Angel in Chains (8 page)
Az shoved down her jeans. His fingers slipped under the edge of her lacy panties.
Touch her. Take her.
So much temptation.
“I want you,” her voice, whispering to him. His head lifted. Her lips were red. Full. He kissed her again. Drank her in and wanted more. His cock was so heavy with arousal that he felt like he’d explode any minute.
In her.
But her hand caught his. “I want you, but Brandt destroys everything—
everyone
—I want.” The memory of pain darkened her words.
everyone
—I want.” The memory of pain darkened her words.
Az grabbed onto his control and held tight.
Take. Touch.
Take. Touch.
Jade shook her head. “This isn’t a good idea. They’re already after you because of me.” Now she pushed against him. “Let me go, Az.”
He didn’t want to let her go. Not then, not—
What am I doing?
Az yanked his hands away from her and rolled to the other side of the bed. He stared at the ceiling as he sucked in deep, heaving breaths.
Az yanked his hands away from her and rolled to the other side of the bed. He stared at the ceiling as he sucked in deep, heaving breaths.
Jade didn’t leave the bed. She stayed there, just inches away. “He killed the last man that I slept with—Brandt
killed
him right in front of me.”
killed
him right in front of me.”
Bastard. Az turned his head and gazed at her. Jade’s eyes were on him.
“They’re gunning for you now, because you helped me that first night,” she told him. “Brandt . . .” She swallowed and her eyes were sad. “He likes to play with his prey.”
He didn’t really gave a damn about Brandt right then. Not while his body was hard and tight with need for her.
She sat up and climbed from the bed.
Her body . . .
perfect. “Having sex with me will just make him want to hurt you more.”
Her body . . .
perfect. “Having sex with me will just make him want to hurt you more.”
He watched her walk away, and the rage exploded.
In an instant, Az was across the room, in front of her. Reaching for her arms and hauling her up against him.
All that sweet flesh.
“Do you think I care at all about what some panther bastard thinks he can do to me?”
All that sweet flesh.
“Do you think I care at all about what some panther bastard thinks he can do to me?”
Her eyes widened. “Um, no?”
“I am a Fallen. I fear no one or nothing on this earth.”
“A-a Fallen?”
“I’ve seen heaven. I’ve seen hell. I’ve been the hand of death.”
She swallowed.
“The panther can hunt me, but in the end,
I
will be the one to kill him.” As he’d killed so many others. Thousands of souls—taken.
I
will be the one to kill him.” As he’d killed so many others. Thousands of souls—taken.
What’s one more?
Her pink tongue snaked across her lower lip. The lip he’d kissed. He could still taste her.
“The scars on your back . . .” she whispered.
Tell her all.
“My wings burned away when I fell.”
“My wings burned away when I fell.”
Jade’s eyes widened as she slowly shook her head. “No, no, that’s not possible. You’re saying that you’re—”
He released her. Stepped back. “I don’t lie.”
Her chest rose and fell with her rapid breaths. Rose and fell . . . and her breasts were still tight with arousal. Just as his body still yearned for her.
“I’m a Fallen angel, and you—” His voice roughened with both his rage and his lust, “You’re my temptation.”
C
HAPTER
F
IVE
HAPTER
F
IVE
A
n angel.
n angel.
Jade stood in the shower, letting the rough blast of water slide over her skin. The shower was supposed to cool her off, but, um,
no.
no.
Because she kept picturing Az. His intense gaze. His wide, muscled chest, those
lick me
abs. She could feel his hands on her skin. His mouth on her breast and—
lick me
abs. She could feel his hands on her skin. His mouth on her breast and—
A Fallen angel.
Her eyes squeezed shut as she put her face under the water.
Sure, she’d heard tales about angels. When she’d been seventeen, she’d had a brutal awakening to the supernatural world around her. Since then, she’d seen just about everything out there—demons, vamps, even a djinn once—and he’d scared the hell out of her.
