‘I thought I could keep you apart. Father wanted us to get along. He didn’t know that we would never see eye to eye. You’re my enemy and always will be.’
I shook my head, cringing when a red strand of my disgusting hair fell into my eye line. How did I handle the situation? History could be changed if I just knew what I was doing. I wanted to fight him. If I killed him, maybe I could unite with my soulmate this lifetime. However, he was my brother. Even knowing who he was, the fondness of kinship rested in my chest.
‘We can work something out. Let’s-’
‘Always the smooth talker! The charmer!’ he shouted. ‘Don’t try your communication skills on me. I know you’re fighting with yourself right now. You want to kill me. Oh wait, no you don’t. Does it drive you insane going back and forth in your mind? You’re quick. I’ll give you that. However, I know you. I know you well.’
A scream made me swing around. A burly young man dragged Annabelle out of the barn. One of Nick’s men. I couldn’t really call him Nick. I had no idea what his name was in the current life.
‘I may be a smooth talker but I’m also a fast thinker. I process things ten times quicker than you do and quite frankly, I’m bored.’ I lunged towards his horse.
Wrapping my hands around his leg, I tugged him to the ground. He yelled as he fell and landed on the hard dirt. His men surrounded me, expecting me to attack. Instead, I grabbed the horse’s mane and heaved myself onto its back. Spinning her, I pushed through the men that surrounded me. My gaze was fixed on my lover. I would not let them hurt her.
‘Wait!’ my brother called.
I didn’t pause. The man holding Annabelle looked up too late. I smashed him in the side of the head with my boot. He fell back, releasing her as he slumped to the floor.
‘I can’t,’ Annabelle said when I leant down and offered her my hand.
Frowning, I glanced behind me. Nick was on his feet, advancing towards us. Annabelle breathed hard. Her chest heaved as she glanced up at me.
‘Run away. Leave me here with him. I want you to be safe. You’ll never be safe with me.’
My heart pulsed in my ribcage. She wanted to save me but I had to be with her. There was no point in running away without her.
‘I love you, please come me with?’ I asked.
The shake of her head was followed by a scream as Nick’s advance started to build speed. If Annabelle wouldn’t go with me, I would stay and fight. My brother was ruthless. He wouldn’t let her live in peace knowing that she was in love with me.
‘Fine. Then I will fight for you,’ I declared, swinging my leg over the back of the horse and dismounting.
Spinning towards Nick, I ignored her as she pleaded with me to leave. The man with grey eyes came to a stop in front of me. His fists unclenched as he watched me. I stayed close to the horse, not wanting to lose my cool before I had put a strategy into place. Nick wouldn’t be satisfied with a simple scuffle. He wanted blood. Somewhere in my head, I hoped that I would go back to the 21st century soon.
‘A duel,’ Nick called.
My eyebrows lowered as he nodded once and turned away. ‘Tomorrow at dawn. Meet me here.’
As I watched his retreating back, I was tempted to run at him. A duel meant death. I couldn’t remember when the pact that stopped us from killing each other had come about. Could I kill him in this lifetime?
‘Why didn’t you leave?’ Annabelle came over and threw herself into my arms.
I brushed the hair out of her face, cupped her cheeks and looked into her eyes. I would do anything for her. Anything at all. There was no way I was going to leave her behind.
‘We have to go,’ I said.
Being in love was new to me. The emotion of wanting to protect, comfort and keep her with me was unfamiliar. A spark of that protective streak had come out in me with Athena. I still had a long way to go to feel what I felt in front of Annabelle.
‘He’ll find us,’ she sobbed.
Her tears dripped onto my hands but I didn’t pull away.
‘Okay, we’ll stay.’
The sniffling paused as she frowned up at me. ‘You constantly change your mind.’ She laughed.
I grinned back at her. How did I explain that my Gemini traits were still strong in this lifetime?
‘We haven’t got long. Let’s go and enjoy each other’s company for one last night.’
Nick’s men had scurried after him. Leading Annabelle back into the barn, I helped her up the ladder and into the loft. The sky was starting to darken.
