The Keepers: Archer

His mocking tone stirred the lull inside of her and fury sparked a sudden burst of renewed strength. Sienna pushed at his chest and he stumbled backward. Stronger than her, he recovered with the speed of a demon and pounced.

His slap was brutal. “You’re weak, Sienna. Nothing you do can harm me.”

“I won’t always be weak,” she said, hating that he was right. The effects from the Rose Thorn still ravaged her and until the dreaded herb left her system, she would never be able to fight him off.

“But just to be sure …” he said with a wicked smile and brought the syringe toward her.

She baulked in fear, panic taking its destructive grip. “You can’t!” She tried to back away from him, but stumbled against the couch behind her. “A second dose so soon could be deadly.”

He grinned and closed in on her. “A gamble.”

“No!” she screamed as all three men held her down and injected her with the dreaded herb. The affect was instant and her body went completely limp. She fought for consciousness, tried to claw her way out of the blackness.

And lost.

Much later, she resurfaced long enough to hear the shouting, breaking glass and violence - terrifying sounds that rattled her to the core. She tried to open her eyes, to make sense of the chaos around her, but sleep beckoned.

Then silence fell.

Confusion reigned and she couldn’t move, couldn’t fight back. Alone. She was so alone and at the mercy of these three men.

And out of the darkness, she saw him.

Archer.

“Sienna,” Archer murmured, kneeling beside her. “It’s over.”

“Archer?”

“It’s okay, we’re here. You’re safe now.”

Strong arms drew her in as the blackness engulfed her again.

Her Keepers had found her.

CHAPTER FIVE (#u45d1bd4b-e875-5cdf-abc0-bfa0b0653968)

BENNETT ESTATE, RAPID FALLS, CANADA

“Archer?” His name, whispered in the darkness, had Archer bolting from the chair in the corner of the bedroom.

“Sienna.” Archer sat on the bed beside her, relief washing over him. A quick study along the length of her reassured him that she was fine. Pale and thin, but she was awake – and safe. She looked lost in the massive bed and for a moment, he wasn’t sure if the bed was ridiculously too big or if she was simply too damn small. “You had us scared to death.”

“Remind me to hunt down every last Rose Thorn tree and destroy it.” She grunted and tried to sit up, blinking to clear the cloudiness. “That herb packs a powerful punch.”

“It’ll take a while for the affects to wear off and for your body to heal.” Archer reached for her, adjusted the pillows. Her arms felt tiny in his hands, almost as though they were silly little branches that could be snapped without any effort at all.

She settled back against the pillows and ran her fingers through her long hair, the colour of fire, in an attempt to tame the wavy curls. “Where am I?”

“We brought you home.” And about time too. The huge mansion nestled on a quiet estate in the hills had never been the same since she’d left. Private, peaceful, surrounded by forests that had frequently been her favourite escape over the years.

Green eyes widened in surprise, and she quickly glanced around the bedroom. “Here? To Rapid falls?”

“It’s the safest place and it’s your home.”

“Was my home.” She covered her face with her hands and released a frustrated groan. “Dammit, Archer. Why did you bring me here? This is the last place I want to be and you know that.”

“That’s a conversation we’ll have when the Rose Thorn is no longer mulling your senses.”

“The Rose Thorn doesn’t change how I feel about this place.”

Her words stung but he kept a straight face. Her determination to stay away surprised him. She really hadn’t wanted them to find her. It annoyed him until he saw the underlying fear in her eyes.

She was scared.

Of coming home? He knew she carried her own demons and coming home meant facing them but did she really think she could run forever?

He of all people knew all about relentless demons. They always caught up in the end.

Sienna massaged her temples and looked at him, the frown that creased her brows softening. “You found me again.”

He dangled the necklace in front of her for a brief second but quickly palmed it when she reached out. “No way, Sienna. The spell you cast on the necklace keeps me from sensing you. Until Warrick’s off your back, it stays with me.”

“Dammit, Archer. Give me my necklace.”

“So that you can disappear again? Hell no.”

Sienna winced at an attempt to settle back into the pillows. Not caring for her reaction, he manoeuvred himself behind her and pulled her into his arms. Surprisingly, despite the tension and uncertainty he sensed in her, she relaxed against him. “I think we’ve already established that you need us, Sienna, and you’re better off here than with Warrick and his bootlickers.”

“He’s gathered some minions?”

“It appears so.”

“They’re after the Grimoire.”

“I know.” His gut clenched at the thought.

“Archer?” Her voice was soft, barely above a whisper, and chased away all thoughts of the warlock. “Just so you know, I didn’t take off my necklace, they did.”

“Why didn’t you?’

“You would’ve come for me.”

“Of course.” And it had nothing to do with the fact that he was duty bound to protect her. How could he explain that ever since their parents had died in the fire on the estate, that she’d become the very essence of his world? She was his best friend and knew him in a way that few others did. They’d always shared a special connection but the tragedy of losing their parents at such a young age and in such a horrific way had cemented their bond forever. He pressed his face into her hair and inhaled. The action stirred heaps of memories and against his will, his body stirred viciously in response to her.

“Thank you.”

He tipped her head back so that she faced him. “Would this be a bad time to give you grief about running again?”