gaze lifted beyond their retreating backs. There
were
other unwanted visitors out there. She could see what looked to be half a dozen tall and lean forms moving rapidly in a disjointed pack. Their presence prevented her from calling out to the guards or even whistling.
She glanced down the hallway at the other bedrooms and considered waking the girls. But Infernalshad hearing as good as hers and trying to keep quiet would eat time she didn’t have. If that lumbering thing was after Gadara, she couldn’t allow it to get any closer.
Threats are to be neutralized, not minimized,
the archangel had taught.
Do not prevaricate. They learn with every confrontation and you do not want to give them the chance to ambush you in the future.
“Go,” she muttered to herself grimly. “You can scream for help
after
you stop it.”
Locking the door behind her, Eve took off around the front of the house. Blood lust spurred her stride and her muscles flexed in anticipation. Her senses were so acute she could hear the faint sounds of a television show coming from an occupied house a couple of blocks away.
Usually archangels were ensconced in buildings filled with Marks who acted as an early warning system. It was impossible for a stinky Infernal to sneak past all of them and get to an archangel. At least it
had
been impossible before the creation of the Infernal mask. Now, all bets were off.
Gadara had only four guards to protect him and a class of newbie Marks who couldn’t even smell whatever the poodle had detected.
Kicking off her sandals, Eve ran barefoot across the coarse dead grass that covered the shared lawn. Ahead of her, the bulky creature rounded the front of the duplex and disappeared down the cement pathway that led to the entrance of the men’s side. A light was on in the living room, but a sheet had been drapedover the window, blocking the view of the interior. As Eve ran past, she heard Gadara speaking. The resonance of his voice betrayed his power, creating a potent lure to an ambitious Infernal.
You can do this.
She deliberately ignored the size of the Infernal she hunted. The demon was easily six and a half feet, with massive shoulders and a protruding back. Eve had no idea what class of Infernal fit that description or what its specialty might be. It could have razor-sharp teeth and claws, or it could spit fire like the dragon that killed her on Sunday. Or perhaps it had some other, deadlier talent.
Don’t think about it.
She swiped strands of her hair off her hot and sticky forehead.
The demon stood on the unlit porch. The far side of the stoop was enclosed by a thin wooden partition that blocked the moonlight. It loomed as a large void before her, drenched in shadow, the finer details of its form indiscernible even with her enhanced sight. There was only the massive back and disproportionately thin legs. Nothing else was defined. The scent of it was unusual, more bitter and acrid than rotting. It was an anomaly, which frightened her, but the power of the mark goaded her to leap first and ask questions later.
Eve lunged, tackling the beast and shoving him through the partition. The shattering of the wood was like a thunderclap in the still of the night. They crashed to the ground on the other side of the step, tangled with splintered rubble and each other.
“Help!” Eve yelled, grappling with the unwieldybeast. It was softer than she expected and oddly unresisting.
“Help!” the Infernal screamed.
She froze.
The porch light came on, and men tumbled out of the duplex.
CHAPTER 6
"Help!”
Eve blinked rapidly, startled to recognize the thickly accented voice. She gaped down at her capture.
“Molenaar?”
Like an overturned turtle, the Mark wobbled precariously atop the military-style rucksack on his back. “You’re insane, Hollis!” he screeched. “A maniac!”
“Ms. Hollis.” Gadara caught her beneath the arms and hefted her up as if she weighed nothing. “What are you doing?”
Eve
were
other unwanted visitors out there. She could see what looked to be half a dozen tall and lean forms moving rapidly in a disjointed pack. Their presence prevented her from calling out to the guards or even whistling.
She glanced down the hallway at the other bedrooms and considered waking the girls. But Infernalshad hearing as good as hers and trying to keep quiet would eat time she didn’t have. If that lumbering thing was after Gadara, she couldn’t allow it to get any closer.
Threats are to be neutralized, not minimized,
the archangel had taught.
Do not prevaricate. They learn with every confrontation and you do not want to give them the chance to ambush you in the future.
“Go,” she muttered to herself grimly. “You can scream for help
after
you stop it.”
Locking the door behind her, Eve took off around the front of the house. Blood lust spurred her stride and her muscles flexed in anticipation. Her senses were so acute she could hear the faint sounds of a television show coming from an occupied house a couple of blocks away.
Usually archangels were ensconced in buildings filled with Marks who acted as an early warning system. It was impossible for a stinky Infernal to sneak past all of them and get to an archangel. At least it
had
been impossible before the creation of the Infernal mask. Now, all bets were off.
Gadara had only four guards to protect him and a class of newbie Marks who couldn’t even smell whatever the poodle had detected.
Kicking off her sandals, Eve ran barefoot across the coarse dead grass that covered the shared lawn. Ahead of her, the bulky creature rounded the front of the duplex and disappeared down the cement pathway that led to the entrance of the men’s side. A light was on in the living room, but a sheet had been drapedover the window, blocking the view of the interior. As Eve ran past, she heard Gadara speaking. The resonance of his voice betrayed his power, creating a potent lure to an ambitious Infernal.
You can do this.
She deliberately ignored the size of the Infernal she hunted. The demon was easily six and a half feet, with massive shoulders and a protruding back. Eve had no idea what class of Infernal fit that description or what its specialty might be. It could have razor-sharp teeth and claws, or it could spit fire like the dragon that killed her on Sunday. Or perhaps it had some other, deadlier talent.
Don’t think about it.
She swiped strands of her hair off her hot and sticky forehead.
The demon stood on the unlit porch. The far side of the stoop was enclosed by a thin wooden partition that blocked the moonlight. It loomed as a large void before her, drenched in shadow, the finer details of its form indiscernible even with her enhanced sight. There was only the massive back and disproportionately thin legs. Nothing else was defined. The scent of it was unusual, more bitter and acrid than rotting. It was an anomaly, which frightened her, but the power of the mark goaded her to leap first and ask questions later.
Eve lunged, tackling the beast and shoving him through the partition. The shattering of the wood was like a thunderclap in the still of the night. They crashed to the ground on the other side of the step, tangled with splintered rubble and each other.
“Help!” Eve yelled, grappling with the unwieldybeast. It was softer than she expected and oddly unresisting.
“Help!” the Infernal screamed.
She froze.
The porch light came on, and men tumbled out of the duplex.
CHAPTER 6
"Help!”
Eve blinked rapidly, startled to recognize the thickly accented voice. She gaped down at her capture.
“Molenaar?”
Like an overturned turtle, the Mark wobbled precariously atop the military-style rucksack on his back. “You’re insane, Hollis!” he screeched. “A maniac!”
“Ms. Hollis.” Gadara caught her beneath the arms and hefted her up as if she weighed nothing. “What are you doing?”
Eve
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