Her eyes shot up. “Again? But, you just got back.”
“I need you to cover for me at Titan. Work under Grant. We’ll be gone for the summer.”
Beth left Chad and wrapped her arms around my neck, squeezing me tight. “I just need to know one thing: Are you going to be okay?”
I smiled. “Yes.”
She nodded, taking a deep, cleansing breath, and straightened her shoulders. “I’ll take care of it.”
“I know you will.”
Chapter Sixteen
Direct Flight to Hell
My hands shook. The seat belt clanged as I tried to buckle it for the forth time. Claire was two feet away, stuffing her carry on in the overhead bin. Jared was outside, directing baggage and making doubly sure the preflight check had been carried out at least three times. Bex’s deep voice hummed from the back as he joked with Ryan. His nervous energy was evident in his tone, and even though he was trying to play it off, it was there.
The sun had set, and because of an earlier light summer rain, the tarmac glistened. Jared was pointing in every direction, answering questions, his expression severe. I was glad that he was able to burn off some of his anxiety by choreographing our departure.
“Oh, for Pete’s sake, Nina. Here,” Claire said, snapping my seat belt closed.
I sighed, and nodded in thanks, and she left me for Bex and Ryan. I rested my head against the seat and took a deep breath. My nerves seemed to take a back seat when I watched Jared work outside, so I tried to keep my concentration on the window.
A dark figure approached Jared. Kim. She was unhappy, and when I realized she would ride with us for the duration of the trip to Jerusalem, my anxiety level doubled. We had all abandoned her. She was left to fight alone, even after she was promised for some relief. She had helped us, and we turned a blind eye while she lost sleep and her uncle. I was afraid of what she would have to say to me. And she had plenty of time to either let me squirm, or call me out.
She held out her hand. With the abilities Bean had given me, I could hear her dry voice.
“The book.”
Jared put the Naissance de Demoniac in her grasp. “I know you don’t believe me, but I am sorry.”
“I believe you.” Her voice was tired. Any sign of the Kim we once knew was as nonexistent as our former life. She took the book and held it to her chest, and then pulled a cell phone from her pocket. As she walked to the steps of the plane, I heard her sigh.
“Dad. I have it. We depart in ten minutes.” She clicked the phone shut.
I wiped my moist brow.
“What’s your deal?” Bex said, tapping my shoulder. “You sick? You look sick.”
“I don’t feel well.”
His eyebrows turned in, deepening the same line that gave away Jared. Bex sat in Jared’s seat, and patted my hand. “You have Kim, the human demon repellant, three hybrids, and a cop/ex-special forces guy on this plane. Not to mention you’re kind of a badass yourself these days.”
“Bex,” I warned.
“Sorry. Don’t tell Mom.”
Kim boarded the plane. Her clothes were stained and wrinkled, hanging from her gaunt body. The dark circles under her once-soft brown eyes appeared like purple bruises on her ashen skin. She only carried the book in her hand, and the phone in her pocket. No luggage, no carry-on. She had one mission, and one mission only. Nothing else mattered.
Her eyes met mine, and she froze. Ryan passed my seat, and approached her. They traded glances, but no words were spoken. Ryan kissed her bony cheek, and she let her body weight lean against him. He supported her weight for a moment, and then squeezed her tight before letting go. She used the seats to support her weight as she approached me.
“Hi,” she rasped.
My eyes filled with tears. Nothing I would say would be adequate. I didn’t deserve to talk to her.
Bex stood, and then helped Kim into the seat he occupied. She turned to face me, and her chin lowered. “I don’t blame you.”
I pressed my lips together in a hard line. An apology seemed insulting; I could barely look her in the eye.
“I don’t. I just wanted you to know that, you know...in case we crash and burn in a few minutes.”
I stared at her in disbelief, and then the corners of her mouth turned up, and she winked and left.
Settling back into my seat, I took a deep, not-so-relaxing breath. The small crowd loading the plane had dissipated, and Jared made one last sweep of the plane before boarding.
“This is it,” Jared said to us all. “From the moment we depart until we land, it’s out of our hands.”