The Royal Heir - The Valtoria Diaries 2

Everyone thinks you deserve better

Drake first realised something was really badly wrong when the motorbike cut suddenly in-between their truck and the car that had already pulled alongside them. This pap wasn't giving up, even if he ended up dead, or they all did. The lights from the camera flashes must have blinded the driver temporarily because he swerved completely un-necessarily. Drake sat up, fully alert. Ready to react.

"They can't..." He hated that tremble in Hana's normally composed voice.

"They're not backing off!" Maxwell yelled, incensed.

What was this driver doing? "Get us out of here now!" Drake leant into the front of the vehicle, and pointed ahead. "Take a left down there!"

Whoa, not that fast though! The SUV must have been on two wheels as it rounded the bend, there was a terrified squeal from Jones as she was slammed against the window under the weight of both Maxwell and him.

Now Maxwell was panicking. "JEN! You okay?"

Drake glanced at Hana to make sure she was holding it together.

"I think we're losing them.." she whimpered.

Hana was rarely wrong about these things, but hell, if only she'd been right this time.

The motorbike careered out in front of them again to try and make them stop; the driver had no choice but to swerve the other way and now Hana was screaming as her front airbag ejected; Drake knew she was going to need it. He braced himself for the coming impact. That tree wasn't going anywhere. And they were. Fast.

The sound of crunching metal and smashing glass drowned out any human cries as the car bounced off the tree and then rolled over. Stay calm. Stay calm. When they came to a stop; the car door was above him, so without delay he undid his seat belt, reached up to open the door, and clambered out; taking a deep breath.

Hana... oh god, Hana!

No. I have to get Jones out first.

He leant back inside the vehicle; Maxwell was desperately calling her name, trying to get her to respond.

"MAXWELL! Undo her belt, we need to get her out of there!"

"Drake, she's not waking up..."

"Get her out now or she never will!"

"I can't undo the belt Drake, I can't.. it's too tight..."

If only Olivia were here right now. "You'll have to force it..."

"But I don't want to hurt her..." Maxwell looked up at him forlornly, knowing what he had to do. Drake watched in awe as his terrified friend leant against his heavily pregnant wife's belly in order to get her belt to release.

Thank god, it worked. The belt pinged back, catching Jones' face slightly, but enabling Maxwell to move her. He was bleeding from somewhere, and physically shaking, but somehow he found the strength to scoop her up as if she were weightless, and lift her up towards Drake.

He gently took her from Maxwell, placing her worryingly still body down on the grass; then helped Maxwell climb out himself. "Now get her well away from the car," he barked, and then leant back in again. "HANA!!!"

"I'm okay, Drake."

He couldn't even see her for the smoke; but he could hear her from the direction of the front passenger seat. "Can you undo your belt?"

"I already did." Then he heard her coughing. And he could smell burning. He had to get her out now. Again, what was this driver doing?

He decided to open the driver's door next, to let some of the smoke out of the vehicle. The driver's eyes were wide, his face was bleeding. He was clearly in shock.