Now and Forever:: A NEW ADULT TIME TRAVEL ROMANCE NOVEL (RAVENHURST SERIES Book 5)

by Lorraine Beaumont

  “Yes,” he prompted when she didn’t say anything more.

  Taking a deep breath, she shook her head. “It’s nothing.”

  “You sure?” he asked, giving her one of his heavy lidded stares.

  No! “Yup, I am sure.” She shoved her hands in her pockets and rocked back on her heels trying to look at anything but him.

  Reed stared at her for a moment more and then walked over in front of her. “You ready to do this?”

  “Huh?” Her mouth dropped open stupidly, staring up at his mouth, remembering a little too clearly, what he was doing with those sexy lips earlier.

  “Close your eyes,” he breathed, his warm breath wafting out across her face.

  Anticipation unfurled inside of her and she dutifully shut her eyes, once again envisioning him kissing her a bit too clearly. And then the prince kissed his princess… she puckered her lips…

  Reed coughed—laughed.

  Oh God…not again. Immediately horrified, Raven turned her face, completely embarrassed once again.

  Reed grabbed her chin, and leaned forward. He kissed her gently on the lips. It was a quick peck, but held a promise of what was to come. “I believe I have created an insatiable monster.” His eyes glittered.

  “O-oh,” she said, blinking rapidly.

  He smiled down at her. “You ready to find a treasure?”

  She shut her mouth and nodded excitedly.

  “I need to get something,” he said. “Don’t look,” he warned.

  “Oh—kay,” Raven said turning away. She heard him moving around and peeked over her shoulder to see what he was doing.

  When he stood again, she turned back around quickly, pretending as though she hadn’t been watching.

  “You ready?”

  She turned around and her eyes immediately drifted to the map, and then to the flashlight. Then her eyes settled on the handgun he held in his other hand.

  She blinked hard. “What do you need a gun for?” her voice came out a high-pitched squeak.

  “Just in case,” he said.

  “Just in case what?” Suddenly Raven felt sick to her stomach. All the suspense thrillers movies she had watched were totally messing with her. For some reason she couldn’t get the idea out of her head that he was going to shoot her with the gun.

  He sighed in exasperation. “In case something happens.”

  That answer wasn’t good enough. She narrowed her eyes. “What kind of something?”

  “Oh good lord Raven, what is with the sudden inquisition?”

  She chewed on her nail. “Sorry.” She dropped her hand. “Guns make me nervous.” She didn’t bother adding what really made her nervous was the fact every movie she ever watched where the husband wasn’t too keen on his wife got rid of her in a diabolical way. A gunshot wound made to look like an accident…or, the dreaded boat ride where the woman finds herself pushed over the edge in the middle of the ocean, and left for shark bait. “You don’t own a boat do you?” she blurted.

  Reed let out an exaggerated sigh and turned toward her. “No. I do not.”

  “Oh, good,” she said, and let out a relieved sigh.

  “Are there any more questions you would like to ask me or can we go now?”

  “Can I carry the gun?”

  Reed gaped at her. “I do hope you are kidding.”

  “Ehh-eh, yeah, just being funny…I’m such a comedian.” She waved her hand in the air.

  He walked over to his desk, opened the top draw, and pulled something silver out. Was that a knife? Raven swallowed hard. Of course, it was a knife. Guns were too noisy. Knifes were silent, lethal…deadly.

  Reed walked back and thrust his hand forward.

  “Ahh,” Raven screamed. Her hands shot up, blocking her face and chest. When she didn’t feel the immediate plunge of the blade into her body, she reopened her eyes.

  Reed was scowling down at her now. “What are you doing?”

  “Um, I …ah…” Her cheeks bloomed with color.

  “Do you want to carry a flashlight or not?”

  “A flashlight…of course it was a flashlight…” She lifted her hand and made an exaggerated swiping gesture across her forehead. “I thought it was a knife,” she tried to explain.

  “And if it was?” Reed gave her a probing look.

  “I thought you might accidently stab me with it.” She made a face, shrugging her shoulders.

