Cade closed his eyes, as if he was trying to hold back a stream of extraterrestrial cursing. “No, I am not an alien.” He ground the words out from between clenched teeth. “I can’t believe that I have to explain this to you. Do you understand nothing of the world, lady?”
“Hey, I know real stuff, okay? Ask me about last season on Scandal, or the best recipe for peanut butter brownies, or how to choose the perfect logo for your website. I just don’t know the social history of the year 2525.”
Cade’s jaw ticked, and he headed closer to her. “Before the flash, there was a long war. It lasted three hundred years.” He said in a mocking tone. “Does this sound familiar?”
Nope, but no sense in telling him that. “Sure. The huge flash thingy that everyone obviously knows about. Umm… When was that, again?”
He hesitated. “Ten centuries, give or take. I don’t know exactly.”
So, a thousand years, plus the three hundred years of war… Addy did some quick math. She was marooned in at least 3300ish? No. More, because she didn’t know when that three hundred year war actually started. So maybe closer to fifteen or sixteen hundred years in the future. Christ, this was worse than 2525.
If she’d been sent --like-- sixteen hundred years into the past, she’d been dealing with the fall of Roman Empire. This was kind of the equivalent of being transported backwards to --like-- 400 and something AD. …And just like after Rome collapsed it seemed like the world had been plunged into a dark age, with a huge loss of culture and technology. Shit.
“Before the flash, the war was being lost.” Cade continued, as Addy tried to add up the mindboggling distances on the timeline. “The ruling gods decided they needed better soldiers for their battles and they created them.” He looked out the saloon window, towards Rushmore. “They corralled certain humans --the most worthy fighters-- and they added things. And took things. Until those warriors weren’t human anymore.”
Addy tried to piece that together. “The government genetically engineered soldiers?” Sadly, the idea wasn’t so farfetched. “That sucks, but --come on-- it doesn’t make them not human. It just makes them victims of the military-industrial complex. Which I’ve totally picketed against.”
That was during her “social-activist phase.” She’d quit because she’d missed shaving her legs, but Addy still held too many “radical” beliefs for her father’s liking.
Cade sank down on the barstool next to her, lost in his own head. “At first, the gods were pleased with the Voltyn. They fought better. They were bigger and stronger. They were not burdened with human emotions. The gods had made them harder, inside and out. Commanding. Cold. But, they also had abilities. The gods hadn’t expected that. They feared the Voltyn might use their powers to rise up against their masters.”
Addy got the SyFy channel. She knew where this was headed.
“The gods saw the Voltyn were dangerous and they tried to unmake their creations, but it was too late.” Cade shrugged. “The flash killed many on both sides, but some Voltyn survived. Over the centuries, many interbred with humans and created creatures like me.” He gestured to his otherworldly lavender eyes, not meeting her gaze. “Half-breeds. We have the Voltyn’s powers and lack of feelings. Humans do not want us around. Obviously, we are a stain on their world.”
Addy thought about that. “So… wait. You’re discriminated against, because your ancestors were tortured by unethical scientists? That’s horrible!”
Cade blinked like he might have misheard her. “What? No. Shit. You are confused.”
“No, I’m actually the one not confused. Not about this. You just said you were a stain on someone’s world, for crying out loud. Who told you that? Jesus, use your head! Wherever your great-great-grandparents came from, it’s as much your world as anyone else’s, now.”
“No. You still don’t see.” He tried again. “I am… unnatural.” He seemed to search for a word she might understand. “Weird.”
“Hey, America’s founded on the principle that everyone gets to be weird. It’s what makes us great. And whatever this place calls itself these days,” she pointed towards the granite presidents, “I’m still standing in America. Voltron’s should have the same rights as every other weirdo. Good people died so all us weirdoes could be equal. I don’t know what the hell is going on around here, but you can’t put up with prejudice, Cade. Not in any time period. It’s not right.”
He stared at her for a moment, taking in her earnest expression. “Voltyn.” He finally corrected in a less irritated voice. “Gods, Adeline, you are not seeing…” He trailed off and sighed. “This is not about right. Don’t you understand what will happen if you’re around me?” He answered that for her. “No, of course you don’t. You have lived your life wrapped in glass, it seems. Look at your aura.”
“You can see my aura?”
“Yes. All Voltyn can. It’s part of our powers. And yours is like nothing I’ve ever beheld.”
“In a good way or a bad way?”
“It’s very… pure.”
Addy smiled, delighted by that grudging compliment. “Are you flirting with me?” She teased. It sure sounded like an alien pick up line.
“No, of course not.” He muttered uncomfortably and then bottom lined the situation for her. “Look, the point is, no respectable human male will ever have you, if you’re connected to me.”
It was wrong to snicker, but she’d had very little to laugh at lately and that antiquated statement was just flat out funny. “So, I’ve blown my chance to marry Michael Landon and live in Little House on the Prairie?”
“I don’t know this ‘Landon’ man, but he certainly will not build you any size house, if you stay here much longer. You will be ostracized from polite society. I guarantee it. Your future will be ruined.”
