The Keepers: Archer (9 page)

A peaceful hamlet situated in an area well known for producing excellent ice wine, with rolling hills rich in all types of greenery, endless rows of vineyards, and surrounded by mountains and forests. A place that maintained and celebrated their traditions every year, and where the town folk were friendly, warm, and sociable. Within the village itself, historical buildings restored to a new modern beauty, thatched cottages, and several quaint shops stood amidst an avenue of beautiful gardens and oaked lined streets. In the centre of town, was the restaurant the Bennett brothers were renovating, the project mostly driven by Ethan. Those needing a calmer approach to life sought out the neighbourhood, known for its safety and tranquillity and quiet streets, with either low fencing or no fencing at all.

Situated on the outskirts of town stood the Bennett estate. It held its own charm – private, peaceful, and boasted massive spans of protected grape vineyards, gardens and forests.

And three very handsome, very muscular bachelors.

Although the vineyards on the Bennett estate produced the vast majority of grapes for the infamous ice wine produced by the local town winery, the three brothers had very little to do with the actual production of the wine itself. They had employed sufficient staff and an excellent manager, Tara Reeds, who kept everything running smoothly. Tara’s family had been a founding member of the town and she knew of their special abilities, but she kept to their agreement and very seldom brought it up. She’d been good for the brothers, taking over the business side of the estate with an ease that gave the three men a lot of freedom.

The Bennett estate supplied the grapes, year after year, to the winery in town that processed them into an expensive, sought after wine. Come January, when the temperature dropped to the perfect degree, it was all hands on deck and they’d all be trudging through the snowy vineyards kitted out in full winter gear to pick the frozen grapes.

Harvesting time had been one of Sarah’s favourite times of the year. The town went into an absolute frenzy to harvest the grapes, always working through the night, and once every last grape was picked, the entire town put on a festival of fun and celebrations that often drew visitors from far away.

Sienna smiled. Even though her return signalled the start of a familiar battle of the wicked, it was good to be back.

“Still want to stop at Lora’s store?” Archer asked, glancing at her in the rear-view mirror.

Sienna nodded. “The few items of clothing I brought from Rose’s house won’t get me very far, so unless you want me prancing around in your shirt tomorrow…”

He grinned. “The look suited you. It’s late, maybe we should come back tomorrow?”

“Archer, stop the damn car.”

With a chuckle, Archer manoeuvred the car into the parking area and stopped outside a quaint woman’s clothing boutique – Sienna’s favourite. The owner, Lora Williams, knew exactly what suited Sienna, thus making a shopping trip a painless and quick experience.

Sienna smiled as she caught sight of Lora through the window. The older woman with blonde hair and a friendly face, stood in front of a shelf, quietly folding several t-shirts. They probably didn’t need any folding, but Lora had never been one to sit still for long. Lora was a messenger of The Circle and also a powerful elemental witch, but no longer a practicing one. A shame, as Lora had the heart and soul of an excellent witch – wisdom that Sienna had frequently turned to when she was younger. But several years ago, Lora’s daughter, like Sienna, had fled Rapid Falls in fear of the witchcraft she’d been born into, taking her young daughter, Kate, with her.

The blow had been brutal for Lora, and she’d stopped practicing as a witch the moment her daughter had left town.

Sienna pushed open the door to the store, eager to see her friend. It had been a long time since she’d had any contact with her friends from Rapid Falls, and she’d missed them.

“Sienna?” Lora gasped, whirling around with a delighted smile. “Oh, my goodness. Come here, sweet child!”

Sienna went into Lora’s open arms with a laugh. “How are you?”

“I’m fine. When did you get back into town?”

“A few days ago.”

“And you’re only coming to say hello now?”

Sienna’s shoulders fell, and she stepped back to look at Lora. “We’ve been busy. I’m sorry.”

“We?” Lora asked, peering over her shoulders through the window outside. “Ah, the Bennett brothers. Glad to see you’re on speaking terms again.”

Sienna followed Lora’s gaze, not surprised to see that several town folk had gathered around the two brothers on the pavement across the street. After all, it was a friendly town and the Bennett brothers were very popular.

Most of them weren’t unfamiliar with Sienna’s handsome entourage but would be surprised to see them together again after so long. They’d always thought that the Bennett brothers were simply smitten with her. How could they know that she was a witch and they were her fierce protectors when their families had spent more than a century hiding it from them? Only a few selected people of the town, the sheriff and descendants of the founding families, knew about the paranormal activity that occasionally reared its head. Together, they worked hard to keep it quiet and maintain order and harmony.

