The hotel was experiencing a continuous low-level earthquake. “You’re really pissing him off,” Lacoco said as we went up the last flight of stairs. I had one arm draped over his broad shoulder. It was faster than trying to walk on my own swelling foot. Lacoco was half ox, and though huffing and grunting, was dragging me along fairly quickly. “You better know what you’re doing.”

“I’m winging it.”

“The only reason I haven’t dumped your ass is because I trust Earl Harbinger. You’re making that really difficult.” The crashing told me that the gargoyles had entered the hotel. The stairs ended earlier than expected. There wasn’t an opening to the roof. We had to go back out onto the twentieth floor and go back to the first set of stairs. “Hell.” Lacoco murmured when he came to the same realization. Ed led the way through the door.

The gargoyles were below us. Their movements were so destructive and heavy we could feel them vibrating the floor. We’d have to pass back over them. We’re almost there.

The twentieth floor was an even more chaotic construction mess than the nineteenth. Some walls were in, others were just metal skeletons waiting to be dressed. There was a low animal growl from the opposite end of the hall. A primal fear instinct caused all the hair on my arms to stand up. Something was waiting in the dark between us and the stairs to the roof. With no hesitation, Edward drew his swords. “Ed! Wait!” But the orc was already charging the unknown threat. Ed leapt over a wheelbarrow and disappeared into the dark.

“After him.” There was a sudden movement to the side. Something incredibly cold collided with me and Lacoco. Our flashlight beams whipped about, adding to the confusion. I was knocked head first into the opposite wall.

What now? Dazed, I managed to get to my hands and knees. I reached for my pistol, but caught a kick in the ribs so hard that it lifted me off the floor. “Ooof!” The air in my lungs came shooting out. I caught the framing, struggling to rise, but a big fist caught me right behind the ear. The framing collapsed on top of me.

In the conflicting light, I’d seen that it was a man. A big dude, at least my size, shirtless, and thickset with muscle.

Lacoco came up with his shotgun, but our attacker blocked the muzzle with one hand and slugged Lacoco in the face with the other. The Remington landed a few feet away. The Hunter roared and drove himself forward. They collided. Lacoco caught an elbow drop to his back, but rammed his opponent through one frame and into another solid one. They came right off, whirled around, and Lacoco was the one that hit the opposite wall, tearing a huge gash through the new sheetrock.

His enemy was me.