by Melanie Ray
“Xiam, how do you have Xiam?” Yed asked.
“He's in the living room. Why don't you see?” Muin winked at Ezra. “My family keeps all kinds of secrets, huh?”
Oh, about the same as her family.
“I don't have time for this.” Yed looked in the refrigerator and brought out some condiments. “I'll have to pay them back, but this will save the trip to the grocery store.” He gestured to his room. “Past the living room over here is my bedroom.”
As Yed and Ezra went into the living room, they were met with another surprise.
“Oh, Yed! Oh.” Xiam quickly stood up and wiped at his mouth. “What are you doing here?”
“You're kissing.” Yed shook his head. “You just became a ceremony conductor assistant, Xiam, and you're kissing your study partner?”
“Sorry. Um, it just happened, but we've got it under control.”
“We really do,” the woman said as she shook Yed's hand. “Our jobs could be affected so, just, don't say anything?” She shook Ezra's hand as well. “Sorry, I was asking about ceremony stuff . . .and . . .” Iridescent rubbed her head. “Things happened again.”
“I answered her?” Xiam's voice was high, but he switched his attention toward Ezra. “Are you the one my brother's been hooked on? What are you doing here?”
“Okay, fine.” Yed called for Zaria and Muin to come into the room as well. “All of us have things going on none of us agree with. Let's just keep this between us, and things will work themselves. Agree?”
“Agreed, as long as I can date Zaria.” Muin winked at Yed.
Yed grumbled, as did Xiam. “Nothing more than dating.” Yed grabbed Ezra's hand softly and led her to his room. “I'm sorry about that, I know we don't have much time to waste. What do you think? This is my old room. Well, guest room now.”
Ezra chuckled, her mouth tugging upward. Yep, she didn't hate it. The room had a makeshift table with candles and an already made dinner covered to keep the heat inside of it. He was using the bed and a chair in the hotel room for seating. He made it as comfortable as possible. She placed her hands in his as sat her down on the chair. He went to sit on the bed and lit the candles.
“If I can't get your dad to budge, then I've got to take some initiative.” He opened up a drink and poured some in a glass. “Non-alcoholic. Can't blame the booze for what we're doing.”
She knew what he meant. She took the glass and took a small drink. “I've never gone against him before. He said I was supposed to find just the right pair of genes before I could marry someone.”
Yed stuck out his legs. “I have got a great pair of jeans, fit nice. I've got more in the closet. Think he'd buy that?”
“Doubt it,” Ezra chuckled as he held out her glass for more. He poured a small amount in there. “They want someone they can study, just the right person. It's ridiculous.”
“Yeah. I'm not going to fit into that respectable scale.” Yed poured his own drink. “I don't even make half the money my father makes.” He reached over to show his humble offerings.
“Tell me about him?”
Yed talked about his father, his mother, his sister, and his brother.
“Xiam and Muin.” Ezra reached for one of his humble offerings on the table. Tuna and bread. She didn't want to say it sounded familiar, it felt like that phrase was always falling out of her mouth.
“So, what about you?” Yed asked as he took a piece of tuna and bread. “What's so hot about your family?”
“I don't know.” Ezra grabbed a napkin to clean her face. “They don't tell me much of anything. Just bits and pieces. I'm some special thing to some great secret.” She wanted to have seconds, to have an excuse to stay longer. She still needed to get back to the restaurant. “I need to get going, or I won't.”
“I'd prefer the second,” Yed answered truthfully. “I want more time with you.”
“Time,” she repeated the phrase softly. “Time is something we just can't stop, is it?” She groaned. “I wish you had come by last year instead of this year.”
“Why?” Yed asked as he grabbed her hand.
“Father had more conferences.” Ezra couldn't help a smirk. “He was often gone for two days straight each week. He isn't a part of them anymore, he noticed more guys were hanging around me.”
“Well, two days a week. The things we could have done.” Oops. That wasn't the way he wanted it to come out. “We really need to do this.”
