When the room was clear, Anne still stood on the other side of the table. She watched me, her gaze glued to my face. “Mary has the gall to judge me and Henry when she sits next to her lover at the dinner table in my home.” Her cheeks flamed red when my eyes widened.
Her admittance to her love affair, however physically platonic it was, said a lot. She had kept her mouth shut, only showing the slightest of hints that she returned Henry’s affections. It was he that made it obvious to everyone that he was besotted with her.
“I have no quarrel with you,” I said, holding my hands up in surrender.
“Leon, isn’t it?” Her eyes were shrewd as they narrowed on me. “Don’t think I will hold back from telling Henry about Mary’s affair. She may love her husband, but she just can’t resist you, can she?”
How did Anne Boleyn, future Queen of England, although she didn’t know that yet, know so much about the former Queen of France?
“Anne, I bid you good evening.” I wouldn’t play her game.
I could see how easily she had manipulated Henry. Her words were threatening, yet her body language told a different story. She was a woman who knew how to get a man to do her bidding. Yet, it wouldn’t work on me. No woman had ever pulled that one over my eyes, and I wasn’t about to start letting them. In this lifetime, or any other.
Leaving her in the dining room, I escaped down the hall. There was no way I would hang around to watch the nobility look down on me. Mary/Amelia would have to act as much as I did. And, I wasn’t in the mood.
The birds were silent as I walked over the bridge and out into the night. My farmhouse wasn’t far from the castle, I would go across the fields. They were my fields, I knew the layout of the land, even in the dark.
A low whistle as I moved through the gatehouse made me pause. A guard stood by, letting me pass. He didn’t say anything as I carried on, ignoring the sound that was out of place. As I neared my cottage, I tripped over something, my knees hitting the ground. Reaching out, I tried to catch my fall. Just as I did, I laughed, quickly growing silent when I heard the low whistle again.
“Think it’s funny, do you?” A voice said before something thumped against my head and the blackness turned real as I passed out.
“Leo?”
The wind rushed through my body as I woke up. My back ached where I had leant on the hard side of the bath. Opening my eyes, I blinked at the lights in the bathroom.
Aries was still outside, banging on the door. How long had I been out? My trip into the past had literally knocked me for six this time. Rubbing my head, I sighed. It didn’t hurt. I had left the pain back in the 1500s.
“I’m coming,” I shouted, getting to my feet.
Automatically, I felt down my arms, checking for a new tattoo. The burn was always real, alerting me to the new picture’s presence. This time, there wasn’t one or the heat that came with it. Sighing, I turned on the tap, splashing water over my face. The party to celebrate my record deal was still going on, the sounds of jolly people and a pulsing beat in the background.
Opening the door, I faced my brother. He watched me, his gaze scrutinising my face. Screwing up my nose, I frowned when I looked at Aries’ hand. A ball of flames rested there. No wonder it smelt like something was burning.
“What’s the matter with you?”
He closed his hand into a fist, extinguishing the fireball. “You didn’t answer me for a few minutes there. I was worried.”
Looking past him, I spotted my bandmates dancing with my siblings. Even my mother sipped a glass of wine as she bopped on the little dance floor.
“I’m fine, I just needed a moment.”
For the first time in a while, I longed to tell Aries what was happening to me. I hadn’t been able to share my burden ever before. Maybe, just maybe, Amelia would know how I could tell the others. Or, maybe she would be the only person who knew. Unless she could tell others, of course.
“I think you need a drink.” Aries’ intense gaze broke as a smile lit his face. “We need to get raving drunk!”
Loosening my grip on the edge of the doorframe, I followed him into the room, smiling at everyone who spoke to me. Laughing and joking with those that were easy to wind up. Being my normal self. Although, I appreciated everything they had done for me, not one of them knew what was really going on with me. And, for the first time in my whole life, I felt completely alone in a crowd.
