LITMIR.BIZ

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the hell?

      “It’s okay,” Kate said, coming closer. “You’ll be okay.”

      “What did you do?” he grumbled, stumbling toward the couch.

      She dropped to his side, a hand on his arm. He wanted to throttle her. Every deceitful, beautiful damn inch of her. “It’s a sedative.”

      “Bitch!”

      When he reared forward, the room began spinning and she pushed him back down. “Easy, warrior boy. Sleep it off.”

      “You roofied me? Like a damn drunk sorority chick?”

      “I had no choice.”

      “If you wanted to have your way with me, all you had to do was ask.”

      A brief laugh escaped her but she was quick to reel it in. “That’s not what this is about!”

      Declan’s reply was forgotten as his instincts bristled. He turned away, staring at the porch outside.

      “Declan?”

      He shook his head again, focusing on the noise. What was that? Declan looked at her, grimacing against the black cloud that threatened to swallow him. “You’re insane, you know that?”

      “I have to leave and I can’t have you following me again. This was the only way.”

      “I’m going to hunt you down, Kate, and when I find you, I’m going to feed you to Harper myself.” His instincts rumbled a clear warning to him, this time unmistakable in its strength and accuracy. He knew when to trust them and he knew trouble when it was brewing. His hand shot out and gripped her arm. “Kate, you have to run.”

      She flinched, a frown creasing her brows.

      “Run.”

      She swatted his hand. “Declan, you’re in no shape for that right now.”

      Declan brought up both arms as the darkness beckoned, pulling her toward him with as much strength as he could muster. “They’re here. Run!”

      ****

      The air whooshed out of Kate as if he’d struck her. She reeled back just in time to see the front door burst open in an explosion of splintering wood.

      Megan stood at the bottom of the stairs, dressed in a skin-tight black suit, her legs planted firmly apart.

      “Go, dammit” Declan grunted, swaying as he struggled to his feet.

      Kate stared at the witch, taking in her smug smile and penetrating gaze. If Megan was here, her warrior partners wouldn’t be far. Too many of them. And Kate had just debilitated the one man who could help her.

      And put him in danger.

      “Oh, God, I’m so sorry, Declan,” she whispered, almost choking on the panic that surged through her. “I didn’t think they’d find me so soon.”

      The windows exploded, the screech of shattering glass ripping through the house. Declan lunged for Kate, shielding her body with his.

      Crushing her beneath his weight, he didn’t budge, simply pegged her with a dark stare, his hands gripping her shoulders. He whispered something under his breath as intense heat flooded through her, almost scalding her from the inside out. Gulping for air, she pushed him away.

      “You have to get out of here.” Declan pulled back, breaking the connection. The release of heat was instant. They rose, his movements unsteady. Kate bit down on the guilt.

      “Go, dammit!” he snapped, shoving her away.

      “I can’t leave you here.”

      “Now you decide to play fair?”

      “This is different,” she replied, turning to face Megan.

      The witch grinned and began to channel more energy at Kate. The house began to shake violently, two sliding doors shattering in response.

      Fear slammed home and Kate stood her ground. Glaring at the witch, she drew on her defensive powers that would nullify the magic bristling around them.

      Kate barely flinched as heat pooled in her stomach, her survival instincts stronger than her hatred of the foreign magic. The confrontation was intense but didn’t last long. Kate sensed Megan’s resistance crumble and she concentrated on absorbing the witch’s energy, immobilizing it.

      If only it wasn’t temporary.

      “Kate!” Declan grunted, fury twisting his expression.

      She whirled around as Max and Rick stepped through the broken sliding doors, glass crunching beneath their boots.

      Spotting Declan, they charged him simultaneously.

      Declan shoved her away and she reared back, only to collide with Harper who’d come in the back way. She lashed out, her fist connecting with him in a powerful punch.

      He caught her wrist, twisting her arm behind her, and slammed her body against his. Thick arms snaked around her, and a syringe was shoved into her neck. “I told you I’d come for you,” he laughed, his voice thick with mockery. He inhaled deeply, breathing her in, and dipped his face against hers. This time, all traces of amusement had vanished. “Ah, a Bennett. I’d recognise his scent anywhere, I just never expected it on you.”

      A shudder ripped through her and everything went blurry, numb, and she sought out Declan as she crumbled.

      As he struggled with his attackers, their gazes met and held for a long moment until her eyes fluttered closed.

      Declan.

      ****

      Everything inside him hammered in protest as Declan saw Kate succumb to the drug. Rose Thorn? Shit.

      He fought for his own consciousness, his protective instincts hampered in a way that was driving him crazy. “KATE!” he roared, charging Harper with every ounce of remaining strength he had.

      Harper’s warriors were on him before he even got close to her. He fought them off with a low growl, digging deep for the strength that evaded him. In a tumble of blurry movements, he swung his fists, but they kept coming until they had him subdued. Thanks to the drugs, what would have been an impossible task was now an easy one.

      What the hell had she given him?

      “Kate!” he rasped, as he saw Harper hoist her across his shoulder. Her hair and arms hung loosely down his back as he walked away. Declan tried to break free but stumbled, the warriors pinning him to the ground. The right side of his face crushed into the carpet. With two heavy men on top of him, Declan watched Kate disappear onto the porch. He grunted as a rumble of furious energy bubbled inside.

      He focused that energy on the metal porch railing outside, channelling the fury. As Harper marched toward the stairs, the railings began to groan from the onslaught of heat. The stairs caught fire, destroying their escape route.

      “What’s happening?” Max shouted.

      Harper turned back to the house, Kate still slung across his shoulder. “It’s the Keeper. What the fuck are you waiting for?” he bellowed at his men. “I have the woman. Destroy him!”

      Declan heaved backward with all the strength he had, shoving the surprised men off him. He struggled to his feet as something heavy and hard smashed against his head. He dropped to the ground with a fierce growl. “Kate!”

      “Let’s get out of here!” Max bellowed as a nearby curtain went up in flames, and delivered a final kick into Declan’s ribs.

      And everything went black.

       CHAPTER NINE

      Failure burned more than Declan

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