Kiss Across Kingdoms

by Tracy Cooper-Posey

  “That would be me, I imagine,” Herakleides said. “Even when we were human, he resented anything I achieved or acquired that he could not have.” He sighed. “The changes he put in place, they really threatened the entire world?”

  “The country of Gronoya, that we know as Wales, had already taken out Iraq with nuclear warheads. Everyone was just waiting for the Middle East to strike back,” Veris said with a growl. “I don’t remember that at all, but I believe Alexander and Rafael and Sydney when they say they do remember it.”

  “It’s quite true, Far,” Marit said suddenly. “I’ve seen it, too. A black place, where time ends. We were heading there. Now we’re not.”

  Herakleides studied Marit thoughtfully. “We are no longer heading there because of this peace that Alexander arranged?” he asked her. He didn’t seem to find it odd that a twelve year old understood time travel paradoxes. Most of the long-lived vampires were able to encompass such oddities with ease and Herakleides was very old.

  Marit nodded.

  “The way I remember it,” Sydney said, “is that Powys, the strongest kingdom in Wales, pulled every able soldier over to Mercia to battle the Lady’s army at Chirbury. That emptied Powys and without Powys, the rest of the Welsh kingdoms were vulnerable to an attack. Siorus—I mean, Cyrus—was a favorite of Llewelyn’s and used that influence to convince Llewelyn that the only honorable reaction to Mercia taking the Queen of Brycheiniog hostage was war. He kept up his propaganda, until the entire Powys army was frothing at the mouth, determined to wipe Mercia from the earth in order to restore their good name and reputation and prove the strength of Powys. He also whispered in Llewelyn’s ear that this would be a good time to take stock of Mercia’s strength and deplete it at the same time. He kept whispering and convincing, until Llewelyn was unable to look away from Mercia and notice how his rear was unguarded.”

  “Then he negotiated with the Vikings to raid Powys,” Rafe added. “I imagine he had some sort of deal worked out where he got to live like a prince among them, or perhaps he was simply happy with the idea that the Vikings would control Wales into the future and ruin whatever life you might have had.”

  “A pointless exercise,” Herakleides said, “as I don’t remember the life I had in that alternative time. I’m sure Cyrus overlooked that point. He always was very good at self-denial.”

  “It is historical fact,” Taylor said, “that after repressing the Vikings, Llewelyn and his brother presented themselves to Edward, the high king of England, Aethelfreda’s brother. An alliance was formed. Thirty years later, when the Vikings attacked again, Wales and Mercia and most of the English forces were able to hold them at bay. So instead of Gronoya, England and New Denmark, we have the United Kingdom, made up of Scotland, Wales and England. And we have peace. No one is firing nuclear weapons.”

  Sydney held out her hand. “Wait,” she said softly. “Maybe Cyrus didn’t overlook that you wouldn’t know about the life you once had before he changed things. Maybe he didn’t care that you wouldn’t know, because he would know.”

  Herakleides raise his brows. “Then he is still alive,” he concluded. “Somewhere in the world, he remembers what he nearly managed to do. That is not a good thing for any of you in this room, who have defeated his plans.” He got to his feet. “My brother is very good at holding a grudge. It is perhaps fortunate that your other enemies can no longer be found in this time.”

  “There’s a comfort,” Brody muttered.

  Herakleides smiled for the first time. “You are a particularly resourceful group. I am sure you will weather whatever storms you have brought upon yourselves. I will bid you good day. The Council has no further concerns related to your affairs.”

  He nodded at them all and Sydney led him out of the room.

  Veris blew out his breath. “’Whatever storms we have brought upon ourselves,’” he quoted. “They’re washing their hands of the whole affair.”

  “That’s typical,” Rafe said gravely. “They have always had a hands-off policy regarding time jumpers, because most of them kill themselves off, usually during their first jump.”

  Taylor pulled her feet up onto the sofa and settled on the broad leather cushion. She let her hair out of the French pleat and shook it back around her shoulders. “There’s still one question I can’t answer. How did Cyrus know about time jumping…and who took him back to Wales? He didn’t jump by himself. Not even Alex really jumped by himself. He had help from Marit. So who helped Cyrus?”

