Chapter 266

Tessa’s POV

“You guys have a private plane?!” I gasped, staring at the large plane that sat before me. I looked at Joseph with my mouth hanging open. “Since when??”

“Since always,” Joseph said, shrugging casually. “Bernard thought it would be useful to have it for long-distance travel and emergencies. We only really use it to visit the council.”

Carter was speaking to the pilot before he boarded the plane. I had never been on a plane before, and my entire heart was about to beat right out of my chest. I didn’t want to get into that death trap and with one look at my face, Joseph knew exactly how I was feeling.

“I’m not going to let anything happen to you,” Joseph said, wrapping an arm around my shoulders. “You have nothing to worry about.”

“Easy for you to say,” I murmured. “You probably wouldn’t die in a plane crash unless you were plunged with something silver.”

“I’m not going to let you die either,” Joseph said, kissing the top of my head gently. I peeked up at him through my lashes, wanting to stubbornly argue with him that I wasn’t getting on a plane. But with one look at his confident and very sexy grin, I was silenced. He leaned down and brushed his lips across mine. “Come on; I want to give you a tour of the plane.”

He entwined his fingers through mine and pulled me along with him. He said hello to the pilot and the stewardess before we walked up the steps and onto the plane. My mouth nearly hit the ground when I saw how big it was on the inside. There was a minibar toward the front of the plane near the pilot’s cabin. The seats were cushioned and rounded, like rounded booths at a restaurant. There were long tables in front of the seats and a small hallway toward the back of the plane which led to a couple of doors.

Carter made himself comfortable on one of the seats and he had a bottle of beer in hand as he stared out the window. I wondered if it was because he was nervous.

“We are going to take off in a couple of minutes,” the stewardess informed us. “Can I get either of you something to drink?”

“A bottle of red wine,” Joseph answered. “And some water.”

“Coming right up,” she said as she went to grab our drinks.

I made my way down the aisle and slid into one of the booths. My heart was racing in my chest, and I found myself gripping onto the seat with dear life and we hadn’t even started moving yet. Joseph soon joined me with a couple of glasses, a bottle of wine, and a couple of bottles of water. He handed me a water bottle and I drank half of it in one sip, making a smile tug at the corners of Joseph’s lips.

“Still nervous?” He asked, peering down at me.

I felt my face warm as I leaned into the side of his body, basking in his warmth and comforting aura.

“Yes,” I admitted. “I wish we could have driven.”

“It would have taken too long,” Joseph explained. “Drink some wine, it’ll make you less nervous.”

He poured a glass of wine and moved it closer to me. I grabbed the wine and took a very healthy sip of the red elixir.

“So, the meeting is at midnight tomorrow night?” I asked, taking another sip of the wine and already feeling my body relaxed.

“Yes, but we are going to go early so you can speak with the council and pledge yourself to the vampires,” he explained and from his tone, he sounded a little nervous.

“What is it?” I asked.

“If this doesn’t go well… it could be dangerous,” he admitted as he drew small circles around my knuckles.

“It’ll go well,” I assured him, leaning my head on his shoulder. “I’ll make them trust me.”

He kissed the top of my head, and I could feel his body relaxing, though I also knew he was still anxious about this journey. But I needed his confidence; I needed his support. But mostly, I needed to know that regardless of what happened, we were going to be facing it together and that he wasn’t going to give up on us.

I didn’t get the chance to say that though because soon, the plane was moving, and my entire heart fell deep into my stomach. I knew there was probably extreme terror on my face as I dug my nails into Joseph’s arm with one hand and gripped the table with my other. My breathing quickened and from Joseph’s face, the color on my face was most likely completely gone.

I wasn’t kidding when I said I’ve never flown before. I’ve seen so many horror stories on the TV about flying and I could never understand why anyone would willingly go into a metal flying machine.

“It’s okay,” Joseph whispered from beside me as he wrapped his arms around my body and held me close to him.

I wasn’t feeling okay; I was feeling like I was about to get sick.

