“He came back,” Veris guessed.
Brody sighed. “Twice over the next few weeks. He showed me all the documentation he had been collecting over the years. Photos, intimate stuff. The kids, all of us. More recent times, right here in this room. We never put blinds up on the doors. Anyone with a long lens and a vibration mike could collect mountains of data. He paid top dollar for surveillance and he studied the reports. He ate and breathed them, obsessing over how unfair life was, because I had it all and he had nothing, not even a long life. So he would take that all away from me. That’s what he told me, the second time. That he would take away all my happiness and everything I had ever held dear. He would make me writhe with pain, just to see me hurting and he would enjoy every second.” Brody shrugged. “It forced my hand. I had to deal with him. Only, he anticipated me.”
“He’d been watching you for decades. He knew you would reach that conclusion,” Alex said softly.
Brody nodded. “He used something on me—the hand weapon he used again, at the end. I collapsed, almost screaming with pain and passed out. I came around lying on the dock in Edgartown, with seagulls leaning in to check if I was dead or not. That was when I started carrying a switchblade and actively looking for him. I still wasn’t sure if he was really Dara but he was dangerous. Then he assaulted Alannah.” Brody put his hand over his eyes. “He nearly killed her,” he whispered, his throat working. “If Winter hadn’t been here…”
Taylor sought Veris’ hand. He squeezed her fingers as tightly as she did his, as they watch Brody relive the moment.
Brody dropped his hand and gazed at it. “He called me, after it happened. I was sitting beside Alannah while she slept and I was scared. More scared than I’ve ever been in my life. He told me he would come after Marit and Aran, one by one. I couldn’t stop him. He knew everything about my family. Where they went, who their friends were. He knew about Sydney and Alex and Rafe. Liberty. Even Neven and Remi and London. He would find them all, sooner or later. He had the resources. And he had the will. Then he would kill Taylor. Then Veris. He was cold about Taylor and Veris—he said he would make it slow for them. The same pain he’d given me, only more of it, for weeks or months, until he got bored. Or…” Brody swallowed “Or, I could take their place.”
Taylor let out a soft moan.
No one else spoke. No one moved.
“The only way he would leave everyone alone was if I made it look convincing. I couldn’t tell anyone the truth—by then, I wasn’t sure if he had bugs in the house, his information was that good. He wanted me to sever myself from the family in a way which would guarantee they wouldn’t come looking for me. He wanted my trail completely cut off so he could have me to himself. I had to sell it properly, or the deal was off. How I did it was up to me but I had five hours, then I was to meet him in the clearing in the national forest.”
Brody didn’t lift his head. No one else moved. “So I did it,” he whispered. “I was too afraid to do anything else. I kept seeing Alannah and remembering what he had done to me on the dock. Nial was still here, which gave me a way to make it so convincing, Veris and Taylor wouldn’t question it. I came downstairs, walked Nial out to the garage on some pretext. I can’t remember what I said. Anything, to get him out there. I shoved a dose of Sommeil into the back of his neck and pushed him into the Maserati. Then I came back in here and…” He put his hand over his eyes again. “You know the rest,” he said, his voice cracking.
Alannah rocked, her arms around her knees, her face against them. Taylor pulled her against her knees and held her hand. Alannah trembled against her.
So did Veris.
“We can surmise most of the rest,” Nayara said, her tone gentle. “After speaking with Taylor and Veris, you left the house with Nial beside you and met Dara in the clearing in the park, as arranged.”
Brody nodded. “There was more than Dara waiting. Most of his heavies from Colombia were there. He’d brought them to either deal with my family, or to deal with me. He got me and he was just as pleased with that. He’d recorded the whole thing, you see. He already knew I’d made it convincing enough. He showed me the recording, as I sat there in the car, surrounding by guns. I got to see how Veris and Taylor reacted, after I left.” He closed his eyes again. Then he drew in a breath. “Just for shits and giggles—an hors d’oeuvre, he called it—Dara stuck me with his hand tool a few times. Not enough to knock me out this time, although I bled…everywhere. He didn’t seem to care. They hobbled me with the sonic cuffs he’d taken from Rufus Shore and shoved me into an unmarked van. My last sight of Martha’s Vineyard was the Maserati going up in flames.
