Harbinger of destiny, p.10
Harbinger of Destiny, page 10
“While you’re in quarantine, your meals will be delivered to you three times daily. Just use your holocom to order what you want. Or you can use the built-in order screen on your TV.”
Amy peered past a room divider. Behind it, she saw a king-sized bed and a door leading into an ensuite bathroom. This pod was larger than a regular hotel room. This was more like a suite in an expensive five-star hotel.
“You’ll find clothing in various sizes in the bedroom closet, as well as all necessary toiletries. If you need anything else, just order it via Joshua’s holocom or the TV set.” She smiled. “The door to your pod will remain locked until your quarantine is over. Expect the results of your medical tests within the next twenty-four hours. If you haven’t brought any infectious diseases with you, you will be free to roam around the grounds.”
Then she turned directly to Amy. “Your orientation will begin the day after you’re out of quarantine.”
“Orientation? What do you mean?”
“You’ll be introduced to life in 2085, so you can familiarize yourself with our technology, your rights as a global citizen, and be fitted with your own holocom. While you’re going through the orientation and waiting for your holocom to be programmed, your Romeo may visit you at any time, day or night.”
Panic rose inside her. “You mean, Joshua is leaving? And I’m staying here, alone?”
“During orientation, you’ll be very busy. That’s why we suggest that the Romeos leave to see their families, and make arrangements for your life together.” She cast a look at Joshua. “If that’s what you’ve both decided.”
Joshua took her hand and squeezed it. “Don’t worry, it’ll be all right.”
“Well,” the woman said and headed to the door. “I’ll leave you alone now. The results of your blood tests will be showing up on your TV screen as soon as they become available. If they’re negative, the doors will unlock at the same time.”
“And if not?”
“Then we’ll bring you to a hospital to treat you. Don’t worry, we’ll take good care of you.”
The woman left and closed the door behind her. A clicking sound echoed in the pod. The door to the outside world was locked.
Joshua saw the worry on Amy’s face and couldn’t really blame her. This was all new to her. Granted, he hadn’t expected to be put in quarantine either, but he knew that this was done for everybody’s health and safety and wasn’t worried about it. He’d been aware that there would be routine medical tests upon their arrival, but not this, not a quarantine. To Amy, it might look like she was being imprisoned. It was his responsibility to calm her down and distract her so she wouldn’t regret her decision of having traveled to his time.
“Baby,” he said softly and pulled her into his arms. “Look at it this way: we’re alone for the next twenty-four hours, and nobody will disturb us.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “And we can order as much food and drink as we want.” He winked. “No cooking involved.”
She lifted her head. “I’m scared. In this time, I only know you. What if—”
He put a finger over her lips, guessing what she wanted to say. What if they didn’t stay together, what if they weren’t meant to be a couple? Then she would be all alone. “Everything will turn out all right. I promise you.” He smiled at her. “Now, are you gonna kiss me, or have you decided to play hard to get?”
When her eyes lit up with joy, he knew he’d said the right thing. “Is that all you want? A kiss?”
He pulled her closer to him, and slid his hand to her backside to press her to his groin, where his cock was awakening. “I don’t think a kiss is enough. I need a lot more than that.”
“Tell me what you need,” Amy teased, a coquettish glint in her green eyes.
Darn, she’d never looked more seductive. “I need to sink my cock into your hot pussy, because you make me so damn hard.”
Amy slipped a hand between their bodies and laid it over his growing erection. “Yep. That’s pretty hard.”
He cocked an eyebrow. “Did you really have to check?”
“No, but why miss an opportunity to touch you?”
“You’re taking the words right out of my mouth.”
He lifted her into his arms and walked into the bedroom with her, while he took her lips and kissed her. Impatiently, he began to undress her, while Amy did the same to him. When they were both naked, Amy ripped her lips from his, breathing hard.
“Is it just me, or is it hot in here?”
“It is hot. It was April when we left 2025, it’s July here. Besides, the planet is a few degrees warmer than what it was in your time. How about a shower?”
“Mmm. Together?”
“Absolutely.”
He dragged her into the bathroom. He had to hand it to the Institute for Time Travel: they really knew how to make a newcomer feel welcome. The bathroom was downright luxurious, and the shower large enough for two people as if the institute expected the arriving lovebirds to use it together. But were he and Amy lovebirds? Were they a couple? Would they last, or would the sexual fire that burned between them fizzle out quickly? He had to admit that sexually they fit perfectly. But would they fit as a couple? Would he be able to love her the way a man was supposed to love the woman who was willing to bear his children?
Maybe it was best to push these thoughts away for now and focus on what was immediately ahead of him: to make Amy feel good about her decision to come to the future with him. And that was something he knew he could accomplish, because he knew what she needed right now: to feel loved, even if he couldn’t say the words. His actions would have to do.
He turned on the shower and set it to a cooler temperature, before he gave Amy a gentle shove. He followed her into the shower and pulled her into his arms, while the water rained down on them like the rain in a jungle.
He loved feeling her curves mold to his body, her chest rising and falling as she breathed, her hands caressing him, exploring him. Just like he explored her: first with gentle caresses, then with a more demanding touch.
