We were still discussing possible scenarios and ways to prevent them when Angela joined us about an hour later. She glanced at me when she came into the room like she wanted to come to me but then she changed directions and sat in one of the oversized arm chairs. I guessed she wasn’t sure what the boundaries were for public displays of affection so I crossed the room and lifted her from the chair. She yelped and I sat down with her in my lap.
“That wasn’t really necessary,” she chided but her smile ruined the effect.
I smoothed my hand over her hair and down her back thinking I would never get tired of touching her. “Sure it was, I haven’t seen you for over an hour,” I teased making her cheeks warm when Dragon and Solomon both chuckled.
“So have you learned any new time travel tricks since you hooked up with a conduit Rook?” Solomon asked with a devious grin and I could picture him and Doyle placing odds on something like that.
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” I couldn’t resist baiting him and the eager expression on his face was priceless.
“What’s a conduit?” Angela asked glancing from one of us to the next.
“You still haven’t told her about that?” Solomon asked incredulously.
I frowned at him and he put his hands up in a no offense gesture. Turning to Angela I said, “Maybe we should try that walk on the beach again.”
She titled her head thoughtfully. “Okay, that sounds like a good idea.”
We stood and I told Dragon, “Call me if you need me, and I mean that.” He inclined his head and I turned to Solomon, “So far I can stop time in the immediate area for everyone except me and Angela for a few moments, but only when she’s with me. It’s pretty cool actually because we can still move around while everyone else is frozen. Once, I slowed time down so that everyone was moving in slow motion except for me. That time even Angela was affected by my powers but I’m not sure why. If you give me a cut of your winnings I’ll keep you updated on any new developments.”
Dragon chuckled and Angela shook her head, but Solomon was excited by my decision to be forthcoming about my new powers. “You bet, even with you taking a cut this is going to make me a lot of money.”
We started for the door but Angela stopped and asked, “Was that why Danarius thought I was more than I seem? Because you stopped time to get Rachel away from him and you didn’t have that power before?”
“Danarius is aware you’re gaining new powers?” Dragon asked sharply.
I nodded grimly to him and explained, “I couldn’t think of any other way to get Rachel away from him safely. He was holding her head in his hands and he would’ve snapped her neck had I taken one step towards her.”
Angela flinched and I pulled her into my arms and hugged her.
“It’s unfortunate, but you did what needed to be done,” Dragon said. “Angela, I’m not sure if you understand just how dangerous Danarius can be. We can try to protect you and Rachel outside of Myths and Legends but I urge you to consider staying here at the resort on a permanent basis.”
“I’ll consider the option,” she told him sincerely.
To me Dragon said, “Keep an eye out for trouble. It won’t take long for Danarius to come up with a plan and put it into action.”
“I always do,” I told him with a shrug.
Angela and I said our goodbyes then we made our way through the crowded hallways of the resort to the back entrance that led to the beaches. The place was crawling with spring-breakers but we eventually found a quiet section of the beach. We sat close to each other on the sand just short of the point where the surf was rolling on shore. It was early evening and the setting sun cast an orange and red glow over the Gulf. I’d always liked coming to the beach. Whether it was to run in the sand, swim through the waves, or to just sit and let the salty air wash over me, it was always something I enjoyed doing.
“Before I forget, I talked to Rachel about Jimmy and she wants to see him. I called the number he gave me and tried to get him to come here to see her but he said he didn’t want any part of this freak show.” Angela shook her head. “I told him he was lucky she wanted to see him at all and if he wouldn’t come here then she would meet him at my house tomorrow afternoon. I figured at least that way she’ll still be safe behind Solomon’s wards.”
I nodded. “I’ll assign a few people to escort her there and back.”
“Thank you Rook. I’m not sure how I’m going to explain the need for security but I’m sure I’ll think of something.”
“We could have Solomon make her believe it’s necessary without any explanations.” I reached out and combed my fingers through her hair. She closed her eyes and tilted her head back with a sigh.
“That’s probably for the best, at least for now,” she agreed.
After a few quiet moments Angela asked, “So do I finally get to hear how I enhance your time travel abilities now.” She turned her head and smiled at me then added, “After all, I think I’ve admitted there is something very personal going on between us.”
I grinned back at her. “Yes you have, and I can’t tell you how relieved I am about that.”
“Oh I think I have a pretty good idea,” she said with a heated glance over my body that had me instantly hard. “Six years was a long wait for me too.”
“Keep looking at me like that and we won’t be talking about anything except how fast we can get up to my apartment,” I warned her.
Her answering laugh was full of promise. “I’m sure we’ll get to that, but first I want to know why I can travel through time with you when no one else can. Every time I’ve asked someone to explain that to me they said you should be the one to fill me in.”
All teasing fled my mind as the weight of what I was about to tell her settled on my shoulders. Not because it frightened me, but because I thought it might frighten her, or give her the wrong idea about why I wanted to be with her. Reaching out I brushed my fingers down the side of her face. She was so beautiful with the gentle breeze lifting her white blonde hair in the light of the fading sun.
