Sekhmet's Curse (Pearl Vampire Chronicles) (24 page)

I stared at it with seemingly unseeing eyes.  Nothing seemed to make sense anymore.  I estimated that we had been in here at least eight months, the last four without nourishment.  Jason was curled up into a
ball with his wings wrapped around him, had been that way for weeks.  But he was still breathing.  I looked at the clue again. Again, nothing made sense.  I couldn’t think anymore.  I was dying. 

‘The moon, Sarah.
  The answer is the moon.  Come on, hun.  Please get up.  Find the tile.  You can do this.’
Jonas whispered in my head.

“I can’t get up Jonas.  I’m too tired.  I can’t do this anymore.”

‘
But what if this is the last one?  What if you’ve made it to the final clue?’

“I don’t think there is a final clue, Jonas.  I don’t think this ever ends.  I think that’s the point.  I don’t think she has any intention of going anywhere, ever.”

“You are wrong, child.  I, too, am tired
.  I am done with this life.  But I can’t pass on to the next life without giving the knowledge that I
possess
to another.  And I have to find someone suitable to give that knowledge to
,
s
omeone worthy of possessing it.  Someone who will only use it for good,” Sekhmet’s voice echoed through the chamber.

I stared at her statue for a few minutes.  Finally I sighed, nodded my head and began looking around
the room at the tiles.  I spotted the moon tile about halfway up the south wall after only a few minutes.  I slowly got up and forced myself to walk over to it,
with
the rock feeling like it weighed a ton in my hand.  I gritted my teeth, swung as hard as I could,
shattering
the tile.  The rock fell to the ground with a thud as I reach inside and found
….
nothing.  This one was empty.  We must have gotten this one wrong.  I felt relief.  This was finally over
. I fell to the ground and waited for the end
to come
.

Sekhmet’s voice shattered the silence, “No,
child,
you were not wrong. 
This is the one that you’ve wanted all along.  One final clue is what I will give.  Figure it out quickly and you will live:  What is the one thing missing from these walls?  Figure that out and you’ve answered the call.”

Jason rolled onto his back and groaned.  It was the first time I’d seen his face in weeks.  I tried not to flinch, but I saw the madness in his eyes.  The same madness I had seen in his father’s eyes.  He took a deep breath and tried to fight it.  “That is the final clue?  We have to figure out what’s missing?  How the
fuck are
we supposed to do that, Sarah?”

I stayed on the floor, but moved my head to look at him, “I don’t know, but we have to try.  For your father’s sake, for Matt’s sake, for Carlos’ sake, we have to try.”

My head rolled back and I began staring at the tiles that I could see from my spot on the floor.  “Okay, let’s start by saying what we do see here.  Just call out what you see.”

“Celebration, desert, earthquake, flood,
power, punishment, worship, fear, sex, torture, disease, pain, beauty, birth, death,” the words were flying out of both of us at a dizzying pace.  But it wasn’t long before we both started slurring.  I forced myself to sit up to try to stay awake, but I could barely see anymore.  Everything was blurry. 
I didn’t want to but I couldn’t stop myself from laying my head on the floor
again
.  I was so tired
,
s
o weak
,
s
o starving.  I couldn’t do this anymore.  I couldn’t think anymore. My brain didn’t want to function.  Nothing was making sense. 
‘I’m so sorry Matt and Carlos.  I tried guys, but this time I couldn’t figure it out.  I failed and I’m sorry.  I love you
both,’ 
I
thought, even though I
knew
they
hadn’t
heard me.
  It made
me feel better to think it anyways.
  “I’m sorry Jason,” I whispered.

“It’s not your fault, Sarah,” he said as he took my hand in his, “This was both of us.  This test of hers is just too hard. 
There are hundreds of thousands of tiles here.  How are we supposed to figure out what’s missing? 
I just feel so completely helpless here.  I have nothing left.
I
’
m so sorry father.  I love you.”

I barely heard what he said, but something about it clicked in my brain.  I tried to process what he said, but I had a hard time focusing.  With every ounce of strength I had, I opened my eyes and looked at him.  His eyes were closed and he was leaning against the wall.  “What did you say?”

“Hmmm?”

“What did you just say, Jason.  Come on, help me out here,” I whispered as I tried to push myself up.

“I said this test is too hard.  We can’t figure it out.”

“No, that’s not it. 
You said, what was it?
  You said “I love you father.  That was it, love.  The same thing I just thought to Carlos and Matt in my final words. 
Love.
  Just love.  That’s it, Jason.  That’s what’s missing on these walls. 
Love.
  There’s
nothing about love.  None of our predecessors had love in their lives. Sekhmet never had anyone who truly loved her.  That’s the downfall.  They’ve all let the power go to their heads because they didn‘t have love in their lives. Nobody loved them enough to tell them they were being stupid or doing
something
wrong.   That’s why they failed.  That’s why we won’t.  Because we will do this together and neither of us will let the power get to us, will we?   Because our loved ones would never let that happen.  It’s love, Jason.  That’s the key.
That’s what’s missing.
Love,” I dropped back down to the floor, exhausted, and that’s when I heard it.  I looked up at her statue and saw the hatch slide open below her right forearm, revealing two extra-large goblets. 
Her
blood began flowing from her arm into the goblets.  Jason crawled over to me, “Come on, Mother.  Please.  You can do this.”

‘
Sarah.  Move your ass right
now,’
Jonas
shouted in my head.

