Voluptuous Vindication (21 page)

“What can I say? You make me insatiable, woman,” he rasped out, pulling the chair away from the table. He conceded defeat. “You win, but only for a little while. Then we are coming back here and breaking the bed in.”

Sara chuckled in delight as he moved to his own chair. She asked him incredulously, “Breaking the bed in? What do you call the last few days?”

“Practice,” he retorted, grabbing his sandwich. He took a big bite of it, amused by the expression on her face. “Now that I've learned I can survive your large sexual appetites, we can get serious about it. And if I can't? At least I died happy.”

With an exasperated sigh, she took a bite of her own sandwich. “I'm not sure if I should be tantalized or irritated by that. Large sexual appetites, huh?” She looked down at his lap meaningfully before continuing, “Are you talking about mine or yours?” Her voice dropped a notch, the tone erotic when she teased, “ Poor Ian. Are you finding me a little too hard to keep up with?”

Ian chuckled, enjoying the ridiculousness of the conversation. He was absolutely insatiable when it came to Sara, his sexual appetite knowing no bounds. Still he couldn't resist one last teasing remark. “Only time will tell. I've never felt so
drained
before, and never is a long time when you're immortal.”

Her eyes narrowed at him just as his phone rang. Ian held it up in the air as he arched an eyebrow mischievously in her direction. “I've got to get this,” he said, his voice full of laughter. “It's Arch. Usually I'd say hold that thought, but based off the look on your face, let's not, shall we?”

Sara rolled her eyes as he answered the call. “Hello, Arch. How's this lovely Halloween day treating you?”

Ian sounded happy, as if he didn't have a care in the world. He couldn't ever recall being so relaxed or carefree. Out of all the women he'd had in his lifetime, it would have to be this one, the one with no possibility of keeping. Would he keep her, given the chance? He shook his head at his thoughts as he waited for the other man to continue.

Arch scoffed. “I'm not even going to ask what's brought this change on. I'm afraid to know. What are you? The happiness fairy or something? Next you'll be wearing pink tights and a purple tutu waving a magic wand around.” He fell silent for a second. “Now that I would pay to see.”

Ian chuckled, admiring the woman at the table in front of him. “I just bet you would, and by that night, every Endurers' phone would have a picture waiting, wouldn't it? Arch, Arch, Arch” he drawled out. “Haven't you heard? Payback is a bitch, and there are countless Endurers just waiting for your most embarrassing moments to come to light.”

Arch laughed, his tone low and full of mock conceit when he retorted, “You boys are just jealous. All of you wish you could be as smooth and cool as me, but it's not going to happen. Nobody could be as awesome as I am. In fact, I'm the big daddy of coolness.”

Ian cut him off as he said blandly, “No way in hell am I calling you big daddy, you moron. I'm assuming there is a point to this call.... Hopefully, you can find it before your head explodes from conceitedness.”

“There is, but it's not as fun as talking about all my wonderful qualities.”

Rolling his eyes, Ian prodded, “Well, what is it?”

When Arch spoke again, his voice was all business. “The meeting has conveniently been moved up to tonight. I just found out about it, and I'm going to need every local Endurer on board with this. We need to be out on the streets today, spreading the word and encouraging the mortals to attend.”

Ian's eyes widened. The news come as a surprise, it was the one thing he hadn't been expecting. “The bastards. They thought they'd pull a fast one by meeting when there wouldn't be any opposition.”

“What's even worse is that they could have gotten away with it. Their plan was to sign everything tonight. Then the mortals wouldn't have a say, they'd just have to submit.”

“So what do you need me to do?”

“Take Sara and try to inform any that are willing to listen. I don't think I need to warn you to watch her closely. We're at the point where anything can happen... Anything.” He stopped for a moment before adding grimly, “Also, can you try to find Jeremiah? I've been trying to reach him, with no luck.”

“Do you think he's finally found a woman for a little between the sheets action?” Ian asked incredulously, his eyebrows raised. Sara watched him with a puzzled expression.

“Perish the thought,” Arch replied drolly as  Ian snickered at his tone. “If he did, by the time he's done complaining about his frozen balls, I can guarantee she wouldn't hang around for long.”

“I'll look for him,” Ian promised, smiling happily. “If I'm really lucky, I'll find him.” He couldn't wait to give the other Endurer a hard time... Especially, if it involved a woman. Physically, Jeremiah was considered attractive, all of them were. He wasn't known for his skill with the opposite sex, though. Ian couldn't ever recall hearing any dirt about him, but he was hoping to change that.

“You do that,” Arch retorted, but he sounded distant and troubled as his thoughts moved back to the upcoming meeting. “I need to go now. There's a lot to do before tonight, let's just hope we can get it all done.”

Chapter 15

Sara walked beside Ian on the slippery sidewalk, if what she was doing could be walking. Ian kept one arm locked around her waist, holding her securely. Everything around them was covered in a blanket of white, as undisturbed now as it had been when they'd left Las Vegas.

A salt truck drove slowly past them, the first one she'd seen on the desolate roads. It was hard to believe they were in a section of the city that used to be its busiest. She looked at Ian and said in disbelief, “Now they decide to salt the roads?”