“Before I explain how my powers work I want you to know that I fell in love with you long before you ever fell through time with me,” I told her softly.
She pulled away from me drawing her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. “Please don’t say that Rook, it would hurt too much if you said it and it wasn’t true.”
“You felt my love for you last night Angela, just as I felt yours for me. There’s no reason why hearing how I feel about you should scare you more than feeling it. The words are only an affirmation of what you already know is true.” I wanted to reach out to her but she remained closed off hugging her legs tightly to her chest.
“Why are we talking about love anyway?” she asked a little desperately. “What does love have to do with time travel?”
“Probably nothing, but possibly everything. Right now I just want to make sure you don’t think I only want to be with you because of how powerful you could make me. I had no idea you were a conduit until the night of the bombing and you know that I wanted you long before that.”
“Okay, I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt. Now, explain exactly how your power works and why I have any effect on it at all.”
“Time demons all have a certain amount of inherent power that they’re born with. It can be depleted but it will eventually replenish itself naturally. With that amount of power we can travel backwards through time like I did with you, but only to a time and place we’ve already been. Once we go back, the original timeline is erased and we can never return to it. How far we can go back depends on how powerful the demon is and whether or not there is any magic in the environment that we can draw in and add to ours. These days there’s very little magic in the world so we mostly have to rely on our own abilities. Training can help us use our innate power more effectively, and practice can make that power grow.”
“So, as a Guardian who was forced into a rigorous training program from birth you sh
ould be pretty powerful all on your own,” Angela noted teasingly.
“That’s true; I am one of the most powerful time demons alive today. If we were only talking about innate power then I’m more powerful than most of our Elders.”
“Then why the hell do you follow their rules?” She demanded to know, throwing her hands in the air with exasperation. “The night of the bombing Dragon made them sound so powerful. He said you weren’t allowed to save anyone but him and Serafina once they were slated for death because your Elders would punish you if you did. Then they would reset time and the people would die anyway. All those people died that night and if it wasn’t for their stupid rules you could have saved them. If you’re more powerful, why do you listen to them at all?”
“Do you remember when I told you that the River of Time was once a source of power for any time demon strong enough to access it?” She nodded hesitantly and I continued, “In the old days, long before I was born, the power of the River flowed freely allowing the most powerful time demons to harness that energy and use it for time travel. With the power of the River we could truly manipulate time, move backwards and forwards along the same timeline, go to any time and place not just where and when we’ve already been, slow time, stop time, the possibilities were almost endless.
Then came a chaotic period when many time demons were using their powers for really evil purposes. Our Elders made the decision to restrict the flow of power from the River so that only they have access to it. I’ve argued that they should loosen their hold on the River but they won’t budge. They say the potential for chaos is too great and they’re doing it for our own good.” I couldn’t help the bitter snort that escaped me with that thought.
“You sound like you don’t like your Elders very much.” She was slowly stretching out, uncurling from her tight position.
I shrugged my shoulder. “Some of them mean well, but I’m afraid the majority of them have been corrupted by the power they hold over the rest of us. There’s nothing we can do about it though, so we all pretend to be good little demons and try to avoid pissing them off.”
I gave her a wry smile and picked up a handful of sand to let it fall from one hand to the other. “Anyway, a few centuries before I was born the first conduit was discovered. According to the legends, time demons instinctively draw the power of the River through the conduits whenever they’re within close proximity to one of us. That’s why you feel that hum of energy when you’re near me. It’s the River flowing through you into me.”
“If that’s true then why didn’t I ever feel it before the bombing? And for that matter, if you can siphon the power through me just sitting here why on Earth did we need to have sex to save Serafina?” She wasn’t angry, but her face showed a hint of hurt like she thought I might have betrayed her trust.
I ducked my head for a second gathering my thoughts before I met her eyes. “Conduits have always been extremely rare and elusive. As far as I know you are the only one to be found within my lifetime. So you have to understand that everything I know comes from ancient legends that we have no way to verify.
From the stories I’ve heard, I know that the previous conduits were found by chance, just like you were when you followed me through time. And like me, the demons that found them could feel the River trickling through the conduits whenever they were close by. The demons could also pull the power through a little faster if needed, but it wasn’t until they had sexual intercourse with the conduits that the floodgates opened.
Many time demons spend their entire lives searching for conduits and the kind of power they could access through them. Thanks to Danarius, I’m sure some of those demons will show up before long looking for you. But honestly, I’d be willing to bet that none of them will be able to pull any power from the River through you.”
“Why do you believe that?” Angela asked tilting her head to the side.
I went to my knees in front of her and took her hands in mine.
“Shortly before the bombing you came to me with your fears that Rachel might be the next victim of the Red Light Vampire. That night I felt a change in our relationship. For the first time you looked at me without any of the usual suspicion. You looked at me like I was a man worthy of your trust. Because of that, I let my guard down and I realized the depth of my feelings for you.
