The Keepers: Ethan

“You’ve seen them before?” Kate asked. “What are they?”

“Hellhounds.”

“What on earth is that?”

“Not something you want to mess with.” As a child in Ameera, hellhounds had been the equivalent of the monsters under the bed that haunted children’s dreams. Although they usually kept to the outskirts of the city, Jenna had always been terrified of them. “They came through the portal.”

“How do we know there aren’t more on this side of the river?”

“We don’t, but now we know to look out for them.”

With a final howl, the hellhounds fled.

Kate blew out air, her gaze shifting to the remains of the bike below. “So, Miss 007. We’re stuck in the forest and you’ve destroyed our ride home. What now?”

“We’ll stay close to the river. There’s an old well further down. It’ll be tricky to find in the dark, but if we can access it we can access the tunnel that leads to the house.” An old underground tunnel the brothers had cleared in case they needed a quick escape. She pulled out her phone to call Ethan. “With luck, Sienna and her muscles can meet us along the way.”

“Sienna would’ve spelled the entrance shut.”

“You’re the witch who eats magic. Piece of cake.”

“Eats magic?” Kate laughed, but her voice sounded tense. “That description totally kills my image.”

“Who cares if it’ll open the tunnel?”

“Are you sure it’s safe?”

Jenna’s grin widened as she put her arm around Kate. “Don’t worry. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

“I should hope so. I’d hate to be hound food.”

“Declan would kill me.”

“Nice to know he motivates you.”

“Speaking of Declan …” Jenna grimaced at the bike. “I just blew up his bike.”

They both knew how much Declan loved his bike.

“Think he’ll be mad?” Jenna asked, even though she knew she’d just plummeted to the bottom of his Christmas list.

Her question went unanswered as they stared at the fading flames in silence.

And then Kate giggled.

CHAPTER ELEVEN (#ulink_610aa9ee-224f-583f-a2c8-ea0113e8e717)

The air in the tunnel was hot and musty. Dozens of cobwebs hung from the low ceiling, difficult to spot in the narrow flashlight of Jenna’s phone. It was a long, uncomfortable walk but the tunnel served its purpose.

Ethan and Declan were waiting for them, Sienna and Archer behind them. They all sported scratches and bruises, worried frowns and pissed-off expressions. But the tension in the air eased the moment they were reunited.

After exchanging relieved hugs and quick updates, Archer and Sienna led Kate out of the tunnel and into the basement. But Jenna didn’t follow. Instead, she turned to Declan, hovering beside her like a riled-up bear. She swiped at the moisture on her forehead and sighed. “You really want to do this now, Declan?”

“Damn right.” His words were quiet and fury clouded his expression. He pointed after Sienna and Kate. “Archer wrapped his car around a damn tree thanks to air bags exploding for no reason and Kate –”

“Is unhurt and home safely,” she interrupted, reaching for patience. “I said I’d take care of her and I did, Declan. That tunnel was torture and I’m not in the mood –”

“Were you hurt?” When her brows lifted, he moved around her. His hair was messier than usual, his shirt torn, a hint he’d had a struggle of his own. “Dammit, Jenna, were you hurt?”

“Like you care?”

“Kate cares so I care and if you’re watching over her, then I need to know you’re in top form.”

A small smile broke free. “Careful, or I might think you’re worried about me.”

“Keep dreaming, Blondie.” Frowning, he took her arm. “I told you to stay at the restaurant.”

“Things settled quickly after you left. It was safer to leave.” She yanked her arm free. “I brought her home, Declan. That was the best of a lot of crappy options.”

“What happened?” Ethan asked, dropping a hand on his brother’s shoulder, easing Declan away from her. His knuckles were red, swollen and scratched.

“We were ambushed in the driveway,” Jenna replied, her lowered tone losing the defensive edge, “by hellhounds.”

“Hellhounds?” Ethan gaped at her. “They’re legends. We’ve never –”

“They came through the open portal to Ameera,” Jenna interrupted. She explained what had happened and the more she spoke, the more their agitation grew. “We had no choice but to head for the forest.”

Ethan ran a hand across his face. “Shifters, hellhounds, what the hell’s next?”

“I saw Megan tonight. She had a message. Hazel wants to exchange closing the portal for her Grimoire.”

Declan snorted. “Right. Like we’d agree to that.”

“Of course not but …” Jenna inhaled quietly, her gaze moving between theirs. “If the portal stays open, what we saw tonight won’t scratch the surface of what’s to come.”

They nodded, a heavy silence wedging between them.

Ethan moved to the side of the tunnel and held out a hand, motioning her forward.

She glanced back at Declan. “Oh, and I should mention you’ll need a new bike.” Her heart thudded at the intensity of his glare. Slowly, silently, he raised a brow. “It was either saving Kate or your bike. I went with Kate.”

“That was the explosion we heard?” His nostrils flared. “How’s it possible that in one night, one fucking night, creatures from hell set fire to our town and targeted Kate?”

“Oh, and that’s the other thing,” Jenna said quietly. “I don’t think they were after Kate. They were after me.”

****

They were after me.