Rae Rivers - The Keepers - Ethan

The sky in the distance had darkened, the pretty pink dissolved by a black cloud of doom that moved toward them at a rapid rate. It looked like a thunderstorm rolling in, destroying all traces of the beauty she’d previously admired.

“Ethan?” He’d seen it too and stood with his back to her, staring off into the distance. “Please tell me that storm’s yours?”

“It’s not. And I don’t think it’s a storm.”

The crows above her took flight, circling, their high-pitched shrieks soon joined by numerous others. Uneasy, she gaped at the blackness creeping in.

A plague of crows. Thousands and thousands of squawking birds, sucking everything joyful out of their surroundings.

Shit.

Wings flapping, nose-diving, shrieking with excitement, the birds engulfed them.

Jenna crouched low, swatting them away as they circled from all directions. Pecking, scratching, screeching. Her desperate attempts to swat them away were wasted on the sheer number of birds.

“ETHAN!”

He’d already jumped to her side of the river, waving his arms to fend off the invasive attack. “Jenna!”

She couldn’t see, couldn’t breathe, engulfed within the stench of wild madness. Her foot caught on a tree root and she cried out as she collided with the rocks. Pain arrowed through her, along with the vile taste of panic.

A hand closed over hers, a lifeline through the chaos.

“Jenna!” Ethan squeezed her hand. “Close your eyes!”

She felt the flutter of wind, gasping in relief when several crows relinquished their grip.

Ethan crawled closer. He covered her body with his, tucking her head against his chest. “Close your eyes. NOW!”

She did and pushed her face into his shirt.

Heat fired beneath her cheek as energy swirled through him, erupting in a vigorous whirlwind around them. The crows flapped furiously for control, squawking in protest.

Ethan held her, shielding her body with his.

The whirlwind turned into a small tornado, sweeping the birds across the river, gathering water and other forest debris.

Everything fell quiet.

Blissful stillness tinged with choppy breathing as they struggled to catch their breaths. In the distance, the tornado faded, the sky still marked with a few lurking crows lucky enough to have avoided the turmoil.

Blowing out air, she shifted her gaze to Ethan’s. He was scratched and bloodied. A quiet fury burned in his eyes.

He ran his fingers through her tangled hair. “Are you hurt?”

“I’m fine.” She leaned back on her knees and exhaled. “They came out of nowhere!”

“That was the biggest damn infestation of crows I’ve ever seen.”

She shook her head. “That wasn’t an infestation, Ethan. It was an attack.”

A heavy silence filling the space between them.

“It’s Hazel,” he said, the words coming out in a low growl. He leaned back on his haunches, a harsh frown narrowing his eyes, and met her gaze. “Dammit, she’s back, isn’t she?”

“She never left. She’s simply been quiet.”

Until now.

THURSDAY EVENING

BENNETT ESTATE

A matter of time.

Jenna had known that. But the few months unmarred by Hazel’s darkness had been blissful, despite the constant anxiety that churned inside.

But it was over.

Ignoring the surge of panic at the thought, Jenna walked into the Bennett cellar, not bothering with the light, and retrieved another bottle of wine from the shelf.

The temperature was cool, maintained for optimal storage of wine. Dark shelves lined the walls, stacked with bottles of wine; some home-brewed using their own grapes, some from other wine estates. It smelt of grapes and cork, a delicious aroma that brought comfort.

The sound of her friends’ laughter drifted through from the living room, high-pitched and excited. A given, considering the amount of wine they’d consumed. She desperately needed another glass to ease the tension knocking at her insides. Ever since the incident with the crows earlier, a permanent sense of doom had hijacked her mood, her body wired with an adrenaline high she’d found impossible to shake.

She headed back to the doorway, gasping as a familiar tingle of pain spread across her hip.

Oh, no.

She fumbled for the light switch and lifted her t-shirt. Even though she knew what awaited her, her heart still plummeted at the fresh mark etched on her flesh.

Beside two others that had appeared a few days ago. Faint images, similar to a birthmark but darker. Like a tattoo. She’d always had a mark on her hip – the mark of her lineage, one she kept hidden from everyone. But lately, the damn thing kept sprouting. They held no meaning, but a few magical tattoos appearing on her body out of nowhere spelled trouble.

“Jenna, where’s the wine?” Sienna called from the living room, startling her.

She lowered her t-shirt, drew in a deep breath, and went into the kitchen. The house was mostly in darkness, dimly lit by a few lamps that offered warmth to the old house. It had been renovated over the years, carefully furnished with a style that smacked of wealth. Thanks to generations of family money and a thriving wine estate, the brothers lived a life of luxury Jenna had never known.

The opposite of the poverty she’d endured whilst growing up.

She hadn’t yet told them where she came from. Ameera. The secret realm that harboured supernatural beings, most of which had a hunger for violence and chaos. A place where danger lurked at every corner. A city of neglect and violence. Destruction and despair.

The brothers knew of Ameera’s existence, but for them their knowledge of it was derived from stories and folklore.

For Jenna, Ameera was home.

Or at least, it used to be. A long, long time ago.

Shaking her head to ward off the sadness that always came when she thought of her family, Jenna walked into the kitchen. The room still smelt of their dinner, a chicken dish Sienna had prepared to perfection.

Flames burning in the fireplace against the living room wall masked the spacious room in a flicker of orange. It was almost too warm for it as the harsh winter cold had finally relented, but needed for the black cauldron boiling steadily in the centre of the hearth.

Sienna and Kate sat on the floor in front of the pot, surrounded by cushions from the leather couches, empty wine glasses in hand. Bottles of herbs littered the coffee table, their ingredients for tonight’s potion.

With her long red hair, pale skin and green eyes, Sienna appeared gentle and feminine, but beneath her beauty was a power that could be lethal if not controlled. Where most elemental witches could channel one element of magic, Sienna could channel four. Earth, Air, Fire, and Water.

Next to her, Kate sat relaxed and happy despite the fact that, like Sienna, she was one of the most hunted witches on earth. Her long dark hair had been stuffed into a messy knot above her head; her bare feet revealing toes painted in bright blue nail polish.

This was the hybrid witch Jenna had sworn to defend. It was her calling, her destiny, something ingrained within her that couldn’t be explained. Only the Bennett brothers got it and for that their bond had been instant – despite the challenges she faced with Declan.

The two women broke out in a cheer when Jenna sauntered toward them, opening the wine.

“Have I ever told you how much I love living with wine farmers?” Sienna asked, her voice tinged with laughter as Jenna refilled her glass.

Kate grinned, holding up hers, and hiccupped. “Yip, it certainly has its advantages.”

“Farmers?” Jenna echoed, pleased her voice held no trace of her previous unease. She laughed and tipped the bottle in their direction. “Suddenly I’m having flashes of red-checked shirts and pitchforks. I think wine makers are the words best suited to your guys.”