“Wake up, my little Space Cadet,” Eve announced cheerfully, patting Sabine on the cheek. “It’s a brand-new day. The sun is shining and they are coming. You have a heck of a choice to make for your future. Again, I like you so I will let you choose. The aortic rupture was a nice touch. I didn’t think of that one but I guess it qualifies as ‘ticker’, doesn’t it?” she asked, cocking her head to the side like she was listening to someone.

“What?” Sabine asked, bleary eyed. She felt like she had been beaten to a pulp and then beat up again. “Seriously, what did you say? My ears are ringing and I think I might be sick.”

“Don’t do that. Just lay back and close your eyes for a minute until your middle ears adjust to gravity again. You shut them off on the shuttle. Now, it’s time to turn them back on.”

“Shuttle,” she repeated, feeling wave after wave of nausea roll over her. “I was on the shuttle and you popped in.”

“Here I am, dearie!” she announced emphatically, extending her hands excitedly.

“Seriously, take it easy with the fake smiles and don’t be so darned chipper. I feel hung over!”

“Meh, everyone’s reaction is different. Hung over? I haven’t heard that before. I will have to jot this down,” she said, pulling a booklet out of her gown. Staring, Sabine saw that the flat material of her skirt suddenly revealed a pocket. A large square shape began to erupt from the surface of the material as she pulled forth a very old, worn, leather journal.

“Do that,” Sabine muttered sarcastically, rubbing her temples as she lay there in the dirt. She was pretty sure she hit her head hard at some point. “Jot that shi-”

“Nope.” Eve cut in quickly, snapping her fingers. “Why does everyone feel the need to put a curse word or two in their vocabulary? Can you not think of a way to describe things differently? I mean, really!”

Eve paused a moment before continuing. “So, until you can curb your need for those awful, offensive words, I will do the talking. You are no longer in 2017, my little Space Cadet. You’ve been relocated to another time period of my choosing. I am kinda partial to hot cowboys, Wrangler jeans and the old west. Actually, country music itself does the job for me. Give me George Strait, Luke Bryan or Tim McGraw and I am a happy little…” stopping, she gave a quick laugh that put Sabine on edge. “We’ll just say that I am a happy camper, okay?”

Eve took the time she needed to compose herself. “Usually I get to do the picking. But due to a new company policy that I don’t agree with, I am going to let you choose. Isn’t that so nice of me? Used to be we would make you a mail order bride or fiancée. But someone whined, so the rules have changed. I’m pretty certain they will change back soon, but until then we play by a different set of rules!” Eve snapped her fingers in Sabine’s face with a loud snap. “Are you functioning upstairs in your head yet, Space Cadet? Get up, so we can play.”

Standing slowly, she realized that she was still in her space environmental suit in the middle of nowhere. Grass, dirt, rocks and scrub brush was all around her. Not a single building in sight and no recognizable landmarks. “Where are we?”

“Details, details,” Eve said, waving her hand. “First thing, we have to get you in something a bit more appropriate. Don’t you think? I bet its hot as could be in that insulated suit. You look like a walking marshmallow. Actually, you look a lot like a big, puffy marshmallow! You know, swelled up from the heat? I like my marshmallows roasted until they are crispy. Set them on fire and then blow them out. Crispy and gooey! They are delicious!” Eve said happily. She stopped talking suddenly and stared at Sabine with awful determination and a mischievous look.

“Oh darn! I should have done that instead of letting you pick aortic dissection. I could have lit you up like a candelabra, and then put out the fire to get you here. Meh. Maybe next time,” She said callously, shrugging.

Sabine stared at the woman, not fully sure she heard her correctly. Was she a sociopath? She was actually disappointed that she didn’t roast her like a marshmallow over a campfire? Completely insane! Suddenly, the blistering heat of the noon sun made her feel like she was baking inside of the thick astronaut suit.

