by Tessa Cole
With a jerk, I woke up, sweating, my heart racing.
I couldn’t take it anymore. I needed to do something, get out, turn my life on its head, but in a good way this time. It had been thrown into such a shambles that I just couldn’t get over it. I was still thinking about the guys. I’d hated them and screamed at them in my fever-dreams, but with a clearer head now, I hated myself for hating them.
I didn’t know why they’d come to the wedding, but ultimately, it hadn’t been their fault. Yes, they’d trashed the place, but they wouldn’t have been able to do any of that if I hadn’t brought them back to my world.
I’d been so enraptured with the fantasy they’d represented that I’d wanted more. I should have put my foot down and just left their world… alone. But they’d been so kind, so caring, so protective. They may not have known the ways of my world, but in many ways, they’d been more gentlemanly than any man I’d ever known. They’d treated me… well, like a goddess and I’d loved it.
Oh, how I’d loved it. That reverence in their eyes… and the desire. No one had ever looked at me like that before, not frumpy ol’ Annie Chambers.
I should have spent more time teaching them the ways of my world and made them understand the norms and customs, and the technology before leaving them alone. They hadn’t even known how to use a light switch! Maybe, if I’d done that, they wouldn’t have come after me, wouldn’t have made a mess of everything.
Except that would have required explaining that I wasn’t a goddess.
I still didn’t know how I’d been able to heal those people in their world.
And as I thought about it… they’d been able to do strange things here as well. Aethan had moved far too fast and Rion had created that blinding light at the wedding.
Perhaps it was something about people from one world being special when they were in the other world.
I didn’t know. It was a wild theory. Though no wilder than the existence of another world.
Outside my window a faint light at the edge of the horizon said it was near dawn, so I dressed, getting ready for work, still thinking about my theory.
I was so caught up in thought, moving on autopilot, that I didn’t realize until I looked up that I’d returned to the alley instead of my office and that it was Saturday and I hadn’t needed to leave my apartment.
It had snowed overnight, a good three or four inches, and while most of it had been cleared from the sidewalk, the alley hadn’t been shoveled. That meant I could clearly see the two sets of footprints which originated at that special part of the wall and walked out of the alley.
But that wasn’t possible, no one could come through without me.
I stared at the footprints for a long moment then drew closer, drawing up to the spot and stared at it.
I needed to see the guys.
And I needed to confess to them that I wasn’t a goddess. I was fairly certain once they knew I wasn’t a goddess they’d be furious with me. They’d think I’d taken advantage of them, and in a way, I had. I was certain none of them would have wanted to have sex with me if I’d just been… me.
I shoved that thought back, reminding myself that even if they weren’t angry. I didn’t know if I wanted them back in my life. Their world and mine didn’t mix.
Except that didn’t matter. Whether I wanted them or they wanted me, they still deserved the truth. I’d feel better once they knew. Then this could all end and — I hoped to God — I could get on with my pathetic life.
I had no idea exactly what I’d say, but I had the walk from the stones to the village to figure that out.
And a walk on a gloriously warm beach seemed like exactly what I needed — and wanted — right now.
I reached out to touch the wall, my hand passing through into the unsettling nothingness that should have been brick, then stepped through the wall.
And there, lying in the early morning sunlight, less than a dozen feet from me, was Rion, face down in the sand, wings splayed out and limp. Black spots covered his skin, and even as I stared at him in horror, the diseased spots grew, consuming him. He’d be dead in a matter of minutes, if he wasn’t already.
Chapter 21
Annie
My heart racing, I ran to Rion and placed my hands on his blistered and diseased skin. The sight of it was sickening, but I knew I could heal this even if no one in the camp had been this far gone… so long as he was still alive.
Please, let him still be alive.
I couldn’t see him breathing and was too afraid to check his pulse to find out the truth, so, like I’d done before, I pushed energy into him instead, praying I wasn’t too late.
For a terrifying second, I feared even if he was alive, it wouldn’t work. My previous time here had felt like a dream, and if it had been a dream then it had turned into a nightmare and it wouldn’t matter what I tried, I’d lose him.
But the horrible spots on his skin began to heal and fade and then he drew in a long, heavy breath.
Oh, thank God.
I sat back on my heels, exhausted and relieved and suddenly extremely warm.
Right, tropical world.
If I didn’t want to pass out from heat exhaustion, I needed to shed some clothes. Luckily, I’d come prepared this time, with a light T-shirt and shorts under all my other things… which, if I’d been paying attention should have told me where my subconscious wanted me to go instead of thinking when I’d left my apartment that I was going to work.
I stripped down to my tropic-appropriate clothing as Rion dragged in another couple deep breaths before groaning and slowly rolling over into a sitting position
He stared at me, his expression stunned.
“Annie?” His gaze slid to the stones from which I’d emerged then returned to me. “I’d been coming to get you, or trying to get you, but I couldn’t pass through the stones. How did you know?”
How had I known?
Had I known?
Certainly my dreams the night before now seemed prophetic if this was what had really happened to them, but I didn’t put much stock in prophecies. This was just coincidence and good timing. Nothing more.
