by Bethany Shaw
“Melanie and Harrison were a big help last month,” Cadence replied as she gripped his hands tighter.
“They were, but they shouldn’t be risking their lives for us. I don’t know what my father would do if he saw Harrison, but he’d kill Melanie without hesitation,” Zak said. Melanie’s death would crush Harrison.
“Oliver and Eli don’t think it’s possible to determine what time we’ll end up in, but Jamie is still looking into it. If she is successful, we could just tell them when and where to look for us. Then they wouldn’t have to wait for the full moon when we appear. It’d be safer for them and keep them out of danger. I’d hate for one of them to get hurt because of our situation,” she said with a shudder.
Cadence had a point. Harrison and Melanie were putting themselves in danger. Even staying in the same spot for however long it took for him and Cadence to travel through time was dangerous. People would ask questions when they didn’t age. This wasn’t the same world it had been a few centuries ago where magic was appreciated. It was feared now.
His brother had made it clear that he wasn’t going to stop looking out for him and Cadence. It had been hard to leave him all those months ago, not knowing if Harrison would choose to save himself or not. He hadn’t given his brother a second chance at life just to throw it away trying to rescue them. There was something he could do to save the pair. Cadence wasn’t going to like it, but it had to be done.
***
Zak shifted, careful not to disturb Cadence as he exited the bed. It had taken an eternity for Cadence to fall asleep, almost like she knew he was up to something. Perhaps she had read his mind. If she had, she hadn’t said anything.
He put one foot on the floor, then the other. Cadence didn’t move as he grabbed his trousers and hopped into them. Her chest fell in soft, even breaths. He adjusted the blankets to keep her covered, hoping she wouldn’t wake.
She would no doubt be furious with him when she learned what he had done, but he refused to let anything happen to his brother or Melanie. The bubbly girl made his brother happy.
He brushed a blonde lock out of Cadence’s face, admiring the soft, pink lips that were still swollen from his earlier kisses. If he could send her away too, he would to keep her safe. He dropped his hand to the side and headed toward the door, slipping out into the hallway.
Zak tiptoed down the hall to the room Harrison and Melanie shared. He cocked his head to the side, listening carefully to see if they were awake. Their soft snores met his ears. He raised his hand to knock, tapping lightly on the wooden door. Vampire ears would hear it, but Cadence’s human ones shouldn’t.
Footsteps padded close, and the door creaked as it opened.
“Zak? What’s wrong?” Harrison asked with wide eyes.
Zak turned back down the hall. Cadence hadn’t woken. Good.
“Nothing,” he assured. “I’ve been thinking about you and Melanie. I can’t let you keep putting yourselves in danger for us.”
“It’s not your choice, Zak. We want to help. You need us.”
“I can’t let you get hurt, Brother,” he told Harrison honestly. “I lost you once, and I won’t do it again. Father will kill you or Melanie if he gets the chance. And he’s growing more and more relentless. I can’t risk either of you getting caught in the crossfire.”
“We know what the risks are, and we still want to help,” Harrison argued.
“What’s wrong?” Melanie asked as she appeared behind Harrison.
“It’s nothing. Zak’s worrying over nothing,” Harrison said.
Zak had hoped he could talk sense into his brother, but it appeared he couldn’t. As an Original vampire, he had the benefit of forcing his will onto others. He didn’t want to do that to Harrison, but his brother wasn’t leaving him any other choice.
“I need you to listen to me, Harrison and Melanie,” he began. His voice quieted to a soft lilt as he met his brother’s eyes and then Melanie’s. “It isn't safe for you here anymore. Gather your belongings and leave tonight. Make no attempt to find me or Cadence until after the full moon in April of 2016. Find a boat and take it back to the New World. Both of you will continue to avoid any and all contact with myself or our siblings until after the full moon in April of 2016. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Zak," Harrison replied through gritted teeth. He blinked, blowing air out of his nostrils before turning.
“Okay,” Melanie whispered as her eyes fell to the floor.
"I'm sorry," he whispered, watching as the pair turned to their room and prepared to leave. “I’ll see you again, Brother.”
He was doing the right thing. Harrison had gotten a second chance to live; there was no way he was going to let his brother lose that. He just prayed Melanie and Harrison would come to understand his decision.
Chapter Fourteen
Cadence snuggled in deeper under the covers as she reached out for Zak. The sheets were cool to the touch and she groaned, missing his warmth. For a man who was dead, he was surprisingly warm. There was a lot about vampires that she still didn’t know. Maybe he was up getting food.
Opening her eyes she looked at the empty spot where he usually slept. Occasionally he was gone when she woke, but she could count the number of times that happened on one hand. Where was he? Sitting up while keeping the sheet against her, she looked around the bedroom. He wasn't even in the room. She would like to think he was off feeding, but something told her he wasn't. So, what was he doing?
She climbed out of bed and set to work getting dressed, which was harder to do then she’d like. Corsets were the worst. Once she managed to shrug into her dress, she left the room and made her way down the hallway, pausing at Melanie and Harrison's room. There was no sound on the other side of the door. They were probably up for the day.
