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  The local police were mystified, and they couldn’t understand why she would have been wandering about the woods. There were no signs of a sexual assault or beating, although she’d obviously been drugged. Without being able to talk to Anna, the entire case had turned into one big mystery. In an investigation, the first days mattered. With the victim in a coma, they hadn't known where to start.

  Her mother contacted the authorities after realizing something had happened to her daughter, but they delayed the search because Anna was of age. The investigation didn’t start until a mysterious man had walked out of the mist and fog from the hills, carrying Anna up the front porch to her mother. By the time the police had arrived, he was gone. Iris didn't know who he was, or where he had gone. It was as if he'd disappeared into thin air.

  Police combed the area, discovering Anna’s truck parked at the vacant rental. There was no evidence of anyone else being in residence, although they had recovered her purse. According the landlord, the place had been empty for well over a month. The police were further puzzled as they wondered why Anna would have been in an empty lodge, especially one she didn’t have any business being in to start with.

  Adding to the mystery, Suzi Zellers was later reported missing by her father.

  It took nearly a week before Anna was able to talk to the police. Her accounts of the events that night were so off the wall authorities believed they were hallucinations from the drug she’d been given. Anna spoke of dead bodies in the house that were simply not there, and demons that everyone knew were not real. When they left her bedside, they had more questions than answers.

  Suzi Zellers' body was never recovered, so police weren’t sure how to classify it. Some even wondered if maybe she had run away with Jesse. After all, there was such a difference in their appearances. Any man in his right mind would have chosen the pert and petite blonde over the homelier and larger Anna. It wouldn’t be the first time something like that had happened.

  A phone call two weeks later from Suzi to her father seemed to confirm that theory. According to Suzi, her and Jesse had been well away from town when the events of the night occurred. They had fallen in love and decided to leave together. It was that simple. Suggesting Anna was jealous and making up the story for attention, Suzi had hung up before a solid trace could be completed.

  The local police discussed it, and they decided to go with Suzi's story. In their minds, they believed Anna was jealous because Jesse chose the prettier, slender girl. Then she had drugged herself and gone through that fiasco in an attempt to get revenge. The case fell flat from then on out.

  It was too difficult to face the world after that. Anna resigned from her part-time job at the sporting goods store, which obviously relieved Mr. Zellers. The whole town believed her to be a petty and spiteful liar, and everybody knew how cruel small towns could be. It would have been too much to have to face them again, day after day, while they pitied the overweight girl who had drugged herself to get back at the man who dumped her.

  Although Anna eventually resumed her regular life, it was never quite the same. Iris had stood by her, through it all. She had accepted the story Anna told her and never doubted her. With her help, Anna had made it through her recovery and brought a semblance of order back to her life.

  Deep inside, though, Anna had been a wreck. Fear became a second companion to her, as she waited for the day the demons would come back. She knew the beings hadn’t gotten what they wanted that night, and it was too much to hope for that they would move on.

  She’d been right.

  Chapter 3

  ANNA SHOOK OFF THE memories, suddenly realizing just how dark the room was. The fire had burned down to embers, and there wasn't any light. The television was off, and the corners of the room were cast in deep shadows.

  Anna didn't do well with dark rooms. As a result, she made sure she was never in one. A chill passed through her as she remembered leaving the television on. She had spent the evening before watching Christmas movies. However, she'd never turned it off.

  A glance at the illuminated clock told her it was a little after midnight. She had been asleep for several hours and regretted waking up. The dark midnight hours were lonely and scary when there was no one to share them with.

  In the silence of the night, Anna heard the sound of someone breathing heavily in the corner of the room. Was it real? The night was playing tricks on her. Her nightmares were fresh on her mind, making it difficult to separate the present from the past.

  The dead silence of the cabin felt oppressive; the air difficult to breathe in. She was paralyzed in fear and unable to move. Closing her eyes tightly, Anna struggled to calm her breathing. In a moment, she would get up and turn on the light, and it would be all right. She tried to reassure herself before panic set in.

