Black Gate: Timewalker Chronicles, Book 4 (32 page)
Read Black Gate: Timewalker Chronicles, Book 4 Online
Authors: Michele Callahan
Tags: #Timewalker Chronicles Book 4, #sci-fi romance
Celestina stepped closer but did not deactivate the pod. If this worked, he’d wake on his own in time, and he’d be free of his prison for the first time in centuries. What he did then would determine the outcome of the final battle.
The fate of three worlds hung in the balance. Did she dare trust the Timewalker who’d sent the stone to her? Did she dare not?
Celestina lifted her hand to his broad chest, the soul stone in her clenched fist hovered just over his heart. The stone no longer spoke to her, but it still felt like the dangerous weapon it was. She’d been shocked when Teagh had handed her the innocent looking white stone on the beach five weeks ago. She’d been mildly curious…until she touched it.
Power had exploded into her system, and a message from a human, a Timewalker she had yet to meet.
The stone had been sent back through time to find Celestina, and the human female responsible had embedded the stone not just with the gift of her unusual Timewalker’s power, a power that Celestina now used as her own, but with Celestina’s true name.
No one but the goddess knew her name.
Celestina ignored the tears still streaming down her face and opened her hand to place the stone in the center of Ajax’s chest, on his sternum, right above his heart. This was what the Timewalker wanted her to do. What she had to do. She had no choice. Already the Timewalker’s power had saved them all, had allowed Celestina to change things, things she could tell no one.
The stone glowed gently beneath her hand, the faint light easily visible in the dark space. Celestina stepped back and allowed the light from her hand to dim until all that remained to brighten the room was the small white stone now bathing Ajax’s face in softly glowing light.
She’d loved him once, long ago, in what felt like another life. She was surprised to realize she loved him still. Loved him and believed he’d be strong enough to survive the coming days.
He had to be.
Epilogue
Katherine lifted the dark glasses from the ridge of her nose so she could have an unfiltered view of the sunlight as it played over Teagh’s muscular back. She’d never seen him like this, carefree and smiling, with the wind in his hair and nothing on but some flip-flops and a swim trunks. God help her. The more he smiled, the sexier he got.
He lowered the sail on their small boat and tossed an anchor over the side. They’d sailed for about half an hour to get here, and she had to admit it was worth the wait.
Teagh had steered them to a tiny cove somewhere along the coast of one of the small islands. There were no buildings in sight. And no people. It felt like a private island escape.
They’d been back from Colorado for two days and their house was overflowing with brooding Immortal half-bloods. Mari and Raiden were there now, tending to their newest house guests. Celestina had shown up with some unexpected company, both of whom were about three quarters dead at the time. Aron was an Immortal from Itara, and Ajax’s brother. The human woman with him, Zoey, was a newly Marked Timewalker, freelance reporter and conspiracy blogger. They’d barely survived their ordeal, and wouldn’t have if not for Celestina’s help. Mari had to heal them both, they’d called in Robbie, and had to remake all their plans. Again.
When Celestina told Bran where she’d found them, the poor guy looked like he wanted to shoot himself. He’d tried to force Celestina to return to their ship with him.
That was when all hell broke loose. Celestina had promptly disappeared again, Bran ported out, swearing, and Raiden and Teagh were left to deal with the fallout.
But that was sooo yesterday.
Today there was sunshine and tanning oil and her man in his element. Teagh loved to sail.
Teagh tested the anchor line and then crawled through the towels and water bottles she’d haphazardly tossed onto the boat. She reclined on the boat’s long bench seat, eager for him to reach her.
“Alone at last. Gods, woman, I am ready to move to Alaska.”
“It’s too cold for bikinis up there.” Kate untied her tiny bikini top and threw it at him. He growled and lunged at her. Kate just laughed and pulled him down on top of her for a kiss. “They’ll be gone soon. My mother promised me their papers would be here within the week and Mari’s richer than Midas. She and Raiden already bought them a house. Mari said it’s huge, the ultimate bachelor pad. They close in four days.”
“Damn it. I told them not to do that. I am more than happy to give them one of my homes.” He nuzzled the side of her neck and she tilted her head to the side to give him better access. Teagh had been more than generous. And he had more money stashed away than Katherine could spend in two lifetimes.
“I know. But he wants to keep them close. He’s one of them, you know. I think he feels responsible. And with our unexpected guests, we’re all going to have to adjust.”
Teagh nibbled his way down to her breasts and slowly tasted every inch of exposed flesh. He reached the Mark on her side and paused, placing a soft, reverent kiss on the symbol. “Stop talking about other males while I am making love to you.”
Heat seared her when his lips touched that sacred space and she couldn’t contain the emotions of the last few days. Tears leaked from the corners of her eyes. Teagh glanced up, saw them, and pulled her down to lie beneath him on the soft pad he’d placed on the floor of the boat.
“Don’t cry, Kate. Why are you crying?” He kissed away her tears.
“Because you came for me in the dark.”
“I will always come for you.”
“And because I love you.”
Relief filled his eyes and he smiled down at her. “Thank the gods, because I will worship you for eternity. I can’t ever let you go.”
