The Keepers: Declan

by Rae Rivers

  Along with various other unwelcome thoughts and emotions.

  His jacket strained across his muscular chest beneath the material – a chest she remembered too well. Smooth, strong, solid. His dishevelled hair had been raked into order, and a thin layer of black stubble covered his cheeks. He looked rugged, tough, and all man.

  A man who’d kissed her senseless the night before and had her soaring against a tree.

  The thought sent a tremor of excitement through her that she was quick to dismiss. Instead, she scolded herself for allowing the kiss to happen in the first place. A tree!

  Despite his sarcasm and flippancy, there was something dark and quiet about him; a wall between him and the world. Behind those mischievous dark blue eyes Kate saw flashes of sadness, and she wanted to know why.

  More insight into him would mean more insight into his world. But unless she got to know it, she might never be free of it.

  Declan veered to the right, heading for a cluster of rocks beside the river, the sudden change of pace surprising her.

  Relief coursed through her. “We’re stopping?”

  “Briefly. We need more water.” He rummaged in his rucksack, pulling out his phone.

  “Any signal yet?”

  He shook his head and turned it off. Shoving it back in his bag, he sat on a rock, dumping the bag between his legs.

  “Your brothers will be worried.”

  “They know I’m here.”

  “Your duty is to your witch, but here you are with me. You must really hate the idea of Harper getting his hands on my powers.”

  His expression hardened and just as she thought he wouldn’t reply, he nodded.

  “Sienna’s in good hands.”

  It was impossible not to miss the change in his tone when he mentioned her. “You miss her.”

  “Hard not to when I’m hardwired to protect her.”

  Their relationship fascinated her, and she wondered how it would feel to have someone care about her like that.

  Dismissing the thought before it took root, Kate sat beside him and removed her shoes.

  “It must have been hard losing Rose,” she blurted and then snapped her mouth shut as she heard his intake of breath. Wow, she hadn’t even bothered dipping her toe before jumping right in.

  Clearly, she’d struck a nerve.

  A muscle worked in his jaw and he stared straight ahead, unblinking. His eyes clouded with a sadness that struck something inside her.

  The loss of their old witch still hurt him. Really hurt him. The kind of hurt that crippled.

  He scowled at her, clearly not up for this discussion. “If you knew Harper was after your powers, why did you go to his club?”

  She should’ve known he’d change the subject.

  “You were determined to seek him out. But here you are, running from him,” he added.

  “I had no idea what they were capable of.” Images of the club came to mind and she pulled a face. “I only went there to observe.”

  “Something tells me we only saw the surface.”

  “You think there’s more?”

  He nodded. “It was a private party but there were ordinary people all around. The risk of exposure was huge and it didn’t stop them. And the animal behaviour was creepy.”

  She smiled at his expression. “Have you seen them behave that way before?”

  “Never. Mason and Warrick used spells and crap but his warriors usually went for brutal force.”

  “Why would they start acting this way now?”

  “The Brogans kept them in check. They all want exposure but Mason wanted it on his own terms, in his own time. They would have followed.”

  “So without Mason, they’ve grown restless.”

  “Something like that.” He dug out the water bottle, tipped it in her direction and stood. “And you still haven’t answered my question.”

  “Harper and I have unfinished business.”

  “So you decided to waltz into his club and paint a target on your ass? What is it with you witches always looking for trouble?”

  “Once Harper found me out, I knew he’d never stop looking for me.”

  “How did he find you?”

  “I have no idea. We were careful, kept to ourselves, but he still came for me.”

  Declan spun around so fast that the stones beneath his feet shifted and rolled into the river. “You’ve met before?”

  Kate sipped the water, refusing to acknowledge the emotions that had begun to tug at her. “He killed my mother.”

  Surprise flashed across his expression.

  Knowing she couldn’t leave it there, she explained what had happened at her mother’s death. The chase, the car accident – tortured memories that hurt like hell. The more she talked, the more the sadness churned, the more his agitation grew.

  “So you want revenge?” he asked.

  “Don’t you?”

  The thunderous cloud returned to his eyes and he looked away. “It’s different for you.”

  “Because I’m a woman?”

  “Because you’re alone. Going after Harper and his sidekicks is suicide. They’re scavengers, not kittens!”

  “Harper needs to pay for what he did, Declan. If he hadn’t come for us, chased us in that car, we’d –”

  “Nothing you do will bring her back. Is it worth risking your life, the balance? Because once they have what they need from you, they won’t hesitate to kill you.”

  “What other options do I have? I’ve spent my entire life hiding and running. I’m tired of it. Harper has to pay for what he did.”

  “And then?”

  “I just want to be left alone.”

  “You really think that’s possible? Even after everything your mother did, they still found you.”

  “So you’re saying I’ll never be free?”

  The slight lift of his eyebrows was all the confirmation she needed. Kate shot to her feet, indignation flaring.

  “Your powers are weak, but it won’t stop Harper from wanting them,” he said.

  “Weak?”

  “Deny it.”

  “I can still handle them on my own.”

  “You don’t have to do this alone, dammit,” he retorted in frustration. “Once we get to Rapid Falls –”

  “I never said I’ll go to Rapid Falls with you, Declan.”