‘It won’t be our last night, you know that, don’t you?’ she said, lowering herself onto the straw bed.
A glow radiated around her. I looked up to the ceiling of the barn. There was a hole in the roof. It wasn’t big but the moon’s bright rays shined directly through it. My chest swelled when she pulled her dress over her head and lay back, waiting for me.
‘We’re so young,’ I whispered as I joined her on the bed.
Her chuckle was light as I tickled her sides. ‘Yet, we’ve seen a lot of the world.’
She was right. We were in America. Even though I couldn’t remember the journey, I could feel the difference in the air. The countryside had a different feel to it too. I had been so caught up fighting off Nick, I hadn’t taken a proper look.
‘You seem strange today. Ever since you woke up from your nightmare earlier.’
We lay together. I held her to my side as we gazed up at the moon. The calm brought the mental storm. What had happened to make me come back? Was Athena okay back in London? Would I ever get back? Of course I would. As soon as I woke up there, I would leave here. Then Annabelle would be left alone. Well, she wouldn’t. Surely, the person I had been in this life would still be there.
‘Jeremy?’ she said, nudging me in the side.
I kissed the top of her head as she melted into my side. ‘Sorry. I’m a little overwhelmed.’
She chuckled, leant up and looked into my eyes. ‘You? Overwhelmed? That’s not like you.’
I wanted to tell her everything. Somehow, I didn’t think she would believe me if I told her the truth.
‘I’m worried,’ I blurted.
A smile tugged her lips. ‘Now, that is like you.’
Pulling her down for a kiss, I distracted her from her probing. If I could just work out a way to get back. Her tongue darted into my mouth. The surprise of it made my eyes open. She watched me intensely as she kissed me. A bolt of heat shot through me as I melted into her this time.
*
Sleep pulled at me. I fought it, knowing that I had somewhere to be. If I opened my eyes, I didn’t know what lifetime I would be living. Who would I be surrounded by? The soft hair that tickled my cheek belonged to Annabelle. Athena wouldn’t wrap herself around me the way Annabelle had. Two women. Two lifetimes. Or was it the same woman? The energies of each one felt similar. My protective streak came out for both of them too.
‘Morning, sunshine,’ I sang.
Annabelle stretched. I ran my hand down her body one last time. Surely I would go back to my lifetime soon? Not that I didn’t enjoy being in the new world…back when it was new. I wasn’t supposed to be there, though. I was supposed to be in London, England.
‘It’s almost dawn.’ Her gaze searched mine as we lay close together. ‘Please tell me why you won’t leave.’
The grin that came to my lips was wicked. ‘Because I won’t live a life without you. I would rather die. Plus, who would I have to warm my bed?’
She giggled as her fingers twirled my red hair. I tried not to wince when she brought it to her lips and kissed it gently. She was obviously used to my greasy hair. It wasn’t something I wanted to get used to. The flutter of her eyelids made me want to forget Nick and the duel.
‘I don’t want you to die. You have to kill your brother.’
The decision had already been made. She didn’t have to ask me to get rid of the man, it was something I had already planned. If I could kill Nick in this lifetime
, would it change the future? Athena, or Annabelle, would be free to love me in whatever incarnation they found themselves in. There was only a slight doubt in my mind about them being the same person.
‘I will, I stated.
It was time. I squeezed my lover one last time before slowly getting to my feet. My legs were wobbly. I was about to go into battle with my very own brother. The split love and hate I felt for the man was enough to make me shake my head. In this lifetime, I loved him as a brother, even if I did fall in love with his woman. In the lifetime I was meant to be in, I hated him with my whole soul. We had been through enough lifetimes to form a solid hatred for the man that kept trying to destroy the love we had for our soulmate.
‘No matter what happens…’ I glanced down at her. My throat closed in on itself. I wasn’t sad because I might die. I was sad because it seemed such a waste.
‘Don’t. You’ll be fine.’ She rushed to stand and snaked her arms around my waist.
