In this scene from Forever Love, Izzorah enters a bank vault. He's taking part in a fealty test, designed to prove his psychic and physical skills. As a new immortal, Izzorah has no idea what they might be. This part of the test is a quest or scavenger hunt for hidden artifacts which must activated in order. He knows what the device looks like, but how is supposed to find it in a huge steel vault full of private boxes?
The Vault
Izzorah's heart raced as he stepped into the vault, the metallic scent of money and cold steel filling his senses. The greeter-droid had scanned his DNA, confirming his identity as Mr. Ceeow Saint-Cyr, but that didn't ease the anxiety knotting in his stomach. He was here to retrieve something important, but how? Luc had told him to act confident, but confidence felt like a distant memory.
"May I access a box for you, sir?" the droid inquired, its voice smooth and mechanical.
"Um…" Izzorah cleared his throat, trying to project authority. "I haven't opened it before. Mr. Saint-Cyr would have set it up." He glanced around the vault, which was lined with towering walls of boxes—some large, some small—each one a potential treasure or trap.
"The boxes on this wall," the droid indicated, "all belong to Mr. Saint-Cyr."
"All of them?" Izzorah's mind raced. How was he supposed to know which one contained the artifact? He took a deep breath, focusing on the task at hand. There had been a pattern in every clue. "Second row down, first box."
The droid retrieved the box and placed it on the table with a soft thud. "Do you require privacy, sir?"
"Only for a minute. First, how do I open it?" Izzorah asked, his voice steadier than he felt.
"Your ring would suffice," the droid replied, pointing to a designated area on top of the box.
With trembling fingers, Izzorah pressed his ring against the surface. A click echoed in the silence as the box unlocked. He lifted the lid, revealing a pile of paper money, passcards, and an assortment of weapons glinting ominously in the dim light. But it was the artifact resting atop the pile that caught his breath—a shimmering object that seemed to pulse with energy.
Just as he reached for it, a buzz at his wrist startled him. He glanced down at his debit bracelet; a dog icon flashed—Luc's signal for danger. The hunters were near.
"Thank you," he told the droid, snapping the box shut. "You can put it back now."
"As you wish, sir," the droid replied, oblivious to the urgency of Izzorah's situation.
Izzorah stuffed the artifact into his pocket and hurried back toward the lobby. "Got it," he whispered into his bracelet.
"Excellent. Proud of you," Luc's voice came through, laced with relief. "Marjo was here."
Izzorah's pulse quickened at the mention of Marjo. "She's the one you warned me about."
"Yes," Luc confirmed as they moved toward the exit. "What did I teach you about being hunted?"
Izzorah took Luc's hand. "That if you think someone is looking for you, keep your head down and get out. Better to be a moving target than a stationary one."
"Excellent."
They picked up their pace, adrenaline surging through Izzorah's veins. "Are we safe?"
"For a moment, I think," Luc replied, his expression serious.
As they stepped outside into the bustling street, Izzorah inhaled deeply. The scent of home lingered in his mind—the kanya tree from his mother's property—and for a fleeting moment, he felt anchored amidst the chaos. But there was no time to dwell on nostalgia; they had to move before their pursuers caught up with them.
"Let's go before those hunters decide to come back," Izzorah urged, squeezing Luc's hand tightly as they navigated through the crowd, determined to escape whatever danger lay ahead.
Book Hooks is a weekly cooperative blog hop hosted by members of Marketing for Romance Writers as part of the MFRW Authors Blog.
