by Rose Wynters
Anna continued to glare at him. He couldn't help but grin. “Oh, if looks could kill,” he added, meeting her eyes. “I see you're not only awake but alert as well.” He was worried. Head injuries could be dangerous.
He decided then and there that he would stay up and watch over her. Once they were in Las Vegas, she’d be seen by the best doctor they had. The endurers had a lot of people on staff, ranging from doctors to zoologists. The tricky part was keeping a person alive until one of them could help.
Anna was in pain, scared, and filthy, yet she'd managed to retain her composure and hadn’t fallen apart. He respected that. Most women would have been hysterical.
Shayne grabbed her torn sweater, attempting to pull it off of her. “You don’t need to be alone,” he explained, as he threw it to the side. She swatted at his hands when he reached for her pants and then winced as the pain jarred her head. “I can undress myself,” she replied, her face red. “I’m not a baby. Just leave.”
Ignoring her, he walked to the giant bathtub and started the water. Another man would have been fooled by the harshness of her words and her fierce attitude. He wasn’t just another man, though. Shayne had looked in her eyes and seen the fear. That fear wasn’t just from attacks. It came from the fear of rejection. She had lost all hope in men. Perhaps even humanity itself. Someone had hurt her badly.
As he watched the tub fill, Shayne wondered about her history. Then he wondered why he felt as if he understood her so well. Usually their gifts didn’t extend to any type of mind reading, but he felt like he understood her completely, and that puzzled him.
In a moment of clarity, he knew how a society steeped in perfection would have branded her. A plump and gorgeous woman like Anna would have found it hellish in modern-day times. Society would have picked apart every ounce of self-esteem she had and left her feeling inadequate.
He glared at the tub in silence. Slender female peers would have always felt they were better or more attractive than she was, simply because she had size. The men weren’t even worth mentioning. It was pretty obvious that none had manned up, or she wouldn’t still be single.
Shayne felt anger that she would have been subjected to something like that. Anna was truly more precious than rubies, and the men wouldn’t have had the sense to realize it. Certainly none of them would have been what she needed. Shayne felt positive it had made a negative impact on the way she felt about herself, and the way she viewed sex and relationships in general.
Turning back to watch her, he saw she had picked up the torn sweater and was holding it in front of her luscious body like a shield. Her expressive eyes watched his every movement, torn between pain, fascination, and anxiety. The lighting behind her made her reddish-blonde hair glow as it cascaded down her back. He couldn’t tear his eyes away from her, and she looked at him as if she felt the exact same way.
Need suddenly rode him hard. If it weren’t for the concussion, he would have tasted her lips and not been able to stop. At that moment, he wanted to kiss her more than he had ever wanted anything in his life, and it made it hard for him to leave.
With a sigh, he ran his hand over his hair and headed toward the door. “Let me know if you need anything else,” he said sincerely, before he gently shut it behind him.
ANNA’S EYES CLOSED in relief, ignoring the longing running throughout her body. For just a brief moment, she'd been tempted to toss her clothing to the side and stand naked in front of him. Shaking her head, though, she realized it was a foolish idea. The head injury was playing tricks with her mind. She cringed at the thought of her belly and thighs without the clothing that covered them. It would have sent Shayne running for the door.
Anna knew what she looked like, and guys like him were never interested in overweight women like her. Not seriously. He was the type of man who would only want a relationship with a body-conscious woman. Her lips twisted in a grimace as she imagined his perfect woman. She would be the exact opposite of her.
She began undressing as she thought more about the man in the other room. In an alternate universe, he would be the perfect man for her. Kind, compassionate, and strong, he had many qualities she was truly attracted to. Maybe if she were a size four instead of twenty-four, she would have made a play for him, and maybe, just maybe, he would have accepted.
In this universe, though, she was just asking for trouble by even thinking about it. She closed her eyes as some of the taunts from her past came back to haunt her. Anna would never willingly make anyone look at her naked, much less someone as athletic as him. She didn’t need another person to make it clear how disgusting she was—Jesse had taught her well—and she resented being put in that situation. Again.
