A slight noise, like the movement of a chair being pushed backwards, caught her attention and she whirled around. Tristan and Ashlee sat by the king-sized bed in front of them. The sheets were a deep mahogany, which meant that they'd landed in the room she always thought of as the Bordeaux room. Almost everything in it, with the exception of the beige carpet, was painted in that shade. It could be a little overwhelming.
"I don't think he's going to make it through the night, my love." Ashlee sounded more forlorn than Faith had ever heard her. "This is beyond my skills or powers."
"What about the Aunts? Did they know anything?" Tristan's voice sounded more like a hiss. Faith didn't have to guess who lay in the bed even though she couldn't see his face. It was clearly Theo and they were in the room he'd recovered in immediately after his attack.
"They didn't. I know nothing about the demons nor how to treat someone from an attack. Maybe Cullen will know."
"Maybe I will string Cullen up by his fingernails. That man keeps too many secrets. It might have been nice to know that these creatures existed somewhere in the universe before they took our son."
Ashlee closed her eyes for a moment and Theo grasped Faith's arm. "I don't want to witness this." His voice was a whisper as if they could be heard when Faith suspected that like the burning building those around them would not be aware of their presence here either.
"It's okay, sweetheart." She rubbed his arm with her hand. "We know you don't die."
"Theo is going to die because he saved Braden." Tristan stood up and stormed to the window. "I'm going to lose my brother tonight. Someone will pay for this." Tristan's voice was all wolf and if Faith had been actually present at the time she would have been scared to death. To her recollection, she'd never heard their Alpha sound like that.
Faith turned her attention to Theo, his face an unreadable mask. "Just in case you ever wanted to know how Tristan would feel if you died, here is your answer."
"It's been hard being away from them. We were all together...basically alone...for years and years until Ashlee came and fate started moving in our direction again."
Tristan moved from the window toward the door. "Cullen and Summer have arrived. I can see from their body language that something has changed." He sighed. "Do you think they've mated?"
Nodding, Ashlee looked at her hands. "I don't want to think about my sister mating. Go ahead and run the meeting. Find out what's happening. I'll stay here and try to help Theo as best I can."
Tristan nodded and stalked to the door. "Maybe Cullen will have a solution for saving him." He paused and turned around. "I love you."
Faith's heart pounded. She couldn't get over their ease together. Tristan always presented such a strong front. He was in charge, everyone respected him, and Ashlee stood by his side, most of the time silent and supportive. But in a situation like this one, even with Theo's death on the line, they seemed so complete with one another. Would she and Theo ever share that kind of easiness? Was it just time spent together or was there more to it?
On the bed, Theo started to spasm. Faith stared intently, wondering how this would end. She knew Theo was alive and well next to her thereby making it impossible for him to die where he lay. Yet, as she stood and watched, she felt her heart contract inside of her chest. Something was going terribly wrong. Whirling around she reached out to grab Theo's arm and found nothing but air instead. Theo had disappeared.
Ashlee stood over Theo's dying body, her eyes closed she chanted some magical words Faith did not understand. Rolling her eyes, Faith stormed forward. She never had time for magic and it certainly wasn't working now. The fact that Theo had vanished was a very bad sign. Was it possible to change history? Had they somehow done something so that this time he would die?
She didn't need to hear her wolf's voice--still missing--to know it was vitally important to her future that he live. She could already feel his connection to her very soul. Inside of her, an ache started to fill her chest cavity. Dear heavens, was it already too late?
Kneeling down next to the bed, she wished she could shove Ashlee away. Quickly, she placed her hands, palms down, on top of Theo's body, writhing on the bed. She closed her eyes. The white light that had consumed the room when she'd called him back from the demons appeared. This time she wasn't afraid. Her gifts had been made for Theo--she would not be afraid to use them.
Warmth filled her body and still she didn't open her eyes. Theo needed as much help as he could get. A hand gripped her arm and she jerked backwards.
Ashlee's eyes were huge. "Who are you and what are you doing?" Faith had no doubt that Ashlee would kill her in that moment if she wasn't careful. She was the mate to the Alpha of their pack. Until she determined Faith wasn't a threat she would treat her like one.
"You can see me?" Maybe it wasn't the most coherent answer to Ashlee's question but it made sense in Faith's brain. Quickly, she scanned the room. The Theo from her time period had not reappeared, which meant the Theo on the bed needed more help.
"You appeared out of nowhere after that white light started. Now answer my question, who are you and what are you doing to him?"
Faith cleared her throat. "My name is Faith Anderson. You don't know me yet but you will, a few months from now. I don't want to give you too many specifics because of the whole changing the future possibility but I'm a member of your pack and his," she motioned to Theo. "Mate. I'm trying to save his life if you'll let me get back to it."
"What are you doing here?"
"I'm not sure, exactly." This was getting increasingly frustrating with every second that passed. "Theo and I got sucked back into the past but no one can see us except now you and now he's vanished which makes me think that if you don't let me complete what I'm doing, he'll be dead." The thought made her stomach turn and she prayed she wouldn't be sick.
"How do I know you're telling the truth? There are a lot of strange things going on right now."
"In the not too distant future, you and I are friends. No one smells a lie more acutely than you. You once told me it makes your nose itch. Is it doing that now?"
"No." Ashlee narrowed her eyes. "All right, I'm going to believe you, Faith, please continue."
Faith closed her eyes again and tried to find her focus. Surprisingly it came fast. A surge or warmth escaped her body and flowed into Theo's. On the bed, she heard him take a deep breath. Opening her eyes, she saw Ashlee had tears in her eyes.
"You definitely just saved his life."
"Yes, Faith, you certainly did." Her Theo was back but Ashlee didn't react to his voice.
She motioned her heard toward Theo. "Can you see him?"
Ashlee spun around looking around the room. "There is someone else here?"
Faith nodded. "Yes but evidently he still can't be seen." Theo walked to her and wrapped his arms around her. The room started to fade and Faith sighed. Where were they being sent now?
With only seconds left, she stared at Ashlee whose eyes were huge as she watched Faith disappear. "Might not want to tell anyone about this. I have no idea how this works but there is the whole changing the future problem."
Chapter Seven
He hit the ground hard, shielding Faith's body in his own as he attempted to shield her from any damage their reappearance might cause. Looking around quickly, he immediately discovered they were back in Faith's bedroom. Jumping to his feet, he pulled Faith to hers.
"You just fucking saved my life."
Faith gaped at him for a second. "I don't think I've ever heard you swear before. In face, I'm not sure I've ever heard any of the wolves curse, come to think of it."