Tempted Read Online Free PDF Page A

and worms crawled in and out of the gaping holes. Even more of the foul creatures crawled and in and out of the empty holes where eyes should have been. Saliva rolled down one long, sharp canine as he leered at her.
    “ What have we here?”
    His voice was surprisingly smooth and rich. Sarah grimaced at the forked tongue moving around behind jagged, uneven teeth.
    “ What could I have possibly done to deserve this? I have not feasted my eyes on something so beautiful in such a long time.”
    Exasperated, Sarah allowed her body to take on its plain human form. “This is not a social visit, demon,” she said as she stepped closer to him. At her present height she was forced to look up at him, but was far from being intimidated. “Father sent me.”
    Eligos laughed, and more saliva dripped from his mouth and hit the ground with a loud ‘splat’. He reached out one hand to touch her cheek; she felt the cold metal of his armor against her skin. “Must be my birthday,” he whispered.
    Sarah’s eyes glowed white as she fixed her heated stare on Eligos. Within seconds his armor was glowing red and he was writhing from the pain as she seared his flesh. When he had snatched his hand away, Sarah stopped the burning and her eyes turned back to their earthly color.
    Eligos clutched his throbbing hand against his chest and growled at her. “Tell me what the hell you want and leave,” he snapped. “I have important work to get back to.”
    “ Not here you don’t,” she said. “This soul is now under my protection.”
    A beastly snarl escaped from behind his lips as he stepped forward until his face was inches from hers. He barred his teeth at her and hissed.
    “ What I wouldn’t give to wrap my hands around that pretty little neck of yours, angel.”
    “ You’re welcome to try,” she said with a smirk, “but the fact remains that you no longer wield any power here...”
    His laughter coiled around her, filling her stomach with churning bile.
    “ This isn’t over, angel,” he said as he moved back toward his waiting creature. “Do you honestly think hell will give him over that easily? He possesses power that you could not even begin to recognize. He could do great things for our side, and Lucifer will not relinquish him without a fight.”
    Sarah stood her ground, her hands balling into glowing fists at her sides. Eligos’ hand tightened on the hilt of the medieval lance at his hip in response.
    “ If it’s a fight you want, you shall have one,” she said, watching as Eligos mounted his flying beast. The animal shrieked once, loudly, before flapping its bat-like wings.
    “ You’ll be seeing me again,” he snarled before guiding the flying creature back out into the night. She waited until he was out of sight before she turned toward the fire escape.
    Jackson Bennett was in apartment 318. He should be asleep at this hour, but Sarah was prepared to wait until morning, standing guard. If hell had sent Eligos after Jackson, then he must be more important than Sarah realized. Only those who possessed great power were targets for demons like him. Eligos commanded legions of lesser demons; Sarah had no doubt he’d return with reinforcements.
    She was almost to the fire escape when she heard a noise behind her. She whipped around quickly, hoping to find whoever had spotted her. They may have heard or seen her exchange with Eligos, and if that were the case she would have to strike the meeting from the person’s memory.
    “ Who’s there?” she called into the dark.
    After a few seconds of silence, a man stepped into view. His face was hidden in shadow, so Sarah could not see his expression. She could, however, hear the fear and uncertainty in his voice when he finally spoke. She could feel it racing through his veins.
    “ What the hell are you?”
     
     
     
     
    Jackson had just managed to calm himself after the debilitating episode he’d suffered on the fire escape when he saw something very strange. He