Angel in Chains (2 page)
Az tensed as the wave of need hit him. Not lust for blood or death. This time . . . the lust was just for her.
You’re not an angel anymore. Take what you want.
“Yeah,” she said, as her laughter faded but the smile still lingered on her lips, “thanks for saving my ass.” Then she held out her hand to him. “My name’s Jade. Jade Pierce.”
He stared at her hand. She wiggled her fingers at him. Slowly, Az lifted his own hand and caught those wiggling fingers.
Soft.
“I am Azrael.” He dropped her hand. He hadn’t used the name Azrael in centuries. “Most just call me Az.”
Soft.
“I am Azrael.” He dropped her hand. He hadn’t used the name Azrael in centuries. “Most just call me Az.”
“Well, Az, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” Her gaze slid over his body again. “But I’m gonna have to ask, once more, just what are—”
The door crashed in behind her. She didn’t scream this time, but maybe Az just didn’t give her a chance to scream.
Because as the three black panthers—fully shifted panthers—leapt into the room, jumping over the broken door, Az grabbed Jade and threw her toward the couch.
Then he ran right for the snarling beasts.
He should have known better than to let down his guard. Shifters and their damn acute senses. They’d caught his scent, her scent, and followed them right through the Quarter.
“I warned you,” Az snapped and leapt at the nearest panther. He caught the beast’s front paws and shoved the giant cat back. “You should have listened.” There would be no more warnings now. Only death.
With a twist of his hands, Az broke both paws and tossed the cat back through the door.
Ruined my door.
That panther had—
That panther had—
Claws dug into his back, driving deep into muscle and scraping bone. Hissing against the pain, Az snapped his teeth together and whirled around in a blur. He reached out as fury slammed through him and Jade’s horrified yell rang in his ears.
Attack. Destroy. Kill.
He touched the panther, and the animal stiffened beneath his fingers. The beast’s blazing gold eyes locked on him. Az’s breath heaved as he demanded, “Ready for hell?”
The scent of flowers swept into the room, blowing in on the breeze from outside. It came right into his home and seemed to surround the shifter.
Az knew well what that scent meant.
An Angel of Death was close.
Despite what humans may have thought, Death didn’t smell like rot. Death was sweet. The better to tempt and lead away the souls.
An Angel of Death was close.
Despite what humans may have thought, Death didn’t smell like rot. Death was sweet. The better to tempt and lead away the souls.
Az lifted his hand. The panther fell to the ground. The fur melted away, and he stared down at the tattooed body of the man who’d chosen to seek death. “I warned you.”
A whimper had Az’s head rising. The other panther crouched, and its head swung back and forth between Az and the body on the floor. Az lifted his hand, palm up, toward the beast. “Want to join him?”
The panther spun away and leapt through the window. Glass shattered, and Az bit back a snarl of his own.
Something else to fix, dammit.
Something else to fix, dammit.
He rushed to the door. Both the surviving panthers were racing away. His brother Sammael would say they were hauling ass.
Finally. They’d realized they should fear him. And it had only taken the little matter of death to drive that point home.
“Oh my God!”
The wild cry came from his elderly neighbor. He glanced over just in time to see Ms. Hattie McRae duck back inside her apartment. Great. A frantic call to the cops was probably being made.
The wild cry came from his elderly neighbor. He glanced over just in time to see Ms. Hattie McRae duck back inside her apartment. Great. A frantic call to the cops was probably being made.
Looked like he wouldn’t be repairing the place after all. Time to clear out. Again.
Whenever humans found a dead body, they tended to ask endless and useless questions. When they asked those long and boring questions, he’d discovered the cops didn’t like it when he told them to fuck off.
“You . . . killed him.” Whispered from behind him.
Az straightened slowly. His back burned and his shirt stuck to the blood coating his flesh.
“How?” Jade asked. The floor creaked as she came closer to him.
His wounds would heal, but for the moment, the pain had his teeth grinding together. Now wasn’t really the time for explanations. Not that he felt like offering any to her.
With a wave of the hand that had killed, he motioned toward the busted doorway. “Flee while you can.” Another warning. Hopefully, she’d be smart enough to actually listen to him and get the hell out of there.
He’d do the same. Leave this place. Find another dwelling.
