Shadowed 3 I’ll Be Damned by Kate Hill

completely overtaking the Earth. Sinister’s mentors had told him that angels, particularly shadowing angels, usually thwarted demonic activity. Sinister was surprised he hadn’t seen any in the area. Cities like this usually had at least one angel on duty.
    Sinister knew he had to do something or else more humans would be injured or killed, but if he revealed himself in front of these demons, he’d be forced to fight them. They would either drag him back to hell, or if he banished them there, they would report it and his superiors would come for him before his time was up. Either way, if he interfered, he’d be returned to hell early where, as Jodi so often warned him, he would be tortured and cast into oblivion.
    Jayden had called him to help. But he’d specified she was to call if she personally needed help, not if…
    One of the gunmen shouted and fired. People screamed and dove for cover.
    Sinister didn’t hesitate before attacking. In his smoke form, he quickly disarmed all three mortals and rendered them unconscious.
    The red demons stared at him in shock, but they quickly recovered from their surprise and attacked him. Their clawed hands tore through his smoky skin, and their savage teeth bit deeply. Sinister fought back, filling their eyes, ears and mouths with smoke. The red winged demons were powerful, but they didn’t have the strength of a creature like Sinister, spat up from the deepest fire of hell. He clung to their necks and snapped them. The demons disappeared in a haze of red ash.
    Just before Cinder disappeared, the police entered the building.
    Across the street, Jayden stood outside her car, staring toward the hotel, her face etched with concern.
    “Jayden,” Sinister said, appearing in the passenger seat of her car. The wounds he’d received from the demons were weakening him and he needed to get back to his apartment fast. No doubt his superiors would be coming for him. There was no point in running. No matter where he went, they’d track him down.
    Before they took him, he needed to say goodbye to Jayden.
    “Cinder!” She jumped into the car and reached for him. “You’re hurt.”
    “I’ll be fine. I have to go. My time here has been cut short.”
    “What do you mean?”
    He took her hand and kissed her palm. “I won’t be back.”
    “Cinder, you can’t --”
    “I love you,” he said before changing to smoke and flying home while he still had the strength.
    Sinister flew through his bedroom window and fell to his knees where he changed back to human form.
    He took a moment to catch his breath before he pushed himself to his feet. Catching sight of himself in the mirror, he understood why Jayden had been concerned for him. Blood leaked from dozens of teeth and claw marks inflicted by the red winged demons. While he recovered almost instantly from earthly injuries, any wounds inflicted by other demons took time to heal. Not that it mattered now.
    Jodi bellowed from inside his cage. Ignoring him, Sinister left the bedroom and shouted for John.
    “My goodness, Cinder, what happened?” John asked, worry on his wrinkled face. He approached and slid an arm around Cinder to help him to the couch.
    “Forget about me. I’m fine,” Cinder said.
    “Still telling lies, are you?”
    “I don’t have time to banter with you. John, I want you to get out of here. Right now.”
    “I can’t leave you like this --”
    “Get out!” Sinister roared, shoving him away. The last thing he wanted was for John to be around when his superiors showed up. They’d kill the old man just for fun. “It’s not safe here, do you understand me? The ones who did this to me are coming here. If you don’t leave right now, you’re a dead man. Understand?”
    John nodded, holding Sinister’s gaze. He turned and left.
    Sinister sighed and leaned back on the couch. Soon it would be over. He hoped they didn’t torture him long. He didn’t fear oblivion. At the moment he looked forward to it. He was a