Maybe Nathan should have alerted some branch of government in order to obtain permission to fly it here. Or maybe he knew those branches of military who monitored the skies would have quickly spotted something that moved faster than any currently known aircraft on the planet.
Nathan had mentioned that he owned the aircraft but had future plans to sell it and a whole fleet of them to the U.S. government once testing was done and approved. However, Asa suspected that whatever agencies were involved in the future purchase of this thing were going to be none too happy he’d decided to take it for a private joy ride to a public airport.
And he was correct. As soon as the pilot opened the door to the belly of the wicked, black beast, five men in dark suits rushed inside. Nathan stood and faced them.
“Which one of you is Mr. Davenport?” one of the men—who was balding, mid-forties, and wearing a very terse scowl—asked.
“I’m he,” Nathan supplied.
“We need to speak with you privately.”
Nathan’s gaze scanned all of them, then he looked at Mia and nodded once.
She offered the rest of them a weak smile and said, “Let’s leave these men to talk.”
Fine by him. He sure as hell didn’t want to be in Nathan’s shoes right now, but knowing the man’s reputation for getting whatever he wanted when he wanted, Asa doubted his troubles would be too severe.
The vampires each donned sunglasses with black tinting, specially designed to protect their kind’s eyes from the sun. A vampire’s eyes were their Achilles’s heel. Their species had evolved as nocturnal creatures, and sunlight was painfully blinding, which accounted for the coffin legends and all that nonsense involving the undead. He had no scientific answer for their eye condition. No animal on the planet was genetically perfect, he supposed.
“Oh crap,” Tiffany muttered as they walked out of the plane onto the tarmac.
Asa concurred with the expletive. There were five vehicles surrounding the front of the plane, black SUVs, vans, and close to twelve men who must have been SWAT team officers bearing some wicked firepower, all pointed at them and the aircraft. Several called out for them to halt.
He raised a brow and looked at Christian. “They seem serious.”
Christian flashed him a grin. “I’d say they are, buddy. But we’ve been here before. You take the right side. I’ll take the left.”
Chapter 12
Asa chuckled. Indeed they had been in this position before, enchanting officers of the law—a number of times in their wild and crazy years.
Asa stared at the men on his side and began to enchant them one by one. As he did so, each lowered their weapons and crawled back into one of the vehicles. Christian did the same with the men on his side.
Once the threat was contained, Mia said, “Oh my, that was scary. Nathan warned me the men who worked for the branch of government he intended to sell this craft to would be alerted and very upset we’d used it, but I didn’t think it would be this bad.” She looked shaken.
Tiffany, however, wore a proud grin. “Way to go, baby. You too, Asa. When are you going to teach me to do that, Christian? Seriously?”
Enchantment was something every vampire learned in time. For born vampires like himself and Christian, it was more inherent and generally kicked in around puberty, along with the majority of their psychic and telekinetic abilities. However, for a young, turned vampire, like Tiffany, those skills took time.
Christian chuckled. “You’ll get there when you get there, but personally I don’t think you need that kind of power. I know intimately how that brain of yours operates. You’re dangerous enough as is.”
She poked her tongue at him then chuckled. “You’re no fun.”
“Yes, well, enough you two. Here comes the limo,” Mia said, then pointed at the black stretch rolling down the tarmac their way.
Mia had dressed for their trip: black cargo pants and a black wind breaker over a forest green shirt. However, she didn’t look any less regal than she did when she wore an outfit some snooty fashion designer had created. She was a beautiful woman, tall and thin like Tiffany. Both sisters strongly resembled her. Chelsie was tall, too, just a more curvaceous version of her mother.
Asa looked back at the strange aircraft then at Mia, who was frowning now. “Are we waiting on Nathan?”
Mia huffed and tucked a section of her long, curly auburn hair behind her ear, a replica of Tiffany’s, but unlike Chelsie’s beautiful, wavy, waist-length mane. “Apparently not. Nathan communicated to me just now that he’d be awhile. Those men are very aggravated with him at the moment. Unfortunately, he can’t afford to enchant them because of the pending sale of that aircraft and far too many witnesses to its arrival here. He’s just going to have to deal with the fallout from this. We’ll deal with Chelsie and Chad on our own.”
