Black Blood (Time Spirit Trilogy, #2)

by Melissa Pearl

  Her cauldron simmered as she weighed up the man beside her. She didn’t want to trust him. She didn’t want to do anything to help him! But he sat there offering her a slice of hope that tasted so divine she knew she couldn’t refuse it.

  “Alright… you teach me how to travel and I’ll tell you everything you need to know.”

  He gave a silent nod of approval while keeping his eyes on the horizon.

  “Lessons start first thing tomorrow. Today, I need you to go home and pretend that nothing has changed.”

  Gemma’s brows puckered.

  “I’m guessing your parents wouldn’t be overly delighted if they knew what you’re planning to do.” His eyebrows rose as he tipped his head towards her.

  Gemma felt her lips fighting with a smile.

  Gabe rose from the sand and placed a soft hand on the top of her head. “You try get some sleep tonight. You’re going to need your strength. I’ll text you the address in the morning.”

  The fingers on her hair vanished and Gemma turned to watch his departing form. She felt a flutter of hope inside her ribcage and her lips stretched with a smile.

  Chapter Twenty

  Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida – 2011 AD

  Gemma was still smiling when she arrived home later that evening. Her conversation with Gabe had been buzzing through her head all afternoon and thoughts of seeing Harrison again made her insides want to burst. She hoped she’d be able to do what Gabe said she could.

  Morning couldn’t come fast enough as she skipped up the stairs to her bedroom. All she wanted to do was take a long shower and get a good night’s sleep. Gabe said she would need it.

  Her easy traipse down the hallway was brought to a halt. Pausing outside her room, she noticed the door ajar. Her brows wrinkled. Pushing the door wide, she spotted her mother sitting on her bed. Her elegant legs were crossed with her fingers interlaced over her exposed knee.

  Gabe said to act like nothing had changed. That wouldn’t be a problem. One look at the bland expression on her mother’s face had her insides coiling.

  “What are you doing in my room?” She unlaced her shoes, avoiding eye contact.

  “Waiting for you to get home.”

  Gemma didn’t bother to hide her sigh as she threw her shoes towards the floor by her closet. They bounced off the door with a bang and landed in a muddle on the carpet. She felt a small burst of immature triumph watching her mother struggle to hide her displeasure over such unkempt behavior.

  Clearing her throat, Penelope pasted on another smile. “We haven’t talked in a while and I miss that. How was your ride?”

  “Okay.” Gemma shrugged.

  Her lack of effort was followed by an icy silence. Gemma refused to budge. What the hell did her mother expect? She’d taken away everything and now she just wanted to pretend like it hadn’t happened.

  You can shove that idea up your-

  “So…” Penelope traced the pattern on Gemma’s quilt with her long finger. “What happened today?”

  Gemma’s forehead crinkled. “What do you mean?”

  “When you resisted your father?”

  Oh that. Play it cool, Gem.

  “Look, I don’t know how I did it, okay. I just really didn’t want to go.”

  “Why?”

  “Why. You’re asking me why?” Gemma couldn’t help the dry tone.

  “Well, I want to understand…”

  “Understand…” Gemma squeezed her eyes shut and pinched the bridge of her nose.

  Are you really this stupid, Mom?

  “Try to get this.” Gemma fought to keep the quiver from her voice. “I was in love with an amazing human being that you thought wasn’t good enough for me so you vanquished him from this earth. Now you expect me to be at your beck and call, traveling happily through time so that I can help you complete whatever mission takes your fancy. And I’m just supposed to be cool with it?”

  She finished with a flourish of hands and found her insides boiling at the complete lack of response from her mother.

  “Did you hear anything I just said?”

  Penelope smoothed her right eyebrow with a delicate finger and cleared her throat. “It was hard to miss.”

  “That’s all you’ve got to say?”

  Her mother’s sigh was long and tired. “We were only doing what was best. Harrison wasn’t right for you.”

