by Donna Steele
Table of Contents
A NEW TIME
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Epilogue
A NEW TIME
Guardians of Now, Book Three
DONNA STEELE
SOUL MATE PUBLISHING
New York
A NEW TIME
Copyright©2020
DONNA STEELE
Cover Design by Rae Monet, Inc.
This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, business establishments, locales, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
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Published in the United States of America by
Soul Mate Publishing
P.O. Box 24
Macedon, New York, 14502
ISBN: 978-1-64716-062-3
www.SoulMatePublishing.com
The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.
Books by Donna Steele
The Guardians of Now Series
Another Time - Book One
A Different Time - Book Two
A New Time - Book Three
As always dedicated to Darwin,
who makes my life so wonderful
and gives me the opportunity to express myself fully.
Also to Char again—
she has brought out a richer story
than I started out with and made it (and me) better!
Glad to have you in my life all these years.
Prologue
“She is born.”
The Guardian Cael sank onto the closest bench. She never sat in the presence of an Elder, but her legs would no longer support her.
Rather than reprimand her, the Elder sat beside her on the bench, and to Cael’s shock, slipped her arm around Cael’s shoulder.
“Is she well?”
“Yes. I was able to assist the male in getting to the female in time. The Essence appeared confused and frightened, though she now feels safer. She has shielded the planet.”
“Shielded?”
“The Malveks can no longer affect anyone with their ‘mind talkers.’ The mother’s mind is now clear of their interference. I should have seen what was happening to the mother and advised the Essence. She is so strong and untrained. She distanced me from the circumstances.”
“Rest, my child.” The Elder drew Cael’s head down to her shoulder. “You have done all you can for now.”
Cael closed her eyes. The Elder was right.
The Essence was safe for now.
Chapter 1
Outside Braddock’s Crossing
“We’ll transport her. You can meet us there.” The ambulance driver must be talking to Sherry, because no way Dusty would allow them to separate him from Dee now. No way in hell.
Sherry placed the tiny new person—my daughter—in his arms. “You go with them. I’ll bring your car.”
Dusty thought he nodded. He meant to, and Sherry surely understood. They waited as Dee was loaded into the ambulance, then Dusty scrambled up behind her, the baby clasped tight against his chest. Dee watched for him and seemed to relax a tiny bit at the sight.
He took the jump seat beside her and laced his fingers with hers. She gave him a tired smile and closed her eyes, squeezing his fingers slightly in reassurance. She still trembled occasionally, and he kept a firm hold on her as well as the baby.
He’d never been so scared in his life. Time travel hadn’t been this frightening. Dee could have died. The baby could . . .
No, don’t go there.
With Dee resting, Dusty gazed down at the infant he held against him. She looked like a tightly wrapped burrito, with only her face showing. He couldn’t count fingers and toes, but she possessed two eyes, two ears, a nose and a tiny bow of a mouth, which no longer screamed in fury. Her head was covered in red fuzz. Or was it blood? Dusty shuddered involuntarily. No, she would have Dee’s red hair.
Her head fit easily into the palm of his hand and her body, less than the length of his forearm, lay guarded between his arm and his chest. He’d learned how to hold a newborn in the childbirth classes.
While attending those classes, it never crossed his mind he’d be quite so involved in the birth. The freaking back seat of Dee’s car. What if he had left Sherry behind? Another shiver coursed through his body.
“Here, drink this.” The med tech held out a small container.
“What is it?”
“A mild stimulant. You look like you could use it.”
Dusty took in the sight of his daughter, then his hand holding tight to his wife, and shrugged. He wasn’t about to let go of either of them.
The med tech chuckled. Sticking a straw in the container, he held it to Dusty’s lips. “Here you go.”
“Thanks.” He finished the drink with three long pulls on the straw and did feel better. Not himself yet, only a bit clearer. “I didn’t think to ask. Where are we headed? What’s the nearest hospital?”
“Oh, sorry. We’re headed to Braddock’s Crossing Memorial Hospital,” the tech replied.
Braddock’s Crossing, of course. Dusty couldn’t even be surprised. He hadn’t realized they’d traveled so far. The name no longer startled him. He and Dee would no doubt end up retired here someday. This place was as much home as anywhere else he’d lived.
