A woman we passed pressed a flyer into my hand. “There’s a Digger happening this afternoon. All the information’s on here. Be there.”
I took it out of reflex, scanning the handwritten paper quickly. “Uh, thanks. I’m not sure I can—we just got—”
Veronica leaned in, took the flyer from me and smiled at the woman. “Thanks. Peace, sister.” She took my elbow and led me forward. “Better to blend in. Do a lot of nodding and smiling. Remember, this is the dawning of the Age of Aquarius.”
“What’s a Digger?” I walked alongside the vampire.
“It’s complicated, but the Diggers were basically the group responsible for inviting the nation’s youth to San Francisco and coining the term the Summer of Love. They were the core group of the hippies.” She paused. “I knew the leadership well, and so did Donald Parcy. He broke with them over the use of violence as an avenue to true peace.” She raised her voice and leaned forward to touch Rafe’s back. “This is my townhouse. The key is under the planter on the right.”
Veronica’s home wasn’t huge, but it was lovely, decorated in the style of the day. We stood for a moment in the foyer, looking at each other, unsure of what came next.
“Okay.” Lucas spoke up first. “Our objective here is to get as close as we can to the Hive commune. Rafe will focus on manipulating Donald’s mind. Sionnach will be backup, shifting into other members of the leadership to try to dissuade him as necessary. I’m maintaining our time line continuity, and Joss is our firepower. Want to test that a little, Joss?”
On cue, Joss lifted her hands. A large crystal vase on the narrow foyer table floated into the air and then went careening toward the wall. I cringed, waiting for the inevitable crash and shatter, but instead, the vase halted just before it hit and wafted gently to the floor.
“Just checking to make sure I’ve still got the mojo.” Joss smiled cheerfully. “I’ll test the fireworks outside later. I wouldn’t want to start a blaze in here.”
“Good thinking,” Veronica said drily. “Past me still expects to come back here and live after the commune dissolves. I’d like it to be habitable for her. For me.”
“When are we heading to the commune?” Rafe asked.
“In the morning.” Lucas looked grim. “On the commune, they’ll spend tomorrow evening making their final plans for the ritual, which will give us the chance to change their minds in whatever way we can. Once we get there, we’ll get the lay of the land.”
“Can I go out for a little while?” I was restless, excited and curious. How many people got the chance to travel back in time, knowing what the future was going to hold? I had an insane desire to talk to these people, to figure out why they were all descending on the city at this time.
Rafe frowned. “I’m not sure that it’s a good idea. It would be an exposure risk.”
“She should be all right. I’ll go with her.” Veronica gestured toward me. “I know what areas we should avoid. Joss, want to join us?”
“Sure.” She grinned. “I’d love to try out my new corporealness.”
“Fine.” Rafe was terse. “But don’t be out long, and don’t . . . get into trouble.”
“Don’t worry about us.” I winked at him. “You boys do your thing, and leave the fun to the ladies.”
If you’re going to San Francisco,
Be sure to wear some flowers in your hair.
If you’re going to San Francisco
You’re gonna meet some gently people there.
For those who come to San Francisco
Summertime will be a love-in there
In the streets of San Francisco
Gentle people, with flowers in their hair.
“San Francisco” Lyrics by Scott McKenzie
Joss
San Francisco, 1967
Being dead for a long time and then coming back to life as a ghost had been a rough transition. I’d gotten use to a different existence, to the rhythm of eternal life. Of course, being trapped in the condo back in Florida hadn’t been easy, either. I’d constantly bumped up those memories that, in the afterlife, had become sweet and kind of nebulous. While I knew without a doubt that Rafe and Nell were destined to be together, my life with Rafe in that home still felt real and recent when I was there.
But now, here I was in the past, alive and solid again, and walking with two women whose cool factor beat out mine by miles. I mean, a kitsune? Sionnach just emanated a sort of hip vibe, the kind that made me feel hopelessly out of sync. And Veronica . . . a vampire who’d lived for over four centuries had my total respect.
