Keeper Under Fire (Graveyard Guardians Book 3)

by Jennifer Malone Wright

  “And when you and our child die because you stupidly went into a fight we told you not to, then how fair do you think it will be. “Don’t be a dumbass, Lucy. You can’t do this.”

  She snagged the toilet paper from the rock and began angrily wrapping the test back up. “I am not a dumbass.”

  “I said don’t be one, not that you are.”

  “Fine.” She shoved the test back into her purse and slung the strap over her shoulder. “Fucking fine!”

  “Who needs to work on their language now?” Jack teased. “You know they say a baby can hear you from the womb.”

  Lucy had begun stomping away as best she could on the rocky terrain. “How in the hell do you even know that?” She wouldn’t have thought Jack was the kind of person who would know the first thing about babies or pregnancy.

  “I watch TV,” he shrugged and began to follow her over the rocks.

  Lucy rolled her eyes even though he couldn’t see her. She was just going to let that one go. They both had a lot of research to do on this whole pregnancy situation, that was one thing she knew for sure. Instead, she stopped in her tracks and waited for him to catch up. When he did, she grabbed his hand and pulled him toward her.

  “Thank you. Thank you for being so wonderful.”

  He bent and kissed her. “You’re the wonderful one.” His hand moved between them and pressed against her belly. Then, a huge grin spread across his face. “Let’s go home and tell the aunts and uncles! They are going to be so stoked.”

  Lucy laughed as he yanked her forward and lifted her into his arms, carrying her the rest of the way until they got to the trail leading up to the truck.

  He stood at one of the windows of the farmhouse that faced the graveyard.

  Leaning on the left hand side of the large picture window, he watched the souls as they shimmered in the early afternoon sunlight. They had no idea he was there. The soul was the entity, the actual life force of a person. The human form was just a shell that the soul occupied. And he … he could end the life of a soul forever.

  He needed souls to live. It was part of who he was and that would never change. Reaping souls was as important as drinking water. Not only was the taking of a soul vital to his existence, the fact remained that he liked it.

  When he took a soul into his own body, he felt everything become stronger and more alive, he just felt … better. It was similar to the high that one would feel when taking drugs, and that was the part he liked and craved. But unlike someone who simply used drugs for the rush and the high, without the souls he would die. That didn’t make it any less addictive than drugs, though, that was for sure.

  They were so tempting, milling about out there, unaware that at any moment he could put an end to them. Even one … just one soul replenish him and take away this sluggish feeling that was only getting worse as each hour passed.

  There was no time for that, though. Jack went to pick up Lucy, they needed to plan the attack and, furthermore, there had been strict orders from all the Keepers to stay away from their souls. However, none of this took away the simple fact that he was going to have to feed eventually, and it had to be before they left for the attack.

  The serene silence of watching the souls in the graveyard was broken when his phone rang. The ringtone of the Empress assaulted his ears and he ripped his phone from his pocket, almost tempted to throw it on the floor and smash the damn thing with his boot.

  He held it in his hand and stared at it for what felt like an eternity before he decided that it was best not to answer it. He waited for the ringing to end before letting out a long, slow breath. He was still holding onto the device when a beep signaled a voicemail.

  He went into his messages and reluctantly clicked to listen to the one she’d left. It wouldn’t do him any good to ignore any clues she might be leaving as to what the Reapers were up to.

  “Aiden.” Her high pitched voice snapped over the receiver. “I know what you have done. You, like my own son, have betrayed me. I should have seen this coming. In a way, I did see it, but I didn’t want to believe it after all the years of loyal service you have given my husband and I.

  “I have instructed my men to come home, so any attempt on the compound will be fruitless. Yes … I know strategy and have anticipated your moves. So, go ahead and get comfortable with your precious Keepers. Their time will come and it will come when you least expect it. I am watching and I am waiting. Do not, for one moment, think that this is over. It will not be over until each and every Estmond Keeper, especially the Chosen One, are eliminated.

