Tumbling in Time Read online

  “Patience, children, I am more than willing to get you a room. First, though, I need to have some fun at Arikk’s expense.”

  The mug of hot tea warmed Tasha’s palms. She watched as Rafe handed Arikk a generous serving of whiskey. The angel looked like he was up to something as he settled on the couch across from them.

  “So, Tasha, has Arikk told you about his connection to the weather yet?” Rafe asked, his eyes gleaming with mischief and focused like spotlights on Tasha.

  She answered with a resounding “No!” Softening her tone, she continued, “No, he’s managed to avoid the topic every time I broach it. He’s a bit of an enigma in that sense.” Tasha smiled.

  Before Rafe could respond Arikk growled, “You really don’t want to go there, angel. This is my story to tell.”

  “Please, then, do tell.” Rafe snickered. “Tasha needs to know. It’s time.” Tasha’s eyebrows rose at Rafe’s cryptic remark.

  Arikk shot daggers from his eyes towards Rafe; the angel squirmed just a bit. Tasha was grateful those daggers weren’t flying in her direction.

  “Since the cat stole your tongue, I’ll continue.” Rafe’s confidence returned as he shook off Arikk’s threatening glare. “Arikk is the product of a brief fling between Mother Nature and Father Time.”

  Tasha’s jaw dropped. Filled with surprise and just a little bit of awe, she focused on Arikk, hoping for confirmation of what Rafe just said. That story was way too good to be merely fiction – nobody could just make that up!

  “Close your mouth, Sunshine. Didn’t your mother teach you it’s not polite to stare?” Arikk raised his arm towards Tasha’s chin to assist her lifting her jaw off the floor. Before his hand could make contact, she swatted it away in a move that would have made most martial artists proud.

  After taking a deep breath, she turned her attention back to Rafe. “Please, continue.”

  “If you think about everything, it makes perfect sense. Arikk manipulates time and travels through it without nasty side effects thanks to his father. He can use the weather thanks to his connection to nature, passed to him by his mother.”

  A grimace spread across Arikk’s full lips as he picked at a tear in his jeans. “Well, don’t stop now. You’ve gone this far – you might as well finish it.”

  “Not much left to tell, really.” Rafe leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “Arikk spent his childhood roaming the Heavens and the Earth. To keep him out of trouble, his dad provided him with stacks and stacks of books, many of which were grimoires. His father even managed to lock him in the library every now and again!”

  A small chuckle escaped Arikk. “Yeah, it seems dear old dad had an inkling that I got the magic gene. He cultivated it rather nicely giving me those spell books to study.” Arikk laced his warm fingers with Tasha’s and gave a gentle squeeze. “For that I’m thankful. It’s saved my life more than once.” He reached out and took Tasha’s hand before continuing. “Now, Sunshine, before you choke on all those questions you’ve surely got, start spilling.”

  Her brain spun, trying with great difficulty to digest these new revelations. Tasha murmured, “Where to begin, where to begin . . .” She paused a moment to try and formulate a reasonably intelligent question. With a voice filled with amazement she asked, “So, Mother Nature and Father Time are real—”

  Despite being underground, the tremor rocked the trio. The sound of the explosion was deafening. Tasha bounced off the couch as though she was just a rag doll. She had never experienced an earthquake before, but if she had to guess, this one was a ten on the Richter scale. Smoke wafted into the room, burning the inside of her nose. This smells like the chemistry lab. That can’t be a good thing. Her eyes watered as she inhaled a breath of the unknown substance.

  The tears in her eyes couldn’t prevent her from looking towards the guys. She watched as the two men smoothly extracted their weapons and held them at the ready. Their gazes focused on the door, which was now splintered, hanging by a cracked hinge.

  “It’s got to be the Sogorhom demons.” Arikk’s body tensed. “I thought you said this place was impenetrable.”

  “It was supposed to be. They must be stronger than we anticipated.” Rafe glided across the floor without making a sound. He waved away the lingering smoke and peered out into the hallway. Angels and warriors scrambled to mount a defense and hold back the invaders.

