Voluptuous Vindication (6 page)

“Yeah, about that,” Arch replied as Ian turned to look back to him with a glare. He wore a contrite expression. Ian narrowed his eyes. When Arch looked like that, it didn't bode well for the person he wore it for.

“Arch,” he drawled out warningly. “I'm not in the mood for this shit. You didn't mention anything about duties beyond getting her off that train. I don't babysit mortal angels. Send Jeremiah in, and I'll take his place in Vegas.”

Arch shook his head in irritation. “And I don't have time for this. There isn't anyone that can take this assignment over, it has to be you. As many years as you've known me, you ought to understand me by now. If I say it has to be you,
it has to be you.
”

“I do understand you, and it's mighty damned scary,” Ian shot back in disgust. “If she weren't an angel, I'd think you were playing matchmaker... Once again. Speaking of mates, I'm making it clear, right here and now. I'm not interested... Ever. Whether I have one or not is a moot point. I don't want to be pulled into a mating, and I mean this. I'd be seriously pissed if I were.”

Arch looked at him for a long moment, his expression sad. “Were you dropped on your head at birth, Ian, or did all your brains descend into your ass over the years? There are many Endurers out there that would take a mating for what it was...  A gift from Heaven. Yet, you would walk away from it, without a second thought. God help the woman designated for you.”

Ian scoffed, staring at the woman. She looked uncomfortable, so he moved forward and took the bag and case off of her. Laying them on the ground, he popped up fast enough to just catch the look of satisfaction on Arch's face. His eyes narrowed again, but he didn't have the chance to get onto him about it. A small, feminine sound broke the silence of the night.

Sara's eyes popped open. Arch stood her up immediately, gripping her about the arm until she was able to stand without support. She blinked rapidly, gaining her bearings. “Arch, it's good to see you again. It's been awhile.”

Arch chuckled, releasing her. “That it has. About a millennium, but who's counting?”

She smiled wanly, her eyes moving to Ian. They were large and grave underneath the light of the moon. She nodded in acknowledgment of his presence but didn't speak to him. “Why am I here, Arch?”

He bent down, picking up her case and bag off the ground. “Why are you here on the side of the tracks, or why are you here in general?” Arch asked, handing them back to her.

Sara looked troubled, her expression serious. “As if you don't know. It might have been awhile, but I know you can see my thoughts clearly. It's bad, isn't it?”

Arch nodded, his expression solemn. “A hit has been placed on that pretty blonde head of yours. I don't know what your future holds, but something big must be fixing to happen. Hell is determined to end you, and I mean fast. I just took down eleven demons on top of that train, every one of them on board for one reason only. To kill you.”

Sara shook her head slowly, her brow furrowed in puzzlement. “I don't understand,” she replied, her tone soft. “I'm not exactly a high-end angel like you. This last five years my assignment has been to work in a homeless shelter in Lincoln, Nebraska. It's not like I'm a major player in the whole good versus evil game.”

“Why were you on the train to begin with?” Ian asked, jumping into the conversation. If Arch expected him to take care of her, he needed answers of his own.

Sara turned to look at him. He was struck again by the cool beauty of her features, and it made him scowl. Arch watched them curiously, his eyes missing nothing.

Sara didn't appear to notice. Instead, she replied, “We had a runaway that reunited with her family. They were too destitute to make their way to Lincoln, so I was asked to travel with her and see her home safely.”

She turned back to Arch, adding, “And that's what I did. I was on my way back to Lincoln when this happened. Where are we, anyhow?”

Arch cleared his throat, looking around. “We're in Utah, but let's not get into it here. By now, the demons know you're no longer on the train. They will be doubling back. As much as I love kicking demon ass, you need to be filled in.” He shrugged. “I could go for a hot coffee. Let me move us back to Vegas, and I'll explain everything.”

“Okay,” Sara replied, clutching the briefcase and bag to her chest. Her knuckles were white from the sheer pressure she was exerting. Ian's interactions with angels was limited, but he couldn't recall meeting a nervous one before. It was uncharacteristic of them as a whole.

“Why are you so shaky?” He bit out, his tone unfriendly as he held up his fingers in a quote symbol. “After all, you're the immortal angel and all. I'm sure you've had thousands of years fighting demons and traveling in a manner that defies space and time. What's a jaunt to Las Vegas, compared to everything you've seen and done?”

Arch shot him a dirty glance, but Sara's eyes were steady and calm when she replied, “I've been assigned to the mortal realm for hundreds of years now, with the exception of brief breaks every five years. In case an
Endurer
wouldn't know, that means I've spent the majority of my time mortal. As to why I'm nervous, what's it to you?” She looked away, her full lips compressing into a narrow line. “Endurer or not, my personal thoughts are my own, and not subject to your mockery.”

Ian arched an eyebrow, but didn't get a chance to reply. In the blink of an eye, the world shifted. He found himself buried face first in a large snow pile, his body several feet off the ground. Quickly pulling his head out, he fell down. Pink and blue lights flashed above him. They were back in Vegas.

Arch and Sara stood on the snow-covered sidewalk, staring at him. Ian scrambled to his feet. Arch's expression was amused, but Sara's eyes held no expression. “Real fucking funny,” he snarled out at Arch, shaking the snow off of his head. “Asshole.”

