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  All of his weapons were special made. Each endurer had a variety of swords, knives, and daggers created just for them and based off of their height, build, and even hand size. Each of the four angels kept a priest, blacksmith, bladesmith, and a swordsmith on staff.

  After becoming immortal, an endurer was measured. They decided the types of weapons they wanted, how they wanted them to look, and they could even have the blades engraved with words or designs, should they have a mind to. The weapons were then created in the tradition of old—in a forge with fire—but with a twist. Instead of regular water, they were cooled only in holy water. They were also blessed. Because of that, they were the only weapons in the world with the ability to send the demons straight back to Hell.

  Demons never completely died, but they could be disabled and prevented from coming back to Earth again. Angels, demons, and humans all had an awareness that had to be housed somewhere. The physical body might depart, but the awareness inside of them never ceased to exist.

  Some endurers had the ability to dispatch them in other ways. Not Shayne. His ability was in his strength. The only items he needed to do his job were his weapons, and with them, he was good to go.

  Reaching the doorway, Shayne immediately surveyed the situation. The demon had a relentless grip on Anna's hair and had pulled her several feet away. Screaming, she fought as hard as she could to break free, risking ripping the very hair from her head to escape him. “Don't move,” Shayne said, an instant before he threw his dagger.

  His aim was straight and true, missing her by a scant inch or two. Instantly, her hair was released and she fell down to the ground, as the creature behind her screamed in pain. Shayne was already on the move, shoving the demon away from her as it started to dissolve.

  He watched Anna as she crawled quickly toward the building, to put her back to the wall. There were others out there, all of them circling and waiting for their chance to strike. He had to keep them away from her.

  Shayne grabbed his weapon from the demon's dissolving body and moved back toward the doorway of the motel room. The dagger had hit the hellion between the eyes. Smoke was rising from its prone form, as the smell of sulfur pervaded the cool night air. Almost instantly, it was gone.

  Two grotesque creatures started towards them, their red eyes gleaming unnaturally in the twilight of the evening. They were taller than the others. They wouldn't be a threat. Not for an endurer as experienced as he was.

  Shayne was ready for them with a dagger in each hand. “You girls looking to play?” he asked, his velvety deep voice cutting through the night. “I know I am. Look, I'm even wearing my play clothes.” He was dressed completely in black.

  The two glanced at each other before charging him as one. Shayne met them in a running leap just seconds before the two screamed in pain. The daggers moved quickly. One of the demons fell, smoke rising from its body.

  He looked at the last one standing and shook his head in disgust. His knife had carved deeply into the side of its face, leaving the flesh gaping open. Copious amounts of black fluid poured out, and the demon was missing an ear.

  “Damn,” Shayne said as his lip curled up in a sneer. “You guys just get uglier and uglier, don’t you? It looks like your face caught on fire and someone tried to put it out with a fork.”

  He could see three more hellions spread out in the parking lot, but they paused at his words. They knew he was an endurer, with the full backing of Heaven behind him. The evil inside of them naturally recoiled from the purity contained within his daggers and sword. It didn't stop the demon in front of him, though. “What a great idea,” he growled at Shayne. “I'll have fun trying it out on you in Hell.”

  Shayne beckoned with his hand as he said mockingly, “You I’m going to kill just to put you out of your misery.”

  All pretense at humanity faded. The white skin darkened to a disgusting shade of dark green, and thick horns erupted from its skull. This was the true form of the minion, and it wasn't pretty.

  Shayne glanced around the parking lot, but he didn't expect to see any witnesses. The remote location was one of the reasons he had chosen the motel. It was small and generally stayed vacant, and he wouldn't have to worry about human casualties.

  He looked back at the demon, determined to goad him into an attack. It would just be one less evil to deal with in the future. “Well?” Shayne asked, beckoning again with his hand. “You going to stand there all day looking ugly? Let's get this over with. I've got more important things to do, like wash my hair.”

