Stranger at the Hell Gate Read Online Free PDF

meditated and prayed when Jagger went out on a job, searching deep within herself for some clue. She'd been raised to heal, to nurture. What could she possibly do to shut down a hell gate?
    What if the hell gate was only secondary to her mission?
    Now, it wasn't only the desperate urgency within herself that drove her; it was the weariness she saw in Jagger's expression when he thought she wasn't looking.
    Jagger didn't realize just how much she could see.
    Jagger also didn't realize just how close Acheron was coming to his office—and to her.
    Sonya began to leave the office to go walking, usually when Enzo arrived. She made him uneasy, she knew; the human signs of suspicion and anxiety were simple to detect. Heart rate, skin temperature, perspiration—obvious signs he didn't like when she was around.
    Enzo was never rude to her…but she didn't want to provoke him, either. Jagger valued him. She thought it best if she avoided the agent and let him concentrate on his job.
    Going out at night wasn't the most attractive idea but Sonya had been raised in a culture of sacrifice. It was the right thing to do. Still, she always hesitated on the stoop, unsure she should venture out.
    Every time, Enzo's vibe of relief made her step off the porch and into the damnable night, putting all her faith in the One whom she served.
    This city was vast, sprawling for miles in every direction. Jagger's office was located in an old neighborhood in one of the suburbs. Once, this had been a beautiful area—the architecture was splendid, if not well-maintained, and an over-grown garden park lay some four blocks to the east.
    She didn't have to venture far to discover where the hell gate stood. She couldn't get very close to it—no untrained Seraph ever would, not without armor and a legion behind him—but she could feel it, smell it, hear it on the wind.
    An old warehouse stood on the farthest edge of town, in a neighborhood now deserted by the humans who had grown tired of the paranormal occurrences that plagued the abandoned industrial park. The air surrounding the area was stagnant, thick and sluggish, lending to a sense of claustrophobia.
    The hell gate had to be part of the reason why she was led to Jagger. Although she knew Jagger would disapprove, she had to get closer. Her instincts told her an answer lay close by.
    She couldn't allow fear to stop her. She'd come too far already.
    One evening, she'd made it as close as the outer barrier, a bubble-like structure that she felt rather than saw. It was a tenacious film that smelled like baking garbage and human waste. Sonya covered her nose at the repulsive odor and backed away but before she could turn and hurry away, the crystal flickered and took up its glow.
    Sonya stopped and looked around. "Jagger? Is that you?"
    She peered through the darkness, using her Seraph sight. In the distance, deep within the barrier, she saw a figure standing on top of a steel crate some fifty yards off. The moonlight glinted off a shock of silver hair.
    With a sigh of relief, she started toward him. The barrier repelled her.
    "Jagger," she called. "I'm right here."
    The figure didn't answer. Instead, it cocked its head toward her. His eyes glowed a sickly gleam of red.
    Not Jagger. He didn't have eyes that sinister.
    Sonya ran and didn't slow down until long after the crystal had quieted.
    She kept the occurrence to herself, fearful Jagger would be angry to learn she'd gotten so close to the hell gate. That was the last time she ventured out at night. Instead, she paced the roof, searching the skies for an answer.
    Days passed by, the urgency of her mission growing. She tried to dismiss the oppressiveness of the rooms, convincing herself the feeling came from staying cooped up. She looked forward to the moment late each night when the crystal would light, telling her Jagger had returned.
    Although they'd never picked up their intimate conversation, they still seemed to be getting along. Sonya caught him