Ian grinned at her tone, his classic features refined in the waning sunlight. The days were extremely short now and seemed to be growing shorter all the time. With his black button-down coat and scarf he looked like a rich playboy. In his case, looks weren't deceiving. Ian wasn't just a rich playboy, though, he was so much more. 

“Don't worry, it's not something the city will make a habit of,” he replied sardonically. “They are just making sure the top dogs can get in. Nobody wants to leave anything to chance. They want control over Las Vegas, and they are going to do everything they can to get it.”

“Who will be there tonight?” Her eyebrows drew together as she thought about it. “I'm guessing  Las Vegas has a mayor. Do you think he supports these Care Centers?”

Ian was surefooted as he walked beside her. Shaking his head, he replied, “Las Vegas did have a mayor. He died, not too long after the first blizzards hit.”

“Did he die from exposure?”

“No, it wasn't the weather that killed him. Vandals did that. When the world first went to hell, none of the mortals here were really prepared for it. They believed it would be temporary. By the next day, the ones that lived realized differently. Crime went through the roof, the police force unable to deal with the sheer amount of robberies. In the midst of this, there was widespread panic as everyone scrambled for things like gas, medicines, and groceries. Then, there were the arctic temperatures.”

Ian stopped and stared at her, but his eyes and thoughts were distant. “We did all we could but there were just a handful of us against a panicked city. Within the first two weeks, half the population was gone. It's pretty much each man for himself, and only the strongest will survive.”

“It hasn't been that bad since I've been here,” Sara mused, looking around at the empty streets.

“I wish I could say it's because someone has gotten control of the crime in Vegas,” Ian said, his voice reflective. “But that wouldn't be the truth. The crime has let up only because of how many have died. It's still out here, though, and it's not safe for any mortals to walk around, even in a group. Night or day, it doesn't matter. The ones haunting these streets don't blink an eye about ending another human's life.”

“I don't feel scared, at least not with you,” she replied, meaning every word.

“Don't put me on a pedestal,” Ian warned, his alert eyes missing nothing about their surroundings. “I might be immortal, but demons have tricks up their sleeves, tricks they won't hesitate to use. They are cruel and calculating enough to use the innocent against us. It's leverage, forcing us into doing something we wouldn't have done, had it only been one of our lives in danger.”

Sara's breath caught in her chest, sad at the pain in his voice. She knew he was referring to the trauma he'd experienced in New Orleans, and suddenly she saw Ian in a completely different light. Reaching out a hand, she tugged at his sleeve to stop him. Meeting his eyes, she said, “I know that what you went through was horrible. I would never want to put you in in the situation of having to trade yourself off for me.”

His eyebrows drew together as he prepared to argue. Sara cut him off. “I'll be gone soon, but you are going to have to somehow adapt and continue to endure this world. I wouldn't see you destroyed, not if I have a say about this. You matter, and you're needed here, more than you'll ever realize. If something happens to me before I leave, let me go. Don't be a hero.”

He ran a hand through his soft hair, a wavy lock swinging down to hang attractively over his forehead. “Kim didn't want it either, but it still happened. It's not a matter of wanting it. Demons will use anyone or anything to break a soul,” he said bitterly, his expression grim. “Which makes caring about another equivalent to a death sentence.”

Sara looked down at his chest. His attitude made sense to her, and she just wanted to cry. Ian meant what he said, and said what he meant. He'd been damaged in a way that couldn't be mended, especially since there was always the risk of something similar happening again. The world as they knew it had changed, filled with beings from Hell whose only purpose was to torment and destroy. Demons wouldn't hesitate to find someone they thought Ian cared about, not if they thought it would suit their purposes.

She was his weakest link.

Ian's eyes met hers, his green depths filled with pain. It wasn't just that, though. They were filled with a desperate plea, a wordless cry to not place him in danger of enduring that kind of hell again. Her heart broke as she swallowed painfully. He was the bravest man she'd ever seen, giving everything he had to protect someone, even if it meant losing himself in the process.

Sara didn't know if Ian was even aware of what his eyes were saying, but it didn't stop her from receiving the message, loud and clear. Her body trembled in a pain of its own at the thought of leaving him... But in its own way, her imminent departure would be a godsend to the Endurer that would give it all to keep someone safe. With her gone, she couldn't be used against him, and that knowledge was the only thing that would see her through the uncertainty of her future... At least until she couldn't remember her past anymore. 

Time ceased as they stared at each other in the silence, her eyes filled with tears. Ian's face was ravaged, his expression grim. He'd spent centuries fighting creatures that only belonged in nightmares, but that hadn't been what broke him. Having to submit to them had, creating an wall inside of him that could never be breached. Her voice thick with emotion, Sara said, “Ian, I...”

Her words were lost as screams filled the air. “Sasquatch! Somebody help me.”

Ian spun around, his expression wiped clean as his body stiffened. He was in Endurer mode, any and all personal thoughts and feelings pushed aside. Two women burst out of the alley, a half-block away.

Screaming frantically, they ran in their direction. Their screams had drawn the attention of others, some stepping out from the businesses still open. Ian grabbed her arm, urging her in their direction.

