Liya wasn’t sure how Damon was able to get Gabriel to bring the car to pick them up at the remote area, but he was able to do it. She didn’t even know where this was. In the darkness she could barely make out the house they were leaving. She just knew it was dismal inside, nothing like the elegance that Damon possessed.In the darkness of the car, Damon could feel her fear of him. It pained him to have her frightened of him even though he knew her love for him was greater.Liya chose to sit across from him in the car. She was so conflicted with what she’d seen. The horror and the terror she felt were so undeniably real. Would she be like those creatures that lay in wait for their master’s bidding? Would Damon be able to control her like that?Damon interrupted her thoughts, “I would never hurt you.”She looked up at him and almost whispered, “I wish you would stop telling me what I’m thinking.”“We are c

Damon stood at the top, clothed in an elegant black double breasted dress coat, a burgundy shirt and black tie. His shoulder length locks curled roguishly under his strong, square jaw. His face had an indisputable look of pride on his face as he had his head turned to the side. Aya could see that he had reason, for Liya had descended the stairs with him. Her arm looped through his. She was a perfect picture of virtuous grace, clad in a slimming black evening gown that showed her voluptuous unforgivable figure. One of her long legs would appear almost up to the hip through a stylish slit when she stepped down a stair. Aya thought that Damon must love that style. The strapless, low cut bodice was decorated with a priceless necklace of teardrop diamonds that crested just above her firm breasts. Her thick black hair was pinned up showing her elegant neck and her ears were donned with large matching diamond earrings. She saw that Liya, in turn, was staring back at Damon with ad

The small house sat alone on a dead end road. Paint peeled from the weathered siding and golden weeds sighed againstthe foundation. A porch sagged in front of a rusty screen door thatswung and squeaked in the breeze. Blank windows stared out,reflecting the line of fire that was the horizon.Natalie pulled her little red car off the road into the weeds and stared at her final destination. This had to be oneof the dumbest things she’d ever done – second only to the nightshe’d picked Marcus up in the bar and taken him home.“What am I doing?”She’d gone for food. She’d made a mental list in herhead that included ice cream and hot fudge, but then she’d drivenright past the store. She supposed it was curiosity and a desire tohave the entire disaster over and done with. She desperately neededto move on.She shut the car off but stopped short of gettingout. Should she take all of her stuff with her? Her purse, her ID’s– her

Gabriel went on, “Even if I did release you, whatwould Ellish do with you?”“He’ll come for me,” the demon hissed, a malevolent smile on his face, his thin lips pulled back from fangs.“We shall see.” Gabriel looked over his shoulder ather. “Have you seen enough?”She nodded, unable to speak. The thought of abrightly lit gas station full of reality seemed very far away.They stepped out into the hallway and Gabriel pulledthe door after them. “I apologize for the shocking introduction,but it seemed the best way to make you believe me.” He stoppedsuddenly, his body rigid, as if he was listening.Natalie strained, but she couldn’t hear anythingexcept Miles’s sudden coarse laughter.“I told you they’d come for me!”“God damn it,” Gabriel cursed. “Shut up, you foulcreature!” He pulled Natalie close enough to hiss into her ear,“There is someone here. It may be nothing, but it could

Natalie woke the following day to filtered sunlightsplashed across her face. Faint impressions of a dream lingered,like half formed fingerprints in warm clay. Yes, it had been a warmdream – very, very warm. He’d been beautiful and smooth with darkeyes and strong hands. It was the kind of dream she wanted to stayin.But, she couldn’t, so she slowly opened her eyes,feeling disoriented and sore. Her head ached and her throat feltthick and raw. Her mind was mushy as it tried vainly to process whyshe felt so bad, and finally concluded that she must have ahangover.She rolled over and found herself staring at a setof heavy orange drapes. A single thought drifted though herconsciousness: Orange? Who in the hell has orangedrapes?Her muscles complained as she sat up too quickly andher eyes darted around the shabby motel room. She scrabbled througha tumble of memories, but the replay stuttered to a stop when asharp pain erupted in her shoul