‘Annabelle, listen to me. No matter what happens, I’ll see you again. That I know for certain.’
When she buried her head in my chest, I had to swallow. When would I wake up? I didn’t want to make the wrong choice. I could change history without realising it.
‘I know. I’ll see you in the next lifetime.’
Her words made me freeze. I was about to pull away to face my fate. Instead, I took the top of her arms and looked down into her eyes.
‘How do you know?’
She half frowned, half smiled. Her gaze remained on mine. I couldn’t help but stare at her. The depths of her eyes were mesmerizing. I hadn’t noticed it before. Flecks of gold ran through the dark brown.
‘We meet every lifetime. You told me that. Don’t you remember?’
Closing my eyes, I let my lips rest on her forehead. Of course I didn’t remember. However, I couldn’t let her know that.
‘Right. It’s time to kill my brother,’ I said, gently setting her away from me and picking up the musket that lay on the floor nearby. It had been there all along. Did I live in the barn loft?
‘You sound so confident. I hope you’re right.’
So did I.
Examining the gun, I held its weight in my palm. The cool metal was prepped and ready to fire. Spinning on my heel, I went towards the ladder. If I was meant to die, or kill Nick, I better get it over with.
‘Wait!’ Annabelle hurried over. Taking a handkerchief from her pocket, she tucked it into the waistband of my trousers. ‘For luck.’
I grinned, swept her into a low bow and kissed her thoroughly. A cockerel in the distance chanted its morning call. It was time to meet my fate. Letting Annabelle go, I descended into the barn and went straight out of the door without looking back. A part of me hoped that she would stay behind and spare herself the horror of watching one of us die.
‘Good morning, brother,’ Nick greeted as I stepped through the door.
He waited on his horse. A couple of his men stood behind him, waiting for their orders. He was a few years older than me. My youthful body was double his in size but his age made him superior.
‘So young. You have no idea what you’ve done, do you?’ Nick spat.
I glanced down at the musket. Could I shoot him now and get it over with? His eyes narrowed on me. His head started to slowly move back and forth. He read me like an open book.
‘I don’t know what I’ve done. Tell me,’ I replied, holding the gun to my side.
Nick jumped off his horse and handed the reins to one of his men. His long red hair blew in the wind that started to move around us. It was a bright clear day. Was my power still with me? Even all the way back then?
‘You’re getting annoyed. You have no right to be angry, Jem.’
My name in the 1600s was quite similar to my current one. There was no denying that I was experiencing another lifetime. It wasn’t a dream. It was real. What an interesting predicament I found myself in. I was about to kill our enemy as Gemini in the body of Jeremy. The others wouldn’t quite believe it when I told them.
‘You want to stop love. The need in you to drive apart those that love each other is stronger than I’ve ever known…brother.’ The last word was pushed through my teeth. ‘However, I’m someone that will protect love from harm.’
Nick’s laugh echoed around the yard. Fields rolled away from us on either side. Trees stood in the distance. No matter what happened, at least I could say that I had been to America.
‘You don’t know how to love. You think you should be in love. Your heart doesn’t know what it’s feeling at any one time. You flit here and there with other women, too. Has that escaped your memory?’
My back stiffened at Annabelle’s gasp. She had come out to watch. Surely I wasn’t unfaithful to her? She was my soulmate. In 2015, I wasn’t in a relationship. I was allowed to be with whoever I wanted. In the 1600s, I had found my soulmate.
‘Jem?’
Her quiet call made me turn to look at her. What could I say? I had no idea if I was faithful to her in the current lifetime. Her gaze searched mine. I hoped she would find sincerity in my eyes. The smile that lit her face satisfied me. Nick wasn’t telling the truth.
‘I used to be like that but not anymore. Not since finding Annabelle,’ I shouted.
Nick started to pace the small area in front of me. He was a few hundred yards away. It was now or never. It didn’t seem as if I was going back to my current life before the guns were fired.
‘Annabelle, go back inside. It’s time to end this,’ I shouted behind me.