“Luckily, I’m way more concerned about the past.” Addy told him and ignored his baffled frown. “Seriously, I don’t care about these stupid, X-Men movie bigotries. I really, really don’t. I have bigger problems than whether or not you see auras.”
“Like what?” Cade demanded as if he couldn’t imagine anything more pressing than being a super-solider.
“Like inventing coffee.” She ran a hand through her hair and made a face at the snags she felt. “I also need a bath.” Since Cade smelled pretty damn good, they must have some kind of shower around the place. “Just tell me I don’t have to heat buckets of water over a fire or something.”
“Water?” He scowled like that was crazy talk. “We’re not the savages you believe. We have a sonic bathhouse, like the rest of the world.”
Sonic cleaning instead of water? That sounded weird, but doable. “Does it have shampoo?”
“Sham-what?”
It was one step forward, two steps back. God the future was a pain in the ass. “Will it wash my hair?” She asked tiredly.
“Oh. Yes.” His gaze went to her messy curls, tracing over them with an odd expression. “Although, your hair seems fine to me.” Cade cleared his throat, glancing away. “Really… fine.”
Whatever tiny bit of apprehension Addy felt about this man melted away at his awkwardness. “Thank you.” She said softly, charmed by the big dummy.
“You’re welcome.” He muttered and cast an uncomfortable look around, like he was searching for a safer subject. “Um… Was Deke bothering you earlier? I could talk to him, if you want. I know he can intimidate people.”
“It’s fine.” She smiled. “He was very cute.”
“Cute? Deke?”
“Yeah. He was warning me away from you.”
Cade muttered a curse. “I’ll talk to him.” He said darkly.
“No, don’t. And don’t be annoyed with you brother. I know annoyance is your natural state, but it’s nice that you have someone to protect you. You should never take that for granted, Cade. It’s a much harder world when you’re alone in it.”
He shot her an unreadable look, still concerned with her Cowboys and Aliens dating prospects. “Deke’s r
ight, you know. You should avoid me. For your benefit, though, not mine. If you’re here, you will be hated by association. You’ll remain alone forever, if your name is blackened with mine.”
“Because you’re a Voltron?”
“Voltyn.” He corrected with a sigh. “We’re dangerous. Ask anyone.”
“Right.” She leaned closer to him. “Tell me. Did you really buy this place, so you could take care of your little brothers?”
He frowned defensively, which she took as a big, fat yes. “What does that have to do with anything?”
“It just doesn’t seem like something a dangerous man would do.”
“And you know a lot of dangerous men?” Cade retorted, like she’d just insulted his Black Hat status. “I’d be shocked if you ever came within a gantii of anyone without bayma on his hands, lady.”
She squinted at him. “Okay, I seriously have no clue what that means.”
He made an aggravated sound and got to his feet, shoving his hands into his pockets. The waistband of his pants slipped down farther on his lean hips and Addy struggled not to notice. She was epically unsuccessful. Seriously, was she nuts or did Cade have an even better body that Patrick Swayze in Dirty Dancing? And no one had a better body than Patrick Swayze in Dirty Dancing.
“Huh?” She said when she realized he was talking and she hadn’t heard a word of it.
“Gods, why do I bother trying to reason with someone with so little common sense?” Cade actually looked over at Rushmore like Washington or Roosevelt might be able to answer that. With no presidential wisdom forthcoming he shook his head. “Just stay away from me, Adeline. You’ll be far safer.”
“No, I don’t think so.” She gave him a smile. “I think you’re the safest place I could be.”
Cade didn’t seem to have an answer for that. He just stared at her. “I’ll have Jacobi show you where you can bathe.” He finally decided and turned to go.
Addy caught hold of his sleeve. “Can’t you show me?”
Cade’s purple gaze jumped to hers, his irises burning bright. The heat reflected there had her breasts tightening. Oh wow. Addy’s insides melted, unable to look away from that predatory gaze. She barely held back a whimper of desire, as he leaned in closer. He really did smell incredible.
“It’s a very bad idea for me to be near you when you’re naked.” He said flatly and her stomach dipped. “In fact, it’s a bad idea for me to be near you, at all. Someone will notice that I…” Cade tore his eyes away from hers and shook his head. “Just stay away from me.” He stepped back from her. “It’s the only way we’ll survive this crazy plan of yours.”
Addy bit her lower lip as he headed for the exit, again. “Cade?”
“Jake’s harmless. You’ll be safe with him showing you the sonic bathhouse. I promise.”
“It’s not that. Really. I just…”
He looked back at her when she trailed off. “Just what?”
Damn. What could she say to him, that wasn’t a proposition? “Um…” Addy searched for another topic and her gaze fell on a squashed looking, half piano/half violin instrument shoved against the wall. Her eyes lit up. “Is it okay if I try playing that thing? I took lessons as a kid.” Granted, it had been on a Steinway, but how different could it be?
Cade gave sigh. “Do whatever you want. Just do it quietly. The last thing I need is you causing any more disruptions. I like it when things are peaceful around here.”
Chapter Four
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“Shit!” Deke bellowed as Cade slammed him against the wall of the kitchen. “What’s your problem, man?”
