06 - Sky Dive

***Bea's POV***

It's dark and smells like fresh laundry. Loud whipping noises come from behind the closet door, followed by a feminine wailing in a different language. I hug my teddy bear tighter, gathering enough courage to exit the closet and rescue the person being tortured. My tinny arms wrap around the tall, slender man's leg.

-"Bitte, verletze sie nicht. (Please, don't hurt her!)" I beg in a language I don't even know.

To the attacker, I'm just a weightless nuisance he quickly pushes off before resuming his assault on the beautiful brunette while sipping his beer. Fruits, vegetables, and cutlery scatter to the floor as I collide with the table. A burning ache forms within my chest, my whole body shaking with emotion. I can't bear the domestic violence sight before me. Her tearful green eyes beg me to leave the room, but I can't leave her. My min become occupied with a single thought. I want her to kill him and stop it all at once. 

-"Töten ihn!" (Kill him!) I silently command.

Gripping the knife that had fallen close to her, the woman stands up, piercing the man's heart. He falls to the floor inert. The room goes silent for a few seconds. Realizing what she had done, the woman drops on her knees while her blood-stained shaky hands hover over her mouth, incredulously.

-"Dämon. Du bist ein Dämon!" (Demon. You are a Demon!) Her eyes look at me with fear.

-"Mutter." (Mother) I say while approaching her, warm tears trickling down my cheeks.

"Nein. Du bist nicht mein Sohn. Raus aus meinem Haus, Dämon!" (No. You are not my son. Get out of my house, Demon!) She throws in my direction vegetable by vegetable, a potato successfully striking the left corner of my forehead.

Frightened, I open my eyes to realize I was dreaming. They say you can't feel pain in your dreams, but that sizeable stone-hard potato sure didn't go unnoticed. On top of that, my achy chest feels as if I was the one who got stabbed. What kind of straight-from-a-scary-movie dream was that?

Connor adjusts himself making me realize my head is on his shoulder as his reclines on top of mine. Instinctively, I try to pull myself off, but all I can muster is a head wobble. He stirs awake, noticing his position and my agitation.

-"Are you okay?"

-"Am I okay?" I retort out loud. At least my voice is back.

Placing his hand over my mouth, he peaks through the opening between our seats while gesturing me to hush. After double-checking no one heard me, he releases his hand. Is he not supposed to talk to me, or what? Why do I have to whisper? I should be screaming my head right now, these people broke the deal and kidnapped me, they deserve nothing less, but since Connor had been nice to me despite our circumstances, I decided to do as he told me. It's easier to fish out information if you are on someone's good side.

-"Do you want an honest answer?" I whisper this time. He nods. "You turned my family into ice sculptures, made me a human vegetable, kidnaped me, and you ask me if I am okay? Peachy, just peachy."  I sarcastic scuff.

Connor turns on the reading light above us, adjusts my position, so I sit straight, and adjust the blanket covering my shoulders. Where the blanket came from and how it got on me might be yet another mystery to solve, but it sure feels nice.

-"Look, this wouldn't have happened had you complied. We are not the bad guys."

-"You broke the deal before I had the chance to return. Who are you people, and how did you get a hold of a Phoenix's tear? And what can I possibly give you that you don't already have?" I point with my head towards the front of the airplane, which is behind us. The aircraft had a total of 14 white leader seats. At the back, the seats face each other in pairs of two. Ours, however, faces a wall, giving us extra legroom.

-"A can't answer. It's—"

-"Classified. Of course." I roll my eyes.

-"No, it's not classified. It's not my place to tell you." He drops his gaze to his lap, leaving us with the cabin's engine noise.

We have been whispering mere inches from one other. I know what you must think, I am too calm for someone who just got kidnapped, but hey, I got myself in this mess in the first place. Although the way I left wasn't what I had planned, I was meant to leave with these people. They all have the same electric blue eyes when they use their abilities. Just like when I use my powers. They are like me, which means they can help me master my powers. I must gather as much information as possible. Even if that intel requires me to take notes on how handsome Connor looks up close. He had a baseball cap earlier, so I couldn't see his features. Dark-brown hair strands curl up under the moisture from the sweat beads while two ebony spheres stand in a sea of freckled ivory skin. What makes a good-looking gentleman like him kidnap someone? I wonder.