The blast of gunfire mixed with the scream of my lover. A thud shuddered through my chest. My body flew back and landed with a smack on the dirt. The numb pain that vibrated through me made me blink in the dust.
‘No! Please. Stay with me!’ Her anguished cry was joined with her arms cradling me against her stomach. Her knees supported my back as she leant over and pressed her hand to my heart.
‘I love you.’ I gasped.
The air that I tried to heave into my lungs was lost. My thundering heart stopped beating. Her tears dripped onto my face as she kissed me softly for the last time. I had been wrong. My confidence had failed me. When would I learn that sometimes, I would lose?
Chapter Sixteen
Air rushed straight into my lungs. Sitting bolt upright, I looked around me. The sun shone straight into my eyes. I blinked, trying to get perspective. The grass was soft against my palms.
Shouting. Someone was shouting.
‘Gemini! Get him!’
My brothers still hovered by the trees. Nick was standing over me, smirking down at my battered body. I had only been gone for a few seconds. How was that possible?
‘You just killed me,’ I mumbled.
Nick went still. His hand had been wiping his chin but the movement stopped with my words. The grey eyes were the same.
Athena! Searching the park, I heaved a sigh when I spotted her standing with my brothers. The shade of the trees was a good hiding place. Other walkers in the park didn’t seem to be coming in our direction. How had Nick done that?
‘Get to your feet,’ Nick said.
Brushing the dirt from my suit jacket, I did as he said. He had won in the lifetime that I had just left. I wasn’t going to let him win this time. It was over. Our power trip. The fights. All of it would end this lifetime.
‘Did you visit somewhere else? I’m getting a little concerned about your trips down memory lane. The Zodiacs are easier to control when you don’t remember.’
Nick sized me up. We stood facing each other. Liam had backed off, leaving his father to fight his fight.
‘Not man enough to stand up to me, Liam?’ I called.
I couldn’t help it. His weak ways came from his evil father. The resemblance of energy was clear now.
Liam spat on the ground before taking a step forward. Nick held up his hand. ‘Don’t,’ he warned.
The moment was suspended as we stood, waiting for the next move. What would Nick
do? What could I do? The ending of the last lifetime was not to my liking. It was like déjà vu as we stood facing each other again.
‘I’m bored. You can’t kill me. I can’t kill you. What are we doing here?’ I said.
Nick opened his mouth to speak. No sound came from him. A fast moving object buried itself into his arm. It was a bright yellow tranquiliser dart. His eyelids started to flutter as he fell to his knees. The same sound of flying objects echoed around us. I fell to the ground and covered my head with my arms. Liam and the other men fell to the ground too.
‘Gemini!’
I looked over at the trees. My brothers and Athena moved away from the men that had been guarding them. They were also on the floor.
‘What’s going on?’ I shouted.
I searched the area with my gaze but couldn’t find where the darts had come from. Whoever was firing them had a bloody good aim. Aries reached me first. Dragging me to my feet, he pulled me away from Nick and his men.
‘Look!’ Leo shouted from behind.
We moved as quickly as we could. People would start asking questions if they noticed the men passed out on the floor. Athena trailed behind with Scorpio. I followed the direction of Leo’s outstretched arm. Cancer was waving from the entrance to the park. She gestured to a bush not far from her. The person that had shot them was obviously hiding there. Were they a threat to us, too?
‘Who is that?’ Aries called to her as we made our way over.
A giggle escaped her as Matt crawled out from under the greenery. Shaking my head, I smacked him on the back as soon as he was upright. ‘Thank you.’
‘We need to hurry up,’ Athena said, taking my hand.
Looking down at her, I nodded. She cupped my cheek briefly before letting go. We followed the others to our van. There were only six seats and seven people. I hovered by the passenger door after Athena climbed in. Cancer and Matt stood on the pavement.
‘You go. I’ll head back to your fathers,’ Matt told Cancer.
She shook her head, refusing to leave him.
‘Cancer, come on!’
Gemini: Book 4 in a Young Adult Paranormal Romance Series (The Zodiac Twin Flame Series) Page 13