Anna could hear the urgency in his voice. She had no desire to meet up with them again, either. However, she had to wonder if he was being just a tad too paranoid. To distract herself, she decided to talk. Pulling on her bra, she pondered on their situation for a moment, then asked, “How could they find us, though? There wasn't anyone following us while we were on the road.” For hours, they hadn't passed another vehicle on the dark Alaskan highway.
“You're a wanted person,” Shayne replied. His voice was distant, so Anna knew he was no longer standing at the door. She released a quiet sigh of relief. The pressure was off. “That means there isn't a demon in existence who isn't looking for you. But it's not just demons we have to worry about. They control a lot of people, too. Anyone we come into contact with could be working for them: the front desk clerk, a gas station attendant, the person sitting in the booth next to us at a restaurant. And we're not on protected ground, either. Any demon could come upon us at any time, and they wouldn’t necessarily be the ones from the night before.”
Anna took a moment to look at herself in the mirror, just to make sure everything was in place. Her reddish-blonde hair was in a ponytail. Her face was make up free, but her skin was clear and unblemished. Her clothing was clean and everything matched. If nothing else, she felt she looked presentable.
Yanking the door open, she pushed past Shayne, who had moved to stand next to the sink, and hurried to her bag.
Pulling it over her shoulder, she looked back at Shayne. Her eyes met his. “I’m ready,” she said, in a very firm and decided voice, much to her relief. She sounded like someone who was back to the business at hand, which was exactly what she wanted. Anna was determined to push the personal stuff to the side and remain in control over her emotions and the attraction she felt towards Shayne. “Let’s get this show on the road.”
Her stomach rumbled loudly, and she remembered her forgotten meal. Grabbing it, she started towards the door. With one hand on the flimsy hotel doorknob, she added, “I hope you’ve got the SUV warmed up.”
Yanking the door open, Anna stepped out in the night. It was a huge mistake. Immediately, she screamed, the sound echoing back through the doorway to Shayne, as well as into the dark night.
SHAYNE HAD ALREADY been on the move when he realized she was going out the door. He cursed himself for not warning her to let him go first. He pulled a wicked-looking dagger from underneath his coat and prepared to go to battle.
All of his weapons were special made. Each endurer had a variety of swords, knives, and daggers created just for them and based off of their height, build, and even hand size. Each of the four angels kept a priest, blacksmith, bladesmith, and a swordsmith on staff.
After becoming immortal, an endurer was measured. They decided the types of weapons they wanted, how they wanted them to look, and they could even have the blades engraved with words or designs, should they have a mind to. The weapons were then created in the tradition of old—in a forge with fire—but with a twist. Instead of regular water, they were cooled only in holy water. They were also blessed. Because of that, they were the only weapons in the world with the ability to send the demons straight back to Hell.
Demons never completely died, but they could be disabled and prevented from coming back to Earth again. Angels, demons, and humans all had an awareness that had to be housed somewhere. The physical body might depart, but the awareness inside of them never ceased to exist.
Some endurers had the ability to dispatch them in other ways. Not Shayne. His ability was in his strength. The only items he needed to do his job were his weapons, and with them, he was good to go.
Reaching the doorway, Shayne immediately surveyed the situation. The demon had a relentless grip on Anna's hair and had pulled her several feet away. Screaming, she fought as hard as she could to break free, risking ripping the very hair from her head to escape him. “Don't move,” Shayne said, an instant before he threw his dagger.
His aim was straight and true, missing her by a scant inch or two. Instantly, her hair was released and she fell down to the ground, as the creature behind her screamed in pain. Shayne was already on the move, shoving the demon away from her as it started to dissolve.
He watched Anna as she crawled quickly toward the building, to put her back to the wall. There were others out there, all of them circling and waiting for their chance to strike. He had to keep them away from her.
Shayne grabbed his weapon from the demon's dissolving body and moved back toward the doorway of the motel room. The dagger had hit the hellion between the eyes. Smoke was rising from its prone form, as the smell of sulfur pervaded the cool night air. Almost instantly, it was gone.
Two grotesque creatures started towards them, their red eyes gleaming unnaturally in the twilight of the evening. They were taller than the others. They wouldn't be a threat. Not for an endurer as experienced as he was.
Shayne was ready for them with a dagger in each hand. “You girls looking to play?” he asked, his velvety deep voice cutting through the night. “I know I am. Look, I'm even wearing my play clothes.” He was dressed completely in black.
The two
