"But how?" Barb managed and then dropped to her knees, gasping. Pain stabbed her skull.
"Oh, Barb." Thomas's arms encircled her and she nestled against his chest, her hands pressed to her temples. "Where is the elixir?" he asked in a muted voice.
"Table beside the bed," she managed. "But there's no time. If the police know about me, they'll be here soon. Run, Thomas."
"I won't leave your side." He promptly did just that in order to retrieve the vial that held potential relief.
Tears streamed down her cheeks. The pain was unrelenting. Through blurred vision she reached for the vial.
The bedroom door slammed against the wall. "You will remove yourself from the woman."
"She needs help!" Thomas all but shouted. "Please!"
Barb's fingers barely curled around the vial when it was snatched from her hand.
"Can't you see she's in pain? Help her!"
Several more booted feet entered the room. Men shouted things Barb couldn't understand. She curled into a ball, hiding her head from the light and noise. Strong hands picked her up and carried her away. Thomas's voice faded, but in her mind she still heard his plaintive cry for someone to help her.
And then all went black.
Chapter 6
Her head ached, but at least the blinding pain had disappeared. If only the dryness in her mouth would go away. She tried to swallow, but managed to do so only with difficulty. After a slow, even breath she opened her eyes. The room was dimly lit. Curtains partially covered the window through which the world was shrouded in its continual twilight.
Oh, God. Where was she, the House of Women or some detention center? And where were Roland and Thomas? Were they all right? She attempted to sit up, but fell back with a groan.
Someone moved to the side of the bed. "You're awake."
"Only barely."
"Oh, God, babe, I've been so worried."
"Tommy?" She turned her head and there he was, a hank of brown hair hanging over his forehead. "Tommy, is it really you?" She couldn't help the tears coursing down her face. How could this be? Then she didn't care. She'd never been so happy to see anyone in her life.
"It's me, sweetheart." Tommy's eyes looked suspiciously moist. He couldn't be crying. He was the strongest person she'd ever known.
"Where am I?"
"Mercy General. You've been here for the last six days, since the accident." He gently brushed her hair back from her face and then leaned forward to kiss her cheek.
"And he has been stationed beside your bed the entire time," said a heavily accented voice from the doorway. Roland!
"Where else could I be?" Tommy said, sounding strange. He gripped her hand, transferring warmth that spread through her body.
"Indeed," said the man, coming forward.
It wasn't Roland after all. He was taller and a bit younger. A white lab coat covered his mustard-colored scrubs and a stethoscope curled around his neck.
"I'm Doctor Roland," he said.
She started to laugh, but stopped when her head reminded her she was hospitalized for a reason. "You're kidding."
"No," he said dryly, "I never kid about my name." He listened to her heart and then gently prodded her head. Tommy still held her hand, providing comfort she needed.
"So, is it 2009?"
The doctor plucked her chart from the bottom of her bed and wrote, then came back to her side. "Do you not remember the year?"
She'd asked the wrong question. "Uh, well, I guess I do if it's 2009."
Tommy started to speak, but the doctor shook his head. "What year should it be?"
"What happened to me?" She couldn't say she half believed she'd been thrown over 800 years into the future. They'd take her to the psych ward.
Dr. Roland considered a moment before answering. "You were struck down by a vehicle. After being examined in the emergency room, you came here, room 2836. Tommy has practically camped out in that chair the whole time, complaining that your bed was too soft, our service too hard, and nothing was just right. I don't know how you put up with him as a neighbor."
Tommy squeezed her hand. "John and I are old friends. We were fraternity brothers."
Barb's heart rate kicked up a notch. The doctor, who'd been taking her pulse, must have noticed because he glanced at her. "You've heard about our fraternity?"
"Sexy Sexy Kappa?" she said, using the name bestowed on the frat house by her sorority. "Oh, yeah, I've heard about it, though I can't believe half of the stories are true."
"Trust me, they are," said Dr. Roland at the same time Tommy said, "Trust me, they aren't."
The doctor snorted a laugh as he noted more stats in her chart.
"I guess we did share a few good times." Tommy avoided meeting her eyes and his cheeks held a tinge of blush.
"But, back to you," the doctor said. "You have exhibited symptoms of pain, which we have alleviated with a new drug. Your side effects have been very interesting. I might consider writing an article, in fact." He cleared his throat before continuing. "High fevers we controlled with alcohol baths, but you stubbornly refused to wake up.
"Yesterday morning you suffered an aneurysm. We rushed you into surgery and eliminated the danger. And so," He stood back, hands folded, "Here you are, awake for the first time in almost a week, and looking quite better. Now can you tell me the year?"
"Is the sun okay?" She stared at the window.
"The sun? Yes. It is about to set. Is there some reason the sun should not be okay?'
"No." She breathed deeply. "It's 2009."
"Good." A brief smile lightened his angular features.
She stared. "Doctor, your eyes are different colors."
"Yes, a trait some men in my family carry."
"And don't think he didn't use that to reel in the women," Tommy interjected.
