She looked stunning and just as Josef was about to comment, a long, loud Wolf whistle came from his left. Gabe was walking towards them with his own case and his grin was huge on his face.
“Dear God, Peri, you look amazing, baby. I can’t wait for folk to see you on my arm. All the guys will be jealous!” Gabe swooped in and planted a kiss on her lips, a quick one, he knew if he lingered, it would progress.
“Uhm, thank you. Is this okay for traveling?” Peri had been unsure what to wear.
“You look stunning, Peri, and it is more than suitable for traveling. Here, let me take that.” Josef moved and took her case from her hand and planted a kiss on her lips.
“I’ve phoned that salesgirl, told her our plans have changed. When we get back, if you want her to come and help with makeup or anything else, then I’ll arrange it.” Josef would put the girl on retainer, if Peri wanted it.
“Oh no!” Peri’s tone was frantic.
Josef and Gabe both moved, looking for a threat, they saw none, but when they looked again at Peri, she had tears running down her face.
Both males went to her and Gabe’s hand was on her cheek. “What’s wrong?”
Josef was looking over her intently, looking for some clue as to what was wrong.
“I can’t go – I can’t go!” Peri had only just realized it, there was no way she could go.
“Why?” Josef asked, bewildered.
“Paper trail? I don’t have a driver’s license, far less a passport, Josef!” Peri couldn’t believe the thought had only just come to her.
Both the men in front of her relaxed and she wondered why. She would need a passport to get through security and onto a plane.
“It’s okay, Peri, you won’t need one, trust me.” Josef was once again calm, realizing Peri wasn’t hurt and there was no threat.
“How?” Peri queried.
“You’ll see,” Gabe chuckled.
Peri was mystified. How could she get on a plane without a passport or photo ID?
Josef took out a hanky from his top pocket and gently wiped Peri’s face. His eyes stared into hers and his look calmed her. Why or how she wasn’t sure.
A knock at the door broke their eye contact and Josef checked on the monitor before opening the door. A bus boy stood with a luggage trolley. He stepped in, loaded their luggage, turned and left, no words spoken.
“Okay, little Witch, are you ready for a trip?” Josef asked, and Peri was still a bit confused and worried. She didn’t want to get to the airport and turned away because she didn’t have any ID!
Gabe grabbed her around the waist. “Come on, baby, you’re going to have a ball.”
Gabe moved her forward and Josef locked up, moved to her other side, and took one of her hands in his. The feel of their skin on skin giving her those tingles again.
By the time they got to the elevator, it was sitting waiting on them, and Peri wondered how that happened all the time.
They entered and when they got out at the bottom, there was a large limo waiting. Peri’s excitement rose – a limo!
“Is that for us?” She asked, as Gabe moved towards it. A very, very large man stood holding the door open, and Peri gave him a wary glance, as Gabe placed her inside.
She sat down on the seat at the back and Gabe and Josef flanked her. There was a small bar in front and a bottle of champagne on ice. Crystal glasses sat next to it. Josef reached for the already opened bottle and poured them all a glass.
“I’ve never had this before.” Peri laughed, as the bubbles went up her nose.
“If you like it, you can have it whenever you want,” Josef said earnestly, and Peri realized he meant it. Champagne whenever she liked? Another extravagance that she probably wouldn’t be comfortable with. A nice rosé wine was fine with her.
“Okay, sit back and relax. It won’t take long to get to the airport.” Josef placed a hand on her knee, and once again, she felt those tingles. It was really strange.
“Yeah, won’t take long.” Gabe said, as he sank back into the seat and sipped his champagne.
This all felt surreal to Peri, and she wondered if she had been in an accident and was in a coma somewhere, dreaming all of this.
Chapter 11
Peri sipped slowly at her champagne and the three of them spoke of their own trips to San Fran, Josef being there in its inception days.
She ended up choking on her champagne at a particularly funny story Gabe told. He had got up to some mischief in his past, Josef bailing him out of trouble time and again.