  “Annnnnnnnaaaa,” a guttural voice whispered from within the dark as the blood chilled in her veins.

  Immediately, she jumped to her feet and raced towards her bedroom. An evil cackle followed her down the hallway. Slamming and locking the door, she frantically looked for her cell phone. It took a moment to realize she’d left it on the kitchen counter.

  It was impossible to guess how many were out there, but Anna knew it would only take one to break into her room. The lock on the door was flimsy, and it wouldn’t hold up under a hard kick. Grabbing the heavy dresser, she started pushing it towards the door. Knowing what was waiting on the other side gave her a strength she didn’t know she had.

  As soon as the door was secured the doorknob started to move. “Let me in, Anna,” the raspy voice said. “We want to play.”

  She backed up towards the window, scared the demon would burst through at any moment. Something tapped on the glass behind her.

  Spinning around, she gasped. The moonlight illuminated a horned head with a huge torso through the blinds. It placed its claws on the glass and raked downwards as her ears screamed in protest. He released a deep, distorted chuckle that cut through the silence of the night.

  They were toying with her, enjoying her fear and panic. Holding a hand over her mouth to keep from sobbing, Anna's mind worked frantically to figure out a way to make it out. Escape felt impossible. She was trapped.

  The door began to rattle again. She ran to the dresser, pushing her weight against the wood, desperate to hold it in place. An axe tore through the door, followed by a red eye peering in. The creature slowly smiled in satisfaction before pulling back to bring the axe through the door again.

  “Leave me alone,” Anna screamed. Terror made her voice raw and hoarse. She looked for a weapon, but nothing in her possession would work against beings from Hell. She might be able to hurt them. She doubted she could kill them.

  A hand with claws pushed through the broken wood, reaching for the doorknob. At the same time, a loud crash came from behind her. Heart-stopping terror shot through her. They were in the room. She began to scream as she slowly turned around.

  “Shh, shh,” a voice said, from the darkness. Immediately, big hands and long fingers circled around her upper arms. He pulled her to the side of the ravaged door. The wintry air from the broken window had followed him in, mixing with the woodsy scent of his cologne. His body was warm against her back, and she sagged against him in relief when she realized he was just a man.

  “The t-t-thing at the window?” she stuttered, as he quietly moved her further away from the door. Looking up, she gasped at his size. He was huge. She could smell the leather he was wearing, but she was too stressed to study him at leisure.

  He shot her an incredulous look. “You can see them? What they actually are?”

  She bobbed her head yes.

  “It won’t be bothering you again,” he replied, looking at the door. His words reassured her as she heard the confidence in them. He was someone who knew what he was doing. He was someone who knew what they were.

  In a flash, he grabbed the arm that was shoving at the dresser. With a quick twist, he broke it completely off. A scream
of pain erupted from the hallway, so loud and shrill Anna had to clap her hands over her ears. The man shoved the dresser aside with one hand before he flung the door open and disappeared into the hallway.

  Anna glanced back at the broken window before quickly making her way to the doorway. She didn’t want to be alone if something else decided to come in. The sounds of fighting quickly came to a stop.

  She shivered, breathing as quietly as possible. No one could walk away from a battle with beings like that. She wondered if he'd died, making her responsible for yet another death. Anna silently grieved for him. If he'd died for her, he was someone who died in vain. Without him, the end was near.

  She quietly crept down the hallway.

  The moonlight pouring through the open curtains illuminated her savior as he glided up from the floor. It was too graceful to call it “getting up”. He stood well over six feet, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. His blue eyes sparkled unnaturally in the shadows. He was powerful and looked dangerous in his black leather outfit—just like the perfect killing machine.

  “Are you hurt?” he asked. His voice was husky, slightly accented. He cocked his head, almost as if listening for something. Clearly deciding the threat was eliminated, he turned on a lamp and made his way over to her.

