Timespell

by Diana Paz

  Julia’s eyes slid closed on the happy daydream. She was so tired. She felt like she could sleep forever. But thoughts of Ethan began crowding her hazy mind. She remembered him in the dim passageway of the Queen Mary. Pacing ... restless ... he leaned back against a wall, slamming his head against it as he yelled her name.

  “Julia!”

  Her eyes flew open. She stared at the sheer canopy above her without seeing it.

  That hadn’t been a memory.

  Her heart pounded as she closed her eyes again. It took her a second to relax her mind. Ethan, she thought. A vision of him materialized, so clear she almost choked on her breath. He was pacing again—taking forceful, angry strides. He paused, looking around.

  Her heart sped up. Could he sense her?

  “Ethan,” she whispered.

  His head turned sharply to the side.

  She swallowed. “Ethan, can you hear me?”

  Slowly, Ethan turned around and looked directly at her.

  “Oh my—”

  “Mademoiselle?”

  Julia bolted upright. “Huh?” Her vision swirled black in places. She blinked as the maid reentered the room. “Oh. Hello.”

  The maid carried a tray of food, saying something in gibberish—or French—and smiled.

  “Mmm, thank you,” Julia said, her heart still racing. “Looks great.”

  A voice whispered in her mind.

  Summon me, Julia.

  Julia scrambled to her feet and fell back on the bed dizzily. That had been Ethan’s voice. She grabbed the side of her head and looked wildly around. Ethan was talking to her. In her head.

  The maid stood frozen, staring at her. She took a hesitant step toward Julia and touched her forehead.

  “I’m fine,” Julia said. “Totally fine.”

  It was so bizarre. At least when Angie used telepathy, Julia could see her face because they needed to be touching. Hearing Ethan like this was completely surreal.

  I feel your heart racing. I know you can hear me—summon me. I’m supposed to be there with you.

  Ethan’s voice was louder this time. She wanted to laugh even as she stumbled into the chair with claws for feet.

  Damn it, Julia!

  “Stop yelling,” she said. “It’s freaking me out.”

  The maid backed slowly to the door.

  “I’m fine,” Julia said again.

  Why don’t you answer?

  “I’m answering. Why aren’t you hearing me?”

  He became louder, screaming her name over and over, as if he thought she couldn’t hear him either.

  “Shut up,” she said, digging her fingers into her skull. “Just shut up already.”

  The maid dropped a plate of bread rolls.

  “I’m okay,” Julia told her. “There’s just this guy sharing my brain. It’s nothing, considering the other crap that’s been happening to me lately.”

  The maid said something again, all breathless and wide eyed as she left the room.

  Julia let her head fall back against the chair. Ethan had finally grown quiet.

  Almost as soon as she shut her eyes, she saw him. He had his head tilted, as if waiting for something. She focused on him and his head snapped up. The look of triumph in his eyes was unmistakable.

  “Ethan,” she murmured.

  His lips moved first. A second later she heard, Bring me to you. Summon me.

  “How?”

  He didn’t answer. He just stood there like he was waiting to be rescued.

  “How do I summon you?”

  Still nothing. Just the usual vision of his royal hotness with waves of black hair falling into silver-gray eyes. Julia could kiss him, he looked so good, but that didn’t help her summon him.

  “What do I do?” she asked. “Why won’t you tell me? Can you even hear me?”

  Little by little his gaze faltered. He muttered something, and she heard bitterness in his voice. It isn’t really you, is it? It’s her, and she doesn’t know anything.

  Julia opened her eyes, stung at the disappointment in his voice. Who was he expecting?

  She shut her eyes again. If she could conjure up a vision of Ethan, she could figure out how to summon him too. She cleared her throat. “Ethan, I—” she cringed at the cheesiness of it all. “I summon you!”

  Nothing happened.

  “Okay.” She exhaled. “I summon you, Ethan. By the power of the Fates.” Should she pledge allegiance? Say amen? What? What? “What do I do?” she asked the empty room.

  Julia, can you hear me?

