Absolution Read Online Free PDF Page A

scanned the small hamlet. Two days of hard, winter driving along the back mountain roads of West Virginia where no snowplows drove and an occasional battle with those fucking grass-faced demons, they had finally arrived.
    The van rolled to a stop and he climbed out. “The diner’s open. Let’s get something to eat before we pick up Earl and retrieve the package.” Now all he had to do was save the injured child, her mother, and kill Farley’s spies before they killed him.
    Yeah, nothing to it. A snap.
    “Their burgers and fries are great,” Crocker said.
    He glanced back at the big man. “You know this place?”
    “Yeah, I come from here. We’re usin’ my sister’s kid as bait. Sure hope Earl didn’t hurt her too bad.”
    Luc froze. Shit, Crocker had offered up his family as the lure. What kind of man did that? A sadist. Not hurt her too bad ? Think again.
    Farley trusted Crocker.
    Crap.
    “You know Earl?”
    “Yeah, he’s a buddy. Sure hope he took care of that bleeding heart brother-in-law.”
    “He did.” Luc swallowed back his disgust and moved away from the vehicle to survey the town square. Except for the diner, the town seemed to roll up its sidewalks at six in the evening. At the deserted square and the sight of two people seated in the diner, he bit back the urge to call out, “Six thirty and all’s quiet.”
    Other than their four pairs of boots shuffling, silence reigned. His eyes narrowed on an all too familiar statue form posed in the fountain of the center plaza. Imitating The Thinker, a smile played at the corners of Fritz’s chiseled lips. Streetlights reflected off his gleaming dove gray eyes. It took all Luc’s self-control to smother his laughter as water pelted Fritz’s granite features.
    “God damn, that’s one ugly statue,” Ted said.
    Darkness below, he wanted to get rid of Ted tonight and not wait. No way, he could afford to let that rapist near the healer. He grimaced. No, it’d be safer to get rid of Rice at the same time. Fritz could take him out tonight while he handled Ted. Too bad, he couldn’t get rid of Crocker, but he needed at least one norm to return with him. Otherwise, Farley would identify him as a plant.
    “Thought the township was out of money. ‘Cause that statue wasn’t here last month when I visited my sis.” Crocker walked over to Fritz and poked him. “He’s sure lifelike. Don’t feel like stone, neither.”
    “Probably a gift from some fucking Fae.” As they pulled their weapons, Luc stepped between them and Fritz. “I wouldn’t if I were you. Don’t want to draw attention to ourselves. Knowing those fuckers, they’ve probably placed a rebound curse on the thing. Wouldn’t stand too close.”
    As the two men backed away, his gaze zeroed in on Rice. The lanky, black-haired daemon stood transfixed, unable to break eye contact with Fritz. His only movement—rapid swallowing. His glamour had slipped enough that the dilated pupils of his normally brown eyes had turned a red-black. His complexion reflected a shade lighter than the gargoyle’s.
    Shit, he knew and was terrified. With good reason. Gargoyles feasted on demons, and high level ones like daemons were a special treat.
    Luc moved to the side, keeping all three adversaries in his field of vision. “You three get the food. I want to take a look around, check this place out.” At Rice’s arched eyebrow and smirk, he frowned. “From the looks of the sky, we’re in for another major storm. Once we recover the healer, we may be stuck in your sister’s cabin for a while.”
    Rice motioned Ted and Crocker toward the diner. “You two go. Luc and I need to talk some strategy.”
    “That statue’s sure givin’ you the creeps, ain’t it, Rice?”
    Rice grabbed Ted by the throat. “Nothing gives me the creeps except idiots like you.” He shoved him into Crocker’s chest. “Luc and I need to iron out how we take the healer and keep her from turning her magick on us. If she can heal,