Storm: The Empire Chronicles (3 page)

Before she could reply, Levi strolled over with Owen beside him.

“Hello.” He held out his hand. “I don’t believe we’ve met.

“She’s with me.” I jumped in before Vera could say anything.

“Oh?” Levi looked between us. “She doesn’t look like your type.”

“I am.” She smiled sweetly. “I promise you that.”

“You’re also my type.” He grinned. I knew that grin well, and I also knew that meant we were in trouble. He should have been using that grin on Allie, not Vera.

“I don’t think you could handle me.”

What the hell was she playing at?

Levi smiled. “I’d have to disagree.”

“Vera and I are going to get going.” I took her hand. “I’ll see you guys later.”

“Vera? She’s one of the girls you were with last night?”

“One of the girls?” Vera put a hand on her hip. “Who else were you with?”

“An Allie or something. Maybe a Casey too.” Levi smirked.

“If he was with either of those girls, you wouldn’t be so calm.” Vera winked. “Nice meeting you.” She turned away.

“Wait.” Levi smiled brighter. “Don’t you want to know my name?”

“Why would I?”

Fuck. Vera was playing right into his hand. Levi loved the chase. It’s why he ran after Allie so hard in the beginning. Now he was going to be so focused on getting Vera he wouldn’t get Allie.

“You can’t have her.” I moved in front of her.

“And why’s that?”

“She’s mine.”

Owen laughed.

“Is there a reason that statement is funny?” I stared at Owen.

“You’ve never been with the same girl more than once.”

“I’m changing my tune.” I took Vera’s hand and towed her off. “Ok, what about following my lead?”

“Come on.” She let out a slow and deep breath. “It was too easy.”

“You made things worse.”

“I didn’t do anything. You’re the one who somehow brought me here in the first place.”

“I wish I knew why we were back here anyway.”

“It’s got to be some sort of dream.” She pushed my arm. “Wake up.”

“It’s not a dream.”

“How do you know?”

“I usually can’t transform in my dreams, and I transformed.”

“So? Maybe the crystals gave you super dreams? You never know.”

“All I know is that if we are in the past we have to get Allie and Levi to meet. Otherwise everything is screwed.” So many things would change. I couldn’t even fathom it.

“This isn’t the past. It’s impossible.”

“Not with magic.” I admitted it out loud.

“But who would do it?”

“I don’t know. Maybe it was the crystals.” Maybe the crystals somehow awoke the magical ability in me.

“We have to wake up, or get back, or whatever the heck we need to do to get out of here.”

“Agreed, but we have to fix things first. Otherwise we might not be going back to the same place.”

“We’re not in the past.” Her face was stoic.

“You just agreed it might—” Was she really changing her tune so quickly?

“To placate you.”

“Then wake me up. If this is a dream, wake me up.”

“How?”

“I don’t know. There has to be a way.”

“Did you know anyone at whatever time you think this is that could help?”

“Georgina.” The name came to me instantly.

“Levi’s grandma?”

“Yes. She knows everything.”

“Then should we go see her?” Vera moved her arm, and the motion caused her tank top to ride up slightly. Despite the situation my eyes went to her bare skin.

I shook myself. “I need to make sure Levi meets Allie.”

“When do they see each other again… in real life?”

“Tonight. At the Cat’s Meow.”

“Give me a second.” She walked back to where Levi and Owen stood watching us.

I followed, hoping she wasn’t about to screw things up more.

“You’re back?” Levi smiled.

“I changed my mind. I’ll be at The Cat’s Meow tonight. You can prove it then.” She smiled and walked off.

Levi laughed. “That okay with you, Jared? Wouldn’t want to mess with what is yours.”

Bullshit. He’d take whatever he wanted. Levi had many good traits, but he always got what he desired.

“I was only kidding before. Enjoy.” I walked off in the opposite direction from Vera knowing I’d meet up with her outside.

She was waiting right around the corner. “Like my idea?”

“He’ll be there.”

“Most guys will follow their dick.”

“You are so crude.”

“It’s the truth, and you know it.” She crossed her arms.

“Well, stop thinking about that. We’ve got to find a car and head out to see Georgina.”

