The first sensation Conner felt as his brain began the arduous climb back to consciousness was a dull, throbbing ache under his left shoulder. The second was a soft warmth wrapped around his right hand. For some reason his fogged-out mind could not fathom, this sensation made him want to smile. But even the tiny amount of energy and control needed to smile was beyond his strength, so he just lay there in his black cocoon, focusing on the gentle comfort flowing into his hand, absorbing it, relishing it, using it to block out the pain in his shoulder. He had no sense of time, no recollection of what had brought him to this peculiar state, but very gradually his awareness of himself increased, until finally he knew he was lying on his back, head raised, on some soft surface he guessed must be a bed. His eyes were not yet ready to open, so instead he listened for some hint of where he was and what had happened. He became aware of a faint, rasping hiss he eventually identified as his own

Ever since the dawn of man, a war has waged between Good and Evil. Good has tried to claim supreme eternal victory, but like the ebb and flow of the tides, Evil rises up periodically trying to usurp Good’s reign over the mortal world. Evil has its minions, immortal and mortal alike. Good has the Brethren, angels who were hired by an enigmatic leader to manifest on Earth, to fight against Evil, and protect and heal the human race. Time and again, the two sides have clashed over the centuries, both suffering great losses, yet Good has always come away triumphant and maintained its sovereignty.It was during a time of economic and political turmoil that Satan had begun quietly amassing his minions once again. Letting the good and the righteous settle into a comfortable existence, unaware of how tenuous their lives really were.But not everyone was oblivious. Doomsayers flooded the streets in the larger cities; cults arose in smaller towns promising salvation. And in one of those small to

As Emma drove her ancient pickup truck down the school’s dirt road, she paid little attention to the striking, craggy mountains rising up to kiss the sky. She didn’t feel the hot breeze wafting through the opened windows, causing sweat to gather around her neck and trickle down between her breasts. No, what she felt was relief washing over her. She had jokingly called Prophet’s Point Elementary School her second home for six years now, but it had only felt like one since Michael D’Angelo, the school’s principal, came on board. He was a breath of fresh air for the school and had become a good friend. He’d unintentionally made it a place one could leave worries at the door, like she needed to today. Once there, she thought maybe Hannah would forget about last night and concentrate on her friends and schoolwork. The jokes she told on the way to school hadn’t gone over so well. Hannah had offered her usual polite smile, but that’s as far as it went. Was last night’s nightmare going to af

It wasn’t until an hour after school let out that her principal showed up at Emma’s door. But that was okay with her. She’d needed that time to build up her courage. Luckily, Hannah went without a fuss over to the Aftercare Program. With that concern out of the way, she now prayed Michael wouldn’t think she was nuts and reconsider continuing her contract for next year. He wouldn’t let this interfere, would he? She’d known him for six years now. They had a great professional relationship. He’d always been kind to anyone having a problem and was always willing to help in any way he could. But this, this wasn’t your average “run of the mill, hey, can-you-help-change-a-flat-tire problem.”She was taking a huge risk now. This was definitely an issue that crossed over the line from professional to personal. Emma shook her head and rested her forehead on her desk, confidence deflated. What exactly did she expect him to do about her beleaguered daughter’s nightmares that anyone else hadn’t al

There was a silence as thick as molasses. No, Michael wasn’t himself. Not at all. Not since he found Emma lying unconscious on her classroom floor earlier this morning. Disquieting thoughts had been swimming through his mind all day, unbidden, and served as frequent distractions. Like how God awful beautiful she was with that long, wavy, dark-as-midnight hair he could easily imagine brushing across his bare skin. And how her almond-shaped eyes were made for seduction. And her lips. Every time she nibbled on the bottom one, he had wanted to help her. How many times had he thought of her like this since the day they’d met six years ago? He figured he had the longest running crush on a woman in history.He’d never acted on those feelings, though. It was completely unprofessional, and with these latest developments, it was especially awkward. Although he had to admit, for the first time in the six years he’d known her, he felt consumed beyond measure by her raspy voice, her sensuous body,