Chapter 61

Elena

In my dream, I was sent into a storm cloud.

Someone came for me, a shadow figure, and brought me to this new plane of experience.

The air was thick and gray and heavy around me, with enough substance to tickle against my nose. There is an idea of swirling, of an unseen vortex that will soon swallow me whole.

I feel alarmed, but not panic.

I am on the verge of something, I feel it, as the vortex moves in on me. The thick vapor around me turns darker, from slate to charcoal to only black.

Wake up!

My eyes flew open, and I knew the room was on fire.

I dashed out of bed, feeling my wolf on the verge and going into fight or flight mode. Across the room, a curtain had caught fire. There was a candle stick on the floor, presumably the culprit.

But there was not a table nearby or place to put that candle stick, and it wasn’t on the floor when I went to bed.

Someone had deliberately lit the heavy fabric curtain ablaze.

By the time I came to that conclusion the second curtain had caught from the first, and the hardwood floor was starting to shine from the heat and would soon conduct more flames into the room. The carpet was only a few feet away.

I had to act fast.

Dashing out of bed, glad I had left a glass of water next to me, I pulled a pillow case and drenched it with water. The smoke was stinging my eyes, but at least my nose and mouth were more protected.

I held the rag to my mouth and looked for my exit. It was the window closest to the door, so I didn’t dare attempt getting over there and outside. There was another window in the bedroom and one in the bathroom.

Hoping to buy myself time, I ran into the bathroom and pushed the bathmat against the closed door. I had brought my bedsheet with me, not sure if my great escape plan would work. I pictured the outside of the house, and the grass and bushes below. I just prayed I would line up with the softer option of the two.

The heat from the fire was pushing oppressively against the door, and smoke was creeping around it’s edges. I didn’t dare think about what the rest of the room might look like.

Something large pounded against the outer door.

“Luna Elena!”

It was Lucas, and then another voice.

“Elena! Elena please!”

Killian, the worst panic I have ever heard in his voice. I tried to scream back to reach them.

“I’m going out the bathroom window!”

Already my voice sounded hoarse from the smoke, but I repeated my missive and prepared to climb out. It wasn’t far to drop down, and I had tied the sheet to the sink next to the window for support. Suddenly this seemed like a very bad idea.

A huge crack from the bedroom shook me out of my indecision.

Opening the window was easy enough, and I once again thanked the goddess for my small stature and ability to fit through tight spaces. There was a small roof just outside the window that I could balance my feet on, but it only provided about a foot of space to stand on.

I crouched low, holding onto the sheet, and tried to peer over the edge. I could hear shouting and a siren coming from somewhere.

“Help!”

I screamed off the roof, hoping to announce my presence to anyone in the vicinity.

“I’m up here, help!”

The bathroom door was changing color, like an animal decaying.

“Luna!”

I recognized the voice. It was Clare, the new Beta that Lucas had brought up to replace Tiffany.

“Luna, are you hurt?” Her voice was calm under the pressure, and I needed it. “Can you climb down?”

“I am okay!” I tried to lean over to send my voice downwards. “I had a sheet tied to the sink, I’ll try to lower myself.”

“I’m right below you,” Clare’s voice was curt but sincere, a good wolf to have in a storm. It didn’t hurt that she was almost over six feet tall, so catching me would be like a kitten falling from a tree. “Take your time, breathe.”

I turned and swung my legs around and inched them off the edge of the roof. My grip was so intense around the sheet that my knuckles were turning red under the strain. Luckily I was stronger now, and holding myself up wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be.

“Oh goddess, Elena!”

Killian’s voice was strained and hoarse as he ran across the grass towards us.

“Stay back, Sir, I’ve got her.”

Something about Clare putting Killian in his place brought me some joy even while hanging off the side of the mansion.

I was down to my elbows hanging onto the edge of the short roof, and felt the fear creep in. I froze, and with that tension in my body I felt my arms start to give out and my hands slip.

“Okay, okay!” Clare was saying below me. “Just a few more inches down, and then tuck your knees and fall. I will catch you!”

“Got it…” But when I told myself to fall, I couldn’t.

“Luna Elena, it’s alright, just let yourself fall,” Clare said again.

“I can’t…” I felt the energy draining from my face, shock setting in.

Another crack from the burning room shook me and I let out a raspy scream.

“Elena!” Killian’s voice sounded like a bell in dark weather. “Trust me, you’ll be fine. Just fall, my love, I’m right here.”

I let go, and felt Clare bend her knees as I collapsed into the basket of her arms. Almost immediately I was handed to Killian, and I gladly wrapped my arms around him to hold myself to him. He carried me away from the house, into the garden, and placed me on a soft patch of grass. A moment later a Beta appeared with a water bottle and more wet towels.

“Elena, I was so afraid,” Killian was still touching me, checking for injuries, brushing my cheeks, kissing my hair. I let him care for me, relishing his touch. “How did this happen? No, no, shh, don’t speak for now. Drink some more water.”

My ears cleared out of panic mode and I recognized the sound and sight of the fire crew as it aimed its fire hoses and sent infantry into the house. We sat there and watched, for who knows how long, until they were pleased to say that the fire was contained and extinguished.

Only my room had been harmed.

When we were cleared to go back into the house, Killian and I went into his bedroom.

“You’re sure you locked the door?”

“Yes,” I told him, “I’ve taken up the habit recently.”

He let that loaded comment slide.

“There is only one key that would open that door, besides the one that you have,” he told me, opening a drawer in a dresser against the wall. “I keep it in here, since the list of occupants in this room is so small.”

He moved some things aside, not looking at what he was doing. Then he stopped, and frowned.

“What is it?” I asked him.

“The key is gone.”