The Vampire Pendant by Sheri Whitefeather Page A

Native goods in the store, though. He obviously wasn’t touting himself as a New Age shaman or trying to sell his heritage. Somehow that made him seem more trustworthy.
    He told her to shuffle the cards and soon the reading was underway.
    He explained the cards that came up and what they meant. But unfortunately, they didn’t direct her to a spell. In fact, the result in that regard was negative. A glamour spell wasn’t in Tessa’s future.
    Her eyes turned misty. “But I want people to see me the way I used to look. I want to see myself that way, too.”
    She could tell that he felt badly for her. That made it worse. Now she really wanted to cry.
    “Don’t be sad,” he said. “There are other types of magic you can use.”
    She sat more upright. “Like what?”
    “Hold on and I’ll show you.”
    He left and returned with three pieces of jewelry: a necklace, a bracelet, and a ring. “Each of these holds the power to grant wishes.”
    Tessa frowned. He was trying to sell her a talisman? Maybe he wasn’t as trustworthy as she thought. Fifty dollars for a useless reading and now this?
    “They’re antique pieces,” he said.
    She squinted at him. “How much are they?”
    “They’re not for sale. But I can loan you one of them.” He leaned toward her. “I only loan them to people who are worthy of their magic, and I think you are.”
    Still suspicious, she asked, “What’s the catch?”
    “Your wish will only last for two weeks. But I guarantee that it will come true. All you have to do is choose the one you want and wear it for the next two weeks, around the clock, day and night. Then return it to me when your wish ends.”
    She thought the necklace was eye catching. The pendant hanging from the chain boasted a gothic-style cross with a ruby in the center. All of the pieces had crosses worked into the designs.
    “Are the wishes only granted to women?” she asked since it was women’s jewelry.
    “I have other pieces that are for men. So, are you interested, Tessa?”
    Her heart pounded in her throat. “Yes.”
    “It’s only for two weeks,” he reminded her.
    “I know.” But if the magic was genuine, she would take whatever she could get for however long she could get it. She desperately longed to be normal, to be pretty, like she was before, even if it was only temporary. She even went as far as to confide in him, making certain that he understood how important it was to her. “I’ve been this way since my sixteenth birthday. While I was blowing out the candles on my cake, I got too close and my hat caught fire. It was this silly thing I’d made myself, with all sorts of fancy things streaming from it. I didn’t know it was flammable and when it caught fire, the side of my face ignited, as well. No one ever looked at me the same way again.”
    “Go ahead,” he said softly. “Make your selection.”
    Anxious, she pointed to the necklace.
    As Darrin lifted the pendant and put it around her neck, a reddish mist came out of the ruby and drifted to the corner of the room, where it remained.
    “What’s that?” she asked.
    “Just part of the magic.” He brought her a mirror, proving how quickly her wish had come true.
    She gazed into the glass and saw the reflection of a lovely young woman. Herself, without the scars!

Chapter Two
    Tessa knew instantly when she left the shop that she was normal, not just to herself, but to others. People passed her on the street without casting curious, pitiful, or rude glances. She blended in. She was just like everyone else.
    She wasn’t going to waste time. If she had only two weeks, she was going to make the best of it.
    She rearranged her work schedule so she could take a vacation and enjoy her newfound normalcy. Since she loved anything connected to Old Hollywood, she decided to reserve a room at the Beverly Hills Hotel, spending the next fourteen days living like an old-time movie star. She even booked limousine service so she could arrive in style. She