She’d had a good time turning Sionnach and me loose in her closet, outfitting us in the right wardrobe. We blended in much better now. I had a long orange skirt with a gaudy kerchief tied around my waist, and a drapey flowered shirt. I’d fastened a narrow band around my head, holding back my hair.
“Look at all of them.” Sionnach shaded her eyes, staring into the crowd at the park gathering. “It’s just like all the pictures I’ve seen. Flower power. And they’re . . . singing. I mean, this is incredible.”
“I always figured most of what the documentaries showed were painting a pretty picture, but I feel like I’m in the middle of a movie right now.” I felt like a wide-eyed kid at an amusement park.
“It wasn’t all like this,” Veronica warned. “There was pettiness among some groups, drugs that destroyed minds and lives . . . horrible living conditions, mindless sex that led to disease and abortion and unplanned children . . . but there was also immense kindness, understanding and love. When we use the term Age of Aquarius, people want to quibble about astrology and planetary alignment, but it wasn’t that at all. It was the idea that peace really was possible. We all felt as though we were perched on the precipice of the most astounding change ever known to humankind. It was why Donald and others like him could draw so many to their sides.” She sighed. “I understood it. I know I felt more connected in this age than I had in any other. People didn’t question me. They accepted me for who I was.”
“Veronica!” A pretty girl with blonde hair that reached to her waist approached us. “I didn’t know you were going to be in town today. I would’ve bummed a ride off you.” She wrinkled her nose. “I had to ride in with smelly Hector, and he made a move on me, the jerk. Big guy when my brother’s not around to give him hell.” She noticed Sionnach and me. “Hey. Welcome. Are you new in town? You look like you don’t know which way to turn next. Do you need a hand? Directions?”
“Yes, they’re new.” Veronica answered her, an undertone of guarded surprise in her voice. “These are my friends, and they just drove in from . . . Florida. They heard all about everyone gathering here, and they wanted to be part of it.”
“Groovy.” She opened her arms, hugging each of us in turn. “I’ve been in town about two months. I came from Wisconsin, though. My older brother’s been here for a few years, and he helped start this whole movement. He’s so cool.” She took my hand and began leading us toward the singing group. “By the way, my name’s Paige.”
“Uh, I’m Joss, and this is Sionnach.” I trailed behind her. “So, you don’t live in the city?”
“No, not anymore. I live with my brother and his friends. They started a commune out in the country, and that’s how I know Veronica. But I like to come into San Francisco and keep up with what’s going on here, too. Some of the commune people are a little intense, you know? I mean, it’s cool. Everyone’s on his own journey. Or her own. Come on, sit down.”
We joined the circle, and someone handed me a tambourine. I smiled my thanks and joined in at the chorus, grateful for the years Delia, my old friend and mentor at Carruthers, had made me listen to the oldies station on the radio. After a few minutes, Paige waved to some people she knew across the circle and jumped up to go speak with them.
“You know who she is, don’t you?” Veronica bent her head to whisper to Sionnach and me.
“Who? Paige?” Realization dawned on me. “Oh, holy cats. She’s his sister, isn
’t she?”
“Yes. Her name is Paige Parcy. I met her . . . back when we were both on the commune. She showed up one day out of the blue—she’d run away from home to find her brother. I never even thought that I might see her around here, but now that I think of it, I remember that she liked to come into San Francisco and hang out with the Diggers.” Veronica frowned, and her eyes flickered to Paige, who stood with her arms around two other girls, smiling up into their faces. “We were friends, the two of us. She was so young and full of life—and you can see how open she is. What happened that day—” She shook her head. “I’ve seen horror in my lifetime, but nothing like that.”
A chill settled deep within me. “What happened to her, Veronica?”
The vampire looked grim. “Liesel convinced Donald that Paige was the vessel. They killed her that day, using her blood to open the portal. It was . . .” She shuddered. “Horrific. Truly horrific.”
I watched the vivacious girl as she danced around the circle, spinning and singing. She had less than two days left to live, unless we could do something to change history.
