Trapped in Time Read online

  And how had she lost it all in a second because of the other mother’s greed and social climbing. How—

  Her thoughts cut off abruptly when she saw a soft shimmer in the air beside the tree. It was barely there—indeed, if her head had been tilted a different way, it would not have been visible. But she was looking in just the right direction at just the right time and she saw what was happening.

  The window! she thought, excitement replacing her despair. It’s the window generated by PORTAL! If I can get over there—if I can get through it—maybe I can wait until I’m over the drug and then come back and tell Richard everything that’s going on! Maybe I can make things right!

  But though the window back to her own universe was only a few feet away, it might as well have been up on the moon for all that she could reach it. She was still unable to speak or move without the express orders of the other mother. And who knew how long the window would be open? If she didn’t get there soon, it would be too late!

  Oh please, she prayed, although she didn’t exactly know who she was praying to. Please, let me get to that window somehow! Please let everything work out so Richard and I can be together and I don’t end up with that horrible Lord Harkens!

  Suddenly she heard a voice—but one that seemed to come from inside her head rather than outside it.

  Peace, child, it said. It was warm and feminine and powerful and Caroline felt strength flow into her as it spoke. Do not despair, it continued. It may not seem possible but I promise, all will be well.

  Then it was gone but at that moment the sun, which had been hidden behind the clouds during the entire annulment ceremony, suddenly came out and began to beam down brilliantly.

  “Oh my!” The other mother snapped open her fan and began to fan herself vigorously. “This heat, all of a sudden!” she exclaimed, looking at the judge. “Pray, your honor, let us go into the shade under the branches of that tree. It is so warm out here.”

  “Agreed, dear Lady.” The judge nodded and, as Richard ascended the platform, the other mother took Caroline by the arm and all of them moved towards the left side of the stage—right towards the shimmering window.

  * * * * *

  “Get ready,” Sylvan said, staring hard at PORTAL’s large brass frame, where the alternate universe was projected. “She’s almost in range. The minute she gets close enough, I’m going to try and bring her through. You three must be ready to catch her.”

  “We’re ready!” Liv and Sophie and Kat stood in position around the frame, waiting for their friend.

  They no longer feared getting sucked in themselves because Sylvan was certain he had found a way to focus only on Caroline. They were going to attempt to pull her back into her own world before the evil mother and horrible Lord Harkens could force her to leave Richard and trap her in a marriage she didn’t want to be in. Then, when things had died down, they were hopeful that they could return her to the other universe to live with Richard, if she wanted to go.

  That was the plan anyway—Liv just hoped it went off without a hitch.

  “Here they come,” she muttered. “Look, Richard’s joining them too. And Caroline’s so close!”

  They watched the window where the pompous-looking judge with the huge powdered wig perched on his head was handing Richard a long, scrolling document and a quill pen to sign it with.

  The Blood Kindred took both from his hands, looking numb. But just as he was about to sign his name, he looked up at Caroline.

  “How could you?” he asked softly, his deep voice hoarse with anguish. “You told me just last night that you love me—you swore you’d never leave me. I don’t understand, Caroline.”

  Caroline simply stared back at him mutely, though Liv thought she could see pain and sorrow in her big brown eyes. But of course she couldn’t say a thing because the other Caroline’s mother had told her not to. Instead, the mother spoke up, a sneer on her face.

  “Tell him, Caroline,” she said, nudging poor Caroline with an elbow. “Tell Dr. Vii how you never loved him—how everything you said to him was an act and you never had any intention of staying with him.”

  Caroline’s mouth worked for a moment, as though she was fighting the drugged compulsion as best she could, but in the end, the chemicals in her bloodstream won out.

  “I never loved you, Doctor Vii,” she said in a dry, cold voice. “Everything I said to you was an act and I never had any intention of staying with you.”

  “Indeed she did not,” Lord Harkens blustered, mounting the stage to stand beside Richard. “For it is me she wants.”

  “What?” Richard dropped the quill and glared down at the shorter man. “What is the meaning of this, Harkens?”

  “After all the trouble you gave me following my first wife’s death, you should know,” the Viscount spat, glaring up at him. “Imagine, involving the constabulary and trying to have me investigated! I swore then that I would have my vengeance and so I shall. The moment you sign those papers of annulment, I will have Caroline for my own, to do with exactly as I please.”

  Richard’s face grew pale and his eyes narrowed to red slits.

  “You dare,” he growled thickly and lunged for the shorter man.

  But the Viscount dodged him with surprising agility and then Richard was stumbling forward towards a strange shimmering in the air.

  “What in the Seven Hells?” he asked hoarsely and then he was falling…falling out of his own, familiar universe and into a whole new world.

  Chapter Twenty-five

  “Oh no—we brought the wrong one through!” a female voice wailed and Richard found himself on his knees on a cold metal floor, surrounded by women who were staring at him askance.

  As though they’d ordered poultry from the market and the house maid brought home fish instead, he thought dazedly. And then he realized one probable reason they were staring—he was stark nude.

  But his lack of clothing wasn’t the most immediate cause for concern. Where was Caroline? And her mother and the judge, with his great white wig and the papers of annulment? And where was that bastard, Harkens? For that matter, where was the park and the trees and grass and clouds? And why was everyone dressed so strangely here?

  “Why are you all wearing trousers as though you were men?” he asked, looking up at the three women who formed a loose ring around him. “And where am I? And where are my clothes? Good God—I am entirely indecent!”

  Instead of answering his question, one of the women, with long dark hair and green eyes, turned to a male who was standing in front of a complicated looking instrument panel.

  “Oh dear, Sylvan—quick, put him back!”

  “I’m trying.” The male grimaced as he worked at the strange controls. Richard saw that he was a Kindred—a Blood Kindred, actually—if the fangs were anything to go by. “The window seems to have shut down and PORTAL won’t generate another at the moment,” he said.

  “Well, try harder,” another woman said flatly. She was curvy with auburn hair. “He’s starting to ask questions.”

  “It’s no good.” The Blood Kindred shook his head. “For some reason the window isn’t responding. The PORTAL is showing no inclination to take him back to his own world.”

  “Well, why did it bring him instead of Caroline in the first place?” the third female—this one with blonde hair and silvery-gray eyes—demanded. “Wasn’t she just as close, right before he stumbled into it? Why bring him instead of her?”

  Richard still didn’t know what they were talking about but he did recognize his wife’s name.

  “What’s that about Caroline?” he demanded, jumping to his feet and glowering at the people surrounding him threateningly. He didn’t care if he was naked, he would kill them all if they’d harmed her! “What have you done with her? Where is she? By the Goddess, if you’ve hurt her—”

  “She’s still back in your universe, Richard,” the dark-haired girl said gently, as though breaking bad news to him. “I’m sorry, but it seems like she