But—an angel? Oh, damn, if he knew all the things she’d done . . .
She was covered in blood and sin.
The shower curtain was yanked to the side and the sudden rush of cold air had her eyes flying open as she spun around.
Az stood there. His gaze swept slowly over her.
Should she pretend a modesty that she didn’t feel? His stare was scorching and—
“Someone’s outside,” he said.
Aw, crap. This wasn’t about wild sex.
And, ah, so much for a safe place.
She jumped out of the shower. He didn’t move back. Her body brushed against his as she yanked for a towel.
“You’re afraid of me,” Az charged with his voice flat and cold.
But, no, she wasn’t. “Should I be?” Jade asked as she secured the towel between her breasts.
She expected an instant denial. He’d been the one saving her ass for the past few days. He was the hero. The
angel
for goodness sake. But—
angel
for goodness sake. But—
“Yes.”
Then she heard the pounding at the door. What had to be a fist thudding into the wood. Somebody sure wanted inside the cabin awful badly. Not a good sign.
“Get dressed,” he told her as he backed up. Finally. She could breathe. “I’ll take care of our visitor.”
Wait, take care of—how exactly?
But he was gone and she rushed to pull on her jeans even as she heard a voice call out . . .
“This is the police. Open the door!”
No, no,
no
! “Don’t, Az!” Jade yelled back and she lurched forward. She’d managed to put on her jeans—no underwear—and her bra.
no
! “Don’t, Az!” Jade yelled back and she lurched forward. She’d managed to put on her jeans—no underwear—and her bra.
Az turned to stare at her.
“You can’t let the cops in,” she told him, her voice hushed.
No one could be allowed to get in. They had to run.
He frowned at her.
Oh, jeez.
Angels.
Angels.
The front door thudded again. “
Open up!
”
Open up!
”
She jerked a fresh white T-shirt over her head. “We
stole
a car,” she reminded Az and grabbed his hand.
A car that had probably been equipped with some kind of anti-theft tracking device.
Dammit, she hadn’t even checked for that. Beginner’s mistake, but she’d been in a rush. “He probably tracked us.” It had been three hours since they’d made it to the cabin. Three too-fast hours.
stole
a car,” she reminded Az and grabbed his hand.
A car that had probably been equipped with some kind of anti-theft tracking device.
Dammit, she hadn’t even checked for that. Beginner’s mistake, but she’d been in a rush. “He probably tracked us.” It had been three hours since they’d made it to the cabin. Three too-fast hours.
Plenty of time for a cop to hunt them down.
“We’ve got to get out of here.”
He just stared at her.
Okay, maybe she needed to break this down for him. “He’ll throw us in jail.”
Az offered her a crooked smile. “No, he won’t.”
She blinked.
“Because he’s not really a cop.”
Then Az pulled away from her. He stalked to the front door. She could all but see the tension that coiled his body with fierce energy.
Wait—had he said . . .
not really a cop
?
not really a cop
?
The door shook again. Even harder this time.
Az yanked the door open. She caught a fast glimpse of a police officer’s uniform. A badge. A gun that was aimed at Az—
And then Az snatched the gun right out of the guy’s hands. In an instant, the gun was flying across the room, and Az had the cop by the throat.
Um, he sure looks like a cop to me.
Over the years, she’d sure encountered her share of those uniformed men and women, too.
Over the years, she’d sure encountered her share of those uniformed men and women, too.
Jade rushed across the room. “Az! Put him down, you can’t—”
Then she saw the cop’s teeth. The too-sharp canines that hung behind his lips. The man’s claws were out and currently digging into Az’s arms.
Despite the attack, Az wasn’t letting go of him.
“I could smell him,” Az said, lifting the fellow even higher into the air. “Shifter. Same scent those other jerks carried.”
But she didn’t recognize this guy, and she’d thought that she knew every panther shifter in Brandt’s pack.