2017
Cathryn
The cabin felt oddly empty after the six time travelers left. It shouldn’t have; there were still plenty of us around, but perhaps it was because the larger personalities, including Seamus and Rafe, weren’t with us. I missed them all, including Veronica.
I sat at the long table at lunch on the second day, picking at the chicken salad Henry had made. Daeglan slid into a chair next to me.
“You doing all right, princess?” He was gruff, his face stern. “I promised Seamus I’d look after you, and he promised to do the same for Sionnach, you know.”
I smiled, touched. “I’m fine, Daeglan. Worried, maybe. Preoccupied with what comes in two days . . . but all in all, I’m doing all right.”
“Good.” He nodded.
Jackie, who had been poking at her salad and staring down into her plate, sighed. “We should have had the time travelers leave us messages to let us know they made it and update us on how things are going. You know, like in movies where the Pony Express delivers a letter a hundred years later? Or they could carve stuff onto floorboards that we could find.”
I shook my head. “It wouldn’t be safe, and it takes up too much time. We have to trust that they’ll complete their mission, and we’ll do ours.”
Joy came in then, with Colby following in her wake. She paused in the doorway. “Is there enough for us to join you?”
“Of course.” I patted the chair next to me. “Come sit. How are you feeling?”
“Hungry, all the time.” She peered into the dish in front of me. “Is that chicken salad?”
“It is, and Henry makes the best. Help yourself.” I smiled at Colby. “I imagine a farmer would prefer something a little heartier. Henry had some gumbo left over from the other night, if you’d like him to bring that in?”
His eyes lit up. “Well, I wouldn’t want to put anyone to trouble.”
“No trouble at all.” Henry spoke from the doorway. “I like to see people enjoying my food. Anyone need anything else? Miss Joy, I’m going to bring you a bowl of fruit. You need extra nourishment for growing that little one.”
Joy laughed. “I won’t argue with you, Henry. Thanks.”
I waited until Henry had turned back toward the kitchen. “Where’s Seth? I haven’t seen him all day.”
“He said he had to run an errand, and he’d be back this afternoon.” She spooned chicken salad onto her plate. “Cathryn, what’s going to happen to me? As the vessel, I mean. Everyone keeps saying that I’m going to be fine, that there isn’t anything I have to do or prepare for, but no one will tell me what to expect.”
I finished chewing and set down my fork. “I think that’s because no one is sure, Joy. We know that having you with us means that you won’t be used by the Hive to open the door to the other dimension. And as I understand, you will be a magnet that pulls together an immense amount of powerful, positive energy that will then flow out and destroy what the Hive has planned. I don’t know how it will happen, but I think you can trust that everything will work as it’s meant.”
“Will it hurt?” Her voice was raw.
“I don’t think so.” I hoped I sounded steady and calm. “I trust Seth, and I think you do, too. Do you think he’d let you be hurt?”
“No.” Joy’s reply was swift and certain. “Seth would protect me at all costs. I know that.”
“So would I.” Colby tore off a piece of bread and met my eyes. “My job is to keep Joy safe, and I’m not going to fail.”
“I know, Colby.” His loyalty and intensity warmed my heart. “Between you and Seth, Joy doesn’t have anything to worry about. The rest of us are committed to doing whatever we can to make sure nothing goes wrong.”
Daeglan grunted. “Do you think the stone’s meant for her?”
I narrowed my eyes, considering. “I’m not sure. I think . . . maybe. But I also have a feeling it’s supposed to be used by someone else.”
“There’s a stone?” Joy swallowed a bite and tilted her head. “Is it something that could help me?”
“Perhaps . . .but then again, as I said, perhaps not. Daeglan and Sionnach obtained an eternity stone during their last mission together. It has a variety of properties, and one of those amplifyies already-existent powers. I have a hunch that it’s intended for someone else on our team.”
Henry returned, carrying a large, steaming bowl. “I’ve got more of this, if the aroma tempts anyone else. Also, I just saw Seth walking to the front door. He had another man with him.”
He spoke so matter-of-factly that at first, his words didn’t register. When they did, I lifted my eyes. “What? A man?”