“My problem is you threatening Adeline.” Cade retorted, leaning in closer. “If you’re pissed about her staying here, you come to me, not her. I swear to the gods, if you bother her again, I will take off your head. Got it?”
“I didn’t threaten the girl. I just warned her not to fuck with you.” Deke shoved him away. “And I’m not pissed about her staying here, either. I just wanted to be sure Addy and I understood each other. Which we do. Since you aren’t protecting yourself, I figured I had to do it for you.”
“What kind of protection do I need against a girl who’s half my fvreing size?”
“It doesn’t matter how big she is. I see the way you look her, Cade. Like she’s the godsdamn sun. She could break you into pieces without even trying.”
Deke was right about that. Addy Mulhaney already had so much power over him, it was frightening. She could get him to do anything, just by saying please.
Fuck.
Cade closed his eyes and stepped back. “Leave her alone.” He said, wearily pinching the bridge of his nose. “I know what I’m doing.”
“The hell you do. I don’t think she does, either. The girl says things that no one would ever say. Not even me, and I’ve been half-crazy since the Wilderness War.” Deke frowned. “How did she react to you being a Voltyn, anyway?”
“She doesn’t even know what a Voltyn is.”
“You’re shitting me.”
“I’m not. I had to tell her. She now believes Voltyn are unfairly subjugated and that I should fight against the humans’ tyranny. If asked, she will no doubt begin making me placards to protest on the streets for equality.”
Deke’s mouth slowly curved.
“It’s not funny.” Cade insisted, refusing to be moved by Addy’s naive defense of his heritage. “You’re right about her saying crazy, crazy things. Half of her words are ridiculous and the other half are magic. If she starts saying them to anyone but us…” Cade trailed off and his jaw ticked. “That son-of-a-bitch sheriff’s already half-certain she’s trouble.”
“She is trouble. A man can’t help but notice that right off. It’s part of her charm.”
“Yeah, well, I spent all morning convincing Zecker that her appearance wasn’t some stunt to reopen the brothel. He’s looking for an excuse to start hassling her, just for knowing me.”
Deke snorted. “That dickhead might be onto something. We’d make a lot more gold around here if Addy was dressed in a skimpy little omjah and carrying a whip, that’s for damn sure.”
Cade slanted him a deadly glare.
“Oh, calm down.” Deke snickered. “I’m just fucking with you. No one’s going to touch your woman.”
“She’s not mine. I think some human called ‘Michael Landon’ wishes to marry her.” And if Cade ever met the man, he planned to fry the bastard, just on principle.
This girl is supposed to be yours.
Deke ignored that. “Look, we’ll keep Addy close and she’ll be safe. The crazy shit she says will stay between us. Nobody else in the polis even speaks her language.”
“It’s bigger than just the language. She doesn’t understand. Not anything. It’s dangerous, Deke. Not knowing what she doesn’t know could get her hurt.” Cade plowed a hand through his hair. “She actually asked if Voltyn were the same as aliens.”
“Aliens? We killed off those tentacle motherfuckers seven hundred years ago! Everyone knows that.”
“I’m telling you, she doesn’t know it.” Cade shrugged, equally baffled. “Maybe Adeline’s people are isolated from the rest of the world. They might not know all that we do. She thought we still bathed in water, so it’s possible she comes from a more primitive polis.”
“With those clothes? H
er coat must have cost more than the bar.” Deke shook his head. “Fabric that pink and shiny sure wasn’t created by some remote cave-dwellers living out in the Wilderness. Hell, it wasn’t created anywhere that I know of.”
“That’s just it. I think she comes from somewhere we don’t know of. This woman,” Cade tried to find the words to describe what he didn’t understand himself, “she’s odd.”
“Yeah, I know she’s a little odd, but she still seems…”
Cade cut him off. “It’s not a fucking criticism. Adeline is special. Unique. It’s like she’s from another world, Deke. A better world. Like she was just dropped here and she has no idea how to survive in a place like this.” Cade met his brother’s eyes. “She looks at me and I see… purity.”
Deke studied him for a long moment. “Wherever Addy comes from, she is trouble. Being pure makes her trouble. She’s gonna attract it. When it all goes to hell, you’ll be blamed, just because you’re Voltyn. Are you ready for that? Are you sure you want to risk everything for Adeline Mulhaney?”
“Yes.” Cade said simply. Voltyn were bred to protect. He’d keep her safe or die trying.
Deke was quiet for a beat, considering that. “Alright.”
“No lectures on how I’m being an idiot?”
“Fuck no. I like the girl.”
“You don’t like anyone.”
“I like you and you like her. That’s enough. You’re planning to keep her, right?” He asked in a more optimistic tone. Since when was Deke ever optimistic?
Cade rolled his eyes. “No, of course I’m not keeping her. She doesn’t belong here. Besides, she would never want me.” He let out a long breath. “I just find her presence… pleasant.” Having Adeline in his home felt right. Every time he glanced her way, Cade heard that damn click. He wasn’t ready to give that up. “It’s temporary.” He insisted, trying to convince himself. “She won’t really stay until spring. The mayor will be back soon and he’ll never allow a lady to live with a Voltyn. She’ll leave with Hugo.”
Cowboy from the Future Page 6
