“Sorry, the little monsters are being stubborn about dinner.”
“I want pizza,” a boy about seven yelled.
“How does your mom sleep through this?” I wondered aloud.
“Necessity and practice. Come on in.” She turned to address her pint-size critic. “If you eat the soup, I’ll let you have Popsicles.”
The boy exchanged a look with a girl a year or two older. “Deal. But we get as many crackers as we want.”
“I don’t care, just get in the kitchen and eat. The baby’s already down for the night,” she added to me. “No thanks to these two.”
“Is this why you invited us over?” I asked.
“Because I couldn’t go out otherwise? Basically, yes. That Saturday we went to the party was a rare exception and my mom had the night off.”
Obviously, I wondered about Mr. Maldonado but if she didn’t mention him, I figured she must have a good reason. I followed her into the kitchen to supervise her siblings. This time, they ate the chicken soup without complaint, but I noticed an impressive number of oyster crackers went down their gullets as well. Two orange Popsicles later, she banished them to play in their rooms as the bell rang again.
She sighed. “My older brother’s idea of a joke. So far we can’t figure out how to change or disconnect it.”
Kian and Vonna stood on the porch, as if they’d come together, and they were holding hands. I ignored the sinking sensation in my stomach and summoned a bright smile. “Hey, guys. I hope you’re ready for some cinema magic.”
Vonna stepped in first, and he helped her out of her jacket. “With Nathan in charge? I bet we’ll get a Scream fest.”
“Could be worse,” Kian said.
“Yeah, he could dig up all the I Know What You Did movies.” Carmen beckoned to us and led the way down the basement stairs.
Like most old houses, the steps were scary, skeletal wood, but downstairs, the cement room had been painted a cheerful yellow and filled with comfortable furniture that looked like it had been lifted from various grandmothers. On one side, there was a red floral overstuffed sofa that somehow didn’t look hideous with the green plaid love seat or the orange armchair. There were also giant pillow seats and like five beanbags. This was clearly a room where people could crowd in and still feel cozy. Our apartment wouldn’t have allowed me to invite this many friends over, and a small pang went through me. A spark of light shot from my fingertips, and I hid them behind my back, heart thumping like mad.
Did anyone see that?
“It’s a mess, I know,” Carmen mumbled.
Based on the minivan, it was cleaner than I expected. All the toys were piled in the box, and the super fluffy gray rug looked as if it had been vacuumed recently. Cushions in all hues lay scattered on the floor, tempting you to curl up like a puppy. As for the TV, it was a big box unit, but when she flicked it on, the picture was good. She left us watching music videos when the bell rang again, and I busied myself inspecting the family photos that lined the wall near the stairs. While Kian and Vonna quietly tried to decide where to sit, I was third-wheeling up a storm. I’d almost decided to go back upstairs when Carmen returned with everyone else.
“So this is the family room,” she said, juggling DVDs presumably from Nathan.
“Nice,” Elton said.
I wandered around inspecting everything while Elton promptly claimed the orange chair. Once I picked the love seat, Devon sat next to me. That left the couch for Kian and Vonna. Nathan yielded the last spot to Carmen and flopped in one of the beanbags. She dimmed the lights and started the first movie. Everyone had guessed wrong, as it was a terrifying Japanese import. I jumped more than once and covered my eyes for about half of it. At least pure terror kept me from staring at Kian, who had taken the opportunity to wrap an arm around Vonna. Even I had to admit they made a cute couple.
“You’re the only one who will be unhappy if you keep quiet,” Devon whispered.
I jumped at his proximity, not realizing he was paying attention. Dismissing the idea of a flippant whatever, because anyone this astute deserved better, I leaned over to make sure nobody could hear. “Timing is everything, you know? And sometimes we just can’t have what we want. It would be selfish of me to say anything when I can’t stick around. It’s better for him to be happy. Just look at how she makes him smile.”
