Free Demon Love by Georgia Tribell

Chapter One
    Kendra Morton pulled the trigger twice in quick succession on the demon-blaster she held. The first shot was a direct hit to the beast nearest her, but round number two, unfortunately, only wounded the second hellhound. The angry creature from the parallel world of Torlin was determined to destroy as much of downtown Houston as it could.
    It was like this every full moon. The rips in the fabric of space and time would open, allowing access to the living, breathing demons from Torlin. Torlin demon-hunters assigned to this universe, along with those humans willing to risk their own lives, fought off the evil spirits that made their way through. The majority of the demons who crossed over tonight would return to their world before sunrise or die. The few who didn’t die or return would be hunted down before the next full moon and terminated. Then the process would start over, a never-ending cycle.
    Kendra raised her hand and aimed at the demon charging her. She didn’t hesitate to fire. Her heart skipped a beat when the weapon misfired. She pulled the trigger again and still nothing.
    Dropping the gun, she pulled the silver dagger she kept in her boot and crouched low. The creature was coming at her fast, running on its hind legs with wings spread wide and eyes of deep crimson. She’d get only one chance to send it straight to hell or she’d be pushing up daisies by sunrise. The monster roared as it spread its forearms and dived for her. For the briefest moment, the demon revealed its vulnerable spot and Kendra took advantage, shoving the dagger deep into its wicked heart.
    There was a soft popping sound as the hellhound erupted into a cloud of black ash that rained down on her like dirty snow. Holding her breath, Kendra stood and brushed the powder from her clothing and hair. It was said that inhaling too much of the dust was like taking a wild LSD trip that you never returned from. She retrieved a medical mask from her coat pocket and slipped it on. The cover would stop her from inhaling any more powder while she waited for a cleanup van and crew. From another pocket, she pulled a small GPS transmitter and activated the emergency frequency.
    After only a few minutes, she heard the familiar low rumble of a motorcycle and frowned. Being ashed was bad enough, but having to deal with her overbearing, but very sexy, boss was enough to make a girl want a very strong drink or a cold shower.
    The bike rounded the corner and came to a stop a good ten yards away. Enough distance so the motorcycle wouldn’t become contaminated. She watched as all six foot three inches of solid maleness swung his leather-clad leg over the bike and stood. She swallowed and tried to slow her runaway heart as he took off his helmet and placed it on the seat before he stalked toward her.
    Thor Kensington’s black hair and onyx eyes were common to his race from Torlin. He was one of the few from that realm to make an alternate world his home and was a man of overpowering presence. He was a natural born leader, a take-charge man that others didn’t dare question. He’d trained her and the other elite humans to fight the monsters that traveled from his world to this one. It was during the training course that she’d learned exactly how cold and unbending he could be. Thor had nearly worked them to death, and he gave new meaning to the term drill sergeant. Despite this, her heart still sped up every time he was near.
    “Morton, are you okay?” Thor’s deep baritone voice echoed across the empty alley.
    She watched him approach and steeled her nerves. He only called them by their surnames, but a small, deeply buried part of her longed to hear him use her first name. “I got dusted, but I’m good. You need to stay back.”
    Thor stopped in front of her, his gaze narrowing as he looked her up and down. “I’m immune to the effects of ash, but you aren’t, and it’s all over you. Take off your clothes.”
    She blinked a couple of times,