Ever After (currently rewriting)

Part 23

I'm suddenly aware.

I can hear an engine running and the crunch of tires on a gravel road. It's cold and the smell of exhaust is strong. I'm curled up, on my side, and it's pitch black. 

My head and ribs are throbbing. Breathing hurts. It feels like that time I was bucked off of a horse and ended up with a cracked rib. Taking short breaths to try to ease the pain, I slowly bring my hand to my head. There's a lump on the side of my skull. I don't remember hitting that part of my head.

Where am I? There's scratchy carpet under my face. Reaching out, my hand connects with a metal wall. Up, more metal. Oh, not good. It's the trunk of a car. 

Breath. Don't panic. 

Don't newer cars all have an escape latch in the trunk? I feel around carefully. Nothing seems to be what I'm searching for, not that I really know exactly what I'm feeling for. 

Ribs protesting, I maneuver myself inside the tiny space. There has to be something I can do. I search with my hands, growing more desperate as I come up empty. The trunk is empty, except for me. What now? 

Finding the latch, I pry at it briefly, but give up. Without any tools, I'm not getting that to open. I feel my way to the back corner and pull the interior away. It makes some noise and I freeze, waiting for a reaction.

The car keeps driving steadily along the gravel road. The wires for the tail light are easy to find . A hard pull, and they disconnect. Turning around, I put my heel against the inside of the tail light. I jam my heel at the light. Once, twice, and the light pops free. 

Sunlight and fresh air stream into the trunk from the hole I just made. Crawling around again, I peer out. Trees. A lot of trees. And a gravel road. That's it. There's nothing else visible. 

I need to rest a minute. My head is swimming. I hope I don't have a concussion. 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Aedan POV

Shifting, I don't bother with the stairs. I jump out of the second story window and hit the grass outside. Rage boils just under the surface. I can smell both Liz and the rogue. They were here just minutes ago. 

I sniff at the air, but the nonexistent wind isn't helpful. The scent just hangs around, telling me nothing. Switching tactics, I start smelling at the ground. There's a clear scent trail from the rogue. Not waiting for the pack to catch up, I jog along the trail. 

How could this have happened?  How did he get into the house without anyone noticing? 

He took Liz. I'm going to kill him.

Tye and Keller run up behind me in wolf form. Ignoring them, I keep tracking. We've crossed the field behind the house and are into the woods. The trail turns and parallels the road. The scent is still very fresh. They were just here.

Something smells off. There's a caustic scent hanging in the air. It gets stronger and I sneeze, trying to clear it from my nose. Stepping over a damp patch on the ground, I go back to tracking. 

The scent is gone. Stopping, I smell the air. With a cold curl of dread, I realize I can't smell anything. 

Whipping around, I send "Stop! Get back!" at the two behind me. Too late. They are both sneezing.

I snarl angrily. He set a trap, and we walked right into it. There are a few chemicals that will burn away our ability to smell. It's temporary, but will buy him a few hours.

I sprint into the middle of the road. Looking up and down, I listen for any hint of the direction I should go. There's nothing. Trying to open up the mind link between Liz and I, I call her. "Liz? Are you there?"