Arshi FF#2:THE SEED OF PASSION, Chapters 9 to 16 - Page 66

The Hot Air Balloon Accident !!

Arnav looked at the blue beyond...the sky dotted by so many hot air balloons...and the mauve horizon with a shade of orange . He felt Khushi's heart thudding under his, her breathing irregular. As a sob escaped her lips, he tightened his hold around her waist and sighed. This girl will drive him mad!

She turned her head on his chest and looked up at him with large tear filled eyes, "I will not let anything happen to you!" she whispered in a daze.

Arnav's heart flipped at the look of concern in her eyes but he said roughly, "Why should anything happen to me? And now that you have finished crying will you care to tell me what this was all about? You threw Lavanya out, jumped into my balloon. ...are you crazy? You could have got hurt."

Khushi pouted. " Actually i wanted to pull both of you out of the balloon but you wouldn't listen so..."

"All this just to win a competition?" Arnav cocked an eyebrow at her.

"Oh you think I am that childish do you? Well for your kind information, I was only trying to save you." She paused for a second and said gravely. "Someone is trying to kill you Arnav."

Arnav stared at her ascertaining if she was serious and then throwing back his head started laughing.

"Its not funny damn you! Khushi shouted at him, disentangling herself from his hold. " I heard it with my own ears!"

Aman's warning and Sheela's confession flashed across Arnavs mind and he stopped laughing. Ajit Chacha had tried to drug him and defame him. Would his own uncle stoop so low as to murder him? And why? For the property?

Arnav asked Khushi to calm down and tell him all the details. When she finished he said, "You mean this balloon has been tampered with deliberately to cause an accident?"

Khushi nodded her head slowly, fright darkening her beautiful hazel eyes .

He checked the altimeter. It seemed alright. Arnav checked the lever. Nothing there. He looked up at the gas burner that was used to heat up the air inside the balloon to a temperature of about 212 o F (100 o C),

"If the burner has been tampered with, there will be a problem," he muttered under his breath.

"Wh...what? How?" Khushi stammered.

"Since hot air is lighter and less dense than the cool air surrounding the balloon, the heated air causes the whole balloon to rise. So if the burner is faulty, the balloon will cool down and automatically crash to the ground. "

He stood indecisive for a moment and then with a grunt made up his mind.

"If we head towards the finishing line, the normal course will take us through some very rough rocky terrain, which might be dangerous in case of a forced landing. I think its better we take a detour to the north side. There is a shallow lake there."

"Can't you contact the ground staff? Khushi said pointing at the walkie talkie attached to the basket?

"Yes I will. But they can hardly help us up here, can they?" Arnav pointed out.

Nevertheless, the walkie talkie crackled and he spoke into it, letting the ground staff know of their apprehension.

No sooner had he passed on the information that that the balloon dipped with a big jerk.

"Hey Devi Maiyya!" Khushi yelped, gripping Arnav's arms.

He looked up at the fire burning under the balloon. The flame was diminishing! The burner was at fault !

Arnav put his arm round her shoulder. "Dammit! You were right Khushi ! Wait till I get my hands on whoever is responsible for this!" he rasped, banging his fist against the wicker basket.

Arnav pulled the lever and redirected the balloon towards the lake, northwards bound, drifting away from the other ballons on the horizon. "Hey Devi Maiyya," Khushi closed her eyes and chanted her goddess' name

Arnav was distressed . "You shouldn't have been here Khushi ! The situation we are in, you could get hurt...pretty badly."

I will never be able to forgive myself if something happens to her, he winced. She was trying to save me and I put her in danger. If only I had listened to her.

Khushi opened one eye and looked down below. "Well I think I will get hurt alright!"

"What the! What do you mean?" Arnav tensed.

Khushi pointed to the mass of approaching water, "If we fall into that I will certainly drown! I can't swim, samjhe tum!" she wailed angrily.

"What the! Why didn't you tell me before, you foolish girl!" Arnav raked his fingers through his hair, "But don't worry, just hold on to me!"

"As if I have a choice! Laad Governor kahin ka!" Khushi muttered

"What did you call me...?" Arnav scrunched his eyes at her.

The balloon rocked dangerously again and Khushi yelped and crashed into him.