Without a word, he turned her so she faced the shower wall. Amy laid her hands flat on it, while she took a step back so her ass was pointed in his direction.
“Is that how you want it?” she asked with a look over her shoulder.
“As if I could resist you.” That was the truth. When it came to sex with Amy, he had no control, no power to deny her. “And just so you know: there are no condoms in 2085. This time, there won’t be a barrier between us.”
She gasped. “What if…”
“…if you get pregnant?” he finished her question for her. He slid one hand around her to touch her belly, and damn it, if he didn’t feel a spark of excitement flare up inside him at the thought of his seed growing in Amy’s body. Fuck! Why was he feeling like this? Could it be that maybe, just maybe, what he and Amy had was more than just sexual compatibility?
“Yes, what happens then?” she asked.
“I’ll take care of you, no matter what.” He grabbed her hips and adjusted his angle so his cock touched her pussy. “But right now, all I want you to think of is your pleasure. Just feel my cock and guide me to make you come. Can you do that?”
“Yes.”
At her whispered word, Joshua thrust his erection deep into her. Her wet heat welcomed him, and her interior muscles imprisoned him. This felt even better than the times before, because this time the contact was skin on flesh.
“Fuck!”
He was glad that cool water ran down over their bodies, because his entire body stood in flames. No other woman had ever gotten him so hot. With every thrust into her delicious sheath, with every withdrawal, his tempo increased, and his breath quickened. Damn, if he wasn’t careful, he’d come without warning. He tried to slow down, but he couldn’t. All he could do was to make sure that Amy climaxed with him.
“Baby, tell me what you need,” he begged.
“Touch me like you did sixty years ago.”
That reply made him chuckle involuntarily, and gave him back a modicum of control.
“As you wish.” He took one hand from her hip, and brought it to her pussy. He found her clitoris. Like he’d done the night before, he caressed her center of pleasure. Amy guided him with her hand on his, until he’d found the right rhythm and tempo.
“Oh, that’s it, Joshua, oh, please…”
He concentrated on her movements until he felt her hold her breath, before a shudder went through her body. It reached his cock, and her interior muscles clamped around him. He let go of the last vestiges of his self-control and allowed his orgasm to wash over him. He felt his semen shoot into her, fill her and make his movements even smoother than before. He continued pumping into her, slower now, and gentler, while he continued to caress her clit.
“Joshua, but you’ve already—”
“Shh, baby, just let yourself go again. I love the way you squeeze me when you come.”
His cock still semi-hard, he remained inside her while he rubbed his finger over her clit again and again until she orgasmed a second time.
Breathing hard, he leaned his head next to hers against the wall and allowed the water to cool his heated body.
“I think I might need a few minutes rest before we can repeat this,” he murmured into her ear.
She chuckled in response. “Are you trying to prove something?”
He let out a breath. “Nope. I just can’t get enough of this. You’ve turned me into a sex addict.”
Though he was starting to think that sex wasn’t the only thing he was becoming addicted to.
19
HEARTBREAK HOTEL
Sunday, July 22, 2085
“Do you really have to leave?” Amy asked and looked at Joshua as he folded his jacket over his arm.
A half hour earlier, their test results had come back: they were both negative for infectious diseases. The door to their pod had unlocked.
He kissed her on the lips. “I have to go see my parents. But I’ll be back soon. You’ll be so busy with orientation that you’ll barely notice that I’m gone.”
“All right.”
She watched Joshua leave the pod, and the door fell shut behind him. He was right, of course. She had to attend orientation. It was mid-morning, and Amy had already had breakfast with Joshua. The food was excellent here, healthy, and nutritious. When an employee had delivered their food the previous day as well as this morning, she’d been surprised at the quality and freshness of it. She’d never eaten that well in her life.
“Good morning, Amy.”
At the sound of the voice, Amy spun around, but she was still alone in the pod.
“You’re expected at the orientation in the outdoor meeting space A.” She realized now that the voice was coming from a loudspeaker in the ceiling. “Please leave the pod and follow the signs to meeting space A.”
A little apprehensive about having to face this new world on her own today, she left the pod and followed the signs posted along the footpath. Other women her age came out of their pods too and walked in the same direction. She didn’t have to go far, until she reached an amphitheater, where many women had already taken a seat. At a small podium on the stage stood a woman. She wore a white lab coat. Behind her, a large movie screen showed a static image: Welcome to 2085.
Amy looked around and noticed that some of the girls had started chatting quietly. Amy took a seat on one of the benches, and watched as more and more girls filled the seats. A young woman sat down next to Amy and smiled at her.
“Hi, I’m Julie.”
“I’m Amy.”
“This is exciting, isn’t it?” Julie asked, her face beaming.
“Yes,” Amy admitted, though she didn’t feel quite as carefree as Julie appeared to be.
“I can’t wait for this orientation to be over, so Carter and I can live together. He’s picking me up the moment I’ve got my holocom.”
Amy turned her face to the girl. She was beautiful, charming, and sweet. “Oh? I thought we had to stay here longer.”
