West (A Roam Series Novella) (12 page)

When her tiny, four-month-old cries filled the cabin, I burst to my feet, running to the crib. She cried and cried, pink and miserable but so healthy, and I waited with her in my arms as the paramedics examined her.

Perfectly healthy.

Not a thing wrong with her, Mr. Perry.

Are you sure she’d stopped breathing? Sometimes babies sleep very soundly.

At that moment, I suspected.

I made sure Laurel had plenty of help, and medication, and was doing well again before I got into my car and drove away from the only family I’d ever had.
I knew she’d be safe.

And I guessed that she was immortal.

“West here is going to escort young Violet back to 2012. And Roam, you and I are going to stay back and have some fun.”

“Now why would I do that, letting the world end?” I asked, trying to keep Roam calm.

“You really know nothing, do you?
A
world ends- the world that
you
know. The world that
I
know,
my
world, prevails. We cease to exist in this reality, and we exist in my reality- the one where I am king again,
and the two of you are nothing.
”

Two worlds?
I tried to concentrate. This is the prophecy?
This is what the red headed girl in the forest knew, all those years ago?

“
Wait a minute,” Roam scoffed through her tears, her voice taking on the same tone she had in my classroom on the first day of school.
Are you opposed to us voicing our opinions on history, or forming them all together?
“Are you trying to say that there are two universes,
two worlds
, and in one you’re a king?” She laughed, really laughed, and I glared at her.
She’s losing it.
“
This
is what we’re fighting over? And my child, my
unborn child
, will save
this
world. You couldn’t possibly be a
king
. You’re serving someone higher than yourself.”

“
Sarcasm? That’s new, you little
bitch
,” Troy swerved, sending her flying into the window. She smacked her head against the glass, and I reached for her. “You think this is funny?”

“Why would West give me up? When the child in my belly will save our world?”

I stared at her, shocked.

She’s so brave. Even scared to death, she’s so goddamn brave.

“Because Laurel is alive.”

I whipped my face to Troy’s.

“That shut you up, didn’t it? Yes, Laurel is alive. And she is in my world. Just as there are fountains- doors- in this world, there are doors to my world.”

Laurel…
“There was no body,” I realized, remembering back to the investigation surrounding her death. I’d almost gone back for Violet until I’d realized I’d only be putting her in danger, breaking a vow I’d made long ago.

Put distance between us; keep her safe.

“
You took her
.”

“You were weak. You left her unguarded. Not smart.”

“And she’s alive?” I demanded. We were nearing the fountain.

“Oh, she’s alive. You could all three be together. One happy family,” he hit the brakes and parked along the street, pointing the gun at Violet’s head.
“Move. To the fountain.”

I kept Roam close behind me, and could feel her trembling. “Parallel universes?”
She managed, her voice thin. I turned to her, watching tears tumble down her cheeks. “
When I die here, will I die in the future? In 2012?
”

“You’re not going to die,” I told her firmly, stopping at the base of the fountain.

“Someone is. Either your beautiful blonde daughter… or this pain in the ass you’ve been dragging through history. Pick one.”

When he pushed my daughter to her knees, execution style, Roam finally lost it.

“No! West, no, please, just take her back. It’s over. There’s nothing we can do,
just save her
,” she begged.

Choose between the two of them?
I loved them both in different ways, and there was no way either of them would die today.

Roam
needs to know.
She needed to back up to the fountain. I needed Violet in my arms, so I could push her at Logan. He was traveling back and forth in the darkness, and could appear any moment. It’d only take
one glance from Troy
for him to see Logan appear.

And put a bullet in Roam’s head.

“I need to say goodbye to her,” I finally said.

“Whatever. Fast,” Troy answered impatiently.

I knew a small part of her expected me to turn to Violet to say goodbye. No one could be that selfless when their life was on the line. When I turned to her, it made it easier to see Julie’s face, but I knew Roam’s heart was breaking inside.

Gripping her right arm, I moved closer to her. “Remember what I told you, in the motel. I love you. Everything I did is for you,” I almost couldn’t finish my words; the thought of losing her now was destroying me.

Her fear consumed her, and she sobbed. “I love you, West,” she whispered, her voice wavering. “I need to run,
please let me go,
” she pulled at her arm, and I could barely make out her terrified words.

I ran my thumb over her numbers… the same numbers that were etched on my own arm. “
They shouldn’t match,
” I hissed, trying desperately to make her understand what I was saying.

She was startled; confused.

My eyes pleaded with hers.

Comprehend. Understand.

Hear me, Roam.

She held her breath, and I lowered my mouth to hers, kissing softly. “
Back up to the fountain,
” I hushed, calming.

Knowing
.

She nodded, inching backwards. I turned to Troy. “Now
give her to me,
” I demanded, reaching for my daughter.

He tossed her to me, and I caught her.

Logan appeared at that moment.

I almost didn’t recognize him; the blonde stranger grabbed for Roam, and I thrust Violet at him before
crashing into Troy.

They were already disappearing as I knocked Troy to the ground. The gun went off, but I didn’t feel it- not yet. I managed to wrestle it from him and shoot him in the chest.

The pain permeated the stillness around us. I knew Logan was making the call… I knew they were running.

Staring at the rainy sky, I blinked at the moisture in my eyes.

And then nothing.

When I woke up in a hospital room, I pulled the IV out and found my clothes in a bag near the wall. Police would have swarmed the room in 2012, but not here, not in 1977.

When I found my wallet intact, I took a cab to the fountain, constantly keeping my eyes open for Troy.

He was gone.

Thrusting my arm into the water, I almost expected it to work.

I expected to be back in Russia, only hundreds of miles from her… not lost in another time, so very far from her arms.

The rain picked up, and I sat at the edge of the fountain, even as passersby stared at me, confused. Logan had come through. He’d made the call, and a half a million dollars had been transferred, along with a debt that was owed to me… paid.

Untraceable.

The fountain had been bombed.
By me.

I wondered how many people had died for me to destroy
my only path back to Roam... back to her bright smile, her warm body…
and a child I may have left behind.

I opened my wallet and counted my money.
Three hundred dollars.

Standing, I spied a gas station on the corner.
I bought a pack of Camels and matches.

The rain began to dissipate, and I lifted my eyes to the sky.

I love you, Roam.

ROAM SERIES

ROAM

FALL

RISE

RUSH

RULE

WEST (Novella)

REIGN