Page 91 of The Firebrand
Dax strode over to the water, dipped the ladle in. He brought it to the prisoner, tipping it so Ulfur could drink. “Describe the vamp,” he said, voice deep, gravelly.
“Long white hair, red eyes, a few streaks of silver in them. Stands a little over six feet tall.” After Ulfur spit blood onto the floor, he grabbed Dax’s arm to take another sip of water. “Mean dude. Not the kind you want coming after you. Old.”
Dax tossed the ladle into the water barrel. “Silas, the guy who got away from Rein and Chay at Stefan’s.”
“Where do you deliver the humans?” asked Sabine.
Ulfur sniffled, swiping under his nose with a broken hand. “I hide out with the package by the jump site. Pretty soon, Melia, Kur, or the scary vamp arrives. After I turn over the Earther along with the jumper, they hand me cash.”
“How many did you bring across?” Sabine grilled him further, her blade at her side.
“Ten. Maybe fifteen.”
“Why did they pick you for the job?” Brak asked.
“I used to run drugs for Kur. He recommended me. That’s all. Honest.” He whimpered, rocking his body.
When she approached Ulfur, Sabine jammed her Arkansas Toothpick into his heart. She twisted, removed it, wiped the blood on her shorts. “He’s done. A promise is a promise.”
****
CeleneBailey leaned out of the chopper while it made its way to base camp early in the morning. The view was mind-blowing. Below her sprawled a verdant jungle in myriad shades of green with dense clouds tucked among the trees. She knew beneath the cover was a magnificent, steep waterfall, one of the most spectacular in the world. One she would see up close and personal when she jumped.
She had flown into Caracas, Venezuela yesterday and received the bad news that the National Guard would not escort the guide and the four base jumpers into the national park. Without them, there would be no permit. Without a permit, they were SOL.
Their guide, Alejandro, had spent hours in a government office that same day, but his perseverance paid off. He obtained a civilian permit for the jump. Few were ever granted. With that snafu solved, he had hired a helicopter to take the group to Angel Falls the next morning.
Now she was here. After they landed in a clearing, their guide took them aside to do a final check. Celene would jump first.
Last-minute instructions had been delivered and all equipment checked. Rechecked. All questions had been answered.
She stood on a rock to the right of Angel Falls, looking down a 3,200-foot drop. She was geared up, systems go, dressed for the crash as well as the ride. Pads. Helmet. Glasses. Gloves. Boots. A kit.
Celene loved that her knees trembled when she peered over the edge. She was only alive when she experienced the quiver, the fear, the rush that was about to come during the free fall after she jumped. She was a thrill junky, and she knew it.
Drawing a deep breath, she hurtled into the air. Unencumbered. The edge where she had waited offered no view of the water. But once she jumped, it opened on her left. She gained speed, descending at the same rate as the falls. Then she outpaced them. They became a blur rushing by her. The wind chafed her cheeks, and she screamed in its face, an act of supreme defiance.
This was living.
She was inside the giant bowl now, approaching tracking speed. She held off until the last second before she let the chute out. With the release, there was always some turbulence. She tucked her chin to look at the LZ.Small landing spot. It was either make it or land in a tree or pile of rocks.
Unfuckingbelievable. The rush.
She landed on the run, spinning to catch her parachute. A perfect set-down. While she was bunching her chute, out of nowhere, a bag dropped over her head. Something pressed against her neck.
A sharp pain shot up her back. A thousand bees danced on her skin. Her brain bounced around like marbles. Then she blacked out.
When she woke, Celene clasped her hands to her temples.
What the hell?
A cement floor. She rolled over on her stomach, pushing up onto her knees. Until the tremors stopped and the nausea became bearable, she stayed put. She unfolded inch by inch. Once on her feet, she spread them for better balance.
The headache was the least of her worries. She was in a cell with iron bars.
Did some government idiot arrest me for base jumping? I have a permit.
Noises filtered into her consciousness. Moans. Sobs.
