9. Chapter 9
9
T he trip to the airport was short and uneventful. Instead of parking in a garage and going through the terminal, Asmund pulled right up to the tarmac, and they boarded the private jet from the ground.
Thinking about how much the jet was worth had Kelly’s head spinning. Not to mention the fees to take off and land and the fuel for the flight. She was in far over her head, and it made her want to run back to her sputtering old car more than she cared to admit. It felt like people were paying her way, and she didn’t want anyone supporting her.
Instead, she boarded the plane at Fabian’s insistence, grabbing the handrail tightly. She peeked into the jet and saw how nice it was, almost puked, and turned right back around. “Nope, this is not for me. Too much, I’m out. Just take me back to my car and go about your lives.” She wanted to continue, but Fabian put his finger to her lips ever so gently.
He shook his head at her in the way he always seemed to when he wanted to tell someone they were wrong. “Get back up there and pick a seat. It is too late to turn back now, Warrior. You have started your journey.”
She raised an eyebrow at him. “Warrior?”
“Yes, it will fit soon enough.”
Lacking the energy to ask any more questions, Kelly turned back around to get on the jet. The interior was ridiculous in her book, and it was larger than it appeared from the outside. She glanced to her left to see the cockpit, which looked like something straight out of a sci-fi movie; she couldn’t have explained it to someone if she tried. To her right, she walked through a kitchen area to what seemed to be the main passenger area. There were eight chairs in total: two on each side of an aisle with floating tables in between them, then four more behind them on the right side of the plane, split over a table, almost like a dining area. There were enough TV screens to fill a house, giving each person on the plane a clear view to one or another.
Kelly couldn’t help her curiosity and kept walking through the plane. A divider came after the passenger area, leading to a decent-sized bed on the left and a small countertop on the right. If that wasn’t enough, a full bath was behind the next divider. Everything was immaculate; not a single fingerprint shone on any of the smooth surfaces, and even the bed was made with the individual layers folded back just so. Her jaw went slack, mouth hanging wide open. Kelly didn’t even know they made jets like this. Movies and TV always showed private jets that had four, maybe six seats with cramped interiors. This was anything but cramped.
Fabian’s calm voice came from the passenger area, “Come, Warrior, you must take a seat. We will be departing soon.”
She turned to head back toward him and chose one of the first individual seats, sitting to face Fabian. “You’re going to have to expand on this sudden nickname eventually.”
He smiled at her, his light eyes shining with glee. “Soon enough.”
Kade boarded the plane next, followed by Asmund. They took the seats across from Kelly and Fabian, Kade sitting directly across the aisle from Kelly.
Kelly was facing the front of the plane, and she watched quietly as other people boarded. A man and a woman in captain’s uniforms came on and entered the cockpit. Then an older man appeared and walked toward them.
“May I get anything for any of you?” he asked kindly in an English accent.
“Thank ye, Brodric. I’m all right,” Kade answered.
The man then looked at each person individually. Fabian and Asmund both politely declined. Then the man’s gaze landed on her.
Realizing she’d left her water in the SUV, she accepted his offer. “I’d love a cold water, thank you.”
He bowed slightly, smiling as if it pleased him to be able to serve someone, and turned back to the kitchen area. The sound of doors opening and closing ensued, and then he was in front of her, holding out a bottle of water and an empty glass with a napkin wrapped around it.
Kelly took what he offered, smiling graciously. “Thank you so much.”
“You’re most welcome, madam.”
She wasn’t sure why, but Kelly instantly loved this man. He was of average height, appearing to be around sixty years old. His deep-green eyes held years of knowledge in them, and she was positive he’d never had a bad day in all of his years.
A voice came over the speakers. “This is the captain speaking,. We’ve been cleared for departure. Please secure all doors for takeoff.”
Brodric bowed at Kelly and quickly turned to head to the front of the plane. She heard the door closing and the lock clicking as it was secured. Brodric then made his way to a seat nestled in the kitchen area and buckled himself in.
Kelly looked around at the rest of the men sitting on the plane. None of them seemed to care at all about their seatbelts or their safety. They were all calm and collected.
The plane began to move, and Kelly let out a squeak, grabbing the arms of her chair.
Smooth move, her inner voice judged her yet again. You’re real tough now.
Inwardly, she told it to be quiet. She had everything under control.
“Ye all right, lass?” Kade asked.
“Just peachy,” she replied, curtly.
He just looked at her, questioning.
“If you must know, I haven’t flown since I was about five, so this is all a bit foreign to me. You have to be one of about five people in the world who can afford this plane, which supports the drug lord theory.” Her grip tightened on the armrests as she spoke, her knuckles becoming white.
Kade knelt beside her, taking her hand. “Ye have nothing to fear. We have some of the best pilots in the world, and one of the best aircraft money can buy. And to top it off, I am nae a drug lord. Yer safe.”
“I’m not scared, Kade. But it’s a lot to take in.”
He raised his hands, gesturing that he meant no offense. “Well, make yerself at home. It’s a little over a twelve-hour flight.”
“Don’t mind if I do.” She smiled at him, thinking of the bed in the back of the plane.
