The Healer's Passion Read online

  No, she couldn’t do it, no matter how she might want to be with him. Saddened, Téa turned the ki on herself and attempted to heal her own heart chakra.

  CHAPTER SIX

  The next morning, Louis came by to make arrangements for the duel. Téa was relieved when she heard it wasn’t going to be to the death, but couldn’t relax completely, not trusting the Centaurian to play fair. As Rick went off to practice with his hauberk on, Téa made her own preparations. She had faith in him, she really did, but she borrowed bandages and healing ointments from Trotula to have handy…just in case. Thank goodness, Trotula had mentioned Gemma had left Hugh to go back to her parents. Maybe it was a good omen for the rest of the mission.

  Before they left, Téa gave him another Reiki treatment to reenergize him, and they made their way to the castle. Téa was so worried, it made her stomach churn, but she didn’t want to say anything to distract Rick. He seemed to be in the zone and she wanted to keep him there.

  Robert Guiscard met them at the hall and clapped Rick on the back. “Good man,” he said heartily. “I knew you’d show.”

  He raised an eyebrow at Lord Tancred as if to say, See? and it ticked Téa off. Had the Centaurian been dissing Rick, implying he was too cowardly to show up? Why, Rick was fifty times the man Kentar would ever be.

  “Take him down, Rick,” she muttered.

  He grinned. “Don’t worry, I will.” Bowing to the duke, he said, “My wife is also my physician, though I doubt I’ll be needing her services.” He said that with a definite cast in Kentar’s direction. So, he’d noticed the byplay, too. Good.

  “Excellent,” Guiscard said. “Please, Lady Theodora, join Gaita on the dais.”

  Téa bobbed a curtsy, but before she went off to join the princess, Rick caught her up for a kiss.

  “For luck,” he whispered. “And before I forget, there’s something very important I want to tell you after this is over.”

  He pushed her in the direction of the dais, and Téa went reluctantly, wondering what the heck he wanted to tell her. She joined Sichelgaita, who was sitting with her shield and amulet beside her, thank goodness. Téa planned to keep a close eye on them. It wasn’t too difficult—she could sense the amulet very clearly now.

  Sichelgaita welcomed her warmly, and they made small talk as the seconds conferred. Apparently coming to an agreement, the seconds dropped four white cloths around the room.

  “What’s that for?” Téa asked the princess.

  “The cloths form the boundaries of the field of honor. If either should step beyond, they will forfeit.”

  Yes, she could see now that they formed a rough square, one side just beneath the dais. And now that they’d set the boundaries, the duel was apparently about to start. Rick and Kentar joined Guiscard in the center, swords drawn. Their seconds stood outside the “field,” in opposite corners, swords sheathed, and the audience stayed several paces back beyond that. She wasn’t exactly sure what role the seconds would play here, but it appeared they didn’t plan to enter the fray. Good—she doubted the barbarous Hugh de Barbes could be trusted to play fair.

  Robert Guiscard raised his arms and everyone quieted. Téa’s stomach was roiling so badly she was afraid she was going to lose it, all over the warrior princess. Calling her ki, she used it to calm her fear, so she missed most of his speech. She had the vague idea that he spoke about honor and his wife’s prowess in battle, but didn’t really pay attention until he came to the rules.

  “The field of honor is bounded by these four cloths. Each knight shall fight with longsword and shield, wearing hauberk and helm, with nothing upon his feet or hands. The battle shall commence at my signal, and continue until one knight is incapacitated, leaves the field or yields. Are there any questions?”

  There weren’t, so Guiscard backed out of the square. Téa gulped, nervous for Rick, not to mention the success of their mission.

  Guiscard held up a handkerchief. “Gentlemen, when this cloth hits the ground, you may begin.”

  Her hands squeezed into fists, Téa watched Rick as the white cloth floated to the floor. He wasn’t looking at the signal, though, he was watching his opponent. The instant it hit the ground, Kentar let out a roar and charged Rick. Apparently, Rick was expecting it, because he sidestepped neatly and parried the thrust.

