Running Red: Lost Moon

Chapter 23: Watch Your Step

Levi slowly eased the window closed as Echo kept an eye out for anyone. He slowly stepped over a sleeping woman, in one of the lounge chairs near the window, and peered around the corner of the bookshelf. Echo peeked around the other bookshelf, opposite the one Levi was looking around. "I don't see anyone."

Dropping to his knees, Levi slowly crawled over to where the railing for the second floor was at. He looked past the wooden railings down at the first floor. Glancing at the front desk he made a low frustrated sound, before slowly crawling away. Keeping low he motioned for Echo to follow him. Ducking behind a short bookcase, he looked at Echo who was trotting after him in his smaller cat form. "They're watching the front door." Levi scratched at his jacket sleeve and Echo bumped his head against Levi's hand. His fingers found their way behind Echo's ears and Echo started to purr.

"Let's find the roof door." Echo whispered as he pushed Levi's hand from his ears.

With a nod, Levi slowly stood up into a crouch. He followed after Echo, who trotted along ahead of him looking around corners of bookshelves. Every now and then Levi would glance over the railing to the first floor, in hopes of seeing his brother or Aaron. But the longer he didn't see them, the more he worried. When they had made it to the bathrooms on the second floor Echo stopped. Levi watched as his ears twitched. He paused until Echo started to back up, causing him to scramble for one of the sitting areas near the bathroom. Jumping over a person who was flopped on the floor snoring. He squeezed himself into a small corner behind a large plush chair.

Echo joined him a few seconds later. His smaller body tucking up against Levi's legs. They both listened as someone walked closer. The person paused long enough that it made Levi worry he had been seen. When they continued on he let out a sigh of relief before moving. Peering down the aisle he saw a woman's back, he gave a shaky exhale. She was carrying a shotgun in a holster on her back. Hunters. And they were armed.

They both quickly moved away from the woman. Levi looked up long enough to see the exit sign and he moved for it. He made it to the door just as voices started talking, causing him to freeze. Even Echo paused. When the voices started to grow closer, Levi jumped forward to try the door. "It's locked."

Echo let out a hiss as Levi knelt to inspect the door. "Can you pick a lock?"

"Sadly no. I didn't learn." He pulled an old credit card out, it was scratched up and misshapen. "I did keep one of my parents' old cards. I'm hoping this works here."

Levi jiggled the card between the door and the jam. He tried to move the card. Only for it to get stuck and break. "Is that supposed to happen?" Levi looked at Echo in panic. They both looked at the end of the bookshelves near them with the same panic. "Levi, they're getting closer."

"They'll see us if we make a dash for the bathroom." Levi looked around the area before turning to the door. He tried to slip the broken piece of the card between the door. "Come on. Work."

Just as the voices reached the end of the bookshelves, the door opened causing Levi to tumble in. Echo jumped over him, taking his larger cat form, to shove the door closed behind them. Both of them looked at each other and let out a nervous laugh.

"Hello."

Levi and Echo let out muffled shrieks at the voice. They both looked over to find a tall fair skinned woman with a small child holding onto her pant leg. They both had matching pale blonde hair, and both of them were wearing puffy winter coats. Levi gave a nervous grin, "Hi." Standing up, he brushed his pants off. "Uh, you're awake? I mean..." He gave a stilted laugh, "magic?"

The woman gave a small laugh, and when she spoke she had a southern accent. "Would you believe me if I told you I'm immune to all magic?"

"So you know what's going on?"