“Oh wow, yeah it’s pretty hot in here but…” she agreed, stopping mid-thought as she began to try to get out of the environmental suit that quickly felt like she was roasting alive. She almost wailed aloud as she was stopped for a moment. Eve handed her a set of clothing like nothing was wrong. Was she actually filing her nails? Sabine was sweating buckets and feeling distinctly faint.

“There is nowhere to change,” she said absently and ducked down inside again to get herself out of the contraption. The darkness inside the suit combined with the heat was suffocating. I need out, now! she thought desperately. She was feeling faint as sweat poured down her forehead and stung her eyes. A sudden split gave way and the cooler air from the outside felt like a beacon of hope. Finally!

“No one will see you,” Eve said. “Oh, you mean me?”

Nodding, she watched Eve turn around as she slowly yanked herself out of the bulky, hot environmental suit. Sure enough, there was only her and Eve nearby. Not a building to see for miles on end. Striping down completely, unabashed, she was grateful to feel her body cooling off slightly from the intense heat. She wondered if it was on purpose. Roasted marshmallow, humph!

She put on the coarse pants and tied them at her waist. No zippers? Slipping on the shirt, she realized that it was thin material. The outline of her pink bra stood out against the cotton. “I can’t wear this, you can see right through it!”

“There is a vest there, too. Last girl was flat chested, like you. So you should be fine,” Eve called out over her shoulder, nonchalantly.

“I’m not flat chested,” she countered, as she buttoned the front of the garment. Tiny, white, bead buttons slipped into roughly-sewn holes.

“Well, those aren’t melons, my dear!”

“You shouldn’t be looking,” Sabine muttered putting the vest on and buttoning it as well. The vest was a lot longer than she anticipated. It covered her breasts, completely hiding the pink bra. The thick material reached down to her bottom, masking any signs of her previous life. She slapped the large, brown hat on her head at the exact moment Eve spun around.

“Much better!”

“Much cooler. And thank you,” Sabine quipped politely after she saw the slice in the environmental suit on the ground. She hadn’t been able to think straight due to the intense heat. Eve must have worked some magic mojo in order to cut through the thick material. It was tough to get out of a suit alone. The material was supposed to be virtually impenetrable.

“Of course! I am here to help you get situated in your new life.” Eve snapped her fingers and the astronaut suit disappeared completely, quickly melting away into the ground like it was water.

“Okay, that was odd and incredibly final.” Sabine stared at the now solid ground where the suit had once lain. There was not a shred of evidence that it had once lay there, nor that the ground had looked almost watery, allowing it to sink.

“I can’t have that laying around to be discovered. This is the Old West and that suit is pretty out of place.”

“Old West?” Sabine said, extending out her foot and tapping on the ground to be safe. It looked solid, but the disappearance of the suit had her completely freaked out. She was positive that sinking away into the ground would be a horrible way to die. One she did not intend to find out either.

“Well, maybe not like the movies but, yeah, there are cowboys and Indians. You didn’t put your belt on,” Eve announced with an upraised eyebrow. “Go ahead and then we will begin.”

“No, there is a gun on there. I don’t like guns.”

“Oh, well, that might be a problem. Let me check,” Eve said, frowning and pulling out the booklet again. “Yes, yes. I was right. You will need a gun here.”

“Why is that?”

“Well, in the Old West, men carried guns.”

“I’m a woman. Surprise!” she retorted sarcastically.

“No, you silly chit, I know you are female. However, females were married off, raped or sold off if they were unprotected. I got you men’s clothing cause with that flat chest and short hair, I figured you could pass for a boy for a while until you picked.” Eve looked extremely put out at having to explain herself. Apparently, she had been quite proud of her garment selection, even if Sabine thought it all left a lot to be desired.

“Picked what?” she asked absently as she watched, stunned, as the belt floated upwards and wrapped around her middle by itself.

“Oh yes, this is the best part!” Eve clapped her hands excitedly and jumped around. “Pick your soulmate! Welcome to the Relocation Game, starring moi! I will be your host!”

