The Keepers Archer - Rae Rivers - Extract

7/28/2019 The Keepers Archer - Rae Rivers - Extract

1/13


2/13

CopyrightHarperImpulse an imprint of

HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd

7785 Fulham Palace RoadHammersmith, London W6 8JB

www.harpercollins.co.uk

First published in Great Britain by HarperImpulse 2013

Copyright Rae Rivers 2013

Cover Photographs shutterstock.com

Rae Rivers asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.

A catalogue copy of this book is available from the British Library.

This novel is entirely a work of fiction. The names, characters and incidents

portrayed in it are the work of the authors imagination. Any resemblance to actual

persons, living or dead, events or localities is entirely coincidental.

All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions.

By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-

transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen. No part of

this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engi-

neered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval

system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known

or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.

Ebook Edition June 2013 ISBN: 9780007536023

Version 1

Digital eFirst: Automatically produced by Atomik ePublisher from Easypress.


3/13

1

CHAPTER ONE

Central Park, New York

She was under a microscope.

A silly notion, one shed never admit to anyone. Her logical

mind challenged the thought but Sienna Beckham knew just

knew that she was being watched.

Sitting on the grass, she scanned the busy park. A casual,

fleeting glance, nothing too obvious.

Nope. Nothing out of the ordinary.

Just the normal crowd different faces than the day before,

but normal nonetheless. Joggers, strollers, a few picnics, several

ball games all the same. The warm weather and sunshine had

drawn out the nature lovers who appeared reluctant to leave despitethe setting sun. The park, once lush and green, had turned a

magical shade of orange, yellow, and red, a sign that fall had arrived

with fervour.

Her instincts bristled; her gut clenched.

Paranoid? Crazy?

She pushed herself off the grass, drained the last of her water,

and tossed the bottle in a nearby bin.The sun hovered above the horizon, illuminating the tall build-

ings around the park in a gentle orange glow. The lake had turned

a soft shade of pink. One last lap around the park and shed make

her way home to shower and change before heading out to Terroirs

for drinks with two of her colleagues from the bookshop. She

hadnt wanted to go out tonight but it was Saturday, a day they

were determined to celebrate.She pulled her fiery red hair into a ponytail and set off at a

gentle pace. Within moments, she was flying across the park with


4/13

2

a feeling of lightness. Jogging always did that to her, but today

she felt different.

Hell, shed always felt different, but today she felt strange.

Her parents?

The anniversary of her parents deaths loomed dangerouslyaround the corner, threatening to jolt her back into a time shed

rather not remember.

But her uneasiness hinted at something more, something she

hadnt been able to identify all week.

With a shake of the head, she scolded herself for being so

serious, for thinking too much, and concentrated on running with

a clear mind.

She soon lost herself to the fresh air, the warm glow of the

fading sunlight, the wind in her face, and the thoughtless running.

It wasnt until shed neared the end of the lake and rounded a

bend marked with several large, overgrown bushes that he

pounced.

Strong, powerful, and terrifying.His hands grabbed her and in a fluid motion, she was absorbed

into a clearing in the bushes, into him.

She tried to scream but the heavy hand covered her mouth,

smothering her cries. She couldnt breathe, couldnt see.

The more she struggled, the more force he used. His aggression

pressed against her back like hot lead, evil and angry, and terror

took a powerful grip.Oh, God.

She lashed out, her elbow connecting to his ribs. He grunted,

and she broke free. Before she could move, he charged, and for

the first time, she saw his eyes.

Black, cold, evil.

Shed seen those eyes before, and they smacked of the life shed

once shunned.What do you want with me? she cried as he lunged for her.

They tumbled to the ground, her arms beating, pushing, shoving.


5/13

3

But he was stronger and he hit back.

Stop! she cried. Youre hurting me!

Be still, witch, he snapped in a tone so cold that she felt the

chill wash over her.

The result was instant. She froze and gaped at him. Witch?Surprised? He grinned, without humour. Surely you knew

it was only a matter of time before we came for you.

I dont know what you mean. She blinked, trying to clear

the fog in her mind.

He shook her, not caring as her head connected with the ground.

Feigning ignorance wont help you.

Why are you here? What do you want?

Weve come for you. For the book.

And just like that, in a blink of an eye, the life shed once fled

came crashing down around her.

A life as a powerful Beckham witch, fiercely protected by three

Keepers. Shed always known it would catch up with her. Now

that it had, fear and a crippling sense of pain and loss threatenedto choke her all over again.

Let me go! she yelled.

A slap to the face left her dizzy and confused and when she

fought back, he continued with the punches until she stopped

struggling.

Silent, she closed her eyes as fury washed over her, and began

to tremble.Her body quivered from the inside out as the trembling intensi-

fied stronger, stranger, bolder.

With a soft cry, she flung out her arms, drawing on an inner

strength that had been silenced for too long. Air whooshed past

her ears with a force that made her wince. A moment later, without

touching him, her attacker hurled through the air like a limp

puppy.Oh, God. Her powers. It had been so long since shed used

them and they almost terrified her more than the attack itself.


