Pure Destiny (PureDark Ones #12) - Aja James Page 0,45
be heard over the blaring alarms set off by Dalair’s…outburst, or whatever that caveman fist-drive was.
He clenched his jaw and did more things with his nimble fingers, completely ignoring her.
Whatever he was doing, it was working, because after a few more heart-stopping moments, they regained altitude and control, the flight path smoothing out once more.
“Fuck,” he grunted beneath his breath, his eyes focused on the various dashboards in front of him, all lit up and blinking like a Christmas tree.
“What?” Sophia barked, her pulse speeding up again.
Goddess above, she wasn’t sure how much more of this long-ass, unpredictable, awful day she could handle.
“What now?”
“Auto navigation malfunction. Transponders and communication fried. I will have to fly this blind.”
“Blind?” she squeaked despite her best attempt to sound cool and collected.
“I know the coordinates, I know which direction. But I’m blind to traffic.”
“You mean you don’t know what other aircrafts are on our flight path? Is this a busy route?”
Instead of answering directly, he said, “I’ll need to lower our elevation and avoid urban areas.”
He pushed gradually down on the yoke to do just that, giving Sophia that disorienting weightless feeling again.
“Or you could just land this thing, forget the mission and come home with us,” she tried.
“Negative.”
“Dalair—”
“Stop. Talking.”
Sophia wanted to pull her hair out in frustration.
Arrggghhh! Even as a soul-less zombie you’re the most infuriating, obstinate, confounding man!
“I heard that.”
She turned to regard his stoic profile alertly.
Abruptly, he pressed his full lips into a flat line, as if he hadn’t meant to alert her to their telepathic link.
He seemed to be in full control of the aircraft once more, his expression wiped clean of emotion. Determination etched in the hard line of his jaw.
You can hear my thoughts? Sophia tested in her mind.
No reaction from the warrior next to her.
You know what this means, don’t you? We’re Mated! Well and truly! Eternally! You can’t ever get rid of me now.
His eyes didn’t so much as flicker in acknowledgement of her unspoken words.
Let’s see, where was I? Since we still have, what, two hours of flying left to do?
Sophia tapped her chin, her gaze shrewd and considering as she stared unblinkingly at the half-naked male beside her.
He bore some faint marks on his torso. Those must be from recent wounds, likely when he engaged members of the Elite. He was powerfully fast at healing now that he was operating at almost full capacity.
Sophia heard through the communicator that Tristan, Aella, Adam and Jade were all injured when they got in the way of the turned Paladin, along with two other human Chevaliers. The Immortals sustained more severe wounds that would take at least a day or two to recover from, while the humans merely had headaches from their concussions. It’s as if Dalair purposely held back when he dispatched his foes.
Sophia took this as a positive sign. She clung to any she could find.
She got up to check on Benji when Dalair’s hand suddenly shot out to grasp her forearm.
I’m coming back. Just need to make sure our…package is okay.
She didn’t know why she felt the need to reassure him, just that she instinctively knew that his reaction just now was due to his need to keep her close, not because he was trying to subdue an enemy threat. Besides, in what world would she be a threat to him? Amped up super-soldier that he was.
He released her arm without looking at her, and she scooted past him, brushing the front of her torso against his right side as she went.
In reaction, he stiffened all over. His dark brows slammed down, and his jaw clenched hard.
Interesting.
Sophia filed that telling piece of information away as she made her way to the back of the helicopter.
“Are you all right, Benji?” she asked, kneeling in front of the boy, smoothing her hands over his face.
“It’s like a rollercoaster ride!” Benji breathed, his excitement no less dampened by the danger he seemed oblivious to, though he stretched his jaws in a giant yawn at the end of his exclamation.
Sophia helped him lie down across both of the seats before securing a belt cross-wise over his body. She dug around the pockets and containers nearby and found a couple packets of nuts and bottles of water.
“Here, have these. And try to rest, OK?”
“When are we going to get to where we’re going, Sophie?” Benji asked sleepily.
“In a couple hours,” she answered.
Even though, if she could help it, they would never get to where they were headed.