“Find a car? Don’t you have one?”

“I do.” I had a Mustang convertible I’d been missing.

“Well then, what are we waiting for?”

I
had absolutely
no clue what was happening. One minute I was kissing Jared in the backseat of the truck in Connecticut, and the next minute I was wandering around the Crescent City Hotel in New Orleans. It was completely unreal.

I wasn’t sure what Georgina was going to do to help, but we couldn’t just sit there. If I was sleeping too, it meant Slade and Gemma were probably freaking out, and we were no closer to the haven or securing the safety of everyone and everything we cared about.

I leaned back in the leather seat of Jared’s black Mustang convertible. “How far away is she?”

“An hour or so. It gives us time to talk this all out.”

“What is there to talk about? The crystals screwed with you. I’m not sure how.” I smiled about his choice of car. It fit him far too perfectly.

“I’m not the one who suggested we use them.”

“They came in handy. You were a beast.” A hot, all muscle beast.

“But now I’m stuck in the past.”

“Or your dreams.”

“Neither is particularly good.”

“At least we’re not stuck in my past.” Now that would be a nightmare.

“Was yours so bad?”

“Depends on when.” My childhood was fine, but then things turned much darker. “How far back do you think we are?”

“A little over a year ago.”

“I was with Murphy.” I cringed remembering my vivid dream. Did that have to do with Jared too? We’d been holding hands.

“That would be bad.” His hands tightened on the wheel.

“If this really is the past, then am I missing?”

“Hmm, I don’t know.”

“Murphy is probably screaming and—” I went cold.

“What is it?”

“Murphy said that if I left or didn’t do what he wanted, he’d take Casey.” And I couldn’t let that happen. I’d give up my life to protect her.

“What do you mean do what he wanted?” Jared took his eyes off the road to look at me.

“I’m not going into details. It doesn’t matter.” I looked away.

“Of course it matters.”

“The important thing is making sure this isn’t really the past, and if it is that we don’t let Murphy get Casey.”

“He eventually does get her…” Jared’s eyes darkened.

“But not now. That was later. He only had her in his possession a few days. Besides it wasn’t for sex, it was for power.”

“What?” Jared stiffened. “You think he wants her for sex?”

“At least that’s what his threats were.” I hoped he wouldn’t ask any more questions. I didn’t want to give answers.

“See, that’s why the ‘what’ matters.” He sighed. “This whole thing is screwed up.”

“Just get us out of here.” The wind blew my hair all around my face. “Fast.”

“I’m trying.”

“Was Levi really that much of a tool?”

“I don’t think I’d describe him as a tool. Into chasing women, yes.”

“But he stopped when he met Allie?”

“Completely. She’s his soulmate. It’s insane.”

“So if he doesn’t meet her, he’ll never grow up.”

“Pretty much. She changed him.” He focused on the road ahead.

“And that changed you.” I watched him carefully.

“Yes.” He turned onto Interstate 10.

“Why?”

“Because I realized there was more to life.”

“More to life than multiple girls in your bed?” I pursed my lips.

“You know why he said that.”

“Why did you bring us all up?”

“I was confused. I had no idea what was going on, and I woke up naked… I’d assumed that was your doing.”

“Wait, what?”

“Who else would have taken off my boxers?”

“You actually thought I’d stripped you naked and left you in your bed?” I raised an eyebrow. “You should know me better than that, Jared.”

“That you wouldn’t play a trick on me?”

“That I wouldn’t leave you naked… I’d have my fun.” I rested my hand on his leg.

He groaned. “You kill me.”

“I’m being honest.”

“How do you do this to me?”

“Do what?” I smiled coyly.

“If you moved your hand a few inches you’d know exactly what I meant.”

I laughed. “You get me worked up too. That’s what you get for talking about you being naked.”

“I wish this was a dream.”

“Why?”

“Because then it would be perfectly reasonable to pull over to the side of the road and have my way with you.”

“Have your way with me?”

“If it was my dream, you’d be all about it.”

“But it’s not your dream, since I’m stuck in it too.”

“So no roadside sex?”

“Nope. Sex has to wait until we do everything else.”

