The Keepers: Declan

“They saw right through you the moment you failed to flash your wrist tattoo to Beefcakes at the front door.” He grabbed her wrist, tapping the empty spot where the tattoo should have been, and gave her a fake smile. “Apparently, it’s a security thing. It shows that they follow Mason, something you neglected to factor into your crazy-assed plans.” She snapped her mouth shut and he nodded at Megan. “See the black-eyed bombshell beside Harper? She’s itching for trouble and just spilled the beans.”

Fear gripped her insides. “And you know this how?”

He tapped his ear. “Super hearing, honey. You'd have heard too if you’d been listening.”

But she hadn’t.

A shift of movement had Declan turning around, pushing her behind him as two bulky bodyguards crossed the dance floor, eyes pegged on them. The men had blatant tattoos on their left wrists and planted themselves in a muscled barricade, blocking any means of escape.

Harper’s menacing gaze met Kate’s across the courtyard, recognition flashing in his eyes.

Kate’s stomach rolled. Oh, no.

Declan didn’t wait for a greeting and bolted forward, his speed catching the men off-guard. With a swift kick and punch, he sent the two men skidding backward. With a vicious cry, he charged, and delivered a few more crippling blows. His movements were controlled, deliberate, and so fast that the two warriors were left gurgling blood. Rick and Max moved closer but hesitated, reluctant to challenge the Keeper. John, always itching to show off his fighting skills, smiled in anticipation as his arms flowed in smooth movements, readying himself to attack. Not waiting to see what the Chinese warrior was capable of, Declan spun around and yanked Kate into his arms.

The air slammed out of her lungs as he leapt onto the closest empty balcony.

Harper shot forward with such force that people scattered out of his path. “Don’t you dare let them get away!” he bellowed to his men and all chaos broke out. “Bring me the woman!”

Within moments, Declan had them on another balcony three stories up.

“How are you doing this?’ she gasped, breathless from the sudden movement.

“Same way you should be, but don’t bother helping on my account,” he drawled as he scanned their surroundings.

“And here I thought you lot lived in secret.”

“We do.”

“This is you in stealth mode?”

He moved toward the railing, scowling at her, and looked at the rowdy crowd below. He cursed and tugged her closer. “Exposing us is the least of my worries right now.”

She followed his gaze, her jaw unhinging at the sight of John and Max climbing the walls like eerie spiders while Rick and Megan jumped from balcony to balcony, hot on their tail.

“What are these people?” Kate cried.

Declan’s eyes flashed with confusion as he took in the creepy animal movements.

“You don’t know?” she screeched. “They’re from your world!”

“Honey, they’re nothing like me.”

A ball of fire came hurtling toward them and Declan shoved her out the way. More followed in quick succession and instead of retreating, he stepped to the edge of the balcony. He raised his arms over the rail and, with gentle flowing movements, created havoc below.

A fire warrior.

Fireballs flew across the courtyard, along with lashes of flame that sent two of the spider climbers reeling to the ground. The bar caught alight, going up in a flare of orange that sizzled through the alcohol, hissing furiously as it gathered momentum.

Shouts broke out, orders were given, and there was a flurry of madness.

Kate gasped as Megan landed in a blast of air on the balcony behind her. Dark eyes seared into hers as Megan began a repetitive chant that triggered Kate’s protective instincts. Despite her lack of experience, she knew witch crap when she saw it and drew on everything her mother had taught her.

Heat whipped through Kate as the spell began to take root. Drawing on her centre, she pinned Megan with a heated look of her own and focused on absorbing the witch’s energy.

Ignoring the unwelcome invasion of magic, she pressed forward. Megan’s eyes widened in response and her words faltered as she felt her energy succumb to Kate’s.

“So it’s true, you’re the Null,” Megan snapped in a tone wrought with disgust, her shoulders heaving as she sucked air. Not waiting for an answer, her arm lashed out. In her hand, she held a whip. With a flick of the wrist, the leather strands hissed at Kate.

Reflexes in prime form, Kate snatched the end of the whip and tugged so hard that Megan jerked forward. She stumbled, cursed, and tried to straighten.

But Kate was faster and kicked out, the strength of the kick more powerful than she’d intended. The woman flew backward over the rail, but grabbed hold and dangled mid-air.

Behind Kate, Declan aimed a lethal kick at the door that sent it reeling off one hinge just as two warriors reached them.

Grabbing Kate’s arm, he all but tossed her into the bedroom before turning on the men with a growl. The hand to hand combat was swift and brutal and Kate gasped in fascination – or shock, she wasn’t sure.

“Declan!” she shouted as she spotted more climbers on the wall outside. Unlike Harper’s henchmen, she didn’t recognise them. “We have to get out of here!”

“You think?”

“Now!” she snapped, rushing to the outer door and unlocking it. More shouts could be heard in the distance of the corridor. “Declan, NOW!”

With a final punch, Declan spun around and joined her in the doorway.

“This way,” she said and bolted to the left.

They ran through the building, heading up to the roof, and burst outside in a gasp of air. Declan ran to the set of chairs in the centre of the roof, grabbed one and used it to jam the door handle. It wouldn’t hold off their attackers for long but it would buy them time.

He moved to the edge of the roof, scanning the ground.

Climbers were everywhere, scouring the walls like spiders searching for their prey. Jumpers hurtled from balcony to balcony, ascending the building with frightening speed.

“Who are these people?” Kate panted, her stomach clenching at the realisation that her enemies were worse than she’d ever imagined.

“Still think it was a good idea to confront them on your own?”

The door handle rattled and they spun around in unison to face it.

“If you have any more of that witchy joo joo you pulled on Megan, now would be a good time to whip it out,” Declan grumbled.

“There’s too many of them.”

“Typical,” he said, rolling his eyes. “You witches are so full of crap.”

“Screw you, Bennett.”

His reply was whipped away as the door burst open, flew off its hinges and slid across the ground.