Black Blood (Time Spirit Trilogy, #2)

by Melissa Pearl

  She let out a sigh as she buried her face into the pillows. Harrison remained quiet as he soothed away her tension. She knew he was waiting. He was always so patient.

  Fueled by a sudden guilt, her lips began moving.

  “The guy on the bike was the guy on the beach.”

  Harrison’s hands stilled and she rolled onto her back in order to see him.

  His face was pale, his eyes set with worry.

  “So he’s been following you?”

  She nodded, biting the inside of her cheek. Tears pricked at her eyes. “What does he want?”

  She felt a hand slide up her neck, a sure thumb resting on her cheek.

  “I mean, he can’t be all bad if he helped me save Sam today, right?”

  Harrison nodded.

  “I just… maybe I should call him, but…” Gemma slumped onto the bed and covered her face with her arms.

  “But what?” Harrison tried to pull her arms free, but she tensed her muscles in defence. “Gemma, what are you so afraid of?”

  He finally wrenched her arms apart and held his face above hers.

  She fought the lump in her throat, sniffed at her tears and finally sighed. “I’m scared that pure one crap is just a comparison to Decimus.”

  Harrison looked confused.

  “Decimus was the one who betrayed everybody.”

  “I know who he is, but what has it got to do with you?”

  “I’ve fallen in love with a normal human just like he did!”

  “Gem.” Harrison paused to lick his lips. “Do you think he’s going to make you break up with me?”

  Her head bobbed. Her lips quivered.

  Harrison’s face went blank. He pushed away from her, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed. Running his fingers through his hair with a sigh, he then rested his elbows on his knees.

  The inside of Gemma’s cheek grew raw as she watched him. Cautiously she reached out and felt a soft fire lick through her fingers as she ran her hand up his back.

  He turned to smile at her, his eyes glowing.

  “What if I have nothing to do with it? What if it’s something else? Don’t you at least want to know?”

  He swiveled his body to face her. She felt the creeping worry disband at his confident gaze.

  “Gem,” his voice went silky as he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, “if it is about me, we’ll deal with it. I’m not going to let you betray your family.”

  Her heart dropped. Did that mean…

  “But I’m not losing you either,” he finished, picking up her heart and nestling it back into its socket.

  She forced a smile over her lips.

  “Will you come with me?”

  “Try and stop me.”

  Her smile became natural as she took in his words. She said, “I love you” with a silent look before pulling his head down to meet her.

  Fire enveloped them as she wrapped her arms around his neck. She let the flames singe away her fears and thoughts of the little black cell phone in the back of her underwear drawer.

  Chapter Eight

  Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida – 2011 AD

  Gemma pulled her drawer open and rifled through her underwear. Harrison leaned against the doorframe with his hands in his pockets, watching her. He kept his posture casual, trying to bring a sense of calm to the situation.

  He had been woken with an early morning phone call inviting him up to her place. Her mother had left early for the lab and her father was away on business. He had agreed without question.

  “Here we go.” She pulled out the phone and rubbed her agitated fingers over it.

  He pushed himself off the frame and approached her. Placing a hand on her shoulder, he ran his fingers up and down her arm.

  “Just do it, Gem. Make the call.”

  “Maybe you should?” Gemma held out the phone to him.

  “What?” He stepped away with a shake of his head. “No way. He doesn’t want to talk to me. It’s gotta come from you.”

  She let out a frustrated grunt and threw the phone onto her bed. He held his sigh in check and calmly went to retrieve it.

  “Stop being such a chicken. Make the call, Gemma.” He used his sternest voice. It felt a little weird speaking to her that way, but she needed it. If she didn’t make this call today he might just shoot himself in the head. This had gone on long enough. If the news was bad they needed to know so they could deal with it.

  Her eyes were narrow with irritation as she snatched the phone from his fingers and flipped it open. She selected the only number in the directory and chewed her cheek. Her thumb wavered over the send button. Grabbing her wrist, Harrison pulled the phone towards him and pressed the button himself. He cut her protest short by lifting the receiver to her ear then leaned in so he could hear as well.

  “You kept me waiting a while,” the man’s voice held a hint of amusement.

  “Yeah, hi. Um… so I’m ready to meet.”

  “There’s a little café just off the main road, near your house. Faban’s… you know it?”

  “Yeah.”

  “I’ll see you there in half an hour.”

  “Wait! I’m bringing someone with me.”

  “Your boyfriend, Harrison?”

  Their mouths dropped open as they looked at each other.

  “Y-yeah.”

  “I was expecting as much. I’ll see you guys there.”

  The phone went dead. Gemma slowly lowered it and slapped it shut.

  “So… he knows about me then.” Harrison filled the eerie silence.

  Gemma nodded, still looking a little dazed. He squeezed her fingers.

  “It’s going to be fine.”

  He wasn’t sure if either of them believed it, but that’s what he’d keep saying anyway.

  Faban’s was a quirky little café that looked out of place in the upper class streets of Ponte Vedra Beach. The wooden walls were decorated with pieces of local art that ranged from serene landscapes to retro images that Harrison guessed held more meaning than he could appreciate. The floors were dented and the tables were a mishmash of varying sizes. The owner, a tall woman with dreadlocks, had an easy smile. Coffees were served in huge bowls, the fries came chunky and the sandwiches were thick slabs of bread stuffed with every filling imaginable.