  “No.” He shook his head. “Knives wouldn’t be my weapon of choice. If I were to say…you know…have a need to get rid of you…I mean someone,” he amended, smiling slightly. “I wouldn’t use a gun or knife…”

  A clock ticked off the seconds, each one sharper than the last. The chandelier rattled above her head. “What would you use?” Raven finally asked, blinking furiously.

  “Oh, I’d use my bare hands.” Reed made claws with his hands and lifted his brow in a cagey scowl, like a mad scientist.

  Raven let out a small eep and stumbled backward, all color draining from her face.

  Reed was about to laugh but then saw how scared she was and dropped his hands to his sides. “Raven,” he said, taking a step forward.

  She took a step back.

  “Sweetheart, come here,” he soothed, walking slowly forward and then gathered her in his strong arms. “I was only kidding.” He smoothed her hair down with his hand. “Okay?”

  She nodded her head up and down, inhaling his scent. He smelled like the outdoors, and something else, something she couldn’t quite place her finger on…but whatever it was it was definitely all Reed. “Okay,” she mumbled with her face solidly against the softness of his t-shirt. Regardless of what she said, she was still going to keep an eye on him…just in case.

  When he released her, he handed her the flashlight, picked the gun off the table, and tucked it into the back of his jeans. “You ready?”

  Raven zipped up her sweat jacket and pulled her hood over her head, rubbing her hands together. “I’m ready whenever you are.”

  “Raven…I swear…”he burst out laughing, shaking his head. She looked so damn cute and irresistible, he was hard-pressed not to take her into his arms right here, right now and have his way with her. What was he saying? He shook himself.

  Reaching down, he pulled on his jacket and zipped the front up. “Okay, let’s do this.” And with that, he turned on his heel and headed out the library.

  “Yeah…let’s do this.” Raven held tightly to her flashlight and followed closely behind…but not too closely.

  “OW,” Cecily whined. “That hurts.” She jerked her arm away and stumbled up the steep front stairs to Ravenhurst. Looking up she saw a group of gargoyles hovering above the entranceway. They looked like they were about to pounce on top of her.

  “Serves you right, you little bitch,” Cuthbert snarled at her. “If ye would move your tight ass a little faster up the stairs, I wouldn’t have to.”

  Bishop looked over his shoulder and let out a heavy sigh. “Cuthbert get the door.”

  Cuthbert cut Cecily a sidelong glare. “What about her? That one, she’s a crafty bitch.” He sniffed loudly, swiping another droplet of blood from his nose where she had elbowed him earlier in the car. “She may try to make another break from us and tell her boyfriend we’re here.”

  “I doubt that.” Bishop leveled her with one of his piercing looks. “Isn’t that right, Ms. Jones?”

  “Yeah, whatever,” she muttered, rubbing her sore elbow.

  “The door Cuthbert,” Bishop reminded him.

  “On it boss man.” Cuthbert rolled his eyes as he shoved his way past her and climbed the stairs. Lifting the heavy knocker, he slammed it against the aged wood. The action reverberated up his bony arm.

  “Cuthbert,” sighed Bishop.

  “Yeah, boss man?”

  “What are you doing?”

  Cuthbert released the knocker and looked back over his shoulder. “I’m knocking on the door.”

  “Why?”

  “How else are
we gonna get inside?”

  Bishop inhaled a lungful of air, counting backward from ten. Once he hit one, he said, “Try the handle.” He reached up and pinched the bridge of his nose.

  “Oh right.” Cuthbert turned and grabbed the handle. It twisted to the left and then to the right. He shook it and then kicked it with his boot. “Boss man…ah, it seems to be locked.”

  “Shoot the damn thing open then.”

  “Don’t you think it would be easier to just knock again?”

  Bishop exhaled. “Fine Cuthbert…knock.”

  Cuthbert gave him a toothless grin. “Will do boss man.” He lifted his hand and knocked again—the sharp sound ringing out, loud and clear. Scuffing the dirt off the toe of his boot, he leaned against the door and waited for someone to open it….and waited and waited some more. He whistled, and picked at a piece of lint on the front of his jacket and flicked it off, watching it float off in the wind.

