Alpha’s Hybrid Cinderella – Chapter 55

“There’s something in these fumes! It’s stopping us from being able to shift!”

The fire was so loud as it raced up the walls and across the ceiling that I barely heard Peelle’s voice over the din. But no, wait, it wasn’t only that. His voice was warped in my ears like I was listening to him from the other end of a long tunnel underwater. I strained, dizzy and confused, but my arms couldn’t even rise to grab hold of anything.

“Claudia, stay still! I’ve got you.”

how cheesy it was. So embarrassing. But he was warm and solid and strong, and he was so big that I couldn’t imagine anything ever hurting me if he was near. I snuggled into his chest as he pounded down the steps, trusting him to sweep away all of the terrible noise and heat the way he alway

e are! We have to get her out of the back. The Deltas are holding them off in the front but they’re going to fall, there’s too many of t

to the garages. The spare keys are hidden in that tree, do you

them. We passed by a window so fast I almost missed it, but in that one glimpse, a brief flash of clarity lent me insight.

nt. Lots of movement, like teeming ants clashing on a hill. There had been dozens of bodies fighting, clearly visible even through that narrow glass pane, but what was anyone fighting for? What was going on, why

an…”

e manor with some kind of poison gas before they attacked. It came in through the vents and you took a strong dose of it. You can’t close your eyes, understand!”

van and Peelle were pounding through the manor for the exit, seemingly unaffected.

wait. Peelle had said something about not being able to shift. They were affected after all. And Evan was carrying me! I was dead weight, doing nothing b

would never leave my memory. But that wasn’t like how it was now. If anything, the sharp stinging in my throat was an afterthought.

ery, molasses-like thing blocking my throat and nose? I was going to suffocate. I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t swallow

o to whine about it to him? I would stay quiet and hang on. That was the least I could

vision wavered. Red and orange gave

ia! Claudia, look at m

t! There were the Delta girls who breathed in more than she did, but they’re not–“

regeneration.”

t. The new safe house we were setting up last week! The other ones are comp

we’ll go there. The doctor on call, get him the

. I tried to cling to Evan but my fingers were jelly. Or did they exis

buckling me as well as he could. I forced my eyes to open, and through hazy vision, I saw Peelle climbing into the driver’s seat. Where were we going? The house was on fire. We should be helping everyone get it under control… Oh, wait. No. It was dangerous.

when he was normally so careful to avoid them. For some reason, even though it hurt with each impact and bound, I wanted to laugh. But my breathing

t. What is th

so scared all of a sudden?

ittle bumpy ride–

wheels. It felt that way at least. The car rocked like someone had picked it up from the side and tried to tip it over, and Peelle snapped the wheel this way and that to try to regain control of the vehicle.

more than my head and arms.”

at’s going to have to be enough. We have

lle!”

eet from us! Huh!”

hould have at least one friend who was fearless enough to yell whenever they were being a dolt. Raf was mine. I was glad Evan had Peelle…

e’ll outpace them.”

ires and we’ll roll for maybe five more miles before this thing conks out. The safe house isn’t for another ten, and we are not going to outpace them on foot! And we can’t dodge them, they can follow all the water we’re leaking like a damn treasure map!”

Peelle!”

windshield to tear off their faces, if they get close enough for you to do that.”

he spares out.”

but Peelle’s sense of strategy was unmatched. No wonder they work

doing?

tly placed me at the base of the tree we parked next to instead of in the front seat, out of Evan’s line of sight. Evan was too busy rummaging around in the trunk.

a,” Peelle whispered. “But I gotta save you two if I can. I won’t let him get

mouth would no longer move.

hurry back here–“

s Peelle raced off, leaving both of us in utter darkness on the side of the road.