Vonna must have cracked a joke because Kian’s shoulders shook with silent laughter. Devon watched them for a few seconds before nodding. “I get you. And I can respect that.”
“Don’t say anything, okay? It would only make things awkward, and I honestly want things to go well for them.”
“I’m definitely not the meddling kind. Plus, I’ve known Vonna since first grade. She deserves somebody who will treat her right.”
“She’ll never meet anyone sweeter or more devoted.” Tears stung my eyes, and I blinked them away. Who knew it would feel so awful to give the blessing for your first love to be happy with someone else?
I focused on the movie again, though the terror had lost some of its grip on me. Carmen brought drinks and chips down during intermission. Her younger siblings put in an appearance, and she had to go read them a story. That left Elton flipping channels while Devon called suggestions.
“We’re not watching Lifetime,” Nathan snapped.
“Women’s tennis.” Vonna seemed comfortable tucked against Kian’s side, not self-conscious now that the lights had come up.
The guys didn’t seem disposed to tease her, either. I’d noticed they were protective, courtesy of a shared past I knew little about. I wish I had friends I’d known since grade school. But when my parents transferred me to Blackbriar, I lost touch with my classmates, and in all honesty, I hadn’t been close with anyone before the move. Regular students saw me as a kiss-up while the smart ones considered me a rival for the position of teacher’s pet. Doubtless poor social skills contributed to my friendless state, but if I could rewrite history, I wouldn’t go to a fancy private academy. My parents could save their money, and I’d enroll in a science-focused magnet school. But that was pointless speculation. In my timeline, I’d graduate from Blackbriar on independent study and go to college with only my father to celebrate my achievements.
Presuming I survive this and can return.
Contemplating the future that awaited, a wave of pain wracked me so hard I doubled over. I hadn’t let myself picture returning before. Maybe part of me hoped that this future would replace my old one, but the Harbinger made it clear time travel didn’t work that way. There was no way to wipe the slate clean. Creating a new world wasn’t a minor feat, though. I should be proud, right?
Devon touched my shoulder. “Are you sick?”
Managing to smile, I shook my head. “Sorry. Ate too much salsa, I guess.”
“Carmen’s pico de gallo is no joke if you’re not used to it.” He rubbed my back until I felt a little better, not from the fictional stomachache, but due to simple human contact.
“Thanks. I’m okay now.”
My smile faded when I realized Kian was watching Devon and me with an odd expression. I didn’t know what to make of it, but I hadn’t done anything wrong. Carmen hurried down the stairs, out of breath from coming down two flights in a rush. She leaned against the wall to rest, breaking the spell. I glanced away to find that Elton had turned on a Cinemax soft-core. The resultant panting and moaning made everyone supremely uncomfortable.
“Enough of that.” Carmen snatched the remote and switched it back to the DVD player. “Sorry, guys. We should be good for another movie. They’ll pass out soon.”
“It’s cool,” Devon said. “I’m an only, so I like seeing how the other half lives.”
“You want to swap?” Carmen offered.
He shook his head quickly as she started the next flick. Nathan’s second pick was an action comedy, two cops played by Martin Lawrence and Will Smith. Humor matched the explosions, and I enjoyed it a lot. More important, I wasn’t completely freake
d out when it came time to walk home.
“This was awesome,” I said, standing. “Thanks for having us over.”
“It’s not even midnight.” Nathan seemed affronted. “We have two more movies to watch.”
“Some of us have curfews,” Vonna said.
Kian added, “I need to catch the last bus.”
Despite Nathan’s objections, the party broke up at twenty minutes to twelve. I waved as I headed out. The others went toward the bus stop, leaving me to walk home alone. It hadn’t seemed spooky earlier, but despite the streetlights, I couldn’t shake the sensation that someone—or something—was watching me. Touching Aegis for reassurance, I quickened my pace, practically sprinting between pools of the light. The shadows seemed deeper where the brightness didn’t touch, like it was filled with sentience. My skin prickled. There was no safety. If something was chasing me, getting back to the apartment wouldn’t help.