The smell of roasted meat wafted up the staircase, and she inhaled. Harrison had outdone himself with breakfast this morning. For a vampire who didn’t have to eat, he knew how to cook.
She hurried down the stairs and grinned at the buffet spread out across the dining room table. Greedily, she grabbed a plate and helped herself to fresh fruit and meat.
Footsteps padded against the hardwood making their way toward her. She spun around as she popped a grape in her mouth.
"Good morning, sweetheart," Zak greeted, leaning against the arched doorway.
"Hi," she said as she swallowed her food. “I hope someone else is eating besides me.” She motioned to the food. There was too much for just her.
“Enjoy, who knows where we will end up after tonight. This could be the last day of good meals you get for a few days,” Zak pointed out.
They had been living the life of luxury. He was right. There was no telling what they’d walk into or where they’d end up.
"After breakfast, we will be on our way. I thought the temple of Poseidon and a view of the beach..." He trailed off, looking to her for approval.
“That sounds great.” She smiled as she grabbed more food. “Are Harrison and Melanie coming with us?”
“No.”
Cadence looked up, frowning. There was something about the way that he’d said it. He sounded... mad. It was unlikely Harrison would have fought with Zak, especially with their departure tonight. "I was kind of hoping we could spend our last day here together. All four of us," she said, watching him. He glared at a spot over her shoulder, but said nothing. "Since we don't know if they will still be here when we... come back," she added.
"They actually left last night," he said, slowly walking towards her.
“Without saying goodbye?” she asked with a frown. That wasn’t like them.
Zak stopped in front of her, picking up a pear and juggling it between his hands.
"I don't understand...they left without saying goodbye," she said, her brows furrowed. She set her plate down when he continued to say nothing. What was going on?
“We’ll see them again in 2016, Cadence,” he assured her.
“Where did they go? I can’t believe they just left
without a word,” she said, folding her arms across her chest. They wouldn’t do that.
He picked her plate back up and handed it to her. "They went back to the New World," he explained.
"Why?"
"It isn't safe for them here anymore. Malcolm is after us. He grows more and more relentless each time we pass through time. The less people involved, the better.”
His words made sense, but... "Why would they leave without saying goodbye..." she asked, her voice fading into a whisper as she recalled their conversation on the beach. Zak had tampered with Harrison’s mind once before. "You!" she said, her head popping up as her eyes accused him. "You forced them to go, didn’t you?"
"I did."
Her heart dropped at his admission and she drew in a deep breath, setting the plate on the table so she could cover her mouth.
“It had to be done for their protection,” he told her.
"How could you do that to them?" she whispered.
He set his hand on her shoulder. "I did what I had to to keep them safe.”
"No, you took away their free will," she hissed. "It was their choice to stay here, to fight alongside us, and you took it from them."
"Because it would have gotten them killed," he argued with a growl. “I didn’t risk our future to save Harrison to have him murdered before my family could reconnect.”
She huffed and shook her head. “It still doesn’t give you the right.”
“Perhaps not. But I’ll always do what I have to in order to protect the people I care for.”
“Because they make you weak?” she tossed at him.
“Yes. I need to focus on Malcolm when we get to another time, not on whether Harrison is going to get himself killed.”
He’d probably have done the same to her if he could. For better or for worse, they were stuck working together.
Tears pricked her eyes. “So they’re gone? I can’t even say goodbye?” she mumbled. The vampire pair were her friends. Hell, they felt like her family, and she didn’t even get to say goodbye.
"I saw them off on a boat an hour ago," he told her.
"Oh,” she said, fisting her hands at her sides. "What you did was wrong. You took away their free will and changed their lives forever, all because you were selfish."
"How is keeping them safe selfish?" he asked with a raised brow.
"Because you stepped in and sent them away instead of letting them make their own choices. I know Harrison is important to you. I’ve come to care for him and Melanie too, but you can't control everything. Stuff happens that is out of our hands, and it isn’t anybody’s fault."
"Enough," he yelled, gripping her arms and giving her a light shake.
She shrugged away from him and picked up her plate. “I’ll be upstairs.” She didn’t wait for him to respond before rushing up the stairs two at a time.
***
This wasn’t how their last day in Athens was supposed to go. Part of him understood why Cadence was angry. The other had no remorse. It was bad enough Malcolm was targeting Cadence to get to him; Zak didn’t want his father to have any more ammunition than he already did.
He looked out the window and let out a breath. The sun was setting, and it would be time for them to leave soon. There was still so much of Athens he wanted to show Cadence. Perhaps if they left soon they could do something yet.
He jogged up the stairs, but hesitated outside of the bedroom door. Knock or walk in? He shifted on his feet, trying to decide, before twisting the knob and pushing the door open.
Cadence was curled in a ball beneath the blankets. Her breath rose and fell in soft, even breaths.
Zak walked to the bed and sat next to her, pushing the blonde waves from her angelic face. "It's time to get up."
Her beautiful brown eyes opened, focusing on him. "What time is it?" she asked, sitting up and stretching.
"Early evening. I thought maybe we could walk to Poseidon's temple before the spell tonight," he said. Was she still mad at him? Should he say something about earlier to clear the air?
