Vessel Of Safety: Book Six

Death, Diamonds, And Dirty Socks Series

Book 1: Priceless Inheritance

Book 2: Mischief Before Mastery

Book 3: Cheating Death

Book 4: Solomon's Ring

Book 5: The Protected

Book 6: Vessel Of Safety

Copyright 2016 T.L. Tabor

This book is available in print at most online retailers.

ebook Edition License Notes

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Table of Contents

Prologue

Chapter 1 – No More Lies

Chapter 2 – All That Glitters Is Not Gold

Chapter 3 – Face-Off

Chapter 4 – Into The Unknown

Chapter 5 – International Exchange

Chapter 6 - Black Shoes, Black Heart

Chapter 7 – Mirror, Mirror On The Wall

Chapter 8 – It’s The Little Things

Chapter 9 - Ring Around The Rosie

Chapter 10 – Terms Of The Trade

Chapter 11 – Party Time

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Prologue

The powerful Ring of King Solomon that gives its wearer control over all the genies within range of its painful call, is now in the hands of Jarod’s worse enemy, Gaffie. With his mentor Brindly locked away in his bottle to escape the pain of the ring’s summons, Jarod and Tommy were told to send out the Blood Call to the Frantian Order for help. These monks have protected the mystical items of Kentwood Estates for hundreds of years, and thankfully are in lifelong service to Jarod now that he is Lord Kentwood the Third. Along with his new friends from the girls’ school where his encoded books are hidden, Jarod and Tommy prepare a plan to get back Solomon’s Ring from Gaffie and save the lives of all those who are being most affected by it…the Powerful Ones…the genies.

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Chapter 1 - No More Lies

Hey! Jarod? Are you okay?

Jarod heard Tommy’s voice but was having a hard time opening his eyes in the bright sun where he was lying on the beach asleep. Then something poked him in the stomach and then someone slapped him in the face. His eyes flew open and there was no sun to be seen at all. He was back in the bunker on the beanbag chair and Tommy was about to slap him again. STOP! Jarod yelled and deflected Tommy’s hand away from his face.

Tommy stood back and glared at him. Don’t ever do that to me again!

Jarod was still trying to wake his brain up from the jump between the great day at the warm beach to the dark bunker underground. What’s wrong? What did I do?

You tell me! Tommy turned and took a few steps away and then turned back to face him again, just as angry. I was over there by the door, quiet as a mouse, as good as I could be…for an HOUR! You were just sitting there all quiet and barely even breathing. I thought someone nabbed you in there or you had a seizure from Tek kissing you or something.

It was only Barbie who kissed me this time. We were all at the beach and I guess I just lost track of time.

WHAT? You’ve been at the beach this whole time? While I stayed over there, he pointed to the door, …and my food was way over here! He pointed to the pile now by his feet.

Was it really an hour? I can’t tell time in there. Sorry.

Tommy was still upset, but he was starting to calm down. He picked up a package of purple rope gum from the floor and bit off a big chunk. Does the sun never set on this beach of yours, or were you too busy kissing Barbie to think about your old friends?

"I wasn’t kissing Barbie the whole time. She just kissed me once and that was it." Jarod was finally awake enough to begin to put the pieces back together in his memory.

So they were Barbie’s shoes after all?

Jarod shook his head. No. They were actually Tek’s, but Barbie had borrowed them and worn them for a while too. So when I was in Tek’s inner world Barbie showed up.

And kissed you! Way cool. Two girls at once and you can totally control them to make them kiss you or whatever you want. Was the beach thing your idea or hers?

I didn’t make her kiss me! She just showed up all of a sudden and kissed me before I could do anything about it. Jarod didn’t know how he felt about the whole thing still, but he didn’t like Tommy making it into something it wasn’t.

And what would you have done about it? Told her to stop? Have a chat first to understand it better? Tommy laughed.

Jarod frowned. No…it’s not funny, though. I just never thought my first kiss wouldn’t even be…real.

Tommy finally seemed to get that Jarod was serious about this. If it wasn’t real, then it wasn’t your first kiss, right? Think of it as taking lessons in your sleep. Then when the real thing does happen you’ll be a pro.

Thanks, that actually makes me feel better about it.

Good, now tell me about this beach. Were there killer waves? Did the girls have on bikinis? Was Tek’s black…or made out of safetypins?

Jarod smiled. There was sun and sand and waves, just like a real beach. And we played Frisbee and built a sandcastle.

In bikinis?

"Yes! They were in bikinis."

Oh, man! You get all the cool perks. I want to go to the beach in the middle of the night…instead of calculating these star-charts for tomorrow. Tommy held up a piece of paper that had a crude drawing of the Pegasus constellation that looked like a kite with three long tails. I checked the current latitude for it online and came up with the code for the vault.

Good job. Jarod took the piece of paper from him and studied it. I wasn’t looking forward to this tonight. I’m beat.

Tommy flopped down into the chair next to Jarod’s. He looked dejected. Are you sure there’s no way I can use the socks or hold your hand or something while you do it? I want to go to the beach and play Frisbee.

Jarod was thinking about what the girls had said about him being kind-hearted and brave and that was why the socks worked for him. Because their souls could trust him. There was no way he was going to say all that out loud to even Tommy. But they did trust him…completely. He felt bad that he was still lying to them. It didn’t feel right. I think we should tell them everything.

What do you mean ‘everything’? Tommy took another bite off the rope gum, but didn’t look like he could fit much more in his mouth.

