Chapter Ten

Johanna

I’m awake. The sun has come out of her hiding spot behind the mountains, removed her hidden dagger, and murdered the oblivion night afforded me. The light of day is seeping through the cracks of the window, pooling her yellowy blood onto my face, and she will force me to open my eyes to the last day I will have with Traveler. I know now the true meaning of bittersweet. The few days I’ve had with him have been some of the sweetest memories, and I intend to quietly carry them with me for the rest of my life. And at the bitter end, I’ve decided it was all worth it.

I finally allow my eyes to open and tilt my head up to him. His lids are still closed, and his breathing is deep. I run my lips along his jaw, causing him to quietly stir from sleep. He tightens his arms around me, leans his face in, and places a light kiss on my forehead. We slept the entire night tangled together, closed off from the world and from what is to come. It was the most peaceful sleep I’ve ever encountered, and from the lazy expression on his face I can tell it was the same for him.

“This has to be it, doesn’t it?” I ask. I look up at him and he is staring at the ceiling. “They won’t let you come back to see me again, will they? Not once you tell Arden.” It’s not a question but a statement. I already know the answer.

“No. They won’t allow me to ever see you. But I don’t…” he trails off, running his free hand through his hair. “I don’t think I can stay away,” he confesses. “I know that sounds crazy.”

“I don’t want you to stay away either. But I don’t want to jeopardize the life you have here.” I don’t intend to become something he regrets when I can be remembered as something brief yet special.

“No chance of you letting me keep you locked away in my tower, huh?”

“Not in this century.” I pull the sheets back and leap off the bed. Stretching my arms high, the pain from my fall now absent, I can only imagine how insanely wild my hair must be. Yet by the way he’s looking at me, it can’t be all that bad.

“So, what’s the plan after you feed me breakfast and find me a shower? You were right about being sticky.” I cringe at the film covering my skin.

He climbs out of bed, raising an eyebrow at me. His stomach is ribbed and muscular, and his boxers hang low on his waist. Making his way over to me, he places a finger under my chin and raises my face to look up at him as he lowers his head down and kisses me so intimately that I feel my body completely mold into his. When he moves his lips against mine like this, the energy in the entire room ignites, and my body feels like it is set on fire. “How do you do that?” I ask, pulling away from him.

“That’s not me, Johanna. That’s us. I’m not that good.” He slaps me on the bottom as he makes his way to the closet. He throws on a plain white T-shirt and a pair of blue jeans. It strikes me as odd that attire hasn’t changed much in so many centuries.

“Let me check the showers and make sure that no one is around. I’ll grab us something to eat afterward. And then…Arden.” He shrugs his shoulders. I can tell he doesn’t want this to end either. But neither of us know a way to change it.

He crosses the room and lightly kisses me behind my earlobe, sending a chill through my body. The muscles in my stomach tighten in response to his mouth. “I’ll be right back. Lock the door.”

I click the lock into place and I see the doorknob jerk back and forth as he tests it. I lean my head against the door, thinking about how I’m falling in love with a man I’ve only known for a few days…from the future. Shaking my head, I pluck my dress from where I left it draped over the back of the chair. The bathroom lights are harsh, and they make me squint my eyes. I pool water from the sink into my hands, splashing it onto my face before dabbing a little of his toothpaste on my finger. It will have to do. I undress from Traveler’s clothes and stand on my tiptoes to look at my ribs. The bruising has vanished. The low hum that plagued my hearing is also gone. I make a mental note to ask Traveler if shifting causes healing of damaged particles as well. I take the hair tie from my wrist and twist my hair high on my head, and then pull the mint-green dress back over my body. My hands feel sticky from the sandwiches last night, and my body is clammy from the stress of being seen here in Traveler’s world.

I come out of the bathroom as three light knocks, followed by his deeply seductive voice, let me know it’s him. Unlocking the door, he shuffles inside. “It’s all clear, but we will have to hurry.” He jogs to the bathroom and retrieves a towel and an unopened bar of soap. He peeks out, then motions for me to follow him, taking hold of my hand and quickly heading down the hallway.