Sure, the town was rich with dark rumours and folk lore of times when mystical creatures had roamed their streets, but that was a long, long time ago. Now it just made for fascinating bedtime stories. Except for Sienna those stories were her reality.

“They seem happy enough,” Lora said, taking her arm and leading her to the clothing. “And you seem like you need some new clothes.”

Sienna grimaced. “My apartment was ransacked and everything was destroyed. I need a few essentials for now.”

“Trouble?”

“You really want to know?”

Lora shrugged. “It won’t matter. My girls are never coming home.”

“Still no hope?”

“No. Jane keeps in basic contact and sends pictures of Kate sometimes, but she refuses to come home. This town, this world, terrifies her and she refuses to have Kate be any part of it. She won’t even let me visit them.”

“I’m sorry, Lora. Must be hard on you.”

“I have a granddaughter I don’t even know and a daughter who won’t come home. Tragic, isn’t it?” Lora squeezed Sienna’s shoulder and brightened. “Now, shall we get you some essentials? A woman can’t return to town after a two year absence looking like that.” With a grin and a twinkle in her eyes, Lora trailed a cheeky gaze over the length of Sienna. “I know just what you need. Wait here.”

The older woman disappeared into the storeroom, and Sienna wondered around the large store. Lora stocked everything a woman could need – hats, bags, underwear, shoes, clothing, accessories. Casual and practical but with a touch of elegance. The fact that a dear friend who knew her basic needs owned the store was a bonus. The store consisted of four rooms that all flowed onto a charming courtyard that offered a water feature and a small garden. The doors were all open and Sienna wandered outside, her mind drifting to the many times she’d shared coffee with Lora in the beautiful garden.

It was tranquil here and offered a perfect pause to the tiresome act of shopping.

An unexpected wave of warning washed over Sienna before she felt the presence behind her. She closed her eyes and drew in a silent breath, needing all the composure she could muster. Without making a sound, she slowly turned, already knowing whom she’d find.

After all, there were several degrees of evil a witch could sense. And this was one of the biggest degrees of all.

“Warrick.”

“I never took you for a woman who likes to shop,” Warrick Brogan said with a half smile. He wore black pants and a casual grey shirt. With his curly dark blond hair and charismatic smile, he looked ridiculously normal.

Only, he wasn’t.

“Thanks to the mess you made of my apartment, I had no choice.”

“Never leave a stone unturned and all that crap. I heard things got a bit messy.”

“You really think I’d be stupid enough to keep the Beckham Grimoire in my apartment?”

“It was worth a try.”

“What are you doing here?” Sienna glanced over her shoulder, quietly searching for her Keepers.

“They’re outside,” Warrick said. He kept his voice low, out of range of her Keepers’ sharp hearing.

“How did you get past them?”

“Another entrance.”

“Where’s Lora?”

“Occupied.”

Sienna stepped forward, her eyes widening. “If you’ve hurt her –”

Warrick’s hand shot out, grabbing her wrist. “She’s fine, Sienna.”

Pinning him with a level look, Sienna yanked her arm out of his grip. “Brave to confront me alone.”

“Who says I’m alone?” He tilted his head to the side, and Sienna caught sight of two men hovering nearby. Both dressed in black, both with fierce expressions.

“You should know better than to mess with a Beckham witch,” she said, straightening her shoulders and stepping back.

“And you should’ve known better than to mess with the Brogan brothers.” His eyes flashed something harsh, and his body grew rigid at the memory of what the witches had done to him.

“I won’t undo the spell.”

His expression eased, and he smiled. “Ah, that’s a discussion for another time.”

She hesitated, wary, but not afraid. Her powers topped his any day and even with his sidekicks standing nearby, she’d handle herself. A simple scream would have her Keepers at her side before either of them could blink. That knowledge settled around her like a protective cloak, giving her the courage she needed to face the man she hated with everything in her. “Why are you back in town?” she asked.

“I have some scores to settle.” He circled her, like a shark circling its prey, and cast a quiet glance along the length of her. “You haven’t changed much.”

“Why are you here?”

“I have something to discuss with you.”

“I’m not up for a discussion with you, Warrick. Ever.”

He laughed, but the sound held no trace of amusement. “Oh, trust me. You’ll want to hear what I have to say.”

“Like hell.”

“For the sake of your Keepers, your grandmother, Lora and everyone you’ve ever loved, you’ll listen to me, witch,” Warrick said casually. “I’ve already killed one Keeper and I’d enjoy killing another.”