  “You’ll never win,” the enraged demon said, his voice harsh and distorted. “There are millions of us and just one of you.” Giant black wings erupted from its back as it prepared to take flight. “The master is coming home to take his throne, and there is nothing you can do to stop it.”

  Two red eyes settled upon Anna as it rose in the air. She recoiled back against the wall, panting in fear. His eyes were ancient, deadly, and full of pure evil as he said to Anna, “We'll be meeting again.”

  With a sinister laugh he jumped into the sky and flew away, the other demons quickly following.

  Shayne stood eerily still for a moment, breathing deep. His hands clenched and unclenched as he fought to get control of himself. After a moment, he bent over and collected his weapons before turning to face Anna.

  IMMEDIATELY, ANNA FELT the heat of his gaze as it settled on her. It was hot enough to burn her, even from several feet away. Swallowing nervously, she didn’t have the strength to look away. A deep awareness passed between them, one she didn’t understand but her body obviously did. Her nether region began to flood with wetness.

  Shayne stalked towards her, each long step filled with purpose and determination. There wasn’t any escape from the powerful male quickly approaching, and Anna couldn’t honestly say she wanted to. Her body trembled in anticipation, as heat spread like lava throughout her body.

  He was the ultimate alpha male: strong, self-confident, and dangerous. Any woman would allow him to have her, even knowing it could never be for more than a night. Being with this man would leave a memory that would last a lifetime.

  Shayne stopped right in front of her, his piercing blue eyes holding hers. They slowly traveled over her face with a predatory intensity before moving down across the rest of her body. It was like a sizzling hot caress, causing her nipples to harden and a wetness to seep into the seam of her jeans. He stretched his hands out, waiting for her to grab them before pulling her against him.

  Anna couldn’t tear her gaze from his face, as he swept her into his arms. His masculine scent teased her nostrils, and she could feel the strength in his arms and the hardness of his body against hers. He quickly carried her to the passenger side of the SUV, opening the door and placing her on the seat roughly.

  The fight had reminded them there were no guarantees for tomorrow. Once again, she had come so close to being taken. Fear had quickly changed to lust, her body begging to be satisfied. Instinctively, she knew he needed the reassurance they were still alive, in the most elemental way possible, just as much as she did.

  Shayne breathed deeply, his chest expanding against hers with the movement. Was he struggling to control his lust just like she was? Their eyes met and held, an eternity passing in that brief slip of time. Swept up in a heat-filled explosion, Anna realized he was giving her a choice she didn’t want or need. Her lips parted as her eyes filled with all of the desire she felt for him

  He growled as he accepted her unspoken invitation. His arms tightened around her body, crushing her to his hardness as he lowered his face to hers. All thought fled at the first contact of his firm lips. Anna had never wanted anything more.

  The kiss seemed to unleash something inside of both of them. She moaned as desire shot through her like lightning. Grabbing the front of his leather jacket, she pulled him as tightly as possible to her body. Shayne groaned at her aggressiveness as fire swept through her veins, burning her to ash.

  Sweeping his mouth
down her face, chin, and throat, he growled, “You smell so good.” His teeth nipped at her neck, while his large hands spread her thighs and wrapped them around his hips.

  Shayne pressed her back into the seat as he slid himself between her legs. His hardness rubbed against the seam in her jeans, and she couldn’t hold back her moan. It was hard to believe she was the one making the erotic noises she heard.

  Closing his eyes in ecstasy, he hissed at the first contact. “Fuck, yeah,” he groaned, as if he was swept away from the pleasure of her heat. “I can feel you searing my dick through my pants.” He thrust against her in timed motions, and it was driving her wild.

  There was no past or future for either of them, nothing but that moment. Desire and need spun out of control. Her body begged him to yank her jeans off and plant himself deep inside of her.

  Shayne leaned over and tongued her nipples through her shirt. Sliding his hands underneath her ass, he lifted her hips and spread her wide. “It feels so good,” Anna gasped. He thrust against her quicker and harder.

