The Vampire's Amulet: Book 3: Vampire Secrets

By Stacey Haynes

The race is on.

 

Over the past few weeks, Cassie Dean has found herself reliving many of the scenes she had written in her vampire book series. Her fictional vampire hero, Aithen, has come to life in Ethan McCall, a real-life vampire working for the FBI. Her feelings for him have grown passionately and she finally knows his love for her is true. But now another vampire, the villainous Erik Locke, has abducted the greatest hero in Cassie's life: her father.

Ethan McCall is willing to do anything to stop Erik from making Cassie his vampire bride. However, things are more complicated than he expected, and the coming storm is bigger than he can handle alone. To save them, he must put his trust in unlikely allies to discover a way to bring Erik Locke's reign of terror to an end, once and for all.

An ancient amulet holds the answers all three of them desire, tying their fates together. Each decision they make will determine their destiny; one wrong move and they could find themselves losing The Vampire's Amulet for good.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Stacey Haynes
• Release date: Sep 12, 2022
• ISBN: 9798215011119

Book preview

Prologue

15 years earlier

Landon, where are the girls? Sylvia Dean’s voice panicked. Justin is with me, but Cassie and Amber are missing?

Ethan McCall and Landon Dean both stood quickly from their camp chairs. It was the end of July and the Dean family had invited him on a family camping trip to Monarch Cave in Utah. After he and Landon closed the serial killer case in Glendale, Arizona, a vacation was well deserved. But now, two of Landon’s girls have decided to wander off.

Monarch Cave had many places to get lost in and plenty of places for two young kids to find trouble. Sylvia’s face was drained of color and she wiggled her hands together. Landon walked into the clearing and looked around, let out a huge whistle then yelled,

Cassie!  Amber!  He waited patiently for some type of response.

A memory from 1842 flashed through Ethan’s mind when he and his older brother were out rabbit hunting. He was only around ten years old and his brother was thirteen. A storm had quickly approached, and they lost their way. It was hours before their father found them. He remembered how scared he was. His brother, Stephen, was trying so hard to be brave, but he knew he was scared, too. Cassie was thirteen and her younger sister was eight, he knew they were probably just as frightened.

Let’s split up, Ethan suggested. We can cover more ground. I’m sure they are safe.

Landon patted Ethan on the shoulder then gave his wife a hug.

We’ll find them, Landon said, kissing her on the forehead. Stay here, in case they both wander back.

Sylvia nodded. Landon grabbed some water for them, and they began hiking back toward the caves. The sun was at the highest point and the temperature was getting hotter. Sweat was already building up on his forehead as they reached the caves.

You go left, I’ll go right, Ethan told Landon.

Landon took off to the left calling for the girls. Ethan stopped and listened intently to see if he could hear their hearts beating. There was nothing. They were probably not this way, but he’d keep going anyway. Ethan called their names out a few times as he came closer to the caves to see if they would answer. Landon’s voice had become fainter as he moved in the opposite direction.

Ethan rounded a bend and stopped suddenly as he saw the man who he’d been looking for over the past few months. Erik Locke sat on a rock, casually smoking a cigarette.

Did you lose someone? Erik asked nonchalantly.

What are you doing here? Ethan asked as he got a little closer. I figured you’d be long gone, since I killed Trent and got rid of those other thugs you tried to use to throw us off the trail.

I think I enjoy seeing you squirm, Erik replied, laughing.

So, is that what you are doing here now, watching me squirm? Ethan glared at him. Do you know where the girls are?

Erik tossed the cigarette butt to the ground and stepped on it with his black boot. He took his hand and smoothed out his long, thin beard. He stood and looked up to the hot sun, wiping a bead of sweat from his brow.

Don’t you miss the days when we only came out at night? It was so much better than the heat. However, those Virginia and Georgia evenings were quite sticky.

Erik, where are they?

That Cassie is quite a cutie, with that short brown hair. She’s going to grow up to be a beauty one day, I just might have to make her mine.

Ethan rushed to Erik grasping his hand around his throat.

I could snap your neck right here, Ethan growled.

Yes, but I will recover. I don’t see anything here you can stake me with. He grinned showing his sharp fangs. Why are you so protective of this family?

They are my friends, you know, things you don’t have.

Oh, my heart. I thought you were my friend, Erik struggled the words out of his mouth. Ethan’s grasp became stronger.

A friend doesn’t kill another friend’s wife.

You’re still hung up on that?