“I know.” She slowly brought her eyes to his as she brought her book forward. “It's time.”
Yed brought out his own book. “No matter how strange, we should share it. Agreed?” He looked at his book first. “I get a re-occurring vision of a kid killing someone in the middle of a war.”
“I have memories of your brother and sister, being my brother and sister,” Ezra said next. “I knew what they looked like before I met them.”
Okay. That one was definitely strange. “I've got on something like a Protector vest. I serve a different king.”
“Sheward?”
“Yes.”
“I have had several visions of him.” Ezra rolled her finger down the page. “Here is the interesting one. At a guillotine, he was holding me as a child. He said this, and I swear it.” She met her eyes to Yed's. “I'm sorry, mom.”
“Holding you as a child, and calling you mom?” Yed scratched his head. “None of this makes sense. I get visions of a place I can't even figure out. It's got cottage cheese colored walls, bad furniture, and I'm standing around in pajamas.”
“My back being bent, with my hands formed into paws.” Ezra sighed. “None of this is making any more sense than it has. This doesn't feel like one past life.” She closed the book.
“A girl with black hair. A Chronicle burning. A figure of my original father, older and smiling.” Yed closed his book too. “All this did was bring in more questions. I don't know how we knew each other, Ezra. Maybe it's best we don't figure it out?” He stretched his hand out to hers. “I know you're running out of time, but can you have seconds? Or something, I don't care. I just want you to stay with me.” He tightened his grip. “I feel like I'm drowning when I'm not near you.”
Yed felt a sensation on his tail. A furry sensation. He jolted slightly, not ready for it. He certainly got his answer on that.
She was touching tails with him. It was timid only a small touch. A tease. His tail wrapped as close to her base as he could. They both wrapped their tails slowly around each other, tighter and deeper.
Yed stood up, moved over to her chair and kissed her. One date, one unofficial date, but he didn't care. He didn't care about being in his family home, her father, or if the memories never made sense. He picked her up in his arms and laid her down on the guest bed.
Chapter 104
The Agreement
“I've got to find a way to make your dad approve of me,” Yed said as he buttoned his shirt back up. Ezra was getting dressed on the other side of the bed.” I need to be with you, Ezra. If I did something drastic, like an agreement? Would you sign?”
Ezra breathed deeply as she stood up. “Father would hate me forever for that. But, I would. It could smear your family name though.”
“I know.” Yed gulped. “I'll talk to my father.” He escorted her out of the room and gave her the condiments, hearing his brother and sister giggling behind them.
It was already plenty late, so by the time they got to the restaurant, her mother had been waiting for her. After a brief back and forth yelling, Yed took off back to his family house.
Xiam and his secret girlfriend Iri had already left. Muin and Zaria were saying goodbye, without a kiss since he was watching. His mom and dad should be coming home in a few minutes. Once they arrived, Yed greeted them and gestured to the living room, asking his father to follow. They both sat down.
“Dad, I've got a favor to ask you. It's big. I met a female. Not just any, she's the one. I've done everything to even get a date with her.” Yed sat beside his dad. “
I even hired a Protector for a Protector's Oath.”
“A Protector's Oath?” His father sat up in his chair. “You are serious. That's usually not necessary unless a wedding ceremony is involved. Do I need to ring up your brother?”
“No, I'm still trying to get a date.” Yed saw the shock on his dad's face. “I know. She loves me, and I love her.”
“A date? That's ridiculous. A Protector's Oath for a date, and still not enough?” Io stood up. “Are you sure she loves you?”
“Definitely.” Yed wrang his fingers in his hands. “We even took it to...I brought her here today.”
“Stupid, Yed. Here? You can't even get a date, there was no permission to bring her to your family home.” His father pinched his nose. “Okay. How old is she?”
“She should be living on her own,” Yed muttered. “She's almost my age.”
“Your age?!” His mother Scented said, not being able to help eavesdropping. “Yed, that is way too old. If she were some gorgeous celebrity hiring a Protector, I could see that. But your age, and her father not letting her go? And you love each other?” Scented looked toward Io. “Are you hearing this?”