  Silence fell, thick and prickly, and he slowly turned to face her. “I thought we’d covered that.”

  “I never agreed.”

  “You are on a kamikaze mission, aren’t you?”

  “You said it yourself; my options are limited. But I’m still not sure that going with you is the right thing.”

  “Why would you refuse our protection? God knows you need it.”

  “I know. But it feels like one prison after another. You’re all after my magic, but what about what I want? What about me?” A bitterness took hold, a clench of resentment.

  Turning around, she marched off, rearing back as a streak of fire crossed her path. Ignoring Declan’s handiwork, she changed direction, only to curse when the fire raced around to form a neat circle.

  “Cut it out, Declan,” she warned as protective energy ignited inside her. She drew in a deep breath, reminding herself that he’d never harm her. But her fear of being trapped fed the storm. “Declan, stop it.”

  He didn’t budge, and neither did the fire. Instead, he met her gaze, amusement softening his expression.

  She exhaled but held her ground, refusing to be bullied. Staring at the fire, she made her own connection, just as she’d practised with her mother, and focused on the whirl of incoming sensations.

  Energy that wasn’t hers.

  Declan’s force worked its way through her body, reaching her centre. It felt strange, but less of an invasion than other magic she’d absorbed.

  The fire went out and Declan shifted beside her.

  “Kate,” he growled, grimacing. His gaze flickered between hers and the smouldering fire, his fists cl
enching.

  She released her hold on his magic, gasping when she felt it flow back from her body.

  Declan bolted forward and grabbed her arm. “What the hell was that?”

  “Don’t manhandle me!” she snapped, swatting him away, fighting the disorientation that always followed her magic. “You were the one to bring magic into this.”

  “You messed with my magical mojo!”

  Despite the tension between them, she laughed at his incredulousness. Her reaction only fuelled his outrage.

  “Your mojo’s fine,” she said quickly, unable to keep the giggle from her voice.

  “Then what was that?”

  “You know I’m a Null. I just immobilized it. Temporarily.”

  He gaped at her. “Well, it sucked. Don’t you dare do that again.”

  “Then don’t bully me.”

  Her smile faded as she realised the depth of his anxiety – bordering on panic. “Your powers are fine, Declan. My magical energy only nullifies for a few moments.”

  “You call that magical energy?” Disgust laced his words, and he released her, stepping back. “I channel energy. You destroy it.”

  Indignation flared. “I do not!”

  “Then what do you call that?”

  “I disarmed you. There’s a difference. Stop looking at me like that!” Tossing her shoes to the ground, she tried not to flinch at the blisters on her feet. Standing up, she waded into the water, welcoming the instant numbing. “Stop being so melodramatic. It was self-defence. I don’t destroy anything unless it’s about to destroy me.”

  “You can control it?”

  She turned away, but not fast enough to mask her unease, and went for her shoes. “I’m learning.”

  “And you’re worried that I’m dangerous?”

  Using a handful of leaves, she dried her feet and tugged on her shoes, biting down on the anger stirring in her belly.

  “How do you do it?”

  She raised a brow.

  “Your Kryptonite crap. How does it work?”

  “I’m not Kryptonite!”

  His eyes narrowed, challenging her words.

  She sighed. “You channel energy from within and connect with fire. I do the same but connect with magic, absorbing it. Once it’s no longer a threat, I release it.”

  “Kryptonite.”

  “Protection. And I’d be happy not to use it on anyone if I were left alone.”

  “You know that’s not going to happen.”

  She gave a noisy sigh. “Yeah, so you keep saying.”

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  Declan stopped at a cluster of rocks by the river, unloaded his rucksack, and tuned his hearing into the sounds.

  A waterfall.

  He grinned and peered up at the sky, tinted pink from the setting sun. Trees surrounded them, the mountains looming. He unfolded the map and scanned it briefly.

  With a nod, he returned the map to his pocket and looked over his shoulder for Kate, who had fallen behind.

  They’d had a gruelling day trudging through trees, rocks and snow. She’d done well, kept up with him, but exhaustion showed in her flushed face and lips clamped in determination.

  Gutsy. He had to give her that.

  “Why are we stopping?” Kate panted, coming up behind him.

  “The waterfall is near, which means we’re close to the railway line.”

  Wide eyes flashed with relief and a huge smile broke free. “Really?”

  He checked his watch. “According to the schedule, there’s a scenic train scheduled to pass through this evening.”

  Her expression brightened. “How far away are the tracks?”

  “Lower down the mountain, past the waterfall.”

  “There’s a waterfall?”

  “You don’t hear it?”

  “No.” Her smile faded and she stared at the river. She waggled her fingers toward her right ear. “I hear everything and nothing. It’s weird.”

  “You need to filter.”

  Her eyebrows rose and he grinned.

  “Without the filter, the noise will drive you mad.” Taking her hand, he helped her onto the rock and felt her heartbeat quicken against his chest as he stepped behind her. His closeness unsettled her. Good.

  Keeping one hand on either side of her hips, he turned her to face the river. For a moment they stood in silence, absorbing the beauty, a mocking contrast to the evil on their trail.