Chapter Six
Why was it that Megan always needed me when I was hungover? The party had gone on all afternoon and evening. We had even ended up doing karaoke and playing board games. I hadn’t had so much fun in a long time. But, I was paying for it this morning.
“Hello, darling,” Megan greeted as I entered the exclusive hotel lobby where she had ordered me to meet her.
Looking up, I smirked as I admired the marble ceiling and water fountain. It wouldn’t be long until I was living the lifestyle of the rich and the famous.
“What’s going on, gorgeous?”
Her smile grew as she shook her head and rubbed her stomach. Although her coat covered her bulge, she didn’t hide it as much as she had before.
“How’s the little one?” Reaching forward for the first time ever, I placed a hand on her stomach.
The red on her cheeks deepened as her head ducked. “She’s doing well.”
Nodding, I took her hand and led her to the hotel restaurant. “She?”
She ordered a tea, sitting with her back to the room, looking out the window. “I just had a scan.” Pushing a piece of paper across the table, she watched me closely. Coughing, I looked down at the picture of the baby.
“That’s pretty cool, but weird.”
She laughed, her head thrown back and her perfect white teeth on show. I hadn’t seen her look so carefree for a long time.
“So…?”
She knew my meaning instantly. The smile didn’t leave her face as she shrugged. “I’ve got you, I don’t need anyone else.”
The waiter served us our drink. I called him back as he was about to leave, asking for their biggest breakfast. It was going to be a serious talk, I needed serious food.
“You have to talk to your friends. You have to tell them. Have they not tried to contact you?”
Megan had been hiding since she found out that she was pregnant. In her world, it wasn’t easily explained, which was why her father had gone berserk. She should be married and settled down before she had a child, even if she was in her early twenties.
“They won’t stop ringing me. Luckily, they’re too afraid of my dad to come round to the house.” She flicked her hair, frowning when it fell forward again.
“You’ve stopped dying it.” I suddenly noticed when she leaned forward to get something out of her bag.
“I had to, it’s not good for the baby to bleach my hair. That’s another reason I can’t see them.”
Laughing, I swallowed when she looked at me deadly serious. “Surely, if they love you, they won’t care about the state of your hair?”
I hadn’t been friends with Megan for a ridiculously long time. She had befriended me after seeing the band play in an upmarket bar one evening. Like most women. However, she was different. She was…interesting.
“Anyway, I’m treating you to this breakfast,” she announced as the waiter put a plate in front of me. “To celebrate your deal! I can’t wait to hear you on the radio.”
I frowned down at my food. “What’s this?”
Megan threw her head back and laughed again, drawing the attention of everyone sipping on their tea. When she calmed down, she regarded me, amusement dancing in her eyes. “It’s money, babe, you get less for more. And, food is…minimal.”
Scowling, I scooped the food into a couple of spoonful’s and rammed them into my mouth.
“If you’re going to be famous, you better work on your table manners.” She tapped the table with her manicured nails.
“When I’m famous, no one will dare to serve me food that won�
��t even fill my mouth, let alone my stomach. Come on, let’s get out of here.”
Maybe living the rich and famous life wouldn’t be as fun. I would be hungry all the time. Taking her hand, I helped her to her feet and guided her outside.
“Where are we going?” Megan put her designer handbag over her shoulder, freezing as her gaze went over my shoulder.
“Megan?” Someone shouted.
I kept still as Megan tried to hide behind my bulk. It didn’t work.
“Megan, why are you hiding from me? I’ve been trying to…” A young woman, small and dainty, wandered up to us, her high heels clicking on the ground.
The street was busy, cars beeping, people walking. It was typical that one of Megan’s high flying friends would run into us at that exact time in the middle of a huge city.
“…call you. What…?”
Megan stepped out from behind me, clinging to my arm. The girl’s mouth dropped open at the same time as her gaze landed on the obvious bump.
“Felicity, hello,” Megan said feebly.