  A ball of anger began to form inside her. “Yes, I can hear you. La la la la, can you hear that? Can you hear me at all? No, I didn’t think so.” Apparently she was going to walk around with some angry guy in her brain for the rest of this mission. A guy who couldn’t even hear her, and who expected her to be someone else.

  I felt you before. I know you must be there.

  “Fine,” she muttered darkly, leaning back in the chair again and closing her eyes. “I’ll do it again.”

  There he was, his head tilted again like he was listening for her. She focused on him and he breathed deep. Like he was relieved.

  It just occurred to me. This is your first time summoning.

  “Gee. You’re so the genius.”

  You have to hold out your hands, and ask me to find you. I am your Wanderer. Call me by that name.

  Oh yeah, thanks, Indira. She would never have figured that out on her own.

  She got to her feet, steady this time, and with more than a little aggravation at the whole situation. She held out her hands and left her eyes open to the empty room. “Find me, Wanderer.”

  She sucked in her breath against the frost in her chest. A gray, transparent form began to take shape in front of her, like mist. The mist connected to her at both of her hands, swirling like the vapors of a science experiment released from a cyclone funnel. The chill in her palms grew. The connection solidified, and in semi-freak-out mode she tried to back away, but she couldn’t let go.

  The presence grew stronger, increasing in brightness and color. The cold presence in her hands became solid and warm. Fingers interlaced with hers, and a body took shape in front of her, heaving deep, desperate breaths. It was Ethan, with the same panic-laced expression he had worn the day he had vanished on the beach.

  “Julia,” he said, blinking to life with eyes as pale gray as the mist he had come out of. He pulled her by the hands, roughly enough to make her gasp, and pressed her body against his solid form. “You made me wait for you.” His lips came close to hers and Julia was too stunned to realize what was about to happen. “Don’t ever leave me,” he said in a ragged voice, closing the distance between them.

  His lips didn’t wait or coax. It wasn’t anything like the shy first kisses she had shared with guys in the past. Right away he parted her lips and she felt the shock of him, tasting her. Warmth spread through her body. She didn’t know when her hands traveled up to his shoulders or when his hands came down to her waist. All she knew was that she wanted more than this. She wanted more closeness ... more him.

  Chapter 15

  Kaitlyn

  Kaitlyn was ready to give these French boys a taste of the twenty-first century.

  The castle buzzed with people, but she hadn’t found anyone worth flirting with. Everyone seemed to be rushing somewhere and talking in French.

  What the hell? What did it take to find a hot guy in Paris?

  Whatever. She wasn’t going back to the room with the loser sisters. They had gone back in time. They could do anything they wanted, but those two stayed huddled in their room. Did their boyfriends really have them that whipped?

  She reached a wide, open-air walkway and met a sight that made her lips curl up in a smile.

  Soldiers.

  Uniforms did a lot for a guy’s hotness level. Kaitlyn angled herself in profile as she checked them out. Their dark blue coats were left open and lined in red. She licked her lips, imagining what it would fee
l like to push that jacket off a pair of broad shoulders. Her gaze fell to the matching crimson pants tucked into white knee-high boots—who knew George Washington style soldiers could look so good?

  More than one soldier had glanced her way by now, ignoring whatever their commander was droning on about. She waited, sweeping over them with her eyes, until she found the one who looked the tastiest. Dark hair, dark eyes, arms like cannons and a chest of rock-solid awesome. She let her smile come on slowly.

  The rest of the soldiers got in formation, but the dark-haired guy didn’t seem to be a part of the group. He lounged on the ground-level terrace, watching her, as the rest of the soldiers marched away.

  Jackpot.

  Kaitlyn sauntered purposefully toward the courtyard, her eyes direct and inviting as she passed him. She waited until she was sure he followed before plucking a large white flower and bringing it to her throat.

  He advanced slowly. “Alone, Mademoiselle?”

  His deep voice sent delicious chills up her spine, but the tattoo-thing on her arm burned. The closer he came, the worse it hurt. Now what? Did the stupid mark have something against flirting?

