Stranger at the Hell Gate Read Online Free PDF Page B
Author: Ash Krafton
grinning on a number of occasions, although he always did his best to quell the expression. She imagined he was worried about losing his gruff nonchalance.
He never asked when she'd be on her way, never questioned her supposed mission or her plans. He simply expected her to be there when he got back from a job.
One night, long before she expected his return, the crystal suddenly sparked, sputtering into activity. She had been deep in meditation when the heat became too great to ignore. Extinguishing her candle, Sonya opened the apartment door, expecting to see Jagger standing right outside.
The hall was empty. Sonya peered around the corner and down the steps, but saw no one.
Brows furrowed, Sonya went back inside and re-lit the candle. "Must have been a fluke," she muttered.
"Nope. It's just me, darlin'."
She spun to see a dark figure crouched upon the sill of the open window. Silver hair. Red eyes. The same she'd seen at the hell gate.
He wolf-whistled at her. "Well, hello, gorgeous."
Sonya screamed and raced down the steps, charging straight for Enzo. The man looked so surprised he'd jumped up from his chair and caught her, holding her and trying to calm her.
All she had to do was show him the crystal, glowing hot. That brought out Enzo's true nature.
"Don't move!" He extended a hand toward the apartment door. It slammed shut.
A piece of lumpy chalk appeared in Enzo's hand. He drew a protective circle around them on the floorboards, chanting low under his breath. Drawing a small knife from his pocket, he sliced his thumb and dripped the blood onto the chalk line. A flash of red light raced around the circle. When it closed, a veil of energy shimmered up from the floor, encompassing them within a shield of magic.
Blood magic. Sonya realized why Enzo was so wary of her. Blood magic was a sin.
They stood, chest to chest, with nowhere else to look but at each other. He pressed his lips into thin lines, defiance in his gaze.
She smoothed her expression and quelled the urge to preach. This was not the time. There was a much more immediate threat, and Sonya had to make a choice—denounce his display of sin, or admit that same sin was saving their lives.
"Thank you," she whispered.
Enzo merely nodded and dropped his gaze, before drawing her to his chest for a bolstering embrace.
She closed her eyes, welcoming the comfort.
They stood inside until the crystal flickered and dimmed, waiting for it to cool. When they seemed to be out of immediate danger, he scrubbed away a section on the circle. The light fell to the ground like sand, scattering onto the floorboards. As the grains melted, the circle vanished with them.
She sank down on the couch while Enzo made notes and took calls. When the crystal lit again, the man gestured to her to stay on the couch while he aimed a missile launcher at the door, the projectile containing a Holy Water-loaded head.
Jagger clomped through the door, looking bloodier than usual. And it was Jagger, Sonya knew, not that red-eyed demon who wore his face. She only needed the briefest of brushes against his core to know beyond a doubt.
Sonya bolted toward him, arms outreached, and wrapped him in a tight hug. "Oh, Jagger, thank God it's you."
He grunted in surprise but he didn't dislodge her. Enzo briefly described the night's strange event, stopping short of venturing a guess as to the identity of the invader. He didn't need to.
Jagger hugged Sonya closer. He knew.
"I got things from here, Enzo." Jagger slid his sword free and set it on the desk.
His movement made Sonya keenly aware of his heartbeat against her cheek. She dropped her arms, hiding her face and her heated flush.
"You want me to call Ionis over?" Enzo picked up the phone.
"Nah." Jagger stooped to dig through the chest cooler and pulled out a bottle. "I got this."
Enzo dipped his head in a curt nod toward Sonya before pulling open the door to leave. Sonya fluttered her fingers in a small wave.
"I'm sorry." Jagger
He never asked when she'd be on her way, never questioned her supposed mission or her plans. He simply expected her to be there when he got back from a job.
One night, long before she expected his return, the crystal suddenly sparked, sputtering into activity. She had been deep in meditation when the heat became too great to ignore. Extinguishing her candle, Sonya opened the apartment door, expecting to see Jagger standing right outside.
The hall was empty. Sonya peered around the corner and down the steps, but saw no one.
Brows furrowed, Sonya went back inside and re-lit the candle. "Must have been a fluke," she muttered.
"Nope. It's just me, darlin'."
She spun to see a dark figure crouched upon the sill of the open window. Silver hair. Red eyes. The same she'd seen at the hell gate.
He wolf-whistled at her. "Well, hello, gorgeous."
Sonya screamed and raced down the steps, charging straight for Enzo. The man looked so surprised he'd jumped up from his chair and caught her, holding her and trying to calm her.
All she had to do was show him the crystal, glowing hot. That brought out Enzo's true nature.
"Don't move!" He extended a hand toward the apartment door. It slammed shut.
A piece of lumpy chalk appeared in Enzo's hand. He drew a protective circle around them on the floorboards, chanting low under his breath. Drawing a small knife from his pocket, he sliced his thumb and dripped the blood onto the chalk line. A flash of red light raced around the circle. When it closed, a veil of energy shimmered up from the floor, encompassing them within a shield of magic.
Blood magic. Sonya realized why Enzo was so wary of her. Blood magic was a sin.
They stood, chest to chest, with nowhere else to look but at each other. He pressed his lips into thin lines, defiance in his gaze.
She smoothed her expression and quelled the urge to preach. This was not the time. There was a much more immediate threat, and Sonya had to make a choice—denounce his display of sin, or admit that same sin was saving their lives.
"Thank you," she whispered.
Enzo merely nodded and dropped his gaze, before drawing her to his chest for a bolstering embrace.
She closed her eyes, welcoming the comfort.
They stood inside until the crystal flickered and dimmed, waiting for it to cool. When they seemed to be out of immediate danger, he scrubbed away a section on the circle. The light fell to the ground like sand, scattering onto the floorboards. As the grains melted, the circle vanished with them.
She sank down on the couch while Enzo made notes and took calls. When the crystal lit again, the man gestured to her to stay on the couch while he aimed a missile launcher at the door, the projectile containing a Holy Water-loaded head.
Jagger clomped through the door, looking bloodier than usual. And it was Jagger, Sonya knew, not that red-eyed demon who wore his face. She only needed the briefest of brushes against his core to know beyond a doubt.
Sonya bolted toward him, arms outreached, and wrapped him in a tight hug. "Oh, Jagger, thank God it's you."
He grunted in surprise but he didn't dislodge her. Enzo briefly described the night's strange event, stopping short of venturing a guess as to the identity of the invader. He didn't need to.
Jagger hugged Sonya closer. He knew.
"I got things from here, Enzo." Jagger slid his sword free and set it on the desk.
His movement made Sonya keenly aware of his heartbeat against her cheek. She dropped her arms, hiding her face and her heated flush.
"You want me to call Ionis over?" Enzo picked up the phone.
"Nah." Jagger stooped to dig through the chest cooler and pulled out a bottle. "I got this."
Enzo dipped his head in a curt nod toward Sonya before pulling open the door to leave. Sonya fluttered her fingers in a small wave.
"I'm sorry." Jagger
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