Time Masters Book One; The Call (An Urban Fantasy, Time Travel Romance)

by Geralyn Beauchamp

  Both darts hit him in the left leg, reminding Dallan of the time his uncle had nicked him in the same spot while teaching him how to fence. He made to get out of the car and get her while the deadlier gun was in her purse, but instead pitched forward, his chest hitting the seat in front of him. Funny, Shona was not affected this quickly, why was he?

  Julia had the other gun out now, her voice a cold hiss, “Works fast, doesn’t it? I formulated them for Shona, but two in you will work even more quickly.” She turned to Tomy’s car. “Don’t follow. If you do, I’ll kill him.”

  Tomy shook her head in disbelief as Angus and Lany seethed. The gun in her hand now a deadly annoyance, helplessness a brutal fact.

  Julia shoved Dallan further into the car with her foot. He moaned and landed with a thud against the other door. “Ye wee witch… I hope they dinna let ye d… drive… a… ye…” The thought lost, his body useless, he succumbed to the heavy drug, one last chance in his mind. Shona, she’s coming for ye. Get out o’ the house! Go back to the shop where the others can keep ye safe! Ye need to… to…

  But even had he not lost consciousness, it still would have been too late.

  * * *

  “What have you done with my father?” Shona’s voice faltered slightly as she spoke.

  Philip continued to stroke Kitty’s cheek with the barrel of his gun. “He’s here, if that’s what you’re worried about. And alive.” He smiled icily. “For now.”

  He held Kitty, one arm painfully behind her back, the gun at her face, and studied Shona. They had entered through the front door where he’d been waiting. It was easy to grab one of them, and lucky for him, he got the one he wanted. Shona would do anything to protect her friend.

  “Philip, please,” Maggie pleaded. “Don’t do this. Why can’t you just leave it? You haven’t a chance! Dallan has Shona now. It’s finished.”

  Philip glanced at her, face calm. “Comfortable, Maggie?”

  Maggie glared from her awkward position, on her side on the floor, bound hand and foot to the stubby legs of a sofa. “You won’t win, Philip.”

  “I’d be quiet if I were you. You’re hardly in a position to do anything should I decide to run the water in the bathroom.”

  Her eyes widened and she silently cursed him.

  “That’s better. Evan’s quite comfortable where he is. I’d hate to ruin his little nap by getting him wet.”

  Shona stood between her mother and Philip, her face panicked. “Where is he?”

  Philip chuckled. “Trussed up and napping in the bathtub, of course.”

  “What?” Shona looked desperately to her mother.

  Maggie’s eyes went from cold to helpless and back again. “He’s unconscious. Philip tied him in such a way that if the water is run, he’ll drown.”

  Shona gasped then spun on Philip. “You would not!”

  “Of course not.” He stated and smiled again. “As long as you come with me and do as I say.” He tightened his hold on Kitty, causing her to whimper in pain. “Your father and mother will live, and so will this little bit of baggage. The choice is yours, Shona”

  Shona tried desperately to contain her panic. What to do? Dallan! Dallan, where are you? No answer. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “I have the power to kill you now.”

  Philip raised a brow in amusement. “Oh my dear, sweet girl, I am well aware. However, I am also aware that you haven’t the slightest idea how any of it works, and I doubt you realize what you’re dealing with.”

  “Zara told me I would be stronger now. I could beat a man easily.”

  He smiled wickedly. “True. But I’m not any man.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I was once joined with a Muiraran. I am as strong as one, and therefore stronger than you.”

  “You cannot hold Kitty indefinitely.”

  “Oh, I don’t plan to.” He calmly smiled. “I plan on subduing you first, then dealing with her.”

  Shona looked confused and began to shake her head. “You are crazy. Dallan will be here soon and then what will you do?”

  Philip winked at her. “Little… Bo… Peep.”

  Shona gasped as her knees buckled, her body heading for the floor, down, down, while an all-consuming terror rose up out of nowhere to bind her like invisible chains. She stared at Philip, horror sketched across her face.

  He smiled in triumph and pulled Kitty closer as he began to laugh sadistically. “Little Bo Peep has lost her sheep and let this be a reminder. That all lost sheep are naught but meat for any of those that find her!”

