Pure Destiny (PureDark Ones #12) - Aja James Page 0,42

between the seats.

“Who is he, Sophie? I’ve never met him before,” Benji was whispering again, his tone full of awe and admiration rather than apprehension.

“Well, I saw him on the table in the enclosure, and I know he’s your friend. But he was sleeping and we never got properly introduced.”

It was true. Dalair had gone AWOL from the Shield shortly after the Creature—Ere—under Medusa’s orders launched the first attack against the Pure Ones. And then he was captured and turned. There would have been no opportunity for Dalair and Benji’s paths to have crossed.

“His name is Dalair,” Sophia explained. “He used to be the Paladin within our Elite warrior ranks.”

“You knew him, Sophie? And he’s your friend, right?”

She looked toward the cockpit with undisguised longing and sadness.

“Yes. He’s much more than a friend. He…he’s my everything.”

“What made him change?” the precocious little boy asked. “Why is he taking us away?”

“He was caught by some very bad people,” she answered quietly, quivering with barely suppressed fury. “He’s being made to do bad things. But I promise I won’t let him hurt you. I’ll always protect you, Benji.”

“I know that, silly,” he said easily, with far more confidence than she felt. “Dalair said so, remember? You asked him, and he said he wouldn’t harm us. He always tells the truth. I can tell.”

Technically, Dalair’s answer had been specific to Benji, but Sophia wasn’t going to point that out. The boy seemed to take this entire ordeal in stride. There was no need to make him worry.

“What if you talked to him, Sophie? Convince him not to do more bad things? You’re his friend. That means he likes you. He’ll listen to you.”

If only it were that simple, Sophia thought.

But Benji had a point. She needed to make Dalair remember. More than that, she needed to make him feel again. Somehow, she had to find a way to reach and reignite his soul. However long this flight took, she couldn’t just sit here and do nothing.

She had to try.

“All right,” she said with a wink of bravado to Benji, “wish me luck.”

Good luck, he mouthed obligingly and squeezed her fingers as she got up from her seat and maneuvered to the front of the helo.

*** *** *** ***

“Target acquired,” the warrior intoned in a raspy baritone, his words too quiet to be heard by the other occupants of the helo amidst the churning background noise, but loud enough to be picked up by the listening devices in the cockpit.

There was a brief silence on the airwaves.

And then, “More than one target, it seems.”

“Shall I dispose of her?”

Though he asked the question in that same, emotionless tone, a muscle ticked involuntarily in his jaw. His body tightened with the anticipation of pain, as if “disposing of her” equated to cutting off one of his limbs.

Or perhaps carving out his heart.

But then, whether he needed that muscle or not was debatable. If he should misplace the organ, his Master would undoubtedly insert a bionic machine in its stead. More powerful. Infallible. Just like the rest of him.

The static silence stretched.

“Not my call to make,” the disembodied voice said. “The Master can decide when she sees your tag-along.”

“Copy that.”

“The helo’s flight path is preprogrammed. ETA two and a half hours. You will have just enough fuel. But in case of any unforeseen changes in plan, here are the coordinates to the Master’s new location.”

The warrior memorized the numbers and letters his tech lead rattled off.

“I will check in closer to destination.”

Abruptly, the line of communication switched off.

The warrior focused his gaze out the front window of the helicopter and rested his hand on the throttle beside his seat.

A few moments later, the subtle fragrance of orchids preceded the female’s approach. Lady of the Night. That was the scent’s name.

The warrior didn’t know why this information was pertinent, but somehow, it seemed just as important as the coordinates to his Master’s lair.

“Mind if I keep you company?” the female called Sophia Victoria St. James asked.

She didn’t wait for his reply before squeezing herself into the seat next to him, various parts of her body brushing against the right side of his naked torso, setting his skin to tingling.

“Yes,” he bit out.

“Too bad,” she quipped cheerfully, ignoring his preference.

“How long is this flight? And where are we going?”

He kept his mouth shut and his eyes straight ahead.

Without explicit orders, he didn’t know what he should do with her. As long as she didn’t get in the way of