Asa nodded. Damn, he wanted to see her and make sure Chad hadn’t hurt her again. He glanced at his watch, his stomach churning with anxiety. The time was one fifty-one. If Chelsie’s flight was on schedule, they’d have beaten her here. He hoped she hadn’t arrived early.
The limo pulled to a stop in front of them. The driver got out, jogged around the car to the passenger side, and opened the back door.
“So how are we going to do this?” Asa asked as he crawled in after Mia. There had been no opportunity to discuss plans on that flight from hell. Asa suspected that Nathan and Mia had used the time to mind speak and come up with one.
Once Tiffany and Christian were inside and the door closed, she answered. “Chelsie will be expecting this limo because she made arrangements for one to pick her up on the runway when she lands. Of course, she won’t know we’re in it, and we need to keep it that way until the time is right. Nathan spoke with someone from the Greene County Sheriff’s Office before we left, and they assured him there would be officers meeting that plane. If they do their job, we won’t have to get involved. If something should go awry, you and Christian may have to deal with Chad.” She flipped one of her diamond-clad hands at them and rolled her eyes. “I’m sure you understand what I mean.”
His gaze cut to Christian. “I get first crack.”
Christian grinned. “Of course. He’s yours. You know I’ll stand back and watch unless you need me. Just don’t mentally toss him around like a rag doll. We can’t enchant an entire airport.”
Asa grinned. He hadn’t thought of doing something like that, but it wasn’t a bad idea.
The limo began to move at a slow pace down the tarmac away from Nathan’s aircraft, then past the main building and the commercial jetliners. It was a small airport, so it only took minutes to arrive at what Asa assumed was their destination, an offshoot runway away from the main one, near a handful of hangers. All of them peered out the tinted windows upward and were probably, like him, anxious to see the private jet come into view. A short time later, he spotted one coming in for a landing and made out the familiar Davenport logo on the side.
Where were the cops? Asa scanned the area. He saw no sign of the promised police vehicles. “Unbelievable,” he muttered. You could be in a hurry, running five miles over the speed limit, and there would be a cop on every street corner, chomping at the bit to pull your butt over, but when you seriously needed one, they were as scarce as hen’s teeth.
“What?” Tiffany asked, rather absently. She, too, watched the plane land.
“Where are the police?”
Mia answered. “Nathan instructed them to stay out of sight until Chelsie and Chad step out of the plane. Just in case.”
Asa nodded. Wise. He would have requested the same thing. He’d been in that depraved head of Chad’s and witnessed his passion for violence. God help him if he’d hurt Chelsie again. Police present or not, nothing would stop him from beating the human within an inch of his life.
The plane taxied then finally came to a halt. Asa stared at it, waiting for some sign of Chelsie while endless minutes passed. Finally, the door swung back against the side of the jet, and
the pilot came into view and released the ladder. He stepped onto it and held out his hand. Chelsie appeared in the doorway, took the man’s hand, and with his help began the decent down the narrow steps. Chad exited as she was halfway down the steps. Just the sight of him made an involuntary vampire growl rumble deep in his throat. He’d never wanted to lay hands on a human as badly as he did that one in his entire long existence.
“Simmer down, Asa. So far, so good. She looks A-okay to me,” Christian said.
Asa shot him a hot look. “She’d better be. If not, we might just have to enchant an entire airport. Might anyway. I want a piece of that fucking bastard so bad, I can taste it.”
“Asa, Christian’s right,” Mia said, frowning at him. “I know you’re upset, but unless Chad does something to threaten Chelsie’s well-being, you will behave like a civilized vampire. And please mind your tongue.”