Arnav soothed her. But he was worried for her. The strong winds were likely to push the balloon beyond the lake into the rugged terrain. That would be suicidal. He pursed his lips and once again spoke into the walkie talkie urgently, informing the sky diving club of their change in direction, the imminent danger and asking them to send help immediately.

Then he cleared his throat and and said to Khuhi calmly, "I think we will have to jump off the balloon Khushi !"

Khushi's mouth formed a perfect O and then she suddenly shrieked loudly, "Naaahhi ! Naaahhhii! Naaahiii! (Nooo! Nooo! Nooo!) "

Arnav was taken aback for a moment. But he recovered quickly and gipping her wrist barked, "Stop your nautanki(drama) Khushi! Main hoon na!(I am here for you!). Now get ready to jump. 1...2..."

"No no, " Khushi trembled, "Count again...!"

Arnav looked at her frustratingly. They were dipping pretty low now and the balloon was jerking dangerously.

He cupped her face with gentle hands and gazing deep into her eyes said softly, "Khushi do you trust me?"

Khushi was quiet for a second and then pouring her heart out said simply, "Yes, I trust you Arnav."

"Then come with me. I will not let anything bad happen to you." And he braced her for the jump.

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Shyam growled into the phone, "Ajit chacha what in the devil's name have you done? Are you aware that Arnav is suspicious of you?"

Ajit pounced at him and thundered, " I was waiting for your call Shyam because you are the one responsible !"

"Me?" Shyam croaked, mopping the beads of perspiration on his brow..

"Yes you! You had greath faith in that b**** Sheela, didn't you? Well, she is the one who has blurted out everything to Aman! I got the news from an insider in the AR office. But how did you know that Arnav was suspicious? " he asked suspiciously.

Shyam let out the breath he had been holding! So it was Sheela! He was relieved! Sheela would never tell Aman or Arnav about his evil designs he was sure. Being the cunning lawyer he was, he knew that she was the weakest link. So he had paid off all her mother's hospital bills and ensured a special status for himself, unknown to Ajit. No Sheela would never turn against him, he was certain.

Trying to keep the sense of relief out of his voice he said, " Arrey, I came to know of Arnav's suspicion about you accidentally. Arnav called Anjali to tell her to stay away from you, not to sign papers etc. Fortunately Ranisaahiba had forgotten her phone at home, so I took the call. He asked me to pass on this information to her. That is all I know. "

"But what will happen now, chacha?" he asked

There was a pause at the other end. Then Ajit mallik chuckled. "Kya hoga?! Arnav ka kaam tamam hoga! Aur kya! (What will happen?!Arnav will be put to death! What else!)

"What are you saying chacha? I hope you haven't taken a hasty decision?" Shyam went numb.

"Listen Shyam. Do you think after hearing all this from Sheela, Arnav will leave us alone? I have already given the orders to kill Arnav. Your stupid plan of ensuring he never gets married and does not become the sole owner of the Mallik fortunes is not going to work. Time has come to take a drastic step. To get rid of Arnav forever. He has been a thorn in my side ever since his parents died. Now he will die in a hot balloon accident"

"Really chacha! Hot air balloon! You should have consulted me atleast! I would have made a fool proof plan for murdering Arnav !" Shyam laughed evilly.

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The cold blue water hit Khushi and she sunk under, thrashing her hands and legs petrified as water engulfed her, choking her...

And then she was in a steel like grip of his strong arms and he half dragged, half swam with her to the surface. Khushi gasped for air as she came up, water spluttering from her mouth.

"Tum theek ho?(Are you okay?)" his concerned voice was gentle. It swamped over her and gave her strength. She caught the lapel of his shirt and rested her head on his chest, shivering all the time, in cold and shock. His chest was warm and rock hard. Just what she needed. And she burst into tears. They were save!

"Shhh...Khushi..." he kissed her wet hair. And in a swift motion he scooped up a drenched and dripping Khushi in his arms and made his way out of the lake.

He put her down on the ground gently, resting her back against a big boulder and moving away.

"Don't leave me," she said in a pleading tone, tugging at his collar, pulling him down on her.

