Stuck with my Vampire Mate

22 - The Journey

"For the hundredth time, leave me alone."

All eyes snapped to Ryan, who was currently yelling at a small child in the middle of the airplane cabin. Even Alex's usual antics had never managed to rile Ryan to this extent. I couldn't suppress my laughter, which burst out despite my attempts to stifle it with both hands pressed over my mouth. The sound that escaped was more of a hiccup than a chuckle, but it was enough to draw even more attention. 

We were barely an hour into what was supposed to be a long journey, and the unfolding scene was already proving to be a source of amusement. The kids had been relentlessly bothering the vampire prince, and Ryan had tried every trick in the book to avoid them—from feigning sleep to glaring daggers in their direction. It seemed nothing could deter their persistence. 

Finally, Ryan unbuckled his seat belt with a dramatic flair and stood up, his eyes hidden behind dark sunglasses to conceal the blazing red glow of his anger. Just as the situation was reaching its peak, an air hostess came rushing up to the front row with a look of frantic urgency.

The air hostess, maintaining her professional composure despite the absurdity of the situation, looked at Ryan with confusion. 

"Sir, may I help you?" she asked, her smile strained as she tried to understand the chaos happening.

Ryan's frustration reached a boiling point. "Yes," he snapped, "can you please call these demons' mother?" 

He gestured dramatically towards the two innocent-looking children who were now watching him with a mix of curiosity and mischief. The irony of his request wasn't lost on anyone; here was a centuries-old vampire prince, exasperated by two young humans, calling them 'demons'. Helena, seated nearby, caught my eye and shared a snicker. 

The air hostess, still trying to process the request, clasped her hands together in a gesture of politeness and squeezed them alternately. Her face was a portrait of bewilderment. "Sorry, sir," she said, her voice tinged with regret. "But I can't."

Ryan's patience was wearing thin. "And why is that?" he demanded, his irritation barely contained. "Don't they have a mother?"

The air hostess looked even more perplexed, her brow furrowing as she searched for the right words. "I fear they don't," she said finally, her tone apologetic. She glanced at the children, who, despite their innocent appearances, seemed to be basking in the attention they were receiving.

"What do you mean?" I asked, my voice cutting through the awkward silence that had settled over us.

The air hostess's face fell even further as she took a deep breath. 

"Their parents died in an accident yesterday," she explained quietly. "These children are taking their bodies back to their homeland."

The weight of her words hung in the air, and the tension was palpable. Ryan's frustration seemed to dissolve into a heavy silence as he remained seated, his anger replaced by awkwardness. The children, seemingly oblivious to the gravity of their situation, continued to chatter animatedly.

I felt a lump form in my throat, and I bit my lip hard, trying to keep the emotions at bay. Turning to the air hostess, I offered her a reassuring nod. "You may leave. I will take care of them from now on."

Her expression softened with relief, and she gave me a grateful nod back before making her way back to the cabin. I turned to Sid and Helena, who had been watching from their seats. "Sid, Helena," I said, my voice steadier than I felt, "could you please adjust your seats to give me some space? We need to manage this."

Both of them looked reluctant but understanding, and after a moment of silent agreement, they moved their seats to accommodate the change. 

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