A few nights later when the bomb blast sent us flying I wasn’t thinking about Dragon as I should have been. I was thinking about you and how much I love you, how much I need you. Even when I knew you were alive and relatively unharmed, leaving you to find Dragon and Serafina was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. It was the first time I’ve ever felt anything so strongly that it threatened to override my blood oaths to Dragon.
I believe the love I felt in that moment was the key that unlocked your ability to channel power from the River of Time. Until then, you only had the potential to be a conduit, but that potential could only be realized with a time demon who loves you.”
Angela shook her head and tried to pull away from me again but I reached out and cradled her face in my hands.
“I know I’m right about this Angela. I’ve used my powers around you dozens of times before the night of the bombing. How do you think Dragon always managed to avoid you when you wanted to question him?” She gave me a faint smile but her eyes were still full of uncertainty. “The only thing different from all those times and now is the way I feel about you. I think that’s why conduits are so elusive. Not only are they rare, but we can’t recognize them until we fall in love with them.”
I didn’t give her time to think or doubt my words. I swooped in, claiming her mouth with mine as I rolled her to the sand and wedged myself between her long legs. The kiss was long, and I savored her warm body pressed beneath mine while I let her feel my love for her in my kiss, and in my touch as I caressed her hip and thigh. I knew she’d been hurt by Jimmy, and from the encounter with him in her kitchen, I’d guess he’d been really good at talking his way back into her heart. I needed her to feel my love because after her experiences with him, words alone would never be enough to convince her of anything.
When I withdrew from the kiss, I propped myself up on one elbow so that I wasn’t putting too much weight on her. She had tears in her eyes and I wiped them gently from her face then kissed her cheeks softly.
“I don’t know how to do this Rook,” she whispered softly.
I kissed her forehead, then the tip of her nose, then her lips.
“Just let me love you Angela, that’s all I need you to do.” I gave her another long, lingering kiss then rose to my feet pulling her with me. When she was standing in front of me I titled her head up gently with my hand under her chin and looked into her pale blue eyes. “I’ll make you a deal. I won’t say I love you until you say it to me. Until then, I’ll just have to find ways to show you what you mean to me.”
Her eyes searched mine for a moment then she gave me a weak nod. Taking her hand in mine I led her down the path back towards the resort.
After a few moments she glanced up at me biting the inside of her lip. “Where do you think the conduits come from? I mean, I’m just a human. How can I channel power for time demons?”
I shrugged my shoulder. “No one really knows, but there are those who believe our Goddess has a hand in it, that she’s trying to return the power of the River to worthy time demons. The Elders don’t like that theory at all which tends to make me think it might be based in truth.”
“What happened to the other conduits and the demons that found them?”
I stopped dead and stared down at her, chills racing up my spine. Why hadn’t I thought of that before? “None of them, the demons or the conduits are alive.”
Could the Elders have been responsible for their deaths? By the look on Angela’s face she knew exactly what I was thinking. Pulling her against my chest I held her tight. If the Elders came after her I wouldn’t be able to stop them, not if they came in force. The power I’d gained throug
h Angela would help, but it wouldn’t be enough.
“Isn’t there any way to stop them?” she whispered against my chest.
“We need to have a lot more sex.”
With a startled laugh she stepped back to look up at me incredulously. “What does that have to do with anything?”
“Aside from the fact that I thoroughly enjoy having sex with you.”
She swatted at me and I jumped back.
“Every time I make love to you I gain power from the River. I know you’ve felt it rush over us. When it hit me on Dragon’s terrace I threw it into a time shift. Last night when it hit me the first time I didn’t know what to do with it so it just exploded around us. After that I learned how to draw it into myself and store it for later. Feeling all that power I can see how easily one might be corrupted by it.”
“Why do we have to have sex for you to access that power anyway,” Angela asked as she took my hand and we started walking again. We were almost to the back entrance of the resort.
“Most time demons believe the loss of control during orgasm is what makes the rush of power possible. Based on my theory that love is needed to awaken a conduit’s abilities, I think it’s a little more complicated than that. Sex is sex, and orgasms are great, but when two people who love each other are physically intimate they bare their souls to one another. I believe it’s that connection that allows the power from the River to burst out like water rushing over a broken dam.”
She gave me a beautiful smile over her shoulder as she pulled the door to the resort open and I reached over her head to hold it. “There goes that word again.”
As I followed her through the door I thought life couldn’t get much better than this and I thanked the Goddess for finally bringing Angela to my side.
Chapter Eighteen
We spent the rest of the day together talking and laughing and getting to know each other. Rachel joined us for a while but she was far more interested in what Solomon was up to. Just after we finished dinner Dragon tracked us down and invited us to go to Lilith’s with him and Serafina. On our way there we checked in on Rachel who was in The Catacombs where Solomon assured us she would remain for the rest of the evening. With Rachel safely occupied Angela and I made our way through the crowded hallways to Lilith’s Lounge.
Destined for Time (Myths and Legends) Page 17