“It doesn’t matter, I’m just glad you’re well,” I said. “Actually, this will probably work for the best. I don’t know if I could face the others, but perhaps I can tell you and you can take it back to them.”
“Annie, the others are—”
“Rion,” I said, cutting him off even as I dropped my gaze to my feet. I needed to finish this and if I didn’t say it now, I was afraid I’d lose my courage and never would. “I’m not a goddess. I don’t know why I have powers here, but I don’t in my world. I’m nothing special. I—”
“Annie,” Rion said his voice strange and soft, but I couldn’t tell what that meant. I didn’t know him well enough to know if he was so furious he’d withdrawn and become quiet or if he wasn’t furious.
And if he wasn’t furious, would he still want me?
The thought shocked me even though I knew I still desired him and the others. I didn’t think I’d ever stop desiring them.
But that wasn’t the point. I’d lied to them, made them think I was a goddess and I couldn’t have all four. That just didn’t happen.
“Annie.” He tucked a finger under my chin and urged me to meet his gaze. The look in his eyes was also strange, a mix of desire and longing and… fear.
He was afraid of me?
“I know.”
My thoughts tripped. “What?” What were we talking about?
“I know you’re not a goddess.”
So he was mad.
Except he didn’t look mad and wait—
He already knew?
But—
“We have to hurry. The others were infected too. The sickness came, but it wasn’t just a sickness, it was a person, someone like you, with powers. He walked through town and infected everyone.”
I gasped as my thoughts did another flipflop.
A person infected eve
ryone just by walking through the town?
That didn’t make any sense—
“The others…?”
“Need your healing.”
“Take me to them.”
I jerked toward the village and started to run, but Rion yanked me into his arms and with a whoosh that sent the sand sweeping around us, he leaped into the air.
His body was hard and hot, pressing into my back. I snuggled closer and his arms tightened around me. One arm was high, just below my breasts, the other low, on my hip, keeping me close, pulling me closer. My heart skipped and soared from the intimate contact and… from freaking flying! My breath hitched and I had trouble fully recovering it, because if I wasn’t thinking about flying, or how good it felt to be close to him, I was thinking about the rest of my guys in pain.
Not my guys… the guys.
Fuck… whatever.
We spotted Keph just outside the village trudging through the sand in the direction of the rocks carrying Aethan under one arm and Del under the other. The disease covered all three of them, and I was surprised how well I could tell where it was on Keph, given his black skin. But then his natural skin was ever so slightly shiny and the diseased parts were dull and oozing.
Aethan and Del looked to be almost completely covered by the ichor, and my chest squeezed with fear.
Please, God. They had to still be alive.
“Set them down,” I said as Rion landed in front of Keph.
Keph dragged his gaze up — he’d been staring at the ground just putting one foot in front of the next, trying to move forward.
“You came.” Relief filled his large silver-lined black eyes, and he sagged to his knees and released the others onto the sand.
My chest squeezed even tighter at the sight of seeing the powerful man brought to his knees like that, his head bowed with exhaustion, but the others weren’t even moving, and just like Rion, I couldn’t tell if they were still alive.
I knelt in front of Keph and placed one hand on Aethan’s head and the other on Del’s, praying that I’d be able to split my energy and heal both of them at the same time.
Strength swept out of me, flooding into them, as if once I’d made the connection, their bodies had taken over and was sucking me dry. But I didn’t fight it. My soul cried to save them even if I barely knew them, even if it didn’t make sense to sacrifice myself for them if that’s what it took.
The horrible black welts on their skin melted away and Del groaned, while Aethan sucked in a deep, gasping breath.
The pressure in my chest eased a bit, and I dragged my attention to Keph and raised a trembling hand to his head.
One more. That was all I needed to do.
“Annie, stop,” Rion said. “You’ve done too much.”
I ignored him and set my hand on the top of Keph’s smooth head, and let my power flow into him. He wasn’t as far gone, and didn’t take as much from me, but light and dark spots surged and danced across my vision by the time I was done.
The rest of the pressure in my chest eased and the irrational fear that I’d lose even one of these men who I’d just met, faded. I drew in my own ragged, gasping breath.
My guys were safe… except they weren’t my guys… and I didn’t know if they were safe.
Rion had said everyone in the village had been infected, and I didn’t know if this magical illness worked like a regular illness. Would the guys have antibodies? Were they now immune, or could they be infected over and over again?
And really, did that matter?
I still had some strength left. I could save a few more people.
I had to.
“The village,” I said, my words slurred as I struggled to stand. “I need to heal as many as I can.”
“No,” Rion said, “you’ll kill yourself.”
“I don’t think we can stop her,” Del said, dragging himself up into a sitting position.
Rion huffed. “She can’t even walk. Stopping her won’t be a problem.”
“I’ll take you, Annie,” Keph said, slowly standing up as he shot Rion a look filled with scorn. “We need to help as many as we can. This is our fault.”
Which didn’t make any sense, but I could barely focus and knew if I thought too hard about it, I’d lose my concentration and wouldn’t be able to help anyone.