  Gemma held Harrison’s hand with a vice like grip as they wove their way towards a back corner that housed a couple of beat up sofa chairs around a low coffee table. They plonked themselves down in front of the weathered man. Harrison could feel the tension oozing out of his girlfriend. The man before them was the complete opposite. He was leaning back in his chair, his ripped jeans exposing a sun tanned knee and his whole posture giving away a calm assuredness that Harrison immediately liked.

  Clearing his throat, he leaned over the table with an outstretched hand.

  “Harrison Granger.”

  The man’s large white teeth appeared as he responded in kind. “Gabriel Hunter, but you can just call me Gabe.” He leaned back in his seat and moved his gaze to study Gemma.

  She twitched under his perusal. Her leg began to bob erratically. Harrison placed a gentle hand on it.

  “Okay, so let’s get this over with. What do you want? Why are you following me? How do you know about Harrison? Are you stalking his family too? Because if you hurt them…”

  She leaned forward with her threat, but it trailed to nothing as the man raised his hands in surrender.

  “I know about Harrison and his family because you spend so much time with them, but I’m not stalking them… or you. I just want to make sure you’re okay.”

  “What? Why?”

  His eyes swam with emotion as he leaned forward and placed his elbows on his knees. Rubbing his hand over the back of his neck, he took his time to begin.

  “I’ve been watching you for a few years now. I know what you are and I know about your family. I don’t want to hurt you, but there’s some things you need to know…”

  “Look
you’re wrong about the pure one thing, okay.” Gemma’s shoulders twitched. “I’m not Decimus. I’m not going to betray my family, so you can just forget about telling me to break up with Harrison.”

  Her chin jutted out in defiance. She grabbed Harrison’s hand and stared at Gabe. His eyes narrowed with mild confusion, but his voice remained calm.

  “What are you talking about?”

  Harrison watched her rebellion deflate with the question.

  “I…”

  “Harrison is the first person in the last four years that’s really made you happy. I don’t want you to break up with him. I’m just here to caution you.”

  Harrison’s head bobbed. Gabe was a good man. He could sense it. He looked to Gemma and gave her a reassuring smile, but she didn’t notice.

  “What has Decimus got to do with this anyway? I called you a pure one, because that’s what you are,” Gabe said.

  “I can’t be.” Gemma shook her head with a small smile. “My dad’s mother was a normal human, I know that for sure. And Mom’s parents were both only half time spirits… I think. That’s why they’re so anal about us ending up with our kind… so we don’t weaken the race any more than it already has been. My parents aren’t pure ones, so I can’t be either.”

  “Your parents are pure ones,” the man’s voice was thick with emotion. “Penelope and Alistair aren’t who you think they are.”

  “Wait a second, what exactly is a pure one?” Harrison had to interrupt, how else was he going to follow the conversation?

  “A pure one is a descendent of the electus. Their line has never been broken throughout history, no inter-marriage with humans. Their blood is pure.”

  “And you… you’re saying, Gemma,” Harrison pointed a thumb at his girlfriend, “is one of those?”

  The man nodded, fixing his gaze on her.

  Her head was shaking as she glanced to the floor. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Are you sure about that?”

  Her eyes flew up, a little crazy with tension. “Don’t do that!”

  He cut off her imminent outburst by calmly continuing, “I don’t trust Alistair and Penelope and neither should you. I want you to find out what they’re up to.”

  “I’m not finding out anything for you. My parents are good people. They’re not up to anything. You don’t even know them!”

  “I know they murdered my wife and stole my only child.” His voice was an eerily calm contrast to the information bomb that just exploded in their faces.

  Harrison felt his heart stop at the man’s statement.

  Murder? Stole… what? Is he implying that Gemma is his…?

  “You’ve got the wrong girl,” Gemma’s voice shook. Her face was pale and the birthmark on her collarbone was pulsing like a strobe light. “You’re wrong.”

  The man’s eyes tightened as he studied her. Tipping his head to the side, he caught her erratic gaze and held it. “Then why do you believe me?”

  Harrison flinched as Gemma jumped from her seat. Her body was rigid as she stood over the man and pointed a finger at his nose.

  “I am not your daughter!”

  She struggled to get past the coffee table and ended up kicking the furniture aside in order to make room. Her ponytail flew over her shoulder as she rounded one more time to stare at the man with welling eyes.

  “Stay away from me!”

  The bustle of the café disappeared as patrons watched her storm through the door, wiping at her face. Harrison rose to follow her, but paused to look back at the man. He wanted a few more answers and just hoped Gemma wouldn’t do anything irrational while he took the time to get them.

  “If she is your daughter and she was stolen, why did you take so long to come for her?”

  The man let out a sigh as pain flickered over his features. His voice shook before he managed to rein it in.

  “It took me twelve years to find her. By then she’d already traveled once and bonded with her family. I needed to wait until she was at a point in her life where she’d listen.” The man scrubbed his face with a tired hand. “You are the first person to ever make Gemma break the rules. I thought she might be more open to what I had to say now that you’re around.”