  Shona, on her knees, doubled over and fell to the floor, helpless.

  “Shona!” Kitty yelped.

  Philip twisted her arm painfully and breathed into her ear. “Shut up, or I’ll see to it you’re tied in the bathroom upstairs!” He dragged her to the sofa where Maggie lay bound and tossed the gun on the cushions. Still holding Kitty, he pulled a length of cord from his pocket, twisted her other arm behind her and lashed her wrists together. That done, he shoved her to the floor and tied her ankles.

  He then looked to Shona, now curled into a ball. He sneered as he crawled across the floor to where she lay, his voice an evil hiss. “Yes. You will be mine, do you hear? I can still take you.”

  Shona struggled to her knees and fought the fear ruthlessly holding her prisoner. “No!”

  Philip smiled boyishly and quickly whispered, “Little Bo Peep!”

  Shona dropped to the floor again.

  He laughed gaily and slapped his leg. “Oh, Julia, you’ve outdone yourself! Superb! Absolutely superb!”

  “Why, thank you, Philip. It’s not often a compliment escapes your lips. What you’re witnessing took five years work.”

  Philip’s head turned to where Julia stood in the sliding glass doorway to the outdoor deck. “Oh, do come in,” he began with feigned happiness. “Join my little party.”

  She left the doorway, not bothering to close it. “You’re losing your touch, Philip. You didn’t even hear me enter.” She glanced at a bound Maggie and Kitty, their features frozen in fearful anger. “Quite the party. Am I allowed to bring a guest?”

  Philip’s brow raised in silent question.

  Julia smiled. “He’s not in much of a festive mood right now, but he’ll come around in an hour or so, I’m sure.”

  Philip’s eyes grew bright, his mouth half-open with pleasure. “Julia…Julia you precious commodity, what have you done?”

  Julia’s own eyes were cold and hard. “Something you should have been able to do last night.”

  “Last night, I unfortunately found myself unwillingly incarcerated.”

  Julia smiled at that. “I was the victim of unsavory circumstances as well. Today is different.”

  Philip licked his lips and glanced to Shona, who still lay helpless on the floor. He reached into his jacket and pulled out an odd-looking pair of handcuff s, then grabbed her, pulled her wrists together behind her back and bound them. “Where is he?” He asked, never taking his eyes from the Maiden.

  “Sleeping like a baby in my car.”

  “Good. You have the gun?”

  Julia reached into her purse and pulled out the tranquilizer gun.

  Philip stood. “Give it to me.”

  She handed it to him without question. “It’s loaded.”

  “Correct formulation?”

  “Yes.”

  “Good.” He turned and shot Shona.

  Her body jerked as the dart impacted her shoulder, the pain snapping her out of the brainwashed stupor Philip had so easily triggered. “NO!” She struggled wildly, her legs kicking toward him in an attempt to bring him down. Philip and Julia jumped quickly aside as she fought her way to a sitting position, her face a mask of rage. “Don’t you dare hurt him!”

  “Oh, joined to the last, aren’t you?” Philip whispered to himself.

  Shona sprang to her feet and lunged at him. He caught her and threw her back onto the floor.

  “Why i
sn’t it working?” Julia asked as she quickly ran to close the still-open door should Shona decide to use it.

  Shona was already on her knees by the time Julia returned. “Stay away from him! Or I swear I will kill you both!”

  Julia looked to Philip, confusion her only feature.

  He caught the look and glanced back to Shona who now teetered precariously. “Her instinct to protect her mate is strong. I’d go so far as to wager that if he were harmed, the Muiraran hearts protecting her would kill in the same way as if she were the one hurt. Fascinating. I’ve never heard of it happening. Bartrol was right. This Maiden is unique.”

  “What are you talking about? Who’s Bartrol?” Julia demanded coldly as she watched Shona’s head fall to her chest.

  “Bartrol is… an associate of mine. What you’re witnessing is her instinct fighting the drug because she knows you have her mate in your car. Muirarans will kill anything threatening a mate. Quite a fearsome sight.” His voice dropped to a whisper. “I’ve seen it happen several times myself.”

  Julia threw him a quizzical look as Shona toppled to the floor, unconscious.

