by Jane Cousins
Heavens. Quinn’s mind had blanked and all she could do was kiss Matias Yanez back. A wave of heat, of need, swept through her, shattering her ability to think clearly. Blasting her common sense into the ether.
Distantly she was aware of a thud by her feet, of the medical kit falling to the ground. And then a clatter on the nearby table, barely aware that she’d placed the katana down, too busy, too eager, reaching up and running a hand through those soft dark curls. Her other hand clutching at his shoulder. Almost afraid he’d let her go or that she might disappear.
Quinn’s heart was racing. Tendrils of heat surged up and down her spine before diving to centre between her legs. So this was what it was like to kiss a man without being inundated by all his memories. Or having to concentrate so hard on keeping her magic shallow, maintaining control, that the kiss became a mechanical, cold act.
Lady save her, kissing Matias, she could barely recall her own name. Or why this was a really, really bad idea. Because it was… um, Matias snuck his hand up and under the back of her top, his warm fingers igniting the flesh across the small of her back. Quinn arched into his touch… touch? There was something she should be concerned about, wasn’t there?
In a flash, years of self control, rigid self denial and caution evaporated just like smoke. She never wanted to stop kissing Matias. Damn her fears. Damn the future. So what if Matias might not remember her in five day’s time. So what if she went stark raving mad, began talking to imaginary people and pulling her hair out. She’d never truly lived in the moment before, risked anything really. Clinging to Matias now, she wondered at all she’d been missing.
She could do this. Fling caution to the wind and take up Matias’s offer. Four days of wild, hot, no strings, no worries sex. Didn’t she deserve to splurge?
She’d spent her entire adult life worrying about her mental health. Scared to get too close to someone, to let them in and reveal her fears. Hating the idea of someone she loved constantly watching her, waiting for the first inevitable signs of deterioration. She’d always sworn she wouldn’t go there.
But Matias was different. Once the no-sleep potion wore off he’d be back to his old daily reset persona of gruff, surly asshole. Of course she wanted to heal him. But even if she was successful in fixing him, he’d been very clear in his expectations of what would take place between them. Something bright, hot and brief.
He wouldn’t want to hang around. Get involved in anything permanent. And who could blame him. He would have a decade to catch up on. New memories to make. And she would have the knowledge that just once in her life she’d been normal. Indulging in an affair with a sexy, hot, Latino lover, with no fear of consequences, with no thought to tomorrow.
Quinn gasped softly as Matias lifted her, planting her butt on the outdoor table. The hard surface of the wood and the rattle of the katana sliding across the tabletop brought her back to the present. Quickly she pressed a hand flat against his chest, pressing back. “Wait.”
Matias was panting, his heart racing as he paused. He stared down at Quinn, his eyes slightly dazed, the edges of his lips quirking upwards at the edges. “Well, it seems we can touch after all.”
“Yes.” Quinn acknowledged, a small smile still gracing her own slightly swollen lips. Okay, so she was a grown woman. Not exactly experienced but she wasn’t shy, all she had to do was tell Matias she had changed her mind about a brief affair and enquire if he’d like to change their location to somewhere more comfortable. Say her bed for instance. “We-”
“I’m not going to say I’m sorry.” Matias stepped back to allow Quinn to hop down off the table.
“I wouldn’t expect you to.”
“I wasn’t a fan of you putting yourself in danger in the first place. The fact that it didn’t work, I’m kind of relieved.”
Quinn hid a frown. What? Oh, yes. The whole reason they’d been kissing… touching in the first place. Looking anywhere but at Matias because she was afraid he might see the embarrassment and disappointment on her face. “Why didn’t it work?” Every other time they’d touched something wild and wacky had occurred.
“You’re asking me?”
“Well, we’ve been the only two consistent elements present at each event. The only thing different this time is you kissed me rather than touched.”
Matias grinned suddenly. “There was plenty of touching involved. Maybe you just liked kissing me so much you decided to stick around.”
Two could tease. “Maybe I did.” She shot back.
