by Rose Wynters
Her silence angered him. “You fool,” he hissed, as he came closer to her. “It’s not like someone as repulsive as you would have ever gotten a better offer from any human male. All we want is the use of your body. But no, you want to be difficult. By the time we’re done with you, though, you’ll beg.” He gestured with one hand for Jesse to release her before grabbing her hair himself and forcing her face to his. “I promise you, you’ll beg.”
Releasing Anna roughly, he snapped his fingers and a row of lights against the wall came on. They were in a huge warehouse, empty except for the built-in cells. The cells were numerous, as if they were stacked on top of each other, running from level to level as far as her eyes could see. Instead of having metal doors, though, each cell was covered with a thick pane of glass. Whatever was in them wouldn’t bode well for her.
“Why are you doing this?” Anna finally asked, when she felt she could speak again. If she were to die, she wanted to know what she was dying for.
He laughed, the sound echoing throughout the room, while Jesse watched them silently. “Don't you know? Hell is moving to Earth and the fallen angel is taking his rightful place. We need a human we can control to make the process easier. Your whelp is going to prepare this world for the only master he will ever know.”
Her chin lifted. “I will never willingly submit to you or to this weak-willed bastard named Jesse; a man that had to sell his soul, just to get a hard on and a piece of ass.”
The last few years of her life had been spent living in fear, grief, and worthlessness. She wasn’t going to die that way as well. “The fallen angel you worship will never be the true God, no matter what you do. You're fighting a losing battle. There's only one God, and I've got news for you: he's already won this war.”
She would never allow a child born from her body to be used by the evil beings surrounding her. Anna knew with a certainty that she wouldn't be walking out of there alive. Her death would be the only way to keep them from following through with their evil plans.
Anna swallowed back her sob, as she faced her own mortality, all the while glaring at the two men in front of her. No matter what happened, she had to make sure they weren't given the opportunity to impregnate her.
She felt a wave of regret over Shayne. He had given her the best moments of her life. She hadn’t expected it to last, but she wasn't ready for it to end. She hoped wherever he was, he was alive and safe, and that he would remain that way.
“We’ll see about that,” the man said, as he interrupted her musings. He turned back to her. Anna couldn’t help but flinch. He laughed, taking power from her fear. Instead of striking her, though, he grabbed her hair and yanked her out of the chair.
“Wait,” Jesse said, breaking his silence. He had watched it all, without a word. “Should I take the erection drug now?” He gestured towards the front of his pants, his eyebrows lifted high.
The man that held her sneered at Jesse, his nails digging into Anna's scalp. He snorted and replied, “It's amazing to think that such a great weapon for the dark one will be bred from something as weak and whiny as you are. You disgust me.” He turned his back to Jesse and pulled her toward the wall before saying over his shoulder, “Take two, you limp piece of flesh.”
He forcefully led her to a row of cells before selecting one to stop in front of. Nothing was visible, and Anna feared what was hiding within the dark. The unknown made her heart beat harder in fear. She now understood the term scared to death and wondered if it would soon apply to her.
He used the hand still wrapped in her hair to slam her bodily into the thick pane of glass. Blood began to run over her good eye, but surprisingly the glass didn't shatter. He kept her body pressed tightly against it as a single overhead light came on in the cell.
Anna gasped in fright. A face stared right back at her, its cold black eyes just inches from her own. His head was smooth, except for the two horns protruding from his skull, and completely hairless, his skin a deep reddish brown. Anna fought to free herself, but the man holding her was supernaturally strong, as he held her in place.
The being in the cell wore a black robe, and when her eyes dropped, she realized he had hooves instead of feet. He didn’t move, didn’t blink, as she gasped in fear in front of him. Their eyes met and held. She tried to look away but found she couldn't. His eyes turned red and he hissed, revealing fangs, while Anna grew weaker and weaker. The creature was secure in its own abilities, and he knew exactly what he could do. It was death, and she was just inches away from it.
