Eternal Flame - Book 6 (The Ruby Ring Saga) Read online

  I blushed, touched by her reaction. “I can see myself walking down the aisle in this one,” I said in the most excited tone ever.

  “It’s perfect. It’s all you, sis.”

  “This is the one,” I squealed, looking in the mirror. As the breathtaking reflection caught my eye, a tear flowed down my cheek.

  “Oh, sis,” Liz said.

  “These are happy tears,” I said. “When I lost you, I never thought we’d have this special moment, but here we are, sharing it now. I found you, Liz, after I spent years looking for you. Everyone said I should just give up and accept your disappearance, but I couldn’t. It’s so amazing that you’re here with me now, and I’ve got Victor and my beautiful baby. I’m getting married the way I’ve always dreamt I would, surrounded by loving friends and family. I’ve never been so happy.”

  She hugged me, too choked by emotions to speak.

  “You should get married too,” I said. “We could have a double-wedding.”

  “No, I had my dream wedding already. This will be your special day, and I’m gonna do everything in my power to make sure it’s perfect.”

  “Everything in your power, huh?” I asked with a wink. “I don’t recall requesting a hailstorm.”

  “Very funny,” she said as she pulled me into another hug.

  The bell rang, and the door opened.

  “Hey, Mom,” I said.

  “I said I’d be here as soon as we got dinner rolling. Did you...” She walked closer, and her jaw dropped as tears welled up in her eyes. “Oh, baby. I love it,” she said.

  “I didn’t know if you’d go for the formfitting silhouette,” I said.

  “I didn’t think I would either, but it’s beyond gorgeous. It’s so you, Sarah.”

  “Here, Mom,” Liz said, handing her a tissue and taking one for herself.

  “It’s just that...” my mom’s voice trailed off. “I missed your wedding day, and that devastated me, but now I have the chance to watch my baby walk down the aisle.”

  The bridal attendant walked back in. “Aw. It’s a dress fit for a queen!”

  “Liz and I looked each other, then smiled.

  My mom winked at me. “Sarah looks like royalty.”

  After a million hugs, more tears, and touching words, I told the attendant we would take the dress. I was heartbroken to hear, though, that it would take six months to have mine made.

  “Don’t worry,” my mother said. “Now that we know the style that is perfect for you, we can find one at another shop.”

  I felt reassured by my mom, and I knew I’d find another dress, but it sure was disappointing.

  When I shook the bridal shop lady’s hand, a vision suddenly hit me. I had absolutely no idea where I was. It was a house, but nothing was recognizable. It was dark, and I reached for a light, but something creaked behind me. My heart raced, and I spun around, only to be confronted by an intruder.

  “You’re early,” he said.

  “Who are you?” I asked.

  “Me and my boys are cleaning out your house.”

  “Take anything you want,” I said.

  I realized I didn’t have control of the vision, even though I was actively involved in it. It was like watching myself act out a movie scene, and I had no control over the script. If I had had any control whatsoever, I would have whipped a fireball in the intruder’s direction.

  Suddenly, the man held a knife against my throat.

  I couldn’t stop trembling. “Please don’t hurt me.”

  “Hurt you? Honey, I’m only going to have a little fun with you,” he said, sliding a hand down my hip.

  When I tried to fight back, he threw me back into the table, sending its contents crashing to the floor around me. I picked up a framed mirror, I gasped; it was a picture of the bridal shop attendant. I knew then that Violet was going to be robbed, and who knew what else.

  Without warning, my vision fast-forwarded. I looked down and saw that my body was naked, and I felt the man’s callused hands wrapped around my neck. I couldn’t breathe. I-I need air! I thought as spots danced in my vision, and I eventually passed out.

  When I opened my eyes, I was still clutching the bridal attendant’s hand.

  Chapter 16

  “Sarah!” Liz shouted. “Are you okay?”

  “Sarah?” my mom said. “What’s happening?”

  My grasp loosened. “I-I had a vision,” I stuttered.

