G.U.A.R.D. Book #1: Clandestine

-2-

    Cold. Freezing cold. That was what collided with my face early the next morning. Too early the next morning.

My eyes snapped open almost immediately. Laughter echoed through the hall, receding as quickly as it could. Conner.

"Oh, that little brat!" Winter exclaimed, sitting up in her bed. Her eyes flashed dangerously. Still half asleep, I turned to look at my best friend. Snow fell from her hair and face. Realization hit me when I reached up and felt the same white grains melt against my fingers.

Winter threw off her covers. "I am so going to kill him!"

My friend ran through the bedroom door. I propped myself up, shouting, "You're still in your pajamas!" It did no good. She was gone. Just a second later, Max appeared from his bedroom, yanking on a shirt. Heat ascended to my face when I saw the last of his swimmer's abs disappear beneath.

"Conner!" he called angrily, joining his sister in the chase.

I sighed and rolled my eyes. Sitting up, I grabbed my gray and black striped jacket and ran after the Hunters. Snow ran down my face and hair, some flakes still stuck. Dustin ran just ahead of me. I pulled the jacket on roughly as I ran into the kitchen, where the door was open. Max and Winter had already gone outside. Dustin followed their lead without putting on any shoes. I stayed in to tug on a pair of sneakers, looking out the glass door as I did so. The backyard was completely covered in a white blanket. The wooden building in the corner, known as our "clubhouse" when we were kids, was dressed up in a wintry cloak, too. A skinny tree grew right in front of it, its branches overhanging into the other yard. Other than that, few signs of plantation littered the yard—a bush or two here, grass spurts there, and the occasional yellow flower. Max and Winter stood a little ways from the kitchen, frozen to the spot.

I stood up again to get a better look at them. Why weren't they moving?

Winter suddenly glanced to Dustin and exclaimed, "Don't come out!"

Before he or I could ask why, iced water tumble down from the roof, landing in a splatter on top of Dustin's brown hair. It sprayed down all the way to his feet. I shivered at the thought of how freezing that water must've been. Dustin didn't make a single move after the liquid stopped pouring on top of him, dripping with water, but I saw goose bumps gather on his arms. Slowly, he swallowed and straightened up again.

"Uh.... I'll stay inside," I said from the kitchen.

As he began shivering, Dustin glanced back to me with a glare. I shrugged innocently.

Laughter sounded from the roof of the Hunter household. Laughter that belonged to a certain, very annoying ten-year-old.

"I am going to kill him so bad," Winter whispered, still frozen from the extreme cold.

Max grunted and turned to glare at his little brother. I tried to follow his lead as best I could from inside, and could see the boy's face peeking out from the roof. Of course he was smiling like crazy, showing the dimples on both his cheeks. Even though I was kinda mad at the little guy (he did wake me up at seven on a Saturday morning with a snowball to the face), the grin of his had always been contagious... and I smiled back. His eyes met mine, and he laughed, disappearing from view. I couldn't help but giggle, too.

Max threw his gaze my way. "Seriously? You're laughing?"

I instantly hid the smile, looking to the ground. But it slowly slid back onto my lips, and a small chuckle made me shoulders shake. A giggle escaped Winter, causing her brother to snap his head in her direction. She quickly recovered and resumed a straight face.