Christian started laughing. Tiffany too. Asa bit back a grin, yet felt properly reproved. Strange really. Mia Davenport had been a vampire for a mere thirteen years, yet she was the Davenport matriarch in every way. Despite the fact that, chronologically, he was a good seventy years older than her, she made him feel her junior in that moment. He supposed he’d have to get used to it. One of these days soon, she’d be his mother-in-law. She’d be a good one; he had no doubt. Her love for family was unquestionable.
He glanced out the window, back to the plane, and bit back a curse when he saw Chelsie and Chad holding hands, making a fast clip across the tarmac in the direction of their limo. The two of them smiled at each other, looking very cozy. Asa wasn’t worried any longer. Now he was just plain pissed.
“Oh, my God!” Tiffany exclaimed, glaring at the two of them in similar fashion as he was. “What the hell is she up to?”
“I don’t know, but I’m fixing to find out.” Asa shoved on his sunglasses, swung open the door of the limo, and stepped out.
***
“You know what, Chels? I’m seriously hankering for a Mexican Villa burrito, enchilada style, and some of their cheese dip. Really good choice on your part to meet with your dad there.”
Chelsie forced a strained smile. A burrito was the last thing on her mind. She was utterly miserable at the moment because over the last two hours of this plane ride with Chad, she’d begun to think she’d made one of the worst mistakes of her life.
“Thanks. I’m looking forward to eating there too. It’s been years.” However, they wouldn’t be eating there today. The restaurant had been one of their teenage gang’s favorite Springfield restaurants and possessed a unique Tex-Mex flair.
Chad laughed and took her hand, threading their fingers together. He was still sitting beside her, like he had the whole trip, chattering incessantly about their days as kids and teens, which had resurrected so many tender memories for Chelsie. To make matters worse, he was so enthusiastic about being a father to this non-existent baby, Chelsie was beginning to feel like the true villain in this master manipulation.
“What’s the matter, Chels? Are you nervous about meeting with your dad?”
She met his disturbed gaze but couldn’t hold it. He squeezed her hand and, with his free one, reached up and caressed her cheek.
Chelsie cringed, disgusted by Chad’s touch and herself as well. Her choice to bring Chad to Missouri would keep her and her family safe should he take a notion to embark on another psychotic rampage when things didn’t go his way. But her noble purposes aside, she’d done all this for the wrong reasons. Deep down, she’d wanted to stick it to Chad for what he’d done to her last night and for all the hurtful, depraved things he’d done to her so many times over the years.
Revenge was not the sweet dish people claimed it to be. She was finding it to have a very bitter aftertaste.
Her emotions were getting the best of her. Chad was behaving like the Chad she once loved, that sweet guy who had spent endless evenings with her around a bonfire plucking at a guitar while the two of them created beautiful love songs. Some were still in their band’s répertoire.
“Chels?” he prodded gently.
She stared into his smoky blue eyes, which once upon a time had held such beguiling power over her. She wasn’t finding herself less immune to them at the moment—not because of attraction, rather compassion. In her mind, she saw him behind bars wearing an orange jumpsuit, and she simply couldn’t make that vision work in her head when memories of the Chad from her childhood also played in there.
Unfortunately, the old Chad was long gone, and she was far too embroiled in this plot for a set of cold feet now. “I don’t want to complain, but I guess I’m having what you would call morning sickness. It can happen at any time or all day long depending on the particular pregnancy. I guess I’m one of those lucky all-day-long girls.”
“Oh, baby, I’m sorry.” He appeared genuinely concerned as he reached out and gave the side of her head a gentle stroke.
Chelsie was starting to get nauseous. She’d expected to be dealing with Chad the lunatic on this trip to Springfield. She’d prepared herself thoroughly for that guy, not this Chad who behaved like a decent human being. This sudden change in him based on her lie scalded her conscience like lava running over the soft center of her soul.
His brows knit and he squeezed her hand again. “Can I get you something? I don’t know, water, crackers, or something? What helps?”
Getting off this plane and away from him was the only help for her, but that wasn’t an option at the moment. “Thanks, but I’ll just have to ride it out.”
