by Rae Rivers
But this was different. She was different.
He palmed a breast, rolling a nipple between his fingers, grinning at the soft sound she made at the back of her throat. She was so damn beautiful and he couldn’t get enough of her. Not when she’d moulded into him like she was meant to be there. A perfect, tight, incredible fit.
But dammit, his timing sucked.
Reluctantly, he pulled away, breathless and wanting and irritated with himself for his dog-assed lack of restraint. She’d just been attacked by some voodoo crap and he couldn’t keep his hands off her.
Go figure.
Frowning, he stepped around her, testing the water and reached for her hand. He caught a glimpse of her in the mirror. Feminine and beautiful and so damn sexy. All slender curves and tanned skin, marked with the dark brown tattoo that stretched from her hip upward.
He zoned in on the mark, tilting his head as the steam blurred the image in the mirror. It was longer, more detailed.
He stilled as something blasted through him. Recognition. For a moment, he simply stared, speechless, wondering if he could be wrong.
But he wasn’t. Even as the image disappeared completely, he knew what he’d seen. Sure, the mark was prettied up with some fancy patterns and intricate designs but …
“Ethan?” His gaze snapped to hers. “Are you okay?”
“Your tattoo,” he murmured, moving around her to wipe the mirror. “Look.”
She glanced over her shoulder at her reflection. Her eyes narrowed, her brows creasing as she studied the mark. Then she gasped and jerked her gaze back to his.
“That’s why we couldn’t figure it out,” he said, excitement coursing through him. “It’s mirror-imaged. It’s not just a tattoo. It’s a map.”
CHAPTER FIFTY
They were trapped.
All dressed and armoured and standing on the porch raring to go and they couldn’t get out of the damn house.
“What the hell?” Ethan grumbled, slamming a fist on the invisible wall at the bottom of the steps. He searched the ground and cursed when he spotted the thin white line that trailed along the ground. Frustration and fury boiled inside him. He glanced at his brothers charging down the stairs toward him. “We can’t get out. They’ve used a salt spell.”
A spell designed to trap a Keeper. Around their goddamn house.
Declan spread his palms against the barrier. “You gotta be shitting me.”
He wished he was. And the timing couldn’t have been worse. “This means Sienna’s right. Hazel’s already here, in Rapid Falls.” No doubt, on the estate.
Jenna adjusted her bow and arrow around her shoulders, glancing at the sky. “Ciphering that magic on tonight’s full moon.”
Declan snorted. “Not if we can stop her.”
“How the hell are we going to stop her if we can’t leave the house, Declan?”
“You can’t,” Sienna said from the top step, “but I can.”
They all stared at her, the magnitude of her words striking them all. The spell would trap them all inside the house, Kate included, because of her hybrid blood, but Sienna would be free.
“Over my dead body, Sienna,” Declan snapped, waving a finger at her, his eyes flashing with irritation. “Uh, uh, witchy. Don’t even think about it.”
“Declan –”
“You’re not going anywhere,” Ethan cut in, his tone clipped with anger. “It’s too dangerous, Sienna. We’re stronger if we’re together. All of us.”
“She doesn’t know that we know where the location is,” Kate said. “Or that Ethan and Jenna are home. So why the salt spell?”
“They’re watching us,” Sienna replied. “Hazel’s waited so long for this. There’s no way she’s taking any chances.”
Declan sent Sienna a raised brow. “So what’s the witchy workaround for the spell?”
Sienna lowered her gaze and shook her head. “Only Hazel can –” She gasped as Kate brushed past her and hurried down the stairs, holding up her hands. “Kate, no!”
The moment Kate touched the barrier, her body jerked backward as though she’d been shocked. Jenna was behind her in a heartbeat, gritting her teeth at the charge of electricity.
Cursing, Declan reached for Kate, but she elbowed him away and tried again, feeding her magic into the spell in an attempt to break it. When her body trembled vigorously, Jenna and Declan tugged her away.