  “How would you even know that? You’ve spoken, like, three sentences to him in your entire life! He was a good person and he deserves to exist! You used our skills as a weapon against me!”

  “We didn’t know what else to do!” Her mother jumped up from the bed and pointed a finger. “You were being so stubborn. He wasn’t part of our plans for your future.”

  “Your plans for my future. Am I going to have any say in my own life?”

  “Gemma, your father and I know what’s best for you. We’re only doing this because we care about you!”

  Gemma shook her head and turned away. “If you cared about me you would have given Harrison a chance.”

  “We did! We let you date him for a while, but when you made it blatantly clear that you weren’t going to follow our rules, we had to intervene. Gemma, try to understand. We-”

  “I don’t want to understand! What you did was wrong!”

  “We were only protecting you.”

  “From what? Being happy?”

  “Gemma.” Her mother’s shoulders slumped as she let out a disappointed tut.

  “You know what, Mom, if this is how you guys care about me, please stop. I don’t want your input and I don’t need your protection.”

  Her mother’s shoulders pinged back into position, her face pinching tight. “I guess we’ll just have to agree to disagree on that point.”

  The discussion was over. The air around them was strained tight with tension and Gemma knew she had to let this one end now or the apocalypse might begin right here in her bedroom.

  Somewhat defeated Gemma let out a heavy sigh.

  “Can you go please? I’m tired and I need a shower.”

  Penelope’s nod was stiff. Straightening her clothing she approached Gemma one stiletto heel at a time. Resting a light hand on her shoulder, she looked into her daughter’s eyes. “I know you asked me to stop caring about you, but I can’t do that. I love you.”

  Gemma knew the right response. She knew how to erase all the tension and see her mother smile at her with that pride she always basked in, but her lips just wouldn’t form the words. In fact, they wouldn’t even form a smile.

  “Good night, Mom.”

  “Sleep well.”

  She kept her eyes on the wall as her mother kissed her on the cheek and left the room. Flopping onto her bed with a moan, she rolled onto her back and gazed up at the ceiling. Pulling the phone from her pocket, she ran her thumb over the screen. Three weeks ago, she would have been getting a text from her boyfriend asking if she was okay. Three weeks ago, she would have gone all mushy on the inside and called him back with butterflies dancing up her limbs.

  All hope had been stripped from her world by two parents who thought they knew best. Well they were wrong and she was going to get that hope back. Taking out the other cell phone from her back pocket, she ran her thumb over the screen and willed the night to pass quickly.

  * * * *

  Gabe’s dilapidated caravan was white and rusting. It sat in an isolated, unkempt lot with long grass tickling its belly and birds perching on its crooked aerial. Gemma reached for the door and feared it might fall from its hinges. Her worries were pushed aside as the door burst open and she was greeted with a fresh and friendly smile.

  “I take it you’re a morning person.” Gemma pushed past his laughter and into the claustrophobic space.

  She stood with her back against the closet and surveyed her surroundings. The back corner housed a rumpled bed with a faded yellow blanket and scrunched up pillows. The tiny table was covered with newspapers and a bowl of half eaten cereal. Behind her wa
s a small couch area that was strewn with a pair of jeans and a couple of black T-shirts.

  “This looks like Dom’s room. How old are you again?”

  Gabe’s laughter filled the small space easily. He shook his head, somewhat abashed. “I know, Lena would kill me if she saw this mess.”

  “Lena?”

  “Your mother.”

  Gemma felt the blood drain from her face.

  “Sorry.” Gabe slid into the booth seat and resumed eating his breakfast. “I know you’re not ready to talk about that yet, but man, when you are… I can’t wait to tell you about her.” His eyes glistened.

  Gemma cleared her throat and slid into the booth opposite him.

  “So.” She threaded her fingers together and placed her hands on the newspapers before her. “When am I heading back?”

