by Cara Carnes
Vlad laughed. “No. Our home world is a beautiful place because of its simplicity. But when you arrive there, you will only have the amount of time you two originally had together to bond your souls in a union the time spinner would deem acceptable.”
“Okay, so two days then. That could be a bit tough, but I’m sure we can work with that.”
Vlad looked grim, the twitch of his jaw sending a nervous chill down her spine. “What aren’t you telling me?”
“For Djar it will be as if he never left his home and he will have no memory of you whatsoever. You will recall all events, though, in crystal clarity.”
Pain stabbed through her heart. Djar wouldn’t remember her. What if he had another love in his old world? She suppressed the self-doubt and remembered the lessons she had learned with Djar. He had taught her to have confidence. It had taken a while after he had left to realize it, but he had changed her for the better.
Melinda had to make sure he was safe, even if not with her. He deserved the same freedom to be himself that he had given her.
Of course. “It’s worth a shot.”
Vlad nodded. “The choice is yours, but remember if you try and fail you are stuck within his dimension in whatever life they cast you.”
Melinda looked around as confusion filled her. Was she willing to gamble the life she had and the friends and family she treasured for a chance with Djar? The realization he had done exactly that hit her. By entering her world and spending time with her, he had risked his existence. How could she not do the same for him?
“How do I do this?”
Vlad looked her over, saying nothing at first. “Are you absolutely certain, Melinda?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
* * * * *
Not breathing worked for about two minutes before Djar had to take a gasp of the stifling hot air into his lungs. The pain crawled through his skin each time he took a breath, reminding him of the wounds he suffered earlier from the whip of the gods. Terel intended to make an example of him.
He opened his eyes and winced when the heat dried what moisture he had behind his lids. Hell had nothing on the inferno of the gods. Deemed the worst level of the dungeon, Djar had been sentenced to two centuries. So far, one day had passed.
“Why do you insist on surpassing my record?”
Djar laughed, the movement sending blinding heat up his spine as flames shot up and burned the flesh of his back. “I didn’t realize I was. How long were you down here last time?”
Rhys laughed, “Can’t recall. I think Terel intends to carve a plaque for me on the edge opposite of you since I frequent it so much.”
“It would behoove you to avoid fucking the goddess he desires. There are many others chasing you, yet you chose the one he wants just to plague him?” He made a tsking sound with his tongue and shook his head. “Not a wise choice, my friend.”
Rhys grinned. “She is better in bed than all the others combined and it is not my fault he chases someone who does not know he even exists.”
“You flaunt it though.”
“It keeps him out of everyone else’s hair. If I had fucked her these past few days, maybe you wouldn’t be down here because he would have been too busy listening outside of her chamber wishing he was the one between her legs.”
Djar shook his head and found the effort of arguing not worth it. Closing his eyes and dreaming of Melinda and her hot hands on his cock served as a better distraction.
Rhys floated across the pool of fire in the center of the dungeon and stood at the edge of the small platform. “Give them back the time spinner so Terel saves face and you can be rid of this nightmare. She is hardly worth it.”
Djar shook his head, the chains securing him burning through the skin of his wrists and ankles. Cold, hard fear knifed through him. “They would kill her.”
Rhys looked at him. “She is not worth this. If that is the only thing preventing you from giving it back, then I give you my word that I will return for the spinner myself.”
Djar remained silent. His memories of Melinda kept him from going mad and he would not sacrifice her safety. The shock and hurt in her eyes when he had shimmered away still haunted him and he hoped enough time had passed on Earth for her to have forgotten him. Or at least forgiven the quick departure. “How is she?”
Rhys looked away. “I should say I haven’t looked, but you would know that I lie. She mourned your loss for a long time before becoming truly determined to do something about it.”
“What do you mean? She can do nothing.” He had been careful to not discuss anything which would endanger her or give Terel or any of the other gods a reason to cause her harm.
Rhys laughed. “Do not be too sure. I have to admit you have good taste in women because she has resourcefulness my warrior side finds very stimulating.”
“I’d kill you.” Djar knew time moved slower in his world than hers, but he couldn’t discern how long it had been for her.
“I know,” Rhys said. “But still, she’s very intriguing. She went out with her friends one night—well, they actually dragged her out of the house. When she returned, things started getting very entertaining for me. I couldn’t see anything.”
Djar looked at his friend. “Explain.”
Rhys laughed. “One minute I heard her coming into her place talking to someone. Then I heard her say the one word that could block the reflecting pool. How do you suppose she found out about that?”
Vlad. Surely he would not get involved in something which did not concern him. It was not his style, but nothing else made sense. “You can still hear though, can you not?”
Rhys grinned. “Yes, but I think I’m keeping what little I have managed to hear to myself. Sometimes knowing too much is a bad thing.”
“I will kick your ass when I get out of here.”
“Trust me—I would rather be where you are rather than appeasing the goddesses by myself. Your little stunt brought all of us back into their sights and suddenly the goddesses are craving warrior cock once again.”
Djar laughed, remembering how much of a nuisance the women were when they were wanton. “There could be worse ways to spend your days.”
