Chapter 15

Happy Birthday

“Help me!” Cate screamed and threw her jacket on the ground. Fire tore through her chest and burned along her throat. An inferno raged inside her chest as she burned from the inside out. She clawed at her top. “I’m on fire.”

Austin hesitated and chewed his lip. “Of course!” He cursed loudly and pulled her so tight to his chest she struggled to breathe.

“Not helping,” she ground through her teeth and shoved him.

Finally free of her shirt, she gasped. The skin over her heart bubbled in a red, angry shape the size of her fist. She stared at her blistered skin and then accusingly at Austin, who stood doing absolutely nothing. “Thanks for bloody NOTHING!” She shoved him again, panting at the intense pain radiating from her chest.

“It’ll pass in a few minutes. Try and relax.”

“My heart is spitting fire and clawing its way out of my boiling skin and your advice is to relax?” she hissed.

“I also said it would be over in a few minutes.”

“And why the hell would I blindly believe you?” She winced as fire lanced down her left arm. “And don’t even think about going down the ‘trust me’ path.”

“Fine. I’ll show you.” He opened his shirt and pointed to his chest. He had two wings tattooed directly over his heart. “They’re my wings. You’re getting your wings. They let mortals surf without pain. Oh, crap!” Austin glared directly over her shoulder.

Balthazar, Gaspar, and Melchior were on the white cane chairs on the porch looking murderous. The three boys jumped the painted railings and stalked toward her along the limestone path.

“Austin,” Balthazar said.

“You know each other?” Cate groaned. “You three are Timesurfers.” That’s why Jonah knew Balthazar the other night.

“Jonah said Naitanui sent you back, Austin. Mortez will enjoy playing with you.”

Cate rolled her eyes. “And of course you’re with the evil Mortez.”

“Should we be expecting your mother to arrive as backup any time soon?” An evil grin slid across Balthazar’s face.

Austin remained motionless, his eyes fixed on the three boys fanning out around him. “I don’t need backup for you three chumps.”

Cate stepped in front of Austin. “If you three lay one grimy paw on him, I’ll tell Mum you’ve been street fighting. She’ll have you in lockdown for a month.”

“Move, Cate!” Balthazar and Austin chorused.

No one looked like they were backing down. Balthazar’s shirt was stained dark from sweat and purple veins stood out down his forearms. She put a hand on each of Balthazar’s and Austin’s chests and braced as hard as she could to separate them. Their strength far outweighed hers, so she needed another plan. An idea twinkled in her brain and then shone with an intensity that made it impossible to ignore. Mel and Gaspar stalked forward, closing the circle around Austin. It was now or never.

She focused on Austin, repeating the same words in her mind. His right eye twitched, and she may have even heard him sigh. In an instant, he held her against him like a human shield, his hand firmly under her chin.

“Come one step closer and I’ll break her neck,” Austin growled.

The three boys froze.

“You wouldn’t. Not her,” Mel said.

Austin lifted Cate so her feet dangled above the ground. There was barely enough air getting through for her to actually breathe. His hand coiled around her shoulder, positioned perfectly to break her neck. A smidge of panic flickered in her chest.

“I definitely would, Mel. Move one gnarled toenail closer and I’ll also break a few of your bones for fun. Mortez is sure to let the fire ants gnaw on you all if you’re responsible for Cate’s death.”

The boys and Cate shivered at the mention of fire ants. Cate’s nightmares about them were so vivid. As black spots exploded in front of her eyes, she pleaded silently for Austin to loosen his grip a tad. He did and murmured something in her ear about more fear.

“Back off, boys. Please,” she gurgled to the boys. The indecision etched on all three boys’ faces was evidence they were contemplating their next move.

“Make them back off,” Austin breathed into her neck.

What did he think she was trying to do? She flashed him a furious sideways glare, and he actually rolled his eyes!

“Everyone needs to use their heads.” He squeezed her shoulder and throat as he said “everyone” and “heads.”

She spluttered and gasped for air. Then it registered what he was trying to tell her. She focused on each of the three boys in turn. Their faces went blank, and their eyes glazed over. They slowly dragged their feet, reluctant to move, but unable to fight against her silent command for them to return to the house.

She steadied herself against Austin as he put her down. “I probably should have done that to start with, hey?”

He smiled and wrapped his arms tight around her waist. “It would have been less dramatic than your feeble attempt to compel me to pretend to snap your neck. All good in the end though.”

The air shimmered, and Rafe and Rose appeared, rippling like a reflection in a pool of water before they became solid figures. “Naitanui sent us to check on you. Your time tube suddenly split in two.” Rose blinked a few times as she eyed Cate and Austin, both practically half-naked. “What the hell?”

The anger in Rose’s voice forced Cate’s eyes downward. She shuffled uncomfortably.