The bathroom is large. It reminds me a lot of the dorm showers from college. “Five minutes?” he asks, standing outside.

“I can be in and out in three.”

“If you hear me talking to someone, do not come out.” He keeps looking over his shoulder, speaking in a soft whisper. I nod my head in return, letting him know I understand.

I step into the shower and leave my clothes on the bench, far enough away so they won’t get soaked but hidden from anyone who happens to get past Traveler. The hot water coats my body, and I feel instantly refreshed. I lather the soap across my skin and I can’t help but think of how it smells like him, and I want it to linger through time and stay with me. It’s all I’ll get to keep. The thought crushes me. I quickly rinse off and dry myself, throwing my clothes back on and praising myself for my quick efficiency.

I’m about to step out into the hallway when I hear a raspy baritone that doesn’t belong to Traveler. I press my body against the wall, terrified that he will get caught all because I felt the need to get clean. The aggressive voices intensify. “You’d better keep walking, you fuck.” It’s Traveler. Who is he talking to and why?

A second voice seeps through the doorframe, sending a nauseous wave into my stomach. “I’ll kill you. Where is she?”

I hear footsteps stomping closer and I throw myself into the shower furthest away from the door as it clatters open against the tile walls.

“Maybe she didn’t come home to you last night because of the hole you punched into the side of her face.” Traveler’s voice is echoing off the bathroom ceiling, and I recoil into the damp shower stall.

“How do you— Did she tell you? She tripped and fell.” I can hear the man seething and snarling like a rabid dog.

“Yeah, she told me a variation of that little lie herself. But I know you, Vlad. I’ve seen you. I fucking know what evil runs through your veins.” Traveler doesn’t raise his voice, but his tone is so threatening it sends a splatter of chills down my arms. I wrap them around my body tightly and press myself against the wall. I’m afraid to breathe or make a sound.

“Sephia!” the man shouts menacingly around the room, “Where the hell are you?” I hear shower curtains being slung away from their rods, getting closer to me. I remain frozen.

“She isn’t in here, Vlad. If she has any sense left after you knocked her around, maybe she’s finally gone for good. Hell, maybe she’s so sick of your vile shit, she’s gone over your head to Authority.” Traveler sounds close. He’s trying to get him out of here. Please, God, let it work.

I’m thankful my shower was so quick that the evidence of steam never had the chance to form against the mirrors.

“And I’ll tell you this, I may not have been big enough or brave enough to finish the job of ending your sorry life that day eighteen years ago…but if you don’t get out of this fucking room, and out of my fucking face, the least of your problems will be your girlfriend and whatever repercussions she’s hopefully bringing down on your pathetic excuse of a life right at this very moment.” Traveler’s tone is holding so much promise, even I hope the man leaves, for his own sake.

“You forget your place,” the man growls at Traveler. “I’ll help you remember one day.”

There is a long pause, moments before I hear the shower room door slamming off its hinges.

“Johanna?” I hear Traveler quietly calling. My hands are trembling as I unwrap them from my body. Traveler peels back the curtain and steps in, closing the distance between us quickly. He begins running his hands up and down my arms.

“It’s okay. He’s gone. Let’s get back to my room before anything else happens.” He pulls me from the shower and walks us to the door. He looks out to make sure it’s clear before we rush back down the hallway and into his room. He locks the door with a little more force than necessary.

“What was that about? Who was that?”

He kicks the side of the refrigerator, leaving a shoe-print dent. “Whoa. Easy. Come here,” I demand, placing my hands on my hips. “Do you always punch and kick things when you’re pissed?” He doesn’t budge, so I walk over and smooth my hand over his back. His fists are clenched, and anger rolls off him in waves. I’m not the slightest bit afraid of him, even though his anger emanates off every muscle in his body. If there is any validity to the conversation between the two men, then Traveler was right to threaten him.

“I should have killed that man a long time ago. Every breath he pulls into his lungs is a waste of good air. His name is Vlad. We have somewhat of a past.” He paces the small space until he decides to sit in the oversized chair with his elbows propped on his knees, his hands clenched. His feet are bouncing off the floor.