  “Yes, all alone,” she managed to say, ignoring her arm even as she sensed something wrong. How does this guy know I speak English?

  She felt Angie’s presence before she appeared around the corner, a flash of pale determination.

  “Kaitlyn, no!”

  The guy grunted, his nostrils flaring. Before Kaitlyn could make sense of it, Angie reached the courtyard and shot at him, white light flaring from her palms. The guy did a backflip, avoiding the bolts of magic.

  “What the—”

  He roared, his eyes glowing red as fur broke out all over his face.

  “Run,” Angie screamed.

  Kaitlyn ducked as he swung his fist at her. “What the hell is this thing?”

  Angie fired another bolt of magic. “Go back to the room. Get Julia!”

  The thing charged at Angie. It had turned into some kind of devil; a half-bull, half-human, with horns coming out of its head. Angie cried out as the thing rammed into her. Kaitlyn used the distraction to run past it to get to the castle.

  Damn it! If she left, the devil-guy might kill Angie. Then she would be stuck here in the past. She raced back as Angie scrambled away from the beast, clutching her abdomen.

  “How do I blast it?”

  Angie shook her head, gasping. “Get Julia.”

  “There’s no time.”

  The thing roared, lowering its horns at them.

  “What do I do?” Kaitlyn yelled.

  “Lift your hands,” Angie said, slumping against the wall. “Release.”

  The devil-guy charged and Kaitlyn aimed her hands at the thing. Power built up in her palms, like a ball of sparking electricity. Release, release. How the hell do they do it?

  “Kaitlyn, release!” Angie screamed.

  Kaitlyn tried to remember how she had blasted her portrait in the den. I can do this if I stop being a panicked dumbass for a second. She shut her eyes and released, shooting the energy out of her palms. It slammed into the creature’s chest, knocking it flat on its back.

  “Run,” Angie cried, grabbing Kaitlyn’s arm.

  “It’s dead.”

  “No, just stunned. Magic can’t kill creatures, and that thing doesn’t look like it would be easy to kill, period.” Angie clenched her teeth and gripped her side as they rushed back into the castle. “We need to find the portal and send the creatures back to their own dimension. Where was it going before it spotted you?”

  Kaitlyn ignored the questions, her eyes widening at the sight of Angie’s abdomen. The fabric of her gown was completely soaked in scarlet. “You’re bleeding!”

  “Never mind,” Angie said. “We have to reach Julia before the minotaur wakes up and kills someone.”

  “Yeah, like us,” Kaitlyn said, helping Angie up the stairs. “What kind of magic is this?”

  Angie shook her head. Her face was so pale it was almost blue. Her eyes darted around at the crowded castle. “Give me some of your magic,” Angie whispered.

  Kaitlyn concentrated on the tattoo on her arm. It warmed and she felt magic slip away and into Angie. For a split-second she saw out of Angie’s eyes. She could hear her thoughts as the girl lifted her hand. Overlook.

  The people around them turned back to each other, paying no attention to the girl gushing blood as she walked down the hall.

  “Hurry. The spell won’t last long,” Angie said.

  “Forget the spell. You won’t last long the way you’re bleeding.”

  “I’m fine,” she said, but by the time they reached their door, Angie clung to Kaitlyn as if she would fall over. “Julia can heal me.”

  Kaitlyn shoved open the door. Her jaw dropped at the sight that met her.

  Julia pulled away from the guy she had been locking lips with, cheeks flushed, lips red.

  “Julia seems a little busy at the moment, actually,” Kaitlyn said, shutting the door behind her. Julia’s eyes shone, and the rise and fall of her chest seemed out of control. Kaitlyn smiled. “Look who’s turning into a little slut.”

  The guy stepped forward, his brow lowering angrily.

  “The protective kind,” Kaitlyn said, letting her gaze sweep down his frame. “I have to say, I like him a lot better than your super-special boyfriend at school. Are you keeping them both?”