“I want to get married on the beach, with a white dress and flowers in my hair.” She knew it was kind of stupid, since they were Marked, and bonded, and eternally stuck with each other. But she couldn’t stop herself from dreaming of the way Teagh would look in a tux. That little girl inside her was a lot more tenacious than she’d ever given her credit for, and she wanted the dream wedding, the fantasy, the happily-ever-after ending.
“You are already mine, Kate. But I will be honored to have a ceremony so the rest of the world knows it.”
“It’s not for the rest of the world. It’s for me.”
“Then it is already done.”
Her cell phone rang, completely ruining the romantic moment, and Teagh cursed. Kate shrugged off the intensity of her reaction to him and tried to refocus. She couldn’t ignore that ringtone and Teagh knew it.
“That’s Robbie. He shouldn’t be back yet.”
Raiden and Robbie were on their way to the deep sea cave where they’d placed Ajax in stasis. Robbie was going to try to work some magic on their Lost King, bring him back from the dark side with a little help from the goddess. Teagh had admitted to her that for the first time in centuries, he and Bran had real hope that Ajax could be saved.
Teagh reached over her head and grabbed the annoying cell phone from the drink holder cubby where she’d left it and handed it to her. She swiped the phone’s screen and placed the call on speaker so they could both listen.
“Hello? Robbie?”
“Katie? I’m back at your house with Raiden. We have a problem.”
“What is it?”
“Ajax is gone.”
Teagh’s eyes closed, slowly, then reopened to focus on her face. “Sit tight, Robbie. We’ll be there in two hours.”
“Okay.” Robbie hung up and Katherine looked up at Teagh, confused.
“Two hours?” They didn’t have two hours. They had to get back to the house and figure out what they were going to do now. Ajax was gone? Gone? “Teagh, are you crazy? Ajax is gone. We have to go now.”
“And do what, Kate? Pace the living room and stare at the walls? Ask a hundred questions we don’t have answers to? There’s nothing we can do. Celestina will be looking for him. So will Bran. He could have been gone for hours. Days. If he’s conscious, he can open portals. He could literally be anywhere in the world by now. He could be back on Itara, or in the dark ashing Triscani. He’s smart and powerful. Even if he’s turned, he won’t lose that. He’s a true forbidden son, not weakened half-blood. If he doesn’t want to be found, we won’t find him.”
“But what about my blood oath?”
“As long as you’re with me, you’ll be safe. He can’t summon you without me knowing. If he does, we’ll grab Bran, Raiden and Robbie, and we’ll go face him together. I’ll take care of you. I promise. Trust me.”
“But it doesn’t seem right. We should go back.”
“Hush. I’ve lived centuries doing my duty to the King. We’ll find him. But right now, I need to take care of you.” Teagh smiled and returned his lips to her breast. “Two hours won’t be long enough, you know. I would have told them three, but I think we would’ve had a mutiny on our hands.”
Katherine laughed and shoved at his chest. Teagh let her roll him onto his back so she could explore him a bit. She started at his Mark, rolled her tongue along its dark outline, knew it would shoot bolts of lightning straight to his erection.
“Gods, Kate. Take off the rest of that ridiculous swimsuit.”
Kate did, and stripped him before continuing her explorations. She tasted him everywhere, made him beg and whisper her name. Then she straddled her Dark Lord and claimed him in the oldest manner possible.
The new moon was just two weeks away.
The Crux. War. A goddess. A missing King. Darkwalkers.
It was a big, freaking mess.
She didn’t care. Two hours, two weeks, or two millennia, she was going to love Teagh every single minute of it.
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Thank you for spending time with me reading Black Gate. I hope you enjoyed Katherine’s and Teagh’s adventure. If you did, please consider telling a friend or taking a moment to post a review at your favorite online blog or retailer. A personal recommendation is, by far, the best ‘Thank You’ an author can hope to receive.
Hugs and Happy Reading! - Michele
WHITE FIRE, Timewalker Chronicles Book 5
Coming November 2014
Ajax, The Lost King of the Immortals, sacrificed everything but his memories. After the Time Crux, the loss of his beloved Queen, and a horrifying defeat at the hands of the Triscani horde in the war on Itara, Ajax’s loyal crew played a desperate gamble...to go back in time and try to change things. But they trusted the wrong man, and Ajax has spent the last seven hundred years locked in a prison with no key. The battle approaches at long last, yet he remains weak and tortured, a prisoner to his own dark power. He didn’t simply lose to the evil Triscani…he became one of them.
The Triscani spent centuries searching for Emma Lawson's soul. Their evil Hunters did everything they could to destroy her family's bloodline before she was ever born. They know who she is, so they hunt her. They know the power she yields, and they fear her. They know The Lost King will do anything to save her, and they would use his love to destroy him.
But Emma is human, not Immortal. She might be dangerously attracted to the newly freed Ajax, but her first priority is saving Earth from two warring Immortal races. Ajax believed himself in love with his Queen, but the woman he remembers no longer exists. This Timewalker will defy destiny, and she's not going to play by anyone's rules but her own.
Books by
Michele Callahan
The Timewalker Chronicles
:
BLACK GATE, Book 4
WHITE FIRE, Book 6
Coming Soon – Chimera’s Kiss (Book 7)
The Ozera Wars: (Erotic Space Opera)
Coming Soon – Hunter’s Destiny (Book 4)
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