In the Dark Read Online Free PDF Page A

warmth of Soren’s body evaporated, making her shoulders shake once with a sudden chill. Hiding her reaction to his touch, she quickly combed her fingers through her hair. Funny, but it felt like Gustav had intruded.
    Soren met him in the doorway, their hushed conversation apparently none of her business. Besides, she couldn’t make out a word. She took the opportunity to duck into the bathroom, retrieve her suitcase and haul it to the door. Soren stood, glaring at the keys dangling from Gustav’s hand, and she paused.
    His legs were parted in an almost challenging stance as he argued with Gustav, arms tightly crossed and jaw clenched. She smiled. The argument must not be going Soren’s way. He looked angry, and Gustav’s voice rose steadily.
    â€œDo it your way and you’ll fry in the dawn light, you stupid, stubborn bastard. And then she’s stuck with me.” He motioned to her, though Soren didn’t turn his head her way. “Hysterical women aren’t sensible, and you know it. One way or another, she’ll be dead along with you. If a demon doesn’t get her, I’ll have to.”
    Soren growled, but didn’t say a word.
    â€œHey,” she piped up, “nobody needs to kill me. I’ll go with you.” Her fate would not be decided by two hotheaded men.
    â€œYeah, but this idiot wants to walk to Balinese,” Gustav said. “Which would be all fine and dandy, but you’ve been knocked in the head, and the only thing you’ll do is slow him down, killing you both in the process.”
    Gustav gave her one of those looks that screamed for help. Well, she’d give it a shot. She was all for not dying. “How far is it?” she asked quietly, sinking onto the edge of the bed.
    â€œFar,” Soren bit out.
    â€œI don’t think I could keep up with you,” she said, throwing some girly weakness into her voice. “And what if I pass out again?”
    â€œListen to her, Soren. Neither you nor I know how many more demons are out there right now. If you stop to fight them, you waste time. And what if you’re injured?”
    After a long moment of contemplation, Soren leaned on the doorjamb and tipped his head back, tense in his defeat. “Damn,” he whispered, squeezing his eyes shut.
    â€œWhat’s the matter?” she whispered to Gustav.
    â€œHe hates cars,” Gustav supplied.
    â€œThat’s it?”
    â€œHe’s never liked them.” Gustav shrugged, apparently quite familiar with Soren’s quirks.
    â€œI thought guys loved cars. Were you in an accident?” she asked, though she didn’t expect a response.
    â€œUnreliable hunks of metal,” Soren muttered, snatching the keys from Gustav’s hand.
    â€œHe hates progress in general,” Gustav answered with a smile. “The only real exceptions I’ve ever seen are indoor plumbing, his guns and his phone. He hates his phone, too.”
    Soren picked up her suitcase then curled his fingers around her elbow. Without a goodbye to Gustav, he pulled her along behind him and out the door.
    * * * *
    Soren tossed her suitcase in the backseat of the rusty two-door car, and as he stepped aside for her to take the passenger seat, spotted a woman’s shoe on the sidewalk. No woman alive would leave a single shoe behind. Alive being the key word.
    The smell of blood hung in the air. Demons. They stole lives in mere moments, leaving only a damaged, empty body behind. Hatred rose, swelling like a storm ready to break, destroying all in its path. He controlled it, at least for now. Blind hatred did nothing but dull the senses.
    Faith stood at his side, oblivious, a stranger to his world. He had no time to educate her. She knew what manner of being he was, but nothing of the vile creatures thriving in the darkest blackness of night, held at bay by a single streetlamp.
    He didn’t hear it, didn’t see it, but something had shifted in