Normally I hated flying, but excitement pooled in my stomach at the prospect of traveling on such a luxurious aircraft and landing in Scotland. I didn’t know where in Scotland we were going, but I was sure there would be a distillery within a mile of us, and I planned to visit one. Or more, if we had time.
Forge was in one of the soft-looking leather seats, staring out the window. I didn’t think he’d even noticed I’d arrived, his dark coloring in stark contrast to the plane’s creamy interior.
It hadn’t really hit me until then that I was flying to a strange country with a strange man to do something I’d never done before. I hadn’t exactly taken the time to plan any of this out. A tinge of hesitation rippled through me, and that was the moment Forge turned his head, and we locked eyes.
There was a hint of concern in his, as well as pleasure when he saw me, his lips curving upward.
That was it. I knew I was on the right track. Bastian Forge had been part of my family—and therefore, my world—for my entire life. Something in me relaxed as he smiled, and I felt no undercurrent of regret or doubt, only anticipation of what was to come. I might not know a lot about my ability, but I had Forge, and we were going to Scotland. For now, that was enough.
“Pick a seat, Selena.”
I chose the one opposite him, set down my bag and searched for the buckle. I’d never been on a private plane before, and couldn’t find either end.
“Right here.” He reached around me, his hand brushing my neck. “Can’t have anything happening to you now, can we?” he whispered in my ear as he clicked the belt tight.
“Not until I get to see Scotland,” I quipped, the side of my neck burning, even though his touch was cool. Before he noticed the blush in my cheeks, I turned and looked out the window. Then I was pressed back into the seat as the plane took off, Forge barely shifting as we rocketed into the clouds.
The moment Selena ducked into the Bombardier 7000, my heart loosened up. I hadn’t been entirely sure she’d come today, not after last night. If I hadn’t gotten there when I did…
I kept my eyes turned to the window, watching the car pull away. I’d replayed last night a million times, debating whether I should have killed that bastard on sight. Which would only have made this war between me and the other vampires attending Assembly more dangerous.
But Dobson had gotten within ten feet of her.
Ten fucking feet.
That was what I was thinking about when I felt the shiver of hesitation—of doubt—that went through her as she halted in the aisle, uncertain, her hair pulled back so all I saw was those huge green eyes.
When I caught her gaze with mine, a smile creased her lips, lighting up her face, and whatever bound up my heart loosened slightly. I was happy to see her. I was glad she was going with me, even when I knew how high the stakes were.
As hard as I’d fought my attraction, I couldn’t get her out of my head. Whether it was her strange ability, her stubbornness or how intriguing I found her, I didn’t know. But for the past two weeks, Selena was all I’d thought of.
A savage thrill went through me at the combination of awe and pleasure that crossed her face as she surveyed the inside of the plane, before she remembered to school her expression into a serene mask. As I watched her lock down her emotions, disappointment welled up. I hated that this task required her to learn how to hide her feelings. I much preferred reading her like a book. Vampires were an aloof, dispassionate race, and after years of playing mind games with my fellow bloodsuckers, I hadn’t realized how much I’d missed seeing actual emotion on someone’s face.
She looked up and down the plane, taking in the sophisticated interior. “Pick a seat, Selena.” After a small hesitation, she sat right in front of me, set her bag aside, then occupied herself looking for the belt.
“Right here.” When I reached around to pull the belt into place, I let my hand brush her cheek, the first time I’d touched her since the handshake that set us on this path. Her skin was velvety, so warm that the heat penetrated my fingers. She was so nervous that I wondered if she’d ever flown before. “Can’t have anything happening to you now, can we?” I told her, my lips almost touching her ear.
In true Selena form, she responded, “Not until I get to see Scotland.”
We were already rolling down the runway, although I doubted Selena even noticed, she was so intent on measuring up the interior of the plane. When the pilot took off, she gripped the arms until her knuckles turned white.
“Selena,” I said. She turned her head, and I glimpsed fear in her eyes before she managed to shutter her emotions away. “We’ll level out in a minute and this feeling will pass. Haven’t you ever flown before?”
“Yes, and I forgot how much I hated it.” Her face turned whiter. “I thought, when I saw this fancy plane, that the takeoff would be easier for me to handle.” Her voice was breathy. “Don’t hate me if I get sick all over your beautiful interior.”
“Look at me.” She immediately obeyed, stubbornness forgotten, and I let my face soften, my muscles fighting me every step of the way. She blinked in surprise when my hand covered