  “The hallway is demon-free. We need to get back upstairs where we have more room to fight. Down here, we’ll just be trapped. Fish in a barrel, so to speak.” Rafe motioned with his hand that Arikk and Tasha should follow.

  “Hang on a sec, Rafe. Sunshine, the Sogorhoms are powerful and have a fire and chemical fetish. They are known for their brutal, widespread attacks. Anything they launch at us will be very painful and destructive.” Arikk grasped Tasha in a bear hug. Despite her earlier frustration with Arikk, she was happy for the reassurance as he wrapped her up in the shield of his body.

  “What can I do to help? I need a weapon.” Tasha’s voice was muffled by Arikk’s chest. Despite her damp, shaking hands and fast-beating heart, she would swallow her fear to do whatever she could to help the fallen angel and his warriors.

  The dagger Rafe pulled from his boot was stunning. The blade looked to be four inches long and was a matte gunmetal color. The handle appeared to be inlaid with ivory. It was in pristine condition as though it had never seen battle before. “None of Arikk’s weapons will help you. These demons were sent by Beelzebub. Only angel produced and enchanted weapons will harm them.”

  She stepped from Arikk’s embrace to accept the knife, nervous about what lay ahead.

  “With any luck you won’t have to use it, but even angels believe in the saying better safe than sorry.”

  The trio, armed as well as they could be, headed up the stairs with Rafe in the lead. Tasha kept alert, the knife held tightly in her right hand. Her left hand grasped Arikk’s belt. There is no way I am going to lose him in this mess, she thought.

  They no sooner cleared the stairs than a swift and furious attack came. Tasha had never seen red-skinned demons with multiple arms before this. Watching the warrior angels battle them was like watching a violent two-step of good versus evil. The horned demons wore some kind of thin black suit that provided a measure of protection. The angels worked twice as hard to pierce their skin. It was definitely costing them time and manpower. The demons reeked of sulfur and gunpowder. They were no match for the warriors in size, but they were quick and flexible.

  A hand grabbed Tasha’s upper arm and shoved her behind a wood column. “What the—”

  “You need to stay down and remain focused.” Arikk’s voice strained, laced with concern. “See that angel with silver and black stole?” Arikk pointed to the far side of the room where a lone angel stood erect behind two other warrior angels.

  “Yes.” Tasha kept it short. She didn’t want Arikk to hear the fear in her voice.

  “He is imbued with magic. I need to add my power to help in the battle. Whatever you do, stay down.” Arikk paused. “Be safe, Sunshine. I’m sorry you got dragged into this.”

  Tasha moved behind a nearby desk. Using all her strength, she slid it a couple of inches to her right. This created what she hoped was a nice, safe cubby hole. With any luck she could blend into the surroundings and remain unnoticed by the demons.

  Even though Tasha couldn’t see the battle, which raged around her, she had no problem hearing, smelling, or tasting it. Swords clashed while fireballs hissed and soared. Fire roared on the far side of the room. She could just imagine it stealing the oxygen in the room and growing larger, climbing the walls and scorching anything in its path. Wisps of magic, resembling shimmery dust moats, floated in the air. She associated the smell of sulfur and death with the Sogorhoms; it left a bitter taste in her mouth. The magic of the angels was not as pote
nt; it smelled light and crisp like bed linens hung outside to dry on a warm spring day. Tasha prayed the angels would gain the upper hand, that Arikk and Rafe would escape unscathed.

  A pained yelp cut through the sounds of battle. Tasha couldn’t bear not knowing if Arikk had been hurt. She’d never heard such a sound and hoped it hadn’t escaped Arikk’s lips, but she was sure he was in the thick of things. Anything was possible.

  As quiet as she could, Tasha scooted around the edge of the desk, staying on her knees to maintain a low profile. Between the smoke and the magic, it was hard to discern who was winning. She gripped the knife in her sweaty palm. She crept a couple of feet closer to the battle. Arikk fought back-to-back with the angel sorcerer. Their swords sliced appendages off the demons, but they weren’t successful in killing many of them.

