by Mary Abshire
Steven lowered his hand. “It’s Christmas Eve. I had to pay my respects to the Almighty.”
Andrew clenched his jaw and shook his head. “Fine, have it your way. I’m going to get a room. Stay here or don’t. I don’t care.”
“Is your wife coming here with your friend? What’s his name?”
“None of your business and no. She doesn’t know where I’m at. I’m keeping her far away from you.”
“You sent her away on Christmas Eve? Ouch, I bet she didn’t take that well.”
Andrew had enough of his games. He rose from the settee. “Goodbye, Steven.”
“You know why I’m here, so have a seat,” Steven said, stopping Andrew before he took a step.
Andrew remained standing and crossed his arms. “So you’re here to make sure I go after the next demon?”
“I’m doing my job. You need to do yours.”
“What if I told you I’m working on it, but I wanted to spend the holiday with my wife first?”
“I’d say the holiday is over.”
Anger spiked within Andrew. He resisted the urge to beat him to death, but the lobby of the hotel wasn’t the best location. He lowered to the edge of the settee, hoping to calm his emotions. “How did you find me?”
“Well, that’s an interesting question considering you haven’t been easy to find until recently when you started making transactions from your bank account.”
Andrew looked down at the coffee table as he recalled where he’d used his card. He’d used it at the airport when he’d picked up Matt. He’d used it a few times in Rockville and then at dinner. But Steven couldn’t have known where he’d swiped it. Only the people monitoring in heaven would have known.
“I don’t understand. Someone upstairs would have had the address of the location where I accessed my account. You told us it takes time for information to travel and appear on your forearm. So how did you find me?” Andrew began to wonder if Steven had lied to him.
“Right, it does take a little while for the overlords to tell me where to go. It’s really annoying. But I work with what they give me. I was in New York when I received word you’d been in DC. Not even a day later, I got a new address in Rockville. I headed there and found you at the Town Square one night. Since I didn’t recognize the big bloke who was with you and your wife, I decided to follow you to your hotel. I stayed there for the night. I woke up early and tailed you all day. I almost lost you after the concert. Traffic was a bloody mess.”
Andrew swallowed hard. He’d left Emily alone while he’d gone to the Square with Matt. Steven could’ve taken advantage of Andrew being away from her. Andrew didn’t dare ask why. He was more than glad the enforcer had followed him instead of trying to get to Emily.
“Was DC the first time an address showed up on your arm?” Andrew asked.
Steven’s lips curled on one side. “I’ve shared enough with you. It’s time you start sharing with me. What’s the plan for your demon in Texas?”
Andrew knew Steven wouldn’t leave even if Andrew had a plan. The enforcer would stay with Andrew until he destroyed the demon and a new name appeared on his arm. “I’m going to get a room.” He stood. “If you want to know my plans, you’ll have to come with me. It’s been a long day and I need to get some rest.”
“So you’ll tell me your plans if I bunk with you? Is that the deal?”
“I would prefer you get your own room, but I’m sure you want to keep tabs on me in case I sneak out.”
Steven smirked as he rose from the chair. “I’m sure you’d like to return to your wife, so I think I will bunk with you for a while.”
Andrew pressed his lips together as he walked away from the enforcer. He estimated he had forty minutes left to deal with Steven before the taxi driver would leave. He would have to act fast if he were going to kill the man.
The hotel had one male employee working behind the counter. He had a thin frame, short, dark hair, and he wore a black vest over a white shirt. He stood as Andrew and Steven approached him.
“Merry Christmas,” Andrew said.
“Merry Christmas.” The attendant shifted his gaze from Andrew to Steven.
“My partner and I need a room for the night. We’re in town for an important meeting and he failed to book a room,” Andrew said.
“By partner, he means business associate,” Steven said.
“Right. Let me check to see what we have.” The attendant looked down at his monitor and typed on his keyboard. “I have two double beds for four hundred and eighty-nine dollars.”
Steven scoffed. “It’s bloody Christmas. Can’t you give us a break?”