  “And what do you have to say?”

  “That she’s running out of time.”

  Harrison’s legs turned to Jell-O and he fell to the couch.

  “What do you mean? Is she… is she going to die?”

  Gabe didn’t deny it, but didn’t nod either. Harrison tried to slow his heartbeat in order to hear what the man had to say. If Gemma was in some kind of trouble he needed to know about it. He needed to stop it.

  “When Gemma turns eighteen she’s going to be the strongest she’ll ever be. Over the next four years she’ll be the most perfect form of time spirit… but then her abilities will begin to fade.”

  “To fade? What do you mean?”

  “Time spirits can’t travel forever. The older they get, the weaker their power becomes… and if you stop traveling for a time, you lose it altogether.”

  Harrison saw the wave of regret wash over Gabe’s face.

  “Is that what happened to you?”

  The man cleared his throat with a nod. “If I’d known…” He raised his hands and let them drop.

  “So, why is Gemma’s strength a danger?”

  Gabe’s eyes cleared. “If I know Alistair and Penelope, they’re going to use her strength to their advantage. I don’t know how, but I know that it’s going to hurt my daughter… I can’t let that happen.”

  Harrison didn’t hesitate to believe him. Something about the idea rang true. He just hoped he could convince Gemma. It would not be an easy pill for her to swallow.

  “What can we do to stop them?”

  “Well, for one, it would be good to know what they’re planning. I need to talk to her, get details about her trips.”

  “I’ll work on it.” Harrison licked his lips. “What else?”

  “If she can learn to control the travel on her own, she might just have a chance.”

  “Wait a sec, she’s capable of controlling it?” Harrison leaned forward.

  “With a lot practice and a little know how… yeah, she is.”

  Harrison felt the smile spreading over his face. “I gotta find her.”

  He jumped from his seat, eager to start winning his girlfriend over to the Gabe side.

  “Tread cautiously, Harrison. This is a lot for her to take in. She’s going to need some time.”

  “I will.”

  He felt his insides settling as he studied the man.

  “You know, she has your smile.”

  “Yeah,” the man grinned, “she does.”

  Chapter Nine

  Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida – 2011 AD

  Gemma’s ears were roaring as she raced down the sidewalk towards her bike. She had been expecting to hear her name called by Harrison, but he didn’t seem to be following her. She pushed the agitation aside as she swung her leg over the seat and reached for her helmet.

  My parents are not murderers!

  Her hands shook as she wrestled with the strap on her helmet.

  That idiot doesn’t know what he’s talking about. Penelope and Alistair Hart are my birth parents. They are. THEY ARE!

  She screamed the idea into her brain, fighting off the niggling doubt that had dug its talons into the back of her mind. Her parents were good people. Their intentions were always selfless; they wouldn’t steal someone’s baby. They had always loved her as if she were their own.

  Which you are!

  Glancing down the street, she noticed no sign of her boyfriend. Furious at him, she kicked up her bike stand and gunned the engine. She didn’t want to take him where she was going anyway.

  The hospital was buzzing with its usual traffic. Gemma squeezed into a park outside the lab building and raced up the ramp. She forced a smile and polite greeting to the receptionist as she signed in.


  “How’s your vacation going?”

  It just turned to total crap!

  Gemma placed the pen on the counter. “Totally great. What’s not to love about the summer, right?”

  The receptionist grinned and was about to say more when the phone started ringing. “Why don’t you head down on your own this time? Leanne can buzz you into the lab when you get there.”

  “Thanks, Michelle.”

  Gemma placed her hand on the large door handle and waited for Michelle to unlock the door. It buzzed loudly and Gemma forced herself to walk as she pulled it open.

  Familiar with the white, sterile surroundings, she shot down the corridor and avoided bumping into two lab coats in heated discourse over something to do with testing techniques. She waved at the intern who greeted her as she strode up to the glass doors.

  “Hey Leanne.” She smiled. The slight blonde was the most enthusiastic scientist her mother had ever met. She often raved about her around the dinner table.

  “Hey Gem. Michelle just phoned. I’ll buzz you through.”

  “Thanks.”

  Another loud buzz and the glass doors slid open. Bustling past a shelf load of test tubes filled with various liquids, Gemma paid little attention to the two scientists meticulously transferring fluids from one vile to the next. Pipetting? Gemma had a vague feeling that’s what it was called.

  Standing on tiptoes she looked past the workers quietly absorbed in their various tasks and spotted her mother hunched over a pile of papers, scanning the information then scribbling her signature at the bottom.

  “Hey Mom.” Gemma sidled up to her workstation.

  The pen lurched on the page as her mother looked up with a smile.

  “Well, this is a nice surprise.” Her sleek body didn’t even look dorky in the starchy lab coat. Setting her work aside, she gave Gemma a warm hug.

  “Sorry to interrupt.” Gemma tried to keep her embrace casual and light.

  “No big deal, I’m just updating some paper work. What are you doing here? I thought you had work today.”

  Her mother smoothed Gemma’s ponytail down over her shoulder.