“Nothing to worry about, Miss Cathryn. Trust me. Here they come now.”
The words had barely left his mouth when Seth appeared, sticking his head through the arched doorway. “Cathryn, is Tasmyn upstairs?”
I frowned. “Yes, she’s with Michael and Marly. Where have you been, and who did you bring here? I’m assuming that reminding you about the need for secrecy and discretion would be superfluous.”
“It would be. Don’t worry, Cathryn. Doc isn’t a threat to any of us.”
“Doc?” I stood up, Daeglan close by my side.
Seth sighed and stepped back, revealing an elderly man behind him. “Cathryn Whitmore, meet Doctor Eli Alva. Doc for short. Doc, this lady is in charge of our mission to defeat the Hive.”
The man executed a small bow. “Miss Cathryn, it’s truly an honor to meet you. I’ve heard so much about you. And I hear that several of my old friends are here, too.”
“Doc?” I heard Nell’s voice before I saw her. Her face lit up with surprise and delight, as it rarely was. “Is that really you?”
“Nell, dear!” Doc opened his arms. “Well, aren’t you looking pretty. Made any onion plasters lately?”
Nell laughed. “Not since we left the mountains.” She glanced at me. “Doc is the one who saved Rafe’s life when we were hiding out in the Tennessee mountains, Cathryn. I don’t know what we would’ve done without him.”
“Oh, nonsense. I gave you some good ideas, but you were the one who did all the hard work.” He paused. “Is Rafe around here now?”
“Not just now. He’s . . . on a special mission.” Nell sank her teeth into her bottom lip. “But we got married before he left. I wish you’d been here.”
“Now that would’ve been a treat. Still, things all happen as they’re meant, my dear. I’m here today because Seth says that I’ve another patient to see.”
“I brought Doc to see Michael.” Seth nodded toward Daeglan. “Your brother is a gifted healer, and he’s done an amazing job. But I know he’s accomplished all that he can, and I think Doc may be able to help him.”
I felt a wave of relief. I’d been more worried about Michael than I’d allowed myself to admit. Although I’d long ago gotten over my crush, I still saw him as a good friend, and
I knew that his presence was crucial to Tamyn’s emotional well-being.
“Of course. Thank you for coming, Doc. Did you . . .” I hesitated, considering how to phrase this. “Did you have to travel far?”
He grinned at me, his old age twinkling. “A fair distance, but I had assistance. I don’t always use the traditional venues for getting from point A to point B. Just glad I can help.”
I was curious, but I held my tongue. “We’re glad you could be here. Will you take him up to Michael, Seth?”
“Happy to do it.” Seth winked at me. “And don’t stress, Cathryn. It’s all going to be okay.”
“I don’t know how I can ever thank you.” Tasmyn hugged Doc for the third time as we stood together in the hall outside the bedroom she shared with Michael. On the other side of the door, the man in question was sitting up, sipping on the chicken broth Henry had produced the minute Michael had opened his eyes, and getting an update from his mother on everything he’d missed.
“It’s my pleasure, my dear.” Doc beamed. “It’s always a blessing to bring healing where it’s meant to be.”
“You’ll stay with us tonight, won’t you, Doc? It’s getting late. I don’t know how far you have to travel, but I worry about your safety.” I lowered my voice. “Helping us might make you a target for certain . . . less than scrupulous folks.”
“I’m well aware, my dear. Believe me, I’ve had my share of dealing with the dark side as well. But don’t worry about me. I find my own way, and no one bothers with an old retired doc like me.”
“Doc’ll be fine,” Seth added. “I’ll help see him safely home.”
The old man submitted to one more embrace from Tasmyn before he walked down the steps between Nell and Seth. It occurred to me that Doc’s visit had been nearly as healing for Nell as it had been for Michael.
“Do you think he’s an angel, too?” Tasmyn murmured, her head tilted toward me.
“I think it’s entirely possible. Or maybe he’s just one of those rare humans whose goodness shines bright.”
Age of Aquarius Page 25
