Reaching beneath the table, she found Harrison’s hand and wrapped her fingers within his. She knew he was never letting go. How was she supposed to?
*****
Harrison sat behind Gemma on his bed, peering over her shoulder. He toyed with her ponytail, letting the silky hair thread and fall through his fingers.
“This site looks good.”
She had asked to borrow his laptop as soon as dinner was finished. Opening up a search engine she had speedily typed in Latin alphabet and was now scanning the results.
Clicking open a page, they watched the screen come alive with symbols that looked similar to the ones she had clutched in her hand.
“Here we go.” She grabbed the pen next to her and wrote the English letter below each symbol. “Titus.”
Her shoulders slumped.
“What?” Harrison wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer. “What does that mean?”
“Okay.” Gemma leaned her head back on his shoulder. “So you know that trip I did where I relocated that artifact? Well, just last week, we did a similar one in basically the same area just a few hundred years later. I asked Ruby about it today in the library and she said it was the same thing. A necklace with symbols on the side.”
“They were Latin letters, weren’t they?”
“Yeah.”
“And yours said Tita.”
Gemma turned to peek at him. “Was my mystery novel story okay?”
“Courtney bought it.”
“I can’t get anything past you."
“Sweetie, your eyes are an open book.”
“Only to you.” She gazed at him, her green eyes swirling with intensity. Harrison matched her expression then kissed her softly.
“So, I’m guessing the necklace Ruby took said Titus.” Harrison finally managed once his lips had regained some of their feeling. “What’s the big deal, Gem?”
“Well, Titus and Tita were part of the electus… You know, the original seven I told you about? Anyway, I know that when they all went their separate ways that two of them ended up in Germania. I was just wondering if these necklaces belonged to them. Why would my father want them to be discovered in a dig when we spend most of our lives trying to keep this history a secret?”
Gemma sat forward, restless.
“Gem.” Harrison kneaded her shoulders. “I really think you should talk to your dad about this. Maybe he’s going to the dig sites himself and collecting them before they’re discovered.”
Gemma’s body stilled to consider this. Turning her head with a beaming smile, she let out a long sigh. “That’s it. That’s what it will be. Harrison, you’re a genius!” Swiveling her body, she placed a solid kiss on his lips, pushing him back against the bed so she could lie on top of him.
He ran his hands around her thin waist and up her back, drawing himself further into the kiss. The flame within him began to burn blue as it always did when they got a little carried away. He could feel the scorching heat radiating from his skin and she broke the bond just in time.
“I don’t want the bed to catch on fire.” Her lips quirked with amusement, but her eyes still gleamed with heat.
“It would be worth it.”
“I know, but I’m not ready yet. I don’t think.” Her face crinkled with a frown and he smoothed it away with gentle fingers.
“Gem, I told you, it’s fine. We’ve got all the time in the world.”
He hated that look of uncertainty that came into her eyes. Grabbing her face more firmly, he made her look at him. “Hey, we do. We’re going to make this work, Gem.”
“How?”
“We’ll make your parents realize that I am the most amazing guy on earth and we’re perfect for each other.”
A fleeting grin passed over her face, before she sighed. “They’ll never go for it, Harrison. You don’t know the whole story.”
Harrison’s chest tightened. “Tell it to me then.”
Pushing off his chest, she flopped onto her back. “As the electus grew older, one of the seven, Decimus, thought they could help more people if they left their village and went out into the world. The three couples each left together and Decimus traveled on his own.
“He was different from the rest. He had a gift that helped him read people. He could sense if something was good or bad and he was able to analyze situations with more depth than the others. Although Gaius was the leader, Decimus was the key. It was like he was the center of the star and the other six were the points.
“Anyway, he ended up…f-falling in love with an outsider…human. The story goes that he was so blinded by her beauty that he gave in to her every demand. She ended up finding out what he could do and she used him. In the end he betrayed the rest of the electus and nearly wiped us out altogether.”
Harrison squeezed her hand. “How did your people survive?”
“The other six put their children into hiding, scattered them across the planet so they couldn’t be found. There is a strong bond between us though. That’s how they managed to find each other again over the years. My mom once told me that if I met another time spirit I would know. I’d be drawn to them.”
“Well, you were drawn to me. Maybe I can travel through time and just don’t know it.”
Gemma’s laughter shattered the somber mood. “Half the girls in the school are drawn to you, Harrison. I was just lucky to catch your attention.”
His smile was serious as he ran his finger down her face. “How could I not notice you? You’re meant to be mine.”
“That’s where my parents are going to disagree with you. After the whole Decimus thing, our people had to be more careful. We’ve fought a lot of battles over the centuries. Our survival hasn’t been easy and my parents would rather die than have any of their children ending up like Decimus.”
“But surely there are others of you who have married normal people.”
“Yeah there are, but according to my parents it weakens the race. I know they really hate that they’re not full blooded, pure time spirits.”
Gemma’s eyes grew distant and Harrison could sense her imagining a future without him.
Tipping her chin toward him, he whispered, “That’s not going to happen. I’m going to be there.”
