The Keepers

by Rae Rivers

  “Yeah, but then I’d feel crap ‘cause I dragged you into this.”

  “You don’t have to come with me.”

  “I thought you were coming with me.” He joined her on the roof, glancing down at the school below. He and his brothers had spent many nights up here when they were younger. Beer-drinking, jesting, and messing around. Sarah had often joined them too. But it all looked different now, those memories tainted ever since the night of the carnival. That night had started off fun; he’d even hooked up with an old flame. A few hours later, Sarah was dead.

  And only because he’d switched places with her. It should’ve been me.

  The thought triggered a flare of guilt, like it always did when he thought of her. The fury and regret that followed was so intense that he gripped the railing beside him.

  “Ethan?” Jenna’s soft murmur did little to jar the memories and he stared straight ahead, caught by the overwhelming pain that riddled him. It was always like that, hot and blinding – the reason he seldom embraced thoughts of Sarah’s death. Jenna’s hand covered his, her touch soft, warm. “Hey, are you okay?”

  He blew out air and nodded but didn’t offer an explanation. He’d never told anyone. A guilt he’d carried alone.

  Her soft gasp drew his attention to her hand. The mark on her wrist glowed. She took the flashlight, flicked the switch and shone it around. A gentle swirl of lights sprang to life in front of them, shades of blue that served as an instant doorway.

  Jenna tilted her head to look at him, her eyes flashing with fear. Hell, he felt it too.

  “Are you sure you want to do this?” he asked.

  “It might be our only chance. If we find the spell, Sienna can close the portals. That’ll deal with Hazel and any more creepy crawlies itching to get into our world. As for the next part …” She shrugged. “I haven’t figured that out yet.”

  “But going to Ameera, confronting Hazel … are you sure, Jen?”

  “No. But you’ll watch my back so we’re good. Unless you’re worried.”

  He turned, facing the portal. “Let’s get this over with.”

  “Our witches –”

  “My brothers will protect them.” Leaving Sienna felt wrong on so many levels, and had clashed with several objections since they’d left home, but this was something he had to do.

  His phone hummed, the silly ring tone breaking the moment of tension. A theme song from the latest superhero movie. Declan had programmed it himself.

  Jenna laughed, the sound delightful in the midst of where they were. His grin was short- lived, erased by the flicker of guilt when he saw Declan’s face on the screen. Even though he wasn’t in the mood for the backlash from his brothers right now, his need to talk to them before entering the portal was stronger.

  “I’ve been calling you for over an hour!” Declan growled when Ethan answered.

  “I’ve been busy.”

  “Where the hell are you?”

  The familiar sound of ice being tossed into a glass pierced the silence. Knowing Declan, whiskey would follow.

  “Ethan?” Declan prompted. Then he cursed. “You’ve gone in search of the damn portal, haven’t you?”

  “We found it, Declan.”

  A chair scraped the floor and toppled over. “Are you insane?”

  “We’re running out of time and options.”

  “You can’t go alone.”

  “I’m not. Jenna’s with me. And it’s safer for Kate and Sienna at home.” Surrounded by protection spells, Grimoires and two burly bodyguards. He hoped it was enough.

  “You and Blondie are on a suicide mission.”

  “Someone’s gotta man the fuck up.”

  “It’s got nothing to do with that and you know it, Ethan.”

  Ethan heard the underlying anger to his tone. “I’ve got to go. I won’t be contactable for a while.”

  “Ethan …”

  The rasp of his name held all the emotion that Ethan felt. “I’ll call you as soon as I can.”

  “Don’t do anything stupid.”

  “Glad to know you care, brother.”

  “I don’t want to be lumped with a restaurant to run. My glass is full as it is.”

  Despite the bleakness of the moment, Ethan grinned. “With whiskey, no doubt. And I think the term you were reaching for was plate.”

  “Who cares? Besides, whiskey’s a given. It brightens up all this crap.”

  Ethan scoffed. “There’s not enough whiskey in the world that can brighten up the crap we’re facing.”