“Toying with my life isn’t a game,” Sabine snapped, hearing the music playing in the background. It sounded like The Price is Right and she fully expected to see Eve whip out a microphone.

“No, but I thought it might make it a bit more interesting for you and that you’d be amenable to hear about each guy.”

“So, you have me dressed as a guy to have me pick out a guy? Maybe we should have a talk about my parents and their relationship again. Or the birds and the bees? You do know that I like guys, right?” she asked with an upraised eyebrow. “Remember, not interested in settling.”

“Don’t be a stick in the mud, Sabine. Now, hush up and let’s meet your bachelors! In this corner, weighing one hundred sixty-five pounds…”

“Are they wrestling? You sound like an announcer at a wrestling match.”

“And you are interrupting me during my shining moment of glory. Sit down and listen!”

Plopping down unexpectedly into a large leather chair that appeared magically, she stared at the odd woman. “Show is all yours, I guess.”

“Thank you! As I was saying, lets meet contestant number one. This is Sam. Sam is red-haired, tanned and missing a few teeth.”

“What?”

“It’s the Old West, sweetie, dental hygiene isn’t a big thing yet. There is no Waterpik and no Colgate. You interrupted me again. As I was saying, Sam doesn’t have all of his teeth but he does have a small bit of property that he is sure to make you a nice home on. Not a big fan of fighting, but he has mad skills playing cards. Small bit of a gambling problem, but that is how he got his money. I think he will have all of his hair in ten years. No bald genes in his family tree. Teeth? Not so much.”

“He sounds perfectly dreadful.”

“Okay, not to be outdone, Is bachelor number two! Billy has all of his teeth so far, you lucky girl. A bit of a nasty temper for someone whose elevator doesn’t go to the top floor, if you get my drift. He is a fighter and will protect you. No home, no land but for the right gal, he might settle down.”

“He sounds awful, too.”

“Don’t get discouraged because we have bachelor number three not far behind! This man doesn’t plan on… oh, oh my,” she said nervously, pulling at her collar and studying cards that appeared out of thin air in front of her. “He doesn’t plan on getting married anytime soon. Hmm, okay. Says here,” she said as she flipped through the cards, flinging one or two callously over her shoulder. “It says that he has a chip on his shoulder and can be misconstrued as aggressive. Very forthright and a hard worker. If you get through his tough exterior, you will find a good man.”

“Seriously? Those three losers are my choices?”

“They aren’t losers. They are your opportunities. It’s all in how you look at it. You have a chance to pick your soulmate! Who else gets a chance like that?”

“So, I have to choose from Nasty? Mean and nasty? and Mr. Grumpy, mean and nasty?”

“Well when you say it like that, it sounds perfectly dreadful.”

“Why did you pick three personalities like that?”

“Like what?” Eve asked confused, cocking her head to the side.

“Three unappealing guys. What did I ever do to you to get saddled with someone like that?”

“You have your choice of three different personalities. You have brains, brute or body.”

“Well, gee. That still sounds like a heck of a choice,” Sabine said snidely. At Eve’s dark expression, she bit back any further comments. “Can I think for a moment about my selection?”

“Of course,” Eve said amicably, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Do I get to see them, my prospective suitors?”

“Of course!” She cried happily, snapping her fingers. A portal that looked like an oval mirror appeared, showing three men on horseback.

Staring at the mirror, she couldn’t believe how insane this all sounded. “Do I have to pick right now?”

“Yes, yes. It’s not that hard. Would you like me to pick for you?” Eve asked eagerly, gleefully rubbing her hands together at the prospect. “I love choosing soulmates! That is how I got into this field. Want me to pick? I’d be happy to!”

“No! Let me think.”

Brains had missing teeth, that was a big minus for him. But he was smart, which was a plus. Red hair wasn’t normally her thing but neither was dying or being forced to pick out someone to be with for the rest of her life.

