A Times Journey Box Set (A Times Journey Novel Book 4)

by Bethany Shaw

  She thought back to her earlier conversation. There was no way she could live without him. She needed him like she needed her next breath. He buried his fingers into her core, making her arch against him.

  Mine, she thought. It had scared her when he’d whispered it a few months ago. Now it turned her on all the more.

  Wanting to return the favor, she made quick work of his pants, letting them fall from his waist to the floor. Zak growled as she took his member and ran her hand up and down the shaft, mimicking his thrusts inside her. "Cadence," he said, pulling away. "If you don't stop that, this will be over far too soon."

  She bit her lip, relishing in the fact that she could have that effect on him. "Make love to me, Zak." Pressing her weight into the wall, she wrapped a leg around his hip, drawing him closer to her entrance. “I want to feel you inside me.”

  Slowly, he pulled his hand away from her aching core. He cupped her bottom, lifting her up as he slid into her. Cadence moaned at the contact and the beautiful friction. As they moved together in unison, she couldn't help but think how perfect this was, how perfectly they fit together, and how they both knew exactly what to do to drive the other to the edge.

  Zak’s mouth found hers, and she nibbled his lip until his blood seeped into her mouth. It tasted like heaven – like Zak. Their bond was growing stronger by the day, intensifying her feelings for him. Love wasn’t a strong enough word to describe how she felt. As he bit into her, setting off her first orgasm, she knew she could never leave him. They’d return home to a war, but they’d conquer their enemies – together.

  Chapter Six

  Cadence lounged on the couch, drifting between consciousness and sleep with her head resting in Zak’s lap. It was their second week with Eli, and things had been relatively peaceful. Zak had insisted they remain close to Eli's home for as long as possible. His reasoning was that it might be less peaceful elsewhere.

  Since this was his second time living through this time period, she wasn't going to argue his point. Other than a few grueling hours of training each morning, the days were lazy and carefree – something much needed after all those months of stress. She shifted, getting more comfortable, and smiled as Zak’s hand stroked her hair.

  The daily radio broadcast was beginning. Eli turned up the volume and the French announcer began to speak. Cadence had picked up on some French, but she was by no means fluent. It had become a nightly ritual to listen to the broadcast together. Eli was usually the one who translated it for her, but Zak would interrupt him every so often to give her snippets of what was actually happening in his opinion. It was fun to watch their banter back and forth as they spoke about what had happened, what was currently happening and what would happen. Though, Zak was always careful not to give away too much.

  "Cadence?" Zak said.

  Snapping out of her thoughts, she opened her eyes and met his gaze. "Yeah?" Heat scorched over her face as she realized both men were looking at her, the radio long since turned off. "Sorry."

  Zak flicked his tongue across his lips as he watched her. "Eli was asking you your favorite city so far?"

  "Oh, um, well, they've all been really nice. This has been the most relaxing part of the journey by far. I haven't gotten to see very much of Paris. I'd say Rome or Athens," Cadence said. If he asked, she didn’t think she could pick between the two. They’d both been amazing.

  Eli nodded. "Both lovely cities."

  "Of course, I'm sure they are very different now than when we were there.” She twisted so she was looking up at Zak. “You're going to have to take me back so I can see them again."

  A grin tugged at the corners of his lips. "Am I now?"

  "Yes," Cadence said with a laugh.

  "Someone who tells my brother what to do. I think you will make a fine addition to our family, Cadence." Eli stood to pour himself a glass of scotch.

  “Eli,” Zak said, his tone warning as he glared. His body stiffened.

  Cadence frowned and shifted so she was sitting, swallowing hard at his odd behavior. What was the problem? Did he not want her to be a part of the family? Her heart clenched, and for the first time, she wondered if he felt the same way as she did. She forced a yawn and stood.

  "I didn't mean it in a bad way, Zak. I think you complement each other. You keep each other grounded," Eli said.

  Cadence smiled as she smoothed her hand over her hair and met Zak’s eyes. There was something in his expression, but she couldn’t tell what.