  “You can’t blame a brother for trying. Archer’s gonna be pissed, you know that, right?”

  “He’ll get over it.”

  “And while you’re portal-chasing, I have to deal with him. Fair deal, brother.”

  “Yeah, payback’s a bitch, Declan. You left me with him for two years. I’ll be back in a few days.”

  “This is different. I wasn’t in danger. You are. That changes everything.”

  “Is he there?”

  “No. He went to check on Mason.”

  “Mason? Why, something happen?”

  “Yeah, that’s why I’ve been calling, dummy. But your news kinda trumped mine.”

  “Declan.”

  “Pam called. A couple of teenagers were hurt at the river earlier. An animal attack.”

  Ethan straightened. “Hellhounds?”

  “No. Large cats. Mountain lions. Or, at least, that’s how they were described.”

  A spurt of alarm crept down Ethan’s spine. “The last time we had animal attacks in Rapid Falls, they were a spawn of Mason’s magic.” He’d spelled domestic cats to be larger and stronger. Vicious and grotesque, an abomination Mason had used for his evil gain.

  “Archer’s gone to check that no one’s tried freeing him.”

  Without Sienna and her Grimoire – or Kate’s blood – that would be impossible. But they all knew it wouldn’t stop Hazel from trying.

  “Be careful, brother,” Ethan said, unable to keep the grit from his tone.

  “Likewise.” Declan took another sip of his drink and cleared his throat. “Is Blondie ready for this? They get one sniff of her and they’ll eat her alive.”

  He thought about her wrist tattoo and the guarded look that entered her eyes whenever the subject came up. “I think they’ve been nibbling on her for years, brother. She can handle this.”

  “Watch your back, Ethan. Both of you.”

  “We’ll be fine. I’ll call you as soon as I can. And keep Sienna close.”

  “Don’t worry about Sienna. And tell Jenna that Kate’s … tell her not to worry either.”

  “You could tell her yourself, you know.”

  “Like hell.”

  He smiled and ended the call, pocketing the phone.

  Jenna took his hand, lacing their fingers. “You get this is risky, with a good chance of death, right?”

  “Of course.”

  “And if running head first into Hazel’s den and a city of supernatural freaks doesn’t kill us, Archer will.”

  “I’ll handle my brother but …” his eyes narrowed, “how big’s your brave?”

  “Bigger than theirs. Let’s go.”

  He grinned. “You’re so bad ass.”

  She laughed and tightened her grip on his hand.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  AMEERA

  A damn roller coaster.

  Of all the places Hazel could stick a portal, she’d opted for the top of a roller coaster.

  Judging by the rust and overgrowth of bushes that surrounded them, it had been out of order for a long time. Hills loomed behind them and the city shimmered in the distance, signs of life that brought little comfort. The sun was fading fast, its rays peering through the thin fog that hovered over the city.

  They were on the outskirts of town, surrounded by bushes and trees, in an abandoned amusement park. The carousal’s horses were stripped. A lone swing swayed in the wind to the right of it, the chains rattling softly. A
tree lay on its side across the empty parking area, the rest of it overgrown with greenery.

  And the damn roller coaster.

  “This part of Hazel’s sense of humour?” Ethan grumbled, zipping his jacket to ward off the icy wind. He felt dizzy – a side effect of the portal.

  It hadn’t been that bad, but he still preferred his Aston Martin as a mode of transport.

  Teeth chattering, Jenna adjusted her weight on the metal surface. “She likes to keep the doorways out of sight.”

  “Can’t get more out of sight than this.”

  “If her minions can get down in one piece, we can too.”

  “They probably keep a stock of brooms up here for that.”

  Glancing over his shoulder, she looked down and grimaced. “Any chance you know your way around roller coasters?”

  “Yeah, don’t fall.”

  She smiled, one that failed to reach her eyes. Shoving her hands into her pocket, she gazed at the city. The smell of smoke lingered in the air, a result of several fires burning in the distance. No doubt an attempt to combat the cold.

