Read Online Stranger at the Hell Gate by Ash Krafton - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Ash Krafton
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Let's just agree to disagree, and I'll kill you. Get it all over with."
Jagger shouldered the gun's strap and slid along the wall behind Acheron.
"Of course, maybe you just wanna play a different game. Is that it? I know you like my type, doll. I can give you what you want. Just come out. I can feel you in here."
Filled with a white hot rage that had nothing to do with his demon blood, Jagger raised the sword and pushed away from the wall. He lunged toward his brother, putting all his strength into the blow.
Acheron turned a moment before impact. Their eyes connected as the point of the blade pierced the dark brother's chest. Caught off guard by the blow, he staggered back against the wall. The sword travelled through Acheron and penetrated the rotting wood.
Acheron dropped his head backwards against the wall, howling with laughter.
Jagger backed away.
Acheron clapped his hands, the hilt of the sword snagging his sleeve. "Jag! How the hell are ya, bro? I should have guessed you'd be here. She's a sweet thing. No wonder you can't stay away from her."
Jagger swung his fist in a tight arc, rocking Acheron's head. "Don't talk about her."
Acheron laughed again and spit a mouthful of blood. It stained his sharp grin, teeth tinged crimson.
"Come on, bro. Let's settle this like real men. Or, whatever you'd call us. Just—" He spread his arms wide. A thin wisp of smoke curled up from the edge of his wound. "Get this thing out of me. It itches."
Jagger growled. "Do you know what you've done? To me? To this world? That damnable hell gate—"
"As if there's any other kind," Acheron interrupted with a bloody grin.
"—you've done nothing but bring wave after wave of demons into this world and for what?"
"To keep you in business?" Acheron shrugged slightly. Hard to do when you're pinned to the wall. "You make serious coin, and I've never asked for a cut. No need to thank me."
"No. You keep me in agony. I can't go a day without remembering what I am because of you."
"It's what family's for. Now, let me off this sword. When I pictured our reunion, it involved less talking and more fighting." Acheron pushed away from the wall an inch, then two. The sword remained rooted in the wall. "This is cheap, even for you."
"You've done enough damage. To me, to these humans, to this entire plane. It ends tonight, Acheron."
"It will never end, brother."
"Oh, yes, it will." Jagger stepped back and shrugged the gun strap off his shoulder, catching the stock in his hand. He leveled the barrels at Acheron's head, staring down the sights at his brother. Wisps of demon shot vapors wafted from the end of the gun.
"Really? A gun?" Acheron sniffed at the hair before giving a low whistle of admiration. "Hey, now. That's got premium demon bane in there. Harsh shit, bro, even for you. Bet that stung when you loaded it."
"Not as much as it'll sting you."
"Yeah, but that's all it'll do. You forget who's got my back. I'm not your average half-breed anymore."
"You're not? Shit, bad news for me." Jagger dropped the barrels and fired at Acheron's stomach.
Acheron screamed with hell fury as the demon shot tore through his abdomen. His entrails spilled out of his body, twisted black ropes gleaming and twitching as the poison chewed its way through his flesh.
"Oh, wait. Bad news for you." Jagger tossed the gun aside. "You would have stood a chance if you didn't let your humanity rot away."
Acheron threw his head back, panting through clenched teeth. A rivulet of blood dripped from his lips. "You cannot kill me. But I can still kill you."
He grunted with effort, teeth bared. His flesh rolled, moving like fluid over his bones as his body shifted. Skin blackened as bony ridges sprouted from his forehead. Acheron's voice deepened into guttural growls as his throat changed. He was taking on a demon's form.
Acheron grabbed the hilt of the sword and pushed. The blade scraped in the wall. He'd barely budged it, but it moved.
"And then I'm going to kill
Jagger shouldered the gun's strap and slid along the wall behind Acheron.
"Of course, maybe you just wanna play a different game. Is that it? I know you like my type, doll. I can give you what you want. Just come out. I can feel you in here."
Filled with a white hot rage that had nothing to do with his demon blood, Jagger raised the sword and pushed away from the wall. He lunged toward his brother, putting all his strength into the blow.
Acheron turned a moment before impact. Their eyes connected as the point of the blade pierced the dark brother's chest. Caught off guard by the blow, he staggered back against the wall. The sword travelled through Acheron and penetrated the rotting wood.
Acheron dropped his head backwards against the wall, howling with laughter.
Jagger backed away.
Acheron clapped his hands, the hilt of the sword snagging his sleeve. "Jag! How the hell are ya, bro? I should have guessed you'd be here. She's a sweet thing. No wonder you can't stay away from her."
Jagger swung his fist in a tight arc, rocking Acheron's head. "Don't talk about her."
Acheron laughed again and spit a mouthful of blood. It stained his sharp grin, teeth tinged crimson.
"Come on, bro. Let's settle this like real men. Or, whatever you'd call us. Just—" He spread his arms wide. A thin wisp of smoke curled up from the edge of his wound. "Get this thing out of me. It itches."
Jagger growled. "Do you know what you've done? To me? To this world? That damnable hell gate—"
"As if there's any other kind," Acheron interrupted with a bloody grin.
"—you've done nothing but bring wave after wave of demons into this world and for what?"
"To keep you in business?" Acheron shrugged slightly. Hard to do when you're pinned to the wall. "You make serious coin, and I've never asked for a cut. No need to thank me."
"No. You keep me in agony. I can't go a day without remembering what I am because of you."
"It's what family's for. Now, let me off this sword. When I pictured our reunion, it involved less talking and more fighting." Acheron pushed away from the wall an inch, then two. The sword remained rooted in the wall. "This is cheap, even for you."
"You've done enough damage. To me, to these humans, to this entire plane. It ends tonight, Acheron."
"It will never end, brother."
"Oh, yes, it will." Jagger stepped back and shrugged the gun strap off his shoulder, catching the stock in his hand. He leveled the barrels at Acheron's head, staring down the sights at his brother. Wisps of demon shot vapors wafted from the end of the gun.
"Really? A gun?" Acheron sniffed at the hair before giving a low whistle of admiration. "Hey, now. That's got premium demon bane in there. Harsh shit, bro, even for you. Bet that stung when you loaded it."
"Not as much as it'll sting you."
"Yeah, but that's all it'll do. You forget who's got my back. I'm not your average half-breed anymore."
"You're not? Shit, bad news for me." Jagger dropped the barrels and fired at Acheron's stomach.
Acheron screamed with hell fury as the demon shot tore through his abdomen. His entrails spilled out of his body, twisted black ropes gleaming and twitching as the poison chewed its way through his flesh.
"Oh, wait. Bad news for you." Jagger tossed the gun aside. "You would have stood a chance if you didn't let your humanity rot away."
Acheron threw his head back, panting through clenched teeth. A rivulet of blood dripped from his lips. "You cannot kill me. But I can still kill you."
He grunted with effort, teeth bared. His flesh rolled, moving like fluid over his bones as his body shifted. Skin blackened as bony ridges sprouted from his forehead. Acheron's voice deepened into guttural growls as his throat changed. He was taking on a demon's form.
Acheron grabbed the hilt of the sword and pushed. The blade scraped in the wall. He'd barely budged it, but it moved.
"And then I'm going to kill
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