Dusti bit back a groan. Bat had clearly mistaken her few words for worries about them not being found, or being in danger from creatures in the woods. Dusti was more concerned about the two brothers. It wasn’t possible to correct her with Drantos right there, so she just shook her head. “I’m sure that won’t happen, Bat. Thank you for finding my shots. I didn’t like that purse anyway.”
“We found some snacks and water bottles on the plane,” Kraven announced, joining them. “I’ll pass them out to the survivors.”
“They were talking about the emergency beacon from the plane.” Drantos stared at his brother. “How it’ll make it easier for the plane to be found. You tracked the tail section. What do you think?”
Kraven shook his head. “I’m sure it didn’t survive. The tail was completely destroyed.”
“You don’t know that for certain,” Bat argued.
Kraven narrowed his eyes, fixing them on her sister. “It hit a tree and was wrapped around it. Everything in that part of the plane is smashed to hell and back. I checked for anything I could salvage but it was a lost cause.” He turned his attention back to Drantos. “I’m going to go hunting. Everyone could use some fresh meat.”
“Sure you are,” Bat muttered.
Kraven glared at her. “What?”
Bat stood and faced him. “What are you going to use to hunt with? Your bad manners? Maybe you can just talk to the animals and they’ll commit suicide.”
Kraven inched forward to glare down at her sister with an intimidating-as-hell look. “I told you to shut up. We have an agreement, remember? I don’t whip your ass if you keep your lips sealed together.”
Bat opened her mouth but she held her tongue, to Dusti’s amazement.
Her sister actually backed down. It was something that never happened, ever. But now, Bat just nodded silently and brushed both of her hands down her tailored skirt. She looked everywhere but at Dusti or Kraven.
A smirk twisted Kraven’s lips before he winked at his brother. “I’ll be back soon. I’m going to scout while I’m out there to see just how fucked things are.”
“I’m sure rescue crews will be searching for the plane at first light. They’re going to have to fly out of Anchorage. The smaller airport won’t have helicopters. And with no place to land, the best the planes will be able to do is help with the air-spotting.” Drantos sighed. “The question is, do we leave on our own or wait for help?” He darted a glance around the group by the fire. “They’re helpless if we walk out of here on our own. I’m afraid they won’t be found and will die from exposure. Not one of them has survival skills. I asked.”
“We’ll worry about it later.” Kraven shot a glare at Bat. “I’ll be back.” He turned on his heel to march out into the darkness.
Bat watched him go before turning her attention to Drantos. “Are you sure it’s safe for him to be traipsing around the woods at night? We didn’t find a flashlight or anything to use as a weapon. Aren’t there wild animals around here that we should be worried about? The fire is here, not out there. He won’t be able to see them but I’m sure the same can’t be said for anything that might attack him.”
Any hope Dusti had of warning her sister died when Drantos settled down crossed-legged right next to her. Only inches separated her hip from his knee. It was probably intentional, to remind her of the warning.
He shook his head. “We live in Alaska and were raised not too far from here. We know what we’re doing. It’s not unusual for us to hunt at night and nothing out there can hurt Kraven. Trust me on that one. He’ll be back within the hour and have something for us to eat.”
“I couldn’t even find a real knife, just plastic ones.” Bat carefully sat down on a cushion and tucked her skirt neatly around her legs. “How will he skin it? I guess he could try to tear off part of the plane. Some of it is pretty jagged and sharp.”
Dusti wanted to scream in frustration. They were in danger but her sister seemed fixated on how someone would get them food. Bat didn’t realize missing dinner was the least of their worries. They may have survived a plane crash, only to become victims of two men who had something against their biological grandfather. It just wasn’t fair or right.
Drantos reached inside his boot and pulled out an impressively large folded switchblade. “He’s got one of these.”
“But those are illegal to take on planes,” Bat sputtered. “How did you get that past security to smuggle it onboard?”
He arched a dark eyebrow. “We have our ways, and the smaller airports are more lax about rules up here. It’s common to carry weapons when you’re flying in and out of smaller airports. It’s life in Alaska. Don’t worry about it.” He shoved the knife back inside his boot. “He’ll be fine. He’s going to bring back something tasty to eat and then we’ll all get some shuteye.”
Bat turned her head to peer at Dusti. “Help will find us tomorrow. I bet they’re already putting together a huge search party to look for us as soon as the sun rises. We’ll be rescued in no time and will arrive at our grandfather’s house by tomorrow night.”
Dusti noticed Drantos tense up next to her. Her heart raced but she said nothing, afraid he might hurt Bat if she did. He and his brother looked like real badass thugs with their muscular bodies and dark looks…and they did dress as though they were bikers. They kept switchblades inside their boots, for cripes’ sake. Nice guys didn’t do that.
Then she noticed something else when she studied his handsome features.
“Your cut is gone.” She stared hard at his once-injured cheek.
He frowned. “I washed my face. The blood wasn’t mine. I’m assuming it splattered on me from someone else in the crash.”
Confusion had Dusti shaking her head. “It was cut. I saw it myself.”
“Do you see it now?” He cocked his head toward the firelight to show her that side of his face better. “It was just blood, not even mine. It wiped right off.”
Dusti let it go. She’d been traumatized at the time and must have just assumed he’d been cut when she’d seen the blood. He obviously didn’t have a mar on his skin.
Bat sighed. “I’m really sorry I dragged you along, Dusti. You’d be safe inside your apartment right now, watching one of those lame shows you love so much if it wasn’t for me. I…I manipulated you into taking this trip. I knew you’d insist on coming with me as soon as I told you who I was planning to visit. I didn’t want to go alone, and I thought it would be nice to spend some time together since this is technically my vacation.”