An evil chuckle came from behind her. “Only a thin sheet of glass separates you. All it would take is a push of a button for me to throw you in. I can see you’re still not convinced, though.” He proceeded to drag her from cell to cell, repeating the same process. Anna saw demonic creatures that would give her nightmares for the rest of her life, however long that might be.
“These creatures were created solely for the purpose of tormenting and killing humans. We brought them here from Hell, a place where they were happy, simply to starve them. They have been locked up for centuries, living for the time they will be released. Now, Armageddon is swiftly approaching, and they don’t have much time to wait. They’re anxious for the taste of human flesh. They're ready to get out and play. Which one shall I put you in with?” he asked, in her ear.
The horror inside of her ran unchecked, and she didn’t know if minutes had passed or hours. Horrible pains shot through her heart, and her left arm began to grow numb. These were the creatures people saw in their last few minutes of life and never lived to tell of.
Her mind broke, not able to cope with what she was seeing. In her last moments of clarity, Anna realized it was exactly what the demon wanted. He wanted her broken and compliant, unable to fight back against the inhumane way they planned on using her. A final sharp pain tore through the left side of her chest before her mind went completely dark.
Anna collapsed on the floor at his feet.
SHAYNE AND IAN RACED down the hallways of the warehouse, frantic to reach Anna before it was too late. Each level wound its way further underground. Hell had many gateways, and this was just one of hundreds, if not thousands.
After losing her, the endurers had killed off the demons. All of them except for one. The demon had held out until the very end before finally giving away Anna's location. Luke and Nate were still in pursuit of the runaway driver. Shayne hoped they found him. That one had a lot to answer for.
With each level, it grew colder and darker. Thankfully, each one of them had been blessed with the ability to move faster than the average human and were able to see in the dark. Although it was chilly, the cold didn’t bother them like it would a mortal.
“According to the source, we’ll find her in Level 31,” Ian reminded him. “We’re almost there.” They each drew their weapons as they neared the doorway.
“On the count of three,” Ian said, holding his sword with both hands wrapped around the hilt. His long hair was gathered in the back, his arm muscles bulging. At that moment, he looked like the true medieval warrior he was. “One,” he whispered.
Shayne lifted his massive leg and kicked the door in.
“I said count of three, asshole,” Ian hissed, as they quickly went in.
Anna was on the floor, her eyes wide and unblinking. Shayne could see no signs of life about her. He felt his body go ice cold, then hot, as rage possessed him. Throwing his head back, he released a cry of anguish that echoed throughout the warehouse.
His woman—the only woman he'd ever loved—was gone. They were too late to save her, but he could guarantee none of them would walk away from what they had done. His eyes were wild with madness as they settled on Jesse. The bastard wouldn't live to see another dawn.
Ian didn’t miss a beat. He strolled toward the demon in the process of mopping the floor with Jesse’s ass. “Well, well, what do we have here, Jesse? Looks like you've already managed to piss someone off, and we hadn't even got here yet. I can't
believe it. You girls are having a party, and you didn’t think to invite us?”
The demon backed away. Jesse came to his feet and swayed, as he struggled to remain upright. Ian looked down and noticed the wet stain on the front of Jesse’s jeans, at the same time Shayne did. Ian took a quick sniff before grimacing. “On second thought, this is one party I wouldn’t have minded missing.”
Shayne advanced, his eyes never leaving Jesse’s face. “Jesse,” he said, coldly. “You bastard. You fucked with my woman, and now she’s lying dead on the floor? Tonight you’re going to die, as painfully as possible.”
Jesse screamed in panic, as he backed away. “I never wanted her,” he cried, holding his hands up to ward Shayne off. “That bastard, Mephistopheles, forced me to do it.” He pointed towards the demon. “I don’t do fat chicks,” he continued, in a disgusted voice. “I never have.”
Shayne backhanded him across his face, hard. Jesse fell down crying, holding his cheek. “You aren’t man enough for any woman,” he said, his own voice cold. “Especially a goddess like Anna.” Shayne was done with him, for the moment. Jesse was beneath his contempt.
