Free Meadow's Keep (The Gatekeepers Series) by Shanon Grey

past, encouraging her. Lily smiled her broken-tooth smile as she passed.

     

 
     
     
     
    Chapter Five
     
     
    Jenn whipped the SUV in front of the general aviation building and pulled to a stop. She turned to Jasmine, pushed up her sunglasses and stared at her friend with a worried look etching her pretty forehead.
    Jasmine smiled. “I’m fine. Honest. ” Truth was, her stomach was doing somersaults.
    “I may not have any ‘special’ abilities,” Jenn air-quoted, “but you don’t look fine. I can still arrange for Bask—”
    Jasmine held up her hand to stop Jenn. They both noticed the tremor. Jasmine dropped her hand down into her lap. Her smile was one of resignation. “It wouldn’t matter,” she shook her head and said, “which plane I got on. I don’t like flying.”
    Jenn turned around and slumped back in her seat. “Well, I’ll be damned,” she murmured. She turned back to Jasmine. “You? I don’t believe it. You are the most confident woman I know. Even …,” she hesitated a second, softened her voice, “…even after all you went through…you were so strong…you never broke….” She shook her head.
    Jasmine laughed. “Yeah, I can face death, pure evil—nothing. Put me on a plane and I quake with fear.”
    “Speaking of planes,” Jenn nodded toward the building, “here comes your pilot now. Still not too late.”
    Jasmine barely heard the last of Jenn’s comment. She had swung her attention toward the tall man walking toward them. Sunlight glinted off his wavy black hair. Dark jeans hugged the muscles of his strong legs. He’d pushed the sleeves up on the black sweater he wore, revealing tightly muscled forearms. He strode toward them, smiling. As he neared, he lifted his sunglasses. Jasmine heard her own intake of breath as she stared into those green crystalline eyes.
    “Holy… ,” Jenn whispered.
    “You got it,” Jasmine said back and reached for the door handle.
    He was there in an instant, pulling open the door. “Pre-flight’s all done. We can leave any time you’re ready.” He turned as Jenn walked around the vehicle. “Last time I saw you, you were dusting dirt off your….” He glanced at her hips.
    “Yeah, I know .” Laughter tumbled out. She looked at his outstretched hand, up to his eyes, and stuck out her hand. “I’m game if you are.”
    “I like you.” He laughed and took her hand. Nothing happened.
    “There.” Jenn smiled, as if she’d accomplished something. “Jenn Davis."
    “Ery k Vreeland,” he responded and returned her firm handshake.
    He turned to Jasmine as she stepped out of the car, his gaze lingering on her lithe form, before moving to her face. They stared at one another, caught in some sort of trance.
    Jenn turned , walked back to the rear of the SUV, and pulled up the lift gate. She saw the two of them awkwardly smile at one another and follow her. A tiny flicker of hope built in her chest.
    Eryk let out a whistle as he scanned the four suitcases lined up in the rear of the vehicle. “Good thing my plane can handle luggage for six,” he said. He reached in and took the two largest cases.
    “Hey, fashion’s my passion ,” Jasmine defended and grabbed the other two.
    “And your job,” Jenn added, closed the rear gate, and took one of the two suitcases Jasmine held.
    “I have to make some change-outs from the store while I’m there,” Jasmine added.
    “She has this great boutique in Ruthorford,” Jenn said to Eryk. “She supplies the clothes for our clientele when they first come to Safe Harbor. Gives them a sense of change—and well-being.”
    They followed him through the building and out the back. A small jet sat near the hangar. He walked over, set one suitcase down, grabbed a lever, twisted and backed away to let the stairs ease down.
    Jasmine swallowed and looked at the small jet. Magic was scrolled across the tail of the plane in vibrant green, nestled amid the black that slanted in a slash across the back half