Brawn looked perfectly intimidating. Cold eyes that looked lethal. She couldn’t imagine him being kind to anyone much less a strange woman that is dropped in his life. He looked like what she thought an abusive man would look like. He would not do.

Body, looked to be no different than any of the others. He was an angry-looking man but she could see laugh lines around his eyes. That was a good sign, right? He was extremely handsome, also another plus in her book.

“You look troubled,” Eve said, interrupting her thoughts.

“Oh my gosh, have you just now noticed?” she cried out sarcastically, attempting to look shocked. She was actually pretty darned pissed about how her day started beautifully and was ending wretchedly.

“Well, you don’t have to be nasty about it!”

“I’m a little out of my element right now. If you were to pick, who would you choose for me?”

“Are you asking me to choose your soulmate?” Eve asked eagerly and clapped her hands happily in front of her.

“I’m asking your opinion. That’s it.”

“I don’t have one.”

“Well, me either. Can we draw another three guys out of the stack?”

“No. Each one of these three has something in them that calls to you. Calls to your soul. Each person has a match. And you? You, my Space Cadet, have three rare opportunities here- and one in another time period. I didn’t think you would like a caveman though.”

“Frankly, I am not impressed by any of them. They don’t look far from caveman-esque.”

“Why?”

“Look at them! They looked like three hard-nosed killers! They probably shoot people for breakfast without a second thought.”

“Do I look like a killer?” Eve asked softly with a knowing smile.

“Touché. I think we both know the answer to that one!”

“Exactly, so looks can be deceiving. You have to think, reach, feel with your heart which one will be best for you. Tell you what, we’ll get you a bit closer so you can see if you can pick up any vibes from them.”

“That sounds good. A bit hokey, but good.”

“Go ahead.”

“Go ahead and step closer? By myself?” Sabine asked warily.

“You want me with you?”

“Absolutely! I have heard of this before. I turn my back and then you are gone. No, ma’am! That isn’t happening today.” Sabine had no plans to be left alone in the middle of nowhere with three men that looked to be potentially criminal in nature. Each one looked like they could have just robbed a bank, in her opinion. There was nothing really endearing about any of them from Eve’s descriptions. Soulmate, ha!

“Man, I like your spunk, my Space Cadet! You remind me of myself. I will give you a second treat. Not only will I let you get closer, I will let you touch their hands and see if you feel the calling. If you don’t feel it with any of the three then I will put you back on the shuttle or we can try the caveman prospect.”

“You sure know how to tempt a person to get what you want, don’t you?”

“I’m good at what I do,” she said, shrugging with a sly smile.

“Fine, let’s do this. But I have your word that if all three are wrong, you will put me back on the shuttle? I don’t even want to try living like a cavewoman. That isn’t an option. Shuttle, okay?”

“Oh yes.”

“Alive,” Sabine said flatly, crossing her arms. She had no intention of not choosing and being yanked back into the shuttle only to be dead. Floating in space was fun. Floating in space as a dead person? Not so much.

“Are we negotiating now?” Eve crowed in delight, clapping her hands happily. “Awesomesauce!”

“Is that an option?”

“Let’s just see how these three men work out,” Eve countered, stepping through the portal. She looked to be so far away, yet so close. Sabine could see Eve in the mirror, but there was also a faint ghostly reflection of herself in the glass as well. Creepy! Eve’s long, delicate hand eerily distended from the mirror glass towards Sabine, complete with black fingernails. “You coming?”

“Maybe. Maybe not. I’m not sure yet.”

The hand reached out and snatched Sabine’s quickly, pulling her through. “No maybes about it. You need to pick and I am going to need to get going soon.”

“You can’t leave me here with them!”

“Of course not, you haven’t chosen yet. Touch him,” Eve ordered. “He is frozen and won’t see you.”