After they took off, Kelly made her way back to the bedroom area, pulled the covers back, kicked off her shoes, and lay down on what was possibly the most comfortable bed in the world. It was soft and hugged her body in just the right way.
With twelve hours to waste, Kelly didn’t even try to fight against sleep. When she woke, she would put all of these men on the spot and get a game plan together. She would not rush into this new world blindly, but she wasn’t about to let men fight her battles, either.
Kade
Soon after they reached cruising altitude, Kelly disappeared to the back of the plane without a word. He’d gone back to check on her and found her sound asleep on the bed. Pulling the covers over her, he resisted the urge to kiss her cheek, instead going back to Fabian and Asmund so they could plan and problem solve.
He sat in the chair Kelly had occupied, facing Fabian.
He sighed, feeling as exhausted as Kelly seemed. He’d been running businesses for decades, and the past six months had been inundated with Council business. He stayed physically fit, but had not tapped into his combat or tactical skills in almost eighty years, and that had been for a human war. Arcane disagreements were so much more complicated than human wars.
“Do ye have any thoughts for a game plan?”
Fabian stared off into the distance for a moment, deep in thought. “She needs a mentor—now. That cannot wait. She also needs to learn how to fight. You and I can try to protect her, but she is too independent to hide from her troubles. Eventually, she is going to show her face, and she needs to know how to protect herself.”
“Aye, that can be arranged. But even then, we have likely another twenty years before she is bonded,” Kade said, thinking out loud.
“I think you underestimate her potential. We can train her in combat. Between us and a mentor, we can prepare her just as well or better than any young mage. Do not approach the Council about her until she is ready for her bonding.”
“I trust ye, Fabian, but we will be breaking a number of laws here,” Kade said, concerned.
“Yes, we will. It will all work out; I am certain of that. You will need to let go of your business side and embrace the fighter you once were if you are to help her.”
“Yer so damn cryptic, man. Jesus.”
Fabian shrugged at him. “You are familiar with my abilities; they do not offer me more than what I have shared. Find her a mentor and get her to your home safely. We will build a plan from there.”
Kade nodded at him and stood, pacing the plane as he made calls through the satellite phone. It took multiple calls, offers of insanely high salaries, and a bit of bargaining, but he had three potential mentors set up to meet Kelly the day after they arrived in Scotland. He did not want to pair her with someone until she had the chance to meet them first. This way, she could choose the one she liked best.
When everything was arranged, he turned back to Fabian. “Ye ken, we’re arranging all of this and she hasnae even accepted yer Guardianship, much less the help of a mentor.”
“Patience, Kade. You cannot win the war without fighting the individual battles. She needs to know her options.”
“Oh aye, it’s that simple, is it?”
“Yes, it is,” Fabian said, very matter-of-fact. “You have so much to learn when it comes to strong women. They will not follow you for your looks and your money. You are going to have to be smart with this one.”
He furrowed his brows at Fabian. “What do ye mean? I dinnae plan to seduce her.”
Fabian chuckled and stood. “You will find out for yourself. I am here to protect her, not to guide you. I will give you a couple of tips, but that is all.” With that, he made his way to the galley to get something to eat, kindly refusing Brodric’s offer of service.
Kade let him be, not wanting to push the issue. Fabian seemed to be hinting at something more developing between him and Kelly, and he wasn’t sure he was ready for it. He much preferred the company of women who would not even see him again, let alone get attached. Relationships were not something he had time for, and he had enough people he needed to make happy without a woman to consider as well.
Resigning himself to the fact that his businesses were not going to run themselves and remembering that he had given Asta the night off, Kade pulled out his computer and buried himself in work.
Kelly
Waking up to the white noise of the plane had Kelly wanting to roll over and go back to sleep. But she believed too much of a good thing could turn bad, so she forced herself to shed the grogginess of sleep and wake up. As she tried to stretch, she realized Clyde was curled up behind her knees, and she stopped herself to avoid disturbing him.
Light came from the front of the plane, telling her it was daytime wherever they were. She must have slept quite a while.
She rubbed her face and winced when she touched her forehead. It was still tender but getting a little better, and her mind felt clearer each time she woke from sleep.
Kelly stood, trying not to disturb Clyde, and stretched. It was one of those full-body stretches a person does when no one is watching, and her arms went up and out wide. She even groaned as her muscles strained.
Just as the stars started to take over her vision, a voice came from the front of the plane. “Feeling better, Warrior?”
She turned to face Fabian, who was wearing an amused smile. “Sure, but I’m not a warrior.”
He just shrugged at her.
His sense of humor was starting to grow on her. He was like that grandparent in kids’ movies that always knew more about the fate of others than they did and got a kick out of playing jokes on them; he just looked like he was thirty at most instead of eighty.
She straightened, slightly embarrassed to be caught. She’d somehow forgotten there were other people on the plane.
“Come, let us talk of your future,” Fabian said, a smile still on his face.
She couldn’t resist petting Clyde before she walked up to them. She almost bent down to kiss him, but stopped herself. This was not her cat, and she shouldn’t get attached.
