Stitch (Stitch Trilogy, Book 1)

by Durante, Samantha

  Isaac turned the block over in his hand as he considered what shape this particular piece of wood might best take to. With his mind so preoccupied over the past few days by his exchange with the woman, Jo was certain to be feeling snubbed, and he thought she would appreciate a gift.

  Isaac withdrew the knife from its thick leather sheath and starting chipping at one corner. The soft wood gave readily under his steady hand and within a few minutes, a rudimentary resemblance of a horse had emerged. He held it up to the light to examine it and was pleased with his handiwork. However, with a painful cramp slowly creeping into his hand, he opted for a short break before continuing.

  Carefully sliding the blade into its case, Isaac set the knife on the table. He allowed his mind to wander as he massaged the heel of his palm with his thumb to loosen the cramp. As usual, most of his thoughts revolved around the presence.

  The strange woman had taken hold of him like nothing he’d ever experienced. For months now her mystery had dominated his waking thoughts, and he’d devoted an inordinate amount of time to anticipating their next encounter. He had hoped that he’d be able to learn more about her by now, but frustratingly, he was no closer to understanding who she was than he had been at the start.

  After their last exchange, however, Isaac felt certain that he was on the verge of a breakthrough. She had tried to communicate with him, and it was only a matter of time before they figured out how to break down the barriers that stood between them. His body tingled as he remembered her burning emerald eyes and wondered idly what it would feel like to run his fingers through her thick, glossy hair.

  A flicker from the overhead light interrupted his reverie. Isaac wondered if there was some sort of outage coming – after all, the power lines running to the farm weren’t exactly reliable. He stood up with the intention of checking the electricity in the rest of the house, but he was interrupted by a sudden swing of the back door.

  Standing in the doorway was the woman.

  Isaac gasped. He’d been anticipating this moment for days, but her unexpected appearance left him breathless nevertheless. He froze in place as his mind scrambled to compute a course of action.

  As they locked eyes, time seemed to slow and Isaac was able to perceive her more clearly. She somehow seemed more vivid than she ever had before, flushed and radiant, with gleaming hair and glowing skin and shining sea-green eyes. And then he realized what it was. She was solid.

  Isaac gaped as comprehension dawned on him. The woman wasn’t just some transparent figment, but alive, and here, standing in full flesh and blood right in front of him.

  “Isaac!”

  The peal of her voice reverberated in his ears. Finally, he could hear her. As he registered her words, confusion replaced his relief. She knew his name? “How…”

  She paced toward him, her hands reaching out for his, and he prayed that she would not disappear again. She didn’t. As her fingers closed around his, the heat of her palms pressed through him, strangling the words that had been rising in his throat.

  “Isaac…” Tears glistened in her eyes as she squeezed his hands.

  All Isaac could think to say was, “…Who are you?”

  She took a deep breath and looked up at the ceiling, steadying herself. Then she trained her startling green eyes on his. “It’s me, Isaac. Alessa.”

  Isaac’s head spun. Alessa? Wasn’t that the name that Jo had said he’d been uttering in his sleep? He tried to make sense of it. How could he have known her name? Did they know each other somehow? If so, he couldn’t imagine how he could have forgotten her…

  Alessa grasped his hands tighter, pulling him back to the moment. “Isaac, I know you’re confused. But you need to listen to me. I have something very important to tell you.”

  The lights continued to flicker, but Isaac barely even noticed. All he could concentrate on was her – her eyes, her skin, her scent – there was nothing else.

  “I’m here to warn you, Isaac. There’s going to be a fire that will kill you and your family, but I think you can avert it.”

  Isaac’s jaw dropped. “How could you know this?”

  “I’m…” Alessa paused and took a slow breath. “I know how this sounds, but the truth is, I’m from the future. I live in this same house, a hundred years from now, and I’ve been seeing your ghost.”

  “From the future? But how is that possible? I thought I’ve been seeing your ghost, or something like it, anyway.”

  Alessa shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t fully understand it, either. All I know is that I dug up some old newspaper records and I found articles saying that your entire family died on April 13th, 1917.”

