Genre: Romantic Fantasy

Blurb: 

When Jace Warden learns that his brother plans to announce his engagement at a family get together, he flees to the other side of the world to escape the joyous celebration.Or at least attempts to... His plane never makes it, and he winds up trapped on an island. Little does he realize, he's not alone; there's a mischievous little entity milling about, and she wants to play.

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Excerpt:

Jace Warden glanced down at his cellphone which was ringing for the umpteenth time as he stood at the Gate 7 inside the YVR terminal. He knew it was going to be his youngest brother, Kevin, trying to convince him to come to the family reunion. But he wasn't ready to face all the happy couples again.

They had reunions every year, although this time, all his brothers were married, or about to get married, and he wasn't; at least, not anymore. And he didn't need to have his nose rubbed in it, especially knowing that his ex, Diana, would be there. He shuddered to think of the lies she would be telling everyone.

When his phone wouldn't stop ringing, he answered. "What?"

"Wow, easy there!" Kevin replied calmly. "You know we're all just worried about you."

He had to resist the urge to throw the phone across the room. "Well, tell mom and dad not to worry. I'm fine."

"Then why aren't you coming to the reunion?"

"I have some business to take care of."

"Business can wait. Everyone wants to see you."

Jace stared out at the runway as his plane coasted to a stop, and the accordion walkway was extended to its door. Ground crews wearing heavy raincoats were bustling on the asphalt below. Water splashed everywhere as a motorized quad brought the luggage to the waiting plane.

They were in for a rough ride. Hopefully the plane would be able to fly above the storm and not have to go through it. He wasn't about to cancel his trip though. If he cancelled, they would drag him to the affair. Why would they even let Diana go? They didn't have kids and she was just the cousin of his older brother's wife. It's not like she was family...not anymore.

"I want to see you," Kevin said softly. "And you haven't met her yet."

"Sorry. I just can't." Jace looked at the desk in front of the gate and noticed they were allowing people to line up. "I gotta go. Give mom and dad my best."

"Wa-"

He disconnected the call before his brother could finish. This was the first get together after their break up and he wasn't ready. How could they forgive her after what she did? She said she only cheated because he did. But he wasn't like that. He'd never cheat, especially with her best friend...not like she did with his.

Jace flexed his fingers. The telltale ache that spread through his digits reminded him that punching someone's nose was never a good idea. He had to nurse a broken heart and a broken hand.

Slowly the line grew smaller and they all boarded the plane. He walked down the narrow aisle and stopped by his seat, throwing his carry-on bag overhead. The seat beside him was currently empty, but it would likely be taken before the flight took off.

A few minutes later proved him right. A lady with bright auburn hair took up residence beside him, flashing him a dazzling smile. "Looks like this flight might not be an utter waste after all," she said in a deep southern accent, offering her hand. "Hi, I'm Clary."

"Hi Clary." He shook her hand, but didn't offer his name. The last thing he wanted was a chatty neighbor, especially a woman. Jace pulled out his phone and started to scroll through his emails, hoping she'd take a hint.

"I'm so excited. This is my first time going to Australia."

He grunted an acknowledgement as his eyes stayed on his phone. She took that as an indicator that he wanted to hear more.

"Actually, this is my first time anywhere. My mom is going to kill me when they find out where I'm going. My mom hates spiders."

Jace looked out the window and rolled his eyes. "You don't say."

Even before the plane began taxiing down the runway, he'd learned everything there is to know about her family. It made him wish that he could be that excited about his. Right now he just wanted to get away from being the center of attention. Even though his brother was announcing his engagement to his girlfriend, he knew that the focus would wind up being on him and what happened in his failed marriage. It was still the hot topic even though it ended months ago.

"I'd love to chat, Clary, but I really do have some work I need to do before we land," he said with as much fake apologetic energy as he could muster. There wasn't really any work he had to do. This was more of a getaway than anything else, under the guise of a work based retreat.

He had his entire life to be ganged up on by his family. Every year they have reunions and he has never missed a single one. They could survive without him this year. It's not like he brought anything special to one anyway. All he ever did was throw the football around with the kids and get dog-piled on. It was like he had a sign on his back that said climb on me.

Not that he minded, he loved the rugrats, but right now it was just another sad reminder of how things went so horribly wrong in his life. Jace ran his hands down his face, fighting back the tears that always fought to surface. It was so much easier being angry, staying angry. And that's not what his family deserved. Someone would say something and he would blow up and then all his family would look at him with disproving eyes.

Staring out the window, he watched as they climbed higher in the sky. The world below become like a misty covered map as they disappeared above the clouds. He only wished that it could be out of sight, out of mind. But he wasn't that lucky.

At least while he was on the flight they couldn't contact him. It would give him a little bit of peace and allow him to shove away the little inkling of guilt that was trying to take over his heart. Bailing was a cheap-ass move, even for him. But he needed this time alone. Diana had been his whole world for two years. And just one quick misunderstanding became a mountain too high to climb.

