by Rae Rivers
Frowning, Hazel glanced at the sky. “Ah, I see you brought company.”
Company? Jenna stared at her. The storm wasn’t Hazel’s?
Hope flickered and she glanced in the distance, searching for Ethan, torn between relief and worry. Relief that she had someone fighting with her. Worry he’d be harmed because of it.
Hazel jabbed a finger at Rick. “Find her friends. Now!”
“It’s only the younger Bennett brother,” Megan called after him as he disappeared. “The others are still in Rapid Falls.”
“No doubt,” Hazel’s smile contradicted the malice in her eyes, “to protect their witches from … me. Which makes me curious why Jenna left Kate unprotected to come here.”
All kinds of prickly sensations ran through Jenna at the mention of Kate’s name. “Kate has all the protection she needs.”
Rick reappeared in the doorway, shaking his head. He clutched a hunting knife in one hand.
Hazel clenched her fists and Jenna’s throat tightened in response – even though Hazel wasn’t touching her. Air evaded her and she gritted her teeth against the powerful hold that threatened to suffocate her. Or worse, snap her neck.
Just as Jenna’s view became murky, a bolt of lightning flashed across the patio, connecting with a nearby tree. A branch broke off with a deafening crack and fell into the pool.
Hazel unclenched her fists, releasing her magical hold on Jenna’s throat.
Coughing, Jenna sucked in air. Her throat ached, her lungs burned. “My death won’t change anything, Hazel,” she called out above the noise of the rain. “Between the Bennett brothers and Kate and Sienna’s magic combined, you’ll never win.”
“But I had a chance before you destroyed everything and stole Kate from under my nose.”
“You have no right to her.”
“Like that would stop me.” Frowning, she took the knife from Rick. “That night you took Kate pissed me off more than you’ll ever know, Jenna.”
“I’m a Keeper. I was protecting my witch.”
“You betrayed me!”
“And honour and loyalty are so … you.”
Hazel sauntered closer, ignoring her sarcasm, and waved the knife in the air. The frown on her inked brows eased when her lips curled into a smirk. “I warned you I’d make you pay for betraying me.”
Jenna struggled against the invisible hold still pinning her to the wall. When the knife pressed against her stomach, she couldn’t deny the rush of fear. Hazel’s eyes had darkened, the way they always did when she was about to do something horrible.
She ran the tip of the blade over Jenna’s skin. “You came into my home, mingled with my people. For months you lied, cheated, and then trashed our plans.”
The blade cut into Jenna’s stomach and it took every ounce of willpower she possessed not to cry out. Hazel yanked out the knife, grinning at Jenna’s grimace, and was quick to stab her again. Jenna grunted and caught her lower lip between her teeth. Blood gushed from the wounds and she felt the familiar swirl of energy that would heal it. No! Every instinct she possessed clamoured to heal, but she fought the urge, reeling it in.
“You made a fool of me.” Hazel ran the knife across Jenna’s neck, piercing flesh. Slow, meticulous cuts of pleasure. “If only Kate could see you now. Beaten. Defenceless. Bleeding out.”
“Screw you, Hazel.”
Anger uncoiled Jenna’s restraint and something snapped inside her. No fucking way. With a loud cry, she slammed her head forward, connecting with Hazel’s. The impact was quick and hard. Hazel gasped, her eyes rounded and she lowered the knife.
The magical hold on Jenna lessened, just enough to free her limbs. Hope soared and she gave in to the overwhelming urge to heal herself. Renewed energy and strength flooded her body, a fix only her magic offered. The pain subsided as her flesh healed. With her magic came fresh determination and she reared forward, snapped her hand around Hazel’s wrist, and yanked.
The knife clattered to the floor. A second yank dislodged Hazel’s scorpion bracelet. It bounced across the patio, accompanied by Hazel’s bellow of rage.
But there was something more. A sliver of panic behind the anger. Jenna saw it in her eyes as clear as she saw the fury.
“My bracelet!” Hazel screamed, whirling around. She jabbed a finger at Rick. “Find it! NOW!”