“They tossed Nial in after me. Nial was still unconscious. Dara’s cartel is good at smuggling things over international borders. We were in Columbia by the next day, and tucked away in his mountain lab the day after. He was pleased about Nial. Nial was my example of what happened when I didn’t behave. When I refused to feed or when I wouldn’t look at his reports about Veris and Taylor. When I didn’t do exactly what he said, he’d have Nial dragged into the lab and made to writhe, while his goons stood about laughing.” He paused.
“The fun didn’t stop until you busted down the doors. He wasn’t interested in world domination or untold wealth. He already had adequate quantities of both. He just wanted me. He wanted me to suffer because in his eyes, I deserved nothing else.” His gaze returned to the arm of his chair.
Nayara glanced at Càel. “We need to clean out the cartel, too. It’s an aberration.”
Veris stirred. “I’ll help with that,” he said. His voice was hoarse.
Nayara shook her head. “No, Veris. You need to stay here. You have fences to mend.”
Brody still did not look up.
Chapter Twenty
Nine days later, and one hundred years ago.
When Marit came to Taylor with the suggestion that the whole family should head out somewhere, away from everything, just for a while, Taylor grasped the suggestion with relief.
“Everyone looks so…tense,” Marit said. She tilted her head. “Have you and Brody even talked, yet? I mean…properly?”
Taylor evaded the question by telling Marit she would talk to Veris. She found Veris exactly where she knew he would be—in his study, writing.
The book which Nayara had encouraged him to finish was taking up all his attention. Taylor knew why, too.
She did as she had done once before. She put her hands on his shoulders and turned him. This time, though, Veris pulled her down into his lap and kissed her. His hands wandered as the kiss extended. Taylor hated to interrupt him although she beat at his shoulder until he let her up. She straightened her hair and her sweater and told him about Marit’s suggestion.
Veris frowned. “Fine thing when our kids play cupid.”
“She’s your daughter. Would you not say anything?”
He sighed. “Has he talked to you?”
Taylor shook her head. “Not in that way. He’s being kind. That’s it.”
Veris grimaced. “I remember what that’s like.”
“Then he hasn’t spoken to you, either?” Taylor asked. “I thought, out of all of us, he would to talk to you.”
Veris’ gaze shifted. “I wouldn’t know what to say to him, if he did.”
“You do want him back, don’t you?” Taylor asked, her heart stirring to life, in the unpleasant, anxious way it had been doing a dozen times a day.
“Truth, Taylor? I don’t know.” His gaze met hers. “I can’t figure out what the hell I want.”
Taylor rested her hand on his chest. “Then we should go away and figure it out.”
“Not if the whole family is going, we can’t.”
“The kids, too,” Taylor said firmly. “They’re part of this. And they’re not kids anymore. Any child left in them got erased, two weeks ago.”
“Maybe Brody is right.” Veris said softly. “Life around me is hazardous.”
“No one moves through their life without le
aving an imprint,” Taylor told him, with a tart tone. “It’s called being human.”
Veris slid his hand back under her sweater. “You are wise, wife of mine.”
“I’m also late for coffee with Naomi.”
“Now you’ll be later still,” Veris said, and kissed her.
Brody agreed to the family outing with a degree of wariness which Taylor ignored for right now. She discussed locations and times with Marit and Veris, then informed the twins, who perked up a little, too. Two days later, everyone assembled in the sunroom, with a picnic basket and blankets and more.
There were four jumpers, and Brody and Veris. Veris raised his brow. “I can’t even steer?” he demanded.
“Be a good passenger and shut up,” Aran told him, as everyone linked arms. “No one drop anything,” he added. “One, two, three…”
The tide was a long way out, leaving damp sand which sizzled in the June sunshine and sent shimmering heat-waves into the air. Gulls squawked overhead. There was no breeze. Cicadas ticked busily.
