The Demon Signet Read Online Free PDF

and joined the row of others that were intent on braving the five hundred and forty-mile drive out of the mountains rather than risk spending the holidays stranded in the small regional airport.
    “Did he say there was snow coming in?” Heather asked.
    “Snow?” Ashley looked up to the heavy clouds. “Sure feels like it.”
    Marcus zipped his leather jacket all the way up, shivering. Then he put an arm around Ashley and squeezed her tight. “‘Here is a good searching question for a man to ask himself as he reviews his past life: have I written in the snow?’”
    “What?” Heather asked, crossing her own arms against the frozen gust pulling her hair off her shoulders and tossing it behind her. She was wearing a dark V-neck with lace sleeves beneath a white, wool-cashmere peacoat.
    Marcus continued, “‘The boys inscribe their names in capitals in the snow, and in the morning’s thaw the writing disappears; will it be so with my work, or will the characters which I have carved outlast the brazen tablets of history? Have I written in the snow?’”
    “Another Charles Spurgeon quote?” Ashley asked, her eyes rolling above a thin smile.
    “Mama always loved quoting the Prince of Preachers,” came his usual reply.
    Ian laughed. “I’ve written in the snow.” He bent his knees, leaning back and thrusting his hips forward.
    Heather hit him. “You’re gross. And don’t you dare do anything like that in front of my parents, or you’ll—”
    “Or I’ll what?” He’d been raised as a Methodist himself, but the tragic death of his brother had destroyed any faith he had in all that stuff.
    Ashley leaned into Marcus’ chest. “You sure about our luggage? I could really use one of my sweaters.” She had only a layered black, white, and gray T-shirt with three-quarter sleeves and a scoop neck beneath her puffer-styled jacket. None of them were really dressed for the elements, having only anticipated heated cabin air at ten thousand feet. Had they known what was to come, Ashley would have replaced her black and teal dance Pumas with boots, Ian would have worn his Timberlands instead of his black Oxfords, and Marcus would’ve preferred something more insulated and waterproofed over his red-swooshed Nikes.
    Ian took Heather’s hand. “Your parents are expecting us for the big Christmas party tomorrow, and if we wait for our luggage, we could miss it. Don’t think they’d be all too happy about that.”
    A blue Saturn pulled up alongside the curb, and a young couple got in. The car drove off.
    “Are we getting a driver, too?” Heather wondered.
    Ashley answered, “He’s probably dropping himself off back at the rental place before handing over the keys.”
    They stood silent for a few seconds, squinting into the frigid air.
    “How’s your wrist?” Marcus asked Ashley, reaching for it.
    She’d hurt it the first day they’d taken to the Canadian slopes, falling awkwardly off her snowboard. “It’s fine.” She moved it around, trying to keep the wince from showing on her face.
    Heather was a high school English teacher in Fairfax, and the rest of them had all decided to use their vacation days in accordance with her winter break, going to a ski resort in Quebec. The plan was to be back at Heather and Ashley’s parents’ house today, a day before the party and three days before Christmas. It appeared as if they might make it after all.
    Five hundred and forty miles. Ten hours. No problem.
    Ten minutes later and the last ones left standing on the curb, the red Taurus appeared.
    The day looked promising. A long drive to Maryland could be fun, and Heather would be better off in the car than in a plane, if only because they could pull over and get her some air if need be. Yeah, perhaps this would even be better…a true blessing in disguise.
    They slipped into the car, and the man sitting behind the wheel pulled away from the curb, leaving the airport behind.

Two
     
    Jonathan is not his real name but