Page 80 of Even Vampires Bleed
The jet stops and hovers over the thickest patch of trees.
I can’t see anything other than trees kilometers away.
The doors open, and the seats start vibrating.
That’s one way to tell us it’s time to go.
I get up and push my suitcase to the edge of the jet, letting it drop and hoping there’s nothing fragile under those trees because this bag is heavy.
I’m also glad I didn’t make this trip with pristine editions.
I’m scared to see what state they’re going to be in.
Léandre is still not waking, so I reluctantly approach him and poke at his arm.
All I want to do is wrap my hand around his arm and stroke the skin.
Nope—not going there.
I poke him again, and he finally opens his eyes.
“We’ve arrived,” I tell him without meeting his eyes and moving back next to the door.
“Time to jump?” he asks, and I nod.
“Okay, alright, give me a minute to wake up. I’ll meet you on ground level,” he adds.
“Can I push your bag overboard first? If I’m under the canopy, you won’t see me and might drop it on top of me without even knowing,” I say.
I had time to think things through.
“Yeah, go ahead,” he tells me as he yawns and stretches at the same time.
The movement makes his shirt climb up a bit… and yep, I got a good sight of his abs and happy trail.
Stop ogling the man, Cassiopé.
I turn my eyes toward his bag. I can focus on that.
“Wait,” Léandre tells me when I start pushing. It’s precariously holding on the side of the opening, but Léandre quickly removes his shoes, stuffs them inside the bag and then closes it again.
I give him a questioning look, but he’s too busy stretching again, so he doesn’t see it.
And I’m too busy berating myself for letting my eyes wander again to ask the question.
I push his bag overboard, wait a few seconds, and then jump.
I let myself free fall for a few seconds, and then I get my wings out.
The wind feels warm and soft against them, and I slowly glide to the trees.
I find a small opening and then get through it.
Except it isn’t really an opening, and all I get through are tree branches.
There isn’t enough room for my wings to maneuver.
And then I’m falling through the trees, and all I can think about is closing my wings against my back so they don’t get snagged on the way down.