My mom died at home.
Footsteps rang out behind me. Okay, so it’s not my imagination. That helped. I forced myself to calm down. By reacting like prey, I’d make whatever this was even more anxious for the kill. I’m not a victim anymore. While my skills might be a little rusty, Aegis would take up the slack. The sword vibrated on my wrist, its thirst drying my mouth. For a moment, my vision went white with the need to fight.
Sensing my pursuer behind me, I whirled and swung. Selena barely sidestepped my strike. A lock of her hair dropped to the pavement, and she stared at me hard. “Killing the messenger isn’t cool.”
“You scared the shit out of me. What’re you doing?”
“I’m keeping you safe, moron. I’m not the only one tailing you tonight. Weird old git, smells like death and camphor, big burlap sack, two creepy kids. Ring any bells?”
“Crap.”
He works for Wedderburn. He killed my mother.
“I thought I’d only have to deal with the hag, but the winter whatsit has a serious hate on for you.”
“That’s not news,” I admitted.
“Just … be careful. Big Bro gets pissy when he loses, not that you’ll be around to suffer those consequences.” Her gaze locked onto my sword, and I hastily deactivated Aegis, but from her speculative expression, it was probably too late.
“Noted. Thanks for the warning.”
I wondered what she’d tell Dwyer when she got back. Guess what? The girl you have me guarding has a sword made out of … well, you. Somehow I suspected our alliance might break down if he discovered that truth. But no point in fretting about it now. Folding my arms, I waited for her reaction.
Selena tapped the side of her nose, and her smile gained layers, like an exquisite stained glass panel. “Something tells me this job will be way more interesting than I thought.”
A BURST OF BITTERSWEET
Over the next two weeks, I played hide-and-seek with the bag man, but Selena kept him at bay. I didn’t imagine the monster would be content to stalk forever, so once a day, I shifted all the furniture to the wall and practiced the katas Raoul had taught me. I also applied myself to fitness with renewed dedication. Weirdly, my body didn’t respond as well as it once did.
It was early March before I saw the Harbinger again. I’d gotten used to leaving school alone, so it was actually a surprise when I came out and found him waiting like he used to. Without meaning to, I hurried toward him, like I’d forgotten that he wasn’t my boyfriend, a musician who went on a low-rent tour. But my eagerness colored his reaction, so when I cleared the parking lot and reached the streetlight where he waited, he caught me around the waist and whirled me, before catching me close. He smelled of lightning and cordite, as if he had been firing automatic weapons in a killer storm.
“What a lovely greeting. I take it you missed me?” His eyes held an amusement that managed to impart a sense of melancholy.
“Maybe,” I mumbled, feeling like an idiot.
“Do you have time for me tonight?”
“Yeah.” My plans were the same as they had been for the past two weeks—hang tight, work out, and hone my sword skills, just in case shit went horribly wrong. Maybe I was paranoid, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that this was the calm before the storm.
“Are you staying at the flat?”
I nodded. “Moved in a week ago.”
“I’m glad you didn’t tarry in that hovel out of misplaced pride. It could give you dysentery.” He seemed quite pleased.
But the feeling lingered that everything wasn’t as it should be. A shadow or something settled over him, muting his aura. It wasn’t like the time he’d spent most of his power liberating me from the Black Watch, so I couldn’t decide what to call this intuition.
“It wasn’t that bad,” I protested. “But the new place is definitely a lot better. Thanks.”
“Your appreciation is a panacea, dearling.”
The Harbinger scanned the street, and in reflex, I did the same. A couple of people loitering across the way dinged my warning bell, but I couldn’t be sure if either one might be the bag man. But the thing would have to be insane to start something at 3:15 in the afternoon with teenagers everywhere and another immortal holding me like I was precious. Shyness wreathed me, and I shoved until he let me go.
“Such modesty,” he mocked.