I mean everything. About the books and the rings and Gaffie having a genie as a slave.

Are you crazy? Tommy threw what was left of his gum rope at Jarod’s head. You can’t tell them that stuff. How do you know you can trust them? We don’t even know them really.

I spent the day with them, the real them, and they’re just like us. They just don’t know who to trust in this world either. But if I make the first move to trust them, then maybe…

Maybe what? They’ll tell you all their secrets about the magical stuff they’re lord of?

I don’t know. I just feel wrong lying to them about all this.

Tommy was shaking his head. I vote bad idea.

Part of Jarod wanted to vote that way too. But another part wanted to share all this with someone else who got it. It was cool having Tommy there on all the adventure stuff, but when Tommy went back home, this was still going to be Jarod’s regular life now. Just like it was Barbie’s, Itsy’s, and Tek’s. Maybe just part of the truth.

Which part can you tell them without telling everything?

You’re right. It has to be all or nothing. What’s the point of telling only half a lie? It’s still a lie.

You know, all superheroes have to tell white lies to protect their identity. But it also protects those people around him in his life. Do you know how valuable my ransom would be if everyone knew about you? Millions! Tommy threw up his arms and smiled. And I’m worth millions to you too, so you’d pay it. I’d be kidnapped every weekend. Where would it end?

I know it’s what I have to do to keep everyone safe. But I don’t feel good about it.

Just remember the beach and the bikinis when you start feeling bad. That should make you smile again. Tommy reached down, and without even looking, picked up whatever was closest in his pile of junk food. Cool, spicy peanuts. These will be the perfect crunch with my gum. He just tossed a handful into his mouth and mixed them into the grape wade of gum.

"You are the grossest." Jarod laughed.

Tommy nodded and smiled since he couldn’t speak with his mouth so full.

There was a knock at the door. It’s us, came Barbie’s voice. We have the key, but just giving you fair notice in case you’re not decent. The door opened slowly.

Come on in, Jarod said. I’m decent, but Tommy’s not. He never is.

Tommy tried to smile with his cheeks bulging on both sides and managed to squish half his peanut-gum wad out of his mouth. He grabbed an empty chip bag next to him and spit the whole huge thing into it.

That is…sooo gross! Tek said with a sneer. All three of them had the same look on their faces, appalled and amused at the same time. Tommy’s main gift to the world.

Sorry, about that, Tommy apologized as he turned three different shades of red.

I’ve seen worse, Itsy said with a sweet smile. Just don’t do anything like that at the ball.

Jarod noticed the love-struck look in Itsy’s eyes as she spoke to Tommy. He thought he better intervene since Tommy was temporarily embarrassed to death. What brings you all down here again?

Barbie stepped in with an arm around Itsy’s shoulders. Itsy was feeling better and needed to get out of that room for a while. She’s figured some stuff out in her head and is better with being a princess now.

Tek walked over carrying a blue leather book bag. I told you we’d bring you some toys for tomorrow to help you out with that creep, Gaffie. Especially since he has our librarian. This has become our mission too, not just Gwen’s.

Gwen’s? Jarod asked.

Barbie closed the door behind them once they were all in. Yeah, you said he’s been after those books from Gwen’s family library since you got them. That’s probably why he took Sister Elizabeth too. Gwen’s never going to part with one of her precious books, though.

Jarod wanted to tell them the truth, that they were his books and that there were magic things hidden around the world that he was safeguarding. But he couldn’t. Tommy must have read his face because he gave him a slow shake of his head. Gaffie thinks I still own them, so he’ll want to deal with me. And I won’t give him one of those books either…they’re worth too much. At least that’s what I have to make him believe.

Tommy moved in to shift things away from the deeper lie Jarod was having to spin. So what’s in the bag? Machine guns? Explosives?

Get real. We don’t actually want to kill anyone. Tek laughed. She reached into the bag and pulled out a white smartphone. This is a top-of-the-line four-million-volt stun gun with…LED flashlight ability. She squeezed the two sides of the phone and an ultra-bright flashlight came on at the same time a loud electrical zap sound emitted from it. Want to try?

Tommy backed away fast. Not me! I’ve already been electro-tested once today. I believe you.

Show him the blow-darts, Itsy said excitedly.

Tek reached into the bag again and brought out a little silver pen. It can write, she said as she demonstrated on the cover of Tommy’s notebook on the table. And it can shoot. With a click of the pen, a small white dart flew out of the tip and stuck in one of the tap lights on the opposite wall.

Hey, be careful with that in here! Barbie yelled and walked over and pulled the mini dart out of her special light.

Will that thing kill you? Tommy asked.

No, Tek said as she reloaded it into the pen gun. But you will eventually fall asleep if it sticks in your skin anywhere.

Tommy reached over and looked carefully in the bag. You girls are scary. I’m not sure I want to hang out with any of you.

Barbie came over and hooked her arm through Tommy’s. As long as you’re a gentleman and don’t try any funny stuff, we won’t have to use any of the tools on you. She turned her head all of a sudden and looked right at Jarod.

He froze. He hadn’t realized he’d been staring at her the whole time, watching her every move as she walked around the room. He knew everything that happened between them had been in another world…literally, but he couldn’t look away. His face burned hot as she looked back at him and smiled.

Show them the Burning Balls, Itsy. Barbie finally broke her eye contact with Jarod and patted Tommy on the back. You’re going to love this.

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