The girl stunk of nobility. Her coat was fashionable, her hair styled perfectly. A handbag hung on the inside crease of her elbow. Sunglasses the size of her head covered her eyes.
“So, that’s why you’ve been avoiding me. What the hell, Megan?”
The sunglasses reached the top of her head as she flipped them up. Her eyes raked me, then shot to her stomach.
“Who’s he?”
Megan’s fingertips dug into the skin on my arm. My shirt covered my upper body, hiding the tattoos that were all over me. Even in places that no one could see.
“He is the lead singer of Chasing Destiny,” I replied, smiling my best smile to thaw her ice heart.
Her eyebrows may have twitched as her gaze clocked Megan’s hand clenching onto me. Nudging her gently, I pushed her forward to talk to her friend.
“I’ve never heard of that band,” Felicity said, throwing her hair behind her shoulder. “Are you a covers band?”
Laughing, I stepped forward and offered my hand. “We’ve just signed a deal with…”
“Michael Keen!” Megan finally spoke.
The friend took my hand, letting her smooth fingers slide out slowly. Little minx. Her eyes widened at the mention of the famous producer. It seemed Megan knows a few people, who knew a few people.
“I’m sorry, Felicity, I just…” Megan began to apologise.
Felicity wrapped her arms around Megan, patting her on the back and air kissing the side of her face. “I can’t say I’m not disappointed, babe. I thought we were best friends. To not tell me that you’re…” She put a hand by the side of her face. “…with child…makes me sad.”
Her pout was fake and, oh so…irritating. I thought I would get used to the type of women Megan hung around with, but my experience so far didn’t make me confident.
Tuning them out as they chatted, I looked up the street, thinking about our first recording session. I had more than enough songs to make an album. In a few days, we were due to go to the studio with Michael and show them to him. He wanted to see what he had to work with and if we needed more commercial hits.
My gaze wondered lazily over the people on the other side of the road, freezing when my eyes spotted the long mousey hair of a short girl. Amelia. Even though I couldn’t see her clearly because of the people walking past on the pavement, I knew it was her somehow.
“Can you excuse me for a second? I think I just saw someone I know.”
Megan waved me away, too caught up in important conversation about the latest phone coming out to notice me.
Jogging across the road, I kept my gaze on the back on Amelia’s head. Why was she facing away from me? Her long coat, one I hadn’t seen her wear before, fell to the ground. It was black and clinched in at the waist.
“Amelia?” I said as I reached her.
She turned slowly. My heartbeat increased as my gaze shot to the bruise that circled her eye. The tears that flowed down her cheeks dropped onto her hair.
“What happened?” My lion instinct kicked in.
Leos were protective, just like a lion. If only my star sign traits didn’t kick in so much, maybe I wouldn’t have so much responsibility on my hands.
“You didn’t turn up to the meeting with Nick yesterday.” Her sob made me frown.
Smacking my head, I spun in a circle before I faced her again. “I completely forgot.”
A hint of a smile showed through the sorrow. “Nick said that you were the most unreliable out of all the Zodiac signs. Regarding time keeping, anyway.”
My frown deepened before I shrugged. “What can I say? I had more important things to worry about than Nick. Although, I didn’t realise he would punish you for it. Why would he do that?”
Amelia wiped her nose on her sleeve, looking younger than ever. Her big brown eyes seemed brighter. I hadn’t noticed them when I saw her on that first day. Did spending time with her in another lifetime help me to see her better?
“I hurt him, Leo. Nick, that is. My boyfriend, Freddie, came to my aid when Nick attacked me because I tried to run away. Nick almost killed him. I managed to get a knife and…” She hiccupped, almost stumbling forward. “…I stabbed him in the shoulder from behind to stop him.”
I held her arm, steadying her as she swayed from the shock that had obviously just hit. “What happened after that?”
My stomach rolled as I thought of Nick turning on her. Her bruise was nothing compared to what he would’ve done if he was capable.