“Yes, I am.” Io tapped his fingers on his chair. “Are you sure, Yed? There's only one way to take her.”
“I know. I've done everything I can. We want to be with each other.” Yed rubbed his face. “I know it's not an easy thing to ask for, but she's the one. Please?”
“You don't even need to say, please,” Scented said as she strolled over and kissed his head. “Your father will do it, or I will. Io?” She turned to look at him.
“Did you ask this woman?” His father said. “You've got to be a hundred percent positive, and it won't be easy.”
“I know. I've been saving money. I can do this, and I have asked her.” Yed rubbed his knees. “I want to get her with me, dad. She spun out of control once, carving something in the ground. Love kills. I think her dad is trying to kill her spirit.”
“Oh.” His dad swallowed. “So she does feel the same way? Okay, Yed, I'll get it started. At some point, I do want to meet this new woman.”
“Thanks dad.” Yed grinned and shook his dad's hand. “You've always been a big help.”
“You're going to have to get her to sign a written agreement that she wants this before they will proceed,” Io warned him. “No one wants to take a woman and put her in a worse spot, they will demand that. It's going to take at least a month to get an agreement created, and I doubt our neighbor's will look pleased at us for what we are doing. After we get the agreement, you will have to take the initiative to get it signed. Can you do it?”
“One more round with her dad,” Yed said as he nodded. “Whatever it takes.”
Yed approached Ezra's house once more. He said no words of provocation, watching himself so that if enforcement was involved, he would be okay. Didn't matter though, he was still awarded with a slug across the face.
“Get out of here. You can come back every day for the next two hundred years,” Mister Saga warned him, “but you can't have her. You don't get it, you don't understand what she is.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out some currency. “What will it take? To never knock on this door again, what will it take?”
“There's not enough money in the world for me to forget Ezzy.” Yed looked toward the money. “Not even the king could offer enough. I belong with her.” For that, he paid physically again.
As Ezraponia rounded the corner to her house, Yed approached her, acting like the hospital wasn't where he was headed. “Hey, Ezzy.” He held his arm which got twisted. “How are you?” Ezra approached him, touching his face.
“Oh, Yed.” She hugged him tightly. “Why are you still doing this?”
“You're worth it.” He hugged her back, trying to forget the pain in his arm. “I need you to sign this. It's the agreement. With my dad's help, I'm taking you away from here.”
“Yed, it's too late for that.” Ezra whispered beside him. “I'm pregnant.”
“Looks like things just got interesting.”
Yed looked beside him, and saw it. The one thing he'd been dreading. White pressed shirt. Dark green vest. “Oh damn.”
It was a Protector.
“Mister Saga,” the Protector called out to the house. “New information about your daughter has just been shared.”
“No.” Ezra grabbed his hand. “Don't, I love Yed!”
The Protector wouldn't care. They never cared. All they cared about was their stupid job, keeping the female safe. Yed took a deep breath. He'd taken the hits from her father, but no one wanted to tangle with a Protector. Oh, crap.
As Mister Saga came out, the Protector announced the news.
Picked up with force against his throat, Yed no longer felt the ground beneath his feet. “Please!” he choked.
“Please? That's not good enough. You have not even earned one date, yet look what you have done. Destroyed a female's life. You are nothing but a predator. When a father says no, he means no.” The Protector threw him several feet.
Yed should have hit the ground, most likely breaking his arm. But, he didn't. He found his footing.
Funny. That toss should have hurt.
//Ow!” Yed grabbed his shoulder, feeling the break. “Don't do this!”///
It should have been different. What was that scene that just played in his head?
“Found your balance? Impressive.” The Protector adjusted his footing. “Leave this property. I will not allow a buying beneath the table of my Protectee.”
“You can't stop me.” Yed saw the Protector's footing, and copied it. Easily.