Reaching out her hand towards the redheaded man, she prayed that there would be no telling sensation, vibes or inclination that he was the one for her. She wasn’t completely sure what she was supposed to sense, but assumed it would be quite telling. As her pointer finger made contact with his hand as it sat on the pommel of the saddle, she felt skin. That was it. Whew!

“You really didn’t want him, did you?”

“Not in the slightest. I’m big on hygiene and I could smell his breath from here.”

“Which one do you want to try next?” Eve asked, choking back laughter.

“None?”

“Har de har har, Space Cadet.” Eve said rolling her large, blue eyes. “Don’t be chicken!”

Grasping Sabine’s hand, she extended it to the middle man who looked to be the meanest out of the three. Yanking her hand away from Eve, she jumped backwards. He felt malicious. Thick, dark, evil sensations pushed towards her. She knew deep inside somehow that he was bad. Sinister. She clutched it protectively against her chest and stared at him, horrified. “You feel it, don’t you? He’s wrong. Not him, I don’t care what you say. Not him!”

“Try the third one. You can feel the auras, the calling, even if you are fighting it. Contestant number two’s aura was dark.” Eve nodded in approval. Her dark blue eyes were all knowing. They held knowledge and Sabine just wished she could pick around her mind for two minutes to see what she was thinking. There was more to all of this than Eve was letting on, and she was sure of it.

“Anyone ever tell you that you are weird?”

“All the time. Now it’s his turn. Touch him.”

Sabine walked towards the third man, staring up at him for a long moment. “Do you feel it?” Eve asked quietly from behind her.

“Quit pushing me, Witchy Woman!” Eve’s dry cackle of laughter made Sabine’s hair stand on the back of her neck. She held out her hand and noticed it trembling. “I don’t think I want to,” she said softly. “I’m scared.”

“Don’t be. Shut your eyes, reach out and feel for him.”

Sabine extended her hand and felt it trembling. Like she was getting ready to put her hand up to a flame. She could sense the heat off of him. She felt a tingling in the tips of her fingers. “Do you feel that?” she breathed, surprised. She expected to see electricity or crackling between them, it felt so potent. “It’s like I am building up static and fixing to touch something metal. What is that?”

“That is your aura, your soul springing to life. Touch him.”

“I don’t think I should. That’s actually pretty creepy and weird that you want me to touch a stranger to see if he is my perfect match. It’s not that easy or I wouldn’t still be single.”

“Then don’t touch him and see what happens.”

“What does happen?”

“Well, when you aren’t paired or matched, your soul searches for its match. Sometimes the calling is strong. Other times, not so much. You’ve been alone a long time. But now, time’s up. Your soul is searching. I was serious about these three men. Each one has something that will call part of your soul forth. Good, bad, or otherwise. It’s the part your soul needs or wants that jumps forward. If you want love, it searches for love. If your soul is full of greed, it searches for another greedy person.”

“I touched the redheaded guy and nothing happened.”

“No, because you sensed a stronger connection nearby.”

“Is that why I didn’t want to touch the other guy?”

“That is self-preservation, my dear. You don’t reach for the dark part of your soul when you interact with others. You’re resilient and brave. Loving. But if you aren’t paired and he touches you, then you could be matched to him forever. If that part of your soul turns out to be stronger, it takes you over.”

“Oh, hell no!” Sabine shouted in denial and slapped her hand on top of the third man’s hand that rested on his thigh. The second she touched his hand, she felt a pop of electricity crackle between them. Staring at her hand, she could practically feel the intertwining between them at their touch.

“Language! But a very good choice, my dear,” she heard faintly through the breeze as everything began to move yet again. Including the warm strong hand, she was currently touching.

* * *

“Can I help you? Are you lost, boy?” His warm voice melted over her, making her shut her eyes momentarily.

What do I say? Where’d you go?

Pretend to be a boy. Tell him you want to be a volunteer, too.

A volunteer?