But at least she wasn't having to flee for her life in the cold Alaskan night. With a sigh, Anna surveyed her surroundings. The bathroom was amazing. Muted light showered the room in a soft glow from expensive wall sconces. It had full-length mirrors strategically placed on the walls. A gorgeous antique vanity and stool waited in one corner. And the tub! Calling it a bathtub was an insult. It was deep and large enough to seat at least six.
She made her way to the sink and was pleased to see a packet of aspirin on the counter. Filling a plastic glass with tap water, she carefully swallowed them down. Even the action of leaning her head back to swallow sent nauseating pain throughout her body. Grimacing, she hoped they would work their magic quickly.
Anna looked at herself in the mirror. Her face and hair were covered in dirt, and she already knew her clothing was ruined. Although she couldn’t see the back of her head, she could feel the pain radiating from it. Gently probing the area, she felt a huge lump back there. It was amazing she had survived a blow like that.
She finished undressing. Grabbing the pile of clothing, she stuffed them in the trash can she found by the vanity. There was an extra-large robe hanging from the back of the closed door. Luxury hotels were definitely the way to go.
Slowly making her way back to the tub, Anna stepped into the warm water. Her mind was exhausted and numb, and the pain made it impossible to even replay the events of the night. For the moment, she was safe and alive. It would have to be enough.
Leaning her head back on an inflatable pillow, Anna allowed the water to relax her tense and painful muscles. It worked well. Within minutes, she found herself dead to the world.
AFTER LEAVING ANNA to bathe, Shayne paced back and forth across the deep plush carpet outside the door. His dick felt like it was about to rip through his jeans. Part of him hoped she'd call him back in, even though common sense told him he needed to leave her alone. All he had to do was keep her alive and out of Jesse’s hands, until the other endurers could eliminate the threat.
He’d almost failed again, and it pissed him off. Shayne rubbed at his beard in frustration. He needed a distraction. There was only one who could give him that. Grabbing his cell phone, it rang. Shayne gave it a puzzled look. Checking the caller id, he saw it was Arch.
“Speak of the angel,” he said, after hitting the send button.
“You wanted to talk to me?” Arch replied. Shayne could just imagine the angelic expression Arch had on his face. He loved playing the innocent.
Shayne rolled his eyes. He decided to play along with the angel's game. After all, it was probably Arch's only real entertainment. He was a celestial being, which meant his entire existence could only be classified as a G rating.
Shaking his head at the thought of spending an eternity like that, Shayne growled, “Yeah, but we both know you already knew that.” Dealing with angels was hell on the new endurers. It was hell on the “old” ones as well.
“Yep. I’m just that good,” Arch said, with a drawl. “Then again, you've been calling me nonstop since yesterday. Take your pick, stalker. But for now, what do you want?”
Stalker, his ass. Releasing a frustrated sigh, Shayne quickly filled him in.
“I’ve already mobilized several others. They should be here by the time you make it back to Las Vegas,�
� Arch said, when he was finished. “You just need to get her here safely. I’ve also arranged suitable transportation for you from the airport to your compound. Demons are everywhere right now, and every major city is being hit hard. They think if they keep us busy enough, one of them will get the opportunity to grab her.”
Shayne sat down on the edge of the chair. “A chancellor almost had her tonight, and I’m going to need a doctor on standby for when we arrive. She has suffered a concussion, at the very least. The attacks are coming back to back. What in the hell is really going on here, Arch? I'm starting to feel like she's Hell's most wanted.”
Arch let out a lengthy breath of air. Shit, it was going to be bad. When it came to angels, things were never what they seemed. It wasn’t just about a simple take down of a man who had played with fire. It wasn’t just about protecting Anna. There was something much deeper going on.
