The stranger lowered his chin to peer into Dusti’s dazed stare. He studied her from face to chest, and finally locked gazes with her again. “She’s alive.”

“I hate flying.” Kraven sounded irritated. “I mentioned that, right?”

The man continued to watch Dusti and he actually smiled. “Several times, but we’re not flying anymore, are we? I don’t mind flying but I hated the crashing part. I bet you wish you were still in the air right now. Quit bitching and let’s see how bad the situation is. We survived. That’s all that counts in the end.”

“Get off me. You’re crushing me!”

Relief swept through Dusti at hearing her older sister’s aggravated voice and it tore her from her traumatized state. “Bat? Are you okay?”

“Dusti! Thank goodness you’re alive. Are you all right? Get off me, asshole! You weigh a thousand pounds. I need to check on my sister.”

“Maybe I would get off you if you weren’t gripping my dick. That’s not my thigh you’ve been clutching in terror, woman,” Kraven snarled. “Let go!”

“Ewww!” Bat squealed. “Get off me! My hand is trapped there, damn it.”

The man still pinning Dusti to her seat chuckled. “Did I introduce myself? I’m Drantos.”

“Let me go. Please get off.” Dusti hated the way her voice trembled enough to make it sound more like a feeble plea than a demand.

He arched an eyebrow. “That’s all you’ve got to say to me after I saved your life? I believe this is where you’re supposed to say thank you and tell me your name.”

Dusti was still suffering from shock but this had to be the strangest conversation she’d ever had. “Your belt buckle is digging into my…um…” She tried to wiggle her hips away from his but it only caused more discomfort. The metal object pressed against her panties pushed in deeper, causing her to wince.

He jerked his hips back to put a few inches between their bodies but he glanced down. His smile turned into an outright grin. “Sorry about that. I hope I didn’t damage you down there. That would be a crime. I love bright red, by the way. Is that a thong? I can only see the front.”

Her mouth hung open and she gawked speechlessly until she realized he continued to stare at her exposed lap. She shoved at him with her hands, pushing hard against his massive chest, and tried to put her feet on the floor to scoot back in the seat and away from the obviously deranged pervert.

He let her go, still grinning as she grabbed at her skirt to shove it down the tops of her thighs to regain her modesty.

The sound of a sobbing woman filtered through Dusti’s shock-hazed brain and her jumbled thoughts. Other noises slowly penetrated and she became more aware of her surroundings when Drantos rose to his feet to loom over her, no longer touching as he stepped aside to stand in front of Bat’s empty seat. He surveyed the plane, his features set in a grim expression. Dusti heard soft whispers then someone cursing from the back of the plane. It sank in that the four of them weren’t the only survivors.

She peered up at Drantos, since he kept her trapped in the row with his body planted between her and the aisle. He sniffed the air, made a distasteful grimace, before peering over the seats in front of them. He turned his head, staring down at the floor of the aisle.

“Are you going to just lay there on top of her or are you going to get up? It’s no time to take a nap, Kraven.”

“Go to hell. I think she crushed something vital when she squeezed my dick. I’m trying to recover. She’s got nothing on a cock ring, that’s for sure.”

Drantos shook his head. “You’re going to give her a bad impression if you don’t watch your mouth.”

“Like I give a damn what she thinks,” Kraven grunted as he climbed to his feet.

Dusti stared at the other man when he appeared in the aisle a row ahead of where she sat. His black hair looked worse for wear, some of his spikes crushed flat on one side of his head. It gave him the bedhead look of a punker gone bad. Maybe a punk biker, considering the leather jacket he was sporting. He frowned down at something below him.

“What are you? A masseuse?” He lifted his chin and shot Drantos a dirty look. “I swear she crushed my dick.”

Bat struggled to her feet, her blonde hair in a messy ponytail now that her neat bun had been loosened from the crash. She glowered at the man, who gave her that angry look right back. “Why did you grab me like that? What the hell is your problem?”

“I was protecting you. I’m Kraven. You can thank me later, by the way.”

“Thank you?” Bat gawked at him. “You’ll be lucky if I don’t have your ass arrested for sexual assault, battery, and…hell, bad hair! Move out of my way. I need to check on my sister.” Bat tried to shove him aside, her gaze locking on Dusti. Relief showed on her features.

Dusti forced her body to move and she tried to stand but Drantos held out his arm, holding up a hand as if to tell her to stay. She stared up at him.

“Could you please move? You’re in my way.”

He arched a black eyebrow at her. “My brother can take care of your sister. He’s in charge of her now. You just stay put while I deal with this mess.”

Shock rolled through Dusti again. In charge of her? His words played through her mind. They left her even more confused as her gaze flickered back and forth between the two men standing just feet apart, with only a seat between them. They both had tan skin, huge bodies and black hair, but she wouldn’t have previously pegged them for brothers.

Now, as she stared, she started to see some similarities—the strong bone structure for one and the generous lips for another. The spiked-haired guy had light blue eyes though instead of dark.

“Help me,” a man called from the back of the plane. “Please, help!”

Drantos sighed. “I’ve got it.” He inched out from between the seats and into the aisle. “Kraven, watch them and keep them both where they are. We’ve got dead bodies in here, and panicked types who I never trust not to go crazy in a crisis.”

Kraven nodded. “I have the women.”

“Have this, you jerk.” Batina sounded riled still.

Dusti flinched when her sister nailed the unsuspecting guy in the chest with her expensive footwear. Kraven staggered back in astonishment and Bat lunged around him to reach her. Dusti rose to her feet on trembling legs, a moment of wooziness making her see spots, but she pushed the sensation back to hug her sister.