Eternal Bloom - Book 5 (The Ruby Ring Saga) Read online

  His eyes widened in shock, as if he couldn’t believe they’d do such a thing. “I’m not like them, Sarah.”

  “Did you kill all those Immortals back at the gorge?” I asked.

  “No!” he said, emotion gushing from his voice. “Those were my friends!”

  “Who killed them then?” I whispered.

  “The Immortals who run this city.”

  “Are you working for them?”

  He glanced around nervously. “We can’t talk here. Come with me to a private location.”

  “Not a chance,” I said, then walked down the aisle. I knew he was trying to get me alone, and I wasn’t going to have that. I believed he was alone, so I wasn’t worried about being jumped by a gang of minions and thrown into a van, but I couldn’t put anything past him. What if he drives me straight to another one of their horrible labs? Then again, if he wanted to kidnap me, he could just knock me out right now and take me, but he hasn’t. I wasn’t scared of him, and I didn’t feel like he was there to hurt me, but I wasn’t going to be such an idiot and go with him either. I couldn’t and wouldn’t risk taking foolish chances when it came to my son’s safety.

  “Sarah, we really need to talk,” he said.

  I picked up an adorable blue onesie. “I’m listening.”

  “Not here.”

  I met his gaze straight on. “If you think I’m leaving with you, you’re crazy. Whatever you have to say, spill it...and make it quick.”

  He reached for the framed sonogram and snatched it out of my hands.

  “Hey! That’s mine.”

  He held it high, out of my reach. “Just hear me out.”

  I nodded. “Fine. Just give me that.”

  He glanced down at the picture. “He’s very beautiful.”

  “Thank you.”

  “It’s very sad that you won’t be able to tuck him in the first night he comes home.”

  A tidal wave of grief washed over me as tears welled up in my eyes.

  “What will his life be like without you?” he asked. “Can Victor cope with a newborn? Do you think he’ll stay in this world by himself?”

  “Is that what you came here for? To rub it all in? Get away from me, Jackson!” I screamed. “Just go!” I snatched the picture out of his hands as emotion flooded through me. Pain tore through me as his words cut deep into my soul. I wanted to sink into the ground as grief struck like a giant hammer crashing on top of my head.

  I must’ve been too loud, because a security guard rushed over.

  “Ma’am, is everything okay?” he asked.

  “No! Nothing is okay. I’m going to be dead in two weeks.”

  “Did this man threaten you?”

  “Please just get him away from me,” I said.

  The security guard grabbed Jackson’s arm. “Sir, I’m gonna have to ask you to leave and—”

  Jackson gazed deeply into his eyes. “We’re having a very important conversation that doesn’t concern mortals. Please leave.”

  The man’s face went blank, and he walked robotically back to his post at the door.

  “Nice trick,” I said to Jackson. “Maybe I’ll just compel him to arrest you.” I walked off to the checkout line.

  Jackson suddenly waved his arms over his head, and the color was stripped from the room. Suddenly, everyone was frozen in place.

  “This isn’t necessary!” I shouted.

  “It is, because I need your complete and utter attention, and you were refusing to give that to me.”

  I shot him a sharp look. “Looks like you have it now.”

  “Good, because I know a way to save your life. Meet me next door in the park, by the lake. There’s a white gazebo. I’ll see you there in fifteen minutes.”

  A whirlwind hit me as he disappeared from my line of sight. The color returned, and everyone started to move again as they unfroze.

  “Um...ma’am?” the cashier said. “Are you okay?”

  I handed her the frames. “I’m fine. Thanks for asking.”

  The woman rang up my purchase, and I put it in the back seat of my car and then walked toward the park. I knew if Jackson was going to hurt me, he would have easily done it by now. Depressing thoughts crowded my mind, and I took a calming breath. I needed to hear him out. If he knew of a way to save my life, I needed to hear it.

