Garden of the Gods (The Immortals Series Book 3) by S.M. Schmitz Page A

despite the common fear, there was an optimism here that was unusual, and that made demons’ jobs more difficult. Perhaps, Colin and Anna thought, these people just had faith they would prevail. Or maybe after everything they or their friends or family had survived in the past few decades, having to fight for their survival was becoming normal to them. But whatever the reason, there weren’t many demons prowling the capital of Israel in the final days before the Six Days’ War.
    “ Do you think we should go to Gaza?” Anna wondered.
    “ The Palestinians there may be just as hopeful that this war will end in the Arab League’s favor. I guess we just wait for the war to start. ”
    It was June 2, 1967, and neither of them knew how long they would have to wait. Ultimately, it wouldn’t matter.
    They walked the streets of Tel Aviv, trying to at least help homeowners or shop owners board up windows or pile sandbags when they could, but as the sun began to set, most Israelis moved indoors. There were few people on the street now.
    “ There’s probably a curfew,” Anna realized. “ Did the receptionist at the hotel mention one?”
    Colin had to admit he hadn’t been paying attention. They didn’t usually bother with curfews anyway since that’s when demons liked to hunt. They had just turned down a different street they hadn’t explored yet when they spotted the honey yellow demon. But it was already wounded, limping along the sidewalk trying to hide in the shadows.
    Colin and Anna glanced at each other, both wondering who could have wounded a demon but wouldn’t have finished killing it, then they chased the beast down. Anna’s dagger was poised in the air, ready to stab the demon when a figure stepped out of the shadows and stopped her.
    The young woman spoke to her in Hebrew, but Anna couldn’t understand her. She saw the dagger in the woman’s hand and assumed she was a hunter, but she wasn’t going to stand around a deserted street in Tel Aviv and let a wounded demon escape while she argued with the woman about it. Anna thrust her dagger into the demon’s neck and sliced open its back, letting a shrilling hiss of energy escape. The demon collapsed to the ground and Colin stabbed it again, killing it. The woman looked pissed.
    “Do you speak English then?” she demanded.
    Anna stared back at her. “If you didn’t recognize us as being hunters from here, you probably should have started with a more common language.”
    The woman threw her arms up and shouted something at her, but Anna hadn’t learned to speak Hebrew in the last thirty seconds. “Did it look like that demon was about to get away? I had this under control.”
    Colin scattered the honey yellow dust that had settled on the sidewalk with his boot and scowled at the irate petite woman. “Is this some sort of game we’re not aware of? Because we’ve been doing this for a really long time, and I’ve never met anyone who was as ungrateful for a little help as you.”
    The woman sheathed her dagger and glared back at him. “A long time? Oh… let me guess. You’re Immortals. Their begging wasn’t working, so they sent you here to try to convince me?”
    Colin and Anna looked at each other now, more confused than angry, and the woman must have noticed, too.
    “You weren’t sent here?” she asked.
    “We were,” Anna explained, “but to hunt demons. We have no idea who you are.”
    “ Don’t really want to know her either. She’s got to be one of the rudest hunters we’ve met in decades,” Colin thought.
    Anna agreed but was far too intrigued as to why this woman thought they’d been sent for her. And to convince her of what? The woman stepped over the scattered remnants of dusty honey colored debris and extended her hand.
    “I’m Tahel. And, yeah, it’s not a game, it’s just…” She looked down as an evening breeze blew the rest of the demon’s remains away.
    “Territorial?” Anna guessed.
    Tahel looked up at her and