  “It’s so quiet, peaceful,” she murmured, motioning to the city with her chin. “So deceiving.”

  “It doesn’t look very welcoming.”

  “That’s because it isn’t.”

  “What’s with the amusement park? Bit of an odd fit.”

  “For the children. Despite the harsh life and dangers here, there are families trying to make a life for themselves. They’re not all evil.”

  “Doesn’t look very liveable.”

  “It’s not an easy life here, but it wasn’t always so bad. It’s always been a violent, selfish city, but there was a time when the entire city was fully functional. Similar to back home. Once you block out the constant threats around you, it’s easy to forget you’re not on the mortal realm.”

  Looking at the dilapidated city below, he found that hard to believe. There were dozens of tall skyscrapers interspersed with smaller buildings, most of which were either half-built or damaged. Many of the roads and bridges were destroyed. A jungle of concrete and steel, coloured in grey and grime.

  But not a soul in sight.

  “What changed?” he asked.

  “Greed. Violence. Power struggles between all the species.”

  “Species?”

  She pointed in the distance. “There are four divisions in the city, separated by invisible boundaries. Vampires, werewolves, and shifters. The final division is a mixture of others.” Her jaw tightened and her eyes narrowed. “Over the years, they depleted most of their resources. Neglect and destruction set in. More so when everyone realised they were running low on reserves. They’ve been fighting for a way into the mortal world for years. This is what’s left.”

  To one side of the city, several buildings were flattened, the ground covered in concrete rubble. They faced a gaping black hole in the middle of the ground. It was enormous, surrounded by rocks and sand. The bottom wasn’t visible.

  “That’s the pit,” she explained, following his gaze. “There’s water at the bottom and no way out.”

  “Their water supply?”

  “No. They use it for punishment and torture. When there’s a dispute between rival species, they usually resolve it by holding a fight at the edge of the pit. Whoever falls in first loses the argument.”

  “They sound charming.”

  Patches of light flickered in the distance, easing the darkness that had begun to set in. There was a mystery to the city that intrigued him – but it brought a shitload of unease too.

  A city that Jenna seemed to know all about.

  His head bolted sideways to look at her, her expression catching him off guard. Her troubled eyes stared straight ahead, her features clouded in a sadness he hadn’t expected. And whoa, were those tears?

  Fragments of their conversation reeled into place. “Jen?”

  She started and shook her head. “We should get down. It’s cold.”

  His skin prickled as anger rolled through him. He caught her wrist, stepping up to her. “You’ve been here before.” It hadn’t been a question. Her face and body language gave her away. But his mind grasped for an explanation, an excuse. Any damn thing.

  What the hell?

  She lowered her gaze.

  “Jenna?” A simple nod was all she offered. He raised a brow, spreading his hands. “Care to elaborate?”

  “No.”

  “You really think you can drop something as big as this and I won’t have questions?”

  “I didn’t drop it on you. You asked and I answered you honestly.”

  “So, please continue. Honestly.”

  “No need for snarky, Ethan.”

  “Confused is more apt. Even a little pissed.” He frowned. “I thought the portal hadn’t been opened for ages.”

  “I thought it hadn’t.” She waved a hand at the destruction of the city. “But that’s proof that it has. Opening and closing the portal makes both our worlds unstable. It causes earth tremors, a sign to the locals that one has been opened.”

  “Why don’t we know about this?”

  “Hazel’s lineage has kept it quiet. If we knew, we’d stop them. Any effects of the portal back home are blamed on a natural disaster. No one ever suspects the portal.” She gazed out at the city, her expression grim and pensive. “But clearly, the portal’s been accessed more than we thought.”

  “The shifters, the hellhounds … this is the first time anything’s escaped.”

  “Only because Hazel wanted them to. There’ll be more, as soon as it suits her diabolical plan. She’s always been wary of coming here, so the fact that she has means she’s desperate.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me you’ve been here before?”