"I won't," Arnav whispered back, his face inches away from hers. "Help will be here soon. But for now take off your clothes, will you!"

"Huh?!" Khushi stared at him wide-eyed, not comprehending.

"Khushi you are wet up till your eyelashes. You will catch a fever. Get rid of your clothes! Wrap Lavanya's stole" he ordered, taking a plastic packet out from inside his shirt . He had picked it up from the basket before jumping off it.

His commanding voice got on her nerves. And lavanya's stole! No way!

"No I won't!" she said fiercely. "What do you care! You told Anjalidi you don't care for me, that I mean nothing to you at all !" Her eyes stung in anger and pain.

"Khushi this is not the time for this!" he said exasperatedly, his fingers on the buttons of her kameez.

Khushi pushed his hands away furiously. "How dare you!"

"Please Khushi or you will for sick," Arnav pleaded.

Khushi teeth chattered in cold but she just stared at him resolutely.

"Okay, what do you want me to say? That I lied? That actually you mean a lot to me?" He shook her by the shoulders. "Is that enough?"

"No!" she turned her head away.

Arnav thumbed her chin and forced her to face him.

"You mean everything to me, okay? If something had happened to you, I would be lost forever," he shuddered at the thought.

He leaned forward slightly and lightly brushed his lips against both her cheeks. Khushi closed her eyes, her heart beating wildly, waiting...her lips parting in anticipation...

And then his lips were on her. Brutal, nibbling, tasting, delving, thirsting for more as if he could not have enough of her. Khushi hung on to his shoulders for support as waves and waves of warm pleasure filled her heart and spilled over, shaking her very core.

She would have drowned in the storm he was creating inside her if he hadn't pulled away abruptly, his breath coming in shallow pants, his eyes cloudy with an unknown emotion.

Hey Devi Maiyya why do I want him to care for me, hold me, kiss me...? Why can't I control myself when he touches me like that, she questioned the goddess. What will Arnav think of me?

And then to hide her confused thoughts and embarrassment at allowing him to kiss her, said roughly, "Really Arnav the length you will go to, the games you will play to make me take off my clothes!"

Arnav stared at her in disbelief. Did she really mean that? Would he ever do that to her? He saw her hiding a smile and relaxed.

"For a moment I thought you were serious!" he said sheepishly

"I am!" Khushi said sternly. "Now turn around !"

"Huh?" Arnav was flummoxed.

"Are you daft or what? Turn around so that I can undress!"

"Oh!" Arnav murmured and turned around immediately.

He ran his fingers through his damp hair and thought why did I kiss her like that? He touched his temple. Last time I had kissed her in the hall in the farmhouse she had run away...I shouldn't have...

A whirring noise noise cut through his thoughts. He looked up and spotted a helicopter approaching. He sighed in relief. It belonged to the sky diving club.

"Khushi they are here!" he shouted at her and turned to get her. But he stopped in his tracks. The stole could only cover the upper portion of her body, up to her thighs, leaving her long shapely legs exposed. Her thick long hair slightly wet hair was blowing behind her. Her face was bright. Her lips pink and swollen from his kiss. She looked innocent and ravishing. Arnav swallowed hard.

Khushi saw him standing near the hovering helicopter and gawking at her. She liked him looking at her! She blushed a deep shade of crimson.

He lifted her up on the helicopter without looking at her. But wherever his fingers touched she scorched. Khushi's heart pounded. She lowered her lashes as she slipped on to the seat. She raised her eyes to see him shaking hands with the pilot. His unruly hair fell on his forehead. The sun casting a light on his side profile was making him look so handsome.

Perhaps he felt her eyes on him because he turned towards her suddenly catching her gazing at him. She looked away quickly.

He smirked as he approached her. "Put this on!" he said throwing a jump suit towards her and waking back towards the cock pit.

"Laad Governor," she stuck out her tongue at his retreating back.

"I heard that!" Arnav barked without turning his head.

"That's because you are a rakshas, you have eyes and ears behind your head," Khushi muttered to herself happily.

Arnav grinned, giving her a sideways glance. He needed to put some...no lots of distance between them. He flopped down besides the pilot and tried to concentrate on what the man was saying when all he wanted to do was take her in his arms and kiss her senseless.

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