Embracing the distraction, Jenna delivered a powerful kick that sent Hazel sliding across the patio, crashing into the cats. The hold on Jenna relented completely and she slumped to the ground.
Glass exploded as a spear soared through a window, slamming into John’s leg. Rick barked orders, his voice muffled by another rumble of thunder. This time it was so loud that the windows rattled.
“I want my bracelet!” Hazel screeched, shoving away a cat as she struggled to her feet. Rain pelted down on her. She swiped at the strands of hair that hung limply around her face, coloured with blood from a cut on her brow. Her rain-soaked dress clung to her skinny frame.
Hazel stepped forward, but a bolt of lightning cut her off, more powerful than before, one flash after another, until the entire patio was a sizzle of electricity. Taking on the lightning would be lethal, even for Hazel. She recoiled, screaming at Rick, searching the ground.
Jenna’s narrowed gaze followed hers, suspicion trickling through her when she saw what Hazel had fixated on. Not the storm, the attack, or retaliation. The bracelet.
“JENNA!”
The snap of her name had her whirling around and her spirits soared when she saw Ethan running toward her. Drenched, bloody, torn shirt. Bolts of lightning surrounded him, striking everything in his path. Hazel screamed and dove for cover.
And then Ethan was there, in front of Jenna, practically giving off sparks as he sizzled with energy and fury. He tugged her up as bolts of lightning fired across the ground. “Let’s go!”
“Wait!” Jenna pulled free and sped across the patio. Dodging a cat, Jenna swooped down to snatch the bracelet.
And ran.
CHAPTER THIRTY THREE
Ethan heard the cats tailing them. Smelt them. The stench of hunger, determination, and the rush of excitement that came with the chase. The magic had amplified their abilities and appearance – as well as their instincts.
They were predators at heart and he’d be damned if that made him and Jenna their prey.
He pushed on, Jenna matching his pace, speeding through bushes and trees along the bottom of the hill, the cats gaining steady ground.
“We should head into the city!” Ethan shouted, pointing to the nearby buildings. “It’s safer there than the outskirts.”
“No. That’s werewolf territory. We enter and we’re as good as dead.”
“We stick around here and we’re as good as dead. We’ve just pissed off the most powerful witch in Ameera.”
“I have a plan. Keep going.”
There were no signs of their enemies, the storm he’d left behind hampering their chase. He’d given it all, fuelled the storm with as much energy as he could muster. Wind, rain, lightning, thunder. All at once, with as much fury as he could channel.
Damn, it had been ages since he’d embraced his magic to that extent. It had been exhilarating watching the confusion it had created. Even Hazel had been dumbfounded. But they’d trapped Jenna. Taunted her. Cut her. And it wouldn’t have stopped there.
“Ethan!” Jenna shouted as the cats closed in. They moved rapidly, running across the ground with feline grace, their unwavering gazes tracking their prey. One trailed behind whilst the other two raced ahead, tracing a triangle. A perfect trap.
Like hell.
“We’re almost there!” she shouted, stumbling when the ground began to tremble, a steady rumble that was quick to gain momentum. No doubt a sign of Hazel’s wrath. Jenna pointed to a clock tower in the distance. It stood between two tall buildings at the foot of the hill. “We need to get there. Can you get rid of the cats?”
He took her hand and changed direction. Jenna followed,
matching his stride with ease. A rush of energy joined the adrenaline already pumping through his body, flowing from him as effortlessly as breathing. He knew a torrent of mini tornadoes would be on their trail because of it. Looking over his shoulder, he tracked all three cats, cursing when he heard the telltale voices of Hazel’s men approaching in the distance.
The tornadoes gathered momentum, quickly catching up to them. The wind grew stronger. It clouded their vision, stole their breaths. Ethan drew to an abrupt stop and wrenched Jenna toward him. She bumped into his chest as he wrapped his arms around her, tucking her head beneath his.
The tornadoes engulfed them. A force that was as exhilarating as it was terrifying. They split directions, aiming for each cat. The animals never stood a chance. Despite the magic, their strength and power, they faced three powerful whirlwinds and two warriors hell bent on survival. Their yelps and fierce growls were whipped away by the wind as they were sucked into the centre of the storm. A vacuum that offered no mercy.