  It had all happened so fast. Anna was speechless, unable to put a voice to her thoughts. She collapsed in a seat before looking up at him in wide-eyed shock. She was still trying to take in the fact that she was alive, saved by an unlikely hero.

  He knelt down beside her, his hands running along her body in a detached manner. “I asked if you were all right,” he repeated, in a brusque voice. Up close, he was even more attractive than she'd realized. His hair was dark and hung down to his shoulders, with just enough curl to accentuate his features. Being close to him was playing havoc with her nerves.

  Her body felt heated everywhere his hands had skimmed. He had long fingers attached to very strong hands, something Anna found very attractive. She blushed when he noticed her perusal.

  Seeing how gorgeous he was made her feel frumpier than ever. Rising, she asked in a snappish voice, “Who are you? What are you doing in my home?”

  Anna was trembling, but she wasn’t sure if it was because of the fight or the man beside her. He stood back up, towering over her. She was five foot ten, and she wasn't accustomed to people being taller than she was. His height and build made her feel almost delicate.

  SHAYNE WATCHED THE woman as she looked around the cabin. Then she sighed and seemed to look relieved. If he had to guess, she was checking for damages. With the exception of the bedroom, the cabin had escaped relatively unscathed.

  He wasn't surprised. He was good at what he did. The last thing any endurer wanted to do was leave evidence behind. There was nothing left of the creatures he'd battled, no body parts or blood. Should anyone come investigating, the only thing they'd find were signs of a break in.

  Anna looked up at him, her face pale in the moonlight when she asked, “Did he get away?”

  Shayne stopped to think before answering. He hadn't had time to ask Arch any questions about his next assignment before being rudely transported into the thick of it. With Arch, though, that might have been intentional.

  His eyes narrowed as he watched her closely. “You didn’t know they eventually dissolve?” he asked, confirming what he already suspected.

  She gave a quick negative shake of her head.

  Shayne released a heavy sigh and ran a hand through his hair in frustration. He wasn’t sure how to proceed. The unknowns were beginning to add up. Arch hadn’t told him the woman could actually see demons. As terrified as she’d been, she seemed to know it wasn’t human. He was certain she had some type of history with demons, but he didn’t know what.

  This had never happened to him before. Demons always appeared human to humans when they attacked in the mortal plane. It was almost unheard of for a human to ever be able to see their true form, unless the demon chose to reveal it. Arch had put him at a disadvantage, and Shayne didn't like the feeling. Until he talked to the angel, it was essential he didn’t reveal too much.

  “We have to get out of here,” Shayne said abruptly, changing the subject. “They didn’t get what they wanted, and they will be coming back.”

  She crossed her arms and gave him a droll look. “And what exactly are they after?”

  “You,” he said, as he turned away from her. He needed to put out the fire in the fireplace before they left. “They are after you, and they won’t stop until they get what they came for.”

  “What makes you any safer? I don’t know you from Adam, yet here you are in my house, telling me I need to leave with you.”

  Anna stoop up and walked over to pick up a picture frame from the floor. Flipping it over, she looked like she would cry. Even to him, it was clear she was in shock.

  Shayne marched over to take it from her. Flipping it over, he saw Anna with another woman, one who resembled her strongly. “I don’t have time for this, and neither do you. Get what you need. We have to go.” He tried to propel her down the hallway, but she dug her feet in.

  Yanking her around, Shayne bent down to her level and grabbed her shoulders. “I think we both know that those creatures are not of this world. You saw them as clearly as I did. They are demons sent here straight from Hell.” He gave her shoulders a light shake. “Don’t you see what I’m saying? They will be back at any time, and they won’t be coming alone. Do you really want to be sitting here waiting for them?”

  It could have been horror on her face, but Shayne chose to believe it was disdain. Or skepticism. She'd certainly given him enough of both, in their brief time together.

