Diabolical by Smith Cynthia Leitich

Author:Smith, Cynthia Leitich [Smith, Cynthia Leitich]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Published: 2012-01-24T06:00:00+00:00

WE’RE BACKING into the elevator — waving flaming mops in defense — and the burliest of the devil dogs attacks. Jaws gaping, fangs eager.

I slam my mop into its muzzle and knock it into the beast at its heels, and both go tumbling. They turn on each other and draw more blood. We’re forgotten.

Almost. The third charges — frothing and furious. A formidable paw blocks the doors from closing. I kick it — hard — and break claws.

There’s a yowl, and the doors shut. Lucy punches the button for the third floor.

Inside, Evelyn and Nigel adjust their hold on Kieren.

We’re all breathing heavily. The Wolf looks awful. He’s cut, mauled, and bitten. Blood masks his face. He’s passed out.

If Kieren were human, he’d be dead. He may still die.

What would I tell Quincie? I’m supposed to be watching over her 24/7. The least I can do is keep the boy she calls Wolf man alive.

Kieren’s wholly regained his human features — not that it matters. Vesper outed him as a werewolf to the others when she and Lucy went running for help.

I peel off my T-shirt and tear it in half. “Here,” I say, handing a piece to Evelyn. “Press this against his forehead.”

I tie the remaining material like a tourniquet around his calf. The muscle looks gnawed. Shredded? The shoulder, worse. But it’s the head injury I’m worried about.

Fortunately, shifters heal fast.

“He needs a doctor,” Lucy says.

“No chance of that,” Vesper replies, blinking at my abs. “Unless one of you has a medical degree that you haven’t mentioned. What time is it?”

“It’s 9:56,” Nigel answers. “Willa is dead for good.” The edge in his voice says he’s not looking for sympathy, at least not from us.

That’s just as well right now. We don’t have time to grieve.

Evelyn says, “We should let Kieren rest in his room until —”

“Until Dr. Ulman kills him or someone else for tardiness,” Lucy puts in. “No, he has to be sitting in his chair by the time Demonic History starts.”

As we pass the second floor, Vesper exclaims, “Keys! We’ve got to grab some extra uniforms. We don’t just have to be back by 10 A.M., we have to look the part.”

Right, because defying the dress code is what started this particular nightmare. It takes some doing in the cramped space, but I manage to fish my key out of my front jeans pocket and toss it to Vesper. Ditto Evelyn and Nigel.

It’s decided that Vesper and Lucy will ride back to the second floor, grab the extra clothes, and dispose of the mops. On the way down, it was Bilovski who handed them to us from a supply closet. He’s the one who suggested we light them in the nearest fireplace and use them as weapons. I don’t trust him. But the look on his face said he didn’t have a choice about being here. That he’s trying to help, the best he can.

The others exit onto the third floor, and I lift the Wolf in a firefighter’s carry.

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