Holidays Are Hell Esther Egg Hunt by Sam Cheever Page A

Lucifer. You have great, iron balls to summon me here. The evil ones surround this place. It is but a matter of time before they find a way to take her. You will both suffer greatly for her perfidy.”
    “We were friends once, Bri. For all the times I covered your back. For all the centuries of love we shared. Do this for me? Take this woman away from here.”
    “What of the assembly? Do you think they’ll just shrug their shoulders and chalk it up to lessons learned?”
    “I’ll handle them.”
    “You’ll boil in putrid tar all the days of your life.”
    Esther had heard enough. She didn’t know what that thing was in there, and she had no idea why Luc was bargaining her away, but she didn’t intend to let him do it. She got to her knees and crawled toward the kitchen, moving behind the island and heading toward the door. If she stayed out of sight until she reached the door and then ran as fast as she could, she thought she might just about make it to the perimeter and through before Luc could reach her.
    “I have no choice, Bri. I love her.”
    Esther’s hand was reaching for the doorknob, her thighs tensed to spring, when his words crashed into her. Before she could stop it, a small sound of pain emerged from her lips.
    Silence throbbed across the cabin.
    “Esther?”
    With a cry she jumped to her feet and dragged the door open, running out into the bright sunshine. The distant perimeter of jagged green blurred behind tears as she ran. Luc loved her. He was trying to sacrifice himself to save her. She couldn’t let him suffer like that. Not for the sin of loving her.
    Her sneakers dug into the earth, and her heart beat painfully as she ran. Behind her, the sound of Luc’s feet hitting the wood of the porch spurred her on. She fought the urge to turn as he screamed her name. She didn’t want to see his face. Esther couldn’t bear to see the pain there.
    The footsteps pounded closer. “Esther, don’t do it!”
    She sobbed, digging down deep for the courage to run harder, faster, toward the horror on the other side of the protective circle. The closer she got to the perimeter, the thicker the evil coating the air. Menace clogged the atmosphere there, cloaking the sun and dragging against her as she ran. The grass beneath her feet crackled, seared and dry from the heat, and the bushes dripped with something slimy and thick.
    The stench of Hell clogged her throat, making it hard to breathe. A constant, threatening rumble made her stomach twist. Esther intended to fling herself through the bushes. She wouldn’t hesitate, wouldn’t slow for fear she’d change her mind. Something terrifying waited just beyond the bushes to rip her into pieces and send her back to Hell. She had no doubt she’d spend the rest of her days in the fiery pits.
    Stars burst before her eyes. Her step faltered. Esther tripped, falling through the bushes just as a strong hand grabbed her arm and wrenched her backward.
    She cried out even as a sense of relief razored through her. She turned to see Luc’s treasured face, his eyes dark with pain. Tears spilled down her cheeks. He’d saved her… Luc loved her and he’d saved her again.
    Esther started to smile.
    Just behind her, a roar sent putrid breath scouring across her skin. She began to turn as a massive snout speared through the bushes, teeth snapping, and showered her with acidic saliva. A knife-like vise closed over her arm, jagged agony made her scream, and she was ripped backward, through the perimeter. The only thing she heard as the bushes snapped shut again was the sound of Luc’s horrified shout ringing in her ears.

Chapter Nine
     
    Luc roared in frustration as Esther was ripped from his grip. When she’d opened the bushes, she’d broken the circle that was keeping her safe. The high-pitched, terror-stricken sound of her screaming brought him tearing through the hedge behind her.
    “Briathos!” Luc threw himself on the first gargoyle, dragging it off Esther. He