Running Red: Lost Moon

Chapter 31: Impressions

Laik sat up, gasping for air. His body trembled as he gulped down lung fulls of air. What the hell happened?

Bryce's voice had Laik quickly turning to look at him. "Hey, relax. Everything is okay."

He quickly remembered what was happening, and he struggled to get off the couch. "The house-"

"Is fine." Bryce finished for him as he caught Laik's good shoulder in his hand, and the other caught his immobilized elbow in a gentle grip. "Lay down and focus on breathing. The basement was flooded with gas, and there still might be some left over."

"The hunters!"

"Are gone. Levi said Echo caused enough of a diversion to get them to chase after him. While Nas and Brian took care of the rest."

"I... what knocked me out?"

Levi quietly piped up. "I knocked you out." Laik twisted around to find Levi sitting on the floor with Hannah. Declan was kneeling next to Levi looking concerned. Drystan was standing with his arms crossed and frowning.

Laik narrowed his eyes, "You did what?"

"Knocked you out. I didn't think it would work." He refused to look at him.

Laik scrambled onto his feet, pushing Bryce out of the way. Levi let out a curse and scrambled for the door. Drystan tried to cut Laik off to keep him from chasing Levi, only to be shoved out of the way.

Hannah shouted after them as Levi ran out the door with Laik a few steps behind him. "Laik! Quit it, we have more important-" She looked at Bryce, "He's not even listening!"

Bryce quickly followed after. "Laik!" He left the room to watch as Levi rolled over the back of the couch that had been knocked over earlier to get to the stairs faster. Laik jumped over it as Levi scrambled up the steps. Bryce was watching in surprise to find that Levi was still managing to stay feet ahead of Laik.

He slid to a stop at the stairs. "Get out of the way! We got a chase!"

Levi hit the wall outside of the basement door and shoved himself off the wall to keep going forward. Nikky let out a surprised sound as Levi slipped past her. Laik nearly ran into her as he cleared the stairs. He managed to keep the both of them on their feet before taking off again after Levi. "Laik, your shoulder is going to get worse."

Levi ducked into the kitchen. Myrna quickly turned and shooed him away. "Not in this kitchen! Go outside now!"

"Sorry!" He took off for the dining room only to hear her scolding Laik.

"Out!"

Levi slid to a stop when he heard Laik running down the hall, and turned back into the kitchen. He managed to slip past Myrna, who let out another shout. Laik was closer, and he tried to grab the back of Levi's shirt, only to miss. He caught the door frame when his shoulder gave a sharp throb from the harsh movement. Pushing off the door frame, he watched as Levi ducked behind Nas. Nas looked confused until he saw Laik, and he pressed himself against the wall.

Laik started after Levi when Drystan rushed past him and snagged Levi. The both of them tumbled into the bathroom. Where Drystan shoved the door closed with his foot. The door shoved open a bit, and Levi lunged forward to shove his shoulder against the door, slamming it shut. Drystan rolled to his knees to lean against the door.

The two of them looked at each other and started laughing until Laik kicked the door. "Can he break this door?"

"All the doors are reinforced." Drystan dug his heels into the floor with a grunt when the door tried to open again. "But they can be taken off their frames easily. Grandpa couldn't fix that."