“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