Ian bent over, rubbing at his hair. He was flooded with embarrassment, feeling gauche. It was a feeling that didn't sit well with him, particularly because of the female angel watching him. In the past, he would have laughed it off. Because of her, he couldn't. He turned to glare at her, rendered speechless by the humiliation pulsating through his body. It was all her fault.

Standing up straight, he faced them. She stood two feet from Arch, her face stark. The paleness of her hair picked up the pink and blue tones from the lights overhead, giving the illusion of a dye job that didn't suit her conservative, matronly appearance. The jacket hem just barely reached the base of her stomach, revealing the plumpness underneath. Her flesh was a tad too large for his liking, making the undercurrent of attraction unreal in his mind.

Ian growled, the sound barely registering in his thoughts.

“Knock off the rabid dog act,” Arch said warningly, his tone harsh. “You're starting to get on my nerves.”

“Then what the fuck am I doing here?” Ian asked, thrusting his hands out wide, palms up. “Just remember, you came after me. I couldn't care less about this. In fact, I have no reason to be here. I'll make this easy, I'm leaving now. You deal with her. ”

Arch's eyes narrowed on him. Sara didn't move, a flicker of hurt crossing her features so quickly Ian couldn't be sure he hadn't imagined it. He didn't care as he stood there, breathing hard. Hurt, anger, and humiliation churned in his gut in equal amounts. He'd meant what he said. Babysitting angels wasn't anywhere on his to-do list.

The image of the leader of the demon pack from the abandoned building in New Orleans rose up in his mind. His body locked into place, his muscles bunching painfully as he struggled to push the memory away.
The bastards, weren't his ravaged, sleepless nights enough for them?

Ian hadn't slept right since New Orleans. When his exhausted body finally forced rest upon him, it was never peaceful or satisfying. There was no escape for him. His nights were filled with ruthless memories and horrific nightmares... In other words, it was hell.

“Arch, you prick,” an enraged male voice yelled out, breaking the silence of the night. “I've got a bone to pick with you.”

“Shit,” Arch muttered, his eyes widening. Smiling in a cajoling way, he turned to face the newcomer. 

The hooded figure on the other side of the street was Jeremiah. He was surefooted as he walked across the snow and ice, his extremely tall figure quickly eating up the distance. Jeremiah was one of the tallest men Ian had ever seen, easily standing seven feet tall.

His hood was lined and edged with fur. Ian's lips twisted, but not in amusement. Jeremiah had a penchant for caveman clothing. Maybe someone needed to clue him in that they were in the twenty-first century. What man wore fur?

They all waited for him to approach. Something had stirred him up, anger emanating from his large frame. What had crawled up the Spaniard's ass and died? His dark eyes were flashing as he stopped right in front of them. For the first time in months, Ian smiled. Arch was about to get chewed out, and he couldn't wait to see it.

“Jeremiah,” Arch said jovially. “It's good to see you.”

“Cut the crap, Arch,” Jeremiah growled out, his accent heavy. “I want a transfer from this godforsaken arctic shit hole, and I want it as soon as it can be arranged. I've got two solid balls of ice hanging between my legs, and my pecker is frozen to my underwear. I swear, man. I can hear my balls clinking together as I walk. I want out of here, and I want out of here... Now!”

“Where would you like to go?” Arch asked conversationally.

“I hear Fiji is nice,” Jeremiah responded, in a hopeful tone of voice.

Ian snickered. “Good luck with that.”

Jeremiah's eyes narrowed on Arch. “Are you just stringing me along? I meant what I said, I don't care what it takes. I won't lose my manhood for anything or anyone, not even you.”

Arch slapped him on the back. “I'm sure we can work something out,” he told the other man. “We're on our way to the coffee shop. Let's thaw you out and go from there.”

He led Jeremiah down the sidewalk, throwing a heated look over his shoulder at Ian. “The coffee shop, now,” he ordered, leaving no room for argument.

Ian sighed, gesturing for Sara to go in front of him. It was a mistake, the sight of her full hips and arse turning him on. Desperate to distract himself, he called out loudly, “You know, Jeremiah, I have to agree. I distinctly hear a clinking noise, too.”

Arch glared back at him, his expression livid as Jeremiah started to complain again. Ian grinned broadly. Maybe there was still hope for the night, after all.

Chapter 3

The inside of the coffee shop was warm, thanks to the state of the art generators installed at the back of the building. Electricity was now considered a luxury, no longer taken for granted by the mortals that had it. Even the generators wouldn't last forever, though. Gasoline was scare, rarely delivered to the stations across Las Vegas.

Mortals thought they had it bad now, and they were right. In their minds, though, they still expected someone to fix it, laying their full trust and hopes in a government that was just as clueless as they were. At least, some of them were. The others had their own agendas, and for them, Ian suspected that the time line of events were going just as they had planned.

Arch pulled out a chair, sitting down with a steaming cup of coffee. They were the only customers in the shop at this time of night. The other residents were at home, trying to stay warm while securing their belongings from looters.

The owner kept a shot gun stored underneath the counter. It was the only way to protect his shop, and his safety. It wouldn't protect him if the demons came calling, though. Ian hoped he recognized the truth and fast. Supernatural protection from above was the only way any of the mortals would survive the impending events.

Arch's eyes burned into Ian, pulling him from his thoughts. Something was on his mind, but it wouldn't be revealed until the angel was ready to reveal it. “Would you mind turning the television on?” Arch called to the owner, who stared at them curiously from his perch by the register.