  Philip clapped his hands together. “Well, I’d say this about wraps it up.” He suddenly caught the venomous look in Maggie’s eyes and began to chuckle. “Ah, I’d almost forgotten about you.” He went to where she lay and bent down on one knee as he patted his breast pockets, searching. “You’ve been such a wonderful help all these years, Maggie. I wish we could part on happier terms. But that, at this point, is a complete impossibility.” He found the handkerchief he wanted, cruelly stuffed it into her mouth and then began to fumble with his tie. “I will, however, leave you with a kept promise. I wouldn’t want you to think I don’t keep my promises.” He anchored the handkerchief into place with his tie, gagging her and stood. “So, I will now go to the bathroom and,” he leaned toward her slightly, “turn on the water.”

  Maggie screamed into the gag and began to struggle. Kitty watched horrified, speech failing her.

  “Gag this one.” Philip told Julia, pointing to Kitty. He bent again to Maggie, wiped a tear from her cheek and whispered, “Now, did I not promise that if you failed me in any way whatsoever, I would kill your husband? My dear Maggie, I can’t tell you how disappointed I am. You should never have helped them. You’ve failed me miserably. I really have no choice.” He stood. “After all, my honor’s at stake.”

  Maggie began to sob into her gag as he left the room and after several seconds was forced to listen to the sound of water slowly being turned on.

  As Julia roughly gagged Kitty, her eyes locked with Maggie’s. “I’m sorry, but Philip is more important to me. Be glad he’s at least letting you live.”

  Philip reentered the room, plucked Shona's unconscious form up from the floor and turned to Maggie. “The water is running slow, Maggie. A mere trickle at a time. But in about ten minutes he’ll be dead.” He turned, carried Shona into the kitchen and out of the house into the garage, then came back and bent over Kitty. “I’ll just take this one along for good measure. You don’t want her death on your conscience too. Because if you cross me again, she’s next.” He left her, Kitty slung over his shoulder, Julia following like an obedient servant. The kitchen door to the garage closed with a deadly air of finality.

  The water in the bathroom continued to run.

  * * *

  John had filled several boxes with Angus’s belongings, each item clearly marked and labeled as to which box they should go. “Is this everything?”

  Kwaku sat on the floor next to him and played with an old deck of cards. “Little brodar takes only his precious dings, Lord Councilor. Most of dis is for his modar. She is…”

  “Kawahnee!” Zara burst into the room, eyes frantic.

  Kwaku jumped to his feet. “What is it?”

  “The Maiden, Dallan. I have lost them. I cannot sense either one. It is like last night when the Maiden was drugged.” She shook her head. “Something is wrong.”

  Kwaku’s face went grave as he pondered and eyed the now dead phone. Angus had shut the service off the day before. He gripped her arms. “You cannot sense de Maiden or de Boyeee? Quick, search for Mosgofian. Find de Councilor, speak wid him.”

  “But, Kawahnee, he is not ready. He may reject my heart’s search.”

  “Do it.”

  “As you wish.” She looked briefly at John, catching the worry in his eyes.

  “Forgive me, Councilor. But there is no other way right now.”

  John, still bent over a box, slowly stood. “What do you mean?”

  Kwaku ushered him toward the kitchen. “Mos-go-fi -an is sensitive to a Muiraran’s heart, yes? What she does now may open his own heart, making him even more sensitive in de future.”

  “What? More sensitive? What will that do to him? Nothing like yesterday, I hope!”

  “No,” Kwaku began. “But he will be able to read Muirarans better. Do not worry, his heart for his mate will not be affected.”

  John glanced nervously back to Zara, who knelt in the middle of the room, eyes closed in concentration, features fluxing as she began to sing. “As long as it doesn’t affect that, what could it possibly hurt?”

  Kwaku also looked at his wife, his eyes narrowed to two dark slits. “What indeed, Lord Councilor. What indeed.”

  * * *

  Kitty struggled to no avail. Philip had tied her too well and her cramped position on the car floor didn’t help. Between the bonds and her current painful posture, she was helpless.

