by Rivi Jacks
He slides his arm under me so I can rest my head on his shoulder, his fingers stroking my forehead as his other hand splays across my stomach. I immediately begin to relax, and my eyelids slowly drift closed.
Chapter Ten
It’s barely daylight as Lucas pulls the SUV off the road into a field.
“You’ve not said much,” he says, looking over at me.
“I’m still asleep.”
Lucas shuts off the engine. “Are you nervous?”
“No.” I give him a little shake of my head. “Not at all.” I swallow nervously.
“Little liar,” he says, clearly amused as he opens his door and steps out. I take a deep breath and follow.
Three men are busy moving around the field preparing the balloon for liftoff. The actual balloon—Lucas says it’s called the balloon envelope—is already spread across the ground. The gondola—or basket—is attached and we watch as the balloon inflates.
A fourth man breaks away from watching the others and walks toward us. “Mr. Santiago, it won’t be long before we’re ready.” He shakes hands with Lucas.
“This is Miss Reece. Sofie, this is Phil Edwards, our pilot,” Lucas says as the man offers his hand to me.
“Miss Reece.”
“Please, call me Sofie.” I tune him and Lucas out as I watch the other men readying the balloon. When Lucas says my name, my attention turns back to the pilot for our safety briefing. I’d just as soon remain ignorant on any of the what-if scenarios.
When the pilot leaves us to finish his preparations, Lucas pulls me into his arms. “Ready, sweet?”
“As… I’ll ever be,” I say cautiously.
Lucas tips his head back and laughs out loud. I can’t take my eyes off him. He is so damn sexy when he laughs like that. He takes my hand, leading me to the basket. The balloon is fully inflated and upright, beautiful with colorful bands of color interspersed with black bands to create a type of zig-zag pattern. Lucas quickly picks me up to set me down inside the basket before lithely bounding over the side to join me. The basket is not that large, and we have to share the space with propane tanks.
Great. Flammable gas in a wicker basket.
Lucas grins, wickedly amused. Then he pulls me close. “Don’t worry, sweet. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
I snuggle under his arm. “Have you ever done this?”
“I have, but it’s been a while.”
The pilot soon joins us, and when the balloon lifts off, the basket wobbles slightly. As I clutch at Lucas’ arm, I can feel his silent laughter. To get myself under control, I inhale deeply blowing out my breath several times. My heart is hammering in my chest, and I keep telling myself that everything will be fine.
The burners aren’t as loud as they seemed when the balloon was filling on the ground and when they are off, it’s quiet. Really quiet. And—we’re floating. I have to admit, I felt the familiar anxiety when we started the ascent, gaining altitude—just like when I’m on a plane taking off—but the view and the sensation of floating, quickly wins me over.
It’s awesome! Unbelievably so. I glance up at Lucas to find him watching me. I give him a wide smile and a happy laugh. I feel like giggling, it’s so much fun.
Lucas moves behind me, placing his hands on the basket, on either side of me. “What do you think, my sweet?”
“Oh, Lucas! It’s beautiful, so peaceful. Thank you.”
“Have I redeemed my dating ability in your eyes, my sweet?”
I laugh and lean back against him. “Oh, yes. I think this qualifies as best-date-ever.”
He leans down, and I feel him kiss the top of my head. “I knew you’d like it.” I look up over my shoulder and smile.
The mountains are beautiful in the morning light with tinges of pink, purple, and aqua. The kaleidoscope of color leaves me awestruck. Lucas points out the Snake River below us, and Phil descends to give us a better look. There are elk, hundreds of elk across the valley floor.
I huddle in my warm parka; grateful Lucas bought it for me. He pulls me back against his body, pulling my hood up, and I turn to face him, wrapping my arms around his waist.
“This is so fun.” I smile up at him, and he tucks a stray lock of hair back into my hood. “We can do this anytime you want, Lucas.”