“Dammit, Kate,” he grumbled, “you’re going to hurt yourself!”
“I can do it, Declan!” she snapped, pushing him off her. “I broke the salt spell before, I can do it again!”
“Kate,” Sienna said, stepping forward. “This is different. It’s Hazel. Last time, it was Megan who cast the spell. She’s nowhere near as powerful as Hazel and she’s most likely already tapping into some of that magic. If that’s the case, breaking her spell won’t be easy. Even for you.”
The air sizzled with frustration as they stared at each other helplessly. And helpless was a stupid emotion Ethan loathed.
“Wait, what about the tunnel?” Jenna asked, her face brightening. “No one knows about it.”
Ethan spun around to stare at her, cracking a wild grin. Oh, yeah.
****
Leaving the stuffy tunnel was a relief felt by all.
But it came with a lot of angst too. They were away from the safety of their home, surrounded by dark forests and a ton of danger. The weather was crap, thick clouds covered the sky, patching the near-full moon. It had turned cold and windy, causing the trees to sway in a gentle rhythm.
Ethan was grateful for the darkness. It cloaked their emotions as they walked through the woods in silence, the mood sombre. Tension ruled, knowing what they faced.
Hazel had found the location of the massacre. On the Bennett Estate. Their home.
Shit, how could they not have known?
His parents, once Keepers to Sienna’s mother and grandmother, had built them each a house on their estate as a way of striking a balance between privacy and protection. Two families, bound by a destiny, love and loyalty. Sienna’s home – hell, the entire estate – had become a platform for hundreds of childhood encounters together.
On the site of the damn witch massacre.
But what better way to hide something so valuable and dangerous than in clear sight? Genius.
It didn’t take long to find the path that led to her old house. Heaviness enveloped them as they walked. Returning to Sienna’s old home, once ravished by the fire that had claimed both their parents, was a weight they all shared.
The path was overgrown, abandoned. They’d all avoided returning since that night and now, years later, the once well-worn path had almost vanished. The charred remains of the house, the memories of that night, and the heartache that came with it were painful reminders of everything they’d lost.
All at the hands of the Brogan family.
And tonight, several years and dozens of battles later, was a culmination of the war they’d fought for so long. Hazel had found the magic her family had been searching for. The very magic Ethan and his family would do anything to protect.
Thunder rumbled in the distance, the sky marred with frequent flashes of lightning. The closer they got to Sienna’s house, the more the air sizzled with energy.
“I can feel her,” Sienna muttered, shuddering. She swiped a lock of red hair away from her face. “I’ve always felt an energy buzz in Rapid Falls, especially here.”
Not surprising, their town – her home – was fuelled by the energy of many dead witches. Right under their damn noses. Imagine that.
“At least now we know why,” he said.
“But tonight it’s different.”
Ethan put an arm around her shoulders and gave her a quick squeeze. Although tall, she was small beside him. “Those witches were killed on the land beneath your home, Sienna. Good witches. That counts for something. We simply have to figure out how to use that.”
“If Hazel ciphers that magic, Ethan, she’ll b
e evil on steroids. That terrifies me.”
“She’s still mortal.” He gave her an encouraging smile. “And you’re a Beckham witch. You can handle her.”
He released her and glanced at Jenna. She walked closely beside Kate, a bow and arrow strapped to her back, eyeing her surroundings. Her expression remained unreadable, her hair braided into a single concoction that hung down her back. She’d been quiet since they’d decoded her tattoo earlier. Probably trying to figure out how the hell the map of the massacre location had ended up on her back.
The magic. The map. The damn Pure symbols – whatever the hell that meant. They were all connected. Somehow. A thought that had plagued them all since the discovery.
A witch, a hybrid warrior, and a Keeper. Three women that meant far more than loyalty or duty to him and his brothers.
Ethan’s gut tightened at the thought, and for a moment, he wished it had stayed just that. A duty. But the emotions that rang between them had screwed up everything. Raised the stakes to more than simply preserving the balance of nature and fulfilling a destiny they were born for.