Taylor turned to survey the cottage. She had been here a few times, the most recent was only a few minutes ago in this timeline. The wood stove in the cottage was still smoking. The windows were flung open and the door chocked open, too, for the temperature was over a hundred degrees.
“Phew!” Brody murmured, plucking his tee shirt from his chest.
“Wow, look at you two,” Alannah said. “You didn’t change. Shouldn’t you be wearing army uniforms?”
“This is 1920?” Brody asked. “I mean, this is the beach in France, but why aren’t we wearing uniforms?”
“Or Taylor wearing a corset,” Veris said, regret in his voice.
“Marit brought us through the timescape, so this isn’t a linear jump,” Taylor told them.
“Only way we could bring the food,” Aran added.
“And aren’t you glad you’re not wearing serge?” Marit said.
“Didn’t the first war end in 1919?” Aran asked.
“I didn’t get discharged until May of 1920,” Veris said. “The English army was dismantled quicker. January, for you, wasn’t it, Brody?”
Brody nodded.
“Veris fought for the French. Brody for the English,” Taylor explained.
Aran snorted. “That’s united of you.”
Veris rolled his eyes. “I was in Brody’s regiment. A terrified kid froze when a grenade landed in our trench. So I had to switch countries and names in the middle of it.”
Brody looked up at the dazzling disk of the sun. “I never noticed how hot it was, before.”
“Your symbiot is still recovering,” Taylor told him. Nayara had been a font of information about symbiots, which Taylor had dutifully reported to Winter, for her edification, and Alex, who got more excited with each new tidbit. “You notice heat as a human would.” She was breaking out in sweat, too. She was human, here. At least she hadn’t arrived to find herself in contemporary clothing, which for women was long skirts, boots and long-sleeved shirts, even in the middle of summer. And a corset.
“I’m hungry,” Aran said. “Let’s eat.”
They moved back toward the cottage, where dry, white sand separated by tough hillocks of sea grass ran for miles. Non-locals constantly got lost among them, for they were so similar to each other.
They found a wider space between the hillocks and spread the blankets. They had brought three umbrellas with them—plain, rather than gaudy rainbow colors, so they might explain them away as a new invention if anyone from this time saw them. The shade was welcome. Explaining their modern clothes would be a different challenge, although Brody and Veris had told Taylor more than once about the sojourn in southern France, when they had not seen a soul for days. It had given them badly-needed time to themselves.
Then, with Aran diving into the baskets and bags and boxes, randomly distributing food, they settled down to eat.
Taylor produced the wide-brimmed hats she had brought for Brody and Veris. “Sunburn isn’t an issue for you although I can tell the light is bothering you already.” She held out sunglasses, too.
Brody took the glasses and slid them on and looked toward the west. “Sunset, soon. The sea breeze will come in. It will be pleasant here, by and by.” His tone was mild.
Taylor hesitated to eat, even though her stomach was rumbling with hunger. “I’m not sure I should,” she told Veris and Brody. “I jump back after with a stomach full of food, then my metabolism shuts down and…what? It stays in my stomach and rots?” She shuddered.
“Your metabolism shuts down, yes. The symbiot will take care of the food. It’s treated like an alien object and…well, you’ll be fine,” Veris said, glancing at Alannah’s disgusted expression.
The meal proceeded as all meals had for the last few days. There was light, superficial chatter. Some teasing. Some banter. Yet the silences grew longer as the meal continued.
When no one was interested in eating anything more, Aran laid back in the sand with his hand on his stomach and closed his eyes. Alannah curled up with her arms around her knees, which she had been doing a lot of lately. She stared at the sand in front of her toes. Marit drew lazy circles in the soft sand with her finger. Her thoughts were also miles away these days.
“We are a cheerful bunch, aren’t we?” Taylor said.
Alannah looked up. “What’s there to be cheerful about?”
