“What if they have his phone tapped? Or, what if they have him? No phone calls, no telegrams, no carrier pigeons, no contact with anyone! You feel me?” Joseph said angrily, grabbing my arm, and quickly jerking me toward the door. “We have to go now.” He glared at me. “Thanks to you, it’s not safe here.”
He shoved me into the plane and everyone stared, but said nothing. Luna reached over to take my hand, but I jerked away from her, and turned to face the window.
“I caught her on the phone.” I heard Joseph through my head phones. “She was calling William.”
Luna gasped. “What did she tell him?”
“Nothing. But, she was about to tell him where we were going.”
I turned off my headset and closed my eyes. I had a hard time falling asleep, and even when I finally did, it was fitful. I wished I had stayed awake.
I was at the edge of the woods again, watching helplessly while my house burned. This time though, it was different. There were several huge, ferocious beasts circling the house and they were taking commands from William.
When I heard my mother screaming, she wasn’t crying out for me to help her, she was screaming for me to run. I reluctantly listened to her pleas, and bolted for the trees.
Again they followed, and somewhere behind I heard William shouting my name, but I didn’t stop. My lungs burned from the smoke of the flames gaining on me. I was forced to keep running, as every time I glanced over my shoulder they were still chasing me.
I skidded to a stop when I came to the edge of the cliff. I turned around and the beasts emerged from the woods, teeth bared and snarling. Fresh blood dripped from their fangs, and I thought they’d killed William until he emerged from the woods and calmly walked right between them, holding out his hand for me.
“Jump, Genevieve,” he said in a calm even tone as he drew near.
I turned my upper body and looked over the edge. “It’s too far down.” Tears streamed from my eyes.
“You can trust me. I’ll catch you.” His mouth curved upward into a grin, unlike his normal smile. “Jump.”
I hesitated and one of the beasts leaped toward me. I turned and jumped, but William wasn’t there to catch me. The ground came rushing up fast.
I woke up kicking and screaming, and when I opened my eyes, Joseph was holding me down. “What in the hell are you doing?” I shouted over the plane’s loud engine noise. He was saying something I couldn’t hear.
He pushed a button on the side of my headphones. “You were having a bad dream.”
“Get. Off. Of. Me,” I growled in a low throaty voice that frightened even me. I pushed him off with ease, and it not only shocked him, it shocked me as well. He flew backwards, and landed on top of Luna.
“How did I just do that?” I mumbled and thought about it for a minute before I jerked off my hoodie and looked at the bulging muscles in my arms. But I didn’t have muscles. I mean before moving to Alaska I was just your average skinny, un-muscular type girl. I promptly turned to face Joseph and fought to hold back the tears, but couldn’t. “I’m sorry … I … don’t know what’s happening to me.”
Joseph kneeled on the floor next to my seat and wrapped his arms around me. He pulled me close, stroking my hair. “It’s okay, Gen.” He spoke softly and quietly while I cried into his chest. Unlike William’s, Joseph’s heartbeat was strong and loud, and he displayed a gentle side that I’d never seen before.
I felt safe letting him hold me. It gave me a sense of normalcy. I wanted desperately to hang on to the old Gen. The Gen from L.A..
After I finally calmed down, I gently pulled away. When I peered at him, he had the same weird look on his face that I was sure covered mine, and we both smiled.
For the first time since we’d left Haven I no longer felt depressed. I wasn’t feeling sorry for myself anymore, and I think because I felt better, Luna and the boys felt better, too. We joked around, laughing, and telling silly stories, which made the time fly by (no pun intended).
Joshua, did something, and Maroon 5’s, “She Will Be Loved” started blasting through our headsets. James was trying to dance in his seat, but it looked more like a chicken attempting to fly. We laughed hysterically, but it didn’t bother him one bit.
Of course, Joseph felt the need to really embarrass me. He quickly jumped out of his seat, grabbed Luna’s hairbrush, and started using it like a microphone, singing to me. A burning flush flew over me, and they all laughed uncontrollably. Mental note: hide Luna’s hairbrush.