  Her heart in her throat, Téa watched as they exchanged a flurry of blows, metal clanging against metal or thudding against wooden shields. Though Kentar seemed bolder, bigger, Rick looked more agile and in shape, with a longer reach. She just prayed it was enough.

  Kentar pushed offensively and Rick seemed content to defend, getting a few swipes in now and again. They seemed fairly evenly matched. Maybe Rick was trying to tire the other man out.

  Kentar pressed his attack, looking as if he were trying to push Rick in one direction. What was he doing? Trying to force Rick out of the square? Téa glanced beyond Rick and realized he was being backed steadily toward the corner where Kentar’s second, Hugh de Barbes, stood, just beneath the dais.

  It looked deliberate but why? She moved forward to glance down at Hugh. With a gasp, Téa realized Hugh had drawn his sword and hidden it behind his back. She glanced around swiftly and grabbed the first thing she saw—Sichelgaita’s shield. Maybe she could hit Hugh with it.

  “What are you doing?” the princess asked, pulling it back.

  “Look at Hugh,” Téa said urgently, pointing. When the princess leaned over the dais, Téa grabbed the spear beside it and dropped down beside Hugh, thrusting her weapon as hard as she could at his throat. She missed and hit his mailed shoulder instead, but it was just as good—the surprise blow knocked the sword out of his hand as well as the spear from hers.

  Oh, shit. Now she was in for it. With a murderous look in his eye, he reached for the sword with his other hand and she darted sideways, trying to escape.

  “Hold,” Sichelgaita bellowed.

  Téa’s flight was stopped by two men who leaped out to grasp both her arms and wrestle her to a standstill. No problem—she just wanted to get away from Hugh. The bastard had left his sword on the ground and was even now creeping away from it.

  Guiscard thrust his sword between the combatants and all fighting stopped. Turning to the dais, he asked, “What is amiss, my lady?”

  Téa relaxed a little—Rick was safe.

  Everyone gaped at the warrior princess, who looked every inch the Valkyrie as she pointed down at Hugh and glared at Kentar. “Lord Tancred, what is the meaning of this?”

  Kentar feigned surprise. “Your Highness, I know not—”

  “Silence,” Guiscard bellowed, and strode forward to retrieve Hugh’s sword. “I do not wish to hear your lies. It’s obvious what transpired here. Did you plan to have your man stab Lord Richard in the back or merely trip him up?” He made a chopping gesture as Kentar tried to speak. “It matters not. He is your second and your vassal—therefore, you are responsible for his actions.” He pointed Hugh’s sword at Kentar’s throat, scowling with anger. “You have disavowed all claim to honor and my protection. You and your vassals are hereby banned from Salerno and the duchy. You have until nightfall to vacate the city. Any who find you here beyond that may slay you without recourse.” When Kentar moved, Guiscard added, “Your sword will remain here.”

  His eyes blazing death at Rick, Kentar had no choice but to drop his sword and leave. Hugh scurried off after him, and Téa was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief.

  Sichelgaita turned toward Téa and gestured imperiously to the two men holding her. “Release her. Lady Theodora was merely protecting her husband against de Barbes’s treachery.”

  The two men released her hastily and begged her pardon. “Thank you,” Téa murmured, but wasn’t sure who she was thanking or why. Now that the danger was past, she was beginning to feel a little wobbly.

  Guiscard turned to Rick and opened his arms wide. “Well, Lord Richard, it appears you are the victor, though it was your wife’s spear work that truly saved the
day.”

  The crowd roared with laughter.

  Still holding her shield, Sichelgaita dismounted from the dais in a more regal fashion than Téa had managed, and retrieved her spear. Offering the shield to Rick, the princess said, “I believe you won this?”

  He bowed and took it with gravity.

  The Valkyrie lookalike grinned. “But I believe the spear should go to Lady Theodora, who wielded it so expertly.”

  Joining them in the square, Téa whispered, “Thank you, Your Highness. But I really don’t know how to use this.”

  “I realize that,” the princess said, her eyes twinkling. “But they need not know.”

  Rick grasped her hand holding the spear and held them both aloft, crying, “The true champion!” As everyone cheered, he kissed her thoroughly.