-"Were you having a nightmare?" He randomly asks, breaking the trance I had on his chin's subtle but cute dimple.

-"Did you ever hear about personal space?" Taken by surprise, he clears his throat and straightens himself in his seat.

He might seem nice, but I was definitely not going to have a personal detailed friendly conversation about a nightmare.

Awkwardness settles in between us and we remain silent for a while. My gaze is fixed outside the window, but my thoughts are about my family. They must be worried sick about what happened. I wonder if by now Liam had opened his eyes. Is he also looking for me? The full moon is fading as the sun dismisses the night's dark tones. My focus changed to the airplanes interior reflections cast on the glass. Connor's elaborated breathing is replaced by deep steady breathes and his frowned brows are now less tense. He had fallen back to sleep. The nap I had earlier restored some of my energy. Whatever voodoo Adrian did to me is slowly lifting off, and hopefully, by the time we land, but for right now I need to find someone to help me use the restroom. I am bursting.

Catching movement down the small corridor, I turn my head and lean as close to the aisle as possible. Maybe I can ask whoever is coming to help me to the bathroom. By doing so, I set myself off balance, and I end up landing face down on Connor's lap. Awkward! Mind you I still can't move my arms or legs.

-"You sure don't waste time." Adrian's annoying voice mocks me. Could this become even more embarrassing? "You can have your turn when I am finished with her, but for now she is mine." Adrian nudges Conner awake before placing me back on my seat. Flustered and confused, Connor tries to excuse himself, but Adrian ignores him.

-"I am not yours. Reverse whatever you did to me, now!" 

-"No can do." He grips the top of the white leather seat with his left hand while his right holds my chin as he leans closer. "It doesn't matter if you lie it or not. As the Lunensevain Crown Prince, you became mine the moment you stroke a deal with us. As for your energy, you can get it back by kissing me," he gets even close, our lips nearly touching, "or you can wait it out, your choice. What will it be?" Didn't he learn his lesson from last time? I make my own options.

-"I think I prefer the third alternative, as***le." I headbutt him as hard as I can, causing him to fall back on his rear. Connor immediately rushes to his aid but is pushed away by an angry Adrian, who disappears to return shortly with a syringe in his hand.

-"You are quite the troublemaker, but this should keep you at bay till we get to the palace."

Taking my arm, he levels the needle to a fifteen degree over my prominent vein, and with no hesitation, he injects the liquid, which I presume to be a sedative, into my arm. There is nothing I can do due in my current state. I never felt so vulnerable in my entire life. Squinting my eyes close, I scream from the top of my lungs, freezing my surroundings at a frightening speed.

-"S**T! She is one of us." Connor gasps. 

-"I will be damned. Who would have thought, the pup is actually a chick."  

I struggle to stay conscious, my eyes slowly closing as I focus on Adrian and Connor shouting orders in that language I can't understand. The airplane lights flash a warning red, and people rush to open the emergency exits to then jump off, with no parachutes! Maybe I am hallucinating from whatever Adrian forced on me. Why would anyone jump out of a flying aircraft without a parachute?

The aircraft dips into free fall, plunging Adrian and Connor to the front. Oxygen masks sprout from the compartments above, frantically waving to the air movement created by the open exits. I'm so sleepy, but I have to fight the drug's effect. At least, my outburst broke whatever movement block I had, because I am finally able to move, only to be locked in by a frozen solid belt that my hands so desperately try to pray open. Out of nowhere, Adrian crawls his way back to me. In his hand, he carries Connor's dagger, which he uses to break the ice ring. My heavy eyes close longer than usual before opening to witness Adrian taking me to the open emergency door.

-"Brace yourself, is about to get bumpy, but don't worry, I always take good care of what's mine." He says before throwing me off-board. 

BASTARD! I yell in my head. It's all his fault. Darkness clouds my vision while my body falls through the sky, obeying gravity. I'm going to die. So much left untold, unfelt, unseen. I wish I had embraced my family one last time and told them how much I love them. 

Reflected morning sun rays compel me to open my eyes. A beautiful silvery-blue bird descends on me, his feathers twinkling under the golden hour's light. So beautiful and mesmerizing. Instinctively, I reach out to it as the sedative finally kicks in full strength.