Timeless (Pandora Book 1) Read Online Free PDF

century, but intergalactic communications hadn’t been one of them. In fact, it would still be another hundred and twenty years before they discovered they weren’t alone in the universe, and many years after that before they accepted it.
    Coming to a stop beneath a hanging wooden sign, Charlotte looked up at him and nodded. “This is me.”
    “You live in a bakery?”
    “It’s really more of a candy shop with fudge and pralines and assorted chocolates. Although, I have cupcakes on Thursdays and sticky buns on Saturday mornings, so I suppose I’m something of a baker as well.” Her brow furrowed, creating a cute dimple above the bridge of her nose. “I made caramel apples for the trick-or-treaters tonight. Did you know vampires like apples?”
    Vane blinked. He didn’t even know where to start trying to make sense of the question. He remembered only minor details about Halloween from his Earth Culture courses during cadet training.  Something about disguises and candy, though he didn’t quite understand how the two fit together.
    “Well,” Charlotte said when he continued to stare at her without speaking, “I should probably…” Trailing off, she tilted her head to the side and made a clicking noise with her tongue. “So, uh, thanks for the assist back there.”
    “Will you be okay?” Physically, she’d be safe. If Vane had to stand watch all night in the rain, he’d make sure of it.
    Though her smile wobbled, she nodded again and produced a single silver key from the side pocket of her bag. “Do you like cinnamon rolls?”
    “I’ve never tried one.” What he knew about Earth and its inhabitants mostly involved military alliances and economic trade. And the majority of that knowledge applied to thirtieth-century Earth.
    “Well, that’s a shame, and easily rectified.” Charlotte unlocked the door of her shop and pushed it open. “That is, if you’d like to join me?”
    Vane reasoned that maintaining a visual on the female would make it easier to protect her. She was, after all, just a job—or so he’d been reminding himself since they’d met.
    “I’d like that.”
    It worried him how easily she trusted. The girl had barely escaped a kidnapping, and yet, there she stood, inviting him inside her home for pastries. She didn’t even appear to be that upset about the ordeal, either. A hint of fear still rounded her shoulders and tightened her muscles, but Vane had expected full-blown hysteria by this point.
    “You won’t be uncomfortable?”
    “You mean because of what happened with Don, and the fact that I don’t know you?”
    Is she serious? She sounded serious. “For starters, yes.”
    Charlotte shrugged. “I figure if you wanted to kill or kidnap me, you wouldn’t have gone to such lengths to save the day and walk me home.”
    True in this case, but still, incredibly naïve. “We should get inside.” Vane ushered her across the threshold and locked the door behind them. “It’s just a precaution,” he explained so as not to frighten her.
    Again, Charlotte shrugged. “I’m not scared of you, Vane.”
    You should be . He’d never hurt her, not purposely, but just knowing him came with dangers of its own. The Morphling would return, and he wouldn’t be forgiving of Vane’s intrusion.
    “Charlotte—”
    “Charli,” she interrupted. “Everyone calls me Charli.”
    “Why?”
    “It’s a nickname.”
    Vane shook his head. “I like Charlotte.”
    Even in the harsh, fluorescent lighting, her fair, flawless complexion glowed. Her dark, wet hair hung straight down the slope of her back, and water dripped from the ends and splashed against the floor. Standing so close to her now, Vane winced at how small she appeared next to him. The top of her head brushed just under his chin, and her tiny frame had been swallowed by his jacket.
    Humans—so fragile and finite. He’d stand guard over the girl, and keep her safe from the Morphling. In the end, though, it wouldn’t matter. In a