“Chill, Rose. All the important bits of clothing are intact. My virtue is no more tainted than it was this morning.” Austin held his green and black checked shirt for Cate to slide her arms in. “I think we might cover you and your virtue up a bit, though.”

She buttoned from the top, and Austin started at the bottom. Her face burned as she became acutely aware that she was standing in the street, half-naked, with Austin’s mother.

“This”—Rose motioned between Cate and Austin—“is not okay. Not in any time or universe. You know better. You disrespect your oath and all those who have died to uphold it for some worthless child? You disappoint me.”

Austin flinched as if Rose had slapped him.

Cate thought again how right she had been when she first saw Rose. They were never going to be friends. “I’m not a child.” She rolled the long flannel sleeves up a few more times.

With a series of flickers, Jonah burst into view. “I’m checking on the multiple time tubes. Oh...Rose...” It was an awkward second that felt like an hour. Jonah lost his focus, visibly taken aback. His eyes held Rose’s as a barrage of emotion and unspoken words passed between them.

He tore his eyes away from Rose to survey the group. “What are you wearing?” He pointed at Rafe, who had on a white T-shirt with “Choose Life” in bold black letters on the front, tiny fluorescent lime shorts, and a matching lime headband. “That clashes with your hair.”

“I was at a WHAM concert.”

“Nothing’s going to go with his mullet.” Cate gave a nervous laugh, but stopped abruptly when Jonah’s eyes met hers. She toyed with the corner of Austin’s flannel shirt. The disappointment in Jonah’s face gnawed at her heart.

Rose pointed a finger at Cate. “This is all your fault.” Her voice was scary quiet. Jonah moved at the same moment as Rose. Austin shielded Cate. His outstretched hands warned both Jonah and Rose to stop, but Jonah moved past him to Rose and whispered something only she heard. Rose gave Cate a glare laced with venom and shoved Jonah’s chest with both hands.

“I’m not here to fight,” Jonah said.

“Well, I am.” Rose motioned to Jonah with one hand. “Come on, Lover...let’s see if you’ve got anything I didn’t teach you.” She whirled and landed a vicious kick, dragging the heel of her boot across the corner of Jonah’s eye. His skin tore, and blood trickled down his cheek.

“Are you okay?” Cate darted forward, instinctively wanting to help Jonah. Austin’s arms circled tight around her chest, holding her back.

Jonah eyes remained fixed on Rose.

“He’s had worse.” Austin relaxed his arms ever so slightly. He remained completely unfazed as Jonah grabbed Rose’s leg and, wrenching hard, sent her spiralling through the air. Catlike, Rose landed on her feet.

“Should you help Rose?” Cate asked. The stillness and tenseness had returned to Austin’s face. She recognised it as his warrior mask.

“I’ve learned never to get between those two. Best to let them have at it.” His voice was as emotionless as his face.

Cate glanced at Rafe, who shook his head. “Not in a million years would I get in the middle of that.”

Rose and Jonah sashayed, their bodies gliding one way, then the other. Calm predators, hunting for a vulnerability to exploit. They kicked, punched, and whirled as they completed a perfectly choreographed and potentially lethal dance. They were wicked fast, with killer moves. They broke apart, bloodied and breathing hard. Jonah rubbed at the blood dripping into his eyes.

“We’re taking her, Jonah.” Rose had control of her breathing now.

“And I’ll come and get her. You know I can,” Jonah stated.

At that second, Cate was finished being treated like a possession. “Right! Everyone look at me.” She met everyone’s eyes with her best badass glare.

A wry smile flittered across Jonah’s face, which she found strangely encouraging. Austin didn’t resist as she shook his hands from her shoulders. “I’m not going with any of you. I compelled Balthazar, Mel, and Gaspar to stop fighting and go into the house. I also compelled Austin to threaten to break my neck.” Cate tossed her head and stood taller.

“Correction, you tried to compel me,” Austin said.

“I wanted you to threaten to snap my neck, and you did. End of discussion. Rafe, go back to your WHAM concert, or I’ll make you cartwheel nonstop until you throw up. You know I can.”

“Look who’s finally grown a pair,” Rafe said and disappeared.

Her eyes lingered on Austin’s bare torso. She’d had no chance to appreciate his near nakedness. He looked better than she could ever have imagined. Her fingers itched to touch his insane abs.

Rose made a disgusted noise in the back of her throat, and with a frightening glare, vanished.

That was far easier than she expected.

“I’m sure she’s off to a Taylor Swift concert,” Austin joked.

Jonah’s voice was tight. “I’ll give you two a few private minutes.” With a terse nod, he strode over and leaned against the house, bending his leg and resting a foot against the white weatherboard wall. This was Jonah at his most menacing. A quiet, lethal weapon coiled and ready to spring.

“Glower all you like, Jonah. I’m not leaving Cate with you.”