I groaned as I rolled over onto my stomach.  My arms were too weak to hold me up on all fours,
b
ut I managed to scoot myself
forward
on my stomach. 
Together we moved ourselves until we were directly below the goblets just as the last few drops
of blood
flowed into them.  With our last remnants of strength, we grunted, groaned and encouraged each other up onto our feet, bolstered only by our support for each other and the scent of blood.  As Sekhmet’s body began to crumble into dust, she whispered her last command, “Drink only for the knowledge.  No fangs.  The blood will reside in your brain always, but you must drink it.  Farewell and good luck to you both.” 

Jason and I looked at each other then we reached for the goblets.  My legs were shaking and threatening to give out but I knew
that
if I fell I would spill the blood, and I needed this so badly.  I could only hope that it would be enough for me. 
I was starving, dying, and I knew it.
But this blood was thousands of years old.  It was the blood of the oldest vampires and
Seraphim
’s combined together.  It was their strength.  It was their knowledge.  It was our history.  And it had to be enough.  I didn’t have the arm strength to lift the full goblet, so I put my lips on the rim and gently tipped it towards me.  The instant
the warm liquid touched my lips, every nerve in me awakened.  Flashes of past events began instantly dancing in my mind.  My legs stopped shaking and my arm felt like it could lift anything.  I stood back and lifted the goblet higher and began gulping it
s
contents like the starving vampire
that
I was.  I began dreading the moment when I emptied it, because this was the most incredible blood I had ever consumed.  I wanted more.  I wanted it forever.  I tilted the bottom to the ceiling as the last few drops flowed into my mouth.  I was just getting ready to use my finger to try to scoop out the last of it, when I heard a noise behind me.  I turned around and my heart leapt.  The door reappeared, and then opened.  I tried to brace myself.  I wasn’t sure
exactly
how long we had been in here.  I didn’t know what I would find, or not find, when I walked out that door.  They could be gone, living new lives with new loves.  They could be off searching for ways to get back into this room.  Or worse, they could be dead.  
Maybe they d
ecid
ed
that I wasn’t going to make it out and cho
se
to not go on without me.  Carlos was the one I was worried about the most.  His impatience would
have made him unable to just sit around and wait.  He would have needed to go and do something.  He couldn’t have possibly just sat
t
here and waited this
entire
time.  Which was why I was completely shocked when his face was the first face I saw when I
poke
d
my head
out the open door.  His beautiful, peaceful, hopefully asleep and dear God don’t let him be dead, face.  I gulped hard and stared at him.  I was afraid to go over to him.  I wasn’t prepared to find him dead.  I could never be prepared for that.  A noise to my left caused me to look over.  Aquila was getting to his feet.  He walked over and wrapped both of us in his strong embrace.  We stood like that for a moment until I had to break the silence, “He’s not,
he’s
not dead, is he?  Please tell me he’s not dead, Aquila
,
”
I whispered.

“No, Sarah.  He’s not dead.  This is the first time he’s slept in weeks.”

I exhaled and sobbed, “Oh thank God
.
” 

Aquila released me and I walked over to Carlos.  I knelt down and brushed his hair from his face, then leaned down and kissed his lips. 
I got no response, n
othing.  He was out cold.  I kissed again, a little
more firmly this time.  I saw a slight smile on his lips, but then still nothing. 
Another kiss, this time parting his lips with my tongue.
  Now I was in his dreams, I could tell.  “
Mmmm
, is it time for loving, baby?” he mumbled, his eyes still closed and dancing behind
the
eyelids.  “Always, my love,” I whispered then I kissed him again.

Suddenly he frowned,
“Don’t,” he whispered, surprising me.  I opened my mouth to say something, but he continued on first, “Whoever you are,
don’t
.  I’m dreaming about my beloved wife and I’m not going to open my eyes and spoil that dream.”

I smiled and place my hand on his cheek, “Then don’t spoil it, live it,” I whispered as I leaned in to kiss him once more.  His eyes flew open and I smiled at the confused look on his face.  “Sarah?  Is it really you?  I’m not dreaming?  You’re really here?”
he said as his hands moved over my face, my hair, my body.

“It’s really me, sweetheart.  I’m really here.”

He shot upright and wrapped me in his arms, kissing me as he sobbed.  I let him have a few minutes and then I couldn’t stand it anymore, I had to ask, “Honey? Where’s Matt?” I whispered. 

“Huh?  Oh, it was his turn to go get blood.  He was meeting up with Bahiti.  He’ll be back soon.  I
’
ll link with him and tell him
that
you
’
re out
, you’re safe, oh, thank God,
you’re
safe
.”

“No, don’t.  Let me surprise him too,” I said as I sighed in relief then I stood up when I heard sounds coming down the hallway.  “Supplies are still short, but I managed to get two each, guys.  We may have to hunt next,” he
said then he
stopped when he saw me.  Or thought he saw me.  He dropped the
bags
on the floor and rubbed his eyes.  “Shit. Carlos!  I’m hallucinating again.  Damn it to hell anyways.”

I took a few steps toward him, “You’re not hallucinating, honey.  I’m here.  I
’
m right here.”

“No, you’re not.” he whispered.

I took the last few steps to him and placed my hand on his cheek, “Yes, I am.”

He glanced behind me and saw the open door to the tomb.  “Oh my God,” he groaned as he locked me in his arms and cried into my neck.  After a few minutes, Carlos walked over and joined us in our hug.  We probably would have stayed like that for a very long time, if not for Aquila.  His voice broke through
the joy of our reunion.  “Sarah!  It’s Jason.  Something’s wrong with Jason.  Please help!” he urgently called.  I looked over and saw Jason crouched down in a squat and holding his head.  “Oh shit.  He doesn’t know how to ignore it,” I said as I went to him.