in the shadows and I didn’t want to wait around to see who it could be.
    “Come on, Dad,” I said, pulling him by the hand.
    “It’s okay, Julia. You’re with me,” he said with a chivalrous tone in his voice.
    I managed a smile, but still tried to coax him along faster toward safety. Once we approached the corner and the side door came into view, I felt confident we’d avoided disaster until the hair prickled on the back of my neck.
     

Chapter Eight
    “Why, isn’t this a treat?”
    The vampire’s voice, etched forever in my mind from my last visit, scratched its nails down my spine. I turned and cringed. Slide, the vamp with the orange mohawk, smiled back in recognition. “Daring to trespass into lands you know you’re not welcome.”
    My legs scrambled to bolt for the door when Dad swiveled around and pushed me into the wall, shielding me with his body. His fear escalated as he fumbled in his pockets for something.
    No! We need to run!
    “Dad,” I whispered, tugging at his arm, my voice trembling as I watched Slide close the gap between us. Somewhere close by, more unseen lustful creatures lay waiting, excited at our predicament.
    “I’ve got this, just close your eyes,” he said, still heavily pursuing the item in his pocket—his wallet maybe?
    Was he kidding? My extremities shook under the increased supply of adrenaline, wanting to run—now. These creatures weren’t some gang members looking to rob us. They were vampires. Blood. Sucking. Vampires. I needed a weapon of some kind, maybe a pencil to stake it once and for all. Otherwise, Dad was going to follow in Mom’s footsteps, right here behind the Beverly Hills Hilton.
    “No, Dad. They don’t want your wallet.”
    “Julia, don’t argue with me.”
    I kept trying to inch us toward the door, pulling his sleeve to get him to move. For some stupid reason, he wouldn’t budge. A cackle from above sent shivers up my legs.
    “Please,” I begged.
    Dad finally found what he wanted and whipped out something that looked like a pen. He pointed it at Slide.
    “Armed with a pen? Is that your stake?” Slide laughed and pounded his fist on his chest. “Be still my beating heart. Oh wait. You do know it needs to contain wood to do any damage. Who would have thought the old man and this