  “It was a long time ago. There’s a lot I don’t tell you, Ethan, but it doesn’t change whose side I’m on.”

  “And you’re sure it’s mine?” She flinched but held her ground and he loathed the hurt that crept into her eyes. Hurt he’d caused. He cursed softly. “You should’ve said something.”

  “It’s not something I ever talk about.” Irritation laced her tone and she yanked her hand back. “And yeah, maybe I should’ve mentioned it, but talking about it dredges up crappy memories I’d rather avoid!”

  “Jenna –”

  She turned away, testing the metal bars. When they didn’t budge, she stepped forward, repeating the motions.

  “You know I’m not going to let this go, right?”

  “Of course. I’d be worried if you did. We’re at war and we’re alone.” She motioned to the city with a brief nod. “Two people facing a ton of danger. You’d be a fool not to want to know more about the only person watching your back.”

  Her words stirred something inside him. A connection to her, unlike anything he’d ever had with another woman before. She got it. Their world. Their battle. Their code.

  Their gazes met, a silent understanding easing its way between them.

  “I will explain,” she said softly, “but I need time. It’s difficult being back. But I’m on your side, Ethan. All the way. Just know that.”

  That was enough. For now. Despite her secrets, he trusted her. And usually, he had a damn good sense of judgement. He just hoped like hell he wasn’t way off this time. “So for now you expect me to continue as though this conversation never happened?”

  “Not expecting. I’m asking. Please.”

  Something in her tone, her eyes, tugged at him and he found himself nodding. “Fine, but I won’t be sidelined for long, Jenna. No matter how difficult it is for you to face your fears or secrets or whatever goddamn crap you’re hiding. I want to know what the hell’s going on.”

  Her eyes flared but she didn’t protest. “Fair enough. And just for the record, I had no idea that Hazel planned to open –” The snap of metal pierced Jenna’s words as the track gave way beneath her feet. The sudden movement threw her weight and she fell through the gaping hole.

  He plunged fo
rward and caught her wrist, the abrupt stop jerking them both. He dug in his heels, reaching for a hold with his free hand. Her body slammed into the track and dangled mid-air like a rag doll.

  The metal creaked around them. Her head tipped back and wide eyes peered up at him.

  The image of her hanging beneath him, clutching his hand, eyes flashing with fear, struck him somewhere deep inside. Icy fingers gripped his heart and instead of pulling her to safety, he froze.

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Sucking in shallow gasps of air, too afraid for more in case the metal gave way, Jenna clung to Ethan’s hand for the lifeline it was.

  The wind whipped around her, the icy chill cutting into her flesh. Her heart pounded, adrenaline soared, and she waited for Ethan to pull her up, surprised when he hesitated. She blinked, gaping at him. “Ethan, pull me up!”

  He didn’t respond and stared down at her. Frozen. A harsh frown etched his expression and even though he was looking at her, it was as if he wasn’t seeing her.

  “Ethan?” He’d disappeared, even though he hadn’t moved. What on earth? She jerked, terrified she’d dislodge them both. “Ethan!”

  He inhaled sharply, his nostrils flaring. With a grunt, he hauled her upward. They collapsed onto the small platform behind him, breathless and panicked.

  “What happened?” Jenna gasped.

  He growled low in his throat, swiped at his forehead and turned away. But she saw what he’d tried to hide. That flash of terror that had held him prisoner.

  “Ethan?” she panted.

  “I’m sorry.” Cursing softly, he drew her into his arms and buried his face into her hair. His heavy breathing and racing heart reverberated against her. “I’m so sorry.”

  “Where’d you go?” Something had rattled him. Something triggered by the fall. She’d never seen him like this before. “You don’t like heights?”

  “No, it’s not that. At all. Lately, I keep having the same dream.” He lifted his head, the fierce frown unfaltering. “It’s of Sarah. The surroundings and circumstances keep changing but the outcome’s always the same.” He nodded in the direction of the broken bars. “That was such a clear simulation of my dream that it caught me off guard. I’m sorry if I frightened you.”