I glanced over, just in time to see Hercules step to the edge of the overlook and toss the surfboard over the cliff like he was throwing a football. I almost laughed. Almost.

Hercules turned around, seeing all of us staring at him. “What? It wasn’t going to fit without doing . . . stuff to the seat.”

Gable snapped out of it, and a different kind of horrified expression flooded his face. “My board! What the fuck, man? You just threw my board over a cliff!”

“We’ll get you a new one that Hercules won’t smash,” Josie promised, and I snickered at that. “But we need—”

Wind picked up, and there it was again. Musky. Dank. The smell of death. Shit. Josie sensed it too.

“We need to go.” Alex jogged around the front of the SUV. I pulled Gable away from the back door. She threw it open.

Gable twisted in my grip, but I got him turned around, prepared to throw him head-first into the car if necessary. I started to lift him up when a dark, oily heaviness permeated the air around us. I looked over my shoulder.

An older man came up the trail, looking like any guy who would be out on the beach for a stroll. Loose khaki pants, white T-shirt, and sandals. A silver watch glinted off his wrist. The stench of death was strong, but he was still too far away to tell if he was a shade or some guy out for a walk.

“Everything okay up here?” he said.

“Don’t,” I heard Alex warn Gable in a hushed whisper.

Josie spoke up. “Everything is fine. Thanks.”

“I don’t know about that,” the man replied. “Doesn’t seem like it’s okay.” He started toward us, steps purposeful and precise. “Seems like something is going on here.”

My eyes narrowed as Josie tensed beside me. The moment he got close enough to see his eyes, I cursed. They were watery, washed out, and devoid of most color.

The man was possessed by a shade.

“Hercules,” I snapped.

Thank the gods, he got the message. Head bowing, the massive lump of flesh and muscles charged forward with a smirk.

Knowing what was up, the shade stepped back. “You stupid cattle,” it spit. “Give it up now. My liege will make it painless—”

Hercules slammed his fist into the man’s jaw. Bone cracked. The impact spun the man around in a full, perfect circle. He started to go down, but the man jerked once and then twice. Mid-fall, his back arched and his mouth dropped open.

He let out a horrible screeching sound, like metal grinding on metal, and the black smoke poured out of its mouth, flooding the sky.

“Holy shit.” Gable fell back against the side of the SUV. “Holy. Shit.”