  Isaac released Alessa’s grasp and brought his hand to his chest to steady himself. “But that’s tomorrow!”

  Alessa placed her hand on his shoulder to reassure him. “That’s plenty of time! I know the fire was started by Josephine in the barn, so you just need to keep her away from there for the next 24 hours and I think everything should be okay…”

  Isaac’s heart pounded as he tried to process what she was saying. He and his family would die tomorrow, but she’d found a way to warn him in time. He just needed to make sure that Jo didn’t leave his sight.

  He placed his hand gently but firmly on Alessa’s shoulder. Only inches away now, he gazed solemnly into her eyes.

  “Alessa, I don’t know how to thank you.” He paused for a moment to let the magnitude of his appreciation sink in. “You’ve been the only thing I’ve thought about for months, but I couldn’t seem to contact you. It was the most frustrating thing I’d ever experienced.”

  Alessa smiled softly. “I know, Isaac, I felt the same. I just felt…” she searched for the right word, “…drawn to you. When I learned what happened to you – what would have happened to you – I just… I couldn’t live without knowing I’d tried to warn you …”

  Tears welled in Alessa’s eyes as she looked up at Isaac, invoking a tenderness inside him that yearned to comfort her in any way he could. He could feel the current buzzing between their bodies, a compulsion to hold her. He withdrew his hand from her shoulder and gently cupped her face, tentatively at first. Her breath caught and she seemed to melt into his touch.

  Emboldened, he threaded his fingers through her thick, soft locks, releasing his other hand from hers and resting it on the curve of her hip. His body throbbed with the closeness of her, his heart bursting with affection and gratitude and desire as he leaned in.

  As Isaac pulled Alessa closer, he could feel her gripping his shoulder tighter. She slipped her free hand around his waist and pulled hard, closing the space between their bodies. Anticipation flared in her eyes, razing the last shreds of his inhibition. Her eyelids closed at the same moment as his, and Isaac drew a hurried breath.

  As he leaned his face towards Alessa’s, Isaac knew at once that he’d been here before.

  Dirt and leaves clung to Isaac’s skin as he lay huddled in the thicket. Even hours after the sun had set, the heat and humidity of the day refused to subside and the air felt thick and heavy. And being sidled up next to Alessa in such close quarters – the bare skin on her long, taut limbs glistening in the moonlight – certainly wasn’t helping.

  Isaac had partnered with Alessa on countless reconnaissance missions in the six months since they’d lost Joe, but this was the first that had placed them in such close physical proximity. In that time, his feelings for Alessa had grown and evolved in many ways, but tonight the only feeling he could concentrate on was that of her body pressed next to his.

  He’d always found Alessa’s beauty undeniable, but knowing how his brother had felt about her, it had always seemed best to push those feelings aside. And as Isaac got to know Alessa, he came to appreciate her on a much deeper level.

  After losing Joe, she’d become Isaac’s lifeline. Given that they needed to hide their grief in order to avoiding arousing suspicion, Alessa was the only person he could talk to about what he was feeling. Their clandestine assi
gnments for the rebels provided their only opportunities to talk freely about their shared pain and their uncertain dreams for the future.

  In addition to her emotional support, Isaac had also grown to admire Alessa for her efforts in the rebellion. Ever since the tragedy with Joe, Alessa had invested herself completely in the cause and had quickly proven talented. She’d earned greater and greater responsibility and, along with Isaac, had become entrusted with executing some of the rebels’ most critical missions. He respected her abilities and her dedication intensely, and there was no one he trusted more.

  Though their friendship was rooted in their shared grief over Joe, it had blossomed into something much richer and much more profound than Isaac had anticipated. Over time he’d realized that the complicated feelings he had for Alessa were love. And along with that love came a deep, consuming desire that he had worked tirelessly to suppress.

  As much as he cared for Alessa, Isaac still couldn’t shake his old notions of Alessa as Joe’s sweetheart. He remembered what Joe had said on that fateful day – “If I’m captured, I need you here to take care of Less,” – and Isaac had taken his brother’s last request seriously.

