Winter's Awakening: The Metahumans Emerge (Winter's Saga #1) by Karen Luellen Page A

huge framed man positioned nearest to him snarled in a low voice. Alik slowly moved into compliance and lay down. Near him, Evan followed his brother’s lead. Only I remained standing in the blackened room, watching the moonlight glint off their guns while trying to anticipate their next move.
    Out of the corner of my eye, I saw something shift low to the ground. It was Maze. He was crouched and ready to surprise attack; his yellow eyes like mirrors of light glowing in the dark room.
    “What do you know fellas? They warned us these kids were gonna be tough, but look at ‘em! Damn, I’m disappointed! I was hoping for a good fight, but look what we got instead?” The snarling thug began laughing.
    He pointed directly at me with his weapon and said, “Come here, baby. Daddy’s gonna take you for a ride.” I could almost hear him drooling with anticipation. There was more laughter, this time from the obvious leader’s minions.
    “Who warned you?” I asked in a calm voice.
    “What? I said, come here!” The thug stepped closer to me.
    “Get away from her, dork-wad!” It was Cole’s voice. The anger and fear in it was very real and very touching. He had no idea, but he would see in a moment.
    I’d had enough of these disgusting men. I could sense what the intruders were thinking and it was vile enough to make me blush with rage.
    I gave a sharp, low whistle into the blackened room. That was one of the many signals mom trained us to use. It was all my brothers had been waiting for.
    Alik sprang to his feet and hurled himself toward the biggest of the thugs, slapping the gun out of his hand and plowing him across the room. They crashed against the wall—the bad guy knocked out cold.
    In the same instant, Evan took a three-step run and jumped feet first at the thug nearest him, grabbed him by the neck between his ankles, spun him down to the ground and pinned him in one fluid and well-calculated motion. A barrage of punches to strategic pressure points rendered his attacker helpless.
    Maze, upon hearing my whistle, flew across the room to the thug farthest from us and propelled his sixty-pound body right into the man’s chest, teeth snapping and ripping at his neck. The terror behind the ski mask was real but his screams of panic came to an abrupt stop. A ceramic lamp lay in pieces around the thug’s head. Dr. Andrews had helped Maze finish the guy off. And since there was a pretty good amount of blood pooling through the ski mask, it was clear this guy wasn’t getting up anytime soon.
    I only had eyes for the foul-minded creature who spoke to me. It was in that instant that I found myself smiling with anticipation. I felt a thrill ripple through my body as surprised registered in the man’s dull eyes. I leaped toward him in attack position. With my left hand I grabbed his weapon, and with my right, I delivered one quick strike to his nose with my palm that had him gushing blood and stumbling around.
    Even though I was pumped and ready to finish him off, I thought better of it. I put him on the ground, face down and pulled his arm up and behind his back. He was in a lot of pain, but I had some questions and he better have some answers for me.
     
     

 
     
    Chapter 31 The Messenger
     
    This all had happened so quickly I hadn’t stopped to think about everything that could have gone wrong.
    “Check in,” I called out just as mom had taught us.
    “I’m good,” Alik wasn’t even a little out of breath.
    “Me too,” Evan called out casually.
    “I—I’m okay,” the doctor stammered a bit, but otherwise sounded fine.
    “I’m freaking out, but okay,” Cole answered honestly. Maze was sitting on my right side, but he wanted to be sure I knew he was okay because he gave my hand a big slobbery lick.
    Mom always said, “If you know you’re in for a battle, strike first and strike to win.” She would be proud of how we handled these goons.
    “Come on in here guys. I’d appreciate your help asking this