“I’m going to make this simple, Shayne,” Arch said, sounding exhausted. “Years ago, an arrogant and spoiled man decided to dabble in the black arts. He was on a quest for riches, fame, and immortality. While in London, he stumbled into an out-of-the-way bookstore and ended up with a rare and ancient spell book. To his surprise, his spells actually worked. He found out how to summon what he believed was a genie but was actually a minion from Hell. He agreed to sacrifice his firstborn daughter in exchange for the fulfillment of his wishes. Guess who the daughter is?”
Shayne groaned as the pieces of the puzzle came together. “What are their plans for Anna?” he asked, although deep inside he already knew the truth.
“Breeding purposes. Her biological sperm donor gave them the opening they needed, based on a spoiled and greedy whim.”
“Where is he now?” Shayne found it difficult to wrap his mind around someone being that selfish.
“He’s burning in Hell, literally. You never make a deal with the devil and walk away from it. Satan is a consummate liar, and he has been from the beginning of time. Sperm Donor was promised everything he had bargained for, and for years, he even lived in that reality. He had all of the women and money he wanted. One day, though, his seed finally took root. At the first cry from the infant’s lungs—Anna's lungs—his fate was put into motion. Within a year, he suddenly developed lung cancer. After a long and brutal battle with that, he was escorted to hell, and there he will remain. Her sire was promised immortality, but it was never said he’d have it here on Earth.”
“Shit,” Shayne breathed out. It was even worse than he had imagined. Anna had been persecuted since conception. No wonder her mom had gone on the run. “So how does Jesse play into this?”
“Jesse is just another schmuck who thought he’d give away his soul for the ability to have as many women as possible. It's amazing how little value people place on their souls, especially considering they last for an eternity. But Jesse also has a trace of demonic blood in his bloodline.”
That surprised Shayne. He took a moment to let it sink in. Demons had sex with mortals all of the time. Being in human form, it was very easy for them to do so. Very rarely, though, were any children ever born from the union, especially in modern times. Condoms and all that.
Arch continued on, “The forces of evil believe Anna could breed the Antichrist if they have control over her. Let’s face it. Lucifer has wanted to do this for a very long time. He wants his realm here in a major way, and with Armageddon about to start, he’s decided to move up his plans. It’s sad to say, but Hell is getting full. They are running out of room. To get his realm up here completely, he would need to have complete control over the most powerful person in this world, which would be the Antichrist.”
If that were to happen, there would be no hope for the world at all. As it stood, the Alpha and Omega still had his covering and protections in place. If humanity were smart, they’d be praying night and day that He kept them there.
Shayne shook his head as he realized how impossible it could end up being. “Tell me, has this happened before?”
“Never,” Arch said solemnly. “Not in the entire history of mankind. Let’s hope it’s not the start of a new deadly trend. The last thing we need is a bunch of women being held hostage and used as breeding slaves by demons.”
Shayne's free hand clenched into a fist. He was pumped up and filled with testosterone when he asked, “How can we stop Jesse? By killing him? But he's been given immortality, so wouldn’t he be impossible to kill? Like me?” Fighting demons was nothing new for Shayne. But he'd never been sent to kill another immortal human before.
Arch didn't sound concerned when he replied, “You’re forgetting one thing, Shayne. Jesse isn't truly immortal. He's not like you or the other endurers. Only God has the power to grant true immortality. Satan is the father of all lies. Throughout history, there has never been one human granted true immortality by the hand of Satan. They always meet with a bad end at some point during their natural life span.”
Although Arch couldn’t see him, Shayne nodded.
“From the moment Jesse sold his soul, it belonged to Hell. When a human dies, their soul leaves their body and enters into the spiritual realm. There is only a brief span of time it can come back. In Jesse's case, Satan will be waiting, ready to send his soul right back into his body until his mission is accomplished. He will do all he can to keep Jesse here until Anna is pregnant and gives birth. If we can keep Jesse's soul out of his body long enough, though, it will be taken where it belongs. He's human, so there is no chance of him taking over another body or coming back once he gets to Hell.”