  “What?” Liz asked. “Is it Alexander? Us? Ethano? What?”

  I looked up at Violet. “It was about you.”

  “You’ve never had a vision about a stranger before, honey,” my mom said.

  “I know. My powers are growing stronger,” I said.

  “Wait,” Violet said. “Are you psychic?”

  I nodded; it would have been far too hard and a bit insane-sounding to explain the fact that I was really an immortal.

  “What did you see?” she asked.

  My lips trembled. I didn’t know how to tell a stranger something so awful, but I had to warn her. “A robbery. You came home early and they surprised you.”

  “Someone is going to rob me?”

  “Not just that,” I said, shaking my head sadly. “It was...rape, homicide. I-I saw your killers.”

  “Sarah,” my mom said cautiously, “dear, are we sure? We really don’t need to involve the police or—”

  “We just have to stop it,” Liz interjected.

  Violet’s face flushed of all its color. “Maybe the vision was about somebody else.”

  “No, it was you, and it will happen tonight unless you change its course,” I insisted.

  Liz pulled me aside. “Listen, this girl’s a hard worker and all, but why would somebody rob her? It’s not like she’s rich or something.”

  “She is, Liz! I saw the mansion myself.”

  “A mansion? Where does she get that kind of money? And if she’s a trust fund baby or something, why is she working here?”

  Violet, the attendant, walked back over to me. “Listen, this really isn’t funny. I’m sorry I can’t get that dress to you sooner, but it’s nothing personal, and it’s certainly no reason to scare someone who lives alone.”

  “I would never make up something like this.”

  “You’re a liar!”

  “I swear to you I’m not,” I said. “You have a white cat, and your house is gorgeous. There are angels carved into the wood on the corners of your dining room table. There was also a to-do list on the table. You have to go grocery shopping, buy Brad a birthday gift, and take Harvey to the vet for shots.”

  “How do you know all that? Are you some kind of stalker or something?” she asked with a gasp. “Oh my gosh! You’re Brad’s ex-girlfriend, aren’t you? He said you’re crazy, but—”

  “I’ve never been to your house, and I don’t know Brad. I just saw it in a vision.”

  “How do I know this isn’t some elaborate trick to get me to stay away from my house so you can rob it? I bet you’re a scam artist. I bet you work with a ring or something. I’ve bet you studied me, then put a game plan together. Maybe I should call the police myself.”

  “Please just hear me out first.”

  “No, I really think it’s best you that you go.”

  “If you don’t call the police, I will,” I said. “If that’s what it takes to save your life, so be it.”

  “You’re insane!” she shouted.

  “She’s not!” Liz yelled. “She’s trying to save your stubborn butt. What do you think this is, some kind of psychotic rendition of Punk’d? Do you see Ashton Kutcher around here? You heard the girl. If you go home, your home will be burglarized, and you’ll be raped and dead!”

  “I’ve heard just about enough of this nonsense,” she said, escorting us to the door. “I will give the police a call, and I’ll make sure they know that you’ve been casing my house. Now, if you don’t mind, I have work to do.” She lifted the wedding dress I so desperately wanted and placed it back on the rack i
n a huff.

  “C’mon, Sarah,” Liz said, dragging me by the arm.

  “You know I can’t just ignore a vision,” I insisted.

  “We’ll send Victor and Charles,” my mom said. “We won’t let anything happen to the poor girl, even if she doesn’t believe you.”

  “Mom, I can singlehandedly take all those guys out,” Liz said.

  “What if it’s a trick?”

  “Liz, Mom’s right. It could be some kind of trick, to lead us into a trap. If you insist on going, you’re not going by yourself.”

  “Where is Violet’s house?” Liz asked.

  “I’m not telling,” I said.

  “You’re not telling? What are you, two?” She blew out a breath. “Why can’t I be the visionary?”

  “Trust me, you don’t want to deal with them.”

  “You’re just soft, Sarah. I could handle them just fine.”