As the plane lifted off the ground, it took everything I had not to scream. I bit my lower lip, trying to keep it from trembling and Joseph rubbed circles around my back with the palm of his hand. He was whispering soothing things into my ear, but I wasn’t really listening to him. I was too preoccupied by the fact that the plane was now in the air and the engine was so loud.

The plane straightened out and I didn’t feel as if I was going to be sick anymore. When my body relaxed, Joseph motioned for the window.

“Take a look,” he whispered, sending a warm wave of goosebumps to swarm across my flesh.

Taking a deep breath, I chanced a look out the window and my entire jaw dropped. It was the most beautiful scenery I had ever seen. Mountains went on for miles; we were breaking the surface of the clouds and it felt like we were one with them. Overlooking the beautiful earth.

A smile tugged at the corner of my lips as I stared beyond the horizon, where the moonlight met the earth. It was beautiful and my breath was officially taken away.

“Nice view, right?” He asked, his warm breath hitting the back of my neck.

“It’s beautiful,” I admitted.

I felt Joseph’s hand sliding up my back and touching the nape of my neck tenderly, brushing the hairs away so he could get a look at my skin and then I felt his warm and soft lips pressing against the tender flesh.

I closed my eyes, basking in the feeling of his warmth and comfort, and loving the way his lips felt against my skin. He continued his kiss attack across my shoulders, tugging at my T-shirt only a little to expose my bare skin and I smiled up at him as he allowed his tongue to explore me.

I wanted to moan from the pleasure and take him for myself, but we were on a plane and Carter sat in the next booth, completely oblivious.

Joseph’s lips found mine and his tongue tasted and felt so good. It was warm and soft and there was everything I could possibly want. I wanted to deepen the kiss and never let him go at that moment. I let my hands slide up his body and cup the back of his neck, draping my fingers through his incredibly soft hair.

I felt his hands running up my legs and warmth spread across my lower abdomen from the sensation. I suddenly regretted wearing jeans at that moment and I would do anything to get them off my body.

As if he could read my mind, he brought his lips to my ear and whispered, “How about I show you the rest of the plane?”

I raised my brows.

“There’s more to the plane?” I asked, surprised by his words.

A light chuckle escaped from his throat as he pulled away from me, leaving me feeling cold and vulnerable without his closeness. He got the stewardess's attention, and she walked down the aisle and toward us.

“Yes, sir?” She asked him.

“We are going to the private room in the back,” he informed her, taking a hold of my hand. My cheeks flared as her brows raised and her gaze shifted to me. I knew that the stewardess was also a vampire from her aura alone. I wasn’t sure how to explain it, but I could feel it and I knew I was right. I wondered if the pilot was also a vampire.

“Of course,” she said, bowing her head in respect to Joseph. “I’ll make sure not to disturb you. Is there anything I can get for you?”

“No, I just wanted to inform you of our whereabouts,” Joseph told her as he unbuckled his belt and stood to his feet.

My heart lurched.

“I’m supposed to stand while this plane is moving?” I asked, my mouth gaping open.

Joseph laughed and undid my seatbelt for me; but before I could protest, he was lifting me out of my seat and cradling me against his chest like I was a baby.

“Trust me,” he whispered against my ear, and I instantly relaxed against him because truth be told, I did trust him.

The stewardess was back in her seat at the front of the plane when Joseph walked with me toward the back of the plane. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but when he opened the door and walked into a separate room, I gasped.

It looked like a hotel bedroom with a king-sized bed and a couple of dressers, a desk, a small vanity, and a huge walk-in closet that was propped open. It looked practically empty beside a few outfits that I couldn’t help but wonder who they belonged to.

My cheeks flushed as I stared up at Joseph and then he sat me down on the bed, his eyes twinkling with something I couldn’t quite read, but my body responded to it eager to see what he would do.

Then, he spoke in a low and husky tone as he conquered his lips with mine.

“Now, where were we?”