Chapter 23
I laughed so hard for so long that eventually my kidneys felt like they were about to burst. I walked down the narrow aisle, if that’s what it was even considered, to the little doorway in the back of the plane. I dreaded seeing how tiny the bathroom was going to be, but I couldn’t hold it until we landed again. I couldn’t even hold it another five minutes. When I passed by Joshua and James, who had taken up residence in the two seats furthest back, they had become engrossed in a map they had spread across two tray tables.
I tried not to be nosy, but caught myself looking as I walked by. I wasn’t a great map reader, but from what I saw we were going to be crossing miles of desert and rough mountains. My stomach tensed, fearing the worst. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, or how I would be of any great value if we encountered more werewolves, except I might be able to slow them down by letting them eat me.
The next time we landed, we were at a small crop dusting airstrip, somewhere in the state of Utah. I caught myself looking out the window for William. My heart ached every time I pictured him.
I caught Luna taking sidelong glances at me so I quickly changed the subject. “I’m starving, but it doesn’t look like we’ll be getting anything to eat here.” I said sarcastically, after looking out the window at a bunch of nothingness.
Joshua grinned broadly, but didn’t say anything. James climbed out behind the pilot, and when James returned, he brought back a different pilot, who just happened to be carrying a large brown basket.
As soon as the doors closed, my mouth started to water. I stuck my nose high into the air and sniffed. The smell of fried chicken filled the air.
“You didn’t think we would let our queen starve do you?” Joshua said, taking the basket from James.
“I’m not your queen. I’m not anything.” I shook my head, and lowered my eyes.
“The missus says for ya’ll kids to enjoy your supper.” The pilot spoke with a southern-type draw.
“Who set all this up?” I asked earnestly.
“My grandfather. He knows people in many different places,” Luna said tearing into a chicken leg.
Not only was there chicken, but also biscuits, French fries, and fruit. James passed out sodas and when I finished eating, I was stuffed to the point I could hardly hold my eyes open. I was determined to stay awake though. I just don’t think I could take having another nightmare like earlier.
“Hey, Luna. I want to ask you something,” I said after turning off my headset, not wanting the guys to hear.
“Sure,” she replied, licking her fingers after swallowing the huge bite I saw bulging in her cheek.
I moved over next to her and turned off her head set, then settled next to her.
“What’s with all the secrecy?” Joseph yelled out.
“Girl talk, bro. Now, leave us alone,” Luna pushed him away and smiled.
“I uh, I … okay. What happens to your clothes when you transform? I mean, it’s obvious something happens because I have yet to see a werewolf in pants,” I giggled. A warm flush washed over me and I smiled sheepishly.
“That’s a really good question. Unfortunately, I can’t answer it.”
I scrunched my brows. “What do you mean? You don’t know?” I wasn’t sure at that point if I would ever transform. “Are you naked afterwards,” I whispered. I could tell by the way she smiled she knew I was freaked about her brothers seeing me in the nude. I wasn’t awkwardly shy, but I didn’t want to parade around nake
d. Not in front of the whole world and definitely not in front of the boys.
“Your clothes go into a state of limbo sort of. And when you transform back, you’re dressed.” She shrugged and cocked her head to one side.
“Stop messing with me, Luna,” I said a little too loudly, and quickly glanced around at the guys to make sure they hadn’t heard.
“No. I swear,” Luna seemed completely serious. “Grandfather said each Adlet is under some kind of inner secret spell. Well, it’s not a spell, but it’s kind of like that. It has to do with our pack tattoos. Transforming and clothing and healing. Joseph can explain it better than me,” she said and started to get up.
I yanked her back down. “No! I mean, no. It’s all right. As long as you swear I won’t end up naked I’m good.”
I moved back to my seat and tried to think about what Luna had told me, but quickly grew so sleepy. Even though I tried my hardest to stay awake the last thing I remembered was glancing around in the dark at Luna and James still eating. Joseph had fallen asleep first, and was snoring so loud I easily heard him over the plane’s engines.