Heat flared in Matias’s gut. Oh, he liked it when the cool, in control Quinn got feisty. “Now what?”
Quinn bit the inside of her cheek. The moment for inviting Matias to her bed had passed, damn. She had the worst timing and luck. “I suppose I get some more sleep and you can clean all the windows.” She straightened her shoulders, wincing slightly, reminded of the wounds still healing deep under her skin.
“Hey, we never did apply that ointment Nell left. Hand it over.” Matias held out his hand.
Quinn sighed, bending over, she grabbed the handful of healing cloths before they spilled out the top of the medical kit and found the small jar Nell had left for her. “Here.”
Matias reached out to take it… zap. Quinn blinked. The boat beneath her feet pitched and rocked. Slamming her shoulder into the edge of the open metal doorway she was standing in. Sweet Goddess, she was back on the Merry Maverick.
Her attention instantly riveted upon the clash taking place on the deck. Matias, blood dripping down his chest and arm, had captured the hybrid creature’s paws by the wrists and was straining to keep those wicked claws away from his face. Even as the creature lunged forward, jaws snapping, aiming for Matias’s bared throat.
Shit. She’d returned the exact moment she’d left. She needed a weapon. Crap, she’d left the katana behind, so she needed that weapon she’d spotted earlier. Thrusting what was already in her hands into the pockets of her hoodie, Quinn turned to her left, clawing at the catches of the red plastic emergency box located on the wall. Come on. Come on.
Her fingers were clumsy, as she clutched at the box itself as the deck beneath her pitched to the right. Somewhere below deck she heard metal groan. Heavens, if that anchor didn’t come up soon the whole boat might be torn apart thanks to the approaching storm. She almost wept as she finally worked the flare gun free. Holding onto the doorframe with one hand, she raised the gun.
Damn, between the choppy seas and the two combatants standing only inches apart she couldn’t get a clear shot. Her arm wavering around like she was writing her name in the air.
What to do? She couldn’t ask Matias to duck or roll. The creature would be on him in a second. Shit. There was only one solution. She’d steal a technique she’d witnessed one of the Enforcers use in a memory of a close quarters fight.
She had to hurry. Matias was weakening thanks to blood loss. The creature’s razor sharp teeth less than an inch away from his jugular now.
Awkwardly she raced towards them. Slamming a little harder into Matias’s back than she had counted on. He tried to buck her off but she plastered herself against him as close as possible, her mouth against his ear. “It’s me. Just hold on.”
The smell of blood, salt water and sweat filled her nostrils. Suddenly her mouth felt too dry. Her heart racing too fast. She could do this. She had to save Matias. Reaching up, she placed her other hand over his eyes, ignoring his grunt of protest. Whipping the flare gun up and around, using Matias’s shoulder for balance, she pointed the weapon right in the creature’s face, closed her own eyes and pulled the trigger.
White hot light ignited behind her closed lids. Followed by a high pitched guttural shriek of anger and sheer pain. The smell of burning fur and flesh saturated the air for a moment as she and Matias dropped to the deck. The creature was gone, at least temporarily, claws scrabbling away, growling with pain and shock.
Matias flung Quinn’s hand away from his eyes. “You were gone… over the railing… I saw.
”
Quinn blinked and then blinked again. Her eyes were watering and a bright burst of light remained centred in her vision. Crap, she hoped she hadn’t done any permanent damage to her sight. Still, she could see enough to help Matias.
“Stay still.” She rummaged through her pockets. Yanking out a healing cloth and the jar of ointment. Better than nothing. Her fingers were trembling as she pried open the jar and slathered the contents over Matias’s ripped up shoulder and arm. Heavens, it was so deep. She slapped the healing cloth over his shoulder and pulled out a second one from her pocket for his upper arm.
“What?” Matias’s eyes were a little dazed. His face pale.
Quinn was guessing his adrenalin levels had dropped and shock and blood loss were setting in. Not good. She grabbed his face. Wincing as she smeared blood everywhere. “Look at me Matias. Matias? I’ve got you. You are going to be alright.”