  He was determined to do right by the memory of his brother, to be strong and brave and to protect Alessa, whatever the cost. But he was fairly sure that his brother wouldn’t have been happy about Isaac becoming romantically involved with Alessa, and that guilt had thus far prevented Isaac from acting on his feelings.

  But on this sweltering summer night with the heat of Alessa’s smooth, soft body pressing into his side, strands of her glossy hair clinging to the droplets on her neck, and her striking emerald eyes sparkling in the night, he was starting to reconsider his position.

  If Joe truly wanted Isaac to take care of Alessa, he reasoned, he would want him to be there for her completely, in any way she might need him. Right? The only question was whether Alessa did need him in that way, or if she still only saw Joe’s kid brother when she looked at him.

  Alessa turned suddenly to Isaac, disrupting his contemplation. She tucked her recently-cropped chin-length hair behind her ears, still adjusting to the new low-maintenance style she’d opted for in light of the colossal challenges they faced in the rebellion. “Wasn’t the delivery supposed to happen by one o’clock? It’s almost two now. I’m wondering if our intel was bad…”

  Sweat glistened on her brow, her hair matted against her cheeks, and clumps of dirt clung under her chin. But as far as Isaac was concerned, she’d never looked more stunning. The mission be damned, it was now or never.

  “Alessa, I… I have to tell you something.”

  She looked at him expectantly, her expression softening as she registered the emotion on his face. She searched his eyes, concerned. “Isaac, what’s wrong?”

  Isaac took a deep breath and rolled onto his side toward Alessa. She mimicked his movement unconsciously and they lie facing each other, close enough to feel each other’s breath. He steeled himself for what came next. He needed to show Alessa how he felt, whatever the risk.

  Tentatively he inched closer, watching her reaction. Her eyes widened as she realized what Isaac was about to do, but she didn’t pull back. Encouraged, he plunged forward and gently touched his lips to hers.

  At first Alessa froze, her eyes staring into his with alarm. But only for a moment. Then her body relaxed, her eyelids fluttered shut, and she wrapped her arms tightly around him as she returned his kiss with a passion he’d only dreamed of. They clung to each other as everything around them – the sticky humid air, the scratching branches, all of their doubts and insecurities and fears – melted away under the intense blaze of their kiss.

  And Isaac was certain he’d made the right choice.

  31. Trust

  What was going on? Alessa’s touch had unleashed a vivid flashback, but Isaac couldn’t make sense of any of it. When had that memory occurred? What had he and Alessa been doing hiding under that bush in the middle of the night? And who was this brother, Joe, of whom he had no recollection?

  All Isaac knew was that his body recognized the feel of this woman as familiar, and he didn’t know how that could be possible. But whoever Alessa was, it was clear to him now that she was as vital to his existence as oxygen or water or food. Whatever she asked of him next, he would deliver. There was no turning back.

  Looking down at the mysterious woman still wrapped in his arms, Isaac burned with anticipation. But before he could seal his lips to Alessa’s, the lights flickered once again and finally went out. She pulled away quickly, the alarm exuding from her palpable.

  With the sun still fading in the distance, there was enough light for Isaac to make out her face. She quickly glanced around the room, her wide eyes settling on his.

  “Isaac, we only have a few seconds, so please listen carefully.”

  Her expression had changed. She was afraid now. And intense, alert. Her tension had triggered some sort of instinct in Isaac that told him to follow her lead – or else.

  Letting their intimate moment pass was an almost physical ache, but he nodded to signal that he was listening, his eyes searching her face.

  She continued. “Once the lights turn back on, they’ll be watching us, so we’ll need to be discreet.”

  Isaac was perplexed. He couldn’t imagine who could be watching them – or how. “But why?”

  Alessa warily skimmed the room again. Her words spilled out in a rapid tumble. “I can’t now…” She took a deep breath. “You’re in danger – we both are – and I need you to come with me. I’m here to help you escape.”