“But there are rules…”
“Gem, there is an exception to every rule and we are going to be it. I’m not losing you.”
Her birthmark came to life, pulsing in time with her heartbeat.
“I love you,” he murmured.
Before she could say anything he pressed his lips to hers, meandering over the kiss until her fingers laced into his hair and the air around them ignited.
He didn’t care what the legends said or who this Decimus was. Gemma and he belonged together and he would destroy anything that got in the way of that.
Chapter Eighteen
St. Augustine, Florida - 2011 AD
The hallway was crowded as per usual. Harrison walked toward the parking lot with the Hart siblings. Dom and Ruby were a riot. They absentmindedly squabbled as they dodged the bustle of students trying to break free for the weekend. Gemma crunched through an apple as she listened to Dom’s latest joke. Harrison caressed the back of her hand with his thumb. Her skin was soft and delicious, sending spikes of fire up his arm. She rolled her eyes then gave him a wink as Dom burst into laughter over the punch line. Thumping Ruby’s arm, he repeated it and Harrison kindly forced out a chuckle to help the guy along.
“Oh, please.” Ruby shook her head then extracted her phone to check a text.
Ruby’s reaction made Harrison’s laughter genuine…and this was why he loved hanging out with these guys. Gemma’s hand suddenly jerked beneath his and he turned to see her beam of sunshine disappear beneath a black cloud.
“What’s up with you?” Dom frowned.
“I…have to go to the bathroom,” she said, handing her half eaten apple to Harrison.
Ruby threw the phone in her bag a moment later.
“I might walk with you, Gemmalicious. I forgot something from my locker anyway.”
“Catch you guys later.” Gemma gave him a mournful look of farewell.
“I’ll wait for you by your bike.” He tried to boost his smile to full beam, but couldn’t quite make it shine. He hated knowing she was off to who knew where to get into who knew what kind of trouble.
Dom cleared his throat a second later. “I forgot to ask Rubes something. I better catch up with her.”
Harrison had been expecting the excuse, but tried not to let it show. He gave a casual wave of farewell and watched the guy stride purposefully away from him.
Walking out into the sunshine, he hitched his bag higher onto his shoulder and tried to figure out what was bothering him so much. They had never all been together when the call to cross over had been issued. He wouldn’t have noticed it otherwise. Biting into the apple, he chewed it slowly and ran the thought through his brain.
Dom had to ask Gemma what was wrong when her expression fell. Ruby took a few moments to finish texting and register the situation.
Which meant Gemma must have known they were crossing over before the other two.
Did it always happen like that?
Leaning against the black motorbike, Harrison let the world around him blur into non-existence.
Maybe Gemma’s part in the time travel is more significant than I realize.
The idea bugged him. He wasn’t exactly sure why, but it made his stomach coil. She was different from the twins and he had a feeling her parents knew that as well.
*****
Canyonlands National Park, Utah – 1988 AD
The sun was unmerciful, drenching them in sweat. Gemma wiped her wrist over her forehead to catch the drips running from her hair. Staring out across the vast expanse of red rock, she felt hope sigh with exhaustion. How the heck were they supposed to find this missing hiker?
According to her father, the man’s remains had been discovered a week after his disappearance. Because of the heat and the time frame, Alistair hadn’t delved into explanations as to why this man was worth saving. Ruby had cleverly argued that they should have just stopped him from hiking in the first place, but her father’s glare had sealed her lips tight.
“This sucks!” Ruby flicked a bug away from her and bent over to catch her breath.
“Come on, Rube. We can’t stop now. The sooner we find this guy, the sooner we can get out of here.”
“I wonder how Mom and Dad are getting on?”
Their parents had taken the southern route. The idea was to search the vicinity where the remains were discovered. The only problem was that the remains had been spread across a wide area, which probably meant hungry animals could be added into the equation. Her father’s instructions to stay alert had been repeated numerous times as he passed out knives and water bottles.
“Cougars shouldn’t be a problem at this time of day, but if the search takes us into dusk, you need to be on your toes.”
“What your father is trying to say is don’t let this take us until dusk!” Penelope’s crisp voice made Gemma smile. Her mother always got antsy when she was worried about their safety.
“I want you to move quickly and efficiently. Let’s get this guy to safety then get home.”
Ignoring her father’s instructions, Gemma crouched down next to her sister for a breather. Dom followed her action with a flurry of protests that she tuned out. Taking her time, she took a few swigs of water before standing. She wasn’t sure how long they had been out in the searing heat, but it felt like forever. Dom was right; they shouldn’t linger. Besides, she didn’t want Harrison to worry. Five minutes of waiting was about his limit.
“Come on, Rubylicious.” Pulling on Ruby’s arm, she straightened her sister up and followed her brother over the next rise and down into another canyon.
They climbed and hiked as quickly as they could, but it was slow going. From what she could tell from the sun, it took them another two hours to make it through the canyon. They had looked in every cave and crevasse, scouring the ground for any hiker tracks, but had come up empty handed. The man obviously hadn’t come through this way.
“Mom and Dad mustn’t be having much luck either.” Dom paused at the beginning of a narrow trail that would lead them up and out of the canyon. His doubt in their mission was starting to show.
