Belle’s Quest (Fairytale Bureau #3)

Chapter 6

6

So, I freaked out a bit.

Okay, a lot.

It didn’t help Hannah had her gun out and aimed at my face. It took Killian’s sharp, “Put that away,” before Hannah lowered it.

And I gave her heck for it. “Don’t you dare put your guard down. I could be a threat to the prince.”

“You? A threat?” She chuckled. “You’re not that ferocious. More like an overgrown kitty.”

A big kitty. The beast tended to have lion characteristics. Although, in my case, despite me being female, I did have quite the long and luscious mane.

“What the fuck? Oh my god. Argh.”

I might have thrown myself from the plane if not for Killian’s remark of, “See what happens when you forget to shave, dear wife. ”

I stopped losing my mind to gape at him. “This isn’t funny. I’m a monster.”

“A beast, yes, but monster? Hardly. After all, you still seem to have your wits about you.”

“Barely.”

“Are you going to try and eat me?”

“No!”

“Pity.” He winked.

“Not. Funny.” I roared. Like literally.

Hannah’s gun-toting hand twitched. Would she shoot me? Most likely yes, if I did something stupid. Then again, I’d do the same in her position.

Suddenly deflated, I sat down hard in my seat. “I don’t understand what’s happening.”

“The curse appears to have chosen to throw you a rather devious curveball.”

“This is more than a curveball. It’s a slam dunk. I’m hideous.” I know it shouldn’t matter. I should rise above it all and blah, blah, blah, but I dared anyone to not be a little traumatized going from smooth-skinned to furry, head to toe.

“Bah, are you a little hairy? Yes, but you still have your shining personality, and if I’m honest, you’re cute enough to scratch.”

I glared at him. “You’re not helping.”

He shrugged. “What would you prefer I say?”

“I don’t know.” I slouched .

“Since you’re more familiar with this curse than me, how is it usually resolved?”

“By having sex with a virgin.”

He choked on his sip of water. Coughed so hard Hannah pounded him on the back.

“This is a nightmare,” I groused. “How am I supposed to investigate anything? I’ll be picked up by the first agent who spots me.”

“Only if you’re violent,” Hannah pointed out.

“Which tends to happen to most of the beasts after a while due to the constant rejection,” I growled.

“Someone’s getting hangry. Have another cookie.” Killian shoved one in my direction.

I meant to slap it out of his hand. Instead, it ended up in my mouth. The chocolate did soothe me a bit.

“How long before we land?” I asked, hating my new huskier voice.

“It’s an eight-hour flight usually. We left early afternoon, but given the time zone changes, by the time we arrive, it will be close to dawn.”

“Wake me when we start our approach.” I couldn’t bear to have anyone staring at me, not while I struggled with this sudden change. I made my way to the couch further down the plane and lay on it, facing the wall, gnashing my teeth.

A blanket dropped over me, and Killian softly said, “It will be all right. I promise. ”

“You can’t promise that,” I whispered.

“Oh yes, I can. I am the future king of Corsica, and if I decree it, then so shall it be.”

I snorted, not a pretty sound in this shape. “You can’t order this curse away.”

“Perhaps not, but I can offer solace.” I didn’t understand what he meant until he snuggled in behind me on that narrow couch, barely big enough for two, but he managed, an arm draped around my middle, his face buried in my mane.

It comforted more than I would have expected. His kindness kept me from collapsing into utter despair. All the times I’d rejected beasts, it never really occurred to me to wonder how they felt.

Not good, as it turned out.

Despite my turmoil, I managed to sleep until Hannah bellowed, “What the fuck do you mean we’re being followed by a pod of dragons?”

I sat up so abruptly I bumped Killian off the couch. He hit the floor, and I muttered a quick, “Sorry,” before I barked—quite literally—“What now?”

A steely-faced Hannah said, “Dragons. Three of them. Coming in fast. The pilot caught them on the radar.”

“And we’re sure they’re after us?” A dumb question, because, hello, of course they wanted to take us down. The curser had warned me. I just didn’t expect this level of malevolence, and yet I should have. Of late, the Grimm Effect had been getting darker and more violent with its stories.

“There’s nothing else out here, so I’d say it’s a fair bet.”

Killian remained sitting on the floor where he’d fallen, wearing a frown. “Has the pilot called for air support?” Countries had fighter jets on standby for the times dragons decided to cause trouble, whether it be planes, crops, or livestock. The larger commercial airlines had taken to even having fighter jets accompany them on overseas flights.

“The radio stopped working a few minutes before the dragons appeared.”

“How far are we from land?” I asked. A glance out the windows still showed dark skies.

“Too far,” her low reply.

“Does this jet have any firepower?” In today’s world full of magical threats, people tended to be more prepared. I’d heard of private jets armed with missiles and machine guns.

Not my prince’s ride. “We’ve got nothing. Mother likes dragons. Says they’re misunderstood and so refused to have the plane outfitted with any offensive weaponry.”

“Meaning we’re screwed if they attack.” I rubbed my face. Felt the fur. Tucked my hand by my side .

