Echoes of Time (Echoes of Time Travel Series: Book One)

by Rylee Swann

  “But prepare for the worst?”

  “Yeah, welcome to my world.”

  Rayna was surprised that a small laugh bubbled up her throat. “Your world is awful, you know?”

  “But all for the greater good.” He sighed, his lips twisting into a wry smile, and laid his hand lightly on her arm. “I have to remind myself of that once in a while. When things get dark, like now. But I have an idea. We could both use a breather, a few hours of fun. I’ll still know if anything goes down regarding Shawn. I’m kind of in limbo waiting for the analysts on my team to determine where he is, and I think a change of scenery would do us both a world of good.”

  “Oh, no, Alec. I’m exhausted. I can’t.”

  “Not tonight. Tomorrow night. A new club is opening. It’s a big deal, and I wrangled us a couple of VIP passes. Go shopping for an outfit. And I have a feeling you might want to call in sick the following day. What do you say?”

  Rayna considered his offer. She had to admit it sounded like fun. A way to blow off some steam, get out of her own head for a little while. Surely, Shawn didn’t expect her to mope around, waiting for him to get back. The more she thought about it, the more accepting of the idea she became. Anything to distract herself from thinking about him never coming back.

  “What’s so special about this club opening? Not that I’m agreeing or anything. Just curious.” She tried not to smile, knowing it was a lie. She’d already convinced herself that she wanted to go.

  Alec pulled a folded page of a newspaper from the back pocket of his jeans and handed it to her. “It’s called The Limelight, and tomorrow night the New York City location opens. There are a couple of locations in other cities, one in London, I think.” He pointed to the article. “It says that Andy Warhol is hosting the party.”

  She scanned the article, growing more excited by the minute. “And you’re able to get us in?”

  “Sure, with a couple of press passes.” He shrugged, like the coup was nothing. “Once in a while there are perks to my job.”

  “It’s going to be a wild night. A club in a former church. Like a rave where the vampires come to party,” she said almost more to herself than to Alec. “Seems sacrilegious.”

  “Sinful.” He winked and pulled out his wallet. “Here. For your new outfit, to go along with the new wave theme of the club.” He handed her a credit card with a fake business name printed on the back. “No one will question you using this. Live it up.”

  Rayna accepted the card, examining it thoughtfully. “Thank you. You’re, um, a lifesaver, you know?”

  Apparently, Alec took that as his cue to depart and stood from the couch. “I’ll pick you up tomorrow night around ten. I’m looking forward to it.”

  “I think I might be looking forward to it too.” She smiled and stood up.

  He started toward the door but turned back. “Are you going to be okay tonight? Do you need me to stay, or do you have someone to talk to?”

  “I’ll be okay, Alec, thank you. I’m going to finally make that cup of tea and then call my dad. Hearing his voice will help.”

  “Good, that sounds good.” He hesitated, like he wanted to say more but changed his mind. “Have a good night, Rayna. See you tomorrow.”

  “Yes, you too,” she said to his back as he shut the door behind him.

  She made a cup of tea and settled at the kitchen table, picking up the green wall phone to call her father. As soon as she heard his voice, she started to feel a little better.

  “Rayna, it’s good to hear from you,” her father said. “How are you?”

  “I’m…okay. Um, listen. I have some news.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Well…okay, I’m just going to say this right out. I met Shawn Paros.” She clutched the phone to her ear, straining to hear every breath of his reaction.

  “Oh, did you now?” he said in a flatter tone than she’d expected.

  “Dad? Did you hear what I said? I met Shawn Paros. I’ve been with him for a few weeks now.”

  “I heard you, Rayna. So, did he measure up to how you’ve dreamed he’d be?”

  What was wrong with her father? He was acting like they were discussing the weather. Her father was an intelligent, studied man who enjoyed life and grabbed it with both hands. Quick to laugh, he almost always had a smile on his craggy, handsome face. He’d been her rock when her mother and her brother died in that car accident, and she loved him dearly.

  Sure, she hadn’t spoken to him in several weeks but what she’d just told him should have been met with more vigor.