  Sydney came back into the room. “I heard that. And I heard what Herakleides said about Tira. Does that mean he thinks they have something in common?”

  Veris looked at her, startled.

  “Well, Cyrus needed someone to take him back into time,” Sydney pointed out. “Tira is a good candidate. They’re both as nasty as each other.”

  “Then why didn’t she show up and cause her usual mischief while we were there?” Rafe asked.

  “Because Tira has been alive for a very long time,” Sydney said. “Babylon, you said, Veris.”

  “I only think that’s when. No one really knows for sure.”

  “She was definitely alive in the tenth century, somewhere in the world. If she jumped Cyrus back to the tenth century, he would have arrived in Powys and she would have found herself…somewhere.” Sydney shrugged.

  “Hopefully, somewhere near far Outer Mongolia,” Brody said shortly. “It would take her over a year to get to England from there, if not longer. I hope she left Cyrus scrambling for his life for fucking years until she got there and could jump him back.”

  “If it was Tira,” Sydney added. “We’re speculating. She has never been able to properly time jump before now.”

  “She’s been determined to learn how ever since I met her,” Taylor added. “Maybe she finally did.”

  “Or maybe she will learn how,” Veris added. “Herakleides said she wasn’t anywhere in this time.”

  “You’re talking about the future,” Alex said. “You think that’s where Cyrus and Tira jumped from? Somewhere in our future?”

  “It’s a good bet, yeah,” Brody said.

  “Only,” Veris added, “how far into our future?”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Marrakesh, Morocco

  “When you said ‘let’s go somewhere none of us have ever been before’,” Rafe told Alex as he stretched out on the lounger, “I had no idea it would be so damn hard to find that place.”

  The courtyard where they were lounging next to the blue lagoon-like pool was the private courtyard of the house they had rented for a month, just to get away from everything. Alex had not said it aloud to the others, however, he was even mildly pleased to get away from Veris and Brody, who could be pedantic and insistent at times. It was a product of their great ages. It was good to be able to breathe and think, with his two favorite people in the world the only ones able to interrupt his thoughts.

  The walls of the courtyard were white, with graceful stone arches leading into the interior of the house. Green potted plants dotted the colorful mosaics that surrounded the pool.

  Sydney was lounging in the pool itself, her head resting on the tiles. “I thought that Alexander at least might have been to Morocco.”

  “You’re typecasting,” Alex said lazily. “Just because I come from a land of deserts doesn’t mean I’ve visited all such lands.”

  “I think she meant because you lived in Spain, idiot,” Rafe said, opening one eye. “It’s right across the straits from here. Although, I lived there, too, long before he got there.”

  “Now who’s being prejudiced?” Sydney said. “Just because you’re older doesn’t mean you’re any wiser or better.”

  “As Cyrus proved,” Rafe returned.

  The mention of his name sobered them all. The light and relaxed atmosphere dampened for a moment.

  Alex sighed. “Perhaps we should talk about him. We’ve been very good at not talking about what happened.”

  “I don’t w
ant to,” Sydney said shortly. “He fucked with the past, nearly destroyed the world and we—I mean you, Alex—fixed things. End of story.”

  “Except he’s going to come back again,” Rafe said softly. “You just know he is. He isn’t the sort to give up once he’s taken a beating. He’s one of the fighters who keeps coming back and back until even the strongest opponent drops from exhaustion or makes a mistake. Then he has you.”

  Alex nodded. “And this time, he’ll have Tira with him.”

  Sydney straightened and stood up, then walked up the tiled steps to the lip of the pool and stepped out.

  Alex’s heart squeezed as he watched her and his body tightened.

  “I had no idea you were sitting in that pool naked!” Rafe cried. “Damn it!”

  Sydney walked over to them, trailing water drops, her hips swinging as she walked. It was mesmerizing. Alex barely got his legs out of the way as she sank down onto the edge of his lounger.

