*** This story contains some mild language, suspense, romance, and some frightening images and situations—13 and older, please.

In the Grip of Twilight

By:

Olivia Tannis Moore

Chapter Forty Six:

Week One, Night Two

Rumble!

Though the tunnels were wide enough to allow us to run along side by side one another, I still felt claustrophobic. There were passages that had high ceilings and a wider berth, and there were the ones that had a much lower ceiling where Demetri had to duck his head as we ran. It was in these smaller capillary tunnels that Demetri urged me on faster. We don't want to confront a Lycan in close quarters, he warned.

I could hear my heart pumping in my ears, its beat strong and rhythmic. My legs stretched out and seemed to take long bounds before touching down briefly and back up again. It was my first opportunity to experience a full-throttle run and it was exhilarating. Every nerve in my body was electrified. I didn't tire. And my breath stayed even and without strain. But most remarkable, I didn't trip over my own feet and fall down. In fact, I felt as sure-footed as a deer.

And then Demetri began to slow down, and I could see that ahead, perhaps twenty or thirty yards, was a fork in the tunnel.

Left or right? I asked.

But Demetri held his hand up and turned his head slightly behind us. Then I heard it also…the rumbling gallop of something moving toward us, and closing in fast.

Demetri looked down at me for a fleeting second as if he were calculating his strategy, and then he flung me onto his back. Hold on as tightly as you can, he directed.

I wrapped my arms securely around his neck, pressing Thaddeus' book between us. But he remained poised on the balls of his feet, gazing back into the tunnel.

The rumble of our pursuers was becoming deafening; I could feel the ground tremble through Demetri's body. But still he waited, and waited, until I didn't think I could bear another second of inaction, and squeezed my arms around his shoulders. What are you waiting on!

Hold on! he demanded.

I looked back in time to see the first Lycan charging down the tunnel at us, a second somewhat smaller Lycan at its heels. My heart seemed to stop in my chest. Crouched into a run, they appeared longer than taller; their silvery-gray fur bristled into a ridge along their back and neck. With a head that was large in proportion to its body, the leader snapped at the air and fixed us with its orange-gold eyes.

I closed my eyes and ground my teeth together to keep from whimpering. But then, Demetri sprinted forward, and my eyes flew open in relief.

We were moving toward the left passageway, angling for the opening in a wide arc along the tunnel walls until it felt like we were almost horizontal. Behind us, the Lycan growled low with satisfaction as if already tasting victory in its grasp. I kept my eyes on the dark mouth of the passageway, wondering at Demetri's strategy, praying it would work as the tunnels became narrower in this portion of the underground.

The first Lycan was lunging after us now, coming so close I could feel the force of its powerful jaws snapping with determination into the air right behind me. We were bearing down on the entryway to the tunnel when Demetri suddenly made a wide arc in the opposite direction, cutting instead to the right passageway. Thaddeus' book came loose and flew into the air, but all I could do was watch as the pages fluttered and the book bounced onto the floor. I fought to hold on as the momentum carried me dangerously close to the tunnel wall and into the direct path of the Lycan. For an endless moment I was sure everything was moving in slow motion as I gazed into the Lycan's fiery eyes, its talons extended and ready to pluck me from mid-air. And then there was a ripping sound and I looked down to see a long rip in the leg of my jeans, from my knee to my shoe.

The Lycan tried to slow and change directions, skidding across the dirt floor and twisting its body to adjust to a change in direction, but the second Lycan suddenly collided with the leader, sending the both of them tumbling end over end into the left tunnel. Even from the opposite tunnel, I could hear their howls of rage at our deception.

The tunnel was becoming narrower; Demetri slowed to almost a standstill, allowing me to slide from his back. Straight ahead, he told me. Run!

We were only a short distance into the constricted tunnel when we heard the thunderous gallop up ahead. Two, maybe three were coming for us. We looked behind us, knowing the pair we'd just outwitted had probably picked up the pursuit again.

We were trapped.

***

(Thanks for reading. OTM)