  Chapter 7

  Birds chirped, and squirrels scurried up trees. I glanced around the park but didn’t see Jackson. An old couple sitting on a bench smiled at me. I smiled back as they stood and slowly walked away, arm in arm. I envied them so much. They had spent their entire lives together and had watched their children grow up. I sat down, but with my rotund figure, it was too hard to cross my legs. At that point, all my manners were out the door.

  A blast of wind hit my face, and when I looked up, Jackson was standing only inches away.

  I stood.

  He smiled and shook my hand. “I’m glad you could make it.”

  “Meh, you gave me an offer I couldn’t refuse.”

  “I should’ve planned this meeting but everything happened so suddenly. There wasn’t time.”

  “It’s okay. I’m here now.” I glanced around just to make sure he didn’t have any Immortal friends hiding anywhere.

  “It’s just me.”

  I looked up at him. “Other than your name, I know nothing about you. Care to elaborate?”

  “You will get no details from me. Just know that I’m trying to survive too. I was born into an Immortal family, and we live by a strict set of rules that I don’t always agree with. But if I fight against them, they’ll have to kill me, just like they did the ones on the mountain.”

  “You can’t tell me a little more about yourself?” I asked. “It’d help me to trust you.”

  “Fine. I’m single, and I run a huge coffee business. I am somewhat lonely, since I’m not permitted to date or marry mortals.”

  “That’s sad.”

  “In 1912, I fell in love with a mortal name Samantha. We eloped and enjoyed ten long years together before they killed her.”

  “I’m so sorry. In Victor’s world, it’s the same way.”

  “It was long ago, but I swear the one who killed her will die one day.”

  “Is that when you joined the rebellion?” I said.

  “Not joined. Started. Created. Founded. But the Immortals are so strong. They put up such a good fight. But I have something in mind that will bring them to their knees.”

  “What?”

  “It’s top secret. If I told you, I’d have to kill you.”

  I pointed to his ring. “I’m dying to know more about that.”

  “Our rings are given to us when we turn twenty-one.”

  “Not when you marry?”

  “No.”

  “Hmm. Well, is there a cure for me or not, Jackson? I’m dying to hear what you have to say. What can you do to help me, and what’s it gonna cost? My soul? My first unborn child? My—”

  “Sarah!”

  “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to be so rude. I’m just so—”

  “Overwhelmed? I understand. This must be very traumatic for you. I want to apologize. I resorted to the lowest of tricks to get you to meet me out here voluntarily.”

  I looked deep into his eyes. Truly, he was my last hope. “I’m sorry too. I was just...scared. Your people almost killed my unborn son, and I have to protect him, at all costs.”

  “I understand.”

  “I-I don’t wanna die,” I pleaded. “I’ll do anything you want. Just...save my life.” I touched my stomach. “This baby needs his mother.”

  He looped his arm in mine. “Shall we adjourn to the picnic table?”

  Knowing it was his way of breaking the ice, I smiled and walked over and sat down.

  “I met your husband a few days ago,” he said. “When we blew—”

  “When you blew the prison up?”

  “Yes, I had an Immortal following him because I’ve been keeping strict tabs on you two.
”

  “A stalker? Wonderful.”

  “It’s for protection. Anyway, he caught the man and questioned him quite effectively. That was how I met him.”

  “Then why didn’t you propose your plan to him?”

  “Because it must be your decision, not his.”

  “He could have set up a meeting.”

  “No, I needed to come straight to the source.”

  “I’m sure Victor jumped all over your revenge scheme.”

  “Yes. We all wanted them to pay.”

  “Those Immortals were monsters. What they did to Della...I’m not sure she’ll ever recover from the emotional scars.”

  “She’s safe now.”

  “Good.”

  He leaned in, and his gaze narrowed. “I’m still worried about your energy imbalance.”

  “I think everyone is.”

  He shook his head. “You will not survive it much longer, Sarah. The energy is consuming all of your power.”