He nodded. “Damn. I hate this for you.” He sucked in a sharp breath and shook his head. “Listen, Chels. I know since I came back into your life, I’ve been a jerk. I’ve lied and manipulated you for months in order to get you to sign that contract if it ever came. And what I did last night…” He swiped a hand over his jaw and closed his eyes for a second. “I don’t think I’ll ever be able to forgive myself for that. I’m so sorry.”
Chelsie glared at him, almost convinced he meant it. Whether or not he did was irrelevant. In time, she’d have to forgive him. No one could live a clean life with hate in their soul. She just didn’t want to forgive him today. Selfishly, she wanted to hate him for a little bit and relish her carefully contrived revenge.
“This may sound crazy, Chels, because this seems to be happening so fast, but I believe this baby was exactly what I needed to get my life right. Nothing has been right for me for a very long time. Once we’re married, it’s going to be so different because I’ll know for sure your mine. And I’m going to treat you like you deserve, I promise. You may not love me now, but I won’t give up until you do again.” He paused there with a rather forlorn smile. “It sucks that I don’t remember making love to you and that it was bad for you. You can’t imagine how many times I thought about our first time together, and to think I was too drunk to remember really pisses me off. I can tell you this though, the next time will be etched in both of our memories forever.”
“Stop it, Chad!” This was too much! He was too much. The thought of him touching her intimately made her skin crawl. Maybe three months ago all these heartfelt promises would have given her pause, but not now. For God’s sake, less than twenty-four hours ago he’d beaten her up and shoved a gun to her head! He’d threatened the lives of Tiffany, Asa, and her entire family.
Chad scowled at her. “What’s wrong?”
Everything. She was unraveling, and if she didn’t pull herself together fast, Chad was going to figure her out. Once he did put the pieces together, she just prayed it would be at the Springfield airport with police present. If not, she had no doubt this new, nicer version of Chad would disappear like mist to be replaced with the dangerous lunatic who had broken into her apartment last night with a gun.
“Chelsie! Answer me. What’s wrong?”
Faking a pregnancy had its advantages. She shoved to her feet and glared at him. “I’m going to be sick.” She rushed off to the bathroom, wrenched open the door, then yanked it shut behind
her and engaged the lock. She looked at the toilet, and her stomach pitched. Tossing her cookies was becoming a very real possibility. “God, how soon until this damned thing lands?” She really couldn’t keep this up much longer.
Chelsie braced her hands on the tiny sink and stared at her image in the mirror. She looked like crap. Her face was still swollen from Chad’s handiwork last night, and her eyes were bloodshot from lack of sleep. Worry lines etched her forehead because she couldn’t cease from frowning. She was a hot mess! She needed to get off this plane and away from Chad now.
As if in answer to prayer, moments later, the pilot’s voice came across the intercom. “Ms. Peebles, I need for you and your guest to engage your seat belts. The plane will be landing at the Springfield/Branson airport in seven minutes. Thank you.”
“And thank you, Jesus,” she muttered then sucked in a huge breath and went back into the cabin to face Chad.
“We’re here,” he announced cheerfully as she entered.
He grinned at her, appearing sincerely happy. Chelsie stared at him, her vision blurring. She adjusted her glasses, but it didn’t help. In her mind, she was seeing two different Chads: the one here today, a bit weathered from years of hard drinking and a wild life involving some criminal behavior, paired with the young Chad who had stolen her heart that night at their junior homecoming when he’d handed her his class ring and asked her to be his girl.
It just didn’t make any sense! How could that boy she’d gone to school and church with have developed into the depraved person she’d encountered last night?
Granted, he’d had over a decade to decline into depravity and mania. She’d seen him very little over that time, but they were from a small community where secrets were hard to keep. The high school friends with whom she’d kept in touch told her things. She just figured he was taking longer than most guys his age to sow oats. Really, she hadn’t even cared, because she’d gotten over him long ago, but she had cared about him as a person, wanted the best for him.
Deadly Secrets (Forever and a Night Book 3) Page 15