  “Shit!” he burst out, releasing his hold on her shoulders and running his fingers through his hair. “Don’t you have any care for your own life?”

  He started to pace. “These demons murdered your mother. If you don’t want to be next, you will come with me now.” Grabbing her hand, he dragged her to the bedroom. He dug through her closet until he found a bag. “Start packing, and make it quick. Only take what you need. I’m going to patrol around the area, just in case they come back.” Shayne started to walk out of the door.

  “Wait,” she cried out, holding the bag in her hands. “Who are you? What do I call you?”

  He stopped and turned, staring at her hard. “Who am I?” he said incredulously. He couldn’t believe she found that important when her life could be ended at any moment. She glared back at him, unrelenting. He wanted to roll his eyes. As stubborn as the woman was being, if he didn't answer, he suspected they'd be there all night.

  Resigned, he growled, “You can call me Shayne. As for who I am, let's just say I’m the man who is going to save your life. Now, enough with the chit chat. We have work to do.” With that, he turned and walked straight out of the door, without a backwards glance.

  THE LATE-MODEL SUV ate up the miles, taking Anna away from the only real home she’d ever known. Clouds had moved in, completely blocking the light from the moon. It was a lonely and isolated stretch of road, matching Anna’s thoughts exactly. It would be easy for her to imagine that they were the only people on Earth. She only hoped the man beside her was batting for the right team.

  A large shiny cross hung from a gold chain on the rear-view mirror, reminding her of her mother's funeral. Anna believed that death was just another chapter of the book but not the end. Sadness engulfed her as she thought about Iris and where she had gone since her death. She imagined her happy and at peace behind those pearly gates.

  Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at the man behind the wheel. The muted lights from the dashboard reflected on the contours of his face. In the darkness, he looked formidable, dangerous, mysterious, and even sexy. A woman would have to be blind to not be aware of him.

  She felt the heat on her cheeks, and knew she was blushing. Her thoughts were taking her down a dangerous path. His attractiveness didn't matter. Her survival did.
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br />   Anna knew he was the only one who could help her. She'd seen the way he fought demons. She had to get him talking, but she wasn't sure how. She felt like they'd gotten off on the wrong foot. He hadn’t said a word since leaving her home.

  She cleared her throat and decided to grab the bull by its horns. “What did you mean about Iris?” There were a million questions she could ask, but this seemed to be the most important. Grief sat heavily on her shoulders as she considered the probability that she was responsible for her mother's death. Anna turned and looked out the window, struggling to hold onto her control.

  She felt his eyes on her, watching her, perhaps trying to decide if he should even answer her. Apparently he decided she could handle the truth, as he replied, “Iris was the victim of a deliberate attack by demons. Unfortunately, we didn’t find out about it until it had already happened, or we would have done everything possible to stop it.” He said it unemotionally, without a hint of pity in his tone. It was the only thing that kept her from crying.

  Anna felt chilled as she realized the demons must have been watching them, waiting for the perfect opportunity. Why had they picked Iris instead of her? There could only be one reason. Killing her mom would add to Anna's fear, which was exactly what they wanted.

  Her eyes filled with tears. Anna blinked them back. Looking out of the passenger window blindly, she pushed a hand against her mouth to hold back the sob. He had just confirmed her suspicions. If it wasn’t for her, Iris would still be alive. After spending her life protecting Anna, Iris had died for her as well. How could Anna bear to live with that knowledge?

  Every inch of her body hurt. Although she didn’t know Shayne, she felt the need to talk about Iris. Her anguish overwhelmed her. She'd had nobody to confide in, and nobody who cared enough to listen and support her. Nobody who understood. Nobody who would have wanted to understand.

  “My mom was the only family I had,” Anna said, in a hoarse voice, looking down at her hands. “We were on the run until I was ten because of something to do with my father. Now I’ve lost my mom, and I’m on the run for my life again.”