The Keepers: Declan (Book 2)

CHAPTER ONE

 And she was all for lawful paths. Most of the time.

 The house was in complete darkness. She’d opted for black cat burglar attire, hoodie and all. She blended in well, oddly comforted by the blackness that surrounded her.

 Confident of the lack of internal security, Kate moved down the hallway. According to Declan, the Keepers valued their privacy, and made up for it by keeping the perimeters of the grounds well guarded.

 Right.

 True, it had been a challenge to get across the lawns to the house undetected, but after studying the security system for a while, Kate had spotted a weakness. She slipped inside the living room and looked around, imprinting her surroundings to memory. She didn’t need the light to know that the Bennett brothers would have furnished it luxuriously, with money no object. The size of the estate alone hinted at a lifestyle beyond Kate’s dreams.

 She crossed to the opposite wall where three ancient daggers hung above the fireplace, their blades crisscrossing downwards.

 Hers for the taking.

 She ran a finger along one handle, inhaling as a gentle swirl of energy swept through her. A thrill of excitement washed over her, prompting a triumphant smile.

 At last.

****

Declan Bennett sat on a leather couch in the corner of the living room, whiskey in hand, enjoying the gloom. Sienna and his brothers would be home soon, and until then he intended to wallow away in alcohol. He sipped his drink, seeking comfort in the scorching liquid. He could use all the comfort he could get after returning from Rose’s memorial service. Saying goodbye to their beloved old witch had torn at a part of him he struggled to keep under wraps.

 Too many loved ones lost. His parents, his sister, and now Rose. All taken at the hands of two warlocks – the Brogans. One of the brothers was now entombed and desiccated on their estate and the other was dead.

 Sweet fucking justice.

 Declan took another sip and closed his eyes, refusing to dwell on the memories.

 When the door to the living room opened a moment later, he simply opened one eye.

 Declan watched as a tall, dark figure slipped into the room, missing his presence in the shadows. The lights from the garden offered little help and he blinked in the darkness. Dressed in black, the intruder was almost invisible and for a brief moment, he thought he was dreaming.

 Until his visitor stepped into a strip of moonlight.

 His heartbeat quickened. He couldn’t make out the features, but the delicate face and slender body were definitely female.

What the hell?

 A supernatural? A stalker? A burglar? He frowned. Whoever she was and whatever she wanted, she could only mean one thing. Trouble.

 Damn. His instincts would usually be to charge forward and attack.

 And yet he simply sat and watched.

 Surprised? Yes. Intrigued? Definitely. Scared? Hell no.

 The first thing he noticed was the way she moved. Silent and graceful, almost feline in the way that she sauntered across the room. She appeared in no hurry, but why should she be when the house was in darkness and they were all presumably out for the evening?

 Or not.

 At the fireplace, she slid her hands along the mantelpiece, and it suddenly dawned on him. A cat burglar. And she was here for their daggers.

 As she touched each dagger, almost in admiration, he nearly laughed at her audacity. Their new perimeter security system was the finest around and with three Keepers in residence – all with supernatural hearing – the fact that she’d managed to break in was impressive.

 Declan knew she’d be no match for him. After all, he was a Keeper and with that came superhuman powers, speed and strength.

 He’d deal with her. Yes, he expected an explanation. Later. For now, he wanted to see what mademoiselle cat burglar could do. The daggers were charmed with a protection spell and only a witch would be able to remove them from their rightful place on the wall. He was curious to see his intruder’s reaction when she failed to crack it.

 His jaw unhinged when she rocked back on her heels, the first dagger in her hands.

 Foolproof, my ass.

 Without making a sound, Declan discarded his glass of whiskey along with his surprise.

 It was time for a game of cat and mouse.

 AUTHOR'S NOTE

Hey, guys!  Hope you enjoyed the first chapter of The Keepers: Declan.  Please show some Keeper love by leaving a comment and / or voting as I love to hear from my readers. 

For more information about me or my books:  www.raerivers.com

Thanks so much for reading!

Rae Rivers