Capturing Today (TimeShifters Book 2) by Jessica Keller, Jess Evander Read Free Book Online

brush my hair to the side. Then he presses his nose to my neck and inhales.
    That’s when I notice his muscles are shaking. Not him. His muscles. There’s a difference. My muscles used to do that after an especially grueling track practice. I’m not sure he could stand right now if he wasn’t clinging to me.
    “Hey.” I rub circles over his back. “How long has it been since you ate? Slept?”
    He finally lifts his head and meets my eyes. Fatigue tinges his features. “More recently than since I’ve seen you.”
    I grab his arms and shake him a bit. “Be serious. You look terrible.”
    The shaking is probably a mistake because he holds up his hand, stopping me, and then pinches the bridge of his nose like he might be dizzy.
    “Sorry.” I shepherd him over to the single bunk in the room. “Wait here.”
    He calls after me as I walk out of the tent, but it only serves to make me quicken my stride. I need to find food for him. A grizzled, older man wearing a different uniform than most of the others I’ve seen points me in the right direction. In less than five minutes, I’m back at Michael’s tent with what I’ve been told is food. I’m not certain I believe them though.
    Still exactly where I left him, Michael has his head in his hands.
    I drop down beside him and ease the bowl his way. “The man who gave this to me called it Slum. He promised it was safe to eat.”
    Michael takes the bowl but doesn’t start eating right away. “Please don’t walk off on me like that again.”
    “But you needed—”
    “We’re in the middle of the highest causality war in earth’s history.” Every word seems to cost him something. I should tell him to eat instead of wasting energy talking, but selfishly I’m unable to deny myself the pleasure of hearing his voice. Usually he clams up when he’s uncomfortable, so I don’t think I’ll ever tell him to stop speaking.
    “The trenches keep back the enemies most of the time, but it’s not unheard of for them to raid us at night. When they do, they quietly kill as many people as possible.” He wraps both of his hands around the warm bowl and stares down at the miniscule, blackened pieces of meat floating in the mush. “Just please stick near me. That’s all I’m saying. If something … after not seeing you in so long … not knowing.” He clears his throat and picks up the spoon. “I’d appreciate if you stuck near me.”
    I stay next to him as he eats, rubbing my palms against the smooth fabric of my jeans. I should have grabbed some food for myself, because I’m not about to eat any of Michael’s. And after his warning about the night raids, I’m cured of any grand idea I might have harbored of wandering around later once he nods off.
    Bracing my hands on the edge of the cot, I lean back and watch him. His movements are slow. As if his joints ache like an old man. A seed of worry plants itself deep inside my heart. Normally I’d press him for information. Find out what our mission is. Ask about Lark and Eugene and Darnell. Share a joke at Donovan the Terrible’s expense.
    But Michael needs rest. Desperately. Answers will wait until morning.
    Then again … what if I shift before we get to talk? Panic claws its way across my chest, making my lungs feel tight. Michael’s right. Sticking close is a must. Close enough to grab hands if one of us starts to shift. That’s how we did it last time.
    When I look his way again, he still holds the spoon, but his eyes are closed. I sit up and press on his shoulder, trying to coax him to lie down. “Let’s get you comfortable.”
    His head jolts, and he squints at me. “Gabby?” He shakes his head. “Right. You’re real.”
    “Maybe I should go get one of the other doctors to look at you?” I try again to push him down onto the cot, but he shrugs off my hand. “You’re starting to freak me out.”
    “I’ll be fine after sleeping.” With a wobble, he rises to his feet. “I’ll take the floor, and you