  As we were walking out, a tall lady in a business suit walked in. “Violet,” she said to the bridal attendant, “I’m sorry I’m so late. Listen, I’m closing the shop early. My husband is whisking me off to Vegas for a surprise anniversary trip.”

  “I can stay and close up shop.”

  “Not necessary. Everyone has already been rescheduled. As soon as you finish up with these ladies, you’re free to go. Enjoy your day. I know I am, and what happens in Vegas...well, you know.”

  Violet looked at me in stunned disbelief. “You couldn’t have known about this, that the shop is going to close early.” She took a deep breath. “I guess I will call the police.”

  “Thank you,” I said.

  “No...thank you.”

  “Please don’t mention us,” Liz said.

  “I won’t. I’m not sure they’d believe me if I tell them a psychic told me about the future robbery and a murder.”

  “If you do go home, don’t go alone,” I said, touching her elbow. “Take your dad or brothers or this Brad of yours. Also, you might want to invest in a new security system.”

  And with that, we all turned to leave, relieved that she was going to take our advice without tangling us up with the local authorities.

  “You did a good thing back there,” my mom said.

  My lips trembled. “Mom, I experienced it, her rape and her death. It was horrifying.”

  She gripped my hand. “Baby, I’m so sorry.”

  “These visions are graphic and sometimes beyond brutal,” I whispered. “I sometimes think it’s more of a curse than a gift.”

  “You just saved a woman’s life,” Liz said.

  “As long as she heeds my advice.”

  “That was the first one you ever had about a stranger,” Liz said. “Jackson’s ceremony strengthened our powers, so that must be why. It’s like he hooked you up with 4G LTE all of the sudden.”

  I laughed. “You’re such a techie geek, sis. But yeah, it’s weird.”

  “A techie? I didn’t know you liked that show, honey,” our mother chimed in. “I used to have a crush on Captain Kirk myself.”

  Liz and I looked at each other and burst out laughing. “A techie, Mom...not a Trekkie!” my sister said.

  “Whatever, dear. Sarah, if you have more visions, just pretend you’re psychic. It seemed to work on that young woman after a while. People will accept that more readily than you telling them you’re an immortal queen from another world.

  “You’re right, Mom.”

  “Wow. My daughter, a psychic. Who would have ever thought?”

  “Better a psychic than a Trekkie,” Liz interjected, “and does Dad know about your William Shatner fetish?”

  “Stop it!” she playfully said, slapping my sister on the arm.

  That night, my mother called me into the living room to see the news broadcast. A woman had called 911 on her cell phone when she had returned home from work early and suspected that her home was being burglarized. All the armed suspects had been apprehended.

  “Your vision was spot on,” Mom said, praising me.

  “They haven’t failed me yet.”

  “Honey, you’re a hero. That woman is only alive because of you.”

  “I know. I guess in that way, it really is an amazing gift.”

  Chapter 17

  Jackson’s team finally revealed the location to us, and we learned the Box of Shadain was in Central America in the rainforest. We rushed to make plans so we could go retrieve the relic that Jackson so desperately wanted.

  Victor held my hand on the plane. “I hate leaving Alexander.”

  “I do too, but we have to repay this debt so we can leave and return back to Tastia,” Victor said.

  “I know Liz, Charles, and my parents will spoil him rotten.”

  He smiled. “Yes, they will.”

  Jackson and his team had pinpointed exactly where the artifact was. It had been tracked to an ancient temple in the middle of the Rainforest. Once there, we followed our guide. Jackson’s men were friendly enough. Even Jackson tried to make small talk by telling us facts about the trees and plants around us.

  “Did you know tropical rainforests only cover about six percent of the Earth’s surface?” Jackson continued. “But they are home to more than half the world’s total plant and animal species.”

  “Interesting,” I said as my boot crunched over a large tropical plant.

  Birds chirped, insects hummed, and monkeys howled as we walked through the Rainforest. Jackson’s team stopped right in front of a towering tree.

