Chapter 12

Anais

Although Leo had calmed as soon as we were waiting at the gate at the airport, only a few minutes until we were supposed to start boarding the plane, I felt anything but.

This was crazy. I was leaving the US after years of being here and although the airport had information on where the plane was headed, I didn't get the impression that it was our final destination and Leo had barely said two words except to pay for everything including the room I'd booked at the hotel.

It was strange to feel like my mission had gone so wrong yet I had somehow landed on my feet. If being a true-blood vampire's passion slave could be called landing on my feet. It wasn't easy, but it was what I needed.

No matter what, I was heading toward Ludis and my second chance at completing the mission. When I succeeded, I could get my life back on track.

I sat munching a candy bar and drinking water beside Leo and tried to focus on the current. I'd bought extra in case he wanted it, but other than having a few sips of water, he didn't seem interested in eating or drinking.

Within another ten minutes we were being called up to the plane again to board. Leo handed me my passport again, but only to go through the staff at the gate. After that he held out his hand to take it back.

He didn't have any bags with him, having checked all his into the main hold, but I had my ruck, not wanting to let what little I had out of my sight. I tucked the spare food in there and followed him onto the plane. To my surprise, the air stewards showed us to our seats, a section of first class at the front of the plane where each person had their own small area.

I didn't know how many people would be in it with us, but for now there was just the two of us. Other passengers passed through, some of them going to business and other in between tickets on the flight. Leo told me where to sit and I placed my rucksack down in the massive foot space.

Our seats were next to each other in the middle of the plane and had a sliding door that sort of opened up and allowed us access to each other. Immediately Leo opened it and gave us a link to each other.

I sat down and strapped up, used to having to get settled and stay in my seat. I was surprised by all the different packages near me, a far more luxurious blanket and a proper linen covered pillow set out. The seat also fully reclined, pretty much turning into a bed.

This was the most comfort I had been in outside of a hotel or rare occasions with my parents and I wasn't sure what to make of it. Before long I was wrapped in the blanket, my feet up and the whole area nice and cozy. My body was finally not exposed and I was warm.

"Comfortable?" Leo asked me when I had stopped moving.

"Perfectly."

"Well, don't think you're going to stay that way the whole flight. They're going to bring us breakfast and whatever else we want. I want you to eat plenty and make sure you are taking care of yourself. Not too much junk, but you're young enough that you can enjoy yourself."

I frowned at the instructions, not sure I liked the level of control it exhibited, but I didn't say anything for now. I was going to enjoy the food and being treated like royalty for a while if nothing else.

Once this mission was done I could walk away from the whole situation and then I wouldn't have a vampire telling me what to do. I glanced at him a few times, but he focused on getting his area the way he wanted as well. Lots of people came past us and someone settled into one of the first class seats further away from us in one of the back corners, but we remained mostly alone.

Eventually everyone was on board who was meant to be and the stewards shut the doors and got the plane sealed and ready to fly. I was asked for my order, able to choose from several food options and given all sorts of drink choices.

Although it was tempting to order some alcohol, I stuck to fruit juice and water. There was a large table that also folded up and I soon had a pile of drinks and snacks on it, more food on the way.

Again Leo chuckled and looked over at me.

"You told me to eat well," I replied, hoping he didn't think that I was being too cheeky.

"I did. True." Leo smiled and then left me to it.

I was used to plane food being served on a plastic tray with some extras in tiny little packets and a box of salad. It never tasted great and it wasn't really enough food. Not that I usually wanted more of it. This meal was very different. There was an actual plate, metal cutlery and it was clearly freshly cooked.

Although I wouldn't have thought I'd be hungry, I devoured the meal and enjoyed every moment of it. The food was so much more delicious than I'd have expected but Leo wasn't eating very much of it.

As I finished, Leo added what was left on his plate to mine and motioned for me to eat it as well. I wasn't going to argue with finally getting decent food and I hastily ate that as well.

"Thank you," I said when I was done for the second time.

"You keep thanking me," he replied. "Does this really mean that much to you?"

"Yes. It does. I've not had anything or anyone like this in my life before now."

He nodded as I finished speaking and I considered how pathetic it must seem to him that I had never experienced so many things and leftover, candy and water had me expressing my gratitude.

Maybe being a hunter wasn't the best path for me. It clearly hadn't led to the fame and accolades I had thought it would. My mother and father had spoken of how many hunters had wanted them as mentors in their biggest days. But they had told me they'd slowed down and decided to take care of a smaller area.

I wasn't sure what I'd expected exactly, but the reality was far different.

As soon as the stewards had taken our plates and any rubbish and double checked we had the drinks we needed for a while, they turned the lights down low and left everyone to try to rest. I was more than ready to sleep, but Leo motioned for me to lean in toward him.

He motioned for me to close the screen door on the other side of my seat and partially hide myself from view. I wasn't about to argue with him and did so.

As soon as I'd done it he leaned over and pulled me in for a kiss. It was a little awkward when there was a partition between us, but I had already wondered what it would be like to kiss him enough times that I didn't protest at the sudden gesture. I eagerly kissed back, his lips surprisingly warm.

His grip on me was firm and before I could even attempt to pull back one of his hands ran over my side and groped my breast. I started, but I had nowhere to go and he continued to kiss me. Very quickly he found my nipple and pinched and twisted it again. That wasn't anything new, but it made me feel nervous.

We were on a plane and still exposed to see from several angles. It wasn't stopping Leo exploring my body as I began to heat up. I was turned on, but I was also scared someone would see.

Before long he was reaching into the top of my dress, pushing the fabric aside so he could not only touch my skin, but also exposing me to anyone who walked past. I gasped and tried to pull away again. His fingers gripped my nipple, keeping me where I was and sending tiny tendrils of pain through my body while also somehow making my thighs drip with desire.

He let me break away from the kiss, but held me close.

"Please, can we slow down?" I asked. It earned me a chuckle and another hard twist of my exposed nipple.

"You agreed to be my enthralled, did you not?" he whispered, his mouth moving closer to my ear and neck to talk to me without risking being overheard by anyone.

"I did," I reluctantly replied. I shuddered as I thought about what that meant.

"Then we need to appear like we are both happy with you being my enthralled and I am going to do far worse than you while in the same room as Ludis and his little clan of vampires. I'm going to have sex with you while others watch. I'm going to have you naked while others are in the room. No one else but me will touch you or do anything to you, but your body belongs to me until this mission is over. It has to."

I gulped and looked down, still in his tight embrace and wondering what I had gotten myself into.

"Last chance. You can stop this and go back to the US and I'll pay for the return ticket, or we're in this together and there's no turning back. Which is it?" Leo didn't sound as pleased to let me make the choice this time and I knew that he really wouldn't give me the option again.

"I..." I tried to find the words to tell him that I knew I had to continue. Hunter or not, I didn't have another true option and I had said I would do this. As far as I was concerned, I had already given him my promise and whether he could be trusted or not, I knew I would be. "I'm still in."

"Then you don't have time to be coy, or to mind this. Ludis needs to think you're a damn good enthralled and comfortable with this. That you want it as much as I do."

Although I wanted to object, I nodded and leaned in to kiss him some more. I didn't know what else to do and at least while I was kissing him I could focus on how good it felt to be in his arms.

I couldn't deny that I was turned on and wanted him. If we had been behind closed doors I wouldn't have objected in the slightest, but we were on a flight and the stewards might see. This was a lot for me to handle, but I was starting to gather that this was his point.