  “Please just tell me what I have to do,” I implored.

  “Well, there is a myth,” he said, reaching into a leather satchel. He pulled out a leather-bound book and placed it on the table.

  I opened it and stared down at the heavy pages, written in a language I didn’t understand, with hand-drawn pictures. “This looks very old.”

  “Centuries.” He leafed through the pages and stopped when he came to the page of a cherry blossom drawn in black ink. “This is what will save your life.”

  “A flower?”

  “It’s not just any flower. It possesses powerful properties that can balance out your energies, but in order for it to work, you must pick the blossom yourself. You cannot send your husband or anyone else to retrieve it.”

  Hope sparked in my eyes. “Tell me where to find it.”

  “On an island in the South Pacific.”

  “Which island?”

  “It is not an isle you’ll find on an ordinary map.”

  “Of course. My life depends on some magic flower on an island no one has ever heard of. Please don’t make me waste the last moments of my life chasing an impossible dream. I’d rather spend every minute here with my family than going after some ridiculous pipe dream.”

  “I need you alive, Sarah.”

  I crossed my arms. “Back to the same old question. What do you want from me?”

  “You wear the mark of Lanera. I saw it at the minimart.”

  “Yeah? Well, you seemed pretty shocked.”

  “It’s an ancient symbol, and encoded within it is a map.”

  “Let me guess. You need the map.”

  He nodded.

  I continued. “Then why didn’t you just kidnap me like the others and photocopy it or something?”

  “I can’t get to the landmarks without you. Your fingerprints are like keys to unlock the mystery.”

  “Yet you’re not hog-tying me and dragging me along with you, are you?”

  “The stars aren’t aligned yet.”

  “So...you can’t let me die before the stars are in perfect alignment? You need me to get better first, so you have to find the eternal bloom that will save me and my baby, right?”

  “Yes. You help me, and I’ll help you,” he said.

  I held out my hand. “You have a deal.”

  He smiled and shook my hand firmly. “We can go over the details with Victor, but for now, aren’t you wondering more about why I want the artifact?”

  “I really don’t care what your motive is. I just want to live to see my child grow up.”

  “It will be dangerous, but I don’t plan on dying. Do you have any questions?”

  “You don’t plan on sacrificing me in some crazy ceremony, do you?”

  He chuckled. “No.”

  “Don’t laugh. I’ve been there and done that, and I don’t wanna go through it again.”

  “I need the map your flesh bears in order for me to find something I’ve been seeking for ages. But we can’t go until the stars are aligned with The Majory.”

  “The Majory?”

  “Long story. Just know it won’t happen for about six months.”

  I cocked a brow. “So that’s when we’ll go?”

  “Yes.”

  I sensed there was more to the story, more than what he was telling me, but it didn’t matter at that point. I’ll do anything to save my child’s life, even if I have to sign a contract with the devil.” I sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly.

  “I’ll have plane tickets, passports, the map, and more information later today.”

  “Thank you, Jackson,” I said. “If this is real, if you’re telling me the truth, I’ll do whatever you tell me to.” I blinked and then asked him the question I’d been wondering about. Why’d you wait so long to give me this deal?”

  “I ordered my team to dig through the ancient scrolls to see if there was anything we could do to help you. They’ve been hunting since the day I met you, and we just found out about the eternal bloom yesterday. That’s why I’m here now.”

  Some of the pieces began to fit together. “That’s why you warned me to leave, because you need me alive.”

  He nodded, flashing me those light blue eyes of his.

  “How very honorable of you. It seems like everyone needs me for something. Since I’ve become Immortal, I’ve become quite popular. I have one more question though. Why’d you leave me back in the minimart? It’s obvious you wanted to help me. Why didn’t you just whisk me away and drop me off somewhere? When you touched me, we sparked, but I could’ve handled the shocks for a minute or two while you moved me to a safe location.”