He heard the faint rustling of bushes and the snap of a twig a moment before he heard the soft growl.
Hellhounds. Six of them.
Creatures he’d never seen before, large and vicious. Their eyes were a glow of orange. Their lips upturned, showing sharp teeth and drool. They were all growling softly, bodies poised in stalk mode.
And they stank like hell.
Declan and Archer moved silently beside him, a barrier of brotherhood and duty between the beasts and the women. Ethan heard the quickening of heartbeats around him, the rush of adrenaline and fierceness that came with the overwhelming need to protect. Defend. To get their witch – and women – home safely.
Ethan released a heavy sigh, all too aware of the hostility that emanated from his brothers. “Ready?”
“Hell yes,” Declan grunted.
Ethan frowned when Archer grabbed his arm. “Now’s not the time for a nobility speech, Archer.”
“I wasn’t planning on one.”
“Good, ‘cause tonight …” Ethan turned toward the hellhounds, a glowing ember of evil in the darkness, “all gloves are off.”
CHAPTER FIFTY ONE
Jenna’s stomach clenched as three of the hellhounds sauntered closer, bodies crouched, eyes on their prey. The other three hung back, but kept to the sides, circling them.
They were all growling, a chorus of warning that sent a chill down her spine. They were huge, their viciousness and strength more scary in reality than the ones she’d imagined as a child.
And there were so many of them.
She heard a rush of air as a flame sparked on the ground in front of the three women. It trailed off into a thin line, a barrier between them and the hounds, and formed a protective circle around them. Jenna stepped out before it closed.
“Jenna!” Kate gasped, reaching for her, but reared back when the flames flared.
Without looking back, Jenna shook her head. “If they’re anything like the ones we saw the other day, it’s not the witches they’re after, Kate.”
“All the more reason you should’ve stayed in the circle!”
“Declan, they’re –” Jenna’s words were trapped in her throat as the hellhounds charged. Jenna dove for the nearest one, kicking and punching in synchronised movements, effortlessly slipping into the training that had saved her so many times.
“Jenna, behind you!” Ethan yelled. He held out his arms and she jumped forward, grabbing his hands. He dug in his heels, using his body as an anchor, the movement giving her the momentum she needed to swing her body around him. As she came full circle, she delivered a powerful kick, slamming her boot into the hellhound’s face.
Bone crunched, a satisfying sound, but it lunged for her, snapping its jaws. Archer came up behind it, grabbed the hound around the neck and snapped. Its eyes bulged and it went limp instantly, sagging in Archer’s grip.
“Declan,” Jenna shouted. “They’re afraid of fire!”
“Why the hell didn’t you say so?” Declan grunted. Two fireballs sprang to life in his hands. The remaining hellhounds hesitated, the wariness in their eyes fuelling Declan into action. He tossed both fireballs at once, following it up with several more in quick succession, striking them all. Still flaming, they continued to approach, snarling furiously, but their movements were unsteady and slower and it wasn’t long before they collapsed. The stench was unbearable.
Panting, the brothers circled, back to back, searching for more threats. The bodies of the smouldering beasts lay scattered around them.
But there was one unaccounted for.
Jenna counted again, whirling around when Sienna’s protection circle faded. A hound had crept out from behind a tree and stood in the shadows behind Kate, body poised in attack mode. “NO!” Jenna screamed and started running.
Declan had seen it too and they simultaneously lunged for it. But instead of taking down the hellhound, they crashed into each other. Pain seared through Jenna as her shoulder took the impact of the fall. The hound charged for the witches, spittle flying from its mouth, but veered off track when Ethan slammed into it from the side. He twisted around as they fell and snapped its neck.
The silence was instant, marred only by the sound of the crackling of flames as the fire receded.
Breathless, heart pounding, torn between gratitude and fury, Jenna shoved Declan off her. They rose quickly, glaring at each other. “Dammit, Declan, why’d you do that? You almost got us both killed!”