  When he released her and Téa realized Rick was not only safe, but they had also accomplished their mission, the shakes hit her. “Please, get me out of here,” she begged him.

  Rick whispered to Guiscard, who nodded and gestured imperiously to a servant. “Show Lord Richard and his lady to a place where she might rest for a bit.”

  They departed to the good wishes of the crowd, and a servant led them to a private chamber. When they were alone, Rick turned to the shield and pried at the talisman. “Help me get this off.”

  “Never mind that,” Téa said, “take the whole shield back. Let’s get out of this place.”

  Nodding, Rick helped her rip her sleeve until her ESC was exposed on her bicep. They both pressed the stones in the center of their cuffs simultaneously. “How long does this take to work?” Téa asked anxiously.

  “Anywhere from a few minutes to an hour. It depends on how close Professor Carswell is to the machine when she hears the alarm.”

  Damn. She wanted out of here now.

  The door flew open and there stood Kentar, brandishing a sword he must have found somewhere. “I’ll take that,” he sneered, and slashed at Rick.

  “No,” Téa screamed as Kentar’s sword thudded against the shield. Rick pushed her behind him and struggled to get his sword out of the scabbard.

  Kentar raised his arm to strike a blow, but just as it was about to land, everything went all misty and they disappeared from the past and were swept forward through time to Flagstaff.

  They arrived in the lab’s glass booth back in their twenty-first century clothes, still carrying the shield and spear. Rick was breathing heavily and Téa knew she had to look wild-eyed.

  General Ashton opened the door, taking in their appearance. “Welcome back. It looks like you two have quite a story to tell.” Then, eagerly, she asked, “Did you get it?”

  Rick raised the shield in answer. “It’s lashed to the center with leather strips. You’ll need a knife to cut it free.”

  Professor Carswell sat up from her chair and removed the alien headpiece that had brought them home. Pointing to a storage cabinet in the corner, she said, “There should be one there.”

  Rick went to retrieve it while Téa plopped down in a chair. Thank God, the twenty-first century. She’d only been gone a couple of days and already she’d missed the things that made this century so wonderful to live in….

  Rick cut the amulet free and handed it to the two women.

  “Excellent,” the general said, “look at the symbol on the back. It shows where the next medallion piece is.”

  “I know that symbol,” the professor said with excitement. “It means the next piece is in Athens, in the fourth century BC.”

  A slow smile spread across the general’s face. “And I know just the woman to retrieve it.”

  Téa was happy for them and all, but she was really tired. “Can we go now?” she asked. “I’d like to have a nervous breakdown in private, please.” She smiled to show she was just kidding, but she really did want to find a place to regroup.

  “Of course,” General Ashton said. “We can debrief you later.”

  “Thank you,” Téa breathed, and rose to her feet.

  The general grinned. “Are you planning on taking that with you, Captain?”

  Téa was puzzled for a moment until she realized she was still clutching the spear. Hastily, she laid it down on a nearby desk. “No, I forgot I still had it in my hand. Sorry.” She headed for the door, so full of emotions that she didn’t know which one to feel first.

  Rick grinned and put his arm around her waist as the lab door shut behind them. “Here, you can lean on me.”

  Ah, that emotion, that was the one. Her heart full, Téa said, “Always,”

  Rick stopped in his tracks and gazed down at her. “You mean that?”

  “Yes, I—”

  “Wait,” Rick said, then opened a door. “Sorry,” he said to the occupant of the office. “Uh, do you know of an empty room?”

  The man directed them to a conference room down the hall and Rick dragged her there. Once they were behind closed doors, he grasped her shoulders and stared into her eyes. “Okay, tell me what you meant by that.”

  Rick’s steady touch was almost as good as a healing Reiki session. Téa took a deep breath and gave him a rueful look. “When I dropped down on top of Hugh, I wasn’t trying to get him to drop the sword. I was aiming for his throat.”

  “So?” Rick said, looking confused.

  “I was trying to kill him,” she explained. “He was about to hurt you and I wanted him dead with every fiber of my being.”

