Free Choices by H.M. McQueen Page A

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. 
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