The Tides of Time(Book2 in the Time Travel Series)

Chapter One: Stormy Weather

Present Day, somewhere on the Atlantic.

Like Zeus wielding a whip, lightning struck across the black sky, thunder rumbling loudly close behind it. Victoria Langston froze in surprise, the hairs on her arms standing on end. She tucked her iPhone away in her jacket pocket, her dark eyes meeting the sky. The once velvet blanket of night had transformed into a discouraging mass of storm clouds that blotched out the silver rays of the waxen moon.

A gale had risen, whipping her short black locks around her, obstructing her vision. Victoria seethed as she fought to correct it. When the luxury ocean liner, aptly named the Voyageur, had departed that very morning, it had been a beautiful summers day. The storm had appeared out of nowhere. Tory had been lounging by the pool, her abominably pasty-for a native Floridian, at least-soaking in some needed vitamin D, when the first drop of rain had fallen. Like cats to water, the other passengers had fled from the storm, herding towards the various spas, arcades, and dinning areas inside.

The day had been a consistent on-and-off showers. Mother Nature throwing a slight temper tantrum, spurting some dramatic waterworks for show. It was clear to Tory now, that the real storm was coming. Tory edged towards her cabin, ready to shut herself away and launch into one of the mystery romance books she so loved.

Who would have known that her first day on the cruise would start off like this? Like the rest of her friends-Hannah, Fay, Rose, Mia and Stacey-she had been psyched about the cruise to Ireland, until her best buds had bowed out. Hannah had decided on a last minute trip to Scotland after graduation. Hannah had been off kilter since her since returning from her stay two years ago while on a trip with her parents, so Tory thought that visiting the country would give her friend closure or something.

Rose had won a three week stay in Rome; visiting all of the major art museums and ruins was a dream come true for a talented artist like Rose, so Tory had understood her not attending the trip. Fay, who was Victoria's own cousin, had turned down the trip in order to sulk over the scandal her father had stirred up by dating their very male math teacher. Mia was on an internship in Norway, preparing for studying ancient cultures and mythology. Tory's last best friend, Stacey, was pressured by her parents to spend time up in South Dakota with her grandparents before heading off to Duke. So, Victoria was on her own, visiting one of the worlds most amazing places, on her own.

"Yikes!" Tory gasped as pellets of icy rain started to pummel her from above. Ducking low, Tory deserted her balcony for the safety of her cabin. 13 by 10 it was one of the more moderate cabins on the Voyageur, it's walls lined with dark teal sea shell print wallpaper, and a single four poster bed in the middle of the room completed by two bedside dressers, one tall dresser and a tall modern style lamp that branched out like a tree. Sliding the glass door soundly shut, Tory fought back a shiver as she pealed off her soddened jacket.

Her layered bob hung in wet clumps around her face, it had been over a month since she'd last gotten it trimmed, so it lacked the sleek and refined look and leaned more towards shaggy now, but Tory didn't really care. She could get it styled in Ireland when the ship docked.

Tory riffled through the pockets of her jacket, pulling out her phone to check the time. Nearly seven. Dinner would be served soon, and she was still debating on whether or not to hibernate in her room and order room service.

Tors, promise us you are not going to veg in your room all by yourself. The only reasons you should spend extended amounts of times in your room is for sleep and when a guy is with you doing, er, things.

Tory groaned at the memory of Hannah cornering her before she left. Hannah knew her too well. Tory just didn't do the dating game well. In her eighteen years she had had a number of proposals-all worse than the last. One guy had fancied himself a vampire, and another had a track record of being a babydaddy-to numerous girls.