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Chapter Twenty-two: Cassidy

                  

Twenty minutes?

What would that give us? Knowing Mr. Z Mrs. Tanks could be anywhere in the whole school. She could be not even alive. Maybe that purple-haired lunatic was just playing with us and she was really lying somewhere with her throat slashed. What we just walked into was a mischievous game controlled by two psychotic creatures that had nothing but dark things in store for us. And the worst part was that it didn't seem like winning would be easy.

I looked over at Brandon who still looked pained from the moon's effects on him. His face was tinted red and the moisture from the sweat that had dripped down his face was visible even in the faint darkness. David appeared to be okay but I was still worried that Brandon's strong grip had caused serious damage to him.

I was so caught up in my thoughts that I missed the last part of the female hunter's announcement but Rosie's eyes were wide as she observed David skeptically. Brandon seemed to be doing the same thing and I watched them both questionably.

"We better get moving," Brandon spoke and suddenly the rest of us turned to his direction. "We don't have much time."

Rosie stepped forward. "Exactly, we don't. How are we going to find her in such little time?"

"Well we're dead if we don't so the only solution is to get moving. Now." Brandon sounded calm. Too calm. I was surprisingly not my panicky self but the thought that we could be dead in twenty minutes made my heart jolt.

"But what if you have another wolf spasm?" David chimed in looking a little nervous.

I looked at Brandon, worried for his answer. "I should be okay as long as I stay away from any windows but the school can only protect me until midnight."

"Why midnight," Rosie asked.

Brandon looked at her. "Midnight is when the moon reaches its fullest and its power is too strong to avoid." He then glanced at me. "That's when the change happens."

Forcing my now overly concerned thoughts to the back of my mind I finally found my voice. "Guys, we better get moving if we want to stay alive."

And with that said we all scrambled throughout the school in search for Mrs. Tanks. When we entered the hallway that lead to the library Brandon stopped in his tracks causing the three of us to do the same thing.

"What is it?" Rosie quickly whispered.

"I think I've got her scent," the werewolf spoke and I released a sigh of relief.

We followed him until he led us to the elevator. He slowly opened the door and as he did my eyes caught sight of the shaft that held no floor.

"Brandon, watch out," I went to grab his shoulder but barely touched it.

He stopped at my light touch and stepped back. When he looked back at us his face held a stunned expression.

"You guys, look," he pointed up at the ceiling of the elevator shaft, our eyes following.

My heart skipped a beat at the sight above. There, at the top of the elevator lay Mrs. Tanks. Her front was faced toward us and her eyes were shut. Dark power that appeared to be the same black mist that we'd seen earlier surrounded her. She was in a trance.

"The power," said Brandon. "I'm catching a different scent from it. It's not form a vampire."

Hunters

"It's gotta be hunters," Rosie spoke my thought. "That lunatic did say she was a hunter."

Then an agonizing groan erupted from Brandon who was standing beside me. He moaned in pain as he held his head in his hands. His breath was so hot I could feel it on my neck. He released his head from his sweaty palms and then I saw the redness in his cheeks and the moisture beading down his forehead. But then I saw something I'd never seen before. His captivating blue eyes suddenly turned to a blazing yellow that held an evil glint. It made my breath catch in my throat.

David looked at his watch, a horrifying expression on his face. "It's midnight."