Vampire Mine - Kerrelyn Sparks [78]
Was it just her imagination or did he hold her longer than necessary when they arrived? She stood very still, hoping the few seconds could stretch into an eternity, but he eventually let go.
On their fifth night of training, she worked hard to improve, and with a sad, hollow voice he claimed she was ready. She didn’t feel like celebrating, either.
She sensed multiple deaths coupled with fear and horror in a mountainous area in Arkansas, so they teleported a short distance away from the incident.
They landed beside a two-lane road that wound through the mountains. Gravel shifted under her feet, and Connor grabbed her arm to steady her as she bumped against a metal guardrail.
“Careful. There’s a precipice there.” He motioned to the other side of the flimsy metal railing.
They were standing on a narrow shoulder beside the road. Marielle winced at how close they’d come to missing the road altogether. It was dark, the only illumination caused by the nearly full moon and stars. All she could see was the black-topped road, a steep tree-covered incline on one side and the rocky precipice on the other.
“This way.” Connor started down the road, staying on the narrow shoulder. “I can hear the cries.”
She walked behind him as the road made a big curve around the mountainside. Then she heard the cries, too. She stepped onto the pavement, so she could see around Connor. Down the road, where it twisted in a dangerous horseshoe curve, a car had crashed through the guardrail and careened down the precipice.
“Two are dead. But three are still alive.” She tugged on Connor’s arm, pulling him onto the road. “Come on! We have to help them.”
“Ye canna touch them.”
“You can. You have super strength and speed.”
“Verra well.” He reached into his sporran. “I’ll give you my phone, so—”
Lights suddenly brightened the road. Marielle spun around to see a huge eighteen-wheeler truck zooming around the bend and hurtling straight for them.
A horn blared. Brakes screeched.
Connor shoved her out of the way, and she fell onto the next lane.
“No!” she screamed. Connor was still in danger of being hit.
“No!” She scrambled to her feet, then realized why Connor was still standing in the truck’s path.
He was frozen.
The truck was frozen.
Time had come to an abrupt halt.
No sound. No horns or screeching brakes or cries from the car accident down the road.
No movement. Silhouetted against the nearly full moon, a bird was frozen in mid-flight. The expression on Connor’s face was frozen, his eyes blank and not seeing. His arms were still extended from tossing her out of the way.
A chill skittered down her spine, and she pivoted, searching for the one who had manipulated time. As far as she knew, only a few beings could accomplish such a tremendous feat. The Heavenly Father and a few of His most trusted Archangels.
Or a very powerful demon.
Chapter Seventeen
Marielle stiffened when she heard footsteps on the pavement. She whirled around to face the end of the truck. A tall, dark form stepped into the moonlight. A long black coat. Black shirt and tie. Black leather pants. Black wings that folded with a snap and disappeared.
Darafer.
She took a deep breath to steady her nerves. Keep your wits about you. He can’t take you to hell unless you agree. But of course he would try all manner of trickery to make her agree.
He strolled toward her, his expensive leather boots tapping on the black asphalt. Moonlight gleamed off his raven-black hair and luminous pale skin. A corner of his wide mouth curled up in a humorless smile.
She glanced at Connor. He couldn’t help her. He was, in fact, in danger of being mowed over by the eighteen-wheeler whenever Darafer decided to release time.
The demon circled her, studying her intently with his emerald-green eyes. “Why have they dressed you so shabbily? Don’t they realize what a beauty you are?” He stepped forward and hooked a finger under her chin.
She eased back.
He smiled, a genuine smile that actually made