Peri mostly listened, the words of the other two making her more aware of who they were, and the close bond between them. Gabe was obviously the more outgoing of the two with a cheeky side to his character that never failed to have her laughing.
Josef was more reserved, and she guessed he had been more so before they had met. Gabe also commented on this. “So, Peri, you do realize that you’ve loosened up Josef? He used to be so uptight, I used to think he would strangle himself! No, seriously, Peri, you’ve made a huge difference to him – and me.”
Josef looked at Gabe with a withering stare, not liking his remarks about how uptight he used to be. Josef knew he had been reserved, cold even, but he didn’t need reminding of it. He felt the difference in himself since Peri had come into their lives. She made him feel whole again.
Josef had never told of the one time he had fallen in love, just before he became a Vampire. The ways that love crushed all feeling from him in its betrayal. The vow he made never to let that happen again. The beginning of his losing most of his humanity.
Peri had brought that humanity alive in him once more, and he felt more than a little scared at the prospect. For him to feel fear...well, it wasn’t something he had felt since he had been human.
As they neared the airport, Peri grew more nervous, knowing she couldn’t fly without ID.
Josef’s hand was still on her knee, not having moved since he had first touched her. He gave it a little squeeze and Peri smiled up at him, worry still in her, but she was trying to trust what he had said. That it would be okay.
Her trust in him made him feel good, once again, not a feeling he was used to.
Peri saw a large gate and the limo moved through without stopping, the guard just motioning for them to go on in. As they did so, she saw they were nowhere near the main terminal of the airport.
The limo continued on a long strip of road and Peri tried to see where they were. A few buildings up ahead looked like large hangers. The limo stopped in front of one and Gabe got out first, his hand helping her exit from the car.
As she stood up, Peri gasped. The hanger was huge and inside was a very sleek jet. Gabe laughed at her expression. “You never thought that Josef would fly commercial, did you? As for your passport, or rather the fact you don't have one, the old Vamp would just use his mind control trick. He's done it plenty of times before, so don't worry.”
Peri looked from Gabe to Josef and the slight tug on his lips showed he was amused, also.
“A private jet? Really?” Peri couldn’t believe her first trip on a plane was going to be on this one.
“Yes, Peri, this is one of mine.” Josef took her hand and started to walk towards the jet.
“What? Did you say one? As in you have more than one?” Peri was breathless with excitement.
“Of course, this one is sufficient for shorter flights within the US. I have another that is needed for longer flights – say to Europe or the Far East.” Josef’s thumb was rubbing her hand, as they walked, and she still felt those tingles.
“Oh my God, you really are rich. I knew you had money, obviously, but this...this is just crazy!” Peri knew only a small portion of even rich people could afford something like this.
“Yes, Peri, I do rather have a lot of money.” Josef was captivated by her excitement and it was rather catching.
As they neared the jet, Peri saw a
nother large man standing at the bottom of the short flight of stairs. Josef nodded to him and led her up into the body of the jet.
Liam was sitting on a leather sofa with a coffee in his hand, and he smiled as they entered. “Hi,” he said, and Peri nodded her head. She didn’t think she could speak for the excitement running through her.
“Sit down and buckle up, just for take-off and landing,” Josef instructed, as he placed her into a chair that sat beside a large table. More chairs surrounded the table, and that was where Josef and Gabe sat.
The driver of the limo and the other large man that had been at the stairs both came on board and sat down, further back. Bodyguards – that was the one word that came to mind when Peri looked at them. But were they human or something else?
Josef answered her thought. “Vampires, Peri. Most of my security details are Vampires. Strength and speed and not a lot can kill them.”
“Suppose that makes sense, but they look rather scary.” Peri kept glancing at the two large beings.
“Trust me, they have one order and one only, that is to keep you safe, at all costs. They would never hurt you.” Josef knew she was nervous of them, but she better get used to them because wherever she went, so did they.
