Redemption (The Keepers of Hell Book 3) Read Free

against the wall. His arm was over Jake’s throat, cutting off his air supply. “Never look at her,” Ash growled. Jake’s eyes widened in fright. The leader of Hell had him pinned and the man’s eyes were glowing red. “She is mine,” he bellowed. His voice was deep and had an echo to it, almost as if two people were talking at the same time. Hadn’t Ash been adamant that he wasn’t a demon? Jake was having a pretty hard time believing that statement at that moment. The man looked like evil incarnate.
         Jake forced air into his lungs and grunted out, “Sorry, didn’t mean it.”
         Ash let go and Jake’s body dropped to the floor in a heap. He gulped in air and rubbed his neck. “I wasn’t saying anything bad about her,” he managed to say. “She is pretty, but not my type, man.”
         The low growl emanating from Ash was not a promising sign.
         “I was only remarking on how weird this shit is,” Jake continued. “I knew I saw you before but didn’t know where. Now I do. I saw her too.”
         Ash forced himself to calm down. “There are some very important rules here,” he said through gritted teeth. “Elizabeth is mine. No one touches her. Ever.”
         Jake nodded. “Acceptable,” he said.
         “No innocents are harmed. Ever,” Ash continued. Jake nodded. “And don’t fuck with me.”
         “Wouldn’t dream of it,” Jake said.
         “Ok,” Ash said, getting back into his chair and suddenly acting as if he hadn’t almost tore Jake a new one. “Where were we?”
         Dear God, what had he gotten himself into?

 
    CHAPTER TWO
         It seemed like an eternity waiting while Ash put information into the computer. Finally, finally, he pushed himself away from it and locked eyes with Jake. This time, instead of blazing red, they were a kind blue. Jake felt some molecule of relief. “Now we take the tour and then go to your funeral,” Ash announced.
         His funeral… the words banged around in Jake’s head. He knew he was dead, but the word funeral made it real. Concrete. Did he want to go to his own funeral? Yeah, he did, he realized. He wondered who would be there? Would there be crying or would the world laugh and drink and be merry about his passing? Or maybe no one would show up at all.
         “It’s important that you do this,” Ash was saying. “You need to say your goodbyes just as much as those who are still living need to let you go.”
         Jake shook his head. “I doubt anyone is grieving too hard over me,” he said under his breath.
        “Why is that?” Ash asked him.
         Jake sighed. “You probably already know that I am no angel,” he started.
         “I do know this,” Ash replied.
         “I did a lot of wrong in my life. I cheated. I gambled. I fought.” Jake hung his head.
         “I think you should tell me about your life,” Ash said, leaning back in his seat. “We have some time before we have to go.” He didn’t tell Jake that he already knew everything. He wanted to hear it from the source. Plus, he wanted to see how honest this man would be with him. If he were going to be one of the Guards, he didn’t need any skeletons in the closet. “I want nothing less than the truth,” Ash told him.
         Jake breathed in deep and let it out slowly. He nodded his head and started talking. “I was born into a wonderful family. My parents were great. I was an only child, so I suppose I was a little spoiled. I did everything a good son was supposed to do. I went to school, got good grades, and then when my father passed away when I was twenty, I took care of my mom until she could do it herself. Dad was a firefighter, and for as long as I can remember, that was what I wanted to do too.
         About a year after Dad passed, I met Rheanne. She was everything I ever wanted in a woman. She was beautiful, curvy, smart, and sweet. And what was even better? She