He glanced back to his child. Her eyes were open, focused on him. Could she see him? He moved her closer to his face.
“Hi, I’m your dad.”
She blinked at him, acceptin
g the statement as though royalty acknowledging a vow of fealty.
A good analogy, since she already owned him, the same as her mother. His women to guard, protect, and love.
Realizing he heard no siren, Dusty considered it a good sign. In the minds of the EMTs, no danger was imminent for these patients. That’s not it. Ambulances didn’t install such sirens anymore. When they approached an intersection, all other vehicle engines scaled back, giving the ambulance automatic right of way. Even on manual, as he drove like a bat out of hell to get to Dee, his car would have slowed. How had he not run into any problems like that?
I’ll think about it later.
He’d made it to Dee in time. There was no way to know his timing would be quite so important. He closed his eyes briefly in relief.
When he opened them again, his daughter seemed to be observing him. This new miniature person stared as though she knew his thoughts. He glanced up at Dee to find her watching the two of them.
“You should be resting.”
“I am. Dusty, I’m so sorry—”
“Shh, we can talk later, when we’re more coherent.”
Her quick smile matched his own. He winked at her as she chuckled.
“Besides,” he added, “I haven’t gotten a chance to drive like that in a long time.”
“Drive like what?”
“I’ll tell you later. We’re almost at the hospital.”
“What hospital?”
“Braddock’s Crossing Memorial.”
Her eyes widened, then like him, she only nodded.
~ ~ ~
Exhaustion covered Dee like a weight. Well, she’d just had a baby. The total confusion in her mind only added to the exhaustion. She was in an ambulance, and she’d given birth in her car, with Sherry and Dusty in attendance.
A lot of things made no sense. Dusty would never drive her this far. Traveling all the way to Braddock’s Crossing so late in her pregnancy was out of the question. And how had Sherry gotten here?
More importantly, how had she gotten here?
Dee ached in places she’d never felt before. No surprise, considering, but why were there such holes in her memory?
Their baby was here, in Dusty’s arms. Safe.
Braddock’s Crossing. She and Dusty had exchanged silent glances at the name, another thing to add to the mystery of their relationship.
She focused on Dusty and the precious life he held against him. They were both so dear to her already and she’d barely met her daughter.
Dusty cooed at the baby. When did he learn to coo? He already appeared to be besotted, more than a little gobsmacked, and definitely the worse for wear. He’d been through this with her, for her—
And when Dee could think straight again, she’d ask him to explain everything that happened.
What had happened?
Chapter 2
Braddock’s Crossing Memorial Hospital
She didn’t know where she was.
Exhausted, she must have fallen asleep in this new untried and so far, inconvenient body. The fatigue she felt, unfamiliar and unwelcome, still lingered. Birth was so much more traumatic than she’d anticipated.
Pain and fear assailed her along with other new sensations of the unknown. She didn’t like these new senses.
The large person who held her close was gone, and she lay alone under bright lights. Odors seemed to bombard her as she tried to recall if she’d ever possessed—or needed—a sense of smell prior to this. Her ears hurt, too, from the constant cacophony surrounding her. And she was . . . cold. Was that the right word?
With so many awful challenges to face all at once, she experienced her first taste of what she realized was fear.
A strange voice spoke. “Six pounds, two ounces. She’s small but mighty.”
“The force is definitely with her.” The second voice, deeper than the first, seemed familiar.
She relaxed, just a bit.
“Excuse me?”
“Never mind.”
Something warm and wet wiped across her head and her body. What was happening?
“It’s okay, baby girl.” That voice . . . The person who held her close had returned. She knew the voice from before she came to ‘be.’ It soothed her, and the awful noise cut off. Had that obnoxiousness come from her?
Something large and warm covered most of her body, skin on skin. She thought it might be part of the large one who called himself Daddy. From her studies, she deciphered it as a hand.
“I’m right here, sweetheart. And after they check you out, I’ll take you to your mom.” His voice sounded soft, almost a whisper. She recognized the tone if not all of the words. And was that the emotion love the humans thought about so often?
