Chapter 27
Krys slammed the window shade closed after staring into the darkness for the past hour. “How long is this flight?”
“We still have another three hours. Needn’t worry—we’ll be there faster if you take a nap.”
He scoffed. “I can’t sleep around people, especially in a tin can. Remember why?”
“At least keep your belt around your waist this time.”
Salem’s world had turned upside down in a matter of hours.
After seeing Pyro, they had gone to a Chinese buffet for dinner and hung out there before returning to the inn.
Abigail, the older innkeeper, scolded them for missing dinner.
They didn’t think eating there was a requirement, but she wouldn’t let them go to their rooms until they finished the cheap steak George brought out.
Krys had repeatedly stabbed his meat while giving Salem a hostile look, the old lady standing hawkishly over his shoulder, arms folded, her countenance stern.
They both slept okay, but Salem had a lot on his mind with locating a Mage Healer.
Though he had one or two contacts, none of them knew a Mage with that particular rare gift.
A Mage Healer could use their energy on any Breed—their healing light as effective as Vampire blood.
So he sent a message to Lucian and explained their predicament.
Lucian said he knew a guy who might help—a friend of the family—but he had to call him first.
Not long after that, Salem grew restless and wished he could be with Quinn. Something felt off, and he assumed it was the stress of the situation.
A couple of hours later, Tak called. “You need to come home. Quinn asked for you. Something’s wrong. She can’t walk anymore, and… and she’s lost her vision in one eye.”
Salem couldn’t shake those grim words from his memory.
All the research and effort to save her didn’t matter as much as being at her side.
The cab ride took forever, and the plane couldn’t fly fast enough.
Had she been anyone else, Salem would’ve treated this like a medical mystery he needed to solve.
He loved cases that challenged his intellect. All he had now was hope.
Pyro didn’t care if Salem found a Healer; she just wanted a first-class ride. Meanwhile, he and Krys were sitting in coach, stuck behind a dad who kept scolding his kid for every little thing, and trying to ignore the woman three rows back who was arguing with her boyfriend.
Krys took off his leather jacket. “I feel like I’m in a bottle of mouthwash. Why are all the lights blue on this flight?”
The seats were also blue, the walls and tray tables white.
Krys bumped his knees against the seat in front of him. “It’s fucking smaller than the other plane.”
The little boy in front of them popped into view and whispered, “Fuck.”
Krys chuckled at him. “That’s right, kid. Fuck these seats.”
The father abruptly yanked the kid off his feet and sat him down hard.
“Don’t move again.” The man stood up and stared daggers at them.
“I’m not telling you again: Don’t speak to my kid.
Mind your business or I’ll report you.” After unzipping the collar of his blue sweater, he sat down and scolded his kid.
Krys snorted. “Report us to who? The plane police? Are they gonna throw me in plane jail?”
“They might toss you out the door,” Salem suggested.
“That might be fun.” Krys took his phone out and tapped the button. “What the hell? I’ve had it on the charger, and it’s still not working. What about yours?”
Salem checked, but his phone was also dead.
“That innkeeper from hell must have put a hex on us. I still don’t think that’s beef we ate last night.
” Krys tucked his phone back into his jacket.
“Maybe we should’ve picked a different flight.
And Pyro. Who gives themselves a name like that without a reason?
What’s the deal with her friend who got sucked into a jet engine?
” He pulled his dark sunglasses from his inside coat pocket and put them on. “Ancients give me the fucking creeps.”
Salem laced his fingers over his stomach and tried to relax, but it was hard with the couple arguing. Not so much them anymore, but the people on the flight who’d decided to involve themselves by telling them to be quiet. One of the flight attendants marched back there to deliver a quiet warning.
The woman fired back. “It’s none of your damn business!”
A chime sounded, and a woman’s voice came over the intercom. “Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking.”
“Oh shit.” Krys sat forward and looked toward the front. “That’s Pyro’s voice.”
Pyro continued. “Champagne and caviar for everyone! What do you mean you don’t have champagne?
Pretzels? That’s it? Stale bread?” She laughed maniacally as she carried on a conversation with someone, and a flight attendant rushed to the front.
“No wonder everyone looks miserable. Mesdames et messieurs, open your windows and enjoy the view. We’ll be rotating the airplane upside down for an unforgettable experience of the mountain ranges, so buckle up and enjoy! ”
“Mom, something’s wrong with my phone,” a girl complained. “It’s still not working.”
A man stood. “Is this some kind of joke?”
Pyro jauntily strolled down the aisle before stopping and sitting on a man’s lap. “Hi there, hot stuff.”
“That’s my husband,” the woman beside him snapped.
Pyro stroked her fingers through his hair. “Ever joined the mile-high club?”
The man shoved her off, and she laughed.
“Where’s the captain?” someone boomed. “What’s going on?”
When Pyro spotted them, she waved and used her gift to appear on top of the seat in front of them. “What’s cooking?”