  There had to be something she could do to help. If she could just get close enough without being spotted, she could use her dagger on the weakened, wounded demons. The smoke was thicker the closer she got to Arikk. She pulled her shirt up over her nose and mouth and took precious seconds to wipe tears from her eyes.

  Slinking along the wall next to the stairwell, she made careful progress. She wished Arikk could cast his cloaking spell to keep her hidden while she worked. How perfect would that be, she wished.

  “Tasha, no!” Rafe seethed as he approached her. “It’s too dangerous.”

  “I can help you guys win.” Tasha pleaded with Rafe. Her eyes traveled between Rafe and Arikk. She couldn’t let the angel distract her from keeping her wizard safe. Yes, admit it, she scolded herself. He is your wizard, he just may not be convinced of it yet.

  “Please, get behind me. Arikk will kill me if he finds you exposed like this.” Rafe moved in front of her, shielding her from one of the cloven-hooved monsters who wielded a bubbling concoction in a crystal sphere.

  Tasha looked to Arikk who was pinned to the ground by a demon bleeding black tar. “Noooo!” she screamed and darted out from behind Rafe.

  With a surge of adrenaline, she launched herself at the demon’s back. Wrapping her arms around its neck, she plunged the dagger into the gap between its throat and the suit. Tasha knew she hit her mark when she heard the eerie shriek leave its mouth. Goose bumps covered her skin, but they only gave her courage as she twisted the dagger in clear to the hilt. The demon took one last breath before slumping to the floor in death.

  “Good work, Sunshine!” Arikk pulled her to her feet and wrapped his left arm around her shoulders. “Come on, hurry! We’ve got to get you to safety.”

  A deep, menacing voice had them pausing. “Not so fast, wizard.” He sniffed. “What’s this – a human?”

  Arikk turned to face the demon head-on while shoving Tasha behind him. “Nothing you need to worry about, devil. In fact, you won’t remember her after I cut off your head.”

  Sulphured breath licked over the pair’s skin as the demon gripped its stomach in laughter. “No, wizard, on the contrary you and your companion will not soon forget me. I will be sure to make your death a symphony of screams.”

  Tasha was glad Arikk didn’t wait for an invitation to spring into action. His sword sliced and stabbed at the evil monster in front of him. This demon was older and more experienced than Arikk in fighting tactics and techniques. He easily parried Arikk’s strikes; his lithe movements drew Arikk away from Tasha.

  Before Arikk realized he was no longer in contact with Tasha, all three of the demon’s claws, dripping acid, shredded the arm of her shirt and the skin beneath.

  Tasha bit her lip, stifling the wail desperate to escape, and fell to the floor, overwhelmed by the pain. She wasn’t going to go without a fight. Before the demon could move to attack Arikk, she thrust her dagger into its calf and then sliced open the back of its knee. She wasn’t able to kill it, but her strike served to disable it.

  “You will die.” The demon stared at Tasha as he crumbled to the floor. He launched a fireball from the palm of his hand directly at her heart.

  Arikk’s fist struck the demon’s arm at the last minute, altering the course of the fireball just enough so that it struck the floor above Tasha’s shoulder. It still managed to sear her neck and the side of her face.

  Arikk pounded his own dagger into the base of the demon’s skull, killing it instantly. He skidded across the floor. His hands fluttered around Tasha’s body.

  “Arikk, I’m sorry,” she paused, her eyes locked on his. “I thought I was strong enough to help.”

  “You did, Sunshine. I’ll get you out of here. You’ll be all better in no time.” Arikk squeezed her hand.

  “Please . . . promise me that you’ll take care of yourself. . . ” her voice faded off as she blackness enveloped her.

  ****

  “Rafe, get your butt over here!” Arikk shouted in the direction of where he had last seen the angel.

  Arikk guarded Tasha as he watched Rafe scramble over the bodies littering the floor. “Can you cast a portal and get her back to Topeka, Kansas, May 5, 2011? I don’t have the strength left to do it.”

  “Shit, this is not good.” Rafe held his hand over her heart. “She is close to death. Her heart struggles to beat.”

  “Damn it, I can’t lose her now.” Arikk knew how serious things were; he had never heard Rafe curse before. He might be commitment-phobic, but no way did he want to lose her.