  “You have chosen the wrong side, Aiden. You were once in a place that I held higher than almost anyone in the Reaper Army. And now, you have thrown that away. As I said before, go ahead, mingle with the enemy, and just when you think I’ve lost interest, I will strike.” She clicked off, ending the voicemail with those last, threatening words.

  Aiden slowly closed out of his messages and stared at his phone. Threats from the Empress were never anything to ignore, but he couldn’t be sure if she was telling the truth about backing off for the time being. He needed to let the Keepers know.

  He found Greg in the kitchen with James, Dan, David and Ethan. “Where are the girls?” Aiden asked when he strode in.

  Dan narrowed his eyes. “Why?”

  “Good lord, man. I just got a message from the Empress. I thought you all should hear it.” He glared at Dan and shook his head.

  Greg tapped the table in front of him. “Let’s hear it. Steph is sleeping and Hannah is at her house. Said she had to shower and then she’d be over.”

  Aiden set the phone on the table in the center of everyone and pushed play on the message. The voice of the Empress filled the room and all the Keepers listened with interest. When it was over, Greg’s eyes flicked to Aiden. “You know her best. Do you think she’s telling the truth about calling the men back?”

  “I don’t know. Probably, but I’m still going to go over there and check it out.”

  David nodded. “I agree, it’s best to make sure. We don’t want to just assume and let it go.”

  A sudden thought had Aiden grabbing for his phone again. “I have an idea. Give me two minutes.” He speed dialed Alma’s cell number and waited for her to answer.

  “Aiden!” Her voice drifted through the receiver. “I am so glad you called.”

  “Is everything all right … are you all right?”

  “I am fine. Everyone came here and in a rush, packed their things and left.”

  “Are you in trouble? Are they making you say that?” Aiden asked in a whisper.

  She scoffed. “Don’t be ridiculous. No one makes me do anything.”

  “Now that I can believe.” He laughed. “Seriously though, do you know anything about where they went or what they’re doing. Did they say anything about a plan?”

  “I know nothing. They came and they packed up and then left.”

  Aiden turned away from the curious eyes of the Keepers and lowered his voice. “Okay. Alma, here’s the deal. I am really hoping it’s all okay over there. But, if anything happens or you need help or something, our code word is enchiladas, okay.”

  The older woman burst out laughing.

  “What? It’s a good code word.”

  He could hear her inhale deeply through the receiver as she tried to calm her laughter. “Yes, yes, it’s a good code word. Forgive me, but I’m a little excited that we even have a code word at all.”

  “I think you should probably leave the compound, Alma.”

  Silence filled the space between them for a moment and finally she spoke. “You truly think I might be in danger.”

  “I just don’t want you in the middle of a cross fire if anything should happen.”

  “But … no one is here. I don’t know what could possibly happen.”

  Aiden sighed. “Please, Alma.”

  “Aiden, I am not going anywhere. At this moment I do not feel threatened.”

  “Alma …”
/>
  She sighed. “All right, I will agree to leave if I think anything is wrong. Okay.”

  He would have felt more comfortable with her leaving the compound and going to stay with her family where she would be safe. But, if he knew one thing in the short time he’d known her, it was that she was stubborn. “Okay, fine. Just call me if you need anything … anything at all.”

  “I will,” she assured him. After a short pause, her voice came across more stern. “You be careful, you hear. I don’t know exactly what’s going on and I don’t want to, but keep yourself safe as well.”

  “Of course I will,” he responded. “Remember, enchiladas.”

  “Enchiladas,” she repeated. “Now go on and do what you have to do. I’ll be okay.”

  “Okay.”

  “Good boy. I’ll talk to you soon.” With that, she hung up. Aiden clicked his phone off and turned to the group. He found every single pair of eyes staring at him, shocked expressions on their faces.

  “What?” he scowled. “I do have feelings.”

