Choices

Choices

Immortal Protectors

Hildie McQueen

Pink Door Publishing, Augusta, Georgia 2015

Choices

Immortal Protectors

Amazon Bestselling Author

Hildie McQueen

Pink Door Publishing

Cover Artist: Robin Ludwig Design Inc.

Editors: Gayla Leath

Copyright Hildie McQueen 2015

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means—except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews—without written permission. This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return it to your retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

Other Works by H.M. McQueen

(In reading order)

Immortal Protectors

Choices

Betrayal

Surrender

Possession

Obsession

Devlin Beach Wolves

Mated

Taken

Claimed

Atlandia Chronicles

Ruling Esland

Chapter One

Atlanta holiday traffic was a killer. Rachel Andrews held her breath and floored the accelerator to get from in between two tractor-trailers.  Her cell phone chirped and she hit the answer key on her steering wheel while watching a car zigzag between two cars in an attempt to get to the nearest exit.

"Hello."

"Hey girl, did you make it out of town yet?"  Her best friend Deborah's voice came over the car speakers.  In the background she could hear the hum of voices and jazz. Her friend worked part time at a local club as a bartender on weekends.  It made Rachel smile to know the PhD liked to spend her days off pouring drinks. "Hellooo?" Deborah repeated.

"Hell no I'm not out of town.  It's bumper-to-bumper traffic. I'm barely past Alpharetta. I figure another few miles and it will cut down drastically.  Not many people go to the wine country for the holidays.  It's cold and rainy."

"I still can't believe you're going alone.  Why would you want to spend Thanksgiving by yourself in a cabin?  I'm so sorry I had to cancel, but with my parents visiting from Chicago..."

"Stop apologizing.  I'm looking forward to a week in the mountains.  I plan to catch up on sleep and reading."

"Sounds delightful."  There was wistfulness in Deborah's voice.  They talked for a few minutes and by the time her friend hung up traffic had lightened up considerably.

The setting sun made it hard to see clearly.  Rachel dug in her purse with one hand then cursed when the bag fell off the seat and onto the floorboard all of the contents spilling.  Thankfully there was a wide shoulder so she pulled over

Just as she bent to pick up her belongings someone knocked on the window.  Rachel jerked upward to see an attractive man standing back, his hands deep in his jeans pockets.  He gave her a crooked smile and shrugged as if apologizing for startling her.

There hadn't been anyone walking on the roadside, she was sure of it.  She looked in her rearview mirror but didn't see a car parked behind her.  Her finger lingered over the window controller, but she figured cracking it a bit to talk to him wouldn't hurt.

"Sorry to scare you.  I broke down and heading to the next exit for gas.  Could use a ride.  My girlfriend always leaves the car almost empty."

Rachel looked to where the next exit sign showed that it was a mile further down the road.  Not too bad of a walk, but it was drizzling and forty degrees.  His hair was wet and his nose red from the cold.

"Look don't worry about it.  I'll walk.  I totally understand you not feeling comfortable with it."  He turned and began walking, his back hunched.

Rachel put the car in drive and pulled up alongside the poor guy.  "Come on.  I'll take you, it's just up the road."

Once he settled into the seat, he turned to her and held out his hand.  "I'm Ryan."

Something about his gaze made her blink and focus on him.  For an instant she'd thought to have seen a red rim around his irises.  Probably the setting sun.  Rachel looked to her side mirror to pull back onto the road when all of a sudden Ryan bent forward and groaned.

"Are you all right?" Rachel touched his shoulder.  "Please don't tell me you're going to throw up in my car."

"No.  I'm not going to do that.  But you might."

Moments later as she faced certain death, two thoughts struck Rachel Andrews.  Her mother’s warning to never pick up hitchhikers and…well I’ll be damned, monsters really do exist.

With amazing speed, razor sharp talons slashed through her seatbelt and the hellish creature dragged her between the seats toward the back seat. Rachel struggled to grip on to something, anything.

But he was too strong.

Her scream echoed in the car, yet she continued even though she knew with the windows up and barely any traffic passing them now, no one would hear her.  One thing was for certain. She didn't plan to die this day.  Rachel used every strike she'd learned in self-defense class, but the monster didn't seem to feel any pain or discomfort.  His red eyes remained focused on her throat. In desperation, she continued to scratch and kick at her assailant without avail.

As he held pushed her down onto the seat, Rachel continued to fight until so exhausted she barely was able to lift her leaden arms. Forcing her body to relax for a moment, she concentrated on catching her breath and not allowing fear to cloud her mind. Maybe she could still survive.

Red-rimmed eyes scanned over her face making every inch of her skin crawl. At the same time claws cut into her left shoulder, pinning her to the back seat.

“Pl-please take my car and my purse…but don’t kill me.” Her words were a hoarse rasp working past constriction on her throat by his other hand.

His lips peeled back to reveal elongated, fangs. With a stifled gulp, she recoiled further into the leather. 

“Oh but those last drops of blood when life ebbs out of your body are the sweetest. You don’t expect me to deny myself of that would you?” Saliva dripped from his incisors. His horrifying gaze focused on her throat next and with a primal growl, he shoved her face to the side.

