caught on a rope in a middle of a fall storm really was a mild nuisance. The human on his back probably didn’t understand that, however.
Of course, she could die easily. He needed to be decapitated to be finished and had healing cells to fix everything from his brain to the tendons surrounding his knee. At least he’d been able to protect her from injury when they’d hit the ground. “I’m not gonna let anything happen to you, Promise. Just hold on.” He’d swallowed enough sand that his normally hoarse voice sounded raw, even to his damaged eardrums. Healing cells started to fix them, and he let them go to work.
Although she didn’t have any choice except to hold on, he kept a firm grip on her wrists.
Finally, a large hand reached out of the helicopter and grabbed his, pulling hard. He looked up to see Adare hanging out of the twisting aircraft, his face one hard line of concentration. When had the Highlander gotten back to town? Ivar used his knees to help and was soon on his belly, half inside the craft. “Get her,” he ordered, his face down.
Adare lifted Promise free and sat her on the side bench before hauling Ivar all the way inside and plunking him next to her. Then he closed the door and turned around. “How bad?” His brogue was unusually thick with stress.
Ivar opened his eyes to see Ronan nod from the pilot’s seat. He banked a hard left and turned away from the ocean. “I’m fine,” Ivar said, mentally checking the healing cells. They were slower than they’d been before he’d run through endless dimensions and fought hell beasts, but they were still working. He turned toward Promise, whose eyes were wide and frightened in her sand-battered face. Was she all right? “What hurts, sweetheart?”
Sand covered her wet hair and clothing. Her mouth gaped open and then shut. Her full lips began to turn blue, and she trembled so violently her shoulders shook against the helicopter’s metal side. But he couldn’t see blood or any broken bones.
She gulped and then looked toward Ronan, at Adare, and then at Ivar. “What in all reality?” she croaked.
He leaned his head back to relieve some of the pressure in his skull but kept his gaze on the woman. She seemed in shock but not physically injured. “Promise? This is Adare. He’s another ex-soldier at the business.”
She looked toward the Highlander, taking him in from head to toe. For the mission, Adare had dressed in black cargo pants, complete with a myriad of weapons visible in every pocket. He wore a sidearm strapped to both thighs as well as a knife in the holder at his waist. His dark T-shirt covered his hard chest, and he’d tied his unruly black hair at the nape.
“Hi,” he said, holding out a hand.
Hers trembled as she reached for it. The second they touched, she winced, yanking back to press her palm against her temple.
Ivar straightened. “You okay?”
She winced and partially turned away. “It’s that headache again,” she slurred.
Adare was studying her with those black eyes of his. Slowly, he reached out and poked her in the arm.
She coughed and drew away, pain leaching away the color beneath her skin.
Ivar’s chest hitched. “Adare? Go up by Ronan, would you?”
Adare nodded. “Aye. Just give me a sec.” He tugged his thick T-shirt over his head, handing it to Promise. “It’s dry.” Then he turned and crouched down to walk to the copilot seat. The farther away he got, the better Promise looked.
Interesting.
Ivar noted that her breathing had leveled out. “Better, Missy?” Yeah, he liked having a nickname for her.
“Yes.” She fumbled with her hand at her neck, looking toward the cockpit. “That’s quite the tattoo on your friend’s back.”
It wasn’t a tattoo. The fusing of the ribs and entire torso that occurred during the Seven ritual created a type of dark shield that made the ribs visible. “Promise,” Ivar said, waiting until she focused back on him. “I need to know if you’re injured, honey.”
She drew Adare’s shirt over her head and then hugged her body with her arms, her movements jerky. “I’m okay.” She rocked back and forth, holding herself tighter, her lips still trembling. “But I really don’t understand.” She was quiet for a minute and then swept her hands out. “Any of this. I mean, how in the world are you still breathing? There’s no way you should be. This defies all logic.”