  “Um, do you believe me? Why aren’t you more excited about this?”

  “Of course, I believe you. I guess I’ve just always believed that this would happen. So, it’s like the news is anticlimactic. But wonderful news, of course.”

  “Huh? You’ve always believed I’d meet Shawn Paros?” She stood and began pacing as far as the phone cord would allow. “That sounds…crazy.”

  “Not at all. Anyway, let’s hear the bad news. I know it’s coming, it’s in your voice, and I’m here for you, honey. Tell me.”

  Tears welled in her eyes. It no longer mattered that her father was acting nutty. She needed him. The dam broke, and she cried about all of her worries and fears until she thought she’d finally run out of tears.

  “Listen to me, honey,” her father said. “Shawn Paros is not dead. This is not how he dies. So, you buck up and ride this out. You got this.”

  He sounded so sure of himself, so positive that it cheered her for a moment, until new doubts crept in. “But, Dad, how can you know? I just gave you this information. You didn’t have a chance to really think about this at all, like when we’d go to the library and find as much as we could about him.”

  “Honey, you just go ahead and trust your daddy. You do trust me, don’t you?”

  “Yes, of course but—”

  “But what? Either you trust me, or you don’t. I’m telling you, he’s not dead, and you’ll see him again.”

  “Well, okay, if you’re sure.”

  “I am sure. Get yourself some rest and don’t worry. I know what I’m talking about.”

  “Okay. Thank you, Dad. I love you.”

  “You too, honey.”

  Later that night as she laid in bed trying to sleep, she couldn’t stop her mind from replaying the conversation with her father. He hadn’t said the words back to her. You too, instead of I love you? He always said the words back. What was that about?

  Why did everything feel so damned wrong?

  And how did her father know with such certainty that Shawn wasn’t dead?

  21

  Rayna had never dressed like this. Standing in front of the mirror, she adjusted the black lace fingerless gloves and smoothed down the black leather and lace miniskirt. She’d covered her skimpy black tank top with a barely-there black fishnet shawl that resembled bat wings when she lifted her arms. She’d painted her lips blood-red, and a pair of black granny booties with pointed toes like what Madonna wore graced her feet.

  When Alec knocked promptly at ten p.m., her stomach did nervous flip flops as she opened the door.

  Alec’s shocked expression morphed quickly into a large smile of approval. “Rayna, damn. You look fantastic.”

  Rayna’s worries melted away, and she offered a smile to rival his. “Thank you. You said this place would be an over-the-top new wave dance club, so I went all out.”

  “I should have brought a big stick with me. I’m going to have to fight the men off with the way you look.”

  Rayna laughed, and beamed at him, her heart fluttering like a hummingbird. “You know, you look great too.”

  And he did. He’d used gel to spike up his blond hair, and a small silver ankh earring dangled from his left earlobe. He wore a lightweight black jacket with shiny silver threads running through the material, over a white button-down shirt. Black bondage trousers with extra zippers and chains made him the epitome of bad boy punk hot.

 
“Thanks.” He smiled, his dimples showing.

  She admired them until thoughts of Shawn forced her back to swimming with nerves. “Has there been any news about Shawn?”

  “I’m sorry, no,” he said, shaking his head. “If there had been, it would have been the first thing I said. Like we agreed, let’s make the best of tonight. Have fun. There’s time enough tomorrow to go back to worrying. Okay?”

  She bit her lip and forced a smile back onto her face. “Okay.”

  “Ready to go?” He extended his arm, and Rayna slipped her arm through his. He led her to the street, where a limo awaited them.

  Rayna’s eyes widened as he opened the door for her. “Wow, no expense spared, huh?”

  A grin brightened his face. “It’s the best way to travel. Free alcohol will be flowing. The club has an open bar tonight.”

  They arrived a short time later to the grand opening of The Limelight. Housed in the former Episcopal Church of the Holy Communion, the outside feigned propriety, while the long line of wildly dressed young people screamed everything but.