His words struck her where it mattered most, and she drew on all her strength not to flinch at the threat.

“Fine,” she said, looking at him, adding a touch of frost to her gaze. The man gave her the creeps.

Warrick picked up three pebbles in a nearby pot and kneaded them between his fingers and palm. “Ah, much better. I far prefer it when you’re pliable.”

“Spill, Warrick. If my Keepers catch you here, they’ll be anything but pliable.”

“Oh, don’t be such a buzz kill,” he said with a fake frown. “I happen to be enjoying myself.”

“Makes one of us. Now spill or I walk.”

“I want to strike a deal.”

“I don’t make deals with the devil.”

“You might if your Keepers were threatened.”

“We’re not afraid of you.”

“Stupid.”

“So what’s the deal?”

“We’ll discuss that later.” A slow smile spread across his face – a face that some people might find attractive. To Sienna, the evil she saw there washed away anything good about him. “I’ve sent you a gift and an invitation.” She opened her mouth to protest, but he held up a finger. “You will open it, you will accept, and you will come. Alone. We’ll discuss my proposal over drinks. That’s all I’m asking.”

Sienna raised an eyebrow. “For me to join you for drinks?”

“For you to hear me out.”

“So talk now.”

He smiled again. “Not here. I have something more memorable planned for us. I’ll see you tomorrow and we’ll talk then.” He moved toward her, his smile fading. “And if you refuse, I’ll strike where it’ll hurt most.”

Her family, her friends. Sienna’s gut clenched at the thought, but she didn’t look away. “Between you and your parents, you’ve already struck where it hurts most.”

“It was never proved that my parents were involved in the fire. Besides, everything that’s happened between our families could all have been avoided had you lot sided with us.”

“Your parents threatened everything our families had worked so hard to build simply because of their greed and desire for control. Humans are not meant to be controlled, Warrick.”

“They shouldn’t dictate to us when and how we should live.”

“They don’t. All they ask for is some discretion. Exposing us would strike fear and panic everywhere and be sure to sign our death warrants. Try living a normal life once that’s out there.”

“My brother and I still share my parents’ vision for our kind, Sienna, and clearly we’re still on opposing teams. Let me be clear. I intend to get my brother back and once I do, we’re going to continue our mission and have every damn human see us for who we are and bow down to us.” His face twisted with anger and bitter resentment. “I hate this town for what it’s done to my family so we’ll start with Rapid Falls first and we’ll move from there. Person by person, town by town.”

“Is that what this is about? Revenge? Your parents caused havoc in town, possibly murdered the four people who tried to stop them, and when suspicion turned to them, they crashed their car into a tree trying to get away. Only a small handful of people in this town know what really happened back then and none of them are to blame for anything that happened. That’s all on your family.”

His frown deepened, his jaw clenched, and he glared at her with hatred. “I will avenge my family, Sienna, and I’m determined to see their vision realized. Our days of living in silence are over.”

“And the people that object?”

“They’ll be used as an example to the ones still sitting on the fence.”

She straightened her shoulders, his words striking rage in her. “Over my dead body, Warrick. Besides, you have no powers.”

Her words didn’t seem to perturb him and he held out his hand, exposing the round pebbles in his palm. With his other hand, he grabbed hers, tilting it so that her palm faced upwards. “We’ll see. You come see me tomorrow or another death will be on your hands, Sienna.”

“My Keepers would never allow it.”

“Make a plan,” he quipped, placing the three pebbles in her hand and closing her fingers around them.

Sienna’s eyes widened and she gasped as hot energy speared through her, touching her in places she’d thought protected. She reeled back, staring at Warrick wide-eyed.

He laughed. “No powers? Don’t underestimate me, Sienna. Everything you need to know about our meeting is being delivered to your house as we speak.” His gaze narrowed in warning. “And everything you fear is on the tail end of your rejection to my invitation.”

She kept silent, not trusting herself to speak. Her body felt violated, touched with a magic other than hers. She opened her hand and dropped the stones, inhaling sharply at the three burn marks they’d left behind.

Warrick flashed her a triumphant grin. “I look forward to our meeting tomorrow, my dear.”

“There’s no chance in hell I’m meeting with you tomorrow, Warrick.”

Her words triggered his rage, shattering the calm façade he’d had since first seeing her. He charged toward her and stopped only inches away from her face. “You will do this, Sienna. You owe me.”

“I don’t owe you a damn thing.”