“He stumbled away, leaving us alone. Which scared me. So, I somehow dragged Freddie out of there. He’s safe for now. But, I need help to get away.”
She grasped my hand in hers, shuddering when a small jolt of electricity made us jump. Why had that happened?
Tearing from her grip, I ran a hand over the spikes of my hair. Did she really expect me to drop my life to help her?
“Leo, don’t forget what you said when we were at Hever yesterday. You said you would help me. I promise to help you, too,” Amelia pleaded, trying to take hold of me again.
Avoiding her grip, I let my breath out in a rush before I glanced over my shoulder to check on Megan. She had linked her arm through her friends and was now waving at me. I waved back, gesturing for her to go on without me. Although she frowned, she did as I asked, glancing over at me before she disappeared down the street.
“Okay, let’s go. Where is this Freddie?” I was surprised at my bitter tone.
My whole adult life I had helped save people from Nick. He had threatened people I knew, even killing Taurus’ first girlfriend. If I didn’t help Amelia, I would be letting the man get away with hurting others. All because he had a stupid obsession with me.
“You need to explain what’s going on with our trips. Why were you there with me? Why were we even involved back then?” She ignored my question, instead striding off down the street.
Cursing, I followed her, looking around to check that she wasn’t leading me into a trap, straight to Nick. Why I trusted her, I had no idea. Everything she said could be a lie. Yet, the fact that she was with me in a past life wasn’t a lie. That couldn’t be faked.
The noise of traffic, people chatting and clunking footsteps echoed around me as I kept close to Amelia’s back. It felt like my mission at Hever wasn’t over. That was something that had never happened before. Usually I completed what I was supposed to, then came back. With a new tattoo to show that I had done that part of my mission.
The picture was always a symbol of that lifetime. A sword for the time I had been killed by Nick before he was banned from killing us. A snake for the time I saved my twin flame from a snakebite. And, many more.
“Why did we come back?” I said to Amelia, drawing level with her.
Her breath puffed in and out of her. The black boots she wore scuffed on the concrete as she glanced at me. “I don’t know.”
Her simple statement made me stumble. She put her arm out automatically, prevent
ing me from losing my feet.
“Aren’t you the powerful one who can control when you travel?” Taking her arm as we approached the lights to cross the busy road, I guided her across.
She didn’t flinch away until we were on the other side. Her phone started to ring, so she answered it, speaking too low for me to hear. I stopped in the middle of the pavement, grunting when a passer-by ploughed straight into my back.
Amelia walked a few steps before she turned, her eyebrows raised. Holding my arms out to the side, I shook my head.
“Do you really think I’m gullible enough to believe that’s not Nick on the phone?”
Without blinking, Amelia came up to me and handed me the phone. I almost dropped it. I hadn’t expected her to give it to me.
“Hello?” I asked the caller.
“Who’s that? Is that Leo?” The caller’s voice was weak, pained.
“It is. Is that Freddie?”
Something deep inside, a gut feeling, made me start walking again. I didn’t know Freddie, yet, there was a reason I was helping them.
“Yes, please…help us.”
Clearing my throat, I handed the phone back to Amelia who told the man that we were almost there.
How had she known where to find me?
“The reason I don’t know how we came back yesterday was because your disconnection from that time severed mine. It’s never happened before, but I felt it. Did anything happen to you? Maybe your siblings managed to wake you up?”
It was funny how she was happy to talk now I was on my way to what could potentially be a set up. How many women would need me to come to their rescue? Could I not just have a normal life?
“Don’t think I trust you,” I said, glaring at her. “Just because I’m helping, doesn’t mean I don’t think you’re out to get me for Nick.”
It was Amelia’s turn to stop walking, but no one bumped into her. She put her hands on her curved hips, regarding me through narrowed eyes. “I get it. You’d much rather be off singing songs. Well, how do you think I feel? I’d much rather be off with my boyfriend.”
“Why me?”
Leo Page 6