“I guess time will tell. Keep yourself safe, Djar. May you remember the things you value the most—no matter what.”
Djar watched Rhys vanish and wished he had remained longer. The banter helped keep his mind from the pain slicing through his body. The only thing worse than the pain was the knowledge it would not end. Once his body could take no more he would be healed completely and returned to begin again.
The sweet taste of Melinda’s lips was worth it. If he took the punishment without complaint Terel would forget about her. At least that is what he hoped. The memory of her body responding to his would keep his needs sated for a long time. If only things could have worked out differently, she would have made such a worthy mate for him. His family would have been pleased with the union.
He smiled, thinking of his mother and the quiet way she managed to get whatever she wanted. Soft spoken, she had earned the respect of most of his people with her healing touch. A few sprigs of her roots and herbs would do wonders on the slices and burns marring his flesh.
Djar wondered how long he could remain sane amidst the anguish. Already he could hear Melinda’s voice raised as if she were here in this dimension, but he knew it was the pain playing tricks with his mind. He closed his eyes and allowed the auditory illusions to take control for a moment. As long as no one knew, there could be no harm in listening to the sweet sound of her voice.
* * * * *
“I’m not afraid of you, asshole!” Melinda exclaimed.
Her bravado proved stronger than even the hold she had on the time spinner she clasped. Anger recoiled off the men standing before her, all with the same luminescent appearance and clothing loosely covering their bodies.
The area they stood in reminded her of nothing. Literally. Devoid of color and anything except open space, it was
like floating in the middle of nowhere. Looking down at what should be the ground had been a bad idea because nothing seemed to be there, yet she was supported by something.
“Who is this woman, Terel, and why does she have the time spinner?”
“She is a thief, surely,” Terel said.
She leveled a glare at Terel and then looked around at the other four men before her. “A thief would not return it to you. I do so as an act of good will and ask for only one thing in exchange.”
“And what would that be?” the younger man asked, stepping forward.
She eyed him suspiciously, but stood her ground. Vlad had said showing bravery would earn her respect with the gods. “What is your name?”
“We don’t really use names much in this dimension, but if you must have one, Bilbar is how I am known by some. I am the god of justice. What is your name?”
“Melinda.”
Terel’s nervous gaze darted to the men around him. Vlad had been right in assuming they knew nothing of his actions. “Before we proceed with my request, Bilbar, I must insist on knowing Djar is unharmed and living.”
The men standing around Terel laughed. “My lady, we gods are not ignorant. Maiming or killing our best fighter would be disastrous to us. His position here is too valuable to put him in danger. Why do you think otherwise?”
Melinda breathed a sigh of relief, praying what Bilbar said was true. “That one promised severe retribution for him coming to me in the forbidden zone.”
“Djar went into the forbidden zone and we were not told?” Bilbar asked, his gaze looking behind him at Terel.
Terel’s face reddened and he glared over at her. “He went for this one. I have dealt with it.”
“How?” Bilbar demanded. Melinda cringed at the booming anger of the question.
“He was confined to the lower quadrant of the dungeon,” Terel said. Loud gasps increased her concern for his safety. What was the lower quadrant and why did the mere mention of it make these men who had been standing there without expression suddenly agitated?
“For how long?” he asked.
Terel stammered, but said nothing in response to the question. “Would it not be better to discuss that later?”
Bilbar laughed, his gaze roaming over Melinda as she stood there. “I don’t think it can since whatever she intends to demand clearly involves him. Tell us, Melinda, what is it you wish in return for returning the time spinner to us?”
Melinda breathed in and focused on her plan. Thinking of what Djar was going through right now wouldn’t help and it was clear they had no intention of letting her see him. At least not yet.
“I wish for the time spinner to be used to test Djar and me as soul mates.”
Their voices rose in a language she didn’t recognize, but the shock and anger reflected in the pitch and volume. Terel stepped forward. “I demand to know how you know of the time spinner’s origin. Did Djar tell you?”
Melinda looked at the asshole she wanted to kill and smiled. “No, he never mentioned anything about this thing actually. I almost threw it away. But then its history came to me in a dream and I knew what I needed to do.”
Vlad had told her to say exactly that. Somehow the spinner called to people it wanted to help and she had to convince them it did that with her. She hated the deceit, but if it meant helping Djar it was worth it.
“Do you understand what will happen if you two are not soul mates? You would be trapped in his world,” Bilbar said.
Melinda nodded. “I know the ramifications. The sooner we do this the better, because I doubt Djar is enjoying himself right now.”
Bilbar stepped forward. “I sense your urgency, Melinda, and I regret these circumstances presented themselves. Djar should not have entered the forbidden zone, but I can assure you Terel was equally wrong for wielding authority only I should control.”
“I don’t see you rushing to right the wrong though,” she accused.
“It is complicated.”
Melinda laughed. “It always is with people like you.”
The man grinned. “Very well then. Are you aware of the power of the time spinner? It is a very dangerous thing to mess with fate and re-spin it, so you should only do so with extreme caution.”