  “So…you realized you loved me?” Rick asked uncertainly.

  He wasn’t getting it. “No.” At his startled expression, she added hastily, “Well, yes, but that’s not what I meant. What I mean is I realized then that some things are so vitally important that I would fight for them…that I could take a life if it meant saving someone I love. Saving you.”

  When it was obvious he still didn’t get it, she added, “I understand you now, I get where you’re coming from.” She drew in a deep breath. “And I want to be with you, no matter what.” Through thick and thin, through deployments and terror, she wanted to be with this special man.

  “Oh, thank God,” he said, and swept her up into a mind-altering kiss.

  When he finally released her, he said, “Remember what I said before the duel, that I had something important to tell you?”

  In the excitement of everything else, she’d forgotten. “Oh, yeah, what was it?”

  “My commitment is up in a few months…and I’ve decided. I’m not going to stay in the army.”

  Hope rose within her. “You’re not? But…but why not?”

  He hugged her close. “Because you showed me that there’s more than one way to help soldiers, that there’s honor in serving them, too.”

  Her heart soared. “You’re getting out, too? But what would you do?” He’d only been trained for war.

  “You know how the army’s helping soldiers by getting them involved in extreme sports?” Not only did it help them get the adrenaline high they became accustomed to in wartime, but it helped them deal with their PTSD and made them more likely to talk about their experiences afterward.

  “Yes…”

  “I’ve been thinking we could start something together. I’ll organize the sports to focus them on something positive, then you shrink their heads and give ’em a little Reiki. I think it’ll help a lot of soldiers.” He released her and leaned back. “We’ll call it the Walters Clinic, what do you say?”

  She punched him lightly. “It sounds wonderful…all but the name. After all, I’m the one with the credentials. Shouldn’t it be the Callas Clinic?”

  He looked at her, puzzled. “Aren’t you going to take my name after we’re married?”

  “Well, I—” Then her mouth dropped open and she stared at him for a moment. “Richard Benjamin Walters, is that a proposal?”

  He looked uncertain. “Well, yeah. Sorry I didn’t do it up right, but—”

  “Never mind,” Téa said, and put the guy out of his misery. “It’s perfect.” She put her arms around his neck and smile
d up at him.

  “So is that a yes?” he asked eagerly.

  She nodded, grinning. “That’s a yes, though I think I’d like to name the clinic something a little more catchy.”

  He picked her up off the floor and hugged her tight. “Anything you want, love. Anything you want.”

  Look for more stories in the Time Raiders series available now wherever ebooks are sold:

  Nocturne Bites

  Time Raiders: The Seduction by Cindy Dees

  Time Raiders: The Whisper by Elle James

  Time Raiders: The Healer’s Passion by Parker Blue

  Silhouette Nocturne

  Time Raiders: The Seeker by Lindsay McKenna

  Time Raiders: The Protector by Cindy Dees

  Time Raider: The Avenger by P.C. Cast

  Time Raiders: The Protector by Merline Lovelace

  And coming soon from Harlequin Nocturne Bites….

  Time Raiders: The Greek Lover by Jocelyn Kelley

  Don’t miss the other spooky and sensual NOCTURNE BITES, available at www.ebooks.eharlequin.com and wherever ebooks are sold. Titles include:

  Angel Voice by Connie Hall

  Demon Love by Georgia Tribell

  Time Raiders: The Warrior’s Touch by Delilah Devlin

  Color Weaver by Connie Hall

  Time Raiders: The Whisper by Elle James

  A Vampire’s Salvation by Alexis Morgan

  One Night with the Wolf by Anna Hackett

  Shadow’s Caress by Patti O’Shea

  A Night with a Vampire by Cythia Cooke

  Siren Song by Stephanie Draven

  Vampire in Her Mysts by Meagan Hatfield

  Looking for more paranormal romance? The sizzling and spine-chilling books of Harlequin Nocturne are available at www.Harlequin.com or your local bookstore.

  ISBN: 9781742925363

  Time Raiders: The Healer’s Passion

  Copyright © 2011 by Pamela Mccutcheon

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work in whole or in part in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including xerography, photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.