Pure Blood (Time Spirit Trilogy, #3) (4 page)

Gemma caught her wink and nodded.

“That took me
so
long.”

“Oh really?” She tried to look worried.

“Hey, why don’t you come over and I can help
you with yours. Not copy it or anything…” She looked to Penelope
with a smile. “You could just go over my notes and stuff.”

“That would be so helpful. Mom, is that
okay?”

Penelope rolled her eyes and looked to the
ceiling as if calling on some higher help to fix this wayward
daughter of hers. Gemma squashed her smile. If only she knew.

“Thank you, Courtney dear. Gemma’s lucky to
have a friend like you.” She turned her pointed gaze towards her
daughter. “Honestly Gemma, I don’t know what’s gotten into you this
past year. You better buck up your ideas, young lady, if you want a
chance of getting into a good college.”

If I make it to college.

Gemma kept her gaze steady and her smile
meek. Getting a lecture from a woman she knew had other intentions
for her future was a hard pill to swallow, but she took it and left
with a wave, trying to ignore the black slick of oil that coated
her stomach each time she thought about her parents’ betrayal.

“So, now that we’ve got rid of your mom, what
do you want to do?” Courtney wrapped her arm through Gemma’s as
they sauntered away.

“A movie sounds good.” Gemma smiled at her
genius. A two-hour movie would be the perfect chance to sit in the
dark and simmer over her brilliant idea.

* * * *

Gemma bounced up the school steps the next
morning electrified with the knowledge that she was going to turn
things around for Helen. The fact Harrison hadn’t called, or
answered his phone the night before, ate at her a little. She
pushed the niggle aside, eager to hand him the slice of hope she
was about to serve.

“Hey.” She slid her arm around his waist when
she caught up with him. He dropped his arm over her shoulder and
continued walking down the hall.

“I guess you haven’t heard.” Rosie stole
Gemma’s smile with her glum expression. “Mom booked the moving van
last night. We’re leaving on October 30
^th
.”

Two days before her birthday. Gemma’s heart
plummeted, that was just over a month away. She squeezed the top of
Rosie’s arm as they continued down the hall, trying to look
brave.

“It’s okay, Rosie, things are going to work
out. I’m not letting you guys leave me.”

Rosie shone her a brief, white smile. Since
having her braces removed her smile was given far more readily.
Gemma couldn’t believe the change and she noticed the boys couldn’t
either. Harrison was going to have to keep an eye on that one.

She waved Rosie a quick goodbye before
dragging Harrison towards the back of the school. Sneaking out the
exit door, she pulled him out of sight and made him stop in their
secret alcove full of stolen kisses between classes.

“Are you okay?” She traced her finger down
his jaw line.

His head bobbed, but his eyes betrayed the
action.

“I take it you never had that chat.”

“I tried, Gem. I walked down those stairs
determined, but I just couldn’t raise it. She was already sobbing
in Bryan’s arms over our reaction to the move and I just felt so
bad for her. I mean, yeah, I’m mad that she hasn’t told me the
truth, but I also understand why and I just… I need to pick my
time.”

“I know. I understand. I’m sorry this is
happening to you. It must suck.”

His eyes softened with her favorite smile as
he ran his fingers around the back of her neck and let his thumb
rest on her earlobe. She nibbled the inside of her cheek then just
decided to blurt it.

“I’ve had an idea.”

“Uh-huh.” His eyes narrowed, which she hoped
they wouldn’t, but knew they would.

“A way to help your mom come to terms with
leaving Nathaniel. Maybe if she knew that he loved and forgave her
for leaving him, she’d have peace and not need to move around all
the time searching for answers she’s never gonna find…” She fiddled
with his collar and lowered her gaze. “…because they don’t exist
yet.”

“Yet?” Harrison lifted her chin. “What do
you…? No. No way!”

“Yes. It’s a good idea.”

“It’s a terrible idea! Gemma. No!”

“Look, I know you’re thinking it’s way too
dangerous, but all I’m proposing is going back, finding out where
he is, possibly rescuing him from whatever predicament he’s in,
explaining why she left and then asking him to write her a letter
or something. We’ll hide it in a place we can retrieve it
later.”

