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.“You could say that.I’m a member of a team of paranormals.”“This team got a name?” he asked.“I mean, if you’re a ‘superhero,’ don’t all those teams have names?”She nodded again.“Yes, they do.My team is the Angels.”“That is so cool!” said an excited voice behind her.The girl had short brown hair, and she wore a shirt hanging loosely from her narrow shoulders, and her pants sagged around her tiny hips.Karen noticed the bandage on the side of her neck.“Nikki, right?”The teen nodded vigorously.“I follow everything you guys do.I wish there was more about you in the papers.”Karen checked the girl’s wound.“I’m glad you weren’t seriously hurt the other day.”Her joy immediately vanished.“The guardian was, and it’s all our fault.”James stood behind her.“It’s his job to protect us.”She whirled around to face him.“The guardian suffers so we won’t be hurt.”“That’s what the guardians are trained for,” James said, his voice rising.“They’re the protectors of our realm.”Nikki scowled at him, then dismissed him with a wave of her hand.“Whatever.”Karen thought maybe James was trying a little too hard to convince Nikki.“James, we’re out of time.Troyington has plans to dissect some of you.”The color drained from Nikki’s face.“What do we do?”“We find a way out of here.” Karen looked around.“Where are we, anyway?”“A cabin in the hills,” James said, his voice shaking.“We’ve checked it out.We’re not leaving until they let us.”The cabin! Karen had found it and still had no idea where it was located.“Maybe a fresh pair of eyes can find something, and the wood folk know about this cabin.”James shook his head.“The one they know about is a decoy.This one’s farther up in the hills and hidden somehow.”The door crashed open and Cray and Harmon stood there.Karen moved in front of the teens.“Go in the other room, guys.Stay there until I come for you.Understand?”James nodded as he pushed Nikki into the back room.Karen faced the two men.Cray curled his hands into large fists.“Mr.Troyington wants all the teenagers.”Karen stepped back with her right foot, resting her weight on it.“Too bad.”Harmon glared at her.“Your wishes make no difference to us.Stand aside.”“It’s a funny thing about heroes.” She sprang forward, throwing punches at Harmon, staggering him back, then turned to Cray.“We don’t like kids being hurt.We frown even harder on them being dissected to give some greedy bastard more power.”Karen blocked Cray’s wild swing, but her movements were sluggish from the drugs still running through her system.As she pulled her arm back, Harmon clouted her on the back of her head, and while she was reeling, spun her around to strike her.Karen threw her arm up, but he clipped her chin before throwing her against the wall, stunning her for a second.She struggled to pull air into her lungs as she blocked his kick, before delivering one of her own.Cray jumped in and drove his fist down, knocking her to the floor.“Give up the brats,” he growled.Karen forced herself not to groan.Between Edna’s drugs and the short pounding she’d taken, her body just wanted to stay on the floor.She lifted her head and glared at them.“No.And you can tell your boss his days of experimentation are over.”Cray stood over her.“Mr.Troyington isn’t going to like this.”She pushed herself to her feet, using a hand to steady herself against the wall.“You think I give a damn what Troyington likes?” she growled.“Think again.” Harmon took a step toward her and she snapped her head around to glare at him.“You want more? Bring it!”Cray stopped Harmon before he reached her.“Dupré said the same thing about a week ago and look where that’s got him.” Cray gave her an evil smile.“He’s not going to live out the day.” He pushed Harmon outside and slammed the door in her face.“No!” She stumbled to the door and sank to the floor.“Dayla, if you can hear me, keep him safe.”Chapter SixteenTroyington walked around Randall.“Cray and Harmon are bringing the older brats here.It’s time to begin the internal exam.”Randall stared straight ahead, keeping the fear from his face.If Troyington and his goons got the kids, it meant he’d failed the pack and his clan.“Go to hell.”Troyington leaned closer.“I also told them to get rid of your soul mate.I thought she might be useful, but I was mistaken.Like you, she’s more trouble than she’s worth.”Karen’s power sang within him, flaring briefly.Randall gave Troyington a small smile.“I think Karen took exception to your orders.”Troyington slammed his fist into Randall’s head, knocking him to the floor, opening the recent gashes.As Randall wiped at the blood running down the side of his face, Troyington kicked him in the stomach, doubling him up.Edna came in, carrying two vials.She gestured to Randall, groaning on the floor.“Are you done with him?”Troyington smoothed his hair back.“Yes.He’s got nothing left I need.”“I thought as much.” She watched Randall as he pushed himself to his knees.“I need to get one more sample from him before disposal.”He kissed her cheek.“Take whatever you want.He won’t need it where’s he’s going.Just be careful.” He glanced again at Randall.“He’s unpredictable.”“In the condition he’s in right now, I don’t think I have to worry [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]