Stranger at the Hell Gate Read Online Free PDF Page A

nothing to you, man. You can't hang on—"
    Jagger stood, the chair dropping beneath him and falling against the wall. "I'm not. Okay? I just can't kill him. He mirrors everything I do. How many times have I gone up against him? I can't even count all the times. You can't understand. It's my damned father's blood. It recognizes him. It's fucked up, I know it. And it drives me insane."
    Jagger circled the desk and stood chest to chest with Ionis. "I know he has to die. Everything he's done—these damned hell gates—"
    He cut off, clenching his fists. His hatred for Acheron went far deeper than hell gates. It went all the way back to Jagger's earliest memories. "I know it will only end when he's dead. But you can't beat him. And neither can I. All I can do is keep him from getting the jump on me."
    "There has to be something we can do. If he pulls off another Anthers, he's going to make that gate permanent."
    Jagger spread his arms. "So whattaya think we should do? Pray for a miracle?"
    A creak on the step behind the closed door took his attention. It was slight enough that Jagger was sure Ionis hadn't heard it. How much had she overheard?
    He rubbed his mouth. Didn't matter what she knew.
    She was probably used to his sarcasm by now, anyway. Half-demons didn't exactly rank high up on the list of miracle recipients. He only got whatever he earned, whatever he fought for. It was the only return he had ever expected.
    Jagger turned back to the desk where his weapons lay and spoke no more. Ionis, accustomed to Jagger's habits, simply racked his gear and oiled his armor. He grabbed another beer before leaving for home, leaving Jagger alone in the office.
    The sound of footsteps and distant singing overhead made him look up. Not exactly alone, he thought. There had never been footsteps overhead for as long as he's stayed in this building. It was odd. Unsettling, almost.
    Yet…comforting.
    Jagger stripped down to his pants and dropped onto the couch, one arm crooked behind his head. A tingle on his forearm made him inspect the skin. That scar was definitely gone. Lowering his arm to his face, he breathed in her scent, lingering from her touch.
    Jagger stared at the ceiling long after the sounds ceased.

ANGELS
    Sonya lay awake long after the sun came up, thoughts churning in her head. She couldn't sleep for all the noise her brain was making.
    She felt guilty about having eavesdropped on the men after she'd left them. She only had meant to linger, hoping for another chance to speak with Jagger. However, the conversation had taken a grim tone, leaving little chance of rekindling an intimate exchange.
    Was this the reason she's been sent to find Jagger? She was more than familiar with hell gates—her kind had been fighting to close them for millennia—but this was the first time she'd found a non-divinity battling them.
    Such a complex man, she mused. Jagger had more to his nature than demon's blood. His sword was dual-natured. His body was dual-natured. Perhaps…his soul was dual-natured, too?
    And he had a soul, she was sure of it. She'd peered inside him and had seen it firsthand.
    So. Sonya lay under the covers, feeling the air change with the advent of sunrise, listening to the sounds of the night diminish with the dawn. A demon that fights against the forces of Lucifer.
    A rebel? No, he couldn't be so shallow a being. Something else drove him to fight against his brother, something stronger than his fear of the Morningstar himself. Rebellions against Lucifer never lasted long. He was the source of every demon's power. Rebellions failed because Lucifer simply took back his power from the revolting demons.
    After all, Lucifer was the ultimate rebel. His pride wouldn't allow another to outshine his dark light.
    Question was: did Jagger have that same dangerous pride?
    She squeezed her eyes shut and whispered a prayer. Every angel knew that pride went before a fall.
    Over the days that followed, Sonya fell into a routine. She