Chapter 8
THE ALARM CONTINUEDto blare as Kai set the plane on autopilot, knowing they had a limited amount of time for this to work. He stepped into the cabin and stopped at the sight in front of him.
The seagull was flapping around the cabin, shouting, “This is crazy! This is crazy!” and Hollyn stood in the aisle, two packs at her feet.
“Why isn’t there a damn parachute on your damn back?”
“Um...what about him?” Her gaze strayed toward the shithead at the back of the plane, still dazed from her siren song.
“He made his choice when he tried to kill me. Now, we don’t have much time until the nose of this plane dives toward the waves below. We need to get our asses out the door.”
She chewed her bottom lip, and he had the idiotic reaction of watching with interest. Way to be a true ass. They were about to die, and he was curious about the feel of her teeth on his skin. Maybe he had been more affected by her voice than he realized.
“He doesn’t deserve your sympathy.”
“It’s more than sympathy. It’s a man’s life. I can’t leave someone, even someone like him, to die.”
Anger washed over Kai like a rogue wave, but he managed to pull in a deep breath and blow it out heavily. He could feel the imbalance of the plane and knew he didn’t have time to argue with her any longer.
“Fine. Put on a parachute. I’ll strap on the other and carry him, but once we’re in the water, he’s on his own.”
Her lips pursed, and he knew she’d try to revisit the issue once they were off the plane, but he could wait until then. They didn’t have time to debate it now. The plane was going down.
With parachute packs on their backs, Kai popped the emergency door and tossed out a bright orange pack about the size of a toolbox. It contained a lifeboat that would open and inflate once it hit the water. He just hoped they could find the device once the waves were sloshing around their floating bodies.
The gull flew out the door but just circled the plane, waiting for Hollyn to follow.
As the air rushed around them, he turned to help her get through the door. But she just shook her head at him.
“I...I don’t think I can do this.”
He recognized the look of panic that took over all sense of reason, now shining in her eyes. With a calmness even he didn’t feel, he said, “I don’t think we have a choice.”
She stood in shock for a heartbeat too long before she nodded, and a look of resignation came over her features. “Promise me you won’t leave him.”
The plane wobbled, and she reached out to steady herself. Her hands grabbed his upper arms, and her eyes widened. He liked her touch, even if the timing sucked. He gave her a cursory nod and tightened her harness. They really didn’t have time for this. “You have my word.”
A slight steadying of the plane became a window of opportunity, and she pulled her hands back to grip the straps of her parachute harness. Seemingly satisfied with his answer, she moved to the doorway. “So, how do I do this exactly?”
“Once you are airborne, work your body into a parallel position. Your chute will deploy automatically.”
