The Keepers: Archer. Rae Rivers

rounded a bend marked with several large, overgrown bushes that he pounced.

      Strong, powerful, and terrifying.

      His hands grabbed her and in a fluid motion, she was absorbed into a clearing in the bushes, into him.

      She tried to scream but the heavy hand covered her mouth, smothering her cries. She couldn’t breathe, couldn’t see.

      The more she struggled, the more force he used. His aggression pressed against her back like hot lead, evil and angry, and terror took a powerful grip.

      Oh, God.

      She lashed out, her elbow connecting to his ribs. He grunted, and she broke free. Before she could move, he charged, and for the first time, she saw his eyes.

      Black, cold, evil.

      She’d seen those eyes before, and they smacked of the life she’d once shunned.

      “What do you want with me?” she cried as he lunged for her. They tumbled to the ground, her arms beating, pushing, shoving.

      But he was stronger and he hit back.

      “Stop!” she cried. “You’re hurting me!”

      “Be still, witch,” he snapped in a tone so cold that she felt the chill wash over her.

      The result was instant. She froze and gaped at him. “Witch?”

      “Surprised?” He grinned, without humour. “Surely you knew it was only a matter of time before we came for you.”

      “I don’t know what you mean.” She blinked, trying to clear the fog in her mind.

      He shook her, not caring as her head connected with the ground. “Feigning ignorance won’t help you.”

      “Why are you here? What do you want?”

      “We’ve come for you. For the book.”

      And just like that, in a blink of an eye, the life she’d once fled came crashing down around her.

      A life as a powerful Beckham witch, fiercely protected by three Keepers. She’d always known it would catch up with her. Now that it had, fear and a crippling sense of pain and loss threatened to choke her all over again.

      “Let me go!” she yelled.

      A slap to the face left her dizzy and confused and when she fought back, he continued with the punches until she stopped struggling.

      Silent, she closed her eyes as fury washed over her, and began to tremble.

      Her body quivered from the inside out as the trembling intensified… stronger, stranger, bolder.

      With a soft cry, she flung out her arms, drawing on an inner strength that had been silenced for too long. Air whooshed past her ears with a force that made her wince. A moment later, without touching him, her attacker hurled through the air like a limp puppy.

      Oh, God. Her powers. It had been so long since she’d used them and they almost terrified her more than the attack itself.

      He flew backward, hitting the tree behind him, and stared at her, seemingly unsurprised. With a soft growl, he jumped up and began to circle her.

      “Are you insane?” she snapped, struggling to her feet, her entire body shaking. Although shock still riddled her from the surprise attack, anger had wedged itself deep inside, enough to clear the murkiness that lurked. “This is a public park. There are people here. You know the rules.”

      “We’ve taken care of that. No one will hear you cry.”

      “Clearly, whoever sent you failed to warn you about messing with a Beckham witch.”

      “Ah, but the witch walks without her mighty Keepers. A fact that has had many tongues wagging.”

      An image of her Keepers came to mind. Three powerful warrior brothers who’d been her protectors, friends, and allies fending off anything dark and evil that had upset the balance of nature. Despite having run from them, from that life, she couldn’t deny the sense of longing that came whenever she remembered.

      Dismissing all thoughts of her Keepers, she straightened her shoulders and summoned up a confidence she didn’t quite feel. “And yet it’s taken this long for someone to come for me. That makes you either super courageous or incredibly stupid.”

      His eyes narrowed at the taunt. “You don’t scare me, witch.”

      “We’ll see how you feel when I turn you into a toad,” she said, keeping her tone light. His eyes widened, and she almost smiled at the brief flash of apprehension. Almost. It wouldn’t help to tell him that toad turning wasn’t her style. Instead, she swallowed her own unease, her mind racing for an escape route.

      A rustling in the bushes had her whirling around and her heart sank when two more men stepped forward. Like her first attacker, they were both dressed in black and wore expressions of evil.

      “Who are you?” she cried, her voice quivering at the realization that this was one fight she might not win. Not without some help. Two years ago, she had sworn off her powers for good and hadn’t tapped into them since. But the three men outnumbered her in more ways than she cared to admit, and no amount of traditional self-defence would save her.

      They circled her like a pride of lions, and she swore she could hear them growling.

      Insane. Maybe she was crazy after all.

      She shook her head, choking on fear, but refusing to back down. She wouldn’t go down without a fight. And just like that, they attacked.

      ****

      Archer Bennett had known an attack on Sienna was imminent. The darker world had been quiet for far too long and he’d been biding time until the moment hit.

      But now that it had, fear curled in his gut like an unwelcome visitor. Adrenaline soared through him, triggering every protective Keeper instinct he possessed.

      From his perch in the trees above them, Archer watched as the three men circled Sienna, rage bubbling inside him. They’d set up the perfect ambush – at the edge of the lake, void of spectators, overgrown with a wall of trees and bushes – and she’d run straight into their trap.

      Her screech pierced the air and tore through him, and he readied himself to jump. Sienna fought on, kicking and punching, reaching for half-forgotten spells – determined not to back down.

      Typical of a Beckham witch.

      It was no good – the men were closing in. Archer pushed forward, flew through the air with the rapid speed of a Keeper, and landed on the ground below with a soft thud.

      Not waiting to determine if they’d sensed his presence, he launched himself toward them.

      The fight was uneven, but he drew on his heightened strength, power, and hatred for the men preying on the frightened woman.

      Bodies entwined, fists connected with flesh, and blood-curdling growls filled the air. A cloud of dust surrounded them, muffling the visual impact of the fight.

      With a swift movement and a possessive roar, he lunged for Sienna and placed himself in front of her as – exhausted and unseeing – she crumpled to the ground. The three men growled and snarled while he swiftly scanned the lake behind them. With a sense of calm that always came when he tapped into a sacred part of himself, a sacred part of her, he slowly raised his arms toward the lake.

      Controlled and deliberate. He had a message to deliver, a witch to protect, and three men needing a lesson on the consequences of messing with a Beckham witch and her Keepers.

      A soft trickle of water had all three men glancing behind them as understanding dawned. Clearly, from the horror that quickly twisted their expressions, they knew all about the Keeper with the power to manipulate water. Before they were able to react, the trickle quickly turned into a loud rumble of waves as the water rose up to form a solid wall. Archer moved his hands in circular motions