  He hesitated, then continued. “We were following you. I’d been sent to...retrieve you.”

  My jaw dropped. “What?”

  “If we’re going to work together, Sarah, there must be complete honesty between us,” he said.

  I was floored. “You work with them?”

  “Yes.”

  Clutching my heart, I stood.

  “Sarah, it’s not what you think. I don’t agree with them, and that’s why I saved your life. I compelled the man to rob the store.”

  “What? The robbery happened because of you? But I got shot, and—”

  “I knew the man had a gun, but I didn’t know you were going to play hero! I needed a distraction so you could get away.”

  “A distraction? It brought lots of attention!” I said.

  “The plan worked perfectly. If I would’ve come out with you, they would’ve thrown you in the back of a car and taken you, and...well, I couldn’t let that happen. When you saved that woman’s life, I knew you weren’t the monster they claimed you were. I could feel your emotions. You wanted to take the place of that poor cashier.”

  “You knew I was an Immortal the second you met me? But you were so surprised when you touched me.”

  “I wasn’t shocked about you being Immortal. I was shocked at the high-voltage energy coursing through your body. I couldn’t believe you were alive...and carrying a baby. It was strangest thing. The Immortals would have stopped at nothing to find out why.”

  “You mean they would have treated me like a lab rat?”

  “Yes.”

  “Thank you for saving my life. I knew you helped me, but I didn’t realize to what extent.” My arms wrapped around him, and he awkwardly hugged me back as blue sparks flew around us from my unstable energy. “If I would’ve known this information, I would never have been such a pain back in the store,” I said.

  “It’s okay.”

  I held him at arm’s length. “I’m so thankful to you, Jackson.”

  “When our deal is sealed and I get what I want, I’ll be saying the same thing to you.” He glanced down at his watch. “Listen, I have to run, but I’ll be in touch soon.”

  “What’s soon?”

  “A few days.”

  I nodded and, in a blur, he disappeared from my vision.

  Chapter 8

  A few days passed. Jackson came t
o our house early in the morning, and Victor left with him. I’d already given my blessing, but Victor needed more convincing. They were gone all day, for hours and hours, while I celebrated at my joyous baby shower thrown by Liz. Just as the last guest left, Jackson pulled in and dropped Victor off.

  I smiled as he walked up the sidewalk. “No talk about Jackson or islands or eternal blooms, all right? At least not now.”

  “Deal. Did you save me any cake?”

  “You know it!”

  He smiled. “Are your mom and Liz still here?”

  “They just left.”

  “You’re absolutely glowing, Sarah,” he said.

  “Thanks. I’ve never been so happy. Come on in,” I said, pulling him inside. “Wait until you feast your eyes on all the fantastic gifts our son received.”

  Presents in baby blue wrapping were stacked up all over the place. I showed him everything, and he was truly awed by the love and support shown by all of our friends and family.

  “Standing here with all these baby things...it just...” My voice drifted off. “I feel like everything is just perfect. We celebrated, we played games, and we laughed, and as I cut the cake, I felt, just for a minute, like my life is normal. I felt like the luckiest woman in the world, but then I remembered that I’ll only get to spend five minutes with my baby. Do you know how hard it is to pretend everything is normal when your heart is aching?”

  “We’re going to get past this, Sarah. I promise you that.”

  I picked up an engraved “Baby’s First Christmas” ornament. “Do you think I’ll even be here to decorate the tree with you and Alexander?”

  He embraced me tightly. “Yes.”

  “But the end is near, and—”

  “Don’t say that, Sarah. Don’t ever say that.”

  “It was hard not tell everyone I might be dead soon. I stayed happy for Alexander’s sake. It’s what he would’ve wanted, so I decided to celebrate him and not dwell on my fate. But now that everyone’s gone, the thoughts are sneaking back up on me. I go from happy to sad in two and a half seconds. I hate raging hormones.”

  He gazed down at me and touched my face. “We leave in three days.”