“But that would be one sure fire way to know if this was a dream.” Jared smiled.

“Sex would be?” I narrowed my eyes.

“Yes. Because if it was a dream I’d wake up before the good part.”

“You wake up during your sex dreams?”

“Unfortunately.”

“I don’t. I get the full deal.”

“Do you have those sorts of dreams often?”

“No.” I had the recurring nightmares instead.

“Have you had one about me?”

“What do you think?”

“Yes.”

“Why would I need to dream about you when I already have you?”

“I’ve still had some about you.” He smiled.

“Of the unsatisfying, ending too soon variety?”

“Exactly.”

“Have you given any thought to what you’re going to say when we get there?”

“Are you really jumping our conversation straight from sex to Georgina?”

“We need to talk about it. If this isn’t a dream, she might haul us off to a mental institution.” I was questioning my sanity, and I was the one living the experience.

“I’m not going to outright tell her I think we’re in the past. I’m going to make it more general.”

“And she’s going to help you?”

“Likely no, but we might as well try.”

“And what’s our plan B?” I rested my hands in my lap.

“Try really hard to get back to reality after fixing things with Levi and Allie.”

“What if we don’t get back to the city in time?”

“We will. I’ll fly us back if worse comes to worse.”

“Now that sounds good.” I grinned.

“You are a flying junkie.”

“Is that a bad thing?”

“Not as long as you only fly with me.” His eyes twinkled.

“I love how you manage to make flying sound dirty.” Jared was too sexy for his own good—and mine.

“You started it.”

“Let’s just get there.”

“I’m driving us.” He stepped on the gas, speeding us up as if to make a point.

“Wait. Why didn’t we just fly? You said it would be faster.”

“It’s light out, and I don’t want to attract attention.”

“With everything else going on that’s what you’re really worried about?” I raised an eyebrow.

“I’ll save my energy to fly us back.”

“Do you feel out of energy?” I asked.

“No, but I overdid it before.”

“Do you think that you really carried that exhaustion here with you into sleep?” I wasn’t sure of the answer, but he looked normal to me.

“I don’t know. I still don’t know what ‘here’ is.”

“Ok. I’ll stop with the questions.” I looked out the window.

“Your questions don’t bother me.”

“Are you glad I’m here?” Somehow that answer mattered.

“Yes. I probably shouldn’t be though.”

“Why not?” I crossed my arms.

“Because I should want you safe. This isn’t safe.”

“I’m not the kind of girl that needs to be kept safe.” I crossed my arms. “I’m a bear.”

“And I love that you’re incredibly strong, but I’m still protective.”

“I’m protective of you too.” Very. And territorial, but I kept that part to myself.

“Which is why you kissed me to wake me up?”

“Pterons aren’t supposed to sleep that much.” I’d been scared and desperate.

“No we’re not.”

I looked back out the window at the passing landscape. Louisiana had always seemed like such a foreign place, but on the interstate it didn’t look very different. I guess no place does when you’re on the paved roads. It’s not until you’re off in the wilderness that it becomes clear you’re truly somewhere different.

Jared took the next exit, and we turned onto a small highway. He opened the convertible top, and I enjoyed the sudden rush of the wind. It reminded me of flying, but it wasn’t quite as good.

“What if she flips out that you brought me?” I spoke loudly to be heard over the wind.

“Why would she care?”

“I’m a bear.”

“And she’s a human.”

“A human who’s part of the Pteron royal family.”

“She doesn’t have to know you’re a bear.”

“You want me to pretend to be a human?” I touched my throat.

“You thought you were human for most of your life.”

“Technically yes, although I always knew I was different.”

He glanced over. “Did you? Did you think you were something more than a human?”

“I thought I was weird.” I’d never quite fit in, and one of the best parts of finding out I was a bear was I finally understood why.

“There’s nothing weird about you.”

“Of course there is. We’re all weird in our own ways.”

He rested his hand on my bare leg. I enjoyed the rush of warmth that came from the contact. “I’m not. I’m messed up, but I’m not weird.”

“You have an aversion to that description?”

“Yes. Not for others, but for me. And you.”

“You put us in the same category?”

