THE LAST SECRET KEEPER Secret Keeper series books 1-4

CHAPTER 22

Lanecia screamed, once again attempting to outrun predators.

"What is happening?" Thorson lunged forward, instinct propelling the young man to rescue her, but Frey held him back, keeping out of sight on the other side of the fence, his other hand resting on Storm's arm who had the same urge as his son.

"Watch. Lanecia likes those boys that are chasing her. They are Scottish and their families are friends, but she is really afraid right now. It is not a game."

"But why is she afraid?" Thorson balled his fist at the same time as his father. "I can tell that she is not having fun, but they are just trying to grab her butt. Doesn't it feel good?"

"That doesn't matter," Freya clarified for the young prince, attempting to be infinitely patient until he learned his lesson, but her heart, as always, was feeling Lani's panic. "She is loyal to your father. Lanecea knows she belongs to him and will never allow anyone to touch her - even a friend - without his permission."

Storm swallowed hard, the scene before him taking on a whole new light. Lanecea's face was pale, her eyes mirroring their terror as she ran as fast as she could to protect her butt - for him.

"She needs help," Thorson wrestled his arm free from Frey's strong grip before jumping over the fence, tearing across the field behind the little country church but Lanecea seemed to have a similar idea, running for the tree house, seeking shelter with the brothers in hot pursuit

"Thorson will protect her. Come Storm, there is something I would like for you to see. It is too bad you weren't here when she was a child - things may have been very different."

Storm's muscles were tensing as he followed Frey toward the church, wishing he had been there to rescue her as well. Lanecea had needed a champion - desperately.

He didn't know half of it.

The boys were much faster, Fraser pinning her down onto the ground while his older brother grabbed a handful of her ass with both hands, his wet tongue licking her neck while Lani cried. Fortunately, the church service was over, and the adults already chatting as they milled outside the sanctuary before stepping out into the warm afternoon air.

An elderly man with bottle-rimmed glasses pointed at the group in the field before a tall man with a thick Scottish brawl shouted at the boys as he ran the distance between the church and the children, Phillippe joining him.

"Stay away from that lass," Ian grabbed his sons by their collars as he yanked the randy boys off the girl. "I raised ye better."

Perhaps but nature had taken its course, Lanecea's siren call affecting men and boys.

Phillippe, however, had no intention of letting the matter rest.

"If it wasn't for our pastor, my daughter could have been raped. Keep your boys away from my children. And you call yourself a Christian!"

Lani, as always, was humiliated, her cheeks flushing crimson as she scrubbed her teary eyes with her fists before making a bee-line dive for the treehouse, but her father caught her easily, preventing her flight.

"Get in the car. This isn't over."

Why did those boys have to go and ruin everything, including getting grass stains on her pretty pink dress? Life was already hard enough at home.

Fortunately, the elderly pastor was an observant man, his wife holding onto his arm as he stepped forward, mediating between the two fathers.

"Nothing happened, thank God, but I think Lanecea could use a change of scenery today while you take some time to cool off. We would love to have her come over today. In fact, we were planning on going to the fair tomorrow and would love to bring her with us. It's in Toronto..."

Phillippe wasn't sure that was such a good idea.

"I don't know...we don't let her go for sleepovers. She's homeschooled you know, so is rarely out of our sight."

The pastor's wife motioned to Lanecea's sister, Adelaide, Thorson, and Iian's youngest son.

"It won't be just Lani, see? We'll have the children home by supper tomorrow evening."

Not wanting to be the only parent to refuse their child some fun, Philippe agreed to the arrangement, his face still dark with anger as he stepped away from the Scotsman.

Lanecea tugged the ribbon off her braid that had gotten messy in her flight, her eyes meeting Storm's for a brief moment. That look of longing in her eyes melted his heart as she silently begged him to give her a "Good Girl."

Did she recognize him? It was impossible to tell as the pastor's wife led the children to their waiting vehicle.

"I have something I need to take care of," Storm informed Thorson before speaking with the pastor who nodded, looking back at the group of children.

"We are hoping they will do the right thing and send her to school this September. I can only do so much to keep an eye on her and her siblings but my wife and I care. We've spoken with Sheila, offering to teach the girls survival classes. Not much - just simple things like how to tell direction by moss growth, which wild plants are safe to eat - that sort of thing. I can't shake the feeling that it is information those girls need to know.

Are you joining the hunt tomorrow? We are expecting the vampires to come out of hiding at the fair. They won't know we are waiting..."

Storm raised his eyebrow as he studied the soft-spoken Englishman.

"Don't look so surprised, young man," the pastor chuckled. "I know our history quite well. England once chased the vampires out of the country. It didn't last, however, but it was one of the proudest moments in our history. You're welcome to join us later if you like. My wife won't mind putting out an extra plate and I'm sure we could use an extra chaperone. Here's my address."

"Thank you," Storm pocketed the scrap of paper. "I'll be over shortly."

He had just enough time to head to the Wagner farm.