  She had spent her night conjuring up images of Harrison on the beach once more. She had imagined running into his arms and kissing his soft lips. She had felt the fire licking up her spine as they held each other close. She couldn’t wait to see him again and had been busting to get out the door since the moment she woke. Waiting for nearly an hour to get Gabe’s text had been torture. Trying to hide her jitters from Ruby had been hard, but she fumbled through a lie about needing some more time on her own and how healthy the bike ride had been for her the day before. She had avoided her parents by skipping breakfast altogether, not wanting to venture into another discussion that would end with them agreeing to disagree over something that Gemma had zero say in.

  The bike ride over to Gabe’s place had been spent thinking of different excuses that would explain Harrison’s re-emergence into the world. She was pretty sure she would settle on Coyote and Mary meeting up sometime in the future... as if the couple were destined to be together. She wasn’t quite sure how she’d explain Coyote’s escape from prison, but…

  “Probably a few weeks.”

  Gemma’s mind screeched to a halt as Gabe’s voice registered.

  “What? A few weeks, I thought… I thought I’d be going back today!”

  Gabe’s shoulders shook with a chuckle. “Sweetie, you’ve never traveled under your own steam before, if you can learn to in one day then you’re a miracle child. You might be a pure one, kid, but you’re not Jesus.”

  His laughter grated on her nerves. She slumped back against the vinyl seat.

  “Now don’t go sulking like a baby. We’ll get you back as soon as we can, but we’ve got a lot of work to do before then. For one, we need to find out as much about Coyote Granger’s new history as possible. We need to know where to send you and how we’re going to get him back on his original course. If you really want Harrison to re-exist exactly as you left him, then Mary needs to get pregnant on the same day as before.”

  Gemma’s spirit withered.

  “This is going to be harder than I thought.”

  Gabe’s eyes danced as he looked up from his food with a nod. “You’ve also got a hell of a lot of practicing to do in order to get to the right place and make it home again.”

  “Can’t you just come with me?”

  Gabe swallowed his mouthful of Cheerios and looked solemn. “I can’t travel anymore. I gave it up a long time ago.”

  “What do you mean, gave it up?” Gemma leaned forward and placed her elbows on the table. “You can do that?”

  “We all have a choice, even the electus could have stopped traveling if they’d wanted to. It’s kind of like going to the gym. You keep going, you keep working out… you stay strong. You stop going? Your muscles lose their strength.”

  “But I thought you said you had a dual memory, doesn’t that mean you can still do it?”

  Gabe shook his head. “I’ve worked hard to keep that skill. The older you get, the weaker you become. Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t physically travel anymore.”

  “But, you don’t look that old. You’re probably the same age as my parents.”

  “I’m a year younger than Alistair.”

  “So.” Gemma grabbed his arm. “He still travels all the time! You can totally do it!”

  “He shouldn’t be traveling anymore,” Gabe’s voice was black. “The only reason he’s even capable of doing it is because of you.”

  He dropped his spoon with a sigh.

  “Wait, what do you mean? I don’t understand.” Gemma felt a disquiet stirring within. Her brows crinkled with a mixture of confusion and disbelief.

  “They’re using you,” Gabe said softly. “They draw from your strength, that’s why you’re always so tired when you get back. Without you, they wouldn’t be able to go anywhere.”

  She sat at the table looking into a pair of hurting eyes and couldn't speak. She could see the tango of anger and pain glinting in his retinas. As his words descended into the soft tissue of her consciousness she felt her breathing begin to quicken.

  That’s what Harrison had been trying to tell me! That’s why they took me on that observation trip… and to Mesa Verde!

  She felt the jolt of the revelation. Jumping from her seat, she paced to the door and was about ready to fling it open when logic stopped her.

  Her body went statue still.

  “You’re telling me the truth, aren’t you?”

  “That’s why Harrison came to see me two weeks ago. He was worried about you and wanted to know if his theory was correct.”