  Was her hair longer than he remembered?

  Sydney twisted her hair out of the way and squeezed the excess water onto the tiles at her feet. She looked at Rafe, sitting only inches away. “You’re worrying about something that might happen—”

  “That very likely will happen,” he replied. “Tira doesn’t give up easy, either.”

  “My point is, it hasn’t happened yet. Let it go, Rafe. After all these centuries, haven’t you learned how to live in the moment?”

  “Sure, but not until I’ve made all the necessary precautions against a probable threat.”

  “You’re not taking precautions right now. You’re just worrying out loud,” she told him gently.

  Rafe gave her a small smile. “So what precautions should we be taking, so I can get on with living in the moment? Because there’s a drop of water sitting on the very tip of your nipple that I want to lick off.”

  “For a start, you can turn me.” She looked at Alex. “Both of you.”

  It was one of those rare moments when time stood still. Alex actually lost track of time passing. High overhead, he heard the call of a hawk, telling him that it was just him reacting to her proposal.

  “No…” he said at last. He had to breathe it out. His chest wouldn’t unlock enough to speak properly.

  Rafe shook his head. There was pain in his eyes.

  Sydney picked up Alex’s hand. Her flesh was cooler than his in this torrid climate and damp, too. Then she reached for Rafe’s and held it.

  “Think about it,” she said softly. “It makes sense. There isn’t…there won’t be children, so that’s not a reason to wait like it was for Taylor. And you just know we’re going to end up jumping back in time sooner or later. Even Brody and Taylor and Veris keep jumping even though they swear they’re never going to do it again. They keep being forced to it. So instead of refusing to consider it, we should acknowledge that it’s going to happen again and work with that.”

  “That’s no reason—” Rafe began hotly.

  Sydney held up his hand and squeezed it and he stopped. His expression was miserable and Alex rested his hand on Rafe’s shoulder. He wasn’t feeling much happier about this himself.

  “I would be so much safer if I was a vampire, when I’m back in time,” Sydney added. “I would be invulnerable to disease, stronger and faster than anything that came at me. If Tira really is going to come after us, then I will no longer be the vulnerable one that she can use as leverage against the two of you. Not like she used Taylor.”

  Alex stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. “We like protecting you,” he said simply. “It is one of the privileges of our lives to do that. And…” He swallowed again. “I would miss lying with you at night while you sleep.”

  Sydney’s face softened. Her smile was warm.

  “You’d miss her sleeping in your arms a whole lot more if she was dead,” Rafe said.

  Alex jerked and looked at him, shocked.

  Rafe shrugged. “Sydney is right. Tira exploits weaknesses, just as Siorus does, and she considers humans to be weak.”

  “Because we are weak compared to you,” Sydney added.

  Alex could only shake his head. The idea of turning Sydney was making his gut roil in a way that reminded him of what it felt like to be ill, a sensation he’d not experience in many centuries. Fear was making his heart pound.

  “Hey, it’s okay,” Rafe said. “Breathe, Alex. You’re starting to hyperventilate.”

  Sydney shifted on the lounger and he felt her cool hands on his chest, through the light cotton shirt. “It’s Anna, isn’t it?” she said softly. “She left her mark on you, not just as your maker. The idea of another vampire, a woman, in your life is scaring the hell out of you.”

  Alex made himself breathe deeply, recognizing that Rafe was right, his breathing was too fast and shallow. He looked Sydney in the eye. “How do you know about Anna?” he asked. Even saying her name was difficult.

  “Taylor told me.” Sydney’s smile was warm. Understanding. “I am not Anna.”

  “Thank God for that,” Alex said earnestly. His chest unlocked and he could breathe properly once more. “Forgive me. It is an ancient matter. However, for nearly a century I was as much a slave as Rafael ever was.”

  “More than I was,” Rafe corrected softly. “She knew exactly what she was doing and she kept you on her string deliberately. She enjoyed it. When I was a slave it was just the way things were. None of my masters were ever delighted about having me at their beck and call.”

