The Keepers: Ethan. Rae Rivers
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“Sienna will never relinquish the Grimoire,” Jenna said.
“You know what will happen if that portal stays open!”
“And you know what will happen if Hazel finds that magic!”
“Ameera is so much worse now –”
“You’ve been back?” Jenna cut in. When Megan looked away, her lips thinning into a grimace, Jenna gasped. “Hazel’s in Ameera, isn’t she?”
“Jenna –”
“Did you find my parents?” A surge of desperation had Jenna in front of Megan in a sudden movement. “Did you see them?”
Megan’s unfaltering gaze met hers and held, an ocean of memories bristling between them. “No.”
The ache in Jenna’s chest was almost unbearable. “Why’s Hazel in Ameera?”
The question served as a stark reminder of everything that stood between them and Megan jerked back, her expression hardening. “Like I’d tell you.”
A scream in the distance jarred Jenna into action. Anxious to find Kate and instinctively knowing that Megan wouldn’t offer any more information, she backed away, scowling at her. “Stay away from my witch, Megan.”
Turning around, she bolted for the street.
The fire had spread, claiming trees and plants along the way. The awning above a boutique window went up in flames.
A child stood in the centre of the chaos, clutching the arm of a teddy bear, crying hysterically. Jenna raced forward, scooped him up and pushed him into the arms of a young woman with saucer-wide eyes.
It began to rain. Soft droplets that soon grew heavy and persistent, dousing the flames. Archer?
A ripple of energy washed over Jenna, one she instantly recognised. Kate’s magic. Her body soared with relief when she spotted her witch beside Sienna in the distance, surrounded by the three brothers. They were all drenched from the rain. Kate wore a blank expression, almost oblivious to the chaos, but Jenna knew better. Her witch had gone into that quiet, private place that would stop the madness.
Jenna was beside her in a heartbeat.
Instantly, as though Kate had flicked a whip, everything began to settle. The explosions stopped, the panic lessened, and the shifters retreated. Clearly, they’d been warned that the hybrid Null was no match for them. More so now that Kate had been practicing with her grandmother every day for the last few months. Honing her powers, developing her skill. Lethal.
When Kate snapped out of her trance, blinking rapidly, Jenna reached for her arm, frowning at the slight tremble beneath her touch. “It’s okay, I’m here,” Jenna said. “Are you hurt?”
Kate shook her head but leaned in, holding Jenna’s arm.
“Where the hell have you been?” Declan snapped, scowling at Jenna.
“Bumping heads with your lookalike.”
“A Mimic?”
“Yeah, and he was much friendlier than the genuine version.” She pointed to the retreating shifters. No sign of Megan or the Mimic. “They’re leaving already.”
Cursing, Ethan spun around, but Archer was in front of him in the blink of an eye. A barricade of rigid resistance.
“Ethan!” Archer grabbed his shoulder, adding more resistance when Ethan ignored him. “Stop, dammit!”
“Let me go, brother.” Ethan kept moving forward, taking his brother with him. An inescapable force. “They attacked a town full of innocent people, Archer! This is bullshit and you know it!”
“You can’t go alone! We don’t know how many there are.” Archer’s shoulders heaved and his eyes flashed with something wild. He jabbed a finger at Declan. “Go with him. We’ll take care of Kate and Sienna. Go.”
Declan jerked forward, his protective instincts itching for a fight. But he hesitated, his gaze moving between Archer, Kate, and Sienna.
His brother. His woman. His witch.
Jenna stepped forward and touched his arm. “Go with Ethan, Declan. We’ll be fine. I promise.”
Declan’s frown deepened, words unnecessary. They both knew what was at stake. Exhaling harshly, he scanned the crowd. With a quick nod, he pulled out the keys to his Harley Davidson and tossed them to Jenna. “Stay in town. It’s safer. We’ll come back for you.”
As the two men took off, Jenna wondered if their witches were safe anywhere.
Usually, Jenna loved the feel of a Harley between her legs. The freedom, the speed, the power. Pure bliss.
Not tonight.
If anything, she felt ill. Fear and worry had taken up residence within her, her mind reeling with all kinds of thoughts that only escalated the closer they got to home.
The portal to Ameera was open.
The shifters had already filtered through and it wouldn’t be long before other supernatural beings and creatures followed. Greed, destruction, and violence had depleted their resources ages ago, feeding a growing restlessness and hunger throughout the city. They knew there was another world outside their realm and had been searching for a way in for so long.
Something Hazel seemed quite happy to provide.
If the portal stayed open, it was only a matter of time before both worlds would be altered forever.
The thought frightened Jenna, but she couldn’t deny the nugget of truth gnawing at her. After so many years of searching for a way back to Ameera, she finally – finally – had a way in.
She could find her parents.
Jenna’s chest burned at the thought and she realised she’d stopped breathing. The pressure eased when she drew in a deep breath, but it did nothing to ease the ache in her heart. She released the throttle, slowing the bike, and turned toward the Bennett estate. Home.
It was late, dark, and so damn cold. The rain had stopped, but thunder and lightning still worked its fury across the sky.
Sienna and Archer trailed in his SUV behind, the glint of their headlights a small comfort in a lot of tension. They’d opted to drive separately. Easier to split up if needed.
The aftermath of the attack had been a crazy whirlwind of fire engines, police, and ambulances that had their local sheriff, Pam, in a frenzy. Debris and glass littered the blackened sidewalks. Injuries were minor, so the sheriff had sent people home.
Kate sat behind Jenna, arms around her waist. They huddled together on the bike, gliding along the mountain pass on the gentle hum of the Harley.
They arrived home without trouble and Jenna exhaled as the huge gate closed behind them. Soft lighting illuminated the driveway all the way to the house. A safety they longed for. Levi, their Golden Retriever, stood on the front steps, always eager to greet them.
Only this time, there was no wagging tail. Or friendly face. The dog stared into the darkness, growling. Jenna’s stomach lurched when she saw why. Two black shadows had emerged from the forest and were racing across the lawn on all-fours.
Hellhounds.
A force crashed into them from behind, the impact so powerful it threw Kate off the bike. Jenna skidded across the road, weighed down by the machine on top of her.
Jenna cried out as the gravel tore her flesh, but before the bike came to a stop, she was already scrambling beneath it, frantically searching for her witch.
Three enormous