Sinners & Sorcerers: Four Urban Fantasy Thrillers by Reine SM & Crane Robert J. & Arenson Daniel & Nicholson Scott & Rain J.R

Author:Reine, SM & Crane, Robert J. & Arenson, Daniel & Nicholson, Scott & Rain, J.R. [Reine, SM]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Steel Magnolia Press
Published: 2014-01-16T13:00:00+00:00

5

Laila rode her motorcycle along the highway, the wind blasting her face, thudding against her wings, and streaming her hair. The bike bumped over every pothole and crack, threatening to toss Laila onto the pavement, but she did not care. At a hundred miles an hour she rode, the beach to her left, the hills to her right, dead burned lands and lurking horror ahead and behind. The bike growled and trembled beneath her, this bike she had found a year ago and repaired and maintained. Over the ruined plains of the Holy Land she rode, dawn rising around her.

It was only on these mornings, when she rode upon cracked highways at full speed, that she could find some relief. There weren’t many roads left in this land—most were now cracked and weedy beyond use—but Laila made do with what she had. Driving like this, she felt free, more than when she flew, or drank, or fought. She needed to ride on this humming hunk of metal, over this broken road, and when cracks in the pavement tossed her aside, she did not mind. It would take more to kill her, and bruises and cuts only helped dull the pain within her soul.

When the sun had risen, she turned the bike around, heading back to the Crusader fort that stood fifty miles south. Riding like this, roaring over asphalt, ripping across the land, she didn’t even mind the sunlight, and she wished she could ride forever. Yet still she returned, roaring up toward the fort, smoke rising behind her.

Today her journey began. Today she took her first strike against Beelzebub.

She screeched her bike to a halt outside the fort, a cloud of dust rising around her. Michael and a host of angels stood outside the fort gates, clad in filigreed armor, spears in their hands. Laila took some satisfaction seeing the dust cover their polished breastplates. She stepped off the bike, bared her fangs, and spread her bat wings wide. Her halo burst into flame, crackling. She smiled seeing them tighten their lips, tighten their grips on their spears. Let these angels see my demon side; let them never, not for an instant, think that because I fight with them, that I am one of them.

Volkfair ran up to her, and she placed her hand in his fur.

“We go to Caesarea,” she said, “and let’s take on some demons.”

“You’re late,” Michael said to her, wings spread wide, the sunlight upon them. “I told you we’d leave before dawn.”

“I keep my own schedule,” she said, hissing, fangs bared. “I leave and come as I please, so get used to it, angel.” With that, she spread her wings and shot into the sky. Volkfair burst into a run below, following upon the plains. The angels too took flight, flapping their wings behind her. Laila grinned, flying fast enough to always keep Michael behind her. Let them see who leads this group. Let them see that it is I, Laila, who flies ahead, not the great archangel Michael.

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