  Sydney studied Alex candidly. “Do you believe I would ever do that to you?”

  Alex shook his head. “You’re incapable of such cruelty,” he added.

  She picked up their hands once more and looked at them for a long moment. Her beautiful green eyes held a grave expression. “If you do turn me, then you have to put up with me being in your lives for many, many centuries. If you don’t love me enough, if you can’t stand the idea of my being a part of your lives for the foreseeable future, then tell me you don’t want to turn me.”

  Rafe drew in a sharp breath. She shook his hand again, silencing him. “If you do love me enough that you want me around forever, then turn me and I will stay. Because I know I love you. I love you enough that I would do exactly what Alex did and change time just to keep you with me. I want to give up the rest of my humanity so that I can do that.”

  And she bit her lip, waiting for them to speak.

  “Put that way,” Alex told her, “I can’t see that I have any other option than to sink my teeth into you this very instant. Yet I do not want to.”

  “Alex…” Rafe breathed.

  Alex pulled Sydney up against him, laying her damp body over his and looked into her eyes. “Can I turn you tomorrow? I’d much rather make love to you right now.”

  Sydney relaxed against him and rested her head on his shoulder. “Tomorrow is fine.” Her voice was thick with unshed tears.

  Alex held her and let out the last of his panic and fear on a deep exhale. Peace entered his soul.

  Rafe leaned over and kissed him deeply, over the top of Sydney’s head. He dropped a kiss onto her cheek, too. “Together forever,” he breathed. “That’s not scary at all.”

  Sydney laughed almost soundlessly, her chest vibrating against Alex’s.

  “No, it isn’t scary,” Alex agreed. It was the absolute truth.

  Epilogue

  Caergybi Monastery, Angelsey, Wales. 917 A.D.

  Northern Wales was host to some of the most remote and wild country in the land. Caer Gybi, on the far northern tip of the island that was the dot at the top of that wild land, was probably even more wild, which was why the monastery had been built there. It discouraged all but the most ardent of visitors, leaving the brothers to tend to their devotions and their gardens in peace.

  Brother Eifion was glad his duties did not include tending the vegetables, for at this time of year the chill winds swept across the open sea to whistle along the quay and swirl coldly across the island, leaving tender gree
n shoots frozen in their wake. It was not enjoyable to be outside, even in the middle of the day.

  His love for God was better expressed through the use of his skills as a scribe and illustrator instead, such as the tedious manuscript he was currently copying. He offered up a silent prayer to God for his impatience and decided that he would work through the night to repay his selfishness. He turned away from the window, preparing to settle at the high desk and begin work once more.

  There were three people standing on the other side of the chamber. They were holding each other, their knees bent, as many people did when they were standing on the deck of the boats that crossed over from the mainland, especially on days when the sea was high, like today.

  One of the three was a woman. She was of surpassing beauty, with a firm line to her jaw and clear green eyes. Her clothes were those of a lady of rank. Eifion tried to look away from her, for he had not seen a woman for many years and the sight of one now reminded him of his vows in an uncomfortable way. Yet it was difficult to pull his gaze from her.

  She was looking around the room with curiosity.

  “Who are you?” Eifion said. “What are you doing here, and how did you find your way into the monastery? There are doors and barriers—”

  The taller of the two men, who had remarkable eyes, too, gave him a smile, showing very white teeth. “I have been searching for you, Brother Eifion, for many months now. I wanted to talk to you about that.” He nodded toward the book sitting propped open on the high, sloped desk, showing the incomplete page.

  “Nennius?” Eifion frowned. “I am making a copy.”

  “Yes, I know. I am a scholar of sorts myself and I know his work. I have seen other copies, including one that has made its way to Constantinople.”

  Eifion drew in a breath in surprise and delight. “Constantinople! Constantine was ours, a Briton, and he became Emperor of the greatest city in the world.”

  “Indeed,” the dark haired man said gravely. “That is in part why I am here. There is a story in the copy of Nennius I read in Constantinople that no other copy here in the west seems to have. I wanted to see if your copy would include it.”