A couple hours later I woke up, my head felt like lead, and I had an awful taste in my mouth. It was cold and the wind was blowing. I cracked my eyes open and glanced around. Everyone was still asleep, except the pilot. His seat was empty and the back door was wide open. It took longer than normal for everything to register. I even looked behind me, thinking he might be in the bathroom, before it finally hit me … we had been drugged. “Oh Jesus, Joseph, wake up,” I screamed, but he didn’t budge.
I promptly shot up from my seat wondering why the pilot would bail on us. The suction coming from the open door pulled at me, and I grabbed onto Joseph’s arm.
“Help me,” I shouted, mere inches from his ear. “Joseph, you’ve got to wake up.” I held on with one hand and slapped him hard with the other. Finally, he stirred.
“Oh my God.” Joseph held his hand to his forehead. “My head is killing me.
“Forget about your damn head for a minute, and help me.” My feet weren’t flying in the air or anything, but there was a strong suction pulling me toward the open doorway. I couldn’t hold back my tears any longer. All I could picture was getting sucked out and falling thousands of feet.
I guess Joseph saw my distress and promptly pulled me into his lap. I was so relieved, I threw my arms around his neck and squeezed tightly.
“Shh, you’re all right now.” He held me for a minute until I calmed down, then pushed me back just enough to see my face. “Where’s the pilot?”
“Uh, I’m thinking out there somewhere.” I replied sarcastically, but didn’t mean too, and pointed toward the open door.
Without a word, Joseph sprung into action. He slid out from under me, and carefully made his way to the back where the open door was. I wasn’t sure he’d be able to get it closed. I held my breath as he pulled on the door handle. His face turned deep red as he strained and his muscles flexed. Although I cared deeply for William, watching the taut muscles in Joseph’s chest and abdomen ripple underneath his tight shirt, stirred something deep inside me. He let out a loud grunt and gave a final hard jerk, latching the door.
I ran to him and threw my arms around him. “You were so brave. Thank you.” I kissed him on the cheek before I even thought about it. Afterward, I let go, lowering my eyes. “Uh … we better wake the others.
Joseph had managed to stir Joshua awake, but so far hadn’t had any luck waking Luna and James. I suddenly remembered that they had eaten a good bit more than the rest of us.
“We were drugged. It must have been in the food. That would explain why Luna and James aren’t waking up.” I thought about it all for a minute, then turned to Joshua who’d climbed into the pilot’s seat. “I thought your grandfather knew these people.”
“He does. I just don’t understand what could have happened.”
I furrowed my brow. “I guess he doesn’t know them like he thought he did, or we wouldn’t be thousands of feet in the air without a pilot, would we?”
“Stop it! Both of you, just stop it,” Joshua shouted incredulously. “I really don’t think it matters who is responsible at this point. Right now we need to concentrate on how we’re going to land this plane without killing ourselves.” By the time he’d finished shouting, a vein poked out in his forehead, and his face was blood red.
James and Luna woke up right in the middle of Joshua shouting at me and Joseph. Just like the rest of us, they had terrible headaches and Luna had a confused look on her face.
“We were drugged,” I said flatly. “The pilot bailed on us too. Isn’t that just great?” I spouted hatefully, and pointed at Joshua sitting in the pilot’s seat. I was being sarcastic but I was really only trying to mask my own fear of dying.
“What about the radio? We can call for help. Somebody will rescue us,” James said, optimistically.
“Nope … not gonna happen.” Joshua said, holding up the severed microphone cord. “But what you can do is look in the outside pocket of my back pack and hand me my cell phone.”
“You had a cell phone this whole time and didn’t tell me?” I narrowed my eyes, glaring. “I thought we couldn’t have our phones because they could be tracked,” I snapped.
“Sorry, Gen. It wasn’t my idea. Grandfather told us Zane would know you’d try to call William and he’d be waiting to intercept it.” His tone said that he was being sincere.
“Uh … Joshua? I hope you already took out your phone and just forgot.” Joseph’s face contorted, sweat started to bead up on his forehead.
“What? I haven’t touched it.” Joshua shot a look over his shoulder. “Look again.”