  “I thought perhaps tomorrow I would accompany you to your training activity. I’m quite interested in what you can do, Cadence. Perhaps a better understanding of your magic could help me in the future as we prepare to get you out of this predicament.”

  “Sure,” Cadence said. She rocked back and forth, stretching. “I think I’m going to head to bed.” She turned to Zak, who also stood and placed his hand on the small of her back. “Good night.”

  “Good night.” Eli inclined his head to them.

  Cadence walked ahead of Zak, still trying to figure out what had just happened in there with Eli. She fiddled with her fingers as they made their way to the room. Zak closed the door behind him, and she sighed before turning.

  “Is everything okay?” she asked, not quite able to meet his gaze.

  “Of course. Why?”

  “You seemed upset when Eli suggested I’d be a part of the family. I just...” She didn’t know how to finish the sentence.

  “Cadence, I’d like you to be a part of my family.” He cast his eyes to the window on the opposite wall.

  “But?” she asked, her breath catching in her throat.

  “That’s a big commitment. I don’t want you to rush into anything. It wasn’t meant to upset you. It’s just not Eli’s place to meddle is all.”

  She guessed she understood that, but something still stung about the whole exchange.

  ***

  “Who did you want to practice against, Cadence?” Zak asked as he set Cadence down in the clearing and turned to his brother. The snow crunched beneath their feet, but there was no wind today and the sun shone brightly.

  “Me?” Eli asked as he glanced between the two of them.

  Cadence pushed strands of loose hair behind her ears as she rolled her pant legs up so they didn’t drag in the snow.

  “I thought she just practiced magic.” Eli gulped. “You two actually fight?”

  “How else is she to learn?” Zak asked, raising his brow. There was no better way to teach her, and he wanted her prepared for any scenario.

  Eli held up his hands. “I think I’ll watch. I’d never forgive myself if I hurt you.”

  “Very well. He’s in for a treat,” Zak said as he took a few steps back from her.

  Cadence nodded and shook out her hands. He stared at her for a long moment, watching as the snow fluttered down around her and left specks of white in her hair.

  Zak charged forward, his eyes glued to her movements. Her hand shot up as she ducked out of the way, falling to her knees. A ball of fire hurtled toward him.

  He lurched to the right, nearly missing the fireball. Cadence swung her foot out, connecting with his stomach as she zapped him with a bolt of lightning. He cringed, wheezing as the energy flowed through him. That always hurt.

  Cadence cocked her leg back, hitting him in the gut.

  “Fascinating,” Eli said as he clapped his hands. “I’ve never seen someone take down Zak quite like that before.”

  Cadence stood up and brushed the snow off her pants. “Thanks.”

  “You are faster than any human I’ve ever seen,” he said as he narrowed his eyes. “I don’t understand how that’s possible.”

  “She’s been training with me.” Zak rolled his eyes. She had to be fast to get the best of him.

  “No.” Eli shook his head. “You don’t understand. She’s not as fast as a vampire, but close.”

  “What?” Cadence asked, looking to Zak. Her mouth popped open. “You don’t think...”
/>   Zak scrubbed a hand over his face. Could it be possible?

  “What?” Eli asked.

  Zak swallowed. “What do you know about vampire bonds?” he asked his brother.

  “Not much. Are you saying the two of you have formed a bond? But how?” Eli asked, flicking his gaze between them. “She’s not a vampire, and in order to bond you have to...”

  Zak leveled his brother with a glare. If he’d heard of bonds then he had to know how it was formed.

  “Right.” Eli nodded. “Pierre and Marie had a bond,” he said, referring to a couple they’d run into in the sixteenth century. “I believe they had a psychic connection, which gave them capabilities that most vampires don’t possess.”

  “Wait!” Cadence took a step forward. “If I’m getting faster, does that mean I’m taking on some vampire characteristics?” She touched her hairline where she’d hit her head only a few days ago. “This healed really quickly.” It had been a nasty cut too. There was no way it should’ve healed completely already.