“No… my arm, it’s gone numb.”
“That’s a good thing. Exactly what is supposed to happen.” She checked on the cloths. They were turning yellow and brittle fast which meant the wounds were deep and serious. At least there was no fresh blood dripping to the deck. But she didn’t like that dazed, shocky expression on Matias’s face. “Matias? Look at me. I’m here and I’m not going anywhere.”
It all but broke her heart, Matias looked so tired all of a sudden, and so very young, as if he’d experienced too many hits and was contemplating giving up. She could think of only one thing to do to snap him out of it. She kissed him. Lowered her lips onto his and willed him to fight, to care, to be whole again. Brief but heartfelt.
She watched as his eyes fluttered open, reassured slightly by the faint glimmer of a sparkle she saw in those rich toffee depths.
Matias blinked slowly. Some colour returning to his cheeks as he stared up at the angel with the moonlight coloured hair. “No offense. But aren’t you a little old for me?”
Quinn couldn’t help but laugh, though the sound was edged with fear. She looked in the direction the creature had taken, at least the bright light staining her retina was beginning to diminish. “We need to get somewhere safe.”
Another low groan of metal issued from below decks. And in a rush all the horror, shock and fear flooded back into Matias’s eyes as he remembered exactly where he was and what had happened. He grit his teeth, determination winning the war as he struggled to sit up. “We need to get to the bridge… raise the anchor before the storm hits and we either lose it altogether or are torn in two.”
Quinn supposed the bridge was as good as place as any to go. She helped Matias to his feet, placing his good arm over her shoulders for support. They entered the dimly lit corridor. The interior of the boat felt claustrophobic to Quinn. Too dark, too many doorways through which any number of unpleasant surprises might leap out at them.
Matias seemed undeterred by the eerie atmosphere as they stumbled onwards awkwardly, pausing occasionally to grip at the walls as the boat beneath them pitched and rolled, fighting against the anchor and the increasingly stormy seas.
Quinn found herself constantly trying to look back over her shoulder. Expecting any moment to see the jaguar creature racing towards them. But that wasn’t the case. They made it to the bridge. Matias collapsing into the wide Captain’s chair. Groaning, he leaned forward and pulled back a series of switches. Immediately Quinn heard an engine noise and the rattle of chain. The anchor was finally coming up.
With Matias busy trying to save the boat, Quinn was conscious of how exposed they were here. Hurrying to close and lock the door through which they’d entered the bridge. Then she returned to Matias, pulling out another healing cloth from her pocket and replacing the spent one that currently limply clung to his shoulder. Matias barely grunted.
“You want to tell me who you are exactly? And how you managed to change clothes between falling overboard and firing off that flare gun?”
Quinn clutched at a nearby wall as the boat swung about abruptly.
“Hold on to something. Anchor’s almost up.” Matias warned. “Come on, talk. Tell me what the fuck is going on?”
“I doubt you’ll believe me.”
“Hah.” Matias barked out a sound of unamused laughter. “After everything I’ve seen today, try me.”
“I’m from the future.”
“Right.” Matias cast her a quick glare. Before pressing a button, the boat engine throbbing to life as he swung the wheel with one hand. Pointing the Merry Maverick away from the storm and pulling back on the throttle. The boat surged forward slowly, its heavy bow cutting through the rough, choppy waves. “Let me guess. You’ve been sent back to save me? Pull the other one.” He adjusted the wheel slightly and then hit the auto pilot switch. Turning in his chair to face Quinn.
“Something like that. It’s complicated… Where do you think you’re going?” She watched as Matias pulled himself to his feet. His face pale, blood smeared across his hands and arms. More splattered across the side of his throat and his face.
“I need to secure my… the bodies. And search the rest of the boat and check on the crew.”
“That creature is still out there somewhere.” Quinn felt compelled to remind him.
Matias glanced out the large cabin windows towards the front of the boat. The angle was wrong to see the deck but Quinn knew what he was looking at. “I can’t leave them out there like that… unprotected.”
