I ambled into Mom’s room, angry yet worried. My heart was breaking for Malcolm. Every minute here, I discovered something new and disturbing about him and his so-called brothers. There were so many secrets among the Blood Demons. And I bet they were all bad.
Returning the door to its hidden state, I listened carefully, but I wasn’t worried someone would find me. Whoever was allowed in here wasn’t in the house. I jumped onto the table, walked to the middle and pushed the fasade panel on the ceiling.
I slid my tote off my shoulder and put it up there. Then I braced my elbows on the edge and jumped. My body hung in the air from the waist down as I strained to get my butt up there. Crawling on my elbows, sweating, I pushed and pushed until I was lying on my stomach. I gave my butt a motivating groan, urging it to join me, and it finally complied.
“Huh. Easy-peasy.” I drew a hand over my sweaty forehead. Who the hell was I kidding? I was too old and too fat for this shit.
I covered my tracks and headed onto my quest to the porch. I reached my destination safely, but my clothes were covered in dust and I smelled like Malcolm’s room.
It didn’t matter, though. Part of me was doing this to cross him, but the bigger part was doing it to find out what was on the flash drive so I could save him. My brother was an idiot, but he was worth it.
I ducked on the porch, the cold biting me instantly, and moved as quietly as I could down the steps. This part of the house was obscured from the front gates and the jerk under my window. My problem would be the back gate. They must have had prospects standing guard there too.
Also, the sun—or the idea of it. Forest Grove barely saw it in November—was almost down, and I needed a means of transportation to get me to campus fast before the tech department left for the day. The holiday season was approaching, and no one stayed late.
I took a peak at the backyard. It was left untamed like the front. The exit to the woods was on the right, but I had to pass by the two men at the back gate to get through. They weren’t looking my way, but they could see me if I sprinted to the woods on foot.
Okay. Think, Vixen. You know this place better than anyone.
I looked around me, nothing here but the dingy shed where Dad had kept his tools and fishing gear. Then a dusty pink thing came into view.
Oh my God, is that…?I squinted harder.Yes, it is my bike. That old thing is still there?
My eyes rolled heavenwards, and I smiled. With my eyes on the guards, I treaded carefully, stopping when I needed, moving when I could. Then I reached the forsaken bike and lifted it off the ground.
The sound of leaves and twigs falling off it and my sneakers crunching them stole the guards’ attention. They saw me as I tied my tote the basket and straddled the bike, and came running toward me.
My heart rocketed at the spike of adrenaline in my body. I took a deep breath and braced on the pedals.
“Where do you think you’re going?!”
“Get back inside!”
I ignored the angry shouts and hands, and visualized my path.I can do this. I—can—do—this!
“Why isn’t she getting off? Get off the bike!”
“Fuck this shit!”
They ran faster. My heart pounded harder.
“Yeah. Fuck this shit.” I held the handles and pedaled as fast as I could. In a flash, I bolted through the space between the two men and screamed my lungs out as I jumped high in the sky.
Someone yelled. Another cursed. My heart skipped a beat. My body cold, my mouth wide open while I flew in the air. The gate came dangerously close, and I shut my eyes and prayed I’d jumped high enough to land on the other side. “Oh my God. I’m gonna die. I’m gonna die. I‘m gonna DIE!”
CHINK! TUCK!
ZZZZ!
Zzzz?
My eyes snapped open, and I saw I was pedaling. Oh my God, I was pedaling. I’d crossed to the other side and landed into the woods.
“Woohoo! Eat shit, dickheads!”
CHAPTER 14
MAD DOG