  The limo let them off at the entrance, and Alec escorted Rayna past the line to the bouncer at the door. He showed the impressive-looking wall of a man their press credentials, and the bouncer unchained the rope, ushering them inside.

  Rayna stood on her tiptoes and pressed her mouth to Alec’s ear. “Nice move, Mr. Reporter.”

  Alec laughed as he led her farther into the renovated church. “Let’s find Andy Warhol first and then get situated.”

  The loud, pulsating beat of the music acted like a second heartbeat that throbbed along with Rayna’s own. It filled her, making her light on her feet, and she bounced to the beat as the crowd pressed against them. Alec wove in and out, finding pathways through the sea of people in the enormous darkened club. She struggled after him, amazed by how the crowd swallowed the opening as she and Alec passed, like hungry sharks stalking them.

  A cute waitress with purple hair walked by, and Rayna grabbed two flutes of champagne. She handed one to Alec and drank down her own as she followed him. She wanted to forget her worries as quickly as possible and figured drowning them would be the best way, despite what a cliché it might be. When Alec stopped, she bumped into him, and laughed.

  He smiled down at her, motioning with his chin. “See the guy over there with white hair? That’s him.”

  Rayna rose up on her tiptoes, looking past heads that blocked her view, until she spotted a man with wild white hair surrounded by important-looking people. “Andy Warhol? Oh, my god. I just got so nervous.”

  “C’mon, it’ll be fine. He’s a bit eccentric, but he’s an artist so he’s allowed.” Alec chuckled and, taking Rayna’s hand, steered her to the host of the grand opening party. On the way, Rayna grabbed another fluted champagne from a passing bare-chested waiter.

  They got into what amounted to a receiving line. Alec chatted with the couple ahead of them while Rayna sipped anxiously from her glass. She’d never met anyone famous before, and worried she’d make a fool of herself. Shawn didn’t count, she reasoned. She’d studied him for years with her father and had fallen for the idea of him long before they met. Besides, he was more infamous, rather than pop culture famous.

  Taking a peek around those ahead of her in line, she decided her nerves were uncalled for. Andy Warhol was just a man, nothing to be fearful of.

  With that newfound courage, she smiled graciously when her turn to meet him came.

  She chuckled when he kissed her hand, and blushed when he said, “I like your lips.”

  She let Alec lead her to the edge of the large rectangular dance floor.

  “He’s a strange man, that Andy Warhol.”

  “He is,” Alec agreed.

  “I mean, ‘I like your lips.’ What does that even mean?” She laughed, standing on tiptoe to be closer to Alec’s ear and be heard over the music. “What made him say that?”

  Alec said, “I can see why he would.”

  An awkward silence ensued but they were soon saved by one of Rayna’s favorite songs blaring through the old church.

  Rayna squealed with delight upon recognizing the beginning strains to Billy Idol’s “White Wedding.” She grabbed Alec’s hand. “Dance with me.”

  They danced for several songs, stopping only for champagne and water breaks. Alec moved like a cat on the dance floor. He spun her around and swiveled his hips against her back, sending shivers through her body. Bending his head close to her neck, he pushed aside her long hair, to her surprised gasps. His breath tickled her, his lips just barely grazing her skin. Was he about to kiss her? She needed to stop him. Before she could act, he went rigid against her and backed off. She turned around to find his face a hooded mask, even as he smiled and gyrated his body to the pounding beat of the music. She’d never seen him this sexy before. Handsome, yes, but never like this.

  He could blend in like a chameleon wherever he found himself or whatever the situation might be. He wouldn’t be a very good spy if he couldn’t, she realized, and gained a new appreciation for his skills. But she decided that the sex appeal he oozed was real, and not an act. He had almost kissed her and she had to stop focusing on his hips.

  Forcing her gaze to the other dancers, her eyes widened as she took an excited intake of air. She pointed as innocuously as possible. “Look! It’s Boy George over there.”

  Alec turned to scan the crowd, his movements perfectly matched to the music, and with a smile shook his head. “I’m pretty sure that’s someone dressed up like him.”

  Crushed, she pouted for a moment, but in her inebriated state refused defeat. “No, it’s him.”

