Awakening

That one word evoked feelings in Sophie that she didn’t understand. Fear, hope, survival.

The fingers tightened in her hair. The man’s thoughts crowded in on hers and overcame her own. She knew one thing. He wasn’t human.

A shadow blanketed his mind. Terror screamed through her blood. It was darker than anything she’d ever known.

“Sophie!”

Sophie heard Tristan’s shout but couldn’t see him. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a black wolf stalking around the bookcases. It stopped in front of her. When it growled, the hair on its back stood on end. Muscles rippled underneath the fur as it crouched. Sophie thought it was beautiful.

“She is mine.”

Sophie’s stomach twisted. The voice was cold and dead, as if he’d been created out of the darkness she felt in his mind.

The wolf leaped. The man shrieked in pain. The fingers loosened their hold on her hair, and she saw her chance. She shoved away and fell to her knees.

“Tristan, be careful!” Jackson yelled as he and Aidan ran into the room.

Sophie stared in wonder, watching the black wolf viciously bite the man’s leg.

Tristan was the wolf?

“She’s healed.”

Sophie snapped her head to the side and saw Lilli sit back. Her body swayed. Sophie noticed the pasty color to her skin. “Lilli.”

“I’m fine.” Lilli leaned against one of the tables for support.

The wolf yelped, the sound piercing her ears. Sophie watched the man shake him off. He kicked the wolf so hard it slid across the room, and blood smeared the floor. The wolf hit a bookcase and rammed to a stop.

Three deep slashes ran down the wolf’s abdomen. The blood spurted with each heartbeat. Sophie’s heart dropped.

The thought that Tristan could change into a wolf didn’t shock her at the moment. Neither did the fact that the man had claws the size of machetes instead of fingers It might later, she thought, if they got out of this alive.

The creature, because there was no way she could think of it as a man, took a step toward them. His lips curled back in a predatory smile.

Jackson waved a hand and several chairs lifted off the floor. They shot like missiles and hit the man in the chest. The force knocked him over a table and wood flew.

“Tristan.” Sophie ran to him, almost slipping in a puddle of his blood. She steadied herself and hopped over the falling wood before kneeling down beside him. Fur receded back into tanned flesh. Green-yellow eyes grew stormy again.

“Lilli!” Sophie glanced over her shoulder at her friend. Lilli was already crawling to them. Lilli’s pasty skin shocked her. Instantly, she was torn. Could she ask her best friend to save Tristan, even if it weakened her to the point of exhaustion?

“I’ll take care of him.” Lilli nodded to her. “Go help the others. They’ll need you.”

Sophie bobbed her head. She glanced at Tristan one more time, and her heart stuttered. His clenched jaw and ashen color frightened her. A wry smile flirted on his lips. “We’re not so different.”

Sophie managed a smile.

“Go!” Lilli shoved softly at her shoulder.

By the time Sophie made it back to Aidan and Jackson, they were staring at the unmoving body of the creature. “Is he dead?”

“I don’t think so. By the way, Jackson, how’d you do that?”

“Does it matter right now?” Jackson’s face was alight with a warrior’s tenseness. His eyes never moved from the body.

“If that guy gets back up, I’ll show you what I can do.”

“Wait, you too?” Sophie stared at Aidan. She had a gut feeling that the fact that they all had supernatural gifts wasn’t a coincidence. “Where’s Morgan?”

“She…I don’t know.” Aidan furrowed his brows.

The shock of his worry swallowed Sophie and almost covered the tickle at the back of her neck. “Look out!” A blast of light filled the room, and heat warmed the side of her face. She dove at Aidan and Jackson. Her body collided with theirs. They landed on the floor in a heap of limbs, elbows and knees covering her.

Sophie drove her elbow into Aidan’s ribs, trying to get up. He sucked in a gasp and coughed.

Jackson reached down a hand.

“Thanks.” Sophie allowed him to pull her up. She looked to where they’d stood.

Smoke curled around the edges of a hole in the wall. Paint peeled down, charred and gray, revealing the sheetrock behind.

“What the hell?” Aidan glanced over Sophie’s shoulder. His lips were tight and his entire body was rigid.

Sophie turned to see what caused his reaction and her eyes widened. The creature stood over the ruined table, looking as if he’d grown several feet in a matter of seconds. Scales rippled on his flesh, up his neck and over his face. When he opened his eyes, they glowed red with blood lust. Two wicked-looking fangs gleamed in the flickering light. Leathery wings sprouted from his back and flapped twice, ripping the blue shirt he wore.

“Okay, something tells me he’s not human,” Sophie murmured. She backed up a few steps.

“Really? What makes you think that?”

“Shut up, Aidan.” Morgan’s voice hovered around them.

“Princess?” Aidan spun in a circle. His frown turned quizzical when he failed to locate her.

Sophie glanced around. She felt Morgan’s essence, so she knew the girl was close. “Morgan?”

“Where are you?” Jackson looked around.

“Right here.”

Sophie raised her eyebrows. “Seriously.”

The air around them shimmered, and then Morgan stood next to them. Her hair fluttered as if she’d been bathed in a light breeze.

“Why would someone as hot as you want to be invisible?” Aidan winked at Morgan. She glared at him before shimmering out of sight.

“He’s licking his lips,” Jackson murmured. He braced his feet shoulder width apart and prepared for the next attack.

Sophie knew then his parents should’ve named him Michael. If ever there was someone who reminded her of the archangel, it was Jackson. “Aidan, what are you doing?” she asked as he walked toward the creature. She reached out her hand, but he shook it off.

He paused a few paces in front of the scaly man-thing. The air stirred, becoming hotter. Within seconds, Aidan’s hands were on fire.

“Wow.” Jackson stepped in front of Sophie to block her from the creature’s eyesight.

“That we should have expected.” Sophie moved around him to see what was going on. Jackson grimaced at her. It was nice that he was trying to protect her, but she wanted to see what was happening.

“Please tell me it’s not because you think Aidan’s hot,” Morgan’s voice drifted to her left.

Sophie’s lips turned up in a wry grin. “No.”

“Thank God.”

Aidan jerked his hands, and the fire formed into balls of flames. They lifted off and sped toward the creature. The smell of burnt flesh and scales permeated the room as the fireballs struck it in the chest.

It stumbled back a few feet and shrieked.

When it found its balance, it unerringly located Aidan. Once it had its prey locked on, the creature cocked its head to the side.