The Keepers: Sienna (FREE Prequel)

Sienna - CHAPTER FIVE

Archer and Sienna waved at Mr Taylor, who was grinning like a cat who had nabbed a canary, and went to find Declan and Ethan.

Which didn’t take long. 

The two brothers were already headed their way, wearing jeans, jackets and matching sombre expressions. They were so different, but each exuded a strength and confidence that had snagged the admiration of a nearby group of women.

Women who would never know each man the way Sienna did. Highly-trained warriors with heightened skills of movement, strength and hearing. Their Keeper status and abilities to channel an element of nature – one air, the other fire – were a secret shared with very few people.

Declan fell in line beside them, his longer jet-black hair more dishevelled than normal, and sandwiched Sienna between himself and Archer. All traces of the usual laughter found in his expressive blue eyes had vanished in a smouldering look that smacked of worry.

“Where’s Sarah?” he asked.

“She’s gone to find Rose,” Archer replied, keeping his hand on Sienna’s lower back as they walked. “Any idea where the blood’s coming from?”

“The parking area,” Ethan replied, giving a quick nod in the direction of the cars. He had sandy-brown hair and striking blue eyes, clouded with anger. All signs of his usual mischievous grin had vanished.

They headed straight for the stretch of parked cars on one side of the school. It didn’t take her Keepers long to trace the blood and Sienna gasped at the sight of a man slumped against the tyre of a car. At a glance, he looked like a drunk passed out against his car – but his twisted expression hinted of something more. 

“Oh my God,” she said, rushing forward, but Declan stepped in front of her. Wide eyes swung up to meet his and he shook his head.

“He’s dead, Sienna.”

“Maybe we can still help him.”

“No.”

“Check his pulse. He –”

“Sienna,” Archer said, taking her hand and pulling her away from the car. “Underneath that thick jacket is a lot of blood. There’s no pulse, no breathing.”

Her gaze met his and she closed her eyes with a soft sigh. If there were any signs of life, her Keepers would have heard them.

“It’s a school parking lot. There are children here.”

Ethan circled the car, scanning for signs of the perpetrator as he made a quick call to the sheriff. “Pam’s headed straight here. Think this was supernatural?”

Archer shrugged, casting a quick glance at the nearby forest that would provide an easy escape route. “Maybe, but it’s too clean a kill to be Mason’s. This isn’t like the others.”

Sienna’s air whooshed out of her lungs as the icy realization washed over her. She dragged her gaze away from the car and faced her Keepers. “It’s Mason.”

Three pairs of eyes turned on her to stare at her in stunned silence.

Archer cocked a sceptical brow. “There’s been no sign of him for a while.”

“This isn’t Mason’s work,” Declan said, motioning to the car.

“Archer’s right. All the other bodies the sheriff uncovered were drained of blood and mangled.”

Sienna’s instincts prickled like crazy as she pictured the creepy face in the mirrors. She hadn’t been sure at the time but there was no escaping the grim truth now.