She rose onto her toes and peered over Az’s shoulder. Was this maybe-cop another hunter Brandt had hired?
“Call him . . . off . . .” The guy grunted. “I’m not . . . gonna hurt you.”
Like she hadn’t heard that one before. Jade scrambled back and found the discarded weapon. She checked to make sure it was loaded—oh yes—and then rushed around Az to aim the weapon at the cop. “Step back, Az.”
After a moment’s hesitation, he did.
The shifter fell to the floor, gasping. Az had a killer grip.
“Who are you?” Jade demanded as her hold on the gun tightened. “And why the hell are you dressed like a cop?”
His palms flattened on the wooden floor. “Because I
am
a cop.” He looked up at her, revealing a hard, chiseled face—and a wicked smile that flashed his sharp canines. “And a shifter.”
am
a cop.” He looked up at her, revealing a hard, chiseled face—and a wicked smile that flashed his sharp canines. “And a shifter.”
“Are you working for Brandt?” Because Az had said the guy smelled like the others.
“I’m working to take Dupre down.” He said those words with vehemence. “That twisted bastard is destroying the panthers in Louisiana.” Now the stranger rose to his feet. “We’re not all psychotic fucks, despite what you may think.”
“You mean despite what I’ve seen.” She wasn’t lowering the weapon. Jade didn’t trust this guy. Sure, cops were supposed to be all good and safe, but the only man she felt safe with was—
Az.
Az’s gaze darted between her and the cop.
The shifter grunted. “Look, my name’s Tanner. Tanner Chance. And I want to stop Dupre just as much as you do.”
“Doubtful.” Highly.
Az spread his feet a bit and straightened his shoulders, a slight movement that held an aura of menace. “How did you find us?” Az wanted to know.
“You stole a car.” The cop shifter shrugged. “There’s an APB out for you. I was just the lucky bastard who found you first.”
“I don’t believe in luck,” Jade said. Especially since she’d only seemed to have
bad
luck in the last few years.
bad
luck in the last few years.
The gun was a steady weight in her hand. She was a good shot, but even if she hadn’t been, it would be hard to miss her target at a range this close.
“Fine. Don’t believe in it.” The guy called Tanner exhaled heavily. “Believe in a GPS locator and a cop who hauled ass to get to you before anyone else could.”
She could buy that bit.
Tanner’s gaze slid to Az. “Who’s the muscle?”
Az crossed his arms over his chest and stared steadily back at the cop.
“Caught my scent, huh?” Tanner frowned at him. “So you’ve got an enhanced sense of smell, and you’re too damn strong to be a human.”
“I’m her guardian,” Az said. “Azrael.”
Her gaze slipped to him. As in . . . guardian angel? Seriously? Of course, it totally figured that her guardian angel would have fallen from grace.
Tanner’s gaze narrowed. “You’re also the asshole that managed to piss off the pack of panthers in New Orleans.”
Az smiled.
Her heart did a crazy jump in her chest. Why did she like his smile so much?
“I do what I can,” Az allowed. He hadn’t relaxed his body, not yet.
But then, she wasn’t about to drop her weapon either. Jade had met far too many boys in blue that she didn’t trust.
The cop raised his hands, probably trying to show that he was harmless. The fact that he was sporting two-inch long claws didn’t help his harmless act any. “Look, you don’t have much time,” Tanner said. “Brandt has a bounty on your head, and, if they aren’t already, then every supernatural in the area will be gunning for you.”
Jade laughed at that. “He’s been hunting me for years.”
“No. Not you. Not this time.” His dark head inclined toward Az. “Your guardian.” Tanner’s green gaze slid back to catch hers. “You know panthers don’t share well.” She saw the slight flex of his nostrils.
Damn shifter senses.
“Your scent’s all over him, and even your shower can’t hide the fact that he’s been all over
you
.”
you
.”
Az punched him. The shifter stumbled back and fell against the wall.