6/13

4

He flew backward, hitting the tree behind him, and stared at

her, seemingly unsurprised. With a soft growl, he jumped up and

began to circle her.

Are you insane? she snapped, struggling to her feet, her entire

body shaking. Although shock still riddled her from the surpriseattack, anger had wedged itself deep inside, enough to clear the

murkiness that lurked. This is a public park. There are people

here. You know the rules.

Weve taken care of that. No one will hear you cry.

Clearly, whoever sent you failed to warn you about messing

with a Beckham witch.

Ah, but the witch walks without her mighty Keepers. A fact

that has had many tongues wagging.

An image of her Keepers came to mind. Three powerful warrior

brothers whod been her protectors, friends, and allies fending off

anything dark and evil that had upset the balance of nature.

Despite having run from them, from that life, she couldnt deny

the sense of longing that came whenever she remembered.Dismissing all thoughts of her Keepers, she straightened her

shoulders and summoned up a confidence she didnt quite feel.

And yet its taken this long for someone to come for me. That

makes you either super courageous or incredibly stupid.

His eyes narrowed at the taunt. You dont scare me, witch.

Well see how you feel when I turn you into a toad, she said,

keeping her tone light. His eyes widened, and she almost smiledat the brief flash of apprehension. Almost. It wouldnt help to

tell him that toad turning wasnt her style. Instead, she swallowed

her own unease, her mind racing for an escape route.

A rustling in the bushes had her whirling around and her heart

sank when two more men stepped forward. Like her first attacker,

they were both dressed in black and wore expressions of evil.

Who are you? she cried, her voice quivering at the realizationthat this was one fight she might not win. Not without some help.

Two years ago, she had sworn off her powers for good and hadnt


7/13

5

tapped into them since. But the three men outnumbered her in

more ways than she cared to admit, and no amount of traditional

self-defence would save her.

They circled her like a pride of lions, and she swore she could

hear them growling.Insane. Maybe she was crazy after all.

She shook her head, choking on fear, but refusing to back down.

She wouldnt go down without a fight. And just like that, they

attacked.

****

Archer Bennett had known an attack on Sienna was imminent.

The darker world had been quiet for far too long and hed been

biding time until the moment hit.

But now that it had, fear curled in his gut like an unwelcome

visitor. Adrenaline soared through him, triggering every protective

Keeper instinct he possessed.

From his perch in the trees above them, Archer watched as thethree men circled Sienna, rage bubbling inside him. Theyd set

up the perfect ambush at the edge of the lake, void of spectators,

overgrown with a wall of trees and bushes and shed run straight

into their trap.

Her screech pierced the air and tore through him, and he readied

himself to jump. Sienna fought on, kicking and punching, reaching

for half-forgotten spells determined not to back down.Typical of a Beckham witch.

It was no good the men were closing in. Archer pushed

forward, flew through the air with the rapid speed of a Keeper,

and landed on the ground below with a soft thud.

Not waiting to determine if theyd sensed his presence, he

launched himself toward them.

The fight was uneven, but he drew on his heightened strength,power, and hatred for the men preying on the frightened woman.

Bodies entwined, fists connected with flesh, and blood-curling


8/13

6

growls filled the air. A cloud of dust surrounded them, muffling

the visual impact of the fight.

With a swift movement and a possessive roar, he lunged for

Sienna and placed himself in front of her as exhausted and

unseeing she crumpled to the ground. The three men growledand snarled while he swiftly scanned the lake behind them. With

a sense of calm that always came when he tapped into a sacred

part of himself, a sacred part of her, he slowly raised his arms

toward the lake.

Controlled and deliberate. He had a message to deliver, a witch

to protect, and three men needing a lesson on the consequences

of messing with a Beckham witch and her Keepers.

A soft trickle of water had all three men glancing behind them

as understanding dawned. Clearly, from the horror that quickly

twisted their expressions, they knew all about the Keeper with the

power to manipulate water. Before they were able to react, the

trickle quickly turned into a loud rumble of waves as the water

rose up to form a solid wall. Archer moved his hands in circularmotions and the water instantly split into three separate balls,

each one tightly compacted together to form a lethal weapon.

Siennas first attacker jerked toward her, hoping to use her as

leverage against the inevitable attack, but Archer was too quick

for him.

A ball of water bulleted through the air and hit him on the

back with a force that sent him reeling against the tree with arumble of filthy curses. In swift succession, two more water

missiles flew toward his accomplices, knocking them off their feet

with ease.

With another swift motion of the arms, Archer readied the

water with a fresh supply of lethal missiles and hovered, hoping

the dark forces had had their fill of chilly lake water.

Drenched, panting, knowing when to admit defeat, the menfell silent and glared at him, their bodies heaving breathlessly with

unleashed adrenaline. There was a pregnant pause as they sized


9/13

7

him up, weighed their options.