He was a thousand years old and had no idea what to do in a relationship. Pathetic. He shouldn't care. Love was a weakness. It didn't matter how many times he played that line in his head either. It didn’t change the way he felt about her.
"Why did you let me sleep all day? I thought we were going sightseeing," she said, looking at him.
"You said you wanted time to yourself," he said. "I didn't think you wanted to go anymore. Besides, it’s been a long time since you’ve properly rested."
Cadence yawned, covering her mouth with her palm. “I think I rested a bit too long. We should get moving or I’m liable to fall back to sleep. Did you say Poseidon's temple?”
“I did.” He stood up and offered his hand to Cadence. Her warm fingers slid into his as he pulled her to a stand. She was still dressed, which would make leaving much faster.
“Do you want anything before we leave? A snack? Water?” he asked.
“I’m good. I munched on my plate of goodies from this morning throughout the day,” she commented, motioning to the empty plate from this morning.
“We’d get there much quicker if I carried you,” he offered.
She sighed, but nodded.
Zak swept her up and whisked her down the stairs, out of the house, and through the streets of Athens. He didn’t stop until they reached the temple by the sea. There he set her down, watching as a smile slid over her features.
Her eyes traveled up the length of the multiple columns. Then she spun around, casting her gaze out at the crashing waves. “It’s amazing,” she said.
Her shoes clicked as she walked across the concrete to one of the ornate pillars and gazed out. “The moon’s beautiful from right here.” She lifted her hand up and motioned to the large circle that was forming in the sky.
"Do we have a plan for after the spell?" she asked as she turned back to face him.
Zak sighed. "As soon as we get through, we run."
"What about the dizziness?" she asked, wrapping her arms around her middle.
"It doesn’t affect me the same as it does you. I’ll carry you, and we’ll make a run for it. We should be heading out.” He wished they had more time.
“I’d like to come back here again,” she said, pushing off the pillar.
He offered his hand to her. “I’ll bring you.”
“Thank you.” She slipped her hand into his.
“You’re not still mad at me?” he asked before lifting her up.
“I am,” she told him. “I just... what’s done is done. It can’t be changed now. I just hope you won’t do it again.”
He inhaled deeply, refusing to make a promise he couldn’t keep. His hands tightened around her middle before he took off again to where the spell would take place.
The wind whipped in his face, and Cadence nuzzled into his chest. He raced across the city and into the hills to the altar where their witch was already prepared and waiting. As he set Cadence down, his eyes flashed to the moon. It was nearing its apex.
“It’s getting late. Are you ready?” she said by way of greeting.
Zak clasped Cadence's hand as they stepped into the circle. “We are ready,” he told the witch.
The woman eyed the moon and went back to her spell book.
“We have a few minutes yet,” Zak told Cadence.
“I gathered as much,” Cadence replied. She closed her eyes while inhaling a deep breath.
“Keep your eyes shut and hold on to me,” he instructed. “Perhaps that will help with the dizziness.”
“Here’s hoping,” she grumbled. She wrapped her arms around his middle and buried her face into his chest.
“Hold onto me tight. I’ll start running as soon as we’re through,” he told her.
She hugged him closer. Zak inhaled and pulled her close, loving the way she felt in his arms. He glanced toward the witch, who nodded at him.
Flames roared up around them, and Cadence flinched. The
woman’s chants grew louder as the fire rose higher. His knees wobbled as the ground dropped out beneath them, and they began another journey through time.
Chapter Fifteen
Cadence clasped her hands together as she hugged Zak, using his body to help support her own. Her head swam, and nausea churned in her body.
“Cadence,” Zak hollered as something crashed against them.
Her feet flew out from under her, and she tumbled to the ground with Zak right next to her. She opened her eyes as something grasped her ankle, biting into her flesh and tugging.
Pain ripped through her leg, and she shrieked as she was drug across the ground. Zak grasped her hand, but her fingers began to slip out of his. A wolf pounced on his torso, and he released his hold. The animal that had her ankle tugged, pulling her away.
Rocks and twigs bit into her skin as the wolf dragged her over the earth. She closed her eyes and focused on her energy. It coursed through her and she opened her eyes, narrowing her gaze at the animal before thrusting one of her hands towards it. The wolf yelped as it flew away from her and collided with a tree.
She rolled over to her hands and knees, pushing up to a stand. Her injured leg screamed at her, but she got up regardless. Blood drizzled down her leg and pooled in her shoe. She limped forward as the wind picked up around her. Part of her wanted to stop using her magic. The other part knew she had to defend herself. The wolves wouldn’t back down.
Her hair whipped around her face, and the hairs on her arms stood on end. Energy charged from her toes and straight out of her fingers. She pointed at the wolf that had attacked her, flinching as a ball of fire shot out of her and whizzed towards him.
The wolf yowled as its fur caught fire. It writhed and wailed while it tried to flee. The wolf didn’t get far, only going a few feet before it collapsed to the ground and its movements ceased.
Cadence swallowed the bile rising up her throat. She wasn’t out of danger yet.
“Cadence, run! Get to higher ground,” Zak hollered at her.
She spun back around to him, gulping when she saw the wolves surrounding him.
“Go!” he said.