“Flee?” She repeated, voice rising a notch.
Sucking in a deep breath as he turned, Az nodded. “Yes, before the police arrive and find—” He gestured to the body. “Him.” Because it didn’t look like he’d killed a panther. No, now it looked like he’d just murdered a man. At the moment of death, shifters always returned to their human forms.
She knelt near the body. “There aren’t any wounds on him.”
No. He didn’t have to wound in order to kill.
Jade fell back onto her butt and stared up at him. “How’d you do it?”
With a touch
. That was what the Angel of Death did. He touched, and he killed, and the rest of the world feared.
. That was what the Angel of Death did. He touched, and he killed, and the rest of the world feared.
That was his life. Or, it had been.
Take anything you want.
She licked her lips and the eyes that made him think too much of pleasure and human sins met his.
Temptation.
It was staring right at him. Sometimes, the most dangerous temptations were the ones that were right in front of you.
Then he saw the fear that slipped over her face. “
What
are you?” Of course, she’d ask that annoying question again.
What
are you?” Of course, she’d ask that annoying question again.
It was the question he hated because the answer was—
an abomination.
an abomination.
So Az didn’t respond. He’d saved her. Warned her to flee. That meant he’d more than done his part. What happened next would be up to her.
He turned from her and slipped into the rising light of dawn. He blurred his body, moving quickly, and he knew that, to her, it would look as if he vanished.
If only he could.
But just disappearing from the world would be far too easy, and Az knew he wasn’t meant for the easy path.
He was meant to suffer.
Her hero left her with a dead body. Jade stared down at the panther. “Austin, you jackass, I hope you’re somewhere really,
really
hot.” After the hell he’d put her through over the last few years, he deserved to burn.
really
hot.” After the hell he’d put her through over the last few years, he deserved to burn.
The screech of sirens reached her ears. It figured the cops would be fast this one time, when she needed them to be slow. Jade jumped to her feet.
“Az!”
“Az!”
She shoved through the broken door. The wood scraped her arm. Perfect. Of course she’d leave DNA evidence behind at a murder scene. But, hopefully, once they examined the body, the wise folks at the NOPD would realize they weren’t dealing with a normal stiff, and they’d make this murder victim just . . . vanish.
Other
deaths had a way of disappearing in the Big Easy. Mostly because there were so many
Other
hiding in the city. When supernaturals looked to blend in with the human population, they flocked to the big cities. It was easier for them to hide in plain sight there. Of course, in New Orleans, the city made for voodoo and magic . . . hiding in plain sight took on a whole new meaning for the paranormals.
deaths had a way of disappearing in the Big Easy. Mostly because there were so many
Other
hiding in the city. When supernaturals looked to blend in with the human population, they flocked to the big cities. It was easier for them to hide in plain sight there. Of course, in New Orleans, the city made for voodoo and magic . . . hiding in plain sight took on a whole new meaning for the paranormals.
She glanced to the left, then to the right. Where the hell was her savior? Big, blond, and way too gorgeous had vanished on her.
Freaking literally vanished. Come on, she did
not
need this right now. Her savior should have stayed put, and well, done more saving.
not
need this right now. Her savior should have stayed put, and well, done more saving.
You’re not getting away from me that easily.
Her gaze scanned the old cement sidewalk. Looking, looking . . .
Blood drops
.
.
She locked onto those red drops and raced along the spattered trail. Austin had cut her hero too deeply. With that kind of wound, it was amazing that Az could walk at all. She’d been sure Austin had severed his spine—or come real close—but Az had acted like the wound had barely troubled him. An attack that brutal would have crippled her.
Az had killed with a touch. He’d been super strong. And he had amazing endurance.
Oh, yeah, he was the man she’d been dreaming of for years—the man who could finally help her.
Not. Getting. Away.
When a girl had been waiting as long as she had for her hero to show up, she didn’t let the guy fly away.
When a girl had been waiting as long as she had for her hero to show up, she didn’t let the guy fly away.
Police cruisers whipped by her. Jade hunched her shoulders and rushed forward even faster. The blood twisted down an alley. Great. Another alley that reeked of piss. Why couldn’t just one ever smell like roses?