  Philip had laid Shona on the back seat of Maggie’s car, Kitty on the floor. Julia had covered them with the car’s dust tarp. No one would hear or see either of them, and Kitty couldn’t see where they were being taken. All she could do was hear changes in the road, an occasional car passing, and of course, Philip and Julia’s twisted conversation.

  “Why go back to where you came from? Go to the future, Philip. There is more for you there! You could rule!”

  “And I suppose you would rule alongside me? A fit queen sitting next to her dashing king? Charming.” Philip’s voice was flat, emotionless.

  “You need me and you know it.”

  “I need the Maiden, nothing more.”

  “Is she enough to satisfy you?”

  That got his attention. He briefly glanced at her, silence his only answer.

  “I don’t think she’ll be enough." Julia argued on. "You’ll still need me, Philip.”

  He chuckled. “Reduced to selling yourself, are you? How precious.”

  “I love you.” Julia’s voice was no more than a whisper. Kitty wondered if she’d heard her right.

  “Enough to kill for me?”

  “I’ve killed for you before. You know that. I’d kill for you again.”

  “Ah, yes, the baby. I’d almost forgotten about him. I see your memory is fully recovered. Well done, by the way. He’d have been trouble.”

  “Why? Why did you have me do away with an innocent child then have your wife hide the memory from me?”

  “He was a future mate for the Shamaelon house, the same house the Maiden is from. If the Maiden couldn’t be found in time, Kawahnee would have had to serve another hundred years or until another Shamaelon child was old enough to be trained, joined and mated. By killing him, you alleviated more of the competition. And by covering that memory with false ones, you were none the wiser in the long run.”

  “I see.” Julia looked out the window to hide her stricken face. "I see that I've been a very useful puppet for you all this time."

  “By the way, how did you do it?” Philip asked casually, ignoring her remark.

  She looked back to him slowly as the memory made itself known, almost wishing she could have it replaced with a false one again. “Shot him. Made it look like an accident. I also made it look like someone else did it.”

  Julia’s words made Kitty squirm, her stomach suddenly sick. Dread began to creep into her bones, as if something inside her tried to surface, but she quickly batte
d it down, killing any further attempts.

  Philip sighed. “You’ll kill again for me?”

  Would she, could she? If it meant keeping Philip then …“I believe I told you so.”

  “Good. After I’ve taken care of our friend in the trunk and joined with the Maiden, I want you to kill your so-called sister.”

  Kitty screamed into her gag, bringing a sadistic laugh from Philip.

  Julia’s voice was calm. “Consider it done.”

  Kitty’s lost memory suddenly broke free and rushed to the surface of her consciousness to join with Julia’s promise. The impact of the two felled her instantly in a dead faint.

  * * *

  “Quiet, Angus, we don’t want Julia to know we’re here.” Lany whispered as he crept onto the rear deck of the house and slowly peered around the corner.

  Angus huffed and puffed along behind him. “Her folk should be in the house. Julia will have her hands full. And what of Dallan?”

  Lany motioned for him to be quiet as he tried a door. Locked. He reached into his back pocket, pulled out his communicator and pointed it at the door lock. Angus stifled a gasp when the laser struck the lock, opening the door. “Wow…”

  Lany again silenced him as they entered the house. The family room was deserted and neither of them could hear anything. They exchanged a quick glance and slowly traversed the hall to about midway, stopped and listened. Nothing.

  No, something. Lany looked to Angus to confirm the sound. Angus nodded. He’d heard it too. In fact they heard several different sounds—a muffled sob, a sloshing and the distinct sound of water running.

  Lany quietly continued down the hall, Angus close behind. The sounds grew louder as they approached the front hall, a thumping joining the already existing noises. Lany listened again. Same sounds, one registering as human. He hurried down the short hall to the connecting front hall. The Whittards’ bedroom-bath was off this hall, which emptied into the living room. The room where the human cries came from.

  He headed straight for them.

  Maggie lay on her side on the floor in front of a sofa, her hands lashed behind her head to one of its wooden legs, her ankles tied at the opposite end. Her eyes were red from crying, her face swollen from screaming into a gag. She’d been beating her head against the sofa, probably in a desperate attempt to free herself. Lany rushed to her side and she became frantic. He quickly removed the gag.