Andrew withdrew his wallet. “Forgive him, he’s had a stressful day.” He handed several large bills to the man behind the counter.
“Uh, we take credit cards,” the attendant said. “We can’t take cash.”
“You’re kidding me,” Andrew said as his pulse quickened. How could such a luxurious hotel turn away a customer wanting to pay cash?
“I’m sorry,” the attendant said.
“What if I gave you an extra bill? You can do what you want with it. My associate and I need a place to rest until the morning. It’s Christmas, and I don’t think we’ll find another hotel nearby. Can you please take the money and let us stay?” Andrew put an extra one hundred dollar bill on the counter.
The young man looked at the money. He lifted his gaze to Andrew. “Are either of you drunk or anything?”
Steven smirked. “I wish.”
“No,” Andrew said. “We just want to clean up and rest. Take the money.”
The attendant collected the cash. He prepared a keycard and then handed it to Andrew. “Room three-thirteen is on the third floor. The elevator is around the corner.” He pointed.
Steven set a key on the counter. “My bike is out front. Think you could move it to your lot?”
The attendant frowned at him. “I’ll have it moved for you.”
“Thank you, chap. Much appreciated,” Steven said.
Andrew headed in the direction of the elevator. His heart rapped fast in his chest. He disliked being seen with Steven, but he had no choice. Had he told Steven to chat in the alley, Steven would’ve known Andrew’s intent. Plus, someone like the cabbie might see Andrew kill Steven. While the attendant could place Andrew with Steven, at least there wouldn’t be any witnesses to Steven’s demise.
Before reaching the elevator, they passed an exit and a stairwell. The location of the exit would allow Andrew to leave the hotel without being seen. Andrew could go down the stairs and then out the back instead of walking past the check-in desk. Finding the call button near the single elevator, Andrew hit it. The doors opened within a second.
Steven strode inside behind Andrew. “So your wife doesn’t know where you’re staying?”
“No.” Andrew hit the dial with the number three. He kept his gaze forward at the doors.
“How did you manage that?”
“I hung up on her.”
“Are you ready for a divorce?”
He twisted and glared at Steven. “I’m not talking about her with you.”
Steven held up his hands. “Fine.”
Andrew turned as the doors opened.
“So what kind of plan have you been working on all these months?” Steven asked as he followed Andrew out the elevator.
Andrew focused on finding the room. He walked down the hall and found the second to the last door on the end labeled three-one-three. He slipped his card in and out of the reader. When the green light flashed, he pushed the handle.
“I’m going to have to stalk the demon for a while when I get there,” Andrew said as he strode into the suite. He flipped on a light and passed a bathroom on the right. Past it, two beds faced a television on a black dresser. There was a cushioned chair to the right of the window in the back, and a round table with two chairs on the left side. Andrew headed for the chair in the corner.
“Does this mean you’re leaving
tomorrow to go after the demon?” Steven asked.
Andrew stopped in front of the curtained window. He turned to face Andrew. “What if I wanted to wait until after the baby was born? Would you let me?”
Steven came to a halt near the table. “You know I can’t do that.”
“Why not? Why can’t you just let us live out the next few months in peace?”
Steven stepped closer. “You have a job to do, and so do I. Those are the bloody rules.”
Steven had told Andrew and Emily he liked his job and he didn’t want any trouble with the people upstairs. If he didn’t complete his tasks, heaven would send another enforcer to look for him. The council would kick Steven out of heaven permanently if he failed to do his job. He complained about heaven all the time, yet he always wanted to fulfill the terms of his sentence on Earth so he could return to the palace in the sky. Andrew suspected he wouldn’t have any luck convincing the enforcer to let him go to be with Emily, but Andrew had to try.
Andrew slipped his right hand into the pocket of his jacket. “That’s a shame. I only have a little over nine months left on Earth. I was hoping to spend it with my wife and baby.” He felt the switchblade and grabbed it.
“You can, but you have to destroy the demons who show up on your arm.”
Andrew shook his head as he stepped closer to Steven. “You want to know my real plan? It’s to help my wife. I’m not going to Texas anytime soon.”