“Clearly,” I say. “If what you say is true, then your anger isn’t misguided. Did he hit her?”

“When I went to see Sephia last night, she was hiding her face from me. She turned quickly when I crashed into a tray, and I saw a fresh black eye on her face.” He spits the words out as if they were festering in his mouth. “She tried to lie. Some bullshit story about a doorframe but it was just that, a lie. She knew it, and I knew it. Maybe she’s had enough. At least she didn’t go back to him last night. Only, I’m worried what he will do when he finds her.”

I cross the room and kneel in front of him, my hands resting on his knees. “I’m sorry about your friend, you’re right to try and help. She may not see it immediately, but you’re doing the right thing.”

He looks up at me and kisses my temple. “Thank you. She won’t listen to anything I say, though. We aren’t friends. We were together once. She wanted more, I didn’t. Her ego took a massive blow, and Vlad was there to charm her into his snake hole.”

“This isn’t your fault, Traveler. You’re trying at least.”

“I’m not done trying either. But it can wait.” He stands up and walks to the window to look down at the courtyard below. “There aren’t many people out this morning, but you have to stay here. I’ll run to the cafeteria and bring back something for us to eat. Is that okay?”

“Locked away in the tower once again.” I smirk, folding my arms across my chest.

“My prisoner,” he replies, using that tone of voice that makes my knees weak. He kisses me, letting the sweetness linger before wrapping my hair around his fist and gently pulling my head back to angle my mouth higher toward him. He glides his soft lips across mine. An indulgent “Mmm” escapes from me, and it only prompts him to intensify and deepen the kiss. He pulls away breathless, leaning his forehead against mine. “You’re pure bewitchment. You know that? You’re the supernatural one. Not me.” He pecks my cheek before heading to the door. “Lock it.”

I walk over to the door and secure the lock, and then throw myself back onto the bed. I’m worried about Traveler running into this Vlad guy again. And I even find myself concerned for the redhead I saw last night in the courtyard when she ran into Traveler.

****

At some point, I must have drifted off to sleep because it isn’t long before Traveler returns to the room with his three light knocks. I can smell the aroma of coffee and bacon as he comes through the door. “Oh, my God, that smells amazing,” I say, saliva pooling in my cheeks.

He sets the tray down, and I see there are two plates stacked with pancakes, bacon on the side, and a container of warm syrup. “I didn’t know how you like your coffee, so I brought cream and sugar.” He motions for me to join him on the floor as he spreads a flannel blanket.

“Lots of creamer.” I watch him pour it into my cup before handing it to me. I let the smoky steam envelop my face, then bring it to my mouth, taking a sip. “Mmm. Thank you.” I let the hot coffee glide down my throat. “This is perfect.”

“Because you’re easy to please.” He plunges a forkful of pancake into his mouth.

I take a piece of bacon and dip it into the maple syrup as he’s watching me with an amused expression. “What? Try it.”

“Is there any other way to eat it?” He plunks the crisp bacon into the syrup container and tosses the entire piece into his mouth. I can’t help but laugh.

We finish our breakfast ravenously, and I help him clean the plates and fold the blanket. I’m draping it over the chair when he comes up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist, and leans down to bury his face on my shoulder. He places feathery kisses up my neck, stopping at my ear. “I don’t want you to go.” I turn my body to face him. I don’t know how to respond, because I don’t want to go either. But I can’t stay here. The situation seems hopeless. Closing my eyes, I lean my head against his chest, and as if there is a phantom song swirling in the air around us, we begin swaying back and forth together. We start laughing as he pulls back, still holding my hand, and then twirls me back into his arms, continuing to move with me. He places a kiss on my lips, and we both know we can no longer avoid the inevitable. We stop dancing, and I look at him as he shrugs his shoulders. “Are you ready?”

“No,” I reply. “But we should go.”

“I know.” He kisses my forehead and walks me to the door.

“I saw Arden in the cafeteria already.” His confession stops me in my tracks.

“You told him? Was he angry?”