“Where were we supposed to meet them?” Gemma said.
“Not far from here. The top of this ridge.”
“If they haven’t found him either, do we just give up?”
Dom shot her a lopsided grin. “Can you imagine Dad settling for that?”
All three sighed in unison before beginning their climb.
“This guy better be important,” Ruby grumbled.
“I’m sure he is.” Gemma flicked the comment over her shoulder, trying to ignore the niggling doubt that sometimes surfaced. Since Ruby’s retrieval of the necklace there had been no more trips like it. She needed to get over it. Her father was the most selfless man she knew.
“If we take much longer Harrison’s going to have to send a search party to the bathroom!”
Gemma chuckled. “It’s okay. He knows what it’s like when I cross the line. Lucky he’s so patient, huh?”
Gemma’s grin faded as she turned to look at her sister. Ruby had stopped dead in her tracks. Her expression was one of muted horror.
“What?” Gemma’s breath caught in her throat and her eyes grew large as realization struck like a lightening bolt. “Ruby, I mean…”
Her sister’s horror was morphing into a malignant fury. The look in her eyes was terrifying. Gemma searched the rocks below her for inspiration, but was coming up blank.
“I…”
Her heart began to hammer.
What do I say? How the hell do I get out of this?
For once her father’s timing was perfect. Her muscles turned to dust, saving her from the shocking moment…only to face it in the next century.
*****
St. Augustine, Florida – 2011 AD
Gemma pulled on her clothes and scampered out of the stall. Texting a brief, I’m fine, to her mother, she scurried out of the bathroom. Dom appeared just as she rushed past the boy’s toilets.
“You okay?”
“Yeah.” Gemma’s laughter sounded pathetic. She turned to beam him a smile, but kept walking backwards.
“What’s up?” His brows puckered.
“Nothing. It’s just… Harrison’s waiting for me.” She pointed behind her. “And I don’t want to keep him waiting for me, because you know…no one likes to wait too long.”
Like a skittish pony, she pranced away from her confused brother, hoping to make it to the safety of her bike before the freight train of truth caught up with her.
The door to freedom was in sight when Ruby’s voice snagged her.
“Gemma! Gemma, stop! I want to talk to you!”
Gemma kept her legs moving. Ruby would have told Dom the second she got out of the bathroom. She didn’t know if she could handle both of them. One little slip…
You stupid idiot!
“Gemma, running away is not going to stop this conversation from happening!”
Her sister had every reason to be irate. The empty school corridor echoed with annoyance. The hands of doom were no longer ticking—they were chiming with finality. Running wasn’t going to change anything now.
Slowing to a stop, she ran her fingers through her hair and grabbed two handfuls at the nape of her neck. Stepping backwards, she leaned against the green metal lockers and waited.
She kept her eyes downcast as the twins approached. She could hear Ruby’s nostrils flaring and didn’t even want to guess what Dominic was doing. He probably had his arms folded over his chest and his eyes would be narrowed.
She stole a quick glance.
Yep, super narrowed.
“You know how I made that little quip about Harrison?” Ruby’s voice was strained.
>
Gemma cringed.
“What did you mean when you said ‘It’s okay. He knows what it’s like when I cross over?’ What did you mean, Gemma?”
The exhaustion from returning was a weight she didn’t need. She hoped it would abate quickly in order to have the strength for this conversation. She hadn’t meant to say it! She was tired! The words had just slipped out! She’s been distracted by thoughts of the necklaces! And then it had just happened.
The only thing she was grateful for was the fact her parents hadn’t been within earshot.
“Does your boyfriend know what we are?”
Gemma ignored Dom’s question and kept her eyes on the floor.
“Does he know?!” Ruby slammed Gemma back into the lockers.
“Yes.” She found the courage to lift her gaze and was met with a mix of emotion.
Their eyes were swimming with disbelief and boldly outlined with a deep hue of betrayal.
“All this time you’ve been spending with him.” Ruby shook her head. “I should’ve known you’d let it slip. You’ve always been such a crappy liar!”
“I’m sorry. I really am, but I didn’t have a choice.”
Ruby snorted with disgust.
“He saw me leaving! What was I supposed to say?”
The silence in the hall was shattered by a booming laugh.
“He saw you leave?” Dom’s shoulders shook. “Did he see you come back?”
She shot him a droll look.
“That must have been embarrassing.” He guffawed.
“Shut up, Dominic.” Ruby cut him off; the ice in her voice was enough to freeze Gemma’s insides. “How could you let this happen? He’s just some stupid guy and you betray us all because of him?”
“He’s not just some guy, Ruby. And besides, you were the one who told me to go for it!”
“I told you to go on a couple of dates and make out a little, not fall in love with him and gossip about our family secrets.”
“It’s not like that. He just wants to understand who I am.”
Ruby leaned in, her perfect finger waving inches from Gemma’s nose. “He has no right to understand you. He’s not one of us, Gemma. How could you be so stupid? This relationship was doomed from the start. You must know that!”
Of course I know it, but…
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