  He stared at her hard, taking in every expression of pleasure that crossed her face.

  “You’re so fucking wet I can feel your body weeping for me,” Shayne said, his breathing harsh. “You want me to thrust up in that little slit and take it hard and rough, don’t you?”

  There wasn’t anything Anna wanted more. The thought of him stretching her with his length was too much for her tightly-strung body. Her sex clenched and her world exploded as she came loudly against his crown.

  Shayne released a loud groan and warmth saturated her jeans as he ejaculated against her. She remained there silently for several seconds, shivering from the sensations of experiencing her first orgasm.

  Tilting her chin, Shayne gave her one last kiss and then met her eyes. “Just know this,” he growled with a final thrust. “One day, real soon, this body is mine.”

  Anna wasn’t sure what to say, but his words instantly made her body fill with heat again.

  SHAYNE'S HANDS SHOOK as he pushed himself away from her, but he covered it up by swaggering away. He let out a deep sigh of pleasure and satisfaction, as his lips twisted into a rueful smile. He was five hundred years old, but that hadn’t meant anything between her legs. She was hot enough to wring an orgasm out of him, even with her clothes on. His dick was still hard, and it was all he could do to not turn around and make good on his promise.

  Not trusting himself to look at her, he quickly walked away to pick up the items she’d dropped. His control had been thoroughly tested. He wasn’t sure he could make it through the next hour without taking her, much less several days of close proximity. What had Arch been thinking?

  Shayne knew he should probably tell Arch to find someone else for the job. It was dangerous if his focus wasn’t strictly on keeping her safe. He immediately vetoed the idea. Sex was enough to make any man lose his head, but quitting Anna wasn’t an option. There was no way in hell he was letting someone else take care of her, and it stunned him to realize how possessive he felt.

  Starting back towards the vehicle, he did a quick check of the area. They could be attacked at any moment. He’d lost control, and that was dangerous. It was a mistake he couldn’t make again.

  The wetness at his crotch suddenly bothered him. He would have loved to change his clothes, but it simply wasn't safe. He wondered how Anna felt, as he knew for a fact she was soaked, but he realized she'd never complain about, even if she were uncomfortable.

  His eyes shot over to the woman still in the passenger seat. Anna had composed herself and was sitting forward. She blushed brightly as he looked at her, and it charmed him that she was still innocent enough to do so. The next time he touched that sweet spot, it would be somewhere safe. Shayne didn’t plan on leaving it alone until he’d tasted it and fucked it in every single way possible. He smirked. It was a done deal.

  Chapter 4

  THEY HAD BEEN ON THE road for several minutes before Anna pulled herself together. Lust and embarrassment filled her, in equal parts. Her first sexual experience, and it had blown her out of the park. It had been a moment of temporary insanity, but not necessarily one she regretted.

  Now that she'd had her first taste of passion, she was afraid she was insatiable. She couldn’t wait for the next time. Shaking her head at her musings, she struggled to push it out of her mind, for the time being.

  After hastily eating the cold and tasteless food, she looked over at Shayne. There were questions she still needed answered. “What are you?” she asked, drawing her brows together. “I mean, are you even human?”

  He was intently focused on the road, but she knew he had heard her question. A small smile played about his lips as he said, “Oh, I’m definitely human. One hundred percent male.” He shot her a heated look and smiled when she blushed and looked away.

  “Since we’re asking questions,” he said, getting serious. “I’ve got one for you. Any idea why they are after you?”

  Anna gave a quick shake of her head. He had asked her something similar the prior evening. Until she knew what his agenda was, she definitely wasn’t in the mood to share her past experiences. At the moment, she just needed answers. “How did you know they would be at my cabin,” she asked, in a puzzled voice. “In fact, how do you even know about them?”