  Raising one arm, he pointed further down the river. “If you close your eyes and listen, you’ll hear the roar of water up ahead.”

  “I can’t, Declan.”

  “Close your eyes, Kate,” he insisted, tightening his hold when she tried to pull away. “Focus on each noise, one by one, until you hear it.”

  She tilted her head, brown eyes flashing with suspicion.

  “Close your eyes,” he murmured. “Focus. Eliminate every noise until the sound of the water is magnified against everything else you hear.”

  With a soft sigh, she closed her eyes and fell silent. A small frown creased her delicate brows as she listened.

  “Whatever you’re hearing, tune it out,” he whispered against her ear.

  “Even you?”

  “Can you?”

  He heard the increase in her heartbeat, felt it pulse against his fingers. She didn’t answer and he smiled.

  Apparently, he wasn’t the only one having a hard time.

  Unable to stop himself, his hands trailed up her body, across her shoulders. One hand cupped the back of her head while the other shifted her hair to expose the long column of her throat.

  “I can’t concentrate when you do that,” she whispered, but didn’t pull away.

  “I can’t help it. You’re beautiful.”

  “You’re just horny.”

  He laughed and touched his lips to her neck, breathing her in. Keeping her in place with one hand, he left soft kisses across her skin, a trail of teasers along her jaw. He tilted her head back and sideways, nibbling the corner of her mouth.

  She released a breathy sigh, the sound making him instantly hard.

  So he kissed her. Soft, teasing, tasting. And it took everything he had not to turn her around and demand more.

  He drew back, grinning, not missing the flush in her cheeks, or the way her heartbeat pounded furiously against him.

  Clearing his throat, he turned her back to the river. “Filter through until you’re only hearing the water.”

  “Right. That should be easy now.”

  He chuckled, teasing her cheekbone with another kiss, receiving an elbow in the ribs for his efforts.

  “Stop kissing me!”

  “Focus, Kate.”

  She did, although it took a while for her to relax. He felt the agitation lessen and she tipped her head back against his shoulder.

  “Can you hear it?” he prompted.

  A brief smile hinted that she could and Declan grinned.

  “Yes. It’s all I hear.” Her eyes flew open and she shifted in his arms so that she faced him. “Everything else went so quiet. God, it’s the most silence I’ve heard in ages!”

  He smiled. “Filtering. Without it, you’ll go mad.”

  “You could have told me this earlier.”

  “In between the moments that you drugged me or tried to stab me?” He flashed a fake smile.

  “Oh, don’t be so dramatic.”

  She began to move away but he stopped her. Edging closer, he brushed his lips against her ear, grinning when he felt the shiver run through her. “Fool me once, Wildcat.”

  Her reply was snatched away by the sound of voices in the distance. With lightning speed, he backed her behind a tree.

  Her heart rate spiked and her breathing quickened.

  Declan scanned the forest, focusing on the voices, his agitation mounting.

  “Harper?” Kate asked.

  He nodded, glancing at the river, calculating an escape plan. “All of them.”

  He saw the flash of fear in her eyes
, ached to wash it away, and drew on the anger that beckoned. He needed to get them off the damn mountain.

  He held her, conflicted by the urge to protect and stand his ground. Running from their attackers contradicted every one of his fighting instincts, but he knew that Harper and his warriors would be a challenge. Especially ones with freaky magical powers like the ones he’d witnessed at the club.

  And he had Kate to consider.

  Shit.

  Not that she couldn’t hold her own.

  Declan hoisted his rucksack and took her hand. “The river.”

  As they turned, a flash of movement collided with the tree branches nearby. The tree shook on impact, disrupting layers of snow. Declan shoved Kate behind him, cursing when he saw one of Harper’s warriors perched above them.

  A jumper. Dammit.

  His sweaty blond hair clung to his face and there were dark smudges under his eyes. He appeared human, but his movements smacked of something else.

  The warrior grinned and tilted his head back, releasing an animal cry that made Declan’s gut clench.

  His accomplices echoed the cry and Declan heard them in the distance.

  “Well, well, the Null is alive and kicking,” the warrior drawled.

  He jumped across to the next tree, landing on a thick branch above them. Declan followed with a leap of his own, using his speed and bulk to disarm the warrior.

  The collision sent them tumbling to the ground in an explosion of grunts and curses. Declan jumped to his feet, blocking a blow with a roar. He ducked, spun around and kicked, grunting with satisfaction when the warrior smashed against a tree. He lunged forward, shoving his hand against the warrior’s heart. Pinning him with a death stare, Declan channelled his force. Droplets of sweat pooled on the warrior’s forehead and he grunted as heat overtook his body.

  His face reddened, as though someone had fired up a blow torch. Gasping, he passed out and Declan tossed his body aside with a growl.

  Sweet fucking justice.

  His senses flickered in warning at the arrival of more warriors. Their movements were sleek and animal-like as they jumped, climbed, or leapt toward them.

  Whatever magic Harper had used was effective as they gained on them with alarming ease.

  Kate stood by the edge of the river, staring pointedly into the tree above their attackers.