“It is equipped with life rafts,” he offered, as if that were a viable solution.

“That would entail us going down in the ocean. At night. Far from land. Oh, and with dragons able to pick us off from the sky.” I pointed out the flaws with his stupid suggestion.

“I have my spear.” Gerome had been so quiet up until now I’d forgotten the man. He emerged from the back hefting said weapon.

“Which requires you opening a door. I don’t know about you, but my understanding of pressurization and stuff says that would be bad.” I’d seen the movies with people sucked out of the plane.

“No opening the door at this altitude.” Hannah wagged her finger at Gerome.

“Give ‘em a solution, and they still bitch,” Gerome muttered, slinking back to his corner.

“Maybe we’re panicking for nothing,” Killian remarked, glancing out the window. “Could be the dragons are just going in the same direction.”

“Your mother should have called you Pollyanna.” A character from a book who always brimmed with optimism.

“Guess we’ll soon find out.” Hannah pointed, and as I looked out the window, I saw a jet of orange fire in the distance.

Not far enough away, I should add.

It should be noted I was a damned good field agent, who’d had to use a taser more than once. I considered myself pretty adept at handling most situations.

On the ground.

In the air, at night, over an ocean?

Screwed. So screwed. And all my fault as well. It had been my idea to go on this trip. My decision to ignore the warning in my dream. Now, everyone on board would pay the price of my stubbornness.

“Jeezus, y’all look like we’re already dead when, instead, we should be preparing,” Gerome stated. The gruff man took charge. “Hannah, tell the pilot to drop us as low as he can over the water. Prince, you pull the life raft out from under that couch.” He pointed. “You”—you being me—“brace yourself and hold on to the prince when I open the door.”

“I thought we agreed opening the door was a bad idea.” I felt a need to remind.

“At high altitudes, yes, but we’ll be low enough the pressure won’t be an issue and close to the water if we need to jump.” It wasn’t the fact that Gerome kept talking that dropped my jaw.

“Jump?” Turned out a beast could squeak.

“Only if the plane runs into trouble.” Gerome spoke calmly, as if this were an everyday occurrence .

“You think we’re going to crash?” There I went high-pitching again.

“Crash or burn. Could go either way.” Gerome pointed to the window and the visible glow emanating from an open dragon mouth. It had gotten close enough for me to see its beady eyes.

Just as the flames began to spew in our direction, the plane dropped, the sudden incline sending me staggering and falling in a very unmonster-like heap by Killian’s feet.

“You don’t have to throw yourself at me, wifey poo. We’re already married,” quipped the prince. Did nothing ever shatter his good attitude?

“Don’t you have something to do?” I snapped.

“Already done. I’ve got the boat. Now what?” he asked of Gerome.

“Brace yourselves. It’s gonna get bumpy and windy,” Gerome stated before turning to bellow, “Hannah!”

“Coming,” she muttered, emerging from the cockpit, a gun in hand. “Wished I’d not stowed the rifle in the baggage compartment, though. These puny bullets won’t do shit unless I manage to shoot it in the eye.”

The plane evened out, and a glance outside showed the dark shimmer of water as the plane’s lights danced over the surface .

Now for the moment of truth. Had the dragons followed?

A jet of fire hit the plane on both sides, a sheet of flame that washed over the windows. They didn’t melt. It would take more than a short burst to?—

Smash .

I couldn’t have said what impacted the glass, only that we suddenly had a sucking hole.

“Hold on to the boat,” Killian advised.

The suggestion seemed like the best option for the moment, especially as the air turbulence increased when Gerome cranked open the door.

The whoosh of wind blew my mane in my face. I couldn’t see much, but I did feel the sudden sear of heat as fire roasted the opening. I slapped a hand to my forehead to hold my shaggy bangs out of my eyes.

Pop . Pop .

A grim-faced Hannah stood braced in the doorway, firing her gun.

“Where’s Gerome?” I shouted to Killian.

He pointed outside.

Poor guy must have fallen.

Wrong. A dragon swooped past, a sleek reptile but for the person hugging its back with his knees while holding a spear.

Hot damn.

The duo flew past, and I left Killian’s side to peek out the window just as flames baked it. I recoiled at the heat and felt Killian’s hand on me. “Gerome took down one, but there’s still two more.”

“Where’s Gerome now?”

Killian appeared glum as he said, “In the water. He jumped after he stabbed it.”

Oh. “Should we toss him the boat?”

This time, Hannah replied. “He’s fine. It will take more than a swim to kill Gerome.”

Kind of optimistic seeing as how he bobbed in the ocean with dragons circling overhead.

Bang .

The plane wobbled, and my gaze followed Hannah’s to the ceiling. Thump . Thump .

“We have company,” she stated unnecessarily.

“What should we do?” Because I didn’t have a single idea. None of my training ever prepared me for this.

Crash .

The pilot screamed, or so I assumed since it wasn’t any of us hollering.

“Shit.” Hannah bolted for the cock pit but was too late. The plane tilted, and the impact as it hit the water sent me tumbling.

More worrisome than the fact I’d landed in an ignoble heap?

We were sinking!