Читать книгу The Keepers: Declan - Rae Rivers - Страница 11

“What are you doing here?” she whispered, her heart slamming against her chest.

“You really think I’d let you get away with stealing from me?”

“And you’ve picked now as the time for vengeance?” She gaped at him. “Are you crazy?”

“You’re the one who’s crazy for coming here in the first place!” He flicked a glance at Harper. “What were you thinking? You saw what they just did.”

“You know him?”

“He tried to kill my witches a while back. What do you want with him?”

“That’s none of your business, Declan. Why are you here? You’re going to blow my cover.” Something she clung to desperately now that she’d seen what Harper was capable of.

“Honey, your cover was blown the second you walked in that door.”

“What do you mean?”

“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.

“We need to get out of here,” Declan said, grabbing her hand.

“Where to? We’re trapped!”

He glanced at the building opposite them and she gasped.

“Hell no, Bennett.”

A brief grin broke out onto gorgeous lips and he tugged her closer. “Oh, hell yeah.”

“Declan, I can’t!”

“Of course you can. You’re a damn Keeper,” he said, reaching for her hand.

She dug in her heels, panic taking hold of her. “Not like you! I can’t –”

Harper’s henchmen charged, oozing anger and aggression, and Declan’s grip tightened as he started running. Kate screeched and followed blindly, clinging to him as though he were a lifeline.

They landed on the opposite building with a speed that left her dizzy, and tumbled to the ground, colliding with the table and chairs.

“Are you okay?” Declan asked, breathless, and scrambled to his feet.

No. Everything pounded, raced, ached, but went ignored as he pulled her up. “I’m fine.”

They headed for the exit, a lone steel door that proved to be impenetrable – even with Declan’s strength. He shoved, kicked, and the door dented but refused to give way. Kate tugged the necklace off her neck.

Shoving the enchanted key into the lock, she flashed him a smile when it clicked open.

“Later, when this is over, you’re so giving that back to me,” Declan said and pushed her inside.

The door slammed behind them. They rushed down the stairs, making their way through the building and out one of the side entrances.

The street was packed with the usual night owls, and the mood was cheerful, a contrast to the tension that riddled them. The crowd engulfed them in boozy delight and they were swept away.

“Where to now?” Kate shouted above the noise.

Reaching for her hand, he pulled her closer, dipping his head beside hers. “Just keep moving forward. We need to get as far away from this crowd as possible. Harper will have his people everywhere and once they’ve mingled with this lot, it’ll be impossible to tell the difference between them and the tourists.”

A blonde woman dressed in leather wedged herself between Kate and Declan and took him by the arm. “There you are, sunshine,” she said with a flirty smile.

Kate glanced around, but confusion reigned as the crowd swept her away.

“Declan!” she shouted, looking over her shoulder, torn between the urge to find him and run from him. He might have helped her but they were still enemies. He’d still want answers, his key and the daggers – all of which she wasn’t ready to part with.

And he also knew about her magic. They all knew.

Oh, God.

A hand snatched her wrist.

“Let’s get out of here,” Declan said, tugging her to the side of the crowd.

“Where’re we going?”

“Away from these people.”

She hesitated, her mother’s warnings rushing forward, but relented. Right now, her options were limited.

Still holding her hand, he led her to the closest alleyway, glancing behind them as they walked. They neared the back door of a hotel and he reached for the handle, cursing to find it locked.

“Wait,” she said when he rattled it with frustrated force. “I have the key.”

Dark eyebrows hitched. “You do?”

She pulled out the key chain nestled between her breasts. As she unlocked the door, unease arrowed straight to her gut and her heart began to race. Her breath caught as Declan grabbed her hand, tugging her so roughly that she tripped on the step.

“Dammit, Kate, get a move on!” he snapped. He reached for her and she drew on every ounce of willpower not to flinch at the mark on his left wrist.

The tattoo of the warlock he supported.

Slapping his hand away, she rose, eyeing him carefully as panic took grip.

His gaze fell to his exposed wrist, triggering a smile.

She drew on her centre, channelling her power the way she’d been taught.

The lights flickered and energy filled the air as the image of Declan disappeared to reveal Max. His long hair hung in messy strands around his flushed face. A flicker of surprise crossed his expression when he realised she’d disarmed him, but disappeared as he gave her a smirk.

Her mother had once warned her of Mimics – people with the ability to imitate others. It was a dark magic, seldom seen or used, but its perfect execution had fooled her.

Declan.

Like hell.

She reeled for the door, but he lunged, slamming her against the wall. He shoved a hand against her mouth, muffling her scream. He smelt of cigars and aggression. Her attempts to break free only tightened his grip and earned her a yank of the hair.

It got her attention.

As did the knife he slid against her throat.

He swung her around to face him, shoving her against the wall without budging the knife.

“Crash course in survival, darling,” he drawled, pressing it into her flesh. “If you’re being hunted, don’t seek out your hunter.”

Something snapped inside as Kate gasped for air, clawing at the hands that held her prisoner. She felt the flush of energy with her fury and dug her nails into his skin so hard that he grunted.

“Crash course in survival, asshole,” she said in a steady voice, pleased that her tone gave nothing away. “If you’re hunting your prey, don’t underestimate her.” With an animal scream, her knee came up with a speed and force that buckled him.

She aimed a kick that sent him sprawling across the floor. His outraged roar ripped through the corridor and he struggled to his feet, swiping hair from his face.

He lunged forward, but with a dizzying movement, she grabbed the fire extinguisher attached to the wall and released the nozzle. Thick white spray devoured him, sparking howls of rage. She took four strides toward the blinded man and whacked the fire extinguisher across his head, crying out in relief when he crumpled to the ground.

“Kate!” yelled a female voice as a door further down the corridor burst open to reveal a breathless blonde woman.

Jenna froze in the doorway, her gaze shifting from the fallen warrior to Kate. Her eyebrows were tense, her mouth clamped in fury. She was still wearing Kate’s clothes.

“What are you doing here?” Kate cried out. “You were asleep!”

“No chance in hell I’m missing out on all this,” Jenna replied glancing at Max.

For a brief moment, they stared at each other as Kate’s mind scrambled for an explanation.

Damn Hazel’s stupid tea!

“You drugged my tea!” Jenna snapped.

“Clearly our dosages need work,” Kate shot back, glancing at the door behind her.

“Harper will hunt you down, Kate. There’s nowhere to hide.”

The truth sent her panic soaring. Raising the fire extinguisher, Kate squeezed the nozzle as Jenna began to run toward her. She threw the weapon into the white cloud and raced for the back door. Kate slammed it just as Jenna reached her, her fingers trembling around the magical key as she turned the lock. Ignoring Jenna’s furious pounding and shouts, Kate backtracked into the alley, her body trembling at the cold realisation that she’d almost walked into a trap.

Had it not been for Max’s tattoo, she would have gone with him.

Declan. Had he really been at the club?

Adrenaline, fear, and confusion stirred and she sagged against the wall.

Refusing to embrace her vulnerability, Kate pushed herself up. With shaking hands, she took to the streets, the truth gnawing at her:

She couldn’t trust anyone.