  “Yeah, well he’s always right about everything.” Gemma returned to her seat and slumped into it. Leaning forward she placed her head into her hands and grabbed two handfuls of hair. “But… why would they do that to me? They’re my parents, they’re not supposed to…”

  She felt Gabe’s long fingers rub the top of her arm. “I know, kid, they’re not.”

  “Is this what you meant? About bad things brewing?”

  “I didn’t think they’d take Harrison, but, yeah, this is what I meant.”

  “If you knew they were bad all along, why didn’t you come and get me?”

  She looked up at him and saw regret.

  “I thought it’d be best to wait until you were ready to hear it. It took me years to find you and… when I did, you weren’t in a place to grasp this.” He shook his head with a rye smile. “Hell, kid, you’re barely coping with it now. You know, them getting rid of Harrison probably did me a big favor.”

  Gemma’s eyes narrowed and Gabe raised his hands in surrender.

  “Hey.” He smiled. “I’m helping you get him back! You point those daggers somewhere else, sweetheart.”

  Gemma dropped her gaze. “Don’t you see though, I lose either way.” She let go of her hair and looked up with a sigh. “Getting Harrison back is all I want, but in doing it, I’m learning that the two people I trusted more than anyone are total fakes.”

  Gabe’s eyes swirled with compassion as he reached for her hand. He didn’t say anything as he gathered up her fingers and rubbed gentle circles over the back of her hand. A soft melody reverberated from his chest as he hummed out a simple tune. Gemma felt a whisper of a memory stir in the back of her mind.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  St Augustine, Florida – 2011 AD

  She kept quiet about the familiar tune; still not willing to believe it could be real. Unable to fight off the growing feeling, she had wriggled her hand free and brushed aside her turmoil in order to get to work. Gabe had transitioned smoothly into business mode and after ordering some breakfast into her had marched her outside for their first lesson.

  They now stood in the empty lot next to Gabe’s caravan, the morning sun hot on their backs and a slight breeze mercifully dancing through their clothing. Gemma stood facing her teacher. She tried to push the warring niggles aside in order to focus. Summoning some of her training, she drew in a calming breath and centered her mind.

  “Okay.” Gabe stretched his neck then rubbed his hands together. “Traveling is all about controlling your mind and visualizing your target.”

  Gemma bobbed her head as she listened.

  “Tha
nkfully you’re heading back to a place you’ve been before. The more experienced travelers, like Alistair, can find places by simply researching an area as fully as they can and building up accurate images in their mind. That is a very challenging skill to master and takes years of practice. All I’m asking you to do is get back to Canon City, the exact location you were last time. Do you think you can picture it?”

  Gemma closed her eyes and sought out the images in her brain. Using all her concentration she honed in on the smell of the dusty roads, the feel of the mare galloping beneath her and the sight of the curving road leading towards the gorge.

  “I think so.” She bit the inside of her cheek.

  “Okay, you’re gonna need to be a lot more confident than that.” Gabe slapped her shoulder. “But don’t worry about it, we’ll be doing a little research leading up to this so the image in your mind will be as clear as possible, okay?”

  Gemma nodded, trying to hide the sudden doubt in her ability.

  “You’re gonna be great.” Gabe shone her a wide, toothy smile, which she couldn’t help reciprocating.

  “Let’s start simple.” He clasped his hands together and looked to the ground. “I want you to close your eyes and visualize exactly where you were a couple of minutes ago.”

  “What, you mean, like, in the caravan?”

  “Yep, that’ll do. Just picture everything you can about it… the colors, the smells, the lighting… whatever you can conjure up.”

  “Okay.” Gemma closed her eyes, visualizing the furniture in the tiny caravan, picturing the newspapers on the table, the clothes on the couch.

  “You got a clear image?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Okay, now focus your body on getting there. Imagine yourself standing in a spot in the caravan.”

  Gemma scrunched her eyes tighter, feeling the pressure of the demand. She forced the doubts aside and pictured herself standing with her back against the closet, just like she had when she arrived.

  “Now say the time you want to be there.”