Darkest Powers Bonus Pack 2

Evading Derek in a crowded place isn’t hard. I can slip through gaps. Derek can’t and no one movesfor him . . . until he starts scowling, then they move fast, but by then, I’m long gone. Even hiswerewolf nose isn’t that helpful in crowds. He can follow my trail, but it takes a while to tease it out.Derek and I don’t fight a lot. Okay, we do, but it’s usually spirited disagreement, not real anger. Thesubject of Tori was the exception. He’s frustrated by how quickly I’ve gotten over her pastmistreatment. I’m frustrated by his inability to get over it. Even Simon sees she’s trying and treats herlike a part of the group.Who’s right? I don’t know. I just know that Tori has lost more than any of us. First, her mother.Now her father. And although she tries to hide it, a big chunk of her self-confidence is gone, too. She’sgone from being the popular girl to the one nobody wants around.As I concentrated on dodging Derek, I found Tori. Typical. Stop looking for something and there itis. She was walking straight toward me, so there was no mistake. Then she saw me, and swung theother way, moving as fast as she could without breaking into a run.I did run. I’m not as worried as I once was about what people think. Blame Derek. Or thank him, Iguess. Being less self-conscious is a good thing. As Aunt Lauren pointed out the other day, I hardlyever stammer any more.When Tori ducked into a back hall, I knew I finally had her. It was a dead end leading to therestrooms.She hesitated near a service door. A group of girls came out of the bathroom and took up the wholehall. When they’d passed, Tori was gone. I reached the door, and quickly looked around to make sureno one was watching. Then I opened it and peered inside.The room was empty.I was about to back out when I heard a curse. I followed it to a big metal grate on the wall. No way.How would Tori even get up—?Well, there was a table under the grate. But still, crawling into a vent? Wasn’t that a little dramatic?Even for Tori?Depended on how badly she wanted to get rid of me.Or was it a test? See how far I’d go to help her?When I climbed onto the table and peered through, I could make out a distant light. It shifted, and Isaw Tori’s face, illuminated by the light ball spell Kit had taught her.I lifted the cover and crawled in. I could still see Tori ahead, stopped, glancing around as if trying tofigure out where to go next.I felt my way along. When Tori started crawling again, I instinctively picked up speed, then stoppedmyself. I didn’t have a light ball, so it was almost completely dark. I had to take it slow and steady.My fingers inched along the metal bottom. Then they touched down on empty air, and I pitchedforward, but caught myself.“Chloe?” Tori’s voice sounded oddly weak as it echoed down the vent. “Is that you?”She waved the light ball around and squinted.“Yes, it’s me,” I said. “Just hold on.”“I . . . I smell something. It’s . . . it’s making me dizzy. I need— Oh, God, I feel sick. It’s some kindof gas.”“Hold on.” I reached out gingerly. I couldn’t feel the floor. “There’s some kind of gap.”“It dips a little. Just climb over. I . . . I really feel sick.”“I know. Just wait until I—”Fingers grasped my ankle. I jumped, and if it wasn’t for that iron-grip, I’d have tumbled right intothe gap.“Careful!” Derek yanked so hard I fell flat on my face. “It drops off right in front of you.”