Keph leaned down and gently picked me up. His hands were huge, one under my back, the other under my butt, my legs hanging over his elbow, and he cradled me against his massive chest. I leaned my head against his large shoulder and struggled to stay conscious.
I just needed to hold out a little longer and save as many people as I could.
He carried me into the village. People lay in the street, gasping, moaning, and some not making any noise at all. It was the most horrific thing I’d ever seen, straight out of a horror movie, and a part of me was grateful that I was dizzy and exhausted and my mind was unable to fully register the complete terror of the situation.
Keph stopped at one person then the next, kneeling so I could reach them, but never letting go. In the back of my mind, I knew he was going to people who were alive. We never stopped at someone who I couldn’t heal, and I was pretty sure my magic wouldn’t work on someone who was dead.
I healed as many of the villagers as I could — more than I thought I would — before the darkness and exhaustion fully engulphed me and dragged me into unconsciousness.
There, I drifted in darkness. Far off, out of reach and barely audible, people cried. A part of me knew they were dying from the terrible illness and that I had to save them, but I couldn’t reach them, and I couldn’t make myself focus on them.
The darkness churned and swirled, sweeping me around and around, the voices always at the edge of my hearing, always crying for help. Help I couldn’t give them.
I woke to hushed voices, arguing nearby.
I could barely move and couldn’t get my eyes to open, but it was light enough behind my lids that I knew it had to still be daytime. Exhaustion still pulled at me, making me feel dizzy and heavy and slow.
“—her world. After she healed me, she told me she doesn’t have powers in her world. As we’d suspected.” This was Rion’s sensual tenor, strong and commanding even though he was whispering. “I don’t know how we’d stop him.”
Who? What? My thoughts muddled and I tried to ask him what he was talking about but couldn’t make my mouth move.
“Wouldn’t it stand to reason that if she can’t heal, then he can’t infect?” Aethan asked, his tenor was higher pitched and his words quick and not quite as clear or commanding as Rion’s.
“True, but what about the woman who was with him?” That was Keph’s rumbling bass. Gods, I’d forgotten how much I loved that voice. I could lie there with my eyes closed and listen to him speak for an eternity and be happy.
“She’s one of us, a naiad. So, yes, she might have powers in Annie’s world, but how could we be certain she’d have the exact same disease powers as that man did?” Del asked in his smooth, resonate baritone.
And what was this about disease powers? Rion had mentioned it before? Maybe? Something about a man spreading this disease?
“No, Keph is right,” Aethan said. “If she’s spent any time around the man, she’d have to be infected, but she didn’t look like it. There were no blemishes on her blue skin. But that might mean she’s immune and a carrier of the disease. If she walks around that crowded city where Annie lives, that could be disastrous.”
My pulse lurched. That didn’t sound good at all. I needed to know what they were talking about, but I couldn’t get my mouth or my eyes to open and only managed a strangled groan instead.
“Annie?” Rion asked.
I groaned again.
“We’re working on it,” he said, and an enormous, firm hand — it had to be Keph’s — settled on my leg. He rubbed my thigh, his thick fingers gentle on my skin. “Don’t you worry, rest for now.”
“I’ll keep you safe,” Keph rumbled.
>
Some deep and smoldering part of me wanted more from those fingers. Instead of brushing the cuffs of my shorts, I wanted them under my shorts. But that part was drowned out by the vast, exhausted majority of me, who just felt comforted by Keph’s presence.
I slipped back into the darkness and dreamed again of people screaming and crying and dying from a horrible, devouring illness. But this time instead of it being far off and just out of reach, I was in the middle of it, rushing from one person to the next desperate to save them.
But there were so many. Rows upon rows of people begged for help, begged for me to heal them, even as the exhaustion of having used all my power slowed me down. I had to save them all, but I couldn’t. I was just one person and I wasn’t strong enough to do it.
Gasping, I jerked awake, my throat tight with the horrible realization that my dream had been real.
Tears burned my eyes.
I hadn’t been able to save everyone in the village. I’d barely been able to save a fraction of them.
I dragged myself into a sitting position, drawing my knees up and resting my chin on them as I stared at the last remains of what had to have been a stunning sunset.
All those people had died and this world just kept going as if nothing had happened, just like my world would. It didn’t feel right that I was sitting on a tropical beach, looking at a cloudless sky dotted with stars, the dark velvet blue of nighttime sliding toward the crimson edge of the sun sinking behind the waves. It was so beautiful and it seemed so wrong.
So many people were dead… and I had the horrible feeling that, on some level, this had been my fault.
“Annie,” Aethan exclaimed, from somewhere behind me. “You’re awake.”
I kept my gaze on the sunset, unable to look him in the eyes. I’d failed so many people. I hadn’t even known how much I’d wanted to save all of them until I’d failed so miserably.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Aethan’s hoofed feet step up beside me, and then he sat close and pressed a warm hand against my back. His palm wasn’t nearly as big as Keph’s had been on my leg, but his touch was just a soothing.