Kade had taken her seat, so she sat opposite Asmund, crossing her legs and leaning back to get comfortable. “What about my future? I thought I had time to make my decisions.”
“Well, yes, you have three days. You are halfway through that time, though.”
“That’s just for your Guardianship, though, right?”
He seemed to flinch at that. “They really do go hand in hand.”
“My future depends on your Guardianship, is that what you mean?”
He looked at her, thinking for a moment. “Honestly, I am not sure. It is possible, though.”
“Great,” she said, not liking the idea of depending on someone else.
“You must understand, Kelly, you will not come into your power for some time. Until then, you are a human in an immortal world. Everyone else will be stronger, faster, and more powerful than you, by far. What you experienced with the vampire in the gym is nothing compared to what others can do. She underestimated you.”
Now she was offended. “I can handle myself! I’ve been doing just fine for years.”
Fabian did his hands thing where he used them to motion downwards, telling her to cool it. “You have been doing it in a human world. When we arrive in Scotland and settle in, Kade and I can show you what it is really like to go up against a powerful immortal.”
She squared her shoulders at him. “Bring it on.” He could try to intimidate her all day long, but she would never back down.
His light eyes met hers with excitement, a slight smile on his face. “As you wish.”
Kade interrupted the promise of challenge that passed between them. “Before we get to that, ye’ll be meeting with three potential mentors shortly after we arrive. I want ye to choose the one ye like best.”
Her blood began to boil now. “Kade, I have not made any decisions, and you told me I had time to think. Now, you’re trying to force me into this.”
“I ken ye havenae made yer decision, and I am nae trying to force ye into anything ye dinnae want to be a part of. Ye have to understand, ye need to have all yer options in front of ye in order to make the best decision. Ye dinnae have to sign one of the mentors, just tell me which one ye prefer in case ye do decide to come to our world.”
She gritted her teeth and balled her fists, her nails cutting into her palms. “Fine, I’ll meet them. If you sign a contract or agree to something behind my back, I’m gone. I’ll take a damn cargo ship back to the US if I have to. Why do you care so much, anyway?”
His gray eyes met hers, and he seemed to search for the right words. When he finally spoke, she could barely hear him over the drone of the plane. “Ye practically landed in my lap, Kelly. And between my intuition and Fabian’s foresight, I ken there is something special about ye. Someone has to help ye, or someone else will hurt ye. Those are the only two ways this will go for ye. I’ve been in this world for far too long, and I ken what people will do for power. Call me selfish for wanting ye on my side, but I truly want what is best for ye. I have the means to help, so I might as well, and I will nae bend yer will to do my bidding along the way.”
“So what, you lock me away in your house and bring me food while some person teaches me how to be a mage? Then what? What kind of life will I really have with you? I’m not going to waste away while I learn about all of this shit for years upon years. I have a life; I was finally making something of myself.”
Kelly’s words were strong, but inside she started to crumble. She wasn’t making anything of herself. Six years of college had done nothing for her, and now her big story had turned into something that would land her in a mental hospital. The more she was exposed to normal comforts—or extravagant ones, in Kade’s case—she realized how difficult living in her car had really been. She was sick and tired of working her ass off and pinching pennies for her next meal. For as long as she could remember, her tough exterior had been a mask that hid what was really going on inside. She desperately wanted to be that strong, successful, and independent woman, but she wouldn’t take handouts to get there. Kade promised so much that she couldn’t afford, and she refused to pay him with favors and other things some women used to get what they wanted.
There was a hint of shock on Kade’s face, and he spoke with a defensive tone. “I would nae lock ye up. I want ye to travel with me, to see the world. Ye can go wherever I go, and yer mentor and Fabian can accompany us too. Fabian and I would teach ye how to fight, and yer mentor would teach ye about our history and how to become a mage. Ye could come and go as ye please as long as Fabian is with ye. I would stand firm on ye being protected at all times.”
“Kade, I can’t pay for all of this. I know you said you would, but I don’t take handouts or free rides, and I don’t pay with my body. So that leaves me with nothing.”
His face showed hope. “We can work out a loan then, to be paid after yer bonding.”
“I don’t do debt, and you said it could be years, decades, until my bonding.”
“If yer worried about debt and handouts, we can figure something out. That is the least of my concerns,” he said.
“It may be the least of your concerns, but it’s at the top of mine.”
He seemed frustrated now. “Above yer life? Ye’d let debt or pride stand in the way of ye living another day?”
Fabian stood between them then, the ever-dependable mediator. He put his hands up, palms facing each of them. “Enough. Neither of you means harm or ill will to the other. We are stuck in a small space for the next six hours, so get along.”
He seemed tired of their bickering, and she couldn’t blame him. Kelly was reaching that point too.
Kade spoke, visibly trying to be kind, “Please just meet with the mentors and tell me of yer preference. If ye decide to accept my offer, ye can let me know when the time comes. I’ll keep them on retainer until then.”
Not wanting to dismiss his efforts to quell the argument, Kelly agreed and went back to the bed. She patted the spot in front of her, coaxing Clyde to her, and turned on the TV at the foot of the bed. Maybe some mindless entertainment could help quiet her mind for the time being.