She held out the hourglass-shaped object for him to take. “I believe we’ve been through that already. Please, time is wasting.”
The longer they waited, the more she questioned the decision. Vlad had explained the spinner to her and she wasn’t about to let the man in front of her change her mind. The only thing that mattered was getting Djar out of wherever he was being held.
Bilbar grasped the spinner and began to chant. A tingling sensation culminated in her hand where it held the object. The only image she maintained in her focus was the man grasping the device with her.
He smiled at her. “Remember, he will not know who you are, nor remember any of the events that have occurred since we took him from his home. It will be as if time never moved for him and you are not allowed to share your memories with him.”
Melinda’s pulse raced as she nodded her understanding. He released his hand and an unseen force began pulling her. A tornado of softly colored lights enveloped her and soon she found herself lying on a soft field of yellow grass.
“Crazy child, what are you doing lying down again? If they see you are not supplying your share of food, you will be cast out for sure.”
Melinda turned and saw an older woman walking toward her, a large fur flung over her right shoulder in a sling-like fashion. The fur’s large rounded bottom implied it was quite heavy, but the short woman with silk colored hair continued to walk quickly.
“Do I know you?” Melinda asked.
The old woman looked down, an outraged look on her face. “Minda, I’ve a good mind to call you before the tribesmen myself. I spent two extra hours pulling clysto roots and fell scurrying up the highest sena mountain trying to get the mavera for you. But you know that is a journey you must take yourself, foolish child.”
Melinda looked at the woman, having no idea what any of those things were and not understanding why she even understood the words. For that matter, what language had she just spoken herself? She glanced in the direction of the woman’s pointing finger at the high mountain ridge. At least she assumed those were the sena mountains, they resembled Earth mountains except for the pink appearance to them.
“I’m sorry,” Melinda offered. “Do you want me to carry that?”
The woman gasped and stepped back. Her eyes widened as her free hand clutched a homemade necklace of some sort. “The gods have riddled you daft. Dear heavens, we will never find you mated after this. What did you do to incur their wrath, child?”
Melinda looked around the wide, open area and saw no one. “What do you mean?”
“What is my name?” the old woman asked.
Wonderful. There was no way to even begin guessing. She shrugged her shoulders and the woman gasped again, this time stepping further back. Melinda smiled. “I am having an off day. Really, I am fine.”
She figured it best not to try to explain anything. The way the older woman clutched the necklace and muttered under her breath exhibited her fear, and Melinda couldn’t afford to lose her help. She was definitely in trouble because she had no idea who she was supposed to be here, or who the woman in front of her was. How the hell had she thought she could pull this off?
She hadn’t thought. That was the crux of the problem. Only Djar’s safety mattered to her. “Please, I cannot remember anything,” she said.
The old woman looked at her and nodded her head. “Then you surely angered the gods by seeing something you ought not to have seen. That is the only reason they would strike you with such a wretched curse. How can you possibly find a mate at tonight’s dinner if you cannot remember their names?”
Melinda suppressed the ironic laugh that welled up inside her. Of course the gods would find it humorous to put her into yet another ritual. Why wouldn’t
they? “Will you help me?”
The old woman nodded and began trudging through the overgrown yellow grass that was so soft to the touch. “Of course I will help, child, but you must remain mute tonight and speak to no one. They will think you smitten with them and may think you are playing coy.”
She followed the woman, her gaze absorbing the rich, full colors of the surroundings. The sky was the deepest shade of blue she had ever seen and the earth beneath the soft blades appeared to be a light shade of green.
“What is your name?” Melinda asked.
“They will surely think you are besotted,” the woman commented. Pausing, she turned. “I am Pryna, your second elder. Since your primaries were killed I have cared for you. You should be mated by now, but you got your father’s features and none of our hunters wish to have anything to do with such a homely thing as you.”
Melinda sighed. Why couldn’t she be beautiful in this life? She hadn’t expected much of a change, but it would have been helpful. Of course the gods intended this to be an impossible task. Djar probably didn’t know she existed. “How old am I?”
Pryna turned and looked her up and down. “You speak like that god who comes and accepts the offerings. He must have been the one to riddle your mind useless.”
Wonderful. Plain and ignorant to their culture. She really was going to be the belle of the ball tonight. She laughed.
The woman turned. “I do not find this humorous. I have had to care for you too many nights in my hut. You should be rearing the children of a hunter and providing like the other women of your cycles are. I am glad your primaries are dead, for you would shame them to an early grave. You shame us all.”
Melinda looked down and kicked the ground with her foot, determined not to let the woman’s bitterness stop her from succeeding on her mission. “How many cycles am I?”
Pryna shook her head and continued to walk. “You are nearing your thirtieth cycle and should you not mate this time, you shall be deemed tainted and remain a burden on me to provide for you.”
Melinda remained silent as they continued on a course down a sloping expanse of ground. A large band of huts jutted out in a semi-circle. A second set of huts made of what seemed like much shabbier materials sat on the banks across the river. The area surrounding them was covered with high grass and the stench of rotten carcasses wafted through the air.