  “Escape?” But she’d already warned him of the fire – what other danger could there be? It didn’t make any sense, and yet – given her behavior – he didn’t doubt the sincerity of her words. But if there was danger, he couldn’t possibly leave his family behind. “I can’t leave without my family…”

  Alessa hesitated before responding. “Isaac, they’re not who you think they are…” Her expression softened. “They’re not your real family. They’re just prisoners here, like us.”

  Isaac shook his head in disbelief. This woman was clearly very confused.

  Alessa’s eyes bored into him, a pained expression on her face. “I know it’s a lot to take in.” The lights flickered once and a wave of panic swept over her expression. “Just please… trust me. I’ll explain everything when there’s time.”

  Isaac couldn’t think of a single logical reason to trust Alessa. His family was his family. His parents and Josephine featured in all of his memories, back down to his earliest childhood. What did she mean that they weren’t his real family? He didn’t know what to think.

  And wherever did she get the gall to make such wild assertions, anyway? If such a thing were true, how could she even know? To his knowledge, Alessa knew practically nothing about him; she was a stranger to him.

  But somewhere deep inside, he knew that wasn’t true. Just as his subconscious had known her name, he could feel in his bones that he knew this woman. Something drew him to her in a way that nothing else ever had.

  Despite his better judgment, he decided to trust her. For now.

  Isaac stood frozen, waiting for Alessa to act.

  The lights flickered once again and she surveyed the room hastily, an animal look in her eyes. One of her hands released his and darted for the sheathed knife on the table. She snatched it up and deftly slid it into her waistband under her shirt, the motion smooth and automatic, as if she’d done it a million times before. Then she quickly retook his hand, resuming the same position they’d been in when the power first went out.

  The lights flicked on once more and held, illuminating the room for a moment. Isaac looked Alessa in the eyes, unsure of what to do, and found a pure, almost feral determination staring back at him. With a twinge of fear, he wondered if he’d made the wrong decision.

  32. Pursuit

  Isaac caught his breath as he waited for a cue from Alessa. She was unmistakably anxious. Isaac observ
ed that she was nervously fingering the knife concealed at her waist while eyeing the room. He didn’t know what to expect next, but he was ready to follow her lead.

  When the lights flicked off once again, she wasted no time. She grabbed Isaac’s hand and sprinted from the room, leading him out of the kitchen and down the hallway in the direction of the parlor.

  Thousands of questions tumbled in Isaac’s mind as he wondered about the circumstances that had led her here, but his thoughts were interrupted by Alessa yanking him violently into the foyer closet. She slammed the door shut behind him and pulled the string overhead to turn on the dim closet light.

  “Isaac, quickly, we only have a few minutes before they get here. Help me barricade the door.” An expression bordering on panic lined her face as she began frantically searching through the contents of the closet.

  “Who’s coming?”

  Alessa snatched up a sturdy folded chair and wedged it under the doorknob. “The producers!” she replied with a grunt as she threw her weight at the chair to jam it in tighter.

  The producers? “Who are ‘the producers?’”

  “Isaac, there’s no time. I promise I will explain as soon as I can.” She was unfolding a crumpled piece of paper from her pocket, her face scrunched with concentration. “According to the map, there should be a utility tunnel connected to this closet…”

  She turned and started knocking lightly on the walls. Once she reached the back wall, he realized what she was doing – it sounded hollow. Gritting her teeth, Alessa turned and swung her elbow hard into the plaster. Isaac cringed, expecting a cry of pain, but when he looked up, he saw that Alessa had punched a large hole at the point of impact. As she withdrew, Isaac could see thousands of tiny blue and red lights blinking in the darkness beyond. What in the world…

  She began tearing at the hole, ripping chunks of the wall away to reach the dark space behind it. “Isaac! Please, there’s no time!”

  Isaac put his confusion aside and complied. As his fingers wrapped around the edge of the hole, he was surprised to find that the wall was thin and light, a dusty composite material that broke readily in his hands. This was unlike any of the hard, thick plaster he’d ever seen.