Turning, he faced Mephistopheles. Then he attacked, not caring if he lived or died. Shayne fought the fight of a man who had nothing left to live for. Everything he ever was—or could have been—had ended with the last breath of the woman lying on the cold floor.
Ian quickly went over to Jesse, picking up where Shayne had left off. Jesse squealed as he fell down, the high pitch of the sound rivaling the screams of any woman. Ian swung his sword up to deliver the death blow.
“Wait,” Jesse squeaked, from his position on the floor. “I can’t die,” he said, desperately. “Mephistopheles, help me!”
Mephistopheles used the distraction to quickly push a button. Then he laughed, as the motors lifted the heavy panes of glass to the cells. Shayne exchanged a look with Ian. In seconds, countless demons would be released, and both of them knew what that meant.
Mephistopheles looked coldly at Jesse. “You’re of no use to me now,” he replied, in an icy voice. “Which is why I was in the process of killing you, when I was so rudely interrupted. The tool is dead, and so are you. Be it from their hands, mine, or one of the creatures soon racing towards you, Hell will see you tonight.”
Jesse took off running, but none of them pursued him. With Anna gone, Jesse had no more worth. He was as good as dead. Hell had tricked him with the promise of immortality, and his soul would pay for his mistake for an eternity. Seconds later, they heard his chilling screams, as one of the escaped demons got their first prey. Jesse wouldn’t be a problem to anyone, not anymore.
Shayne raced towards Anna and scooped her up. Tears welled behind his eyelids for the woman he’d found but lost too soon. The demons weren't getting her, dead or not. They'd have to kill him first.
Setting her down against the concrete wall, Shayne stood in front of her, determined to protect her, even in death. He raised his sword, as more creatures began to run out of their cells. Ian stood beside him, and the two men nodded at one another. A lot was said in that silent look. Each respected the other as a warrior and a friend. There wasn’t anyone else they’d rather die in battle with. As one, they turned and faced the creatures for their final battle. Both of them realized the odds of walking away were slim to none.
The first wave of demons attacked. Shayne and Ian fought ferociously, sweat pouring down their faces, as they destroyed numerous beings. Each time one fell down, another took its place. Shayne's arms began to tremble as even more poured out of their cells. He was sure Ian was experiencing the same discomfort.
Mephistopheles released a crazed giggle. “The first one to kill an endurer gets to dine on his innards,” he announced loudly, over the roar of the battle. The creatures attacked even harder, eager for the reward promised by their leader.
An elevator dinged behind Shayne, an instant before the doors slid open. Daring a quick look over his shoulder, he gave a sigh of relief when he saw Arch and Germael step out. Both angels were strapped with weapons and ready for war.
“About damned time,” Shayne muttered, slicing through another creature. “Leave it to you to find an elevator in this hellhole, Arch,” he said, in a louder voice. Ian chuckled next to him. Their chances of survival had just gone up, exponentially.
“Yeah, I’m just smart like that,” Arch replied, as he headed right into the horde of creatures. The two angels divided up, moving in different directions as they fought. “Even better, I brought back up.” He swung his sword, taking down several demons, before turning his head to look over his shoulder and grin at Shayne. The battle was definitely starting to go in their favor.
Shayne rolled his eyes. The angel was totally impossible, but he was an awesome warrior, as was Germael.
“Mephistopheles,” Arch called, his voice reverberating throughout the room. He spotted him hiding behind the other demons. “Tell me, have your balls finally dropped enough to fight? Or will you disappear like the girl you really are?” In an instant, Mephistopheles vanished.
Arch snorted. “After thousands of years, he still hasn’t grown a pair.” He quickly sheathed his sword and dropped down behind Shayne. His face grew grim as he looked Anna over. Finally, he said, “We need to get her out of here, now. Most of the creatures are dead. Germael can clean up this mess.”
Hearing the urgency in Arch’s voice, Ian and Shayne worked fast to finish off the creatures they were fighting. Before they had time to sheathe their swords, Arch moved them back to Shayne’s compound. Anna was lying on the floor, silent and still.