Where are the girls, Erik? Ethan was losing his patience.

Well, you’re going the wrong way, for one thing, he chuckled. He moved his hands up to Ethan’s fingers and began prying them off from around his neck. I didn’t touch them, even though I was tempted, but their blood is just a little too sweet for me, they are too young.

With Ethan’s other hand he sent a punch to Erik’s face, knocking him off his feet and back onto the rock. Erik let out a laugh as he touched his face briefly, wiping a trickle of blood from his lip. In a fast move, Erik returned the punch, but in Ethan’s gut. He growled and took off like a cannon wrapping his arms around Erik and tossing him to the ground. Dust and dirt filled the air as the two continued brawling on the ground.

From the distance, Ethan heard a faint cry. He tossed another punch to Erik and he stepped back.

What did you do? Ethan asked. Where is she?

Erik laughed.

Just distracting you away from the real danger in the other direction of the caves. Who do you save? Erik grinned. You can’t be in two places at once.

Erik whooshed past him heading to the other side of the caves. Ethan growled. Who was this person he was hiding? Was it Cassie or Amber? Or could it be someone completely different?

Ethan heard the slow pounding of a heart. He could tell by the rhythm of the heart it was a female. He rushed inside the cave, hoping that Landon would be able to protect his girls alone.

Inside the dark cave he zoned in on the heartbeat. The deeper inside the cave he went he was finally able to hear the faint cry. Back by one of the cave walls he saw a body. She was curled up in a ball. When he got to her, he could see that she had bite marks in her neck. She looked to be in her early 20’s. Her heartbeat was very slow. He had a choice to make. He could save her by turning her into a vampire or let her die.

He touched her face, and it was already starting to cool off. Her lips were quivering weakly. Her eyes pleaded with his and tears ran down her face. He brushed some dirt off from her cheek and sorrow filled his heart.

I can save you, but it’s not the type of saving you would be looking for, he told her. I’m a vampire and by saving you, you will become a vampire, too. Or I can break your neck and you die quickly. Your choice.

I have a family... and friends, she whispered weakly.

You won’t be able to be with them if you become a vampire. Your presence would put them in danger because you will end up killing them. Make up your mind, quickly.

Another tear leaked from her eye, making a streak down her cheek. She nodded her head and weakly muttered, I want to live.

Ethan brought his sweaty wrist up to his mouth and took a bite, leaking some blood out. He brought his wrist to her lips and she immediately started drinking. There was always a twinge of pain in his arm when he turned a person into a vampire. Flashbacks of his own transformation filled his head. If only he had a choice, what would he have wanted to do? Live or die?

Living as an immortal all these years had allowed him to make friends, but also saw those friends die as they grew older. When everyone was dying of the plagues, he survived. Medicines had become better and people seemed to be smarter with technology as the years moved on. He supposed living would have been his choice, too, even if he couldn’t live with the ones he loved.

He pulled back his wrist and he could hear her heart growing stronger. She sat up and wiped her mouth.

My lips are tingling, she said. I want more.

Yes, my dear, I know you do. But I don’t have more to give you right now. I need to leave you here for a bit. Please don’t go outside, or you will die. You will burn. Stay in the dark. I will return for you, I promise. Ethan stood. He knew she needed to feed soon, or her transformation would not be complete. What is your name?

Blair Swanson. She smiled weakly. How long will you be?

An hour, maybe. I promise I will help you. Just stay in here. My name is Ethan. Remember my face because there are other vampires out there. Some are good and some are bad. I will help you learn the difference.

She nodded.

Ethan left the cave quickly. The sunlight stung his eyes briefly as he stepped out of the cave and heat immediately engulfed him. Why did they have to come to the desert for a family trip? Arizona was hot enough. Ethan ran quickly in the direction that Landon had went. He listened to see if he could hear anything. He turned back into one cave and he heard the strong heartbeats of a few people.

Landon! Ethan yelled as he entered the cave.

Aithen! Hurry, she’s hurt, Landon called back. His southern accent distorted his name to that of someone else’s. However, he knew Landon would always call him Aithen. There’s a cliff, so watch your step.

Ethan’s good eyesight alerted him to where the floor dropped. As he got closer, he could see a glow from the flashlight Landon had brought with him on their trip. Ethan jumped down from the ledge, with ease. It was a good 12-foot drop.

Landon was on the ground with little Amber in his arms and Cassie had her hands wrapped around her dad’s neck. Her face had dirty streaks on