  Zak looked to Eli. This bond with Cadence was far more powerful than he’d ever imagined.

  “So, if I can get some vampire powers, does that mean Zak will be able to do some magic? He used to be a witch, too.”

  Zak let out a breath. That was a really good question, and he didn’t even know how they would go about finding out. Too bad Harrison wasn’t here. If anyone would have an answer to that question, it would be him.

  Eli rubbed his jaw. “I don’t see why Zak wouldn’t adopt some of your abilities, Cadence, but there is no way of telling what he’d get. My guess is they would be limited, a watered-down version of what you can do.”

  Even a watered-down version of Cadence’s magic would pack a serious punch. They would have to explore a way to tap into it. Liana and Malcolm definitely wouldn’t be expecting that.

  ***

  "I got word back from my friend in Barcelona,” Eli said as Zak and Cadence joined him at the dinner table. “He can get you on a ship on February twelfth, or the twenty-seventh if you wish to wait. It should take you approximately two weeks to reach New York."

  "At least the trip is cut in half this time," Cadence said as she cut into her lamb chop. "Are the accommodations any better?" She was hoping for at least a shower. She had gotten accustomed to the hot water and didn't want to ever give it up again.

  "They are better, but not like the accommodations here," Zak said. “You should be able to bathe, but I wouldn’t expect hot water. At least, not for any length of time.”

  Cadence sighed. She supposed she would have to deal with it. It was only two weeks, right? She had managed for nine months already; two more weeks wouldn't hurt her. They would be home soon, where she actually understood what people were saying and they understood her. She would get to see her friends and her dad again.

  As much as she was looking forward to a reunion, she still worried about where it left her and Zak. Her mind drifted back to the other night.

  "I think we should sail out on the twelfth in case we run into problems. I want to be back in our hometown by April 6. We can get the lay of the land and finalize things with the witches. I assume Jamie’s family has always lived in Bedford Falls.”

  “Yeah, I think so,” Cadence said.

  “Good," Zak said as he looked at her. “Hopefully her grandmother or great-grandmother will be able to help us. I’m hoping Jamie contacts us again so we can coordinate one last time to make sure we are all on the same page. We’ll stand a better chance against Malcolm as a group than just the two of us. It will help to be on familiar ground.”

  "When are we leaving here?" Cadence asked. Everything he said made sense.

  "We should allow ourselves time to travel in case there are complications. We will leave here around the first of the month.”

  She sighed, not quite ready to leave the peacefulness of Eli’s home yet. They had to travel all the way across France, which was still occupied by German troops in areas. Thankfully Spain wasn't involved in the war. It would be easier once they crossed the border.

  Eli sipped at his wine. "Since our time together is limited, perhaps we should show the lovely Cadence some more of the countryside tomorrow. How about a day trip into Switzerland?"

  "That would be nice." Cadence smiled.

  ***

  Zak didn't sleep much to begin with, but it seemed he couldn't sleep at all as of late. Cadence slept soundly each night, and he was content to just hold her in his arms and watch. Tonight he couldn’t even shake his fears in his waking moments. If it wasn't nightmares about her leaving him, it was her being taken by Malcolm. They were starting to flood his conscious mind and it was driving him insane.

  Unable to stand it anymore, he slipped out of bed, taking care not to disrupt her. He tucked her back in and pushed a blonde lock off her face before pulling on some pants and heading downstairs. He needed a good drink. He and Eli both preferred the same kind of scotch, and he planned to indulge tonight.

  He rounded the corner and paused. Eli sat in his study with an open bottle and a full tumbler. Clearly he hadn’t been the only one restless tonight.

  "Zak," Eli said. He rose and pulled out another glass, filling it and handing it to him before Zak even said anything.

  "Thanks." Zak took the drink and sat down on the couch, sighing. He took a gulp and let the amber liquid burn its way down his throat.

  "What's on your mind, Zak?" Eli asked.