She would also be considered human now, at least in form.
“I’m your daddy, remember? It’s my job to protect you, and I promise to do my best. I might make mistakes, but only because I’m trying too hard, okay?”
“You can take her to your wife’s room now, Mr. Williams. The nursing coach will meet you there.”
The large presence moved away slightly, though the warmth remained for another moment. A fabric of some kind replaced the warm hand, then movement.
She possessed vision of a sort now. It wasn’t clear, which was irritating, and colors sped past her rapidly. Were humans cursed with such poor sight? And why couldn’t she focus or understand? Humans endured many inadequacies in these areas. This had better not last too long.
Whatever transported her stopped and those large warm hands closed around her, lifting her. He pressed her to him for a moment, then other, smaller hands were on her and a voice more familiar crooned in her ear.
“Hello baby girl.”
~ ~ ~
Dee folded her daughter into her arms and felt the love wash over and take her under. She’d heard that would happen. The reality was so much more intense than she ever imagined. She shoved her continuing confusion aside for now. There would be time to sort everything out. The baby was here and safe, thanks to Dusty and of course, Sherry. Dee had a lot of questions, but that fact was the only thing that truly mattered.
Our baby girl.
What would they tell her in the future about how she came to be, how her parents met and fell in love? It would make a better story than any fairy tale, more adventure than any princess worthy of the title.
Even to the dramatic rescue at the end.
Braddock’s Crossing. Dee’s thoughts went back to that puzzle for an instant. Why here? It must be shock. She searched her mind, finding no memory of the trip. And why had she traveled at all? It was too late in her pregnancy for such a journey.
Obviously.
She’d been at home, that much she remembered. Dusty planned to go to Atlanta with Leonard. No, what she remembered must have been some time ago. She hadn’t been due at the time. And the baby was full term and healthy.
So, what had happened in the meantime?
Chapter 3
Dusty watched as Sherry and Dee cooed over the baby. He was only a step away, but it felt too far. How could he ever repay Sherry for what she’d done for them? As far as he was concerned, Sherry had cemented her place in their family, godmother at the very least.
With the euphoria of the birth behind them, what niggled most at the back of his mind—why had it been necessary?
He pushed the thought aside. Now was for celebrating. Both Dee and the baby were healthy and safe.
A tap sounded on the door and Leonard stuck his head in. “Is this a good time?”
Leonard? “Sure.” Dusty motioned Leonard to join them.
Had Sherry contacted him? Dusty hadn’t thought to. Once he’d sped from the apartment, he hadn’t given Leonard a second thought. Sherry
must have told him where they were, and that Dee and the baby were okay. Had they been here long enough for him to arrive from D.C.? Obviously so. Time seemed compressed somehow.
Why did it always come back to time?
He’d met Dee in a bar neither visited before the night both were inexplicably drawn to it, connected in basically a hook-up, and the next morning became time travelers. It sounded simple when stated like that, or maybe the beginning of a dirty limerick. In truth, nothing about their meeting was simple.
Neither Sherry, who worked with Dee at the trauma center, nor Leonard, Dusty’s supervisor, knew or understood how he and Dee became so close in such a short time. They had no idea Dusty and Dee spent months together in the past, in 1891, learning about one another, instituting change, and falling in love.
Only Dee’s father and his own were privy to those important facts. Only they knew of the myriad changes brought on by that side trip into the past. They both still grappled with it. There was no need to impose the burden on anyone else.
Besides, a padded room wasn’t something Dusty aspired to.
Now Leonard entered carrying Dee’s small suitcase and a baby carrier. He dropped those by the door and met Sherry’s eyes. “How is everyone?” He took a peek at the bundle in Sherry’s arms.
“Have a look.” Sherry turned to him and placed the infant in his arms.
Dusty almost protested before remembering Leonard had worked at a daycare when younger. Almost everyone did these days, now that daycares were a normal part of every business following their visit to the past. Leonard no doubt knew more about holding babies than Dusty.
“Are you finally going to let us know her name?” Leonard speared Dusty with a pointed gaze.
“Oh, yeah. Please meet Erica Dawn Williams. Erica means eternal ruler, forever strong. She earned it today.”