“We are more alike than I originally thought.”

“That’s saying something.”

“You’ve changed my views on quite a few things.”

“Do you think you’d be as complimentary if we’d met at the time we’re in now?” I wasn’t going to bother adding if we were really back in time.

“Nope. I would have hated myself for being attracted to you.”

“You’re more than attracted to me.”

“Don’t I know it.”

“Were you that close minded?”

“Maybe you could have changed my mind, like you’ve done now. I don’t know.” He looked straight out at the road. “I don’t like being back. I don’t like who I was.”

“Do you like who you are now? I mean in real time?”

“You mean part warlock?”

“I mean
you
.”

“I like myself better, although I’m still screwed up and part of the worst family imaginable.”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself.”

“Do you think I was pulled back here as punishment?” He adjusted his hand on the wheel.

“Pulled back by whom? Or what?”

I shrugged. “I have no clue.”

“Those damn crystals…”

“Those crystals got us off the island.”

“True. Very true.”

He turned off onto a small side road. “We’re almost there.”

“I guess it’s too late to try to change clothes.”

“You look—” He stopped. I had a feeling he was about to say fine. “She’ll deal.”

I laughed. “Nice.”

“You’re showing up with me, which means you are already on her bad list. Nothing you can do would change that.”

“Why doesn’t she like you?” I turned in my seat to look at him.

“It’s more like she tolerates me. No one is good enough to be Levi’s friend.”

“Not Owen either?”

“He’s worse. Or was. In her eyes I mean. At least I was the son of someone powerful.”

“Is she really that concerned with what family Levi’s friends were from?”

“She was. Or at least she seemed to be. Now I assume she wouldn’t care.”

“This whole now thing is confusing.”

“I concur. Let’s start saying reality.”

“Deal.” I pulled down the visor mirror and looked at my reflection. My hair wasn’t too bad, but I looked like I was in desperate need of sleep, probably because I was in need of sleep back then. Being with Murphy hadn’t been good for my health or appearance.

I tried to relax as Jared pulled into the long drive lined in live oaks with dangling moss that led up to the matriarch’s house. The house appeared large and reminiscent of a plantation home from centuries past.

The whole situation was insane. I’d kissed Jared and ended up somewhere different, and now I was supposed to talk to the grandmother of the king? But then again she was also Casey’s grandmother, which counted for something even if she may not have had any clue who Casey was yet.

Jared parked the car, and we walked toward the front door together. Before he could knock the door was pulled open by a tall, broad man that I assumed was a Pteron. “What do you want?”

“We’re here to see Georgina.”

“Why?” The man narrowed his eyes.

“We need to speak with her.”

“Then make an appointment.”

“Do you know who I am?” Jared puffed out his chest.

“Yes, but that means nothing.”

Jared tensed. He was probably used to using his title to get whatever he wanted. “Tell Georgina I’m here. She’ll see me.”

“She won’t.”

“Who won’t I see?” Georgina came to the door. She was dressed down considerably from when I saw her at The Society chambers, but she was still wearing slacks and heels. Evidently she didn’t dress too casually at home. Maybe once you’re a queen it’s hard to wear sweatpants.

“Oh Jason, it’s you.”

“It’s Jared.”

“Same difference, and who is this?” She looked at me with disdain.

“Vera. She’s a friend of mine.” He touched my arm.

I wondered why he continued to use my real name. Maybe it was more natural that way.

“Is there a reason you’re here? Is Levi all right?” Worry crossed her face, and for a moment her look of contempt disappeared.

“Levi is fine. At least he will be.” Jared stepped toward the doorway.

“What is that cryptic response supposed to mean?” She jutted out her chin.

“It means we really need to speak with you.”

“You show up here unannounced and expect an audience with me?”

“What I have to say relates to Levi and his mate.” Jared’s expression was stoic.

“What?” She blanched.

“Please, we won’t take up too much of your time.” It was hard to keep my mouth shut even if it was advisable.

“You better have a real reason to be here.” She gestured for the servant or whoever he was to back out of the way. “We can talk in the sitting room.”

Georgina led the way to a large living room. Once we walked in she shut the doors behind her.