Well, that was until Josef had found and taken out her father.
The pilot stuck his head through. “All ready?” He asked and Josef nodded his head. The man pulled up the stairs and secured the door before going back into the cockpit.
Peri heard the engines roar a little and the jet moved slowly out of the hanger. Josef had sat her at a chair near a window, and she watched with wide eyes as they moved. A tiny bit of fear was in her stomach, but she damped it down. People flew all the time, and she was more likely to get run over by a bus than die in a plane crash.
As the jet taxied to the runway, she grew more impatient. She wanted to feel the power of the jet, as they took off. Josef chuckled at her thoughts, the girl definitely liked powerful machines.
As Peri heard the engines roar in preparation for take-off, she stared intently out the window, wanting to see the ground, as they rushed along it. As the jet moved forward quickly, she took a sharp breath in. The feeling was amazing, and she kept her eyes on the ground and saw it flying past at an incredible speed.
Soon she saw the jet was no longer on the ground and it angled up towards the sky. Exhilarating. That was the only word she had. Totally awesome.
“I assume you enjoyed that, Peri?” Josef asked, and she nodded vigorously, words still not making it past her mouth.
“The flight’s not too long, anything between an hour and an hour and a half. Depends on winds and such.” Josef saw the blush of excitement that covered her cheeks, and he wished they were alone.
Liam stood up and approached. “Peri, as there’s absolutely no way for anyone to track you up here, why don’t we go on back and start some simple training techniques?”
“Good idea.” She managed to unbuckle her belt and followed Liam.
Back? Where was he talking about?
Liam opened a door just behind the two large guards and they were in a small hallway. Two doors led from it and Liam went into the first.
Peri nearly wet herself in her shock – a bedroom. A luxurious bedroom on a jet? Dear lord, this was just too much.
“Okay, Peri, sit down on the chair.” Liam pointed to a club chair sitting to the side. She sat down and Liam stood in front of her. “I want to start with simple control, okay?”
Peri nodded and felt a little nervous. She didn’t want to make a fool of herself.
“Right, you probably haven’t done anything I’m going to ask of you. However, all I ask is that you try. You listen to my voice and you do as I say, even if you think it’s silly, okay?
“Close your eyes, Peri, I want you to relax, breath in for three and out for three. Do that for a minute or so, just relax and focus on nothing but your breathing.” Liam watched as Peri did as he instructed and saw her body gently relax into the chair.
“Okay, that’s good. Now put your hands out in front of you, turn them so that your palms face each other and keep them a small distance apart. Yes, that’s it, keep them there and relax, concentrate on what I’m saying. Good. Now I want you to imagine a snowball in your hand – ice cold, hard, compacted snow in your hand. A large cold snowball. Can you do that for me, Peri? Concentrate.”
Liam watched, as a snowball appeared between Peri’s palms, and she jumped at the cold sensation on her hands.
“Good girl, stay focused, Peri. Now you have a cold snowball in your hand, but I want you to focus really hard. The snowball is melting, but you have to contain the moisture, keep the melting snowball in your hands. Good. It’s going to get bigger now, you’re going to have a ball of clear water instead of the snowball. Yes, Peri, that’s good. Now move your hands apart a bit, let the water grow a bit more...you’re creating the water now, all on your own, imagine the water getting bigger and bigger. Yes, Peri, good girl. Stay focused and open your eyes for me.”
Peri had been totally focused on Liam’s voice, and as she opened her eyes, she saw she had water. She had thought it was just in her imagination. She frowned in concentration, not wanting the large ball of water to fall, she would soak her new dress.
The water stayed where it was. Liam smiled.
“Uhm, what do I do now?” Peri asked, still worried about wetting her clothes.
“Peri, listen to my voice. You can do whatever you want with it. You can grow it and make it into a great force to push enemies away, or you can clap your hands and make it disappear. I would suggest you concentrate and make it disappear.” Liam smiled and watched, as her eyebrows frowned in concentration.
