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“No.”

“Noah!” I yelled. “Open the door!”

It slammed open.

“Oh my God,” one of the girls whimpered. “There’s something else in here.”

“Fuck. Fuck! She’s in here.” Ethan. He was panicked.

“What is that?” Nimrod began shrieking too.

“Shit! Oh, God. Cole.” Someone was kneeling beside me. Hands touched me, gently. Cautiously. It was Cassian.

Letting out a sob, I curled in toward him.

Slam!

More screams pierced the air. The guys and the girls.

I grasped tightly onto Cassian’s shirt as he slid his arms under me. “What’s happening?”

“Uh.” Cassian grunted as he began to stand, with me in his arms. One under my knees, the other behind my back. “Benji let Claudia go. He disappeared and she fell to the floor.”

“How high up was she? I couldn’t see anything.”

He was moving, leaving. I felt the air lighten, but there were gasps.

Someone murmured, “What happened?”

“Fuck.”

Cassian ignored them. He was striding with purpose.

He didn’t answer me.

I waited a little bit, feeling him turn.

“Move.” That was Nimrod, growling at someone.

“Clear the hallway.” Ethan.

When Cassian slowed and took me into another room, I asked, “Why won’t you answer me?”

Cassian still ignored me, saying gruffly to someone, “You need to call 911. She needs an ambulance.”

Feet were pounding outside the door.

The door was slammed open again.

An older voice, male, rushed out, “Three girls were attacked in the counselor’s lounge. We need paramedics now.”

“No,” Cassian snapped at them. “They attacked her.” He whirled so I was seen, or I was guessing.

That same voice cried out again, in shock, but spoke in the next second, more restrained, “Claudia Elward is bleeding out of her ears. She’s the most critical.”

Out of her ears?

Alarm and fear began pressing on me from all angles. I couldn’t breathe.