Dead Perfect by Amanda Ashley Page A

was the world before September 11 th , and there was the world after. It was a day she knew she would never forget, a day when the impossible became possible and America realized it was no longer invulnerable.
    Even now, years later, airport security was stringent. The lines had been long. By the time they made it through security, she felt more like a criminal going to prison than a passenger going cross-country. Most of the other travelers endured the hassle without grumbling too much. She didn’t have any carry-on baggage other than a book, and neither did Ronan. While waiting in line, she had asked him if he had a photo ID, since she wasn’t sure if vampires could be photographed, but apparently it was no problem, since he had a driver’s license with his picture on it.
    She glanced at the other people on board the plane. None of them looked like terrorists. None of them seemed particularly worried about the flight. People were chatting with their companions, adjusting their seats, reading, or simply staring out the window. Was she the only one wishing she were somewhere else?
    “Shannah, is something wrong?”
    “No, why?”
    Ronan tapped one finger on the back of her hand. Looking down, she saw that her knuckles were white where she was gripping the edge of her seat.
    “I guess I am a little nervous all of a sudden.”
    She quickly decided that nervous didn’t begin to explain how she felt. She was excited by the prospect of flying, and terrified at the same time.
    “There’s nothing to be afraid of,” Ronan said reassuringly.
    “Except crashing.”
    “I won’t let anything happen to you.”
    “Like you could stop it.”
    “Trust me, Shannah. Whatever happens, you’ll be all right, I promise you.”
    She stared at him. How could he make such a promise? Sincere as he sounded, if the plane went down, there wasn’t anything he could do to stop it.
    Her heartbeat quickened when she heard the captain’s voice saying they had been cleared for takeoff. She remembered reading somewhere that most plane crashes occurred during takeoffs or landings. This was it, she thought as the plane taxied down the runway. There was no turning back now. Fingers in a death grip on the arm-rest, she closed her eyes and prayed like she had never prayed before.
    The plane picked up speed and suddenly it felt like she was floating.
    “You can relax now,” Ronan said. “We’re in the air.”
    Opening her eyes, Shannah glanced out the window. The ground grew farther and farther away, the lights of the city faded into little yellow dots far below.
    “Weren’t you even a little scared?” she asked.
    He chuckled softly. “Takes more than a plane lifting off to frighten me.”
    She regarded him curiously. “What does frighten you?”
    He looked at her thoughtfully a moment, then shook his head. “Nothing.”
    “Nothing?” she asked skeptically. “Come on, everybody’s afraid of something.”
    “I used to be afraid of a lot of things,” he admitted. “But not anymore.”
    “Well, when you were afraid,” she said, “what were you afraid of?”
    “Being alone. Dying. Going to hell.” He wondered briefly if the fires of hell could possibly be as painful as the touch of the sun’s light on preternatural flesh. “The usual things mortals are afraid of.”
    “Mortals?” She lifted one brow. “As opposed to those who aren’t mortal?”
    “As opposed to dogs and cats,” he answered smoothly.
    “Sometimes I wonder about you,” she muttered.
    “What do you wonder?”
    She made a vague gesture with her hand. “You never told me how you found my apartment. Sometimes it seems like you can read my mind. I never see you during the day. I’ve never seen you eat or drink anything. I mean, it’s like…”
    “Go on.”
    “Oh, I don’t know what I’m trying to say. You’re just weird, that’s all.”
    He laughed softly. “Honey, you have no idea.”
    “Don’t say that! It scares me. I can see the headlines now.