Peri felt her power, it was thrumming inside her, more than she had felt before. Mainly because she tried not to use it so ‘they’ couldn’t track her. She felt it now and it felt fabulous. She clapped her hands and the water was gone.
“Oh, Liam, that was great! I had no idea I could do that! What else can I do?” Peri’s voice was little more than a squeak.
“Peri, as I said, you are powerful. You can do whatever you want. The main thing is control. You need to learn that, so if you do have to use your magic to protect yourself, you don’t hurt innocents. Now, are you ready for another? Do you trust me, Peri?” Liam was going to try something he thought might scare her.
Peri frowned. “Uhm, yeah, if Josef does then I do.”
“Okay, Peri, same position, relaxed breathing, but only one hand out this time. You need to really concentrate for this one and trust me, do what I say.” Liam saw her shoulders relax down.
“So this time, Peri, I want you to imagine a match. You can see a match. I want you to imagine striking a match, and the flame at the top is in your hand. Only the small flame of a struck match, Peri, you won’t get hurt. You are in control. Yes, that’s it. Stay in control, keep it small, we don’t want a large flame, just a tiny little match flame, open your eyes.” Liam was staring at the little flame hovering over Peri’s palm.
“Liam, that’s amazing. I assume I just do this?” Peri clapped her hands together and the tiny flame vanished, leaving not even a hint of its heat on her palm.
“That’s very good, Peri. I want you to practice those two. If you’re in a safe place, you can try and make the flame a little larger, but not too large. We don’t want you setting light to anything. I'm quite impressed, most trainees take several weeks to do what you've just done,” Liam said with a small smile.
Peri was astonished. She had never thought to even try something like that. On the streets, she had learned to master her ability to throw guys around, but that was about all she had tried.
The water one especially got to her. There had been times she had no money and was hungry and thirsty. She could’ve at least eased her thirst, if she had thought to try this.
A thought popped into her head. “Liam, can I do t
hat with anything or just like water and fire? I mean, could I produce food?”
Liam looked thoughtful. “I’m not sure. It’s not something I’ve ever had to do. Intriguing, Peri. Let me think on that and get back to you. I'm surprised by your question though, but I suppose, if you've lived on the streets, I shouldn't be. It must've been hard.” Liam stopped for a moment, thoughtful, then carried on.
“Okay, that’s enough for now. I just want you to concentrate on control. Once you have that, we can progress.” Liam held out his hand and Peri took it, as she rose from her seat.
As she did so, her legs wobbled.
“That’s what the hand’s for, Peri. You used a lot of concentration and power. It can weaken you, that is until you master it. That’s why I want you to focus on control. Soon you’ll do it without even thinking, and it won’t drain you. Come, I’ll get you some water.” Liam led her out and back into the main compartment.
As soon as they entered, she heard two noises – a loud growl and an even louder snarl.
Both Josef and Gabe rose fast, sounds of anger hissing from their throats, another male was touching their mate.
Liam let go of Peri’s hand quickly and her legs wobbled again. She put a hand out to steady herself and found Josef’s arms around her. A snarl still on his face, as he looked at Liam.
“Josef, I’m a bit wobbly. Liam was only helping me.” Peri could feel the anger in the Vampire.
“In future, Liam, if Peri is tired after a session, you call one of us – do not touch her again. Understood!” Josef was talking through clenched teeth, and Liam backed up as far as he could go until the door hit his back.
“Sure, Josef. I’m sorry, I forgot!” Liam was clearly scared, not something he felt very often. Josef’s look of wrath made his stomach clench in fear.
Josef picked Peri up and brought her to her chair, where he sat her down gently. His hand moved a strand of hair from her forehead and he bent down and kissed it gently.
“What was that all about?” Peri whispered.
Gabe had a very strange look on his face, and she was sure she saw huge canines?
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