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