Her speed slowed way down as she entered the alley. Not rushing anymore, but more like creeping now as she carefully followed the blood trail. As far as she could tell, there was no way out of this dead-end alley. Red bricks stared back at her and her throbbing forehead reminded her that she’d already gotten up close and personal with the hard edge of bricks once and—
An arm snaked around her and hauled Jade up against a very big, very,
very
strong male body. There was no chance to scream—not that she’d been planning to scream—because a heavy hand covered her mouth.
very
strong male body. There was no chance to scream—not that she’d been planning to scream—because a heavy hand covered her mouth.
“I told you to flee.”
His
low, rumbling voice.
His
low, rumbling voice.
But then she’d known Az’s touch instantly. There was no mistaking that deadly strength.
“You should have listened to me.” His breath blew over her ear, and she felt the lightest touch of his lips against her lobe. Jade couldn’t help it, she shivered. Her ear had always been a weak spot.
Besides, if Az wasn’t the type of man to make a woman shiver, no one was. Tall, strong, with a face sculpted to perfection, the guy was walking, talking sex appeal. And danger.
Why,
why
did she always have to want the dangerous ones? She should have learned her lesson by now. Should have fallen for a quiet accountant somewhere.
why
did she always have to want the dangerous ones? She should have learned her lesson by now. Should have fallen for a quiet accountant somewhere.
But if she had, the quiet accountant would have ended up dead—
thanks to me.
thanks to me.
Better to stick to the ass-kicking type of man.
She opened her mouth to talk and realized, yep, his hand was still over her mouth. More sirens wailed in the distance. Jade tensed, hoping none of those cops felt the urge to search the area, or, oh, follow the trail of blood that led straight to them.
When Az eased his grip, she took a deep breath, and her tongue snaked out just a little and licked his palm.
Maybe that move hadn’t exactly been accidental on her part.
Seduce. Use. Betray.
Some days, it was just her motto. If she’d been a good girl, she would have been dead long ago. Jade had learned that the bad girls lived longer.
Az sucked in a sharp breath at the sensual touch, and Jade felt the unmistakable response of his body behind her. Now that was interest—
He spun her around—spun
them
around—and pinned her against the bricks. He glared at her, those sky blue eyes of his so bright in the growing dawn. Too bright.
them
around—and pinned her against the bricks. He glared at her, those sky blue eyes of his so bright in the growing dawn. Too bright.
“You don’t want to play with me.” His voice probably would have frightened small children.
Good thing she wasn’t a kid. And, um, who said she was playing? “Y-you saved me.” He had. So impressive. “A-and you were hurt.” She didn’t even have to fake the tremble in her voice. Running from the cops often made her voice all trembly. It was that wild fear/adrenaline combo.
He glared down at her. “I heal fast.”
Wonderful
. Extra bonus for them. She licked her lips, and his gaze flickered down at the movement of her tongue.
Even better.
This morning—minus the mild concussion and near dismemberment—was rocking for her. “Yeah, well, while you’re healing, you’re also leaving a trail of blood all over town.”
. Extra bonus for them. She licked her lips, and his gaze flickered down at the movement of her tongue.
Even better.
This morning—minus the mild concussion and near dismemberment—was rocking for her. “Yeah, well, while you’re healing, you’re also leaving a trail of blood all over town.”
His brows pulled together as he tossed a glance at the blood that littered the ground near them.
“And cops are probably raiding your place right now,” she continued, talking too fast. But they needed to
move.
“So why don’t you let me take you someplace safe? You can finish healing, clean up the blood . . .”
move.
“So why don’t you let me take you someplace safe? You can finish healing, clean up the blood . . .”
His gaze searched hers. “You want to . . . help me?”
Not exactly. “Yes.” She smiled at him. Jade hoped the smile looked innocent. She’d been told before that she could fake innocent pretty well. Okay, except for the eyes. Her eyes always screwed things up for her, so she carefully lowered her gaze. “You saved me. Now let me return the favor.”
He didn’t speak.
So she took his hand. Jade carefully laced her fingers with his. The guy’s hand swallowed hers. His touch also made her heart beat way too fast.
“You shouldn’t touch me.” His words came out sounding gruff.
Now she forced herself to meet his eyes. “I’m not afraid of you. You saved me.” If it hadn’t been for him, she would have been on her way back to hell.
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