  Greg shook his head. “It’s just that … we didn’t expect … you just seem emotionless most of the time.”

  “Most of the time I am.”

  “That was nice, what you did,” Greg told him.

  Dan, on the other hand, leaned forward and raised his eyebrow, “Who’s Alma?”

  Aiden shrugged. Normally, he wasn’t the type of guy to discuss things he cared about, and now here he was, shooting the shit with a bunch of Keepers. “She’s the housekeeper and cook at the compound. I haven’t known her that long, but she isn’t involved with any of this and doesn’t deserve to be caught in the middle.”

  “Well,” Greg rose from the table and crossed the room to the fridge. “I have to say it was actually a revealing moment to see a softer side of you, Reaper.”

  Aiden’s muscles tensed. “Well, don’t get used to it.”

  “Wouldn’t dream of it.” Greg pulled a bottle of water from the fridge, closed the door and then turned to face Aiden, unscrewing the cap as he spoke. “Can our safe word … I mean code word be enchiladas too?”

  “Look at you, Keeper, embracing your inner asshole.”

  James leaned back in his chair. “That sounds super dirty.”

  “This conversation has gone way beyond my expectations,” David mumbled, shoving his chair back and standing. “I’m going to check in at work, I’ll be back.”

  “You can’t run from this kind of crazy, we’re your family now!” James shouted after him.

  Just then, every single cellphone sounded in a unified melody of different tones.

  David reached for his phone and swiftly spun back around. “I am guessing that means I’m not going anywhere.”

  Along with everyone else, Aiden swiped at the screen of his phone and opened the text. It was a group message from Lucy.

  Family meeting in 20. Farmhouse.

  A series of groans sounded and then, another round of buzzing and beeping echoed through the room. When Aiden glanced down at his phone he saw that James had responded to his sister’s message with the poop emoji.

  Then, yet another chorus of phones announced a text as Lucy sent a middle finger emoji.

  “Okay!” Greg shut his eyes. “No one respond! I’m going to wake up Steph for the meeting. Someone start some coffee.”

  Aiden couldn’t help but smile. This family was totally nuts.

  “I’m heading out now.” Liv collected the box of doughnuts and slipped her purse over her shoulder. “Are you going to be all right here?”

  “Of course,” Amy replied, as she carefully lowered an empty coffee pot into the sink.

  “You sure?”

  “Don’t worry, I got this,” she assured Liv in an exasperated voice. “Now get out of here.”

  “Okay, okay! I’m going. Call me if you need anything.”

  “Everything is fine. Stop worrying.”

  “All right, I’m really going now,” she said with a laugh as she headed for the door.

  Once she’d gotten Lucy’s group message, she knew that everything had gone well with her telling Jack. She knew that was what the family meeting was about, but she still had to be there since there was going to be talk of the upcoming attack.

  Everyone but Lucy and Jack were already waiting in the kitchen when she arrived at the house. She pushed open the door and found the room packed. People were leaning on the counter, sitting at the table and had brought in chairs from the dining room to sit. “Here.” She set the box in the center of the table. “I brought these. I hope there’s coffee to go with them.”

  Dan and James both jumped forward, trying to snag the box, but Dan got there first. “I love it when you bring home treats.” He eyed the choices with longing eyes.

  Liv reached over and plucked one of the Dutch apple muffins from the box and turned to Aiden, who stood by himself in the corner of the room. She strode across the room to him, well aware that his eyes were following her as she did. She held the muffin out to him in offering and told him, “Don’t say I never did anything for you.”

  He accepted the gift, his eyes softening just the slightest bit. “Thanks.” He held onto it as if he didn’t know what to do with it. “And just so you know, I’d couldn’t accuse you of never doing anything for me. I’m living in your house. I think that qualifies as doing a lot for me.”

  Liv was starting to get him. She definitely still had her doubts, because he was a Reaper, after all. But, he was always this complete asshole and then he had softer moments where she could see a little bit of the real person that was in there.