  Closing his eyes, Rafe prayed for several long moments in a hoarse whisper. He slipped a ring out of his pocket and placed it on Tasha’s pinky finger.

  “What are you doing? What’s that?” Arikk was frantic. Why wasn’t the angel taking Tasha back to her time? What was he doing with the ring?

  “I’m calling on angels more powerful than myself to impart some of my life force to her so that she will survive the journey back to her home.” Rafe gently held Tasha’s hands in his own. He bowed his head and continued his prayer.

  Arikk marveled at the glow that left Rafe and traveled into Tasha’s body. He watched her chest rise as she took a deep breath. Thank the heavens that worked. I owe Rafe my life for saving my Sunshine.

  Letting out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding, Arikk closed his eyes and whispered his own prayer. When he looked down at Tasha, he noticed the ring Rafe placed on her finger glowed red. He reached to touch it, but Rafe grabbed his hand before he made contact.

  “That’s for her. You can’t touch it until she’s healed.” Rafe said.

  “What the heck? Where did you get it?” Arikk didn’t like not knowing what was happening, especially when it involved Tasha. He looked around the room as he awaited Rafe’s answer. He was happy to see that the few demons remaining flashed back to their own dimension. Somehow the angels had pulled off a victory.

  Fingers snapped in front of his face. “Arikk, are you listening to me?”

  “Ah, sorry, what was that?” The wizard was distracted and worried.

  “I’m going to take Tasha back to finish healing. Your Sunshine will be fine.” Rafe’s voice was weary and his movements were sluggish.

  “Don’t worry, Sunshine, we will meet again soon.” Arikk leaned over and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. “Take care of her for me, Rafe.”

  The angel nodded. Without jostling her, Rafe picked her up and cradled her in his arms, her head resting on his shoulder. A Latin chant soon left Rafe’s lips. Before long, the pair was shimmering, their forms dissipating into a mist.

  “Damn it! Wait a second – what about the ring?” Arikk was dying to know, and he wasn’t sure when his path would cross with Rafe’s next.

  “Ask your mother.”

  ****

  The smell of antiseptic and an annoying beeping sound pulled Tasha back to reality. Her eyes fluttered open. She expected to see Arikk and Rafe hovering over her. Instead a nurse in pale blue scrubs stood beside her bed. Th
e nurse’s cool hand was wrapped around her wrist, checking her pulse.

  “That must have been some dream. You were twitching and jerking all over the place.” The nurse recorded the result in her chart and mused, “You heart rate is up. Maybe you were doing some running or something a bit more fun?” The nurse shot her a mischievous glance.

  Tasha’s mouth was bone-dry, but she managed a weak, “Maybe. Where am I now?”

  “Topeka, at University General. You were brought in by ambulance. From what some witnesses report, you went running right into the storm. We may need to get your head examined while you’re here.” The nurse’s eyes shone with disapproval as she explained, “The twister plowed its way through town earlier this evening. It missed the populated areas and cut a swath through some poor farmer’s field. You’ve got a nasty cut to your arm and some burns on your face and neck. Nothing that will delay your discharge.”

  A loud warning siren sounded from outside the hospital, stealing the nurse’s attention from her patient. “Guess we aren’t going to catch a break tonight,” she lamented.

  Tasha looked longingly toward the window, a smile gracing her face. Her eyes glowed with anticipation. As she drifted off to sleep, her final thought was how can I hijack a ride on this twister to get back to Arikk?

  A gentle female voice filled Tasha’s head. I’ve been waiting a long time for this, my child.

  “Who are you?” This was the first conversation Tasha had experienced solely in her head. Different.

  I think you already know.

  Tasha looked into the woman’s eyes. Deep pools of oceans stared back at her, while the woman’s blonde tresses tossed about in the wind like the long branches of a willow tree. Her face held a look of secret promise and deep knowing as her ruby lips parted in a smile that felt like the gentle caress of a lazy summer day. The woman was unlike anyone Tasha had ever seen and yet, she seemed so familiar, the cut of her nose, the twinkle in her eye. Tasha had seen them before in her beloved wizard.