"I imagine it worked," Barb murmured and was rewarded with a brilliant smile from the doctor.
He made another note in her chart. "Do you feel able to eat?"
"Oh, yes!"
"The nurse will notify the kitchen." Tucking his pen in his pocket he said to Tommy, "Think you can leave her to sleep for awhile? I'm off in about an hour. Let's catch dinner and a beer."
Tommy looked at Barb, brows raised. "Of course," she said. "I'm not ready for an all night marathon yet."
"Well, when you are, I'd be interested," Dr. Roland said, and then looked surprised at his own words.
"She means Scrabble, fool." Tommy picked up an unused straw from the bedside table and threw it at his retreating friend. "I'll meet you downstairs at six."
Laughing, the doctor looked back at her. "Sorry, Barbara. I was out of line."
"Maybe not," she said softly.
"Well," he said.
"Well," Tommy agreed, amusement sparking his eyes. "We need to talk."
"And now I'll leave you to talk ." The doctor spun on his heel and left, pulling the door to behind him.
"Tommy, I've had the most remarkable dream."
"God have mercy, Barb, no shit. You, uh, moved a lot in bed." He gave a laugh. "About killed me. John said you exhibited all the signs of orgasm."
She smiled. "You needed John to tell you when a woman is having an orgasm? We need to see more of each other."
Smiling, he said, "I'm beginning to understand that, Barbie doll." He stroked her hair again and kissed the hand he held. "Seriously, it's been hell, Barb. Obviously you were in horrible pain. They kept telling me the hospital had procedures about when to give medication. I kept saying 'to hell with procedures.' I could hardly stand it, knowing you were hurting." He stared, suspicious moisture again making his eyes glimmer.
"I didn't know what to do. I stroked your hair, held your hand, even kissed you." Color touched his cheeks. "I had to touch you. And I talked to you, begging you not to let go, not to leave me. It almost seemed as if you wouldn't die if I stayed nearby, letting you know how important you are."
"I knew, Tommy. I really did."
He heave
d a sigh. "I'm glad. Damn, Barb. If you'd died, I don't know. You mean so much to me."
"I do?" Did she sound as amazed as she felt?
"It took your accident for me to realize how lost I'd be without you. You're much more than a friend."
When she was lost in her coma-like dreams, Tommy was the person she thought about, he was who she wished for. Now she knew the times she'd thought she heard his voice, she really had. She'd missed him. She wanted him.
"I missed you, too. You can't believe how much," she said.
His smile lit his whole face. He leaned closer. For the first time, their lips touched. Heat flowed all the way to her toes.
She smiled. "Very nice."
He kissed her again, this time slipping his tongue into her mouth for a slow dance with her own. Her nerves tingled and her nipples peaked. Her juices pooled between her thighs.
"Just how much did you and Doctor John Roland share when you were frat brothers?"
Tommy sat up. Laughing eyes stared at her. "We were buds. You know how buds are."
She stroked his thumb with hers. "Did you ever share a woman?"
"Share in the same bed or just during the same time period?" His brow furrowed and then enlightenment reached his eyes. "That's what your dream was about."
"Maybe."
"A lot makes sense, now." He smiled. "Is that what you want? John and me together?"
"Please tell me there's good reason they called it Sexy Sexy Kappa." His laughter sounded so good to her ears.
"Oh, babe, I can't begin to tell you. But I'll ask John over dinner if he'd be interested in showing you. When you're better."
"Did someone pick up my grocery bag?"
"I have it at home, why?"
"There's some chocolate syrup in there. I have a few ideas I'd like to try. And while you and the good doctor tell me about frat living, I'll tell you about a time far in the future.
"Hurry and get better," he said. "I can't wait to share all of our knowledge."
He rested his forehead against hers. She sighed and thought about her coma dream. She had to have been aware of her surroundings. The soft lighting and pulled drapes matched the atmosphere of Thomas' and Roland's time. She felt clean because they'd kept her bathed. The pain relief from the elixir had to be when they gave her the new drug. If dreams of having delicious sex were a side effect, people would be fighting for it. Or maybe her dream revealed an inner slut she didn't know existed. She smiled, thinking Tommy and Dr. Roland would enjoy getting to know her other persona.
Tommy lifted his head, frowning. "You're hot again. Feeling feverish?"
"Fevered is more like it."
He laughed. "We'll have to seek the John's advice about that," he said, and took her mouth again, showing he could be fevered himself. The kiss made her toes curl.
If she could have brought one thing with her back from the future, it would have been the elixir. Now she didn't think she'd have need of it after all.
THE END
www.deesknight.com
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
A few years ago, Dee S. Knight made a career move that made getting up in the morning fun. During the day, her characters killed people, got married, became drunk with power or sober with responsibility. And sex. They had sex , over and over. In her computer, anything could happen to anyone. Writing about sexand all that other stuffwas so much fun, Dee decided to keep at it. Sex, murder and mayhem is how she spends her days. Her nights? Well, that's between her and her dream man, childhood sweetheart, long-time hubby. They now reside in the Great Midwest, happily sharing the adventure they call life.
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