“Actually, you are,” Cate said matter-of-factly. “It’s not up for discussion. Now, clearly Timesurfers are big fans of aggressive negotiations. I don’t want to fight you. I don’t want you to fight Jonah, and I certainly don’t want to fight you and Jonah. I will though, if that’s what it takes to get my way. Regardless of the fact I know you’ll both kick my butt. I’m sure neither Naitanui nor Mortez want a nearly dead me to deal with. You wouldn’t be here if you could have just killed me. I know this because Rose would obviously love to kill me and hasn’t. Go, Austin. Report back to Naitanui or whatever you do when you aren’t here pushing my buttons.”

“This is a new side of you. Very take charge.” Austin reached for her hand. “I hope you had a fun birthday morning.”

“I had a fabulous birthday morning.” A nervous laugh escaped her lips. Austin scrambled her brains when he was this close.

“I loved every minute. See you, Beautiful.” He disappeared.

She gave a happy little half skip and then forced herself to walk calmly over to Jonah lounging on the step.

“Did you spill something on your clothes?” His eyes dropped to Austin’s shirt.

“Oh! No.” She shoved her hands in the back pocket of her jeans with an uncomfortable laugh. “I tore mine off because I thought I was going to spontaneously combust when I got my wings on the way back from the balloon ride.”

“Congrats.” He leaned back on his elbows and smiled.

He was so comfortable and easy to be with. All the crap in her life melted away. She scooted onto the step next to him. “What does getting my wings actually mean?”

“It permits you to surf pain free without immortality. It’s also a sign the residual magic in you is strong and one or more of your powers is unique. Your migraines will be gone. They’re the precursor to getting your wings.”

“So the boys are all Timesurfers with Mortez from the future?”

“They aren’t from the future. They’re all from 2014. Why do you say they’re with Mortez?”

“Because you knew Balthazar the other night and they also threatened to take Austin to her. You Timesurfers are big fat liars!”

“There’s a difference between lying and non disclosure.” Sticky blood glistened on his cheek and matted in his hair.

“You just keep thinking that if it makes you feel better.” She touched her hand to the corner of his eye, fascinated as the blood and gaping cut disappeared.

“Thanks.” He threaded his fingers through hers. His hand, warm and rough against hers, made all the stress in her body evaporate. She focused on a noisy bee, busily moving from rose to rose. Their intoxicating perfume wafted her way.

“I wondered when you’d show a bit of your badass.”

“I like to use my badass sparingly. It has more impact that way.” She gave him a cheesy grin.

“And there’s the smart ass as well.”

“Are you allowed to surf to any concert or event you like? Can you just time travel for fun?”

“We go on many different types of missions. Most are to manipulate time lines, some are information gathering, some are history immersion expeditions and some are just because we can.”

The sunlight glinted on the copper highlights in his hair as he leaned his head back and gave her a crooked smile. For a second, she was mesmerised by how beautiful he was. “Do we hold hands a lot in the future?”

Jonah gave her a quizzical look. “Do you like holding my hand?”

“Yes...well...what I meant was...” She didn’t know what she meant.

His grey eyes sparkled at her discomfort. “How was the balloon ride?”

“Awesome.”

“They are wonderful. Did Austin tell you Rose made him wear a harness until he was eight?”

Cate nodded and chuckled.

“How’s the birthday going otherwise?”

“No presents yet. Mum went to sort out a drama at work during the night and Xavier was in bed when I left at five this morning.”

“Right.” Jonah smiled a tight smile. “I better get going. I can sense a mother returning from a mile away, and yours will be here any minute.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a glittering strand of emerald stones, which he dangled at her. “Happy Birthday from me.”

“I can’t accept that...” Her fingers reached to touch the bracelet of their own accord. A five-year-old girl jumped up and down inside Cate and clapped her hands and yelled. Take it, take it! It’s so beautiful. “No...I really can’t.”

“Take the bracelet. It’s sparkly and beautiful, like you.”

“You’re so smooth. You know just how to make a girl smile. It must be because you’re so old.” She gave an evil chuckle.

“I know plenty of ways to make a girl smile, no jewellery or props required.”

His devilish smile made her grin. There was a lot to like about Jonah. “I can’t take it.” She held the bracelet toward him.

“Live with it for a while and see how it feels.” He called Mortez, and melted from view. The thud of a car door startled her. She slipped the bracelet into her back pocket as her mother strode across the grass.

“Happy Birthday, my gorgeous girl.” Her mum hugged her bone crushingly hard for such a tiny person. If she was surprised at Cate’s shirt, she didn’t show it. “Pop inside and send those boys out. I’m none too pleased with their behaviour.”

Cate had been sharing her life for the last five years with the boys completely oblivious to them being Timesurfers. Was it safe for her mum and Xavier to have them here?