CHAPTER ONE

      THURSDAY AFTERNOON

      BENNETT ESTATE, RAPID FALLS, CANADA

      He felt her heartbeat beneath his fingers.

      A slow, steady rhythm that quickened the moment he touched her. Tightening his grip on her hip, Ethan circled her, his senses tuned in to his surroundings – the crunch of forest debris beneath his boots, the trickle of water from the river behind him, her quiet breathing.

      The setting sun had masked Jenna’s skin in a golden glow, the single braid of blond hair darker than usual. She stood poised with quiet confidence, her legs parted. She held the bow and arrow with practiced skill, the ease at which she handled the weapon never failing to impress him. Dressed in a tank top, army pants and boots, she looked prepared for combat.

      He kept his gaze on the warrior woman, not surprised when her expression remained even, her back straight, as though the closeness between them had made no impact.

      But her heartbeat gave her away.

      “Ready?” he murmured, stifling a smirk.

      “Of course.”

      He tapped her elbow. “Straighten your arm.”

      “You’re giving me archery tips?” Her brows raised, a mild grin playing on her lips. “Me?”

      He nudged her arm for good measure and smiled. “If you need more time –”

      “I’m ready, Ethan. Stop trying to distract me.”

      He held out a hand toward the river, coloured with a touch of pink. “Don’t blink, it’ll be fast.”

      “I’m faster.”

      “Cocky, are we?”

      “Confident.” On a gentle hiss of air, she drew back the arrow, ready for flight. “Stop stalling.”

      Grinning, he mentally ditched the larger rock he’d had in mind and opted for a smaller one. Nothing like upping the challenge at the last minute.

      He rotated his hand, the movement sparking a small whirlwind on the riverbed. A rush of energy swirled through him, bringing the familiar comfort he always felt when connecting to nature.

      Air. His elemental power.

      “On the count of three,” he murmured and began the countdown. In lightning speed, he directed the wind away from them. It hoisted the rock into the air with a force that launched it across the sky.

      She released the arrow, followed by a triumphant cry when it connected with the target.

      Smiling, she lowered the weapon and wiggled her butt and shoulders in a victory dance that extracted a laugh from him.

      “You haven’t won yet, Pocahontas,” he reminded her.

      Light blue eyes sparkled with mischief. Her bright smile emphasised high cheekbones and perfect teeth. She handed him an arrow. “Your turn. I showed you mine. Now you show me yours.”

      He flashed his wildest grin. “That sounds kinky. Even for me.”

      She laughed again. “In your dreams, stud muffin.”

      “Stud muffin?” He shot her a look of disgust and snatched the bow from her, reaching for a confidence he didn’t quite feel. He wasn’t a bad aim when it came to archery, but Jenna’s talent for the sport outranked his.

      “You remember what this final challenge means, right?” she called over her shoulder as she combed the riverbed for a rock.

      “How could I forget?”

      Their afternoon of combat practice in the forest surrounding their estate had once again turned into a contest. One he wasn’t guaranteed of winning. Not with her. Where she lacked his bulk, she made up for it with determination and skilled martial arts manoeuvres that frequently left him breathless. Lately, she’d been pushing harder, channelling her frustrations into their training sessions the same way he did.

      She reached for a rock and straightened. “You miss this shot and you’ll be buying me beers on our next night out.”

      “If I miss. Not gonna happen.”

      “Right. Let’s get on with it then. I’m eager for the bragging rights that I was the woman to kick your ass.”

      Yeah, he’d hate that.

      Even if she was a Keeper, like him. A skilled warrior with heightened physical abilities who’d befriended his sister several years ago whilst training at the academy. They’d been inseparable until Jenna had been selected by The Circle, a group of ancestral witches who governed the rules of magic, to leave the academy and infiltrate their enemies, posing as one of them.

      They’d assigned her to Kate Carrigan, a hybrid witch she’d protect above everything else.

      Because that’s what Keepers did.

      And protecting Kate meant rubbing shoulders with the very people wanting to harm her.

       Bad ass.

      Carrying four rocks, Jenna walked back to him and dropped them onto the ground at his feet. Her delicate brows lifted at his scrutiny. “You’re staring. It’s kinda creepy.”

      “Just thinking how awesome you are.”

      Although she’d meant for the punch to his arm to be playful, it still packed a powerful blow. “Flattery won’t score you a win. Time to settle this once and for all. Pay attention, stud muffin.”

      “You really should stop calling me that.”

      Her grin was all mischief. “No harm in trying to throw you off your game.”

      “Scared you’ll lose?”

      “No. Now stop stalling and man up.”

      She reached for a rock on the ground, the movement shifting her t-shirt to expose smooth, tanned skin above her belt. The glimpse of ink surprised him.

      A tattoo?

      The urge to reach out, to explore, went ignored and he averted his gaze when she straightened. “How about we up the reward?” he asked.

      “Feeling confident, are we?”

      “Always. That make you nervous?”

      “No.”

      “Fine,” he said. “I’m upping the stakes. You win and I’ll not only be your personal beer slave, I’ll –”

      “Do it shirtless too.”

      He frowned.

      “Come on,” she prompted with a laugh. “You’re that certain you’re going to lose?”

      “Fine, it’s a deal. But if you’re choosing your prize, then I’m choosing mine.”

      She laughed. “I think me running around shirtless would ruffle a few feathers.”

      His included. And it wouldn’t be pleasant. The thought of her shirtless in public arrowed all kinds of objections through him.

      “No,” he said firmly, refusing to dwell on why. “There’s something else I want.”

      “Ooh, you sound serious.” She walked around him, straightening his arm that held the bow. “So what’s your prize?”

      “You’ll tell me where you went last night.”

      Her eyes widened. She met his gaze, a prickly silence overshadowing