The Onyx Talisman by Brenda Pandos Page B

to Cain’s picture again. “I asked where vampires came from and Phil said Cain. That it was a deal with the serpent for immortality.”
    “Hmmm…” Dad said. “Surprising he knows. Most don’t.”
    I gulped, hating I’d lied and couldn’t mention anything about Nicholas. I finally channeled him a little peace so he’d move on. His shoulders relaxed.
    “We had an informant.” He pointed to Darin Applegate.
    V22. Daren Applegate: perpetually 22, dark hair, kind eyes, a red X over his handsome face.
    I studied him for a moment, wondering how he met his maker. By Nicholas perhaps? Or by accident? He didn’t appear evil in the slightest.
    “Cain found out he was a human sympathizer and we’ve had trouble getting another ever since. It’s difficult since Cain’s a mind reader and only keeps his most trustworthy followers close to him.”
    A twinge of pity swept over me as I glanced at Darin’s picture. There were more good vamps in the world than I’d realized. But as if someone poured ice water down my spine, my thoughts turned to what Cain would do should he ever got his hands on Nicholas. Was Nicholas still on the vampire most wanted list? I fought back a tear as I remembered his amnesia.
    “So, who are they?” I asked to distract myself, while pointing to the next grouping—people who looked more average and not so model perfect. “More vampires?”
    “That’s our Recon, Undercover Ops, and Special Forces groups working around the globe to find and eradicate Cain.”
    “Oh,” I gulped, wondering if he knew the secret. That Cain’s death meant every last one of the vampires died, including my friends. “Why?”
    “Because, Julia. All vampires must die.”
    “Oh,” was all I could say as grief struck my heart. I didn’t want to pry deeper for the real reason, in case he didn’t know already. No use giving him extra fuel when I needed Cain to stay alive for Phil and Nicholas’ sakes.
    Maybe the fortuneteller had it wrong. Maybe Dad was the one who would end Cain’s life, though he really didn’t have any gifts that I knew of. The thought sent shockwaves through my trembling hands. First, Dad being in such tremendous danger, and second, the possibility of losing the vamps I loved. I couldn’t let that happen. Sure, Dad’s ET unit could kill off the younger trouble-making vamps and make the world a safer place like Nicholas had, but they couldn’t be gunning for Cain. How after his praise of Dirty Harry and Darin could he turn on them and be so cruel? No. This couldn’t happen and I had to stop them.
    “You all right?” Dad put his hand on my shoulder, which infused me with concern.
    “No,” I said, using mind over matter to keep my knees from buckling.
    The claustrophobia from being in such a small enclosure suddenly made breathing strenuous. Dad led me to the stairway and pressed the button. The breeze wafted down and I inhaled deeply before taking a step upwards.
    “I think it’s time to go. I’ve shown you too much as it is.”
    I made a mental note of the secret buttons’ locations. Were there cameras? Would he know if I came in here without his permission? My glance swept across the interior once more before hauling myself up the stairs. No other way in or out other than the stairs. Quite the conundrum.
    “Before your mom’s accident, I’d worked as an IT administrator with the Feds.” Dad pulled his lips in a straight line as he closed the hatch. “A friend in the Extra Terrestrial unit told me of a tip the local authorities couldn’t follow up on. A woman, who remained anonymous, had called in and reported she witnessed a man apparently drinking blood from a woman’s neck at the park. She described a child, and the two other men who cleaned up the scene and took the child with them.”
    I gulped and looked away, the vision still hard to stomach. The two men were Nicholas and Preston.
    Dad pulled me into a hug. “I was afraid to talk about it. I never wanted to hurt or