He smiles, his eyes sparkling. “I like seeing you happy like this,” he murmurs to me softly, lowering his head. I have a moment to remember the other passenger in the gondola, but then Lucas’ lips move over mine, eliminating every other thought but his kiss.
We’re only up for about an hour, and I’m sad as our float ends. We land with nary a bump, and Lucas picks me up to set me over the side.
“Great flight, Phil,” Lucas says, shaking the pilot’s hand.
“Thank you, Mr. Santiago. Miss Reece, I hope that the flight was enjoyable for you.”
“It was wonderful,” I tell him.
I’m ready to return to the SUV and get the heater going, but Phil insists we drink a glass of champagne, telling me it’s tradition. I glance at Lucas, and he nods. So—we drink a glass of champagne. Soon after we’re able to leave the landing site and head back to the lodge, deciding to wait and eat breakfast there.
“That was so much fun,” I say as we pull up in front of the lodge. “Thank you for a wonderful morning, Lucas. You can surprise me anytime you like.” I frown slightly. “I’m… sorry I gave you such a hard time. I told you I like good surprises, but I failed to mention I’m obsessive about finding out what the surprise is.”
When he doesn’t say anything to my rambling, I glance over to notice that his attention, directed toward the lodge entry, seems wary. I turn to see what he’s looking at, but I don’t see anyone or notice anything out of the ordinary. He opens his door and walks around the front of the SUV to open mine. Offering me his hand, he pulls me into his arms as I step out. “You are very welcome, my sweet, but your enjoyment was thanks enough,” he murmurs as he brings his lips to mine.
It’s so unlike me—in public—but I throw my arms around his neck, pressing my body against his hard length, returning his kiss with enthusiasm.
Lucas’ mouth leaves mine, and he presses his lips to my forehead. “Let’s get you inside, and I’ll come back to park the SUV.”
Several people stand just inside the door, and Lucas hurries me past, down the hall to our room.
“Sofie,” he hesitates as he opens the door of the suite, directing me in. “You stay here; order breakfast and I’ll be right back.” He gives me a quick kiss and heads back through the door, closing it behind him.
What the hell? I narrow my eyes in the direction of the door. Something’s up. I know Lucas saw someone when we first arrived. Someone who he’s off seeing to right now, and I want to know who it is.
I chuck my coat remembering to grab my phone before opening the door, wondering where Ryan and Mateo are. I head out of the room and proceed down the hallway to the lobby. Looking out the front doors, I see the Range Rover is still sitting out front. I glance around, wondering which way to go.
“Miss Reece, may I help you?”
I turn to see the young woman who greeted us on our arrival. Her name tag says, Rachel Davis. “Yes, Ms. Davis. I’m looking for Mr. Santiago. Have you seen him?”
“Yes, right this way.”
She leads me across the lobby to an open doorway. I see Lucas standing at the far end of the room. He’s not alone. “Thank you, Ms. Davis,” I say slowly, effectively dismissing her.
“Let me know if I might be of further assistance.”
I smile at her. “Thank you.”
I watch from across the room where Lucas stands talking with a woman with long black hair. I recognize her immediately even with her back to me. Her hands are moving expressively about her before she raises h
er arms to wrap them around Lucas’ neck, leaning in to kiss him. It’s the woman from the nightclub Impulse, the ex-girlfriend of Lucas’ that waylaid me in the ladies bathroom. The one that ripped the shirt off his back that same night. As I watch, Lucas reaches up to untangle her arms from around his neck and looks across the room, his eyes locking with mine. I inhale sharply at the anger I see there. I turn around and walk out.
What the hell is that bitch doing here? I need to get back to the room and just pray I don’t come face-to-face with her. I stagger as someone bumps my shoulder. I glance back at the rude man, in his hurry across the lobby.
That’s when I see the Kihn. He’s standing at the front desk as if he’s checking in. He’s dressed in nice clothes, and he has that disguise thing going on that Taylor told us about, but to me, with his big, thick body he looks like the monster he is.