Steven stared at him as if he were waiting for Andrew to make a move. Andrew’s heartbeat sped while his hand holding the weapon shook. As much as he wanted to protect his wife, he didn’t think he could kill Steven. It seemed wrong to take his life regardless of the fact the man had already died and heaven had returned him to fulfill a sentence. Moreover, Andrew feared if he killed Steven it would impact Andrew’s future in heaven and possibly Emily’s. Damn it, why couldn’t Steven leave them alone? The only alternative he could think of was to fight Steven. Perhaps if he knocked the enforcer out he would have enough time to meet Emily and head out of state.
Andrew took a step to the side and Steven moved in front of him.
“I can’t let you leave,” Steven said. “Think about your options. Do you really want to go back to heaven early?”
Andrew clenched his fists at his sides. Steven’s threat fueled his ire toward the man. “You can get out of the way and let me go, or things will get real ugly between us.”
“I guess this means you won’t get to see your baby born.”
Rage ignited within Andrew. In a flash, he shoved Steven. The enforcer stumbled back, but returned with a punch aimed at Andrew’s face. Andrew ducked and then rushed toward him like a linebacker. Steven crashed against the wall. Not wasting a second, Andrew thrust his balled hand into the man’s ribs.
Steven threw his fist at Andrew’s jaw. He made contact, but Andrew returned a hit to Steven’s ribs. The man groaned and brought his knee up. Andrew saw it coming and backed away. Steven swung his hand toward Andrew again. Andrew blocked it, but Steven’s other fist shot straight to Andrew’s nose. The impact sent Andrew back several steps as pain spread to his head and teeth. Blood trickled into his mouth.
“You’re making a bad choice.” Steven shook his hands at his sides. “Are you sure you want to do this?”
Andrew licked his upper lip and wiped under his nose with the back of his hand. “I’m sure.”
Ready to continue the fight, Steven brought his fists up. Andrew stepped closer. When Steven swung, Andrew blocked it. Steven attempted to get another fast jab at Andrew’s face, but Andrew jumped back in time to miss the hit. Steven rushed toward Andrew and he bent. It was a stupid move that allowed Steven to grab Andrew by the collar of his jacket. He shoved Andrew toward the wall. Andrew smashed his skull against it. Seconds of dizziness gave Steven time to jerk Andrew around and throw a punch at one of Andrew’s eyes. More pain radiated in Andrew’s head. When he saw Steven’s hand coming for another blow, Andrew ducked and then rammed into Steven with his shoulder. He pushed Steven back with all his strength. The man backpedaled until he bumped into the table.
It only took seconds for Steven to recover and return with more shots. Andrew managed to hit one of Steven’s eyes. The man seemed to have more strength and respond quicker to punches than Andrew. They banged against the wall again right before Andrew thrust his fist at Steven’s ribcage. Steven groaned and started hammering Andrew’s head as fast as he could. The throb in his skull grew and his vision started to blur. He backed away from Steven, but the enforcer grabbed the collar of his coat again, and with his other hand, he forced Andrew’s head toward the table. The impact brought a dark fog into Andrew’s mind and his knees buckled. He fell onto the floor and rolled onto his back.
The darkness wanted to swallow him. The drum pounding in his ears encouraged him to go into the void. But something within him knew he couldn’t. He blinked his eyes again and again. The figure standing over him threw his foot into Andrew’s ribs. Andrew gasped and rolled onto his side. It hurt to breathe and to move. Yet, somehow he had to keep fighting.
Steven shoved him onto his back and then sat on Andrew. “Sorry, mate.” He wrapped his hands around Andrew’s throat and squeezed.
Andrew’s heart began to pump fiercer than ever before. No, he couldn’t die. He couldn’t go back to heaven.
The pain in Andrew’s head intensified with his oxygen supply cut off. He gripped Steven’s wrists and used all his might to try and move the man’s hands. It took only seconds for him to realize he didn’t have the strength to overpower Steven. While he bucked, trying to throw the man off him, he reached for his pocket. Choking and his head feeling ready to explode, he hurried to get his hand inside and got the switchblade. He couldn’t leave Emily, not like this.
