Steamed Up

“It’s just a job Angel. I swear, you are no fun since you got all in love and mushy. There was a time you would have put a bullet between Ian’s eyes and then killed everyone here, including me, without so much as a flutter of your pretty eyelashes.”

“Go to hell Jez,” I say as I try desperately to think of a way to salvage this situation. My bare skin is scraped roughly against the rough tree bark as Jez’s goon ties me tightly, and none too politely, bare-assed naked to the one tree within a mile around. This isn’t looking good. I make eye contact with Ian and I can tell he is also trying to figure a way out of this. I smile a tiny bit and blow him a kiss. I wish I could hold him and kiss him and tell him how much I’ve come to love him, but now isn’t the time for that. I can’t let on just how much of a weak spot I’ve developed for Ian.

“Jez, I will go with you willingly if you let Angel loose from those ropes and let her go free. No need to do that to her.” Ian tries desperately to reason with Jez as he is bound and pushed into a saddle of a waiting horse.

“Sugar, I don’t need to make deals. I have you and I’ve at least slowed Angel down. Come on boys, let’s move,” Jez shouts as she swings effortlessly into the saddle of her chestnut mount and urges him forward with her spurs, not even bothering to look back at me. In a cloud of dust they ride off, leaving me alone, naked and tied to a tree. I’ve definitely had better days.

Chapter Two

I’ve just about rubbed all the skin off my back, it feels like, and practically dislocated my shoulder trying to wiggle my way out of these ropes, and it isn’t working. They weren’t joking around when Jez specified the tight thing. I wish my crazy paranormal powers worked in superhuman strength, but alas, they just work on mind-fucking people.

A bug crawls up my leg, giving me a case of the creepy crawlies. Sweat is running over my naked flesh in rivers and my hair is soaked through; this is certainly not one of my more attractive moments in life. Worry over Ian is eating at me as well, I know he is a big boy and can take care of himself, but until I have him in my arms again I won’t be able to rest easy.

“Well, ain’t life funny?” An all-too-familiar and much hated voice booms out from behind me.

Shit, of all the people in the world, Rio did have to be the one to find me like this. We have a history and it isn’t a good one. “Yeah, it’s a regular riot. What are you doing out here Rio? And get your ass into your human form so I can see you. Talking to nothing creeps me out.”

“Fine, have it your way Angel. I see nothing has changed with you.” The dust swirls in front of me forming a sand storm with a dark shadow lurking within. The dark mass unfurls and stands up, a looming and intimidating shadow, then his form flickers and fades into an average-looking steam runner. His leather pants hug his body, his black button-up shirt is caked with dust, and his skin is tanned to a deep golden color after countless hours in the harsh desert climate. Topping it all off are his well-worn black cowboy hat, the steam runner goggles hanging around his neck, and twin steam pistols strapped around his hips.

“Better, sweet cheeks?” Rio asks with a cocky chuckle. “I think you just wanted an eyeful of a real man.”

“What the hell is that even supposed to mean, Rio?” I ask with a roll of my eyes. He may be the most hard-headed, egotistical, infuriating man in the history of men. Ever. He is also one of the only men I can’t mind control. He was transformed into a shade after making a deal to forfeit half his human soul to a demon, and once a human has been tainted by a demon I hold no control over him. I used to find this appealing, now it’s just annoying.

“I saw the picture of you and your new plaything after you guys ‘saved’ the world, whatever that means. He isn’t your usual type, so I’m guessing you’re hard up for a piece of real, hard manflesh aren’t you baby doll?” Rio advances slowly, his heavily booted feet making deep indents in the sand with each step he takes toward me.

“Nothing in the entire universe could make me desperate enough to need or want you again, Rio. You seem to have forgotten that little incident where you left me high and dry on a heist so you could go fuck a pair of skanky whores. Normally this wouldn’t piss me off, except I got blood all over my favorite corset, and oh yeah, remember the part where you claimed you loved me and were loyal to me? If you’d been honest and said you wanted to fuck other people I would have been fine with that, but oh no, you had to go sneaking around on me.”

“Jesus you hold a grudge, woman. That was like three years ago.” Rio pulls a knife from a sheath on his belt and advances slowly.

“Doesn’t keep me from remembering what a bastard you are,” I throw back at him. I really should be nicer, since he is the only hope I have of getting out of these ropes quickly and on my way to tracking down Ian and Jez.

“Well, since you are going to act like that, I don’t think I’m going to cut you down. I think I’ll just leave you there for buzzard food. I hate to waste such a magnificent pair of breasts, but I guess sometimes you just have to cut your losses.”

“Rio, wait,” I shout after him as he turns and starts walking away from me. “Will you please cut me down?”

“Why should I, sweet cheeks? What do you have to offer me? It’s going to have to be something good for me not to leave you here, because right now I’m loving that thought.” Rio smirks.