Page 22 of Feline Good

Risking a quick glance at the book, she was relieved to see it remained untouched, covered with papers August must have tossed on top to hide it. Maya moved in quietly, calling on years of practice to protect what was hers.

She definitely meant the book. Sure.

When the taller of the two men going at August raised his baton in the air to bring it down across his head, she beat him to the punch, using all her strength to whack him across the back of the head. The baton shattered, splinters flying through the air as Maya gasped in shock. A dull thud sounded as the baddie crashed to the floor, revealing August standing with a smirk on the other side of her.

His voice was like music to her ears, over the grunts and groans around them. “And you thought we wouldn’t need you?”

A slight smile curled her lips. It’s nice to feel needed.

Maya, too shook trying to process her seemingly impossible strength, let August take care of the last guy while she turned to grab the book.

Suddenly, a pair of arms grabbed her from behind, and Maya cursed. Using his momentum, she squared her feet up and braced her back as she bent forward, throwing the black-clad male over her shoulder into the nearest table. Ignoring the odd strength it’d taken to throw him, she braced herself in a defensive stance as he rolled to all fours and faced off with her. Oddly, he was near her size, but she wouldn’t underestimate him, like they so often did her.

Maya watched for the tell-tale sign of his first movement, so when he rushed forward to throw a punch, she ducked under his arm and socked a fist into his gut. When he doubled over, she grabbed his head and brought it down over her knee, a gush of blood exploding on her ripped jeans from where the force of her hit broke his nose. She grimaced at the stain on her favorite pair of jeans before the calm descended over her again. Asher and Amir were solid, holding their own against the attackers. The two brothers fought back to back in the midst of the chaos; they moved in perfect sync, as if reading each other’s minds. It was beautiful to watch. Their growls slashed through the air, pronouncements of their victories and frustrations alike.

Maya gaped, shock freezing her in place as she witnessed Amir kick a man’s legs out from underneath him, grip his head, and twist until a sickening crunch broke through the air. The thump of the body hitting the floor sounded dull in comparison. She pushed down the nausea brewing in her gut and turned for the book, prepared to grab it and run while the rest of the baddies were distracted.

At least, that was the plan before even more of the assailants burst through the windows, glass crunching under their feet as the next wave slid through the panes like smoke. A frustrated curse left Maya as she saw the direction this would head in. Even as shifters, and with her newfound strength, the guys were still adjusting to their human-forms and weren’t operating at their best. She couldn’t risk losing them.

With a deep breath, she turned away from the book and faced off against one of the new arrivals. She couldn’t tell the bastards apart, matching in their monochrome clothes like they were. Her muscles were already sore, her body aching with a fierce vengeance. It had been a while since she’d had to put her training to use, and her body rebelled against the activity, despite the new electricity that seemed to flush her veins. Tending bar didn’t quite require the same skill set.

A deep, calming breath allowed her to collect herself, and she pulled her emotions in tight, tossing the chaos around her to the background so she could focus. The attacker lunged forward, reaching for her and trying to throw a fist past her defenses. To avoid the hit, she leaned her upper body back, threw her hips forward, and used the momentum of her body to carry her knee upwards. With a corkscrew twist, she was able to hit his midsection with the hardest part of her knee, knocking the wind out of the attacker and forcing him away from her. As she released him to stumble away, she grabbed his dropped baton and whacked it across the back of his head. This time, she held her strength back a bit and the baton remained in tact, but the guy hit the floor hard with a brutal thump.

Wasting no time, she darted for the book and grabbed the precious item. Holding it as carefully as possible, she sprinted for the door, the smooth marble under her feet making her steps slip in her haste. She reached it in enough time to turn around and catch a glimpse of the guys. Teeth bared like the predators they were, their fury was evident in their faces. Muscles bunched and flexed in deadly accuracy as they landed hits and dodged others. She whistled, and at once, they jerked their heads toward her as she held the keys up for the car. Tilting her head for them to follow, they finished the last of the attackers off, settling for knock outs instead of death blows.

Maya took off at another dead run, the agile steps of their feet sounding softly behind her, whereas she slapped and pounded down corridor after corridor in the mansion. Finally, she entered the foyer, the light beaming in through the frosted glass like a halo around their escape. Throwing open the door, the midday light almost blinded her, but she jumped off the brick step with a giant leap. The gravel crunched under her feet as she sprinted towards the car. With a smooth movement, she slid across the hood of her old car with the book held tight to her chest, safe in her possession. She grinned in triumph when she gripped the door, throwing it wide and hopping in. Her breath came heavy and labored as she fell into her seat. The car rocked as the others slid inside, slamming the doors as, with a turn of the key in the ignition, they sped off.

It wasn’t until her breathing had calmed down that Maya realized she still clutched the book to her chest and had been driving with one hand the whole time. Holding the wheel tight, she eased her grip on the leather and handed it to August, who sat in the front seat with her. She sighed, leaning her head back as she drove them home.

Home would be fucking nice right about now.

Chapter Six

When they pulled into the back of the bar, her adrenaline had subsided, her muscles protested from overuse and her nerves had gotten the best of her. It took Maya three times to open the car door, and Asher had to take the key from her to open the backdoor of the bar. Her hands still shook from the fight, and the crash she was now suffering. She ushered them down the hallway quickly, trying to avoid the cook and Theo as she led them upstairs. When she glanced down, she found Theo’s eyes wide, a questioning look on his face as he took in their ragged appearances. Shaking her head, she slammed the door and locked it before staggering over and slumping down on the couch.

“So, what the fuck was that?” The question exploded from her once they were settled, Maya unable to keep her cool anymore.

“What do you mean? We got attacked again. Did you miss that part?” Amir sank into the decorative chair, a heavy sigh broadcasting his own aches and pains.

Maya threw her hands up. “Uh, hello? I threw a guy into a table! You don’t think that’s worth discussing?”

Asher joined her on the couch, but she stood and began to pace, one arm crossed and the other resting on top as she held her fist to her mouth.

Asher, of course, had a response. “It means you’re packing some muscle in that tiny little frame of yours.”

Sending him a glare at the word tiny, she dismissed his statement with a shake of her head.

Finally, August showed some sense. “Guys, quit playing with her.” He came up behind her to rest his hands on her shoulders, kneading his thumbs in a soothing motion until she relaxed. Then he spoke. “We all saw it, you had shifter strength for whatever reason. I have to say, Maya, you’re raising a lot of questions, which is saying a lot considering we’re all in the dark here.”

Maya tried not to let her unease show when she twisted her head back to smile at August. “It’s a good thing I have you then, right? The genius?”

A half grin curled his lips as he tilted his head at her. “Genius?”

“Yeah, you know, the super smarts you showed off at the library.”

Maya referred to the speed with which he read, retained the information and connected dots faster than Sherlock Holmes.

Now, in her home, with his thumbs massaging the stress from her shoulders and his breath trailing over her neck, he leaned in and teased close to her ear, “I have a lot more I could show you, you know.”