Everything goes into slow motion as he turns to look my way, our eyes meeting. I see the surprise in his and then I turn, practically running from the lobby and continue with hurried steps down the hall leading to the suite. Just before turning the corner, the elevator slides open and a group of people begin to exit. I take a quick look behind me and almost scream with how close the Kihn is. I quickly change direction and squeeze between the people leaving the elevator, surprising the man and woman still inside. I frantically punch the third-floor button repeatedly before they even step out, with curious glances my way.
Come on! Shut! Shut!
Just as the doors slide closed, the Kihn reaches the elevator.
He snarls at me.
My heart is pounding out of my chest as the elevator lifts, and I grab hold of the handrail. I’m shaking so badly, I’m afraid I’m going to fall. What am I going to do when I get to the third floor? I didn’t think about what I was doing when I got on the elevator, I acted out of instinct knowing I wouldn’t have made it back to the room before the Kihn caught up with me. And even if I had, there’s no guarantee that Mateo and Ryan would have been there. Now I need to think fast, certain the Kihn won’t be far behind. I pull out my cell. Damn. No signal in the elevator to call Lucas. He knows I saw him so he should be looking for me.
The ping announces my arrival as I feel the elevator settle and the door slides open. I have a moment’s panic knowing the Kihn might be waiting for me. My knees almost buckle with relief when the area is clear. I take off down the hallway. I need to call Lucas again but not before I find somewhere to hide. The Kihn could be coming up the emergency stairwell, and I don’t want to be standing here in the hall when he arrives. I hear the ping of the elevator and know my options are over.
A door opens across from where I’m standing, and the young woman from the couple Lucas and I have passed more than once in the hallway, peers out at me.
“Come in here!” she hisses. “Now!” she demands when I hesitate. I scurry into the room, and she shuts and double locks the door. We stand there, green eyes staring into brown as we hold our breath and wait.
“Is he out there?” she suddenly whispers.
I have a moment’s unease wondering how she knows. “Who?” I breathe.
“The guy I’ve seen you with.”
“No,” —I shake my head— “it’s not…” Shit! “I need to call him.”
“No!” she whispers loudly.
“It’s okay,” I assure her, continuing to whisper in case the Kihn can hear as well as other supes. Before I can pull my phone from my pocket, we both hear a loud noise out in the hallway. I meet her frightened gaze, knowing Lucas probably won’t make it in time. I dial his number anyway.
“What’s your name?” Before she has a chance to answer, there’s a loud thud against the wall near the door where we’re standing. Two pairs of frightened eyes turn toward the door and then I’m grabbing her arm and pulling her with me toward the balcony door.
Damn it, Lucas, answer your phone!
“Jeannie. My name’s Jeannie.” Her voice quivers as I pocket the phone and slide open the glass door to the outside deck.
I step out and move quickly to the far side. Three stories aren’t too high unless you don’t have an airbag to land on. And looking over the edge, I grab the railing. This side of the resort faces the edge of the mountain, and the balcony hangs close to that edge.
Holy shit!
I stumble back to the doorway.
If the Kihn comes through the door, I’ll have to hold him off until Lucas can find me. Damn it! Why do I never seem to have a weapon when I need one? I think of something and cross the room to the desk in the corner, pulling the drawer open rummaging around before I find two pencils. This is not going to be good. How I think to hold off a huge Kihn, with two sharpened pencils, I have no idea. I laugh a little hysterically. Where do we go if he comes through that door?
“Sorry we have to meet under these circumstances,” I say, as I stick the pencils into a back pocket rejoining her at the patio door. “I’m Sofie.” I try to hide my panic, but I don’t think my demented laugh is very reassuring to her.
“Maybe we should call the front desk… or the police?” Her voice squeaks.
“No, my—boyfriend is here.” Somewhere anyways, and it better not be with that bitch Louisa. “It’ll be okay.” I look back at the door, scared shitless.
“Isn’t he the one you’re hiding from?” she questions, her eyes large and round.