  Cecily leaned against the pillar, hiking up her borrowed sweatpants, Lucian’s pants. Hot tears stung her eyes. What had she done?

  “Cuthbert…”

  “Yeah boss man?”

  “Step aside please.”

  “Will do boss man. He moved quickly, and sidled up beside Cecily. “What you crying fer bitch…the money you getting not enough to feed that guilt of yours?”

  “Shut up you mangy shit!” She railed crazily, near the point of breaking.

  “It’s true…” he taunted. “ Backstabbing bitch!” he snarled in her face.

  “I’ll stab you!” She jumped at him then—her fingers clawing at his face, swiping the skin right off.

  Howling in pain, he grabbed a handful of hair, jerking her off her feet. “You dirty whore.” He bawled his hand into a fist about to give her an uppercut.

  “Cuthbert!” snapped Bishop.

  His hand froze an inch from her face. He turned, his eyes rounding in innocence. “Yeah boss man.”

  “Let her go.”

  “But…”

  “I said let her go.”

  “Fine,” he exhaled, releasing her. “You got lucky that time.”

  Cecily smirked at him and jerked her clothing back in order.

  “I’ll get you later,” he promised.

  “And I’ll stab you,” she promised right back.

  Cuthbert narrowed his eyes at her. “Bitch,” he snarled.

  “Ugly Shitface!” she spat.

  Bishop cracked his neck from side to side, and shook out his arms. “Please. Shut. The. Hell. Up.” He walked over to the door and kicked it in. The door splintered, smashing open against the wall, creaking on its hinges. Lifting his hand, he smoothed his dark hair and then straightened his jacket.

  Cuthbert ran forward and stood in the doorway. He let out a low appreciative whistle. “After you boss man,” he said flourishing his arm.

  Bishop looked at Cecily. “Ladies first,” he said inclining his head toward the now open door.

  Cecily held her pants in one hand, limped over to the door, and stepped through. “Kiss ass,” she muttered under her breath and purposely stomped down on Cuthbert’s foot.

  “Why you…” Cuthbert lunged for her.

  Bishop stepped in front of him and gave him a cutting glare, stopping him in his tracks.

  Cuthbert melted back against the doorway and gave him a sheepish grin. “Nice work boss man.”

  Bishop grunted and walked into the foyer. “Now where the hell is everyone?”

  Waiting game

  IN BETWEEN THENAND NOWTHE HIDDEN ROOM

  HE needed something to numb the pain. Rows of glass vials lined the shelf. Taking down the one he sought he carefully placed it on the rough surface of his worktable.

  Sounds of night encroached on the small room. A lone torch flickered on the wall, casting shadows across the stone floor. A blur of black appeared in his peripheral, gliding through the small window, landing on the sill.

  “There you are my pet.”

  Lance cawed loudly, flapping his wings, as though he was divulging information of the greatest import.

  Merlin whipped his head around. “What?” In his haste, he bumped the table and the vial fell over, the liquid dripping steadily onto the floor until there was naught but one drop left.

  Puzzles are funny

  THE PRESENTRAVENHURST

  THE stone corridor was cold, dark, and smelled as if something was decomposing—lifting the back of her hand to her nose and mouth Raven held back the sudden overwhelming urge to vomit. Correction, she amended, it smelt like several something’s were decomposing. An army of mice, or perhaps a giant rat—the rat having died from eating the army of mice. At least that was what she was hoping happened.

  Torches lined up down the walls in intervals, flickering as they past. Their shadows stretched outward, before them, like monsters in a horror movie, with arms that were too long and heads that were too small. In spite of the cold Raven was sweating profusely. The back of Reed’s jacket stretched backward, her fingers holding it in a death grip. “Can you see the map?”

  “Yes, but I am not sure if I am reading it right.”

  “What does it say?”

  “It say’s to follow the path of light.”

  Raven looked down the long passageway at all the lit torches. “Well this certainly looks pretty lit.”

  “Yeah, but I don’t feel like this is right. I mean how could it be? Wouldn’t someone have found the treasure by now if it was that easy?”