  Alec laughed and drew her closer to him as they continued to dance. Although she chided herself for it, her attention went back to his hips until he stopped dancing. She looked up to his face from where she’d been unabashedly gazing.

  “Let’s look around, take a tour of the club,” he said.

  They went upstairs, and Rayna stepped onto the balcony that overlooked the dance floor. Strobe lights were on and the stop motion of the dancers made her dizzy. She had a strong suspicion that she would regret the number of champagne flutes she’d guzzled. Alec joined her at the railing, body heat radiating off him. His sweat mingled with the scent of his cologne—oak, she believed—stirring forbidden longings in her.

  Bending to her ear to escape the overwhelming volume of the music, he said, “Having fun?”

  A thin trickle of sweat rolled with slow nonchalance down the left side of his face, and Rayna found herself transfixed. “This is an amazing place. Thank you for bringing me here.”

  The night continued in a wonderful blurry haze. They danced, they laughed, and they drank until the wee hours of the morning. The crowd had only just started thinning out when Alec tapped his watch and nudged Rayna. “Our limo should be here. I asked the driver to be back at three.”

  “It’s that late, uh, early already?” She hadn’t noticed the time slipping by. For several hours now she hadn’t been locked inside her own head, worrying about Shawn and what she had no control over.

  “Yeah.” He slung an arm around her shoulders. “Time to go, I’m afraid.”

  She walked with him to the club entrance, but he pulled her to a stop at the door. “Stay here. Let me find the limo.”

  Nodding, she leaned back against the wall beside the exit as the edges of the world tilted. Everything seemed a little fuzzy, and the beat of the music pulsed inside her. She felt like she was still dancing, even when standing perfectly still.

  A giggle escaped her, and a group of Goths with safety pins stuck in the most peculiar places smiled as they passed by. Reaching up to touch her nose, she couldn’t imagine piercing it. What if she had to sneeze? Trying to maintain a modicum of dignity, she rested her head against the wall and waited.

  An hour passed, or maybe it had only been a few minutes, and Alec waved from just outside the club for her to join him. Shoving off the wall, she stumbled, and would have fall
en if he hadn’t rushed in the door like Superman to catch her. She gazed up at him as he helped her to the car. She said something, but Alec kept asking her what she said no matter how many times she repeated herself. She gave up after a few attempts and collapsed into the limo.

  Alec followed her in and shut the door. “What were you saying?” he asked once they’d left behind the noise and chaos of The Limelight.

  “Never mind.” She opened eyelids she hadn’t realized she’d closed.

  He laughed as he settled into the plush back seat. “Alright. I guess it wasn’t that important.”

  “Mm-hmm.” She leaned back, her head lolling to the side until it fell onto Alec’s shoulder. “I haven’t danced like that in ages. Been too long.”

  “I’m glad you had a good time. It was a fun night.”

  Rayna giggled for no reason. When she met his gaze, the laughter died on her lips. It became eerily quiet in the car, like they were the last two people on Earth. Her mouth dried up, and she wet her lips with her tongue. Alec groaned, turning his head toward her, and that slight movement brought their lips together. Rayna froze in surprise, but didn’t back away as Alec kissed her, his lips light, playful...interesting.

  Her head spun from too much champagne, too much unintentional seduction on the dance floor, too much heat. She relaxed into the kiss, her lips parting.

  Suddenly realizing what she was doing, she tensed and pulled away. “This is wrong. I’m so sorry.

  Alec slammed his head back against the seat. “No, dammit, no. It was my fault, Rayna. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have let that happen. But dammit.” He pounded a fist on his knee, his voice lowering to a mere whisper. “I’m only human.”

  “No, I’m sorry. I led you on. Did I lead you on? I didn’t mean to. All my fault.” She coughed, her mouth filling with saliva. “I’m sor… Oh, no.” She gagged but managed to turn away from Alec as bile mixed with the burn of champagne rose in her throat. She moved as far away as she could before she vomited on the floor of the limo. After, a rush of mortified heat rose to her cheeks. “Grody,” she uttered through shudders and coughs.