They reached the gate and the employee asked for their tickets. Thank God! She thought. We don't have any tickets! I'm going home, I'm going home, I'm-…

But her happy thoughts were interrupted by the man pulling an envelope from his jacket pocket and handing it to the employee, who opened it, looked at the two tickets, and smiled.

"Tickets validated. Have a nice flight!" they commanded as the blonde ushered Brynn onto the gateway.

They got in and matched their tickets up with a pair of first-class seats. They stood still, almost unbelieving, when the man finally made her go in first.

"You can have the window seat," he commented as she slid into the plush chair with an air of disgust.

The usual overture of "fasten your seatbelts, we'll be cruising at thirty thousand feet, have an enjoyable flight" crackled over the intercom, and the plane took off. When they were finally level in the air, Brynn looked over that the man's hands, which were clenched tight on the armrest. His knuckles were bone-white and his mouth was clenched tightly.

"Afraid of flying?" she asked snidely. He looked over and sighed with an exasperated grin.

"Couple hundred years and you'd think I'd get used to stuff like this. I need something to drink."

He motioned for the stewardess, who brought him some beer in a plastic cocktail cup. He downed it instantly and leaned back in his seat. Then he laughed.

"Cousins going to pick up their precious gramps and grandma from Vegas, and we run into hormone-boy's old lady."

"She's gonna mention it to my family. They'll figure everything out."

"What family? Your mum and dad are out at a party all night, like you said. By the time they get home, we'll be long gone."

Brynn cursed under her breath and crossed her arms. Turning back to him, she swallowed her pride and dropped the other shoe.

"So…what are you?" she ventured.

"The better question is what are you? I had to cover for your little blackout back there in the parking lot by saying you were a narcoleptic. Is that true?"

"What blackout?"

He raised an eyebrow. "You don't remember?"

"I remember you kidnapping me from Brad's car and turning into some kind of monster in the car. What was that?"

He chuckled. "That, love, is the whole reason why I got the short end of the stick. No one else was around to nick you."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean they made me come because I could and I would. No strings attached; all business-like. Come to Jersey, track you down, get you on the plane, all in one night and without a lot of trouble."

"And who told you to come get me?"

"The librarian up my bum."

She was confused, and he knew it. "You'll know in a couple of hours. Get some sleep." He leaned back and closed his eyes.

Half an hour passed, and his breathing became heavy and rhythmic. When Brynn was sure he was sleeping, she got up gingerly and put one leg over his lap. She was halfway across him to the aisle when his body twitched in its sleep and she lost her balance, falling on him and instantly waking him up.

He instinctively grabbed her arms and opened his eyes, looking directly into her frightened face. She blushed. He scowled.

"What are you doing?"

"Um…bathroom?"

"Bollox. You can't run anywhere around here. Just remember that."

"I know, I know. Thirty thousand feet up and all that."

He scootched over and allowed her to pass. She stumbled into the aisle, tripped, regained her footing, and went, embarrassed, to the vacant bathroom.