  Julia’s face turned a nice, damning shade of crimson. “This isn’t—I mean—”

  “I get it,” Kaitlyn said. She had underestimated Julia. Why go out looking for a French guy when you could lure one into your room? “And I approve. But Sweetheart Barbie is bleeding to death over there, and I don’t want to be trapped in the past forever.”

  “What happened to her?” Julia asked, racing to Angie.

  “A minotaur,” Angie said. “He’s only stunned so we have to hurry.” Her gaze flicked up to the guy. He seemed frozen, his face the picture of betrayal as he watched Julia. “Who’s he?”

  Julia glanced up at him, her lower lip caught between her teeth. Kaitlyn had seen that guilty look on plenty of faces before.

  “He’s Ethan,” Julia said, returning her attention to Angie. “The time guardian guy.”

  Kaitlyn’s heartbeat tripled its speed. “Don’t even think you’re calling dibs.”

  Julia didn’t answer her or even seem to notice she had said anything. “There’s so much blood,” she said, helping Angie onto the bed.

  “I’m okay,” Angie said. “Help me take off this dress so you can heal the wound.”

  Kaitlyn took a sleeve, tugging the smallest bit.

  Angie cried out, clutching her stomach.

  “Forget it,” Kaitlyn said, lifting her hands and stepping back. She wasn’t good at blood and gore. Let Julia figure it out.

  Ethan appeared at the bedside. He unsheathed a gleaming dagger. “Hold still.”

  The sound of tearing fabric cut through the room. Ethan returned the dagger to his waist and took back his post by the door.

  “Oh no,” Julia whispered.

  Kaitlyn followed her gaze. Angie’s stomach leaked blood, her abdomen a mess of fluid and flesh.

  “It’s a simple wound,” Angie said. “You can heal me, Julia. You know how to do it.”

  Julia’s gaze wavered.

  “She doesn’t know how to do it,” Kaitlyn said.

  “She does,” Ethan said, so softly that Kaitlyn didn’t think anyone else heard. He turned away from Julia, a look of pain crossing his features. Interesting. The guy was obviously in lust with Julia, a fact that made him good enough to eat.

  “Right. I can do this,” Julia said. “Um, Kaitlyn? I need some of your magic. Just to make sure I’ve got enough.”

  “What do I look like? Some kind of magic ATM machine?”

  “I can’t take any from Angie. She’s too weak already.”

  “Please hurry,” Angie said feebly, “and Kaitlyn, pay attention. We should all know how
to heal.”

  The girl was not looking good. “Fine. Have all the magic you need.”

  Julia paled. “I’ve only healed skin before, not, like, muscle and stuff.”

  “Do it already,” Kaitlyn said, ready to shake the girl. “Nobody dies until we get back to our own time.”

  Julia shot her a horrified look.

  Oh, whatever. Like either of them would give a rat’s ass if she died. “Just take my magic already.” She put her hand over Julia’s, sending her a steady stream of the warm, flowing energy.

  “Don’t stop,” Julia said in a hushed voice. She held her fingers above Angie’s wound. “Restore.”

  Angie cringed. “Go from the inside out!”

  “Oh, sorry.” Julia swallowed. “Restore,” she repeated.

  This time Angie exhaled slowly, the lines in her face relaxing as her stomach sealed up. “Kaitlyn, are you noticing the way Julia sends the magic to the deepest part of the wound first?”

  Seriously? Angie wanted to make this into some kind of a lesson? “This is freaking disgusting. And by the way, that looks like it’ll need some cosmetic surgery.”

  Angie shook her head with a withering look before turning to Julia. “Good job. I don’t feel a thing.” Her gaze rested on Ethan, who seemed lost in thought. “You were the one we saw coming out of Indira’s tent.”

  He nodded once.

  “I can summon him,” Julia said, standing beside him. “I brought him over here.”

  This sounded like a kick-ass power. “If you’re bringing over guys, I want one too.” Being stuck in the past wouldn’t be so bad if she had more than these two rejects keeping her company. “Make mine just as sexy, and while you’re at it, bring Ashleigh and Becca too.”