It was a lot of information for Shayne to take in. “How do we prevent his soul from coming back?” He wanted to know everything. He wasn't taking any chances with Anna's life.
“Beheading on consecrated ground with your weapon is the best way. If you’re not near a holy area, though, immediately after his beheading you can sprinkle holy water on his body. You have to do it as soon as he dies, otherwise it will be too late.”
Shayne switched the phone from one hand to the other. He didn't have it on speakerphone, as he worried Anna might hear them. “Got it,” he told Arch, as the angel had fallen silent. “Anything else I need to know?”
“Although you won’t see it, you’ll have backup in the spiritual realm from the angels. Once Jesse is gone and unable to return, though, things are going to turn ugly. There's going to be a mighty battle as either Lucifer will try to enter this realm to take the girl, or he will send one of his most trusted minions to do it.”
“He can do that?” Shayne felt horrified at the thought of Anna going to Hell.
“It’s not the norm, but human bodies have been taken straight into the Hell realm before. Don’t take anything for granted right now. Evil never stops, it just finds other ways in. Your house is protected. Keep her there until one of us can get Jesse and eliminate him.”
“Right,” Shayne said, sarcastically. Could the situation get any worse? It was a silly question to ask himself because of course it could—and probably would. “I’ll get right on that.”
“I’ve got to go. I’ll be in touch,” Arch informed him, in an abrupt way. “By the way, you might want to get into the bathroom. Otherwise, this entire conversation will no longer matter.” Arch hung up before Shayne had a chance to ask him what he meant.
Shayne glared at the phone before the angel's words sunk in. When they did, he followed Arch's advice.
He burst through the unlocked door and then stopped so fast at the sight before him, he nearly fell over. Sweet Jesus. Anna was sound asleep in the tub, her large breasts completely exposed to his lusty gaze. He drew in a deep breath as his pulse rate instantly went up.
Her hardened nipples protruded out of the water, almost as if they were offering themselves to him. Shayne wanted to wrap his lips around each one and tongue them like there was no tomorrow. He walked closer, unable to resist seeing what the rest of her body looked like.
His shaft was rock hard, and he trembled when he saw the area between her legs. Her
bare lips were slightly parted, as if in invitation. Who would have thought she shaved? Her head was leaned back against the bath pillow, her legs slightly bent. Anna had the kind of body that was ripe and ready to be satisfied.
With a pent-up and extremely frustrated sigh, Shayne gave his jacket a toss and started unbuttoning his shirt. He was going to have to wake her up, and feeling her naked, wet body against him was going to be sensual torture. Her well-being had to come before his consuming need, though. She didn’t need to be asleep with a concussion this soon.
Shayne grimaced as he realized she wasn’t the only one in danger. Dick injuries were dangerous too, and his shaft had pretty much been hard since he met her. People on medicine for erectile dysfunction were told to get medical assistance if their dick didn’t go down after a few hours. His had been hard for longer than that. However, his erection was all natural, and the best way for him to fix it would be to climb up on Anna and pump for several hours, no hospital needed. But in her condition, Shayne knew there was zero chance of that happening.
Shayne glanced at his dick, as he narrowed his eyes and considered his position. It was ridiculous to let himself go like he was. He could either take care of it himself or go to the bar and pick up the first available female he could find. At that time of night, there would be plenty of women willing, but the thought of being with someone else left him cold.
Shayne had to get rid of his sexual frustration, in order to keep his mind free and clear for the problems at hand. Inattention would get them both killed, and he had no doubt that somehow Arch would follow him into the afterlife and kick his ass for letting it happen. There was no escaping the pesky angel. How could it hurt to take the edge off? Who would know?
His eyes wandered back to her voluptuous body, and need almost brought him to his knees. She was so erotically attractive to him that he would do almost anything to have her. His eyes glazed over as he imagined the prolonged pleasure he’d experience just by releasing his load in her tight sheath. Five strokes tops, and he’d be there.