  She chewed on her lip. “Is there another passageway?”

  “I think I see something up ahead.”

  They had been walking for what seemed like hours but with each step they made, the end looked to be getting farther away instead of closer. “How long do you think we have been down here?”

  “I am not sure. It’s kind of hard to tell.”

  “I feel like we have been down here for a really long time. Don’t you?”

  “Yeah, I think so too.”

  “I bet this is a trap.”

  “A trap?”

  “Yeah, a booby-trap.” She looked around. “Haven’t you ever watched an Indiana Jones movie?”

  He blew out a breath. “No.”

  “What?” She widened her eyes. “How could you not have seen those movies?”

  “I guess I was busy.”

  “Well you are missing out, they are really good.”

  He exhaled. “Raven could you get to the point?”

  “Oh fine,” she sighed. “So anyway there are usually two choices, you know. Like a map, well kind of.” She stopped talking and looked around her. If she hadn’t been walking forward the entire time she wouldn’t know which way she needed to go. Both ends of the passageway looked the same—the length stretching out before them in what seemed like miles in either direction. “I think we need to stop and regroup for a moment.”

  Reed turned toward her. “And…” he prompted when she didn’t say anything more.

  She looked to her left and to her right. “Doesn’t this look the same?”

  Reed looked back and forth. “I guess…why?”

  “Well, we have been walking for a long time right?”

  “Didn’t we just have this conversation?”

  Raven gritted her teeth. “Okay, so listen. If we have been walking for a long time wouldn’t the path behind us be longer than the one in front of us?”

  “Oh…” He looked to the left and then to the right. “I think you may be on to something.”

  “By Jove!” she exclaimed in a feigned English accent. “Methinks he has finally got it.”

  “What the …”

  Raven laughed. “Calm down Reed, I was just kidding.”

  “Let me guess, another movie reference?”

  “Now that you mention it…”

  “Never mind,” he cut her off in midsentence.

  “Mister Crabby pants…,” she muttered like a despondent child.

  Reed’s lips twitched trying to hold back a laugh.
“Come on.”

  “Where are we going?”

  “I saw something earlier.” He started walking backward.

  “Why are you walking backward?”

  “Just wait.” He closed his eyes and kept backing up, counting off paces silently.

  Raven watched him go and then he disappeared completely. “Reed!” she called out, freaking out.

  “Raven I am right here.”

  Startled she jumped at the sound of his voice. She turned around and there he was, standing directly behind her. “What the…?”

  “It’s an optical illusion.”

  “What? Say what?” She shook her head, blinking rapidly. “How…I mean…wow.” She shoved her hands into her pockets. “Okay. So what do we do now?”

  “I think you already know the answer.” She started shaking her head back and forth. “No way,” she refused.

  “Oh come on Raven, where is your sense of adventure?”

  “I think I left it in my other pants.”

  Reed did laugh that time. Then his laughter evaporated and he pulled her into his arms. “You know what?” he murmured.

  She stared up into his smiling eyes and her heart melted just a bit more. “What?”

  “If I wasn’t already married to you…”

  “Yes,” she probed, her heart thrumming wildly in her chest.

  “I would…oh hell…” He lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her.

  Raven melted against him, kissing him back—their tongues twining and lashing against one another.

  His hand slid down her waist over the rounded curve of her ass, squeezing the soft flesh. “Damn!” He broke away suddenly.

  Breathing heavily, she stood there not sure what to do or say.

  He raked his hand through his hair and let out a little laugh. “I can’t believe it,” he muttered.

  “You can’t believe what?” she prodded.

  “Are you a witch?”

  “No!” She gaped at him. “Why would you say that?”

  He shook his head. “Never mind,” he exhaled.

  “Wait…you can’t just ask something like that and then just toss out a …Oh never mind…just like that.” She snapped her fingers.

  A slow grin broke out in his face. “Why…does it bother you? Or is it because you feeling a little flustered?”

  “That’s not the point.” She looked down at the bulge in the front of his pants. “Well so do you,” she replied, indignantly.