Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 79726 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 399(@200wpm)___ 319(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79726 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 399(@200wpm)___ 319(@250wpm)___ 266(@300wpm)
The runes strike the dragon in the face, and the helicopter drunkenly rights itself just as we tip forward into the shimmering white portal.
Hannah and I scream as the helicopter continues bobbing and then spins wildly once we’re back in the sunlight. Hopefully, we at least left behind our passenger when we came back through.
Layden continues spitting out curses as he tries to get the helicopter back under control.
My stomach roils as I try to glance at the ground to see if the tanks are still there, my stuttering mind remembering the threat we were running from when we teetered into that outlandish place, but I only catch a glimpse of smoke rising before we tilt wildly in another direction.
I throw a hand over my mouth. Puking is about to be the least of my worries because we’re going down.
Oh god, we’re going down. I don’t think Layden’s going to be able to right us in time!
Suddenly, Abaddon’s there in the space visible by the open ramp, grabbing one end of the helicopter from behind. His wings flap furiously as he begins steadying us.
Remus appears at the front windshield.
Together, they straighten us out, and the terrible noise of the churning blades from only moments before suddenly calms down to the normal, easy rhythm.
I breathe out and then laugh, a quick sob escaping before I swallow it down and gulp in a breath. Maybe this is just another day in their lives, but hello? Human here. My life is usually boring, so I’m definitely not used to multiple near-death experiences within minutes of each other.
Remus flies around to join Abaddon at the back and they enter through the open ramp. Remus eyes the claw marks cut into the side of the metal chassis. “What’d we miss?”
He sits down beside me after Abaddon pours a coat of shining blue-white runes around the copter. “There,” he says gruffly. “At least the bastards won’t be able to track us while we fly.”
Everyone seems so calm, like we almost didn’t just die in multiple disastrous ways. My heart is still in my throat, and I swipe tears from my eyes.
“Dragons from another realm, I think.” My voice is barely a high-pitched peep, and I’m still white-knuckling my seat.
Remus rubs his hands together and looks at Kharon holding his newborn daughter. “Ahhh. Excellent. That’ll certainly make the vampires happy.”
All the heads in the back of the helicopter turn toward Remus, eyes wide. I think I choke a little.
“Vampires?” Abaddon says, sounding anything but amused.
Layden glares back from where he’s flying. “Dammit, Remus, I told you that in confidence.”
Abaddon glares as he stalks up the narrow aisle to the cockpit. “You’re taking us to the vampires?”
Wait. I sit up in my seat straighter. Are they serious? I want nothing more than to hurl myself into Remus’s chest and cry for hours until the adrenaline coursing through my body calms down, but his eyes are bright from battle, and now he’s talking excitedly about vampires.
So I sit back in my seat, a numb sort of calm descending as Abaddon demands, “Are you an idiot? Did you learn nothing from our little escapades during the Ottoman Empire?”
“They’ve become more interesting since then,” Layden says, never looking away from his beeping instrument panels or acknowledging Abaddon’s glare. “Plus, they’ve gone and gotten themselves a god along with some very powerful witches. Who I happen to be friends with.”
“The god or the witches?” Abaddon asks.
“Both.” Layden waves a hand over his shoulder. “It’ll be a safe place to land.” Finally, he does look at Abaddon. “As long as you trust no one and keep your glamours on at all times. I spent some time with them while I was. . . away. They’ll know we’re magical but can never know just how magical we are.”
“We aren’t magic, we’re gods,” Remus grouses.
“That’s a matter of contention and certainly not how you should introduce yourself if you don’t want trouble,” Layden says, shooting Remus a smile. “Or if you’d like your lovely consort to be able to leave.”
Immediately, Remus looks my way. It’s not the first time he’s looked at me since he landed back inside, but it feels like the first time he’s actually seeing me. “I’d kill them first.” He moves toward me. “No one will harm you, I swear it.”
“Vampires, remember,” Layden mutters. “They’re just as immortal as you.”
Remus turns his head toward the front, his voice angry. “Then why the fuck are we taking our vulnerable women there?” His entire body hardens in a protective stance.
Another day, another time, I might have argued against the whole his vulnerable woman descriptor, but considering I was almost just eaten by a dragon, and they’re talking about going to visit some vampires, I’m not going to squabble about semantics. Especially when his arm comes around me, squeezing my shoulder when he feels me shaking.