His hand shot up to the collar of his shirt and quickly loosened a few buttons. He pushed the shirt aside, exposing scarred flesh across one side of his chest and across his shoulder. “You did this to me, Sienna. Trust me when I say, you owe me. And just for the record, I don’t take it lightly when someone crosses me.”

Sienna ignored his intense glare, loaded with malice, and the evil that emanated off him. She’d seen this side of him before and seeing it again only fuelled her own anger. She jutted out her chin, and instead of backing away, she pushed herself closer to him. “I’m not afraid of you, Warrick. Your brother was evil and he hurt a lot of people before we spelled him. Had I known you were just as twisted, I would have sent your ass with him. You got everything you deserved that night in the tomb and if I could go back, I’d do it all over again.” Well, almost all of it. “You saw that night what I’m capable of so you might want to back the hell away before I lose my temper again.”

“We both know that you won’t easily use your powers again, Sienna. You’re terrified of them.”

“Want to tempt me?” she challenged, hating that he was right. His statement annoyed her, but she quickly dismissed it. A few days ago, his words had held a ring of truth to them, but since returning to Rapid Falls, Sienna felt a renewed connection with the powers she’d once shunned. She was still wary and still had a lot to learn, but for now, curiosity and determination had her open to the connection. “It’s men like you that make us so powerful, Warrick. You feed our determination, our power, to rid the world of assholes like you.”

“And I’ll believe that when you back that sassy mouth of yours with some kick ass powers,” he said with a fake smile before backing down. “Until then, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Sienna waited until he was at the door before she snapped his name. “Just for the record, Warrick, I don’t take being crossed lightly either and I don’t socialize with evil so there’s no way in hell I’m accepting any invitation of yours.”

He paused in the doorway to look back at her. “Well, then drive safely, Sienna.” His eyes narrowed and a smug smile broke free. “I hear the roads up to the Bennett estate can be treacherous in the dark.”

The moment he walked away, Sienna sank into the chair behind her and gasped.

Oh, no.

****

A trickle of apprehension ran down Archer’s spine even before Sienna walked out of the back entrance of the store empty handed. His senses flashed with the warning that something was wrong. With practiced ease, he excused himself from the small crowd of neighbours and old school friends gathered on the pavement and went to her.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, casually glancing around.

“Nothing. I’ll come back tomorrow.”

“What happened?”

“Nothing.” She nodded her head in the direction of their friends. “Please let’s go home before they spot me. I’m not up for the onslaught of questions I’d get if they see me here.”

With a quick nod to Declan, he unlocked the black Land Cruiser and opened the door for her. Without looking at him, she pushed past him but he stepped forward, blocking her.

“Archer, I’m tired and it’s late. Please can we go home?”

He raised a brow. “I know you’re not a shopaholic, Sienna, but I also know how much you hate not having your own clothes. What happened in there?”

“I’ll get by with what I have at the house for now.” She met his eyes briefly before lowering them. “Please take me home.”

“Are you hurt?”

“No.”

She was lying. His instincts and senses sparked the way they always did when Sienna was afraid or hurting.

She climbed into the car, ignoring him, but he caught her hand. Her soft gasp and sudden withdrawal as she tugged away had him frowning. He reached for her hand and turned it over in his, inhaling sharply when he saw the three small burn marks.

“Sienna,” he said quietly through gritted teeth. “What happened?”

She pulled away, rubbing her injured hand. “I want my damn necklace, Archer.”

Declan approached and lifted a brow when he sensed the tension. “Something wrong?”

Archer tilted his head and the brothers shared an all-knowing gaze. Sienna ignored them both and got into the car, shutting the door before either of them could say anything more.

“What happened?” Declan asked, walking around the car. He climbed into the front seat and glanced back at Sienna. “You okay?”

She nodded. “I’m tired. And hungry. Do either of you know what Ethan’s making for dinner?”

“You’re translucent when you’re deflecting, Sienna,” Archer said, starting the engine.

“And you’re reaching, Archer. I’m fine, so please focus less on me and more on your driving. These roads are tricky at night.”

“What happened to your hand?”

“I knocked over Lora’s cup of tea,” Sienna said, and Archer sensed a small crack in her armour. “And I’m upset because Lora’s hurting over the loss of her daughter and granddaughter. Could you please put the protective crap aside long enough for me to have my moment?”

Archer glanced at her in his rear-view mirror. It was hard to read her in the darkness but he could feel the worry and fear brewing within her. Why she refused to unload on them, he wasn’t sure, but he decided to back down. If something had happened, she’d come out with it later. “Are you sure that’s all that happened?”

“Yes. Now please take me home.”

Liar.