Capturing Today (TimeShifters Book 2) Read Online Free PDF Page B

shift.”
    “You can do that?”
    “I can. And what’s more, I’ll send you to the one person you most wish to see.”
    My mom? So he’s trying that angle again. I fight an eye roll.  “Weren’t you listening? I’m not going to Mónatos.”
    “ Tsk. Tsk .” He smirks. “Now who’s the one not being honest? We both know your mother is not the person your heart desires right now.”
    I don’t give hope a voice. Instead, I narrow my eyes. “Why would you be willing to do that?”
    He shrugs. “I delight in giving people what they want. That, and I sincerely do aspire to gain your trust. I’m willing to do whatever it takes. Give you whatever you want.”
    “Even if I won’t go with you to Mónatos? I’ll never have anything to do with your freaky Shades.” I wait for any trace of anger to mar his features but get nothing.
    “No strings, Gabby. No strings.” His voice is warm, gentle. “But keep in mind, never is quite a long time.” He eases closer to me by a step. “What you don’t understand is that it’s already in your blood. You will want the life I’m offering. You just don’t realize it yet.”
    “I won’t.”
    “Even still, I’m happy to shift you. Come here.” He holds out his hand, palm up, inviting me to place mine inside.
    I hesitate.
    He lets out a loud breath. “I am not going to hurt you. Believe me, that’s the last thing I want. However, I do need to touch your bracelet in order to shift you. Which will require this one, tiny act of faith in me, please.”
    Nicholas obviously isn’t going to shift me—that’s been made abundantly clear in the past eight months. The offer from Erik—while admittedly not a great one—is my only hope. Sure, he may be sending me to a cage in Mónatos, but even then, at least that’ll place me back in the shifting world which would give me a chance to join my friends at some point and get more answers. Or rescue my mother. Between my helpless father and my failed Pairing, there is nothing to stay for at home.
    I place my arm in Erik’s outstretched hand.
    His fingers close around my wrist. He gives my arm a tiny tug, making me lock eyes with him. “Should you ever need me, for any reason whatsoever, all you have to do is call to me. Use my name. Because of your blood, you have that power.”
    I spear him with my best glare. “I wouldn’t hold up dinner waiting for me to do that if I were you.”
    “Just promise me you’ll tuck that knowledge away for the day when you want answers—real answers.” His fingers trace over the scar that runs under my shifting bracelet.
    I fight against the shiver racing down my spine. “Sure.”
    “Promise me.” He gives me a hard look that says he’s not going to do anything until I actually say the words.
    “I promise.”
    “Then I’ll see you in another time.” With a wink, he removes his hand, and instantly my bracelet starts to heat up.
    I take a wide stance, preparing for when the sensation of being tugged off my feet happens. I can’t even make myself hate the tight feeling that stifles my lungs and cramps my body like I usually do. No, if I could find the breath to laugh right now, I would.
    Erik disappears as I surge forward into the darkness.

 

    A high-pitched screeching causes me to wince as I land on hard ground. The jolt turns my knees to jelly for a second, but I keep my feet. Wouldn’t gain me a ten-point score card in the Olympics, but I’ll take it over the graceless face planting that usually occurs.
    The screeching ends with a loud blast, and the ground rumbles. In the distance, voices turn to screams. Nothing hit close by, but there are explosions happening far too close for my comfort.
    No. No. No . Where am I?
    Blinking rapidly, I will my eyes to focus. My brain’s a lot foggier than the other times I shifted. Probably because I’m rusty at this.
    Every inch of the earth around me has been torn open. It looks like some cosmic butcher hacked open the ground with a