The thick fog closed in around him and tried to swallow him. He wrapped his hand around the weapon. He jerked it out and pressed the small button. Sharp pain squeezed Andrew’s heart and stabbed at his head, but he refused to die. In one swift move, he jabbed the blade into the side of Steven’s neck.
The enforcer let go of Andrew. Blood poured from Steven and coated his hands as held Andrew’s throat. Andrew gulped in deep breaths. His head continued to pound, but he had to finish what he’d started. He pushed Steven off him and onto the floor. Panting, Andrew crawled to his side. Steven struggled to breathe. The dark fluid covered his neck and spilled from his mouth. Andrew yanked the blade out. Steven held his hand over the wound while he made gurgling sounds. He stared at Andrew.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t want to do this.” Without delay, Andrew shoved the blade into Steven’s chest, right above his heart.
Steven’s attempts to breathe slowed along with his movements. Andrew held onto the blade as if he were frozen. His entire body shook. He’d killed a man, not a human hosting a demon, but a normal man. And he’d done it because he wanted to enjoy time with his wife instead of seeking to destroy a demon. He feared his action wouldn’t bode well for him in heaven.
Tears filled his eyes. He pulled the weapon out and then crawled away from the body on the floor. He sat and stared at Steven’s corpse. Guilt pressed upon him. He hated what he’d done and felt sick about it. Had he been too selfish? Had he made the right choice? How could taking a life be considered acceptable even if the person had come from heaven?
For several minutes, Andrew prayed for forgiveness and promised to make amends. He hoped the council would see his actions were out of love for his family. He was merely trying to protect them from someone they’d sent and had given permission to kill. How could they even allow that?
His thoughts returned to Emily. For now, she was safe. But they had much to do and he had less than a year left. And now that he’d murdered a man, the police would likely look for him. Could his struggles get any worse?
Andrew took a deep breath. He didn’t have time to dwell on his regret. He needed to get out before someone complained and the police arrived. With his body in a great deal of pain,
he pushed himself up. He hoped he could make it back to Emily and he wouldn’t have to spend his remaining time on Earth in a prison cell.
Chapter Fourteen
Emily sat on one of the double beds with her legs pulled up and back resting on a pillow against the headboard. Matt lay on his back on the other mattress. His eyes had been closed for almost an hour. She suspected he was sleeping. The nap she’d had during the drive to Baltimore had been adequate enough. After they’d arrived in the hotel, she couldn’t shut out all the racing thoughts in her mind. Her high anxiety kept her chewing the same piece of gum she’d put in her mouth when they’d checked in at the desk. The flavor had vanished, but she didn’t care. She had her phone nearby and the television set on a low volume. Given the early morning time, she couldn’t find much to watch. She flipped between the news and HGTV.
The nausea remained present within her. She’d sipped on a bottle of water while she waited for Andrew to call. It helped some, but she suspected she wouldn’t feel better until she heard from Andrew.
She ran a hand through her hair. She couldn’t stop thinking about him. Didn’t he know she’d go out of her mind worrying about him because he hadn’t told her his location? Ugh! But she understood why he’d refrained from telling her. If she’d known where he was, she would’ve insisted Matt take her to him. The three of them could’ve come up with a way to handle the enforcer. Instead, Andrew took control in dealing with Steven. She hoped Andrew wouldn’t get caught with whatever he did, but she had a bad feeling their lives were about to change.
A buzz from her cell captured her attention. Andrew’s name appeared on the screen. She snatched the phone and answered.
“Where are you?” she asked.
“I’m in an alley next to a closed Starbucks three blocks away. I need you to come get me.” He sounded tired, strained, and weak.
Matt opened his eyes and looked at her.
“Are you hurt?” she asked.
“Yes.”
Worry fueled her heartbeat. “How bad?”
Matt jolted upright.
“Nothing major is broken,” Andrew said. “It’s freezing out here. Can you come pick me up?”