  Zak met his brother’s gaze. It had been centuries since they had sat down and spoke, just the two of them. He and Eli used to be confidants. Well, Zak had confided in him as much as he would in anyone. Usually Eli told Zak things and he gave his two cents. Some of his advice was good. Some, not so much.

  He looked at the amber liquid for a long moment, debating on whether to talk to Eli or not. Talking to Cadence about his fear of her dying or leaving him didn't exactly sound like something he could do. "What do you think of Cadence?"

  Eli looked at him with one eyebrow raised. "Cadence is a nice young woman. Very different than all your previous lovers, and the only one you've kept around for any length of time. Perhaps the better question is, what do you think of Cadence?"

  Damn Eli. He was always answering his questions with questions. He chose not to answer. It would serve Zak right if his brother mocked him after the whole Eliza incident.

  "You never were one to talk about your feelings." Eli sighed. "When you find someone as special as Cadence, you don't let them go."

  "You cared deeply for Eliza?” Zak asked.

  Eli scrubbed a hand over his jaw as he let out a breath. "I believed myself in love with her, yes." He looked away. “Clearly the feeling wasn’t mutual.”

  "You couldn’t have known she would react so poorly.”

  “You told me she was only after our family money, and I chose not to believe you,” Eli said. “I was cross with you for being right. Then everything else happened. It was my fault.”

  It wasn’t often his brother admitted to being wrong, because he rarely ever was.

  “I shouldn’t have attacked you the way I did, Eli.” He took a long gulp from his drink. They’d only ever come to blows the one time, but it had been damaging and had lasted for hours. Consumed with rage, he’d taken out every ounce of that emotion on his brother. Eli had felt bad enough about the situation without getting beaten up on top of it. “I’m sorry, Eli. I let my fear of being found get the better of me.”

  “Father found us because of my ignorance. He captured and tortured Gracie. I still haven’t forgiven myself for what happened to her. I suppose we all have a bit of Father’s rage inside us.” Eli regarded him for a long moment. “You’ve changed, Zakariah. Mrs. Hopewell’s influence is positive for you.”

  Zak rolled his eyes.

  “I’m being sincere, Brother. After everything that’s happened over the years, I never thought you would open your heart to anyone.”

  “Who says I’ve opened my heart?” Zak licked his lip
s. Was it that obvious?

  Eli grinned. “It doesn’t take much to see you care for her, or that she cares for you.”

  “But is it enough?” The question slipped past his lips before he could stop it. Eli stared at him, clearly wanting him to elaborate. “We have to kill one of her sister witches to ensure our survival. This witch is the last in the bloodline. Upon her death we’ll be free and truly immortals.” He drew in a breath and let it out. “Cadence is quite close to her.”

  "I can see where that may present a problem," Eli said. “We’ve all wanted to be free from Father’s tyranny for so long.”

  "That’s not the only thing.” He paused and took a long sip of his drink, setting the empty tumbler on his knee. “She’s human, and I’m not. She’ll grow old while I’ll stay young. What if she wants a family? What if she doesn’t want to turn to vampirism?”

  "All excellent questions, but magic is everywhere, Zak. The bond growing between the pair of you is powerful and unlike anything I’ve witnessed. Don’t despair quite yet. Everyone deserves happiness. You just have to let yourself have it," Eli said, finishing his scotch. "I'm afraid that you're just going to have to trust her. As far as the future goes, you’ll have to let it work itself out."

  Chapter Seven

  "Are you ready?" Zak asked as Cadence put the last of her things into her suitcase. It amazed him how much stuff she had accumulated in the short time they’d been with Eli.

  She grunted and shoved the folds of her bag down, trying to get it to close by sitting on it.

  "Need some help?"

  "Nope, all done." She smiled as she hopped up.

  Zak took the bag from her hand and led them downstairs. The stay with Eli had been nice and relaxing. He could only hope that their travels to Barcelona would be uneventful. Eli was giving them a car for their journey, which would make it more comfortable for Cadence, especially with the icy February air.