Jade grabbed Az’s arm. “Wait!” His muscles were rock hard beneath her touch. He started to shake her off. She just held him tighter.
“Wait, Az.”
Because the battle wasn’t just about her anymore.
“Wait, Az.”
Because the battle wasn’t just about her anymore.
I can’t let Brandt get Az.
“I want to hear what he has to say,” she told Az.
His jaw clenched and she knew he’d just prefer to beat the crap out of the guy. Tempting, but they needed to try another option first.
“Please,” she said, easing her hold so that she was stroking the tense muscles of Az’s arm. “Give him just a minute. If we don’t like what he says . . .”
Az inclined his head. “Then I’ll make him wish he’d never spoken.”
Sounded good to her. Jade glanced back at Tanner.
The shifter swallowed. “Brandt doesn’t realize you’ve been fucking yet,” he said as he pushed away from the wall, and Jade caught the hardening of Az’s jaw.
We haven’t, yet.
Temptation.
“But when he does, you know what Brandt will do.”
Brandt liked to play with his prey.
The cop’s head cocked to the side. “How much torture do you think you can stand?” He asked Az.
And Az smiled. “More than you can imagine.”
Tanner lifted up his shirt to reveal flesh that had been savaged. Long, twisting scars covered his stomach and swiped around to his back. With deep, old scars like that, he would’ve been injured long ago. Before his first change as a shifter.
He would have been just a child.
“Trust me, I can imagine a hell of a lot.” Tanner’s voice was a growl.
Unfortunately, she’d seen marks like that before. Brandt bore scars just like them. “You’re in Brandt’s pack.”
“No.” Tanner shook his head. “I
was
in the pack, until I was twelve years old, and I managed to get the hell away from Brandt and his old man.”
was
in the pack, until I was twelve years old, and I managed to get the hell away from Brandt and his old man.”
Because Brandt’s father had been the one to give Brandt the scars he carried.
To prove I can handle any pain.
Brandt’s voice whispered through her mind. He’d told her those words, the first time she’d seen the scars that marked his body.
To prove I can handle any pain.
Brandt’s voice whispered through her mind. He’d told her those words, the first time she’d seen the scars that marked his body.
Brandt’s bastard of a father had enjoyed torturing, and he’d passed that love on to his son.
“You understand,” Tanner said, staring at her with eyes that saw too much. “You know why I had to get away from them. I wasn’t gonna end up like those assholes.”
Twisted. Broken.
Killers.
Jade lowered her gun.
Az frowned. “Just because he left, it doesn’t mean this guy isn’t like them.”
“
I’m not.
I got away from them,” Tanner said, anger roughening his voice. “And I stayed away. But then they came to
my
town—”
I’m not.
I got away from them,” Tanner said, anger roughening his voice. “And I stayed away. But then they came to
my
town—”
“Looking for me,” she finished. Brandt and his pack were based in northern Louisiana, but they’d headed down south to track her.
Tanner nodded. The badge on his uniform gleamed. “I almost had you in the Quarter. I was there when those bastards started firing at your . . .
guardian.
” His jaw tightened. “But I had to help the humans. I had to take care of them.”
guardian.
” His jaw tightened. “But I had to help the humans. I had to take care of them.”
“We didn’t need your help,” Az said. Right. Because he’d taken the bullets and kept on standing—and tossing around fire.
But Jade didn’t have the luxury of super strength. “What do you want?” She asked Tanner.
“I told you, I want to stop Dupre.”
But what was a cop’s definition of “stop”? “A cage isn’t going to hold him.” She tried to put it as delicately as she could. “You’re not going to be able to arrest the guy and—”
Tanner glanced down at his badge. Then, slowly, he shook his head. “I’m not looking to arrest him.” A pause. “I’m looking to kill Brandt Dupre, and any who follow him. The only way they’re gonna stop is if they can’t draw breath.”
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