Still clutching Jenna, Ethan twisted around and channelled the tornadoes toward the house they’d just run from. A loud roar echoed around him and he realised it was him. Furious, spent, breathless.
He felt Jenna’s hand slip into his. She laced their fingers, jerking him forward. “We have to keep moving. I have an idea.” She nodded at a grey building in the distance. Tall and narrow, the clock tower loomed over several smaller buildings below. With its pointed roof and arched windows and doors, it looked like a castle straight from Rapunzel.
Without the pink and prettiness.
“Werewolves?”
“No. We’ve passed that district.”
Glancing around to ensure they weren’t being tailed, they aimed for the tower, soon merging into the streets. The ground was uneven, covered in chunks of concrete. The gravel crunched beneath their shoes, the sound heightened in the quiet street.
The dark and gloomy sky cast the buildings in a grey shadow. They ran the rest of the way, passing a crowd of people gathered on the sidewalk. They were mostly men, deathly pale, and all wore coats and boots.
“Oh crap,” Jenna gasped, gripping his arm.
Before he could question her, someone whistled. The sound sparked a flurry of movement as the men gathered behind them, keeping to the shadows of the buildings. They began running, growling. Shouts of excitement rang out, along with more whistles. They’d found a new form of entertainment and Jenna and Ethan were it.
Screw that.
When two men leapt to the ground in front of them, cutting them off, Ethan took Jenna’s arm and changed direction. The men charged, snarling at them, sharp incisors flashing behind upturned lips.
Vampires.
Shit.
“Keep going!” Jenna shouted.
They raced forward in the direction of the tower. The vampires were everywhere, keeping to the shadows, running behind them, scaling walls. They moved quickly, their movements spider-like and eerie.
Jenna cried out when a vampire jumped on her from above, teeth bared. She rammed her elbow into his face, the crunch of bone accompanied by his loud yell. Whirling around, she aimed a kick, planting it in the centre of his chest. The force hurtled him across the street.
“Guess you’ve figured out this area of the city is vamp territory,” Jenna panted as they bolted.
“A heads-up would’ve been nice.”
“I didn’t think they’d be out yet. They usually only come out after sunset.”
That would explain the lurking in the shadows.
A loud screech joined the frenzy as a female vampire soared through the air, pouncing on Jenna. Ethan dove after them, thrusting the woman away. A male vamp took her place, clutched Ethan’s arm and yanked.
Ethan grunted as a blinding pain arrowed through his shoulder. He slammed his head back into the vamp’s face with a force that dislodged his grip.
Ethan reached for Jenna as more vampires surrounded them. He felt her fear, rage, the heightened adrenaline rush. Knew she would fight as hard as he would, driven by a mutual survival instinct that seared everything else.
But despite their strength and determination, there were too many damn vamps.
“Ethan,” Jenna muttered, her voice so quiet that he almost missed it. She glanced at the clouds. “The light.”
CHAPTER THIRTY FOUR
He followed her gaze, taking in the grey sky that hovered above like a dark cloud of doom threatening to devour them.
And then it hit him. Fucking vamps.
Still circling, eyeing the vampires, he seized the magic buried inside. It flowed through him, an exhilarating rush of power he thrived on. A gust of wind blew through the street, parting the crowd. It wrapped around them, sparking nervous glances when more wind followed. He added more force and sent the wind upward.
The clouds receded, allowing beams of sunlight to filter through. The rays were weak from the setting sun, but strong enough to provoke an outcry as the vampires rushed for cover.
“The roof!” Jenna yelled, taking Ethan’s hand.
They hoisted themselves onto a nearby balcony and leapt to the roof, still basked in sunlight. The vampires tracked their movements restlessly from the ground below, keeping to the shadows, shouting at each other. The sun hovered on the horizon, all that stood between them and the vamps.
“I have a new appreciation for the sun,” Jenna breathed, looking around.
“It’s fading fast. We don’t have much time. The sunlight will keep them street-bound for a little longer. After that, we’re vamp food.”