“No…no, I didn’t tell him. I told him I had something important that I needed his help with and to meet me in the Shifting room at ten o’clock.” I glance to the clock and see we only have a few minutes left. “Of course, this is Arden I’m talking about; he knows something is up.” He walks over to the closet and pulls a black jacket out.

“Traveler, I’m so sorry if this causes a lot of trouble for you. I don’t want that,” I say honestly. The thought of something bad coming from something so beautiful is heartbreaking to me.

“Arden has had my back for quite some time. He’s always found a way to make my fuck-ups disappear.” He gives a small laugh as he shakes the jacket over his shoulders. “Maybe my luck hasn’t run out just yet.”

He takes my hand and holds it to his chest before we walk out the door. “We have to be extremely careful, Johanna. If anyone sees you, and can’t place you from around Andromeda, we are in big trouble. Then Arden can’t help either one of us. Stay close to me, baby, and keep your head down.” My heart flutters at the unexpected term of endearment. I lean on my tiptoes and kiss him deeply. Hoping that he can sense how I feel. Hoping he can sense my gratitude for risking so much to get me back home.

The hallway is empty, and we stand there a moment listening for any sounds echoing through the building. After a minute or two of complete silence, we rush to the elevators where Traveler again leans his ear to the door to listen for any passengers. The coast is clear, so he pushes the button making the elevator doors open for us, and we step inside. He gently pushes me against the wall and holds his strong arm over my waist to keep me as far back from viewing as possible.

To my left, I notice the metal by my head is dented and crinkled in a perfect mold of Traveler’s fist. I look at him with narrowed eyes. “Is this what you took your frustration out on last night?” I whisper. He returns my question with a kiss and a, “Shhh.”

The elevator doors open wide to the large common area. Traveler peeks his head out and snaps it quickly back in. “Someone is reading a book on the couch. I can’t tell who,” he frantically whispers. “We have to go. Just keep your head down. Walk quickly.”

Please, please don’t speak to Traveler. Let us pass. I can see the doors to the outside a few feet away, and I have to fight the urge to take off running toward them. The only thing keeping me in check is Traveler’s hand firmly holding onto mine, a silent reminder not to panic. If they knew him, if they had any questions, they would have called out to him by now. They couldn’t see my face. I could be anyone.

I breathe in the fresh outdoor air and exhale a sigh of relief as we push through the exit doors and hit the courtyard. Instead of cautiously taking inventory of the scene, he doesn’t hesitate. He places his hand on my lower back. “Go to the set of doors we came from last night.” He gently nudges me to walk. I keep my eyes focused on the doors. There are people all around me walking in different directions, but none of them seem to take notice. No one asks me to stop, no one yells out that I’m an imposter. I hit the double doors to the Shifting Division and turn back to see Traveler only a few steps behind me. He grabs my hand as we enter, and we both breathe out in unison, as if we had been holding our breath together.

“You didn’t wait back this time?”

“There were too many people out there. I knew if I could stay a few steps behind you, the attention would be drawn to me and not you. If I happened to run into anyone we should be concerned about, they would have focused on me instead.” His words come out fast as he’s pulling me down the hallway.

We round the corner, and Traveler pushes through the doors of the room with all the glass chambers and screens. The lights are still off, and it appears we are alone. Whoever Arden is, he isn’t here yet.

We lean our backs against the wall closest to the door and pull air into our chests. Traveler pulls my hand to his lips and places a light kiss along my fingers. “You did good,” he says through breaths of air as I look back at him.

Suddenly, the room is flooded with light, and the sound of the door quietly closing draws our attention back to reality. Traveler pushes me behind him, covering me.

“Arden. It’s you.” Traveler sighs with audible relief.

“You asked me to come here. Who else would it be? What pickle have you found yourself in now?” Arden’s voice is calm, assertive, nurturing.

Traveler steps out from in front of me and looks to Arden, a small man with a tiny upturned nose and bead-like eyes. “Well, boss, it looks like we can check Herding off my list of potential talents,” he confesses, and protectively pulls me close, still holding onto my hand for dear life.