Pure Blood (Time Spirit Trilogy, #3) by Melissa Pearl Page B

cable from the back of his
screen, making Harrison wince. Stepping forward he stilled his
mother’s frantic fingers as she tried to ravel the cord.
    “Mom, we need to talk.”
    “What do you want to say to me now, Harrison?
That I’m a selfish mother? That I’m an inconsiderate wife?” She
sighed and rubbed her forehead.
    “No.” He stepped back from her. “I just want
to give you something.” Reaching into his bag, he produced the
leather pouch.
    His mother’s face puckered with confusion.
“What’s that?”
    “It’s a stack of letters… from
Nathaniel.”
    Her face went white and her eyes rounded.
“Where did you… how?” She shook her head. “Just give them to
me.”
    She snatched them from him and yanked the
pouch open. Her frenetic movements stopped as quickly as they began
and Harrison watched her stone figure gaze at the handwriting. Her
lips shook and her eyes built with tears.
    “It’s his writing. Where did you get
these?”
    “Gemma and I dug them up from a small plot at
the St. Augustine Cathedral cemetery, about half an hour ago.”
    “How did they… I mean, how did I not know?
All record of him is lost once he left New York. I haven’t been
able to find anything!”
    “I don’t know what he got up to, but these
letters might enlighten you.” He pointed to them. “They were pretty
well hidden. No one could find them unless they knew exactly where
they were going.”
    “So how did you know?”
    Thrusting his hands into his pockets, he
cleared his throat and rocked back on his heels. “Gemma gave him
very specific instructions before making sure he boarded the
Albion.”
    “Gemma?”
    He nodded. Helen slumped to the bed and
closed her eyes. Harrison waited out the silence. It took an age,
but she finally whispered.
    “For years now I’ve been having nightmares
that Nathaniel is searching for me. He can’t find me and he never
makes it to the ship, because he…” her voice wobbled, “he gets
murdered in the forest by a group of bandits.” She licked her lips
before continuing. “I didn’t have that dream last night. In fact I
didn’t dream at all.” Her eyes swam as she looked up at Harrison.
“Would I be right in assuming that up until yesterday my dreams
were in fact reality?”
    “Yes,” he croaked.
    “She went back to save his life?”
    Harrison came around the bed and knelt before
her. “She went back to save yours.”
    His mother’s body shook with tears. Harrison
gathered up her free hand and rubbed his thumb over her skin.
    “Mom, read the letters. Just stop packing and
read the letters.”
    That said, Harrison stood from his spot and
left the room, closing the door behind him.
     

 
    Chapter
Fourteen
    Anastasia State Park, Florida – 2011AD
     
    “So?” Gabe looked expectant.
    The sun was beginning its descent. The
pelicans were dive-bombing the ocean and Gemma was nestled with her
feet in the sand. Gabe had suggested they meet at the beach. He
wanted to see why her and Harrison loved it so much. From the look
on his face when he pulled to a stop, Gemma could see he got
it.
    She had one full hour with him before she had
to head home for a Sunday night dinner, so only made him suffer a
few seconds before breaking into a smile.
    “They’re not moving!”
    Gabe laughed at her squeal.
    “What happened?”
    “Well, Harrison gave her the letters and she
stayed in his room for the whole night reading them. The next
morning she was a different woman. She walked into the dining room
and announced to everyone that she’d changed her mind… that moving
to DC was too disruptive for the family.”
    “They must have been pretty pleased.”
    “Rosie practically flew to school.”
    Gabe grinned.
    “You must be relieved.”
    “I am.” Gemma breathed and exhaled a peaceful
sigh. “It’s so great knowing Harrison isn’t going anywhere… and
he’s so relaxed and happy now. The last couple of days have been
awesome.”
    “But something’s still bothering