  “Your staring at me.”

  Quickly, she stepped back and shook her head. “Oh … sorry.”

  “Thank you for this.” He held up the muffin. “They’re my favorite.”

  “We had them on hand.” She nodded. “It was no big deal.” And then, she pivoted away so that she was facing the rest of the family again.

  In that moment, she realized that Aiden made her nervous. Not like she thought he would hurt her, but the kind of nervous that she hadn’t felt for a really long time. She still despised Aiden simply for being a Reaper. She hated him for kidnapping her sister, and the fact that he was a complete jerk most of the time didn’t help. Still, all that aside, there were these times when she felt a shimmer of a connection with him, and that scared her more than anything else he had ever done.

  She shook off the thoughts fast when her sister burst through the door with Jack directly behind her. “Oh good. You’re all here.”

  “Luce, if this is about the attack, we have new information,” Greg started to explain.

  She shook her head. “No, this doesn’t have anything to do with that. Well … it does, but not right now. I’ll get to that.”

  Jack’s arm slid around her waist and pulled her a little closer, as if sensing she needed the extra support. Lucy leaned against him and then tilted her head up to look at him. After that her eyes met Liv’s. Liv gave her an encouraging nod and then Lucy began. “I … I guess there is no easy way to say this.”

  “We’re having a baby!” Jack shouted before Lucy could ease the announcement to the family.

  For one long moment, the room fell deadly still. Mouths dropped, eyes widened, but no one uttered a word. Jack had a smile the size of the Grand Canyon across his face and Lucy’s eyes were flicking from person to person, hoping to gauge what they were feeling from their expressions.

  Then, Hannah slapped the table and stood up. “I knew it! I knew you were pregnant.” She shoved her chair out and lunged for her sister. “I’m happy for you. A baby is never anything to be sad about.”

  Lucy returned her sister’s hug, closing her eyes. “But, it sort of is. We are in the middle of a war with the Reapers and I’m the Chosen One, I’m the one they are gunning for.”

  “You have all of us,” Greg reassured her. “We won’t let anything happen to you.”

  “You’re all okay with this?” Lucy asked in a soft voi
ce. “I … I don’t even know how okay I am with it, but I need you all on board.”

  Dan glared and wiped his hands on is jeans. “We’re always on board. That isn’t even a question. Did you actually think any one of us wouldn’t support you?”

  She shrugged. “I don’t know.”

  Liv had been standing beside the refrigerator with her arms crossed in front of her. Hearing the uncertainty in her sister’s voice, she went to her and wrapped her arms around her. “That is something you will never, ever have to worry about. We are always here for you. Estmond power, remember. We are stronger together.

  Lucy rolled her eyes at the term they had used when they were younger. “This isn’t like I made the decision to get a new car or change jobs, this is a baby.”

  “We said we’re here for you and we’re okay with it, so what else do you want from us?”

  “Dan!” Steph slapped at him. “Knock that off.”

  “What? It’s true. I’m not going to sit here and tell her the same thing over and over again.”

  James shook his head, taking sides with his twin. “You’re a dick.”

  Dan shrugged as if he didn’t care one bit.

  Liv caught Jack exchanging a knowing look with Aiden. Aiden executed the slightest bit of a nod, acknowledging whatever it was that Jack told him with his eyes.

  “So what this means,” Lucy continued, “Is that Jack …” She moved her gaze to Liv, “And Liv, have suggested that I not be allowed to go infiltrate the Napa house.”

  “It wasn’t a suggestion,” Jack told her. “You’re not going.”

  “I just don’t feel right letting all of you put yourselves in danger while I sit here and wait, hoping that you all come home.”

  Greg cleared his throat and tossed a knowing look to Aiden. Liv watched the exchange and knew another curve ball had just been tossed. “Okay, what is it now?” she demanded.

  “Aiden got a call from the Empress,” Greg explained.