“It’s not here.” Joseph dumped out the contents of Joshua’s bag. Everything spilled onto the floor.
“He thought of everything, didn’t he?” James commented sarcastically.
I glanced over at Luna. Quiet tears washed down her face. Her white knuckles gripped the arms of her seat.
“Joseph, go to the back and grab the map. Put it in my bag and hand it to me. Everybody else, get your bags on your backs, and buckle up.”
“What’s happening, Joshua?” Luna sobbed. Her cries grew louder.
“Hurry up. I’m afraid we don’t have much time.” Joshua ordered. “We’re out of fuel.”
“I thought we fueled up when we stopped in Utah? I asked earnestly.
I didn’t see them put the fuel in, because I went inside to get Mr. Green,” James muttered. When we came out, the fuel truck was driving away from our plane.”
I felt the nose of the plane dip downward. I gasped and Luna screamed. Joseph was in the seat next to mine and took my hand, squeezing it tightly. I glanced at him, and he was peering at me. There was something comforting about his eyes. He leaned in close to me and I thought he was going to try to kiss me. I closed my eyes.
“If anyone can land this plane, it’s Joshua. He’s awesome with the flight simulator game at the arcade,” Joseph whispered, proudly, and his chest swelled. “He’s held the high score for three years running,” he said, matter-of-fact while holding up three fingers.
If I hadn’t been so terrified, I’d have probably laughed. Instead, I squeezed his hand and forced a smile.
One thing we had going in our favor, I think, was that the sun had risen. I looked out my window and saw nothing but dry, desolate, desert all around. I hope landing on the desert was like landing on the water, because James and Joshua were in a panic up front. They couldn’t figure out how to drop the wheels. We had the big ski thingies, but no wheels. The last I heard wheels worked better than water skis on the ground.
When I glanced at Luna, her faced was soaked with tears. Joseph kept telling her everything was going to be just fine, because of Joshua’s high score. Somehow, I just wasn’t finding that comforting at all.
When I glanced out my window again I figured we were in trouble. We were headed straight toward the ground, and James was screaming for Joshua to pull u
p. “Are you sure you can do this?” I shouted, and squeezed my eyes shut tightly. I had my answer when Joshua didn’t respond.
My eyes were still closed tightly when I felt us level off. I let out a deep sigh, and realized I’d been holding my breath. I cracked open my eyes for just a second, but slammed them shut again when Luna screamed and the plane hit the ground hard, bouncing all over the place. I heard a loud thud just before James screamed, then fell silent. The nose dug down in the sand causing the plane to flip forward at first, then side over side.
Chapter 24
I guess I had been in shock, because it took me a minute to respond to Joseph shaking the crap out of me. If the plane crash didn’t give me whiplash, Joseph definitely would.
We were tilted up on our side, and Joseph kept me from slamming against Luna when I unlatched my seat belt.
“Is everybody okay?” I asked earnestly, then looked around. Joshua was standing on the top of the plane trying to drag James’ limp body up through the open door. “Go help your brother. I’ll get Luna,” I told Joseph.
“Are you sure you’re all right?” He stared hard into my eyes.
“I’m fine, really. Go, your brother needs you.” I waved him off.
When I reached Luna, she didn’t have any obvious signs of injury, so I figured she must have just fainted, but I couldn’t wake her.
I kept smelling something, but I was worried about Luna so I ignored it at first. But it continued getting stronger. When I finally glanced around, I saw what it was. The back of the plane was on fire.
“Joseph! The plane is on fire and I can’t get Luna to wake up,” I shouted frantically before I unlatched Luna’s seatbelt and started jerking her toward the front of the plane.
After Joseph helped to get James to the ground, he jumped back in and threw Luna over his shoulder with ease. I watched him climb over the front seats and up through the door. Her head flopped around and her arms dangled like a little rag doll.
I don’t know why, but instead of climbing out behind Joseph, I climbed over the seat toward the back, and grabbed the fire extinguisher. The fire seemed small enough to put out easily.
Ties to the Blood Moon 2nd Edition Page 12