“Stupid question, Blondie. It was about to attack Kate.” He swiped a hand across the shimmer of moisture that covered his forehead.
“I know, I was there, but you got in my way, dammit!”
“More like you got in my way.”
“And while we were fumbling over each other, the hound had a red carpet directly to Kate! She –” The rest of her sentence vanished as something in the distance behind Declan caught her attention. Her heart leapt as she traced the shadow emerging from the bushes. It was one of Hazel’s warlocks and she caught a glimpse of a shiny machete in his hand.
Without missing a beat, she withdrew an arrow from her shoulder pouch, readied her weapon and aimed.
“Jenna, what the hell?” Declan shouted, his jaw dropping as the arrow flew toward him. But it missed his shoulder by inches and slammed into the warlock behind him.
She had the next arrow ready to go as two more warlocks stepped out of the bushes and quickly released another two lethal rounds. The speed at which she moved was exhilarating, a skill that had taken years to master. The men collapsed to the ground with soft groans, their weapons clattering to the ground.
Declan swivelled around to face her, his mouth parted in surprise.
“Next time,” she said, slinging her weapon across her shoulders, “let me do my job and protect my witch.”
****
They reached the edge of the forest without any more resistance.
Although that would be short-lived, Ethan knew that. The moment Hazel saw them, she’d be onto them like vultures at a kill.
The old Beckham house stood in a clearing in the distance, the backdrop of tall trees behind it. A double-storey house with a pointed roof and a wrap-around porch. Both had been devoured by the flames, leaving behind blackened walls. The garden was messy and overgrown, the grass at knee height. Old, dilapidated, charred ruins – a shadow of what it had once been.
They should’ve cleared it years ago, but no one had the heart or courage for it. So the house had gone ignored, a permanent reminder of the catastrophe that had claimed their parents. Four people with a vision of living in harmony amongst the ordinary folk.
A dream Ethan, his brothers and Sienna still fought for. A never-ending war.
They moved in silence along the edge of the forest, until the back of the house came into view. A ring of fire surrounded the house, illuminating the walls in a yellow haze. No doubt a protection circle.<
br />
“Hazel’s smart,” Declan muttered beside him, although his tone lacked surprise. They’d expected one.
“So are we,” Ethan replied. “Difference is we have the element of surprise on our side. She doesn’t know we’re here.”
Declan snorted. “That witch bitch seems to know all our movements lately, brother. We shouldn’t underestimate her.”
It wasn’t hard to spot Hazel amongst the crowd. She stood in the centre of the circle, Megan, Rick, and John hovering beside her. They were surrounded by a crowd of followers – loyal warlocks and witches with the same vision. Destruction, power, control. A vision that had destroyed Hazel’s entire family and so many others.
They were mostly men of different races and ages, but they all wore menacing expressions and clutched a variety of weapons. They were chanting quietly, a repetitive sound that echoed in the darkness.
Ethan stole a glance at Jenna. She stood beside Kate, watching Hazel and Megan. Her expression remained blank, but her eyes gave her away. Fear. An emotion he hadn’t often seen in her. But tonight was different. She’d spent two years with these people, pretending to be like them. Her betrayal had marked her in the eyes of every single enemy that stood before them.
His gut twisted at the thought of anything happening to her and he had to take a few deep breaths to expel the rising panic inside him.
Thunder rumbled above them, followed by flashes of lightning that danced across the sky. Clouds hovered above, a dark grey of gloom that warned of a massive storm.
“The full moon hasn’t peaked yet,” Sienna said softly, breaking the silence. “Hazel’s already harvesting the energy, but she’ll only be at her strongest when it does.”
“She’s in a protection circle,” Kate said. “I’m a Null. I should be able to break it, Sienna.”
“It’s risky. That circle was created by Hazel’s magic, fuelled by the power of the dead witches. Absorbing that much energy could kill you.”
“Then how will we reach her?”
“Let’s start with the warlocks outside the protection circle first and work our way in,” Ethan said. “It’s a process of elimination.”
