The Keepers: Ethan

“You haven’t won yet, Pocahontas,” he reminded her.

Light blue eyes sparkled with mischief. Her bright smile emphasised high cheekbones and perfect teeth. She handed him an arrow. “Your turn. I showed you mine. Now you show me yours.”

He flashed his wildest grin. “That sounds kinky. Even for me.”

She laughed again. “In your dreams, stud muffin.”

“Stud muffin?” He shot her a look of disgust and snatched the bow from her, reaching for a confidence he didn’t quite feel. He wasn’t a bad aim when it came to archery, but Jenna’s talent for the sport outranked his.

“You remember what this final challenge means, right?” she called over her shoulder as she combed the riverbed for a rock.

“How could I forget?”

Their afternoon of combat practice in the forest surrounding their estate had once again turned into a contest. One he wasn’t guaranteed of winning. Not with her. Where she lacked his bulk, she made up for it with determination and skilled martial arts manoeuvres that frequently left him breathless. Lately, she’d been pushing harder, channelling her frustrations into their training sessions the same way he did.

She reached for a rock and straightened. “You miss this shot and you’ll be buying me beers on our next night out.”

“If I miss. Not gonna happen.”

“Right. Let’s get on with it then. I’m eager for the bragging rights that I was the woman to kick your ass.”

Yeah, he’d hate that.

Even if she was a Keeper, like him. A skilled warrior with heightened physical abilities who’d befriended his sister several years ago whilst training at the academy. They’d been inseparable until Jenna had been selected by The Circle, a group of ancestral witches who governed the rules of magic, to leave the academy and infiltrate their enemies, posing as one of them.

They’d assigned her to Kate Carrigan, a hybrid witch she’d protect above everything else.

Because that’s what Keepers did.

And protecting Kate meant rubbing shoulders with the very people wanting to harm her.

Bad ass.

Carrying four rocks, Jenna walked back to him and dropped them onto the ground at his feet. Her delicate brows lifted at his scrutiny. “You’re staring. It’s kinda creepy.”

“Just thinking how awesome you are.”

Although she’d meant for the punch to his arm to be playful, it still packed a powerful blow. “Flattery won’t score you a win. Time to settle this once and for all. Pay attention, stud muffin.”

“You really should stop calling me that.”

Her grin was all mischief. “No harm in trying to throw you off your game.”

“Scared you’ll lose?”

“No. Now stop stalling and man up.”

She reached for a rock on the ground, the movement shifting her t-shirt to expose smooth, tanned skin above her belt. The glimpse of ink surprised him.

A tattoo?

The urge to reach out, to explore, went ignored and he averted his gaze when she straightened. “How about we up the reward?” he asked.

“Feeling confident, are we?”

“Always. That make you nervous?”

“No.”

“Fine,” he said. “I’m upping the stakes. You win and I’ll not only be your personal beer slave, I’ll –”

“Do it shirtless too.”

He frowned.

“Come on,” she prompted with a laugh. “You’re that certain you’re going to lose?”

“Fine, it’s a deal. But if you’re choosing your prize, then I’m choosing mine.”

She laughed. “I think me running around shirtless would ruffle a few feathers.”

His included. And it wouldn’t be pleasant. The thought of her shirtless in public arrowed all kinds of objections through him.

“No,” he said firmly, refusing to dwell on why. “There’s something else I want.”

“Ooh, you sound serious.” She walked around him, straightening his arm that held the bow. “So what’s your prize?”

“You’ll tell me where you went last night.”

Her eyes widened. She met his gaze, a prickly silence overshadowing their previous playfulness. Her expression shifted from surprised to hesitant – both reactions he’d expected.

“You’ll be wasting your win on that answer, Ethan. It wasn’t important.”

“The fact that you snuck out at midnight without telling anyone tells me it was.”

“I needed air.” Frowning, she nudged the arrow at him. “Take the shot. It’ll be dark soon. You’re meeting your brothers at the restaurant in an hour and I’m on witch duty.”

“So you agree to the new terms of the challenge?”

“No.”

“Come on,” he mimicked. “You’re that certain you’re going to lose?”

“Fine. You’ll never win anyway and if you’re upping the game, I am too.”

He raised a brow.

“Don’t look so shocked. You’re the one who took us beyond the beers and shirtless fun.” She flashed him a smirk that softened the irritation in her eyes. “Next time you go on a business trip, I want to go with you.”