“Like we’d let that happen.” She pointed to the buildings ahead of them, their roofs covered in a faint orange. “That’s our way home.”
He mentally calculated the distance of the jumps between each building. “It’s a lot of ground to cover with very little sunlight left.”
“I know, but if we hurry we can make it. Like Declan says, we’re superheroes.”
It was an old joke, an attempt to ease the tension, but the reminder of his brother jarred something inside him. He scowled at her for a long moment, a big ball of pissed off wedged in his chest.
But now wasn’t the time.
She must’ve sensed it as her brows tightened. “Ethan …”
“Not now, Jenna.” The words cut her off, his tone harsh. Without saying anything, or waiting for her to follow, he walked to the edge of the roof.
****
The vampires went mad.
Realising they were about to lose their prey, they set chase with an unnerving determination that had Jenna upping her speed.
Even though the vamps couldn’t reach them yet.
Breathing heavily, high on an exhilarating adrenaline rush that rivalled all others, Jenna matched Ethan’s pace. The higher buildings were trickier to navigate. Many of the roofs were unsteady, covered with cement debris, but were few and manageable. They sailed across rooftops with breathless speed, not stopping to take a beat.
Alone and free – not the two Keepers who’d just stirred a hornet’s nest with a group of blood-sucking predators and an irate witch.
Several lights had turned on in anticipation for the darkness, adding a mirage of colours to the city. The storm had subsided and by the time the sun finally relented, disappearing in the distance, they’d reached the borders, leaving their attackers behind.
But they kept going, all too aware that the vampires weren’t the only enemies on their trail. The city would hide them, but only temporarily as Hazel would stop at nothing to find them.
Jenna thought of the scorpion bracelet in her pocket. A powerful witch whose retaliation had been hampered by her desperation to retrieve the bracelet. Losing the bracelet had distracted her enough to give them a chance to escape. That alone hinted at its importance. So Jenna had taken it.
Something niggled inside, a nugget of truth demanding to be voiced, but went ignored when she spotted the railway in the distance.
Breathless, they took to the streets. The air smelt o
f smoke. A group of people stood around a drum on the sidewalk, a fire burning between them. They were surrounded by three toddlers playing with a dog. They all wore blank expressions and mismatched clothing, mended and patched.
Ethan and Jenna kept going, led by the rumble of a train nearby. Catching up with the train was easy, boarding it a little less skilled.
She stumbled as she landed on the floor of the carriage and felt Ethan’s hand on her shoulder, steadying her. The connection comforted her, a reminder she wasn’t alone. But he released her all too soon, avoiding her gaze, and turned away, his anger not lost on her.
Panting heavily, heart pounding, Jenna backed up against the wall and tried to catch her breath. Her lungs burned and her body throbbed. She was relieved they were alone, surrounded by graffiti-covered walls and the hum of the train.
But her relief was short-lived when she looked up to see Ethan walking toward her like a thundercloud.
****
He stopped in front her, keeping his hands balled into fists, despite the urge to touch her. He ignored the flash of apprehension that crossed her face, adrenaline and anger and fatigue working a shitstorm inside his head.
And his shoulder hurt like hell.
He glowered at her, inhaling a few long, deep breaths. She had wild eyes, flushed cheeks, her shoulders rising and falling with every choppy breath. Her skin shimmered from a thin sheen of sweat, her face coloured in a golden glow from the yellow light behind him.
A warrior woman he’d face a war with on any given day. A woman who’d lied to him. Misled him.
And damn nearly got herself killed.
Her hair was damp and she smelt of dirt and blood. He zoned in on the cut on her throat. Her wounds had been brutal and deep, but she’d still fought alongside him, fled the cats and the vampires, and matched his pace through the city.
Her ripped t-shirt exposed her bra, her abdomen, and neck smeared in blood. A hot wave of alarm washed over him, overriding everything else – even the rage. He grimaced. “Shit, the vamps must’ve smelt you from a mile away.”
“I’m fine. The wounds have already healed.” Her voice was husky, soft, and she cleared her throat.