Arch’s eyes grew vacant as he said, “Put her on the couch.” He fell silent, and his body became very still, as if he was meditating or perhaps praying, in his thoughts.
Shayne did as Arch had ordered. Picking her up, he gently placed her on the couch and smoothed her hair back from her face. “I'm so sorry, Anna,” he whispered, hoarsely. It hadn't taken long for her to completely steal his heart, and without her, he felt no desire to continue on.
He started to stand back up when he realized her body was warm to the touch. Dropping to his knees, Shayne checked for a heartbeat. When he felt one, he looked back at Arch. “I can’t believe it,” he said, completely awed.
A tear slid down his cheek before he quickly wiped it away. “Will she be okay?” Shayne asked, watching her. Ian stood silent for once, waiting to see how the drama played out.
Arch suddenly inhaled, his body becoming animated. “She will,” he said, his voice tight. “That was the healing part. However, we still need to do this.” Shayne looked at Arch, puzzled.
“You want her immortal, don't you?” Arch asked. “If not, now's the time to say so.”
“Of course. I want her for as long as I can have her,” Shayne said, in an exasperated tone of voice. “An eternity wouldn’t be long enough.”
“Then you know what we have to do,” Arch replied.
Shayne's face twisted into a grimace. “Part of me feels that we should ask her first. But the other part of me, the selfish part, doesn't want to give her that option—the option to turn down an immortal life with me.”
“You don't have a choice,” Arch retorted. “Her heart is very unstable, and she doesn't have long to live. She could die again at any moment. We have to make her immortal now. You can work out the details of your romantic life later.”
Shayne sighed, and then he came to his feet. “Do what you need to do, Arch, to save her.”
Both Shayne and Ian had once been mortal. They knew the process. In order to give Anna immortality, Arch would have to share his blood with her—but only once. After a human had an angel's blood, they became immortal. Anna wouldn't become an angel, none of them could, but she would gain some enhanced abilities that she would have never had, as a mortal.
Arch moved to the empty spot next to Anna's head. He opened a spot on his inner forearm with his nail, and then he held it to Anna's lips. Anna wasn't fully conscious, but she was co
nscious enough to grimace when Arch's blood hit her tongue.
Shayne snorted and then said, “I hate to say it, Arch, considering your good deed here and all. But in case you didn't know it, an angel's blood tastes like shit.”
Ian made a retching sound next to him. Lucky for him, he didn't vomit. Otherwise, Shayne would have had to kick his ass.
“God, yes,” Ian added, with an expression of disgust on his face. “It's horrible. Even after all of these years, I still remember that putrid, foul taste.”
Arch looked at them with a smug grin, as he pulled his arm away from Anna. “That just applies to the others,” he retorted, an arrogant but amused expression on his face. “If you remember, both of you were turned by someone else. But as for me, my blood tastes amazing.”
“I call bullshit on that,” Shayne said, then burst out laughing with Ian joining in. Even though Arch was an angel, he still had an ego.
“All right, enough of that,” Arch snapped, turning serious. “It's going to be on you, Shayne, to teach her how to deal with her immortality, since she was turned to be a mate rather than one of you. With that, comes a huge responsibility. Appreciate what you have been given, and love and cherish her for as long as you both shall live.”
His piercing gaze switched to Ian for a long moment, and then he continued, “When an immortal finds their mate, two becomes one. Both of them will sacrifice something, but some sacrifices are unbearable to make. Make sure you know and appreciate the sacrifice she makes to be with you, because it will come at an enormous price. An eternity can feel like hell, when you miss the mark with your own mate.”
Ian stared back at Arch with an uncomfortable, even wary, expression in his eyes before looking away.
Shayne watched the exchange between the two. He didn't quite understand what had just transpired, but it didn't sound good. He wasn't sure if it was a warning, a premonition, or just some of Arch's wisdom being shared with Ian. The angels were odd like that.