Did I forget to mention the year? It’s 1850. The militia are called volunteers. They aren’t officially called Rangers yet, but it’s the same deal. They get called up. They fight and disband. Currently, your fellow is on his way to collect his payment for his service.

“I want to be a volunteer, too,” Sabine announced gruffly, trying to lower her voice.

“You are too young. Go back to your mother,” he barked abruptly, jerking his hand from hers. She felt the fragile connection pull as he drew away. She wanted to reach back out and had to fight the urge.

“My mother is gone,” she answered softly, looking away and feeling tears well up. Everything was gone, actually. Her home, her family, her career. The brief trip into space seemed to be so very far away and fading every second. Gravity held her firmly to the dusty landscape where she stood.

“Find someone else to take care of you,” he said quickly, not moving. He looked quite bothered by something and was fighting an internal battle. His lips looked as if they practically disappeared from the intense frown he was giving her. The shadow from the brim of his hat hid his eyes.

“I don’t need anyone to take care of me, jackass!” she snapped angrily at the cold reception she had received from him. He’s telling me to get lost? Really? I thought you said I was destined to be here. Was that a load of hooey? He’s an ass!

Hey! Language, Cadet!

He’s awful! You sure that I am supposed to pair with him? Let’s make with some magic and snap some personality into the guy!

“Jackass, huh? This jackass has the horse. You are on foot and in the middle of nowhere,” he said with an amused smile that seemed to blossom, suddenly making him look so much more appealing.

“Bet that horse wishes I was riding it instead. I’m a lot smaller than you,” Sabine countered. Swallowing hard, she took a step backwards as he leaned down from his horse to look her directly in the face. As her eyes suddenly met with his warm gaze, they measured each other silently. She could see confusion reach into his eyes as he shuttered his expression and his smiled faded. His green eyes reminded her of warm, wet moss that grew on the tree roots at the planetarium. She would never forget that brilliant shade of green and how much she adored the hue. Her bedroom wall was accented that color because it made her feel peaceful.

“True. Guess that means you won’t eat as much either. Can you cook, boy?” he questioned.

“If I have to. It will be edible, but I’m certainly no chef,” she admitted softly, still stunned by the intense attraction she felt growing as she looked at him. The hat hid quite a bit of his face, but those brown curls that escaped from underneath were endearing. His lips were exquisite and the slight dusting of a shadow highlighted his strong chin. Oh yes, he was getting better and better looking the more she stared at him.

“Well, you might ‘have to’ if you are coming with us,” he said lightly, fighting a smile at her words. Sabine watched his eyes crinkle for a split second and then it was gone.

“Leave him, Jack. You don’t have to help every damned stray that comes around!” the second bachelor interrupted harshly. Sabine was extremely glad she had not been paired with him. He was abrasive. Her mind knew it and his words confirmed it.

“Billy, shut it. It’s not his fault if he is alone. Besides, one day he might be able to pay us back for helping him. You never know when you’ll run into someone again,” she heard the tall cowboy announce as he sat tall in his seat, speaking with Angry Bachelor number two.

He helps people? I thought you said he had a chip on his shoulder?

Hmmm. Maybe that was the other guy.

That would have been nice to have known up front.

Quit complaining, you are paired now. Get to know him!

“Sir.” Coughing, she cleared her throat and lowered her voice again. “I am a quick learner and I can help out.”

“That’s fine, boy,” he said holding out his hand. He sat there waiting expectantly and staring at her. “Are you coming?”

Get on the horse, Space Cadet! What are you waiting for?

“Yes, sir!” she said, grasping his hand and feeling the surge again as they touched. Her cowboy must have felt it too because his dark eyebrows shot up in surprise as she pulled herself upwards behind him in the saddle. Sabine fought the urge to purr aloud as she felt his body close to hers.

“What’s your name?”

“Uh, Chip.”

Chip? what kind of name is that?

It’s a BOY’S name. Can’t exactly go around saying, ‘Hi, I’m a boy and my name is SABINE’, now can I? You said he had a chip on his shoulder. Well, now he has one riding on the horse with him.

