Daniel Taylor and the Scepter of Power (2 page)

Vanessa raised her head and put a hand to his cheek. It felt cold. Danny seemed to have grown even paler, and his face stood out from the surrounding darkness. Vanessa had so many questions for him, but she didn’t know where to start. “Are you okay?”

Daniel just nodded, his face rigid. He looked her in the eyes intently.

“Where have you been all this time? In the underworld?”

“Hmmm,” he growled, scratching his head. Then he squeezed his eyes shut as though he had a headache. “How long have I been gone?”

“Over a week!”

“Is that all?” Daniel’s eyes widened. “It felt like much longer.”

“For me, too,” sighed Vanessa, still clinging to him tightly. “Thanksgiving break is over. Everyone’s been asking about you, and you know what a bad liar I am.” She never wanted to let him go. Everything that had come between them was forgotten. She was just happy that he was alive and had returned.

“Time must function differently in the underworld,” Daniel murmured into her hair.

Vanessa sighed. Hadn’t he missed her at all? “Are you going to stay up here?” she ventured to ask, even though she already knew the answer. Daniel had changed; she could sense that with every fiber of her being.

“No. I came because I have a task to complete.”

The scepter
… So the demons had already brainwashed him? She looked up at him. “What kind of task?” she asked, just to make sure. She felt an inner tension, like her body was crying out in pain. He was leaving her again? And why was his voice so cold?

“It’s a test to see whether I’m worthy to become Overlord,” he said numbly. “And I won’t fail. Never again.”

“There’s her bicycle!” Anne called, pointing the beam of her flashlight at Vanessa’s mountain bike, which was leaning against a pole. “Vanessa? Daniel!”

James examined the area behind the pull-up bars. “Some twigs are broken here. Maybe they’ve gone into the forest.”

Anne’s pulse raced, and the blood pounded in her ears. “Daniel?!” she cried in panic, startling two owls. If she didn’t get her child back soon, she’d go mad! She was on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

Following close at James’ heels, Anne fought her way through the underbrush.

“The trail ends here,” he finally said. “They must have gone through a portal.”

Anne had learned from James how demons traveled. She had questioned James about everything in detail, especially about Daniel.

Her stomach clenched painfully. “Does that mean that Daniel and Vanessa have both disappeared?”

“I don’t know.” James sounded confused. Tugging at his hair, he moved the beam of his flashlight back and forth across the forest floor.

“I can’t take it anymore,” Anne whispered, shutting her eyes. The sudden weakness and nausea that was flooding over her body was overpowering. The last thing Anne felt before she lost consciousness was James’ tight embrace.

“Danny, you can’t be serious!” Vanessa snorted as she sat down on the mattress on the floor of the treehouse. She was visibly shaking, but Silvan merely looked on with cool interest. This was the girl that had almost prevented him from completing his training? The high lords had warned him not to listen to her. They had said that Vanessa would try to manipulate him, and they had been right. Vanessa had actually tried to convince him that all the demons wanted was the scepter, and that they’d probably kill him after he gave it to them. When Silvan hadn’t responded, she had begun to complain about the treehouse.

Frowning, she examined the camping toilet, the canteens of water, and the bag of food. He must have been preparing this for days. But why?

A picture flashed through his head: the girl who wasn’t Vanessa, the one he had thrown an energy sphere at … As soon as he had mastered the art of creating portals, he had come here, bringing the camping toilet from his mother’s garage and raiding her pantry. He could scarcely remember doing it!

His head threatened to explode at any moment. It hurt like hell. He had to complete his task! His grip on the knife hidden in his jacket pocket tightened.

Vanessa’s nagging enraged him. He delighted in her anger and her fear. Back in the forest, he had purposefully stalked her just to terrify her.

“I don’t want anything to happen to you!” he choked out, sitting down next to her. Perhaps the words would calm her down. Humans wanted to hear such things, didn’t they?

Vanessa sighed. “You’ve changed so much! Where is my Daniel?”

“Your Daniel isn’t here.” He gave a sinister laugh. Should he have a little fun with her before he killed her? There was something about the girl that he liked. She was sweet, and her fear fueled his lust.

Her eyes widened as he pushed her back onto the mattress and lay down on top of her.

“Daniel!” she cried, trying to push him away.

He enjoyed her attempts to fight him off. He’d show her how strong he had become. No one and nothing could stop him, least of all a human. He dug his fingers into her hair and held her in place. Vanessa’s breathing was panicked, and tears welled up in her eyes.

“Danny, what are you doing?” she whispered. “Please, no!”

He wasn’t her Danny any longer. Never again. His heart pounded with excitement and lust. This girl smelled like fear and vanilla. An arousing mixture. Silvan pressed his groin hard against her.

Vanessa sobbed and shook in his grasp, but otherwise remained motionless. “I want my Danny back,” she said quietly. “I know he’s still in there.”

The fingers in her hair eased up slightly. He shut his eyes, inhaled her scent again, and ran his nose across her wet cheek.

Vanessa whimpered. “What did they do to you down there?”

His cloak slipped, and he felt something heavy in his pocket: the stones Marla had given him, to protect Vanessa.

Another thought stabbed through his mind. Vanessa … protect …

He sat up and took an egg-sized stone out of his pocket. It seemed to be made of colorless crystal.

Alive … Vanessa … Yes, Silvan had a faint memory of wanting to hide Vanessa in the treehouse.