A dark-haired woman reached them first, her eyes wide and filled with terror. “There's a monster attacking something in that alley,” she screamed out, pointing back with her finger. “He's going to kill us all.”

“Wait here,” Ian ordered, taking off at a run down the sidewalk. Smiling reassuringly at the women, Sara held onto the wall as she slowly followed. What was in the alleyway didn't scare her half as bad as the ones that could look human. Although she didn't believe they were, it was possible the women could be demons. They weren't, though. Ian would have recognized them immediately.

Ian looked back at her and shook his head when he saw she was following. Darting back, he lifted her up. “Stubborn ass woman,” he growled, turning back in the direction of the alley. “Didn't I tell you to wait?”

His voice was without heat, though. Reaching the space between two rows of buildings, he stopped as Sara gasped. At the other end, an extremely large, furry creature was tearing into a dumpster, slinging trash in every direction. Standing on two legs, it was bent over the metal edge as growls tore from its throat. Ian released her before moving deeper into the alleyway.

The creature didn't notice Ian as he moved stealthily over the snow. Several people gathered behind her, watching in horror as he neared the beast. In all her years, Sara had never seen anything like it.

“What is it doing?” A woman hissed behind her.

“Maybe it's hungry,” a man responded, but Sara ignored them. Ian was only feet away, the lower half of the beast's body moving as he continued to tear into the trash.

Could it be another demon? If so, the humans were fixing to see something they wouldn't believe. There wasn't anyway to get rid of them.

Sara stepped further into the alley, her eyes never leaving the scene in front of her.

* * * * *

Ian neared the furry body in front of him, rolling his eyes in exasperation. His lips curved up in an amused grin. He was going to enjoy this, more than he should considering the circumstances. Stopping a few feet away, Ian crossed his arms as he yelled out loudly, “Boo.”

The other man's head shot up, hitting the heavy metal lid he had propped open. He roared in pain before pulling his head out and glaring at Ian. “You bastard,” Jeremiah spat out, his accent thick. “What in the hell are you doing here?”

Ian moved forward, peering inside. “Why in the hell are you digging through a dumpster in a Bigfoot costume?” Ian shot back as he waved a hand in front of his nose. He shot him a sarcastic look before adding, “Damn, you even smell like a wild animal. If you were hungry, you should have just said something.”

“Asshole,” Jeremiah roared as he threw a box at him. Everything but his eyes were covered by the furry mask he wore. “Because of you, I have a pain in my head and my ass. Go torment someone else.”

“Lose the damned attitude,” Ian retorted, putting his hands on his hips. “Where have you been all day? Arch is looking for you.”

Jeremiah slammed the lid of the dumpster before kicking its hard, metal side. Despite the thick snow surrounding the base, it moved back several feet. A woman screamed out in panic as a man said on his cellphone, “There is a man attempting to communicate with it, but it's not working. Sasquatch is attacking the dumpster!”

Ian groaned, rolling his eyes again as Jeremiah froze. His dark eyes were incredulous as he asked, “What is this, some kind of messed up intervention? Really, Ian, did you have to bring everyone in Las Vegas? What does a man have to do to get a little privacy around here?”

His head swung back toward the group of fearful humans as he roared from behind the mask. They screamed, backing away from the alley. “God help us, it's getting ready to attack. Move, Move!” Chaos erupted as the humans scattered in terror, moving in every direction to put distance between them and the alleyway.

Sara slowly made her way over to them. “Ian,” she asked hesitantly, her blue eyes wary as she kept them trained on Jeremiah. “Is it safe?”

Ian chuckled. “I don't know, it seems pretty rabid to me. Don't be surprised if it starts foaming at the mouth next.”

Sara frowned, her eyes flickering back and forth between the two men. “Shut the fuck up, Ian,” Jeremiah growled, jerking his head in the direction of the street. “And get the hell out of here. I'll meet up with the rest of you in a little bit.”

“Jeremiah?” Sara asked slowly, moving closer for a better look. “Is that you in there?”

Jeremiah groaned out in agony, turning back to the dumpster. Lifting the lid up, he peered inside. “Since you're here, you might as well make yourself useful,” he said in disgust, his voice muffled from behind the mask. “Ring my cellphone.”

Ian snickered before saying, “Excuse me? I don't think I heard you correctly. Did you want me to ring your phone?”

Jeremiah turned his head slowly turned his head to glare at him, his dark eyes promising great retribution. Sara grinned in the darkness. There was just something funny about teasing the large Spaniard.

“Ring the damn phone,” Jeremiah barked out. “Or get the hell out of here. I'm one step away from wiping this icy floor with your hairy ass, Ian. Just one step away.”

“My hairy ass?” Ian asked in disbelief as he gestured toward Jeremiah. “You're one to talk. You need to stop thinking about my ass and worry about your own... If you can even find it in there.”

“What. In. God's. Name. Is. Going. On. Here.” The words were harsh and drawn out as all three of them spun around.

Arch stood in the alleyway, his arms crossed and his strong legs spread as he glared at them. “Well?” He demanded as they stared at him in surprise. “How can two immortal Endurers manage to get into as much trouble as you do?”