“We found some snacks and water bottles on the plane,” Kraven announced, joining them. “I’ll pass them out to the survivors.”
“They were talking about the emergency beacon from the plane.” Drantos stared at his brother. “How it’ll make it easier for the plane to be found. You tracked the tail section. What do you think?”
Kraven shook his head. “I’m sure it didn’t survive. The tail was completely destroyed.”
“You don’t know that for certain,” Bat argued.
Kraven narrowed his eyes, fixing them on her sister. “It hit a tree and was wrapped around it. Everything in that part of the plane is smashed to hell and back. I checked for anything I could salvage but it was a lost cause.” He turned his attention back to Drantos. “I’m going to go hunting. Everyone could use some fresh meat.”
“Sure you are,” Bat muttered.
Kraven glared at her. “What?”
Bat stood and faced him. “What are you going to use to hunt with? Your bad manners? Maybe you can just talk to the animals and they’ll commit suicide.”
Kraven inched forward to glare down at her sister with an intimidating-as-hell look. “I told you to shut up. We have an agreement, remember? I don’t whip your ass if you keep your lips sealed together.”
Bat opened her mouth but she held her tongue, to Dusti’s amazement.
Her sister actually backed down. It was something that never happened, ever. But now, Bat just nodded silently and brushed both of her hands down her tailored skirt. She looked everywhere but at Dusti or Kraven.
A smirk twisted Kraven’s lips before he winked at his brother. “I’ll be back soon. I’m going to scout while I’m out there to see just how fucked things are.”
“I’m sure rescue crews will be searching for the plane at first light. They’re going to have to fly out of Anchorage. The smaller airport won’t have helicopters. And with no place to land, the best the planes will be able to do is help with the air-spotting.” Drantos sighed. “The question is, do we leave on our own or wait for help?” He darted a glance around the group by the fire. “They’re helpless if we walk out of here on our own. I’m afraid they won’t be found and will die from exposure. Not one of them has survival skills. I asked.”
“We’ll worry about it later.” Kraven shot a glare at Bat. “I’ll be back.” He turned on his heel to march out into the darkness.
Bat watched him go before turning her attention to Drantos. “Are you sure it’s safe for him to be traipsing around the woods at night? We didn’t find a flashlight or anything to use as a weapon. Aren’t there wild animals around here that we should be worried about? The fire is here, not out there. He won’t be able to see them but I’m sure the same can’t be said for anything that might attack him.”
Any hope Dusti had of warning her sister died when Drantos settled down crossed-legged right next to her. Only inches separated her hip from his knee. It was probably intentional, to remind her of the warning.
He shook his head. “We live in Alaska and were raised not too far from here. We know what we’re doing. It’s not unusual for us to hunt at night and nothing out there can hurt Kraven. Trust me on that one. He’ll be back within the hour and have something for us to eat.”
“I couldn’t even find a real knife, just plastic ones.” Bat carefully sat down on a cushion and tucked her skirt neatly around her legs. “How will he skin it? I guess he could try to tear off part of the plane. Some of it is pretty jagged and sharp.”
Dusti wanted to scream in frustration. They were in danger but her sister seemed fixated on how someone would get them food. Bat didn’t realize missing dinner was the least of their worries. They may have survived a plane crash, only to become victims of two men who had something against their biological grandfather. It just wasn’t fair or right.
Drantos reached inside his boot and pulled out an impressively large folded switchblade. “He’s got one of these.”
“But those are illegal to take on planes,” Bat sputtered. “How did you get that past security to smuggle it onboard?”
He arched a dark eyebrow. “We have our ways, and the smaller airports are more lax about rules up here. It’s common to carry weapons when you’re flying in and out of smaller airports. It’s life in Alaska. Don’t worry about it.” He shoved the knife back inside his boot. “He’ll be fine. He’s going to bring back something tasty to eat and then we’ll all get some shuteye.”
Bat turned her head to peer at Dusti. “Help will find us tomorrow. I bet they’re already putting together a huge search party to look for us as soon as the sun rises. We’ll be rescued in no time and will arrive at our grandfather’s house by tomorrow night.”
Dusti noticed Drantos tense up next to her. Her heart raced but she said nothing, afraid he might hurt Bat if she did. He and his brother looked like real badass thugs with their muscular bodies and dark looks…and they did dress as though they were bikers. They kept switchblades inside their boots, for cripes’ sake. Nice guys didn’t do that.
Then she noticed something else when she studied his handsome features.
“Your cut is gone.” She stared hard at his once-injured cheek.
He frowned. “I washed my face. The blood wasn’t mine. I’m assuming it splattered on me from someone else in the crash.”
Confusion had Dusti shaking her head. “It was cut. I saw it myself.”
“Do you see it now?” He cocked his head toward the firelight to show her that side of his face better. “It was just blood, not even mine. It wiped right off.”
Dusti let it go. She’d been traumatized at the time and must have just assumed he’d been cut when she’d seen the blood. He obviously didn’t have a mar on his skin.
Bat sighed. “I’m really sorry I dragged you along, Dusti. You’d be safe inside your apartment right now, watching one of those lame shows you love so much if it wasn’t for me. I…I manipulated you into taking this trip. I knew you’d insist on coming with me as soon as I told you who I was planning to visit. I didn’t want to go alone, and I thought it would be nice to spend some time together since this is technically my vacation.”