“Let’s go before you start a hormonal riot.”
Without answering, he took my hand. I expected him to whoosh us at the first opportunity, but he strolled to the bus stop and boarded when the big blue vehicle juddered to a stop. This was like Valentine’s Day, only more ominous. The driver smiled when we passed, as I had been riding at this time regularly for a while now. Once we settled into an open seat, I surveyed the Harbinger from beneath my lashes. He was preoccupied enough that he didn’t seem to notice my scrutiny.
Or so I thought, until he said, “Something on your mind?”
“It’s weird you’re on the bus again,” I admitted. “I didn’t take you for a fan of public transit.”
“My way of prolonging the inevitable.”
“Excuse me?”
He sighed a little and turned my hand over to inspect my palm. Since I didn’t believe in that, I pulled free. “Stop it. You’re freaking me out.”
“Do you remember when I said we would have a serious conversation?”
“Obviously. It wasn’t that long ago.”
“Are you certain? Seems an eternity to me.” With that weirdness, he fell silent and wouldn’t say another word.
When he reached for my hand again, I laced our fingers together. A little shiver went through him, impossible to imagine it was because of me. There had to be a thousand other explanations, only I couldn’t think of them with him looking so somber and sad. We didn’t speak until we got to the apartment, and instead of bridging the serious subject, he checked out the minute changes I had made.
“Do you like it here?” he asked.
“You mean this place or this time?”
“Clever. Both, I suppose.”
“Yes and no.”
“The place but not the time? It’s like extracting bone marrow to get you to confide anything.” For the first time, he sounded truly human, his words limned in frustration and some hidden darkness.
“Sorry. It’s just … I’m used to hidings things because, with everyone else here, I’m keeping so many secrets.”
“But I’m not everyone else,” he said, as if that should be obvious.
“Right. Well, the studio is fine. And I’m happy to be forging a new future for Kian, but I can’t say I like it here. This isn’t my time, so I feel weird. Itchy.”
“Have you considered coming home? Set your watch. We can go back to right after you left. Your father won’t have missed you yet.”
“Thanks to the simulacrum you left.” I considered that, but the scientist in me needed more information. “What happens if I do?”
He shrugged. “This world exists. Events will unfold with or without you.”
“Does that mean Kian could
still die on his birthday?”
“You’ve altered that course, but that doesn’t mean some other crisis couldn’t arise later. Life doesn’t come with certainties or guarantees. But I think you’ve done enough. So take my hand and let’s go back.”
It was tempting. But if I went now, I’d never know for sure how things played out. “Not yet. Sometimes being here kind of hurts, actually. But … this is worth doing.”
“It hurts.” The Harbinger actually paled, and he closed his eyes for a few seconds, talking more to himself than me. “So it’s begun already. Damn.” The mild curse contained anger sufficient to fuel a much stronger word.
“Can we have that vital convo already? All this mystery is getting on my nerves.” More to the point, anything that could affect him like this nearly froze me in place.
“Yes, it’s time.”
I collapsed on the couch more than sat down, angling my body to face him. “Whatever it is, I can handle it.”
“At this point, dearling, in the simplest terms, the universe has taken note of you, and nature abhors a paradox. Remember what happened with my pet?”
Space-time parasite, check. Despite my intention to be brave, I shuddered. “Yeah.”
“You don’t belong in this timeline, and if you linger, you will be erased. The pain you mentioned is the start of that unbinding.”
“Like, I’m coming unglued at a molecular level?”
Wow, that’s so much worse than I guessed.
He nodded, unable to hold my gaze. “You will simply … disperse, if you remain here long enough. And that’s presuming one of the immortals gunning for you doesn’t get you, or you don’t have a terrible accident first.”
“You’re saying the world itself will eventually start trying to kill me, not just Wedderburn and his ilk.”
“I’ve never known anyone to linger in the wrong time stream for so long, so I can’t be sure. But all the data I’ve uncovered points to yes,” he said softly.