  “It’s supposed to be right here,” a woman said, glancing around.

  Jackson studied a map. “I don’t get it. Where is it?”

  “I don’t see a temple anywhere in this vicinity,” I said. I scanned the trees and vegetation and knew they must’ve made a mistake. It must’ve been in another location.

  “It’s not here,” a man with bushy brown hair said.

  “No, this is the correct spot,” she said. “And the map we obtained from the ceremony wouldn’t lie.”

  “But maybe we’re mistaken about the location,” a short man said.

  “We’re using satellite technology,” she said back. “This is definitely the right spot.”

  We walked around and surveyed the scene before us. We chatted back and forth and came up with a few theories about what had gone wrong. I’d thrown my hair into a bun but it was still pretty hot and humid. Far off to the left, flashes of light caught my eye. When I walked over, they disappeared. But it was like I was having some kind of a paranormal experience. Probably because I wore the Mark of Lanera.

  I walked around when suddenly the earth seemed to be sinking out from underneath me. I tried to catch my balance and threw out my hands. Loosened debris rained down on top of me as I fell in midair. Tapping into my powers, I stopped myself and hovered in the air. I was just inches above the ground. Gently, I set myself down.

  “Sarah!” Victor yelled down. “Are you okay?”

  I glanced up. “I’m fine. I was able to stop the fall and land gently.”

  “I’m coming to get you,” he said.

  Victor jumped down and embraced me in a tight hug. He was my constant pillar of strength.

  “Baby, I’m okay,” I said.

  He hugged me even tighter.

  “Let’s get some light,” I said.

  I opened my palm to let a yellow ball of light emerge. I let go and it hovered just above my head.

  “We’re in some kind of ancient temple,” I said, my gaze darting everywhere. “Oh my gosh! This has to be the place we’re hunting for.”

  Victor glanced around. “This is indeed the right place.”

  “We’re getting you out,” Jackson said.

  “Nope, you better come join me,” I shouted back up. “The temple’s down here.”

  Without questioning me any further, Jackson jumped down in one swift jump.

  Jackson looked at me, then smiled. “I believe you found it, Sarah. Great job!”

  “Thanks,” I said.

  “It’s the
temple,” he said, calling up to the others.

  The rest of our team joined us, and then we took off into the dark, large structure. My yellow ball of energy hovered above me and lit the way. We walked through the large room and entered the subterranean labyrinth.

  When the corridors crisscrossed, I jumped back at the granite statue that stood fourteen feet in height with a diameter of over two feet. It looked like a fanged monster, partly jaguar and partly human. I clutched my chest catching my breath.

  “You’re not scared, are you?” Jackson asked me.

  “No, just startled.”

  “This idol has stood here for nearly three thousand years,” Jackson said.

  “Amazing,” Victor said.

  “Let’s go this way,” Jackson motioned. We all followed him without question. He was always accustomed to getting his own way. Sometimes he irked me, but I knew he meant well.

  We followed the corridor until it dead ended. We couldn’t go any further because a couple of enormous slabs of stone formed a door. The builders were amazing because I couldn’t even see any cracks or joints.

  I noticed symbols carved deeply into the rocks and called Victor over. “Can you interrupt these?”

  His fingers glided over the strange inscription. “Yes, I can make out this language.”

  “What does it say?” I asked.

  “It’s not good,” he said.

  Jackson cut in. “It merely talks about a secret society of custodians who protect the temple’s treasures.”

  I placed my hands on my hips. “Is that all?”

  “We would like to know what we’re up against,” Victor said.

  “I haven’t a clue.”

  Well, that wasn’t good. “You didn’t read anything about it in any of the ancient texts?”

  “No,” he answered. “But just be ready for anything.”

  My stomach clenched.

  Some of Jackson’s burly men tried to push the door open with their immortal strength, but it wouldn’t budge.

  “So how do we get this stone door open?” I asked.