“In England? You’re gonna fly to England to
pick up a letter for my mom?”

“No.” She rolled her eyes. “I’ll get it on to
a ship bound for America.”

“Gemma.” Harrison pinched the bridge of his
nose. “Don’t do this to me, okay? A letter won’t necessarily even
work with my mother. Don’t risk your life for this, please. We’ll
work it out another way. I promise I’m not leaving you.” He kissed
her forehead and pulled her in for a hug, but she pushed away.

“A letter will work! I know how she feels,
okay? The fact I hurt you by making you go through that hideous
break up month, by missing your birthday… that still kills me.
Imagine what your mom must be going through! I’m not going to let
her keep living like this. I’m going back.”

“No, you’re not.”

“Yes I am.” She raised her eyebrow and shot
him a pointed look. “You’re not going to stop me, so you may as
well help.”

A hard sheen gleamed in his eye as he
swallowed down the defeat. She didn’t like doing this to him, she
knew how much he loathed losing, but she was on a mission… a worthy
one, and she wasn’t going to be talked out of it.

Chapter
Six

St Augustine, Florida – 2011AD

Harrison spent the rest of the day stewing.
Gemma was not going on that trip. He didn’t care how stubborn she
was. She was not putting her life in danger for this cause. No
matter how much she spouted on about the trip’s safety, he didn’t
believe her. The number of bruises she always came back with
attested to this and who knew what she’d have to do to rescue
Nathaniel from death! It was an insane mission.

They barely spoke at lunchtime. Courtney and
Darren filled the silence with their meandering stories of the
weekend and new ideas for their upcoming double date. He listened
with half an ear, smiling at appropriate moments, but Gemma saw
right through him.

Brushing his lips over her cheek, he left for
Statistics still trying to concoct the ultimate argument. By the
end of the period he had settled on the best solution he could
think of. He would talk to his mother as gently as possible and
somehow find a way to convince Gemma to stay in the present. He
would make her see that his mother didn’t need a love letter from a
past boyfriend to find peace. He would supply the needed
forgiveness and let his mother know that whatever reason she chose
to leave was valid.

Mind set, he headed to History and managed to
pay attention for most of the class. As the final bell rang he
sauntered out the door with Gemma, his lips firmly closed about his
intentions. He would let her think whatever she wanted for now, but
by the end of the evening he could put his mind to rest about this
ridiculous idea and things could go back to normal. There was
nothing a little sweet-talking couldn’t accomplish.

His mother was in the study when he got home.
Rosie had stomped her way upstairs without a greeting, her usual
protest to the moving announcement. Sam was at a neighbor’s house
and Justin was engrossed in beating his last high score on some
computer game that involved machine guns and way too much
carnage.

Harrison studied her from the doorway,
forming his speech clearly in his head.

“Hey Mom.” He shoved his hands in his pockets
and stepped into the room.

She spun her chair around and gave him a
small smile.

“So there is still one person in this house
talking to me.”

He reciprocated her smile and closed the door
behind him.

Sitting down on the leather armchair in the
corner, he placed his elbows on his knees and interlaced his
fingers.

“Why
are
we moving again?”

He watched his mother sigh and open her mouth
to begin her usual spiel about job opportunities, so he stopped
her.

“Please, tell me the truth this time. If
you’re asking me to leave Gemma, I’ve got to have a good reason.
What are you searching for, Mom?”

“Nothing.” A nervous smile twittered over her
lips. “A good job.”

Harrison tipped his head, giving her that
look that always peeled away the layers.

She shook her head and looked to the
floor.

“You know, Bryan’s only started up his
business and it’s going really well. Surely you don’t want to take
that away from him for a quest that will probably continue to leave
you empty hearted.”

Her eyes began to glisten, but he plowed
through, dropping the bombshell as subtly as he could.

“History’s not going to change, Mom, no
matter how much you research it. Dad’s dead and he didn’t leave you
a goodbye letter, but that doesn’t mean he hates you for leaving
him.”