“What?” I frown and then realize what she’s saying. “No! Oh, no. It’s not Lucas, it’s—”
My cell phone ringing makes us both jump. My hand covers my heart as I fumble the phone out of my jean pocket.
“Don’t answer it!” she whispers loudly.
“It’s okay,” I assure her. “Lucas!” I continue to whisper.
“Where the hell are you!” he yells. My new friend’s eyes widen upon hearing him.
“Lucas,” I turn slightly, “there’s a Kihn—”
“Where are you, Sofie!”
I turn back around. “I’m on the third floor, room—” I raise my eyebrow in question and receive a negative headshake.
“Sofie!”
“Shhh. Just a second.”
“Dammit don’t shush—”
“Lucas! You have to stop yelling… he’s going to hear you.” I put the phone against my chest cutting off Lucas’ next expletive. “Jeannie, I need the room number—”
The door crashing open causes both of us to scream. The view of the big Kihn, his face distorted, no longer needing to control his features as he stops just inside the doorway to get a lock on our whereabouts, almost sends us both into hysterics.
Without thinking, I throw the phone at him, hearing Lucas yelling over the line. I turn and push Jeannie out the door and follow her onto the balcony.
It’s the wrong thing to do.
I slide the door closed with a bang, and we both move to the far side of the deck as the Kihn pulls the door off the track and out of the frame of the doorway as if he’s picking up a chair to toss across the room.
Jeannie screams as she grips my arm. I immediately try to shake her off, needing my hands free as the Kihn steps out onto the balcony. There’s a loud crack and the side of the deck, where we stand, drops down about three feet, tipping the deck at a precarious angle.
We both scream again as we grab at the railing. The Kihn stops all of three seconds before he continues across the deck. His added weight causes it to drop another foot, and I know we are dangerously close to falling off the side of the mountain.
Reaching out, his hand closes around my upper arm like a shackle. He snarls, and if he once wore fake teeth that concealed his own, that’s no longer the case. The all too familiar pointed fangs of the Kihn snap at me with deadly force. I guess he’s pissed because we’re making this hard for him. I cry out as his hand tightens and I think the bone in my arm will
snap. When he starts pulling me toward him and turns to head back across the deck, I realize he plans to take me along with him. And with the continued sound of wood groaning and cracking, I know he plans on letting Jeannie fall with the deck.
I can’t let that happen.
I try to find purchase with my feet against the smooth wood to stop our progress across the deck as I claw at my back pocket, my fingers closing around a pencil. I hope that I won’t have to stab the pencil very deep into the Kihn. Taylor told us it didn’t take much of a puncture by wood to kill a Kihn, but Lucas told me it was harder than one would think since a Kihn’s skin tended to be thick and tough. Just as I pull the pencil free, the deck shifts again, and I drop my weapon, desperately trying to grab it before it rolls off the deck.
I cry out in frustration as the Kihn jerks me back into the room.
“Jeannie!”
Her eyes are wide, and she’s frozen in terror as I look back while I reach for the second pencil. The deck suddenly drops again, and I lose sight of her as she screams.
Our screams mingle as the Kihn suddenly drops to the floor dragging me down with him. I start kicking in the area a human’s genitals would be, pulling against his painful hold.
Strong arms wrap around me from behind, and I have a moment’s panic thinking another Kihn has arrived. I escalate my struggle to free myself, dropping my chin to my chest and then rearing my head back, immensely satisfied when I hear a grunt as my hard head comes in contact with my unknown assailant’s chest.
“Miss Reece” —a voice rasps in my ear— “It’s Hayes.”
I look up in surprise to see Lucas standing over the Kihn. The monster continues to hold my arm in a vise-like grip while I try to turn and pull free of Hayes’ arms and the Kihn’s hold, desperately needing to get to Jeannie when I see Mateo leap up to the open doorway with her in his arms. At the same moment, the Kihn’s death grip on my arm relaxes, and I jerk free, looking back to see his bloodied head lying a little too far from his body to still be attached.