Page 145 of The Wolf and the Chimera
“Mel,” I chided, “you need to get a suit on.”
She ignored me. Cursing, I searched the room for the mask I had removed and found it across the room, in a pool of blood. Cringing, I wiped it off the best I could and put it on.
As the last of the screens winked out, the room descended into complete darkness. Luckily, I hadn’t inhaledenough wolfsbane to completely deplete my wolf’s power. I sharpened my vision.
“There,” Melanie whispered breathlessly. “It’s done. They’re disconnected.”
“Get one of those suits onnow,”I ordered.
I pointed toward the pile of unconscious guards. The she-wolf didn’t hesitate.
As Kieran helped her disentangle one of the wolves from their suits, I scrambled for a way out of this mess. More and more wolfsbane smoke curled into the room from the two vents in the ceiling. Luckily, the hazmat suit did what it was supposed to, and its effects on my power didn’t worsen.
When the idea struck me, I almost smiled.
I rushed to the vents and studied the several feet between me and where the one to the left was attached to the ceiling. Willing strength into my body, I crouched and jumped. My fingers curled around the vent but the screws in the wall held strong. Knuckles protesting in agony, I lifted myself higher, then let my weight sink. I clattered to the ground. The vent groaned but remained attached to the ceiling.
As Melanie realized what I intended, she cursed and moved faster.
“C’mon, c’mon,” I muttered and rose to my feet.
I jumped again, and this time, the vent crashed to the ground with me. As I absorbed the shock of the fall with my ankles, I barely registered the pain.
Smoke curled into the room and blinded my vision. Melanie and Kieran growled and flanked me.
Boom.
The door’s hinges rattled again, and I leaped into the air ducts. Using my forearms, I braced myself on the edges of the opening and crawled deeper into the ducts. Through the thick smoke, I peered down at the others through the second vent.
Boom.
The door shuddered.
“Hurry,” I commanded.
Melanie crouched and threw herself up. Though I never would admit it to her, she made quicker work of the maneuver than I had. As soon as the opening was clear, Kieran leaped in behind her. Melanie and I shuffled forward to accommodate him.
My heart pounded, and my head ached.
I glanced down and realized why. A paper-thin cut marred the glove of my suit—just enough for the wolfsbane smoke to seep through.
My power hovered at the edge of my control, but I didn’t let myself dwell on the loss. Below us, the door gave way with a crash.
“You said you explored every part of these ducts,” I said in a rush. “Was that true?”
“Have you ever known me to lie?” Kieran quipped. “You know what—scratch that, because I never knew you to be a crazy bastard, but here we are.”
As wolves poured into the room and tripped over their unconscious brethren, werewolves groaned and growled. Kieran scrambled farther into the ducts.
“Kieran,” I snapped. “Can you find Elle or not?”
“He can,” Melanie promised. “I know he can.”
Wolves tumbled into the room. I prayed the smoke would be enough to confuse them and give us a head start, but they would be on us in seconds if we didn’t get moving.
Kieran cursed, but through the thick smoke, he nodded.
“Good,” I said, “because you’re going to guide me to Elle.”