“I heard that’s only the case if the guy who brought you here doesn’t want to marry you. But Carter has already proposed.” She smiled from one ear to the other. “He’s gone to see his parents to get started on the wedding preparations. I can’t wait.”
Amy’s heart pounded. She was happy for Julie, but also worried. Joshua hadn’t once told her that he loved her or that he wanted them to be a couple. In fact, they’d both avoided the subject. Maybe it was just too early. After all, they hadn’t spent six months with each other like the other couples had.
“I only met Joshua two weeks ago,” Amy said. “We’re still getting to know each other. I guess after six months together—”
“Oh,” Julie said, “Carter and I have known each other for only a week, because something went wrong with his time jump, and he only arrived in my time a week before the outbreak of the virus. So we had to act quickly. But I guess, when you’re right for each other, you don’t need all that time.”
Amy pasted a smile on her face. “Yeah, I suppose you’re right.” But did that mean that she and Joshua weren’t right for each other? Did Joshua not have the same feelings for her as she had for him? Because even though she’d never told him that she loved him, she did.
She was glad to be interrupted by the person standing at the podium. “Welcome to 2085. I’m Eliza Dorchester, and I’m here to give you an overview of everything you need to know about your new lives.”
Everybody fell silent.
“First and foremost, there’s one very important thing you need to know. You have the same rights as every other citizen. You can choose your life partner freely. Nobody will force you to be with a man you don’t love, even if that man saved you from dying in the 2025 pandemic by bringing you here. However, the same goes for the Romeo: he has no obligation to enter into a relationship with you or marry you.”
Hushed murmurs travelled through the crowd. Amy’s heart pounded out of control.
“And another important thing. I was young like you once, and I’m assuming that many of you have already had sex with your assigned Romeo. Should you find yourselves pregnant, but your Romeo isn’t willing to commit to you, don’t worry: we will take care of you. You will be able to raise your child without any financial worries. Healthcare is free in 2085, and we’ll provide you with suitable accommodations. So, should you and your Romeo decide not to stay together, we’ll help you with finding another partner, if you wish.”
Amy let the words sink in as she thought back to the last twenty-four hours. She and Joshua had had unprotected sex more than just once. And she’d seen it as a sign that he wanted them to be a real couple. But what if that wasn’t the case? Surely, he knew that the Institute for Time Travel would take care of her should she become pregnant. Was that why he’d told her not to worry?
Orientation day was interspersed with a break for lunch, where everybody assembled in a large tent where a delicious buffet was awaiting them. In the afternoon, more presentations by different people introduced the newcomers to the technology and customs of the 2080s. By late afternoon, Amy was exhausted from having to take in so much new information. She was glad when Mrs. Dorchester finally released them to return to their pods to rest before dinner.
Amy followed the footpath back to her pod. When she arrived there, a young woman her age stood waiting in front of it. She was the epitome of beauty: long blond hair, blue eyes, perfect skin, a stunning model-like body.
The woman looked her up and down, her gaze lingering on Amy’s scarred face for longer than was polite. “Did you come to 2085 with Joshua?”
Amy nodded, curious. “Yes, I’m Amy.” Was there something else on the agenda for today?
“Well,” she said, smirking now. “I’m Kelly, and I’m Joshua’s girlfriend. I just want to let you know not to expect him back.”
Shock charged through Amy, and a gasp ripped from her lips. Joshua had a girlfriend while he’d slept with her? That couldn’t be true. “But he—”
With an icy look, Kelly cut her off. “He only did his duty. I wasn’t happy about him signing up for this program, but I forgave him. I suppose every man wants a last fling before he gets married.” Then she pointed to Amy’s scars. “And you didn’t really think that a handsome man like Joshua could love a girl like you. Let me tell you something about Joshua: he likes to surround himself with pretty things. And you don’t fit that category. He’s out of your league. Maybe a guy who’s desperate to have a family will take pity on you.”
At the cruel words, tears welled up in Amy’s eyes, but she pushed them down. She wouldn’t give this heartless woman the satisfaction of seeing her cry. Still, the truth hurt. Joshua didn’t want her. Despite everything that had happened between them, he’d only done his duty to his people. He’d brought her to the future with him. But he had no intention of spending this new future with her. She was on her own.
With her last ounce of control, she lifted her chin and looked straight into Kelly’s cold eyes. “Don’t worry. I only used him to make a better life for myself.”
She turned away from Kelly and entered the pod, letting the door fall shut behind her. The tears started flowing the moment she was alone. She was in love with Joshua, but he was in love with somebody else.
20
TROUBLE IN PARADISE
Tuesday, July 24, 2085
Joshua hadn’t seen or spoken to Amy since Sunday mid-morning when he’d left the Institute for Time Travel and returned to his parents’ home. They’d been excited to have him home and were full of questions about his time in the past, and particularly about the woman he’d brought back. He’d told them about some of his experiences in 2025, but hadn’t gone into detail about Amy, and hadn’t mentioned her physical disfigurement. How could he answer their questions when he didn’t know whether he had true feelings for her, or whether it was just sex that drew him to her? Just like it did now.