You’re too funny, Space Cadet.

I hate that nickname. Frankly, so far, I hate the last two hours.

You’ll thank me for this someday. I promise.

Don’t hold your breath.

I don’t breathe.

Creepy, Witchy Woman. That is creeee-py!

I am more than you could ever know or comprehend. Let’s not limit me to a mere witch, okay? Let’s just call me a relocation specialist.

Is that like a realtor?

For stray souls, yes.

Creepy as fuuuuu...dge.

Good girl! I use butter beans, but fudge works for me! Now, hang on tight, because he is fixing to gallop and you will fly off.

Feeling the horse’s flanks begin to move, she locked her arms around his waist unannounced. Oh, good golly! she thought, as the muscles under his shirt lurched and she could practically picture them under the cotton. Firm, hot, smooth… and hers. Feeling him jump, she apologized. “I don’t want to fall off.”

“Loosen up there, Chip,” he snapped gruffly.

“Yes, sir!”

“Call me Jack,” he said quietly after a few moments, almost absently.

Nodding, she rested her head on his back. She heard him catch his breath and disregarded it. Her hat slid backwards and hung around her neck. Hearing his heartbeat through the linen shirt was comforting. If this moment could freeze, she might be okay with all of this strangeness. Touching him felt blissful. It reminded her of having a nice relaxing massage. She felt whole, warm and utterly complete. Shutting her eyes, she locked her fingers around his waist and dozed slightly, feeling content.

Several hours later, Sabine felt the swaying of the horse stop finally. She was beyond fatigued and everything hurt still from the day’s events. Body and soul. She felt torn, lost, and sore from hours on end on the horse. Thankfully, it seemed to be dark out now. She assumed that she could just lie down and sleep now, welcoming the idea of a good night’s rest. Sabine felt Jack move away from her and dismount the horse. She blindly reached for him, resulting in her falling off the horse directly into his arms.

“Chip, you okay?” she heard him ask distantly. She practically sighed in exhaustion against his warm chest as he held her. She felt like she was being cradled in his arms for the moment.

“Is the kid dead?” Billy’s voice grated her nerves. He was disturbing her cloud of peace she seemed to be wallowing in currently as she savored the moment. The cotton material did nothing to detract from the heat that was emanating from him. Simply touching his hand earlier in the day had been surprising. Riding behind him all day and being held? That felt exquisite!

“Billy, do you ever have anything good to say?” she heard rumble under her ear as his voice resonated from his chest. She could just picture him whispering sweet nothings to her intimately, as long as he stayed like this. Gentle, warm, approachable. There were obviously two sides to Jack because it was certainly different from how they had greeted each other at Eve’s disposal of her in the middle of nowhere. He had been abrupt, cold, stern.

“It’s a good question, Jack. If the kid is sick, we don’t want to catch anything!”

“I know, Sam. I think the boy is just tired.” Sam the redhead, Jack the bodice ripper and Evil Billy. Oh, and me. Chip the ultimate dipshit, for going along with this fiasco her life had become. Yeah, what a fine bunch, she thought idly. Jack the bodice ripper? Where’d that come from? No bodices here though! She yawned absently to herself and gave a massive sigh.

“If he is ready to travel in the morning he can come with us. If he is sick, he’ll have to stay or get dropped at the next town.” She heard the comments and disregarded them. There was no way she was being left behind. Eve was gone and she was completely out of her element. Until she found her footing in this life, she would not be parting from the only thing that made her feel safe so far: Jack. The perfect stranger that was supposedly her soulmate.

“I know.”

Sabine was carried not far away and placed down in the grass. Curling onto her side, she briefly looked at the stars above her in the sky and shut her eyes. Never again, she thought sadly, feeling a tear slip from the corner of her eyes. That seemed so very long ago but was only less than a day. Hours. Sighing, she gave in to the exhaustion that claimed her.