It wasn't worth climbing. Taking his eyes off his phone, he spotted the stewardess pushing a trolley down the aisle. Maybe a drink or two would let his mind wander into other topics and not be stuck on his cheating ex-wife.

"Can I have a beer, please, and the cookies." he said, giving her a smile.

He watched as she pushed the cart up the aisle, eyeing how her pants hugged her hips. In another time and another place, he'd probably have given her his number. Grimacing at his train of thought, he turned his head and looked out the window just as the seatbelt light above him came on.

"This is your captain speaking. We are about to experience some turbulence. Please return to your seats and fasten your seatbelts."

"Oh god," the girl beside him cried, burying her face in her hands as the plane began to bounce up and down.

"It's okay. This happens all the time," he told her, but he gripped the arm rest with his left hand. His right still held his beer in a death grip. The plane lurched again, knocking his body forward.

Jace cursed under his breath as his beer sloshed over the side of the glass, landing on the crotch of his pants. It was a waste of a good drink. Reaching into the net pouch attached to the back of the seat in front of him, he pulled out the safety instructions again.

The plane jerked again and this time dropped several feet. The beer dropped out of his hand as his butt lifted off the seat. "Damn it!" he grumbled.

"We're going to die," Clary cried, throwing her arms around him.

He'd pry her arms off him, but the plane lurched again and so did his heart. Keeping a tight grip on the armrests, he fought hard to keep his body in one spot. "I'm sure things will settle soon," he murmured to her with as much conviction in his voice as he could muster.

When a loud crack caught his attention, his head whipped to look out the window just in time to see a portion of the wing break off. The oxygen masks dropped down in front of him and another hard hit had the luggage compartments overhead snap open.

He gripped Clary's shoulder and pulled her towards him. "Watch out," he cried as his suitcase fell, hitting her armrest before bouncing into the aisle.

"We have experienced an engine failure and will be attempting to do an emergency water landing. Please follow the emergency protocols on the paper in the seat pocket in front of you." The captain rattled off a few other instructions and then the speaker went silent.

"Oh god. Oh god. Oh god," Clary's body shook like a leaf in his arms. Reaching forward, he grabbed the emergency paper again and read off the instructions as best he could. Before landing, they were to cradle their head on the seat in front of them.

"Just do what I do, hun," he said, trying to stay strong for her. His heart was pounding and sweat beaded on his forehead. He's never been in this situation before. But he knew that chances of survival weren't good. Thankfully they were near the back of the plane, one of the safer zones.

The man across from them was crying out to God to save them. The thought couldn't hurt, so he sent a few words up himself. Grabbing the oxygen device, he helped Clary put it on and then put his on. His hands shook as he snapped the strap into place.

The plane began to tailspin towards the water below. Kids were screaming. Babies crying and their mothers sobbed as they held them close. Another man was chanting to Allah while the man sitting next to him yelled at him to shut up and threatened to punch him if he didn't.

"Chill dude, let him pray to whoever he wants," Jace shouted over the noise. He figured if there was any time to start praying now was the time. No point in being picky. "God, please get us out of this!"

It felt like the plane was spinning in slow motion as they neared the ground. Little by little the bright blue ocean grew larger as they slipped beneath the clouds. Bracing his head against the seat, he sucked back a sob. There were enough people crying, they didn't need him to add to the disarray.

Pain stabbed him in the heart. He could have been hanging out with his family, but now their reunion would be a memorial. How could he have been so selfish? So stupid? Jace stomped his foot in frustration. He should have just gone to the stinking reunion. He would never be the best man for his brother's wedding. He wouldn't be around to watch him become a father or watch his older brother's kids reach all their milestones.

Karma just bit him painfully in the butt. His mother was always warning him not to take the time he had for granted. He was only partially listening to the stewardess's instructions as he held the frantic woman beside him in his arms. All he could really hear was his mother's voice, disappointed and annoyed that he would blow off his family.

The plane was falling as fast as his heart was beating, sounding much like a drum inside his head. Unlike the plane shows, they were spinning as they headed straight for the ocean below. Fighting hard to stay standing, the stewardess instructed them to put on the life vests.

Jace helped his neighbor put it on and then put on his own. Over the loud speaker, a voice boomed into the already noisy cabin. "Follow the stewards instructions."

He let go of the woman and gripped the seat in front of him, leaning his head forward.

"I don't wanna die," a male voice cried out above the noise.

Jace echoed the man's sentiment, but he knew the odds. They were going to hit the ground fast and hard. Chances of survival...nada. His heart raced and his palms grew damp, and it felt like everything had begun moving in slow motion, as though someone hit the frame by frame button.

He took that moment to look over each fear-filled face, eyes wide and full of tears. Parents cradled their children. Lovers held each other one more time. Friends said their good-byes. And he, he was alone.

"Brace for impact!"

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*Published by Black Velvet Seductions*

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