Tinseling

Chapter Ten - Brothers

In Treasure’s mind, saying the guards had created an opening would cause Aidan to snap to his senses and forget all about shifting. In reality she had to try and run for two people as she dragged Aidan’s protesting body closer to the side of the building.

“I think it’s subsiding,” Aidan said, shaking off Treasure’s hold. “Where’s the door?”

Treasure couldn’t see the door either, which seemed like an impossible obstacle now that they were officially out in the open. How had they missed something so simple from up in the trees? Were they supposed to sneak through the front now?

“There,” Aidan said, moving past Treasure. His fingers traced along the boards of the building and pried at a section that didn’t match. When it gave way it revealed an obviously rarely used door. Aidan motioned for her to go in first: halfway through the dark doorway Treasure wondered if it would be blocked off, or worse, guarded on the inside.

Shutting the door behind them, Aidan stood just behind Treasure in the cramped space. They both blinked in the dim light until their eyes adjusted.

They appeared to be in either a closet or a pantry: somewhere for storing things, judging from the amount of stuff piled up. Treasure carefully stepped over a box in her path for the door a few feet in front of them. Once there she hesitated, fingers wrapped around the cool doorknob.

“You’re sure you’re feeling better?” she whispered to Aidan. Getting Nadia back would be tough enough without Aidan fighting the urge to shift the whole time.

Treasure felt the air move and knew he was nodding. “I don’t feel anything right now. I think it’s passed for the moment.”

Accepting the answer, Treasure nodded too. Still she hesitated, knowing that a chance existed that as soon as she opened the door, she would die. She could step out into a hallway filled with werewolves: she had no idea where they were in regards to the room they would hold Nadia in.

The longer she hesitated, the higher the chances were Nadia might die.

Sucking in a deep breath, Treasure pushed the door open with more force than she meant to, but it didn’t matter: no one was in the hall.

Listening both ways, Treasure wondered why the inside would be so empty until she realized the others were probably on guard duty. She could hear people moving upstairs, which meant she and Aidan still had to be quiet.

In front of them sat the living room, couches and TV included; to the right, the kitchen with only a large table and several chairs visible; to the left, a hallway. Both Treasure and Aidan turned for the left at the same time, either out of instinct or aversion to signs of life, Treasure didn’t know. They stayed on their toes and crept down the hall quietly.

When they got to the corner Treasure stuck her head around first and then jerked it back. A man was heading for the entrance down the hall. She heard the doors open and close.

Checking again, Treasure now knew the way was clear. Everything looked familiar now that she understood how the hall looped around to the front. Steps surer, Treasure walked a little faster to get to the next corner. When they’d kept her in the room, the person guiding her had stepped outside just like that, but she’d imagined him standing outside the door to let her back out as well.

No one stood there now.

Looking to the entrance, Treasure took in the double doors with stained glass windows. She could make out three backs. Dropping into a crouch, Treasure crept closer to the door and waved off Aidan when he started to follow her.

She didn’t have to get close to the door before her nose found what she’d hoped for: smoke. The man who normally stood on the outside of the door must’ve been on a smoke break.