She gestures toward the haunting image still floating in the air. “We DIE!” she shrieks.
I hold her gaze firmly. “We will stay far away from that island. Hell, we won’t even time-travel to that year, I promise. And the witch? We’ll deal with her when the time is right. Once she’s dead, that future, that destiny, it’ll die too. Our story isn’t written in stone, Emma. Neither is the future. We write it every day with every choice we make.” I sure hope what I’m saying is right, because eighteen years doesn’t feel like enough. There’s so much more I want to see; there are so many more people I want to help.
Emma’s tears slowly subside as I hug her. A fragile hope flickers in her eyes when she looks up at me. Emma leans in, and our lips brush together frantically. Her hand runs down my back, tracing every curve and scar, sending shivers down my spine. “I wanna believe you,” she whispers. “I wanna love you.”
I feel her steamy breath in my mouth, her tongue sliding against mine. Her body is so warm and soft against me that I’m damn near scared I’ll break her. My touches are gentle as my fingertips stroke the tiny hairs on the base of her neck. Soon, we lie sweaty and tangled in the comfort of each other’s arms.
Damn, I need this. Emma got me feeling alive, and I need that because I’m scared as hell that I could end up like that boy in the cane field. Scared I can’t protect Emma, my family, or anybody. But her touch—thatheals me.
I feel the heat of her kisses as she rolls on top of me. Our beautiful brown skin twisting together on the sapphire sheets until we feel like one. Until we both need love like oxygen. We need to breathe each other in and cling to any distraction from our fears as we cling to each other. We trade kisses and promises that our love will be unending, even when our lives may be ending.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONEMalcolm DavenportMANHATTAN, 2104
When we are done, Emma’s in my arms, her breath warm on my skin, heart racing against my chest. And I’m in shock. The best kind of shock. I never thought that she… that we… but damn. It was nice. I slide her damp curls aside and press my lips on her temple. Every kiss is my promise, my rebellion. Life’s normal chaos rages outside our hotel room, but cocooned in these sheets there’s nothing but joy. No Tethers. No dead bodies. No bloodlust… at the moment. But I’m always scared because I never know when it will flare up. But for now, there’s nothing but comfort and our hearts beating together.
“Damn, I love you.” I kiss her nose gently.
“Malcolm,” she whispers, cuddling closer, her voice steamy and soft in my ear. “I love you too.” Her arms lace around my body. “We have to break this curse. So we can be together like this forever.”
Neon city lights dance through the window. Time freezes as Emma rests her head on my chest. She’s sweaty, and cradling her has given me a cramp in my arm. But I ain’t gonna ever stop. I love hiding from tomorrow with Emma.
The door bursts open, scaring the hell out of Emma and me. Emma jerks up, her curls a messy fountain as she covers herself with the sheet. Jayla storms in.
“Oh, shit!” I shout, covering my body with a pillow.
Jayla’s foot slips on a condom wrapper, causing her legs to fly out from under her. She lands hard on her backside. Her fists are balled, her cat-eye glasses are crooked, and her doll-like features are twisted with humiliation. “What the actual hell?!” she shouts, closing her eyes so she won’t have to see us or the clothes scattered on the floor. “You screwed the enemy!” Jayla’s afro puffs quiver above a face that shakes with anger.
Emma and I scramble to put on our clothes.
Jayla’s eyes remain closed. “Rockhead!” she shouts. “Are you dumb?”
“It’s not—I—it’s not what you think,” I sputter, rushing to zip up my dark jeans.
Jayla scowls. “Really?” She roars like a mother lion protecting her cub. “Because it looks like you violated Alex’s favorite spot—with the enemy. She’s toying with your body and your mind so she can kill you in the Tether!”
“I’m not using him!” Emma fires back. She struggles with the buttons on a metallic-pink asymmetrical dress. My sister stands up and looks at us full on when she realizes the parts she doesn’t want to see are covered now.
I move protectively in front of Emma, while pulling on a black T-shirt. “Fall back, Jayla,” I order. My heart thumps anxiety as I stand between them. “She’s my girl.”
“Your what?” Jayla gasps.
Okay, me and Emma never really discussed being a couple, but I guess after what we did it’s okay to assume we are. I think… I hope…
Jayla rolls her eyes. “I should’ve known you were with her. Bro, you been stupid since creation.” Jayla glares at Emma, adding, “A groupie calls, you fall from temptation.”
“Emma’s no groupie. I love her. Stop quoting song lyrics and talk, sis.”
“That’s not an exact quote, traitor!” Jayla shifts in front of the window, and light reflects off her glasses as she blinks. She looks fierce in a black catsuit with glowing blue buttons, and her big, gold-and-black-lined eyes make her look regal—like a queen from a futuristic Egypt. Jayla crinklesher nose, pressing her lips into a line of irritation. “You betrayed us,” she seethes. “Her mother murdered Alex! Her family probably killed Dad! Andyou— Howcould you?” Something in her expression cracks but smooths over just as fast.
Emma looks stunned.
“J-Jayla,” I stammer. Guilt and shame blanket me. “I can explain.”
“Explain what? How I look away from you for a second and you run off and start thinking with your brainless head?”
“Don’t talk to him like that!” Emma pushes forward, messy curls bouncing around her beautiful face.
“Wait, Em,” I say. But it’s too late.