You cant protect her forever, said the first attacker.

I will always protect her, Archer told them, his voice level and

unyielding.

Then you will both die.Sensing defeat, and without waiting for a response, they rushed

for the bushes and vanished.

Archer dropped his arms, the water crashing into the lake with

a loud splutter, and immediately lurched forward. He sank to his

knees beside Sienna, silently scanning her body to check for injuries

an action that came as naturally to him as breathing. She seemed

confused, disorientated from the vicious slaps shed received, and

her tiny body trembled from the shock of the surprise attack.

Seeing her like this fuelled his anger and hatred for the men

responsible and something cold and steely wrapped itself around

his heart.

Theyd be back. He knew that with every instinct he possessed.

Defeating them wouldnt be a problem the challenge would beconvincing Sienna to accept his help.

Are you okay? he asked, fighting against the urge to pull her

into his arms.

Dont touch me! she shrieked, scrambling away from him.

Her right hand shot out at the same time the excruciating pain

shot through his head a pain so powerful it threatened to cripple

him. His head pounded from the vicious onslaught of heat chan-nelled through her central power fire. Shed done this before,

damn her, and the pain had almost killed him.

A Beckham witchs ultimate defence.

Eyes shut to ward off the pain and holding his head in agony,

he sank to his knees with a guttural groan.

Sienna, he said between gritted teeth. Its me. Its Archer.

The mental violation and pain stopped the instant he said hisname.

She gaped at him, shock unhinging her jaw. Archer?


10/13

8

Its me, he repeated and struggled to his feet, still holding his

head. Damn, she still had the power to fry his brain. He blinked,

trying to clear the haze, and looked at her with a harsh frown.

Damn it, Sienna. What the hell was that for?

I thought you were trying to hurt me. She rushed to himand cupped her hands over each of his. I thought you were one

of them.

Do I look like a bloody warlocks minion?

Im sorry. They rattled me, caught me off guard. She fell

silent and inhaled softly. Archer, youre here. You found me.

Im your Keeper and I vowed the day you left that Id find

you.

She didnt reply and frowned when he grimaced. Are you

okay?

Worry lined her features and her green eyes flashed with

concern. She looked a mess, a complete contrast to her usual

poised self. Her hair hung in a dull, dusty, tangled mess around

her shoulders. Her right cheek, glowing and swollen, showed earlysigns of a bruise.

God, how hed missed her. It had been so damn long.

Fire sparked deep in his gut as fresh anger washed over him.

The two years hed spent searching for her had almost driven him

to the brink of madness. The constant worry, the daily longing,

and the permanent reminders of her back home had been torture.

Torn between the urge to hug her and throttle her, a quick nodwas all he could manage.

Im sorry, she said softly, tugging his hands away from his

head.

Promise me youll never try that voodoo mind fry on me ever

again.

Its the quickest defence I have against you, Archer.

You dont need any damn defences against me, Sienna.Im still not agreeing.

Stubborn minx. Nothing had changed. He ran his thumb


11/13

9

across her swollen cheek and tried to ignore the rush of emotions

that flooded him. Hed found her. After two long torturous and

empty years, hed finally tracked her down. The relief was immense

and he had to resist everything inside him that ached to wrench

her against him and never let her go. Does it hurt?He knew how to pack a punch but Ill live. Her shoulders

fell, and she met his gaze. They werent human, were they?

Not entirely, no.

Did anyone see us?

No. Our secret is safe.

As it should be. And when it wasnt, a little magic would usually

rectify even the soundest memory, but only as a last resort.

Surrounded by a world of ordinary humans where only a few

selected people knew of their supernatural existence, theyd been

bound to keep their presence a secret without harming anyone in

exchange for being left alone.

It wasnt always that simple but that was the agreement, the

rule, and breaking it would initiate consequences Archer wouldrather avoid.

Its been quiet for so long. Why now? Sienna asked.

Youre a Beckham witch, he replied, annoyed with the ques-

tion. Its no surprise theyve come for you.

Thats not who I am anymore.

Youll always be a witch, Sienna, and theyll be back for you.

The image of Sienna surrounded by the three men flashed throughhis mind, and he frowned. They surprised you, he noted quietly.

And you held back from using your powers.

You wont understand.

Damn right I wont. You come from a family of powerful

witches. Those men were no match for your powers. Why would

you hesitate to use them?

Her age-old defences fell into place as the wall returned. Hedseen how her emotions had changed from relief to surprise, then

horror as shed realized that hed finally found her, despite all her


12/13

10

efforts at keeping him away.

Her eyes flashed with disbelief, and she stepped back.

Sienna, dont.

I have to go, she said, pushing past him, heading for the

opening in the trees.He caught her wrist in one quick movement. When she lifted

her eyes to meet his, he raised an eyebrow. Seriously? You really

think Im going to let you leave?


13/13
http://www.harperimpulseromance.com/books/the-keepers-archer

Documents

The Keepers Archer - Rae Rivers - Extract