Silvan looked at her. She was huddling in the corner, arms wrapped around her trembling knees, staring at him.

The crystal in his hand eased the pain in his head. One of the demons was trying but failing to access his mind. Did that have something to do with the stone? Silvan hated it when they tried to read his thoughts!

He stood up hastily and placed the four crystals in each corner of the treehouse. They began to emanate a light blue glow, and the pressure in his head disappeared at once. He winced, suddenly dizzy.

“Daniel, what’s the matter?”

He heard Vanessa’s voice as though it were coming from far away and staggered toward her, eyes closed. “I don’t know.” He let himself fall to the mattress, cursing himself for causing Nessa to be so afraid. Why did he have to scare her so badly?

Daniel took a deep breath. Maintaining his new awareness seemed to require a great deal of effort.

“Please, stay here until I can come up with a better solution,” he murmured. Daniel had pushed himself to the limit to sneak away secretly and provide Vanessa with a safe hiding place.

He explained to her the purpose of the magical crystals: They would protect her from attacks of all kinds. The only living things — human, animal, or demon — who could enter the treehouse were those who had been inside when the crystals were set out.

Daniel was a little disappointed by Vanessa’s reaction — he had expected more gratitude. Or hadn’t she realized the seriousness of the situation?

Of course not, but how could he tell her that the demons wanted her dead?

She was clinging tightly to his arm. “Please, tell me what’s going on!”

It was true — he owed Nessa an answer, although she probably wouldn’t want to hear it. “I have to … I’m supposed to kill you in order to become Overlord.”

“What?!” All color drained from her face. “That’s what the knife is for?”

Crap, he hadn’t even noticed that he had taken it out of his pocket! He looked ruefully at his hand, which held not only the knife, but also a lock of brown hair.

“Where did that come from?” he asked, sincerely confused.

Vanessa flinched. “You cut it off my head just now, when you threw me onto the mattress!”

What? He had cut it off? As evidence that he had fulfilled his task? That wouldn’t be enough for the demons.

Vanessa ran a hand through her hair and leapt up, fear in her brown eyes. “Danny, you can’t go back there. They’ll change you, and you won’t even notice. They’re manipulating you!”

“I’m going to need some of your blood,” he responded quietly, not looking at her.

He had to go back, the urge was almost overpowering, but he didn’t want to lose Vanessa at any price. She was so sweet and innocent. When he was Overlord, he’d come for Vanessa and make her his bride.

Marla had guaranteed him that the High Council would not be able to penetrate his thoughts as long as he was protected by the crystals. She had also explained to him in detail how the stones worked.

The memory was like a fading dream.

Just a few more days and he’d be Overlord, reigning over the demonic masses with Vanessa at his side.

Daniel inwardly smirked. He’d show a whole new side then; everything would change. Everyone would do as he commanded!

“Y-you need my b-blood?” Vanessa stammered, backing away from him until she ran up against the wall.

Daniel got up but didn’t move toward her; he didn’t want to scare her even more. “A few drops would be sufficient.” Damn it, he didn’t want her to be frightened of him! Daniel felt bewildered. Was he really doing the right thing? Would it all be worth it? Come on, he was a demon! Why was he feeling so conflicted again?

“Just a few drops, only a little prick.”

“And then?” she whispered.

“Then I’ll go.”

“You’re really going back? But … Danny! You can’t!” Vanessa shook her head, tears again streaming down her cheeks. “Your mom is so terribly worried about you!”

“She’s not my real mother,” he muttered, but he felt a knot in his stomach as he thought of her. He missed her … for some unknown reason.

Vanessa’s fear seemed to have vanished. Eyebrows furrowed, she told him, “If you won’t do it for the woman who has loved you as her own son for your whole life, then do it for your real father!”

His head jerked up. “James? James Carpenter?”

“That’s the one! If James hadn’t been here … Daniel, your mom is at the breaking point!” She took a step toward him.

“Does he wear an amulet?”

Vanessa frowned. “What?”

“My father, does he wear a silver amulet with a red stone?” His heartbeat once again picked up in pace.

“Are you listening to me at all? I’m trying to tell you that the people who love you more than anything else in the world are worried about you and miss you dreadfully, they’re almost sick with worry, and all you can think about is a stupid necklace?”

“Vanessa, please, it’s important!” He tried not to show his impatience. Daniel needed that damn scepter! Then the others would leave Nessa alone. She’d be his bride! But first he had to know whether he’d have to deal with James. His father supposedly had an amulet that protected him from demons, even made him invisible.

Vanessa frowned. “Why are you so interested in it?”

“Vanessa, please. It’s just important for me. For us.”

“Us?”

Daniel could read it in her face: She knew something about it! He had known her too long for her to be able to keep secrets from him.

His nervousness increased.

“Let’s just get this over with quickly.” She reached out a hand to him.

He took her thumb between two fingers. Vanessa was trembling.

“Close your eyes,” he whispered. She did so, fresh tears running down her face.

“You won’t hurt me, will you?” she asked, her voice barely audible.

“Never,” Daniel whispered back, then pricked her thumb with the tip of the knife.

Vanessa winced and squeezed her eyes tighter shut while Daniel wet the lock of hair with the drops of blood oozing from the wound. Then he concentrated and made a sweeping gesture with his hand. The cut disappeared as if by magic.