Helen’s head lurched up, her mouth fell open
and her eyes grew wide with horror.

“What are you talking about?”

Bracing himself, he stole a quick breath and
said it. “I know the truth about him. I know the truth about
you.”

A confused smile flickered over her lips, a
feeble attempt to mask the emotion ravaging her features. “Of
course you do, sweetie,” her voice shook. “I’ve always told you
about your dad and me. Why are you making up stories about me
leaving him?”

His brain jumped to a sharp retort that he
managed to swallow. Relaxing his fingers, he stretched towards her
and placed his hands over her frantic digits.

“It doesn’t scare me. I’m already in love
with one of your kind. Nothing can weird me out anymore.”

She looked up at him with watery eyes and let
out a short laugh before covering her face with her hands.

“How did you know?”

“Gemma figured it out. Is that why you don’t
want me to see her?”

She shook her head then nodded. “How much do
you know?”

“She’s told me everything. I know about the
electus
, I know how you travel and…” The idea of mentioning
that he too had crossed the line flittered through his brain, but
he swallowed it back as he watched his mother pull in a ragged
breath. Instead he ended with, “I know about Nathaniel.”

Helen spun her chair away from him.

“Mom, please, you have to let this go.”

“How?!” she spat with vehemence, spinning
back to face him. Her eyes were swollen with wild torment. “I sent
him to his death! I killed the man I loved and he died never
knowing why… why I had to leave,” her voice broke with the sobs
wrenching her body. She curled over on herself and let out a low
moan.

Harrison stood and swallowed. His mind reeled
with the idea that his mother could be responsible for anyone’s
death, but he knew now was not the moment to delve into the
details. The way her body shook with violent sobs, a lamb like
approach was all he could muster. He placed his hand on her back
and shushed her.

“Mom, it’s okay. He loved you, he’d forgive
you.”

Her body went still, the sobs cut off with an
invisible vice. Slowly she raised her head and looked at him.

“
I
can’t forgive me, Harrison, and
I’ll hate myself even more if I let my son get burned by one of my
kind,” she spat out the last two words as if they were rotted meat.
He saw her eyes blacken with a mixture of anger and regret.

“But Mom,
I’m
one your kind. I’m…”

“I’ll never think of you that way. You don’t
have to be like that Harrison. I never want you to be like
that!”

Straightening her shoulders with a sniff, she
wiped her eyes with robotic efficiency and turned back to her
computer screen.

“This discussion is over. I love you enough
to protect you. Be grateful I’m giving you a month to say
goodbye.”

Her voice was stony, her stature rigid.
Harrison, stunned into silence by the sudden switch of emotion,
opened the door and left the room.

Ascending the stairs two at a time, he
relived the conversation and was surprised that she hadn’t even
asked how he knew about Nathaniel. He nearly returned to tell her
that Gemma had met the man and how he had spoken of his morning
star, but with the way his mother felt about Gemma he wasn’t sure
she’d soak it in.

Drumming his fingers on his desk, he
recaptured the utter look of despair that engulfed his mother’s
face. Moving wasn’t going to change that. His forgiveness wouldn’t
either. Until she could forgive herself she would never be
settled.

Gemma might be right.

He sighed then shook his head. In spite of
this new revelation, he was still not ready to fold. He didn’t want
his girlfriend risking her life back in 1820 and would avoid the
scenario at all costs. He’d just have to keep working on his
mother. A month should be enough time to talk her around.

Chapter
Seven

Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida – 2011AD

Harrison had been pretty quiet all week. He
had mentioned something about chatting to his mother, but he’d
remained vague, which was unlike him. Gemma nibbled on her lip as
she slid a leg into her favorite pair of jeans. Zipping the fly,
she walked over to her closet and rifled around for an appropriate
shirt. She was always a little unsure what to wear on these double
dates. Courtney always looked stunning with her finely applied
make-up and perfectly fitted clothing. Beside her, Gemma felt a
little second rate, just like she did next to Ruby.