// “That is my baby, and I love Ezra.” Yed looked at his footing and tried to copy it. It looked funny though, and he almost tripped himself copying it.//
“Nice imitation,” The Protector challenged. “You can't defeat me by copying alone. Records show you're just a guard. You don't know anything.”
“Yed.” He heard Ezra's voice weakly. “That's not father. He'd put you in a hospital for weeks if not jail!”
Most guys would be running by that time, but Yed kept his stance. He actually felt a little odd in the position. The left toe needed to curl a little more outward, and the right toe needed to curve a little more inward. “There, that's it.” That felt natural. How did he even recognize the Protector had messed up the footing? The position made him feel odd too. Real odd.
//After giving up on the footing, Yed just put his fists up. “Even if I do go down, I'll go down fighting. I will not let you take them.”//
Yed readied himself, knowing that no one could take on a Protector. “What class are you?”
“D.”
Yep, he was screwed. Several days in the hospital if he didn't leave. His feet didn't move though. His body wasn't scared of the challenge. “I am not leaving Ezraponia Cattral here.” He said it without even thinking. “I mean Ezraponia Saga.” That didn't sound right though. And Cattral? That was his last name.
///X, open up, come on!
X marks the spot . . .
//
“Pathetic.” Yed met the Protector, eye to eye, gesturing to his footing. “How did you even make it to D with such sloppy footing?” He eased his front foot more forward, finding his sense of gravity. “Make it easy on yourself and go away because Ezra . . .” He looked toward Ezra.
And it clicked. For the first time, everything clicked.
Chapter 105
TRUTH
He remembered jumping with her.
He remembered losing her in the war.
He remembered seeing her headaches on Earth.
He remembered being her first Protector.
He remembered it more than anything else. This was not his first trip through time, nor was it his tenth. His eleventh. His one hundredth. He didn't leap in the time machine on Earth. His mind just thought it could, and it did. Again. It wasn't the first time he forgot.
He had been looping over and over with Ezzy. Never remembe
ring, sometimes remembering a few trips through time. But now, now he remembered it all . . .
It was them. They were the cause of it all. The war. The waryes. Everything, it was their fault. Each time, the outcome was always the same. He was at the beginning. This was where time messed up. This was what Ezra meant when she went out of her mind that night. Love kills.
He already knew the future. He'd been through it before.
//“Then again, we don't want to lose our careers,” Xiam blabbered on as he paced in front of Yed. “I love her, and I know she loves me. Neither of us can be ceremony conductors though if we start a relationship.”
“Uh huh.” Yed sat in his chair, writing in his Chronicle. The day had been dull so far. He wrote about how he wanted to go home back to his wife and son, have a decent dinner to eat. Well, um, a dinner at least. Something that wasn't cold. Instead, he was stuck guarding the royal time machine. Rumor was it didn't even work, but it had guards around it 24/7. It resembled more of a worn out door frame with an inhibitor at the top of it. Probably worked just as well as a door frame. Besides, time travel? Just a myth. Yed didn't even bother closing the door to the room. Now he wished he had since Xiam could not leave him alone about Iri. “Xiam, really, decide what you want most. It's your decision.”
“We love each other, but what else would we do?” Xiam groaned and rubbed his head. “We've been having our secret on and off again relationship for years, but I can tell she's tired of it. She wants more, Yed. If I quit, what would I do?”
“I'd kill to have Ezra know how to cook like you,” Yed answered. “You could try to work at a diner or something.”
“It's risky though. What if I can't find a job?” Xiam pulled down Yed's Chronicle. “Quit writing and answer.” He looked down at the Chronicle and read it. “I hope Xiam gets off his butt and does it with Iri already so he'll be stuck and I don't have to hear him bellyache anymore?” He scoffed and looked at Yed. “Yed!”
“It's true,” Yed answered. “I'll be blunt brother, you should have stopped as soon as you knew you liked her. Yeah, wasted years, and wasted education. That's how it goes though. Waste that, or waste your chance being happy with Iri.”