“Yes… of course. I’m so sorry. Let me help you.”
Matias was practically weaving on his feet between the rough ride and blood loss. Grim determination and clear mistrust radiated from him. “I still have no idea who you are. What you are doing here. How you… or that thing managed to get on board.”
“What if I told you that future you helped send me back here?” Damn, even to her own ears she sounded like some bad sci-fi channel melodrama.
“Then I’d know you were lying. If I was involved in you being here, my parents wouldn’t be dead.” Anguish and anger laced Matias’s tone as he turned away from Quinn, heading towards the door leading outside.
“Look, you don’t have to trust me. You just have to let me help you.” He shouldn’t have to deal with the bodies of his parents alone. And he needed someone to watch his back if the jaguar creature appeared again. Speaking of which, there was a toolbox located behind the co-pilot’s chair, Quinn hurriedly flipped the lid and pulled out a wrench. It was no sword, but better than nothing.
Matias glanced back, pushing his damp hair back with an agitated hand. “Yeah, because I really want some mystery blonde behind me with a blunt weapon.”
“Ines!” The name popped out. “The first girl you slept with! How else would I know that unless you’d told me about her?”
“Maybe you’ve been following us, tracking us for years.”
Quinn rolled her eyes. It seems Matias had always had a stubborn streak. “Her smile, that was reason you fell for her. Now, I couldn’t have known that unless you’d told me, could I?”
Matias shook his head, frowning, he reached up absently to touch his blood stained temple, wincing, his fingers coming away stained with tacky, drying blood. “Whatever. Fine, come on, and be careful, the deck will be slippery.”
Quinn followed behind Matias closely, down the iron stairs to the main level, then along the slick deck to the bow of the boat. Her attention shifting constantly between every shadow large enough to hide a hybrid jaguar creature and Matias, who was showing clear signs of fatigue. His gait a little clumsy. His shoulders bowed slightly as if the weight of the events that had occurred on board the Merry Maverick were physically grinding him down.
It was a miracle both bodies were still on the deck and relatively unscathed by the bounce of the rough seas. Probably because they had become wedged between two bulkheads. It was immediately clear to Quinn that Yanez senior had died protecting his wife.
Matias made a small sound in the back of his throat as he stared down at his parents and the blood stained deck.
/> “We should move them… inside.” It would mean putting down her wrench. But she didn’t want to leave them out here like this any longer than necessary.
Matias surprised her by shaking his head. “They’ll be fine here for just a little longer. I need to search the boat. Find the others. Track down that creature.” Matias straightened his shoulders.
“No one…” Gulp, how could she tell him?
“What, no one what?”
“You’re the only survivor, Matias.”
“Copper’s dead?” And the hits kept on coming. All colour drained from Matias’s face.
“No! Copper’s missing. She’s not on the boat. And Kristiah is gone too. Matias? Where are you going?”
Matias strode over to a nearby equipment box, lifting the latch, snatching up a spear gun. Holding it with practised ease he glared at Quinn. “I know where Copper is, she’s safe exactly where she is. Now I’m going to track down that thing and kill it. But not before I make it talk. I want to know what it was doing here today. And why the hell it killed my parents and crew.”
“I’ll come with you.” Quinn lifted the wrench up a little higher.
“No, you’ll only be in the way.”
“I said I’m coming with you.” Quinn matched his glare and raised him a scowl. Two against one were better odds.
“I have no-”
If they hadn’t been quarrelling, then Quinn wouldn’t have been facing in the right direction to warn him. “Look out! Behind you.”
Matias turned in time, but only just. Managing to bring the spear gun up to thwart the nasty slash of claws aimed chest height. The creature snarled loudly in frustration.
Quinn was surprised it was still able to function. Half of its face was a bloodied, blackened mess from the flare gun hit. One eye clearly gone. Streaks of drying blood tufted the scorched fur down the side of its face, red smears across its human shoulder, chest and left breast. At least it could be hurt.