Taylor’s heart jumped. She glanced at Veris and Brody. Brody was looking at the horizon again. Veris lowered his chin so she could see his eyes over the sunglasses. He was wary.
Taylor hesitated. Now they were on the brink of it, she was reluctant to dive in.
“I think Brody could give you a long list of reasons to be happy,” Veris said, saving Taylor from having to answer.
Brody stirred and looked around. He cleared his throat. “I don’t think I’m the right person to do that.” He hesitated. “Not anymore.” He turned his chin back toward the coming sunset.
Taylor stared at him, frustration touching her. It had been this way for ten days. Every time anyone tried to engage Brody, to really talk, he slid out from their grasp.
“I’m going for a walk,” Brody said, standing up. “Out on the beach.”
“Sit your ass back down, Brody Gallagher,” Taylor said, her frustration boiling up, so she could feel the heat in her throat. “You don’t get to walk out on us again.”
Brody spun to look at her, his lips parting in shock. “Excuse me?”
As Aran sat up and Marit looked up, Veris jumped to his feet. “You heard her. Get your fucking ass back on the sand and talk to us.” He pointed to the blanket. His hand quivered.
Brody pulled off his sunglasses, to look at Veris, his eyes narrowed. “I don’t think this is the time or the place—”
“There will never be a good time or place,” Taylor said, scrambling to her feet, too.
“Not in front of the twins and Marit,” Brody growled.
“Yes, in front of us,” Marit said, getting to her feet. “You left us, too.”
Alannah and Aran moved out of the way, for everyone was standing with their toes on the blankets, facing off. They moved over to stand with Marit, their gazes moving from one to the next person.
Brody seemed to wither at Marit’s statement. “You’re right,” he said, his gaze dropping to the ground.
No, don’t withdraw! The shout in her mind was agonized. Taylor had watched him do this for too many days.
“Ah…” Veris growled. “You know what? Fuck this.” He took two steps closer to Brody and punched him in the face. The power of the blow took Brody off his feet. He landed, showering white sand.
Aran made a breathless little sound of admiration.
Veris tore off his hat and glasses. “That’s for doing what you did to Taylor—for destroying her, you asshole.” His chest was heaving.
Brody brought his hand to his mouth and checked his fingers. They were bloody. He spat, then bounced to his feet with a powerful move only
a vampire could make and ran at Veris. He took him off his feet and dropped him on the sand on his back, then waited.
Veris shot back to his feet with a flex of muscles and came at Brody once more. Brody gripped one fist with the other and swung in a vicious uppercut, timing it so it connected with the underside of Veris’ chin. Veris’ head snapped back and Taylor heard his teeth click together sharply. He fell backward again, his feet shooting out from under him and landed heavily, the air pushing out of him.
“Fuck…!” Aran breathed, his tone awed.
“And that,” Brody ground out, “is for making Taylor think you could live without me.”
With another low growl, Veris scrambled upright and came back at him, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth.
The next few minutes were bloody and looked painful, as Veris and Brody vented themselves upon each other. They were both panting. Brody had once described to Taylor the way Veris had taken him apart in the desert in Jordan. He’d explained that in any fight, Veris would destroy him because he was stronger and smarter. Brody, even in the depths of his anger, would still pull his punches, just a little.
Brody wasn’t doing that now. Veris might have been stronger yet Brody was holding his own.
Then Veris got an arm around Brody’s neck and twisted him in his grip, so Brody was facing everyone else. Then he shoved him forward.
“Your turn, Taylor,” Veris said.
She rose on her toes and swung her fist. She could never, ever hit as hard as either of them, although her fist landed on Brody’s jaw and he staggered backward, more in surprise than genuine recoil.
“That’s for making Veris think you meant it,” she told him.
Brody stood between them, his chest heaving. “I’m sorry,” he said. “For all of it. All of you.” He glanced at Marit and the twins, behind Taylor. His gaze came back to Taylor. “I’m sorry,” he breathed. He held out his arms.
Kiss Across Tomorrow (Kiss Across Time Book 8) Page 20