Salem’s eyes widened. “You can’t do that in here!” he whispered.
“Do what?” she asked innocently before looking over her shoulder. “Attention! Two Shifters, a Mage, and a Vampire are aboard this flight. Prepare to have your blood sucked.”
The man in front of them stood and called for help. A few had witnessed her jumping ability, and their eyes were wide with astonishment.
Pyro jumped again to another seat, then another. She made her way around the plane, throwing everyone into a state of panic. During this, Salem realized it wasn’t just their phones that had trouble. Everyone was trying to take a video and record the chaos, but all the phones were inoperable.
A group rushed toward the cockpit, including the father in front of them.
“What’s going on?” he demanded from the flight attendants, who were yelling at everyone to go back to their seats.
Pyro jumped into his seat and smiled blithely as she peered over the top.
“Isn’t flying fun? Boo on the snacks. When I flew before, they treated first class like royalty.
Champagne, cigarettes, warm towels. Now it’s so dull.
They have all the seats separated like we’re cattle.
Humans are boring. We should have our own airlines. ”
Krys scoffed. “That plane would blow up before takeoff.”
“What did you do?” Salem demanded, realizing the woman might be mentally unstable.
She twirled her blue hair around her finger like a petulant teen before steering her gaze to the overhead compartment.
She stood on the seat, opened it, and pulled out a bag while the father continued demanding answers from the flight attendant.
After rifling through his carry-on, Pyro found a red beanie and put it on.
Krys tossed his shades onto his seat and climbed over Salem to the aisle. “Is the captain still alive?”
A woman screamed. Krys hadn’t bothered to lower his voice.
Pyro tossed the man’s travel bag into the aisle. “Don’t these planes have autopilot?” After a quiet beat, she laughed. “I’m kidding! Lighten up.”
“That ship has sailed.” Krys chucked the bag onto an empty seat. “What did you do to the captain?”
“They’re fine. No need to get excited. Do you really think I travel alone?”
Salem stood. “What do you mean?”
She simpered at the little boy, who then offered her a piece of his candy. After patting him on the head, she popped the sweet into her mouth. “Why do you think no one is using their phones to film me?”
Krys wiped his goatee. “Oh fuck. You didn’t push out some kind of energy pulse, did you? The plane runs on electrical equipment!”
“Calm down.” She extended her arms. “Everyone, calm down! I know how to fly a plane. I did it once in World War I. Landing is another story. These new ones have so many buttons!” After swallowing her candy, she put her feet on the ground.
“I know how to control my power. Besides, your phones actually work.”
Salem shook his head. “No, they don’t.”
She laughed as if someone had told her the funniest joke.
“Silly boy! You’re under a spell. The power of suggestion is strong.
My friend is a Vampire. After he charmed the flight attendants to ignore him, he charmed everyone who boarded.
They can’t see their phone screens, and as soon as we land, they’ll forget everything that happened on this flight. And so will you!”
Krys rested his arm on the seat. “I don’t remember any Vampire.”
“Of course you don’t. Where’s the fun in that? You were easy peasy. Salem was the hard one since he watched, so I gave him a little shockypoo.” She shrugged. “Sorry.”
Krys stared at the red-haired boy, who was busily coloring the white walls with his green crayon. “So they won’t remember anything?”
She shook her head. “The pilots can’t hear what’s going on. Vampires are very clever. They can make you ignore reality. The instant the wheels touch the ground, it will seem like a boring flight. No one will remember me or you or anything that happened.”
Krys’s sinister grin made Salem uneasy.
The dad appeared and shoved Krys. “What did I tell you about messing with my kid?”
Krys threw a punch and knocked him to the ground. “You’re a shitty father. All you do is yell at that kid like he’s your fucking pet. He’s a little boy. If he wants to color on the walls or wave at people, let him. What the fuck is your problem?”
The man held his jaw and climbed to his feet. “Did everyone see that? He hit me! I’ll sue your ass.”
Krys punched him again, this time knocking him out. “Shut your mouth.” He snatched a small bag from another passenger’s hands while chaos ensued. Then he showed it to the boy. “Hey, kid. You like chips?”
“Uh-huh.” The kid tossed his crayon on the ground and reached around Pyro, who was in the way. She disappeared completely.
Krys handed the boy the potato chips and patted his head. “You’re a good kid. No matter what that mean old dad says.”
The kid giggled and sat down.
Krys searched the plane. “I need to find that Vampire friend of hers.”
“What for?”
“So he can charm this asshole. I want to make sure he never yells at his kid again.”
Salem claimed the window seat and settled in, his fingers laced over his stomach, his eyes closed as the couple a few rows back unleashed their pent-up anger.
From the front of the plane, Pyro clapped loudly to draw everyone’s attention. “Who wants to see a magic trick? I need a volunteer. How about you, Mr. Sexy?”