  He waited so long to respond that Anna believed he might not answer at all. “Let me ask you a question,” he said, in a curt voice. “Do you accept what you saw and felt tonight, or are you going to box it up with a neat and tidy explanation? I’m here to warn you now, I don’t have the time or patience to deal with someone who can’t face their reality. You’ve stepped into a whole new world, little girl, and you’re going to have to deal with it or end up dead.”

  She nodded decisively. “I know. I get it. I'm not in denial here. I'm just trying to get answers.” She knew he was the only one who could give her answers, as mysterious and unpredictable as he was.

  After another moment of silence, he continued. “What you’re about to hear is privileged information. That means it never gets repeated to another human. Am I clear?” he looked at her with narrowed eyes, his face set in hard lines in the darkness.

  After she nodded again, Shayne cleared his throat and said, “I’m known as an endurer. I'm kind of like a police officer, but I police the really, really bad beings like demons and their minions. I’m just as human as you are, with a few perks. I was sent to get you to a place of safety.” He glanced at her again to see her reaction.

  “So who sent you?” she asked, puzzled.

  He gave a quick shake of his head. “For now, that’s classified information,” he responded. “I will tell you this, though. There, in Las Vegas, you will be safe. On your own, you wouldn't be. Without protection, eventually they will get you. Demons never stop. Hell has its eyes set on you, Anna. You've been targeted. That won't go away.”

  Anna swallowed. Hard. For the thousandth time, she wished she'd never met Jesse, even though she knew it wasn't doing her any good to do so. She realized she couldn't change the past.

  “Tell me more about the demons,” Anna forced herself to say. “You're the only person I've met that seems to even believe they are real, much less have knowledge of them.”

  “Of course nobody knows about them,” Shayne sighed, as he shook his head in what Anna believed to be disgust. “Not really. It's the biggest cover-up in the history of mankind. Demons are smart. They are tricksters. They have had the run of this world since the beginning of humanity, when Adam and Eve were alive. There are thousands, if not millions of them. Everyday, people encounter them, either in an assumed form or in possession of someone they know. Now Armageddon is starting, and it’s going to get a whole lot worse.”

  He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel for a moment, as if he were gathering his thoughts. “In the distant past, Satan would send them to do a few tricks and pretend to be a god. This resulted in masses of populations worshiping a demon. In this day and age, they hav
e taken on other forms. They haven’t gone away. There are no “good” demons. They are the harbinger of every sin and depravity known to men, and some that man could never think of. There are a lot of souls in Hell right now, finding that out.”

  Anna felt a shiver of pure fear go through her. Despite his promise to protect her, she really didn't know what the future held. As they sped down the desolate highway, she wondered if each mile was bringing her closer to death. How could any mere mortal like her battle something that powerful and walk away the winner?

  Shayne pushed on. “Let me give you some more background info on these beings. There is a spiritual realm all around us that most humans can’t see. It’s the realm angels and demons use to travel when they don’t want to be seen. There, battles are constantly being fought as good versus evil. Demons use this realm to hover over the humans they have an interest in and whisper suggestions in their ears to manipulate them. Although their conscious mind doesn’t register what they are hearing, the subconscious part does. Eventually, this encourages them to sin or open a doorway to let the demons in.”

  Anna felt pains shooting through her fingers. She looked down and was startled to realize she was gripping the edge of the seat with both hands. Relaxing her fingers, she prompted him by asking, “So you're saying if we could see into this realm, we’d be too terrified to even function, right?” She hoped he would continue.

  “Right,” he affirmed, with a nod of his head. “Hell has already been sentenced, they just haven’t been locked up yet. To them, this world is their playground. They aren't ready for the fun to end. They never will be. And they are going to fight like hell to stay here, no pun intended.”

  Anna looked at him as she reflected on his words, and she thought about what his life must have been like. He had seen beings most people didn’t even realize existed. Not only that, he'd battled them countless times. She wondered how he could be as matter of fact about it as he was.