Echoes in The Night: Cult of the Endless Night Series Book 4

Evil lurks beneath the streets of Boston. And only Shane Ryan can stop it… It stalks the shadowy tunnels beneath the city. It strikes without warning. It kills without a sound. But someone has come to end it… Ghost hunter and retired Marine, Shane Ryan. When a contact from a previous case reaches out for help, Shane soon finds himself searching the tent cities and homeless encampments of the sprawling city, hot on the trail of a merciless killer. What he finds is an animalistic spirit, driven into a frenzy by bloodlust. And a connection to the sinister cult of the Endless Night. Shane suspects the cult are seeking to harness this deadly entity for their own nefarious ends. But to stop the killer ghost, he must form an uneasy alliance with a cult member. Can Shane trust this new ally? Or will he meet his end as he comes face to face with the ultimate supernatural predator? PRINT LENGTH AUDIO LENGTH NARRATED BY PRODUCT DIMENSION ISBN 979-8-89476-089-6 LANGUAGE English PUBLICATION DATE November 17, 2023   Read a Sample   CHAPTER 2: WHAT WAITS   “You’re going to need to start making some sense, Martin,” Shane told him.   Martin went off on more than one tangent about losing work, getting lost, being in tunnels, and something in the darkness. The desperation in his voice was clear, but he was also borderline incoherent.   Shane had not spent a lot of time with Martin when they met, but Martin had not been like this before. He was a skilled artist, and he seemed on the ball back home. After what happened with Lazarus, it was hard to say. Big Bear hadn’t contacted Shane again, and that was fine. But on the phone just now, Martin sounded like he needed professional help beyond anything Shane could offer.   “Please, we just… I just need you to come here.”   “Where?” Shane asked. “Where are you in Boston?”   “I… it’s called Tremont? It’s the tunnels. We’re in the tunnels. I’m trying to keep hidden, but I think it can see everything in the dark.”   “Alright, just keep doing what you’re doing to stay safe, okay? I’ll find you. What’s the number you’re calling from?”   There was another sob on the line, a gasp of air, and the phone went dead. Shane stared at it for a moment, waiting to see if Martin would call back. He did not.   “Martin from the cellar?” Carl asked. Shane nodded.   “He said he’s in Boston. Thinks something is after him, but he sounds squirrelly. Not sure he’s in his right mind.”   “After what happened, he could have suffered some long-term problems,” Carl suggested.   “Was thinking the same. But he sounds adamant that something is after him. Something in the subway, I think.”   “Hmm.”   Carl looked like he was mulling over the proposition.   “Boston has the oldest subway in America, does it not? More than enough time for some ghosts to have called it home.”   “The subway runs under most of the city. Any ghost could get in there; it’s not that deep. He said Tremont, though.”   “Are you familiar?” Carl asked.   “I’ve heard of it. Should be easy enough to find.”   Carl stood up and turned to face Shane as he stood as well.   “Then you are leaving?”   “Yeah, I have to. I feel partially responsible for—” Shane replied.   His friend nodded.   “Good. You have done little since we returned. It’s good to get out. Fresh air, as they say.”   “Boston subways aren’t known for their freshness.”   “Even so,” Carl said. “I will be fine here. We all will.”   “I know.”   After their return, Shane made a few changes around the house. If Coulson returned, none of them would matter; he was a special case and nothing Shane could reasonably plan for. But he had moved the haunted items around, placing them in more secure locations. If anyone from the Endless Night had previously learned the house’s layout, they would be in the dark once again.   The ghosts knew of the danger the Endless Night presented. Shane had established a protocol for hiding or fighting, but that was easier said than done. Eloise, in particular, was unpredictable and not known to listen to instructions all the time. If someone broke in, she was just as likely to tear off their face as remain hidden in the shadows.   Shane was as confident as he could be, though. He had been confident before Coulson had arrived. That someone would invade his home and take Carl away was not even a thing he’d considered. But if Coulson had taught Shane nothing else, it was that he didn’t know everything, nor could he. Some things were impossible to prepare for. All he could do is be as ready as he possibly could.   Carl was right. Shane had not been out of the house much since they had returned from down south. He’d gone out for cigarettes and food and the odd walk through the neighborhood; that was it.   But going to Boston to potentially save a man he barely knew from what might have been a ghost in the subway was not the way Shane wanted to get out on the road. On the other hand, he didn’t have a preferred plan of action. It wasn’t like he was hoping to be invited to someone’s wedding, or that he wanted to head out for a fishing weekend. He wasn’t sure what he wanted, or if he wanted anything at all.   There was something relaxing about the time he’d spent after returning from Florida, but there was an underlying anxiety, too. Not doing anything was becoming as stressful as being thrust into situations against his will. Maybe he was just the kind of person who couldn’t find happiness anymore. Hell, maybe he only felt alive when someone was trying to kill him.