When the demon’s teeth broke her skin, a desperate scream tore deep from within her chest.  Survival instincts kicked in and once again she began to kick and punch at the demon. Her feeble attempts to shove him off didn’t seem to register and his hold remained tight. It fed with greed, each pull of drink bringing her closer to death.

Suddenly the creature evaporated. A thick blue mist took its place and the smell of something like rotted eggs engulfed the interior of the car.

Through the haze of tears and smoke, a huge figure loomed over her.

Whether real or a hallucination brought by her brain as an escape mechanism when she neared death, Rachel wasn’t sure.  Striking silver eyes met hers, matching long hair framed the angelic man's face.

“Can you hear me?” His deep voice resonated and his fingers pressed against her throat. Was he feeling for a pulse?  “It’s going to be all right. I’m here to take you to safety.”

Rachel couldn’t reply, but her mind was awhirl. For the first time in four years, she’d taken vacation from the library only to make it a few miles away from home, to the outskirts of Atlanta.

Later perhaps it would strike her as interesting what her last thoughts were. She should have stopped by to see her mother, the only person she hated leaving. Why had she not made plans to spend the holiday with her instead?  Or stopped by to see her one last time? Her mom would be desolate and alone without her.

Rachel's vision began to fade, if only the searing pain at her throat would. The burning at the spot where the demon fed brought a shudder.
God make it stop
.

The male before her had to be Death, he’d come for her. She was dying—the sooner the better. Then the agony would stop.

The large angel of death began to blur. It was her time and she prepared herself. Would he take her away immediately?  Who would notify her mother? Oh God, would it hurt? She opened her mouth to ask him questions, but instead a fog fell.

The tunnel was long and dark. Mist swirled around like the inside of a tornado, and in the far distance was a shining beacon of light. Rachel struggled to float toward it, but the opening got further away when she moved forward. Battling with all her might, she was finally able to reach the entrance and emerge. 

Prying heavy eyelids open, the surroundings came into focus.  She lay in the middle of an enormous four-poster bed in an unfamiliar bedroom. Rachel scanned the area from under her lashes.  A light from outside the cracked doorway provided just enough light for her to see. At movement, she looked to find she was not alone. 

The angel from inside her car moved about the space.  Barely able to contain the instinctual gasp, she saw him. The massive death angel was in the room with her. 

A towel wrapped low around his hips, he swore and dug through a drawer.  “Where the hell are my damn shorts?” 

He had to be well over six foot tall, closer to seven feet if she were to guess. His broad muscular back bunched and his biceps bulged with each motion. He closed the drawer slowly and opened another.  Letting out a breath, he pulled out a pair of grey gym shorts. When his towel slipped he didn’t bother to tighten it, instead he yanked it off. Her eyes widened at the sight of his bare bottom.  This was one hell of a good-looking guy.

In nude splendor, he padded toward what she assumed was a bathroom, only to freeze mid-step.  A muscle on the side of his face twitched and he turned toward her.  This time the sharp inhale did come. To her horror, Rachel’s fascinated gaze plummeted to the spot between his legs. 

“Wow.”
Crap did I just say that out loud?

He slammed the shorts into his private area, covering what had to be the most alluring male part she’d ever seen. A frown formed and he pinned her with an annoyed look. “How long have you been awake?”

“I’m not sure,” Rachel croaked out and averted her eyes to a spot past his shoulder.

“Give me a minute.” He continued into the next room. 

Rachel sat up and immediately everything began to spin.  “Oh, God.” She fell back against the pillows and closed her eyes. 

“What’s wrong?” Just that quick, he was back beside her. With one hand he cupped her face and with the other he peeled back each eyelid and peered into her eyes. Could his eyes be real?  They were so light, almost white, with a luminescent surreal sheen.  Silver would be the closest she could come to describing the color.  He held up a finger.  “Follow my movement.”

“Are you a d-doctor?” she stuttered, discomfited by his nearness. 

“Something like that,” he replied and then took her by the shoulders.  “This time move slower.”  He helped her to a sitting position with unexpected gentleness.

“What happened to me?” She feared his answer. 

“You were attacked by a dark Fae, a demon would be more understandable to you,” he responded without hesitation.

Damn it, why had she asked? “Did you kill it?”

He nodded and his eyes shifted down, but then continued.  “I’m a slayer.”

Of course he was. What the hell, demons existed, so why not slayers?  Unable to stop it, she giggled. The demon slayer cocked an eyebrow and pinned her with a questioning gaze.

The man was gorgeous.
Concentrate Rachel
. “Err…so what is your name?”

“Roderick.”

Under his scrutiny, she fumbled with the blankets. “How long have I been out of it?”

“Three days.” Standing back to his impressive height. “You lost a lot of blood, I had to give you a transfusion. I’m afraid you’ll have to remain in bed another couple of days, the demon took too much blood and I wasn’t able to give you as much as you need.”

She eyed the IV bag attached to her arm. “Where did you get blood?”

“I gave you mine.” He placed a large hand on her shoulder. “Get some rest we’ll talk later.”

“No, I can’t stay, I have to go, I’m better…I promise.” The last words slurred and her eyes began to droop.  “On second thought maybe I will take a short nap.”